5 Years Later

He was walking down the hospital corridor, hands clapsed behind his back. Leroy was assessing a patient with a smart mouth.

The door opened and he slipped in. His eyes felt heavy from lack of sleep. He thought she was asleep, so he opened her charts reviewing the heart scan.

"Am I gonna die soon?" She spoke softly. Very small with her long brown hair and bright eyes.

Leroy didn't flinch. "Well, kid, I'm afraid so." He muttered.

Lia nodded slowly. "How long have I got left?"

He paused, staring into nothingness for a little while, then breathed out the words; "I think around 90 years."

Lia gasped, putting a hand to cover her mouth. "Only 90 years?"

"I'm sorry, kid. But Star Wars have lied to you. No, you will not be living for 400 years. Maybe a hundred more, tops."

She giggled, then jumped up on the bed taking the covers off. "I'm bored. Mom just stepped out for a quick call but she's coming back in with one of her boring stories."

Leroy chuckled. "Yea, well, to Laura, Disney still lives in her heart."

"He travels across all the kingdom literally telling every girl; "show me your feet! Show me your feet!"

This made Leroy laugh out. "The princess is stupid, and a little demonic. She fell in love with him regardless."

The door slammed opened and a slender lady stepped in, complete older version of Lia. "I'm back! And I--" her face squeezed into a frown as soon as she sighted Leroy. "You're back in here?"

He only gave a lazy shrug. "Your daughter's in love with me. What can I do?"

"It's true, mommy." Lia chirped in, smiling so warm revealing two front teeth missing.

"Good to see you too, Laura." Leroy said, but she cut him off at once.

"That would be madam Jones to you. You work for us. You should respect me."

"What happened to your face? The scar," Lia pointed, then touched the upper right side of her head to explain.

"Lia? We don't ask questions like that, it must have been sad."

Leroy stood upright, his tall stance towering over Laura, and she used to think herself as tall, standing over 5'4. The man before her was 6 feet tall.

"No, it's actually not as sad as you might think. This scar is a reminder of how foolish and weak I used to be. It's a part of me now."

"Usually," Laura's frowned deepened, "usually when a kid as questions like this, you lie."

"Like you do to her?"

Laura flinched. "I don't lie to my daughter!"

"You lie about my real father. And it's cool, he must had been a monster." Lia muttered. It hurt Laura deep as her daughter said that.

"You need to rest, Lia. Doctor's order." He said, then turned to face Laura, "stop trying to sell Disney to her. Talk about astronomy instead."

Laura pouted. "Well, she already knows that I'm an Ares, tough as a bull--"

Lia interrupted, "mom, astronomy. Moon and stars, not astrology."

"Smart kid, as always. Goodnight kid. Good night, you." He said before turning to leave.

About 30 minutes passed before Lia finally fell asleep. It was almost 4:00 am. Laura picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, we need to talk."

"You always know where to find me." Said the voice.

She grunted, then cut the call, marching straight to his office. It was incredibly spacious with a clear view of the city outside through the wide glass windows. His office overlooked the city.

Leroy sat awfully comfortable with his legs crossed on his king-size chair. He hadn’t bothered turning off the lights.

His wavy hair was neatly styled even in the middle of the night, stubble beards making him dashingly handsome.

Her mind shoot back to a year ago when she'd first met Leroy. It was at an orphanage home, and he always visited that center while it was her first time. She'd hated him back then for the way he acted like royalty, with everyone bowing down for him and respecting him while she went to make a heavy donation.

Only to find out he owned the center, and plenty more all over the world. No matter how cold that man was, he was kind with the needy. He would host donations monthly to the poor, without taking any credit for his actions, going by the name "anonymous".

Lia had been undergoing a lot of stress, and he had just been the doctor recommended for her poor baby from the locals. And that was it. He was still annoying as ever, but sweet when necessary.

"You do not have the right to talk to my baby about stuff like that. I mean, astrology?--"

He winced as if her words hurt. "Astronomy. Do you not hear your daughter share the difference ealier?"

Laura rolled her eyes. Besides Jonathan, Leroy was the closest thing to a friend. Since Jonathan wasn't in town, she was stuck with Leroy.

"How's she doing? Really," concern filled her eyes. She hasn't even realized it until he pointed out she was biting her nails.

"She's doing good. I like that you have been truthful with her. She has the mind of an adult and isn't really the little child you hope her to be." He said.

"She didn't sleep until almost 4 a.m. Honestly, that's doesn't sound professional from your end."

Leroy sighed. He didn't like seeing Laura get all worried like that. "She's fine, I promise. You know she always sleeps well, it's just today. Because of that nightmare, she's been going through a lot of stress all evening and was scared of sleeping--"

Laura frowned, "nightmare? She...she didn't tell me--" she tried for calm breaths. Laura hated that her own daughter trusted this strange man over her. "What nightmare?"

"Really? She didn't tell you?" He put his pen to his mouth, biting the cap. "This is new. This must mean that..."

He was saying something to himself Laura couldn't hear. "Just tell me already, please?" Laura rushed over to his side and knelt beside him.

Leroy got up for her to sit but Laura was stubborn. He shook his head and sat down back. "Thomas Grayson."

Laura's eyes flung open, she was waiting for more.

"She saw a man, she said he had red burning eyes and he was mad at you. She saw fire. And then, you screamed out the name Thomas Grayson. Isn't that the name of your ex husband?"

Laura felt her chest would explode as it was beating so fast. "How did you...how did she..."

"She must had overheard a conversation with you and someone mentioning that name, and it just stuck in her head enough to slip into her dreams." He explained carefully, then called out her name softly, "Laura? You have to come clean with her. Who is her father?"