What's Up, Doc? (Sean)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Finished with his cookie, Sean reached for his mug to sip. “Having Ginny did wonders, I’m sure,” he replied with a smile. The telepath had interacted with James’s daughter many times over the years, having first been introduced to her when James had been a reluctant student, before, during, and after his wife had sued him for divorce. She had been a beautiful baby, and she had grown into a precocious child, and then into the sort of teenager and college student who would have found her way into Ryan’s social circle, if they had been of the same age and lived in the same region.

As for the adjustment, Sean nodded in agreement. “Josh has nieces and nephews himself, but he hasn’t been primarily, or entirely, responsible for their wellbeing before.” Visits during holidays and vacations, or stopping in for the afternoon or for supper, were hardly equivalent to living with a child and having him or her rely on you as their parental figure.

Sean hadn’t intended to get into a debate over the nature of psychic powers. There were prejudices all along the spectrum, and people feared for their safety or sense of privacy. All born from the same mental trap – that because one could do something meant that they would do it. It was a topic for another day, when they weren’t discussing children and he felt up to drawing parallels between the practical effects of mind control and memory manipulation. This afternoon was about parenting, and he didn’t want to think further on anti-psychic bias.

At the offer, the telepath nodded again. “That will depend on his or her temperament, if we even receive a match. But I’d appreciate it, if he was willing. Having anyone in the same position would help him or her, surely, and solidarity is important.” Peer support was important. Being able to speak to another child, instead of an adult, made a big difference. There was no power dynamic, which often helped one to open up about their feelings and ask questions without feeling as though they were being judged.

Sean smiled. “Thank you for that, truly.” He was sure that James would help as well, because they were friends, because James was paternal and community-oriented, and because he had the most child-rearing experience of everyone in the telepath’s social circle. “I’m sure that I’ll have a list of questions as the process goes along.”

[Chase Campbell]

Chase had to laugh softly and shook his head. “Not in the beginning. She was easier than my nieces and nephews because she was older, but it was still a little... awkward, at first. I didn’t know how to deal with kids or teenagers. It took a while. She was a great teacher, though.” He adored Ginny, even if they both still made faces at the labels of stepdad and stepdaughter. She was so easy to get along with, and very easy to bribe into doing things like playing laser tag in the house, ganging up against James whenever possible. Now he thought about it, she had made his transition into a more parental role so much smoother.

Chase nodded back, running his fingers along the rip of his mug. “That was my biggest problem. I don’t have nieces or nephews on my side of the family, and my cousins and I aren’t really close enough for me to have looked after any of their kids. Instead I got a sort of trial by fire the first time I met James’ family. The kids were all playing kickball and I was told to watch them.” He shook his head. “At the time it was terrifying. Now I’m the first one out there with them.” He could even handle scraped knees and breaking up scuffles. “It comes with time. And exposure.” Without Ginny or his nieces and nephews, he was positive that he wouldn’t be as good with Niko as he felt he was now.

“I’m sure you’ll get a match. You and Josh are great.” He had no doubts about that. The way Sean handled half the problem kids in Hammel was a testament to that. He never really saw him get frustrated, unless they were discussing Vincent Verax’s latest antics of course. “I’ll talk to him, and James about it. I don’t think he’s really talked about his experience much with anyone, so it might be good for him, too.”

“It’s no problem,” the trainer assured. “We’re here for both of you.” Even if Chase’s technical knowledge was a little lacking in areas, he’d try. If he didn’t know, he was sure James would. “You’ll let us know when you hear about potential matches, right?”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean nodded a single time to convey his understanding. It could be awkward for a step-parent to interact with a child right off the bat; teenagers were a mixed bag because they were older than children and thus had greater understanding. At the same time, they felt so keenly during adolescence and behavior problems were common even for golden children. “You got there with her, which was my point.”

The telepath empathized. He adored his nephew, but Ryan was the only child on his side of the family. There were no other cousins from the Nevilles, and Sean had stopped interacting with the Finnerty cousins once his sister made plain that she wanted nothing to do with him. “That’s the way it is with all facets of life, but particularly with other people.” Particularly with children.

Vincent Verax was uniquely situated in his ability to baffle and frustrate the Hammel staff. More than his partner in crime, Sam Rixon. More than L.C. when she had been a student. Even more than Zac LaRousse and Mia Keystone, in his own way. Perhaps it was borne from the fact that other problem students, no matter how frustrating they could be, no matter their other behaviors. Yet Vincent Verax, like certain STIs and power side effects, was with the Hammel faculty for life. Even though the telepath was more tolerant and patient with Vincent than most of the other staff (few would have comforted a drunk and stoned Vincent who arrived at their doorsteps in the middle of the night), there were limits.

“Thank you.” The telepath meant that both for the promises from Chase to speak to James and Niko about possible discussions, as well as for the compliment and confidence. Sean thought that they would do fine, if they were able to get over the hurdle of being assigned a match. The telepath liked children and knew that he was good with them. He also had more confidence in Josh’s ability than his partner had in himself.

At the question, Sean nodded vigorously. “Of course we will. I’m sure that we’ll be so happy to get a potential match that we’ll tell the whole town.”