1. Chapter 1 (1/2)

title:

family tiesauthor:

batwomanrating:

k – gen

timeline:

takes place after episode 2, season 2. from there i haven't

decided.

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my journal, conison. anywhere else, let me know.

disclaimer:

i don't own albert, mickey, stacy, danny, ash or any of the other

established characters. they belong to the bbc and whoever it was

that created these fun characters. i'm just playing with them and

will put them back unscathed when i'm done.

author's

notes: i've always wondered about albert's life before going to

london. there was no mention of a personal life but i couldn't

help but think he left a family behind. the writers have dropped

hints about it that led to this.

unbetaed

but will eventually get it taken care of. sorry couldn't find a

beta so any mistakes are my fault entirely.

o o o o o o

o o o o o o o o o

the couple walked into

the dimly lit pool hall. she had a lot on her mind and needed to

work things out. after stopping to get a table, they walked towards

the back of the room. she picked a cue stick from the rack on the

wall while he racked the balls on the table. once finished he picked

out his own cue.

the young man watched

as she

oke sinking 4 balls in the process. he stood close to the

table with cue in hand waiting for his turn. it was a formality

really; she was so worked up that she'd have the table cleared

without a single scratch. he knew she needed to get the stress out

of her system. by the second game he would get a chance at the

table.

danny walked in an hour

later hoping to score a quick con. he spotted the couple at the back

of the room and asked for a table close to theirs. he went about the

motions of setting up his table as he listened to the couple.

americans, he noted, this ought to be easy. he idly hit the balls

around as he continued to observe them.

ready to make his move

he approached the couple. "pardon me but i was wondering if you'd

mind playing a game with me?"

the couple looked at

each other questioningly slightly taken aback at the visitor. "what

do you think," she quietly asked her fiancé.

"seems harmless,"

he shrugged.

after thinking it over

for another minute she said yes. her fiancé racked as she

turned to danny asking if he wanted to

eak. "ladies first," he

said.

she nodded and took up

position at the table to

eak. it was a clean

eak, just like all

the others that day. she sank 2 balls, one stripped and one solid.

she sank another 2 balls before danny had a chance. the 2 took turns

sinking balls, the american winning the game.

"nice game," danny

said. "care for another game?"

she looked at her

fiancé and he once again shrugged, "it's still early why

not," he said.

once again she nodded

and he racked. "what do you say we make it a little interesting?

how about we put a little money on it, say 5 pounds?"

she looked at him

suspiciously; she was warned about con artists before coming to

london. not willing to take a chance she said "sorry but i don't

play for money."

"it's just 5 quid,"

he said.

"no really, i don't

play for money," she said.

danny thought it

over, he needed to act fast to rope her into his con before she

walked off. as he opened his mouth to speak she said "forget it,

i'm ready to leave." her fiancé took the hint and

gathered the balls as she placed their cue sticks back on the wall.

as the couple walked

past him danny sighed in defeat and went back to his table. he

watched as they made their way back to the front to hand in the balls

and pay for their pool before walking out the door.

later that day the

couple walked into the tavern and sat at the bar. after ordering

drinks they had a quiet conversation as they waited. he kept a

trained eye on the occupants of the room, looking for a particular

person. when he spotted his target he nudged his fiancé. she

looked in the direction he indicated and tensed.

he placed a comforting

hand on her back and leaned in to whisper, "it'll be alright, go

talk to him i'll be right here." she looked at him not sure she

wanted to go through with it after all. he rubbed her back and said,

"if you don't do it now you'll never do it; go." he kissed

her on the temple and looked deep into her eyes. she reluctantly

nodded and slid off the stool.

taking a deep cleansing

eath she walked to the table where the group sat. "excuse me,

albert can we talk?"

the group looked at the

american woman

iefly before turning to their friend. he gave them

an imperceptible shrug. albert turned to the young woman looking at

her wondering if he'd seen her before. "you don't recognize

me do you," she asked, a slight edge to her voice.

he politely smiled and

said, "i'm sorry no."

"does the name

natasha mean anything to you," she asked.

he thought it over a

moment when the answer hit him. he slowly rose from his seat, "my

god, tasha," he asked shocked.

"albie who is this,"

stacy asked. when he didn't answer she called his name again.

"it's good to see

you sweetheart," he said reaching out to her.

she stepped back

holding up a hand to stop him. "don't," she whispered.

his smile faded "how

are you," he asked.

"fine," was the

clipped answer.

he sighed; he hoped

this would be easier. "you said you wanted to talk," he said.

at her nod he led her to the booth next to his friends. after they

sat down albert eyed her closely waiting for her to speak.

the silence was long,

natasha looked at him unable to form a sentence. she didn't want

to be here, her mother insisted she come to london to speak with him.

she didn't know why, he walked out on his family 30 years ago.

"why did you do it? why did you leave?"

albert took in a deep

eath; this isn't how he pictured a reunion with his daughter. he

hoped things would go well but it appeared his absence from her life

hurt her more than he could have imagined. "i'm sorry

sweetheart; i didn't mean to hurt you, any of you. i asked your

mother to come with; i even sent her tickets for all of you. but she

wouldn't come. she didn't want to move to a different country

with 2 little ones."

"then why didn't

you come back? was it because of us? did you stay here because of

andrew and me," she asked quietly fearing that was the reason.

"no sweetheart, i

love both of you, all of you. i never meant to hurt you when i

left…."

"but you did," she

shot back. "did you know andrew's been in and out of rehab for

years?"

albert didn't know

what to say, he had no idea his son was having such troubles. "no,"

he said barely audible.

"do you even

care?""of course i care," he replied as he reached out

to hold her hand, this time she didn't pull away. when albert

looked at his daughter now he didn't see the beautiful adult she'd

become, instead he saw a hurt little girl who couldn't understand

why daddy had to leave.

"then why didn't

you come back," she said tears stinging her eyes. without giving

him a chance to answer she stood to leave. "i don't know why i

came here."

as she walked past the

next booth stacy stood and grabbed natasha's arm. "i don't

know who you are, but.."

"let me go," she

said through gritted teeth as she tore her arm away and took a step

back.

"tasha," albert

began.

"who's this dad? is

she the reason you haven't come home? is this the tramp that

you've shacked up with?"

"natasha," he began

to admonish.

"don't… you gave

up that privilege when you walked out on your family 30 years ago,"

she said anger radiating from her. she turned to walk out but paused

after looking at the group sitting in the booth. glaring at the

sight of danny she said, "i should have known he was one of you,"

she said to albert.

her fiancé had

watched closely from the bar. he slid off his stool and made his way

to her just before she turned to leave. "let's go," she said

as she walked away. he

iefly glanced at albert and noted the hurt

etched on his face. he wanted to say something but his fiancé

needed him now. he decided to go talk to him later.

albert watched the pair

walk out, his heart aching. he walked off as stacy called after him.

ignoring his friends he left the bar and made his way to his home.

back at their suite,

tasha sat on the couch wrapped in her fiancé's arms. jason

comforted her as she wept, making a mental note to speak with albert

stroller. he had no emotional ties to the man; maybe he could help

both father and daughter through this.

when her tears ended

she remained in the comfort of his arms and said, "i don't know

what happened. i accepted the fact that he abandoned us years ago, i

didn't think i'd be so mad."

"hey its ok

sweetheart, you're reaction was perfectly normal. you're hurt

and angry it's understandable. no one will blame you honey," he

said in a comforting tone.

tasha nodded against

his chest and sighed. when her mother told her she owed her father

the courtesy of telling him of her upcoming wedding she refused. she

told her mother he didn't deserve to know. they had a heated

conversation and in the end she relented. before she left natasha

took andrew aside and told him of her trip. she worried what effect

the news would have on him. she always suspected their father's

departure had a deeper impact on him resulting in his turning to

drugs.

andrew reassured her he

would be fine, he even promised to call if he had any problems.

satisfied with the conversation she set about packing. her mother

had kept in touch with albert throughout the years, much to her

dismay. unbeknownst to natasha and andrew, her mother had paid their

father visits in london over the years.

as she packed her

mother came over and gave her a list of information as to how to

contact albert. biting her tongue she took the paper and put it in

her purse. on the day of their flight andrew drove them to the

airport.

now emotionally tired

natasha decided to go to bed early. jason wanting to speak with

albert decided to take advantage of the situation. he told natasha

he was going to go out for a while. with a kiss goodnight he walked

out the hotel in search of his future father in-law.

albert hadn't moved

much since returning home. he dug out old pictures that he

ought

with him when he left home. they were all he had to remind him of

the family he left behind. he wondered why his ex-wife never talked

about their children over the years. he sighed there was nothing he

could do about that now.

now his daughter hated

him and his son was a junkie. his friends called to check on him but

he never answered the phone.

jason stood outside

albert's apartment and knocked on the door. he waited for an

answer before trying again. when there was still no answer he tried

something else. "mr. stroller, i'd like to talk about tasha,"

he said hoping the older man would open the door. he waited several

moments before trying again.

right before he was

about to knock again, the door swung open. "who are you and what

do you know about tasha," albert said.

"may i come in sir?

my name's jason and i came to london with natasha," he said

hoping that was enough.

albert eyed him closely

thinking the young man looked familiar. "you were in the bar with

tasha," he said recognizing jason.

jason smiled, "yes

sir," he said.

albert nodded and

stepped aside allowing the young man to enter. "you said you're

here to talk about tasha."

"yes sir. i've

known tasha for a couple years now and in that time we've become

close," he said.

"just how close,"

albert asked motioning towards the couch for jason to sit down.

wondering if he should

tell albert about the engagement or not he decided to tell him.

right or wrong albert had a right to know. "she'll probably kill

me for telling you but we're engaged."

albert raised an

eye

ow surprised, "is that why she came here?"

"yes sir," he said.

"would you like

something to drink," albert asked.

"yes thank you.

water's fine," he replied.

albert walked to the

kitchen to fetch a bottle of water. he returned to the living room

and handed the bottle to jason. "thank you,"hhe said taking the

proffered bottle. "she didn't want to come but her mom insisted.

she's hurt sir, her mom never remarried. tasha was the one that's

been taking care of andrew the past few years. it's been rough;

he's stolen from their mom to get drugs when he needed a fix. he's

also stolen from tasha. she's lost jobs because of him and come

close to losing other jobs."

albert sat digesting

everything he'd just been told. who could blame her for being

hurt? "i'm not here to judge you sir. i hope i can be a peace

maker between you two and possibly help you sort things out,"

albert heard jason say as he continued to mull things over.

albert gave him a small

smile, "alright then, for starters you don't have to call me sir.

does tasha know you're here?"

"no it's been a

long day and she called it an early night. i left as she was getting

ready getting ready for bed," jason replied.

"how do you think

she'll react to your talking to me? do you think she'll be me at

you," albert asked.

"no, she's not like

that." he replied.

"good, i don't want

you to get in the middle of this if it'll make things worse,"

albert said.

"oh ah could you do

me a favor? don't say anything about the engagement. she came

here to tell you and i want her to tell you before we leave."

"i understand,"

albert replied. "when will you be going back home?"

"we're only here

for a week," jason responded.

albert nodded, looks

like they both had their work cut out for them. the men continued to

talk for a couple more hours before calling it a day.

the next morning jason

decided to try and convince natasha to spend time with albert without

getting mad and running off again. the couple went out for

unch;

jason slowly

oached the subject of her father. "when are you

going to wear the ring i gave you," he asked holding her left hand.

she smiled, "i told

you i'll put it back on when we get home. remember i have it with

me." she rang a finger along the gold chain tucked into her

blouse, "i'll always have it with me even if it's not on my

finger."

he was happy to see her

mood

ighter than it was the day before. he hoped she wouldn't