Author's Note: Well, here it is. The sequel to Time Travel Trouble. If you haven't read that, then read it now, otherwise this won't make any sense to you. The story may take a while to get established, but no worries—a plot is involved.

Mob: AND WE'RE STILL HERE! SHE CAN'T GET RID OF US JUST BY STARTING A NEW STORY!

Me: Much as I wish it were so… The Mob's been threatening to extract the story from me through torture if I didn't start typing soon. I have TWO HUNDRED REVIEWS for Time Travel Trouble! I'm so happy.

Mob: WE HAVE DECIDED TO NAME TAYK AND ANGRY DRAGON AS OUR LEADERS IN THE SPORT OF TORMENTING MERSANG INTO WRITING MORE!

Me: Yes, yes, very nice. (Pause.) YOU WHAT?

Mob: WE HAVE DECIDED TO NAME TAYK AND ANGRY DRAGON AS OUR LEADERS IN THE SPORT OF TORMENTING MERSANG INTO WRITING MORE!

Me: I'd better get on with it, then. WARNING: This first chapter isn't really part of the story. It's just something that I typed to get the ball rolling and this idea out of my head before I forget it. (SAP! PURE SAP!) I'll try to make chapters longer in this story than they were last time.

Disclaimer: Let's be logical—if I owned the Animorphs, what would I do? A) Write on a website, not be paid a cent, and get hate mail from people who hated 'The Beginning'? B) Write this in the actual books, earn a lot of money, and get fan mail? Answer: Duh, B!

Chapter One: Father-Son Bonding

Tobias' POV

It had been about a week since Ellimist had returned us to our proper time. Not much had happened. Jake and Tom hung out a bit more often then they had before. Ax and Elfangor caught up on each others recent lives. I felt left out.

The sun had set a few hours ago, and it was cold that night. I puffed up my feathers and tucked my head in beneath my wing. Still, I was cold.

Maybe flying would warm me up. It was a stupid idea, I know, but I stretched my wings and took off anyway. I found myself headed for the scoop where Ax, and now Elfangor, lived.

Ax was asleep, though he had one stalk eye half-open. Always watchful, even when he was relaxed.

Elfangor was awake. He was watching the sky, like he was expecting me. I landed in a tree beside him. Somehow, I did feel warmer.

(Hello, Tobias,) he greeted me.

(Hi.) I was unsure where to go from there. We both knew about Elfangor being my father, but we had never actually discussed it. I hadn't seen Loren—my mother—since the day after Ellimist had brought us back to the present. I wasn't certain about how to address either of them. By their name's? As Mother and Father? Mom and Dad?

Elfangor sighed. (I'm sorry,) he whispered. I jumped.

(Sorry for what?)

(For leaving. For missing out on you childhood. For everything.)

(Did you want to?)

(NO! Of course I didn't.)

(Then there's nothing to apologize for.) Where was this stuff coming from? I sounded like someone from a soap opera! A soap opera so cheesy you could make a hundred pizzas with it.

(I still feel guilty about it. Also…) now Elfangor looked awkward. (I feel that I ought to have paid more attention to you this past week.)

Yes, you should have, I thought silently. Out loud I said: (It's okay. I'm used to being on my own.)

(You shouldn't be.)

(Shouldn't be what? Alone? Or used to it?)

(Either one.) Oh, yeah. We both sounded like we were in a cheesy soap opera.

(Well, Tobias, for what little it's worth, I am sorry.)

(It's okay. Really.) Tobias was so forgiving it hurt. I had abandoned him, and he was acting like it didn't matter. It would almost have been easier if he'd yelled at me, swore he'd never forgive me, even hit me. I would have deserved that. I didn't want him to forgive me just like that, I wanted to earn my son's forgiveness.

Maybe he just wanted to drop the subject. (The starlight is beautiful, isn't it?) I asked.

(Yeah. That's one of the few things hawk eyes are good for at night.)

(That is what humans call the Big Dipper, correct?) I pointed to what I thought was the constellation. Tobias laughed.

(No, that's Orion. The Big Dipper is over there.) He gestured with his wing in the opposite direction. (How did you manage to mix those two up? They look nothing like each other!)

(Loren always did say I was horrible with constellations. Star maps are so much more readable.) I meant to say this to myself, but as Tobias laughed again I assume that I said it out loud. (Well, at least someone thinks it's funny!)

Evidently Tobias thought I was being sarcastic, because he stopped laughing. (I didn't mean to upset you,) he said quickly.

(You didn't. I meant that sincerely.) I got the impression that Tobias sighed with relief. What had he been through, that made him afraid to laugh?

(Something's been bugging me this past week,) My son commented.

(Is it something I can help with?)

(Yes actually. Um…) There was a pause, and then: (What should I call you?)

(Pardon?) I wasn't sure I understood him.

(Well… would you prefer me to call you by your name, or…) Tobias seemed wary about saying his next words. (Maybe 'Dad'?)

I blinked. (What ever you feel most comfortable with is okay, I guess. Unless I'm using my morph of a human teenager—then call me Al.)

(Okay. Thanks.) That was it? That was the only thing troubling him? Lucky, I thought, almost jealously.

(Well, if anything else is troubling you, or you just want to talk, you can come to me, alright?) I told him, fully aware of how sentimental I was being.

(Okay. Goodnight, Dad.) Tobias fluffed up his feathers and stuck his head under his wing.

I wondered if he'd ever know how much that last word meant to me.

Author's Note: Sap and cheese do not mix well. That said—

Mob: YOU SAID THAT CHAPTERS IN THIS STORY WOULD BE LONGER THAN THEY WERE IN THE LAST ONE! MEAN DRAGON, TAYK, LEAD US IN OUR ATTACK!

Me: THAT SAID, this isn't as much a chapter as a prologue. Only 762 words! (Not counting title, A/Ns, or the POV notices. That's 1185 words.)

I'm thinking that Tobias is going to have jealousy issues about Ax and Elfangor being so close, but feel guilty because he's so jealous. Poor guy. I think it's realistic, but still, what possessed me to do this to him? Oh, and Pete and Esi are both going to feature later on. I'm hoping to get their perspectives on a few things.

By the way (to everyone) I don't think that the ending in my last story was as bad as The Beginning. I promised a sequel. REMEMBER THAT!