"...I have been writing Criminal Minds fic nonstop for about a friggin week now. I need a break! Chances are that after this story and first post of my new story that will be it for about a week. I need serious detoxing right now. Oh, and who else thinks last nite's ep was EPIC! This story takes place RIGHT before that ep, BTW..."

Fish

Boris had never had a son and probably never would. He had never been very active with kids and had never been known to be, either. So when Tucker Bryant showed up on his doorstep smiling with a fish tank in his hand, it was safe to assume he was just a little surprised.

"What is that?" Boris asked.

"A fish."

'No, really?' Boris thought sarcastically, but he repressed the urge. "Why?"

"Because I am supposed to be going around and asking Hank Med clients if they would like a complimentary fish."

"Let me guess, this was Evan's idea?" Tucker just nodded. "Do you want to be doing this?"

"No, not hardly." he admitted.

"Hold on for a moment, please." Boris mumbled as he disappeared inside his house.

"But I-" Tucker started, but Boris was already gone. Tucker just sighed, waiting patiently with a fish in his hand. A few minutes later, one of Boris' housekeepers came to the front door with Boris at his heels.

"Here, I will take the fish." Boris said. Tucker gave the fish to Boris, looking suspiciously at the housekeeper.

Boris smiled at the boy's actions and decided that he should explain. "Evan doesn't watch the news, does he?"

"I think it's safe to assume 'no', sir." Tucker smiled. "What does that have to do with anything, though?"

"Have you looked at the sky today? It's clearly going to rain, and all the weather channels are predicting thunder storms! Now, who am I to let a teenaged boy be driving around in his father's car going door-to-door with fishbowls during a storm?"

"You know, I've always liked you, Boris." Tuckers laughed.

Boris chose to ignore the comment, knowing that he didn't have to tell Tucker that he liked him too. Considering all tat had happened in the last few years, he knew that Tucker should know that by now. "Penn, would you mind helping Mr. Bryant here getting these fishbowls inside the house? I have a spare tank we could put them in."

"Of course sir." Penn answered with a polite nod. With that, Tucker was escorted back to his car and was helped to carry the fish inside. They could only carry two at a time each, and even then it was a bit awkward. Boris stood ready at the door to open it for them as he ushered another housekeeper to find his spare tank. By the time they had finished the process, a total of 28 fishbowls laid in Boris' living room.

"Only 28 clients?" Boris asked.

"No sir, they've had more, but only 28 live within 10 miles of my house. I mean, your house is the farthest they said I could go. Something about an accident on the freeway a mile down from here." Tucker explained. Boris just nodded, not recalling any accident being reported in a 10-mile radius of his home. He shrugged off the thought, though, knowing it wasn't important.

"Sir, would you like me to park Mr. Bryant's car in the parking garage? It is starting to rain pretty heavy outside." a woman asked.

"Yes Mary,if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course not, sir." Mary smiled, nodding before leaving the room.

When Boris saw the questioning look on Tucker's face, he explained. "I'm not letting you drive in the middle of the storm. I have a feeling quite a few people would be upset with me if I did- including Hank and you father." Tucker gave a small 'huff' at that, as if not believing him. The action made Boris do a double-take. Was Tucker actually questioning how much the Hamptons residences cared for him, or was he just imagining things?

"I'm sorry. That was rude of me and uncalled for." Tucker said, sounding nervous.

"Tucker, is this about your father?"

The sudden change in topic caught Tucker off guard. He was here to deliver a damn fish, not play therapy with Boris.

"Please Boris, I understand that you mean the best, but I don't want to talk about him right now. I am so sick of everyone asking me how I feel. I just...I just want-" but Tucker was cut off of by the sound of glass landing on wood.

"Er, sorry sir. It was heavier than I thought." a new housekeeper cringed.

"That's fine Alice. I apologize for making you carry it in here. I also thought it was lighter." he reassured.

"Thank you sir." With that, Alice dismissed herself. Tucker couldn't help but smile.

"What?"

"How many servants do you have?" Tucker asked.

"I prefer to call them housekeepers, Tucker. Servants would be an overreaction, if you ask me. And to answer your question, seven."

"Seven?" Tucker asked, incredulously.

"I'm an old man, as you can gather. There are a lot of things that I can't do anymore, and with my disease, I can't take any risks." Tucker just nodded, never before thinking about Boris' physical limitations.

"And I think that I should be the one apologizing, not you. I didn't really give you the choice to leave or stay; And parking your car without your permission wasn't exactly civil, either. It was very impolite of me to hold you hostage like this, but I really do not want you driving right now, nonetheless going up to Hank Med clients with a fishbowl in your hands." Boris started, then paused as if thinking about something. "James!" Within seconds 'James' appeared. "Please remind me to yell at Evan?"

"Of course sir. I will go add it to your schedule."

"Thank you." When James left, he turned his attention back to Tucker.

"I don't appreciate grown men using children as their lackeys. Besides, who in their right mind goes around offering clients fish?" Both Boris and Tucker shared a smile at that.

"What are you going to do with the fish, anyways?"

"I plan on putting them in that tank and displaying them in the bathroom."

"That's a huge tank, Boris! I mean, I know most people here have pretty big houses, myself included, but even I couldn't get that in the bathroom!"

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not you, then." Boris smirked.

"You know, I don't get you." Tucker said, shaking his head.

"No one does." Boris interceded.

"I don't get you because you're going to die soon, and you can't tell me otherwise. Everyone in this damned city has been talking about it, and just from talking to you now, I think you know that too And, despite that, you seem so happy and care-free.."

"How so?"

"You're too calm. Anyone who thinks that they're about to die would be pretty upset right now, but you haven't even blinked." When Tucker received no reply, he continued. "You've been planning this, haven't you? You know exactly how this is going to end."

"I don't like gossiping, Tucker, especially when it is about my health." Then, he softened up his tone. "Tucker, I know I've worried a lot of people, including yourself, and I cannot help that, but I won't apologize for something that I didn't do, and I think you can appreciate that." Tucker nodded for him to continue. "Please Tucker, don't worry about me. I'm going to be fine. Sure, I will eventually die, but so will you. Let's not leave it up to us to speculate how, though."

"Boris, please don't treat me like an idiot. Everyone knows that you know more than you're letting on. I've been in the Hamptons long enough to realize that you have some clue as to what is going on, and I know you think Hank can help." Tucker let out a frustrated sigh. "You know, it would go a lot quicker if you stopped lying at least to him."

"Tucker, you've expressed that you don't want to talk about your father. Well, I don't want to talk about my health anymore. Besides, that's not want I wanted to talk to you about."

"Then what did you want to talk about?"

"What have you always wanted to be when you grew up?'"

"Excuse me?"

"Please, just answer the question."

"Well, I've never really thought about it-"

"What did I say about lying, Tucker?" Boris accused.

"Right." Tucker muttered. Truth be told, he wasn't sure yet. He had a few ideas in mind, but he hadn't narrowed it down yet.

"Do you want to go to college, at least?"

"Yes, of course, sir."

"Please, don't call me sir." Tucker just nodded.

"How are your grades?"

"Um..satisfying?"

"That's a little vague."

"Honor roll, almost straight A's?"

"Almost?"

"Yeah, I got a 'B' in math once."

"Well, that's more than acceptable. If I were your parent, I'd be proud of you."

"Are you saying you aren't?"

"No, I am proud of you." Boris sighed.

"What is that really about? Why are you asking me these questions?"

"I have one more question, Tucker. After this, I will drive you home, okay?" Tucker didn't respond, and Boris didn't wait for one..

"When you are old enough to live on your own, do you want to get out from under your father?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation or uncertainty in his voice as he spoke. Tucker knew that he wanted to get away from his father's drugs and lies; he wanted to be someone different. That alone was enough to make Boris smile. "What is it?"

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"Why?"

"You know, you ask a lot of questions."

"Boris, stop playing games with me. Tell me what this is about!"

"Come on, let's get you home." Boris said as he stood up.

"What is it?" Tucker demanded.

Without a word, Boris handed Tucker a thick envelope, the whole reason for their little 'interrogation.' he didn't offer any information about the envelope, and he didn't tell Tucker what was inside.

"Don't open this until next summer. Understood?" Tucker just nodded, still confused. As Tucker looked over the envelope, Boris escorted him to the car.

"So it's okay for you to drive during a storm, but not for me?" Tucker joked.

"I've had a lot of experience."

"What about my dad's car?"

"I'm having a housekeeper drive behind us."

The car ride was silent as both men thought about various things, but most prominently they thought about the envelope. Tucker was about to ask Boris something when the car stopped.. They had already made it to Tucker's house.

"Stay safe, Tucker. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, you too." Tucker nodded, suspicious of Boris' odd behavior. Either way, he shook off the thought and reentered his house, ready to run to his room and try to avoid his father...

Boris dialed the too-familiar number as he connected his phone to his built-in 'calling' feature.

"Evan here."

"Thanks for sending the fish. Everything went as planned."

"He actually bought it? Man, I'm a better liar that I thought I was!"

"Well, I thought it was pretty risky, but I am glad that it worked out in the end. Thank you, Evan."

"No problem Boris. Anything for you." he said with a smile. With that, both men hung up.

Boris passed his house, heading to the bank. He ignored the slippery roads as he tried not to think about the envelope, but he failed miserably.

He wondered which 'gift' Tucker would receive. If he opened it before next summer, he would get a $30,000 check to help him get out of his father's grasp. If he waited until next summer, he would receive his whole estate.

But he knew which one Tucker was going to chose; he had grown to know Tucker the last few years, and today finalized his thoughts. So he drove to the bank and asked to see his will. He filled in the appropriate blanks and handed it back to the teller.

He knew that he was going to die one day, and he would need someone to take care of the Hamtons while he was 'away'. When Hank moved into the Hamptons, Boris had just finalized his will. Hank would receive half of his money and would be granted the materials he needed to create a more official concierge service. Hopefully, Hank would also use some of his money to find cures and causes for diseases such as his own. Evan would be getting a small portion of his wealth. He granted the younger Lawson brother his movie memorabilia, wide variety of transportation- (boats, jet skis, cars, ect.) and all his business manuals and other such tools that would help him grow Hank Med. Tucker Bryant would receive his estate, and anything else would go to his secret doctor/lover in Cuba, who he would soon have Dr. Henry Lawson meet.

And to think it all started with just a few fish...

"...It's become evident to me that I have no control over what happens in my stories anymore. To think this was going to be humorous! Well, hope you guys liked it! R&R? Oh, I got a fighting fish yesterday and named it Boris. :) "