A/N: Hey guys, so sorry for the delayed update. I got really busy with school and stuff, so I never had the chance to write this next chapter until now. Hope you're not disappointed with it, though I should mention that the next chapter will also be a flashback.

Also, part of the reason for this delay has been my obsession with White Collar and coming up with fic ideas for it against my will. Forgive me, I'm trying.

"Michael, honey, what are you doing over there?"

The sun was vividly bright that day and the wind was just breezy with a touch of cold. The year was transitioning into fall and Mike could remember quite distinctly (as his photographic qualities would allow) what drew him to the edge of the pond that day.

Mike's mother was really fond of sightseeing. Her job didn't allow her much time to spend with her son, much less to explore the outdoors but on days like that, she would take him along every chance she got.

That year was tough for the Ross family. Money was tight since his father had been laid off of work and was continuously struggling to land another job. His mother, who didn't earn a very high salary, became the sole bread-winner of the house and it started to put a lot of pressure on their financial status and marital relationship. They fought a lot that year, mostly about nothing and everything at the same time but it very rarely ever ended up with them mad at each other for too long. When it did drag out overnight, Mike made it a habit to sleep early so that when they started yelling at each other intermittently, he'd be in too much of a deep sleep to contemplate it. It was his tactic to stay stress-free.

But then one day Mike's mother came home with tears streaming down her face and his father, who had been relegated to baby-sitting duties for the time being, was the first one to be greeted by her. Mike had never seen his parents as emotionally synchronized as they were that day. Not a word was spoken as his mom dropped her bags on the floor and practically flew into his father's arms. His dad was already standing with his arms wide open, as if he'd felt her distress miles before she'd reached home. It was the most treasured memory of his despite the depressing environment it created but he cherished that moment as it proved to be a testament to the bond they shared. It reassured him that no matter how much they fought that year, his mom and dad were too in love to even consider separating from each other. It was his biggest fear that year and thankfully, it was laid to rest that same day.

It turned out that his mother had also lost her job over some silly office politics or something which he didn't care to delve into the details much for. All he knew was that his parents needed him to be strong, to not worry them with his fear of the unknown and the future of his parents. He was here to be their support and he'd be damned if he let that slip up.

Except he did let it slip up when his mother found him hiding in the closet with puffy eyes and swollen cheeks. She'd asked him what was wrong, if he was hurt, and Mike couldn't find it in himself to lie. He looked at her with wide, vulnerable blue eyes and his mother had understood. She simply smiled and crouched in front him with her arms open, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. Not a moment of hesitation when Mike had crashed straight into her loving embrace.

That same afternoon, his mother and father had proposed to go for a stroll. No need to sit around at home and surround themselves with pity when they could be outside sightseeing. Admittedly, his mother was more excited about the prospect of bird watching than Mike and his father but the gleaming look in his mother's eyes was enough to make them both hold their tongue.

As it turned out, Mike was glad they went for a walk. The air was crisp and refreshing and it was a welcome change from the dreary atmosphere back in the house. Not only did he get to pet random peoples' dogs but he got to feed some squirrels and birds at the local park. It wasn't lost on his parents of Mike's lack of interaction with children his age but Mike felt too much of an outsider to even want to initiate a conversation with the other kids. They seemed like they were too cool for him and quite frankly, he was too intimidated (and a little jealous) of their already established friendships with whom they seemed very close to. Mike didn't think he'd fit in a crowd like that.

So instead he opted to go closer to the pond where he could feed some of the ducks that were resting there. That was when he noticed someone else near the edge of the pond. She was tall and skinny with hair as long as Rapunzel's (not really but he was a kid and long hair was really long to him), and her hair was a velvety shade of burgundy that glistened in the sun. She was gesturing to throw something in the pond and Mike was curious as to whether or not it was food she was tossing. He noticed that the ducks weren't really drawn to her so it was probably something else.

As he got closer to the pond, Mike didn't notice the root of the tree that was jutting out from the grass. His eyes were fixated on the object in the woman's hand and right when he was able to get a closer look, he tripped and fell face first into the grass. The next thing he knew was Rapunzel helping him up and brushing off the dirt from his pants and speaking to him in panicked tones, as if she was the one who'd pushed him.

Mike was struggling to speak, mostly because that fall had really knocked the breath out of him, but also because he was captured by the woman's bright hazel eyes. She was still speaking to him when he regained focus and Mike finally found it in him to respond.

"I'm ok, I'm ok. Really. You can stop worrying."

The woman exhaled really deeply before looking back at him with a soft smile. "Glad to hear that. For a second it seemed like you passed out."
A breathless chuckle escaped her lips shortly after and her arms shifted to rest on her knees instead of his shoulders.

"Mike, honey, what are you doing over there?"

Mike's mother had been searching for him when she'd heard a faint gasp from behind her. Upon turning around, she had witnessed Mike's encounter with the woman who helped him back up and couldn't help but smile at her son's shock. It was a little disheartening to see Mike struggling to interact with other people but she was proud of him for not running away like he usually does. He may not bring home sports trophies or adventurous stories of his friends but she learned to celebrate the little things in life. Like Mike's progress with other people.

She waited for the woman to finish speaking before calling out to her son. When she got closer to the two, she smiled at the hazel eyed woman before her.

The hazel eyed woman returned it and turned to Mike. "So your name is Mike, huh? That's a cute name."

Mike was jolted out of his reverie but was quick to respond. "It's short for Michael. Like Michael Angelo."

"Wow. I'm surprised you know who that is." Mike felt like he should have been offended at that but the twinkle in her eyes only made him shy away.

"I, uh, read a lot. I once read a book about Renaissance artists and their contribution to modern day technology."

The hazel eyed woman seemed speechless and she turned to Mike's mother with a very impressed look.

"I didn't quite catch your name."

"Nina Ross."

"Mrs. Ross, your son is incredibly intelligent. He's something a lot of children never will be when they grow older."

Nina glanced at Mike fondly before looking the woman in her eyes and say, "I know, and I'm extremely proud of him."

Mike's breath caught in his throat and he could feel tears welling in his eyes. He turned away from the two women to look at the pond so that they didn't realize how emotional he was getting but was momentarily distracted from all that when he saw something shining in the pond. His mother and the woman forgotten, Mike reached down and submerged his hand in the water. He could hear his mother and the woman exchanging conversation, but he ignored it in favour of observing the ring in his hand. It was small and silver, with a row of small diamonds on the top. Mike was no expert but he knew for sure those diamonds were real. Synthetic diamonds didn't reflect light as bright as these diamonds did.

He weighed the ring in his hand to find out that it was incredibly light. Of course, he read somewhere that weight didn't dictate the value of a diamond but he couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Having something lighter seemed less of a responsibility.

But then suddenly, Mike was struck with an idea. What if this diamond ring could help alleviate some of the financial issues his family was facing? The thought had barely crossed his mind when Nina approached him.

"Mike, what have you got there?"

He turned to see his mom and the other woman (whose name he still didn't know) staring at him. He didn't have a chance to speak before the hazel eyed woman said, "Ah, I was hoping that thing had been eaten by now."

"This is yours?" asked Mike.

A brief look of longing passed through the woman's eyes before she willed it away.

"Yes. It was my engagement ring but, my fian-, my ex-fiance ended it not long after proposing. I figured it was easier to throw it away. It seemed like a great stress reliever." Her tone was casual and care-free but her tense and rigid posture did little to hide her anxiety.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, dear." said Nina. She seemed genuinely sympathetic for a woman she'd just met which is probably what prompted her to ask a stranger over for dinner.

The woman, whose name turned out to be Kimi, considerably brightened at the suggestion and readily agreed. By the end of it, Kimi and Nina were exchanging numbers with Nina providing her home address, and before Mike realized, he and his mother were walking back towards James.

On the drive back home, when Nina retold their encounter with Kimi to James, she continuously mentioned the lonely look in Kimi's eyes and how difficult it must of been for her engagement to end. Mike always knew his mother was highly receptive to other people's feelings but this time she seemed like someone had physically wounded her with a knife. Naturally, he couldn't help but ask.

"How do you know she's that lonely?"

Nina turned around in her seat and softly smiled at him. "It's not something you know, Mike. It's something you feel."