The ticking off the clock almost seemed to echo. The classroom was utterly silent as about a dozen pairs of eyes watched it, waiting. It was almost time. So close, down to seconds...

Tick!

RIIIIIINNNNGGGGG!

Desks and chairs scraped the floor as the students jumped to their feet, the noise of their hasty departure virtually drowning out the farewells from teachers. But it was understandable, really. After all, given what today stated...

"Sum-mer Va-ca-tion!" Toby cheered at the top of his lungs as he, Jim, and Claire rushed to their bikes and Vespa, eager to be away from school.

"Man, it seems like this year was never gonna end," Jim put in as he donned his helmet, just in time for someone to smack him upside the back of it. Jim jerked in surprise and looked over his shoulder with a glare as Steve walked by with a mocking wave.

"Catch you losers next year!" he laughed as he departed.

"Okay, there's something I'm not gonna miss," Claire joked as she unchained her bike.

"Forget him," said Jim. "He doesn't matter."

"Yeah, Jimbo, he doesn't. What does is -" Toby dropped his voice. "- we'll be able to spend a ton of time in Trollmarket!" That got grins across the board.

"And with your mom knowing, it'll be even easier on us." They began walking their bikes out towards the road.

"I know. I still can't believe how well she took it! And I think -" Jim was interrupted by the honk of a car horn and a male voice calling out.

"Jim!"

Instantly Jim froze in place, and a split second later tension came into his shoulders and his face took on the same icy countenance it did when he'd faced down Bular. Looking over the three friends saw a man with black hair cut short in jeans and a tucked-in button up shirt waving at them. Or more specifically at Jim.

"Hey guys?" Jim said abruptly. "Go on ahead. I'll catch up; this shouldn't take long." Claire blinked, confused, but Toby looked concerned.

"You sure, Jimbo? You don't need backup?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Ookaay..." Toby sounded unsure as Jim gave Claire a kiss on the cheek, then began waking towards the man. Then the stout teen turned his bike and climbed on. "Let's go, Claire." He began pedaling, and with one more look at Jim she followed.

"Are you sure? Who is that?" Toby sighed, frowning.

"His dad."

((Ok, now for the start of an idea that hopefully will go well. I know in the series Jim firmly states, repeatedly, that he 'doesn't care about his dad' and I'm going to do my best to stick to that canon because it's a part of Jim's personality, but I would think even for Jim the sudden surprise of James Sr. appearing so abruptly would cause at least tension and wariness. So some of his behavior here and in future chapters isn't supposed to come off as hurt or pining or anything like that, more like distrust or dislike if anything for how badly it affected his mom. Just to make that clear, in case I don't do a good job with representing it.))