Disclaimer. The idea and the characters belong to D/P. But this Richie, Duncan and Tessa live in my universe. Everything after this point – definitely AU.

AN – First of all, many, many, thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed or otherwise let me know, that they have enjoyed this so far. Your feedback really encouraged me to take another look at the story when I was about to give up on it. If you like the changes, the other chapters will follow as quickly as the chaos that is currently my life allows.

French bits - Lycee – French High School.

***

Richie Ryan put down his fork and stared blankly at the three sheets of the standard pro forma letter that announced his emancipation from Child Services.

"So I just sign on the dotted line huh? And I'm a fully fledged adult?"

"That's a matter of opinion." Duncan murmured.

"Funny Mac," Richie scowled.

"What Duncan is trying to say is that different cultures and societies have many ways of marking the passage to adulthood." Tessa explained.

"This isn't going to have anything to do with a rusty knife, is it?" Richie winced.

"You want to sleep with the vestal virgin," Duncan grinned. "You have to drink the goats milk."

"That doesn't sound too bad." Richie considered.

"Mixed with cows blood?" Duncan finished.

"Oh man," Richie made a face. "Well, I guess it beats going out into the woods to kill a tiger with your bare hands, or whatever rite of passage they had when you were a kid."

"There weren't a whole lot of tigers in Scotland." Duncan couldn't help but smile.

"So, how did you know when you were a man?" Richie inquired.

"Your father told you so." Duncan replied.

He kind of hoped Richie wouldn't pursue the point.

But of course, he did.

"So. How old were you when your father ..?" He left the question hanging.

"I was .." he muttered behind his hand.

Richie and Tessa exchanged an amused glance.

"What was that?" Tessa pressed. "We didn't quite hear you."

"I was twenty-five." Duncan admitted with a grimace. "I was a little hot headed when I was younger."

"Really?" Tessa smirked. "And this has changed how?"

"Now I am hot in other ways." Duncan smirked.

"I guess I don't gotta wait that long," Richie looked again at the letter. "How hard can it be to sign your name? I've been doing that since I was a little kid."

He had dreamed of this moment. Longed for its coming

So why did it make him feel so empty?

"Richie? Are you alright?" Tessa asked gently.

"Yeah. Sure." His voice sounded hollow to his own ears.

"You want to try that again?" Duncan asked mildly.

"Mac, hasn't anyone ever explained to you that evasive answers are supposed to be evasive?" Richie responded. "It's a way of getting around actually answering the question."

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want you." Duncan allowed.

"Well, good."

"But I think you need to."

For all his gift of the gab, Richie wasn't at all sure he knew how to put his feelings into words.

"Why did you change your age in the first place Rich?" Duncan nudged.

"Because I would get out of the system that bit faster, I wouldn't have social workers and the like trying to run my life." Richie said immediately.

"But you do not feel this way now?" Tessa guessed.

"Its not the same," Richie bit his lip. "You guys have been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wish .." he faltered. "But hey, no biggie. I mean, its not like that much will change, I'll still be coming to work here everyday and .."

"Hold on .." Duncan interrupted. "Coming to work?"

The expression on the Immortal's face told Richie everything he needed to know.

"You don't want me to move out." He realised.

"I always said you were bright." Duncan gave him a thin smile.

"Are you sure?" Richie looked askance at him. "I mean, I'm old enough, and I've never met anyone who needs their privacy as much as you guys."

"Trust me," Duncan said dryly. "After what you've already seen, we're all out of surprises."

"Speak for yourself." Tessa smiled impishly.

"See, that is exactly what I mean." Richie waved a fork.

"Richie, I did not move from my parents home until I graduated from Art School." Tessa told him.

"Really?" Richie blinked.

"Art School in Paris is very expensive." Tessa shrugged. "It would have been very hard without my family to help me."

"Most of my friends got told to hit the road once they were eighteen," Richie shrugged. "'Course most of my friends didn't actually go to college."

"You still have time." Duncan murmured.

"Maybe," Richie looked up as the phone rang. "I'll get it. Someone needs to do some work around here."

"Your face," Tessa teased, once Richie was out of earshot. "You were imagining him in some nasty apartment, having wild parties with loose women, non?"

"He's only seventeen Tess," Absently, Duncan picked up the letter, which lay abandoned on the table. "I think, sometimes he forgets that."

"I wish there was something we could do." Tessa sighed.

"Maybe there is." Duncan mused.

***

Two days later, when the letter still lay unsigned on the kitchen table, Duncan was sure that they were doing the right thing.

Well, almost.

"I guess, I should do something with that." Richie eyed the letter over his eggs, as if it was a venomous snake.

"You don't have to." Duncan told him.

"I don't?" Richie looked at him. "Why don't I?"

"Because you have the right to get your life back," Duncan shrugged. "If that's what you want."

"I thought we had this conversation." Richie gave him a dark look. "There's a whole army of police officers and social workers and the like who are just gonna be lining up to put me in juvie and throw away the key if they work out how old I really am."

"I think you mean how young." Duncan corrected.

"Would it really be so bad?" Tessa put in.

"Well, I took my driving test a year early for starters." Richie told her. "I'm guessing that's not legal."

"I'm amazed you took a test at all." Duncan sipped at his coffee.

"Hey. I'm a good driver." Richie protested.

"And such a model citizen?" Duncan arched a brow.

"Do you know how much cash you can get on the streets for a genuine driving license?" Richie asked.

"Figures." Duncan grinned fondly at him.

"So, We're all cool with this, right?" Richie reached over and picked up the letter. "I just sign this thing and we go on as we are?"

"Well. We could." Duncan allowed. "Or we could find another solution."

"Mac," Richie said warily, "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking we could move to Paris." Duncan told him.

"Paris?" Richie coughed on his orange juice. "Who was talking about Paris?"

"Duncan and I were actually," Tessa spoke up. "In Paris no-one would know you. We could be as a family."

"And you could be seventeen." Duncan told him.

"Mac, I've been seventeen. And if you want the truth .. its kinda overrated. None of the cool stuff kicks in until you are eighteen."

"But you are not eighteen." Tessa pointed out.

"It's a nice thought Tess. But its kinda too late to put the genie back into the bottle if you know what I mean?" Richie smirked.

"You could drink in Paris." Duncan decided to press the advantages. "And their film board's policy is a little more .. liberal."

"Really?" Richie looked interested.

"It's a cultural thing." Duncan grinned.

"But I don't speak French." Richie protested. "What would I do in Paris?"

"I don't know." Duncan teased. "What is it you do around here again?"

"Funny Mac."

"He could flirt with girls." Tessa joined in. "He is quite good at that."

"He could eat us out of house and home." Duncan added. "He has had a lot of practise at that."

"Maac." Richie whined.

"You could go to School." Duncan deadpanned.

"You don't want to do that." Richie warned. "I'm not a good student. I'm real annoying. I drive teachers nuts."

"There's something to look forward to." Duncan muttered.

"What?" Richie blinked.

"You do not have to go to un lycee." Tessa soothed. "It is allowed to leave school at sixteen. You could go to college."

"Are you gonna forge my SAT's as well?" Richie raised a brow. "Cos that's the only way I'm getting into college."

"Richie. Just because you missed a lot of High School, doesn't make you stupid." Duncan chided.

"No. It just feels that way." Richie looked away.

"This is not like an American College." Tessa took his hand. "This is a school for young people of many countries who come to Paris to learn French. I worked in such a place when I was a student. They have parties and trips and such things, as well as learning French. It is fun."

"And I don't have to take Math or PE?" Richie wanted to be quite sure of that.

"You like sport." Tessa looked confused.

"Most French kids do sport in clubs after school." Duncan guessed what Richie was thinking. "And they play soccer. Not football."

"No football?" Richie was relieved.

Duncan wondered if Richie's former foster father, with the quarterback fixation, had any idea of the trauma that he had inflicted on a gentle kid. It was a bloody good job he was already dead.

"And we'll talk about the Math." He added.

***

"Tessa, will you just relax?" Duncan looked up from stirring the soup. "He's going to love it."

"Maybe this is not a good time to give it to him," Tessa bit her lip anxiously as she tweaked a ribbon on the brightly wrapped parcel sitting on the counter.  "I do not want him to feel that we are pressuring him into making a decision."

"It's the perfect time," Duncan reassured her. "What better way to show him that we are serious about this?"

"OK, lunch is served," Richie bounded in and dropped a brown paper bag on the counter. "I got plain bagel, with salad for the lady, wholemeal bagel with cream cheese for the gentleman and carrot cake for me."

"Carrot Cake?" Duncan arched a brow. "With vegetable soup?"

"Carrots are vegetables." Richie wasn't fazed.

Duncan shook his head. "Get some plates."

"Who's the present for?" Richie asked casually, as he emptied the contents of the bag onto three plates.

"It is for you." Tessa told him.

"But I already had all my birthday presents." Richie protested.

"This is a different sort of anniversary." The Frenchwoman smiled.

"OK," Richie shot an uncertain look at Duncan.

"Well go on," the Immortal encouraged. "It won't bite you."

"I suppose that narrows it down a bit," Richie said doubtfully.

"Don't worry," Duncan tousled his hair. "Its not clothes."

"Duncan!" Tessa laughed.

"Are you sure? Cos you know, I only have those four pairs of gloves." Richie grinned.

"And the three scarves," Duncan joined in. "And how many hats was it?"

"Such things are easily lost." Tessa tried to protest.

"At the last count? Five," Richie smirked. "I think the fur ones are breeding."

"Be grateful she doesn't know how to knit." Duncan grinned.

"Actually, my grandmother taught me to knit." Tessa correctly loftily.

"She did?" Duncan pulled her close. "Is there no end to your talents?"

"That is for me to know and you to find out." Tessa murmured.

"Nice save Mac." Richie smirked. "For a minute there I could see tank tops in your future."

"What is a tank top?" Tessa enquired.

"Never mind," Duncan assured her hastily, throwing a mock glare at Richie. "You, shut up and open your present."

"Your wish is my command, oh lord and master." Richie laughed.

The small, silver, sculpture was made from three separate pieces of metal, which had been fused together to make one whole. In it, three figures, clearly representing Duncan, Tessa and Richie, stood facing one another, holding each other's hands, so that their arms made one smooth unbreakable circle.

"Duncan has made you part of our family in his way," Tessa spoke softly. "I wanted to do so in my own way."

"Oh Tess," Richie breathed. "Is that really how you see us?"

"We are a family, non?" Tessa kissed his cheek.

"That is so cool."

It wasn't clear if he meant the sculpture or the sentiment and it really didn't matter.

"You know," Richie swallowed. "I hear Paris is pretty nice at this time of year."

***

Since Richie didn't have any suitable photos, Tessa declared that she would take him to have his picture taken for his passport. The Immortal hid his smile as the teen spent a good half hour preening himself so he would look good.

Some things just had to be learnt by experience.

Sure enough.

"I don't see why we can't use one of the pictures from the photo album instead," he heard the teenager's voice complaining as they returned through the Store. "at least I look human in them."

"Because a passport is an official document, it needs an official photo." Tessa replied, with just a hint of exasperation.

"Tess, this passport is already making me a whole different person. That's not exactly legit."

"I take it he doesn't like his photo much?" Duncan greeted the pair as they came into the kitchen.

"That would be an understatement." Tessa kissed him.

"How am I supposed to compete with all those sophisticated French dudes." Richie complained. "I look like a geek."

"Let's see." Duncan held out a hand.

"I've had mug shots that make me look better than that." Richie passed it over.

"You know, they say if you actually look like your passport photo you are too ill to be travelling." Duncan bit back his grin. The lad looked about twelve.

"See?" Richie turned on Tessa. "I'm gonna die of embarrassment."

"Richie, no one will even see your passport, apart from a few seconds at customs." Tessa pointed out. "I'm sure your ego can stand it."

"Some of those customs people are of the female variety." Richie crossed his arms.

"Oh, for goodness sake," Tessa marched over to a kitchen drawer. "Here." She thrust the document into Richie's hands.

"Your passport?" Richie shook his head. "Tess, you always look gorgeous."

"Open it." The Frenchwoman commanded.

With a shrug Richie did so and burst into gales of laughter.

"Oh Tess! Your hair!" he spluttered.

"It was very fashionable at that time." Tessa tried to look prim, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her.

"You look like you have a poodle on your head." Richie chortled.

***

It only took Duncan a few moments to fix the photo into place and Richie's new passport was complete.

"There you go." He slid the document across the table to the waiting teen. "You're officially seventeen again. At least in France."

"That's one hell of a time difference."

Richie opened the passport. "Jean Richard Ryan." He read. "You've given me a girls name?"

"Jean." Duncan corrected his pronunciation. "Its French. And it's a boy's name. The girl's version would be Jeanne."

"Oh yeah. That's a huge difference." Richie scoffed.

"But everyone calls you Richie." Tessa soothed.

"They'll ask fewer questions if they think you are a French national." Duncan told him.

"A French National? Moi?" Richie's jaw dropped.

"See. You're already getting the hand of the language." Duncan grinned.

"Mac. You're nuts. No scratch that. You are a whole bowl of muesli." Richie protested. "No one is ever going to believe I'm a French dude."

"You have lived in the States with your American mother since before you could talk." Tessa explained. "She was so angry with your father that she refused to teach you anything about French language or customs."

"Does that make you the other woman?" Richie teased.

"Your father fell in love with me after he had divorced your mother and returned to Paris." Tessa informed him loftily. "It was love at first sight."

"Remind me to tell you the true story one day." Duncan murmured. "She couldn't stand me."

"You're kidding, right?" Richie laughed.

"I did not wish him to think I was, what is it you say?"

"Easy?" Richie quirked a brow.

"Exactement." Tessa gave him an impish grin. "It is not good for a man to think a lady is too easily won."

"I'll try to remember that." Richie smiled.

"So. Are you OK with this?" Duncan asked carefully.

Richie bit his lip and looked down at the passport.

"Why did you skip town?" he asked quietly. "Didn't you want to stay near your kid?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Duncan caught Tessa's stricken expression. But he was far from surprised. Richie had spent his life defending himself against taunts about his absent father. It was only natural that he would think that way.

"Your mother never told me she was pregnant." Duncan explained.

"So, you didn't know anything about me?" Richie clarified.

"Rich, If I had known that you existed, I would have moved heaven and earth itself to find you." Duncan assured him.

It was obvious that he meant every word.

"You would really have looked for me if you'd known?"

"If  I had had the slightest idea of what I was missing out on Rich .." Duncan swallowed.

"Well. Cool." Richie gave him a shy smile. "Or should I say alors, bien, I mean if we're going to go to Paris and all?"

"That is very good Richie." Tessa looked impressed.

"How did you learn that Rich?" Duncan asked, not without a hint of pride.

"Jeez." Richie looked smug. "Anyone would think I never listened to anything you guys say."