Author's Note: This Is Going To Be An AU STORY

WARNING- There will be an occasional swear word here and there and there will be SPANKING of a teenager. Richie will be 16 years old and he has been living with Duncan and Tessa for about a year since he broke into their store. Duncan and Tessa pretty much forced Richie into a private school for him to finish off high school. Richie is still upset about having to go back to school along with being a year behind due to his old criminal ways, those criminal ways are far behind him or maybe not...

There will be a few French words in italic so feel free to use a website called- Google Translate.

Chapter One

Trying to be as soundless as possible Richie crept back into his bedroom, feeling extremely relived that he didn't wake the sleeping couple in the other room.

As Richie quickly changed for bed he heard someone heading towards his room.

Once the door opened Richie was already in bed with his back facing the door. It was Duncan who entered, he walked over and looked down at the boy affectionately. He would sometimes wake in the middle of the night just to check on the boy, over the past year Richie had become the son he had been longing for.

The morning arrived too quickly for the teen; he regretted going to sleep as late as he did. He took a nice long shower then dried off with a white fluffy towel and dressed himself in his dreaded school uniform, a white polo dress shirt with an emblem of the school on the left hand side and khaki dress pants.

Richie practically dragged his feet into the kitchen where the smell of breakfast sparked his appetite.

"Good Morning Richie." Tessa finished off cooking some eggs.

"Good Morning partner." Duncan glanced up from his newspaper.

"G' Morning." Richie grumbled as he poured himself a cup of much needed coffee.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" Duncan eyed the boy taking a seat across from him.

"Since now" Richie took another gulp from his so very much desired coffee.

Tessa walked up to the teen and placed down his breakfast and looked down at him with a worried expression etched on her face.

"Are you feeling alright mon petit garcon?" Tessa asked teasingly in a baby voice but yet still with concern in her eyes as she reached out a hand to check for fever.

"I'm fine Tess." Richie insisted slightly annoyed as he shooed away the caring hand and started to eat his food before adding close to a whine "And I'm not a little boy."

"You're mine." Tessa chirped happily as Duncan laughed.

Duncan knew how much Tessa wanted a child of her own, she wanted one as badly as he and they could not be any happier to have Richie in their lives.

Tessa ended up taking Richie to school that morning right after he was done with his breakfast. Richie was never too happy whenever it was time to go to St. Passels. St. Passels was an all boys private school that Richie despised with a passion, all the kids there where a bunch of rich snobs in his eyes. He missed most of his friends from his old neighborhood that's why sometimes he would sneak off and meet up with a few of them while Duncan and Tessa were none the wiser. He knew he was not suppose to go back to his old neighborhood since Duncan and Tessa practically forbade him to telling him it was far too dangerous after he had gotten jumped a few months back, he blamed himself really he should have known better than to take his brand new Nike Air Jordan's to his old stomping ground.

Richie's life was good with Duncan and Tessa, it was the best he had ever had really. He just didn't like the fact that allot of his friends thought he was losing his edge. He was already laughed at by many back at his old neighborhood when word spread out that he was going to an expensive private school. Richie felt like he was living separate lives, his life with Duncan and Tessa then there was his old life with his friends.

Once Richie returned home from school both Duncan and Tessa noticed a difference in Richie's behavior. He was acting withdrawn and was not his usual chatterbox self at all. During dinner as the couple talked about their day they exchanged worried glances towards each other noticing how quiet the teen was.

Duncan tried to get the boy to engage in conversation with them.

"How was school Partner?"

"Fine." Richie took one last spoonful of pasta from his plate and stood up ready with plate and cup in hand ready to take into the kitchen to get cleaned.

"Aren't you forgetting something Rich?" Duncan expectantly looked at the teen.

"What?..Oh.." then he flippantly said "May I be excused?"

Duncan noticed the boy's change in attitude he couldn't help but at glare at the boy. Tessa noticed the tension and put a calming hand on Duncan's arm then looked at Richie.

"Yes you may."

"Thanks Tess." Richie smiled then continued to leave.

Once Richie left for his room, Tessa glanced over at her lover. "I think something is troubling him."

"He's just at that age." Duncan assured.

"No it's not that, something is wrong with him." Tessa was clearly worried.

Duncan sighed. "I'll talk to him."

Moments later Duncan set off to talk to the lad; he quietly knocked at the boy's door. "Give me a sec." Richie replied as he hid his dark blue book-bag that he was planning on taking over to a friend's later on under his bed.

He got out some books to make it look as if he was studying then went and opened the door. "What's up Mac?"

Richie eyed the Immortal suspiciously.

"Just wanted to check up on you...Is everything alright?"

Duncan was cut off by a clearly peeved teenager "Jeez! I'm fine Mac! Look I need to finish up some homework so if ya don't mind." Richie gestured towards the door impatiently.

"Alright Tough Guy, I'll let you get back to your homework."

Duncan smiled and pulled the teen toward him into a hug then whispered in the teen's ear "You do know how much I love you right?"

Duncan then kissed the top of his curly hair as Richie nodded into the strong Immortals chest and blushed at the affection coming from the Highlander; he was not used to a man ever being so affectionate with him. In Duncan's heart Richie was nothing less than a son to him, he tried to make up for so much the boy had missed out on growing up.

Richie waited an hour after the couple went off to bed to sneak off to his old neighborhood. Richie needed to meet up with an old friend named Jason. He was the one who taught the teen how to pick locks and among many other illegal activities.

"Yo Richie! what's up my man!" Jason hollered over the loud music that was playing in the house party.

"I got what ya needed." Richie held out the bag he had been carrying toward his friend.

Jason took the bag and curiously opened it and was surprised with what he saw.

"How the hell did you get this?"

"It doesn't matter all that matters is that I told you I would get you back and now I'm starting to."

Richie had gave his friend most of his savings and even sold a few of his expensive possessions. Jason was a big help to Richie while he used to live out on the streets he would loan him money when no one else would. Now that he had been working part time at the Antique Store and even given an allowance for some of the chores he did at the loft, he thought now was about time to pay back what he had owed which was roughly around two thousand dollars and he only had eight hundred in the bag so he still had twelve hundred dollars to go.

Richie eyed the table behind his friend and was instantly angered by what he saw. "What is that?"

"You know what that is man, I needed to come up on allot of money fast so I teamed up with Geo like da ol days." Geo was the most popular cocaine dealer in the area.

Jason went over to the table and gave Richie two ounces of the cocaine. "I am sure all those rich kids at your school would go crazy for this shit." Jason laughed.

"No!-"

"Quit being a pussy, just take this with you and flip it for me, you still owe me."

"No way-

"I wasn't asking, get it done unless you want me to pay a little visit to your new mommy and daddy." Jason threatened as he replaced the money that was in the bag with drugs.

"Fuck you!" The next thing Richie felt was his head snapping backwards from the sudden impact from Jason's fist to his mouth, Richie lost his balance and fell down onto the floor, when Richie was about to get up to attack, Jason was already at his side pointing a gun his way. The next thing Richie felt was his mid section being kicked repeatedly. Jason threw the bag down at Richie. "Yous got one week to bring me all da profit, now scram."

Fearful for his life the teen rushed out quickly, he had noticed that Jason looked high off his own product too and capable of anything.

The walk back home was a painful one for Richie, much to his dismay it started pouring down hard rain only a block left away from the loft.

"Just my luck!" Richie thought as walked in the pouring rain.

By the time Richie arrived home he was drenched, he quietly entered though the back entrance.

As Richie climbed up the stairs his wet sneakers caused him to slip up on a step and go tumbling down the stairs.

Duncan heard a loud crashing sound and quickly made his way out of bed. Tessa awoke due to Duncan's quick movements.

"What's the matter? Is it an Immortal?" Tessa whispered urgently.

"No but I think I heard something, I'll be right back." Duncan hushed out.

Without another word Duncan was out of his bedroom and made his way to Richie's to check on the boy to make sure he was safely asleep but to his surprise Duncan did not find the boy in his room. Now with instant worry he rushed out and came across a very wet boy with the same surprised look the Immortal had painted on his face.

"Richie?..Duncan turned on a light to get a better look at the boy. "Are you okay? Duncan neared the cold wet boy.

"Yeah Mac, I'm cool..I just went out to get some air and I..got rained on a bit.. no biggie..I'm'a get dried off now..goodnight." Richie rushed passed Duncan towards his room.

Bewildered Duncan turned and grasped the wet boy by the collar just before he was out of reach. Duncan studied the boy's appearance and saw his busted lip and how he was carrying his book-bag, Richie's explanation just was not adding up.

"I'm getting cold here Mac." Richie complained as Duncan studied him intently.

Duncan with his hold still firm on the boy's collar, took the boy to his bathroom.

"Take a shower, I'll bring you some sweats." Duncan ordered.

Once Duncan was out of the bathroom Richie let out a deep sigh then continued to undress slowly as his ribs continued to throb.

Richie took a quick shower and was done by the time Duncan returned with some sweats.

Clad with only a towel around his waist, Richie felt extremely uncomfortable at the intense scrutiny Duncan was imposing.

"What happened?" Duncan saw bruising starting to set in around the boy's ribs, he placed Richie's sweats on the vanity and was at the boy's side feeling along his rib cage, making sure nothing felt broken.

"Oww..Stopit..Don't..Ow..Quit it." Richie tried to back away from the prying figures with no avail.

Satisfied nothing was broken Duncan glared hard at the boy. "You're going to tell me everything in complete detail right now."

"I will.. just give me a minute to get dressed.. please." Richie balked.

Fuming Duncan waited for the teen to emerge from the bathroom.

As Richie dressed in black sweats and a white t- shirt he tried to steady his racing heart through deep breathing but it was no help, he was too scared, scared Duncan will figure everything out and kick him out to the curb. He didn't want to go back to the streets, most importantly because he truly loved living with Mac and Tess, in his heart they were his family.

Wincing Richie went into his room and saw the irate Scot pacing next to his bed. "Sit" Duncan ordered as he pointed at the bed while fixing the teen with a glare made to make teenage boys shudder.

Richie sat on his bed, trying to downplay his pain, he bit back a wince of pain.

"Look Mac I'm sorry I went out without you guys knowing okay, I promise I won't do it again."

"Where did you go?"

"I told you..to get some air." Richie was sticking to his story.

"I don't believe you, tell me the truth where were you?"

"I'm not lying..why don't you believe me?" Richie felt terrible lying and hated how his voice sounded so weak.

"I want the truth now."

"What's going on?" Tessa appeared at the doorway.

Richie couldn't take it anymore and made the hardest decision he he felt he had to make, he really did not want to make it but he could not stand to be a disappointment to Duncan and Tessa. He would rather move on like he had always done so many times before.

"I'm leaving..you guys have been great and all.. better than great..thank you guys so much, but it's time for me to go." Richie tearfully confessed.

"You will do no such thing" Tessa was the first to react as she made her way toward the teen and sat down by his side, she took his hand in hers and continued "This is your home Richie, your permanent home not temporary, you must know we love you no?"

Richie nodded before Tessa enveloped him in a hug. With a mixture of happiness and trepidation Richie could not hold back the tears that sprung out his eyes.

Duncan still shocked with the recent turn of events still had not forgotten what he discussing with the teen prior to Tessa's appearance.

"Tessa and I have made it very clear to you of our love for you, why would you want to leave now?"

"Nothing lasts forever."

"That's not true, we are not going anywhere and neither are you Tough Guy, we are a family and in this family we stick together and we should always be honest with each-other. Richie please talk to us, what's going on with you?" Duncan sat on the boy's other side.

"I'm sorry... I haven't been one hundred percent honest with you guys lately, I've been sneaking off while your're asleep back to my old neighborhood." Richie looked down not bearing to make eye contact with either adult.

"Oh mon dieu." Tessa gasped.

"So that's where you were tonight?"

"Yeah..I-I'm really sorry."

Tessa was upset, Richie put himself at a very high risk by going back to that neighborhood. Richie thought Tessa was too upset with him to be in the same room as him as she left for the bathroom.

"Were you in a fight tonight too?"

"I guess I was..I promise I won't go back there again."

"What happened?"

Tessa saw Richie's wet clothing strewn across the floor as she went to pick them up to put them in the hamper she came across a bag. Curiosity got the best of her and she opened it.

Just as Richie was about to respond to Duncan's question, Tessa re-entered the room with bag in hand and a thunderous expression.

Duncan noticed Richie tense up by his side then turned to see Tessa in the doorway with the same bag Richie had earlier.

"What the hell is this!" Tessa yelled.

Duncan was taken aback by Tessa's sheer anger.

Richie was speechless, he stared wide eyed at the French women as she stomped his way.

Tessa threw the bag over at her lover.

"Just look what he has been up to!"

Duncan took a look inside the bag and his face darkened.

"Donnez lui une fessée dur." Tessa fiercely told Duncan eying the teen sharply.

Tessa had taught Richie some French over the year he had lived with them, he knew some of those words; his face grew red that Tessa would demand such as thing, she had demanded for Duncan to give him a hard spanking. Richie had never seen Tessa this angry, it downright scared him.

"Now Tessa don't you think he's a little too old for that?"

"Not at all, he is still a boy and he's our responsibility; he must learn not lie to us and possess such garbage."

"Look I can explain.. It's not mines." Richie rambled before Duncan cut him off.

"Where did you get this?" Duncan demanded.

Richie paused he was not about to become a snitch.

"I found it." He weakly lied.

"Try again! Where did you get this?"

Richie chose to stay quiet; he hated continually lying to the couple. He purposely avoided eye contact with the adults as well.

Duncan grabbed a firm hold on the boy's arm and another on the bag then marched over into the bathroom with Tessa in toe.

Duncan proceeded to tear open each bag; then handed one over to Richie.

"Dump it." Duncan ordered pointing at the sink in front of them.

"Wait!"

Upon seeing Richie's reluctance Tessa reached forward and took a hold of a hairbrush that was laying on the vanity and was by Richie's side in a matter of seconds. A resounding Thwack! echoed in the bathroom followed by Richie's yelp. "Oww!"

Richie was surprised by the strength the French woman possessed, the center of his butt burned bad. Before the boy could form a protest Tessa ordered sternly. "Do as Mac said. Now!"

Tessa placed her free hand at the small of the boy's back and she lightly pushed him closer towards the sink.

Seeing Tessa raise the hair brush through the refection of the mirror made Richie dump the bag of cocaine he had been carrying down the drain as Duncan turned on the faucet. Duncan handed him the other bag and he dumped it all without any protest.

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