The World Is Still Sleeping, While I Keep on Dreaming

"What's up, Joe?" I asked as I followed him outside the building. "I mean I've got to get a lot of things done and then there's Bradin-"

"We'll get things done for you," Joe smiled crossing his arms and leaning against the building. "You know how you always wished you had family around for you since your parents weren't that great."

"Wow, Joe thanks for reminding me," I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm serious," Joe gave me a look.

"Joe, you know you've always been more like family than they were," I sighed giving him a faint smile. "That's all I asked."

"But say I might've found something not so traditional about your family,"Joe shrugged.

"In case you failed to notice, nothing's really traditional with me," I smirked at him. "But go on."

"Well, remember your mom's sister?" Joe questioned as I nodded. "Oh wow, this is harder to explain than I thought it would be."

"What?" I looked at Joe feeling like my heart was sinking.

"Your parents aren't your real parents," Joe pinched his nose in between his eyes before looking at me. "Your real parents gave you up for adoption to people they thought they could trust because at the time they didn't want kids, only these people refused to let you know who your real parents or anything when your real parents wanted to find you."

"So you're saying they hide me from the truth?" I raised an eyebrow as he nodded about to say something. "I knew I was always different from them, I mean they always just seemed so off but I never questioned it since I planned on leaving early in my life and did."

"Well there's a reason for that," Joe sighed.

"Yeah, I moved out and met awesome rock stars who took me in then met you guys," I smiled.

"I mean, wow," Joe took a deep breath as I looked at him. "I don't know how I didn't see it earlier."

"What?" I looked at Joe as I sat on the cement curb even though it was cold.

"Blaze, the reason we've always had that family connection is because I'm your father," Joe sighed as my mouth dropped open.

"Seriously? I mean I always thought of you as a father figure but," I looked at Joe. "No way."

"Yes way," Joe nodded. "I wasn't sure at first when you stepped into my store for work since the last time I seen you, you were only six months old."

"And my mother?" I looked at him.

"She's an ice skater, moved back to her hometown, Montreal," Joe crossed his arms again. "I haven't seen in her since then either."

"Wow," My mouth dropped open to look at him.

"I know it's a lot to process," Joe shrugged, "And I'm not asking you to do so but you needed to know."

"Thanks," I smiled lightly at him then headed to the door but stopped. "Hey Joe."

"Yeah?" Joe looked at me.

"I mean it, thanks for telling me," I looked at him.

"Don't mention it, kid," Joe smiled lightly.

"I'll see you guys later tonight," I waved to him. "I've got to head back home for a while."

"Ok," Joe nodded.

"I gotta go get Bradin so you can see your grandson," I smirked at him.

"Grandson?" Joe raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, and soon to be plurual," I giggled. "Laters Joe."

Getting back to Jonathan's apartment, I found that Bradin was now sitting there talking Jonathan's ear off with a now present, Patrick Kane.

"What's up guys?" I questioned as I sat my things down and smiled at Bradin.

"Bradin wanted to get some hockey time in before the party tonight," Jonathan smiled. "So I called Kaner to come over.

"Sounds fun," I smilmed at them then looked to Bradin. "Go get your hockey stuff."

Bradin ran off super excited which was cute since he really did love hockey and knowing that he got to learn it again with Patrick made his day. Jonathan wrapped his arms around me but since I was deep in thought about what Joe said, I was half in other world, which he picked up on.

"You ok?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah," I smiled lightly. "It's just something I'll tell you later."

"Personal huh?" Patrick looked at me.

"Not too much," I shrugged. "It's just shocking and sort of personal but you can know too."

"Then just say it now," Patrick shrugged.

"He's got a point," Jonathan nodded.

"Fine," I sighed gathering my thoughts. "So when I was at Empire, Joe had to talk to me and it was nothing bad, it's just he told me that he's my real father."

"Seriously?" Jonathan's mouth fell open at me.

"Yeah," I smiled lightly. "I mean I always seen him as a father figure and was going to ask him to walk me down the aisle but still, now it seems I don't know..."

"Perfect?" Kaner questioned.

"I guess," I shrugged. "He just hasn't heard from my mom but she lives in Montreal."

"Aw, so you are Canadian too?" Patrick smirked at me.

"I guess so," I smiled looking back at Jonathan to see Bradin walk back in some active wear pants and a hoodie with his bag of hockey gear now. "Aww, he looks so cute."

"Not cute, a hockey player," Patrick smiled as he grabbed the kid's hockey bag and sticks with a smile. "He's going to be the next Patrick Kane."

"Or Jonathan Toews," I smiled at him.

"Patrick Kane," Bradin smiled at us which we all had to hide our chuckle a bit.

"Yes, I win," Patrick did a victory dance.

"Come on Kaner," Jonathan rolled his eyes at his friends. "Let's go."

The four of us headed to the ice rink in Jonathan's car, snow slowly starting to fall again which made today even better. It was probably the only time I did like snow but still. Bradin sat in the backseat talking to Patrick about a ton of hockey terms and things he wanted to learn which was cute before tapping me on the shoulder.

"Mom?" Bradin questioned.

"Yeah?" I looked over my shoulder at him.

"Can I stay up til midnight tonight?" Bradin asked.

"If you can make it," I smiled at him. "We're going to a party for a bit if that's ok too?"

"Will it be fun?" Bradin questioned.

"Yeah, you'll get to meet your grandpa Joe," I smiled at him. "Then we'll go back home earlier and have our own party, ok?"

"Ok," He nodded. "Are you spending the whole day with me tomorrow?"

"Yup," I smiled at him. "We'll go to the museum tomorrow."

"Jonathan?" Bradin questioned.

"Yup," I nodded with a smile at him.

"Can Patrick come?" Bradin questioned as I looked towards Patrick.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Ask him."

"Patrick," Bradin looked up at the hockey player. "Can you come to the museums with us?"

"Of course," Patrick smiled down at the boy.

"Yes!" Bradin threw his arms up in the air which we all laughed at just as Jonathan pulled into the parking lot of the ice skating rink.

"Ok buddy," Jonathan smiled at him. "Let's go show your mom want you've learnt."