(I decided to go dark :)

"Who are you, really?"

"What, sweetie?" "Dad" asked, giving me a confused look, but I knew better. "It's me, Dad-"

"That's bull," I said. "I know you aren't really my Dad. His friends and coworkers won't know the difference, I'll give your acting that, but us kids do-I'm just the one brave enough to say something."

The lookalike gave me a surprised look, then sighed, sitting down in the armchair. On instinct, I tensed up, but I relaxed easily, knowing that he won't hurt me as I dared to take a step forward.

"I should've guessed you'd be smart enough to see through it," the lookalike said. "Very well. My name's Mark. I'm not your father, but-"

"I'm still gonna call you Dad," I blurted out.

He gave me a confused look. "... huh?"

"You're nicer," I shrugged. "You...you aren't gonna hurt me-you haven't even tried."

"Of course I-geez, what?" Mark asked. "According to my Intel, I'm acting just like him-"

I snorted. "He would've beat me black and blue for daring to speak like this, but you just sat down and decided to have a serious conversation-you aren't lying or anything, either. Intel, though? You some kind of secret agent or something?"

"...yes," Mark said. "A spy-your family is my cover identity for the time being. My mission is supposed to last a few years-"

"Then you're going home?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I have to," Mark said. "Your...would you be fine if your father was released after that?"

I shrugged-I knew the answer, but...

Mark clearly knew what I meant, and he sighed. "I see. Then I suppose, when I'm done, there will be an...accident of sorts." He paused. "Wait, is...is this why everyone's acting like nothing's different?"

"Oh, definitely," I said. "I've just never been afraid to take the beating-I punch back and know where to aim."

Mark smiled as he stood up, and I tensed up on instinct-

"Yeah, you're a tough kid," Mark said. "Can I give you a hug?"

Now...that's a weird question, coming from someone that looks just like him.

But it's not him.

I nodded slowly before just going for it and moving forward to give him a hug, and Mark gave me a gentle hug back as tears came to my eyes-this was so nice, I'd always wanted this-after Mom's "accident," I'd been the oldest sibling, even if just by a year, so I never got these protective, gentle hugs-I'd given them, not...

Not...

"You know," Mark said quietly as I sobbed into his shirt. "It's just you and your siblings...when your father's officially gone, you'll be alone. Would it be weird if you suddenly got adopted by a certain spy?"