Prodigy In Modern Family

Niklaus adjusted the collar of his crisp white shirt, the sleeves neatly rolled up to his forearms. His black trousers fit perfectly, paired with a sleek black leather jacket that gave him an effortlessly cool vibe. As he walked down the alley toward the garage, he couldn't help but smirk slightly. A Harley. His past self had good taste.

Sliding open the garage door, he was greeted by the sight of a gleaming black and chrome Harley-Davidson. He ran a hand over the handlebars, appreciating the craftsmanship. He wasn't entirely sure if he had Niklaus' muscle memory for riding, but something deep inside told him that his new body knew exactly what to do.

"Niklaus?"

He turned his head and found himself staring at a girl standing at the entrance of the alley. Shoulder-length brown hair, expressive eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and hesitation—it didn't take him long to recognize her.

Haley Dunphy.

One of the central figures in Modern Family. The realization hit him all over again. He really was here, in this world.

"Niklaus? Is that you?"

He gave her a small, casual smile. "Hey, Haley. Been a while."

She blinked, still processing, before her lips curled into a smirk. "Wait… you're our new neighbor?"

Niklaus chuckled, crossing his arms. "Yeah, looks like it. Small world, huh?"

Haley tilted her head, scanning him like she was trying to figure something out. "And you're finally coming back to school?"

He sighed, running a hand through his freshly cut hair. "Yeah. But unfortunately, I have to redo my first year."

Haley winced, clearly enjoying the fact that it wasn't her problem. "Oof, that sucks." Then she suddenly grinned. "Oh! With your subjects, you'll probably be in the same classes as my annoying little sister."

Niklaus raised an eyebrow,pretending to not know. "Your sister?"

Haley groaned dramatically. "Yeah. Alex. She's starting high school this year, and trust me, she's way too smart for her own good. Prepare yourself for endless nerd talk and lectures on why you're 'wasting your potential.'"

Niklaus smirked. "Sounds like a fun challenge."

Haley snorted. "Yeah, we'll see how long you last." She then gestured toward his motorcycle. "So, what? You riding that thing to school?"

Niklaus glanced at his Harley before looking back at her. "Yeah. You need a ride?"

Haley scoffed, amused. "Tempting, but I don't think my parents would love me rolling up on a bike with the mysterious new neighbor."

Niklaus smirked. "Their loss."

Haley rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her grin. "See you at school, Niklaus."

"Yeah," he said, kicking up the stand of his Harley. "See you, Haley."

As she walked off, Niklaus exhaled, gripping the handlebars. So this was his life now.

With that thought, he revved the engine and rode toward his new beginning.

As Niklaus arrived at Palisades High School, he pulled into the parking lot, smoothly bringing his Harley to a stop. The roar of the engine faded as he removed his helmet, running a hand through his tousled blonde hair. The school building stood tall before him, a mix of familiarity and uncertainty washing over him.

Even with his newfound memories, navigating the school was trickier than he expected. His predecessor had only attended for about four months before dropping out, meaning his sense of direction within these halls was practically nonexistent. He walked through the crowded corridors, scanning for any sign that could point him toward the office.

"Lost already?"

Niklaus turned to see a guy smirking at him—a student with a letterman jacket slung over his shoulder. Probably an athlete.

He smirked back. "Just taking in the scenery."

The guy chuckled but pointed down the hall. "Office is that way, new guy."

Niklaus gave him a nod. "Appreciate it."

After making his way to the front office, he stepped inside to find a woman behind the desk typing away at her computer. She barely looked up when she spoke.

"Name?"

"Niklaus Blake. I'm new."

That got her attention. She glanced up, eyes softening slightly. "Ah, yes. Here's your schedule and locker assignment." She handed him a printed sheet. "Welcome back, Niklaus."

He took it with a polite nod. As he stepped out, he skimmed over the schedule. Despite his predecessor not being a straight-A student, he was still above average in most subjects. But with James' vast academic knowledge from his past life, Niklaus knew he could breeze through school if he wanted to.

But that wasn't the plan.

For the first time, he wasn't here to chase grades, research, or some ambitious goal. He was here to experience life, to enjoy it—something James had never done before.

Stuffing the schedule into his pocket, he made his way into the hallway. Time to see what this new life had in store for him.

Niklaus walked into his first class, Biology, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet room. The air was filled with the murmur of students settling in as he stepped to the front.

A woman with glasses, Mrs. Smith, looked up from her desk and smiled warmly. "Welcome back, Mr. Blake. It's quite unfortunate that you have to repeat, but we'll make sure it's a smooth transition." She motioned to an empty desk near the middle of the room. "Please, take a seat."

Niklaus nodded and glanced around. Most of the seats were already filled, except one next to a girl who had her face buried in a notebook, scribbling something down.

"Guess I'm lucky," he muttered to himself, making his way toward the seat next to her.

As he sat down, the girl next to him—Alex Dunphy—looked up before going back to her work.

Niklaus sat quietly at his desk in Biology, the classroom around him fading into the background as his focus turned inward. His thoughts drifted, and instead of paying attention to the lesson, his hand instinctively reached for his notebook. He began sketching, his pencil gliding across the page with ease.

The subject? None other than the girl sitting beside him—Alex Dunphy. Her features, the way her eyes flickered with curiosity, the way her hand moved as she wrote in her notebook, they all captivated him. His hand worked quickly, capturing the essence of her expression, the slight curve of her lips, the shape of her face. He was so immersed in the task that the rest of the class faded away.

Alex, on the other hand, was completely unaware of what he was doing. She glanced at her notebook occasionally, but her attention was primarily on the lecture. This was her first year in high school, and though she was incredibly bright, she hadn't yet developed the social radar to notice everything going on around her. She was focused on the material, making notes, jotting down questions for later.

Niklaus didn't mind that she hadn't noticed him yet. He didn't need her attention. He was just... existing in this moment, creating something from the quiet calm he'd found in his new life. His previous existence as James had been filled with ambition and a ceaseless pursuit of success. But now, he was determined to embrace the simplicity of life, the art of just living in the present.

As the class went on, he made quick progress with his drawing, his pencil capturing the delicate details of Alex's features. He wasn't sure why, but something about her intrigued him. Maybe it was her intelligence, or perhaps it was the way she held herself, both confident and reserved. There was something magnetic about her, even if she didn't realize it.

The bell rang, snapping him out of his reverie. He quickly closed the notebook, the portrait still unfinished, and gathered his things. As the students filed out of the room, Alex glanced over at him, noticing the open notebook in his hands for the first time. Her eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and curiosity flickering across her face.

"You, uh, drawing something?" she asked, her tone casual but with a hint of genuine interest.

Niklaus looked at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Just... something that caught my attention."

She tilted her head, trying to make out the sketch. "Is that—me?"

He nodded, his smile widening a little. "Yeah. You seemed... interesting to capture."

Alex blushed then raised an eyebrow, a mix of skepticism and curiosity in her eyes. "Huh. Well, that's... uh, impressive, you like drawing?"

Niklaus shrugged nonchalantly, slipping the notebook back into his bag. "You can say so"

She blinked at him for a moment, unsure of how to respond, before nodding slowly. "I guess so. You're not like the other kids, huh?"

Niklaus chuckled softly as he stood up from his seat. "You could say that. Anyway, I should head to my next class. See you around, Alex."

Then Mrs. Smith stood up and addressed the class, drawing everyone's attention.

"Alright, class. I have a project for you. You'll be paired up, and each pair will need to create a 3D model of a part of the human system—nervous, circulatory, digestive... the choice is yours. It'll be a big part of your grade, so I want you to work hard on this. You'll have two weeks to complete it."

The students around the room began murmuring, excitement and apprehension in equal measure. Niklaus, now packing up his things, wasn't particularly concerned about the project. He was more focused on the task at hand—navigating his new life. But when he heard Mrs. Smith call out the pairings, he found himself paired with none other than Alex Dunphy.

"Niklaus and Alex, you'll be working together," Mrs. Smith announced, much to Alex's surprise and Niklaus's quiet amusement.

Alex, who had already been known to be academically inclined, perked up. She adjusted her glasses and looked at Niklaus, her tone serious. "Okay, well... let's figure this out."

Niklaus nodded. He wasn't sure what to expect from this partnership—Alex Dunphy was sharp, no doubt, and likely organized. But there was an odd tension between them. She didn't know him, and he barely knew her beyond the interactions he'd seen on the show. It was a strange dynamic, but not one that bothered him.

Alex took the lead almost immediately, her mind working quickly. "We should probably do something that's going to impress Mrs. Smith. If we do the brain, that's more complicated, but it's worth more points, right? What do you think?"

Niklaus, who had only a passing understanding of the biology behind the human systems from his new memories, nodded slowly. He could tell she had a strong sense of focus. "Sounds good. The brain is complex... we could make it interesting."

"Exactly," she said, almost excited now. "The brain's got all those cool parts—like the cerebrum, cerebellum, and the brainstem. We could make it super detailed. What do you think about designing it in layers? That way, we can show the different parts and make it look like an actual model of the brain."

Niklaus admired her confidence. She had a vision, and he was happy to go along with it. "Yeah, that sounds perfect. I think we can pull it off."

Alex paused, then turned to him with a more thoughtful expression. "Do you have any experience with 3D models or... crafting? Because, well, I'm not great at making physical models. More of a digital kind of person."

Niklaus grinned slightly. "I can manage. I'm good with my hands, plus... I have some ideas for materials. I can take care of that part if you want to handle the research and design."

Alex considered this for a moment, then nodded. "That works. Let's get started after school? We can brainstorm the materials, maybe look at some examples online."

Niklaus agreed, and just like that, their partnership was set. As the class ended, they gathered their things and left the room together, heading toward their next classes. But in the back of Niklaus's mind, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation. Not about the project itself—but about where this new life, with its strange connections and unexpected twists, would take him.

For now, he was content. He would take this project one step at a time, just like he planned to take his life in this new world—slowly, without rushing, and fully embracing the ride.