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Prince of the Hill

Chapter 5

oh la madre del mio

-Oh Mother of Mine-

As the lion emerged from the shadows, seeming to appear out of thin air, the wolf in black monks clothes gasped and dropped the offering box. With a heavy thud on the ground, the top burst open and dozens of gold coins flooded over the floor.

"You seem surprised to see me. Lei non si aspettava, il Padre?" he asked, the lions voice polite and gentle. But there was the subtle hints of a threat behind his words. The lion appeared so calm and confident behind his cowl, and that calmness made the wolf all the more horrified to see him. *Were you not expecting me, Father?*

"You...how did...how did you get here?" the wolf asked, panicking as he backed up against the stone wall behind him. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he recognised the white styled armour. There were rumours of the assassin in white , but he had not believed in them. Not until now.

"Your guards. They...are indisposed" Giovanni Auditore said with a casual sweep of his hand towards the window. The wolf noticed the missing finger on his hand as he thought desperately for a way out. The door had been locked and he wouldn't be able to unlock it in time. The only way out, was the window behind him.

"You... you killed them" the wolf snarled as he withdrew a silver dagger from the sleeve of his black monk robes and held it in front of him. "Lei il bastardo. Lei assassinando il bastardo* he snarled to the intruder as he held the knife in both hands.*You bastard. You murdering bastard*

"And you, stealing from the boxes of charity to help fill the pockets of the Templars, is not a far worse crime?" Giovanni asked as he slowly walked forward. He was not scared of the dagger the wolf held. The wolf whimpered as his arms shook as the distance between them got closer. He found himself panting as he held the knife, but his hands shook with every step the lion took.

"I...i had no choice" he whimpered. "They swore they would kill me. They need the gold to fund their searching. If they find that codex page...." he whimpered as the lion reached out and took the dagger from his hands. With a gentle but firm flick of the lions wrist, he disarmed the wolf with ease.

"And you believed your life was worth more than the lives of those starving in the streets?" Giovanni asked as he placed a hand on the wolfs chest. The wolf whimpered and hung his head in shame as he knew what was coming.

"Sono spiacente. Per favore. ..forgive la mia debolezza" the wolf whimpered as he closed his eyes. He didn't want to see it coming. *I'm sorry. Please...forgive my weakness*

"It is not for me to decide. Potere il Dio lei tiene la fede con crede che la sua preghiera e l'offra la salvezza lei cerca" Giovanni said as he held his hand there for just a moment." Requiescat in pace" he said softly as, with a flick of his wrist, his hidden blade buried itself into the heart of the monk. *May the God you hold faith with believe your prayer and offer you the salvation you seek. Rest in Peace.*

"And now, the answer you have been waiting for. Scrub those floors clean with..."

"Oh fuck it" Alex said in annoyance as the commercial came right in the middle of the good part. That seemed to be the standard of all television stations, putting commercials in the good bits of tv shows. He fell back onto his back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling in annoyance. Why did they always do that right in the middle of an assassination?

Alex was supposed to be doing his homework, but why do homework when your favourite show was on? It beat trying to answer questions he didn't really feel like asking. Lying back in just his shorts, feeling the air conditioning on his bare chest did feel good in the still warm Texan heat.

With a sigh as the cleaning commercial changed to something promoting that incredibly cheesey and awful 'Last Man Standing' show with Tim Allen at the pinnacle of his failing career, he slowly sat up on his bed and headed back to his desk. With a sigh he wheeled his chair back and sat down.

The questions that lay in the back of the book Mr Harrington had assigned them stared back at him as he picked up his pen and stuck the end in his mouth. He wished he could discuss the questions with his friends while he worked on them, but they were all busy this late after school.

He hated not sharing the same classes as Gielle. Alex wanted to be a doctor like his father, but the classes he needed to study weren't ones that he could share with his boyfriend. He had to see Mr Harrington in his free study period to get what they had gone through in class. Thankfully, his teacher was rather understanding.

Although he did have the same grading curve for him.

What was your favourite character in the book, and why? - Minnie. I preferred her in the movie, because she did have a more gentle side to her then in the book, plus the big influence of attitude made her all the more likeable.

Probably should make the answer longer.

The author manages to paint Aibeleen with an aura of grace and wisdom about her. Why do you think that is? - Because, unlike Hilly, Aibeleen had been through more of life and experienced more then Hilly could have. Hilly may think that because she's popular and is able to influence people, she thinks she's a better person then everyone else. But Aibeleen has more life experience working on the other side of the fence. So, for living and experiencing more of life, both good and bad, she's seen as a more guiding figure.

Hmmm. May have to straighten that answer out a bit more.

What did you think of Minnies Pie? Would you go so far as that for revenge? - First of all, fucking brilliant.

Scratch that.

First of all, brilliant. A true classic of revenge. Secondly, no. I wouldn't go that far. I'd go further. If someone wronged me, I would hunt them down and take my time in hurting them. I'd make them suffer until they begged me for mercy for what they did to me. And then, I'd finish them off.

"Yeah, like that answer wouldn't make me get taken to a psycho therapist" Alex said in annoyance as he shook his head. He picked up his pen and scratched out the answer to that as he sighed. English papers were harder then they looked. Funny how questions that asked your opinions on things like revenge could land you in a psychiatrist's office quicker then you could blink.

The commercials ended and his show resumed itself as he turned around. He spread himself back on his bed and turned his gaze back to the tv as he immersed himself back into his show.

His room was still his as it had been when his parents had been together. He still had the same bed, and the same wardrobe. But the tv was new. So was the new version of the xbox. And the computer on his desk. And just about everything else. In the past two years, his mother had bought new versions of everything in the house, so his room wasn't the same as it had been once.

But he found no comfort in those new things that seemed to crop up now and then. Probably because he knew the personal cost of each item. He continued to watch as Giovanni laid the dead father on the floor where he had been slain and searched the room for further clues.

Alex dug a black covered pillow from the other end of the bed and tucked it under his chest as he watched closely, his tail lazily waving over his back. The thick clawtip at the end batted against his sides now and then.

The show ended in a rather typical fashion, Giovanni finding a clue about the codex pages location hidden under a stone in the floor. He had just unwrapped it from the cloth covering and unwrapped the page when the 'to be continued' flashed over the screen. Of course it ended like that. Cliffhangers made everyone continue watching.

He was about to return to his homework when he heard his mother call out for him.

"Great. She's home" he thought in annoyance as he turned his television off with the remote and tossed it onto the floor. He swung his legs over the bed and slid off, grabbing a shirt that lay next to the laundry basket nearby. Slipping it over his arms and down over his torso he opened the door and headed down the hall.

His mother was at the dining room table, several paper bags on the surface and the smell of Chinese food in the air. His mother had gotten take out again. She either hated cooking, or loved spending money. Alex had a personal feeling it was really the latter. But he did like Chinese food.

"Shopping again?" Alex asked quietly as he walked up to the large dining room table. It seated eight for some reason, and pretty much filled the whole space next to the kitchen. From the new looking red dress she was wearing, and the fresh curls that hung down around her shoulders, she had spent the day pampering herself. Again.

"Oh, just a few things" Judy said with a flick of her hand on the table. "I was in the mood to spoil myself, and there was a sale that I couldn't pass up. Both at the salon, and at Mercelle's Boutique" She said, sounding happy about it. Alex just nodded to that.

"Oh, and I bought you some clothes for school. You said your shoes were getting tight again" she said as she pushed a bag towards him. It looked like it was holding more then just a pair of shoes. Making sure he took the bag she dug her manicured fingers into another bag. Alex opened the shopping bag as his mother removed a paper carton that smelt like chicken.

Inside was a pair of black and white styled sneakers with a rather flashy logo on the sides. Tied together with black laces and steel tips on the front and back. He couldn't help but feel impressed. They were currently top of the line sneakers.

"Wow" he felt himself saying as he looked them over, seeing them from all angles.

"I thought you'd like them" she said with a smile as she finished getting the food out. There was enough food on the table now to feed them both till lunchtime the next day. Alex took another look in the bag and saw a pair of black jeans and a shirt with an impressive deign on the back.

Alex took them out and got a good look at them. He had to admit, his mother knew style, and they were pretty cool clothing. The design was a filligrie design that spiralled from the center of the back and spread out to the buttons on the front. He pulled out the black jeans, and a piece of paper fell out from between the folds of the jeans and fell onto the table.

His eyes went wide as he saw the total amount on the bottom of the receipt. There was no way these clothes should have cost that much, even on a sale. But he had no chance to say anything as his mother snatched it rather quickly and shoved it into her bright red handbag.

"Oh don't worry about the price" she said with a smile to the look on his face. "I'll just send this to your father and he'll take care of it" she said in a rather happy tone of voice as she put her bag down and sat at the table.

Alex felt his fingers curl up in anger as he stood there for a moment, wanting to say something about that. But she wouldn't listen to him anyway. He had tried before. And failed. There was really no point in arguing with her.

"Thanks ...mom" he said as carefully as he could. If he made a big deal over it, he knew she'd have a fit and make him the villain out of all of this. However she simply smiled, seeming to miss the tone of his voice as she sat down and pulled a carton of fried rice and pickled dumplings in front of her.

"Any mail today?" she asked briskly as she snapped her chopsticks apart. Alex went into the kitchen, managing to uncurl his fingers as he picked up the small pile of letters beside the phone. His new iPhone sat next to the cordless and he noticed the screen was lit up.

He picked up the phone and pressed his finger over the screen to bring up the message.

Alex , grandparents are coming over tomorrow night for dinner. Thought we'd get pizza. If your friends want, they can come. Dad.

Alex swallowed slightly as he hastily put his phone into his pocket. Tomorrow was Friday, and his father would pick him up from school to take him home for the weekend. If he got his mother riled up over anything, he knew she would take it out on his father. He took a deep breath and made his way back to the dining table.

He handed the stack of envelopes to his mother, who took them without looking at him. Alex pulled out his chair and slid into it, pulling one of the cartons towards him. He saw it was a mixture of lemon chicken and pad Thai noodles. One of his favourite meals, but he didn't feel all that hungry. He didn't bother snapping his chopsticks as he pushed the food around in its carton a few times.

"I wonder if Gielle would want to come over?" he thought to himself as his mother opened another envelope and pulled out the paper inside. Gielle hadn't been over since Alex had found the flamedramon wandering his street after a fight with his aunt. Although the outcome had been rather memorable.

His mother paid him no mind as she continued to read her letters. Alex managed a few mouthfulls of the food, but it wasn't making him feel better. The sudden longing to be with Gielle again was making him feel worse. Things were already somewhat tense, and adding a longing to be with his boyfriend didn't help.

He eventually excused himself, taking his dinner into his room. His mother didn't even look up as he gathered his food and walked into his room. However, he hadn't made it very far before he heard her snarl rather suddenly.

Startled, Alex turned around, almost dropping the food onto the floor from the sudden noise. He saw his mother already getting up from the table, one of the letters scrunched up in her hand and a furious look on her face.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Alex asked, his heart beginning to thump in his chest. He nervously stood there in the hall, his tail curling around his right leg as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

His mother stopped walking as he picked up the phone from the kitchen bench and began to dial in a number. She didn't say anything for a few moments before she realised that he had spoken.

"It's nothing Alex. Now finish your dinner" she ordered as she turned away from him. Whoever she had called had apparently picked up as she took the phone further into the kitchen and began to speak.

Alex stood there for a few moments, trying to listen in as his heart thumped in his chest. The horrible anxious feeling inside him was making him feel slightly sick, but he was unable to hear anything she was saying.

"Please, don't let this be about dad" Alex wanted to beg out loud to whatever deity that could be listening in. But he couldn't interfere on this. If he did, and it was for no reason, she would take it out on him. If it did concern him and he interfered, she would take it out on both him and his father.

And he knew his father would pay the most.

The food felt like a dead weight in his hand as he turned around and made his way back to his room. The tv was showing a rerun of an old Simpsons episode, but he paid it no mind as he dumped the take out into the waste basket beside his desk.

He sat at his desk and puled his phone out. He flipped through the contact list and found Gielle's smiling face. He looked at it for a moment, feeling the longing to be with him and hold him again, before he typed in a message.

'Miss you so much right now.'

He put the phone down and decided not to fix his homework. He wasn't in the mood to do it anyway. With a sigh he pulled his mouse over and his screen came to life. He found the brightly coloured, half red and half black rose icon and clicked it. The 'Blossom' screen began to load up as his phone suddenly dinged.

'Miss you too Alex. It sucks without you'

Alex felt better just seeing that as he rubbed his finger gently over the picture of his boyfriend, before he put the phone down and tucked his headphones over his ears.

****************

"Something on your mind?" Gielle asked quietly as Alex stared out of the window beside his desk. The last period on Friday was a free study session, and the two of them were sitting in the back of the classroom. The last row in the classroom was thankfully empty, with most of the students sitting nearer the front.

Roxis and Toby were sitting a few rows up. Toby was tapping away at his special type writer, and Roxis was either reading, or looking like he was taking a nap. Gielle wasn't sure from that angle. His fat cousin Bobby and his friend Joseph were nearer the front. Gielle had a suspicion that since his prank on Roxis a few days earlier, the teachers were keeping a close eye on him. It had to be true since he hadn't done anything stupid since.

Very little talk was going on though, as the teacher who oversaw the study session was making them al work. Thankfully, everyone wasn't paying attention to anything anyone was actually saying anyway.

"Huh?" Alex asked as he found himself snapping out of the trance he had lost himself in. He had been staring at the clouds in the sky, and hadn't heard Gielle talk to him. For a moment he forgot where he actually was, and had to take a moment to regain his bearings as he looked first Gielle ad then around the classroom.

"I said, is something on your mind?" Gielle asked as he saw Alex pull himself back to the real world. The teen looked spooked for a moment, and had to have been pretty far gone when Gielle had poked him. "You've been really quiet all day" he pointed out.

"Sorry" Alex said as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He felt his cheeks redden from the slight shame he felt, and found himself thankful no-one had noticed him. "I've...just been dealing with some things" he admitted as he stared down at his homework.

"Like what?" Gielle asked.

"Just...family shit" Alex said quietly as he looked down at the paper in front of him still. The whole ordeal from the previous night still lingered in the back of his mind, as he kept asking himself what could possibly be wrong with his mother this time around. His first two questions for his English essay were finished and they stared back up at him. He just had to choose one more.

"Like what?" Gielle asked gently as he took a quick look around to make sure no-one was paying too close attention to them, before he gently nudged his hand against Alex's. But the contact of their hands didn't seem to make any difference to Alex's mood.

Gielle had noticed that Alex had been in a dour mood all day. It was a very surprising, and rather troubling, change of pace from the usual Alex that he was used to. Throughout the week, Alex had been sneaking as much contact between them as he could manage.

Lagging behind Roxis on the walk to the bus stop so they could hold hands. Hiding their laps under their bags so they could thumb rub together on the bus. Going into shaded areas for a quick kiss. Even sitting and playing footsies during some of the 'quieter' classes, or getting into the locker room for a quick make out session before gym was starting to become the normal thing for them.

Although, it hadn't gotten any more intimate then that. The Monday locker room blow job had been as far as it had gone between the two of them. Although, if Gielle had to admit, he would have welcomed another one.

But the whole day, Alex had barely spoken a word to him. No hand holding, no thumb rubbing or secret kisses. Hell, right now they were right next to each other and Alex's feet hadn't move for half an hour.

Something was wrong with him, and Gielle was willing to be patient and wait till he was ready. After all, some things he knew, were very hard to talk about with another person. And his mother had once said to him that the more you pushed, the more you pushed them away.

But, Gielle had talked to Alex about things before. And Alex had yet to tell him anything. In the few weeks hat they had known each other, Gielle had to admit that he knew not that much about him.

And his patience was beginning to wear a little thin. They both cared about the other enough to consider themselves boyfriends, albeit privately, but if their relationship was going to continue, Alex needed to start talking.

"Alex, can you please talk to me?" Gielle asked gently. "Look, you're going through something at the moment, but you're not telling me anything" he said.

Alex said nothing as he stared at the papers in front of him. He heard what Gielle was saying, but he found himself unable to speak. What was he supposed to tell him? How was he going to tell him? Where could he even start?

"Alex...it's not fair" Gielle said quietly. "I tell you stuff, but you don't tell me anything" he said to him. "Look, I love you" Gielle said quietly as he put his hand over Alex's. "But please, tell me more about yourself" he whispered.

"I'm sorry" Alex finally said as he sighed and sat back. He felt disappointed in himself that he was unable to even talk to his boyfriend. "It's just...kinda difficult to get into it" he admitted. He looked up as he heard the bell ring to signal the end of school and he slid his papers and books into a pile.

"Look, you're right"he said as he looked at Gielle. "I should talk to you and tell you about what's going on. And I will, I promise" he said to him. "I just...need time to figure out what to say" Alex said.

"Is your life that bad that you can't talk about it?" Gielle asked as he closed his notebook and began packing up his pens.

"I just...don't talk to people about it a lot" Alex admitted to him as he finished gathering his things and slid his chair out. "You're still coming over for the night, aren't you?" Alex asked him as they stood up.

"Of course" Gielle said to him as he stood up as well, his books in his arms. "Uncle Hank found out Bobby is already behind in English, and Aunt Peggy is furious that Mr Harrington's teaching style is nowhere near her more 'traditional style'. So their attention for the weekend is not on me for once" Gielle said.

"Peggy was annoyed about that?" Alex asked as the other students started to file out of the classroom. The teacher was already gone, probably the first one out the door as everyone started talking at once.

"Yeah. At least that's what I'm sure she said. Actually, she said 'Salmone di signor non è alcun quadbike se non può mai seguire il codice scritto delle mamme di soccor ' ."

"And for those of us that don't speak gutter?" Roxis said as they neared him. The tall Ronso already had his things under his arm, and he looked wide awake. Gielle figured he had been reading after all. If he had been asleep, his eyeliner would have smudged.

"Mr Salmon is no quadbike if he can never follow the written code of the soccer moms" Gielle said with a straight face.

"Your aunt knows she's an idiot, right?" Roxis said with an equally deadpan expression on his face.

"Please. I'm blind, and even I can see it" Toby said with a grin as he stood up from his desk. The four of them ended up laughing a bit at Gielle's clueless aunt as they walked out of the classroom.

"You guys coming over? Dad said it was ok" Alex said to them both as they walked the hallways, navigating their way past the students. The usual crowds of kids rushing around trying to be out of school as fast as possible, and the crowd made it difficult to navigate through.

"Can't. Parents are planning some government take over of small businesses" Roxis said as he pushed his way through the throng of kids.

"What do your parents do again?" Gielle asked. He had heard once before, but he couldn't remember.

"They're lawyers" Roxis said as he found his locker. Gielle just nodded as he stood back with Alex.

"I can't make it either" Toby said somewhat sadly. "Mom has to get ready for a Silver Arrow meeting tomorrow, and I have to help out."

"A what?" Gielle asked, feeling confused. He had never heard of anything called Silver arrow. Well, outside of a console game at least.

"It's like scouts. You know, cubs and stuff. Only around here, it's called the Order of the Silver Arrow" Alex said. "Toby's mom's the den mother thingy for around here. Although the way she runs it, its more like just a group of kids together having fun and hanging out."

"As opposed to the usual learning of hunting and trapping innocent animals just for a badge" Roxis said as he shoved his books into his black backpack.

"Don't mention my mom and the silver arrow in the same sentence around your uncle though" Toby said with a slight smile as he zipped up his own bag.

"Why is that?" Gielle asked. The way that the fox was grinning, it must be good.

"Because Hank was a den leader for while. And he ran it like a concentration camp. You know, the whole 'I'm older and wiser, so its my way etc etc'. Well, till he made Bobby join" Toby said as he swung his full bag over his shoulder. "And then they decided to go on a hunting trip."

"Why would hey take kids on a hunting trip?" Gielle asked.

"It's Texas" Roxis said as he swung his backpack over his shoulder. "Around here, its either go hunting, or sit in the trailer park with a mullet and knocked out teeth."

"And bobby apparently shot a whooping crane" Toby said as he continued. "Turns out he didn't, he just spooked it and it knocked itself out. The birds really rare and killing one would have gotten him kicked out for life. So Hank tried to cover it up."

"Until the bird woke up and injured itself getting out of the back of Hanks truck as they tried to leave the hunting grounds they were on, right?" Alex asked. Toby nodded.

"And Toby's mom got promoted. And hanks been trying to get back in ever since. He never got over the fact a woman got promoted over him" Alex finished as they all headed their way to the other side of the school. The crowd was finally beginning to thin out somewhat.

"That must have hurt his ego" Gielle said with a light grin. He could just picture his uncle having a fit over something like that. He couldn't even handle losing a bet with his wife.

"But still, I'd like to come over. But I'm part of the group, so its mandatory I go" Toby said as they walked through the students. They soon reached the other lockers, which were now empty of other students, giving Alex and Gielle enough space to grab their stuff.

"Shame. Guess that means more pizza for us then" Gielle said with a light smile as he smacked his fist against his locker to open it. The door almost flew open and slammed into the door next to it.

"They really should get that fixed" Alex said as he headed to his locker down the hall.

"Once Principle moss gets the rule book out his ass, then yeah" Roxis said as he shifted his backpack. "He won't fix one locker till the whole row is broken" he pointed out.

"He's not much use then is he?" Toby said as Gielle and Alex both grabbed the necessary things for the weekend from their lockers and shut them. Once all four of them had their backpacks packed and ready, they headed towards the exit together.

They waved goodbye to Toby, who was being picked up by his mother. As usual, she looked very pleased to see him, and again reminded Gielle of his own mother. Roxis went off on his own,heading in the direction of Mainstreet. Apparently, he went there on a Friday, so he wasn't joining them on the bus.

The two of them headed to the bust shelter. Bobby must have already been on the bus with Joseph, as neither of them were in line. The line was rather long still, a number of other teens all gathered around talking about whatever happened to be the current trend.

"So, can we talk?" Gielle asked as they stood at the end of the line together, just a little ways off from the rest of the students. No-one else was gathered behind them, so they must have gotten there last.

Alex sighed a little as he stood there, looking at the ground for a few moments before he reached up and brushed some of his mane bangs from his eyes. He felt nervous, and his mouth suddenly went dry.

"Gielle, my family life...isn't perfect" he said slowly, as if tying to find the words to express how he was feeling. "Everything started falling apart years ago. I just...didn't really see it until it was too late" he said.

Gielle said nothing as he let Alex take his time. He was glad Alex was about to open up about something, but he didn't want to press it and make him shy away from it so soon.

"When I was six, I guess that's when I realised I looked different. I looked at my parents pictures and a picture of myself...and I felt like I was an outsider. I mean, no lion has ears like I do" he admitted. Gielle couldn't help but look at them. Rather then rounded, they were pointed, and somewhat scaley.

Funny. He had never really looked at them for this long before. He stopped when Alex began to speak again.

"So, I did what any kid would do" Alex continued. "I went and asked my mother. I went up to her in the kitchen and asked her why I was different from my father and her."

"Why? He's your father, of course he's your father. He's your father, and that's all there is to it, understand?" Alex said so quickly and suddenly that Gielle got startled and stepped back a bit. He felt a little spooked from being almost shouted at like that.

"She said it just like that. Only...a lot louder. I think she was desperate that I didn't know at the time. But she freaked me out from the way she just...seemed to shout at me. I ran back to my room and just stayed there. I was too freaked out to leave" Alex said with a sigh.

"Did...you ask your father?" Gielle asked as he stood closer again. Alex said nothing for a moment as he seemed to shuffle from one foot to the other.

"I did. He came to tuck me in that night after work. That's the funny thing, it didn't matter how long he stayed working late, he always tucked me in when he came home. Mom.. she never did anything like that" he admitted. "He came in and was pulling the blankets up, and I asked him.

"Dad, am I really your son?"

"He said nothing. He just looked at me. And he looked so tired. I started to feel upset, like he was going to tell me that I really wasn't. Or that he'd freak out just like Mom did.

"But then he sat beside me and wrapped his arms around me. He just held me there and said to me 'I've been your father for six years. Its not going to change'. And he just held me there in bed. The way he held me, I felt happy. I remember waking up by myself in bed, so I guess he held me till I fell asleep that night.

"After that, I didn't need to ask any more. He was my dad, and that was it. I figured, so what if I looked different? Dad was Dad. And Mom...I guess I didn't care what she thought after that."

"I guess you and your mom weren't close?" Gielle asked. He wondered how that was possible really. Who couldn't be close to their parents? He had been to his mother and father. But then again, not all families were lucky like he had once been.

"No. I don't think we ever were" Alex admitted. They both looked up as they realised that the line was almost in and they were one of the few left standing at the shelter.

"I'm...sorry to ask..but Michael...?" Gielle asked. He didn't want to upset him with the question, but he really did have to know. Especially now that he was too curious not to ask.

"He's not my real dad" Alex said flatly, and the way he said it made him sound hurt about it. "I didn't know it, until after I turned twelve. I found out that mom had cheated while my dad was away on business" he said.

"Oh" Gielle said softly to that. He suddenly realised that it was a bit obvious that Alex was a hybrid of two species. But it had never really sunk in until just now, when Alex admitted it himself. It was like looking at a picture with something wrong with it, and you only saw it when someone else pointed it out.

"Yeah, I know" Alex said with a sigh as the line kept moving. The last two students got on and the driver waved at them to get on.

"Alex...who..."Gielle said carefully, but he was interrupted when a large car suddenly pulled up in front of the bus, practically cutting it off. The driver swore loudly as he honked the horn at the car that had appeared.

Alex's expression turned angry as he glared at the big car. If Gielle had to guess, the car was either an suv, or some kind of outdoor explorer. It was big enough to be either. It was dark coloured and had tinted windows. And a canvas roof. What seemed to be an actual fox tail hung from the aerial, and what looked like tribal markings were on the doors.

"Get on the bus, now" Alex said as he grabbed Gielle's wrist. The flamedramon felt himself get jerked forward as Alex dragged him towards the doors.

"Alex" came a loud voice as the owner of the car stepped out. The bus driver honked its horn, but the driver didn't get back in his car to move. Instead, he walked towards the two boys.

Alex stopped with his foot on the first step of the bus, but he didn't turn, nor did he lessen his grip on Gielle's wrist. Gielle turned and looked at the one who stopped in front of them.

He was tall, and looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. He was a dragon, with a deeply sienna brown coloured scales. Long and thick black hair hung down his head and past his muscled shoulders. He wore an open brown vest with a tribal style necklace hanging between his exposed pecs. Loose fitting white pants hung around his legs.

If Gielle had to say anything about the newcomer, its that he was a handsome specimen of draconic lineage. And the way the dragon stood there, he seemed to know it as well.

"John, what do you want?" Alex said in a flat tone of voice as he turned slowly towards the dragon. The hard and cold expression on his face didn't change and Gielle winced a bit as the grip on his arm seemed to get even the more tighter.

"Alex, you keep avoiding me. I need to talk to you" John, apparently that was his name, said as he looked at Alex. "You know what this is about. Your mother explained it to you."

"Yes, she did" Alex said as he glared up at the taller dragon. "And she told Dad about it too. And he said, and I quote 'No freaking way' " Alex said firmly. "So there."

"Alex, Michael doesn't understand" John said patiently, but firmly. "He is a ..."

"Don't you dare call him that" Alex snapped, interrupting the dragon very quickly, as if he knew what he was about to say. John looked surprised, as if no-one ha spoken to him like that before. Gielle was even surprised. He had never seen Alex look this angry at someone before.

"Alex, its important to me, and to you" John said, recovering quite quickly. "You are going through the path to adulthood. This is important to your heritage."

If John expected that to work, it didn't. Alex just glared angrily at the dragon. The bus driver honked again, but Alex didn't move. The grip on Gielle's wrist got tighter, making him wince and even whimper slightly. The driver got fed up waiting, seeing at the kids were not going to get on the bus and closed the doors with a loud hiss.

Alex didn't move as the bus moved carefully past the annoyingly parked car and headed off.

"Now you made me miss the bus" Alex said with a glare. "My grandparents are expecting us at home. We'll be late, thanks to you" Alex said as he kept his grip on Gielle an started to cross the road. Gielle found himself dragged off the sidewalk, but he couldn't find the words to protest.

"Alex, you will listen to me about this" John said, anger and annoyance in his voice as he grabbed Alex's arm, just above his wrist. "You need to do this vision quest. It's important to your heritage, as well as to my peoples heritage."

Alex stopped moving as he felt the grip. Gielle blinked in surprise, unable to talk through the whole thing, his voice lost as he felt unable to do anything but listen to the rather intense exchange.

"I'm not interested in what you, or your so called people want. I'm not part of that crap" Alex said with a snarl. Gielle felt Alex's claws extend across his skin and even saw the sharp taloned end of his tail quiver, as if it was about to strike someone. Alex yanked his arm from Johns grip and turned away from him.

"Michael doesn't understand, because he's just another white man. And it is not crap. It is an ancient and long standing proud heritage that you were born into" John said seriously, as if stating an obvious truth. And the way he spoke made it seem as if anyone should know it. "And anyway, he's not even your real father" he said in a hard tone of voice.

Alex turned very slowly and Gielle was surprised by the fury in his boyfriends face.

"I consider 'white man' to be racist, Indian" Alex seethed in anger. John actually took a step back from the sudden outburst, surprise and angry shock written over his face to be called that.

"And let me make this clear. NO FUCKING WAY" Alex shouted at John before he let go of Gielle's arm and started running.

"Alex, get back here" John shouted after him, looking angry about the whole ordeal. He turned to Gielle, but the flamedramon had already taken off, running fast to keep up with Alex. Gielle did not want to be left behind with such an angry looking dragon.

Gielle had no real idea what the problem was between the two of them, but whatever it was, it had just angered Alex in a way that Gielle hadn't seen before. His feet pounded on the pavement as he ran after Alex as they ran through the streets together. Alex was already pretty far ahead of him.

'Alex, wait up" Gielle shouted as they turned another corner. Alex slowed down after being called out to and he eventually stopped in front of a house with a large brick wall. Alex stood there and dropped his backpack as Gielle came up beside him.

"Alex, what just happened" Gielle asked as he slowed down. Alex had his hands on the wall and was bent over panting a bit, obviously catching his breath. "Who was that guy? What was he talking about?" Gielle asked as he bent over slightly to catch his breath.

Alex said nothing for a few moments as he calmed down. Soon his breathing became steadier, but he didn't stand up straight away.

"That, was John Redcorn" Alex said slowly, but Gielle could not doubt the amount of hatred that was in Alex's voice. "And he's the one that broke up my family. He cheated with my mother. And ...made me" Alex said with severe bitterness in his voice.

Gielle felt somewhat shocked as the revelation was made right in front of him. But he wasn't sure what shocked him more. The fact that the dragon was Alex's real father, or the fact that Alex looked like he was going to throw up.

"What?" Gielle said in astonishment. "what ....are you serious?"

Alex hung his head as he swallowed a few times. His face was pale and he was heaving a bit, and there were even tears in the corners of his eyes. Gielle suddenly realised just how hard it really was for Alex to talk about this, and he found himself unable to talk.

"When I was twelve.... everything fell apart" Alex said as tears brimmed his eyes. "Dad picked me up from school one day. He wasn't supposed to. He was working late. But he got off early. Thought he'd surprise me and mom with a night out for dinner.

When we got home, we walked in on mom and John fucking on the couch. They were so into it, they didn't notice us at first. They just kept going, while dad and I just stood there in shock. And then mom screamed when she saw us.

"Michael, what the hell are you doing home so early? What are you doing here?" my mom screamed at him while John struggled to find his pants. The way she yelled, it was like my dad was the villain. Dad ordered me to my room. I ...felt so scared when he shouted. I had never heard him shout like that before.

Dad threw them both out of the house. He grabbed John by the neck and forced him through the door with mom screaming at him, telling him not to hurt John . Dad then grabbed her and threw her out too. I remember him shouting that she broke her promise, and he wasn't dealing with her any more.

I was in my room, and I had never felt more scared in my life. I could see John and mom on the front lawn through my window, mom screaming at the house and John trying to pull her away. All she screamed about was the fact that dad couldn't throw her out of her own house, and in front of me too.

Dad came into my room when they were gone and he just held me. He didn't say anything, he just let me cry as much as I wanted. I had no idea what was going on. Why was mom with him? What did it mean? What did dad mean about a promise?"

Gielle said nothing as Alex just seemed to pour out his misery. After coming from his own happy and wonderful family, Gielle realised he had always naturally assumed that every family was happy in their own way. A mother, a father, their kids. Maybe a pet somewhere. All together and all happy, like it was supposed to be.

But hearing this from Alex so suddenly, made him realise also how foolish he was to believe in such a lie. There was no way that every family in the world could actually be happy all the time.

Alex brought his hand up and wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. When he put it down, he realised that Gielle had put his hand in the way and had now taken it. Feeling the soft blue fingers intertwine with his own, comforted him. But only slightly.

"I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke up it was already dark. And I could hear people arguing. I opened my bedroom door and crept down the hall to the kitchen and my mom was there with my dad. I don't know when she got back.

"Michael, you had no right to kick me out like that. For gods sake, I am your wife" Judy shouted at her husband. She was dressed again the same clothes that Michael had thrown her out in, and she didn't look happy in the slightest.

"My wife?" Michael said in disbelief as if the very notion disgusted him. And it probably did. "If you were really my wife, the same one I married thirteen years ago, you wouldn't have been cheating on me" he said with a snarl.

"Well you drove me to it Michael" Judy shouted back to him, not backing down. "Always constantly working. You have any idea what its like to come home to an empty house because your husband can't leave the hospital. And you were always too tired to fullfill my womanly needs."

"You're needs?"Michael scoffed as he folded his arms over his chest. "what needs? The new clothes and shoes you're always buying? The new furniture you're always replacing? What about the damn headaches you have no matter what time I come home of a night? I'm a damn doctor Judy. I know how long a migraine lasts. And it doesn't last for six months."

"I'm a woman. I get headaches from time to time. And you're the husband .You're supposed to be sympathetic to me" Judy shouted.

"Like hell" Michael shouted back. "I'm supposed to feel sorry for the wife who just one day told me she was pregnant, and lied to me for nine months about how it was mine? Did you really think I was that fucking stupid I wouldn't notice who's child it was when I delivered him?"

"Oh that's right Michael, feel sorry for yourself" Judy shouted as she threw her hands up in disgust. "Lets not forget you threatened me that day, after the eleven hours of labour I had to go through."

"Threaten?" Michael shouted back. "The first fucking thing you said me when I showed you what he looked like, what was it Judy? 'He looks just like you Michael, in every way'. Was I supposed to be that stupid to believe you? For Christ sake, anyone with half a brain can figure it out."

Alex felt himself crying as the tears ran down his face. He had never heard his father or his mother scream and shout at each other like this. And it was over him. He cringed at the doorway, too scared to move away from the conversation that was going on. He pressed himself against the wall, a little boy trembling from head to toe as his parents argued.

"And I didn't threaten you, I warned you" Michael continued. The anger in his voice was growing steadily stronger by the second. "I told you that if I ever caught you cheating on me again, then you're out" he shouted. "All you ahd to do was behave yourself, and not act like a cheap slut to the first dragon bastard that got into your pants."

"Oh, and you can prove that I cheated on you can you?" Judy said with a snarl. "you can prove i've been cheating on you all these years behind your back? How can you do that if you've worked all day every day?"

"Alex and I both caught you on the couch you stupid bitch" Michael shouted at her. "you were getting your brains fucked out with that bastard John. I don't care if you waited twelve years or you started cheating the day after we brought Alex home from the hospital. I told you I would divorce you if it happened again, and you have no-one to blame but yourself that you were."

"Oh that's right Michael. Just blame me for all your troubles" Judy said in exasperation. "if you had been more of a husband to me then perhaps none of this would have happened."

There came a loud bang from the kitchen, and for a moment Alex feared that his father had hit his mother. He had heard stories from other children at school, and in the news about husbands hitting their wives. There was silence for a few moments as he peeked very carefully around the wall, stil trembling.

His father was removing his hand from the kitchen wall, where a very large hole had appeared. His mother looked shocked from the sudden act of violence. She seemed quite speechless after seeing him get violent against the wall so suddenly.

"Judy, get the fuck out of my house" Michael snarled as he turned to her. "you cheated on me thirteen years ago, and you cheated again on me today" he said as he reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "I don't give a fuck what excuse you try to make, but this is your fault, all of it" he said as he shoved her backwards.

"I'm tired of listning to you complain about everything" he shouted as he pushed her back again. It wasn't a huge push, just enough to make her take a step back or two. "You blame me, you've blamed Alex, you blame everyone. Well, you can't blame me for you being just a cheap slut. I'm sick of you, and I want you out of my house. NOW" he ordered her.

Alex jumped back from the wall and out of sight as his mother was pushed back. He could feel himself shaking from what was going on. Tears were streaming down his face as he wanted to scream at them to stop. But he found himself unable to talk. He shuts his eyes as he started to wish it was all just a bad dream, wanting to wake up in his bed and have his family back to how they used to be.

"Actually, Michael. You'll be leaving the house" he heard his mother say, in a surprisingly calm voice. "right now, as a matter of fact. Unless you want to make things worse" she said.

Blinking in surprise, Alex slowly peeked out from around the wall again to see his mother pull a stack of papers from her purse on the counter. What was she doing now? And how could it get worse then it already was?

"Judy, this is my house. I bought it before we were married, and your name was never put on the ownership" Michael said as he saw her pull the papers out. "you can't tell me what to do in my own house" he said.

"I think I can" she said as a very strange smile spread over her face as she handed him the papers. Taking them with a confused look on his face, Michael turned a few as the expression on his face grew worse. Alex swallowed a lump in his throat as he listened closely.

"What...divorce papers?" Michael said in disbelief as he looked up at his smiling wife. "when did..." he flicked through them again. "you had these drawn up six years ago?"

"when Alex started asking question, I thought it was only going to be a matter of time before you got it in your head to try and divorce me" Judy said with a smirk. "so, I prepared something should the occasion present itself" she said.

Michael flipped through them back to the beginning and started looking over them, his eyes skimming back and forth. His eyes started to steadily grow wider. Alex wondered what could be in the papers that was making his father go pale.

"you're asking....what the hell is this? You can't be serious" Michael said as he looked up at her. He was pale, and he looked genuinely afraid of what he had just read. "There is no way in hell you can be asking for this."

"Well, if you can't understand it" Judy said with a smirk as she looked down her nose at him, like he was an inferior being to her. "its actually simple. You hand over everything the house, the cars, the money in our joint accounts. Everything" she stated.

"what?" Alex said quietly in surprise as he listened in. His dad had to give her everything? Why? Didn't she do the bad thing to upset his father?

"you can't be serious" Michael said as he slammed the papers down. "there is no way in hell I'm signing these and giving you everything I own" he said in anger. 'you don't deserve any of it."

"You are also going to pay me the stated amount in alimony and child support every month, in full, regardless" Judy continued as her smile grew bigger. "And in exchange, you can have Alex every weekend from Friday night to Monday morning."

"You think I'm going to hand over everything and have nothing, just for that?" Michael said in disbelief. "Judy, you cheated on me who knows how many times, and now you think I'm just going to sign over everything I have?"

"Oh, you will" Judy said. "you wanted to divorce me, well here's your chance. Except its going to be on my terms, not yours" she added. "And if you don't, there is a penalty involved.

"a what?" Michael said in confusion. "what penalty?"

"If you don't sign those papers, or abide by its terms, then I can request a paternity test" Judy said in such a calm and controlled voice that it sent shivers down both Alex and Michaels spines. "and, if it turns out your not the father of Alex, then you lose all rights to see him' Judy said

"you can't be serious" Michael said in a quiet voice as his hands balled up into fists."you know perfectly well i'm not the real father" he said in a low voice.

"I am Michael" Judy said to him. "And I do. But, i can have it proven. And if it turns out your not, you lose him. Perio. And if you lose all rights and try to see him again, I can have you arrested. And if you don't believe me, then read the papers. Its' all there" she said.

"mom, no" Alex whimpered as he felt the tears run down his cheeks. His heart hammered against his chest as he felt his insides tighten and squirm.

"You can't do this" Micahel said, but alex was shocked to hear the sudden sadness and tiredness in his fathers voice, as if he had already given up. Maybe he had.

"So Michael, either you sign the papers and hand everything to me, so you can stay in your sons life. Or, you refuse, take a paternity test and be out of his life for good" Judy said with a sickeningly sweet smile. "it's your choice Michael."

"Your dad...he signed them, didn't he?" Gielle asked quietly as he sat there on the edge of the fence with Alex sitting beside him. He had his arm around the other boys shoulders, feeling them shudder against him.

"He did" Alex said as he wiped his eyes. Tears had already marked his fur with two long lines down his face, and the back of his hand was wet too. "He had too. He had no choice."

"He did it for you though" Gielle said softly as he held onto Alex. The boy was still shuddering and he looked like he was about to break down at any moment.

And Alex did feel like he wanted to. Having to tell that story to Gielle had felt like he was opening up a dam inside of him. His tears weren't stopping and he felt unable to stand up.

"I know. But he paid for it" Alex said as he swallowed a few times. His throat felt raw and hurt a bit as he gulped. "every day he pays for it" he said.

"Alex..." Gielle said softly as he squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Gielle, you saw my dads house, right?" Alex said as he looked up from the ground and looked at the flamedramon beside him. "it looks old and everything's not up to date or anything?" he asked.

"yeah" Gielle said as he thought back to the brief time he had spent there a few weeks back. The house did look like something from ten years ago, and did have the old house feel to it.

"its my grandparents house" Alex said, and Gielle felt surprised to hear that. "when mom kicked him out that night, he had to go to their house, cause he had nowhere else to go. I wasn't allowed to see him until mom decided it was ok, and when I did, he was living on their couch" he said.

Gielle said nothing as he felt Alex shift till he was almost leaning against him. Gielle just wanted to wrap both arms around him and hold him till he felt better. But out in the open in front of a strange persons house wasn't the most appropriate place to do so.

"Grandma and Grandpa ended up giving him their house, so I had somewhere to visit" Alex said as he wiped his eyes again. "they told me they always knew my mom had cheated, but they never saw it as my fault and always treated me like I was their grandchild" he said.

"so they moved into a retirement village" he continued as he swallowed a few times again. He took a deep sniff to clear himself abit and wiped his eyes once more. "they live in a nice enough condo, and they still visit a lot. They don't treat me any different. But dad...it hurt him to know they did that for him."

"why?" Gielle asked as he rubbed his shoulder softly, feeling it still shudder a bit.

"Because it just makes him feel like a failure" Alex said. "whenever mom gets a bill she doesn't want to pay, or buys me really expensive things, she doesn't use alimony or child support to pay for it. She makes him do it. After both child support and alimony, he barely has anything for himself.

"he works double shifts during the week, and even that's not enough" Alex said as he felt the tears finally stop as he rubbed his eyes. They were starting to feel sore. "it just really disappoints him when he can't buy me anything new, or he has to ask his parents for money."

"Do they mind?" Gielle asked as he let go of Alex as the teen stood up. He slid off the fence as well as they both grabbed their backpacks.

"No. they don't. They never complain about having to help him out" Alex said as he stood there, holding his backpack in his hands for a moment or two. "but it still hurts him to know he's a father and he can't even provide for me."

"This ...This is why its so hard for you to talk to me, isn't it?" Gielle asked as he put his hand back on Alex's shoulder.

"Yeah" Alex said with a slow nod as he looked up at him. "You're the only thing in my life that hasn't been ruined in some way yet, and maybe that's why I love you so much. But this stuff....its not something I even talk to Roxis or Toby about."

"Do they know?" Gielle asked. Alex nodded as he swung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yeah, they found out. And I'm grateful they're not like a lot of kids who suddenly decided to look down on me when my parents split" he said. "Toby was unhappy he wasn't there for me, cause he was at camp all summer. And roxis...well he had enough trouble in his life at the time, but he was still my friend."

Gielle said nothing to that as Alex began to walk forward. He hurried a few steps forward and slipped his hand into Alex's and gave it a squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere" Gielle said to him as they two of them looked at each other for a moment. "You're one of the few good things in my life too Alex. And that's why I love you back" he said wit ha soft smile. "You're the best thing I've found since I had to move here."

"You have no idea how much that means to me right now" Alex said as he just wanted to kiss him right then and there. But they were already late back and if they stopped to kiss, Alex had a feeling they wouldn't stop for who knew how long.

But if Alex thought his mood was going to get any better, he was sorely mistaken. As they cross the last street into the familiar area of his fathers house, he saw his grandparents car in the driveway. It was a big black range rover, and juding by the look of how weather worn it was, it must hve travelled a lot.

And parked in front of the nature strip, was his mothers car. A red sports car with a retractable roof and a bright white interior. And unlike the weather worn car in the driveway, it looked brand new.

"Oh no" Alex said as he stopped. Gielle stopped beside him and let go as he looked down the street to the familiar house as well.

There were three lions standing in the front yard, and they were arguing. Gielle stopped as he heard the angry voices carrying in the air as he felt the grip on his hand grow tight again.

"How dare we?" one of the lions shouted. Gielle recognised Alexs mother Judy being shouted at by the other lioness. It wasn't hard to spot her, since she looked as elaborately dressed up as she had the last time Gielle saw her.

The other lioness was much older. Her clothing was a bit old fashioned, but she was dressed well still. Like she cared about her appearance. Her mane was greyed and cut rather short, but the short look seemed to suit her. Her lips were pursed in an angry sneer under her large round glasses. Her face was lined with fury, and Gielle felt momentarily afrai of her. She may have looked like a kindly grandmother, but she looked intimidating.

"How dare you" she shouted as she jabbed at Judys chest with a red coloured claw. "Michael had every right to take that child support for himself" she said loudly. "Why, are you going to buy another new car?" she demanded.

"Not according to me he didn't have the right, Yvonne" Judy said, looking furious that she had the audacity to lay a finger on her. As if anyone had the audacity to stand up to her.

"We spoke to our lawyer about it" the other lion said. In contrast to his wife, he was slightly smaller and rather wiry. Gielle had the impression he was a worker, with his faded jeans and greyed jumper looking dusty and covered in what looked like wooden shavings. Perhaps he was comfortable to look a bit grungy as he did.

"Oh really Bill?" Judy said to him as she pushed the older lioness' hand away. "Well, your lawyer doesn't matter" she said with a snap in her voice. "It doesn't even concern you anyway" she snapped.

"Like hell it does. He's our grandson" Bill said angrily to her. Even shorter then her, he wasn't afraid of her.

"You went to Hawaii in the summer for three weeks" Yvonne said as her lips curled up in a rather disgusted sneer. "You didn't even have the common decency to let us or our son know in advance. You just up and left Alex on his doorstep."

"Well, he was always wanting to have more time with him. I just gave him what he wanted" Judy said with a glare of her own back at her stepmother. "And I deserved a holiday of my own choosing to wherever I wanted. But he had no right to hold back on my hard earned child support" she snarled.

"Hard earned my ass" Bill said. He may have been a little smaller then both of them, but he was by no means quiet. "Michael pays you so you can just sit on your lazy backside and do nothing, and you still have the nerve to throw bills at him he can't pay. What kind of a mother are you?"

"We spoke ot our own lawyer" Yvonne said as she stepped up to Judy. "And Michael is entitled to your child support, if you do'nt have a child to support for a length of time" she snapped. "you idn't have alex for three weeks, but our son did. So he deserved to the money to help look after him."

"Oh, you really think so?" Judy snapped bac, but Yvonne and Bill stood their ground. Gielle felt slightly impressed. They had guts.

"Well it was certainly nice to see Alex get taken out for dinner somewhere other then McDonalds for once" Bill snapped at her as he stood his ground.

But alex didn't look impressed, or even happy his grandparents were standing up for their son and him. It wasn't the first time that they had done so. They always stood up for him, and stood up to her.

And they had never won.

"I do'nt care what your lawyer thinks" judy said as she stepped forward so she was face to face with Yvonne. "you just remember what happens if you piss me off enough" She snapped.

Both bill and Yvonne said nothing as they glared at her. If their looks could kill, Judy would be lying dead already. But with the way they were suddenly silent, it must have been because Judy was holing the ace. And Gielle had a sinking feeling he knew what it was.

"All i have to do, is request that test" judy said in a flat and emotionless voice. "you know, the paternity test, which we all know Michael will not pass."

"Because you were the cheap slut who cheated on him" bill said fiercely. But the comment didn't seem to phase her in the slightest. She merely looked down her nose at the two of them with a look of contempt on her face.

"I may have been a cheap slut who cheated on him" she said as a smile crept over her face. "But if Michael doesn't pass the test, then he loses his son. And you lose him as well" she added. "And I can only imagine how much that will hurt for you two to lose your only grandson."

"You really are a cold and heartless bitch" Yvonne said with a glare. She looked liek she wanted to spit on Judy.

"so, Michael is going to pay me the child support he owes me, isn't he?" Judy said sweetly, as if she didn't hear the comment Yvonne had said. "and he can pay me this as well" she added as she opened her handbag at her side pulled out an envelope.

"and what the hell is this?" Bill asked as he was handed the envelope and ripped it open, pulling out a piece of paper.

"my consultation fee from my lawyer over this whole little mess" judy said with a sweet and sickly smile. "i did have to make sure after all that everything was still in order."

"how the hell can your lawyer consult for five hundred dollars?" bill said furiously after seeing the amount on the bottom of the page.

"he consulted me very slowly" judy said with a smirk. "so, i expect this money by the end of today. Or else" she threatened.

Both Yvonne and bill looked at her with death glares as if wishing her dead on the spot. Gielle looked at Alex and saw him rather pale. He looked lke he was about to cry, break down or heave his stomach over the pavement. Gielle was worried which would come first.

Finally Yvone sighed and opened her purse at her side. She reached in and pulled out a small book, all the while her lips pursed in fury.

"Here" she said with disgust in her voice as she pulled out a pen and wrote down on one of the pages. "take your damn money and get out of here" she said as she tore the paper from the book. "Bitch" she snarled as she shoved the paper into judys hand.

Judy looked down and was obviously pleased with what she saw. She didn't even seem to care about what Yvonne was calling her as she smiled and put the cheque into her own bag.

"Well, now, that wasn't too hard was it?" judy said sweetly as she closed her bag, but then found herself face to face with yvonnes angry eyes. She was surprised for a moment and took a step back.

"even if you do have that test, we will fight you every step of the way" Yvonne promised as she seethed at her. "We've been his grandparents for fourteen years. And michale has been his father for just as long. A lot longer then that John Redcorn ever was"

"And we're not going to lose him without a fight, you thieving bitch" Bill said with pure anger in his voice as he glared at her as well.

Judy merely looke at them with slight surprise. Obviously, she wasn't used to people challenging her like this. And the two elderly lions were showing that they were not prepared to back down without fighting against her, even with her ace in her sleeve.

But if she had a comeback or another threat, she didn't use it. She merely turned around and headed to her car, without a backward glance.

None of them moved. Ybvonne and bill stood on the lawn as they watched her get in her car. Judy slammed the door shut rather loudly, sounding like a gunshot in the now quiet street. Gielle stood beside alex as his hand was crushed as they both watched drive away in her car.

"come on" alex said finally and softly after several very long moments. He let go of Gielles hand and held onto his backpack straps as he walked forward slowly. Gielle felt him let go as he walked ahead. His expression was rather deadpan.

"hi grandma. Grandpa" alex said as he walked up the driveeway, gielle following him. His grandparents turned from where they were still standing and smiled when they saw him.

"alex" Yvonne said with a smile as she walked up an wrapped her hand around him, pulling him close fo a hug. "We were starting ot think you missed the bus and that we 'd have to come pick you up" she said as she squeezed him close.

"hello alex" bill said with a smile as he gave alex a hug when his wife was done with him. "Glad you finally turned up. Saved me a trip" he said with a light laugh as he hugged him close.

"is this htat new friend your father told us about?" Yvonne asked as she saw gielle standing there. Gielle suddenly found himself in the spotlight and felt a little embaressed to be stared at.

"yeah, this is gielle" alex said. Yonne turned and gave him a hug, pulling him into a warm and tight embrace as if he was already one of the family. And bill shook his hand, the older males hand had a very strong but rough grip.

If either of his grandparents seemed to suspect that the two boys had heard the heated exchange between judy an themselves, neither of them said anything about it. And Alex was only slightly relieved that he didn't have to talk about it with them.

"Alex, we need to go visit your father at work for something...important" Yvonne said to he grandson. "you go inside and fnihs your homework if you have any. If you get it done early, we'll let you watch a movie after dinner" she sai with a smile.

"we'll grab dinnero n the way back" bill said to him. "your father suggested pizza" he reminded them both.

"yeah, ok. Thanks" alex said with a nod to them both. "we don't have much homework anyway, but we'll get it done" he promised. He felt a small smile to that. His grandmother was always on him about homework. Secretly, he just thought she liked to have an excuse to spoil him if he did well.

"It was nice to meet you gielle" Yvonne said to him with a smile as the two of them made their way to the car.

Alex and gielle watched them drive off, the two of them standing there as the car went down the street. For a moment there was silence in the street once more before Alex pulled Gielle into the house. He didn't say anything as they went inside.

The living area was cleaner then the last time gielle saw it, although it appeared Alexs' grandparents must have been bsuy as an old looking vacuum cleaner was plugged itn the wall and a large pile of washed clothes was half folded in neat piles.

Alex didn't say a word as he took gielle to his orom. It was the first time that gielle got the chance to actually see it and he found himself rather curious about it. It seemed to be at the other end of the house behind the garage.

A circular plate of what looked like clay hung on the door as Alex pushed it open. Gielle saw a very small handprint on it, and 'Alex' written in big childish letters. It looked quite old and worn.

But alex didn't declare his room with any airs or graces. He merely just opened his door and walked in, not even announcing his room to his boyfriend. Gielle looked past the small plaque as he followed in.

Like the rest of the house, it felt like stepping back several years into the past. It felt amost like a little boys room. He found himself rather surprised.

The single bed against the wall had, of all things on it, a power ranger cover set. It was rather worn and faded in some places. Several plush animals sat against the pillow. Amongst them a Teddy Ruxpin, a basil brush fox and, somehow not surprisingly, a flamedramon plush.

A big green beanbag dominated the middle of the room, sitting in front of a television that looked as old as the one in the living room. Connected to it sat the Xbox 30 from the last time he had noticed. A bright blue computer desk sat in the cornor, an old looking desktop sitting on it, covered in bright stickers.

There were other toys hidden about the room. Lego sets from a few years ago that were no logner sold anymore. A few puzzle boxes and a large metal firetruck. A bookshelf sat under the window and Gielle saw some Terry Goodkind there. But sitting o the shelves were also R.L. Stine, Enid Blyton and some author called Paul Jennings. Those books looked well worn.

Of course, scattered clothing was everywhere, like any normal teenagers room. But the clothes seemed faded and very out of date. Worn, yes. But they looked like the kind of clothes that came from a charity shop. As opposed to the bright bran new looking clothing alex was currently wearing.

The posters on the wall dated back to the original xbox and playstation 2. A promotional poster of Final Fantasy 12, Batman Arkham Asylum and an original Fable poster. As he dropped his backpack on the floor gently, he had the feeling that nothing in the room had really been updated for maybe a couple of years.

Alex sat down on the bed and fell onto his back, not saying a word as he looked up at the celining. Suddenyl the air became very thick and awkward as the two teenagers said nothing to each other. He was vaguely aware of the bed shifting as gielle sat beside him.

"are you ok?" gielle asked quietly. He wasn't sure what else to ask.

"no" alex said, his voice croaking slightly as he felt like he just wanted to cry. Suddenyl, for the first time ever, he wished Gielle wasn't there. And it made him feel a whole lot worse. He felt his lips tremble as he tried to hold himself steady.

"alex..."gielle started, but he found himself at a loss for words.

"what is it?" alex aske as he turned his head to look at him. Gielle sought for something to say, anything to break the thick ice that had somehow found its way between them. Gielle fumbled himself as he tried to think of something, anything.

"its....a nice room" he ended up saying. It was the only thing that sprang to mind. And he realised how lame that really was.

"most of this stuff was bought for me by dad...before he was kicked out" alex said as he moved. Gielle expected him to sit up, but alex merely rolled over to face the wall. "mom threw most of it out. Didn't want me to have any of it. I tried to save what I could. Dad just can't afford anything good anymore. Just about everything comes from the nearby charity shop" he said with a sad sigh.

"I'm sorry alex" gielle started to say, but apparently it was just too much for alex to handle for hte day. Almost without warning he began to shudder and started to cry.

"i'm so sick of this" he said as he wrapped his arms around his chest and curled up a little, the dam of tears finally breaking free as they streamed down his cheeks. "i hate her" he shouted so loudly and so suddenly that Gielle almost jumped off the bed in fright.

"I fucking hate her" alex shouted, his eyes screwed shut in anger and despair. "she ruined everything and she doesn't care. She makes dad suffer so much, and all she care about is a fucking cheque. She keeps telling me my dads a loser and Johns better then him. I'm fucking sick of it"

"alex...she's your mother...." gielle said softly as he put a hand on alexs shoulder.

"i do'nt care" alex said bitterly as he sniffed a bit, his body starting to calm down a little as he felt the comforting touch of gielles hand. "i d'nto care if she's my mother. I hate her" he said as he continued to sob.

Gielle said nothing as he watched his boyfriend cry. He wondered briefly if Judy ever saw this. If she was aware that her son was suffering like this, having to watch her bully her way out of everyone on teh threat of destroying what little of a family alex actually had.

Obviously not. Both times Gielle had seen her, she had blasted someone close to alex with no regard of the fact that alex had seen it. And both times, she seemed to only care about money.

How coul a mother do that, gielle wondered. His own mother would never have done such a thing, would have never even considered it. She had loved her husband, and her son. Why was it possible that someone like her could just stop loving her family like this?

How he didn't see it before, or why he didn't see it, gielle didn't know. Maybe that's why alex wnate to be so close to him. Why he was so desperate for intimacy, and the possibility of a lover. Maybe it was because he got no love from his mother, and he was constantly made to feel he could't love his father.

Understanding him just a little more, gielle realised how important this relationship between them both was to him. Maybe alex was just as alone in his family, as gielle was in his uncles family. And he realised just how alone the two of them were, if they didn't have each other.

Alex continued to cry for a while longer, Gielle feeling helpless about what to do as he held his shoulder. Alexs body was wracked with sobs and heaves as he just let out all the emotion he had bottled up inside him over the last few days.

Finally and eventually stopped. Once he had calmed down, he just lay there on his side, staring at the wall in silence. A few sniffs and hiccups were hear as he felt helpless. He calmed down a little as he felt Gielle rubbing his shoulder gently.

He realised that he was glad that Gielle was there after all, but at the same time he wished that he hadn't seen him cry like that either.

Alex felt a bit surprised when gielle pulled him by his shoulder and he landed on his back. With a slight oomph and a big of a bounce on the bed, he suddenly found the flmaedrmaon straddling his lap and sliding his hands over his arms to pin them down.

"gielle...?" alex said in surprise when he saw Gielle lean in close to him. It felt slightly odd to not be the one ontop for once and he wondered what Gielle was doing with him. And then he found their lips pressing together.

They held the kiss for what felt like the longest of times. Unlike every other time they had kissed, this one wasn't hurried, nor was it fleeting. Alex closed his eyes and found himself puring for the first time that day as Gielle kissed him with the softest touch.

Their lips moved away after minutes pressed together and the two of them found each other staring into the others eyes.

"alex" gielle said softly after several long moments. "I love you. And I'm not going anywhere" he said softly as he pressed his lips back again.

Alex purred louder as Gielle comforted him, finding a happy feeling in the words that were spoken. After all the times that he had held Gielle when he cried and comforted him when he needed it, it was his turn.

They stopped the tender kiss after a while as Gielle slid himself down enough to sidle up against alexs side and wrap his arms around him. He rested his head on alexs chest and simply held him there.

Alex felt a lot calmer as he held onto Gielle, letting the flamedramon hold onto him. Suddenly feeling very tired, he found himself yawning as he closed his eyes. He just wanted to fall asleep and not wake up, just to keep gielle close to him.

Even if it was only for an hour or two, he just wanted to sleep beside the one person who could possibly understand what was going on.

As he drifted off to sleep, he was glad of two things. The first was that Gielle was in his life and that he had enough love in him to love him back. And that they had each other to look out for, and to comfort the other when need be.

The second, as he fell into his dreams, was that he had locked his bedroom door.