Hi everyone, these one-shots are part of The Family Business Universe. Though each short story is based on the other transgenic children and their lives. Please review.

Give Me My Drink!

"Jondy!" Syl's head popped up, hearing Rufus holler out her sister's name. She put down the pencil, kneeling on the seat. She was working on her math problems when the shouting started. "I swear girl, you give me that drink right now!" Zane's feet pounded down the stairs, to listen to the ruckus from the kitchen.

"Hell no,"Jondy shouted right back. "You heard what the doctor said!" Pounding feet and a crashing bottle had Syl and Zane running towards the kitchen.

"You broke it,"Rufus grumbled as he picked out the remaining glass shards in the sink. Jondy stood proudly, arms crossed. Her dirty blond hair was in a fishtail braid. She wore overalls over her pink shirt. Cowboy boots on her feet.

"Good,"she scoffed. Rufus glared. "You don't need it. The doctor said yesterday you need to cut back on the whiskey. Or you'll suffer from liver failure."

"I don't give a damn about my liver,"Rufus growled. Jondy met his glare, green eyes alight with fury.

"Well, I do,"She seethed. "And if you're not going to take care of it than I will." Her eyes shot over to Syl and Zane. "Go collect the rest of the liquor." Syl nodded, racing off towards the living room.

"I shouldn't have taken you three with me yesterday,"He grunted, crossing his arms. He glared at Zane's retreating back. "This is mutiny!"

"Zane ignore him,"Jondy counteracted. "Get the booze and throw it away." She crossed her arms, glaring at her adoptive father.

"My home's been invaded by a bunch of spoiled white kids,"Rufus grumbled, dramatically. Jondy rolled her eyes as she picked up the broom to sweep up the broken glass that had missed the sink when she threw the bottle.

"Oh, get over yourself,"She huffed, tossing the glass into the trash. "You love us. You're just mad I'm saying no more to the alcohol."

"Why are you doing this?"Rufus grumbled. Whiskey was his escape. Liquor brought him peace in a messed up world. He had lost everything. His wife and child. His home and neighbors. The supernatural forced him to trade in his normal life for the life of a hunter. The liquor numbed the pain. The brown liquid that burned his esophagus brought him back to the past. Brought him back to his family when life was good and he could cradle his baby girl and kiss his wife. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Because I want you to live long enough to see us graduate,"Jondy muttered as she tidied up the kitchen. Her lips were set in a pout, annoyed by her intervention. She could hear the doors slamming as Zane and Syl followed her orders. She'd make sure her brother finished his homework before going back to his video-games. Chores needed to be done and food needed to be cooked. Rufus had gone into a depression yesterday when Doctor Carlson gave him the news. Lay off the liquor or your liver will fail. Jondy heard it clear as day and she wasn't even in the same room. In fact, she was in the waiting room. But what does she find later, Rufus drinking a bottle.

"Graduate, huh?"Rufus muttered. He was supposed to see his daughter graduate. See her walk down the isle with his eyes and her mother's face. He just wanted to be left alone. Left with his thoughts and memories. If only he had been home that day. If only he had known how to stop the werewolf that tore his family to shreds.

"Yeah, graduate,"Jondy quipped. "Like from high school or college or something." She placed her hands on her hips. She was almost eleven years old. Responsibility had been placed on her shoulders as she cared for Zane and Syl. She couldn't add Rufus to the list too. Her face softened when she noticed the man bury his face into his hands. She sensed the dark, sad energy from the older man. She didn't like it.

Life wasn't normally like this. Usually Rufus was involved. He was grumpy and stuff, but he definitely cared. He would help with their homework. Make sure the house was clean. Take them to school and back. Drive them to a friend's house. Take them on hunting trips. Or just buy them ice-cream and walk through the park nearby. He was sad, yes, but never depressed. She could smell salty tears. She put down the rag as she made her way over to the older man. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her cheek against his back.

"I'm sorry,"she muttered. Maybe, she was too harsh. She had a bad habit of having a sharp tongue. He had an alcohol problem and she knew it. She just didn't know how to go about ending it. "I just-"She bit her bottom lip. "I want you to live. I want you to see me grow-up. And I know alcohol will stop that from happening-" Rufus looked up.

"It's not you, sweetheart,"the gruff man muttered. "It's me. I have issues. Baggage."

"We all do,"Jondy sighed. She moved away from the older man, crossing her arms. "Do you wanna talk about it?"She pulled up a chair and sat, propping her elbows. Zane and Syl had returned to the kitchen finished with their alcohol search. Rufus knew they had successfully cleaned out the house. Goddamn them.

"Nah,"Rufus huffed, wiping at his eyes. He couldn't show his weakness in front of the kids. Yeah, they've been with him for about a year, but the kids didn't need this dysfunction. He'd just go to the local bar later, drink until he passes out and dreams of his wife and daughter. "Don't wanna burden you with my issues."He was getting old. His joints were creaking and it was harder to get out of bed.

"You can't burden family,"Jondy responded. She placed her young, smooth hand over his own old, wrinkled one. Silk against leather. "We're here for you." Rufus sighed, leaning back. Two more hands touched his own hand. His three white kids. The pain-in-the-asses that made his world exciting and kept him spry. Who forced him to eat his goddamn vegetables and cut back on the red meats, so that his arteries wouldn't clog. Who cared about his well being even when he didn't.

"The alcohol takes me back to them,"He started. He could already feel the tears prickling in his eyes, but the kids didn't judge. They never judged. They understood despair. Many nights, he had comforted them. Listened to their nightmares as they cried about their past. Now it was his turn. "I see them...my wife and daughter."

"What were their names?"Syl asked with an encouraging smile and a loving glance. She was his optimistic child. The one who found enthusiasm towards life, even when life wasn't that great. Who could look at a simple, broken flower and notice the beauty it once had. Appreciate the simple life that made this world beautiful. She promised him everything would be okay with a spark in her blue eyes. Syl would draw him pictures or make silly faces just to bring his spirit up when he was down. She always knew how to make him smile and laugh when his heart wanted to break.

He felt a third hand pat his own. He met Zane's calm whiskey colored orbs. His quiet child. The one who was the rock, the support, for this mixed-up, fiery family. Who didn't have to say much because his actions spoke louder than his words. He cared deeply. Most nights, Zane was the one to drag him home when Rufus stayed out too late at the bar. Zane would walk in, without judgment in his eyes, greet the bartender, and bring him home safely. He would tuck him into bed, leaving a glass of water on the side table. He never pitied, just understood.

"Natalie and Grace,"Rufus answered. He leaned back in his chair. Jondy handed him a glass of water. The cheeky girl. She wouldn't budge from her new no alcohol rule. "Grace was three. Boy, did she have the most beautiful smile. Just like her mother. Radiant and full of life." He dove into his story, telling the kids about his wife and daughter. Retelling old memories. The kids listened and laughed, accordingly. They hugged him when he broke down in tears as he told them about the attack. The monster that destroyed his perfect life. He cried and he laughed. He found he didn't need the liquor as the stories brought his wife and daughter to life. Stories he couldn't share before, but now he could with them. Stories that he had buried deep into his subconscious.

He felt lighter as he leaned against the chair. The three kids hugging him close. His new family. His new kids. Natalie and Grace would always have a special place in his heart. But, his heart had expanded to the three transgenic children that brought him back. Brought him out of his broken shell. Made him love again.

"No more alcohol?"Jondy inquired, hopefully. He kissed the top of her head, lovingly. His daughter. His little white daughter with the fiery temper and the big heart. The little white daughter who stood her grounds and enforced the changes. His daughter who was brutally honest and said what had to be said even when nobody wanted to hear it. When he didn't want to hear it. But she said it because she cared. She wanted to put the pieces back together of his shattered heart. He knew she could. They all could in their own way. His two little white daughters and white son. His two daughters and his son. Three kids who forced themselves into his heart and made him care again. Damn them...and bless them.

"No more alcohol,"he promised. Syl and Zane smiled, matching Jondy's pleased expression.

Hope you enjoyed this quick one-shot. This is the first among a series of one-shots.