Author's Note ~ Hey all, Spring Break Rules!!! *Does a happy dance*, okay
I'm done. Enjoy~
~I was asked to write this story by a friend who knows someone whose father isn't around a lot. She wanted me to share this story (not that this is real or anything) with you guys just so others can see how little other people have, and yet still go on with a smiling face. ~
These problems are so upsetting, and damaging they have been classified under child abuse, emotional abuse, and child neglect.
~*This story is dedicated to them*~
They were all sitting at the table, as Mallory passed around her food. Each day it was someone else's turn to cook, and as usual Mallory cooked meat. Also as usual Nosedive would pass up the food and leave the dinner causing a fight between Mallory and Nosedive.
It was again Mallory's turn to cook and like always she severed meat. Only this time it was excellent, it smelled delicious and it looked as good as gourmet. The food was mouth watering!
Nosedive looked as he received his plate. He started down at the meat and than back at the utensils.
"Dive you want me to", said WildWing motioning at Nosedive's plate.
"NO", gasped Nosedive.
The others looked up at the teenager's sudden outburst.
"What", snapped Nosedive.
"Nothing", replied the others.
"So Nosedive", taunted Mallory, "Will you be staying for this meal that I have served?"
Nosedive bit his lip. "Actually you know what no, sorry. I", Nosedive started to stutter on his words, "I-I I got to go, like now. I made plans with Th-hrash and Mookie, yeah that's it, so I got to go now. Bye."
"Nosedive", said WildWing.
"BYE", said Nosedive louder in his brother's face.
"Okay, okay", sighed WildWing, "Point taken."
Nosedive marched out of the room grabbing the keys to the car.
"Dive", called Wing.
"What now", barked Nosedive.
"Need money?"
Nosedive turned around, "Um…".
"Don't even bother looking for it in there", said WildWing as Nosedive headed to his room, "Here take a twenty, but I want cash back Dive."
"Thanks bro, bye."
It was than that Duke finally realized something. It wasn't that Nosedive didn't eat Mallory's dishes to annoy her, but it was something more than that. He wanted to eat that meat, it was quite apparent, and as for his plans well when where they made up? Try that minute. Nosedive was hiding something maybe, something he was embarrassed about. Seemingly WildWing knew about it, and allowed Nosedive to deal with the situation he felt best. But what was it?
Duke shrugged it off as the conversation got going, and soon forgot about that night's minor and tedious incident.
~**~*~**~
ZOOM, BAM!
Draganous was not giving the ducks an easy time, but he had soon departed leaving his driods to deal with the ducks. With a large bam Mallory, Canard, WildWing Duke, Tanya, and even Grin were sent flying through the air.
They landed into a wood pile, and found themselves stuck.
"UGH", cried Mallory, "There's an ax right there! It's so close"
"Yet so far", finished Duke for her.
"Well what about Nosedive", asked Tanya, "Somebody com him, he'll cut us out."
"Oh yeah", cried Canard, "Forgot about him."
Soon the team beeped Nosedive and told him their location. When Nosedive arrived, he saw himself in a very bad situation.
"Hang on", cried Nosedive, "I'll get some firefighters."
"Nosedive", screamed Mallory her patience running thin, "Just grab the ax!"
"I c-can't! I'll be right back!"
With that Nosedive sprung out of the area heading for the fire department. When he finally returned with the firefighters, it was quite easy to free the team, however it had been about a half hour now, and no one was happy. So instead of taking their anger out on the droids that were no longer there, they took it out on Nosedive.
"NOSEDIVE", screamed Mallory, "I am going to kill you!"
They were all sitting in the migrator at night going home, and each member except WildWing, and Grin were bashing it on Nosedive.
Nosedive said nothing but continued his gaze out the window.
"Nosedive I sat there for so long! My legs are killing me!"
"Nosedive", screamed Canard, "What you couldn't pick up the ax and get your hands dirty?"
"Forget that", cried Tanya, "Do you know all of this paperwork I have to do because Nosedive reported the incident! I'm going to be up all night doing this! Thank you Nosedive!"
"Dive you know you could have just did as you were asked", said Duke. "That would have been easier don't you think?"
"No", spat Mallory, "Nosedive doesn't think!"
"NO kidding he doesn't think", cried Canard, "You should have seen him as a kid I mean one time he was so stupid an-"
"ENOUGH", hollered WildWing, "Everyone shut up!"
The ducks were stunned by WildWing's anger, and did as they told. But the silence didn't last for long, for as soon as the ducks piled out of the car and into their headquarters it started back up again when Nosedive tripped over Mallory.
The fight continued.
"So could you just tell me what processed your idiotic mind to go and get help when you were right there", screamed Mallory.
All of the ducks backed her up, both physically and verbally, all glaring at Nosedive.
Finally Nosedive yelled in anger.
"Because I don't know how to", screamed Nosedive.
With that said he rushed out of the room past the startled and embarrassed ducks.
"Thank you", spat WildWing rushing after his brother.
"Well we missed up", muttered Duke, "Come on let's go apologize."
The ducks headed towards the Flashblade's room where they heard sobbing.
"Nosedive", pleaded WildWing, "It's okay, I can teach you to do that stuff."
"Go away!"
"Come on Dive talk to me. Look I know that it stings but it's really not your fault. So ignore them okay? They didn't know that you didn't know how. If they did they wouldn't have yelled at you like that. They didn't mean it, they're just upset."
The ducks pushed the door crack open to find Nosedive lying on his bed sobbing in his pillow and WildWing at the end of the bed trying desperately to comfort his brother.
"Dive its no big deal, all right?"
"It is to me!"
"Okay than what do you want to do about it? I'll teach you that stuff in no time. It's easy."
"It's embarrassing! When are you going to teach me? No better, how?"
"I can teach you right now if you would like, it's not hard Dive. Using knives, axes and stuff with blades isn't hard."
"Well it's humiliating!"
"Dive please."
"Just leave me alone."
"I am your brother and will not just leave you alone. Especially when you're upset like this."
"WildWing", Nosedive stopped and looked up. He stared at the door revealing the gang. WildWing looking at what his brother was staring at became overwhelmed with anger.
"Get out of here", shouted WildWing.
"Wing please", sighed Canard, than towards Nosedive, "Dive we're sorry, we didn't know tha-"
"Leave me alone", screamed Nosedive completely mortified that anyone knew his secret.
"Nosediv-"
"I said go!"
"No! Dive we need to talk to you!"
"Fine talk, wait you already did that the entire time here! Remember that wonderful lecture you guys gave me?"
Mallory stepped in, "Nosedive we need to talk to you, so stop fighting I mean we're going to talk to you whether you like it or not."
"Not! And you won't!"
"Yeah and how are you going to stop us", shot back Mallory.
"Like this! WildWing!"
"Everybody out", cried WildWing.
"See", gloated Nosedive.
Than adding more oil to the fire Nosedive continued.
"WildWing they're not leaving! Get rid of them!"
After a brief pause Nosedive came up with the perfect touch to end this.
"WildWing they're hurting my feelings! They're scaring me!"
That's all it took for WildWing to shove the entire team out the door as Nosedive grinned knowing that he could get his brother to do anything.
But once again Nosedive found himself saddened for the team knew that he had never used blades, heck tools too. Nosedive found it best to sleep, and quickly fell into a slumber.
~Outside Door~
"WildWing", snapped Canard, "We were trying to redeem our selves, and we were seeking his forgiveness! Why did you prevent that?"
"Well because he didn't want it!"
"Why do you even bother to defend him? Wing we were trying to help!"
"Help? You people started this, and you people are the reason that my brother is humiliated. You acted like babies!"
"We were trying to present ourselves with a mature conduct, but you started the fight Wing."
"Mature? Let me tell you something about maturity. Mature adults don't gang up on a sixteen year old! He's sixteen! You're how old? I am disgusted with you, all of you! You completely humiliated a teenager, to the point of hysterically sobbing."
"We're sorry", said Duke, "And you're right."
WildWing stood there as he was soon embraced with a million of "I'm sorry".
"Well I'm glad", said WildWing, "But the damage is done."
"WildWing", said Duke, "What is exactly is the damage?"
The walked into the kitchen as WildWing explained.
"Nosedive has never used a blade in his life. He doesn't know how. That's why he wouldn't bust us free, since he has never really "worked" an ax. He might of hit us or something. But its not just axes, its saws, axes, switchblades not that he should have one, and knives."
"So that's why he never eats meat", exclaimed Duke.
"Yeah basically", replied WildWing, "I mean I have offered many times to teach him, but he was too afraid of being seen. So here we are now."
"Oh", sighed the others absolutely ashamed of themselves.
"Is there anything else he doesn't know how to do", asked Mallory.
"Yeah", said WildWing, "But I don't know if I shoul-"
"Wing", cried Duke, "Tell us! We'll teach him!"
"I dunno. He trusted me, he confided in me I just can't say that stuff."
"WildWing its not like that", said Tanya, "We'll help him out. Besides what if its something important that he needs to know, and what if his lack of knowledge puts him or us in jeopardy?"
"Oh all right", sighed WildWing. "Nosedive can't exactly well".
"Just spit it out", exasperated Canard.
"He can't swim! Happy now?"
There was a silence as the ducks absorbed the information given.
"Well", said Duke zealously, "We'll just have to teach him. No wonder he freaks out by the pool, and doesn't get near the water!"
"Well that's another story", said WildWing, "He kind of got held under for a long time once, but that's not the point. He also can't exactly do something."
"Do what?"
"My brother is smart, but he was never properly taught."
"Taught what", chorused the ducks at once.
"Math!"
The others were now even more shocked.
"Math", stuttered Tanya, "He doesn't know math?"
"Well not really. You see in school he never really paid attention. And he only knows the basics. Like simple, and when I say simple I mean simple addition, and some subtraction problems. He's memorized them over the years but never grasped the concept. He doesn't know how to multiply or divide or stuff like that."
"Why", asked the group.
WildWing looked away and sat down; the others did the same.
"My father wasn't home a lot", said WildWing, "So he didn't have time to teach Dive lot of stuff. He was always working. I mean I tried to make up that fatherly stuff by bringing Dive along, but Nosedive still can't do that stuff. He never got that stuff from dad, and well he didn't want from anyone else but him. He always kept saying, "Dad's going to teach me that stuff, so don't' worry Wing."
The others looked at WildWing who seemed quite upset.
"Well one day", continued WildWing, "Our father said we would be moving. Dive was around ten. So we moved halfway into the school year. The teacher had already started multiplication, and division and told my dad to get Nosedive caught up. Well he never did that. So Nosedive never got the concept. I tried to teach him, but I made it more confusing. I mean our father was working in the math industry field thingy and well he could have really explained it well to Dive! But he didn't. So the work got harder and advanced from multiplying and dividing and Nosedive never got it. So as he got older, fights started happening in our household."
"Wing", interrupted Canard, "You sure you want to tell the rest of this? I know it, and well you haven't talked about it in a long time."
"I'm okay. Anyway my parents really started going after one another, that was when Dive was about thirteen, and I no longer lived at home. So I basically didn't have a clue, Nosedive didn't tell me about it. I still don't know why and getting him to talk about to this day is difficult, and it still remains an uneasy topic, but that's not the point. The point is Nosedive started to get fed up with my parents and no longer listened to rules that he used to. Math frustrated him, so he started cutting. And well than it just escalated kind of."
The others remained blank.
"Well", said Duke trying to bring in hope, optimism, and bliss, "We're just going to have to step in than. So where do we start? I mean all of us can teach Nosedive to swim-"
"Not me", commented Tanya quietly, "I can't swim either."
The others started at the blonde.
"What", she snapped?
"Actually this works out better", said Canard, "Now Nosedive won't be as embarrassed, knowing someone else holds the same position as him. And Tanya after your swimming lesson could you give Nosedive a math lesson?"
"Yes on math, no on the swimming. Just because you're forcing him to learn doesn't mean you're forcing me."
"Oh come on", pleaded WildWing, "Nosedive won't agree to this, especially if he knows you won't!"
"Than he doesn't have to know!"
"He'll find out! Trust me he'll find out, especially when all of are giving you lessons and you aren't. Come on be a good role model!"
"Oh fine! If it means that much to you!"
"Thank you!"
~Next morning~
Nosedive woke up, got dressed and went looking for his brother. However he found Duke.
"Hey kid hold up."
"Yeah Duke?"
"Well first I want to say I'm sorry."
Nosedive's face went red.
"Hey it's okay! Don't get upset over that stuff. Listen we are all going to pitch in and help."
"No! I don't need help! Heck I don't want it!"
"Why?"
Nosedive stared at the floor, did Nosedive even know why. Nosedive searched for his answer, and than remembered.
"Because its embarrassing! And because…"
"Does this have anything to do with your dad?"
Nosedive stared at Duke.
"Yeah kind of. How you know, I'm not sure, but yeah kind of."
"Well Dive I don't know what to tell you, but you need to learn this stuff, just because your dad wasn't around didn't mean he didn't love you kid. It just meant he couldn't express his affection to you in a way you thought necessary. But the fact is you don't know how to do that stuff, and you need to learn. So what do you say?"
Nosedive remained silent, and debated in his head what to do.
"Well. I want to talk to WildWing first, and than I'll tell you. But I think so, I just want Wing's approval."
"Sure no problem. He's in the kitchen."
"Thanks."
Nosedive ran off and headed toward the kitchen where he found his brother sitting down, drinking coffee discussing things with Canard, and Mallory.
"Hey there Dive", said WildWing.
Nosedive didn't look at Canard or Mallory for he was scared of their insults, and feared there would be more.
"Hey Wing", replied Nosedive.
WildWing stood up receiving a hug from Nosedive, which he returned.
Nosedive spoke so low WildWing had to strain his ears to hear him.
"Thanks Wing", said Nosedive.
"For what?"
"Just being with me last night."
"No problem."
"Yeah about that Nosedive", said Mallory, "We're real sorry for shouting at you, it wasn't your fault."
Nosedive looked away.
"Duke said he was going to teach me", said Nosedive, "That okay with you Wing?"
"You mean you want to, I mean yes, yes its okay!"
"Okay."
Nosedive walked off, but was stopped for WildWing grabbed his arm preventing him from going anywhere.
"What", asked Nosedive.
"Well I want to teach you some other stuff."
"Like what?"
"Learning to swim."
Nosedive went beat red.
"WildWing how could you?"
"Hey don't worry, Tanya doesn't know how to swim either, we're teaching both of you."
"I don't want to!"
"Too bad, besides it'll be fun."
"Wing I'm scared of the water, no."
"Well you will get over it. "
"I am not doing this! Especially in public!"
"Its not in public, its in the pool we have. Remember its indoors? Now no more arguing."
"Ah man."
"Also Tanya is teaching you math later."
"NO."
"Not a choice."
"WildWing how could you!"
"I don't know Dive. But the point is you have had the secrets for so long that I've let it keep sliding, its become a way of life. You need to learn this stuff and move on. Okay?"
"Not okay!"
"Too bad, I hope you understand."
"I don't!"
"Do you trust me?"
"Well, yeah."
"Good, than trust me that I'm doing the right thing. If this doesn't work than I'll stop okay?"
Nosedive looked at the floor examining the tiles.
"Okay", he finally said.
"Good now go change", said WildWing. "You and Tanya have swimming in a minute."
"I don't have any bathing suits!"
"Why?"
"Well why should I? I don't swim!"
"Oh yeah. Okay you can borrow one of mine."
"Are they clean?"
"Nosedive!"
"Okay okay. I'm going."
"Thank you."
Nosedive departed the room.
"You guys sure this is a good idea right", asked WildWing.
"Yes", sighed Canard, and Mallory unison.
"All right, all right. It's just I don't know."
"It'll be okay", assured Canard, "Don't worry about it."
~Pool~
"Nosedive come in", said Tanya, "It's actually not as bad as I thought. It's nice and warm! Besides its shallow over here."
"I'm not going in", pouted Nosedive sitting as far away from the pool as he could.
Previously Nosedive had tried to run out of the water arena, but failed, resulting in the doors locked. So seeing he couldn't leave the room, he hid himself in a corner, sitting on a lounge chair.
"Nosedive come on", said WildWing tugging at him.
"Get away from me", shrieked Nosedive.
WildWing smacked himself, than draped arm over his brother.
"I'm sorry", he said, "I forgot. Look no one is forcing you into this pool, especially me."
The teenager looked up at his brother, seeking comfort.
"What's he talking about", asked Mallory.
"WildWing brought Nosedive to the end of the year pool party, whispered Canard to the group, "Well some of the kids wanted to get back at WildWing for beating them on the ice. So they took Nosedive and through him the pool when he was about seven. Than they held him under for a long time. And since they were a lot taller they kind of stood on him, and were able to breathe. We finally figured it out but by than Nosedive was already unconscious."
"Oh my gosh", cried Tanya, "Poor Nosedive!"
"Actually it was poor bullies, because after WildWing got through with them, well they weren't walking right for a long, heck they weren't walking for a long time. Anyway Nosedive woke up in the hospital, and his father was yelling at him for rough housing, so Nosedive associates water with being yelled at and being held under."
"Poor Nosedive", cried Tanya once again, "I have an idea."
She got out of the pool and walked over to Nosedive and WildWing but not before wrapping a towel around her waist.
"Nosedive", she said gently, "The water is real nice. You want to come in with me?"
"No!"
"Okay well what if you just dangle your legs over the side?"
"No!"
"Why?"
Nosedive stayed silent. "I don't know", he finally said.
WildWing was still holding him, but now let go.
"Dive I'll go with you, no harm in that right?"
"What if I fall in?"
"You can't", said Tanya, "But even if you do, you can always stand up, and you'll be fine since its so shallow."
Nosedive looked skeptical. "I don't know."
"No one is going to hold you under", whispered WildWing, "I promise. Remember what happened last time?"
Nosedive smiled. "Yeah I remember. Okay fine, but stay with me okay?"
"Of course."
So Tanya, and the brothers headed to the water.
Nosedive was still doubtful as he stared into the water. But his brother sat down, and tugged on him until he sat down too. So Duke showed Tanya how to tread water, and Nosedive watched.
"Dive", said WildWing, "I know you well enough to know that if I'm bored than you are twice as bored as me. I'm going in."
"No, don't leave me!"
"Than come in with me."
"I don't know Wing."
"Come on Nosedive, it's so shallow you can stand here."
Nosedive looked down at the water, as WildWing slid in.
"Come Dive", urged WildWing extending a hand.
"Oh all right."
Nosedive took his brother's hand as WildWing gently pulled him in.
Nosedive latched onto his brother deathly scared of the water, but at least he was in it.
"Good job Nosedive", said Canard from the side lines.
"Canard come on in", cried WildWing still holding a trembling Nosedive.
"Oh fine."
So Canard jumped in, accompanied by Mallory, and Grin.
"Dive let go", said WildWing softly.
"No I'll drown!"
"Nosedive you're being ridiculous! You can stand here! I'm letting go, in four seconds, okay?"
"WildWing don't'!"
"Four".
"Wing!"
"Three."
"Stop it!"
"Two."
"WILDWING!"
"One."
WildWing let go of his brother, only to seem him fall into the water. But in a second Nosedive was standing glaring at his brother.
"Oh look", said WildWing "You're alive."
"That wasn't nice!"
"But you're okay right?"
"NO!"
"Nosedive."
"Oh all right. Yeah I'm okay. Hey this is actually kind of cool."
"Yeah", piped in Tanya who was now in the deep end, "I got it! I'm swimming, well sort of. It's fun Dive!"
"Yeah well I'll be down there later", called Nosedive, "Right now its payback time to WildWing."
Nosedive splashed his brother, and chased him in the pool, or the shallow end. Finally WildWing swam down to the deep end, waiting for his brother.
"Well", tormented WildWing, "Coming to get me?"
"Duke", called Nosedive, "Teach me how to get down there without dying, so I can kill my brother!"
Duke laughed and showed Nosedive in fifteen minutes the basics. Nosedive struggled at first, mostly because of lack of confidence. But in a half hour succeeded and chased his brother down to the end of the pool.
Even though Nosedive only knew one stroke it was enough. Nosedive was a quick learner and had a strong build, even though he lacked muscles. He had a four-pack stomach but was lean.
At the end of the day the team brought Nosedive, and Tanya out for a celebration, which was thoroughly enjoyed by each member of the team. Nosedive had ordered a steak, and asked help on using the blade, a huge improvement.
He received help and in a minute was cutting the meat with ease.
Nosedive consumed the steak happily, beaming with pride. He also received a hug from his brother, who was as proud as him as he was of himself.
~**~*~**~
It was around eight o clock, when Nosedive wandered into Mallory and Tanya's room holding paper and a pencil.
"Wingsentmetoyousowecandomath", muttered Nosedive under his breath.
"Come again", asked the ladies.
"Math", shouted Nosedive angered that his brother hadn't forgotten.
"Ah", said Tanya, "Well that's no problem. I'll help you with that easily."
"I don't know", said Nosedive, "I'm stupid."
"Hey don't talk like that", snapped Tanya, "You are not stupid, just uneducated."
"Same thing."
"No its not. They are very different matters. Being stupid is well being stupid. Being uneducated is never receiving the knowledge, but is probably able to comprehend. There is a difference. Now let's go into the kitchen, and I'll teach you this stuff.
~12:00~
"Tanya I don't get it!"
"Come on Nosedive, we can run through this again. You almost have it."
"I told you I was stupid now leave me alone. Everyone else has gone to bed already!"
"Good for them. And you're not stupid! Dive you already got multiplying, and dividing. Now all we have to do is expand that into dividing larger numbers. I'll show you, come on you almost have it."
"No!"
"Nosedive please."
"Look I told you I was stupid, can't you accept that?"
"Nosedive for the last time, you are not stupid! You're just stubborn! But most of all you're lacking confidence, and you have a stupid idea in your mind that you can't do math. Well you can do math, and you are doing it! Now come on Nosedive you almost have this."
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do."
"Well I'm tired! Tanya please!"
Tanya looked at the clock, than at Nosedive, and than back up at the clock again.
"Oh all right. But we are finishing this tomorrow."
Nosedive grunted but ran off towards his room, where he found his brother sleeping. Nosedive started taking off his socks as he awoke his brother.
"WildWing, wake up".
"Huh, wha?"
"This is all your fault!"
"Ah man what time is it?"
"I can't do math!"
"I'm so tired."
"I'm stupid at this!"
"Don't turn the light on."
"I can't do this! Why are you making me learn this stuff?"
"Ah my eyes!"
"I'm not going to get it anyway. Why do you even bother?"
"Ow I think I'm blind now."
"You have a stupid brother, accept that."
"Ow something is wrong here, I can't see straight."
Nosedive sat on his brother's bed.
"Scoot over, my bed is filled with crap."
"Don't curse."
"Now you finally say something?"
"I've been talking the whole time, ah my eyes man Dive did you have to buy the extra light bulbs?
"Sorry another one of my stupidies."
"I think I'm blind."
"I'm not doing math tomorrow."
"Ah my eyes again! Don't just turn them off all of sudden, crap now I'm seeing stars."
"I thought you said I couldn't curse."
"Now the stars are dancing."
"I'm no good at math."
"Stop flickering the lights! Ah my eyes, Nosedive!"
"Ok I'm done. Next time listen."
"I have been listening."
"Than what have I been saying?"
"Living la Vida Loca".
"So glad we had this talk."
"Anytime."
"Night Wing."
"Night Dive."
~Next Morning~
"Nosedive you have to get up".
"No!"
"Dive come on, Tanya is waiting."
"Just another reason not to get up."
Nosedive turned over in the bed hoping to get rid of his hovering brother who was encouraging him to get up.
"Come on baby bro it can't be that bad."
"It's bad when you're stupid!"
"Come again?"
"Nothing."
"Nosedive you're not stupid! Do you hear me? You're just stubborn, now get up."
"Noo".
"Dive, now."
"Wing, no."
"Nosedive that is it! If you don't get out of bed than I'll get you out myself."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"How?"
"Like this."
WildWing reached over and picked up his younger sibling, placing his feet on the floor. But Nosedive wasn't really up, so his legs caved in.
"WiyaWing", moaned Nosedive, "I wanna go back to bed."
"How mature you sound."
"Shut up."
WildWing dragged his whiney brother into the kitchen where he found Tanya with a math book.
"Where did that come from", asked Nosedive waiting to be served breakfast, by his older brother.
"The book", asked Tanya.
"No the elephant."
That received him a smack on his head from his brother behind him.
"Ignore him Tanya", said WildWing, "He's being a brat."
"HEY!"
"Just kidding. He's not a morning person."
Tanya laughed and got out paper.
"Well Nosedive I have decided to take this slow. Since you don't like math, or work than we'll do a little bit each day."
"Fine."
"Nosedive", commented WildWing sternly.
"I mean thank you", grunted Nosedive slumping in his seat.
"Now for today", said Tanya, "I realized that you can't go the speed of a normal child because you haven't memorized your times tables."
"That doesn't sound good", muttered Nosedive.
"All I want you to do for today", continued Tanya, "Is memorize the one, two, three, and even four times tables."
"Ah come on!"
"Nosedive", snapped WildWing.
Nosedive glared at his brother and than back at the work.
"Why are you making me do this?"
"Because you need to know this stuff", said WildWing.
"Why", shot back Nosedive, "I've gone my entire life without it!"
"Nosedive", said Tanya gently, "If you know this stuff than you won't have to keep hiding it as a secret. You'll be able to do it by yourself, you know independent."
Nosedive looked up at Tanya thinking about her point of view.
"Oh all right", cried Nosedive, "I'll do it."
"You were doing it anyway", chuckled WildWing.
Choosing to ignore his brother Nosedive continued, "Well don't expect miracles and don't yell at me if I don't get it right away."
WildWing grasped his brother by the shoulders.
"Hey", he said, "Nosedive listen to me. I don't know what has happened in the time that I wasn't living home, but I have feeling it was not good."
"No really?"
Nosedive looked away.
"Nosedive", continued WildWing, "You obviously have a problem with negative verbal contact."
"You sound like Tanya."
"Nosedive", shouted WildWing, "Stop running from each problem that approaches you. "
"Maybe I should leave", said Tanya.
"No its okay", said WildWing. "We're leaving, let's go Dive we're going to spend a day together."
"Really? Wait what's the catch?"
"The catch is you're going to talk to me, about what happened when I didn't live at home."
"Thanks but no thanks."
"Not a choice, now go change."
"Ah come on."
"Don't worry, we're going to a movie first than lunch, and than you'll talk."
"WildWin-"
"Go."
"Oh fine."
After the two brothers went out to the movies, and ordered lunch, they remained in a parking lot of The Pond eating their food.
"Dive", said WildWing gently. "Time to talk baby bro."
"WildWin-"
"Nosedive."
"Oh fine."
Nosedive gazed out the window staring at a couple with a baby hugging the child tenderly. There was a pause, but WildWing waited knowing that it was difficult for his younger sibling to choke the words out.
"After you left to go to college", choked out Nosedive, "Things were okay, but they didn't stay that way. Mom was always yelling, and screaming. She went mental, Wing. I mean she was always upset, and was always seeking a fight, paranoia was the real cause of it, but that's not the point. Dad started showing up more, and when he did well there were fights."
"Want to explain more on these fights?"
"I usually ended up in the middle of it."
"So what happened?"
"I got hit around."
"What?!"
"It's okay, it didn't hurt."
"Than why are you about to cry, Dive?"
"I'm not!"
"Nosedive."
"They said mean stuff to me Wing!"
Nosedive started to cry. WildWing unbuckled his seat and went over to his brother.
WildWing cradled the crying sibling.
"Why didn't you ever tell me this? I knew that there were problems, but I thought it was only neglect."
"That was a problem too! Sometimes they completely forgot about me! They wouldn't feed me sometimes, and they would kick me out of the, sometimes in the rain because they wanted privacy! WildWing we lived in a mansion, we were rich! There were how many rooms? And they wanted the entire thing to themselves!"
"Easy Dive."
"They always got mad at me when I brought home bad grades. So finally they got called into a parent teacher conference. The teacher asked my father to work me with me, so dad did. Only he explained it with complicated formulas. So I started cutting, sometimes I wouldn't go home. Than dad started traveling again, and I don't know. Everything was so difficult. Mom had no control over me, for I had grown so much, so she couldn't really boss me around. But she could yell, and she did yell. And than she tried teaching me math, and she yelled loudly! Man Wing I tried this math stuff I did, I promise! Well you know the rest, I came and lived with you since child securities asked you and Canard in your college dorm. But that's not the point! She hated me!"
WildWing remained silent and held his brother, till he calmed.
"That's over Dive", said WildWing. "However it still remains to take up a large portion of your life I see."
"No it doesn't."
"Than why are you so upset? Surely you wouldn't start crying over nothing right? Now listen I'm glad you told me this, but why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"Well I liked spending the time I had with you. I didn't want to ruin it."
"Oh. But still Dive, I mean I knew that there were problems, but the social worker said it was because mom was unable to continue to be a guardian since she had that breakdown, and since dad was never home they needed someone with you. So that's what I thought. I never knew it was like this though."
"I kind of thought you knew more than what you're saying. But that's not the point. The point is I'm stupid!"
"Who told you that, Dive?"
No response.
"Surely you didn't."
Again no response.
"So that confirms that Mom, and Dad said this stuff right?"
"Yeah", choked Nosedive weakly.
WildWing took his brother out of his arms.
"Nosedive Nicholas Flashblade, you are not stupid! You are a very special person, and a very intelligent one. Maybe you don't know simple math, yet but you will. But look at the things you do know! You are on a secrets agents team fighting a war! Dive, that's cool! You can drive a plane! You think idiots drive planes Dive? What else can you do? Play hockey, fight well, great friend, great brother, smart, shall I continue?"
"Thanks Wing."
"No problem little brother. Now come on we have math to do."
"Yeah!"
Both brothers rushed into the headquarters happily.
~10:30 P.M.~
WildWing walked in their bedroom where he found the light on, but a sleeping Nosedive hovering over a math book. Inside the math book were simple math problems with Nosedive's handwriting.
WildWing quickly skimmed them, and found each one correct.
"Good for you Dive", said WildWing as he picked up his sleeping brother.
"Hey", said Nosedive once waking, "What's going on?"
"Found you asleep."
"Oh yeah. What time is it?"
"Time for bed."
"Figures."
WildWing turned the light off, and was about to drift off, but Nosedive had other plans.
"WildWing", asked Nosedive.
"Yeah bro?"
"Can I sleep in your bed?"
"Sure why?"
Nosedive walked over to his brothers bed.
"Because I can."
"Huh?"
"Mom, and Dad never let me sleep with them when I had nightmares and stuff, so well its just nice to know that I can come in and feel wanted whenever I like."
"No problem baby bro, no problem."
"So did Duke tell you what me and him are doing tomorrow?"
"No, what?"
"Well first he is going to give me some blade lessons, you know like with swords and stuff, but not before he goes over saws and tools and stuff like that! It's going to be so much fun! Oh yeah and than after that, will be lunch and after that its swimming! And than-"
"There's more?"
"Uh-huh! And than I'm going to show Tanya that I secretly learned the five times tables on my own, and surprise her! And than you are taking me out for dinner to a restaurant where I am ordering that steak that looks so good, you know the one that is drenched with barbeque sauce. So what do you say?"
"Sounds good to me Dive."
"Good."
"Oh yeah I have been meaning to ask you, did you wake me up last night? I don't' remember all of it, but what did you to my eyes?"
"Living la Vida Loca."
Author's Note~ Hope you liked. I spent a long time doing this one, since it was for a kind of special cause, you know? Anyway please review and tell me what you think.
~I was asked to write this story by a friend who knows someone whose father isn't around a lot. She wanted me to share this story (not that this is real or anything) with you guys just so others can see how little other people have, and yet still go on with a smiling face. ~
These problems are so upsetting, and damaging they have been classified under child abuse, emotional abuse, and child neglect.
~*This story is dedicated to them*~
They were all sitting at the table, as Mallory passed around her food. Each day it was someone else's turn to cook, and as usual Mallory cooked meat. Also as usual Nosedive would pass up the food and leave the dinner causing a fight between Mallory and Nosedive.
It was again Mallory's turn to cook and like always she severed meat. Only this time it was excellent, it smelled delicious and it looked as good as gourmet. The food was mouth watering!
Nosedive looked as he received his plate. He started down at the meat and than back at the utensils.
"Dive you want me to", said WildWing motioning at Nosedive's plate.
"NO", gasped Nosedive.
The others looked up at the teenager's sudden outburst.
"What", snapped Nosedive.
"Nothing", replied the others.
"So Nosedive", taunted Mallory, "Will you be staying for this meal that I have served?"
Nosedive bit his lip. "Actually you know what no, sorry. I", Nosedive started to stutter on his words, "I-I I got to go, like now. I made plans with Th-hrash and Mookie, yeah that's it, so I got to go now. Bye."
"Nosedive", said WildWing.
"BYE", said Nosedive louder in his brother's face.
"Okay, okay", sighed WildWing, "Point taken."
Nosedive marched out of the room grabbing the keys to the car.
"Dive", called Wing.
"What now", barked Nosedive.
"Need money?"
Nosedive turned around, "Um…".
"Don't even bother looking for it in there", said WildWing as Nosedive headed to his room, "Here take a twenty, but I want cash back Dive."
"Thanks bro, bye."
It was than that Duke finally realized something. It wasn't that Nosedive didn't eat Mallory's dishes to annoy her, but it was something more than that. He wanted to eat that meat, it was quite apparent, and as for his plans well when where they made up? Try that minute. Nosedive was hiding something maybe, something he was embarrassed about. Seemingly WildWing knew about it, and allowed Nosedive to deal with the situation he felt best. But what was it?
Duke shrugged it off as the conversation got going, and soon forgot about that night's minor and tedious incident.
~**~*~**~
ZOOM, BAM!
Draganous was not giving the ducks an easy time, but he had soon departed leaving his driods to deal with the ducks. With a large bam Mallory, Canard, WildWing Duke, Tanya, and even Grin were sent flying through the air.
They landed into a wood pile, and found themselves stuck.
"UGH", cried Mallory, "There's an ax right there! It's so close"
"Yet so far", finished Duke for her.
"Well what about Nosedive", asked Tanya, "Somebody com him, he'll cut us out."
"Oh yeah", cried Canard, "Forgot about him."
Soon the team beeped Nosedive and told him their location. When Nosedive arrived, he saw himself in a very bad situation.
"Hang on", cried Nosedive, "I'll get some firefighters."
"Nosedive", screamed Mallory her patience running thin, "Just grab the ax!"
"I c-can't! I'll be right back!"
With that Nosedive sprung out of the area heading for the fire department. When he finally returned with the firefighters, it was quite easy to free the team, however it had been about a half hour now, and no one was happy. So instead of taking their anger out on the droids that were no longer there, they took it out on Nosedive.
"NOSEDIVE", screamed Mallory, "I am going to kill you!"
They were all sitting in the migrator at night going home, and each member except WildWing, and Grin were bashing it on Nosedive.
Nosedive said nothing but continued his gaze out the window.
"Nosedive I sat there for so long! My legs are killing me!"
"Nosedive", screamed Canard, "What you couldn't pick up the ax and get your hands dirty?"
"Forget that", cried Tanya, "Do you know all of this paperwork I have to do because Nosedive reported the incident! I'm going to be up all night doing this! Thank you Nosedive!"
"Dive you know you could have just did as you were asked", said Duke. "That would have been easier don't you think?"
"No", spat Mallory, "Nosedive doesn't think!"
"NO kidding he doesn't think", cried Canard, "You should have seen him as a kid I mean one time he was so stupid an-"
"ENOUGH", hollered WildWing, "Everyone shut up!"
The ducks were stunned by WildWing's anger, and did as they told. But the silence didn't last for long, for as soon as the ducks piled out of the car and into their headquarters it started back up again when Nosedive tripped over Mallory.
The fight continued.
"So could you just tell me what processed your idiotic mind to go and get help when you were right there", screamed Mallory.
All of the ducks backed her up, both physically and verbally, all glaring at Nosedive.
Finally Nosedive yelled in anger.
"Because I don't know how to", screamed Nosedive.
With that said he rushed out of the room past the startled and embarrassed ducks.
"Thank you", spat WildWing rushing after his brother.
"Well we missed up", muttered Duke, "Come on let's go apologize."
The ducks headed towards the Flashblade's room where they heard sobbing.
"Nosedive", pleaded WildWing, "It's okay, I can teach you to do that stuff."
"Go away!"
"Come on Dive talk to me. Look I know that it stings but it's really not your fault. So ignore them okay? They didn't know that you didn't know how. If they did they wouldn't have yelled at you like that. They didn't mean it, they're just upset."
The ducks pushed the door crack open to find Nosedive lying on his bed sobbing in his pillow and WildWing at the end of the bed trying desperately to comfort his brother.
"Dive its no big deal, all right?"
"It is to me!"
"Okay than what do you want to do about it? I'll teach you that stuff in no time. It's easy."
"It's embarrassing! When are you going to teach me? No better, how?"
"I can teach you right now if you would like, it's not hard Dive. Using knives, axes and stuff with blades isn't hard."
"Well it's humiliating!"
"Dive please."
"Just leave me alone."
"I am your brother and will not just leave you alone. Especially when you're upset like this."
"WildWing", Nosedive stopped and looked up. He stared at the door revealing the gang. WildWing looking at what his brother was staring at became overwhelmed with anger.
"Get out of here", shouted WildWing.
"Wing please", sighed Canard, than towards Nosedive, "Dive we're sorry, we didn't know tha-"
"Leave me alone", screamed Nosedive completely mortified that anyone knew his secret.
"Nosediv-"
"I said go!"
"No! Dive we need to talk to you!"
"Fine talk, wait you already did that the entire time here! Remember that wonderful lecture you guys gave me?"
Mallory stepped in, "Nosedive we need to talk to you, so stop fighting I mean we're going to talk to you whether you like it or not."
"Not! And you won't!"
"Yeah and how are you going to stop us", shot back Mallory.
"Like this! WildWing!"
"Everybody out", cried WildWing.
"See", gloated Nosedive.
Than adding more oil to the fire Nosedive continued.
"WildWing they're not leaving! Get rid of them!"
After a brief pause Nosedive came up with the perfect touch to end this.
"WildWing they're hurting my feelings! They're scaring me!"
That's all it took for WildWing to shove the entire team out the door as Nosedive grinned knowing that he could get his brother to do anything.
But once again Nosedive found himself saddened for the team knew that he had never used blades, heck tools too. Nosedive found it best to sleep, and quickly fell into a slumber.
~Outside Door~
"WildWing", snapped Canard, "We were trying to redeem our selves, and we were seeking his forgiveness! Why did you prevent that?"
"Well because he didn't want it!"
"Why do you even bother to defend him? Wing we were trying to help!"
"Help? You people started this, and you people are the reason that my brother is humiliated. You acted like babies!"
"We were trying to present ourselves with a mature conduct, but you started the fight Wing."
"Mature? Let me tell you something about maturity. Mature adults don't gang up on a sixteen year old! He's sixteen! You're how old? I am disgusted with you, all of you! You completely humiliated a teenager, to the point of hysterically sobbing."
"We're sorry", said Duke, "And you're right."
WildWing stood there as he was soon embraced with a million of "I'm sorry".
"Well I'm glad", said WildWing, "But the damage is done."
"WildWing", said Duke, "What is exactly is the damage?"
The walked into the kitchen as WildWing explained.
"Nosedive has never used a blade in his life. He doesn't know how. That's why he wouldn't bust us free, since he has never really "worked" an ax. He might of hit us or something. But its not just axes, its saws, axes, switchblades not that he should have one, and knives."
"So that's why he never eats meat", exclaimed Duke.
"Yeah basically", replied WildWing, "I mean I have offered many times to teach him, but he was too afraid of being seen. So here we are now."
"Oh", sighed the others absolutely ashamed of themselves.
"Is there anything else he doesn't know how to do", asked Mallory.
"Yeah", said WildWing, "But I don't know if I shoul-"
"Wing", cried Duke, "Tell us! We'll teach him!"
"I dunno. He trusted me, he confided in me I just can't say that stuff."
"WildWing its not like that", said Tanya, "We'll help him out. Besides what if its something important that he needs to know, and what if his lack of knowledge puts him or us in jeopardy?"
"Oh all right", sighed WildWing. "Nosedive can't exactly well".
"Just spit it out", exasperated Canard.
"He can't swim! Happy now?"
There was a silence as the ducks absorbed the information given.
"Well", said Duke zealously, "We'll just have to teach him. No wonder he freaks out by the pool, and doesn't get near the water!"
"Well that's another story", said WildWing, "He kind of got held under for a long time once, but that's not the point. He also can't exactly do something."
"Do what?"
"My brother is smart, but he was never properly taught."
"Taught what", chorused the ducks at once.
"Math!"
The others were now even more shocked.
"Math", stuttered Tanya, "He doesn't know math?"
"Well not really. You see in school he never really paid attention. And he only knows the basics. Like simple, and when I say simple I mean simple addition, and some subtraction problems. He's memorized them over the years but never grasped the concept. He doesn't know how to multiply or divide or stuff like that."
"Why", asked the group.
WildWing looked away and sat down; the others did the same.
"My father wasn't home a lot", said WildWing, "So he didn't have time to teach Dive lot of stuff. He was always working. I mean I tried to make up that fatherly stuff by bringing Dive along, but Nosedive still can't do that stuff. He never got that stuff from dad, and well he didn't want from anyone else but him. He always kept saying, "Dad's going to teach me that stuff, so don't' worry Wing."
The others looked at WildWing who seemed quite upset.
"Well one day", continued WildWing, "Our father said we would be moving. Dive was around ten. So we moved halfway into the school year. The teacher had already started multiplication, and division and told my dad to get Nosedive caught up. Well he never did that. So Nosedive never got the concept. I tried to teach him, but I made it more confusing. I mean our father was working in the math industry field thingy and well he could have really explained it well to Dive! But he didn't. So the work got harder and advanced from multiplying and dividing and Nosedive never got it. So as he got older, fights started happening in our household."
"Wing", interrupted Canard, "You sure you want to tell the rest of this? I know it, and well you haven't talked about it in a long time."
"I'm okay. Anyway my parents really started going after one another, that was when Dive was about thirteen, and I no longer lived at home. So I basically didn't have a clue, Nosedive didn't tell me about it. I still don't know why and getting him to talk about to this day is difficult, and it still remains an uneasy topic, but that's not the point. The point is Nosedive started to get fed up with my parents and no longer listened to rules that he used to. Math frustrated him, so he started cutting. And well than it just escalated kind of."
The others remained blank.
"Well", said Duke trying to bring in hope, optimism, and bliss, "We're just going to have to step in than. So where do we start? I mean all of us can teach Nosedive to swim-"
"Not me", commented Tanya quietly, "I can't swim either."
The others started at the blonde.
"What", she snapped?
"Actually this works out better", said Canard, "Now Nosedive won't be as embarrassed, knowing someone else holds the same position as him. And Tanya after your swimming lesson could you give Nosedive a math lesson?"
"Yes on math, no on the swimming. Just because you're forcing him to learn doesn't mean you're forcing me."
"Oh come on", pleaded WildWing, "Nosedive won't agree to this, especially if he knows you won't!"
"Than he doesn't have to know!"
"He'll find out! Trust me he'll find out, especially when all of are giving you lessons and you aren't. Come on be a good role model!"
"Oh fine! If it means that much to you!"
"Thank you!"
~Next morning~
Nosedive woke up, got dressed and went looking for his brother. However he found Duke.
"Hey kid hold up."
"Yeah Duke?"
"Well first I want to say I'm sorry."
Nosedive's face went red.
"Hey it's okay! Don't get upset over that stuff. Listen we are all going to pitch in and help."
"No! I don't need help! Heck I don't want it!"
"Why?"
Nosedive stared at the floor, did Nosedive even know why. Nosedive searched for his answer, and than remembered.
"Because its embarrassing! And because…"
"Does this have anything to do with your dad?"
Nosedive stared at Duke.
"Yeah kind of. How you know, I'm not sure, but yeah kind of."
"Well Dive I don't know what to tell you, but you need to learn this stuff, just because your dad wasn't around didn't mean he didn't love you kid. It just meant he couldn't express his affection to you in a way you thought necessary. But the fact is you don't know how to do that stuff, and you need to learn. So what do you say?"
Nosedive remained silent, and debated in his head what to do.
"Well. I want to talk to WildWing first, and than I'll tell you. But I think so, I just want Wing's approval."
"Sure no problem. He's in the kitchen."
"Thanks."
Nosedive ran off and headed toward the kitchen where he found his brother sitting down, drinking coffee discussing things with Canard, and Mallory.
"Hey there Dive", said WildWing.
Nosedive didn't look at Canard or Mallory for he was scared of their insults, and feared there would be more.
"Hey Wing", replied Nosedive.
WildWing stood up receiving a hug from Nosedive, which he returned.
Nosedive spoke so low WildWing had to strain his ears to hear him.
"Thanks Wing", said Nosedive.
"For what?"
"Just being with me last night."
"No problem."
"Yeah about that Nosedive", said Mallory, "We're real sorry for shouting at you, it wasn't your fault."
Nosedive looked away.
"Duke said he was going to teach me", said Nosedive, "That okay with you Wing?"
"You mean you want to, I mean yes, yes its okay!"
"Okay."
Nosedive walked off, but was stopped for WildWing grabbed his arm preventing him from going anywhere.
"What", asked Nosedive.
"Well I want to teach you some other stuff."
"Like what?"
"Learning to swim."
Nosedive went beat red.
"WildWing how could you?"
"Hey don't worry, Tanya doesn't know how to swim either, we're teaching both of you."
"I don't want to!"
"Too bad, besides it'll be fun."
"Wing I'm scared of the water, no."
"Well you will get over it. "
"I am not doing this! Especially in public!"
"Its not in public, its in the pool we have. Remember its indoors? Now no more arguing."
"Ah man."
"Also Tanya is teaching you math later."
"NO."
"Not a choice."
"WildWing how could you!"
"I don't know Dive. But the point is you have had the secrets for so long that I've let it keep sliding, its become a way of life. You need to learn this stuff and move on. Okay?"
"Not okay!"
"Too bad, I hope you understand."
"I don't!"
"Do you trust me?"
"Well, yeah."
"Good, than trust me that I'm doing the right thing. If this doesn't work than I'll stop okay?"
Nosedive looked at the floor examining the tiles.
"Okay", he finally said.
"Good now go change", said WildWing. "You and Tanya have swimming in a minute."
"I don't have any bathing suits!"
"Why?"
"Well why should I? I don't swim!"
"Oh yeah. Okay you can borrow one of mine."
"Are they clean?"
"Nosedive!"
"Okay okay. I'm going."
"Thank you."
Nosedive departed the room.
"You guys sure this is a good idea right", asked WildWing.
"Yes", sighed Canard, and Mallory unison.
"All right, all right. It's just I don't know."
"It'll be okay", assured Canard, "Don't worry about it."
~Pool~
"Nosedive come in", said Tanya, "It's actually not as bad as I thought. It's nice and warm! Besides its shallow over here."
"I'm not going in", pouted Nosedive sitting as far away from the pool as he could.
Previously Nosedive had tried to run out of the water arena, but failed, resulting in the doors locked. So seeing he couldn't leave the room, he hid himself in a corner, sitting on a lounge chair.
"Nosedive come on", said WildWing tugging at him.
"Get away from me", shrieked Nosedive.
WildWing smacked himself, than draped arm over his brother.
"I'm sorry", he said, "I forgot. Look no one is forcing you into this pool, especially me."
The teenager looked up at his brother, seeking comfort.
"What's he talking about", asked Mallory.
"WildWing brought Nosedive to the end of the year pool party, whispered Canard to the group, "Well some of the kids wanted to get back at WildWing for beating them on the ice. So they took Nosedive and through him the pool when he was about seven. Than they held him under for a long time. And since they were a lot taller they kind of stood on him, and were able to breathe. We finally figured it out but by than Nosedive was already unconscious."
"Oh my gosh", cried Tanya, "Poor Nosedive!"
"Actually it was poor bullies, because after WildWing got through with them, well they weren't walking right for a long, heck they weren't walking for a long time. Anyway Nosedive woke up in the hospital, and his father was yelling at him for rough housing, so Nosedive associates water with being yelled at and being held under."
"Poor Nosedive", cried Tanya once again, "I have an idea."
She got out of the pool and walked over to Nosedive and WildWing but not before wrapping a towel around her waist.
"Nosedive", she said gently, "The water is real nice. You want to come in with me?"
"No!"
"Okay well what if you just dangle your legs over the side?"
"No!"
"Why?"
Nosedive stayed silent. "I don't know", he finally said.
WildWing was still holding him, but now let go.
"Dive I'll go with you, no harm in that right?"
"What if I fall in?"
"You can't", said Tanya, "But even if you do, you can always stand up, and you'll be fine since its so shallow."
Nosedive looked skeptical. "I don't know."
"No one is going to hold you under", whispered WildWing, "I promise. Remember what happened last time?"
Nosedive smiled. "Yeah I remember. Okay fine, but stay with me okay?"
"Of course."
So Tanya, and the brothers headed to the water.
Nosedive was still doubtful as he stared into the water. But his brother sat down, and tugged on him until he sat down too. So Duke showed Tanya how to tread water, and Nosedive watched.
"Dive", said WildWing, "I know you well enough to know that if I'm bored than you are twice as bored as me. I'm going in."
"No, don't leave me!"
"Than come in with me."
"I don't know Wing."
"Come on Nosedive, it's so shallow you can stand here."
Nosedive looked down at the water, as WildWing slid in.
"Come Dive", urged WildWing extending a hand.
"Oh all right."
Nosedive took his brother's hand as WildWing gently pulled him in.
Nosedive latched onto his brother deathly scared of the water, but at least he was in it.
"Good job Nosedive", said Canard from the side lines.
"Canard come on in", cried WildWing still holding a trembling Nosedive.
"Oh fine."
So Canard jumped in, accompanied by Mallory, and Grin.
"Dive let go", said WildWing softly.
"No I'll drown!"
"Nosedive you're being ridiculous! You can stand here! I'm letting go, in four seconds, okay?"
"WildWing don't'!"
"Four".
"Wing!"
"Three."
"Stop it!"
"Two."
"WILDWING!"
"One."
WildWing let go of his brother, only to seem him fall into the water. But in a second Nosedive was standing glaring at his brother.
"Oh look", said WildWing "You're alive."
"That wasn't nice!"
"But you're okay right?"
"NO!"
"Nosedive."
"Oh all right. Yeah I'm okay. Hey this is actually kind of cool."
"Yeah", piped in Tanya who was now in the deep end, "I got it! I'm swimming, well sort of. It's fun Dive!"
"Yeah well I'll be down there later", called Nosedive, "Right now its payback time to WildWing."
Nosedive splashed his brother, and chased him in the pool, or the shallow end. Finally WildWing swam down to the deep end, waiting for his brother.
"Well", tormented WildWing, "Coming to get me?"
"Duke", called Nosedive, "Teach me how to get down there without dying, so I can kill my brother!"
Duke laughed and showed Nosedive in fifteen minutes the basics. Nosedive struggled at first, mostly because of lack of confidence. But in a half hour succeeded and chased his brother down to the end of the pool.
Even though Nosedive only knew one stroke it was enough. Nosedive was a quick learner and had a strong build, even though he lacked muscles. He had a four-pack stomach but was lean.
At the end of the day the team brought Nosedive, and Tanya out for a celebration, which was thoroughly enjoyed by each member of the team. Nosedive had ordered a steak, and asked help on using the blade, a huge improvement.
He received help and in a minute was cutting the meat with ease.
Nosedive consumed the steak happily, beaming with pride. He also received a hug from his brother, who was as proud as him as he was of himself.
~**~*~**~
It was around eight o clock, when Nosedive wandered into Mallory and Tanya's room holding paper and a pencil.
"Wingsentmetoyousowecandomath", muttered Nosedive under his breath.
"Come again", asked the ladies.
"Math", shouted Nosedive angered that his brother hadn't forgotten.
"Ah", said Tanya, "Well that's no problem. I'll help you with that easily."
"I don't know", said Nosedive, "I'm stupid."
"Hey don't talk like that", snapped Tanya, "You are not stupid, just uneducated."
"Same thing."
"No its not. They are very different matters. Being stupid is well being stupid. Being uneducated is never receiving the knowledge, but is probably able to comprehend. There is a difference. Now let's go into the kitchen, and I'll teach you this stuff.
~12:00~
"Tanya I don't get it!"
"Come on Nosedive, we can run through this again. You almost have it."
"I told you I was stupid now leave me alone. Everyone else has gone to bed already!"
"Good for them. And you're not stupid! Dive you already got multiplying, and dividing. Now all we have to do is expand that into dividing larger numbers. I'll show you, come on you almost have it."
"No!"
"Nosedive please."
"Look I told you I was stupid, can't you accept that?"
"Nosedive for the last time, you are not stupid! You're just stubborn! But most of all you're lacking confidence, and you have a stupid idea in your mind that you can't do math. Well you can do math, and you are doing it! Now come on Nosedive you almost have this."
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do."
"Well I'm tired! Tanya please!"
Tanya looked at the clock, than at Nosedive, and than back up at the clock again.
"Oh all right. But we are finishing this tomorrow."
Nosedive grunted but ran off towards his room, where he found his brother sleeping. Nosedive started taking off his socks as he awoke his brother.
"WildWing, wake up".
"Huh, wha?"
"This is all your fault!"
"Ah man what time is it?"
"I can't do math!"
"I'm so tired."
"I'm stupid at this!"
"Don't turn the light on."
"I can't do this! Why are you making me learn this stuff?"
"Ah my eyes!"
"I'm not going to get it anyway. Why do you even bother?"
"Ow I think I'm blind now."
"You have a stupid brother, accept that."
"Ow something is wrong here, I can't see straight."
Nosedive sat on his brother's bed.
"Scoot over, my bed is filled with crap."
"Don't curse."
"Now you finally say something?"
"I've been talking the whole time, ah my eyes man Dive did you have to buy the extra light bulbs?
"Sorry another one of my stupidies."
"I think I'm blind."
"I'm not doing math tomorrow."
"Ah my eyes again! Don't just turn them off all of sudden, crap now I'm seeing stars."
"I thought you said I couldn't curse."
"Now the stars are dancing."
"I'm no good at math."
"Stop flickering the lights! Ah my eyes, Nosedive!"
"Ok I'm done. Next time listen."
"I have been listening."
"Than what have I been saying?"
"Living la Vida Loca".
"So glad we had this talk."
"Anytime."
"Night Wing."
"Night Dive."
~Next Morning~
"Nosedive you have to get up".
"No!"
"Dive come on, Tanya is waiting."
"Just another reason not to get up."
Nosedive turned over in the bed hoping to get rid of his hovering brother who was encouraging him to get up.
"Come on baby bro it can't be that bad."
"It's bad when you're stupid!"
"Come again?"
"Nothing."
"Nosedive you're not stupid! Do you hear me? You're just stubborn, now get up."
"Noo".
"Dive, now."
"Wing, no."
"Nosedive that is it! If you don't get out of bed than I'll get you out myself."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"How?"
"Like this."
WildWing reached over and picked up his younger sibling, placing his feet on the floor. But Nosedive wasn't really up, so his legs caved in.
"WiyaWing", moaned Nosedive, "I wanna go back to bed."
"How mature you sound."
"Shut up."
WildWing dragged his whiney brother into the kitchen where he found Tanya with a math book.
"Where did that come from", asked Nosedive waiting to be served breakfast, by his older brother.
"The book", asked Tanya.
"No the elephant."
That received him a smack on his head from his brother behind him.
"Ignore him Tanya", said WildWing, "He's being a brat."
"HEY!"
"Just kidding. He's not a morning person."
Tanya laughed and got out paper.
"Well Nosedive I have decided to take this slow. Since you don't like math, or work than we'll do a little bit each day."
"Fine."
"Nosedive", commented WildWing sternly.
"I mean thank you", grunted Nosedive slumping in his seat.
"Now for today", said Tanya, "I realized that you can't go the speed of a normal child because you haven't memorized your times tables."
"That doesn't sound good", muttered Nosedive.
"All I want you to do for today", continued Tanya, "Is memorize the one, two, three, and even four times tables."
"Ah come on!"
"Nosedive", snapped WildWing.
Nosedive glared at his brother and than back at the work.
"Why are you making me do this?"
"Because you need to know this stuff", said WildWing.
"Why", shot back Nosedive, "I've gone my entire life without it!"
"Nosedive", said Tanya gently, "If you know this stuff than you won't have to keep hiding it as a secret. You'll be able to do it by yourself, you know independent."
Nosedive looked up at Tanya thinking about her point of view.
"Oh all right", cried Nosedive, "I'll do it."
"You were doing it anyway", chuckled WildWing.
Choosing to ignore his brother Nosedive continued, "Well don't expect miracles and don't yell at me if I don't get it right away."
WildWing grasped his brother by the shoulders.
"Hey", he said, "Nosedive listen to me. I don't know what has happened in the time that I wasn't living home, but I have feeling it was not good."
"No really?"
Nosedive looked away.
"Nosedive", continued WildWing, "You obviously have a problem with negative verbal contact."
"You sound like Tanya."
"Nosedive", shouted WildWing, "Stop running from each problem that approaches you. "
"Maybe I should leave", said Tanya.
"No its okay", said WildWing. "We're leaving, let's go Dive we're going to spend a day together."
"Really? Wait what's the catch?"
"The catch is you're going to talk to me, about what happened when I didn't live at home."
"Thanks but no thanks."
"Not a choice, now go change."
"Ah come on."
"Don't worry, we're going to a movie first than lunch, and than you'll talk."
"WildWin-"
"Go."
"Oh fine."
After the two brothers went out to the movies, and ordered lunch, they remained in a parking lot of The Pond eating their food.
"Dive", said WildWing gently. "Time to talk baby bro."
"WildWin-"
"Nosedive."
"Oh fine."
Nosedive gazed out the window staring at a couple with a baby hugging the child tenderly. There was a pause, but WildWing waited knowing that it was difficult for his younger sibling to choke the words out.
"After you left to go to college", choked out Nosedive, "Things were okay, but they didn't stay that way. Mom was always yelling, and screaming. She went mental, Wing. I mean she was always upset, and was always seeking a fight, paranoia was the real cause of it, but that's not the point. Dad started showing up more, and when he did well there were fights."
"Want to explain more on these fights?"
"I usually ended up in the middle of it."
"So what happened?"
"I got hit around."
"What?!"
"It's okay, it didn't hurt."
"Than why are you about to cry, Dive?"
"I'm not!"
"Nosedive."
"They said mean stuff to me Wing!"
Nosedive started to cry. WildWing unbuckled his seat and went over to his brother.
WildWing cradled the crying sibling.
"Why didn't you ever tell me this? I knew that there were problems, but I thought it was only neglect."
"That was a problem too! Sometimes they completely forgot about me! They wouldn't feed me sometimes, and they would kick me out of the, sometimes in the rain because they wanted privacy! WildWing we lived in a mansion, we were rich! There were how many rooms? And they wanted the entire thing to themselves!"
"Easy Dive."
"They always got mad at me when I brought home bad grades. So finally they got called into a parent teacher conference. The teacher asked my father to work me with me, so dad did. Only he explained it with complicated formulas. So I started cutting, sometimes I wouldn't go home. Than dad started traveling again, and I don't know. Everything was so difficult. Mom had no control over me, for I had grown so much, so she couldn't really boss me around. But she could yell, and she did yell. And than she tried teaching me math, and she yelled loudly! Man Wing I tried this math stuff I did, I promise! Well you know the rest, I came and lived with you since child securities asked you and Canard in your college dorm. But that's not the point! She hated me!"
WildWing remained silent and held his brother, till he calmed.
"That's over Dive", said WildWing. "However it still remains to take up a large portion of your life I see."
"No it doesn't."
"Than why are you so upset? Surely you wouldn't start crying over nothing right? Now listen I'm glad you told me this, but why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"Well I liked spending the time I had with you. I didn't want to ruin it."
"Oh. But still Dive, I mean I knew that there were problems, but the social worker said it was because mom was unable to continue to be a guardian since she had that breakdown, and since dad was never home they needed someone with you. So that's what I thought. I never knew it was like this though."
"I kind of thought you knew more than what you're saying. But that's not the point. The point is I'm stupid!"
"Who told you that, Dive?"
No response.
"Surely you didn't."
Again no response.
"So that confirms that Mom, and Dad said this stuff right?"
"Yeah", choked Nosedive weakly.
WildWing took his brother out of his arms.
"Nosedive Nicholas Flashblade, you are not stupid! You are a very special person, and a very intelligent one. Maybe you don't know simple math, yet but you will. But look at the things you do know! You are on a secrets agents team fighting a war! Dive, that's cool! You can drive a plane! You think idiots drive planes Dive? What else can you do? Play hockey, fight well, great friend, great brother, smart, shall I continue?"
"Thanks Wing."
"No problem little brother. Now come on we have math to do."
"Yeah!"
Both brothers rushed into the headquarters happily.
~10:30 P.M.~
WildWing walked in their bedroom where he found the light on, but a sleeping Nosedive hovering over a math book. Inside the math book were simple math problems with Nosedive's handwriting.
WildWing quickly skimmed them, and found each one correct.
"Good for you Dive", said WildWing as he picked up his sleeping brother.
"Hey", said Nosedive once waking, "What's going on?"
"Found you asleep."
"Oh yeah. What time is it?"
"Time for bed."
"Figures."
WildWing turned the light off, and was about to drift off, but Nosedive had other plans.
"WildWing", asked Nosedive.
"Yeah bro?"
"Can I sleep in your bed?"
"Sure why?"
Nosedive walked over to his brothers bed.
"Because I can."
"Huh?"
"Mom, and Dad never let me sleep with them when I had nightmares and stuff, so well its just nice to know that I can come in and feel wanted whenever I like."
"No problem baby bro, no problem."
"So did Duke tell you what me and him are doing tomorrow?"
"No, what?"
"Well first he is going to give me some blade lessons, you know like with swords and stuff, but not before he goes over saws and tools and stuff like that! It's going to be so much fun! Oh yeah and than after that, will be lunch and after that its swimming! And than-"
"There's more?"
"Uh-huh! And than I'm going to show Tanya that I secretly learned the five times tables on my own, and surprise her! And than you are taking me out for dinner to a restaurant where I am ordering that steak that looks so good, you know the one that is drenched with barbeque sauce. So what do you say?"
"Sounds good to me Dive."
"Good."
"Oh yeah I have been meaning to ask you, did you wake me up last night? I don't' remember all of it, but what did you to my eyes?"
"Living la Vida Loca."
Author's Note~ Hope you liked. I spent a long time doing this one, since it was for a kind of special cause, you know? Anyway please review and tell me what you think.