Frogs and Princes

Written on 18/09/2011 to correspond with the latest events in EastEnders and will be updated per release/spoilers relating to the Moon characters emerging.

A Michael Moon & Craig Moon centred story with a MichaelxJanine Malloy nee Butcher pairing. (If anyone has any ideas for Janine and Craig Moon interaction –it'd be appreciated)

Summary: "Michael knew was that he was going to make up for his father's mistake, he would take in Craig, and do the best to be a brother – the only problem…is he only knows how to be a monster,"

Note: Michael Moon will get more into character as the story progresses, but is being developed more emotionally to develop the relationship with Craig. Don't worry, he's still smarmy, scheming and manipulative.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Or Write For, EastEnders - the following is non-profit entertainment that is unrelated the official soap.

Chapter One

Craig Moon loved his frogs. Michael never understood why and neither did his dad, Eddie – but they were happy to keep on getting him toy frogs. Among all the frog paraphernalia, was a book, now this wouldn't be unusual except Craig wasn't much of a reader, and it was a children's book. It was the 'Princess and the Frog' – which was no surprise really, that the only book he owns would be frog related. But he always liked the part where the princess kissed the frog and he turned into a prince. Craig always thought himself to be a bit like the frog in the story, except he knew he would never turn into a prince, but that was okay. Why? Because he rather liked being a frog, because Eddie always taught him that only true princesses – ones on the inside, and smarter people could see the prince inside the frog, without needing to change into something perfect – something Craig was not.

Nor would he ever be – he had downs syndrome, Craig never let it get in the way of what he liked, what he wanted to be or who he wanted to talk to. Eddie couldn't be prouder of that, but to Michael Moon nothing would ever erase the fact Craig had been tucked away like a filthy secret. The words of his brother refused to leave his mind.

'You're the eldest, you're the one dad kept'

The one dad kept – he winced everytime he thought about it. It didn't matter how much Eddie had tried to make up for that to Craig – buying him toy frogs, making him paella, coming back when he spared a moment away from the Moons that he'd kept. Michael Moon would not forgive his father, even if taking Craig away was done in an effort to keep him from being rejected by their mother in the first place. What about after? After she died, then there was no reason other then perhaps, that seed of shame, watered by fear of what the world and the rest of the established family would think of Craig Moon.

The downs syndrome had initially shocked Michael Moon 'but he's not like me, is he?' he'd said. But the reality came to him as they had sat down and Craig had pulled out that locket, the same one Michael owned.

Craig Moon was his full blooded brother, and all Michael could see was the only other piece of direct family then his previously forsaken father and Alfie, a man with the same locket, the same blood – the same mother.

With that, Michael made a decision.

"You're coming to Walford with me," Michael added emphasis to the last word – he would not be sucked into the Eddie Moon menagerie of brothers, even if he'd somewhat forgiven Eddie after the revelations about his less-then-saintly mother.

Craig Moon smiled widely – he'd finally see everyone just like dad promised. Michael wasn't sure what was going through Craig's mind, but his own was racing – he didn't do compassion, or brotherly love. He didn't know how. He was a slimy, jealous, swarthy man hidden under a thickly smeared cover of charm, cheek and looks.

But it was there, even if it was a small, tentative, often misunderstood feeling that a damaged man like him rarely found. He loved Craig Moon, and he would be enough of good brother to try to last all of the years he'd been shacked away.

"Have you told dad?" asked Craig "-or is he coming in the car with us?"

"No Eddie doesn't know," he did his trademark smirk "-I think he expected to introduce you to the family himself, so this will be like an early surprise,"

"I know you love Eddie, definitely more then I do," snorted Michael "-but you're my brother. He kept Anthony and Tyler and…me," even though it didn't feel like it "-but they are my stepbrothers, I'll never be one of their Moons," he tried explaining.

Craig nodded but looked a bit confused as Michael continued.

"I'll never get jokes about pink BMX bikes and clocks, inside stuff like that; we're outside the circle even if we all do share Eddie's blood," after Michael said that, Craig nodded and felt a little sad for his brother.

"-just like Anthony and Tyler won't understand badly made paella and frogs," added Michael.

"Oh," muttered Craig.

"But you've got me," said Michael, opening the door as Craig wheeled out a suitcase and headed for the cab.

"And I have a lot of years to make up for don't I?" he muttered, more to himself then to Craig.

Craig didn't reply and just smiled at Michael again, who went silent as they both sat in the back and headed for Albert Square.

Craig couldn't be happier; it felt like things were finally happening for him after being promised them so long. He didn't expect his rockstar-like brother to take him in, hell, he hadn't expected Michael to be so different.

Michael was the prince of the story, he was everything Craig wasn't, he had a self-described inability to forgive, a lack of something undamaged inside of him as opposed to having it on the outside for the whole world to see. Craig wore his heart on his sleeve and humanity in the skin of a frog, whereas Michael kept frog inside of himself and wore the skin of someone seemingly perfect.

Craig blinked out of his thoughts as he felt a strong arm around him and a hand curling onto his shoulder and jerkily bringing him close to Michael. It was a forced action at first, all they'd really done was high-five each other, so Michael tested the waters. The Tyler and Anthony style of outward affection was decidedly not something he was used to, but after Craig beamed at Michael, he decided he could make little allowances for it.

"What're the people like in Albert Square?" asked Craig innocently enough, making conversation as the cabbie drove.

"Well there are nice enough people, like Alfie and…" he paused, struggling for a moment "-Dot, Patrick, old folk generally. Then there's people like…Phil Mitchell, he locked me in a van at an abandoned warehouse when I was due for a business opening," he said all too casually. Craig looked at him like he'd grown an extra head and wondered briefly what exactly he'd signed himself up for.

"But it's okay, you're with me," he smirked, to which Craig just swallowed nervously as a white road sign reading Albert Square came into view.