RJ clumped up the stairs, broad shoulders slumped--Otis had stolen the thunder yet again. After scouring the highway for hapless travellers or tourists he'd finally scored a strapping young man he was sure to make Baby happy. Or Vera-Ellen, he growled to himself. He didn't want to use the name that Otis had given her; he'd even started thinking of himself as a Firefly and not Wilson. That fuckin skinny dead-lookin' motherfucker had waltzed in and offered to take Vera-Ellen on a road trip the next time he left, a fun adventure, and RJ's gift had went overlooked. Fuck.

And yet he was just as fond of their adopted brother and couldn't help but laugh at his pomposity and antics and his funny ways. That was coupled with Rufus's intense desire to plant his beefy fist into the pale man's craggy face. He wasn't a deep thinker or a thoroughly philosophical man, he was a man of action, and yet all these different thoughts and feelings crowded his head, had been crowding his head ever since Otis had become part of their mismatched, sometimes dysfunctional yet always loving family. Sighing he pushed open the door to his room with its posters of Harleys and scantily clad women, switching on the battered transistor radio.

Baby went to the basement where much of the tools and equipment was stored and stumbled upon RJ's forgotten gift, cowering and gagged. Heavy chains connected both wrists and an ankle to the wall and the young man looked upon her fearfully but with a touch of hope. A girl, a lady is here...maybe she would help him, oh please please help me he thought. His widened brown eyes pleaded his case to her and he sobbed in despair when he saw the evil grin spreading across her face. She was such a lucky girl to have such thoughtful brothers, she said to herself as she grasped a hacksaw and a pair of pliers.

A few minutes later a lot of screaming came from downstairs, and not just from the victim. Baby was railing at Otis who'd appeared and was attempting to requistion her present from Rufus. Otis had never encountered such vehemence or oppostition from his favorite playmate before and was rather taken aback. So then he suggested they should play with the rabbit together like they'd done so many times but she wasn't having it. "He's MINE Otis, RJ got him for me!"

"So, we can--"

"Go 'way, Otis! I'm busy."

Faded eyes narrowed, he was growing annoyed at this display. "Don't be such a pig," he growls. "Can I at least have the leftovers for my specimens?"

Baby screamed, a banshee wail that woke everyone up. "Get out get out get OUT! This is my basement! You ain't even really our brother now respect mah wishes and get yer ass outta here!"

Now Otis was really hurt, as if he didn't matter just like he'd been treated his whole life. "Fine! Fuckin bitch, you're just like the rest of em. Fuck you then."

Rufus Jr. heard the colossal tiff from his bedroom, opening dark, liquid eyes and sitting up. Heh. Welly welly welly well...seems the two buddies were pissed off at one another. He had to bite his lip to keep from smiling at the invectives the pair was hurling at each other.

"Is that how you operate? Lure a man in then just tear his fuckin' heart out?"

"I can't believe you called me a bitch! Just you wait--"

"Whut? You gonna tell yer daddy? Maybe he'll gvie you the whoopin you deserve, ya brat!"

"Ohhhh I can do that myself, bucko," she said coldly, coming at him with a mophandle.

"STOP!," came an explosion of a female voice. Uh-oh, Mother's had enough of the squabble. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed RJ went to check on things. When he reached the basement Mama was standing between Otis and Baby with Tiny keeping a firm hand on Otis's arm, preventing him from coming at his adopted sibling. Shirtless, Otis was squirming like a reptile to get free of the deformed giant's grasp, and hising like one too. "What in the blazes is goin' on down here? You two goin on like cats an' dogs."

"But he--"

"She said--"

"Cut it the fuck out!," shrieked the older woman, surprising them all with her profanity.

"C'mon, Angel," RJ says softly, grabbing his sister's elbow and directing her upstairs. None of them had seen a fight between any of the family members this intense before, and now everyone was upset. Well, everyone but Rufus, who smirked at Otis as he turned away. It didn't go unnoticed as the wraithlike figure scowled back. Vera-Ellen buried her blonde head in RJ's chest and sobbed, letting out some of the toxic energy that had built up, and when her breathing quieted he carried her like a small child in his arms to her room and tucked her into bed.

Pale eyes watched and then Rufus left an exhausted and penitant Otis slipped into the room and stood over her sleeping form, debating on waking her and apologizing so he could see her sparkling smile and childish giggles, and the adoring love in her blue-green eyes again.

Nah, fuck that. Otis doesn't apologize; she shouldn't have talked to him that way. Why, he'd saved all their asses on many an occasion!

Rufus went to bed, somewhat pleased. Maybe now Angel Baby would pay attention to him!

Grampa slept through the whole incident.