This is thinking, this is talking, and the rest...well, you should be able to figure that out on your own.

So mom went on a date with doctor Sherman, again…or Travis as he so would like to be called. Yeah right, and next thing you know he's calling himself daddy and talks in third person narrative.

Okay, so maybe that's not as bad as getting beat up every other day…okay, so it's a lot better, but that doesn't mean I instantly have to like him. He's only been around for three months, and after the hole-incident, let's just say it'll take me a while to really trust him. I know he's not like dad, but that doesn't mean he's not something else.

What exactly is something el-

"Dane!"

Dane almost completely ruined his new drawing of Julie and was only just able to keep his pencil from flying all over his sketchbook. He took a deep breath and yanked out his earphones.

"What now, Lucas!"

The shouting match happened at least once a day seeing as both boys were too stubborn to actually walk closer to the other.

"I'm going over to Jimmy's!"

Dane rolled his eyes and put his earphones back in his ears. That kid seriously had to grow up, he already knew Lucas was going over to Jimmy's. Lucas had told him and their mother a thousand times. He was so psyched about having made a friend here that he just couldn't shut up about it.

"Fine Lucas, see ya!"

Dane went back to his drawing and could just hear the door slam over his music. Jimmy only lived two blocks away and it was still light out, Dane had therefore decided (after their mother had left) that Lucas was old enough to get there by himself. Besides, Julie was coming over tonight and for the first time since they moved here, it would be just him and her. Dane couldn't help the smile on his face as he thought about Julie, he had really been looking forward to tonight. And no, he wasn't sex-obsessed, he just wanted to talk to Julie without his mother walking into the room and implying all kinds of stuff or his brother walking into the room and hi-jacking the conversation.

He turned the music down a little so that he would hear Julie come inside (she'd never been one to actually ring the doorbell, unless the door was locked) and he didn't really want her to see the ten-somewhat drawings of her he had lying around.

After another fifteen minutes of perfecting Julie's hair, Dane looked at the clock again with a slight frown. Julie was supposed to be there at seven, which had been ten minutes ago. She wasn't exactly someone who was ever late…ever. Dane had half expected her to come barging in the second Lucas had left.

After another few minutes Dane grew restless and he gave up on drawing. He neatly put the drawings of Julie away in his desk and turned off his music. The clock now read 19:21 and Dane felt that he had been pretty patient. Calling after 21 minutes wasn't stalker behaviour, right? Dane groaned as he could hear Lucas laughing in his head, he knew exactly what his little brother would say.

But, after taking a deep breath and reassuring himself that his brother was not there to see him acting like some love-sick teenager, he picked up his phone to call Julie.

Or at least he was going to until his phone went off and she was calling him. A little startled and with a curious look on his face Dane picked up and leaned back in his deskchair.

"Hello."

Okay Dane, lame, you already knew it was her, why not just say her name?

"Hey Dane. I know I was supposed to be there at seven, but I don't think I'm gonna make it."

Dane could hear that something was wrong, Julie's voice was higher than usual and she was talking fast.

"Oh, uhm, is everything alright?"

Oh seriously, really smooth…

"Yeah, well…we were visiting my grandparents and then something happened and now my grandma is in the hospital. They say she had a heartattack and needs surgery. My mum is sort of freaking and we're gonna stay here for the night. So…I'm..uh, I'm not gonna make it, sorry. "

The first thing Dane felt was disappointment, when she had said she wasn't going to make it he thought she had meant she was going to be late. The fact that she wasn't going to come at all just sucked. The second that thought had ended Dane was mad at himself, Julie's grandma just had a heart attack and he was feeling sorry for himself.

Damn man, can you get any more self-centred!

"Julie...I…are you, I mean is she going to be okay?"

Okay, you are so not good at this…whatever this is…

"Yeah, no, the doctors say she's gonna be fine. My mum just freaked out and we had to go to the hospital and now it's late so…oh, my dad's coming. I have to go Dane, I'm really sorry about tonight...rain check?"

Dane felt like a deflated balloon. He'd been looking forward to tonight and now he was totally alone, with the girl he liked a two hour drive away. Not to mention the fact her grandma had just nearly died…just great. He straightened up in his chair and told Julie he would hold her to that rain check. The beep-tone sounded and Dane got up and flopped down unto his bed.

So, what do I do now?

His thoughts of contemplation on 'why me?' were interrupted by the telephone from downstairs. After two rings Dane realised that no one but him was home and therefor he was the only one who could pick it up. He debated for two seconds before deciding that he was comfortable just where he was and felt no need to go downstairs. Mom was on a date and Lucas was at Jimmy's, he'd just talked to Julie which ended his list of people he would pick the phone up for, anyone else could just leave a message on the answering machine.

It stopped ringing after another eight rings and Dane was left staring at an interesting patch on his floor. Dane realised that what he was doing at the moment would probably drive him crazy and so started to think of ways to get under Lucas's skin. Getting his little brother riled up was still funny but clowns weren't really affective any more, and after the clown puppet from hell Dane had decided to give Lucas a little break. But maybe if-

The phone from downstairs rudely interrupted his thoughts and he rolled his eyes before he got up. Who the hell was so determined to reach them anyway?

Grumbling under his breath Dane took the stairs two at a time (yes, he knew that was dangerous going down, so sue him) and walked into the living room. The phone was happily ringing away on the side table with an unknown number on the display. Dane picked it up and fell down onto the couch.

"Hello, this is Dane."

If its mum checking up again, I swear to God…

"Good evening, is this the Thompson residence?"

Dane frowned at the way too polite greeting and sat up straight.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"My name is officer Hubsons. Can I speak with Mrs Thompson please."

What! Why was the police calling…oh no.

"My mum's not here. Is…is this about my dad?"

It was quiet for a little while and then the officer spoke up again.

"You said your name was Dane. As in Dane Thompson, older brother of Lucas Thompson?"

Lucas! Why would he start talking about Lucas?

Dane noticed he was feeling cold. He gripped the phone tight and tried to shake away the nerves.

"Yes, I'm Dane! Did something happen to Lucas?!"

He knew he was talking way louder than necessary, but usually when the police called, nothing good came out of it.

"No, don't worry, I'm not calling because of you broth-"

"Well then why are you calling!"

Not dad, please don't tell me we have to move again…

"Look kid, your father-

Oh damn, not again!

-he's escaped."

Dane's world went eerily quiet for a second or two before he was up on his feet and checking the windows. It seemed to be getting dark outside.

"An officer is coming to you house to keep a look out just in case. He's been seen near Bensonville but they couldn't catch him. He doesn't know where you live but we wanted to be safe anyway."

His dad had escaped and was near this town. Yes, he wasn't as afraid as he used to be and yes, he'd beaten his father in the hole, but that was because his father had been in jail and unable to hurt him. Now he was out and…

Mom, Lucas, they need to know.

Dane hung up without so much as a goodbye and called his mother's cell phone; it went straight to voicemail. Lucas's phone did the same thing

Damn it!

Dane stared at the phone for a little while before he ran into the kitchen and snatched the calendar from the table, mom always made them write down the address and phone number of the friend they were staying at. As expected, Jimmy's phone number was written next to this day's date.

After four rings Jimmy's mother picked up.

"Good evening, this is Jenny Gadet."

"Mrs Gadet, hy. I'm Dane, Lucas's older brother, I really need to talk to him. Could you put him on the phone please?"

It was quiet for a few seconds before Mrs Gadet spoke again, her voice sounded guarded.

"Lucas isn't here. I called earlier but no one picked up. Isn't he with you?"

Dane was having trouble thinking. Lucas left for Jimmy's almost an hour ago. Their houses were a five minute walk apart, maybe even less, but Lucas never showed?

"Hello, Dane. Is everything alright?"

Dane merely nodded, forgetting he was on the phone and no one could see him, before hanging up.

So either Lucas had lied to everyone and had decided to go someplace completely different, yeah, because that totally sounds like him, or something had happened…maybe he just got lost.

You know you're in denial…

"Shit!"

His mother probably would have scolded him for that but she wasn't picking up her phone…and neither is Lucas.

It took Dane ten seconds to get his shoes on and another three to get to the front door. He slipped the key into his pocket and opened it to go outside and find his pain-in-the-ass little brother who just had to be fine!

He wasn't expecting for a person to be on the porch, or for that person to have a baseball bat. The wooden bat connected painfully with his head and everything went black.

Okay, am I doing alright or am I screwing up somewhere, if so..help please! And just so you know, I have no idea was their father is called so I'll be making up a name for him somewhere along the line.

You just gotta love brotherly love...Dane and Lucas are awesome!