Author's note : Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this story. This is my first Scrubs fan fiction, but I'm certainly not a stranger to the show or fan fiction itself. Please enjoy and, if you have the time, drop a review to let me know what you think.

Your humble author
-- RainyDayz

Disclaimer: I do not own Scrubs or any merchandise, music, actors, etc. associated with it.

Fighting Through It

JD walked out the automatic doors of Sacred Heart, the backpack on his shoulder heavier than normal. His brother strode beside him, snapping his gum loudly, head bent, hands in pockets.

Their father had passed away no more than ten days ago and he had been staying with JD through the funeral preparations and aftermath.

"You know, little bro… Dad was always proud you became a doctor." His voice held an odd tone in it.

JD nodded quietly, "I know he was, Dan."

"Yea?"

He looked up. "Yea. Why?"

Dan shrugged as they walked through the parking lot. "You just never seemed to notice."

"I noticed, Dan."

"Mm."

They stopped at JD's car as he searched through his backpack for the keys. Dan leaned against the side of the car and kicked the tire with his heel.

"You know, a few weeks before he died, he said I should be more like you." He stared at the ground as he said it, eyes dark with emotion.

JD stopped, his keys hovering just before the car door. "What?"

"Yep. That's what he said."

"Dan…"

"I laughed at him, though. I thought that was the dumbest thing he'd ever said."

"What are you trying to say?"

Dan straightened and turned around to face his brother. They stared at each other over the roof of the car.

"Did you care about dad?""

JD's eyebrows furrowed, "That's a stupid question. Of course I did."

"Really? 'Cause you had a funny way of showing it. If someone had asked me if I thought you cared, I would have said no."

"What the hell are you talking about? You have no right - You have no idea --"

"Oh, come on, JD. You can't tell me you didn't think you were better than him."

"Shut up! You never even talked to him. You never called him, you never visited."

Their voices rose and people walking by murmured as they passed. They were face to face now, standing in front of the car, inches away from each other.

"And you? You kept in touch? You do think you're better, don't you? You're the one dad always looked out for. He tried to give you everything and all you ever did was look down on him!"

JD's eyes watered and he clenched his fists at his sides. "I cared. How was I supposed to show it? He wouldn't let me. Do you even remember the last time he let either one of us hug him? He wouldn't even shake my hand!"

"Why do you think that was, JD? Didn't you think for one second that it made him feel ashamed of himself to stand next to you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Dan. You bartend and you use people. Jeez, the only reason you even came was because you knew I'd let you crash at my apartment."

"You have no idea what you sound like, do you? You're such a selfish kid."

"I cared more about dad than you, you self-serving jack --"

He landed on his back on the asphalt. He reached up to touch his split lip, pulling back his hand to look at the crimson spots. He stood slowly, ignoring the onlookers who had stopped to watch.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he tackling Dan to the ground. He punched him in the face, bloodying his older brother's nose before he was thrown back and pinned, a sharp pain blossoming across his cheekbone as Dan took a swing at him.

They wrestled briefly, a few grunts and curses making their way to the crowd that had now formed around them.

"Get off me!"

"You get off me!"

As quickly as it had started, it ended as JD felt a hand grasp the back of his shirt and yank him up. Dan was similarly being held back, but despite the restraining tug, both brothers continued to lunge at each other, fists flying.

"Newbie! Newbie! JD!"

He froze, turning to see who was holding him back. 'Uh oh…'

To be continued…