I do not own Animaniacs. Nor will I ever.

Ages: Yakko 18, Wakko 14, Dot 12

Some might have called him a coward, in fact the list of names could have droned on and on. He should know he was good with words.

In the hard reality, if it was good for his sibs then he didn't care what he was called. After they were forced out of their tower and shoved back into Toontown Yakko took all precautions to make sure that his family was safe. If that included hiding away like a coward. Then so be it.

When they were first arrived back in Toontown, they were homeless. Sure they stay with friend after friend, but no one had the strength to put up with the Warner trio for long.

So they were basically out on the streets for half a year, some friends had been nice enough to house their belonging from the tower.

Then there was a burst of good luck. He had found them a house. Small and seriously need some TLC, but a house none the less. It was in a forgotten part of Toontown just at the edge of Two-tone town.

It was a blessing in disguise. It didn't take them long to get well associated with the neighbors, Yakko had gotten a decent job, Wakko and Dot began to attend the local schools. It gave them the delusion of a semi-peaceful life.

An added bonus was that the Erasers didn't go there as frequent as other parts of Toontown.

The Erasers were the ones who took you away. The ones who dragged you out of your home. No one knew when they'd come and get you, they just pick random times of the day. Once you were gone that was it. No one saw or heard from you again. Saddest thing is that once you're gone you're forgotten. Never brought back up again, ever.

That was currently Yakko's greatest fear. That an Eraser will come and take Wakko or Dot away forever, and he be left powerless.

But as long as he was still alive and kicking, no one would take his Sibs.

Yakko currently busied himself with making breakfast. Small normal task like this always pushed away the ugly truth. A simple bacon and eggs combo was a simple luxury that they could now afford.

A sound scream had broken the delusion of peace. Dot.

Forgetting about the food, he raced to the small room which they all shared.

There she was, laying in her bed crying and screaming. Wakko was at her side trying his best to console her. Yakko allowed himself a breath of relief, she was safe.

"Shhh." He soothed calmly walking over. "What wrong Dottie?" he asked scooping her in his arms while climbing in her bed. Only twelve years old and still so small for her age. Then again Yakko might have been just too big for his age.

"T-they got me." Dot had become so fearful since the lock up, a dramatic change from her once spunky self. She wouldn't dare walk anywhere without one of her brother at her side. Now trying her best to bury herself in her eldest brother chest, maybe that would get rid of the awful nightmare. "You and Wakko weren't there."

"Aw come on sis you know you're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of us. You know we'll always be there." Wakko only nodded in agreement to the empty promise. He didn't talk much if at all since the shocking.

"B-but you weren't! They t-took me an-"

"Hey – as long as we're here you know we'd never let not sticking Eraser take you." He kissed the top of her head and gave a soft smile. "Now, why don't you and the bottomless pit get ready for school, while I finish breakfast."

Both younger Warners smiled. Smile had been rare now a days. At least genuine ones. Everyone in Toontown tried to force a smile; it just seemed easier then accepting the truth.

The Warner house had been deathly quiet. Something spooky that you had to get used to. Through futile attempts Yakko learned he couldn't get them to laugh, at least not like they used to. Even the smallest chuckle, seemed to make them scared and shifty eyed. As if joy was illegal.

Then again, maybe it was.

Toontown hasn't been the paradise it once was. It was a gloomy, dark, and even dreary. Like permanent gray skies had been painted over everyone. No one and nothing had been the same.

Yakko tried his best to concentrate at the task at hand. The now slightly charred bacon and eggs.

"We're ready Yakko." Dot's voice came from the opening of the kitchen. Wakko was wearing some Yakko's hand me downs, a bit too big for him. The elder brother had offered to buy him some new clothes, but was refused every time. Dot had all but given up on colorful outerwear and concentrated on clothes that had helped her become unnoticed and blend to the background.

"Hey sibs, take a seat breakfast is almost done and slightly burnt." He took the contents from the pan to the plates. The younger sibling complied by sitting in the mismatched chair that were near the small round table at the back of the little kitchen.

"For Madame and Mister Warner, eggs." He set a plate down with two eggs on it in front of each respective person and an empty seat. Then a plate with a small pile of bacon in the middle. As Yakko took his seat he noticed Wakko and Dot's reluctance toward the food.

"Its fine guys you can ate." He made an example by pulling a piece of bacon from the pile an eating it. Slowly both of the younger Warners began to dig into meal.

Sheesh. You'd think that were living on nickels and dimes. Okay so maybe Yakko's job didn't pay the best, but it did pay enough.

After show business was no longer an option for toons, everyone had to cope with getting normal jobs. Yakko's was simple enough, he took the early morning shift at a 24 hour gas station. The pay wasn't terrific, but good enough to bread on the table and keep the bills paid. Yakko considered himself very lucky. After the lock up most anvil and mallet factories closed down. Leaving a lot of toons jobless.

"Yakko! You comin' out or what?" speaking of jobs, he had gotten to work with his hero. Bugs Bunny.

Okay so when he first found he did geek out a little….alright a lot. Who wouldn't? It's Bugs Bunny. Master of comedy. King of slapstick. Though after a while Yakko learned that the Bugs he looked up to was no more, that this bunny was another face in the crowd.

"I'm coming." The eldest Warner placed his dirty dishes in the sink and gave his sibs a smile. "Bye Wakko. Bye Dot."

Yakko grabbed his coat and scarf for the cold autumn air. Toontown might have been in California but that didn't do anything for the odd climate change. "I expect to hear nothing, but good news about your day. Okay?" He opened the front door to revel a grey rabbit, with a carrot hanging slightly out of his mouth.

Bugs had changed since the lock up, he went from carefree to irritable. He had a rougher exterior, with unkempt fur and one or two bullet holes in his ears. He like everyone had gained an extra shade of grey.

"Took ya long enough, I'm freezing my tail off."

Ignoring the rabbit Yakko look back into the house. "Remember the school bus will be here any minute. Don't try to skip again." He added before shutting the door.

"Can ya stop playin' mommy for ten seconds? We have to get to work."

"Alright, you know some of us have people to look after, we can't all drown the world out with a bottle of booze." Those choice of words earned him a good whack in the arm.

"Mouth." Bugs warned. "So how are things 1 and 2?"

"Well enough. Wakko still won't talk and Dot's having nightmares."

"So the usual?"

"Pretty much." He didn't want it to be usual, he didn't like that way it sounded so casual.

At work faces pretty much blended together, to the few regulars he gave a short 'hello'. Though there was one face in particular he paid close attention to.

"Your girlfriend is here." Bug said casually.

"She's not my girlfriend. Though I'd like her to be." Minerva mink had walked with the same flirty smile she had every time she entered the store. Which is quite frequently. Yakko had been somewhat grateful for her sudden appearance, it brought back fairly good memories. The casual flirting had become a daily activity that made Yakko's day a lot better.

Though no matter if he chose to ignore it, even Minerva had gained a shade of grey.

"This will be all." Her voice came as silk as she put a jug of milk on the counter.

"Right away." He quickly rung up the milk, feeling the mink eyes on him. "That be 2.99"

"You got a pen?"

"Um." Blushing slightly he look frantically around for a pen. With a roll of his eyes Bugs casually poked the Warner with pen. Yakko mumbled thanks and gave the pen to Minerva.

"Thanks sweetheart." She wrote down something on a dollar and handed the money to Yakko.

As soon as the mink left Bugs asked. "What she write?"

"H-her number.." Yakko feeling his face his face become stared at the dollar.

"Congratulations, I don't think the boss would mind you keepin' that particular dollar."

Work had been its usual boring self, save to the possible date with Minerva. Which quite honestly he sees as a high light. Yakko felt almost out of place smiling as brightly as he was. Strangers on the street gave him odd stares. As if he was insane or something.

Though everything would be worthwhile when he came home. It might of coast him two dollars out of his pay, but it would be worth it. Two chocolate bars. Just for his sibs. School would be over in a hour.

Yakko smiled at the thought of his merry little life. Everything was going right. He and his sibs were so under the radar he bet the Erasers didn't even know who they were. When he got home he even found time to rest on the couch. No this wasn't exactly how he wanted their life to be, living in the constant fear that this all would be taken away.

He felt himself finger his metallic collar. Every toon was issued these, and no one could take them off. Reaching back into his hammer space he pulled out to see nothing in his hand. Yakko often practiced this when he was alone. He often had to remind himself that he couldn't use any toon skill. Biting his lip he tried this depressing act over and over again with the same result.

Nothing.

He stared at his gloved hand. Clenching into a fist and opening it into an opening it again. His gaze drifted to a picture taken two years before the lock up, a family portrait right outside the tower. Life was so much different before. Wakko talked, Dot wasn't of afraid of everything, and life was full of color.

Yakko found himself gripping the picture, tracing the large smiles. The toons in this picture seemed so happy, a lot happier than anyone else now.

"Yakko?" came the cautious voice of Dot. "We're home." Yakko quickly put the picture back on the side table, face down.

"In the living room Dottie." He felt himself deflate a little when she didn't argue about the nick name.

She, Wakko, and a purple skunk walked in to the room.

"Bonjour Yakko." The purple skunk greeted wearing a red sweater and jeans.

"Madame Fifi? You grace us with your presents." Yakko took Fifi la fumes hand and kissed the back. Her being one of Wakko's friends from the Tiny Toons cast that actually lived closed by.

Fifi giggled while Wakko pulled her away from Yakko.

"Okay, Okay I get it bro she's your girlfriend." Wakko blushed and scooted away from the skunk.

"No Monsieur Yakko, I was just helping Wakko with his homework." Fifi words were laced with her trademark French accent. She had actually became a lot more reserved since the lock up. Even so she was one of the few things that made Wakko smile. So a little big brother teasing couldn't be avoided.

"Aww 'studying' are we? Careful there, I don't want to be an uncle just yet." Yakko winked while Wakko became flustered.

Fifi only giggled so more. "On Monsieur Yakko you're so funny."

"Please future sister in-law call me Yakko."

"Okay Monsieur."

Yakko only smiled. "How about I get dinner ready hm? Fifi would you like to stay for dinner?" Though it was slightly broken, this was that Warner little piece of heaven.

He only hopped it would last.