Down on the Dock

Chapter Two: Introductions

=(Dirk's POV)

A/N: OhmyglobIloveyoudon'thurtmeI'msorryIdonteven

I moved! And all internet was lost. But it's back now! Thank you guys so much for putting up with the wait!

ALSO: HUGE hugs and shout out to RomanNightmare, for understanding that my promises are pointless.

The story is kinda slow, but it will speed up since I have internet access now. :D

Much anticipated—

The sound of griddle sizzling and the smell of blueberry pancakes almost burning was nearly the only thing keeping me from falling asleep in the warm mid-morning light, streaming in through the skylights in the blue room. The blue room was made almost completely out of glass, save the floor, the two walls connected to the house and a few support pillars. Grandma Jane designed the room when Pops and her first moved in here. The ceiling was random assortments of colorful stained glass, forming a weird image of a green house. The two glass walls were seamless; a never ending view of the lake. Grandma J had some skills.

She also left to me in her will a hand written cookbook. Well, not specifically me. I never got to meet her, sadly. But Pops gave me the book because in the will, it was addressed to "the new cook in the family." It nearly brought a tear to my eye when I read "family," but I shrugged it off because I told Pops that I was over that "crying" stage. The book's binding was made out of worn leather and thread, which I had to patch up at least once a year, due to the fact that I used so often. I mostly used it during the summer, because things like blueberry pancakes every Saturday was traditional. But Pops doesn't like winters, so he told me tradition will only be honored in the summer and on holidays.

Anyway, the morning was surprisingly light. The kid was asleep on the couch, Pops was making sure that the kid was comfortable, Jade was setting the table, and I started humming the tune to the same song by Jack Johnson. It was nice… except for the fact that I could tell we all were thinking the same thing.

Was this kid in trouble? Was someone looking for him? How did he get up on the dock?

Oh well. I guess it would have to wait. Breakfast was ready.

"Jade, be a doll and go tell Pops to help the kid into the blue room for me? I need to glaze the pancakes." I was balancing the leaning tower of hot cakes on my right hand, and in my left I held a pitcher of powder sugar glazing. A post-it note in the cookbook told me that glaze would make the recipe "feel like old times once again." I don't know what times Jane was referring to, but oh my glob it is so delicious. That woman must have won awards someplace.

"Yeah. Thanks Dirk!" Jade slipped out of the room after setting the last glass. Low muttering could be heard from the other room as I plopped the pancakes onto each plate, and dumped the glaze on top of them. Ever so slowly, the kid and Pops hobbled together into the blue room, and sat down. Pops mumbled something to him, and the kid paused, and gave a slight nod in response, looking slightly uneasy.

"Dave, this is Dirk, my grandson by choice: only because he cooks a good deal better then Jade." Pops grunted out as he started to scarf down what was on his plate. I grinned as Jade elbowed him with slight gaspy "Grandpa!" and a "slow down! You're too old!" I offered my hand to Dave, and ignored the weird rhythm my heart started to beat as his nervous red eyes met my orange ones. His hand was cold, pale, and smooth except for the very pads of his fingers. For whatever stupid reason, I had to stop a shiver from running up my spine. Instead I gave him a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you conscious, Dave. Are you feeling ok?"

"Uh, I guess so? I… I don't remember anything. What… what the hell happened!?" His voice sounded like he was just starting to remember that he was in a stranger's house. His hand closed around mine like a vice, and just as his other hand tried to make a fist, I poked his bandaged head, effectively making him cringed in pain, and distracting him.

"Ya wanna say that again with manners, Dave? We're at the breakfast table for cryin' out loud. Calm down lil' dude."

"Dirk! Be nice! He's weak!" Jade's shrill whine made Dave cringed more. Now I felt sorry for him. I remember when Pops had to send Jade out of the room when I was so sick noise hurt. Pops shushed Jade as I sat down next to him, and started eating.

"He is not; you should've felt that grip." I said with a mouthful of cakes. I nodded to Dave. "I'll bet my pancakes you're hungry. Eat up, before Pops eats it first." His eyes met mine for a moment, a hand still holding his head. The eyes were debating. Whether or not to run. Whether or not to eat the food. Whether or not to flip out. I placed a hand firmly on his shoulder, and stared him down until nearly all the questioning faded from his eyes. He nodded, and turned his eyes to the food, and stared at it the way Pops stares at Jade. Protective. I chuckled and watched him take the first bite and I swear his eyes rolled into the back of his head a little bit.

Jade and Pops didn't seem to acknowledge the last minute and a half of exchange between Dave and I, given the fact that they were arguing over who gets the last pancake on the table.

"I'm an old man, Jade. I need it so I can feel happy." Pops said with a fake old-man voice.

"Old man my butt! You're only 54!" Jade's shrill voice was making Dave cringed again. I whacked them both in the hand with my fork, grabbed the last cake, and threw it onto Dave's plate.

"Thief!" cried Pops. His voice was back to its normal, devilish English self. Jade looked like she was about to cry. Dave stared at me like I just made him the enemy, but I merely flashed an amused grin.

"You guys are insane. There's more on the counter in the kitchen-" I wasn't even able to finish the sentence before Pops shoved Jade back in the chest to get a head start, but after the look of shock quickly faded of her face, she grabbed him by the caller and pulled him back into the chair, efficiently getting ahead in the race for the Eiffel tower of hotcakes. Dave looked at me with clearly a "WTF" face.

"Every Saturday."

"Ever?" Near shock coated his voice.

"Ehyeup. Want some more?"

"Eh, I favor living more."

"Good choice."

"Hey… Dirk? Can you please tell me what happened now? I'm kinda freaking out over here." His leg started to shake, and there was a tone in his voice I couldn't quite place. Pops and Jade stumbled back into the room with mouth full of pancake and grins on their faces.

I picked my words carefully.

"Jade found you this morning on our dock, unconscious and banged up. I had to—" Pops cut in with that shit eating grin on his face.

"Dirk here had to give ya the 'Kiss o' Life.'" His teased. I threw one of the center piece flowers at his face, a small pollen cloud puffing and making him wheeze. Jade laughed as I could feel my face warm. I didn't look up for a moment, but when I did the kid was looking down and had a slight worried look on his face. After sneezing a few times, Pops took control of the conversation.

"Look, son. What do you remember? What is the very last thing, the last image, that you can conjure?"

Dave shook his head, eyes closed. "I don't know."

"What is the date today?"

"June 21st, 2013."

"Close, but a whole week off. It's the 28th. Do you know your birthday?"

"December 3rd, 1995." I looked up to Jade, who had squealed and gushed.

"Oh my gog you have the same birthday as Dirk! Only, you know, a couple years behind. Hehe."

"Good. How old are you?" Pops continued as if she didn't say anything.

"17." Pops gave him a piece of napkin and a pen.

"Write your name and the phrase 'the quick cat…'"

I got up and walked outside to the little dirt path that lead to the dock, following its tiny twists. I'd let the kid have his privacy while he'd be treated like an incompetent child by Pops. The small forest patch was dimly lit; a stark difference compared to the dock on the barren water. The clouds rolled as I made my way down the dock with my eyes on the blood smear half way down it. I stopped when I reached it, examining the way it looked like someone dropped the kid up here from the water. Unless…

Unless Dave jumped from something on the water onto the dock. The blood didn't directly go to the edge. It was just a random smear in the center. What if there was a boat or something he took off of? I scanned the water next to me, searching for any sign of platform. Nothing. Just a piece of an broken oar, about 5 feet away under water. I could tell it was a oar because someone wrapped the thing in neon duck tape, and the water's surface was completely still.

I'll give the kid time. He seems lost.