Broken

Chapter 2

You know, when I found out Fang had kids, I wasn't happy, but I took care of them. And I loved them. I knew that I was going to be his girlfriend, so I had to be a good stepmother to his kids. Apparently, Gasman didn't look for that same quality in his girlfriends.

Fang frowned. "Yeah, well, that's just what kids do."

Neo cried louder, holding onto me. Gasman looked torn between comforting Neo and coming to the aid of Juliet, a not so fitting name.

"Do you still have to throw up?" I whispered in Neo's ear, glad that he hadn't gotten any on him when he first did, only Juliet.

This all started when Gasman said that he didn't need us to pick him up from the airport. Not that big of deal, right? Well, Neo had counted on seeing him there so that he could see a plane or something, so that already had him upset. Then, they knocked on the door, and Jason and Lance got so excited that it riled him up too. Then, when that wore off, he got nervous and threw up all over his dad's girlfriend. Of course, that couldn't be the end. She just had to curse at him and make Fang hate her. It's like the law of life or something.

"Come on, Julie," Gasman took her hand as Tabitha handed her a towel. "I'll show you to the bathroom."

After they were gone, Tabitha had gotten another towel and was starting to clean up the floor.

"Baby, I'll do that," I said.

"I got it."

Fang shook his head. "I don't like her, Max."

"Not in front of the kids," I mumbled, still focused on Neo. He just got nervous, that's all.

James frowned, watching Tabitha. "It's green, Max. Like grass."

Jason giggled. "Can I touch it?"

"No,' Fang said sharply. He was in a foul mood now. "Go play in your room, boys."

"Finally," Tyler said, running off up the stairs. "I don't like her either, just so you know."

"Tyler Reese, shut your mouth," I said as I sat Neo on the ground. "You go play too, Neo."

Once he was gone, the other boys slowly took their toys and went up stairs too. After she finished cleaning up the puke, Tabitha picked up Chris and took him to his bedroom for me.

"This is just great," I mumbled to Fang, going to sit down next to him on the couch. Lance hadn't left and was still sitting there playing with his blocks.

"Lance, you go too," Fang grumbled, putting his head in his hands.

He got up. "Bye-bye, Max. Bye-bye, 'ang."

Tabitha came back into the living room, but immediately went to the kitchen and then the garage.

"It's not his fault," Fang said, suddenly deciding that I was stupid. "He's just a baby."

"I know, Fang."

He got up and went upstairs. Ten minutes later, Gasman and Juliet came back downstairs.

"Where is everybody?" Gazzy asked me, looking around.

"Upstairs," I told him.

"Well, let's go then, Jonathan," she said, pulling on Gasman's hand. I frowned for a second before realizing that she probably knew his name, but just called him by something else. Yeah, calling out Gasman as you climax isn't all that great, I guess… "We can go check into the hotel."

Gasman was weavering. "I wanted to hang out with Neo. I haven't seen him since-"

"You can do that later," she said. "Come on, let's go."

"Don't you have to call a cab?" I asked her. Apparently, Gasman had gone into his old closet and pulled out a shirt for her to wear. It was some band t-shirt. Whoever the hell Silverstein is…

"We got a rental," she said, finally getting him to follow her.

"Bye, Max, I guess," Gasman said lamely. "I'll see you later. Tell Neo and the other boys I said bye."

"I will," I said, shaking my head as he left.

Fang was going through his Dragon Ball Z card when James walked into the attic.

"Hey, James," Fang said, not looking up. "What are you doing?"

"Come to find you," he said, walking over to Fang. "What are you doing?"

"Looking at my cards."

James climbed into his lap. "Neo's not crying no more."

"He ain't?"

"Nope."

"That's good," Fang said, putting on arm over James, but still using the other to look at his cards. "Today's Saturday, right?"

"Yep."

"Alright," Fang said, shaking his head. He had a Heroclix tournament on Monday. Max was finally letting him go to those again. "Are you going to church with Dan and Trinity tomorrow?"

"No," James said, shaking his head. "Tyler is."

"I know. He always does."

James giggled, leaning against Fang. "Cody doing his homework."

"Oh yeah? Why aren't you doing yours?"

"Finished."

"What did you have to do?"

"Abc's again. I hate them."

"Yeah, I know," Fang commented, shaking his head. "Wanna go get me something to eat?"

"What?" James asked, getting out of Fang's lap.

"There's some left over pizza in the fridge. Get me that. And a coke."

"Okay," James said, running off. Fang smiled. James might act like a baby, but he listened a lot better than the other boys.

"What are you doing?"

James smiled at me, opening the refrigerator. "I have to get Fang food. He's hungry, Max."

"Is he?" I was now doing dishes. Fang was already in a bad mood about the puke thing, no need to get that anger turned onto me. "Remind him that we're eating lunch soon."

"He knows that, Max. Fang knows everything."

Of course he does. I shook my head. "James, you don't always have to do what Fang asks you to, you know. You should have made him come get his own food."

James frowned, pulling the pizza box out of the fridge and setting it on the ground. He took two of the pieces out and sat them on the ground too. I almost reprimanded him, but this was Fang he was giving it too. He deserved dirty pizza for some reason or another, I'm sure.

"James, you know not to put anyone else's pizza on the ground, right?" I asked. "Namely mine?"

He giggled, putting the rest of the pizza away. He grabbed the last cold coke out of the fridge, but went ahead and put more in.

"Fang eats it cold?" He asked me.

"Sure," I said. The heat would kill only the germs, so why not? "You're a good helper, James."

"I know," he said, walking out of the room with the cold, nasty pizza. Shaking my head, I finished washing the dishes and then went out back to get the dog fresh water. Tank was happy to see me, but was too lazy to get up. Rolling my eyes, I got him water and rubbed his stomach a little before going back inside. I went to find Neo.

"What are you guys doing?"

Neo and Cody looked up. "Building a fort."

"What about your homework, Cody?"

He smiled. "Finished."

"Really?"

"Really."

They were in Neo and Jason's room. I sighed. "Where's Jay?"

"With Tabby," Neo said. "James no here."

"He's with Fang," I said, watching the two of them for a minute. "So you guys are okay?"

"Yes," Cody said, nodding his head.

"Are you, Neo?"

He nodded. "Where's Daddy?"

"He and Juliet went out."

Neo frowned. "No stay to play?"

"He'll be back," I said. "Promise."

Samantha cocked her head to the side. "Like candy?"

"No," Damien said, sniffling. "It's a cough drop, Sam."

"Makes you cough?"

No, that would have made to much sense. "No."

"Sick?" She asked, still watching him. "I'mma doctor."

"I'm sure," Damien mumbled. "Sam, go get my cell. I need to call Mommy."

Samantha ran off to do that, also making a stop by her bedroom to get the toy vet kit that Max had bought her for her birthday. Sure, Daddy's not an animal, but it would have to do.

"Thanks, baby," he said, taking the phone from her when she got back. As he called Cameron, Samantha sat down on the ground and started going through her vet stuff.

"I'm at work, idiot."

Cameron could be so loving when she wanted to be, which was never. "I'm sick, Cameron."

She paused. "Of me? I didn't really mean-"

"No, Cam. I woke up an hour ago and still feel terrible."

"So you're sure that you're sick? Do you have a fever?"

"I don't think so," Damien said. "Hey, can I take kids medicine? We don't have anything, but stuff for Sam."

Cameron sighed. "Damien, I don't know. Are you contagious?"

"Like I would know."

"Damien, don't get an attitude with me. You're the one that went and got sick."

"Yes, Cameron, that's exactly how it happened. I went around and asked to get sick. You're so-"

"Damien, shut up, alright? Why did you even call me? I'm at work. I can't come home and baby you."

"I know that, Cameron," he said, frowning a little. "I just wanted you to know that I'm home, sick, and that when you get off you need to come straight home."

"Okay, whatever, Damien."

He sighed. "Bye, I guess."

Cameron paused for a moment. "Feel better, okay? I know you want me to come straight home, but I'm going to stop by the store and get you some medicine. Feel better, omen."

Smiling a little, he told her that he loved her and hung up. When he looked back down at Samantha, she had a toy thermometer and was looking at him with interest.

"What?" Damien asked.

"Mommy said that thermometers don't only go in the mouth. Where do you want yours?"

God help him.

When Gazzy came back, it was late. Around six.

"We were waiting to eat dinner with you, you know," Fang grumbled. "We waited and now they're all starved. Use your head a little, alright?"

Gasman sighed. "Sorry."

I went to the stairs. "Boys and Tabitha, come eat!"

Tabitha came down the stairs carrying Chris. "Here, Max."

I took him from her. "How are you, Chris?"

He moaned, cuddling against me.

"Are you good?"

"Yes."

"Alright," I said, walking into the kitchen. Tyler ran in after me.

"Max-"

"No running in the house."

"I almost starved to death," he complained. "What's for dinner? Not hotdogs, right?"

"Nope," I said. "Pizza."

"Again?"

"Tyler, as soon as you get a job and make money, I'll let you pick what you want for dinner every night, alright?"

"Fine! When my band takes off, you'll wish that you never said that. I'm cutting you out of my will."

"You have to be dead to have that go into affect."

"Maybe I'll die soon. I am going in for my checkup next week."

I almost hit him. "Tyler, don't joke about things like that."

He frowned. "It's my body. I can make jokes about what I want."

"Just shut up, okay?"

Lucas walked into the room. "I want you all to know that I hate you."

Great, he's Tyler. Gasman and his girlfriend walked in before Lucas could explain why. Chris looked at Juliet with interest.

"Hi," he said, giggling.

"Here, you want to hold him?" I offered. He was starting to get heavy.

"Uh, no," she said, looking at him with obvious disgust. I think that I can go ahead and say that she doesn't want kids nor like them.

Neo ran in with Jason. "Hi, Daddy!"

He ran over to Gasman and hugged his leg. Smiling, Gazzy picked him up. "Hey, Neo."

"Sorry I gots sick," he mumbled, wrapping his arm around his father's neck. "No do it no mores."

"It's fine, Neo," he said. "Perfectly fine."

Fang and I were cleaning up. After dinner, Neo got really upset when it was time for Gasman to leave. He wanted to go too. Gasman almost said yes, but Juliet made him say no. Do I have proof of this? No. But when have I ever had proof for any of my accusations?

"I told you that I didn't like her," Fang said, wiping down the table where Cody had spilt his juice.

I leaned against the counter. "She'll warm up to Neo."

"I guess," Fang said, shaking his head. "Hey, wanna go have sex?"

"Fang."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes. "You just say it so blatantly."

"What? I love having sex with you."

"Max?"

We both turned and saw Neo. I frowned at Fang.

"What's wrong, baby?"

He ran over to me. "Daddy no like me?"

I picked him up. "Who said that?"

"Tyler."

Fang sighed. "Tyler's just a brat. Of course he likes you."

"Like Julie better?"

"No," I said, kissing his head. "How could he? You're the best, Neo."

He nodded his head. "Yeah. Best."

"You want to sleep in bed with us?" I asked him, ignoring Fang's crestfallen face. "Huh?"

"Yeah," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "Now?"

"Sure," I said, walking out of the room, a now sullen Fang following right behind. "Check on the other kids, Fang."

"Don't I get a please?"

"No," I said, going into our bedroom, closing the door behind me. Neo giggled.

"Max rude."

"No, just demanding," I said, laying him down. "Wanna watch TV or are you tired?"

"TV," he said. Sighing, I went and turned it on, putting it on some cartoon before going into the bathroom to change. Fang came in while I was getting undressed.

"You check on all of them?" I asked as he started to brush his teeth. Fang nodded his head before spitting in the sink.

"Yeah," he said. "You wanna work tomorrow or me?"

"I will," I offered. "Gasman said something about taking Neo out, so don't plan on taking him anywhere."

"I'm not," Fang said, walking out of the room. "Tomorrow is a sleep day."

"Is it?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

"You're at the store," he said as I walked out into the room.

"I know, huh?"

He smiled, getting into bed. Neo had already fallen asleep. Sighing a little, I turned off the TV before getting into bed with him.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," Fang said, running a hand down Neo's back. "See you in the morning."

"Yeah, the morning."

I was up at the store. I had to wake up early this morning to get Tyler ready for when Dan picked him up for church. Tyler was still in a good mood about Jessica, so it was pretty simple. The only sad thing that now he and Jessica like each other? I hadn't heard a thing about Alex.

"I think that I'm going to be a writer when I grow up," Lucas decided suddenly. As seemed the norm now, he was up at work with me.

"Why's that?" I asked him, half asleep.

"Because they make lots of money."

"Eh, I don't know, Lucas," I said, shaking my head. "The ones that become best sellers all suck. It's like bands. The best ones are the ones that only a handful of people know about."

Lucas was too young to understand me. "Yeah…or maybe a racecar driver."

And that's when I fell asleep. It was probably an hour later that Cameron came in and woke me up.

"Hey, Max," she said.

"Hey," I said. "Hi, Samantha."

She giggled. "Daddy's sick."

"He is?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Gonna get his books for him."

"Lucas, go get Damien's stuff."

"I come," Samantha said, following him.

"Damien's sick?" I asked Cameron, stretching a little.

"Yeah. He felt bad yesterday and worse today."

"So you're taking care of him?" I asked, holding in a laugh. Cameron had a really short patience level with Damien, or anybody for that matter.

"Yeah," she said, frowning at me. "God, he's such a baby."

"Cameron, come on. Is he sick sick or just sick?"

"He's fine," she said, rolling her eyes, Samantha came back, following right behind Lucas. She had seemed to form some sort of crush on him, though sometimes it bounced to Tyler, if he was in a good mood that day. Today, though, Lucas was clearly her main priority.

"I'm a good vet," Samantha went on as he put the two boxes on the counter. "Best vet ever."

"No," Lucas said, not realizing that she was just trying to make herself seem cool in front of him. "My granny is."

I rolled my eyes, ringing Cameron up. "Be nice, Lucas."

"I am!" He seemed to be fed up with Samantha, as he normally was. She always wanted to follow him around and I'm sure it had to get annoying. "Samantha's the one being annoying."

"No!" She pushed him. "You're annoying."

"See?"

"Don't push," Cameron told Samantha, handing me forty bucks. "What all does he have anyways?"

"Uh," I looked at the box. "Two mangas, three movies, two packs of Dragon Ball Z cards, twenty new action figures-"

"Okay, enough," she said, shaking her head.

Lucas walked away, going to go back to playing with his toys. Samantha followed him.

"Stop following me! You can't play," he said, frowning at her.

Samantha pushed him again. "Can too!"

"No," he said.

"Yes!"

This time, he pushed her. The only difference is that he is way bigger than her. Samantha fell down and started crying.

"Lucas!"

"She pushed me first," he said, not caring in the least that she might be hurt.

With no sympathy in her voice, Cameron said, "Get up, Samantha."

"No!"

"Now."

Still crying a little, she stood up. Cameron took her change from me before grabbing the boxes and walking out of the store. "Come on, Sam. You pushed him first. Twice. You get what you ask for."

She sniffled loudly before following her mom out of the store. Cameron might not have cared, but I did.

"Lucas, don't you ever push someone. And if you're going to, don't you ever let it be a girl. You hear me?"

"You said that girls are equal."

"Yeah, I know."

"Then you lied."

"Get used to it."

After church was over and he was home, Tyler decided he should probably start on his project. It was about two days late now, but better late than never.

"What are you doing?" Tabitha asked him as he came into her room, looking for something.

"I need markers."

"You don't got any?"

"Nope," he said. "Give me some."

Groaning loudly, she went to her dresser and grabbed a box off the top. "Fine, but you're just getting the normal ten pack. No smelling ones and definitely not the twenty-five pack."

"Does it got red and blue?"

Tabitha nodded. The idiot… "Yes, Tyler."

"Alright then," he said, taking them.

"What are you doing anyways?"

"Working on a project."

"What do you gotta do?"

"I'm not sure," he said, frowning. "But I know I'll need markers. Oh, and a ruler. And glue. Do you have a poster board? That too."

Sighing, she went to her closet. She always had a few poster boards. Mainly because whenever Fang went to the store and had to get her one, he'd freak about what color to get her. Blue because there is not gender for colors? What about pink? Or is that being sexist? Maybe an orange? White or black? Why is it that no one ever buys black? Racism maybe? God, is he turning into Luther? Anyways, she always had a poster board.

"How come you always make Adeem's mom buy stuff if you got this many?" Tyler asked as he took a red one.

"Because I need to save mine," she said, getting him a glue stick, ruler, and scissors. "Spell scissors, Tyler."

He frowned. "Shut up."

Giggling, she went back over to her bed. "When's the project due?"

"Are you going to ask me how to spell due too?"

"I don't know. Do you know how?"

"It's due Thursday."

"And you're already working on it?"

"Last Thursday."

"Max is gonna yell at you," Tabitha sang.

"Well, she can get over it."

"Dad's gonna hit you with his belt."

"He can get over it too."

"Sure, go tell him that."

Stomping away, Tyler left with his supplies. Now, if only he knew what the project was over…

Gasman smiled at Neo. "You like your burger, buddy?"

"Yeah," Neo said, frowning at it. How is it that your get a burger all nice looking and then the lettuce falls out the back and the ketchup ends up on your nice shirt that Max washed for you? It wasn't right, it just wasn't right.

"Good," he said, smiling at him. Juliet hadn't come with them so the atmosphere was a lot less tense. "How have you been?"

"Good," Neo said, finally giving up on figuring out one of lives toughest inquires. "Share a room with Jason. He's funny."

"Is he?"

"Yep," Neo said, nodding his head. "I gotta be a good big brother, though."

Gasman frowned. "Who said that he was your brother?"

"Fang."

"You know that he's kidding, right?"

Neo just nodded again. "Yeah. Love him."

"Who? Jason or Fang?"

Giggling, he said, "Both."

"So you like living with Max and Fang?"

"Yes," he said in earnest. "So much."

"You don't think that there's too many other kids? Wouldn't you rather just live in a house with-"

"No," Neo said, not letting him finish. "Love my family."

Gasman sighed. "Neo, I was thinking about something."

So was Neo. Now that he was over the burger thing, he was wondering about ketchup. Why did it taste so good? Did they put candy in it? Chocolate maybe? Dr. Martinez's cookies? "What?"

"About you living there."

Neo ate a fry, giggling. He loved French fries. Though, one time, Tyler went on a frenzy of calling them freedom fries and making everyone else call them that too or else he'd have one of his fits, kind of like a baby. That's what Tyler was. A baby.

"It's just, you're my boy, right?"

Neo looked up and nodded. "Yeah."

"And I want you to live with me. Do you want to live with me?"

Daddy would probably let him take a bath with his shoes on, something Max refused to allow him to do. "Yes."

"Alright," Gasman relaxed, having feared the worse. "Good."

"Yeah," Neo said. "Gonna move into Tabby's room with her? With me and Jay? Chris and Lance?"

"What? No, buddy," he said, shaking his head. "I meant that I want you to come live out in New York with me."

Neo frowned. "No Max?"

"No."

"No Fang?"

"No."

"No family?"

"I'm your family, Neo. I'm your daddy."

"No family?" He repeated.

Gasman sighed. "No."

Then he started crying loudly. He felt like James, crying like this, but Daddy was trying to take him away from Max. From Fang. From Jason. From Chris and Lucas and Lance and James and Cody. He was even upset about Tabitha, even though she was bossy , and Tyler, even though he was mean. Why was Daddy doing this? It wasn't fair!

"No!" Neo started scream, no longer caring about his food. "No take 'way me family! No like water on my shoes! Max right, Max right. Max! Max!"

Gasman rushed to take him to the bathroom, not wanting him to cry in front of everybody. Why didn't he son want to live with him? What was so great about living with Max and Fang and all their kids and tag-alongs?

Fang sighed. "I don't know, Max."

"Maybe it's not good, you know? Gasman is his father."

"Says who? Just because it's his DNA doesn't mean that he can take him whenever he wants. If that were true, Lydia could one up you any day."

I sighed. "Fang, I just meant-"

"I know what you meant and you're wrong," Fang said. "It'd be one thing if Neo wanted to go, but he doesn't. He would die without the other boys."

I shook my head. "What about James, Fang? And Lance? They aren't ours. You know that, don't you? We don't have any holding on them."

"That's not right, Max! We take care of them, spend ever Goddamn pay check on them and their needs so that when they asshole parents come back we can just give them up? How is that fair? Huh? Huh?"

"It's no, Fang," I said, looking away form him. "And stop yelling-"

"I'm going to fucking yell if I want to yell!"

I sat down on the edge of the bed, watching him carefully. "Fang, do you not think that Gasman is capable of taking care of Neo?"

"No, Max, you know what, I don't."

I shrugged. "I think he is."

"Yeah, well he isn't," Fang said, crossing his arms. "He'll let that bitch run his life and ruin Neo's. He's weak minded. He's not a father. He's just a stupid kid that wanted to look like a great guy, keeping his baby. Yeah, well, that great guy is an ass that thinks he can take what I raised. Well, news flash, he can't."

"But he can, Fang. And Gasman is not weak minded."

"Oh, yes he is. He so is."

"Says who?"

"Me and that's all that matters."

I shook my head. "Fang, come on."

"Fine, Max, you go tell Neo that you don't love him enough to fight for him."

"There is no fighting, Fang! Gasman already said to forget about it, that Neo doesn't want to. I was just talking about when Bone and Luther come back and want their-"

"Their what, Max? I know your not going to say sons because they don't have any. Not one. Bone was always talking about who deserved a kid and who didn't, well now he doesn't. He had his chance and blew it."

"Fang-"

"No one's taking them from me, us. No one."

I laid down. "You're just boneheaded, Fang. That's part of growing up. We might not always be the ones that have them, but we'll always care about them. Neo doesn't have to live in my house for me to care about him. I don't have to be the woman that tucks in him at night to be the one that loves him the most." I rolled over onto my stomach. "And we need to think about what we could do to his brain by not forcing him to be around his father. And what about our own kids, Fang?"

"What about them?"

"You don't think that they don't deserve a home that isn't filled to the brim? You don't think that they need more of our attention sometimes? We're pulled to the breaking point, Fang."

"So what?" Fang was angry with me now. "As far as I'm concerned, they're all our kids."

I shook my head. "Shut up, Fang. You're refusing to listen to any of the points I'm making and are just being a jerk. Go screw yourself."

"Might as well seeing as you won't fuck with me anymore."

I scoffed at him, rolling my eyes heavily. "Fuck you then, Fang. Maybe if we didn't have a million kids interrupting us, we could have sex. But no, you want them here, right?"

Fang slammed the bedroom door on his way out. Whatever. I needed some sleep anyways.