Bro had never liked Independence Day. He lived in Texas, and people are too patriotic there. Even his flash stepping couldn't get him safely through the crowds. He was good, but this was Texas. It's a whole different creature on July 4. Which is why he decided to just stay home with the kid today. Any other day he would have taken him out for a bit but today… He didn't want to risk it. There were still dangers in the complex, though. The people down the hall usually had relatives over, and they were quite rowdy. No one else dared to mess with Bro, but these relatives always targeted him when they visited. He just hoped they wouldn't do anything too bad this year.

A baby in the house wouldn't stop his annual watching of Independence Day on the day itself. He put the kid on the couch, the DVD in the player, and they relocated the baby to his lap. The baby seemed to like it. He watched intently and giggled when Will Smith punched the alien in the face. Just as the movie ended, and unnoticed by Bro, a firecracker, sent by the neighbor's relatives, rolled under the door. It went off with a bang and set one of Bro's smuppets ablaze. The baby started to cry in distress. Bro rushed to smother the smuppet and then picked him up and started to bounce him up and down to soothe him. He opened the door to tell off whoever had sent that firecracker and, to his surprise, saw all of his neighbors looking out their doors in shock.

"Bro?" said the girl across the hall. "Where did you get that baby?" She looked wary. A murmur ran down the hall as people speculated where the baby came from. Perhaps he was the product of a one night stand. Maybe Bro had stolen him.

Bro's glare couldn't be seen from behind his dark glasses, but they could all feel it. Everyone went completely silent as they watched him bounce the now quiet baby. "This baby was found in an alley," Bro said. "Adoption centers are closed for the holiday, so I volunteered to take care of him until tomorrow." He turned his flat gaze on the neighbor's brother, who shrank back. "If you ever put a firecracker in my apartment again…" He left the end hanging, but the brother got the idea.

The neighbors watched in silence as Bro turned around and walked back into his apartment. "Sorry about that, lil' guy. They can be a bit judgmental, but you'll eventually get…" He trailed off. What was he doing? He was talking as if he were going to keep him. He's just not cut out for child care. Tomorrow morning, he'll go down to the station and they can put him with someone who was any kind of prepared.

It was starting to get dark. The fireworks would be starting soon. Bro grabbed his folding chair and the baby and went to the roof. He sat the kid on his lap just as the first firework exploded across the sky. They sat and watched the fireworks quietly until the grand finale. As a huge barrage lit their faces, the baby looked up, pointed at Bro, and said, "Bo!"

Bro looked down at his smiling face. "Bo," he said, again.

This kid is alright, Bro thought. Maybe he would keep him.

Wow, this one is wayy shorter than I thought. Chapter 3 will definitely be longer, I promise.

Also, in chapter 3 they'll finally be naming Dave, so I can stop calling him "The Baby" all the time. It'll be so much easier that way, for sure. I'll see if I can get it up by next Monday, the Monday after that definitely.