Sorry, I was feeling really ill today, so this chapter may be crap… but hey, I tried! Hope it's ok! The writing may be crap… I'll rewrite it when I'm not feeling like passing out on my keyboard.


== DAVE: Head to Club House


The Mall Will Be Closing in 10 Minutes. The Mall Will Be Closing In 10 Minutes! Please make your way to the checkouts now, which will remain open for the next 10 minutes.

Alright, alright. Think people get the hint? Dave cursed his luck. He had been hiding in the mall all day long. He was hungry, and tired, and limping. His injuries from that cursed fight that started this whole mess was starting to bother him more and more.

Dave leaned against the wall in the Men's Washroom, and lit up a smoke. He knew he was not supposed to smoke in the building - or at all - but at this moment, he did not care. He needed something to calm his nerves… he took one puff, but almost immediately after, Bro's face flashed across his vision. He cursed and instantly put the smoke out, throwing it into the garbage. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He still had that cursed black eye.

What was he doing?

He really did not know anymore. All he seemed to do was screw himself - or Bro - up. No. He was done. No more. Maybe if he proved he could be a good citizen, the Social Worker will fuck off?

Doubtful. But worth a try.

Yeah right. He did try. Last time Bro picked him up from the Drunk Tank, and the Social Worker called the next day, threatening to have him removed from the home, Dave had promised that then. He promised to clean up his act… but it was so hard. His 'friends' - if he could call them that - were no help. If he did not go out and drink and party, then he was not a 'cool-kid' anymore. But damn! He was doing so well! It wasn't until he decided to walk home after seeing a movie with Terezi and Karkat that things got fucked up. He should have known Karkat would have tried to fuck things up. For years it had been a power-struggled between the two of them. Dave was pretty sure he did not even like Terezi that way, but he knew that Karkat did, so Dave constantly made passes at her, and then he had asked her to 'come to a movie sometime?' They both knew it was 'just as friends', but Karkat did not, and he tagged along to 'make sure nothing happened'.

Karkat was always 'the leader'. The was 'the Boss Man' of their Gang. Nobody elected him, nobody chose him. It's just been that way since the beginning. The damn bastard threw the biggest 'hissy-fit' about being the leader, that they just let him. But that does not mean Dave did not fight him every step of the way.

He felt his side gingerly. Damn Karkat. He should have known that bastard would have tried something… pulling a knife on him though - that was something Dave had never expected. As soon as the police found out it was 'a fight over a girl' they basically dropped all charges. Dave had not been back to the Club House since.

The Mall will be closing in 5 minutes! The mall will be closing in 5 miutes! Please…

Dave popped in his earphones to drown out the noise. He had no where better to go - home was out of the question. He might as well piss Karkat off while he was out… so he might as well go to the Club House. He turned and headed out of the bathroom, looking cautiously around before leaving. Knowing his luck, that damn Social Worker was still looking for him. Luckily though, he managed to slip from the mall, and through the parking lot unnoticed. Crap was his heart beating! Suddenly he wish he did not throw out that smoke…

He quickly glanced behind him, before breaking into a run, dashing off towards the bus stop. A bus had just arrived - he did not care what bus it was, as long as it took him away. All the busses eventually had to go downtown anyway to the Bus Exchange. He'd just ride the entire circuit around until it led him downtown.

It took forever, and Dave had to duck behind the window a few times as 'suspicious' looking cars drove by, but luckily they finally made it down town, he hoped on another bus, and headed out to the Hiking Trails. They were now miles away from the Strider's apartment, and Dave was starting to feel safer, calmer. He cranked the volume on his ipod, and strode off down the path leading from the Bus Exchange, to the Trails.

It was after five, and the Hiking Trails were dead. Most people were home eating dinner with their families. The thought of food made Dave's stomach growl. Wonder what Bro was going to eat? Probably pizza again.

He reached a split in the path. One lead up to the advanced trailed, one went straight, and one went down. He chose the down path, but did not stick to it long. At the 'broken tree', he slipped off and headed into the trees, where a ricket-old fort greeted him. It was crap - thrown together by a bunch of 10-year-olds who had no idea what they were doing. But it was a hangout - their hang out. The boards holding it together were rickety, and the place around the 'tree-house/fort' looked more like a junk-yard then anything. Piles of garbage was thrown around, along with whatever crap they brought there. There was an old couch they had dragged down, and left at the foot of the tree - though someone had sliced one of the cushions open, and an arm was missing, it was still more comfy then the ground. An old ladder led into the tree-house.

"DAVE!" A screech invaded his ears, even louder then his ipod. Dave sighed and took out his ipod. Even through his shades, and the darkness of the setting sun through the trees, he could see a girl running up to him. Her eyes were covered by red shades, her hair was died a soft teal colour - though Dave knew her real hair colour was red as well. She just got sick of the 'ginger-jokes'. She ran up and threw her arms over his shoulders, screeching happily. "I thought you'd NEEEEEVER come back! I told everyone you WOULD! I KNEW I was RIGHT!"

"Get off, Terezi." Dave snapped, pushing her arms away, "Anyone else here?"

"Yeah." She cackled, "Come on in! I'm SURE Karkat will be GLAD to SEE you!"

Her shrilly voice was already giving Dave a headache, but for the sake of appearces - and to piss Karkat off - he ignored his annoyance, and walked with her to the club house.

She pushed him aside with a laugh, "Ladies first, Mr. Cool-Kid!"

Dave looked down at her red and teal skirt and smiled. Who was he to argue?

The girl cackled again, and climbed up the ladder, Dave climbing right behind her, not even hiding the fact he was looking up.

"KARKAT!" She shrieked, "DAVE'S BACK!"

Dave climbed up after her, just as he heard Karkat swear. Dave wanted to swear himself. The room was just how he left it. An old cot was pushed up against the back wall, Sollux and Feferi were sitting on it, completely engrossed in whatever video game that Sollux was playing. Sollux's black hair hung in his face, and Feferi had her long hair pushed back, long pink extensions fluttering down through it. He ignored them and continued forward. He was briefly aware of Vriska sitting at the old rickety table against the other wall. She was grinning darkly at Dave, twisting a few dice in her hand. Vriska's long black hair was hanging loose down her back, and she had blue streaks painted through it. Her blue eyes narrowed as she watched Dave. She had more metal sticking out of her face then needed, a piercing in nearly every place possible. She was a few years older then them, so she could legally go and get peircings, but Dave knew she had piercing even before she turned fifteen. She had a large spider tattoo across her chest, showing through her revealing, low-cut top. She wore a sleeveless shirt, under a blue blazer, and a short leather skirt. The only words that came to Dave's mind to explain her was 'slut'. He hated Vriska, and he was sure she did not like him either.

"Daaaaaaaave," She sneered, "I heard Karkat shanked ya gooooooood!"

Dave ignored her. Karkat barely scratched him in the fight. His eyes were pinned straight ahead, at that fucking douche bag sitting in the high-backed chair at the end of the 'Club House'. Karkat. Damn did Dave hate him. The smug, short asshole was sitting on the chair, leaning on one arm with a smug look. He had a patch-bandage on his cheek from where Dave got him with his knife the last time the saw each other. He wore a black shirt, a picture of a skull on the front, and leather pants, his arms adorned with spiked accessories.

"Well, fuck." Karkat smirked, "I didn't think you'd show your face around here again, fuckass."

"And let you guys have all the fun?" Dave kept the poker-face. He would not let Karkat have the pleasure of seeing how pissed off Dave was.

"Why didn't you show up sooner, fuck-face?" Karkat snapped,"Couldn't." Dave replied with a nonchalant shrug, "Damn feds on my back."

Vriska laughed behind him, "Karkat told us the hoooooooole story!" She got up, walking over to lean on the chair next to Karkat, "Is it true that the feds are taking you away from your beloved Daddy?"

"Bro ain't my Dad. He's my bro." Dave shrugged. Damn did she piss him off!

Karkat grinned, "We thought you were gone for good. So how come you still around?"

"I gave em the slip." Dave explained, "Wouldn't want them to take me away without saying good-bye to all my best bro's."

Karkat laughed darkly, "Yes. Of course we wouldn't."

Dave felt his hands ball into fists. Why did he come here? He did not like a single person here. No one here was his friend - he did not need friends.

"You came just in time, Fuck Ass." Karkat interrupted his thoughts,

"Oh?" Dave asked,

"We were talking about taking things up a notch." Dave could tell Karkat was studying his face as he spoke, looking for cracks in Dave's armour. "I was talking to Jack Noir and his friends…"

Jack Noir. Dave instantly stopped listening when he heard that name, "Sorry bro, not interested.""What the fuck, Strider!" Karkat snapped, "You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"If it has to do with Jack Noir, then it can't be anything good." Dave snapped, "Didn't I tell you the feds are watching me?"

"So?" Karkat shrugged, "Jack is our ally."

"Fuck no." Dave snapped.

Karkat growled, "Your really starting to piss me off, Strider."

"Good." Dave retorted.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Terezi gasped, walking up between them, "Everybody chill! Dave, don't you want to even listen to what Karkat has to say?"

"He is our bold and fearless leader." Vriska said sarcastically.

Dave grumbled, but no one heard what he said.

Karkat cleared his throat, "Jack wants to cut us in on a deal! In exchange for a 'small duty', he's going to give us all a whole month's supply of Sopor free of charge!"

"Its not free if we have to work for it." Dave corrected, "What's this deal?"

"Dunno." Karkat shrugged, "Jack hasn't told me yet."

"Well, it doesn't matter." Dave snapped, "I'm out."

"Is Mr. Cool turning into Mr. Chicken?" Vriska sang,

"No. I just don't want anything more to do with it." Dave said truthfully,

"Look's like Mr. Cool isn't cool anymore." Vriska sneered,

"Shut up." Dave snapped.

"Yeah. Never knew you'd turn into a pussy the moment you got in a little trouble." Karkat challenged.

Dave did not know what to do. He was walking a thin line here. If his 'friends' turned their backs on him, he'd have nothing.

"So you can't go home?" Terezi asked,

"Not tonight at least." Dave shrugged.

She raised her eyebrow, "Well, we're having a party at my house tonight. My parents are out of town. Wanna come? You can crash there for the night?"

Dave was tempted to refuse. But he did need a place to stay for the night, and as long as he stayed away from Sopor, he should be ok. And a bit of booze would be ok…

Dave sighed, "Ok. Fine."

Karkat smirked, "This shall be fun."


== DAVE: Go to party


Hope that was ok? At the end of the chapter, I can barely see my keyboard… I'm going to pass out now… damn sickness.