This one was a lot longer than expected. But oh, well. They length will vary, I suppose. This is a long issue. Heh.

Thanks to MizzC, woowoo13, and sweetiepye2 for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Boondocks. Obviously.

The DuBois

"Ready?"

"Nope."

Huey glared down at Jazmine, who was standing on the doorstep beside him, frowning at the front door. He let out a loud, exasperated sigh.

"You're the one who thought they should know!"

"I know!" Jazmine admitted, sighing as well. "But...the idea seemed way better in my head. Then we actually got here."

Huey sighed again. When they'd finished their exams and school had been let out for semester break, the first thing Jazmine had insisted they do was go back home. They went back home every other school break and this was the break they were supposed to be going out to California to see their friend Hiro. Obviously, that had been out of the question.

"Well," He tried. "They're going to have to find out eventually. If we...you know...keep it."

As much as they'd talked over their options (and it had definitely been a lot of talking), they hadn't quite come to terms with which one was the best. The initial plan was to get Jazmine to a doctor first before making any big decisions. Which was another reason they'd had to go to Woodcrest; Jazmine's parents still paid for her insurance. It wouldn't be a good look if she went to a doctor in Chicago and then the bill came to Maryland. That would be an interesting phone call.

Jazmine looked so pitiful that he felt himself frown as well. It seemed as if soon as the realization that she was pregnant came, so had the side effects. Morning sickness had hit her with a vengeance and practically lasted all day. She couldn't keep anything down and he practically had to force her to keep eating. Which, you know, didn't make her get mad at him too much or anything. Not. To add to it she was always tired, always dizzy, and was feeling so emotional she actually avoided talking just so she wouldn't yell at him! Which, as nice of a gesture as it was, it was also a big red flag that something was wrong.

"It'll be fine." There was that damn optimism again! Who the heck was he and what had he done with Huey Freeman?! "Well, actually, Tom's going to freak the hell out. He might even try to kill me."

Ah. There he was.

"Thank you." Jazmine's voice was flat.

"But then, they'll get over it." He took her hand and squeezed it. "They're your parents and you're their only child. It's ony natural for them to have a not-so-positive reaction."

"I know."

"So...let's just get it over with. Especially before-"

"Y'all niggas still standin' out hurr lookin stupid as hell?" Eighteen year old Riley Freeman shoved in between them, elbowing both Huey and Jazmine in their sides. Jazmine winced. Huey closed his eyes, grit his teeth, and smacked him in the back of the head. "Ow! Damn, Ali! What's yo problem?"

"What the hell!" Grandad pushed in between them as well, holding a large, steaming pot. "It's cold as hell outside and y'all lallygagging on the damn doorstep like it's pop-sickle weather or something! Trying to freeze yo poor granddaddy to death and you ain't even been back for an hour! What is wrong with you two?"

Huey rolled his eyes as Riley snickered. "Sorry, grandad."

It was great to see nothing had changed.

It was a good thing Riley was so good at art, since it was what had gotten him into the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Even though they went to school in the same city, Riley stayed with some of his other friends, only coming over to raid the refrigerator, use the Internet or just flat out harass them. They'd had the same flight back to Maryland, Huey sitting in the middle, Riley squashed by the window, and Jazmine taking the aisle seat so that she could jump up and run to the bathroom whenever needed (which happened only, oh three times). When Riley had asked what was eating her, Huey said motion sickness.

Well, it wasn't completely a lie.

Huey watched Jazmine sigh, taking out her key and unlocking the front door, slowly opening it. "Um...hi," She called out, opening the door wider and moving aside so that the Freemans could come in behind her. She closed the door back, looking like she was going to be sick. In the figurative as well as the literal sense. Huey raised an eyebrow as a sudden thundering noise seemed to rock the staircase.

"My baby girl's home!" Tom DuBois, Jazmine's father, yelled, rushing forward and sweeping her in a bear hug. Jazmine winced, awkwardly patting his shoulder with one hand. "Look at you! Looking all grown up."

"I'm twenty, daddy," She managed, letting out a sigh of relief as Tom released her. He took it to be a sigh of contentment and grinned, hugging her again.

"I know." He closed his eyes, sighing. "I've missed you, too."

"It's only been three months!"

"Three months?" Her mother, Sarah DuBois, appeared in the doorway that led to the kitchen, wiping her hands with a dishcloth. "Please. He started crying when the plane took off, whining about how he wanted you to come home."

"Honey." Tom waved his hand, chuckling nervously. "Please, don't make such exaggerations?"

Sarah blew a strand of blond hair out of her eyes. "Who's exaggerating?"

"Hi, hello, y'all ain't gon talk my head off!" Grandad let out, grumbling and stalking past them into the kitchen. "Shoot. Got me holdin' a pot of gumbo just like my cousin used to make down in Louisiana, bout to burn my hands off...I'm hungry! I want to eat!"

"Yeah!" Riley walked past them as well, shoving his hands in the pockets of his sagging jeans. "Got niggas stomach acid eatin' up dey insides and shit."

"Riley!" Grandad yelled. "Can you say one sentence without cussin?"

Riley froze, grinning.

"Why, yes I can." He said, perfectly articulating his words and putting on a mock cheery face before slouching again, rolling his eyes. "Nigga."

The two of them disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Jazmine, Huey, her father, and her mother. She clasped her hands together, sighing.

"Sooo-"

"Huey!" Tom held up his fist, gesturing for Huey to give him dap. He slowly did so, making a face. "So, how's school treating you?"

He looked towards Jazmine before glancing back at Tom, shrugging. "School-like."

"Ah." Tom sighed wistfully as Huey sat down on the couch. He stroked his chin, thoughtful. "I remember my Pre-law days. Some of the happiest days of my life. Good friends, good food, good studies, smokin' girls-"

Jazmine smacked her palm over her face. Huey shrugged, his hands on his knees. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, when you weren't calling your mom twice a day, begging her to let you come home."

"I did not!" Tom practically whined, shaking his head. He turned back to Huey. "Anyways, if you need any help with school, deciding on a school...just come to the pro here!" He jabbed a thumb in his chest. "I believe I can, as you young folk say, give you the hookup."

Huey blinked, nodding slowly. "Sure. Yeah. Thanks."

"So, do you think you'll go into prosecuting?"

Huey's face fell flat. "No."

It was bad enough he even said that, being that Tom was a prosecutor. Even worse, he had to go on.

"As a descendant of a long line of proud, strong, persevering African Americans who were wrongfully tried, accused, and sentenced to various crimes of different degrees of offensiveness, I do not believe that the United States has grown up enough to know the meaning behind the words "A fair trial"," He said casually, ignoring Jazmine's glare and Sarah's warning head shake. Tom stared at him. "Too many people go into law with the vain assumption that they can get the highest paying jobs by sending people to jail, which not only turns them into corrupt pawns of the government, but also leaves them ignorant to the plight of the common man. As an advocate of the improvement and progress of black culture, it would serve me as well as others better to defend those who have been rebuked or forgotten by the law so that they can also have a chance of getting a fair trial. Or, if I really get into it, be a judge," He finished plainly, leaning back. He blinked at everyone's silence. "What?"

"That's...very...honorable of you." Tom seemed to be gritting his teeth so hard that it was a surprise they didn't break. He clapped his hands, turning to Sarah. Both of them headed towards the kitchen. Jazmine shook her head. "Well! Who's ready for some dinner?"

Behind Tom, Jazmine's face turned green. Huey's eyes widened and he waved his hands, shaking his head. Jazmine glared back, making a bunch of hand signals that anyone outside their relationship would never comprehend.

It was something, when you'd been together so long you developed your own language.

"Hey, where'd she go?" Sarah asked as she poked her head back into the living room after a door upstairs slammed. Huey shrugged.

"I think she's...unpacking?"

Never mind that her suitcase was still by the door. Sarah shrugged, going back into the kitchen. Huey rolled his eyes, getting up and going into the kitchen, grabbing a bowl of some kind of dish he wasn't paying too much attention to and carrying it to the dining room. By the time everyone was sitting around the table, piling food on their plates, Jazmine came back, sitting in an empty chair between Huey and her mother, looking a little better...but not much.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Sarah glanced worriedly at her daughter, putting a hand on her forehead. "You aren't coming down with something, are you?"

Jazmine's mouth opened, but nothing came out. She wasn't good at lying. Especially to her mom.

"Actually," She said, visibly wincing. Huey's eyes widened. No. No. You did not discuss being pregnant at a family dinner! That was a good way to get everyone mad! Shit! "I've got something to tell you." She noticed Huey's look too late and turned back to her mom, biting her lip. "But it can wait until after we've finished eating-"

"Oh, no!" Tom, who was sitting directly across from Jazmine, put down his fork cheerfully. "What's going on?" He grinned. "Did you make the Dean's list again?"

Jazmine shook her head, looking down at her empty plate. "Well, yeah. But that's not what this is about, no."

"Can somebody pass the salt?" Grandad asked loudly, straightening his glasses. "Y'all know damn well my arms ain't that long! Boy!" He smacked Riley upside the head. "I understand you're in Art School and think you got some talent, but you don't build sculptures with yo food! Food's made for eating! Like yo greedy ass don't already know that-"

"Always gotta crush a man's spirit!" Riley snapped back, shoving a mouthful of meatloaf in his mouth in response. Tom shook his head, his attention returning to his daughter.

"Your thesis for your biochemistry class got picked?"

Jazmine's eyes filled with tears. Huey inwardly groaned. Oh, no.

Sarah dropped her fork as well, her blue eyes widening. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is I still don't have the salt!" Grandad cut in, rolling his eyes. Huey picked up the salt, holding it out towards his grandad. Jazmine seemed to pick that exact moment to blurt out the news as if she were afraid she'd lose the nerve.

"I'm pregnant."

Everyone froze. Huey flinched the way he did whenever he heard that word, still holding the salt towards grandad, whose mouth was hanging open. his fork had dropped out of his hand, but he didn't even notice. Riley was also frozen beside him, only for a totally different reason. He started laughing.

"Aw shit!" He cackled, elbowing grandad in the arm. "And you always said I'd be tha one to procreate before I even had a chance to do sumthin wit mah life! Won't chu wrong?"

Huey sighed, closing his eyes. "Salt," He said, dropping the sat dispenser in front of his grandad's plate. Beside him, Jazmine was crying freely, staring down at her lap. Her mom was speechless. Her dad looked ready to burst.

Which was exactly what happened.

The next thing anyone knew the table was flipping over and Huey was grabbing Jazmine and jumping away to keep her from being crushed. Everyone else screamed, yelled, and started talking at once.

"Tom!" Sarah yelled.

"Tom, what the hell is wrong with you?" Grandad barked. Riley rolled on the floor, laughing so hard that he was crying. Tom was breathing heavily, raising a finger and pointing it towards the eldest Freeman brother, who was raising an eyebrow.

He hadn't seen Tom look this demented since he was possessed by Stinkmeanor.

"You!" He yelled over the rest of the noise, jumping over the table and the spilled food. "I will kill you!"

"Daddy!" Jazmine snapped, darting in front of Huey before Tom could attempt to do any kind of bodily harm to him. "Cut it out!"

"Get out of the way!" Tom shot back, throwing up his hands. "Why, God, why?" He lifted his head to the ceiling, his hands forming fists. "You let this boy come and corrupt my daughter!"

"Oh, for the love of-" Huey started, but was interrupted by Tom poking a finger in his chest. Jazmine had backed beside him, her arms around his arm.

"You and my daughter...you..." Tom looked ready to burst a vein in his forehead. "You two had sex!"

Huey's jaw dropped. Was he kidding. "Um, duh!" He yelled, his attitude coming to the forefront. He took Tom's finger and shoved it away, not backing down. "Yeah, I did. And I don't appreciate you threatening me or talking to me like you're my father. You ain't gonna do anything."

"He does have a point, Tom." Grandad, probably the calmest one other than Sarah, who was standing by the table, her hand over her heart with silent tears running down her face. "Calm yo ass down. Shit, Huey could break yo skinny neck with his pinky."

"You...stay out of this, Robert!" Tom practically cried, leaning towards the young couple. "Why? How?"

"You really want to know?" Huey rolled his eyes. Tom's nose was inches from his own.

"YES!" He shouted. Huey glared at him, non blinking.

"Fine." His fists clenched. He wasn't one to sugarcoat. His words were plain and sharp. "The condom broke."

Tom's eye twitched. Jazmine groaned, giving Huey a look. Way for him to be a smartass at the wrong time.

"Dad." She knocked his hands, which were slowly reaching for Huey's throat, away and stepped in front of him again, crossing her arms over her chest. "This isn't his fault alone. This is both of our fault."

"I know, but..." Tom's face crumpled. "Y-you're in school! And y-you're barely twenty. I'm just so..." He covered his eyes with his hands. "My baby girl's having a baby! I'm so disappointed!"

"I know!" Jazmine cried, balling her fists together. "I'm so sorry, daddy!"

"Boo! Aye!" Riley had sat up and was sucking his teeth. "Get back to fightin'." Grandad smacked him in the head. "Ow!"

"Jazmine." Sarah stepped beside her father, pushing him out the way and looking into her daughter's tear filled eyes. "While this isn't the...wisest of things that you've done-" She cut off, glaring at Tom, who was still giving Huey an evil look. "We're still your parents. We still love you. And there's nothing we can do now, except discuss your options. We'll always be here for you."

Jazmine nodded quietly. Huey sighed.

"As for you, boy," Grandad suddenly put in, shaking his head at his eldest grandson. "I can't believe yo over-educated, facts and statistics spouting, politically and socially aware ass even-"

"Granddad, I know," Huey sighed again, looking away. Riley snorted and Grandad grabbed him by the collar, dragging him behind him as he walked.

"We goin home." He gave Huey a firm look as he passed, still dragging Riley. "Ima let the DuBois' get theirs in. If you ain't dead when they done, you bring yo ass home so I can deal with you." He looked at Jazmine, his face softening. "You come along too, cutie pie."

Somehow, Huey would much rather deal with grandad.

"Fine." He rolled his eyes at his brother, who was making faces at him from his place on the floor, still cackling. Jazmine nodded.

"Okay."

When they disappeared out the front door ("Boy! Get yo ass up! You know how to walk!"), Tom opened his mouth to speak but Sarah shook her head. "Let's go sit down," She said quietly, leading the way out of the dining room. Jazmine slowly followed her, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. Tom and Huey both paused in the doorway, giving each other heated look overs before finally Tom relented, walking out the doorway first. Huey walked in last, sitting down on the couch in the living room beside Jazmine, who looked ready to cry all over again. Tom and Sarah stopped in front of them, the coffee table separating the two couples from each other. Sarah glanced toward her husband.

"Do you have anything to say?" She asked. Tom glanced at her, then at Huey.

"AH!" He yelled, jumping over the coffee table and launching himself at Huey, who had gotten a feeling this would be a likely possibility and rose up to meet him, grabbing the older man's wrists and pushing him away. Tom pushed back. Jazmine groaned, covering her eyes with her hands and Sarah grabbed Tom's waist, tugging him back.

"Tom!" She smacked him in the back of the head and he yelped, flinching. "Stop that!"

"No." He glared towards Huey, who glared back, his arms folded over his chest. "I'm just supposed to be okay with this?" He asked, pointing towards him. "I'm supposed to be happy?"

"No, but you're not supposed to be homicidal!" Sarah retorted heatedly. Jazmine dropped her hands from her face.

"I-" She started, but Tom cut her off.

"I think you've said enough for now," He shot at her.

"Don't you talk to her that way!" Huey snapped, taking her hand; tears had sprung to her eyes again. Tom's eyes focused on him again.

"Oh, so now that you've knocked up my daughter you think you can just take over responsibility for her?"

"No one's trying to take responsibility for anything!" Sarah shouted, jumping to Huey's aid. "Stop being so irrational!"

Everyone fell silent. Huey groaned quietly, running his face over his hands.

"Look." He stared at Tom, his eyes narrowed and his words slow, as if he wanted them to fully grasp them. "Neither one of this planned for this to happen. We didn't want this to happen. But like Mrs. DuBois said, it's already done. We're trying to be responsible-"

"How?" Tom interrupted. "You're full time college students!"

"Um, excuse me, was I done talking?" Huey grunted slightly when Jazmine elbowed him in the chest. Tom ignored him.

"You can't both go to college full time and work a full time job to support a baby!" Tom snapped, throwing up his hands with feeling. "It's exhausting! Raising children is a full time job all in itself!"

"We're not ever sure-" Jazmine started before cringing at how everyone's attention was suddenly on her. "We're not even sure that we're going to keep it."

"Oh, that's great!" Tom made a face. "Yeah, just give your problems away! Or abort them! That solves it!" Jazmine's face crumpled.

"Can you stop that?" Huey shook his head. "Do you think upsetting her is going to help the situation?" He straightened. "You're right. We don't know what we're going to do yet. We're still trying to get it to sink in!" He looked at Tom as if daring him to interrupt again. Fortunately, he didn't. "Jazmine was the one who was hell bent on telling you, because you're her father and she loves you and respects your advice! No matter how stupid it is..." He muttered under his breath.

"Huey." Jazmine gave him a warning look. He sucked his teeth.

"Whatever." He turned towards the DuBois' again. "She wanted your support. Not for you to accept it, but for her to help with whatever decision she...we make. You don't have to like me." He snorted. "I really don't give a damn how you feel about me." He pointed to Jazmine. "But she's your daughter. And...well, that's your grandchild. And like it or not..." He looked slightly uncomfortable. "It's my child as well. So you're not going to talk to her any kind of way. Not when I'm around. And I'd recommend not talking to her any kind of way when I'm not around as well. Like I said." His eyes were dangerous. "I am not afraid of you not liking me."

Jazmine looked ready to cry all over again. Sarah already was. Tom's eyes softened...slightly.

"She's still the same Jazmine you raised to be a good, obedient, thriving member of society." Huey shrugged. "She just made a mistake. We made a mistake. We made a honest, unintentional, human mistake." He glared at him again. "We're young. We're human. And we learn from our mistakes, one way or another."

Tom swallowed, pursing his lips. Sarah quietly cleared her throat.

"You're a good person too, Huey," She said softly, causing everyone to look at her. She looked towards Jazmine. "You both are. You're both smart, capable of doing anything you put your minds to-"

"Obviously."

"Tom, shut up. And you're both fully capable of making your own decisions." Sarah cut her eyes at Tom, daring him to disagree. He flinched. She looked back at them. "And I believe that you will find a solution. Just do what's right for the both of you." She looked at Huey, her eyes gentle.

"I want you to take care of my daughter." She clasped her hands in front of her. "Not that I have to tell you that. You seem to do a good job of it already."

Tom made a face. "Well, he did until-"

"Do I have to put you in the corner?" Sarah demanded. He gulped, shaking his head. "Good." She looked back at Huey.

"You're mature beyond your years. More mature than the majority of people our age. Especially more mature than Tom."

"Hey!"

"So I know you'll be responsible. Just like you will be, Jazmine." Jazmine looked up. Right?"

Jazmine nodded. Sarah offered them both a soft, patient smile.

"Good." She looked at Tom. "Now, if you've gotten a hold over yourself, would you like to add anything? That doesn't involve physical contact?"

Tom took a tiny step forward, his eyes lowered to the floor. He sighed, looking up.

"You had sex."

Jazmine let out a long, exasperated sigh. Huey rolled his eyes.

"I mean, obviously you did, since there's no other way you could be-"

"We've established that, Tom. Can you get on with it?" Sarah asked. Tom lifted his chin.

"Fine." He sighed. "Alright. Jazmine-" She looked up. "You will always be my daughter. I will always love you. I guess...my expectations of you have always been so high that when you told me you were...well..."

"It's okay." Jazmine offered him a smile.

"It's not." Tom sighed again. "You came to us, were honest with us, and I completely overreacted. Well, maybe I overreacted."

"You did," Sarah said patiently. "Now, go on."

"I guess it just made me realize that...well...you're a woman now." He looked heartbroken. "And you're going to do womanly things. Like...have-"

"Alright already!" Sarah and Huey let out in unison. Tom shook his head.

"I never wanted you to have to grow up too fast. Even if this one-" He cut his eyes towards Huey. "Had other plans."

Huey sucked his teeth. Tom turned towards Jazmine.

"But it will be okay. You'll figure it out. We'll help you." He smiled. "I love you, baby."

Jazmine beamed. "I love you too, daddy."

He smiled a few more seconds at her, then it quickly faded as he glanced towards Huey. "You, on the other hand-"

Huey looked bored. His arms were still crossed over his chest. Tom deflated a bit.

"You're smart, Huey. You probably already know this, but I'm going to say it regardless." His eyes narrowed. "Either one of you, or both of you, would have low odds of finishing college, let alone grad school. The percentage of parents who even stay together at your age is around twenty percent. Twenty. Percent. So your verbal commitment is nice and all, but will it even last?" He folded his hands across his chest. "If you two do decide to have this baby, then the odds of you both being together, of graduating and achieving what your dreams are, are rare."

"They are," Huey agreed, nodding. "It's not easy." His own eyes narrowed. "But it's possible."

Tom nodded, uncrossing his arms. He walked around the table towards Huey and Sarah and Jazmine seemed to hold their breath. To their surprise, Tom held out his hand. Huey looked at it, then up to his face, which had smoothed over.

"You'd better do right by her," He said, frowning for a moment. "I mean it. I'll-" He stopped, sighing. "Alright, I won't physically do anything, no matter how much I may want to pick you up by your throat and sling you out the window-"

"Tom!"

"Graphic much, dad?"

"-but you've proven time and time again to be mature, responsible, and wise beyond your years." He glanced down at Huey again, who was still glaring from Tom's last words. "I hope you'll put that wisdom to good use now."

Huey nodded, shaking his hand. They let go, both of them looking at Jazmine. Tom smiled, stepping past Huey to reach down and hug her. Luckily, it wasn't as hard as before. She closed her eyes and hugged him back, resting her head against his shoulder. "I love you," She said softly, letting him go. He held on to her shoulders, sighing.

"I love you, too." He straightened. Sarah crossed her arms, giving him a look.

"You'd better love cleaning up that mess you made!" She said, pointing towards the dining room. "I don't know who you think's going to get it up, but it won't be me."

"Right." Tom's face heated up and he massaged his neck with one hand. "Um, Huey." His tone was awkward. "I hope there's no hard feelings about me...well..."

"Trying to choke me to death?" Huey shook his head, leaning back. His voice was laced with sarcasm. "Of course not. Why would I possibly feel bitter about that?"

Jazmine glared at him. He glared back.

"It's just-" Tom wrung his hands. "I was watching this movie on lifetime before, where this teenager got pregnant and her boyfriend promised to marry her. Then, get this!" He threw up his hands. "She wakes up the next morning and he's gone. No car, no note, no clothes-"

"Not you, too!" Huey groaned. What was with Jazmine and her dad comparing real life to television? Tom shrugged.

"It happens. Everyday." He looked between Jazmine and Huey. "I understand you've been together a long time now, but a baby...a baby changes everything."

Jazmine clasped her hands together.

"They haven't made a decision yet," Sarah pointed out, resting her hand on her husband's shoulder. "They might not keep it-"

"Which, is all well and good, but would you at least consider adoption?" Tom asked, his voice holding a plea. "I don't think abortion's exactly the best method out there." He scratched his chin. "If it were up to me, no one would ever get abortions."

Huey raised an eyebrow. "Wow. You sound a lot like those pro-life maniacs that are always talking everyone else to death in congress." He ignored Jazmine's look. "You do realize that while your intentions are quite admirable, you have a one hundred percent chance of never getting pregnant and having to make that call for yourself, right?"

"Huey-"

"What? I'm just saying!" Huey crossed his arms. "I ain't the one that supports taking away a woman's rights to her own body," He groused under his breath. Jazmine rolled her eyes. Tom opened his mouth, thought about it, then closed it again. Before he could dwell on it any more Sarah grabbed his collar, dragging him towards the dining room.

"We'll schedule you a doctor's appointment, honey," Sarah said over her shoulder, smiling at the two of them before she and Tom disappeared into the dining room. There was a slapping sound, followed by Tom's yelp and hushed arguing. Huey and Jazmine exchanged looks.

"You just had to tell them while we were eating." Huey's voice was flat. Jazmine offered him a sheepish smile.

"It...could've been worse?"

Huey gave her a look.

"Oh, yeah." He was sarcastic. "A lot worse."

Too bad this was far from being over.

:Hopes no one noticed her accidentally throwing her own pro-choice views in there:

Um...so yeahhh...next chapter? Soon? Yay?

You read? You review? Please? Yay?

-Kelsey