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Chapter 11: Fight

Dave sighed as he laid on his bed, staring into white oblivion that was the ceiling in his bedroom. This had become his ritual. Whenever he was worried or confused with the thoughts of the months to come, he could go into his room, and just stare into the blank white ceiling and think. As if he stared into it long enough, it would fork out all the answers to all the questions and concerns he's been having.

But today, no amount of staring would bring any answers to the questions he's been having. Today, it just seemed that the longer he stared, the faster his questions and thoughts raced.

Jade's words had been haunting Dave worse than any horror movie that he had ever seen.

'Your brother didn't give you up.'

Everytime he had a spare moment of thought, her words rang in his head like an ear piercing screech.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not allude those closer than home words.

Dave knew full well that his brother had every chance to put him up for adoption. His social worker tried countless upon countless times to convince Dirk that adoption would be the best thing, for both of them.

But Dirk wouldn't have any of it.

He was dead set on keeping his little precious baby brother in his arms and raising him the best that he could. He told her that its what their mother would have wanted. And that there was nothing that she, nor anyone else could do that would convince him otherwise.

Dirk would rather die than to ever give his baby brother up, even to this day.

The thing is, Dave just didn't know if he could do the same thing his brother did.

Dave clinched the photo he held in his hand tighter as he drew to his face.

It was his copy of the ultrasound pictures. He had given a copy to everyone. The Egberts, Jade, Rose, even Jake, and of course his bro and Jane, which now hung proudly on fridge by the way.

Dave held the image just a few inches from his face. He almost didn't notice the small smile that seemed to have formed without his consent growing on his face. His first appointment was just a couple of weeks ago, and his next one was coming up soon. He couldn't help but wonder how much bigger this, his, baby had gotten. Judging by the growth of his slightly bulging his tummy, Dave would have to say that it was growing properly.

However, the longer he stared at the picture he was holding in his hands, more questions began to rise. And that smile began to fade.

'Could, could I make that same choice, that Bro made?' Dave asked himself with all sincerity, 'Could I sacrifice what Bro sacrificed for me?'

Dave took a moment to think about all the things he wanted to do with his life, and all the things his bro couldn't do cause he had him.

Dave wanted to graduate high school, something Dirk couldn't do.

Dave wanted to go to college, something Dirk couldn't do either.

More than anything, Dave wanted to make a name for himself; something that Dirk was currently doing.

Even raising while a kid, Dirk was topping charts as arguably one of the best DJs in the country. And if his bro could do it, Dave was sure he could too.

'Maybe, it won't be as hard as I'm making it out to be,' Dave began to think, 'Yeah, the first few years would probably be a pain in the ass, but after that, it'll get better right?' Dave almost tried to convince himself.

'Well, as far as high school goes, I could continue with this home schooling gig. So far, it's going pretty good. I don't have to put up with all the bullshit of the public school system; and I could take care of the baby. But what about college? I mean, high school is one thing, but college, that is my entire future. I wanted to go to that school in New York, but if I keep the baby, I can pretty much kiss that dream goodbye. I probably wouldn't be able to go to college, not with a kid.'

"Believe me, I want the best for you, more than anything," Dave quietly spoke as he placed his unoccupied hand on his belly, "But, if I don't go to college. I couldn't give you everything you need, you deserve."

Dave felt himself choke up as he held the photo to his heart, "And you don't need me dragging you down, you deserve someone better," Dave let a single tear roll down the side of his face.

Dave felt like a knife was being dug in his chest, but he knew the absolute best thing he could do for this child, was to give it to someone who provide it with everything he couldn't. A better life and a better future.

Dave took a moment to wipe the tear trail from his eye.

"Damn hormones, getttin me all emotional and crap," Dave chuckled to keep himself from bursting into a ball of tears.

Dave sat up and fixed his eyes on the multiple pictures he had hanging in his room. Many of them recorded alot of happy memories. Memories he shared with his bro, growing up.

He didn't like to think about this a whole lot, but sometimes he couldn't help wonder what his life would have been like if his bro did give him up; vs. the life he did have with his bro.

I mean sure, in the beginning it was tough, but they made it just fine. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? They didn't have everything, but when you think about it, they didn't need everything. They has each other and they were happy. They had a bond that could never and would never be broken.

Dave doesn't remember this; but when he was a baby, Dirk had taken a DJing gig up in Austin, TX. Since he was barely two years old, there was no way Dirk would bring the baby with him. Jake graciously offered to watch baby Dave while Dirk took on this gig. Even though he was making a killing, that weekend was a near nightmare for Dirk. He couldn't hardly stand being away from his baby a day, let alone an entire weekend.

When he finally returned, he held baby Dave in his arms and smothered his head in kisses. Which baby Dave cheerfully clapped his little hands as kept giggling "Bwo" over and over.

Each little sound was like music to Dirk's ears and his heart melted when Jake told him that he's been walking and crawling around the house all weekend looking and calling out for him.

That's when Dirk swore to never leave his baby brother ever again. And he hasn't, even to this day.

Now matter where he was, through thick or thin, Dave could always count on his brother to be there.

Honestly, Dave doesn't have any fathomable idea of what life would be like his he didn't have his brother, if Dirk had made that choice to give him up.

Would he be better off than his now? Would he be happy? Or would he be completely miserable, probably never of his love of his real family or bond that he shares with his brother. Would he even feel loved at all?

Dave didn't want that for his baby, he wanted it to feel loved.

'If, no when, I find the baby a family, I want to know that it will be loved. I want the baby to feel every ounce of love that I felt. I don't want it to think that it was never loved, I want it feel loved, on both sides.'

Dave then sat up from his bed and stared at the box on his desk. It was an early birthday present from Dirk and Jane.

He slowly got off his bed and made his way over to the desk and opened the box.

"Happy early birthday Little Man," Dirk happily said as he handed Dave the wrapped box, "Me and Jane got you a little something."

Dave looked at Dirk suspiciously, Dirk knew what he was suspecting.

"And don't worry it's not a smuppet."

"Well, since it's from both you AND Jane, I suppose it can't be that bad," Dave said tearing into the box.

Dave's face turned as red as his eyes when he finally unboxed his gift.

"Ah come on Bro! Are you kidding me?!" Dave cried out as he immediately shut the box, "I told you no!"

"I know, I know, Little Man," Dirk waves his hands in defense, he knew their gift was pretty much the last thing Dave wanted to see. But maybe if he used it, he would change his mind about giving the baby up, "Here look at it this way, you could work on this. And when the time comes, you can give it to the parents. Okay?"

Dave sighed, "Fine, whatever you say."

Dave had to admit it, it was a good idea. It would be the perfect way he could let the baby know that it wasn't abandoned. That he would always love it.

Dave slightly smirked as he pulled the pale yellow baby book from the box and opened it to the first page.

Dave took his photo that he still had in his hand, and taped it to the first page; right beside it, he wrote, 'Your first picture'.

On the flyleaf, he began to write.

'Dear...'

"AHHH COME ON BRO!" Dave yelled furiously at Dirk.

"For the last time Dave, no!" Dirk replied head strong in his decision.

A few days had passed his Dave's and Dirk's birthday. Now that Dave is 16, he is excited that he can finally get his license. Or so he thinks.

"PLEASE?" Dave begged for what had to be the hundredth time since they started this discussion.

"I told you Little Man, you are NOT getting your license until after the baby is born," Dirk said holding his ground.

Dirk knows how excited Dave was to get his license and how mad he is by his brother's decision. But this was one thing he is holding his ground on.

"Why not?!"

"Well lets see; A-that baby bump of yours is making him more obvious an you can't exactly dress up like a girl to get your license. And B-I don't want you driving while your pregnant."

"Why?! Am I that bad of a driver?!"

"Yes! But that's not the point right now," Dirk said, "The point is to keep you safe. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you go out and you got in a wreck and either of you getting hurt or killed."

Dave wasn't exactly the best driver on earth. The dented stop sign post near the Egberts was proof of that. But he was still pissed off.

It is a right of passage for every 16 year old. Getting their driver's license. The little 3"x 2 1/4" card that struck fear in every parent and pedestrians' heart. The symbol of freedom in every teenager's eyes. He was not able to partake in.

"Am I being punished for something I am unaware of Bro?" Dave wouldn't give up.

"No Little Man, you didn't do anything wrong, you aren't be punished," Dirk told him, "I just don't want you to get hurt. Is that so hard to understand?"

Dave could see where his brother was coming from, and he was sure he would feel the same way if he were in his shoes. But right now, you might as well have taken away everything he once held near and dear cause he felt utterly devastated.

Dirk did know how Dave felt, he had been going on and on about turning 16 and getting his license for weeks. And he recalled how excited he was when he turned 16 and got his license. But there were just somethings you've got to put your foot down with. Dirk hated doing this to his little man, but it was for his own good.

"Look, I will let you get your license the day after the baby's born. But until that day comes, you can't leave without me or Jane or somebody with you. Understand?"

"Why do I have to be with somebody just to step out of the apartment?!" Dave demanded to know.

"Because I said so," Dirk told Dave, not wanting to reveal the reason behind this.

"Dirk, could you come in here for a minute?" Jane called from the kitchen, hearing the whole thing, disrupting the little disagreement between the two brothers.

"Be right back," Dirk told Dave.

"Yes?" Dave heard Dirk call to Jane as he walked to the kitchen.

Dave grumbled as he sat on the couch, waiting for his bro.

"I think you're being alittle hard on Dave," Jane told him.

"I'm not being hard on him Jane, he has to understand," Dirk defended his actions.

"You need to explain to him exactly why you won't let him get his license," Jane tried to explain to Dirk, "He doesn't know the whole story and he won't understand until he does."

"How can I tell him the whole story without him flipping out. You seen how he reacted to that, how do you think he'd react if I tell him," Dirk told her, not wanting to tell the whole story of what happened that night.

Jane could see that Dirk was conflicted by something, deeply. She had no idea what it was but she was about to find out.

While Dirk and Jane were talking in the kitchen, Dave was left in the living room, to his thoughts. Or more like his rebellious teenaged hormones.

Dave looked at the door and got a conniving thought, 'Can't leave the apartment without him. I'll show him.'

Dave quietly got up from the couch and slipped quietly out the door.

"Dirk is there something you need to tell me?" Jane asked.

"Jane there's something I didn't tell you, about that night I went after Noir."

The cold December air felt good on Dave's flushed and red face. For the first time in weeks, it was good to breathe in some fresh air, well as fresh as the city of Houston's air could be.

Dave thought he'd walk a few blocks and then come back, just to prove that he was fine out on his own. That he didn't need his bro right up under him.

How little did he know that in the short distance that he has traveled, he was already being watched.

"YOU WHAT?!" Jane yelled at the top of her lungs.

Jane couldn't believe what Dirk just admitted to her, she couldn't believe he would be so stupid! Do something so stupid. And this was Dirk Strider, dare devil extraordinaire! She couldn't believe that Dirk actually mentioned to Noir that Dave was pregnant.

Jane let her self control slip for a moment as she back handed Dirk Strider, hard, in the mouth. And this time she wasn't apologizing.

"I ought to ring your neck for putting those babies in such of danger!" Jane growled at Dirk, thoroughly pissed off.

Dirk looked down in shame, "I didn't mean to Janey, it just slipped out."

"That's what happens when you don't think before you act Dirk Strider!"

Dave's walk was fairly peaceful, and uneventful. He was wearing his jacket with his hands in his pockets so no one would notice the little bulge going on. However he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched by someone.

Maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, but he could have sworn he saw someone following him a block or two back.

Maybe it was time he started heading back.

The two adults remained silent to one another or a few more moments. Neither one of them could speak to each other. Jane was so mad she couldn't hardly stand it. Dirk just stood there, ridden with guilt, shame, and anger at himself.

They both turned and looked at each other, they didn't know how to fix the situation they had found themselves in. But they knew that it wasn't going to fix itself by them just standing there not talking to eachother.

"Look Jane, I know your pissed off at me. Hell I am pissed off at me, I need your help in this. I need your help to protect Dave and the baby. I don't know what I'll do it Noir ever got ahold of Dave or the baby. But if you want to leave, I understa..."

"Who said I'm leaving, I ain't going nowhere," Jane said, "We're in this together. And there's no way I'm leaving you and those babies to fend for y'alls' selves."

This was one of many reasons why Dirk loved Jane, she was fighter. She wasn't giving up for anything.

"What do we need to do Janey?" Dirk asked Jane.

"We need to sit down and tell Dave," Jane said, "Is he going to be pissed off, yes. But we just need to go out and be open with him, he needs to know the whole truth."

Dirk smiled down at Jane, "You're always right."

The two leaned down and kissed one another, before going into the living room. The two were honestly surprised that Dave didn't hear them arguing.

"Dave? We need to tell you something," Dirk said before reaching the living room, unaware of it's missing occupant.

"Little Man?"

Dave was almost back to his apartment building, so far the coast was clear. He had not seen one hair or hide out of place and apparently it was just his imagination cause that person he swore he thought was following him was now gone.

'See there, Bro. I told you nothing would hap...'

Dave's thoughts were brought to an abrupt, and terrifying halt when he was grabbed by the arm and drug into the alley he was passing by.

Dave tried to scream but a gloved hand quickly covered his mouth.

His fights go in vein as he was drug deeper into the seclusion of dark alley.

"Stop fighting," the man who held him growled in his ear.

He was terrified as he immediately recognized the voice. It's the one voice he prayed he would never hear again.

Dave whipped his head around and stared into the eyes of the absolute last man that he ever wanted to see again.

'Noir...'

*Insert troll face*

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