Hi everyone!
Sorry these A/Ns are in a hurry, I'm running late for school (again- yet I've never needed a late pass)
Anyways THANK YOU all so much for reviewing, you GRAND FANTASTICAL beings, you. I squealed, again. My mum now thinks I'm even weirder (sigh).
So this is Leo vs Chase part 2. I hope you enjoy it! It takes off right from where the last chapter left off :)
"Well, have fun with your knitting, don't wait up," Leo had grinned as he once again dragged Donald through the door.
While the two drove away, neither deigned to look back, or they'd see Chase standing forlornly in the doorway….well at least until the phone rang.
"Hello, Davenport residence, Chase speaking."
"…Hi, Chase was it? I was wondering if I could speak with Leo, please."
"And may I ask whose calling?"
"James Davis."
"Sorry James, but Leo's not here at the moment, I can take a message, though, if you want."
"Yeah- um- can you tell him that-" there was a muffled voice in the background, "well firstly, Felicity says hi and secondly, his fa-"
"Oh, you're Leo's dad!" Chase exclaimed.
"Yeah, and you're one of his new step brothers, right?"
Chase made an affirming noise.
"Chase, baby, you are you talking to?"
The youngest Davenport placed his hand over the mouth piece, "Leo's dad," he replied.
Rose raised her eyebrows and motioned for the phone, which Chase happily passed over.
"Hello James, yes- this is Rose- oh good, I see your memory still serves you well..." Rose continued on with Leo's father for a few more minutes before passing the phone back to Chase, who hung it back up.
"Hey guys," Adam grinned as he strolled into the kitchen, "what's going on?"
"What's going on is I have a date in half an hour and nothing to wear!" Bree moaned as she materialised next to her younger brother.
"Where's Donald?" Tasha called as she came downstairs from where she'd been busy working on her pottery in a spare room.
"He took Leo to Davenport Industries," Chase supplied gloomily.
"Your ex just rang," Rose added.
"I have a date in half an hour," Bree continued on.
"I just wanted a cup of pudding, but we're all out of it!" Adam practically cried as he pulled his head out of the freezer.
"Wait, start again," Tasha silenced everyone, "Where did he take my baby? Who just rang? What's this about a date? And what do you mean we're out of pudding? I bought a new slab of them on Friday!"
Tasha received one bionic groaning into the couch, one mother giving her an 'I told you so' look, one girl fretting over the state of her hair and another teenager crying over the apparent lack of pudding.
Great. Just great.
Leo had a wonderful time at Davenport Industries, he and Mr Davenport really seemed to be connecting, until he accidentally called Leo 'Chase' instead of well…..Leo. He didn't even notice he did it, as he prattled on about density and reactors.
So Chase won again, even when he wasn't there, he was still Davenport's favourite.
It was the morning that Chase's science project was due in, what he had created wasn't anything near as mind boggling as his actual laser pen, or exact replica of Pompeii with the magma erupting volcano, or the robot, or the self-cleaning and auto adjusting sunglasses. But it was still something. Mr Daniels had told him to aim for a simpler project idea (which he thought he had done with the volcano, but apparently that was still too advanced) so this fitted in perfectly with that concept.
"What is it?" Adam asked, aiming to poke it, but having his hand swatted away by Chase, who immediately moved to shield his creation.
"It's hard casein."
"Huh?"
"Plastic milk."
"Ohh," Adam grinned, finally understanding, "why didn't you just say so."
Chase shook his head, no comment.
"Milk and vinegar? Really Chase, I expected something a bit more….grand," Mr Davenport quipped as he passed the kitchen bench with a piece of toast in his hand.
Leo decided it was the perfect moment to 'casually' stroll in. He then immediately gravitating towards Mr Davenport, "Morning, Big D, Adam" he'd smiled, then he nodded a more forced, "Chase."
Chase ignored Leo, who was obviously still upset about Chase 'stealing his grandma' as he had so eloquently put it to Bree (in which Chase could counter that Leo was stealing his dad),
"Mr Daniels isn't looking for grand, and despite how simple it is…..it seems perfect."
Chase nodded his head after a moment, as if affirming his statement. Mr Davenport shrugged. The man then turned to pat Leo's head awkwardly when the boy got too close in a type of 'I know you're there, this is me giving you attention because I don't really know what you want' way. Rose took that moment to appear.
She looked around the room before her eyes landed on the science project, "Oh, see baby, I told you it would all work out!"
"I know Grandma, thank you," Chase smiled, allowing Rose to pull him across and plant a kiss on his cheek (which was something he never let anyone do, Donald noted bitterly).
"Now you have science at what time now?"
"10:45-"
"Quarter to eleven."
"Sorry Grandma, quarter to eleven. But the presentations won't start until eleven…..o clock," he added after receiving a pointed look from Mrs Dooley.
"Where will you be?"
"In the gym, Mr Daniels booked it out for the day-"
"What, no P.E.?" Adam moaned.
"-No- so if you ask the office I'm sure they can give you directions."
"Oh, baby, I know where the gym is, somebody had to give the school a thorough inspection if a certain lazy daughter wasn't willing to make sure the school was a hundred percent safe for her only son."
Chase smiled, before looking down at his watch, noting Bree making her entrance with a school bag slung over her shoulder, "We best be leaving now, but I'll see you there."
"I'm looking forward to it, baby," Rose smiled as she kissed Chase's cheek once more, watching him carefully bundle up his science experiment into a box and under his arm, before patting Bree's head affectionately, followed by Adam's arm and Leo's back before sending them on their way.
After they marched out of the door, Donald turned to his mother in-law, "You're going?"
"Of course I'm going, I helped build it and there's no way my grandchild is going to be the only one there without a little family support, now back in my day we all used to jump in the car for any event….Now-"
"Yes, yes, technology ruined everything," he lowered his head at the sharp look he received, "…he invited you?"
"Naturally."
Rose walked off to track down her 'lazy child', while Donald dejectedly thought of how Chase had never invited him to his science presentations, he'd done the opposite, been vague; never revealing times or dates until it was too late.
When did Chase and Rose grow so close?
But Donald thought the more appropriate question was,
"When did he stop loving me?"
"Get in the car."
"I'm sorry?"
"You're driving, now hop to it."
Chase was grinning proudly as Mr Daniels took in his creation, humming in appreciation every so often as he inspected it closer. Cross checking with the signs beside it to see the explanation the youngest Davenport had written up for his work.
"Well, Mr Davenport, it appears that you've taken my advice into account. A+," the teacher murmured, fixing his glasses and finishing his notes before moving on, "You'll be explaining and demonstrating your work to the class once I'm finished marking. I trust you're prepared."
The brunette nodded before he started mentally preparing himself, sure he'd presented things millions of times- but this was different- this wasn't a fancy molecular multiplier or solar system replica with an actual burning ball of gas for the sun and model planets. It was a simple experiment of milk and vinegar, in fact there seemed to be some experiments in his class that looked far more advanced then plastic milk.
There was also the fact that Grandma Rose would be there. Chase had presented in front of countless parents before during presentations such as these, but Donald never came to these things and his siblings avoiding stuff like this like the plague- so nobody that Chase had ever really known had seen him. But that was going to change.
At least it was only Rose, if it didn't work out well it's not like she's permanently living with him, so things will be fine and- IS THAT MR DAVENPORT?
Chase spun around and saw both Rose and Mr Davenport standing with the group of parents. Donald was constantly checking his watch and looking around impatiently like he did when he was really busy but stuck somewhere.
Rose was chatting amicably with another older women, from what Chase could pick up they were talking about life in the olden days and how bad this generation of youths were 'besides my grandbabies, of course.'
Crap. Mr Davenport shouldn't be here, he wasn't supposed to be here. There's a difference between doing something in front of your grandma (especially your new grandma) and your dad. Especially if they are a man who has made megabucks off of science and inventions.
And Chase was about to present in front of him.
"Hey Chase, what's up?" It was Dwight, the guy whose idea of a science project was a wad of chewing gum on the top of a pencil, somehow showing 'Graty' with Chase assumed meant 'gravity'.
But Dwight was chill, laid back, he had the whole blonde surfer dude look about him too.
"My dad's here."
"Oh, that sucks dude," he sympathised, although he sounded a bit confused. Chase elaborated,
"He never comes to these things. And when he does, things go bad. Like in grade one when he came to my Spelling Bee, well he really only stuck his head in for a minute –too busy working- and I panicked and stuffed up my word."
'When I was six, Adam Bree and I were running a Spelling Bee, Mr D was invited but was too busy working. He only came in for a second to grab something, but the thought of failing in front of him made me so nervous that I misspent my word," Chase mentally corrected.
"Oh, yeah."
"He didn't say anything though, he got us ice-cream. But he gets this sort of disappointed look when I don't match his standards 'cuz he wants me to do well but I can't do as well as he wants me to."
"He didn't say anything though, I didn't really think he was paying that much attention since he was on his phone, but he had looked up before walking out the door. After a minute he or two he came back with some ice-cream for all of us. We'd never had it before, it tasted amazing. Mr Davenport tried to look supportive, but his smile looked forced, like he was actually disappointed but couldn't say anything. I knew it was because of me, because he thought I'd do better but I couldn't."
"That's tough," Dwight nodded.
"And his standards are so hard to match, and I'm always worried that by the end of the day I'm going to disappoint him and he's going to find this all stupid and boring and-"
"Dude, chill, deep breaths man," Dwight patted Chase on the shoulder, "He's your dad, do you really think he cares? He's gonna love you no matter what you say or do."
Dwight walked off and the presentations in front of the parents and rest of the class started.
Chase vanished as soon as the presentations were over. He had advanced English next, he was ahead in that and the teachers always automatically marked him as present anyways- so he wandered home.
Things had been going good. Really good. Then Mr Davenport's phone rang and he answered it, he did it subtly so no one else really noticed, but Chase did. Rose hit him on the arm and told him to hang up, but all Donald did was give an apologetic smile, he glanced up at Chase before he….chose the phone call over his presentation. He snuck out the door.
"Funny, he talks about how much he cares about us and what we do, then he just leaves."
Chase was spending too much time watching his father leave that he faltered, something practically everyone before him had done, but Chase didn't do. He was bionic, he wasn't supposed to lose his train of thought and stop talking- he wasn't supposed to fumble with his project and stutter- but he did.
He quickly finished up the presentation and left before the crowd had started clapping. Mr Davenport stuck his head back in the room and clapped along with them, but Chase was already gone.
Rose had left that night.
"I was going to leave yesterday, but I just had to wait and see Chase's presentation," she'd beamed, patting the teen on the arm, "And by gosh, it was a darn sight more interesting than any of the boring stuff the other kids were going on about."
Chase had smiled at the praise, promised Grandma Rose that he would stay away from technology (likely story) keep up his knitting (he actually probably would, it was rather relaxing) and 'be good' (which was a matter of opinion, really). She kissed his cheek, hugged her daughter and then went off to find Leo, Adam and Bree.
"Back in my day we all used to line up to say goodbye, now poor old Grandma has to go off searching for her grandbabies just to say goodbye," she'd complained as she rounded the corner.
Chase had good authority (Eddy) to believe that Leo had made quite a show in saying goodbye to his grandma, obviously trying to reclaim his 'favourite grandchild' position and remind the bionics how blood was certainly thicker than water.
Tasha had sort of seen what was going on between Leo and Chase.
She had a very nice conversation with her son, parenting book open on her knee, as she told Leo very firmly that this all needed to be stopped.
She said very pointedly that Grandma Rose did not like Chase more than Leo, she may connect more with him- because he was willing to spend more time with her- but years of memories don't go away overnight. There are different kinds of love. Also that he had to look at things from Chase's perspective and blah, blah, blah, other parenting advice out of some overpriced book and:
'I love you Leo, and I love Adam, Bree and Chase too. You will always be my son, but sometimes we've got to share the love, it doesn't mean I love you any less, just that I have love going out to different people too.'
She had ended it with a kiss on his forehead and a 'nice talk, honey' as the book suggested. Pretty much Leo left and spent the next hour and a half trying to forget about that odd encounter with his mum (reminding him to never go downstairs after school by himself when he knew his mum was home.)
But after a while, the stuff she said sort of started to make sense…sort of. Leo decided to call Grandma Rose, and then spend the next five minutes telling her who he was, why the rectangle her Son-in-Law gave her was beeping and how it wasn't all witchcraft. (But to her witchcraft and technology were virtually the same thing, so it made no difference).
Then they talked for a bit and he hung up feeling a lot better about himself and his relationship with his grandma, after convincing her that she by no means needed to turn around and come back. Because nobody wanted that.
Apart from saying goodbye to his Grandma, Chase had also become very good at avoiding Mr Davenport. Well it sort of helps when your brother and home security system finds it amusing and your sister doesn't want to get involved, so you have three allies. Grandma Rose hadn't discouraged him for avoiding Donald all afternoon and evening before she left either, but then again she never really liked Donald.
Finally, after a day of avoidance, Mr D cornered Chase in the lift after telling Eddy to shut the doors and stop the elevator.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
"Why did you go to my science presentation?" Chase countered.
It seemed to take a moment to register before Mr Davenport looked slightly hurt, "I was there to show my support to you and your plastic milk. Besides Rose needed a lift after busting up her car and I wasn't going to trust her in one of my self-driving ones."
'So he wasn't there for me.'
"Why?"
He paused, "She hates technology enough as it is Chase, then if she likes it Tasha would make me give it to her," Chase looked blankly at Donald, "Oh, you mean- got it- Can't I take an interest in what you're doing?"
Chase felt like muttering 'it's not like you have before' but he refrained.
"I suppose."
"I mean it's not like you ever invite me to those things."
"What are you talking about? You're always too busy for them- or you go and then you're outside in five minutes on your phone."
"That doesn't mean I still don't want to come. I mean contrary to popular belief, I don't think money is everything. You're pretty damn important to me too, and I care about what you do."
Chase grunted and looked down.
"What did I miss anyway?"
"Do you really care?"
"Of course, I was really interesting in all the uses for Plastic Milk. I thought your presentation was better than everyone else's, even though I might be a bit biased."
"Biased?"
"Of course, you're my kid, I'm always going to think that whatever you do is the best."
"Aren't you going to get disappointed and critical when I make a mistake? When I don't meet your standards?"
"Standards, what standards? I have a money dance to do in front of my poorer competitors, I've lost those a long time ago," Donald chuckled, "But seriously, Chase, you knock my standards out of the water, you exceed at exceeding my expectations every time you do something."
"I always thought that-"
"What?"
"Never mind."
Mr Davenport sighed, "Chase."
"I always thought that you were disappointed with me, I mean I'm no hustle or muscle."
"No, you're Chase, and not to pick favourites or anything- oh who am I kidding? - you're my favourite," Chase looked up.
"….But, you're always so harsh on me…."
"Because I know you can do better. I always thought that, when I look at you three, you're the one most like me- so, so smart. Maybe not as handsome, but who could beat this face? I guess what I'm saying is I'm harsher on you, because when this is all over I want you to take over Davenport Industries."
That was probably the moment when all of those boring board meetings made sense.
"Me?" Mr Davenport nodded at Chase's nonplussed face, watching his youngest process the information before, "Me!"
Chase had a moment of giddiness before reigning in his emotions, "Are you sure you want me in charge after my…bumpy…presentation?"
Donald sighed before directing his son into a hug. Chase also exceeded his expectations by clinging back.
"Oh my Chasey-Wasey-Masey-Casey," Donald murmured into his son's hair before kissing the top of his head, "If you're ever going to take any advice from me, take this: stop being so hard on yourself, you may be a genius but you're still human- well bionic- you know what I mean. I'd be worried if you did everything 'perfectly'," his voice went funny at the 'perfectly', "What is that anyway? Perfectly. Jeez, if I worried every time I made a mistake I'd never be where I am now. True story."
They stood there for a moment longer.
"Why are you being so….fatherly?"
"Because you're letting me."
There was a small silence until the two pulled away, both obviously not used to such open displays of affection. They both shook their arms instantaneously to shake off any remaining feelings.
"Now what is this thing between you and Rose?" Donald finally asked in a sly tone.
Chase didn't miss a beat before countering, "What's that thing between you and Leo?"
"What? Me and Le- Chase we went to a soccer game."
"You've never taken me to a soccer game….."
Mr Davenport pulled a face, "Because you don't like sport, I take you to conferences and obscure bookshops so you can get books with foreign titles."
"You promised to help me with my science project beforehand," Chase murmured. Obviously the 'feelings shake' didn't work.
"You never need my help though, you know exactly what you're doing- and if you're using that, they you promised you'd do it with me and not my Mother in Law."
"I only did it with Grandma Rose because you broke your end of the deal and ran off with Leo to watch sweaty men kick a ball from one side of the field to the other."
"Oh, so that's how you're going to play it," Donald laughed, not noticing that Eddy had decided that the father-son moment was over and the lift was moving again.
The doors of the lift opened to the two laughing, Mr Davenport playfully swiping at Chase's head as they stepped out of the lift, both talking in what sounded like a foreign language."
"Eurgh, I hate it when they get all geeky," Adam moaned, "It makes my head hurt."
Bree shushed him.
"Oh great, now they're telling pi jokes!" Leo joined in, "I can't believe I wanted to spend so much time with a guy who tries to make maths funny."
Leo then looked at the bin where he had regurgitated the fruit bran Grandma Dooley had practically force fed him, "Over my grandma, sheesh, Chase can have them both!"
Chase picked that up and looked over at Leo with a smile and a mock bow.
Bree grinned. She had tried to stay out of the possible World War 3 Leo and Chase had been circling since they met- and so for the past week she had been laying very low. But at least now it seemed like her brothers were set to get along again. As long as they stayed off of each other's toes.
A minute later the doorbell rang, Leo jumped up and opened it to see a middle aged man holding a three year old.
"Lee-O" she screamed happily.
"Hey Felicity," Leo grinned, as he gently fist-bumped her outstretched hand, "what's up?"
She made an almost unintelligible garbling noise, which must have been some language because Chase understood it in the background and started laughing.
"Hi Leo," the man said, pulling Leo into a one armed hug, "you ready?"
"Yeah- BYE MUM, I'M LEAVING NOW!"
With that he walked out of the door to go spend the day with his dad and half sister. Chase could keep Donald, because Leo had a real dad too.
So, what did you think? Did you like the conclusion?
Oh and I know that Mr D was all like 'I don't want to get close to them, I'm sending them away' blah blah blah, but this chapter is set at a far later time, where he's already accepted his family aren't going anywhere ;)
Thanks SO MUCH for reading and reviewing and faving and following and everything, you're all just so RADIANTLY MAGNIFICENT!
Catch ya tomorrow? Bye!