"Uncle Donald save me!" Louie yelled as he came rushing down the boat stairs, startling Donald. Before the older duck could react, Louie had bolted around him grabbing a hold of the back of his jacket and moving so that his body was behind Donald's with only his head poking out. A moment later Scrooge came down the steps, slower and more controlled with a firm frown in place.
"What's going on?" Donald asked. It was obvious Louie had gotten caught doing something he wasn't supposed to, and Scrooge may or may not be overreacting about it.
"Donald, move aside." Scrooge ordered. Instead of obeying, Donald crossed his arms. Scrooge may have been the one to raise him, but Louie was the boy Donald raised. He wasn't going to move until he fully knew what happened.
"No. Now what is going on?" Donald insisted. He could feel his jacket tighten as Louie pulled on it harder.
"That little…" Scrooge started.
"Uncle Scrooge." It was a warning from Donald to be careful what he says next. Donald had been around Scrooge so much through his life that he knew when Scrooge got like this, he didn't mean what he said but Louie didn't know his great uncle that well yet. Scrooge glared at Donald for a moment but he stopped and took a deep breath.
"That boy of yours got into my office and sold an artifact I had in there." Scrooge said, glaring at the spot Donald was sure Louie's head was. Donald sighed. So Louie needed more money and instead of asking for it, which he was unlikely to get it, he decided to sell something that was just laying around. Unfortunately, he choose something that was apparently worth something. Donald glanced over his shoulder at Louie.
"Louie, what happened?" he asked. Louie looked up at him.
"Uncle Donald I swear I didn't know what it was! I just needed a little more money for my latest sch…plan and I thought there was so many pens in that pile that he wouldn't miss a few." Louie protested.
"That…pen, was an ancient quill that filled out papers on its own to the possessors request." Scrooge yelled. So it was something that would make things easier on Scrooge and Louie didn't end up with anywhere near what the item was worth due to not knowing it's value. That would definitely set Scrooge off. Donald figured he should address Louie on this first. Turning, he pulled his clothes free of Louie's grip and knelt down in front of him.
"Louie, you shouldn't take anything from Uncle Scrooge's without asking first." Donald said. Louie looked away, as if he felt guilty. Donald suspected it was more feeling guilty for getting in trouble than actually doing to act but he couldn't prove it.
"Because it wasn't mine." Louie said. It was a rehearsed statement, one Louie wouldn't even look at Donald when he said it.
"That and because a lot of those things are dangerous." Donald elaborated. Louie was lucky that this time it was just a wright by itself pen. It could have been much worse. Louie now looked a little alarmed. "Why didn't you just come to me if you needed the money?" Donald asked. Louie muttered something and Donald frowned. "What?" he asked.
"Because you don't have any money." Louie said. Donald huffed at that.
"I have some." He said. After all Donald had been doing a few minor jobs to help contribute around the mansion. Louie nodded to show he understood. "Now what do you say to Uncle Scrooge?" Donald asked. Louie looked over Donald's shoulder.
"I'm sorry Uncle Scrooge for taking the artifact without talking to you first." Louie said. Donald could hear Scrooge grumble behind him. Donald ruffed the feathers on top of Louie's head and Louie smiled up at him. This kid would probably be the death of him one day.
"Go on, get out of here." Donald told him. Louie nodded and took off. Scrooge moved to follow but Donald cleared his throat. Scrooge grumbled some more but stopped.
"You're just gonna let him go?" Scrooge asked. Donald thought about reminding Scrooge that now that Della was home he technically wasn't the one that was supposed to punish the boys anymore, not that he ever really did. He taught them lessons and they came out better for it, but Donald knew the boys well enough and taking away their resources always ended up worse for everyone. He heard about the grounding Della gave Louie and how that ended with Louie getting Scrooge, Glomgold, and many other's entire fortunes.
"Uncle Scrooge, Louie doesn't learn by you getting mad and sending him to his room. He's too smart for that. If you want him to understand what he id you need to patiently explain it to him." Donald said. Scrooge paused at that.
"Aye, I suppose that makes sense. I guess I just got angry when I realized he took something from me." Scrooge said. Donald smiled.
"You know he wouldn't take anything that he knew was worth anything. He respects you too much for that." Donald said.
"Anyway lad, that was cleaver, telling him you have some money of your own." Scrooge said. Donald wasn't sure he should tell him uncle about his jobs in case he started charging him rent for the pool, but Donald figured he had a right to know anyway.
"I do have a little. I've been working a bit, helping Ms. B with the water and electric bill." Donald explained. Scrooge looked surprised at that.
"And you give him money?" Scrooge asked. Donald actually laughed.
"He comes to collect for a charity every few months. I know it's just a scam to get money for himself but he'll be upset if he knew I knew so I pretend to not know any better." Donald said. Scrooge gave him a confused look before he burst out laughing.
"You really know those boys well." He said. Donald shrugged. He should know them, after all he raised the three for ten years.
"Just like you know me and Della." Donald said. Scrooge opened his mouth, about to remind Donald that he had a ten year of absence from Donald and elven years from Della. He hardly knew the people they grew into. He would love to believe that they hadn't changed a bit, after all there was so many aspects of them that was exactly the same. Della and Donald were troublesome kids, but Scrooge loved them dearly and they were the ones that taught him that adventures weren't just meant to increase his reputation and wealth but could also be enjoyable. Della was brave and daring but also reckless. Sometimes she didn't think through her actions and got others in danger. Donald was responsible and strong but also emotional and prideful. At their core, they were the same but many things about his kids had changed. Della and Donald had both been traumatized by Della's disappearance and some things had changed. Della would have moments were she was lost to her fears of isolation and loneliness. Donald had come to see adventures at the potential to lose people again. The two had developed such a fear of losing their family that they would throw themselves into the lion's den just to ensure no one else would.
"Yes, well, I suppose I should go back inside in case anything else comes up." Scrooge said. Donald nodded and turned around again, intending to finish organizing a few compartments. Donald hadn't told anyone yet, it was something still in the works, but now that things had calmed down and Della was back he was thinking of something he always wanted to do but never could. He wasn't sure how his family would take it and he wasn't going to mention it until everything was fully prepared. "You really should come and move into the mansion lad." Scrooge said. Donald paused. He didn't want to get into this old fight again. Scrooge had been trying to convince him to move back into the mansion almost since the day he moved out. Donald had used the excuse of not wanting to follow Bentina Beakly's rules a few times but since even she doesn't follow them he knows that would be pointless. Honestly there was no real reason for it except that Donald owned the boat. The boat was his, something he worked hard for, that he earned, and that he spent so much time in order to keep it. It was something Donald had earned all on his own, something that only he had.
"It's my boat Uncle Scrooge." Donald said after a moment. Scrooge nodded, not indicating to Donald if it was because he was understanding the answer or just dropping the subject for the time being. Knowing Donald's luck, it was both. Scrooge adjusted his hat and headed back up the stairs, leaving Donald alone again in his boat. Donald smiled, shaking his head in amusement. These calm moments were something to cherish.