Title: In the End
Author: Girl with Issues
E-Mail: Buffy38841@aol.com or AngieMcKendrick@aol.com
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Not mine. Ooh…but I do own the Miller family. ::Nods:: Allllll mine.
Timeline: After "Rampage"
Summary: Dave goes too far in avenging the abused.
Author's Notes: Long time…no updates. God, vacation is supposed to mean relaxation, right? Oh well, here's Chapter 2. Thanks for all the Chapter 1 reviews. Hope ya like. Remember to review!
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Chapter 2: Hard Answers
As he entered Exam 3, Dave observed not only a sullen-faced preteen-aged boy, but a man and a woman in the room as well. The couple was standing next to the cot the boy was on. Both the woman and son had their heads low, eyes on the ground.
"Daniel Miller?" Dave questioned, shutting the exam room door behind him. The boy's head raised slightly when Dave spoke, but he remained silent. Instead, the man, a tall, broad-shouldered person, spoke, "Yeah…that's him. That stupid knucklehead on the bed. I'm his father, Jack. She's," Jack said, jerking a thumb in the woman's direction, "Is Shelia, his mother."
Dave frowned slightly, because of the man's answering for his son, and for the term, "knucklehead," which sounded cold and harsh coming from the father's mouth.
Dave continued with his questioning, "So, Daniel,"
"Dan," the boy interrupted quietly, "I like the name Dan." He quickly closed his mouth, however, after glancing at Jack.
Dave smiled slightly, "OK, Dan. Can you tell me what happened?" Jack snorted rudely and cut in, "The little idiot got himself beat up! Wimp doesn't know how to fight at all."
Dave found himself getting agitated, "Sir, would you mind stepping out into the waiting room with your wife, so I can speak to Dan?"
Jack snapped back, "Of course I mind! He's my son! Might be a worthless piece of shit most of the time, but he's my son!"
"Would you then mind being quiet and letting…your son answer for himself?" Dave asked. Jack appeared put out, although Dave and made a simple, rational request, "Come on Shelia, we're finding a real doctor." Jack opened the door and lead his wife (not so gently) out of the exam room and slammed the door behind him.
With a roll of his eyes, Dave turned back to his patient, "now Dan, what happened?"
Dan hesitated slightly, not wanting to talk. Finally he said in his quiet voice, "I got hit."
"By?" Dave pressed.
"People…"
"What kind of people? Classmates?"
Dan nodded, but Dave thought that there was something the boy wasn't telling him. He decided to let it slide and continue with his examination, "We're probably gonna have to stitch that cut on your face. That looks to be the worst injury your have. We'll cut off and bandage the other cuts, and send you home with some clean dressings. Anything else hurt while we're here?"
Dan considered this, "Well…I did get kicked in my ribs." Dave looked sympathetic, "Yeah, that sucks. Wanna let me see?"
Hesitantly, Dan raised his shirt, giving Dave a good view of his violently bruised ribcage. Dave gaped at the bruises for a moment, as if the sight jolted some past memory, but he quickly shook it off and reached out to gingerly touch the ribs.
When Dan didn't flinch, Dave pressed a little harder. Still no response. "Does that hurt?" he asked, feeling more apprehensive, and a bit suspicious. Slowly, Dan shook his head, looking very scared for a boy of 13.
Dave frown darkened, "Dan, are you sure this happened today?" He repeated the questioned when the boy dropped his gaze. "Dan?"
Without looking at Dave, Dan muttered, "I get into a lot of fights…" Dave put down Dan's chart and looked at the boy, "Fights with whom?"
Dan shrugged and again answered, "People."
Dave asked quietly, "With your father?"
Dan continued to stare at the floor, but that didn't stop his voice from quivering when he said, "We…we get into…disagreements sometimes. He likes to be right."
"And what does your mother say about this?"
"She…doesn't have an opinion." Dan's voice distinctly cracked as he spoke his next words, "He's not a bad dad, he wants what's best for me and Mom. And I don't get hit a lot…only if I'm bad."
"And how often are you 'bad'?" Dave didn't try to disquise the sarcasm in his voice as he asked this, but hoped that Dan wouldn't think it was directed at him.
Dan sniffled and shrugged. Dave stood for a minute, his mind racing. A quiet sob from Dan brought Dave back, and the doctor handed his patient a tissue. In an instant, Dave's mind was made up, "Stay here, Dan. I'll have someone come and prep you for stitches, OK?" Dave took the quiet sniffle from the boy to be a 'yes,' so he rounded the cot and walked to the door.
With a final glance at Dan, Dave pulled the door open, to find Jack on the other side, Shelia close behind him. Jack immediately saw Dan's terrified, tear-streaked face and rounded on Dave, "What the hell did you do to him, you stupid bastard?"
Dave stayed cool and replied, "I should be asking you the same thing,"
"What in the hell…? Dan, get your stuff, Shelia, get the car. We're leaving." Seeing his wife and son hesitate, Jack lost his temper, "NOW!" Shelia jumped and then left to do as she was told. Dan, however stayed seated and looked at Dave uncertainly.
This only angered Jack more, "Who's your father, you stupid ass? Him or me? Get your damn coat!" Dan obeyed this time, and hopped off the cot. As he hurried past his father, Jack gave him a good whack in the back of the head.
Dan stumbled and stood just in time to see Dave lunge and attack Mr. Miller.
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A/N: Oooh, getting good right? Sorry if this chapter wasn't that great, but I needed to set the story up. I'm halfway through chapter 3, tentatively titled, "Roll with the Punches." Remember: I love reviews.