A/N: Thanks everyone for reviewing!
It was quick and sweet. The team had come for Nosedive after much debate on what do with him before hand but now they had had their plan, which they were quite proud of, and had executed it.
Mallory and Grin dealt with Miss Potter, and explained to her that were taking Nosedive into their custody, he would not be finishing any laboring jobs for her, and that if she tried anything they would sue for child labor. That was that.
Then came Tanya who went to Nosedive's room, packed his few belongings, and had his art supplies, (the ones that belonged to him) packaged and shipped out to his new home.
Then the part that was most difficult. Telling Nosedive that he would not be continuing on was the lifestyle that he had chosen for himself. The team left that job to Canard and Duke. They had found the teenager up on a ladder painting an exquisite design that consisted of thorns, and leaves. They called the teen down and with some resistance Nosedive came.
They told him that they were changing his whole life around and that he would be living with Duke, and working for Tanya drawing pictures of the body for a science book, or he could go to school. That was his choice. But that was only his choice. Nothing else. He had no control over anything. He was no longer going to be living alone, but instead with Duke.
Nosedive did not react well to the news, and after screaming and having a fit in public. The teen found that fighting was futile, gave up and then went into a silent vow. He no longer spoke to anyone. He had no wish to communicate with any team member. And that was how it was. For the first few days Duke let it go. But then he told him to get to work and start living his life.
But Duke wasn't being mean. He was parenting and trying his best to get the kid back out there. But he soon realized that the child was in serious depression and that it was not going anywhere except deeper. Duke started to notice the teen have sleepless nights, and acting oddly in his walk and appearance. Duke respected him though, and told him to do whatever he felt to be comfortable. Being roommates with Nosedive, Duke had no problem with. And being roommates with Duke, Nosedive had no problem with.
But Nosedive did have a problem with the lack of father, mother, and now brother. Memories flooded his mind, and the sleepless nights started to grow in numbers. Duke took the teen on long train trips to get home; found the longest route and made sure they were on it. That enabled the child to sleep some, but as soon as a stop came the train would come to a screeching halt and wake up Nosedive.
And still Nosedive refused to talk, or communicate his needs. He did everything was himself and was completely independent. He was a roommate who had to pay rent, (or as Nosedive saw it, Duke would never make him pay), and that was that. He was still independent. But things were not right, and not well.
Two weeks passed by and no words or wants had been expressed from him. The team worried severely over how to deal with the situation. The long hard days of being an adult when truly a child had finally taken their toll. His childhood wasn't exactly the easiest, mother in the hospital, father dead, war, being transported into different dimensions and then to top it all off to lose his brother. Well that was as much as Nosedive could take. So he dealt with his pain by not dealing with it.
However, despite his vow towards silence on the fourth week, (a month since the new living arrangements) he started talking to Duke in private. Not saying much about anything, but conversations flourished. Nothing important, and nothing that really had a side to it, but it was a start. Duke happily made a note of it, and the team happily agreed on that this was progress. Although the teen refused to speak to Duke in public, he did on occasion speak to him at night. And although the conversations didn't have Nosedive expressing any emotion whatsoever it was a start.
And from that start, the conversations began to become more rapidly. He started talking more often. Every night he would at least say one thing. That was it. From here Duke decided that from that point he could truly be able to start molding the kid's life back. Duke came to a conclusion of inviting his friends over for drinks.
Nosedive walked in to find Duke and his friends drinking around the television set, with chips and dip in the middle.
"Hey kid", said Duke as if nothing was happening.
Nosedive said nothing, and didn't even acknowledge his greeting. Instead he studied the men.
"These are my friends", said Duke, "They're going to stay for dinner."
Nosedive's eyes almost popped out of his head. He did not want strangers intruding on his life.
"You're more than welcome to invite your friends", said Duke, "Their numbers are on speed dial. Johnson took the liberty to put them there himself. Actually only Johnson's number is there but I'm sure he has everyone else's."
Nosedive said nothing but marched into his bedroom and slammed the door. He knew exactly what Duke was doing and it was not going to work. He was not going to socialize and most of all he was not going to fight with Duke. Duke wanted him to either to get him to invite his friend over, or get him mad at him. Duke would have Nosedive so mad at him that he would have to talk, and then having control over him. Of course all Duke wanted the kid to do was to invite his friend over, but to Nosedive it was another story. Everything in his life was distorting itself, and he couldn't control it. Duke knew all this, and knew the consequences of inviting his friends over. He was actually aiming for them. He wanted the kid to admit that there was a problem, and maybe go for some therapy or at least talk to him or anyone.
Therapy to Nosedive was something he would never do though. As a child he was constantly being pulled into the Guidance rooms because of his parents. They were always talking to him, and making him talk and listen to what they had to say. He hated it. He had had enough therapy and anymore would only lead to rebellious occurrences.
So after Duke's friends left, Duke went into Nosedive's room to find the teen staring out into space trying to determine his life's goal, and just trying to figure out what he was doing. Duke sat down next to him and rubbed the teen's back.
The two sat like that, and fortunately the phone rang. Duke hung up the phone excitedly, and then grabbed his keys and dragged Nosedive out the door.
It was quick and sweet. The team had come for Nosedive after much debate on what do with him before hand but now they had had their plan, which they were quite proud of, and had executed it.
Mallory and Grin dealt with Miss Potter, and explained to her that were taking Nosedive into their custody, he would not be finishing any laboring jobs for her, and that if she tried anything they would sue for child labor. That was that.
Then came Tanya who went to Nosedive's room, packed his few belongings, and had his art supplies, (the ones that belonged to him) packaged and shipped out to his new home.
Then the part that was most difficult. Telling Nosedive that he would not be continuing on was the lifestyle that he had chosen for himself. The team left that job to Canard and Duke. They had found the teenager up on a ladder painting an exquisite design that consisted of thorns, and leaves. They called the teen down and with some resistance Nosedive came.
They told him that they were changing his whole life around and that he would be living with Duke, and working for Tanya drawing pictures of the body for a science book, or he could go to school. That was his choice. But that was only his choice. Nothing else. He had no control over anything. He was no longer going to be living alone, but instead with Duke.
Nosedive did not react well to the news, and after screaming and having a fit in public. The teen found that fighting was futile, gave up and then went into a silent vow. He no longer spoke to anyone. He had no wish to communicate with any team member. And that was how it was. For the first few days Duke let it go. But then he told him to get to work and start living his life.
But Duke wasn't being mean. He was parenting and trying his best to get the kid back out there. But he soon realized that the child was in serious depression and that it was not going anywhere except deeper. Duke started to notice the teen have sleepless nights, and acting oddly in his walk and appearance. Duke respected him though, and told him to do whatever he felt to be comfortable. Being roommates with Nosedive, Duke had no problem with. And being roommates with Duke, Nosedive had no problem with.
But Nosedive did have a problem with the lack of father, mother, and now brother. Memories flooded his mind, and the sleepless nights started to grow in numbers. Duke took the teen on long train trips to get home; found the longest route and made sure they were on it. That enabled the child to sleep some, but as soon as a stop came the train would come to a screeching halt and wake up Nosedive.
And still Nosedive refused to talk, or communicate his needs. He did everything was himself and was completely independent. He was a roommate who had to pay rent, (or as Nosedive saw it, Duke would never make him pay), and that was that. He was still independent. But things were not right, and not well.
Two weeks passed by and no words or wants had been expressed from him. The team worried severely over how to deal with the situation. The long hard days of being an adult when truly a child had finally taken their toll. His childhood wasn't exactly the easiest, mother in the hospital, father dead, war, being transported into different dimensions and then to top it all off to lose his brother. Well that was as much as Nosedive could take. So he dealt with his pain by not dealing with it.
However, despite his vow towards silence on the fourth week, (a month since the new living arrangements) he started talking to Duke in private. Not saying much about anything, but conversations flourished. Nothing important, and nothing that really had a side to it, but it was a start. Duke happily made a note of it, and the team happily agreed on that this was progress. Although the teen refused to speak to Duke in public, he did on occasion speak to him at night. And although the conversations didn't have Nosedive expressing any emotion whatsoever it was a start.
And from that start, the conversations began to become more rapidly. He started talking more often. Every night he would at least say one thing. That was it. From here Duke decided that from that point he could truly be able to start molding the kid's life back. Duke came to a conclusion of inviting his friends over for drinks.
Nosedive walked in to find Duke and his friends drinking around the television set, with chips and dip in the middle.
"Hey kid", said Duke as if nothing was happening.
Nosedive said nothing, and didn't even acknowledge his greeting. Instead he studied the men.
"These are my friends", said Duke, "They're going to stay for dinner."
Nosedive's eyes almost popped out of his head. He did not want strangers intruding on his life.
"You're more than welcome to invite your friends", said Duke, "Their numbers are on speed dial. Johnson took the liberty to put them there himself. Actually only Johnson's number is there but I'm sure he has everyone else's."
Nosedive said nothing but marched into his bedroom and slammed the door. He knew exactly what Duke was doing and it was not going to work. He was not going to socialize and most of all he was not going to fight with Duke. Duke wanted him to either to get him to invite his friend over, or get him mad at him. Duke would have Nosedive so mad at him that he would have to talk, and then having control over him. Of course all Duke wanted the kid to do was to invite his friend over, but to Nosedive it was another story. Everything in his life was distorting itself, and he couldn't control it. Duke knew all this, and knew the consequences of inviting his friends over. He was actually aiming for them. He wanted the kid to admit that there was a problem, and maybe go for some therapy or at least talk to him or anyone.
Therapy to Nosedive was something he would never do though. As a child he was constantly being pulled into the Guidance rooms because of his parents. They were always talking to him, and making him talk and listen to what they had to say. He hated it. He had had enough therapy and anymore would only lead to rebellious occurrences.
So after Duke's friends left, Duke went into Nosedive's room to find the teen staring out into space trying to determine his life's goal, and just trying to figure out what he was doing. Duke sat down next to him and rubbed the teen's back.
The two sat like that, and fortunately the phone rang. Duke hung up the phone excitedly, and then grabbed his keys and dragged Nosedive out the door.