A/N: K, this chapter came up faster then I thought. Last night after I posted the other author note, I went upstairs to sleep, but then I fell going up the stairs and couldn't fall back asleep so I wrote this... I might end up fine tuning ti later but, I like this version, and that's rare for me. So please review, thanks!

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They had decided it after supper that night. They'd never let what happened with Squid happen again. Mom 'helped' them once a week in the 'support group' but it was never really taken seriously. Zigzag came up with the idea, and for a split second, they though he wasn't as crazy as they had thought, then he proposed the name. D.A.A.L.B. or D-tent Aids Against Lizardly Brainwashing. They decided to shorten it to D.A.A, D-tent Aids Anonymously. It was decided that they'd meet every night after supper at 8:30 and would discuss whatever came up, until the issue, or issues were resolved, or until it reached 10 o'clock when they would leave it until the next night. Whatever happened during the meetings stayed in the meetings.

The first meeting was that night. Everyone sat on their cots, unsure of what to say or do first. They had all heard Mom start the meetings countless times, but none wanted to start it that way because those meetings never amounted to anything. Finally, X-ray spoke.

"Alright, lt's start by having Squid explain what the hell's up." They all nodded, and looked at Squid.

He was silent for quite awhile, and no one pushed him either, they understood that what ever was painful enough to make him want to take his own life must be even more painful to talk about.

"It's Caveman's letters fault..." he started slowly, finding it hard to put his thoughts and reasoning into words, "His ma is always writin' to 'im, while my ma pro'lly can't even remember how to write her own name, let alone write to her only kid..."

"Man! That's all this whole thing is about?! Some stupid le..." Armpit was silenced when everyone turned to glare at him.

"I'm sorry man," Caveman said apologetically, "I didn't know that my letters affected you like that...I could write and tell her not to write anymore..." he offered thoughtfully.

"Naw, there ain't no need for that..." Squid replied, declining the offer.

"Well, maybe I could get her to write to you too, or to address the letters to all of us, then we could read them during the meetings.. When ever it comes."

X-ray nodded, "That's probably the best idea you've come up with since you got here."

Everyone laughed, the tension that had filled the are at the beginning completely disappearing.

The atmosphere grew solemn once more as X-ray got into a different area of that nights topic.

"What about your 'allergies' Squid? What's the real reason you lay awake crying almost every night since you got here?"

This time, Squid was even slower to answer as he stared down at his cot.

"It's 'cuz, I...I keep thinking about the day I was arrested... Ma was actually sober that day and all of a sudden these cops showed up and put handcuffs on me while reading me my rights. Ma, she kept asking what the hell was going on, but they didn't answer her and escorted me to the cruiser, and the worst part was, when I got into the cruiser, I smiled and waved as it drove away..." his voice wavered as he finished speaking and continued to just stared down at his cot.

"Whoa..." Magnet shook his head in disbelief, "Eso es frío, man, That's way cold..."

"I know..." Squid said bitterly as he raised his head and glanced at everyone, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Maybe it's for the best..."

Everyone turned and looked at Zero.

"It's a new record!!" Zigzag giggled, "He's spoken twice in the same day!!"

Zero gave Zigzag a glare, then a small smile, figuring that he was pretty much right.

"How do you it was for the best?" Squid questioned him, the other D-tenters, excluding Zigzag who was still giggling like a maniac, looked at Zero, slightly confused.

"Maybe you being arrested, and happy to get away, made her see how stupid she's been acting, or maybe she'll feel guilty. She might be trying to get permanently sober even as we speak. You could go home from here and find her completely changed."

"I never thought about that...thanks Zero..." Squid said, shaking his head slightly, "Your alright in my book."

Zero gave a small smile, then a loud beeping was heard.

Magnet took the watch that he had stolen from Mom earlier out from under his pillow and shut off the alarm.

"Well, looks like that's it...Night y'all." X-ray concluded simply with a shrug.

Everyone nodded and 'g'night' was mutter through the tent as they turned off the lamps, and for the first time, Squid slept through the entire night, not waking up crying once.

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A/N: and that's the end of that crappy chapter. Bye!

Dani