***

George parked the car and Wing jumped out, running to the playground. Dive waited in his car seat till his father undid the restraints and walked him after Wing. Dive took his father's hand and held on to it for dear life. He was use to the morning walks with his mother, but somehow today was different and very scary. Dive watched the other children arrive and run around the gathering adults. Dive lost track of Wing. He was off greeting old friends. He found Leila, Randy, Mike and Canard near the swing sets and the group began to talk feverishly about their vacations. It appeared that all was well between the two best friends, and the fight had not left any immediate rift.

Dive looked at his father and tugged at his hand. "What's wrong honey?"

"Wing?"

"He's playing with his friends. Oh look, there's Mrs. Thunderbeak, come let's go say hi. Good morning ladies," George greeted the group of mothers.

"Good morning, George," Jane Thunderbeak replied. "Where's Anna?"

"She started her job today, so I'm going to be taking the boys to school. My boss said it was all right to come in later then normal."

"Oh how sweet," Randy's mother said, holding her infant son.

Dive ignored the insueing conversation amongst the adults. Instead he found sucking his thumb to be more entertaining and relaxing. Dive turned and scanned the playground for Wing, sucking his thumb loudly. The noise attracted the attention of one of the mothers and she bent down to greet him. "And who is this?"

Dive jumped as she pushed her face into his. She stepped forward, invading Dive's personal space. To escape the scary' lady Dive latched onto his father's leg. "This is my youngest son, Nosedive," George informed the curious mother.

"Hello, Nosedive."

Dive tightened his grip on his father's leg. "It's okay Ace, she won't hurt you." Dive dug his nails into his father's leg when the lady reached out to pet his hair. "Ace, let go." George grunted prying Dive's hands free. Dive immediately tried to gain another hold on his father's lower extremities, but George picked him up. This was the next best thing to Dive, because his father's neck was perfect thing to wrap his arms around. The mothers laughed at his shyness as Dive drove to hide his face in George's shoulder. When the attention was no longer on him, Dive looked up and tried to find Wildwing. The view from his father's shoulder was the perfect place to survey the playground. Dive spied Wing at the monkey bars. Now all Dive had to do was to get to the ground and find him. He wiggled and slipped out of his dad's arms. George put Dive down and held his hand. Well at least he was halfway free. George returned to his conversation, making it easier for Dive to slip his hand free and run to find Wing.

George looked at his watch. "Well ladies, if you'll excuse me, I have to go now. The bell should be ringing soon and I have to get Dive here ready for his first day of school."

"Sure George we understand."

"Come on Ace Ace? Nosedive? Where'd he go?" George looked about him frantically, but Dive was missing.

"He's over there George," Jane pointed at Dive, who was half way across the playground.

"Nosedive come here!"

Dive turned. He'd been spotted! Dive stopped his progress toward Wing's position and looked from his father to Wing. He was soooooo close to Wing. Dive didn't want to go to his father, so instead he ran toward Wildwing.

"NOSEDIVE!"

Wing heard his brother's name and looked up. He glanced towards his father and saw Dive running as fast as his little legs could carry him toward the monkey bars, with their father was in hot pursuit. Wing dropped the ball he was holding and ran toward Dive. Dive looked over his shoulder as he ran. He saw Wing coming for him and he saw his father coming too. Dive tried to pick up the pace and look over his shoulder at the same time. This was fun! Well at least it was until he tripped over his own feet and fell face first.

"NOSEDIVE!" Wing screamed with horror.

As luck would have it George was an excellent sprinter, having played professional hockey he should have been. He slid across the pavement and caught Dive before too much damage was incurred. Dive ripped his pants, but what was new about that. He was always tearing holes in his clothes.

"Are you okay, Ace?" George panted.

"Hi Daddy," Dive smiled.

"Nosedive, are you okay?" Wing asked as he reached his father and brother.

"Wildwing!" Dive jumped out of his fathers' arms and into Wing's.

"He's okay," Wing and George said in unison.

*RING* The school recess bell blared across the school grounds.

"Uh oh, the bell. I gotta go Dive."

"No, don't go."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because the bell rang."

"Why?"

"Because it's time for school."

"Why?"

"Because I have to that's why!"

"Okay I love you bye bye."

Wing ran to the pile of backpacks and grabbed his and his lunchbox before rushing to line up for class. George slowly stood up and dusted himself off as Dive waved goodbye and blew kisses at Wildwing's back. George took Dive's hand and led him to the kindergarten line. Dive waited with his father for Mrs. Duckers, his kindergarten teacher to arrive. For the first time that day Dive noticed all the children his own age. Most of the kids looked scared, some were crying, others pouting refusing to budge from where they had parked their rumps on the blacktop.

"Okay, Ace, Mrs. Thunderbeak will pick you and Wing up at noon today. I'll see you later tonight okay." George walked away leaving Dive to watch the other children. George had expected some resistance, but none came. He reached the gate and Dive still hadn't come running after him. George looked back and saw Dive looking at the other children dazed. He sighed and rolled his eyes. He couldn't leave Dive like this. It might make him revert back to diapers, and heaven knows how long it took to get him potty trained.

George walked back to Dive's side, the youngster never even knew that he had gone. Dive was happy to go inside and look at all the neat toys lying around the room. Dive found a set of coloring books and crayons at one table and he energetically took to coloring. George smiled at his son. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Dive would be fine without him. George decided that it was time for him to go and he headed for the door. Dive looked up to show his father his artwork and found him missing. He gave a startled cry when he saw his father, hand on the doorknob. George waved and opened the door to leave. It only took Dive a second to be out of his chair and across the room begging his father not to leave.

"But Ace, I have to go to work."

"Please, Daddy, don't leave me." George looked around helpless. He was so close to leaving yet not far enough away from his youngest sons desperate pleading wide eyes and trembling lower bill. "But Ace I oh fine I'll stay."

"Yay!" Nosedive hugged his father's knees, grabbed his hand and led him back to the table. George plopped down in the miniature chair, built for someone of Nosedive's small stature, not his height of six foot one. Dive didn't seem to notice his fathers uncomfortable circumstances; knees pressed to his chest, body pressed into a ball, butt squeezed onto the pint sized furniture. George laughed it off. He was just glad no one had a camera. Then the flash of Mrs. Duckers camera lit up the room. He would soon come to cherish the picture, but at the moment he hated it. Dive sitting happily coloring, and he miserable. George called work and was thankfully able to get the day off. It took quite a bit of begging on his part, and Dive's incessant pulling on his arm and begging him to play did not help his cause.

"Daddy!" Dive pleaded again.

"Okay, Ace, what do you want to do?" George asked hanging up his cell phone.

"I want to go see Wing," Dive said relinquishing his hold on his father's biceps.

"We can't go see Wing, Nosedive."

"But I want to see him."

"I know you do, but you can't."

"Why?"

"Because he's in class."

"So, I want Wing."

"Don't we all," George rolled his eyes. "Here, how about I do something with you instead?"

Dive frowned. He loved his dad, but it was clear to the kindergartner that he was just too big to play with any of the toys in the playroom. "I want Wing."

"How about I read you a story?"

Dive's eyes lit up at the mention of a story. His head quickly scanned from side to side looking for books. He found the bookshelf and ran to it, half expecting to find his favorite book in the same place as in his bedroom. Dive searched high and low, but he couldn't find his book (it would have helped if he could read, but come on he's only five!)

"How about this one?" George offered holding up Green Eggs and Ham'.

"No! I want my story!"

"Ace, they don't have that story."

"But I want to hear it!"

"Nosedive, stop that right now! Pick a book and I'll read it to you."

Dive looked at his father and gave him his petrified sad face, which always worked with his mother for getting his way. He sniffled once and threatened to let loose a barrage of tears.

"Oh, Nosedive, don't start that."

Dive's beak trembled more as a single tear slid from his eye. George frantically looked through the books. He grabbed the nearest thin book with a blue cover and yellow spine. "Dive, how about Wing's favorite story?"

Dive thought about the proposition for a minute, threw his tear act away, grabbed the book and ran to the story telling mat and waited for his father to follow suit. George gave a collective sigh and followed Nosedive. He sat on the floor indian style, pulling Dive into his lap; he began to read The Little Prince'. When he finished the tale the entire kindergarten class sat around them on the carpet. They had all listened quietly to whom they believed to be a majestic storyteller.

"Now wasn't that wonderful children," Mrs. Duckers exclaimed clapping her hands together. The class acknowledged her by nodding and clapping. A few children yelled praises. "Let's thank Mr. Flashblade and then we can have our snack."

Nosedive's eyes widened with terror as the other children gathered around his father and thanked him for the story. Dive pushed two children away and shouted "No! My Daddy!"

"Nosedive, honey, it's okay."

"No! My Daddy!"

George picked Dive up and walked to a private area so he could have a little heart to heart with the headstrong blond. He gently lowered Dive to the floor before he knelt slowly in front of him. "Nosedive you do not have to be so protective. They were only saying thank you."

"But."

"Nosedive, sweetie, it's okay. No one is going to take me away from you."

"Really?" Dive wiped away a tear that had involuntary fallen.

George scooped Dive into his arms and gave him a tight embrace. "Of course. And no one will ever take Mommy or Wildwing away from you either."

"You promise?"

"Would I lie to you? Now how about some cookies?"

"Yeah."

Dive happily raced ahead to get his hands on as many cookies as his soon to be sticky fingers could grasp. George laughed to himself as he followed behind. He noticed Mrs. Duckers watching him and he walked up to her.

"Hello Mr. Flashblade, it's good to see you again. How's Wildwing?"

"He's fine."

"It seems to be a trend."

"What is?"

"Your son's first days of school."

George threw his head back and laughed.

"Nosedive appears to be a very sweet child and a little more outgoing then Wildwing. I predict that as soon as he loosens up a bit more he'll be a great student."

"He's just scared. He's not usually this timid."

"You mean overprotective? Most children aren't until they feel threatened. They only get this way when they are afraid of loosing something they love. Either that or they lash out."

"I was wondering, if Nosedive happens to get scared at anytime this school year, can we have Wildwing come to calm him down?"

"I'm sure the school will allow that. Does Wildwing have a problem with being called out of class to tend on him?"

George was taken aback. Why would Wildwing not want to help his younger brother? "Of course he wouldn't mind. My boys love one another and Wing would never want to see anything happen to Dive."

"I'm sure he does love him, but sometimes older siblings hate having to accommodate their lives for their younger siblings. No matter how much they love them."

"Wing would do anything for Nosedive even give his own life."

"I hope it doesn't have to come down to that. IF Nosedive gets scared we'll send for Wildwing."

"Thank you." George stalked away from Mrs. Duckers. He found her skepticism of Wildwing's love for Dive preposterous. His gloomy mood soon faded as he watched Dive happily play with the other children. There were several times in which George thought about sneaking out when Dive wasn't looking, but he didn't have the nerve to abandon his son. George endured the hair-raising day and could not wait to go home, but when it came time, Nosedive refused to leave. George, being patient of his sons needs, decided to wait till the older children left in two hours before attempting to advise Dive on the need to go home. George watched Dive play with this toy then that toy across the room. One minute he would be tossing cars around the next dancing in circles laughing at some funny joke he had told himself. George changed resting his head on his one hand to the other with a heavy sigh.

"Having fun?"

George looked up. It was Mrs. Duckers. "Oh lots." George said sarcastically. "There's nothing I enjoy more then watching my son run around an empty room laughing to himself."

"Well at least he's not talking to himself."

George smiled, "That's true."

"I hate to do this to him, but I have to go now and I can't leave you two here."

"That's all right. It's" George looked at his watch. "Four Thirty!"

"I didn't want to bother him when he was having so much fun."

"Yes he is having fun, but that means Wildwing has been home alone. Who knows what's going through his head! He's probably worried sick! Nosedive time to go."

"I don't wanna."

"Nosedive we have to go."

"But Daddy."

"Nosedive," Mrs. Duckers interrupted. Dive glared at her, he didn't like her. "Don't you want to go home and play with Wildwing?"

Dive's eyes lit up at the mention of his brother's name. "Yes."

"Well then you have to leave here to go home. Wing has been waiting for you. Don't worry, the toys will be here when you come back tomorrow."

Dive didn't wait for another word. He grabbed his father's hand and dragged him to the door. "Come on Daddy, Wing's waitin' for me."

Needless to say George was finally glad to see his home pull into view. Wildwing stood in the front yard shooting pucks at his hockey net. As soon as the car was in park, Nosedive didn't wait for his father to undo his belt. He jumped from his restraints and hopped out of the car, thrilled to be with Wing again. "Wildwing!"

"Nosedive!"

George stood back and watched the two embrace. "What, no hug for me?" He teased. Wing laughed, picking up Dive and came to give his father a hug. The three had a group hug. "Wing, Sport, are you all right?"

"I'm fine Dad, but where have you been? Mrs. Thunderbeak dropped me off at two forty five."

"I'm sorry Wing, your brother didn't want to go home."

Wing smiled at Dive warmly. "Did you like school, Dive?"

Nosedive nodded.

"I'm glad," Wing said has he gave Dive another hug. "I was afraid you'd be scared."

"I was, but Daddy stayed with me."

"You stayed with him?" Wing asked his father.

"Yes."

Wing looked down at Nosedive then back to his father. "I had to Sport. He was upset and I couldn't leave him like that."

"That's okay Dad. I would have stayed with him too."

"Let's go get dinner ready. Moms going to be hungry when she gets home from her first day of work."

Wildwing took Dive upstairs and the two played a counting game and worked on Wing's homework. Dive didn't understand half the questions Wing posed to him, but he answered them the best he could. "What's two plus four?"

Dive cocked his head to the right and looked to the ceiling. "Forty two."

"That's right. Man how could I have forgotten that," Wing slapped his forehead.

"That's okay, Wing. I'll help you any day. Wing?"

"Yeah, Dive?"

"What's that smell?"

Wildwing paused and put his pencil down. He sniffed the air. It did not take him long to become alarmed. "I think its smoke."

"What could be burning?" Dive asked with trusting innocence.

"I don't know, come on, Dive, let's go." Wildwing took Dive's hand and rushed from the room. Wing knew that if the house was on fire they had to get out and fast. The two hit the bottom of the stairs as the front door came swinging open. Their mother's cry of alarm made them freeze on the spot.

"George!"

George came walking past Wing and Dive, coughing and waving his hand in front of his face. "Everything's all right, Anna."

"But where's all the smoke coming from?"

"The kitchen."

"I can see that, but why is there smoke coming from MY kitchen?"

"I was cooking dinner," George shrugged.

Anna burst into laughter as she noticed her soot covered husband. He wiped the black markings from across his eyes and left trailing fingerprints across his face. "What's so funny?" He asked a little amused at his mishap.

"Why would you do something like that? You don't know how to cook, silly."

"I was trying to make this a special day for you and the boys, considering it was your first day and"

"Oh, George," Anna said empathetically and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

While they were talking Wing and Dive went to explore the kitchen. If there wasn't a fire, why was there smoke? They found the cause sitting in a dish on the rack pulled out of the oven. The boys wrinkled their beaks at the burnt smell. That was the dish that their mother used to make casseroles. Did that mean that the charcoal mess inside it was their dinner?

"Daddy, do we have to eat this?" Nosedive asked pointing at the black mess.

"No, Ace, you don't have to eat that," George laughed.

"Then what's for dinner, Dad?" Wing asked, his stomach growling loudly. "You're not going to make us starve, are you?"

Anna broke into another fit of laughter. It was too funny. Wing was so serious and Dive, who had tired the burn soufflé, stood behind his brother with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and wiping his finger on his pants.

"Anna, please stop that. It's not funny. I really tried."

"I know you did sweet heart. Let's clear this smoke out and I'll get dinner ready."

"No. Let's clear the smoke and then how's about I take everyone out for dinner."

"Yeah!" the boys exclaimed in unison.

"George you spoil me."