***

Wildwing awoke two hours later and headed downstairs to watch cartoons. His mother was in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies for Nosedive, and she was having a hell of a time keeping both Wildwing and his father out of the goodies.

"Stop that George, Wing, these are for Nosedive."

"But, Mom, I'm hungry," Wing whined.

"Yeah, Anna. It's not fair to hog all the good stuff for only one of us. Don't you love us too?" George gave her a pathetic face as he pulled Wildwing to his hip.

"Oh you two"

"Mamma?"

It was Nosedive. The three left the kitchen and found Nosedive standing at the top of the stairs rubbing the sleep from his eyes and holding the corner of his baby security blanket. He hadn't been using the protective device for what seemed years. Upon the sight of his mother Nosedive exclaimed Mamma and jumped onto the banister, sliding down the rail.

"NOSEDIVE!" Anna panicked. "NO!"

But it was too late; Dive was already halfway down the railing, laughing as he flew at top speeds. Wing dropped his cookie and watched, horror stricken as Dive flew off the end of the banister and through the air. He landed safely in his fathers arms a few feet away. Dive quickly wiggled free and ran to his mother. "Mamma!"

Anna scooped him into her arms and smothered him with kisses. Dive pushed her face away, preventing the gushy storm the best he could. "Don't you ever do that again!" Anna scolded, releasing him.

"I love you, Mamma."

"And I love you too. Don't do that again."

"Okay. WING!" Dive ran from his mother to his brother. He threw his arms wide, preparing for an embrace, but he stopped short at the sight of the cookie Wing had picked up and was looking at. "Cookies!"

"Do you want a cookie Dive?" Wing asked.

Dive nodded feverishly and Wing handed him the cookie that he had dropped on the floor. George stepped up to his wife and placed his arm around her shoulders. "How come he was happy to see everyone but me?"

Anna smiled and walked over to her sons. "Why don't you boys watch some TV with your father?" Dive looked greedily at his cookie as Wing headed over to the couch. Anna steered Dive after Wing and whispered something in his ear.

"Lookie, Mamma," Dive stopped and removed the bandages from his wrist. Anna cringed at the sight of his swollen purple wrist.

"Nosedive, put the bandage back on," George instructed.

"I got another one too, Mamma," Dive smiled up at her and began to untie his other bandage. George stooped down and refrained Dive from exposing the injury. George lifted Dive onto his shoulder and carried him to the couch, setting him next to Wildwing.

Wing turned on the television set and Dive immediately knew what that meant. Cartoons! And so he exclaimed bouncing in his seat. Wing calmed him by pulling him onto his lap. George watched the pair sitting happily on the couch before turning to his wife. Her face described her feelings about the situation. The two discussed the situation, and Anna's solution to the problem was one George disagreed with.

"Anna, you have got to be kidding me."

"George, this is not open for debate. I'll call work and give him my two weeks notice right now." Anna picked up the phone and began to dial. George came up behind her and removed the receiver from her fingers and hung it up. "Anna, think rationally."

"I am thinking rationally."

"No you are not."

"Dive hurt himself because he needs me. He's not seeing enough of me. I should be here for him when he comes home. Maybe when he is older I'll get another job."

"Anna, listen to what you're saying. You're talking about giving up something you have been wanting for a long time."

"Yes. It's either that or loose someone I love. I can't do that, George."

"Anna, Nosedive is not hurting himself to get attention."

"Then how do you explain his shyness, the money he asked for and now these bruises."

"Anna, how do you think Dive hurt himself? Trust me he couldn't tie himself to a monkey bar and pummel himself in the chest. Someone else did this to him. Besides, Wildwing said that some other kid did this. Dive is not acting out, so don't quit your job."

"But George he needs me here, not in an office."

"Your right. He does need you, but not this you. Stop blaming yourself. Now I know where Wildwing gets it from."

"Not funny, George."

The sound of Wildwing and Nosedive's laughter from their position on the couch cut through the eerie silence between their parents. The two smiled and shook their heads. "Look at us. Arguing over something we didn't do."

"Then you will keep your job?"

"I'll think about it."

***

The cartoon character slipped on a banana peel and landed on his backside. As he recovered from his spill another character dropped a ten-ton anvil on his head, crushing his head flat. The first character pulled his head out and he looked around, his head still flat like a pancake. Nosedive began to laugh as the cartoon character put his thumb in his mouth in an attempt to inflate his head.

"Wing?"

"Yeah, Dive?"

"Can that really happen?" Dive asked pointing at the screen.

"Not in real life. That only happens in cartoons. No one can do that."

"Good. I don't want the fat kid to do that to me." Dive turned back to the cartoon show and settled deep into the couch. Wing sat watching his brother, confused by the remark. "Dive, who hurt you?"

Dive looked away and buried his head in a pillow. He mumbled something to the effect of he would hurt me if I tell. Wing was going to press the matter, but the doorbell rang needing his undivided attention. "I got it!" Wing called, jumping off the couch and running to the door. George walked into the room and settled into his recliner. On his way across the room he tickled Nosedive, who was still pretending to be an ostrich. Dive looked up and laughed at his father.

Wildwing unlocked the door and opened it a crack. After seeing whom it was he opened it a little further so he could stick his head outside. "What do you want?" he barked.

"Hi, Wing, can I come in?"

"No. Go away, Thunderbeak!" Wing slammed the door on Canard's face and went back to the couch in a huff.

"Who was that, Sport?" George asked, opening up his paper.

"No one," Wing snorted and sat down, folding his arms.

George watched Wing doubtfully. Someone knocked at the door and Wing quickly shouted, "GO AWAY!" George knew the meaning behind the sudden temper flare and he went to answer the door. "Hello, Canard. What are you doing here?"

"He's going home," Wing called over his shoulder. Nosedive ignored the entire outburst.

"Why don't you come in, Canard. Would you like a cookie? Mrs. Flashblade just finished baking a few dozen."

"Thank you, Mr. Flashblade, I'd like that," Canard relied pulling off his jacket. George took his jacket and hung it up. As Canard crossed the room to the couch where Wing and Dive sat, George went to the kitchen to get the boys a snack of cookies and milk.

"Hey, Dive."

"Hi, Canard," Dive replied, not taking his eyes off the cartoon show.

"Don't talk to him, Thunderbeak!"

"Why, Wing? Why can't he talk to me?" Dive asked turning to pose the question, but never taking his eyes off the screen.

"Because I said so."

"How are you, Dive?" Canard asked.

"I'm fine."

"Don't talk to him," Wing warned, balling his fist.

Canard ignored Wing's mediocre threat and climbed onto the couch on the other side of Dive.

"Go away," Wing said pushing Canard's shoulder away and pulling Dive closer.

"Stop it, Wing, Canard's not being mean."

"But he called you a girl and hasn't apologized yet."

"So."

"He needs to apologize."

George walked past, placing the tray of cookies and milk in front of the boys. "Here you three go."

Canard leaned forward and plucked a cookie from the tray. "I'm sorry, Wing, I'm sorry I called Dive a girl. I'm sorry I said he was a baby."

"I'm not a baby!"

"I know, Dive. You're not. And you were very brave today."

"I know," Dive said with a cocky smile and a smug look on his face. "Hey wanna see something neat?"

"Sure."

"NO, DIVE!" Wing and his father said trying to stop Dive from removing his bandages. The pair was too late, because Dive proudly displayed his injuries to Canard, who winced. "Dive," he said. "That looks horrible."

"Ah, it's nothing. You want to see my chest?"

Wildwing held the hem of his shirt down. "No, Dive, Canard doesn't need to see all your bruises."

"The big fat kid gave them to me. He hit me in lunch line and took my money."

George sat astonished at how casually Dive now spoke about the weeks events. He decided that the way things were headed were not where he wanted them to go, so he tired to change it. "So, Canard, did Wildwing miss much this afternoon?"

"Oh yeah, hey, Wing!"

"What?" Wing asked tersely.

"You will never believe what happened at last recess."

"What?" Wing asked annoyed by the presence of his best friend'.

"We got, Josh!"

"Really?" Wing was amazed at the news. Nosedive cringed at the name.

"Yeah. He was bragging about how he hurt some little kid by tying him up to the monkey bars. I knew he was talking about Dive and I got really mad, so I challenged him to a fight. You know how he likes to fight, so he accepted. I was holding my own for a while, but he IS bigger then me. Well, like I was saying, he was beating me up."

"Cool, Canard."

"Thanks, Dive, anyway the entire fourth grade jumped him!"

"They what?"

"They jumped him. You missed it, Wing! We jumped him and now he's at home crying to mommy." Canard smiled.

"Man I wish I was there. I owe him a good swift kick in the"

George cleared his throat.

"Uh never mind."

"I love you, Wing," Dive hugged his older brother.

"I love you too, Dive."

George shook his head. "He loves everyone but me."

"Daddy," Nosedive laughed. George smiled back and held his arms open. Dive slid off the couch and hopped into his fathers arms. The two rubbed their cheeks together and Dive settled into his lap to watch the cartoons on TV. He stopped and looked at his father with a serious look on his face. "When do I get to go to school again?"

The three gathered in the room laughed and George gave Dive a noogie.

"Your weird baby brother."

Dive gave his brother a confused look. "I'm not weird. Rita owes me a cupcake." Dive folded his arms across his chest as the others began to laugh again.

The End.

I hoped you liked. Like I said before I wrote this story AGES ago, but the computer ate the file after I first typed it up. This rendition is much better. Now I'm off. I have to research some stuff for my final masterpiece. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!

Oh and one more thing, constructive criticism is most appreciated. I really think there is at least one thing I can improve on, but I don't know what it is.

Smile, Live, Laugh, Love and God Bless.

Alassë Elendil AKA Elfy AKA Jin AKA