Braced Company

A Disney Duck Fanfic:

Instead of being purely based on one entity, this story takes background from Classic Donald Duck cartoons, Ducktales, and Darkwing Duck.

Written By

Stef with a F

Contains Major Spoilers to Double Triangle Trouble

Disclaimers:

Disney owns most of these characters. Dumbella's past as Bella Widgeon is mine, as are the characters of Melanie Widgeon, Cindy Ganderquack, Jeffery and Ashley Ruddy / Arachnia Ink, Ronnie Mallard, Lisa Mallard, Detective Doberman Pincher, Devin Duck, and whomever else I mention in the future. Time Setting: About eight (8) years after the Darkwing Duck series.

WARNING

This story is rated PG-13 and/or TV-14-LSDV, which means it may or may not (chapters may vary, some will be possibly PG rated only or a less severe TV-14) include references or incidents of mild/moderate language, sexual content and or themes, mild or moderated violence, and possible other adult themes. Not a porno, or even R-rated, but be advised and please no flames.

Chapter 9

"Oh Huey it was just something else! This one freak wannabe villianess violated the arcade. Trust me Huey, it didn't appear that she knew what she was doing. And then some punk kid decided to fire off a gun in the middle of the crowd. No, I wasn't scared. But then she just took off. It was just so weird. So how have you been doing?"

Huey tossed thinking about the conversation he had with Gosalyn around midnight last night. He stared at the ceiling, trying his darnest to shake off the awful feeling he was feeling. He would have loved to have the power to read minds at this moment. But of course that was the power granted to the individual that was missing.

Calling Jeffery didn't help, in fact, calling Jeff only complicated matters. Dewey was not at Jeff's, further more, even if he was, he most definitely would have told someone. Though, something that Jeff said did kind of worry him.

"Hey Jeff, it's Huey, I know it is late, but is Dewey over there?"

Jeff pause for a second as he switch hands on his cell phone so he could use his hand to put his computer on an away message.

"Oh no problem. You didn't wake me up, I'm on the computer, I should give you my screen name…And since you called the cell, you didn't wake up the parentals."

"Your sister?"

"No, as far as I know Ashley still lives at that bar. But, then again I haven't heard from her in a while now. Then again I haven't been there since the Lone Ducks decided to shut down for a while. You think your sister would keep in touch with you though you know?"

Huey nodded. "Dewey?"

"Oh sorry, he's not here," Jeff answered at last. Now a tad worried, in a lower voice he added, "Is he in trouble?"

Huey shook his head, "No…Do us a favor? If you see him, tell him to call. And Jeff, if asked by my uncle say he was with you last night, tonight, whatever?"

"Yeah, sure…" Jeff agreed. "You do the same thing, tell him to call me and leave a voice message, or better yet, tell him to get online and leave me a message there. You're freaking me out here. But if I would guess he is probably with a girl. He sure does need it. It does the body good."

Huey made a half smile, even though of course Jeff couldn't see that. "Well, I better go. Night."

"Night," Jeff replied.

Huey blinked his eyes, yawned, as he stretched himself to look beyond the boundaries of his bed where the clock stated it was 9:23 AM. Huey fell out of bed, using his bedpost to pick himself up. He was so tired. Huey checked his voice mail on his cell phone. There weren't any messages from Dewey nor was he home in his bed. He again called Jeff.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Ruddy. Jeff around?" Huey asked.

"I think he is sleeping. Want to call him back later? Is this Dewey?"

"I'll call back later. Sorry," Huey said, hanging up the phone.

He didn't want to think bad things, but Dewey never took off with any warning. After checking Louie's room, where both Louie, and Doofus, who was sleeping on a sleeping bag on the floor were still sleeping, Huey decided he might as well get some breakfast.

There was a note on the fridge.

Hey Boys, there is cereal in the cabinets and milk in the fridge. I went to work. See you tonight. Uncle Donald.

"Well, that solves one dilemma for now," Huey said to himself.

He closed the fridge door, reconsidering his appetite.

A few miles away…

"Thanks again Loopy for flying me home," Daisy said to her flying companion.

"Oh no problem. You need to get home to your husband. And I can check with Webby and Gosalyn again to make sure if they really don't want to come, you know? And yeah, I can check in on the guys and see about their bachelor party." Loopy said with a laugh.

Daisy smiled. "Yeah. Too bad Donald is probably at work now."

Loop smiled. "Hey, call him up. I think he will want to know about this."

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, since the whole family seems to already know."

"Hey…we can keep our mouth shut."

Daisy smiled. Loopy seemed like a sweet girl, and even sincere, but last night. She wasn't sure if it was the liquor or not, but she did have a loose mouth. So far the in-flight conversation was all about her. It was time to pass the puck.

"So…" Daisy began. "What have you been up to? Are you going to the wedding alone?"

Loopy blushed. "Oh no. Yeah, I have a special person. Actually, I think you all might even know him."

Daisy looked at Loopy intrigued. "Oh really?"

Loopy nodded. "Uh huh. Hold on, we're about to land."

Somewhere not too far way, Ashley, and gently as she could, eased herself out of the hammock she was sleeping in for the night.

"Hey…" another voice, Dewey's voice whispered, "Where do you think you are going?"

"Good Morning Dewey," Ashley called.

"Good Morning, Ash," Dewey called back. "I can call you that now, can't I?"

Ashley grabbed a piece of linen from an open drawer and draped herself in it.

"May as well," she said bitterly.

Hurt, Dewey got out of the hammock, and wrapped his arms around Ashley's waist. "Ash…"

Ashley broke away from Dewey's grip. "Oww?"

Dewey dropped his arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me look at the wound?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Sure, but I'm fine."

Ashley pulled back the sheet slightly so Dewey could get access to her mid-section where her laceration was still rather raw.

"Oh Ashley, let put some dressing on that."

"Okay, and then can I go?" Ashley asked.

"Where are you going to go?" Dewey demanded. "I'm not going to let you get yourself killed."

"Not let me do what?!" retorted, pulling back. "Dewey you are not my boss. You are not even my boyfriend."

"Whoa there…shh, let me clean that wound," Dewey whispered, momentarily ignoring the harsh words Ashley spewed out. "Of course I'm not your boss."

"Then you are not going to stop me."

"This is going to sting a little bit," Dewey informed, as he took some iodine out of the first aid box he found and applied it to the flesh wound.

Ashley bit her lip, "A little?"

"Shh…"

"Don't Shh me. Dewey," Ashley warned, and she flinched a bit.

"Are you ready to tell me what you were up to last night?" Dewey solicited.

"None of your business," Ashley declared.

"Ashley, I care about you. I don't want you hurt. Please tell me what is going on?" Dewey insisted.

Ashley threw her hands up in the air.

"I'm going to get dressed," she informed then. "I just wished I had something better to choose from. I didn't have my normal clothes on under my outfit. Just my under garments."

Dewey laughed. "Here you go, here's a shirt you can borrow."

Dewey pulled out a long sleeved shirt from the wooden dresser on the other side of the room, and a grabbed a pair of sweat pants. "Now these might be a little too long for you."

Ashley took the items of clothing. "I will manage. Thanks. Turn around."

Dewey turned around.

"I'm still waiting," he stated again.

"Old business." Ashley said. "About my mother. Last night I saw the daughter of the person that killed my mother."

"Who killed your mother? I thought you told me she died in a car accident a few years back. You got yourself emancipated because you barley even knew your father and/or Jeff…"

Ashley slipped the over sized sweat pants on, pulling the pull strings tight. "That wasn't my mother. My aunt maybe... Perhaps someone that wasn't even related to me."

"Is James Ruddy even your father?" Dewey inquired.

"I think so, even though he was once romantically involved with my other mother as well."

Dewey rolled his eyes. "Is this Duckburg? Or Duck Valley?"

Ashley turned around and eyed Dewey questioningly.

"All My Ducklings…?"

"The soap opera?"

Dewey nodded. "Something my own long lost mother watches."

"Ah…yeah. Sometimes I do feel like I'm trapped inside someone else's idea of entertainment. A universe where my life is controlled by the finger strokes of someone's typing fingers… But I'm not. This is my life. No matter how sick and deranged it might be."

Daisy readjusted her seatbelt before Loopy made her descent to the open field near Scrooge McDuck's mansion. Loopy was quite grateful that Bella convinced her uncle to allow he to park her helicopter on his land for the week.

"Well, I got a few errands to run," Loopy announced. "I am going to catch a cab into town. Do you need to be dropped off home?"

Daisy shook her head. "Nah, thanks though. I will go visit with Uncle Scrooge, and get Donald to come pick me up here or something."

Loopy nodded, somewhat revealed. Her boyfriend was actually at Daisy's house, and she wasn't too sure she wanted this revelation made yet. "Well, see you rehearsal?"

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, I'll still be at the wedding of course."

Loopy smiled, "Of course. Take care."

Daisy smiled. "You too, Bye."

Loopy waved and then took out a cell phone, as Daisy made her way up to the mansion.

Once Daisy got there she knocked on the door, and waited about a minute when Duckworth answered it.

"Good Morning, Mrs. Duck, how may I help you?" he asked.

Daisy paused for a second now sure of the answer of that question. Did she really want to talk to Uncle Scrooge? Somehow that didn't feel right.

"Is Mrs. Beakly in?" Daisy asked at last.

Duckworth nodded. "Yes, I believe she is in the kitchen finishing up the morning dishes."

"May I come in?"

"Of course."

About ten minutes later, back wherever Ashley and Dewey are, Ashley and Dewey were talking.

"Got money?" Ashley asked. "I am surely not wearing this all day."

Dewey nodded, "But where are all your clothes? Just because you got evicted doesn't mean your clothes are gone. You are not really making any sense."

"Some of it is actually at your house. Some it is in a storage bin. Let's go," Ashley said. "Let's get me some clothes and let's get something to eat."

"Okay. Tell me about your mother."

"No."

"And I need to call my brothers. They are probably worried about me."

Ashley nodded, "Sure, don't tell them where we are though."

Dewey ignored Ashley and picked up his cell phone. There were a few messages: some frantic from Huey, Louie, and Jeff.

"Wow…my brothers left me about a dozen messages…they must have got some bad vibe or something. Why won't you tell me about your mother? Could you tell me who killed her?"

Dewey was pretty sure he knew what Ashley was going to say, but he need for her to say the words.

"Darkwing Duck and his brat daughter Quiverwing Quack killed my mother!" Ashley shouted. "And I want to know why of all the enemies he has. There really only been two he killed. And one was my mother. Why?"

Back home, Gosalyn ran down the stairs, wearing blue jeans, a Mighty Ducks T-shirt, and a towel covering her damp red hair.

"Good Morning Launchpad!" Gosalyn called. "Wow, you are up early."

Launchpad nodded. "I have lots to do. Making a list for your father for my party tonight. Kind of short notice, I know, so I hope everyone can come. What about you Gos?"

"Yeah, kind of a good idea having your party tonight instead of a couple days from now. Don't need you all drunk at the wedding -- even though that would be funny. And if it is anything like Dad and Morg's wedding, drunk would definitely not be a good state to be in. Anyway…Huey is taking me out for breakfast. Is Dad still in bed?"

Launchpad nodded. "Of course. Well, that is nice of Huey. Do tell him that he is invited."

Gosalyn nodded. "Will do."

To Be Continued

A/N: Yes, if you didn't already know, Mrs. Ruddy, and Mr. James Ruddy, like the rest of the Ruddys are my creations. --Stef :-)