Chapter Four

Protect Me

Sunny days are never in absence in San Diego. Heck sunny days are practically all they see, occasional rain here and there but sun is always in full. Today was no exception, the sun was high and people were outside in abundance enjoying it. Audrey and Stephen Parker were spending the afternoon at the park with their 8 year old son Drake and their 3 year old daughter Megan. Drake played tee-ball innocently with the other kids. Not knowing that later on his life would change from what he normally knew.

Josh Nichols stood on the opposite side of the chain link fence, fingers laced through the links. He watched with envy as the other boys his age played a game of tee-ball. Josh was never popular with the other boys, he wasn't even one of the boys that was popular with the girls. He was an all over outcast. His mother had dropped him off at the park on her way to the bar. Ever since Walter left her with their 8 year old son, she'd turned to alcohol and cigarettes to ease the pain. To make rearing a child all the more enjoyable.

Drake walked back towards the picnic cloth that his parents and kid sister were sitting on. Megan was content playing with her dolls and eating a cookie, which she threw at Drake when he came up.

"Megan, don't throw things at people." Audrey told her daughter as she gave the cookie back. "Drake, why back so soon?" She inquired while holding on to her husbands hand.

"The other boys got into a fight because Evan didn't pick this uncool kid Josh for his team so Luke got stuck with him. And Luke didn't want Josh on his team." Drake complained as he sat down. Even at a young age he'd always wanted things to go his way.

"Why don't you go play with Josh." Audrey suggested. "He probably needs a friend."

"Mom, it's not that I want to be mean to him, but he's so uncool. He doesn't even know how to play tee-ball."

The day went on and before long the Parker family was heading home.

"Honey, I'm going with a few friends to San Francisco for the weekend. Megan's asleep and Drake should be heading to bed shortly." Audrey said as she kissed her husband goodbye.

"Have a good time. Call me when you get there." Stephen reminded her as he lead her to the door. "Don't have too much fun without us." He smiled, but underneath the smile was pain. He knew where his wife was going. She was going to see the weather man from Channel 5, Walter Nichols. He overheard the phone conversation, he knew about her "thing" for weathermen.

Stephen Parker sat down on the couch, his second or third beer in his hands. He'd lost track already of how much he was drinking. By 9 he'd downed his fifth bottle. Like so many other people he'd fallen victim to the amber liquid, fallen victim to the way the world looked after two or three bottles. He was rather out of it by the time Drake woke up to the sounds of his sister crying inthe doorway to his room.

"Megan what is it?" Drake questioned getting out of bed and walking towards his sister.

"I want Mommy." She cried as she grabbed on to Drake, trailing her blanket on the floor.

"Mommy's away for the weekend. I'll take you back to your room." Drake offered as he took Megan back to her bed.

"No, I don't want to go in there." She cried as Drake stopped in front of her doorway.

"Why not?"

"There's monsters under my bed. I want Daddy."

Drake carried his sister downstairs. Their father was watching TV in the living room. Drake didn't know his father was drunk. He wouldn't know until it was too late.

"Dad?" Drake questioned as he gently nudged his father who was on the verge of passing out. "Dad, Megan wants you." Drake pleaded.

His father opened his lazy eyes, glazed over from the ammount of alcohol in his blood. "What do you want?" He demanded in a harsh tone that made Drake take a few steps back. "I said what is it?"

"Megan wants you." Drake trembled he'd never seen his father like this before. "She says there's monsters under her bed. She wants you to scare them away." He explained.

"You know damn well straight that there aren't monsters. You tell her that and put her back to bed." His father yelled.

"I tried. She wants you Dad. Mom's not here to do it." Drake pleaded with his father. He thought that maybe if he explained his father would understand and assure Megan that it was all okay. What Drake didn't know was that by mentioning the fact that his Mother wasn't there, he'd unleashed the emotion that was inside his father. But the fact that Stephen was drunk made him releash the anger and hurt that Audrey had caused, out on his children. Both too young to understand what they'd done wrong.

"Megan you get upstairs and Into bed NOW. I don't want to hear any more talk of monsters!" Stephen yelled. Drake trembled and turned towards his sisters tear streaked face.

"Megan, go. I'll be up soon." Drake soothed as he kissed his sister on the head and watched as she went upstairs.

"Why aren't you going?" Drake's father boomed.

"Don't yell at Megan she didn't do anything to you." Drake yelled defending his little sister.

"I can yell at her all I want." Stephen hissed as he moved closer to his son. "She's my daughter isn't she?"

Drake could smell the alcohol on his fathers breath. He knew there was something wrong and that he should run while he could but the fact that his Dad wasn't the superhero he used to be made him stay.

"She's only three. When I was three I was afraid of monsters and you'd scare them away for me." Drake yelled tears clouding his vision. "If mom were here she would have scared them away for Megan."

"You mother isn't here. She doesn't love you anymore."

"Don't say that. Mom's just out with her friends. She's comming back." Drake cried. Was his Dad right? Was his mother really not going to come back?

"Listen to me Drake." His father said as he grabbed Drakes shoulders. "Your mother doesn't love me or you and Megan any more. She's gone and left us for the Weather man. That's where she is don't you understand." His father cried as he shook Drake. "She's never comming back and it's all your fault. She'd still be here if you and Megan were good kids." He yelled as he threw Drake on the ground. "She doesn't like the messes you leave, the way you talk back to her. She doens't love you." He cried as he sat down on the couch. Drake ran upstairs, tears staining his cheeks.

He tiptoed to Megan's room, she wasn't there. She was in Drake's room sitting on his bed. The old bear that he'd given her clutched in her fists. Terror in her brown eyes.

"Drake, you crying." Megan noticed as he hugged her.

"I know Megan, I know." He sobbed as he crawled into bed with her.

"Daddy scare you?" She asked as she wipped a tear from his face.

"Yeah." Drake confessed he pulled his sister closer.

"He scare me too." She told her older brother. "Take teddy." She stated holding out the bear. She knew Drake would protect her. He needed teddy to protect him.

"Thanks Megan." Drake said as he placed his arm around her. "Let's sleep now."

The house was quiet for the next few days. Stephen acted like nothing had happened. He barely remebered the incident. Drake and Megan went on as though it hadn't happend either.

Audrey returned home that Sunday. Drake was glad that his Mom had returned.

"Mommy!" Megan exlaimed as her mother walked through the door. Drake ran over to her too.

"You two seem happy to see me." Audrey stated as she placed her bags down on the ground.

"Dad said you didn't love us and that you left us for the Weather man." Drake confessed. Audrey froze, but quickly comprised herself. How did Stephen know about Walter? She wondered.

"Don't listen to your Father, he doesn't know what he's talking about. I've got gifts for you two." Audrey stated quickly changing the subject. She handed Drake and Megan the gifts she'd bought them and went in search of her husband. "Where is your Father?"

"Mowing the lawn." Drake stated as he ran upstairs.

"Megan you go up and play." Audrey said as she walked into the kitchen. Waiting for Stephen. He walked in a half hour later.

"Hey, you're back early." He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder kissing her neck.

"What happened when I was gone?" She questioned a stern tone in her voice.

"Nothing. The kids were very well behaved." Stephen replied cooly. Memories of Friday night were slowing hitting him.

"Drake said that you told him that I didn't love him anymore and that I left you for the Weather Man. Where did he get that idea?" She pressed again.

Stephen froze, sighed, then sat down across from his wife. "I know where you went. I know you were with Walter Nichols from Channel 5." He said softly.

"It's not what you think. We met at a PTO meeting. His wife just left him. Took his son and everything. He needed someone to talk to." Audrey defended. It was in fact the truth. Except for the fact that 5 months ago she and Walter had met at a PTO meeting then went on a date and had a short affair, that was regretted by either party.

"Sure, I know he's the one who calls you Audrey." Stephen yelled.

"The kids are upstairs lower your voice. Please." Audrey shushed. Their kids weren't to be affected by one lousy mistake she'd made.

"No, I won't. It's true I did tell Drake you don't love us because it's true. Audrey it's true."

"No, don't tell the kids I don't love them. It's you I'm fed up with Stephen. What happend to the guy I fell in love with? What happend to breakfast on the weekends? What happend to the notes you used to write me?" Audrey cried.

"People change Audrey. Things happend, our kids were born. I can't go on acting like I did when I was 20."

"Walter treats me better." She hissed. "He knows how to treat a woman." She slipped.

"Oh and I don't? Well leave, leave this house."

"Drake?" Megan stated softly in his doorway.

"What is it Meg?" He asked.

"Mommy and Daddy are fighting."

Drake got up and held a finger to his lips so his sister knew to be quiet. The crept to the bottom of the stairs and listened to the fight that was going on. Tears fell silently down both their faces.

"Mommy don't go!" Drake yelled as his mom slapped Stephen. When she saw Drake and Megan watching them she started crying.

"I'm not going alone. You me and Megan are leaving." She stated as she stormed out of the kitchen and upstairs.

"Damnit!" Stephen swore loudly as he jumped up from the table knocking the fruit bowl to the floor. "It's all your fault." Stephen yelled in rage as he slapped Drake.

Drake held his face and tried to stop the tears that were falling.

"It's not my fault. I didn't do anything!" Drake yelled. "I never wanted this to happen!"

Audrey came down and saw Stephen about to hit Drake again.

"Steve, What the HELL? Don't hit him again." Audrey yelled as she grabbed his arm.

"He's my son I can hit him all I want."

"Come on Drake Megan get in the car." Audrey said as she shuttled the kids out into the car.

She started the igniton once everyone was settled and drove off. She pulled over when they were far enough away and cried. Drake put his hand on his mothers arm. She smiled and patted it.

"Shit." Stephen mutter in the empty house. "shit."

So...what do you think? I've gotten some really nice reviews. I'm glad that you all like it so far! ;) And so you know yeah the Slash thing not going to work out. I know a few of you didn't like the idea, I didn't either. I know this is kind of a like odd set up for a story. It's just kind of more about the past than the present. I need to clarify their pasts before I continue with the present. But I'm trying to mix it up a bit.

-Mo