HI! So sorry that I haven't updated in SOO long! Been very busy with dance and exams… (dies at the thought of exams but is quickly resurrected)…. It was funny, I was so tired my friends thought I was stoned after my last exam and then I went home and slept for 5 hours… WELL…. Here we go…. Disclaimer: Ducks? I own no ducks! I own stuff but no Ducks…. or Mini Me… or James and the Giant Peach…. god I hated that book… no offense to Dahl but I really hated that book… Anyway… ON TO CHAPTER TEN!

Shout outs:

Sniper Kais: Thanks for that, Nick. Real confidence booster, you are.

B: Yeup... hence the title... hehe thanks!

firexelement: Thanks... I like being different... It's one of my talents...

Kate: Here you go... Portman is a Major Babe!

Tris-WannaBe: Thank you ever so much my dearest republican! We really aughta start that club at school soon...

leytonunit930: Thanks, Lauren! Love you much! See ya Monday!

er: Thanks for reviewing like a good little person (winks)... read on!

BrokenAngel1753: Thanks for reviewing! Of course! I would never end an entire story with a cliffy...I imagine it to be one of those really sharp edged metal pictureframes... that would hurta lotI reckon...

Chapter 10

Beep. Beep. Beep. A raw ache surged through Portman's entire body. He slowly opened his eyes to a generally small white room with wooden chairs with dull blue cushions. He slowly became aware of the gauze wrapped around his hands, the clamp on his index finger, and the IV in the crook of his right arm. He slowly reached up to the top of his head and felt the stitches hidden under his hair. As the horrifying events of the night before rushed back to him, hebecame immersed in complete panic. Where was Ali? Was she alright? Was she even alive? The thought that she could be gone was almost too much. He had already lost what had been the most important thing to him and he couldn't bear to lose her, too. He grudgingly recalled the painful day he had been trying to forget about for five years.

Twelve year old Dean Portman sat at the scrubbed kitchen table. He was finishing up chapter five of James and the Giant Peach. His curly haired head drooped forward slightly but he blinked and shook his head and tried to regain some form of concentration. Yeah right, like that's gonna happen. Honestly, who cares about some kid and his paper bag of whatever-it-is, running around some dumpy old shack? Who cares if his aunts were mean to him? Spiker and Sponge? Now those are some weird-ass, stoner names.

It wasMay of his fifth grade year and Dean couldn't wait for summer. He hated school especially his classmates. He only had a few close friends from hockey and only one of them was in his grade. He hated being stuck in the fifth grade. He was twelve for God's sake! The other kids seemed to think he was just astupid bully. At least they didn't say it to his face. It wasn't his fault his mother started him in kindergarten a year late. He wasn't stupid; he just didn't try very hard.

He heard the garage door rumble open and a door slam.

"Hey, Joe!" he yelled as his older brother walked in and threw his school hoody onto a family room chair.

"Hey! What's up, little man?"

"Nothing. Just homework and stuff."

"Need any help?"

"Nah, I got it. You ok, Joe?" Dean looked concernedly up at his older brother who seemed a lot less enthusiastic than usual.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired that's all." Joe smiled weakly. Dean grinned. The two brothers looked almost exactly alike but they were like poles on a magnet. Joe was the shy, quiet scholar and Dean was the sarcastic and energetic jock. Despite their differences they were very close. Dean practically idolized Joe and followed him around all the time. Joe didn't care; he loved his little brother's company and admiration. Joe's friends had taken to calling Dean Joe's Mini Me.

"Ok. See ya later."

"Later, kid."

Joe headed up the stairs to his bedroom on the second floor, dragging his feet. He didn't come down when his mom called him down to dinner an hour later.

"Dean, go get Joe please."

"Ok. Sure."

Dean climbed up the stairs, two at a time. He rapped on Joe's door loudly, yelling, "Joe, hurry up! Time for dinner. Joe?"

Dean pushed open the door slowly. Joe was lying in his bed on his side, shaking.

"Joe, you ok, man? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I think I got a fever or something."

"Joe, don't lie to me. You and I both know you suck at lying."

"It's just something some guys said at school. I'm fine. Go ahead and eat. Just tell Mom I'm sleeping."

"Oh, ok. You sure you're ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Bye."

Dean smiled at his brother and closed the door and ambled back downstairs.

Dean awoke the next day with a feeling of dread. He hated Wednesdays. Today, he had English class with Mr. Rinlor, whom he hated with a passion. The feeling was visibly mutual.

"Joe, c'mon! We are gonna be late again!" Dean sprinted down the hall to Joe's room. He shoved open the door. It took him almost two minutes to register what was in front of him. "No!" Dean whispered as he stopped dead in horror.

Joe was lying curled up on the floor, covered in his own blood. His once white t-shirt was now splattered with large dark rust colored spots. Dean slowly and jerkily walked over to his brother and knelt slowly beside him. Joe's normally tanned face was now grey and pale. His forearms were slashed in several places. Joe's pocketknife was open on the floor beside him. Dean felt his eyes begin to water. He sank to the floor and hugged his brother to him and the dam broke. He simply clutched to his best friend and couldn't let go. Hours later, Mr. Thomas Portman came home from work. He walked upstairs to find Joe's room almost completely demolished; and Joe lifeless on the floor; and Dean huddled in a corner of the room, his eyes red-brimmed and despairing.

"Mr. Dean Portman?"

Dean looked up. A friendly looking middle-aged man was standing just inside the door of the hospital room.

"Yessir?"

"I'm Dr. Benson. You're finally awake! You've been unconscious for almost fifteen hours! You received quitethe heavy blow to the head."

"Where's Ali? Is she alright?" Portman demanded quickly, hisface etchedwith worry.

Dr. Benson smiled. "She's quite alright. It was most fortunate that Miss Moreau and Miss Dilana were next door. You and Miss Karlon gave them quite a scare."

"Connie and Ce were there?"

"Yes and it was lucky they were, too. Miss Moreau made the emergency call that saved Miss Karlon and yourself."

"But what about Ali? Where is she? Can I see her?"

"She's alright, Mr. Portman. You will be able to see her in a few hours. You both need to rest now though. I understand you just woke up but I need you to tell me what happened. Miss Karlon already told me her side of the story."

Dean winced. He should've known this would be coming. He stared at the end of the bed and explained how Ali had been acting oddly the day before and how they had argued. He explained his brother's death as and how he had stopped going to a counselor because he just had wanted to forget about it. He simply spilled everything out to Dr. Benson. When he finished, they sat in silence for a minute and Dean continued to stare fixedly at the foot of his bed.

Dr. Benson looked sympathetically at him. "Thank you for telling me that. Go ahead and rest. Your parents will be here soon. I will be in to check on you soon." Dean opened his mouth to protest but the doctor said as he left, "And yes you will be able to see Ali and your friends and family when you wake up." Dean smiled, reassured,and scooted back down under the sheets and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Yay! Go, Dr. Benson! Wow, that was like my longest chapter ever! Please, tell me whatcha think! RnR!