AUTHOR'S NOTE: Once again, thanks so much to all who left reviews! And thank you for being patient--this is the chapter where things begin to get interesting. And on a major note, the boardroom scene at the end of the chapter will seem familiar to all who have seen the movie 'Spiderman.' This was done on purpose. The idea of what happens to Jake came to me before the movie was released, which had interesting irony. When imagining what Jake's voice would sound like, I had chosen the great Willem Dafoe's powerful voice, who played the character in 'Spiderman' that was in a very similar situation. So that's that. No flames on the similarity, please.

Also, I don't know how long it will be until the next update. It may be a while, it may not be.

DISCLAIMER: All Darkwing Duck canon characters and the Darkwing Duck realm are © Disney. Jake and Abigail Mallard are © me.

CHAPTER 4

My life was at a high point. I had a loving wife at my side, a successful corporation under my command, and now a beautiful son. Everything I ever wanted. I wondered if life could get any better for me. It all seemed so perfect.

Well, almost perfect. If someone has ever told you that parenting is not easy--believe them. I am able to opt for that and I was around for only half of the time. Abby stayed home with Drake while she was still on maternity leave. I, on the other hand, was up at dawn and didn't come home until the early evening hours. Even so, the parenting situation was very new to me. But I'd like to believe that I caught on quickly in the little hands-on experience I had when home.

"Abby? I'm home!" I announced as I stepped inside the house and closed the door behind me. Over the jingling of my keys, I could hear running water in the kitchen.

"We're in here, Jake!" her voice called in reply.

'We.' I was getting used to hearing the change. But it was a welcomed change. Pulling off my long coat, which was now required at the tail-end of the fall season, I made my way into the kitchen to greet my wife and son after a day of hard work. Even then I noticed a new bounce in my step.

Abby turned around from the sink where she was busily scrubbing away at dishes to smile at me. Only a few months had passed since Drake was born and she had already slimmed her body down to its original petite form. "Hi, dear. How was your day?"

"Not too bad. Acquired another valuable client, fired a few slackers, settled another deal. So not too bad at all," I informed smugly. Abby gave me a congratulatory nod and returned to her cleaning over the sink.

Slyly, I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. My bill nuzzled her neck beneath her blonde curls. She chuckled and shifted her shoulders in response to my advances. "Jake, later! I have to get dinner started," she insisted coyly before giving me a quick peck on the side of my bill.

A high-toned cooing to my right turned my head in it's direction. Drake was sitting contently in a high-chair. In one hand he clutched a small plush rabbit. He seemed to find great amusement in banging it senselessly against the high-chair's table in front of him.

"There's my boy," I grinned and stepped across the kitchen to where he sat. Drake lifted his head from his activity to watch me as I stopped in front of him. I reached down and plucked him out of the high-chair in my hands. He squalled and kicked his feet in response to suddenly being moved. "Did you behave today for Mommy and--?"

I stopped. I tilted my bill upwards and sniffed the air. A gagging sound escaped my throat as my face turned sour. "What the Hell is that smell?"

"Jake! Watch your language around the baby!" Abby snapped, turning her head to glare over her shoulder at me before returning to scrubbing a pan. "And he probably just needs to be changed. Will you do me a favor and do that?"

My eyes went wide as saucers and I stared in her direction with disbelief. "What? ME?"

Abby sighed and shook her head, turning to face me. "Jake, I'm up to my arms in soap and filth!" she pointed out and held up her hands to prove her point.

"But--But I…!"

"Oh, it's not that difficult, Mr. Big-Shot-Business-Man!" she insisted before turning her back to me again, which meant 'end of discussion.'

I gave a defeated sigh and groaned. Drake stared back at me and waited patiently. Finally, I moved out of the kitchen and into the living room where the changing table was set against the wall. I gently layed Drake down on his back over the towel spread across the table. Blankly, I looked from the bag of diapers to the box of diaper wipes.

Drake stared up at me. I didn't know who was more nervous, him or me. I stared back down at him and shook his head. "In case you're wondering, no, I DON'T know what I'm doing."

I exhaled deeply and cracked my knuckles. Hesitantly, I took a hold of the safety pin of the diaper and slowly removed it. Then I took in a deep breath to prepare myself before pulling the diaper back and…

"UGH!"

On reflex I turned my head away from the putrid sight and smell which I wasn't prepared for. But I managed to swallow my fear and return to the task at hand. "Alright, I can do this…."

Minutes passed. As I was finishing up in the living room, Abby was putting the last of the dishes away in the cupboards. When suddenly…

"D'AAAHHH!"

Abby gasped loudly at the sound of my shrill yell of terror. "Jake?"

She spun around and dashed towards the living room. Just as she sped around the corner, I was sprinting past her. "Jake! What is it? What happened?"

"He pissed on me!" I shrieked and motioned to the yellow stain on my white shirt beneath my unbuttoned suit jacket. "The little rascal pissed on me!"

Abby stared at me in shock. But suddenly, she burst into laughter. I scowled grimly and folded my arms over my chest, not looking the least bit amused. And while Abby tried to suppress her snickers, I glanced towards the changing table. And I could swear that Drake was grinning deviously back at me in triumph.

Nights were no picnic, either. My next full night of sleep wouldn't come again for another five years. Not an evening went by where I wasn't awoken at least three times by the wailing of the infant in the next room.

Just as I would finally begin to drift off, the crying would pierce the air. I groaned and lazily pulled my eyes open. It was the second time that night Drake had let us know he was awake and wanted attention. I heard Abby sigh in exhaustion as she lay in bed beside me. Reluctantly, I managed to sit up. My hand gently rubbed her shoulder as I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"I'll go," I said and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled gently with gratitude while I stumbled out of bed. I snagged my robe from where it hanged on the closet door and pulled it on before trudging out of the room.

Drake's wailing got louder as I came closer to the nursery. I stepped into the blue-painted room decorated with infant accessories and toys. A bassinet was set next to a crib against the left wall. I flipped on a small bedside light on the nightstand to illuminate the room adequately enough before approaching the bassinet. Drake was twisting about over the blankets and, although he continued to cry, he began to calm when his eyes gazed up at me.

"Alright, alright, kiddo," I cooed gently. Reaching down, I slowly lifted him into my arms and hoisted him up to my shoulder. I patted him softly on the back and rocked back and forth soothingly. "Shh, shh, shhh."

Within minutes, his cries faded into the occasional murmur. His head was nestled on my shoulder and his tiny fingers were curled around my robe. A tiny, silent yawn escaped his bill. I smiled triumphantly as he began to wander off into his innocent sleep again. When I turned around, I gazed out of the nursery window that faced the inner city area of St. Canard. At the time, one building towered above all the rest. Its lights were bright and it was crowned with a giant 'M.' A grin spread across my face while I continued to cradle my son.

"You see that, Drake?" I said, even though I knew he couldn't understand me. I looked out the window again to clarify the dwarfing Mallard Enterprises. "That's all going to be yours one day, son. I'll pass it down to you and I know you'll make me proud."

Drake had by then fallen asleep. His short breaths were barely audible. I carried him back to the bassinet and, as gently as I could, eased him down on the blankets without waking him. I turned off the lamp and darkness enveloped the room once again. As I left the room, I paused in the doorway and glanced once more in the direction that Drake slept.

I was eagerly looking forward to watching my son grow up. I wanted nothing more than for him to be successful. What I wanted most was for him to grow up and be just like me. And he WOULD end up being just like me. Just not in the way I had intended.

The next six years went by fast. I watched as my son grew along with my established enterprise, which was quickly becoming one of the most prestige in the country. Abby never went back to work for social services. She insisted on staying home to raise Drake instead of leaving him in daycare for half the day, five days a week. Instead, she returned to her musical talent of singing. She would free-lance performances at special events, such as weddings and other ceremonies.

I even went as far as to purchase a grand piano. It fit nicely in our spacious living room. And it was the least I could do if it meant Abby would be staying home to raise Drake. She was the most nurturing woman I would ever know and perfect for the job. When she would have a performance, I would bring Drake with me to listen to her beautiful voice. Surprisingly, Drake behaved and seemed to enjoy the music. As the years passed, Abby would begin to teach him how to play the piano. By the time he was six years old, he was better than most adults I had heard.

"Mind your thumb, Drake, "Abby instructed as she stood behind Drake. He was attempting to finish up the last bar of a minuet and trio piece.

Drake sighed impatiently from the piano bench and rolled his eyes. He responded sarcastically, "Yes, Mother."

"Watch your tone, young man," I warned, having just stepped in the front door.

Their heads turned at my arrival as I sat my briefcase down and hung my coat.

"Hello, dear," Abby welcomed me home. "How was your day?"

I tried to hide the tiredness in my voice and picked up my briefcase. "Fine. It was fine."

"That's good. Drake learned a new concerto today," she added and congratulated Drake with a pat on the shoulder.

But my mind was elsewhere. Clearly, I was distracted as I passed through the living room and headed directly for the stairs. "Uh huh, that's great."

Even though I didn't see her face, I could tell Abby was glaring after me as I retreated up the stairs and into my office.

"Drake, run through the piece once more. I'll be back in a minute," she told Drake and ran her fingers through the few feathers sticking up on his head. Leaning down, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before pursuing me to where I had disappeared.

My office at home was a slightly more 'homely' version of my office at work. Organized, spacious, clean. Bookshelves and file cabinets took up the walls. The blinds of the single window were always kept closed to prevent me from being distracted. I was leaning over my desk, important files and documents strewn about, busily writing away at an important letter when I heard the insistent knocking at the closed door.

"Yes?" I called out distractedly as I continued my work.

The door opened and Abby stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "Jake, I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait? I'm really busy with something right now," I said without looking up.

"You're always busy. NOW."

I cringed. She rarely used such a firm, insistent tone. And when she did, either Drake was in trouble, or I was in trouble. With an exasperated sigh, I reluctantly set my pen down on the desk. I turned in my swivel chair to face her with a raised eyebrow. "Alright. What?"

Abby folded her arms across her chest and shot me an irritable scowl. "Don't 'what?' me, Jake. Look, I understand you've been busy and stressed over this big meeting you have tomorrow, but--"

"It's not just a 'big meeting,' Abby!" I interjected to correct her. "It's a meeting with the Corporate Executive Board of Directors. These are the people who fund major corporations and enterprises. These are the people who decide what businesses get the ax every year. These are the people I need to impress!"

"You mean while your son strives to impress you?" Abby bluntly pointed out. "Drake is starting school tomorrow, in case you've forgotten. I asked him last night, while you were working late at the office, what he hopes to accomplish in school. And do you know what he said? 'I want to be just like Daddy and make him proud.'"

Guilt suddenly slapped me hard in the face. My expression fell. It was true that in the past few weeks of preparing for the following day, I had given Drake very little attention. My hand came up to run down my face and I leaned back in my chair.

With a frown, Abby approached and positioned herself behind me. Her hands came to my shoulders and she proceeded to massage away the tense knots that formed over the past week. "Jake, I know you're dealing with a lot of stress over tomorrow. And I know how much tomorrow means to you. But don't forget how much you mean to Drake and I."

"I know, Abby. And I'm sorry," I apologized. I let out a groan as her hands firmly rubbed the base of my neck. "I am a mess worry over tomorrow. But you're right. After tomorrow, I'll be sure to spend more time with you and Drake. Alright? I promise."

Abby craned her neck to look into my eyes. I stared back at her and a charming smile appeared on my bill to convince her. "Don't say it if you don't mean it, Jake," she warned.

"Hey, I mean it!" I reassured, still holding the sly smile on my face. "I'm definitely going to try. Besides, you two are more important to me than any business."

She finally smiled in return. Her bill came to mine and we shared a loving kiss.

Later that night, I sat on the edge of Drake's bed and tucked him in myself. I brought the blankets up to his chin while he snuggled into his pillow.

"I hope you're meeting goes well tomorrow, Dad," he said.

I smiled down at him. Even at only six years old, he was already intelligent for his age and learning fast. He had eavesdropped on my conversations about the corporate meeting several times.

"Thanks, kiddo. Everything will go fine," I said with confidence as I ruffled his hair. "And then you, your mother, and I are going to go out and celebrate, alright?"

Drake nodded eagerly back at me. "Are you and Mom going to take me to the bus stop tomorrow?"

I frowned at him and shook my head. "No."

His expression instantly fell until I continued.

"I'm going to drive you to school tomorrow myself."

Drake's face lit up before he yawned and allowed his eyes to close. "Goodnight, Dad."

My hand gently ran over his head. "Goodnight, Drake." I stood up and left the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

The next morning, I went into the board meeting with confidence and my head held high. Everything was off to a good start, proceeding smoothly. My presentation to the executive board of directors and fellow CEOs was absolutely flawless. Never in the history of running Mallard Enterprises had I ever made an error in any of the many important meetings. I was determined to keep it that way.

"As of today, Mallard Enterprises remains the principal supplier of the United States military and other government agencies. In short, ladies and gentlemen of the board, costs are down, revenues are down, and our stock has never been higher," I concluded my presentation from my seat at the head of a long boardroom table.

A dozen executives and other CEOs lined the table. All of them had their eyes busily scanning the charts and tables containing the written information I had verbally presented. I grinned to myself as I noticed several nods in silent approval.

"Excellent, Jake," the president of the board, James Flannery, congratulated. "I think I can speak for all of the board members when I say I'm impressed. This is excellent news. These numbers are astronomical. Which is why we're selling the Enterprise."

My triumphant expression fell like a ton of bricks. I had to make sure I heard right. "What?"

"We're selling Mallard Enterprises."