Acceleracers Nexus

Chapter Eight: A Gift Given.

Author: Chase Wheeler

Disclaimer: I still say its mean to make me say I don't own Acceleracers every chapter.

Summary: Chase loves a new gift, But Kurt has to fight back his own sadness while everyone celebrates.

Acceleracers Nexus

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chase had felt strong arms carrying him to his bed last night and laying him down after he had fallen to sleep in OverLoad. He had assumed it was either Vert or Markie, but couldn't be sure and really didn't care. As he rose at ten the next morning, everything felt different. There was some vibe in the air that he just couldn't lay a finger on at all. Shaking his head, he gave up on trying to figure out why everything felt so different yet completely the same. Grabbing some new clothes from his closet, the teen racer headed to his shower. Not wanting an encore to yesterday, he opened the bathroom door slowly and peeked inside to see if it was occupied. Seeing there was no girl in the shower and that he was all alone, Chase placed his clothes on the counter near the sink and shut the door, locking it and turning on the water. "Yesterday was quite the day."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Is everything ready?" Vert asked Nolo and Kurt. After they nodded he smiled. "Perfect.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Chase stepped out of the bathroom wearing a black shirt and red pants with a black dragon weaving up and down the legs. His headphones played the loudest from his favorite DJ, Shirako. After the Teku had broken up and moved on the music crazed racer had become a DJ to support himself and Trinity, and now he was one of the best known DJ's in the united states. Even teenagers in Japan and China imported his albums and listened to his fast beats. It had tickled Chase when he saw Shirako's first album because the name on the label was DJ Rocco.

Bopping his head to the tune, Chase didn't realize the teenage girl in front of him till he ran into her. Looking up, he frowned. "Sorry, Katana." He moved trying to get past her, thinking she would never talk to him again. But she grabbed his arm and stopped him in the hall.

"I'm sorry, Bri...I mean Chase." She said softly.

Chase was completely taken back. He'd never expected an apology from his fiery cousin, and didn't think she had anything to apologize for. "What are you sorry about? I was the jerk yesterday."

"No. I mean, you were rude. But so was I. If i wouldn't have followed you to your car yesterday and insist you take me with you, I wouldn't have been left at the club."

"I didn't mind taking you, Katana. I really had fun."

The tears from Katana's eyes broke free and she leaned against Chase for support. Instinctively, he put his arms around her and rubbed her back. "Then why? If you were having fun with me, then why did you leave me without a word, Brian? You didn't even say goodbye." She sobbed into his chest.

"I don't know. I don't remember that much from yesterday. I'm so sorry, Katana."

There was a weird emotion that Chase couldn't make out playing in her eyes when she looked at him. "Don't call me that." she whispered softly.

"But I called you, Katana." He was confused.

"I know. Don't call me that. Call me Val, like you always do."

"I didn't think you liked being called that."

"I don't. But it seems so foreign for you to call me anything else."

Chase hugged her tightly to him. "Ok Val, Let's go get some breakfast."

Katana nodded and let herself be led to the kitchen with his arm around her and his hand clutching her shoulder.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kurt stood in the garage alone with Rageous's drivers door opened. The red and black racing suit had been placed on the rush seat and he stared over it, making sure everything was perfect. Every last stitch was straight and Kurt was happy with the words and text. Shutting the door, the older Wylde brother set his mind to think of where he should go while the other Teku drivers gave the gift to Vert's son for his nineteenth birthday. Nothing would have made him happier then to be their and watch the soon to be adult racer have his cake and open his presents from all his friends. But that was the problem, One was only supposed to have their friends at their birthday party, and Chase would never think of him that way.

Kurt's glasses fogged over with the unreleased tears. Ever other Teku member got to be Chase's aunts and uncles, while he stood in the cold under the boy's fierce glare. The boy who thought him a sell out, hated him for selling the designs to cars that merely looked like the older Teku cars. To Chase every other Teku had went on and done something great with their life, But Kurt would always be a car dealer. The kind of sleaze that took all the money he could from young street racers looking for a good car to race in.

Kurt sighed and pulled a slip of paper from the pocket on his blazer. Unfolding the paper revealed it to be a check made out from General Motors to Kurt Wylde for the sum of twenty million dollars. It was the money, they had given Kurt when he offered to close down his dealership. The older Wylde just couldn't take the fire in Chase's eyes anymore, so he had went directly to GM and sold everything to them, got out of the business and signed a promise not to get back into it. They had given him enough from the sale to take care of his son, Eric Wylde, and live happily.

But Kurt couldn't bring himself to tell Chase about the sell. He didn't want it to look like he did it merely to get in the teenager's good graces. That wasn't true. He just couldn't take the fire. Folding the check and placing it in his pocket again, Kurt sighed and left the garage hopping inside of BattleSpec Mach 2, he drove off quickly. He hated so much that he wasn't invited to the party.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Chase laughed suddenly while looking at Katana. The startled girl raised her head from her bowl of cereal and looked at him, "What's so damn funny?" She asked with her temper building.

Chase held his hands in front of him and slowly stopped his laugh track. "Calm down, Val. You got something on your face." The young girl hurriedly brought her napkin to her face to try to get whatever it was that he had seen off her face, but when she looked at him again he just shook his head.

She was just about to raise the napkin back and try again when he reached forward and caught her hand and pried the napkin from it. "Be still." he told her.

Katana obediently obeyed as he gently ran the napkin across her cheek. The blush she was trying so hard to hide was rising quickly and if he kept touching her cheek like he was she wouldn't be able to hide it. Thankfully he pulled his hand back, "It's gone now." He said as he folded her napkin again and placed it to the side. His eyes turned to the latest Import Tuner magazine he was reading so she could bury her head into her food again to hide her red cheeks. Once she was sure the blush was gone she looked back at him and tried to see the front of the magazine to see if it was one she had read or not?

"Which one is that?" She asked slurping the last of the milk from her bowl.

"The newest one. Just came in today. It's got a nice article about this guys car in Arizona. I was thinking of going to race him."

"You could beat him no problem." Katana said without thinking. After catching herself she grabbed the magazine and hid her face in it. Chase was shocked to say the least. A compliment from Katana, towards him? It was dream-worthy.

"You don't even know what the car is, Val."

"Doesn't matter. You could beat anyone." Once again Katana's mouth acted without her brain backing it up. "Except me of course." She added as a save.

"Wanna test that theory?"

"You so wish, you're not worthy of racing me."

"Scared, Val."

"Nah. I just don't want to see you cry when you get beat by a girl."

The glare war started as Katana sat down the magazine and started to stare into Chase's eyes. Everything going on in the house meant nothing to either of them as they looked into each other's soul. At exactly the same second the two got up and headed for...the playstation 3. Popping in the newest Need for Speed game, Chase quickly modded out a RX-8 to look like Rageous while Katana added everything she could to a Lancer Evo and made it look just like her Bassline Reflex. Once both teen drivers were finished it was race time. Chase selected the track and Katana selected the number of laps. The end result was a course set on a airport's landing zone that was 8 laps long. Sitting in his gaming chair, Chase pulled up his Mad Catz racing wheel while she grabbed the extra wheel from the closet. The two looked at each other, glaring as the race started. The playful glares became smiles and they both laughed and whooped it up as the race went on.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"As soon as he's done playing games with Katana, we'll let the party start. Vert told everyone in the dining room. The table was burdened with wrapped presents of all sizes and the adults were smiling at one another. They all somehow knew that Chase would love his nineteenth birthday. And that made them all happy.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kurt sat with the meal he'd ordered from the fast food joint where all the racers hung out. "Here's to you, Chase." He told the drink as he lifted it up and sipped some of his coke.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Katana yelled in anger as she lost the race, putting their overall score back at a tie. He'd won five races and so had she. She would have demanded yet another rematch, but it was getting late and she knew the adults would want to start Chase's party before long. The only part in their plan that she had left to do, was get Chase out of the house for just a little while. She sorta had an idea on how to do so but wasn't sure if the young racer would go for it. "Hey, Chase, How's the mall down here?"

Chase looked to her side. "The mall?" After she nodded he placed the racing wheel to the side again. "Why don't I show you?" He asked as he offered his hand to her to help her get up. She smiled and nodded, taking his hand. She didn't think that merely touching his hand now would send her blushing but after spending the past two hours with him having fun and just hanging out his gentle touch had just such an effect on her. If he noticed he didn't say anything and just started walking towards his garage with her hand still grasped in his own.

'I could so get used to this.' She thought as she followed the black haired racer to OverLoad. Unlike any time before, Chase acted so sweet as he opened the passenger door for her and waited till she sat before he closed it and ran to the driver's side. Plopping down in the SPARCO seat, Chase turned on a song by H.I.M. and drove out of the garage and down the driveway. Turning towards Bayview mall he floored the pedal and shifted into the next gear.

Trying just to find something to talk about, Katana settled on the song playing. "I didn't know you liked H.I.M., Chase. You don't seem like the love metal type." She watched his face for any reaction as a signal to maybe change subjects. For some reason, she just didn't want to make him mad.

"I listen to all types. But the reason I put it on is that your dad told me it was your favorite song." Chase reached down to eject the CD thinking he'd been given bad information. But her hand stopped him, gently grasping his wrist.

"It is my favorite song." She nodded as she stared at him still grasping his wrist.

Chase didn't know why her small hand touching him was making his pulse race and his heart beat but he didn't fight it. She released his hand as he had to shift into the next gear. 'Wish I woulda had an automatic.' Chase thought, missing the feel.

I hold your hand in mine
I hold your hand and you're so lonely
Oh so lonely
Your eyes have lost their light
Your eyes have lost their light and you're empty
Oh my God you're so empty

The two teens let the music wash over them as they sat in the car, driving at a comfortable pace. From time to time, Katana would look over and stare briefly at Chase's profile. She always turned away to soon to notice him taking glances at her. The song wove around the car, the melody matching with the quickened beating of their hearts.

(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight
(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight

Knowing that Katana didn't know her way around Bayview, Chase took a left turn towards Bayview arena. It took longer to get to the mall this way but that was just fine with the racing hero. Feeling a sudden flow of confidence surge through his body Chase started to sing along with the song.

Trying to find the heart you hide
Trying to find the heart you hide in vain
Oh in vain
And you're my haven in life
And you're my haven in death, Baby
Life and Death my Darling

(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight
(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight
(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight
(I'm in love with you)
You are my heaven tonight
(I'm in love with you)

Katana imagined in her head that Chase was singing to her, that he was confessing his feelings towards her. She knew such wasn't true and doubted he had feelings for her at all. He had a girlfriend apparently, but she could still wish and dream.

That's right
(I'm in love with you)
That's right
(I'm in love with you)
That's right
(I'm in love with you)
That's right
(I'm in love with you)

As the song ended Chase pulled into the parking lot at Bayview Mall. Placing the car in park, he turned towards his passenger. His smile warmed her soul and took her breath away. "I can see why you like that song. It's nice."

"For someone who was playing it just for me, you knew it awful well." She joked at him.

Chase blushed. "After your dad told me it was your favorite I kinda kept playing it till I memorized it. I didn't want us to fight this time like we always do when you visit."

Katana was deeply touched and smiled brightly at him. "Thanks, Chase." was all she said as she opened the door and stepped out of OverLoad. Chase killed the car and followed suit, shutting and locking the car's doors with the remote. He walked towards the entrance and she followed him closely. As he opened the door and gestured her inside something caught his eyes to the side of the door. "Go on inside. I need to check something." he told her. Leaving her for just a second Chase made his way to the rack machine where Bayview Press was stored and sold. Smiling brightly he inserted fifty cents into the machine and took one of the papers, which he stuffed in the oversized back pockets on his pants.

Meeting back with Katana as she waited patiently for him in the entrance, he smiled and gestured her towards one of the stores. Moments before entering Katana realized it was an all female store, the kind that Chase would never go into, but he was taking her inside and going along with her. 'Hmm...So he can be a gentleman sometimes.' She smiled.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A half an hour later, Katana pushed Chase out of the mall as he carried several large pink and purple bags. She was all smiles as she led him to his car, since he was too overburdened with bags to see in front of himself. When they reached the car he tried to shift the bags to one side so he could retrieve his keys, but she stopped him and reached into his pocket. Finding the keys quickly she pulled them from his jacket and unlocked the back hatch. He placed the bags in the trunk, barely having enough room with all his speakers but somehow making it work. After shutting the hatch he took the keys from her and opened the passenger door for her. Once she was inside he moved around the car and opened the driver's suicide door and plunged into his racing seat. "Think you got enough clothes, Val?"

She stuck her tongue out at the tired racer, "Nah. That was only the first trip. We have to come back again to get the rest."

Chase almost fainted at that thought as he started up the car. He was just about to change CDs when she beat him too it and placed in a CD she had just bought today. The fast techno beat upped his pace and he raced away from the mall heading back home.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The inside of the house was dark as Chase and Katana entered. "Mom, Dad? Where is everyone?" Chase asked to the air.

"It's kinda late. Maybe they went to bed." She put her hand to her stomach.

"You ok?" Chase asked worriedly.

"Yeah, just hungry. Haven't had anything to eat since breakfast this morning ya know?" She lied.

"Come on, Let's get something to eat then we can rest some too." Chase led by hand her towards the kitchen. Like the rest of the house the dining room was dark but it had to be passed through to get into the kitchen. Chase let go of Katana's hand tp hit the light switch. Once he found it and switched it on he was shocked.

"SURPRISE." Everyone yelled. All the Teku were there, and so was Wylde. Everyone except Kurt. Realizing he was gone hurt Chase but he knew it was his own fault. "Happy Birthday Chase." They all said as he stood there totally shocked. He looked at the calender on his watch which confirmed it was indeed the day that he had been found on Vert's doorstep. He had never realized it before. Smiling, Chase hugged each of the adults one by one. They all seemed so happy, except...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kurt sat on a bench in the park watching the stars above him. Funny how one of the star clusters looked exactly like Chase's face, smiling at him from the sky. A smile which Kurt never thought he'd see the actual boy share with him. Fishing his cell phone from his pocket, Kurt turned on the built in camera and snapped a shot of the star cluster. "Only way I'll ever see what a smile looks like on him." he said sadly. He saved the picture to his phone before putting it away and bringing the bottle back to his lips.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Chase sat at the dining room table with a large stack of items in front of him. His gifts which he had opened, gifts from all of them. A wide variety of things like new clothes, new speakers and new games. Shirako's gift to him was an exclusive mix that he had made called, "Chasing Stars." The mix was once again Chase's very own kind of music, fast techno with gothic gospel and piano.

Nolo Pasaro stood from his seat and everyone's voice died down. "There's one gift left Chase. You'll have to go outside to Rageous to see it." He announced.

Chase stood and with everyone following behind him, made his way to his race car. Seeing nothing on the outside, he opened the drivers door and instantly saw the handmade racing suit. He picked it up and held it up to see the details. It was the same design as the one that Vert had worn during his racing days, but where Vert's had been white, this one was red and where the old suit had been dark blue, the new suit was black. "CHASE" was written across the chest in black.

Katana gasped. From where she was standing, she could see the back of the suit perfectly. Chase looked over at her worriedly but she smiled back and pointed at the outfit. "Look at the back."

He hefted the suit over and read what was printed on the back in Orange and blue text. "An honorary Teku." he whispered. Beside the words every Teku had signed their names, only one name was missing. His smile was so bright and warm that it soothed everyone in the room and made them all feel happy. He turned towards the group. "Guess I'll have to thank the person who gave me this personally when he gets back, won't I?"

Needless to say everyone was shocked. No one had said anything about the suit being from Kurt, although they all knew it. Kurt had made the suit himself, doing his best to remember what Vert's old uniform looked like. Once he had finished he sent it from Teku member to Teku member for them all to sign it. Shirako was the last to receive it and he had brought it with him to the party.

Looking down at the suit Chase decided to go find a marker so that he could get a certain racer to finish the outfit tonight.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kurt knew everyone would be asleep when he entered into the lobby of the Wheeler residence. The party would have tired them all out. So it took him by surprise when he saw Chase waiting on the staircase leading upstairs. "You missed my party, Kurt."

Kurt cringed at the anger he heard in the young racer's voice. "I didn't think you'd want me there." he tried to explain.

"You should have asked me."

"I didn't think you'd let me talk to you."

"That's because you've never gotten to know me."

"I've tried Chase."

"Well you should have tried harder damn it! Tried with everything you have. "

Kurt Wylde was stunned. He looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry."

Chase rolled his eyes and tossed the racing outfit at him. "Just sign the suit."

Kurt grabbed the marker from the suit's pocket and signed his name beside all his teammates. He gently handed the suit back to Chase and began to make his way upstairs. But Chase stopped him. "Wait. It isn't much but I got you something too. Here." Chase laid a small package in his hands and then ran upstairs to his room.

Kurt stared at the package. It was wrapped in a piece of cloth that looked like Chase's curtains. Unfolding the cloth Kurt's eyes widened as he saw the newspaper inside. The newspaper with the headline. "WYLDE GOES WILD AND SELLS ALL TO GM." There was a small message written over the picture of the new GM lot that was placed where his dealership used to be.

Maybe now you can find your true path. I never hated you or what you did. But I could tell that you weren't doing what you loved. And so I was disappointed in you. I knew you could do better, do something with your life that you can be proud of and be happy with. I think this is the first step.

Now, its unusual for the person having a birthday to give a gift to someone else, but we all know I'm an unusual guy. So I give this gift to you: A chance to get to know me. A chance to be an "Uncle Wylde" that I can be proud of. So what do ya say, Uncle?

Chase Wheeler.

Kurt's tears hit the paper as he finished the last of the message. He was finally getting his chance to be a part of Chase's life, and there was no way he was going to screw that up. Walking up the stairs he stopped by Chase's door and whispered softly. "Thank you, Chase."

As he walked off, Chase smiled in his room and laid his head down drifting off into sleep. "You're welcome, Uncle Kurt."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Whew. There it goes. The answer to all your questions about what it was between Kurt and Chase. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. The action is coming soon.

To my Reviewers:

Wings of Speed: Thanks for your review and for posting up the touching chapter that you did that I just read. I say it once again. Go Shirako!

Lol. Yeah I guess arguing with herself is something that Kat got from Trin.

Jumper Prime: The plot will thicken quite a bit in a few more chapters. But no I didn't make a mistake, I knew from the beginning that Chase wasn't to be Vert's son but I still wrote that he looks just like him. Just trust me. I have my ways.

Moriko: gives you a cool car called Cardiac Arrest just for reviewing. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it.

KawaiiYamato: I am cliffy happy I know. I'm sorry but I enjoy cliffhangers so much. Please just stick with me and everything will be revealed in due time.

MagusMitsuda: Glad you're liking the story, Eric. As you can see I've written you in as Kurt Wylde's son. Just like I tell everyone else just wait and I'll reveal all. And no i didn't mess up. I've done everything for a reason.