So sorry it took me so long. I've had a case of writer's block. Happy reading.

Present

The old man grunted as he shuffled into the alley. Water seeped in through the scraps of material he had wrapped around his feet to protect them. Stuffing his arthritic fingers into the pockets of his damp coat he searched for a dry place to sleep. He tucked his chin down as he leaned to peer into a soggy cardboard box pulling back as two beady eyes glowed in the darkness.

"Ain't sharing my bed with no rat." He mumbled as he shuffled farther down the alley. He came to a stop as his foot connected with something hard.

"What's that?" He asked into the silence as he peered through the darkness. His back creaked ominously as he bent down.

"You there. You can't be here." He said, raising his scratchy voice. He peered at the body. "You dead?"

As the silence stretched out the old man began sticking his hands in various pockets, chortling for joy as he retrieved a wallet, a hotel key card, and a set of keys.

"Not stealing if he's dead." He decided. Happy now he shuffled behind the nearby dumpster where he was protected form prying eyes.

Fall 1986

"Time for bed." Laura called out as the clock struck nine.

"Ah come on mom. Can't we stay up a little longer?" John pleaded as he sent her his best puppy dog look.

"No, you've got school in the morning." She admonished as she directed a sleepy Brent up the stairs. "Go up to bed Randy. I'll get her." She said as she watched Randy shake Becca awake.

He looked up at her with solemn eyes. "I can do it. I'm use to it." He answered.

Laura sighed as she watched Randy lead his sister from the room. "It's been several months."

Nana smiled softly. "He's had a lot to overcome. It'll work out in time."

"Sometimes I don't know. He's still so protective of his sister. It's almost like he isn't living his life so much as protecting hers." She shrugged restlessly. "He should have been arguing with me about going to bed like John was.'

"You must be unhappy with the situation if you want him to be more like John." Nana cackled. "But maybe we need to keep them apart as much as possible." Nana suggested.

Laura frowned thoughtfully. "How would that help?"

"Maybe if he sees that she is okay with us when he is not around then he'll start to enjoy himself more."

"That might actually work." Laura mused. She leaned forward to discuss strategy with the older lady.

The next morning

"John, would you stop tormenting your brothers?" Laura asked in exasperation as she carried Becca into the room.

"But its fun." He grinned unrepentant.

"Eat demon child." Nana instructed in amusement as she sat a bowl of oatmeal down in front of him. "You have school this morning."

John wrinkled his nose. "I don't like school."

"I do." Brent said happily as he carried his empty bowl to the sink.

"You would." John sneered at his brother.

"John stop it." He mother admonished him. "Remember you have football practice this afternoon."

"Can Randy play with us?" John asked as he shoved oatmeal in eagerly. "He's really good at catching the ball." He shot a look at his brothers. "Brent is too but he don't like to play."

Laura smiled affectingly at her son. "He's too young for football but we'll see about soccer in the spring."

"Cool." He commented as he spooned up the last of his breakfast.

"Go get your shoes." She said as she wiped Becca's face. Lifting the little girl up she led her out of the room to get her dressed. Randy rose to follow.

"Hold it little man." Nana said putting her hand on his shoulder. "You need to finish your oatmeal." He frowned at the door but stayed where he was.

"Okay." Laura said ten minutes later. "We're leaving. Do you have everything?" She asked the boys as they pulled on their backpacks.

"I want to go." Randy said as he pushed away from the table. He showed Nana his empty bowl.

"Becca and I are going to run to the store after we drop the boys off. You promised Nana you would help her today."

He stared suspiciously at the older lady after they had left. "What's going on?"

She laughed and ruffled his hair. "You're too smart for your own good. Let's clean up here and we'll bake some cookies."

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A couple days later

Laura smiled as she watched the two little girls play. "I can't believe she's almost a year old."

"They grow up so fast." Kimberly looked fondly at her daughter. "And then they turn into monsters."

"Tell me about it. Though I have to admit that Becca is the happiest and most well-behaved one I have now." She said rolling her eyes.

"What about Brent? I don't think I've ever seen him misbehave."

Laura laughed. "John could goad a saint into misbehaving."

"Where are the little monsters?" Kimberly asked as she pulled a small toy out of her daughter's mouth.

"Steve took them up into the woods." She shook her head. "I'm betting he comes home with John by the scuff of his neck, Randy with poison ivy and Brent missing all together."

Kimberly stared at her friend in amusement. "You don't sound like you have very much faith in Steve."

"Oh I have a lot of faith in my husband but I'm being realistic. I've learned form experience that you cannot handle all three boys by yourself. If I didn't have Nana I would go crazy."

"I count imaging having four. I barely keep up with her."

"So you don't think you'll ever have any more?" Laura asked. She missed the shadow that passed over her friend's eyes.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Kimberly sighed.

Up in the woods.

"John don't get to far ahead." Steve called as he hefted Brent further on his back. He glanced behind him to make sure Randy was still with them.

"Hey, I found a snake." John's excited voice called back. Before Steve could react Randy had run forward.

"Don't touch it." Steve called out a little frantically as thoughts of poison snakebites floated through his head.

He sighed in relief as he came upon the two boys kneeling next to a small corn snake. Swinging Brent off his back he sat down on a rock and pointed out the various aspects of the reptile to the fascinated boys.

"Can we take him home?" John asked as he poked at it with a stick.

Steve laughed. "I don't think that would be a good idea. You mother would skin us all."

"We don't have to show her." He argued.

"But that's the thing about mothers. They always know." Steve ruffled his hair before he herded the boys down the trail.

Randy grinned in delight as he watched John hurridly stuff the snake in his pocket.

A week later

"Where are we going?" Randy asked as they drove down the driveway.

"We're going to your new school so we can meet your teacher." Steve answered glancing back.

"I think you'll like school." Laura smiled brightly as she turned around to look at him.

"But why do I have to go? I know how to read. And better than John too." He pointed out.

Laura suppressed another smile. "School will teach you all kinds of fun stuff that you don't know. Like math."

"What's math?" Randy asked interested.

"Well." She thought about it as she glanced at Steve. "How many people are in the car right now?"

"Three." The little boy answered, counting on his fingers.

"If I get out of the car how many people would be left?"

"Two." He answered pointing to Steve and himself." He grinned at her. "Nana says I'm too smart for my own good.

Steve laughed. "You're definitely smart all right."

"Why couldn't Becca come with us?" Randy asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"It was nap time." Laura pointed out, exchanging a look with Steve.

"But who'll take care of her if I go to school?" He asked frowning.

"We will. Do you trust us to do that?" Laura responded as she turned in the seat and gripped his hand.

He looked at her for a long time before nodding his head. "You'll make sure she gets enough to eat and stay's warm enough. And she likes to have her bear with her at all times."

Laura looked at him sadly. "We'll take very good care of her."

Steve parked the car and turned to look at the little boy. "You know you're a part of this family now, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you and your sister are safe." He continued when the little boy smiled. "Now get out. We're here."

Present

"Hey man, let's go down this way. It's a short cut." The first man slurred as he pointed down the alley.

"I don't think so. Besides it's too dark down there." The second man answered nervously.

"Don't be a wimp. The sun's coming up." The first man scoffed. He grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him along.

"Dude it's a dead end. There's a wall here." Annoyed he turned to go back, tripping over something in the process. "Shit. I'm all wet." He muttered as he pushed himself up. He noticed his friend staring at him in horror. "What's wrong?"

"You're covered in blood." He croaked. "You tripped over a body."

His friend began scrubbing at his clothes. "We have to get out of here."

"We can't leave him here." The first man protested.

"Are you crazy? We're drunk and I'm covered in his blood. What's the fist thing the cops are going to think?"

"So we'll call 911 and tell them. WE can be long gone before the cops get here." He said reasonably.

"You do that." The second man said as he pedaled backward.

Ten minutes later the first police cruiser pulled up. "Be careful. We don't know what to expect." He called to his partner as he swept his flashlight through the early morning gloom.

"There's the body." The second officer pointed. "I don't see anyone else around." He walked over and knelt down to feel a pulse.

"Call in the medics. He's still alive." He called out suddenly.

"Barely breathing." His partner observed after radioing for help. "No wonder. He's got a hole in his chest."

"Mugging gone wrong?" He wondered after checking the pockets. "He'll probably die a John doe."