I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Two: Brothers In Arms

The door was unlocked and pushed open, allowing for the manager of the complex to let Brick step in ahead of him. The young man looked around and refrained from showing on his face how much he liked it so far. The living room was wide and spacious and led into an open kitchen with bar seating.

"It seems big enough." Brick teased, hoping to see what the manager would try to spin for him.

The manager then led Brick down the hallway that led to the two rooms and single bathroom. The first bedroom was a nice size for a nursey, and Brick could easily see Blossom in here taking care of their son. He could also see himself playing with his son on the carpeted floor, when the boy got big enough. Looking up, he heaved a sigh of relief that there wasn't a ceiling fan. It was part of the reason apartment searching was such a task. Having a ceiling fan with a child that could start flying at any moment was a heart attack waiting to happen. He decided to spare himself and Blossom that by finding a place that did without.

"Nice man cave space," the manager said with a glance at his youthful potential tenant. "I can already see movie posters, wide screen television and consoles set up perfectly."

Cocky bastard, Brick thought as he moved to the master. It was a nice bathroom, with a window above the large tub, that Blossom could easily sit in comfortably. The vanity was spacious and had enough storage space to put the baby's toys and other bath necessities. "It's nice." He supplied before moving to the master.

When he opened the door, he was pleasantly surprised by the wealth of natural light that come through. With it being the early afternoon, the morning sun was just now being to escape the room. With the fire being his element, he had a natural sense of where the sun and therefore east was. The bedroom facing east was a great perk as far as he was concerned.

"The bedroom is great. At night, just open those curtains for a nice natural ambience and atmosphere." He then looked slyly at Brick. "Your girlfriend is going love it."

The manager was obviously trying hard to be cool, considering it was obvious that Brick was still quick young looking. It didn't deter the Rowdy Ruff Boy, as he nodded to himself thoroughly pleased with the place. "I think I like it."

"You think? What can I do to change your mind?"

Brick pretended to contemplate, knowing that he was about to seriously hustle this guy. Sometime having been a bad boy has its advantages. That and Rowdy Ruff Boy escapades to City's Ville when they were younger. "Well, how much it the rent?"

"For the two bedroom, single bath is fifteen hundred after the utilities are added in." The manager said.

Brick ran the numbers in his head. From the two hundred and fifty thousand that Mojo gave him for Christmas, the accumulated allowances over the years, and factoring in the amount of financial aid for school that Blossom was sure to get due to being pregnant, Brick was sure that the rent could easily be covered without him having a job for the first year. However, that didn't mean he had to pay full price. Why not try to get a few hundred dollars knocked off.

"Hmmm, well you see I'm going to be starting classes soon. Financial aid takes a while to come in and with a baby on the way—."

"Baby?" The manager blurted out, giving Brick a very shocked if not judgement once over.

This didn't go unnoticed by Brick. Maybe more than a few hundred dollars knocked off rent, he thought. "Yeah, things happen when you're in love. Hell, I'm surprised it happened you know with by girlfriend being Blossom."

"Blossom?" The manager said, before taking in the young man before him and feeling a sudden chill go down his spine. "As in Blossom leader of the Power Puff Girls?"

The smirk that fell over Brick's face couldn't be helped if he wanted it to, and he didn't. Using a lone finger, he slid his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose just enough to show of his red eyes, revealing who he was.

The manager swallowed the ball of fear that lodged itself in his throat and wiped a hand across his brow. "Um, I think we have a special rentals discount for the Power Puff Girls. It's a twenty percent off, bring your rent to twelve hundred dollars."

"Hmmm, not bad. I'll have to talk it over with Blossom, see what she thinks." Brick said, pushing his glasses up in a deceptively nonchalant gesture.

"You're both going to college, right? We do have a discount for college students. Knocks ten percent off the rent. So one thousand dollar rent."

Brick could see the man was really starting to sweat and while he was quite enjoying himself, he was sure that Blossom would blow a huge breath of ice into his face for underhanded high way robbery over an apartment. "I guess we can swing a thousand. I'll see what Blossom thinks."

"Of course. Of course. Are there any questions you have about the complex?"

"Yeah, what's your pet policy?"

Hours later, after Brick had signed all the proper paperwork and put down the safety deposit, he was handed the set of keys to his new apartment. He couldn't wait to tell Blossom. He'd let her have full decorating reign. Getting into his car, he sped to the Utonium household, so he could give Blossom the good news. While driving, he dialed his brothers and asked them to meet him at the girls' house.

"What for?" Butch asked when he answered the three-way call.

"I got a place for me and Blossom today. We're going out to celebrate. Call the girls and head to that pizza place by College Town. I'm buying."

"Oh, cool dude. I'll grab Bubbles and we'll meet you there." Boomer said right before he hung up.

On the other line, Butch hung on before blowing a loud breath of air. "Yo, Brick."

Brick glances away from the road to look at the sound system that held his brother's face. Having a feeling about where this was going to go, he sighed and braced himself. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Do you want Mojo to know where you're going to be staying?" he asked, just biting the bullet.

Brick closed his eyes and let out a breath. "No and tell Boomer to keep his mouth shut."

"You know he's not going to not say something eventually." Butch chuckled humorlessly. "Also, do you really think you're going to be able to not have Mojo know where you're staying?"

"Butch, why are we talking about this?"

There was a bit of shuffling on the other side of the phone, implying a shrug. "Look, Mojo misses you."

It took a very conscious effort on Brick's part to not break or burn the steering wheel of his sports car. He couldn't help his exhalation of smoke that quick filled the car and obscured his vision. Opening the window, he waved until he could see without using his supervision.

"Can you honestly tell me that you don't miss him?"

"See you soon." The elder Ruff Boy then hung up. "Damn you, Butch."

The rest of Brick's car was silent as he went to pick up Blossom.

Butch looked down at the ended call and sighed as he dropped it on the carpeted floor. Buttercup looked up from his naked chest and rested her chin on his pec, tickling him slightly. "Everything okay?"

"Brick is just being…Brick." Butch sighed as he ran his hand down over bare back. The two were lying amongst pillows and that Butch bought for their cabin. He'd also replaced her small dingey couch for one that could pull out into a bed. It made for much more comfortable lovemaking. Butch had also added to the posters and carved BJ +BC into the floorboards of the stairs. "However, I can't say I blame him. Mojo's hasn't made it easy."

"I keep hearing about it through Blossom. She can't have this stress while she's pregnant." Buttercup grumbled while resting her cheek back on Butch's chest. "It's not good for the baby."

Buttercup's grumpy attitude reminded Butch of something, and it had him tucking a finger under her chin and making her look up at him. "Neither should Brick."

When she looked to protest, Butch rose a brow in challenge. Buttercup's mouth snapped shut and she twisted her head away from Butch's finger. She then returned to her former position and sighed. "Fine. I'll lay off him."

"Thank you." Butch said as he reclined on the pillows—another addition he made. "He needs a little slack cut his way. He's going to be a dad."

"Yeah, and Blossom a mom." Buttercup sighed heavily against Butch's chest, tickling his skin in a more…arousing manner. Oblivious to the effect it was having on her boyfriend, she began thinking aloud. "Even thought the circumstances could've been better, it's still amazing that she is. Blossom's always kind of had a mom vibe about her—you know, being the oldest and such. However, it's going to be a lot different now that she's actually going to be a mom."

Trying to keep from getting distracted by her breathing on his sensitive skin, Butch brought a hand up to tangle in Buttercup's hair. "You make it sound like you'd never have been a mom."

"I wouldn't."

A frown marred Butch's face as he glanced down at Buttercup and reluctantly had then sit up, so he could properly see her face when he asked. "Why not?"

Buttercup bit her lip and thought over how to phrase what she was going to say without being so blunt. "Well, you see…the professor explained to us that we'd only be able to have babies, if it…were...with…you guys."

"Huh?"

"Only you can get me pregnant." She then lifted a shoulder and looked anywhere but at him. "Well, you or one of your brothers."

Butch's face contorted as he fell into deep thought about the bomb Buttercup just dropped on him. "How did he even—?"

"Don't ask." Buttercup answered quickly, grimacing as she thought about how the professor figured it out. "Point is, you're the only guy I have to worry about using birth control with. The professor gave it to us after he found out that we were all going to school together. I thought it was a bit much but—."

"Wait, what? You're on birth control? You've been on it since after...?"

Buttercup's jade eyes returned to Butch and she couldn't help the sigh that she exhaled. "Since after the first time we had sex, yeah."

Butch fell into another contemplative silence. Buttercup waited anxiously for him to say something as she watched the emotions play across his face. When he finally did speak, she almost winced at the question. "Was it just you or did your sisters—?"

"We were all given it at the same time. I just didn't know when started or if my sisters started taking it." Buttercup said.

"So, if Blossom had been taking it when she and Brick first…" he didn't bother to finish that sentence as Buttercup's face clouded over. The how of Blossom's pregnancy was still a bit of an iffy subject between the group. No one really spoke about it, but H.I.M's interference was a lingering cloud of consternation between Brick and Blossom. Still, the two couldn't be happier now about the prospect of being parents.

"Yeah."

The heaviness of the moment was broken when Butch threw his arm around Buttercup's middle and tugged her to lay down beside him. He then placed a smacking kiss on her lips and pulled back to look down at her with sincerity shining in her emerald eyes. "I love you, Cupcake. Don't you forget it. And if we have kids, it'll be when we're ready or stupid enough. Whichever comes first."

Again Buttercup was about to protest when Butch pulled a yelp of shock from her as he placed a number of kisses along her collarbone, when he started to go lower and press a few kisses to the tops of her breasts, she gripped his head to stop him.

"Aren't we supposed to be meeting everyone for pizza?" she asked, a nice flush tinting her cheeks.

Butch chuckled as he shook her hands off and keep up with the kisses. When he stopped suddenly and looked up at Buttercup, he's brow was burrowed. "If you've been on birth control since almost Halloween, does that mean we could've gone without a condom this entire time?"

This time Buttercup threw her head back and laughed Butch soon joining her as he shifted so he was pressed between her legs. "You'd have worn a condom in spite of that. I didn't know where you'd been. Penicillin doesn't cure everything."

"You didn't worry about that the first time." He reminded her jokingly. "Now, shh." He then proceeded to kiss her down the length of her body, stopping when he got to the juncture of her legs. The wicked smile that came over his face was all the warning Buttercup got, before Butch ran his tongue between her labia.

Buttercup moaned under his ever-skillful touch and kicked the blanket over the edge of the sofa bed. "H-how how l-late are we w-we going t-ah!"

She didn't finish asking, and he didn't bother answering.

Boomer and Bubbles were at pizzeria debating over what should be on their pizza. When it came to food, the blue Ruff and Puff were always at odds with one another. Bubbles was sure that pineapples would made a great topping. The suggestion had Boomer grimaces for more than one reason.

"I hate pineapple." He grumbled. "I'm more than a little insulted that you want to add that to pizza. One of the greatest culinary creations."

"Tell that to everyone who enjoys eating Hawaiian pizza." Bubbles teased as she looked over other ingredients to put on their pizza. She then wrinkled her nose in mild disgust as she came across black olives. "Yuck, olives."

At that Boomer, rose a brow and scoffed. "Pineapples on pizza, and pickles on chili fries are okay, but you scowl at olives. Something truly is wrong with your taste buds."

Bubbles smiled before she leaned over and placed a sweet kiss onto Boomer's lips. "How about we do like we always do? Half what you want and half what I want."

"Sounds good to me." Boomer said as he looked over what he wanted on his half of the pizza.

Brick and Blossom watched bemused as Bubbles and Boomer poured over their topping choices. Blossom glanced back at the menu. "Oh, Brick let's get the meat lovers and add jalapenos. Lots of jalapenos."

"Blossom, you know you're not supposed to have so much heat." Brick said halfheartedly, knowing that she'd do it anyway.

"Hey, blame your son. He loves when I eat spicy food." Blossom said as she turned pink eyes to Brick's red ones.

"He's going to be awake for hours now. You know he kicked me in your sleep the last time we spent the night together." Brick commented. "I have a bruise from where he got me in the ribs."

Boomer cringed against Bubbles. "I still find that weird. It doesn't gross you out when he moves like that?" He then grunted when Bubbles elbowed him in the stomach. "What?"

"It's fine Bubbles. I thought it was weird the first time, but it means that he's here." Her smile was soft as she ran a hand over her stomach. She then squealed and turned to Brick. "I can't wait for him to get here."

"Speaking of getting here, where the hell are Butch and Buttercup? They should've been here half an hour ago." Brick said as he glanced toward the door.

"I bet you five dollars, they're late because they're having sex." Boomer chuckled, barely managing to dodge the second elbow to the stomach.

"No way, Vanilla Bean. I'm already buying dinner for everyone. No need for you to squeeze a few more bucks out of me." Brick said with a shake of his head.

"Vanilla Bean?" Blossom looked at Brick before glancing at Bubbles and Boomer. Bubbles shrugged before glancing up at Boomer and seeing the red blush go across his cheeks.

"You're a real jackass, you know that Brick?" Boomer scowled as he ground his teeth. "So, what's the big news?"

Brick reached for his drink and took a long drink to cover up his smirk. "Not yet. I'll tell you when Butch eventually gets here."

Boomer sighed as he settled into his seat and put his arm around Bubbles' shoulder. "He'd better get here soon."

"Me too. You're cranky when you're hungry." Bubbles teased lightly.

The quad didn't have to wait long before their siblings came to join them. If the smug grin on Butch's face was anything to go by, he and Buttercup were definitely having sex. That and the mussed up hair that Buttercup was struggling to tame with her fingers. Her sisters were decent enough to not make jokes at their sister's expense. She looked embarrassed enough as it was. Butch however, wasn't so lucky. His brothers immediately started haggling him about his barely concealed scratches that came from under his collar.

"Lose a fight?" Brick asked as Butch got settled and the waiter came over and took his and Buttercup's drink orders.

"Yeah, and it was the best fight I ever lost." Butch joked. "Lose any fights lately, Vanilla Wafer?"

Boomer managed to kick Butch's chair out from under him. He took great pleasure in seeing Butch's chin hit the table. "Jerk."

"I'm not paying for the damages if you guys start fighting." Brick warned before Butch came up with a playful glare gleaming in his eyes.

Butch scoffed and sat down beside Buttercup. The group then fell into comfortable conversation as they decided the kinds of pizzas they were going to get. Against Brick's better wishes, he and Blossom got the meat lovers pizza…with jalapenos—it was made worse when Blossom reached for the jar of crushed red pepper to dump onto her slices. Butch and Buttercup got some weird pizza with shrimp and pesto sauce and mushrooms—on Buttercup's side only. Boomer and Bubbles got an everything pizza with pineapple on Bubbles' half and black olives on Boomers. After everyone had a few slices—or four in Blossom's case—Brick dusted his hands of the pizza crumbs and licked the grease clean. "All right, for my big announcement."

"Finally." Blossom said, reaching for another slice. "What's the big news?"

Brick turned to Blossom and reached into his pocket. Making a big scene, he raised two sets of keys into the space between them hanging off two very distinct key chains. One held a double cherry, the other was a peach. A gasp broke from her lips that she tried to catch with her hands. A beat after tears welled and spilled over.

"Brick!" Blossom and Bubbles exclaimed.

Before her sisters could chew him out for making her cry, she waved her hands and shook her head. "No, no, no. It's fine. It's fine. Just…" she turned back to Brick and took the key with the cherries on the end. "…you found a place?"

"Yeah, for a great price." He said which had Blossom giving him a worried look.

"How much of a great price?"

"One thousand." When Blossom's look didn't soften, he sighed. "He gave us a discount."

"What kind of discount?"

"Let's not worry about that, huh?" Brick said. "All that matters is that we have a place to raise our little fireball. It's right near the campus, so if there's anything you need, I'll be just a phone call away."

There was a slight falter in Blossom's face before she turned away with her eyes fixated on the key chain. It was immediately noticed by everyone at the table. Brick glanced at them all before turning to Blossom.

"Blossom?"

"I-I'm going to be taking my classes on campus." She whispered, before rushing to finish. "At least until I have the baby. Then they're all going to be online."

"Blossom you're due around the middle of the semester." Brick said. "What if you go into labor during midterms? College professors are assholes and not going to care."

"Must you be a jerk?" Buttercup blurted before she could help herself.

Butch then raised a hand to stop Brick from saying anything as he turned to his overly offensive girlfriend. "Cupcake. Slack, remember?"

"No, he keeps stressing her out for no reason and—." Buttercup started up, before Butch pushed away from the table and pulled her up beside him. "What are you doing?"

"Let's talk outside, huh?" He then with great effort pulled Buttercup out of the pizzeria, but not without a clap to his brother's shoulder. "Congrats on the place. We'll be sending you a housewarming gift from Hawaii."

"Hawaii? Why Hawaii?" Buttercup asked as she was nearly hauled out of the café.

"Let's go outside. Maybe then I'll tell you why." Butch whispered in her ear.

Blossom watched as Buttercup was hauled out onto the street. When she turned back to Brick she exhaled a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—."

Before Brick could say anything, Bubbles reached across the table and grabbed Blossom's hands. "It's not your fault." She then looked at Brick and exhaled softly.

"Bubbles." Blossom glanced between the two of them and took her hands from her sister. "That does not help."

The confused red glare that he leveled on Bubbles was accompanied by his own exhale smoke—a thin pale stream of smoke that was barely visible in the light. "This is fucking ridiculous. I invite everyone out, so we can celebrate the fact that I've found an apartment and it turns into a fucking Brick Bash!" he threw his napkin down and folded his arms across his chest in frustration. Blossom placed her hand on Brick's arm and gave it a tight squeeze. "I mean, why is it that everyone gets in my face whenever the smallest thing upsets Blossom?"

"Brick." Blossom sighed moving her hand to his back. Turning to her sister, she rubbed the back of her hand over her forehead. "Let's go home, yeah? Stay the night?"

Brick nodded his head as he called the waiter over for the check. "Yeah, so long as my brothers, keep your sisters occupied."

Bubbles heaved a breath, but chose not to say more on the matter. Instead, she looked to Boomer who gave her a wane smile. "Want to get ice cream after this?"

"Yeah," she then stood up with Boomer following after her. "I'll see you later Blossom."

Blossom nodded at her sister, before looking at Brick. He'd just put his debit card down and was scratching out his signature. The pen was roughly thrown down, just barely held back from ricocheting in some random direction. "I'm sorry about them."

"You can't help who you're related to. My brothers are idiots and your sisters are…catty." He censored.

"Yeah."

The waiter came and picked up the card and the check to run the order through. The two expectant parents sat quickly while they waited. When the waiter came back to return Brick's card, the two of them got up to leave. They left silent and remained so even after that got into Brick's car, Blossom with a bit of difficulty due to her belly. Once she was settled, Brick started the car and pulled out into the streets of Townsville.

In the silence, Blossom glanced around the car and for the first time noticed the lack of a back seat. "Are we going to get a new car?"

"Why?"

The brusqueness of his tone had Blossom sighed as she turned her attention forward. "Where are we going to put the car seat for the baby?"

"Do we have to talk about this now?"

"No." Blossom said bringing a hand up start fanning herself as she started heating up. "Turn the air on, please."

Brick glanced at Blossom, and sighed as he complied with her wishes. "Come on, don't get all worked up."

"I'm not getting worked up. I'm just…I'm just tired and wish I'd gotten a to go box for that pizza." She laughed. The light sound pulled a small smile from Brick. "I'm sorry."

"Don't. It's not your fault you have a bulldog and an angel with horns for sisters who are intent on telling me how bad of a job I'm doing." Brick said. "I already said you can't help who you're related to."

"Yeah, but I feel it is my fault as I was such a bitch to you senior year." Blossom said. "You can't deny that I gave you a hard time."

Brick smirked. "Yeah. I can recall a few hard times I was given during senior year. Homecoming."

"Homecoming?" Blossom said, before her eyes narrowed. "Right, you were with Princess."

"I wasn't with Princess." Brick said. "I'd gotten in a fight with my brothers and she mentioned having a party at her house."

"And?"

Brick blew a sputtering breath out at his past stupidity. "I might've wrecked her party. Being her boyfriend was punishment."

"Hmmm. What does this have to do with hard times?" Blossom asked trying not to dwell on the time Princess and Brick were a "couple".

Brick then smiled smugly as he glanced at Blossom. "I got a semi when you and Princess were going head to head."

"What?" she laughed.

"You can be hot when you're pissed." Brick said.

"Yeah, no kidding." She said as she gestured to her swollen belly.

"That and you looked really pretty that night." Brick said as he reached over to grab Blossom's hand. He brought her hand up kiss her knuckles. "I think that was the first time I might've felt started to feel some attraction to you."

"Even though I was being a pain?" Blossom hedged.

"I'm not blind Blossom. You're beautiful. I just didn't want to admit it when we weren't supposed to be together and you were riding my ass about everything." Brick said as they pulled up to her house. "When did you start finding me attractive?"

At being asked that question, Blossom blushed and made to get out of the car. Brick saw the embarrassment on her face and took advantage of his super speed to move around the car and catch her. The blush on her face was a deep red that she tried to hide in Brick's chest. He felt a deep inhale followed by a sigh that chilled the spot she breathed on. She then muttered something into his chest that was hard for Brick to understand.

"What was that?"

With a fist thumping onto Brick's chest, Blossom reluctantly looked up as him with her face red her the secret burning behind her lips. "It was when I managed to stop sneezing."

"What?"

"Your smell used to make me sneeze remember? When it didn't do that anymore and I really got to smell that scent, I…oh damn it Brick. I'm chockful of hormones. Don't do this to me if you're not going to do something about it."

"Who says I'm not?" he teased.

She then pushed away from him and stomped awkwardly to her front door that the professor was fixing. "Hi, professor."

"Hi…Blossom." He said as she zipped past him as fast as she could for a pregnant girl. He then looked behind him at Brick and shook his head. "I see you're managing the pregnancy just fine."

"Is that sarcasm? It's hard to tell with you." Brick said as he came up to the professor as he was sanding the wood of the door.

The professor didn't answer aside from the smirk on his face. "She seems in better spirits today, considering…" he gestured to the door. "That's the third time this month, I've had to replace this door."

"I've offered to pay for it." Brick said as he watched the professor work.

"Nah. Save your money. You'll need it for school, your eventual apartment, and let's not forget diapers." The professor said.

"Well, I don't need to worry about an apartment. I just signed the papers and gotten the keys today." Brick said feeling very proud of himself. He then sat on the step beside outside and fiddled with his peach key chain. "I'll take Blossom furniture shopping after I show her the apartment. She's going to love it."

The professor stopped his sanding to look at Brick as he sat on the would-be porch. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. Brick seemed happy and he didn't want to disrupt it by bring up his simian father. Instead, he moved to a different topic of conversation. "So, I'm guessing you're just about ready for school to begin."

Brick let out a laugh. "Like I was ready last year. I can't believe it's only been a year and so much has changed." Mojo came unbidden into his mind. Thinking of his father made him think of his own impending fatherhood and the nasty legacy behind him. He then turned to the professor and made the decision to ask. "What kind of father do you think I'll be?"

"You'll be a hell of a lot better than Mojo and myself combined. I'll give you that much credit Brick." The professor answered while he resumed his sanding.

"What makes you think so?" Brick asked turned to look at the man who was more the center of his family's strife than anything else.

The professor stopped his sanding motion and stared at Brick. "We've made mistakes Brick. Wrapped up in creating the girls, I didn't notice how jealous he'd become, or when he'd left. Even when he wrecked monstrous havoc on the city, I didn't acknowledge him. It wasn't on purpose, but it still doesn't erase the fact that I hurt him. It was a living, breathing Planet of the Apes scenario."

"Yeah, and then Mojo became the world's most overbearing, overprotective pain in my ass." Brick simmered with smoke coming out of his nose. "Not only that, but he's adamant about not showing any kind of support. I can deal with that to some extent, but with him saying things like…" he spared a glance to the window above and lowered his voice. "…they'll blow up or combust—." He let out a growl that could rival a dragon.

The professor sighed heavily, knowing that this wasn't easy for the young man. He also knew that there was nothing he could say that would make him feel better in this moment.

"How can he say that? He knows how much I love Blossom. He knows how much this baby means to the both of us." Brick turned to face the professor. "It's not fair for him to take his anger out on us."

"No, it's not." Sitting down next to the boy, he dusted his hands off and ran them through his hair. "For that I must apologize. I was plenty hard on you myself. You and your brothers, but I have daughters. When you have a daughter, you'll understand. However, I hope Butch has a daughter first."

Brick's brow furrowed as he turned to look at the professor. "Why? Butch is definitely not dad material."

"Exactly. It'll give me endless sadistic joy to see him flounder and have to combat two Buttercups when she starts dating." The professor chuckled.

Brick joined in on the laughter as she silently agreed. "That'd be something to see."

The professor placed a fatherly hand on Brick's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. The hand was smaller, smoother, and not as strong as what Brick wanted, but it sufficed in that moment.

"Can you not be so passive aggressive to my brother? Or any kind of aggressive?" Boomer asked as he and Bubbles walked around the park while finishing their ice cream.

Bubbles looked to Boomer with raised eyes brows and her tongue sticking out to catch the bit of vanilla with sprinkles at the corner of her mouth. "Aggressive? I haven't been aggressive."

"'It's not your fault?' ringing any bells." Boomer questioned with his own raised eyebrow over his cone of butter pecan. "You and Buttercup have been a bit much lately. He's doing everything while all Blossom does is sit around being pregnant."

Bubbles stopped in her tracks and nearly crushed Boomer's hand in her own with her super strength. It was Boomer's own strength that aided in his hand not being broken. That's not to say that it didn't hurt like a bitch when she did it. "Excuse me?"

Boomer sighed and turned to look at Bubbles with a braced expression. "Brick has been doing everything. Even when Blossom was being a bi—brat to him. He went out with Princess to stop her from ratting to Mojo about us. He stood up to H.I.M to stop him from keeping us under his control. He's standing up against Mojo, despite how much it's hurting them both."

Bubbles let go of his hand and huffed out a breath. "Unbelievable."

"Bubbles, you can't stand there and tell me that it's not true." Boomer said as she folded her arms over her chest. "That and you guys have always been more than a bit judgmental of us on more than one occasion."

"Now, I really can't believe you." Bubbles breathed as she started to move past him. Boomer was hot on her heels when she suddenly spun and faced him. "You aren't still on that Puff verses Ruff bull are you?"

"This has nothing to do with that. This has to do with the fact that Blossom isn't the only one having the baby." Boomer said.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Boomer sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. "Don't make me say it."

Bubbles shifted in her stance, showing that she was willing to wait for him to say it. Two different shades of blue eyes clashed as they waited for the other to break the stretching silence between them. "Say it. Say what you really think."

"Bubbles…"

"Say it!"

Boomer grit his teeth as he looked away from Bubbles and exhaled sharply. "Brick was just as much a victim of H.I.M's manipulation if not more, okay? It's not fair that everyone ignores the fact."

Bubbles' jaw dropped and she found herself at a lost for words. When she tried, her mouth just opened and closed a few times before she gave up and looked down at the ground. Her ice cream was slowly melting and lost its appeal to her. She tossed it into the nearest trash and took a few steps away from Boomer. She'd never felt ashamed of herself when it came to Boomer. This conversation had taken an unexpected turn and she wasn't sure how to turn it back around.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize to me." Boomer said softly, hating that he was making her feel bad. Tossing his own melted cone he fell into steps beside her. "Just give Brick a break, all right?"

When she nodded but still didn't look up at him, Boomer stepped forward, cutting her off, and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head. "I hate fighting with you."

"Me too." Boomer murmured. "But I wouldn't have brought it up if it didn't mean something to me. I love my brothers. Maybe just as much if not more than you love your sisters. I just want him to be happy."

"And I want Blossom happy." Bubbles said as she pulled back to look up at Boomer. "We've always looked out for each other."

"And so have me and my brothers." Boomer said. "But this is their thing. We have our thing. Remember how angry we got when Brick or Blossom tried to butt in? Well, let's extend them the same courtesy."

Bubbles huffed out a laugh as she shook her head. "And people say you're the dummy."

"Maybe, but I'm your dummy." He kissed her temple and started their walk again.

The blond couple on the screen disappeared as Mojo violently flipped the switch turning off the large observatory telescope. At that moment the front door opened and closed and Butch walked in. He was about to make his way upstairs so that he could take a shower, when he noticed Mojo's dejected form sitting in his chair.

"You know, watching and wishing isn't going to change anything." Butch called out.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Butch." Mojo snapped as his nose wrinkled when he caught the scent of his son's copulation on him. "You couldn't bother to rise that stench off you before coming into this house. I'd rather not have any more evidence of this blatant betrayal thrown in my face."

Butch paused on the stairs as he looked to Mojo. "I don't know how many times I can fucking say I'm sorry. We're fucking sorry, but it about good and goddamn time you got over it."

"Got over it?" Mojo whispered. He then got up from his place and charged to where Butch was standing on the stairs. "What makes you think this is something that I can just get over? Boomer walks about with Bubbles in the park below my home. You were caught with your pants down with Buttercup in your bed in my home. Brick is insistent on raising that abomination with Blossom. All this is happening, despite my wishes for you three not to be involved with them. And you just want me to get over it?"

Butch jumped over the banister and using his flight abilities, handed softly in front of Mojo. "Yes, because whether you like it or not, we're involved with them."

"You shouldn't even be involved with them. No good has come of it. Hasn't everything that's happened proven that already?" Mojo yelled in his face.

Butch let a smile cross his face. "I'm sorry that was the case for you. However, I've never found a person I could be more myself with outside of my brothers or you, except when I'm with Buttercup. Your anger can never take that away from me."

Mojo's nose wrinkled in further disgust at the faint scent of sex and jasmine coming from his son. The smells were more than enough to tell him that Butch had just been with Buttercup. "Go take your damn shower! I can't take her stench mixing in with your scent." He then turned away from Butch and made to go sit on the couch.

Butch watched the spectacle in silence and began making his way up the stairs. "I already ate, but I'll make you something after I shower."

"Don't pity me, Butch. I'm far beyond tolerant of it." Mojo snapped over his shoulder.

"It's not pity, you monkey!" Butch shouted from the top of the stairs. "It's just me making you you've had something to eat."

Mojo remained silent as Butch climbed the rest of the stair to their sanctioned space within their home. The slamming of the door was heard and felt as it rocked the house. When the silence fell over everything Mojo heaved a sigh of exhaustion. He hated fighting with his sons, but he saw no other way of dealing with the swarm of emotions.

Talking to his sons had become difficult to do. Boomer didn't know what to say to him half the time, so there would be time when he just didn't speak—aside from short sentences that didn't reveal too much about what was going on. However, he did appreciate the silence of when he sat with him and watched television or played one of his mindless video games. Butch only seemed to want to aggravate him whenever he opened his mouth. He'd make some offhand comment that always held a joking tone over his painfully true words. His second son was poorly trained to be mediator between the parties. His words only poured fuel on the allegorical fire. The thought of fire made Mojo think of Brick. He'd been so proud of him when he decided to go to college, for architecture no less. His brains and his eyes for design would make him great. Paired with his knack for engineering and computers—skills he honed by Mojo's side—he'd be a force to be reckoned with. Now, all of those aspirations have been blown to hell because he's decided to saddle himself with Blossom and that spawn of hers.

However, what pained him the most was that Brick would hardly speak to him. If he knew anything about Brick, it was through mild prodding at Boomer or Butch's feelings of pity that he knew anything about his firstborn. The last time he saw him was when he came to ask for help in finding an apartment. Mojo refused to give him any form of aid in that endeavor, so long as he chose to abandon the only family he's ever known.

Unaware of how much time had passed while he was lost in his thoughts about his sons, he was startled when Butch noisily placed a plate in front of him. Fried fish with a salad and banana chips. He looked up just in time to see Butch head for the stairs to no doubt hide away in his room. Before he could disappear from view, he stopped and looked down at Mojo. "Just to let you know, I'll be leaving this Friday to go to Hawaii, and I'm taking Buttercup with me."

Mojo didn't have a chance to say anything, Butch left his sight, punctuating the end of the conversation with the sound of his door slamming. It didn't rock the house as much as it did before—something Mojo was grateful for—but it was nothing compared to the blasting of his nerves to hell by Butch's words.

Here is another chapter my lovelies.

Now, before I go I want to address a something. I do read my reviews, and for those who I can respond to I do. I want my readers to know that I do take into consideration what they are saying, both the good and the bad. That being said, there's one particular person-and you know who you are-that has absolutely nothing better than to tear down stories he or she doesn't agree with. You changed your penname, but your manner of speech, character specific bashing, and use of a guest review was recognized, as you did it once before on Coming of Age and someone else pointed out your M.O. as you did it to them. I will NOT have your condescension mixed in with CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. That's all there is to it. This is a safe place for readers and writers alike.

For any negative reviews that I have and are still up, I appreciate your civil nature in which you address your issues. I do take them into account and try to shift my stories in where they make sense while still holding onto my creative voice, if a shift is possible.

That being said, I appreciate every single one of my readers. I love you all, and hope you enjoy and continue to read my stories.

Until Next Time