WARNING: Mentions of some big kid stuff. This is the only M-rated chapter. Everything else is T-rated.

A/N: Hey guys. This will be a friendship fic and mainly focusing on mending broken relationships and creating new ones.

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Chapter 3:

"SON MURDERS FATHER IN COLD BLOOD", "THE BIGGEST MURDER TRIAL IN THE PAST CENTURY" and similar headings titled the first page of every newspaper in the convenience store. This was exactly the reason why Brom bought his newspaper after his son left for school every morning.

Brom knew that Eragon was old enough now to know these kinds of things (the kid was sixteen!) but he had always tried to shield his son from the harsh reality that was this world. And he desperately didn't want to be the one to take away his childish innocence. He didn't want to be the one to show him the true nature of the world- how everything was not just black and white but rather, a hundred shades of grey.

He paid for a coffee and his paper at the counter before returning to his Audi A8. (Expensive cars were status symbols of the upper class.) As soon as he sat down in the car, he flipped to the headline story on page 'A3'. Apparently, the crime took place in Uru'Baen. Not surprising, really. In the United States of Alagaesia, the capital continuously held the title of highest crime rate. Hence the reason why he decided to move to Carvahall with Sel- stop it Brom. You damned yourself. But even 16 years later, the guilt still ate his heart out every time he thought of her.

He took a breath to steady himself and banished the thought from his mind. Blah, blah, blah. Took place at night. The crime involved- Brom almost choked on the coffee he was drinking. It couldn't be...

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15 years earlier

Cold wisps of winter air blew on his face. The usually radiant moon was hidden by ominous grey clouds. Occasionally, orange columns of light shone down from the flickering streetlights. It was hard for Brom not to slip on the icy pavement but he followed the winding alleyways of the city slums until he came to a familiar old shack. Termite infested floorboards creaked under his weight as he climbed the stairs leading to the galvanise door.

Brom knocked twice and fell silent as he waited to be let in. The sound of a padlock being opened on the other side made the hairs on his neck stand on end. The feeling of foreboding grew in his stomach as he carefully tread inside and the door locked once again, but from the outside. He fished out the cloth sack he had stuffed in his winter coat and casually tossed it to the middle of the room.

"Come out and face me like a man if you have a hint of pride left in you!" Brom called out. Slinking out of the shadows came a man fully clothed in black from head to toe. It was the man with the long black hair and the mocking, heterochromic eyes. Brom couldn't help the low growl that escaped his lips on sighting the sly grin on Morzan's face.

"Good to see you again Brom" Morzan leered "What's the matter, decided you've had enough?" He picked up the sack and counted the gold pieces- their deal had been an expensive one.

After seeing that it was all there, he brought it to a table in the corner before returning with a bottle of liquor. Morzan offered him a shot but he refused knowing that he would need his mind clear. After downing his own glass, Morzan began.

"I want the truth Brom. Why have you decided to give up on this part of your life? Surely you remember the unforgettable times you had here." he questioned, seemingly amused. It was something he could never forget. It was where he had, five years prior, met his first love, Saphira. And later spent blissful times together. But everything had been shattered a week prior to his arrival here.

As if reading his mind, Mozan asked "I hope you're not still missing that blue-eyed slut. She was a loose end and merely a tool." Brom was determined not to rise to his bait, no matter how tempting.

Brom responded "I have paid off my debt. You hold no power over me anymore." As he stood up to exit, Morzan calmly countered, "I will always have power over you. Are you sure that our precious Selena" his voice was gaining volume now"- don't feign innocence, I know everything- will be happy to know that the man she thought she loved was sleeping with another woman even though she was carrying his child?"

Brom felt his blood turn to ice. 'There was no way Morzan could tell her' he thought frantically. 'After all, Morzan was guilty of it too.'

"Do you think that I haven't already thought of what would happen if she found out?" the man in front of him mocked. "She can be persuaded. Just remember, that everything that went on in here, has been recorded."

With his sly grin growing on his face, Morzan continued "What do you think would happen if Galbatorix were to show her one of the many times you came here- losing yourself in the alcohol, drugs and sex- with a common whore?"

The grin on Morzan's face faded completely, giving way to a ferocious snarl "Stay away from my family, Brom, or you'll regret it. Never come to see Selena again."

Brom, shocked out of his stupor, retorted "I will not leave her. She is my love and the mother of my child. Show her the video if you dare, but know that she'll believe me. Not some thugs sent by Galbatorix!"

The two men had stood up from their chairs and circled each other like rabid wolves, waiting for the enemy to take the first step on their path to war.

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Brom buckled his seatbelt and called in sick to the law firm. There was something he had to do.

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'Oh dear lord!' Thorn thought as he sat at the bedside table. He was reading from the subscription he had to 'Newsday Online' in the shabby motel he stayed in for the night. Murtagh told him he'd meet him at Varden U, but judging by his current position, that wouldn't be possible.

He gathered his things, checked out at the front desk and hailed himself a cab. He was about to pay his best friend a long overdue visit.

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2nd period history always seemed boring to Eragon. But today, more so due to what was also on the minds of the rest of the student population- the murder trial.

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the bell saved him. After Mr. Oromis handed out the homework assignments, the class was free to go. He and his best friend, Saphira, were headed to their gym class in building C. So, they had some time to talk while they went to their lockers and to get their gym clothes.

"What do you think about the murder trial?" Saphira asked.

Sighing, Eragon answered, "My dad won't let me go anywhere near an actual newspaper but I still have my subscription online." Taking out his gym bag from his locker, he added "Can you believe it, though? The guy...what was his name? The murderer"

"I think it was Murtagh Hvass- wait a minute, isn't he the son of your dad's rival company?"

He closed his locker and began walking in the direction of the gym with her. Eragon still couldn't believe that someone would kill their own father! Just the thought seemed absurd to him. Right then, a girl with emerald green eyes and long black hair came sauntering gracefully around the corner along with her group of friends. Eragon couldn't help but stare. His attention was focused on Arya Ehlve- a senior at Du Weldenvarden High. She was part of the national girls' fencing club that met at their school to practise.

"HelloOoo! Earth to Eragon. What's up with your face?" Saphira asked as she wove her hand in front of him. But a smile of comprehension broke on her face when she realised what he was staring at. She was about to tease him, like she always did, but didn't get the chance.

The static-filled P.A. system blared in the hallways at that exact moment- "Eragon Shurtugal, please report to the main office immediately. Your father has come to collect you"

That was odd. His father never wanted him to miss school- even that one time he had a 39 degree fever.

He told Saphira that he'd text her later and walked to the office with his bag. He thought humoredly, 'This day may just be interesting after all.'

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TO BE CONTINUED...stay tuned for more!