(Three Days Grace - Just like you)

"Inside of you are two wolves…"

Dick Casablancas didn't give a shit whatever any of his mother's fancy therapists had tried to tell him that summer in Europe after Cassidy's death. It was all just an expensive way to tell him what he already knew. That grief was complicated, and that mourning someone didn't even have to start when someone was dead. You could grieve the loss of a family you'd never had. His feelings about his father were wrapped up in so many layers that he was sure it would take a lifetime to untangle them, and even then he might never be truly free.

Did he even get to hold a grudge when the abuse had never really been physical?

It felt stupid to envy Logan that his hatred towards his dad could be so clean cut. Aaron Echolls had screwed then murdered the guys girlfriend, he'd driven the guys mother to kill herself and left so many mental and physical scars on Logan's self-confidence that the dude literally went to pieces if he didn't have someone to hold onto because he was convinced deep down that he was worth nothing.

Almost the exact opposite lesson Richard Casablancas had taught him growing up, that the Casablancas men were untouchable, that life was a high octane pleasure ride. That they in fact had no haters, and that life's ills and the consequences for his actions were irrelevant because he was Teflon.

It had taken him a long time to see it but Dick realized his dad was no less a monster.

He was so big on family, yet any time they'd spoken over the last four months he always left half of it out.

Cassidy.. the family dead weight that now felt like he permanently carried around on his shoulders.

It was impossible to separate the love for a father and camping trips, the sneaky shots of expensive bourbon and cigars at the club with the hate for a selfish dickbag who'd bankrupted half the town and had left his youngest kid to the attentions of a sexual predator.

Never let them see your underbelly because they will rip you apart.

Same as how no matter how hard he tried to see the killer everyone else did when they thought of Cassidy, he just couldn't separate his own mistakes that had led that shy geeky smart kid to end the lives of so innocent people like Meg Manning. In retrospect, he'd seen him changing, there had been signs… a cruel streak forming he hadn't quite recognised at the time.

When he really thought about it… with a track record like that… what rights did he have to even think about having custody of his baby?

"I'm sorry, Logan. That part of my life is not up for discussion," he'd growled angrily at his roommate this morning before storming out to meet with the personal crisis management expert his stepfather kept on retainer. He didn't want to talking about impending fatherhood with a guy who'd kept it from him. He certainly felt zero guilt about moving out. He could lose it. Get angry and throw some punches but that wasn't his way. He wasn't going to let this shit drive him into a bottle.

Stop sinking into places you have outgrown. Friendship isn't a pyramid scheme and perhaps it was time to put this one into foreclosure. Long is the road, short is the life.

His friendship with Logan had always been beyond questioned, he'd been willing to take secrets to the grave to protect him but after finding out his so-called buddy had been screwing Madison during winter break. Dick found himself doubting if that loyalty only went in one direction.

He stared at the text from the real estate agent he'd met with an hour ago.

Congratulations Duck, the offer has been accepted. The Condo is now yours. I'll forward you the details, its been a pleasure doing business. Quinn from Halo Realty.

A problem solved. Even if proofreading hadn't caught the obvious typo from her autocorrect.

He looked out at the horizon and wished life could really be as simple as blue skies and sandy beaches. It was hard to appreciate the beauty of a superficial life when the blinkers were finally off, now Hearst felt claustrophobic.

Fate had a gross sense of humour, of course his fantasy fodder would happen to be the one woman who should have stayed completely off-limits.

Cindy MacKenzie was probably the most complicated conundrum of them all. She carried so many labels it was like announcing Danaerys Targaryan.

His lover. So sexy it made his nuts ache in a fuck you-up-against-the-wall, hand-in-your-pants kind of way.

The mother of his unborn child.

Fuck… the thought of her gorgeous curves filling out with his seed were going to make the next few months keeping his hands off her even harder.

His dead brother's girlfriend, a girl who still discreetly packed an extra dress in her backpack after the trauma his brother had caused.

The scheming harlot who'd stolen his heart and toyed with him.

It was never going to go well, son.

He shoved away from the rueful image of her tear-filled expression last night. He wouldn't spend a day not thinking about that look she gave him.

"Richard, Please… I love you!"

Pain flashed across his features. His very own beautiful destruction.

Hatred was complicated when you felt it with a broken heart.

"You are the biggest misogynistic asshole in Neptune Dick Casablancas! Maybe even the State!" Parker declared and he turned to see the brazen blonde stomping after him so angry she could barely speak civilly. She had been on her way across campus after psych 101 to meet with Mac and Veronica for the ultrasound appointment.

"Wow, what a greeting!" Dick groaned softly and scrubbed a hand down his face.

Clearly, Parker didn't fall into the Logan camp of handling this with kid-glove treatment.

"How could you? How dare you?" she demanded shutting the door he'd been about to open, her hands on her hips in a prim little gesture.

"Always a pleasure" Dick murmured his tone bitterly rueful and moved his gaze to the tall blonde, there was no denying that Parker was a very stunning girl, standing in her strappy sandals and floral sundress. A few months ago he probably would have tried to persuade her to share his bed in retaliation but Parker was clearly Team Mac. His throat was cramped and sore.

Had she been complicit in Cindy's little scheme? She should be pleased, her deceitful little friend had hit the jackpot.

"I hope you paid them by the hour because campus police just escorted your little 'security detail' off the quad," she snapped confidently her blue-green eyes spitting daggers at him. The two men camped outside their dorm had been as subtle as the FBI in a low budget action movie. Mac had been up since the early hours with morning sickness, and she was skipping class to go speak with a student counselor.

"I'm well aware. Regardless of the cost, this is one battle I'm going to win." His voice was dangerously soft. He clenched one fist over his backpack glaring right back.

Her eyes narrowed. "You don't have a shred of remorse do you?"

Mac was a rare gem, she was a mess right now and worried about her parents covering the cost of the ultrasound and medical bills and he was threatening to pull strings to remove her scholarship? How could someone treat her this way? Out of all the people who'd been there for her after the rape, Mac had never once slut-shamed her and she'd used those badass cyber-skills to remove some awful images of her with a shaved head some assholes from the fraternity had posted on the student message forum.

She was a good person and he treated her like she was beyond contempt. She deserved better!

"You wouldn't be the first to say so." He gritted waiting for her to get out of his way and open the door.

"Yeah well, truth be told I find you repulsive" she snapped.

"There's no reason her delicate condition can't be resolved to our mutual satisfaction. Smart college chicks sell their eggs all the time, I'm sure she will get over it." Dick said impatiently. He'd shown up at the front lines with a purpose. He knew what he had to lose, and he'd fight to protect it.

She'd probably forget this ever happened...

Her blue-green eyes widened in utter disbelief. Was he serious? Her Delicate Condition? He really thought Mac would just accept being sidelined?

Parker hadn't wanted to believe it but then a courier had shown up after their first class and handed Mac a strongly worded legal document warning her off spreading this story to the tabloids or she would be facing a court case and any attempt to do so would be used in future custodial proceedings. He was a millionaire and he was using his wealth to coerce her friend into submission.

It was a ruthless unforgivable tactic.

"You've made it a big show of trying to convince her you hold all the cards. You are clearly deranged… putting her under surveillance? She isn't going to give up her baby just because you crook your little finger!" she warned.

"Then we get a DNA test and let the courts decide," Dick informed her in a low growl his hand tightening on the handle of the door.

"How can you be so hateful?" Parker snarled shoving against his broad chest. He suppressed the angry retort he wanted to make and straightened, stepping out of the way as several students exited the building but even then the slender blonde refused to move.

"Why not?" he said bitterly. Hell if he actually knew what he wanted. Something leaped in those blue eyes and she folded her arms, she looked at him questioningly. His words boasted a cruel indifference, but there was something raw in the way he'd responded just now. A layer that she hadn't noticed at first beneath his scathing cynicism.

I'm done making a fool of myself… I'm done waiting for people to decide I'm enough... I won't be blindsided again...

He looked tired like a troubled mind had stopped him from sleeping well last night. It was enough to make her do a double-take and take a pause.

This was Angry Iceberg territory...

Parker questioned. "Is this some kind of denial thing?"

Dick glared at her, affronted, fury darkening his eyes to an inky blue. "Is that your idea of a joke?"

"No, because this isn't some twisted Mills and Boon storyline. You can't just bully your way into her uterus! I'm not expecting you offer to marriage but for the love of GOD Dick…." Parker exclaimed poking her finger into his chest matching his ire with her own. "Figure your shit out, and while you are at it, try working on being a little less cruel to the girl who loves you!"