Yikes!

Sorry everyone for the longgggg wait! Having a baby takes up a LOT of time and she has only just started getting into a bed and nap time routine. Also I've just bought a house and moved in AND I have my wedding in 5 months! phew?! Could my life be any more manic?!

Anyway, while my little girl is napping I thought I best crack on.

Here is the next instalment! Hopefully the next one isn't as long of a wait!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters.

Brick meanwhile found himself in the bar in which he and Blossom first met up. It was still extremely early but the bar was in fact a bar and grill and was serving breakfast so Brick pulled up a stool at the bar.

He had ordered himself a beer and a vodka shot to shake his senses. His head was aching with the information overload the last hour gave him. The thought that was plaguing him currently was the fact that Blossom was missing. Missing! How the fuck did he miss that?! His stomach twisted when he thought back to the last time he saw her which was in fact the last time she was actually seen.

She seemed sad and upset about something, something she didn't want to include Brick in. It is plausible that she was pregnant at this point, given that Bella was a newborn this seemed the most likely. But then again Brick couldn't see Blossom handing away her own child without a fight. It didn't add up.

Brick groaned and took a long drink from his beer, emptying the bottle.

"Ugh, hey! Gary! Another, man!" Brick called, holding his hand up for another beer. The bartender –Gary- cracked the lid off the bottle and slid it over to the troubled Rowdy Leader. He looked lost, broken and seriously frustrated.

Brick heard the screech of a stool and looked up to see Gary leaning at the other side of the bar. He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"What?"

"A problem shared is a problem halved." Gary offered.

"Fuck off."

"Is this to do with your girl? I tell you, you won't believe how many guys I see in your position, drinking away their sorrows over some skirt."

"It aint a girl." Brick grumbled. "Well, yeah it is… but… no! Fuck her! She's a manipulative bitch." Brick's temper rose before he took a swig of his beer.

"What she do? Cheat? Break it off?"

"Neither, she just vanished."

Gary's eyebrows rose. "Well that's a new one."

Brick scoffed. "Yeah, it doesn't stop their, she even left her kid on my doorstep."

Silence fell over the pair as Brick stared irritably at his beer. He heard the 'tsst' of a bottle being opened and glance briefly to see Gary had got himself a drink. "Well that's quiet the pickle you have there."

Brick snorted. "No shit."

"So is the kid yours?"

Brick felt his throat tighten at the thought of the little baby. He mashed his teeth together before taking another swig of his beer. Before going back to stare angrily at the bar. Gary sighed.

"Look man, I know how hard it is and I can only imagine what you're going through. Here…" He pulled out his wallet and turning a picture of two children to the Red Ruff. "Hollie and Steven, my pride and joy. I was just like you when I found my missus was expecting. Gods I was terrified-"

"Hey! Brick Jojo is NOT terrified! I hear you say that again and I'll break your legs" Brick growled, Gary took a sip of his beer unfazed at the outburst.

"Sure your not… why else would you be here drinking this place dry at this time?"

Brick looked down at this now empty beer and scowled. "I anit scared."

"Mate, it's okay. It's natural, although normally you have 9 months to have a freak out before you get used to the idea. But trust me, once you properly see your kid you won't be able to imagine your life without them."

Brick sat in a stony silence brooding over the bartender's words. Brick never thought about kids, they weren't on his agenda. They were noisy and smelly and stupid, why would he want to spend his precious time with them? Although… a little dude would have been cool, a mini-me to follow in his footsteps. A son would have been great; he'd have been able to teach him how to steal or to manipulate people to get what he wanted. Brick smirked. Heh. A son would have been good.

But it wasn't a son, it was a daughter. A girl… his little girl. Ugh, of course Blossom would have a girl! Bitch. Brick felt the nightmare forming. Make-up and crying and feelings, gods gag him! Maybe she would be better with Bubbles and Buttercup? They could look after her.

"It's not as bad as you're making it seem."

Brick looked up to see Gary taking a sip of his beer nonchalantly.

"It is when it's something you don't want." He hissed back, Gary passed him over another beer which Brick opened and started downing it.

"You say that now, but once you meet them everything changes."

"I have met her, I saw her with my own two eyes!" Brick's temper was rising and a knowing smirk fell onto Gary's face.

"Oh… I get it." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand while Brick glared at him. "It's because she's a girl."

Brick felt his chest clench thinking about her; how her eyes matched his and her red hair was like her mothers. She was too delicate, fragile; he'd never be able to look after her. Gary took Brick's silence as confirmation that he hit the nail on the head.

"Girl's are the worst man, they cry the most, they have the worst tantrums and you can't get them to do anything-"

"Why the fuck are you telling me this?!" Brick hissed. Gary rolled his eyes.

"Because, while I'll admit they are hard work, you will never love another girl as much as you will love your daughter."

Brick sat straighter, the words affecting him in the strangest way. Had he ever even loved a girl? His mind instantly brought up a picture of the Powerpuff leader, smiling at him and giggling at his lame jokes. Did he… Had he loved her? Pfft… Nahh.

"And you know the best thing?"

Brick looked up, his glare less threatening but still guarded.

"She will love you unconditionally; a father and daughter's bond is so strong she will love you just as much as you love her. You'll do anything for her, keep her safe, and make her happy. She's your daughter and she needs you now."

He bit the inside of his cheek, something stirring in him as her red eyes kept flashing in his mind. He's wasn't father material, he was a RowdyRuff for crying out loud, destroying things is what he did. Bella would be better off without him, he couldn't do it.

"What's her name?"

"Bella." Brick muttered.

"What does she look like?"

"Like me. She has red eyes." Brick didn't take his eyes off his beer barely aware he was answering the questions out loud.

"She'll be a pretty one when she's older, huh?"

A flash of a smirk. "Yeah."

"All the guys will be chasing her."

"No. I'll kill them."

"Feeling overprotective?"

"She's mine-"

His eyes widened at what he just said. Then it hit him. He had a daughter. She needed him and he left her. He wanted to protect this little person, teach her things that no one else could (because let's face it, everyone else was stupid). She was his, and Brick had never been good a sharing.

He stood up abruptly, the stool scraping loudly against the floor and fished around in his jean pocket. Gary didn't say anything and brought his bottle to his lips smugly. Brick placed the dollar notes on the bar and turned around.

"Keep the change."

"Anytime." Gray smiled as a flash of red lit up the bar.

"Are you ready?" Buttercup asked. Bubbles passed her the small basket that Bella arrived in as Bella was currently sleeping in her arms. Buttercup held the basket which was filled with the items the boys had collected earlier that day.

"Shouldn't we tell Brick that she's going with you?" Boomer asked, looking worried that he was just letting his brother's daughter leave.

"Well if he cared he would be here." Buttercup snapped.

"She has a point Boomer." Bubbles backed up her sister. Boomer looked at Butch for help who just shrugged.

"What do you want me to do? We can't look after it."

"Stop calling her that!" Bubbles and Buttercup hissed. Boomer looked torn, he knew she couldn't stay with them without Brick; they couldn't look after a baby. She would be in better care with Bubbles and Buttercup, but why did it feel so wrong?

"If he comes back, tell him she's with us and he can come see her anytime." Bubbles told him, he looked up sadly and nodded. Buttercup turned the door and started making her way out.

"Stop."

4 heads turned to the balcony to see a wind swept Brick standing in the doorway.

"Your back!" Boomer grinned as Brick walked over and up to Bubbles. He stared at the baby in her arms expressionless before looking at her.

"Are you taking her?"

Bubbles gave him a sad smile before re-adjusting the baby in her arms. "Here, put your arms like this." She instructed as she carefully moved her into Brick's arms. Brick started down at her with a perfect poker face taking her in. She opened her eyes slowly as 2 sets of identical eyes met properly for the first time. Her eyes were big and she had a little button nose. Everyone was silent as father and daughter met for the first time.

Bella stared at her father before smiling and letting out a little giggle. Bubbles gushed and put a hand over her mouth while Buttercup hid a small smile. Boomer grinned at Butch who looked satisfied while Brick let a small smirk jump onto his lips.

Bella continued to giggle and babble happily in Brick's arms while Buttercup and Bubbles watched them. Bubbles turned to Buttercup and smiled.

"She'll be fine here."

Buttercup nodded and re-opened the door waiting for her sister who had walked up to Brick.

"If you need any help, just call us." She said looking at her niece. "She looks like her mother." She whispered sadly. Brick remained silence but agreed with the blonde as she lent down carefully planting a small kiss on the baby's soft red hair. She gave another smile at the boys before joining her sister as they left.

Brick was still staring at Bella while Boomer watched his brother amused, Butch on the other hand looked confused.

"What?" Boomer asked him. Butch sigh,

"Three men and a baby… this ain't gonna end well."

The first week was the hardest.

Going from a single man with no rules or responsibilities to a full-time dad was not an easy transition. Brick couldn't remember what sleep was anymore and their apartment looked like a tornado had ripped through it. One of the first things they had to do was buy a crib for Bella and a few other things. Luckily Bubbles and Boomer had provided the most help, whether it was because they wanted to or the fact that they could spend more time together Brick wasn't sure. He'd have to have been blind to have not seen the two blondes getting closer, a touch here, a giggle there. Brick knew he would have to speak to his brother about it, can't be having another baby round here!

But credit where it was due they had been a big help. They had picked out a crib and brought it back to the apartment along with other things they would need.

"This is fucking impossible!" Brick fumed throwing down the instructions. Bella was bouncing in her walker while the three rowdies tried to put the crib together. Boomer was holding one side of the crib while Butch was munching on a bag of chips.

"You guys are useless." He mumbled shoving the last of the chips in his mouth and screwing up the bag.

"I'd like to se you try!" Brick spat, smoke spitting from his teeth. Butch rolled his eyes and stood up and grabbed a few parts; he started jamming them into parts of the crib until they started splintering.

"Hey! You're going to break it!" Boomer cried yanking the parts away from him.

"It was about to go in then!"

"Only because you'd have broken it!"

"Well it's more than you've done!"

"You've just been eating chips! You haven't done anything!"

Bella giggled at the fighting Rowdies while Brick shook his head in despair.

"Bella, you're uncles are idiots."

She giggled again; Brick smirked and then whistled loudly to shut his brothers up.

"Hey! Why don't you read this and work it out!" He ordered throwing the instructions to Butch who caught it clumsily.

"Where are you going?" Boomer asked as Brick picked up Bella.

"We are going for some food."

"Oi! Why are you leaving this with us?! She's not our kid!" Butch protested, He suddenly hit the floor when a fire ball was launched in his direction. He looked up to see Brick glaring at him while Bella giggled and clapped her hands.

"What to ask again?" He threatened. Butch grumbled and snatched the instructions off the floor. About an hour later the crib was completed and after a lot of arguing and cursing it was amazing there were still and green and blue Rowdy left.

The crib was moved into Brick's room as the apartment was suddenly starting to fill with baby items. Toys, bottle, diapers littered every available space. Then came the issue of their job. The boys worked Townsville's underground crime scene making sure to stay out of the public view. They had a few coppers in Townsville's PD that were able to give them a tip off should things be getting too close to the surface.

They were ruthless and no one went up against the boys. They had a few trusted allies to oversee the work when they couldn't attend themselves but they mainly run their own business. Brick knew that Blossom knew about his dealings but they had agreed early on that if she stayed out of his business then he would stay out of hers. She told him the Girls would only get involved if it caused a danger to the public and Brick promised to keep it under wraps.

However, the newest addition to the RowdyRuff gang caused the boys to be away from their work longer than they have ever been. Their allies had managed to keep things ticking over but they had one very important meeting that they could not miss. It was a meeting were all the crime lords in the country gathered once a year to talk territories and make big deals. They had a reputation to uphold of the most feared bosses in the underground community. They couldn't afford to miss it.

The boys were sat in their living room while Bella slept, discussing the upcoming meeting in 5 days time.

"We can't not go, they'll know something's up and then we'll be a target, they'll think were conspiring against them." Butch folded his arms and stared at Brick.

"I know, we will be going, there's no argument about that."

"But what about Bella?" Boomer asked, Brick sighed at how much more dangerous life had become with her in the picture.

"We ask the girls to look after her for the weekend."

The boys nodded.

"No one, not even our guys can know about her. Women and children are easy targets which is why hardly anyone has them. They're a weakness which puts everyone in danger." Brick fumed. He could feel himself tensing at the thought of harm coming to his daughter and he knew he wouldn't hesitate to slaughter the person or gang responsible.

"Like anyone would be stupid enough to go after one of our own." Boomer scoffed. Brick remained silent, their business was dangerous and no place for a child, he was taking no chances.

"Regardless, the less people that knows about her the better. Bubbles and Buttercup will look after her for the weekend while we work. In the meantime, no unscheduled visits from anyone. Understood?"

The boys nodded and Brick motioned them to leave and he lent back in the chair, No matter what Bella would remain safe.

Hope you all enjoyed! Please review.

Until next time

Cornelia.x