Chapter 6: Love and Trouble

May 14: 1668, 7:35 AM. Regulus.

Veronica immediately led Lincoln and LJ into her procedure room. It was pretty small for a procedure room, which looked like it only had enough room for Veronica to do her work.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask the two of you to leave. If I'm going to save his life, you need to get out. Now." She then shoved the two of the boys out of the room.

The two of them sat outside in the waiting room, which was very much like her living room. There was a small, wooden rectangle table in left corner of the house. On both of the long sides of the table were two sofas and on the short sides were two small wooden chairs. There was a pair of red roses that were sitting in the middle of the table as if to make the room livelier. LJ decided to go into the kitchen and grab a glass of milk. Meanwhile, Lincoln sat on the sofa, worrying every second about David.

Right as LJ grabbed the bottle of milk on the table, he heard Veronica scream, nearly causing LJ to drop the bottle of milk on the floor. The two of them immediately rushed right back into the room.

As they opened the door, they saw Veronica in the corner of the room and David standing in a defensive stance as to protect him from her. LJ attempted to get David back onto the table so that they could sedate him and David could be treated, but Lincoln stopped him.

"What are you doing?" LJ asked angrily. "He needs to be sedated or she can't treat him! And the only way we can do that is if we force him down!"

"LJ, you don't know this kid." Lincoln said calmly, not even sparing one look at his son. "I'm the only one who can get to him. You can't. So don't try it."

"Fine." LJ directed his right arm as if he was letting Lincoln go first. "Do whatever you want."

Lincoln walked into the room. He approached David, who began to relax. He put his hands on his bleeding arms. "You need to let this lady treat you David. You're weak. You won't make it unless she does. Trust her for me, okay kiddo?"

David then nodded and went back to lie on the table. Veronica got out of the corner. "Thank you." She smiled at Lincoln. Lincoln smiled back.

LJ watched the whole thing. He couldn't tell again whether he was jealous that his dad was now acting like a father, a father he wished he was for him when he was growing up, or if he felt a bit happier that his dad was changing, or if he felt bad that he never gave him a chance to change. He knew in his heart that something was stirring and he could see it within Lincoln and David.

*---*

May 14, 1668, 8 AM. Regulus.

Right after Lincoln had gotten David to calm down; he and LJ exited the room for Veronica to continue her work in treating David. They were silent the rest of the time as they heard howls through the walls and doors, all from David. Lincoln ran in a couple of times in order to get David to calm down while LJ kept his distance from Lincoln. He spent most of the time brooding over the thoughts in his mind and in his heart. He took a drink of milk every now and then, but it wasn't enough to distract him.

Lincoln was lying down on the sofa waiting for Veronica's report. LJ came to a decision and approached him.

"It's about time you talked." LJ sat down in the chair to the right of the table. Lincoln then sat upright. "Why did you get a kid hurt? I could've sworn you were better than that."

"I didn't. He came back for me."

"He came back for you?" LJ asked. "I find that hard to believe."

"I'm not asking you to believe me."

"Well why don't you tell me where you found him? Because I'm sure as hell there is no one that has a tail growing out of their ass."

"I found him on an island."

"You went on an island? To do what? Pillage a village for food?" LJ asked. He looked into Lincoln's eyes. Lincoln was confused as to how he knew. "I know you're a pirate. And I'm within seconds of getting someone to take you away right now. You obviously can't take of a kid."

"Look, what happened with the kid was an accident."

"Everything with you is just an accident, isn't it?" LJ frustratingly asked. "Since when isn't it an accident? Tell me!" He started to yell. "Was leaving me behind an accident? Was being a pirate an accident? Was hurting innocent people an accident? Was even thinking of having me an accident? Was mom's death an accident or were you the one who murdered her?"

"I didn't murder her! I swear to god!" Lincoln angrily yelled. "Why the hell would you think I'd do that to your mom?!"

"Because it's true! All of it is true! Every fucking clue leads back to you! For god's sake! Admit it! That's why they were after you! Because you're a god damn murderer! I bet that you're the one who shot the damn kid! You're always causing a wake of trouble in your damn path! Why won't you just accept responsibility for the things you do and pay for them?!"

"I didn't hurt the kid and if you had a damn clue what the hell I've been thinking about on the sea, you would understand!"

"HEY!" Veronica yelled. "Will you two break it up and get a grip? The kid's sleeping now. He needs his rest." She looked into Lincoln's eyes, which were now filled with sorrow. "He's going to be alright. He needs rest." She walked over and sat down on the chair on the left side of the table. The two boys sat down as well. "I overheard all the yelling from inside but I couldn't walk away until I was done bandaging him."

"Sorry." LJ said, never turning to look at his dad again.

"So you said he came back for you?" Veronica asked.

"Yes. He came back for me, right after I put him on the boat with my friend."

"I would like to know how?"

"He swam. It's the only logical solution." LJ answered.

"LJ, I want to hear it out of your dad's mouth. So please." Veronica asked. LJ complied and stayed silent.

"He did swim from the boat. I didn't notice because I was… attacked by another crew of pirates. They knocked me out. I awoke on the beach two hours ago to find David there, bleeding. He must've been shot while he swam to get me away." He looked straight at the flowers. "I wanted my friend to take him back to the island we found him on. The kid tried to get back on the ship, but I dropped the boat before he could. My friend started to row away and then I never looked back. I didn't want him to die."

"That's a really interesting story. How long ago did you meet him?" Veronica asked.

"About three days ago." Lincoln replied.

"Did you talk to him a lot?"

"I talked with him a lot and kept him safe from the rest of the crew. I was always around him in my free time."

"I think I've gotten enough research. Do you want to know why he came back for you?" Veronica asked. Lincoln looked at her and then nodded. LJ stayed tuned in as he was purely curious. "The kid imprinted on you."

"What?" Lincoln and LJ asked.

"I see I'm going to have to explain. When you, Lincoln, took care of the kid and always talked to him, David grew attached to you. He's half a dog, as I've perceived from the white tail. I never met a person like him. He's really different."

"He's… half a wolf actually." Lincoln clarified, avoiding revealing the fact that David could transform.

"Right." Veronica chuckled lightly. "Anyways, being the half-animal he is, he has the animal instincts in him as well as the human instincts. You know how if you take care of an animal to a certain extent, like if you showed how much you love it and how much you would care for it?"

Lincoln nodded, still unsure of what she was getting at.

"David grew so attached to you that he wants to follow you and take care of you as much as you take care of him. He's like your pet. That's why he was able to calm down every time you approached him; he recognizes you the most and he loves you like a parent, or owner; however you would want to look at it. The kid wants to protect you and be with you wherever it may be."

Lincoln was completely left in thought. Only three days and he already had a strong attachment to David and he felt the same way. Lincoln stopped talking after that.

"Come on LJ. Let's give your father some time with the kid."

"I'm not done…"

Veronica interrupted. "No. You're coming with me to Michael's. Now come on." She dragged LJ out of her home.

Lincoln walked into the room once he was completely alone. He saw David lying on the table, sound asleep. There were patches all over his tanned, fit, and muscular body. He also noticed that Veronica bandaged his leg a bit better than Sucre did. There were blood spots on the white patches but he could tell that he was healing better, if not a bit faster now that he was resting more.

Lincoln grabbed a chair and sat down next to the bed David was sleeping on, thinking about what he said to LJ. As he thought, he messed with Jake's white hair on his head a little bit and lightly touching his forehead as he slept. He didn't want his first talk for a long time with LJ to be an argument. He really wanted to reconcile with him, wipe the slate clean. But he could tell that it was not going to happen any time soon. He sighed and then went back to check David's body.

When Lincoln took another look again, he noticed something on David's right arm that he did not realize before. There was a branding. It was shaped like a sword with a snake winding around it. Then at the top of the hilt, was a wolf, howling. He wondered what it could've meant and how he got it. There were still so many questions that he wanted to ask David, but he only knew one thing for sure; he and David were attached and he knew that David was going to be his own cane to getting the strength to not only reconcile with LJ, but to get through life. David was his strength. And he was possibly his best friend that he loved to death and would protect him, just as he would do the same.

He stood up after that, kissed David on the forehead lightly, and then walked out. Lincoln wanted him to rest well. He had a plan. He wanted to reconcile with LJ, this time without the bad energy.

Lincoln walked out of Veronica's home and began to wander the streets. The weather had perked up from its stormy, dyspeptic state. Everything had changed from since he was last here. There were actually more homes, more stores, and even more people. The town was no longer a town; it was a city.

As he walked on the pavement, he began to take note of every one of the changes. He marked down the taverns in his mind and even the stores. If he hoped to be living here again, he would need to know where things are and maybe even change his name. That's if he was no longer wanted, which he didn't know. But he didn't pay that much mind to it as he walked around aimlessly.

That was when he walked right into Michael Scofield, at the corner of the block, next to a really busy vegetable store.

"I'm sorry." Michael said. "I should've…" He took a quick glance at Lincoln, then taking a further look at it. "You're him! Soldiers! Arrest this man! It's Lincoln Burrows!"

"Shit!" Lincoln snarled. It was déjà vu all over again. Just like the first time he was being chased. This time though, it was different.

*---*

May 14, 1668, 9 AM.

Lincoln continued to run away from the soldiers. He ran into Veronica's house and saw LJ there.

"What happened?" LJ asked. Lincoln was trying to catch his breath.

"I've been made. I have to go, now." Lincoln said, still trying to catch his breath.

"Wait what happened?" Veronica asked as she came out of the room she was in. She was helping David walk.

"I ran into someone and they recognized me. I didn't know I was still wanted. I have to go." Lincoln said in a rush.

"Well don't just stand there. Run!" Veronica demanded.

"Wait, what about, David?" LJ asked.

David tried to stand straight but had to keel over again due to the pain. "He can't, LJ." Veronica said. "He can barely move in the state he's in. He needs more time to rest."

Lincoln ran up to David and gave him a hug. He dropped something in his hands. It was a piece of paper. "Track my scent down when you can-" He was interrupted as the door slammed behind him.

"Lincoln Burrows! You're under arrest! Put your hands up where we can see them!" And just in a quick matter of seconds, Lincoln was on the floor, being tied. The other soldiers that were free were trying to keep LJ and Veronica away.

LJ remained silent while Veronica looked over the man's soldier. She looked into Lincoln's eyes. All she could see that he was looking desperate for more time and she knew what the court's ruling will be for him. Then she looked back at David, who was trying to break through the soldier's block. It took so much more strength to hold him back, even in the state he was in. They had to call more soldiers in to hold back David.

David was about to howl when Lincoln yelled "no! Don't do it David!" He obeyed but still tried to break through. He wanted to get Lincoln out of there.

"David!" Lincoln yelled from the floor. "Stop! It's alright. I'll be fine!" He yelled as they finished tying him up. "Just stay here with Veronica and LJ and listen to what they say, okay."

David nodded and stopped trying to breakthrough. The men grabbed Lincoln and stuffed him in the back of a carriage. Then, he was gone.