The knock on the door broke Dave's tears for a brief moment but the anger rose in him as he looked back at his deceased pet. The persistent knocking drive him from his knees and leaning on his bed to the door. Behind it was Kevin. He was standing there with a surprised face as Dave swung the door open.

"What do you want?" the smaller minion snapped making Kevin jump back with shock but he regained his composer.

"Phil told me he found a pair of shoes in Gru's office and I once I saw them I knew they had to be yours for you were the last person to be in there, am I right?" Kevin held the little black work boots by the shoes laces in front of the now concerned minion before him.

"Now I'm going to ask this. Why were your shoes off in Gru's office?" Kevin leaned forward into the doorway. Dave felt trapped, he didn't have a lie to give. His kind raced to find a reason but all he could find was rage.

"Why would you believe Phil? How do I know he didn't put them there to blame me?!" Dave blurted out and soon regretted his decision to use that tone.

"How dare you think of Phil that way!" Kevin threw the shoes to the floor with a bang and pushed Dave back only to have him fall. "Phil would never blame anyone for anything! If you have a problem bring it to me." He lowered his voice when he saw the look I'm Dave's eyes. "Dave?"

"Go ahead, Kevin. Yell at me. That's all I get anymore anyway. Go ahead if it makes you feel like a big man... "

"I... I didn't mean to push you. I get ahead of myself, please forgive me." Kevin said and reached his hand out to help him up but it was slapped away to his surprise.

"I don't need your help." Dave sounded cold and emotionless as he picked himself off the ground, his eyes were stinging with the building up of tears again. He was glad that Kevin's attention went to the room and it's furnishings.

"Holy shit Dave, how did you afford all this? I can't even afford this kind of stuff." Kevin walked to the television and gasped as he saw the size of it next to him. "Get out, you have surround sound wireless speakers?"

Dave sniffed in and looked at it. "I want to get rid of this stuff. I don't need it." and sat on the floor. The taller minion stopped his gawking and turned to see Dave. He looked defeated and depressed.

"What's going on?" He asked and sat down next to him, Dave just shrugged. "please, maybe I can help."

"Oh please Kevin!" he got up to get away from him. "you wouldn't be able to understand what I've been through. I can't even talk about with you anyway. I was told..."

"told what?"

"nothing."

"Dave." that sternly tone of concern came back to Kevin's voice, making Dave begin to tremble with fear if the truth was told. What would Gru do to him of he told? What would happen to Kevin if he found out? He bit his bottom lip as he felt the tears spill out of his eyes. Kevin just approached him and gave him a hug. It was the first time that Kevin ever did hug him. Maybe he knew somehow already. Releasing him from the grip he looked down to him. "Did someone hurt you?"

All Dave could do was nod, he was too scared to speak. But Kevin just kept a hand on him. "can I tell you something, maybe it'll help you." Kevin said quietly as Dave looked at him.

"Not many know this, just myself, Phil and the ones that did this know." he paused and continued, "A couple of years ago, I was at one of those icecream parties, you know. And the next thing I knew was I was in this place, I couldn't see all I knew was that I was on a bed naked. I couldn't speak, I had something in my mouth. I couldn't move, I was tied up. I just knew that something bad was going to happen." he stopped for a second, he looked off into the distance. The memories resurfaced into his mind as he spoke again. "That night I was- I was raped."

The other minion's mouth dropped as he heard those words. Out of all the minions, he never thought that Kevin was hurt too.

"I was taken violently for three days. But I was found by Phil, believe it or not. But I think the worst came afterwards. I felt alone and isolated. I was afraid to talk about it, I was terrified to talk to others. I kept thinking it would happen again if I went to sleep." Kevin gave pause, it was hard for him but he continued on. "this went on for months. After awhile I thought if I numbed the pain, I would forget about it. I forgot about it only when I drank. I turned to drinking to solve my problems, soon it wasn't enough for me the pain came back. So I found solace in drugs, mixed with drinking. And that worked for a time, until it starts to take away your life slowly but I didn't care because I wanted to take away my life. I was just too afraid to try so I did it slowly with alcohol and drugs... I had problems and I couldn't solve them no matter what I did. Then one day, I passed out in my kitchen from lack of food and the abuse I did to myself, I was found little afterwards by Bob. He got me to the medical bay, and they fixed me up, helped me recover from my addictions. They asked me why I did this to myself and I knew I had to tell them. I finally told someone what had happened to me. And they understood, I was afraid all this time they wouldn't. I was afraid I'd be told to deal with it but I wasn't. They talked to me like I'm talking with you, Dave. So I guess what I'm try to do is, make you know that I will understand." Kevin finally turned to the crying minion and Dave saw the tears that were in Kevin's eyes as they rolled down his face.

"I never knew... " Dave lifted his goggles and wiped the tears from us eyes." I'm just afraid of what would happen of I did tell... I've been threatened to not speak of it to anyone. I can't have anyone get hurt because of me, Kevin."

"Dave please, I am here to help you."

"Just because you're the leader doesn't mean you can help me."

"I can try can't I?" Kevin snapped making Dave stop talking but he want saying it is a mean way. "Please Dave."

The little one looked down and looked back into the eyes of the taller minion, there was one that bared his soul, his life, his story to him. One that felt the same as he did and now it was Dave's turn to tell someone. Maybe if he told someone it would help, it would be the first step in his road to recovery. He kept his eyes peeled on Kevin as he sighed and began.

"I don't know if you will believe this..." He saw Kevin give a reassuring nod and he continued, "I have been yelled at for years, I've been told to not tell anyone because of may happen to me or the one I told...all this stuff that you liked was from them buying it for me to keep me quiet and not to tell. I've been given money, thousands of dollars throughout the year. I know now that I don't need money like this, stuff like this... Before I thought I did love it. Just because I have money I guess doesn't make you feel good." stopping to catch his breath as Kevin patted him.

"I lost my beloved pet today by that same person. I will never be able to replace what was taken from me in every way. I've been raped too, forced to do sexual acts for him. Right now I'm stopping it by telling you this." A small buzzing sound broke his thoughts as he looked to his phone in his pocket. It was Gru, the very man he came to fear all this year but he bit his lip and gave the phone to Kevin to see with his own eyes.

Confused at first but he read it, his eyes widened and his mouth began to gape open. "Dave? Wha..."

"It's true Kevin, I've been used by Gru for years for his way. He just did when you told me to go to his office this morning, he killed my pet, he killed my life."

"I don't know what to do? This is our boss... I chose him for us. I'm the reason he did this to you."

"No Kevin. This started when he got into his teenage years. I remember he was mad at his mother and I tried to help him but he ended up hurting. But he told me to never tell anyone. So I never did for 38 years..."

"But what can even do to fix this..." Kevin tried to make sense of the whole story in his head. "His mom."

"What?"

"His mom. You said that those years ago he was mad at her. His anger of his mom made him treat you like that and that power he had over you made him feel good." Kevin stood up and tried to pull Dave up too they both stood one confused the other well aware of what he had to do. "Can I borrow your phone?" with a small nod Kevin started off for door but came back to get Dave.

...

The little one felt embarrassed that Kevin was leading him to the top floor in front of everyone. But if he made it in time they'd all be there. He heard the laughter of Agnes as Marlena Gru watched them play in the living room. He caught a glimpse of Gru sitting there with his phone out waiting to get a response from Dave. Kevin told Dave to wait as he stepped into the room.

"Bello? Tika malasa." He said and Ms. Gru look at him, her eyes showed that same disinterested glare she sported for the years Kevin had seen her. He looked to Gru who was more concerned about why Kevin was talking to his mother.

"Ah this is that little jaundice child from all those years ago. You should be an adult by now. What is this?" He handed her the phone after he had enlarged the text and tried his best to shoo the girls away before they heard. Marlena read the texts, each one got worse as they went on. After a few she couldn't take anymore of them. Her face turned stone cold as she put the phone down.

"Mom what is the matter?" Gru asked as he pulled the phone from her tight grip and his face turned white as a ghost when he saw what Kevin had given her.

Kevin waved Dave into the room, and he came with his hands behind his back and tears in his eyes. Gru's mother looked at the crying minion and looked to Gru.

"I don't ever want to call you my son again. This man is a pedophile... After all this years I'd raised you you'd think you'd come out a little better than this!" the short woman got off the crocodile couch and looked at him. "This poor little boy, look into is eyes!"

"I don't want-"

"Look at them! Look at the pain in them." she put Dave back in the ground and turned to Kevin who had wrote down in the text messages what had happened. She took pause to read it. "So this all happened because you were mad at me? What kind of thing is that? Who does that!?"

Gru was going to touch Dave on the back to pretend to comfort him but Dave turned om a dime and screamed, "No!" everyone stopped and looked at Dave who was now standing tall as he could. This was the first time he had ever told Gru no.

"I hope you like what you've done. Now I hope you have time learn your lesson. I'm taking the girls tonight, when I can forgive you I will let them come back... "

"Mom please!" Gru yelled and touched his mother's arm, she kept her indifferent glare and picked up Agnes to carry her. "Mom... I... I just wanted you to give me attention. And whenever you did you gave me negative attention. I wanted attention like the other kid's parents in school."

"I gave you love, I gave you tough parenting. I wanted to make you a tough man, but all I did was make a pervert."

"Wait what?" Margo asked only to be hushed by her grandmother.

"No no, children are not to talk unless spoken to."

"And you wonder why I grew up like I did?! Look at the way you treat children." Gru pulled Edith back to his side, she just kept the same disgruntled look.

Dave stood looking at everyone in the room fighting, he didn't mean to start a fight. He just wanted to stop the madness he was living, he didn't mean to but he grabbed Kevin's hand and gave it a squeeze. The taller minion stopped watching them and looked in shock that Dave would hold his hand but he needed to be reassured during the confrontation. He looked at Kevin with fear in his eyes as the slender one gave a smile that told him it'll be okay. Then Gru turned to Dave which made the hair on his head stand up.

"Dave I'm sorry."

"Don't think you can get yourself out of this by apologising." his mother stopped him again. Kevin felt the hand in his hold on tighter as Gru came down to their level.

"Dave I'm sorry." He repeated. Dave shook his head.

"No." He replied in a soft voice and looked at him. "No Gru." He backed up letting of Kevin's hand and backing out of the room. The taller minion turned to see him leave then back to Gru. He left the room as well for the family to sort out the issue for them now.

"Why didn't you tell him off once and for all?" Kevin asked Dave as the reached the bottom level of the lair.

"Because me being mean wouldn't have solved anything. It would have made it worse." He started walking with Kevin to his house. "But you were right, talking about it with someone made the difference. I'm sorry I got mad at you at work and I'm really sorry about saying that about Phil."

"Ah no worries, just don't do it again okay."

"I promise." they had reached Dave's door and stopped. "It's going to be sad not having a pet to greet at the door everyday..."

"I'm so sorry, do you want me to help you with taking care of your pet? I mean, I can get some guys to help you bury it in the yard." Kevin pulled his phone out of his pocket and began to group text a few.

"Thanks Kevin, I'd love that for him." Dave looked into the opened door and waited to hear the scuttling of feet but heard none. "Let's do it sometime today, okay?"

"Yeah I can do that for you." Kevin answered as the metal shut in his face. He finished his text to them.

...

It took only a few minutes to Bury his ladybug but they stayed around in the yard to talk with Dave and keep him company. Stuart was there, he and Dave talked about how fun it was when they played catch with the puppy. Carl showed up, he kept his voice low but laughed with Dave as they remembered when they dressed the ladybug in a Halloween hotdog costume. Kevin showed up late to Dave's disappointment but he soon showed up with his fiance, Phil. They both has smiles on their faces and a large box.

"I know I was here and left but with good reasons. I know that your pet was the world to you and I don't want to replace him, but Phil thought it a good idea to... " Kevin gave pause as he pulled something out of box, he held a small fluffy dog in his arms. A pomeranian he had found at the local dog shelter in need of a home.

" Ta-Da!" Phil chimed in as Dave's eyes lit up at the sight of the dog.

"A real puppy for me?!" He grabbed the dog and hugged it feeling it fuzzy body next to his face. It made small yip noises as Dave smiled at the group of collected minions around him. "I think I'll call her Ladybug." bringing an audible aw from Phil. He let go of the dog and gave the group a hug and for the first time he felt he affection from friends he had thought he had lost years ago. He knew that Gru wasn't going to bother him again now that the family knew of this. Gru's mother had yelled at him and Lucy had found out about it as well and threatened to call the AVL if he ever touched Dave or any minions again.

Dave smiled as all the minions that had joined him for the burial of his pet had decided to spend the night with him, but not in his house. He planned on donating his belongings to remote memories of the past. They had popped a tent up for all of them sleep in for the night. It was a snug fits but Dave didn't mind, he was happy again.

"Good night everyone." Dave said and snuggled next to Stuart, who was trying not seem indifferent to this but he liked it, he liked Dave next to him.

"Good night Dave. Sleep well." Kevin said and felt Phil wrap his arms around him.

"Tonight Kevin will be the first time in years I'll be sleeping well." He said and turned the portable light off and he drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face and affection in his heart.

Now I can get back to the other stories, tho I did like the ending to this. Review :)