In Their Hearts

Alright, here it is... the next chapter...

I hope you guys like it and sorry for the long wait...

ENJOY!

P.S: For all of you that read my latest story, "Driven by Love: Goodbye?"

IT WAS A ONE-SHOT!

It will NOT be continued...

I was in a hurry to publish it and forgot to mark it as complete!

Sorry for any confusion!

Chapter 3: A Last Request

The two stood in complete silence as Alvin took time to comprehend what Brittany had just told him.

'Alvin… Dave passed away…'

That same line ran through Alvin's mind repeatedly as he struggled to recollect his thoughts. Then, out of nowhere, Alvin burst into soft laughter, confusing the chipette beside him.

"T-That's really funny, Britt…" Alvin said, forcing a smile on his face. "Now, what did Eleanor really want?"

Brittany didn't give an answer, nor did her expression change. The longer Alvin waited for Brittany to answer, the more his forced smile began to drop before ultimately, he dropped to his knees. Immediately, Brittany knelt down beside him, offering him her support.

"He's really gone, isn't he?" Alvin murmured as he fought back the tears that were welling in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Alvin…" Brittany whispered as she wrapped her arms around Alvin's trembling body.

"It's all my fault…" Alvin whispered. "I can't remember the last time that I even talked to him!"

"Alvin," Brittany began sympathetically. "You didn't know that this was going to happen…"

"It doesn't matter!" Alvin shouted angrily. "I didn't even remember his birthday on my own!"

Brittany was about to say more comforting words, but she was interrupted by a warm feeling on her arm. Her eyes widened as she realized that Alvin was crying. This was the first time Alvin had ever cried in front of Brittany.

"He did everything to make sure that I turned out the best I could…" Alvin cried. "And I never even thanked him… I'm the worst son ever…"

"No you're not, Alvin." Brittany said reassuringly. "I bed Dave knew that you appreciated everything, and I'm positive that he loved you with all of his heart."

"D-Do you really think so?" Alvin asked as he raised his arm quickly and wiped his tears away.

"I know so…" Brittany smiled warmly.

"Thank you…" Alvin whispered as he smiled softly.

Brittany helped the distraught Alvin off of the floor and onto the couch.

"Did Eleanor tell you anything else?" Alvin asked quietly.

"She told me that the funeral is going to be tomorrow and that they're also going to read Dave's will there." Brittany answered. "But we have to go. Dave specifically said that you, Simon, and Theodore are to be in the same room when the will is read."

Alvin didn't reply, but simply sighed in a mix of sadness, aggravation, and defeat. After waiting a few moments to make sure that Brittany was finished speaking, Alvin picked himself up from the couch and left the room.

"Alvin, where are you going?" Brittany asked as she followed him briefly.

"I'm a little tired…" Alvin sighed. "I'm going to go lay down…"

Brittany didn't oppose, instead, she watched him enter their bedroom and rest himself on the bed. She entered the room a few minutes later to see Alvin sleeping, silently, Brittany lay next to him, and fell asleep herself.

The next day

"Are you ready yet, Alvin?" Brittany asked as she gathered everything she needed into her purse.

"I guess…" Alvin mumbled.

Ever since the bad news had struck them yesterday, Alvin had been in a terrible mood. Not that Brittany could blame him, since Miss Miller had passed away close to four years ago, Brittany could relate to what Alvin was going through. Still, she tried her best not to hold him to her standards. Over the years, Brittany had learned that Alvin was very good at keeping his emotions bottled up, so for all she knew, he could've been taking Dave's death worse than she had with Miss Miller.

"I know that you're still upset, Alvin," I began sympathetically as we both headed towards the front door. "But you need to stay strong…"

"I know, I know…" Alvin muttered as we got into our car.

"That being said…" Brittany sighed. "You need to not fight with Simon and Theodore…"

There was a long pause, and Brittany thought that Alvin was trying to make his decision.

"Sorry, but I'm not sure if I can promise that…" Alvin replied. "I'll try my best, but if they start with me…"

"Just…" Brittany stammered. "Try to ignore them…"

"Alright…" Alvin sighed as he started the car and backed it out of the driveway.

"Alright, Jeanette," Simon began as he took a left on the highway they were on. "We'll be there in a few minutes…"

"And you're sure that you're okay, right?" Jeanette asked cautiously.

"I told you," Simon snapped. "I'm completely fine! Why can't you just believe me?"

Ever since the news yesterday, Simon had been acting strange. He was keeping everything bottled up and would get mad at the slightest things he didn't agree with, including Jeanette. Jeanette could tell that he was emotionally shaken by Dave's death, and she tried to get Simon to talk about… but he refused. Simon's attitude took an even greater turn for the worse when they received news that all three brothers would need to attend the funeral and be there when they read off Dave's will.

"I'm sorry…" Jeanette whispered as she looked away from Simon. "I'm just worried about you…"

"Well, you shouldn't be…" Simon began. "I'm not a little kid anymore… I knew that this day was going to come…"

"That doesn't mean that you need to keep everything bottled up, Simon." Jeanette stated sadly. "I'm your wife… you should be able to talk to me…"

Even though Simon was driving and knew that he should keep his eyes on the road, he quickly shifted his glance and brought his arm and wiped the tears that were forming in his eyes.

"You're not going through this alone, Simon…" Jeanette began sympathetically. "I'm here to help you as much as I can…"

"Thank you…" Was all Simon managed to say as he felt more warm tears drip down his cheeks.

"Alright, we're here…" Theodore said sadly as he pulled his car into the graveyard's parking lot.

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Eleanor asked as she grabbed Theodore's hand with her own and looked into his eyes.

Over the past day, Theodore seemed to be taking it the worst. At first, he simply broke down and cried for a few hours. After he managed to pull himself together, he agreed to talk to Eleanor. He told her how he loved Dave and was upset that he'd never be able to see or talk to him again. It took Eleanor a while, but she eventually convinced that Dave's passing was for the best and that he went peacefully.

While Dave wasn't too old yet, he suffered from a heart-attack in his sleep. By the time anyone found him, Dave had already passed away. The doctors told everyone that it was one of the most peaceful ways to pass, and that Dave probably hadn't even felt any pain. Unfortunately, this hadn't stopped Theodore from feeling bad for Dave.

"I think so…" Theodore sighed as he opened the car's door and stepped out.

"No," Eleanor said as she stepped out herself and walked over to Theodore. "Don't give me that… be honest…"

"I'm obviously still upset… but I know that I need to be strong…" Theodore explained "But… what'll happen with Alvin and Simon?"

"I don't know," Eleanor answered. "I guess we'll just have to see… hopefully, nothing bad…"

"I hope so, too…" Theodore sighed as he grabbed Eleanor's hand and headed into the graveyard.

It took a few minutes, but Theodore and Eleanor eventually found Dave's grave with the priest and diggers around it. After a few minutes, Alvin and Simon arrived as well, but managed to stay at a great distance away from each other. The whole funeral process took a few hours, but never once did the three brothers share a glance with each other. They would either look at the ground or at their wives.

After the funeral finally ended, the priest instructed the three brothers and their wives to follow him. The priest led them into a medium-sized room.

"Alright," The priest began. "Mr. Seville left his will recorded on a video tape which he instructed to be played as soon as his funeral was over, and as you all know, with his three adoptive sons present. Please, take a seat."

With everything explained, the six sat in the chairs around the room and the priest placed the tape into the television set and pressed 'play'. After a few seconds, static filled the screen before a recording of Dave appeared on the screen.

"If you're watching this," The image of Dave began. "Then I must've passed away. I hope that I haven't caused too much grief and sorrow…"

Everyone listened closely for Dave to continue.

"But, here's my will…" Dave finally said. "I'm splitting everything that I own between my three sons, who are the most important things in my life."

Still, the brothers didn't share a glance, but they were visibly upset by Dave's kind words.

"But, I'll bet you all are wondering why I demanded that you three are here when this tape is played…" Dave sighed. "It's because… I have one last thing to ask from you three…"

The room was filled with eerily silence as everyone waited anxiously for Dave to continue.

"Over the past ten years, I've had to deal with my sons being so far apart from each other… and every day, it broke my heart more and more." Dave stated sadly as a tear fell from his eye only to be quickly wiped away. "So… I am asking one more thing from my sons… I'm asking for you three to play one song together… one song to complete my funeral. I'm not sure what song it'll be, but there is nothing more that I wish than for my sons to finally reunite… Thank you all, and remember… I love you…"

And with those last words, the image of Dave disappeared from the screen and the room shifted back into silence. After what seemed like an eternity, Alvin suddenly stood up from the bench that he was sitting on and walked towards the door.

"Alvin!" Brittany called out. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home…" Alvin replied flatly. "This is ridiculous! This will never happen."

"I never thought that I would say it…" Simon chuckled from the far corner of the room. "I actually agree with you…"

"You stay out of this!" Alvin growled.

"Did you forget already? This concerns me, as well." Simon snapped. "I'd really like to give Dave his last request, but it's going to be hard with an ungrateful son like you being involved in it."

"Simon!" Jeanette replied in shock.

"Excuse me?" Alvin asked as he walked up to Simon so that they stood about a foot from each other.

"I think you heard me the first time, or are you so slow that I need to repeat myself?" Simon mocked.

"Same old, Simon… always thinking he's better than everyone…" Alvin taunted.

"Hey, at least I didn't go off and marry some wh-"

Before Simon could finish his sentence, a fast and powerful punch was delivered onto the black-clad chipmunk's cheek.

"I told you…" Alvin breathed darkly. "Never say that again!"

And with that, Alvin stormed out of the room, leaving everyone shocked, upset, and confused.

"Are you okay, Simon?" Jeanette asked as she pulled Simon to his feet.

"I'm fine…" Simon answered as he gently brushed off the suit that he was wearing. "I'm leaving…"

And Simon left just as Alvin had, only in the opposite direction. The four remaining chipmunks each remained silent and it seemed as if the Chipettes has forgot that Theodore was still in the room with them.

"What was that?" Brittany managed to ask as she tried to process everything in her mind.

"I don't know…" Jeanette sighed. "I guess they still haven't forgiven each other…"

"Why won't they tell us what it was about?" Brittany groaned in aggravation.

Then, the three sisters all lifter their heads and turned towards Theodore.

"Theodore," Eleanor began as the three walked over to him. "You need to tell us what the fight was about…"

"I-I can't…" Theodore answered quietly.

"Why, Theodore?" Brittany asked.

"Because… this whole thing started because I told something that I shouldn't have…" Theodore cried.

"But, Theodore," Eleanor began. "This is starting to get dangerous… who knows what those two will do to each other if they meet again… maybe if you tell us, we can help…"

"But…" Theodore stammered, but sighed in defeat. "I guess that I have no choice…"

Theodore took a deep breath before continuing.

"It all started ten years ago in our Senior year…"

I'm sorry that this was so short...

But, it's going to get good next chapter!

Just wait!

Next chapter, you'll finally find out what the fight was about!

Anyway, see you next time!

REVIEW! ^^