As always, please review and let me know what you think.
A/N: I figured that I'd expand a little on Cole's background. If you have any questions about him please post them in the reviews or PM me and I'll answer them, thanks!
"Dang it! I missed again," said Van as his dart skidded across the concrete floor of the garage. Cole grinned as he threw his own dart, which stuck in the 2x4 they had propped up against the wall. The door opened behind them as Jake walked into the garage.
"Cole, can I ask you a question?" he asked.
"You just did, and I may have an answer for your next one," came Cole's reply as he threw another dart. Van picked up a dart and began to move it back and forth as he prepared to throw it.
"Can you teach me how to fight?" asked Jake. Cole turned and looked at his younger brother while Van threw the dart, which skidded across the floor again.
"Jake, I'm the man of the house, why aren't you asking me to help you with this?" asked Van. Cole looked between him and the 2x4, which contained only his darts.
"Maybe cause you can't hit a board with a dart," said Cole as he sat his darts down. Looking down at the young boy, Cole took a deep breath.
"Why do you wanna learn how to fight, and why didn't you ask Dad?" he asked. Jake wrinkled his nose.
"I want to win, not put up a decent defense," said the young boy. Cole laughed at this.
"There's a difference between teaching someone how to fight and teaching someone how to win," said Cole. Van turned and looked at Cole's back.
"Yeah, but teaching someone how to fight is really easy. Jake all you have to do is come up behind someone and get them in a grip like this," said Van as he came up behind Cole and put his arms under Cole's armpits, pinning the teen's arms above his head. Cole's response was to stomp his heel on Van's foot, which loosened his grip on the teen. Grabbing Van's arm, Cole moved behind Van, causing his back to arch. With a swift kick on the back of his kneecap, Van sank to his knees with his arm pinned behind his back.
"You where saying?" asked Cole. Van struggled slightly.
"That wasn't fair," he said. Cole released his arm and stepped back.
"And that is your first lesson on learning how to win Jake, never fight fair," said Cole as he walked back to his younger brother.
"But I want you to promise me something," he said, kneeling in front of the young boy. Jake nodded, his eyes like saucers.
"Never use what ever I teach you unless absolutely necessary, never swing first, and never try to use it against Kyra 'cause frankly you won't win," he said. Jake nodded, as he understood that he wouldn't be able to win against his sister.
A few hours later, Reba walked into the garage with a load of dirty laundry under her arm. Inside, she found darts sticking out of the 2x4 and Cole teaching Jake and Van a few basic self-defense moves.
"Remind me why you didn't go out for a sport," said Reba. Cole dogged an attempted grab by Van, sticking out his foot and knocking Van's feet out from beneath him.
"'Cause last time dad pitched me a baseball, I hit it back into his chest and knocked the wind out of him," said Cole as he stood up straight. Reba chuckled as she remembered what had happened.
"Where did you learn this stuff?" asked Jake, excited by how fast his older brother could move. Both he and Reba watched as the smile faded from Cole's face and eyes. Even though almost a year had passed since his arrival, Cole still didn't like to talk about his life while he looked for the family.
"From a foster parent while I was living in Kansas," he said. Reba threw some clothes in the washing machine before she returned her attention to the guys.
"Alright, I think that's enough rough housing for today," she said as Van started another ill-fated attempt to subdue Cole. Van attempted to come to a halt, but slid on the concrete floor and fell flat on his back. Cole laughed as he stuck out his hand to help Van up.
"One last tip, don't wear socks on concrete, tile, or laminated floors," he said as Van stood.
"So Miss H. what's for supper?" asked Van as he picked up a football and tossed it into the air.
"Rat on a stick," said Reba, implying that she didn't want to make supper.
"Aw, I hate leftovers," joked Cole as picked up another dart. Reba closed her eyes and smiled.
"Well then you can cook supper," she said. Cole shrugged before he threw the dart, which stuck into the board by the others.
"Hope everyone likes chili," he said. Reba laughed as she returned to doing laundry.
"You know, things have finally settled down and become more organized now. Although I'm not happy about Barbra Jean living just over the back fence, its just nice to have a sense of peace, no matter how strange," she said. Cole sighed as he turned and walked out of the garage.
She had no idea that her sense of peace was about to have a monkey's wench thrown into it.