Well, here it is, Chapter 2. Thank you everyone who had read and reviewed so far. Also, Calpol is a children's Paracetamol and can be taken from babies until about 6 or 7, I have no idea what it's called outside of the uk!

Chapter 2

Gru was taking advantage of the fact it was the weekend, to sleep late as his girls always slept late when his slumber was disturbed by a frantic scream which penetrated his house, and into his skull waking him instantly. It had been only a few days since El Macho and even though his house had been fortified, he knew that his girls could still be targets. He dived out of the room, still in his black pyjamas as he recognised the voice of Agnes, his littlest kitten and picked up the pace, it must have been a few seconds as he turned into the living room and just gasped in horror. There was his daughters; Agnes was sobbing, as his eldest Margo was trying to comfort her, whilst Edith just looked too stunned to talk. Gru noticed his Minions all looking in silence as if trying to figure out their own emotions, as all their eyes led to the couch.

Kevin was all curled up as if he was sleeping, but his yellow skin looking paler and his body motionless as realisation hit Gru, but desperate for confirmation he turned to Dave, and asked him directly if was dead? Dave just nodded, as the tears spilled from his eyes, as Gru ordered the Minions to take the girls to their room in the villain tone he hadn't used in so long.

As he approached Kevin, he was aware of how peaceful he looked, it clearly hadn't hurt, but it didn't change the fact that Kevin was dead, Gru gently picked the Minion up, aware of how light he was as he grabbed the blanket that had been sleeping on, and wrapped it around Kevin like a shroud. The last thing he did was remove the goggles that Kevin had always worn and held him to his chest.

Gru was clueless at how to proceed, in all of the years of the Minions being in his life, he had never lost one like this…he had never lost one at all, and then he saw the bottle of opened Calpol, lying empty next to the pillow and just grew confused. Gru knew he had put it away; he had a six year old daughter, so he always knew not to leave medicines lying about, as he heard the footsteps of Dr. Nefario coming into the room.

Gru turned to the Doctor and couldn't keep the grief off his face, "Its Kevin", Gru uttered fully aware at how he sounded "He ended his life". His tone was hollow, as Gru noticed the flush spreading across Nefario's face, as he tried to address the reformed-villain. "Well actually Gru, last night I came in, and he was up so I…"

Everything else was left unsaid, as Gru absorbed the information instantly "You gave it to him?" Gru was incredulous and just stared at the Doctor until Dave came into the room, his face wet with tears as he broke into the conversation with a well-timed cough. "Dr. Nefario, stay in your lab today, stay away from my girls, stay away from the Minions...and just stay away from my family". He said as he gently lay Kevin down on the couch and knew he would have to talk to his girls as expected all three of them were in a state of confusion.

They had already been through so much already over the last three years and as he walked to their rooms he tried to find the answers in advance, the Minions had been part of their lives since the day they had arrived in his life, ever since he had tried to pass them off as his "cousins", as he sat them down and explained that Kevin had gone to Minion Heaven (he was certain there was such a place) and what happened was an accident, and that everyone would miss him.

Margo being his typical eldest understood instantly and nodded stoically, whilst Edith just tried to digest the news, but little Agnes just looked confused, which Gru didn't blame her for; as he spoke to the girls he heard the Minions coming into the room, all eleven hundred of them needing the same reassurance and was grateful they were there.

As he left the room, leaving all his children to comfort one another as he walked back to the couch so see Kevin still wrapped in his blanket, as Gru went to his office, picked up the phone and dialled Lucy.

They had only been dating for a few days, but he needed to tell someone, and the dead sound in his voice, caused her to realise the urgency of the situation. She arrived a few minutes later and took the initiative to hold him close; he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, and was grateful for her presence. He had never buried on of his Minions and had no idea what to do; Jerry and Dave did however as he looked to the side of his house, and saw them digging a hole at the bottom of the garden and understood instantly.

Lucy immediate rushed to get the girls changed into something more suitable and to comfort them as Edith burst into tears at Lucy's arrival, which made Gru remember he needed to change too.

Normally in the house, with only one bathroom for the humans, it led to conflict at bath times, but not today, as Lucy prepared the girls in presentable dresses and Gru washed and changed into his traditional black garb. As he realised the Minions had disappeared, until he looked out of the house and saw them, all standing together leading to the makeshift grave as if it was a guard of honour, as he caught the sounds of them singing.

Like so many of their songs he had no idea of the context, but caught the meaning of the melody, and felt his heart sink further. As he quickly pulled himself together, he moved to pick up Kevin's small shrouded body, and walked through the now silent house, joining Lucy at the back door with the girls all standing beside her.

Gru did notice that Lucy was holding Agnes's hand and threw her a grateful smile as he stepped past the Minions, hearing their sobbing get more intense as he came to the large hole in the ground and looked into the eyes of Jerry and Steve, who didn't even try to contain their grief.

Feeling the intensity of the Minions small eyes staring back at him, he heard their whimpers as he lay Kevin's body in the ground as gently as he could, as Jerry and Steve made a motion to begin to cover up the body but Gru gave them a look which they didn't question.

As Gru began to push the earth over the small body, Agnes's little voice suddenly broke through, "Wait", almost hesitantly she released her hold on Lucy and ran over to Gru, stepping back as she almost looked into the makeshift grave before pulling back in alarm.

Gru stepped towards his daughter and got down on his knee until she was eye level with him "What is it, kitten", he asked softly, as Agnes pulled from a pocket in her dress, a picture she had composed quickly "It's of the four of us, and some of the Minions…I didn't have time to do all of them". As she pointed out the yellow and blue squiggles, "If he has it, then he will know that we loved him, and we…" Her voice trailed off, as a fresh bout of tears overtook her and Dave reached over to grab her hand, as her sisters and Lucy came over. Gru smiled at his daughter "Its beautiful sweetheart, I'm going to put it next to him, and he will know that you loved him too", as Lucy wordlessly picked her up, as she sobbed into her shoulder, and stepped away from Gru so he could conclude his terrible task.

Gently, Gru placed the picture next to Kevin, and ignoring the trowels the Minions had used, instead used his hands as he began to scoop the earth over the dead form of Kevin, until it was completely covered, patting down the dirt as smoothly as he could, he knew he would have to make a permanent memorial, but decided to leave it up to the Minions...his brothers to decide what that would be.

Dusting the rest of the dirt off his hands, he stood up to address them all, aware of the tears that were falling from all the faces staring back at him, as he tried to find the right words to say. "What happened to Kevin, was an accident, a terrible accident that should have been avoided", as he let a brief flash of anger overtake him, which he immediately tempered…he was saving that for later. "But I know since that terrible day, when you were all turned…he had never been the same. And I know Kevin, being Kevin, being one of the strongest of all of us", a note of truth that drew nods of agreement from the Minions, "He was reluctant to tell us, how he was feeling, at how sad he really was. So that is why this cannot happen again".

Gru looked at all of his Minions, to let them know that this message was for all of them. "If any of you, feel like Kevin, if anyone of you feel sad at what has happened to him, or what happened with El Macho", a word he noticed drew a small shudder from a few of the Minions. "Then you talk to each other, and you come and talk to me, he is in Prison now and cannot hurt you. But I understand how he did hurt you…all of you. We are a family, and we will be there for each other" Gru caught his breath, and found the next words to say, "We will never forget Kevin...and how could we, but this sadness we are all feeling, will not last forever…but will we be with each other until all of us are feeling better".

The Minions and the four women in his life, all nodded in understanding, as Gru felt the small droplets of water on his head and looked as the rain begin to fall, heavily drenching everyone in seconds, as he gave a motion for all of them to go into the house.

As expected they obeyed, as Gru turned and took one long look at the small upturned earth, and tried to make his way into the house, but felt unable to walk through the door. He just sat there on the steps feeling the water soak into his bones, knowing he should get dry, but reluctant to leave Kevin alone in the garden as if by some miracle he would wake up somehow and punch through the earth smiling like he always was.

Even though Gru had gone as far as stealing the moon, and punching a shark in the face…resurrecting the dead was over his range of expertise, he had no idea how long he was out there, until Lucy joined him on the steps holding an umbrella "Agnes, wanted you to have this" she explained as she placed it over his head, as futile as it was since he was totally drenched, as Gru threw her a small smile and a whisper of thanks.

For a little while, they sat in silence; Gru had only gone on his first official date with Lucy, three days earlier. A little bistro, where they talked about their families, their favourite gadgets and it went brilliantly. Gru wondered for a second if this countered at their second date...as macabre at that was. Finally Gru spoke up "I have eleven hundred minions, and I never noticed most of them were gone", he confessed to Lucy, who said nothing at all and let him continue.

"I hardly have all of them at the same time, when it's quiet or in between crimes they go on holidays and I never asked where they were going, or where they were. I value them as employees, but I wasn't there for them when they needed me. I even gave Kevin calpol last night, just help him sleep…but it never occurred to me to stay up longer to talk to him, and that's what he needed". As Gru's voice trailed off into silence.

"It's all right Gru", Lucy reassured him, stroking his arm as he continued. "I'm a villain, I am a reformed villain, but I am still a villain…I have spent three years making sure my girls will never become targets, but it never occurred to me that the Minions could be targeted too, and by Nefario of all people".

What are you going to do with Nefario?" Lucy asked almost hesitantly, she knew exactly what she was getting into when she had fallen for Gru, and knew exactly what he was capable off…and what he had done in his past, and was relieved when Gru told her that he would sort that out later.

At Lucy's insistence, Gru stepped back into the house, and saw his daughters sitting on the floor, Agnes with Kyle who was whimpering in her lap, as she silently stroked his head, even Kyle understood the pain the family was enduring as all the Minions just sat there in a state of shock. None of them would sit on the couch, even Gru was reluctant, it was where Kevin had breathed his last breath, and it was that image that was burned into Gru's mind. As he quickly changed, Gru finally realised the time of day and the fact that no one had eaten, so decided to call for pizza, which everyone ate in silence...even the Minions which was something Gru found unnerving to say the least.

The entire evening, everyone was wrapped in their grief, with eventually the girls coming over to him for cuddles and comfort, which Gru tried to supply as Agnes drifted off to sleep in Lucy's arms, and Edith fell asleep in his. Margo, being the eldest, and his most efficient daughter assisted Gru and Lucy prepare the young ones for bed, and didn't even protest as Gru ordered her to do the same. Tonight there would be no stories, no bed time laughter as Gru and Lucy, kissed the sleeping girls on their heads and Kyle settled into his typical position on Agnes's bed, as she hugged her fluffy unicorn, subconsciously for comfort.

Leaning over Margo, still awake in her nightdress she leapt up suddenly and gave him a deep cuddle, whispering "I love you dad", something he responded to, as suddenly the air was broken by the sounds of Jerry standing outside the door, as he sang the lullaby he had sung so many times before, the one he had sung on that fateful night.

Margo, even at the age of twelve it had the same calming effect as her sisters, and she was asleep in seconds, even forgetting to take off her glasses, which Gru slid off her nose and placed next to her. Leaving the room, and leaving Jerry to finish his song, both Lucy and Gru came back into the living room, where all the Minions sat and watched him, expectantly, and Gru understood instantly.

They didn't want to be alone tonight, tonight they needed him, and he had to oblige, as he settled into the chair with Lucy sat next to him, and all evening every time a Minion cried, Gru and Lucy were instantly by their side to give them comfort, as the Minions learned to support each other. In the end, all of them fell asleep in varied positions across the room, most holding each other as each and every Minion came to terms that they would never see their brother again, as night slipped into morning and Lucy untangled herself from the arms of Gru and Dave, who had curled up on her lap and was reluctant to let her go.

She was still a member of the Anti-Villain League, and she was being interviewed for a new mission, one she was sure would interest Gru…but she would tell him about that later. As he kissed her goodbye, he was grateful her presence in his life, even though it was still new, and he knew she knew how important she was to him.

So what will Gru do next? and please read and review xxx