AN: -Sniffles- you guys are the best fans/reviewers I could ever ask for! Making me blush with every review geez guys haha! Thank you so very much for the lovely compliments and get wells. It means more than you'll ever truly know.
It was if the world had suddenly and abruptly slowed down and fallen off it's axis taking him with it.
"Father?" Edd's heart beat thudded in his ears as his blood fled his face making him ghostly pale.
Alastair Vincent was nothing like his son in appearance.
His posture screamed strict prim and proper behavior, and an ugly pretty kind of elegance.
He had a medium muscular build, the type of body type to not be overly muscular but appeared to be kept in shape.
Standing at six foot he stood a good foot taller than his son.
They seemed to be two sides of a coin, vastly different in every seemingly way possible.
Where as Edd was pale his messy hair the color of raven feathers; his father was tan with well tamed hair the color of chestnuts.
Mr. Vincent wore a navy blue button up long sleeved shirt and black slacks; and from the look of things he had just gotten in from a long plane ride.
An ominous frown was etched deep into his face, his brow creased in annoyance, "Eddward." A crisp stern British accent sounded in return.
"Who's at the door double dork?" Kevin yelled from the hall.
Upon not getting a reply Rosemary, Kevin, and Marie quickly came out of the kitchen and toward the front of the house to see the raven standing frigidly still.
Rosemary frowned in concern, "Eddward? Sweetie?" She blinked some as she took in the scene before her.
Alastair sighed in a most impatient sort of way as if he didn't want or need to waste time on the situation, "You must be Barr I take it? I am Eddward's father, Alastair." He eyed her studying her with his dark blue eyes as he stared down into her green ones, "I was informed by the Board of Education, Eddward's Principle, the school nurse, and several policemen that an incident had occurred in my and my wife's absence."
"That's one way to put it." Marie muttered under her breath none to quietly earning her a side glance from Edd's father briefly.
"Please, Mr. Vincent come in..." Rosemary mumbled quickly.
But Alastair stayed put on the welcome mat on the porch, "I see no need to drag this out more than necessary. I'm simply here to collect my son and any belongings he might have left in your home."
Kevin glared at him instantly feeling a deep seeded dislike welling in his stomach and chest toward the disarmingly stern man before him.
Rosemary frowned, "Yes well I do believe there are a few things you should be aware of before you take him home."
"I know everything that is needed in this situation, and will handle it accordingly when we leave." Mr. Vincent spoke calmly.
"Well I don't think that is-" She started but was cut off.
"Fortunately for you Miss. Barr you don't get a say in the matter of how I deal with my son's misgivings."
"Misgivings?!" Kevin burst out, "He hasn't done a goddamn thing wrong here!"
Alastair's eyes narrow slightly at the auburn haired jock before promptly ignoring him and locking gazes with his son, "Go collect your belongings Eddward, you mother is flying in from Spain later tonight and I'd like to have dinner on the table before she arrives."
Blinking back startled tears Edd nods mechanically, "Yes sir."
As he tries to make his way up the stairs Kevin grabs his wrist his emerald eyes looking frustrated and desperate, "You...I..." He stumbled over the words he didn't know how to say.
Smiling sadly at Kevin he gently pulled his hand out of Kevin's grasp, "Thank you Kevin...it was nice while it lasted."
Marie looked to be positively fuming as she sent a heated death glare Mr. Vincent's way before turning her instantly softening gaze to the ravenette, "I'll help, Edd wait a sec."
Mounting the stairs slowly one foot at a time Edd made his way toward the guest room, with Marie somberly trailing behind him.
A few minutes of awkward silence passed between the three left down in the front hall before Edd walked down the stairs carrying Jim safety allotted in his pot in one hand, and his bag in the other.
His face was blank, his eyes glazed slightly as if caught in the beginnings of a panic attack.
Looking at his watch sighed again, "Eddward, kindly stop dragging your feet please, being over dramatic will not make anything pass easier nor faster."
"Mm...I'm sorry Sir." He mumbled keeping his eyes at his feet before hesitantly looking at Rosemary and Kevin.
Giving them a small smile he bravely wrapped his rail thin arms around both mother and son surprising even himself at his own actions he let out a nervous laugh, "Thank you for taking care of me, showing me kindness, and warmth. I'll never forget it."
Kevin's eyes welled slightly, "Why do you sound like you're going away? You're only going across the street dweeb."
Rosemary smiled sadly her eyes wet with tears she leans down and kisses Edd's forehead, "You are welcome over anytime sweetie, and you have my number if you need to talk."
Bobbing his head up and down in a slow nod he hesitantly let go of them and turned toward Marie next hugging her.
Marie sniffles, "Gahh you're gonna make me a big glob of leaky mess of black mascara and eyeliner D."
He giggles softly, "I'm sorry Marie, I'll call you later okay?"
She nods and grips him tightly, "You better."
Dis-tangling himself from her arms he takes a deep breath and looks to his father, "I'm ready."
Regarding him with what can only be described as disappointment and disdain his father nodded and motioned for Edd to come out onto the porch.
Doing as directed Edd took one last glance at everyone before stepping out onto the porch and down the steps.
The world seemingly got a bit grayer, a tad less warm, and decidedly more dark.
You can't just let him go Ma! Did you see how he treated his own kid?!" Kevin yelled after both Vincent's had left.
Rosemary looked positively torn, "There's no hint of abuse, and he's taking his medication...there's nothing really I can do without some sort of evidence of abuse Kevin. Unfortunately verbal abuse isn't enough."
"I'm not sure they've ever hit him..." Mumbles Marie, "But I know they used to leave him alone by himself for weeks, to months at a time since he was like seven."
Sighing Rosemary rubbed the back of her neck, "I can't do anything about the past sadly...all we can do is help him through the present. After all you're all turning eighteen soon enough he'll be a legal adult."
"This...this fucking sucks, I feel so fucking useless." Kevin growled out.
"I know honey...but all we can do is wait. As horrible as that sounds; just be there for him as much as possible and tell me if you notice anything odd."
Nodding both Marie and Kevin frown and lock gazes, finally one of mutual understanding.
They may not like each other but they weren't going to let Edd drown, not this time, because now he had them.
Hopefully that's all he needed.