Chapter 4: From This Day Forward

The dog was sitting out in his Prius about to head out to go pick up his girlfriend for a nice afternoon at the park, another perfect day for the lovely couple...or at least it should have been. Unfortunately for Brian, something had been bothering him ever since Rachel had brought up Stewie acting...strange. At the time, he had written it off as her just picking up on some of Stewie's more standoffish personality, but now...well, he had been observing things a little more closely.

Something was definitely up with Stewie. The kid was hardly ever around anymore and the dog had to figure he was spending more time in his lab than he usually did. Sure, maybe he had just gotten caught up in some new project. That certainly happened sometimes, but that didn't explain just how...distant Stewie had felt to him whenever they were together these past several days.

How had he missed that?

The canine shook his head before leaning back in his seat, not really feeling the drive to go pick up Rachel while his mind was still stuck on this predicament.

Stewie never acted so distant and he most definitely never acted so distant around him .

So, what was up…?

What was going on in that complex little head of his? It all added up: the missed calls, the reluctance to go out even for ice cream, the child being completely quiet during family meals. Jeez…he really should have picked up on all of this sooner…

...but, there was nothing he could do about that, now. All he could do was try and sort this out so that he could get to the bottom of what was bugging his little buddy.

He reached up and grabbed his steering wheel tightly. He mostly just needed something to hold onto as he thought through everything that had happened over the last couple weeks with Stewie.

What could be making Stewie so...uncomfortable? That seemed like the right word to use. A better question, though: why hadn't Stewie told him about it yet? After all, he was always coming to Stewie with his problems. He'd like to think that Stewie could…

Wait a second…

Maybe Stewie hadn't come to him yet because the child's problem had specifically to do with him…and, well, if that was the case, then…

Oh, god…

His grip tightened.

Oh, fucking god!

He chuckled to himself mirthlessly as he hung his head, speaking to himself in a whisper.

"That…? Really?"

Was Stewie really still stuck on what they had done that night? That silly little one night stand?

The dog groaned.

"Oh, come on, Stewie!"

Oh, how he wanted to forget that night...that mistake. He had thought he'd be able to sweep it under the rug pretty easily. After all, Stewie was a tough kid and surely, he had known that he didn't mean…

Stewie was smart. Too smart to think something as dumb as that had meant anything.

Brian gulped.

But...if that is the case, and he is upset about...that.

He punched the steering wheel, causing the horn to honk.

"Damn it, Brian! You...fucking moron!"

One moment of weakness…just ONE stupid, pathetic moment of weakness and now his relationship with Stewie…

He sighed to himself and sat up to lean his head against the steering wheel.

He'd been so frustrated...so mad…Stewie was right. Stewie was always right, and he had gone to the bar to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the whole time he just couldn't get that image out of his head. That image of Stewie...with his stupid smug grin! The very grin he knew the boy must have been expressing the moment he realized that Shannon wasn't going to show.

Because Stewie never wanted any of them to show…

because Stewie wanted him .

The dog shuddered, his mind traveling down the same road it had taken that night at the bar, revisiting all those horrible feelings.

Stewie was so selfish.

Always actively wishing for his relationships to fail just so he'd have a shot at something that was never going to happen. It was so stupid. Stewie was so stupid. To think that they would ever...

They had, though…and Brian had gone up there that night fully intending on initiating it.

Dear god, though! It hadn't meant anything! Surely, Stewie had picked up on that!

He slammed his head on the wheel again.

"I was drunk! I was upset! I was tired of his shit! I thought giving him one night would shut him the fuck up!"

Brian gripped the top of his head, feeling himself sinking into hysteria as he fought back tears.

"I was alone…and he was there…he wouldn't turn me down..."

The dog stiffened then. He felt clarity coming back to him as he sat up and started his Prius.

"Whatever. It's done."

He had made a mistake. He was more than willing to admit that. A stupid, stupid mistake, but Stewie wasn't completely faultless, either. Brian knew. He was drunk off his ass, but he knew that he had given no indication to the boy that their night together was the start of something more. It had been...nice...and comforting even, but as far as starting any kind of serious romantic engagement between them, it had meant nothing. If Stewie wanted to be all mopey just for assuming that things were going to go further than a little sloppy, friends-with-benefits sex…well...that was his fucking problem. It definitely wasn't his.

It wasn't like he could do anything to help, anyway.

What was he supposed to do? He could bring it up and try and let Stewie down easy, but was that really the best solution? If he just went on like normal, wouldn't Stewie eventually get the hint without needing to have that confrontation? Brian didn't want that confrontation. Who knew what would happen if he tried to talk to Stewie about this. If he gave any credence to Stewie's little theory that they could be more, he'd only be making the situation worse. Fuck, their relationship might not even survive that drama!

Brian threw the car in reverse and sped out onto the road before driving away.

It's not worth it. He'll be fine. He's tough. He'll figure out how foolish he is being and everything will just go back to normal. I will not lose him over this.

Besides, at the end of the day, the little brat should have just been grateful that he'd gotten what he did. It certainly was never going to happen again. He'd learned his lesson. Hopefully, Stewie got his shit together soon because Rachel was picking up on his bad vibes everytime he was around and Brian swore if he lost her over this stupid shit…if Stewie actually ruined this one, if he tired to butt in AT ALL!

The dog punched his steering wheel as he sped past a red light.

So. Fucking. Selfish.

Stewie had isolated himself the best way he knew how; staying locked away in his lab. He knew there would be no chance of anyone coming there to bother him. The place was quickly becoming his safe haven. Perhaps he was growing a tad too attached, but being amongst his inventions and his notes, it brought some comfort and a relief he didn't realize he was lacking ever since Brian and Rachel became such a dime.

During the course of those agonizing few days, Stewie was working hard, day and night. All hours without taking a break. He couldn't eat without throwing it up afterwards. So he just grew used to not eating whatever was given to him...whenever he had to leave his lab. Even if he was forced to eat, he'd leave the table as soon as he could and he'd race to the bathroom.

There he'd vomit everything up. It was repeating cycle and it was quickly becoming his routine. A scary as that was.

He wished he could tell himself that the pain was becoming easier to deal with, but the truth was...it was only getting harder. Especially when Rachel would show up to the Griffin home, sometimes unannounced, but everyone was already so comfortable with her, it like she was an extension of the family. The prospect...the very idea of this thief becoming such a close knit to the family was mind boggling. It just...felt...wrong. How long would it be before she was coming over for Thanksgiving, for Christmas? For birthdays, even? What and who was going to stop this woman?

Stewie felt his blood boil while his mind raced. He tried desperately to keep his thoughts occupied with formulas, with his inventions.

Whatever he was trying to accomplish by hiding was clearly not doing much justice because even in this room that Brian only knew of...was difficult. The silence and just the boy by himself. This was where he felt safest, but it was becoming increasingly clear even in here...in his lab, Rachel was following him.

What if...I were to die?

Thoughts like this came to Stewie every once in a while, but he tossed them aside just as quickly. He didn't care how fragie he was, how upset he was. He wouldn't be a coward. He wouldn't die over...Brian.

That didn't mean much of anything, though. Not anymore.

He could remind himself again and again that everything would work out somehow in the end, but Brian...his best friend, his favorite dog...he was gone.

Stewie continued to work, hammer in one hand while the other was holding the piece of metal he was currently working on. It didn't dawn on him until a day before exactly what he was working on. With close inspection, he realized that he was still focusing on the biggest project he took upon before any of this business with Rachel.

This was Brian's machine that he was slaving over.

Every since Brian and Stewie had had that heart to heart conversation in the bank vault, Stewie became obsessed with trying to fix Brian's life. He couldn't fathom why the hell he felt so strongly over the matter, but he couldn't help but wonder if he could achieve something that was undoubtedly impossible.

And from that point on, when he wasn't needed or wasn't tending to other affairs, he was in his lab and working away. He never mentioned this to Brian, though. He had wanted it to be a surprise, so to speak...he wanted to see Brian's astonished facial expression when the boy would finally reveal the completed product. He wanted the dog to look on and be impressed, praise him and...well, love him for it.

Stewie longed for Brian's approval...there was no doubt about it. The boy would seek him out above anyone else because Brian was that important to him.

Now...the boy was almost certain there was nothing he could do to make Brian proud of him.

All Stewie could think now was the dread that Brian hadn't thought of him as anything brilliant and special. No...if the canine had thought those things about Stewie, he wouldn't have done what he did. Yet...Stewie kept up. Why? Why, though? What was he trying to accomplish?

Perhaps a part of him wanted the dog to feel remorseful once this invention was done.

Stewie could practically see his face now...the look of shock and guilt. The image alone made the boy's heart swell. It would be satisfying to see Brian with that face. That look would really make the pain worth feeling.

Stewie raised his arm over his hand, eyes staring at the piece of material in front of him before he swung the tool down hard. Though...it didn't hit the metal piece. Instead he had mistakenly aimed right for the top of his hand.

The cold surface of the hammer head piece was right there in the center and his fingers twitched from impact and he watched his fingertips cascade to a blue, violet color. No matter, though. He couldn't feel the pain...not physical pain. Not anymore. It just seemed his mental state was so overwrought, the harsh reality of the state to his mind was masking even the most horrible sensation of bones being crushed underneath the heaviest of tools that he used all the time.

Tools that he had become familiar with.

He looked down at his hand, not even blinking. He just stared...and he smiled.

"Haha...fuck…"

He almost burst into hysterical laughter, but he bit his bottom lip to silence himself.

"Should I...have felt that?"

He shook his head and heaved a long...slow sigh. He lifted his hammer so he could withdraw his already bandaged hand from other careless mishaps. He flexed his fingers, making sure nothing was broken.

Why am I even doing this…?

His eyes watched his fingers. He watched the appendages move and stretch...a bit of stinging and numb sensation coming forth to his sensory nerves, alerting him that he was hurt. Yet he didn't take heed to properly take care of the matter. He just dwelled with the pain, a sudden relief coming to his mind that at least he was thinking of his hurt hand and not the emotional misery that had taken refuge in the deepest crevices of his subconscious.

Before long, he dropped his arm and now stared helplessly at the machine before him. It was impressive...to say the least. The very body alone standing tall and mighty. It looked very much like a piece of equipment that really showed the effort. Stewie worked so hard on this...and before everything, there was a definite purpose to the machine.

Now…

he wasn't so sure anymore.

...Really...why am I doing this…?

He shook, but his eyes remained locked on the machine. He was so close...he could feel it and even though he wanted nothing more than to destroy this blasted invention, he couldn't bring himself to do it. No matter how many times he had already tried.

He reached to rub his eyes with his arm, hiccuping softly while tears began to overwhelm the corners of his eyes. He was so tired…

Taking in a sharp breath, he wiped his eyes with his fingers and reached to grab his hammer and the metal piece.

"Okay, Stewie…let's keep going..."

"Bye, you guys!"

Brian urged his girlfriend out of the house as she bid the Griffin family farewell. God, could that girl stand around and chit-chat about nothing. It was slightly endearing, but Brian was just eager to go, now. He wanted to get back to Rachel's apartment. He was ready to be alone with her.

He shut the door and took Rachel's hand as he led her to his car, assisting her into the passenger's side seat before taking his place over on the driver's side.

"Kind of would have been nice to stay for movie night…" Rachel whispered.

The dog simply chuckled as he started his car and pulled out onto the road, happy to finally be out of that house. It was beginning to feel...really claustrophobic in there lately; too much drama.

...Not that anyone would know that.

His leg was shaking, whether that was due to his own nerves or just the excitement he was feeling to finally be alone with Rachel he couldn't tell. All he could do was simply sigh in relief as he reached over to place a hand on the knee of the woman he loved, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's fine. You're not missing much. They don't always pick the best movies."

He laughed again, slowly beginning to feel more comfortable the further away from home he got.

"Besides, it wasn't like tonight was all that eventful, anyway. It had just been another fairly standard bland evening with the Griffins. Sure, it was nice that Rachel was hitting it off with everyone so well, but come on...his family wasn't that interesting...especially when the most interesting member seemed determined to bring the mood down no matter where he fucking went.

Stewie hadn't been around for much of the evening, but oh man, when he was, it was like all the energy was drained right out of the room. He didn't even have to say anything and he didn't. It was all in the way he shuffled about, eyes barely open, practically a zombie. Shoot even Peter and Lois were beginning to suspect something was up, and they never noticed a goddamn thing when it came to their youngest son.

Damn it, Stewie…why can't you just let me be happy!

That comfort he was feeling began to slip away, he squeezed Rachel's leg tighter in some vain attempt to hold on to that feeling before it was gone. He felt her go stiff under his paw.

Uh oh.

He frowned and then mentally cursed himself for further letting on that something might be wrong. God, he just wanted to enjoy his evening, for crying out loud!

"So, uh…"

He began speaking to her, trying to sound as easy going as possible.

"What would you like to do once we get back to your place, baby?"

He looked over at her, and was only slightly surprised to see her already looking in his direction with a slight frown on her face.

He laughed, shrugging his shoulders a bit before addressing her again.

"Everything alright there?"

Brian turned his attention back to the road, but he could still feel the woman's gaze on him as he drove. He then felt her hand sliding to rest over his paw.

"...Are you ok?" That sweet voice...the sweetest sounding melody enveloped Brian's ears, but...

the canine tensed up because he could hear it. The...concern.

Damn it. Damn it! Damn it! I do not want this evening to be ruined!

He turned to offer up an eyebrow raised in faux curiosity, still trying to act like everything was fine as he nodded his head.

"What? Of course! I'm fine!"

Another awkward chuckle.

"What would you…why would you even think I wasn't?"

He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

"I am with you, after all."

He offered her a big smile, but the woman's expression didn't shift one bit.

Ok. This was getting irritating.

Rachel sighed.

"Brian, we haven't known each other too terribly long, but I can still see that you have something on your mind."

Fuck! Just drop it!

"Ok, so maybe I had kind of a rough morning, but, I mean...that was earlier. I'm just looking forward to spending time with you now."

He realized he hadn't been looking at the road for longer than what was considered safe, so he redirected his attention back to his driving, hoping that Rachel would buy that explanation and just let sleeping dogs lie.

He never was the luckiest dog in the world.

He felt the woman squeeze his paw in a similar reassuring manner that he had just done for her only moments earlier.

"Is it…does it have to do with Stewie?"

What!?

Hot breath got caught in Brian's throat as his eyes went wide. He refused to turn back to Rachel as he replied.

"N-No…it has nothing to do with him. Why would you…why would you say that!?"

He mentally groaned as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Wow. Smooth. Shouting sure is going to help…

The woman's presence eased up a bit as he felt her let go of him and slide away from his still gripping paw.

Brian rolled his eyes.

Great. Just great…

"I say that because…well, he looked so sad, Brian...and you've told me before how much he means to you, so I just figured that if Stewie was going through something that it would affect you, too…"

Brian groaned, an impulse that he didn't have to strength to control, right now.

"Rachel. It's fine. I've told you before that Stewie is...he's just...kind of intense. He's fine, though. Trust me."

He reached further over and placed his paw on her knee again.

"I would know."

A silence took hold in the traveling vehicle, then, a silence that quickly began to drive Brian insane.

Jesus Christ! Could he really not get a single moment of peace from this thing with Stewie? And why was Rachel so concerned, anyway? What the fuck did she know?

Had Stewie maybe talked to her when he hadn't noticed?

His heartbeat began to quicken at the thought, so he quickly shot it down.

No. That's ridiculous. Why would Stewie talk to Rachel? She's probably the last person he'd want to talk to. Rachel is just a very perceptive person.

It was true. She was, and it was one of the things that Brian adored about her.

...Though it wouldn't kill her to be a little less nosey about something that was clearly none of her business…

"Have you talked to him?"

The question shattered the silence, taking Brian completely off guard. He wasn't sure how to respond to that, but his hesitation seemed to be a response enough for his girl.

"Please talk to him, Brian. I can tell that something isn't right, and if you really care, you should try and find out. You told me he's bright for his age. There's no telling what he could be going through. Don't abandon that boy."

His heart began racing again, though he did his best to mask the frustration he was feeling due to all this talk of Stewie.

He huffed.

Anything to get you to drop this…

"Fine. I'll talk to him as soon as I can."

He looked over at the woman again and noticed that a slight smile had appeared on her face.

He smiled back.

Fat chance…

There was definitely a distinct pattern that Stewie was beginning to notice. Brian would leave for the day and then he'd come back towards the evening which was slightly shocking since Brian had been so preoccupied with Rachel. The boy figured that the dog would stay over at her apartment. Perhaps there were some problems in this fairytale relationship? Were there already some cracks? Stewie wasn't too sure and neither did he really care to find out.

Whatever was going on between the two wasn't his business. For once, he didn't care what happened.

It just felt so strange...not going to Brian, not speaking to Brian.

Whenever the boy picked up on the dog's marital issues, he'd make sure he was available so the dog could talk to him whenever he needed that shoulder to, metaphorically speaking, cry on. That hadn't been the case with Rachel. Brian was doing his best to keep his problems from Stewie.

Much like Stewie was doing his damndest to keep his from Brian.

Despite the dog being in the home where Stewie could easily go talk to him, he still kept himself away. Just the very sight of Brian made his head swim and he didn't feel as though discussing his personal problems was an option at this point. Not with Brian acting the way he was and definitely not with Brian looking just as miserable, too.

It was becoming clearer each day that they were drifting apart and the thought alone troubled Stewie, but perhaps it was meant to be. After all, good things always had to come to an end.

He just believed he and Brian were that one exception.

Apparently he had been wrong.

Though it just seemed his troubles were only getting worse when he overheard Lois asking Brian to invite Rachel over for dinner. He could recall hearing the dog slightly groan as if he were going to fight the persistent woman on the matter. Yeah, there was definitely something up...but the mutt eventually reconciled and he went to call his girlfriend. Stewie could practically taste Brian's panic; it was quite satisfying.

He wouldn't lie...it was lovely to see the dog in such a state.

Oh...Brian, I wonder what's wrong with you?

Stewie's need to gloat was so overwhelming, but he kept his distance. He just stayed in his bedroom until he'd have to come downstairs. That was how he was handling everything now.

He didn't leave until he was called or when Lois came up to retrieve him. He knew tonight would be the same.

Just now he'd have to really put on that fake smile so he could avoid Lois trying to talk to him.

That was also becoming a little bit of a concern. It seemed Stewie acting so reclusive was making his mother start to question his odd behavior. She even went to talk to Peter about it. Why she felt the need to do that was ridiculous since Peter wasn't perceptive and he definitely didn't care to try and understand his youngest son. He was like that with all three of his kids, so for Lois to talk to her husband and pull him aside was irrelevant and a waste of time.

With evening fast approaching, Stewie forced himself to leave the safety confines of his bedroom and he went downstairs. He was greeted by Brian sitting on the couch with his typical dry martini in hand. For a moment, he thought he'd strike up some conversation, but before he could even process that request, his legs already walked him to the kitchen without him realizing.

He couldn't be in there with Brian. He'd have to wait until the dog left.

He gripped Rupert tightly to him, a momentum he had to carry around from his room so if he were going to go into a state of panic, he'd at least have something to cling to.

Thank god for that.

Watching Lois cook for a moment, he went to retrieve a juicebox from the fridge and he left before the woman could take notice that Stewie had been there.

Now in the living room, he could still make out Brian on the couch. He stopped just behind the furniture, his eyes looking at the back of the dog's head. It was...sad, he supposed. He would have given anything to talk to Brian at that moment, he would have loved to gather the courage and confront the dog.

He wanted to.

But he couldn't do it. At least, he felt he couldn't do it. He was battling with his wits and it was stressing him out so much, he was getting a migraine.

I need to try…

He sighed softly and gripped Rupert tightly in his arms. He walked a little closer to the couch, tightly shutting his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at Brian as he passed him by. He continued to walk a little further, now feeling the arm of the couch slightly hit him against his arm. It made him open his eyes for a brief moment.

He looked away again, though. He did it quickly. Heart pumping, he tightened his hold on his bear and he felt it, then...he felt the urge to talk to Brian because he knew he was there. He was right there and this had been the closest they had been for the past week or more.

He was about to open his mouth, he was about to address Brian. He was going to do it finally. He was going to talk to him.

Come on...do it, Stewie! This is Brian!

...Until...

"Hey, Brian!"

Stewie's eyes went wide and he looked over his shoulder at Peter who had come into the kitchen from the garage. From his peripheral, he could see the dog hop from the couch on the other side and completely pass the boy.

He hadn't seen him, he figured.

He watched...Brian's back to him, he watched the dog leave him alone, a very telling image.

The boy groaned, sadly watching him retreat and grow farther apart. It was useless. It was seriously useless.

He sniffled and collapsed on his rump, eyes focusing on the tv that wasn't even on.

"Dammit…fucking dammit..."

Before long, the doorbell rang and Lois went to the door to let Rachel in. She happily greeted the woman, even giving Rachel a warm hug. Such a typical thing to do...reward the woman who had stolen Stewie's favorite person. Yeah, give off such positive sanctions...that was what she deserved.

Stewie's nausea was quickly coming back while Rachel talked, her voice scratching the very crevices of his mind and eating its way into his deepest being so he'd remember that voice...that eerie and beautiful voice while he slept and had nightmares.

So horrible, so fucking wrong.

He did what he had done before, he tuned everyone out.

The boy vaguely remembered hearing Peter speaking with Brian and Lois speaking with Rachel. It just seemed to go on at an alarmingly fast pace. Pretty soon he could hear Lois announcing that dinner was ready and everyone should wash up. Stewie didn't bother budging.

Eating sounded atrocious. Perhaps he could dramatize his sickness so he could use it as an excuse to not eat.

No…

He closed his eyes, realizing he couldn't do that. Lois would be worried .

Stupid bitch…

Stewie was about to get up himself since he knew he didn't have a choice. That was when he realized Rachel was approaching him and she looked as though she wanted to talk to Stewie in private. He could tell by the look on her face.

Stewie immediately sunk into his position, his eyes looking up at the woman before him where he could now see her up close and personally.

She was seriously...beautiful.

It still intimidated him.

"Stewie…" Rachel began, smiling so sweetly and so gingerly, it made the boy go pale, "is it okay if I sit beside you for a moment?"

Stewie didn't say anything. He was just stunned to see Rachel there, talking to him in such a manner. Who the fuck did she think she was?

Still...the boy didn't bother giving her any indication of his obvious uncomfortable nature to have her so close. He just gestured with his outstretched arm that...yes, she could sit beside him.

He wasn't going to be an ass to her because the truth of the matter was, she hadn't done anything wrong for Stewie to treat her poorly. The way he was looking at this was that Brian was using her the way he had used him.

He pitied her for her stupidity.

Who the hell thought Brian...Brian of all people, the one incapable of feeling anything for anyone, would suddenly have a change of heart?

Stewie suddenly snickered to himself.

No...that dog is an animal.

Watching Rachel take a seat beside him, actually sitting on the ground beside Stewie, he felt himself shrinking just a little more, caving into himself.

She was in such close proximity...he could smell her light scented perfume. It really made matters worse for Stewie. Having to pretend everything was fine with him when it clearly wasn't. The boy looked dreadful with his dark circles and his bewildered facial expression. He just...looked...dead.

And Stewie was beginning to understand that Rachel was taking notice to Stewie's odd behavior. Otherwise, she would have carried on with Brian, acting oblivious while Stewie was forced to keep quiet about everything.

He could say this at least about Rachel.

She seemed to be intelligent.

Though...again...who the hell did she think she was?

She didn't know Stewie. What the fuck gave her the right to try and communicate privately with him?

Did Brian talk to her? If so, what the hell had Brian told her exactly?

Stewie held his tongue.

And Rachel was the first to speak to him, doing so with a calm and patient voice.

"I just want to make sure you're okay."

There was it was again...that damn..intensity. The boy's head was hurting and that voice was not making it any better. It just sounded so damn sincere and careful. God, it was annoying.

Stewie shrugged, having to look away from a moment because looking at her was making him violently ill. He didn't care that he felt pity for this girl, he still hated her.

"I...I suppose there's no harm in telling you that I did talk to Brian about you…"

Stewie stiffened, eyes going wide and he slowly...slowly turned his head so he could face this woman. She did what? Why? Stewie didn't say anything at first, he just stared on, disbelief written on his face while his arms tightened their hold on Rupert. Though he couldn't keep it to himself. He was genuinely offended.

"Excuse me?"

He whispered, almost hissing.

Stewie watched Rachel slump her shoulders, she even frowned at him. What the fuck was she trying to do? What was her goal in this? Was she trying to get him to appear vulnerable in front of her so she could make her move and do whatever she felt necessary? So she'd have Brian indefinitely? As far as Stewie was concerned, he'd never concede to her whims.

Brian may be acting like a selfish prick, but Stewie still fucking cared about that damn mongrel.

"I...I told Brian I was concerned about you. You just seem to really be upset about something and I know how much Brian means to you...I just want to make sure you're okay. I know you've probably already heard this from Brian, but...I'm not going to take him from you. If that's what you've been worried about."

Heard from Brian?

What?

"..." Stewie suddenly grinned. A maniac look on his face while he bit his tongue to keep from bursting into laughter. Though now he was just confused. What the hell was she talking about?

"Brian hasn't said anything to me."

He chuckled, mirthful and absent. The look on Rachel's face...it was almost uncanny to how he probably looked.

"But…" Rachel went to reply. She actually leaned in a little so no one could overhear her. Stewie went to play along, grin still in place as he too leaned forward. Oh, how silly this game was, "...Brian told me he talked to you…and that you both resolved everything."

Another chuckle passed Stewie's lips. If he hadn't of noticed the small cracks in this relationship before, he was definitely catching on now.

Though the grin didn't last much longer. He shook his head, shrugging a little before he stood up to his feet. He sighed and took a glance towards Brian who was talking to Peter in the kitchen before he went to look back at Rachel.

"Don't feel too bad...he lies to everyone. Don't think you're special just because he likes you...that never mattered to him, so let that be your first warning. He isn't perfect, but he's not a bad person."

And Stewie went to leave. He didn't bother going to the kitchen, his appetite was definitely gone; not to say he had one earlier.

He headed upstairs and went to his bedroom, locking himself inside.

"And even though I've said cruel things and driven her away, she's become the voice in my head. And I can't seem to drown her out"

Brian and Rachel were sitting in the woman's apartment, watching a movie.

...Well, kinda…

Brian wasn't exactly that enthralled with the random film that his girlfriend had thrown on without warning, and well...she didn't really seem to be paying that much attention to it, either.

It was strange. For the past several hours she had been acting so...cold towards him. That was certainly unusual. She hadn't said a single word since they had gotten in and now, she was sitting on the opposite end of the couch with her arms folded looking...was that anger? Why the hell would she be angry?

It was enough to make the canine feel incredibly uncomfortable and he eventually just couldn't take it.

He cleared his throat and decided to try and make some kind of casual conversation about the film, paw going up to scratch at his neck as he did so.

"I, uh...I remember really liking this movie when I saw it years ago, but I don't know...it doesn't hold up too well anymore."

He laughed awkwardly and turned to look at Rachel.

"That Sandra Bullock really isn't the best actress in the world, is she."

He waited.

Nothing.

Rachel just continued to sit there with that look on her face that was beginning to feel like torture to him.

He gulped.

"Hugh Grant is the one basically carrying this thing. Don't you think?"

Silence.

Brian turned back towards the screen, still not paying that much attention to the film. He was instead much more focused on the rhythm he was patting out on his knees.

Minutes ticked by and the atmosphere felt like it was about to suffocate him. At last, the canine finally just sighed before reaching for the remote and shutting the television off.

It was as if he could feel the chill coming off of the woman as soon as he did. It made him shiver.

Rachel finally turned to look at him, arms still crossed, expression still the furthest thing from pleased.

"I was watching that."

It actually took Brian a moment to work up the courage necessary to respond.

"W-Were you really? Because it seemed to me like you had other things on your mind."

He stopped there, hoping that his girlfriend would divulge just what was bugging her.

She didn't. She just continued to...glare? She was glaring at him?

He sighed again.

"What's wrong, Rachel…?"

The woman took a deep breath before exhaling it slowly. She finally unfolded her arms and allowed the scorn in her expression to fall slightly into something that seemed a touch more...sad...or disappointed. He couldn't tell. He honestly had no idea what he could have possible done to…deserve this attitude from her.

"You lied to me, Brian."

The canine quirked his eyebrow in utter confusion.

"Wh-What? What are you talking about?"

A beat and then the woman softly groaned before slinking back against the arm of the couch.

"I talked to Stewie."

The dog's body went rigid, panic settling in.

"...W-Why were you talking to him?"

Rachel groaned again, though this time it was much more like a growl as she turned her head away briefly before meeting the dog's eyes, his very wide eyes, once more.

"Because, Brian! There's something wrong with him and I thought you were going to handle it! You told me you were going to talk to him and I just wanted to check and see how he was doing."

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath before continuing.

"He told me you hadn't spoken a word to him about it, which is incredibly funny because that is NOT what you told me."

Brian just stared at her, stunned and speechless after having been caught in his lie. But, come on, how was he supposed to know that Rachel would actually go so far as to try and talk to Stewie? What the fuck was she even doing!? This was none of her goddamn concern!

The shock in Brian's expression slowly melted away as he thought about the nerve of this girl butting into his and Stewie's business. What did she know?

Oh, that's right, nothing.

He looked at her sternly, trying his best to hold back the snarl that he so desperately wanted to release.

"I told you to leave it be, Rachel…"

It was Rachel's turn to have the wide eyes as her resolve fell slightly. Brian wanted to smirk. She hadn't expected that.

"You…You lied to me, Brian…"

That frustration that he had been fighting against for days came back and reared its ugly head. The canine threw his arms up into the air, frustration taking hold and he just succumbed to it.

"So what!? He's not my fucking kid! Tell his goddamn irresponsible parents! Whatever. I didn't speak to him and you know what? I don't fucking have to. Whatever is wrong with Stewie isn't my problem! Not right now...and...you know what else? It isn't your fucking problem, either! So, let's just drop this nonsense and watch this stupid movie together! Ok!?"

Rachel had been moving back further against the armrest as Brian's tirade went on, but as soon as it was over, all she did was glare at him again, much harder this time, much angrier this time.

Without another word she stood up from the couch and marched out of the living room. Brian just sat there watching, still fuming, only just now realizing that he was shaking. It wasn't until he heard the woman's bedroom door slamming shut and locking that he finally threw the weight of his body back into the couch, growling loudly as his body sunk into the furniture.

His paws went to cover his face, a poor attempt to muffle his scream.

Dammit, Stewie! Stop ruining my life you fucking brat!

David had been waiting for an opportunity like this. He always loved children, so being able to observe a group at a preschool was certainly a good place to start to getting his teaching degree.

He just wished he had gotten to this point under different circumstances. As he drove to the preschool, having to consult his GPS periodically since he wasn't too familiar with the area of Quahog, he couldn't help but think of where it all went wrong. Perhaps it had something to do with his wife and himself being too young when they got married. Obviously there was going to be problems, but David always figured he could remedy this situation.

He was a patient man and he tried to be understanding to his wife when she insisted on going back to school. David dropped everything so he could tend to their first child...a ticking point that probably gave their marriage the necessary push to go south. Still, he let her go to college even though she never completed her degree.

That being something he pushed blame on him for.

At that point, they hardly spoke to each other except on rare occurrences such as when the in-laws came over to their apartment; they had to play nice then.

He wasn't sure how it happened...how his wife got pregnant with their second child, but during that pregnancy, it seemed they both got a little closer. Closer than probably ever had since their pregnancy and birth of their first child. Of course when the second baby was born...when his premature son was born, David's wife hit postpartum depression hard.

Forget trying to salvage what little hope their broken marriage had.

He sighed softly and looked at his kids from the rearview mirror. Both didn't want to be near him; their mother was quite the liar, after all. She had completely turned their kids against him and she was filing for divorce.

She intended to take their two sons with her to wherever the hell she planned on going.

For a while, David thought he could fight for custody since his wife wasn't exactly the most stable person, she definitely didn't have the patience to care for two toddlers. It was just...a very, very bad situation that his kids were being forced into.

It was clear it was affecting them. Especially the youngest of the two...he just seemed so isolated from the situation. In fact, David had mentioned this to his wife, trying to explain to her that he was deeply concerned about their younger child and what the process of such a nasty divorce was doing to him psychologically.

She dismissed him. She even claimed that David was just trying to gather incriminating evidence so a judge would find her unsuitable.

...She was.

Though there wasn't much David could do anymore except continue to fight for children. Even if they were forced to think of him as a terrible man and a terrible father who would easily abandon them, he was still going to fight for them.

When he checked his GPS one last time, he began to take notice to the street name that he was looking for and he quickly turned until he saw what he assumed was the preschool. He sighed a sense of relief and quickly went to adjust his tie; he wanted to look presentable for the other volunteers and the teacher.

He parked his car along the sidewalk as parents were dropping off their children.

He turned to face his own kids, grinning. "Okay, boys...here we are. Now...I want you both to be on your very best behavior, okay? Play nice with the other kids, too."

His boys didn't even bother looking at their father which deeply wounded David as he got out of car and went to open the backseat so he could retrieve his kids.

They both quickly went inside the small building while David followed behind, frowning as he watched his boys.

He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his auburn hair and he quickly went to adjust his glasses on the bridge of his nose. As he stepped inside the building, he was greeted by two other volunteers who smiled at him and introduced themselves. There were already so many kids bustling around them, all getting into their own little groups.

David smiled, feeling at ease there. He took a moment to make sure his own kids were in his line of sight. When he did spot them, he figured he'd let them get acquainted with the other kids.

The morning was quick; consisting of introductions of the new volunteers and of course...each child introducing themselves. That was a little...ridiculous, but David had no right to question that. Perhaps it was just a tactic to get kids used to speaking politely. Perhaps that was it. He smiled at all the children as they told him their names, some looking bashful and shy. Others proudly showing off.

"My name is Stewie…"

Then David's eyes met Stewie.

Stewie was the last to give his introduction and David quickly...took a liking to the boy.

Maybe it was just the way he seemed to hold a bigger authority compared to the other kids, but David was slightly shocked to hear such a polite and rather...brilliant little boy. He had never seen such a child.

Now that the introductions were over and done with, the teacher ushered the kids to go about their own business. The kids quickly went back to their designated little groups, all screaming and laughing. Except for Stewie. The boy didn't budge from his previous spot which had been in front of the building blocks. He wasn't even playing with them. He was just...sitting there.

This really made David want to speak to the boy. What was wrong that this kid was wearing such a facial expression? Like the boy had been through hell and back. He gently leaned over to one of the volunteers and gently pulled her aside. He gestured to Stewie. "Is he okay?"

He couldn't help but pry a little. He had seen that kind of expression before, that was why it tugged at his heart strings so profusely. The woman he pulled aside looked over her shoulder at Stewie and sighed gently before addressing David, whispering so the boy couldn't over hear their conversation. "He's always been...a little...strange. He doesn't have many friends here. Poor thing...we've tried talking to him and have tried to get him involved, but he just doesn't follow well with the other kids."

"..." David nodded and frowned. His eyes once more befell Stewie. That poor thing…

Poor, poor Stewie.

David then tugged his vest a little and he put on a brave, big smile. He quickly went to the boy and sat down right beside him.

"Hey, Stewie. My name is David."