Summary: Dalton finally escapes the horrors of living with Cornette, we get a glimpse into another family's life, and just how dedicated of a father Johnny Ace is.
Author's note: TW: psychological abuse and destruction of property as punishment. This takes place directly before Chapter 6, I will be updating the order of chapters in the next day.
Shane just wanted a peaceful dinner for once. Danhausen is sitting next to Alan who is in a booster seat, still too small to sit in the big chairs. Dalton was across the table from his two brothers. Cornette sitting on one edge, and Shane sitting on the other.
"How was school this week, Donovan?" Shane asks. Danhausen shrugs.
"It was okay," Danhausen says. "Ms. McDermitt said something…about the band or choir. How we had to choose which one we wanted to do."
"And which one do you want to do?" Shane asks.
"Probably choir," Danhausen says. "If there were an option to play the piano or keyboard I'd do that."
"There is that option," Dalton says. "Since you go to that fancy private school."
"Why don't you go to private school?" Danhausen asks. Dalton scoffs, folding his arms.
"Why don't you ask Cornette that question?" Dalton says. Cornette drops his fork forcibly on the table.
"What did you just call me?" Cornette asks. Dalton just laughs looking at him.
"Last time I checked, you aren't on my birth certificate, hell I don't even have your name," Dalton says. "So, technically you're not my dad."
"You live under MY roof," Cornette says. "You obey MY rules."
"You just got to rub that in Dad's face don't you?" Dalton shouts.
"Dalton, leave it," Shane says.
"NO! He can't continue to treat you like some side piece!" Dalton says.
"Boys, to your rooms, now," Shane says, helping Alan unbuckle. Danhausen helps Alan down, grabbing his hand and gently leading him out of the room. "Dalton, let's just…calm down…"
"Calm down?!" Dalton shrieks. "You expect me to calm down?! You deserve better than him! He treats you like shit! He treats us like shit! Pop's had the right fucking idea leaving here."
"What did you just say?" Cornette asks.
"Pop's was right to walk away from this hell hole," Dalton says. Cornette gently puts his napkin on the table standing up. "Go ahead, walk away, you pussy!"
"DALTON CASTLE DOUGLAS-LAURINAITIS!" Shane screams. Cornette steps out of the kitchen walking toward Dalton's bedroom. Dalton quickly chases after him knowing what is coming next. Shane followed after them. "Jim, let's just calm down, okay? There's no need for this!"
"No need?" Cornette asks. "You see no need to punish him after all that?"
"There are better punishments than this!" Shane says, trying to reason with him. Cornette shakes his head.
"No, I don't think there is, Shane," Cornette says, picking up Dalton's portable CD player.
"Don't fucking touch that!" Dalton shouts. Cornette puts it over his head, Dalton jumping into action using his dresser as leverage to jump and try and yank the player out of his hands. Cornette lowers his hands, Dalton wrestling with him, Cornette pushing him into Shane's arms. He throws the CD player onto the ground, stepping on it with his foot. Dalton stands there in shock. "That's it, I'm done. I can't fucking stay here anymore!" Dalton shrieks, grabbing his coat that was hanging on the door.
"Dalton, wait!" Shane says. "Where are you going to go?"
"Anywhere but here!" Dalton shrieks, rushing out of the house. He could hear the pleas, the worried voice of his father, but he didn't care. He walks another few blocks before reaching his best friend's house. He knocks on the door, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He looks up to see Godfather shirtless in his boxers.
"Hey, Dalton," Godfather says. "You alright? You want to come in?"
"If I could please, sir," Dalton says.
"Sure," Godfather says. "Trevor! Scorp! Dalton is here."
"Can I maybe use your phone?" Dalton asks.
"Of course, you can, Dalton," Godfather says. Scorpio runs down the stairs, Trevor choosing to use the railing instead, sliding down it. He does a flip landing on his feet.
"That's why we call you Ricochet. You are such a show-off!" Scorpio says. Dalton didn't mind the showing off, that's why he was his best friend after all.
"Well, it is a lot better than your nickname! Scorpio Sky, boring," Trevor says. Dalton just laughs when Scorpio playfully shoves Trevor. He noticed the youngest sibling was missing.
"Where's Tony?" Dalton asks.
"He's with Mom at the movies! We didn't want to go see the movie," Trevor says. Godfather comes over sighing.
"Your dad is worried sick," Godfather says. "You want to talk about it?"
"I can't live there anymore, sir," Dalton says. "Cornette broke my CD player. It had my favorite CD in it too. He hates me. I don't get it. I just don't get it."
"Alright, here's the phone," Godfather says. "I expect you'd want to call John?"
"Yes, sir," Dalton says.
"Just put it on the counter when you are done. I'll make up the spare bedroom." Godfather says.
"Aww, Dad can't he stay in my room?" Trevor asks.
"Trevor, I expect he wants his privacy tonight," Godfather says. "Scorp, you think you can lend him some pajamas?"
"You got it," Scorpio says, running up the stairs.
"I'll help you set up," Trevor says. Dalton goes over to the phone, calling his father.
"'Ello?" Bryce answers.
"Hey, Bryce, is Pops there?" Dalton asks.
"Yeah, everything alright over there?" Bryce asks. "I thought you weren't supposed to be coming until the pay-per-view."
"Well, change of plans," Dalton says.
"Dad, Dalton's on the phone," Bryce says.
"Dalton? Hey, what's up?" Ace asks, worriedly.
"It happened again," Dalton says. Ace sighs.
"He hit you?" Ace asks.
"No, just shoved me off him when I tried to take my CD player out of his hand," Dalton says. "He broke it, Pops. Right in front of me. Dad didn't do shit."
"Okay, I can get on a plane, but I'm not sure when I'll arrive," Ace says. "Are you still at the house?"
"No, I'm at the Wrights," Dalton says. "I couldn't stay there, I'd have lost it even more than I already did. I set him off, I know I did, but the way he treats Dad, it's wrong."
"That doesn't give him the right to break your possessions," Ace says. "Hold on. Bryce! Hey! Bryce…BRYCE REMSBURG DOUGLAS- LAURINAITIS! I need you to stay here. Get everything ready. You'll be able to see your Dad, just not now."
"He wanted to come?" Dalton asks.
"Of course he did," Ace says. "He misses him, misses all of you."
"Well, he made the right decision," Dalton says. "I'm staying with you. I'm not coming back here, nobody can fucking make me."
"Okay, let's settle down," Ace says. "We will work something out. Can you give me the phone number you are calling from? That way you'll know when I'm headed there?"
Dalton is hit with an amazing aroma when he awakes the next morning. There's a soft knock on the door.
"I was told to come and get you," Scorpio says. Dalton gets up walking to the door. He opens it, following Scorpio down the stairs.
"Thank you, Schuyler," Godfather says. "Anthony, please leave your mother alone. She's trying to cook."
"Hi, Dalton!" Anthony says as he runs around the table.
"I told you not to feed him any sugar at the movies," Godfather says, catching Anthony lifting him up and putting him on his shoulder. "You gonna settle down?"
"Ugh, yes, Dad," Anthony says. Godfather nods, putting Anthony down. Anthony comes and sits down next to Dalton.
"You still doing archery?" Dalton asks. The 9-year-old had the most nicknames of the three. Tony, Bowens, KitKat, Mini Godfather.
"Yup!" Anthony says, proudly.
"You decide on the crossbow or the actual bow?" Dalton asks.
"Crossbow," Anthony says.
"Ma! I want jalapenos," Scorpio says.
"I got it, Schuyler, I expect you want 4? I swear you boys can eat," Denise says.
"You'll be rid of me by next year," Scorpio says. "Wrestling school here I come!"
"Yeah, yeah," Denise says. She knew there was no talking him out of it. "Trevor, we really got to get you to eat more veggies."
"Mmm, no," Trevor says, scrunching up his nose at the idea. Dalton chuckles, Trevor was a short, skinny, stubborn 12-year-old. "I'm just gonna stick with my fruits."
"Pick one vegetable," Godfather pleads.
"Tomato? Cucumber?" Trevor says.
"I can do tomato," Denise says.
"I'll get the hot sauce!" Scorpio shouts.
"No, ketchup," Anthony says.
"Dalton, I know you don't like omelets," Denise says. "So, I'm making scrambled eggs and bacon, is that alright?"
"That's fine, Ma'am," Dalton says. He looks up when he hears the phone ring. Godfather answers it, handing it to Dalton.
"He just landed," Godfather says.
"Hey, Pop," Dalton says.
"Hey, bud," Ace says. "Alright, I'm going to swing by the Wrights and pick you up so you can say goodbye to Alan and Donovan and pack your stuff. I couldn't get a flight back to Connecticut until 2 days from now so if you want, you can hang out with as many friends as you want."
"That sounds awesome, Pop," Dalton says.
"I'll be there in like 20 minutes," Ace says.
"See you then," Dalton says.
"So…you really are leaving?" Trevor asks, tearfully.
"I have to," Dalton says. "I hate it there."
"I know," Trevor says, putting his hand on Dalton's shoulder. "Fuck Cornette."
"Trevor!" Denise says.
"I sure am going to miss you," Trevor says, sadly.
"Hey, I'm sure I'll come and visit," Dalton says.
"You better," Scorpio says.
"I'll keep an eye on Donovan for you," Anthony says. Dalton smiled, he really was going to miss this family. He was going to miss his brothers, but this is what was best for him.
Dalton is in his room packing everything up. He can hear the argument already.
"You just let him do whatever the fuck he wants with them! Our kids!" Ace shouts.
"I am doing the best that I can here, Johnny!" Shane says.
"Well, you aren't doing a great job at it," Ace says. "As for you, if I hear you touch Donovan's things or Alan's for that matter, you can kiss having weekly custody. You know how easy it would be to convince a judge of wrongdoing?"
"You know how easy it is to pay a judge off?" Cornette says back. "Don't threaten me, Ace. You'll regret it."
"I don't give a fuck," Ace says. "My children come first. Why'd you want them in the first place? I have my theories."
"What are you suggesting?" Cornette asks, stepping forward and getting close to Ace.
"You like control," Ace says. "You get fucking joy out of it, don't you? Punishing them? Do you even love them?"
"Johnny," Shane says. "That is uncalled for."
"Yeah, sure, go ahead and defend the fucker," Ace says. "I'm glad to be rid of this piece of shit."
Dalton was glad that neither of his siblings was there for this.
A day goes by and Dalton is dropped off at the hotel in the evening. He had spent the whole day and night with his friends. He was going to miss them, but he knew that he'd make friends wherever he goes, he was good at that. When Dalton opened the hotel room door, there was Ace kneeling in front of Donovan, a hand on his chest. Donovan was hyperventilating and crying.
"What happened?" Dalton asks. Donovan looks at Ace shaking his head.
"Just a bad dream," Ace says. "You mind getting a cold washcloth?"
"Sure," Dalton says.
"He's coming back with us," Ace says. "He'll stay until after the pay-per-view, then stay with Shane and Cornette on the weekends."
"That's a lot of traveling," Dalton says.
"I don't care," Ace says. "You all come first. Always."