-1998-

"Let go you little bastard." Jango shook his arm violently trying to get the pre-teen off.

"Please Buir, please." Cody got on his knees and pleated through the wet sobs that were disobediently escaping his mouth.

"Look at you, crying on the floor like a girl. You ungrateful bitch, look, LOOK around look at what I'm leaving you. A house and most of your brothers!"

"NO no no no no" Cody continued sobbing until Jango got in the car. Looking back Cody wished his last interaction with Jango wasn't like that. He wished he was like Cody who had to be bound to the porch because he kept attacking buir. He wished he was like Bly who had managed to convince him to stay, only for a moment though. Or like Fox who was at least not crying, Gree who gave up with Buir years ago or Ponds who was distracting the kids.

His 8 year old brother Rex wandered over "Are we going to be ok?" Rex asked with a trembling lip. For the first time in his life Kote lied to a brother "Yeah, we're gonna be just fine."

It was 1998, Cody was 12 and his father had just left his family taking only his youngest brother Boba. But there was no time to grieve as there were 18 brothers that needed his protection and by God was Cody going to protect them.

-2008-

"Lets go go go" Cody yelled loud enough to wake an entire house, unless the house is teen age boys because in that case no one wakes up. Cody sighs and goes to wake them up himself. He bangs on the first door, the twin room. No answer. Cody flings open the door and walks to Echo and Five's bunk. "raaa" He screams in Echos ear causing Echo to yell and when Echo yells Five will always wake up.

"You ok Vod?" Five grumbles sleepaly

"Yeah Cody's just being a dick"

"Come on guys it's your first day of junior year, which in my opinion is the best year."

"You've said that every year since kindergarten." Echo complains and complains but he thinks the world of Cody. On the big brother scale Rex will always beat everyone else for Echo but Cody's a close second.

"And I mean it every year. Wake up Waxer and Boil and Boost and Sinker. If Boost doesn't wake up you have my permission to pour a little water on his face."

Fives grins like a maniac and Cody just knows he's going to regret saying that. Oh Well. He speeds out the door and Heads to the next room and flings open the door.

"You guys are doing better the the twins" Cody remarks with pleasure. "Mostly" He glaces over at Jessie in Jessie and Kix's bunk and Hardcase in his and Rex's bunk. "Wait where's Rex?"

"He left at like 3 this morning with Wolffe and Fox on their run". Called Thorn.

"I thought he was going to stop when the school year started" Hound complained knowing he'll be waking all of them up at 3 am at one point or another. Tripping over Fives football gear (Witch always seems to be spread across the cramped room) or trying to find his shoes.

"I thought he was too" But Cody was more thinking about his brother's sleep schedule.

"Excuse me Cody"

"Whats up Dogma"

"Tup was up on his phone all night"

"Heyyyy. Dogma is such a tattle tale."

"Tup give the phone and Dogma he's not wrong"

"Sorry" They said in unison.

After getting everyone up Cody comes down stairs to find the absolute feast that Bly, Gree and Ponds have made. A few minutes later Rex, Wolffe and Fox come back and sit down too. Then everything's just as it should be, a feast of food and his whole family to eat with.

But nothing stays perfect for long.