CAUTION: There is sensitive material in this chapter that some may find upsetting. (Attempted suicide.) The character doesn't die. But I want to warn readers.

Canard heard Nosedive give the bathroom room two quick pounds. "Hey, food's ready." There was silence as the kid waited for him to respond which he didn't and then he walked away. Taking in a slow breath, he leaned his head back against the wall and tried to avoid looking at the toilet bowl contents. He didn't know what was wrong with him but it had better pass what ever it was. He had thought several times about going to Tanya but each time talked himself out of it. She had enough going on with being pregnant and all. Chills ran up his spine, making his arms and legs freezing. Steeling himself, he stood slowly, feeling his joints crack and reached down to flush.

…..

"It's about time." Nosedive remarked. "I was about to take a whizz outside."

Canard forced himself to ignore the queasiness. "Why didn't you?"

"Well." The kid thought seriously about his answer. "I doubt Mal-Mal here would have liked to see a yellow spot in the snow outside until Scion since that's the next snow storm and I would have been in danger of losing my-"

"Stop." Duke interrupted. "You do not need to finish that sentence."

Regla hid his amusement behind some paperwork he was reading while Mallory simply stared at the Flashblade.

"I think that would be a moot point due to the excessive wind outside and drifting snow, don't you think Dive?"

Nosedive glanced at Duke who was staring at him, almost challengingly. "No comment."

Despite feeling like crap, Canard couldn't help but join in with the smiles.

….

Dinner went quietly.

In their work of renovating the house it had been Nosedive's suggestion to separate the basement into three rooms instead of leaving it a large dark space. It was there he and his brother shared a room, Canard took the second and Ches took the last. It had taken some arguments on Mallory's part to keep her father from disappearing into the night. He finally gave in when Drebeer said he'd tackle him before he reached the end of the yard. Ches had simply stared at him as if to figure out if the assassin meant what he said.

"You're still recovering." He finally pointed out.

Drebeer made a face and tsked. "So?"

Silence.

"Fine." The older mallard put his hands out in surrender.

…..

It was long after everyone had gone to bed when Asher and Fledge pulled themselves onto the roof of the house from his room.

"Are you sure about this?" Fledge asked. "Drebeer already caught me once today. I don't want to go for a second time."

"He won't." Asher stared down at the ground. "C'mon." He took a step and ended up pitching off the roof. He let out a strangled squeak.

…

Tanya looked up from putting away her laundry, having thought she saw something fall past the window. She turned around to ask Grin if he had seen it too but saw his eyes were closed from his spot on the floor, meditating. Yeah. He saw nothing. She drew closer to the window and looked out, but didn't see anything. Chalking it up to her imagination, she went back to her task.

…

Asher could hear Fledge's stifled laughter from above him somewhere. Clawing his way out of the snow that had piled over his head from the constant storms, he looked up and saw his friend hanging partially off the roof, his hands covering his beak as he laughed.

"Shut up you idiot and get down here."

His thin shoulders still shaking from mirth, Fledge stood with difficulty and then jumped off, landing next to him.

"Graceful." He finally managed to throw Asher's way.

"Shut up." Asher said again, but this time he smiled. "Let's go."

….

Mordri was large, taking up multiple blocks of street and it was eerily quiet since no one had lived in the compound since the days of the invasion. It had been a work camp Asher learned in school. Quietly he and Fledge took an unmarked street into the abandoned camp.

"What are we doing here?" Fledge whispered. "Why did you want to come here?"

"I don't know." Asher admitted.

"This is the place where your dad and Drebeer were attacked by that loon." Fledge continued. "We really shouldn't be here."

Asher didn't answer and halted in mid-step, staring. Fledge followed his gaze. Ahead of them was an enormous building with cracked exterior walls and pieces of the walls missing all together, exposing dark ruined floors. Seeing the large smokestacks on top of it Asher guessed it could only be the crematorium. He felt a chill run up his spine at seeing the building of death.

"Let's go. We shouldn't be in here." Fledge pulled on his friend's hoodie.

"How right you are."

The two spun around to see a shadowed duck. From the matted hair and expensive suit Asher could only guess who it was.

"Asher Duke L'Orange Jr. You're all grown up." The duck half circled them, his shadowed eyes searching. "The last time I saw you, you were two years old." His gaze landed on Fledge. "And you brought a friend."

Asher backed away slowly, Fledge sticking by his side. However the duck followed them at the same pace, never letting distance be made between them.

"You are afraid." Mox whispered. "Don't be. I wouldn't hurt a child."

"That's not what I've heard." It was out before Asher knew it. Shit. Mox froze for half a second.

"No? And who would have told you such a thing? Your father? Regla? Or was it the Brotherhood?"

"You almost killed Regla."

Mox sighed. "I did."

The causal admittance stunned Asher.

Fledge scoffed, half impressed at the duck's audacity. "You just freely admit it?"

Mox shrugged, the movement stiff. "Why wouldn't I? I'm not a liar. Regla got in my way." He took another step towards them at which they backed up, only to hit their backs against a wall. "I only have issues with people who get in my way. Do you understand child? And right now, I'm losing my patience with your….family."

The duck suddenly bent down to Asher's beak, startling him. He found he was staring at the scars and deformity that now ravaged the duck's features and he couldn't look away.

"You can tell them that if they go through with their little plan to assassinate me, they will regret it. And…your father will lose everything. I'll make sure of it."

How does he know they are planning to kill him? Someone told him….holy crap. Someone told him.

Mox smiled. "I have eyes and ears everywhere Asher L'Orange. Remember that." His cloudy eyes landed on Fledge. "And Fledger Patel. Your father has been worried sick about you."

"I doubt it." Fledge snapped.

The deformed duck's smile widened. "I like your spunk kid. Reminds me of me." He glanced causally behind him. "I'm feeling generous. I won't tell Cerberus you're here as long as you go. Now."

Asher inched away from the dangerous duck. "Fledge." He called once he was far enough away. His friend dropped his stare at Mox and followed him after a moment.

….

Asher didn't start to breathe until the two stumbled out of the dark alley and onto the main road. Once they were a safe distance away Asher stopped. "Someone told him Fledge. How the hell else does he know?"

The blonde duck shook his head and gave a half shrug. "I don't know."

Asher felt a stab of adrenaline. "It's someone we know."

Fledge glanced at him. "In that house." He finished Asher's sentence.

"What do we do?"

"I don't know." Fledge repeated. "I don't know."

…..

Trying unsuccessfully to pull themselves back onto the roof to get inside, Asher resigned himself to using the front door. As quietly as he could he pulled the key from the lock, satisfied that he managed to do so with barely a sound. He shut the door and turned around, running into Fledge who was frozen.

"What are you doing?" Asher whispered. He looked around his friend and felt his insides freeze.

"Don't be quiet on our account." Drebeer said his arms crossed over his chest. Ches was behind him leaning against the wall. "You are damn lucky I didn't decide to get your parents up." His uncle added. "Where were you?"

"Went for a walk." Asher heard himself say, his voice sounding different, higher.

"Went for a walk." Drebeer repeated. "At 13:45nm in the morning? I don't think so. I'm going to ask again and you are going to give me an answer Asher L'Orange or you aren't going to like the consequences. Where. Did. You. Go?"

"Mordri." Fledge answered, his gaze stuck to the floor. "We went to Mordri."

"Why?" Ches asked, shocked, beating Drebeer to what ever he was going to say. He straightened from his lean. "Why would you do that?"

Why would I do that? Asher thought. A good enough answer wouldn't come. Instead he changed the conversation. "Someone talked." He said quickly.

"Don't change the subject." Drebeer snapped.

"No." Asher retorted. "You don't get it. Someone told Mox what you plan to do. He knows you're coming. And it only could have come from inside this house."

Ches glanced at Drebeer who was staring hard at his nephew. "How do you know that?" The black duck finally asked.

"He told us." Fledge managed to look up and face the adults. "He said he has eyes and ears everywhere."

"Mox talked to you?" Drebeer's question was surprisingly calm, but Asher knew his uncle enough to see the silent rage under his mask.

Fledge nodded.

Drebeer scoffed. "Unbelievable." He paced away into the darkness. He reappeared from the next room quickly enough. "Do you realize how incredibly stupid your move was tonight? Does it even register? Asher you know better."

"I'm twelve years old, I'm not a little kid anymore. If I want to walk to Ics City on my own I will." Asher snapped. He was tired of being treated like a box of breakables.

The mask cracked a little, exposing the rage underneath. "You're twelve years old, huh? News flash Ash, I'm fifty-one and I had an axe land in me from him. Some psychopathic freak who you just went and had a midnight chat with."

"Why do you care so much? For all I know it could be you telling him about the shit you guys plan to do." It was out before he knew it and he instantly regretted it. Drebeer was his uncle. It couldn't possibly be him who would betray everyone.

Drebeer moved fast, his hand closing around Asher's throat, not enough to kill him but enough to cut some of his air supply off and to haul him against the nearest wall. "If you ever talk to me again like that, I may just forget fragile you are. Do you understand me?" It wasn't the yelling that frightened Asher, it was the deadly calm tone Drebeer had as he spoke.

"Arren that's enough." Ches growled. "Let him go."

Drebeer didn't act as if he heard him. The older mallard came forward and easily broke the hold Drebeer had on Asher. Asher quickly put distance between himself and his uncle. Drebeer didn't take his gaze off the wall he had pinned Asher to.

"Get up stairs before I really lose my temper." He ordered.

Jerkily, Asher and Fledge obeyed. Before the landing, Asher looked down into the foyer to see Ches staring at Drebeer. Then he looked away and went up the remaining steps.

…

Later in the morning

After sunrise

Asher could hear the movements of everyone downstairs but he didn't leave his bed. He couldn't face any of them, most of all, his uncle or his grandfather, knowing he had just accused Drebeer of being a traitor less than seven hours ago.

Fledge left the bathroom; combing his hair as straight as he could, he finally gave up. "You coming downstairs?"

Asher looked at his hands, blankly staring at the grey spots. He shook his head.

Fledge sighed. "Drebeer will get over it. And he isn't going to be an asshole in front of everyone to you. It would raise questions."

"Not going to be an asshole to me." Asher echoed. "You weren't around to see him and Regla go at it a few times."

Fledge twitched his hands. "That's different. Regla's an adult. He'll get over it Ash."

"No he won't. I accused him of being a traitor. I wouldn't get over that in seven hours if I was him."

"Please come." Fledge pleaded. "It's selfish of me but I don't want to have to explain why you're not down there."

Silence.

Then Asher jerked his head. "I'll be down in a sec."

Fledge studied him. "Promise?"

Asher nodded. His friend gave him a quick smile.

"Okay." Fledge disappeared out of the room.

Asher waited until he heard several voices greet Fledge downstairs before he went to his parent's bathroom and dug through the medicine cabinet. He finally found what he was looking for. He knew his dad had gotten some anxiety pills for the nightmares he was having. To humor the doctor Duke got the prescription but never took the drug. Since the shit storm that had started in their lives, Asher had taken a few. One here, one there. He took them so he could feel normal and not be so stressed about the dire situation that was taking over his life. He had snapped at Drebeer because he forgot to take them. The withdrawal always made him irritable.

Asher glanced down at the pill in his hand. And then he dumped seven more. He screwed the cap back on and placed it in the cabinet. And then he swallowed them.

….

Downstairs

Fledge waited, trying not to appear worried. Upon entering the kitchen Drebeer had looked at him once and then promptly ignored him. Ches watched him over steeple fingers and then glanced at Drebeer before turning away.

"Hey." Nosedive greeted. "Where's A?"

"He's coming." Fledge sank into a chair and leaned to look down the hall to see if Asher was behind him. He wasn't.

It was nearly 20 minutes later when Fledge started to really get worried. He jittered his leg in a sudden compulsion and then noticed Canard studying him. He stopped immediately, heat spreading across his face in embarrassment.

"Fledge, can you go see what he's doing?" Tanya asked, as she set some food down on the table.

"Yeah, the food's gonna grow a third colony by the time he gets down here." Nosedive added. Drebber stopped ignoring him and had been watching him for several minutes.

He nodded, it was his turn to ignore Drebeer's intense stare and barely held himself in check from bolting out of the room.

Once he was upstairs he called his friend's name as softly as he could. No answer. He reached their bedroom but Asher wasn't there. Turning he saw a faint glow from Duke and Mallory's room. Feeling like he was invading their privacy, he slowly inched in and went to the bathroom. "Ash?"

What he saw he couldn't comprehend at first. Ash was on the ground unconscious.

"Ash?!" His immediate thought was he had to get the adults but then he didn't want the fiasco. But they have to know….they have to know. He spotted a prescription bottle near the toilet. He grabbed it and read the label. Holy shit he overdosed. His own father had overdosed twice and both times Fledge had had to save him. He grabbed his friend by the neck and hauled him into a kneeling position over the tub. "Don't you bite me!" He hissed and stuck his fingers down the kid's throat. "C'mon!"

Asher didn't respond at first but then he began to retch and a large volume of puke projected out of his mouth. Fledge stuck his fingers back into Asher's mouth. "C'mon Ash puke." Asher puked again and feebly tried to push Fledge's hand away. He coughed a few times wetly and then slowly his eyes opened. They were glazed.

Dazed, he turned his head to look at Fledge blankly.

"Are you okay?" Fledge asked concerned. "Can you hear me?" No response. "Ash. Can you hear me?!"

Asher gave a half nod.

"Why did you do that Ash? Why?"

Asher shrugged. "I'm tired." He mumbled. "Tired of everything."

Fledge sank to the floor, at his friend's level. "Did you even think about what that would have done to your parents? Your mother?"

Asher didn't answer. He just blankly stared, glassy eyed.

Fledge sighed. "Come on, can you stand?"

It took a while for Fledge to get Asher to stand. The young duck's motor control was shot. He finally got him to his bed. Pulling the covers over him, Fledge scratched his head, unsure of what to do. Then he went downstairs.

The adults looked up at him entering. "He's…sick."

Drebeer narrowed his eyes at the lie. Fledge looked away from him, knowing the duck knew he was lying.

"Again?" Tanya pushed back from her chair. "I'll go see him."

"He's sleeping." Fledge said quickly. He felt sick. Damn you Asher. Damn you. Fledge looked at Duke guiltily. Then he heard himself say it.

"He overdosed."