"this whole house is a lie."
Who: Lock and Donna, guest starring 8 year old Jamie and Niles!
What: Donna's pregnant... again. (also guest starring fetuses Sky and Dominic?)
Where: The Duplex (aka the house Jamie and Niles grew up in)
When: 1985. (Written over the past month or so.)
Rating: Some language, but nothing bad.
"Lock," Donna leaned against the threshold that connected the small kitchen to the small living room. She folded her arms under her chest; her jacket hung off of her one shoulder. The whole duplex that the lived in was small and slanted to the left, but it was home. It was too close to the projects for comfort, but far enough away that it was still possible to sleep easy at night. Donna swallowed the next words as they came in a slightly wavering voice, "I need to talk to you."
Lock was seated on the couch in the middle of the living room, one arm stretched out along the length of it. His head of long, poker straight, jet-black hair could be seen from where Donna was standing, as well as the glow of the television set. "No, Donna, you do not. The television is already talking." His head turned to the one sitting on the couch next to him, blocked from Donna's view. "Isn't that right, James?"
The small boy was seated up straight on the couch next to his father, both legs folded "indian style" underneath himself. Straight, dirty blond hair fell into his terribly light gray eyes. It was a wonder he could see the TV through it at all. He nodded once, firmly, though his mother couldn't see it.. "T.V. Shhhh..." His voice was quiet, a bit timid -- he just told mom to shush, after all.
"Jamie, baby, you can keep watching T.V.," Donna answered softly. "I just got to talk with Daddy in the other room for a minute."
Lock barely raised his hand from the back of the couch, motioning for her to shoo. Donna instantly pushed off of the threshold and started crossing the small living room, grabbing a tight hold on that motioning hand. Too tight.
"Please," the word came through grit teeth, but it was still pleading.
Lock's face turned around, pale silver eyes were wide down on her hand that was holding his. "Un-HAND me, woman!"
Donna's words rushed, "You just have to understand me that I wouldn't ta--interrupt you if it wasn't important. So--"
Lock's face was quickly turning from shock to repulsion; he couldn't tear his eyes away from her hand on his. "I won't hear a word of what you have to say until you un-hand me, you sick, sick cun--"
"Lock!" Donna squeezed tighter on his hand.
Lock leaned over the couch somewhat, raising his free hand as if he was threatening a back-hand.
"HEY!" Even as Jamie shouted above his parents, he didn't once look away from the glow of the TV. "The television is talking," he tried to make his voice firm. "Shhh..."
"James, I'd love to, but MOTHER wants to 'talk'!" He made the air-quotes with his free hand -- the one that had just been in the position to backhand her. Lock shook his head slowly while quickly yanking his arm closer to himself, pulling Donna in towards him because of the tight hold she had on his hand. His voice lowered to a considerable whisper. Pale silvers finally lifted to her. "Look, I understand. I'm irresistible. But I'm just not into you because you are a tasteless whore and I happen to enjoy tasteful whores, dear. And while I'm almost flattered--"
"Shut the fuck up," Donna interrupted in a whisper, "listen to me for five minutes and get over yourself. The only way I would ever come onto you is if I was sixteen, drunk and desperate to brag to my friends about being with an old man."
"Old!?" There went the whispering. "I may be a bit up in my years, but I do not look old!"
"I can see at least three, four--six! Six gray hairs from here!"
Lock forcibly through her hand back, which actually sent Donna stumbling back from the couch a few paces. "LIAR!"
"TELEVISION! SHHH!" Jamie's eyes shut for a brief moment as he yelled, before reopening and trying desperately to focus on the TV set. It was the only one in the house, after all.
"You colorblind, daft, colorblind who--man. Woman. WOMAN!" Lock stood up on the couch cushions, then, jostling Jamie's position around a bit. Lock spun fully around to narrow pale silvers to slits at Donna. "If I wasn't such a gentleman I would--"
"You would, what? I dare you to say it," her green eyes narrowed and she began to close the space between them again. "Go ahead."
Jamie's hands balled into fists and his eyes shut tighter. "TELEVISION!"
"Yoooooooooooo!" A voice started at the back-door, far off, and came closer with each passing second. A young boy identical to Jamie came running over the kitchen threshold. Except his dirty blonde hair was colored with streaks of neon pink, neon orange and neon blue. Highlighters. He stopped in the doorway and flipped his hair out of his terribly light blue eyes. "Check it out," Niles shouted, "look at it! Isn't it rad?!"
"SHHHH!!!!!!" Jamie's legs unfolded and he forcibly kicked them down on the couch, trying to emphasize the importance of the television.
"And now you're threatening me? With your crow's eyes and mustache?" Lock talked over both of his sons and began to climb over the back of the couch.
"I don't have a mustache!" Donna was now screaming up into Lock's face.
Lock threw both of his arms out exasperatedly. "I SAW YOU PLUCKING IT!"
Niles shook his head at his parents. He just had to try harder to get there attention. He went running full speed at the couch to jump over it, tripping up a bit and landing partially on Jamie in the process. Jamie pushed him roughly to the other side of the couch, but Niles just jumped up on the cushions. That always got to them. Time and again, he jumped down on the couch cushions, pointing at his hair. "Look! Look! Look! Look!"
"SHHHH! Stop it!" Jamie swatted and grabbed at Niles' ankles, tripping him up from time to time.
"Look! Look! Ow! Look! Look! OW! STOPIT, JAMIE, YOU MADE ME HIT MY CHIN! LOOK! LOOK!"
"Are you really this insane? It's--Ugh," Donna looked away and shook her head slowly, in disgust.
"Speechless?" A smile started to pull up onto Lock's face. Smug and victorious.
Niles took a deep breath and cupped both of his small hands around his mouth, "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!"
Lock and Donna both stopped talking and looked over at their younger son in unison. Donna canted her head a bit, trying to look gently displeased. "...Nilesy, baby, what to did you do to your hair?"
"I dyed it!" Niles beamed and ran a hand back through it -- blue, pink and orange leaked onto his fingers.
Donna remained gentle,"But it's pink, baby."
One brow arched very high above the other and Lock's voice came matter-of-factly. "It looks faggish, Niles."
Niles frowned. "YOU look faggish, dad!"
Lock frowned and pointed towards the twin's shared bedroom. "NILES! GO TO YOUR ROOM AND THINK ABOUT INTOLERANCE!"
Niles stared blankly at his father, brows furrowed together. "...Huh?"
"NOW!" Lock retracted his hand and pointed again for emphasis.
Niles stared for another long moment before shaking his head and storming off towards his bedroom, muttering underneath his breath.
Jamie held his breath, shut his eyes and counted to three, before shouting at a volume that rivaled his twins. "SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME WATCH THE DAMN TELEVISION!"
The sound of a door slamming meant Niles made it into his room.
"JAMES!" Lock's eyes went wide on his older son; even Donna blinked in surprise. Lock pointed once again towards the twin's shared bedroom. "LANGUAGE! ROOM!"
"What." Jamie groaned, getting up from the couch. Before he got to the doorway, he turned around to face his parents, namely, Donna. "But, muuuuuuuuuum," Jamie started...
"..No... Jamie, baby... you really shouldn't talk like that... And we just need to talk for a few minutes. Just go play with Niles for a little bit."
Jamie frowned then turned to head off into his room.
When the door slammed for the second time and Donna knew Jamie was well-out of ear shot, she turned to Lock and started talking quickly. "Listen, I gotta big problem and I'm really gonna need a little bit of fucking cooperation out of you if you---"
"Why do you suddenly think I give a flying fuck about your problems?" Lock laughed, shaking his head, before it dyed off and his smile was wiped flat off of his face. "...You didn't suddenly realize you're in love with me, have you?"
"Fuck no."
"Oh, thank god," the smile crept back onto Lock's face. "Well, this certainly was an enlightening conversation. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go away from you now. Maybe teach that damn son of yours something about tolerance against minorities..."
"Lock," Donna started as he began to turn away, "I'm pregnant."
Lock stopped, then slowly turned around to face her, eyes wide. "......You raped me?"
"No, you fucking idiot!" Donna choked and then caught herself, clearing her throat. Her voice still wavered, but at least she controlled it's volume. "It's this nice guy I know. Been fuckin' around with him for awhile. His name's Dominic. And he's a good guy and he'll make a good dad..."
"...And...? I still don't see how this involves me," Lock arched a brow slowly.
"...How the hell am I gonna tell Niles and Jamie that they're gonna have a new brother or sister that isn't daddy's? How do I explain that to them, huh?"
"Simple. You say, 'Niles, James, I'm terribly sorry that I'm such a whore and cheated on your father. Since he's filing for divorce, I'm going to go and live with my new family and you two both get to stay with your beloved daddy.' Quite simple, really. The truth is usually the best way to go," Lock nodded a bit.
"No!" Her green eyes filmed over and she shook her head quickly. Her dirty blonde hair that was bound by a bun bounced from side to side. "I can't lose them, Lock. They mean everything to me..."
He pointed to his chest with his thumb. "But they mean everything to me!" Lock shook his head a bit, "You'll have a new kid. You can just let me have mine."
"That's as retarded as saying that one of us takes Jamie and the other takes Niles. Would you be okay with just being with one of your sons?" Her tears started to spill over. This was exactly what she feared Lock would say and want to do.
"...You could always get it removed, if you haven't told the guy, yet." Lock could never admit anyone was right, especially Donna.
"You really think that's something I would do? If so, I wouldn't be standing here having this conversation with you, of all people."
"Point taken," Lock's eyes lowered to the floor.
"...I already spend alot of time with Dominic. I..." She started. Donna had rehearsed this part. "I can live here and there. I'm there some nights, I'm here some nights. I'll just tell Dominic I'm working two jobs. That way I can still be here. Dominic makes plenty of money. I'll still give my full check here..."
"...I thought you were getting fat," pale silvers raised to her. He sighed, "I still don't see where I fit into this..."
"Don't tell the boys. Just tell them I'm at work. And I'll have to go away in a month or so, when I really start showing... They're young, but they aren't stupid. They know what a pregnant woman looks like."
"So you want me to lie and keep secrets from them? Why would I do this?" Pale silvers shot to her like arrows. "Especially for you, of all people?"
Feeling the weight of his eyes, she lowered her own to the floor. "...You think they would handle knowing that they're own daddy is a blood-sucking murderous freak?" Greens relifted to Lock. "We both keep secrets, we both lie. This whole house is a lie."
Lock arched a brow; his face was a mixture of bemused, confused and surprise. "Black-mail?"
"If you want to call it that."
Lock smirked darkly. "Touche'. ...I'd rather they didn't know about whatever spews out of your cunt, anyway. Without my genes to redeem them, I... well, I feel sorry for your child."
"Fu--" Donna caught herself. Right now, she was in Lock's debt. And he just as easily had the power to switch things in his favor. They were both well aware of this. "Fine. So, I'll say I have a business..."
"I'll tell them you went to Hades. Err, Haiti. You can leave now, actually. The sooner the better." Lock paused for a moment and that dark smirk began to lengthen into a grin. "This will be the best nine months of my life."
"Six months..."
"Start packing."
What: Donna's pregnant... again. (also guest starring fetuses Sky and Dominic?)
Where: The Duplex (aka the house Jamie and Niles grew up in)
When: 1985. (Written over the past month or so.)
Rating: Some language, but nothing bad.
"Lock," Donna leaned against the threshold that connected the small kitchen to the small living room. She folded her arms under her chest; her jacket hung off of her one shoulder. The whole duplex that the lived in was small and slanted to the left, but it was home. It was too close to the projects for comfort, but far enough away that it was still possible to sleep easy at night. Donna swallowed the next words as they came in a slightly wavering voice, "I need to talk to you."
Lock was seated on the couch in the middle of the living room, one arm stretched out along the length of it. His head of long, poker straight, jet-black hair could be seen from where Donna was standing, as well as the glow of the television set. "No, Donna, you do not. The television is already talking." His head turned to the one sitting on the couch next to him, blocked from Donna's view. "Isn't that right, James?"
The small boy was seated up straight on the couch next to his father, both legs folded "indian style" underneath himself. Straight, dirty blond hair fell into his terribly light gray eyes. It was a wonder he could see the TV through it at all. He nodded once, firmly, though his mother couldn't see it.. "T.V. Shhhh..." His voice was quiet, a bit timid -- he just told mom to shush, after all.
"Jamie, baby, you can keep watching T.V.," Donna answered softly. "I just got to talk with Daddy in the other room for a minute."
Lock barely raised his hand from the back of the couch, motioning for her to shoo. Donna instantly pushed off of the threshold and started crossing the small living room, grabbing a tight hold on that motioning hand. Too tight.
"Please," the word came through grit teeth, but it was still pleading.
Lock's face turned around, pale silver eyes were wide down on her hand that was holding his. "Un-HAND me, woman!"
Donna's words rushed, "You just have to understand me that I wouldn't ta--interrupt you if it wasn't important. So--"
Lock's face was quickly turning from shock to repulsion; he couldn't tear his eyes away from her hand on his. "I won't hear a word of what you have to say until you un-hand me, you sick, sick cun--"
"Lock!" Donna squeezed tighter on his hand.
Lock leaned over the couch somewhat, raising his free hand as if he was threatening a back-hand.
"HEY!" Even as Jamie shouted above his parents, he didn't once look away from the glow of the TV. "The television is talking," he tried to make his voice firm. "Shhh..."
"James, I'd love to, but MOTHER wants to 'talk'!" He made the air-quotes with his free hand -- the one that had just been in the position to backhand her. Lock shook his head slowly while quickly yanking his arm closer to himself, pulling Donna in towards him because of the tight hold she had on his hand. His voice lowered to a considerable whisper. Pale silvers finally lifted to her. "Look, I understand. I'm irresistible. But I'm just not into you because you are a tasteless whore and I happen to enjoy tasteful whores, dear. And while I'm almost flattered--"
"Shut the fuck up," Donna interrupted in a whisper, "listen to me for five minutes and get over yourself. The only way I would ever come onto you is if I was sixteen, drunk and desperate to brag to my friends about being with an old man."
"Old!?" There went the whispering. "I may be a bit up in my years, but I do not look old!"
"I can see at least three, four--six! Six gray hairs from here!"
Lock forcibly through her hand back, which actually sent Donna stumbling back from the couch a few paces. "LIAR!"
"TELEVISION! SHHH!" Jamie's eyes shut for a brief moment as he yelled, before reopening and trying desperately to focus on the TV set. It was the only one in the house, after all.
"You colorblind, daft, colorblind who--man. Woman. WOMAN!" Lock stood up on the couch cushions, then, jostling Jamie's position around a bit. Lock spun fully around to narrow pale silvers to slits at Donna. "If I wasn't such a gentleman I would--"
"You would, what? I dare you to say it," her green eyes narrowed and she began to close the space between them again. "Go ahead."
Jamie's hands balled into fists and his eyes shut tighter. "TELEVISION!"
"Yoooooooooooo!" A voice started at the back-door, far off, and came closer with each passing second. A young boy identical to Jamie came running over the kitchen threshold. Except his dirty blonde hair was colored with streaks of neon pink, neon orange and neon blue. Highlighters. He stopped in the doorway and flipped his hair out of his terribly light blue eyes. "Check it out," Niles shouted, "look at it! Isn't it rad?!"
"SHHHH!!!!!!" Jamie's legs unfolded and he forcibly kicked them down on the couch, trying to emphasize the importance of the television.
"And now you're threatening me? With your crow's eyes and mustache?" Lock talked over both of his sons and began to climb over the back of the couch.
"I don't have a mustache!" Donna was now screaming up into Lock's face.
Lock threw both of his arms out exasperatedly. "I SAW YOU PLUCKING IT!"
Niles shook his head at his parents. He just had to try harder to get there attention. He went running full speed at the couch to jump over it, tripping up a bit and landing partially on Jamie in the process. Jamie pushed him roughly to the other side of the couch, but Niles just jumped up on the cushions. That always got to them. Time and again, he jumped down on the couch cushions, pointing at his hair. "Look! Look! Look! Look!"
"SHHHH! Stop it!" Jamie swatted and grabbed at Niles' ankles, tripping him up from time to time.
"Look! Look! Ow! Look! Look! OW! STOPIT, JAMIE, YOU MADE ME HIT MY CHIN! LOOK! LOOK!"
"Are you really this insane? It's--Ugh," Donna looked away and shook her head slowly, in disgust.
"Speechless?" A smile started to pull up onto Lock's face. Smug and victorious.
Niles took a deep breath and cupped both of his small hands around his mouth, "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!"
Lock and Donna both stopped talking and looked over at their younger son in unison. Donna canted her head a bit, trying to look gently displeased. "...Nilesy, baby, what to did you do to your hair?"
"I dyed it!" Niles beamed and ran a hand back through it -- blue, pink and orange leaked onto his fingers.
Donna remained gentle,"But it's pink, baby."
One brow arched very high above the other and Lock's voice came matter-of-factly. "It looks faggish, Niles."
Niles frowned. "YOU look faggish, dad!"
Lock frowned and pointed towards the twin's shared bedroom. "NILES! GO TO YOUR ROOM AND THINK ABOUT INTOLERANCE!"
Niles stared blankly at his father, brows furrowed together. "...Huh?"
"NOW!" Lock retracted his hand and pointed again for emphasis.
Niles stared for another long moment before shaking his head and storming off towards his bedroom, muttering underneath his breath.
Jamie held his breath, shut his eyes and counted to three, before shouting at a volume that rivaled his twins. "SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME WATCH THE DAMN TELEVISION!"
The sound of a door slamming meant Niles made it into his room.
"JAMES!" Lock's eyes went wide on his older son; even Donna blinked in surprise. Lock pointed once again towards the twin's shared bedroom. "LANGUAGE! ROOM!"
"What." Jamie groaned, getting up from the couch. Before he got to the doorway, he turned around to face his parents, namely, Donna. "But, muuuuuuuuuum," Jamie started...
"..No... Jamie, baby... you really shouldn't talk like that... And we just need to talk for a few minutes. Just go play with Niles for a little bit."
Jamie frowned then turned to head off into his room.
When the door slammed for the second time and Donna knew Jamie was well-out of ear shot, she turned to Lock and started talking quickly. "Listen, I gotta big problem and I'm really gonna need a little bit of fucking cooperation out of you if you---"
"Why do you suddenly think I give a flying fuck about your problems?" Lock laughed, shaking his head, before it dyed off and his smile was wiped flat off of his face. "...You didn't suddenly realize you're in love with me, have you?"
"Fuck no."
"Oh, thank god," the smile crept back onto Lock's face. "Well, this certainly was an enlightening conversation. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go away from you now. Maybe teach that damn son of yours something about tolerance against minorities..."
"Lock," Donna started as he began to turn away, "I'm pregnant."
Lock stopped, then slowly turned around to face her, eyes wide. "......You raped me?"
"No, you fucking idiot!" Donna choked and then caught herself, clearing her throat. Her voice still wavered, but at least she controlled it's volume. "It's this nice guy I know. Been fuckin' around with him for awhile. His name's Dominic. And he's a good guy and he'll make a good dad..."
"...And...? I still don't see how this involves me," Lock arched a brow slowly.
"...How the hell am I gonna tell Niles and Jamie that they're gonna have a new brother or sister that isn't daddy's? How do I explain that to them, huh?"
"Simple. You say, 'Niles, James, I'm terribly sorry that I'm such a whore and cheated on your father. Since he's filing for divorce, I'm going to go and live with my new family and you two both get to stay with your beloved daddy.' Quite simple, really. The truth is usually the best way to go," Lock nodded a bit.
"No!" Her green eyes filmed over and she shook her head quickly. Her dirty blonde hair that was bound by a bun bounced from side to side. "I can't lose them, Lock. They mean everything to me..."
He pointed to his chest with his thumb. "But they mean everything to me!" Lock shook his head a bit, "You'll have a new kid. You can just let me have mine."
"That's as retarded as saying that one of us takes Jamie and the other takes Niles. Would you be okay with just being with one of your sons?" Her tears started to spill over. This was exactly what she feared Lock would say and want to do.
"...You could always get it removed, if you haven't told the guy, yet." Lock could never admit anyone was right, especially Donna.
"You really think that's something I would do? If so, I wouldn't be standing here having this conversation with you, of all people."
"Point taken," Lock's eyes lowered to the floor.
"...I already spend alot of time with Dominic. I..." She started. Donna had rehearsed this part. "I can live here and there. I'm there some nights, I'm here some nights. I'll just tell Dominic I'm working two jobs. That way I can still be here. Dominic makes plenty of money. I'll still give my full check here..."
"...I thought you were getting fat," pale silvers raised to her. He sighed, "I still don't see where I fit into this..."
"Don't tell the boys. Just tell them I'm at work. And I'll have to go away in a month or so, when I really start showing... They're young, but they aren't stupid. They know what a pregnant woman looks like."
"So you want me to lie and keep secrets from them? Why would I do this?" Pale silvers shot to her like arrows. "Especially for you, of all people?"
Feeling the weight of his eyes, she lowered her own to the floor. "...You think they would handle knowing that they're own daddy is a blood-sucking murderous freak?" Greens relifted to Lock. "We both keep secrets, we both lie. This whole house is a lie."
Lock arched a brow; his face was a mixture of bemused, confused and surprise. "Black-mail?"
"If you want to call it that."
Lock smirked darkly. "Touche'. ...I'd rather they didn't know about whatever spews out of your cunt, anyway. Without my genes to redeem them, I... well, I feel sorry for your child."
"Fu--" Donna caught herself. Right now, she was in Lock's debt. And he just as easily had the power to switch things in his favor. They were both well aware of this. "Fine. So, I'll say I have a business..."
"I'll tell them you went to Hades. Err, Haiti. You can leave now, actually. The sooner the better." Lock paused for a moment and that dark smirk began to lengthen into a grin. "This will be the best nine months of my life."
"Six months..."
"Start packing."