Growing Up Is Overrated Chapter 23

[patchy4vam]

Title: Growing Up Is Overrated
Author: Craig (patchy4vam)
Rating: Mild
Pairing: Vam
Summary: Ville's family died in a devastating car crash, and he's been sent to live with the only family he has apparently got left. His first shock comes when he's told they live in America. His second shock is when he finds out that his two cousins are his age, one of whom is openly homosexual. The other however, Ville comes to think is insane. He is due to attend their high school, where he will meet some rather... unusual... friends. Ville's life is about to change, a lot. Especially when he meets a skater boy with cerulean eyes...

Prologue And Chapters 1-10
Chapters 11-20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22

Chapter 23: Murder or Me?

Lionel froze. He could feel the cool metal against his throat and knew Carter wasn't fooling around. This boy really was going to kill him. But why? Why would he commit such an act of violence to protect his son?

"Why?" He choked out. Carter's grip tightened on the handle of the knife. "Why would you do this for him?"

"Because I love him." Deciding that enough was enough, he began to slide the knife across Lionel's throat. Brandy shakily got to his feet.

"Carter stop." The knife paused. Blood dripped from the small cut he had already made. Brandy hissed as a bolt of pain shot through him. "Don't kill him."

"Why not?" Carter asked in a tone that made Brandy's blood run cold. This was a side of Carter he did not like seeing.

"Because if you do, you can say goodbye to me." Brandy sighed. "You kill my dad, and I'll walk right out of your life. It's murder or me, Carter. Make your choice." It only took Carter a second to realize that Brandy was being serious. There was a coldness in Brandy's eyes that he had never seen before, and he never wanted to see it again.

"But…"

"No buts, Carter. I won't forgive you." Carter's eyes widened as he remembered a time when someone else had spoken those words.

"But, Alex, I didn't…"

"No buts, Carter. I won't forgive you."

Carter let go of the knife and it clattered to the floor. Lionel jumped away from Carter, but there hadn't been a need for it. Carter slumped to the floor and remained there. Brandy looked at his father, who was regarding Carter with fear. He sighed.

"Go cover up that cut, dad. I'll deal with this." Lionel turned to his son.

"Brandy, I…"

"I said I'll deal with this, dad." Brandy repeated firmly. Lionel nodded and left the room. Brandy closed the door and locked it, before walking over to where Carter was still slumped on the floor. He knelt down in front of him and lifted his head. "Carter, do you know why I told you to stop?" Carter said nothing. "I know you were protecting me, but I didn't want you to kill to protect me. If you'd killed my dad, you'd be taken away from me, and I don't want that. I'd miss you so much."

"I'm sorry Brandy, I just…" Carter shook his head. "Forget that. Brandy I want you to come and live with me."

"What?" To say Brandy was surprised was an understatement.

"Come and live with me, at my house. It doesn't have to be permanent; I just don't want you in the same house as your dad. I might not be there to protect you the next time he hurts you." Brandy smiled and threw his arms around Carter, pulling him close.

"This is the Carter I love." He met Carter's gaze. "I don't like that other Carter, the violent one. He scares me." Carter smiled.

"I know, I'm sorry. He just doesn't like it when his baby gets hurt." Brandy grinned and pressed his forehead to Carter's. "So how about it? Come live with me?" Brandy pondered for a moment, and then smiled again.

"Okay."

Craig and Bam looked up as a familiar greeting was called out, and Craig smiled when he saw Ville and Alex entering the skate park. Bam grinned at Craig and got up, running over to Ville. As the poor Fin was nearly tackled to the ground, Alex stepped around them and walked over to Craig.

"Is everything okay Alex?" Craig asked with a smile. Alex said nothing, but punched him hard in the face. Craig looked up at her, shocked and hurt, but then she sighed.

"Jeez Craig! Stop caring so much!" She sat down beside him. Despite everything, Craig smiled. He leant sideways and rested his head on her shoulder.

"I can't, Lexi. You're my baby sister." Alex couldn't help but grin. She shoved him off her.

"I'll show you baby sister!" Craig laughed as a wrestling match engaged between them. He missed this Alex. He couldn't help but notice that she had changed a little from before - she was now more like the Alex he had known before the incident with Jereth. They'd always had play fights like this together - granted she always won - and he missed them. Soon enough he was on his front with Alex on his back, pinning him down. "Baby sister 1, big brother 0."

"You can't really be proud of this win though Alex." Craig laughed. "I mean, I'm a wuss."

"Very true, dear brother. It's like fighting a girl." She clambered off him and he pushed himself up so he was resting on his elbows, and turned to grin at her. "This of course is no fun. Girls slap and pull hair." Craig grinned.

"I swear you should have been born a guy." Alex raised her eyebrows.

"Just like you should have been born a girl, Craig." She retorted. Craig shrugged.

"That'd be no fun. Jude wouldn't like me then." Alex rolled her eyes and spotted Jude walking over.

"I highly doubt that, Craig. That guy is besotted with you." She stood up. "Anyway, I'm gonna go steal Renner's board and shred some ramps." She walked over to Renner and swiftly stole the board from her hand. Laughing, Renner waved her away as she took off for the half pipe. Jude soon took Alex's place beside Craig.

"It's good to see you smiling again Craig." He said with a smile. Craig grinned and rolled over so he was directly beside Jude and leaned up to kiss him. "So when do you think Bam and Ville are going to announce their relationship? I think pretty much everyone knows now anyway."

"I don't know, Bam's all for it but Ville's still really unsure. He's kind of how I was when we started dating, you know, a bit shy about it and worried about how everyone was going to take it." Craig smiled. "I guess if he's still unsure in a few weeks, I'll talk to him about it. He needs to hear it from someone who's been there."

When school returned, there was no sign of Carter. Thus, Brandy was sulking. Things were looking up, however. Ville was getting no more problems from Gavin, and Alex was her usual self again.

"Brandy, don't you live with Carter now? Where is he?" Bam asked the blonde, who sighed.

"He said there was something he had to do before school, but he hasn't turned up. He better not have said that so he can go and do something stupid. I swear, if he-,"

"You swear what?" Brandy swung around to face Carter.

"Where have you been?" He hissed. Carter held up his hands in surrender and grinned.

"I went to see a therapist." He explained. Brandy blinked, confused.

"Why'd you do that?" He questioned. Carter smiled and tucked a strand of Brandy's hair behind his ear.

"You don't like it when I get violent, so I'm getting help for it." Brandy grinned.

"Really?" Carter nodded.

"I don't want to lose you because I can't control myself." He shrugged. "I have to see this guy twice a week for the moment, but he said he'll arrange appointments according to my progress. I could be seeing him once every fortnight if it goes well, and then hopefully I won't need to see him at all." Brandy hugged him.

"Thanks, Carter. That means a lot to me." He pulled back and frowned when Carter pulled out his cigarettes. "If I say I don't like you smoking will you quit?" Carter laughed and gave him a quick kiss.

"Not a chance babe. Not a chance." As he sparked up, Brandy sighed.

"Worth a shot." He murmured to the others, who laughed. Craig smiled and leant back into Jude. He was glad that things were back to normal.

He just hoped they'd stay that way.

Hope you liked it! Sorry it's short but a lot's been going on and I really haven't had much time to write! = )