The Funeral [Open]

Alex stood, in the tux he had borrow from Nick, just waiting. His right hand was holding onto one belonging to a small boy. Joseph. His brother. They hadn't seen each other for at least three years and little Joe was now seven years old. Both boy stood, silently, patiently, but together. They had stepped out of the cold, bare church just moments before and now stood in a clearing in the forest, waiting for the coffin to arrive. Alex bit back tears as the wooden box appeared around the corner.

His mother gave him one last smile as she lay back on her bed, "Tell my sons, that I love them dearly," she had said as her eye fluttered shut for the last time. "I will," Alex whispered letting her hand fall to her side and placing a kiss on her forehead. "I love you too mum," he said quietly, stepping back to allow the doctors to sort everything out.

From then on he had walked aimlessly around, skipping school, avoiding Nick, Jace, Destin, everyone. He couldn't deal with then until it was over. Alex had lived like a rat until one day his phone ran telling him that the funeral would be that afternoon. And that there would be a surprise for him.

The moment he had arrived a bouncy little boy had run up and hugged him, followed by a very smiley woman. "You have one year, and then you can take him," she had said indicating to the little boy. His brother. Alex had immediately tried to find an excuse not to take the boy, but those eye wouldn't let him. So he had given in and the boy had, from that moment, stuck to him like glue.

The coffin was plain, nothing fancy, just wooden with a small engraving on the top. Slowly it was lowered into the ground and the hand Alex was holding began to shake. Sighing he picked up Joe and held him in a tight hug, much like a mother. His mother. "It's okay," he whispered, "I'm here." But for how long for?

Alex bit his lip as he looked around, there were only close family and friends, but it was out in the open so anyone could join. He hoped no one saw him, he was scared he was going to break down too, but he couldn't. Not in front of Joe.

Kkaylei walked through the forest - invisible - she preferred it that way. Eventually she made it to a clearing and immediatly saw Alex with his arms aound a small boy, what were they doing? She bit her tongue and stepped a little closer. Suddenly she gasped as she saw the priest and then the hole in the ground. Suddenly a wave of sorrow covered her and she sat down - still invisible - to pay her respects to Alex and his family. Well, what was left.

Alex sighed and held onto the little boy closer. He needed comforting, badly. But who could he turn to? Destin and Sephy were too wrapped up in themselves, Nick and Jace were, no doubt, with other people as was Kaylei probably. His little brother looked at him sadly, but Alex would have to put on a brave face. Just for him. Just like he always did.

"I did wonder why you'd stolen one of my suits," Nick whispered, dressed up also, as he wandered over, a solemn expression on his pale face. Of course he'd known about the funeral. The little boy in Alex's arms surprised him a little, though. He smirked at the little one, who did look very much like a small version of Alex, practically identical in every way except for height, and the experience that set the older boy's expression. The younger one was chubbier, too - puppy fat - but Nick suspected that Alex had looked exactly the same. He prodded the mini-Alex on the nose, frowning slightly. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" he said, thinking that keeping Alex's mind away from the tragedy of his mother's death would in some way calm him down, or cheer him up. Either would be a success.

"Nick," Alex whispered, stunned that the boy had turned up, "Of course...umm...Joe, this is Nick. He's a friend of mine. Nick, this is Joe. My brother." Alex looked up at the other boy as his brother stuck out his tongue quite rudely at Nick. "Joe!" Alex said sternly, catching his brother's antics. "Sorry," the little boy mumbled hugging in closer to his big brother. Sighing Alex turned back as the ceremony ended. A single tear rolled down his cheek but was gone before Joe even noticed.

A small blackbird flew through the air, singing quite meerily to itself. It swooped down and landed on the headstone for Alex's mother and chirped quietly, looking at Alex. It cocked it's head to the side and hopped along the headstone, peering over the edge and reading the words upsidedown. 'Oh dear,' he thought, looking back up to Alex. It chirped again and flew up into the air, before flying right past Alex's ear, it's wing just clipping the edge of it. It landed in a tree nearby, sitting on the branch, observing the proceedings. Nick was there so for the time being he was happy to sit back and watch.

Alex ducked as the bird flew right past him. Joe slipping to the floor quite gracefully. His brother stood frowning at his big brother for the interruption. Alex turned and frowned at the blackbird that was not sitting in the tree. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets as Joe hung onto his leg with his thumb in his mouth. Alex bit his lip and brushed away another tear.

Jace, Nick thought, instantly knowing who it was. He growled inside - why did things get ruined? Nick was meant to be the one having affairs in this relationship, but now it seemed that Alex was getting around quite happily by himself; that new boy, Josh, Jace, as always, and Nick had a suspicion there was another man too. He must be really repulsive, if even the person who apparently loved him was so desperate for other people. Why couldn't Nick get anyone? He bit his lip and looked down at Joe. He must have been scarily tall to the little boy, so he crouched down to about the same height and smiled at him kindly. "Is he coming to live with us?" he asked Alex, not sure whether the prospect of having a child in the flat was good or bad.

Alex stopped looking at the grave for a moment as Nick crouched down to Joe's level, the boy moved closer to his brother slightly as Alex ran a hand through his soft hair, "Next year maybe. I'm not old enough to look after him yet, she told me so," he mumbled pointing to a woman all in black talking to a reasonably older man. Joe looked at them both sadly, "But I wanna live with oo!" he mumbled into Alex's trousers as he cling onto his big brother more intently than before. Alex sighed and picked up his brother and held him on his hip, he needed to stop playing mummy, it was getting hard already.

"Well, I am," Nick shrugged, stunned that he was willing to offer. Having a child in the house would be...strange, to say the least. He straightened up and glanced over at the woman in black. Surely he would be able to sweet-talk her into letting them look after Joe for a week or something, then try for a little longer if it worked out. Maybe it would be a good thing. It would mean Nick wouldn't be able to drink so much, and they would both have to act more controlled, and Alex wouldn't be able to run off with other people whenever he wanted if he had to look after Joe. "If you want to try, I'll help."

"Really?" Alex turned to Nick, stunned. Alex lowered his head, "I dunno, you've done so much for me already, I can't ask you to do this too. It's too much. I'm sure you'll be fine for another year, won't you Joe?" he asked his little brother who shook his head quite violently and made grabby hands towards Nick, "I wanna stay," he complained throwing a mini tantrum and finally being dropped gently to the floor where he immediately went and stood by Nick.

[Grabby hands!]

Nick smirked and ran his fingers through the little boy's hair. "I'm sure, if you want to, then we'll try. If you don't want to," he added darkly. "Then we'll forget I ever mentioned it." He smiled paternally down at Joe, who was very cute and charismatic already, even though he was only seven. Nick could bring him up properly. They'd have a little family. He'd be a better father figure than his dad ever was. He found himself getting quite sentimental about the idea; he never knew he wanted a family so much. He thought it would just get in the way, but now... Well, anything to keep them all together.

"Thank you, that means a lot," Alex said, he wanted to kiss Nick there and then, but as Joe didn't know about them, he might find it a little odd. Instead he smiled, knowing that turning themselves into one family was the most incredible way of Nick telling him they he wanted them to stay together. Hopefully for a very long time. "Well, we better go and ask," Alex said, as he took Joe's hand who, in turn, took Nick's.

Nick shook his head, putting his hand on Alex's arm. "No; I'll handle this," he announced, smiling at them both reassuringly, and whispering as quietly as possible as he passed Alex, "I think there are a few things you ought to explain first..." He approached the woman with an amiable, charming smile on his face - the one he always used for grown-ups - and began chatting to her about the boys. She talked back quite happily, and within minutes was agreeing to allowing them a trial period with Joe - around a fortnight, Nick had suggested, with a grim smile at the memory of the last time he'd considered that length of time. Joe would need to go back to the orphanage to fetch some of his things, but they could, if they wanted, take him home that very evening. Nick filled in a form on her clipboard with his phone number and home address, thanked her greatly, and turned back to Alex with two secret thumbs up and a delighted grin at Joe. "Piece of cake," he said as he returned to them.

Joe ran up and hugged Nick tightly around his waist - well he could only reach that hight. "Thank you," Alex smiled walking forward and kissing Nick lightly on the cheek. Joe hadn't appeared to noticed as his eyes were closed as he squeezed Nick as his was of saying thank you. Alex stepped back and just watched them, friends already he though then chuckling as Joe made more grabby hands for Nick to pick him up. Biting his lip Alex looked at Nick nervously, "Explain what?" he asked, his voice just as quiet as Nick's had been.

"You know what I mean," he whispered again as he smiled at Joe and picked him up, holding him on his hip just like Alex had done. "Now," he declared in a louder voice. "We've got to take this one back to the orphanage so he can get his things, but then we've got him for a whole fortnight of fun. But not just fun. Fun and parenting. Then we can say whether we like him or whether we want to swap him for a different model," he teased, squeezing Joe tightly to show he was only joking. Of course they wouldn't want to take him back. They'd do everything in their power to keep him with them. Brothers should be together, after all.

"I'll tell him when we get home," Alex muttered under his breath as they began to walk away from his mothers grave. It's what she would have wanted, he knew it. But did she really want Alex for a son? The one that messed up all the time, the one that sleeps around just for kicks. He doubted that very much. He took Nick's free hand as Joe dropped down and took the other, "I love you," the little boy sang quite happily at both the older boys.

Nick laughed at how much like his older brother Joe sounded when he said that. "Yeah, and you'll love me even more when you see how much ice cream there is in the freezer," he replied, smiling, as they walked away from the grave. At least there was something good to come out of such a sad event. He sighed as they approached his shiny black sports car - convertible, of course - and opened the door to let Alex in. Only two seats. What a great start to their parenting life; speeding down the highway with a seven-year-old on his brother's lap. Brilliant. It'd have to do, though. Nick got in the other side and slipped on the pair of mirrored aviators he always wore while driving, mostly to make himself laugh, then turned the key and revved up the engine.

Joe rested his head against Alex's chest as Nick drove to the orphanage, they both sat in silence, Alex because he was drained from the funeral and now the prospect of having to look after his brother and Joe, because, he was just tired. As they pulled into the orphanage Joe got out of the car and sprinted up to his room to pack some things, leaving Alex and Nick to sit and wait in the car. They had asked if the little boy wanted help but he said no, and that he didn't want them, to mess up his things. Alex bit his lip, "You don't have to do this you know. He can be quite a handful. We won't be able to keep all that alcohol in the fridge, nothing until he's out of the house." He said to Nick, hoping the other boy knew what he was getting himself in to.

Nick nodded. "I know," he said. "But I think it would be good for both of us, don't you? We'd have to set an example," he added suggestively, referring back to their argument the other night. Alex wouldn't be able to do any of that if Joe was around to ask awkward questions. And as for alcohol, well, Joe was short; they'd just have to keep it in higher cupboards. Doing 'anything' was fine; Joe would sleep in the spare room, Alex and Nick would have the master bedroom. Joe would be asleep. All it would mean was that they would have to stay on the bed and not have any more...shower escapades, or anything like that. Simple.

Alex smiled gently and leant over and kisses Nick gently on the lips, "I love you," he murmured pulling away, "Don't ever think otherwise." A few minutes later Joe had a box of his favourite toys in his arms and a friends carrying a suitcase of his clothes. Alex smiled and got out of the car to help Joe with his things. These two weeks would probably go a lot shorter than the last. But never mind, as Joe said goodbye to his friends he jumped back onto Alex's lap as they headed home.

Nick couldn't help but smile at Joe's friends, who gasped and gaped at his car. Joe must have been quite the hero, being carried off in a sports car by two older boys in suits. How cool did they look as Nick pulled away from the orphanage, and out onto the open road back to town? He began to wonder, did Joe have a super-power? Would he go to Sky High in a few years? Would he end up more like Alex or more like Nick, or not like either of them? Maybe he'd be more like Alex's friend...what was he called...Destin. Who knew?

Joe had just finished telling both Nick and Alex about all his friends when Nick pulled up into his parking space in the lot by the apartment. Joe bounded out to collect his things as Alex quickly followed. Joe took ahold of his black rounded suitcase and stood waiting for the boy's to join him. Alex took the box of toys and took Joe into the lift, closely followed by Nick. Joe, unfortunately, couldn't quite reach the button they wanted. So Alex pressed it for him. When they reached the top floor Joe ran out, stopping dead in his tracks as he had the same reaction Alex did when he first arrived.

"You like it, then?" Nick asked, grinning again at how similar the two boys were. "Ice cream all round, I think," he suggested, depositing Joe's toys on the kitchen counter and opening the freezer. He rummaged through until he found what he was after - cookie dough - then began to serve it up in three bowls. He dished up the whole tub, and the bowls were practically spilling over with ice cream. "Try not to get any on my suit," he warned Alex happily, not really caring either way. Dry cleaning wasn't expensive.

Alex shrugged off the jacket he was wearing and hung it neatly on a hanger he found on the back of the bedroom door. When he returned he saw Joe, licking the bowl clean with ice cream all around his mouth. Rolling hie eyes Alex took a damp clean cloth and wiped his little brother clean, taking the bowl away incase it got broken. "Moremoremore!" Joe grinned as he bounced up an down on the couch - the ice cream giving him far too much energy, in Alex's opinion. Joe jumped up and pulled two 'Transformers' toys from his box and handed one to Nick. "You can be Megatron and I'll be Galvatron and we have to save the planet Cybertron from destruction, okay?" he said excitedly thrusting the blue toy into Nick's hand as he then ran off with the red one, making it fly through the sky with added sound effects.