The Lady of Darkness

The Three Stooges

"See you then, buddy." Jackie said, hugging Stevie around Mark.

"Bye, cousin." Stevie replied.

"Thanks for watching the kids, guys, it means a lot." Mark said.

"Save it, it's always a pleasure watching those three, they keep Jackie on the straight and narrow!" Aunt Joan laughed.

"Hey!" Jackie hollered.

Joan left laughing and Jackie waved as she left. Leaving Mark and Stevie alone. Stevie looked at her Dad and frowned.

"Why did you and Mom have to fight, again? It's like every time you and Mom go on a trip by yourselves these days, you always come back mad at each other." Stevie said.

Mark looked a little hurt when Stevie said this and he sighed.

"Stevie, you've heard of your grandpa Vince, right?" Mark asked.

"Yes, why? I know he did some bad things to you and Mom." Stevie replied.

"He tried to stop our marriage, baby girl, you know what that means?" Mark asked.

"No."

"It means he tried to keep us apart."

"That would have stunk."

"Yes it would have. More so for you, though. You might have not known me at all."

"What?! I wouldn't be able to live without my Dad!"

"You might not have cared about me, if you were raised without me."

"I would have too! Mom probably would have told me good things about you!"

"Yes, but you might have been an only child if your Mom didn't get married again."

"No Daryl or Lucy?"

"Not at all."

Stevie's poor little heart couldn't take anymore and she started crying a little bit.

"Don't let this fight mess you guys up, I know you love each other, but I wouldn't be able to live without you or Mom always there." Stevie choked out.

Mark hugged her and Stevie cried on her Dad's chest for a while. She calmed down after a bit and Mark looked at her.

"Better now?" he asked.

"Yeah." Stevie said, wiping her eyes.

"Good, you hungry? Because I am."

"When don't I want to eat?" Stevie asked.

"Ooh, good point." Mark commented, walking over to the cabinets.

"What'dda feel like Stevie? Pick something that isn't junk, please."

"This ain't even the junk cabinet anyway."

"Pick something, kid, I don't think you'd like it if I did."

"How about those peanuts? Or the trail mix."

"I don't think your Mom would kill us if we had the trail mix. Don't just pick out the M&M's."

"Meeeeee? Never! You must be thinking of Daryl."

"Wanna bet?"

Mark grabbed the bag of trail mix and sat down at the table, Stevie immediately grabbing some raisins, a peanut and of course, M&M's. A few minutes passed while they ate and Stevie looked at Mark and said:

"Dad, when I'm a teenager, will you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because teenagers behave terribly and do dumb stuff all the time."

"As long as you don't go getting knocked up, I'll be fine."

"'Knocked up'? What does that mean?"
"Don't repeat it, don't think about it, I'm not telling you until your older."

"Then why would you tell me at all?"

"..."

"Dad?"

"You have a point."

"Point! Stevie!"

Mark laughed and Stevie smiled widely.

"Dad, can we watch something?"

"I guess I can suffer a bit of cartoons."

"Dad! It's good programming! They're better than that boring stuff you and Mom watch!"

"My brain is too advanced for cartoons."

"You wish. Mr. I mixed up Daryl, Lucy and I."

"I was a little drunk, give me a break."

"Didn't you say drinking destroys one's mind?"

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"Yes! You have no excuse, buddy boy."

"Then I guess you are doin' better than me, kid."

"Does root beer count as drinkin', Dad?"

"Yes. It ruins your teeth and brain."

"Oh no! Then I'm not doing any better than you! I need to go wash out my mouth right now! I had a root beer for lunch!"

"Relax, you can brush your teeth for a minute instead of twenty seconds."

"Dad, a minute is forever!"

"You're the one who drank the root beer, and is eating an M&M."

"Eeek!"

Stevie chucked it onto the table and Mark finished it off. The finished their snack and they settled on the couch and watched Dora for a while, then switched to Backyardigans, Go Diego Go, and Wonder Pets. And the two siblings and Steph found them asleep a couple of hours later.

____________________________________________

Nothing can ruin my happiness, Stevie is too much.

...

Well! Time to write blood, gore and death!

...

Forget it.

I hope Debwood's head got put back together, the last time I updated I ended up with a bowl of candied brains. xD

Stevie 2001.

Daryl 2004.

Lucy 2008.

Also, "Lucy Harris" is a character in Jekyll and Hyde and "Veronica" is from Heathers the Musical. (Note, these musicals are advised for 14+.) And yes, Lucy was an accident I might write a chapter for, ;).

Editor's note.