Slash sighed heavily. It was going to be a long night. He could tell already. First he had gotten into an argument with Axl. Right in front of Slash Jr too.
"He callth me a terrible parent," Slash mumbled, "Yet he iff the one threaming at me in fronnnf of Lil' Runt."
Slash sighed again and sat his son down on the crummy couch. He was in a hotel room pretty close to Axl's mansion. Although Axl had offered to allow the guitarist to stay a night in the Rose Mansion Slash didn't want to do it. Not after Axl showed how childish he could be and pissed Slash off.
Slash Jr sighed, mimicking his father. Slash looked down at him. He was drunk out of his mind. So drunk he could hardly see straight. But he wanted to prove Axl wrong.
"He ain't my botth," Slash slurred. Slash Jr giggled at his father's "accent". Slash stumbled into the tiny kitchen. He kept running into furniture and swore each time it happened. Slash Jr giggled again. The toddler had never heard such pretty language before from his father.
"Shif!" Slash Jr said cheerfully. If Slash had been sober he would have scolded the child; instead the drunken guitarist just laughed.
"That iff my boy!" Slash said proudly. He hiccuped then threw up all over the floor. "Futh," He mumbled. Slash Jr wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Ewww Daddy!" The toddler giggled. Slash didn't answer him for a few moments. The vomit was all over the floor. He looked to the fridge that seemed to run away from him.
"Are you hungvy?" He asked the child. Slash Jr nodded. Slash sighed heavily. "Of courth you are," he said to himself. Well, that wouldn't be a problem. Of course not. He could do it.
Slash started towards the fridge. His bare feet touched the unusually hot floor. He cursed out loud again. He took another step and found his nose touching the handle of the fridge. He smiled to himself and opened up the fridge door.
Oh for fuck's sake!
The fridge was barren. No food for Slash himself and certainly no food for Slash Jr. Slash stared blankly at it, hoping food would suddenly appear. He wasn't in the mood to go food shopping.
"Well....gueth we're going without dinner tonight," Slash told his son. Slash Jr's head tilted in confusion. "I don't haff any fucking money to thare. I need it for booze and the hotel rent. We can't really waste it on something fmall..."
Slash Jr still "stared". Slash sighed.
"It'f only one meal." Slash said, more to himself than Slash Jr. "It'f not child abufe if I can't afford to feed him..."
Axl's words suddenly returned to his mind.
You have a son to care for.
"And I do care," Slash said out loud. "I care tho much it maketh me thick."
Slash Jr felt his stomach growl. He whined.
"Lil' Runt I already told you," Slash said impatiently. "We aren't haffing food tonight. I'm thorry but you'll just haf to be hungvy."
Slash went to go into the bedroom and slipped in the vomit. He went sprawling into the little living room and landed on the cushion rug. He coughed then passed out.
Slash Jr stared at his father.
"Daddy?"
No answer.
"D-Daddy?"
No answer.
Slash Jr became afraid. If he was a little older he would call one of his uncles. But he didn't know their numbers nor did he know how to use a phone. So he began to cry, hoping one of his uncles would hear him and check on him. Poor Slash Jr didn't know his uncles were in separate hotels. Axl wasn't even in a hotel but Slash Jr didn't know that. He spent a good week of his life in a hotel after all. Even though it was a long time ago now he still remembered it.
He also remembered her. He remembered how she refused to feed Slash Jr and his brothers but this boy kept doing it for them. When she wasn't around this small group of boys would feed them. They were really nice and caring. But the oldest boy got attacked by her when she caught him trying to sneak food to Mini GN'R. He got stabbed or cut or something. Stevie remembered better than he did.
Slash Jr looked around for the boys that always seemed to know when they were hungry. He didn't know any of their names so he cried harder, hoping that the oldest would hear and show up just like they used to.
Suddenly, somebody opened the door. Slash Jr stopped crying and looked up with a smile, expecting to hear the words Shh guys, we're here now. Instead, an old man stared down at Slash Jr.
He looked from Slash Jr, who started to cry again, to Slash, passed out on the floor.
"Well, what do we have here?" He asked. He sounded nice. Slash Jr stopped crying. Hunger gnawed at his stomach. He whimpered. "I bet you're hungry, aren't you?"
The old man went over to the fridge, carefully stepping over the vomit. He shook his head when he opened the fridge.
"Well, that will never do. You're hungry and your daddy is drunk. And there is no food..." The man trailed off, noticing the list of phone numbers next to a phone. He picked up the phone and dialed the first number he saw into it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, sir?"
"Um...who is this?" The deep voice on the other line asked.
"My name is Max. I live right across from your...friend, I assume, and he is passed out."
"So what else is new?" The voice asked harshly. Max could tell the man didn't trust him.
"I am more concerned about the child. He is crying and there isn't food."
There was a hesitation. The man on the other end seemed to debate with himself.
"I'll be right there." The man said and hung up. Max hung up as well and looked to Slash Jr.
"You're in luck, kiddo. Someone is coming to get you." He reassured him. Slash Jr tilted his head. Max moped up the vomit and, after a moment, gave Slash a harsh kick. Slash only grunted. A few minutes went by. Slash Jr was about to start crying again when the door opened up.
Axl's cold gray eyes silently took in the sight of Slash Jr's drunken father. Slash Jr gave his uncle a toddler wave. The redhead looked at him and his eyes softened.
"Hi, Slash Jr." Axl said softly, a warm smile lighting up the singer's face. He went over to the hungry toddler and picked him up. Slash Jr giggled brightly and buried his face in his uncle's neck.
Axl knew Slash Jr wasn't much of a talker. He thanked Max and watched the old man return slowly to his room. When Max was gone Axl looked down at Slash. Slash is my friend and I'm pretty much taking his son....
"Hold on a few minutes, kiddo." Axl sighed. He sat Slash Jr down. The toddler watched in amusement as Axl knelt down and rolled Slash onto his stomach. The drunken guitarist gurgled. "Don't throw up on me." Axl mumbled.
The singer propped Slash up in a slouched sitting position. Slash Jr giggled at the funny sight. Axl slid his hands under Slash's armpits. He grunted as he pulled the guitarist up onto the couch. With a couple more tugs Slash was on the couch. Axl sighed in relief, sitting on the couch. Slash's head drooped from the top part of the couch and was suddenly in Axl's lap.
Slash Jr cracked up as Axl shook his head. The singer snatched a pillow from the side and slid it under Slash's head. Gently, Axl held Slash's head as he got off the couch. He allowed Slash's head to hit the pillow. Slash mumbled something. Axl tilted his head and leaned in a little closer to his friend.
"What did you say Sla-"
Slash licked Axl's ear.
Axl yelped in surprise as Slash gave a drunken laugh. Slash Jr stopped laughing. Axl rubbed at his ear in irritation.
"Fucking disgusting, Slash." Axl growled. He scooped up Slash Jr and went to the door. He hesitated for a moment, waiting for Slash to protest. Slash began to snore softly and Axl sighed. He went out the open door and closed it with his heel.
Slash Jr glanced back at his father. The door blocked him from sight. He sniffed.
"Oh, no, Slashie, don't cry." Axl said softly. "You're ok, I promise."
"Daddy?"
"Your dad will be ok too." He said, although he wasn't sure. Hopefully Slash won't kill me....or maybe he won't even care Slash Jr is gone...
The singer shook his head. Of course he cares. He's the one who found them after all. Gotta give him some credit.
Axl took Slash Jr to his mansion. The mansion Erin's family was paying for until Axl could make enough to pay for it. He sighed heavily as he carried Slash's son into the mansion. They were slowly adding furniture to the house.
Erin walked down the stairs with Lucy secure in her arms. She stopped mid-way in her journey and stared.
"What's Slash's son doing here?" She asked blankly.
"He has to stay with us for a little while." Axl said. "It'll only be for a night." He added when he saw his lover wrinkle her nose.
"But what about Slash...?"
"He's not coming." Axl said stiffly. Erin nodded faintly. Something came flying from the living room, shouting like a little boy. The "thing", caked in dirt and food, went over to Axl and attached itself to his legs.
Axl looked down at his son with an affectionate smile, not surprised that his son would be needing a bath.
"Hi, Axi."
"Axi!" Slash Jr said eagerly. Axl set the curly haired toddler down. Axi hugged his friend tightly.
Axl chuckled softly. Erin went to her boyfriend and held up Lucy. Axl took the silent baby and held her to his chest.
"Before you start playing, Axi, it's bath time." Axl told the redhead toddler. He pouted.
"No bath time."
"Yes, bath time Axi." Erin said firmly. She picked up the dirty child and went into the downstairs bathroom. Axl carried Lucy into the kitchen. Slash Jr, unsure of what to do with himself, followed after his uncle on shaky legs.
Axl pulled out a bottle from the fridge and began to feed the newborn girl. Slash Jr watched, amazed.
"Wat doing?"
"I'm feeding Axi's sister, Slashie."
"Why?"
"Well, she gets hungry like you and Axi." Axl explained patiently. "And she needs food like you guys do."
At the mention of food Slash Jr's stomach growled. Axl heard it and glanced down.
"There are some graham crackers over there," Axl said, nodding his head to a tin on the floor, left over from Axi playing on the floor earlier. "I know it's not actual food food but it'll settle your stomach until I finish feeding Lucy."
Slash Jr toddled over to the tin and started eating the animal shaped crackers. He watched his uncle feed Lucy, fascinated with her. He had never seen a newborn baby before. She was smaller than even him, the "runt" of Miniature Guns N Roses. She also looked like a blob of skin.
"Is she weal?"
Axl stared at the toddler, the empty milk bottle halfway to the counter.
"Of course she is, Slashie." He said in puzzlement. Slash Jr made a face under his mane of hair.
"She's not a...fweak like we awe?"
Axl paused.
"Slashie, who called you a freak?" Axl asked quietly. He wanted to hug the toddler but the baby in his arms made it difficult.
Slashie shook his head slightly.
"I fweak Unkle Axl." He said, acceptance in his voice. "I clone."
That did it. Axl went over to the toddler. He shifted Lucy to the crook of his arm and wrapped the free arm around the toddler.
"Slashie, you're not a freak." Axl said softly yet firmly.
"But....clone..."
"No, kiddo. Being a clone doesn't mean anything." Axl promised. "I promise."
The toddler relaxed in his uncle's arm.
"Otay Unkle Axl."
Axl straightened. Lucy held onto her daddy's finger and he looked down at her with a grin.
"Hey, princess. How's my baby girl doing?" He cooed. Lucy reached up and grabbed his nose. He laughed and she gave him a baby smile. Slash Jr stared blankly.
"Why can she tawk?"
"She can't talk because she's a newborn."
"Huh?"
"Well, ok, she's not really that new," Axl admitted. "She's four months old but that's kind of new."
"Why can she tawk togh?"
"Babies don't learn to talk until they're at least a year old. I think." Axl wished he had listened to Annica as she had explained that to her boyfriend. "Anyway she can't talk while you guys can."
"Oh otay." Slash Jr said.
Erin walked in, carrying a clean and hyper Axi. She placed him on the ground.
"Hey Erin, can you give Slashie some food please?" Axl asked as he shifted Lucy and picked up Axi. Erin nodded and went to the fridge.
"Clones awe fweaks tough."
Axl looked at Slash Jr.
"Kid, who put that idea in your head?" Axl demanded gently. Erin couldn't help her thoughts.
Maybe Slash teases him and tells him being a clone is being a freak. Slash Jr is just a baby still he doesn't understand how insulting freak is...unless his father teases the hell out of him...
"You're not a freak Slash Jr." Erin said firmly, startling Axl a little. "If anybody is a freak it's that Annica Kreuter."
"Please don't tell me you're jealous of Annica, honey." Axl said to his girlfriend. "I mean...yes, she's pretty, in a childish way, but she's not my type. She's perfect for Izzy, though."
"It really doesn't bother you the way they met?" Erin demanded, setting the food down in front of the hungry toddler. Slash Jr devoured the food and Erin gave him more.
"Well...what does it matter? We were brought together by strange events too weren't we?" Axl asked. Erin made a face.
"The way we met wasn't strange, Axl."
Axl sat Axi down and placed Lucy in her high chair. Axi scurried over to his friend and hugged him tightly. Lucy played with a plastic bowl that had been left on her high chair. Axl then faced his girlfriend. She stared at him.
"You really don't think the way we met was strange?"
"No, not at all."
"Erin, we met because my son was missing and I had to find him."
As the two debated over it Axi and Slash Jr looked at each other. They didn't understand a word either adult was saying.
So they decided to bug Lucy.
The two toddlers climbed onto the table. Lucy watched her big brother with a smile. Axi and Slash Jr toddled over to her. Lucy cooed to them in baby gibberish that strangely sounded like Mini Gn'R-ese.
"What is she saying?" Slash Jr whispered.
"I dunno." Axi answered in puzzlement. Erin and Axl had stopped arguing and watched the toddlers and the baby.
"I think that's your language she's speaking, Axi." Axl said with a smile. Axi made a face at his daddy.
"She can't tough!"
"And why not, Axi?" Erin asked smiling. The two adults thought the kids were being cute.
"We did not taught hew." Slash Jr answered. "Ouw wowds. Not hews."
Axl and Erin looked at each other.
"Then, who taught you guys Mini Gn'R?" Erin asked. The two boys looked at each other.
"We did." Slash Jr said.
"Yeah." Axi agreed. Lucy spoke gibberish again. A smile was on her baby face. Axi glowered at his sister. "No."
"Be nice, Axi." Axl scolded. He picked up the redhead toddler. Slash Jr stared. After a second's hesitation Axl picked him up too. Slash Jr smiled at his uncle.
Later...
It had been five hours since Axl took Slash Jr. It was about three in the morning when Slash finally came to.
Ow...Jesus that was some party...
Slash sat up. He couldn't remember for the life of him how he got onto the couch.
Maybe Little Runt did it...
"Hey, Lil' Runt! I feel a lot better now, so if you're still hungry we can go get McDonald's or something." Slash said, staggering over to the kitchen counter and picking up rental car keys. He frowned. "Lil' Runt? Are you asleep?"
When the toddler didn't answer him he felt panic grip at his chest. Take it easy. He's a heavy sleeper. Poor kiddo is probably so deep in sleep he can't hear you.
Slash peered into the living room. He didn't see his son curled up on the floor. He frowned slightly. He looked into the kitchen. Still no Slash Jr.
"Slash Jr, this isn't funny." Slash said sharply, ignoring his pounding migraine. He went to the stairs leading into the basement. The basement was not a place for children. Especially a two year old who couldn't scream or talk loudly.
Slash clicked the light on, expecting the worst. He was right; the worst was there.
Slash Jr wasn't in the basement.
"SLASH JR, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Slash screamed. He shouldn't have done that. The pounding migraine shrieked at his temples. He groaned softly.
What the fuck am I supposed to do?! Slash Jr is gone....OH NO HE GOT KIDNAPPED!
That idea made Slash fall to his knees. He started to cry.
"No no no no...this isn't happening...this couldn't have happened..." He mumbled. "I promised I'd make him happy and I just fucking failed that....what the fuck is wrong with me?"
Through the veil of tears Slash saw the list of phone numbers that had fallen to the floor. He crawled to it and picked it up.
Ax Man, Duffster, Izz.....Blood Brother. That's it.
He dialed into the phone. After a moment someone picked up.
"Hewwo?"
Slash immediately recognized Stevie's voice.
"Hello, Stevie. Is your daddy home?" Slash asked, praying the toddler didn't notice his voice cracking.
"Who is tis?"
"It's your Uncle Slash, kiddo."
"Otay."
Slash waited a moment.
"Hey Stevie?"
"Yes?"
"Can I talk to your daddy?"
"Oh! Otay! DADDY!" Slash winced and held the phone away from his ear. "UNKLE SLASH WANNA TAWK!"
Slash glanced at the glow-in-the-dark clock on the wall in the kitchen. 3:30 A.M. Wait why is Stevie awake at 3:30 in the morning...
"Hello?"
"Hey Steven."
"Hey Slash! What's up?"
"Why is Stevie awake?"
There was a pause at the other end.
"Um...because we just came home."
"Where were you guys?"
"Uuuuuuuummmmm....at a gentleman's club?"
"STEVEN!"
"Hey they had a play area for kids!" Steven protested. Slash slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead.
"Jesus Christ, Steven Adler."
"What was I supposed to do, leave him home alone? Now, what do you want?"
For a moment, the migraine in Slash's head made him forget. Then he remembered.
"Have you seen Slash Jr?"
"Not since we left the music video shooting. Why, is he missing?" Before Slash could answer Steven went on. "Before you flip your shits call Duff, Izzy and Axl. If they don't know then we'll meet at Axl's place."
"Ok." Slash said weakly. He hung the phone up, then picked it up again. He dialed Duff's number in the dial pad, his fingers trembling.
"Hullo?"
Duff sounded groggy. Slash greeted him and explained the situation. He felt like his head was splitting open. When he was done the blonde bassist on the other end was silent for a long time.
"You got drunk around your son, left your hotel room unlocked, and passed out?"
"Ummm...."
"Call Izzy, then Axl. If you've truly lost Slash Jr, then we're never going to forgive you for this." Duff's voice was icy cold, sending shivers down Slash's spine and coated his throat. He choked out an answer and hung up once again. He decided to call Axl last, knowing the singer would be furious. He dialed Izzy's number.
"Hello?"
"Oh, hi Annica. Sorry if I woke you..."
"Oh no, I've been up with Izzy Jr. Poor baby was hungry and I decided to feed him instead of waking up Izzy." At the mention of hungry Slash felt an arrow of guilt hit his heart head on. "So, what's up?"
"Um...can I speak to Izzy, please?" There was hesitation on Annica's side.
"I don't know, Slash. Izzy was exhausted and I don't think he'll like being woken up..."
"Please, it's an emergency."
Annica sighed to herself.
"Okay, Slash. Hold on..." Slash heard Annica call for Izzy. He also heard Izzy Jr fussing in the background. Slash felt the arrow in his heart expand. Jesus fucking Christ Izzy might have attempted to get rid of Izzy Jr but he cracked. I just let some random fucker kidnap my son...what the hell is wrong with me?
"'What are you doing?'"
"'Lay off me ok?'"
Slash winced as the memory of his conversation with Axl returned, hitting him like a shotgun blast.
"'Look Slash I'm allowed to be worried-'"
"And I'm allowed to drink!"
"'You have a son to care for, Slash!'"
Slash bit hard on his lower lip, drawing blood. He didn't notice.
"'I can fucking do it Axl! Don't fucking antagonize me!'"
"'Ok Slash just try to keep calm-'"
"'Fuck you! I can raise Lil' Runt however I fuckin' please!'"
He wanted to slap himself. Axl had been only trying to help and Slash had to be hostile over it. Goddamn it.
"'I'm not telling you to raise your son in any way. I'm just saying-'"
"'Fuck off!'"
Slash drew in a sharp breath when he remembered Axl's startled, wounded expression when his friend told him to go fuck off.
"I'm so sorry, Ax..." Slash whispered.
"What the fuck do you want?" Izzy said sleepily. Slash jumped a mile. "Annica said it was an emergency."
"It is...I lost Slash Jr."
To his surprise Izzy let out a laugh.
"You're joking, right?"
"No, Izz, I'm seriou-"
"I swear you had promised you'd never drunk dial us."
"That's true and I haven't-"
"Except for the time when you called me at one in the morning to tell me you were having sex with Axl-"
"Well, ok, yeah, there was that-"
"That one hadn't even made sense since Axl was in the same hotel room as I was and I knew for damn sure you two weren't having sex."
"Ok so I drunk dialed you once-"
"And then there was the time you called Steven and told him Duff was a prostitute in disguise as a bassist-"
"I get it Izzy!" Slash snapped. Izzy fell silent. The guitarist sighed and rubbed at his temples. "You don't believe me, do you?"
"I just don't understand how you, of all people, lose your only child."
"I know I don't understand it ei-"
"You were drunk weren't you?" Slash was silent. "I'm taking that silence as a yes."
"Izzy, can you-"
"I have not seen your son nor you yourself since the music video shooting. Who knows, maybe your son is roaming the hotel."
Slash frowned. Why hadn't he thought of that?
"Now, I'm going back to bed. My son and girlfriend are waiting." Slash hadn't realized the background had been silent of Izzy Jr for a while.
"I'm sorry I woke you up." Slash said weakly.
"You'll find him. I promise." Izzy said softly. That was, Slash supposed, Izzy's way of saying sorry. Slash hung up and dialed one last number. His only hope.
As Slash waited impatiently guilt took over his body. Why. Why why WHY did I have to get drunk today? If I hadn't done that Slash Jr would be safe with me and we'd both be asleep...like the Gunners and their kiddos...I'm the one who found them. I'm the one who saved them pretty much from Christ knows what. Yet I failed Slash Jr. What the fuck is wrong with me?
"Hey, Slash."
"How did you know it was me?" Slash asked his older friend, startled. He heard Axl chuckle softly.
"Because I figured it'd be a matter of time."
"Time? For what?" Slash demanded.
"Don't worry. Slash Jr is safe and asleep. He's at my house."
At once the guilt welled into anger.
"What the- why the fuck is he at your house?!"
"Well, you were passed out and he was hungry-"
"I was going to feed him! How fucking dare you take him like that!"
"Slash-"
"I was terrified, Axl! I thought for sure he was kidnapped!"
"It's ok you can get him in the-"
"Oh fuck no, Axl! I'm getting him RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"
The phone crashed against it's cradle. Scowling, Slash pulled on a pair of boots and pulled a jacket on. He looked around for a moment, forgetting he had put the keys in his pocket. He found them and his hotel key and left the room.
*******
As Slash drove he told himself to not be angry. Why the fuck did I get angry with him? He was only helping.
At a stop light close to Axl's mansion Slash looked at himself in the rearview mirror. I'm so sick of Axl trying to upstage me in parenting. Ok, I will admit, I'm a shit father. But that motherfucker doesn't have to take my goddamn son in order to make himself feel better! He has TWO kids for God's sake!
He finally arrived at the Rose Mansion. Slash parked and got out. The anger left him. He was faintly away of a thin stinging sensation on his lip as he walked to the front door. Before he could knock Axl opened the door.
"Hey," Axl said with a guilty smile. "Come in."
Despite himself Slash went inside.
"I really am sorry about this, Slash." Axl apologized, closing the front door. Slash whirled around to face him, a retort on his tongue. It quickly died when he saw how weary the singer appeared.
"It's alright, Ax." Slash said quietly. "You were right; I shouldn't drink around Slash Jr...." He noticed Axl staring hard at him. "What?"
"You have...you're bleeding."
"It doesn't-"
"Don't tell me it doesn't matter, Slash. Come on."
Axl grabbed Slash's wrist and dragged the guitarist to the bathroom. Slash reluctantly allowed Axl to wet a cloth and wipe gently at his lip. As the singer did this Slash studied his friend's face. Axl was handsome; no doubt about that. He resisted the urge to smile. Before meeting Erin, Axl had confided in Slash that he was worried about getting a girlfriend. Now he was happy and Slash was happy for him.
Axl finished with the cleaning. He suddenly cupped his pale hands under Slash's chin and tilted his head upward.
"What are you..."
"Shush."
Axl brushed Slash's hair out of his face. Slash stared wildly as his friend studied him. Finally, Axl let him go.
"What the hell was that about?"
"I wanted to make sure you weren't bleeding anywhere else." Axl answered. Just then Slash Jr toddled into the bathroom.
"Daddy!" The toddler squealed. Slash laughed happily and scooped up the toddler. Axl smiled sincerely. Slash grinned at him.
"Thank you very much, Axl."
"You're welcome. It's what uncles do for their nephews."
"I'd do the same for Axi and Lucy. And hey, I'm really sorry about-" Axl waved Slash's words away.
"Forget about it. Now, go. That little kid looks tired." Slash Jr had immediately rested his head in Slash's neck, a thumb securely in his mouth. Slash tried to thank Axl again but the singer shoved him towards the front door. "It's alright. No need to thank me. Good night, Slash."
"Good night, Axl."
Slash went to the car and placed Slash Jr inside it. He got into the car and leaned back for a moment. Next month is October...I wonder when that music video will be released. As he headed home he wondered about the rest of Appetite. I wonder if there will be more music videos...and hopefully less drama.
Once at the hotel Slash went into the bedroom. He laid Slash Jr down on one side. He took some extra blankets and divided the bed in two. One space for Slash Jr, one for himself. His son watched with interest. Slash then took of his jacket, shirt, and boots.
Slash settled down into bed. He reached over and stroked Slash Jr's head.
"I'm really sorry I put you through all that, Lil' Runt," Slash said softly. "I shouldn't have done that."
"It otay."
"No...no, it's not. I promise I won't get drunk anymore." Slash swore. He leaned over and planted a kiss on Slash Jr's head. "Now, let's try to get some sleep."
Slash clicked out the light. For a moment there was silence.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
Slash felt his heart melt into a puddle of affection. God I don't deserve you...I really don't...
"I love you too, Slash Jr."
To Be Continued...