"And what if they don't?"
He shrugs. "Knowing you, you'll quit school and track the bastard down yourself."
"You know me so well," I say with a smile.
"Don't do it, Dean. Let the cops handle it."
"The cops are worthless. It's been almost a week and they haven't done shit."
"It's only been a few days, and you don't know what they've done. You only know what they tell you."
"They don't know my dad. They don't know how he works. How he thinks."
"So tell them."
"I did, but they still don't get it. I'm the only one who knows how his brain works because I'm just like him."
"Stop saying that shit. You're nothing like that asshole. You wouldn't do any of the shit he's done."
"I'm not so sure about that."
"Meaning what?"
I look over at Danny. "I would've killed him on Monday if I could have."
"Yeah? So would I. It's self defense."
"I would've killed him even if he hadn't attacked me. As soon as he threatened to take Jake, I wanted him dead. If I had a gun, I would've shot him until he was dead."
"Doesn't mean you're like him. You're protecting Jake. Protecting your family."
I sigh. "You don't get it. You're not hearing what I'm saying."
"I AM hearing it. I've been hearing it for years and it's a fucking lie. You're not your dad. And you never will be. You have a bad temper, and yeah, sometimes it gets out of control, but it's getting better. Even just the past year, you've changed. You stop yourself before it gets out of hand."
"YOU stop me. I can't do it on my own."
"That's not true. Think of all the times you lost it with Jake the past year. Did you ever lay a hand on him?"
"No, but it's only because I took off. I can't be around him when I'm that angry."
"But that's what I mean. You took control of the situation. You made a choice. Hit him or leave. And you left."
"I don't want to talk about this."
"Then let's talk about something else." He takes his feet off the chair and turns to me. "What happened with Brook?"
"Nothing." I push myself up in the bed and lay back against the pillows.
"Then why isn't she here?"
I notice the TV remote beside me and pick it up. "You want to watch TV? I haven't even turned this on since I got here."
"Dean." Danny grabs the remote from me. "Tell me what's going on with her. What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything. Why do you assume it's me?"
He gives me a deadpan stare. "You really have to ask?"
