A very cool wreck piece by lieu_murphy

Mike was glad to hear from his mom. There was a part of him that was even more happy to hear her offer to take the kids for a day. He hadn't had any time with Butterfly in weeks. He didn't ask Butterfly. Instead he just packed up the kids while she was still asleep. Mike spent about a half hour settling the kids in with Grandma McKay and Uncle Bob. The kids seemed alright.

Mike left them and headed back home. The house was still quiet when he got there and started looking for butterfly.

**Pissed off** Someone hit my car.

Mike hadn’t woke up Butterfly or Thomas when His mom and brother arrived. It was still early in the morning. After helping them both inside Mike sat down with his mom and let her hold Dolores. While she chatted cheerfully with her granddaughter, Mike caught up with Bob. They were deep in a conversation about his latest stunt and how to better execute the airplane crash. Mike trusted his brother’s opinion and took his advice very seriously.

After a short talk Mike went out to their truck and brought in the bag of gifts his mom and purchased for Butterfly and the children. Mike had a suspicion that his brother had a hand in one particular gift for Thomas. That got both the men laughing over memories of Mike when he was still a child. He was happy to have his family here. Besides Thomas, Butterfly and Dolores, these were the only people that didn’t bring up his instinct to kill. Even Butterfly triggered it at times but for much different reasons than most. Mike made them some coffee and settled into the living room again. He just made small talk with them as they asked about his new movie, Dolores and the boy they hadn’t met. His mom knew something of Butterfly, even if it was only that she drove him crazy in the right and wrong ways. As they talked all three kept their voices down. Bob was now feeding Dolores and Mike had relaxed more than most would have seen him ever.

Mike had promised Thomas they'd do something together once the plane arrived on set. He didn't tell the boy that it had arrived only that they were all four going out to lunch. They all packed into Butterfly's car. He tried to convince her to drive but gave up once Thomas started getting antsy. They had a nice lunch at a small Mexican resturant that Butterfly really liked. It was relaxed despite Thomas asking questions about everything that was hanging on the wall. Mike used to get unnerved by it but then he realized something. Thomas was acting so much like Mike had to his own brother. That alone changed the perspective on everything. Mike slowly began settling in to being a mentor. He never really treated Thomas like his son though he called Mike dad and Mike referred to him as a son. The true meaning of those words Mike was not comfortable with. Instead he opted to treat him like a little brother.

After lunch they headed back but Mike took a detour out to the airfield where the stunt crew was setting up. Thomas was int he back talking to Dolores and didn't immediately notice where they were. Mike drove out toward his trailer and on the other side sat the little two seated prop plane. That was what he promised Thomas though it had arrived later than anticipated. He imagined by now Thomas thought they weren't going at all. Mike pulled up and turned off the car before turning back to the boy. Mike couldn't help but get excited to see when Thomas noticed. It was until right now that he understood why his brother Bob had tolerated him for so long. None of them had met Bob or his mother yet. Mike had it in his mind that maybe after this shoot they could all take a trip to New Mexico. He really missed his mom. All those thought though were washed away when Thomas finally saw the plane sitting in front of the car.


Words: 340

Mike was waiting for Butterfly to dress the two kids. They were planning on going out to get the tree tonight but Mike had purchased a few things to decorate the house. He couldn't remember the last time he'd celebrated Christmas. Not since he was a kid and then it wasn't like this. Christmas was punctuated every year by his mother's black-eyes. Now as he thought about it he didn't think there had ever been what he considered a good Christmas.

Mike didn't want to think about it. Not now or ever really. He stood in the living room stapling up the garland that he'd bought earlier. Mike was doing it without much thought. His mind was still in the past. Still reaching up and measuring the loops to center it. The kiss on the cheek shocked him because he wasn't expecting it.

"What was..." Mike trailed off as he looked up and saw the mistletoe handing right in the center of the garland. He put in the last of the staples and stepped back to look at it.

"Are the three of you ready?" He hadn't looked back yet. His mind was still in a dark place.

Words: 200

1. Reluctant.


Mike couldn't take the distance any longer. If he were somewhere else it would be possible but they lived in the same house. They lived in the same five rooms. It was too close to have this kind of distance. Thomas was at school right now so it was the perfect time to try this again. Mike had his reservations. After all the last two times he'd tried at this they were all utter failures.

Mike took a deep breath. He couldn't force himself to go into the other room. He had to. Reluctantly he headed for the bedroom. "Butterfly?"

Mike came up to the doorway and looked in. He was nervous but couldn't place which reason was worse. The attempt at apology was bad enough without the fact that he didn't see a reason to apologize for what he'd done. There were so many things eating at his mind. Most often now was seeing his father when he killed him. He didn't want to apologize for who he was. He was tired of it. All of his life he apologized or was required or asked to apologize for himself.

As much as he refused to apologize for who he was there was a part of him that needed to close the distance before he went crazy. He stood there waiting for Butterfly.


Words: 224

2. Discuss a time when you doubted the strength of your relationship

Mike didn't know if this would last. Worse he wasn't even sure he wanted it to go on. Standing in the kitchen he pressed his hands to the counter top and sighed. things were getting worse not better. What could he do? Dying or at least trying to for her hadn't been enough. Mike looked down at his hands. Her father's wedding band was on his finger. There was intention, maybe even on his part.

He needed to make a choice. The boy of hers was starting to get attached to him. The baby was coming soon and still he had no confidence in what they were doing. What were they doing? He was too old. She was too young. This family thing wasn't working. It couldn't be.

"Mike."

He heard the boy's voice and cringed. He hated him but most of all he was afraid of him. He was afraid to get close. He was afraid of killing him. Deep down he was afraid it would make him his father. He remembered clearly how his father said it was his fault he became a drunk. It was Mike's fault that he beat his mother. His brothers had been fine but he was the reason everything fell apart.

McKay took a deep breath and looked down at the eager boy with his backpack. Why had he suggested taking him to the set? Mike had no idea and ran his hand through his hair. Turning back now would just send him and Butterfly back at each other. Despite his displeasure with the circumstances fighting wasn't anything he was eager to do. He pulled himself together over all the emotion.

"Come on kid." Mike smiled trying to imagine things were better than they were. Thomas smiled up at him in a way that Mike had never seen from anyone. He had no idea how to react or what to do about it so he just started walking. "Come on."

He could hear little tennis shoes following after his long, even strides and race past him. The boy was out the front door but Mike stopped in the doorway. He felt sick watching the boy run to the car, stop and look back. That expectation of being there or doing something was so alien to Mike that it might as well have been asking him to fly. Honestly, flying would be easier. He was a stuntman after all.

Mike looked back toward the bedroom. "I'll bring him back at lunchtime angel."

He called to her but what he felt conflicted. Love and the desire to run or kill collided full speed inside of his mind. Mike shook it and stepped out the door. Every step toward the eager boy was a struggle. Internally he fought for every inch from the porch to the car in the driveway. Around the car he pushed himself to keep walking. This was a new car. The last was a junk heap after he tried to end this all in the only way he could find acceptable at the time. Now he couldn't accept that outcome either.

McKay opened the car and got in. "Over here."

He patted his leg waiting for this boy to come around. Dad. He was terrified of that word. Disgusted by it. Dad was the reason he had spiraled down this path. He could still feel the weight of the lamp in his hand. That was so long ago but it was still fresh. All it was today would be a few hours. What were the chances of hearing that word before he had the boy back home? Slim, none?

He looked at the boy standing beside him in the door, waiting. He took a deep breath and reached out tucking his hands under the boys arms. The movement of Thomas into his lap was like handling a bomb that was about to explode if it was jerked around too much.

"Do I get to drive?"

He was eager again and Mike shook his head. "Only watch."

He buckled them in to the seat knowing Butterfly would kill him if the boy was in his car without the harness. Just a few hours. He could do this. Looking back over the seat he started the car. Thomas squealed with delight as he started to back out. Just a few hours then it would be over.


Words: 747

simplebutterfly and youngparker used and referenced with their respective mun's approvals.

I don't know how to apologize.