Some self indulgent ranting about Keiths childhood after his dad died.

Keith had always been a quiet kid, but he also almost always had a smile on his face and genuinely was happy. He loved playing with the firehouse dog and everyone turned a blind eye when he

would sneak Spot some extra table scraps during cookouts.

The day that Keith was pulled out of his art class by the guidance counselor went by in a blur. He was eight, he knew what death was, and what it meant. His brain registered that his dad wasn't coming home.

But that didn't mean he truly understood it at the time.

He was picked up from school by a social worker who had kind eyes and a sad smile. When he got to his house, he was asked to pack a bag of a few things and he would be taken to a place to stay since he had no

relatives in the area.

He packed what he would have for a sleepover, his mind running on autopilot. Nothing felt real just yet, his dad would have still been at work for a few hours anyway so the silence wasn't suffocating, yet.

Once his bag was packed he was taken to a house with an older couple that had been able to take him in. He knew Mr & Mrs Stevens from the bakery in town, their cupcakes were really good.

They helped him set up in a room that looked like a well loved guest room

and made sure that he was comfortable. While there weren't many times it was necessary in their small town, the Stevens were always available for emergency placement just in case, so the room was always available.

Keith didn't realize it just yet but he appreciated

that there were no watery eyes, no sad looks when they thought he wasn't looking, no gentle touches and hushed voices.

He was treated like he always was by them, with a little extra bit of sugar.

Keith still misses their cinnamon rolls, but their son kept the family

recipe going in the new bakery after the war and there's always a free one with Keith's name on it.

He stayed with the Stevens for the few days leading up to the funeral.

Everything went by in a blur, he was asked to go home again and was given a suitcase to put anything

else he might want in it, that he wouldn't be allowed to go back home after that.

The morning of the funeral he was told that he would be brought to a group home afterwards.

The funeral was weird.

He didn't shed a tear as he saw his dads friends crying around him.

After the burial, his social worker gave him a few minutes alone at the grave before taking him to his new home.

The new home actually wasn't too bad, it was in the same city as the Garrison, half an hour from his hometown. He hated how he couldn't see the stars from his bedroom. There were a few other kids there but everyone was pretty decent.

It would be months before the first family came for him. He was sat in one of the spare rooms on the couch while the adults talked about things he pretended not to understand.

He was told later that day to pack his suitcase again, that he would be going home with the couple.

The first few weeks had been ok, the couple even seemed happier than they did when they interviewed.

Things changed the day someone forgot to pick him up from school.

The fighting started as Keith sat in his bedroom, trying to work on his homework after dinner.

Adopting a kid doesn't magically solve a marriage that has been circling the drain for months.

Keith found this out the hard way as he heard the fighting almost every night.

The problem is, he didn't know there were issues before him.

He thought the issue was himself.

It was another month or so before his social worker was in his room again, helping him pack his bag as threats of getting a divorce were screaming in the background.

That night, he found himself back in his old room at the group home that had no view of the stars, and he cried.

He started to change after that. Becoming more quiet, choosing his words wisely, and keeping his heart guarded.

It was another few months before he found himself back in the spare room with another couple with stars in their eyes as he sat there with his arms crossed, staring

at the wall.

He stayed with that family for almost a year before the wife found out the husband had still been cheating the entire time.

He sighed as he heard the fighting downstairs, turning up the volume on his music player as he continued to work on his homework.

His dad always helped him with his homework, it had been 2 years since then.

He didn't blame the parents at the group home for not helping, they had their hands full. But his new parents? They should have helped.

The couple that had adopted him had occasional spats, so there

was a level that he was used to. He just continued to keep to himself, if he had been in the living room he would sneak off to his room for some peace.

This was beyond that though.

"I can't believe you Jack! We even adopted a kid, just like you wanted!" "

"Yeah, and you managed to pick out a runt who does nothing, says nothing and has an attitude! How would you think I wanted that Lisa?! That kid is useless!"

Keith didn't think he had an attitude. He was just upfront with people. His dad had always taught him honesty.

He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and was texting his social worker before he even realized what he was doing.

It was past midnight when he was packing his bag again.

The streetlight that blocked his view of the stars at the group home seemed to mock him that night.

It would be another 2 years before Keith found himself back in that room.

This time, sitting with his prospective parents, was another kid his age.

"Keith, this is James, he will be your new brother" the wife smiled a little too widely.

Keith nodded. He knew this family.

No, really, he did.

They were from his home town. The husband was one of the doctors in town, James had been in some of Keith's classes. He never liked him, always had his nose in the air about everything.

However, he learned that he would be going to their home back in his hometown, which meant he could see the stars again.

He hadn't been back there since the funeral and was glad to know that the sleepy town hadn't changed much at all in the past few years.

But Keith had changed. He may not have noticed it, but he saw it in the reactions of everyone who recognized him.

The first time he got suspended in school for fighting, his new parents sent him to bed without dinner while scooping a second serving on to James' plate.

Six months.

He lasted six months before coming home from school (mom picked James up, but not Keith for some reason) to his social worker in the living room.

"Yeah yeah, I'll go pack." Was all he said before going to his room, not even giving anyone a chance to speak

When he went back to the room with no view of the stars, he stayed there until he graduated high school and went to the Galaxy Garrison.

The second his fist connected with James face was one of the best moments of his life, he had been waiting for that moment for years.

-fin

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