Amber Waves of Angst

Chapter 17

A/N - A bit of slash, which I've never been good at writing.

Erik quickly picked up Robin's scent and tracked it through the forest to Razor Gorge, the huge divide that cleaved the central forest of the crescent-shaped coastal town of Beacon Hills. The highway system wrapped around the gorge, but the Lycan residents found it quicker to just leap the gap when they needed to travel swiftly.

Erik howled, and Robin gave an answering call a few moments later. A helicopter flew overhead bathing him briefly in its lights as he tore through the thick woods. Robin sat with his back against a large boulder, knees to his chest while his body shook with the force of his despair. His bathing suit was long gone, as were Erik's own clothes, but there was no one around here to see them. Erik sat next to him and took his hand.

"I heard what happened. Guess what, we BOTH have tattoos!"

Robin was so distracted by this statement he almost forgot how upset he was.

"Are you serious? Who did this to us? Erik...my Dads...they hate me, they think I did this-"

"Whoa! They don't hate you, Robin. Look, you didn't have a normal childhood, so you're not used to this. My Dads yelled at us...well, mostly Laurie...but they yelled at us whenever we screwed up, and then they would get over it. We were never beaten or...anything. They still loved us, and would no matter what. Getting a tattoo is a big deal that every parent would flip out over. They were just upset...but you can't tell me they hate you. I just ran into Uncle Danny and he told me that Uncle Ted is having a major freak out over you. He's beating himself up over being a bad parent. He...had a family life that was...not as bad as yours, but pretty bad. He's afraid he'll hurt you more than anything."

Robin stopped shuddering, and Erik was quiet while he got himself under control.

"B-but...I b-broke the doors...a-and I t-told them...I told them..."

"Let me guess. You told them you hated them? Kids say that all the time, Rob. They know you were just upset and that you didn't mean it, just like Uncle Ted didn't mean to yell at you."

They smelled the scent at the same time. Ted ran up to them with a bulging knapsack, still wearing his damp bathing suit. Robin couldn't look at him, and hid his face behind Erik's shoulder.

"Robin...Erik's right. I heard you guys talking while I was hauling ass over here. I'm...well, I'm deeply ashamed at how I acted. I should have given you a chance to explain and not freaked out at you. You don't need my family history haunting you along with yours." Ted got on his knee and gently turned Robin's face so that they were looking each other in the eyes. Robin saw at once how flushed and miserable he looked. "I would understand if you couldn't forgive me, but please...please give me another chance. You are the greatest thing that ever happened to Danny and me."

Robin sniffled a few more times, thinking about Ted's words for a long time. Finally, he looked up at his adopted father.

"On three conditions."

Ted looked surprised. "Let's hear them."

"First, the broken doors are not coming out of my allowance."

Ted laughed. "Done. What else?"

"Second, I'm keeping the tattoo. I...kind of like it."

Ted growled low in his throat. "Urgh....okay, but you are to tell everyone at school you were grounded for ten years for getting it. And no more until you're 25. Make that 30. What's the third?"

"Um...could you pretend you didn't find Erik and me for...say about another hour?"

Ted gave a shocked laugh. "Your tattoos are so appropriate, cause now you're asking for the moon and the sun." He tossed them the knapsack. "I really am the worst parent that ever lived. Here's some clothes for you both, and you've got half an hour. Then...then I want you to come home."