Dylan

three

NICHOLAS SINCLAIR
-
so you're like the cleaner, older male version of me

When we arrived at the station it was 2:00 pm I followed Officer Brown into the interrogation room where Dylan was supposed to be, instead of being met with a sixteen-year-old girl we were met with a pair of silver handcuffs.

Officer Brown suggested I wait here whilst he went to retrieve her, he'd been radioed that she had been playing chess with some of the officers before she got bored. Dylan was in the bail holding centre talking to random strangers from outside their cell.

Brown huffed as if this was a typical occurrence before he offered me a coffee which I declined and was off.

That was 47 minutes ago.

My girl was clearly a handful but this time it appeared to work in my favour. Whilst they went to get her it gave me time to get myself under control the best I could. I haven't even met her and she had more control over my thoughts than I did. Not knowing anything about her made me more apprehensive. What did she look like? What did she sound like? All things I should know about my daughter.

What if she didn't like me?

I'd spent so much time worrying about everything else I forgot one of the main things. What if my daughter didn't like me? I could be taking her away from her friends, her life. She could hate me for it, she could hate me for not being present.

I don't know which reality was worse one where I didn't know anything about Dylan or one where she hated me.

"Well if we look at the technicalities it's your fault for locking me up like I'm some criminal,"

At the unfamiliar voice I turned my head to the direction of the door, Officer Brown walked in with a girl trailing in right behind him. She was small with shoulder-length brown hair, big green eyes, and freckles scattered all over her face.

"Well since we're looking at technicalities Dylan, you are a criminal,"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "I prefer the term juvenile delinquent, criminal is kinda harsh Tim," she finished as she sat in the chair directly opposite me and Tim.

I tried to find my words something, anything to say just to hear her direct the conversation to me but I couldn't.

She scrunched her eyebrows as she took in my appearance, her green eyes full of confusion.

I had my Dylan back, and she looked exactly like me.

DYLAN SINCLAIR

Because Tim had taken so long I'd drawn up some different theories;

1.  he had been called on his radio to assist someone

2.  he decided to get me some new converse for my birthday even though he has already given me pancakes and played chess with me.

3.  he decided that he wanted to find the end of a rainbow

Not once did I think he would surprise me with a very tall human being who was the cleaner, older male version of me.

"Dylan this is Nicholas Sinclair, he's -"

"Really clean," I said to Tim before looking at Nick, "did you know you look really clean and that's a nice watch and a nice suit,"

He looked at me with a smile on his face, weirdo.

"You shouldn't wear that around here, believe it or not, some people may steal from you,"

"What a world we live in,"

"I know right," I said smiling, "but who are you?"

"I'm your -"

"Wait are you my lawyer, 'cause I don't think vandalism requires a lawyer and Tim knows I wasn't actually going to commit arson right Tim," by now the pair of them were just looking at me with amusement making me think this was much worse?

"You've looked at my file haven't you, look those two cases of assault weren't my fault I don't think I should be getting punished for -"

"Dylan I'm your Dad,"

My dad not my lawyer.

"But I don't have one of those," I didn't regret the words until I saw his face, it was as if I'd kicked a puppy.

"You do Dyl, you were taken from me as a baby I tried to find you, I promise I did,"

This was strange, I didn't like it. I couldn't control this it was too new, too soon.

"I want to go,"

"Your father's claimed custody so you can - ," Tim started.

"Yeah cool, I just need to pee, and then we can go,"

Getting up before any of them could speak I left in direction of the toilets I wanted to go with him but I couldn't, I wasn't going to make the mistake of trusting someone just because they told me they cared. He seemed like a nice guy but my assumptions used to get me hurt so ignoring my gut I said hi to Jeremy and Walter on the way through the back and then ran away from the station.

I felt bad, but it was safer this way.

Walking back the guilt started weighing down more, I don't know why I felt guilty I didn't know him but I just, he looked so happy. The look on his face was like he actually wanted me, it was a nice thought.

Pushing the door open I navigate around the rats that scatter around the corridor, it was dark cause I had no money for electricity, and if rats didn't have fur I'm pretty sure they'd freeze to death, no heating either. Walking into the space that didn't deserve to be called a kitchen I opened the cupboards and they were as empty as the last time. I'm glad I ate those pancakes at the station.

I'd not been here in months but I guess when my familiarity was threatened I came back to the one place I knew, even if it wasn't home.

Deciding I'd rather be out there than in here I walked to the bus stop in the town, under the shelter was a bench, my bench I slept here, people watched here and did everything except catch the bus here.

This was my familiar and it may not be the best but it was all I had, and I was okay with that.

- x -

author's note: don't really like this chapter tbh

also I'm fasting from all social media, including wattpad for so I won't be able to upload, but I'll be back soon.