See if I Care!

Will I see you again?

A/N: I'm sick. Been sick for almost a week now. It's "only" a cold, but one of those bad ones with lots of coughing all night and buckets of snot pouring out of everywhere. ;) Sorry for the visuals. Anyway, I've TRIED to write and I've actually managed to finish next week's chapter, so it will happen, at least… The update is early (it's Thursday morning here) because of me being home in bed anyway… Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 11: Will I see you again?

After Joan had left, shortly thereafter, Mark gathered the courage and resolve he needed to talk to Lance.

"You're going to keep Tony, then?" he asked.

"Yes. Sorry to disappoint you."

Mark felt his jaw drop at the sharp reply. "I… what? Why would I be disappointed?" he spluttered.

"Because that means you and Jake won't get him."

"What? I… what the hell are you talking about?"

"Jake telling me that you want him, perhaps?"

Mark stilled. A million thoughts were rushing through his mind at once, but they all came down to one person. "Is Jake in the room?" he asked between clenched teeth, because he couldn't hear him.

"No, why?"

"JAKE!" Mark bellowed. "JAKE, GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"What happened? Is something wrong?" The words were called out, accompanied by the sound of a tall man flat out running through the house. "Mark?" he asked as he came to a stop next to them.

"Did you tell Lance that we're interested in taking care of Tony?" Mark said, seething.

"Well… yes, it came up, and…"

"We haven't even really talked about it yet!"

"But in the car-"

"In the car you said you wanted to, do you even remember what I said-?!"

"Well… you were a bit worried, of course, but that's only nat-"

"I know I wasn't clear, because I thought we would actually discuss it before you go to my friend and tell him- what? What did you say? 'Hey, we'll take the kid, no problem?' How the hell do you even start a conversation like that?"

"Calm down a bit, I don't understand why you are so angry," Jake said, and the blond could very clearly hear that he was telling the truth, because he sounded half beside himself. That, however, didn't make things better.

"I'm a bit upset that you went ahead and suggested something like that, a huge life altering thing, without me even knowing about it! What if Lance had said yes? What then?"

"I'm sure we'd have managed to-"

"No! No, because let me finally be very clear, okay? Tony is a great kid, but I do NOT want to be a parent. Hear that? I. Don't. Want. To. Plain enough?"

"But maybe if-"

"Get out." Mark snarled.

"What?"

"You heard me! Get the fuck out! Don't even bother calling me again before you can fucking respect me enough to even register my opinion!" Mark turned on his heel and fled.

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Lance's mouth was hanging slightly open, watching the fight. They were all in the room when Mark ran out.