Between A Rose And Its Thorns (ON HOLD)

Garrick's Return

(A/N: ^This is NOT mine, but I love the song and thought it deserved to be part of the chapter.)

3rd person,

The laughter of drunk men filled the air of the old Rosemary's Tavern. Bouncing about and shoving each other, it was only a matter of time before a fight would occur. Although, it was not an uncommon thing, it was the people's only entertainment in the tavern... besides the ladies of course.

Deep in the crowds, a boy runs through, dodging a flying knife as he reached the counter, the boy grins at the sight of the steins filled with beer. The boy smiles at the woman standing behind the counter and nods to her. The woman scoffs and waves a hand dismissively at him.

"Just take it, kid." The woman spat.

The boy winces and grabs the two glasses of beer. He turns away, carefully making his way across the crowded room. People shoving him and running past him, he struggles to keep the precious whisky from spilling onto the wood panels. The boy lit up when he caught sight of the man sitting in the large chair beside the fire place. He quickly rushes to the man's side.

"Garrick! Garrick!" The boy shouts and holds up one of the steins. "I got you some beer!"

Garrick reaches behind him and snatches the drinks from the boy's hands. The boy jumps as he watches the man throw them into the fire. The boy gasps in fright as the flames grew, barely staying inside the wall of brick and stone. "What is the point?" The man snarls, his head hung low.

The boy fiddles with his fingers, a nervous habit of the young lad's. "Garrick, are you... well?" He whispers, flinching as Garrick lifts his head and met the boy's gaze.

"Do I look well, LeFou?!" He shouts and stands. The boy shrieks as he was grabbed by his collar and was lifted up into the air.

"If you hit me I'll tell Mum!" LeFou screams, his wide eyes staring in fear at his older brother's raised fist, the boy's own hands lifted up in front of him, shielding his precious face. Garrick glares at LeFou. And slowly places him back on his feet, Garrick's hand dropping to his side.

Half brother or not, that old hag knew how to hit someone with that shoe of hers.

Garrick sneers. "Why do I bother bringing you here, you are still a child. Crying for his mother instead of fighting his own fights." He said and returns to his claimed chair.

LeFou sighs and shakes his head. "Garrick, I am not a child anymore! I am fourteen for crying out loud! And if anyone is acting like a child, it's you!" He shouts and took a stein off of a passing waitress' tray. He lifts the drink to his lips, but screams when it is slapped out of his hand.

"The alcohol is getting to your head, LeFou." Garrick snaps and lays back in his chair. "You are beginning to talk of nonsense."

"Me? Garrick, you need to pull yourself together!" Lefou says and waves his hand to a table of men not too far away. "Even your old pals are thinking you have gone nuts! Just ask Tom, Dick, or even Stanley! So what if she rejected you? Dismissed you? Publicly humiliated-!"

"I get it, LeFou!" Garrick shouts, his hands clenching tightly on the arms of his chair. Garrick couldn't kill him, despite how much he wanted to, despite how annoying the little brat could be... if he did, his mother would murder him with her shoe. Old hag could probably get away with his murder with that 'sweet old woman' facade of hers... then again, maybe she was trying to kill him making him eat five dozens eggs every morning!

"You have to look past all of that!" Garrick almost snaps out of his thoughts, and glares at his brother. Half brother, that is. "Look around, Garrick! This is our world, for country folks like us, life does not get much better than this. You are not yet a disgrace! There are other girls..." LeFou smiles and nods to some blondes watching them. The girls giggled as Garrick looked at them.