Fanon:The Good Ones-Chapter 24

No Respect
And then, a feeling of overwhelming rage took me over. One second I was trying to make peace with my father. The next, I ruined all chances of that.

I jumped out of the bed, feeling the tubes rip out of my arms and chest. I tackled Garth, pushing him to the floor. I subdued him underneath me; there was no way he could wiggle free. Feelings of past anger flowed freely from me. And I centered these angry feelings around Garth.

After realizing he wouldn't break free, Garth looked up at me with pleading eyes. For a second, I paused, realizing that this was my father. Even if he hadn't loved me, he had given me life and I should be thankful. But they were replaced by even stronger feelings of hatred: I was doing this because he was my father. A revolting, good for nothing, lowlife.

The door burst open. Brigit, Leila, Dunstan, and a woman I didn't recognize formed a circle around us.

"Pierce! You're bleeding all over!" screamed Brigit. I didn't care, and if I was bleeding I didn't notice. My world was solely focused on the man I restrained beneath me.

"Pierce," said Leila in a low voice. "Don't do it." She tried to come closer, to place her hand on my arm. But I pointed a clenched fist at her.

"No, stay back," I said through clenched teeth, the rage seething in my voice. "He isn't worth anything. Don't you understand? He's good-for-nothing trash. He doesn't mean anything to me... he took my mother away from me." I felt warm tears stream down my face. "He has... he has no respect. Not for me, not for anyone. He's scum. He's been thrown away and reused. I can't stand him. He, he has no respect..."

And I raised my fist, ready to bring it down upon his jaw. But somewhere, deep inside, the good of my heart overcame the malicious feelings, the hurt, the pain, and the jealousy that he could have a happy life while mine went on in sorrow. I realized I had so much more to live for. I had Brigit, I had my unborn daughter, my Contessa Ember Rose. They were my life now. They were what I lived for.

So, I slowly lowered my fist. I let my body go slack, and I let myself be restrained.