Words 1836

Being a cat had in simple words SUCKED. Azzo sighed as he made his way home, glad to finally be on his own two legs again. After, a week of having to do things like the cats did he was ready for some time with Grams or up in his room alone. However, it seemed that it wasn't meant to be as he walked into the house he was accosted by his father.

"Where the hell have you been?" The older man asked staring at his son, arms crossed. "You didn't even tell us you were leaving."

"I didn't know I had to." Azzo snapped back as he headed for the stairs only to be blocked by the brute of a man. The younger Crowely's eyes narrowed as he watched his father, "I called Grams." He retorted as if she was the only one in the house that mattered, which to him she was. He slowly looked over to her as she sat there knitting.

"You're irresponsible," continued Conway, as he garnered his son's attention again. "I should've sent you to Military school when I had the chance. At least you would have learned some discipline and manners instead of being around that quack father of mine."

Azzo's eyes narrowed at his father, "If you think for one moment I'm going to let you talk about gramps that way you have another thing coming." He was rolling up his sleeves, as if he was ready to take on the old man. Something he wouldn't've done in the past. "You don't know the s**t I've been through, the things I have to put up with and yet you have the nerve to call me irresponsible. I am trying my damnest to do everything in my power to keep up with your mother, who you left. Oh and let's not forget who didn't even bother to come looking for me when I went missing. Oh wait you serve our country to keep it free, I'm sorry I forgot; that's more important than your own family. It. Always. Has."

Azzo side stepped his father and moved to his Grams, giving her a hug. "Sorry I couldn't come back for a few days." He said in a low whisper, his eyes watching his father.

"Boy, I should take you outside and wear you out right now." Conway's face was turning red and with each word he was growing louder.

"CONWAY." Gram's looked at her son seemingly a little irritated. "Let pup be. He's a growing boy; you weren't even around as much as he's been. If he needs a little time out by himself he should have it."

Crowely was looking at his mother in disbelief. She was taking the kids side? The big burly man's face turned from disbelief to irritation as he walked off towards the kitchen.

"Sorry we can't get along Grams." Azzo added after his father stalked off. He sighed as he settled so he was basically sitting on the floor arms crossed on the couch watching her knit. "I didn't mean to leave you for that long but I needed to get away..." His voice died as he glanced back towards the kitchen where his old man disappeared.

"It's fine pup, don't be so hard on yourself." Grams said as she paused in her knitting to look at him, "But... they found papers for old folk's homes..." She said after a second, looking at him curiously. "Were you going to put me away?"

Azzo shook his head, "I was going to ask if you wanted to go live closer to your friends, I wasn't going to make you go if you didn't want to." He said after a second honey brown eyes closing as he sighed. So they had found the papers, was that what his dad was mad about?

"I see." Grams sounded thoughtful as she returned to her knitting. "So you were keeping them for a rainy day?"

Azzo nodded, "Yes ma'am. I don't want to see you get hurt again like last time. I mean you fell and I wasn't here for you... I.. feel horrible about that." He said slowly as he looking towards the TV, which was playing It's a Wonderful Life. He closed his eyes softly with a sigh, "I can't have you getting hurt because of me.... Because I wasn't here, if you want to stay I'll be here; I won't go anywhere." He seemed to be blaming himself; he'd had long enough to think about it. A whole week, if he hadn't been out patrolling this wouldn't've happened. He was ready to hang up his hat if he had to.

"It's not your fault..." Grams said softly adjusting her glasses she used for knitting. The old woman seemed sad, "You know.... you're parents decided it'd be best for me." She said after a second, "Conway decided since you weren't here he couldn't let me stay alone."

Azzo's eyes widened as he stopped and looked at her, "They did what!?"

"They're filling out papers so I can get moved in after the New Year, before they go back."

Azzo got up his fists clinched as he moved towards the kitchen; ignoring his Grandmother's calling. "How Dare you?" He asked stopping in the kitchen looking at both his mother and his father. "How Dare you decide what's right for her? It's not your choice. This is not your house. It's hers."

Glenda looked up from the papers sitting her pen down slowly, "Honey, baby listen, you can't be there for her all the time. You have other obligations, what about Aurora that lovely young woman we met? And aren't you trying to find a job? You can't just stop living your life because Grams needs you."

Conway was about to say something before Glenda smacked him on the shoulder. "I know you love her, and she knows that. I found these while I was cleaning; I... I knew you didn't have the heart to do anything with them."

Azzo's anger faltered for a second, before his eyes narrowed again. "You shouldn't've been going through my stuff. I would've asked her if she wanted to go to a home when I felt like she was ready to make such a decision."

Conway's mouth twitched, "You wouldn't've ever done it if that's what you were waiting on. She's already fallen once, you'd let her kill herself before you put her in a home."

"I would not," came the reply; "I can't believe you think I'd let that happen."

Glenda sighed again and placed a hand on Conway's shoulder. "Look honey, we're filling out the one you had on top. The one that's in our old town, with all her friends, I know that's the one you were going to suggest...." She paused, "Plus it won't be till after New Years; Gram's bones are going to be pretty well healed by then, and she won't be holding you back."

Azzo paused, "She's not holding me back... She was never holding me back." He shook his head, "You can't do this. Grams is the only family I have left..." there was a tense pause, "... here." He added, after what seemed like a few moments of thought. He was looking at both of them before slowly starting to walk backwards. "I can't believe you're doing this... I lost Gramps isn't that enough? I don't need Grams ripped from me too."

Neither of them said a word, as Azzo backed out of the kitchen and turned to head back out. Neither of them said anything to stop him. Grams watched as Azzo headed out into the cold, wanting to say something, to stop him. However, she knew it wouldn't do any good; not after hearing the conversation they had.

Azzo made his way from the house towards the park. He didn't care if it was snowing or what was going on. He just wanted away from them; his nose was red from the cold and as he moved felt like he wanted to break down. However, he shook his head and kept on moving; he was still too close to his house, too easy to find. When he finally made it to the park, which by this time was rather dark and void of people. Just as void of them as the streets where since he'd taken time to walk around and try to clear his head, unsuccessfully. There was one thing left he hadn't done. "WHY!?" He screamed towards the sky. "WHY ME!?"

With that Azzo fell seated on a bench burying his face into his hands. He didn't want this to happen, this wasn't how it was suppose to go. He was shivering; his coat wasn't heavy enough for the snow dappled ground. He sat there wishing things were never this complicated, occasionally wiping a tear away. He shouldn't cry, he was a knight. Knights didn't cry. Knights were strong, loyal, kind, and above all chivalrous. But Azzo didn't feel like any of that, he felt like a failure. "I can't even protect my own Grandma from my family...."

"Some knight I am..." He was watching the moon shimmer against the grass and snow. His eyes eventually closed as he seemed to think, trying to dig back through the conversation. Where had he gone wrong? 'She won't be holding you back...' his mother's words echoed in his head. "... but she's not holding me back..." He said again with no one but himself to listen. He had to reason it out for himself. "... I love grams... I have to protect her... like.... Like I do Polaris, the City... everyone here, it's... who I am." He shifted again, "Right?"

Azzo was conflicted, in denial and above all; confused. "I mean it's better for her to go... it's safer for her there.... But she's not holding me back. I can do everything I need to.... but she fell... I wasn't there for her.... what if it happened again?"

He sat there mind reeling, what if it happened again? 'You'd let her kill herself before you put her in a home.' "I wouldn't.... She wouldn't kill herself. I'd... I'd stay with her, until I couldn't take care of her anymore... and even then..."

There was another long moment, "I'd.... I'd have to give up protecting Aurora..." He said softly moving a hand to rub at his eyes again. He felt tears threatening again. "I... I can't protect everyone... I want to.... but-" He seemed to choke on the last words before burying his face again, now getting flustered. He didn't know what to do, everything was so complicated. He wanted Grams home, but he wanted her safe; and he wanted her happy. Azzo also wanted to protect Aurora, both as herself and as Princess Polaris.... Yet, he knew he couldn't do all of it. There wasn't enough of him, even if he could clone himself.

Once again, he found himself feeling helpless. "I can't..."