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So here you are, nearing the end of my supply! i've gotta get writing again! haha update on the roundabout soon, and i just want to thank each and every one of you who comment below! all of you and your views and ideas on where the story is going and who you like and what you feel, it all helps!

Without further adu...

Chapter 12.

Kyle sat in the corner of the band room, arms over his knees, admiring the silence. He and Quinn were out of view of the door. She was consoling him for once; he had never really needed it before. Usually they just came here to talk and escape boring classes, today there was a purpose. She had followed him from the cafeteria in a second. Duke hadn't made it.

"It wasn't the most mature reaction," she pointed out, somehow making it funny and not morbid. In his escape attempt, Kyle had informed three tables of girls Duke was looking for a date. Flash mobs were fun when you weren't at the centre of them; still it was definitely _not _the most mature reaction in the world, "Your classy-ness went from here," she indicated with a hand a level above her head, "To here." Kyle watched his eloquence glide down past her knees.

"I know..." he moped, "I just didn't think he would leave so soon you know? I thought he'd bring it up, give me some sort of heads up, "Hey lets be awesome friends! Okay now that we are I'm going to pull it all out from under you in a week! How fun does that sound!'"

"Your sarcasm isn't the best."

"It's bitter," Kyle pointed out, "That's the worst kind." The room went quiet again. It was obvious Quinn hadn't been expecting it either. She was always so prepared, but she'd never really needed to console Kyle before, he was always one to hide problems not make a scene. "I don't even know why it's a big deal." Kyle said voice muffled by his knees but not to the point of a total blur of sound. "I have no idea why we became friends or even how it happened, it just did..."

"Well let's start with something simple then okay?" Quinn suggested, getting a nod of approval. Kyle would do just about anything to figure this out, his head still hurt like hell and he wanted this over with and sorted through. "You like Duke a lot right? You two made fast friends."

Kyle nodded.

"Why didn't you like Duke the first day?"

"Because he pulled a knife on me Quinn, you know that."

She hit him slightly on the head, "I'm trying to help, just answer the questions so I can make you think logically. Why didn't you like him on the first day?" She asked again.

"Because he pulled a knife on me," Kyle restated.

"Why was that bad?" Kyle gave her a look that said 'Really? You're serious?' "Well? Why don't you like the knife?"

"It could kill me." Kyle played along.

"You were scared of dying right? Scared of Duke?" Quinn pressed.

Kyle shrugged his shoulders, "I guess so."

"Good. Okay, so why weren't you afraid the second time? Why did you even give him a chance?"

Kyle rolled his eyes, "I was tired and there wasn't a knife and I don't know what happened okay? I have already established that I'm afraid of the knife but there's..." He gave up after making some unintelligent grunts, "I don't know why I gave him a chance...and I don't know why it actually went... No, it went places because he pushed it. Duke made the effort and I just went along for the ride and somehow just got swept up in it I guess."

Quinn was quiet again, the band room was filled with silence. People think silence is just the absence of noise, but Kyle always felt it was its own presence. It could comfort, it could calm, it could terrify, and it could pressure. Silence was its own force, a powerful force at that.

"That's kind of sad actually...Has no one else put in the effort to be your friend?"

Kyle buried his head, "It's because their parents tell them I come from a bad family Quinn. You know that. Your parents don't even like that we hang out and it's been years. I'm a pariah in a small town, and he didn't see me as such... he treated me like a human being..."

She put a hand on his shoulder and sat down beside him, "Its okay Kyle."

"No it isn't..." Kyle stated, hating himself all the more for getting worked up, "The third person in the world who treats me like I'm deserving of any kind of natural respect is leaving!" His raised voice echoed in the natural acoustics of the room.

Quinn rubbed his back and awkwardly hugged him from the side, "Then don't you think that you should spend what time you have left with him and not moping about what hasn't happened yet?"

"I'm scared too..." Kyle admitted.

"Why is that?"

"I'm terrified of getting more attached than I already am..." he admitted. He was never open, not even with himself. When he heard himself say it, it was a shock even to him. "I'm scared of feeling worse when he's gone. It seems like I would have been better off not knowing what it felt like to be accepted."

"I'd be more scared of regret Kyle. You only have the time you have now. Live in the moment, make mistakes, but don't regret any of them." Quinn cooed in his ear. "How about you be a big boy and not run away anymore? Hmm?"

Kyle laughed despite his mood; she always knew how to make him laugh. "Besides you have a hot date," she reminded him, "Save some of those emotions for her huh?"

Kyle had nearly forgotten, the thought of forgetting Alice scared him too. It was strange to finally have something he wanted and not be as excited as when he anticipated the day it would happen. "I owe Duke a big apology first though."

Quinn patted his shoulder and offered him a hand up from the floor which he took. "You'll see him in gym, now off to calculus you!"

He saluted "Yes ma'am!" and left with his bags in tow.

~~~~

Duke didn't like him. Mr Wilson was too uptight and creepy looking, he asked too many questions, and he smelled of 'scentless' soap and aftershave even though he clearly hadn't needed a good shave in years. Why a man bothered wearing cologne was beyond him, even sweaty stink was better than some of the shit they covered themselves with, although women were by far the worst in that category. Over at Glensdale High the councillor had been an elderly woman who wore too much make up and so much perfume Duke had been choking before he entered he office.

The councillor had called him in and said he wanted to get to know the new student, but to Duke it felt more like an interrogation than a friendly conversation. It was a bit funny when he noted that Duke's old school didn't transfer his documents over; but in truth, all his 'old schools' only ever got the documents from the fake ones before them. The little fun fact that a paper trail didn't need to exist to get into some schools astounded him. All he needed was a fake proof of passing the grade before and a competency exam and he was in. Of all systems, the school system was one of the most flawed.

They went over the basic bullshit for a councillor talking to a new transfer student. Where he came from, why he moved, was he okay with the move, did he have siblings, did he play any sports, how were his grades, etc. etc. Duke answered the questions with such practiced repetition that he was hardly focusing on the man at all. EVERY councillor went through this, and then he would be asked if he wanted to say anything and he would go...

Sure enough each question followed almost on cue with equally practiced repetition and with easily predictable responses. Duke really didn't want to be there, Wilson had caught him in the hall while he was following Kyle's scent trail. He needed to talk to Kyle and Wilson was in his way. There was no way in hell Duke could just find him now, now he would have to wait for Gym. It infuriated Duke that Kyle had reacted so quickly and immaturely, but it also saddened him... It was a pretty bad move on his part not to bring up his nonstop moves. All the other kids didn't really comprehend what happened when he moved; they were so drunk on Duke's scent that they all had instantly assumed they would be included in the move. THAT always made Duke feel a bit of regret, but quite honestly he had gotten over them, humans all acted the same drunk on love, they were replaced easily by the next plaything.

Of course Kyle never really fit into that category; hell this was the very first indication that the coat might even be working at all. Duke wanted so much to just talk to Kyle it was ridiculously embarrassing. Werewolves didn't hate humans anymore, but not many really respected them as a species. Most were self-destructive and fine with it, most accepted that they wouldn't be happy and gave up, settling for as life of unhappiness instead of fighting for themselves. Humans were so caught up in personal image they killed their happiness over it. Kyle was different, Kyle was just Kyle. He wasn't showing off, he embraced his difference and he moved on if you weren't right for him. It might not be the ideal person to humans, but such free will from humans was rare, such a disregard for the unhelpful landed acceptance of only what would make him happy.

Duke shook his head, that wasn't true. Kyle let Scott in...but it was for the sake of his mother so if anything it made him noble.

Duke had just about gotten up to leave from the string of general questions when the cycle was broken and instantly caught him off guard.

"So you know Kyle Lane?" Wilson asked with the same dull voice of someone who said the same things repeatedly as a job.

"Yeah," he replied before he even thought about where it might go, "Why do you want to know that?"

The old man gave a very creepy little grin, a mix between plotting evil and sadism; not exactly appropriate for someone meant to fix problems; definitely appropriate for the cause of the problems. "I've just taken a special interest in Kyle's situation that's all. Do you know about his situation? He doesn't seem the type to hide anything from anyone instead I believe he would just flat out say what's wrong." The man hypothesized, "Am I correct?"

Duke's list of why he didn't like this man had just grown longer, "I don't think it's any of your business really." He said flat out, getting comfy in his chair, Duke had his own theory that this Wilson guy wouldn't just let it go.

"Well I think what happens to my patients is my business, but if he didn't trust you enough to tell you than it's pointless to proceed from here. I can't break my oath, what happens in this room stays in this room, just between my patients and me."

Duke laughed a little, "You Sir are a tad bit pathetic. Your simplistic reverse psychology might work on stoners, but the average student could see it plain as day. I'll do you one more, I'll agree, me and Kyle must not be that close. See now you can't continue this because I deny knowing about the situation beforehand, so you now can't bring it into the conversation." Duke allowed himself a big grin to let the good doctor know he was enjoying his victory, "Can I go now?"

Duke had to hand it to the man, he didn't falter, and he didn't seem angry, or vengeful, or even capable of emotions. "I'm just trying to help my patients. I thought that maybe you were a friend and maybe want to help him. I guess I was wrong."

"Kyle's too smart for that. We can't help him because he won't let us." Duke stated. "I'm fine with that, he's a big boy he can handle himself. Can I go now?" he repeated, "I have a gym class to get to, games to play, people to chat with: a life." Duke emphasized the last one.

The old man stared back in silence for a moment longer. It was obvious to Duke he was fuming on the inside, obviously no one ever spoke to him like that, they probably just said what he wanted to hear and moved on; he wasn't used to rebellion from many. "You are an incredibly rude little boy."

"I'm six, two so I'm not so little," Duke noted, "What are you, five nine?"

Duke had to admit, it was always hilarious to see a grown man flustered and unable to do a thing. Wilson actually seemed to get angry, but his voice was equally flat as before, "You have no respect for your elders, its pitiful really."

Duke couldn't help it he laughed out loud a hardy, echoing laugh. It was completely ironic, completely ridiculous to suppose! This guy thought he was superior?! It was too hilarious to keep a straight face, "Oh my God..." he started between laughed, eyes closed so he didn't even see Wilson's reaction, "You...you think you're better than me...Hahaha! Su-superior even! Hahaha!"

"Cocky little brat," Wilson responded, standing up and leaning over his desk, obviously mad, obviously wanting the last word. "You really think you are so much better than me? Huh? Really? I have a PhD, I've lived my life, I've travelled, I'm happily married, I have a job and credibility amongst psychologists. What do you have? A dysfunctional family that can't even teach their kids proper respect? A family that hasn't stayed at one place for over three years?!" He added tossing down a file. "Is there any place you haven't been? Any people you haven't seen? I know what happens to kids like you, you think you own everything and push everything too far!"

Duke didn't find it funny anymore, the man brought his family into question, but he was still going. Duke patiently waited his turn, obviously not laughing anymore. Wilson had not ceased being a joke, but the joke wasn't as humorous anymore with him insulting his upbringing.

"You want to know where you are going to end up? You are going to end up alone and miserable because no one can stand to be around you!" Okay, Duke did find that a little funny. "I'm trying to help you not ruin your miserable little life so the least you can do it give me a bit of respect and answer my questions!"

Duke let the man simmer a moment, contemplating where he should go with this. The man had royally pissed him off so he decided on the direct approach.

"You know something doc? I've learned quite a bit about people in my traveling. In that long list of things I've learned is that bullies were or are bullied." He let that hang there, "Ring any bells douche?"

Wilson noticeably flinched in shock, "I never-"

"I'M _not done," Duke interrupted, sitting forward in his chair. "I've learned that those who pick on people for being weak are called weaklings. Those that call you fat feel fat. Those who beat you for acting wrong have abusive families; and those who mock you for sport are constant targets at home. Lesson here being that those who want to unearth secrets, expose truths and pick someone apart and _enjoy it, have never felt safe in their own homes. They have secrets; they just don't want people to know so they pretend to help with others problems." Wilson looked genuinely shocked by what Duke had to say. "You Sir enjoy watching people squirm." Duke noted, standing from his chair to meet Wilson's gaze.

The old man felt weak, like he had just paled from head to toe. He felt like all the colour had left his face and his legs were struggling to support himself. What did this kid know? He couldn't know anything for sure. Wilson didn't even have secrets...why was he so terrified. He couldn't keep his gaze from the boy's eyes. They seemed to paralyze him, keep him still and struggling.

"Let's see what you're hiding..." Duke grinned a bit; he always hated doing this but Wilson made it worth it; to see such a snobby man sweat made him smile. He blinked a few times as his eyes changed from brown to tan to gold. He felt his pupils expand to a more effective size, his face flex a bit to accommodate the change. To a normal person he had just changed eye colour, but it was quite a process when you got down to it. It was funny; people mostly think changing into a werewolf was all magic or something; that physics didn't apply. But bigger eyes means bigger eye sockets so naturally his face would have to change, even if only minutely and on the inside, out of sight.

"Please..." Wilson tried to beg, but it came out so blandly Duke almost thought for a second he wasn't afraid, but the shaking and the scent gave it away. He disgusted Duke, he was so boring, and so oppressed by the world he perceived that he couldn't even seem afraid. In truth it was sad; Wilson was probably so depressed he didn't fear dying as much as he should have.

Duke was about to find out for sure. He pressed into Wilson's head mentally; the man flinched with the intrusion to his personal space. It was always weird casting yourself into another, the mind always tried to fight back. But it wasn't sure how so it sent a compendium of emotions and thoughts his way to see what worked. Wilson's wasn't that case, his mind was too terrified of the unknown to even try and fight. The man had lost all respect Duke had even bothered to give him. "Let's see what makes you tick..." Duke taunted aloud, "_Why you're such a prick," _he added in the man's mind, freaking him out all the more, making him collapse into his chair as Duke pressed on.

"Oooh, not such a fantastic childhood huh? Daddy didn't seem to want you did he? I am truly sorry for that Mr Wilson, that you felt so unloved." The man's mind exploded in outrage if just for a moment, and then it seemed to try and hide itself from Duke, to crawl into a hole and shut itself away. The boy was used to this though and accessed more memories.

"No running away now, you made your bed now lie in it coward. Your mother spoiled you, she loved you and you didn't care did you? You were quite the asshole even early on I see. It's a shame; she was always there for you, but all you wanted was what you couldn't have..." Duke felt a pang of empathy if only because he was going through similar troubles. "High school was boring, your private school just seemed to suck the fun out of you not that you had much to start with..." Duke was disgusted once again, this man made no attempt at all to ever make himself happy. He counted every desire as evil wants, and stuck with what everyone told him would make him rich and comfy, "Pathetic!"

Duke freed the man from his gaze, staring down at him. "You leave Kyle and me and every other kid you attack for following their dreams the hell alone okay." He said in a very authoritative voice. He wasn't suggesting, he was demanding, "And if you bring this up to anyone you bet your ass I'll find out." He put a finger over his lips as a sign to keep quiet, "Now can I go, Mr Wilson? I do have classes to return to."

The man was sweating, terrified beyond belief, he only managed a nod. He wasn't going to tell a soul.

Duke smiled, "Good, see yah later Mr Wilson, any more questions don't hesitate to give me a call down here."