Darien tapped his pencil against his history test, trying to figure out the answer to the last question. Who cares about who was the third emperor of Year of the Five Emperors in old Rome? That's in the past and Darien doesn't really care about who it was. But he picked an answer anyways.

After a tortious twenty five minute, he finally finished his test and got up from desk and walked over to Mr. Beckett and handed it to him. Mr. Beckett threw a chip in his month and took the test, "Thank you, Darien. I'll grade it later. Pull a chair up.".

Damnit, Lena, he thought when he grabbed a chair and sat in front of Mr. Beckett desk. "So, uh, a friend said I should talk to you. You said you would know how I--am. You were a badass--my bad--in your days.".

"Yeah, I was pretty rebellious in my youth. Most of my childhood and teen years were back in California.", he said.

"California, how'd you end up all the way here in Vermont?", he asked.

He smiled, "A women was there in training, she was in the Military. She surprised me cause not much women were in the military , women just began to join, but I was impressed by her independence and how free spirited she was. She talked me out of the street and to join the military. Two years after, been together for the last twenty years.", he said and he unbutton his sleeve collar and rolled his sleeve up--his arms covered in tattoo's, "Didn't expect me to have this much, huh?", he questioned, a grin on his face. "I've been getting tattoo since I was fifteen years old and got addicted to the needle. Do you have any, Darien?".

Darien rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh, yeah. Mine and my mother zodiac sign on my chest and swirl lines going down my rib cage.".

"Those hurt like hell, on your rib cage.", he said.

Darien raised his eyebrows and chuckle, "Mr. Beckett, language.".

"School hours are over, Darien.", he said, leaning back in his chair. "Call me Ric.".

"Ric?", he tried it out. "It's weird calling my teacher by his first name.".

He shrugged, "Whatever you feel comfortable with. But anyways, yeah, I did everything while growing up. Steal, did drugs and sold them, drank until I blacked out, street fights, get pointless tattoos, and didn't take shit from anyone. I almost even got in a couple of gangs.".

"Why you do all of that?", he asked.

He sighed and bit his lip, "I never knew my father and my mom, she got around. She was only sixteen when she had me and my grandparent took care of me, but I was always angry when my mom would come home and leave me again. She abandoned me a lot and the old me, I hated her. I hated her so much. I just grew even more angrier when I was thirteen when my mom overdosed on cocaine in front of me and died.".

"Oh shit.", Darien said and almost apologized, not needing to hear it from a teacher, but remember what he said. "My mom. . . she also died, in a car crash with my father. I was passed through relative to relative cause I was...I was just bad and they didn't want me.".

"I can see how that'll make you angry.", he said.

"My father was an asshole.", he said. "He beat us both and he was always drunk. He was drunk that night.". He rubbed his hand over his lips and sighed, "I always wonder. . .where did that leave me with? I had nothing after they left, an orphan nobody wants.".

"Of course there is always somebody who wants someone. Someone wants you, Darien, your just blind right now.", he said. "And your past, it only makes your stronger.".

"Sounds like something my old therapist would say.", he said. "The only one who try to deal with me is my cousin Ash, he's who I'm living with right now. He tries to my friend, but I can see how much I am to handle with him.".

"How about Helena Russo?", he questioned.

"What about her?", he shrugged.

He chuckled, "I'm not dumb, Darien. Even the teachers talk about you two. She cares about you telling by the way she clings onto you as if your going to fly away or something. She is a pretty girl.".

"So you like the young ones.", Darien teased to see what gets him.

Mr. Beckett chuckled, "Smartass, of course not. I'm just saying, she's a smart girl, what the hell does she see in you? A grumpy caveman.".

"I'm wondering the same thing.", he said. "But...but I like her to anyways.".

"That's good, I wouldn't hurt her or anything, her dad scares the shit out of me, I'm sure he'll do the same thing to you.", he said.

Darien wanted to get back to the topic, "So you were angry when you were my age, how'd you deal with it? Other then joining the military.".

"Well I took my anger out on the guys there.", he chuckled. "There was a material art class where I was training. You like to take your anger out on people by fighting, join something that involves fighting like boxing, karate, the gym, or MMA classes.".

"So you pretty much telling me to find something where I can smash my fist into someone face?", he questioned.

He nodded, "And not get in trouble. It's actually a really good way of getting your anger out.".

Darien chuckled, "I could enjoy that. MMA always did sound cool to me.".

"I can see you doing that instead of karate. You wouldn't look right in those karate uninform even if you are tan. I could help you get into a club, my brother in law sons take MMA.", he said.

"Really?", Darien questioned. "Why would you help me like that? You don't know me all like that.".

"Why not?", he questioned. "Hasn't anyone ever helped or given you anything?".

"I haven't had much since my mother died.", he said. "I don't have much now.".

"Well now you'll have something. You'll be a fighter--one you wont get the cops called on you.", he chuckled. "I'm here for you, Darien. I know what it's like to walk in your shoes.".

"I didn't realized how much until now.", he said. "As cheesy as it sound, you know. Just always thought you were this boring old noisy teacher.".

"Never judge a book by its cover, Darien.", he said. "But now, you'll have someone to turn to if you ever need to talk to someone who knows how to feel like your in the dark.".

Darien nodded and rubbed his hands together, "You turned out well--right? You much happier now?".

"I have two children, a wife, a normal boring job, and a beautiful house, all I could ever wish for in life that I never thought I could have. Yes, I'm happy. I still may not have everything I want, like I want to go on a cruise one day," he chuckled, "but yes, I'm happy. I don't need much, I didn't grow up having much. I'm fine with the life I have.".

"I hope I could make it like you did.", he said without thinking.

"You can, Darien. You just need to stop living in the past and move on with life. It was a long time before I realized that.", he said.

"I don't think I could move on that quickly. I'm angry at him for what he did.", he said.

"Who? Your father?", he asked.

"Yes.", he said through his teeth. "He was a worthless piece of shit and he got what he deserve, but he didn't need to take my mom down with him.".

"I agree with you.", he said. "But there is a time--and you don't have to do this now, but to forgive and forget. There will be no other way to move on with life.".

"Forgive?", he questioned, his voice hard. "That man did horrible things to me! He was a schizophrenia drunk who beat me, cut me and made me cut myself. Blamed everything on God and accused the devil of being in me or me being the son of the devil. He burned me, locked me in a dark small closet, and always beat my mother until she black out so he could..."

"Could what, Darien?", he asked, leaning on his desk and gave him a concern look. "Talk to me, that's probably what you need. To talk to someone about this, go ahead. I have seen a lot in my life I haven't seen or heard already.".

Darien breathed hard as he laid his elbows on Mr. Beckett desk and put his forehead on his knuckles before letting them brush through his dark hair. For the first time in a long time, his eyes watered up and he couldn't hold them back, "He raped me.", he said, burst out in tears. "I never told my mom, he made me not to. I couldn't tell anyone or he'll kill us he would tell me.".

"Oh God.", Mr. Beckett said.

"When I was thirteen, I got into a fight with a kid a year younger then me for making fun of for having no parents. I beat him so hard, he lost hearing in his right ear.", he said, the tears falling down. "I was diagnosis with Bi-Polar disorder and spent a month in a mental house, but I didn't want to believe I was crazy at the time. My life is so messed up.".

Darien hasn't broken down like this--not ever since his mother died. He was always to numb after and all his feelings, he locked up in a box. Suddenly he just got angry and he got up from the chair, throwing things after Mr. Beckett desk.

"Darien, stop it!", he yelled as he got up from the chair.

"I hate him! I hate him so much!", he yelled. "He ruined my life and--no! Let go of me!", he yelled when Mr. Beckett wrapped his arms around Darien from behind, holding his arms down.

"Calm down.", he said. "Someone will hear you.".

"Let them!", he said. "I don't give a fuck what happens! Let them through me in jail.".

"Darien, shh, calm down.", he said softly. "Your alright, no one going to hurt you anymore. No can hurt you, your strong now.".

Darien began to calm down, his chest rising and falling hard. His face was hot with tears. When Darien stopped trying to fight Mr. Beckett off, he let go of Darien and Darien fell to the floor, leaning his back against the desk.

"I'm sorry.", he said. He ran his hand through his hair, "I just started taking my pills again, their suppose to make me calm, so it's going to take some time. I'm just mostly tried now.".

"Okay.", Mr. Beckett said, sitting down on the floor and leaned against one of the student desk.

Darien narrowed his eyes on Mr. Beckett, "You don't think I'm crazy, right?".

"Of course not, Darien.", he said. "I think you just need someone. You got your cousin Ash, Helena, and me. Your not as alone as you think you are.".

Darien looked at him for a moment before nodding and laid his head back, sighing. He felt like he could breath straighter.

~_~_~

Lena saw Darien walked out the school building and over to the soccer field. She smile, On good time, she thought since practice just got over. She grabbed her water bottle and made her way towards him. "Hey, how'd it go?", she asked. "Must've have a long talk if your just--oh, um, went really well I see.", she said when he grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

He didn't say anything but burry his head into her neck, holding her. She was able to squeeze her arms out of his hold and went around him also to hold him. "Never leave me alone.", he whispered to her.

"I wont.", she said. "Are you okay, Darien?".

"I'm fine.", he said. "Just fine.", this time, it sounded like he was saying it to himself.