Wylde Ride

~A~

Kota shared a silent conversation with Luke as he made his way into the kitchen. Luke nodded and followed him. They swung into the kitchen.

"North, let's go." Kota called.

"You gonna be okay on your own?" North asked Blaze, working at the griddle to make up some fresh pancakes. Blaze rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, dad. I think I can manage the like twenty minutes til Uncle gets here." He sent a pancake flipping into the air.

"Smart ass," North muttered as he followed Kota and Luke out. The drive home was silent, North and Luke letting Kota stew in his own thoughts. The others were waiting as they walked in.

"I feel like a bastard," Kota said as he flopped down on the couch. Sang crawled into his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his head down to her shoulder.

"I know, but it was nessecary." Owen took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Kota looked up and glanced around the room at his brothers. He knew Owen was right. They were only going to figure out what was going on by gauging Scott's reation to certain things and those things had to come from him, if Owen's theory was right. Kota took a deep shuddering breath.

"Where did we go wrong?" Luke seemed to be speaking more to the room at large, probably not really expecting an answer.

"We didn't go wrong Luke," Sang said quietly, "We all thought he was happily heading toward Medical School. He was still happy, right Sean?" She turned pleading eyes on him, praying to be right.

Sean ran a hand over his curls, "Yeah, he loves being at the hospital with me. He's good at it. I was going to talk to him about premeds before all this happened. Hell, the staff keeps asking when he's gonna start his residency." Sean sighed, crossing his hands over his chest as he leaned against the armchair Owen was sitting in, " Do you know he accurately diagnosed Lacey just from observation and the one panic attack? Even Dr. Xaveir, with all his experience, didn't manage that."

"We all know where he is meant to be, and we have since he was toddling after you in diapers," Owen tried to reassure his friend, "that has never been the issue. What we don't know is what is going on in his head to cause the behavior that Malory described. To that end, Kota, report?" Kota heaved a heavy sigh and sat up, wrapping his arms around Sang's waist as she curled into him.

"I don't know Owen. You might be right but how the hell did he..No, never mind. We have time to figure that out later. Getting Scott's head on right is more important. Okay. When I said I was dissappointed in him, geez." Kota ran a hand down his face, "He hid it well but there was a moment, right after I said it that he freaked. " Kota waited for the others to say something, anything. To tell him he was wrong, no kid wanted to dissappoint their parent and that's all it was, but the room remained silent as they waited for the rest of his report.

"When I mentioned learning how to be a leader, He was shaking. I don't think he knew I could see it but I did. Fuck!" Everyone's eyes widened at the curse that flew out of Kota's mouth as he shifted Sang onto Victor's lap and stood to pace. "For christ sake, he sat there and promised me," Kota wheeled around, spearing Owen with a look full of worry, " promised me that he would be Team Lead. That's boy's no leader! We've never expected him to be!" Kota was nearly shouting now and Nathan grabbed him by the shoulders, halting his pacing and forcing him to meet his gaze.

"This doesn't help Kota. We have to figure out how to help him realize all we want is for him to be happy." They stared for a moment, an entire conversation passing between them without a word. Kota's shoulders slumped.

"I tried to tell him but I think he was so in shock over the news and all that it didn't register. When I grabbed his shoulder, it was so tense."

"So we reinforce that we want him happy," Silas rumbled, "Maybe start trying to point out medical stuff or something?"

"Oy, I'd fucking feel better just talking to him. Straight up, no bullshit." Gabriel glared around the room, not really angry at anyone just angry at the situation. Looks were passed around, conversations shared without words.

"He leaves in a couple days," North growled, "boot camp will drive him hard, let's try to figure out what we can do to convince him that he doesn't need to be something he's not."

Luke glanced at his watch, noting they'd been gone from the diner for about an hour. "I gotta get back to the diner, I left Lesia without any help." Sang popped off the couch and threw herself at Luke, who caught her and kissed her soundly. Still holding onto Sang, He looked around the room.

"We'll figure it out." He said as he released Sang. Kota watched him leave, praying he was right.