Disclaimer: I do not own Doug or it's characters.

Chapter 9,

"Broken jaw? No, broken nose." Skeeter said. Doug could have sworn Skeeter's jaw was busted from the way it bruised up, but he's been wrong before.

"Well, I'm that case I guess you can have whatever for lunch." Roger said. Skeeter looked at all of the different shops in the food court.

"Let's go crazy, guys. Let's get a pizza and spaghetti from Leaning Pizza; then we'll get an ultimate burger from Heart Attack Eats. We'll put the pizza and spaghetti in the burger, then we'll take that over to La Grande, put it in this massive burrito and deep fry it as the greatest chimichanga ever." Skeeter said with a huge grin on his face.

"Well, someone skipped breakfast this morning." Roger comment led and he looked at Doug.

"Um... I guess... well, who am I to argue. You just got out of the hospital." Doug said, rubbing his arm nervously.

"Honk-honk, great. I'll be right back." Skeeter said, running off in a puff of smoke.

"That shit's gonna be nasty as fuck." Roger said.

"Maybe it won't be so bad... I mean what about that banana pizza you accidentally help us to make." Doug reminded him and Roger sighed.

"Ok, maybe if it were a spaghetti in a burrito or maybe pizza in a burger, then I'd be up for trying it. But he's basically combining these 4 things inside one pour tortilla and deep frying it into this oily mess. I just think it's too much for one entree." Roger said and Doug shrugged.

"Whatever. He might as well eat what he wants, Roger. He broke up with the love of his life, he got beat up by the nicest guy in school and now his best friend is about to corner him. That's three strikes against Skeeter, and who knows who else will confronted Skeeter today. I'm not going to deny him a peaceful meal when the man's life has gone to hell." Doug said and Roger smirked.

"You got serious, hon. You almost make it seem like this were Skeeter's final meal." Roger said.

"Did I? Sorry. I suppose I'm nervous about talking to Skeeter." Doug said. Roger and Doug sat down at a table and watched Skeeter.

"You know, he seems... weirdly normal." Roger commented.

"What does that mean?" Doug asked.

"The man is acting like this is any other day. I'm not so sure that the reality of his situation has hit him yet." Roger said and Doug blinked.

"Like he's in denial?" Doug asked and Roger nodded.

"Yes sir. It's like you said. Skeeter has been through the grinder today. Yet he is over there, creating some Frankenstein-esque food, pretending like everything is fine?" Roger said and Doug sighed. He knew that Roger was right and he put his head on the table. Roger gave Doug's head a quick pat.

"I'll got get us some sodas." Roger said and he heard Roger leave. Doug kept his head down. After a moment of unmeasurable time, Doug was attacked by the smell of deep friend tomato. He looked up and saw Skeeter placing the huge thing down.

"O-oh." Doug said and he smiled even though the smell of it made him nauseous.

"I got some drinks." Roger said, handing Doug and Skeeter their cups.

"Cool, man." Skeeter said and Roger sat beside Doug.

"I got us sprite to help settle our stomachs." Roger whispered and Doug was grateful. Doug sipped his drink as Skeeter threw forks at them.

"I'm starved, let's dig in already." Skeeter said and he instantly started eating. Doug and Roger glanced at each other. They took their forks and started to dissect this odd creation.

"It's nice to see you feeling better, buddy." Doug said and Skeeter smiled.

"Are you kidding me, Doug? I feel great!" Skeeter exclaimed as he continued eating.

"Are you sure the word is 'great', Mosquito? You just got out of the hospital and your face is a mess." Roger pointed out.

"You're right. But I'm still great. I don't have to worry about running away, or what to tell my folks, or supporting a wife, or raising some kid- none of it. My life has gone back to exactly that, mine." Skeeter said and Roger's eye twitched.

"Ok, I can't do this." Roger said, putting down his barely used fork.

"Roger." Doug whispered.

"Do what?" Skeeter asked and Roger glared at him.

"This, ok. I can't sit here and pretend that I'm ok with you abandoning Beebe and your child." Roger said and Skeeter blushed.

"I didn't ask you to be here. And your feelings about this won't change what's been done." Skeeter said and Roger stood up.

"Doug asked me to be here. And whether or not you respect my opinion doesn't really matter. But what you're doing is being a Fucking Coward." Roger said.

"I'm not being a coward, you ape." Skeeter said, crossing his arms over his chest. Roger reached over and grabbed the front of Skeeter's shirt.

"Roger." Doug panicked and grabbed Roger's arm. Roger took a deep breath and leaned towards Skeeter.

"I'm not an ape. I'm just a boy who is sad and hurt that my father didn't stick around." Roger whispered and Skeeter's eyes widened.

"My dad chose to leave me, just like it's your choice to leave Beebe. Sure it's your decision, but it's still effecting everyone you claim to care about." Roger said and Skeeter's eyes watered a bit.

"I'm no good to them." Skeeter said and Roger rolled his eyes.

"A father who tries, is better then one who doesn't." Roger said and Skeeter sniffled.

"Still." Skeeter muttered.

"Still nothing, Mosquito. You don't know what it's like to have a mother working so hard that she can barely stand when she gets home. You don't know what it's like to watch kids having fun with their parents and have a brief guilty moment, where you wish to switch places. You don't know what it's like to come home to a house with no food because it's Thursday and we get paid on Friday. And you don't know what it's like to lay in bed, wondering why your father ran out. Was it because he had someone else? Was it because he was too much of a coward to stay? Or maybe it's because he didn't love us enough to even try." Roger said. Doug's eyes watered as he listened to Roger speak. Skeeter however had fat tears falling from his eyes.

"So you, I may not be in a position to sympathize with your situation. Maybe I don't understand where you're coming from. But you don't understand where I'm coming from. Because I sure as hell understand where your child is coming from. So maybe my feelings won't change a thing, but at least you get to see some of the damage you can cause." Roger said. He let go of Skeeter and stormed off.

"Roger!" Doug called out. He wanted so desperately to follow his beloved, but Doug forced himself to stay with Skeeter.

"I'm glad you were here, Doug. Roger may h-have started beating me i-if you weren't here to stop him." Skeeter said, wiping his face to dry his tears.

"Skeet, why did you break up with Beebe?" Doug asked.

"Doug do we have-"

"Yes." Doug interrupted. Skeeter blinked at this sudden outburst and then he sighed.

"It's like I said before Doug. I'm no good to them." Skeeter said and Doug sipped his drink.

"How do you know?" Doug asked and Skeeter put his arms on the table and leaned on them.

"Doug I didn't even have the courage to stand up to Beebe's father in order to be with her. How am I suppose to stand up for my kid?" Skeeter asked and Doug paused and thought about this for a moment.

"Do you love Beebe?" Doug asked.

"Man, of course I do." Skeeter admitted sadly.

"And if someone tried to hurt her, would you get upset?" Doug asked and Skeeter glared.

"No. I'd get fucking pissed." Skeeter almost growled out and Doug shrugged.

"If you're getting this defensive over the possibility, I can only imagine how you would be if it were a reality." Doug said.

"Whatever, can we change subjects now?" Skeeter asked.

"No." Doug said simply.

"No?" Skeeter asked and Doug shook his head.

"Listen, Skeeter. You love Beebe and that's why you are so protective of her." Doug stated.

"Well, maybe." Skeeter uttered.

"So when you have a son or a daughter, you can only imagine how protective you will become over them." Doug said and Skeeter blinked.

"I don't know." Skeeter said and Doug smiled gently.

"Skeeter, Beebe was willing to run off with you, live in employee housing, and work to earn that space. She was willing to do that because she loves you more then all of the furs and jewels and shoes in the world." Doug said and Skeeter stared at him.

"As long as she had you, she was happy. Do you really think she would stop loving you because she was pregnant?" Doug asked and Skeeter sat up.

"What if I'm not enough? For Beebe or the kid?" Skeeter asked and Doug took a deep breath.

"Do you love them enough to try?" Doug asked, repeating Roger's point. Skeeter stared at Doug for a moment, and his breath sped up. Doug was worried about him until Skeeter smiled.

"I do." Skeeter stared, growing happier by the second.

"Good. Now... what are you gonna do?" Doug asked and Skeeter stood up.

"I'm gonna go buy the biggest diamond ring I can afford and beg Beebe to marry me." Skeeter said and then he ran off. Doug chuckled at his friend. Then he cleaned off the table and went off to find Roger.