A/N: I'm baaaaaccccckkk! *Laughs evilly*

I'm just messing with ya!

Here's a one-shot I've been dying to write since I read The Chipwrecked Junior Novel. I absolutely love Alvin/Dave bonding fics seeing as Dave's my favourite character (seeing as Ross Jr is just that awesome!)

I don't own Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Chipettes, David Seville or any part of Bagdasarian Productions.

Alvin's Harmonica

Two weeks after Chipwrecked...

Alvin's Nightmare

The air was growing thicker with ash and smoke as the island rumbled dangerously, the volcano gradually getting angrier by the second. Alvin, Jeanette, Brittany and Eleanor were preparing to build a raft, while Theodore and Simone was God knows where. Zoe was also strangely missing from the scene.

"We need to get this raft built and quickly!" Alvin warned the girls," Ok, Brittany and I will build the deck. Eleanor, you need to start braiding ropes. Jeanette? Who knows how long we'll be out there, so find as many coconuts and mangoes as you possibly can!"

"What can I do to help?"

The four chipmunks turned in shock to see Simone, Theodore and none other then...Dave!

The Chipettes burst forward and hugged the human in happiness, but Alvin sheepishly stayed back, his ears arched and the guilt that had been burning inside him for days reached its limit. The girls let Dave go and he stood up, just noticing Alvin was even there.

Alvin looked up at Dave with a look of sorrow and guiltiness, hoping that he'd somehow be forgiving after all that had happened. But the look that Dave gave him was anything but comforting, "I honestly don't know why I ever bothered with you, Alvin..."

Alvin cringed at Dave's snarl, "Dave please, it was an accident! I never meant for any of this to happen!"

"And yet it still happened didn't it?" Dave growled, using his height as a tool to scare the 11 inch chipmunk, "I've given you chance after chance to prove that you behave, but no, never again will you have that pleasure to disappoint me!"

"Dave, please!" Alvin begged on his knees, "I've changed! You'll see! I'll prove it!" The dam finally broke and tears came pouring out of his golden eyes and down his cheeks, "Please..."

"I never should've adopted you..."

Alvin woke up screaming, his pyjama top soaked with tears and sweat. His tail was tightly curled around his legs as though he was mentally trapping himself in the nightmare. His ears flat against his head as he twisted and writhed around trying to work out where he was, cause it certainly wasn't his bedroom.

Only when his heavy breathing started to cease and his senses had finally caught up with him, did he notice the calm, deep and grainy voice softly talking to him, totally different to the voice that frightened him in the dream, "Shhhh, hush Al, it's okay, it's all over..."

Alvin slowly looked up into pair of soft brown eyes and subconsciously dug his claws into the material of the owners t-shirt. Dave had him cradled gently in one of his arms. He had been getting ready for bed when he heard Alvin yelping and whining in his sleep. What kind of father would Dave be to ignore his son's distress?

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned. Alvin noticed they were in Dave's room and looked up at his dad with sad eyes. He shook his head, causing Dave to start stroking his stripes with his free hand, a move that Alvin loved without feeling like a house pet, "Do you mind telling me what all of that was about?"

Alvin stayed silent for a moment, before replying in a quiet voice, "I had a dream about the island...about when you found us..."

"And how did that scare you so much?"

"Well, remember how you said that you'd always come and find me no matter what I did wrong?" Alvin asked nervously.

Dave nodded, "Yes. I meant every word of what I said that day. You know that don't you?"

Alvin gave a small smile, "Yeah, but that's not what you said in the dream..." The smile was gone as quickly as it came. Dave looked surprised and sat up a little more on the edge of his bed. Alvin let the nightmare play back in his head and gave a silent sob.

"What did I say?" Dave asked, alarmed that he was the villain in a nightmare of his own son. He subconsciously began twisting himself side to side, gently rocking Alvin, who buried into the comforting embrace before answering.

"You were looking at me as if I was nothing but dirt and told me that I wasn't worth dealing with anymore. You said you were fed up and wished that you never adopted me...You were going to leave me behind to be killed by the volcano!" Alvin couldn't go on any longer and started sobbing into Dave in misery.

The human was shocked at he had just heard. He lifted the sad little chipmunk and placed him up higher to his chest, this time stroking the little tuft of fur on top of his head, "Come on Al, you know I'd never say that to you, or your brothers, or the girls. I'd curse myself just for thinking any of that about you."

"You really mean that Dave?" came a slightly muffled, miserable voice.

"How many times have I said that over all these years?" Dave replied happily (FYI, when Dave says all of this, he's talking about all 53 years since 1958).

"Listen, I'll admit that are times that I wonder why I bother, but I always regret it a few moments later. You and you brothers were the best thing that ever happened to me. You've given me a life full of colour and surprises and it only got better when the Chipettes moved in. I'd be completely miserable and possibly out on the street if it weren't for you guys giving me a career I'd dreamed out since I was six."

"Alvin, you may be living a domesticated life, but your hearts managed to stay in the wild after all this time. Yes, it does cause you to be impulsive and to have a little too much confidence. But it's also kept your emotions and motivations raw and clear and nobody recognises you when that part you shows through. Don't let go of that just because a grumpy old human gets annoyed by it every now and then."

A silence followed Dave's speech. Alvin had calmed down and took a few moments to listen to his dad's steady heart beat. Gradually, the two looked at each other again curiously. Slowly, they started to grin at each other; Alvin chuckled at Dave's cheesy smile.

"You know Dave? It's a lot more then 'every now and again' that I annoy you," the red clad chipmunk giggled.

"Well, that's not how I see it," Dave answered warmly.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to try harder from now on," Alvin said cheekily, flashing his trademark smirk. He jumped from Dave's arms onto the bed, standing on his haunches.

"Oh really? Is that so?"

"Yep, that's so."

"I guess I should start punishing you now then..."

"How?"

Alvin got his answer when Dave lunged forward and dug his fingers into Alvin's sides. The chipmunk laughed hard as Dave tickled him, causing him to roll on his back so his stomach got attacked too. Alvin playfully bit Dave's fingers and rolled around, just catching himself before rolling off the bed. Dave chuckled and smiled; this was first time he had ever heard Alvin laugh like this. He sounded like Theodore when he dived headfirst into the chocolate fountain.

This went on for a few minutes until Dave realised how loud they were being and didn't want to wake up the others. It wasn't everyday that Dave got some time to bond with his eldest child; especially when he was just being a cute little chipmunk instead of annoying and irritating.

Dave ceased with the tickling, "Okay now, settle down. Brittany and Simon will kill us if we wake them up." To his relief, Alvin settled down immediately. Both took a moment to recompose and get the laughter of their systems. Alvin smoothed down his damp pyjama top and stared up at Dave again. But this time, something was different.

There was a gleam in his alert golden eyes that Dave had never seen before. The chipmunk was looking up at the human as if he was seeing him in a completely new way, as if he was a little kid meeting his hero face to face. It was a look of admiration, a look of loyalty. Dave didn't know what to think.

What he didn't realise was that he was doing the same thing to Alvin. Dave was looking down at the chipmunk with a look of complete confidence and surprise, like somebody who had just realised that he's had a real best friend this whole time. It gave Alvin the first completely positive feeling about Dave since the day they met.

They stayed like this for a while, until Dave broke the calm silence, "So, you want to prove that you can be responsible, do you?"

This took Alvin aback. That was last thing he expected Dave to say, "Of course I do! I know that I can be better than that Alvin that washed ashore of that island and nearly got us all killed!" He exclaimed enthusiastically.

"And the one that landed me in a Paris hospital," Dave added. Alvin smiled guiltily.

Dave quietly stood up and moved around to his closet, opening the door slowly so it wouldn't squeak. Alvin watched as Dave reached inside and pulled out a medium sized box. He placed on the bed and sat next to it, opening it carefully. Curiosity filled the chipmunk as Dave slowly reached into the box and pulled out what looked like a very tiny velvet jewellery box.

"If you can be responsible, then you can look after this," said Dave, his eyes now full of anticipation as he gently handed it to the chipmunk, "I was going to give it to you for your graduation, but, due to the circumstances..."

Alvin gasped when he opened the little case. It had to be the most precious thing he'd ever laid his eyes on:

Inside sat a gorgeous, chipmunk sized harmonica. It was from pure gold and highly polished, two sliver plated treble clefs sat either side of an inscription saying, "Always be true and play it from you."

Alvin didn't know what to say. He was so astonished and deeply touched that his dad would get him something like this. Alvin has never been much of a softie, but he was nearly brought to tears again when he looked back at his adoptive father.

In Dave's hands was another harmonica. It was made of pure silver. And between two treble clefs made from gold leaflet, sat the Seville family crest; it was the big brother of Alvin's little gold one.

"This harmonica is nearly 200 years old and a very important family heirloom." Dave informed the stunned chipmunk, smiling as he spoke, "It's tradition to pass it on to the eldest child of the next generation, but seeing as the next few generations will have trouble playing it, let alone keeping it safe, I've started the tradition again on a smaller scale. Do you like it?"

"I-I...Love it," stuttered Alvin, only just comprehending all of this. As carefully as he could, Alvin became the first chipmunk to hold it in his paws. He smiled in giddiness, "its a-amazing...Can I...Can I play it?"

"What else is it for?" came Dave's answer.

Alvin nervously brought the instrument to his lips, but hesitated, "What should I play though?"

"Whatever comes from your heart: that's the brilliant thing about harmonicas," Dave replied confidently.

Alvin brought it back to his lips and blew nervously, but was soon playing it like a pro. The more he played; he learned how to create different notes by sliding it across with his paws and tonguing different holes. And the whole time he learned, it all came out sounding beautiful. Dave closed his eyes and listened to the sweet melody. The unwritten song sent the other chipmunks into an even deeper sleep.

After a few minutes, Alvin realised that he was no longer doing a solo. He opened his eyes to see Dave playing along. The father and son jammed for a while and eventually made up a duet song that Dave found himself mentally writing lyrics to.

Although neither of the boy's egos would ever let them say it aloud, both had come to the mutual agreement that that night was a turning point in their relationship. They had silently found a new respect for each other and every time they looked at or played their harmonicas, they were reminded of that.

Dave's lucky to have someone like Alvin to mellow him out. Alvin's lucky to have someone like Dave to care, encourage and keep him in line on his way to adulthood.

And they can't imagine their lives playing out any other way.

A/N: Aww, I've wanted to write that for a while now. Good thing I finally found my feet again after FINALLY seeing Chipwrecked! Review and tell me what you think.