17

Prologue:

Careful what you wish for

Summary: Kevin happily celebrates his 17th birthday surrounded by his family and friends. While Double d has the worst day in his 16 years of life.

Disclaimer: If i owned this I probably wouldn't be writing slash fanfiction...But who knows maybe i would be. anyway, I DO NOT OWN ED, EDD, & EDDY! (KevEdd)

Kevin let a soft smile grace his lips as he admired the bright red cake his mom had spent the better half of her afternoon creating. Music blared on the outside speakers long forgotten. The redhead let his eyes scan the table and his from the Cul-de-sac and his football team had made it . And this was the first birthday he could remember that hadn't been interrupted by the three Ed's and Kevin was ecstatic. As he counted his 17 candles the redhead let his mind stray and his thoughts began to wonder where the Ed's had ventured off to in the first place. All thoughts flew out the window as a soft hand found his and butterflies erupted into his stomach. An aloft grin made its way to Kevin's face as he found the bright blue eyes that belong to the small delicate hand.

"Make a wish dude." His childhood friend and crush Nazz said as she gave the teens hand a squeeze. Kevin looked to his parents as they smiled happily back at their son. It was no secret to the redheaded teen that his parents had been trying to have another baby for a few years now. Kevin let a soft breath leave his mouth. It had been years since he believed in the old wish myth but it still didn't stop him from letting his two greatest wishes bounce around his head. Kevin had only two. One for himself and one for his parents, and before he blew his candles out he concentrated on the idea of him having a little brother or sister for his -hopefully by then- girlfriend Nazz to play with. With one last thought on the matter the candles were out.

"What did you wish for?" Nazz asked in a flirty voice as she gave one of her trademark megawatt smiles. Kevin let a hearty chuckle erupt from his throat as he placed a finger to his lips and gave the blonde girl a wink. The party gang began to laugh and chatter over the pairs antics. The blonde sighed and scooted her chair closer to her friend. Quickly without warning the blonde brought her lips to kevins for a quick but sweet kiss. The redhead sat in shock as he stared wide eyed at the beautiful girl. Seconds went by before he was even able to say anything to her.

"Looks like one of my wishes just came true." The blonde girl smiled at what she assumed to be her new boyfriend as the rest of the party hooted and hollered. Even his parents seemed genuinely happy for their son and the neighbor girl Nazz. His mother let her chocolate eyes scan the clock. Her blonde hair wiped as she turned to her only son quickly.

"Honey, if you and your friends want to make it to the fair you gotta go!" Her voice sounded a little worried and Kevin looked from her to his untouched cake. A soft sweet smile replace her frown and a chuckle escaped from Kevin's stout father. "The cake will be her when you get back."

"Really?" Kevin smiled up at his parents. His father placed his hands around his wife's waist.

"Go have fun." His father answered with a smile. The teens wasted no time getting up and heading out. A quick hug and kiss to his parents and he was out the door into the cool spring air. Kevin smiled when he felt a small hand met his. Nazz gave the redhead's hand a gentle squeeze and away they went towards their destination. The gang so enthralled with the wonderful time they were having they gave little thought to the sound of the rushing sirens that belong to police cars and an ambulance.

Eddward flopped on his bed and let a small frown decorate his feminine face. He had been trying to finish his relaxing trigonometry homework, but the muffled screams and cries from his parents echoed up the stairs. Edd sat up when a particularly loud yell from his mother echoed into his ears. Sitting himself in the indian position the sock clad teen brought his book closer as he ignored the tears that threatened to fall at any moment.

" DON'T TALK TO ME THAT WAY OR I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!" Edd cringed as the sound of his fathers voiced oozed with hate. His hands made it to his ears without his knowing and the tears had began to fall. This was a normal occurrence whenever his parents were home Edd -or Double D as the kids like to call him- thanked god that his parents were hardly home. His eyes scanned the room till they fell on the window that led to a perfect view of Kevins house. Music pumped through the night and lights streamed out of the windows.

"It looks like all the neighbors are at Kevins house." Edd sighed out to no one. Thank god He thought to himself. There was no way anyone could hear his parents with the music playing that loud. He could make out the faint beat across the street so he knew there was no way they could hear... them. Edd was for the most part sure no one knew how bad his family life had gotten. His parents were busy career oriented people. His mom was the assistant to the head editor of a high end fashion magazine and his father a lawyer to a firm in the city. As far as Edd knew the only reason they even moved to the small town was because their small son had began to complain of his boredom. So they moved...Or rather Edd moved into a lonely 4 bedroom house while his parents ran off the live their high end lives. For a long time the only proof of his parents where the sticky note trail that decorated the house. Years had gone by like that.

"I NEVER WOULD'VE MARRIED YOU IF YOU HADN'T GOTTEN ME KNOCKED UP!" Edd pursed his lips and squeezed his hands harder to his head. His parents had began to hate and blame each other for who knows what. Maybe it was Edd himself they argued over. It was becoming increasingly clear that they only stayed together because of him.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!" Edd began to bury his head under his pillow as tight as he could. Under there he had finally drowned out their voices. And he began to think of anything but his parents. He wondered if Eddy and Ed had already made it to the fair. They had planned to met there and begin some scan Eddy had thought up. His mind scanned through the blueprints and his mind corrected last minute mistakes. Edd knew the scam would just end up with Kevin and Eddy in some sort of argument. The teen began to shake and he decided to think of anything but arguing. What was Kevin's family doing anyway. A party? Either way he and other two Ed's hadn't been invited. Eddy would be furious. Saying that he was way cooler than the red headed jock. He could almost hear Eddy's voice rich with annoyance. The thought brought the first real smile to his face all night.

BANG...The smile ripped from his face. That was loud and could be clearly heard from underneath Edd's pillow sactaurary. Slowly the sock head teen removed the pillow staring at the door. His small arms hugged the pillow protectively and minutes passed before he let his eyes scan Kevins house. When no one came out he slowly placed the pillow on his bed and stood up his eyes never leaving his door. Quiet as a mouse Edd walked towards his door. His hands had somehow found themselves covering his pink lips. The teen paused in front of his door and brought a shaky hand from his mouth to the doorknob. The door itself opened much quicker than he was ready for and he paused again before stepping out into the much colder, dark hallway. Edd's feet seemed to be working faster than his brain and before he knew it he was standing at the bottom of his stairs looking into the living room.

What is that? Eddward thought to himself as his eyes fell to the floor. It took him a good 30 seconds before it registered as his mother laying lifeless on the floor an obvious shotgun wound to the chest covered in blood. I guess he didn't mean her head after all. Edward couldn't help to think that way as he turned his eyes anywhere but on his mother. His eyes finally landed on the only other figure in the room. The teens father stood over his mothers body reloading the 12 gauge that Eddward hadn't even known his father owned. The dubstrucked man looked up from his gun and to his startled son.

"Eddward, what are you doing out of bed..." To Edd his father sounded detached from what had really been going on tonight. Seconds of silence went by before his father grew impatient and crossed the gap to the young teen gun in hand. Eddward had never thought in a million years he would end up in front of the barrel of a shotgun. let alone a gun his father held, but here he stood. The teen finally looked up to make eye contact with his father for the first time in what had probably been years, and was started to see all the sadness, pain, and anger his father had been holding onto. When had his father aged so much, and how had he gotten to this point. The sock clad teen wasn't to sure all the he knew is that his father was in pain. Eddward sat at the bottom of the stairs sitting up straight as he smoothed out his clothes with his hand. A sad smile forced its way onto his lips as he looked up at his father. A man that was supposed to protect Edd was now going to be his killer and the ironic thought made a tear run down his cheek.

"It's okay dad..." Eddwards's voice sounded broken and he couldn't think of a time he had ever referred to his father as dad. But there was a first time for everything. "I forgive you." Though he didn't think it mattered to the gun wielding man in front of him. Eddward felt that these were words that needed to be said to both his mother and his father. The teen had missed his chance with his mother but he refused to miss it with his father. Eddward let his eyelids close over the bright blue eyes he inherited from the woman laying in a bloody heap a few feet away. The sock head felt a large strong hand caress his soft cheek. He was surprised his father had calloused hands and let his mind wonder what could have gave a man who lived in an office such beat up hands. Eddward's thoughts were torn away as the hand left his cheek. The teen closed his eyes even tighter readying himself for what came next. Another Bang ripped through the house and a surprised Eddward slowly opened his eyes finding his father laying next to his mother in a pool of blood and brain matter. Without thinking Eddward was off the steps and heading towards his kitchen phone. His parents laid in the living room silent for the first time in years. Leaving their only son Eddward alone to pick up their pieces. The teen dialed the number without much thought and waited for a voice any voice.

"911 What seems to be your emergency." The voice was soft and sounded eerily like Eddward's mother.

"I need someone...Anyone..." The teen whispered and before he could stop himself he had hung up and slid to his knees hiding himself under the counter in the kitchen. The idea of germs entered his mind and brought a sad chuckle out from his throat as he waited for the police he knew would be arriving.

Eddward smiled kindly at Kevin's parents. The house was decorated with balloons and streamers from the party the sock hat clad teen noticed only hours ago. There was no sign of Kevin and the teen sighed a nervous breath. The trip to the hospital, the police station and then Kevin's house was all a blur. Eddward wasn't sure how he had ended up in clothes that the teen recognised as Kevin's later middle school clothes. The teen blushed knowing it was sad that he a 16 going on 17 year old boy could fit into old middle school clothes. The worst part was that the green hoodie they had giving the young dark haired teen hit loosely. Eddward played with the hem of the hood as he glanced from Kevin's mother to his father.

"Mr. and Mrs." Eddward had began before he was cut off by hand telling him to stop. Kevin's dad stepped forward a smile on his pudgy face as he placed a large hand on the dark haired teens shoulder. Eddward tensed under the touch but smiled shyly at the large man.

"Please call us Hank and Susie." Eddward smiled unsure if he should or not. mulling over the thought for a couple seconds. The teen began to stick his tongue between the small gap in his front teeth. A habit he had not been able to break. Seconds past before the embarrassed Edd had realized that Kevin's parents were waiting for him to finish what he wanted to say.

"Uhm...Hank, Susie...Thank you so much for allowing me into your lovely home." Eddward started with a smile. "But...I wasn't aware that you and my parents were friends..." The teen stopped to gather his thoughts. He didn't want to seem rude or ungrateful but the sock head was at this moment confused. His tongue had found its way back into his gap as he fidgeted.

"I guess I'm trying to understand why I'm here..." That sounded awkward in his ears and he watched as Susie and Hank both simintaisly sighed. A moment passed and then Susie started first.

"We...are just as shocked as you are. We hadn't talked to your Mother and Father since you moved here." Her voice was high and kind as it fluttered over Eddward's eardrums. The teen kneaded his eyebrows as he let the words sink in. He was even more confused.

"I don't...I don't understand." Eddward whispered as tears began to form in his eyes. He quickly rubbed his eyes on Kevin's old hoodie, and gathered himself before he looked back to Susie and Hank. The dark haired teen opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted by the loud opening of the front door.

"MOM, DAD I'M HOME." Eddward visibly jumped startled by the sudden noise. By the look on Kevin's parents face they weren't expecting him home. "Nazz had to go home early so I decided toooo-" The redhead was torn from his thoughts. Instead of coming face to face with his parents he was face to face with Double D the nerdy kid across the street. A smirk tugged at his lips as he noticed his attire.

"Hey dweeb...You fit into my middle school clothes?" Eddward glared at the redhead.

"You would notice that." the retort not only surprised himself but also the redheaded teen standing in front of him. Suddenly both teens smiled at each other and a calm filled the sock clad teen. Kevin let the smile stay on his lips as he looked to his parents to finish what he wanted to tell them, but the words never left his mouth and the smile was replaced with a frown. The redhead had never seen his parents as they were now. They seemed a mixture of sad and stiff and Kevin took a deep breath figuring he was in some sort of trouble. A glare snuck onto the red cap clade teens face and shot at Eddward. Kevin knew that it had something to do with him. Why else would he be here.

"Is this because I didn't invite them?" Kevin asked as he pointed in Eddward's direction. Before anyone could say anything else the redhead continued. "You said I could invite anyone I wanted to my birthday."

"It's your birthday?" Eddward burst out. When everyone looked to the small teen he began to blush. "Happy Birthday Kevin." The small teen whisper embarrassed and fidgety. Kevin gave it a thought. If it would have been Eddy he would have sworn the teen had been playing it off, But the teen before him was Eddward. The kid across the street. Shy, sweet, nerdy Double D.

"Double D, why are you here?" Kevin hadn't meant to sound so brash or curt but it was driving him crazy. The said teen blushed and looked to Kevin's parents. A sigh escaped Susie as she placed her hands together in thought. It was Kevin's dad that spoke up.

"Eddward will be staying with us..." Hank let the statement hang in the air as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. He was well aware his son had a sort of rivalry with the -as the neighborhood kids called them- Ed's. Which is why Hank had hope his son would come home late. He wanted the time to explain the situation before things became awkward. Both of Kevin's parents eyed their son holding their breath as they waited for a reply.

"Oh...Did you get into a fight with your parents?" Kevin asked the fidgety teen. The said teen looked up from the spot on the floor his eyes had found particularly interesting.

"Something like that..." The answer was quick and to the point as Eddward let his eyes fall back to the spot his eyes were trained on before. Awkward seconds passed as the sock clad teen stared at his spot as if it held the answers to the universe. Finally the teen spoke up breaking the tension he and Kevin had created.

"I'm really very exhausted. If you don't mind I think i'll retire to my room." Kevin looked to the teen that just spoke and let a nervous smile grace his lips. He wasn't sure when he became nervous or why. Kevin opened his mouth like he wanted to say something more but the words never left. The redhead instead fiddled with his hat as he watched Eddward walk up the stairs. Kevin let his eyes linger where the sock head had been only moments before. Finally his Mother ripped his eyes away with her voice.

"Honey, Come here...Your father and I." A sigh escaped her throat as she sat at the kitchen table. "We have something to discuss with you." Kevin had never heard that tone in her voice and sighed. The night had started out so good the redhead thought as he sat next to his mom. A smile graced his lips as he placed his hands on his mothers.

"Whatever it is...I"m sure its gonna be okay mom." The teen said in a comforting tone. Susie struggled for the words until finally she just blurted them out.

"Eddward's parents are dead." Kevins smile slipped off his face as he looked to his father who gave him a sad nod. The redhead sighed and dropped his face into his hands. He wasn't really sure what to say or do. The light happy atmosphere from his party evaporated as his mind raced. All the teen could muster out to Susie and Hank was a single word.

"How?"