Authors note: So, bet you didn't think you'd see this story again. Sorry about the long wait everyone, I just wanted to get the chapter just right, and I was working on some other WIP's as well. Hope you enjoy!

Nicole knocked on the door and tentatively entered the room, not waiting for an answer. "Darwin? Honey, are you ok? I think we need to talk." she said in a concerned tone.

"Gumball talked to you, didn't he?" Darwin asked.

"Yeah, he's really worried about you, we all are." Nicole told him. Darwin didn't respond. "Darwin, we never meant to make you feel like we didn't love you. We do, very much."

"If you love me, then why did you…..?"

"Why did we leave you at that pond?" Nicole guessed. "We didn't want to sweetie. We only did it because we thought that it was what you wanted. If we knew how you really felt we never would have done it. It broke our hearts to let you go." Darwin considered her words, that was what Gumball said too, so maybe there was some truth to them. Still, he had some more questions.

"That wasn't what I was going to ask. Although I was wondering about that too. What I was going to ask was…...why did you try to replace me so quickly? Eight years ago, at the pet store? I understand that you didn't think I could come back. You didn't think it was possible and I get that. It was kinda crazy to me too. But it's like you didn't even care that I was gone! You tried to replace me almost immediately! At least Gumball was pressured into it, you were the ones encouraging him! You can't just try to replace me then two seconds later call yourselves my parents! Which is the truth? Do you care about me or not?" Darwin said, tears in his eyes. Whoa, where did all of that anger come from? He didn't even know that he felt that way until the words were out of his mouth. He loved his mother, he loved both his parents to pieces, but he found that he couldn't deny any of what was said. Nicole looked at him, agast. This was worse than she thought. It looked like he had been carrying this inside of him for a long time, and he had a point with a lot of it. What kind of mother was she?

"Darwin…..I'm so sorry. I had no idea you felt that way. I love you, and I do care about you. So, so much."

"Then why?" Darwin asked. Nicole sighed, she couldn't think of a way to explain it and make it sound good. She was just going to tell him the truth. Hopefully he would be able to handle it.

"I….I didn't know you then." Nicole answered. "You were right, I didn't think you could come back, so I thought moving on would be the best solution, for Gumball and myself. Of course I was worried about you, you were a tiny goldfish in the great big ocean, and if I had known what you were up to, that you were risking your life to get back to us, then I would've been even more worried. But I didn't think there was anything I could do so I tried to help the family move on. I was worried for you but I was worried for Gumball too, it was like he didn't want to do anything without you, so I thought another fish would help him move on. But I was wrong Darwin, it isn't healthy to bottle up your sadness like that, for me or for you. Don't you remember how happy I was when I saw that you had come back?" She asked. Darwin thought back to that day and gave a small nod. Nicole saw this and perked up a bit, maybe she was getting through to him. "I love you Darwin, you are an incredible part of my life. This family would be so much worse off without you. You are sweet, compassionate, loyal, and smart in your own way. I probably don't tell you that enough, but it's true. I care about you, I wouldn't have adopted you if I didn't."

"It's not like you had much choice in the matter." Darwin muttered. "I know you weren't expecting another kid when I came along, so I know that you were kinda stuck with me…."

"You really think that? Oh Darwin, that's not true. Just because we didn't expect you that doesn't mean we're not glad that things turned out the way they did. I don't know what I would do if you didn't come into my life. I wouldn't change any of it. It's just the same as with Gumball."

"With Gumball?" Darwin said, confused.

"Yeah, we weren't exactly expecting him either. You didn't know that? I thought you two told each other everything."

"No, he never told me." Darwin whispered. His mind was racing. All this time, he thought that he was putting all this extra stress on his parents that they didn't deserve just by existing. He thought he was a burden on them. But he wasn't the first unexpected kid, whatever burden he was was shared. A weight he didn't even know he had started to lift off his chest. "I didn't…..I thought…..I thought I was I was a burden to you." Darwin admitted. Nicole reached over and gave him a hug.

"Oh honey, never. You actually made things a little easier since Gumball now had someone to play with. I know I might complain about raising you kids sometimes but I wouldn't want things any other way. I'm sorry if that made you feel like a burden, I never meant it to. I'll try to stop complaining about it so much." Nicole said. Darwin tentatively returned his mother's hug and cried into her chest.

"I forgive you. I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I shouldn't've said all that."

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Nicole told him. "I think it needed to be said." Darwin nodded. She was probably right about that. He felt better already.

"I love you mom." Darwin said, dropping the Mrs. for once. It just didn't seem right to use it right now. Nicole took notice of this.

"I love you too sweetie, so so much."