The rain was intense, the lightning bright, the thunder loud. It was an awful, miserable, stormy night. Two-year-old Charles Bartholomew Bass was awoken by the loud, monstrous, booming thunder. Charles didn't know what to do. These scary noises and lights were like parades of monsters sent to the toddlers bedroom. He started screaming and crying. He wished daddy would come in and save him, but that wasn't going to happen. Or was it?

"Charles?" Bart called out. Although Bart held an unjustified grudge against his young son, he still kept a close watch over him. Bart checked on the little boy every night before he went to bed. He went to sleep every night with the baby monitor on, as well. He found the only sound that could put him to sleep, was the sound of his son's regular breathing. Tonight, Bart had fallen asleep to that sound; however, was startled awake by the sounds of frightened crying.

"Daddy!!" the toddler cried.

"Come here son." Bart picked up Charles from his crib and held him tight. He rocked him back and fourth. "There is no need to cry." Bart soothed.

Then the loud thunder cracked. The sound shook the child's room. Little Charles clamped this arms around his father's neck even harder.

"Son, why don't you sleep with me tonight? Would you like that?" Bart asked.

Charles said nothing. He just balled his little eyes out.

Bart grabbed this son's blanket and carried him to his bedroom. Bart laid on the bed and rested Charles on his chest. He rubbed the little boy's back to try and sooth him to sleep.

Just as young Charles was calming down, the violent crashing sound of thunder rang through Bart's apartment. The two year-old boy wailed loudly in his father's ear.

"Okay, Misty, I get the point." Bart whispered to himself.

Bart knew that he had neglected his son for the first two years of his life. That would change, for tonight at least. He cuddled Charles closer and stared to rock him. Bart rocked his son in the same fashion that he had witnessed the nannies rocking his son.

"Do you like music young man?" Bart asked.

Charles, who had stopped crying, perked up. Bart knew this meant yes.

"I know its hard to believe Charles, but some people see your old man as a bit of a hard ass." Bart laughed at his own sarcasm.

"You know what, son? Mommy knew better. She knew things about me that I keep hidden from the rest of the world. It's time that you learned these things as well. For example, your daddy is a closet musician."

Charles had no idea what his father was talking about, he just knew that his father was holding him. That was all that mattered to him.

"I'll be right back." Bart spoke softly to his little boy. He sat him on his pillows and began to pull away. Charles quickly latched on to his dad for dear life.

"Son. I said I will be right back."

Charles would not let up.

"If you let daddy go, I will play music for you. I promise I will come right back."

Charles didn't like it, but he let Bart go.

Bart quickly got up from the bed and walked to his closet. He dug through some items and pushed things around until he was able to retrieve what he was looking for. Bart went back to his son and sat on his bed with a guitar in his hands.

Charles's eyes lit up upon his father's return. He never got his much attention from him. This was possibly the happiest day of his young life.

"When I was a child, I was dirt poor. I had a drunken lush for a mother. I had a nice, but consistently unemployed father. He died when I was 10. It became very stressful for me to look after my mother and your Uncle Jack at such a young age. I began to sing away the stress. This guitar is the only motherly thing that your grandmother ever did for me. She was a waitress, when she conscious. She saved her tips and brought this for $15 dollars at the local swap meet."

Charles nodded and pretended to understand.

"Even after all of my success, I still sing my stress away. I will do my best to sing yours away. I used to sing this song to your mother."

"When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me."

Charles began to wiggle his arms and twist to the music. His tears of fear were replaced by giggles of joy.

If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

Bart smiled at his son's silly movements. Then let out a laugh when the little boy tried to sing a long.

Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

"Did you like that son?" Bart asked while setting his guitar on the chaise he had in his bedroom.

The toddler nodded with glee.

"It's 3 am. Lets go to sleep."

Bart got into bed and rested his two-year-old son on his chest. He covered them both up with a blanket. Charles soon fell asleep in his father's arms. Bart didn't go to sleep right away. He just held his son and listened to him breathe.

"We were supposed to do this together. I miss you, Misty."

The End

This is just a random story that came to mind. I enjoy Bart and Chuck bonding time. I know Bart is portrayed as a bad dad, but I believe that he really loved his son.

I picked Misty instead of Evelyn for his mother's name. If you didn't already know, Misty is Chuck's mom's name in the books. Personally, I prefer it to Evelyn.

The song was Stand by me by Ben E. King.

For those of you that are reading Married at 17, I am in the middle of Chapter 13 and will have it up asap!

Please Review!!