I know I said that I would leave the poll up on my page up for two weeks. But if I wanted to get either of these stories in before I started back college, I'd have to act fast.

So I picked the highest ranking vote on the poll.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you 'Sins of The Father'.

Sins of The Father

Chapter 1: Unexpected Surprise

In all his 30 years of life, Dirk Strider can honestly say that he does not have one memory of his and Dave's father. He had seen an old picture of their mother with another man, and growing up and even today he could only assume that that man in those pictures with their mother was their father. Their Mother, Cynthia, never spoke much of their father growing up. All he knew is what she briefly told him over the years. He was tall, probably as tall as Dirk is now, had dark hair and brown eyes; and apparently from what Cynthia mentioned more than a few times, he was a business man that loved work more than his family. That probably explained why he never saw him. But one thing that Dirk could vouch for his father was that he took care of them. Every month, he would send Cynthia a healthy sum of money to take care of the family. But, after Cynthia's death 13 years ago, those checks stopped coming. It was like he just forgot, or didn't care, about his children after Cynthia died. Since then, Dirk had not seen or heard anything from their father in 13 years. And he could honestly care less if he ever did.

'How can you just forget about your children like that! Well forget him! Me and Dave got along just fine without him! I never had him in my life and Dave doesn't need him either! I'm the closest thing to a father that Dave has ever had than that man will ever be! Hell, Dave thought I was his father until he was 2! Who needs him!', Dirk's mind ranted as he sat his computer desk.

While he was fiddling around on his website, he got a pesterchum message from someone called "SoulSearcher"

"SoulSearcher stared pestering timaeusTestified at 14:29"

SS: Hello Dirk, I finally found you.

tT: uh, dude? Who the hell are you?

SS: Where are my manners? My name is Derrick Strider, I'm your father.

tT: ha! Yeah right!

'How is this cat? He thinks that he can mess with the Strider, then he's got another thing come!'

SS: No, I'm serious. I AM your biological father.

tT: yeah, and I'm the Prince of Wales. Now if you don't mind, I have a kid to go pick up from school.

SS: WAIT WAIT! You have a son?

tT: well if what YOU claim to be is true, then he is YOUR son.

tT: however he might as well be mine. I've raised him since birth, no help from you!

SS: Dirk, I had no idea. I swear I didn't. Cynthia never told me she was pregnant.

tT: wait, how did you know our mother's name?

SS: I told you SON, I AM your father.

Dirk sat there, wide eyed at the screen. Could it be? Could this man, who just popped up outta now where, really be their father?

SS: I'll prove it to you. Your mother is Cynthia Grace. She had beautiful, long blonde hair and amber eyes. Whenever I would gaze into her eyes, I would refer to them as my gems. She was the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid my eyes on, even to this day. She was a genuinely kind hearted soul. She loved helping other people. And after she found out she was pregnant with you, I gave her gold locket.

Every memory that Dirk has of their mother, she was always wearing a gold locket. Whenever he would ask her about it, she would always say it was from the man that stole her heart. She was buried with that locket.

That's when it finally fit Dirk.

tT: oh my God. You, you really are my, our father.

tT: oh my God!

SS: It's been a long time, Dirk. Too long. Words cannot express how deeply sorry I am for not being there for you two over the years! After the checks started coming back is when I realized that something had happened to Cynthia. I was heart broken when I learned that she had been killed! You have to believe me Dirk! For years, I tried to find you, but I couldn't on my own. I ended up hiring a private investigator. And now I've finally found you!

tT: for 13 years? In 13 years, you couldn't pick up a Houston phone book and look under 'Strider'. There's only a handful of Striders over here 'Dad', we wouldn't have been too hard to find.

SS: I know but let me explain

tT: and what about Dave 'Dad'? All his life, he has never known that he's had a father! I mean hell, he thought I was his father until he was two!

SS: Son, please. You have to listen.

SS: I will never forgive myself for all the time I've lost with you both. I know I didn't handle things very well. But you have to understand. I didn't know anything was wrong. Your mother kept her number unlisted so it was hard to keep track. That's why I couldn't just pick up a phone book and find you. The checks started coming back about 6 years ago. They had been detained for some reason. I guess after a certain period of time, when checks go unclaimed, they get sent back to their senders. That's when I realized that something was wrong. I searched and searched until I found the truth. That my beloved Cyndi, had been killed in a car wreck. I was heart broken. I didn't know what to think. I was so caught up in work that I couldn't track you down on my own. I ended up hiring a private investigator about 3 years ago. His findings lead me straight to you!

Dirk starred at the screen for a few moments. Really unsure of what to think of it all.

tT: I, I don't know what to say.

SS: There's no excuse for all the time I've lost. I realize now that I've put work infront of family for far too long. I want to be apart of your's and David's lives. After all these years, I know you probably don't want anything to do with me. And you have every right not to. But please son, let me know about David. What's he like?

Dirk smirked a little

tT: He's, he's great. Wonderful kid. He's my little man. He's got blond hair, red eyes, but he wears sunglasses all the time. He has a severe addiction to apple juice. He's into D. and sword fighting. We have our little strifes every now and then. He's my mini me. I don't know what I'd do without him.

SS: He sounds wonderful Son! You've done a great job raising him!

tT: I done the best I could.

SS: I'm real proud of you both. I'm sure your mother feels the same way.

tT: yeah

Maybe, maybe he should give this guy a chance.

tT: look, I'm sorry about earlier. I was just mad. And even though you couldn't be there for me when I was growing up, that doesn't mean you still can't be there for Dave. Right? I don't want him to grow up not knowing his father.

SS: All is forgiven my Son. You had every right to get angry. With your permission, I'd like to meet you and David sometime. If that's okay with you.

Dirk still didn't know if wanted to meet this guy in person or not. He didn't know if he wanted this guy around Dave. I mean, really for all he knew, this guy's could've just been some tool looking to get some kicks. But how did he know all that stuff about their mother if he wasn't their father?

SS: I understand if you don't want to, or feel that it's not in David's best interest.

tT: No, no I do want to meet you. It's just that everything, you know happened so fast. I mean an hour ago, I had no idea that you cared about us. For all I knew, you just forgot or didn't care about us now that Mom's gone.

SS: I understand that you felt that way, and I am so sorry that you did. But hear me when I tell you that I never forgot or didn't care about you! Every spare moment went to looking for you.

SS: Please, let me see you, both of you. If not just a picture.

Dirk just didn't have the heart to deny a man the right to see his sons. He knew that if he just found Dave that he would do anything to get to see him again.

tT: okay. I'll send you a couple of pictures. But, to make sure that you really are our dad. Send us a picture of mom.

SS: Fair enough.

After a few moments, Dirk received an email from SS. The picture he sent Dirk was they exact same picture Dirk recalled seeing all those years ago. In the picture was Cynthia Strider in the arms of taller, dark haired, brown eyed man, their father.

It really was him, SS was really Dirk and Dave's father Derrick

SS: It's the only picture I have of us together.

tT: you, you really REALLY are our father!

SS: I told you so.

Dirk held up his end and sent Derrick a picture of him and Dave on the couch together. And then another one of Dave asleep on the couch. It was one of Dirk's personal favorites. It was one of the rare moments where he actually caught Dave on camera without his shades. He was curled up on one end of the couch and the shades in his hand.

SS: that younger boy, is that David?

tT: yeah. That's my little man

SS: He's beautiful Dirk! He looks so much like you and Cyndi. He has his mother's face!

tT: you wouldn't be the first to say that. Up till he was 5 or 6 people thought he was girl. Some still do.

SS: He's definitely gonna be a heart breaker.

Dirk couldn't help but laugh a bit. He had to admit it, his brother definitely did take after him.

tT: Hey listen. I gotta go pick up Dave from school in a little bit, so I'm gonna have to go. But I'd love to keep in touch. And maybe we can arrange a meeting sometime. I know you must be busy all the time and I work at nights and Dave is fixing to be out of school for the summer. So any time that is convenient for you is convenient for us. But I'd have to talk to him first.

SS: Okay, that's perfectly understandable. I won't let my work get in the way this time. I promise. You talk to David and let me know okay?

tT: Okay, well I gotta go. It was great talking with you Dad. I'll be seeing you around.

SS: You take care Son. I'll see both you soon.

"SoulSearcher stopped pestering timaeusTestified at 14:55"

"Well, all that was unexpected.", Dirk couldn't help but wonder how Dave will take to the news.