It was late evening as he pulled his truck into the driveway of his five bedroom ranch house, all his aching body wanted was sleep, a soft bed and no disturbance for a week. He loved his job in WWE, it was damn hard work, yet it sure brought the money in, and the women if he was honest, yet he never touched. Taking his keys from the truck he headed into the warmth of the ranch, it was late October the air had become cooler, not that he felt it. He hadn't felt anything for a long time, almost a year if he was honest, tossing his keys into the dish under the lamp on the table his eyes caught the photo he loved. Picking it up tears filled his eyes, it was him, Jodie and Gunner took a year ago before she was diagnosed with cancer, it had been quick thank god. She had died in his arms two weeks later after being told. It still ripped him in half, a year later the only thing holding him together had been his son and his job.

Wearily he padded into the kitchen knowing his mum would have left one of her home cooked meals, she always did when he came back off the road. Gunner would be asleep in his room, placing the food into the oven to warm he nipped upstairs to see his son. Opening the door he smiled as he saw the mess, games consols, control pads, even his tv had been left on. It filled most of the wall, his eyes moved to his son asleep in his large bed, then he noticed another movement, ah looked like Dan had stayed over again. He didn't mind as he liked the boy he had helped his 12 year old son through the pain of losing his mum, in fact Dan's family had become more like a second home to both Mark and his son. Walking over to the bed he pulled his son's duvet over, as Gunner sleepily spoke

"Hi dad" ruffling his son's hair he kissed his cheek

"Go back to sleep champ" he smiled as Gunner nestled back into the covers, switching the tv off, and tidying the room up. Mark went back downstairs, the smell of the food making him hungrier than he thought he was. Sitting down to eat he grabbed a coffee from the machine, looks like his mum had left about 10 minutes ago. She was a god send to both Mark and Gunner, especially when Mark had to go on the road a few months at a had felt so guilty when he first left Gunner around 8 months after Jodie's death, yet his mum had stepped in, told him in no uncertain terms to get his ass back to work, he had to learn to live again.

As he ate he looked though the mail, grateful that his mum had took care of most of the shit, coming to an envelope he was surprised to see the school logo on. Puting the fork down he opened it surprised to read that the teacher thought his son had behaviour problems, what the hell!. Looking at the bottom of the page he didn't recognise the name, casting the letter to the side with the disgust he felt, he would deal with it in the morning. Fucking behaviour problems who the hell did the bitch think she was talking about. His son was still in damn mourning from the death of Jodie, slamming his plate in the dishwasher he headed up to bed, as his body hit the soft duvet he fell asleep.

Waking up to a thud on his chest, he laughed as Gunner jumped on top of him

"Hi dad, it's good to have you home, how long this time old man" Mark laughed as he ruffled his sons hair and threw him on the bed tickling him, it felt good to laugh.

"Old man, who ya calling old champ"

"You dad" he jumped off the bed before his dad could grab him in a hold

"Gotta go Dan stayed last night, so we can walk to school together" Mark rubbed his face, he felt tired and old, getting up he grabbed his sweatpants. Heading down stairs, he heard the boys laughing as they made what smelled like pancakes and yes that was coffee, his son was a good lad. Jodie had taught him in her last few weeks claiming no son of hers would grow up not knowing how to make pancakes and coffee.

"Hi Mr Calaway"

"Dan how many times do i need to tell you son, it's Mark sound like an old man Mr Calaway indeed"

"God dad you are old"

"Sure son now you boys get your breakfast and this old man will stick to his coffee' Gunner who is Ms Lowe?" seeing his sons face drop there was a problem here he could sense it

"Dad she's our new form tutor she is more like a damn kid"

"Gunner Calaway watch your langauge"

"Well she is dad, god she looks more like one of us, not out teacher"

"You been given her problems son?"

"What no dad she hates me, has since the minute she arrived"

"So she picking on you, well guess I gotta go down and sort her out then don't I son, no one upsets my son"

Heading upstairs he got changed'

"Gunner you got to tell your dad the truth"

"What? Come on Dan dad needs some happiness in his life and I think Ms Lowe would be great for him"
"Gunner you know what your dad's temper is like, she seems..." Gunner hushed him as his dad came back down.

"You two go get dressed I'm driving you to school today" He was going to sort this old

hag out, how dare she use her authority to pick on his son.

Louise, was tired it had been a hard night with her workload, she loved her job as form tutor and it drained her at times. She was suffering with the backlash of her illness which had almost robbed her of a year away from employment. She had been so lucky when the school offered her a job, looking past what others had seen. Her health was slowly on the up which she was grateful for, yet at 22 years old, she felt she had lost a lot of her life due to hospitals etc. Pulling the file from her bag she opened it up as she sipped her coffee, and ate her breakfast. Gunner Calaway the boy was a star pupil, after losing his mum he stuck his head into his work, most kids his age would buckle, retaliate, be angry, annoyed, thought the world owed them something but not Gunner. So it had shocked her to the core when he started to give back lip to her, ignore what she was asking.

She wondered if it had to do with his dad being on the road, she didn't know much about what he did, but to her abandoning a young lad at his time of need was uncalled for. She hated the fact she had to send the letter and knew without a doubt the boys father would be in, she had heard he was enormous with an attitude to match, however with the teachers and the kids he was the nicest person you could meet, she hoped he was.

Mark pulled the truck into the last available space in the parents car park. Gunner saw his dad.s face and saw the pissed off look as he called it, he wasn't too sure if this was going to go as he hoped.

"Er dad maybe we should leave it..."

"Nah son this needs sorting the old hag needs to be told, who the hell does she think she is?"

"Maybe another day, when you are calmer dad, you know what you are like without your sleep"

'Best time for it then Gunner" getting out of the truck Gunner and Dan both looked at each other the shit was about to hit the fan both could feel it.