The Following Morning...

"Daddy...Daddy...Are you awake?"

Nathan opened his eyes to meet his son's green eyes. They had worry in them. "Now I am...Vincent, I told you to knock before coming into our room..." he yawned.

"Sorry, but Mommy's acting really weird!"

Nathan peered over to his side to notice she wasn't there. "Weird how?"

"Well, she's cursing a lot more for no reason, she's not going to work, and she yelled at me for being 'better than her'."

"Wait, what? OK, let's bring this back. First, she's off from work today, Saturday. Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Second, is she mad at you for something you did? What made her yell at you?"

"VINCENT! Let 'The Great Black Phoenix' have his beauty sleep, because apparently he's too good for our presence!" yelled Adrianna from downstairs.

Nathan felt the attitude in her voice and got up off the bed in his boxers to confront the issue.

"Oh, speak of the half-blood! To what do I owe of your presence?" whined Adrianna.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine. What did Vince do that you yelled at him?" asked Nathan.

"Ohh! So just because I'm the generic human of the house- and ONLY female, I can't share my own opinions? That's just dandy! What's next, you wanna tell me how gorgeous you look compared to me? With your abs, broad shoulders, and-"  She stopped when she glanced over at the half-clothed Nathan. "See? There you have it! Acting like you're the sexiest thing ever!" she snapped.

"What's your problem again?"

"What's my problem? Apparently, I am the fucking problem!"

"Are you?"

"I DON'T KNOW, why don't YOU answer that?!"

"Addie, you're scaring the kid."

"Oh sure! Worry about the kid, a kid who can obviously fend for himself! Not me though! I can't do anything but throw a good punch!"

"But...is that a bad thing?"

Adrianna shot Nathan a dirty look and shut off the TV on the wall, standing up to go back upstairs.

"Wait, where'd you get that TV?"

"Our stupid neighbors!"

"Everyone's on your shit-list today, huh?"

"That freakin' Debra thinks her macaroni salad's the best just because of her 'secret recipe.' I bet it's rotting flies."

"I mean, it's the best rotting flies I've ever had then."

Adrianna stopped in front of Nathan on the stairs to look at them stern-faced.

"I. Will. Take. Her recipe! Like I did her TV! Goodnight!"

She bumped shoulders with him as she stomped up the stairs.

"Wait...you stole their TV?!"

"GOODNIGHT!" Adrianna slamming the door.

"It's only 10:00 AM!"

There wasn't another response from her to follow.

"What happened to our other TV?" Vincent questioned.

"Sorry, I broke it on accident last night." his father assured.

"Oh."

"Did you eat?"

"Mmhm. Cap'n Crunch!"

"Is that all we have?"

"Uh, I dunno."

Nathan checked the cupboards and saw the single box of Cap'n Crunch. He grabbed it to then notice how light it was. He peeked an eye inside to see three pieces of cereal left among the dusty crumbs.

"Vincent, you ate all my cereal." Nathan grinned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

"No you're not, because I was just kidding. But, I am hungry."

"What're you gonna do?"

Nathan checked the fridge and saw nothing of interest. "We have two options. We can either go to the supermarket, or we can go bother Uncle Joe?"

A cheesy smile grew on the boy's face, "Let's go bother Uncle Joe!"

"And that's why you're my favorite child."

"But...I'm the only child."

"Exactly. First, let's go return that TV to the Carters next door."

Nathan paced over to the television, admiring Adrianna's work. "Wow, I had no idea she was good with cabling, let alone on an older flat screen like this one."

Vincent hopped onto the sofa as he watched his father disconnect the TV from its wires and hinges on the wall. After a few minutes, Nathan had the television in his arms, showing little effort in carrying it.

"I have two jobs for you, Vince. First, get the door for me."

Vincent sprung up to open the door. He slid the chain lock and pulled the white door open. Surprisingly, there was a couple at the door already waiting.

Nathan noticed it was the Carters who came for their TV. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Carter, I'm sorry, but something's gotten into my wife-"

"Just give me the freaking TV, you fraud." spat Mr. Carter.

"E-Excuse me?"

"You call yourself a hero? Yeah right, look at you stealing TVs and stuff! If I had the powers, I would be a much better hero! But no, here I am, driving into the middle of nowhere, because you just have to be the furthest-living neighbors ever!"

"Listen George, I understand your situation, and I appreciate you driving five minutes to get here rather than me going over, but we seem to have a bigger problem right n-"

"OH, OK! Mister Hot-Shot has problems! Well, welcome to being normal! Oh I forgot, you don't know a thing about being normal! Not you, not your good-for-nothing wife, and not even your son there!"

Nathan inhaled deeply, looking George Carter straight in his eyes. Just then, Nathan tossed the wide TV box towards the man's chest, knocking him off balance to stumble with the television squashing him onto the ground, leaving him to squirm.

"Oh, look what ya did George! Just because I'm a woman, I can't talk, huh? I bet if you gave me the chance, I coulda done better! But no! You went to college, and I didn't! Well let me tell you-"

"Both of you, get the fuck off my property!" snapped Nathan, cutting off Mrs. Carter.

"Oh no big guy! Where's your wife? Bring her out so I can kick her ass!"

"Hey, don't talk about my Mommy like that!" Vincent now.

"You want a beating too, kid?"

"Touch him and I'll be sure that you get the beating!" Nathan again.

"Aw, is that what you're teaching your kid?"

"I'm teaching him to defend his family, no matter who it is!"

Nathan grabbed the rake on the wall of his house, kicking off the metal part to leave him with the solid wooden handle.

"If you're not gone in thirty seconds, I'm gonna knock both of your fucking heads off!"

"George, enough lying around, let's go!"

"Dammit woman...the...TV!" George gasped.

"Forget the TV! I'm your wife! Let's go!"

Nathan walked over to George and slid the TV off his chest, allowing him to scamper off to their green Toyota Camry.

"See you again on Thanksgiving!" Nathan called out.

"Daddy, you were going to hit a girl..." said Vincent.

"I'd hurt anyone who wants to hurt my family. But, do as I say, not as I do; don't ever lay a hand on a woman for any reason...Unless she's a demon and/or she hurts any of your family members."

"OK...I don't think I'd do it though."

"That makes you better than me, kiddo. Now, let's go get Uncle Joe!"

A Half-Hour Later...

Nathan pulled up by Joseph's maroon and white ranch home. When him and his son exited the royal blue Honda, there was a gust of fresh ocean wind coming from the beach that was only two miles away. The solace of the moment was then ruined with a sound of breaking objects resonating from inside the house.

"Get back in the car, I'm going to see what he's doing." Nathan told his son, unlocking the car. Vince sat back inside and Nathan armed the car again.

Nate walked cautiously towards the red door, listening to every crash and bash inside, followed by a canine's growl. "He's fighting?..."

It was then that Nathan sensed the presence of demons within the household.

"Shit!" he cursed, with his battle attire appearing on him.

He opened the screen door and tried fiddling with the house door's knob, but it was locked. He moved back a bit to kick the door down, morphing a light machine gun within his hands. There were two demons on top of Joseph, clawing and picking and and biting at him. Joseph managed to grab one and throw it at a wooden table. The table fell apart upon collision, the flower pot tipping over on the demon. The demon caught the pot, also noticing Nathan at the door. The demon had a single green eye, one long fang at the top center of its mouth and a typical lean, brick-red body. It hissed at Nathan, throwing the ceramic pot at him. Nathan pulled the trigger and unloaded a series of bullets at the pot coming his way, which broke through, and all thirty bullets struck the demon in the chest.

Joseph grabbed the last one by its throat, shoved its head in his muzzle, then in one tug- he ripped off its head. Joe threw the headless body at Nathan and spit out the head. Nathan ducked, just missing the body before it hit him.

"What the hell, Joe?! It's me!" said Nathan.

"I had them!" snarled Joseph.

"OK, I didn't know it was a competition?"

"Shut up!"

Joseph shifted back to normal in just a pair of green stretchable shorts.

"Get out of my house!" he shot.

"What?"

"You're always stealing the show, like I'm just some sidekick! Get out, now!"

"What the fuck, Joe?"

"OUT!"

Joseph shoved Nathan away and slammed the screen door closed, locking it.

Nathan banged a fist on the window. "Joe! Joseph Luno, get back here!"

In response, Joseph picked up his broken red door and fitted it back on the frame. Nathan threw his hands behind his head, now frustrated. He walked back over to the car, trying to remain calm. Unlocking the doors, he sat down on the leather seat to take a deep breath.

"Is Uncle Joe OK?" Vincent breaking the silence.

"I have no idea what's everyone's problem today. It's like there's jealousy of me- or us for that matter..." replied Nathan.

"Was he acting weird like Mommy and The Carters?"

"...Yeah, something like that."

"Did you at least eat something in there?"

"Nope."

"But you gotta eat your breakfast, Daddy! You're gonna be hungry!"

"It wouldn't be the first time I skipped breakfast. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"OK...It's only 10:36 though..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Taco Bell stops breakfast at 11:00."

Nathan thought about it for a moment. "Sounds like a plan. Taco Bell it is- and for that, I'll buy you one of those slush-drinks."

"Yay!"

"Psh, let's just hope the people there aren't rude either..."

*One....

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