As they rolled up to the restaurant, Kevin was completely enthralled with the place. It was an Italian restaurant and had terraces laced with fake grape vines with grapes hanging off of them, ivy plants climbing the building, and all the little nuances that were included with an Italian setting. Kevin was so excited and grinned wide at Donald, who was watching him from the other side of the car. Kevin pointed enthusiastically at the grapes hanging from the vines.

"Yeah, those are grapes. You never been to an Italian restaurant before?"

Kevin shook his head and Donald smiled, closing the door. He leaned into the walkie on his chest, hitting the button on the side.

"Hey, Paul, 10-6."

"Roger that."

Kevin turned his head in question at that and Donald smiled.

"It means that I'm busy. Come on, let's go in."

Donald headed inside and went up the three stairs that led into the restaurant but Kevin stopped at the bottom. He didn't feel right going inside. He hadn't been able to go into a lot of buildings ever since he was rescued. He remembered vaguely when his parents (or what he thought were parents) took him to the movies. He saw an animated movie there... something about a boy who lived in the jungle and was raised by apes. He remembered getting clothing from stores that had them on racks as far as the eye could see. They even had places that just had toys in them, miles and miles of toys. He liked toys...

"Kevin?" He looked up as Don looked at him. "You okay?"

Kevin looked behind him at the restaurant and then back at him. Donald looked at the restaurant too.

"You don't want to go here?" Kevin shook his head. "Then what is it?"

Kevin looked at himself and rested his hand gently on his stomach. Donald nodded, actually having forgotten that the kid was part of a gross experiment and was holding life within himself. The whole reason the city hated him and despised him.

"I'll protect you." Kevin gave him a questioning look and Donald motioned for him to come with him. "Being a police officer has its perks. Come on, Kev."

Kev? What's a Kev? Kevin thought as he slowly made his way up the stairs.

******************

They walked into the restaurant and the hostess smiled at Donald but then gasped at Kevin. Kevin hid behind Donald as the hostess looked at Donald with confusion and then at Kevin.

"Um..."

Donald pulled his badge out. "How about you act like you never saw and act normal?"

"S-S-Sure, yeah..."

"Two please."

She nodded and took them to a booth, putting the menus down. She made a face at Kevin but he didn't see it because he was looking at his lap. Once the girl left, Kevin looked up and saw Don holding the menu in front of him. Kevin hadn't been to a restaurant before so he picked his menu up like Don was doing and held it up. There were lots of letters and numbers but he had no idea what they meant. A voice scared him and he jumped, making the waitress jump as well.

"Oh, sugar, you scared me!" she said, putting her hand over her heart. "I didn't mean to scare you either, honey. What would you like to drink?"

Kevin shrugged and looked at Don for help.

"We'll each have a Pepsi."

"Alright, I'll be right back with those drinks."

She left and Don watched Kevin as he held up the menu again. He wondered what type of mentality Kevin had in regards to basic things. It seemed he recognized letters but most likely didn't know how to read or write. Poor kid probably can't even spell his own name... the officer thought.

"Do you know what spaghetti is?" he asked.

Kevin peeked over the menu and shook his head. Don smiled and reached over to push the menu down.

"Not to be a jerk, but if you can't read, then you don't have to hold up the menu."

Kevin looked away, embarrassed, and shut the menu. A small kick came from within him and he put his hand on his stomach, massaging the section where a foot most likely was protruding. He wasn't very comfortable at this table or the restaurant and the people. Eventually, someone would recognize him like the hostess had and do something do him. Not even Don being a police officer would be able to do anything because Kevin knew that if he got involved with him, he could lose his job. The waitress came back and gave them their drinks and took their orders.

Kevin eyed the practically black fuzzy liquid in front of him, a white straw sinking into the glass and disappearing in the blackness of the drink. It looked dirty... Am I supposed to drink this stuff?

"Ever had a soda before?" Kevin looked up and shook his head. "It's good. I know it looks a little odd but it's sweet and fizzy." Kevin reached out and pulled the soda to him. "Be careful now, don't choke on it."

Kevin nodded and did what Don was doing and put his mouth on the top of the straw. Nothing happened. He frowned and watched Don again, noticing he was sucking on he straw. He did his mouth the same way and ended up with a mouthful of the most extraordinary liquid he'd ever tasted. He was alarmed at the way the soda fizzed in his mouth and wrenched back, almost spilling it.

"Whoa! Hey, watch out now!"

Kevin turned away from him, putting his hands protectively over his belly.

"What was that for?"

Kevin pointed accusingly at the soda and Don sighed.

"It's fizzy. It's got little bubbles in it that make it feel funny. It won't hurt you, I promise. I'm drinking it too, see?" he asked, taking a sip. "I wouldn't give you something to hurt you."

Kevin doubted that but it seemed not to be hurting the officer at the moment and so he calmed down a little and took another slower sip of soda. Once he got the taste of it, he liked it a lot. The waitress brought a basket of bread and Kevin watched the basket like a hawk. There was a whole thing full of bread and he was going to have it. Once Don wasn't looking, Kevin was going to grab it and keep it hidden beside him. He'd save some of the bread for later so he could snack on it.

Don was talking to the waitress for a second when he saw out of the corner of his eye the bread basket leave the table.

"And some more bread." He added before she turned to leave.

The waitress looked down and blinked at the missing bread basket and shook her head, agreeing. Don looked at Kevin as he tried to look inconspicuous.

"Kevin, I know you have the bread basket."

Kevin looked away and Don smiled.

"It's alright. You can have all that bread to yourself. She's bringing me another one."

Kevin made a face and looked at the piece of bread in his dirty hands. You can get more bread if you just... ask he thought, completely flabbergasted at the thought. He looked at Don and hit the bread basket on the table with a confused look.

"What are you trying to say?"

Kevin hit it harder and Don reached out to stop him. Coming so quick at him, Kevin dropped the basket completely and pushed as far back into the seat as he could. Don sighed.

"I told you that I wasn't going to hurt you. I know everyone looks down on you and you've been hurt before but I'm not going to. Alright?"

Kevin nodded slightly and tried to relax.

"Are you trying to ask about the bread?" Kevin nodded. "Yes, the bread is free. They'll give us more if we ask."

Kevin sat back again but this time in shock. He'd been trying to get food for a month and weeks before that and no one would even throw him a scrap, but he could have just walked into a building that sold food and gotten bread for free? He frowned and hit the basket.

"What's wrong?"

Kevin touched his stomach and then pointed at the bread.

"Well, it's yours so you can eat as much as you like. Like I said, I'm getting another-" Kevin shook his head quickly. "Then what is it?"

Kevin sighed and pointed out the door, then to the bread, and then his stomach. He looked around and hoped Don was able to follow what he was saying. I wish I could talk... or write...

"Are you... mad because you've been out there and the bread has been in here and you needed food?"

Kevin shrugged. It was close enough. Don leaned in a little.

"Let me tell you something about people, Kev: they're douchebags. Assholes, butt wipes, whatever mean thing you can say about them, that's what they are. You don't make them money, so what use are you? That's what they want you to think. Don't worry though, you won't have to worry about that anymore." Kevin turned his head. "You're gonna come with me."

*****************

"Your mommy sent me to come and get you because she's got a new puppy she wants you to see. Would you like that? A new puppy?"

"A puppy?!"

"Yeah, sure thing. Come on, I'll take you to her." He said, holding out his hand.

He took his hand and walked towards a black van. He didn't see his mother there...

"Where's Mommy?"

"Oh, she's in the van. We don't want the puppy to escape now, do we?" He shook his head. "Good. Now, hop on in." he said, opening the door.

He walked in the back of the pitch black van. He heard no sounds of dogs or whimperings of puppies... and his mother wasn't there.

"Mommy?" he asked in fear.

"Your mommy's not here. You're gonna come with me."

****************

Kevin shot up and stumbled out of the booth, backing away from Don.

"Kevin?"

"Kevin? As in that freak with the belly Kevin?" another diner said.

Kevin looked around as the other people in the restaurant began to look at him, all suddenly aware of him.

"Hey, that is him! Get out of here, you freak! Take your heathen babies back to hell where you came from!"

"Yeah, we don't want to see your disgusting body around us!"

"You're a disgrace to humanity. An abomination."

"Get out here!" someone yelled, throwing their cup at him.

Kevin ducked and started backing out when he backed into the waitress, dropping all of the food she was holding.

"What's your problem?!" she yelled as Kevin turned around to see what he had hit and she gasped, pointing. "You're- you're that monster! You saw what he did! He assaulted me!"

Kevin looked around fearfully, trying to find a way out. He had nowhere to run! They wouldn't let him leave. The diners had stopped eating now and were all gathered around him. Kevin thought he saw Donald trying to break through the crowds and talking into his walkie but he wasn't able to get through. Someone grabbed Kevin's hoodie pulled him, making him fall backwards. They pulled it off, after much protest from Kevin's arms, and exposed him and his stomach. He didn't understand why if they hated him so much, why did they want to expose him so much?

"Look at that mass!" someone yelled, pointing and laughing. "Gonna lay an egg, little chicken?"

"We should do something about it that bun in the oven there, kid. I think it's long over cooked." Someone said, opening a switchblade.

Kevin's eyes widened and he began to try and fight to get out of the restaurant. He had to protect his children, no matter what. Fight or flight took over and since he was never taught to fight, flight was his only option. He felt someone grab him by the shoulder and pull him back from the ring. He landed on someone's chest as the switchblade touched his neck.

"You sicken me you disgusting monster! People like you shouldn't be allowed to live on. You were tucked away where no one cared about you and you showed your disgusting self on TV, flaunting your gross body for the whole city to see."

"Hey! Put that knife down!" Kevin heard Don yell.

The man let go of Kevin and he tried to get his hoodie, but someone had a hold of it and was pulling it away. Kevin didn't care anymore now and turned tail to run when he felt something fly into the side of his head and he felt himself lean, cracking his head on the doorway of the restaurant.