Archive of Our Own ^beta

Del Boy walked back into the flat to find his grandad watching the TV and his kid brother asleep on the sofa. "Grandad, why didn't you send him to bed?" asked Del annoyed – the social worker had told them to made such Rodney was in bed in a reasonable hour and they were keeping a close eye on them at the moment. A very annoying close eye.

"I tried too, Del." Said Granddad "But he wanted to wait for you to get back…"

Del rolled his eyes to himself, he grab a blanket and threw it over Rodney. The six year old was taller than most normal six years old, long, bony and awkward to carry. "Really, grandad I gave you two jobs – feed him and put him to bed…"

"He's worried Del Boy," said Grandad turning off the TV and looking at his oldest grandson. "He doesn't know when you walk out of that door if you are coming back."

Del began to get angry not at his grandad or at his young brother but at his father. Rodney didn't understand why their father walked away from them, didn't understand why he never come back. Why he wouldn't see them or phoned them. It was hard enough dealing with the untimely death of their mother let alone the abonnement of their father. Del could hardly get his head around it, no wonder Rodney was worried.

"Have you eaten Del?"

"I already had a bite to eat…" said Del Boy shortly

Grandad got up "I will make you something, Del Boy. You need something prober to eat…"

Del Boy looked at his sleeping little brother. "How about you two have a day out? It'll do the both of you some good…" said Grandad "And that might get that social worker off our back at the same time as well…"

"I think of something, Granddad." Said Del Boy with a fake smile "I always do…"

"Where we going, Del?" asked Rodney a few days later. It was Saturday morning and the three trotters sat around the breakfast table. Del had told Rodney that they were going on an adventure.

"We're going to the zoo," said Del with a grin "We'll see elephants and lions…that'll be cool won't it?...you can tell your little mates at school about that…."

"We have no money…" said Rodney. Del Boy didn't think it was normal for six years old to be worried about money, He made a mental note to be careful about discussing money near Rodney in the future.

"That why I save money – so we can go on a day out…" said Del Boy with a grin

"Can grandad come too?"

Del looked at his grandfather "Do you want to come Grandad?"

"No it okay Del boy. I don't like zoos… horrible places they are…."

Del turn to his brother "It's just you and me Rodders…"

Present Day

"Del what are we doing here? We never go to a zoos." Said Rodney looking at Del Boy with a wary look. They had travelled a long way and currently park outside a zoo,

"Never gone to the zoo? What are you talking about? We went to the zoo remember…I took ya when you were littler…" said Del at once and annoyed at Rodney questioning.

"Yeh but that's wasn't in the middle of the night was it?" pointed out Rodney

"We got a job to do Rodney, remember… now come on…" Del had got out of the three wheeled van and led the way to the fence and looked at it trying to figure out a way to get over.

"Del, this is one of the worst ideas you have ever come up with."

"Worst idea? What are you yapping about?" asked Del boy

"This is a little too illegal, Del - even for us." warned Rodney "Why would anyone want a zebra is beyond me… you don't think they are going to eat it…"

Del looked at Rodney "It's not our business what they going to do with it…. We going to get paid well for this…and if it hasn't escape your noticed, Rodney. We need the extra money…." Rodney rolled his eye - he had a bad feeling about all this.

Then

"It's busy," said Rodney looking at the crowds nervously.

"Yeh, just like market on a Saturday…" comment Del Boy with ease "Come on I want to see some lions…"

They had a good day and they were eating the sandwiches that grandad had made for them to take when Rodney went quite. It wasn't long before Del knew what was on his mind.

"Do you think dad will come back?" asked Rodney

"I bloody hope not. We are better without him Rodney," said Del boy seriously "And if he does come back he won't be back for long…You are stuck with me and grandad for a long time because we aren't going anywhere…" Del didn't want to talk about their father. He was useless before he left - Maybe Rodney no longer remembered how useless he was.

"You promise?"

"Promise," said Del "Now come on let's get some ice cream – it won't be a day out with it."

"If dad come back will you punch him?" asked Rodney maybe sensing Del anger at his father.

"Maybe…" said Del "No more talking about dad – he is not worth the breath… you understand me?" Rodney nodded his head "Good boy…. Come on kiddo…"

Present Day

"The guards are coming!" warned Rodney as he was on look out as Del was going to begin to cut the fence to the enclosure there the zebra were.

"What zoo has guards?" asked Del in panic

"We have to run Del…." Said Rodney

"You think I don't know that….come on…." And with that they both ran as fast as they could. They no not want to get arrested.

"You and your brilliant plans…." Complained Rodney as they ran "I should never listen to you…."

Del Boy couldn't even look at Rodney "Is now the right time for this conversation?" Rodney wasn't going to let this on go. Maybe this had been one of the worst idea he had had recently – but he wasn't going to admit it. They reach a fence that would take out of the zoo. Rodney had no trouble climbing over but it took Del Boy longer. Once he reach the other side the guards were catching up. "Come on…that was too close for comfort…."

Then

"Del?"

Del keep his eyes on the road as he drove "What is it?" it had been a long day and all he wanted to do was to go to bed.

"Today been awesome…" said Rodney

Del smiled maybe Grandad was right. The day out had done them both the world of good. "Yeh… today has been pretty good hasn't it. Don't forgot about this day will you?" Rodney shook his head "Good… and don't think you are watching the telly when we get back… you are going straight to bed…you heard me Rodders…."

"But I am going to tell grandad about the penguins…" said Rodney "Grandad would be upset if I didn't tell him about them…or the lions…." Del quickly looked at his brother who grinned at him with cheeky look "And it is Saturday…"

"And Saturday is family time right?" said Del Boy. Rodney nodded his head. "But I am still having a pint at the pub and no you can't come…not till you my height at lest…"

Present Day

They drove back though the darkness "This is not how I like to spend Saturday nights," said Rodney "Breaking into zoos and running from guards…we are not teenagers Del…"

Del shook his head "Saturday is family time remember."

"Normal family's play board games and watch the telly…" pointed out Rodney

Del signed to himself "I know I screw this up – but you have to forgive me and forget about this." Rodney didn't speck "it's wasn't that bad…we got away and we add this to the list of almost getting caught…" Del stated to laugh – he couldn't help it

"It's not funny Del…"

"It is a little bit funny…no one going to believe this one are they?"

"That a good thing too…" said Rodney "It been silly being arrested for kidnapping a zebra – it sounds better if it was the lion or something…"

Del grinned "Well, when we retell this story we say we were after a lion…the ladies will like that…." Del laughed "Good idea Rodney…"

Then

That night Del feel something poking him awake "What?"

"Del?" come Rodney quite voice

Del open his eyes. It was dark it must be the early hours of the morning, "What the hell? What do you want?"

"Can we get a lion?"

"Are you mad Rodney," yawned Del "We can't buy lions and we are not mad enough to break into a zoo…now go back to bed plonker….