Protect Me, Love Me - Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“Remembrance”
“Talking”
‘Thinking’
^Flashback^ ^End Flashback^
Disclaimer - I do not own Four Brothers
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Monday morning Jack woke groaning, head pounding, and he opened his eyes carefully. It was still dark out ‘5:10am’ from the look outside and Jack’s body was aching. He always got these feelings when his empathic abilities were warning him or something.
Slipping out of bed Jack went to the bathroom and closed the door biting his cuticle. Jack smiled lightly as he stripped down and turned on the warm water.
Getting in Jack groaned as he let his wings out… he hadn’t let them out since the beginning of the holidays. Crying out sharply as his skin ripped and bled Jack put his forehead against the cool tiles. ‘So this is why I’m supposed to let them out…’ he thought sarcastically to himself.
Groaning, this time in pleasure, as the warm water fell on his wings Jack moaned lightly and his wings twitched. He stood there, under the shower head, and let the water caress his neck and his back, sliding down his overly-sensitive shoulder blades and wings.
After ten minutes he sighed as he pulled his wings in, wincing as they protested, and washed his hair and body. When he was done he turned the water off and got out, wrapping a towel around his waist, and walked to his room… his room… that will always sound good to Jack’s ears… or thoughts… *cough*
Sitting on his bed Jack pulled on his baggy black jeans then his socks and shoes. He clipped a chain to his left pocket and admired it in the mirror with a smile. He pulled on a red t-shirt that said ‘Does it Look Like I’m Talking to You!’ in black letters then pulled on his hoodie before grabbing his new leather jacket. Out of all his gifts, even the guitar, this was his favorite… and maybe… deep inside he knew that it was because the jacket was from Bobby that made it so special.
His head tilted as he heard the rest of the house start to wake and he got on his bed, ready for the day ahead, and curled up. He really didn’t want to go back to school… usually he loved to, especially after a long holiday, but now that he’d been here he loved being at home and with the older boys and Evelyn. When he heard Evelyn call for breakfast Jack grabbed his backpack and the wrapped up art project and ran to the living room.
~~~~
The drive to the school was long and Jack sighed as he got out and waved back to the car before jogging over to Darius, who was waving him over. “Hey guess what I got you?” the older boy taunted and Jack narrowed his eyes, suspicious, “What?” he asked softly.
Darius smirked before gesturing him to follow and they went behind the school, where they usually smoked during lunch. “Ok I know you go through smokes like crazy so I got you this!” Darius said pulling out a greenish bag of tobacco that had a booklet of paper attached to the front.
Frowning Jack took it and gazed at Darius like ‘Ok… what is it?’ look. The older boy sighed and rolled his eyes before grabbing it and rolling a smoke to show Jack how. “See… it lasts longer and its cheaper. The only problem is there ain’t no filters.” The older boy said handing it back with a shrug.
Jack rolled his eyes before he rolled a cigarette for himself, no matter how clumsily. As he lit up Jack smirked back at Darius, who laughed and knocked their shoulders together.
The day went slow and seemed to drag on for everyone. Jack all but ran down the halls to get to his Art class, his wrapped art project clutched to his side. Skidding to a stop outside Jack smiled brightly up at Miss Sara who laughed at lightly. “Jack… how was your vacation?!” she asked giving him a hug, which he returned gratefully.
He smiled, blushed, and lifted the wrapped project “I worked on this… I thought about what you told me and… you were right, I stopped thinking about everything and just…” he shrugged and left Miss Sara take the project, with her eyebrows raised. Jack followed her into the classroom, bypassing the bustling students, and went to her desk.
Miss Sara gasped, eyes widening, as she unwrapped the project. “This is amazing Jack! Unlike anything you have ever done before and for once I think that’s a good thing. This is beautiful, I think you really captured what Christmas is about.” She whispered, pulling him into a hug.
Jack smiled up at her then glanced at his art project and bit his lip nervously. “Do you think people are gonna think its stupid? You know ‘cause I’ve never done somethin’ like this before and… I dunno…” he muttered frowning at the concrete floor.
He felt Miss Sara pull him into another hug and sighed heavily “What’d I tell you ‘bout thinkin’ to much?” she asked as they pulled apart. Jack blushed and looked down, muttering under his breath.
~~~
The day passed quickly and silently after Art, which Jack was thankful for, and soon Jack was waiting outside for the older boys to come get him. Jack’s head snapped up when he heard yelling and cheering and a girl running past him called over her shoulder “Hurry up, Gabby, the Mercer boys are fighting and I don’t wanna miss it!” she shouted and another girl ran past him.
Panic ran through his system and Jack took off towards the large group of people, who were in a circle. Pushing through people Jack reached the clearing and saw Bobby and Jerry throwing punches at two kids beneath them.
Jack’s eyes went wide as he watched the older boys who protected him… took care of him… who he trusted… beat two boys, litterly, into the ground. “Jack!” he heard Angel call and saw both Jerry’s and Bobby’s heads snap up to him.
He saw the two boy’s faces slid with shock at seeing him before Bobby turned to Angel “Ang get him home now!” Bobby snarled out. Before Jack could even wrap his mind around what Bobby said he was picked up.
Struggling Jack tried to get away “Jack, calm down! Jackie, it’s ok!” Angel tried to sooth him. “NO! You’re just like them! I hate you, I hate you!” he screamed not caring that everyone was now staring. Jack felt Angel freeze in shock and he used it to his advantage and kicked out as hard as he could and broke free.
Before his feet even hit the ground Jack took off faster then anyone could imagine. He ran, pumping his legs; memories assaulting him. Memories of being held down and whipped and beaten as he laid helpless and afraid. Jack saw the house coming into view and burst through the door and took off upstairs.
Shutting his door he locked it then stared at it for a few seconds, like it was going to bite him. Stumbling back Jack hit the floor; pushing his backpack off his shoulders Jack crawled under the bed, dragging his guitar with him. Trembling Jack breathed in short, panicked, breaths as he hugged the guitar to his chest.
He heard someone knocking on the door and froze in terror
+++++++++++ Graphic Torture and Rape!
^Flashback^
“Boy you get out here right now!!!” someone screamed and Jack huddled under the dirty bed, curling tighter into himself. He could hear Alexander screaming from here and he held back a whimper of terror. The room was dark and held four twin size beds at each wall; they were army size and were dirty with years of filth, stained with blood and unspeakable things.
Someone grabbed his leg and he screamed as he was pulled from his hiding spot. He felt hands on him,
ripping the little rag he wore off his small body. Someone lifted him and practically threw him onto a metal hospital-like bed and started strapping his arms down.
“Wait! I think Jack needs to be taught who he belongs to and just what exactly he’s made for.” The boogieman said, voice dripping in sarcasm.
He was yanked off the bed and thrown into a wall. “No… no, no, no, no! I’m sorry… please no…. so sorry…” he sobbed as he saw the small box. The boogieman opened the box, smirking at him, as the other man tied his arms up above his head, with the chains there.
The box held four different needles; one with yellow stuff, one with red stuff, one with greenish yellow stuff, and one that was black. Jack cried out as a needle, filled with sickly yellow stuff, was pushed into his arm.
Jack’s breathing sped up and his eyes blacked out; his mind seemed to open more. Panting, Jack sobbed as he felt them; their hunger, lust, hatred, the blackness of them.
He felt Xander in the other room, crying and bleeding on the cement floor all alone feeling helpless, disgusting, angry, and in pain. Felt Kerra upstairs with three men taking turns on her. Seth in another bedroom up there also being ‘used’. He felt their pain, anger, defeat, hate, shame, and disgust.
He felt the town over from this one; the couple fighting about the dog, the schoolyard where a small boy was being beaten, three blocks down where a man was raping his daughter, a town over where a woman who was drinking while screaming at her infant son to shut up, the old lady getting mugged four towns over.
It went on and on and Jack screamed as he felt every horrible thing being done, feeling both the victim and the attacker at once.
Before he could even realize what was exactly happening, Jack was turned around and pushed up off the floor; he felt a mushroom head at his entrance and screamed in terror as his senses were overloaded with pain. His vision and mind went black and the young boy gratefully shrank into his subconscious.
^End Flashback^
As Jack came into himself he found his chest heaving and someone holding him. His throat was raw and felt like it was bleeding, his hand hurt and felt like it was throbbing. He heard soft crying and felt worry, sadness, and helplessness in a distance.
“No, no. Please… no… please, please, please, please….” He sobbed, begging, over and over again. Jack felt his body being rocked slowly and he heard a woman humming soothingly in his ear.
“Jackie… come back to us, please, sweetie… it’s ok, you’re safe now no-one’s gonna hurt you.” He heard Evelyn’s voice and he grabbed onto that little thread and pulled himself out of the darkness that had come over him.
Jack’s face was pale and wet with tears he was curled in a ball on Evelyn’s lap, with his head on her right shoulder. He blinked, sniffed, and pulled up his barriers. He felt dead, hollow, and cold inside; he felt betrayed and in pain.
“Jack? Can you tell me what happened?” he heard Evelyn ask but didn’t answer, just curled up to her tighter. The bedroom door looked like someone jimmied the lock to get in, and everyone was crowed in the doorway.
He knew the other boys were in the room, hell he could hear Angel crying softly… yes Angel was crying… he didn’t know why but he knew it was Angel.
“Boy’s why don’t you go get cleaned up and ready for dinner. Bobby call for pizza there’s money in my purse.” Evelyn ordered softly as she hugged the trembling form to her.
She kept rocking and tried to erase the screams from her ears. For as long as she’s lived Evelyn could tell you things… tell you things she’s seen or heard but never in all her years had she ever heard someone scream like that, especially a child.
~~~~
Jack slowly walked down the stairs and to the dining room, where everyone was waiting for him. Sighing softly he walked to his seat, ignoring the prayer, then sat and stared at the food. He wasn’t even hungry and thinking about eating right then was making his stomach turn. Pushing the slice of pizza around by his finger Jack froze when he heard Evelyn start talking to Bobby.
“I got a phone call an hour ago from your principal. Both you and you, Jeremiah, are officially suspended for a week. Now do either of you wanna tell me what’s goin’ on?” she asked and Jack felt Bobby stiffen beside him and flinched lightly.
“Jack?” he heard her call for him but he didn’t lift his head. “Bobby Mercer don’t you dare tell me that that boy saw you beating on some helpless kid!” Evelyn said in a deadly calm voice.
“Ma… it’s not like we wanted ‘im ta see he just … did. Plus! That kid ain’t ‘helpless’ he’s been causin’ trouble with Angel for days and I hadta do sumtin’!” Bobby said anger clear in his voice. Jack stared down at his plate and tuned out the conversation.
Jack didn’t hear everyone get up nor did he hear Evelyn come over to him but he did feel her bring him into her arms.
“Oh, sweetie I know that what you saw probably scared you but neither Jeremiah or Bobby would ever hurt you… you’re their baby brother they’d do anything for you. They would never hurt you!” Evelyn spoke with such conviction Jack nod softly, just a single tilt of his head. His eyes stayed blank and his mind barriers not even relaxing like he usually let them.
Walking up the stairs Jack walked to his room in a haze not seeing or hearing anything, though at the same time his body was so sensitive that he knew what was happening everywhere in the whole house.
He knew that all three boys were watching him from their bedrooms; that Bobby was aggravated and angry and pissed at himself, Jerry angry and worried, and Angel was hurt and guilty. They watched him as he moved, without seeing, to his bedroom; the door closing behind him with a soft click.
Evelyn’s words echoed in his head but he couldn’t seem to get the image out of his head; Bobby and Jerry on top of two other boys beating them to a pulp. Curling on his bed Jack rolled his shoulders and whimpered when his wings came out, but other wise didn’t make a sound. His fingers twitched at the door and his dresser slid across it and the lock locked.
~~~~~~~
Jack was awoken to banging on his door a few hours later, he was screaming and as soon as he realized it he stopped.
“JACK?! Jack can you hear me? Please, sweetie, please answer me…” he heard Evelyn sob. Panting Jack slowly got to his feet, pulling his wings in, and pushed the dresser away then opened the door. Evelyn immediately pulled him into a hug and Jack closed his eyes as her scent relaxed him.
“Oh God, Jackie, please don’t lock your door like that ever again, please! The cops were called and everything…. Jackie please look at me, … look at me Jack!” her voice more stern when she said it the second time and Jack slowly lifted his glazed eyes to hers.
“I promise you nothing will ever happen to you again! Not while you’re under my roof!” something in her voice, the same thing from when he first arrived here, made him nod; it also made him believe her.
It took a half hour before Evelyn was sure that he was ok and let herself retreat back to her room; Angel and Jerry following behind her. Jack sat on his bed, staring down at his lap, and tried to pretend he wasn’t watching Bobby watch him.
The older boy was in sweats and a white tank-top and was staring at him from the doorway with an intense look on his face. “Can I come in?” Bobby asked softly and Jack glanced at him before shrugging ‘Like I have a choice…’ he thought sarcastically to himself.
Jack watched carefully as Bobby walked in and sat, slowly, on the computer chair; though he pulled it so it was at the end of the bed, facing Jack. For a while they sat in silence before Bobby glanced down at the watch Jack had given him for Christmas and whistled,
“1am… gettin’ late and we got school tomorrow… or well you and Angel do.” Bobby said leaning back in the chair as if waiting for something.
Swallowing Jack shifted, not liking the intensity of the older boys look, all he wanted to do was curl up and pray that he could go to sleep and never wake up. He sighed softly and tried to pretend he wasn’t even listening, maybe Bobby would go away then.
“Hey, I know you can hear me so don’t try and play that one! Listen I just…” Jack watched warily as Bobby gave a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers threw his hair.
“Ma always says that you should never bottle things up, you know? You wake up screaming twice in one day… and what, over seein’ me and Jerry beaten’ on some assholes? Most guys would be cheering us on but, no, not you. You start screaming that you hate us, scare Angel half to death, and come running home and lock yourself in you’re room.” Bobby said ticking the list off with his fingers.
Jack flushed in shame, now feeling childish and stupid on top of everything else, and stared down at the blanket feeling tears gather in his eyes.
“Why’d you flip out? Jack, look, we all got pasts, we’ve all been through shit; everyone whose ever walked through that front door has a past. You need to tell us something… I’m blind Jackie, how can I help you if I got no idea what I’m up against?” the older boy asked, leaning closer to him.
Shaking his head Jack brought his knees up “Nothin’ to talk bout…” he whispered, fear and shame thickening his voice.
Bobby just stared at him, nodded once, and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest. Jack held back a whimper when he realized that the older boy wasn’t gonna leave him alone. ‘Try laying down and pretend you’re asleep…’ he thought.
Sighing Jack laid his head on his knees and closed his eyes “The boogieman used to tie me down… you tie people up or hold them down and you beat on ‘em… that makes you like the boogieman.” Jack muttered hoping that maybe now Bobby would leave him alone.
He could feel Bobby’s shock pour off him, then anger and flinched backwards. “Jack….” Bobby muttered and Jack flinched again when he felt the older boy touch the top of his head.
“He hurt me… did things to me! You hurt those boys, sat on them so they couldn’t fight back! What makes you any better! You promised I was safe wif you and you lied!” Jack snapped, his words flowing out of his mouth before he could even think straight.
He was hurting and felt betrayed and didn’t know why he felt this way. He didn’t understand why he was so angry with the older boys. Jack saw Bobby’s pale face shift into a shocked look and he flinched as a sob tore up his throat.
Bobby shook his head lightly, falling out of the chair and to his knees infront of the bed, infront of Jack. “I would never hurt one of my brothers and you are one of my brothers. I would never hurt a defenseless kid or somethin’!” Jack watched Bobby carefully; watched him say the words, saw the conviction in his eyes, saw him take a breath.
“Jack, those guys hurt Angel; gave him stuff that would hurt him… they gave that bad stuff to a lot of other kids and those kids are hurting right now because of it.” Bobby talked slow and carefully, taking his time so he wouldn’t frighten or upset Jack.
Nodding slowly Jack looked back down at the blanket and rocked gently, soothingly. “You wanna tell me ‘bout it?” the older boy said, which in turn startled Jack. Swallowing heavily Jack went quiet not knowing where to start, what to say, or even if he wanted to say anything at all.
“How bout I ask you a question and you can answer it ok?” the older boy asked when he realized Jack didn’t know what to say or how to start.
Jack shrugged, trying to be indifferent, “Ok… did… the man, the boogieman, he… hurt you a lot?” Bobby asked, voice thick. Jack tilted his head, staring down at his blankets. “Tie you down and hurt you… go in your head where they can’t find you, but they do… never safe…” he whispered the last like it was a secret.
Bobby stared at him with a blank look for a long time with an emotionless face. They sat in silence for a long time, Bobby trying to process what he had heard and Jack trying not to fall into his own little world, which was calling him.
~~~~~~Bobby’s POV
Bobby sighed before slowly standing, then sitting on the bed. He reached out and caressed Jack’s cheek before tilting his chin up so the younger boy had to look him in the eye. “I’m never gonna let anyone hurt you again, not ever.” He whispered and saw tears fill Jack’s eyes.
Bobby pulled the small boy to his chest, wrapping his arms around him and rocking him. “People are gonna laugh at me tomorrow.” He heard Jack mutter in his chest and couldn’t help the laugh that came bursting out.
“No one’s gonna say nothin’ CrackerJack, I promise.” Bobby said, knowing no one would dare say anything and if anyone did there would be hell to pay.
Slowly Bobby laid down on his side, so Jack was between him and the wall, and closed his eyes with a soft sigh. He smiled lightly when he felt his rosary being tugged out from under his shirt and gripped tightly.
End Chapter
Hey I hope you like the new chapter!
READ!! IMPORTANT
I actually might be posting chapter 11 some time today just to get it out there… the story kinda picks up after chapter 11 so.. we’ll see! Post a review and tell me if I should or not.
OH!! I'm changing the name of one of Jack's 'other family. There is Seth, Kerra, and Michael - instead of Michael it's Alexander.
~shadow