Hey, guys, I know I've been gone for a long time but I randomly wrote this and thought I would share it. I'm working on updating all of my stories, but right now something just feels off. I'm sorry to the readers who are still waiting for me to publish something involving particular fandoms, I'm really trying to get better at this again. Hope you enjoy this one. Will contain a lot of brotherly moments, family bonding, some struggles, and getting over abuse. Takes place about a year and a half before the Upside Down events.

Jonathan's POV

I know what my father does isn't right. I know a father should never want to hurt his kids as much as he does me. But, his income helps keep the house running, and he doesn't beat Will or my mom, so I can't really complain.

Right now, my younger brother is safe at his best friend, Mike's, house. The Wheeler's seem like a boring family, but they're good people, and he's always safe there, so I can't really complain. I'm in my bedroom, working on some homework, when I hear Dad scream in rage. Before I can get up to lock my door, he busts in and shoves me to the ground.

"This is all your fault, you know! You and your brother's!", he bellows at me. I try to get up, but he hits me in the jaw, and I just try to block him, even though that makes it worse. "You two are so damn expensive!", he throws a paper, a bill I'm guessing, on the ground and forces me to my feet. He glares at me, and we hold eye contact for a few moments, and I do my best not to seem afraid of him.

"Let me go, please."

"Don't tell me what to do.", he throws me against the wall, and hits me in the stomach. I lock up, and find myself paralyzed in fear, so I don't fight back. I just try to protect my head as he continues to hit and kick me as hard as he can, until he grows tired of this. I have my head hidden in between my knees, so he doesn't see my tears. I've never seen Dad let me cry. "You and your queer brother are nothing but useless fags in this house.", everything aches, and he storms out of my room, slamming the door behind him. I don't move for a few minutes, but when I do it feels like my back is broken in two. I hear the front door open, and Mom and Will talk as they enter. I crawl into bed, not wanting either one of them to see me like this. Dad must have been exhausted from what he did to me, because he didn't yell or snap at them from what I hear. A light knock breaks the silence of my room, and a moment later, my mom opens the door, Will right beside her. She has a bag from a fast food joint in her hand, and a small smile.

"Hey, sorry I'm home late.", I never told her. "I brought you a cheeseburger and some fries.", I set up, but use the covers to hide the red marks on my arms, and the possible bruises forming. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'm fine.", she sets the bag on my bedside, and looks me in the eyes. If she knew, she'd leave Dad, force him out of this house and never come back. But again, we need his income. I'll take it, as long as Will's provided for and my mom doesn't have to work herself even more than what she already does. As long as they're not the ones being hurt. "Thank you."

"No problem, sweetheart, I'll go get your drink.", I've become so good at lying to her, she doesn't question it. Will looks at me. He's a little harder to lie to, mostly because I've locked him in my room before to protect him, and he knows me better than anyone else. He doesn't say anything, though, just climbs up on the bed beside me, and I bring out his cheeseburger, then mine. Mom comes in with our drinks. "You guys know you can tell me anything, and I'll never be mad, right?"

"We know, Mom.", I assure her, and she hugs me tightly. She leaves the room, shutting the door behind us, probably to get Dad to bed before he drinks even more.

"I didn't tell her, you know.", I look over at Will, but he's not looking at me. "I know for some reason you don't want her to know, but I think you should tell her."

"I'll tell her when the time is right, buddy.", I pause. "Has he ever?"

"No. You really haven't given him the chance.", he answers, and I nod.

"Then we have nothing to worry about."

"Jonathan."

"Buddy, do you trust me?", he nods. "Do you trust me enough to know I'm going to do what I have to do to protect you and Mom?"

"I guess.", he sighs, and I wrap an arm around him.

"Will, I'm okay.", I assure him. "Friends don't lie, remember that? I promise, I'm okay."

"Promise promise?"

"Promise promise.", he hugs me tightly, and I return it. "How was Mike's? Are you guys working on another campaign?"

"Yeah, he said it's a surprise.", he answers, and I nod. "Have you taken any more photos?"

"No, didn't get the chance to today. I'm thinking about trying to get some by the Quarry, just to get a good landscape shot."

"Can I come?"

"Don't you have the campaign?"

"No, not this weekend. Mike has some family reunion."

"Alright, but stay by me and don't get close to that edge, alright?"

"Alright, thanks, Jonathan.", I couldn't say no to him no matter what anyway, especially when he wants to spend some time with me. He wouldn't get close to the edge of the Quarry anyway, he's a smart kid. His smile tells me that everything's okay, and he hears Dad snapping at Mom in the other room, and Will curls beside me. I know Dad's too worn out to hurt Mom, so I just hold on to Will, and let him cling to me. "Why is he always so mad?"

"Because, that's just how some people are, Will.", I sigh. "Try to eat.", he nods, and takes a bite out of the burger, and I eat mine.

"I'm tired of being told what to do, woman!", Dad snaps at Mom from outside the door.

"Can I stay in here tonight?", Will asks me.

"Yeah, no problem, bud.", he gets nightmares anyway, and it'll be easier than to stay awake at night making sure Dad doesn't go in his room to yell. We stay in my room for another hour or so, and Will begins to dose off. I wrap a cover around him. It's a cold night and the furnace doesn't really work too well. Then I get up to lock the door, so Dad doesn't get any ideas, and head to bed myself. Will falls asleep almost instantly, but I stay up, listening to every noise the house makes.

Alright, so that's chapter one. I'm sorry it may not be the best thing in the world, but I really wanted to write it, so I thought why not share it. Hope you enjoyed this.