Heartland

Badger walks into the kitchen to see Ty and Amy sitting at the table talking.
"Morning Badger." Says Ty.

"Um can I have the day off?" Asks badger in a quiet voice.

"Why?" asks Amy.

"Um...I just don't...I've been working harder lately and-" Badger starts coughing.

"You ok man? You don't sound too good. "

Badger clears his throat. "Yes I'm fine. Don't worry about it. "

"You sure your ok badger? You really don't look good. Do you have a temperature? " asks Amy. She stands up and reaches out her hand to feel his forehead but he swats her hand away.

"I'm fine."

"Badger if your sick you know you can tell us right?"

"I'm taking the day off. Ill be up in my room" Badger walks out of the house and into the barn.

"Why won't he tell us he is clearly sick. Badger frustrates me some times. I mean he isn't very open and he keeps to himself a lot. He can trust us." Amy sighs and flops back into her chair next to Ty.

"Back in the group homes...we always had to take care of ourselves. No body would help except the other kids. Its probably the same now. And badger had a hard life before the group home. I mean his parents abandoned him and he got adopted. His new dad died and his mom got remarried to a guy who was as bad as my stepdad. Even back then he had to take care of himself. I mean his stepdad killed his adoptive mother. Then when he finds his real ones they are all settled down with a new baby and everything. That kid has had a hard life. Probably why he isn't open and why he won't tell us. I could go try and talk to him I'm not promising anything though."

"Thanks Ty. And I understand why he would do that. I would do the same thing." Ty walks out of the house and to the barn. Climbing the steps to the loft he hears what sounds like crying. Ty enters the loft to see Badger on his bed, curled up in a ball with his knees to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach and his head down quietly sobbing. Ty walk over and sits next to him. Putting a arm around his shoulders and bringing him closer.

"Badger are you ok?"

"Yea. Fine. I'm fine now go away."

"I don't think your fine. You can tell me what's wrong. You can tell me and Amy anything ok? I know you've had a hard life. So have I. I know how you feel but all of us here at heartland care about you even jack. So you can tell us. Ok?"

"M-my stomach. I-it h-hurts. Really b-bad."

"Shh its ok badger your gonna be ok."

"Ty...my n-name. I-its not r-really b-badger. Its Z-zack. I-I've never t-told a-anyone be-"he gasps his head lifting and hitting the wall behind his head the tear strokes clearly visible on his cheeks.

"You ok? Ba- Zack what's happening?"

"I-it h-hurts Ty. I-it h-hurts s-so bad. M-make I-it s-stop Ty p-please!" More tears run down the 17 year olds face his face scrunched up in pain.

"I'm sorry I can't but you will be ok. I'm going to take you the house ok?"

All he does is nod.

"Ok one, two, three." Ty lifts the surprisingly light teen up bridal style and rushes to the house Zack still crying burying his face into Ty's chest his hands still at his stomach. Mallory runs up to him as he carries Zack to the house.

"Oh my god what happened is he ok?!"

"He's sick. Mallory where's Amy?"

"She is taking Spartan for a ride."

"Ok I want you to go get her and bring her back as soon as you can. I want you to tell her that Zack's stomach really hurts and he has a high fever."

"Zack?"

"Sorry I meant Badger. Now move go!"