Title: Happy Easter

Pairings: Bobby/Jack (implied), Jack/OC

Disclaimer: Don't own Four Brothers or really anything, but it would be nice….

A/N: yes- I'm fully aware this is super sappy, but I just had to write it, even if I did gag a little at all the fluff.

x x x

"You alright, Jackie?" Jack winced slightly at the nickname; it reminded him of a past that had yet healed.

"It's not that dream again, is it? I thought you had stopped having it?" Even in the dark Jack could see the worried look on Mason's face. "I know, your beads always calm you."

Mason gently lifted himself away from Jack and the warmth of their bed to look for the rosary beads. Jack watched him check the dresser, on top of the little desk in the corner, then mumble something about the living room and trudge out of their bedroom.

Their bedroom.

It sounded so weird, just a year ago this had been Bobby's room, and he would creep in here late at night so he could be comforted by the feel of another body's warmth as he slept. Of course those late nights were about much more to him, but he'd been too afraid to admit it then.

"Found them!" Mason exclaimed as he entered back into the bedroom. "Now we can finally get some sleep." He quickly crawled onto the bed, accidentally landing on one of Jack's legs.

"Sorry!"

"It's okay." Jack reached for his beads, letting his hand linger a moment on Mason's.

"What?"

Wow he's beautiful. Mason was short (5'8 at best) but built, broad shouldered, muscular arms and legs, washboard abs- Jack always joked that he look liked an extra on the set of 300. Mason was tough too, they had met at a club Jack's band was playing at, Mason was one of the bouncers. The best thing about Mason though was his eyes, way too soft and gentle for such a chiseled face. His eyes almost seemed girly with his thick, dark lashes- but it suited him.

"Hello, earth to Jackie."

At hearing his nickname again, Jack let go of his hand and allowed Mason to once again position his head on his bare chest. Jack combed through Mason's hair with one hand and with his other fingered the rosary beads, the memory of the day he had acquired them slowly returning to his mind.

He and Bobby had fought that Easter morning, but what about?

x x x

"Jackie, sweetheart, wake up."

"Five more minutes Bobby, please." Jack pleaded from beneath the two blankets he had wrapped around himself. It was spring time but the temperature still hadn't reached above fifty-two degrees.

"No, Jerry and Camille will be here in fifteen minutes and you haven't even showered yet."

"I'm clean." Jack grumbled.

"No, you're not, I woke up with your sweat all over me. We're going to have to talk about that Jackie, you've crawled into my bed every night for the past three weeks. Look, I know you've had it rough since the shooting and all," Bobby paused when he saw Jack's bare back tense up, "but you gotta get over it sometime, man."

Get over it? How the hell does he expect me to just "get over" being shot five times?

"Fuck you Bobby, if you don't want me sleeping in your bed then just say so, but don't make me seem like some kind of fucking nutcase!"

"See, that's exactly why I call you a goddamn fairy, because you always have to overreact to everything! I don't think you're crazy, it's just that if you're going to sleep in my bed it shouldn't be because of some damn nightmare!"

Jack hastily got out of bed and started to head for the shower. "Whatever, you're leaving tomorrow, so I guess none of this really matters, huh?" Bobby was about to respond when Jack slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it.

"Jackie! I wasn't finished talking! C'mon Jackie, open the damn door!" Bobby pounded on the door but his only response was Jack turning on the water.

Why is that boy so fucking emotional? Bobby decided to head downstairs and grab a much needed beer. As he descended the last step, Jerry and his family walked through the door.

"Bobby, good mornin' man!" Jerry pulled his brother into a big hug.

"Yeah, yeah, great to see you too."

"What's wrong with you?" a worried Camille asked. Bobby had to crack a smile at that, ever since the whole Sweet drama, him and Camille had become kinda close

"The little princess upstairs, I swear to God he has a vagina."

"What's that?" asked Jerry's youngest daughter.

Bobby laughed. "It's what makes you a girl."

"So why does uncle Jack have it?"

Bobby bent down to the girls level. "Because, uncle Jackie is a fairy who likes lots and lots of di-"

"Wow! Okay girls, let's go put up the food." Camille interrupted, leading the girls to the kitchen.

"Bobby, you gotta stop tryin' to corrupt my kids, it's not cool man."

"I know Jerry, I'm sorry, I'm just a little upset with Jackie-boy up there."

"He's going through some rough stuff right now, he's hurtin'."

"I'm hurtin' too Jerr! I might not have been shot, but I had to bury mom just like him and on top of that, I almost had to put my baby brother in the ground too! He has no idea how much that would have killed me!"

"Jack's not as tough as you, besides I'm talkin' about you leaving. I mean, yeah, he still got Angel and me here, but he needs you, he wants you Bobby." Jerry finished softly.

"You think I don't want to be here with him? I'd give anything to be able to stay here, near my family, but no one wants to hire the 'Michigan Mauler'. No, I'm going to Cleveland where a good job is waitin', and I'm gonna make enough money to get a nice place, and the rest of my money I'm going to save so maybe one day soon Jack can go to college and get the education none of us could afford to have. Now don't get me wrong, he's a damn good musician, but playin' at a few clubs a week ain't gonna keep the lights on."

"You really gonna try to send Jack to college?" Bobby looked away, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Y-Yeah, the little fairy is actually pretty smart when he's not high or skippin'."

"I'd chip in some money, not a lot since I got Amelia and Daniela to think about, but I would."

"Daddy, where's Uncle Jack? I want to give him a Take 5 bar the Easter Bunny left me in my Easter basket." Amelia shoved the candy in Jerry's face. "I remember how much he siad he loved them."

"He should be in his room," Bobby pointed towards the stiars.

"Thanks uncle Bobby!" Amelia shouted, already halfway up the stairs to Jack's room.

"Listen Bobby, just talk to Jack, alright? Everyone in his life he's ever gotten close to has left him, so just reassure him you'll always be there for him even if you're 3 hours away."

Bobby sighed. "Fine, I'll talk to him." A few seconds later, Bobby and Jerry turned at the sound of feet coming down the stairs.

"I have some more if you want," Amelia said as she led Jack down the stairs by the hand. "My basket is in the kitchen, c'mon I'll show you it." the little girl led an amused Jack into the kitchen.

"Hey Jerry!" Jack called over his shoulder.

"Hey man!"

The doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the final Mercer brother. Bobby went to open the door. "Angel, always gotta be the last one here."

"I would've been here sooner if Sofi hadn't dragged me to church with her this morning, damn thing lasted three and half hours!" Angel explained bitterly.

"Where is Loca anyway?" Bobby asked, praying Angel had left her ass at home.

"She's at her mom's house, asked me if I wanted to go, but too many of her people in one place scares me." Angel took off his jacket and went into the kitchen.

"Daniela and Amelia, my two favorite nieces!" Angel shouted, scooping the girls into his arms. The girls giggled and protested to be put back down. Angel sat the girls back down and walked over to the stove to give Camille a hug.

"Camille good to see you, especially when you're cookin' a meal."

"Someone had to, seeing how I'm the only woman here."

"Sofi'll probably be here later, she had to see her folks first."

Oh great. Thought Bobby.

"What, you forgot about me?" Jack asked with an expression of mock hurt.

"Forget about my baby brother? Of course I couldn't do that." Angel walked over to the table and picked Jack up out of his seat, throwing him over his right shoulder.

"Funny Angel, now put me down."

"I don't know, girls, what do you all think, should I put him down?" Angel looked over at his nieces.

"No!" they screamed in unison.

"Ouch, I thought we were cool, how could you guys just betray me like that? Jerry?"

Jerry laughed at Jack squirming to get out of Angel's grip. "Sorry man, Angel's a big, bad marine now, he could beat me up."

"Put him down Angel," said Bobby, leaning against the kitchen doorframe.

"What are you going to do, wrestle me?" Angel winked at Bobby, both of them trying to hide a smile when the girls eyes lit up.

"Yeah, I guess I will." Angel dropped Jack and everyone headed into the living room.

"Go uncle Angel, you can take him!" encouraged Daniela. Bobby and Angel wrestled on the floor until Bobby had Angel face down and successfully pinned both of his arms behind his back.

Jerry helped Angel up. "How could you let that old man beat you?"

Bobby snorted. "I wouldn't be talkin' Jerr."

Jack reached for Bobby's out stretched hand and helped him up. He couldn't help but take in the way Bobby's face was flushed from wrestling around, and how strands of his gelled down hair had started to fall into his face. 'Amazingly sexy.' Bobby waited until everyone was back into the kitchen before he called Jack.

"If this is about this morning, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, I just want to talk to you later."

Jack's eyes hardened. "This isn't about therapy again is it, because I already told you that I didn't want-"

Bobby cut him off. "No, this isn't about therapy, we just need to talk, okay?"

The tone in Bobby's voice unnerved Jack. He wanted to press the matter further, but decided against it. "Okay, we'll talk later."

Twenty minutes later the food was prepared and being served. Jerry led them in grace and dinner began. The doorbell rang and Angel got up from the table to get it. "That must be Sofi."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Wonderful." Camille kicked his shin from under the table. "What? I was being sincere."

Sofi entered the kitchen, saying hello to everyone and giving kisses and hugs. She stopped in front of Bobby. "Bobby."

"Loca." All the adults rolled their eyes, Jerry mumbled something about being childish. After Sofi fixed herself a plate, dinner went on, everyone fully enjoying themselves the first time since dealing with Sweet.

"You sure you don't want me to help with the dishes?" Camille asked for the fifth time.

"No, no, little Jackie here is domesticated, he's actually enjoys doing this kinda stuff, it prepares him for his future husband."

Jack wanted to yell at Bobby, put Camille did deserve a break. "It's no problem, honest, I'll do them."

"Well okay then, I guess we'll be going home." Jack and Bobby said bye to Camille, Jerry, and the girls. Angel and Sofi had left a little while before.

Bobby closed the door behind Jerry and his family and walked to the kitchen. Jack was slowly washing the dishes, humming a song most likely from his band. Bobby smiled to himself as he let his eyes wander over Jack's body. The little fairy was skinny, he had to admit, but his skin was tight over the little muscle he had. He looked pretty but manly.

'He looks like he'd be raped in prison.'

Jack turned when he heard his brother laughing. "Why are you laughing?" 'And why the hell am I suddenly so self-conscious?' he added silently.

Bobby considered cracking an inside joke about not dropping the soap to confuse him even more, but there was no reason to piss him off.

"Nothing Jackie-boy, now let's go have that talk."

'Damn, I forgot all about that.' Jack followed Bobby into the living room. Bobby was sitting on the couch with the t.v turned down low, probably to make the whole conversation less awkward.

"Jack, I know you're upset about me going to Cleveland, but I want you to know why I'm doing it."

"I know Bobby, you're afraid no one will hire you here."

"That's part of it."

Part of it?

"It's always been mom's dream to see at least one of us in college, and it sure as hell wasn't about to be me, Jerry started a family young, and Angel- the army just suited him, you know?" Bobby paused to see if Jack understood, his face was expressionless so he continued. "So that leaves you Jackie."

"I don't want to go to college, I suck at school."

"No, you go high and skipped school." Bobby could feel his temperature rising. "Look, you deserve better. You're smart, I know, I saw your SAT scores and you made A's in all the classes you did the work in. Jack, being a musician is great, but you can be so much more than that. You deserve to go to college Jackie, so if I can make that happen, I'm going to do whatever the hell it takes."

Jack didn't know how to feel. No one (besides Evelyn) had ever given a damn about him. Bobby was willing to spend his paycheck sending him to college, a place he never thought was a possibility. He couldn't let Bobby do this.

"That's amazing and all, but I'd just fuck up. I'd end up flunking out or something, I'm too big of a fuck up for college."

The look Bobby was giving him was a mixture of disbelief, anger, a little fear, and an emotion he couldn't bring himself to admit was there.

"You can't be serious," Bobby's eyes held such a softened anger in them, "you're absolutely perfect."

Why was this feeling like much more than a brotherly talk? Jack pushed the thought aside, there was no way Bobby felt anything remotely romantic towards him.

"No one is perfect Bobby." Bobby stared at Jack for a moment.

"You've been through so much shit in your life. Born with junkies for parents, bounced from foster home to foster home , then the one lady who ever gave a damn about you- about us- died, and u can't forget we almost lost you. So much has happened to you and you still have this spirit, this-this life, surrounding you, affecting everyone- bringing this unexplainable brightness in my life. It's almost too good to be true sometimes that God would bring such a beautiful person in my life, when everyone knows I sure as hell have done nothing to deserve someone so perfect. You're perfect Jackie, don't you ever think, or let anyone else tell you that you're not."

Tears stared to form in Jack's eyes. "God you're so beautiful and you don't even realize it." Bobby's hand reached for Jack's cheek, ready to catch his unshed tears.

"I-I-" Jack started but couldn't bring himself to finish.

Bobby smiled at him knowingly. "Go ahead, don't be afraid, don't ever be afraid."

"I love you so much Bobby."

Bobby brought Jack's head to his chest. "I love you too Jackie." Bobby stroked Jack's hair has he cried. He didn't want to leave him, not like this, not when he had no idea when he'd be able to come back.

"Jackie?" Jack lifted his head off of Bobby's chest, still not able to look him in the eye. "I want you to have these." Bobby removed his rosary beads from around his neck.

"Bobby, I can't, they keep you safe. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Bobby snorted. "God's not thinking about my ass, all the shit I've done. No, you take them , I'll feel much better knowing you're protected."

"I can't-- I-,"

"Take them, please." Bobby knew he wouldn't be able to say no to him. Jack reached for the beads and place them around his neck.

"Perfect, now nothing can happen to you, you have God and me always with you." Bobby held Jack tightly.

"I hate sounding so weak, but promise you'll come back to me."

"I have to, you have my beads." Bobby attempted to joke. Knowing Bobby would be back seemed to calm Jack down, as he began to drift into sleep.

"I love you Jackie-boy." Bobby whispered as he watched Jack fall asleep in his lap.

x x x

Jack looked over in the corner at a black spray-painted shoe box. He had saved up to 4700 dollars towards college since Bobby left. The first month had been hard, but Bobby calling at least twice a week made it better.

The 4th of July came and Bobby didn't show. Jack was hurt, but blew it off because he knew Bobby'd be home soon. The phone calls slowed until he only called on occasion. The last time Bobby had called it was to say he'd be staying in Cleveland for Thanksgiving. He didn't mention anything about college.

By mid December Jack had spiraled into a deep depression, convinced no one would ever love him and he must be a horrible person; he almost killed himself, but then he met Mason. When he first saw Mason he swore it was Bobby, sadly (he thought at the time) for him it wasn't. Mason had brought the life back in him, and though he doubted he'd ever be able to truly love him as much as he loved Bobby, he was going to die trying. Jack had never understood what Bobby meant by how someone could be so perfect until he met Mason.

Jack looked down at the rosary beads in his hand, God he missed Bobby so much. He hated himself for sometimes wishing it was Bobby in bed with him instead of Mason, but that would never happen.

Jack shifted to read his alarm clock, the green lights flashed 12:04 a.m. "Happy Easter, Bobby." he whispered and curled next to Mason to go to sleep.