This is my first Four Brothers oneshot, so let me know what you think. Just a little bit of fluff to brighten up your day. ^.^

Disclaimer: I do not own Four Brothers. I only have the DVD. 0=]

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To Be A Mercer.

'Let's go fairy boy! Show me what you got!'

Ignoring the jibes being directed at him by the brothers, Jack looked at the ice doubtfully. This was going to end badly, he could tell. Seasoned skaters, the Mercers has brought the newest arrival to the local outdoor ice rink after Evelyn had told them in no uncertain terms that they had to make more of an effort with the timid 10 year old. It wasn't as if they were mean to Jack, they just didn't know what to say to the quiet little kid who was brought to their house late one night, beaten and bruised. Jack wasn't much of a talker and kind of faded into the background in the hustle and bustle of their busy lives.

'Jack! Come on! Don't tell me you've never skated before...' Bobby yelled over to the skinny figure loitering at the side.

Jack bit his lip. Shame brought a slight flush to his cheeks and he shifted on the uncomfortable skates nervously. He was in for it now – Bobby was getting mad, which meant that he was either going to have to actually go out into the ice where he would fall flat on his face, or get a beating with the hockey stick Bobby wielded. He hadn't known Bobby long, but knew of his fierce temper, resolving to stay as for away from the eldest brother as possible.

Shivering from the cold and from fear, he watched as Bobby approached slowly, weaving around other skaters like he belonged on the ice. Jack couldn't comprehend how someone so...Bobby like could move so elegantly on the ice on nothing more than two bits of metal.

Eyes flickering from the looming figure to his own skates, Jack sighed in resignation. Embarrassment of falling, here he comes! Lifting up his right foot slowly, he carefully put it onto the ice, clinging onto the side of the rink for dear life. This wasn't so bad...just one more foot and he would be fully on the ice, having to face the new challenge of movement. Gritting his teeth, determined, he gradually slotted his left foot onto the ice, his heart beating wildly.

'Let's go Jackiepoo!' Angel called out, skating past him and giving him a hard push away from the edge.

Jack felt his heart beat loudly in his ears as he struggled to stay upright. His feet wobbled and slid away from each other like they had minds of their own as his arms flailed for balance. Eyes wide, he felt himself start to tip forward when he slammed into someone. Instinctively, Jack wrapped his arms around his unexpected saviour as his legs shook, giving away his fear.

Hearing a sigh ruffle his hair, Jack swore his heart nearly stopped. Opening his eyes slowly, he looked up to the face of his rescuer, willing it to be a nice person who would no gladly beat a 10 year old senseless for skating him to him at full force.

'Care to explain, little fairy?' bobby growled.

Jack gulped. He had the worst luck.

Holding onto his wrists so he couldn't escape, Bobby leaned down and looked Jack straight in the eyes. The boy struggled weakly, suddenly uncomfortable with such close contact and mentally berating himself for instigating the contact. He had barely spoken to Bobby and his brothers, let alone letting them touch him. Jack was very particular in having his own space, only allowing Evelyn to get too close without screaming blue murder.

With a growing sense of dread, Jack began to shake and averted his gaze from Bobby, fearing the worst. Everything seemed to get much quieter as he focused on the hands grasping his skinny wrists, and hearing the slice of two pairs of skates coming to a halt on either side of him. Feeling suddenly extremely claustrophobic with the eyes of the Mercers on him, his breathing came out in rapid bursts.

'Jackie...Look at me...' Bobby said calmly, noting the change in the young boy. If he didn't calm down soon then Jack would start hyperventilating right there in the middle of the rink, something he would definitely not like to have to explain to his mother.

Cautiously, Jack raised his head and gazed fearfully up at Bobby, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

'Relax Jack, no ones gonna hurt you, ain't that right Bobby?' Jerry cut in, easing the tension with his calm smile.

'Of course not! Jack, listen to me – we ain't never gonna hurt you. You've got to trust us. I know you've been through some tough shit, but that's over now. You're safe here with us.' Confirmed Bobby earnestly, hoping to finally get through to the newest addition of their odd little family.

'Hey Mercer! You gonna stand there holding hands like a fairy or are you gonna play some hockey?!' hollered a fierce looking guy from the other end of the rink.

Catcalls and whistles followed, and Bobby dropped Jack's hands like hot coals, spinning round intent on beating the speaker to a bloody pulp. Jack wobbled, letting out a small unintentional whimper as he fought to retain his balance.

Breathing deeply through his nose, Bobby spun back, hearing the whimper and hauled Jack off the rink, beckoning Jerry and Angel with a nod of his head. Blades clacking on the ground, Bobby dumped Jack onto a nearby bench and stood before him with folded arms. Jack picked at a loose thread on one of his black fingerless gloves, trying to ignore the three brothers looking down at him. He wanted to bolt, run for the safety of Miss Evelyn and his room, and he would have done so if it wasn't for the clumpy ice skates adorning his feet.

Worst luck ever.

'So...'

'So what?' Jack retorted, paling as he realised what he had said. He kept his gaze to the ground, hoping that they wouldn't punish him for his insolence as he had been in the past.

'He speaks!' Angel said laughing, pouting when Jerry leaned over and whacked the back of his head.

Bobby kneeled down in front of Jack, ignoring the dampness seeping into his jeans.

'Look at me Jack,' he said quietly, taking Jack's chin and lifting it until their eyes met. 'That's better. Now fairy, can you even skate?'

Jack shook his head, rolling his eyes as if it were the most obvious question ever asked, especially after his performance earlier.

'What – never?' questioned Bobby, incredulous.

'Aw come one Bobby, just cause you love it doesn't mean that everyone else does. Leave the kid alone.' Angel yawned, trying to catch the eye of a group of girls sitting on the bench along from them.

'Why did you agree to come with us if you can't skate?'Jerry asked, sitting down next to the boy in the bench and ignoring the antics of his younger brother.

Jack shrugged, chewing on the inside of his bottom lip nervously he wondered if they actually expected an answer from him. When it became apparent that they did, he sighed and rubbed his eyes with his gloved hands.

'I guess...I just wanted to...I dunno...' he trailed off miserably, hiding his eyes with his hair. He didn't know what they wanted him to say, or how to put his feelings into words. When did this all get to be so difficult...?

'C'mon kid. We just wanna know the truth. It's okay...' Bobby said, looking to Jerry for help. He was never any good at this mushy crap. Hell, he himself struggled to confront his own problems, let alone getting a troubled kid to open up.

'It's just that, I guess I wanted to feel like I belonged here...' Jack started thoughtfully, regaining the full attention of all the brothers. 'For the first time I felt like I could be apart of something. When you asked me to come I wanted to prove myself and fit in, so I agreed...'

Bobby stood up and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair, laughing slightly before speaking. 'Geez kid, if we knew this before then we coulda got it sorted out! You need to learn to speak up, Jack, or else we're never gonna know what you need. Okay?'

''Kay...but you never asked me if I could skate in the first place...' Jack sniffed, wiping his sleeve roughly under his cold nose.

'So Jackie boy, you wanna learn how to skate or not? Let's get out on the ice!' Bobby cried out enthusiastically.

Smiling the first true smile the brothers had seen from him, Jack nodded and followed them out into the ice once more.

'Hey Angel, lets not start pushing little kids around this time, okay?'

'Shut the fuck up Bobby! C'mere and I'll kick your ass!'

'Haha, I'd like to see you try! I betcha Jackie could kick your ass!'

'Hah! Let's see Cracker Jack try!'

Evelyn was waiting for them as they traipsed into the house. She smiled at the sight of her boys, joking and laughing together, ruffling Jack's hair.

'Did you boys have a good time? Did you behave?' she asked, pretending to be stern.

'Of course Ma! Bobby replied, indignant. 'We taught those suckers not to mess with the Mercers, eh Jackie?'

Jack grinned shyly up at Evelyn, his nose bleeding slightly as Bobby laid a bruised hand on his shoulder. Evelyn sighed, taking stock of the boy's injuries, as one after the other they made their way to the first aid kit in the kitchen. She caught Bobby's arm as he made to follow, looking up at him with hope in her eyes.

'Things went well with Jackie?'

Bobby smiled. 'Yeah Ma. You shoulda seen him – he's a right little Mercer!'

Entering the kitchen together, they watched as Angel set Jack on the table and started cleaning up his face as Jerry prepared four ice packs.

Jack smiled as he saw the figures in the doorway, and sighed contentedly, finally feeling the safety he had been craving for so long with his true family. Accepting an ice pack from his brother, he shut his eyes slowly, glad to be home.