...They say what doesn't kill you makes you strong... And in most cases that maybe true...but did they ever think that maybe...it is just killing you very slowly? That it is just destroying you cell by cell...yes making you stronger but...you can hardly say you are the one that is stronger. More like the monster that is taking over is stronger. Its hunger for power and strength is so big. So it pushes you out making more room for itself...until...the 'you' you used to be and know...ceases to excist.

It's hard to watch this process happen to someone...and even more difficult when you know the same thing is happening to you. The painful process of denial, longing, suffering, striving, coping, thinking, anger, sadness, confusion, then like a gazziel under the claws of the mighty lion taking its last breath...then comes acceptance. That is the hardest part...but it comes eventually. After struggling and fighting for so long, you just become so tired...and you give up and let it happen.

Once you give the beast within permission to take over it all becomes rather simple on your part. The thing you faught for so long to keep away suddenly becomes rather natual in your day to day life. Almost as if you had always been this way. So when people give you surprised looks or criticised you , you can't help but wonder why they are still surprised. But that only lasts for a moment before 'you' just shrugg it off. But no matter how much you wonder. You KNOW you know the answer. You just still want to deny it...but everyone else sees there's no denying...you've changed...

Question is...what made you change?

*bar-b-Q party in the cul-de-sac*

Everyone was there that year. Even the vincents, eddward vincents parents, were there. The mothers were gossiping amongst themselfs while the fathers were standing around a cooler, enjoying a nice cold beer while idly chatting. Michel vincent spoke up " school is about to start...first year of middle school." The fathers nodded and steven Barr began "kevin seems to be excited to get into football but as for everything else...not so much. What about your kid mike?" Michel vincent sighed as all eyes were on him once more "Eddward seems very eager to enter middle school...but...i am very conserned gentalmen."

Jonathan Newcome or johnnys father spoke "why is that mike? Im sure he Will do well. He is already very high on the academic scale even at such a young age."

Michel nodded "indeed...but look at him. He-" he was cut off by kevin running up "hey dad! Come tose some ball with me!"

Steven smiled "coming son! Gentlemen if you will excuse me." He got up and went to kevin. Michel sighed "see. Thats exactly whwt im talking about." Lucas valdamore , or jimmys dad, sighed along with johnathan. "Michel. I dont think we really know what your talking about"

Michel looked at kevin barr " look at him. He is growing. You can tell he will be physicly gifted when in high school." Johnathan shrugged "yah so? Hes a boy" michel looked back at them "exactly! He is a boy. MY son is a boy. What did i do wrong? I know the vincent family isent known for being the most athletic but dosent mean were...well 'that' " he gestured to Edd. Lucas nodded "i understand how you feel. Jimmy is...well...different then the rest of the boys." Johnathan scoffed "if anyone knows how you feel its me! Johnny STILL carrys around that hunk of wood!" Lucas gave him a weird look "still? He still has it?" Johnathan nodded "and we've looked into it! His therapist says he'll grow out of it when hes ready...but im not so sure guys. If anything, his bond with the wood has just gotten worse. We took it away from him once and he found out and well...let me just say it wasent good.

The two other fathers nodded and michel spoke up again. "It seems as though our sons could use a little discipline in their life. We have all tried what we could have we not?" Johnathan and lusac nodded in agreement so michel continued. "Gentlemen. You both know that this has been weighing on my mind for sometime now, dont you? Well i had decided to take it upon myself to do a little research ... Have either of you ever heard of the 'Steelton acadamy For boys'?" The others shook tgeir head. "Well i read up on it and it is a very high end school for young boys. Teaches well. Yet it is also a...what do they call it?...a boot camp? Yes. To inforce dicipline and order into the boys life."

Johnathan looked intreeged while lucas looked skeptical "b-boot camp? Y-you mean like m-military b-boot camp?" Michel nodded a little " I am sure they will teach the same things." Lucas sighed "i dont thunk the misses will take to kindly to that. Plus i dont think jimmy couod survive a place like that. Hes so small." Johnathan sighed and looked at lucas "but dont you see?! Thats the point! They could train him to not be so weak and scared. Michels right! This could be our chance luc'! Just talk to your wife. Im sure she would agree."

Michel nodded "and think. A few years there and they will be perfect. When they come back, you will realise what a great choice you've made." The both looked at lucas who still looked a little more then skeptical, but in the end thinjs if the pros and cons. With a sigh of surrender he accepts. "Alright. Lets do it.

They all continued to talk about gow they were going to go about it to there wifes. Aparently michel had already talked to his about it and johnathan seemed convinced he could talk his wife into it easily. All that was left was lucas. But they wernt worried in the least

*in the vincent house the next night*

"Father! Mother! You cannot possibly send me there! T-that place is for more...athleticly inclined s-students! I-i am less then adequate for such a place!" Panuc filled Eddward after his parents adressed him about the acadamy. His father put his hand on the smallers sholder whuch edd quessed was supose to be a comforting gesture yet he founfmd it in NO way comforting. "

"But son. Dont you see? The place will make you athleticly inclined...it will make you adequate...and beleive me when i say...it will make me proud."

That was it. Eddward was sold.

All he ever tried to do was make his parents proud. His whole life revolved around that, because maybe if they were proud enough...they would wqnt to spend more time with him. He bit his lip for a moment. This was just to good of an opprotunity to pass up. Not like he actually could. He sighed in defeat "yes father...i will make you proud." He tried smiling but his father just nodded "thats what i like to hear. You leave before school starts. And do not look so worried! Johnny and jimmy will be there also. Goodnight son." eddward heard his mother call out "we wont be here in the morning but we did stalk up the kitchen! It should last you a while! Goodnight dear!"

A door was shut. Then silence. Eddward sat on his bed feeling hopeless. Everything was suddenly changing so quickly. Yet he couldnt do anything about it. How would ed and eddy take his leaving? They would probably be devestated! Sadness flooded threw him as he realised he would have to say goodbye to his very best friends in the world...nay...they wernt his friends. They were his brothers. That made it hurt all the more. He sighed once more before laying in bed.

How could such a good week suddenly go so wrong? "...love you too...mother...father..." He said like they could hear him. Not like they said it to begin with. But it was nice to pretend. Eddward then let the alluring luls of sleep consume him.

*The next day*

Double D saw his best friends and his visibly winced. He would have to tell them today. The sooner. The better. 'If i tell them now then it will be easier to say goodbye because we will all be expecting it.' Or thats what eddward thought...or more like hoped.

He took a deep breath for courage before he approched the two. "Salutations gentlemen. I have something to-" eddy cut him off. "D! There you are! Finally! We've been lookin for ya' come one! I got a new schame" edd sighed and tried again "but eddy! I insist. This is-" once again cut off "imagine this double dee! Kids are REALLY into this recycling stuff now'a days! We could get a bunch of trash and make jewelry for the girls and belts for the guys! Its genius! Easy money!"

Edd smiled sweetly "recycling! How nice eddy but i-" ed cut him off this time "eddy! Whats recycling?" Eddy scoffed and rolled his eyes "its were you make trash into cool stuff! Duh!" Edd grew impatient "eddy please listen-" eddy rolled his eyes "come on sock head! Stop waistin day light!"

"Eddy pl-" "whatever you wanna say. It can wait till after ive got my money!"

Eddward sighed and just shut up. He slumped and just decided he would try again later...

Days went by with the same result. Eddward would try to tell tgem but eddy kept finding reasons to stop him. Eventually days turned into a week. And a week turned into weeks. And weeks turned into months...until school was only a week away. Eddward was already packed. He was prepared...yet not ready at ALL! School was a week away and he was leaving today.

He looked around his room. It looked the same except his clothes were gone , already packed. He also brought a jornal and a few other things. His father had left a note telling him to pack his clothes and very few personal things. So he did as told by the end of the week. Now he sat in his living room with all three of his suitcases. Starring at the door waiting for his parents to arrive and pick him up. It would be any second now. His parents , no matter how spontanious, were always punctual. Eddward heard a car pull in the drive way "just in time". He stayed seated until his father walked inside, to which he then stood. "Ah. Eddward. I see you have fallowed instructions. I expected nothing less. Now lets hurry and get going." His mother spoke "get your bags dear."

Eddward did as told. His father got the third bag and went out to the car. His father put everything in the trunk.

"There you are sockhead! We've been waitin on ya'! Come on dude! We got work to do!" Eddward paid him no mind as he opened the back door to the car. Eddy grabbed his shoulder and forcefuly turned edd around "yo! Dude! Were you goin?!" Eddwards face to say the least was suprisingly angery. "WELL EDDY!" he spat the name out like venom "if you had taken the TIME to LISTEN the last thrity two (yes he counted) i tried to tell you! You would know that i am going to the 'steelmon acadamy for boys'! So thank you eddy! Thank you for showing me how much you acutally cared about ME amd not my willingness to work for you! God forbid letting me leave thinking people actualy cared about me! No we cant have that now can we?! So thank you eddy for opening my eyes! Now if you will exscuse me i will be taking my leave! Goodbye!

Eddward got in the car and without hesitation his father sped away leaving the two other eds confused. Edddidnt even regret. What good would it do?

The drive to the airport was silent and awkward yet double d couldnt bring himself to care. Once there , the vincents sat at the designated waiting place. Soon jimmy and johnny showed up with their own parents. The kids would be getting on the plane without the adults soo now that it was minutes away from departure double d watched the other two parents hug and kiss tgeur sons telling them they would be missed and loved while they were away.

He sighed knowing he wouldnt be getting any of that . so he just stood there like a gokd boy until it was time to leave.

Just as he started to walk away he heard a deep voice call "Eddward". Hope filled him as he re-approched his father."yes father?" The man looked down at him "i must remind you. You are the eldest over those two. That means you must take care of them. Look after their well being. Understand?"

His small smile full of hope left just as quickly as it came. He looked at the floor and nodded. "Good. Goodbye eddward." With that he left. Honestly not knowing when he was coming back. Once the plane took off , he suddenly cared how awkward it was between the three. But he didnt show it. Jimmy and johnny both tried to make conversation but they both knew it was in vein. They both coukd tell edd was going threw stuff so they just stayed silent.

After hours of flying and half an hour of driving, they arrived. When they stepped onto the property edd looked at the two. It was apperant they were both scared. God knows he was but hus fathers words replayed in his head. So he gripped both of their shoulders making them look at him. His fear hidde as he said "hey. Its going to be ok." Jimmy spoke up "how do you know?" He asked hesitanly.

Eddward took a breath "because...no matter what it is...i will make SURE you will be ok...you just have to trust me...ok? " both were hesitant but both nodded. He nodded and walked ahead of them "alright. Lets go"

And that was it. They all walked in not knowing what to expect. He reminded himself not to show any fear. Not around these two ever again. Because how could you protect someone if you were to scared? Unknown to eddward thought...he just walked into hell.

*5 years later*

"Newcome! Valdamore! Vincent! Start packin your bags! Your goin home this year!*

(I know! I KNOW! i shouldnt be starting another one but i just couldnt help myself! This idea was stuck in my head for like forver! So can you blame me?! Tell me if yoh like it! Please please please! And im SOSOSO SORRT for any mistakes i made! Forgive me! ^^)