That following morning, Jean felt sick to his stomach. He hadn`t slept a wink since last week`s events, scared to sleep in fear that Francis may come back and try to hurt Oliver again. "Urghh…" Jean groaned, feeling a headache coming. After last week`s events had progressed, the Frenchman was taken to hospital, cursing the little Canadian with colourful swears, to which he had covered Ontario`s ears from. And since then, little Oliver had taken a liking to Jean`s arms. He would never been seen without the boy. Their `mommy`, Matthew, was beginning to get worried. Little Oliver spoke seldom now, the only time he did, he would respond to Jean. Compared to Jean however, Oliver looked fine. Thick bags appeared underneath the boy`s eyes from lack of sleep and constant paranoia. He would not let Oliver more than a metre away from him, and would lose his temper, lashing out at anything in his range. As a result of Matthew`s worry, Arthur decided to take the younger, Oliver, with him back to England along with Matthew. He thought of this as an opportunity to get to know him better. (Jean knew he was secretly trying to see if he could get any profit out of Oliver`s lands) And today was the last day they`d spend together for the next year.
Oh, it`s times like this that he wishes he could stay like this forever. If only time would stop and leave him and Oliver alone like this, forever. "That damn French bastard! I hope his wound gets infected. Serves him right." He growled, causing the body curled up in the crook of his neck to groan. `Damn. I woke him up…` One of the arms tucked into his chest uncurled in discomfort as blonde hair and bright blue eyes peeked out of the crook between his head and chest. "Jean…? Is it morning…?" Jean smiled at the sight—the blonde child looked adorable, though he wouldn`t admit it. "Yeah it is. It`s good you woke up. I was wondering how long you were going to lay there sleeping beauty, I need to go out for a smoke." Ah. Another one of the unfortunate effects from the past week`s events. Little Jean, at the young age of 13, began to adopt terrible habits. "But Jean! Those are not good for you! They`re cancer on a stick! They make your life shorter!" Jean shrugged, "Whatever. It`s not like you're the one doing it. I can do what I want. It`s my life." Oliver frowned, placing one of his hands on his hips, with the other pointing at the other, in an attempt to look frightening. "Now you listen here Jean Tremblay! None of this `it`s my life`. It`s like you don`t care about anything else in the world! What about your life?" Jean sighed, "There`s not really a need for a life anyways. I don`t need anything else as long as you`re there, Oliver. "
Oliver blushed, smacking the brunette against his head playfully, "You dummy. What about me? Did you ever think about what would become of me if you`re gone?" Jean sighed, wrapping his arm around the blonde`s waist and pulling him close, letting his free arm brush curly locks through his fingers. "Look Oliver, all I wish is for you to be healthy and well. You mean the world to me. When you`re happy, I`m happy, alright?" Oliver wrapped his arms around the brunette, hiding his face within the brunette`s nightshirt, "Stupid Jean. How do you think I feel? As long as your with me, I`ll be the happiest ever!" Oliver blushed, lifting his face to give Jean a kiss on the cheek, "Promise to never forget me? Cause I don`t want to forget you, Jean." Jean nodded, "Of course! I`ll never forget anyone as loud as you. There`s just no way…." Jean laughed as Oliver smiled, "You should see your face right now. You look as red as a tomato! It`s so cute! Ha ha!" If it was possible, Oliver blushed an even deeper shade of red, "You idiot! Lets just go downstairs! You promised me a day together! I want to remember this day for the next three years!" Jean smiled, "Of course Oliver. Let`s go now, shall we?" Oliver smiled and nodded as they got up and changed, holding hands as they walked down the hallways.
That was around three years ago.
Oliver was eagerly waiting his return to Canada, where he would see his beloved Jean again. Oh how excited he was! He would run over to Jean and give him the biggest hug ever, and talk for end about his adventures in England with Father! (Matthew had left a year before him due to some matters needing to be taken care of) He laughed as he began to see the port in the distance. "Hey dad! Look, look! We`re here! We`re back in Canada again!" Arthur smiled, "Of course Ollie. Be patient. We`ll be there within the hour." Oliver smiled, "Do you think Jean and Matthew will be waiting for me, dad?"
Arthur laughed, ruffling the now teen`s hair playfully. "Of course lad. I`m pretty sure they`re at the port waiting for you at this moment." Oliver`s excitement began to grow as the boat reached the dock. This however, changed as they grew closer to the shore. Oliver`s excitement began to turn into confusion. `Why was only Mum there? What happened to Jean? Why wasn`t he beside her, waiting for him to come back, like he promised he would? Was he hurt?` Oh, the possibilities that began to go through his head were giving him a headache. He began to fear the worst as Arthur stepped off the boat first to talk to Matthew. "What happened to that brat?" Arthur hissed at Matthew. "He`s back at home. He`s not feeling well…so…" Oliver ignored this and ran over to Matthew, hugging him tightly; a large smile plastered onto his face. "Mummy! Did you miss me? How are you and Jean? I missed you guys so much!" Matthew smiled, smoothing his fingers through his son`s golden locks gently, "I`m fine love, and I`m glad your back." Oliver continued to chat with Matthew as they walked off the platform and onto the ground. "What about Jean Mum? How is he?" Matthew sighed nervously, urging his son into the carriage, "Well love, I suggest we head home. He`s not in the best shape right now, so I wouldn`t approach him when we get home yet, alright?" With that, Matthew and Arthur entered the carriage, and so began the long, quiet ride home.
Oliver had been waiting for this moment for so long-! It had been a long three years, but finally the wait was over. As soon as the door opened, his excitement began to grow. The house was slightly different from when he was last here, he noticed. It had probably been renovated in the time he had been gone. He looked over towards Matthew hopefully, "Mum? May I see Jean now?" Matthew frowned, "I just told you Oliver. Jean isn`t feeling well, so you shouldn`t see him yet." Oliver looked downcast, "But…you said…we`re home now aren`t we?" Matthew shooed him away, "Go to your room and start unpacking Oliver. Dinner will be ready soon, okay? I`ll call you down." Oliver sighed, "Yes mum. But really, can you-?" "Oliver." Matthew interrupted him, "Go start unpacking upstairs." "Fine." He replied angrily, picking up his bags and stomping upstairs to his old room, slamming his door shut.
He searched through his bags for a white plush puppy. It was a precious present given to him my Jean, who had saved up all the coins he had been collecting to buy it for Oliver on his 10th birthday, knowing that Oliver loved animals, and wished to get a pet of his own one day. He hugged it to his chest as the lay on his side on his bed, staring out the window absentmindedly. `I just want to see Jean, is that so hard to ask? We haven`t seen each other in so long. I just want to talk to him again…` He thought, `Why is mum being so difficult? Is he really hurt? Oh god. Maybe he`s seriously hurt!` He shook those thoughts out of his head, `But even if he was, he said so himself before. He said he was eager to see me when I can back…I want to be there to help him through…whatever trouble he`s in.` His thoughts were interrupted by a call from downstairs. "Oliver, love come downstairs! Dinner`s ready love!" Oliver sighed, placing his precious stuffed animal down gently on his bed beside his pillow, before trudging tiredly downstairs for dinner.
"You`ll get to see him soon, don`t you worry love. Just be patient." His mum would repeatedly tell him every time he would ask. Soon days turned into weeks, and it been almost two months that have passed by without any results. He had never failed to ask the same question every day, hoping that his mum would give in and finally let him see Jean. He could tell that Matthew and Arthur were beginning to lose their patience with him, which didn`t bother him any. Though one day, their patience ran a little too short. It was after he had finished his dinner that Oliver decided to ask once again if he could see Jean. "Love…" Matthew began, "…could you stop asking? It`s getting tired having to hear the same thing every day." Oliver lost his patience since he had a stressfully day at school, along with the responses he had received these past few weeks, "Well maybe if you`d just let me see him, then we wouldn`t be having this problem now would we Matthew?"
"But Oliver, love-!" Matthew was interrupted as Arthur slammed his arms loudly against the table, "Enough of this nonsense Matthew. Oliver Stanley! How dare you speak to your mum like that! You had better smarten up young man, and I want no more questions about Jean alright? Matthew is stressed enough as it is, he doesn`t need you to add to it." Oliver stood up, "But dad! You promised! You said I could see Jean again when we got back! It`s already been two months, and I have yet to see him!" Arthur sighed, "Yes, well you see, he`s sick…" "I don`t care!" Oliver screamed, knocking over the plates and glasses in front of him to the floor, "You promised dad! You and mum did! You lied to me!" Arthur began to get angry once more, "Now listen here you little brat! You had better listen! Whatever I say in this house goes! If you continue to act that way I won`t have you see him at all!" He walked over to the blonde, grabbing him by the hair, causing him to yelp in pain.
"Arthur—that`s enough you`re going to hurt him-!" Matthew tried to reach Oliver from Arthur, who slapped him back harshly, causing him to fall onto the floor. "Don`t interfere Matthew." Oliver struggled as the Brit dragged him to his room, stopping by the living room to pick up a cane. He sat on the bed, bending the boy over his knee before repeatedly connecting it with the boy`s bottom. "Stop it dad! That hurts!" Oliver cried, as Arthur continued his assault. "Listen here. I will not have you disobeying me or Matthew like that ever again, alright? You need another lesson in manners dear boy, you seem to have forgotten your place." Tears began to cascade down Oliver`s red cheeks like a river, "But you lied to me! I didn`t see him. I want to see him! You told me I could when we got back! You promised! You lied to me, dad! You lied!" Arthur stopped in his punishment, letting the boy off his lap and onto the bed. "I didn`t lie to you. You can`t see him right now because he`s sick, and you might catch whatever he has, which I don`t want to happen to you." Arthur sighed, as Oliver hid his tear-stained face into the pillow, "Now no funny business. I want to you go straight to sleep. You`ve been bad, so tomorrow I want you to help your mum with chores, alright?" Oliver nodded, as Arthur got up and walked out of the room, locking the door on his way out.
Oliver picked up his stuffed puppy, hugging it tightly to his chest, as he breathed in ragged sobs. `Oh Jean. They promised to let me see you. I hope you`re okay, wherever you are. I want to see you again so badly…` He curled into himself, pulling his light blue blankets around him tightly as the wind outside began to howl loudly. A storm was starting off. "I`m so scared Jean…" He began to talk softly to himself, imagining if he were really there, to help him get through the fear, "I`m so cold…I wish you were here…please come back soon okay? I`ll be waiting…" He sobbed quietly, curling more into himself if it were possible, and falling into darkness. Behind the door, Matthew leaned against the door, silent tears falling down his face at the pure agony pouring from the son`s heart. "I`m so sorry…Oliver love…" He apologized as he walked away from him and back to his own room.
