Chapter 2

By: MysticFantasy

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"You ain't his father." Billy said. "You forgot about him only a few days after you got out of jail and rehab."

"That's not true Billy." Bones replied. "I just never had time to think about him very much. S**t, I barely had time to think about you or Joey."

"F***ing liar." Billy snarled. "You don't give a s**t about us. You only cared about the money from the corners. That's the only time you're ever happy to see us. Otherwise you would have forgotten about us just like you did with Jack."

"Look old man, you're on private property. Unless you want a bullet between your eyes I suggest you leave." Bobby warned aiming his gun at the large man claiming to be the father of the three Darley boys he was standing next to.

"You'd shoot me in front of Jack? Knowing there are witnesses around?"

"Guess you haven't heard of Bobby Mercer." Angel said. "People around here are loyal to him since he got rid of someone who was trying to kill people around here. He kills you and someone sees it they'll say Bobby did it in self defence."

"Don't think I came all this way for nothing boys." Bones said. "It's been sixteen years since I've seen my youngest and I will get reaquianted with him. I'll be back later. Happy birthday Jackie. It's good to see you again."

Billy and Bobby didn't lower their guns until they saw Bones walk across the street, climb into a car and drive off.

"Guys." Joe called almost panicked.

"S**t." Bobby gasped and quickly knelt next to Jack who was showing signs of a panic attack while being held by Jerry and Joe. "Jack, look at me. Jack."

The youngest didn't respond. His breathing remained rapid and his entire frame shook almost violently.

"Jackie." Billy called gently taking hold of his brothers head in an attempt to steady him. "Calm down Jack. Come on. Relax."

"Angel, go get Ma. Quick!" Bobby ordered.

Angel waisted no time in running into the house to find their mother who was the only person ever to calm Jack down when he was having a panic attack.

Bobby saw their mother rush out of the house with Angel right behind her a few seconds later.

"Jackie." She said taking Bobby's place in front of Jack. "Jackie, listen to me honey. You're ok. Calm down. Relax sweetheart. It's ok."

Billy started to relax himself when he saw Jack slowly return to normal. His breathing slowed and his shaking almost completely subsidded.

"Let's get him inside." Bobby said softly. Together, he and Joe were able to help Jack up, into the house and into his room where Angel helped him change into comfortable clothing and they let him lie on his bed.

"What happened?" Evelyn asked once Jack was lying down but clutching Billy's hand.

Billy took in a shaky breath before answering.

"Somehow...our dad followed us here. He tried to talk to Jack but we told him to leave and he did. Jack right away started to go into shock."

"Our dad was the one who caused us all so much pain when Jack was still with us." Joe continued. "He was always drunk or high and always took his frustration out on the three of us. It all finally caught up to him but not in the way we had hoped. He was arrested and we were put in a decent foster home for a while. But we got seperated when dad got out of jail and rehab. Foster system knew that he wouldn't stay clean and they kept Jack but gave me and Billy back to him since we were 'old enough' to know when to call them for help."

"Took all these years to find Jack and of course we found him two years ago with all of you here." Billy said. "I think Bones was high when he said this but when he realized that he was never gonna get Jack back he said that he knew he messed up and wanted him back more than anything else. But the years went by and he kinda forgot about the kid. He somehow figured out that me and Joe came all the way out here for something important. Guess he got a kick when he realized we came for Jackie's birthday. I really think he thought Jack was dead all this time."

"Man." Jerry muttered. "That guy is a monster."

"No s**t." Billy agreed. "These scars I got on my face are from him. I tried to keep him away from Joe and Jack as much as possible. I hated seeing him lay a hand on them. Even to this day there are times when I want to slit his throat for raising his voice to Joe. But I don't because I don't want my little brothers to know I'll be in prison for the rest of my life knowing that I killed someone who happened to be our 'dad'."

"How did he find you here?" Evelyn asked. "Did he follow you?"

"He couldn't have followed." Joe answered. "We were driving too fast for him to be able to keep up in his old car and especially at night. There's no way he could have followed us with how fast we were driving and he would have had to stop for the night since he traveled alone. Had to be some other way."

"Whatever way it was, it worked." Bobby said. "He found ya'll and he's already made it clear that he ain't leaving until he gets a word with Jack."

"I ain't lettin' him near Jack." Billy declared. "He made Jack see things he shouldn't have seen and made him suffer things he didn't deserve."

"I'll call the police in the morning and let them know about this." Evelyn said. "I think we should try to get to sleep."

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Evelyn lightly frowned when she heard the soft voices coming from the other side of the wall that seperated her room and Jack's.

The youngest of the brother's had come out of his shocked state and pleaded for Billy and Bobby to stay with him through the night out of fear that Bones would show up again.

Both older brother's agreed to Jack's plea and were keeping him company through the long hours of the night.

Jerry had gone home telling his mother that if they needed him to just give him a call and he'd be right over. Angel had double checked every window and door in the house to make sure they were locked properly.

Before he had gone to bed, Evelyn had asked Joe for a little more background on the Darley family when Jack had still been with them.

She found out things that made her understand why Jack was so scared at the thought of his biological father being anywhere near him.

Most of the things Joe had told her involved their father being on alcohol or drugs and him taking any kind of frustration out on the three of them with Billy trying to take most of it to keep his two little brother's safe.

It also made her realize just how deep a bond the three Darley boys have. It was equivilant to the bond the Mercer brother's had.

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Bobby peeked through the blinds to make sure there weren't any unfamiliar cars or people around. Seeing that there weren't any he turned his attention away from the window and to his younger brother that sat on his bed with his blood brother sitting next to him.

"It's ok Jackie." Billy assured softly.

"The hell it is." Jack lightly snapped surprising his brother's a little that he would speak back in that tone. But they understood that he was coming out of shock and didn't blame him for how he was acting. His eyes were red and puffy and his nerves had little calmed down since his panic attack. "He knows where we are. He could show up again at any minute."

"If he does you know that we won't let him near you." Bobby vowed placing himself in Jack's line of view. "I'll plug him full of caps before he can even get on the sidewalk."

Jack weakly nodded.

Bobby and Billy knew that the shock of seeing Bones again and then having the panic attack really wore Jack out mentally and physically. They were really surprised that he wasn't out cold right now but they assumed that the fear of Bones unexpectedly making a second appearance was keeping him awake.

"Jack, try to sleep." Billy suggested. "You're worn out and need to get some rest."

"No." Jack whispered as he shook his head in his brother's shoulder.

"He's right Jack. You need to sleep or else you'll get sick from stress." Bobby said. "We'll stay up the whole night and we won't leave this room for anything. We promise."

Jack seemed to slowly be convinced of Bobby's words. He knew that his two oldest brother's wouldn't let anything happen to him if he did go to sleep.

"We'll stay right here with you Jack." Billy vowed. "We'll stay up and make sure nothing happens. Ok?"

Jack was silent for a few moments before he finally nodded.

"Good. Come on. Lay down." Billy said helping Jack lay down but the youngest wasn't allowing his brother to leave his side.

Billy understood and settled himself on the bed with his back against the wall and his legs stretched across the bed and allowed Jack to lay a pillow on his lap. The older Darley then covered Jack with the blue comforter before getting ready to forcfully keep himself up for the remaining six or seven hours left before morning.

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Bobby snapped his head up before his eyes started to droop again and he snapped his head up again. It was about four twenty in the morning but it still felt like there were hours left before morning.

Billy was still sitting on the bed and wasn't fairing any better than Bobby in trying to stay awake since he was in a more comfortable position. He hadn't moved an inch so he wouldn't wake Jack up who managed to stay asleep. Most likely because his brother's were still with him.

The door creaked which caused the two to fully snap awake then relax when they saw it was Evelyn.

The kind woman weakly smiled when she saw the two relax from their alarmed state. She walked over and gave them the mugs she was holding that held steaming hot coffee.

"Just what I needed. Thank you." Billy mused in a whispered voice then took a long drink.

"How long has he been asleep?" she whispered looking at Jack.

"After we talked for a while we promised to stay awake and keep guard and managed to get him to go to sleep." Bobby explained. "Hasn't moved an inch the past five hours. He didn't want to go to sleep and only did because we said we'd stay here with him the whole night."

"He trusts you both." Evelyn said. "It's almost morning so hopefully the coffee will help. I'll come check on you boys again in a while."

"Don't stay up too long Ma." Bobby said.

"Alright. I'll come let you boys know when it's morning." Evelyn said before quietly leaving the room.

Bobby took a long drink of his coffee before looking over to Billy and Jack.

"How much did he see when he was still with you?" he asked softly.

"Too much in my opinion." Billy answered lightly rubbing Jack's shoulder with his free hand. "Even being as young as he was, I think he still remembers most of it. Things like what happened...I doubt he could ever forget. Our dad would hit us almost every day just because he felt like it. I'd have to grab money out of his wallet when he was passed to get food for Jack and Joe so they could eat otherwise they would have starved and I had figured out how to work the washing machine so they could always have something clean to wear. That day the the child services showed up and took us away...I had hoped that all three of us would never have to go back to our dad. But Jack was the only who got to stay away. I know that he went through bad homes before he came here but when I saw how happy and well taken care of he is here...I was glad that he was taken from us. He had a better life here with you and Evelyn."

"He never forgot about you and Joe." Bobby said holding his mug between his hands. "He'd tell us how you use to play games with him, let him watch cartoons, show him how to tie his shoes...He may have been with us longer but you and Joe will always be his real brother's and I envy that. I accept the fact that Jack and I are really just adopted brothers but I'm always gonna think of and see him as my baby brother."

"I'm glad you do though and I accept that fact that Jack sees you as his brother." Billy admitted. "Jack needed a big brother while he was growing up. He got three instead of one. But soon we'll all be brothers. Jack doesn't have to worry about us ever being apart again."

"That's true." Bobby agreed. "I'll have two more little brother's to slap around too."

Billy lightly chuckled hearing his future big brother joke with him. He himself was excited about the fact that he was going to have more brother's. Once the papers were signed he'll be the third of six Mercer boys with two older brother's and three younger brother's.

On top of that, a parent that actually showed him positive attention.

When Billy had first been around Evelyn he'd been a little unsure of her kind nature but quickly learned that she wasn't faking anything. For the first time in his life he actually felt a parent's care and it made him glad to know that Jack got to have her loving care and attention for the twelve years he'd been with her.

If he'd somehow stayed with them and their father, Jack most likely would be just like them or worse. Bones had never showed his sons positive attention and always belittled them. Treated them like they weren't his children at all.

Billy tried to give Joe as much positive attention as he could in hopes that the second Darley son wouldn't become as bitter and angry as he was. The oldest brother had taken most of the abuse away from Joe to protect him and it turned him into the hardcore and dangerous gang leader he is now.

"Are you sad that you missed so much time with him?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah." Billy answered. "Not having my baby brother around as we grew up...It killed me. I missed seeing him get this tall, missed so many birthdays, seeing him learn to play guitar...I missed out on most of his life."

"Well, you won't have to worry about missing anymore once the papers are signed and you get the house next door." Bobby assured.

"Thank goodness." Billy agreed. "I don't want to miss out on anymore of Jack's life. I wanna see him become that rock star he's always dreamed of. Be there for him like I wanted to be. Make up for all the lost years."

"Guess now is as good a time as any." Bobby said looking out the window again.

"Guess so." Billy agreed lightly running his hand through Jack's hair.

He really hoped that once the business with his father was done that he could devote his time to getting things together. Moving into the house next door, getting his new business set up but most importantly spending time with his younger brother.

Having missed out on more than half of Jack's life, Billy wanted to catch up for the lost time. Spoil his little brother and just hang out with him.

He really hoped that dealing with Bones wouldn't mess up any of his plans.

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The sky started to change from black to redish orange as the sun was slowly starting to rise.

The morning after Jack's birthday and the morning after the night that Bones Darley made his appearance.

Bobby and Billy had succeeded in staying awake all night to look after their youngest brother. It had taken two cups of coffee each but they did it.

Evelyn had gone to tell the two of them that it was morning but neither one wanted to leave and had settled themselves to sleep in Jack's room.

The youngest of the brother's was still out cold which left Billy to sleep slouching against the headboard with a pillow placed behind his head and shoulders. Despite the position he was in he was sleeping very soundly.

Bobby had fallen asleep in the reclining desk chair and was softly snoring with a pillow behind his head and a thin blanket covering him.

Evelyn had decided to let the two sleep since she knew they would sleep the entire day anyway because they were up all night.

Jack continued to stay in the same position he was in as he continued to sleep. The signs of being worn out from the stress he'd gone through were obvious in the way he slept.

Angel and Joe kept things quiet while the three slept and kept guard of the house. No one left or entered.

Joe had further explained to Angel and Evelyn how his father had connections in many places. Detroit was one of them. He didn't want any of them taking chances leaving the house until Billy woke up and the discussed what to do next.

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Jack lightly stirred as he started to wake up. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up.

"You feeling better Jackie?" a voice asked.

Jack looked up and saw Billy looking at him with concerned eyes. The younger didn't fail to notice that his brother looked tired. Most likely a result of him staying up all night. But he was dressed in different clothes and looked to have showered.

The youngest looked at the clock on his nightstand and noticed it was almost eleven thirty.

"Yeah." Jack answered.

"Here Jack." Bobby said.

Jack looked up and saw Bobby handing him a beer bottle that had a small pink ribbon tied in a bow around it.

"You only had two yesterday. We promised you three." Billy said.

The youngest weakly smiled as he took the bottle then lightly glared at Bobby as he held it up.

"How is it you call me a fairy but you're the one who knows how to tie ribbons and bows?" he asked softly.

"You calling me a fairy Jack?" Bobby playfully challenged, glad to see his youngest brother smile for the first time all day.

"Maybe." Jack replied. "Thanks for staying with me all night guys. Sorry I made ya'll stay up like that."

"Hey, don't feel sorry." Bobby said sitting next to his brother and put an arm around his shoulders. "Even when you were little, I never saw you freak out so bad before. You know I know when something doesn't seem right. I wasn't about to let you be by yourself for the night knowing that your 'dad' is in town and how easily freaked out you were."

"Me either Jackie." Billy added. "I ain't gonna leave you or Joe alone while Bones is around. He's gonna have to go through me to get to you."

"Same with me." Bobby said. "We won't leave you alone Jack. One of us will always be with you. With a loaded gun of course."

"Of course." Jack repeated with a small smirk then turned serious. "Do I have to leave the house much?"

"No. You can stay inside as much as you want. I think it would be a lot safer for you anyway." Bobby answered. "Ma's already on the phone with Green. She's letting him know what's going on. Angel's on patrol right now. Making sure everything's quiet around here. Jerry let Camille know what's going on just in case but he's sending them to Camille's parent's until we get things under control."

"I called the boys and they're heading this way to help us out." Billy said. "Believe me Jackie, they're just as ready to let a bullet go through Bones' head just as much as me and Joe."

"After how you told me he treats you and the guys, I believe it." Jack said right before Billy's phone started to ring.

Billy looked at the caller I.D. and cursed under his breath before answering it.

"What the f**k do you want?" he demanded.

Jack and Bobby watched Billy as he talked on the phone.

"We already told you. You ain't goin' near him." Billy declared.

Jack lightly gasped, the beer bottle falling from his hand and started to lightly shake as he realized who his brother was talking to. Bobby quickly brought Jack into his embrace in an attempt to calm him down.

"No. You ain't talkin' to him." Billy snapped. "You're not going to have anything to do with Jack. You didn't give a d**n about him before."

Billy paused for a few seconds before sighing heavily.

"Fine. I'll meet you there. But don't think you can try to pull anything. Joe and the rest of the Mercer brother's are with Jack. They ain't gonna leave him alone no matter what."

Billy ended the call.

"I'm gonna have to put a bullet through his head for him to realize he's not coming anywhere within ten feet of you Jack." he said.

"Billy, you can't go alone man." Bobby stated.

"I know but I don't want Jack to be alone." Billy agreed. "Please. Can you, Joe and Angel stay here with him? I won't be gone long."

"Yeah. We'll stay. Call us if you think something is gonna happen." Bobby sighed in defeat of convincing Billy stay.

"I will."

"Be careful Billy." Jack said softly.

"I will Jackie. I promise." Billy said before leaving the room.