[A/N]: Thanks LadyBadass, Kyle3698 and skullhead676 for answering my question. I feel really stupid for not knowing *hehe*.

Song of the Chapter: "Anthem of the Lonely", by Nine Lashes

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Counseling Session

Throw away the empty heart

Three weeks and four days later

Sam was sitting on the bed, holding an ice-pack to his left cheek. He was in the nursery for the fourth time in three weeks. Nurse Hudson had gone away after attending to Sam's wounds. Sam knew that she was getting annoyed with him, but there was nothing he could do about it. Especially not if he would keep getting himself hurt.

The Meagan brothers had gotten their revenge the Saturday after their first encounter. They had beaten him up while Sam had been taking a shower. Cowardly, in Sam's eyes. He had laid there, unconscious, naked and beaten up for almost an hour, before someone had finally found him.

Not only the Meagan brothers had managed to injure him so badly that Sam had had to go to the nursery to attend to his wounds.

The other time had been a bully called Benno. The guy had bullied a Chinese girl because of her race and Sam had punched him in the face. Even though Sam was stronger than Benno, the guy had way more experience in fighting than him. So, Sam had gotten beaten up… again.

The last time happened only half an hour ago. After being injured for so many times in the span of three weeks, Sam had tried to lay off for a while. Avoiding the rest of the students, Sam had managed to be ignored by almost everyone.

Of course, good things always came to an end.

He had been waiting in line to get some food in the cafeteria, when some girl – Sam didn't even know her name – had bumped onto him. She had demanded for him to apologize. When Sam didn't – after all, it was her fault! – the girl had brought her boyfriend, claiming that Sam had groped her. And that's how Sam had gotten himself in the nursery with a black eye and a bruised jaw.

He had only been in this hellhole for three weeks and it already felt like an eternity. How he was going to survive the rest of the year, Sam didn't know. This place was a prison; the only difference was that Coates was more luxurious and was a school.

Sam had talked to Mr. Edwards two weeks ago about the upcoming spring holidays. Apparently, because his stepfather didn't want anything to do with him, Sam wasn't allowed to leave campus during the weekends and holidays, unless another relative of his would magically show up.

Sam knew that he didn't have any family left.

The lack of freedom was slowly getting to Sam. He was having urges to just run to the sea and surf, with or without his friend Quinn. Just a change of scenery would be great too, but after asking Mr. Edwards, Sam knew that it wasn't allowed.

He had the feeling that this was maybe even worse than a prison. The beatings, the lack of freedom, the teachers, the students. Not to mention the accusation that Sam had murdered his mothers, a fact that he was confronted with every single day.

Sam sighed and glanced at the clock. It was almost 1 pm and he still hadn't gotten to lunch yet. But he knew that a black eye and bruised jaw wouldn't be enough to skip his counseling session.

His counselor, some guy named Mr. Green, had been in the hospital for the last three weeks, according to the other teachers, so Sam didn't have to go to his counseling session until today. Sam didn't know what had happened with Mr. Green that he had had to go to the hospital, but it didn't matter much now anyway. All that mattered now was that Sam would have to be in room 3.26, which was at the other side of the school, within 10 minutes.

So Sam put down the icepack – he hoped that his cheek was less swollen by now – and left the nursery, in the hope that he would still be in time.

Toto looked anxiously at the large men that were talking to his mom and dad. He was wearing his Spiderman suit, like always. The seven year old boy tried to calm himself down, but still had the feeling that something was wrong, even though he couldn't hear what they were talking about.

When they looked like they were done talking, his mom walked toward him and crouched so her height leveled his. She looked sad. Toto didn't want her to be sad.

"Toto", his mom started with a reassuring smile. "Sweetie, your dad and I have been thinking about you a lot since what happened last week. We think it's best for you to live with those nice men over there for a while."

"You don't believe that", Toto said confused. "Why do you lie to me? You always said it was wrong to lie to someone…" His mom bit her lip.

"Toto, you have to go. You'll be safe there", his mom looked desperately at the three strange men that were in their living room. She nodded at them and they came toward him. Toto stumbled backwards.

"You lie", he shook his head widely. "You lie, you lie, you lie. Go away from me!", he shouted as one of the men lifted him up his shoulder. Toto struggled, but he was no match for a grownup man. "Mom! Dad!"

"It's for the best, Toto", his dad tried to ease him, but it only made him more desperate, knowing that he didn't speak the truth. He shouted and shouted for his parents as he was being taken away. Toto kicked the man that was carrying him repeatedly and the strange man grunted in pain.

Then, Toto felt something being pressed into his neck. He stopped struggling as he felt his consciousness slipping away.

Drake was by now completely certain that Caine and Diana were hiding something from him. The last few weeks, they had only been doing things together, disappearing at random times and places. Drake was getting suspicious. Even worse was the cockiness that Caine and Diana were showing by doing so. They were acting as if Drake was inferior to them. That he wouldn't suspect a thing.

Drake snorted at the thought. The only reason why the three of them were at the top of the food chain, was because of Drake and Drake alone. Caine and Diana weren't feared like Drake was. They had no power in this school like Drake had. So, how dare they think he was inferior to Caine or even worse; Diana?

Diana was only a part of them because of Caine's sudden interest in her when she had first come to Coates.

Caine was only acting so high and mighty, because Drake allowed him to do so. By letting Caine think that he was their leader, Drake had been able to do everything he wanted with everyone he wanted without getting in trouble. He was smart, Drake's got to give him that.

It was getting to their heads and it was time for Drake to show them who truly was in charge.

They were sitting in the back of the classroom, not even listening to what the teacher had to say. Instead, Drake tried to listen to the hushed conversation that Caine and Diana were having being him, but with no such luck.

All that Drake could hear from their conversation were a few words like; "After class"… "train"… "new"… "recruit"… "Drake". Drake's head perked up from the mention of his name, but he didn't turn around. He didn't want them to notice that he was eavesdropping on their conversation.

Drake wanted to hear more, but the bell already rang, indicating for the students to head toward their next class. Drake looked at his schedule to see where he would have to go next. Nowhere, apparently. He was free for the next hour and after that… Drake grinned. It seemed that he would get to have some fun in an hour.

He took his stuff and walked out of the room, only to see Caine and Diana heading in the opposite direction from where the cafeteria was. He narrowed his eyes at them. Drake knew that they had the same schedule as he had and they always spent their free hour in the cafeteria. So, curiosity took over and Drake followed them.

They were heading toward their old Art and Drama class. Now, the room was only used as a storage room for some lame artworks and projects.

Drake hid behind a corner so that Caine and Diana didn't notice him as they entered the room. Then, he slowly walked in after them and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, this is where you go all the time when you magically disappear?", Drake asked. Caine and Diana turned around, shocked that they were caught. Drake grinned. Their faces were priceless.

"That's none of your business, Drake", Caine said. Drake narrowed his eyes at him.

"None of my business? I don't know what you two are hiding. Either you tell me now or I'll find out myself."

"Are you threatening me?", Caine asked with a glare. Drake glared back.

"No, I'm threatening both of you", he sneered back. "Don't think you can do anything you please. You're not the one in charge here."

"Oh, but I bet we are, Drake", Diana cut in with a sly smile on her face. Drake focused his glare on her. "After all, you may have your psychopath skills and all, but you forget one thing: you simply have not enough brains." She shrugged as if it was the most logical thing in the world. "And guess who does have some." Drake took a step toward her threateningly, but she didn't move an inch.

"What did you say, bitch?"

"Oh, was I too fast for you?", Diana asked sweetly. "Let me spell it out for you so you can understand: you know that small space between your ears? Well, there should be some brains in there, but I guess there aren't in your case."

"Shut up, Diana."

"Oh sweetie, is the truth too much for you?", Diana asked with a motherly voice.

"Don't push it, Ladris", Drake gritted his teeth and took another step forward so he was right in front of Diana. He looked down on her.

"Or what, Merwin?", Diana bit back.

Drake backhanded her and she stumbled over a table. But before he could do anything more to her, Drake was pushed against the wall by an unseen force. He didn't fall, but the invisible force was slowly crushing his ribs instead.

"What the hell?!", Drake gritted his teeth and tried to get rid of the thing that was squashing him against the wall, but he couldn't fight what he couldn't see. He screamed as he felt the sharp pain in his chest and the cracking noise of one of his ribs breaking.

Drake looked at Diana and Caine in confusion and fear. Diana smiled. Caine flicked his wrist.

Drake flew in the air again, before being slammed against one of the closets. As he fell, the closet went with him. The glass broke and its content fell out of it. Drake pushed himself off the ground, the shattered glass digging in his skin. But before he could stand, Drake was pushed against one of the walls again, face first.

His nose cracked and his vision became blurry. Drake fell. His head hurt so much that he wondered if that fat girl – what was her name? Piggy Brittney? – was sitting on it. He groaned and clutched his head. After blinking a few times, Drake's vision returned and he could see Caine hovering over him.

"I don't think I can do anything I please. I know", Caine said. "Don't think you are in charge here, Drake, because you aren't. I am. And if you dare hurt Diana again, you'll regret ever coming to this school."

The two of them exited the room as Drake stood up. He spit on the ground where Caine had just stood on.

Sam was panting when he reached room 3.26. Not surfing for three weeks really messed with his condition, plus he still wasn't completely recovered from his injuries. Taking one deep breath to even his breathing, Sam opened the door.

It was just your typical office, with a bureau and a stern looking therapist and all. Sam wondered if this school had any nice teachers, because so far, he had only met evil ones. Though he guessed that with these students, everyone would have a nerve wracking breakdown, unless you became as sharp and stern as possible, without thinking about the student's feelings and the truth about what had truly happened.

Since when had Sam become so bitter?

"Please, take a seat", Mr. Green said, not looking up from what seemed like a file. Sam's file? "Do you have an excuse for being so late?"

"I was in the nursery", Sam replied and sat down on one of the chairs. Sam touched his cheek slightly in the hope that his jaw was slightly better. He winced. No such luck. For the first time, Mr. Green looked up from the file in his hands. He put away the file and leaned forward. His emerald green eyes inspected Sam thoroughly.

"Very well. This is the first time we've met, even though you've been here for three weeks now. How are things going until now?"

"Could be better", Sam scratched the back of his neck.

"Name something."

"Well, I don't know, maybe the fact that everybody at this school seems to hate me?"

"Ah yes", Mr. Green grabbed the file again. "I've been reading your file here. It says that you've been in the nursery three times? Four times now, after today. And every time it was because you've been in a fight. Quite the troublemaker, aren't you?" Sam scowled at him.

"It's not a fight when I'm the only one getting beaten up."

"And you wonder why you're the target." Sam nodded, but kept glaring at the so called therapist. He didn't like his tone. "Have you never wondered that it may not be them who were at fault?"

"What?", Sam narrowed his eyes at him.

"I mean that there must be a reason why they keep targeting you of all people. In most situations it's because of the so called victim that these things happen."

"What are you implying?"

"Have you made any new friends since you've come here?" Sam frowned confused at the sudden topic change.

"My roommate Jack, maybe?"

"Roommates are obligated in this school. Do you even talk with him when you're not in your dorm?" Sam shook his head. "Then he's not exactly your friend, is he? So, you don't have any friends. Why don't you seek for people to hang out with in your free time?"

"I can't if everyone hates me."

"So you're afraid that they will reject you", Mr. Green scribbled something on a paper. Sam frowned.

"I didn't say that."

"But it's true, isn't it? So the reason why you don't have any friends is because you are afraid of how they think about you. So it's not them who are at fault here. This is something that you can work on." Sam kept scowling at him, even though he knew Mr. Green had a point. "Now, let's go back to those little fights you have with the other students."

"Little fights?! I almost died back then. And I don't see what that has to do with me having no friends", Sam crossed his arms over his chest.

"Everything", Mr. Green said. "Can you tell me how exactly you got in such a fight?"

"I saw someone bullying someone else. No one was doing something about it, so I decided to help. Apparently, that's a reason enough to beat me into a pulp and leave me until someone finds me and gets me to the nursery."

"And you believe something like that is going to help?"

"What, I can't just leave them alone like that!"

"Sure you can." Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. A teacher actually advising him to just watch someone getting bullied and not doing anything? "Look", Mr. Green leaned forward, "by meddling with something like that, you'll only make things worse."

"Still I–"

"Said bullies can still target that someone again when you're not there. In the meanwhile, you've become a victim too. Though as I read your file, it doesn't seem like you're the victim, or hero as you call yourself, at all. Every single time you were the one looking for a fight."

"That's not–"

"No matter if that's true or not, there must be some truth behind it. Now, get off your high horse and stop pitying yourself, while you are the one at fault for your own misfortune. Or do you still keep on saying that you weren't the one that killed your own mother?"

Oh no, he didn't.

Sam stood up, fuming from anger. "I DID NOT KILL HER! How many times do I have to tell that, before you'll believe me?!"

"Sit down, Mr. Temple."

"Don't you Mr. Temple me!"

"Listen–"

"No, you listen. I'm sick and tired of you people accusing me of something I didn't do. Can't you see that I'm the victim here?!", Sam yelled. Mr. Green scribbled something on that paper of his again. "What do you have there?", Sam took the paper from him forcefully. "lonely, afraid of rejection, self-pitying, sanctimonious, self-centered, self-exalting, has anger issues. What the hell is this?!"

"Sam–"

"You know what? I'm done. You can find someone else you can molest, because I'm not going here ever again", Sam decided as he walked toward the door.

"Come back here, young man!", Mr. Green yelled after him, but Sam had already slammed the door behind him.

A small picture frame that had been hanging on the wall, fell on the floor and broke.

When Toto woke up, he found himself alone in a grey room. He was laying on a small bed, which was to Toto's shock the only furniture in the room. Where was he? Had his mom and dad brought him here?

Then, the happenings from before Toto was sedated came into his mind. He whimpered slightly as he let tears escape from his eyes. He was abandoned by his parents, left alone to be here – wherever 'here' was.

Why?, was the only question that came to his mind. Why would his parents betray him like that? Had Toto disappointed them when he had pointed out to the teacher in class that she didn't speak the truth when she had tried to comfort another boy in her class by saying that 'everything was going to be okay'?

Had they been angry when they had been discussing the situation with the principal, Toto had said that his parents didn't believe what the principal had been saying?

Or had they discovered that being away from Toto wasn't that bad at all, after he had run away when he had still been young, because those bullies hadn't liked that Toto always wore his Spiderman suit when they were at school – the same Spiderman suit that he was wearing right now?

Or were they–

Toto's thoughts were interrupted by the door that was slowly being opened. The first thing that Toto saw was a plate with food, which reminded Toto greatly how much hungry he had.

"Are you awake, sweetie?", a woman's voice spoke, before the owner of the voice appeared. She was a middle-aged woman with blond hair and was wearing a long white doctor coat. Her hair was tied up in a knot and her brown eyes were soft and caring.

Toto's heart clenched. His mom always called him 'sweetie', but this woman wasn't her. This woman wasn't his mom. She was a stranger. And his parents had always told him to keep away from strangers.

"Sweetie?", the strange woman called again. She was slowly walking toward him in concern. "Are you okay?"

Toto nodded numbly.

"Okay. I have some food for you", she put the plate with foot on the bed. Toto frowned at the food in suspicion. His stomach grumbled, but he ignored it. They could have done something with it, after all. "Don't worry", she said, as if hearing Toto's thoughts, "we didn't put anything strange in the food."

Toto sensed that it was the truth and finally gave in to his primal urges and ate. The food was nice, though it couldn't top his mother's cooking. When he was done eating, Toto pushed the plate away and sat as far from the woman as possible, his legs pulled up to his chest. The woman sighed.

"Sweetie, some men are going to do some tests on you", the woman said softly. Toto immediately tensed and looked at her fearfully. "Don't worry, nothing too serious." He calmed slightly, knowing that she believed that that was the truth. "If you won't resist and do what the big men tell you, you'll get a small gift from me, okay?"

Toto nodded. "Okay", he whispered, though he was still scared when the men came into his room and asked him some stuff, before sticking those scary needles into his skin and asking him the same things again.

Toto closed his eyes and hoped that this would be over soon.

[A/N]: And that was chapter 4! I've edited this one quite a lot, though I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope that you've liked it too. The Toto-parts are, well, to show how he slowly turned insane. It also gives a bit more depth to the story, I hope xD. Toto will have more influence in this story than in the series, so they're still important ;).

I'm glad that the Little Pete/Gaiaphage-parts are liked ^^ I don't have much to tell about them, so I can't put those parts in every chapter, but I'll try to divide them in the chapters before the FAYZ begins.

But sh*t just gone down! Tell me what you think about the progression of the story. A three weeks gap is quite large, in my opinion, though I don't want to write chapters where just... nothing happens xD Sorry for being impatient, but please tell me if this was the right thing to do or not! I love reviews after all ;3.

I've replied to the more larger reviews (the ones with more than one sentence) with a PM, but no one replied back :'(. Should I just go back with responding to everyone's reviews here or doesn't really matter?

Question of the Chapter: Because of who and why did Mr. Green have to go to the hospital? You can be creative on the why-part, maybe I'll mention that in the next chapter ;). If you can still remember the first chapter, I guess you should know the answer to this one ;P

'Till next time ^^

Xx Anny