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Chapter Six

Casey groaned tiredly. He could hear Brax's voice in the background but he wasn't really listening. He wanted to sleep. He drifted in and out, his thoughts wandering along tapering memories. Casey started wondering about Dad. He remembered the first time he used, just hours after Dad had hit em. Brax didn't know. Brax never knew. Then he was thinking of Brax. God he loved Brax. And Heath. And this bed...Casey was floating.

Warm.

God it was so nice and warm...he didn't want to wake up just yet.

"Casey..."

Head a bit stuffy. Tired. Hurting. He probably was coming down with some damn cold, Casey thought.

"...please open your eyes."

No. Please just let me sleep a bit longer. 5 more minutes. No school today...

"You hear me?" Yes I hear you Brax shut up! Casey tried to say.

Brax slapped his cheek.

"Case?" Casey groaned. He tried to open his eyes but they were heavy. Too heavy. His eyelashes stick to his cheeks. It took at least five attempts before Casey could squint through his tiny lids. Brax was blurry but he could see tears in his eyes. Brax broke into a watery smile.

"You with us?

Did I go someplace? Casey only groaned in response.

"Looks like he is." Heath said. When did Heath get there!

Brax took a cloth and wiped away at Casey's mouth. I'm not a baby Brax! Casey thought. But he was too weak to pull away so he just nuzzled deeper into Brax's chest. Casey's eyes slowly drift up to Brax's face. He gave Brax a lopsided grin and loopy eyes.

"Good to see ya bud." Brax chuckled back. Heath took a seat at Casey's feet and patted his legs. Casey vaguely remembered not being able to walk. Was that real?

"What you thinkin Casey?" Heath asked. Casey blinked the memory away and simply shrugged. Well shrugged as much as he could stuffed between Brax and the couch.

"...love camping Brx!"

Casey could see a nervous glance from Heath to Brax and back again, but then both of them simply chuckled and went back to tending to him.

"Case?" Brax prodded.

"Mhm?"

"If you make it through this...I'll take you camping."

Casey's breath hitched, his eyes widening.

"Is that a deal, kid?"

Casey grins. Brax grins back.

"Then you keep fighting, you hear?"

Fighting. Casey could keep fighting. Although he couldn't remember what he was fighting for. Or where he was. Or how he got there. Or... His mind was fuzzy. It was difficult to separate his brother's voices from his own twirling thoughts. His burst of painless happiness was slipping and the pain had returned. His body cramped and shook as electricity shot through his nerves. Casey struggled to hold in a cry, but he did not succeed. He grips the hem of Brax's shirt, soaking it with new tears. And Brax holds him and Heath holds his legs in place so he he doesn't hurt himself. Casey she inches his eyes shut as sharp pains hit his chest, tearing up his arms and into his neck. He grips consciousness tight until he can't hold back a scream anymore.

"Shhh, shhh. Easy mate." Brax rocks him. "You'll be okay."

I'm sorry Brax...

"Hang on Case hold on."

I'm sorry Heath...

"Case you listen to me."

Casey wheezes a response. He felt strange, an odd fluttering where his heart used to be. He blinks. And blinks. And blinks rapidly.

"Case?" More tapping if the face. Always with the tapping. Stop.

Casey wheezes again.

Need...air.

He grabs Brax's arm anxiously, his eyes wide with fear.

"Casey what is it?" Heath again.

Casey gulps, chest heaving, ears buzzing.

"Come on Case breathe..." Brax is rubbing his back, Heath is coaxing him.

Black spots pop up in his vision and suddenly he's on the floor, Brax kneeling over him.

"Stay with us Case!" Heath yells as Brax puts his lips to Casey's cold ones. It would be disgusting if Casey could breathe. Casey is slipping.

"Keep your eyes open Mate!"

A breath is forced into his lungs.

"Don't you do this, Case!"

Pumping on his chest. One. Two. Three. Four.

Sinking. It's a calming feeling. Better than choking on the drugs in the bathroom. Better than vomiting over the couch. It was warm and dark and safe. Almost like falling asleep. If only Heath would stop yelling. If only Brax would stop beating Casey's chest.

"No Case! Breathe dammit!"

Breath. One. Two. Three. Four.

Casey couldn't hear anymore. He could only see his thick brothers above him, tears streaming down their faces, fear in their eyes. He can feel their hands on his neck, lifting him. Or dropping him. He couldn't tell.

...everything stopped.

How was that?