Picking Up The Pieces

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Chapter Six

Finally, about two days later, Sam came out of his room. He had refused to talk to Connie since she had told him her plans, saying he needed time to think and wanted to be alone, she respected that. Since then Connie dropped food off and left him alone, she did the same with Caine and she slept on the sofa since he was taking up her bed. Though she hoped that he knew that she was not asking him for any kind of permission or anything, and she had made up her mind already, she was just letting him know so he would be prepared.

But after two days Sam finally came out, he made the choice without really thinkabout it. He climbed from his bed, his bruises had long since stopped aching to the point of being unable to move, and he dressed, covered the remainder of his slowly yellowing bruises, came out and went down the stairs into the kitchen. He sat down at the breakfast table and didn't say anything. Then finally he turned to face her as she was dishing up some bacon onto his plate. She hadn't said anything to him, just smiled and waved as she began to make his break fast. Too guilty to talk.

"Have you told him?" Connie looked up and frowned at him, not understand who he meant at first "Caine. Have you told Caine?"

"Well. No. Not yet" Connie said after a moment, sipping at her coffee and smiling stiffly at him "I... I'm waiting for the right time."

"When is the right time?" Sam demanded, suddenly hot an angry. "When you're packing him up and sending him off?"

Connie looked completely taken aback, as if she expected Sam to be over joyed that she was throwing his brother out... again! She didn't understand how close the two had gotten since Caine came back. Sure they had there fights, but Sam felt like his older brother (techniquely he was even if they were twins) and that he needed to protect his younger brother. Caine needed him, much more than he would admit but needed him none the less.

"Look, Sam, I don't think you realize how hard this will be for me..." Connie whispered, trying to appeal to the side of Sam that looked after his mother. The side that had done so much for her. The side that would feel pity for her. But she couldn't find it, not now.

"Oh! Poor you!" Sam shouted.

He stood up, quickly, knocking over his chair. He ignored it and stormed from the room as quickly and loudly as he could, making sure to slam any open doors as he walked through them. Connie didn't bother to chase him, she knew there was nothing she could say, Sam would understand later on. She hoped. Maybe she was being a bit hard on him, but he really didn't understand. Caine was a lot of work, plus he wasn't going anywhere no matter how hard she tried. And if Caine went down and was sent to the lab by the social worker, then Sam would be taken with him! Connie loved Caine, he was her son. But she couldn't control herself if she admitted she loved Sam more. If she lost him, all because Caine was too stubborn... She wasn't sure what she would do.

Walking up towards Caine and his room, he hesitaited just before reaching the handle for a moment before biting down on his lower lip. What would he do inside? Sit on his bed and sulk? Throw things around like a kid in a tantrum? Mourn through the window like she was the one that locked him in there? And after that? Go down and apologise to her for being so mean, despite him knowing that for once she was in the wrong!

In the end he took a breath and spun around to his mothers bedroom where Caine actually was. He took another, deeper, breath and held it before stepping inside and walking over to the bed. He moved quickly so that Caine could not even get the breath in to scream at him to get out before he was beside of him.

"Get out!" Caine yelled eventually, his voice sounded worn out, like he had been screaming none stop for hours and there were hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." Sam whispered, sitting beside of him and staring at his shoulder. His shirt had been stuck to his wound and they had to cut it apart to get it off before wrapping it up in a white bandage "Does it hurt that bad?"

"Hurt? Oh no! It burns!" Caine shrieked "I hate you! I hate you and I hope you die!"

He went to raise his hand, palm out to throw Sam around again, but he forgot his injury and used his bad shoulder to rise. His arm then instantly began to sting painfully again and he fell back on the bed. He threw his head back so hard his head knocked against the head of the bed and made a defening bang.

"Easy!" Sam said quickly, slipping an extra pillow behind his head for protection "You OK?"

Caine sniffed with a mixture of anger and misery, he reached and used used his good arm to wipe away the tears before he stared up at Sam and tried to hold a glare "What do you care? Why are you so nice?" he whispered weakly, like a sad and lonely child. He paused and then suddenly screamed "I hate you!"

"I know, and I think I hate you too but I also love you. You are my brother after all." Sam grinned, trying to ease the tension. Lying a hand on Caine's burnt shoulder gently, so he was barely actually touching it at all "I really am sorry about this, it was the only wat to stop you from throwing me around the kitchen. Otherwise I'd be the one laying here with a broken bone or concussion or something."

"Whatever... I guess I'm sorry too" Caine whispered after a while, but Sam could see he didn't really mean it at the moment. He was just saying it so that Sam would not leave him. Good enough. Sam watched as his eyes closed and he croaked "God it hurts."

"Sorry" Sam grinned again.

"Is she mad?" Caine asked eventually when they had there small moment of silence.

"Not really" Sam said slowly, he knew he was talking about Connie, and he didn't want to let anything slip in case it just made Caine angry again. But he wouldn't lie either... So the best answer for that would be... "...More shaken."

"Good!" Caine said nastily with a sneer.

"That was mean. Even for you." Sam scowled, there small moment was gone as quickly as it came.

"Not really, but whatever." Caine snorted and looked away, wiping away a few tears from his face and sniffing but he wasn't the least bit guilty about what he said. Those tears were purely for the aching in his shoulder. He wet his lips and turned to face Sam again, blinking away a few more tears that gathered in front of his eyes.

"Sam... When Kelton came, she asked me some things. And I knew they weren't true, but then she pointed something out... And I'm kind of scared" Caine whispered, not sounding at all like himself, sounding more like when he was switched but by the looks in his eyes he was still the old Caine... Just afraid. "Sam we don't do things we shouldn't... do we?"

"What do you mean?" Sam frowned, Caine bit his lip and thought from a moment of how to explain it further without actually saying it, when Sam realized what he meant "No of course not! Caine don't listen to her! She just wants to get us both into a lab, so she's lying."

"I know, but I just had to be sure" Caine nodded "What happened last night? One minute I'm talking to you, the next I'm outside and shaken up." he paused "Did I switch?"

Sam hesitaited for a momemnt, considering how to tell him, but then he simply smiled calmly and nodded "Yeah. You switched."

It was easier than explaining the truth. Caine didn't know about Nerezza (He'd never meet her or knew that she was the Darkness with a form) and it would be better if he didn't know that the darkness was still out there with his hooks in him. It would just make things so much worse than they needed to be, he would warn him about Nerezza only when he needed to. Caine may still have nightmares, but as long as he though the darkness was dead he was happy. Lying down beside of him, Sam stared up at the ceiling and they lay there in silence.

"Mum... She's upset... Can you please... Just show her you can be OK" Sam whispered "I don't want to see you in a lab."

"She wouldn't dare! She's too nice anyway." Caine laughed nastily. Then he hesitaited when Sam said nothing and looked away form him. He rolled onto his good side so he was facing Sam and frowned "What do you know?"

"Nothing" Sam lied, he faced him and quickly changed the subject "Ever been on holiday?"

"Once. Never again." Caine sighed "My parents took me to see my Nan." he used a lot of quoting finger throughout that sentence "She hated me. Never wanted to see me again."

"Well have you ever been on holiay... just on holiday?" Sam asked "Not visiting family just... You know..."

"Nope." Caine shrugged then winced and began to tear up again as his shoulder began to ache and sting at the same time. He felt a burst of anger towards Sam, it was his fault afterwards, but he pushed it back and away. If he ever really blamed Sam for his shoulder, Sam would just point out the way Caine had been tossing him around left and right.

"How about I ask mum if we can?" Sam suggested.

Caine blinked at him "What?"

"Holiday. Then you can prove to mum how... good you can be." Sam grinned, sitting up, slowly warming to the idea. "It's perfect!"

Caine stared at him for a moment before giving a small smile. It wasn't like easier, it wasn't nasty or sarcastic, but a generally warm smile "That'd be nice..."

Sam grinned and lay back down again. He said he would ask her later. For now, they would lay beside each other and drift off to sleep. The only time Sam really paid any attention was when Caine whimpered over his burning shoulder, but he did notice that he was not crying as much since Sam came into the room. No matter how many times he told him he hated him, Sam knew, Caine needed his twin brother... His other half.

Many people believed that twins, no matter what kind, were once one. That they were seperated and they were better of together because then they were whole. Sam never really believed that (hell he still didn't) but sometimes there was just never anything else to think about.

After a long time, Sam felt his eyes begin to drift close. He was hungry and thirsty but he didn't get something to eat, not wanting to leave Caine's side, so he didn't know how long he had been in that room. Caine was telling him the story for some random prattle, he was just babbling. He spoke to himself when Sam wasn't here because it was all he could do, so it didn't really matter if Sam was paying attention or not.

He wasn't sure when, but at some point, Connie came in with one tray. It had two large plates on and two drinks that she set to the side and left without a word, she did not even look at either of them.

"Sure she ain't mad?" Caine snickered

"Positive" Sam sighed, reaching over and handing him his plate.

When they were done they lay back down and stayed there for the day. At some point they drifted off to sleep and woke to bowls of cereal beside of them, the plates and glasses gone.

"I'm going to talk to her now" Sam said, finishing off his bowl and standing up.

"Have fun" Caine smirked and lay back in the bed, stirring his food but not eating it. He kept a cool face but the way he fidgeted showed he was uncomfortable.

Sam left the room and went down the steps, Connie was in the main room, staring at the blank TV screen with her laptop sitting on her lap, slowly loading up to the main page.

"Mum?" Sam said slowly, entering the room.

Connie looked up sharply, her eyes were slightly pink to show she had been crying and a pang of guilt shot through his body but he pushed it back and gave her a small tight smile.

"Sorry, I was just wondering" he stepped forward "What if we could prove to you that Caine can behave?"

"Um... I suppose but... Sam... Please, you are making it so much-" Connie began, already tearing up again and reaching for the tissues.

"What if we go on Holiday?" Sam said quickly, smiling stiffly as he stepped forward, he held his hands out and stood beside of her "Caine promises to be good-"

"Did you tell him?" she almost screamed and fear covered her face.

"No! No!" Sam said quickly "No I just said maybe he should be nice and the best way to prove he could be OK would be a place were there would be no stress. Like a holiday." At first she didn't look like she would agree, but then she saw the almost desperate look on Sam's pleading face.

"... You're right" Connie smiled "It will help us all. Even me. We're stressed and need a break" she stood and set her laptop to the side. She walked over and hugged him tightly "I've been a bit of a witch about Caine lately, even though it was my choice to bring him back in the first place."

"It's not your fault. The social worker is stressing you out, and Caine is a bit of a handful." Sam shrugged, hugging her back.

"I think a holiday is a great idea" Connie smiled "I'll see how much we have and then we'll talk about it together."

"Everyone?" Sam rose an eyebrow, meaning Caine as well.

"Everyone" Connie smiled, nodding.

Sam smiled again, naturally now, and leaned into her embrace. He wished everything could be as easy as it was now. But things would never be easy ever again. Things stopped being easy the moment the FAYZ began.

That night Sam told Caine about his conversation and got Caine to promise several times that he would behave. Even then, each time, he followed his eyes with a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I am serious about this, unless you want to be sent away then I suggest you be good." Sam scowled.

"Puh-lease. No matter what she threatenes, she'd never do it" Caine smirked "She doesn't have the guts."

"Caine..." Sam growled but it was no use.

Caine shrugged and winced, tears filling his eyes again. He hadn't cried as much since Sam came to see him again. He would never admit it, but Sam figured he was mostly crying because he was alone, scared and missed Sam's company.

"Fine, for this one holiday I will behave myself" Caine smirked.

"Thanks" Sam smiled and drifted off to sleep, lying on his side and facing Caine.

The next day Connie came and checked Caine's shoulder. Sometimes it was good to have a nurse around the house with two very distructive boys. The shoulder was healing nicely and she was very gentle with him, so in return he did not call her any names or push her away or make any sarcastic and nasty comments. He even said thank you when she was done, it was stiff and he half sneered but it was good enough. Then she sat down and asked if Sam would leave them.

"Why?" Sam blinked

"I just want to have a few words with him" Connie said seriously.

"... OK" Sam looked nervous but stood and left the room, he then quickly pressed his ear and tried to listen in on them all but the wooden surface was too thick and they spoke too quietly.

"Sam told you we might be going on holiday" Connie whispered, not looking at him.

"Yeah" Caine mumbled, not looking at her. It was so awkward when they were trying to be cyville with one another.

"I need you to show me you can behave." Connie said, "I need you to show me that we can get along. Otherwise I don't know how long I can keep this up."

Caine said nothing. Just watched her. He was feeling nervous. Did she mean she was going to send him away? No. She wouldn't do that. But Sam kept saying something, and Connie looked so serious at the moment.

"So, I am asking you to please be good. And maybe we can be a real family." Connie looked up and smiled at Caine, she reached over and playing with the fringe part of his hair "OK? Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Whatever" Caine said, shrugging with his good shoulder like he couldn't care less.

"Thank you" Connie leaned over and kissed his forehead gently.

Connie stood and went to the door. Sam was waiting by the wall, twitching as if ready to run into the room at any moment. He relaxed when he saw Connie walking out, unharmed.

"Everything OK now?" Sam asked.

"Of course" Connie laughed and leaned over to be face level with him "We're going on holiday!"