AN: So… how is everyone's summer going? Yeah… I know, the Chai-monster does not normally ask these questions. Feel free to ignore me, I won't mind it. Anyways, enjoy the chapter 8)

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Chapter 8:

End of Silence

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since Nell had made the decision to leave Beyond on his own. Two weeks since she'd had a good night's sleep. Two weeks since she had been able to talk to her best friend. It was harder than she had thought it would be. About three days into the silence, Roger had confronted Nell about large quantities of jam missing from the cupboards. Around the same time, the older kids began to realize Nell and Beyond were not speaking.

Nell didn't know what it was about her friendship with Beyond that kept the others at bay but the second it seemed it was severed, the sharks began to bite. It was simple things at first, knocking her notebooks out of her arms, 'accidently' pushing in the hallways. Stupid stuff at first… but it had been getting progressively worse. Snide comments that the teachers couldn't hear. Legitimate shoving in the hallways. It was like 'Oh hey, Back-up's outta the picture, let's bully Nell." It was almost worse than the nightmares… almost.

All of it kept building up and Nell refused to tell the teachers or Beyond. She could deal with it. Or so she kept telling herself. And that's how she ended up in the library, two weeks since she had last spoken to Beyond, cowering into the bookshelves. Her pigtails, which she had miraculously been able to do herself, were lopsided and falling out. But she could care less. The bigger kids were pulling at her hair and throwing bits of paper and the like at her while some of the younger children were kicking at her shins. All the while, the whole lot of them were shouting at her.

"Come on, little L, do something clever!"

"I bet you can't even derive your way out of Schrödinger's box!"

"The only reason you're still here is the fact that you're friends with those creepy ass twins!"

"Come on, baby Einstein, fight back! I know you can! Saw you showing L and Back-up whachu can do."

"Are you so messed up that even Back-up won't talk at you anymore? What a crack-up!"

On and on it went. The insults getting progressively worse, the physical attacks getting stronger. Nell refused to fight back; it wasn't fair to the other kids. She didn't want it to turn out like it had the night that sparked all her nightmares. She could not stand the thought of harming the other children even in her own defense. So she took it knowing there would be bruises later. They had to get bored eventually, right? Well, here's the thing about genius children. Once they set their mind to something, they cannot and will not stop until they have seen it to completion. A gift, as the outside world would see it but mainly a curse in their own eyes.

Not every child at Whammies was so cruel. In fact, it was a rather small group currently bullying Nell. Most of the children were content to ignore Nell and go on about their business. She was no bother to them. On the total other end of the spectrum sat only one other child at Whammies who was not Beyond. A few months prior, a new student/orphan had come to Whammies. Nobody knew what is real world name was but to the other students he was known as Alternative, the first in the generation intended to succeed L. If Beyond had been paying attention to the world at outside his room, he would have extremely amused seeing as how Alternative was barely a year younger than him and his brother. Anyways, Alternative was in the 3 classes Nell actually took with other students. As most of the students avoided her, he was the only who would pair up with her when it came time for group work. He liked the girl, thought she was kind and sweet and extremely intelligent. He could never see why it was some of the older kids did not like her, she was brilliant and friendly. A hard combination to find in such a serious orphanage.

Needless to say, Alternative was beyond furious when he walked into the library to find a gaggle of children picking on her. He quickly ran to his friend's defense, pulling at the older kids. "Come off it guys! Leave her alone! What she ever do you?"

"Bugger off, Newbie," One of the older kids gave Alternative a harsh shove as he turned on the nuisance pulling at his shirt. "You haven't been here long enough to understand. Give it time."

"She's six!" Alternative pushed back, attempting to get through the crowd to pull Nell to safety. "What the hell has she to deserve this? Leave her alone!"

"I told ya to bugger off, Short-stuff," the older boy forwent shoving and went straight for the punch. Alternative stumbled backwards clutching at his face, knowing he would soon have a black-eye. "Now, let it alone. Run along and play with your dollies or whatever it is you do."

Alternative bit back a retort choosing, instead, to glare angrily and turn pointedly on his foot. He marched determinedly out of the library, mind set on finding one room and one room only. Nell hadn't said much in regards to her friendship with Beyond but he could tell that the last two weeks had been killing her. No, it wasn't that he had dropped her. More so that she was punishing him… forcing a lesson upon him. That was, if Alternative had to guess what was actually going on. But nobody did seeing as how the 'new kid' couldn't possibly have any knowledge to the goings on in a friendship that had been two years old when he had arrived. No, it had to be impossible that one kid in a home of genii could possible actually has the ability to read people. Alternative growled in contempt has he made his way to the emptiest wing of Whammies.

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Beyond was sitting at his computer, mocking his brother's ineptitude, when a knock came at the door. He chose to ignore it in favor of sending is brother another taunt. Could Lawli-pop really not see that he was the guy? I mean, come on, it was so obvious… then again, Lawli-pop might see it and is having trouble proving it. No matter, it was still fun to mock him for it and leave snide hints. That is what a genius twin brother was for, right?

But that knocking, it was so annoying and incessant. Could they not understand that there was absolutely no way he was going to open that door? It was probably Roger or one of the nurses coming to complain yet again about the fact that he had not left his room in over two weeks. They kept going on and on about how it was so unhealthy for a boy his age and that he was practically catatonic and blah blah blah. They knew nothing, nothing at all. And that idiot at the door apparently could not take a hint.

Beyond threw open his door, pre-prepared glare painted across his face, to find a scruffy looking nine-year-old staring at him anxiously. His messy brown could not hide the bruise blossoming around his nervous, intelligent, grey eyes. He looked like he was trying to stand his ground but was more than a little terrified. Beyond loved the reaction he instilled.

"What," the red-eyed boy growled, hoping to frighten the other child.

"Nell," Alternative managed to squeak. He cleared his throat before attempting again. He was bouncing with anxiety. Who knew what the other kids could accomplish in the time it took him to convince Beyond to help Nell. "It's Nell. They're hurting Nell. They won't stop. It's been going on for the last two weeks because they think she's fair game 'cause you won't talk to her and now it's just-"

This mousy kid had Beyond's attention at the first mention of Nell… saying that the other kids were hurting her? Yeah, he had Beyond's full and undivided attention. "Who's hurting her? Where are they? You had better hope to whatever god you believe she's fine!" Beyond growled into the boy's face. "And who the hell are you?"

"I'm Alternative and I have class with Nell. The older kids in our classes have her cornered in the library and you have to help!" Alternative grabbed at Beyond and pulled, attempting to make him follow him. "Please! I don't know what's going on between you two but you have to help. I'm not big enough. Please, help her…. Please."

"And she won't lift a finger to help herself… fucking bastards," Beyond took off without really paying any more attention to Alternative who was following behind him, chattering nervously. Beyond knew that, while Nell could most definitively defend herself against her attackers, she never would for fear of causing someone's numbers to decrease. Her nightmares… she could never bare for them to become reality yet again. And those bastards knew she could defend herself. They were probably attempting to provoke her into action as well… When Beyond got his hands on them, they were beyond dead.

When Beyond stormed into the library with Alternative in tow, the group surrounding Nell didn't even notice him. They had Nell cowering on the floor, one pigtail on the verge of falling out and the other in the hands of a 13-year-old girl. Her purple hair, loosing its brownish hue of burgundy as she aged, obscured her face but Beyond could see the tears that streaked her cheeks and ran down past her chin. He could hear the insults and see the hits and kicks being thrown in Nell's direction. They may not have heard Beyond walk in but they sure as hell heard the feral growl that was the only warning before he had launched himself in their direction.

Beyond was vicious blur of limbs as he fought his way to Nell. He stood stooped in front of his only friend in the world. Not a scratch was on him but the group standing before him was nursing many an injury, staring at him with pure fury. A fury that could only be match by that of the stare he gave them in return.

"You bastards think that because we had one little tiff, Nell's fair game?" Beyond growled. "You think that because she is different and brilliant, you have to tear her down? Fucking pathetic. You should count you fucking stars that she is too good a person to ever lift a finger against you no matter what you do her." He paused to let them feel the hate he poured into each word. "You are supposed to be genii. Did it never occur to you that I was the ass and she was the one not speaking to me? You're fucking idiots and if I ever see a single one of you lay another finger on her, I will not hesitate to use your entrails to knit myself a lovely new hat. Do you understand me?"

They could not help but stare in fear and awe. Beyond had not talked to Nell in two weeks but had instantaneously shown up the second she was in danger. And he had beaten the shit out of them before they could even realize what was going on. Maybe attempting to mess with Nell had been a really bad idea. Apparently you really could not mess with the twins without some sort of fall out. This incident would not be forgotten, not in the history of Whammies. Nell was Beyond's and you could not take what was his nor harm it without serious consequences.

"I went easy on you this time," Beyond growled, sneering menacingly at those surrounding him. Those nursing broken noses and severely bruised torsos found this hard to believe. "It will not happen again. NOW SCRAM!"

And in a flash, they were gone leaving only Alternative to watch Beyond care for his best friend. Beyond knelt down over Nell much like he had the first time he met her. His face changed instantly from an expression of hate to one of care and compassion. He quickly and gently checked Nell for serious injuries before pulling her face up to look at him. He wiped his best friend's tears from her face before tugging her pigtails back into place, an ability he would never admit to having mastered.

"I'm sorry for being such an asshat and telling you to leave me alone," Beyond apologized, speaking so softly that Alternative barely heard what he was saying. "And I'm sorry you were hurt because of it."

"It's okay," Nell sniffled. "Just please don't ask me to do that ever again. They were so mean and my nightmares….. I haven't been able to sleep."

"I know. Come back with me?" When Nell nodded, Beyond turned in his crouched position to offer her his back. Understanding exactly what it was he was offering Nell clambered onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he stood up.

"Alt!" Nell squealed into Beyond's ear. "You're hurt! I'm sorry I got you hurt."

"Aw, you didn't get me hurt. I had to help out a friend in need, right?" Alternative had been standing there awkwardly during their little reunion but he couldn't help smile at the fact that Nell was more worried about his black-eye than any of her own injuries.

"You're my friend?" Nell's smile was enough to make her tear streaked face one of the most adorably heart breaking things you have ever seen.

"Of course I am," Alternative smiled nervously, hoping that Beyond would be okay with him wanting to be Nell's friend.

"You do know what this means don't you, Beyond?" Nell spoke into her best friend's ear.

"Oh… come on…" Beyond sighed, knowing exactly where it was Nell was going with this.

"We have to take care of his injuries," She was so chipper, clinging to Beyond's back and smiling down at Alternative.

"As you wish, your darkness," Beyond tilted his head back at the young girl attached to his back. He started walking out of the library before turning back to Alternative. "Ya coming, Mousy? Ya heard what she said, we're gonna be fixing you up."

Alternative did not need any more invitation to follow. He scrambled to catch up with Beyond as he followed the ten-year-old back to his bedroom. He couldn't help but smile to himself a little. He'd only been here two months and he'd managed to befriend one of the most intelligent children in the orphanage, wasn't hated by said child's over-protective best friend, and put himself on many of the older kids' bad sides. Not too shabby, if he did say so himself.

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AN: So… new chapter… Did ya like it? And yeah, I couldn't really resist writing A… I mean we don't really actually get to know much about him but yeah… I really wanted him in this story… so tell me whatcha think…. Please please please