A.N: Thank you guys for reading, I hope you're liking it so far. Now we're finally into the good stuff so thanks for bearing with me on the opening scenes . Love ya bunches lighter.

Chapter 8.

Weeks have passed and now its February. For the most part Rocky has gone almost completely back to normal, the only differences are that whenever his mother asks for something he jumps at it. It's almost like he's become her little slave boy. Jessica was at her limit when he showed up in their bedroom to make sure that she had an extra blanket and she was more than ready to confront and force him into therapy when at dinner one night he says.

"I'm ready to go back to school." He looked about the faces of his family making sure that they heard him right.

"Rocky," Jessica was suddenly terrified all over again with thoughts of bad things happening to him; she wants to hold onto him, keep him safe. "Are you sure? It hasn't been that long since you've been back, do you really think you're ready."

"Mom, I've read every book in this house twice; cleaned this place so much that I think the paint is chipping, I've seen five different marathons on tv and during the comercials I haven't seen one about me and what happened. The media has been gone for sometime now. I think now is as good a time as any to venture back out." He looked at the table. "Even if its just as simple as a walk... anything is better than being cooped up inside."

There was a silence in the room; no one knew what to say. Since he's been back Jessica and everyone else has contributed to him staying inside and away from prying eyes and neighbors wanting to dredge up bad memories. Could it be that they are no better than his captor?

Swallowing her nerves, Jessica placed her fork down then reached across the table to take her sons hand. "Rocky, baby... I would love for you to get back out in the world but, emotionally... I think if you go than you should at least agree to come with your father and me to see a therapist." Looking to her other sons she adds. "Your brothers will come as well."

Colt had to snicker at that, no way is he going to see a shrink. But seeing his mothers cold glare he stifles it back to nothing and finishes his peas with his eyes at the table. Nineteen or not nothing stills your blood faster than a cold glare from your mother.

Tum tum is indifferent about it. He'll do whatever it takes to get his brother back, than maybe be wouldn't feel so weird about asking him about what he's seen him do that day. "I'll go. It might be nice to talk to someone about my problems... it would give me a chance to air out some of my laundry."

The boys mother smiled at him. That's my good boy. She thinks.

Rocky snapped his hand away. Those words were so familiar he almost felt sick enough to vomit. Composing his self to relax, he knew that freaking out now would only serve to confirm that his mother is right about him not being ready to venture out yet. But he really is! He can't take walking around this place anymore, being locked up inside his house as well as his self. But it seems that to earn his freedom he has to do something in exchange- Tch! That's nothing new. So nodding, he agrees to go to therapy.

"I'll be leaving Monday. For now, I just wanna take a walk." He couldn't help but smile about being able to do it. But there was another problem. "Will someone come with me?"

"I'll go!" Tum tum shouted before he even realized what the question was. He wants to talk to Rocky and being alone in a place where there were no walls with ears is perfect. "Let me get my stuff."

"Okay." He smiled at his brothers enthusiasm. Its refreshing to know that he at least didn't bring everyone down with him. Turning his attention to his mother who seems to be putting on a brave face for him, he says. "Thank you, and I will got to therapy for you."

"With us sweet heart, you won't be alone."

"Yes, of course." Shoving his seat in, he walks out of the kitchen to retreave his sneakers.

Jessica can hear her youngest say that he's ready to leave before the front door pulled open. Colt looked over his shoulder to see that the two were gone before scooting over a chair and wrapping his arms around their mother. "I'm sorry mom." He says quietly. "I know it sucks but, this is something that's gonna take a while. Rocky is hurt, in fact he's been acting really strange, like since after the funeral for the other boys he's become immuned to emotional pain."

"What do you mean?"

Letting her go from the embrace, he shakes his head. "I don't know, but when Gretchen spoke to him last month he kind of snapped at her."

"What did he say?"

"That he wasn't in love with Maria- Gretch' only gave him a simple book. Then he demanded to know what she wanted from him before storming upstairs." Cocking his head from side to side he adds. "And I think something happened between him and Emily that day too, you remember how quickly she left."

"Yeah. It was almost like she couldn't wait to get away from him." Shrugs. "I thought they had a good relationship, that they would have made up after all those years."

"Guess not... Mom," he had to gather himself to say this next part, he didn't wanna rat on his brother but at the same time he knew it was too strange to keep to himself. "That friday when Gretchen came over I came home late, around 2o'clock."

"Colt." She sounded annoyed that her son was staying out late, knowing what happened to the family and that it could easily happen to him or Tum tum at any given time.

"I know, I'm sorry," he rushed out before saying. "But you don't understand, at two in the morning, I saw Rocky."

"What was he doing?"

"That's just it, it seemed like he was coming in the house- like he had been out."

That made Jessica shake a bit. "Bad enough he's been changed but now he's starting to sleep walk again."

Colt shook his head. "That's the thing, I don't think he was sleep walking- he actually sounded wide awake and he smelled funny... spoke weird too."

"Weird how?"

"I don't know, it was a while back but, he just sounded like he were... better, much better and the Rocky we see in the house is just his way of faking it."

"But why would he fake it? Doesn't he think we want him happy?"

"Maybe he's confused. But," he stands from the table walking out of the kitchen. "I don't know, you'll have to find out. He did say he's gonna give therapy a try maybe he'll talk about it there."

"Maybe..."

Evreything is the same. How can it be that way when I've changed so much? He wonders, looking at the area around him. Rocky and Tum tum walk side by side towards the park. Neither of them are saying anything but the air isn't sad or aggressive in anyway. But Rocky can sense that his brother wants to talk to him about something and has for some time. The only thing was how to get him to speak up. Maybe he could-...

"Rocky, if I told you about something... something that maybe I saw and wanted to know more about- would you get mad at me?"

"I won't get mad at you."

"That's good." He looked ahead of them, then to the left as if to avoid eye contact. "Because it kind of has to do with you."

"With me?"

"Yeah." It came out a lot quicker than he wanted to. "I mean, yeah... It's something that happened last month," he sticks his hands into his pockets. "...I saw you do something- and you don't have to say anything about it to me if you don't want to but just know that I know and you can tell me about it if you-"

"Tum just spit it out." He was sounding more like himself everyday.

Tum tum couldn't help but think that maybe he shouldn't bring it up, it might only make him revert back to that sad state of mind having to know that his little brother was spying on him during something personal.

"I saw you with Grandpa." He replied timidly but quick.

Rocky took a moment wondering what it was that his brother was talking about but then it dawned on him. "Oh... Well... It isn't as if I didn't want to tell you guys eventually... I just wasn't sure of how you would take it."

"I think it's cool- at first I was scared but... having time to think about it I really think its cool." He smiles up at him. Tum tum suddenly remembered a time when his older brothers were much bigger than him but no adays it seems like the kids in his generation are sprouting up more, in another year or two he may even pass them both in height, but for now he's only several or so inches off.

"Cool?" That seemed to make him think to himself for a while. Tum tum almost spoke again but his brother beat him to it. "...I thought that you all would hate me, I thought that- you better remember to buy cat food." He slapped a hand to his mouth.

"Huh?" Tum's face scrunched.

Rocky looked around for who the idiot was that was projecting so loudly to have made him say it when he spots a woman giving her husband a shopping list right before he leaves. "Uh, what I meant to say was, I thought that you would be afraid of me, maybe hate me."

"Why would I be afraid? Ha, you're my brother you wouldn't hurt me. I'd probably use you for my own lazy purposes." He smiled when his brother laughed at the thought. "But I would never be afraid."

The two of them passed through the park gate, walking over to an open bench. "Mom would be... she would call me a freak or a demon and send me away."

"Whose mom? Because I'm pretty sure that mom would just hug you- maybe call you an idiot for thinking she'd ever think that way about you."

Rocky scoffed at that. "When did you get to be so wise to the ways of the world."

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" He snorts. "When you left, everyone was in pieces" shoving him on the arm with his elbow he says. "I found my inner you to calm everyone down."

"Your inner me, huh?" They were silent.

His little brother began to figit a bit, before he spoke up to say. "So... how long have you been doing that? Did... did Maria give you that?" He knew her name was a taboo subject but he had so many questions.

"No. I think I've been doing it all my life at least, that's what my dreams tell me." He clentched his fist in his hand. "When I was a little kid, I used to come to the park and gather a pile of rocks to play with" he cast his blue eyes at the envious sky. "I would just focus on them and they would go flying, it was a lot of fun."

"I'll bet."

"I met up with a boy, we played together... He kind of asked me how I did that and that's when I realized that not everybody could." His fist got tighter, but Tum tum held his hand to make him stop, easing his grip he goes on to say. "I think his mother saw us one time and she yanked him home, that's when I knew I was different. I wanted to tell mom and dad about it but he snapped at me so badly when I told him about the others that I just couldn't say anything."

"I kinda remember that day; I thought it was so weird that dad would just yell at you for no reason. You never do anything wrong."

"I try not to, but I screw up a lot believe me." Looking at his lap, he sighs. "Since then I've been keeping them locked up inside, I guess I did okay about it since I completely forgot all about them until last year when... Maria opened up a lot of things in my life that I thought were gone- she wanted me to be like her so we could use our abilities and not feel ashamed of them but I don't wanna live like that- I don't want to be different when I worked so hard to be normal!" His emotional flare up snapped a small branch from a tree before them.

Tum tum looked at it with wonder if his brother had done it or was it a simple coinsidence? Knowing that his brother can do such things is rather odd but, its nothing they can't handle. The Douglas' can take on anything. Rocky had to know that. "So why not just shove them away again."

"That's just it, I can't. I don't even know how I managed to do it in the first place and now... I'm throwing things whenever I have a memory effect my emotions, I hear people talking in my head and sometimes I feel like they're my own thoughts but I know they're not- at least I do after I've thought them and sometimes acted them out."

"...This is all so strange." He shakes his head, brown bangs brushing across his forehead in the action. "But Rocky... I'm here for you. I don't know what I can do but I'd like to help if I can."

"Then keep my secret Tum," he looks at him deadly serious. "I'm so glad that you're okay with me being this way but I can't risk the pain that will come with Mom or dad finding out. Do you agree?"

"I won't tell. I promise."

Rocky looked at his brother as if to find out whether or not he's lying to him, but he can tell his little brother is honest. "Thank you."

"What are brother's for. And speaking of being for something, how about getting me a couple donuts later."

"Tum tum you're such a glutton."

His brother laughed. "I am not," he gives him a playful shove. When Rocky didn't respond and instead just stared blankly into the distance he thought he might have said something wrong- or that Rocky might be having a seizor. "Rocky?"

He can see something... it seems recent though... like it might have happened just last night even. He's surrounded by people, blinking lights swirling, music... Where is he?

Sin huh? Well what Sin are you? Asks an unfamiliar voice.

Gluttony. He hears his voice say. Care to let me have a taste.

"Rocky!" He shouted while shaking him.

Snapping out of it, he blinks. "Uh... I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"Are you ok? You just kind of spaced?"

"Yeah, I'm fine I was just... watching tv."

"Huh?" He looks forward to where his brother was staring but saw nothing. "Huh?"

What could that flash have meant? Is Sin, getting out when I sleep? No. He can't that's insane, I have to permit him to do so and I'm sure that he will listen to me. So than what? What?

"...Say Rocky?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you really plan on going to therapy?"

"If I have to, I'd rather not though."

"It won't be so bad. Trust me."

"I will."

"Robbie is your roommate, you remember?"

"Hard to forget."

"Do you plan on sharing a room with him still, I don't think mom would like that but... He helped us find you and I feel sorry for the guy but at the same time he's the one who put you there by doing what he did- at least that's what Colt thinks."

"What did he do?"

"Ran you off... he..." Tum tum suddenly decided to clam up. He wasn't about to say that to his brother it might embarrass him.

"You can say it; Robbie kissed me and I took off." With a shrug he adds. "No big deal."

"I think its a big deal. A guy kissed you." Rocky was silent. "Don't tell me? Rocky, you didn't like it did you?"

"I don't remember it, I mean, I heard about it but I don't remember it."

"Oh." They are both silent for a bit. "Do you think he'd try something again?"

"No. He came to see me last month and I told him to back off, but we could still be friends because he did after all save my life- sort of."

"Oh."

Again they're silent but the air is thick with questions from both boys. Taking a sigh, Rocky chose to go first by saying. "Tum tum, if I were into guys- and this is hypothetically speaking, would you hate me?"

"No. I'd think it was strange but like I said you're my brother and that means more to me than who you're in to."

"Hn. You know you're okay for a kid."

"I'm NOT a kid. I'm growing up more everyday. I've got a drivers test coming up."

"Yeah and you have yet to pass it squirt hahaha." He shoves his brothers playfully.

"Oh yeah right!" He shoves him back. Hopping off the bench, he stands before him hands balled up. "Hey rocky, how 'bout making something come to you."

"Tum tum." He groans. "I told you I don't know how I'm doing it, but... maybe I could." He looks around. "I don't see anything I can grab."

"Try that stick," he points.

Rocky focused on it a bit then the broken branch came flying into his waiting hands. Tum tum nearly gav him a heart attack shouting about how cool it was, before snatching the stick throwing it further away saying 'fetch!' at which point Rocky popped him one. Talking to his little brother made him feel so much better about everything and his happiness was definitely contageous. If only the two of them had known they were being watched, they wouldn't have been so half hazzardly about their fun. A delicate hand moves from the iron gate and the young woman got back into her car.