Chapter 9: Breaking Point
The low hum of refrigerators made Derek think he was in one of those giant freezers where people kept meat. Fluorescent lights and the smell of chlorine had made him uncomfortable at first, but he was doing this for Isaac. He leaned against the wall near the door with his hands in his pockets as Isaac went to one of the trays that held his brother's body. In this light, Derek saw Isaac's face cast in sharp shadows, sadness that he hadn't seen for months creeping up again.
Isaac sighed and looked at the white sheet that outlined his brother's body, trying to remember the circumstance of their last meeting. It had been after his brother had left for college, sometime in the summer. He had come back for a few days and had looked well, tanned and toned. There hadn't been an exchange of words, but Isaac had always felt that his brother at least had shown some care for him. Apparently he had been wrong. Isaac pulled the sheet back and sighed as his heart clenched as the now lifeless face of his older brother, drained of color and emotion. Then he looked down at his brother's chest, seeing the four holes that had ended his life. "Oh, Seth," Isaac said and slowly touched his brother's cold fingers, "I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault," Derek said and walked over to where Isaac was, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You know that right?" Isaac glanced up at Derek and looked down again and Derek saw a glint of tears on the boy's face. Derek sighed and put his arms around Isaac, Isaac returning the embrace, allowing himself to finally mourn for his brother. "I'm the one that should be apologizing," Derek said softly, "I pulled the trigger." Isaac leaned up from Derek's embrace and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "You were protecting Scott," he said and Derek smiled and shook his head. "I could've just knocked your brother out, Isaac," he said, "I've shown you how to, remember?" Isaac nodded slowly and Derek looked at the lifeless body. "I shot your brother because I thought it was your father. I want that bastard dead," he said with such a menacing growl that Isaac was a little taken aback.
"So why don't you do it?" a voice came from behind them and as Isaac looked over Derek's shoulder and Derek turned, they saw Lahey Sr. step out from the shadows, his eyes ringed with a light red and a sneer on his face. Derek's jaw tightened and Isaac put a hand on Derek's arm. "Don't," he said softly and Derek's eyes twitched. "Give me a reason not to," he said and Isaac heard Derek's knuckles crack. "Dad please," Isaac said and looked to his father, "We don't want any trouble." His father laughed at him and pointed a finger accusingly. "You've been trouble since the day you crawled out from your mother, you piece of shit," he snarled and Derek took a step forward, but Isaac pulled him back with all his might.
"You've been a thorn in my side from the day you were born and now you've taken my son away," Mr. Lahey shouted at Isaac. The room stilled, nothing moving as the words sunk in and suddenly Isaac, for the first time in his life, raised his voice.
"I've been a thorn in YOUR side?" he shouted, voice breaking a little because of the strain, "I'M your son too, dad. Have you forgotten about me?! When Seth left, I earned money for you, I did all the chores and I endured your punishments. Not Seth, not mum. Me. I did that. You RAPED me, Dad. You raped your own s-son!" Isaac couldn't keep his voice up and crumpled a little, steadying himself on the metal tray as he coughed and wheezed. His father just stared at him, rage slowly filling his eyes. "You DARE ta-" he began to shout but was cut off as Mr. Lahey felt a freight train hit his face. He was grounded by the punch that Derek had delivered and as he looked up at the man, his eyes narrowed and he wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth.
"You're going to regret that," he said and Derek smiled sarcastically. "Come at me, grandpa," he said and pointed a finger to Mr. Lahey. "You come near my family again and you're a dead man, Lahey. Just remember that," Derek promised and Mr. Lahey got up and left the room, slamming the door shut. Derek turned and went to Isaac who had slumped onto the ground, breathing hard. "You okay?" Derek asked, crouching down next to Isaac who nodded and smiled faintly at him. "Th-thanks," Isaac said and Derek chuckled. "Any time, kid," he said and helped Isaac up. "Ready to go?" he asked and Isaac looked at his brother again and nodded.
They walked to the entrance of the hospital where Scott was waiting with his mother who had a smug expression on her face, contrasting Scott's grumpy one. "They're making me sit in this thing for a week," he said and Isaac smiled at him and laughed a bit as Mrs. McCall dissolved into giggles. "It's not funny, ma," Scott said and folded his arms and Isaac laughed and bent down to kiss Scott's cheek. "Excuse me," a nurse said, coming up to them and Mrs. McCall greeted her. "Hey Michelle, what's up?" Mrs. McCall said and the nurse named Michelle handed her a wallet. "Your son left his wallet here," she said and smiled at them before she left. Scott cocked his head to the side in confusion. "But I have my wallet here," he said and lifted it out of his pocket. Mrs. McCall looked down at the wallet and opened it. Then screamed and dropped it like it was made out of hot coals.
Derek picked it up and looked inside before glancing up at Isaac and pocketing the wallet. "Boys, you go straight to the sheriff's station with your mother and stay there," he said and Mrs. McCall looked up at Derek. "Derek," she said and Derek shook his head at her. "Don't even try, Melissa," he said, "No more." Derek stalked off and Isaac went to Mrs. McCall, taking her arm. "What was inside?" he asked and Mrs. McCall looked at him and patted him on the cheek. "Let's go to the sheriff's office, okay?" she said and walked off without another word.
Isaac looked at Scott nervously and Scott smiled. "Wanna wheel me to the car?" Scott asked and Isaac smiled at him. "You're not worried about this?" Isaac asked as he went around the wheelchair and began wheeling Scott to the car. "Of course I am, Zac," Scott said, "But I also know that Derek will take care of his family before anyone else, and you're family now." Isaac just nodded but said quietly, "That's what I'm afraid of."
The drive to the hospital was a mostly silent one, Isaac and Scott sitting in the back and Mrs. McCall driving leisurely through the traffic. Isaac slowly felt his eyes closing and Scott smiled and lowered Isaac's head onto his lap where Isaac curled up gratefully. Scott absentmindedly played with Isaac's curls and Isaac kissed Scott's thigh and said quietly, "I love you, Scott." Scott smiled with his eyes closed and leaned on the passenger window. "I love you too, Zac," he said before he dozed off too. In the front, Mrs. McCall looked in the rearview window at the boys and tears welled up in her eyes. Inside the wallet had been a picture of Isaac, hanging from his wrists in what looked like a basement – beaten, naked and bloody.
When they got to the police station, Mrs. McCall considered leaving the boys in the car for the few minutes she needed, but then denied herself. "Boys?" she said softly, turning around and shaking Isaac. They both roused at the same time and Mrs. McCall's heartstrings were pulled to breaking point when she saw Isaac's face, so childlike and trusting as he looked up at her and smiled. "Sorry, tired," he said and Mrs. McCall put a hand on his cheek. "You deserve the rest," she said and looked up at her son, "I'm guessing the wheelchair is out of the question?" Scott looked darkly at her and huffed. "I'm okay, mum," he said and opened the door of the car and winced a little. Isaac put ah hand on Scott's arm and looked at Scott with a level gaze. "No you're not, Scott," he said and got out of the car and pulled the wheelchair out of the booth as Mrs. McCall got out of the car. "Now stop being stubborn," Isaac said and nodded to the wheelchair. Scott looked at it unhappily but complied and got in. Isaac wheeled Scott into the station and Mrs. McCall went to the front desk to ask for the sheriff. After a few minutes, Sheriff Stilinski came out of the back, smiling fondly at Mrs. McCall.
"Hello Melissa," he said and looked at the boys, "Boys. What can I do for you?" Mrs. McCall sighed and nodded to the Sheriff's office and he nodded, turning and walking back to his office. Mrs. McCall went to the boys and leaned down, kissing them both on the forehead. "Stay here for a while, okay?" she said and went into the back. Scott looked at Isaac and smiled. "Curious as I am?" he asked and Isaac nodded. Scott grinned and wheeled himself near the wall of the office, ignoring the incredulous look from the officer at the front desk.
They only heard catches of the conversation, but they heard enough. "…Pictures of him…" "…Strung up…" "…Think…rape…" "Lahey…sick…" "…Threatened Derek…" Isaac backed away from the wall and Scott looked at him. "Isaac?" Scott said slowly but Isaac shook his head violently. "He took pictures… of me," he said and stared at Scott. "He raped me and then he took pictures of me," Isaac said in a horrified tone. "I'm going to kill him," Isaac said suddenly calm and walked out of the police station.
Scott called after Isaac, but by the time he got out of the station, Isaac was nowhere to be found. There had been something about the way that Isaac had suddenly gone deadly calm that had scared Scott. Because in his heart, Scott knew Isaac meant what he had said.