This one's lengthy, and for that I apologize. But I really just wanted all of the details in here once again. I promise, the next chapter will be light and humorous. With every sad chapter, I have to tie it up with a somber one to follow, and this happens to be just that. So please don't give up on me yet. There's more in store! :)

Roger lay quietly in his little hospital bed, watching Mrs. Louis fuss over making sure all of the sheets and the quilt stayed tucked around all of his body. He'd been in the hospital for a few days now. All he wanted to do was go home. But the doctors wouldn't let him, because they feared the fracture in his skull would lead to brain damage if not properly watched. His body was so battered-it was the worst beating he'd ever received in the twelve years of his life. Absolutely everything ached. But he felt a little better on the inside because Mrs. Louis stayed with him every moment she could. Then when it was suppertime, Mr. Louis would pick Simon up from choir and they'd all visit him in the little bed. Sometimes they'd even eat dinner with him there, even though he couldn't really move his jaw to eat much normal food.

Jack walked down the sidewalk with his hands shoved into his coat pockets to keep them warm. He was on his way to the hospital to go visit his little friend who'd just recently awoken from the unconsciousness the horrible beating had left him with. He heard someone shout his name as he walked. It was a female's voice. He stopped and turned around to see a young girl wearing a long maroon cloak with a gold badge on both it and her matching hat. He didn't feel like talking to her. As soon as she ran up to him, breathless yet dignified, he turned away. "Jack!" Mary-Sue called. The redhead didn't respond. "Jack," It was a command now. He didn't like anyone using that tone with him. He whirled around. A silence passed between the two choir leaders. She took a breath. "That was some concert you put on last Thursday." she said.

"I don't want to talk about it," he replied coldly.

"And some leadership skills you displayed! Telling your boys to go attack that man. Jack, I thought you were a better leader than that-!"

"What would you have done then?!"

He was shouting now. "What would you have done if you were watching the poor, helpless little boy that you know has big mental issues and a home life where he's been bounced around between families and houses after watching his brother die at the hands of the very man who was attacking him at that moment?!"

"I at least would've kept everyone calm-"

"There was no time for keeping calm! There was no time for anything! You wouldn't understand."

"I do understand, Jack. I'm only giving you critiques as usual."

"…Where were you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Where were you once they took the man away? I looked for you. I waited for you. But you never came."

"I…I had already gone."

Jack let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. He put his hands on his hips. "You left," he concluded. "You left as soon as he started attacking Roger, didn't you? Because you didn't want to see it." Mary-Sue remained silent. She looked at the ground, her lips gently parted. Jack let out a frustrated sigh. "You were a coward, and yet you feel the need to critique me on my own leadership?" Again, Mary-Sue said nothing. Jack shook his head. "The emotions that I was feeling then, and even now…are just out of control…" His voice broke a bit. She wasn't really sure what to do, so she gently patted his shoulder. "I know," she murmured. Jack immediately felt bad for yelling at her. She was equally as regretful. Both sighed. "My girls and I sent him flowers. The florist said they'd be delivered to his hospital room yesterday." she said, looking away. Jack couldn't look at her either. "That was very kind of you. Please thank your other girls for me too."
"I will,"
"Mary-Sue?"
"Jack,"
"I do love you,"

It was the first time they'd mentioned the l-word before. Mary-Sue picked her head up. She looked him straight in the eye. after a giving a short nod, she replied, "And I love you too," Jack knew that she was only trying to maintain her composure as she had always been taught to do; as he'd always been taught to do. Feelings couldn't get in the way of their positions. Ever. They kissed goodbye and Jack continued on his way to the hospital, thinking hard about the honesty of his words.

Roger leaned weakly on his back, propped up by some very soft pillows. Mrs. Louis hummed a soft tune as she folded the now clean choir robe and uniform. There came a knock at the door. A nurse opened it, informing the woman that Roger had a visitor. When Maurice walked in, Roger's heart skipped a little out of fear. Instinctively. The skinny boy walked over to his bedside. "Hi, Roger." he said. Roger tried to nod. "I brought you some flowers. My mummy said that they'd brighten the room for you. I see you have quite the collection now." He moved his eyes around the room where several vases of flowers were placed. Maurice set his on the bedside table. He remained silent for a little bit, then he sighed. "You look a mess." he murmured truthfully. Roger lowered his eyes and nodded understandingly. "I hate that man. And I know you do too. So put together, we hate him double as much." Maurice explained. He studied Roger's battered face. "Woah," he said as he leaned closer. He was intrigued by the deep red line that was crossed by several black threads along the boy's cheek. "How did they do that?" he asked curiously.

"Stitches," Roger replied with some difficulty.

"Wow…stitches…"

"Sewed. They sewed my face. A big cut was there. Blood."

Maurice ran his finger down it gently. "It feels like real thread!" he exclaimed in amazement. Despite the pain and trouble brought along with it, Roger gave a half-smile at his friend's curiosity. Maurice didn't stay long, but when he was leaving, he paused to give Roger a very careful hug.

Simon and his father came in next. As usual, the small boy bounded up to the bed and greeted his brother cheerfully. "Roger! Roger! Daddy and I brought you something!" he cried out. Mr. Louis was holding something behind his back. Simon rushed to him and asked permission to give whatever it was to Roger. His father grinned and nodded, carefully concealing the object in his son's arms. Simon crawled onto the bed beside the battered boy. "Last time I was here, you said you were lonely in bed all by yourself at night."
"Miss snuggling you…"
"I miss sleeping beside you too. So does Stormy. She just sits at the end of our bed as if she's waiting for you to come back. But anyway, for the rest of the time that you're here, we thought this might help you get some rest normally."

Simon pulled out a stuffed teddy bear that was fluffy and warm. He gently moved Roger's heavily bruised arm and slipped the toy under it, replacing the arm around it. "Daddy and I thought maybe it would help you," he repeated gently. Roger couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. He almost didn't feel the pain out of his pure happiness. "Thank you…" he whispered. He looked up at Mr. Louis and repeated himself. The man smiled gently and kissed the top of his head. Mr. Louis told his wife about his day as the two brothers sat together on the bed. Simon had recently found a way to sit close to Roger under the sheets without hurting him. They huddled shoulder to shoulder as the choirboy filled the battered boy in about all the school news and choir happenings for the day.

When Jack entered the room, Simon crawled off the bed and just went to his parents. He knew from rehearsal just a few hours previous that Jack was neither having a good day or in a good mood at all. The redhead nodded hello to the Louis family, then sat on the edge of Roger's bed. He placed his bouquet on the bedside table, nudging Maurice's over a bit to make room. Roger hugged his new teddy bear and avoided eye contact. Jack was silent for a long time. He sighed. "Lots of visitors?" he asked, a little unsteadily. Roger nodded. "Maurice. Simon. Mr. and Mrs. Louis. Bill. Robert. And Harold. Lucy." he answered. Jack gave a half-smile. "It looks like you're growing a garden in here with all the flowers you've received."

"Mary-Sue,"

"Yes, she told me about the flowers she'd sent."

"Thank her,"

"Of course I will for you, Roge."

Jack fell silent again. There was something so heartbreaking about looking at that little face, so bruised and cut; that scrawny neck, all red and scratched; that tiny chest, broken and so pitifully black-and-blue. Those eyes that were full of just unending love. Hope. The redhead turned away. "D-Does it still hurt?" he whispered.

"…Yes…"

"…Roger…I'm not going to let that happen ever again. So help me God I'll never let that happen again. I'll never let anything bad happen you ever again. Oh, I promise. I promise, Roger."

Jack felt tears leap into his eyes. "You were so…happy. In such a good place. You had a home, a family; you were healthy and getting stronger. You could communicate again and your connection with others was increasing. Then someone…some monster came and completely robbed you of all of that. He left you like this. Oh my God…" The tears fell now, from both of their eyes. Roger buried his face into the teddy bear's softness. "I feel…I feel so guilty…!" Jack sobbed. Roger gasped for rattling breath. "Why…" he whispered.
"I don't even know why…I just do! My moods lately have been so…so out of control…"

"…I ruin everything…"

"No! No! Roger, don't say that! Please don't say that! No, you didn't ruin anything. I just…have a lot going on right now."

"Mary-Sue,"

"I know, she sent you flowers."

"She came,"

Jack froze. He looked up at the boy. "W-What?"
"She came last night. Asked me about you."

"What did she ask?"

"If you were mad. At her. Or how you were. Had I seen you."

"Did you answer?"

"Said I didn't know. Thanked her for the flowers. She cried."

"She…cried?"

"Told me she really loved you. But didn't want to get too close and distract you. I don't understand."

"…I just saw her today and she spoke not a word about it. Not even about visiting you."

"Honest. She came."

Jack let in a shaky breath. "I don't know what to do about anything anymore…" he whimpered. Roger extended his destroyed arms carefully. He and Jack embraced. "It's alright." he whispered. "It will be alright."
"…She…she wasn't truthful with me today…yet I was truthful to her when I said that I loved her…"

"Sometimes, you have to let someone go to make them realize how much they really did love you."

Jack kissed the top of Roger's head as soon as he heard the boy's words. "Oh, you're so smart. You're so brilliant. Roger, I'm not ever going to let anything bad happen to you again. You and me, we're a team from here on out. Understand? Just you and me. We're the top two in the choir. You're my second-in-command. That way…that way I can always have you near-safe." he whispered. Roger cried quietly.

After Jack dried his tears and composed himself, he left. Simon crawled back onto the bed. "I brought you your sketchbook and some pencils," he said. "I thought maybe it would give you something to do as you healed." He handed Roger the black book and two pencils. The beaten boy smiled. Simon snuggled back in beside him, just watching him sketch away on a blank piece of paper.

Mr. and Mrs. Louis sat on two chairs, looking at the boys from a distance. The man sighed. "What are we going to do?" he whispered. His pregnant wife touched his arm. "You know that horrible excuse for a man won't be in prison for long. When he gets out…he really will get a lawyer. He'll try to take Roger away-" He stopped short when his voice choked. Mrs. Louis sighed and closed her eyes. "We'll fight it. We'll get a lawyer too. I'm not letting that child go back to the hell he came from."
"Neither am I,"
"We can do this. I just know it."
"Oh, I hope you're right my darling…"
"It's just a hard time for everyone. It will pass, dear. Soon everything will be alright again. Even all the boys seem to be having troubles of their own. It's just difficult right now. But it'll be alright."

The pair joined hands and leaned close to each other. They watched as their boys eventually drifted to sleep together, heads leaning on each other's shoulders.