3 days 3 updates! I shock myself sometimes. Most stories with 21 chapters would make me not want to read them… Haha, I really hope I'm not scaring anybody away. Thanks again for the reviews and the constructive criticism, I really appreciate it, and it keeps me going. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 21

Bobby entered the kitchen with Jack trailing reluctantly behind him. Angel had not yet left the house, he was simply getting a beer out of the fridge.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bobby asked.

Angel cracked open the beer. He had enough fear in Bobby not to run out of the house just yet, but he knew he could still get away with a little bit of rebellion with him. He took a long drink and just looked at Bobby.

Jack was uncomfortable yet stood behind Bobby anyway, however awkwardly. He hated fighting, and he hated being dragged into fighting. Jack didn't understand why people yelled at each other, or at him. He preferred just not saying anything. He figured if you just didn't pay attention, sooner or later the yelling would end. When people yelled back, fights just seemed to last forever. Or got violent.

"Answer me," Bobby said.

Angel held the can in his hand and leaned against the fridge. "What's up your ass about me going to Sofie's?"

"We've gotta talk, that's why."

"I think we're done talking, Bobby."

"No, we need to get done arguing. Then we can start talking."

"Well, to stop arguing you gotta stop hollering at me."

Bobby just shook his head. "You wanna ignore everything? You wanna just throw back a beer and run off to your fuck buddy's? That's the way to handle it?"

"Isn't that what you do?" Angel shot back.

"Oh, fuck you, Angel. You don't know what I deal with."

"Nah, for fuck's sake. How could I? Sitting on your ass all day mothering the little kid. Big fucking deal, Bobby. Your life's so hard now."

"Oh, you think that's what I did all day?" Bobby shot back. He turned to point at Jack. "I didn't even know where he fucking was for the whole day."

Jack swallowed, shrinking back. How had this suddenly turned on him?

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you holler at him, then?"

"I'm prioritizing. He I can deal with later. You on the other hand... You I wanna deal with now."

"You're not my father, Bobby. And I thought you were my brother, but a real brother woulda helped me out, and I wouldn't look like I'd been through a meat grinder. So back off."

"Oh, is that what a real brother does? Helps you hustle? Helps you fuck over people? Conveniently loans you money to save your ass? You're lucky I don't belt you one myself."

Angel was quickly drinking his beer. He wanted to leave. "I don't wanna be home when Ma comes home," he said.

"Well, that's a cryin' shame. 'Cause you're gonna be," Bobby retorted.

"You know how it'll be. Just lemme lay low for a little," Angel persisted.

"You can't stand to see Ma disappointed in you, Angel. You just can't stand it, can you? Well if you can't listen to me, why can't you listen to her?"

They continued arguing, one snide comment or criticism after the other, voices rising. Jack didn't know why Bobby had made him follow. He wanted nothing to do with this fight. Especially when Angel crushed and threw the empty beer can down on the floor and starting stalking off towards the back door.

Jack took that moment to try to dart towards the front of the house, but Bobby was quick and caught his arm roughly. "Angel!" He yelled at the same time, now torn between two boys. "Angel, you know I know where Sofie fucking lives! Don't tempt me."

But Angel didn't listen. He just kept going.

Bobby cursed to himself. He would've followed, he would've grabbed Angel and forced him back, forced him to grow up and face things, face the reality of his actions. He wanted him to be the one to explain to Ma what had happened and why he was fucked up.

But then there was Jack, who he was worried would run off again, and who's arm he was hanging onto. He was then remembering he was supposed to give Ma a call when he turned up. He was still holding onto him. He wasn't letting him run.

Jack had tried to pull his arm back and without success had started to just lean back hard, slipping down to the kitchen linoleum, feeling pathetic and trapped.

"I didn't do anything," he whimpered.

"Not right now, you didn't," Bobby muttered, glancing towards where Angel had run off. He really wanted to go get him. He would call Sofie's in a few minutes, maybe. Maybe that was the best way to go. He looked down at Jack. "Stop fussing. I only don't want you to run out the front door. I don't need you and Angel going different directions, you get it?"

"I won't…" Jack promised with a broken voice.

"I should tell Ma you're back. I didn't know when you'd come back. But she'll be home after too long. Where were you?"

"Let go…" Jack persisted.

Bobby gave in and let go of his wrist. Jack pulled his arm back to his chest, cradling it as though Bobby had really hurt him or something. Bobby just shook his head. "I thought maybe you left for good."

Bobby walked over to pick up the strewn beer can and toss it into the garbage. He kept his eye on the kid and then walked back over.

Jack was hungry. Now being in the kitchen, it reminded him he'd had neither breakfast or lunch. His stomach was growling. But he was afraid to say anything. He was afraid he would cause Bobby to start yelling again.

"Ma said you'd come back."

"I didn't leave…" Jack pointed out.

"Jack." Bobby gave him an incredulous look. "You were gone for hours. Are you kidding? Let's talk about this."

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want to," Jack answered.

"Oh, you don't, huh?" Bobby retorted.

"No." Jack stayed on the floor. He felt safer there for some reason. In his mind he still hadn't done anything wrong. He couldn't understand why Bobby was annoyed with him. Shouldn't he be after Angel?

Angel and Bobby had tried talking too. That hadn't worked out very well.

Bobby looked at him. He was dragging his finger across the linoleum, chin pressed down against his chest, looking miserable. His shaggy hair had fallen in his eyes.

Part of Bobby just wanted to pick him up, sit him on the counter, and force him to have an eye to eye conversation. But he realized that probably was not a very good idea. He wasn't sure what to do. He already regretted how he caught him coming through the front door and had nearly flipped out.

"You caught us at a really bad time," Bobby admitted. "Angel coming back like that. I mean, I was fucking pissed, man, but it wasn't at you, you know?"

Jack said nothing. He was rubbing his finger against the linoleum now for a while and it was starting to hurt.

"I mean, so sue me, I have a short fuse…" Bobby persisted. He stared at the kid, who was obviously not paying attention. "Can you get off the fucking floor? It's like I threw you there or something."

"No," Jack answered.

"Are you just trying to push me or something? I don't get it." Bobby shook his head. "What am I supposed to say? Get up."

"No."

Bobby wished Ma was here to explain how you don't touch somebody in this situation. Because it was beyond him.

"Are you mad at Angel?" Jack asked him.

"Yes," Bobby answered brusquely. He walked over and took a seat at the table, sitting down tiredly. "Yes, I am."

"What'd he do?"

"What doesn't he do? He's all over the place."

"Did you do that to his face?"

Bobby paused. He was shocked by the question. He looked at Jack speechlessly. Then he said quietly and somberly, "Come here."

The way he said it made Jack crawl to his feet and slowly walk over.

"Sit." Bobby pointed to the chair next to me.

Jack wasn't sure. "Are you mad at me?"

"Sit."

Jack sat gently, staying on the edge of the chair. "Are you mad at me?" he repeated. He folded his hands in his lap and stared at them. Then he stared at the bruise on his arm. He wished he was wearing long sleeves instead of this ratty t-shirt.

"A little bit mad," Bobby admitted. "Not like Angel."

"What'd I do?" Jack asked quietly.

"First," Bobby started, "I did not do that to Angel. He came home like that. He didn't pay some people back, and so he got what was coming to him. I would never, do that. Look at me."

Again, there was something in his voice that made Jack look up at his eyes.

"I would never do that," Bobby repeated. "That is my brother. So what I have no patience, so what I have a short fuse. I don't do that. The people I fight aren't my family, and Angel knows I'd never do that to him. Never."

Jack just chewed on the inside of his cheek.

"Okay?" Bobby asked. "Do you believe me?"

"Then why'd he run away," Jack mumbled.

"Because... Because he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. In a way its good, I have to calm down I guess before I can talk some sense into him. I have the tendency to yell apparently. But he yells back."

Jack was silent. He leaned forward on the table, resting his crossed arms on the edge and setting his chin on this hands.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Jack," Bobby persisted, talking softer. "Ma told me what happened to you."

"Today?" Jack asked. He wasn't sure what happened to him today.

"No. Not today. Before you came here." Bobby paused. Maybe he shouldn't be having this conversation. But he wasn't sure. He just wanted to try to get Jack to stop looking like he thought he'd belt him one on every turn.

"And basically," Bobby continued. "I know I'm a lot bigger than you and stuff, but I'm not gonna hurt you like you were hurt, and I'm not gonna touch you or anything, and I really wish you'd stop thinking I would. Because Ma wouldn't have had me come home if that's what I was gonna do. Don't you trust Ma?"

"No," Jack answered reflexively. He didn't trust this conversation either.

"She's a saint."

"She's just an old lady," Jack answered. He thought saints had to be dead.

"So if you don't trust her, you sure as hell don't trust me. But you're gonna be here a long time, so eventually you have to trust me. And I know what happened to you, and trust me, bad stuff happened to me too, or else I wouldn't be here."

"I don't want to talk about this," Jack said monotonously. "I'm going upstairs." He pushed back his chair and stood up.

"No," Bobby objected. "No. You're not. And just because I told Angel no and he ran off doesn't mean you can too. Last time you told me you were going upstairs I didn't see you for a really long time and God only knows where you really went."

Jack took another two steps away, eyeing Bobby carefully.

"I said no," Bobby said stiffly. "You're don't have to trust me or like me, but you're gonna respect me."

Jack stared.

"You understand me?" Bobby asked.

"I didn't do anything," Jack persisted.

"This isn't about that. Sit your little ass down."

That tone was harder. Jack sat.

"See you still look scared," Bobby replied. "Why did you run off for so long today?"

Jack shrugged.

This again, Bobby thought. He's gonna go all silent again and there will be no progress by the time Ma comes home. Great. "Where did you go?"

"I just took a fucking walk," Jack replied edgily.

"Well, that's fucking great," Bobby replied in the same tone. "Why?"

"Why not…" Jack answered, softer this time, like he knew he was being a little too bold. "I'm sorry."

"I don't see a reason to apologize yet. Keep talking."

Jack was silent. He didn't know what was left to say.

"Well, why didn't you tell me you wanted to go on a walk?" Bobby prodded.

Jack paused. "Because." He found Bobby's eyes just questioning. "Because you said… You said do whatever you want just don't burn down the house… And I didn't want to ask you again because…" Because you scare me, he wanted to say.

"I did say that," Bobby admitted. "I didn't mean you to take me so fucking literally."

Jack didn't reply right away. "Are we done?" He got up again.

"You're really something else, huh?" Bobby mumbled. "No, we're not done. Sit. Where'd you go?"

Jack shrugged, sitting slowly again. He pointed in some direction and said, "Towards the stores."

"Oh, that explains a lot," Bobby answered. "But that's harmless enough. I'm not gonna holler at you, or complain about not knowing where you were all day even though it drove me nuts, and I'm not even gonna drag this out and turn it into a huge lecture... I'm just telling you now, to never, ever do that again."

Jack blinked.

"I mean it. Never will you disappear again like that, or else."

"Or else what?" Jack asked carefully.

"I don't know yet," Bobby answered. "Just don't do it."

"You said—"

"I know. That's why I'm not angry. It's always my fault some way or another. I've learned that over time at least…"

Jack was silent again.

"You can do anything you want, but maybe we should go back to asking about it first, okay?" Bobby replied.

Jack nodded, and leaned forward onto the table again, leaning on his elbows.

"Good. See that's easy? We make our little deals. Simple." Bobby reached forward and patted Jack on the back. "You can be easy after all."

"Oww…" Jack moaned as soon as Bobby's hand made contact. He sat up straight and pulled away.

Stunned, Bobby stared at him. "What? What'd I do?"

Jack just had a pained look on his face. "N-nothin'…" he mumbled.

Bobby knew what it was.

He knew damn well.

Bobby set his jaw and pulled Jack up to his feet gently by his arm and turned him around. Jack didn't resist, he just hunched his shoulders a little and stood stiffly, especially as Bobby yanked up his shirt to reveal his back.

Bobby was silent for a moment, holding Jack's arm lightly with one hand and holding up his shirt with the other. Jack's back was darkened with bruises, and it made him sick to his stomach. Some of the marks, he recognized what they came from. Like a belt, for instance.

He clenched his hand around Jack's shirt. Jack just stood there, shaking a little bit.

At that moment, Bobby felt a strong feeling of protectiveness rush over him. No one was ever going to touch this kid again. Never. He wanted to pull Jack into his lap but he knew that would be too much, and so he pulled his shirt back and gave him a gentle, brotherly pat on his backside to let him know he was done.

"That'll never happen again," Bobby said stiffly, sickened. "I'll never let that happen to you again."

And at that moment, Jack almost believed him.