Jack was stretched across the length of his bed as much as possible. Isabelle was lying down beside him, her head resting on his shoulder as she silently read a book. Jack, tired of the quiet, turned his head to face her. He kissed her neck softly, trying to pry her attention from the book to him but she just laughed and ignored him. He whimpered softly like a puppy and nuzzled against her neck, then let his lips press harder against her sensitive, soft skin.

"Jack, stop," Isabelle said, pushing him away.

"No," he replied, lightheartedly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and resumed kissing her skin. "I feel neglected. I feel unloved. I feel really hor-"

"Do not finish that sentence," Isabelle warned him. She closed her book and rolled over to face him. "And even more to the point it's your fault that you're in this predicament. You are the one who couldn't keep you little friend in his pouch."

"Ouch," he said. Groaning softly, Jack kissed her lips gently parting her lips with his own. "Please? I love you."

"If I don't cater to your so-called 'needs' you're never going to leave me alone, are you?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head.

Admittedly, these past few weeks had been tough on Isabelle, just as they had been on Jack. She wanted so badly to just to give into his touch and be with him again, especially at times like these. When Jack kissed her neck and pouted, there was something undeniably appealing about it, even though she pretended to be annoyed by it. Jack whispered against her skin that he loved her again and she felt the last barrier break.

Isabelle placed the book on the floor beside the bed and slowly climbed on top of Jack. He grinned widely up at her, resting his hand in the small of her back as she settled herself over him. Leaning the upper half of her body towards him, she started to kiss the crook of his neck, her tongue tracing a small raised scar. Jack's eyes fluttered closed and he let out a low growl of pleasure.

"Is that what you want?" Isabelle questioned, removing her mouth from his neck slightly.

"Yes," he answered.

Before Isabelle caught onto his plan, Jack placed his other hand on the side of her waist and quickly rolled over so that she was beneath him. He slid his hand down the front of her body, stopping just shy of the waistband of her jeans. Isabelle softly forced her hand between their two bodies and led Jack's hand down further. He helped her unbutton the fly of her jeans and slid his hand inside them and under the band of her underwear but keeping it within safe territory. He looked at her, making sure she was okay and saw Isabelle, her eyes closed, absorbing the pleasure that emitted into her body merely from his hand resting against her skin.

Taking notice of Isabelle biting her lip, he leaned down and nipped the other side playfully. She smiled at his cute gesture and ran her hand against his back, resting them on his shoulder blades. Isabelle was slowly getting involved in the action, needing to feel him just as much as he claimed her needed to feel her. She soothingly let her fingers slide across his shoulders and massaged the area in between.

"You're really good at that," Jack whispered, rolling his shoulders.

"Let me get up," Isabelle said softly. Jack obliged and she slid out from underneath him. The two of them sat up and she positioned herself behind him. She returned her hands to his back, gently kneading the knots out of his muscles. "Feel better?"

Jack laughed a reply and smiled, letting his head lull forward. It was so easy to relax while Isabelle ran her hands against his skin. She moved closer to him, resting her chest against his back and moving her head around so that her lips gently rested on his neck. Squeezing his shoulders tightly, Isabelle whispered something softly into Jack's ear, but he didn't hear it. Instead, he could hear a loud crash, as if something was falling to the floor, and a sharp, sudden pain in his stomach. Jack reached out to clutch his hands to the affected area and leaned forward in pain, gasping for air which seemed to escape his lungs before even entering them.

Removing her arms from his shoulders, Isabelle flew off the bed and moved over to the front of Jack. She kneeled down in front of the bed trying to peer up into his eyes but he was leaning forward, resting his head on the bed and moaning in excruciating pain.

"Baby?" Isabelle questioned, worried. She placed her hand on his head and gently brushed the hair away from his forehead. "What's wrong? Do you want me to get Evelyn?"

"No," he replied, quickly. He looked up at her, trying to hide his pain with a fake smile. "I'm okay, Belle, I'm fine."

"You don't honestly think that you could bullshit me, do you?" she asked.

Suddenly, just as quick as it came on, the pain subsided. Jack took in a deep breath, testing to see if he was able to, and then let out a loud sigh. He leaned backwards, falling onto the bed but keeping his hand pressed to his stomach just incase. Isabelle crawled onto the bed and hovered over him, looking down into his eyes.

"What was that about?" Isabelle asked.

"I don't know, but I'm fine now," he replied. He removed one hand from his stomach and placed it against her cheek. "I promise. I just got this intense pain in my stomach." He looked down towards the door and noticed an old picture of him and his eldest brother fighting. "Belle, something's not right with Bobby. I can tell."

Isabelle heard the phone ring and the sound of Evelyn walking towards it. She stood up and walked over to the door, Jack walking behind her. She threw the door open and headed down the stairs hearing the end of Evelyn's conversation. It wasn't anything too telling, but the sound of her voice left Isabelle nervous. She could tell that Jack was right. Evelyn hung the phone up and walked towards the stairs, ready to go get the two of them when she saw them already perched on the stairs anxiously.

"What happened to Bobby?" Jack asked.

"He's in the hospital," Evelyn said. She walked towards the door and grabbed her coat, turned back towards the two teens. "I think it's best if you two stay here."

"I disagree," Jack replied.

As he passed by Isabelle he grabbed her hand, not only to get her to come along with him but also for the comfort. She followed behind him, squeezing tightly on it. Jack grabbed both of their coats and started to head towards the car before Evelyn could protest his actions.

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The three of them rushed into the main entrance of the hospital. As Evelyn reached the front desk, Isabelle could feel Jack's arms wrap around her waist, needing to be close to her incase he need to find strength from her. Pressing her hands over his, she settled in against him. She knew how much Bobby meant to Jack, whether they admitted it to one another or not, it took a special kind of connection to sense when another person is in trouble and Jack had that connection to his brother.

"They said that they can't tell us anything yet," Evelyn said. She looked up at Jack, peering into his eyes and resting a hand on his cheek. "Why don't you and Isabelle go take a seat while I call up Jeremiah and Angel. I am sure that it's nothing but I would just rather have then informed of the situation while it is going on. I will be right back."

Isabelle broke out of Jack's grasp, but held onto one of his hands, leading him to the waiting room. She forced him into a seat before taking the next one over. He barely said anything the entire ride to the hospital. She knew that he hated these places, that he knew them all too well from the years of abuse. She wrapped her arm around her shoulders and he replied by resting his head on her shoulder, his hair brushing lightly against her neck.

"Everything is going to be okay," Isabelle whispered, kissing the top of his head.

"Whenever anybody in my family is hurt I can sense it," Jack admitted to her. "That night that Bobby came to your house and got you out of there, I could feel something was wrong with you. That's why I called despite you telling me to never call your house phone."

"I'm considered part of your family?"

"Of course," he replied.

"I'm sure Bobby's fine," she said. "It's Bobby, he's got a big mouth, a big ego, and a lot of fight in him. I haven't even known him that long and I can see it. I know you do. Plus, maybe he's not even hurt that bad. We don't know anything yet."

"I know," he agreed. "What would I do without you?"

"You wouldn't be in this predicament."

"Trust me, with Bobby, something was bound to happen."

Jack lifted his head from her shoulder and moved closer to her, kissing her cheek gently. She closed her eyes the moment that their skin met and he smiled to himself, savoring the sight of her, peaceful and content. Isabelle opened her eyes softly and brushed Jack's hair out of his face and off to the side.

"Mr. Leary probably did something to him and I told Bobby not to hurt him," Isabelle said regretfully.

"It's not your fault. Anyway, I would have done the same thing…Well, if I were you, even though we all know my view on what punishment Mr. Leary deserves."

"Mercer family," a nurse called out from beside the swinging doors of the emergency room.

Jack stood up instantly and grabbed Isabelle's hand, pulling her along with him. AS the reached the lady, she gave them a disbelieving look and didn't say anything.

"Mercer family, that's us. I'm Robert Mercer's brother. Our mother is making a phone call," Jack said, irritably. "What?"

"I can give information out to anyone under the age of eighteen," she replied.

"Are you serious? This is ridiculous," Jack muttered.

"Baby, relax," Isabelle whispered, squeezing his hand softly. She turned towards the lady and smiled politely. "I'm sorry, it's just that we're all really worried about him. Are you sure that there's nothing you could tell us? Anything at this point would mean the world."

"He's in stable condition, he'll be fine. When Mrs. Mercer comes back from making her calls come up to the front desk and they will tell you which room he is in," she replied.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks," Jack said.

Isabelle led Jack back to the row of bolted down chairs. He sat down on one and as Isabelle went to sit in the one next to him he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down into his lap. His grip on her tightened and he held her close to him in order to comfort himself. A few silent minutes passed before Evelyn walked back into the waiting room. Isabelle stood up and met her half way, Jack following behind her.

"Miss Evelyn the lady at the front desk said that Bobby was in stable condition but she couldn't give us any other details because we're minors," Isabelle said.

"Yeah, ma, she'd only give you info," Jack added.

After a discussion with the head nurse at the front desk Evelyn, Jack and Isabelle were allowed to see Bobby. They were being led down the white and creepily spotless hallway to his room by the same lady and could already hear the shouts coming from down the hallway.

"…Don't fuckin' touch me. Keep that damn needle away from me, I ain't a fuckin' pincushion!"

Isabelle and Jack laughed, instantly recognizing his voice, while Evelyn merely tried to ignore his rude behavior. However, as they neared the room, Evelyn couldn't help but to smile slightly, Bobby was being his usual self and that was evidence that no matter had happened he was going to be okay, more so than any scientific test could ever prove.

"Get out…Get out…Get out…" Bobby repeated like a mantra at the male nurse standing beside his bed. He tried to take his blood pressure but Bobby swatted his hand away. "Did ya just hear me tell you politely to get the fuck out? Damn man, I don't need no fairy ass med school dropout touching me."

Bobby took notice of his family standing in the doorway and smirked instantly. As the nurse left the room scowling the three of them entered. Jack took the seat furthest from the bed while Evelyn took the one directly beside it. Isabelle stood only a few feet away from the doorway until Jack motioned her over to him. He pulled down into his lap again and wrapped his arms around her waist, anchoring her to him.

"Hey, Jack, when you stop fooling yourself into thinkin' that you're straight, I think the 'murse' over there might be your soul mate," Bobby joked.

"Whatever, man," Jack replied, shaking his head.

"How are you feeling?" Evelyn asked. "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I just got a scratch," he answered. "I just needed some stitches on my stomach and now I'm fine. I keep trying to convince them to let me go home but it ain't working 'cause they ignore their patients in this hospital."

Isabelle smiled softly but knew that he wasn't telling the entire truth. Bobby always felt the need to be the strong one in the family, whether it was necessary or not. She had only known him for a little bit, but it was apparent from the beginning.

"What's goin' on here?" Bobby asked, pointing to Isabelle and Jack. "Jack, go get Izzy a chair, I don't want you free range groping her in the middle of the hospital. Better treat my sister with a little fuckin' respect."

"Can you please not use the 'f' word in the middle of the hospital?" Evelyn suggested.

"Sorry ma, but look at the way Jackie boy's all touchy-feely on Izzy, it just ain't right." Bobby pointed towards the curtain divider in the middle of the room that separated section of the room from another patient's. "Go over there and take a chair, Jack, they ain't usin' them."

Isabelle slowly slid off of Jack and watched him stand up. She took over the chair he was using and pulled it closer to the bed. Jack pulled back the curtain slightly so that only he could see the hidden section. He stared at the bed and then quickly grabbed the chair, pulling it back into Bobby's section. He pushed it over towards Isabelle and sat down, grabbing her hand.

"Belle, you and ma look tired, why don't you two go grab some coffee or something," Jack suggested, smiling down at her. "I mean, it has been a long day with everything going on."

"I don't th-"

"Go on you, two. Besides I want sometime with my baby brother over here," Bobby said. "I need to discuss with him the proper way to treat a lady. I mean, you don't go pawin' her like he was doin' to ya."

"First off, he wasn't pawing me," Isabelle said, standing up and walking over to the bed. "Secondly, I like being pawed." She leaned down and hit him on the shoulder. "Thirdly, I'm glad you're okay, but when I get back you are going to tell me and your mother the truth or so help me-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just get out of here," Bobby replied, waving her off.

Isabelle smiled despite herself and followed Evelyn out of the room and down the long corridor. Jack looked over at his brother, standing up and walking over to the curtain once he was sure that they were out of earshot and weren't coming back yet. He pulled back the curtain and exposed the patient.

"Care to explain?" Jack asked.

Just behind the curtain a man laid there in a sleeplike state. He was unmoving, machines hooked up to every part of his body and wires or tubes sticking out everywhere humanly possibly. The machine droned on filling the silence that had taken over the room while the unflinching Bobby just shrugged looking over at his little brother.

"I think Mr. Leary may have gotten it worse than I did."

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Thank You:

brandy2009
cujoking (Hope this was fast enough for you...Sorry, if it wasn't. : p)
Elven-Princess Ginny (Thank you for your review...Please do so again if you wish...I love finding out what people who have never reviewed before but have read the story think!)
Iluvgarretthedlund
i run with scissors
Shining Star of Valinor (Haha...Definitely the must amusing/scary review I have gotten in a long time...Wow...Twenty minutes alone with Jack...Sorry, hon, don't think twenty minutes would be long enough to do all the things I know everyone who is a Jack fan wants to do with him...Be patient and the icing scene will come...I might even be writing it now...or not...you'll just have to wait and see...hee hee...Probably sooner than later though, you don't seem to be the type of person you want to be on the bad side of.)
Sliver of Melody
Verona Sage (Running Out of Pain withdrawls...Aww, that's such a compliment in a way...I think...lol. Sorry for the cliffie...I need to write something with tension...Although I guess the cliff has yet to be discovered is that the correct terminology? because I really didn't reveal much...Oh, well.)

I feel the need to also apology to I posted a comment to you in the last chapter but I forgot to write your name...Sorry! (EDIT: I tried to your name again but I think that the site thinks it is an email so I have to do it without the '.'s….So, this pertains to XCosmicDancerX…hopefully it works that time.)

A/N: Gotta reccomend another movie...lol, there's this great short film called "Cashback" starring Sean Biggerstaff (of Harry Potter movies and The Winter Guest fame)...It's really well filmed...Again, controversial and but tastefully done (well, for the most part) and who can honestly resist a hot guy with great emotive eyes and a Scottish accent? If you can, take a look at the film online...I love it...Everyone I know loves it...But we're all Indie film freaks...Again, only mature ages...Not for you if you can't get into an R-rated movie (or at the very least know how to sneak into one).

Thank you so much for all the reviews, you all honestly have no idea how much they mean to me.

Please Review! I love the feedback...Constructive criticism always welcomed...I wasn't actually happy with this chapter...It seems a bit 'off' to me, but tell me what you think.