Oh my gosh I can't tell you guys how excited I am to update this story! I've been working on this chapter for like four days now and I'm so excited to finally be able to post today! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I really do!

I'm so excited to see that you guys can't get enough of this story! When I started writing it, i thought most people would think it was a weird concept but I'm so happy you guys are thinking about it and want to read more! Thank you so much!

Enjoy!

Race sat, glaring at his red headed friend from over a hand of cards. He watched as Albert's finger tapped on the edges of the small papers as he examined his hand. Race watched as his friend kept glancing back and forth between him and his cards. He was able to smirk as the older boy groaned and set down his cards. "I fold." And Race laughed, rolling his eyes as the boys around him cheered. He looked down at the space between him and his friend, a disappointed look crossing his face. There was nothing there.

"Not like we was playin' for anythin' important," Race scoffed, rolling his eyes and allowing his cards to fall from his hands. The dark boy with the glasses behind him just lightly hit the back of his head. The sixteen year old boy then held the blond gambler by the shoulders, gently massaging his tense muscles, waiting for Race to, inevitably, melt into his touch. When he did, the older kid sighed.

"Ya know Jack would murder all of us if we let ya play for money," he told the kid. And Race nodded, looking around at his group of friends.

"Trust me, Specs. I know," Race admitted, absolutely defeated, knowing that if they hadn't needed that money so badly a few nights ago, Jack would've made him regret going to that bar so much more than he had already that night. "But I don't know how else to take care of 'em." That was the sentence that made the room go silent. The one that brought the boys back to reality.

Racetrack glanced over to the edge of the stage that they were sitting on. His brother lay on a pillow and some blankets. He was sleeping quietly while the rest of them played cards. Jack had been gone for a while now and Race had been watching his kid brother, as instructed. The look in his eyes was full of so much helplessness as he looked upon his baby brother.

Albert shook his head. He reached over and set a hand on Race's shoulder, cursing himself silently when the boy flinched and looked at him wide eyed for a split second, before he glanced at the hand and his face softened as he traced the arm back to his friend. The red head finally spoke, "Race, you're gonna get yourself caught one of these days," he warned, a worried edge in his voice. "And May won't be able ya bail ya out, this time. Jack neither... Snyder will ship ya off ta Juvie without a second thought and ya know it." The room was deadly silent. Race looked dead at the ground. He blinked back the tears in his eyes, vigorously. "Jack doesn't wanna lose you."

Race glanced back over to his baby brother. The look on his face when he'd found the cigarettes would never leave his mind, but he pushed it aside for now. The boy was getting the first peaceful sleep he'd had in a week. He was getting better. But Race knew Snyder would find a way to ruin it again. He always did. "I know... but I made some money the other day..." Race's voice was small but he looked up at his friends. "It's the only thing that'll get us through-" he tried to argue.

"And it might get ya caught!" Specs shouted from behind him. Race flinched at the yell. He pulled the sleeves of the sweatshirt he wore further over his arms. He heard the boy behind him sigh and squat down just behind his back. "Race, we know how hard you's've got it," he stated, looking around at all the other boys who nodded. "But goin' out ta bars and smokin' ain't gonna stop Snyder from comin' afta' ya."

Race rubbed at his eyes, fiercely. He sniffled and looked over to the door every few seconds, hoping to see one of the only two people he truly trusted in the world come waltzing into the room. But Jack had been gone for a while. And Race didn't know if he was coming back anytime soon.

JoJo carefully sat down next to Albert, across from his friend. "Relax, Race," he calmed with a small smile. "He's comin'. He wouldn't eva' leave you two."

Race looked around at all his friends. They were looking back at him with gentle faces. It was like they thought he'd break at the wrong word. Like he'd shatter if they touched him wrong. And a feeling Race couldn't place surged up at him and he reacted the only way he knew how. He jerked out of Specs's grip and stood to his feet. "What're you all lookin' at?" His voice wasn't nearly as demanding as he wanted it to be. But he stood tall anyways and glared at the other boys before he stormed off in the direction of his brother.

Specs sighed as his friend walked away. He knew what happened in that boy's home. He knew that when his emotions surfaced, he didn't know how to control them. "Just a few more months, kid..."

Race dropped down next to his sleeping brother. His chin fell into his hands as he watched the younger boy sleep peacefully. By the looks of it, it was a rare occurrence. As the boy slept, Race watched as his chest moved up and down, evenly, letting that single movement calm him for a while as he waited for his big brother to return. Every so often, he'd run a gentle hand through Crutchie's hair, playing with the soft substance between his fingers and calming the boy's dreams as he did so. He didn't know what his friends were doing and he didn't care. He just sat and waited for his brother to wake up or for Jack to return.

Crutchie drifted in and out of consciousness for a long time. His eyelids were heavy, but as he drifted off once more, he saw too many things he didn't want to. He saw a woman, laying on the floor of the bathroom, her eyes wide open and yet, not seeing anything. He saw the only two people in the world that he cherished more than anything being ripped away from him, maybe for good. He saw Jack bloodied and bruised to the point of not being able to move. Then he saw Race, gasping for breath, soaked to the bone as he did so. Then he felt something that calmed him. He felt fingers tangling themselves in his hair. And he felt himself smile as he came back to reality.

"Ya know it's weird ta watch people when they sleep?" the boy teased, his voice rough with sleep as he drearily opened his eyes to see Race sitting criss-cross next to him. The boy cracked a smile and ruffled his hair as he turned from his side onto his back, looking up at his older brother with a loving grin. But something about it wasn't right. Something about it was just... off.

"Sorry Crutch... I'm just glad you's sleepin'," the older blond sighed, cupping Crutchie's cheek in his hand.

Crutchie leaned into the touch. But, in his exhausted, beaten and sick state, he was unable to keep his next words from slipping out. "Ya know I miss ya, Race?"

The question took Race by surprise. He leaned down to the kid further and grabbed the gimp boy's hand. "What do ya mean?"

Crutchie regretted his words, immediately, as he realized he'd said them out loud. He looked away from his brother's confused, blue eyes. Finally, he realized, Race was not about to forget what he'd just said, so he sighed, "I miss your jokes, Race," he forced out. "I miss it when you'd mutter something stupid behind Snyder's back or when ya would force Jack ta stop bein' so serious all the time and have fun. I miss it when ya didn't go behind our backs and ya used ta talk ya us 'bout everythin'..." Crutchie blinked back his tears as he spoke. "I know we don't have it so good... but I only need one Jack."

Race was taken aback by Crutchie's words. Was it really getting so bad, he was losing himself? "Crutchie, I-"

"I know ya wanna take care of me," Crutchie cut off. He tightened his hold on his brother's hand as he continued to speak. "I know that's why you've been sneakin' off ta bars and givin' up your food. But I just want ya ta stop tryin' ta be Jack, Race," he got out. Race was no longer looking up at him. So Crutchie knew he had to make the other boy smile somehow, and nothing did that better than sarcasm. "Ya don't do it too well anyhow..."

That last little comment is what made Race's face break out into a smile he tried to force down. But he looked up at the younger boy's green eyes and he chuckled. "So that's how it is, huh?" Before Crutchie knew what hit him, he was thrown into a fit of laughter.

Race's hands traveled up and down his little brother's tummy. He laughed right along with the sick boy as he rolled around on the ground, trying to escape his hands that forced him to gasp for air as they tickled him.

Jack sadly pushed the door open to the theatre. He was absolutely petrified to go back to the apartment. Not knowing what was to come killed him inside. But as he entered the house, he smiled as he saw Race and Crutchie. Their friends were scattered around the room, but his brothers were on the stage. His whole face softened as he watched Race tickle their baby brother, relentlessly. The smaller boy was laughing, gasping for air as he swatted at Race's hands. The older boy walked over to them as the tickling slowed.

Race laughed as his brother smiled up at him and he scooped the boy up in his arms, ignoring the pain for a moment. It was a good moment. One they would always remember. So Race cradled his brother to him as they both laughed. His brother laid his head on his shoulder and Race practically melted.

Jack saw his brothers beginning to calm and he smiled. As he stepped up on the stage, he placed a hand on Race's head, gently, crouching down behind the boy who barely flinched at his touch so he could see his littlest brother's smiling face as his innocent green eyes peaked up from the gambler's shoulder. "Hey fellas," he spoke quietly, just above a whisper.

Crutchie smiled his perfect smile back up at his older brother and Jack couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through him. He ruffled the youngest boy's hair and watched as he snuggled closer to Race. "Hey Jack," Crutchie replied. "What took you's so long?" The question wasn't supposed to make Jack's face fall. But when it did, Crutchie knew something was wrong. Only one person could give his brother that angry, helpless look in his eyes.

Jack gave a bitter scoff. He shook his head as he glanced around the room. "I'm sorry, fellas," he sighed, his throat tightening as he thought about what these kids had just been through the night before. He didn't think he could do it again. "I thought he'd be at the station or somethin'..."

Race shook his head. This couldn't happen again tonight. Crutchie was coughing up a lung this morning. He couldn't even walk his way across town. No way this was happening again. "What happened, Jackie?" the gambler asked, as gently as he possibly could. He turned his head so he could look up at his brother with eyes that betrayed him. He was terrified.

Jack sighed at his brothers as they both looked up to him with such terrified looks it broke him. He blinked back his own tears as he spoke, "Snyder saw me with Davey," he explained.

Crutchie felt his older brother's hold on him increase. He just clutched Race back as they heard the news. "What are we gonna do?" The boy had frightened tears building up in his green eyes.

Jack shook his head. "I don't know..." If Jack knew anything, it was that what he didn't know scared his brothers more than anything. "But we have ta go back." At this, Race's eyes widened.

"Go back?!" His voice was louder than he'd anticipated, but he continued anyways. "Jack, were you there last night?! He ain't been that mad in weeks!" Race's voice was desperate and terrified while still managing to sound furious as he looked into his big brother's dark green eyes, one of which was still bruised. Jack glanced around and saw that they'd caught their friends' attention, but Race clearly didn't care. "We can't go back! He'll... he'll-"

"No he won't." Jack held Race by the back of the neck in a firm grip. The boy was in his own version of panic. His voice grew louder and angrier. And Jack did all he could to calm him down. "I will not let him hurt you again," he spoke slowly and firmly as he looked back and forth between his brothers. His two best friends. "Neither of you. Ya got it?"

Crutchie nodded at the stern tone. Race, however, was much more reluctant. The youngest of them watched as his two brothers stared at each other. Race's glare held a certain level of anger. His anger was not directed at Jack , but more at their life. The fury that his icy blue eyes held was surrounded with fear and disbelief that they had to go back to that awful, awful place the government wanted them to call home. But Jack's green eyes stared him down. They held the same amount of assurance and protection as always. They forced Race's anger to almost dissolve into helplessness instead.

"I can't do it again, Jack..." The blond boy's voice broke as he spoke. "We can't do it again. I almost drown yesterday!" Race exclaimed, making Crutchie flinch and hold him tighter. "He didn't give a damn! He's makin' Crutchie sick! And he gave ya that black eye and those other bruises you've been hidin' from us too!"

"And if we don't go back I'll lose ya!" Jack screamed. He didn't even notice that some of his friends had taken that as their cue to leave or that the others were watching, sorrowful looks on their faces as he continued. "If we try ta run, they will make sure I can never see either of ya again. Is that what you want?"

Race blinked back his tears. "No!" He sobbed. He let Crutchie shift on his lap so they were both facing Jack and the older boy let go of the youngest, but kept his strong hold on Race's head, forcing the boy to look at him as he thought about the question. "I wanna be with you! And Crutchie! And I want him ta stop beatin' on us!" The tears broke out. And Race couldn't stop them. "I can't do it anymore!"

Jack scooted himself forward so that his and his brother's knees were touching. He pulled his kid brother's head to his shoulder as the kid cried. He grabbed Crutchie's hands as tears built up in his eyes as well, holding both of them in only one of his. "Shushshshsh..." Jack soothed. "I'm sorry, boys... I know it's hard. I know I can't always stop it..." Jack's voice broke at the end of that sentence. He had spent forever wanting to believe that it wasn't true, but it was. "But I can't... I can't lose you. You's is all I have."

Crutchie felt his heart clench as Jack let go of his hold on his emotions. The tears fell freely as his oldest brother held Race, who was now completely sobbing against him. Crutchie sniffled and felt Jack squeeze his hand. And as they sobbed they forgot about everything. They forgot about everything else but the one thing they needed in the world. Each other.

It was dark when they arrived at their foster dad's apartment. They stood outside, hesitant about opening the door. But Jack sighed before bringing his brothers into his arms. Race's head was on his left shoulder, Crutchie's on his right. He gave them both a quick kiss on the head before letting go. "If things get bad," his voice was hushed and angry as he spoke, but he continued anyways. "Get out. Fast."

Race nodded, reluctantly, before Jack turned to the plant that was in the corner by the door. He dug around for a key before slowly unlocking the door and pushing it open, not prepared for what was inside.

"Hello boys." Jack was sure he had died. He froze in his spot and took a quick glance back at his brothers. They were just as confused as he was. Race stood, staring at the man in front of them and Crutchie gave him a short shrug as he leaned onto his crutch. But Jack looked back.

"Well don't just stand there kids," Snyder spoke. "Come in!" The man had a smile on his face. A smile that made Jack a little sick. One that was clearly fake to the three boys in the hallway. His voice was oddly happy and the boys cautiously walked further into the room, tensing as they passed the man that was supposed to take care of them. Jack was in the lead and his brothers were off to his side, away from the evil man as they walked. "Where have you boys been? We've been waiting," their guardian scolded, in a light manner that was rarely heard from him. Then something clicked in Jack's mind. We. We, as in not only Snyder. And Jack relaxed. He knew who was there.

"Hey kids!" Jack rounded the corner to see two men, only one of them did he smile at. His brothers too.

"Hey chief!" Jack couldn't explain the hope he felt surge up in him for that one night. The man he was addressing stood from his place at the small table. He was dressed in a gray suit and a red tie. His brown hair was short on the top of his head and his blue eyes were kind and gentle. As he stood, his badge became visible as well as his gun that was secured to his belt.

The fond smile of the man made the boys feel safe. Jack's grin widened as the man reached to shake his hand. "Jack Kelly, it's been too long!" The man ruffled Jack's hair as they shook hands. Jack laughed and nodded in response before the man took a good look at him. "Good Lord, boy, what happened to your eye?"

Jack's smile fell only a little. He resisted the urge to look back at his hated guardian, knowing he couldn't give anything away. He wasn't willing to risk anything happening. So he lied. Just like always. "Oh, nothin'," he answered cooly. "Just some guy and me had a little bit of a," Jack paused, pretending he was thinking for a moment to find the right word, "disagreement," he finished with a smirk.

The chief laughed and slapped the kid lightly on the shoulder. "Well, then I'm sure as hell glad I'm not seeing the other guy," he chuckled, moving behind the oldest brother just in time to miss Jack's grimace of pain from the soft, encouraging slap.

Crutchie smiled as the kind man approached him, reaching out to shake his hand. "And, young Christopher, how are we feeling today? I've heard you've been a bit under the weather lately," his gentle smile warmed the gimp boy's heart as he shook the man's hand.

"I'm fine chief May, really," Crutchie assured, smiling as the man clipped his chin, making him look up at him.

"I know you are, kid," he laughed. "Nothing keeps you down does it?"

Crutchie's smile widened. "Nothin', sir," he responded, confidently. The man brought the kid into his embrace and ruffled his hair.

"Atta' boy," he approved, patting the boy on the back before moving onto the last of the three brothers.

"Anthony 'Racetrack' Higgins..." the man sighed, shaking his head with his hands on his hips. "What kinda trouble have you gotten yourself into, now?" the man asked in a mocking tone. Race smirked as the man stared him down.

"I'd tell ya," Race shrugged, nonchalantly, like it was no big deal, before taking a step towards the man. "But then I'd have ta kill ya." And the man broke out into laughter.

"That's the Higgins I know," he stated, bringing the boy straight into his arms and allowing the kid to relish in the friendly touch of an adult.

Crutchie chuckled at his brother's words. He smiled up at Jack who smiled back down at him. Tonight might actually be okay. They might actually make it through tonight.

"I hope you fellas don't mind that your foster dad invited me over for dinner tonight," the smiling man ruffled Race's hair as he spoke pushing him over towards his brothers. "I thought I'd stop by to see three of my favorite kids."

"We're always happy ta have you, May," Jack said with a smile taking a glance over at Snyder, making sure the man wasn't gonna try anything that night. Oh how he hoped and prayed.

"Well where have you boys been?" Another voice asked. It was Weasel. Jack just hadn't wanted to acknowledge the other man in the room. The one who helped their guardian "teach the lessons". But Jack faked a small smiled as he glanced over at the other man. "We've been worried sick."

Race resisted the urge to scoff, knowing that if he did, the lie they'd been telling for four years would be brought to the surface and that he wouldn't live to see tomorrow. Neither would his brothers. So he just bit down on his lip and let Jack explain, "We was just out with some old friends is all." Chief May nodded and smiled at them.

"I'm glad you kids could go out and have some fun," he stated, placing a hand on Race's shoulder. "Well what are we waiting for?" he asked as he walked back over to the table, holding up a few take out bags. "Let's eat!"

Jack was sure he hadn't had a proper meal in weeks. His brothers too. And he couldn't help the smile on his face as they sat around the coffee table, eating and laughing with each other. The adults were sitting in the kitchen at the table and the brothers sat on the ground. They didn't mind though, just as long as nothing bad happened. Once they were done, Jack grabbed their plates and carried them to the kitchen, placing them on the counter to be washed. Then he walked over to the table and carefully took their dishes.

"Oh Mr. Kelly, I'm sure we can manage our own plates," the chief argued as Jack began to take his dish. Jack froze for a moment before glancing up at Snyder who gave him a firm glare. So Jack replaced his smile and shook his head.

"Don't sweat it, chief," he assured as he began to move back to the sink and started to wash the dishes. His brothers joined him after a minute, helping him dry them. It wasn't five minutes before Race and Crutchie were swinging rags at each other, getting each other wet with them.

The chief of police watched the three boys mess around. He smiled at them as they laughed with each other. Then he glanced at the two other men at the table. He sighed before standing to his feet. "Boys, why don't you take a seat," he suggested, gesturing to the couch in the living room. Jack seemed to slow in his movements as he realized the conversation that came next was gonna be serious. He put away the clean dishes and wrapped his arm around Crutchie's shoulders and patted Race on the back, leading his brothers into the living room.

Jack helped Crutchie sit down against Race who sat on the far right of the couch. The youngest leaned up against the gambler. Then, Jack sat beside the gimp boy, putting his arm around him. "What's up, May?" The boys sat quietly and waited, knowing better than to argue and question people while their foster father was in the room.

The chief sat down on the table in front of the boys. The man took a quick glance up at his friends before looking back to the precious kids in front of him. He felt a surge of guilt flow up in him. He knew this was gonna be difficult to explain. He took a breath before speaking. "I know you kids are used to not going many places," he started, looking at the young faces. Oh these poor kids. "And I know you are used to being together all the time, but I've been talking to Mr. Wiesel."

Jack had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He tightened his hold on Crutchie but didn't move as the man continued. "We think it's a good idea for you kids to get used to going out into the real world."

Race glanced over to his brothers. He felt Crutchie grab for his hand and he took it, instantly, waiting for the man to just get to the point. "We decided to enroll you guys in school."

Jack felt his brothers tense up. Public school. "High school?" Jack scoffed. He looked around, trying to contain his initial panic. He glanced back at his brothers as he sat on the edge of the couch. "We ain't neva' gone ta public school, chief. Why start now?" he asked, an edge in his voice that no one could quite place.

The chief sighed. "Well, I think it would be good to try and get you ahead on your education, Jack," the man explained. He stood as the boy did. He knew what Jack was masking with his anger right now. It was pure terror.

"You know the only thing I wanna do when I turn eighteen is adopt them!" Jack shouted, pointing back to his two kid brothers who sat on the couch behind him. "I couldn't care less about my education, May, I just want to take them in!"

"I know that, Kelly." The man placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. "And I think the judge you get, whoever it may be, would consider that a whole lot more if you have a high school diploma." His voice was calm as he looked back and forth between the three boys. "I know you want to take them in, but in order to do that you need a decent education, a job and a home."

Jack stood for a moment. He wanted to argue with the man. Wanted to tell him they didn't need this. They didn't need more people breathing down their necks about homework and sleeping and tests and studies. They had enough on their plate already. But Jack pressed his lips together as he realized the man was right. He needed to look like he was responsible enough to take in two kids when he was only gonna be eighteen.

"I'm just trying ta help you, kid. All of us are." Jack almost gagged when May pointed to Wiesel and Snyder. "You've got a guardian to keep you steady for now and a social worker to keep you guys together." The man smiled at the boys. "I've known you guys for four years and all I want to do is to be able to keep you together," he explained. "You deserve that much."

Jack crossed his arms and ignored the glare he got from Snyder. "Thanks chief..." he muttered, not wanting to take a glance back to his brothers, whom he knew were absolutely petrified. "When do we start?"

"Monday."

I just thought this would be appropriate right now, with everyone going back to school and what not so tell me what you think!

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