Guys, I am so sorry. I took me a week to write this chapter! I had so much going on but I'm back and finally able to post another chapter of this.
I got so many great reviews for last chapter! I'm so happy! I'm so glad you guys like this story. Ya know, even though it's kinda awful. And I'm sorry for the longness of this chapter. I didn't mean to make it so long. Anyways...
Inactiveuser2017: Thank you so much! I try really hard. I hope this chapter lives up to that!
bexlynne: You're review made my day! I freaking love you! Yeah I'm sorry about the emotion overload. Can't guarantee anything less from this chapter though ;). But yeah, Snyder has no heart or soul. He's a monster.
unofficialfansie: Aww I'm sorry. You're about to find out what Race did. I'm so glad you liked this! I'm really hoping this chapter lives up to the last one. Thank you so much for your review!
Fanz4life: Dang it! I hate spelling that wrong. And I love both of those musicals very very much. They're both amazing. Thank you so much for the suggestions! I love you so much!
Selizabethharrisburg: You're reviews motivate me. So. Much. I can't even describe it. Thank you so much for all your help and your input and your praise. It helps me so so much! And I'm so glad you like my repeatition of words. It's one of my favorite things to use. It adds so much effect. Thank you so much for all of your reviews! They truly mean the world!
FuriedNight: I know. I'm sorry. Again, I would like to remind you that your requests have still not been forgotten. I'm determined to write them eventually. I'm gonna work on them. Thank you so much!
queenlmno: I am so sorry. I don't ever mean to get you so worked up. But it's sad that I kind of love it thank you so much for your review! And Davey's sad too, don't worry.
InkSpatteredHands: Thank you so much! This is one of my favorites! I'm so glad you like it. ;)
allie.hildreth0822: Thank you so so much! I love it when people tell me that. I work so hard on these fics and it feels so good to be appreciated. Thank you so much! I'm sorry about the long waits.
Les Phansie: I'm crying. Thank you so much! I'm so glad this fic won you over! I wasn't huge on modern day either, but then I started reading more and more of it and I couldn't stop. It's my favorite thing to write and I'm so glad you like it! You're fantastic!
Anon: I am so so sorry. I never meant to offend anyone. I'm aware that those terms can be used negatively, however that's not at all how I mean it when describing Crutchie. Unless of course it's thrown as an insult. But I will try to be more conscious of it, but please be aware that when I do use that word, it's only meant to let you know I'm talking about Crutchie without repeatedly using his name. I'm sorry if I offended you :(. But thank you for your review!
Guest: Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
LylaMackenzie: Aww Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!
Guest:... I never thought I would have anyone ask for more hurt and protective Race. But since you did, ask and you shall receive. It's only my favorite thing to write. I will tell you that there's a lot of protective!Race in this chapter. I hope you like it! Thank you so much!
StoneyT456: No one has ever said that! It made my whole life! I'm so glad you like this story so much! I have way too much fun writing it. I hope you like this chapter. Thank you so much!
Can... can we just take a moment? 15 reviews... 15 REVIEWS. GUYS IM SO HAPPY. PLEASE KEEP THAT GOING.
Anyways... I am so sorry about the long wait! I never meant for it to take this long but last week was a pretty hectic week and now this week... finals. I hoping that I can update something else soon though! Thank you guys for waiting and reading. It means the world to me!
Please please please enjoy!
The world was dark and the pain was overwhelming. Jack couldn't move. His back stung and burned like fire. His arms ached along with his legs. His head and heart were pounding far too hard and far too fast. He couldn't think straight. Everything went by in a blur. He could hear echoes of a conversation he couldn't quite grasp and panicked tones of the people involved. But the boy wasn't sure how long he lay there before he could pick out voices.
"What the hell were ya plannin' on doin'?" The words were spoken with force and so much anger that Jack wasn't sure he'd even heard right. He knew that voice. It was one that was supposed to be filled with innocence and optimism. Though, he supposed there hadn't been much time for either recently.
"... I don't know..." That voice... something about it was wrong. It was quiet and unsure and completely terrified. "Just drop it, Crutchie..."
"Just drop it?!" Jack barely registered the bed shift as someone moved, just above his head. "This wasn't just anotha' stupid way ta stop Snyda', Race!" The panic was evident in the boy's voice. It made Jack's heart clench. "You had a gun! Ya could've-"
"I said drop it!" That wasn't a whisper anymore. It was a full on demand. Jack wanted to scold his brother. They never raised their voices at each other like that. Never. And Crutchie certainly didn't deserve it. And then Jack's mind seemed to freeze for a moment when the words caught up to him. A gun?
Jack couldn't open his eyes, but he could practically see the hurt expression on his littlest brother's face before it was masked by anger and confusion. "This wasn't your idea, was it?" Silence was the response. "You're becomin' just like him..." The disappointment was all too clear. "Spot Conlon's a criminal, Race! In and out of Juvie! Stop tryin' ta be like him!" Crutchie was begging now. It hurt Jack's heart.
For a moment, there was a tense silence. Too much had been said, and there was no taking it back now. But the words that slipped out of Race's mouth didn't seem to comfort anyone. "Spot neva' killed no one..."
Jack didn't like the argument. But he still couldn't find the energy in him to say anything. And he found himself wondering how he'd gotten the way he was. Everything still hurt.
"He tried to, Race." That was what mattered. Not that he hadn't. That he'd tried. Jack knew that too.
"He was protectin' me! Dammit, he was protectin' you!"
Jack was sure he was about to lose it. Hearing those two voices go at it got to him. It hit him so much more then he could handle at the moment.
"Race, I don't know what's goin' on in that stupid head a' yours, but-"
"Stop... fighting..." Jack's voice was weak. Even weaker than he felt, if that was possible. It was raspy, from screaming he'd guessed. It rung in his whole head, echoing his own words back to him. But he didn't care. "Please, God... stop fighting..." he begged. He couldn't stand it.
Race gave his little brother one last glare, but he couldn't find it in himself to do more than that after his brother started talking to them. His voice tugged at Race's heart. So the blue-eyed boy shut his mouth and then continued to do what he'd been doing before. He held a rag in his hand. It was a red mess. The once white cloth had touched his saviors wounds too many times. And it was tearing Race to pieces. It shoulda been me...
Crutchie could see Race's new found hesitation. Jack was awake now. But, he couldn't stop. So his older brother carefully soaked the rag in the bowl of warm water again. Crutchie could see the water splash red before the rag was once again removed and moving slowly to Jack's back.
Race jumped when Jack let out a pathetic cry. He tensed as the older boy did and was frozen in place as the brunette grasped at the sheets above his head, trying desperately to relieve himself of the pain. The fifteen-year-old couldn't move. He could still hear the screams echoing in his head. God, why did his brother have to do that?
Crutchie grabbed Jack's hand when it was clear he needed something to clutch onto. He didn't look back up at Race. He didn't know if he could. So he settled for running his free hand through Jack's hair as their brother slowly and reluctantly cleaned out the awful gashes that littered Jack's whole back.
It took everything inside Jack to get his eyes to open. It hurt. The dimmed light made his head start pounding even more and the attempt to focus on the world around him was a challenge he hadn't been prepared to face.
He was on a bed. Their bed. He was in their room. He lay flat on his stomach on top of it. His arms were sprawled out over him and his face was turned to the side. He could see Crutchie. He was combing a hand through his hair and shakily rubbing away dried tears and blood. Even in the dark, Jack could still see the tear streaks that stuck to his brother's cheeks. And at his hip, Jack knew Race sat. He couldn't turn around to look. It all hurt too much. His whole body felt weak and exhausted and when the cloth touched his back again, he hissed, wanting nothing more than to escape the pain.
"Hold still, Kelly." Race didn't like putting his brother through this. But he couldn't leave those cuts the way they were. It was bad. Really bad. They were deep and still bleeding. But it was clear to him that Jack didn't care. He tensed even more as the older boy tried to push himself up.
"Where's-" Jack couldn't bite back a hiss as his whole body screamed for relief. All he could do was let himself fall back onto the mattress. He groaned. He was breathing hard. But in a gasp, he was able to get out his question, "Spida'?"
When Crutchie glared at Race, the curly headed boy felt a pang of guilt eat at him. A surge of adrenaline spiked up in him as he thought back to that terrifying moment. That one when he'd held something in his hand that made him dangerous. Something that could've made him more than just a part-time thief. And Race couldn't look his baby brother in the eye right then. "Out cold..." the boy finally answered. "Layin' in the livin' room, covered in beer..." he muttered, tiredly. It had been a long day. A really long day.
Jack squeezed Crutchie's hand when he felt the rag dab at his back again. Then he bit his lip. He didn't know if he truly wanted the answer to the question he was about to ask. But he couldn't let it go unanswered. "Race... what... what were ya gonna do?"
There was silence. Thick and tense. Jack could feel the dabs cease for a split second as his brother received the question. He could hear the deep breaths Race took and the scared look in Crutchie's eyes as they relived a moment Jack couldn't exactly remember all too well.
Race firmly pressed his lips together. He didn't want to respond. He didn't know if his brothers would ever look at him the same way. So he remained in his silence, carefully caring for his big brother the way his big brother had always cared for him.
Jack sighed. He had his answer. But that didn't change the facts. Race had the chance to pull the trigger. But the target was still outside their room. He was breathing. He was living. So Race was still good. He was still his baby brother and he still had an ounce of innocence left.
Crutchie shook his head. He forgot about Race's actions for a moment while he glanced back and forth between the other two boys. They were all he had. They were his family. And they were hurting. "What are we gonna do, Jack?" It was a question that would inevitably have come up no matter what. What the hell were they supposed to do?
Race felt tears stinging at his eyes when Crutchie asked that. They couldn't. He knew they couldn't do anything. And he didn't want to hear the bull that was about to come out of Jack's mouth. "Don't, Kelly..." he pleaded as Jack tried to speak. "Just... just don't. Ya can't hardly move... people are gonna be askin' questions..." Race felt himself beginning to shake at the thought. Questions. Nothing good ever came from questions.
Jack sniffled. He did his best to wipe away his tears by rubbing his face against the sheets. His whole body was in pain. His brothers were right. He could hardly move. But that wasn't gonna stop him from trying. It wasn't gonna stop him from attempting to do anything to comfort the two people in his life that he loved more than everything in the world. "Whateva' we do, we do it togetha', yeah?" Jack did his best to smile through the blood and bruises covering his face. He squeezed Crutchie's hand again.
Race wiped at his eyes. He gently set the cloth down in the bowl. He couldn't do anything else but lean down to his big brother and press a gentle kiss behind the older boy's ear, watching Jack relax at the show of affection. "I love you, Jack..." he whispered, praying to God that his brothers still loved him too, ignoring the fact that he was so stupid.
Jack smiled. "I love you, Race... so much..." Then he looked up at Crutchie. Even in the dimmed room, Crutchie was clearly crying. But Jack still gave him a pathetic grin and rubbed his thumbs over the boy's soft palms. "And I love you, Crutchie... we can do this. Everything's gonna be okay."
If only things had been that simple.
The next morning was practically torturous. Three broken boys lay on their bed in their room that was lightly being lit up by the cold, distant, rising sun. Race was on one side of the bed. He lay on his back and he was lightly snoring. He was a mess, still in his clothes and shoes with blood stuck to his hands. There was an arm stretched out over his chest. It pinned him in a comfortable embrace and belonged to the older boy laying on his stomach right next to him.
Jack was as cleaned up as he could be. The blood on his face and body had been removed and all that was left were bruises, scars and a bandage that wrapped around his torso, hiding his torn up back and the horrors of what had been there before. His breath hitched every few moments as the pain caught him, even in his dreams. He'd been in the same position all night, the thought of moving not only scaring him, but scaring his brothers as well.
Crutchie lay next to his big brother. His body was practically curled around Jack's. He was hesitant to touch him too much, not wanting to hurt him any further. But he couldn't help but stay as close to him as he could. His chin was practically in Jack's hair, but neither boy minded.
Jack groaned when he awoke. Everything hurt. He was sore in places he wasn't even aware he'd been hit. But he had to get up. It was the second day of school. Jack didn't want to think about what might happen if they were late. So he gently shook his brother who lay underneath his arm, attempting to wake the boy who deserved so much more sleep for everything he'd done the night before.
Race groaned. His whole body ached of exhaustion. He wished for just a few more moments of sleep. A few more moments of a peaceful, precious world where everything was okay. But then his mind start grabbing ahold of last night's events. "... Kelly...?" He fought his eyes open. Everything came in a blur and he realized just how much his head hurt from the lack of sleep he'd gotten. But he didn't care. He could see Jack smiling at him. Those green eyes were looking over at him with so much love and Race found it hard to want to look away.
Jack let his hand move up to Race's cheek. "Mornin', kid..." His voice was still rough. A mixture of screams and exhaustion clear in it. But he smiled at his kid brother anyways, despite the way he felt. Despite the way he could feel his whole body shaking and the sweat that was forming on his forehead.
"Jack...?" Crutchie sounded so tired. Not only that, though. He sounded even a little scared. Jack turned his head to see Crutchie struggling to wake up. "Mmm... Jack?"
"I'm here, kid... we're okay... it's all okay..." If only Jack had believed it. If only they'd been able to fake it better.
To say David was worried was the understatement of the year. He walked with his new friends and his kid brother to school, much like the day before. But he couldn't forget the things he'd heard last night. The screams, the sobs, the panic. He held onto Les's hand so tight as they walked through the streets of Manhattan.
Davey saw the way Jack had his arm around Race. He could clearly see the way Crutchie was clutching onto Jack's wrist as they went. It was more than just a need for touch and affection. Jack was leaning into Race. Race was supporting his weight more than he should've been. And Crutchie... the poor crippled kid was terrified to let go of his brother. He was so scared that Jack might fall over.
Davey was glad Les didn't seem to notice the pain. The ball fo energy simply continued to be his innocent, bouncy self as they walked. He was ready for the day that stood before him. David himself wasn't so sure. After about a week of knowing these brothers, the tall brunette could see the signs of abuse. He could see all flinches, all the ways they'd tense at the noises they didn't expect. He could see that they were scared to leave each other, fearing that if they left each other for too long they'd find that they missed the moment that they'd needed to protect each other. And it hurt Davey's heart.
After they sent Les off with his friends, the four high schoolers cautiously walked to their lockers. Davey watched Jack fiddle around with books and notebooks. There weren't many of them. Only barely enough to get by. His face was shoved into his locker as he tried to hide from the kid who had only wanted to be his friend. Race leaned against the wall to his brother's left. He was clutching and playing with the strap across his chest that connected to his satchel. He didn't dare put anything in his locker. Davey didn't quite understand it, but he didn't question it either. The blond boy was stealing worried glances as Jack hissed at his every move. It scared David.
Crutchie was trying to hide the fact that he was a complete wreck. He was shaking. But Davey could tell that it wasn't the same way Jack was. Jack was shaking as if he was sick. In fact, now that Davey thought about it, Jack looked more feverish than anything. Crutchie didn't look like that. It looked like he was on the brink of a full fledged breakdown. And he stood in front of Race, though neither of them seemed to be speaking.
He'd been pretending. He'd been trying so hard to pretend he didn't see Jack's swollen nose and lip, or his cut temple, or the bruises at his neck. He feared what else the boy had to be hiding under his sweatshirt. But Jack had walls. Impossible walls. Davey was sure he'd never get through them. But he had to try.
"Jack, drop the act." Jack tensed and froze in his movements. His brothers noticed. They shut up too. And Davey wasn't ready for Jack to whirl around and point a finger right at his chest.
"Stay outta this, Dave!" It was a hard whisper. Not a threat. A warning.
"Stay out of it?!" Davey shot back, angrily. "Do you have any idea what was going through my head last night?! I didn't know what was going on and I couldn't stop it, Jack!"
Crutchie felt his breath hitch. No one had ever had this argument with Jack. Ever. And Jack was hurt. His emotions were running high. And while Crutchie knew that Jack never would lay a hand on him or Race, Davey was a different story. If Jack thought that David could get them in trouble with the police and Social Services in his exhausted, sick state, he would do all he thought he could do to protect his family. And it scared the boy.
"I ain't gonna tell you again, Davey. Stay. Out. Of. It."
Race felt panic shoot through him. Jack's voice was low and scary and he didn't like it. His blue eyes were so wide as they darted back and forth between the two older kids that were standing very close to each other all of the sudden. Close enough for one to grab the other and throw them to the ground.
"You call the cops, or I will."
Jack's heart stopped. Then it started again, only to be beating harder and faster than Jack ever thought possible. And Jack wasn't able to stop himself. He pushed his friend, hard. The taller boy was barely able to keep up right. He was hardly able to recover before Jack was in his face again, even as Race made a grab for him and as Crutchie quietly called out in protest.
"If you call the cops, you know damn well what'll happen!" Davey could see his friend's face beginning to turn red. His whole body was still shaking, yet he had the strength of what seemed to be ten men. "Snyda's dirty and he's got connections everywhere! He will take them from me, any way he can!"
David shook his head. "You're hurt! They're hurt!" He didn't understand. He was only trying to help. Clearly, Jack wasn't too keen on the idea. "If ya don't call the cops, one of ya will end up in the morgue!"
Race's breath hitched. He felt Crutchie grabbing at his wrist and he let the boy hold it. Even in the midst of a fight, barely anyone was stopping to take them any notice. Most kids were too busy in their own world. Heads were shoved into books and tablets and ears were plugged with music turned up so loud the blond boy wasn't sure they wouldn't go deaf. Race was glad for it. If Jack was caught by someone with the look he had on his face...
"This ain't none of your business!" Jack was furious. His mind couldn't even begin to form proper thoughts as panic and anxiousness filled him up. "You betta' stay the hell out of it before-" Jack stopped. He bit his lip and growled, not knowing if he could even finish that sentence.
"Before what, Jack?" David demanded, his hands on his hips as he glared at his neighbor. "Are you threatening me?"
Jack felt Race's hand encircle his arm, trying to hold him back from doing something stupid. He didn't want to scare his kids. He didn't want to make a scene. So he took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, hoping to regain control he wasn't sure he'd had in the first place. "I ain't... but the Spida'..." Jack let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. "Ya wanna know why your apartment's always empty?" He watched David shrug, not fully understanding. "He paid 'em off. Or he blackmailed 'em. Or he got 'em kicked out. They heard too much. And they wanted ta help. He ruined lives, Dave!"
David saw the truth behind it. He saw the way Race looked down at the ground and the way Crutchie held back tears. He knew there was no lie in those words. So he shut his mouth. "If he thinks you's'll cross him?" Jack shook his head. "He will crush you and everythin' you love." The words struck Davey harder than he'd anticipated. He could feel the fear that now resided in his chest. "Don't try and help."
Davey's eyes stayed steadily on Jack's, like he was looking for something. Possibly fear. He knew it must be there somewhere. The boy was terrified. And Davey knew he had to do something, though just what was a mystery. But he left it alone for now, not wanting to scare the two younger kids by saying something else. He didn't even have a chance as the bell rang and Jack was walking off, his brothers next to him.
Davey was staring at him. Jack knew he was. He had been ever since class had started. Though, he knew every time he took a glance the other boy's way, he'd hide it. He'd pretend to be enthralled by the book he had on his desk. Jack shook his head as he attempted to catch him for the fourth time. In the almost complete silence of the morning class, he bit back a frustrated groan.
Jack sighed. He took a glance over to that girl. The girl who he'd been to distracted to think about before that moment. Damn, she was beautiful. The boy wondered where she hid her wings.
He wondered if she'd still want to speak to him after she knew him. A street rat. A gutter rat. A foster kid carrying his two broken brothers through life, only trying to get by. He wondered if she'd still smile at him the way she had the day before when she found out he didn't barley have a dollar to his name. He wondered if she'd laugh when she found out that he was falling. He was falling so hard. But he couldn't think about that right now. Not with the threats hanging over his head. Not when everything he'd worked so hard to protect could be ripped away so soon and suddenly. Just like that day...
"Jack!"
"Kelly!"
"Momma!"
The boy felt sick. He closed his eyes, willing it all to just go away. He begged the universe to just give him a break. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't go through that again.
His sketches were being made without thought. His pencil moved across a once blank paper that he'd taken out while their teacher was grading tests. No one paid it any mind. He finally allowed his eyes to fully focus on it and found that he'd drawn out an entire landscape. It was a beautiful place. Peaceful. Somewhere he could be free. "Santa Fe..."
He ran his hand over the scratch paper. It was so out of reach. It made his heart ache. He wished for nothing more than to scoop up his baby brothers and take them there. Take them away from the anger and the carelessness. But he couldn't.
Davey's head shot up when he heard the sound of paper being crumbled up. He just barely saw Jack lift up his hand and chuck the thing at the trash can. Then he saw his friend's head fall into his hands. He sighed, knowing there wasn't much he could do to help.
Katherine bite her cheek. She couldn't help but glance over at the new boy in her class. She couldn't help the worry that built up in her when she saw the bead of sweat trickling over his forehead. She couldn't help but let her mind run wild when she saw his flushed cheeks and his shaky hands as he threw away whatever paper he'd been doodling on across the room. She could see the markings of a fight on his face. She willed the bell to ring. Jack looked so sick and so hurt. He looked to have some sort of fever. It scared her. So when the bell rang, all she could do was follow him out of the room.
"So, Higgins, are all of ya so stupid ya can't read? Or are you just the special one?" Race hunched over on himself, praying he'd disappear. His arms were around his stomach in a sad attempt to hide. It wasn't working. "What's the matta', idiot? Do ya miss mamma? Oh wait... you don't have one do ya?" That one hurt. Race hurt. "Did she leave ya? I don't blame her." He tried to close his eyes. He tried to remove himself from the world for a moment. And then he heard those glorious chimes.
Race ignored the glance he got from his teacher as the bell rang. It was full of something the boy couldn't quite place. So he let his mind run wild and came up with an answer. It was pity with a hint of disappointment to top it off. It had to be. If adults weren't angry with him, that was the only way they could look at him. He ducked his head low and threw on the hood of his sweatshirt, doing his best to hide from so many things. The bully behind him was at the top of his list.
"Where ya runnin' off to, newbie?"
Race didn't respond. He picked up the pace when he heard a laugh. It sent chills down his spin. He knew how these things went. It started out with a few irritating habits. They'd throw insults at him and constantly try to get under his skin. Then it would escalate. It would turn into harassment. Beatings. It would turn into humiliation. Race knew it would. And he just wanted to get away.
"Don't go so soon, Higgins! I'm just getting started with ya."
Race didn't stop. Only kept on his path to his brothers, trying to blink back the tears that poked at his eyes. "Get to Jack... don't look back... just get ta Jack..." he muttered to himself. If he hadn't, he was sure he would've done something he'd regret.
Jack smirked at Katherine as she leaned against the lockers next to his. Damn, was she an angel. Her smile made the pain go away, even if only for a moment. "Hello, Mr. Kelly. Feelin' alright?"
Jack exchanged books from his locker and stole a flirtatious glance at the girl. "Just caught somethin'. Must be goin' around. My little brotha' was sick a week ago too." Jack was a natural con. He wondered if he could ever take up a job as an actor. No one could tell his lies from the truth.
"Well, maybe you should go lay down in the nurse's office?" Davey tried, from his locker only a few inches away from Jack's.
Jack shook his head. "I's fine, Dave. Really... I just didn't get too much sleep last night."
"That's an understatement." Jack immediately felt his whole body relax as Crutchie's voice met his ears. He let himself smile as the boy limped up to him and he wrapped an arm around the kid's shoulders. "You's was up all night!" Crutchie scolded, lightly. Then he glanced over at Katherine with a smile, equally as charming as Jack's. "Jackie-boy ain't slept in years."
"Thanks, Crutchie." Jack rolled his eyes and ruffled the boy's hair and melted at the way the kid smiled and leaned into him, no matter how careful he might be while touching him.
Katherine smiled. But before she could say anything, a voice rang out through the hallway.
"Don't walk away from me, punk!"
Jack's head whirled around at the vaguely familiar voice and he had to lean way too much on his crippled brother as a dizziness washed over him. Luckily, Crutchie could feel the extra weight and held him up like it was natural to have him hanging on him like that.
Race was walking to them. His eyes were at the ground and his whole head was covered by his hood. His bright blue eyes were scared and annoyed and hurt. It killed Jack to see him like that. And the boy that followed behind him... Oscar... Jack wanted to do something. But he didn't know how much he could risk. He didn't know if he could even put up much of a fight.
Race could see Jack. He didn't know that kid would follow him so far. He wanted to start throwing punches but... last night played over in his head in a matter of seconds. The screams played over in his head again and again and his heart ached. He couldn't risk it again. But this boy wouldn't quit. "I'll show ya what happens ta kids who go on ignorin' me, freak!" That was when Race turned around. It was abrupt and it was full of anger. He shoved the bully backwards and watched as the other boy stumbled. He hadn't realized that he'd caught the attention of those around him.
Jack watched Race start a fight. It didn't seem like an unnatural occurrence for the boy. At first he didn't move, simply letting Race try and walk away. But when Oscar pushed his baby brother...
Race had tried to walk away after the shock had worn off from what he'd done. Luckily, all he did was give the guy a little shove. Nothing he couldn't recover from, what he didn't expect was the shove he got in return. But it didn't end there. As he steadied himself from the unexpected push, a hand grabbed the front of his shirt. He struggled a bit, grabbing at the wrist that held him as panic caught up with him. Not again... And then a fist collided with his jaw, sending him to the ground.
"Jack, don't-" Crutchie's warning was cut short as the older boy pushed away from him and another insult was thrown. Not at Race this time.
"Shut your mouth, ya stupid crip!" At him.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Jack's fury caused him to forget the pain all together. He stood up straight, shielding his brothers from all harm. Oscar scoffed about to speak, but Jack beat him to the punch... quite literally. Square in the nose. And after that, Jack couldn't stop. No one could talk to his brothers like that. No one.
Davey gasped as the fight broke out and Katherine ran to Race's side, attempting to help him up, not expecting the flinch she got in return. Her hands flew up in a universal sign of peace and her eyes found Jack again. He was throwing punches and dodging them. He was a good fighter. She could tell. It was as if he'd done this before. Not just once or twice, either. But then there was the shove he hadn't seen coming and his entire back was shoved into a wall of lockers.
Jack let out a choked word of hurt through clenched teeth. The pain was blinding and excruciating. He tried to breathe. He closed his eyes as black spots filled his vision. It all hurt so much. As a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him, he couldn't help but double over and give into it, letting anything and everything that had been in his stomach spill out onto the ground. It was mostly water. But the bits of food were gone too. And Jack couldn't help but collapse next to the things that used to fill him up.
Race cried out for his big brother as he fell. Crutchie did too. Race was over in an instant, barely catching Jack before he hit the ground. "Kelly?!"
Crutchie let Race lay Jack down on his stomach. "Jack?" He shook Jack's shoulders in a panic. But the older boy lay still, completely comatose.
"Kelly, wake up! C'mon!" Race was panicking. It was clear to anyone and everyone. Katherine knew better than to try and touch him again. He was clearly in no state to have any type of help. But, she couldn't help but drop down next to Crutchie, a comforting hand on his shoulder. She couldn't find it in herself to recoil when he flinched, however, because right after that, he relaxed at her touch and went back to try and get his big brother to wake up.
Davey held himself still when Oscar retreated. If he was caught, he'd surely be suspended. The tall boy knew what he was doing, too. He was coming up with a story. A lie. A way to get out of the trouble he'd caused himself and so many others around him. But it didn't matter. Because when Davey looked down at his unconscious friend, he saw something that was far more urgent. "Oh my God..."
Crutchie saw the blood too. It barely seeped through his brother's shirt. But it was there. Meaning it had soaked through the bandage too. It was oozing through the bottom of Jack's back and Crutchie winced when he saw it. "Race..."
Race did not look up. He was too busy shaking and trying to hold back sobs. They were done for. He knew that much. If it wasn't Snyder who had them, it would be Social Services. He couldn't do it again. Not again. He couldn't lose them. "Jack, please..."
"I'm gonna go get the nurse-" Katherine hardly finished that sentence before she was cut off. And suddenly, she was painfully aware of the crowd that had formed around them. No teachers yet. But it couldn't be long. In fact, she could see kids darting down the hall, screaming something she couldn't quite make out. And she knew whose room they were headed for.
"No!" Crutchie didn't know what to do. He could only grab Katherine's wrist as she attempted to stand. "Don't! Please don't!"
Katherine shook her head. "Crutchie, he's bleeding! And he looks so sick!"
Crutchie grabbed both of her wrists in his hands and held them tighter than anyone would've expected his grip to be. "Katherine. Please. Don't." His green eyes were pleading with her. They were so scared and desperate and it broke Katherine's heart. So she stayed put, feeling everything in her protest.
Crutchie thought it was fine. Safe for just another moment. That is, until a shadow was over them. Over Jack.
Race was frantic. He was leaned over, his lips close to Jack's ear as he begged him to wake up. "Kelly, cmon!" It was no use. His brother was out cold. And then he saw hands trying to grab at Jack. All he could do was react. He pushed himself up on his knees and shoved away the arms that were any where near the boy on the ground. "Get off of him!" For a moment, he couldn't see straight. For a moment, dark eyes were staring at him with so much hatred and bias against him. For a moment, he saw a cruel demeanor and two clenched fists, not prepared for a fight. Prepared for a beating. For a moment, he saw the damn Spider. And then it vanished when he blinked.
"It's alright, Anthony..." The teacher. His teacher. The one who'd figured out one of his most embarrassing secrets within a matter of minutes. "Calm down, kid..." But Race couldn't. He couldn't breathe. He was gasping so hard, his body was moving with every one he took.
"Mr. Kloppman..." Race didn't know what to say. He wanted to come up with something. Anything. A solid lie that people would be daft to even question. But his lips wouldn't move.
"It's alright, kid. Breathe. He's gonna he just fine..."
Crutchie wanted to scream. Jack was down. He was out cold and not there to comfort them and make them feel better in a moment of crisis. And now, a man was hovering over Race. His big brother hated being near men. Crutchie knew that better than anyone. So it was only natural for him to panic as he saw Race's unveiled fear.
"Jack..." Race breathed, and Kloppman saw the desperation in his student's eyes. He saw the way the boy had to be touching the body on the ground. It broke his heart to see such a young kid so scared and helpless.
"I called an ambulance. Should be here soon."
Race bit his lip. He wasn't sure he wouldn't draw blood. His blue eyes locked with Crutchie's and they both let silent tears stream down their faces. Then Race's head dropped back down and his lips were right next to Jack's ear again.
"I'm so sorry, Jack..."
And I am so sorry to everyone else. Maybe, eventually, I will put a lighter, happier chapter into this story. It might happen someday. We'll see.
Thanks bexlynne for everything! She gives me so many ideas and I happened to be able to use them right away. All other requests for this story will play out in future chapters, I promise!
Guys, stay tuned. After I finish The Accidental Backstory and Spider's Revenge, I have two new stories coming out. I'm so excited for you guys to read them along with all the one-shots and requests I've gotten (by the way Lunatica-Lupin-934, I got your request and I'm excited to write it. I tried to PM you but you never responded. But I love it!) I love them. Honestly. And, yes, sometimes it takes me a while to circle back around to them (aim sorry FuriedNight) but I will always have them in my head. I never forget requests. I'm so excited about all of them. I hope you guys are too! And always feel free to send me more!
Be sure to check out the companion Christmas piece to this. It's called "Christmas Dreams" and it describes a bit of the backstory (not all) for the boys and Medda. And be sure to check out my other holiday fic, "Big Brother the Hero". Thank you guys so much! I love you all!
As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Happy holidays, babes!