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Hi. Ya know what's funny, to me it feels like I updated this story last week. In reality, that's not what happened. I am so sorry for the long wait. I can't express enough how much you all mean to me. I was going through a bit of a block with this story. And I am so sorry for that.
For those of you still checking back in on this story, thank you so much!
Selizabethharrisberg: Thank you so much! I am so glad you liked the last chapter! I just wanted to kind of catch up with everybody. No, I was not intending to make that the last chapter. In all honesty, I have no idea how this story is going to end. Thank you so much! I love you, Holly!
brighteyes421: We're all asking the same questions, lol. These boys deserve so much better. Thank you so much!
Elliebean: I hope you liked it! And I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you so much!
Shadow: You're adorable ;). These boys are just doing their best. We'll see what happens. Thank you so much for reading!
Guest: Race will find out about his dyslexia soon, I promise. And May... well, he's gonna do something. Thank you so much for reviewing!
FuriedNight: Thank you so much!
Les Phansie: I am so sorry, did you scream? I apologize. I should've heard it and updated so much sooner. Thank you so much for reviewing!
thelonglostmarauder: We can all hope. Thank you so much!
Sunny: Aww! I'm so sorry! Thank you so much!
Guest: Thank you so much for being honest with me, I did have some second thoughts about some of these things. I am glad you like the story though! Thank you so much for your review!
Mystiquecats: I am so sorry for the long wait! Thanks for rereading it! I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for reviewing!
Cat238: Believe me, he wants to. Thank you so much for reviewing! And... indeed. We'll hopefully see more of them later.
Dani3434: It is not over yet. Thank you for asking!
Friends, please enjoy!
Todd Kloppman was a man who understood that life was peculiar. Sometimes, moments arose and there were choices to make. Hard, big choices that were anything but small. Sometimes life presented life altering opportunities that were okay to take.
This was one of those moments.
"I'll take one of them," he stated clearly, knowing that the chief hadn't even been speaking to him. Knowing that he was just venting to Miss Medda about how he didn't know what to do next. Both of them turned to look to him, confused and a little shocked. Neither of them spoke. So the teacher continued. "I... I can take Anthony. I can teach him how to read. He'd be able to continue at the same school and his brothers could come see him all the time. I could take care of him, May..."
Still, everyone seemed to be frozen. The chief of police had simply been trying to convey that these boy's couldn't live in the same home anymore. The system wouldn't allow it. They were "too troublesome" together, or something to that affect. May hadn't cared to truly figure out the real reason. None of it made sense. But his boys needed homes. Good ones. And he could only take one of them.
The thought of the other two going to homes he didn't know terrified him to no end.
"Mr. Kloppman... I... uhm-"
"I think that a brilliant idea, Todd!" Medda exclaimed, rushing forward to wrap her arms around the teacher who could only smile and hug her back, just as tightly. There was something about an embrace from an old friend that calmed his nerves. He opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of the other man behind the woman in his arms. It didn't take a genius to see the hesitance in those eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out why is was there either. All one needed to see were two boys behind the door across the hall. Anyone would be hesitant to let those kids out of a large protection of bubble wrap and soft fabrics, let alone into a stranger's home. But it was something that had to be done. And they all knew it.
Pulling back from Miss Medea's warm embrace, Kloppman took a few small steps closer to the man who was falling apart at the seams. "Look... these kids need a place to go... I'm already registered as a foster parent. He'll be safe... I'll keep him safe, I promise..."
May felt like he couldn't breathe. He'd never experienced the inability to trust. He'd always prided himself in being able to read people. He could always see a guilty man a mile away. Now... now it was like the whole world was a mystery to him. Anyone could be anything and he might never see it coming. "You swear you'll be gentle with him?"
A soft smile took over the teacher's face. "I'll be as careful as I can be," he nodded, glancing towards that door. "I know it won't be easy, May. I know that kid's been through hell. They all have. But I want to help them. If I can't help all of them, at least let me help one of them," he all but begged. The second that little boy had walked into his classroom he'd known something was off. He just wanted to help. Even if it meant opening his house up again after years of living alone. Even if it meant nights of not sleeping because of the nightmares that would surely plague that boy's dreams. Even if it meant having to continuously wake up at five in the morning to cook breakfast for a kid who rarely had proper meals. He'd do it. Because life had presented him an opportunity. And he'd be daft not to take it.
A whirlwind of emotions soared through the other man's veins. He wanted so desperately to trust this man with Anthony; Anthony who hardly stepped within a few yards of another man besides him. The boy was terrified. Traumatized, more like. And May hated to do this to him. He truly did. But, if Anthony went with Kloppman, he'd learn to read. He might learn how to accept touch again from more than just May who he'd only trusted after so many horrifying events that led up to this.
With a small nod, May swallowed hard and placed his hands on his hips. "I will check in on him at least once a week," he decided, clearing his through as his voice came out watery and shaken. "You need to keep a close eye on him. If you find any cigarettes or drugs or alcohol on him at any point, you call me immediately. I need to know if he's actually used any of it before anyone accuses him of anything," he shouted out quickly, catch a look of sorrow and a hint of fear flash across Kloppman's kind features. "He's a good kid, Mr. Kloppman... he doesn't know it, but he is. He needs someone to show him that..."
"I intend to, Mr. May," the other man agreed immediately. "I'll take care of him. Every way I know how, I'll take care of him..."
It wasn't enough. It never would be. But May stuck out his hand anyways. They shook gruffly. "Thank you, Todd," he whispered sincerely. The teacher could only nod in response. "You'll need to talk to his new social worker. His current one is about to be arrested..."
"Bastard has it coming..." Miss Medda Larkin was never one to keep her comments to herself. May admired that. And he couldn't say he disagreed. "With all the clues he left behind he's lucky I never punched him square in the nose."
"He'll be lucky if I don't do just that the next time I see him," May agreed, though he shook his head right afterwards, crossing his arms, knowing he shouldn't be saying such things. He was the chief of police. He was supposed to be calm and cool and collected. He couldn't be. Not with all of this weighing down on his shoulders.
Medda sighed and reached to rest a hand on the man's arm, offering him one of her warm smiles. "Can I assume you'll be fostering one of them too?" she asked quietly, knowing there could be only one answer. That small nod was it as he glanced over to that room.
He was taking him. His little Jack Kelly at the very least. "I would've liked to take them all, but I know after this it'll be hard for them to stay together. Even harder for Jack to fight for custody..." he explained sadly. That was all that kid ever wanted. Everyone knew that. And now he was going to have to fight so much harder, God knows why. The world was twisted and evil and May hated that he couldn't protect them from it. "And... Christopher... I know he had to do it... but he's on thin ice, right now... I think I can get him out of doing any time as long as Snyder pulls through..."
It was a sick and twisted and evil world.
That kid had been in there for about an hour now. He looked so nervous, the poor thing. Through the windows of the chief's office, everyone could see him wiping vigorously at his tears. He was just sitting there, curled up in their boss's chair, not knowing what was about to happen and scared to death of what might be his fate.
"Darcy! Are you even listening to me?"
The man in question was rattled out of his trance. "I'm sorry... what?"
It didn't matter. He still wasn't listening. The chief had asked some of the cops around him to keep an eye on the child and his natural curiosity was getting the better of him. Truly, he didn't understand why anyone was to look after the boy. Something about the situation bothered him. He didn't even know the kid's name and he wasn't even a cop. He just happened to be in the station at the time.
He was only there to speak to someone about a current case he had. He just wanted to gather a few facts. But now... this kid was here. And Darcy couldn't help himself. "You know what, could you excuse me for one second?" he asked the officer who he happened to be speaking to. The officer gave him an odd look, but Darcy didn't care too much. He only got up from his seat and walked towards the doors of that office, not entirely sure what he was doing. He just felt as though he had to do something.
With a hesitant, small knock on the door, the man slowly pushed the thing open. The boy didn't even move. "Hi... hey there, buddy..." he started awkwardly, moving to sit down in the chair across from the kid. Still, he got no reaction. He was beginning to wonder if the kid had some kind of hearing problem or was just plain terrified. "My name's Darcy," he offered gently and slowly, catching the kid peak up over his arms that were so tightly wrapped around his knees. "Can I get you anything? Maybe a soda or a snack?"
All he got in response was a vicious shaking of the child's head. "Okay! That's okay..." Darcy soothed immediately, noting the boy's distress. "You've just been in here for a long time... I thought you might be hungry..." Still, nothing. That wasn't something uncommon for Darcy. Lots of people didn't like to talk. But he wasn't one to give up so easily. "Do you have a name, or do I get to keep calling you 'buddy'?" he asked playfully. Though the kid didn't seem to find it too amusing.
Through a mess of tears, the child was only able to get out a small mumble. "M'name's Chris..." It was so quiet it was a wonder Darcy even caught it. He smiled at the small victory.
"It's nice to meet you, Chris..." he smiled as gently as he could. The boy just buried himself back into his fetal position. Darcy felt his heart tearing to pieces. This kid was so young. "I don't mean to pry... but you look like you could use someone to talk to..." He wasn't entirely sure what would happen next. This boy didn't look like he wanted to talk, much less to a complete stranger. But Darcy couldn't stand to watch him so isolated in this room anymore. He wanted to do something. "I promise it's just you and me, Chris... what's going on?"
A small scoff escaped the child. It was soft and watery and broken. "You wouldn't understand," the boy stated naively. Darcy just scooted forward a little more in his chair and shrugged a little, folding his hands in front of him.
"Try me," he challenged lightly. He could guarantee that he'd heard it all before. There were plenty of odd, peculiar and awful things people did for no reason at all.
The boy looked up at him, a scowl clear on his face. That didn't discourage Darcy. He just nodded, urging the boy to spill because he couldn't help himself. Maybe he could even help. So, after a shake of his head and a sniffle, the child finally let the words fall from his lips. "I think I killed someone..." he muttered, his saddened anger quickly morphing into complete despair as he admitted it. His face crumpled as he thought about it, his already soaked face becoming all the more tearful.
The man had to admit, he hadn't been expecting that one. But, he didn't show it. These were things that he heard everyday. It wasn't uncommon. People kill people. It was sad, but it was true. "You killed someone, huh?" he asked, sounding almost sympathetic, but clearly shocking the boy when he wasn't completely repulsed by the news. Those green eyes shot up, waiting for the man to start shouting, accusing, even walk out in pure disgust. But he didn't. That smile stayed on his face as he nodded, looking at the ground, soaking in this new information. "Can I ask why?"
It was amusing to Darcy how this child looked at him like he was completely insane. Clearly this child thought he may never be forgiven for what he had done. It was a natural reaction. But Darcy didn't have all the facts yet. The boy fisted at his eyes for just a moment before swallowing hard. "He w's tryin' ta kill m'brother…"
Something inside the man broke. All through school he'd basically been told that emotions would only hold him back. He understood where the professors were coming from. That didn't mean he agreed. After all, who could look at this child, hear those little words and not feel their hearts crying in their chest. "I'm sorry to hear that Chris…" he offered sincerely. "Why was he trying to kill your brother?" He knew he might do well stopping. After all, this boy would more than likely have to spout out the story a million different times to a million different police officers. It didn't stop Darcy. He wanted to get every last detail of every last story. What he wanted here was to figure out why not a single officer in the entire station would step foot inside that room. He'd seen the looks they were giving the boy. Darcy just wanted to understand why.
A small sob escaped the child's lips. "I don't know… Snyder always hated him the most. N' t'day, with Jack in the hospital and May figuring it out… Everything Race did was makin' him mad!" he exclaimed, more distressed than he had ever been in his life. His heart was racing and he couldn't stop it. All he could hear was that gun going off over and over again. It would be a sound that haunted the kid till the day he died. "I saw the knife… I didn't know what else ta do… so's I shot at him…" he explained his voice still shaking as he reached up to grip onto his hair, unable to look up at this calm stranger as the sight of his bleeding big brother re-entered his mind. "I didn't think I'd actually hit him! I just… I was so angry! I couldn't-"
"Hey! Hey, Chris, it's alright," he soothed. "you did what you had to do, right? Is your brother okay?"
Again, this seemed to be the wrong question to ask. "I don't know! May said he was just taking Jack back to the hospital and he was gonna check on Race! But he's been gone for a long time n' I don't know if Mr. Snyder's even still alive! I just wanna see my brothers!"
Darcy nodded his head in understanding. "I'm really sorry about all that, buddy… had Mr. Snyder ever hit you guys before?" With a quick nod of his head, the boy answered him. Mr. Snyder… Darcy thought to himself, That name sounds familiar. It was then that it hit him. It was then he understood why no one was coming close to this child. He might've killed their head detective. "And your brothers? Did you guys ever try to tell anyone?"
Crutchie knew he was giving out more information that he ever had in his entire life. Jack and Race had always been there to stop him. Not now. Not when they were both in the hospital. "No... we... if we did they was gonna separate us... Snyder was our last chance," he explained. "Now if don't even matter... they's gonna separate us n' we don't got a say. N' I can't even see my brothers because I shot someone n'... they ain't neva' gonna look at me the same way..."
The government really didn't care. Darcy knew that. These kids were nothing in the eyes of the government. It didn't matter what happened to them. Darcy shook his head. "Hey, all you did was protect your brother. He's alive, right?"
With a small nod, the boy responded, "I... I think so..." He was breathing hard. Darcy was angry for him. No child deserved to go through this.
"Chris, you did the only thing you could... you saved your brother. You were not in the wrong and they can't put you away for that," Darcy explained. "I know that the chief won't let that happen. And now, better yet, you've got me on your side, you know what that means?" he asked quietly. But the child only looked at him with wide eyes. Anyone could see the fear frozen in them. Darcy feared what his brothers would be like after an experience like this. "It means there isn't a thing I wouldn't do to make sure that you and your brothers make it out of this okay..."
Crutchie looked at this man curiously. He didn't understand what was happening. This man was a complete stranger. He didn't take too well to strangers, but after all that had happened, spilling the whole story made it feel like a weight had been lifted from his chest. It felt good. He felt like he could breathe a little easier now. "Who are you?" he mustered up the courage to ask, fisting at his cheeks again, wishing so desperately to feel Jack's arms around him or Race's hand in his hair.
Darcy gave him another smile. "My name's Darcy Williams. I'm a lawyer."
Jack couldn't sleep. He may never sleep again. His entire world was on its side and all he could do was sit up on the thin, uncomfortable mattress they'd forced him onto and grip ever so carefully onto the uninjured hand of his baby brother who hadn't shown any sign of waking up since Jack had gotten there. The sight of the kid so still was terrifying. His pale skin and swollen eyes made Jack more worried than he'd ever been for the boy in his life.
The nurses had threatened to strap him down when May had brought him back. They'd laughed at their own words. Jack had found no humor in it. He'd glared at them as they'd left. May had told him to behave. It was bullshit. Like he'd leave his little brother when he'd seen him like this. He was just angry. He wanted both of his kid brothers, with him. But life couldn't work out that way. Why should he ever get to have that small comfort? He'd clearly never done anything to deserve it.
"You look like hell..."
The words made Jack jump, though the voice wasn't too harsh. But the second Jack looked up to that blasted window, he wished beyond everything that someone had thought to lock it. "What do ya want now?" he spat at the Brooklyn boy who couldn't seem to simply leave him alone.
To Jack's surprise, the smugness actually seemed to be wiped from the boy's face. In fact, Spot was barely even glancing up at him. His dark eyes were more drawn to the blond boy who was laying comatose in a mess of wires and a breathing mask. "Is he okay?" The question was quiet, almost nonexistent. It was so odd. Spot Conlon wasn't necessarily known for being gentle or quiet or anything to that affect. Jack did not like that it was his baby brother that made him go soft. Something about it bothered him.
"He's stable... docta's say he's gonna pull through, but the damn bastard broke his arm, sprained his ankle, stabbed him..." Jack stared bitterly, his grip tightening around his baby brother's hand. The boy still did not wake up. He was tired. Jack could live with that. As long as those blue eyes opened up eventually.
The other boy moved closer to him. Jack gave him a warning glare, but did nothing more to stop him. Spot stopped on the other side of the child's bed. His hand moved slowly towards the boy's blond hair, but Jack shook his head. "Don't touch him," he demanded immediately. The hand froze and Jack's eyes met the Brooklyn boy's. "What do you want, Conlon?"
Spot glanced between him and Race, his lips pursed. Jack wanted him out. "I just wanted him to protect himself, Kelly... if he'd a' just done it, he wouldn't be here..."
"No... he'd be in Juvie. Or worse," Jack seethed, ready to pounce on this boy. He wasn't sure it was all the Brooklyn kid's fault. There were still so many emotions swirling around in his chest. It was so much stress. He could control this. This was something he could protect. His little brother. He could keep the kid safe. And he planned to do just that. "Get away from him, Spot. And stay away. He doesn't need you near him."
It sounded harsh. But it was true. Race was already troubled enough as it was. Spot was just too much for him. In truth, he was too much for Jack too.
"I just wanted ta make sure he was alright, okay?" he defended, watching as Jack reaches and placed his own hand in Race hair. The boy subconsciously leaned into him and Spot glared. "Look, I know I ain't the best influence, but all I want ta do is protect him-"
"You gave him a gun, Conlon!" Jack hissed, not wanting to be heard by anyone outside. "You told him to murder someone! We know damn well that the only reason you wanted Snyder dead was because he was the only close enough to exposing your little business!" Jack accused.
Spot scowled hard. Jack could see his fists clenching at his sides. "That ain't true! I ain't been a dealer in months! And I neva' touched none of it!"
Jack shook his head, finally standing to his feet. "You really think that's gonna hell your case here-" A small groan is what made Jack stop. He let his breath catch in his throat as the hand that was in his tightened. The child on the bed began to shift. Jack didn't even look back up. He only muttered the words, "Get out," before he was leaning down towards his brother,
Spot didn't argue. He watched for a moment as those two swollen eyes tried like hell to open. They couldn't. And it broke Spot's heart. But for now, all he could do was just as he was told. He shook his head as he made his way back to the window. With one last glance back at that boy, he was gone.
"Racer, ya gotta stay calm... I'm right here, you're okay..." Jack murmured quietly, running his thumb over his baby brother's forehead. "I won't let anything bad happen, I swear." He swore. Never again. He had to make this stop. He couldn't bear to see his brother in a hospital bed like this ever again. He would blame himself for the rest of his life.
The child below him made a small croaking noise beneath the mask over his face. Jack assumed it was his name. He nodded. "I'm here, kid. Right here, you're okay..." He leaned down to press a kiss to the boy's forehead. "I'm right here, you're okay," he repeated.
That was right about when the door to the room was slowly pushed open. He didn't have to look up to see May standing by silently, smiling at them. He didn't move from his position. He just continued to calm his brother and whisper quiet nothings into his ear as two more adults made their way into the room. Jack knew things were about to change. He knew that his life was going to be very different very soon.
What he didn't know exactly was how. "Don't scare him..." Jack asked, leaning closer to the child, doing his best to shield him from any danger. "He just woke up."
"That's okay, Jack... we wanted to talk to both of you about something..."
Those were the words that Jack had been dreading. He was not excited about whatever was going to happen. But he didn't say that. How could he? It wouldn't matter. Nothing did.
His life was about to change. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Well, there you have it. Sorry about the long wait. But hey, Darcy's here!!!
Also, guys, I made a tumblr. I'm addicted. Just thought you should all know.
Anyways,
As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya, babes!