Hi everyone! It's been a little while since I last updated any of my stories. With so much that's happened this year, it's been a little hard to focus. But now, I think the motivation is back, and I should hopefully get back into the groove.

So in today's chapter of LOM, no murders this time, only the guys, their friends, and everyone else being there for Rudy. It'll be sad still, but we'll get some heartwarming moments of comfort. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Warning: More tears. But some fluffiness too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's.

Chapter 13: Comforting Words

The boys sat with Rudy for about thirty minutes, all while he let out his grief. They sat for as long as he wanted, and frankly, they didn't want to move. They wanted to be there for him.

As soon as the loud screaming and crying turned into soft quiet sobs... Rudy spoke in a broken voice.

"T-T-T-Thanks, d-d-dudes... I didn't realize how much I-I... r-really needed this..."

Albert smiled softly, "Of course, Rudy. We know this is a tough time for you. But we're here for you, man."

Slowly, one by one, the boys moved away as Rudy wiped his face with his sleeve, "I just... don't understand..." He croaked, his voice hoarse, "My Dad... he never hurt a soul in his life... why did they do it... why..."

"I wish we knew, man. But... hopefully, they'll find out who it was..." Bill assured him.

"Yeah. At this point, everything is getting outta hand." Harold added.

"No kidding..." Bucky also added.

Donald put a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Y-You feeling a-alright now?" He asked.

Rudy sighed, "No... not really... and I don't think I'll feel alright for the next few days..."

"That's fine, man. It's alright not to feel alright. And you don't have to hide your grief from anyone." Bill replied.

Russell rubbed Rudy's shoulder, "And we're not gonna leave you, either. We're a team, and when one of us is struggling, the rest will lift that person up." He said with a soft smile, "And because of the situation, don't expect me to call you no class anytime soon. Even I know it's not what you wanna hear right now."

The rich boy smiled back at the smaller boy, "Thanks, Russell... that's probably one of the nicest things you ever told me."

"No problem."

After about another five minutes, the boys decided to leave the junkyard, to bring Rudy home. They surrounded him as they walked, as to keep him close and safe, in case there would be people asking questions. Or worst-case scenario, the murderer attacked. Donald had his arm around Rudy's shoulder, while Russell held his hand. Bill had a hold of Rudy's bike.

The boys walked down the street, passing other people, who gave them what looked like looks of sympathy. They definitely knew what happened and were showing their empathy for Rudy. After all, how could they not, considering how beloved his father was, and how close Rudy was to him (not as close as he is to his mother, but still).

"Oh, Rudy!"

Hearing that voice, the gang turned to see Joyce approaching them, "Hello, fellas. Rudy... I heard what happened." She greeted with a sympathetic frown, "I'm so sorry..."

She held her arms out for a hug, and Rudy gladly accepted it, holding his friend tightly, "Thank you, cabbage flower..."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Um..."

"It's okay if you don't. I know it's hard right now..."

The rich boy felt Joyce rubbing his back. Her touch was soft and sweet, and it made him want to burst into tears again. It made him regret even more how he used her when they first met. It made him feel like... fate was punishing him for his wrongdoings over the years.

"We appreciate your sympathy, Joyce." Albert smiled, "Rudy's gonna need a lot of it."

The theatre girl smiled, "I know. I just can't imagine this pain. Well, I gotta get to my Dad's movie set. I'll be around, fellas. If you need me, I'll be there." With that, she gave Rudy a soft kiss on the cheek before heading on her way. The boys bid her farewell.

"That girl..." Rudy sighed, "So sweet..."

"She sure is..." Bill agreed.

"C'mon, Rudy. Let's get you home." Albert suggested.

The boys continued on to the Davis residence. Along the way, they continued to get sympathetic looks from other people. A few friends even stopped to give Rudy their condolences, like Lucius, Undeen, and even Dustin. Of course, he was grateful, but at this point, it was starting to get annoying, and he was keeping everything he had not to snap at anybody. Especially considering they're only showing empathy. To him, that wasn't worth getting yelled at, not when they mean well.

However, just before they reached his house...

"Hey, dudes..."

Looking back, the boys saw Dwayne and Laverne approaching them, hand in hand. And judging by the looks on their faces, they also knew what the deal was. And the two looking back at the boys, they could tell that the atmosphere was heavy right now.

"Um... is this a bad time? 'Cause we can come back later." Dwayne said awkwardly.

"We just saw you and wanted to talk... if you'd like." Laverne added with a small smile, "Rudy... our hearts hurt for you..."

"Yeah. We can't believe that this happened to ya. If there's anything we can do, just let us know."

Rudy sighed, "Thanks, guys. I appreciate the kind gesture..."

He was going to leave it at that...

"No problem."

Laverne walked closer to the rich boy, "We just can't imagine-"

"NO!"

The girl was cut off by Rudy shouting as he glared at her, "Don't say that! Of course, you can't imagine this, because YOU still have your Dad! Mine? He was MURDERED! By some cold-hearted bastards who apparently have it out for me and the gang! So don't point out the obvious and say that you can't imagine my pain! BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY DON'T! SO WHY BOTHER MENTIONING IT?!"

Albert stepped forward to hold his friend by the shoulder, "Cool it, Rudy. Laverne didn't mean nothing."

Rudy took a few deep breaths as he stared at Laverne, who had backed away a little, with Dwayne holding her protectively. He moaned as he put his face in his hands, "I'm so sorry, Laverne. I didn't mean to snap. I just have been so... out of sorts since yesterday."

"I understand, Rudy. We can give you all the space you need." The girl smiled.

"Right on. We get if you need privacy." Dwayne added.

Albert grinned at the two, "Thanks. We've got it from here." He then leaned in to whisper in Dwayne's ear, "Meet us at the clubhouse later. I've got something to talk about."

"Sure, man." The handicapped sports teen whispered back.

The gang bid their friends goodbye. Finally, Rudy was ready to walk inside the house. He felt his hand shaking as he reached for the doorknob. It suddenly felt hard to go inside the place where his father was last alive. Noticing his hesitance, Harold walked up to open the door for him. After a silent thank you, the rich boy walked in.

The first thing he saw was his mother sitting in the living room, sipping more tea. When she saw her son standing there, she stood herself, "Rudy..."

"Mommy..." He whimpered as tears fell.

"Come here, sweet boy." She smiled, opening her arms for him.

Immediately, he hugged his mother, sobbing opening again. Mrs. Davis rubbed her son's back soothingly, feeling her own tears falling, "There now, dear..."

"I miss him, Momma! I miss him so much!" He cried.

"So do I... so do I..."

She sat Rudy down on the couch with her, as they continued to hug. The other boys watched from the door, before letting the two have their privacy, and leaving altogether. This was still very hard to believe. Rudy lost his father. Mrs. Davis lost her husband. North Philly lost a beloved citizen. And the world lost an innocent soul.

All due to the violence going on.

The worst part... was that the boys realized that the killers were now targeting their loved ones. Did this mean that one of their own folks would be next?

They tried not to think about it.

"S-So now what?" Donald asked, "I kinda hate to leave Rudy while he's still sad."

"He's gonna be fine. His Mom's got him." Albert assured, "But... I want you dudes to meet me at the clubhouse later on. I wanna talk."

"What about?" Harold asked.

"You'll see..."

Later on, Albert was waiting patiently for his friends to arrive. It was almost four-thirty in the afternoon. What he had to discuss was important, for them, and especially for Rudy and the other victims of the ongoing murders. So he had to make sure everyone was on board. Soon, everyone started trickling in. The guys, Joyce, Laverne, Dwayne, Bob and Shanna, Leola, Kathy, and Cluck. As soon as everyone that could make it was here, the meeting began.

"First, I wanna say that I'm glad you all were able to come." Albert started, "So, you're probably aware of why I called you here. For the past couple of weeks, our city's been hit with death after death. Someone's been killing the people we love, know, or care about to an extent. Bobby Hanson... Elaine... Peewee..."

At the mention of the small boy's name, Cluck quacked sadly. Kathy hugged the heartbroken duck, "I miss him too, Cluck..." She said.

"Violet..."

Harold looked down at hearing his girlfriend's name. Especially since her homegoing was planned for next Friday afternoon. His own family had pitched in to help Violet's family with the funeral costs. He even used the salary he got from his ice cream parlor job to help out. All he wanted was for Violet to have a great service.

"And now... Rudy has lost his father. And right now, he's really devastated... and I think we should do something to show him, as well as everyone else who is suffering... that we're here for them. That we're here to support them and comfort them no matter what..."

"What can we do?" Shanna asked.

"I could paint or sketch something," Leola suggested.

"We could make a card and write a message." Dwayne also suggested.

"We could put on a show," Donald spoke up.

"Or sing a song," Harold added.

Albert nodded, "Those are some good ideas. But I don't think we should go over the top. A painting or card might be the best thing. And it shouldn't just be for Rudy. We need to show support for everyone who lost a loved one."

"I think we should all make drawings and write lovely messages for the families," Joyce suggested.

Leola smiled, "Yeah! And I'll help anybody with their art."

Everyone else agreed with that. Drawn pictures with messages to show everyone in North Philly that the young kids were thinking of and there for them. That was the perfect way of showing empathy. Albert especially liked it, "Hey, hey, hey! That's a really good way! As soon as we get some paper, crayons, pens, pencils, and paint. We'll get to work! Besides, it'll show the killers that they're not the only ones who can write notes."

And so, after the right supplies were gathered, everyone made their art. They even went out to ask others to pitch in. After all, this was a team effort.

The next day...

Rudy once again woke up in a bad mood. He got out of bed and showered, despite not feeling like it. But he wanted to be fresh for the day. Especially since his aunt, uncle, and cousin were going to be coming to stay for a few days, as they were going to help with the funeral...

Even thinking about that made him want to cry again. But not today. He wanted... no, needed to be strong for his mother.

Speaking of, when he headed into the kitchen for breakfast, he saw her working on the food. Mrs. Davis smiled at her son, "Good morning, sweetie. Breakfast will be ready soon." She greeted.

"Thanks..." Was his reply, before sitting down at the table.

"Aunt Martha, Uncle Joe, and Rick will be here in a few hours."

"That's great..."

As the boy waited for his breakfast to be done, he heard a knock on the door, "I'll get it..." The moment he got up... he saw several slips of paper that were slid from under the door. Confused, Rudy approached the slips and picked them up. He quickly opened the door, but no one was outside.

"Who was it, Rudy?" He heard his mother ask.

"I dunno... but whoever it was... they slid these under our door." He replied, sitting back down. Carefully, he looked at the notes. There were about nine in his hand, and each of them had painted, sketched, or colored drawings of him and his friends. But that wasn't all. There was something on the back. Words... messages...

He read the first one was one of the whole gang, drawn rather crudely, but there was some effort put into it.

'Hey, hey, hey, Rudy.

We want to let you know that we're all thinking about you, and we're here for you. We know how much you're hurting right now. But we're here to wipe your tears away. We're thinking of your mom as well. Keep strong, soldier.'

-The Gang

The next one had a drawing of Rudy surrounded by hearts. The message on the back?

Rudy, let it known that God is holding you and your mother tightly in his arms. You both will make it through this terrible time. Never give up hope. I care about you. Take care. I'm here when you need me.

-Love, Joyce.

The rich boy blushed deeply. That Joyce. The next one was a very detailed drawing of himself, so he had an idea of who's message this was.

I'll never forget how you risked your life to save mine, Rudy. And I'll do whatever I can for yours. You're not alone. We got a hold of you.

-Leola

The next one was a double message from two people. Another crude drawing of himself and two other people, but hey, he didn't judge.

We've got your back, man. We understand if you need some privacy. But just know that if you ever need anybody to talk to, we're always listening. The journey isn't always easy, but you'll pull through, we know it. We're all in this together.

- Dwayne and Laverne

The message after that one was also double up... sort of. A drawing of Rudy holding a familiar-looking baby. Plus a baby-sized handprint on the side.

You and the gang were there for me when it came to Monica. Now I'm gonna help you out. I'm open to talk whenever you need it. I want to help out everyone who's been suffering, including you. Keep your head high, Rudy. But it's okay to cry sometimes.

-From, Liz Monica

Rudy was getting more and more overwhelmed by these sweet messages. He didn't notice that his mother had read a few of them herself. He looked at the next one, which had, surprise, another drawing of himself, but a duck's footprint over it. He knew who this one was from.

Hi, Rudy. It's gonna be okay. We're sad for you, just like we're sad about Peewee. But don't worry, my Daddy says that when people die, they look back down on Earth with a smile. So I know that Peewee and your Daddy are doing the same thing.

Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!

-By Kathy and Cluck

Rudy smiled. Those two were adorable. The next one was a drawing of him ice skating.

Shanna and I are really sorry about what happened to your Dad. Neither of us can imagine that type of loss. But we're thinking about you and keeping you in our prayers. As well as everyone else. Stay strong.

-Bob and Shanna

Those two were definitely made for each other. Rudy looked at the next drawing, which put him in a winter setting, including a well-written message.

Hello Rudy.

I want to let you know that Marge, Marshall, Joey, and I are all thinking about you. Our hearts hurt for yours. We will continue to pray for you. You and the other boys are saints for the way you helped us that Christmas Eve night. I don't know what we would've done if you didn't have that clubhouse. God will bless your family once again. He loves you. He loves everyone. We'll make it through these tragedies together. Take care.

-Sincerely, The Franklin Family

Rudy once again smiled. He remembered that night. How the family came looking for shelter. How Mrs. Franklin was having a baby, how he and Donald had to get the doctor. It was a rather vivid memory. Finally, he got to the last of the bunch... and this one was the one to break him completely. The picture? Him hugging a familiar little girl. The message on the back?

Rudy... I know we never got always got along back then. I always thought you were trouble.. I always thought you were a bad influence on my brother. But now... I realize that even though you can be a snobbish no class jerk at times... you still a good person deep down. I was completely broken when Devery died. And you were there for me. To wipe away my tears and allow your shoulder for me to cry on. And now... you're broken after losing your Dad. So, I want to be there for you. You didn't give up on me, so I won't give up on you, Rudy. I'll gladly lend my shoulder for you to cry on. So much is happening, but as long as we still have each other... we can do anything. Take it easy, and I'll see you later.

-Love, Melba

That was it.

That was the one to start the waterworks. Rudy reread the message over and over until his vision was blurred by those tears. He set it down on the table and let out a small sob, "I really have some great people in my life..." He said with a small smile.

Mrs. Davis smiled back, "That's how you know that we have everyone looking out for us." She then stood from the table, slowly and while holding her stomach a little, "Now... go ahead and eat. And maybe go out and get some fresh air. It's no use staying cooped up inside all day."

"But what about...?"

"They'll be here when you come back."

"Well, okay..."

With that, and after some breakfast, Rudy was making his way out the door. At the same time, Mrs. Davis decided she would write her own message for her son, with a surprise added on. As for Rudy, it didn't take long for him to arrive at the junkyard. However, he noticed something different. At the entrance of the area were flowers, notes, and wreathes. He knew that these were for his father. And he had to smile at everything he saw. North Philly was a great place with great people.

He focused on the flowers, that he didn't hear the ambulance rushing down the road behind him.

He also didn't notice the tiny hand that slipped into his own. When he did, he looked down to see Melba beside him. She looked up and gave him a smile. He, in response, picked her up and held her in a hug which she gladly accepted and returned. "We're all in this together..." She whispered.

Rudy nodded, 'Yeah... we are... aren't we..."

Awwww! That was cute. Rudy is reassured that he'd not alone in his grief for his father. As we see that everyone is writing notes for him. And they're doing the same for everyone else who lost someone because of the murders. It's like a 'take that' to the murderers themselves. Next chapter, unfortunately, is when we get back to the drama at hand with another murder occurring. And this time, it's another close relative to one of the guys. And it's not gonna be pretty. Just... be prepared for the craziness. I'll see you guys later. And as always, don't forget to review, please. Thank you!