Sorry it took me so long to update! I've been working on my other stories and a new Law & Order: SVU story. So, I hope you like this!

Chapter 16 Just Like Him…

"Oh my God…" Spinner pitched forward as he lost his balance again. He looked up and tried to remember where he was. After a minute or so, he remembered that he was walking around the park near his house. "Unnn…" He moaned as he held his head. He didn't know how much alcohol he had, but he knew it was enough to get him so drunk that he couldn't stand.

"Spinner?" He heard a familiar voice above him. He looked up. It was Dylan. "What are you doing? Here." The blonde haired boy extended his hand to Spinner.

Spin awkwardly shoved his hand away and tried to stand on his own. After getting to his knees though, he fell again.

"Oh my God Spin, are you drunk?" The unmistakable voice of his girlfriend stung Spinner's ears. "You are! Spin, you are so unbelievable!"

"Paige, shh. Yelling isn't going to help." Dylan tried to calm his little sister down. "Let's just get him home."

"Fine." Paige huffed and crossed her arms.

While Dylan and Paige had been talking, Spinner had somehow managed to make it to his feet.

"Come on Spin, we're taking you home." Paige grabbed her boyfriend's hand and started pulling him back towards his house.

"No…" Spinner slurred a protest and refused to budge.

"Spinner!" Paige kept trying to pull him with her.

"I said no!" Spinner wrenched his hand out of Paige's. In a rage, he pushed Paige backwards.

Paige let out a yell and fell backwards onto the grass, her head missing the concrete sidewalk by mere inches.

Realizing what he had done, a look of shock crossed Spinner's face.

"Paige!" Dylan dropped to his knees. "Oh my God, are you okay?" He looked Paige over to make sure she hadn't suffered any serious injuries.

"I'm f-fine." Paige sat up and looked at Spinner. There was a look of fear in her eyes.

"Spinner, how could you man!" Dylan looked at Spinner with such fury in his eyes that Spinner backed away from the athletic hockey player. "You could have killed her!"

There were unshed tears in Paige's eyes as she stared at Spinner. In a whisper, she spoke. "Terri was right. You are just like Rick."

As soon as Paige started speaking, Spinner continued to back up, his face filled with confusion. Tears started pouring down his face as he realized that Paige was right.

Suddenly, he turned around and burst into a sprint across the park.

"Paige, are you okay?" Dylan looked at the back of Paige's head to make sure she didn't have any cuts or anything.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She wiped her eyes. "My head just hurts a little."

"Can you stand up?" Dylan stood up and helped Paige up as well. Dylan noticed Paige was shaking and holding the back of her head. "Come on Paige. I think we should get you to a hospital."

Paige just looked up at the path Spinner had taken. She still couldn't believe it. Terri was right. He was just like Rick…

As Emma rounded the corner, she began to slow down. She couldn't believe her parents. No one understood how alone Rick was in this world. All they saw was someone who needed help that they didn't want to give him. Maybe a caring home was all that he needed. Hell, it was probably the only thing the poor kid wanted. So why didn't anyone understand?

Emma continued walking down the sidewalk, she noticed someone sitting down on a bench across the street. It was Spinner.

Going against everything she'd ever been taught, Emma walked right into the street and over to where he was sitting.

"What are you doing!" Emma screamed from a few yards away. Spinner looked up at her. Once he realized who it was, he got up and started walking the other way. "Hey!" Emma ran in front of him. "Where are you going?"

"Emma, leave me alone." He sounded as if he had been crying.

"Oh yeah, like you left Rick alone!"

"I'm sorry about Rick, Emma. Please, just leave me alone." His voice began to crack.

"How could you do that to Rick? You didn't even know him!"

"I told you, I'm-"

"Sorry, yeah I heard! But honestly, what do you know about Rick?"

Spinner mumbled something.

"What?"

"Nothing! Okay? Nothing!"

"Did you know that Rick's father used to beat him and his mother? Or that his father died? Or that his mother just died and he's an orphan now?"

Spinner looked at Emma, his eyes wide with guilt. "No, I didn't know."

Emma looked at him, a fury in her eyes. "What kind of person beats up someone who's already dead on the inside?"

Spinner blinked his tears away as he answered her. "Someone who's just like Rick." Suddenly, Spinner began bawling. He fell to his knees. "I'm just like him! I'm sorry! I'm sorry Paige!" He held his knees and began rocking back and forth.

Emma just watched on in shock at Spinner. She had never seen anyone act like this. As she thought about it, she realized that Spinner was acting like he was drunk or high or something.

"Spinner, I…" Emma leaned over to try and touch Spinner to comfort him, but quickly jerked her hand back. She looked around, feeling people's stares land on her. Spinner was making a huge scene and everyone was watching. Emma knew she had to get him out of here, to a hospital, or something.

"Spinner, please!" She leaned over and grabbed one of his arms. She tried to stand up and lift him, but he wouldn't move. "Spinner!" She pulled again, this time, harder than before. And again, he didn't move. Emma dropped his arm and realized she'd never move him unless he wanted to be moved.

"Spinner, you are not like Rick." She looked him in the eyes, and lied. It was the only way she could think of to get Spinner to stand up. "You didn't know." Emma bit her lip and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She couldn't believe she was really doing this. "I shouldn't have yelled. Please, just come with me. Something's obviously wrong. I need to get you help." Emma locked into his eyes. "Please Spinner, let me help you."

Still sobbing, Spinner stood up. Emma put her arm around his shoulders and propped him upwards, helping him walk. Awkwardly, Emma dragged him to her house.

"Mom!" Once she got to her doorstep, she dropped Spinner on the steps. He was still sobbing and completely out of it.

"Emma!" Spike appeared at the door with a phone in hand. "I was going to call the police! Don't you ever run off-" Spike's gaze finally landed on Spinner. "Is that… Spinner? What happened?"

"I ran into him by the bus stop. I started yelling at him and he just lost it. He started crying and apologizing to Paige." Emma threw her hands up. "I think he's drunk. We should get him to a hospital."

"Jack's upstairs, I can't leave him alone."

"Fine, I'll watch him. You drive Spinner."

Thinking for a moment, Spike answered. "Okay. Help me get him in the car."

After awhile of struggling with Spinner, they finally got him into the car.

"Thanks Mom," Emma said as Spike got into the driver's seat.

"Yeah." She buckled her seat belt. "Could you feed Jack?"

Emma nodded as Spike drove off.