I think the title tells the drama that's about to happen. A lot, I mean, a hellova lot. I wonder, I think there really is something wrong with me, this…all of this…is so much. Mer, I better stop, I need to go pour all my anger and sorrow into my story so I can make more chapters like this. Feel Michael's angst, um, Marco's fatherly scoling, Jake's angst. Oh, and here's something interesting. Robert and Michael have a heart felt chat. And someone we all hate is back.

Chapter 20: Down

Tidal waves

They rip right through me

Tears from eyes worn cold and sad

Pick me up now

I need you so bad

He punched me.

Jake looked down at me, his first curled and punched me again, and again, the fists becoming blurs until I finally lost my balance and fell down the steps behind me. But he didn't stop there, he wasn't done yet. Hadn't he made me suffer enough, from all these years before? I mean, he constantly used to say, 'I love you, Mikey, we'll always be together" and then after Rory dies he just freezes me out, locks himself away and I never see him again.

This Jake here is not the Jake that I grew up with.

The Jake I knew was smart and sweet and funny, never violent or even suicidal, he never used to hit me, well…once, but I deserved it. He never used to curse me out, tell me how much he hated me. Never used to cry, right in front of my face and scream "Look what you've done to me". He never used to be bitter.

I think he's crying now actually. He's leaning over me, whispering things quickly into my ear," Oh, god, Oh, god, Oh god…Mikey, Mikey, Mikey…" over and over again like it's the best sex he ever had or something. Someone's pulling him away now and then a new face appears above me. It's Marco's, I can tell right off by the warm smile. Even though the red marks on his face indicate that something freaky was indeed going on in the basement I'm glad Jake has someone stable in his life to depend on. He carries me over to the couch, everyone dragged behind me, and when I say everyone, I mean the whole damn house, even the kids are looking at me.

Then I black out, it's not from the pain really, just the fact that the only person that I have left is the one that did this to me.

And that just hurts worse

"What the…FUCK" Marco raised his voice, staring darkly at Jake," Is that all about? Didn't I tell you not to go around beating people up?" He tried to make it into a joke, but he could tell that there was something seriously wrong here.

And the fact that Jake was beyond tears wasn't any help either.

"I…I…I….needtogooutforabit…." Jake said quickly, walking towards the door," Ineed tobealone andthink somethingsout. IknowthatyoumaynotunderstandwhatishappeningtomebutIjustneedtobeleftalone…."

It all came out as one long run on sentence as he ran out the door, forgetting his coat.

"Jake, JAKE!" Marco yelled, running after him. He grabbed the umbrella and ran out the door; he knew where he'd end up probably.

Robert stood there with his arms crossed, staring Michael down. "Go to bed, Lizzy" He said softly, not turning around.

Every body else was in bed, incept for Marco and Jake, who were out. But Pete and Andy were asleep in Marco's room, and the kids were knocked out. Lizzy stood there, annoyingly, with her arms crossed as well, circling around her brother," What is this?" She asked, snidely," Following the same pattern of Jake, all of a sudden?"

Robert looked over at her finally," Go, to bed Lizzy. I mean it; don't you have someone else to pester?"

"Well, older brother, since our little Ryan's out…in more ways than one, I have to pester you now, don't you think?" She stepped closer," How much longer are you going to hold out on telling everyone?"

"A year, a month, I don't know, Lizzy, look, whatever I do is my business and my business only. Don't worry about me, you never did before, so why start now?" Robert said quickly.

"I'm hurt, brother; I could say the same thing about you…"

"Because there's no one else to take care of you!" Robert snapped," Fuck…what happens if something happens to Ryan, then what? What happens if he gets hurt? If he dies? The who will take care of you all? You sure as hell won't"

Lizzy shook her head," Tisk…tisk…tisk…" She smiled slightly," You're upset that your older brother, your idol…is a boy kissing…" She stepped forward, making Robert step back, "…nelly….queer…. glittering wearing fairy?"

She smiled again, advancing on to the couch and sitting besides Michael's unconscious body, running her fingers through his hair," And you're worried that your one too…aren't you?" She threw her hands up," This whole family is gay, isn't it?"

"How did you…know?" Robert asked, shocked.

"I'm not as dumb as you think" Lizzy said plainly. "I always knew on some level, somewhere deep down inside…that our little Ryan…was….well, you know"

"And you don't care?" Robert asked shakily.

"If he gets HIV or AIDS or whatever thing that the gays get these days, it's his fault" Lizzy said, sadly." But your right, at least I have you, big brother, you'll protect me right?"

Robert stared at her blankly.

"I thought I'd find you here" Marco said, placing the umbrella down and letting his own hair become matted to his face.

Jake just looked blankly out into the darkness.

"You know, you hurt Michael pretty bad" Marco continued, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Jake shrugged his hand off," He'll live"

"I meant emotionally, not physically. If there's something going on I think I should know about it, Jakey. Haven't we been through enough to at least know that?" Marco asked softly, looking down to the floor, "Don't we owe that to each other"

Jake was about to say something along the lines of "I don't owe you shit" but then they both would know that's a lie. He was tired of lying. So instead he just turned and looked at Marco, with sad brown eyes and hugged him, a real hug, like an Alesso hug when he was 10, the type of hug that only a father and son can have.

And Marco gladly returned it.

"I'm gay" Jake mumbled into the fabrics of Marco's soaking wet shirt.

Marc just ran his fingers through Jake's head, pulled him closer and kissed him on his temple," I always imagined one day, that when I had a son, with a wife, that we'd play football and all these other manly things. I swore I would kill myself if otherwise."

Jake looked up," You'd kill yourself? But…this is no where near your dream?"

" Jakey…"

"But, Alesso?" Jake asked, reverting back to that soft childish mannerism that he hadn't shown in a while," What about your dream? Didn't I fuck that up for you?"

"Watch your mouth" Marco said, smiling," Jake…I rather be here. Holding my son in the rain as he confesses that he's gay then playing football with a wife who I don't wanna bang and a kid who'll probably be a gay bashing jock"

Jake smiled softly, holding Marco's hand," Let's go home"

"No, I want to stay here for a while" Marco said," It's always nice to remember the first time we were here, together"

"I remember, we were so happy. It was the best day of my life" Jake blushed.

"Jake?"

Marco and Jake both turned around to look at the person from which the voice was coming from. When they saw them, Jake's face drained of all its color and Marco protectively pulled him close.

"So you're Jake's…" Robert began.

"Best fri-" Michael stopped, he had been awake for a few minutes when this boy started asking him questions, all he wanted to do was talk to Jake, but it seemed like after their little argument he wanted nothing more to do with him." Friend. Just friend. Nothing more, nothing less" He found himself repeating the same thing he said earlier to Jake.

"Before or after you got punched?" Robert asked.

Michael eyed him," I don't know. He never made it quite clear to me, why do you ask?"

"Just worried" Robert said calmly. "I'm Jake's friend-"

"Then a word of advise" Michael said sharply," Don't let him get to close to you then, because it always ends in tragedy or in some cases." He paused, rubbing his swollen eye," A black eye"

"I just have a few questions" Robert calmly, "If you don't mind, that is"

"Yeah, well" Michael said, rather tiredly, holding his head down and rubbing his leg slightly, he fell down on it the wrong way before looking up at Robert's questioning eyes," I don't really want to answer anything right now. I just want to…" He seethed in pain when he pushed his leg up against the couch the wrong way," Sleep…"

"Maybe a pain killer or two wouldn't hurt right now" Robert said softly as he got up and went up stairs." Stay here"

"Like I'd be able to walk anywhere else" Michael said quickly.

"You can't say hi to your daddy?" The man said, taking a step closer to Jake and Marco.

"You're not my father" Jake said forcedly, grabbing Marco's hand tighter," He is"

Kyle titled his head to the side," How can I prove to you that I've changed? They finally let me out, because of good behavior….Jake, I've changed"

"No, no you haven't. You're lying…" He looked at Marco," He's fucking lying!"

"I want to have custody of you again" Kyle said softly.

Marco remained silent up until now," Kyle, look, he obviously doesn't want to be with you so why don't you just go…."

"Because he's my son and I love him damnit" Kyle snapped," Look, I'm sorry, I'm under a lot of stress…"

"You were never my dad, you fucking murderer, you killed my real dad. You never even married Angelina." Jake said, calling his mother by her first name.

"We're engaged. Didn't she tell you?"

That's it, I'm dead and gone...see you guys in two weeks!