A/N: I am so sorry I haven't updated sooner! I've been real busy lately, and then a few days ago I accidently deleted Microsoft Works! So that really upset me and I've been trying everything to get it back, but it's gone for good. I'm sorry to tell some of you that the cutting might make one more appearance! And I'm really sorry if this chapter is...bad, I've been tired all day and am not in my right mind.

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers!
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Disclaimer: Am I the only one who is tired of disclaimer? Well, the usual applies. And don't sue me.

Because of You- chapter six

Drake had pretty much slept the next fewdays away since there was no mom yelling for him to get up. In fact, when he did finally get up the sun had already set hours ago. He didn't see any reason in leaving his room when the only people currently in the house hated him.

Truthfully, Drake was worried. He was worried that one night Josh might have to work late and leave him alone with Walter. Sure, Josh wasn't very happy with him but he knew that if his brother was home then Walter wouldn't try anything. Or so the teen thought.

Giving into his stomach, Drake finally left his room. He could hear the TV downstairs, and took a deep breath. Not wanting to face his brother or Walter, he silently walked into the kitchen and ran right into Josh; who was leaving the kitchen.

"Oh sorry!" Josh exclaimed as Drake fell to the floor.

"No big deal," Drake replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"I could call dad to come-" Josh was then cut off by Drake shouting, "NO!" with fear flashing through his brown eyes.

"No...? What's going on between you and dad?"

As Josh expected, Drake replied 'nothing'. That aggrevated him more! All he wanted to know was why Drake was acting differently lately. Was that too much to ask?

"Well, I'm going to bed. See ya', Drake," Josh muttered, leaving Drake behind.

Grabbing a root beer from the 'fridge, Drake walked into the living room and sat down on the couch; flipping through the channels.

"I think it's time you've learned your lesson." A voice from behind Drake whispered.Jumping up from the couch, Drake turned around to see a very drunk Walter.

"Lesson? I haven't done anything wrong..." This was obviously a very bad choice of words, for Walter clenched his fists; lip curling.

"You think you have to do something, boy?" He snarled, and Drake winced at the smell of whiskey.

"C-could we do this some other t-time?" Drake asked. In rage, Walter shot around the couch with unnatural speed, grabbing Drake by the hair.

"No. We're doing it now." Walter growled,throwing Drake to the floor.

"I never wanted you. I have a son, and he's better than you could ever be! I'm gonna show you how much you're worth to me," He growled as he viciously kicked his step-son in the stomach.

Drake curled into himself, trying to block off some of the blows. But he couldn't, his stepfather was too strong for him. He felt himself start to lose conscious, and the darkness looked so welcoming.

Suddenly memories started coming back. Memories he had tried his best to forget. One after the other they closed in on him. Each carried their own pain, all different but all with one goal. To hurt. To cause pain.

A five year old boy clothed in rags with short brown hair was thrown into the wall. He cried out for his mother but he knew deep down she wouldn't come. She never came.

"I'm going to make you regret you were ever born," Walter hissed between clenched teeth as he took his belt off and raised it high into the air. Drake cringed, he knew he couldn't get out of the way in time; it was inevitable.

As the belt came down on the young teens back, the pain was unbearable. It was a type of pain that made you wish for death. Welcome death.

The boy felt the belt hit his bare back, and he screamed. He didn't know what he did to deserve such pain.

"Because of you I have no job! All because of you!" Each word was followed by the belt slapping Drake.

To stop from screaming out, Drake bit the side of his cheek. Soon the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth.

"You're going to regret ever being born, boy." The short man spat. The small boy lay on the gorund, blood starting to seep through his torn shirt. He looked no older than seven.

Suddenly a shout came from the other side of the room. The small boy, Drake, managed to sit up. He saw his older brother making his way towards their father.

"You leave him alone, you monster!" His brother yelled, anger racing through his eyes.

"Don't make me hurt you too, Zack! Just stay out of this!"

"I refuse to stand aside and let you hurt my brother!" Zack shouted, standing between Drake and their father.

"Then I do not regret doing this!" At that their father jumped on Zack. Each trying to be the one on top. Zack managed to land some blows, but not nearly enough as their father. Eventuallythe older brotherbecame weak, and the man he had once called father was now on top of him; about to land the final blow.

"No! Daddy, please no!" Drake screamed, racing to his brother's side. Ignoring his son, he raised his fist and let it come down on the face of his older son.

Satisfied, he got off the teen and grabbed Drake. He threw the poor boy into his room as hard as he could; slamming the door behind him.

It was at that time Drake knew his brother was dead. The kind heart of Zachary Parker was no more.

"Did you hear me? I said get out of here before I change my mind! And if a single soul hears of this then we'll have another...lesson," Walter sneered, plopping himself down on the couch. Drake knew he couldn't tell a soul. He knew he couldn't let what happened to his brother happen to anyone ever again.

Gathering up his strength, Drake slowly stood up; gasping in agony. He had forgotten how much a belt hurt. Slowly he made his way up stairs, taking each step at a time. By the time he made it to the top he was completely out of breath, and nearly crawling on the floor. His legs hurt, his stomach hurt, his back hurt. Pretty much everything hurt. But he was use to the pain.

Too tired to even think of taking a nice warm shower, Drake crawled to his bedroom. The ladder seperating his bed from the floor would be too hard a task for the teen at the moment, so he fell onto the bedroom couch.

As he tried not to breathe, Drake began to think about his past. About his brother.

'It's all my fault he's dead. If I hadn't been born then he wouldn't have died. I'm just a mistake, dad was right,' Drake thought.

Tears filled his eyes. The police had never found Zachary, his mother still thought the teen had ran away. His father had gotten away with murder.

Shaking his head, Drake closed his eyes. He didn't want to think of his past anymore. He was tired of thinking of the past. But he knew that now that he had unburied them they would forever haunt him.

That night he didn't go to sleep. Instead, Drake cried. Cried for hours and hours for the loss of his brother, for the loss of an innocent soul never laid to rest.

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Around two in the morning, Josh woke up because he was thirsty. Walking down the hall, a noise made him freeze. It was the sound of someone crying and crying hard.

Interested now, he walked closer to where the sound was coming from. He became concerned when he heard it coming from his brother's room.

Slowly opening the door, he looked around for his brother but couldn't find him. And then...Josh saw his brother.Drake was lying on the couch all curled up sobbing. Not wanting to disturb Drake, Josh quietly closed the door and went back to his own room; forgetting about his thirst.

'Why was Drake crying?' He asked himself.

Yeah, lately he had been a bit off and then he was cutting...but Josh had never seen him cry. And it wasn't something he wanted to see. He was use to his brother being so strong and seeing that emotional wreck lying on the couch was just...shocking.

Josh closed his eyes and prayed for sleep, hoping it wouldcomefast so he wouldn't have to hear the sobs coming from down the hall.

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Finally as the sun began to rise Drake was exhuasted and fell into a restless sleep.

'It's all your fault I'm dead, I should never have protected you! I should never have tried saving you! Because of you I am dead!' Zachary roared. Drake shook his head, muttering no, but to no avail. Zachary filled his mind. Drake was overwhelmed with regret.

As the nightmares slowly ended, and Drake's eyes opened only one thought filled him.

Because of him his brother was dead. All because of him.