ChaiGrl – I'm glad you like my idea, I'm quite excited about it! I'll keep updating, if you keep reviewing! XD darkdestiny2000 – I know it's kind of hard to picture Jack doing that, but his personality in my story is slightly different from the film. In the film, he's lived with a family and led a normal life for a few years, but before he was totally screwed and I guess I was just trying to show that. Thanks for your thoughts though! Mae – Lol. Thanks! Frek – Thank you very much. I'm trying to keep the characters as close to the movie as I can. Elven-Princess Ginny – Lol, I don't think Angel would have hurt him too much. XP Here's the next chapter! Zoe – Lol. That's hott. Thanks for the review.

Well, I've updated and here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think!

Chapter Three – Family Rules

"Lace them up tight."

"Bobby, I know how to ice skate and I know how to tie a pair of laces." Jack rolled his eyes and stumped into the ice boot. He had been with the family for only a day and already he was getting hand-me-downs.

"They're good boots and if I see a scratch on them I'll use them to shave your eyebrows."

Jack laughed loudly, but it dyed away as three men stared back at him, deadly serious.

"You're kidding, right?" He croaked. They turned away from him and made for the ice rink.

Bobby was kidding? Wasn't he? Wasn't he? Jack brushed off some dust from the toe of his boot and gave them a quick check over, instantly paranoid and worried for the safety of his eyebrows. He had played hockey before, so he felt completely at home on the pool of frozen water. He glided round the rink, spraying ice and darting between the two teams.

"Let's get this started, already." One of the guys from the other team yelled.

"I want to see some quick passes and Jerry? Get your head out of your ass and focus." Bobby clamoured. The game was on.

As the game played out, Jack quickly realised this was a game of hockey without rules. The men took any means to get the puck into the back of the net. Angel was tripped up and went sprawling to ice. He grimaced and jumped to his feet, skating after his attacker. He knocked him up to the wire mesh and elbowed his side viciously, before passing to Bobby. Bobby accelerated, keeping the puck in front of him.

"Heads up, Jack." He passed it to his youngest brother and Jack immediately found himself surrounded by two opponents. They looked ruthless and so did their sticks, but being the smallest, he had the advantage of speed and agility. He spun around one of them and ducked, coasting past the other. They kept up their attack, stalking him move for move, but Jack had made it past the half way line and was determined to finish it. With a burst of excitement, he worked the ice under his blade and inch by inch pulled away from the two guys. With only the keeper left he tapped the puck out a little more in front and with a cheer from Jerry, struck it hard and watched it streamline past the keeper into the net behind.

The teenager spun around to see Angel laughing and Jerry clap.

"You go, little bro!" Angel applauded. The two men skated past Jack, glaring at him. Jack just smiled innocently.

"You're not finished yet. Let's go!" Bobby drilled, going shoulder to shoulder with a member from the other team. Jack pulled the sleeves of his hoody over his forearms as his body shivered. His jeans were soaking and clung to his long, lean legs and his fingers were red and frozen, but he didn't care, he was having way too much fun to feel uncomfortable.

After another hour of playing hardcore hockey, all eight of them were exhausted.

"We won!" Jack yelled, throwing up his hockey stick. Bobby gave him a look of disdain, but smirked a little as he ducked his head. Angel punched one of the guys on the other team on the shoulder playfully.

"Good game, Marshal." He smiled and then Marshal hit him back.

"We're taking your asses down next time." He yelled over his shoulder as they skated to the other side of the ice rink.

"Did you see my shot? Did you, Bobby? I totally nailed that fucker." Jack gushed, skating around his oldest brother.

"I saw it, fairy. Now, hurry up and get your sneakers on so we can get home. Ma's going to flame us if we're late."

"Don't be such a wuss." Jack sneered. "You're what, twenty five? When I'm your age, I'm going to be living in New York in a Penthouse, and I won't be worried about curfew or making it in time for dinner."

"Yeah? And where's your money going to come from."

"I'm going to be a rock star." The adolescent said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Bobby laughed softly and shook his head.

"You've got a lot to learn, kid."

Jack frowned and ripped off his ice boots. He was going to be famous. He knew it. He just needed time to prove himself.

Jack was lost in a daydream as they all drove home. He missed playing the guitar. The foster home had one. Someone had donated it. It was actually a decent guitar, but Jack had to leave it behind, even though he was the only one who ever played it. Suddenly, a vibration buzzed on his thigh and he jumped in complete surprise, until his mind raced and he realised it was his mobile. A dull beep could be heard over the radio and Jack answered the call.

"Hello?"

"It's me." Evelyn stated. "Where are you boys? I said to be home half an hour ago."

"Uh, well, we were playing hockey."

"All day?"

"No, we drove around first and Bobby showed me some stuff to do and then we went to the park and met some guys and…" The phone was snatched out of his hand by Angel.

"Hey Ma. Sorry, we're late. We're coming home right now." He nodded at his mother's reply and clicked off the phone. He glared at Jack.

"What the hell were you going to say? We beat the shit out of a couple of guys?"

"Well…"

Jerry turned around to face him, completely amazed at Jack's lack of common sense.

"I didn't think she would care." Jack explained, completely confused at why they were all giving him angry looks.

"What do you mean?" Jerry asked.

"Every other family I was with didn't care what I did as long as it didn't cost them money." Jack laughed, trying to ease the tension. "I just thought she wouldn't care what we were doing."

Jerry shook his head and looked at Jack.

"The other families you were with were assholes and didn't give a shit about anything, but the money they got for housing you. This is different. Ma loves us and takes care of us like a real family and in a family there are rules to follow."

"Rules?"

"You know, home for a certain time, wash the dishes, don't break the law."

"Like, I'll have a curfew and chores?"

"Duh, Jack. What the hell's a matter with you, boy?" Angel asked.

"Angel, shut it." Snapped Bobby. He understood why Jack was so confused. He'd been through the same thing when he was first taken in by Evelyn. Going through your life not been given a damn about and always doing your own thing became so normal that when that freedom was taken away and you were faced with respecting authority and being taken care of, it was a strange sensation. Jack had never experienced proper discipline, except the abuse from drunken men and women, he had never learned to follow instructions and respect adults and carry out even the simplest of chores. It wasn't him being difficult when he was being told off; he just didn't understand that you had to take responsibility for your actions. He had never known to take care of anything else but himself and not through personal choice, but being the only option to survive his cruel and insufferable life.

"Look Jack, you're a part of a family now and you need to respect the house rules in order to remain in the family. When Ma tells us to do something we do it, how and when she wants it to show our respect. In return she takes care of us and gives us all a last name and a home. It would upset her if she knew what we had to do when we go out, although I know she 'ain't that stupid that she doesn't know anything about our 'business'. She's a good woman and we just want to protect her feelings and keep her away from all this crap. So, don't tell her anything about today at the park. Got it?"

Jack nodded, letting Jerry's words sink in.

"But aren't we lying to her then?"

"Yeah, ok, so maybe we are, but it's for a good cause."

"So, you can lie and do bad stuff if the intentions are good?"

"That's my life's philosophy, Jackie." Bobby glanced at him in the overhead mirror.

They arrived home ten minutes later and Evelyn greeted them. She had on her 'look' - the look that could shut down Bobby in mid-protest; the look that could make Jerry feel overwhelmed in guilt and the look that Angel ducked his head from and picked at his jeans. The look that was still to scare Jack into doing what he was told.

"Sorry Ma, we lost track off time."

"Really? Is that why Angel has a big bruise on his cheek and Jerry's knuckles are scratched?"

"Hockey." Angel offered weakly. She shook her head and walked back into the house.

"She didn't buy it." Jack shut the car door.

"You think?" Jerry muttered. Once inside, they all realised how cold and wet they really were. The heat from the house made their bodies tingle with pins and needles and gave life to their numb fingers and toes.

"You boys go get showered and changed and then you can help me make a start on dinner."

Jack raced upstairs to be the first in the shower. He grabbed a towel that was draped over the staircase banister and sprinted into the bathroom. Stripping quickly he leaped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed. Turning on the hot water, he shivered as it made contact with his frozen skin. The water rushed down his hair, face and back, dripping to the bath below. Suddenly the door opened and Bobby and Angel stepped into the bathroom.

"Hey! I'm in here!" Jack yelped, sticking his head round the curtain.

"Uh huh." Bobby said dismissively and placed his hands on his hips. "And you've got thirty seconds till your shower is over."

"No way! Get lost. I just got in here." Jack complained loudly.

"Twenty."

Jack ducked his head back under the shower and savoured the feel of the warm water.

"Ten."

"Fuck off you guys." Jack growled, closing his eyes.

"Five. You better grab your towel if you're the modest type."

"What?" Before Jack had a chance to even finish the word off, the curtain was yanked open and a large hand grabbed round his arm. He was hauled out of the bath and a towel was chucked in his face. The grip was loosened and he quickly tucked the towel round his waist, his face flushed with embarrassment and frustration.

"Screw you! That's so unfair."

"Quit crying." Bobby mumbled and removed his jumper and t-shirt. Angel stood in front of the mirror and checked out his cheek. Jack growled in irritation and stormed out of the room.

"Welcome to the family." Jerry said with a smirk as he saw the scowl on Jack's face as he marched out of the bathroom.

"They never even let me have a shower." Jack whined and clenched his jaw when Jerry started laughing.

"That's what happens when you're the youngest."

Jack slammed his bedroom door shut and slid another pair of ripped, dark jeans over his legs. He removed his towel from around his waist and towel dried his hair. He caught sight of himself in the mirror. His hair was dark from the water and it stuck out in every direction. He looked like a hedgehog and he suppressed his smile. He was still mad at his stupid brothers. He ran his fingers through the mop of hair and flattened it down slightly. Robert Truman had insisted he get it cut, but he liked the way it spiked when it was longer. He shrugged on a black shirt and buttoned it up half way. Then he put on his thumb rings and chain. If only he had his guitar, he desperately wanted to play it. He curled his toes, feeling the soft blue carpet under his feet. It had usually been damp floorboards or rough, stained carpets. He glanced around his room. There was a poster of an old hockey team on one wall, but the rest were bare. His desk had a picture of his family and a can of deodorant and wax on it. His bed covers were wrinkled and clothes scattered over his floor. He decided to trust Jerry's words and bent to pick up the clothes. He hung them up in the wardrobe and sighed thinking what the point in that was. He then pulled out a pair of black socks from a drawer and put them on. The room was like a five star suite comparing it to what he had lived in before, but it never really felt like his. Jack had given himself whole heartedly into being a part of the Mercer family and had wiped away his doubts at breakfast. He was now completely exposed and open, but he knew he had to trust these people and believe completely that they were his brothers and that Evelyn was his mother, to make it work. It seemed he was only taking baby steps, but by buying posters and making the room his, it would seem that he did live here and this was really home. He smiled and once again prayed that it wasn't just a dream and that he would be lucky enough to stay here forever.

Ending on that positive thought, he headed downstairs, falling back into a good mood as he helped his mom set the table for dinner.