A/N - WHOA! That's a lot of reviews you guys! I was sooo happy, like a big high. I totally wish all my reviewers and readers the best. Please review me some more because your reviews keep this story alive! Hopefully you guys will like it!
Angel sat up in bed that night, sleep not coming to the young boy. He felt weird in other people's clothes, much less ones that didn't have any holes in them. He was used to hand me downs, but these hand me downs almost felt new still. The sounds of laughter could be heard in the room across the small hall, and a light flickered on snapping Angel back to reality. Angel looked out the slightly opened door to see Jerry tiptoeing to his room. Bobby flashed a flash light into Angel's eyes and Angel squinted.
"Sorry princess, we're you getting some beauty sleep?" Bobby teased when he saw Angel squint.
Angel looked up annoyed and shook his head. "No?" Angel whispered.
"Come on, you want to know what we do around here for kicks little brother?" Jerry whispered. "Well put on some clothes and let's go."
Angel shrugged and looked down at his new hand me down clothes. "Where are we going? What's wrong with these?" he asked he pointed at his shirt.
Bobby and Jerry looked him over and frowned. "Nothing if you want to freeze to death," Bobby said. "You need clothes?"
Angel nodded his head looking down embarrassed. "No worries kid, ma always made us keep clothes for all kinds of occasions anyways. Come on," Bobby said leading Angel quietly back towards their room.
"Here," Jerry threw some clothes at Angel. "These should fit you. It's Bobby's."
Bobby nodded towards the clothes and Angel took it hesitantly. "Where we going?" he asked unsure.
"Just showing you what we do for kicks. Don't worry we're not ditching you in the middle of nowhere little brother," Bobby said noticing the worried look on Angel's face.
Bobby felt a burst of anger surge through him when he noticed he had hit a nerve. Angel was scared of being left alone. Angel was good at hiding what he was thinking, but Bobby had been there and done that enough times to know what subtle actions would tell him what he needed to know. It had only been a couple of hours since he had met the kid, but he immediately felt responsible for him just as he did Jeremiah.
Angel nodded uncertainly. "Ok…" he put on the clothes and Bobby handed him a jacket.
"Shit Jerry, we gotta go through the front door this time," Bobby muttered looking at the fall.
"Why?" Jerry asked. "Angel can do it," Jerry said pushing the window open.
"Are you fucking stupid?" Bobby asked indecorously questioning his brother's sanity smacking him in the back of the head. "You're going to make your own little brother jump that?"
"You make me do it!" Jerry said in his defense.
"You're fucking fourteen and five foot seven. This kid is ten and four foot seven!" Bobby whispered screamed.
"Fine!" Jerry said rubbing his head where Bobby had hit him.
"Ok let's just go out the front door. Ma's probably asleep anyways, so she won't notice," Bobby said looking at the two younger boys.
Angel and Jerry nodded understandingly. Bobby went down the stairs without making a peep and opened the doors. Jerry urged Angel to go who looked real hesitant eyeing Evelyn's door nervously before following Bobby down the stairs. Jerry went quickly and they said nothing until they reached the next block over.
"Ok, our goal is to keep you alive," Bobby looked down grabbing Angel's hands. "And staying out of jail. Capeesh?" Bobby asked Jerry.
"Well, where we going?" Angel asked looking up.
"What I do around here for kicks. And what I better not see you doing around here for kicks. Places I mostly hang out in and Jerry, but I better not spot you anywhere near these places," Bobby warned.
Angel nodded. "Ok."
They walked a couple of blocks before they got to the convenient store. It wasn't a bad place, but it wasn't wise to go on your lonesome. Bobby went in his hand securely tight on Angel's hand as he felt for his heater on the halter. He saw Jerry feel for his own heater and he nodded his head slightly to show Bobby he had it.
Jerry and Bobby never really thought about using the gun to intentionally kill someone. It was a self defense kind of thing. They knew how hard the streets got, and they knew how easily it was to be mistaken for someone else. It was also a good way to ward people off. The Mercer boys were never known to fight fair.
"Place one, pretty safe, but you need to be with someone at all times. Ask me or Jerry, we'll bring you if you need. Ask ma if we don't say yes," Bobby said grabbing for some candy.
"And pout a lot and give puppy dog eyes," Jerry added.
"Now what?" Angel asked as Bobby held his hand tightly weaving through the isles.
"Now I'm getting chips," Bobby said reaching for a bag of twenty five cent chips.
"I'm getting me some Kools," Jerry said flashing the Indian guy behind the counter a fake ID.
"Yo Saddam, I need to pay homes," Bobby called out showing him his chips. "Unless you want to give it to me free."
"My name's Manuel," the man behind the counter said.
"Whatever!" Bobby said dropping twenty seven cents down on the counter.
"Two of you no out this late Miss Evelyn will be mad," Manuel said warningly.
"Yo! I'll listen to you when you can speak English Saddam," Bobby said walking out with the bag of chips.
"Dangerous hoodlums," Manuel called after them.
"Man shut the fuck up punk," Angel said annoyed.
Bobby and Jerry looked down at Angel and smiled. Manuel looked down in shock. They exited the store laughing their heads off.
"Yeah your definitely a Mercer," Jerry said laughing.
"Mercer? What's a Mercer?" Angel asked cocking his head up.
"Mercer, a no good juvenile delinquent that spends half his time on the streets, and the other half at home having their head chewed off by ma," Bobby explained
Jerry watched the car pull over at the end of the street and gulped. Angel and Bobby watched Jerry as he headed off towards the car, a hand out of his pocket in a less than subtle manner.
"Damn it Jerry!" Bobby said. "Who the fuck are these people?" Bobby asked pushing Angel behind him and grabbing for his own heater. "Hey, Angel, go back to the store. Ask to go to the bathroom or something I'll come get you there. Whatever you do, stay out of sight!"
Angel looked up at Bobby who already seemed to have forgotten he was there as he caught up with Jerry, his hand near his heater. Bobby's heart pumped as they both neared the car, making a mental note to kill Jerry later.
"Sup boys?" Bobby asked coolly leaning onto the car.
"Hey Bobby," the older of the two in the car recognized the older Mercer. "You keeping off the ice?"
Bobby shrugged. "Yeah, what can I say, I was kicked off the league." Bobby licked the corner of his lip coolly, making him looked tougher. "So why you need to talk to my brother, Wes?"
Wes signaled for both boys to come into the car. Bobby nodded taking the time to give Jerry a death glare as he held the door for his brother. He gulped knowing that this wasn't good.
Bobby sighed and sat on the back coolly nodding to the guy in the front who tried eyeing him down. It took nearly all of Bobby to not beat the guy to a pulp for even trying.
"It seems your brother missed a couple of payments," Wes looked at Jerry through the rearview window.
Jerry squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He knew Bobby had his back, but he didn't know who would have his back once Bobby started nagging him. He could see the blind rage in Bobby's eyes as he fought for control of his emotions.
"That right Jerry?" Bobby asked his voice full of fake surprise. "You don't keep up with them payment of yours?"
Jerry gulped. "Yeah, demands a little slow this month."
"Bull fucking shit Jerry! You better not be fucking stealing from Sweets kid, or I'll pound you to a fucking pulp," Wes warned.
"Don't worry Wes. I got my brother. He'll get your money in by the end of this week. I'll make sure it," Bobby promised.
And that was that. Bobby's word was always set in stone. He may have been many things, but he was never one to break a promise. Wes nodded and Jerry felt his heart beat faster, if possible.
"Alright, and what collateral do we got?" Wes asked turning to looked at Jerry.
Jerry started to take off his watch when Bobby stopped him. Bobby took off his rosary necklace that his mom had given him and handed it to Wes reluctantly. "Be good with that shit, my ma gave it to me."
Wes nodded knowing how much Evelyn Mercer really meant to the boys. They talked again about useless facts and gossip that both knew they wouldn't remember. Bobby and Jerry sat as coolly as possible, hands still subtly over their heaters.
"Well, Jerry and me got to go," Bobby said opening the car door.
"Well here," Wes handed Jerry a bag full of pills and another full of weed. "Sell this shit this week. If you don't sell I'm not carrying you no more. Sweet's looking for blood kid, and it sure as hell ain't going to be mine." Wes told Jerry.
"Yeah, well just make sure he don't get my brother's blood and we all good Wes. I'll check you later," Bobby said closing the car door shut.
Wes nodded and started off leaving the two boys in the snow. Jerry suddenly wished he was in the car when he saw the look of blind rage take over Bobby.
"What the fuck are you thinking? You are getting way too comfy getting in bed with these fucks Jeremiah!" Bobby spat out.
"Fuck you Bobby. I'll do what I gotta," Jerry said starting his walk back to the store.
"You fuck yourself punk!" Bobby grabbed Jerry whirling him around. "Hey kid, you know you that you better not be talking to me like that. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you talk to me like that."
"Jeez Bobby, just stay out of my life!" Jerry yelled shrugging Bobby's hand off.
"Fucking bullshit Jerry!" Bobby spat out his hands curled into fists besides him. "I told you not to fucking mess with this shit, it'll fuck you up real good, and here you fucking up and you don't even fucking see it! God Jerry, I see too many fucking good, smart kids on the street getting fucked up with the shit you're selling!" Bobby cried passionately.
"Calm down. We need to get the kid," Jerry said stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Bobby scowled angrily, but didn't say anything else. He stuck a cigarette between his lips taking a long drag. He felt anger surge through him, an untapped protective side coming out as he stole glimpses of his brother off to the side. Angel was in the back like Bobby had ordered.
"I swear to fucking God Jerry, you touch one of those shit you're selling and I'll beat your mother fucking brains in so bad you will wish to fucking God that those shit killed you before I laid a hand on you," Bobby muttered.
"Yeah, yeah," Jerry said forcing a smile on his face as he waved Angel towards them.
"Freeze! Don't move!" A cop said through the speaker.
Bobby groaned inwardly. They had been walking in circles for nearly two hours now, when they decided it was time to go home. By now it was probably two thirty and both kind of forgot what Detroit curfew was.
"What's the problem officer?" Bobby asked turning to face the cop car.
"Mercer! Why am I not surprised to see you two out this late at night?" the cop asked opening the door. He searched Jerry first to find the drugs and the heater. "Why am I not surprised?" he repeated.
"Any day now Nick. You can stop fucking feeling up my brother," Bobby said angrily.
Nick immideately stopped. He walked over to Bobby and nearly pushed the boy on the car, nearly breaking the car window. "What the fuck Nick!"
"I'll take this heater," Nick took Bobby's heater out and unloaded it, stuffing the gun in his own pocket.
Bobby shrugged indifferently. "Whatever."
Nick returned to searching Jerry and grabbed the drugs out of his pockets. "What do we have here…?"
"What does it look like dipshit?" Bobby spat out.
"What about you kid," Nick looked down at Angel who looked up, a cool indifferent look similar to Bobby's on his face.
"What about me?" Angel spat out.
Nick rolled his eyes and searched the boy quickly finding nothing. "You another of them Mercer boys?"
"What if I am?" Angel questioned.
"Ok…all of you into the car now!" Nick opened the back door and all three reluctantly climbed in.
The rest of the ride was quiet. Once they got to the station few cops who knew them rolled their eyes at them and continued on with their buisiness. Some even giving each other money on bets they made.
"Alright boys, you know what the deal is," a cop from behind the desk said taking the phone from behind the counter and placing it on the counter for Bobby to use.
One phone call was all they needed. Bobby felt almost reluctant to wake Phil up as he dialed the number he knew so well.
"Phil, yeah it's Jerry, Angel, and your favorite person!" Bobby said into the phone.
"Where are you guys?" Phil asked rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes. He looked at the time. "Never mind," he said. "I'll get your mother and we'll come in a few minutes. Let's have something new this time. You're last excuse of we slept walked to the party is getting old."
"You know I appreciate it really," Bobby said as he hung up the phone.
He looked back towards his brothers and grinned. "Yo Luis! You still working in this shithole?" Bobby called to the police officers.
"Mercer sit down and shut up," a cop said passing the teenager.
"Make me!" he said back.
"Boy you're looking at one very long rap sheet for tonight do you want harassing a police officer to be added on the list?" the cop asked.
"Oh no please add that on my Christmas list instead," Bobby said sarcastically but sat down next to Jerry who looked terrified.
Bobby looked towards Jerry who looked like he was in his own different world, a somber expression on his face.
"Hey little brother," Bobby said gently.
"Ma's going to kill me," Jerry said worriedly.
"Naw, I'll handle ma. You just get the money," Bobby told Jerry.
Angel looked up from where he was sitting in time to see the cops bring in a small blonde boy into the station. "Check it out…who's the kid?"
Bobby and Jerry looked up. There was the same blonde headed boy from the store being led in towards them. New bruises everywhere and his nose still bleeding slightly. He looked terrified as he was led to the bench facing the three brothers.
A/N: heeeey you guys. I love your reviews so heres the shout to all you guys out there! I'm sorry if I messed this up but you know I love you guys! Please review again! If you don't want to read this kindly scroll down and just press review for me so I know you guys are still liking the story!
Reviews:
NoOne – thanks for the review! I hope you like this chapter! Continue reviewing please!
TheMercerSister – of course I'll check out your fic! Hopefully you'll review this chapter too!
Zoe – You're very much welcomed! You don't know how much you made my day when I read your review. It was awesome! So thanks a lot and please review again!
Angel871 – Hey, what are brothers for? Thanks for liking my story, and please review again!
Jessica – Well here's an update! Just review again please!
Nicole – heeey couz. Love you for the review…hate you for everything else D. lol jp you know I love ya kid. Juss keep reviewing me.
xOxHeavenSent – I hope you love this chapter, and I'm sorry Jack's not in it until the very last, but don't worry, Jack's definitely going to be a big part of the next chapter! Review again!
OTHlover04 – heeey faithful reviewer! Well hopefully it comes out soon because I can't wait! Well hope you like this chapter as well. Review again!
Kpstar25 – Sorry that this chapter isn't as long as the previous one, but hopefully you'll like it all the same. Please review me again! Keep reading!
Maigain – where does your pen name come from? I like the word rad too. LoL…well hopefully you think this chapter is a good one too. Review again!
Podkayne – I'm glad it made your morning better! Also, I'm happy you think I'm finding the character's voices. Please review again!
Manic p – well here's another chapter for you! I'm looking forward to another review
Jessica – sorry no jack in this one, but review again and you'll definitely see Jack in the next one. He's half the chapter! so review!
Zanderbaby45 – hey! Well thanks for loving the story, and if you review you'll see Evelyn mad! Man oh man do these boys know how to create trouble. Please review!
Lovebuggy – yes, junior year is horrible for me. Way too many homework well hopefully you like this chapter too. And I'm not sure if I'm going all the way up to the movie, actually truth be told I never really thought about it. But now that you mention it I'll have to think about it. Maybe add a couple more chapters to this already long story! well I hope you like this chapter, and review again please!
Darkdestiney2000 – Where's your update! I love your story! It's awesome. Oh and I love your new one too! I was thinking of doing something like that but nevermind because your story is completely what I was thinking. Please update soon both stories! Oh and a review would be nice as well
Supercaptain182 – It's good you think it fits with the movie. That's what I was aiming for, for their past and their present to make sense. It doesn't make sense that they are goody goods the entire story though, so I hope this still keeps them in check. Review and tell me what you think
Shadieladie – omg TOO funny! I was laughing when I read your review, but that's a good thing. I'm totally loving the fact that you still follow the story and didn't know what movie this is. Well it's four brothers, the one with Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson, Andre 3000, and of course Garrett Hedlund. If you get a chance you should watch it. But you don't have to to follow this story, because its before the movie. Thanks for the review all the same! And please review again!
Blush – Thanks for the advice! Hopefully this chapter you like as well. Please tell me what you think!
Chloe…again – hahahaha….no I love your reviews so much don't be no stranger. I'm happy this is keeping you pumped up! All the reviews are keeping me pumped up! So please review again!
this is the part you review!
-Liz
