Chapter 8

Tyler opened his eyes. The pain was overwhelming. Thoughts of his near rape exploded in his head, and he sobbed. Why couldn't his brothers help him? He needed them more than ever. A thought entered his head and he sobbed even harder. They'll be ashamed of me, and want nothing to do with me now after what happened. The door opened and the man that had beaten and tortured him walked into the room. He was more frightened than ever, wondering if the man was going to do it again.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you earlier today. That was never in the plans." Ridge said reaching over and pushing the boy's hair off of his forehead.

He pulled his hand back seeing the boy flinch violently. The other three son's of Ipswich were in his office waiting to see their brother.

"If I'd of known how much Raven liked you, I'd of never kidnapped you. I know this probably doesn't mean much to you, but I'm sorry!"

Tyler looked at the man fearing he would attack him again.

"I won't hurt you again!" Ridge said. "Your brothers are here, I'll let them come in now."

Tyler couldn't believe his ears. Raven liked him, and now his brothers were here. Secretly he had harbored a crush on her for the last year. It seemed like an eternity before his brothers rushed into the room. Tyler couldn't stop the sobs that came tumbling out.

"Tyler…" Reid said paling seeing the condition that his best friend and brother by everything but blood was in.

Chandler Knight and Marcus Wainwright came into the room and cut the bonds off of Tyler and exited the room. They didn't want to stay too long seeing the glares that were being thrown their way.

Caleb hurried to Tyler's side and tenderly cupped Tyler's cheek in his hand. His eyes burned with anger, as he gingerly pulled Tyler up and into his arms and held him as he sobbed. Reid and Pogue joined them putting comforting hands on Tyler's back.

"We're so sorry Tyler for letting you go alone, and not listening to you when u needed us. Were sorry for leaving you behind!" Caleb said letting his tears flow as he held his broken friend in his arms.

"Please don't leave me!" Tyler begged his brothers.

"No way in hell Tyler are we leaving you behind again!" Reid promised. "I'll never call you baby boy again either!"

They all saw the fear in Tyler's eyes when he said baby boy. Reid pulled Tyler into his arms. "I'm so sorry Tyler!" he said with tears pouring down. Caleb and Pogue put their arms around Tyler holding him in a protective circle. Moments later a scream shattered their reunion. None of them moved from the embrace though as they heard the masters of Ipswich running through the house.

Ridge ran to his sister's room. She was thrashing around in the bed screaming in pain. Ryder was already there watching the blood pour from Chase's mark. Trey grabbed a rag and held it down on the wound trying to stop the bleeding. The blood soaked through the rag. Sloan handed him another. Nothing stopped the blood pouring from the girl. Moments later it was over. Ridge looked at his sister in horror seeing her take her last shattering breath. He fell to his knees.

"NOOOOO!" He screamed.

Rade stood in the doorway paralyzed. His twin couldn't be gone. He ran to her side. Trey and Sloan tried to hold him back. His own brothers lost in their own pain. He used his power to get through them. He grabbed a dagger from the bedside table and cut his own arm and held it over the mark letting his blood drop into the open wound. Sloan and Trey and the others watched in horror as the youngest Downing cut himself.

Caleb, Pogue, and Reid looked at one another hearing the agonized screams. They looked down at Tyler who had fallen into a restless sleep in their arms. They jumped hearing someone scream no in pain. They looked toward the door hearing no more.

"I'll go see what's going on you two stay here with Tyler." Pogue said.

"No Pogue, I'll go with you," Caleb said gently easing himself away from Tyler.

Reid nodded at the other two holding Tyler tighter.

Caleb and Pogue walked down a couple of hallways before finding an open doorway, and stared in disbelief at what was going on in Raven's room. They looked at one another shocked to see her dead.

Rade squeezed more blood from his arm, crying out in pain. Suddenly the wound closed and healed. Raven gasped for breath. The bruises disappeared from her face.

"I wasn't letting you go that easy Raven!" Rade said collapsing beside his sister.

Trey immediately covered Rade's wound and held down on it to stop the flow of blood. He looked around at the rest of the Downings who were frozen in shock. Ridge took awhile to recover before getting up from his knees and going to the edge of the bed. His sister was alive, thanks to her twin. He turned to see the Danver's boy and the Parry boy standing outside the room.

"Take your brother and leave. I'm so sorry!" He said shutting the door.

Caleb and Pogue hurried back to Reid and Tyler. Caleb took Tyler from Reid's arms and carried him out of the Downing house. Two hours later they were still sitting in the waiting room at the local hospital waiting on word about Tyler. Sarah and Kate had joined them and were silently crying being held by Pogue and Caleb. Reid sat there starting at nothing.

They all jumped up seeing the doctor heading toward them.

"How is he?" Kate asked.

"He'll be fine in a few days. He's got a few broken ribs. He's covered from head to toe in bruises. He needed stitches in his head and hand. Don't let him near a motorbike again for awhile."

"Can we see him?" Reid asked.

"Yes you may," the doctor said.

"When can we take him home?" Caleb asked.

"I want to keep him over night for observation; if nothing arises you should be able to take him home tomorrow. Now if you'll excuse me I have other patients to see."

Tyler awoke a few hours later frantically looking around. Reid jumped to his feet and put his hand on Tyler's arm.

"We're here Tyler. It's ok."

"Please don't leave me!" Tyler pleaded.

"We're not going anywhere Tyler!" Caleb promised.

"Not going to leave your side little brother!" Pogue said taking Tyler's left hand in his and holding it.

Tyler fell back asleep. The three others stood there by him for awhile. Their girlfriends softly crying in the background watching. Through the night Tyler would cry out in his sleep. That's how they found out about him being almost raped. They were beyond angry when they put two and two together. Reid's eyes were half black hearing Tyler cry out.

Kate got up and pushed Tyler's hair back from his face. He flinched a little in his sleep. She kept doing it though till he finally relaxed and fell into a deep sleep. Pogue gathered her in his arms and pulled her onto his lap when she walked back over to him.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear.