A/N: Happy Monday everyone! Here's the next chapter.

Thanks to smilingagged, Dark Angel of Sorrow Returns and Bloodylilcorpse for reviewing the last chapter. :)

"Ok, let's start from the scene in the living room…" Trent began the rehearsal.

"Where the heck is Mike? He should've been here an hour ago!" Duncan wondered aloud, annoyed his co-actor was late. He was onstage in costume, a navy blue shirt and brown pants with black shoes. He was playing the oldest of the five siblings in the play.

"Don't worry. Maybe he got caught up with stuff at home. It's been rough for him since his mother died." Zoey walked onto the stage and put her hand on her fiancée's shoulder, a measuring tape around her neck, and offered a smile. She was one of two costume designers/makers for the production, the other being Brick, who was busy in the costume room waiting for Mike to show.

"Right, forgot. Sorry." Duncan was sincere as he rubbed his neck and looked apologetically at Zoey.

"Come on, you guys! I can't be expected to work like this! If Mike doesn't get here soon, my makeup will start running!" Dakota complained, also in her costume of a blue dress with a white apron.

"Calm down, everyone. I'm sure he'll be along shortly." Trent assured.

Mike ran into the theater, shirt ripped, covered in dirt, and panting as he stopped and kneeled on the floor. He looked exhausted. "Hey guys, I'm here," he said weakly as he looked up briefly.

Everyone gasped. Manitoba Smith, an actor who knew a thing or two about getting roughed up by the elements, was speechless for once. He ran off the stage to help Mike stand and sit in one of the house seats. Others gathered around. "Who did this to yeh, little 'roo?" he asked, gently as he spotted Mike's blood-soaked and bandaged hand with shock. He gently held and examined it. "A snake get yah in the hand?"

"I.. don't want to talk about it, Mani." Mike replied quietly. He retracted his hand and went back to grasping it, looking at the floor and trying to ignore the pain.

"Manitoba, the rest of you, give him some space." Zoey sat down next to Mike and placed a hand on his. "Tell us what happened, Mike." Her voice was kind and calming.

Mike looked back up at Zoey, whom he'd been friends with for a long time and knew he could trust with anything, then went back down and started crying again.

"Don't cry, we're here for you."

Mike continued crying. "No, no one is." He choked out.

"What do ya mean? We're standin right here!" Mani asked, gesturing to the numerous people surrounding them.

"No, I won't tell you guys. It's my business, not yours. I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"You could never be a burden, Mike. Sure, you're annoying as heck and whatever went down with your brother that time is...questionable, but you're a damn good actor and not a terrible person." Duncan cut into the conversation.

Mike found Duncan. He smiled. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Duncan."

Duncan shrugged it off. "Don't get used to it, we're not best buds forever or anything. Now tell us what happened!"

"I…don't really know what happened. It was all so sudden-"

"Tell us, please." Trent inserted himself into the conversation and sat on the other side of him.

"I...I can't!" He started crying again.

Trent looked at Mike's hand. "We need to get you to a doctor."

Mike nodded, keeping his eyes fixated on the ground. Trent and Zoey helped him up.

"You're so dirty, you and Mani could be twins!" Duncan pointed out, trying to make a joke. It was true, Manitoba was always covered in dirt, from fedora to toe.

"'Mate, I'm blonde and Australian. His hair's darker than whatever cloud s'gone over 'im. We ain't twins. Though I gis we could be cousins." Mani replied.

"It was a joke. Geez."

"It ain't a funny one."

While those two had their little argument, Trent and Zoey had gotten Mike out of the theater and into the town square. It was dark now, so not many places were open, other than the tavern and a store selling nothing but hats. The doctor's office was open, however, so Trent and Zoey got Mike onto a bench just outside, and told him to stay put and wait for them.

Any reviews are accepted and appreciated. See y'all next Monday!