"Okay Shawn lets try this again," Sullivan had returned as expected to get more information. Cory and Turner sat in the room with him once again. They had kept Shawn on his strong painkillers as whenever he was off them he became rather angry. "Shawn, what happened a few nights ago?"

Shawn was tired and frankly a bit out of it when he began to talk, "I got into a fight with Cory. I was just really angry for some reason. And Feeny suspended me, I just needed to go on a walk so I went to the trailer park and wanted to clear my head. I ended up falling asleep and," Shawn took a deep breath. "When I woke up Eddie and his goons were standing there, I ran from them. I knew what they wanted. Once they finally caught me Eddie cut my leg because I was fighting back. And then yeah." Shawn was looking down. He was annoyed about having to talk about this but just wanted to get it over with.

"Then yeah… what? I told you Shawn, I need you to say it." Sullivan said without looking up from his notepad. Shawns eyes were watery, but he looked up at Cory while he answered.

"They raped me," He said slightly above a whisper. Hoping he wouldn't have to repeat it. Cory looked disappointed.

"Have they ever done it before?" Sullivan asked, Shawn thought that was going to be the last question.

"What?" Shawn's voice almost broke as he asked that.

"Who is Eddie to you?"

Shawn hesitated, "My brother." Cory was shocked.

"Has he and or his friends ever abused you before?" Sullivan looked up finally. Shawn hesitated again before responding.

"Yeah,"

"Sexually, physically or both?"

"Both."

"Do you remember when it started?"

"No. It's been going on since I was like, born."

"Those scars on your stomach, did those come from them?" Shawn didn't respond for a second, when Sullivan spoke again, "Remember you're under oath."

"I never agreed to that!"

"Shawn just tell the truth." Turner interjected.

Shawn contemplated it, he thought about what would happen if he told them the truth. They'd find his dad and arrest him, and Shawn would never see him again. He'd end up in foster care, or with one of his uncles. Turner wouldn't adopt him. He'd be an orphan. He didn't care, in fact, he wanted Eddie to go to jail. But not his dad.

"Yes, they did."

Sullivan smiled and packed up his things. "You did a good job kid." He said as he rubbed Shawn's shoulder and left. Shawn looked back down. He was once again embarrassed.

"You hungry Shawn?" Turner said eventually, trying to break the tension. Shawn slowly nodded, still not looking up.

"I'm gonna go get burgers. Cory, you want one?" Turner asked, turning towards Cory.

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Turner." Turner smiled as he walked out the door.

"Shawnie?" Cory asked, finally looking at Shawn for the first time.

Shawn let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah Cor?" His voice cracked a little and he sniffled but he still responded. There was silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cory asked. Shawn thought for a moment. Cory wouldn't have made fun of him. He would've cared. But that's exactly the problem.

"You would've told the cops." Shawn mumbled out.

"Shawn, that needed to happen, you needed help. It went on for years!"

"And I've been fine! I was fine until now. Until all this, until people wanted to help. And now I'm in here, and I feel horrible. Bringing up everything. I was good."

No one said anything. Cory didn't have a response. He felt he was coming off too aggressive towards Shawn, when that's not what he needed. He needed his best friend.

"What are you gonna do now?" He asked.

"I'm not going to the police. If they decide to throw Eddie in jail then let them. But I'm not gonna be at fault for that." Shawn really wasn't sure what he wanted. He wanted everything to go back to how it was before people knew. When he was fine, what Eddie did to him really did not bother him anymore. It physically hurt him but mentally he was fine.

There was another bit of silence.

"Did it hurt?" Cory asked. Shawn was shocked by that question. Did he really want to talk about this? It didn't really matter.

"I mean, yeah. I guess. It doesn't really hurt anymore." Shawn knew how depressing that sounded but he really didn't care. Another long moment of silence. It was like you could cut the tension between them with a knife. Cory cared so much about Shawn. They talked about everything, but come to think of it, never really anything serious. Just a lot of bro stuff.

"Shawnie why don't we ever talk about anything important?" Shawn didn't really know what to respond. He didn't know. He didn't tell Cory about this because he knew Cory would tell his parents and then they'd tell the cops and it'd turn into this huge thing. He didn't want that. He still doesn't want that.

"I don't really know. We're just not those types of friends." Cory and Shawn looked at each other and there was no more speaking.

Eventually Turner returned with the food, meaning they didn't even have to pretend to talk anymore. They just ate. Despite the fact Shawn didn't talk about it, Turner still wanted to talk to him. It was late when a doctor walked into his room,

"Hunter, you have a visitor." Shawn was confused, who else would be there to see him. When before he could finish his thought, his dad walked into the room.

"Dad?"

"Hey Shawnie!" Chet walked in the room, and went to give Shawn a hug. Turner on the other hand wasn't real pleased to see him. Despite what Shawn said, he was still convinced Chet used to abuse Shawn. Shawn on the other hand was happy to see his father.

"Dad what are you doing here?"

"Well I heard my boy was in the hospital and I had to come. Shawnie what happened?"

Shawn swallowed hard.

"Can you guys give me a minute with my dad?" Shawn asked, looking away from his father and towards Turner and Cory. Turner, while hesitant, nodded and him and Cory left.

"Shawn what's going on?" Chet asked sitting at the edge of his bed.

"Eddie stabbed me." Shawn said, looking back up towards his father, he said it slightly above a mumble.

"Shawnie, don't lie to me. Eddie would never do that." Shawn scoffed, "I would never let that happen."

"Well you weren't here. You left." Shawn swallowed hard, they were in the hospital, cameras and doctors everywhere, Chet wouldn't dare lay a hand on him there.

"And you have. You hurt me. And you let Eddie hurt me."

"Now Shawn,"

"No. You did. You knew exactly what was happening, and you didn't stop it!"

Shawn was 11, they were inside the trailer, Chet had just come home from a bar and he was drunk. Shawn was pinned down on the floor while Eddie forced himself inside of him. Chet was sitting at the table, he had turned away but could still hear Shawn cry. He was trying to hide his face while Eddie whispered crude things into his ear. When Eddie was done he stood over a crying Shawn and kicked him in the stomach. Then he left. Shawn was forcing himself to stop crying. He waited for some comment from his father. When his father finally stood up he took a deep breath,

"Uh, it's late. Get to bed, and clean up this mess in the morning." Then headed into his room.

"Shawn, I…"

"Why didn't you stop it?" Shawn was trying to hold in his tears.

"Boy why are you crying?"

Shawn thought about saying something else. But he didn't want to. He layed back down in his bed and turned to face the wall. Chet waited for a moment before walking out the room. Turner was standing right next to the door, anger filling him.

"So here's what I don't understand," Turner said, catching Chet's attention. "I don't understand how you can continue to ignore your boy."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chet replied.

"I know when Shawn stayed with you, you hit that kid everyday."

"You don't know what you're saying,"

"Yeah I think I do. Shawn is a wonderful, amazing kid. And you beat on him every day."

"I love my boy."

"No, see you don't. You don't hurt the people you love."

"It made him stronger."

"No that's where you're wrong. Shawn is a kid, he needed to be loved and safe, not strong."

"I don't know who you think you are, judging my parenting skills." Chet grumbled, starting to walk towards Jonathan.

"I'm the one who actually cares for him."

"You better watch your mouth."

"What are you gonna do? Beat on me like you do him?"

Chet looked around, if they were alone that's exactly what he would've done. But they were in the middle of a busy hospital with people everywhere. So instead Chet took a deep breath and walked away