Title: Pain & Love pt2
Author: veiledndarkness
Rating: R
Summary: Sometimes the one person you trust the most can turn out to be the worst person for you.
Warnings:
This is by far the most alternate universe story I've ever started. Evelyn is alive in this one but all is not well. Bobby is extremely, extremely different in this story. He is similar in many ways to his character in Four Brothers, but this is a different side of Bobby, one that isn't fully explored in the movie. This is one way Bobby might have been if they had developed his character more and made him less able to deal with problems.
Final Warning: Bobby/Jack pairing.
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Evelyn had been sitting in the living room, her knitting needles clacking in the still air. Jack's cake was cooling in the kitchen, dinner was ready, and Evelyn's stomach was tightly knotted. She put her needles down when she had a flash that something was definitely not right. She concentrated hard, straining to figure out what it was, when she faintly heard the sound of a car pulling up to the house. Her stomach twisting and turning, she peeked out the window.
To her shock, she saw a cab in the driveway, and what looked suspiciously like Jack in the backseat. She grabbed her purse and ran for the front door. As she neared the cab, her hand flew up to her mouth when she saw Jack's face. Flustered, she thrust a handful of bills at the cab driver.
"Thanks lady. By the way, you might wanna get this guy to a hospital. He looks like he needs some help ma'am," the cabbie said before spitting out the window.
Evelyn's mouth was as dry as sandpaper. She merely nodded as she helped Jack out of the backseat. The cab driver drove off, the engine loud in the early evening. She took one look at his face and gripped Jack as tightly as she dared.
"Oh my Jackie. I'm so sorry sweetheart," she said, holding back her tears.
Jack glanced around in a daze, his movements slow and awkward. "Ma?" he croaked.
She pulled him indoors, cursing the fact that she had known that someday this would happen and cursing the fact that she'd been unable to stop it.
Inside the house Evelyn brought Jack straight to the kitchen. She sat Jack on the nearest chair, her hands shaking violently.
"Stay here, sweetie. I'm just going to get Angel. I need his help okay, just stay here." She said this softly, afraid of startling him.
Jack nodded absently, his face blank. She rushed upstairs and knocked frantically on Angel's door. She heard a muffled groan behind the door.
"Angel! Angel! Please, I need your help. It's Jack!" she called impatiently.
Angel opened the door and squinted in the light. "Where's Jack?" he asked, his voice thick with concern. Evelyn could faintly make out the shape of Sofi on his bed.
"Downstairs, in the kitchen. He's hurt, badly. I think it was Bobby."
Angel's face tightened.
They hurried down the stairs, Angel taking two at a time. He came to an abrupt halt when he saw the mess that was Jack's face. His breath caught as he took in the amount of dried blood, the awkward way his arm hung, the vacant gaze to his eyes. He swiveled around to face Evelyn.
"Bobby do this?" he asked, his mouth a tight grimace. Evelyn nodded jerkily.
"I…I think so, Angel. He hasn't said anything yet. Get me some towels please," she said.
She grabbed a large pot and filled it with warm, almost hot water. Jack remained motionless on the chair. She approached him slowly, trying to catch his eye. Angel bounded back into the kitchen with several towels in his arms. Evelyn nodded her head at Jack, and together they moved in.
She wet the edge of one towel and began to gently wipe some of the blood from Jack's cheeks. She rubbed in small circles, alarmed by the sheer volume of blood. Angel eased the jacket off Jack's arms. Jack sat limply, his limbs moving only when Angel moved them. Evelyn had her tongue firmly placed in her cheek as she wiped more streaks of red from his nose and lips.
When he was finally free of blood, Evelyn stood back to observe the damage to Jack's face. She sighed deeply at the bruises that covered his face, the broken tilt to his nose, the puffiness around his eyes. She saw an almost mirror image to that night from so long ago. The same night she lay in the hospital wondering yet again what she had done wrong.
"That shirt will have to come off" she said, a worried frown on her face.
Angel nodded. "If you pull it, it'll hurt more."
He studied the way Jack's arm was bent. "I say we cut it off".
Evelyn closed her eyes. She was afraid to see how much worse it might be under Jack's clothes.
"Alright then. Just…be careful Angel."
Angel laid a hand on her shoulder. "Course, ma."
She smiled gratefully at him. Angel took the scissors from her and began to snip the fabric over Jack's shoulder. He managed to make several large cuts before Jack began to stir. Jack moaned lightly and began to make feeble movements.
"No" he whimpered softly. Evelyn and Angel's eyes met.
Angel finished cutting the shirt and together they pulled the fabric off. Angel swore under his breath as he saw the bruises that covered Jack's chest, his ribcage a horrid mix of colors.
Evelyn let out a small sob, her hand over her mouth. Angel glanced over at her and gave her a weak smile.
"He'll be ok, Ma. Don't cry." Jack looked up for the first time and caught Evelyn's eye.
"Ma?" he said in a shaky voice.
Angel looked down at Jack's arm. "Jack, your arm hurt?" Jack glanced over at him, the lie automatic on his tongue.
"No" he said even as he flushed with the knowledge of his lie.
Angel sighed. "No, I meant broken, or just out of socket."
Jack looked away. "I don't know. Twisted I guess," he mumbled.
Angel looked it over again. It didn't look broken.
"Ma, we really should take him to the hospital. I can't fix this. Shit, I don't even know if it's just twisted around." At those words, Jack began to panic.
"No, no! No hospital, if Bobby finds out…" he trailed off as he realized what he'd just said.
Evelyn felt the first tears trickle down her cheeks.
"He won't hurt you, not anymore Jackie," she said, her voice firm despite her tears.
Jack hung his head, zoning out once again while Angel and Evelyn discussed what to do. He knew Bobby was on his way. He knew Bobby would follow.
"We have to take him Angel, this can't wait," Evelyn said softly. Angel grunted as he avoided looking at the dark bruises that covered Jack.
"What are we gonna say happened?" he asked finally.
Evelyn shook her head. "We'll think of something."
With that she stepped out of the room, her hands shaking with fear and fury. She called out to Angel to try and help Jack out to the car in a few minutes.
Angel gathered up the bloodied towels and dumped them into the laundry room sink. He struggled to keep from charging out the door and throttling Bobby with his bare hands. He closed his eyes as he rested his arms on the washer. He'd always known how bad Bobby could get, had seen the damage that he'd inflicted on other guys years ago. Bobby had always been the most vicious of all the boys in the neighborhood. He had been suspended so many times during one year of high school that the principal had told Evelyn flat out that Bobby belonged in a cage, not a school.
Now he felt sick to his stomach as he tried to imagine what had happened to Jack tonight, tried to picture what went wrong. He pushed down the urge to scream. Jack needed him right now more than he needed to beat some sense into Bobby. Angel went back into the kitchen and debated which way to lift Jack off the chair. He crouched down beside him and searched for the right words.
"Jack, we gotta go to the car. I'm gonna help you 'k".
Jack nodded as he kept his eyes down. His arm throbbed painfully as Angel lifted him upwards, causing him to whimper at each motion. He gritted his teeth as they started to slowly walk towards the car.
Evelyn sat in her car with her head down on the steering wheel. She'd never felt more helpless than right now. She'd always prided herself on anticipating what was going to happen and knowing how to fix a bad situation to the best of her ability, but this, this was beyond what she knew. She gathered her strength.
'Jack needs you now, more than ever,' she whispered while fiercely wiping at her eyes.
She let out a long breath as she watched Angel half-walk, half-carry Jack towards the car. She got out and hurried around to the other side of the car to help Angel.
"Hmm, I wonder if the front seat would be better," she muttered as Angel eyed the backseat thoughtfully.
"Nah, I'll hold onto him in the back. Gotta support his head," Angel said after a moment.
Evelyn nodded as she held onto Jack while Angel got into the backseat. Jack seemed to become more aware in the cold night air. He slowly slid into the backseat and leaned back gratefully when Angel pulled him closer. They drove off towards the hospital in complete silence.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
After parking in the lot at the hospital, Evelyn drew up all her strength for the questions that were bound to be asked. Jack leaned heavily on Angel as they walked through the emergency doors. A nurse came over to them and gave Jack a once-over, her eyes wide with sympathy. Jack kept his eyes on the ground still, not wanting to look at anybody directly. She turned to Evelyn then.
"Fill out these forms, and then take a seat please," she said as she handed a clipboard with an information form on it.
Evelyn nodded. She directed Angel over to the waiting area as she filled out Jack's information. A short while later they were directed into a secondary waiting room to see a doctor. Angel placed Jack on the bed gently. He turned to catch Evelyn's eye and shook his head at her. He then went to stand guard by the edge of the curtained off section.
Evelyn sat beside Jack and stroked his hand.
"Jackie, I'm so sorry this happened," she whispered as she moved her thumb in soothing circles.
He lifted his head, and gave her a brief, twisted smile. "Not your fault," he said, his voice still rough from his earlier screams. She let a tear slip out as she gently hugged him, wishing she could take his pain away.
After a long period of waiting, the doctor finally strolled in.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Walsh. Well, what's going on tonight here folks?" he asked as he flicked his pen. He looked Jack over and gave a low whistle.
"Jack Mercer? Back again?" he asked, his voice dimming then.
Evelyn whirled back around to face Jack.
"What?" she said, her voice rising with panic. She turned back to the doctor.
"What do you mean again?" J
Jack seemed to shrink within himself, curling into a smaller ball. The doctor paused as he skimmed through the info sheets.
"This is Jack's third visit this year ma'am. 3 times in three months actually." He adjusted the glasses that hung around his neck.
Evelyn's mouth dropped at the doctor's words. Three times?
"And the other times?" she stammered. "What of them?"
The doctor glanced through the sheets to double check before he began to read off the visits. "January 6 – severe bruising to the spine, two black eyes, fractured pinky finger. February 12 – black eye, swollen lip, light concussion."
He paused again for a moment. "That's just for this year ma'am. Not including last year."
Evelyn gave a choked sob as she stared at Jack in disbelief.
"Why Jack? Why didn't you say anything?"
Jack's shoulders shook lightly as he tried to curl up tighter. Angel paced angrily, his scowl deepening by the minute. He stopped and faced the doctor.
"How many times since the summer of last year?" he snapped.
"Ten" the doctor said, his voice even. Angel shook his head in disbelief.
"Ten times, and no one thinks that's unusual?"
The doctor sighed. He fiddled with his glasses. "We can't make the patients tell us what happens. Son, this is the inner city. We get so many young guys just like Jack. Most of them get beat up real bad cause of gangs and drug-related problems, even prostitution. These kids don't want to tell us what happens. All we can do is stitch them up and hope they get out while they can."
Angel gave an angry snort. "He ain't in no gang, you can see that just by looking at him."
The doctor nodded. "I'm aware of that son. I can't help Jack if he doesn't want to be helped. He never tells us what happens, he just shows up, we fix him, then after awhile, he shows up again."
He handed the nearest tissue box to Evelyn as she cried silently.
"I understand this is difficult for you Mrs. Mercer, but I need to examine Jack now."
She nodded, dabbing at her tears. "I understand."
She sniffed once as she stood, Angel's arm on her shoulder. Dr. Walsh placed his hand on Jack's good arm.
"Jack, I need to look you over."
Jack uncurled slowly at the doctor's soft touch. He began the examination.
The doctor sent Jack for x-rays to confirm his broken nose. He set the bone back into place and set up a small splint on the outside. A short while later they had the doctor's prescription for pain medication. The doctor spoke privately with Jack for some time before he sent him on his way back to Evelyn and Angel. As they drove back to the house, Jack sleeping in the backseat, propped up against Angel, Evelyn contemplated what they were going to do now. She knew it was only so long before Bobby would turn up and want to see Jack.
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Inside the house, Angel took Jack upstairs to his old bedroom and helped him to bed. Exhausted, Jack fell into a deep, troubled sleep almost immediately. Angel headed to his room, only to find Sofi rearranging his shelves. He mock-glared at her and cleared his throat. She took one look at Angel's face and held him close while he trembled with the need to cry, feeling unable to.
Evelyn sat in the living room, staring out the window. She had called Jerry and asked him to stop by. She gave him only the barest of details over the phone. He pulled into the driveway and hopped out, his body moving faster than Evelyn could remember. He came through the door in a rush.
"Where is he?" he asked breathlessly.
"Upstairs," Evelyn said, looking down at her hands.
"He's sleeping now, completely worn out. We still need to pick up his painkillers, but that can wait."
Jerry let out a breath that he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. He glanced over at the stairs. "Can I see him?" he said, his voice shaking a little.
Evelyn nodded. "Don't you wake him though Jeremiah."
Jerry smiled, his teeth flashing in the light.
"No problem. Just wanted to see him with my own eyes."
Evelyn gave him a sad smile. She followed him silently up the stairs, bracing herself for any possible reaction. Jerry hesitated at the door. "Is it real bad Ma?" he said suddenly.
Evelyn shook her head. "It's not good Jerry." He nodded.
With that, he pushed the door open quietly. On his bed, Jack lay stretched out, his right arm in a loose cloth sling, the other clutched tight to his body. Jerry's chest hitched as he saw the bruises, the splint on Jack's nose. He backed out of the doorway, his back hitting the opposite wall as Evelyn closed the door behind them. He looked up at her with dull eyes.
"It was Bobby wasn't it?" he asked. Evelyn nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears again.
"Come downstairs, have something to eat," she said as she guided him down the stairs.
Jerry smiled to himself. Ma was still under the illusion that he was always hungry.
"Y'know I'm not a scrawny kid anymore, you don't need to stuff me full of food every chance you get," he said, wanting desperately to see a smile on his mother's face.
She smiled wearily. "Old habits die hard I suppose."
Jerry laughed as he followed her to the kitchen.
"I'll make you a sandwich, turkey's fine right?"
Jerry sat down and tried not to stare at the pot of bloodied water still on the table.
"Jerry?" she asked as he sat staring at the table. "Jerry?" Louder this time.
"Huh? Oh uh, yeah turkey's fine Ma."
He looked down at the pot again. "Do you want to uh get rid of this?" he said, one finger pointing it.
She paled lightly then.
"Oh goodness, I'd completely forgotten that it was still there. Go ahead and dump it."
Jerry picked it up with the edges of his fingertips. He held it out away from his body and dumped it down the sink. He couldn't take his eyes off the reddish pink tinged water as it swirled down the drain. He sat down, feeling numb. Evelyn placed the sandwich in front of him and sat down in her own chair. Jerry ate half of his sandwich mechanically before he got the courage to ask her what he needed to know.
"How much do you know?" he said after a big mouthful.
"Close your lips Jerry," she said automatically. He closed them with a sheepish grin.
Then she sighed. "I know very little. I know that they had a fight. I know that Bobby hurt him. I know he managed to get out and took a cab here," she said shrugging helplessly.
"Anything else?" Jerry asked as he pushed away the remaining half of his sandwich. He suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.
Evelyn sighed again, this one sounding more pain filled.
"I also now know that this wasn't the first time," she said, her head drooping a little.
"How many times Ma?" Jerry asked, his voice tight with anger. Evelyn wiped away a stray tear.
"At least ten times," she whispered. "Probably more though. I doubt he went to the hospital every time."
Jerry sat back in his chair, his stomach heaving at the thought. "But why though? Bobby loves Jack, he wouldn't hurt him like this," he said then added, "Would he?"
Evelyn shook her head. "I'm afraid the only people who understand are Jack and Bobby."
Jerry sighed. "There's a part of me that just wants to rip Bobby a new one, and a part of me that's pissed at Jack for staying. Is that wrong Ma? Am I blaming the wrong person?"
Evelyn ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I wish I could say for sure what's right or wrong Jerry. I don't know why Jack stays. I know he loves Bobby. I know that Bobby loves him. Whatever happened, they need to fix it, but I'm not sure if I trust Bobby to handle things the right way."
"Jack's a victim, yes. But Bobby is a victim of his rage. He needs to control it, or it will control him," she added after a moment of thought. Jerry nodded sadly.
"So what now Ma?" he asked finally.
"I wish I knew Jerry, I wish I knew," she said while staring out the door.
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Jack awoke several hours later. He blinked at the ceiling groggily, his tongue thick in his mouth. 'Where am I?' he thought. His head whirled when he tried to sit up. Groaning, he flopped back down on the bed. He glanced around the room and relaxed when he saw the familiar pictures on the wall.
"I'm home," he whispered, overcome with the urge to scream.
Jack closed his eyes when he felt the first stirrings of panic in his stomach. He remembered now, the arguing, the beating, him making it to the cab and the look on his mother's face. He cringed at the thought of how bad his face must have looked. He'd seen his reflection far too many times after going a round with Bobby.
Suddenly aware of his full bladder, Jack cautiously pushed himself off his bed and made for the door. He swayed as bright spots danced in front of him, dizziness making him weak. He started to reach out for the door with his right hand and his breath caught when he felt it flare with renewed pain. He looked down and shuddered at the sling that was wrapped around his arm.
'It's not broken, at least it's not broken,' he chanted to himself as he opened the door with his left hand.
He held his injured arm close to his body as he leaned against the wall beside the bathroom. "Don't check the mirror kiddo, do yourself a favor," he said, a dry chuckle forcing its way past his lips.
He clumsily peed, struggling to keep his aim steady with his left hand. Finally finished, he put the toilet seat down, flushed, and then held his head in his good hand. He debated the shower, and decided to hold off for now. His head throbbing angrily, he slowly left the bathroom, holding onto the wall for support. As he took the stairs, one step at a time, he could hear Jerry's voice coming from the kitchen. He smiled faintly at the sound of Jerry. He hoped Ma was there too. He stood in the doorway and shuffled forward a bit.
"Jack!" his mother was up on her feet in an instant. Jack found himself swept up in his mother's fierce grip.
"What are you doing out of bed young man!" she scolded while she hugged him.
He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as she spouted off about how he should be in bed resting, not running about the house.
"I'm not running," he said softly as she shooed him into a chair. He fiddled with his sling for a minute before meeting their anxious eyes.
"I'm alright, I promise," he said finally. Jerry let out a long sigh.
"Y'know Jack, I didn't see you before the hospital. But I see what you look like now. You can't expect me to believe that you're okay," he said as he leaned back in his chair.
Jack nodded vaguely. "It looks worse than it is," he said.
Evelyn gave him a look of disbelief. "Jackie, you know that your arm is in a sling right?"
Jack sighed as he slumped back in his chair. "And that your nose was broken and that your face, chest and wrists are covered in bruises?"
Jack winced at the list. He already knew that his chest was bruised. He could feel the pain every time he breathed. He closed his eyes briefly.
"I wish you guys hadn't seen me like this," he muttered. Jerry looked up at Evelyn, his eyes wide with shock.
"How long has this been happening?" Evelyn asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Jack flinched. "Since the day after we moved in together," he said, his voice low.
Evelyn recoiled as though she'd been slapped. She let out a gasp and turned away to grab hold of the sink as her shoulders shook. Jerry's face was dark with anger. Jack's eyes began to burn as he resisted the urge to cry. He trembled in his chair while he listened to the muffled sobs that came from Evelyn. Jerry pushed his chair back and stood, his hands clenching loosely.
"And you stayed? Why? What the fuck are you thinking Jack?" Jerry yelled.
Jack's eyes flashed then. "I knew you wouldn't understand, any of you. Bobby protects me, he loves me and keeps me safe," he said, his chin raised in defiance.
"Keeps you safe? Huh? From himself? Are you so blind that you can't see how wrong this is? What he's doing is not what's normal!" Jerry snapped at him.
Jack made a scoffing sound. "Like you know what's normal. None of us know what's normal. We're all too fucked up to know what normal is! Don't you fuckin' preach to me Jerry!"
At that moment Angel walked through the kitchen doorway to the fridge. He could feel the angry vibe in the room, the tension thick in the air.
"The hell you guys yellin' about," he said as he poured himself a glass of juice. Evelyn wiped at her face with a dish towel.
Jerry spun around and pointed a finger accusingly back at Jack. "This crazy white boy thinks it's normal to get the shit kicked out of you by someone who 'loves' you!" he snarled.
Angel glanced over at Jack, saw how pale his face was under the bruises, and saw how he was biting his lips, the way he stared at the table with anger in his eyes.
"That true Jack?" he asked calmly.
Jack lips thinned until they were hardly visible. He sighed after a moment.
"You guys just don't understand. Bobby...he's not always like this. Most of the time, we're good together. He loves me, more than you know."
Evelyn sniffled. "Jackie, we only want what's best for you and for Bobby."
"Maybe I don't want you guys to decide for me. I'm not a kid anymore. I can make my own mistakes!" Jack said, his face hot with frustration.
"Let me handle my problems on my own," he snapped as he awkwardly stood up. He started to head for the doorway when he heard Angel call out.
"What if your mistakes kill you man? You ever think of that?"
Jack hunched his shoulders as he continued walking, his eyes brimming with furious tears. Angel gulped the last of his juice before tossing the plastic cup in the sink.
"We gotta get them some help or somethin'. This just isn't right," Jerry said.
"And you telling him that he's wrong and accusing him isn't going to help Jeremiah!" Evelyn said as she sat back down on one of the chairs. Jerry hung his head in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry Ma. I didn't...I just got mad, y'know. He just takes it and lets Bobby do this," Jerry said, trailing off helplessly.
Angel nodded his head in agreement. "How do you fix something when the person doesn't want to be helped?" he asked.
Evelyn shook her head slowly. "I don't know where to begin boys. All I know is that simplest answer is never the easiest." Her eyes had a haunted look to them.
A silence drifted over the kitchen, each person lost in their thoughts. The sound of an engine revving in the street broke the silence. Evelyn whipped her head around. She knew the sound of that engine anywhere. Angel went over to the living room window and peered out.
"It's him," he said flatly.
Evelyn and Jerry stood in the living room and watched Angel head out to stop Bobby before he got inside the house. Bobby was a sight to see, his stride determined, his hands clenched in fists.
"What do you think he'll do?" Jerry muttered. Evelyn loosely clasped her hands together.
"Please don't let them hurt each other," she prayed softly.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Jack pulled the curtain back a little bit when he heard angry shouting on the front lawn. His mouth fell open when he saw Bobby and Angel yelling at each other. His heart hammering in his chest, he pushed the window out a bit so he could hear what they were saying.
Angel stood imposingly in front of the house with his arms crossed over his chest, every inch the marine. He stared down at Bobby, his lips set in a firm line, dark eyes glinting with anger. Bobby paced back and forth in front of him, his hands gesturing wildly.
"The fuck Angel! Lemme in! You can't fuckin' stop me!"
Angel shook his head. "No" he said softly.
Bobby let loose another stream of swears as he threatened Angel.
"I know what you did Bobby. That's why you ain't comin' in".
Bobby froze mid-step. He turned to face Angel.
"What did he tell you?" he asked slowly. Angel stared hard at him for a moment.
Then he looked away, and sighed. "Enough."
Bobby caught a movement behind Angel. He saw Jerry open the door a bit, his equally angry eyes staring him down.
"Look, what happened ain't any of your business. It's between me and Jack, not yours, not Jerry's and not Ma's. Either you bring him down or I'm going up there to get him, so fuckin' help me," Bobby said, his body heaving as he yelled.
Angel locked eyes with Bobby. "Or else what? You gonna hit me too?"
Bobby snorted. "Like I'd really hit you Angel, though I gotta say, it's pretty tempting right now".
He kicked at the ground for a second. Angel looked up at bedroom window and saw the curtains twitch. He mentally counted to ten before speaking.
"You're not gonna do this shit anymore, least of all to Jackie. He doesn't need you or your shit. I sure as fuck ain't gonna let you hurt him again. You gotta get out of here, cause you're not gonna see him anytime soon."
Bobby lunged at Angel and tried to pull him down with him.
Bobby swung his fist as hard as he could, throwing punches, grunting when Angel hit back. Over his own screams he could hear a woman shrieking. 'Fuckin' La Vida Loca' he thought angrily as he kneed Angel in the stomach.
He felt small hands yanking on his coat and he reeled back with a yell, ready to hit whoever got too close. His face red with fury, he stopped mid-yell when he saw his mother's face. He could just faintly hear the sound of her voice pleading with him over the roar in his ears.
The world moved in slow motion around him, colors blurred, everything was slowed down. He turned his head to see Jerry holding Sofi back from the fight, Angel shaking him, telling him to calm down, saw the tears that rolled down his mother's cheeks. Angel grabbed him with both arms and held him tightly while he was distracted. He struggled for a moment, fighting the hold that Angel had on him. He tilted his head back long enough to see Jack in the doorway now, eyes wide with horror, and the bruises that covered his face. He dropped his head in shame as he stopped fighting and sagged weakly against Angel, mumbling apologies that sounded empty even to him.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Angel had sent Sofi home as soon as he had Bobby under control. He had locked Bobby into Evelyn's room with a warning that if he tried to get out, they'd call the cops. Jerry had led Evelyn indoors. Jack had run upstairs the second the fighting had stopped, his sobs still clearly heard hours later as he took refuge in his room.
Jack was inconsolable that night. He stayed in his old bedroom, rocking in a corner as he screwed his eyes shut while he tried to block the images from his mind. They replayed in his head over and over, a constant stream that tore at him. When his legs had gone numb, he'd staggered over to his bed and sobbed weakly into his pillow, gagging on the taste of his tears. He fell into an exhausted sleep some time later, his dreams following him.
Evelyn had sat at the table, her hands trembling while Jerry pushed a cup of tea into her hands. She wanted to weep and she wanted to rage at the same time. They sat in silence as Evelyn tried to get her shaky hands under control. Angel pulled a chair out from the kitchen and sat in front of the bedroom door. He insisted on keeping an eye on Bobby.
After a long pause, she lifted her head and met Jerry's eyes. "Do you think it was the right thing to do?" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Jerry nodded and sighed. "You can only do what needs to be done," he offered. She stared off into space.
"I didn't know what else to do. I've never questioned myself after making a choice, but I just willingly allowed Bobby to come into the house while the person that he abuses weeps upstairs. I don't think I could have forgiven myself if it was me of all people to send Bobby to jail. I just hope I made the right choice," she said sadly, tears glistening in her eyes.
Jerry shook his head. "Ma, you did what you had to do. If this was the wake up call that Bobby needed, so be it. You can't keep savin' him. He's gotta want to save himself. Same goes for Jack. He can't let Bobby control him forever."
Evelyn gave a sad smile. "You always did have a way with words Jeremiah".
He grinned at her, flashing his bright smile. "It's a gift," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"You want me to stick around?" he asked as he stretched in his chair.
Evelyn looked down at her tea cup. "No, you go on home. I'll be fine, I promise."
After Jerry left, she sat staring at the wall. She'd never felt more heartbroken. She dropped her head into her hands and struggled over what to do next.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Bobby paced the length of his mother's room, his hands crossed behind his back, a nasty look on his face. His eyes flashed every few minutes as ugly thoughts ran through his mind. The initial calm that had fallen over him after fighting with Angel had faded, leaving him anxious to get out of the room. His upper lip curled as he imagined the looks on their faces if he managed to escape.
"How dare they keep me from Jack!" he fumed angrily as he turned around and paced another line across the room.
Beneath his anger, his body was worn out from the tension of the day. He'd been set to surprise the hell out of Jack with his gift only to go and fuck the whole night up. He spun around suddenly and screamed at the door.
"You can't hide him from me!"
When no one answered he started to pace again. As he paced he let his mind wander, remembering everything that had happened in the past few hours. He could almost feel the rage rise up within him just thinking about Jack's defiance. Bobby stopped pacing abruptly as the memory of his violence washed over him.
He doubled over, suddenly feeling the urge to throw up as he recalled the bruises and, oh god, the blood. His head shaking, he brought his hands up to his face and saw the dried blood that coated his fingers. He gagged once as the metallic smell wafted under his nose.
Bobby rushed to the bathroom and began to frantically wash his hands with scalding hot water. He watched with morbid fascination as the water turned pink each time he rinsed his fingers.
"What have I done?" he muttered as he steadfastly ignored the tears that had begun to roll down his face. He stumbled backwards from the bathroom, still staring at his dripping hands. The blood had almost all been washed off.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes. He focused on bringing his breathing under control. Long forgotten memories from various therapists echoed in his head. When he was sure that he could think rationally, he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. As he stared, he could have sworn that he could hear the sound of someone crying softly. Bobby bit down on his bottom lip hard then, stamping down the guilt that surged to life in him. He wiped irritably at the tears that still leaked from his eyes.
"Ok, so now what do I do?" he whispered as he sat, his head now tilted forward, eyes half closed. From the side, he almost looked like he was praying.
"For starters, you could admit that there's some seriously fucked up shit between you and Jack," a voice said from the doorway.
Bobby jumped a bit at the sudden voice. He relaxed when he saw that it was Angel, who was staring at him like he was a particularly nasty bug.
Bobby felt a fleeting moment of fear pass through him. He shook it off and jumped to his feet. "You can start by backin' the fuck off!" he snapped.
Angel gave him a level stare. Bobby glared back with a sneer on his lips.
"You deaf? Get the fuck outta my way!" he shouted impatiently.
Angel started to open his mouth, then stopped. He shook his head slowly. "Not till you listen to what I gotta say," he said.
Bobby rolled his eyes. "This I gotta hear. Well what are you waiting for?"
"Shut your fuckin' mouth or I'm gonna shut it for you!" Angel snapped. "Sit your white ass down."
Bobby gave him a dirty look but sat down anyway. He crossed his arms and let his foot tap with irritation. Angel sighed deeply.
"You know something Bobby? I never once tried to butt in your shit. I never tried to stop you from doing what you gotta do. I've always got your back though man. You know that." He blew out a breath.
"But this shit, this is too much. I can't stand by for this. I got your back but I also got Jack's. And you can't tell me that you wouldn't wanna rip apart the son of a bitch that would hurt someone you love."
Bobby snorted and looked off to the side. Angel eyed the ground then started to speak again.
"When Ma brought me to help Jack, I…fuck man, he looked like he'd been hit by a truck. Do you even know what you did to him?" Angel asked, his voice becoming more low and disgusted by the minute.
"I don't know why, I don't think I'll ever understand this, but Jack loves you. Even after you beat the shit outta him, he loves you and defends you to Ma, to Jerry, to me," said Angel. He wiped a tired hand across his face. "You don't deserve him, Bobby."
Bobby's face was red with anger, his body rigid as he held onto the bed. "Get out, get the fuck out," he growled.
Angel stared at Bobby. "You even listenin' to me?" he asked incredulously.
"I don't care what you think. I don't have to explain myself to you," Bobby spat as he glared back at Angel.
"You fucker. Did you know you almost broke his fucking arm? You know that would have just about destroyed him. He lives to play that guitar," Angel said slowly.
Bobby had gone as white as a sheet when Angel mentioned Jack's arm. He saw a brief flash from earlier that day, saw himself twisting Jack's arm up the middle of his back, saw the grin on his own face as Jack had shrieked. He stood up abruptly, his face pale, his hands shaking.
"I…where is he? Let me see him," he whispered. Angel started to shake his head.
"Please, fuck just let me see him. I gotta tell him I'm sorry. I…I," he cut short his babbling as he suddenly began to dry heave, his stomach clenching at the image that played over and over in his mind.
He ran blindly for the door, only to smack straight into Angel's chest.
"No. Not right now," Angel said firmly. Bobby gagged again as he tried to stand upright.
"You, you don't understand. Just let me go upstairs, I'll make it alright I swear. Just let me go," he said insistently as he tried to push Angel out of the way.
"No Bobby," Angel said, his voice full of regret. Before he could blink, Bobby was yelling as he struggled to get past him.
"Godfuckindammit!" he roared. "Let me go now! He's mine. I need to see him. You can't keep him from me! Jack! Jack!" he called desperately.
Angel held him in a tight grip, both his arms holding down Bobby's as he fought furiously.
"No, not right now. Later, you can see him later. Let Jack rest. He needs to sleep Bobby, hush now." Angel's voice had become a steady deep lull to Bobby's worn out nerves.
"Jack! Jackie!" he called out weakly as the fight drained out of him. He let out a harsh sob. Angel gently steered him back towards the bed.
"C'mon now, sleep and you can see Jack later," he said softly as though he was speaking to a child.
Angel helped Bobby out of his coat and watched as he kicked off his shoes. Bobby stared at the door, his eyes frantic still. He made another attempt to get to the door, only to be held back again and brought over to the bed.
"Tell Jack I'm sorry. I'll make it up to him, I can make it better," he murmured, his eyes pleading with Angel to believe him. Angel pulled the covers up over him and nodded.
"I know you will, Bobby," he said. By the time he got to the doorway, Bobby was fast asleep. He shook his head as he closed the door behind him.
Evelyn sat in the kitchen, still staring at her cold tea. Angel dropped into one of the chairs wearily and groaned as he massaged his neck.
"He's sleepin'," he said, seeing the unasked question in her eyes.
"Are you ok?" she asked quietly. Angel nodded. "I'll be fine."
He let out a hard laugh with no humor behind it. "Done more talking tonight than I do in most weeks."
Evelyn smiled. "Bobby's lucky to have a brother like you."
Angel grunted. "Doesn't feel like I helped all that much."
"You've helped more tonight that you'll ever know Angel. You helped Jack in one of his darkest hours. You stood up to Bobby and refused to let him make another mistake. You forced him to listen and kept him safe, especially from himself. All those things will help Angel. You just need a little faith," said Evelyn as she stood up from her chair.
He groaned lightly. "Sappy Ma, real sappy."
She lightly slapped the back of his head as she passed him on the way to the sink. "None of that Angel. Sentiments are never sappy," she chided gently.
Angel grinned at her. "Where you gonna sleep Ma?"
"I haven't decided yet," she said while rinsing out her mug. Angel thought for a moment.
"I'll take the couch, you take Bobby's old room," he said. "Sounds good to me," she said.
"I'll bring you some blankets and a pillow in a moment," she added as she climbed the stairs. Evelyn smiled to herself. She knew that Angel wanted to make sure that Bobby stayed in the room until things settled a bit.