Sorry to inform you that this is not a chapter, but it isn't an author's note either. It's a short moment from Rodney's previous life in this story. You can skip this if you want to, but it may explain to you what I imagined of Rodney's past in this story.
This takes place a month after Rodney's mother's death. In No one's Pov.
A too skinny young boy stood in the shadows of a small house, innocent sharp blue eyes filled with worry and concern as a small shape beside him released a ragged breath.
The boy's pale shaking hand clasped the girl's hand beside him. The boy had dark brown hair that just slightly fell into his blue eyes, while the girl beside him had long shiny black hair and blue eyes that mirrored the boy's. They both were covered in bruises and skinny to the point of starvation, there bones sticking out from underneath too-tight skin.
"Father?" the boy asked hesitantly, to the rather plump man that was sitting at his desk, typing numbers into a calculator.
"I thought I told you to not bother me while I'm working" the man said menacingly turning to them with a glare set in his cold blue eyes.
"But father, Danny passed out again today, he's starving..."
Without warning the large man's strong hand caught the young boy's face. His whole body moved with the impact as a bruise blossomed on his cheek. "I SAID THAT I WAS WORKING YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE-" he screeched and the boy flinched as another blow was thrown catching his temple and making him crumble to the ground in a ungrateful heap.
The girl instantly dropped to her feet, her hand held up to offer the boy help, but the boy slapped away her hand and hurriedly got to his feet, swaying slightly, and lowered his head in submission. "Of course, father, I'm sorry"
The father just took a swing of beer and turned back to his work.
The boy grabbed the girl's hand again and left quickly, pausing as his father's voice called, "And if I hear another peep out of you I'll tell Hawk that you demanded food again."
The boy continued down the dark hall pulling the girl with him. The boy's steps were unsteady and he clutched his now blue and black temple as he walked. He kept stumbling over his feet and his eyes were glossy and unfocused. The girl's pale chapped lips parted and she mumbled, "Brother, I'm hungry. When will he feed us next?..."
"I don't know, sissy, I don't know"
She then tripped over her shoelace and hit the ground hard. Her head had hit the concrete and her bright blue eyes rolled back in her head.
The boy crouched beside her, his pale hands shaky as they went to her neck to check her pulse. The girl's eyes opened and a soft moan escapes her lips. "Shh... sis. I'm here. Don't worry."
The boy gently laid the scrawny almost weightless girl in his arms. Her eyes slid closed and her head rolled onto the boy's shoulder. He winced as her ragged breathing caught noisily in her throat.
"I love you, sister, go ahead and sleep." The boy mumbled brushing the girl's blood streaked hair away from her now clouded blue eyes.
"Love ya'" the girl managed to mumble before slipping to sleep.
The boy kept walking down the hall and stopped at a closed door, slowly pulling it open and walking inside. He laid his sister down on a tiny lone bed with moth-eaten sheets. Turning when a small voice said, "Did you find any food?"
The boy's eyes met a small 5 year old. The boy himself was 8 and felt responsible for his younger brother. Yet he had to tell the truth, "I'm sorry, I tried, but I failed. I'm sorry little brother"
The younger brother let out a brief sigh before he muttered a, "I don't feel so good." And collapsed.
The older brother picked up the small shape and set him on the bed beside his sister, he pulled the sheets up over his siblings and whispered a soft, "Goodnight"
Then he released a heavy sigh, tripping over his feet and he fell onto the floor.
His previously steady sounding breathing became ragged and shaky as tears filled his eyes. He pulled his legs up and leaned against the wall behind him watching the world through dull glassy blue-grey eyes. His arms wrapped around his chest as silent silver tears trailed down his cheeks in rivulets.
On their own accord the boy's dark brown eyelashes fluttered together, and darkness enveloped him.
Thus ended another day in the horrifying life of Rodney McKay.
Don't fear. I've already started writing the next chapter, but this plot bunny was really determined to be written, and I figured that I might as well post it since it dealt with this story.
Remember Reviews, Favorites, and Follows, make me write faster ~Leopardfang