Author's Note: I wasn't too happy with the conversation between Bobby and Jerry in this chapter, but figured it's like a scab. Eventually you just gotta stop pickin' at it if you want it to get better. So…. After a third editing session I'm posting – even though I said I'd wait a week. I'm such a softie and also a big believer in not postponing pleasant experiences. And lord knows I love's me some reviews.

Thanks for the ones I've already gotten. You guys rock, don't let anyone tell you different!

Chapter 3

Despite the look of intense hate, Jack didn't take his eyes of Bobby. Jerry had gotten up too, with worry in his eyes. "I'm not using again,"

"Good, cause you promised Ma-"

"I know,"

Bobby allowed his eyes to make the trek across Jack's upper body. With every new bruise he felt his hate for Jimmy Buffalo rise. He'd need a gun. "Who else?"

Jack relaxed marginally. "I don't know. I never saw anyone else." A hand unconsciously reached for his sore windpipe.

"We did." Jerry piped up.

Bobby looked more carefully at his brothers for the first time since returning home. Jerry sported a large bruise over his right eye and chafed knuckles. He had put up a fight. Then suddenly the consequences of Jerry's bruises dawned on him. "They came here?" In a giant inhale he whirled down the stairs.

"Bobby!" Jerry was right behind him. Jack limped down slowly.

Downstairs Angel shot out of the couch and Bobby noticed the cut on his brow. "Sonofabitch!" He stalked over and grabbed Angel's face carefully. "I'm gonna rip out his fuckin' spine!"

"Oh yeah?" Jerry entered the living room. "And how you gonna do that?"

"Don't talk me outta this. They hurt my family, they're dead." He shook Angel's neck affectionately and earned a quick smile. "How d'ya feel, Ang?"

"Better, now that mother-hen, here's backin' off." He nodded to Jerry, who was helping Jack to sit on the couch.

"I ain't your damn momma," He jabbed a skinny index finger. "I'm yo' damn brother and I can still kick your ass."

Angel smiled, for real this time, and went back to get the coffee he'd made. Bobby arched a brow when he reemerged with four porcelain cups and a pot. Angel just shrugged. "Figured we could use some right now?" He returned to get sugar and milk, knowing Jack and Jerry used both.

Bobby felt the tension in the room as thick as cotton. He wanted more than anything to believe his newest little brother, but every instinct in him was screaming the same thing. Drug addicts lied. He'd known enough of them to know. "How long they give you?" He eventually asked.

"Till tomorrow morning," Jack mumbled miserably.

"And how much we talkin'?"

"Almost two grand." Jerry answered.

Bobby kept shooting covert glances at his youngest brother. Jack wasn't drinking his coffee. His hands were shaking from more than fear. "What we gonna do?" Angel asked quietly.

"You're not gonna do anything. I'm gonna go down and have a talk with Jimmy tonight."

"Hell no, Bobby!" Jerry announced.

"What?" Jack perked his ears. "You're going down there?" The voices dimmed.

"Hell yes!" Bobby hollered back at Jerry.

"Don't go. I'll go." Jack was hoping beyond hope his brother wouldn't make the same stupid mistake he'd made.

"What?" Bobby flashed a disbelieving grin. "Like hell, dough boy! You're stayin' right here and nursing those bruises."

"But he'll kill you!" Jack cried.

"He won't kill me, but if you show up with a hole in your pocket the size of two large, you bet he's gonna burn a clip in your ass." Bobby pointed.

"I don't care!"

"The hell you do!" Bobby roared back. "You got us into this mess, now how about you shut the fuck up and let me get us out of it!" He went to the kitchen and slammed his cup into the sink. "Shit," They heard coffee and porcelain shards spray everywhere. He stomped back out without a word. "Jer, I need to talk to ya." The front door was left open behind him.

Jerry looked at his little brother, but couldn't get Jack to look up. "Ang, you stay here,"

"Yeah…"

He left the house and closed the front door after them. Bobby was waiting outside with his eyes constantly scanning the street. "I need a piece."

"You'll be lookin' a long time then, Bobby," He crossed his arms.

"Don't bullshit me. I know you know where to get one,"

"Yeah,"

"Good." He turned. "You up for a roadtrip?" Bobby walked to the car with Jerry in tow.

"You gonna rage war against Buffalo and the rich kids, you better have a plan that involves more than ripping out his fuckin' spine." Jerry matched his paces.

"I do."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Bobby turned and confronted him. "I'm gonna take 'em out one at a time."

"No, Bobby you ain't, cause they're gonna kill you before you get the chance!" Jerry slammed the side of the car.

"You don't know what you're talkin' about! I've been doin' this since before Ma picked you up from CPS, so don't you fuckin' dare tell me I don't know what I'm doin'!"

"I'm not sayin' that, Bobby! Jesus! Just take a step back and look at this!"

Bobby turned and faced his sibling.

"You're stirrin' up trouble for all of us, not just you. Ma could get in serious trouble from this too,"

Bobby tried to keep his breathing under control when Jerry's words filtered through. He didn't know anything except for what he felt. His feelings had always worked for him. His instincts. Except in those rare situations where someone had stood up and told him his feelings were wrong. In those situations he wished he could just drop dead. "He's our brother, Jerry. What the fuck am I supposed to do?" His exhale made a small cloud in the chill.

It was Jerry's turn to take a moment. "I don't know." Bobby agreed violently, but was interrupted. "I don't know! But I want them to suffer as much as you do, man. He's my brother too!" He punched the top of the car again and scanned up and down the street, taking deep breaths. "As much as you or Angel. It took a while, but he's here. In my house and I feel like shit for ever allowin' this to happen to him in the first place." He glanced over.

"Yeah," I know what you mean.

"I feel like he's my responsibility, ya know?" Bobby nodded. "Like - Like I need to protect him."

"Like with Angel." Bobby ran a hand down his face.

"Naw, not like Angel, man. Jack's different."

Bobby rested both forearms against the driver's side and lowered his head. "Fragile," It was almost a whisper, but Jerry caught it. The pent up anger between them was draining.

"Yeah. Like he's been through a hell you or I'll never imagine and I can see it every time he looks at me" Shit. The kid had gotten under his skin. "… Not like Angel." He muttered and felt his eyes burn.

"So what do we do?" Bobby looked deeply into his brother's eyes for an answer. For once, not trusting his own feelings, but someone else's.

"We get Buffalo alone and explain what happened,"

"Alright," Bobby nodded. Jerry sounded so sure. So calm. Bobby wasn't near as calm. "Still want a piece though."

"Yeah, yeah," Jerry bitched quietly as he slipped into the car. "Where the hell'd you get the money for a piece anyway?"

Bobby shrugged and slipped into the front seat. "I got my savings," He grinned. Jerry smirked back, but it didn't reach his eyes. The car roared away from the house. If anyone noticed, they didn't care.

About thirty seconds after the door slammed, Jack hit the floor from exhaustion. He felt his knees give and a strong pair of hands reach under his armpits. "'M fine,"

"Hell you ain't."

He was shuffled and nudged up the stairs with his brother gently coercing him. "Why you helpin' me?" Jack looked blearily at Angel.

"'Cause you're family, Jack,"

"No I'm not." The words were out of his mouth before he registered them. "Jus' cause I've been here longer than anywhere else doesn't make me blood."

Angel sighed and lowered the battered teen to the bed. "You wouldn't be here if somebody didn't love you, man." He sat down, but rethought it. "I'm gonna get you some water for your throat."

Jack nodded and fell back on the bed. He didn't try to stop the low whimper that snuck from his mouth. He looked at the ceiling and felt his mind drifting off to dark places. His chest was aching with every shift and he couldn't find a comfortable position, but the adrenalin was wearing off and leaving nothing but weariness in its wake. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. What if Buffalo kills Bobby or Jerry?

"Here, Jackie. Take this." Jack didn't even hear him come up the stairs. Reaching carefully behind his neck and tilting his head up, Angel slipped a pill onto his tongue and washed it down with a small sip of water. Jack winced as it burned going down.

"What was it?"

"Painkiller. Nothing serious." Angel grinned. "Kiddy-aspirin."

"Fuck you," Jack rasped out as his head was laid back.

Angel chuckled softly and shifted his weight on the bed. Jack thought for a second Angel would leave, but felt a strange sense of ease when the side of the bed dipped under Angel's head. He'd shuffled down on the floor and was leaning his head against the mattress. "So, you feel like talkin' yet?"

Jack blinked against his fatigue and rolled his head to stare at Angel's short 'fro. "'Bout what?"

"About why you lied to us about the drugs," Angel didn't sound angry. If anything he sounded a little sad.

Jack felt a wave of tension billow through him. His muscles tightened. "I didn't." The objection sounded hollow, even to him.

"Sure you didn't."

Still, Angel sounded sad more than anything, but he didn't follow up on the comment. Jack was on his back, unable to relax. Unable to stop the thoughts churning in his head. "What do you mean?" He deliberately kept his voice calm, but knew it wouldn't work. He'd been with the Mercers long enough to know when they lied. He only supposed they knew the same about him by now.

"I went to check on you before Bobby got back and found something in your pack."

Jack swallowed.

"You sniffin' drugs now?" He arched en eyebrow and held up a small vial of a yellowish powder.

Jack cringed and tried to be as still as possible.

"Why, Jack?" Angel finally turned to face him. The contagious smile, Jack had gotten so used to, was gone and replaced by a sad stranger.

Jack looked down and felt tears burning in his eyes.

"Ya know Bobby's gonna kill ya,"

He nodded jerkily and wrought his hands. "I know,"

Angel sighed dramatically. "Then why you doin' it?"

He shrugged helplessly. "Dunno."

"Because of the dreams?"

Jack shrugged again and suddenly wished he'd done more to hide it.

"I hear you cryin' in your sleep, man." Angel confessed quietly. "The walls are paper thin. It ain't that hard."

A tear snuck down his cheek. "It helps."

"Yeah, I bet." Still he just sounded sad.

A soft hiccup escaped along with more tears. "I'm sorry," He saw Angel shaking his head from the corner of his eye and felt the warm hand on his shoulder a second later. "I'm not hooked or anything," He wiped his nose. "Just sometimes-"

"You need it."

"Yeah," He nodded. "I'm s-so sorry." More tears dislodged and trickled down his face.

Angel watched him without removing his hand. He thought very hard on what to say. Whether to comfort him or chastise him for making bad decisions. Hell, they'd all made bad decisions and one of the first things Evelyn taught each of them, was that it was never solely their own fault. The blame could always be shared so it was better to simply let go of it. He remembered that, best he could, looking at Jack. He knew he should've acted on his hunch sooner, when he first thought Jack was using again. He knew better than to tip-toe around picky subjects just 'cause someone might get offended. "I want you to stop." He said as firmly as he could.

Jack nodded, but knew it'd only last so long.

"I want you to talk to me when you have a nightmare."

Jack looked up in surprise. It was one of the first times in his young life he'd ever gotten more than just a direct order. He'd gotten a direction on how to follow it as well.

"Every time." Angel finished with his brown eyes boring into Jack's. He shook the shoulder under his hand carefully. "Hey."

"Yeah. Promise."

"Good." He let go. "How's the ribs?"

Jack grinned when his mind immediately summoned the image of barbecued ribs and he knew Angel thought the same from the twin grin on his face. "Better."

"Good," His repetition garnered another smile from Jack. "Get some sleep." Angel's own smile blossomed at the warm feeling in his chest. If being woken every night by this kid was gonna help him, he'd do it. Even if it meant getting sucked that much deeper into the kid's life. It was bound to happen eventually.

When he left the room, he glanced back and saw Jack flash a smile at him.

Definitely worth it.

11