First off I just want to say how sorry I am for neglecting this story, and I feel so bad for leaving it sitting for so long without any attention. But now I am going to update and I hope that you like it. Please review and let me know what you think!

Also, this chapter is a little darker, so be warned. Nothing graphic, but I just wanted to let you know.

The song in this chapter is 'These Bones' by Dashboard Confessional. A really great song, you should give it a listen.

Chapter Six: These Bones

These bones
Are like maps and keys
Where they took their hits
And they felt those teeth

There's a story hidden
Underneath
If you dig in deep
Will you find relief?

For these bones
Shudder all night long
The hammer drops
Another scar
For these bones

But I know
They're only my second home

Ray was lying in bed, his shift that day not starting until the afternoon, something which he was grateful for. Although he had only had one shift, the day before, it had been a tiring one, both physically and mentally. All night he had been kept awake by thoughts of Eugene and his own father running through his brain, keeping his tired body from sleep. He had of course feigned sleep when Neela had whispered into the dark room, asking if he was awake or not. He knew that she had to work too, and he hadn't really been in the mood for talking anyway. He wanted to be able to handle things on his own, take care of something for himself like he had for the best part of his life after the death of his mother. He had always had to fix himself up after the beatings his father would give, no longer having gentle and caring hands of his mother to nurse the cuts and bruises. Rolling onto his back, his hand lying across his chest and holding the necklace around his neck, a ring on a chain with the words Ray Barnett engraved into the inner part of it, a gift from his mother the year before she had been taken from him, Ray felt his mind slipping back to a memory of one of the drunken fights his father had started with him, although he didn't really think that 'fight' was the best word to describe what his father did when he never really had the strength or courage to fit back against that monster.

Flashback

Ray was sixteen years old and sitting at the table in his room doing his English homework. He always done, not wanting to be any where near the other man, not after what he had done. Ray hadn't told anyone, his father threatening to kill him if he did. And Ray knew that he would do it, he was a cold hearted man who cared about no one or no thing other than himself.

Ray heard the sound of the front door slamming open, and glancing at the clock confusion washed over him as he saw that it was just after four O' Clock, surely his father should still be at work…unless

'Where the hell are you, you little shit?' James roared from his position at the door, wondering where his son was. He had gotten a phone call from the school informing him that Ray had missed over a week at school a few weeks ago, and after pestering Ray from a note from home but not receiving any, they had phoned James Barnett to see why.

The reason why Ray hadn't went to school was because he didn't think that he would be able to face anyone, even though they hadn't known what had happened, he didn't think that he would be able to look them in the eyes without wanting to tell them, to get away from his father.

Sitting in his room Ray felt his pulse quicken as he wondered what to do. He didn't want to go downstairs, what if his father did it again? Standing up out of his chair Ray ran a shaking hand through his messy brown hair, tears beginning to prick at the corners of his eyes as he felt the fear in him building up.

James Barnett looked in all of the rooms downstairs, and not finding his son there he began to thunder up the stairs, his heavy boots resounding around the quiet house and making the noise seem almost deafening. Coming to the door of Ray's room, James slammed the door open and glared at Ray with darkening eyes.

'What's this I heard about you missing school huh?' James snarled into Rays face as he grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled his face close to his, his warm breath, foul with the stench of cigarettes, playing over Rays face, and causing his already watery eyes to tear up even more.

'I…I…' Ray stuttered out not knowing what to say.

Letting go of Rays neck James punched Ray in the face, causing the teen to fall to the floor as his face stung and blood began to trickle from his cheekbone where James had hit him, the ring which he always wore on his hand breaking the skin, which was already beginning to show the signs of purple and black.

Bending down, James grabbed Ray around the bicep and pulled him to his feet before slamming him into the wall, his hand going around his sons' throat as he growled.

'You better not have told anyone what happened…cos you remember what'll happen if you did' James threatened with a smile on his face, loving the fact that he had so much power over his son.

He knew that what he had done was wrong, how couldn't he, but that did matter. All that mattered was the fact that he had Ray under his thumb and could force him to do whatever he wanted. Feeling Rays thin fingers around his wrist, gently trying to pry his hand from around his throat, James let go and let Ray crumple to the ground, his heaving breaths the only sound in the room.

'I didn't' Ray whispered as James walked around the room, looking at his sons belongings. Walking back over to Ray, James grabbed his around the arm again, hauling him to his feet just like before and began to drag him down the stairs.

Digging his feet into the floor, Ray tried to pull his arm away from his father, afraid of what he was about to do. Letting his tears out, the salty liquid spilling down his cheeks, brushing over the cut and the discolored skin, Ray said in a pleading, choked voice,

'Please, I'm sorry…don't do it again'

James ignored his sons pleas, not really caring what he wanted or about the fact that his fingers where going to leave a bruise on the skin on the thin wrist of his sons arm from his vice like grip as he trailed him into the kitchen.

Walking over to the fridge James pulled out a case of beer, grabbing one and downing half of the bottle in one go, then slamming it down on the counter. Letting go of Rays wrist, James slammed him into the counter, the impact causing Ray to fall.

Lying on the floor, his arm cradled against his chest, Ray felt the tears which where still running down his cheeks, and looked up at his father who had a picture of fury on his face. As James leaned down, his hand reaching out to grab Ray again.

'What the hell are you playing at you little shit?' James yelled and lifted the bottle of beer, finishing the rest of it in one swig. Ray was certain that this wasn't the first drink that James had drank that day, for he had reeked of alcohol when he had came home.

In an instant James had stormed back over to Ray, his fists pummeling his son as he shouted,

'Stop you're crying you little bastard! You're just like you're mother, a pathetic little fucker!'

Ray tried to cover himself from the blows, but couldn't and felt his entire body aching as James punched and kicked him over and over again. Lying on the floor a few minutes later, blood pouring from cuts which had been made with the same ring, on the same hands, Ray watched his fathers feet as they stormed out the door, probably going off to a bar somewhere to get even more drunk.

Pushing himself up onto shaky feet, Ray stumbled over to the fridge and pulled out a bag of ice, and placed some in the towel which was lying on the worktop. Taking it with him, he stumbled up the stairs and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him and going over to the sink.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Ray felt and watched the tears fall from his eyes, which were black and blue, a cut above his left eyebrow letting blood run down his face. Wiping a gentle hand across his eyes, Ray wiped away the tears and then began to fill the sink with faintly warm water and then began to gently wipe away the blood that was on his face. When all of the blood was away, Ray sighed as he looked at his reflection, his face a patchwork of cuts and bruises. He would have to think of another lie to cover this one. Walking over to the toilet, he sat down on the closed lid and lifted the towel of ice to his face, wincing as the cold hit his face, but soon finding its numbing effect comforting.

He had spent the rest of the night in his room, lying on his bed curled up under the blankets and sheets. It had started to rain and he had waited to hear the sound of his fathers' footsteps coming back. It hadn't been long until he had, and he had lain in his room, the dark actually comforting him, a way to be hidden away from everyone and everything.

Soon the darkness had been interrupted by a stream of light across the floor, but only for a moment until the door was shut again. Ray was lying with his back to the door and he only knew that his father was beside him when he felt the bed dip down behind him. His heart was pounding as he felt his fathers hand on his head, a gentle touch which was so unlike his father. Ray wondered what was going on, why was his father acting like this, a man who a few hours ago had been beating him. Ray however knew that this wasn't a gentle and caring hand when he felt his fathers hand move from his head and even further down his body.

Knowing what was about to happen, although it wouldn't be painful like a few weeks ago, Ray squeezed his eyes shut, felt the bile rise in his throat as he felt his fathers hand touching him. When James had left, after placing a drunken kiss and a slurred whisper of, 'same tomorrow night you little shit', Ray had curled up in the bed, letting his tears fall.

End Of Flashback

Ray squeezed his eyes shut and rolled over to his side, his back facing Neela. His hand was still clutched around the necklace as silent tears fell from his eyes which stared out into the darkness, a darkness which once had been comforting to him, a way to escape, until that one night, which had been the beginning of darkness meaning pain and fear.

Ray glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Neela was still asleep and then pushed the blanket off himself, and letting his feet touch the floor. Standing up, Ray tiptoed over to the door, and glancing back to make sure that Neela was still asleep, Ray opened the door slightly and slipped out and into the living room.

Walking into the kitchen he poured himself a glass of water, surprised when he saw that his hands where shaking. Making his way back to the couch, Ray sat down and took a gulp of the water, feeling it rushing down his throat as he stared out into the night. He set the glass down and lay down on the couch, his knees pulled up and his hand finding its way back to the necklace. Fingering the ring which was suspended from it in his thin fingers, Ray felt the tears which had been so frequent over the past few weeks returning, and too tired to even fight them, Ray closed his eyes and let the tears come, as he fell into an exhausted sleep, too tired to even be haunted by the nightmares of his past.

It was the next morning and Neela woke to find that Ray was not in bed with her anymore. Glancing at her clock she saw that it was still early and even though she did need to get up, she knew that Ray didn't as he wasn't on until the afternoon. Getting out of bed and placing her robe on her, Neela made her way out into the dark living room. Looking at the couch she wasn't surprised to see that Ray was asleep there, as he had endured a hectic day the day before.

Walking over to him, Neela took the thick blanket from off the back of the couch and placed it over him. Leaning forward Neela wondered why it had looked as if Ray had been crying, as he had not said anything to her, like he had said he would. Touching her palm to the side of his face, Neela watched as his eyes fluttered open, his green eyes locking with her brown ones.

'Hey, what are you doing out here?' Neela asked in a gentle tone, and moved to sit beside Ray as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, Ray looked away from Neela as he said in a low voice,

'I couldn't sleep…I kept thinking about Eugene…and my dad'

Standing up and walking around so that she was now kneeling in front of Ray, Neela took his face in hands and said in a gentle voice,

'Why didn't you talk to me, you know that I'm here for you'

Ray couldn't look at her as she said that, because he was afraid that he would just break down by the look of love that he was sure would be in her eyes, the same look that she would see if she could see into his for her.

'But I can't tell you…it's too hard' Ray said in a choked voice as he looked down after glancing at her face.

Moving so that she was sitting on the arm of the couch, Neela wrapped her arms around Ray and pulled him to her, his head resting on her chest as he wrapped one arm around her and held her arm which was wrapped around her with the other hand.

'I'm going to phone Luka and tell him you need a bit more time off. This was too soon Ray' Neela said as she ran her hand through Rays hair, fighting back her own tears as she realized that maybe she wasn't helping Ray the way that he needed to be.

'Don't…I can't stay here…and think about it…all day' Ray choked out as he sobbed, tears falling down his cheeks as he was clinging onto Neela. He didn't want to be sitting alone all day, the only thing to keep him company the memories of his past.

Rocking him back and forth, Neela placed a kiss on the top of Rays head as she whispered to him,

'Shh, it'll be O.K Ray…it'll be O.K'

But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if it would be.

O.K, I hope that you liked this chapter. And please review and let me know what you think!