Author's Note: Sorry again for the delay. I've been getting ready for college and going to court- no, not because I'm one of those kids. I've been working as sort of an apprentice. Anyways, who cares right?

The Bridges We Burn

Chapter Eight: Blue Blouse

The kid was cool. Bobby would admit that even though he hated kids- loathed them even- Jaime was okay for a thirteen-year old. Sure he had a bitchy mother and a weird ongoing relationship with his brother that he couldn't quite figure out, but that kind of made him interesting. That and the fact that he didn't act thirteen. Jaime acted more like a twenty year old, which helped since Bobby acted more like a twenty-year old himself. Or sometimes, he would admit, he even stooped to the level of a teenager. But nevertheless, they were on the same page, which suited Bobby just fine. He played the big brother role well. It was the other role- the father role- that Bobby feared.

"I hate you guys," Jack pouted, tossing the basketball lackadaisically at the goal. Jaime and Bobby smirked, giving each other satisfied looks. Chinese food had proved to be a big success. Not only was the food great, but they had managed to drop a hint to the openly gay server that Jack was interested in him. In return, the server had none-too-secretly given his number to an irate Jack Mercer.

"At least you got to eat for free," Jaime pointed out, which Bobby snapped in agreement to before rebounding the ball.

"That's true. I mean, free food is always a plus," Bobby added, earning a glare from Jack. Bobby laughed. It was one of those glares that Jack had always given him that clearly read 'fuck you'. It was obvious that Jack wasn't into the basketball game at all. That he was only playing because Bobby and Jaime had decided to drop by after they had returned Jerry's car. Jerry had wanted to come along, but Camille was not having it. Poor bastard.

"Did you see what he wrote his number on? A Gay Pride Rally card! I mean, what am I supposed to do with a card like that?" Jack questioned with false anger. Bobby could always tell when Jack was really angry, and when he was actually amused. Luckily for him, the latter was true at this point. When Bobby thought about it though, it seemed that Jack had been in a better mood every since Jaime showed up. Bobby could sometimes forget that Jack was only seventeen and still in high school, but with Jaime around Jack was acting more his age.

"You could put it in your wallet Jackie. Keep it in case you decide to come out of the closet," Bobby suggested in his best big-brother-annoying-little-brother voice. Jack huffed and flopped down on the concrete.

"For the last time Bobby. I. am not. Gay. I can't possibly come out the closet, cause I'm not in the closet to begin with," Jack countered. Bobby wanted to say something about how that made no sense whatsoever, but Jaime beat him to the response.

"You know, it is kind of odd that out of all the Chinese restaurants we just so happened to eat at one with a gay server. I mean, I didn't even know that there were gay Chinese people," Jaime mused out loud. Bobby grinned thinking about the ten dollars that he had paid the server to act the part.

"Yeah," He agreed, "Odd."

--

The answering machine was flashing when Bobby, Jack, and Jaime got back to the house. Angel was also spread out on the couch, watching football.

"Hey," Angel called through a mouthful of potatoes chips. Bobby grimaced with disgust.

"Hey. What are you doing here?' Bobby deadpanned. Angel feigned a look of hurt.

"Well, it's good to see you too Big Brother. I'm glad you're happy I decided to visit," Angel answered. Jack headed for his bedroom with Jaime following closely behind him.

"That the kid you were talking about?" Angel asked after Jaime was out of earshot. Bobby shook his head.

"No, that's a random orphan we found on the streets and decided to bring home," Booby said, then thought about how close to true that statement actually was. "Who called?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Uh…some chick. She actually called a few times but I was too lazy to get up," Angel told him, focusing his attention back on the T.V. Bobby shook his head, muttering 'lazy ass' under his breath as he made his way into the kitchen where the answering machine was. He pushed play, waiting impatiently as it told him he had three new messages.

"Bobby, it's Sabrina…are you there? You better not be laying in bed still! Jesus Bobby it's fucking noon. Or past noon. Anyways-" There was beep that sounded saying the message had been cut off. Bobby cursed loudly. Why was she calling him now? The nerve that this bitch had!

"You're fucking machine cut me off! Damn it, I guess I better talk fast. I hope you and Jaime are getting along now. And that Jack it fine. Just calling to say that a friend of mine will be there to pick up Jaime this Thursday so you don't have to deal with him anymore-" There was another beep and Bobby felt his mouth go dry. It was Sunday. So this friend of hers would be there in four days? Bobby could almost feel his pulse quicken. But why? Why did he give a shit? He had only met the kid yesterday, despite the fact that it seemed like weeks instead of a day.

"Stupid machine. Anyways, sorry about all this. Hope you found your car. Justin will be there Thursday. Bye. Oh, and, did you find my blue blouse? I want that back. Bye."

Bobby stared at the machine feeling numb. On the one hand he was glad that in a few days someone would be here to pick up the kid and then life could go back to normal in the Mercer household. However normal it could be considered. But on the other hand it scared the shit out of him. The feelings he was having about Jaime.

Jack hadn't been this happy since before Evelyn had been murdered and Bobby didn't want to see that go away. And the kid- Bobby knew what it was like not to have a father. To grow up wondering how the fuck you could have screwed up so bad that your own father didn't want you. And then there was The Problem. The thing it all came down to. That Bobby wasn't father material. That he wasn't Jaime's father and that even if he was he would never know how to go about raising a child.

But then Jaime wasn't 'child' in most senses. He was like Angel and Jerry and Jack and himself. Jaime had already grown up. Too quickly, yes, but it was for his own benefit. He had seen things no one should ever have to see in their lifetime- let alone when they were so young. Bobby was torn.

"Yo man, that's the last message so you can stop staring at the machine," Angel called out from the living room. Bobby glanced over his shoulder to find Angel staring at him in confusion.

"Dude I thought you'd be jumping for joy and shit. Not looking like you're about to be hit by a train. The kid's leaving. That Justin guy will pick 'em up and then you can pretend like none of this ever happened," Angel said. Bobby wanted to agree. So badly that he was actually surprised when he shook his head instead.

"And who is this Justin guy? Could be anyone. Could be a fucking pervert. Could be a murderer-" Bobby shocked himself by answering.

"Could be his father," Angel interrupted, stopping Bobby in mid-sentence. Bobby swallowed hard, subconsciously looking towards the stairs that Jack and Jaime had climbed earlier. Bobby hadn't even considered that, but now that Angel mentioned it…

"No, he couldn't be. Sabrina would have said something. Or…or this Justin guy would have been here sooner," Bobby reasoned. Angel smirked at the way Bobby practically spit Justin's name out. Like he was an enemy.

"You like this kid don't you?" Angel said knowingly. Bobby shook his head, feigning indifference.

"No, I could care less. I'm just saying that I don't trust this Justin guy. I mean, you know what it's like," Bobby explained logically. Angel snorted in disbelief.

"Oh pu-leese brother, just admit it. You like the kid and you don't want him to leave," Angel retorted. Bobby chose to ignore him, staring blankly at the T.V. screen.

"You know what you're acting like?" Angel asked. "Like you did when Jack first came here. Like you didn't give a shit what happened to him when we all knew damned well that you did. Ma thought it was cute. 'Endearing' as she put it. But me- I think it's flat out annoying as hell. If you don't care about the kid, fine. If you really don't give a shit, fine. But if you're lying Bobby, then you damn well better do something about it. Cause I don't want you crying to me when the kid's found dead in a gutter somewhere because you were too hardheaded to admit the truth."

Bobby stared at Angel, a little shocked. His brothers rarely talked to him like that unless they were looking to get the shit beat out of them. But Angel was right and he knew it.

"Fine. I'll admit that I give a shit and that I even like him a little. But I don't want him hanging around permanently. So, I'll check this Justin guy out and if I think he's shady, then I'll just order him to tell me where Sabrina is, and I'll take the kid to her myself," Bobby answered more for his own benefit than Angel's. There. He wasn't going soft for a kid he barely knew. He was just putting his own mind at ease. Angel shrugged, ending the conversation.

"Oh, and uh, that blue blouse she was talkin' about- I put that on the dining room table," Angel told him after a interlude of silence. Bobby looked at him incredulously.

"You mean to tell me that you were too lazy to get off you ass and answer the phone, but not to go upstairs and dig through all kinds of shit to find a shirt?" Bobby asked. Angel shrugged again and looked at him innocently.

"What? I was curious."

Next chapter- Jack suggests that Bobby take a paternity test, and who did Jaime piss off? Also, what does Jack and Jaime think about this Justin guy, and what role does he play in the confusing mix?