Now we are going to take a trip in Jack's mind, and let me tell you, that is no place for children. Pretty much a lot of his memories. As usual I don't own four brothers.

'Your brother has closed himself off'

Angel and Jerry stared at him, the feeling of hopelessness weighing their shoulders down.

'It means that..'

'We know what it means! We've lived with him since he was 8!' Angel snapped at the doctor. Jerrys strong hand on his shoulder calmed him slightly.

'Uh, his file says he's lived in New York for the...'

'The fuck does that matter? He could live on the moon and we'd still know...'

'Angel' Jerry cut him off gently.

Angel shook his head and turned away, unwilling to let the doctor see the tears pooling in his eyes. He took a deep breath and turned back to face the doctor. Jerrys presence calming him even more.

'What do you recommend doctor' Jerrys voice was calm, if you didn't know him as well as Angel did. He could her the slight tremor underneath the steady tone and he braced himself.

'I, well. I'm going to be straight to you. I want Jack moved to another facility'

'What?' Jerry and Angel looked at each other.

'I think, that your brother being in the state that he is, can't handle what's happening to Bobby right now, and I think he needs help, a lot of help, if he is ever going to function normally again'

Angel scoffed at the thought of Jack behaving normally, when had he ever? Stupid ass doctor.

'When you say another facility...' Jerry trailed off, a feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach, no please not that...

'I mean a place he can get the help he needs, and where he can't hurt himself...'

'You mean the looney bin' Angel cut him off 'No. No way'

'It's what's best for Jack' The doctor tried to point out.

Angel laughed, a hollow laugh, before shaking his head like he couldn't believe his ears.

'What's best for Jack? You think it's best for him to be surrounded by crazy people who chew on their hair and scream bloody murder if you even look at them? Is it best for him to be drugged up, restrained? Is it best to take him away from his family?'

At the end of his rant his voice had gotten louder and he was starting to draw attention from the guards who took a step toward them, but the doctor waved them off.

'Let's talk about this'

'No. You can't help him, you never have before'

'He's right'

The doctor looked over at Jerry with a bit of shock on his face. He had thought he was the level headed one.

'Jack dosen't respond well to being forced to do things, taking him to a, mental hospital is not going to help him'

'I can assure you, that they will take great care of Jack. I know this is hard, but you have to accept the fact that Jack is not well'

The symphatetic look on the doctors face only made Angel even more pissed off.

'Well shit. We didn't know that! I wonder why I still remember the nights I woke to his screams, why we waited 6 months to hear him speak, why he flinched everytime we looked at him, we know Jack' Angel finished, a glare on his face.

'Look doctor. You've read his file, I know you have. And I'm sure in there are evidence of the many times Jack has been ordered to see a shrink. And I'm sure the results are in there as well' Jerry tried to keep his voice steady.

The doctor only nodded, a grim look on his face.

'Jack dosen't talk to strangers. He never have, and he probably never will. The best thing for Jack is to be with the people he trusts. That is us, his family'

The doctor sighed as he and Jerry squared off, a silent battle of wills.

'Alright. But I want to keep him a few hours more for observation'

Jerry and Angel nodded while the doctor started to walk away then turned.

'I wish you and Jack all the luck, I hope you know what you're doing, he's your responsibility now'

'He always has been' Jerry stated while Angel nodded.

The doctor knew he wasn't going to win this fight, and who knew, maybe they were right.

'Would you like to see him?'

Angel and Jerry nodded, walking quietly behind the doctor to a room. He stopped to turn and look at them before opening the door.

'I have to warn you, he's not responsive and well, this can be hard to see'

'We've seen it before doctor' Jerry stated calmly.

But what he and Angel didn't vocie was that that was what they were most afraid off.

Jack lay in a bed, his eyes open but not seeing. His messy dark blonde hair was sticking up in every direction like always, his skin, always pale, looked even whiter now against the pillow. His brothers turned to close the door behind them before approaching the bed slowly. They each took a chair, pulling it as close to the bed as they could and laid there head down on either side of Jack's on the pillow.

'We're here now Jackie'

Jack was hiding under the bed. It was what came natural to him, to hide under the bed. As if no one could find him there. But they could, and they usually did. But he had nowhere else to hide, nowhere else to go. His small body shook as the door opened with a bang. He slapped his hand over his mouth to stifle the frightened gasp. As he watched the shoes came closer and closer until they stopped by the side of the bed. Then they turned and walked to the door opening it. Jack almost whimpered with relief and closed his eyes as he heard the door close again. When he opened them again he was staring straight into the eyes of the monster. He was grinning, his smile evil.

'Thought you were safe huh?'

Jerry was talking to him. He talked about anything, right now it was when he met Camille. He knew Jack had heard the story many times before but he was afraid that Jack was slipping away from them, into his own mind where painful memories lingered and would only make him want to protect himself more, by closing off more. So he talked.

'What have you told Camille?' Angel asked.

'I told her to take the kids and get away from here as fast as she could'

'And she agreed?' Angel was a bit shocked, Camille was not a woman who just did as she what she was told without questioning.

'She did. I told her what was happening, they can't be here right now'

'You can go and say goodbye, they are your family'

'Your my family too, and Bobby, and Jack. And you need me more right now'

Angel tried to hold back those damn tears again. He held his hand out over Jack's body and Jerry grasped it hard, their eyes meeting over the still form of their little brother.

'We do'

Each bite of the belt forced a scream from Jack's throat. His back was a bloody mess by now. As he watched the monster laughed and went up to grab something from the kitchen. Jack couldn't have moved even if he wanted. He was tied up on the floor, his hands around one of the legs of the table. The belt hit the ground next to him and his eyes were drawn to it against his will. The worn leather was stained with his blood.

'Why didn't I get this idea sooner, it's so much more fun'

As Jack watched he poured salt over the belt, the crystals sticking to his blood. He closed his eyes.

'I'm going to go check on Bobby'

'I'll stay with Jack'

Angel and Jerry exchanged a look before Jerry got up and left the room. Walking down the hallway he was assaulted by the many memories he had of this place. One stood out in his mind, and he remembered walking down this hall, his mind taking him back several years before when he had just gotten home when his Ma had called to let them know that Jack was in the hospital. She had been at work when they called her. He had called Bobby and Angel who were closer and were already in Jack's room when he arrived. As he opened the door to Bobby's room the memory hit him harder and he remembered opening another door...

Jerry pushed the door open and stepped inside.

'Just tell me Jack'

Jerry could tell Bobby was losing his temper. He always was a hothead, and nothing made his blood boil more than his brothers being sight of his youngest brother in a hospital bed with a blue eye, busted lip and from what he could tell from his wince when he moved, cracked or broken ribs shocked him even though it shouldn't. This was Detroit after all.

'Jack'

Jack's, Bobby's and Angel's eyes all turned to look at him. In Jack's he saw relief.

'Thank God you're here Jerry' Bobby muttered 'Maybe you can talk some sense into your little brother huh? He refuses to tell me who beat him up!'

'Someone beat you up?'

When Jack refused to answer Jerry took a seat at his side at gazed down at the 12 year old boy. His blonde hair was even more tussled than usual and he looked so small in that big hospital bed. He recahed a hand out to stroke a stray strand out of his eyes, trying to ignore the flinch Jack almost always gave off.

Bobby huffed and dragged his hands through his hair as he started to pace.

'Just tell us kiddo' Angel's vocie was surprisingly soothing.

'Yeah cause I'm going to find out anyway' Bobby declared 'and then I'm going to beat the shit out of him, fucking bastard'

'They said they would kill you' Jack cut off with a gasp, holding his hand to his mouth as if could stop more words to spill out that way.

'They?' Bobby was faster than a snake.

Jack shook his head and tried to shrink back into the bed. Bobby took the other side from Jerry and leaned over, his vocie serious.

'Jack. You have to tell me okay, it's very important'

'I can't'

Jack's vocie was small and Jerry heard the regret in his tone.

'Why can't you Jack? Is it because they said they would hurt you?' Jack shook his head

'Hurt us? Me?'

When Jack didn't answer Bobby got his answer. He turned and punched the wall with a growl, ignoring the pain in his hand. Jack jumped and then immediatley gasped and held his hand over his ribs.

'Hey hey easy' Angel leaned forward and placed a hand on Jack's shoulder 'those things hurt like a bitch, better to stay still'

Bobby turned around and advanced on the bed, sitting down on the other side.

'I want you to listen to me very carefully now Jack' Jack nodded, his eyes big and blue in his pale face 'Whenever something happens I want you to tell me alright, I don't care what it is, even if some teacher at school is giving you trouble I want you to tell me right away. And now I want you to tell me who did this to you'

'They said they would hurt you if I told you' Jack's voice was sad.

'Who said that Jack?'

Jack hesitated for a long time before answering.

'Tony, and John. And that guy we met at the store when you bought me candy'

To Bobby's credit he didn't fly off the rails and storm out of the hospital, the only sign that he was pissed was the narrowing of his eyes and his hands clenching so hard that the bones cracked.

'Why did they jump you Jack?'

'They, they said that they were going to get back at you, but I couldn't tell you, because if I did they would hurt you'

Bobby's glare could have broken stone, but as his eyes rested on his sad little brother his eyes softened and he leaned down so that he was at an eye level with Jack.

'Look at me Jack. Look at me' He repeated when Jack didn't immediatley. Jack's blue eyes met his own, a tear slipping down his cheek. Bobby brushed it away with his thumb before he spoke again.

'You did the right thing telling me, because now I can deal with it'

'No Bobby' Jack clutched his arm with his small hand.

'Yes Jack. They hurt you. No one is getting away with that. Never'

'They'll kill you' Jack whispered tearfully, his big blue eyes begging Bobby not to go.

'Oh please, as if they could, and besides what are these guys' He gestured to Jerry and Angel 'molded cheese? They will help me, but I probably could beat Tony, John and that other ugly motherfucker myself if need be'

'There's no need' Jerry directed his stern glare at Bobby.

'Yeah we're coming with you dick' Angel cut in.

Bobby rolled his eyes 'Alright girls'.

'Bobby' Bobby looked down at Jack 'Please don't go'

Bobby's eyes softened and he tussled Jack's hair.

'I have to Jackie. Your my brother. And I can't, and I won't let this go unpunished okay? I promise it will be okay. This is what brothers are for you know, we protect each other, why do you think I keep bullying Angel about La Vida Loca? I try to protect him from her devious ways'

Angel muttered and Jerry laughed quietly.

'Your a Mercer now Jack, and that means something. Do you know what it means?'

Jack shook his head even though he had some idea, he wanted, no he needed to hear Bobby say it.

'It means that if someone is giving you shit, they are going to get it back, threefold' he gestured to himself and then Angel and Jerry 'and it means, that no matter what, we have your matter what Jackie. It means that you're not alone, you have 're always going to have us' Jerry and Angel came closer as they all gathered closer around Jack's bed 'We're the Mercer brothers Jackie, and no one fucks with a Mercer and lives to tell about it'.

At that moment Evelyn entered the room and immediatley started fussing over Jack. Jack saw the look Bobby, Angel and Jerry exchanged and while their mother was pouring water into a glass for him they each gave Jack a hug. Jack held on a little tighter to Bobby.

'Please, don't get hurt' he mumbled.

Bobby laughed and tussled his hair again.

'Oh please kid, I'm Bobby Mercer, no one can hurt me' he bragged.

Jerry and Angel laughed at his bragging and nudged him in the shoulder before they tried to slip out the door.

'Boys?'

'Just getting some candy for the fairy Ma'

Then they took off, Evelyn sighing that she was no fool and stroked Jack's cheek softly.

Jerry sucked in a breath at the sight of his oldest brother in the hospital bed. The first time he saw him he had been to shocked to take in the sight, now he did. He looked... broken. The only sound in the room the beeping of all the machines. The machines who were keeping his brother alive. He sat down in the chair Jack had occupied before and rested his head in his hands, not even trying to stop the tears. He looked up, almost expecting Bobby to make some smart ass remark about how he had thought that Jack was the fairy in the family, and really, did Camille know that she had married a pussy?

No sound was heard and Bobby hadn't changed his expression. Jerrys tears came faster and he gripped Bobby's hand tightly slamming his other against his thigh hard.

'Goddamnit Bobby. You can't do this to us. Please'

Still no sound and Jerry cried harder, his body shaking with his sobs as he continued to grip Bobby's hand, as if by holding onto him he could stop him from slipping away from them.

'Please. Jack needs you, I need you. Angel too. We have lost so much already...'

No response. Jerry laid his head down against the bed as Jack had done, his tears staining the pillow. As memories filled his mind and his tears continued to run he whispered softly, clutching Bobby's hand with both of his.

'You're Bobby Mercer. Please act like it'

The only answer was the constant beep from the machines.

Well this was not nearly as much of Jack's mind as I had planned. Oh well there is always next chapter :p please tell me what you think :)