Hiya! You guys! ~happy wriggle~ I am so gonna need a beta if this keeps up! ~laughs~ I got a lot of awesome comments! And even though I can not answer all of you questions without spoilers, I will do my best to answer them in the story.

Happy Homes and Shattered Flowers

Chapter 3: Silence

There was a light rapping on my door, then the sound of keys turning in the lock. I had not realized until that moment that I had fallen asleep. Making a mental note to wash my face before I left the room, I lifted my head slightly and stared as the door opened.

"Gilbert?" I rasped. My throat still had not recovered from whatever happened to me earlier.

"No. I am Heracles. Sadiq told me that you were holed up in here, before he left." The new man drawled slowly. His voice was a thick monotone and it made me drowsy listening to him. "Dinner will be served soon. Please come to the dining hall." He turned and left. The door way was flooded with light that made my eyes hurt.

I slowly pulled myself off the floor. My body popped and cracked. I noted that sleeping and or sitting on the floor for elongated periods of time was not nice to my body. I groaned. My throat protested heavily. I looked around the room. Still empty. No Gilbert, just me.

Sadiq said something about processing. I wondered what it was. What kind of processing did they need to put Gilbert through? I made my way to the sink and washed dried tears from my face. I wanted to look in the mirror, but I had never liked what looked back at me. I dried my face and avoided the reflective surface.

Slowly, I made my way to the dining hall. I looked around for a clear table. I looked for Lovino, perhaps I could sit with him. My luck was never that good. I shuffled forward and sat next to Matthew. The blond looked at me. His eyes, I noted, were a dull blue almost faded to purple. I averted my gaze.

"Why are you sitting there?" His voice was different from earlier. Harder somehow.

"It is the only open seat." I mumbled, not looking at him.

I could feel him staring at me. I tried not to care. It was hard not to look back at him. I tried to concentrate on the scratched table in front of me.

The food was served. I suppose is was some sort of meat and potato mixture. I poked at it with my fork. I couldn't help but think that Gilbert wouldn't eat this slop. Of that, I was certain.

"It's the special here. Not as good as a hamburger but if you pretend really hard, it could pass for it. I mean, if ya don't look at it and all." Matthew said.

I wanted to look at him. Instead, I poked the 'meat'. Maybe it would leap up and eat the fork. I squinted at it. Did it jiggle? I poked it again. It did. This 'meat' was part jello. I frowned.

"Ya know, your supposed ta eat it. Not poke it!" Matthew laughed. I know that I had just met him. But this accent that he was speaking with was nothing like what I'd heard from him earlier.

I turned my head towards him, "What is your name?"

He laughed. It was loud and boisterous. His eyes sparkled and his cheeks dimpled slightly. He reminded me slightly of Gilbert. "Name's Alfred! Alfred F. Jones!"

I was taken aback. But I was not really surprised. I mean he did not sound like Matthew. I cleared my throat when I realized that we was staring at me expectantly, "Ludwig."

"Well, Ludwig! It's great to meet ya!" He exclaimed happily and went back to eating, more like shoveling, the jiggling meat and paste down.

I tried to eat it. I did. But it was terrible. It was bland and jiggled. Ugh. I could just stop myself from gagging. This was not happening. It was some form of torture! I looked around the room and watched in horror as everyone else ate this...this slop.

I felt an elbow. I looked over at 'Alfred', "Yes?"

"If you don't breathe and just swallow, it goes down okay."

I nodded. And I did try, but in the end I couldn't get past a few fork fulls.

After dinner, I excused myself and headed back to my room. Everyone else shuffled into the common room. I was in no mood to socialize. I was still waiting for Gilbert to get back. I had no idea how long processing took, but this was getting ridiculous. Besides, what if Gilbert got to my room and I wasn't there?

I hurried to my room and throw open the door. "Gilbert?"

There he sat on my bed. Sullen and quiet, but there he was! I ran to him. I was trying to contain myself. But I was so happy to see him. I'd missed him terribly. I knew that it was just for several hours, but it was the loneliest I'd ever felt.

I stood in front of him. Memorizing every detail of his slouch and frowning face. From the way he glared at me, to the way he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. I was not sure why he was upset, but I was sure he'd tell me soon. Perhaps, he, too, did not like how long processing took. Ot he was pissed that I was not here waiting for him.

"Gil? What...what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You left me, Ludwig! You left me in that dark room and went to have fun with that blond! How am I supposed to be there for you, if you leave me behind?" Gilbert looked away from me.

I stared. I had not left him anywhere. What dark room? What fun? I was confused, again. But I was becoming accustom to the feeling. "What do you mean? I did not leave you. When I woke up, you were not here. I was alone in this place. Brother, please. Look at me."

Gilbert's eyes stubbornly stayed turned away from me. His body rigid. I'd never known him to be so angry. Well, not at me. I felt tears began to form. "Gil, big brother, please." I dropped to my knees and buried my face in his lap, "Please."

I could feel him tremble, "Lud, why? Did you not see me? I was lying on the floor where they threw me after you were put here."

I could barely breathe. On the floor? That was impossible. I searched the room high and low. I did not see him at all. I did not find any trace of him. How could I have overlooked the most important person in the world? I sobbed. The tears ran hot and scalded my cheeks, "I am so sorry. I did not see you. I-I.."

I felt his hand smooth the hair on the back of my head. "Ludwig, what did they tell you? What did they give you?"

I barely raised my head to stare at him. "G-give me?"

"You did not take anything, did you?" Gilbert's red eyes blazed down at me. I thought furiously over the day. I shook my head.

Gilbert stared down at me. "So, West, where are we?" He ran his long pale fingers against the walls. I could see his distaste in his eyes.

"Shady Fields. I think it's some sort of institution...maybe." I was unsure exactly what this was. I was sure however, that the other charges were not normal. Not in the least.

"Institution? A fucking institution!" Gilbert clenched his jaw and slammed his fist onto the wall. "Do they think you are fucking nuts?" I did not know what they thought of me, so I quietly watched him through my tears. "See, this is why...this shit here, is why I told you not to trust anyone! Motherfuckers!"

"H-how was I su-supposed to know that grand-father would s-send me h-here?" I asked. It was hard to breathe. My grandfather had sent me here. Did he think I was like the others here? Did he think that I was crazy? That I was mad? I shook my head against the thoughts. Tears flowed harder. HE COULDN'T! He couldn't, right?

"Get off the floor and sit up here with me. Your knees have got to hurt." My knees did, in fact, hurt. I pulled myself up on the bed and leaned bodily against my brother's thin shoulder. "You thought that it would do you some good not to listen to me, West. You thought for once the world was a good and peaceful place. Where you could be happy and content and listen to what other's told you, and nothing bad would ever happen. Didn't you?"

I closed my eyes. The tears had started to slow. I frowned. My breathing was becoming normal. "I just thought that, maybe it wouldn't hurt to listen to him for once. He was, also, supposed to be looking out for me, Gilbert."

"And what am I? Dog slop?"

"No! I just thought that maybe this once...someone else could take the burden off of you. You have always been my protector. Even when we were little. You have always protected me from the world. I just wanted you to be able to rest..without worrying." I opened my eyes to stare at my hands. I could feel his eyes watching me. I hated it! I hated that I was so weak without him! "One day, Gilbert. I am going to be strong...And then I will take care of you!"

Gilbert's laugh filled the room. "First off, West, when you don't allow me to to my job as your awesome big brother, it makes me worry. Secondly, stop being so hard on yourself. And last of all, I will always be stronger, because I am awesome! Kesesesese!"

"Gilbert, please don't leave me. I hate being here alone. It was so dark and cold." I sniffled. The damn tears had just stopped!

I felt his arms circle me. "West, I will never leave you. I promise! You and I are always going to be together. Always." His warm breath tickled my ears, and his long fingers dried my face.

I leaned in to him. For the first time in a long time, I relaxed. Gilbert always had that effect on me. "Ya know, West. This cold ass room is cramping my style! We're gonna have to find a way out of this place."

"We are?" I did not know why I was shocked. I mean, this was Gilbert, of could he wanted out. But so did I, this time.

"Hell yeah, we are! Trust me, West. This time when I say run with me, ok?" He pulled my face up to meet his.

My cheeks flushed. I couldn't help it. I wanted to pull away, but I was captured by his eyes. I could only nod dumbly. But had I been able to think and speak, I would have told him that this time, I would follow him to the ends of the universe. He leaned in slowly, I felt my eyes drift closed. The over head lights went out as his lips where centimeters from mine. I could feel his breath, for Bob sakes!

"LIGHTS OUT!" Heracles called.

"Maybe next time? Right, West! Kesesesese" Gilbert laughed in the dark. As happy as I was to have him back, I'd never wanted so badly to kill him!