Disclaimer: Gasslight and its beautiful lyrics are the property of Emilie Autumn.

A/N: this chapter is my longest yet, I cant believe I got so much done. cdomments are appreciated, Soon, things will be winding down.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

~...The wheels are turning, broken machinery,
it grinds below us and all around I see
the crooked ceilings, the old familiar halls,
the dirty paper that's covering the walls...~

Drake lay awake that night, counting the images his eyes were tricking him into seeing. In the dim, faded moonlight he swore that the striped paint on the walls was moving, swaying lazily before him. Its sad dance the only thing keeping him present.

He rode the pain in his body as it pulsed through him, accepting it as he tried to move past it. Ash had been right, it did hurt everytime. He could numb himself to it during the act, but afterwords... he had to let it take its course.

He didnt know if Zane and Ash were asleep, but he thought they were. They hadnt moved in what felt like hours, but it couldnt have been that long. They were all tired, all hurting. He envied their ability to sleep right now, because he was so very tired. All he wanted was to be able to drift away into the peace of sleep, to just forget for a few hours.

He had no doubt that the doctor had raped them too, that he had been just as rough. Ash had come back with a large bruise across his cheek and a few more on his arms. He hadnt said much about how he'd gotten them, just that the doctor had said something he didnt like about damien.

~...The shattered staircase, the bed I'm bleeding in,
we've tried to fight this but we can never win...~

He could feel the blood sticking to his legs, drying and cracking away on his skin. It was a familier feeling now, though it still disgusted him. he rolled uncomfortably to his side, cringing at the pain. He extended his arm, lightly tracing the fingertip shaped bruises, feeling the slight sling as he touched them. That pain told him they were real, this was real. He was still alive, still fighting the life he'd been forced into and every hardship it threw at him.

How much longer could he fight it all? How many days were left until he just gave up? Drake didnt know, tried not to answer his own silent questions. If he thought about it too long, then he considered his only means for escape. He planned the plan and considered following through. He cried as he closed his tired eyes.

He didnt want to die, not here, not like this. He wanted to see his mom again, to know that the face he was fighting to remember was the face of the woman whose arms he wanted to be in. He didnt want to be another unmarked grave, a distant memory. But the days since he'd been taken were growing, and any hope he'd once had of going home were dying. The person he'd been was dying, if not dead all ready.

"I dont wanna die..." he whispered, curling up.

They tried so hard, all of them, to keep fighting. They pushed themselves harder each day to fight the call of that soil bed, to keep breathing when all they wanted was peace. The memorys that had once given them joy now taunted them and brought forth tears. because they would never know that joy again, and they were accepting it.

They couldn't win this battle. They would fight until they died, but, eventually, they would die. It was only a matter of time.

~.~.~.~.~

They exited the bathroom that morning to a changed breakfast. Their usual meal had been upgraded, their toast was buttered, two extra potrions of ham lay ontop of a bed of steaming white rice. There were grapes sitting beside their usual orange, and even a tall glass of milk instead of their normal glass of water. To some, it might not seem like much, but to their half starved stomachs it was a feast.

They looked at their full plates with caution before sitting down and greedily scarfing down the food. Though they were hungry, none of them could finish their breakfast. It was too much, and it hurt to try and force it all down. They stared down at the remaining bits of food, their eyes hollow as they tried to eat more. They knew that they wanted it, that a full belly would be a blessing. They forced back tears as the bits they couldnt eat were thrown away.

~...He takes my picture although I don't know why,
his hands are shaking although I see him try
to look collected, he thinks it doesn't show...~

As they were cleaning their morning dishes Brendon came down the stairs, his footsteps echoing against the walls. He ordered each of them one at a time to stand against the wall, where he took a picture of them with a small digital camera.

They were confused as he took their pictures, not saying what it was for. He didnt say another word to them, just turned toward the older boys, nodding as he went back upstairs. They watched him go, nervous of his strange actions.

What had botherd them most was the look on his face. Brendon was always overly sure of himself, completly in control, expecially when dealing with them. But in those moments, that calm was gone from his face, his hands were shaking. He was trying to force a sence of control he didnt feel, and they knew it.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh was waiting for his shift to end when a girl from school approached him. He forced a smile, ready to help with whatever she needed. One last order, then he could go home and stop pretending that he was okay.

She walked over to the counter, swinging her hips as she smiled. It wasnt the sweet smile so many girls had, it was tristed up in a way that bothered him. She leaned onto the counter, looking up at him with smoky grey eyes.

"Can I help you?" josh asked.

"You're Drake's brother, right?"

Josh stood, paralyzed. People didnt ask him about Drake, not since that time he'd exploded in anger. He starred at her, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, I'm josh."

She turned to her friend, grinning. "I told you!" She laughed.

Nothing about it was funny to Josh, and he was loosing his patience.

"So," She asked, licking her lips. "Where's your brother?"

His knukles were white. "We don't know." he answered as polightly as he could.

She chuckled. "Well why not?" She stood up, putting her hands on her hips. "You are his brother, shouldnt you know? It's been like a month allready."

"I know..." Josh said, trying to keep calm. Everything about her was bothering him now.

"You must be worried." She said with mock innocence. "I mean, after this long, he's probably dead somewhere."

Josh heard those words and snapped. Everyone had had that thought, but no one had dared say it to him, or his family. They were cruel words, unforgivable. Without warning, he took his allready cleanched fist and swung, hitting her across the face.

"He's not dead!" He shouted.

The girl moved her hand from her face, seeing the blood from her nose and her face tristed into the cruelest look Josh had ever seen. "You asshole!" She shouted. "I hope he is, I hope they never find him!"

Josh was ready to hit her again when Helen ran over, catching his arm and preventing the strike. "What is going on?" She demanded.

"Your employee hit me!" She girl shrieked, holding out her blood covered hand. "I'm bleeding!"

Helen turned to Josh. "josh?"

"She said that Drake was dead." he said, voice cold, but shaking. "She came over here, taunting me about him and said that he was dead."

Helen released Josh's arm, then turned toward the girl. "Get out of my movie theatre." She said, voice hard as stone.

The girl's smirk dissapeared. "What?" She asked. "He hit me, you should fire him."

"I didnt see anything," helen said, stepping forward. "Now get out of my theatre before I call the police."

The girl stared at Helen in disbelief, hands shaking with rage. "I'm telling my dad!" She shouted. "I hope you all get fired!" She screamed before running out of the theatre.

"Helen, I'm sorry..." Josh said, feeling the tension drain.

"Don't worry about it." She said. It was so unlike her to be so easy on him. "And dont you think about what she said, they'll find Drake, alive." She offered a small smile before hardening herself back up. "Now go home." She ordered.

Josh nodded and ran out of the theatre, eyes watering. he didnt want to think about what she'd said. If he thought about it, then it could be real.

Craig and Eric ran out after him, they'd seen the whole thing. "Josh, wait!" They said in almost perfect unison.

He didnt want to stop, he didnt want to talk. he tried to get to his car, but stopped suddenly when craig grabbed his arm. he could feel the scabs on the fresher cuts tear, feel the blood beeding on the skin and soaking through his white sleeves.

"Josh...?" Craig said quietly, looking down at his sleeve in shock.

Josh turned to them, keeping his eyes averted so that they couldnt see his tears and rolled up his sleeves. "One for every day that Drake's been gone." he whispered as they stared in shock.

"Josh..." Eric said, stepping closer and rolling down one of his sleeves. "You shouldnt do this." he didnt know what else to say.

"I know..." josh said. "Wherever he is, I know he's hurting, and its my fault."

Craig shook his head. "its not your fault." He knew that josh had been hurting since Drake had dissapeared, but he shouldnt be blaming himself. "They'll find him, it'll be all right.'

Josh nodded, rolling down his other sleeve. "It's been the only thing that gives me any relief, any sence that everyday is real."

"We're here for you," Erik said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're your friends."

Josh smiled. They'd been there for him everyday since it happened, never questioning him about what had happened. And now they stood with him, under the street lights, not judging, but still by his side.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

~...when the guards come to take me away
I will be tortured until the break of day.
He's at the window, he's always looking down
as we are beaten. How can this fucking town
not know what's happening to all the little girls?...~

They had just been locked in their cell for the night when Brent and Dustin marched down the stairs, faces hard as they looked at Drake. "You have a visitor." Brent growled as he moved toward their cage.

Drake knew what those words meant, and he didnt want to go. he looked to the others for any sort of help as the fear knotted in his gut. Ash beconed him forward, wrapping a protective arm around him.

"Take this." he whispered, handing Drake the knife he'd stolen from the kitchen the day that Damien had died. He'd kept it hidden under his mattress these last two weeks, nearly forgetting about it.

Drake looked at the shiny blade, nodding in thanks as he hid it in the seem of his pants, hopeing that noone had seen. He didnt know what he'd do with it, but it gave him strength.

"get over here!" Brent demanded, standing st the door.

With shaking legs Drake stepped forward, feeling Brent's rough hands wrap around his upper arm and force him forward. he looked back to his friends as he was pulled away, Zane's worried eyes, and Ash's determined ones. he watched Ash nod, adn the plan started to form.

He was taken straight to the guest bedroom, shoved inside so had that he stumbled and fell to his knees. Drake ignored the laughter from Brent and Dustin as he looked up at the man who had come for him. It was Zack.

"Wait outside." Zack barked at the others, smiling as he looked down at Drake. "Get undressed, and get on the bed."

Slowly, Drake removed everything except his boxers, hiding the knife in the pile and sitting on the endge of the bed. He knew what he wanted to do, but he was afriad to do it. He'd never really hurt anyone.

He didnt move as Zack took the rope from the dresser and tied his wrists together in front of him. Nor as he tied the cloth into his mouth. he was concentrating.

"Word is," Zack said as he began unbottoning his shirt. "That brendon is thinking about selling all of you off. I've already made him a rather nice offer for you." Zack said as he sat next to Drake, placing his hand on his knee. "I have a nice little cabin where i could keep you, hidden and ready." he chuckled.

He pushed Drake back, climbing on top of him. "I could have you everyday..." he whispered as he ground his hips against Drake's. "For the rest of your short life."

He scratched his jagged nails over Drake's chest, watching the skin as it turned red and bled in places. the blood soaked into his sleeves in small dropletts, bright against the white. Bit down on his sides until he drew blood, liking it up as he smiled. "I would pay handsomely to keep you." He taunted.

Drake stared at the ceiling, trying to will away the pain. The tears were crawling out from his eyes, though he refused to actually cry. He didnt want to go anywhere with this man, didnt want to leave his friends and be tortured until he died.

"Look at me!" Zack demanded, grabbing Drake by the chin and forcing his eyes away from the ceiling.

When Drake saw the look in Zack's eyes, his blood on his lips, he paniced. He wouldn't let this happen, not again. With all of his strength, he pushed Zack away, catching him off guard he sent him tumbling to the floor. As quickly as he could, he rolled off of the bed, thrussting his bound hands into his discarded pile of clothes and pulling out the knife. He quickly cut the gag from his mouth, then held the blade as securly as he could.

"Where'd you get that?" Zack asked mockingly as he looked at the blade in Drake's hands.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Drake spit, trying to be strong.

"Get over here!" Zack demanded. "I've payed for you, you do what i say."

"No!" Drake yelled.

Zack moved toward him and he closed his eyes, forcing the knife forward deffencivly. He felt it stop, felt it slowly move forward and he opened his eyes. He let go of the blade as his hands shook, watching it as t stayed nestled in Zack's side.

"You stupid whore." Zack yelled. He hit Drake aross the face, knocking him backwards. He moved toward the lightswitch, hitting the small button beside it and laughed as a wave of electricity coarsed through Drake's body from the collar he wore.

The scream ripped from his lungs as the shock traveled through his body. he'd never been electacuted before, it hurt. Zack pulled the knife from his side, cringing at the pain. It hadnt gone in too deep, but it was still bleeding. He knelt beside Drake, rage burning in his eyes. "So you want to play with knives?" He asked dangerously.

Drake shook his head. He didnt want to be hurt, and pain was the only thing he saw in Zack's gaze. he felt the knife slowly push into his side and he screamed. Not too deep, because Zack didnt want to kill him, but deep enough. He felt the blood fall from his skin, soaking into the carpet and zack's shirt.

The door burst open, Brent and Dustin looking down at them with shocked eyes. Brent pulled Zack off of Drake, the knife dragging out as he did. Drake screamed again, curling on his side as he tried to hide from all the people who meant to hurt him.

"get off of me." Zack snarled, pulling away. He grabbed his coat, looking down at Drake in disgust and stormed out of the room.

"Tie him up, we'll deal with him later." Brent ordered Dustin as he followed Zack out to Brendon's office.

Dustin forced Drake onto the bed, tying his all ready bound wrists to the headboard Before gagging him and following after the others.

Zack burst into Brendon's office, eyes blazing as he stormed across the room. "That little whore stabbed me." He shouted. :I want my money for tonight, I didnt get what i came here for." he demanded.

"He stabbed you?" brendon asked, standing up and fumbaling for the check Zack had given him. "How?"

"He had a knife, hidden in his clothes." Zack snapped, grabbing the check away from Brendon. "You're loosing control here brendon, and dont think the others wont hear about this!" Zack said, cringing as his side throbbed. "If you do decide to sell them, I want that one." he said through gritted teeth. "I'll make him wish he'd never been born."

"I'm sorry Zack." brendon said, hiding the anger building within himself. "He will be punished."

Zack scoffed. "He'd better be." Zack said before turning toward the door.

Brendon turned angrily to Brent and Dustin. "Where is he?"

"Still in the guest room." Brent answered.

Brendon pushed past them, moving toward the guest room angrily as the others followed. "Dustin, get Richard and benny, now!" He shouted.

Drake looked up with wie eyes as Brendon burst into the room, as he looked at the blood on the floor and the knife beside it. He walked over toward Drake, ripping the gag out from his mouth. "What the hell did you think you were doing?" he demanded.

Drake tried to look as mean as possible as he starred back. "Protecting myself."

"Where did you get the knife?" Brendon demanded.

He wouldnt tell them that Ash gave it to him, so he lied. i took it from the kitchen, when no one was looking."

"You've caused a lot of trouble tonight." brendon said, his voice cold. "For that, you will be punished. You didnt want to fulfill your dooty to Zack, then they will tae it from you." He said, pointing to brent and the others, who had just arrived.

Drake didnt want to look at the cruel smiles on their faces as they looked at him. "No, please..." he begged, pulling at the ropes holding him down.

Brendon didnt look at him as he pleaded. "Gag him." he said to brent. "I dont want to hear it, after that put him back with the others."

Brendon left the room without another word, leaving Drake alone with the four of them as they looked down upon him. Brent grabbed a large rubber ballgag from the dresser, forcing it into drake's mouth as he begged them not to. they laughed at his muffled cries as one by one they decended upon him.

It didnt matter how hard he screamed, how much he begged, they didnt stop.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Brendon sat at his computer, looking at the photos of the boys he'd taken that morning. he had a buyer for Drake allready. he knew that Zack would probably kill him, but, he was willing to pay alot for the boy. he hadnt wanted to sell them off, to have to start over, but, tonights incident had left him little choice. this lot was out of control.

He poured himself anouther drink as the muffled screams quietly made their way through the house. how he hated that sound. Punishment earned was punishment given. He moved toward the large window, looking out over his yard. All these years, and not a problem he couldn't handle. he shook his head. He was amazed that he'd never been caught, no one suspected. Not the morons he worked with, not the mailman or anyone else.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

~...And in the gaslight that brings both life and death
if it's like the last night this could be my last breath.
And so I hold tight to any hand I see
but nothing's alright, they're always watching me.
And no one's coming, coming to take me home...~

Drake was dragged down the basement stairs and thrown into his cell, where Zane and Ash quickly moved toward him. They glarred at the men who'd brought him down, who laughed as they walked away. They knew those smiles, they knew what they'd done to Drake.

Zane held drake as he cried, as the cut in his side continued to bleed. He did everything he could to comfort him as Ash tore his shirt to make a tourniquet. Gently, he wrapped it around Drake's bruised abdomen, applying enough pressure to stop the bleeding.

"This is my fault..." he said heavily.

Drake grasped his hand, squeezing it tightly. "No its not." he said between heavy breathes. "I got Zack," He tried to smile. "I made him hurt this time."

Ash offered a small smile. "Good job." He said, though he didnt know if the ends had justified the means. Drake had gotten a small bit of revenge, but, what those monsters had surly done to him might not have been worth it.

"Are you okay?" Zane asked as Drake pulled away, still holding Ask's hand tightly.

"Enough..." he said, looking toward their small barred window.

He didnt have the heart to tell them right now, that they would all be seperated, that things were going to get worse. He knew now what he had tried to deny all this time. They were never going home, they wouldn't be rescued. He would never see his family again, and, if Zack came back for him, he was sure that his 'short life' would be much shorter.

"Just try to sleep." Ash said, seeing that Drake had a lot on his mind. He was hiding something. 'We'll get through this, you'll get through this." he tried to sound as kind as possible, because he knew that Drake was hurting. When Brent and his goons hurt someone, they really hurt them. He knew what they did to slaves who angered Brendon, and he was sure that brendon was furious.

They helped Drake lay down, sat by his side as he tried to stop the sobs from breaking free. In silence they protected him untill he gave into exhaustion.

"...At least I'm breathing, at least I have my wits
but when the cart comes,
who's buried in the pits?
Below my window, I hear a horse go by
and in the next cell an inmate starts to cry..."

Ash didnt sleep that night. He sat in damien's bed, starring out their window though there wasnt much to see. He knew that they couldnt keep going on like this, that they were all breaking 'd felt it since Damien died, and even he was getting too tired to keep fighting.

They'd all had enough, been hurt too many times. Sometimes, he wondered if it was even worth it to keep trying. After two years, he'd given up hope of ever going home. He couldnt even remember it now.

He turned as he heard Drake moving, as he struggled to sit up. he faught back tears as he stumbled over to the window, pressing his hands against the glass. "We're not going home." he whispered.

Ash got out of bed, standing beside him. "I dont think so." he said quietly.

"Zack said Brendon is going to sell us, we'll be seperated." Drake said, voice hoarse.

Ash set his eyes to the bit of moonlight he could see staring into it. "I wont let that happen."

He didnt think he could stop it from happening, but, he was going to try. Anything was better then doing nothing. If they didnt stay together, then they would all surly die. he wouldnt let them all end up like Damien, he wouldnt break his promise.

~..We try our best though to quiet down the fuss.
We know tomorrow it could be one of us..."