Roger sat on the bed across from Jack, telling him all about the proposal and how he was going to be part of a family again. The redhead smiled his crooked grin. "I'm so happy for you, Roge. Things are really turning around for you here." he said. Roger nodded, stroking 'the thing' in his fingers and letting the teddy bear sit in his lap. His smile died after a few seconds. It looked like he wanted to say something. "Jack?" he asked, voice now strained and soft. The redhead leaned a little closer. Roger looked at his lap. "Does surgery hurt?"
Jack froze. Where did this question come from? He used his hand to gently tilt Roger's cheek up so that they could meet eyes. "Why do you ask me that, darling?" he inquired, a little worried. Roger shrugged. He averted his eyes again. "The bad doctor said I need surgery. On my brain. Because my brain is sick. Does it hurt?" he repeated. Jack let his hand drop. He was completely and utterly shocked. The doctors wanted to do a frontal lobe surgery on him. They didn't believe he was getting better. They didn't want him to be naturally happy. "Why…why are they doing this?" he whispered, throat becoming instantly dry. Roger shrugged yet again. "He told me that I was a killer." His voice dropped down low. "I think they found out about…"
Although he never finished his sentence, Jack knew exactly who he was talking about.
Roger shivered and hugged himself. "Miss Ginny doesn't know. She doesn't know they want to cut me open. I think she'd have a fit if they told her. We'd probably run away. But they haven't said anything. I'm scared." Jack took Roger into his arms to rock him gently. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you," he murmured absently. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that these doctors didn't see how good the boy was being. How well-behaved he turned out to be. How happy he was with his current life. Roger shivered yet again. "It's going to hurt…" he whimpered. Jack squeezed him tighter, trying to look like the brave one even though he knew he wasn't. "I'll…protect you. F-From…the beastie." he whispered. Roger broke into a thousand tears right then and there.
Jack hugged him for a long time wondering where something had gone wrong. He knew they were medicating him. He knew he'd attacked a few doctors and nurses in the past. He knew they'd been giving him shock therapy. He didn't know why they decided to take such extreme measures now. "Why, Jackie?" Roger murmured, sniffling tremendously. Jack shook his head slowly. "Because they want a quick fix to get you out of here as soon as possible. They just want a quick…impersonal…fix…" he whispered. His voice broke by the end. "They don't know you, Roge. They don't understand you like Miss Ginny and I do. And Charles."
"That's why I like you three and not them. They don't show me love. They treat me like I'm an animal."
Jack rocked him gently again. "Shhh…it'll be alright. Once Miss Ginny finds out about this, she'll put an end to it right away. I promise. Charles too - - he'll help her. You won't need surgery. We won't let that happen to you."
Roger let out a heartbreaking sob. He wanted to believe his friend. He really did. But he wasn't sure if this was actually something that could be fought, considering these doctors were relentless enough to sometimes drag him out of his bed in the middle of the night while he was sleeping to do shock therapy treatment. They knew how to get around Miss Ginny's protection. He let Jack hold onto him tightly as he clung to 'the thing' and his teddy bear. "It's going to hurt…" he whimpered again.