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2 Weeks Later
"Jimmy is busy right now…I'll have him call you back" said Julie
"That was Eric...again" she said
"Are you ever going to talk to him? Or me about what happened" she asked
"No..." Jimmy said who was working hard on his college application that was due soon
Its not that Jimmy didn't want to talk to his brother is was that his life was getting back to normal, he was doing well at school, and looking forward to finishing high school just as soon as he got all his applications in…this one was the last one
"I'm sorry mom, it's just that…I don't want to relive it again" he said
"I understand son...but I don't want anything happening to you" she said
"I know" Jimmy said smiling
Jimmy returned to his application, and thought about his real father, the medication, and the voices less and less.
Eric tried to return to a normal life in Smallville but it couldn't be done because there never is anything normal in Smallville. Fed up and annoyed with Jimmy, his mother, school, and the world…Eric decided to do something he wouldn't do under usual circumstances…
"Hi dad" said Eric on the phone through the glass
"I never thought I would see you again" Roger said "I am going to be gone soon"
"Yeah, well...I'm reevaluating relationships in my life" said Eric
"How is your mother? Jimmy?" he asked
"I don't want to talk about them" said Eric
"Son, sometimes life doesn't work out the way that you want it to...but you can't just shut off people that care about you…I learned that too late and I hope you don't" said Roger
"Thanks dad…" said Eric
"Your welcome son….all I've ever wanted for you was a good life and it will be once I am gone" Roger said looking at his son
"I can't forgive you dad…for what you did to mom, grandma, and me….and I never will" said Eric
"I understand that son…I really do…" said Roger
Eric's time was almost up as he looked at his father through the glass
"I love you son…." Roger said getting up
"I know dad…I know" said Eric hanging up the phone
Eric made his way home and started working on his homework, he was happy that his applications for school were done...he didn't want to do them but he hoped that they would take him away from Smallville. Still on the outs with his mother but no other choice, Eric had to ask her what he needed to do
"Mom, what do I need to do about…everyone?" Eric asked her
"Forget about it, your real family is gone and you never needed them anyway…he's brought you more heartache then anything since you've met him" said Rebecca
"I can't give up….where would I be without him" said Eric
"A lot better off…" said Rebecca looking at him
"Yeah...I would be anti-social, bitter, but maybe clinging to the hope that I had a real family out there that might want me back" said Eric "but now I know…that that image of a real family was all a picture that didn't show the truth and with Jimmy's help I want finally able to see that truth"
Eric looked at his mother and he knew that she knew that he was serious about what he needed to do and he knew what needed to be done a long time ago.
Belle Reeve Asylum
Coming up with a plan as he made his way to the asylum, Eric didn't know what Jimmy had seen and what information he had that he didn't mention. Eric reached his location in record time and then was able to really look at the building when he got out , he had to find someway to get inside…and he didn't think it was as easy as walking though the front door this time. Maybe it was because he read too many books or many he's seen to many action movies but he knew he had to be a hero for his own sake and his brothers…if he'd ever speak to him again. After taking all his focus off the building for a minute he was able to hear the sirens that were behind him, he thought that maybe getting in wouldn't be as difficult as he thought it was going to be. He grabbed the picture of his father that he had taken from his mother's house, made sure that his car was locked and walked up to the front door.
"I know what you're doing and you aren't doing this alone" a voice from behind him said
"Go away…don't….I….need you" Eric said turning around to see his brother standing there
"I know you do…and that's why I'm here" said Jimmy
Without time to explain Jimmy was able to almost read his brother's mind and was instantly filled in on the plan to find out information about their father. Jimmy and Eric walked into the asylum and noticed that people were running every which way trying to figure out what was going on without alarming too many people.
"Do you know this man?" asked Eric holding up the picture for the receptionist to see
"You're about 5 minutes to late" the receptionist said "all the emergency vehicles when you came in….he hung himself"
"You've got to be kidding…this can't be serious" said Jimmy looking around
"Did you know him?" asked the receptionist as people ran by her
"Thank you for your help" said Eric quickly pulling Jimmy by the arm and leading him out
Jimmy and Eric walked silently to their cars as Eric's phone rang in his back pocket, he reached his car and looked at his phone…as Jimmy came over
"Who was it?" asked Jimmy
"My mother…." said Eric coldly
"What did she want?" asked Jimmy innocently
"How am I supposed to know…Jimmy I am not a psychic...jeez!" said Eric
"Fine…I don't have time for this anyway" said Jimmy turning his back on his brother
"Good…go…anytime things get difficult you run away and avoid me…good go ahead...I guess I'll see you when we are dead…which might be soon based on what's happening" said Eric
"Listen...she was my mother and my father too…" said Jimmy
"I know...but when you go home you have other parents…I don't...my father's in jail" said Eric
Eric's phone rang again….this time he picked it up...
"Hello" said Eric frustrated
"Eric...where are you…I've been trying to reach you…your father was put to death and they just called me" said Rebecca
Drained of emotions Eric stood there in shock for a moment…he lost the only person he knew as a father and his real father all in one day…
"Eric...are you there?" Rebecca asked worried
"Yeah...I'll be right home" said Eric still in shock
He hung up the phone and looked at his brother….and started to cry
"He's dead…my father is dead…both of them are" said Eric though the tears
"I'm sorry….I wish there was something I could do" said Jimmy
Eric looked at him….knowing there was nothing he or anyone could do….he got into his car wiped his tears and left a confused Jimmy behind. Eric reached his home, and looked at the picture of his real father that was clipped to the visor…there were so many things that the picture didn't show and now he'll never know the truth…
"Mom. I'm home" Eric said after walking in
"It's about time" Rebecca said frustrated
Eric opened his time to say something…but then decided against it and went up to his room.
The Olsen House
"I don't know mom, sometime I wish there was something that I could do for him…but there isn't" said Jimmy to his mother later that night
"Jimmy….what can you do? Nothing…everything has been done…there is nothing connecting you anymore" Julie said looking at her son
"He's my brother….isn't that a strong enough connection?" he asked
"Sometimes it isn't…sometimes its not enough" she said
Jimmy knew that in a couple of days…Eric would be at his father's funeral and he couldn't be there for him
The Funeral-A Few Days Later
Rebecca convinced the prison to allow her husband to get a proper private burial at the local cemetery, as the got dressed in their bedrooms Eric's thoughts weren't on his father being buried…they were on his brother and how unresolved their issues became. He didn't want to shut another person out of his life like is father did, he didn't want to end up that way...but that's the way that it seemed to becoming. The funeral was quiet and attended by Eric and Rebecca...and when it was it was all over…Rebecca left alone with her husband's tombstone
"Thanks Dad…for avoiding the truth all these years, and being who you were…because that taught me that I never want to be like that…why couldn't you be the father I needed? Why did you have to be this way…why did you have to be a jerk?...Dad, I hope you rot in hell because that at least is what you deserve…and you never shouldn't have told me you love me…but I may have said "I know" but all I know is that if you loved me…you never…would have done what you did to me…" said Eric with all the strength he had left
Eric took one last look at the tombstone and noticed something that was on the back…he reached around and noticed that there was an envelope taped on it. He grabbed the envelope and looked at it and then looked at the tombstone again…it was the last time that he would visit that cemetery in his life…
Note: Thanks for reading…and sorry for the crazy long wait…stay tuned! ~L