Okay, my lovely readers and reviewers, here is another chapter. I will probably write one or two more. Since you probably know that I'm best with psychological subjects (as seen in the first couple of chapters), I'm going to write a sequel to this story that will tell us about how things are going on for Evan and Hank, their struggeling and Evan's fight to find his way back to a somewhat normal life. We will also learn more about the trial that is waiting for Eddie, Emily and Aaron. I'm sure it will be a good story and I also believe that it will be much better than this one. Especially if I give myself a few weeks break, but don't worry: The break won't take too long, because I want to know how things go on as much as you:)

Hank left his brothers room to talk to the officers outside. They didn't want to tell him what his father, his 'so-not-brother' and his ex had told them. They told him, they weren't allowed to give him any details. The attorney would want to talk to him soon. They said, they also needed to talk Evan.

"You can't talk to him, he just came out of this long torture and went through a difficult surgery yesterday." Henry felt very protective over his brother. But he had to, he had failed before and it had led to a disaster. He wasn't going to make this mistake again. But he tried to calm down, the cops were just doing their jobs. "Listen, he's still unconscious. We don't know, when he's going to wake up. When he does, we'll see how he's doing and if he'll be able to talk to you."

"Well, we can't talk to him anyway while he's unconscious and his doctor already told us the same. Thank you, Dr. Lawson. And... we can't tell you much about the things we found out by now and such, but you can be sure that all three attackers will go to jail for a long time. The attorney and we are doing all we can to make sure of that. But it's gonna be long time before everything's over."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Hank was a bit disappointed over the last words. It had never occurred to him before. But now... His brother had suffered horrible things that he still didn't know all about and he just wished things would be over soon, so Evan could start his life again. But would it be that easy? Whatever the younger Lawson had gone through, how could Henry possibly believe that his brother was going to be the same old again, just so as nothing had happened? Evan wasn't weak, he had proved to be much stronger than Hank in a lot of situations in their past, but this wouldn't be easy on him.

Back at Evan's room his doctor was there. "Dr. Lawson, do you remember anything I told you about your brothers condition yesterday?"

"Honestly, not much. Just that he went through surgery fine. I think you said he had several broken ribs and one had punctured his lung. You also told me that he has a severe concussion, a broken wrist and several broken bones in his leg and too many painful and serious bruises. You also said there was some damage to his spine, but that physical therapy will most likely help with that."

"Well, that's good so far. But there is something else..."

"What is it?" Henry was tense now.

"His kidneys, he didn't have enough fluids, his kidneys aren't working well and one problem more is that we have found so many signs of bruising around them, that there is a chance of permanently damage to at least one of them. We're even afraid of a kidney failure."

"Okay, but he can still live with one, so that isn't a problem.." He tried to ignore the urge to throw up or run to his father and beat him to death.

"Yes, you're right, Dr. Lawson, but I'm afraid that his other kidney could be too damaged to work for two."

"Okay, okay, but right now... they are still working, right?"

"Well, yes, but you should be warned. And there are still drugs in his system that we can't figure out this fast. He's liver is damaged as well. There also several little cuts and injuries. I don't know, if he's gonna be okay. I just wanted you to know that."

"Thank you for talking to me, but I just know he'll make it." Hank felt fear squeeze his heart. You just have to be OK, I believe in you, kiddo.

The attorney and two detectives were talking to Emily in her room. She was feeling much better already and showed herself as innocence in person. She smiled as sweet as she could, started crying at the right times and told them over and over again, how sorry she was that she hadn't stopped her husbands youngest son, who had acted crazy for so long.

"Eddie and I didn't know what to do to stop him and then everything happened so fast. We were scared, he's mad at us, when we tried to reason with him. Yes, we made mistakes, too, but we were too far in it and were afraid that nobody was going to believe us. And we had reason to believe so, because I can tell none of you believes me." She pressed some more tears out of her eyes. And at least one of the men interviewing her, felt very sorry for this beautiful woman.

When the men left the detective looked her in the eyes, smiled at her – trying to cheer her up. Emily smiled back and looked at him like he was her hero. And it worked, the man felt good and mouthed to her that he'll come back soon. Her smile changed into a grin as soon as the door was closed. She still had it in her.

Eddie R. told the three men a totally different story. His son Evan had been drinking for a while and at some point alcohol hadn't been enough for him anymore and he started experimenting with different drugs and medications. The young man had stolen them from his brother or Emily and had bought some from dealers. He painted a picture of Evan that made all his fault, let him look like a drunken, drugged violent person that had made their life unbearable. He admitted that he had failed as a father, but was mostly sorry that he had failed his oldest son Henry.

The youngest Lawson son was telling them a third version that was close to his fathers, but added that Evan had come to his father house and had wanted to stay there, because his brother Hank had thrown him out. He had been insulting and violent since he had come to them. They had tried to get away from him, but he hadn't stopped following them.

Henry didn't know anything about those lies while he was sitting, watching Evan and holding his still cold hand. The doctors words were haunting him. He couldn't stop thinking about the worst case scenario, but he couldn't think about it either. His faith was shaken again.