Wow - I don't think I ever got that many reviews for any single chapter posted. Thanks so so much, it really brightened my day. Thanks Jessica - that was very high compliments indeed. Miss Fenway - I am feeling better, thanks for your prayers.

UPDATED.

Pls enjoy this chapter.

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

Chapter Ten

-o-

Whatever my Dad injected into me was meant to torment me before killing me. My skin itched and burned. Soon sores started appearing all over. I could not help but to scratch them, the pores burst, the pus mixed with blood gushed out, and the wounds stung – badly.

Then there was that familiar drug-induced terror, the worst I ever experienced; a tiny part of me knew what the fear I felt was unreal, yet I could not help but to react in sheer terror whenever I thought I saw something moved in the shadows.

It was hell and I could not wait for it to be over.

Then someone came. I retreated deeper into the darkness in fear. But he was gentle and seemingly kind. Then there were two others. They seemed nice too. I eventually let them coaxed me out of the darkness that was my home for an eternity. It was so good to be able to breathe in the crisp fresh air again…

I cried. This was just unreal. Perhaps I died and this was heaven.

I still flinched and reacted violently when something startled me, but I tried hard to control myself. It never worked, but those two men in white were patient and kind. Perhaps they were angels…

But as I knew, that was too good to be true. Dad and Frank would never let me go to heaven. As always, they dangled a carrot before me, only to take it away from me again, just to savor the disappointment I felt.

Something happened that left me cowering in terror.

Then there was this other man approaching me. There was something familiar about him. Brown hair and brown eyes… a tiny fear started in my guts and grew. I turned desperately to my angel…

"I'm Frank… His brother…" the brown haired brown eyed man said.

My angel let him approached. My heart bled. Whatever hopes I had died there and then. I was going to be alone again. I was always meant to be alone, just as Dad and Frank told me repeatedly.

Frank moved even closer. My terror grew, but I blanked out my fears from my eyes but not from my heart. I knew too well what Dad and Frank could and would do to me if I showed them even the slightest fear. I let my angel draped that blanket over me again. I followed docilely as Frank drew me back to that little rock. Then my angel gave me another steaming mug. I took it.

I was not ready to die, and I did not want to go back to Dad and Frank again. I had only one option – run. To where, I knew not, but I knew I had to run away somewhere somehow.

I could feel my adrenaline flowing as I pretended to drink and listen to Frank's seemingly soothing voice. It was all for show in front of my angel, I knew. Then I saw the opening. With lightning quick movement, I flung my mug towards Frank's face, shove my angel off balance and made a dash for the woods.

I ran and ran for my dear life. I tripped, fell, picked myself up and scrambled on. Perhaps I should have wondered how I knew exactly where to go and when to turn. I did not – all I wanted was to get as far away from Frank and Dad as possible.

I tripped again. I could hear Frank calling my name. His voice sounded closer. Darn! He was going to catch me soon! I redoubled my efforts and managed to speed up despite my miserable state of health. It was fear and desperation that drove me.

Then the woods fell away and I found myself on a wet rocky ledge. I screeched to a stop at the very edge of a precipice overlooking a most beautiful waterfall.

I could hear Frank coming up behind me, and I knew I was trapped. There was no way I could fight my way pass Frank in my current physical state. I sank down onto the wet and rocky floor.

But I was not ready to die! A part of me wailed. I could not imagine ever going back to the life Dad and Frank had for me either. The sounds of the falling water roared loudly in my ears, so loud I could barely hear my pounding heart. I stared at the water falling down into the dark abyss below. Was that the only choice left to me? My heart railed at the injustice of it all.

Suddenly, I felt the warmth of the late afternoon sun on me. Something compelled me to look up into the sky. A strangely shaped wisp of a cloud beckoned. My heart lightened. I knew then what I had to do.

That cloud was my Mom watching over me. She was my guardian angel. She loved me and forgave what I did.

"Joe… don't…" I heard Frank say.

Slowly I stood up and turned around to face Frank. He was almost twenty feet away from me. I gave him a triumphant smile, knowing that there was no way he could reach me on time.

My eyes reached out for that cloud as I took that fateful step backwards.

"Love you, Mom," I mouthed as I let myself fall backwards and into the waterfall.

It was all in God's hands now. And I knew Mom would always be watching over me. For the first time in a long time, I felt peace. I could feel a gentle smile tugging my lips. I had forgotten what it was like to smile…

I could hear Frank's anguished screams. I supposed he was angry at losing a prized toy. I was no longer willing to be that toy. And I no longer have to be that toy.

My smile widened as I floated downwards and even further away from that precipice. I could feel the wind caressing me and enfolding me in its protective embrace. I kept my eyes on that cloud that was my Mom.

I won.

I am free.

-o-o-0-o-o-

This was the morning after.

The father sat slumped in the old armchair next to the bed where his elder son lay sleeping. He was waiting for Frank to sleep off the effects of the sedatives.

As he waited, Andrew's parting words replayed cruelly over and over in his mind.

Fenton had not yet had the chance to view any of the recordings, but he knew he would in spite of the pain he knew that would bring him. Why? Why do it to himself? Sam Radley, Ezra Collig, and several other aquaintances who had flown over to help out in the hunt all asked him. The answer was so logically simple yet not exactly rational. He had to, because that would be his punishment for failing his younger son.

He buried his face in his hands and cried as the events of yesterday relived itself in his mind. By the time he rushed back to the clearing where both his sons were supposed to be after reading that letter, the clearing was eerily empty and silent. Then the paramedic appeared, followed by two officers carrying a heavily sedated Frank. Joseph, the paramedic said in a gentle tone, fell off a ledge into the waterfall. He knew then the paramedic was not telling him the whole truth. Several rangers were making their way to the base of the hundred foot fall to start the search. But Fenton could tell from the various expressions that none of them were hopeful – plus it was almost night. The search would likely have to resume in the morning. And so, the tranquilizer that was meant for Joe ended up being used on Frank to prevent him from going over the ledge after his brother. The paramedic van that was meant for Joe ended up being used to transport Frank to the hospital…

The weak rays of the morning sun barely touched the shadowed corners of the old little room. And here alone in the room, his logical mind battled his hopeful heart.

The fall was over a hundred foot high, his mind pointed out systematically. Joe was clearly in bad physical shape, so even if the water was deep enough, he might not be able to take the impact of the fall. And if he did, how could he survive the cold autumn night alone in the woods with nary a piece of clothing on him?

Then again, he knew of cases where people survived more than a hundred foot free fall, Fenton's heart whispered in soft hopeful tones. And Joe was a very good swimmer, well versed in survival techniques, not to mention the fact that his younger son always seem to have the devil's luck on his side all these years.

But there was hope and there was reality. His eyes fell on his elder son who was still sleeping just in front of him. The father bowed his head in despair – what was he going to tell Frank?

"Fent…?"

God… he forgot all about Laura… Jack Wayne must have flown her in.

And his wife was standing in front of him.

Laura was still recovering from her chest wounds. She was slim, but now she was skinny. Her skin was sickly pale, almost translucent, a mark of how badly the recent events affected her health. Tears marred a face that was usually bright and cheery.

"Joe?"

What could he say? He could not bring himself to say the most probable truth.

"They are still searching…" Fenton answered instead, and he hated himself for that.

Laura nodded. "Joe always has lady luck on his side…"

They smiled at each other tearily. They were both in denial and they both knew it.

"Laura…"

The tone was so soft and so lost, Laura for a moment forgot her own grief and needs. Her husband needed her, and that was all she needed to know. Laura simply squeeze into that little space next to her husband of twenty years and held him tight. She whispered words of comfort that was meaningless yet meant everything only because she was the one who said them. Finally Fenton faced her, and gently, her eyes veered towards Frank.

Then Fenton knew. He was desperately looking for comfort and a reason to live on, and Laura gave him just that. A part of the burden of guilt he carried dissipated. His wife did not blame him, she accepted him and his choice of career and everything that came with it, and she was going to continue standing by him. He thanked God again for giving him such a wonderful woman to be his wife and his mate. He held her even tighter to him, grateful that she survived what Andrew did. There was no way he could have lived on otherwise…

"Its not over…"

This time, the husband would be honest with his wife. William would come for Frank. He knew it; he could feel it in his bones. It was better they all be prepared.

Laura's eyes darkened as she geared herself for more bad news.

"Dad… Mom…"

Both parents turned towards that raspy voice. Frank was finally awake.

Frank's eyes, Fenton noted uneasily, were surprisingly clear and lucid given what he knew happened on that slippery ledge.

"Joe's alive…" Frank said. "I saw that glint in his eyes. He has every intention to live… Now all we have to do is to find him…"

Fenton could not decide whether Frank's calm, cool, and rational tone assured or scare him.