Syrus: Zane… Maybe you should have tied up the author…

DMG808: Mph!

Syrus: … And gagged her…

Zane: She was asking for it with that last chapter. Like hell I'd do that to you!

Syrus: Zane… Do you remember season two?

Zane: … Maybe…

Syrus: …

Zane: …

DMG808: Mph!

Zane: Find, just leave me alone! *unties DMG808 and leaves*

DMG808: Finally! I'm free! Anyways, look for disclaimers and warnings in other chapters. Enjoy the new one!

Syrus: Zane off hiding again.

DMG808: Don't worry, he'll be back by the end of the chapter!

Chapter 5

I'm sitting in my living room with Syrus, watching TV in the early morning like we sometimes do. I usually get in trouble for it, but Syrus deserves to be able to sometimes do what most kids with normal families do.

Our mother walks in, looking a little pale and tired. She went out drinking last night, so she's probably having a major hangover. At least it doesn't hurt so bad when she's drunk.

I try to tell Syrus to go to our room, but for some reason, my voice isn't working and won't say anything. I must have lost it and forgot. I tried to communicate with my expression to let him know, but when I look at him, he's looking at our mother, terrified.

"G-good morning, M-mom." He stammers out. He doesn't usually say anything to her. I do all the talking.

"Aw, it's okay, little Syrus. I won't hurt you." She lies right through her teeth. But what about me? I'm sitting right here!

"It's too bad Zane isn't here with us, isn't it?" She asks him, daring him to make the right decision of what to say.

"I-it's okay. I-I'm sure h-he's having f-fun with h-his f-friends." Syrus stammers out to her and that when I realize they can't see me. But why?

"Yeah right, you lying little bastard!" She yells at him, and he cringes under her cruel words. Please don't let him be hurt. He can't get hurt. I'm supposed to protect him.

"But I didn't lie!" He exclaims with tears in his eyes. He looks like a lost little puppy who is being yelled at by people passing by.

"I'll teach you to talk back to me, young man!" She yells at him, and I fear the worst. He can't be beaten now, I've worked too hard for too long for that to happen now. "Get down on your stomach on the couch! Now!"

She sounds so much like the first time she whipped me, it's scary. I feel the old memories coming back. He lies down immediately, having seen me do the same a couple of times, and he goes right through me, as if I have no more substance than a ghost. His face is already tear stained before the first blow is even dealt. My poor baby brother.

I watch as she lashes the belt across his back in absolute terror. She looks like a monster right now. As he screams, my own voice comes back and I scream along with him.

"Zane, are you okay?" A worried voice asks outside the nightmare I had just been having. But that was so likely to happen, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"I'm terrible. How could I do this to him!" I exclaim, not knowing or caring who heard what I said. I was probably scaring Syrus, but who cares?

"Zane, snap out of it! What the hell is wrong with you?" A different voice than before asks me as I am shaken by one of the two. But neither of the voices belong to Syrus.

"How could I let that happen to him? I'm the worst excuse for a big brother there has ever been." I moan to both of them and yet no one at the same time.

"Zane, get a grip." The first voice says and a hand brushes my cheek in a firm but gentle slap. I stop moaning and yelling and actually open my eyes to what's around me and brush my cheek with my fingers.

Next to me are Atticus and Aster. Aster appears to be the one who slapped me since he still has his hand up as if he had just done so.

"Zane, are you okay?" Atticus asks me. They're both sitting beside me on a bed I don't recognize. Then I finally remember where I am. Aster and D's beach house. Earlier that day, Aster and his father, who just happened to be a famous duelist, D pick Atticus and I up from out houses and had taken us here. I was trying to enjoy myself, but I keep worrying about Syrus.

"Oh God…" I mutter as I feel the fear for him taking over me again. I start to shake and moan again and Aster raises his hand as if to slap me again.

Atticus grabs his wrist and snaps, "Leave him alone, Aster. Can't you see he's really upset?"

Aster lowers his arm and Atticus puts his hands on either on of my shoulders looking directly at me. "Zane, tell us what's wrong. Did you have a nightmare? It must have been something really scary to have the Zane Truesdale scared shitless." Atticus attempts to make me laugh, and I crack a small smile that fades quickly.

"It was nothing. Just a nightmare." I say. I can't tell them what it was or else I'd have to tell them everything. And I know I can't do that.

"You don't tell us, I'll just get the D and he'll get it out of you. Your choice. Him or us." Aster says in a bored tone. I was angry enough at him already for slapping me, and now he's giving me an ultimatum?

"Aster, shut it. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Zane." Atticus says kindly, all joking aside. I knew there was a reason he and I were closer.

But then I thought about it really hard. Would it be that bad if I told them and they promised not to tell? They're my best friends. It has to be okay.

"I-I'll tell you. Both of you. But you have to promise that everything I say stays here." I say, looking at them both hard and long. I've never really thought of actually telling anyone. I feel a little light headed. What if my mother finds out?

"I won't say anything to anyone." Atticus promises.

"Ditto." Aster says.

I tell them everything, about the first beating, about my father leaving, about protecting Syrus, and that it happens daily. They both look at me with shock and horror and sorrow and anger, but I doubt the anger is directed at me. Then I tell them what me coming here means for Syrus. I really am the worst brother ever.

"I can't believe… All the time I've know you… And I never knew…" Atticus trailed off, as he hugged me strongly.

"Damn… That's just sick…" Aster says before joining the hug, making it a group hug.

"But you can't tell anyone. I don't want to be separated from Sy." I tell them.

They held on to me as if they were afraid that I would fall apart if they let go. And at that moment, I probably would have without them.

When we pull apart, Atticus is looking at me funny. "Zane? Do you think you could show us… your back? I mean, do you have scars?"

"Yeah. A lot." I reply as I lift my shirt over my head. The both gasp to see the red, purple, blue, black, and yellow that covers my back in lines. I feel a finger brush along it and I quickly turn around and put my shirt back on.

"No one but you two know. So I'll know if one of you told. But I know neither of you will.

Zane: Dammit, did anything happen to Syrus or not?

DMG808: See, I told you he'd be back at the end of the chapter!

Zane: …

Syrus: I wasn't in this chapter.

DMG808: Don't worry, you're in the next on for sure.

Atticus: I was in it for the second time! Woot!

Zane: You've gotta be kidding me…

Atticus: Review, and tell her how awesome it was to have me in the chapter so she puts in more of me!

DMG808: Until next time, adios mis amigos!