All - In Pieces

NOTE: This could be read as sort of a follow up to Chapter 22: Chase/Tyler Torture. See people, you got your wish :P I listen to my fans! lolol. The Wedding Date is proof enough of that xD


--

"Don't touch me," Tyler shook his head and hurried up to his dorm room. He wasn't alone for too long, though, because Reid caught up and it's not like he could kick him out, they shared the room.

"What happened to you, Tyler?" Reid asked in a soft voice, the voice that he saved only for his baby brother.

"Nothing! I just… it's nothing," Tyler shook his head and kicked off his shoes. He didn't want to talk about it, he just wanted to go to bed and stay covered by his comforter for the rest of his life. Either that or go live under a rock, but he doubted that would work.

"Tyler, you've been acting weird all night… here, let me," Reid sighed and helped Tyler pull his hoodie off. "Your big head gets stuck in everything."

Tyler forced out a chuckle and let the hoodie drop to the floor before sliding his pants off.

"You're just gunna take that?" Reid raised one of his eyebrows at his friend, "C'mon, man, what's up?"

"It's nothing, Reid," Tyler murmured and climbed into his bed. "Goodnight."

A couple of hours passed and Reid found his arms full of Tyler when he was shaken awake.

"Wha's happenin'?" he slurred, his mind refusing to wake up completely.

"Make it stop," Tyler whimpered into Reid's neck.

"It's just a nightmare, baby boy, calm down. I'm here, shh."

--

"Which countries were part of the Allies and which were part of the Axis during World War II?"

Tyler shrugged and stirred his iced tea with his straw. He watched as the ice and undissolved sugar swirled around with more interest than he was putting into studying history with Caleb.

"You answered the question in class, what happened, you forgot in an hour?" Caleb asked teasingly.

Tyler just shrugged again and kept stirring his drink. He didn't want to ignore Caleb like this but he was scared to look up at him and see him disappear, only to have Chase in his place.

"Ty, c'mon, test tomorrow, remember?"

The only response Caleb received was a nod; well, at least the younger boy was paying some attention to him.

"Look at me, Tyler."

The other boy just shook his head and looked down at his notebook. Maybe if he answered, Caleb wouldn't worry too much. "The Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allies were the British Empire, the USSR, and the US as the Big Three, plus China, made them the 'Four Policemen' and France was considered a major ally until its defeat in 1940."

Caleb smiled slightly and closed Tyler's notebook; he pulled that and his glass of iced tea away before trying to tilt Tyler's chin up. As expected, Tyler flinched away, but he lifted his eyes just the slightest bit to let Caleb know he had his attention.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No," Tyler murmured and shook his head. I just want you to make it all better.

--

"Alright, baby boy, try something a bit heavier," Pogue challenged playfully and handed Tyler a weight that was only a couple pounds heavier. "Watch, in just a couple of weeks, we're gunna have to fight to get your attention because of all the girls that are gunna be swarming around you," he chuckled.

Tyler gave him a weak smile in return and stared downwards, watching as he lifted the weight up and down.

"Cheater, you can't move anything above your elbow," Pogue teased and went to position Tyler's arm the right way but Tyler jumped and dropped the weight. Luckily, Pogue caught it right before it could squash either of their toes. "Watch it, Ty, I'd rather not have a black and blue foot."

"Sorry," Tyler mumbled softly and rubbed absently at his neck.

"Hey, I'm kidding, c'mon, let's do something else. I bet I can run more miles than you, wanna see?"

Tyler shrugged and followed Pogue to the treadmills; he watched as the older, and much more fit, boy started jogging on one of them. When he asked if Tyler was going to join, Tyler just shook his head and leaned against one of the unused machines.

Later, in the locker room, Tyler was sitting on a bench and waiting for Pogue to finish getting dressed.

"Had fun today?" Pogue asked as he sat down next to Tyler and pulled his shoes onto his feet.

Tyler shrugged and tried to bask in Pogue's presence; he liked being near him, it made him feel safe; then Pogue touched his hand and Tyler shot up, leaving Pogue worried and confused as he walked away.

"Sorry," he murmured softly before he left.

--

"There's something wrong with him."

"His grades are dropping."

"Who cares about his grades, Caleb? Tyler's not Tyler anymore."

"He's still Tyler, idiot, he's just… shaken up."

"Over what?"

"If we knew that, we wouldn't be meeting in your basement and leaving Tyler alone while we talk about him!"

"Calm down, Reid."

"Calm down? My best friend won't let me touch him anymore! He barely talks to me! He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, doesn't do anything."

"We're just as worried as you are, Reid. We miss Baby boy as much as you do, but we can't force him back to how he was and we can't force him to talk."

Reid let out a frustrated growl and slammed his fist against the wall. "It's been weeks, Caleb! Ever since that night he fell asleep at your house, he's been fucked up over something that we can't fix!"

"Maybe he's having nightmares," Pogue suggested.

"He tells me about his nightmares, he always does, and he hasn't said anything."

"He hasn't said much of anything lately, Reid."

"Look in the books for something, Caleb! There's gotta be something to fix whatever's going on with Ty."

"Reid, you know we can't mess around with that stuff. It can screw things up even more."

"I just want Tyler back."

Something pulled at both Caleb's and Pogue's hearts when Reid said that in such a desperate voice.

--

"Are you sure this'll work, Caleb?"

"It should but if it doesn't, there shouldn't be any major problems. At least, that's what I think the book says."

"What does it do?"

"Uhhh, I think, if we do it right, we can see what Tyler's dream was about that night this all started."

"And it won't hurt him?"

"He won't even know we're doing it."

"Do we need him here?"

"No, I don't think so… where is he?"

"He was still sleeping when I checked a couple minutes ago."

"Good," Caleb sighed and looked at his brothers, "You guys sure you wanna go through with this?"

Reid and Pogue looked at each other, then at Caleb, and agreed.

"Okay."

The three of them took their places and let their eyes bleed black as Caleb read out the spell. They braced themselves as a force blew out and knocked them off their seats; they thought the worst was over after that.

They didn't expect that they were going to relive Tyler's dream.

--

When the oldest three had calmed down and gathered themselves, they made their way up to Caleb's living room. They stayed there, resting their spinning heads, and trying to soak in each others' presence.

Chase had shook them all up but with the three of them together, he couldn't bring them down.

Tyler came wandering down a couple of hours later and found his three brothers passed out next to each other on the couch.

"Guys?" he asked softly and nudged Reid; the action surprised him and he almost backed away but then just nudged Reid again. "Move over." He pushed his blonde friend and climbed in between him and Caleb.

He felt the comfort and safety that came from being around all his brothers seep in and lull him back to sleep.

Chase would never have him.