A/N: Hello all again, and as always, thank you for reading :)

Ok, well, here's the latest chapter. It's a little nasty again, but, then again, it wasn't exactly gonna be all ok again right away now, was it?

I've started work on chapter 19 so hopefully you won't have too long to wait on that one :)

The title from this chapter comes from the amazing American Idiot track, "We Are The Waiting"

As ever, I still do not own any of the boys (damnit :P)

Chapter 18 - And Screaming

Rave couldn't take her eyes off Party Poison, although a part of her that she was terribly ashamed of just wanted to look away. Her thumb traced a long, thin cut down Party Poison's cheek, the blood was dried, it felt rough, she wondered how long ago it'd been inflicted on him. Yesterday? Earlier today? How many of these things could've been prevented if they'd been a little quicker? She pushed her fingers through his hair again, trying to get used to the feeling of it being so short now. Couldn't help wondering what else might've happened, things that you couldn't tell by looking, mental torture. Rave was sure that would've made as good a show as the rest of it for the people at Better Living. "Oh God, baby." She whispered. "What did they do?" Everyone in the car heard it, but pretended not to. None of them could help but react, though, if only subtly. Jet Star's hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he sped up slightly, knowing it was important to get back. Kobra Kid closed his eyes, trying to get away from that awful, sinking, lonely feeling he'd had when he first stepped inside that room, and saw his brother… On display and ruined for everyone to see. He'd never felt so lost or helpless in his life. Kobra Kid tried to think of Party Poison grinning, defiant, confident, "we running, Kid?" "only if you are." The closed eyes, pale, torn and bruised skin and seemingly lifeless body of now kept replacing it though.

Fun Ghoul forced himself to look out the window. If anyone saw his reaction… He was scared he'd give too much away. He was drained and exhausted and hurting and he just wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep quiet. His thoughts kept drifting back to one thing in particular. The belt, the jeans. And then his thoughts drifted to Saint Jimmy, for whom a fresh wave of hatred was building. But then back to the belt, the button, the zip. The cold panic he'd felt, seeing that. Looking up at Party Poison, who looked so scared, and he'd pleaded, it'd been silent, but his eyes had said it plain enough. And Fun Ghoul couldn't help thinking, oh please Poison, no. Not again…

And, even worse… If they had… If what Fun Ghoul was so worried about really had happened. That meant that had been broadcast too. The thought of any of Better Living… Touching him like that… Was bad enough, but the thought of that being seen by… Everyone? Those people watching Party Poison, his Party Poison being… Degraded, defiled like that. Someone touching him, forcing themselves on him… And, oh God, now his thoughts were on Saint Jimmy again, gloating, smirking as he told Fun Ghoul what he'd done. He couldn't stand it, the thought of what had, and what might have happened.

Even Saint Jimmy reacted in his own way. But luckily no one else saw it. He smiled, just slightly.

They got back in good time, Jet Star getting quickly out and opening the back car door. He helped lift Party Poison out, Rave and Kobra Kid soon following after him, taking him back into their care. Fun Ghoul got his own door open, trying to move quicker than his injuries would allow. "Jet." Rave said, anxiously as she saw this, "Help Ghoul." And though Fun Ghoul tried to wave him off, "I'm fine Jet, really." As soon as he managed to get to his feet, Fun Ghoul very nearly fell back down, his hands reaching out to the car were the only thing stopping him. "C'mon." Jet Star said, gently, helping Fun Ghoul lean against him, letting Jet Star take his weight. Fun Ghoul grimaced with each step, and he didn't want to mention that the side that was against Jet Star was the same that had been hit.

By the time the two of them got inside, Kobra Kid and Rave already had Party Poison laid on a table in the middle of the main room. While Kobra Kid eased Party Poison out of his jacket again, Rave had dashed off to collect medical supplies. Jet Star helped Fun Ghoul over to a nearby chair, but almost immediately Fun Ghoul was on his feet again, ignoring the pain now, he was quickly at the table, leaning heavily on the side of it to keep himself upright. It'd barely been minutes since he'd last seen Party Poison in the car, but still he stared like it'd been much longer. The light was better in here, they could see so much more. "What can I do?" Fun Ghoul asked. Reappearing with her arms full now, Rave answered. "You can rest, Ghoul, I'll patch you up as soon as we're done with Poison." Fun Ghoul glared at her. "Let me help." Setting the stuff down on one of the other tables, Rave headed over to Fun Ghoul, reaching out a hand to place on his shoulder. "Ghoul, please. You have helped, for fucks sake you nearly gave your life for him back there! All I'm asking is that you take it easy right now, I promise the three of us have got him, if you try to help you could do more damage, to yourself… Or to him." Fun Ghoul closed his eyes, he wanted to scream and protest, but he knew there was sense in what Rave was saying. He nodded, ignored Rave's offer to help him back to the chair, he didn't want to keep her from Party Poison any longer.

The damage was even more extensive than they'd first thought. There were burns and deep gashes, and some of the bruises were particularly worrying. Both Rave and Kobra Kid steadily worked on each injury in turn. Cleaning and stitching and bandaging where necessary. Jet Star passed them what they needed, and kept an eye out for anything they might've missed.

And then, Saint Jimmy pointed out something in particular.

None of them had noticed when he'd made his way inside, but now he wandered over to the table and said, "You may want to be worrying about the shit they pumped into him." They all stopped, stared at Saint Jimmy. "I know the drugs they were using on him, it's their strongest fucking shit. I'm amazed he's still fucking breathing, normally that stuff… Anyway. You need to get it out of him. Now." And they looked to Party Poison's arm, it looked worse than it had before, an ugly redness to the point where the needle had gone in, and the lines of black now looked raised. Kobra Kid looked back up at Saint Jimmy. "How?" He demanded. "How do we-?"

"I told you before, Kiddie." Saint Jimmy said, with a smirk, "Don't underestimate me." Then, putting his hand in his pocket, Saint Jimmy produced two vials, one of clear liquid, one of milky white. "Ok, syringes, anyone?" Saint Jimmy asked. When he didn't get an answer, he rolled his eyes, "Don't worry, Saint Jimmy provides all." Three sealed syringes laid out on the table, Saint Jimmy got to opening up one of them. "That's Better Living shit, isn't it?" Kobra Kid demanded, as Saint Jimmy picked up the two vials, studying them both. Then he nodded, put the milky one back in his pocket then started filling the syringe with the stuff from the clear vial. "Uh huh." Saint Jimmy replied. "Then don't you come near him with that! I'm not letting you put that in my brother!" Very calmly Saint Jimmy told him. "Newsflash, Kiddie He's already got their shit inside him. This is the only thing that's gonna save him." He looked up, making direct eye contact with Kobra Kid, who quickly crumbled under that gaze. "I can't fucking watch this." Kobra Kid announced, turning away from the table, heading down the other end of the room. "Fine by me." Saint Jimmy said, moving around the other side of the table. "You were in my spot anyway." He leant over Party Poison's arm, inspecting it closely. "Oh, you're a mess, aren't you Cherry Top?" Then he straightened up, "Rave, be useful, and hold him down for me." Rave didn't move. "Jimmy." She said, quietly, looking directly at Party Poison, at his face, noticing his breathing getting move uneven as she watched. "Is this going to hurt him?" Saint Jimmy didn't answer. "Jimmy!" Rave demanded. "Answer me! Is this going to hurt Poison?" Saint Jimmy's gaze snapped up to look at her, he was angry now, impatient. "Not as much as it will if we fucking leave him. Or haven't you got the message that if I don't do this he's gonna fucking die?" Then, calmer. "Now, Rave. If you want to help your sweetheart, I suggest you hold him down."

Finally, Rave complied, leaning over Party Poison, a hand on each shoulder. Saint Jimmy bent over Party Poison's arm again, lining up the needle to the original puncture. He glanced up at Rave, grinned slightly. "Remind you of old times?" He asked. "Just get on with it." Rave hissed. She didn't want Saint Jimmy lusting over old times, old drugs, not now. Saint Jimmy looked back down, slid the needle in then slowly depressed the plunger. A few seconds, and nothing, then Saint Jimmy slipped the needle back out. And then…

The convulsions were violent, but no where near as distressing as the sudden scream that tore it's way out of Party Poison. Down the other end of the room, Kobra Kid had covered his ears, turned away from the sight, his back to his screaming brother, though he still couldn't block it out.

Rave closed her eyes, trying her best to hold Party Poison, terrified of what he might do to himself. Jet Star could only stare, he had to trust Saint Jimmy knew what he was doing, but he was finding that difficult. And Fun Ghoul… Once again ignoring his own injuries, got up, headed over to the table. "Make this stop, now, Saint!" He shouted. Saint Jimmy looked up at him. "It's fucking working you idiot! I can't stop anything and you wouldn't want me to if I could!" He pointed at Party Poison's arm, and Fun Ghoul saw the black lines were… Fading. Seemingly being cleansed by whatever stuff Saint Jimmy had just injected into Party Poison. "How much longer?" Fun Ghoul asked. Saint Jimmy shrugged. "Couple of minutes. An hour.""An hour?" Fun Ghoul exclaimed. "Poison can't take this for an hour!"

"Well he fucking did alright surviving everything they did to him, didn't he?" Saint Jimmy replied. "Or do you really have so little faith in him?" Saint Jimmy smiled, he knew that would get to him. "I have all the faith in the world in Poison." Fun Ghoul replied. "I just don't want to see him in any more pain." Saint Jimmy looked down again. "Looks like you won't have to." Immediately, Party Poison silenced and stilled, Fun Ghoul looked, the black was almost grey now, though the red puncture wound remained, and there was still the slight raised look to where the lines had been. Both Fun Ghoul and Rave looked at Party Poison, just as scared by his silence as they had been his screams.

He was breathing lightly, and evenly now, and though tears streaked down his cheeks, it was obvious he was better, healthier than he had been.

"You can get back to what you were doing now." Saint Jimmy said, as he walked away. "And you're welcome!"

They worked for slightly longer, every now and then looking to see if Party Poison had opened his eyes yet. He hadn't, and though they all thought that was probably best, it still worried them.

Once everything visible had been seen to and patched up, Rave turned her attention to Party Poison's legs, running her hands up and down them firmly but carefully. Frowning still, she quickly undid his belt. "Wait!" Fun Ghoul on his feet again, Rave looked up at him, surprised by the alarm in his voice, in his eyes as he asked, "What-? Why do you need to-?"

"Ghoul, what's wrong?" Rave asked, puzzled. Fun Ghoul looked down, looking at the belt, immediately thinking back to Better Living again, seeing the look on Party Poison's face. He knew… Oh God, he knew…

"I just…" Fun Ghoul tried to think of an explanation, something plausible that would stop Rave from… Continuing what she was doing. "I mean… He was only exposed to the waist, right? So, it's unlikely they did anything else." Rave looked down, then forced herself to make eye contact with Fun Ghoul again. "They won't necessarily have had to strip him to do damage. I need to check." But Fun Ghoul shook his head. No, no, he couldn't let this happen. What if there was other evidence, evidence of other things? He had to protect the others from seeing that.

He had to protect Party Poison.

"I… Don't you think he's been through enough? Do you have to-?""Ghoul. What's gotten into you? I'm not doing this for the sake of it, or to humiliate him! I am worried about him and I want to make sure he's ok!" Fun Ghoul closed his eyes, fuck, there was gonna be no way out of this, was there? "I wasn't suggesting that, Rave, believe me." He said, quietly. "Just… Please…" But the next thing he knew, a wave of dizziness hit him, and he felt himself falling back. Fun Ghoul was more surprised when he felt himself being caught, the only person near him was Rave. But then, he always forgot how strong she was, despite appearances. "Fuck, Ghoul." Rave's voice. "I'm sorry, I'd completely forgotten you're hurt too."

Shit. So had he… "Oh, fuck. Ok, c'mon. Fuck, when did you start bleeding so much?" He was bleeding? Huh, he hadn't noticed… He opened his eyes, saw Rave's hand, which she was holding out, staring at. It was covered in red. "Kid! Finish checking on Poison, I don't think Ghoul can wait much longer." Oh, fuck, no. No, Kobra Kid couldn't do it either! None of them could, but Kobra Kid was the worst. No, no. What'd it do to him if he discovered… "C'mon, Ghoul, can't have you unconscious too." Was he loosing consciousness? He did feel light headed, kinda far away. "Jet! Help me with him, please?"

Then Fun Ghoul was aware he was laying down, not on the floor, very obviously on a bed, he'd been moved. He could feel a slight tugging to his side. "Oh thank God." Rave was still there. "Ghoul, I know about your arm and your side, but where else were you hit?" He couldn't quite bring himself to open his eyes, but he did answer. "Lower leg, right. Right foot." The tug at his side continued slightly longer, then was gone, but he could still tell his shirt was pushed up, it felt slightly cold, but not uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry, Ghoul, this is probably gonna hurt…" Before Fun Ghoul could figure out what Rave might be about to do, a scream ripped it's way out of him as his boot was taken off. "Shh, shh, oh God, Ghoul, I'm sorry." Fun Ghoul somehow quietened himself, clenching his jaw against the noise that wanted to escape, and then the pain took him under again.

When he finally opened his eyes, though he felt slightly uncomfortable in places, most of the pain seemed to have subsided. He was still on the bed, fully clothed (minus his jacket) under the covers.

Fun Ghoul sat up slightly, wincing as he did, and he saw Rave, sat between his bed and the next, her back was to him, facing the next bed along.

Even if he hadn't been able to see he would've known Party Poison was in that bed. "How is he?" Fun Ghoul hated how weak his voice sounded, but at least he'd got it out. Rave whipped round, beaming. "Ghoul! You're awake!" She went to hug him, but thought better of it. "I fixed you up at least half an hour ago, you were starting to scare me." Fun Ghoul shrugged, winced. "I'm alright. How's Poison?"

"You should lie down, Ghoul, you lost a lot of blood, and-"

"Rave!" Fun Ghoul snapped, his voice as strong as he could make it. "Stop ignoring the question. How. Is. Poison?" Rave's gaze instantly dropped, and she looked behind her, briefly. She didn't look back up as she answered, quietly. "He's still unconscious. We've checked him over as best we can, physically, he should be fine but…" She trailed off. Tried to compose herself. "There's just so much we won't know unless he… Until he…" Fun Ghoul reached out his hand, wincing again, but still taking one of Rave's hands into his own. "He'll wake up soon, Rave. You know he will." Rave nodded. "I just thought… I thought we'd have him back by now."

"We do." Fun Ghoul told her. "look. Poison's right there, you can see him. You can reach out, touch him. We've got him back and he's safe now." Rave nodded, harder that time. "I'm so fucking glad you're ok, Ghoul." She told him, couldn't hold herself back now, she reached forward and hugged him, as gently as possible. Fun Ghoul hugged her back, laughed slightly, "Hey, y'know, me too. I'd be seriously upset if I wasn't alright." Rave laughed, Fun Ghoul could hear that it was through tears, and as he looked over Rave's shoulder, to Party Poison, he felt his own tears falling too.

Please Poison, please be alright…