A/N: Hey everyone, and as always thank you!

So, I did as promised! I was quicker this time :D (but I promise I worked just as hard on this chapter as I have the others)

Thank you for all your reviews, they are so apprieciated!

ThisRomanceIsChemical: I'm glad you didn't carry out on your threat to eat me, then you'd never get an update :P Hehe. You want Frerard, huh? Well... I can tell you they spend a bit more time together this chapter...

Gasoline Diamond: I take it you were pleased that Poison finally woke up? :) I'll admit, I had a big smile on my face writing that, it was about time! And, ah, well, a few of the Killjoys have come close to shooting Saint Jimmy already. So who knows? Just makes you wonder who might end up pulling the trigger...

AshtrayTragedy M.D: Hey! Nice to see you back in my reviews :) Thank you. And wow, I think that's pretty cool that even though you don't really like slash you hope these guys get together. Time will tell... and yes. It's best to be afraid of what Saint Jimmy's got coming next... Seriously...

Already working on chapter 23, bit more action on the way...

Ok, let's get on with it then, please let me know what you guys think (you always do :D) Also, I'd kinda like to know what you guys would like to see happen. I basically have it all mapped out in my head but hearing your thoughts would be interesting. So, yeah, what would you like to see? :)

The title for this chapter comes from the beautiful American Idiot track, Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Also, nope, still don't own the boys... ;)

Chapter 22 - Read Between The Lines

"Okay." Jet Star said, "I think we should give Poison a little breathing room. One person stays, makes sure he has what he needs, everyone else, out." Jet Star looked briefly to Party Poison, who nodded, smiled, and mouthed, 'thank you'.

Party Poison looked tired, already drained just from the brief interactions with everyone. It'd been overwhelming for him. He was glad to see everyone, to have them around him, but at the same time he couldn't cope with it all. He'd had no idea how to tell them that, he didn't want to sound ungrateful.

So when Jet Star had said it for him, he was more than grateful.

"I'm staying." Kobra Kid said, immediately. No room for argument from anyone.

"Actually…" Except from the one person Kobra Kid was not expecting to argue. Party Poison tried to keep a steady gaze on Kobra Kid, but the look he was getting back made him feel too guilty, he had to keep looking away. "I kinda wanted a moment with Ghoul." Everyone was surprised by those words. Not least Fun Ghoul. He looked up, tried to make eye contact with Party Poison, trying to figure out what he could want to talk about. But Party Poison was making a point not to look at him, not to look at anyone.

Kobra Kid's eyes went slightly wide, "What?" He replied, flatly. Sensing the awkwardness and the slowly building tension between the two brothers, Fun Ghoul tried to intervene. "Poison, your brother wants to take care of you. Whatever you want to talk to me about… It can wait." And, as much as he wanted to spend time with Party Poison, Fun Ghoul felt slightly hesitant. He wasn't sure about this.

Kobra Kid was already standing up now though. "It's fine, Ghoul." He said. "I'll come back later Poison."

"Kid." Party Poison said, gently, "Don't be-""I said it's fine." Kobra Kid told him, more forcefully than he meant to. He left quickly, not giving anyone else a chance to talk or get in his way.

Jet Star looked at Party Poison, frowning slightly. Then he looked to Fun Ghoul. Neither of them would look at him.

He moved forward, a hand on Rave's shoulder, "C'mon." Jet Star said gently. Rave smiled, leant forward to kiss Party Poison lightly on the cheek, then stood to follow Jet Star out. She paused to say to Fun Ghoul, "Take care of him, alright?" Fun Ghoul nodded, smiled, nothing else was needed.

"Surprised she wasn't mad at me too." Party Poison said, once they'd gone. Leaving just him and Fun Ghoul alone. "She loves you, Poison. Anything to make you happy." Fun Ghoul couldn't quite look at Party Poison as he said this. Then, forcing himself to do so, "But, Poison… I think you should-""I know." Party Poison interrupted. "I'll apologise to Kid later. But… Ghoul. I need to talk to you. I need to ask you something." Fun Ghoul felt slightly worried, but he hid that as best he could, sitting down on the bed, close, but not too close to Party Poison. "Ghoul. Is… Is Saint still here?" And finally Fun Ghoul found it easy to meet Party Poison's eyes. He wasn't sure exactly what he'd been expecting Party Poison to say, but it hadn't been that. "Yeah." Fun Ghoul told him. "Yeah he is." He saw the look of fear, worry that Party Poison was trying to hide, but failing, Fun Ghoul saw it, plainly. He felt the need to reassure him. "I don't know if you remember, Poison but he… He helped get you back. He helped get you out of Better Living." Party Poison frowned, trying to remember.

White lights and clicking, electric sounds, a sterile feeling and cold. A flash of pain and the world went red.

Party Poison closed his eyes, tight, then shook his head, just wanting to get away from it.

"Oh, no, no, no, Cherry Top. You stay right here."

But it wouldn't let him go.

"I know I've given you enough reasons to hate me. But right now, we've got a bigger enemy."

Wait, had that really happened?

"I… Kinda remember." Party Poison said, finally. "I wasn't sure if it was still my mind playing tricks on me." Fun Ghoul frowned, concerned, the look on his face asking the question for him. Party Poison didn't want to explain, but found himself doing so anyway. "While I was in there. While they…" He didn't want to think about it. "I had these… Dreams. Nightmares. He was in them." Fun Ghoul could tell Party Poison was thinking about it, about being there, about the nightmares. He wanted so badly to reach out to Party Poison, hold him, comfort him, tell him he was safe, that he was alright. To save him from the things already done to him. "Worst thing was…" Party Poison continued. "He was the better option. I… I wanted to… Stay, with him. I don't… I don't even know why it was him I just…" He'd started to hide his face, he was embarrassed, ashamed of what his mind had done, where it had taken him. That it'd tricked him into wanting Saint Jimmy. He didn't want Saint Jimmy, he didn't want anything to do with him. He hated Saint Jimmy. Hated what he'd done. Hated how he made him feel. Then Party Poison looked up suddenly, a painfully familiar begging look. "Keep him away from me, Ghoul, please?" He reached out, took Fun Ghoul's hand, who squeezed it gently in response, comforting. "I have." The lie stung as soon as the visions of the previous night sprung into his head. I can't let him know about that. He'll never feel safe again. "I will." Felt better.

Party Poison smiled slightly, he looked relieved. He still hadn't tried to take his hand back, and Fun Ghoul wasn't going to let go until he did. You're here. You're really here and you're going to be alright.

"And, Poison…" Fun Ghoul found himself talking again, not even knowing what he was going to say. "I just wanted to let you know… I missed you, and I really did-""I know." Party Poison interrupted, smiling more now. "Like I said, I'm glad to be back." Then, without even thinking, not letting himself think. "Poison, about before… Back at the car, when I left and-""I'm sorry." Party Poison interrupted, completely taking Fun Ghoul by surprise. He'd been trying to apologise, he hadn't expected an apology in return. "I shouldn't have got so mad at you, you were right." Party Poison continued. He looked away, eyes cast down, voice quiet as he said, "And… I'm sorry I hit you." It was obvious how sorry he was. That he'd stuck out at one of his own.

"No." Fun Ghoul protested, "I shouldn't have-""Yes. You should. I was being stubborn. I was too fucking busy feeling hurt and pissed off that Rave chose to stay with Saint. But you were right, she wasn't choosing him, she was just trying to do the right thing, not leave anyone behind. That's what we taught her, right? That's what I taught her. Then what do I do? I leave her behind. Just for trying to follow the example I set for her.""Poison. Stop. You had every right to be hurt, after what Saint did to you… I'm sure it felt like she was betraying you." Fun Ghoul regretted what he said almost immediately. Party Poison closed his eyes, his head bowed. And Fun Ghoul knew he was reliving it. Then Party Poison looked up, suddenly, snapping himself out of it."But Rave didn't know about that. I shouldn't have blamed her for wanting to stay. I should've tried talking to her. I should've listened to you." Fun Ghoul hadn't been expecting that, but Party Poison still wasn't done. "Maybe if I'd listened… Maybe if I'd just calmed down. But… It fucking hurt having you leave me too, Ghoul. Having you walk away from me like that."

Fun Ghoul tried to pretend he had no reaction to that, but in truth his heart was beating faster, harder, hurting a little. He'd say that about any of us. We're a family, he doesn't mean anything else by it. "I was only walking away to help you." Fun Ghoul told him, gently.

"I know. But it hurt like hell, and I was so wound up, and if only I'd fucking listened to you then I never would've-" Fun Ghoul knew where he was going with this, he was blaming himself for the crash. He was blaming himself for getting caught by Dracs.

He was probably even blaming himself for being taken by BL/Ind.

"That wasn't your fault Poison!" Fun Ghoul protested. "I put us all in danger." Party Poison said. "I was too distracted, I-""It doesn't matter." Fun Ghoul told him, coaxing, just wanting him to stop, stop blaming himself. "Kid was fine, Jet was fine. You're fine now.""I'm fine?" Party Poison asked, not looking convinced. The uncertainty in his voice, in his eyes, on his face, it hurt to see, to hear. "You're here aren't you?" Fun Ghoul said. Party Poison nodded, but still looked unsure.

Fun Ghoul didn't want to ask him the next thing, didn't want to get into it now, he just wanted to let Party Poison forget, forget everything. But he had to ask. If he didn't ask now he was scared he never would.

He had to ask about the belt, Party Poison's belt, ask why it had been undone, why Party Poison had looked so worried, so scared, why he'd so desperately wanted no one else to see.

Fuck. Fun Ghoul really didn't want to ask.

"Poison… At… At Better Living. Do you remember-""I don't remember anything." Party Poison interrupted, quickly. A little too quickly, Fun Ghoul thought, he frowned, and pushed on, gently, "Not even when we were getting you out? When you were awake? There was something that… Happened. Something I noticed, when I was helping you with your gun, you-""I know what you're asking me." Party Poison said, obviously wishing he'd stop asking it. "So you do remember?"

"I remember you guys. But before that… I told you. There was only the dreams. I only remember them."

"Nothing else?" Fun Ghoul urged.

"No." Party Poison told him. Flatly, his face blank, unreadable. The only form of expression coming from his eyes. They burned. "Nothing."

Fun Ghoul wanted to believe him. He hoped Party Poison didn't remember. Just from the injuries they'd seen, knowing the kind of drugs BL/Ind liked to play around with, knowing their sick sense to punishment (justice, keeping people in line, keeping them safe, that's what they'd say), it would've been hell. He wanted to believe Party Poison was spared those memories.

But the way he'd answered so quickly. Something about the look in his eyes…

Fun Ghoul hoped he didn't remember.

Kobra Kid pushed open both doors as he marched outside, letting them swing back without checking if anyone was behind him.

Rave caught one door while Jet Star caught the other, both narrowly missing being hit in the face in their haste to follow Kobra Kid.

"Kid!" Rave called after him. He ignored her, kept walking. Pretended he couldn't hear her running to catch up.

She grabbed his arm, halting him finally. "Kid, where're you going?" Kobra Kid rolled his eyes. "For a walk.""Alone?" Jet Star questioned, having now caught up, only a few steps behind Rave. "That was the idea." Kobra Kid replied, a little cuttingly. "Kid, I don't think-""Please don't be mad at him." Rave cut off Jet Stars sentence with a plea. "Who?" Kobra Kid asked, for a second genuinely confused. Then, before Rave could answer, "Poison? For fucks sake! I am not mad at him!" This was the second time he'd been accused to being so, and he didn't like it. "Deny it all you want Kid, but yes. You are. You're mad because he asked Ghoul to stay with him, when you'd already offered." Kobra Kid scowled, and without a word, turned away, ready to walk off again. Again Rave grabbed his arm. "Maybe Poison had a reason for wanting Ghoul, maybe-"

Kobra Kid laughed, though not quite nicely. "Oh, there's a reason." He muttered. But before either Jet Star or Rave could ask him what he meant by that, Kobra Kid shrugged out of Rave's grip and started walking again, faster, ignoring both of his fellow Killjoys as they called him.

Why won't he talk to me?

Kobra Kid thoughts kept coming back to that, as much as he tried to distract himself, as much as he tried to reason with himself.

He's only just woken up again, stop expecting so much from him.

Kobra Kid kicked at a random patch of grass sprung up from the sand, scowling as he did.

Doesn't make a difference. He's my brother, the first person he should want to talk to is me.

He pulled his gun out, raised it, shot blindly to his right.

Letting the shot off helped, it felt good.

When did you get so selfish? You weren't the only one to miss him.

Aimed his gun forward, shot again.

I fucking know that! But I hate that even after I offered, he still asked for Ghoul, he'd rather talk to Ghoul than me and-

Kobra Kid stopped, realising how jealous he was. Realising he didn't like that about himself.

I should be pleased we have Poison back. I should be pleased he feels he can talk to someone.

He raised his gun again, straight ahead, shot again. And again. He wasn't counting how many times he shot.

Each blast felt like it was pulling his anger and hurt out of him, sending it hurtling out his gun, and far away.

Eventually he lowered his gun again, feeling drained. He thought, he hoped, feeling better.

Why won't he talk to me?

For fucks sake…

Kobra Kid finally stopped, took in his surroundings. He recognised where he was, but he also knew he'd walked too far, further than he'd meant to.

Fuck.

It'd be getting dark soon. He had to get back.

Just as he turned to head back, he heard something, voices. Kobra Kid thought about ignoring them, even though usually he'd be the first to investigate.

But then he heard a familiar voice.

"Pleasure doing business, as always."

Saint Jimmy.

It came from behind Kobra Kid, off to the left, there was a ridge between him and the suspicious meeting. Kobra Kid wasted no time in hurrying over, crouching low as he got close, looking just over the top, he didn't want to be seen, not yet anyway.

He couldn't see the person with Saint Jimmy, branches of a tree blocking them from view, but he could see the Saint perfectly. He was standing there, something in his hands, something he was counting, carefully. Money.

Then Saint Jimmy looked up, Kobra Kid assumed he was looking at the other person, when he spoke, his tone was stern. "You didn't get this from me, alright?"

"Of course." Nothing distinctive about the voice that replied. Flat, cold.

It didn't sound like a Drac, possibly a fellow rebel? Kobra Kid doubted it.

Someone from the city? Kobra Kid had often heard them talk like that, the drugs numbing them, taking away their emotions.

Kobra Kid shivered as he remembered trying to save the ones like that, on numerous occasions. Remembered their cold, dead looking eyes. These were the ones who'd stepped out of line, needed extra drugging.

It would've been so easy for Party Poison to end up like that. We're lucky he fought so hard.

"Good." Saint Jimmy said, smiling again now, stuffing the money in his back pocket. "Well. I'd better get back to the wife and kids." He continued.

Kobra Kid fumed at that. At the neat little dig at the Killjoys.

An odd, forced laugh from Saint Jimmy's companion. Definitely sounded like someone from the city now. But what the hell where they doing here? What could Saint Jimmy be selling them?Then it hit him.

Information.

Saint Jimmy was selling information to people in the city, which meant it was going straight to BL/Ind.

He was selling them information on the Killjoys.

Fuck. I knew we couldn't trust him!

He thought about all the things Saint Jimmy knew about them. He knew were they were, he knew what defences they had, and didn't have, knew what they had on BL/Ind, he knew about their relationships with each other, he knew them.

He knew how weak Party Poison was right now. How he couldn't defend himself, how he could barely move. He knew how easy it would be to take Party Poison back to Better Living.

Not if I can help it.

Kobra Kid took off at a run, heading back to the safe house, hoping to get back before Saint Jimmy did.

He had to warn them.