Disclaimer - I do not own DGM

Chapter Two - Failure

Mana cringed as he heard the voice of his father calling out his name. It was obvious by the man's voice, even though he'd only said one word, that he was still intoxicated. And angry. A fact that made Mana fear both for himself and mainly for his brother. Still under the affects of the drugs that he had been given Neah wasn't even conscious so there was no way that the child could protect himself should their father decide to turn violent. Not that he was big enough to protect himself even under the best circumstances; the best that the child could hope to do was shield his head from the vicious blows.

The sound of his father, a man who used to be gentle and kind, caused a queasiness in Mana's stomach that the boy did his absolute best to ignore. Pushing his nerves to the side Mana walked through the foyer, running into his father at the base of the stairs that led up to the house's second floor. "Hello Father," Mana said in a calm and even tone of voice, successfully hiding the slight fear that he was feeling.

Although it was difficult.

Not that he was scared for himself; it was fear for his brother that was turning his stomach and making him feel decidedly ill. Their father had never raised a hand to his oldest son, perhaps because Mana resembled him whereas Neah looked like their mother. Like the wife that he had lost.

That was the only reason Mana could find for why their father treated the two of them so differently. They were both his sons after all.

The man's gaze briefly shifted to the limp child that Mana was holding in his arms before coming to rest on the face of his elder son. "What have you been doing boy?" he questioned, his words slurring slightly due to the alcohol.

"Just taking care of Neah's arm," Mana said in the same even tone, making sure that he kept the accusatory edge out of his voice. The man was far less likely to give him a hard time if he made it sound as though he believed that Neah had caused his own injuries so that was the plan of action that he went with. He even managed to feign a note of frustration in his voice, as though the cihld's constant injuries were annoying him.. "I don't know why the boy keeps falling down so much."

The intoxicated man stared into the eyes of his son for a moment, as though willing him to slip up and say something incriminating. Mana held his gaze level, used to this staring contest with his father. And, unlike his little brother, his eyes didn't give away his emotions. He had learned to hide them long ago, in order to avoid his father's wrath. After a few minutes the man turned and stumbled away, leaving Mana standing in the foyer with his little brother held in his arms.

"Wasn't expecting that," Mana muttered to himself as he slowly made his way upstairs. That had almost seemed too easy but of course Mana would never dream of complaining about the fact that his father had opted not to question him further. Instead he concentrated on simply making it up the stairs. It was difficult, owing to the boy that he was holding in his arms but Mana managed none the less. Making his way down the long hallway the boy pushed open the door of the smallest and most out of the way bedroom in the house. The room was sparsely furnished, with just a small bed and end table, upon which a gas lamp was positioned.

Walking over to the bed Mana carefully placed his brother on top of the covers. Leaning forward he pulled off Neah' shoes before pulling the blankets up to cover his brother's small body. He wanted to make the child as comfortable as possible even though he knew that Neah was likely numb due to the drugs that the doctor had given him. That was the only way that he could sleep so soundly after everything that he had endured that day.

At the hands of someone who should have cherished him.

Tears welled up in Mana's brown eyes as he gazed down at the unconscious child but he willed himself not to cry. After all it wasn't as though his tears would make the situation any better for Neah. Things were what they were and there wasn't much that could be done to change them. Where the red mark had been earlier a bruise now decorated the delicate skin of Neah's face. And yet despite all of this the child had a peaceful look but of course his older brother knew that this was due more to the drugs that he had been given than anything else.

"I'm sorry Neah," Mana whispered, sinking to the ground and grasping his brother's tiny hand. At this point he wasn't entirely sure if this gesture was meant to comfort his baby brother or himself; perhaps it was even a little bit of both. Not that it really mattered much in the long run. "I promised that I would protect you but I couldn't do it… when you needed me I wasn't here for you."

As he knelt at Neah's bedside Mana's thoughts shifted back to the day that the little boy had been born. The house had been busy, with people coming and going throughout the day, but no one had been excited about the new arrival. His mother hadn't reached her due date yet and was battling a serious illness when she went into labor.

"That was the day that everything changed."

FLASHBACK

A small child, appearing to be around the age of six with brown hair and eyes that were a perfect match to it, sat alone on a sofa in the sitting room. The house was filled with adults, many of whom he didn't know, and the little boy had been ordered here so that he wouldn't be in the way. His small hands were held clasped in his lap and the little boy was staring resolutely at them. He didn't fully understand what was going on but he knew from the tones in the adults' voices that it was serious. And despite his young age the child was worried.

"Mana…"

The little boy's gaze went to the woman who was speaking to him. Jet black hair fell to her waist, black bangs framing kind green eyes. The child stared at the woman, glad for a familiar face in a house that seemed to be filled with strangers. He had known this woman for as long as he could remember and she had always been very kind to him. His mother's best friend.

"What is it Miss Melina?" the little boy asked, his voice quiet. With his mother so ill the boy had been taught to keep his voice low, which often made his words difficult to hear.

"You're a big brother now little man," Melina said in a voice that was equally as quiet, her tone kind even though her eyes held a look of sympathy. A look that Mana didn't understand.

"Mama had the baby?" the six year old questioned, slightly confused by this unexpected news.

"She did," Melina said, her voice remaining kind despite containing a note of sadness. She knew that the child would be introduced to this sadness all too soon and was seeking to shield him from it as long as possible. Reaching out she offered the little boy her hand. "Come with me Mana. Your mother wants to see you."

The child slowly slid to the floor and walked across the room to the spot where his mother's friend was standing. Reaching out the child grasped the hand that the woman was offering him, grasping her fingers and feeling comforted by the touch. With the child trailing along behind her Melina made her way back up to the room where her best friend had just given birth.

And now lay dying.

Opening the door a tiny bit Melina stuck her head inside. "Alicia.. I brought a visitor. Is it alright if we come in?" she questioned, her voice just a whisper. She must have received confirmation from the people inside the room because she opened the door wider and led Mana inside.

His mother lay in her large bed, propped up by several large pillows. Her face was ashen but she held a soft smile on her face and a blanket wrapped bundle in her arms. Gazing over at the door she caught sight of her eldest son hesitantly enter the room and she held one hand out to him. She both wanted and needed to have both of her children beside her. "Come here Mana… come and meet your baby brother."

The small child hesitated, large brown eyes focused on his mother.

"Come on," his mother encouraged, mustering the strength to offer him a smile. Her voice was gentle and her eyes held encouragement as she gazed at her eldest son. She understood his fear but she wanted him to know that everything was going to be alright. She wanted both to reassure him as well as introduce him to his new sibling. "He won't bite."

Mana slowly walked across the room, coming to stand by the large bed. Melina, who was following along behind him, gently picked him up and carefully placed him on the bed beside his mother. Snuggling close, the child offered his mother a smile before glancing down at the bundle she was holding. A tiny baby was wrapped in the blankets, his face framed by the blue fabric. He had a tuft of brown hair on the top of his head and seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

"This is Neah," Alicia said in a weak and exceedingly quiet voice, her gaze shifting back and forth between her two sons. "Mana…"

"What?" the little boy questioned, gazing up at his mother.

"Promise me that you'll look out for your little brother," Alicia said, her voice growing weaker with every word that she spoke.

The child was slightly confused but he nodded his head none the less. He loved his mother with all of his heart and would do anything that she asked of him. "I promise Mama… I'll protect Neah."

"Neah…" Alicia repeated, gazing down at the tiny infant that she held in her arms. "Your brother will look after you and protect you."

Mana offered his mother a smile before he slowly reached out and carefully grasped the tiny hand that the infant had worked free from the blanket. Allowing the baby to grasp his index finger Mana whispered, "I promise Neah… I won't let anyone hurt you."

Smiling at her elder son Alicia held the little bundle out to him. "Here Mana, would you like to hold him?" And, without really giving him the chance to refuse, Alicia placed her newborn in Mana's arms. For reasons that were known only to her the young mother wanted her two sons to have an immediate bond. A smile spread across her face as she watched a protective light begin to shine in her elder son's eyes as he gazed down at his baby brother.

"Mana will look out for you Neah…" Alicia whispered as she gazed at her two sons. Her strength was fading fast and she knew instinctively that she wasn't long for the world. "Everything's going to be okay. You're both going to be okay."

END FLASHBACK

"She died late that night," Mana whispered, his tear filled eyes still focused on the face of his brother. He spoke aloud even though he knew that his brother couldn't hear him. A fact that he was actually grateful for. He'd never told Neah anything about the day that he was born and had no plans to. That knowledge wasn't something that the child needed to carry with him through life. "And Father was never the same."

The young boy paused at this point, giving the small hand that he held a comforting squeeze.

"I'm so sorry Neah," Mana whispered, once again feeling a suffocating weight in his chest. It felt as though something were pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. At this point a choking sob escaped the boy's lips and Mana allowed himself to cry, needing to rid himself of some of the sorrow that was threatening to overwhelm him. And with his brother unconscious it seemed like the perfect time to vent his grief. "None of this would have happened if only I were stronger… it's all my fault."

"Not… your fault…"

Mana gasped at the sound of the weak and yet still familiar voice. He hadn't expected for the child to regain consciousness so soon and was slightly embarrassed by the tears that he had shed. After all he was supposed to be the strong one. Reaching up he furiously wiped at his eyes with his sleeve before raising his gaze to meet the large gray eyes that were staring at him. He was surprised to see Neah conscious although the boy still appeared drowsy, no doubt due to the medication that he had been given by the doctor.

A blush rose to color the boy's face but he decided that it would be better if he just pretended that he hadn't been caught crying by his baby brother. He took another brief moment to compose himself, clearing his throat before speaking.

"How are you feeling Neah?" Mana questioned, a concerned expression in his brown eyes. He was worried that his little brother would be in a large amount of pain now that the drugs were beginning to wear off.

"I'm okay," Neah replied in his soft edged voice, pulling his hand from Mana's grasp and using his good arm to push himself into a sitting position. The child grimaced as his bruised and battered body protested the movement but made an attempt to hide his discomfort from his brother. He didn't want to cause Mana any more problems than he already had and so sought to hide his pain from him. However there was something that he wanted to ask. The child gazed at Mana for a moment, seeming hesitant about something.

Of course Mana picked up on this. Just as he'd picked up on the fact that Neah had grimaced when he'd pushed himself to a sitting position even though he didn't say anything about it. He had always been perceptive and was highly attuned to anything concerning his little brother. "What is it Neah? Is there something that you'd like?"

The child was still hesitant, despite the kind tone of Mana's voice. He didn't want to be a bother to his big brother but his throat was really dry and beginning to hurt. "Um… can I… can I please have a drink of water?"

Mana jumped to his feet immediately. "Of course you can Neah. I'll be right back." This said the brown haired youth turned and left the room.

Neah kept his eyes focused on the retreating back of his brother until he could no longer see him. Despite the fact that he had requested a glass of water the child was scared to be left alone even long enough for his brother to retrieve it. Mana's presence had always been a source of comfort to him and the little boy was desperate for that right now. His arm hurt, not to mention his various other injuries from the beating that he had received earlier, and Neah wanted nothing more than to feel his brother's comforting arms around him.

The child leaned forward slightly, so that his ravaged back wouldn't touch the headboard, and pulled his knees up to his chest. His gray eyes were wide and he gazed around the room as though expecting for someone to come bursting into the room at any given moment. The sound of footsteps echoed downstairs and Neah began to tremble, fearing that his father was going to come upstairs and hurt him again.

"Please no," he whimpered softly, rocking back and forth ever so slightly.

The little boy didn't know who he was pleading to but he had still muttered the words. Mana had taught him to pray to God when things became too difficult but Neah didn't do that anymore. When he was younger he had clung to the hope that God would save him from the horrors of his life but no matter how much he prayed and begged still nothing happened. And that fact had killed the boy's belief in a kind and loving God. If there truly was a god up there in heaven, which he now highly doubted, then he didn't care what happened down here on earth.

Preoccupied by these thoughts Neah didn't hear the sound of footsteps echoing down the hall, coming in the direction of his room. This fact didn't become obvious until he heard the sound of the door being opened from the outside, creaking slightly and announcing the fact that Neah was no longer alone. The child squeaked in fright as the door of his tiny bedroom opened but breathed an audible sigh of relief when he saw a familiar mop of brown hair.

"It's alright Neah," Mana said in a quiet voice as he closed the door behind himself and made his way back across the room. He had heard the boy's little squeak of alarm and knew what it meant. "It's just me."

"Mana…" the little boy whimpered, tears forming in his gray eyes as all the pent up emotions hit him all at once.

Mana heard the note of anguish contained within the child's voice and the heartwrenching sound caused tears to once again prick at his own eyes. Rushing forward Mana placed the glass of water on the nightstand before sitting down on the bed and pulling his little brother into his arms. Neah buried his face in the fabric of Mana's shirt and sobbed, desperate to be free of the pain that he felt. His tiny hand, the one that he could currently use, gripped at the fabric of his brother's shirt as though it represented his lifeline.

"Shh," Mana soothed, placing his hand on the back of Neah' head and rubbing the mahogany curls. Desperately wishing that there was something more he could do to ease the suffering of the innocent child that he held in his arms Mana began rocking back and forth slowly. "It's going to be okay Neah… I'm not sure exactly how yet but we'll make it."

Neah listened to the soothing words that his brother whispered to him, wanting so badly to believe that they were true. With his head pressed against his brother's chest the little boy could hear Mana's heartbeat and that was comforting to him. His right hand was still wrapped in the fabric of his brother's shirt and he refused to relax his grip.

It was as though he were afraid that he would lose the comfort of his brother if he were to release his grip.

"Here Neah," Mana said, reaching over to the nightstand and picking up the glass of water that he'd brought his brother.

Leaning forward in his brother's lap Neah took the glass of water that Mana held out to him. Placing the glass to his lips the child drank gratefully, hoping to alleviate the burning in his throat, but stopped short as he noticed that the water had a strange taste about it. The little boy made a face as he moved the glass away from his mouth.

"I know it isn't great Neah," Mana said in an understanding voice, gently guiding the child's hand back toward his mouth. He had fully expected for his little brother to refuse to drink the water that he had laced with the powder given to him by the doctor. However he was determined to make sure that Neah drank it none the less. Because he couldn't completely hide the fact that he was in pain. "But I need for you to drink it for me okay buddy?"

Neah looked for a moment as though he'd like nothing better than to argue about it but decided against it in the end. Raising the glass back to his mouth the little boy quickly drained the contents, making a face and smacking his lips in an attempt to get rid of the taste.

"Yuck," the little boy said, gazing at Mana with a slightly petulant expression on his face.

"I know," Mana said, taking the empty glass from the child and placing it back on the table. It had been necessary but he knew that Neah wouldn't see it that way. "I'm horrible for making you drink that but it'll make you feel better."

Neah looked less than convinced by these words but was willing to forgive his brother none the less. After all Mana was the only thing standing between him and absolute misery. With this thought planted firmly in his mind Neah placed his head back against his big brother's chest. "Not horr'ble," the boy murmured, his voice barely audible due to the fact that he had his face pressed against Mana's chest. The fabric of the older boy's shirt muffled the younger boy's words. "Nice."

"I'm glad that you think so kiddo," Mana whispered, the tears once again stinging his eyes. "But unfortunately I know the truth. I really am a horrible person."

Mana once again placed his hand on the back of his brother's head, running his fingers through the silky curls. He had inherited both his hair color and it's slight curl from their mother and, even though he was reminded of her whenever he looked at his brother, he couldn't help but wish that Neah hadn't taken after her quite so much.

Because maybe then their father would have been able to look at the child without becoming violent.

Mana continued to hold his little brother until the child drifted back off to sleep, humming a soft tune to the child in the hopes of offering what small amount of comfort he could. He listened as Neah' breathing evened out, signaling sleep, seeking to offer the child whatever comfort he could. Because he still felt extremely guilty over the fact that he'd promised to protect his kid brother and yet found himself unable to keep that promise.

"Someday I'll find a way to make this right Neah," Mana said as he once again tucked his little brother into bed. Reaching out he brushed the boy's hair out of his face, his fingertips trailing down the boy's face and lingering on the bruise that marred the delicate skin. A trace of anger flashed through the boy but no trace of it was present when he spoke again. His voice remained quiet but it was also resolute. "That's my new promise to you."

A/N - End of chapter two. Hope that you enjoyed and thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. Please leave a review for this chapter and let me know your thoughts.