Chapter 4:

Hi! Sorry its been so long, life's been crazy. But I bring you the fourth chapter beta'd by my lovely Beta.

So please review! Its quite appreciated :)

Disclaimer: No I unfortunately don't own anything.

Jack lay still for hours, only stirring due to the constant complaining from his starving stomach. He stumbled to the kitchen, clothes rumpled and eyes puffy and red, to look for something to eat. Jack searched through the fridge and cupboards, finally coming across a packet of instant oatmeal. He pushed the bowl into the microwave and stared at the counting down numbers.

Five...four...three...two...one...the microwave dinged and in the same instant there was a knock on the back door. Jack froze. He groped around the counter, eyes staring unblinkingly at the back door. Finally, his hand found a kitchen knife and Jack slowly shuffled up to the door. His right hand flexed around the knife while his left hand gripped the door knob. In a determined motion, he swung the door open and began a valiant war cry of "Raaaawww-Aster?" His cry cut short at the sight of his brother gripping the door frame and looked rather shocked at the sight of the kitchen knife.

Aster held his hands up and then flat out, "Jack, please give me the knife."

Jack obliged, still staring wide eyed at his brother. He watched as Aster threw the knife into the grass and tried to get through the door. His foot caught on the step and he lurched forward, grimacing and grabbing his side.

Jack shook himself out of his reverie, "Aster!" Jack moved to catch his brother and maneuver him to the faded brown couch, "You're hurt."

Aster just shook his head before pulling Jack into a hug. "Thank God you're alright."

It was as Jack was pulling away that he noticed Aster's chest, which had lost its shirt over the course of the night, was covered in dark purple bruises. "Aster, we need to call someone."

Aster shook his head, "I'm fine. I'm fine. How are you?"

Jack glared at his older brother's attempt at changing the subject. "I'm just peachy," He stalked into the kitchen, oatmeal long forgotten, and started dialing numbers into the phone on the wall, "I'm calling Mrs. Bennett and we're going to the hospital."

Jack heard Aster try to stand up, before gasping in pain and sitting back down and protesting. "I'm fine Jack."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He fought to stay calm as the phone rang, he couldn't break down in front of Aster. Not now when Aster needed him most.

"Hello?" Mrs. Bennett's voice came through the phone.

"Mrs. Bennett? It's Jack, I need you to come over. Aster's hurt. He uh..." Jack trailed off, unsure of what to tell her. Not the truth obviously, "He was helping the lady upstairs with her groceries and fell down a flight of stairs. He's really hurt and can't drive to the hospital."

"Oh my. I'll be over right away dear, don't worry." Mrs. Bennett's voice became colored with worry.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief before walking back to Aster. "There, if anyone asks you fell down the stairs."

Aster's eyes flooded with guilt and dread, "Jack, we need to talk about yesterday."

"It's over. We'll go the hospital, you'll get better, and we'll forget it ever happened. It was just a bad dream, that's all."

"Jack...it-it's not that simple. I'm a part of it now. I can't leave. If I leave, they kill me then they kill you. And I will not let that happen."

Jack began to stumble back in panic until he was pressed up against the wall, from there he slowly sank down onto the floor gripping his head in his hands. "No. No no no no no no no." Then the cries of 'no' slowly morphed into pleas of 'go away.'

Aster painfully pushed himself onto the ground in front of Jack. He gripped the younger boy's clenched hands. "Hey, hey. It's okay. I need you to focus Jack. Send them away, they don't control you."

At Aster's quiet words, Jack began to relax but was still gripping tight to his older brother's shirt. "They said we needed to run Aster. Run far, far away. They said that last time too and dad wouldn't listen."

"We're done running, Jack. We can take on anything, you and me. Jack and Aster against the world."

The doorbell rang, Mrs. Bennett. Jack cast a worried glance at his brother. "Will you be able to get back on the couch?"

Aster put on his best smile, who was trying to pretend that his entire body wasn't on fire. "Yeah, totally."

Jack moved to the front door and let Mrs. Bennett in with a lopsided grin that was bright enough to cover for his earlier sadness.

"Can Aster walk?" Mrs. Bennett said, doing her best to look unconcerned.

"Can I walk. I just fell down the stairs. It's not like I got hit by a car." Aster scoffed from where he had appeared leaning on the kitchen counter.

Mrs. Bennett nodded and got back in her car.

Aster heaved himself through the front door and smiled at Jack. "Come on, Show Pony, let's get going."

Jack, much to his displeasure, was not allowed in the hospital room with Aster. Instead, he had to wait on one of the plastic waiting room chairs with an extremely chatty Mrs. Bennett. After ten minutes of swinging his feet back and forth and hearing about book club, Jack got up. He had not brought shoes, but so far no one had commented. Jack padded down the hallways, eventually finding himself in some form of a quiet area. He had only sat down for a moment when a certain figure caught his eye. It was not hunched over by the weight of grief, nor was it consoling another. It simply sat in the shadows. Then the figure shifted and Jack saw the almost gold eyes. Pitch. Jack stood up shaking. He made it out the door slowly before taking off at a sprint to the waiting room. He ran straight up to the front desk, ignoring the concerned questions Mrs. Bennett was throwing his way.

"Aster Overland. Who paid the bill? Someone paid the bill because no asked for the insurance when we got here. Did they leave a name?"

The receptionist looked a bit confused but with a few clicks of the keyboard she answered, "Um, it appears someone has indeed covered all expenses. A Mr. Black."

"Right. Okay. Thank you." Jack walked back to Mrs. Bennett and sat down and waited for his brother, thoughts flying through his head.