AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Brax and Heath's attempt to protect their brother from danger causes tempers to rise, pushing Casey to the brink, until one spoken mistake said in anger, makes Casey finally realise the importance of his family.

*Please excuse the use of one swear word*

Enjoy :)

Chapter 81: Words hurt

As soon as Brax stopped the car Heath had a tight grip on Casey's arm and dragged him into the house, shoving him hard against the wall. "Hey!" Casey yelled and rubbed his sore arm that hit the wall.

Brax stormed in throwing his keys down and slamming the door. Heath shoved Casey again. "Haven't you got anything to say?"

Casey shoved back at Heath. "Yeah, how could you do that to me? You punched out my friends!"

Brax stepped in between his brothers and placed a hand on Casey's chest, pushing him back. "Hey! You don't call the shots! You've been told not to hang out with them so many times. They are not your friends! Not to mention that I grounded you!" Brax yelled.

Casey pushed Brax's hand off. "So? Stop telling me what to do! I'm not a little kid anymore!" Casey yelled.

"Your attitude and behavior is really testing my patience Casey!" Brax shouted.

"If you weren't on my back all the time droning on at me I wouldn't have attitude! Besides how do you expect me to react when you both just embarrassed me in front of the only people I can seem to rely on!" Casey yelled.

"Shut up Casey! You haven't any idea in that thick head of yours what you're talking about!" Heath butted in and yelled.

"You shut up and don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about! I hate you both ruining my life all the time! You never let me do anything! You both need to get a life!" Casey snapped out annoyed.

Brax and Heath closed in on him. "Oi. Don't you say that." Brax warned.

"Just piss off and leave me alone!" Casey yelled.

Casey was too clouded over with anger to think before retaliating, but immediately regretted his choice of words when he saw the look of fury on his brother's faces. None of them had ever dared to swear like that before and Brax was surprised it came from Casey, Heath he may have expected but not his innocent Casey, he knew that Jackson's influence on Casey was the reason behind his behavior, but it was no excuse.

Brax gripped Casey's upper arms tightly and gave him a death glare. "Don't you ever… ever… Speak to me that way again!" He bellowed then proceeded to shake Casey. "I'm trying to protect you! Why can't you see that?"

Heath became concerned at his eldest brother's temper, sure he could get pretty angry, but he had never seen him go off as much at one of them like this.

"Sure you are! You don't care how I feel! You just want to control me!" Casey yelled.

At that moment Heath was certain Brax was ready to punch Casey. "Woah, Brax. Just calm down."

Brax glared at Heath. "Don't tell me to calm down!" Brax snapped.

"Hey I wanna give the kid a good smack in the head to knock some sense into him, just as much as you do, but doing it when you're this mad ain't gonna help."

Brax then realized how angry he had become that he might have hurt his baby brother. Brax released his grip on Casey and Casey rubbed his arms where Brax had gripped him so tightly it hurt.

Still angry from being yelled at, Casey glared at Brax. "I hate you! I wish you weren't my brother!"

Brax stood back in shock. There was so much anger in those words. Heath picked up on this and it infuriated him.

"Are you happy now?" He waved his hand in Brax's direction whom had turned away, hurt and defeated that Casey could say such a thing.

Casey knew he really hurt Brax this time and tried to open his mouth to apologize as he looked at his eldest brother, the one he always looked up to and respected, but Heath didn't even give him a chance as he grabbed him roughly and pulled him away from where they were standing.

"Go to your room Casey!" He yelled in a furious tone.

Casey stood still, too shocked at what he had just done. "Brax..."

"Now!" Brax bellowed as he slammed his hands down on the table. Brax knew Heath was right, he had to get Casey away from him until he calmed down.

Heath grabbed Casey and shoved him towards his room. "You're an idiot Case! You really did it this time!" He shouted and slapped Casey across the back of his head.

"Ow." Casey moaned and took one more look at his brothers. Heath was right he had really put his foot in it with his mouthing off. Casey ran off to his room and slammed the door, ashamed and angry at everything that had just happened.

When Brax heard Casey's door shut, he ran his hand through his hair. "Are you alright?" Heath asked.

Brax didn't answer but just sighed. "Thanks mate."

"For what?" Heath asked confused.

"For making me realise I had to get away from Casey. If I'd...I almost hurt him Heath. I don't ever want to hurt him like Dad hurt us." Brax said sadly.

"Come on Brax, you can't be serious. You are nothing like Dad!"

"But I could have been! I was so mad at him!" Brax shouted, ashamed he had let his temper get the better of him.

"This isn't your fault Brax!" Heath stated.

"I thought I taught him better than that. How can he say those things to me? Say I don't care and swearing at me like that." Brax said sadly.

"You have. You've done a great job raising him and me." Heath tried to reassure his hurt brother.

"Then what have I done to make our innocent baby brother hate me?" Brax replied desperately. Casey meant the world to him and having Casey turn against him so badly hit a nerve for Brax.

"Innocent? Brax can you hear yourself. The kid's been behaving like a right brat. He just needs a good one of these." Heath punched his fist in his hand.

"I am not hitting Casey." Brax replied quietly.

"Who says you have too. I will."

"No Heath." Brax told him.

"Brax he wouldn't mean what he said. He wouldn't dare." Heath added.

"What if he does?" Brax asked. Heath had never seen Brax so hurt since the time they took Casey away.

Heath approached the table. "Teenagers huh?" He said trying to lighten the mood.

Brax looked at him and grunted. "I seem to remember someone else who was difficult."

"Who me? Never. I was never like that." Heath tried to deny humorously.

Brax raised his eyebrows. "Yeah right."

"Look, I'm sure Casey will get over this. You're good at sorting him out. If not I'll sort him out." Heath stated as he punched his fist in his hand.

Brax sighed and went into the kitchen to prepare for dinner.

When it was time for the dinner to be served, Heath walked towards Casey's room. "Casey! Casey! Dinner's ready." No answer. "Casey! Stop your sulking and get out here!" Heath yelled.

"Heath leave him. I'll talk to him later." Heath shrugged and sat down at the table with Brax.

It was 10pm and Brax sat on the couch thinking about what happened earlier that day and how he was going to get through to Casey that he was only trying to look out for him, when he heard a door open.

Brax turned to see Casey almost at the kitchen. Casey stopped upon seeing Brax. He assumed everyone would be in bed by now. He considered going back to his bedroom, just looking at his brother made him overwhelmed by guilt.

"I was hungry." Casey whispered.

"Case, come here." Brax asked quietly. Casey looked on hesitantly.

"Casey." Brax ordered in a soft tone and encouraged him over with a head nod. Casey walked over to the couch and sat to the left of Brax, neither saying a word for several moments.

"Are you okay?" Brax eventually asked. Casey didn't answer as his eyes started to become glassy.

"Brax I…" Casey trailed off as tears began to slip down his face. "Ah Case." Brax wrapped his arm around his youngest brother's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry for what I said to you. I didn't mean any of it, especially how I said I hated you and wished you weren't my brother." Casey sobbed as he respoke his dreaded words.

"I promise I will never speak to you that way again or disrespect you with talking back." Casey continued.

"Glad to hear it." Brax replied firmly.

Casey rambled, he just had to get out all his guilt feelings. "If it means that much to you, I will stay away from Jackson and his gang. I'll do anything. I just don't want to lose you."

Brax rubbed Casey's shoulder. "You'll never lose me Case. You know that and you know I'm only trying to protect you. I'm not trying to prevent you living your life. I know you're not a little kid anymore, but you're not an adult either and I know you want to make your own choices, but sometimes you still need to listen to Heath and I, because we know what's best for you. I just don't want you getting hurt or into trouble from falling in with the wrong crowd. You're a good kid Case but your behavior lately has really disappointed me."

"I know and I know how much you care about me. They were just so welcoming to me. You and Heath have the River Boys but because I'm too young to join, I feel left out, but with these guys I could be part of something too. Does that make me stupid?"

"No Case you're not stupid, you just need to choose who you hang out with a little better and it's only two more years until you can join the River Boys. I know that may seem like ages away, but it will come soon enough."

Casey rested his head on Brax. "You do everything for me. I don't know what I'd do without you. Can you forgive me for what I said and how I've acted?"

Brax gave Casey a squeeze. "You know I will, but you ever disobey me like that again, I'll have your head. Understand." Casey nodded and smiled at his once again respected brother and wiped his eyes.

Brax gave Casey a shove. "Now get on with ya. Get something to eat and get to bed. It's late."

Casey got up and before entering the kitchen turned back to his brother. "Thanks Brax. I love you."

Brax nodded. "I love you too bud and I'm always here for ya, but you are still grounded." Brax winked at his brother and Casey nodded.

"I know. I wasn't trying to get out of that. I know I let you down and I deserve to be grounded."

Brax nodded. "Goodnight Case." Casey smiled and got himself some dinner that had been left and went to bed.