AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you all who are continuing to support this story and to guest reviewer, Sandy, Thank you for the amazing comment on my writing. I appreciate it so much.

Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 23 – Home

NORMAL POV

The next day Brax had come to pick Casey up from the hospital, he was still a little weak but well enough to manage at home. Brax helped Casey out of the bed and handed him the clothes he had brought back with him last night.

"Thanks." Casey mumbled.

Brax tried not to draw attention to Casey's injured arms and went to help steady him while he dressed.

"Brax can you go I want to dress by myself, I don't need your help." Casey whispered.

Brax gave a nod and let go of Casey's arm. Brax couldn't help worrying over his baby brother it was like he was just a little kid again.

"Sure...sure Case. I'll be just outside."

CASEY'S POV

I watched Brax leave the room and I sat back down on the bed pulling on my pants and shirt that Brax had given me. I dug into my wallet and pulled out the scalpel blades. I was able to hide them in there after it became too uncomfortable in my underwear, slipping the blades into the pockets of my pants I finished getting dressed.

I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital with all the nurses and doctors staring at me all the time. Who are they to judge? But then I didn't want to go back home either. I still didn't know where I belonged.

NORMAL POV

The entire way home Casey said nothing just sat in the passenger side of Brax's Ute while Brax drove home from the hospital. Brax kept glancing over at Casey, worry written all over his face. Brax pulled up in the driveway and saw Kyle and Heath standing in the doorway, ready to welcome their brother home.

"Hey Case, it's great to have you home." Heath smiled and tapped his brother on the back.

Kyle smiled at Casey too, happy he was home. "How ya feeling Case?" Kyle asked.

"Tired." Casey replied.

Brax kept a hand on his brother's back until they got in the house where Casey then immediately headed for his room.

"Casey where ya going?" Brax asked.

"I'm just gonna go lay down for awhile. I'll be fine." Casey replied sadly.

"Well okay, just yell if you need anything." Brax said.

"He still not talking?" Heath asked once Casey had left the room.

"Nup, but we need to do something to make sure he isn't left alone at any time. I don't want him taking a chance to try and top himself again." Heath and Kyle nodded.

"Yeah of course, we can all work our shifts around it." Kyle stated.

"Good." Brax replied and flopped down on the couch, he felt so relieved to finally be sitting on something other than a hard hospital chair. He had fallen asleep but was woken up several hours later by a loud knock at the door.

As promised Heath had contacted Cheryl to let her know Casey had arrived home. Brax groaned. Kyle stood up from the kitchen table to answer the door.

"Cheryl?" Kyle questioned.

"Ark, move out of the way you wasted spawn." Cheryl said rudely.

Kyle stared at Cheryl unimpressed as she pushed through the door. Brax rolled his eyes and groaned again he was not in the mood for this. Brax glared at Kyle.

"Hey don't look at me. It wasn't me this time." Kyle protested.

Heath walked in from outside and noticed Cheryl had stepped inside. "Mum!"

"Urg." Cheryl slurred and Heath stood back in shock that Cheryl was drunk, if he had known that, he never would have contacted her.

"Darryl! Darryl!" Cheryl slurred.

"Mum what are you doing here? You're drunk!" Brax said.

"I'm here to see my baby Darryl. Where is he? I wanna see him!" Her voice got louder as she became more adamant on seeing her youngest son.

"Mrs Braxton, Casey just came home from the hospital this morning, maybe you should let him settle in first." Kyle suggested.

Cheryl glared at him. "Who are you to tell me when I should see my son? You're nothing but Danny's damaged goods." She slurred.

Kyle huffed and walked out of the room, he wasn't going to be insulted.

"Mum! You had no right to say that to Kyle. He is our family too." Brax snapped and Cheryl grunted.

"Look Mum, Casey's in his room resting. He doesn't need to see you now." Brax said.

Cheryl turned towards the hallway and saw Casey standing and staring.

"Mate, how you feeling?" Brax asked.

Cheryl stormed up to Casey. "You have some serious explaining to do!" She slurred, pointing her finger at Casey.

Casey glared at his mother then at Brax. "What is she doing here? I thought I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you!" Casey snapped, his head spinning with the memories.

Cheryl glared at Casey. "Don't you dare speak to your mother like that! How do you think it felt for me knowing you were in that hospital because of your stupid and selfish idea to kill yourself?" Cheryl slurred, forcing Casey to withdraw.

"Mum stop it! Get out!" Brax yelled.

"Mum that's enough you're not thinking!" Heath added but Cheryl ignored them both.

"Get out!" Casey screamed. He couldn't take much more of this.

Cheryl then grabbed one of Casey's arms and ripped up his sleeve. "Not to mention these disgusting scars and cuts all over your arms! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Cheryl slapped the inside of Casey's arm and let it go.

Casey couldn't feel any more ashamed then what he did right then, his vulnerable self harm secret, his important way to cope was being thrown against him to make him more ashamed of himself and broken.

He was frozen to his spot now, thoughts racing through his head as he fought the urge to cry from the overwhelming feeling.

"You really hurt me Casey! I hope you're happy!" Cheryl yelled.

Casey blinked out of thought.

"Mum! Shut up and get the hell out of my house now!" Brax yelled, having had enough of her taunting Casey and seeing how hurt his baby brother was.

Casey stared at Brax, Heath, and Cheryl and ran off to his room.

"Yeah run off from ya problems, that'll get ya no-where in life!" Cheryl yelled.

"Mum if you don't get out of my house now, I'll call the cops!" Brax threatened.

He wasn't one to be so disrespectful to his mother but she left him no choice, Casey comes first in his mind and she really caused problems.

Casey almost bumped into Kyle as he ran past to his room.

"Case! Case are you okay?" Kyle called but Casey ignored him and just slammed his bedroom door.

Kyle left walking back out into the living room staring at everyone. Cheryl glared at Brax.

"Fine Darryl, but don't none of ya come crying ta me to give that boy sympathy, he doesn't have to do those disgusting things he had a choice."

Cheryl stumbled out of the house and Brax angrily slammed the door shut.

"Brax?" Kyle asked, but Brax ignored him and ran straight down to Casey's room and went to open it, only to find it locked.

Brax immediately panicked, thinking Casey had attempted to end his life again. Brax banged on the door. "Casey! Casey! Open this door now! Casey!"