AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. :D

For guest, Sandy as I can't thank you personally in a PM, your lovely review meant a lot and I agree, I would have loved to have seen something like this be played out in an episode. :)

Chapter 26 – Helping hand

CASEY'S POV

I stood against the edge of the cliff staring down into the rocks below. Wondering what it would be like to really die. All I had to do was make one move, one decision and I wouldn't have this immense world of pain that I can't escape from, caving down on me.

I opened my fist with the scrunched up photo and stared at it with tears in my eyes as more thoughts ran through my head pushing me to make my move to freedom. My body was shaking and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to collapse from everything crushing me. I was so hurt, so angry. I just...I have to stop all this!

BRAX'S POV

It felt like hours that I had been searching for Casey, but looking at my watch it had only been 20 minutes. I was beginning to feel like I was at a lost cause and wasting valuable time, until I pushed my way through some more bushes that were leading up to the cliffs edge and to my horror I saw my fragile baby brother standing against the ledge.

I wanted nothing more than to run up and grab him in my arms, and shake him senseless for being stupid, but I knew better, I had to approach this carefully or I really could lose him this time. I was terrified. I didn't know what to do as I watched him, his body tense and he was fidgeting in a distressed state. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Case?" I called out quietly, careful not to startle him in case he fell.

Casey froze before he turned to me. I could see tears fall down his face.

"What do you want?" He yelled.

"Case what are you doing? Come away from there." I said calmly.

Casey turned away, staring down over the cliff.

"Casey please, just get away from there and we can talk yeah?" I said with a bit more sternness in my voice.

I didn't know how more patient I could be right now. He was scaring the life out of me. Casey turned to face me.

"Talk? What is talking going to do Brax? It's not going to change anything! I'm sick of this! All this! I just..."

"Casey I'm worried about you!" I said a bit more loudly.

"Well don't be! I'm not your problem anymore!" Casey let out a loud frustrated yell.

I could tell he was angry and hurt but how could he think he wasn't my problem to worry about?

NORMAL POV

Brax watched as Casey shifted his feet near the edge and rocks fell down the cliff. Brax ran full speed towards his brother, only to have Casey steady himself, but only just. Casey's vision was becoming blurry and his self inflicted cut on his leg was throbbing in pain it made his legs weak.

Brax's heart pumped hard at the shock and he glared at Casey, he just couldn't be patient anymore, Casey was unsteady and almost falling from the cliff.

"Casey get here!" Brax ordered in a harsh tone and reached over grabbing his brother's upper arm and yanked him away from the edge.

Casey struggled against his brother and pushed Brax off him.

"Get off me!" Casey shouted.

"Casey listen to me!" Brax snapped.

"No! I don't need to listen to you! Just leave me alone! It doesn't matter anymore!" Casey yelled in distress.

"What are you talking about?" Brax yelled back.

"This!" Casey tossed the photo he had in his hand towards Brax.

Brax bent down to pick up the scrunched photo from the ground.

"You're not my brother! You never were! Don't you understand that? I don't belong anywhere anymore!" Casey shouted.

"Casey, that is not true! You will always be Heath's, Kyle's and my little brother and you belong at home with us! Now stop all this and come on!" Brax said firmly.

Casey turned away sobbing. "How can you say that? I don't even know you! ...I just can't so just...shut up! Shut up!" Casey yelled.

"No Casey! Explain it to me! Tell me what I can do to help you!" Brax yelled.

"No! No! I..." Casey started to yell back at Brax but became wobbly and stumbled, grabbing his thigh in a yell.

Brax ran to grab him. "Woah easy Case. What's wrong?" Brax asked concerned.

"Nothing." Casey replied in a painful groan. Brax stared at Casey's hold on his thigh.

"Casey what's wrong?" Brax asked again and tried to move Casey's hand out of the way only for Casey to push Brax away and hold his thigh.

Brax grew more concerned that Casey was hiding something. Brax shoved Casey's hand away from his leg long enough to get the chance to push up the material of his shorts. Brax gasped when he saw the state of Casey's thigh.

"Geez! Casey we have to get you to the hospital." Brax looked at his brother with worry in his eyes and supported him.

"No I'm not going to hospital again." Casey moaned.

"I'm not arguing Casey! I'm taking you to the hospital. Now move!" Brax ordered and helped his brother walk back to the car.

BRAX'S POV

I couldn't believe that Casey was feet away from me, yelling at me that he wasn't part of the family anymore. It shocked me he actually believed that! I saw him stumble when he was getting too worked up, he really didn't look well at all, and when I grabbed him to steady him, worry ran through me as he groaned in pain holding his wrapped up hand over his leg.

As soon as I got sight of what was on Casey's thigh, I knew it was serious and then he tried to fight against me that he didn't want it seen to at the hospital. By the state of that I was not going to let that happen. I hated my baby brother hurting himself like this. It was killing me. My worry became fueled with anger and I shoved him back towards my car, supporting him the entire way.