AN: Thank you all for the reviews. It is great motivation and it is nice to know people enjoy this.
Noticing how quiet it was when he was helping John into the house, Roy kept his curiosity to himself until Johnny was tucked into bed. The therapy sessions hadn't gone well and besides frustrating him, had drained John of energy more than usual.
Sitting in his recliner, Roy asked, "Where's Chris? I expected chaos when we got home."
"I sent him off with one of his friends and his dad, Todd and Matt Brandson," Mike confessed with a slight smile. "Kid was bouncing off the wall even after hauling in and putting away most of the camping gear. Todd said his son was the same way and thought he'd see if it'd be okay to take the kids to the park."
"Yeah, I swear, I don't know what it is, but if you put a kid in a car for more than a half-hour, especially with others, they gain energy." Giving a small laugh, Roy smiled, "I don't know if they feed off the energy of each other or somehow manage to sneak sugary snacks without our knowledge. I and the other leaders search 'em, but it never fails that we miss a stash."
"And you weren't like that as a kid?" Mike raised his eyebrows, smirking at his friend.
"I pled the fifth," Roy held up his hands, trying desperately not to break out in laughter or a smile. "So, anything that you two didn't get put away or done?"
"Just the laundry. I learned the hard way already not to touch that."
"Took me quite a few years to figure out Jo's system and even now, she only trusts me so far with laundry," Roy assured Mike. "That and cooking are mostly off limits to me. Any other household chores, she's more than happy to get help."
"I wonder if all women are that way," Mike wondered.
"I don't know…"
"All I know is that women are complex creatures," stated Mike.
"Can I ask a personal question?" Roy shifted in his seat.
"Sure," shrugging, Mike didn't look fazed.
"In all the time I've known you, I haven't seen you even get serious with anyone. I just wonder why, I mean, you're good with all of the family stuff and what not," Roy rambled. "I know Marco has a steady girlfriend now and Chet is happy being single, but it seems as if you aren't."
Sighing deeply, Mike paused a moment before answering, "Before coming to 51, I was ready to propose to someone. We started dating right after high school and she said she supported me joining the department. Got injured, not bad. Just a broken shoulder, leg and some smoke inhalation. My parents and sister came down to see me because of it. I guess she had been struggling to deal with my job, but then when I got injured, it just made things worse and on top of it, having a sister with autism really freaked her out.
"I mean really freaked her out," Mike gave a sarcastic huff. "It got to be too much and right before I was discharged, she dumped me. Took me a bit to get over her, but eventually, I saw it was a good thing. I started getting serious with another girl right about the time I took the Engineer's exam, but this time, I told her about my family. And well, let's just say, she couldn't handle it either. I imagine my job is bad enough, but knowing I might be responsible for my sister considering how she is, that has to be difficult. After that, dating kinda lost its appeal. It seemed pointless."
"Man, sorry Mike," Roy shook his head. "That just isn't right."
"It is what it is and I'm actually okay with it now," Mike smiled at him. "I got a great family and a great life."
Nodding, Roy was about to speak when they heard the cow bell crashing in Johnny's room before a muffled cry rang out.
"Not again," Mike mumbled as he and Roy raced to John's room.
"Let me lead. Doctor Druthers gave me some hints about how we might be able to help," Roy requested.
Stopping to let Roy go ahead, Mike watched as Roy cautiously approached the right side of the bed. Going to the left side, he watched as tears slowly made their way down Johnny's face as he tossed sided to side. Hearing him mumbled, Mike looked toward Roy pleadingly.
"John!" Roy spoke loudly, trying to get his attention. When Johnny flinched, Roy winched, but continued on. "What are you say?"
Not hearing anything but the word sorry, Roy glanced worriedly at Mike.
"What are you sorry for?" he asked in a loud, command-like voice, praying the psychologist was right.
"No good breed, no died too, sorrys, sores ow, bad, not hit more pleas, bad know," Johnny cried out. "Bad breed, bad me. Lock in box, no slap. Food bad, pig. Sorry, sorrys. Bad, bad."
"Jeez, what the hell did they do to him," Mike whispered under his breath.
"I have no idea," Roy said, in shock himself.
Roy had seen John wake-up from nightmares before the accident, but would never speak of what they entailed. Now, the DeSoto's and the Station 51 crew knew more about John's past-about the ranch that took in strictly Native American children. They all knew that any punishment was harsh and physically abusive, but this sounded even crueler than what the doctors had found out about. Knowing the mental damage they must have inflicted raised the bar on the level of inhumanity of those running the place. How anyone could do this to a child, let alone more than one, in the name of saving them and raising them to be proper citizens was beyond Roy's comprehension.
Sitting down on the bed carefully, unaware that Joanne, Jenny and Chris had returned in the last ten minutes he and Mike had been attempting to get answers, Roy tried to wake Johnny up. Shaking him, Roy jumped back as the response was the opposite of what he had hoped.
"No! Pleas!" Johnny almost whimpered at the touch, his mind back at the Ranch.
Sitting on the floor, Johnny was still in shock from losing his parents. He had just seen his aunt go into the office and was hoping she would take him away from this place. Just being here for two days was enough for him to know that he wanted to leave and never return. Curling up, Johnny prayed that his aunt would return soon. Part of his prayers were answered. His aunt did come out of the office, but walked right past him, not even sparing him a glance. The director came out right after and ordered him to rise.
"As of now until you are eighteen, you are now under our control. Your aunt does not want you," he smirked. "You will obey what we say, no questions. Understand?"
Nodding, John reeled backwards when he was slapped in the face.
"Speak when spoken to heathen," barked the director.
"Ye…yess," Johnny gasped, fighting tears.
"Yes, what?" the director asked, hand raised, poised to hit him again.
"Yes, sir?" John questioned, unsure of what was expected.
"Very well. Go to the barracks," the director ordered.
Confused, Johnny didn't move.
"The beds, you idiot!" he screamed, shoving the child. "It's too bad you weren't with your parents when they died. You are nothing but a drain on society and will never amount to anything anyway. Now go, out of my sight!"
Fleeing, Johnny let loose the tears that had been threatening for far too long. At least he still was allowed to keep a trunk of things from his former life, even if he couldn't get to them until he was free of this place.
Seeing the tears running down Johnny's face, Roy shook him again, worried that Dr. Druthers plan had gone wrong or he had messed it up, "Come on, you're safe Johnny. It's just us."
Blinking his eyes, Johnny looked around in confusion.
Where am I? What happened? he thought, terrified that one of the shoves or hits had done damage. Finally, things came more into focus. Oh, thank heavens. Not there.
"You with us, Junior?" Roy asked softly.
Scooting up on the bed with help, John nodded.
"Wanna talk about it?" Mike asked gently.
Uncertain at first, John hesitated, but finally told them how his own aunt walked out on him. His heart breaking, Roy gathered Johnny up and held onto to him once he was finished. Joanne slid next to them and encircled both of them in her arms. Uncertain what to do, but wanting to help, Chris and Jenny crawled up next to Jenny.
"Don't worry about that place or your aunt," Chris stated. "Mom and dad won't let anything happen to you."
Pushing away from Roy and Jo, Johnny looked over at Chris, his eyes searching for the truth in the words.
"You can trust Chris on that," Mike spoke up. "I know them well and those two love you as if you were their own. They won't let anything happen to you."
"It's true," Joanne smiled at Johnny, rubbing his back softly.
"How know love me?" Johnny looked startled and settled back on the pillows.
"Well, how did you know your mom and dad loved you?" Jenny asked.
Shrugging, Johnny simply answered, "Just did."
"Well, is it 'cause they did things for you without asking? Put you ahead of them? Took care of you?" Chris questioned, trying to help him understand something that could be confusing.
"And wasn't it something you just felt here," Roy put his hand over Johnny's heart. "And you weren't sure why?"
Scrunching up his face, Johnny thought hard.
They are right. Mom and dad thought of me and did what they could to make life good for me.
"I get it," he said. "But why love me."
"That comes from knowing you," Joanne reminded him. "I know it is not a good answer, but that is all we have."
"Least no lie," John said.
"We don't believe in lying," Roy told him, leaving out the fact that if it would be beneficial for his health, they would. "We believe in the truth. If we can't tell the truth, we'll say we can't answer."
Yawning, Johnny nodded.
Giving him a hug, Joanne suggested he get some more rest.
"Dinner won't be for another hour or so. We'll get you up then," she promised.
Nodding, John accepted the hugs from everyone else before allowing himself to sleep. Gathering in the living, Mike gave the DeSoto clan a few minutes to themselves as he put in a meatloaf for supper.
As he was coming back, he heard Jenny state, "I can't believe how mean those people were. Who did they think they were?"
Sitting down, Mike wondered how Roy and Joanne would answer that. Seeing how the two looked at one another, he knew it was hard for them to decide.
"For some reason, the people who ran that place thought anyone who was Native American was a heathen, meaning someone who are without God or religion. They might have thought this because of the traditions and beliefs of the Indians. They thought it was their Christian duty," Roy put air quotes around Christian duty and gave a look of disgust. "To educate them as much as possible. They thought it was hard to teach them and harsh measures were needed. It was sort of like the attitudes towards the African Americans. They aren't the same as white people, so they are not equal and are less than them."
"Well, that's just stupid," Chris said, clearly disgusted as much as the rest of them.
"I know," Roy said sadly. "I'm just glad Johnny is learning to trust us."
"Me, too," Joanne added. "By the way, what is for dinner tonight?"
"Meatloaf," Mike told her.
"Sounds good, hopefully Johnny will like it," Roy smiled.
"Well, Uncle Johnny did eat anything you put in front of him, so I bet Johnny will be the same," Chris said as Jenny nodded and giggled.
Proud and sadden that his kids were already separating the person Johnny was before the explosion and who he was now, Roy just gave a tight smile. Excusing himself, he headed up to his bedroom to hide in the bathroom so he could give in to his own tears that could no longer be held back.
It just isn't fair! he raged inside. Johnny doesn't deserve to go through his past again. I just things were like before. I miss the old Johnny. I know we promised we'd take care of each other, but I never thought of something like this! It just isn't fair! It be easier knowing if things were going to be like this forever or not. I just hope to God I am not screwing things up worse for Johnny. And I just hope to God my family and I are strong enough to get through this.
Wiping away the evidence of his breakdown, Roy went back downstairs and joined in the chatter going on, thankful no one said a word about how long he was gone or his redden eyes.