Jake had never seen the pale, red-eyed child before, but it wandered up to him with a shy little smile. Other boys were with Jake and they laughed and greeted the odd child. Almost immediately, the pale boy melted into the background as the silent member of the group. But this was Jake's place. He was supposed to be left alone, included at times and heard when he contributed, but left to his own devices. Not forced to talk or initiate anything based off of another's incentive. But this little boy had climbed up on the trashcan next to where Jake was leaning against the wall of a building, and had perched on the secured lid, tapping restless heels on the metal can at times. He was looking up at Jake, though the teenager's dark eyes refused to go to the child's. Someone else noticed and stepped in to satiate the boy's curiosity.

"This here is Jake. And Jake, this is Alucard." The other teen's interest was diverted when two boys stumbled out of their collected group, fighting and growling in response to one calling the other a 'bitch'. The boys ran from the wall, into the middle of the back alley behind an anonymous building where their fathers were conducting some business. The alley branched two ways from the building, allowing sound to roll down the pavement.

The boy called Alucard looked up at the quiet, unreadable face that remained, and he smiled. "I'm Vlad, but lots of people like to call me Alucard so that's the name I go by a lot."

Jake's eye twitched in annoyance. He had been left to babysit the shitty little brat. "We've already been introduced, kid." He grunted in a low, impatient voice, crossing his arms to show he wasn't in a social mood.

The boy's head ducked away for a moment, and then turned up to watch the big teenager again. "You're really tall."

Jake ignored the comment, though he gritted his teeth. He would have let it pass over his head, like he usually did, but the brat kept on talking.

"You're tall and big…like a giant. I've never seen anyone as big as you. Do you have to eat a lot to get that big? Do you sleep a lot? Do you have a really big bed? Do you have extra big spoons and bowls and stuff? Is your dad as big as you? Is he as big as a house? Do you like the story Jack and the Beanstalk? I like that story. I like a lot of stories. Can I call you Jack? No. Jack-bean? That's a cool name. Can I call you Jack-bean? Hm? Jake, can I call you Jack-bean?"

The boys had moved down one of the allies and they were getting farther away as all of this passed. Jake's eyes were large and twitching, and his hands were shaking fists he had dropped to his sides. He finally snapped and turned on the little boy. "Do you ever shut up?" He snarled, startling Vlad so badly that he fell off the garbage can, almost taking it down with him. Vlad sat on the ground, gazing up at the other boy timidly.

"Sorry. Please don't smush me Jack-bean. I'll be quiet. Please don't smush me…."

That was the last straw. A shutter closed on Jake's mind…and his hand closed around the boy's arm. He dragged him down the alleyway opposite of the other boys' direction and made a turn down another, then turned into another, and into another…where no one would find them or hear the boy protest and beg him not to 'smush' him.

"I'm sorry Jack-bean! Please!"

There was a dull thwack as a large hand forced Vlad into the wall, his head only partially cushioned by the hood on his sweatshirt as the strength lolled his head backwards, into the wall. It was dark, without windows on the buildings' walls that built up the isolation. The white noise of the city was cut out as well, and without that sound, there was little hope of being heard. Vlad whined softly at the pain in his head, and then whimpered as he felt his feet dangle, held up by the angry fist. The white collar of his shirt could be seen as the sweatshirt was pulled forward in Jake's grip.

"Shut up!" He snarled, lowering his volume for the sake of not pushing his chances of being found by some wandering soul. His face lowered into the child's, causing red eyes to grow as bid as saucers, terrified of the glaring black gaze. Jake shook him sharply and then hissed. "You think you're a funny brat, don't yah? Well, you're not, you stupid little punk!" He shook him again. Vlad would have cried for help, but his diaphragm was paralyzed with fear, and he was having a hard enough time swallowing air without wasting it on words. Jake held him against the wall, glowering at the boy, hearing all of the names he had been called in the past, all of the comments and sniggers, and he saw every one of those laughing faces in the scared boy, who, at eye-level, had lost the mercy of his small and meek characteristics provided by youth, that were forgotten now to Jake... Because of their level eyes, Jake forgot that this was a child half his size. The eyes of a demon helped to have this effect as well.

"I'm sorry." Vlad whispered, finally managing to breathe again, and he did so quietly. His hands were holding onto Jake's fingers, to make his position more comfortable as he trembled against the wall.

Jake sneered, and his grip tightened. "You're scared of me, aren't you?" He looked at the red eyes that spoke for the mute boy. "You're scared of me! Of course you stop now! You're scared now! I got you scared now, so you're sorry! Right? RIGHT?"

Vlad could feel the heat of his breath and hear the teen's teeth grating and snapping together as he raved and pushed the boy harder against the wall. He was quiet, hardly about to understand what Jake was saying as panic clouded his mind. Finally he managed to gasp in a wavering voice. "Don't….please don't….please don't….don't kill me."

Jake's eyes widened. Stiffening, he looked into the red eyes and read the pale features. He snarled but also laughed, though he wasn't amused by the plea. "You think I'm going to kill you? Of course you would! You think I'm a terrifying, mindless, violent brute! You think I'll crush you!"

"Please don't crush me! Or smush me!" Vlad yelped, desperate to get away but too scared to move. "Don't kill me!" Tears were beginning in his eyes, and the jerk that separated him from the wall made them spill onto his cheeks. They flew from his face entirely as he crashed back into the wall. He gasped, wide eyes bulging for the air that had been knocked out of his lungs. It happened again so quickly that he could not tell that it had happened, believing that his pain was only part of the first assault."Stop! Stopitstopitstopit!"

"Shut up!" Jake pulled Vlad up by his face, away from the wall. "Shut up!"

Vlad sobbed, stark white and trembling. "I'm sorry Jack! Please! I'm…!" He hit the wall again, and this time he saw stars and black blotches in his vision.

"My name is Jake, you piece of shit!"

A hoarse sound spoke. "I'm sorry Jack. I'm sorry Jack." It became a whispering mantra, the only thing left in Vlad's mind. He could hear the voice yelling at him and the words, but his mind never connected them to what he was saying.

"My name in not Jack! Don't call me that! Stop calling me that!" A hand made contact with the pale face.

Shock made the head droop and lift a little, round glassy eyes, the same color as the red that dribbled from his parted lips, staring at Jake, shutting with a wince as he hit the wall and his sight spotted. He closed his mouth and the blood seeped across the line between his lips. Jake didn't appear to be able to see the blood as another fist crashed into the boy's head this time, calloused knuckles freed from the threat of being damaged by something as weak as human bone and flesh. He panted, livid with hatred after the fist fell. But then the breath stopped and the glare shot open into a wide gaze. Vlad's hands had fallen from his and the small body was limp, though Vlad retained enough consciousness to keep his eyes open as his head dipped lower and lower. It finally rested on his chest, too weary to keep it up anymore. Everything was foggy…clouded by a thick dark mist, and the world was muffled, the voice a distorted drawl without meaning. Closing his eyes did nothing for this except disorient him, the world moving, slanted…falling.

Jake gaped, unable to believe that this was reality, that he had done this, that this boy was real. His hands shook as he held Vlad and the boy's eyes closed and opened. "Oh….Christ." Jake murmured, a hollow sound, and he lowered the boy slowly, easing himself to a crouch with Vlad. He put the boy against the wall, one hand holding his shoulder as the other fixed his feet so that they were not crumpled under him. He laid them out straight and fixed the languid posture, both hands steadying the thin shoulders. Then they let go. Vlad began to wilt and they returned and fixed him, but Vlad slid over the wall, slumping down or to the side. Jake desperately tried to make him stay upright, but his attempts weren't working. "Sit up! SIT UP!" He cried, shaking Vlad with his frustration and then pushing him against the wall, hopping he would stick that way. But Vlad slumped again. Jake did not catch him this time and the boy fell to the ground and laid there on his side, eyes closed now. He was unconscious.

Jake jumped back and retreated from the boy. "No…no…please no. Oh, God no…." His back touched the opposite wall, startling him, and he whipped around with an airy cry. He stared at the wall, then peered down at the lifeless child. "Oh God!" He dashed forward and fell to his knees, hands picking up the boy from the ground, sitting him upright. He slumped against Jake, and hands held him there, quivering with fear and gut-wrenching anxiety. He clutched the boy to his chest as he clumsily fell back from his feet and sat on the concrete, one knee remaining bent and upright. He stared at the wall, a nervous mumble creeping from his mouth. He caught the sound and swallowed, shutting his eyes as tightly as he could, hoping, wishing, praying that the weight he was holding would disappear. He needed it to disappear…or else he would go mad.

Unsteady hands lifted the pale face up and then moved to Vlad's nose to find his breath. It was there. He wasn't dead…but that didn't make a difference! Jake's lips quivered and a strange hiccup came from his throat. Dark eyes darted about, searching for a solution and fearing that someone would come. His conscious created sounds, imaginary sounds, footsteps, voices, people that weren't there. Jake struggled to get to his feet, clinging to the limp form. He held Vlad like an infant, in both hands as he searched for a way to dispose of him. The jerking head stopped, and Jake stared at the derelict dumpster, colored by curling paint and rust. He walked like a drunk man, weaving and tripping over his own feet. He reached the dumpster and gazed at it.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't make himself open it. It was too disgusting, it was all too disgusting to be,…real. That's it! Jake's eyes sharpened and then dimmed. That's it! None of this is real! It's only a dream! Only a dream! It was only a dream! He moved forward and threw back one of the two coverings and manipulated the insensible thing into the dark, empty belly of the container, and then quickly slammed the lid shut.

He stared at the dumpster, a chill prickling his skin and then fading. It wasn't real… See! Nothing! Nothing! It didn't happen! Nothing is in there! Nothing! Jake staggered back, hitting the wall, and then he leaned towards the exit to this nightmare, walking with a gradually strengthening step. Soon, he was back to normal, moving with sure strides down the alley, through the maze of passageways. His hands went to his pockets and his whole being sighed with relief and breathed a liberating breath of air. He was soon confronted with city life, easily joining with the street crowds, glancing at florescent lights. He smiled a little and shook his head. He had dozed off and had experienced the weirdest dream...

Good thing it was only a dream.

Jake went home that night, nodded to his father who was in the kitchen as he moved down the hall to go up the stairs, to where his room was.

"Jake?"

The teen stopped and looked at the man casually. "Yeah?"

"Where'd you disappear to? Just wandering about again?"

Jake shrugged. "Sorry, I went for a walk and I guess I fell asleep somewhere along the way. I woke up and came home after that."

The man blinked and then looked down at the meal he was throwing together for himself. He shook his head as he chuckled. "Jake…you're one of a kind. I gotta say." He smiled a bit. "Did you eat?"

Jake shrugged away the question. "I'm not hungry…I ate some stuff with the guys earlier." The teen went to the stairs. "Goodnight."

"..'Night then."

Jake closed the door to his room and went to sleep.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

A day went by and the night arrived like it always did for Jake. He was playing poker with a few guys around a wooden table. Hats were pulled low, the visors shading their concentrating, shifty eyes, guarding their hands as one or two exhaled a cloud of smoke, and then one grinned while the other scowled. Bottle caps were stacked about like chips, accompanied by a few dimes and nickels. Nobody played for big money here. They were friends, buddies. You didn't joke around with money with your buds.

Jake's father entered their area and stood, checking over his shoulder before looking at the faces that realized he was there. They nodded or lifted a hand in recognition, then went back to their game. Then a pair of steps walked from the wooden floor of a cluttered hallway, to the carpet where the table and poker game were situated. Eyes glanced up and then froze. A few cards slipped from some loosened hands as the boys were held by the blue gaze that wandered over them, lined by a scowl that was not meant for anyone particular. Jake was stunned, staring at the black haired man behind him. His father was near him…the man…standing near Walter C. D."

Walter looked at the teens, but expected that they would be useless. He spoke anyway. "Have any of you seen a little boy hanging around anywhere?"

Jake's dad spoke up, used to explaining what Walter decided not to say. "He lost his nephew."

Walter turned the scowl to the man, but Jake's dad just grinned crookedly and then looked back at the teens' startled eyes. Jake's mind was as innocently surprised as the rest.

"He's a cute little boy, pretty shy…" Walter sighed irritably at the father's words while the man chuckled and then quieted.

Blue watched the boys blankly, not suspecting much. "Some of you know who I'm talking about."

"Alucard?" ventured a teen and a handful of them nodded. The teen answered the initial question as he saw that he was pretty much obliged to now. "We saw him last night. We thought he went home…"

"Do you know around what time he left?"

Boys shook their heads and apologized, though they didn't need too. Jake murmured with them, aware of a fuzzy sensation in his brain. But he refused to let himself think. He just acted, did things, did what the others were doing. Alucard was not a name he knew.

"Little boy with pale skin and bright red eyes, how could you lose him?" Jake's dad joked, trying to ease the mood. "Jake would get lost all the time when he was young."

"Yeah, but my brat is a runt. He's thin and scrawny and has been babied most of his life." Walter murmured with Jake's father, but the teen could hear them, though he tried not to. The words broke through his determination like it was nothing but a thin thread of a spider's web…a web that fell and caught him…made him helpless…made him nervous. Jake shook his head to get these thoughts out of it. He did not know the red eyes.

"He'll turn up." The man by Walter reassured him, but Walter didn't take the bait. He turned on the teenage boys.

"Go search for him. You were the last ones to see him. You're not doing anything important. Get off your asses and look for the boy before something happens." He watched the dazed eyes, sweeping his gaze across them, and then he turned and left, followed by Jake's father.

All of the boys threw down their cards and pulled on their jackets and sweatshirts before they went out into the streets as well. Jake followed, a machine, functioning without thought…until they reached the familiar back alley behind a certain building, where the trashcan with the lid was sitting by the wall. The boys split up, strolling about, looking in trashcans and peeking into windows, asking a cat on a fence or a yapping dog if they had seen the boy. They had grown up here and nothing had ever happened to them, why would it be different for the red eyed brat? Jake knew, though he denied it. They had no real bond with the boy. Nothing had ever happened to them because they always had someone to back them up when things got rough…and they still did. No one had Jake's back. He was too big to need support. No one worried when he got lost. They didn't really care now, for the odd looking boy.

This ate at Jake, turning him down corners and alleyways, moving through the labyrinth to find the destination he could no longer hide from. He stared at the dumpster, leaning back against a wall.

It was too quiet. Nothing was in there. It was empty. Jake told himself to go. There was nothing there, it was a dream. But he couldn't move as his nervousness sped off with his reason. If he let someone else get to the boy first, he'd tell…he'd tell people. He hadn't just beat up a little boy…he had beat up W.C.D.'s fucking NEPHEW!

The teen gulped and slowly pushed away from the wall and approached the dumpster.

It was just too quiet.

Chills slithered through the teen's skin, making him shudder as his hand touched the lid. He struggled to continue, to do more. Closing his eyes, he flipped the lid with a push of effort.

It was so damn quiet Jake wanted to cry. He hated the quiet. Hated it.

His eyes didn't want to open. They didn't want to see a dead boy. They couldn't bear to see a dead boy in that dumpster. But there was a shuffling sound that stopped, followed by some dull thuds, and then there was sniffling. Then…

"Help me out…pl…lease. I….I can't…can't…pull…"

Jake's eyes flew open and he gasped, backing away from the close face. It was bruised and smeared, on the chin and above and around the lips, with dried blood. An ugly black and blue swelled lump rose from the side of his forehead and touched his left eyebrow. It looked like the boy had got blue paint on his face and had tried to wipe it off, but it was the bruise…from Jake's fist. Jake stared at the boy, the red eyes, the bruises, the tears and the trembling hand reaching for him as Vlad clung to the side of the dumpster, holding himself up.

But there was no fear in the boy. He didn't recognize Jake… The teen returned to the dumpster and hesitantly lifted the boy and set him down. Vlad swerved a little before he could control his feet to find his balance, then he gazed up at Jake, trembling lips and puffy eyes streaming tears over the ugly blue blotches by his mouth and his busted lip.

"Thank you…I…I..I don't know how I…I got there….but…" a hiccup stopped him and he bent his head as his face went through a short spasm and his tears fell. "Co…ould….y..yyou…help me..find my….uncle? I…I don't know…." He hiccupped and sat on the ground. "…I don't know….where I am. I…don't kknow how…to get home."

Jake stared at the boy, shivering and watching. It was all real…all of it…was real. He felt dizzy, so he crouched down as well, closing his eyes. But this only allowed him to hear the child cry and whimper, so he opened them and looked at the black hair. "Yeah." He whispered, pulling up the red eyes with his words. "I know your uncle…I don't know where he lives. But I think I know where he is right now."

Vlad's mouth opened and he gasped, white fingers digging into his jeans, covering his shins. "Thank you…Thank you!"

"But no more crying." Jake added without thinking. Vlad's tears made him want to throw up.

"Oh…yeah." Vlad was rubbing his eyes, moving his feet to keep himself from falling as he stood up while he did this. He was calming down quickly now, and he even laughed a little when he uncovered his eyes and looked at the dumpster. "I was in there? A big trashcan?" He laughed a distorted giggle.

Jake felt his chills return as he stood as well, watching Vlad swerve a little as he laughed. "Why are you laughing?"

Vlad looked up at Jake and smiled slightly, suddenly conscious of the stranger. "Because it's funny. I was in a trashcan…I thought I got eaten by a monster…or something like that. But I was just in a trashcan. It's funny, right?" He laughed quietly, glancing back at the dumpster as he tripped on one of his feet.

Jake tasted bile in the back of his throat and he had to touch the boy's back to steer him away. They went back to the building with the (real) trashcan, but they didn't find any of the other teens. Vlad was tripping too often, and he asked for a rest when they continued for a while longer, taking the back way to the guys' poker hangout. Jake waited a while as the boy sat by the wall, then offered to give him a ride on his back. Vlad accepted and they carried on.

"I'm up so high…!" The boy looked around at the things they passed. Jake didn't say anything. "You're so tall… I wish I was big."

"You're yelling in my ear." Jake grunted to avoid the subject. The boy apologized and rested his check on Jake's shoulder, earning a grumble that made him straighten. Vlad began to look around again.

"It's like flying."

"Can you be quiet, kid?"

Vlad started and ducked his head and apologized again. "I only meant to say it…as a good thing. My uncle always tells me I'm too skinny, I'm too weak, I'm no good…all I can do is run away…" Vlad's chin went to Jake's back and the teen told him to sit up. The boy was quiet. "I don't think my uncle likes me very much."

"If you chatter as much as you are now, I wouldn't blame him." Jake growled as butterflies flew about in his stomach. He did not need to be hearing about W.C.D. at this moment. He needed to psyche himself up…get himself under control. If Walter C.D. found out about what he did…that he did this to his nephew… God. He would be lucky to die with all of his limbs intact. His father had told him stories about Walter C.D.'s torture techniques…the people he killed…the bodies…never found. He was unknown to the police…and no one dared tell of this secret…that he wasn't a normal guy…that he had killed people, mangled people, robbed and ransacked houses, never getting caught. How he split money from jobs even though he did all the work…how he had no taste for money…rather for possessions. If he liked something he'd give you his wallet if you'd take it for the thing. Money was paper…something to barter with for stuff you like and sometimes need, like food…so it did have some meaning to him… It was hard to explain. But having a lot of money…never made him feel wealthy…so he used it. He stole stuff, trinkets, antiques, chairs…not cash and rarely jewelry, unless he had a woman he planned on giving it to. Walter C.D. was a strange man, but a terrifying man, none the less. Jake didn't realize he was trembling until Vlad touched his forehead with a cold little hand. The boy felt like death, he was so cold.

"Are you sick? Or cold? I would give you my sweatshirt but I think it's too small."

Jake growled again, telling the boy to keep his hands to himself and keep quiet. Vlad followed this order as they made a turn. When they were walking straight again he whispered.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Jake ignored the boy and kept walking. There were more important things he needed to figure out right now.

Vlad, used to this kind of response, continued. "I'm eleven."

Jake jolted, and then snarled to himself, covering his spike of fear. Did the brat know? Was he goading him? "So what?"

Vlad was quiet. "I was ten yesterday. Now I'm eleven. I'm almost a teenager, aren't I? Big like that? Go to high school and drive a car, right? Eleven is close, right?"

Jake shivered once, and then told the boy to shut up as he saw their destination in the distance. Holy fuck…he had done this to the kid on his birthday? Or was his brains all scrambled up now? He licked his lips and decided not to speak anymore…then changed his mind. "Hey kid…you really don't remember what happened to you?"

The boy looked at Jake's head for a bit then shook his head and cringed as it ached. "No. It felt like I was in there forever…but I guess it wasn't that long. It's still night."

Jake took a breath and sighed. He almost tripped when Vlad suddenly spoke.

"What's your name?"

Jake's pupils dilated and then he closed his eyes to focus them. "Jake."

"I'm Vlad."

The teen blinked and slowed his pace. "Vlad?"

Vlad smiled. "Vladimir Alucard Dracula…" His face lost its brightness, becoming a bit sullen. "Do you think my name's weird?"

"No…" Jake frowned at the odd question. "Why would I think it's weird?"

Vlad was stunned, amazed by the response. Excitement welled in him, sending tremors down his arms as they held onto Jake, worrying the teen for a moment. Then the boy blurted out, "Will you be my friend Jake? Even if you're an adult?"

"I'm sixteen." Jake replied flatly, passed the surprise from the first question. He hoped Vlad would be quiet as he scoped the area, looking for signs that would tell him someone was there. The lights were off, the windows were dark. He set Vlad down and tried to open the door, but it was locked.

Now what?

He looked down at the little kid and caught his hands, wringing them out as his anxiety started to come back. What if his memories return? What if W.C.D. can tell I did it? Can they match the bruises with my hand? He rounded the building, looking for a side door. He found it, with a sigh of relief and told Vlad to come in with him.

"Hey, Jack?"

Jake started, gasping and hitting a wall as he spun to look at Vlad who was just as startled by his reaction. "My name is Jake." He muttered, looking away to hide his twitching expression.

"Oh…sorry. But…you know….you remind me of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk…"

Oh God…not this again. Please not this. Not this. Not this! His features stiffened.

"…can I call you Jack-bean?"

"NO!" Jake snarled, scaring the boy so much that he fell back into the wall and sunk to the floor. His mouth was hanging open as he stared at Jake. The teen saw the familiar sight and turned, hands tearing his hair. "Don't call me that…!" He whispered, unable to find his voice. "Don't call me that, brat. I'm not the fucking giant from that goddamn story!"

Vlad jerked at this and got to his feet quickly. "I didn't mean it like that! I didn't! Jack's the human anyway! He's not a giant! Your names sound alike…is all…" Vlad's voice fell and died at the sight of the stricken face he saw above him, the quivering lips, the jerking muscles…the tears. "I'm so…so sorry!" Vlad shook, scared of what he had done, he held onto the end of his sweatshirt for comfort. Big people weren't supposed to cry, in Vlad's mind. Only little kids could cry. When you grew up, you weren't able to make tears anymore. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I didn't mean to call you a bad name. People call me a freak all the time…it doesn't feel good to be made fun of. I didn't mean to…I swear."

I'm so stupid. Jake used his sleeves to clean his face and he cleared his throat. "You didn't…brat. Just some dust in my eye."

"Oh…" Vlad didn't believe him, but he didn't say anything about it. He looked about, and then back at Jake. "Is there a bathroom here? …I just realized… I really have to pee."

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

They stayed in the building until Jake's father came around to see why the lights were turned on. The man stared at his son who was sitting on a couch, head on his hand with his elbow on the armrest of the furniture, with the boy leaning against him, dead asleep. The man left to fetch Walter, and they both returned and pondered the odd picture. They saw the swollen, bruised face, but didn't think much of it. He had been playing with the bigger boys, it was bound to happen. They probably stepped on him or something and he ran off crying and got lost. He was just a quiet timid boy…who didn't talk much.

Jake woke up as his father shook his arm. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then dropped his hands into his lap and looked at Vlad. He froze, unable to breathe. Walter was leaning down, close enough to touch, and he was looking intently at his nephew's face. The man was able to smell fear, and his eyes flicked up to Jake's, but the usually scowling face was calm.

"No need to be so stiff, boy. You found my lost nephew for me…" He actually smirked at the paling face and then turned his eyes back to Vlad. He flicked the blue bruise with his finger, expecting to get a yelp from the boy…not a yelp and a head butt.

Eyes stared as Walter reeled back and stood, blinking as his head wrung. Damn that brat has a hard head. He glared down at the wet eyes. Vlad was whimpering and clutching the throbbing injuries he had just made worse.

"Boy…you just hit me with your head." Walter spoke with a threatening growl, widening red eyes. Vlad looked up and gazed at his uncle, mouth open.

"Uncle?" He still had his hands on his head as he gawked at the scowling man. He realized he was in trouble so he bent his head, though it hurt to do so. "I'm sorry Uncle."

Walter growled but let it go, ignoring the man and the boy that were staring at him. "Where were you hiding, brat? I had to go looking for you…" Jake couldn't breathe, his heart was pounding in his ears, but he was saved when Vlad perked up.

"You were looking for me Uncle? Really?" Vlad's eyes stayed with Walter as the man's face became shadowed with thoughts. "I didn't think you would notice if I was gone for a while."

Jake gasped and retreated away from the couch as the slap rang in his ears. Vlad was dumbstruck, then he felt his bruises and he whimpered and bit his lip to stop the tears, afraid they would make his uncle mad….madder that is.

"You little shit! Is that what you were doing? You wanted to see if I'd notice you were gone?" He snarled, scaring Jake while his father stepped forward to calm him, but was unable to. Tears dripped from Vlad's nose as he blood touched his chin. His lip had reopened.

"N…no. I didn't…I…" The boy mumbled, trying to hide his fear and his tears… Why wouldn't they stop?

"Then you decided to go off on your own? What were you doing?" Walter wasn't yelling anymore, but it was easy to read the anger still flickering in his eyes.

"I…I was only gone for a little bit, Uncle. A couple hours, right? I…don't remember…" His lips were red now, and he cringed at the taste of his own blood.

No one was able to speak. They stared at the boy, cold with confusion. Jake was suffering from his chills again, feeling that his end was near. Walter looked at his nephew and watched the blood pearl on his chin and then stop and slip down over his throat. "You were gone for a couple hours?" He spoke quietly.

"Yeah…? I think…"

Vlad cowered into the couch when his uncle bent down and held his face. He squeezed his eyes and managed to stop the tears. Walter looked at his lip, touching it lightly. Vlad whined, and the man instantly pinched down on the wound, drawing out a cry. "Be quiet. You need to accept that it hurts and then ignore it, brat. You don't cry and you don't make a sound." Vlad was quiet, though he felt ill now, and he opened his eyes. Walter rubbed the blood from his hands, working it into his black gloves so that it seemed to disappear. Then he turned his attention back to his nephew's head. He eyed the large bruise and then clucked his tongue.

"They got you good, boy. A good solid hit to the head…no wonder you can't remember anything." He stood as the bemused boy blinked up at him. "What day is it today?"

Vlad blinked again and then hesitantly replied. "It's Thursday, Uncle. Did you forget your days of the week?"

Jake's father smiled grimly at this while Walter scowled, tempted to flick his bruise again. He decided to do it, and to his satisfaction, Vlad swallowed the pain.

"It's Friday, Vladimir."

Vlad showed an expression of horror that his uncle couldn't understand, then the boy looked for the window and gaped at how dark it was. "No!"

Walter hated being confused, so he barked at the child. "Shut up! What are you so worked up about, boy?"

Vlad looked at him and then the floor, mumbling something no one heard. Walter ordered him to speak up as Jake realized what was wrong. Vlad spoke. "Thursday was my birthday, Uncle. I missed my birthday…"

"Oh." Walter looked down at the fretting little boy, unable to understand why this was such a big deal. "How old are you then?"

"Eleven."

Walter paused and then nodded slightly. "Alright…good for you." He sighed and looked at his audience with a scowl. "What?" He singled out Jake's father whose son was behind him, leaning on a table. The man had a strange smile on his face.

"You know…C.D….you're not the greatest uncle in the world, but you're not the worst."

Walter frowned and was about to protest when Vlad did it for him, holding his own frown. "My uncle is the best uncle out there. Better than any uncle!"

The men stared at him while Jake closed his eyes and tried to disappear. Everything he saw only made his guilt worse. He had fed the boy some snack food they had in the hangout and then they had retired to the couch to wait things out…and then fallen asleep, he guessed. The boy drank two glasses of water and every gulp had made him cringe. Now the boy was…acting like a little boy he guessed…a bit immature and naïve, though, for his age. But it churned his stomach…he volunteered to go home first. His father bid him goodnight while Walter just glanced at him, and then Jake tried to leave before Vlad could say anything, but the brat was too eager. The boy scampered up to him and gave him a hug, surprising Walter and causing the other man to chuckle.

"Bye Jack-bean."

Jake bit his tongue and nodded, quickly leaving before anyone could begin commenting on the new name. He didn't care anymore.

Jack was the human, after all.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Walter took the boy to a doctor he was personally acquainted with, aware of the consequences that would result from taking the child to a hospital. Someone would call child (welfare) services on him…and they would evaluate his house, which would probably lead to jail time…and worse things, and they would ultimately take the little boy away and put him in a foster home. This kid was a piece of his flesh and blood. He was not willing to hand him over to strangers who would, more than likely, abuse the freakish looking child. Walter wasn't a monster, at least, not a whole monster. There was some wasting thing that resembled a heart, left inside his chest.

Now little Vladimir was sitting on one of the mismatched chairs, gazing at the black mummy hand on the shelf with one eye. The other was covered partially by an icepack swaddled in a paper towel he was using to coax down the swelled lump on his head. His pale skin had reddened from the cold, but the boy didn't seem to notice as he looked at the hand, nibbling on a piece of bread. Peanut butter was smeared over the slice, so the boy ate it slowly, careful not to make a mess as he had already taken a shower and was wearing a large shirt along with some pajama pants as his night clothes. Walter appeared the moment the bread was gone and he told the boy to get some rest as he removed the icepack from the boy's head and left to throw it in the sink, planning to take care of it in the morning. He was too tired to do much else at the moment. The man sighed and checked on the boy one last time before going to his own bedroom and shutting the door.

Vlad turned off the light and curled up under his blanket, his futon positioned on the rug by the table with mismatched chairs. With a wide yawn he gingerly lowered his numbed face to his pillow and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Hours later, fear rattled through the boy's small frame as he bolted out of his slumber and held himself, trembling under his blanket, his eyes wide with fear. He had had a terrible…and very REAL nightmare. The boy panted in order to catch his breath, ducking his head into his knees to stop himself from seeing the memories play out in his mind…again.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

He was scared and confused, in need of something sure and comforting. So he went to his uncle's room and opened the unlocked door timidly, ready to bolt if the man told him to leave. Nothing happened. Curious, the boy peered at the bed as he ventured forward, taking silent steps. Vlad blinked, his lips twitching as he saw that Walter was asleep. Alright, good. He thought and moved around to the left side of the bed, carefully pulling back the covers and spreading his weight out on the mattress to make the indent he made, smaller. Vlad was good at this. He had done this many a time before, sneaking into his parents' bedroom to sleep by his mother when it was cold or when he had dreamed about something scary. His presence would often surprise the woman in the morning.

I wonder if Uncle will be surprised too?

The boy smiled slightly with this thought, finding an extra pillow and claiming it for himself. He fell asleep.

Survival does strange things to people. It revives animalistic senses and instincts within them, anything that would give them an edge in a threatening situation. Walter…was one such case. He turned over in his sleep and instantly felt the foreign presence, and his hand, out of its desire to preserve its owner's life, grasped the threat and forced into a helpless state. A vice constricted the small throat with cruel fingers, and, if not for the smallness or the startled, childish squeak, he would have broken the trespasser's neck without hesitation. Blue eyes gazed down at the wavering white of the face below him and saw the frightened red eyes. Walter let go and leaned back, disoriented and staring at the coughing boy that gave a trembling whine and hid from him in the blankets, curling up.

Walter continued to stare until he could scowl and rub his face tiredly. He hissed at the child, knocking it with his knee as it remained in the blankets. "What are you doing?" A glare stayed with the lump as Vlad didn't come out. A knee rammed into an injury this time and the boy gasped a shriek he tried to muffle. Shaking and terrified of more pain, the boy threw back the covers and sat up, gazing at his uncle with a meekness that resembled a chastised puppy. Walter scowled at this and shook his head. The boy had horrible luck…getting the snot wacked out of him and then nearly strangled the next night, the man shook his head again and sighed, closing his eyes, reclining on his arms as he propped himself up. His head went back, closed eyes directed to the ceiling. The boy had yet to answer.

Vlad finally mumbled. "I…had a nightmare."

Eyes went to the boy. "I don't care."

There was a quiet sigh that Vlad let escape before he could stop himself. He had been afraid of such an answer…now he felt like no one cared, nowadays. Not since his parents had died. He hung his head and muttered an apology for waking up his uncle. He started to leave, hesitating as he hoped his uncle would pity him and let him stay. The man didn't. Walter only told him to hurry up, so the boy did and closed the door firmly behind him.

He wanted to cry, but what would come of it? Nothing. Crying was stupid, Vlad thought as he buried himself under his blankets and shut his eyes, biting his hurt lip so that it bled and lances of pain would shoot through his nerves. Then, with the iron contaminating his sense of taste, the boy forced himself to sleep.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

There was a change in the boy that should have been noticed, but no one paid enough attention or knew the boy well enough to see it. Vlad was quiet. That wasn't different. But he had a sense of bitterness about him now, and his eyes were sharper. His behavior had made others believe that he was small and younger than he really was. Now, if anyone had chosen to look, they would have seen that he was the proper height for his age, perhaps even taller than the average height. He was skinny but he also had a sense of sinewy strength in his limbs that allowed him to pull his own weight up vertical walls. But Vlad was not entirely different. He was more cautious and pessimistic than before, but he was still shy and rather ignorant of the world.

But with more beating, as with any kind of animal, he would become mean and he would become manipulative and sly. He would, if the beating and neglect continued. If he continued to have friends that were merely presences he haunted like a spirit, and an uncle that forced him to fend for himself and pushed the child away if it ever sought any affection or closeness from the only family he knew.

But for now, he was still shy and ignorant, not one ounce of meanness in his body. He was only a bit more bitter.

Vlad watched Jake across the darkened room. He didn't know what the teenagers were up to, but they had shoed him away when he had gotten too close. All he knew was that it smelled awful and he didn't want to play their game, even though they seemed to be having fun. Jake wasn't participating, along with two other boys who were dealing out a game of BS instead. The red eyes stared at the broad back, sending shivers down Jake's already traumatized nerves, leaving a twitch in his brow that went unnoticed by most. Jake finally pretended to stretch his arms, actually peering around anxiously to find whatever presence it was that was bothering him. It took two false stretches before he caught sight of the boy.

The red eyes were glimmering like flames in the gloom, freezing the teen in place. Vlad licked his hurt lip, blinking before getting up from the arm of the couch, where he had been sitting. He went to the table and picked out his own chair. The teens frowned at him and then scowled at one of the boys when he told 'Alucard' that he could play the next game. Jake fidgeted as he continued to play, keeping his gaze from the pale child. Vlad watched the pile of cards in the middle of the table grow, and he narrowed his eyes when one of the boys said he was putting down a Jack of Clubs.

"BS"

The boy froze while all eyes moved to Vlad as he looked at the frozen teen. He blinked innocently, thinking that this was an odd reaction. He looked around and shrunk into his seat. "I thought he was lying." The boy mumbled.

The others stared at him and then the card. They agreed that no form of punishment would be in order, so they could turn the card over just to quench their curiosity. They paused and then congratulated little Vlad for catching the lie. Then they continued to play again.

A bead of sweat trickled over Jake's temple. He couldn't sit still for another moment. He excused himself and gave Vlad his cards, hoping the boy would stay and play while he disappeared. To his discomfort, the other boys added his cards to the pile and told Vlad to wait for the next game….so the boy chose to follow Jake out the door and into the back alleys.

Jake led the way, moving to an isolated area while Vlad's silent steps came behind him. The teen stopped without turning around. How could such a little brat make him so damn uneasy? It had to be those red eyes… He sighed at the voice, a shallow breath he almost didn't notice.

"Why did you beat me up?"

Jake tried to swallow. "What are you talking about?" He questioned. It was a sad attempt, in his opinion. Vlad didn't say anything. When Jake turned around he saw that the boy was staring at his black sneakers, moving one to tap a rock with his foot.

"You beat me up…and then I woke up in a dumpster…" His voice became quiet as he began to move his other sneaker. "Do you hate me?"

The teen inhaled through his teeth and watched the black hair that swept before the black and blue bruise. "No…you're making a mistake, kid. I didn't…beat you up."

"You're lying. You hit me…twice."

Jake shivered, fear and hate beginning in his chest. "No I didn't!"

"Yes!" Vlad looked questioningly at the taller boy. "You did! Why are you lying? You did, and I know you did."

The chills were attacking Jake now, causing him to stiffened and form his hands into fists. He was quiet for a time. "Did you tell your uncle that?"

Vlad stared and then shook his head. "No."

"Now you're lying you piece of shit! That would have been the first thing you did!" Jake snarled, alarming Vlad who retreated a few steps. Jake noticed this with mixed feelings. Should he be trying to win the brat over? To save his own skin? His demeanor changed as he closed his eyes. He really didn't feel like dying anytime soon. "Hey, kid. Sorry…I'm not trying to scare you, alright?" Hell. How was he supposed to make this work? Fuck! He wanted to scream, but knew he couldn't right now. He opened his eyes. Vlad's gaze was on his shoes again. Jake suddenly realized the boy was as nervous as he was…or even more. He thought that Jake could beat him up again or kill him, right now, without breaking a sweat. This consoled Jake, for some reason and he ran his hand through his short hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you…"

What? Spoke the wide red eyes, gaping at the teen. How could you not mean to beat the shit out of me?

Jake's throat twisted with a demented form of humor that he didn't really find to be funny. He chuckled emptily. "It won't happen again." Shit. This sucked.

"Hey…Jake?" The teen reacted to his real name with a flinch. Vlad looked up at him apprehensively. "You really didn't beat me up because you hate me? Or because I'm ugly?"

Jake's mouth opened and then he licked his lips, analyzing the boy. There was no confidence in the skinny brat, none at all. The boy was beaten down and lonesome looking. It was sad to look at him like this, with those bruises... He looked like a victim of child abuse. Jake had to turn his eyes away, conscious of his part in the boy's appearance.

"I don't really care, Jake…I just want to know why."

Why? Could Jake himself admit it? Then…as he considered the option, looking at the boy again…he felt like he needed to. Vlad would benefit…a lot, if he told the boy…Jake would benefit a lot as well… And then, if the kid thought of him as a friend, he'd never want his uncle to kill him. Jake licked his lips again and watched the red eyes, and then the bruises. "Hey kid, do people make fun of you because of the way you look?"

Vlad's face darkened a bit and he chewed on his hurt lip. He could only nod.

Now that he had the answer, it didn't make sense for a moment. Who would dare make fun of W.C.D.'s nephew? …Anyone would. Walter C.D. wasn't going to do anything about it…if he wanted to he could be searching the city, looking for the thug that beat up the brat…but he wasn't. He was content to know that the kid was alive, and that's about it. Jake felt depressed, just thinking about it. He prolonged a blink and took a breath. "Well…yah know…people like to do that, a lot. Happened to me all the time…and still does, sometimes." Vlad's eyes were wide, entranced by the confession. He was completely absorbed by Jake's presence now, and he moved closer to the teen.

"Why? Why would people do that?" He asked, needing an answer to a question that had plagued him for months. His bleeding lip was twitching as a single red pearl formed.

"Because I'm big. I'm different. You're different. They feel good when they do it…it's a game for them, like chucking rocks as a mangy stray cat. It's just a game."

Vlad was standing before the boy now, as if he were a magnetic force drawing him in. The boy really wanted to touch Jake's sleeve, and he didn't know why. "I don't think it's a good game…like the one those big boys were playing back in the room, with the smoke. I think it's a rotten smelling game."

Jake watched the child, anxiety flushed from his system. He smiled slightly at the words. Yes. Cruelty was like a drug, addictive, harmful, and rotten smelling. He ruffled the back hair and a pale hand caught his sleeve as it left his head. Jake let the boy hold onto it for a while, mesmerized by this strange development.

"I won't call you Jack-bean anymore if you don't want me too."

Jake shook his head. "Naw. It's fine…Jack's the human, right?"

Vlad smiled up at him and then dropped the sleeve, somewhat embarrassed now. He was eleven. He wasn't a little kid anymore. The boy plucked up his courage with this thought and looked at the blue jacket Jake was wearing. "Do you want to be my best friend, Jack-bean? I've never had a best friend…except maybe one."

Maybe not a best friend…but he's like a little brother I've never had… Jake mused and then took interest in what Vlad had added. "Who was the 'one'?"

The boy became nervous again and he held onto his own sweatshirt. "Tammy, my babysitter. She was really pretty."

Jake chuckled and nudged the boy teasingly, aiming to get the kid to start walking back to the hang out with him. "I wouldn't mind having a hot babysitter." He joked, stunning Vlad who tried to laugh as well.

As they continued to discuss the pretty/hot babysitter, they bypassed the hang out and wandered through the labyrinth and then out into the streets. When someone asked them about Vlad's face and his red eyes, they just said that he had fallen down the stairs and that his eyes were always red. People avoided the two for the most part. They were just jealous because they were all short and didn't have red eyes.