Sanctuary

Svenne14

Summary:

The wolfbrothers are finally reunited. But each of them paid a high price for their reunion. Some wounds are visible, others not. The problems keep growing. Where should they go? How are they supposed to get there? Most importantly...

How long can they keep running?

Notes:

Inspired by The Wild Ones by Pavan336

READ FIRST!
It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you read parts 1, 2, 3 & 4 of these series before you read this.

That being said, read tags and enjoy!

Chapter 1: An Old Friend

Summary:

Daniel's on the brink between life and death as he slips into unconsciousness. Along the way, he meets a familiar face...

Meanwhile, Sean's doing everything in his power to save his little brother's life. He can't lose him again.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Somewhere, in a realm between realms…

Daniel woke up in a familiar place. Everything was white, just like last time. Nobody was around, just like last time. How could he have forgotten about this? Seriously, how?

"Fuck. This shit again?" Daniel slowly stands up, only to discover a red sticky substance, covering most of his body.

Blood. Lots and lots of blood.

"Man, I've ruined my suit." Speaking of which, his suit isn't white this time. It's black. Also, all of his wounds remain, and he still only got one eye.

"Hi. It's good to see you again." Daniel jumped a bit as he heard that voice coming from behind. He knew who it was already. Daniel turns around, standing face-to-face with a clean-looking version of himself wearing a white suit. His white twin smiled at him, almost proudly.

"You lied to me," Daniel muttered to him. He remembered now. He didn't want to continue and chose the easy way out. But his twin lied to him, forcing him to go on.

"Yes, Daniel. I did. And because of it, you've managed to free your brother. Just like you wanted. You have conquered your greatest fears, Daniel. I'm proud of you." The Daniel in white says.

Daniel freezes for a moment. He didn't think of it like that. His first impulse had been to snap the neck of his evil twin. However, since pain seems to be nonexistent here, death probably is as well. After a moment of silence, Daniel walks towards his twin, wrapping his arms around him, hugging him.

"Thank you. So much." His twin hugs him back.

"Hey, hey, it's nothing." This moment felt very strange. Comforting, but so very strange.

"You still lied to me though… asshole." Daniel jokingly says as both boys giggled.

"So, why am I here again? Am I dead? I mean, I did get shot…" Daniel asks, not entirely sure that he wants to know. This time, he doesn't want to die. He wants to live.

"Oh… that. Don't worry, you're just having a near-death experience. You won't have to choose anything this time, promise." Daniel wasn't sure if he could trust what he just heard. But he didn't have much of a choice.

"When I wake up, what happens then?" His twin looks at him like he's a complete idiot.

"How the fu-" Right.

"How the fuck should you know, you're ten, just like me. Ten. Right. How stupid of me to even think of asking." Daniel feels slightly annoyed. What's even the point of this?

"You're bleeding, Daniel." His twin says, pointing at his gut. Daniel looks down, noticing a steady stream of blood pouring out.

"Oh…" Guess that's one way to react. What happens if he dies here? Does he go like, super-hell?

"Shouldn't this hurt?" Why can't he feel it? Is that good or bad?

"Daniel…" His twin looks at him in despair.

"Ok, ok. I get it. You don't know shit." Daniel's legs can't hold him upright. The Daniel in white catches him as he falls, the white suit covered in blood.

"It's ok, buddy. I gotcha. I think you're on your way back, Daniel." He smiles.

"I- I am?" It might not hurt, but he could still feel his body shutting down.

"Either that or you're dying for good. Fuck do I know? But it was good to see you again, dude. Good luck, wherever you're going…" Daniel could no longer move his body, and his field of vision went dark.

A cheap motel, somewhere in Nevada…

Sean fell to his knees right next to the bed. On the bed lay his ten-year-old brother. Badly beaten. Who knows what the permanent injuries might be? But what's even worse is the bullet wound on his stomach. Sean had panicked as they left the community for good. The very first place they saw would have to do for a safe house. That would be this shitty roach motel. Drugs were sold to minors openly, prostitutes wandered the streets in daylight. Yeah, safety.

But Daniel needed help.

Sean had put him on the bed, not having a fucking clue about what to do. It seemed like the bullet went straight through. That's… good? Or is it bad? He doesn't fucking know! But he did what he could. The room had a first-aid kit, severely lacking items he would have wanted. Over three hours, Sean stitched up his brother. Every second he cried, trying to ignore how Daniel's face lost more color by the minute. Now, he's finished. Nothing to do now…

But pray.

"Please, God. Don't take my brother away from me, I beg you. Please, let him live. Take- take me instead." Sean had never been religious. At this moment of desperation, he turned to god. Perhaps his mother had left a bigger mark on him than he realized?

Sean sits on the bed next to Daniel's unconscious body. The sheets are red with blood. Sean had cleaned all his wounds, but he still looked godawful. Worse than he did after dad got to him. Sean can't stand to look at the mess that is his little brother. He turns away, looking out of the window.

"You saved me, Daniel. Not only did you save my life, but- you were right. About mom. You were always right. I just didn't want to hear it." He took his younger brother's hand.

"Please… don't give up." His hand. Sean regrets taking it. It was so cold.

But wait…

He felt it. Very weak, but he's sure he felt it. Daniel squeezed his hand. Sean turns towards his brother, looking at him.

"Daniel? Daniel, can- can you hear me?" No reaction. Maybe he's imagining things? Still, Daniel does have a pulse. Sean moves closer to his brother, whispering in his ear.

"Enano?" No. Still nothing. Not a damn thing. Sean turns around, burying his face in his palms, and he cries. Sean cries silently, not to disturb his little brother as he moves to the other side. It's over. Daniel saved him. But at what cost?

Does he really mean that much to his little brother? After all the things he's done?

"Uhh…" A silent cry for help behind his back. A painful sound. But not to Sean. To him, it was the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. The sound of Daniel being alive.

"Daniel?" He turns around quickly, holding his brother's hand between both of his own.

"Can- can you hear me, little cub?" Daniel opens his eye. Sean sheds tears of joy, knowing that his brother's alive.

"I- I- I did it, Sean. I beat her." Daniel's voice is weak, but the words, however, were not. Sean knows how big of a victory this is for Daniel. In more ways than one. Daniel should be proud of himself. Sean is.

"Yeah, you did. You saved my life, Daniel. Nobody else could have done that. Only you. My Enano. I'm proud of you, Daniel. And you should be too." Daniel ignores the pain as he forces himself to smile.

"Really? You mean that, Sean?" Even if he didn't, he wouldn't lie and say "no" now.

"Of course I do. You almost-" Sean stopped himself. Daniel almost died for him. There would come a day for them to talk about that. But not today. Daniel needs to recover first.

"Sean…" Daniel's free hand clenches its fist so hard the entire hand becomes white as snow. His breathing became erratic and he began to cry.

"Daniel? What- what's wrong?" Dumbass! Why won't you ever learn, Sean? He's been beaten to near-death and shot to near-death. Everything is wrong. Fucking everything!

"It hurts, Sean. Everything. It hurts so much. Please, Sean. Do something. Help me." Daniel could barely get the words out. Now when both his mind and body had fully awakened, the pain hit him with full force, showing no mercy. Sean hated this. It wasn't fair. Daniel's ten years old. He's a child. He should be outside, playing soccer, scraping his knees, or riding a bike. Instead, he's in a shitty motel room, in shitty Arizona, with his shitty brother, and he's been shot by his shitty mother.

Life is cruel…

"I know, Daniel, I know…" He feels so helpless. Actually, scratch that. He feels so useless. He can't do shit. At least not with anything inside this room.

"Daniel, listen to me. I can make it better for you if you want to. I just have to go to the store across the street and get you something." Shit. This was a bad idea. He's still wanted. Going outside isn't the best move. Daniel didn't respond. He couldn't. The amount of pain was too much for him.

"I'll only be gone for a few minutes," Sean says as he stands up. The very second he did, Daniel used whatever energy he still had left to quickly sit up and grab Sean's wrist with an iron fist.

"SEAN, NO! DON'T-" The boy screamed as Sean practically saw the last of his energy leave him. Daniel fell backward onto the bed, landing on his back.

"Ow… ow…" Sean knows why Daniel doesn't want him to go. It's not because he's afraid of being alone, although that might play some part in it. The real reason is that Daniel knows that Sean would buy painkillers for him.

Pills.

Highly addictive pills.

Daniel once again sacrifices himself for Sean. In a way it makes Sean feel loved. Daniel truly cares about him. Sean lay down next to Daniel, not giving a shit about the sheets covered in blood. He carefully put an arm around his brother.

"Don't worry, Daniel. I won't leave you again. I swear. Just… try to rest now, Enano. You've been so brave, but you need to rest now. I'll stay right here, you'll be safe." Sean wanted nothing more than to just wrap his arms around Daniel and hug him tightly. But he knew that doing so would most likely cause him more pain than the gunshot itself.

For hours, they lay like that. Neither brother speaking a word. Daniel being in too much pain, and Sean does not want to disturb his younger half. He didn't dare to put a finger on Daniel, afraid of causing him more pain. So he let him work things out. And sure enough, many hours later, Sean could feel a familiar weight on his shoulder. Finally, Daniel's asleep. Usually, this is the part where Sean carefully sets Daniel down, so the kid gets to sleep for himself. But not tonight. He'd earned that much.

"You saved my life, little brother. I'll never forget that. I love you." Sean whispers as he looks at his brother's face. He may not look peaceful, but at least he sounds like it. Sean's exhausted. Daniel's hurt and in pain, but he'll be ok in time. The question is…

Then what?

Sean's plan, their plan from the very beginning had been to seek out their mother. Well, it's safe to say that ship has sailed now. That's the only plan Sean ever had. They can't run forever. So much violence, drugs, and pain. So much pain. Sean can't take it much longer, and he knows Daniel feels the same. They need a realistic long-term plan, and they need it now. Sean decides that it's something that can wait for tomorrow as he leans his head against Daniel's, falling asleep.

"Sean? Sean, wake up, please!" Sean grunts bitterly at the tiny hands that try to shake him awake. Still, he opens his eyes. There's no point in fighting.

"Daniel? What is it?" Daniel stands next to him. Sean's back in his bed in Seattle. Is this a dream? It doesn't feel like a dream.

"He-" Daniel sobs as he holds his hand against the side of his face, most of it is covered by a large bruise.

"He wants to talk to you." Sean could feel the rage inside. He hurt Daniel again. But… he's dead? Right? Sean stands up and walks into the kitchen, leaving his little brother to his misery. As he set foot inside the kitchen he heard a voice. A voice that had struck fear in him for a decade.

"Ah, just the son I wanted to see. Come here, Sean. Sit down." It can't be. He's dead! He's dead, he's dead, he's fucking DEAD! This is a dream. It has to be. Wake up, Sean, wake up.

"SEAN! Sit… the fuck… down." This is no dream. The only dream he's ever had is the one about him and Daniel running away. Sean sits down at the kitchen table, face-to-face with his father.

"Do you drink, Sean?" Esteban asks him as he pours a generous amount of vodka for himself.

"Uh, not really-" He's forgotten what it's like.

"Sure you do, son. Here, drink." This wasn't a question. Nor was it a friendly request. It was a way of saying "drink or else." Sean takes the glass of vodka and drinks. It tastes horrible. The cheapest kind of them all. No real taste, just as much alcohol as possible. Made by alcoholics, for alcoholics.

"You're not-" Sean starts to cough, the vodka being too strong for him. Esteban laughs at him.

"I'm not what, Sean? Real? Is that it, hm? Well, Hijo… I might be dead, but I'm sure as hell not gone." His father has that near-psychotic voice again. The one that made Daniel cry on his seventh birthday. He hates it. They both do.

"I still live, Sean. In here." Esteban puts his index finger at Sean's forehead.

"I'm in your head, Hijo. And I'm not leaving any time soon." He takes another few sips of vodka. Sean doesn't know what to say. It still feels too real for a dream.

"So, Sean. You took your baby-brother Derek-" Fuck off!

"Daniel! His name… is Daniel." His father barely acknowledged his anger.

"Same shit, different name. You took him and ran away. You wanted, let's see, a better life. That's fucking funny, Sean, ain't it? You were both fucking doomed before even leaving this house. As always, you fuck everything up. I've always said it, Sean. You're nothing but a disgrace. A fuck-up, a walking disaster." Esteban looks at him, drunker by the second.

"You- you're wrong." His father slams his fist on the table.

"Don't you fucking talk to me like that, Sean. I know the things you've said about me over the years, don't tell me otherwise. Now, let's look at what you have done since leaving home." Esteban stands up and takes out a piece of paper from his pocket. As he unfolds it, it reaches all the way down to the floor.

"Please, dad. Don't. Just… don't." Sean cries in shame, but his father's having none of it.

"This is- this is quite the list, Sean. Let's see, we've got attempted murder, assault, murder, infliction of bodily harm against a minor. Oh Sean, Sean." Sean's angry. So very angry.

"It was your fucking fault! You hurt him! He was in so much pain." Esteban's not even flinching.

"So I'm the bad guy? Well then, there's also protecting a fugitive, which also makes you one by the way. Another murder, possession, and manufacturing of drugs, the list goes on, Sean. This… is the better life you wanted?" Esteban actually has signs of genuine concern on his face.

"No. It's not." Sean says silently while looking at the floor. His father leans back and crosses his arms.

"Well, Sean. What did you want then?" He's not sure if he should say it. He's not even sure he wants to.

"I just- I wanted-" Sean keeps his eyes locked on the floor, avoiding his father's gaze.

"I just wanted you to love us, you know. I wanted a father for me, and Daniel. Someone that loved us, cared about us, and protected us from everything. Someone that would say great job, Hijo, instead of sit the fuck down. But you didn't care about us. You never loved us. All you ever loved was… that fucking bottle." Sean puts his elbows on the table, covering his face with his hands as he cries. That's the one thing he wanted to say to his father. Now he did it.

"Sean…" Esteban stands up, moving over to Sean's side of the table, sitting down next to him. His father's hand on his shoulder almost gives Sean PTSD, causing him to look up. His father looks right into his eyes. He almost looks sad.

"Sean, Hijo. I did care, and I did love you. Both of you." Sean wants to call him out on his bullshit, but the look on his face tells Sean that might not be the case.

"I loved your mother, and I loved my sons. I just… didn't love myself." Esteban turns his head forward, looking into space with a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, Sean." It feels strange. It sounds like he means it.

"I'm sorry too, dad." Sean's got no idea why he said that.

But it wasn't a good move.

Esteban turned towards him, grabbing both his shoulders.

"Do not be sorry, Sean. Be better! BE FUCKING BETTER!"

"Ah…" Sean woke up with a jolt. He's covered in sweat, and his entire body trembles in fear. Beside him, as always, lies Daniel. A mess, but a sleeping mess. A safe mess.

"Fuck…" Dream or not, that felt way too real. Sean can't help but wonder if there's any truth to what his father told him. Did he ever love him and Daniel? Did he hate himself? Or was it just a dream, telling Sean what he wanted to hear? If so, then why the fuck couldn't he tell him their next move?

Asshole.

"It's gonna be fine, Daniel. There's nothing we can't do. As long as we're together." Sean whispers to his brother's ear as he goes back to sleep.

"Mmhm… good, Sean. Love you… wolfbrother. Owoooo…" Daniel, in a state of mostly asleep, mumbled to his big brother.

Notes:

Ok, so this is the first chapter of the very last episode. Someone has to tell me if I'm doing too many "dream sequences." It's just... I kinda like it, I guess.

Daniel meeting his old self from the last episode is a nice way to show that his mental health might be improving, slowly. And Sean meeting Esteban again is somewhat similar. It gives him a form of closure with his father, real or not.

Daniel needs to recover a bit before some real stuff will happen, but the next chapter will do a minor time jump forward to ease his recovery. He's earned that much, right?

Anyway, feel free to leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

From a wise teacher who met a tragic fate:

Tell me what you regard as your greatest strength.
So I will know how best to undermine you.

Tell me of your greatest fears.
So I will know which I must force you to face.

Tell me what you cherish most.
So I will know what to take from you.

And tell me what you crave.
So that I might deny you.

An unbreakable bond.
Their worst fears already faced.
Traits of the wolves indeed.

However...

What does Sean cherish the most?
What does Daniel cherish the most?
What do the wolfbrothers cherish the most?
And what happens if it were to be taken away?
And what is the one thing every wolf craves?

Chapter 2: I Am Awesome

Summary:

Daniel's body has begun to heal. With Sean being out, Daniel's left alone with his thoughts and his trauma. Some of which he'd barely had time to think of before...

Notes:

Tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

One month later…

It had been a rough couple of weeks. The pain had been unbearable, unlike anything Daniel had ever felt before. But in the end, he prevailed. Well, somewhat. Now, he can finally begin to walk around again. He can move! Hallelujah, praise the-

No.

Fuck him.

Praise Sean. Praise his brother for taking care of him every hour, every day. How he endured it, Daniel still can't understand. Just laying in that bed all day for an entire month almost made him go insane. He wants to get out of this motel room so badly. Feel the wind in his hair, maybe see some animals, fucking anything! Just, out! But Sean had been very clear about not leaving the room. Daniel understood why. Still, it did suck that Sean could leave. Daniel wasn't comfortable being on his own, he never was. But Sean promised him a special surprise for when he got back.

"Where are you, Sean? I've been waiting forever." Daniel sighed as he slowly stood up from the bed. It still hurt. The gunshot wound, that is. It would leave one hell of a scar. Just add it to the pile. He'll probably look like Sean by the time he's twenty. Then again, he likes Sean, so he doesn't really mind.

Daniel walks into the bathroom, taking off his eye patch. He still refused to show his non-existent left eye to Sean. Too many conflicting emotions. Hatred and forgiveness. Feeling cool, yet like a freak. At least it didn't hurt anymore. Well, not physically. Emotionally, it's an entirely different story. Sean told him that he couldn't escape it forever. And he was right, Daniel knew it. It took a bit of convincing, but every day, Daniel looks at himself in the mirror at least once.

Without eye-patch.

The first couple of times he had cried. At one point, he even threw up. But he's getting there. He still doesn't like the sight of it, of course. But it doesn't bother him nearly as much as it used to. Still, he's not ready to let Sean see it. He looks at the image of himself in the mirror. Just like yesterday, there's only one eye to be found. Daniel tries to produce a smile but fails. He's not there, but he's getting there.

"I am awesome." Weak, dude. Sean told him to try to be more positive. Not just about the future, but himself too. But speaking to his mirror image, it felt weird.

"I am… awesome." Still, sounds weak. Say it like you mean it. For real.

"I am FUCKING AWESOME!" Daniel screams a little too loud. But it did the trick. Somehow, he feels a little better.

Then, he's absolutely terrified as a loud banging is heard on the door to the motel room. What the fuck is this? Cops? Or worse, mom?! Did they get Sean? No, no, no, no, no, no!

"Hey! Captain awesome?! Shut the fuck up in there! I gotta concentrate to snort my coke!" Well then…

"Uh, sorry! Won't happen again." Daniel calls back through the door. Still, he prepares himself to use his powers if need be.

"It better not. I don't wanna get sober again. Not here." Whoever stood on the other side of the door wanders back to the coke-full hole they crawled out of. Daniel breathes a sigh of relief.

"You damn right you're awesome… Enano." Nah, he'll leave "Enano" to Sean. It just wasn't the same. Daniel walks out of the bathroom, sitting down on a chair next to a table. From out of nowhere, he's hit with a massive wave of grief. It felt like more than he could handle. He put his palms over his face, and he cried.

Captain awesome.

Captain Spirit.

It reminded him of Chris. The friend he had. His first true friend. At least, so he thought. Chris betrayed him, and it fucking hurt. It hurt so much that Daniel had been unable to even begin processing it. Still, the more he thinks about it, the more Daniel begins to realize that maybe, just maybe, Chris didn't deserve what Daniel did to him? Daniel thinks back to when he was younger. Back to when he still, in a way, loved his father.

One minute, he could witness Esteban beat a seven-year-old Sean to a bloody pulp. The next, he would try to show off his new artwork, desperately attempting to get his father's approval. Every time he would fail, and every time it would hurt. But it didn't stop him from trying.

"Shit. I made so many- I made so many mistakes." Daniel sobs as the realization of it all hit him. All the killing, the torture, and the pointless violence. What the fuck was he thinking?

"Heh, thinking…" Daniel laughs at himself for even suggesting that any form of thinking had been involved. Where's his big brother? He needs someone, anyone, to give him comfort. He needs someone to talk to.

NOW!

"The phone! Of course, you idiot- no, dude. Remember, stay positive." Like any motel room, this one had a phone. Also, like many other things, the phone was a major no-no. The reasoning behind that needed no explanation. But Daniel doesn't care. He needs to speak to someone before his buried memories make him explode. He picks up the phone only to come to a dead stop.

"Motherf-" Who in the blue hell is he supposed to call? Doesn't matter. Why? Maybe because Daniel knows exactly zero fucking phone numbers. Zero! In Seattle, Daniel memorized Sean's phone number in case of emergency. And there were lots of emergencies. But Sean's phone is no more. Fuck. Daniel starts going through the drawers, not knowing what to look for. Maybe just a distraction?

"What the-" In one drawer, he picks up a large yellow book. Sean told him about this once, but he thought he was just joking.

"People actually used this?" Daniel slams the phone book on the table, randomly opening a page.

"Of course. I- I never even got to say goodbye." Daniel flips through another few pages until he finally finds the number he's looking for.

"Come on, pick up. Please…" Daniel's arm shakes so badly, he's forced to hold the phone using both of his hands. It's ringing.

Once.

Twice.

"Fuck. Nobody's answering." He can feel how his heart sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

After the fourth tone, someone answers.

"Reynolds residence, how can I help you?" She answered. Grandma answered. Daniel tries to control his emotions. All he wants to do is cry because he's so sad. But at the same time, he feels overjoyed by just hearing his grandmother's voice again.

Actually, it's a little more than he can handle.

"Hello? Is this a prank call?" Claire's getting annoyed, and Daniel's lost his ability to speak. Yeah, how fucking awesome of him. So many things he'd like to say, but he can't get a single fucking word out. Instead, he just breathes more and more heavily into the phone as the panic comes closer every second.

"Daniel? Is that you, honey?" In less than a second, it all disappeared. The fear, the panic, everything. He felt like a kid again. A troubled kid, perhaps. But still, a kid.

"G- g- grandma?" He sobbed into the phone, voice barely audible, but his call for help could be heard across the globe.

"Oh, my god! Daniel, are you alright? What- what happened to you two? I- I've heard horrible things. Are you safe? Where are you?" All the questions make it feel like an interrogation. He didn't call her for that. He called her for support. This was a stupid idea. A stupid boy comes up with a stupid idea that fails miserably.

"I- I'm sorry." Daniel hangs up, not waiting for an answer. What the fuck is he going to do? Except for Sean, there's only been one person that truly understood him. But he can't call there, can he? Would he even want to talk to Daniel?

"Fuck it." Only one way to find out…

"You can do it, dude. Remember, you are awesome. You are awesome, you are awesome." It feels like it dials forever. Eventually, someone picks up.

"Eriksen house, this is Chris speaking." Fuck. Memories. Both good and… not good.

"Hey, Chris," Daniel whispers as he holds his breath, begging that he won't hang up. The silence that follows feels never-ending.

"You're alive. You're still fucking alive." Chris sounds legitimately shocked, and Daniel's not quite sure what to make of it. Is he angry, sad, happy, does he even care?

"Chris, a- are you mad-" Chris interrupts him.

"Thank god you're alive, Daniel!" Finally, Daniel could release the breath he forgot he was holding. It felt so relieving.

"So… you're not mad at me, Chris? You know, about your legs?" Daniel felt a shiver down his spine as he remembered the sickening sound of Chris's legs snapping in half.

"No, not really. What about you, Daniel? Are you mad at me for, you know, calling the cops on you guys?" That's a good question. He didn't really consider it as he was calling. All he thought about was "Chris the traitor." But he's been so caught up in calling Chris a traitor that he's forgotten why he even thought of him as a traitor, to begin with. Damn…

"I- I dunno. It's complicated, I guess." Daniel mumbles for a lack of a better response.

"I got time, Daniel. In fact, I got all the time in the world. Dad's out, so I can't even go outside if I wanted to." That makes no sense.

"Chris, what are you talking about?" Daniel could hear the other boy swear silently at the other end.

"Uh, I'll tell you about it later, ok?" The fuck you will.

"Chris. What the actual FUCK… are you talking about?" There it is again. The panic. Breathe, Daniel, breathe. Chris sighed in defeat.

" Just, don't freak out. And no matter what, don't hang up, ok?" SHIT! He's not going to like this, isn't he?

"Ok, Chris. I promise." Daniel almost said it on a reflex. Chris begins to explain things, sounding both sad and happy at the same time.

"When you broke my legs, Daniel, it's the worst kind of pain I've ever experienced. Nothing else could even come near it." Daniel tries to hide his sobbing.

"The pain caused me to pass out, at least I think it did. When I woke up, I was at the hospital. The doctors asked me if I were in any pain. But they had fixed me up, so I felt no pain. Only that-" Chris chokes on his words.

"They didn't fix me, Daniel. They couldn't fix me. I'm- I'm in a wheelchair, Daniel, paralyzed. I'll never walk again." At this point, Daniel couldn't hide his guilt any longer. He cried loudly, wracked with guilt.

"Sorry, Chris. I'm so sorry. I- I- sorry, sorry, sorry." It wasn't enough. It could never be enough. The image of Chris, sitting in a wheelchair for the rest of his life is just nerve-wracking.

"Daniel, Daniel, calm down. It's fine." How fucking stupid is he? What about this is fine?

"No. It's not. I hurt everyone I care about. Nothing about this is fine." Strange. Somehow, it felt like Daniel himself knew that what he just said was bullshit.

"My… condition, gave dad a real wake-up call. It's been four months, Daniel. He's been sober, got himself a job, he works out every day, and not a single… incident." Huh. That's good. And it happened because of what Daniel did, right?

"I guess me breaking your legs was the best thing to ever happen to you, huh?" Daniel jokingly says.

FUCK!

FUUCK!

FUUUCK!

Why did he say that? Why can't he ever think first, talk later? Hearing that must have been heartbreaking for Chris. Daniel fucked up again, because of course he would. Chris would now hang up, never to speak with him again. Fucking fuck.

"Hah! Yeah. It's crazy, isn't it, Daniel? But you're right? It is the best thing that could have happened to me." Chris says with a curious voice.

"I'm sorry I called the cops on you." Chris blurts out. Daniel could hear him stop breathing.

"It's ok, Chris. We're- we're good." Daniel lied. He lied so much he even had to look in another direction as if Chris could see him through the phone.

"Are you sure?" Chris asked him, hopefully. Fuck. Daniel can't do this anymore. Lies. They only make things worse. Had he been honest with Sean, maybe he'll still have two eyes, who knows?

"No. It's not." They both sighed heavily.

"Oh…" A sad reply from Chris.

"But I haven't thought about it in a really long time. I think I need to, like, process it or something. What? What's so funny?" Chris began giggling at the other end.

"Nothing. It's just- I'm glad we're not mad at each other." Daniel could feel a smile forming on his face. He also felt something else. Happiness.

"I am too, Chris." He knows that he should quit now when he's ahead. But it doesn't make it any easier.

"Will we ever see each other again, Daniel?" Chris asked him the million-dollar question he didn't have an answer to.

"I- I don't know, Chris. Probably not, but I don't know. I- I just- stay safe. Miss you, bye." Daniel hung up before his mind caught up to him.

Shit, that was many things. Strange as it was, he didn't feel like crying anymore. He felt better. Much better. Not happy, but still, better. He puts away the phone book and lies down on the bed, head resting on his hands as he looks at the ceiling. His thoughts begin to wander off…

"This felt good. He's not angry with me. Kinda sucks to be in a wheelchair though. I wonder who Sean would call-" Daniel sits up on the bed way too quickly.

"SEAN- OW, FUCKING HELL!" His wounds were still healing, meaning certain movements would cause him great pain. The pain caused him to fall out of the bed and down on the floor. Although there weren't any wounds that might start to bleed again, Daniel would prefer it if given the choice. The pain right now was surreal. He landed on his stomach, which is right where the gunshot wound is. Every part of his upper body felt like it had been set on fire and dipped in acid.

But he did not scream. Nor did he cry. Not a sound.

Why?

Sean's been missing for five hours. At that point, Daniel's pain doesn't matter. Sean's rules about not going outside don't matter. The only thing that does matter is finding Sean. Daniel forces himself to stand up. It's a process that takes several minutes and involves many curses. But eventually, he's up.

"Now, where the fuck are you, big brother?" Daniel opens the door to go outside.

The sun nearly blinds him, and the heat isn't any better. Still, he can live with those two. What he can't live with is the pain. The fucking pain. It drives him mad as he's slowly moving around the area, looking for any signs of where his older brother could be.

There are legit three buildings as far as the eye could see. Not many places to look. One of them is the motel. Daniel knows that Sean's not in there. The other one seems to be a store, but it's closed for the day. Guess that's a "no" too. Then he saw it. The third building. It looked like any other building, of course. But what got Daniel's attention was the sign. It made his blood run cold with fear, his limbs feel weak in horror.

"Wright's Bar"

"No. Please, no. I- I- I can't- not again." Daniel falls to his knees, not even acknowledging the pain it causes him to do so.

"Sean… what have you done?" Daniel sobs silently.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE?!" Daniel calls out as he looks up at the sky. Then, another familiar emotion made itself known.

Anger.

Daniel stands up, slightly grimacing a bit, but with a very determined look on his face. This is it. Enough is enough. He had given Sean so many FUCKING chances, and every time, Sean fucked up. Daniel actually thought he would make it this time, but nooo… FUCK YOU! But now, Daniel Diaz's had enough. With tears streaming down his face he walks over to the bar and prepares himself.

Prepares himself for what he must do if it is already too late.

Daniel bursts through the door, begging for Sean to not be inside. Begging for Sean to not be drunk. To not have relapsed. The place seems kinda empty. He scans the place but fails to locate his brother. Sean's not here.

Thank god…

"I'm sorry, Sean. I should've thought better of you, wolfbrother." Daniel closes his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He then turns around to walk the fuck away from there.

Wait…

He heard something. Maybe a cough or a sneeze? Either way, it sounded familiar. Too familiar. He turns around to look through the small crowd more thoroughly. And of course, in the furthest corner, sits an individual with his face hidden in the oh-so-familiar wolf hoodie. Daniel may not be able to see his face, but he'd seen enough. The crooked posture, just begging for death. Sitting as far away from people as possible. And of course, the same cheap fucking beer.

"Sean, you fucking disgrace," Daniel mumbles as he storms over towards his brother. His blood is boiling with bottled-up rage as a ticking time bomb threatens to explode. Whatever happens from here, Daniel doesn't give a shit. If Sean dies, he deserved it. Simple as that. Sean still hasn't noticed his little brother's presence. Then again, he rarely did when drunk. And the closer Daniel got, the more beer he could smell. No pain he'd experienced before could compare to the pain in his heart right now.

"SEAN!" Daniel slams his fist on the table as he screams. Sean jumps in terror as he turns his head downwards. Weird. Drunk-Sean would lash out at him for whatever reason. Not this.

"I knew you'd find me here, Daniel." Maybe it's something about his voice, he's not entirely sure, but Daniel chooses to sit down. However, as he sits face-to-somewhat-face with his older brother, he's no less enraged.

"Why, Sean? Just… tell me why?" Daniel wanted to scream at him, punch him, kick him, spit him in the face. He wanted to use his powers to fucking rip out whatever part of the brain that causes addiction. But all he could do was whimper out a few words. Sean looks up, right into his eyes as he removes his hood.

"I went out today because I promised you a special surprise. I bought you a cake and a little present." For about two seconds, Daniel forgot how angry he was because of PRESENTS AND CAKE! Sean seemed to have noticed.

"You didn't think I'd forget about your tenth birthday, would you?" The brotherly moment lasts for a whole five seconds before Sean's back to explaining himself to an enraged Daniel.

"I saw this place and- I just- thought I might celebrate that we're still alive, I guess." Daniel's body tensed, lights began to flicker, and the window next to them started to crack. Daniel looked at his older brother with so much hate. So much disappointment.

"I almost did it, Daniel." Wait, what?

"What- what, Sean?" Almost stayed sober, probably. Asshole.

"You see that?" Sean points at the beer mug between them. Daniel stays silent.

"I ordered that three hours ago, and it's still full. I didn't drink anything, Daniel. At all. I'm sober, Enano." Daniel looks at the beer, then his brother, and back and forth a few times. When the realization finally hits him, Daniel feels like a fucking idiot. He had been prepared to kill Sean, here and now. Instead, it's the opposite of a relapse. It's progress.

Fucking progress.

Daniel stands up, moving to sit next to his brother.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I'm so very, very sorry." Daniel told him as he hugged him.

"Hey, what do you have to apologize for, Daniel?" Sean smiled at him but sounded slightly worried.

"Nothing. I'll tell you some other time. I'm proud of you, Sean." He really felt proud too, seeing how Sean made progress.

"Thanks, buddy. I'm proud of you too." Sean returns the hug. Daniel felt infinitely better now, knowing he had been wrong. At least to some extent.

"Can we go back now? I'm hungry." Sean gives him a curious look.

"Well, you know, they do serve food here. And we do have a bit of money left. I mean, if your comfortable eating in a place like this-" Yeah, like he had to ask.

"Yes, Sean. I'm starving. Just one thing first." Daniel points to the beer mug. Sean nods understandingly as he stands up and takes the beer mug with him. Daniel follows him, just to be sure. They go outside and Sean holds it up with a shaky arm, clearly doubting.

"Go on, Sean. You can do it, I believe in you." Daniel says with a supporting hand on his shoulder. Sean slowly poured the beer out and let the desert sand absorb it. He then threw the mug away, and Daniel made sure it went flying over the fucking horizon.

"I'm proud of you, wolfbrother." Daniel grabbed Sean's hand.

"Yeah, you better be…" The fuck?

"What do you mean?" Is he pissed?

"That was fifty dollars worth of beer, dude." Daniel's eye becomes wide in shock.

"Fifty bucks? Are you serious, Sean?" His older brother simply nods.

"Holy shit, dude. You really do- I mean did- you really did have a problem, did you?" Sean could laugh a little, knowing that his little brother had begun the healing process. Maybe he can too?

"Yeah, no point denying that one. Now, let's eat something. You can pick anything on the menu, ok? Anything…" Sean said, almost daring Daniel to pick something expensive.

"Wow cool. Thanks, Sean." Daniel embraces his brother in what seems to have been a good day.

"Happy tenth birthday, Daniel. Better late than never."

Notes:

So I decided to give the wolfbrothers a bit of a break here. Daniel got to make amends (somewhat), but he's still not at peace with his past decisions. Meanwhile, Sean's making progress with his previous addiction. And yes, Chris is in a wheelchair for life. But hey, at least he's alive.

At the end, I almost considered Sean surprising Daniel at the bar with a small birthday party, because why not. But I decided against it and went with my first idea.

Daniel's rage at the end when he's prepared to kill Sean shows us how his mental state really is. It might be relatively calm, but it is so very unstable. When it goes south, it truly goes south. Or... maybe not?

Speaking of which...

I have now, once and for all, officially decided (roughly) how the four different endings will go down.
And yes, you read that right. There will be four different endings. Now, that being said...

Even if the story isn't quite there yet, I might as well say this now. The four endings will be published at the same time, along with a short "intermission" chapter and a final "Author's Notes" chapter. All of which has to be finished before publishing (duh). Obviously, that will mean quite a bit of wait for the final part when the day comes. So be prepared for that. Hopefully, it will be worth it.

The world.
250 000 wolves live in it.
Some of them are old.
Some of them are young.
Some of them...
Are small defenseless cubs.

But every wolf.
Share the same traits.
They all crave one thing.
And one thing only.
Freedom.
A wolf in a cage.
Is not a wolf at all.

Family.
A true wolf.
Cherishes it above all else.
He would kill for it.
He would die for it.

However...

People tend to forget.
It is not in the nature,
Of a cub.
To kill.
Or be killed.

Chapter 3: Lanterns & Losses

Summary:

The time to leave draws close. But first, Sean must talk things out with his younger brother...

Notes:

The story will now continue as normal, meaning no week-long gaps between chapters.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The next day…

Sean sat in the motel room, staring emptily at the wall. Usually, he never wanted Daniel to go outside on his own. Not here. But right now, he really needed some time on his own. Sean sent his little brother to get himself a soda, but in reality, it was just an excuse. Sean needed time to prepare himself mentally for what he was about to do. When Daniel gets back, the wolfbrothers are going to talk. Well, two talks to be precise. First off, Sean's going to tell him about his plan. The grand plan that will put a stop to the endless running, once and for all. Second?

They would talk about everything that's happened on the road. How Sean's been treating his brother, the drinking, the drugs, mom, everything. Needless to say, Sean's not looking forward to this one.

"Dude, get a grip. You can do this." Sean tells himself, trying not to freak out. He puts a palm to his forehead, only to instantly remove it as he feels the cross-shaped scar.

"Thanks, mom. Daniel was right about you." He sighed as the emotions hit him once again. What the fuck was he thinking? Joining a fucking cult?

"Sean you clueless moron…" He buries himself with guilt. Sean wants to cry, wants to scream. But he won't. He must stay strong. For him. But he's not sure that he can. Yesterday had been so close. One small drink and it would have been all over. Daniel didn't mention it, nor did Sean call him out on it, but Sean knew. He knows his little brother. He knows that look. Had Sean been drunk, Daniel would've killed him on the spot. Sean can't exactly blame him.

He remembers it so clearly. How he thought that "one drink to celebrate" couldn't possibly hurt. How stupid is he? It nearly killed him, and therefore, Daniel as well. Add that to the list of reasons why the wolfbrothers must talk it out. And judging by the rapid footsteps, closing in on the motel room, the time for talk is now. Looks like Daniel's back.

Time to be the big brother again…

"Oh- oh- SEAN! Check this out, dude! They had Chock-O-Crisp too, and it's like, super-cheap." Daniel nearly runs through the door on his way in. Well, at least he's recovered.

"Daniel, sit down. We gotta talk- WOW! What the hell, dude?" Sean calls out as Daniel shows him a bag filled with what looks like about five hundred bucks worth of Chock-O-Crisp.

"I know, right?" Daniel smiles proudly. Sean, however, suspects that something might be up.

"Daniel, sit down. We gotta talk, Enano." Sean tells him most calmly and respectfully possible. Daniel's been in such a good mood today, and he would hate to ruin it. Although, he's very likely to do so anyway.

"Ok, Sean. Here, big bro, have some chocolate!" Sean's way too nervous for chocolate, but Daniel seems so happy that he just can't say no. The brothers sit next to each other on the couch, and Sean reluctantly accepts Daniel's offer.

Where the fuck should he start?

"Sean? Is everything ok?" Shit. He doesn't want to make Daniel nervous. Let's get the easy part out-of-the-way first.

"I think I've figured stuff out now, Daniel," Sean says as Daniel remains silent, waiting for him to continue.

"I- I don't like it. And I know you won't either, Enano. But it's all we've got. We have to get to a safe place. And to get there, we need money." Daniel looked at him curiously.

"Yeah, we need money. So… what's the big deal?" Ok, here it goes.

"Remember that summer a few years ago? You know, when dad kinda just… disappeared for a few months?" Daniel nods quickly without making a sound. That summer had been the worst of their lives before they ran away. Social services nearly took Daniel away from the house after he accidentally mentioned at school that he hasn't seen his dad in "a month or two."

"I know, Daniel, I know. Me too." Sean puts his arm around Daniel's shoulder.

"During those months, he went to his old beach house in Puerto Lobos." Daniel looks up confusedly.

"But- but- Sean? That's in Mexico?!" Yeah. At this point, Sean's more than aware of that fact.

"I know. Just hear me out, Daniel." Relax, Sean, relax. Just breathe…

"I know you don't wanna go down there, and trust me, I don't want to either. But we need money. Dad always boasted about how nice the house was and shit, so I figured we could just… sell it. Sell the piece of shit, given to us by a piece of shit. Then, we'll take the money and start over. Anywhere we want to. You can choose where if you'd like." Daniel looks like he's considering everything Sean just told him. The awkward silence fills the room for a small eternity.

"I like that plan, Sean." Oh, thank fucking Satan, since Sean doesn't want anything to do with god anymore.

"I just have one condition." FUCK! That look. The look of no-deal-Daniel. Sean holds his breath.

"If we're starting over in a new country, Sean, it better fucking not be Ireland!" Daniel did his best to look serious, but Sean could see how his lips twitched as he held back his laughs.

"Don't worry, man. I would never go near the country she came from." Their mother's Irish heritage was more than enough reason for both of them to never set foot in that country.

"So, when do we leave, Sean?" Good. Daniel's on board with it. That's the easy part.

"We'll leave tomorrow. We've been at this motel for too long. But we both needed a rest." That and Sean had to figure out what the fuck to do next.

"Ok, Sean. I trust you." Daniel's trusting smile made the next words so much harder.

"Daniel, wait." His younger brother grimaced, almost as if he knew what was coming.

"We have to-" Sean already choked on his words. This was going great.

"I know, Sean. I hate it too. A lot has happened since we left Seattle. Most of it bad." Daniel isn't smiling now. Instead, he's just staring emptily into oblivion.

"When you were on drugs, Sean- that- I thought it couldn't get any worse. Then you got clean, you got sober. I was so happy for you. I even felt proud." Daniel's voice is trembling. Sean braces himself for whatever he's about to hear.

"After Beaver Creek. All I could see when I looked at you was dad. I didn't want to believe it, I refused to believe it. But every day, Sean. Every fucking day, it just became more and more true. It changed you, Sean. The person who I felt safe with, he wasn't there anymore." Sean attempts to put his hand on his brother's shoulder, but the subtle, yet decisive hold on his wrist by Daniel's powers prevents him from doing so.

"I'm sorry-" Daniel's not finished.

"And then, when I've finally done what I had to do to get us out of that drug lab, what happened? Every day I told myself that sure, he's a drunk, but he will never hit me. That was the one thing separating you from dad, Sean. The one thing." At this point, it's difficult to tell which brother cries the most. Sean cries tears of shame and regret, Daniel out of hurt.

"I- I know, Daniel. There's no excuse." No. There's not. No words would be enough for this fuckup.

"You see this, Sean? Do you FUCKING see this?!" Daniel screams as he rips off his eye patch. For the very first time, Sean now sees the full extent of the damage he caused to his little brother. A gaping hole on the left side of his face, covered with scar tissue that had yet to fully heal. Perhaps it never would? He did this. Sean… did this to him.

"When I saw this, I- I lost control, Sean. I destroyed a whole fucking hospital, killing everyone inside! I still have nightmares about it. But you? You haven't even asked me about it, and we've been here an entire month! A whole FUCKING month!" Daniel screams his lungs out, a mixture between anger and heartbreak. Meanwhile, Sean's trying to comprehend the situation. He had gotten used to seeing Daniel with an eye patch. Honestly, he thought it looked kinda cool. It looked normal like he was just playing. This, however, was very different.

"I- I- Daniel…" Sean can't figure out what to say.

"Say something, Sean, please." Daniel starts to cry, but his gaze remains fixed at Sean. Daniel isn't after an apology. What he's after is something much more meaningful.

Acceptance.

Daniel wants his older brother to accept that this is how he looks now. He needs to hear that he's not an ugly monster that will scare people away if he'll just look at them. But judging by the way Sean's doing right now, he'll might as well tell him that he is just that.

A monster.

Sean must get a hold of himself, or he might lose his brother for good. Just breathe Sean, you stupid idiot. BREATHE!

"Daniel, listen…" Sean slowly moves his hand towards the left side of Daniel's face. At first, Daniel grimaced as his entire body was shaking.

"You're my brother, Daniel. Two eyes, one eye, or no eyes, it doesn't matter. I love you just as much." Sean meant every word that came out of his mouth, and Daniel knew it. Finally, he began to calm down.

"You- you mean that, Sean? Really?" In moments like these, Sean can see how vulnerable his brother really is. All it would take to break him permanently is a simple "no."

"Of course I do, Enano. I know that I've made a lot of… mistakes." Yeah, no shit.

"But-" Daniel interrupted him by whispering a sentence that Sean sure as hell did not expect to hear.

"I've made mistakes too." At first, Sean paid no real attention to it. Had he done so, he would've noticed that something was off about Daniel. The very second he said it, he crawled into the furthest corner of the couch, clutching his arms around his knees.

"I've killed people, Sean." Ok, now Sean's paying attention. Sure, he knows Daniel has killed people before. Some deserving, some of them not. But they haven't really talked about it. Sean had tried a few times at first, but Daniel expressed no regrets about anything, so he just gave up. And then, things happened. Bad things. Right now, it sounded like Daniel's having a massive amount of regret.

"I know, Daniel." Great answer, Sean. How supportive of you. Moron.

"I've killed so many, Sean. I'm ten years old. Ten. And I'm a mass murderer. I- I don't even know what's right and wrong anymore." Daniel covers his face with his hands. A pair of hands, carrying the weight of the hundreds, maybe even thousands of lives they've ended. Sean moves closer to his crying brother, letting him lean into him.

"We've both made mistakes, Enano. But we can help each other." At least Sean likes to think so.

"How, Sean? How can anyone help me?" Fuck. It hurt him so much whenever Daniel was like this.

"It's simple, man. You just gotta trust me. Trust me, and promise me one thing." Daniel looks up at him as he fumbles with his eye patch to get it back into place.

"Promise you what?" He could hear it. How serious his little brother was.

"Promise me, that you'll never use your powers to hurt another person again. Only use them against others as an absolute last resort. If you can run, you'll run. If you can talk your way out, do that instead. But never use your powers, unless you have no other choice." Although he knew this to be the right thing to do, Sean cursed himself on the inside. Daniel's powers might be their only way across that border.

"Sean…" Daniel places his small hand on Sean's neck, pulling his head down so their foreheads touch. He looks decisively into Sean's eyes as he speaks.

"I promise, Sean. I promise you, I'll never hurt anyone again, ever." Sean could see his younger brother feeling much more at peace with himself. Even if it's just for a brief moment, it always counts for something.

"Hey, Daniel?" He also saw something else…

"What, Sean?" Daniel said with a slightly worried tone.

"That eye patch? It makes you look like a fucking badass… seriously." Daniel smiles as he leans back onto the couch.

"Thanks, Sean. I mean it." Sean could never understand how much those words meant to his little brother.

"We're gonna be ok, Enano." At this moment, Sean knows it to be true.

"So, we leave tomorrow?" Sean would have preferred not to be reminded of it.

"Yeah, we do. There's just one thing I'd like to do first." Sean's teasing voice had made Daniel curious as the latter quickly sat up excitedly.

"Thing? What thing? I wanna do a thing, Sean?" Daniel nearly bursts with excitement, and Sean's loving every second of it. It means that not even the shit this kid's been through will prevent him from being a kid.

"Put your shoes on, we're going outside," Sean says even more teasingly.

"What, now?! But- but- it's like, dark?" Daniel tries to make sense of things but to no avail.

"Exactly. Now, let's go wolfbrother." Sean takes his backpack, and the wolfbrothers begin a mysterious walk to the unknown.

About three hours later…

The wolfbrothers wandered into the canyon. One wolf on a mission, knowing how it soon would end. One wolf… well… Daniel Felipe Diaz was a tad annoyed, putting it mildly. He fumbled in the dark, fell over rocks, and the never-ending uphill was killing him. Why the hell did Sean bring him out here?

"Sean, are we there yet? I'm tired, my feet hurt, and- and-" He's pissed-off.

"Calm down, Enano. It's just around the corner." As they walk around said corner, they had reached the top of whatever peak they were ascending. Daniel collapses on the ground as he feels like he could die on the spot.

"Here, Daniel. You need some energy." Sean gives him a Chock-O-Crisp and a bottle of water. Daniel says nothing but digs in while Sean takes something out of the backpack.

Two somethings…

"What's that, Sean?" Daniel asked curiously.

"We can say what we want about mom- I mean Karen. But I did learn at least one decent thing when I was there." Daniel looks at him very skeptically.

"What, Sean?" If it's from her, then it can't possibly be good, right?

"They taught me this, so I could- so I could- move on, knowing that my brother's dead." Daniel felt the familiar rage building up, but knew there has to be a reason for this.

"They said that this will help a person move on from someone or something, that they've lost." Daniel thinks he's starting to get it.

"Now, we haven't lost a person, Daniel. We haven't lost someone, but we have lost something." Daniel slowly stands up, ignoring the Chock-O-Crisp that fell in the desert sand.

"What did we lose, Sean?" Where to even begin with that one?

"Everything, Daniel. Our childhood. Our innocence. All of it- gone." Daniel considers what Sean just said. Whenever he was at a friend's house, Daniel had been worried that Sean might be dead when he got home. Happy Thanksgiving meant that Esteban had enough to drink to feel happy. In turn, Sean and Daniel were thankful that he wouldn't be giving them any beatings.

Instead of "Good morning, Hijo," there was "fuck off, you shitty brat!"

There were no "I love you, Daniel and Sean," only "you fucking kids deserve death. DEATH!"

Yeah. Sean's right. Daniel's never had a real childhood. Not even close.

"So, what do you wanna do, Sean?" He asks his older brother.

"Here, Daniel. Take this." Sean takes a lantern, placing it in Daniel's hands. The thing is huge but weighs no more than a bag of chips. It felt weird.

"I'll light this for you, and the other one for myself. Then we'll release them into the sky." It did sound kinda cool. But Daniel felt a bit skeptical.

"Are you sure, Sean? I mean- if Karen-" Sean laughed a bit as he interrupted his younger brother.

"Dude, you can relax. She was always full of bullshit. These kinds of stuff got their own Wikipedia page. She just stole it, man." Oh, well then…

With Daniel now fully on board, Sean lights his lantern, and then his own, moving to stand next to his little brother.

"Well, Daniel. Are you ready?" Each brother looks dead ahead.

"I'm ready, Sean."

"To a new beginning, Enano…" Sean says as he releases his lantern into the pitch-black sky.

"Let's light up the sky, big brother…" Daniel releases his lantern.

For several minutes the wolfbrothers stand in awe, watching as the lanterns ascend higher and higher. Neither brother spoke. They didn't need to. Only when the lanterns were yellow dots on the sky did they begin to talk again.

"Weird…" Daniel whispered.

"What's weird, Enano?" Sean asked, kinda already knowing the answer.

"I kinda feel… better." Daniel sounds surprised. Well, it's not the first time Sean's made shit up on the go. Usually, it works.

"Well, I told ya…" Sean pats him on the shoulder as they sit down.

"Hey, Sean?" Daniel suddenly turned very serious.

"Yeah?" Hopefully, it's not a deep talk. Sean's getting tired. They really should be getting back now.

"When we get the money, what country do you wanna go to? Well, if you could choose, I mean." Ah, yes. He's not really there yet, in terms of planning. However, this was more of a dream-scenario question.

"Hmm, let me think. I would choose… Italy." Daniel seemed a bit surprised by the answer.

"Italy? That doesn't sound like you, Sean?" He's more of a "Sweden" guy. Everyone's just minding their own business, staying as far away from other people as possible. Yeah, that's Sean.

"You're right, it's not me. Italy is a land of art and artists. It's a place you would like, Daniel." His brother, as always, makes his decisions with Daniel's best in mind instead of his own.

"Oh. That's cool, I think." Actually, it sounds really fucking cool.

"Well, we should probably get back now, Daniel. We need to get some serious rest because tomorrow's the day. Tomorrow, the wolfbrothers will be free." Free and in Italy, bitch!

"Ok, Sean. Let's go." As the wolfbrothers prepare to head back, they look up at the sky, and they howl as loud as they can. Neither of them mentioned it, but they both felt it. The feeling. Would this be the last time they could howl together in freedom? Their journey has been long and difficult, but now it reaches its end. The question is, how many paths can they end up on?

And how will they know which one to choose?

Notes:

After the most brutal week ever at work where I dislocated my knee but still managed to work 12 hours a day, 6 days in a row, things are now back to normal. Yay...

Now, let's get this one out of the way first: I know that Puerto Lobos is a cheap plan. Back in chapter 3 I realized that I would need another long-term plan for them, but figured that I would think of something along the way. Only that... I didn't. But I sure as hell did try. However, it will be worth it in the END. Trust me... (Insert evil genius smile here.)

Now we've had two chapters that have been kinda relaxed. What does that mean, you ask? Well, it means that shit's about to go down, of course... wait and see- well, read. Certain things in this chapter might mean more than you'd think.

Anyway, I love comments, so please leave one below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Your road.
Long it has been.
Filled with obstacles.
Some visible.
Others not.

Now.
You're nearing the end.
You can almost see it.
A better life.
It is within your grasp.

You want everything to go smoothly.
You're tired.
You do not want to run anymore.
More importantly.
Is it really fair...
To him...?

Chapter 4: Tension

Summary:

The wolfbrothers begin their final journey towards the border. Hopefully, nothing will stand in their way. However, by now they should know that things rarely, if ever, go as they want them to...

Notes:

Tags
Also: Apologies for the delay. I've been sick with Covid-19.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Today is the day. The day for the wolfbrothers to leave this dump of a motel and finally, once and for all, travel for their brighter future. Sean had made everything sound so easy last night. Cross the border, go to Puerto-whateverthefuck, sell dad's house, and take it from there. Last night, it had sounded like a good plan.

Last night…

Now, when everything's had time to sink in, Daniel starts to understand that the plan is far from an easy one. The border's bound to have cops, meaning he'll have to use- no. Sean would never force him to use his powers to hurt people. Not after the things that were said between them. Still, how are they getting across? They're both wanted. Sean for murder, and Daniel… well, he's a kid. So he's just the "poor kidnapped child."

"Everything ok, Daniel? You seem a bit off?" Sean's question pulled him back into the real world.

"Huh? Oh- yeah. I'm ok. Just… thinking, I guess." As always, he failed to convince his brother that he was fine. Sean, however, decided to not push the subject.

"Hey. It's almost over, Enano. Trust me, just one more time, ok?" Daniel nods as Sean puts the keys in the ignition and starts the car. Each brother did his best to not show fear as they turned out on the main road.

The heat inside the car was killing him. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was the backseat of the car, still covered in blood. Daniel's blood. He saw Sean's eyes as they got in the car. One quick look at the backseat, a few shaky breaths, and then he'd put on the mask. The sight of it had freaked Sean out, not that he could blame him.

"Sean? Can I ask you something?" Daniel says with some doubt in his voice.

"Ok, Enano. What do you wanna ask?" Sean says without taking his eyes off the road. Daniel takes a few deep breaths.

"That day-" He points at the bloody backseat as Sean's face twitched slightly.

"How- how close was I, Sean?" He didn't need to say more than that. Judging by the way Sean squeezed the steering wheel, it's a safe bet that he got pretty close.

"Too close, Enano," Sean whispers.

"Were you… scared, Sean?" Ok, that's a really dumb question. Honestly, Daniel's not even sure why he asked it. Sean answers the question, eyes firmly pointed at the road ahead of them.

"It's the worst moment of my life, Daniel. You almost died. And it was my fault. Everything. I should have stopped her, but I didn't. Instead, she nearly killed you-" Daniel stops him right there. He doesn't want Sean to fall into the pit of despair that is self-hate. Well, at least not again.

"It's ok, Sean. She didn't kill me. I'm still here, right? We're still the wolfbrothers." He could almost see how Sean snapped out of it. A weak smile formed on his older brother's face.

"You damn right we are, Enano. Nothing's gonna stop us now." Daniel didn't answer that. Instead, he rolled down the windshield, sticking his head out. He felt the wind blowing through his hair at 70 mph. Weird as it was, it did nothing to cool him down. The desert air was so hot, all Daniel felt was a constant flow of hot air on his face. But he also felt something else.

Freedom.

As he looked across the desert landscape, he felt free, perhaps for the first time in his young life. He knew that the worst may have yet to come, but for the moment, he had a pretty good feeling about everything.

Many hours later…

Sean's freaking exhausted. He wants to sleep so badly. Daniel's been out cold for the last three hours or so, which doesn't exactly make things easier. But they can't stop now. Not when they're this close to the finish line. Still, there is but one wall-sized problem to be dealt with. How will they get through? No matter how hard he thinks about it, Sean always came to the same conclusion. They either cross it, just like the regular folks. Which is stupid and doomed to fail. Or, they destroy it.

They, meaning Daniel…

It's dangerous, it's reckless, it would put Daniel at risk. Plus, what are the odds of doing it without hurting anyone? Probably not that great. But it's the only plan he's got. Now, it's time to put it to good use. In the far distance, Sean can see the wall. Tons of thick, black steel, covered in barbed wire. Well, they sure as hell ain't climbing over. Sean slows the car down, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Daniel? Wake up, we're here." He whispered calmly, expecting Daniel to be his usual "just another minute" self. Instead, the kid got right up.

"Really? Are we here, Sean- wow…" Daniel had stopped at the sight of the massive border wall, not entirely sure what to make of it.

"How are we gonna get across, Sean?" Daniel asks him, already knowing the answer. Sean simply sighs, hiding his face in his palms.

"I knew it…" Daniel sighs as he gets out of the car. The tone of his voice, however, suggests that there's more to it than that.

"You can do it, Daniel. I believe in you." Could he? Really? He's done a lot of things with his powers, but this? This is on a completely different level.

"Ok, Sean. Here it goes." Daniel raised his right arm, attempting to break down the barrier in front of him. But it did not budge.

"Fuck. I- I can't, Sean." Sometimes, his older brother tends to piss him off. This would be one of those times as Sean with his calm, soothing voice told him to just "try again".

He tried again.

And he failed again.

"Shit. Fucking shit!" Daniel's losing his cool without even realizing it himself. In an attempt to calm him down, Sean pulled him into a hug. This was not appreciated.

"Daniel, it's ok-" Something in Daniel's mind just snapped. Perhaps all the pressure was getting to him?

"Don't FUCKING touch me, Sean! I'm fucking trying my best, but it's not good enough, Sean. It's not! I can't do shit!" Daniel turns his back towards Sean, walking away. Sean should be the comforting big brother here. But instead, something else instantly filled the void in his chest.

Panic.

Lots and lots of panic. Daniel's powers had been their one shot at getting across the border, and it didn't work. Now, Sean's about to freak out.

"Don't you fucking turn your back on me, Daniel! Get your ass back here, RIGHT NOW!" Daniel's not even acknowledging his words.

"Daniel! If you don't do as I say, we're- we're dead. You hear me? DEAD!" Sean regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth. Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.

"I already told you, Sean…" Daniel says silently, turning around with a look of pain and anger on his face.

"I CAN'T FUCKING DO IT!" So many things happened now, neither of them could understand it. As he was screaming, Daniel had violently thrown a fist in the direction of the wall. What followed was a near-deafening sound, a minor earthquake, and both brothers falling to the ground.

Sean felt like he'd been unconscious for a short while. But as soon as he got up, that would be the last thing on his mind. It sure was a sight to behold…

Surrounding him was a landscape of desert and nothing else. Desert and sand. However, in front of him, at the very epicenter of it all, things were different. The wall had been divided into two, smaller sections. Between them, a gaping hole. Sean could see clearly how the wall went from solid steel to bent steel, to cracked steel, and finally… this. Whatever one might call this?

Right in front of him was a massive pile of black dust. The massive steel bars had been reduced to literal dust by a ten-year-old boy. In the middle of the pile, sat Daniel. He grabbed a handful of dust, looking at it curiously, only to put it back down again. Almost as if he's trying to make sense of the situation. Sean couldn't blame him.

"Dan- Daniel?" Sean stutters while completely in awe at the sight before him.

"I- I think I did it, Sean," Daniel says silently, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"Holy… shit…" He actually did it.

"You fucking did it!" Sean runs forward to grab his little brother. This time, he doesn't break the hug out of rage.

"I- I did it, Sean. I did it!" Daniel cries tears of joy, feeling that it's almost over.

"I'm proud of you, Enano. Now, let's hurry back to the car." They need to move fast. A sound that loud must have gotten some attention.

"Hey, Sean?" Daniel asks him, full of joy.

"When we get the money, you think we could go to Finland?" Well, that's… random.

"Finland? Why Finland, Enano?" Sean may be interested in hearing the answer to this particular question, but he's not interested in having a conversation at the moment. Right now, all he wants is to get this shit over with.

"I dunno, Sean. It just sounds cool, I guess. Oh, and because-" Daniel's words became a blur. Sean could see it in slow-motion. A red dot appeared out of nowhere on his brother's forehead. The sound of a car approaching rapidly. He acted on pure impulse. Ten years of pure impulse.

"DANIEL, WATCH OUT!" Sean screams as he tackles his younger brother to the ground, face first. A loud sound could be heard almost immediately afterward. A gunshot or the sound of Daniel's skull cracking, Sean cannot be sure.

"Ow, Sean! What the hell, man?!" Daniel yells at him, annoyed. But Sean didn't have to answer. Daniel could see them now. They both could. An older man, accompanied by a younger woman. Father and daughter, perhaps? Each of them, dressed up in camo clothing like they're in the middle of operation Desert Storm, or some shit.

"Oh, shit…" Sean whispers as he realizes what this is destined to be all about. Border vigilantes, a.k.a. your typical "'murica, fuck yeah" person, except now, said person uses a gun. Both vigilantes exit their vehicle, aiming at the wolfbrothers.

"Hey! Hands where I can FUCKING see them, amigo!" The woman screamed at Sean. He felt frozen in time, almost. They had it. They freaking had it. And now, this shit happens.

"Didn't you hear the lady, huh? Do. You. Speak. English?" If there was ever a time to not lose his temper, this would be it. But he can't help it. It pisses him off so badly. Sean spits the man in the face.

"Hmm… ok then." In response, Sean receives a hit to the side of the face with the shotgun he wielded. It had been so long since Sean could taste his own blood. He'd almost forgotten what real pain felt like.

"Sean!" Daniel tried to rush to his aid, only to be met with a rifle to his face.

"Now, where the fuck you think you're going, kid?" Daniel feels defenseless. He swore to never use his powers to hurt anyone ever again. But without them, he's just a poor defenseless child. A very scared child.

"Please. Don't- don't hurt my brother. Don't hurt Sean. Please…" Daniel cried as he begged for mercy. Why, he did not know. If the last year on the road has taught him anything, it's that there is no mercy in this world. There are only weak people and those who prey upon them. And Daniel's been both of these.

"Listen, kid…" The older man looks at him as he speaks with a slightly more gentle tone.

"You will not SPEAK, unless you're SPOKEN to, understand?!" The gentle tone evaporated quickly, scaring the poor child to even more tears. Daniel couldn't respond. All he could do was cry.

"Looks like this one's not talking, Madison." So, the woman's name is Madison. Sean makes sure to remember that, just in case.

"Well, then he's useless to us, dad." Useless?

"Don't you fucking touch my brother!" It took everything Sean had to stand up. He couldn't take pain the way he used to, and his body was broken. Time and time again. Madison stares at him with eyes that could kill.

"Oh, don't you worry. I'm gonna make sure that little shit gets put right where he belongs." Sean could feel a pair of handcuffs around his wrists. Daniel received the same. The story of the wolfbrothers had ended. Right at the fucking finish line.

"Sean?" Daniel looks at him, his remaining eye telling more than words ever could.

Help me.

Do something.

Save us.

But he couldn't. There was nothing Sean could do. Not even the rage he felt as Madison knocked Daniel out could get them out of this. He screamed, he cried, and he swore. But it still wasn't enough. Nothing was.

"Daniel… no." One last whimper as the older man carries his unconscious little brother to the car. Sean knew that they would never see each other again.

"Now, you listen to me, Pablo, and you listen good. I don't know how the hell you did that to our wall, but I'm gonna find out." Yeah, good luck with that, bitch. Sean managed to smile a little.

"Oh, you're smiling now, I'll bet. But I got my ways of getting people to speak up. All I need… is time. See you on the other side, beaner." A sharp pain to the back of the head, and Sean Eduardo Diaz falls to the ground, unconscious.

Notes:

Ok, so I'm back after yet another week of delays. Hopefully, this time for good. This chapter felt more like a transport to the next one, but I have quite a few things planned there, trust me. The next chapter is likely to be the last one before the endings. Either that or I'll do one more. It depends on the length of them.

Anyway, remember that I appreciate comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Doubt.
It can lead to many things.

Danger.
Death.
Deceipt.
Despair.

But also.

Freedom.
Happiness.
Safety.
Peace.

You're tired.
Of everything.
You just want to rest.
Forever.
With your brother.

You want peace.
You want quiet.
The question is...

Are you prepared...
To pay the price?

Chapter 5: Contrasts

Summary:

The wolfbrothers were captured at the finish line, each of them sent on a different path. The question is, where do those paths take them?

Notes:

Definitely tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Somewhere deep underground…

"You ready, Madison?" An elderly man asked, looking at the unconscious body of a teenager. Said teenager had been strapped to a chair, and fitted with a black hood, covering his entire head.

"I'm ready, dad. We're gonna find out what he's up to." Madison says firmly.

"Well, let's wake him up then." He grabs a large bucket of ice water, emptying its contents over Sean. To say that it woke him up would be the understatement of the year.

"AAAHHH! What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuuuck!" Sean couldn't see, he couldn't hear, nor could he move. Whatever this is, it's bad.

"What's your name?" Madison began with a simple question. This only served as a way to confuse Sean even more.

"What? Who- who are you? Where's my brother?" Sean felt a hand grab his throat, choking him.

"I'm asking the fucking questions here. Answer them, and you'll leave in one piece. Refuse, and we're going to have a problem." Now he remembers. Shit. They were so close. Almost free. But no, these fuckers just had to show up.

"Sean. My name is Sean." All he has to do is buy time. Daniel will come for him, and when he does- bitch be dead.

"Ok… Sean. Why did you blow up the wall? Why, and how? And don't even think about lying to me." For fuck's sake, this shit's getting ridiculous.

"I didn't." He could hear Madison stand up, pacing around him in anger.

"Oh, you didn't? Look at this one, dad. A lying terrorist. Ain't that fucking pathetic?" Madison laughed at him. If she only knew how the wall actually blew up…

"Well, sweetheart, we all know what happens with 'em lying terrorists, don't we?" Madison made a sound of approval. Sean could feel two sets of eyes turning all their attention toward him.

"You've already met my daughter here, Sean." The older man says as he takes off Sean's hood. It takes a few seconds for his eyes to get used to the light. He's in some kind of basement. There are no windows. In the ceiling were multiple lights, all of them directed at him, nearly blinding him as a result.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The older man begins a slow walk around the room.

"The name's Luke. My last name ain't important, but then again, neither are you. You see, I've spent over forty years in the army. Forty years serving my country, protecting it against people like you. Now, during my years of service, I've managed to pick up a thing or two. And you, son… you're about to find out exactly what that is." The tone of his voice, was cold, calculating. Like that of a psychopath. Sean wanted no part in whatever this man had in store for him.

"Fuck you, hillbilly! Fuck. You!" Sometimes, however, fear can make a person do stupid things.

"Oh, you've got a big mouth now, son. We'll see just how long that lasts. Madison?" Luke calls for his daughter.

"Yeah, dad?" Madison sounds far more excited than she should be for something like this.

"It's time for some enhanced interrogation!" Barely had the words left his mouth before Sean had the black hood over his face again. Then, things moved fast. Too fast. Sean couldn't keep up. Madison flipped his chair, causing Sean to fall backward.

"Ah, no- let me go you fucking-" A sentence abruptly ended as the barely seventeen-year-old boy began to choke.

Water.

Where the fuck did it come from? It didn't matter, he couldn't think anyway. He couldn't breathe. No matter how much he'd twist and turn his body, his lungs filled with water. He couldn't do anything. Sean's dying, and he can't do a damn thing to stop it. But then, just when Sean believes his time has come…

It just stops. Like a divine blessing, it stops, leaving Sean a coughing, crying mess on the floor. What the fuck just happened to him?

"President Bush was the one to legalize waterboarding for enhanced interrogation, you know. Now, thanks to fuckin' Obamacare, we're not supposed to use it any longer. But Bush, he was always smart. He knew, he knew the truth. He would never let terrorists ruin this great country." Sean's trying to comprehend what he just heard. Luke did that to him? He fucking waterboarded him? But all Sean can do, is cough his lungs out.

"So, I'll ask you again, beaner. How, and why, did you blow up the wall?" Sean knows that he must answer if he wants to avoid more pain. There's just one problem. He's already told them the truth. He didn't blow up the wall.

"Still not talking, huh? Well, I can be a patient man. The real question is, how long can you hold on?" Sean could hear Luke grabbing something, and the panic hit him with full force.

"NO! PLEASE, NO-" Sean begged for mercy, but none would be given to him. It's the story of his life. Remorseless pain, without even the slightest bit of mercy. That is the life of Sean Eduardo Diaz as he screams in excruciating pain, locked up inside a basement.

Meanwhile, at the El Rey Police Station…

Daniel slowly began to regain consciousness. He didn't remember what had happened… yet. All he knew was that his head hurt like crazy, and this bed seriously sucks ass. He keeps his eye closed while searching for his brother with his left arm.

"Sean? Sean? Are you there? Sean, please, my head hurts-" Now it all came back, slapping him in the face even worse than his dad would. Daniel opens his eye, only to confirm his worst fear. He had been so close to freedom. Instead, Daniel Diaz is now a caged wolf. Out of all possible outcomes, this had been the worst. He and Sean separated, neither of them knowing the whereabouts of the other.

"SEAN, SEAN, SEAN?! Where the FUCK are you?!" Daniel jumped up, continuing to desperately shake the bars surrounding him. Sean wasn't here. Not only is he a caged wolf, but a lone wolf as well? Great. Just great.

"No. No, no, no, no, no…" He felt so alone, so helpless. Sure, he could easily break out of this shitty cage, but- but-

But what would be the point? Without Sean, he feels lost. Daniel starts to realize the magnitude of the situation. It's over. The story of the wolfbrothers has ended. It ended with one wolf in a cage, and the other missing in action but presumed dead. Daniel leans back against the wall, slowly falling into a sitting position in the deepest, darkest corner of the cell. He pulls his legs up to his chest, and then he just sits there. Daniel had expected to cry, but he didn't. He couldn't. This pain, tears just wasn't enough.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound could be heard across the room, followed by a police officer entering. Daniel quietly begged that he would just keep walking, not paying the crying ten-year-old any form of attention. But he wasn't that lucky. The officer stands in front of his cell, just staring at him. Another loud buzzing sound and the door to his cell opens.

"Daniel Felipe Diaz, correct?" The officer asked him, receiving nothing but silence in return. Why bother answering? It's over. It's fucking over. Daniel didn't even bother looking at him, instead just staring emptily at the floor. He could hear a deep sigh from the officer who continued to kneel next to him.

"Hey, kid, look at me." An entirely different tone. Instead of sounding like a bored, by-the-book cop, he actually sounded nice. Like, really nice. Caring and comforting, like a- like a father. It made Daniel look up at least. Smiling back at him was a young police officer, no more than thirty.

"You're not in any trouble, kid. I just want to talk with you, ask you some questions. I'm just trying to find out what's happened here, ok?" His words sounded genuine. As much as Daniel hated to admit it, he believed him. Not because he wanted to, but because it sounded like the truth. Besides, just about anything would be better than this cell.

"Ok." He had no intentions of incriminating Sean in any way. But he'll play along. The police officer stood up, offering him his hand to help. Daniel being Daniel, ignored the hand offered to him as he got up on his own. Just because he agreed to talk doesn't mean that he trust this guy.

The officer escorts Daniel through multiple hallways until they enter a room with the writing "Interrogation 3B" on the outside. The contrasts felt weird. All the hallways and cells were in this boring, gray color, while the interrogation room was painted in a dark green color. Strange, but Daniel's not complaining. The officer gestured for Daniel to sit down on one of the chairs. Since he's not exactly in a position to argue, he does as he's told.

"Before we start, Daniel, can I get you anything? Something to eat, maybe a soda?" Daniel's slightly taken back by the question. Is this just the standard "good cop" routine, or does he actually care? Well, Daniel intends on finding out. He's not hungry, but damn it, he might as well take advantage of this.

"Do you have hot chocolate? I got that from Sean once, back when- never mind. Maybe a Chock-O-Crisp too?" He didn't plan on mentioning his brother. However, just thinking about the smaller things Sean did for him in Seattle made him tear up.

"I'll see what I can do, kid." The officer says before leaving the room. Once again, he's all alone with his thoughts. He drifts away, thinking about his brother, himself, what his life has turned into. But all of it just leads to the same conclusion. The same question.

They left, searching for a better life.

But, is the wolfbrothers life any better now, compared to then?

No. No, it's not.

In Seattle, Daniel at least had a roof over his head. A warm, cozy bed, located in his own room. Not a very safe room, but still, his room. Nowadays, he's gotten used to sleeping under bridges, in a crack-alley, or just the scorching asphalt in the desert. He always believed that 1452 Lewis Avenue had been the deepest, most sickening depths of hell. Only now, when it is far too late, does he realize how wrong he truly was. Lewis Avenue barely scraped the surface of the real hell. Sean might not agree, but for Daniel, this is the truth. Since leaving Seattle, Daniel's been forced to endure things he could never have imagined. All of it, with no end in sight. Until now. And then, they got arrested.

"Fuck…" He whimpers as he moves around in the chair, trying to sit somewhat comfortably. The chair, along with the table, has both been bolted into the floor for obvious reasons. Daniel's small size makes him barely able to reach the table in front of him unless he sits in a really awkward position. It hurts, it's annoying, it's unnecessary, and it pisses him off. Why can't ever things work out for him? He should just wreck this fucking place with his powers-

"Sorry, it took me so long." Thankfully, Daniel's pulled out of his dark thoughts by the police officer re-entering the room.

"Got you some hot chocolate. Couldn't find you any Chock-O-Crisp, but I got you one of these instead." Daniel couldn't help but giggle a bit. A cop, bringing him donuts? Dude, could you be any more of a stereotype?

"Thanks." He takes a careful sip from the cup. It tasted wonderful. Not as good as Sean's though. Still, pretty good.

"Now, Daniel, I'm officer Matthews. I want to ask you some questions if that's alright?" Well, here it goes. Daniel nods slowly.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about this man." Officer Matthews places a photo of Esteban Diaz on the table. Daniel acted on an impulse, flipping the picture upside-down. He never wanted to see his face again.

"Esteban Diaz. My- my father." Daniel fights back tears. He will not cry for that asshole.

"So, do you want to tell me how he was like? Was he a good person?" Daniel held his breath. He could tell him, right here and now. Everything. All the years of pain, misery, and torture that he and Sean have gone through, courtesy of their father. After a moment of silence, Daniel begins to speak the truth, venting a decade worth of trauma to the shocked officer in front of him. A strange sense of peace began to settle in his gut, growing more by the minute as he spoke. That is the life of Daniel Felipe Diaz as he tearfully describes his life back in Seattle.

Meanwhile…

"Hey! Wake up!" A hard boot to the face woke Sean up. He had the most beautiful dream, in which he died. Instead, he woke up, coughing up a combination of blood and water. He understood now why even the most hardened terrorists could be broken by waterboarding. But, what if there's nothing left to break? What if there's no truth left to uncover? What if there's just… Sean?

"This ain't working, dad. At this rate, he'll be dead before he talks." Madison said more bitterly than anything.

"Yeah, I know. He's all yours." Luke answers as they both flip Sean's chair back to its normal position, removing the hood from his head.

"A- am I d- d- dead?" Sean's not thinking clearly, if at all.

"No, but you're gonna wish that you were," Madison tells him while putting a silver-colored briefcase on the table in front of them.

"You should've talked while you had the chance, boy. Now, I may love my daughter, but lord knows, I would not want to be on her bad side." Luke tells him, in an almost worrying tone.

"Do you know what this is?" Madison asks him as she opens the briefcase, taking out a syringe and a small vial.

"No, of course, you don't. This is a serum, specifically designed for one purpose, and one purpose only. To cause pain. I give you too much of this, and your heart will explode. So, last chance… start talking." Sean's in a state of shock. He couldn't believe this was happening. He thought this shit only existed in movies.

"No more… please. I- I didn't do anything." Madison almost smiled as he begged for mercy. A slight stinging sensation in his lower arm, and he knew that shit's about to get real.

At first, he felt nothing. About thirty seconds in, a weird itchy feeling began to spread throughout his entire body. Nothing he couldn't handle, just very itchy. Itchy and annoying. Sean actually felt like he might pull through this one.

But then, another fifteen seconds passed…

Broken bones, dislocated shoulders, concussions, busted lips, nothing could be compared to this. Absolutely nothing. Every single nerve in his body felt like it had been set on fire. Sweat poured down his face as he screamed in pain. Sean screamed until he ran out of air. Then, he hyperventilated, only to scream even more. It just got worse and worse.

"I can make this stop. All you gotta do… is talk." Madison injected him once more, and all the pain disappeared. Just like that, gone. Sean threw up in his own lap.

"Don't make this even worse for yourself, kid." Even worse? How the fuck could this get any worse? It probably couldn't. Sean's been tortured beyond madness. He's so out of it, he actually starts to laugh at her face.

"Something funny?" She asks him, slightly annoyed. Sean just keeps laughing, louder and louder.

"You're both gonna die, it's all. You're both gonna die, and you don't even know it." The vigilantes exchanges worrying looks.

"What do you mean? Explain!" Luke screams at his face. Sean, however, screams right back.

"My brother's coming. He's coming to get me out of here. And when he sees what you've done to me… HE'S GONNA RIP YOUR FUCKING HEARTS OUT!" Sean had been so busy screaming, he didn't notice how Madison injected him with another dose. This time, the pain was worse. Much, much worse. His vision briefly turned black, and his heart felt like it would burst through his chest. At this moment, Sean came to a realization.

Daniel's not coming.

Nobody's coming to save him. If Sean wants to get out of here alive, he'll have to save himself. He's not exactly in a position to think up a plan, so he'll just do something and leave the rest to fate.

"AAAHHH, I'LL TALK, I'LL TALK!" Sean managed to scream through his pain. Within a second, he could feel the pain disappear once again, courtesy of Madison. Now, what the fuck should he do?

"Well? Talk." Luke approaches him. He's so close, he could almost- no. Fuck! There's no other way. Sean doesn't like it, but it's the only choice he's got. First, do that, then go for the knife on the table.

"I- I-" Sean mumbles something incoherently in an attempt to get Luke closer to him.

"What's that? Speak the fuck up!" It worked. Ok, here it goes. One, two…

Three…

Sean closed his eyes, tried to focus on something else, anything else. Then, he did it. He aimed for Luke's throat, and he bit down, hard. As hard as he possibly could. The taste of another person's blood made him want to throw up, but he didn't have time for that.

"Dad, no!" Madison screamed in shock, watching as her father fell to the floor, slowly bleeding to death. Sean took full advantage of the situation, using whatever strength he had left to run for the knife. When Sean had finally gotten himself loose, he turned around, only to find Madison on the floor, sobbing over her father's corpse. Madison, still in shock, turned around to face Sean, only to panic on the spot.

"No. No, no, no! Please, don't kill me. I- I- I have kids, you know. Please, I- I'm sorry-" Sean's in no mood for apologies. Madison's face meets Sean's fist, sending her into the corner of the room. Sean takes the gun strapped to Luke's body, aiming it at Madison.

"Please, no. Don't shoot me." She cries as she covers in the corner, slightly out of it from the punch. Sean's entire arm trembles, but he eventually puts the gun away.

"I'm not gonna shoot you. It would be a waste of bullets." Instead, Sean turns around to grab the syringe, along with three vials. Then, before Madison even realized it, Sean's injected her with all of it, condemning her to an extremely painful death.

"What- what did you just do?" She's definitely concussed by his punch. Not that it matters though. Sean doesn't bother to answer her. Instead, he just points at her arm. The fear in her eyes is almost surreal.

"NOOOOO!" Sean watches her as she had watched him. He listens as the heartbreaking screams turn to just… screams. Then, Sean turns around to walk away, leaving her there to die by herself. Time to go to the police station.

Time to get Daniel.

At the police station…

"So, let me get this straight?" Officer Matthews scratched his head yet another time.

"Your father abused your older brother, tried to abuse you, for as long as you can remember?" The look on his face says it all. Shock, anger, pity, not the annoying kind of pity though.

"Yes." Daniel felt exhausted after going through everything. It had unlocked memories he'd buried years ago, never meant to be released.

"And nobody knew? Friends, school, relatives?" It's like he can't even fathom it. To Daniel, it's the only reality he knows. He lived it for almost a decade.

"Nobody. Just me… and Sean." Officer Matthews sighs painfully.

"I guess that explains it. Why you guys ran away and everything, huh?" Daniel just nods.

"I still have a lot of questions for your brother. But as far as you're concerned, Daniel… I think we're finished here." Daniel's not sure if that's good or bad.

"So, what happens to me now?" Daniel asks, not entirely sure if he wants to hear the answer. Officer Matthews leans forward, putting his elbows on the table.

"Well, here's the thing, Daniel. I hate to break it to you, but, no matter what, you're not gonna be staying with your brother." Daniel's eye widened as he heard it. They couldn't separate them, they were the wolfbrothers.

"What? But- but- Sean-" Officer Matthews interrupted him.

"Sean's a wanted criminal. And until proven otherwise, you won't be seeing him again. At least not on the outside. You will, however, be staying with your grandma in Beaver Creek." Beaver Creek. That sounds… good? But, no Sean. Fuck.

FUCK!

"I know it's not what you want to hear. But you're young, and you can still have a normal life. You can't have that if you're on the run with your brother all the time." Normal. What does that even mean?

"I- I don't even know what a normal life is. I've never even fucking had one." Daniel whimpers as he breaks down crying. Officer Matthews puts his large hand on top of his, attempting to comfort him.

"Well, maybe now would be a good time to find out huh, buddy?" Maybe it would. Living with grandma would be kinda cool. But Sean?

"I guess so, but-" Daniel got interrupted by what sounded like an explosion outside the building. Officer Matthews quickly jumped up, running for the door.

"Shit. I'm going out, ok. No matter what happens, stay in this room, got it? Stay in this room. It's for your own safety, Daniel." Yeah, whatever. Not like he's got a reason to run anymore.

"Ok, I got it." Officer Matthews leaves Daniel alone once again. However, less than a minute later, the door opens, and another person enters the room.

"What happened?" Daniel asked, not even looking up at officer Matthews.

"Nothing. Just rigged a cop car to explode." That voice. Daniel didn't even have time to look up before he threw himself at the person in front of him.

"SEAN!" He's here, and he's alive. Daniel should have known better than to doubt him.

"Enano…" Sean cried, Daniel cried, each brother shedding tears of relief, knowing that the other is alive.

"Sean, I- I thought you were dead- holy shit." Daniel's slightly taken back by his brother's appearance. Drenched in sweat, and a pool of dried blood around his mouth, yet no visible wound.

"Yeah, they were real assholes. I'll tell you some other time." Sean says while quickly wiping his mouth.

"Now, come on, Daniel. It's time to go." For just the smallest amount of time, Daniel hesitated. His heart screamed yes, but his brain screamed no. It may have been less than a second, but it was enough for him to notice it.

"Let's go, Sean." He follows Sean through the hallways of the police station. Seems like Sean's distraction did its job. Not a cop in sight. Daniel can see the exit, right there. The light at the end of the tunnel. They made it-

"Police! Hands in the air!" Fuck. Daniel manages to hide behind a wall before the cops could see him. Sean, however, raises his hands in the air while slowly turning towards his little brother.

"You know what to do, Enano," Sean says with a nervous look on his face. What? No, he swore.

"No, Sean. I never want to hurt anyone again." Daniel whispers back, enraged.

"We don't have a fucking choice, Daniel! Either you do it, or we're fucked!" Daniel can understand the enormous amount of pressure his older brother feels. Still, that's no excuse. And it still hurt. It hurt a lot. Without a word, Daniel marched towards the four police officers. Neither of them saw him as a threat, of course. All of them kept aiming at Sean. Then, with a quick motion of his right hand, Daniel made them all fly straight into the wall across the room. Did they die, or were they still alive? He didn't dare to check.

"Awesome job, Daniel. Let's go!" The wolfbrothers leave the station, entering the car outside.

"Come on, Sean. We gotta go!" Daniel screamed as his older brother stepped on the gas, taking them out of there, and towards the border.

"Nobody's chasing us?" Daniel made it sound more like a question. But either way, they both drew a sigh of relief.

"Good. Listen, Daniel. I'm sorry for what happened back there. I kinda panicked, and-" Daniel interrupted him.

"I know you're sorry, Sean. It's ok." Daniel's uncertain about that, but this isn't the best time to talk. At least not about that.

"Can I ask you something, Sean?" Daniel said curiously.

"Sure, Enano. Go ahead." He's always wanted to ask this. They might die soon, might as well.

"Why did you always protect me? You know, from dad?" He could hear Sean stop breathing for a second or two. A long silence followed, with Sean deep in thought.

"At first, I guess I just needed something, anything, to keep me going. To keep my sanity. Then, as you got older, it became more than that. I realized that my hope, my dreams, was already lost. But, if I could make sure that you get a somewhat normal life, maybe it wasn't for nothing." Wow. That's a lot to take in for a ten-year-old.

"Oh…" Daniel's not really sure what to say.

"You're my brother, Daniel. I love you." That's a simpler reply.

"I love you too, Sean." With Daniel having gotten the answer that he wanted, the wolfbrothers continue towards the border.

The rest of the trip was silent. Each brother is so tense, so nervous, and so afraid. Only when the black wall became visible in the distance words were spoken again.

"Look, Sean." Daniel pointed at the massive wall, towards which Sean looked.

"Shit…" And he looked.

Boy, did he look?

Between the wolfbrothers and the wall, were a small army of cops. Dozens of cars and even more officers were blocking their path to freedom. Hundreds of guns were pointed in their direction at the moment. Some of them, are more than happy to pull the trigger. This is it. If it wasn't over before, it sure as hell is now. Sean turns the car off, slowly leaning his head at the steering wheel while letting out an exhausted sigh. He could already hear Daniel crying next to him. They were so close, yet so far away.

"Remember back in Seattle, Daniel? You know, before we ran away?" Sean asked his little brother but gave him no time to respond.

"I do. I think about it all the time. We should have never run away." Daniel can see how exhausted his older brother looks, but the pure desperation in his voice is obvious.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel. For everything. I swore to protect you, but I failed. I failed you, little brother." Sean's full-on bawling, causing Daniel to do the same.

"Sean-" Sean puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I- I did my best. Now, it's time for you to make your own rules. Whatever happens, always be strong, trust your instincts, and be smart, Enano. Remember, you're the smart brother, right?" Sean laughs a little as he says the final part.

"I promise, Sean. I swear it." Sean looks right into his remaining eye.

"And always remember who you are. Don't lose yourself, as I did." Fuck. Daniel wants to punch him and hug him at the same time.

"Don't say that, Sean. Let's just-" Daniel stopped in the middle of a sentence. He knew it wasn't that easy. Sean leaned back into the driver's seat while Daniel leaned back into his. Time passed silently.

Eventually, Daniel turns to Sean. Both of their faces were covered in tears. Daniel asks his older brother a question. A question, he doesn't want to be answered. A question that Sean might not even have an answer to. A question, sending chills down the wolfbrothers spines.

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?"

Notes:

I feel pleased with this chapter. Sean went through hell in this one for sure. I purposely made it so they have very different experiences from their "captivity", with Sean being tortured and Daniel eating donuts (lol). But it serves a purpose...

Now, this was the final chapter before the endings. So, this is what will happen now:

The next chapter will be a short "interlude" of sorts, where I'll explain how to make your decision. The "interlude" chapter will be published simultaneously, along with the four endings. Needless to say, it will take a while to write everything. But stay with me, because it will be worth it. Trust me...

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You're at road's end.
Your journey.
It ends here.
One way.
Or the other.

You're prepared for it.
You need it.
Your body.
It tells you.
Rest.

But, you can't.
Nightmares.
They ruin your sleep.
Nausea.
It ruins your appetite.
Stress.
It ruins everything.

When will it end?
Soon, you hope.
If not?
Well.

Desperate times...
Call for desperate measures...

Chapter 6: Interlude...

Summary:

Your paths are about to be revealed by a guide. But be careful. Sometimes, he's not to be trusted...

Notes:

Read this chapter to learn how to make your choice.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Somewhere, in a realm between realms…

The story of the wolfbrothers is at its end. A choice has to be made, once and for all. Will it be freedom or death? Perhaps both? Or something in between? Perhaps neither? Time at the border temporarily ceases to exist as you're taken to an unknown location. A location, completely empty. All around you, underneath you, above you, is white. A realm between realms this is.

You see a person walking towards you. A young boy, no more than ten years old. He's dressed in a red T-shirt and a blue flannel shirt on top of it. His eyes are covered by what appears to be a homemade zombie mask. He looks at you, and you look at him.

"Hello. My name's Daniel. We've met before. Actually, we've met twice."

"The first time we met, I was beaten, bloody, and broken. The evil twin… they called me." He looks sad.

"The second time we met, I wore a beautiful and expensive suit. That time, none considered me evil. They treated me like an old friend."

"Back then, I gave one wolfbrother a choice. However, me being evil at the time, I lied about the outcomes." He giggles slightly.

"Now, another choice has to be made. By you."

"I've been told to just give you these options, nothing else. Besides, I'm telekinetic, not psychic. Or maybe I am?" A smile forms on the boy's lips.

"You can choose to SURRENDER. Give up all hopes of a better life for the wolfbrothers. But perhaps in doing so, one brother will get a better life in return? Or you know… not."

"You can choose to TURN BACK. If you can't run across it, run from it. Far from it. Keep running. You've stayed alive this long. Things will work out, they always do. Except, rarely the way you'd want them to…"

"You can choose to CROSS THE BORDER. Go for it. This is what you've fought for. The better life that you wanted. Do not let all that pain be for nothing. Just… be careful. Please…?"

"You can choose to DO NOTHING. When all options are horrible, why bother? You're both fucked either way? Or… are you?"

"These are the choices given to you. However, before making your decision, ask yourself this question."

"The young boy, speaking to you now. Who is he?"

"Is he the young, sweet, and adorable Daniel Felipe Diaz?"

"Or, is it his evil twin in disguise? Lying to you, trying to manipulate you into making a poor decision. That is if there's even a good decision, to begin with."

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?"

"I don't fucking know! I'm ten years old, TEN!"

"It is time to make your decision. Make your choice, then stick to it. No matter what."

"Just remember that life is cruel. So you know, choose wisely…"

"To SURRENDER, go to chapter seven (7)."

"To TURN BACK, go to chapter eight (8)."

"To CROSS THE BORDER, go to chapter nine (9)."

"To DO NOTHING, go to chapter ten (10)."

"And remember: Your actions and decisions will have consequences, and impact the world around you and your brother. Choose wisely…"

Notes:

The time is now. Make your choice, choose wisely, and remember, Life Is Cruel.

K. S.

Chapter 7: Surrender

Summary:

You have chosen to surrender. This is how your story will end. No matter what, stand by your choice.
And remember, that sometimes, Life Is Cruel...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Surrender

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel's question made his blood run cold. He didn't want their story to end. Not yet, and not here. Daniel wanted the story of the wolfbrothers to live forever. But deep down, he knew that it wasn't meant to be. He knows that there's only one thing they can do here. But he can't do it alone. Just thinking about it hurts more than anything he's ever experienced before. After what felt like a lifelong silence, Sean slowly lifts his head, looking straight forward.

"I- I think their story ends right here." It hurt for Sean to say it, and it hurt Daniel even more to hear it. It's the right thing to do, and he knew it. However, it didn't make it any easier.

"But- but- no. Sean, no. I- I could just-" Daniel gestures with his arm towards the barricade, but Sean interrupts him as he shakes his head sadly.

"No, Daniel. I don't wanna use your abilities any more than I already have. I forced you into… a lot of bad shit. I'm so sorry. Whatever happens, just blame everything on me, Daniel. It's what they want to hear. At least then, you're gonna have a normal life." Sean's eyes drifted away as he realized that this is the last few minutes he'll probably spend as a free man.

"Sean, no! I- I don't wanna visit you in prison, you asshole!" Daniel covered his face as he cried, heavy, heartbreaking sobs. Not knowing if, or when he'll see his little brother again, Sean embraces him. For once, he doesn't give a shit about staying strong. Right now, each wolfbrother cries equally loud as they try to find some comfort in the desperate embrace. They both know that the next time they hug each other, Sean's going to be wearing an orange jumpsuit. They both knew it, but neither brother mentioned it. The moment was painful enough as it was.

"Always remember, Daniel… that you're a good kid. None of this shit was ever your fault. Don't let anyone tell you any different. I love you, Daniel. No matter what happens, where you are, or what you do, you'll always be my Enano." Sean tried to smile, but it felt forced.

"I- I love you too, Sean. And, I'll miss you. So much." Daniel held on to his brother even tighter as Sean carefully looked towards the wall. The cops are closing in on them. They need to get out of the car if they want to avoid chaos. Sean sighed heavily as he slowly began to break out of the hug. Daniel didn't resist, he knew it was coming. Sean put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, probably for the last time in god knows how long.

"Ok. Are we ready, Enano?" Sean tries to not sound like he's terrified. He probably failed at that one. Daniel looks at him with the biggest, saddest one-eyed look in the history of mankind.

"No, Sean. I'm not." He wasn't. That much was obvious.

"We'll be fine, Daniel. It's almost over. Just… do everything they tell you to, and don't fight back." Daniel nods as he wipes his face from tears.

"It's time, Enano." The wolfbrothers give each other one last genuine smile, for old time's sake. Then, they exit the car with their hands above their heads. For Sean, time almost stood still. He contemplated his life over the last year, all the choices he made, all the mistakes. Drugs, booze, abuse.

"Yeah, dude. You've done fucked it up. From day one. At least Daniel can get a normal life. That's the most important thing, isn't it?" Sean thinks to himself while watching three police officers coming towards him with their weapons drawn.

For Daniel, the emotions were quite different. He didn't like the idea of surrendering since Sean would likely end up in prison. He did, however, like what it meant to him. At least roughly. Sure, visiting Sean in prison would suck serious ass. But, there's one thing he really looked forward to.

Resting.

No more running. No more of spending his days, constantly looking over his shoulder and his nights, holding on to a backpack filled with all that he owns. Now, he would just be able to… rest. Sleep until lunchtime, then get up, watch some cartoons while eating a cold slice of pizza. Selfish thoughts, perhaps. But Daniel Diaz really needs some peace and quiet.

However…

The three sets of guns rapidly approaching the wolfbrothers made the young boy nervous. Daniel didn't like guns, he never did. Every single experience he's got with guns is a negative one. His father, playing Russian roulette with him and Sean. Or that asshole David, beating the shit out of him, and then he shot him. Needless to say, these moments keep replaying in Daniel's mind right now. He knows that the best thing to do right here and now is to try to relax.

But he can't.

For every passing second, Daniel's breathing becomes more and more strained. He can feel his blood starting to boil. There's a voice in the back of his head, telling him- no, ordering him to do one thing.

"Attack."

"Kill them, they deserve it."

"You know you want to…"

But he resists. He would like nothing better than to wipe these cops from the face of the earth before they rob Sean of his freedom. But he knows… He knows that Sean would disapprove. So Daniel bites down hard, to the point where he can taste blood as the cops approach Sean.

"Get down on the ground NOW!" They stand in a circle around Sean. Two officers on his sides armed with pistols, and one in front of him, wielding a shotgun.

"Ok, s- sir. I'm getting down-" Aw, for fuck's sake!

"Shut the FUCK UP!" The officer in front of him screams, hitting Sean in the face with the back-end of the shotgun. Sean goes down on the ground, holding his nose.

"SEAN!" Daniel panics, attempting to run to his brother's aid. However, the ice-cold barrel of a shotgun made him think otherwise.

"You stay right fucking there, kid." Daniel's fucking fuming. What reason could he possibly have right now? Why shouldn't he use his powers to grab that shotgun, turn it sideways, and shove it up a place where the sun doesn't shine? What fucking reason?!

"Daniel… it's gonna be fine. Just, trust me, Enano." Right. That reason. Fuck…

"Sean…" Daniel whispers silently, so nobody could hear. He hates this. He absolutely fucking hates it. But, he trusts his brother's judgment. It's the one thing he'll always trust above all else. He watches the horror in front of him. Sean, his big brother, his idol, becomes handcuffed and pulled to his feet.

"Ok, he's ready. Take him away." One of the officers says while pointing at a car. Then, millions of thoughts ran wild in Daniel's mind at the same time.

"We're going in different cars?" Naive as he was, he believed that they would travel in the same car. How fucking stupid could he be?

"What's going to happen to me now?" If he even cares…

"When can I see Sean again?" HOLY FUCK!

The realization that he won't see Sean for a very long time hits him as nothing else could. In this very moment, Daniel Diaz feels like he's lost a part of himself, forever. Like he's irrevocably broken. Then, he just snapped, losing all sort of self-control. He let tragedy take over.

"No! Sean, wait! Come back." Daniel screamed desperately as he ran towards his older brother, hoping to make it before they forced him inside the car.

"Daniel, you're not a little wolf anymore. Never forget who you are. Never!" Sean shouted back at him while two officers held him back, preventing the wolfbrothers from reaching one another.

"Hold it right there, kid!" One of the officers grabs Daniel from behind. Any other day, getting out of this would've been easy. Now, however, Daniel's in so much shock that he's forgotten all about his powers. All he is now, is a broken ten-year-old boy, trying to hug his brother for the last time.

"Sean, no! I- I love you!" Daniel bites the hand that holds him, forcing the officer to let go. Then he continues to run towards Sean.

"Ow, fucking brat!" The officer yelled something else after him as well, but Daniel didn't care. All that mattered was reaching Sean. And now, he's about to do so. One hug. Just one hug and everything will be alright. He just knows it. The two officers in front of him seem to have some decency as they decide to let Sean say goodbye to his little brother. Hell, they even took his cuffs off.

He kept running for his brother's arms, feeling like the road would never end like things were happening in slow-motion. Sean kneeled in front of him, with a wide smile on his face as tears were pouring down. Daniel charged, preparing to jump at him, tackle him to the ground. Just give him this. Give him this, and everything will be alright.

Except that… it wouldn't.

Nothing would ever be alright again. Nothing.

At the time, it seemed like the funniest thing. A split second before running into his older brother's arms, Daniel saw his expression change. It changed from that of a warm, comforting smile, to a look of sheer terror. Perhaps he was all caught up in the moment, but either way, Daniel didn't think much of it then. The very second the brothers embrace, a loud sound could be heard. They both froze as they realized what it was.

A gunshot.

"S- Sean?" Daniel says carefully, uncertain if his older brother's hit. Don't take Sean. Please, just don't.

"D- Daniel?" Oh, thank god! He's alive. For a second there, Daniel had been really scared.

"I- I can't-" Sean fell backward on the ground to the horror of his little brother.

"NO! Sean?! Please, don't! You- you can't just leave me here, not like this. I'm- I'm gonna get you help, Sean." How fucking pathetic is he? He can't help Sean, nor can he get someone to help Sean. He can't do shit and he knows it. Daniel sits down next to his brother, holding Sean's hand between his own pair. Blood flows freely from the wound on Sean's torso. Daniel wants to do something, anything, to help him. But there's just too much blood. Sean gasps for air as it slowly fills his lungs, choking him from the inside.

"Sean…" Daniel whimpers while hugging Sean's arm.

"I- I don't want you to go, big brother." Daniel cried into his brother's chest. The fact that he got covered in blood didn't bother him. It's Sean's blood. His blood. They're one and the same. With his remaining strength, Sean lifted a shaking hand towards his little brother's face.

"Daniel-" He wanted to say more. The best big brother in the world wanted to tell him something before permanently ending his journey. He wanted to, but he couldn't. Sean's hand dropped to the ground while he let out his last breath. Then, he was gone.

Sean Eduardo Diaz died that day at the border, at the age of seventeen.

Daniel wasn't sure this moment was real. No, it can't be real. This- this is a dream, it has to be, right? He acts on a pure impulse, closing his brother's eyes, placing both of his arms on top of his chest the way you do. Then it hits him. Sean's dead. His big brother's dead. The one person who's always been there for him, looked after him, and protected him… is dead. He never even got to say goodbye. Daniel bends down, kissing Sean's forehead.

"Goodbye, Sean. A- and, thank you. For everything. I love you, big brother. I always did." Crying doesn't do this kind of pain justice. Why? Why did Sean have to die? A question for another time as Daniel's pulled back to the real world. From nowhere comes two paramedics kneeling next to Sean's body.

"Please move, kid. Ok, what's the status?" One paramedic asshole to the other. Daniel had forgotten all about where he was. Apparently, the cops had called for an ambulance. However, with Sean being dead, Daniel doesn't take kindly to anyone poking at Sean's body.

"NO! Don't you FUCKING touch him! Leave Sean alone!" He shoves one of the paramedics to the ground. Just leave him alone, he's already… gone. Daniel felt a hand grabbing his shoulder in a not-so-nice way.

"Ok, kid. Time to calm the fuck down, you hear me?" Daniel turns around.

"You…" It's him. He killed Sean. He murdered his brother. If Daniel Diaz didn't snap before, he sure as hell did now.

"You… took… my… brother… away… from… me…" He closed his fists, attempting to hold back his powers. Still, a part of him didn't want to hold them back. Not for this. Every single word he spoke, drenched in layers of hatred and deep emotional pain that would never heal. He's ten years old. He's been beaten to near-death on multiple occasions, he's been shot, raped, tortured, threatened, drugged, and fuck only knows what else. And what exactly does he gain by sparing this asshole's life?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

"Ok, kid. Let's go." He tries to grab Daniel, but the latter brushes him off.

"Don't touch me…" His voice breaks by just speaking to this man.

"I said… let's GO!" The officer laid his hand on Daniel once again. That would turn out to be a huge mistake.

"I said don't fucking TOUCH ME!" Daniel screams at his face before breaking out of his hold and punching him in the gut.

Or, so he thought…

A moment of confusion followed as Daniel saw the officer on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Upon looking at his hand, Daniel realized what just happened. His entire arm is red with blood. Unknowingly, he had activated his powers, using them to punch a hole through the chest of the officer. More and more eyes are turning in his direction every second. He can feel the panic around the corner. The breathing increasing. His body shaking.

He never had a chance to stop it.

Daniel collapsed to his knees in the scorching desert sand, and he screamed.

"SEEEAN!" Bodies went flying to parts unknown. Some to America, some to Mexico. Sandstorms appeared out of nowhere. Cars imploded into a million pieces. The only things not affected, were Daniel Diaz, and the body of his older brother, Sean.

"WHYYY?!" A good ten-mile chunk of the border wall turned to dust that got swept away by the storm. Yesterday, Daniel would probably have said that he'll do anything to be able to tear through the wall with such ease. But he didn't mean it. Not like this. He never wanted this.

"Why…?" He whimpers as the sandstorm fades out. Daniel doesn't look around at the destruction he's caused, and neither does he care about it. Nothing matters anymore. Absolutely nothing. With sirens approaching from a distance, Daniel lays down next to Sean's body, placing an arm over him. Hopefully, he'll die too before they get here.

Six weeks after the border incident…

They say that time heals all wounds. Well, Daniel Diaz calls bullshit on that one. Sure, he's back in Beaver Creek with grandma Claire, which is cool and all. But the pain is just never-ending. Today won't be any easier. Today is August 15th, meaning that Sean would've turned seventeen today. But no. He doesn't get to turn seventeen and have a big party. Instead, they're going to bury Sean today of all the fucking days. Daniel sighs as he stands in front of the mirror, pretending to adjust his tie. The longer he does it, the more he postpones what he knows deep down to be inevitable.

Today, he's going to bury his brother.

The first month after the border had been a living hell. He did what Sean had wanted him to, and blamed him for everything. Daniel fed the cops all the lies he could, and they ate it all up. He told them that Sean kidnapped him, how scared he was, that Sean's a terrible human being, all that shit. He hated himself for it, Sean's blessing or not. But he couldn't argue with the results. Daniel got off free. They didn't even suspect anything about the… incident. The so-called "great border massacre of Nevada" that killed over fifty people, injuring even more. Nope, Daniel's free.

But at what cost?

"It wasn't worth it, Sean. I- I miss you. So much." Daniel sighs at the mirror image of himself. He's wearing a white shirt and a black suit with matching pants. Claire wanted him to have a white tie because apparently, those who were close to the deceased wear that. But Daniel refused. He would have a red tie. Sean always liked that color. Plus, he had two identical pins made, depicting two running wolves. One big, one small. One pin he wore himself, as close to his heart as he could. The other was for Sean.

"Daniel, dear? It's time." Claire knocks on the door before barging in, as usual, not giving the slightest fuck about his privacy.

"Is everything ok, dear?" Oh, yeah. Everything's just fucking terrific.

"No. Nothing's ok anymore." Claire tried to hug him, but he walked right past her. Let's get this over with.

Walking into the church was a depressing sight to behold. Granted, he wasn't exactly sure what to expect. But he expected… more. None of his old friends from Seattle are here to pay their respects. Not even Lyla. Daniel doesn't even like her, but he expected her to show up. In fact, Daniel and Claire are the only two people present. Well, there's one more person…

"Sean…" A closed casket, made out of the cheapest possible material. Daniel doesn't even have a photo of him to place there. But it's him. He can feel it. The closer he got, the more the pain went away. It made him want to run towards it, but Claire held him back.

"Shh. Not yet, Daniel." She forced him to sit down.

Daniel always hated organ music. Not because it sounded bad. Actually, he thought it was kinda beautiful. He hated it because it always made him cry. It always felt so sad. The very second he heard the massive organ play, Daniel started bawling. For so many reasons. He cried because he missed Sean, because this shitty funeral doesn't have anything "Sean" in it. He cried for everything.

After the horrible service had ended, Claire went to the other room to talk with the priest. Daniel's alone with his brother. He walks towards the casket. Every step feels heavier than the last. Upon reaching it, Daniel considers his options. He really wants Sean to have the little wolf-pin in the next life. But then, he would have to- no. He can't.

Yes, he can. He can, and he will. This way, they'll always be together. Daniel takes a deep breath as he extends his right arm. With the help of his powers, the lid of the casket raises slowly. And there he is. Daniel wasn't sure what to expect. He looks like he's just… sleeping. Sean's dressed in a suit near-identical to his, even a matching red tie. It makes Daniel smile a little.

"Hi, Sean. I- I have something for you. It's to keep you safe. And, I have one too. That way, we'll always be together." Daniel chokes on his own words as he takes out the pin from his pocket. He bends down and with great care puts it on Sean's chest. Right on top of his heart.

"I'll never forget you, Sean. Never." Daniel closes his eye, slowly lowering his arm, and with it, the lid of the casket.

"OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO… OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!" Acting on a pure impulse, Daniel began howling. Loud howls, echoing inside the massive church, paying his respects to his fallen wolfbrother. When he opened his eye again, the lid had been shut for good. But now he knew that Sean's safe.

When he got back home after the funeral, Daniel immediately changed back to normal clothes and then went into the backyard. He needed some time alone. It's his fault, all of it. If he didn't screw up, Sean would be alive. He got his brother killed.

KILLED!

Daniel sits down with his back leaning towards a tree, trying to hold back tears.

"Hey." That voice? Daniel quickly looked up. Coming towards him in a wheelchair was Chris. Daniel wasn't sure what to feel.

"Hey," Daniel answered back while avoiding eye contact. A part of him felt ashamed for what he did to Chris.

"So, you wanna talk about it, Daniel? It helps, you know." Does he? Yeah, maybe.

"It's all my fault, Chris. I- I got Sean killed. Me." Chris looks at him curiously.

"Daniel, it's not your fault. Whatever happened, it was just a massive screw-up by a dumb cop." Maybe he's right. Or maybe- wait…

Chris.

Cops.

Chris called the cops on them that day. That's why they had to run away from Beaver Creek. If he hadn't done that, maybe Sean would be… alive? Daniel's broken mind is grasping at straws, trying to find someone else to put the blame on. And now it has. A very familiar rage builds up at an alarming rate as Daniel stands up.

"Is there something wrong, Daniel?" Chris asks while on the receiving end of a look that could kill.

"It's your fault. You've fucking ruined my life." Chris starts to look uncomfortable.

"Daniel? What- what are you- ahh-" Daniel lifts him out of the wheelchair with ease. He uses his powers to put pressure on the other boy's arms.

"I should break your fucking arms too." Daniel feels angry, he wants to scream. But all that comes out is a whimper.

"You- it's all your fault. I- I should- FUCK!" Daniel lets him go, running inside the house, locking himself in his room. Chris Eriksen had come to make peace with him for good. Instead, he realized that Daniel Diaz is truly lost.

The hours went by, but sleep didn't come for Daniel. It rarely did nowadays. And even when it did, he's plagued by nightmares. Horrible nightmares were Sean dies, again and again. Nightmares were Daniel enters that van in the desert, again and again. Nightmares about him being tortured. Sometimes by Brody, sometimes by Finn, sometimes by… Sean. Every time he wakes up, he checks his entire body to be sure that it was just a dream, and that no new scars appeared. Tonight, however, the world simply refuses to let him rest. He would give anything for just one good night's sleep. Daniel sighs heavily upon realizing that he's not gonna fall asleep tonight either.

Claire had prepared his mother's old room for him. It looked really cool and all, but something was missing. He… was missing. Like so many previous nights, Daniel gets up from his bed, stepping out of his room. Instead, he walks towards the guest room. The same room that he and Sean shared back in the day. He steps inside, silently closing the door behind him. It looks exactly the same. The bed they shared even looks to have the same sheets. Sure, they'll probably been washed, but still…

Daniel lays down in the bed, as close to the wall as he can. He always liked sleeping with a wall on one side and Sean on the other. It made him feel safe. Daniel used to sleep with one arm over Sean's chest whenever he felt afraid or alone. Just the heartbeat of his brother alone was enough to comfort him sometimes. But now, his heart doesn't beat anymore. Daniel sighs, grabbing the pillow from Sean's side, hugging it tightly. If he pretends hard enough, maybe it helps?

"Goodnight, Sean. See you tomorrow, wolfbrother." Daniel whimpered as he slowly succumbed to another troubling night's sleep.

Notes:

You chose to surrender, therefore finishing your story with the ending entitled "Broken". Please go to chapter eleven (11) for Author's Notes.

K. S.
_

You lost him.
He's dead.
Because of you.

Idol.
Protector.
Role-model.
Parent.
Blood-brother.
Dead.
Because of you.

Others.
Everyone.
Everything.
You hate it.
But not as much...
As you hate Daniel Felipe Diaz.

Yourself.

Chapter 8: Turn Back

Summary:

You have chosen to turn back. This is how your story will end. No matter what, stand by your choice.
And remember, that sometimes, Life Is Cruel...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Turn Back

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel asked his older brother, begging him to get them out of this. Begging Sean to once and for all, put a stop to the endless running. Daniel's so tired, in both mind, body, and soul. A vacation would do the boy good. Just laying on the beach, eating a Chock-O-Crisp, drinking an ice-cold soda of his choice. Meanwhile, Sean would be next to him, sitting in a chair, scolding him for being too lazy to go for a swim in the ocean.

It's the life Daniel would want. However, that life only exists on the other side of the border. And to get there, he'd have to do horrible things. He would have to kill so many people. Assholes they might be, but still, they're people. People trying to do their jobs. Hurting them, killing them… it wouldn't be right. Still, what life could the wolfbrothers possibly have in America?

Fuck. An internal conflict grows inside Daniel's mind at an alarming rate. Three police officers are closing in on them, weapons drawn. Daniel can feel the panic about to begin. And Sean? He hasn't moved. The older brother he's spent the last decade looking up to just sits with his forehead resting on the steering wheel. Sean always had answers. Whenever Daniel had a problem, Sean could always help him, be it school, or personal. But now, he just looks defeated. By life itself.

"Sean?" Daniel tries to shake some life into his brother.

"They're coming, Sean. What- what are we going to do?" Daniel's voice breaks, revealing how afraid he truly is. But the one person who's always remained a rock for him is reduced to a useless bag of sand. Sitting there in silence, in misery, and defeat.

"Sean, please. Talk to me. You- you have a plan, right? You always did?" He wasn't sure if he just imagined it, but it looked like Sean's entire body tensed up.

"Sean. Maybe we should-" Daniel stops for a second. Once he says this, there's no going back. However, with Sean acting like this, he can't see any other way out. Daniel takes a deep breath, gathering all courage he's got.

"Maybe we should just… give up? You know, surrender?" At least now, Sean reacted. He leaned backward, slowly dragging his palms across his face.

"I- I can't, Daniel. I just… can't. Do you know what happens in prison? To people like… us?" Daniel's remaining eye widened. He's only ten, but he knew. He's heard all about why you should never drop the soap in the prison showers. All about how a young teenager's considered to be "fresh meat" by other inmates. Daniel had once been the fresh meat in a similar situation. To this day, he still considers it to be the worst night of his entire life. Just the thought of it happening to Sean regularly makes him want to scream.

"I- I- what do we do, Sean?" Daniel asked as the panic kept rising in his voice. A moment of silence passed before Sean gripped the steering wheel firmly.

"We run, Enano. Away from here. Far away. And then, we keep running like the free wolves we are." Daniel can't believe what he just heard. He doesn't want to run anymore. He's sick of it. All he wants is a normal life.

"But- but, Sean? I- I don't want to run anymore. I'm tired, big brother. So tired." Daniel cries his heart out, but Sean's not listening.

"Just trust me, Daniel. We'll be alright, I promise." He sounds so confident, so secure, so- so safe. And Daniel wants to believe him, more than anything. But he can't.

"Can't you just figure out a way across the border, Sean? You always have a plan. For everything." Daniel tells his brother with a face full of tears. Sean sighed, sounding almost angry.

"That's what you think, huh?" Sean said silently while his right eyebrow twitched nervously.

"You wanna know what my plan was from the beginning, Daniel?" Sean asks him with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Do you want to know… what my fucking grand plan for us actually was before it all went to shit?!" Sean almost screams at his crying little brother. Daniel's left in a state of hurt and shock.

"Here's the thing, Daniel. I had no plan, I never fucking did! We were gonna leave, and then, we were gonna figure things out. That's it, that's the grand fucking plan! I had no fucking idea what I got us into. It's- it's all my fault." Sean's voice screams with rage, but his eyes betray him. Daniel knows him better than that. Sean's eyes tell a story of a young boy, forced into becoming a parental figure at the age of seven. His inner child had died, many years ago, leaving behind both mental and physical wounds that would never heal.

Daniel had to resist the feeling in his gut. The feeling Sean told him to always go with. The feeling that repeatedly screamed the same two words at him.

"Get out!"

But he didn't. Sean's his brother, no matter what. And he hates to see him in so much pain. Slowly, Daniel wraps his short arms around his brother, letting Sean cry into his chest. It felt strange, being on the other side of it. Strange, but also good, in a way. The wolfbrothers comforted each other in a moment of silence neither wanted to end.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel. I- I fucked up so much." Sean cries out.

"Shh, Sean. It's ok, I forgive you, wolfbrother." Daniel's not sure what to do. He tries to remember what Sean did to comfort him. He ends up rubbing his palm on Sean's back, hoping his brother finds it even half as comforting as he did.

Eventually, the wolfbrothers break their embrace. Sean felt like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Daniel, however, felt like the same weight had moved into his gut, making it difficult to breathe. Meanwhile, Sean seemed more confident than ever before.

Then it happened.

"Hold on tight, little cub," Sean said with decisiveness in his voice as he started the car.

"Sean?! What- what are you doing?! Are you crazy?!" Daniel yelled while pointing at the officers appearing to take aim.

"We've got no other choice, Daniel. We have to, ok?! We have to!" Sean screamed at his face. All of his confidence had evaporated. Taking its place, was panic. Raw, dangerous panic. With a roaring sound, Sean turned the car around, heading in the opposite direction. Away from the border.

"You don't, Sean! You don't have a fucking choice! But I do, Sean! I. Fucking. Do." Daniel shouted at his older brother full of rage, full of panic, full of- full of disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. But this is the only way we'll ever be free." Sean said with a much more calm tone, but no less confidence in his decision. Daniel felt the tears pouring down his face. He didn't want to say this. It made him feel like a horrible little brother. But he had to.

"Sean, please stop the car." Daniel whimpers, begging the brother he idolized to pull over.

"What?! No way, Daniel. Just- just- trust me, man. Everything's gonna be ok. I'll protect you." Yeah. Just like you did with Hank Stamper, or Brody, or Finn, or David, or even your own fucking self. Twice you almost died, Sean. One of those was an accident. The other wasn't.

Daniel comes to the most horrifying realization in his young life. During their journey, Sean's constantly chosen other things over his little brother's safety and health. When Daniel nearly froze to death on the streets, Sean didn't spend their last dollars on a jacket for his sweet little Enano.

He spent it on drugs. The very same drugs that caused him to overdose in an alley, making him clinically dead for a few minutes.

When Daniel was afraid, in desperate need of a hug and someone to talk to, what did Sean do? Did he talk to Daniel? Did he wrap his arms around him, telling him that it's ok to be afraid? No, he did not. What did Sean do?

He drank. He became his father's son, fulfilling his destiny by beating the brother he swore to protect.

These moments play in Daniel's mind on a constant loop. He wants to stay with Sean. He loves his brother more than anyone or anything in the entire world. But he can't live that life. And neither can Sean. Daniel suffered a lot because of Sean's mistakes. But he also had to sit on the sidelines, watching as the brother he loved and felt safe with, slowly turned into the father he hated and feared. More running would only cause the wolfbrothers more pain. Daniel makes a high-pitch whining sound, realizing what's about to happen.

"Stop the car, Sean. You're- you're scaring me. Just stop, please. I- I love you." Daniel could barely get the words out. Not that it mattered though, Sean ignored them. Here, the young wolf knew that the brother he loved had lost his ways. The real Sean, the one he grew up with, would never ignore him. Especially not when he's afraid. He's not proud of what he's about to do, but he has to.

"I'm sorry, Sean. But it ends here." Daniel says with a shaky, yet very firm voice. Sean looks at him in confusion.

"What?! What are you talking about?!" Sean tries to make sense of the situation as police sirens close in on them.

"No more running." Daniel extends his right arm, witnessing the horror in his older brother's eyes. From one second to the other, the car comes to an immediate stop. Sean desperately stomps on the gas pedal, knowing it makes no difference.

"No, no, no… Enano? What- what are you doing?" Sean looks at him, appearing to be absolutely heartbroken. Daniel doesn't respond. He couldn't. It would be too painful. One brief motion of his hand and the door opens.

"I'm so sorry, Sean. But you gave me no choice." Daniel uses his powers on Sean, throwing him outside the car, down on the ground with his hands in front of him. Meanwhile, Daniel raises his own hands above his head, stepping out of the car. He gets down on the ground while holding Sean in place. Sean didn't struggle. He could feel it. All Sean did, was cry. Loud, heartbreaking sobs, as he realized what just went down.

His little brother had betrayed him.

Daniel had betrayed him.

When the police officers close in on Sean, Daniel released the hold on him. The very second he did, a massive wave of guilt hit him like a slap to the face.

"What have I done?" He whimpers into the desert sand. One decision, made out of sheer panic. Now, things will never be the same. Daniel's pulled to his feet by one of the officers. The man kneels in front of him.

"Hey, kid. Are you alright?" No. He's not. Daniel shakes his head. In the corner of his eye, he sees the other two officers lifting Sean to a standing position. His brother isn't wearing any handcuffs. Guess they finally understood that he can't bend his arms that way, due to all his injuries. At least that's something. Daniel feels regret. Why did he act on an impulse? He looks at Sean. Daniel wants to hug him, tell him how sorry he is, that he didn't want this to happen. Then, Sean looks back at him. Just one look. But it said more than words ever could.

"Why?" One word, visible in the eyes of his brother. Just one. But it was more than enough. Sean made no effort to resist as the officers began to lead him towards a car. Daniel made a mistake, a horrible mistake. Sean must know. He can't let Sean hate him forever.

"No! Sean, come back! I- I love you!" Daniel scratched and clawed to get out of the officer's hold. Then he ran for Sean. His brother had stopped walking, standing still with his back turned against him. Only when Daniel raised his arms, preparing to wrap his arms around his older brother, did Sean turn around. Daniel could feel the fabric of Sean's wolf-hoodie as he looked up at his brother's face.

"Oh, shit-" A quick thought that went through his head. But he didn't have time to act on it. Two seconds later, Daniel Felipe Diaz feels a burning pain around his nose, along with a familiar metallic taste in his mouth. Sean had knocked him to the ground.

"How could you, Daniel? How fucking could you?!" Sean screams while three officers attempt to hold him back.

"I did everything for you, Daniel. Everything. I stood up for you, protected you- if it wasn't for me, you'll be dead. DEAD!" Sean's words are full of hatred and betrayal.

"You were my brother, Daniel. My Enano. I loved you. I- I fucking loved you." Sean screams at his younger brother. It takes the combined strength of three police officers to drag Sean to the car and get him inside. Daniel's left of the ground, face covered in blood and tears as he watches the car drive off into the horizon.

Each brother left the border in different ways, conditions, and with different consequences. One brother, angry and disappointed at the other. The other brother, angry and disappointed at himself. However, one thing they had in common.

They were both angry and disappointed at Daniel Felipe Diaz.

United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility…

USP Florence ADMAX…

Six months later…

Sean had thought it to be a sick joke when his lawyer had told him. But then again, his entire life is nothing but a sick joke. His trial had been a joke, and everybody involved had knows about it. He didn't care to answer any of the questions given to him. What would be the point? He's already fucked. And even if he wasn't, nothing is waiting for him out there. Nothing and no one.

Daniel. Enano. The one thing that had kept him going over the last ten years. The one thing that could brighten him up during his darkest moments. He had betrayed Sean. His own flesh and blood, turning on him, spitting him in the face. After everything Sean did for him. Everything he sacrificed. He dropped out of high school to get a job, just to be able to buy Daniel shit. Be it necessary, or unnecessary. That decision alone had completely derailed any hopes of a future for Sean. But he did it without hesitating.

He did it because he loved his brother. Loved…

It's a shame the kid never loved him back. He proved that once and for all by betraying him at the border. He didn't even speak up at the trial. Daniel was the key witness. The one that could've turned things around in Sean's favor, but no. he just sat there, silent. His silence had been the final nail in Sean's coffin. Now, he will spend the rest of his rotten life inside this hell-hole.

USP Florence ADMAX, located in the outskirts of Florence, Colorado. The name itself didn't tell Sean much if anything. However, the more his lawyer revealed about the place, the more his eyes had widened. He's heard about this place. And what it is known as.

"The worst prison in America."

A maximum-security facility designed specifically for the secure housing of those prisoners most capable of extreme, sustained violence toward staff or other inmates. Why they felt the need to put a seventeen-year-old boy there, Sean could not for his life understand. According to his lawyer, they wanted to "state an example".

Sean Diaz now spends 23 hours a day, locked inside his cell. A cell, consisting of nothing else but concrete. No windows, no colors, no air, nothing. Just a fucking hole in the floor to shit in, and it's right next to his fucking bed. A bed without sheets or anything even remotely soft. Once a day, Sean's allowed to go outside his cell for one hour. No more, no less. If he doesn't want to, it's solitary for a week. At least he thinks it was a week. He doesn't want to ask.

During this short hour, he's got three options.

Option one, outside. Supposedly, few inmates ever went outside. Since the concrete walls made Sean lose his mind, this had been his first choice. It felt like a good time to breathe some fresh air, perhaps even run a little. As soon as he stepped outside, Sean understood why nobody ever went outside. What a depressing sight. Surrounding him was a concrete wall, even higher than the one at the border. Barbed wire is everywhere, and to top it off, there's a fucking fence built on top of the place. Sean felt like he was in some kind of birdcage. The yard itself?

Sand. Just… sand. He couldn't do shit here.

Option two, socialize with other inmates. Sean had yet to try this, nor did he have any intention to do so. It's bad enough to have people whistling after him in the hallways, calling out "fresh meat" after him. But even worse is the fact that he knows the other type of people that this prison holds. And that really fucking terrifies him. A few days ago, Sean had seen a short, chubby guy, with no hair, walking through the hallways with a bunch of guards. Sean could've sworn that the man in question was "El Chapo." One of the most infamous drug lords in history. What the fuck has happened with Sean's life? Either way, he's staying the hell away from the other inmates as much as possible.

Option three is the break room. This is where Sean spends his hour. There's not much to do, and he doesn't want to be close to other people. He ended up getting a pencil and some paper. At first, he planned to draw. Sean's never been much of an artist. But now, he's got all the time in the world to become one. Plus, it would be the closest he'll ever get again to beating Daniel. To beat the ever-living shit out of that child. Beat him until he cries for mercy. Mercy that Sean will not give him because Daniel had none towards him.

However, he feels so uninspired by the surroundings. Nothing here feels even remotely interesting to replicate on a drawing. Instead, Sean begins to write. He writes to Daniel. A letter that he knows Daniel will never read since Sean's not allowed to send them. Still, he needs to let out some steam.

"Hi, Daniel. I would write a date here, but I don't even know what day it is. I don't know because they don't let me. Thanks to you. Why did you do it, Daniel? Why? So you could go back to Beaver Creek, live with grandma Claire? Is that why? No, it's not. You hate me, don't you? You always did. You were the smart brother, the one with a future. And me, I'm just the loser. The high school dropout, always getting into fights. People always looked down on me. But not you. You were the cute, adorable, innocent little boy that couldn't hurt a fly. Oh, if they knew, Daniel. If they only fucking knew. If only you knew…" Sean hesitates for a second.

"If only you knew… how much I love you, Enano." Sean's eyes fill with tears, but his heart fills with something else.

Pain.

Sorrow.

Loneliness.

Hurt.

Betrayal.

In an act of rage, Sean takes the pencil, making a large "X" over the text he just wrote. Below, he writes something else.

"I hate you. With all of my heart, Daniel Felipe Diaz, I fucking despise you. I have no Enano anymore. Fuck you, Daniel. Just… fuck you!" Sean breaks down in tears upon realizing that the only person he ever cared about has become the one he hates the most.

Panama City Beach, Florida…

Daniel wanted it. Now, he got it. A beautiful house, right next to the beach. A room of his own. Every day, he could wake up to the sound of waves. It feels so peaceful. Every day, Daniel could do nothing but lay on the soft sand on the beach. He could enjoy how it wasn't boiling him alive, like the sand in the desert of Arizona. But instead, it felt just hot. In a more cozy way. He could lie there, eating a Chock-O-Crisp before it would melt while sipping on an ice-cold beverage.

He could do all of that.

But he doesn't want to. Even now, when he doesn't have to run any longer…

It all went to shit.

The guilt he felt over turning his brother in nearly broke him. Daniel had hoped to see him during the trial, however, he wasn't allowed to. As a last, meager attempt to save his brother, Daniel refused to answer any questions during the trial. He didn't want to give them anything they might use against Sean. When the news broke that Sean would be sentenced to life in prison, Daniel had screamed. The look on his brother's face had told it all.

"You did this to me." And he did. He really did.

After the trial, Daniel had expected to be sent to Beaver Creek and his grandmother. It's what the cop had told him, and cops can't lie, right?

Wrong!

Somehow, the FBI managed to put the pieces together, linking Daniel, not Sean, to every incident along their journey. Every incident and every death that came with it. His father, the hospital, and everything in between. Now, the public had already gotten their suspect imprisoned and was ready to move on. The last thing they needed was to hear that a telekinetic ten-year-old boy had massacred an entire hospital. However, it didn't mean that Daniel got away without punishment.

First, upon hearing from the bureau about Daniel's powers and the damage they've caused, Claire refused to let him inside her house. His own grandmother wanted nothing to do with him. She called him a "cursed child." Daniel knew she was right. He really is cursed. From there, it got from bad to worse. The bureau considered him a "potential danger" and had placed him on a watchlist. This meant that Daniel's forced to wear a monitor around his ankle. A large, heavy piece of metal, monitoring his every move.

His movements are extremely restricted. He can go to the beach during the day, at least, some parts of it. There's an ice cream shop less than two minutes away. Daniel loves ice cream. But he can't even go and buy one. He feels like a fucking prisoner. He can't buy himself an ice cream. Nor could he go with the other kids into town yesterday. Instead, he was forced to decline the offer, leaving his chance of ever making friends slim to none.

This fucking monitor. It weighs him down. Spying on him, listening to him, probably even reading his fucking mind. He would like nothing more than to just tear it off. Nothing could stop him from doing so. But he learned the hard way what could happen. The first couple of nights in his foster home had been terrible. Not because anyone treated him badly, it's just how he felt.

So he ran away.

Daniel ran away, not giving the slightest fuck about the beeping monitor around his ankle. About thirty seconds into what he's named a "no-go zone" he could hear sirens. From nowhere, four black SUVs surrounded him, and Daniel had twelve automatic rifles pointed in his direction. That's the moment he realized that he was stuck here. Forever.

He spends his days sitting on the beach, just staring emptily. He looks at the other families. The laughing children, the parents playing with them, and… the brothers. He feels dead inside. He's got no one and nothing. It's his own fault. He did it to himself. The one thing that kept him going was the hope that he'll see Sean again. He had begged that the day would come.

So it did.

Daniel's foster parents had reluctantly taken him there, telling him how it wasn't a safe place for a child. But he didn't care. If Sean's there, he's going to be there. It took an endless amount of paperwork and metal detectors to get through the maximum security facility. Daniel's ankle monitor didn't exactly make things easier. Eventually, they're told to follow a guard. He leads them to a door before stopping and turning around.

"Pick up the phone to speak to him, do not touch the glass. You've got ten minutes." So many thoughts. Ten minutes? That's it? Ten minutes with the brother he loves, the brother he… betrayed. But he says nothing. Daniel enters the room, and there he is.

Sean. His big brother.

Daniel sits down, picking up the phone. Sean doesn't move. He's not even acknowledging the fact that Daniel's here.

"Sean?" Daniel whispers into the phone. Slowly, Sean reaches for the phone on his end. He still hasn't looked at Daniel. It scares him, seeing the state that his older brother's in. He's lost a ton of weight, and his entire body trembles by just picking up the phone.

"Daniel." He whispers back to him. For one second, everything felt perfect. Just… perfect. Like nothing could hurt him ever again.

Then, Sean looked up, right into Daniel's eye. Daniel immediately knew that coming here had been a mistake. Sean stares into his little brother's soul with eyes burning with hatred.

"I hope it was worth it, Daniel, I really do, because I will never… forgive you for this. I have no brother. You… are dead to me. Dead." Sean tells him with a calm and silent tone, devoid of any emotion. Then he hangs up, leaving the room.

Daniel had been silent the entire way home. He locked himself in his room the very second he got back inside. No matter what he did, the same words kept echoing in his head.

"You are dead to me." Sean, his idol, wishes him dead. It's Daniel's worst nightmare come to life.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I'm so fucking sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Daniel can't take it. He can't do this anymore. The pain. It must end.

Desperate to make the pain disappear, Daniel rips the sheets from his bed, turning them into a noose. It comes with such ease this time that it almost scares him. Then again, he's done it before. He opens the curtains, wishing to see the ocean one last time. Then, he takes a chair. Daniel steps up onto the chair, hanging one end of the noose to the Hot Dog Man lamp in the ceiling while putting the other around his neck. This is it. He failed once, he won't fail twice. Daniel sighs sadly, looking outside at the ocean.

"If you want me dead, Sean-" He begins.

"If you don't want me as your little brother, your- your Enano…" Tears begin to pour down as Daniel chokes on his own words.

"Then… there's nothing left here for me." The young wolf closes his eye, trying to remember his brother smiling.

"I just hope you can forgive me someday, Sean. Because I always forgave you. It's- it's what brothers do. I- I love you, Sean. Goodbye." Daniel kicks the chair down, mentally preparing for the unholy pain that the tightening noose shall bring upon him.

But it doesn't.

A brief moment of godlike pain beyond this world, followed by a loud snapping sound, and the sound of a boy crashing to the floor.

The noose couldn't hold his weight and broke into two pieces, sending him to the floor. He's so pathetic, he can't even kill himself. Daniel doesn't bother to remove the noose around his neck. It chokes him a bit, but who gives a shit? Not Sean, that's for sure. He crawls into a fetal position on the floor, hiding his face in his palms as he cries out his sorrows, his regrets, longing for the sweet relief of death.

Notes:

You chose to turn back, therefore finishing your story with the ending entitled "Betrayal". Please go to chapter eleven (11) for Author's Notes.

K. S.
_

A coin.
Two sides.
Two stories.
Two brothers.
Two victims.

The betrayer.
Shame.
Guilt.
Regret.
It consumes him.

The betrayed.
Anger.
Fear.
Loss.
It corrupts him.

Two wolves.
One bond.
Now...
That bond is broken.

Chapter 9: Cross The Border

Summary:

You have chosen to cross the border. This is how your story will end. No matter what, stand by your choice.
And remember, that sometimes, Life Is Cruel...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Cross The Border

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel asked his older brother. He hated that it had to come down to this. Their story should go on forever, creating new ones along the way. Daniel didn't want to quit. He'll follow Sean to the ends of the earth if he must, but he will not quit. Not when they're this close to eternal freedom. So close, he could almost smell it.

"How does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Sean repeated the very same question right back at him while leaning backward, resting his aching skull. He didn't know what to do. The right thing to do would be to surrender. But then, what happens to Daniel? What will become of his little brother while Sean spends the rest of his life, rotting in prison? If he doesn't get the death penalty, of course. No, they can't surrender. Daniel needs him. Now, more than ever before.

"Sean?" Daniel says, reminding him about the stressful situation that they're in. To surrender at the very finish line, wouldn't be fair to the boy. He deserves better. He deserves a normal life.

"I'm so sorry, Enano. But the story of the wolfbrothers, it doesn't end here." Sean turned towards him with a look of decisiveness on his face.

"What- what do you mean, Sean?" Daniel couldn't see a way out of this. At least, none that he'd like to take. Sean put his firm set of hands on Daniel's shoulders, looking into the eye of his little brother.

"They make it to the other side, Daniel." His entire body froze with fear as he realized the implications of that statement. He swore. Sean had sworn, not to do it ever again.

"What? Are- are you sure?" Daniel tripped on his own words. He already knew the answer to his question. Even more important, he knew that he agreed.

"Yes, Daniel, I'm sure. Trust me. Just- be careful, Enano." Sean tried to remain a rock but failed miserably as his voice broke, revealing his own fear. Daniel may not like it, but he's right. Sean's right, he always is. This is the only way they can be together. He allows Sean to wrap his arms around him for a quick embrace. Then, Daniel puts his forehead against Sean's, looking right at his older brother.

"For freedom, Sean?" Daniel asked with a trembling voice. Sean looked back at him as he answered.

"For freedom, little cub." Daniel slowly steps out of the car, coming to a stop in front of it. Four heavily armed SWAT officers are closing in on him. He closes his eye, reaching out with his powers. He never realized how much his powers had truly grown since that fateful day in Seattle. For every passing second, Daniel's senses grow stronger, reaching levels unfathomable to any normal man, or boy. But Daniel Diaz isn't a normal boy. He never was.

His new abilities gave him the knowledge that would have been impossible to obtain. His hearing allowed him to hear the number of bullets, rattling inside the officer's rifles with every step they took. An extended sense of touch gave him the knowledge of grenades, carried by each member of the SWAT team. But what really got to him, was the smell and taste.

Fear.

It was all over the place. Daniel could smell it, taste it, hell, he could almost see its physical form. The cops knew that something was up, and they were scared shitless. Daniel knows very well that he too had sworn, never to harm another human ever again. Especially not with his powers. But here, he's given no other choice. This would be the last time he'll ever use them. After this, he won't even need them. After this, the wolfbrothers will be free. He looks back at Sean, the latter giving him the nod of approval from inside the car.

"For you, Sean." Once again, Daniel closes his eye. He concentrates harder than ever before in his life. The one thing that always amplified his powers by a thousand were powerful emotions. More specifically, emotions that are powerful and negative. So Daniel concentrates, digging through the deepest depths of his memory banks, looking to find the key to his own Pandora's box.

So he did.

He opened the non-existing box, letting out all the horrors he had kept inside, never intending to let out or relive. Now, he let them all replay in his head on a constant loop, over and over again. The first time he'd witnessed his father beat Sean up. Daniel had been so scared, he'd convinced himself that Sean would die. The time Esteban beat the shit out of him, only for Daniel to torture him to death afterward. When Sean tried to kill himself, or perhaps when he overdosed. Watching Sean turn into their father, beating him up in the end. His walk through the desert. The things they did to him in the back of that van. Every disgusting detail.

All of it, replays in his mind, serving one purpose, and one purpose only. To charge up his powers. Had he not been so concentrated, Daniel would've noticed the sandstorm that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. But he didn't. He did, however, hear the loud, sickening sound of thunder and lightning. It only fed his powers even more, due to his fear of thunder. When he could hear footsteps approaching, Daniel knew that the time had come.

The time to be free.

"Boy, get down on the ground NOW!" A SWAT member screams at him from a distance. Daniel opens his eye, paying no attention to the storm going on around him. Instead, he makes a quick, barely noticeable motion with his hand.

"Hey, dude?" Daniel waves his fingers at the SWAT team. On each of his fingers is one sprint from a hand grenade.

"What the fuck?! No! Shit-" The entire SWAT team begins to fumble around in panic, desperately trying to remove their grenades. But they had no time to do so. Five seconds later, Daniel watched as they all blew up in front of his eye. Four human beings turned to a single pile of flesh, blood, and- maybe- some bones. The ten-year-old boy grit his teeth, knowing that now, shit's about to get very real.

And it got real.

It got very real, very fast.

Daniel put up a telekinetic shield, protecting him from all forms of attacks emanating from the border. Then, he was all business.

Violence. It is all he's ever known. He was born into it, molded by it, with no end in sight. Violence made him into who he is. Only now does he fully embrace the violent part of himself. No more denial about who or what he is. Who is he? He's Daniel Felipe Fucking Diaz, he's a killer, and… he's fucking awesome.

The small army at the border bombarded him with all they had, failing to hit their mark every time. And for every second, their fear increased, along with Daniel's confidence increasing. Bodies went flying beyond the horizon, others torn into pieces. Cars flipped over, exploded, or even dropped on top of someone. Necks broken, tongues ripped out, shotguns shoved down people's throats. Daniel Felipe Diaz, the once so innocent little boy from Seattle, who had just been dealt a bad hand in life, is the one doing all of this. And Sean Eduardo Diaz, his older brother, his role model, has exactly zero problems with it.

Whatever innocence Daniel had left is now gone, never to return.

Daniel turns back to look at Sean. His big brother smiles proudly, giving him two thumbs-up. Daniel's face is wet with tears, and his eye glows almost red with intensity, not from this world. The remaining cops seem to be in full retreat, but Daniel's not planning on letting them escape. He looks in their direction, focusing intensely as he slowly draws his hands towards his chest.

"AAAHHH" A fast pushing motion in the direction of the wall, combined with an almost inhuman roar sends the remaining cops flying to their immediate deaths. The border gate is open for business. The wolfbrothers are free.

It's over.

It's finally over.

Daniel watches the destruction around him as the sandstorm ceased to exist, and the thunder disappeared. Now, exhaustion hit him with full force. The short distance to the car felt like a small eternity. Thankfully, Sean stepped out of the car to meet him.

"You did it, Daniel. It's over." Sean exclaimed sounding more proud of him than ever before. The brothers embraced for the first time as free wolves.

"Is it really over, Sean? Do you- do you promise?" He wanted to believe him, so badly. But, could he? Sean kneeled in front of him, offering Daniel his hand.

"I promise you, it's over now. Let's go home, Enano." With newfound strength, Daniel grabbed his brother's arm as they walked to the car.

"So… Italy, Sean?" Daniel said with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Yeah, Italy." Well, looks like it's settled.

"Deal, bro," Daniel says happily. It's a done deal. The wolfbrothers are going to Italy. Now, what's the Italian word for "wolf?"

Right before separating from each other to get inside the car, Daniel sees something in the distance. Something that moves. A cop. He's still alive, barely. And he's crawling towards something. Daniel needed a second to put one and one together. And when he did, his eye widened.

"SEAN, WATCH OUT!" Using his powers, Daniel threw his big brother aside to protect him while he dealt with the cop. Before Daniel could switch his focus back to the cop on the ground, he heard two shots. Acting on pure reflex, Daniel extends his hand, attempting to send both bullets back to their source.

He got one.

He did not get the other.

"Uh, Daniel?" It all happened so fast, Sean's left clueless as to what's going on. He stands up, first noticing a dead cop in the distance. Ok, now he gets it. Then, he looks over to his little brother.

Sean freezes on the spot. The Arizona desert might be hot, but right now, Sean's blood felt cold. So, very cold. Daniel stood in front of him, on arm extended forward like he did when using his powers. His other hand clutched a gaping wound, from which blood poured in a seemingly never-ending stream. Daniel looks at Sean, almost appearing to be surprised.

"S- S- Sean…?" Daniel collapses onto the ground, to the horror of his older brother. Sean instantly rushes to his side.

"DANIEL?!" He takes his hand, trying not to think about how cold it feels. He should say something, anything. Daniel shouldn't be afraid.

"Don't give up, little cub. We're gonna get you help. You- you're gonna be fine, just fine." Fuck, Sean. Really?

"You- you've always been a shitty liar, Sean." Daniel begins to cough blood. He's in so much pain, and Sean hates it. This boy deserved better.

"But it's ok, Sean. I- I love you anyway." Sean can't help but smile at him, even if he knows what's coming. Such a sweet little brother. It's more than Sean ever deserved. Fuck…

"It's too bad though. I really wanted to see Italy with you, wolfbrother. Ooowoooooo, owoo ooowoooooo…" One last weak howl, and then he was gone. Daniel Felipe Diaz was dead. Sean had failed at the one thing he set out to do in life. To protect his little brother, and make sure he gets a better life.

"Enano? No. Don't- please, don't. Enano, wake up. Daniel… wake up, I'm sorry." But he didn't wake up. He would never wake up again. Sean will never hear his brother's voice again, nor will he see him smile, hear him laugh, nothing. He's gone. The realization hits Sean with such a force, he can't even cry. Instead, he lies down next to Daniel's bloody corpse, placing an arm over his chest. He couldn't keep him safe in life, perhaps he can in death? Right now, death feels like a tempting alternative. His father was right. Sean's a failure at everything he does. He always was, and he always will be. Today, he learned that the hard way.

Beaver Creek, three months later…

Halloween…

Sean sighed heavily. He did that a lot these days. Beaver Creek is so peaceful in a way. Almost too peaceful. Deep down, Sean knows that it's not the small-town feeling that makes his heart ache. Nor is it grandma Claire's homemade cookies. No, it's neither of that. It's something else, or, to be more precise, someone else.

Daniel.

He misses his little brother so fucking much. But Daniel's gone. He's really gone. Sean still can't believe it. He can't believe anything that's happened over the past few months. Upon his arrest at the border, all Sean did was cry. He cried for the painful loss of his little brother, and he cried because he knew that it all happened because of him. Had Sean only possessed the guts to do the right thing and surrender instead, Daniel would be alive.

But no.

Like the coward that he is, Sean used his brother's abilities once more. By doing so, not only did he kill his brother. He corrupted him. Sean twisted his younger brother's views on right and wrong. Only now, when it's far too late, did he realize it.

They had spent days interrogating him. But he didn't care. The one thing he cared about in life was gone. Whatever happened to him, Sean didn't give a shit. Still, it did surprise him a bit when they set him free. Just like that. In a moment of disbelief, Sean had asked why he was about to be released. The answer sent chills down his spine.

"We know who's truly responsible for all this." Sean's eyes widened. They couldn't have found out about Daniel's powers, right?

Wrong!

The first thing Sean did after his release should have been to pick up his brother's body from the morgue. It should have been, and god only knows that Sean tried. But they refused to release his little brother's body to him, due to an "ongoing investigation." Sean wasn't sure if he wanted to know what that meant. Today, after three months, Daniel's body has been released. Sean Diaz is on his way to what he knows will be, at the very least, the second-worst day of his life.

Daniel's funeral.

Sean had cried the very second he woke up this morning. He cried while taking a shower. He cried while eating breakfast. This day will not be easy.

After clearing his name, Sean had received a large amount of money. Supposedly, this was meant as compensation for the manhunt against him, and his brother's life. In Sean's mind, his Enano was worth a lot more than two million dollars. He would gladly set this money on fire if it meant that Daniel could come back. But it won't bring him back. Nothing can. But damn it, Sean did everything possible to make sure that his brother get a worthy sendoff.

As he walked towards the church, Sean felt the lump in his chest growing bigger. He can't do this. He wants to run, far away, and he wants to do it now. What awaits him inside- Sean knows he can't deal with it. The pain is just too great.

The very second he entered the church, Sean's mood took a weird turn. He didn't see the depressing "church colors" along with its various decorations. Instead, the entire walls were covered with drawings and paintings. With art. Not just any art.

Daniel's art.

Instead of depressing organ music, Sean hears the Power-Bear theme song. Daniel always loved it, and Sean always hated it. But right now, it brings tears to his eyes as Sean remembers the closest thing they ever had to "the good old days."

Sean failed his brother in life, but he didn't fail him in death at least. Everything in this room just screams Daniel. The few people present wear colorful clothing. Mostly blue or red. Weirdly, it creates a sense of peace in Sean's soul. At least until he saw it.

The casket.

A blue casket, adorned with two running wolves on top of it. And it's small. So very, very small. Inside, rests his little brother. His Enano. The boy he swore an oath at the age of seven, to protect with his own life. Something he failed miserably to do. He couldn't stop staring. Did he sit down or not? Sean couldn't even be sure himself. The entire service feels like a giant blur to Sean. Claire speaks about Daniel's art, Lyla about how sweet he was. Weird, considering he hated her guts. Sean never cried. It hurt too much.

The service ended and the few people that came left. Sean's all alone. It's quiet. So quiet. Had Daniel been here now, sitting right next to him, he'll probably say something like "it's super-quiet here, Sean. Creepy." Only to become fascinated by his own echo. It brought a smile to Sean's face. Knowing that he can't sit here forever in his misery, Sean stands up, preparing to say his final goodbye.

"H- H- Hi, Daniel. E- Enano." Sean places a hand on the casket. He wants this to just be a horrible dream. Wake up, Sean. Wake the fuck up!

But it's no dream. This is real. Very real.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I failed you." Why did it have to be Daniel? He had his whole life ahead of him. Sean sighs.

"I- I brought you something, man." Claire had thought it to be strange, but Sean's glad he didn't budge. He grabs his backpack, opening it.

"I don't know where you are now, little brother. But I do know you. And whatever place you're at, must have these. Here, bro. For the journey." Sean says while placing a Chock-O-Crisp on the lid of the casket. He reaches into his backpack, picking up something else.

"I don't know if you remember this, but I actually promised to give you this one day. It feels strange to give it away. This thing… is like a part of me. But so are you. Here, Enano. This way-" Sean chokes on his words.

"This way, you'll know that I'm always with you. Keeping you safe." Sean whimpers as he places his wolf-hoodie on the casket. Then he kneels, placing his hands on the lid, whispering.

"Goodbye, Daniel. You're the best little brother I could ever ask for. I love you… Enano." Having said goodbye to his brother, Sean stands up, exiting the church. What will become of him now?

San Lupo, Italy — One month later…

Daniel's body was cremated. As much as Sean tries to avoid the image of his brother's burning corpse, he knew it to be the right decision. Daniel wouldn't want to spend an eternity, locked underground. The kid's fucking claustrophobic. Sean decided to spread his ashes in Italy. A small town, called San Lupo, to be precise. Lupo is the Italian word for wolf. It felt like a perfect fit.

Now, a Mexican teenager, traveling alone could attract enough trouble on its own. Add to that an urn, carrying the remains of a ten-year-old boy, and things might get difficult. Luckily, Sean had exactly zero problems. For once in his miserable life. Guess there's a first time for everything, huh?

Upon arriving in San Lupo, the first thing to catch his attention was how beautiful it was. Sean hadn't really thought about what to do next in life. But this place? Yeah, he could actually live here. Nature, and a lovely beach. Daniel would have loved it here, he really would. Sean walks through the town, which is more like a small village. It's a perfect fit for him. People, but not too many of them. Just people minding their own business.

He walks for hours on the beach, reaching a more secluded spot. He walks slowly, feeling hurt that Daniel's not there to yell at him to "hurry up, Sean!"

Then, Sean carefully sets down the backpack on the ground. He opens it, taking out the urn. Sean holds it like it's the most precious thing in the world. He closes his eyes while turning towards the ocean, letting the waves hit his feet. Several minutes go by without Sean moving, or speaking. Eventually, he opens his eyes with a deep sigh.

"Well, Daniel… here we are. End of the road. Italy. You would have loved it here, little bro. I know you would. San Lupo. The wolfbrothers, living in a wolf-town. How cool would that be, huh? You-" Sean comes to a stop as he feels the tears coming.

"You really would have loved it here, Enano." Unable to take it any longer, Sean removes the lid, emptying the contents of the urn into the sea. He couldn't watch his little brother get swallowed by the unforgiving sea. Instead, Sean Diaz did what Sean Diaz always did.

He ran.

As fast as his broken body allowed him to. All the way back to his hotel room, only to empty the contents of his stomach in the toilet. Now, it's official. Daniel, along with everything relating to him is gone. Sean spends hours, laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He wonders. What's the point? Of anything? Maybe there isn't a point. Either way, Sean's losing his mind here.

He needs to get some air.

On his way out, he notices something in the hotel lobby. It's a very specific place. A place he swore to never go to. He swore to Daniel. But Daniel's dead, and Sean's got nobody to look out for him, nor does he feel the need to look out for someone else.

This is why Sean Diaz walks into the hotel bar.

He sits down, ordering a glass of whatever the most expensive thing is. Sean's got money, why not spend it? The bartender serves him a glass of scotch. A glass of five-hundred-dollar scotch. Sean doesn't even raise his eyebrow. He takes the glass in his hand, feeling how his entire arm trembles. He knows he shouldn't do this. After this, it might be impossible to go back. The question is, does he even want to go back? Sean downs the entire glass in one go, trying to ignore the image that popped up in his head.

The image of Daniel, crying, looking at him in disappointment. Asked him "why, Sean? Why? I believed in you."

The scotch tasted like shit. Sean doesn't care. Nothing matters. Not even himself. He'll drink until he likes the taste of it. He'll drink until the depressing image of his brother disappears from his retina. All of his trauma, be it childhood, or more recent, Sean Eduardo Diaz will drink until the memories fade away.

Just like his father before him.

Notes:

You chose to cross the border, therefore finishing your story with the ending entitled "The Simple Path". Please go to chapter eleven (11) for Author's Notes.

K. S.
_

Myth or truth?
Truth or myth?
The question has been answered.

Drink, Sean.
It makes the pain disappear.
Easier to deal with.
It helps you forget.

Drink, Sean.
You won't feel guilty.
Alcohol doesn't judge you.
It is your friend.
Your only friend.

Drink, Sean.
Drink!
Drink!
Drink!

Chapter 10: Do Nothing

Summary:

You have chosen to do nothing. This is how your story will end. No matter what, stand by your choice.
And remember, that sometimes, Life Is Cruel...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Do Nothing

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel asked his older brother, not knowing what to do. He's spent all his life, envying Sean. His brother always seemed so secure, so confident. Sean always knew what do to, when Daniel did not. One thing was sure though. This time, Daniel did not envy his brother. Not even a little.

Daniel's blood ran cold with fear. His breathing becomes more uneven every second. And giant pearls of sweat, pour down his face. What should they do? They could go for it, sure. But it's risky. Daniel would never want to put his brother's life at risk, and he knows that Sean wouldn't put him at risk either. But the alternative isn't exactly perfect. Turning themselves in, giving up at the finish line. Everything they've gone through, all of it, would have been for nothing.

Sean would go to jail for the rest of his life, at best. Hell, they might even give him the death penalty, who knows? With the world being so fucked up nowadays, anything is possible. Anything, except giving the wolfbrothers a break it would seem. So many cops. So many weapons. And all of them with one purpose. Stopping the wolfbrothers. All they ever wanted was a better life. Why can't they ever have that?

"Sean?" Daniel nervously turns towards his brother, noticing him staring emptily at the border wall. In the distance, four police officers walk towards them with their weapons drawn.

"Daniel, I- I-" Sean can't speak. He can't get any words out. His entire body trembles with fear and exhaustion.

"Sean, what- what are we going to do?" Daniel cries out while pulling at Sean's shirt. Sean barely reacts. He just keeps looking dead ahead. Daniel could feel the panic building inside his chest. Fuck.

Daniel doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what's right and wrong in a situation as serious as this. But he's a smart kid, so he knows it's fine if he doesn't know. Nobody expects him to make a decision here anyway. Anyone and everyone, Daniel included, expects Sean to make this decision. The final decision. The biggest, most important decision in both of their lives. Whatever happens next, nothing will ever be the same. For better, or worse.

But now, Daniel's faced with another problem. What the ever-living fuck is he supposed to do when Sean's stuck inside his own head? He can't decide for them both, he's just not ready for it. Besides, he doesn't even know what he wants. Just that wherever Sean goes, he goes. Period.

"I- I can't, Daniel. I'm sorry, so fucking sorry." Suddenly, Sean bursts into tears. He sobs heavily. Daniel's heart aches by just hearing it.

"Sean, it's not your fault. We're gonna be ok, right?" Daniel tries to hug his brother, however, Sean slowly pushes him away.

"I tried Daniel, I really did. I wanted us to have a better life. Especially you, Enano. You deserved so much better. But instead, I fucked everything up. I don't know what to do because we're fucked either way. It's over, Daniel. Over. The wolfbrothers are finished. It's all my fault. There's no way out." Sean leaned his head at the steering wheel, sobbing heavily. His brother had hit a brick wall. And he crashed hard.

Ten years of solely focusing on protecting, saving, comforting, and loving, has taken so much from Sean. So much, he's been forced to ignore any needs of his own. Sean never had an older brother to protect him. He had to take all of his father's drunken beatings alone. Alone, small, and afraid. Neither did anyone save Sean from the cruelty he had to endure. Nobody could, because nobody knew.

Sean Diaz had no brother to give him comfort when he felt afraid or sad. No, Sean had to learn the hard way that crying must be done in silence. But most important of all, Sean Diaz never received any love as a child. Quite the opposite. A drunken father, telling him regularly how life would be better if Sean killed himself. For many years, he believed it to be true. Now, all of that trauma has hit its breaking point. Sean cannot think, nor can he act. All he sees is endless darkness. Darkness caused by him.

Darkness swallowing his little brother.

"What? No, Sean. There must be something we can do?" Daniel starts to panic as his voice raises.

"I- I can just think of one thing. I don't like it, but it's better than- better than surrendering." The way Sean spoke sounded a bit off, but Daniel thought it to be due to the current circumstances. Hell, he's barely holding it together himself.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's do it, Sean!" Daniel nearly screams at his brother.

"Ok. But you have to trust me, little brother. Trust me, and do exactly as I say. Can you do that?" Sean put on a very serious tone, along with the most forced smile Daniel's ever seen. But he trusts Sean. More than anyone.

"I can do it, Sean. I trust you, big brother," Daniel tells him with a serious look on his face. Sean put a hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eye.

"I want you to close your eye, and don't look until I tell you to. Do it now." Daniel could admit that it felt weird, but he did as he was told. He could hear Sean sigh heavily while going through his backpack for… something. Then, he felt Sean sitting down next to him. His older brother leaned his head towards Daniel's as he used his right arm to pull Daniel in for a comforting embrace. Briefly, Daniel thought he felt a cold, metallic object, brush against his side.

"This is the only way out, Daniel. I will never forgive myself. But I can't let them get you- if they find out about your powers- oh, shit…" Sean cries even worse than he did before. Daniel tries to understand the meaning behind his words, but can't put the pieces together. But Daniel doesn't know, Daniel doesn't understand…

All Sean sees right now, is darkness. He's in the worst possible place, mentally. To him, surrendering would mean that the government sends Daniel to Area 51, doing all kinds of tests on him. It means that Sean would either get the death penalty or spend the rest of his life in America's shittiest prison. Crossing the border would just be suicide, plain and simple. Sean can't allow any of those things to happen. If the story of the wolfbrothers ends here…

It ends on their own terms.

Sean looks at his younger brother. He thinks about everything that's happened since they left Seattle. Daniel's been through so much. Especially for someone so young. Now, sitting there with his eye closed, he looks so… childlike. His hair now covers the burn mark on his forehead. The eye patch just looks adorable as long as one doesn't know what's underneath it. Daniel sits there, eye closed, awaiting the command of his older brother with a smile on his face.

And Sean fucking hates him for it. The poor boy's blissfully unaware of what's about to happen.

"I love you, Daniel. Please, forgive me." Sean tightens the hold on his little brother before closing his eyes. Then, he lifts his right arm.

In his hand, Sean holds a gun. He points it towards the skull of his very little brother. Fuck. What is wrong with him? How badly did he fuck things up if this ended up to be the only solution? Fuck. This is it. One shot to end the story of the wolfbrothers forever. Their very painful story. He can hear Daniel's breathing. Hell, they're sitting so close, he can even feel it.

In…

And out.

In…

And out.

In…

And out.

He's calmed down significantly since Sean told him to close his eye. At least that's something. Sean got his little brother to calm down before- fuck. Enough! No more despair. Just, get it over with. Before it's too late.

Daniel felt very confused by Sean's strategy if this could even be called that. They had a few minutes at best before those cops reach them. They must act now. Why are they just sitting here? However, those thoughts had slowly drifted away as he felt Sean's embrace. Daniel never understood why it gave him so much comfort. How this one arm around him, could make him feel invincible, safe, secure, confident, sometimes even happy.

Daniel's not even aware of the fact that he's smiling. In fact, Sean's trembling body makes him worried. The way his brother spoke did him no favors either. And why did it feel like Sean held an object made out of metal?

Suddenly, he heard something. Daniel's only heard it a few times in his short life. Every one of those times, bad things happened. Very bad things. The sound in question?

An eerily familiar clicking sound. Someone's pointing a gun at him. Someone, being Sean. The realization hits the young boy like a bombshell as he opens his eye.

The very second he does, Sean pulls the trigger, firing a bullet intending to kill his ten-year-old brother and himself.

Daniel could've sword he felt something about to pierce his skin, right above his ear. For some reason, he makes a mental note to check it out at some point later. Then, his vision faded to white as a high-pitched ringing noise filled his ears.

The bullet went backward, through the gun and out into the desert, never to be seen again. Daniel turned towards his older brother, the latter looking at him with a face of shameful defeat. However, neither of them could have predicted what was about to happen.

"Daniel, I- I-" Sean began an attempt to apologize. But Daniel cut him off. Besides, how do you apologize to your ten-year-old brother who idolizes you, when you tried to kill him?

"FUCK YOU, SEAN!" Daniel screams at his brother. Just the voice of the young child caused every window of every car, wolfbrothers car and cop car alike, to explode into a million pieces. Simultaneously, Sean's sent flying backward with such force, his car seat collapsed, putting him in a lying position. Daniel Felipe Diaz no longer was in control of his own body. Everything that transpired, he could see before him, clear as day. Hear it too. But his limbs refused to even remotely listen to what his brain told them to do.

Or, not to do. He could only watch as a helpless spectator. Still, he could feel how he used his powers to create a shield around the car. He felt the emotions that went into it. All the hate, anger, depression, fear, and trauma. So much trauma. Anything that wanted to get through that shield, would have to get through Daniel's strongest emotions. And boy, are they strong? Daniel turned to Sean, looking at him with an eye that glowed almost red. His expression told the story of a young boy, that never stood a chance in life, to begin with.

Then he used his powers to push the gas pedal down at max speed.

"Daniel, NO! What are you doing-" Daniel's in a world of his own, not noticing how Sean's suddenly unable to open his mouth. His powers keep Sean's jaws closed, preventing him from speaking.

The cops start to open fire. All of them. The wolfbrothers are rapidly closing in on their final goal. Daniel has every intention for them to make it. There's just one problem. He still can't control his own fucking body. All he can do is hope for the best. He will not pray. Never. However, there's one thing he wants to do. Or, to be more precise, one thing he doesn't want to do.

Kill.

He remembered how he felt after realizing how many horrible things he'd done. He remembered that he swore to never use his powers to hurt or kill anyone ever again. Whatever entity currently controls his body, can Daniel be sure that it holds the same principles?

Probably not.

Daniel concentrates. More than he's ever had before. In his mind, he repeats a mantra of the same three-letter word, over and over again.

Don't kill anyone.

Don't kill anyone.

Don't kill anyone.

Don't kill anyone.

He saw it happening, but couldn't control a single thing even if he wanted to. Every single cop car went flying beyond the Mexican horizon. Immediately afterward, every weapon dissolved into dust, to the disbelief of the officers holding them. And finally…

And this was a very big finally…

The border gate starts to burn. Flames that were higher than the wall itself. Flames so hot, they melted the gate down to nothing, in a matter of seconds. Daniel refused to slow down, instead driving through the remains of the border gate, and through the massive flames. It created a large shockwave as the shield Daniel created was taken by the fire. But the wolfbrothers managed to come out on the other side.

From one second to the other, Daniel got control of his body back. For what felt like an eternity, he stared dead ahead with a blank expression on his face. What the fuck just happened? Sean tried to kill him, and himself? But, Daniel got them free instead? No. He's dead, he's gotta be. This is- this is heaven, perhaps?

"What- what the fuck just happened, Daniel?" Sean asks him in disbelief, barely able to look outside as if a cop with a sniper rifle would shoot him if he did. Daniel lifts his arms, looking at them. Fuck, he feels exhausted. He's gotten used to the fact that his powers make him tired. But this is a new level. Instead of looking at Sean, he looks straightforward.

"I- I think I made sure that the story of the wolfbrothers… continues." Daniel chokes on his own words as the car slowly comes to a stop. The more he says it, the more real it feels. They're free. They're actually fucking free. Thanks to him. Thanks to little, sweet, adorable, innocent, cute, Enano, Daniel Felipe Diaz, age ten. Fucking hell…

"A- are we free? Did we… survive, Daniel?" Two questions Sean asked him. The first one filled his heart with a lovely sense of warmth. It had been a long time since he felt like that. But he did so because he knew that the answer was "yes." The second question had the same answer, but it did not have the same emotion. They're alive, sure. But, they were so close to death. The tiny stream of blood on the side of Daniel's head is proof of that. Turns out the bullet actually did pierce his skin. Daniel answers his brother by just nodding, still refusing to look at him. Anything else felt too painful.

"Holy shit. Holy fucking shit, bro! We're free!" Sean exclaims, wrapping his arms around Daniel for a tight hug.

Or, you know… not.

"Get the FUCK away from me, Sean! You sick motherfucker!" The second Sean puts his fingers on him, Daniel pushes him away, to his older brother's surprise. Then, he uses every fiber of his little being, closing his fist and sending it towards Sean's already messed-up eyebrow.

The punch hit him perfectly, busting him open while sending him backward on the seat. The fact that his powers slightly helped, is something the young wolf was unaware of.

"What the fuck's wrong with you, Sean?! You were gonna kill me. Me! Daniel! Your- your Enano. Why, Sean? Just… why?" Daniel doesn't scream anymore. He speaks so silently, Sean's barely able to hear him. But he can hear the hurt in his voice. So much hurt. He can't exactly blame him. What the fuck was he thinking?

Thinking?

He didn't fucking think!

Sean rises from his seat, ignoring the blood, flowing from his busted eyebrow. The kid sure can pack a punch, that's for sure. Carefully, he approaches Daniel, knowing that this will not be an easy conversation.

Turns out that it kinda was.

Without hesitating, Daniel launched himself at Sean, hugging him tightly. The very second he saw his older brother's eyes, he knew. He knew that this is the real Sean. Whoever that person from a couple of minutes ago was, he's gone. This is his brother, this is Sean. This is the person he trusts the most.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I don't know what happened- I'm sorry." Daniel's still feeling hurt though. Just knowing that his brother tried to kill him is a trauma on its own.

"It's ok, Sean." It's not ok. Perhaps he will never truly heal from this. The one person he trusted, failing him in the worst possible way. Again. For now, Daniel brushes it off. Those thoughts he'll deal with another day. After sitting back in their respective seat, Daniel smiles at Sean while offering his hand. Sean smiles back.

"Ready, Sean?" Sean takes his hand.

"Ready, Enano. Let's go home." Daniel squeezes his brother's hand, giggling as he once again notices how it makes him feel so much safer.

"Let's go home, wolfbrother. OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO… OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!" The young wolf celebrates their newfound freedom as he howls up at the sky. Meanwhile, the older wolf sheds tears of joy and relief as he feels that now, after everything they've been through…

The wolfbrothers are going to get a better life.

Medellín, Colombia — Two years later…

"We should have known better. Things never change." Daniel tells himself every morning of every day. Today's no different. Just like every morning, Daniel gets out of bed and into the bathroom to take a piss. The bathroom in question has no mirrors. It remains unclear who removed them, Sean, or Daniel. But one thing was certain. They may not have mentioned it, but neither brother wanted a mirror inside the house.

They couldn't stand the person who looked back at them.

Neither brother could stand the person he had become.

Upon the wolfbrothers arrival in Puerto Lobos two years ago, they discovered that their father's house was in much worse shape than expected. Still, after a bit of bargaining, they managed to sell it. However, like they already had figured out, Italy went straight out the window. They both agreed that staying in Mexico wasn't an option. Two words kept them from ever wanting to live there.

Esteban Diaz.

So they left. Taking on odd jobs, here and there, slowly making their way down south. With their money draining, and the jobs paying them a shitty salary, they had to look for other options.

You'd be surprised by how easy it is to make connections within the cartel in Mexico. The job was simple. Pick up this truck at location "A" drive it to location "B" and do not, under any circumstances, look at the cargo. They weren't stupid. They knew that they were either shipping coke, weapons, or people. Sean thought it to be one of the first two.

Turns out that it wasn't.

Under any other circumstances, Sean could have laughed at it. In America, he stands out and people believe him to be Mexican. In Mexico, he stands out and people believe him to be American. People, in this case, mean cops.

Pulled over due to a standard traffic violation, Sean had to endure Mexican cops harassing him for the filthy American that he clearly is. Well, at least until they heard a sound from the back of the truck. The wolfbrothers were forced outside while the cops opened the door to the cargo hold. A very full cargo hold. The cargo?

Girls.

Girls, not much older than Sean himself. His eyes had widened upon witnessing the fear in their eyes. The cops had drawn their weapons, but Daniel had been faster. Problem is, the kid was too fast. He had intended to push the cops away, flying them out into the sea. But he was tired, unfocused, scared. He pushed the cops out to sea, just as planned. However, he also pushed every single girl into the back of the truck with full force, breaking every single bone in their bodies.

The wolfbrothers believed for a long time that the biggest mistake they ever made, was to run away from Seattle.

The wolfbrothers was wrong. Very wrong.

After destroying an entire shipment, they're now deep in debt to the Colombian cartel, which was supposed to receive this "cargo." They've been placed in Medellín, which is more or less the capital of cocaine. In a way, they can't complain. The cartel treats them good. They treat them good because they're good workers. Too good. So good that the cartel won't ever let them go, even after their debt has been paid in full.

They get to live in a large, beautiful mansion. More than they could ever dream of. The food is great, and money ain't really a problem any longer. Anything they want, they can get. One way or the other. In short, there are a lot of good things as well.

Then there are the dark things. And they're very dark.

To keep them safe, Daniel's been forced to break his oath to never hurt anyone ever again. The first time he had to kill, he fainted. The second time, he threw up. The third time, he cried for hours while begging Sean to kill him. The fourth time, a slight twitch in the face.

Fifth time?

Tenth time?

Fiftieth time?

Nothing. No emotion whatsoever in a face that once was so expressive. A young boy, once so full of life was now dead inside. That was over a year ago. Now, Daniel's twelve. One night, Sean had come home, only to find out that Daniel wasn't there. He'd been worried sick, thinking that the cartel had kidnapped him. Hours later, in the middle of the night, the door opened. What came through the door, is something that Sean would've laughed his ass off at in a past life. Daniel managed to get himself drunk. A drunk twelve-year-old should be entertaining, right?

It wasn't.

Drunk-Daniel opened up like a book, telling him how he'll never be able to forgive Sean for the things he's done. His little brother's in so much pain, and it's getting worse every day. Deep down, Sean knows that he failed him. He failed Daniel as a brother, as a role model, and as a parent. But he pushes those thoughts back. Accepting them would mean that it was all for nothing.

Instead, Sean does everything he can to pay their debt. Robbing people, selling people, killing people. It's starting to feel like an everyday business to him. The more time that passes, the less Sean's disturbed by his own actions. Sean could deal with it. His little brother, however, could not.

Daniel had realized quickly that things were about to go downhill. He just couldn't stop it. When the wolfbrothers began their descent, it felt like they would never reach the bottom. All the blood, drugs, and violence, destroyed what little innocence he had left. Daniel looks at Sean, someone he used to idolize, and he sees a monster. And he fucking hates himself for it. Still, he loves his older brother. But that's no comfort anymore. Nobody can comfort Daniel. Nobody can fix what is wrong with him. The wolfbrothers story continues, with new chapters written every day. Every day is more painful than the last.

Sometimes, the young wolf wonders. Sure, the story of the wolfbrothers continued. But it did so, at the cost of their souls. Perhaps it would have been better if their story had ended at the border? Forever. Some days, it feels like that option was the better one. Other days, Daniel doesn't give a fuck. He knows that they're stuck here forever. He also knows that Sean hates him for it. Just like Sean knows that Daniel hates him for what he did at the border.

They grow more distant every day. Neither of them speaks of it, but they both know that the other thinks about it as well. About what they should do. Their final escape from the cartel.

Maybe it's time for the wolfbrothers to go their separate ways?

Notes:

You chose to do nothing, therefore finishing your story with the ending entitled "Corrupt". Please go to chapter eleven (11) for Author's Notes.

K. S.
_

Cruelty.
You were victims of it.
Every day.
Every night.

Cruelty.
It surrounded you.
It was everywhere.
And it was nowhere.

Cruelty.
Esteban Diaz.
Sean Eduardo Diaz.
Daniel Felipe Diaz.

Cruelty.
Like father.
Like son.
Like brother.
All of them.

Cruel.

Chapter 11: Author's Notes

Summary:

Just me, ranting and giving thanks. I also explain the endings a bit deeper.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Well, here we are. The end of the road. I began this series back in November 2021 after thinking about trying a "darkfic" for a long time. The first chapter was published on 2021-11-16, and I'll admit that I was very skeptical. At the time, the entire premise that I based the story on was "Darkfic – Sean & Daniel runs away from abusive father." That's it. Those are the exact notes I made episode one from.

Now, I did entertain the idea of turning it into a longer fic. But I wasn't sure about how it would be received. Oh, speaking of which…

I was not prepared.

Seriously…

Never before have a fic risen through my "top 5 list" as fast as "Running Away" did. At the moment I'm writing this, "Running Away" is my second most viewed fic, beaten only by "LIS2 Anthology Series". Both of these are tied in kudos, subs, and bookmarks. "LIS2 Anthology Series" was published about four months earlier for comparison. So in short, the feedback was better than I ever expected it to be. This made the decision easy. Long story it was.

However, I do regret one thing.

I thought a lot about making it into a series, or just having it as one long fic. I prefer series since you can kinda "set the tone" by giving the episode a proper name, just like with chapters. Looking back, I should've gone with a single fic. But hey, I guess you learn stuff along the way…

Writing this story has been a great experience. A dark one at times, but great. A lot of things I tend to take from my own life. Especially the dark thoughts, and the way Sean or Daniel feels that the pain never ends (I'm fine now btw). From the very start of this story, I began to write down all Sean's injuries on a list. You know, just in case, or whateverthefuck. I love writing "whateverthefuck" so much… ahh, Jim Cornette rants on YouTube…

Anyway…

Here's a compiled list of Sean Eduardo Diaz and his injuries:

Cross in forehead

Broken nose X times

Broken ribs

Broken arm

Dislocated left shoulder

Three missing teeth

Busted eyebrow (at least twice.)

Concussion X times

Scar after trying to cut off the right middle finger

Various scars

Waterboarded

Tortured with nerve-agent

One attempted suicide

One drug-overdose

I probably missed a bunch, but still… damn, Sean. I'm sorry. And Daniel, I'm even more sorry. Now, about the endings. I wanted to do something different with the "Interlude…" chapter, which is why Dream-Daniel is the one to give the choices to you. I also added two more alternatives to be able to have an additional two endings.

Surrender: This ending I've named "Broken". The reason for it is simple. Sean died, Daniel blames himself for it, and feels broken without his older brother. Daniel's free, but he's so broken that he's never going to enjoy his freedom. He won't ever forgive himself. From a writing perspective, I feel really pleased with how this ending turned out. However, if you got it, I feel you.

Turn Back: This ending is called "Betrayal". Each brother betrays the other one, along with his own values, without even knowing it. Sean does it by putting himself over his brother, forcing him to continue life on the run. Daniel does it when he turns Sean in, thinking only of himself. The result is prison for Sean, and house arrest for Daniel. The unbreakable bond of the wolfbrothers is irreversibly broken. Sad as it is, I believe this is my favorite ending.

Cross The Border: We all knew this might happen. To those who got this ending, I truly am sorry. This ending is entitled "The Simple Path" as a reference to the whole myth/truth thingie way back in episode three. The myth has become truth. Sean Diaz chose the simple path in life when he chose to use his brother's ability to cross the border. It cost him his little brother. And now, Sean's destined to follow in his father's footsteps until the day that he dies. Btw, the myth became a truth by complete accident, lol.

Do Nothing: Ok, I know it's a weird-ass choice. But I had to figure out the 4th one, ok? This ending I call "Corrupt". Sean and Daniel have both lost their ways, along with their values. What little innocence was left, is gone. Never to return. They're unsalvageable, and they know it.

As much as I hated it, I chose to not have the ending names as chapter names, to avoid spoilers. Now, time to end this before I start rambling (maybe I already do).

I want to say thank you, to every one of you. Thank you for reading, thank you for commenting, and thank you for all the great feedback. Seriously, you don't know how much this means to me.

Also, a very special thanks to "Supyovalk" for comments, feedback, encouraging me when I felt that the quality was lacking, checking in on me during Covid-19, and- well, probably a bunch of other stuff as well. So, you know, thanks for that. Oh, right… a very special thanks for that.

With that being said, I hereby declare the Life Is Cruel series… complete.

K. S.

Notes:

Thank you for staying with me through this journey. Never stop howling! OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO... OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!