veiledndarkness | Four Brothers

Title: Another Life 5/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Rating: R

Pairing: None

Summary: You can change your name, but you can't change who you are.

Disclaimer: Not mine, no harm intended, no profit made.

Four Brothers/Death Sentence Cross-over

For

littlewitch34 cause she's all kinds of awesome.

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

xx

It was strange, Billy considered as he leaned back in the metal chair. Nothing more had been said after the dinner, no side glances from Bobby or lectures from Evelyn. Billy lowered his eyelids, listening to the hustle and bustle around him. He shifted uncomfortably, the metal frame digging into his arms. He had expected to be bitched at, to be yelled, or beaten...anything but this odd, strange act. It was as if Evelyn wasn't really upset. Billy sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, wishing she'd get it over with and punish him already.

"Don't worry, the doctor will see us soon," Evelyn patted Billy's shoulder, a clipboard in her other hand. "I know it's boring here, but I need to get medical records set up for you." She favoured him with a smile and returned to the form on the clip board.

Billy sighed again. The visit to the children's aid office had not been pleasant. He scowled at the carpeted floor. They'd asked him questions, questions he hadn't wanted to answer. There'd been pictures taken, proof of the marks and scars on his skin, a case opened and an investigation now underway. He gritted his teeth. They'd had no right to ask him those questions, he fumed silently.

All too soon, a receptionist called for them. Billy dragged his feet along the way to the doctor's rooms, glaring at everyone he passed. "Right in here," the nurse opened the door and dropped the file folder in the slot near the door. "He can strip down and put this on," she handed Evelyn a folded up paper gown. "The doctor will be in shortly."

Billy looked to Evelyn, horrified. "I...uh," he shifted from one foot to the other.

She smiled and passed him the paper gown. "Knock on the door when you're covered up." With that, Evelyn exited the room, waiting in the hallway by the door.

Billy stripped off in record time. He slipped the gown on, holding it closed with one hand. He grimaced and knocked on the door before scurrying over to the bed and sitting down on it.

Evelyn opened the door, poking her head in. "Alright for me to come in?"

He nodded, scooting back further on the bed, the paper sheet under him crinkling and rustling. "Yeah...Might as well be naked for how much it covers."

"I know, not very comfy are they?" Evelyn sat in the chair beside the bed. "The exam won't take very long."

Billy fidgeted on the bed. "Why do I gotta do this?"

"Because I need medical records for you," she explained, her calm, blue eyes studying him. "We have no existing records on you and seeing as your home situation being what it was, there's no records there, either. You need to be brought up to date. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"We don't see no docs or hospitals at home," he mumbled. He squinted at the chart that lined one wall. "Eddie fixes broken shit an' wounds, y' know?"

Evelyn nodded. "And Eddie is your...?"

"Kind of like a bodyguard. He's Bones' guy in charge, like if somethin' happens, he takes care o' it."

"I see," she said. "Did you get along well with him?"

Billy shrugged. "Kinda. He was better than some o' them. Some get real ugly n' rough at night. He brought me food an' patched me up when I needed it."

"You mentioned Bones, your father. What about your mother?"

Billy closed his eyes, his skin prickling. "I...I dunno."

"Billy?" Evelyn touched his lower arm. Billy flinched back violently. "Don't!"

"I'm sorry," she sat back, keeping the distance between them.

Billy eyed her warily, his chest hitching with shallow breaths. "I..she's gone, she ain't around no more."

"She left, you mean?"

"I guess so," he mumbled, staring at the poster on the wall, the words a jumble as hot tears prickled under his eyelids. "It don't matter anyway."

Evelyn nodded sadly. "I think it matters. Family...when you can't rely on anything else, family is what you fall back on. My boys, we've made our own family now. And we're stronger for it."

Billy snorted, blinking until he was sure the tears were gone. The door opened as the doctor came into the room and Billy tensed up, scowling at the man.

xx

Billy was silent on the ride home. He curled up on the seat as much as he could, his arm aching. Evelyn hummed along to the music on the cassette player, her fingers drumming over the steering wheel. Billy rested his head to the window, biting his lip.

He followed her into the house, glad to be out of the frigid cold again. Evelyn slipped her coat, scarf and gloves off. "Here, you can put your things on the coat rack. Try not to track too much snow and slush in, alright?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"I'm going to get a load of laundry in. You don't have to stay in your room," she gestured to the kitchen and living room. "Feel free to watch television if you want. If you're hungry, you can help yourself to whatever you want."

Billy nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah...ok."

"It'll be ok, Billy. it'll get easier."

He sat down on the bottom stairs, looking at nothing in particular. He waited until her footsteps faded away from him before sighing. Billy forced himself upstairs. He stretched out on his bed, drifting into an uneasy sleep.

It was the slightly hushed words that roused him hours later. Billy rolled onto his side, tense and aware. He strained his ears, listening.

"...Bobby, you've no idea," Evelyn's voice floated up the stairs.

Billy sat up, his heart pounding.

"I ain't surprised, y' know," Bobby sighed and the sound of a can opening echoed through the house. "Look, you might know about this sorta thing, what with Jack an' all, but this kid, I think somethin' worse mighta happened."

"Those scars...that one on his chest," Evelyn murmured. "That poor boy. I nearly cried when I saw some of the markings. And he...well it was almost like he zoned out once the doctor touched him. He was there, but, but it was like his mind wasn't."

Billy scrunched his eyes shut, his heart thudding harder against his ribcage. He moved off the bed and tugged his sweater on. He pushed at the window, yanking on the old wooden frame. The wood screeched and Billy froze, panting in the silent room.

"He had to have his inoculations, he's never had a single one. But his arms are littered with needle tracks."

Billy groaned low in his throat, panicking. He pushed harder at the window, his adrenaline forcing it up higher.

"And there's old fractures, broken bones from years ago. It's really something that he can walk without a limp from how many times he's broken his left leg. The doctor swears that he shows signs of being..."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Billy screamed, pounding at the glass frame with his fists.

Through the screams, he could hear rapid footsteps coming up the stairs. He smashed his hand against the frustratingly thick glass, ripping at the wooden frame. The door slammed open behind him. He struggled against the strong arms that were pulling him back from the window.

"No...No! Don't touch me, don't ya dare!" he shrieked. He wasn't going down without a fight.

"Stop, stop," a voice chanted in his ear. "Stop now, Billy. You're safe man, I swear it."

Billy writhed in the grip. "No," he moaned, his efforts slowing.

"Shh...Listen to me now," the voice continued, the arms cradling him closer, controlling his flailing limbs. "Stop...You hear me? You hear me, right? Just us, no one else...that's it, yeah calm down now."

Billy stilled before something cracked inside him. He turned onto his side and buried his face in the fabric before him, sobbing brokenly against the person that was holding tight. A hand stroked his hair, soothing sounds near his ear.

"Shh, it's ok, you're ok. Billy, calm down, kid, it's ok. We aren't gonna hurt you."

Billy rubbed his face against Bobby's neck, he was sure it was Bobby, he knew that scent by then. He shuddered. "It's ok," he choked out. He released Bobby's shirt and with fumbling fingers, reached for his own jeans. He unbuttoned them, the tears running faster.

"No!" Bobby put his hand over Billy's. "No, none of that. I don't want that."

Billy crumpled against him, crying harder. The scent of flowers wafted over him, a smooth warm hand touching his cheek. He cringed back from the touch. "No.."

"Billy, sweetheart, open your eyes. Yes, good boy, look at me."

He squinted at Evelyn, the image blurred above him. He sniffled and shied back from her touch. She smoothed his damp hair back, stroking his face. Billy gripped Bobby's shirt, deeply frightened. Bobby held him close, murmuring words of comfort to him.

Gradually he calmed. He wiped at his tear stained face, sniffling. "I-I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Evelyn sat back on the edge of Billy's bed. "It's fine."

Billy hitched in an unsteady breath. "Just do it already," he tugged on his sweater, yanking at it. "Get it over with, it's fuckin' wreckin' me."

"Billy, Christ's sake, keep your clothes on!" Bobby pushed back at the fabric, his stomach rolling at the sight of the scars.

"No, no, I can't take this shit, jus' do it," he pleaded. "Fuckin' punish me already."

Evelyn leaned in, catching Billy's face in her hands. "Shh," she murmured. "We don't do that here, ever. The boys roughhouse but that's it. We don't use physical violence to deal with problems, Billy."

"Don't lie..." Billy whispered. "P-please...I deserve it. Jus' do it. Don't make me wait like this."

"I've never lifted a hand to any of my kids," she kissed his forehead, ignoring the sound of anguish that escaped him. "I never will. I don't believe in that. But I believe in you, Billy. You're safe, sweetheart. Very safe."

He gripped Bobby's shirt, moving away from her loving touches and words. "No...No, it's not real."

Bobby held him tightly, restraining him. Billy lay back against him, drained completely. He closed his eyes, his grip loosening only when he fell into an exhausted sleep. Bobby lifted him up and placed him on the bed. He covered Billy with a thin blanket. He sat back on his heels, sighing.

Billy snuffled in his sleep and rolled over, clutching at the pillow. Bobby looked to Evelyn, his eyes dark.

"Don't..You don't gotta say it, Ma." He stood up, his back cracking. "That scar, Jesus...What the fuck did they do to him?"

Evelyn took a white linen cloth from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. She shook her head. "Terrible things," she whispered. "He was very upset during the case opening this morning. He didn't want to talk about it."

Bobby smoothed the messy strands of hair back from Billy's flushed face. "He ran away. He musta given up on bein' used like that." He tucked a loose curl behind Billy's ear, his thumb tracing a thin scar that ran the length of his neck. "I know what happens in these kinda gangs. I think...I think he's a lot more fucked up then we thought."

"Bobby...Language," Evelyn smiled through her tears. "Really, what example are you, huh?"

"A foul mouthed one?" Bobby flashed a worn grin at her.

She stood next to him, the two of them watching Billy sleep. She sighed. "He needs so much help, Bobby."

"You never backed down from a challenge before," he reminded her. "Where would I be, if you gave up, huh?"

XX