Four Brothers
Jan. 29th, 2009 11:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
veiledndarknessTitle: Another Life 7/?
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![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
littlewitch34 cause she's all kinds of awesome.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Two weeks earlier
"The fuck do ya mean you can't fuckin' find him?" Bones slapped a meaty hand down on his desk, his dark, beady eyes magnified behind his thick glasses. "How fuckin' hard is it t' find one dumb ass teenager in this city?"
Eddie shrugged and flicked his cigarette. "Looks like he don't wanna be found obviously."
"That ungrateful little bitch," Bones snorted. "He pulls this runnin' away shit all the time, made o' the same cloth as his bitch mama. He'll come crawlin' home, beggin' an' pleadin'. He always does eventually, don't he? He knows what's right."
Eddie grunted. He took a long drag from his cigarette. "No one's seen 'im, Boss. I checked the usual spots, nothin', no one matchin' him comes up."
Bones sorted through the stacks of money on his desk. He scooped up a pile and wrapped a blue rubber band around it. "Find him, I don't care how long it takes, I want that fuckin' punk brought back. An' then I'll give him a whippin' he ain't gonna forget any time soon. Thinks he can steal from me an' run away? Halfwit little faggot," he muttered, spitting on the floor.
"You think he left Boston?" Eddie exhaled, blowing a smoke ring out lazily. "S' possible y' know."
Bones set the money stack down on the edge of the desk. "He better not have. Take this, start askin' more questions. I own his bitch ass, he's mine an' I want him back here. He needs t' man up an' learn how t' run things here. An' if I hafta beat him into the ground to remind him, then God as my witness, I will."
Eddie leaned forward and pocketed the money. "Ya got it. That cop was back the other day, pokin' her nose in an' askin' questions."
"Fuckin' cops," Bones spat. He ran a meaty hand through his sweat soaked hair. "Move the labs. I need a more secure place."
"An' the guns?" Eddie gestured to the wall. "You got 'em locked up right?"
"Oh yeah," Bones smirked and flipped open his ledger, adjusting the totals for the chop shop. "They're secure."
He looked up from his ledgers after a moment, squinting at Eddie in the dim light. The garage office was filthy and dark. "You'd best find him. I want him back."
Eddie nodded and tucked the cigarette between his lips. "Yessir," he muttered. He left the office, his boot heels echoing on the cement floor.
XX
"Mom," Jerry bounded through the kitchen door, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement. "Mom! She said yes!"
Evelyn looked up from the dough she was flattening on the floured counter top. "Jeremiah, close that door, you're letting all the heat out," she scolded him even as she smiled. "Then come here and give me the details."
Jerry pushed the door closed impatiently. "I can't believe..I'm gonna be gettin' with her. I talked to her parents, her daddy was some kinda pissed at me, but I think we understand each other." He tugged his gloves off and ruffled Jack's hair as he passed the kitchen table.
Jack scowled, pushing at the dough he was mixing. "Don't," he muttered, his protest unheard as Evelyn and Jerry discussed his engagement to Camille. He moved the spoon in a circular motion, pushing halfheartedly at the dough. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Billy. He gripped the spoon harder, gritting his teeth.
"She's gonna move in with me," Jerry leaned against the counter, swiping a still warm cookie from the racks. He bit into it, groaning. "Mm, anyway, so she's movin' in next week. I'm gonna grab Angel an' Bobby to help me with her shit."
Evelyn nodded, passing him a napkin. "So you'd best remember that she won't want to see your dirty socks and underpants on the floor," she winked at him. "Jerry, the boy hovering in the hall is Billy, you remember me telling you about him?"
Jerry wiped his hands clean and nodded. "Oh yeah, hey Billy, nice to meet ya."
Billy eyed him silently, his body tensed and wary.
"Say hello to Jerry," Evelyn coaxed patiently. Jack hunched up, shoving the bowl back harder on the table to break the silence. "Jack, please, easy on my mixing bowl, sweetheart."
"Hi," Billy mumbled, his thumb straying near his lips.
Evelyn smiled. "Good," she nodded. "Here, come give these cookies a whirl, hm?"
Jerry passed a chocolate chip cookie to him when he finally made his way over. "How you doin' here so far?"
"Ok..I guess," Billy ate the cookie in two quick bites. He licked the stray smudges of chocolate off his fingers.
"Good to hear. I know it's hard at first, but you'll fit right in soon enough," Jerry snagged another cookie and kissed Evelyn's cheek. "Thanks Ma, I'm gonna go grab Angel. He down at the rink with Bobby still?"
"As far as I know," she nodded. "Tell them to head back here soon though."
"Yes ma'am," Jerry grinned and jogged back outside, too excited to stop and put his gloves on. The boor banged shut and Billy jumped a little, unnerved by the sudden silence. He licked his lips.
"Uh, um, E-Evelyn," he stumbled over her name. "Can I get 'nother cookie?"
She lifted one off the cooling racks. "Of course. Jack, do you want one?"
Jack shrugged and pushed at the batter. "Well, do you or don't you?" Evelyn handed one to Billy, and slipped another off, passing it to Jack at the table. He glared at the cookie and shoved the bowl to the side.
"Jack?"
He swallowed and pushed at his chair, the metal scraping over the linoleum. "No."
Billy leaned to the side, watching him curiously. "They're good, Evelyn," he said between bites.
Jack narrowed his eyes at Billy, his hands shaking. "Shut up!"
"Jackie!" Evelyn stepped between them. "What kind of behaviour is that?"
Billy rolled his eyes, sneering at Jack from behind Evelyn. 'Pussy,' he mouthed.
"Mom, I..." Jack trembled from the force of his anger. "No, I don't want any..He's.." Jack pushed the chair back to the table. He couldn't bring himself to tell Evelyn how he felt, to let the words out for once. Evelyn moved closer to him, a worried frown creasing her forehead.
"Jackie, please, talk to me," she sat on one of the chairs, both hands resting on the table before her.
"No! You don't listen, you're gonna be like Bobby an' take his side!"
Evelyn shook her head. "No, I want to hear why you're upset. Please Jack?"
Billy glared at Jack, his eyes a cold icy blue, daring him to say a word. Jack bit his lip hard.
"Nothing...it's nothing..." he choked out. "I'm sorry." He ran from the kitchen, the door to his bedroom slamming shut moments later.
Evelyn sighed, resting her head to one hand. "Jackie..." she murmured sadly.
Billy sat in Jack's vacated chair and picked up the spoon. "Want me t' mix this?" he asked, poking at the flour mixture with the tip of the wooden spoon. She nodded, watching him for several minutes.
"Billy?"
"Yeah?" he glanced at her, one hand holding the bowl steady .
"I hope you know that you don't need to fight for my attention," she leaned back in the chair and folded her hands in her lap. "I love all my boys equally. Even when they misbehave."
Billy chewed on the inside of his lip while he stirred the dough mixtures. "I didn't do nothin'," he mumbled.
"Jack is...a very timid boy. He has a hard time expressing himself. Normally, I don't step in when the boys tease each other unless it gets out of hand, but I'm worried about Jack."
A flicker of fury was visible for a second in Billy's eyes before he suppressed the rage. "We don't uh, talk or nothin' normally."
"I'd like it if you did. Start slow, I'll bet the two of you could find something to talk about," she stood up and leaned over him, showing him how to stir the bowl properly. "Give it a try, Billy? For me?"
"Yeah...ok," he leaned in against her a little, relishing in the soft fabric of her sweater, the gentle scent of lilacs that wafted closer as she did. He smiled, pleased to have her alone with him.
xx
Two days later
Jack kicked his feet back and forth on the tiled floor, his head drooping down so low that his chin brushed his chest. He sighed, gingerly touching the large bruise that covered one cheek. He hissed, tears blurring his vision. He dropped his hand back to his side, a tear rolling down his bruised cheek. It splashed onto his backpack, darkening the fabric.
The sound of Bobby's boots clomping down the hallway made him sit up straight. He inhaled, wild fear in his eyes. "No...Oh god..." he clutched at his backpack, his palms slick with sweat.
The receptionist huffed at him, her disapproval evident. "Shh!" she admonished him, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her beak nose.
"The fuck is goin' on?" Bobby demanded when he pushed the office door open. He looked to the left, spotting Jack.
Jack shrunk back under the strength of his glare. "B-Bobby, I can explain," he whispered. "I started it..."
"Explain what? That you were in some fight? Who hit you?!" he touched Jack's chin, ignoring the flinch from him.
"Mr. Mercer, please keep your voice down!" the receptionist stood up, glaring at him.
Bobby let go of him and turned sharply to the side. "Aw, sit down," he snapped. "Yeah, I remember you. Still got that pole up your ass?"
She turned a horrid shade of indignant purple. "H-How dare you!"
"That's enough," Mr. Terrin said from the doorway. "All of you. Mr. Mercer, if you and Jack would follow me into my office?"
Bobby fisted one hand in Jack's sweater and hauled him up. "Go," he nudged him forward.
Mr. Terrin nodded to the secretary. "I'm sorry, Ms. Stedman. I'll speak to them both."
She sniffed, tugging her cardigan sweater closer. "Animals, the lot of them."
Bobby growled at her as he walked into the office. Jack tripped and stumbled a little, his heart thudding painfully against his ribs. Bobby was going to kill him, he was sure of it. Jack sat on the chair to the right, his backpack tightly clasped in his arms.
Mr. Terrin took a seat. He eyed the both of them with thinly veiled contempt. "Mr. Mercer," he began. "I was hoping that your mother would come to pick up Jack."
"She's at work," Bobby shifted impatiently in his own chair. "Can we make this quick? I got Billy waitin' in the car."
Jack stared at the carpeted floor, his face flushed. Mr. Terrin flipped open a folder and made a quick note. He tapped his pen on the desktop blotter, a small smile on his lips. "Jack was involved in an altercation with two other boys during the afternoon recess. Both of the victims claim that he attacked them first."
Bobby stared at Mr. Terrin for several seconds before he laughed. "Yeah right. Jack attacked them, huh? Pull the other leg, I don't wanna wind up limpin' outta here."
"Mr. Mercer, I assure you that this is quite serious."
"Look, you can yak at me until your lips fall off but I still don't believe for one goddamned second that Jack of all people would attack someone an' he sure as shit wouldn't do that unless he was provoked," Bobby leaned forward, anger darkening his face. "So maybe you need to tell me why Jack fought back, huh?"
Mr. Terrin's lips twitched and his nostrils flared. "It's of no surprise to me, what with your reputation, you and your...brothers, that Jack would start acting out in this manner. However, times have changed, and detentions no longer suffice in the face of physical bullying."
"Bullying," Bobby snorted. "Look at him, he's too small to knock them down hard."
"Yes, well we assumed the same about you, and look where that led us," Mr. Terrin eyed him again with great disgust.
Bobby was halfway out of his chair, ready to yank the bastard over the desk by his tie when he heard the soft sniffle from Jack. He paused, hissing angrily. "If you ever talk down to me again, oh man, they won't find all of you," he muttered.
Jack put his bag down, shaking with the effort of not crying. "B-Bobby, please..I did it, I started it. Can we go home..please, I wanna go home."
Mr. Terrin smiled his slimy smile once Bobby had backed off and nodded. "Jack's been given a three day suspension. He can return to school after that. I've had his teachers gather all his homework. I do want to see Evelyn, and I will call for a follow up sit down with her. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated, no matter the child's...history."
Bobby leaned over the desk, his voice a furious growl. "You don't know the half of what it means to be so fuckin' scared of your own home. If I find out you've been talkin' down to Jack, so help you, so fucking help you, I will show you what the fuck fear is."
"Is-s that a t-threat?" Mr. Terrin stuttered, backing away from him.
"A friendly warning," Bobby flashed a grin at him. "You'd best heed that. C'mon Jack, let's get outta here."
Jack followed him silently, his face pale except for the bruises that lined his skin.
xx
Billy sighed and stretched out in the backseat of Bobby's car. He huddled down in the warmth of his coat and the blanket Bobby had stashed back there. He snuggled into it, humming to himself. A few people walked by the car, peering at him through the windows curiously. Billy closed his eyes, pretending he couldn't see them.
When Bobby had gotten the call to come pick up Jack from the school, Billy had been sure that the vein in Bobby's forehead was going to burst. He had sworn fluidly and stomped through the house, bundling them both up. Billy yawned quietly. If Jack was stupid enough to get caught, then that was his fault.
He lifted his head when he heard the swearing and the heavy clomp of Bobby's boots near the car. Jack was trailing behind him, his shoulders hunched up. Bobby unlocked the side door. "Get in," he muttered.
Jack slid into the seat. Bobby closed it, the bang echoing. Jack curled up to the door, sniffling lowly. Billy sat up a bit, tucking the blanket around himself more. "You in a fight for real?" he whispered.
Jack cringed back from him. "Leave me alone," he turned his head, staring out the window, the bruise alarmingly bright on his pale skin.
Bobby got in the car with a sigh. He sat back and lit a cigarette, his lighter snapping shut. "You tryin' to give me gray hair, Jackie? Seriously, what the fuck happened, huh?"
"Nothing," Jack mumbled into his jacket. "I started it."
"You keep sayin' that but I don't believe you," Bobby took a long drag off the cigarette. "Did you at least hit 'em the way I showed you?"
The tiniest hint of a smile tugged Jack's lips. "Yeah."
Bobby snorted. "Atta boy, Jackie. Just cause you're short, it don't mean you always be. Until you get some height on you, all you got is bein' fast, small and pack one helluva punch, yeah?"
"Mom said we ain't supposed to though," Jack cradled his sore cheek, wincing.
"Better than lyin' down an' lettin' 'im hurt you," Billy cut in. He studied Jack's face and bloodied knuckles. "You're tougher n' you look," he said with grudging approval.
"Gee thanks," Jack snapped.
Billy sat back, a laugh escaping him. Bobby chuckled as well, the sound of their amusement becoming more infectious. Jack cracked a tentative grin. "You shoulda seen Tommy's face when I kicked him in the nuts."
"Ouch," Bobby whistled. "That's a last resort, not an opening shot."
Billy snickered and buckled up as Bobby started the car. "Not when they deserve it," he said.
Jack looked back at Billy, a hint of pleading in his eyes. Billy nodded. He reached forward and touched his hand to Jack's shoulder, squeezing just a little. Jack relaxed under the feel, grateful tears in his eyes.
xx
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
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Two weeks earlier
"The fuck do ya mean you can't fuckin' find him?" Bones slapped a meaty hand down on his desk, his dark, beady eyes magnified behind his thick glasses. "How fuckin' hard is it t' find one dumb ass teenager in this city?"
Eddie shrugged and flicked his cigarette. "Looks like he don't wanna be found obviously."
"That ungrateful little bitch," Bones snorted. "He pulls this runnin' away shit all the time, made o' the same cloth as his bitch mama. He'll come crawlin' home, beggin' an' pleadin'. He always does eventually, don't he? He knows what's right."
Eddie grunted. He took a long drag from his cigarette. "No one's seen 'im, Boss. I checked the usual spots, nothin', no one matchin' him comes up."
Bones sorted through the stacks of money on his desk. He scooped up a pile and wrapped a blue rubber band around it. "Find him, I don't care how long it takes, I want that fuckin' punk brought back. An' then I'll give him a whippin' he ain't gonna forget any time soon. Thinks he can steal from me an' run away? Halfwit little faggot," he muttered, spitting on the floor.
"You think he left Boston?" Eddie exhaled, blowing a smoke ring out lazily. "S' possible y' know."
Bones set the money stack down on the edge of the desk. "He better not have. Take this, start askin' more questions. I own his bitch ass, he's mine an' I want him back here. He needs t' man up an' learn how t' run things here. An' if I hafta beat him into the ground to remind him, then God as my witness, I will."
Eddie leaned forward and pocketed the money. "Ya got it. That cop was back the other day, pokin' her nose in an' askin' questions."
"Fuckin' cops," Bones spat. He ran a meaty hand through his sweat soaked hair. "Move the labs. I need a more secure place."
"An' the guns?" Eddie gestured to the wall. "You got 'em locked up right?"
"Oh yeah," Bones smirked and flipped open his ledger, adjusting the totals for the chop shop. "They're secure."
He looked up from his ledgers after a moment, squinting at Eddie in the dim light. The garage office was filthy and dark. "You'd best find him. I want him back."
Eddie nodded and tucked the cigarette between his lips. "Yessir," he muttered. He left the office, his boot heels echoing on the cement floor.
XX
"Mom," Jerry bounded through the kitchen door, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement. "Mom! She said yes!"
Evelyn looked up from the dough she was flattening on the floured counter top. "Jeremiah, close that door, you're letting all the heat out," she scolded him even as she smiled. "Then come here and give me the details."
Jerry pushed the door closed impatiently. "I can't believe..I'm gonna be gettin' with her. I talked to her parents, her daddy was some kinda pissed at me, but I think we understand each other." He tugged his gloves off and ruffled Jack's hair as he passed the kitchen table.
Jack scowled, pushing at the dough he was mixing. "Don't," he muttered, his protest unheard as Evelyn and Jerry discussed his engagement to Camille. He moved the spoon in a circular motion, pushing halfheartedly at the dough. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Billy. He gripped the spoon harder, gritting his teeth.
"She's gonna move in with me," Jerry leaned against the counter, swiping a still warm cookie from the racks. He bit into it, groaning. "Mm, anyway, so she's movin' in next week. I'm gonna grab Angel an' Bobby to help me with her shit."
Evelyn nodded, passing him a napkin. "So you'd best remember that she won't want to see your dirty socks and underpants on the floor," she winked at him. "Jerry, the boy hovering in the hall is Billy, you remember me telling you about him?"
Jerry wiped his hands clean and nodded. "Oh yeah, hey Billy, nice to meet ya."
Billy eyed him silently, his body tensed and wary.
"Say hello to Jerry," Evelyn coaxed patiently. Jack hunched up, shoving the bowl back harder on the table to break the silence. "Jack, please, easy on my mixing bowl, sweetheart."
"Hi," Billy mumbled, his thumb straying near his lips.
Evelyn smiled. "Good," she nodded. "Here, come give these cookies a whirl, hm?"
Jerry passed a chocolate chip cookie to him when he finally made his way over. "How you doin' here so far?"
"Ok..I guess," Billy ate the cookie in two quick bites. He licked the stray smudges of chocolate off his fingers.
"Good to hear. I know it's hard at first, but you'll fit right in soon enough," Jerry snagged another cookie and kissed Evelyn's cheek. "Thanks Ma, I'm gonna go grab Angel. He down at the rink with Bobby still?"
"As far as I know," she nodded. "Tell them to head back here soon though."
"Yes ma'am," Jerry grinned and jogged back outside, too excited to stop and put his gloves on. The boor banged shut and Billy jumped a little, unnerved by the sudden silence. He licked his lips.
"Uh, um, E-Evelyn," he stumbled over her name. "Can I get 'nother cookie?"
She lifted one off the cooling racks. "Of course. Jack, do you want one?"
Jack shrugged and pushed at the batter. "Well, do you or don't you?" Evelyn handed one to Billy, and slipped another off, passing it to Jack at the table. He glared at the cookie and shoved the bowl to the side.
"Jack?"
He swallowed and pushed at his chair, the metal scraping over the linoleum. "No."
Billy leaned to the side, watching him curiously. "They're good, Evelyn," he said between bites.
Jack narrowed his eyes at Billy, his hands shaking. "Shut up!"
"Jackie!" Evelyn stepped between them. "What kind of behaviour is that?"
Billy rolled his eyes, sneering at Jack from behind Evelyn. 'Pussy,' he mouthed.
"Mom, I..." Jack trembled from the force of his anger. "No, I don't want any..He's.." Jack pushed the chair back to the table. He couldn't bring himself to tell Evelyn how he felt, to let the words out for once. Evelyn moved closer to him, a worried frown creasing her forehead.
"Jackie, please, talk to me," she sat on one of the chairs, both hands resting on the table before her.
"No! You don't listen, you're gonna be like Bobby an' take his side!"
Evelyn shook her head. "No, I want to hear why you're upset. Please Jack?"
Billy glared at Jack, his eyes a cold icy blue, daring him to say a word. Jack bit his lip hard.
"Nothing...it's nothing..." he choked out. "I'm sorry." He ran from the kitchen, the door to his bedroom slamming shut moments later.
Evelyn sighed, resting her head to one hand. "Jackie..." she murmured sadly.
Billy sat in Jack's vacated chair and picked up the spoon. "Want me t' mix this?" he asked, poking at the flour mixture with the tip of the wooden spoon. She nodded, watching him for several minutes.
"Billy?"
"Yeah?" he glanced at her, one hand holding the bowl steady .
"I hope you know that you don't need to fight for my attention," she leaned back in the chair and folded her hands in her lap. "I love all my boys equally. Even when they misbehave."
Billy chewed on the inside of his lip while he stirred the dough mixtures. "I didn't do nothin'," he mumbled.
"Jack is...a very timid boy. He has a hard time expressing himself. Normally, I don't step in when the boys tease each other unless it gets out of hand, but I'm worried about Jack."
A flicker of fury was visible for a second in Billy's eyes before he suppressed the rage. "We don't uh, talk or nothin' normally."
"I'd like it if you did. Start slow, I'll bet the two of you could find something to talk about," she stood up and leaned over him, showing him how to stir the bowl properly. "Give it a try, Billy? For me?"
"Yeah...ok," he leaned in against her a little, relishing in the soft fabric of her sweater, the gentle scent of lilacs that wafted closer as she did. He smiled, pleased to have her alone with him.
xx
Two days later
Jack kicked his feet back and forth on the tiled floor, his head drooping down so low that his chin brushed his chest. He sighed, gingerly touching the large bruise that covered one cheek. He hissed, tears blurring his vision. He dropped his hand back to his side, a tear rolling down his bruised cheek. It splashed onto his backpack, darkening the fabric.
The sound of Bobby's boots clomping down the hallway made him sit up straight. He inhaled, wild fear in his eyes. "No...Oh god..." he clutched at his backpack, his palms slick with sweat.
The receptionist huffed at him, her disapproval evident. "Shh!" she admonished him, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her beak nose.
"The fuck is goin' on?" Bobby demanded when he pushed the office door open. He looked to the left, spotting Jack.
Jack shrunk back under the strength of his glare. "B-Bobby, I can explain," he whispered. "I started it..."
"Explain what? That you were in some fight? Who hit you?!" he touched Jack's chin, ignoring the flinch from him.
"Mr. Mercer, please keep your voice down!" the receptionist stood up, glaring at him.
Bobby let go of him and turned sharply to the side. "Aw, sit down," he snapped. "Yeah, I remember you. Still got that pole up your ass?"
She turned a horrid shade of indignant purple. "H-How dare you!"
"That's enough," Mr. Terrin said from the doorway. "All of you. Mr. Mercer, if you and Jack would follow me into my office?"
Bobby fisted one hand in Jack's sweater and hauled him up. "Go," he nudged him forward.
Mr. Terrin nodded to the secretary. "I'm sorry, Ms. Stedman. I'll speak to them both."
She sniffed, tugging her cardigan sweater closer. "Animals, the lot of them."
Bobby growled at her as he walked into the office. Jack tripped and stumbled a little, his heart thudding painfully against his ribs. Bobby was going to kill him, he was sure of it. Jack sat on the chair to the right, his backpack tightly clasped in his arms.
Mr. Terrin took a seat. He eyed the both of them with thinly veiled contempt. "Mr. Mercer," he began. "I was hoping that your mother would come to pick up Jack."
"She's at work," Bobby shifted impatiently in his own chair. "Can we make this quick? I got Billy waitin' in the car."
Jack stared at the carpeted floor, his face flushed. Mr. Terrin flipped open a folder and made a quick note. He tapped his pen on the desktop blotter, a small smile on his lips. "Jack was involved in an altercation with two other boys during the afternoon recess. Both of the victims claim that he attacked them first."
Bobby stared at Mr. Terrin for several seconds before he laughed. "Yeah right. Jack attacked them, huh? Pull the other leg, I don't wanna wind up limpin' outta here."
"Mr. Mercer, I assure you that this is quite serious."
"Look, you can yak at me until your lips fall off but I still don't believe for one goddamned second that Jack of all people would attack someone an' he sure as shit wouldn't do that unless he was provoked," Bobby leaned forward, anger darkening his face. "So maybe you need to tell me why Jack fought back, huh?"
Mr. Terrin's lips twitched and his nostrils flared. "It's of no surprise to me, what with your reputation, you and your...brothers, that Jack would start acting out in this manner. However, times have changed, and detentions no longer suffice in the face of physical bullying."
"Bullying," Bobby snorted. "Look at him, he's too small to knock them down hard."
"Yes, well we assumed the same about you, and look where that led us," Mr. Terrin eyed him again with great disgust.
Bobby was halfway out of his chair, ready to yank the bastard over the desk by his tie when he heard the soft sniffle from Jack. He paused, hissing angrily. "If you ever talk down to me again, oh man, they won't find all of you," he muttered.
Jack put his bag down, shaking with the effort of not crying. "B-Bobby, please..I did it, I started it. Can we go home..please, I wanna go home."
Mr. Terrin smiled his slimy smile once Bobby had backed off and nodded. "Jack's been given a three day suspension. He can return to school after that. I've had his teachers gather all his homework. I do want to see Evelyn, and I will call for a follow up sit down with her. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated, no matter the child's...history."
Bobby leaned over the desk, his voice a furious growl. "You don't know the half of what it means to be so fuckin' scared of your own home. If I find out you've been talkin' down to Jack, so help you, so fucking help you, I will show you what the fuck fear is."
"Is-s that a t-threat?" Mr. Terrin stuttered, backing away from him.
"A friendly warning," Bobby flashed a grin at him. "You'd best heed that. C'mon Jack, let's get outta here."
Jack followed him silently, his face pale except for the bruises that lined his skin.
xx
Billy sighed and stretched out in the backseat of Bobby's car. He huddled down in the warmth of his coat and the blanket Bobby had stashed back there. He snuggled into it, humming to himself. A few people walked by the car, peering at him through the windows curiously. Billy closed his eyes, pretending he couldn't see them.
When Bobby had gotten the call to come pick up Jack from the school, Billy had been sure that the vein in Bobby's forehead was going to burst. He had sworn fluidly and stomped through the house, bundling them both up. Billy yawned quietly. If Jack was stupid enough to get caught, then that was his fault.
He lifted his head when he heard the swearing and the heavy clomp of Bobby's boots near the car. Jack was trailing behind him, his shoulders hunched up. Bobby unlocked the side door. "Get in," he muttered.
Jack slid into the seat. Bobby closed it, the bang echoing. Jack curled up to the door, sniffling lowly. Billy sat up a bit, tucking the blanket around himself more. "You in a fight for real?" he whispered.
Jack cringed back from him. "Leave me alone," he turned his head, staring out the window, the bruise alarmingly bright on his pale skin.
Bobby got in the car with a sigh. He sat back and lit a cigarette, his lighter snapping shut. "You tryin' to give me gray hair, Jackie? Seriously, what the fuck happened, huh?"
"Nothing," Jack mumbled into his jacket. "I started it."
"You keep sayin' that but I don't believe you," Bobby took a long drag off the cigarette. "Did you at least hit 'em the way I showed you?"
The tiniest hint of a smile tugged Jack's lips. "Yeah."
Bobby snorted. "Atta boy, Jackie. Just cause you're short, it don't mean you always be. Until you get some height on you, all you got is bein' fast, small and pack one helluva punch, yeah?"
"Mom said we ain't supposed to though," Jack cradled his sore cheek, wincing.
"Better than lyin' down an' lettin' 'im hurt you," Billy cut in. He studied Jack's face and bloodied knuckles. "You're tougher n' you look," he said with grudging approval.
"Gee thanks," Jack snapped.
Billy sat back, a laugh escaping him. Bobby chuckled as well, the sound of their amusement becoming more infectious. Jack cracked a tentative grin. "You shoulda seen Tommy's face when I kicked him in the nuts."
"Ouch," Bobby whistled. "That's a last resort, not an opening shot."
Billy snickered and buckled up as Bobby started the car. "Not when they deserve it," he said.
Jack looked back at Billy, a hint of pleading in his eyes. Billy nodded. He reached forward and touched his hand to Jack's shoulder, squeezing just a little. Jack relaxed under the feel, grateful tears in his eyes.
xx
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Date: 2009-02-07 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-10 01:28 am (UTC)I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far. Keep an eye out for the next chapter.