Forgotten

BOB'S POV.

The next day.

"Aww come on, it's OK," he sobbed again and buried his face into my already soaking wet shoulder.

"B-but h-he," he hiccuped loudly and then continued to cry.

"Shhhh it's OK."

This is how my morning had been spent, with a totally helpless Robbie curled up next to me, sobbing his heart out. He had woken up early and I had heard him crying in his room, so I went to try and help. Darren is going to fucking pay for this.

Robbie isn't the same person anymore... he's... broken.

"Just think about this. The police are looking for him, they'll catch up to him and then he can go and rot in jail, whatever he did to you... he's going to pay for it." He let out a strangled sob and then just continued to cry.

I held him close, I could feel all of his ribs through his shirt and it was really worrying me.

Right now I just needed him to know that I was here for him, anything he needed, I was here. He hadn't said even one full sentence to anyone since getting back here and I was beginning to wonder exactly what Darren had put him through.

He was bruised from what I could see, but whatever was under his clothing I may never know about. He could have cuts all over his chest for all I know.

About ten minutes later his crying stopped abruptly and I felt him go completely limp in my arms. I sighed, knowing he had finally fallen asleep. I carefully lifted him, he weighed literally nothing, and I laid him on his bed, then tucked his blankets around him gently.

"Don't go," he whimpered, right as I was about to leave the room.

"It's OK. I'm here," I said, walking back over and sitting down on the side of his bed. He quickly grabbed my hand and held onto it painfully tightly, breathing fast and looking all around the room.

"What is it?"

He didn't answer, he just stayed totally silent, eyes still frantically searching the room for something that wasn't even there.

"It's fine! I'm here, don't worry, nothing is gonna hurt you."

"But I'm scared."

"Don't be. I'm right here, I wont let anything hurt you."

"You promise?"

"I promise. Now try and get yourself to sleep, or come downstairs and I'll fix you some breakfast if you're hungry?"

"Hungry."

"OK, come on, lets go get you some food," I said, getting up. He got out of bed, shaky on his feet and walked slowly over to the doorway.

"Robbie... you need to eat something," I said quietly. It was so sad to see him like this, he was a total mess.

"I can't. I'll try."

"OK."

I fixed Robbie breakfast, and by the time I was done, Cassie and Josh were both awake and downstairs too.

"So how do you feel?" I asked Josh who was sat at the kitchen table, watching Robbie who was picking at his food.

"Numb. Nothing has really sunk in yet, but I'm glad to be back."

"I'm glad you're back," I said.

"So did we miss much?" he asked casually.

"Uh... other than me almost having a complete mental breakdown over worrying about you so much, not really."

"I don't see why you were so worried, all we are is a hassle to you, I'm surprised you even kept us for this long," he said coldly.

"You're no hassle. I love you guys, I want to look after you and be with you."

He shrugged.

"Robbie for gods sake, either eat it or leave it!" he spat. Robbie looked startled. I was startled. I had never seen Josh lash out like that before.

"I'm sorry... I don't know what just happened," he said, getting up and walking from the room quickly.

I sighed but I let him go, I would have to just talk to him about it later, I had enough to worry about right now.

"Robbie please eat it," I said exasperatedly as he played with his food. He looked at me through dead gray eyes.

"You don't want to be too thin, please eat it."

"It's cold."

"Well I'll make you something else, so long as you eat it and don't just play with it..."

Half an hour later, Robbie had eaten two slices of toast and strawberry jam. I knew it wasn't much but I was happier knowing he had something in his stomach.

"Daddy!" came a small voice from the lounge.

"Yes sweetie?" I said, poking my head round the door to see what Cassie wanted.

"Look! I'm just like Hayley!" she said, spinning around and flinging her hair all over the place. Paramore was on the TV. I smiled. This kid is just too cute sometimes.

"You know whats even better than that?" I asked. She looked at me and shook her head.

"This!" I scooped her up and turned her upside down whilst she giggled madly. I gently set her down on the floor after a few moments.

"Upsides down is scary!" she giggled.

"It sure is," I said with a small laugh.

The doorbell went and I walked over to answer it.

"Um... hi... Mr. Bryar... I heard Robbie was back?" said a very shy looking Taylor who was stood on the front step.

"It's Bob and yeah, he's back home but I wouldn't recommend you see him."

"Why not?"

"He's not really the same Robbie that went missing, he's in a bit of a mess right now."

"Robbie!" she cried and I looked behind me. He was stood in the hallway. He noticed Taylor and smiled weakly, then walked over.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"F-fine," he said. His voice sounded very forced.

"Are you sure? You don't look it," she said. This is the fakest girl I have ever seen. I hated the way she was looking at him, the same as normal, she clearly couldn't see how broken he was right now.

"I'm sure."

"Um... Taylor I really don't want to sound rude or anything, but this isn't a good time and it seems like you can't see that," I said as politely as I could when really all I wanted to say to her was to fuck off and at least give him a few days.

"Oh. Right. OK well I'll see you around then Robbie," she said before turning and walking away.

"Thank you!" cried Robbie, hugging me tightly as soon as I had shut the door.

"I take it you didn't want to talk to her then?"

"Not now. I'm not ready to see her again."

"I understand. What you gonna do now?" I asked and he looked around.

"Go play bass I guess," he said with a small shrug, then left the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

What the fuck could have possessed that sick man to do this to a child? Darren, wherever you are, wherever you're hiding, just you hope the police find you before I do.