Promise Me The Stars

Zacky woke up and looked around the dark living room, the only source of light was being emitted by the TV. He had fallen asleep on the couch again, the TV still on a rerun of Law and Order, although it was probably another episode already.

"When is it never on?" he questioned himself as he watched some cop tackle some kid on the screen.

Zacky groaned as he stood up, his back popping and shifting back into place. He saw it was four thirty in the morning and winced at his sore back before turning the TV off.

"Note to self, stop sleeping on the couch or get a comfier couch. And stop talking to myself." He added at the end before he was satisfied with himself.

He headed towards the kitchen, wanting a glass of water before he headed up to his room to get a few more hours of sleep in his actual bed. He didn't noticed the boy curled up on the floor until he looked down to investigate what his foot had run into.

"Forest?" he said in disbelief, squinting to see if it really was him or if it was just some chair or something.

He squatted down and put his hand on Forest's shoulder to shake him awake and noticed he was cold, colder then he should have been. It was no doubt from the tiles that made the kitchen floor. No matter what the temperature was anywhere else those tiles were always frozen and cold.

"Forest, wake up." Zacky said quietly shaking the teenagers shoulder. Forest groaned and moved around a little, his arm coming up and laying on his chest as he calmed back into sleep.

"Come on Forest." Zacky encouraged shaking the boy a little more.

"I don't wanna go to school." Forest mumbled wiping his cheek with the back of his hand and sighing as he started drifting again. Zacky chuckled and shook his head at how Forest was acting.

"You're not going to school, you fell asleep on the kitchen floor."

"No I didn't." Forest rolled onto his stomach, "This bed sucks Zacky."

"That's because it's the kitchen floor Forest." Forest finally lifted his head slightly and cracked his eyes open to look around.

"Well would you look at that." Zacky chuckled and stood up straight again.

"Come on, let me help you up to your room." Forest rolled onto his back and sat up, but not without groaning loudly and looking around through half lidded eyes.

"I can do it myself." he pouted running his hands along the cabinets trying to find something that would help him pull himself up.

"Forest will you just let me help you?" Zacky asked watching his son's head snap up every now and then as he slowly fell back to sleep.

"Carry me," he mumbled holding his arms up, his own way of admitting defeat. Zacky sighed, leaning down and pulling the boy into his arms before he headed for the stairs.

"You're a little old for this." Zacky said looking down at Forest's closed eyes.

"Well you missed the years when it was acceptable. Therefore, it's acceptable at the moment." Forest mumbled his head laying against Zacky's shoulder and his breathing becoming shallower.

Zacky sighed quietly and knew what he said was true. He was just glad Forest wasn't glaring and hating him like he would be later again.



Zacky pushed the door to Forest's bedroom open with his foot. The room was covered in all of his things that had been strewn around from his suitcases. Zacky raised his eyebrow and sat Forest on the bed before pulling the jacket he was wearing off.

"What time is it?" Forest mumbled.

"Four thirty in the morning," Zacky said not really paying too much attention to the fact. Forest groaned and tried to sit up.

"Lay down," Zacky said trying to push him down by his shoulders. But Forest fought him and got into an upright position on the bed.

"I can't," he said quietly, sleep still thick in his voice. Zacky sighed and crossed his arms, getting ready to deal with the stubborn teen. It dawned on him that this was another first for him, he should start writing it all down.

"And why not?" Forest looked up, like he had just realized what was going on, and his eyes narrowed.

"Get out." Forest growled suddenly. Zacky rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling, there was no winning this fight tonight and he was too tired to do it anyway.

"Fine, goodnight Forest." Zacky walked out of the room and pulled the door closed behind him.

Forest sighed and rubbed his forehead as he tried to remember what had happened earlier. He remembered falling asleep on the kitchen floor and then being woken up by Zacky, then Zacky had carried him upstairs. Forest shrugged and tried to ignore how nice it had been to be taken care of like that.

"Oh well." he sighed and got up from the bed, letting a pillow from the bed fall onto the floor.

Trudging through his things he made his way towards the bathroom to get a drink. As he flipped the light on and turned immediately to the right he was staring at himself in the mirror. Well more like Shadow smirking at him, every time he looked in the mirror he saw Shadow and Shadow stared back. He hated it yet he found himself always staring in the mirror curiously. Shadow looked different then Forest, silverish hair and muscles standing out on his arms, his hair was hanging into his eyes. A smirk always on his lips as he mimicked Forest leaning against the counter.

"Why won't you ever let me out Forest? Sure the pills will work if you keep up, but what happens when you run out? You're in California not Colorado Forest. Are you going to run to darling daddy and ask him to get your pills? He'll send you away Forest." Shadow teased mercilessly.

Forest looked down and saw his reflection in the counter, only it was him, really him. And he looked horrible. His hair was greasy, his eyes sunk in and dark black rings were forming under his emerald eyes that looked near lifeless and glazed over.

"Love the new look by the way Forest." Shadow sneered from the mirror. Forest closed his eyes and leaned back so he was staring at the floor.

"You know I won't stop Forest." Shadow pressed on.

"Shut up." he said through clenched teeth as he braced himself against the counter, he blinked his eyes several times to clear his mind and tried to block out Shadow as he kept on taunting.

"Oh Forest," Shadow sang, "I know you're taking the pills at the last possible moment, you're running quite low I saw. Just wait until you're too late, then i'll be free to do what I want. Say goodbye to Daddy while you can." Shadow laughed and it echoed throughout Forest's mind like it was bouncing off a million walls in his head.

Forest gripped his hair and tried to control the screams that billowed in his chest by grinding his lips painfully together. He pulled the pill bottle out of his pocket and ripped the cap off, as he peered inside his insides churned, there was only about fifteen left. He shook two out and shoved them in his mouth before turning on the faucet and sticking his mouth under to get a mouthful of water.

"Thirteen." Shadow said with a devious grin as Forest swallowed his pills.

Forest ignored the thing in the mirror and walked back into the bedroom. His eyes roamed the floor and then he picked up some clothes from a small pile. He made a 180 and walked back into the bathroom, avoiding the mirror as he got in the shower.



Hazel woke up from one of the best sleeps of her life. Not only was the bed the most comfy bed she had ever laid on, but talking to her dad last night and learning the truth about things in her life made a weight be lifted off her shoulders. She sat up in bed and looked around as she yawned. It was still wrecked and she decided she would clean it up before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Twenty minutes later and everything was cleaned up and put in her dresser or wherever else they belonged, it was starting to feel like her own now. She just hoped the moving truck would get here today finally so she could have her other possessions and make it really her own.

Hazel sighed with a happy smile on her face and skipped downstairs to find her father and eat breakfast.

"Morning Hazel." Her dad said as she entered the kitchen.

He was sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, it was something Hazel loved to see. It was like from the old TV shows, all Zacky needed was a pair of reading glasses and some moral to tell her after she did something crazy. It made her feel like she was a real family now seeing Zacky sitting there, only it wasn't because now her mother wasn't there.

"Morning dad." she said getting a glass of juice before sitting down across from him.

"The moving truck should be here in half an hour." he said, not even fazed by her calling him dad which made Hazel smile.

"Finally," she said taking a sip from her juice. Zacky chuckled and finished his coffee before heading for the sink to rinse out his mug.

"Forest up yet?" he asked nonchalantly. Hazel looked up and shrugged when she saw him looking at her.

"I haven't seen him, why?"

"I found him asleep on the kitchen floor at four thirty this morning."

"Really?" she asked her eyes slightly widening in shock. The last time he had woken up somewhere weird was back when he was fourteen and she and her mother had found him outside in the backyard. Zacky nodded and leaned against the counter with his tattooed arms folded across his chest.

"That's weird." She said quietly looking down and not mentioning the backyard incident or any of the ones before.

"Yeah, it freaked me out a little bit." Zacky said sighing and coming back to sit at the table. Hazel looked down and tapped her juice glass sending rings through it. She watched them a minute as they hit the side of the glass and seemed to disappear then looked up.

"I'm going to see if Forest's awake." Hazel said finishing her juice and setting it in the sink.

"Alright," At that Hazel headed for the stairs before she turned around and ran back to hug her father.

"Thank you for everything dad." she said. Zacky smiled and hugged her back.

"I'm your dad, it's what i'm supposed to do right?" he said kissing her on the forehead.

Hazel ran upstairs and into her brother's room with a smile on her face. It dropped soon after she saw Forest sitting on the bed staring at the wall. His room was spotless, not a thing out of place. It was almost creepy, it was creepy.

"Forest?" Hazel asked carefully taking a step into his room.

"Hmm?" he asked turning to look at his twin with wide and aware eyes. Hazel smiled as she saw nothing seemed wrong with Forest at the moment.

"Dad said the moving van will be here soon." Hazel said clasping her hands behind her back because she had nothing else to do with them.

"Mmkay." he said getting off his bed, not even fazed at the dad part, "I'm almost out of pills." He stated soon after, his back to her as he stood at his dresser looking in the mirror.

Hazel wondered what he saw when he looked in the mirror. Was it the same caring, sweet, loving brother she saw? Or was it the horrible person he called Shadow that she had seen only once when they were young?

"W...what are you going to do?" Forest shrugged at the question and looked at her through the mirror.

"You have to tell dad." she said suddenly.

"He'll send me away." he said looking down at the black wood that made up his dresser.

"No he won't Forest, he cares about us!" Hazel said sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands in her lap tightly.

"He cares about you Hazel, he doesn't care about me." He looked up and was staring at himself in the mirror again with eyes full of confusion.

"No one wants me, no one wants us." he hissed at his reflection. Hazel saw his hands gripping the dresser edge so hard that they were turning white.

"Forest you have to tell someone. You need those pills."

"You think I don't know that?" Forest exploded turning to her, "Who can I tell Hazel? No one, you're the only one that knows. Mom knew but she's fucking dead, that leaves you!"

Hazel tried not to let tears crack her stare with Forest as she thought of an idea, "Matt! You can tell Matt. He likes you Forest, I can tell and he's nice. He'll do anything for you i'm sure, so will dad." Hazel said.

"I can't tell anyone Hazel." he said quietly at last. Hazel sighed and stood up before she went to hug her brother.

"Please Forest, I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you. You have to tell them and you have to get more pills, I'll make sure they don't send you away. Please. If you can't tell dad tell someone else. They're all really nice and please can you try and trust them?" Forest sighed and wrapped his arms around his sister tightly.

"I'll try Hazel."

"Please, for me." she pulled away and Forest noticed the tears in her eyes.

"I'll talk to Matt." he said sighing. She smiled and then Zacky called from somewhere downstairs. Hazel wiped her eyes quickly and they made their way downstairs.

"You okay?" Zacky asked looking at Hazel's red eyes, she nodded and he pulled her into a hug that made her smile slightly.

"Just...thinking about mom." she lied. He nodded and hugged her tighter before letting go and avoiding Forest's slight glare.

"The guys will be here soon to help you move your stuff. I'm sorry I have to do this but I have to go take care of some business things. Don't be afraid to do anything you want. Just don't...you know, kill the dog or set the house on fire, common things that get people killed." The twins laughed and nodded before Zacky smiled and hugged Hazel. He turned to Forest who had his hands shoved deep down in his pockets and nodded to him, Forest nodded back.

"Bye." Zacky said awkwardly before walking towards the door. They stood in the hallway until they heard the car start and leave the house. Hazel turned to Forest and they looked at each other for awhile just staring at each other.

"So....what now?" Hazel asked. She was rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet and it reminded Forest of a little kid, Forest chuckled and shrugged.

"Game room?" he asked. Her eyes lit up and she nodded before she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the movie/game room that Zacky had in his house.

They played video games until voices rang through the house from upstairs. And the only time they acknowledged it was when Hazel yelled to let them know where they were.

"Moving truck isn't here yet?" Matt asked standing in the doorway watching the twins together. Forest glanced up at the man, remembering the promise he had made to Hazel.

"Nope." Hazel said before she stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

They had raided the kitchen about an hour ago and the game room was littered with the remains of the food they had eaten, empty pop cans scattered their feet and video game cases littered the floor from the multiple games they had challenged each other to.

Matt glanced at Forest and smiled, he mustered up a small smile and went back to killing zombies that were on the screen about to attack him. He let out a laugh as Hazel went on yelling for him to 'shoot the assholes', the language didn't seem to faze the guys much, and Forest always heard it when he played video games with Hazel. Just then a honk was heard from out front and Hazel whined.

"There it is," Brian said heading for the door.

Hazel paused the game and they all started to head upstairs, Hazel grabbing a handful of trash so it didn't look like a complete wreck. Forest was last to head for the door, trudging his way slowly up the stairs. This all meant it was real, they were about to get all the things that had been in their house, well what wasn't in a storage locker. Everything that was left in their world was about to be unloaded out of a truck and put in the home they now shared with their father, it was all nearly too much for Forest.

Matt was waiting at the top of the stairs for Forest, leaning against the wall.

"You okay?" he asked once Forest reached the top of the stairs, Forest looked up at him.

"Not really." he said quietly looking at the ground not believing he was about to do this.

"What's wrong?" Matt asked. Forest could hear the concern in his voice and he preyed that Hazel was right about being able to trust him. It was all too soon for him but he was nearly out of pills.

Forest stayed silent and stared at the ground. It was the first time utter fear coursed through his veins at the thought of letting words slip out of his mouth.

"Forest," Matt said but trailed off. He didn't want to scare the boy away, he knew whatever he was about to tell him was something serious. And if he was admitting it to him and not his own father, then Forest must have trusted him in some sense.

"Can I show you something." he muttered looking up finally.

"Sure," he said. Forest started for the stairs and Matt followed closely.

Forest's bedroom was spotless, Matt didn't think it had been this clean in the first place. He watched as Forest went over to his bed and pulled open the bedside table drawer. He produced an orange bottle from the depths of it and then looked at Matt before shaking the almost empty pill bottle absentmindedly.

"I need more pills." Is all he said, he didn't look at Matt, he just looked at the floor near the door.

Before he knew it Matt was in front of him, taking the bottle from his hand, and reading the label carefully trying to decipher the medical term for the pills.

"I'm not going to ask what's wrong with you because I know you don't want to explain, not now anyways. But once I get these for you I want you to tell Zacky. I know you think you can't trust him, hell I wouldn't if I was in your situation, but he's your father and I don't want to go behind his back doing this. He can probably help you more then I can."

"He'll send me away." he said quietly.

"No he won't." Forest nodded quickly and looked up at Matt.

"Yes he will Matt, he only loves Hazel I can tell." he cried out.

"No he doesn't, he loves you both. Trust me, you have this far right?" Forest glared at the ground and Matt sighed.

"We'll talk about this later okay Forest? Come on let's go get your pills." he said nudging the boy towards the door with his elbow. He nodded and headed downstairs with his head down, his hands shook and he felt relieved to finally have someone else know.

Right now Forest was more grateful to Matt then he had ever been grateful to anyone in his life.