Crowded Room

I stared down at Liam with a look of desperate sadness. He didn't look so hot, which I figure as much, but was hoping I was over-reacting the entire situation. Finally finding my voice, I said, "Hey." Liam stared up at me from the bed with a look of anger mixed with sadness.

"Over a week you've been gone, and all you say is 'Hey'? What the hell, Jace?" I said, doing everything in my power to keep my voice low and steady so no one would enter the room. "I've been worried sick about you, and haven't seen you in days."

"You don't understand, Liam," I said, pressing my palms against my temples; it was something I did as a child to get my thought process together. "I'm going through some really tough shit right now, and I needed help of some friends who I knew would understand." Leaning against the wall of the room, I closed my eyes and started rubbing my palms in circles. "I know it wasn't a good thing that I just up and left without a word to no one, but I was so ... furious at them I had to get out as quick as possible."

"Oh, and leave me wondering if I was going to see you alive again? You turned your phone off, you walked off the grid completely. What the hell am I supposed to do when my own boyfriend won't tell me what's going on?" he said.

So badly right now I needed Zeth to tell me calm down, and continue rubbing my temples, but at the same time I wanted the bastard to jump off a cliff with Jarrek strapped to his back and land on a the sharpest rock. I heard the door open and opened my eyes looking up and seeing Jarrek and Zeth walk in.

Zeth looked so different. His green eyes were hardened, black hair wasn't as messy as it used to be -- it was cropped and slicked back, the ends a bit frayed. He even walked different, even. As I studied him more, trying to figure out everything that's changed, I was broken out of my reverie by Liam who was staring at me and Zeth with a look of confusion.

"Liam... meet my older brother, Zeth," I said, looking back at my brother with a look of shyness.

"I thought he was dead?" he asked, not caring to be nice about it.

"So did I, and everyone else. Well, everyone but Jarrek, apparently," I said, muttering along the lines of him being a selfish asshole.

"Oh, so it's his fault that he was trying to save you the agony of truth that your brother isn't really dead?" Liam spat, looking at me with more anger than ever.

"Agony of truth? He knew that I was devastated that my only living family was dead, and keeping the fact that Zeth was truly alive from me is so much worse. I would have been so much better off knowing right off the bat." I clenched my fists, sank to the floor, and started rocking. It was something that happened when I started to black out.

I felt hands on my shoulders, but I didn't dare re-open my eyes again. Faintly, I heard footsteps and voices, the only words I caught were angry and unstoppable. Everything and nothing made sense. My brain wasn't working yet it wouldn't stop.

Before I knew it, I was in a peaceful place where nothing could go wrong.

Time Elapse

I opened my eyes after what seemed like days, but apparently had been only a few hours. I saw Zeth sitting silently in the corner. We were in a different room, away from Jarrek and Liam. "How you feelin'?" he asked, his voice sounding tired. I stared at him for a long moment before I answered.

"I'm okay," I said, looking up at the ceiling. "Thanks for not letting it get too out of hand," I continued, knowing he knew what I was talking about.

"It's what brothers are for," he said, a yawn escaping his mouth. "I need to apologize. I know -- and please don't say anything -- I haven't been the greatest brother in the world, and I know I hurt you like hell, I just didn't know what else to do."

Looking at him again, I saw he wasn't lying, but wanting everything to work out like it had before his so-called death. "It took me forever to finally accept that you were gone, and now, I have to get used to you being alive again." Zeth nodded, standing up and walking over to the bed. Jumping up onto the end by my feet, he crossed his legs and fiddled with his pants.

I heard the door open and looked past his shoulder to see Liam. "Could you come back another time, please?" Zeth asked, not turning around.

"I just need to talk to--" he started, but Zeth interrupted.

"Another time, please?" Zeth said a bit louder and a bit more harsh. Liam weakly lifted his hands and walked out, closing the door behind me. I stared at Zeth for a long moment, realizing he had hardened from the carefree son of a bitch that used to live on the edge and give society the finger at the same time.

"What's happened to you?" I asked gingerly, sitting up and reaching out for him. He shrank back, looking up at me. "Zeth..."

"I'm still trying to figure out how to explain everything. Give me time, please?" he asked, looking as if he was about to cry and as if he were ready to punch the next guy who bugged him at the same time.

"I'm sorry," was all Zeth said next before standing up and walking out of the room. Liam walked in a moment later, his eyes hardened. He didn't say a word, just stared at me.

For what seemed like eternity, we stayed like that, staring at each other and trying to figure out what was going to happen next.