A Far Cry From Innocence.

"Ughh," I groaned for probably the thousandth time in the last hour. I looked at the clock on the wall, the time nearing 9'o'clock. I sighed and tapped my fingers on my crossed arms impatiently. My nurse had disappeared over half an hour ago to get me another glass of water, and still hadn't come back.

I looked over at Brian, sitting in the chair by my hospital bed. He was tapping his fingers on his crossed arms just like me. He was probably just as hungry, tired, and grumpy as I was. He stood up and paced for a couple minutes before throwing his hands in the air, "How long does it take to get a fucking glass of water? And to get some fucking test results back?"

"Jesus Christ, Haner, just shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down," Val grumbled in annoyance as he rolled her head over to look at him.

Even though he wasn't the one who had said it, Brian glared at Zacky. Zacky just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms and glaring at the wall. Everyone was annoyed with my brother, but I was glad he was still here and the doctor had let him back in after fighting with Zacky and punching Matt.

I looked over at Matt, dark circles around his eyes and a bandage over the bridge of his nose. Brian hadn't broken it, luckily. And they had apparently made up and already forgotten the whole thing. Matt had said he was sorry for sending Zacky when he knew Brian was mad at him and they were good again.

I sighed and looked at my dad, falling asleep in a chair with my sleeping half sister in his lap. "Ughh, can we leave yet? I'm starving." I pouted, like that might help even though I knew it wasn't up to him.

He opened his eyes and sat up a little, trying to wake up. "We'll know as soon as the doctor tells us; when your test results are done." My dad sighed, I knew he was ready to leave too.

I sighed and laid my head back on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. I felt like this was taking longer than it needed to and the tension between Brian and Zacky was making thing uncomfortable. I jumped when my brother broke the silence.

"Will you stop fucking glaring at me, you little prick?" he hissed, glaring at Zacky. He had stopped pacing and was facing Zacky, looking ready to march over and punch him in square in the nose; something told me he'd be a lot less merciful than he had been toward Matt.

"I will when you stop being an assfuck," Zacky stated simply, the glare staying on his stern and annoyed face. Tension mounted and I shifted awkwardly, just waiting for them to starting fighting again.

Brian scoffed a sarcastic laugh and smirked. "I'll stop being a assfuck... as soon as you stop being a pedophile." His eyes eye vicious and he watched Zacky lose his confident mask. Everyone looked at Brian in shock and curiosity. "Oh, that's right, no one else knows. Why don't you tell them Zachery? Why don't you tell them how you're in love with a kid?" Zacky looked wordlessly at the floor, ashamed. "He wants to fuck an underage girl." He smirked wickedly, enjoying the effect this was having on his bandmate.

"Is that true, Zacky?" I had realized it was me who had said it until he looked up at me. He tried to say something but words seemed to stick in his throat as he stuttered and chewed on his snake bites. Finally, his eyes just fell to the ground.

"Do you see why I wanted you to stay away from him, Avi? He's a fucking sicko," Brian spat. He looked at me, "I was just trying to protect you from it." He looked at everyone, everyone was shocked and confused. Brian made a face, "So everyone go on and call me the bad guy. Treat me like I'm the sack of shit!"

It couldn't be right, there had to be something Brian wasn't tell us. I knew there was. He was hiding something. He had to be, right? Even if there wasn't, did it really call for Brian to act so vicious and hateful toward his best friend? And did I really want to be around for that behavior? Suddenly, I made a decision that I knew would probably make Brian hate himself.

"Dad?" I looked at him, fidgeting with my hands nervously. I had called him the night before in my rage and ask if I could come back home. I had changed my mind about it when I woke up, but I didn't want to be around Brian when he was acting like this. "Can I come home?"

I was right. Brian's face went from smug and angry to horrified the second the words left my mouth. He looked at me and shook his head, "Avigaiel, no..." He looked at me pleadingly before shooting a glare at Zacky, "This is all your fucking fault!" He ran toward him and knocked him out of the chair.

"BRIAN, NO!" I jumped up out of the bed and pulled at him but was too weak. "Brian, stop it! This is why I'm leaving," I yelled in frustration.

I watched as our dad carefully transferred McKenna from his lap to Suzy's then walked over to rip Brian away from Zacky. "Brian, get your ass outside," he ordered, giving my brother a push toward the door. When he did nothing, dad grabbed him by the hear and dragged him out with Brian hissing in pain. Everything was silent.

Suzy bit her lip and looked at me. "You can come home, but are you sure that's what you want?" She cast a skeptical glance toward Zacky as he got to his feet then looked back at me.

I sighed and nodded. "I can't be around that." I looked at Zacky when he cringed and rubbed his arm. "Not you, Zacky. You and Brian, fighting all the time. I don't want to deal with that." I gave him a half smile, "I don't care who you like, I know you're smart enough to not do something stupid." He smiled back at me appreciatively. I sighed, "But I should probably talk to Brian, just so he doesn't feel too hurt or take it too personally."

"Yeah, 'cause we'd all hate for that bastard to feel hurt and get depressed or anything," Zacky muttered bitterly, rolling his eyes.

I looked at him defensively but said nothing. I didn't need to say anything. I didn't really blame him for saying it but Brian was still my brother and I wasn't going to agree with his hostility.

The doctor stepped back into the room, looking over the papers on his clipboard. He looked up and me and smiled, "Well, Avigaiel, everything looks fine. You'll have that bump on your head for a while and those cuts on the back of your legs will heal like any other cut. You're free to go home whenever you'd like." He shook hands with my companions and said goodbye before leaving the room.

Perfect timing. I climbed out of the bed and pulled on the sweats Brian had packed for me. I looked at everyone as they got up and gathered themselves to leave. I lead the way out, jogging in hopes to find my brother. When I got outside, I didn't see him or his car, so I walked over to my dad. "Where'd Brian go?"

He shook his head as we walked ot the car. "I don't know. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't want to hear any of it. He just got in his car and left." He shrugged and pulled me into a half hug as we walked. "Let's say we find you some food?" I nodded and climbed into the car with a grin.

I laid on the couch in my dad and Suzy's house, feeling like I would never have to eat again. I was happy and tired, but couldn't fall asleep. I know I had laid on the couch for hours, feeling like I could sleep for days but unable to get there. I looked around the room for a clock, finally spotting one that read 2:45am. I yawned and sighed wondering where Brian was and if he was okay. A million questions and thoughts filled my tired brain and I groaned, figuring out why I couldn't sleep.

I bit my lip and grabbed my phone from the table, scrolling through my contacts until I found my brother. I hit the call button and waited while it rang. No answer. I called again. "Come on, Bri, answer you damn phone," I said to myself, rolling onto my back and playing with my lip piercing.

"Helloooooo?" Brian finally answered in a drunken slur. He hiccuped and snickered. I could hear music in the background and wondered where he was. "Whoo's *hiccup* calling?"

I repressed a groan, figuring he was drunk off his ass at some bar or party. "Brian? I tried to figure out what bar would be open so late at night.

Brian giggled. "Nooo, you're not Brian; I am! Who are youuu?" A second later, I heard him grunt and what I assumed was the phone clattering across the floor. "No, no, get off. I'm ookie dokie." He heard him retrieve the phone.

I sighed and shook my head. "Brian, it's Avi. Where-"

"Avi," he wailed in a mixture of pain and joy. "Are you maad at me, Avi-schmavi?" I heard him sniffle.

I massaged my temples and sighed again. "Brian, I'm not mad at you. Where are y-"

"Why are you mad at me?" he cried and I could hear that he was actually crying. My brother wan't always the sarcastic, joking, tough guy he seemed like. "I don't want you to be mad at meee," he wailed.

"Brian, will you just shut the fuck up for two minutes, I'm not mad at you! Now tell me where you are!" I know that, if someone didn't come pick him up, someone would have the cops either take him home or have him spend the night in a jail cell so he wouldn't get into any trouble. It was silent on the other end for so long that I wondered if he had hung up on me. "Brian?"

"You told me to shut the fuck up for two minutes then tell you where I am. It's only been a minute and forty-five seconds!" He was quiet for another fifteen seconds and I groaned. Finally, with a deep breath, he said, "I'm at Johnny's. He kept it open just for me, their faaaavorite Brian." He sounded so proud of himself. A second later, he was crying and wailing again, but not to me, "I looove you, man. No one else in the whole universe would keep their bar open just for little ol' meee!"

"Brian, who's on the phone?" I hear a man ask in the background, recognizing it as the owner of Johnny's.

Brian sniffled. "My favorite Avigaiel, sister Haner!" He hiccuped.

"Can I see the phone for a minute?"

Brian snickered. "Not unless you know the password," he whispered like it was a deep secret. It was quiet for a minute before Brian said, "Ookie dokie, but just this once!"

The phone changed hands. "Hey, Johnny." Johnny Kresimir, the owner of Johnny's Saloon, was almost like extended family. The guys had been going to his car since before they were even allowed in bars. We were allowed to stay there if we ever needed a place and it was like a crash pad. When I was fourteen, my dad and I had gotten into a fight and I had run away to Johnny's, and he had let me stay overnight.

"Hey Avigaiel. How're you doing?"

I sighed, not really knowing the answer to that myself. "I'm good." I heard Brian laughing and slurring in the background. "Do you want me to come get him?"

It was his turn to sigh. "You know I'd normally let you him stay the night, you guys are like family... But I'm worried he might hurt himself or do something stupid." He paused for a minute. "If you could come get him, I'd appreciate it."

Was I allowed to be away from my brother for even one goddamn night without him getting into trouble? "Alright, I'll be there in a little while. Keep an eye on him until I get there?"

"Of course, no worries. We'll see you soon." He hung up.

I sighed and got up, rubbing my eyes. I wrote my dad and Suzy and note to tell them where I had gone before I pulled my shoes. I walked down to the garage and saw my first car, the one before I moved in with Brian and he bought me a new one. I looked at the green Cherokee Jeep and chuckled, grabbing the keys from the hook and walking over to it. I knew dad kept it for when McKenna was old enough to start learning to drive, but I kinda missed it.

I climbed into the driver seat with a sigh and started the engine. I wonder what kind of drama would be waiting for me at Johnny's Saloon when I got there and how the rest of my evening would go.