I'll Always Love You

-Jaime-

"Why couldn't you just leave it alone, Matt!" I yelled at my brother. Rage was boiling over inside of me. He called the cops telling them everything about Vic and soon they should be here to take him away from me.

Matt held a smug look on his face as he stared me down, challenging me to do something. "Enough" Mom said sternly. I got up from the couch and shook my head before walking down the hallway too my bedroom. That unbelievable prick.

Vic has only been here for four days, and now he has to leave. His whole time here he has been jumpy like something would hurt him

I opened the door to my room and saw Vic crouched to the ground, picking up a few of his clothes that he never bothered to pick up before. I watched silently as he threw the few random shirts into a basket. He was sobbing softly. He knew he had to go.

"It'll be okay" I whispered. He didn't respond though, he just gave up and sat himself on the floor next to the basket, sobbing a little more now. I walked over to him and picked him up into my arms so I could cradle him on my lap. He couldn't leave me.. Not again.

I'm selfish. No one else can have him but me.

I tangle my fingers in his long messy hair and let his tears soak my Tshirt. This wasn't fair. After all we've been through, this just isn't fair. His dad deserves to be in jail, and Mike deserves to be better. Why was the world being so cruel? Why couldn’t it be cruel to someone else.

The doorbell rang but I didn't dare move. Vic on the other hand popped his head up from my chest to look at the bedroom door. "I can't go home" He whispered then looked back to me frantically. His eyes were desperate and I had no idea what to tell him. I opened my mouth to say something, anything that would calm him down but the door opened before I could.

"Vic Fuentes?" The officer asked. Vic shook his head as to say no then locked his arms around my neck. "Vic. Don't make this harder than it has to be" I heard my mom say from beside the officer. Whose side was she on again? Probably Matts.

Vic shook his head again. The officer sighed and rolled his eyes before walking into the room. "Stop. Just let me talk to him" I pleaded, holding my hand out so he couldn't come any closer. "I don't have the time for this," The officer said, sounding impatient. "There are more important things I could be doing right now" He continued.

I scoffed. "Than go do them and leave us alone."

The man shook his head in a tired way. He seemed so done with the day, and honestly, so was I. He started to come closer again but this only made Vic's hold on me tighten. The officer grabbed Vic by the back of his shirt, pulling him away from me. "Let me go!" He shouted sounding angry and pleading. The man didn't listen though and tugged on his shirt again, making him fall out of my lap. "Hey!" I yelled but the guy was already dragging Vic out of the room. Can't he get fired for doing that?

I shot up from the floor and ran towards the front door that was left open by the officer who had his hands full with a kicking boy. "I can't go back!" Vic yelled, causing a scene in the middle of the yard. And just to make things even more dramatic, I ran after them. I knew I shouldn't have. But this was Vic, and I'd move Heaven and Earth for him.

I reached the cop, connecting my fist with his jaw when he tried to shove Vic into the car. "Jaime!" My mother yelled, and I swore I could hear my dad laughing. I went for another swing but I was being pulled away now.

"Stop!" I yelled "Let me go!"

"Its not worth it" Matt said through the struggle of trying to hold me back.

Oh.., but it was so worth it.

-

-Vic POV-

"please don't take me to that house" I pouted while seated in the backseat of the police car. A sheet of plexiglass

Separated me from the front part of the car but tiny holes in it let me talk to the man.

He looked at me using the rearview mirror but didn't reply.

"I can give you money" I bribed. People on TV shows use money all the time to get out of situations!

He shook his head and continued driving. I huffed and slumped back into my seat. My father would be waiting for me.. I pulled my hair out of my face and stared out the window at the trees passing by. I was in such a daze. Kellin surprised me. I didn't take him for the violent type. We've been friends for so long and he's never been like this before. I never even knew he was gay, what the hell was with that?

Jaime tried his best to bring me up to date on a lot of things. He told me about how Mike is now home sometimes. He's getting better and beating the odds which is all I ever prayed for. I cried happy tears when Jaime told me about how well he is doing.

Street lights began to pour through the windows as we entered my neighborhood. I sighed, burring my face into my hands at the memories coming back to me that I tried so hard to forget. I let my mind wander a little, but of course, give it an inch and it'll take a mile. I could easily remember all the times I walked these streets alone as a kid because I couldn't stand to be home anymore. I couldn't bare my mother's cries or the stinging pain my body would endure.

I remembered how I caught a cold once because I stayed out in the rain in the middle of the street, refusing to go near my house. I was only five, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember the emotional pain I felt while holding Mike in my lap while he was still a toddler. I was trying so hard to protect him from the monster my father was and still is. Even though our father never touched Mike, the boy has still seen a few things he shouldn't have had to. But I guess thats life.., at least for us it is. It always has been.

So just like all the other times, I'll adapt. I'll learn how to deal with being home again.

A knocking on the my window made me jump. I didn't realize the car had stopped moving and was now in front of my house.

I swallowed the lump in my throat that had built up along with the welling tears on the brims of my eyes. After unbuckling my seatbelt and closing the car door, I could feel the light rain cascading across my arms. It felt amazing in this summer night's air.

My legs wouldn't move. I felt frozen staring at this house. It felt so good being away from this place, and now that feeling of fear was creeping back in. I felt alone and cold even though the air around me was warm.

"Come on, your parents are waiting inside, kid" The officer said, motioning to the house. With a deep and ragged breath, I forced my legs to push forward.

Before I knew it I was walking up the steps then opening the front door, not waiting for the cop. I wasn't even sure if he was following me. My mind was shutting down and my fingertips were numb no reason. All emotions were leaving, my mind was going into survival mode, just like it would before each time my father would hit me.

The door was stiff, like it had been replaced or something. The lights inside were dim, actually the only light on was in the kitchen and no one was in the living room. What happen to them 'waiting' ? I scoffed and looked behind me to see the cop was driving off now. He didn't bother to ask why I didn't want to come home.. Wasn't it their job to help people?

Slowly I closed the door behind me, listening for any signs of him.

The sound of a chair moving against tile left the kitchen's dining area. I held my breath and closed my eyes, my hand still on the doorknob.

"Vic!" My mother whispered yelled. I opened my eyes and saw she was alone. I sighed in relief. Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she covered her mouth with her hand like she couldn't believe I was actually standing here. I didn't know what to say, but my mouth was open like it wanted to form words. "Baby" She said through a sob and rushed over to where I was standing. She brought me into a tight hug and I suddenly realized just how much I missed her. Her smell, the feel of her clothing, her familiar embrace that could make everything okay, and always had since I was little, I missed it all.

I hugged back, relaxing into her arms. Then I realized…, her stomach. "Mom…" I trailed off, pulling away to look at her. "You're a fucking whale" I whispered and stared at her stomach that was obviously carrying a baby.

She lightly hit my arm "Don't curse at me" She warned. "And I'm not even that big" I raised an eyebrow but my eyes were still glued to her stomach. "When are you due?" I asked. She shook her head, telling me no. "You don't know, do you" Again she shook her head, sadness overcoming her features. "I haven't been able to go to the hospital" She said, and I knew who was at the bottom of it. "Unbelievable" I said. "Just go to bed, you look so tired" She said and placed her palm to my cheek.

I didn't want to go to bed though. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know if she was okay, if the baby was okay, and if Mike was home. Mike.

"How's Mike?" I asked her. She gave a weak smile before answering "He's a sleep in his room"

He's home.

I walked past her and up the stairs. I went past my bedroom door, going straight for my baby brothers room. His door was slightly open so I pushed it gently to peek in. He fast a sleep like the heavy sleeper he is. He was peaceful.

I walked in, not bothering to shut the door and climbed into his double bed. I didn't feel like sleeping alone, not with my dad in the house. So I got under Mike's blankets and for once I was okay with him randomly kicking me in the middle of the night.