Bulletproof Love

Kellin's Father

"Go clean him up," my brother tells me. I sigh. My poor son, why couldn't I save him? Why did I stay with him after his mom died? Why did I run away? Oh, yeah, I'm a coward. I was a sad excuse of a father and the fact that Kellin came out just like his mother relieved me.

I walk into the kitchen of the house and pour water from the sink into the bowl and grab the cloth I've been using the whole time. I clean with soap and water then place it in the bowl.

I begin making my way to Kellin's prison cell. I knock once before entering and I drop the water as soon as I see him. I run to his side and I grab his wrist in my hand and beginning feeling for a pulse. Nothing, I found nothing. How do doctors fucking do this?

I bring two of my fingers to his neck and that's when I feel it. I breathe a sigh of relief, but I realized I needed to get him out of here. Now. I pick him up and walk to his door. He was so light, I knew my brother didn't feed him as much as he should, but Kellin was abnoramlly light it scared me. I take a deep breath as I stop at the door before bolting down the hall.

No one was in the hall way, but no one could be too sure. I run into the kitchen and grab the car keys. As I run out, I run back in as soon as I see one of my brother's goons. Shit, shit, shit. I peek out and see he's gone, so now I begin tiptoeing around.

I had too many close calls, but I finally reach the car and I place Kellin in the backseat laying down. Then I hear a shout. "What are you doing?" I turn my head to the door to see my brother running after me. I slam Kellin's door and rush inside the driver's seat.

I place the key in the ignition and rush out of the there. I had to get Kellin back to his boyfriend/husband/whatever-he-was-to-Kellin. I look at the rear view mirror and see my brother and a bunch of goons chasing after me in another car.

I speed down the road out of the small town we were staying at as they tortured my son. The drive back to Kellin's boyfriend/husband/whatever-he-was-to-Kellin's gang was long. Almost four hours. The only upside was the car had a full tank. Hopefully it lasted all the way.

I hear a groan coming from the backseat. "D-Dad?"

"Shh, Kellin, go back to sleep. You're going to be okay."

"Dad-Daddy, everything hurts," and his voice was so small and broken it took me back to when he was a small six year old who had fallen down the swing and ran to me. He had clutched onto me as he cried.

"What happened, baby," I had asked him.

"I hurted my knee, daddy," he said, using improper grammar like any other boy his age would have. I unwrap his arms from me and pull away gently. "Let me have look and see." He nodded and wiped at his eyes. I pick him up and place him on my hip as I carry him back inside our house.

His mother was at the grocery store and I was watching him. I placed him beside the kitchen sink and looked at his knee. It wasn't too bad, a little bit of blood, but the skin was torn. If it were to have happened to me, I would have shrugged it off, but Kellin was six and he had always been a very frail boy.

"It hurts, daddy," he whimpered and I had nodded sympathetically.

"I know, baby, but I'll make it better." I had grabbed a cloth and placed it under the sink, getting it a bit wet. When it was moist enough, I began rubbing it against his knee and he jumped and whimpered. "Daddy," he cried. But I was finished and I grabbed a Spongebob band-aid from the medicine cabinet and placed it on his injured knee.

When that was done, I kissed his gently and picked him up. He latched onto me. "Better," I had asked. And he nodded gently against my neck. I had smiled and pecked his head. He then had a nap and was back to running about the next day.

Looking at him now, I saw that same six year old again who needed me. Who didn't resent me. But he wasn't six years old anymore, he was twenty-three. And it wasn't a scraped knee, it was much worse. I would have preferred the scraped knee over all the abuse he's had to endure.

But he would always be my baby. He would always be the small boy who needed me when he was pain. "I-I know, baby, but go back to sleep, please. I'm going to get you to safety, I promise." He didn't seem phased at the fact I called him baby. He only nodded and wiped at his eyes like he had when he was six.

He laid back down and went to sleep. I breathed in a sigh of relief. He's going to be okay.

~~~

Vic

I was currently looking Kellin's photo album. One of the pictures was of him and a man holding him in his arms. Kellin looked about six so I'm guessing the man was his father. Kellin resembled him. The same black haire, same pale skin, same colored eyes, same eye shape, but his dad's were smaller.

Kellin was smiling and he was such a cute six year old. I grab the picture and I turn it over. On the back it read, in messy handwriting so I presume it was Kellin's, Me & Daddy! God, he's so adorable.

I put it back and continue looking through the photos. I would never get tired of looking through the photos. I realized I should probably begin taking pictures of the kids. I had some on my phone.

I put the photo album away and walk downstairs. The kids were playing hide-and-seek with Jesse and his gang while Cope slept upstairs. I had a gang member watching her. I wasn't going to take any chances with her or my boys.

I walk into the kitchen and see Tony cooking. He stops when he sees me. "Hey," he says.

"Hi," I answer back, stoick. He flinches. "How, um, how are you holding up?"

I shrug. "I could be better."

He sighs, "Vic, don't bottle up your emotions. Cry if you want to, no one will judge you. We all know how much you love Kellin. You don't have to act like some big scary gang leader when we all you that all you want to do is break down crying."

He was right. Was I going to admit it, though? No. Did I know what I was doing was unhealthy? Yes. Did I care? No.

I nod, indicating I heard him, then I walk to my fridge, grab a soda. Then leave. I walk into the living room and turn on the tv. I was going to go look for Kellin with the others later.

I was watching Wayne's World when a voice calls out, "Daddy!" I turn my head to see Liam running towards me. He jumps onto my lap. "What happened, bub?"

"Uncle Justin was being mean," he pouts.

"What'd he say?"

"He called me a doo-doo head for finding his hiding spot!" I chuckle, but stop when I see him glare at me. I raise my hands in defense. "Okay, okay. I'll talk to him." He smiles and snuggles into my chest. I smile and wrap an arm around him as I continue watching tv.

Eventually, Cope's cries fill the baby monitor and Liam climbs off of me and I walk upstairs after having put milk in her bottle. I open the door and see the gang member - Pablo, I think it was - trying to calm her down. I chuckle softly, but pick her up and she calms down immediately and I bring the bottle to her lips and she holds it herself.

I place her back in her crib and begin to make my way out, but her cries stop me. "Dada!" She had discarded her bottle and was reaching out for me. I had to smile as I pick her up and her bottle. "Puedes ir a casa," I tell the guard and he nods, leaving.

I walk downstairs and ask Tony to make a scrambled egg for Cope. He tells me when he's done. I heat up a tortilla and feed her the egg with it, giving her small pieces at the time. I was silently hoping she wouldn't bite my fingers. But she had the biggest appetite now that she could eat solid food.

I finish feeding her and set her down to walk around. She had her bottle full of juice and walked around while drinking it. I made sure to watch her closely, she only fell a few times, but she got right back up again.

When she finished her bottle, she left it on the floor and began running around and playing. I picked her up bottle and placed it in the sink. I walk back to the living room and see her beginning to mess up the DVDs again. While Kellin would laugh it off and clean it up afterwards, I don't.

"Cope," I scold. "No. Don't touch those," I command and she stares at me with a heartbroken expression as her eyes fill with tears. I try my hardest not to give in as I close the cabinet door and lock it. Then I pick her and place her far away from the DVD cabinet.

Eventually, the game of hide-and-seek stops and the boys go to sleep, so I try to get Cope to fall asleep too. I place her in my bedroom with no windows. "Boys?"

"Yeah, dad?"

"There's going to be a guard outside your door, okay? If he does anything to you guys, tell me. I don't think he will, but let me know no matter what, okay?"

"We promise, dad." I nod and peck both their foreheads. They have been through enough, I will not stand for it if the guard hurts them. He will die. I walk out of the room and nod at the guard. He nods back.

I walk down the stairs and I meet up with Mike, Jesse, Justin, and Jack. Gabe, Tony, and Jaime were staying behind with the guard. Mike, Jack, and Jesse all didn't want their partners in harm's way. I understood. I would have done the same.

We walk out to the fence and see a bunch of other groups beginning to move out. Most of the gang members had loved Kellin, he was nice to everyone here. They all respected him enough to never have given him problems.

We all grab guns and leave HQ in our groups.

~~~

Kellin's Father

I was so close. The sun was setting and though my brother was trailing me, they were a long way behind. I could make it. I just had to be a bit faster. Kellin hasn't woken up since the first time. He had stirred a few times, and he mumbled a few times. They were all for Vic.

I see the familiar road up ahead. So close. So close. I knew I was going to have to get out of the car and I was more than willing. But I was so nervous. As I hit the familar forest, I slam the brakes. And unlock all the doors.

I rush out and grab Kellin hurriedly. He shifted a bit in his sleep, but stayed asleep. I began running through the woods trying to make sure Kellin wouldn't get hurt. He was limp in my arms, one could mistake him for dead.

He looked terrible as well. He was covered in bruises, cuts, burns, and lashes. I knew his ribs were still broken. And his skin would probably never be blemish free now. Some of the cuts were deep and they'd stay forever. I felt horrible. His mother would have killed me for allowing this to happen.

I reach a clearing and I hear a gun go off. They're close. I keep running. Another gunshot is heard. I run faster. My heart was beating, palms are sweating. I wasn't as young as I used to be, but I finally reach people and looking at all of them, I know they're the ones I was looking for.

~~~

Vic

We were currently looking when we hear guns go off. "Holy shit. Vic, did you hear that," Mike whispers. I hold finger to my lips and nod. I stand up and ready my gun. I hear the others do the same.

We continue onward, away from the gunshots. We didn't any one of us injured. It'd be killer to get them back to HQ. I see someone running through the woods and I signal for the others to get behind me and have their guns ready.

We walk closer to the person and another shot goes off. Who was that person? We continue going closer to them and as we get closer, I can see that he is holding someone. I can't make anything else but that. They seemed to be in a hurry and they were running desperately.

What did they need? But as we were about to move closer, the person finds us. And I gasp at what I see. It was him. Kellin's father. And in his arms he held someone so broken. Someone covered in bruises and cuts and burns. Someone covered in blood, but still as beautiful as he usually was. I felt my heart break.

And I quiver out a single word, "Kellin?"