The Last Night

After Alex told Jack he loves him he cuddled into the boy's black shirt covered chest. Jack held him close to show that he cared about him. He never had love from his dad obviously so Jack took it to myself to give him the love that he needs.

A storm started to brew around town and the broken boy started to cry in Jack's arms.

“Alex, baby why are you crying?” He asked in a mere whisper.

“Th-Thunder. It-It s-scares me.” Alex replied, closing his eyes tightly as if it would protect him from the storm.

“Why does it scare you?”

“I-I-I don’t know, it just always has. I never had anyone to be with when I was younger so they still scare me.” Alex said, innocence filled within his voice.

“It’s okay, you have me now and I’ll never lea-” Jack started to say but paused as his sister walked into the room with hot pink pumps, a tiny mini skirt and a shirt that you would see at a Hooters bar.

“Holly what are you doing here?” He asked, keeping Alex closer to himself so that he can feel a bit more protected.

“Mom and da- Who’s this cutie?” She said,cutting herself off and moving closer to lean into Alex but he swats her away.

“He isn’t for you, he’s my boyfriend.”

“J-Jack who’s that?” Alex said, now looking at Holly.

“I’m Holly, Jack’s hot sister.”

“Don’t call yourself hot, it just means you’re just a conceited bitch with no life. Now what did mom and dad want?” Jack toldher.

“Jacky don’t be mean to your sister, or are we boyfriend and girlfriend?” She said, making Jack really mad.

“You mean nothing to me, you just want my body and if you don’t tell me what mom and dad want I’ll tell them everything, including the drugs. Don’t make me force it out of you.” Jack told her, using what she once did in the past.

“You know what. I forgot. Oh well, see you at home Jacky.” His sister said, winking at him flirtatiously.

“She’s gonna get it.” Jack grumbled under his breath, then kissed Alex briefly on the lips.

“Jack, where am I going to live? I can’t go back to my old house, it hurts to think about going back there. So much happened there and I can’t go back to see the memories come alive.” Alex said, pain within his voice as he almost starts to tear up again.

“You can stay with me, and don’t worry about Holly. She bugs everyone and drives my parents nuts. She’s the stereotypical daddy’s girl who just wants his credit card and bitches if she doesn’t get what she wants. She’s like a five year old half the time, I swear to you. Stay away from her for your own good, I don’t want to to get hurt.” Jack told Alex honestly as he set him back on the bed for the doctor to do a check on him.

After a few minutes of the doctor looking at him, he finally told them good news.

“Looks like the stitches are doing fine, I can take them out now if you like and you can go home as soon as we’re done!” He said.

“Alex, it’s up to you.” Jack told him.

“Will it hurt?”

“A tiny bit, nothing major though.”

“Then lets get on with it.” Alex said, then grabbed one of Jack's hands that Jack squeezed encouragingly.

“If it hurts I want you to squeeze as hard as you need to okay. Pain won’t bother me.” Jack told him as the doctor came in with the supplies needed to take out the stitches.

“I’ll count to three and then they’ll be all gone, okay?” Dr. Petrocelli said.

“One.” He said, Alex squeezed Jack's hand hard.

“Two.”

“Three.”

“All done Mr. Gaskarth, now if we could just someone that isn’t a minor to sign some release papers that would be awesome. Can we call your parents?” Once he said that Alex froze up, not wanting to talk about his dad and gave Jack a look that said “Help.”

“We can’t do that, his parents are on vacation and he was left home alone. If I could sign the papers though that would be lovely.” Jack said, lying to the doctor that could potentially get him in legal trouble but he doesn't care, he'd do anything for Alex.

“And what are you in relation to him?” Dr. Petrocelli asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“I’m his Uncle on his dad’s side. Currently I am thirty nine, Alex was conceived when my brother was twenty three. I’m his only relative that he is really close to as I had baby sat him when he was younger during the weekdays since my job was to manage the Baskin Robins on South Broadway and I took him there a lot since he loved it with all the flavors of ice cream and doughnuts after all. Plus what kid would not love to have his days filled with ice cream?” Jack replied, lying smoothly throughout his whole speech.

“Well then Mr..” He said, waiting for Jack to say his last name.

“It’s Barakat.”

“Well then Mr. Barakat just sign the release forms and you and your nephew can go. Just keep an eye on him since he could potentially be suicidal and we certainly want him to keep living.” Dr. Petrocelli said, before handing Jack forms to sign which he completed in no time.

“Okay then, well we hope you feel better soon Mr. Gaskarth. I’d best be on my way, I need to get to the maternity ward. A baby is being born!” The doctor said, before he grabbed the signed papers and left to help out other people.

“You didn’t have to lie and say that you were my uncle Jack.” Alex said quietly.

“I had to, as your boyfriend I couldn’t have just left you here.” I Jack told him as he passed some clean clothes of his own to Alex for him to wear.

“Turn around.” He told Jack, to which Jack complied. "Yes you could’ve, I’m not much to take care of. I’ve been taking care of myself for a while.”

“Well you don’t have to do that anymore. It’s my job and my parents, plus they won’t mind if you come over to live with us. They are understanding people, they love it when I make friends.”

“Really? My dad hated it when I had friends over, well actually I never had someone come over. It’s weird having you near me.” Alex said, finished with putting on his borrowed clothing. They completely swamped him.

“Well everything will be different now, come on, lets go home.” Jack told his boyfriend and they walked out the door hand in hand and to Jack's car.

Driving down to Jack's house was a nice silent ride, Simple Plan played lightly through the speakers and Alex mouthed the words to “Crazy.”

"Almost home Alex.” Jack said to him, he took his hand off the steering wheel and placed it in Alex’s, and rubbed it with the back of his thumb, then glanced off the road to look at the beautiful boy sitting next to him.

They arrived at Jack's a few minutes later and walked up the driveway to the grey painted house, then unlocked the door to see Jack's parents in the living room with angry facial expressions.

“Jack why did Holly tell us you two were having sex?” Jack's mom asked abruptly.

“Don’t get mad at me, she was the one getting high every day off of drugs and alcohol.” Jack told her nonchalantly, glaring at his stepsister who sat innocently in the brown recliner.

“Joyce we are raising crazed teenagers, they need help!” Jack's stepfather screamed at his mom, Alex hid behind Jack.

“It’s okay bud, it’s no big deal. Just stay with me okay? I’ll keep you safe, no one will touch you where you don’t want to be touched.” Jack whispered calmly to the scared boy behind him.

“Jack who’s behind you?” His stepdad asked.

“He’s my boyfriend, Alex. He needs a place to stay since his parents are going out of town for a while and we don’t know when they’re coming back.” Jack says.

“You have a boyfriend, Jack why didn’t you tell us sooner? You know that we wouldn’t mind if you were gay. The only thing we mind is you suposably making love to your sister and if that’s true then I want to know what Holly works for.” Jack's mom said.

“Mom you know what I work for, I have late night shifts at Target.” Holly lied.

“Yes because at Target the workers smell like last nights sex. Don’t think I don’t know because I was once a teen too. Hell I went to school with people like that, plus you’re getting too old to live here. Your eighteen and graduated, get a real job, go to college, move out and leave your brother and his boyfriend alone.”

“Fine then! I’ll be out by tomorrow.” Holly said to Jack's mom in a snooty attitude.

“Holly don’t think you’re getting money from me. Daddy’s girl should’ve been over when you turned thirteen. Four years too long of this bull.” Her dad yelled up the stairs.

“Now who wants to help bake cookies?” Jack's mother asked them and Alex came out from behind Jack excitedly as he ran to the former's mom and gave her a huge hug. He whispered something almost incoherently but Jack managed to hear what he said.

“Thank you Mrs. Barakat. You’re the best.”

They headed to the kitchen after Alex hugged Jack's mom and dad and while his mom found the cookie mix he said something.

“You never formally made me your boyfriend you know.”

“Well then, Alexander Whatever-Your-Middle-Name-Is Gaskarth would you be my wonderful boyfriend?” Jack asked him and then Alex got on his tiptoes, wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Does that mean yes?” Jack asked.

“Totally, and it’s William.”

“What’s William?”

“My middle name is William. Alexander William Gaskarth.”

“Such a posh name for a perfect little boy.” Jack teased as Alwx blushed.

“Jack can you get out the chocolate chips. You’re the taller one.” Jack's mom asks, her standing at 5ft 3 and Jack at 6ft 1.

Jack got them out and his mom started mixing everything up. When she was done, she left Alex and Jack to put them on the cookie sheet and put them in the oven, then to let her know so that she could keep an eye on them so they'd be able to get settled in Jack's room.

Using cookie cutters Alex and Jack made fun shapes with them: gingerbread men, stars, hearts and one that Jack's boyfriend tended to pick up more than any other one. The one where three people were holding hands.

“Baby?” Jack asked.

“Yeah Jack?” Alex said as he pressed the three people holding hands cookie cutter into another rolled out bit of cookie dough.

“Why do you keep using that cookie cutter? I mean I don’t have a problem but it seems like 95% of the ones you’ve cut look like that."

“Personal reasons, I just can’t tell you just yet. I’m not ready for it. Don’t make me! You don’t know anything! Stop thinking that you do!” He screamed, then pounded against Jack's chest as he held him. Something was wrong with Alex and Jack needed to fix him, random outbursts are normal for a small child around three or four but not at sixteen.

“Shush, shush. It’s okay Alex, I’m not forcing you to tell me anything. I just wanted to know but if you aren’t ready to tell me I’m perfectly okay with that. I’d never force you to do anything.” Jack told him calmly, holding his scrunched up hands to let him know he was there..

The oven beeped and Jack placed cookies in the oven, then led the scared Alex up the stairs to his room, or their room?

“Tired.” Alex said as he laid down on the memory foam mattress.

“We can have cookies in the morning, you can sleep if you like.” Jack told the boy in the sweatpants before he headed back downstairs to see his mom and dad watching Glee.

“Mom, Dad, can we talk about Alex?” Jack asked as he sat down on the recliner near them.

“About what? Is there something wrong?” Jack's stepdad asked, before pausing the TV.

“I think there could be. When I asked why he kept using the cookie cutter with the three people holding hands he freaked out and started to have an outburst you would see from a child but the issue is is that he’s sixteen, not a child. I’m scared since I know he’s been hurt before and I just don’t want his mind slipping away.” Jack told them with worry filled eyes.

“Do you know anything about his past Jack? Somethings can be psychological from the past.” His mom said.

“He was bullied at school before and shoved into lockers and when he was first at the hospital his dad came in and kissed him on the lips. Alex didn’t like that and according to the doctors and him, he was raped by his own dad, then put in the hospital for multiple suicide attempts. I don’t know anything about his mom, he never said anything about her.” Jack said, leaving out the part where he was a part of Alex’s bully crew.

“Honey have you ever thought that something may had happened to Alex’s mother? Maybe the cookie cutter incident reminded him of his mom, dad and him before something happened. He more than likely has had some trauma done to him with the state that he was in to even think about attempting suicide. I can’t tell you what to do but to open up him as best as you can because if something is happening he needs to be helped and to be supported as best as he can. He needs love to replace what he may be missing, you need to give it to him and your father and I will give it to him too. I don’t know what may be going through Alex’s mind but once you open him up, then maybe, just maybe he’ll grasp onto a different light from you. Maybe you’ll be the one that saves him.” Joyce's words filled with truth and love.

“Jack help me!” Jack heard Alex scream from his bedroom, that he rushed up to as fast as He could to see his own sister overtop of the small boy, pulling down his sweats and doing something that he didn't need. He didn't need this, he was too fragile.

“Holly what the hell?” Jack screamed then yanked her off of his boyfriend who cried into his arms.

“I just wanted to give him a good time but he kept denying it so I had to take matters into my own hands.” Holly said, not a care in her voice.

“Sh-She touched me Jacky, I told her no! I told her no, I’m sorry!” Alex cried harder into his chest as he pet his hair to calm him down a bit.

“It’s okay baby boy, it’s not your fault. She put her paws somewhere you didn’t want it. I’m glad you called for me though, you shouldn’t have had to go through that again. It hurts you and I know that.”

Jack's parents came up and started screaming at Holly, making Alex cry harder because of the loud noises.
Jack took Alex to hid car while he cradled him in his arms and placed him in the passenger side, then he sat himself in the drivers seat.

“Wh-Where are we going J-Jack?” Alex sniffled.

“How about some ice cream to calm you down? I’ll get you whatever you want on it and as many scoops as you like, okay? Being in my house has caused you nothing but trouble with Holly and it’s better for you to be away from that.” Jack said as he drove down the road to the local ice cream shop where he knew the owner, she used to sing back in the day when they met.

After a ten minute drive, they reached Avril’s Ice Cream and walked in.

“Hey Jeff, Avril in today?” Jack asked Jeff, the ice cream scooper. He knew everyone who worked here and they didn't mind him calling them by their first names.

“Yeah, want me to go get her?” The bearded man asked.

Jack nodded and he went in the back to get Avril.

“Jack! How’s my best dude friend?” Avril screamed, then ran up to him to give him a hug.

“I’m good, Alex here isn’t. Let’s just say Holly decided to cause drama and my parents aren’t happy.” Jack told her.

“I knew Holly was a bitch, we all know that. What is that chick’s issue? Does she want to fuck everyone?”

“She does, my parents are forcing her to move out now though.
They found out everything.” Jack said as they walked to a table and sat down.

“Everything?” She asked as she raised an eyebrow.

“Everything. That’s why I brought Alex here, he needs some Avril love but no kissing, he’s mine.” Jack said, wrapping his armarm around Alex.

“Well Alex, if anyone gives you trouble just call me and trust me, they won’t hear the damn end of it!”

“That’s a nice thing to hear, thanks Avril.” Alex said, flashing a bit of a smile.

Their chatter continued and then the went and screwed around in the back, making their own ice cream concoctions, mixing flavors like Cherry Jubilee and Brownie, some flavors actually tasting amazing to the point where Avril decided to put them on the menu and name it after the boys.

They just had fun and Jack could see it in Alex's eyes, like he couldn’t be happier and nothing could stop him from doing what he wanted. That’s the kind of thing Jack wanted to see from him. A happy boy with a true smile and a “I can face the world attitude.”

Maybe Alex was really happy for once in his life and that’s all that mattered to Jack because his happiness was his joy as well.

Notes

Heya! This was my first chapter I actually wrote for this story, what? A year ago?
Sorry I took forever, I got busy with school and trying to figure life out.
I'm getting my hair done next Saturday!
I'm dying it, but I'm getting two colors, my main and what my parents like to call "crazy color" So I'm gonna do a poll:
Vote for Orchid, Hot Pink, Green or Dark Blue. Note main color is gonna be a brown with a purple pinkish tinge.
Till darkness completes us,
Sarah's Butterflies