Convergence
Prologue: Pain

A/N- This is just my take on Riley's past, and how he met up with Ben. I keep referencing it in Vault of the Oracle, may as well actually write it out, eh?
Disclaimer- If I owned NT, this wouldn't be fanfiction. And none of the deleted scenes would've been deleted.

The Denver sunlight was just starting to fight its way past thick layers of clouds as the front door of the mansion opened, admitting two nearly identical young men. The taller carried a large instrument case and a bulging backpack; the shorter's pack was much slimmer and all he carried was a laptop. He was chattering nervously.

It was the first day of second semester, and Riley Poole was already panicking.

"I've got history first period. First period! Nothing good can possibly come of that. Computer apps isn't until the end of the day, I don't think I'll survive until then."

His older brother flinched rather than laughing at the comment. That struck him as rather odd, but Tristan had been acting odd a lot lately. And the fact that he'd suddenly decided to sign up for band wasn't the least of the oddities. Music? Really? He didn't know a bass clef from a bass fish.

"Riley, why are you even taking a computer class? You probably know more than the teacher will."

"Easy A. I'll need it. History first period... wow."

Usually, his brother would banter with him all the way to school, but today Tristan was being very quiet, slipping into spells of brooding where Riley was pretty sure he'd forgotten anyone else was there. It was actually starting to worry him. Okay, that settled it. After school today he'd start badgering until he got an answer.

"C'mon, let's take a shortcut." Gesturing with the bulky case, the older of the two darted into an alley.

"Hey, wait up! I don't want to get to school early!"

"Relax, kid." Tristan stopped halfway through and pulled him aside. "It's not really a shortcut anyway, I just need to talk to you."

Riley gave him a puzzled look. Yes, he'd been thinking they needed to talk too, but... "We're gonna be late, aren't we?"

"Don't worry about that right now. This is important."

That didn't sound good, actually. Maybe he was finally going to find out why his brother had been acting so strange lately. "What's up?" Tristan looked so terribly nervous, and Riley badly wanted to tell him it would be okay. They'd taken care of each other for as long as he could remember. Whatever he had to say now, nothing would change. "What's wrong?"

"Riles..." Uh oh. He'd used the name. Never a good sign. "Riles, I... you know that I love you, right kid? That you're the best brother anyone could ask for?"

Blue met blue, Riley's blank expression locking on his brother's intense gaze. "Uh...?"

"It's true. I just need you to know that. Tell me you know. Tell me you understand."

He nodded. "I understand." Sure, he understood what Tristan was saying, but certainly not why it was so critical for it to be said right now, right here.

"Do you trust me, Riles?"

"Of course I do!"

He had no idea why that answer should make Tristan look so upset. "Then listen carefully. You're going to grow up, and you're going to meet more people who don't care about you. Who just want to use you. And maybe someday you'll run into someone who wants more than that, someone who's worth caring about. Who sees you as more than a tool. If you find that person, Riles, don't ever let them go. Don't ever let them go. But kid... choose wisely." His hands gripped the young man's shoulders. "Don't ever let anyone hurt you..."

"Tristan?"

"...like I'm about to."

Riley never saw what hit him. He barely had time to register what his brother had said, and then he was spun around and everything went black.