Chapter 21

"Hello Boys." Evelyn greeted with an exhausted smile as she walked into the house.

"Ma." Angel's voice immediately alerted Evelyn that something was wrong.

"Baby what's wrong?" She asked concerned.

"We got something in the mail today." Jerry answered her.

"They were pictures…from Jack's father." Bobby said, but before he could say anything more, Evelyn was running up the stairs.

The boys didn't follow her as she reached Jack's door. She knocked lightly and then a tad harder as she got no reply. Finally she slowly began to open the door. The first thing she noticed was that the lights were off. The second thing she noticed was that Jack wasn't in his bed where she'd expected him to be.

"Jack? Honey it's Evelyn, where are you?" She waited for an answer and got none.

She walked her way over to the closet and slowly opened it and found it empty as well. She started to panic. She looked under the bed next and it too revealed that Jack was not there. Evelyn rushed out of the room and called for the boys.

"I can't find Jack. He's not in his room." Evelyn said franticly as the boys reached the landing.

"Okay well did you check the other rooms?" Bobby asked taking charge of the situation.

"No, Angel I want you to search the upstairs. Jerry you look down stairs and Bobby and I will look outside." Everyone nodded took on their jobs.

Not five minutes later did Angel call everyone back into the house.

"The bathroom door is locked. I think Jack is in there, but he won't let me in and he won't say anything." Angel spoke as everyone hurried their way upstairs.

Bobby banged loudly on the door. "Jack open up!" He shouted getting no reply. "Open the door or I'm plowing it down!" He yelled again.

After they got no reply Bobby backed up and rammed over the door. What they saw set panic in all of them.

"Shit Jack!" Bobby yelled as he pulled and unconscious Jack into his arms. "Angel call 911!"

Bobby quickly stripped off his shirt and put pressure on Jack's wrists. He had already lost a lot of blood. Thankfully it wasn't a minute later that the paramedics showed up. They took him away in a hurry. Evelyn rode in the back with Jack and Jerry drove everyone to the ER.

When they arrived Evelyn was in tears in the waiting room. The boys embraced her in a comforting hug.

"Mrs. Mercer?" A doctor said from behind them.

Evelyn composed herself the best she could and faced the doctor. "Yes."

"My name is Dr. Richards and I thought you'd like to know that Jack is going to be okay. We stitched him up and he's in no danger of dying. If you'd follow me I can take you to him." The Dr. said in a professional manner.

Evelyn nodded and they all started to follow him down that hall. When the Dr. finally stopped in front of a door he paused to talk to them again.

"Now he's sedated right now so you won't be able to talk to him and don't be alarmed when you see that he has on restraints. It's a precaution we take with all of out suicide watch patients. I'm permitting you to stay the night because I know you Ms. Mercer and I know it would be foolish to try and stop you. So if you need anything please feel free to ask." With that finishing statement the Dr. opened the door and let the family in and left, closing the door behind him.

Evelyn took up a chair next to the bed. She looked at him and felt such pain in her hurt it was unbearable and she broke down crying.

"Ma…" was all Bobby could say because truth be told he didn't really know what to say. His baby brother just tried to off himself.

They stayed in silence and after awhile until Bobby suggested that he stay with Jack since everyone but him had a life. They argued for awhile until they just gave up, said goodbye to Jack, and left promising they'd come back tomorrow night.

Bobby sat in the chair next to Jacky and a few hours later he was out like a light.

Bobby awoke to see that Jack was awake and he was a few steps away from spazing out. He was pulling on his restraints and his breathing was fast and erratic.

"Whoa, Jacky calm down kid, it's okay." Bobby said softly as he put a gentle hand on Jack's mop of hair. He knew that Jack felt real claustrophobic and that pinning him down like this maybe wasn't the best thing, but necessary.

Jack looked like he was trying desperately to calm himself, but he just ended up bucking at the restraints and letting out a series of whimpers.

"Shhh, Jacky calm down, you're okay." Bobby tried to comfort him, but it wasn't working.

Jack was getting more distressed by the second. He was pulling vigorously at the restraints, he was crying, and he was in complete hysterics.

It wasn't long before nurses came it. They were holding needles and Bobby knew that if they injected whatever that shit was, into his lil brother than he wouldn't see a conscious Jack for quite awhile.

"Wait, let me get a hold of this." Bobby told the nurse.

The nurse nodded and stood back.

"Jack listen, listen if you don't stop they're going to knock you up with drugs that'll mess you up for awhile. Please don't make them do that." He pleaded with him.

Jack stopped struggling and shut his eyes tightly as his body began to shake. It was clear that he was scared to death. He was highly claustrophobic. He was fine in small spaces as long as he had the ability to get out of them, but he didn't have that here and it was freaking him out.

Bobby nodded at the nurse, dismissing her, and stroked his brother hair.

"Jacky…why did you do it, you really scared the shit out of us little man." Bobby asked earnestly.

More tears streaked down Jack's face and tremors continued to consume his body. He didn't make an effort to answer Bobby's question.

Bobby let out a sigh. "Okay, well I'm going to go call Ma and tell her that you're awake now." He stood and didn't get one step from where he was when he heard Jack whimper. He turned around and saw Jack staring at him with tears filled eyes that were telling him how much Jack needed him to stay.

Bobby nodded and resumed his spot next to Jack, running his hand soothingly through his hair.

Instead he pressed the button on the remote that was connected to the bed. A nurse came in a few minutes later in response too the button being pressed.

"May I help you sir?" She asked with a smile.

"Ya, can you call my Ma and tell her that Jack is awake? Her name is Evelyn Mercer." Bobby asked.

"Yes, I'll get right on that. Anything else you need?" She asked.

Bobby shook his head no and the woman left. He turned his attention back to Jack and noticed that he had fallen asleep. He gave a sad smile and wiped the remainder of Jack's tears off of his face.