Echoes

Hollow

((Hey guys! this chapter was actually originally going to be its own one-shot, but i thought that it could be used in here well enough, so heeeeeey ;D okay so just gonna say that if something doesn't make sense or just is weird, that's why... I actually typed this a few days ago, but, unlike my friend a--rare-true-fanboy (y'all should check out his story Dreaming of Drarry, just sayin XD), I don't have someone to check over my story and make edits, so i didn't want to post this chapter until I thought it was worthy of you guys ouo. it probably still isn't but at least you guys get to read something, that counts, right?! XD hope you enjoy!))

Edit on 8/24/15- Like a few of the chapters, I made some edits to the chapter to make it better, I hope you enjoy!))

It was nine o'clock on cool, rainy tuesday night, when a scream could be heard. The neighbors once were frightened when they heard the cries, but now they just tried to ignore the horror from that broken home. Poor little Fitzgerald, his dad must have been at the liquor cabinet one too many times again. Whenever Mr. Fitzgerald had a bad day, he drank. When he drank, he was violent. When he was violent, the screams were usually evident enough to know that Jeremy was yet again subjected to another painful night, no way out. Childhood had been a living hell for him ever since his mom had left, leaving his dad to deal with him. His mom had dealt with his dad's outbursts, but now that she was gone, little Jeremy felt the brunt of it. Once, there had been a phone call made, a new neighbor had reported suspicious noise from the dreaded household. When the police had arrived however, they had seemed to side with the father. Mr. Fitzgerald had spun up a lie about how the child was being disrespectful, that punishment was the only way to get the boy to respect him. Living in the southern town that they were in, the cops completely agreed, then practically threatened Jeremy to respect his father. Years had passed since then, nobody daring to cross the older man to help out the little boy who feared his own father. Many of the neighbors felt silent pity for the lost cause, it was heartbreaking to know that there was no one to save the child from his nightmare.  When Jeremy was a kid, he had absolutely no power, no way to fend off the cruelty of someone that should love him. Now however, he was 17, and this time, he had enough.

       "JEREMY! GET YOUR SORRY LITTLE A** OVER HERE WITH ANOTHER F*****G BEER RIGHT NOW!" The older, very intoxicated man barked from the couch. Slowly, the teen peaked out from the kitchen, trembling as he crept towards his father with the can of alcohol.

       "I'm not your slave..." He muttered after he handed over the beverage and started to walk away.

       "What, did you just say to me...?" His father growled, pulling Jeremy back by his shoulder. Turning around, Jeremy looked straight on at his dad.

       "I-I said, I  not your slave..." not even a flinch came from the boy as he moved his dad's hands off his shoulder before turning away... wrong decision. Next thing he knew, Jeremy was bowled over on the floor, his face stinging where a hand had just made contact with his cheek. Scrambling to get up, he just barely avoided a belt whip from behind him. Now standing up,Jeremy raced towards the door. Before he could twist the nob, another lash came from behind, this time striking his lower back. Holding back a cry, he finally opened the door and ran faster than he ever had.

       "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, YOU LITTLE C**T?! ALWAYS RUNNING AWAY, NOW I KNOW WHY YOUR MOM LEFT, YOU'RE A P***Y AND SHE WAS ASHAMED OF YOU, YOU DIRTY LITTLE-" after that, he couldn't take it anymore. Jeremy turned around, eyes ice cold as he watched his dad.

       "You l-listen here Dad, I'm d-done with  you. You are a skunkbag of a human being,that's all y-you've ever been. I am done being h-hurt by you, I hope your d-die alone...A-hole." After that, he bolted. He couldn't bear being near that man any longer, and he wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of seeing him cry. The frosty droppings of water nipped his face and arms as he ran, but he forced himself to keep up the pace. "W-where's that paper that he gave me..." Shivering, he shuffled through his pockets, finally able to grab that piece of scrap paper. "T-thank goodness that he trusted me with this stuff..." After what felt like an hour, though only taking a few truly miserable minutes, Jeremy soon stopped in front of a house. He feverishly knocked on the door, rubbing his eyes. After a few moments of waiting, Jeremy considered leaving when the door opened, a familiar groggy face meeting him.

       "Hey Jeremy, why are you here? We have work in a few hours- oh my God,what happened?!" The man's half-asleep eyes widened as he saw Jeremy in this condition- his had a black eye, too many bruises to count all over his arms and face, and was completely soaked by the rain.

       "I'll...tell you l-later...can I come in, Mike?" On his way over, Jeremy could feel his emotions ebb, he had stopped feeling anything. He had felt hollow and void of emotion, even hatred had only become a meaningless word, but now, being close to someone that seemed to actually care, he knew he was in for a breakdown. Nodding quickly, Mike led him inside. After giving the drenched boy a towel and some slightly large replacement clothes to change into, he ushered him into his living room and sat next to him on the couch.

       "Jeremy... Do you want coffee or tea or anything? Or a blanket?" Mike was very worried by then, he had never seen his coworker in such bad shape. The day before, he had seen the poor kid with a few scratches and bruises on his arms and neck, but he had not questioned him, it felt too personal.

       "N-no, I'm g-good..." Jeremy murmured shakily, mostly dry at that point. The thing was, he was not good, he was in pain. Pain from his father, pain from stress at school, pain from the fact his own mother had left him and never came back. He felt broken, weak, and sick of life, never heard that warm whisper of "I love you" that comes with the comfort of a parent's love. He was on the brink of oblivion, and the only thing keeping him from it was the hope that he could hold onto Mike and never let go.

       "Are you sure?" Schmidt asked, starting to rise. "You're shivering badly, I'll go get you a blanket-"

       "No!" Mike was cut off when his guest sprung up after him, clutching his shirt. Jeremy looked up at him with tear-brimmed eyes, beautiful green eyes that had lost their brilliant shine to despair. "D-don't leave me...not like everyone else...please..." Frowning a bit, Mike pulled Jeremy along with himself back onto the couch, and put an arm around him. The closeness, the warmth, it was too much for Jeremy to keep pushing his feelings away, he was finally safe. In the comfort of Mike's arms, Jeremy let loose all of the tears of fear, hurt, all of the seclusion and heartache he had kept pent up for fifteen years. It felt like hours, this emotional moment, and through all this, Mike held him closer, not saying a word.

That night, the two called out of work, Mike wouldn't let Jeremy go after all the trauma he dealt with that day.

"A-are you sure that Mr. Jones w-won't be mad? I mean I've only been t-to work for a few days...I mean-"

"Shut it Jeremy, you're here to rest, and now is the time to rest." Mike interrupted, covering Jeremy's mouth with his hand. "Now, I'm going to order pizza whether you like it or not, and you're going to be happyー  and that's not an option." He rose from the couch to go call the pizzeria nearby, leaving the younger man with a weary smile on his face. As Jeremy waited for Mike to return, he watched the man ring up the pizza place. Drinking in the sight of his wonderful host, he noticed the scars that wrapped around the man's scalp. It amazed him that he hadn't even noticed them the whole time, that it was only now that it registered in his mind. Those scars... They look sort of how... no, it wasn't him... Dismissing the flashbacks and sad memories, Jere bashfully ripped his gaze from Mike, realizing that the man had begun returning his accidental look. A couple of hours passed, the pizza delivery man had long since come and left their pizza, and Mike had forced Jeremy to eat a slice, no matter how much he protested. Now, a time where they usually would be flashing away demonic children entertainers, they prepared for bed.

"Hey bruh, do you need something warmer to wear?" Mike poked his head out of the bathroom, peering out at the head of honey-colored locks.

"n-no, I think I'll be-" Jeremy started to say before he looked up to find Mike stepping out of the bathroom in just his boxers. Feeling his face heat up,the young man looked away, finding himself unable to look back. "I...I'll be fine in what I have on..." With a shrug, Mike trekked to his room. Before shutting the door, he peaked out a last time.

"Hey... If you need anything or have a bad dream or whatever, you know where to find me." Flashing a weary smile, he let the door softly creak closed. Jeremy, who lay  on a makeshift bed in the living room, wrapped the thin blanket he was given around him, shivering slightly as he let his eyes shut away the light from the moon that glowed dimly through the window, enveloping his world into a tranquil darkness.

((Hey y'all, so I hope you liked the chapter~ Please don't kill me for writing this QoQ and im grateful for every one of you who has read this S-Stutter since it almost fits the situation, but i wont be lazy X'DD haha have a great day!))