Brothers by Blood, Brothers in Arms

Chapter 5: Secrets and Lies

"Jim," his mother's voice filtered through his dreams as he was gently shaken awake. "Jim, sweetheart, you need to get up."

Jim groaned, burying his face into a pillow that wasn't his. "Five more minutes."

She huffed something that may have been a laugh. "Jim, you're going to be late for school." The mattress dipped as she sat beside him. "Unless you don't want to go... I'd understand if you didn't."

Jim rolled over, peering at her with confusion. Tucked against him, Archie rumbled low in his throat, clearly grumpy at being disturbed from his sleep. "Why- oh..." he immediately saw she hadn't slept at all last night. Dark bags weighed under her eyes, her hair was messy, strands hanging from her usually neat low bun. He sat up, ignoring Archie mewing indignantly. "Are you okay?"

His mom sighed, rubbing tiredly at her eyes. "Not really... I thought maybe... he might come back. I was up waiting for him."

Jim felt like someone was squeezing his heart in a vise. "I miss him too, Mom."

Barbara shuddered a breath, absent-mindedly squeezing his hand. "I just... I'm so worried..." she pursed her lips, clearly not wanting to say what she was thinking. But Jim knew what she was thinking. She had said it before.

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"He's so much like their father sometimes," she'd said once to Nancy Domzalski when she'd thought they hadn't been listening. "He's so hot-headed, and angry, and he wants to pick fights with kids twice his size!"

"Oh, Barbara, it's because he's thirteen-"

"Nancy, I don't want... for him to turn out like his dad. Because I know Douxie is a good kid, but he doesn't want to act like the sweet boy I know is in there."

"He's upset," Nancy had told her softly. "He was closer to James than Jim was. He needs time."

"I know..." she'd sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "I just thought... I thought that he'd had enough time. But it's like he's blaming me for it all over again."

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And looking back on it, Jim realized Douxie probably hadn't been upset over their dad like he thought he was. That was the age Archie said Douxie usually started remembering his past lives. And being thirteen and having centuries of memories, lives you once lived, warring in your head? It was no wonder Douxie had been such a pain from ages thirteen to fourteen.

Jim shifted on the mattress to face his mom. "Are you scared he left on purpose? Like Dad?"

His mother carefully didn't say anything, but her eyes betrayed her. They were wet with tears.

"Mom," Jim said softly, taking her hands. "Douxie loathes to be like him. I know he knows he can act like him sometimes, and that they're similar in a lot of ways you wish they weren't." Jim paused for a moment, trying to think of what he was trying to really say. "And I know Douxie looks more like Dad, but... Douxie's not Dad. And he would never leave us. Not on his own. Not because he wanted to."

Her bottom lip quivered, but she managed to keep herself from falling apart. "I know," she breathed. She gently kissed his forehead. "Thank you, Jim. I- I should be the one comforting you."

Jim gave her a wan smile. "We can take turns."

She laughed at that, hugging him tightly. "You're such a good kid, Jim. I love you."

Jim buried his face into her shoulder. "I know, Mom. I love you too."

She pressed a kiss to his head, holding him for a moment longer. "I spoke with the police last night. They're um... they're starting an investigation."