The Cost Of Love (Bxb, Rape, Abuse)

The Storm

"I just can't believe this. Austin's gone." Cindy said as she took a seat at the kitchen counter. "What's going to happen now?"

"For the first time in my life I don't know what to do." Shelly was beside herself. She always knew what to say or do, but this time she had no idea.

"Do you think we could go after Austin and stop him before it is too late?" Stacy asked.

"I don't even know where he used to live. He never told us." Shelly said as she put her head in her hands.

"We have to find out. I have an idea. Austin talked about his grandparents in Florida. We could always contact them and I'm sure they know where he used to live."

"Stacy, we don't even know anything about them. All we know is that they live in Clearwater, and we can't just go barging in there and take Austin." Shelly replied.

"And why not?!"

"He's an adult and can do what he wants." Shelly replied.

"But we all know the moment he walks back into that house Eric is going to beat the shit out of him! Why can't we call the police and them take him out of there?" Stacy said as she paced back and forth.

"Even if we knew when Eric was abusing Austin and we called the police, if Austin says that they were just play fighting the police would leave."

"This is fucked up! So we are just suppose to sit here and not do anything, go back to our normal lives and act like nothing is wrong. Well I'm sorry but I can't do that!"

"We have no choice. Unless Austin wants to come back there is nothing we can do." Shelly was beside herself at this point.

"Well I'm going to figure something out." Stacy said as she stormed out of the room.

Shelly sat in silence until Cindy spoke up.

"I don't understand why Austin left. It was a big blow up but I still don't see that as a reason to leave and go back to Eric."

Shelly knew that the only way Cindy was going to understand is if she told her the entire story. "There's a lot more to Austin than I told you. I can understand why he left." Cindy gave Shelly a puzzled look. "Austin's parents died in a car crash when he was a senior in high school. He was also in the crash but he was in a coma for a week, and didn't even make it to their funeral."

"Oh my god. Poor Austin."

"Well, Eric had Austin move in with him and his parents so he could finish out his senior year. Eric's parents didn't like the whole gay thing and once school was done they gave him an ultimatum, to either leave Austin or they wouldn't pay for college. He chose Austin and they moved out on their own. As time went on Eric started resenting Austin for his parent's actions and soon started taking out his anger on Austin. When Austin ran away, and ended up in Levy, Eric found him and caused some major trouble. Then when the fight happened tonight he felt as if he was the cause of it. I'm sure he feels that no matter where he goes he causes problems. He even said that to me when we asked him to stay with us."

"But what happened tonight was not caused by him." Cindy offered.

"We all know that but for Austin he thought it was."

"I wish he hadn't of left. I wish that he had just talked to one of us and we could have explained that it's not his fault." Cindy said.

"I do to. But I don't think it would have made a difference. Austin is a broken person who will blame himself if something bad happens when he's around." Shelly answered.

"The thought of him going back to that monster makes me sick." Cindy said shaking her head.

"It's eating me up inside and I know it's killing Ryan. He is so in love with Austin, I don't know how he's going to handle this. I need to go and find Ryan. I have to make sure that he isn't going completely out of his mind."

"If you need anything please let me know." Cindy said as Shelly walked out of the room.

Shelly searched the entire house but couldn't find Ryan. She grabbed an umbrella and headed out the back doors where she found Ryan sitting in the rain on one of the chairs.

"Ryan, what are you doing out here? You're going to catch yourself a cold." Shelly said as she sat next to her son.

"I just want to be alone right now." He didn't make eye contact but just stared off into the dark.

"I know but would you please go inside. You are going to get sick sitting out in the rain like this."

"Right now, I could care less if I died." Ryan lowered his head and began to cry. "He left me, mom. I can't believe he left. What am I going to do? He's the love of my life."

"I know. We all love and care for him." Shelly didn't know what to say or do to help ease her son's pain. She knew how to bandage a scrapped knee but she didn't know how to mend a broken heart.

"The worst part is I know what he is going back to. I'm sure Eric has already beaten him to a bloody pulp. There's nothing I can do to save him. I was so happy being with him. I never would have thought that anything like this would ever have happened. I'm going to miss him so much." Ryan knew that he was never going to see Austin again. He knew that this was the end.

There was a dark cloud that hung over the rest of the reunion. No one was interested in doing anything fun, and Ryan spent the rest of the time in his room crying. His family tried to make him feel better but the only thing that would work would be Austin coming back.