Fic: When it rains (Ch 15)

[unavez18.livejournal.com]

Title: Ch. 15
Rating: PG13
Spoilers: End of movie

Zach awoke alone.  It took him a few minutes to place his surroundings as the outlines of toys and children's furniture came into view.  He sat up, his head spinning, and rubbed at his eyes furiously in an attempt to get them to work properly as they were swollen and partially blocked by the crust of dried-up tears.  He heard the front door open and shut, and voices drifted into the room.  One was Shaun's and the other was familiar, yet somehow it seemed out of place.

 

"She's done some fucked up shit in the past, but this is by far the worst," the voice said, growing closer.  Then, "Shit, man, you're really messed up."

 

Gabe was standing in the doorway by then.  He walked into Cody's room and sat down next to Zach, giving his shoulder a squeeze.  "Hey, Jeannie may be a complete bitch, but she's not gonna hurt him, ya know?" he said, concern evident in his blue eyes.

 

Shaun came rushing into the room.  "Shit, babe, I didn't mean for you to wake up alone," he said, kneeling down by the bed and taking Zach's hands.

 

Zach's eyes darted from Shaun back to Gabe.  "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

 

"Well, that's a dumb question, but I'll let it slide since I know you’re in a bad place right now.  I'm your best friend, dude.  Shaun told me what was going on last night, and I came to see if I could help out.  We just got your car-- checked at the school, but he's not there.  Oh, and I called Tori to tell her to keep an eye out in San Pedro in case Jeannie was heading back over there."

 

"Oh," Zach said softly.

 

"So, what's your next move?" Gabe asked.  "Do you have her address?  You and I could drive there while Shaun waits here."

 

"No," Zach said at the same time that Shaun said, "Yes."  He looked over at Shaun guiltily.  "She moved.  The last letter Cody sent got returned to us."

 

The three of them were silent for a moment.  "Well, maybe you should call your Dad.  She might've talked to him," Gabe suggested.

 

"No," Zach shook his head.  "I don't want to do that."

 

The last thing he had told his Dad was that he was moving to LA with Cody.  He could still remember his father's pathetic shrug of his shoulders, his clear lack of concern or interest.  They had never been close, and since his mother's death they had only drifted further apart.  It had been alarmingly easy to sever his connection with his father.  Beyond sending him a holiday card, Zach had pretty much eschewed all contact, partly because he didn't care to waste any effort on him, and partly because he had no desire to come out to him and face what he was certain would be ridicule or disdain.  He didn’t know if Jeannie had any more contact than he did, but he tended to doubt that she cared enough to keep up the pretense of a father-daughter relationship.

 

Shaun squeezed his hand.  "Well we should give it a try, if we don't hear anything today," he said.

 

Zach nodded but looked away, afraid that fear and weakness would be written on his face.

 

Gabe broke the tension.  "Okay bros, I'm gonna make you guys some breakfast," he announced, standing up.

 

"Not hungry," Zach replied.

 

"Don't care," Gabe answered.  "You need to eat," he said firmly as he left the room.

 

***

 

They didn’t hear anything that day.  Zach skipped all of his classes, and Shaun blew off a meeting.  Gabe tried his best to keep up the moral, but it seemed like a losing battle.  Zach alternated between fits of rage and depressed quiet, while Shaun remained more stoically silent.

 

"You must think this is really stupid," Zach said to Gabe as they sat in front of their sixth hour of TV.  "Me wanting my sister's kid."

 

Gabe gave him a searching look, as if he was annoyed at being so callously misjudged.  "No, I don't.  I think you love that kid to pieces.  And I know that you and Shaun have given him a better life that Jeannie ever could," he responded.  "I just wish I knew what to tell you to do now."

 

"You don't have to stay here, I know you have your own life," Zach said.

 

"Whatever, dude.  I haven't seen you in a while anyways.  And don't tell me you didn't miss this face," Gabe answered, hoping he could get Zach to smile.  He got a twitch of the lip in half of one, which he figured was progress.

 

Zach took out his cellphone and dialed Jeannie for the thousandth time.  For the thousandth time he received no answer, and resisted the urge to slam the plastic thing against the wall.

 

"Try your dad," Shaun said softy from beside him.

 

Zach bit his lip.  For Cody, he had to try.

 

His father answered the phone with that same groggy medicated voice he always seemed to have.  In their last years together he had been taking painkillers so regularly that his mind had always seemed to be in a sort of fog.

 

"Dad," Zach said hurriedly.  "Have you heard from Jeannie lately?"

 

"Hmm?"  His father still sounded puzzled.  "Huh?  Zach?"

 

"Yeah, Dad, have you heard from Jeannie?  Or Cody?"

 

"Cody?" his father repeated.

 

Zach sighed in frustration.  "Do you know where they are?"

 

"Zach, are you a fag?  Jeannie said something about you being a fag," his father responded, the same sleepy confusion in his voice.

 

When it rains, it pours, thought Zach, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

 

"Yeah, Dad, I'm a fag.  Look, just tell her to call me if you hear from her.  It's important," he spat out before slapping his phone closed.  This time he really did throw it against the wall, and it landed with a loud clunk behind the TV.  Gabe looked at him in concern and Zach shot up and ran down the hall to his room, unwilling to cry in front of him.

 

Inside the bedroom he leaned against the wall and banged the back of his head several times with a few hot angry tears making their way down his face.  Shaun appeared before him after a moment, his eyes mirroring Zach’s pain as a single tear left a wet trail along his stubble.

He took Zach's face in both his hands and kissed him gently, their tears mingling for a moment.  When they broke apart, Zach wanted to hear Shaun say that everything was going to be okay, but he knew he wouldn't believe it even if he did.  Jeannie had taken off with Cody to God knows where, and God knew when they would see him again.

 

*** TBC

Comments

[wallypog617.livejournal.com]

no no no!!! they have to get him back!! and soon!! their lives should happy they deserve it. stupid jeanne.......

can't wait to read more!!!!!!!!!! update soon please!!!!!!

[unavez18.livejournal.com]

thanks for reading!

[happygirl1.livejournal.com]

great story...so good. gwen

[unavez18.livejournal.com]

thank you

[scoutdaniels.livejournal.com]

does his dad knowing mean Jeanne was there recently? Poor guys, I was teary eyed throughout the whole chapter, it was nice of Gabe to come and try to help but nothing but Cody coming home will make things better.

Can't wait to see what's next

[jasmine661.livejournal.com]

I love how this family sticks together: Gabe refusing to leave Shaun and Zach. Can't wait for more!!

[figaro23.livejournal.com]

Well done, so sad! Good grief, I so feel for Zach and all the emotions he must be feeling. His father's comments were so undeserved. How much more can poor Zach take? Thank goodness he has Shaun (and Gabe, who's really trying).

[abaylor22.livejournal.com]

love the angle you've taken.(hearts!) wow. sucks that the boys cant file a police report and claim cody missing.:(........... are we sure it was jeannie that took him????

maybe cody left on his own. if she has him, then hopefully, she'll realize she can't take care of him and she returns cody to zach and shaun......and gabe(LOL!!) gabe loves that kid too!

[unavez18.livejournal.com]

yeah haha you need ID to check out a kid from school if the office people don't know you :)

[abaylor22.livejournal.com]

yeah when it rains it pours.

i hope it doesn't get worse. but at the same time, I LOVE ANGST!! WOOH!

where's the dog??? dogs bring comfort.

[girloftheburbs.livejournal.com]

*flails* Jeannie is such a bitch!