The Silence is Broken
by Nightengale
Chapter 1
Gangrel finished running the comb through his hair and walked out into the main area of their hotel room. "I love Tuesday nights."
Christian looked up from his place on the couch and smiled. "You love nights, period."
Gangrel looked at him. "That's cruel, Christian."
"But true."
Edge chuckled at the exchange. He wouldn't trade those two for anything. "Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?"
Christian nodded. "Yeah, I'm still sore from Monday nights episode."
Gangrel growled from behind him. "When I get my hands on Michael Hayes and his freebird wannabes…"
Edge nodded. Last night, he and Gangrel had been fighting the Acolytes for Christian and beaten the hell out of him. Edge had gotten in a few good licks, but by the time it was over, the damage had already been done. His younger brother had suffered two cracked ribs and had a bruise on his back that bore a striking resemblance to a size twelve shoe. He walked over and ruffled his brother's hair. "You sure you'll be okay?"
"Yes. I'll be fine. Go. Have fun."
Gangrel smiled as he dragged Edge out the door. "Oh, we will. Good- night, Christian."
"Night guys."
Christian sat back and grabbed his CD player and earphones and put in his favorite tape. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the music.
If he had been paying attention, he would have heard the door open and seen the three men that entered. He wouldn't have been so surprised when something hit him in the back of the head and knocked him unconscious.
Chapter 2
The night sky was clear and beautiful. It was filled with stars and there wasn't a cloud anywhere. Edge and Gangrel walked in silence together. It was the perfect night to be out on the town, but they weren't having fun.
Edge couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He had a bad feeling. He felt like he was missing something.
Gangrel kept checking on Edge. He seemed, well, on edge. He knew that the over protective older brother was worried about his younger brother. That went without saying. He was always worried about him. Trouble seemed to follow him. He must have some kind of magnet. He turned to comment to Edge and found that he was no longer walking beside him. He turned further to find him a couple of steps back staring into space. "Edge?"
No response.
He waited patiently for the spell to pass. When it did, Edge stumbled forward.
"Christian."
Gangrel frowned. "What about him?"
"He's in trouble, we gotta go back." And with that the two took off in a dead run for their hotel room. **
When they reached their hotel room, they found it deserted. Little did they know that they had only missed him by minutes.
Edge walked over to the couch where he had seen his brother last. A piece of paper lay on one of the cussions. He picked up the typed written letter and read it out loud.
Edge and Gangrel,
I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore. I love you guys. You'll find me on the outskirts of Playton Park.
Sorry. Goodbye.
Love,
Christian
Edge looked up as he finished. Gangrel looked absolutly horrified. "This sound like a …" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
"Come on. We haven't been gone long. Maybe we can still stop him before it's too late. **
Christian came too slowly. His head was pounding and his ribs were starting to hurt again. What had happened? Last thing he remembered, he had been sitting in their hotel room, listening to his CDs. Then pain. He tried to open his eyes and when he finally succeeded he saw trees. "Playton Park. I'm in Playton Park. Why am I in Playton Park?" He glanced to his right and saw three people in masks and they appeared to be arguing. His head was still ringing and he couldn't make out the voices. One kept gesturing to him and the others shook their heads. "What the hell is going on?" He decided to take advantage of their distraction and leave. He was almost on his feet when one turned around.
"Hey, he's awake."
"Not for long."
Something long and thin came crashing down on his head. He was barely able to stay concsious. He felt himself being put into a sitting postion. Then his mouth was pulled open and several small round objects were put inside. They closed his mouth and rubbed his throat to make him swallow them.
"Pills!" his mind screamed. "They're trying to kill me." He tried to fight back, but he could already feel them taking effect. He felt so tired and was vaguely aware of the process being repeated. "No! Stop!" his mind screamed, but they wouldn't listen. Everything was slowing down. It was becoming hard to move, to think, to breath. His last conscious thought was that he was going to die out here alone. He only half heard his attacker speak one last time.
"Shit, they came back early. We gotta get out of here." **
Edge and Gangrel came running into the park. Where was he?
Gangrel closed his eyes and tried to find him with his heightened sense of smell. There was almost too many scents for so late at night. He shifted through the four scents till he found the one he was looking for. "Over there."
Edge ran in that direction and came to a stop at a small clearing. About ten feet in front of him, sat his brother. He was slumped up against a tree. His long blond hair hung in front of his face. Edge quickly knelt beside him. "Christian?" He touched his shoulder and his brother's limp form fell towards him. He caught him and gently lowered him to the ground.
Gangrel watched as Edge tried to get a response out of his brother. When he fell over something fell out his right hand. He knelt down and picked it up. It was a bottle of sleeping pills. "Oh, hell." Gangrel reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, quickly dialing 911.
"Christian? Come on, Little One, answer me." He ran his fingers up his neck to check his pulse. It was weak and getting weaker by the minute. He heard Gangrel talking on his phone. "Tell them to hurry. He doesn't have much time." He turned his attention back to his baby brother. His face was pale and his breathing was labored. "Why? Why, Christian?" He stood and slipped his jacket off. Then he sat back against the tree and pulled Christian so that he was in his lap, his head resting limply on his shoulder.
Gangrel hung up the phone and pulled Edge's coat around him. He sat in front of the two quietly only reaching out to lightly brush Christian's hair back behind his ear. He listened to Christian's soft breathing and to the soothing words that flowed from Edge's lips.>
"Keep breathing, Chris. That's it. Just keep breathing. Your safe now."
Gangrel heard the sirens of an ambulance in the distance. He prayed, for the first time in years that they made it in time.
Chapter 3
The Brood just barely survived the trip to the hospital. Christian stopped breathing twice on the way and Edge and Gangrel thought for sure that they were about to join him. The guardians of wayward blondes and vampires must have been working over time because the paramedics were able to revive him and rushed him out of the ambulance into the OR.
Gangrel and Edge could only stare at the door and hope for the best. **
Two hours. Two hours and no word. Gangrel walked back over to the same chair he had been sitting in when they got here and sat down. He watched Edge pace back and forth. He was going to wear a hole in the floor. Gangrel stood up and stretched before walking directly into Edge's path.
Edge had been so focused on his pacing that he almost fell over when he walked into Gangrel. "Sorry."
Gangrel looked his friend over. To say Edge was upset was an understatement. He was scared for his brother's life. So was Gangrel. Worry lines marred Edge's handsome face. He was constantly wringing his hands, but Gangrel could still see how badly they were shaking. His shoulders were tense under his long black coat that just barely missed the floor as he paced. Gangrel sighed. It was going to be a long night. "Sit down."
"I'd rather stand."
"I'd rather you sit."
"Why?"
"Because you are wearing me out and you're going to wear a hole in the floor." When Gangrel saw that he wasn't going to comply, he added, "This isn't going to help Christian."
"I think that's the problem." He said as he took a seat. "Nothing I do right now can help him."
Gangrel nodded.
Edge ran a hand through his long blonde hair and sighed. "Why? Why did he do this?"
Gangrel shook his head. "I don't know."
"Aren't there supposed to be warning signs? Something? Anything?" Edge leaned back in the chair. "What was so wrong that he had to do this? Why couldn't he turn to us?"
Gangrel leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. "I can't answer your questions Edge. Only Christian can."
The doors to the waiting room opened and a young doctor walked in. He looked around the waiting room before spotting them and walking over. "I take it you two are here for a," he looked at his chart, "Christian…"
"Yes." Edge said standing up. "Is he okay?"
"Well, he's alive. We had to pump his stomach to get the pills out. Right now he is resting comfortable in a room down the hall. He is still very weak and will be so for a while. The pills he took were quite strong and nearly succeeded in killing him."
Edge paled. "When can we see him?"
"You can't."
"What?"
Gangrel stepped forward and put a hand on Edge's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I don't think we heard you correctly."
"I said you can't see him."
Gangrel frowned. "And why is that?"
"Well, your 'friend' is an attempted suicide. We can't just let him leave. He has to go through a mental evaluation and program to make sure that he is not a danger to himself or others. I'm afraid he will be here for a while."
Gangrel pushed Edge into the seat behind him and turned to face the doctor. He came off as a little too smug for his taste and he didn't like the way he kept looking at his and Edge's clothes. "Christian is not a danger to anyone. His is a kind individual with a caring heart. I assure you that we can take ample care of him."
"Apparently you can't take very good care of him. You obviously missed the warning signs. I think it would be dangerous to him to let you two take him out of here and that is what is in my report."
Gangrel snarled. He was vaguely aware of the sound of the arm of the chair Edge sat in breaking. "How dare you."
"I dare because I am trying to do what is right to save this man's life. Even if it is from himself. He is clearly in no condition to care for himself and I don't believe the two of you are capably of doing it for him."
Gangrel hissed loudly and the doctor couldn't help but step back as he saw his fangs. Gangrel moved quicker than anyone would believe a man of his size capable. He seized the doctor by his collar and hoisted him into the air. He felt Edge's presence at his back and stared at the doctor until he looked him in the eyes. When eye contact was made, Gangrel had control. "You are under my control now and will do what ever I say."
"Yes, master."
Edge couldn't help but smile.
"Now. You are going to take us to see Christian. Then you are going to tell us everything we need to know to take care of him. Then you are going to release him to us and erase him from your computers. He was never brought here. Do you understand?"
"Yes, master."
"Then lead us to him."
Chapter 4
Their first sight of Christian as they entered the room was enough to almost cause Gangrel to loose control of the doctor.
He was pale. His skin color matched the sheets that covered him and his blonde hair covered the pillow loosely. His wrists and legs were strapped to the bed.
Edge couldn't contain the moan of pain that escaped his lips. Christian looked fragile, like a broken doll. He quickly covered the distance separating them. He reached for his brother's hand. It was cold. He placed his other hand on his head and started softly stroking his hair.
"Oh, Christian." He could feel the small tremors that made their way through his body.
Gangrel snarled at the restraints. "Release him."
The doctor nodded and proceeded to do as he was instructed.
Once he was released, Edge pulled him up and sat down on the bed before pulling him to lay against his chest, still stroking her hair. "You're okay. We're here. You're not alone."
Gangrel listened as the doctor told him all he needed to know. Then he told him to get what they needed and sign him out. The doctor ran off to do his masters bidding. Gangrel walked over to the bed and picked up Christian other hand. He ran his hands lightly over it and removed the IV that was there. He used the sheets to stop the small blood flow. Then he reached over and placed his hand on his head.
The moment was interrupted by the doctor's return. He handed Gangrel a bag. Gangrel dismissed him and he hurried off. He turned back to the brothers.
"Come, Edge. Let's take Christian home."
Edge nodded and stood up. He took off his coat and handed it to Gangrel before scooping Christian into his arms. Gangrel covered him with the coat and then held the door open as they left.
Chapter 5 The door to the hotel room opened quickly as Gangrel rushed in and turned the lights on. He walked over to the bed and pulled down the covers so that Edge would have someplace to put their precious bundle.
Edge had followed Gangrel up the stairs to their room quietly. He couldn't think of anything to say. All he could do was think about how close he had come to losing his little baby brother who he was now curled up against his chest dead to the world. Dead. The word made him shake. He had come so close, too close, to losing him. He couldn't imaging his life with out him and didn't want to try. He managed to maneuver them through the door without banging Christian's head and followed Gangrel over to the nearest bed. He waited patiently for him to make room before gently lowering his brother's trembling form onto the bed. He reached up and brushed the hair off his face while Gangrel pulled the covers up. He grasped the cold hand that stuck out from beneath the blanket and brought it to his chest. He turned his eyes to Gangrel.
"He'll be alright, Edge." Gangrel silently prayed that he had not just lied to his friend. He looked Edge over quickly. He was in a state of shook, of course who wouldn't be. He figured he would stay that way until Christian showed some sign of improvement. He turned his attention back to his young friend. His blonde hair spilled out over the pillow. His face was pale and droplets of sweat marred his brow. Gangrel got up and quickly went to the bathroom. After collecting a hand towel and bowl of water, returned and started to wipe his brow. He was completely taken aback when Christian moaned and turned his head. His eyes fluttered before slowly opening. Incredible. The doctor had told him that he would be out for hours. Just another example that Christian was a fighter and the doctor was dumber than hell.
Christian's first coherent thought was not surprising. "What the hell happened to me?" He turned his head as he felt a soft cooling pressure on his forehead. Some one held his hand in a painfully tight grasp and he could feel the pulse that beat beneath his fingers. He opened his eyes and saw Edge and Gangrel looking down at him. Both smiled reassuringly at him and Edge gave his hand a quick kiss before hugging it closer to him and releasing a sigh that made his whole body shutter. Christian blinked rapidly. "I must be seeing things," he thought, "Edge and Gangrel look like they are about to cry."
Edge about died when Christian opened his eyes. He almost thought that he would never get to see those beautiful blue eyes that defined his brother. He kissed his brothers hand and sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment and sent out a silent thank you. He opened them again and found his brother had fixed him with a tired but questioning gaze. He reached out to stroke his hair. "It's okay. Everything's okay. You're safe now."
Gangrel breathed deeply, fighting to keep his emotions in check. He wanted answers. "Christian?" He watched as they young Goth slowly turned his attention to him. He took his other hand before continuing. "Why did you do it?"
Christian raised an eyebrow. His voice was hoarse from disuse but he managed to get the word "what" out.
"Why did you try to kill yourself? What's wrong?"
Christian blinked twice, apparently absorbing the information before he started to shake harder. His face took on a horrified look as he shook his head back and forth. "No!" His mind screamed. "I didn't!"
Edge put his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Easy, Christian. Take it easy. Shhh. It's okay."
Gangrel put his hand on Christian's chest adding his own words of encouragement. "You're alright. Calm down. Everything's fine. Calm down."
Christian continued to shake his head back and forth, ignoring both men's attempts to sooth him. The earlier events of the night raced through his mind and he was vaguely aware of the small prick in his arm.
Gangrel removed the syringe and threw it into a nearby trash can before returning to sit beside Christian. He looked at Edge, who was almost hysterical watching his brother thrash back and forth. He leaned over, knowing the drugs the doctor had given them would start to work soon and calm him down enough to allow him to go back to some much needed sleep. He grasped Christian's head in his hands and said his name loud enough to get his attention before speaking very softly to him. "Calm down. I know that you're scared, but panicking isn't helping anyone. You're making your brother hysterical. Take it easy." He saw Christian move his lips, but no sound came out. The drugs were quickly taking effect. He leaned closer, extending his hearing to its limits to hear what he so desperately had to say. What he heard caused his heart to stop.
"I........ didn't do it...........Three......men.......they....came......." he couldn't get any further as the drugs claimed him and he slipped into blessed sleep.
Gangrel sat up quickly, his eyes blazing in barely controlled fury. He knew Christian wasn't lying.
Edge reached forward to pull the blankets back around his brother before turning to face his other friend. "What did he say?"
Gangrel continued to pace. "He said he didn't do it."
"What?"
"He said he didn't do it. He started to say something about three guys when he passed out." Gangrel threw his arms over his head in anger.
Edge sat back. Christian hadn't tried to kill himself, but that meant that someone had tried to kill him. Someone had tried to kill his brother. They would pay.
"Who?"
"I don't know, but I can only think of one person who might be stupid enough to try it."
"Taker?"
Gangrel nodded.
"But wouldn't Christian have recognized anyone from the Ministry?"
Gangrel nodded again. "Yes. You know I smelled the scents of three different people besides us when we first walked in. I hadn't thought about it until now. Who ever I smelled is the ones who tried to kill Christian."
Edge glanced at his watch. "Gangrel. It's almost dawn."
He looked up sharply. "Damn. Will you two be alright?"
"Yes, go on. He will still be here when you wake. I swear it."
Gangrel nodded and walked back over to Christian. He knelt down and ran his hand through his hair. "Sleep well, child. We will protect you, no matter what." He got up and vanished into one of the other rooms.
Edge smiled and climbed onto the bed next to his brother. He gathered him up in his arms so that his head was resting on his chest and started to stroke his hair again. "Don't worry, Little One, everything is alright. You're safe now and I promise to keep you that way." He gave him an another quick kiss on the head before closing his eyes and letting his brother's even breathing soothe him to sleep.
Chapter 6
The first thing that Christian realized when he woke up was that his head hurt. That and he was curled up in someone's arms. He felt safe, like nothing could ever touch him. "Wish I could remember how I got here." He laid there for a minute before deciding to try and turn over and see who held him so close. He started to move and the arms tightened a little, but not too much that they were painful. Sigh. "Maybe I should just turn my head." Blonde hair. Muscles. Edge.
Edge was fast asleep with his arms wrapped protectively around his little brother. His coat was on a nearby chair and he had covered both of them with a sheet from the bed.
Christian smiled and leaned into the embrace. That would explain the feeling of safety. He could remember when he was a kid and had been sick how Edge would come into his room and sit with him. The nightmares that plagued children's minds never touched him when Edge was near. He sighed quietly. What had caused Edge's obvious concern? Everything was fuzzy. He leaned his head against his brother's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his pulse and let his mind wonder. Slowly, his mind filled in the gaps. Sitting on the couch listening to music. Waking up in the park. Three men arguing. Pain. Waking up to see Edge and Gangrel leaning over him. Reassuring him that everything was all right. Asking him why he tried to kill himself. "I didn't try. I promise." His mind screamed. "Please believe me."
Edge wasn't sure what had awoken him. He moved his arms making sure his brother was still with him. He was and he realized what had woken him up.
Christian. He was trembling and it was growing by the minute. He shifted to look at his brother, finding him awake with his eyes staring off at the wall. He moved his hand and brushed it through his brother's hair. "Shhh. It's okay, Christian. Everything is all right." Christian turned more into his embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. He was mumbling and Edge couldn't make out the words. Soon, it became a little clearer.
"I didn't try to kill myself, honest. I promise. Please believe me. Please."
His cries tore at Edge's heartstrings. "Christian." He waited until his brother looked up at him before he continued. "We believe you. We know you didn't do this to yourself and we promise to find out who did. Just relax. Everything is okay." Edge reached up and wiped a tear of his face. He brushed Christian hair off of his face and waited for him to calm down.
"You believe me?"
"Yes, Christian, we believe you."
Christian nodded and laid his head back down on his brother's chest.
Edge smiled and started stroking Christian's hair. "Christian?"
"Hmm?"
"You know I love you, right."
Christian smiled. "Yeah, Edge. I do. And I love you, too."
"Good." He wrapped his other arm around him. "I almost lost you." He whispered.
"You won't lose me."
"Better not."
Christian smiled again. He was safe in his brother's arms and that was all that mattered.
Chapter 7
Gangrel slowly pushed the lid off his coffin. His mind was still spinning. Who? Who had done this? Who hated them this much to try to kill Christian? Three scents. "I'm a vampire and I can't even recognize three scents." He shook his head in disgust at himself and walked into the main room. The sight that met him caused him to smile.
Christian and Edge were both asleep wrapped in each other's arms. He knew they must have talked because the worry lines were gone from Edge's face and he was sleeping peacefully. He walked over and fixed the blanket that covered them before stopping to brush Christian's hair off his face. "Do not worry, child. We will make sure that no one harms you again. This we swear. You mean the world to us and we will not risk losing you." He stopped again as his attention turned to Edge. "I could not have asked for better friends or even brothers if I had had them." He smiled to himself. "Someday, I will say that to your face. But not today." He turned and walked into the kitchen.
Christian opened his eyes slowly and he couldn't stop the smile that crept across his face. He turned to look at Edge.
Edge was smiling, too. "Always new Gangrel was a softy. See nothing to worry about. Now go back to sleep before he has our hides for listening to him pour his heart our."
Christian nodded and once again drifted into a place free of nightmares.
To Be Continued...
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