Title: The Secrets between Us

Summary: Nothing seems right anymore…but it hasn't even been 24 hours yet…

Warnings: Chazz-abuse, n/c, incest

Disclaimer: I Do not own Yu-gi-oh GX or the characters, nor do I make any money from this story.

Chapter: 4 – A Part of Him

Author's Note: The Epic conclusion of a dark, strange fic.

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Slade noticed it immediately at breakfast that everything was wrong. Everything. Jagger was too happy, Chazz was too nervous. His hands were shaking, Slade kept catching the boy looking at him worriedly, Jagger kept glancing at Chazz. Everything was wrong, but Slade didn't say anything.

When Jagger left the table, Chazz tried to follow him, but the older sent him a bizarre look and Chazz practically fell back into his seat, eyes reflecting something agonizing. Even after Jagger had left the house, Chazz remained seated and stared at the doorway.

"Going to tell me what the hell that's about?" Slade said after five minutes. Chazz cringed and stared down at his plate. Untouched. He stayed silent. "Keeping secrets from me?" Chazz didn't show any signs of discomfort. "What did you and Jagger talk about yesterday?" No answer. "Did he apologize?"

"No," Chazz said, his voice hoarse.

"Take a drink," Slade said, grabbing Chazz's drink and setting it in front of him. Chazz took it and merely put it to his lips as he pretended to drink from it. The motion pulled at Chazz's sleeve and revealed the flesh of his wounded wrist. "How'd your wrist get bruised?" Slade asked, his voice lacking concern. It was almost as if he was asking where he'd gotten the shirt he was wearing.

Chazz cleared his throat, even though he knew it wouldn't help.

"Jagger," he confessed, because he knew that if he lied, Slade would know.

"Did you get him mad on purpose or did he just grab you for the fun?" Slade laughed slightly and then swallowed his words when Chazz pulled into himself and stared at the floor. The kid looked like he was trying to disappear. "Chazz, tell me exactly what you two were discussing in vivid detail, hm?" Chazz shivered, but tried to conceal the fit by coughing. He attempted to use that as an excuse for staying silent. "You're keeping secrets from me—your own brother."

"You turned your back on me," Chazz breathed. "You're not my brother." Chazz stood up stiffly and walked towards the door far too carefully, too slowly. "Ask Jagger."

Slade followed him out of the room and down the hallway. Before he could even glance into Chazz's room as the boy entered, he slammed the door closed and hid inside. Slade grunted and then went through his routine before leaving for work. Despite their confrontation, Chazz was still waiting for him at the door when he came home, early. He was beginning to get the inclination that the boy started standing there immediately after he left.

"You're early," Chazz whispered as he followed Slade into the sitting room. As Slade sat on the couch, Chazz moved to stand at his side.

"You're early too. How long do you stand there?" Chazz hummed neutrally. "I told our mother that you were keeping secrets from me." Chazz flinched. "She says you shouldn't worry your brother because he has too much on his mind to have to wonder about you and your problems." He received no answer. "I called Jagger at work today. He said some pretty interesting things."

"We just talked," Chazz mumbled.

"About?"

"A lot of…things."

"And then he hurt your wrist?"

"That wasn't him," Chazz murmured, looking towards the hallway.

"You said it was this morning," Slade replied with a lack of patience.

"Well I lied," Chazz hissed, turning towards the hall only to be stopped by Slade's heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Look at me," Slade said firmly. Chazz turned around, obediently, and looked at him with pained eyes. "I heard you scream." Chazz jerked away from him and whimpered almost inaudibly as he lowered his eyes. "Was it because of your wrist?" Chazz nodded, but the delay defied the gesture. "Chazz." Both of Slade's hands dropped onto Chazz's shoulders and began to caress them, as if attempting to warm the life back into them.

"Stop," Chazz murmured, brushing one of Slade's hands away. The other fell away on its own and Slade watched as Chazz backed away a step.

How could Slade do that to him? Put him in such a position where he wanted to tell, felt he would die if he didn't, but couldn't? He'd seemed to have won back Slade's affection, but if he told about Jagger, what was to stop him from taking it all back? Slade wouldn't believe him. Slade would believe Jagger because Jagger was older, Jagger had a reputation to uphold, Jagger wouldn't do that, Jagger only pretended not to care, Jagger wasn't like that, Jagger was too tired after work for that…Chazz was a liar, Chazz just wanted attention, Chazz wanted to cause problems, Chazz wanted to be number one, Chazz was so selfish…

What was he supposed to do?

The thought left him feeling as helpless as he had beneath Jagger's body. He didn't even notice as his body began trembling or as his teeth alternately chattered and gnawed at his bottom lip.

"Chazz, I'm pleading with you to tell me before he gets here." Slade looked so sympathetic, but Chazz knew if he spoke that sympathy would turn to rage. Those words of concern would turn to words of hate. How could he lie about his brother like that? Spread a lie like that? Chazz couldn't say anything, no matter how badly he wanted to. Another night meant another chance. Any time meant another chance. But what did it matter? If he went home he was a coward and ran away, if he told anyone he wouldn't be believed.

"What am I supposed to do?" Chazz asked shakily, meeting Slade's gaze but with his eyes out of focus and a single tear running down his cheek. Slade gripped Chazz's shoulder gently and pulled him forward a step before closing the space between them himself and pulling his youngest brother into a gentle hug. At first Chazz moved to pull away from him, but then he surrendered himself to the comfort and pressed his head against Slade's chest.

"Just tell me how he hurt you…" Simple injuries had vacated Slade's head. Chazz didn't cry easily, especially not in front of his brothers. He was never the most talkative of the three, but he was never excessively quiet. "Don't keep secrets like this from me." Chazz pulled back and Slade allowed him to go.

"You won't believe me," Chazz stated surly.

"I'll believe you before I'll believe Jagger," Slade said. "So just tell me." He made it sound so easy, his eyes looked so welcoming…he seemed honest. He was a businessman though, wasn't he? Deception was his game. "Chazz, please."

But Chazz couldn't take it anymore. Those eyes, those words, the touch. It wasn't fair. It had to end before he completely lost his mind. So, he leaned forward to where their chests were nearly touching, lifted his head, and whispered. "He raped me."

That was all.

After that he froze. His mouth stayed open as if he were still forming the letter e and he stopped pulling in air. It seemed that Slade had done the same. After what seemed like minutes, he felt Slade's fingertips press against his chest, pushing him backwards to better observe his face.

What Chazz had said was true. He could read it in those sad, pitiful, and doubting eyes. He looked so uncertain, like he expected to be struck at any second and thrown out the door.

"He did that to you?" Slade asked with a suppressed quiver in his voice. Chazz dropped his head and breathed in odd bursts.

"What am I supposed to do?" Chazz whimpered. Slade, without hesitation, pulled the boy close again, not relinquishing his grip even when the boy started to fight him out of terror. What was he supposed to do? Chazz was supposed to just stand there and be held, that's what. Stand there and be comforted, to be reassured that he was alright. That he was safe.

But what was Slade supposed to do? There he was, holding in his arms the steadily sobbing body of his tormented brother, knowing that, within the hour, the one who had made him cry was going to arrive. What then? Did he pull Chazz out of the house now and make a run for it, take him to the hospital to see if there was more damage done than just to Chazz's mind, or did he wait, hide Chazz somewhere, and confront Jagger immediately? Break his pretty face and render him as helpless as Chazz had been?

"Hey," Slade said after fifteen minutes. Chazz shuddered, but grunted in indication that he'd heard. "Let's go somewhere." He nudged Chazz towards the door gently, keeping a hand on his shoulder as if it would keep him grounded, and watched the boy's face for new signs of distress.

"Where?" Chazz whispered, putting all of his faith in the hand on his shoulder.

"Just out," Slade stated, opening the door slowly and letting Chazz step out first before following after him and closing the door.

"Mother's?" Chazz asked, feeling his heart sink.

"Not unless you want to." He shook his head. Slade guided Chazz into his car and opened the door for him and closed it. He got into the driver's seat and stared out the windshield at the garage door and sighed. "We'll find a place while we drive." Chazz nodded shakily and sank back into the seat. Slade started the car and exited the driveway. On their way down the road Chazz slumped in his seat as Slade's car passed Jagger's. Part of him felt like he was running away…

"Did you think that…I wasn't going to believe you?" Slade asked after many long minutes. Chazz opened his mouth, closed it, held his breath, and then tried again.

"Yes," he confessed. He wasn't going to keep a secret.

…part of him felt that he was simply being wise.

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A/N: I hate endings, they're all so cheesy…