How To Cuddle in a Leather Jacket

Step Nine - Overcome the Difficulties

Warning: This chapter deals with sensitive topics such as: Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Jack got dressed excitedly, happy to finally be leaving the hospital. After a month of being there, lying in his bed with agonizing pain, he was finally going to live with Mark.

He felt incredibly guilty for shoving his way into Ethan and Tyler's life, but they constantly reassured him that they were happy for him to stay. Mark was waiting outside of Jack's room, waiting for him to get ready.

The door opened and Jack hobbled out of the room. It still slightly hurt to walk, but Mark was going to make sure Jack got plenty of rest.

"You ready to go?" Mark asked, and Jack nodded quickly. Jack took Mark's hand and followed him to the front. Jack checked out of the hospital, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Jack stepped outside. They both got into Mark's car and drove to Jack's old apartment.

Jack climbed up the stairs, but halted at the door. He pulled the keys out of his pocket, and hesitantly stuck them in the lock. The door clicked, and Jack turned the cold handle and stepped inside.

The apartment had been cleaned out, almost everything taken by police for evidence. Jack stood there, unmoving, as he looked around. He took a deep breath before looking to his left, and he saw the blood stained carpet and wall. His stomach lurched, and he quickly looked away. He walked across the room to the bedroom door and pushed it open.

Jack flicked on the light. The bedroom had been left as it was before the incident, except Felix's clothes were gone. Jack grabbed a suitcase from the tiny closet, and set it on the bed. He opened it up, then turned to start pulling his clothes out of the drawers. He packed as much as he could, then zipped it closed.

"You said you had extra boxes, right?" Jack called to Mark, but he turned and found Mark standing right beside him, gazing around the room.

"Yeah, they're in my car." Mark told Jack. He stepped further into the room, looking at the scattered sheets and Felix's keepsakes that he hadn't bothered to retrieve. "It smells awful in here." Mark commented as he picked up a blanket. The room smelled like a mix of drugs, alcohol, and sweat. The blanket was covered in burn marks and disgusting stains. Mark immediately dropped the blanket.

"Uh-huh." Jack replied dismissively, looking down at his feet. "Could you go get the boxes?"

"Oh, yeah." Mark left the room and walked out of the apartment. Jack wandered around, looking for anything that was his, but he found nothing. Either he had long forgotten what was his in the apartment, or Felix had thrown everything out. "Here." Mark handed Jack a box.

Jack nodded in reply, and began to pack up the rest of his clothes. When he was done, he carried the box and dragged the suitcase out of the room, but Mark quickly took the box from him.

"All you're gonna take is your clothes?" Mark peeked inside the box.

"All I really own is clothes." Jack shrugged. "I didn't realize how much was taken from me until just now." Jack stopped and looked around the apartment one last time. He then turned back around and stomped down the stairs, the suitcase thudding behind him. Mark followed behind him down to his car. Mark popped open his trunk, and Jack put his things inside. Mark put the box right next to the suitcase and shut the trunk.

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Jack fixed his tie anxiously, his heart practically beating out of his chest.

"Hey, you alright?" Mark came up to Jack.

"No..." Jack sighed.

"Everything is going to be okay. Trust me." Mark hugged Jack, resting his head on his shoulder. Jack just stared blankly into the mirror in front of him.