Raising Anti

23

The next day was actually really nice. Or at least it was in the start of it. Anti felt much better that morning. They confined him to the room but they still let him get out of bed and play to release the energy. Trey and Gray stayed with him while Chase did something around the house. Jack was recording some videos. He'd been stockpiling recording for a bit but never explained exactly why to any of the egos. Marvin was out on a date, surprise surprise. That left Jackie and JJ. Jackie just hung out in his training room. Apparently he was serious about working out again.

'Hello, Chase.' JJ was currently in the kitchen drinking some choco. Chase smiled lightly as he nodded. He didn't really feel much like talking. That whole scene last night had his head reeling. He hadn't heard the whole conversation but he had heard enough to make him worried. There was something that everyone else knew, INCLUDING HIS SONS, that the kid couldn't tell him. One because he was told not to by Jack, and two because he's adamant that it would hurt. Chase frowned as his eyes darted over to JJ seeing him just staring off.

"Hey, Jay?" JJ frowned at the shake in Chase's voice. "If there was something going on with Sam... You'd tell me right?" JJ's eyes went wide as Chase leaned against the counter. "Like... If there was something I should really know about him? You care about him right?" JJ nodded which of course only made Chase that much more worried. "And you all know how much I care about him... right?" Chase's voice cracked as he crossed his arms with this sad look. He could see the guilt in the mute's eyes and that did not make him feel good at all. Even still JJ nodded making Chase crash. "So why am I being kept out of the loop?"

'It's for your own good, Chase.'

"I don't care about my own good, JJ." Chase clenched his fists seeing Jamie shake his head and he wanted to yell. It took everything in him just to breathe normally. "You all know exactly who he is and it's starting to get to me, Jay. All I know is that Sam isn't his real name. What are you guys so afraid of? Haven't I proven that I care about that kid? Haven't I done enough to show that?"

'It's not about that, Chase. Jack is just concerned is all...'

"Concerned about what?" The way Jamie's eyes darkened hit Chase hard as he scoffed. "About me snapping? You all know I've been getting help for that. I'm on meds. I've been talking with Henrik. I'm not just going to snap so easily. I'm not gonna hurt a kid."

'That's just it Chase!' Chase froze like ice seeing the anger in the mute so strongly. 'Sam isn't a child.' Jamie frowned as he shook his head and leaned against the table with clear exhaustion. 'Sam isn't a child... and Jack doesn't know what to do about it. All of this is new to him, Chase. He's just trying his best here. Caring for all of us isn't easy. Why do you think Mark put Dark and Wilford in charge. Mark relies on his ego to help him in supporting them. Jack feels because he has less he has to do it himself. He's going to make mistakes. He made a REALLY big one two years ago and he's only NOW trying to fix it.'

"I just want to help him, JJ. I want to help Sam... yet, I know nothing about it." JJ just smiled thinly as he shrugged.

'None of us do, Chase. None of us know a thing. The only difference is we know that we don't know because we know who he is. Yet, if you've noticed... None of us are able to help him properly. We all hesitate, even me. You're the only one who acts and moves to help without the slightest pause.' Chase deflated as JJ met his eyes with tears in his own. 'I won't lie, Chase. I'm very worried about him. If I could make everything better I would. But you can't change history so easily. Hearts... Heart's are even harder to change. You want to know because your concerned and you feel this information with help you to help him but your wrong. Right now... If you were to learn everything, it would only hurt you both. You're not ready.'

"And how exactly do you know that?"

'Because no one was, Chase. Not Jackie. Not Marvin or Jack. Not even me. We didn't have a choice. We didn't get the opportunity to get to know him before finding out who he was. You haven't truly gotten to know him yet. You haven't seen him at his worst not really. You haven't seen him at his best. You've simply seen a scared and desperate man flung into a crazy situation with no one to latch on to save for you.'

"You say that as if he doesn't actually care." 

'Of course, he cares. I've never known him to ever say I love you to anyone. The fact that he trusts you to call you dad... Chase, you mean more to him than anyone but... It means nothing if in the end, the result is the same. Jack doesn't want things to go back to the way it all was if things can and should change... for the better.'

"Jack is starting to piss me off." JJ chuckled silently as he nodded. "It seems like the main reason no one want's to tell me anything is because he doesn't want anyone to."

'Please try to understand... things are not easy... but decisions have to be made. Jack made his choice and every single one of us has accepted that. Even Sam... surprisingly enough. Jack is hoping that by the time you do find out the truth, that you will have found something in Sam that will make things easier for you to hear it.'

"I'm not some kind of monster JJ."

'That is not at all what I said. I said the truth isn't something that's easy to hear. Either you're going to be angry or you're going to feel guilty. Every single one of us have gone through the immense guilt. Why do you think Jackie and I dote on the poor kid? Even Marvin, despite his forceful nature over things, has gone out of his way to do things for him regardless of how draining or embarrassing the task. We're all just trying to make it up to him. We're trying to save you from having to go through all that too soon.'

"I don't need you to protect me. I need you to be honest with me. The fact that I know you all are keeping me in the dark... It hurt's. To not be trusted by my own Host..." JJ just sipped his cup with a very tired and defeated look. Chase got the picture. The conversation was over. The father yelled as he through a cup against the wall making JJ jump only for him to frown as Chase immediately went to clean the broken pieces. "Shit."

"Dad?" Chase rolled his eyes as he picked up the pieces trying to ignore the pit in his stomach.

"It's ok. Just don't get to close, I don't want you hurting your..."

"Dad, it's Sam." Chase jumped shooting JJ a look before looking over to see his Gray with tears in his eyes. "Dad... Something's wrong."