"And if I was a child, did it matter, if you got to wash your hands?

Trigger Warning: Depictions of Sexual Assault. If you're reading this, you'll know what happens in the chapter to follow, and I wanted to write a short message to talk about the issues explored. I want to preface this whole thing by saying, that by no means am I attempting to idealise or romanticise rape, and anyone who chooses to read this chapter will come to realise this chapter and plot line is used purely to bring awareness to the issue, and provide a sexual assault victim that navigates the harsh and serious impending impacts which follow an assault. I'd also like to inform you all that later on within this book there is an instance of rape, which will have a warning at the beginning of the chapter much like this. Rape and sexual assault are two topics I don't enjoy writing, for obvious reasons, which is why until now I've never taken it upon myself to write characters who experience such things. But both separate instances, provide character development, plot progression and relevance to the plot. When writing this, I knew I want to do so with sensitivity and respectfulness. Which is why this chapter is one I have wrote, rewrote, edited and proof checked at least a million times. However as always, if you read something you don't think is particularly tasteful or something you think is untrue in any way, please do let me know so I can quickly rectify it. Before this chapter begins, I just want to clarify for those of you who chose not to read this one, there will be a summary in the comments of the final paragraph. But it's important to remember this book is 18+ and does contain some extremely triggering topics such as this one. Just to reiterate, to those of you who need to hear it, there is always support for you if you need it. 

Noah - arriving home from the hospital.

It's nearly one in the morning when I arrive back home, pushing the large door inward and nodding at some night shift staff who don't even question my late arrival.

Creeping up the staircases with eyebags dripping down for miles, I crack my bedroom door open and will my feet to walk inside.

To my alarm, a brown haired girl is perched on the end of my bed in red lingerie and a matching silk robe. She's undoubtably a pretty girl, of course nothing close to Spencer's level of beauty. But the similarities between the two are uncanny. I physically flinch upon the sight of the stranger.

"Hey kid." She smirks mischeviously, slipping her robe off so she's very much just wearing underwear.

"Excuse me?" I furrow my brows, slapping a hand over my eyes to block my vision of the girl.

"Son, welcome home. Nice of you to finally join us." My Father's voice calls. I cringe at his voice alone, even more-so when I catch sight of him. Seated in the shadowed over seat to the left of my bed.

He's not supposed to be back. He's on a business trip. He's got a week left.

"Dad.. what are you doing here?" I ask, suddenly my heart begins pounding even more than it did at the sight of him when I realize Maja is yet to enter, with Jameson in the garage having drove us home.

"Well, I saw the photos of your girlfriend. Cancelled the rest of the trip to be with you." He answers, not wavering.

"My ex girlfriend you mean? You encouraged us to separate.. Sorry I'm home late.. I fell asleep at the house of a friend of mines whilst doing homework." I instantly lie. My posture instantly shoots up, my features once soft and tired hardenning to cautious.

"I saw." He interupts, already catching onto my bullshit and shutting it down.

"Saw what, exactly?" I attempt, hoping he is bluffing.

"The photographs that paparazzi took of you and that girl tonight. I told you to end things with her, you didn't listen. And now images that she sent you have been leaked, showing not only once and for all that she is a whore, but also that you associate with one." He explains sternly, rising to his feet and unbuttoning his blazer, he drapes it over the back of the seat.

"Dad, we're friends. Nobody is associating me with her." I plead, terrified of the beating I'm about to get, mostly because I know I won't be able to fight back because of how drained I am.

"Save it, boy. I've established what you need. We're going to fix you together." He assures me, stepping directly in front of me and placing his hand on my shoulder.

We share an intense moment of eye contact, then he pulls me in and holds me tight.

It's stupid, but my entire body once tensed up relaxes into my Father's arms. Maja constantly calls me naive, and i'm sure she would if I ever told her this, but I often find myself trusting my Father. I know he does all this bad stuff to us, but a lot of the time I assume he has our best interests at heart. Sometimes I hate him. But he's my Dad, and dare I say I sometimes trust him. He couldn't just hit us and burn us without reason. I guess that's why I just take it. Maybe I need it. And maybe he's right about Spence being bad for me. But she's the one thing I'd never give up for his judgement. She's the best thing I have. I can't ruin it.

So moments like this where he holds me, despite his alterior motives, I relish in them.

"I saw the videos son. You were arguing and she hit you. I'd like to press charges for assault." He settles. "No, Dad.. I deserved it." I justify. I most certainly did not deserve it considering I haven't done anything wrong in particular. But it was justified, and I don't blame her one bit. Especially because she's so comparatively small that I just staggered back into a table.

"Just as long as you gave her a good beating in return." He agrees, deciding not to press charges. My stomach churns, I'd never hit a girl, and preferably not anyone except my Father at times.

"I've realized you're a teenage boy. I was being ignorant before. You have a member the same way your old man does. You chose that girl because she's got the breasts and the wide legs. And trust me, if that girl was 18 she'd be my pick too." He says with understanding.

Something about hearing my Father say 'member' makes my entire body tense up again. And I go rigid when he talks about my girlfriend in that way.

"But that girl wants a future with you. One that you can't give her. She wants to be public about your so called 'relationship'. What you want is a body that doesn't give you backchat. So we'll end things with that problem you've got yourself involved with and you can keep having your fun with someone more secretive." He tells me with a wink.

"I bought you one of the ones that looks like your brunette toy." He laughs proudly. "You.. bought one?" I furrow my brows.

"Destiny here is 28. She's going to give you 2 hours total, but if you're having too much fun I'll pay overtime. She's open to keeping quiet about everything." He details.

"Dad I'm 16." I panic, looking at the much older woman, who is glancing nervously at my Father.

"She knows. And before you try and say no because she's too ugly, she's the closest I could get to the Hawthorne girl. And if you want to try another kind I can call in for one next time, but today you're stuck with her." He explains.

"Wait.. are you being serious?" I ask with genuine confusion.

"Destiny is going to keep your hormones in check every night you need. But under the conditions that you don't see the girl again. And don't be embarrassed, your old man has his fair share of prostitutes in this house." Dad smiles kindly.

"Dad. I don't want to have sex. Not with Spencer. Not with a prostitute. Not with anyone. I'm a virgin.. you know i'm waiting until marriage." I lie straight through my teeth.

"Okay well even if that were to be true it's about time you start. I was near your age when my Father took me to my first whorehouse. I'm bringing yours to you." He cheers in celebration.

"I don't feel comfortable with this." I grit my teeth.

"Well get comfortable. If Destiny doesn't get paid tonight, her kids don't eat this week." He guilts me, knowing my conscience is too strong to cope with that information.

I sigh as I produce my wallet from my back pocket, riffling through my cash and handing the girl $200. "Thank you Destiny. I'm sorry you came all the way out here, but your services will not be needed." I try to remain calm and polite as I hand the girl my money.

"Your Father told me whatever you offer to make me stop will be tripled if I do this." She shrugs heartlessly.

"Dad." I say firmly. "Son!" He yells furiously.

"No! I don't want this. I'm sick of you just deciding things for me. I won't let your misogynistic pimping be the cause of me doing something I don't want to do." I settle, being more defiant than ever before.

Before I know it, my Father's fist is pummelling into my nose. I sneeze out a spray of crimson and groan in pain.

"Lie down." He requests warningly. "No!" I yell.

Bad idea.

His forceful fists now have me on the ground as he brutally batters me. He attacks my chest until I feel like I can't breathe.

I might pass out just a little from the pain but even when he lifts me and throws me on the bed, I still refuse.

"I'll break up with Spencer. I promise. I- I.. I swear it'll be over Dad.." I cry as the girl mounts my lap and drags my hand to her breast, holding it there despite my desperate pulls to draw back.

"Noah Thatcher! If you do not lie there and take it I'll get the lighter out and burn your fucking face off!" My Father finally yells, completely losing his shit and flailing around like a monster.

I cower away, tears flowing down my cheeks as my whole body goes numb.

He stands directly beside my bed, watching everything and making sure I do as I was told.

The lady is now naked atop me, giving me a lap dance as I hyperventilate, sobbing and squeezing my eyes shut to block it all out. 

"Are you gay? Is that what it is? I've bought you a private prostitute, who looks just like the girl you're 'dating' and you've got your eyes shut for the whole thing!" He accuses. 

By the time my panic attack is at its peak, the girl is attempting to jack me off to get me hard.

"Please." I bawl in begging, staring up at my Dad as he watches with unwavering features.

Regrettably, my body acts before my mind or heart, immediately going hard at the sensation of someone jacking me off.

"Dad.. Please Dad make her stop.. I'm sorry!" I sob, my breathing laboured and barely manageable. My whole body is tremoring with horror as the girl lowers her face to my dick. I forcefully push her off as hard as I can until she stops and I can attempt to sit up and run.

"Hey I raised you better than to hit a lady!" My Father booms, lowering his hand with his phone in it onto my nose. The solid phone cracking my nose and causing an agonised scream to echo through me. I fall back to my pillow, sobbing in agony at the immediate pain that ripples through my body.

The irony of the statement goes unnoticed by him.

"Sorry." I bawl to the girl, trying to remember this isn't her fault.

This is probably the worst panic attack I've ever had. I genuinely believe if it doesn't end soon it'll kill me.

I need to get my mind out of here if I can't get my body out.

Spencer.

That one thought alone is all that's keeping me alive.

My sister's voice breaks through my thoughts. "Oh my god!" She yelps with horror. My Father runs over to her, slapping her and shutting the door to yell at her, leaving just the two of us alone with the door shut. Jameson's booming voice can also be heard through the door.

"Please! Please you have to stop. I'll make sure you get your money.. just make it stop." I cry like a wounded puppy.

The ladies features soften the second he's gone. "I'm so sorry." She pleads.

"If you were sorry you wouldn't still be doing this." I whimper.

"I'll stop! I'll stop okay. You just need to lie to him when he comes back in here. Okay? Can you do that kid?" She offers, immediately letting go of my body and wiping away my tears.

The second she lets go of me I push myself to my feet, trembling as I pull my underwear back on and cower away from her.

"My son's your age." She cries out with pain. "You're only 28.. how can you have a 16 year old?.." I start before slowly trailing off and frowning.

"Oh." I frown in realization. "I'm sorry. I had no choice. Your Father has shares with the procurer I work for. He chose me and if I tried to say no he'd have me kicked out of the whole operation. I came here illegally when I was 11. And I've been working for your Father ever since." She rambles to explain.

"You mean to tell me.. he's got more?" I ask. 

"Hundreds.. Listen, I'm so sorry. My kids and I.. we'd be deported, arrested.. we'd have nothing. I'm so sorry." The lady pleads.

My eyes dart frantically around the room. Disbelief floods over me when I realize just how awful a person my Father is.

"It's okay.. I-" I start before reaching up and clutching my chest as my panic attack intensifies.

"I- don't blame.. you." I assure her, struggling to even breathe. 

"Jamie!" I hear my sister scream horrifically. My whole body feels paralysed, which stops me from moving to leave. The lady stands up, pulling her underwear on and gathering her stuff.

Opening the door in an instant, her eyes gape and I feel a wave of horror at what she could have seen. "Your son's duty's are relieved." She says with a shaky voice.

"Good girl. I'll see you next time, or maybe I'll pick another." He replies.

The girl rushes away.

"Don't you fucking dare walk back in that room!" I hear Jameson yell.

"You kiss my whore daughter with that filthy mouth, boy?!" My Father roars back.

"I do a hell of a lot more than kiss her with this mouth you bastard!" Jameson snarls, pushing past my Father and running inside my room. Maja slams my door shut, holding it shut for just a moment to make sure he's gone.

"Noah?" Jameson asks me.

I can't stop hyperventilating. My eyes held shut to stop any more tears falling.

"Jesus man." He gapes, looking over at me as I struggle to breathe, not only because of the broken nose but also from the panic attack I'm experiencing.

"Please don't tell Spence." Is the first thing I manage to sob out between hiccups.

"This is so fucked up.." He runs a hand through his hair, pacing my floor.

"Noah.. he just.. he.." Maja cries with disbelief. "He assaulted you.. and- he.." she slaps a hand over her mouth to stop her sobs.

"He- didn't- assault me... And neither- did she." I deny between gasps of air.

"So you agreed to that?" Jameson asks me, knowing as well as I do that I didn't. 

"No.." I trail off anxiously. "Then that's assault kid. And even if you had agreed, it'd still be statutory rape." He informs me.

"No.. No.. stop it.. just.. please just- leave me alone.." I groan, holding my chest in agony as I attempt to breathe. 

"I'm taking you both away from here. We're sleeping at my place." Jameson declares. I shake my head with refusal. 

"It's fine." I dismiss. I glance between both of them, turning around because I can't bear to look at them.

"Just.. I don't know.." I say through laboured breaths.

"Noah, man, you need to breathe. Okay just deep breaths." Jameson urges, coming to my side and placing a hand on my shoulder to calm me down.

"But Spence.." I grit shakily. "Forget about her." He dismisses. "I can't.. she's the- only reason I'm still- holding on.." I sob.

"She's gonna hate me." I bawl, dropping to my knees as I completely break down and struggle to breathe. 

"She won't. She's not gonna hate you. You didn't do this." He insists. "I could've.. I.. I cheated on her.." I bury my head between my knees in a ball.

"You didn't. Get that out your head. When she finds out, she won't-" Jameson assures me.

"No! She won't find out." I snap. "Noah.. when we take this to court she'll find out eventually." He sighs sympathetically, the hand on my shoulder nurturing me.

"Court?! No! No! Stop.. I.. I just want to pretend nothing happened.." I beg. 

"I can't do that.. he assaulted you.. he's been abusing you for years.. it's time to tell someone." Jameson decides.

"No! This isn't your problem! You can march in here like you know everything because you're dating my sister, pretending like you know exactly how to fix all of this, all you want. But don't think for one second you understand! Don't pretend like you know half the shit that happens here because you've walked in on one night. This isn't your life! This is my fucking life! Every single fucking day! I know to you it's some morality test, some choice you have to make to decide if you're a good person or not. But in the end, all you have to do to escape it all is walk out. I walk out and I'm fucking dead! So don't act like you know shit. You can't fix this. You tell one person and I'll kill you! You think if there was a way out, I wouldn't have tried it by now?! The only way out of this shit hole is if it kills me!!" I scream manically.

Jameson blinks. He doesn't look mad. Or startled. Or even disturbed. The look on his face is pure devastation. He looks fucking devastated.

"I'm sorry." He frowns genuinely. "I won't tell anyone.. I'm not gonna do anything until you're ready, if you are." He assures me calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder and offering up his arms. My lip quivers and suddenly I'm breaking down all over again in Jameson's warm embrace.

My muffled cries echo, his hushing reassurances trying to calm me down. 

Jameson and Maja - third person, their perspective.

Driving in silence through the dark and vastly empty streets of Texas is haunting. The sound of Spencer's sobs fresh in all three kids minds. Her boyfriend, her brother, her friend. 

Jameson's knuckles were white with the grip he had on the wheel.

The car hums softly, the engine's purr a stark contrast to the thick silence that envelopes the interior. Unable to stand the quiet, Maja swiftly turned on the radio.

Considering the late hours of night, the music had switched to smooth jazz on almost every station. Despite the soft music, it was far from comforting for the trio. Something just seeming rather unsettling to them all.

Jameson shifts uncomfortably and presses a couple things on the screen of his car until it makes a small bleep noise and the music disappears. He connected Maja's phone so the music could be more comforting for all of them.

She produces her phone and very soon a playlist of Taylor Swift's sadder songs hummed gently from the speakers.

It was quiet and subtle, but it was something they could all seek at least a little comfort in.

Pulling into the gates of Thatcher Hall, everyone is clearly exhausted.

"I'll be up in like.. 5." Maja tells her brother once the car is parked.

Jameson furrows his brows, confused at why she'll be five more minutes. Nevertheless, Noah slips out the car, being too worn out to question it.

Once the garage is empty and Noah is gone, the silence the teens are sitting in fades to tension.

"Jamie, I'm really sorry about-" Maja begins, feeling a huge guilt for Spencer's conditions.

But the sob that filled the car, consumed her, instantly shattering her heart into a million pieces. She turns to find Jameson with the palms of his hands pressed over his eyes. 

His tears are flowing wildly, the sobs racking through his whole body. 

The typically strong and brave boy is crumbling, and Maja has no clue what to do.

"Hey.. hey.. it's okay." She attempts to comfort him, reaching a hand over to his shoulder comfortingly.

"No.. no it's not." He bawls, his voice breaking and resembling his 9 year old self when all of this had begun. He'd known at that young age that his younger sister was insecure about her looks, but he never could have anticipated how bad things would get. 

When he was 14 he found her making herself throw up. He told his older brothers and the three of them spoke to her and somehow made it all go away. But the thought always lingered in the back of her mind, and they all knew it was. It was only in recent years it had got bad again. 

Jameson knew. He truly had always known that it would never go away, and it killed him.

Seeing his sister that he was so close to, struggle with a simple bodily function as easy as eating. He constantly tried to make her eat more, but it just made her persistently more angry. 

He knew it was serious, but he couldn't bring himself to come to terms with the truth of what was wrong. He refused to say the words, but tonight it crashed upon him like a wave. His little sister and best friend had an eating disorder. And not just one, but two. Both anorexia and bulimia.

"She's just a kid." He bawls into his hands, whimpering like a wounded animal.

"I know." Maja nods, teary eyes but refusing to cry so she can stay composed for him. 

"She shouldn't have to go through all of this.. she's just a kid." Jameson whimpers.

"I'm so sorry." She says sincerely, reaching a hand out to stroke his dark hair. 

"She's not a bad kid.. She acts mean, but she's just hurt.." He cries out. "It's how she copes. And- and she's the best kid in the world. She's honest.. and kind.. and so sensitive. I don't get it. What did she do wrong?" He pleads out into the sky, somehow expecting an answer.

"I don't know.." Maja whispers, her voice wet with tears as she continues to gently rub his hair.

"I don't understand why everything bad always happens to her." Jameson chokes out, turning to his girlfriend with red eyes, hoping she can give him all the answers. "I don't either.." Is all she can muster up, trailing her hand down the back of his neck comfortingly, and opening her arms for when he's ready. At the unspoken offer, he immediately accepts, grabbing her in his arms and pulling her onto his lap to be closer. His head falls into her neck.

"I don't know.." He sighs in defeat. "I don't either, Jamie. But I do know that she's the strongest girl I've ever met. She gets thrown so much to deal with and she always makes it through. She's a fighter." Maja says firmly.  

"She is. But she shouldn't have to be." Jameson agrees.

The girl takes his tears against her neck for a while, doing her best to provide comfort to the broken boy.

"Shit.." The girl tenses up upon her eyes finding something. The boy hums in curiosity, sensing his girlfriend's panic and composing himself as much as he can.

"No... no no no.." She pleads desperately. Jameson follows her eyes to a black sports car parked at the opposite side of the garage. "What? What is it?" He demands.

"My.. my Dad he's home. He's been home since we got back.. he got back early." Acting on sheer terror, the brown haired girl jumps out of her boyfriend's lap and out the car door.

Following quickly after her, up the spiral staircases, through the eerily pale interior designed house, the couple race for Noah and Maja's bedroom to warn him.

Upon their arrival, they heard his cries. "Jesus." Jameson murmurs, kicking the door open.

Both teens breaths catch in their throat. Seeing a grown woman jacking off the teenage boy clearly hyperventilating and having a breakdown, with his Father watching from the bedside.

"Oh my god!" Maja squeals in horror beside the shocked still boy.

Having grown up thinking he got the short straw in parents with an unknown Father and a Mother who never cared, Jameson's suddenly realising he was better off without.

The furious Father trudges towards the door, slapping Maja across the face, making her cheek instantly glow red and a squeak to escape her mouth.

He steps outside the bedroom, closing the door and getting ready to throw another punch. Jameson's rigid body finally processes everything he's witnessed, lunging for the man and punching him full force.

"You think hitting your kids makes you tough?!" The teenager shouts with rage, slamming his fists all over the man's face.

"Get your hands off me boy!" He booms back.

"You think that was a rhetorical question you old bastard? I'm asking you if you think hitting your kids makes you tough?!" Jameson yells, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pinning him against the wall.

"I think hitting my bitch daughter is a necessity." He answers with a genuine honesty that makes Jameson truly sick to his stomach at how firmly the man believes this.

"And raping your son?" Jameson demands, voice pungent with outrage. "Always acceptable when he's spending time with your whore sister." He laughs manically, spitting out blood as Jameson keeps him held against the wall with one hand around the neck.

Cowering and sobbing, Maja hugs herself, watching everything crumble.

"You're going to prison for life, you sick fucker." Jameson shakes his head with disgust. "I'd like to see you try. A day in a holding cell max." Reginald smirks.

"Yeah we'll see about that one." Jameson scoffs confidently, truly believing that he can get this powerful well respected man imprisoned. 

"You're a fucking monster." Jameson growls.

In an instant, the man reestablishes his power, gripping Jameson's hand, twisting it and managing to flip him onto his back. Immediately, he presses his foot on the teenagers throat until he splutters and gags.

"Jamie!" Maja shrieks in terror. 

Jameson's whole body runs cold. He thought he was winning the fight against the much older man, but now he realises he only landed so many hits because he let him. He thought he was in the position of power with his hand around his throat, but he didn't.

Reginald held more strength and power than he let on, if he could completely flip the entire body of a boy made up of pretty much straight muscle, he must've been strong.

Jameson assumed all this time that the twins only took the beatings because they weren't experienced with fighting, but seeing how strong the man truly is, provides a sobering atmosphere. 

The door suddenly cracks open, and the trembling prostitute steps out, informing the man her job is done, and sheepishly she walks away.

"Don't you fucking dare walk back in that room!" Jameson shouts from the floor the second his throat is freed.

"You kiss my whore daughter with that filthy mouth, boy?!" Reginald accuses, clearly not being a fan of Jameson's constant cursing.

"I do a hell of a lot more than kiss her with this mouth you bastard!" Jameson snarls.

Jameson shoves past the man, and steps inside the room. The second Maja gets inside, she forces her body against the door to make sure the man is gone.

"Noah?" Jameson steps close to the boy with hesitance. Cowering in the corner in just underwear, sporting a battered and broken nose, is Noah.

"Jesus man." Jameson sighs, taking in the sight of his extreme panic attack, looking pale and as if he's not even here.

"Please don't tell Spence." Noah manages.

"This is so fucked up.." Jameson shakes his head, hands in his hair as he paces.

"Noah.. he just.. he.." Maja sobs with disbelief. "He assaulted you.. and- he.." Maja has to stifle her sobs with a hand clamped over her mouth.

"He- didn't- assault me... And neither- did she." Noah turns down. Maja and Jameson make a short eye contact, both looking fucking horrified.

"So you agreed to that?" The boy asks hesitantly.

"No.." Noah trails off. "Then that's assault kid. And even if you had agreed, it'd still be statutory rape." Jameson tries to stay calm even though on the inside he's losing it. 

"No.. No.. stop it.. just.. please just- leave me alone.." Noah grabs his chest, unable to breathe.

"I'm taking you both away from here. We're sleeping at my place." Jameson declares firmly, staring at Maja. 

To the Hawthorne boys surprise, both kids shake their heads with denial. "It's fine." Noah speaks up. "Just.. I don't know.." 

Jameson steps towards the boy, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder to steady him. "Noah, man, you need to breathe. Okay just deep breaths."

"But Spence.." Noah sobs. "Forget about her." Jameson dismisses. "I can't.. she's the- only reason I'm still- holding on.." The boy cries out.

"She's gonna hate me." Noah falls to his knees. "She won't. She's not gonna hate you. You didn't do this." Jameson assures. "I could've.. I.. I cheated on her.." The Thatcher boy pulls his body into a ball.

"You didn't. Get that out your head. When she finds out, she won't-" Jameson confirms. "No! She won't find out." He booms. "Noah.. when we take this to court she'll find out eventually." Jameson sighs sympathetically.

"Court?! No! No! Stop.. I.. I just want to pretend nothing happened.." Noah yelps.

"I can't do that.. he assaulted you.. he's been abusing you for years.. it's time to tell someone." Jameson reminds.

"No! This isn't your problem! You can march in here like you know everything because you're dating my sister, pretending like you know exactly how to fix all of this, all you want. But don't think for one second you understand!" Noah rants.

Maja and Jameson make direct eye contact, silently fighting. 

"Don't pretend like you know half the shit that happens here because you've walked in on one night. This isn't your life! This is my fucking life! Every single fucking day! I know to you it's some morality test, some choice you have to make to decide if you're a good person or not. But in the end, all you have to do to escape it all is walk out. I walk out and I'm fucking dead! So don't act like you know shit." Noah continues.

Maja nods along with Noah, but Jameson silently tells her it's not true. But listening to the distraught words and considering his options deeply. 

"You can't fix this. You tell one person and I'll kill you! You think if there was a way out, I wouldn't have tried it by now?! The only way out of this shit hole is if it kills me!!"

Jameson just blinks and breathes deeply. "I'm sorry." He says. 

The words are true, he knows both pf these kids would give anything to be out of that place, and if there was a way, they would've been out years ago. But the numbing guilt stays all over his tingling body.

"I won't tell anyone.. I'm not gonna do anything until you're ready, if you are." He assures the twins calmly.

Almost immediately, Noah breaks down sobbing in Jameson's warm embrace. Comforting the boy he's known since childhood, he stay calm, offering comforting affirmations.