Alfred could not think, move, or speak. He was frozen, stuck in his thoughts.

His heart hammered against his chest, his eyes were swollen and pink from all his crying. His throat was raw and lips were dry. He couldn't believe it.

Memories of his actual father ran through his mind he remembered all the yelling and neglect, and the faint scar on his brother's skin that would forever be imprinted on him reminded him that a person could just be that cruel.

His father, the man of his nightmares.

He would once again live with him, and his brother would finally understand why he was so afraid.

Matthew stayed close to his brother, he had never seen Alfred so terrified before. And when Alfred trembled Matthew would wrap his arms around him and hug him until he calmed down. "Alfred, Matthew," Francis spoke.

The tiny family sat in the living room waiting for Arthur to arrive, he needed to calm himself down and decided to just wash his face and freshen up. "Papa..." Matthew whimpered when Alfred didn't respond back as he would always do.

"Everything is going to be okay, I promise," Francis reassured, and at that Alfred snapped. "How can you say that? Papa we're going to be taken away from you! How can you be so calm?" he asked furiously. "Alfred please." Francis started. "No! Papa, we both like it here, can't we just not go? We can move away and hide!" he suggested.

Francis sighed. "As much as I'd like that, I'm afraid we would go to jail if we did that." Alfred slumped his shoulders. "But...why?" he dropped his gaze, ignoring his brother's attempt to comfort him. A sudden question popped into his mind. A question that brought him pain, what exactly was the cause of his mother's death?

He remembered how aggressive his father was up to the point where he hit her, and then he hit Alfred too once. And after he hurt Matthew his mother finally had enough. She yelled and screamed at him and finally, she left him and kicked him out of their house.

And then it happened, there was a knock at their door, and all hell broke loose. Men charged inside breaking everything, Alfred's mother yelled at him to run and get Matthew who slept upstairs. And that was the last time he saw her with her final plead escaping her final breath.

The ambush was no coincidence, realization soon settled itself on Alfred. He gasped, his heart dropped. It was his father that caused all of it, and now Alfred understood. Because his mother kicked him out he got even more aggressive, got angry, got murderous. And he was not going to have it.

But then another question popped into his mind, what would happen to his new family if he and his brother refused to leave? Would they suffer too? Would they....be killed too?

A shudder ran up his spine. "Alfred, are you okay?" Matthew asked anxiously. "...yes." He answered in a monotone voice, he knew what he had to do and say. Just thinking about it was enough to bring tears to his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away not wanting to worry his brother anymore.

As soon as Arthur returned he kneeled in front of the couch that his sons were sitting on and stared at them. "Alfred." He stared into Alfred's dull blue eyes. "Tell me about your father, and how you ended up at that place." He demanded in a pleading tone, this was it. For both of his fathers' safety, Alfred knew what he had to say. "We were kidnapped after my mom died, my dad was knocked out." He lied smoothly, and then. Arthur broke.

He looked down and grasped onto both his son's hands. "We have three hours. That's all." To believe that just yesterday they were having a family meal together, and now they were saying goodbye. The boys' room was now bare and empty, a single suitcase held all their belongings. "Daddy do we have to go?" Matthew whimpered.

They had to lie to Matthew telling him that they were going on a vacation just for kids, and he surprisingly believed it. Arthur couldn't bear to see Matthew in tears. And he wanted to lie to Alfred too, but Alfred understood everything, he knew. But Arthur was not going to give up so easily, he was raising more money in order to get his children back, no matter what the cost was.

Francis joined Arthur on the floor. "It's Alright Matthew, Alfred will be with you and protect you if you ever get scared," Francis reassured with a sad smile. "Yes, I will always be with you, Mattie." Alfred held his brother's hand, Francis sighed and stood from the ground. "I got something for both of you." He ran to the kitchen and returned with a paper bag, he sat back on the ground and pulled Arthur close to him.

He carefully pulled out a bunch of bright blue flowers, blue daisies. Alfred gasped. "Papa, you found them!" he exclaimed in surprise. "I told you I'd get them," Francis replied and gave the flowers to Alfred, and then he pulled out a stuffed polar bear, and Matthew gasped. Francis smiled despite the current situation and handed it to his son. "Here you go Matthew, a stuffed bear just for you." Arthur was devastated to see Matthew smile and hug the bear close to his chest.

It would be the last smile he would see from him. "Dad." Alfred shook Arthur from his thoughts. "Yes, Alfred what is it?" he asked with a soft, sad smile. Alfred handed him two flowers. "Please give these to Davie..." Alfred's lip trembled as he fought back the urge to cry. "I will definitely give it to him." Arthur agreed and took the flowers, Alfred then grabbed six flowers and gave it to Francis. "Three for each of you okay?"

Matthew hugged his bear close to his chest. "Why do you look so sad, daddy? We're not going away for long." He stated and leaned forward. "We'll be back before you know it just like how you left us with Mr.Gilbert." He explained. "You came back like you promised, so that means we'll come back too." Arthur wanted desperately to believe in his son's words. And Alfred just stayed silent feeling guilt weigh down on him.

Matthew was going to find out one way or another, and when he would it would definitely not be pretty. Alfred bit his lip and tugged at his brother's arm. "We'll be back Mattie." He reassured Arthur had to look down in order to hide his watering eyes. Francis rubbed his back and hugged him to his chest. "Take a rest amour, you're exhausted." Francis frowned.

Arthur shook his head. "I can't, I want to stay with them until the very end." He muttered in a strained voice, Alfred grew concerned about his father's health and then took notice of his brother who yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Dad, papa lets take a nap together." He suggested with a yawn of his own.

Both men agreed and led their children to their room, Francis scooped a half-asleep Matthew into his arms and Arthur helped Alfred onto the bed, the small family stayed close together and held each other. Arthur and Francis held their children tight wanting nothing more but the moment to last forever.

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Alfred clung to Arthur's waist as an old looking truck pulled into their driveway and Francis hugged Matthew close to his chest, close to his heart. A man climbed out and waited, Arthur took a deep shaky breath and lifted Alfred into his arms. "Dad I'm scared." Alfred whimpered and buried his face in the crook of his father's neck.

Arthur nodded solemnly. "I am too." He mumbled.

Matthew grasped onto Francis' shirt and held his bear close. "Papa, is it time to go?" he asked quietly. Francis swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Yes." He choked out. "I'll take you there." He let Matthew down and held his hand. Arthur reluctantly opened the door, the sun stung Arthur's swollen eyes. Alfred still clung to him not bothering to open his eyes or pull away.

A man stood against his car, he was middle-aged with thinning blonde hair and steel gray eyes, he wore faded jeans and a baggy shirt, a few scars littered his face and arms. Matthew shrunk at the sight of the man. "Wow..." The man muttered to himself. Arthur stopped in front of him with Francis right behind him. "Alfred...." Arthur mumbled. Alfred pulled away and was placed back on the ground, he immediately ran to his brother's side and took his hand.

And with all his courage he looked up to meet his 'father's' face. He was definitely different, but possibly a very convincing facade. The man smiled at Arthur and Francis. "I want to thank you both for taking care of my sons. I'm so happy to finally see them." He kneeled to the ground and faced his sons. "Hello there, it's been so long I hope we can get to know each other again." Alfred instantly knew that the smile on his face was obviously fake.

"We're not your sons," Matthew stated. "Daddy and Papa are my parents." Alfred tensed as he saw his father's eyes darken. "Oh is that so?" he asked and stood. "I'm really sorry that you grew so attached to them." He looked at Arthur with pity. Francis frowned and pulled Arthur close to him, he did not like the look the man was giving him. "I gave Alfred my phone number so that he could call, you can also call if you need any help at all," Arthur explained in a glum tone.

The man nodded. "Well, let's get going guys. Let's go home." Arthur and Francis were tearing up as he grabbed the suitcase and threw it in the trunk of his car. Matthew whimpered. "We are home! This is home." His quiet voice rose. "This is my home.." Francis wanted so bad to comfort him, but he couldn't do anything now. Alfred turned to his fathers, the people he grew to love. "Goodbye." He whispered.

Arthur and Francis wrapped their arms around both boys and hugged them tightly. "Be good, and call whenever you can." Arthur pleaded. "We will, I promise," Alfred replied.

Matthew's heart hammered against his chest. "I love you both always known that." Arthur placed a kiss on both his son's cheeks along with Francis. "Wait, no. We are home what does he mean? Where are we going?" Matthew asked. "Come on guys, it's time to go." They eventually were pulled away.

Alfred tugged at Matthew's arm. "Wait, daddy why are we leaving? I don't want to go! I'll behave better! Please don't make us go!" he begged as he was dragged away by his brother, their father helped them into the truck and closed it shut. Both Alfred and Matthew looked out the window, Alfred attempted to waved while Matthew hit the glass calling out for his fathers. Francis held a sad look, and Arthur had to hide his face. They were both at the verge of breaking down.

The man waved them goodbye and climbed into the car. "Alfie where are we going? I want daddy, I want papa!" tears filled Matthew's eyes. "I don't want to leave!" Alfred stayed silent and pulled his brother close. Matthew hugged Alfred tight, his bear beside him as he sobbed, the car drove off. And Alfred watched his only family disappear.

Matthew whimpered and trembled and called out for his fathers, but Alfred knew they couldn't come to the rescue. The man in the driver's seat groaned. "Honestly I'm getting a headache." He muttered, Matthew flinched. "I'm sorry..." He whispered, but his tears couldn't stop. He was too scared, too sad. And so confused. Alfred bit his lip and closely observed his 'father' who had definitely aged a lot. "You know I remember when you both were babies." He spoke.

Alfred gritted his teeth as his father smirked. "Especially you Matthew. You look so much like your mom." Alfred growled. "Leave him alone." He demanded. "Alfred, if you knew I was bad why did you come? Why didn't you tell the police?" he asked curiously. Alfred turned his head. "Because I know what you did. And I know what you could do, and because most adults don't believe in what children say." He explained as Matthew curled up on the seat and held his bear in his arms.

"Do you know why I want you back?" the man asked. "To torture us just how you did to mom," Alfred muttered, the man gripped onto the steering wheel and nodded. "Since I'm a widower now I can obtain twice as much money if I have my children." He sighed. "Such a pity no?" Alfred scowled.

A dreadful feeling settled at the bottom of his stomach, he felt unsafe, and he knew that once they arrived at their new house something bad would surely happen. And that terrified him.

He held his brother closer and rubbed his back trying to soothe him and get him to stop crying, but who could blame him? He was not informed anything and was just taken away from his family and safe home, and he couldn't even say a proper goodbye.

Matthew held Alfred's hand. "I want to go back Alfred, please can we go back?" he whispered in a pleading tone, Alfred shook his head, distressed that he couldn't do anything but live with the demon once again. And his brother would have to face all of it too finally being able to understand Alfred's fear and pain, something that Alfred never wanted.

A/N: I'd like to apologize to my too pure, and too innocent readers for having to face all the angst. And I must apologize in advance because the next chapters will not be any better. I still love you all though! 💖💖💖💖 (I am so sorry, it is too late to turn back now)