Eventually, they arrived at a small house, it was far from any other house. Alfred shuddered, the fewer people there were the worst it would be.

Alfred looked down at his brother who slept soundly. "Welcome home." His father sighed and climbed out of the car to grab the suitcase from the trunk, Matthew jolted awake. "Alfred?" he felt for his brother's hand. Alfred took Matthew's hand. "I'm here Mattie." He reassured in a soothing tone.

Their father opened a door and ushered them out. "Come on." He grumbled, Alfred held his brother's hand tight as they both followed the intimidating man, he opened the door to the house and trudged in, then stopped. "From now on you will spend most of your time indoors so don't even think about going outside without my knowing." Matthew looked down.

Alfred sighed. "Okay." He said and pulled his brother close. They both walked in the house and Matthew instantly coughed at the thick scent of cigar smoke. "Can you at least open a window?" Alfred asked quietly. "...fine." Their father sighed and opened a window down the hall.

Alfred pulled his brother to the window. "Try not to breathe it in that much okay?" he stated and patted his brother's back. "Excuse me mister-" Matthew started but was suddenly cut off. "Excuse me?" their father's voice was suddenly low and angry causing both boys to flinch. "From now on you will address me as your father." He stated, Matthew whimpered. "But I already have my daddy and papa." He whispered.

The man flinched. "They're not your parents, I am your father. The one that brought you here." He explained in a harsh tone, he then kneeled down to their level and faced them with dangerous eyes. "Now...Matthew." He smiled, Alfred pushed his brother behind him. "I'd like it very much if you addressed me as your father okay?" Alfred stayed silent as his brother trembled behind him.

Matthew peered over Alfred's shoulder. "O-okay.." He whispered in a frightened voice, his face was paler than usual, his eyes wide with fear. He looked at the bear in his arms, it was trembling along with him. Their father stood and took hold of Alfred's arm. "Let me show you around." He muttered dragging Alfred along with him, Matthew followed closely behind his brother.

As much as Alfred wanted to pry the man's fingers off of him he feared that it would bring bad consequences to him and his brother, he already learned not to get his father mad. And so he just let himself be dragged, besides, as long as his brother was unharmed it would be okay. For now.

Finally, after being showed what rooms they could and could not go in, they were both shown to a dark hall, two doors stood across from each other. Their father stood in front of them towering over them like a giant. "You both will each sleep in your own room from now on, there is a personal bathroom in each of your rooms meaning they will be locked at night."

Alfred's blood ran cold, and Matthew couldn't find the right words to say anything. The man looked at his watch. "It's almost dinner, after dinner, you will go to bed without any complaints." He informed, Matthew, shook his head not wanting to believe his words.

Alfred gritted his teeth. "No!" he shouted. "Matthew can't sleep alone he gets nightmares. And he needs someone to calm him down." He explained. "It's not my problem, it's not yours either." His father replied.  "Please, mister I can't sleep without Alfred." Matthew whimpered.

Alfred froze at his brother's mistake. "What did you call me?" the many asked quietly, Matthew shrunk. "I..." He stammered. "I mean dad." He mumbled and hugged his bear close to his chest.

The man nodded and continued on. "As I was saying, you both will sleep in separate rooms. And if you refuse, then a punishment will be needed. Besides, growing boys need to learn about discipline." He wore a sick smile that made Alfred's stomach churn in uneasiness.

Matthew felt queasy. "I can't...I don't want to be alone." He whispered to himself, Alfred grabbed his hand and gave him a small smile. "It's alright Mattie." Their father led them to the kitchen. "You'll be safe, I promise.."

That was the worse lie Alfred had to say, he couldn't face his brother after that. How could he?

Matthew sighed shakily in somewhat relief and nodded. "Okay, will you be safe too Alfred?" he asked anxiously, Alfred lifted his head and reluctantly nodded.

Scratch that, this would be the worse lie.

"Yeah, I'll be safe."

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It was Francis' sixth attempt to get his lover to eat, and he had once again failed. He sighed in defeat and searched for Arthur throughout the many covers he had wrapped around himself.

He gave a quiet sigh of relief when he found Arthur's face and gently pulled him out of the blanket quicksand. He pulled Arthur onto his lap and let him rest his head on his shoulder, Arthur stayed silent.

His eyes were dull, his skin a sickly pale white, dark bags rested under his bloodshot eyes. He looked terrible. And probably was worse on the inside, Francis wished he could feel what Arthur felt so that he could comfort him, but what could he do? He was also broken, he wanted so badly to sob and let himself wallow in pain and sadness, but seeing how strongly it affected Arthur was what gave him little strength to keep himself together.

He needed to be strong for Arthur, he needed to revive him. To keep him alive.

Arthur couldn't do anything, it was like his will to live was taken away along with his children. Readers, imagine the one thing that has always brought you happiness, the one thing that will always make you smile, the one thing that you absolutely love. Now imagine that specific thing suddenly being taken away from you without any warning. Quick and gone before you even know it.

To Arthur and Francis, it was like suddenly being shot in the chest, first a huge impact hitting their body. At first, they're confused and possibly scared their breath is knocked out of them, and then the pain comes and spreads throughout their body they can't breathe. Just like that.

Francis brushed away strands of hair that fell in Arthur's face, Arthur was shook from his thoughts and gave his attention to Francis. And he stared at him for a while, his heart clenched in pain and anger. "Why?..." he croaked. Francis jumped at Arthur's voice. "Pardon love? I didn't catch that." He frowned and listened closely to Arthur.

Arthur swallowed. "Why are you so calm? Why aren't you sad? Don't you care that our children were taken? Don't you care?" his voice rose. "I thought you said you wanted to be part of the family, so why aren't you as sad as me? Don't you care about our family!?" his breathing quickened.

Francis took a breath and pressed Arthur close to him. "I really am trying to keep it together amour." He whispered to him in a shaky voice, Arthur immediately calmed himself down and instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry." He apologized in a broken voice. "It's alright, I know I should be mourning over our children, but crying is a sign of defeat." Arthur flinched at Francis's words.

"I know we will get the children back," Francis said with a soft smile, Arthur buried his face in Francis's shirt. "How can you be so sure?" he asked quietly. Francis ran his fingers through Arthur's hair. "Don't panic..." He started, and Arthur grew tense at his words. "But I believe that the boys' father is very dangerous." Arthur felt his heart drop.

It was true, the atmosphere the man had was very intimidating and untrustful. And Alfred was so afraid, but who wouldn't? Though he did remember being glared at by the taller man, and Francis had pulled him back as if to protect him from the glare as if it were a solid object that could hurt him. Arthur shivered and his heart suddenly leaped to his throat he lurched forward and gripped onto Francis's shoulders. "If he's dangerous then we need to get them back!" he exclaimed.

Francis cupped Arthur's face in his hands and forced him to look into his eyes. "Calm down love." He demanded in a firm calming tone. "We can't get them now because we have no proof that he is bad." He explained, Arthur shook his head. "But what if he ends up hurting them!?" he trembled. "They'll get hurt! And we won't be able to help because we don't know where they are...."

Arthur looked down. "I'm scared, Francis. I'm so scared." He admitted in a defeated tone and slumped shoulders. "I'm not strong like you, I'm weak and cry when I'm sad. I get depressed easily so that's a flaw of mine too, I'm extremely paranoid at times and my anxiety pretty much takes over my whole life." He slowly lifted his head and gave Francis a pained smile.

"But I want all of that to change." He stated. "I want to become strong and be able to find a solution in every problem we face, I want to be useful." A pang of pain shot through Francis' heart. "Arthur you are useful." He retorted. "You accepted me back, and practically nursed me to health when I so badly wanted to die. You saved me amour, so now it's my turn to save you and our children." He caressed Arthur's face. "I promise that we will have our family back."

Arthur swallowed thickly and wrapped his arms around Francis. "Thank you so much." He whispered to him and held him tight. "Oh, and about that man hurting our children. If he does so I'll make sure he never ever lays a hand on them again, that I guarantee." Francis promised and rubbed Arthur's tense shoulders.

After that he begged Arthur to eat, it took a lot of begging and persuasion but he finally got him to eat a bit of bread and soup. And when he was done he instantly dozed off nearly falling off the chair he was sitting on, Francis dragged (more like carried) him to their room and tucked him into bed. He sighed and placed a kiss on the top of his head. "Please rest well amour, I promise we will have our children back soon." He smiled and lied next to him.

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Alfred struggled against his father's grip. "Let me go!" he shouted all of them had finished dinner. It was short, they had only sandwiches and a glass of water, Matthew had no appetite.

And after refusing to eat he was taken to his own room despite his pleas he was forcefully dragged. And when he yelped from the tight grip Alfred snapped and ran after them demanding that his father let his brother go, though he didn't listen.

He tossed Matthew into his room and closed the door shut locking it after, Matthew panicked and desperately knocked on the door pleading to see his brother and apologizing over and over. Alfred tugged at his father's arm. "Let him out! He's scared can't you see? Please just let me be with him!" he pleaded anxiously, the silent man took Alfred's wrist and dragged him to his own room.

"Let me go!" Alfred demanded once again, but it was like he was yelling at a wall. He was eventually thrown into his own room, and his heart dropped when he heard the click of the door locking. He ran to the door feeling his heart racing and his blood rushing through his veins. "Let me out! Please!! Matthew needs me he can't be alone." He whimpered as he heard his brother's cries.

He looked down at his feet and slid down to his knees, he felt useless. He could only sit and hear his brother cry and be could not do anything about it. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on trying to calm his uneven breathing, he couldn't give up now. He needed to be strong, for his brother.

He was going to become the hero Matthew needed and deserved. He was going to save his brother.

His eyes snapped open when he heard something indescribable.

And then, his brother's cries got louder.