(Ruh roh raggy, suicidal thoughts/attempt(s), eating disorders, abuse, child neglect, blah blah)

Joel wasn't a mind reader or anything but he knew exactly what was going to happen once he entered Hermitcraft.

The medics of the server urged him to check on Grian. Someone who should be close to the admin but not directly related. Lizzie was too busy and nobody knew where Jimmy was.

His chest clenched when he saw the kid he had always seen as a brother sitting in a bed, being fitted with hearing aids while trying to read braille out loud as practice. He remembered when he was sick at one point, the whole palace was unable to see Jimmy for a few weeks, only the king, queen, and a royal doctor. Joel knew that it wasn't any ordinary sickness with the way Jimmy looked past him for a few days and a scarf was wrapped around his neck even in the heat.

Jimmy had always been a 'sickly' kid to put it lightly. Joel noticed when he skipped meals and got paler over time. And when Joel was not allowed to help Jimmy change into his pj's one day? He knew that something was up. The younger prince would limp when he thought nobody was looking and his face was sometimes coated in makeup to hide something. He wore gloves some times and always wore long sleeves despite the weather.

Joel would treat him just the same regardless. He would pick Jimmy up and spin him around (all while ignoring the lack of weight the kid had) and would run around with Jimmy all the same (even though he got slower and slower everyday until he just stopped playing.)

So seeing the touchless Jimmy now littered with injuries and body practically mangled? It broke Joel's heart more than he could ever imagine. Not even the departure of Lizzie leaving the palace after years hurt as much.

Joel stopped staring when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Turning, he saw one of the medics of the server. He presumed it was Doc, the one that invited him to come.

"Prince Joel," he said, bowing his head slightly. Joel scrunched his nose a bit at the pleasantries.

"Please, Joel is just fine." He urged, the creeper hybrid nodding his head.

"Alright, if you just want to follow me." Joel walked behind the medic, a few paces behind. His posture was perfect despite the anxiety in his gut.

Grian wouldn't want him for comfort. Joel knew that with his whole heart. He wouldn't have allowed Joel onto the server. Regardless, Joel has a clue as to what is going on.

He had seen medical files many times. This Jimmy didn't have a medical file that fit. There was a clear discrepancy that the medics must have noticed. They needed answers and Grian or Jimmy weren't going to give them. Lizzie might freak out and then the three seablings would be in a chaotic mess of emotions. It was better for Joel to provide insight.

Doc sat across Joel in an office. The plaque at the front of the desk read 'Dog Catcher' and a picture of a man with about a hundred dogs sat next to it. This building looked to be a city hall so it was possibly a city representative title.

Joel had a feeling that Doc was not the 'Dog Catcher.'

The medic sighed, looking tired and worn out. He looked uncomfortable. "Do you know the man downstairs in the bed?"

Joel nodded his head quietly. When an eyebrow raised in his direction, he gave more insight. "Jimmy to be exact."

"Where have you met?" Doc asked, taking a pen and notepad out.

Joel should be honest, he hid so much from everyone for the past while. He had lost track of time after awhile.

"I don't remember. Years and years ago. Before Grian left the Ocean Empire." Doc smirked at that.

"So he is the prince?" Joel nodded his head. "Since when have you known that this is your Jimmy?"

Joel fidgeted with his hands. "I went looking for him. I wanted to make sure he was okay after he ran from Lizzie. I tracked down the Elven kingdom and looked everywhere. It was- it was a disaster there." He shivered slightly at the memories. "Blood, everywhere. Buildings were destroyed, the statue of Aeor decapitated. I found refugees and brought them back to my kingdom, I asked what had happened."

"Did you find out?"

"Yes," Joel let out a shakey sigh, "it sounded like the Watchers did it."

Doc paused at that, hand gripping the pen tighter. He could feel the tension in the room.

"Anything else?"

"I found Jimmy's personal body guard, Ben." Joel ran a hand through his hair as he thought. "They gave me most of the details. They had been on break that day when it all happened. Ben had told me something about when they were back at the palace however." Doc leaned in slightly as Joel cupped a hand over his mouth. "Grian had been showing... suspicious behavior that seemed like the Watchers around Jimmy. Jimmy was terrified of Grian and Ben had to be around him constantly. He would have panic attacks, whispering how he wasn't safe from Grian. Jimmy had even ran across the palace and woken up Ben late at night, looking like he was being chased by something."

Doc felt himself turn a pale green. What had Grian done that scared his little brother so much? Even if it was the Watcher's influence, did Grian know?

"Did Grian ever touch Jimmy in any sort of way?"

Joel raised an eyebrow at that. "No, never had and never would. He loved Jimmy and would never hurt him, why?"

"He had said some things. Things that implied abuse." Joel looked away from Doc, messing with one of his rings.

"Grian never hurt him, Lizzie never hurt him and their dad never hurt him. His mum? Definitely did do something." Doc started scribbling down more notes as Joel spoke. "I took care of Jimmy when he was little. I used to help him get ready for bed, and all that. I even helped him unbutton his shirt because he was having trouble with it. However, there was a change."

"A change?" Doc questioned.

"Yes, one night, he let me help him unbutton his shirt and help him dress in his favorite fish onesie and then the next, he was shaking and decided to change in the bathroom, out of view." Joel closed his eyes, remembering how scared Jimmy had looked, like he expected Joel to get upset from the action. "He would always cower whenever his mother was close. I would notice small bruises that would go past the neck of his shirt, how cuts appeared under his sleeves, all that. Before that, he had an eating disorder."

Doc looked up at that. "An eating disorder?"

Joel nodded his head. "It was on one of his birthdays that he had developed it. I found him at the docks, he looked sick. I brought him back to the palace and he was sick for the next few days. He didn't eat anything at all. Not even if his stomach growled or he wanted to eat something. He tried to eat in front of me but it was obvious he couldn't stomach it. Eventually, he did eat large meals but he always ran to his room or the bathroom afterwards."

"Bulimia nervosa," Doc finished, Joel nodding his head.

"Right, he was also... depressed. It was obvious. He missed his brother, he was terrified of his mother, his sister rarely talked to him and his father was busy running the kingdom. This is on speculation at this point but the whole castle was put in quarantine. Jimmy had gotten 'sick' and was deathly ill to the point that only the queen, king and doctor had access."

"Why?"

Joel opened his eyes and looked at the creeper hybrid. He looked concerned. "Again, this is only speculation, but I think he attempted to kill himself." Joel watched the concern change into complete shock.

"How do you know?"

"He always wore a scarf for awhile after. Kid never took it off but it sometimes slipped down. The scar of a rope could lightly be seen."

Doc set down his notes and pen. "But Grian and Lizzie had never described Jimmy like this-"

"They don't know him like I do." Joel interrupted. "Grian ran away when Jimmy was around six, Lizzie had blocked herself off from Jimmy for years, barely talking to him. Of course they wouldn't notice, they never bothered trying to get to know Jimmy. He believed that they hated him. When his parents had died, I held him close once I was allowed to. I took care of him despite knowing that it was the job of Lizzie and Grian. He was in bad shape yet he kicked me out because he had grown up too early. I followed him for years, I followed him until now, when I found him in 3rd Life."

Doc watched quietly as the Mazelean prince broke down into sobs.

"I should have done more, he wouldn't be in this state if I had just told someone." Joel cried softly. "I should have told the queen to not touch him, I should have yelled at Grian and Lizzie to be better siblings, I should have done something."

Frantic knocking was at the door.

Doc handed Joel some tissues quietly before getting up and walking over. Peaking the door open slightly, he saw Stress. He let her into the room, knowing she wouldn't be condescending to the crying prince.

"Doc, it's bad." He perked up at that, seeing how pale her face had gone.

"What happened," he asked as calmly as he could. He could feel the panic slowly trying to take over.

"Jimmy- he killed himself."

The only sound in the room after that was the increasingly panicked sobbing.