Sam was getting pretty good at this monumental fuck up thing.

There was no other reason for which he'd wake up facing a scared teenage boy clutching a broom, who looked ready to smack him over the head with it. No other reason he'd wake up on a table in a place he'd never seen before. Looked like a café, though.

He moved and his brain lurched as if it had decided to punish his monumental stupidity. His wrist ached and his watch blinked, awaiting acceptance to be tracked. He gave his acceptance just to stop the damn thing from blinking.

Then he turned to the teenage boy. Behind him, through the panoramic window, traffic was slim in the early hours of the morning.

"Where am I?" he asked, his voice rough and his throat itchy.

The boy winced and clutched the broom tighter to his chest.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Sam said, wishing he could make his voice a little more soothing. "I just need a location."

"Why are you here?" the boy asked instead. Which was a very pertinent question.

"Not sure yet." His mind was a bit of a blur.

He remembered going to the club he used to go to with Tom and Harry. Then seing as he wanted nowhere near places Harry could turn up, he'd moved his business to a bar. Then another. Then another. Then he'd completely lost track and woke up here. Why was he there? Did he feel like a cup of midnight coffee?

"Do you even serve alcohol here?" he asked.

The boy took a step forward, holding his broom tighter and raising it a little, proving he was one stupid question away from smacking Sam's teeth in.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Okay. Fair enough." If only he could actually move off the table, that would be great.

A black Range Rover pull up outside the window and a new surge of energy had Sam sitting up. It took him precisely five seconds to realize what he'd actually done when he'd agreed to get tracked. Stupid reflex had sent Kyle hurtling towards him in a predictable cloud of rage.

"Looks like I'll be leaving sooner and more abruptly than any of us thought," he mumbled.

The boy followed his gaze towards the door where Kyle had appeared and knocked on it. The wooden frame groaned from the force of the hit.

"You'd better open it, or he's literally going to tear it down."

Either because of the force of the knocks or the alarming anger on Kyle's face, the kid decided to listen, so he dropped his broom and unlocked the door.

"Thanks," Kyle mumbled, stalking inside.

He said nothing to Sam as he grabbed his elbow, dragged him out and shoved him in the front seat of his car. The boy then quickly locked up behind them, visibly relieved to get rid of the strange hobo he'd found sleeping on a table.

Sam was a little disappointed Kay wasn't in the car. It would have made Kyle a lot less scary. But, as he drove off, he didn't say a word. The radio was also off, so a very loud silence filled the car.

Deciding he should be grateful, Sam leaned his head against the window. It pounded and his stomach churned, so he closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't throw up over Kyle's windshield.

But the seconds dragged on as they drove, and he started getting a bit nervous. Once he looked at Kyle, Sam decided it was a better idea to keep his eyes closed. His brother looked furious and threatening. The silence wasn't any better so maybe getting it out in the open was preferable.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Kyle didn't answer, just tightened his grip on the steering wheel. For a moment Sam wondered if he reeked of alcohol and was actually making his brother sick. Most likely. Also he'd rather believe that was the real reason Kyle looked so disgusted.

"Sorry if I stink."

Kyle pressed the break a little too hard in front of a traffic light and the seatbelt tightened around Sam, almost smothering him.

"I'm only going to say this once," Kyle said between his teeth, not even looking at Sam. "If you ever pick up a distress signal that was meant for me again, I'm going to make sure you're put out of action for at least a month."

Sam just nodded because it seemed like the safest answer. "Can you drop me home?"

"If you think this has no consequences, think again."

Sam didn't want to think again. He didn't like being scolded. He wanted to go back to being babied and treated with leniency by everyone. He didn't like angry Kyle. Not after happy Kyle in Texas. The discrepancy was so great it felt almost like two different people.

"Look, I know I messed up..."

"Sam, just shut up. We all get it, you're hurting, but what you did last night can't happen again. So maybe it's time we stopped treating you like a kicked puppy and snap some sense into you."

"Come on, it's not like I'm the first or last person to get drunk--"

"Get drunk?" Kyle braked again and turned to face him this time, which wasn't an improvement. "No one gives a shit that you got drunk. Okay, sad, and not your best life choice. You almost got someone killed! You almost got yourself killed. That was a two people job by far."

Oh, that. Sam slumped into his seat, trying to make himself as small as possible, because that was how he felt. Kyle was right. As much as he tried to forget, to ignore it, his stupid pain-impared judgement almost got that poor girl killed. But at the moment he'd picked up the distress call, he hadn't cared.

The moment he'd put himself in harm's way, he hadn't cared.

He hadn't thought, hadn't analyzed, just damned the consequences.

And it killed him that he was sure he'd do the same again, given the chance. Stop thinking and throw himself in harm's way, taking whoever happened to be around with him. Maybe it would be safer to just throw himself in front of a car or something. Anything to distract him from what was going on inside his mind. His mind sucked. It was filled with thoughts of betrayal and misery and no future. The more he tried to get over what Christine had done, the more it drilled into his consciousness.

His heart was worse. It made him want to just curl into a ball and rock himself to sleep while crying. The feeling was unnerving, sipping into him, paralyzing him. There was only one way he knew how to escape it. Anger. Anger didn't care. Anger didn't make him weak.

Kyle didn't say anything else, just drove him to the Agency, and by the time they reached one of the briefing rooms, Sam was raging mad just to keep himself from falling apart.

Herrison was in there, as expected, as well as Jerry, Jimmy and Tom. Kay and Jessie were missing and Sam regretted their absence more than ever. He did not want to face this with just Jerry on his side. The girls would've been a lot more gentle and understanding towards him.

"Sit down, Sam," Herrison said, even if no one else was.

Sam obeyed, very aware that this was a power play to have everyone towering above him. As if to support him, Tom dropped on the chair next to his and slouched, crossing his arms over his chest.

Herrison heaved a deep sigh. "You're usually much better at this than I am. You realize that your actions have consequences."

"Just get on with it," Sam growled.

"It's not that easy." Herrison sounded a little annoyed now. "We need you, but you're very hard to deal with right now.  Not at all like your old self."

"Good, my old self was an idiot."

Kyle and Jimmy facepalmed. Jerry didn't say anything, and it was that more than anything that made Sam realize it was bad. Tom didn't even move, and since he had his sunglasses on again, it was hard to tell what he might be thinking.

"Idiot or not, we need that Sam," Herrison snapped. "Not the one sitting here, with his clothes rumpled and  reeking of alcohol. Definitely not the one from last night who gets innocent bystanders shot."

Sam lowered so much into the chair, half of his butt dangled over nothingness.

"You're suspended from field work," Herrison said, his tone neutral, as if he hadn't just handed out an unfairly harsh punishment.

Sam straightened in his seat. "What?"

"You're obviously in a bad place right now--"

"So let's keep me there, right? Don't give me the chance to distract myself, to find solace in work..."

"Not when you're self-destructive!"

Herrison's words silenced Sam at once. He expected some backup from his brothers, but he had nothing. Not even from Jerry or Tom.

"I'm not," he said quietly.

"Yes, you are," Jimmy replied. "We all see it."

"You've been talking about me behind my back, haven't you?" Sam asked.

"Don't be a dick," Kyle said. "Of course we discussed your situation without you interfering every three seconds and trying to tell us that we're wrong. You're depressed."

"Am--" He couldn't finish that lie. "So what? Most people are and function fine."

"You're not just having a bad day, Sam," Jerry said, his voice low and soothing. "It's been almost two weeks and you're getting worse. This only proves you need help."

"Getting sucked up in work is help."

Herrison shook his head. "No. You're going to see a therapist. And until they give the okay, you're not going out in the field anymore."

Sam just stared. He felt even worse, the sense of helplessness overwhelming, smothering. They couldn't do this. He needed the distraction. So he decided to do something he'd never done before. Throw a tantrum.

"Fuck no!" He stood and stomped his foot. "I'm not seeing a goddamn therapist."

"Sam, language," Jerry said automatically.

"Yes, you are," Herrison said in his best grownup voice. "You're only proving me right. We can't risk another incident like this again. We need you alive."

"Tough! I'm not doing it!"

With a heavy sigh, Herrison nodded at Kyle. "I'm not changing my mind. Drill it into his head before he gets a full suspension." And just like that, he left the room without a backward glance, leaving Sam with people he had no chance against.

"Herrison is right, you know," Jerry said. "You need the help."

"No! I can handle this." Sam turned to Kyle. "Tell them!"

"Tell them what? I agree with Herrison," Kyle said with a shrug.

"You hypocrite! I backed you up when Mom wanted to make you see a therapist."

"I wasn't self-destructive, Sam," Kyle said between his teeth. "When you get sloppy on your job, you need help."

Sam gritted his teeth, seething, but he was getting no support from anyone, not even his own twin who was acting like he wasn't even there.

"Just give it a chance, okay?" Jerry said on a tone one might use to calm the tantrum of a four-year-old. "Think about it."

Sam didn't say anything, just crossed his arms over his chest. His head throbbed and he felt like throwing up again. Maybe the alcohol was catching up to him. He didn't have to think about it. The answer was still no.

"Your turn," Jimmy said, turning to Tom.

Tom jumped, but didn't get out of his chair. "What about me?"

"What about you? This whole breaking up with Angie thing!" Jimmy said. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tom stood slowly, menacingly, obviously a lot better than Sam at being a petulant asshole. The thought strangely made Sam feel even more like a failure.

"Care to expand on that?" Tom asked, his tone clearly stating that what he really wanted was for Jimmy to shut up and go away.

"Do we really need to explain this?" Kyle asked instead, giving out such a chill, it was a wonder Tom wasn't running for the door.

"Tom," Jerry intervened. "It's not okay. At least wait until she gets back and talk to her. Don't break up with her when she's not here. When you know she didn't get your message."

"What would be the point to delay it?" Tom asked with a shrug. "And talking to her before would lead to a fight that would only hurt everyone involved. Oh, and one more thing... Who the fuck knows if she's coming back?"

Sam winced as his twin yelled the last few words.

"Of course she's coming back, you overdramatic asshole," Kyle said. "Her entire life is here."

"She's been away enough to have another entire life with this Gabe guy."

"I'm going to smack you if you don't knock this stupid shit out," Jimmy said. "Let her come back and explain."

"She should've explained before leaving!" Tom clenched his fists and took a step towards them. "She just disappeared, leaving her phone behind, gone because some other guy called her. She hasn't tried to contact me... any of us for almost a week. Stop acting like I'm unreasonable. Like I'm paranoid. Do any of you have any idea where she is? Who she really is?"

"Tom..." Jerry said soothingly.

"She love you asshole," Jimmy cut him off. "She searched India for you when we all thought you were dead when she was seventeen."

"Yeah, and ran away and left me to rot in jain when she was sixteen, so excuse me for being less impressed."

"Wait, what?" Sam asked, looking from Jimmy to Tom.

"She could be in trouble, and all you're thinking about are reasons to justify your crazy jealousy," Kyle said, apparently not curious about how Tom, jail and Angie came together.

"If she was in trouble, I was right here. All of us were. But no, she had to go lone ranger because she's so much better than everyone else and can solve anything by herself. I told her not to. I'm done."

"You're not the ultimate authority in her life, Tom," Kyle said, his tone dangerous. "She doesn't have to live her life by your stupid rules."

"Stupid rule," Tom pointed out. "And no, she doesn't. It just won't be a life with me in it."

"You're such an idiot," Kyle growled. "And you know what? Maybe you need a taste of your own medicine. I'm done talking to you until you get your shit straight."

"Oh, wow, one less person to criticize me and bust my chops. Whatever shall I do?" With a wave of his hand, Tom walked out the door.

Sam hald expected his twin to flip them all off as he went, but to his credit, he didn't.

"I'm going to strangle him," Kyle said between his teeth.

"Get in line," Jimmy mumbled.

"You know, he might not be serious," Sam said. "Last time he got like this, he was all over her when he saw her again."

"Last time, he actually knew what happened three days later," Jerry said, making a very good point. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Me neither," Sam mumbled.

Jerry gave his a sideways glance. "I'm referring to you, too."

Oh, right, he was in the doghouse too. In his best impersonation of Tom, he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"Do what Herrison says," Kyle said. "I don't want to have two brothers I'm not talking to."

Sam had to agree that he didn't want that happening either. He still didn't want to go to a therapist, but he'd find a way around it that wouldn't lead to what just happened between them and Tom. He wasn't sure he could take much more fighting.

♠️♠️♠️

Finally updating and a bit earlier than last time. Weeee.

So yes, some stuff went down. Sam's an idiot, Tom is being a outright dick and everything is falling apart. Time to see what Angie is doing, right?

Also, hmmm... what else can I break? Can I break more stuff? Maybe I should. We shall see.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to hit the star if you're enjoying the story.