Braden's Pov

I started sobbing. Right there by the door. I tried to pull myself together quickly. Maybe a little to quickly. Tears were still streaming down my face, but I managed to stifle my sobs. Looking at the door, I knew I only had one chance to stop him. Pushing it open, I saw Denis with one leg straddled over the window. There were stairs right below it, but it was still scary. At least to me.

"Denis, I-"

"Braden..." he trailed and shook his head, "There's nothing to say. I'm done." He said as he climbed out of the window and slammed it shut. I walked up to it as I watched him run down the stairs and out of sight.

"What did I do?" I murmured between tears. I looked over at what used to be Denis' bed. Thrusting myself onto it, I cried my heart out.

Alex's Pov

I was starting to really worry about Braden and Denis. Denis, because of his anger issues, and Braden because he had been trying to calm him down. While I had full confidence that he could keep Denis sane, he was dealing with someone way beyond his years. Also, I heard screaming. And I'm pretty sure it was from both of them.

"I'm gonna check on them. They've been up there for a while," I told the guys. Sub nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Elijah said.

I ran upstairs to the room. Before I could even open the door I could hear sobbing. No, wailing.
"Oh, no," I quietly said. I thrust open the door and immediately saw Braden on Denis' bed, clutching his pillow with a grip so hard that his knuckles were white. He was bawling his eyes out. But I didn't see Denis. That wasn't my biggest concern right now. I had to see why Braden was loosing it first.

"Braden, what's wrong?" I asked him.

"D-d-d..." He threw back his head and wailed back into the pillow.

"Denis?" I tried to help him out. He nodded. "Where is he?" I asked. Braden didn't respond, but pointed to the window. I walked over and looked out. There were stairs outside. "Braden... do you mean that Denis... ran away?" He nodded into his pillow. "Oh, Braden. I'm so sorry," I came back over and hugged him. He just continued sobbing. I knew he was broken inside. He'd been broken too many times. Braden must've woren himself out, because a few minutes later, he was out cold. I left the room soon after.

Elijah's Pov

Alex told me, Ethan, and Sub about Denis. He also told them that Braden was really upset. We also agreed that we wouldn't tell Mr. Green about Denis, because he would eventually figure it out.
When Braden didn't come down for lumch, I volunteered to grab him.

I saw him sleeping on Denis' old bed. He was moaning. Well more of thrashing about while saying something under his breath. I gently touched his arm. Braden starts screeching.

"No! No, don't leave me! No!" He was having a temper tantrum in his sleep now. And trust me, temper tantrums are the worst. "No! No! You're staying! Noooooo!" He was screaming- well screeching- at the top of his lungs. Braden was kicking and throwing his arms, and his voice was so loud, that I wonder how he didn't wake himself up. He was screeching so loud that the entire orphanage could hear. Mr. Green came running up the stairs as fast as he could, and barged into the room.

"Elijah, what's happening in here? Did you do something?" Mr. Green had to shout over all of Braden's screaming that was happening in the background.

"I think he's having a really bad dream!" I shouted. "He was sleeping when I went up here!" Mr. Green looked at me as if trying to decide whether to believe me or not. Braden started screaming again.

"Come back, come back, come back!!!" He screeched, standing up.

By now, all the boys were standing outside of the door. Ethan, Sub, and Alex were the first ones peering through the doorway.

Mr. Green took Braden's flailing arms and sat him down on the bed. Braden still fought. I had retreated back to my friends by now.

"Shh, Braden, it's okay. Everything will be okay," Mr. Green shushed him like you would with a baby.

"No, no, no!" He cried, calming down his rage, "It was all my fault. I'm sorry." He finally calmed down his sobs, and fell back on the bed again.

The boys, suddenly uninterested, went off doing their own things again. Alex, Sub, Ethan and I stayed, of course.

"Braden. It's time to wake up," Mr. Green gently shook him awake.

"What happened? Where am I? Where's Denis? Can I tell him I'm sorry!? I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it," Braden sounded urgent and meaningful all at the same time.

"Oh Braden. That was all just a dream," Mr. Green hugged him. We four instantly felt guilty because he was giving Braden false hope.

"Then is Denis here?" He asked excitedly. Alex facepalmed.

"Oh no," I could hear him say very quietly.

"I haven't seen him around, but of course he's still here," Mr. Green said, which was wrong. "Alex. Do you mind grabbing Denis for me?" Alex went pale.

"Uh- I- uh, he's uh-"

"Right here," Denis said walking into the room. We all looked confused, but Braden's face lit up. He ran over to Denis and gave him a big hug. It was more of around his waist because he was so tall and Braden was only half his size. Denis kneeled down and hugged him back.

"I'm so sorry. For everything" Braden told Denis.

"I... I forgive you. I'm sorry too," Denis said. "And I mean it."

"You don't have to be sorry. I'm just glad that it was all a dream," Braden replied.

"What?" Denis asked confused.

"We'll tell you later," Alex said.

"So, Braden," Mr. Green started, "are you sure that you knew nothing of what happened earlier?"

"I'm pretty sure," Braden nodded.
"Okay then. Boys it's best not to talk about this situation again," Mr. Green statted and left the room.

"We're glad that your back Denis," Alex said as we came in for a group hug.
"Heh, yeah," Denis agreed distantly. Was he thinking about running away again? At this point, Denis was so unpredictable, it was anyone's guess.

3rd Person

Braden was calm for the rest of the day. He was calm for six days. But that night, was the night Denis had to leave. It was July 19th. A day before Braden's birthday where he would be turning seven. 

"Braden, we need to talk." Denis told him on that fateful night. They were outside in the roof- the only place where no one will find them. It was a cool summer night.

"Sure Dingo," Braden sweetly replied.

"Dingo?" Denis asked confused.

"Yeah, it's you're new nickname," Braden giggled.

"Okay, fine. Make it all that harder on me," he sighed.

"What do you mean?"Braden asked.

"Well, I have to go again," Denis looked at him.

"Tonight?" Braden asked panicking.

"Well yes, but I realized what tomorrow is, so I managed to scrape together something for you."

"You mean for my birthday?" He asked excitedly.

"Exactly," Denis agreed.

"But you wont be here for it?" Braden asked hinting sadness.

"Well," Denis started. He never had thought about explaining the concept of distance, but still being there to an almost seven year old before. "Let me show you your present first so I can explain," he calmly said. Denis took something out of his back pocket. It was a rubber bracelet that was a light sky blue and dark blue color. "Give me your wrist," he smirked.

"What is it?" Braden asked because he was asking all the questions right now.

"It's a friendship and promise bracelet. I'm promising that one day I'll come back to you," Denis explained.

"Denis. What's a promise?" Braden asked yet another question.

"It's like telling someone you'll do something, but you have to keep it because you swore you would."

"What happens if you break it?" Braden innocently questioned.

"Well, that's really bad. If it's really important to the person then they'd feel hurt, and they couldn't trust that person anymore." Denis nodded his head in agreement with his self.

"Can you promise when you'll come back," Braden inquired.

Denis shook his head. "I can't do that because I could never keep it. You don't make promises you can't keep," Denis taught another lesson to Braden.

"Okay," he replied. Braden started examining the bracelet. There was a cat on it. He twisted it around a little bit to see best friends. The he twisted it around a final time to see:

Denis
Braden

"I carved everything myself," Denis proudly states.

"Oh, I love it Denis. Thank you." Braden exclaimed.

"No problem. Just remember that when you're sad or miss me, you can look at the bracelet. And then you'll realize that I'm right there with you in spirit." Denis knee that this was a hard concept to grape, and looking at Braden, he realized that he was having trouble.

"So It'll help me when I miss you," Braden started.

"Yeah,"

"And this is a promise saying that you'll come back one day,"

"Exactly,"

"And then you'll be there with me?"

"Well not exactly," Denis explained, "I won't be there physically because you can't touch me, but I'll be right here," Denis finishes off by putting his hands on Braden's chest where his heart would be. He nods, understanding that this might be the last time he would see Denis for a while.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Denis expressed.

"Wait! Before you go, I just wanted to give you this," Braden shared as he pulled out a picture of him and Denis. They were sitting, arms around each other, and smiling their biggest smiles since the had gotten to the orphanage.

"Aw, thanks Braden." Denis says warmly.

"Oh, and this one!" Braden exclaims as he pulled a picture of Ethan, Elijah, Alex, Sub, Denis, and himself. They were just in the room laughing and having a good time.

"I'll miss you Braden."

"I'll miss you too Denis."

"Oh, and happy early birthday," Denis added.

"Thanks. And Denis?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay safe."

"Don't worry, I will," Denis reassured him. They waved and said their goodbyes. Denis started on the ladder down to the ground. Braden turned away, feeling like he dropped a piece of his heart when Dr is was out of sight.

Denis had climbed down the ladder and went out of sight of the orphanage when his and Alex's conversation last night played through his head.

Flashback

Alex explained Braden's temper tantrum to Denis. He was shocked at how much Braden screamed and cried, just because of him. Then I explained my plan to him. Alex was a bit shocked at the idea of me leaving again.

"He bawled his eyes out just for you. You're like the brother he never had. He needs you. He loves you, Denis. And your just trying to run away." Alex then got up and walked out of the closet.

Denis stayed inside the closet for a few minutes, thinking about what  Braden did, just because of him. Maybe he was Braden's brother/best friend, but that didn't change his mind about leaving.

End Flashback

I couldn't help but replay "He loves you..." Over and over again, as I felt a small fragment of my already, broken, torn, heart fractured a tiny bit more.

A/N: Well, this part is finally done. It took me a while, but maybe it was worth it? I say maybe because I might get slaughtered again. Jk, Lol, it's fine. Just don't kill me in my sleep, got it?