And Iola…well that was just a little extra unplanned sweetness in his day. He couldn’t believe how gullible everyone was….and these were supposed to be the people who knew Joe better then anyone else.

Heading up to his room, he passed Frank in the kitchen but the older boy didn’t even look at him.

William was loving this.

Last night had been the most fun he had had since coming into this house…in fact it took everything he had not to laugh as he could imagine Frank’s disgust and he looked forward to tonight with even greater anticipation. These thoughts of Frank gave him all the more pleasure.

For what he had planned for this night’s entertainment was truly a brilliant piece of work…even if he did say so himself. In fact, just thinking about his proposed flagrant display, was giving himself chills.

Humming he draped Joe’s hooded sweatshirt onto the back of the computer chair. Turning the computer on he quickly went on the Internet and found the on-line white pages. Typing in MORTON and BAYPORT, he was pleased to find only a handful of listings. Remembering that Chet’s family lived on a farm, it was easy to figure out which number was theirs.

Hastily scribbling it down on a piece of paper, William left the room and picked up the cordless phone in the hall. Taking it into their parent’s room, Will sat on the edge of the bed and dialed the number asking for Iola when a woman answered the phone.

A few moments later he heard Iola’s breathless voice on the phone and felt a growing desire to see her again…alone.

"Hey Iola what’cha doing?" Will asked trying to sound casual.

Iola couldn’t believe it. It was Joe Hardy! He was actually calling her. She prayed her voice wouldn’t shake and betray how excited she was, "Nothing much…and you?"

"’bout the same. Glad its Friday though," Will said closing his eyes to envision what she might look like as she was talking to him.

"I know. Its’ been a long week", the girl agreed and then continued, "So you doing anything tonight?"

"Nah, hanging out with my next of kin", William chuckled finding that comment darkly amusing.

Iola just gave a nervous little laugh not really catching on.

And then William continued, "So anyways. I was thinking. Maybe you and me could do something tomorrow night. You know…a date?"

"Oh Joe’, Iola started thinking about her folks, "You know I’m not allowed to date yet…" her voice trailed off as she was torn. She had been waiting for this phone call for a long time now.

William cut in quickly realizing that he needed to do damage control in case she got suspicious, "I know…I wasn’t thinking of a date like date. More like just hanging out together. I could drop by or something."

"Well" she hesitated and then decided since it wasn’t really a date…

"I could drop by…and we could hang out at your place", William said.

"Well maybe if Frank dropped over to visit Chet…" Iola’s mind was a whirl. While she and Joe had hung out lots of times when he and Frank had come over to visit this was different…they had kissed now…

"Maybe", William conceded although he didn’t really want Frank around and then Iola got a brainstorm.

"Hey I know", she said excitedly her mind already filled with visions of secret romantic liaisons, "if you can get Frank to drop you off here tomorrow sometime after supper. We can hang out and then you can get a ride back with Tony later."

"Tony?" William wasn’t sure how Frank and Joe’s Italian friend figured into this.

"Yeah silly", Iola teased rolling her eyes, "how can you forget. Saturday night…around 9:00…Morton’s farm?"

William drew a blank and started to get worried that he was blowing it when she finished, "Pizza! We always order pizza Saturday night."

"Oh yeah", William said trying to cover up, "I did forget! It’s been a crazy month here."

"I can imagine", Iola cajoled before finishing, "and I’m sure he’d have no problem with you catching a lift back with him." Tony Prito worked at Mr. Pizza’s pizza joint and did deliveries on the weekend.

"Iola you are truly brilliant", William admitted. All he had to do was get Frank to drop him off and he figured he could do that…or rather Joe could do that…

"So I’ll see you tomorrow evening…say around 7:30 or so?" Iola invited figuring if Joe left at 9 with Tony her parents wouldn’t mind at all.

"And remember…it’s not a date", William emphasized as he laughed, and Iola catching on laughed back," definitely not" and then after saying goodbye they hung up.

William grinned. He thought about going right away and taunting Joe about the date, because that was what it was to him no matter what he had told her, but then decided not to. He’d wait until he got back tomorrow night because then he’d really have something to torture him with.

* * *

Joe was hungry and very thirsty. His stomach was cramping up horribly and the hot stuffy closet did nothing to help. He had been vaguely wondering if William was just going to leave him here. And then when he heard his brother come into the room and then leave again without even bothering to taunt him, Joe began to think that in earnest.

He heard someone in the bathroom and knew it had to be Frank and his stomach cramped from more then just hunger and thirst. Frank hadn’t even come in the room to check on him.

No matter how mad Frank had been with him before, he would always check up on him…always.

What exactly did William say to make Frank not even bother to see if he was still alive?

He knew what William did. So he knew what Frank thought. But surely there was some part of him that still cared…just a little.

William had locked the door to their room and Joe had been forced to listen and watch as William put on quite a vocal display that left him embarrassed as he knew exactly what Frank was thinking. Of what Frank thought they were doing…what Frank though he was doing.

Joe had been sickened but there was nothing he could do. He screamed into the gag mindless of the fact that any sound he might make would only add to Frank’s horror. He had screamed at William until his voice was hoarse and he was shaking.

And then William had walked towards him, placed a kiss on the top of Joe’s head and shut the closet door.

That had been late last night and Joe had been in there ever since.

As Joe heard William coming back in the room he couldn’t help but wonder why Frank believed…how could he believe something like that so easily? And that made him think that maybe there was something about him that Frank saw…maybe others saw…that could make them consider this.

His thoughts were interrupted as a stream of light made him blink when the door was suddenly opened. A faint flicker of hope that it was Frank extinguished when he saw William standing over him looking down with such a look of contempt, Joe figured he was just going to close the closet door again.

But William didn’t. In fact, he reached down, grabbed Joe’s arm and hauled him out. Tossing him onto the bed, he pulled out a switchblade and cut the silk ties he had used as bindings. Joe gave an involuntary groan as his aching body protested this release and the blood rushed back to his fingers and toes.

William regarded him with disdain as he shook his head, "Get something to eat. Frank’s downstairs but he’s not going to do anything to help you. By the way, " he said as he watched Joe trying to stand unsteadily on his feet, "I was home sick today."

Joe’s heart dropped as his head whipped up to look into the mirror of own blue eyes knowing exactly what William had done today. He had impersonated him…he had been Joe.

And then before Joe could say anything William tossed a set of keys at him, "and don’t forget about Biff’s dog." Then he sat down in front of the computer and turned his back to him, dismissing him.

Joe picked up the keys from where they had fallen and started towards the door to go downstairs when William’s voice stopped him, "Freshen yourself up first. You look like shit."

A few seconds later as he stood in front of the mirror and stared at his hollow reflection he decided William was right about one thing; he did look like shit.

Turning on the cold water, he leaned over and splashed some on his face. Then patting it dry, he ran a comb through his hair and tried to rub some of the soreness from his wrists. It wasn’t much of an improvement but he was sure that given the state of things Frank probably wouldn’t notice.

So leaving the bathroom, he stopped long enough to pull on clean jeans, a long sleeved black sweater and then went downstairs. As the material in the sweater rubbed against the burns on his sore back, he regretted his choice but decided he would live with it. He really did not want to go back to that room right now.

* * *

Frank glanced up when Joe came downstairs but as William predicted he didn’t say anything. He did think it was odd that his brother had changed his clothes but figured it was all part of this new Joe. He had been sitting at the kitchen table working on his homework.

Although it was Friday he wanted something to keep his him busy for a while. He would have normally been going out with Callie but since he was in ‘charge’ and his folks were out of town, he figured he had better stick around and make sure his brother’s didn’t burn down the joint. Normally he would have never thought like that but now he just wasn’t so sure anymore.

Frank had tossed a frozen lasagna in the oven and it would be ready in about 20 minutes so he watched with a growing frown as Joe ravaged the fridge. It was as if the kid hadn’t eaten in days!

"You’re going to spoil your supper", Frank said as he watched Joe butter a third piece of banana bread and down a large glass of milk. He had already had a glass of water and the last slice of pizza from the previous night.

Joe jumped at the sound of his voice and Frank wondered if he hadn’t even noticed him sitting her.

"I put lasagna in the oven, its almost cooked", Frank finished. Joe nodded slowly and then stared down at the half eaten piece of banana bread in his hand even as his stomach lurched in retaliation to such a fast feast when it was so hungry.

"Sorry", Joe said as he reflexively put a hand on his rolling stomach. Frank saw this and before he could stop and remind himself that he was angry with his brother he asked, "Are you okay?"

Joe flinched at the tone. Expecting to hear the cold bitter tone that he was getting used to, he was spooked to hear compassion when he thought none was left.

Frank was watching him guardedly as Joe recovered and nodded slowly, "Ate to fast, " he supplied and Frank, satisfied that his charge wasn’t having an appendix attack or something, returned to his studies. In truth it was because when he looked at Joe he felt so tormented it was if he was being torn in half.

His younger brother looked so small and vulnerable that he wanted to just grab him, give him a big hug and tell him everything was going to be okay…to protect him from the world.

And that bulky black sweater didn’t help as it just made his blue eyes stand out starkly in contract to his pale face.

But he couldn’t. Frank couldn’t tell him everything was going to be okay because he didn’t know how to fix this. He couldn’t protect him from a world of his own making.

The older boy’s mind was still ringing from the display he had heard last night. Joe had chosen this. This was what he wanted.

He had heard it…he had heard it all.

Swallowing back the lump that had risen in his throat, Frank stared at the book so hard he thought he would burn a hole in the pages. But he couldn’t look at Joe…and in truth, he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to again.

* * *

All too soon it was time to call it a night. Joe had been to Biff’s house to take care of Sherlock and he had put off going home for as long as he could. But as it started to get dark, he left. He never liked being out after dark.

Dinner has been a quiet affair with each of the three boys eating at different times. As Frank had predicted Joe hadn’t been very hungry when the food was cooked so after Joe left to go to the Hooper’s’, the older brother had sighed before putting some aside in the fridge for Joe in case he got hungry later.

But by the time Joe did get home his stomach was so tied up in knots wondering what tonight would bring that he couldn’t eat it anyway. He did appreciate what Frank did for him though and said, "Thank You."

"I couldn’t have you starving to death before Dad gets home", Frank just grumbled from the couch where he was sitting reading one of James Patterson’s new books. Out of the corner of his eye, the dark haired boy saw a morose look filter across Joe’s face and immediately regretted his choice of words.

"You’re welcome", he said and Joe graced him with the slightest smile as he lingered on the bottom of the stairs as if waiting for something. Frank was dying to ask what but right now one of the rare glimpses of his own stubborn streak refused to let him. Besides, inwardly he was a bit afraid of what Joe might say.

Honestly there were some things the 16-year-old did not want to talk to his brother about.

Joe stood there for a few more moments before letting out a heavy sigh and going upstairs. He was dying to talk to Frank but he had no idea how to start.

* * *

It was almost midnight before Frank dared venture upstairs. He was putting it off for as long as he could in hopes that his brothers were already asleep. He didn’t think his heart could take having to be witness to it again tonight.

Slipping beneath the covers, he let out a small relieved sigh and closed his eyes, there was no sound and no light from beneath his brother’s door.

And then a second later his eyes flew open in horror as he heard the first sounds…

* * *

On his stomach, Joe lay bound and gagged on William’s bed. The room was dark and he knew that William was waiting for Frank to go to bed. He had no idea what his twin had planned and his body trembled at the wait.

And then Joe felt his heart rate accelerating as he heard the sounds of Frank in the bathroom and knew he was going to bed.

Hot tears burned his cheeks as he felt William run a hand gently down his back and then slowly lift his t-shirt.

"P-Please…n-no", Joe stammered too terrified to even wonder why William hadn’t bothered to gag him this time, "p-please…" and then his voice bit off in a painful groan as he felt the heat from the lighter just above his fresh burns.

"Oh yes Joey…my little sweetie, " William taunted rising his voice to match his brothers, "cry out for me…make noise Joey…lots of noise…for me."

Joe gave a sharp cry as William pressed the hot lighter to his flesh.

Oh yes this was going to be fun.

* * *

In the room next door, Frank lay in paralyzed shock as he heard the sounds coming from his brother. Disgusted, he got up, went downstairs, got into his mother’s car and left.

He needed to go for a drive and calm down. Because heaven help them all if he didn’t.

* * *

William heard Frank leaving and started to laugh. On the bed beneath him, Joe was panting in an effort to try and deal with this new pain and it took him a second to realize what William was saying to him…

"Scream for me little brother…scream…"