Around him he could hear the sounds of someone yelling. It sounded like Frank.

And then the familiar darkness closed in around him and he wondered if William was finally going to let him die.

* * *

"JOE! JOE!" Frank screamed hysterically as he saw his brother’s body go limp under William’s hand, "YOU KILLED HIM… YOU KILLED HIM!"

William released Joe’s head and then pushed it to the side as he said emotionlessly, "I haven’t killed him yet… have I?"

Frank felt a shiver go over him as the twin continued, "The trick Frankie is knowing how far you can go before pulling back… and I my brother, know exactly how far…" he regarded Joe with cruel affection, "but it does always give me that extra rush when I feel him go limp… very rewarding."

"You’re not human", Frank spat horrified by the implication that Will had done this to his brother before…to Frank’s little brother…oh Joe…

"Oh I take offence at that Frankie", William shot back, "do animals give their toys a ‘breather?’ Or would you prefer I continue while he is unconscious..." a feral smile played across his handsome face, "Oh Frankie…you are mean. My feelings are hurt."

Bending over slightly, he pressed the cigarette back into Joe’s flesh and was rewarded by a soft groan from the unconscious boy. He looked up at Frank, "Hear that…burns are an exquisite pain…excruciatingly painful…or so I am told."

"Leave…him…alone…" Frank’s voice seethed and he just wished he could get loose. NO ONE does this to his brother.

"Coward," he spat wanting to get William away from Joe so badly he was shaking.

Not in fear…but in rage…

William regarded Frank thoughtfully even as he continued pressing the burning cinder into Joe. Then as if making a decision he shrugged and pulled away, "Okay as you wish."

Frank watched him warily wondering what William was up to now.

"I’m a little tired of this right now anyway," he rubbed his stomach for emphasis, "this kind of fun makes a guy hungry… Would you like a sandwich or something?"

Frank just stared at him in shock. Joe was unconscious only a few feet away, in need of medical attention, and William is asking him… if he wants a sandwich??

"What? Cat got your tongue?" William taunted and the shrugged his shoulders, "no prob. I’ll be back after I get a quick bite to eat and see what’s on tv…" he cast a smug look towards Joe before turning back to Frank, "Keep on eye on him for me, will you? You know what he’s like… Oh and Frank", he fixed a dark look on the older boy so there’d be no mistake in his meaning, "if you try and do anything stupid, like try to escape, I will peel him like a grape."

Frank shuddered, his face turning a sick shade of green. He could only nod, not trusting his voice to say anything as the knowledge of the horrible burden that Joe had to carry came crashing down on him.

Joe was William’s outlet. Their unknown martyr… his… Biff’s… Chet’s… and lord only knew who else.

Frank felt a new kind of desperation take hold…as with this revelation came a brutal comprehension of William’s game.

* * *

"Joe?"

"Joe!" Frank called quietly out to his brother praying that he would wake up. He had had no idea just how badly Joe was hurt before all this and now his concern had increased ten fold.

And on top of that was the pressing urgency of how this would end.

It was clear William was psychotic but he wasn’t stupid. He could not expect that his treatment of Joe would be accepted so that led Frank to a couple of nasty conclusions.

Neither of which he particularly liked:

The most obvious was that William would kill Joe, which it seemed he was hell-bent on doing anyway and then either torture and kill Frank or just, more likely, kill him outright.

Or…

William would kill Joe and then try to ‘make’ Frank go along with it, somehow…which was just not going to happen!

Or…

William might just kill Frank outright and then continue to torture Joe. However, Frank didn’t think this was likely considering the shape that Joe was already in.

A soft moan interrupted his dark musings and he immediately called out to his brother again, "Joe? Baby? Come on… wake up…I need you to wake up…" His voice mirrored the desperation and fear that were overwhelming him, "come on you can do it little brother….you have to."

* * *

"Joe?"

Joe heard someone calling to him.

"Joe!"

There it was again.

Fighting to open his eyes Joe wondered why he was lying face down on the bed…and why he couldn’t move his arms. And then fresh pain made him cry out as he struggled to see what was going on.

"…I need you to wake up…"

Joe’s deliria afforded him a true moment of lucidity and he knew the voice…it was Frank.

"…come on you can do it little brother…"

"Fr..Fr..an..k", it was with incredible effort that Joe managed to get the word out. His head was spinning and throbbing, his mouth parched, his body felt completely dried out and he wasn’t sure yet whether he was too hot or too cold but he was definitely too something.

Joe was allowed a brief moment before the pain caught up to his consciousness and he groaned again.

"Joe…yes it’s me! Oh thank god…Joe! Thank god!" Joe heard the relief in his brother’s voice and wondered what Frank was so relieved about as he tried to move away from the pain. His arms and legs were throbbing horribly although he had no idea why.

"Fr…Frank", Joe repeated the name trying desperately to grasp onto something tangible…something other then the pain and sickness that owned his body.

"I’m here baby…right here", Frank’s voice didn’t sound right. Something was wrong.

"Y-you…’kay", he managed as he tried to see Frank.

"Me?" Joe heard him give a gentle snort but he still couldn’t see him. It hurt too much when he tried to move his neck, "Oh kiddo…you never change. Yes, I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about. We have to get out of here Joe…before William comes back!"

"H-how?" Joe asked, "Fr..Frank.." he hated to admit his own weaknesses but he could hardly move and he was still tied to the bed, "I…I can’t…"

Joe heard his own voice growing fainter and once again cursed his own failings.

* * *

Frank became worried as he heard the despair in his brother’s voice. He had never heard Joe sounding so weak or disheartened before and it scared him even worst then anything William could do.

"Joe, please…you can....we can. We just have to wait for him to let down his guard…to remain wary…we will get out of this!" Frank spoke with strong conviction willing some of his fire into his brother’s failing spirit but Joe just shook his head and groaned. And although Frank couldn’t see his face, he was sure Joe was crying.

"I…I can’t", Joe repeated, "I…I’m…so…so…tired. Frank… please…"

"Please… Joe? Please what?" Frank wished he could hold his brother and ease the anguish he heard in his voice and was frustrated at his own uselessness. Where he wanted to hold his brother…to comfort his brother…to ease that pain from his face…all he could do was look.

"Pl…please…big…br..brother," Joe’s voice was trailing off as a barely heard whisper and Frank had to strain to hear the words, each one hitting him like a knife to the gut, "let…me…sleep… a…little….l..lon…ger…"

"No Joe…not this time", his brother hated to get out of bed and it was a running joke for Joe to always ask for another few moments…but Joe couldn’t have them.

Not this time…Frank wouldn’t let him.

"You need to hang on little brother", Frank said fiercely, "For me baby…hang on for me!"

A sharp cry broke Frank’s heart as he heard Joe gasp, "’kay…F…Frank…but…I…I…" he faltered and then finished just as the darkness caught him again, "don’t… know… for…h…how…long…I …c..can…"

His last anguished whispers seared Frank's soul…

As Frank saw the tension ease from his brother’s body, he knew that Joe had become lost to the pain and sickness that was consuming him….threatening to steal him away… right in front of Frank.

"I won’t let you go…" Frank vowed his eyes burning with tears of intensity, "NEVER… You hear me Joe Hardy… NEVER!"