19 nineteenth piece of the broken cage: I am only human

It didn't often happen and he was almost always careful. William wanted to bang his head as hard as he could against something, anything for that moment of weakness he so unwillingly had to endure. he hated being weak, weakness meant being hapless and he would never be that. he simply wasn't allowed to feel weakness.

the drive to Jody's apartment made his already failing focus jump from one of his nerves to the other, making his hammering heartbeat the way he didn't need to feel. his mother hadn't called him since but he could still feel the way she was angered, she was always angry these days.

he heaved a deep sigh to focus on his task.

his mother might kill him if he didn't bring Sandy back home by the exact time she had told him. He had already gotten rid of the long tie on his throat as he had opened the first two buttons of his white shirt. the black pants he hated the most had been on his trembling legs for days as his exhaustion was getting worse by each passing minute. every time he thought back to all the paperwork that was resting on his desk, he shuttered. his fingers shook just by the idea of another sleepless night as his eyelids fluttered with just the thought of his warm bed that he never really used.

it was snowy but William didn't care as he got out of his car and made his way to his sister's house. the snowflakes were kissing his body as he stepped over the soft ice in the broken road.

the veins weren't warm anymore... where was Adrian?

the cold was reflecting in his body as he shivered through the freezing atmosphere.

he was half hoping Jayson was there. he didn't need his idiot brother out there in this weather and on top of that, he didn't want him to be anywhere near any road for as long as possible. he had tried to pull the suspiciousness off of his brother but he didn't know how long it would take for the Queen to get her suspiciousness proved and have his brother's head chopped.

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as Diana finished her explanation about her brother, she looked at all the faces that were looking at her with all the focus that they mater to get for her.

Clark blinked a few times as he pressed his brown roughly scarred hand over his chin .this was bad. bad. if Adrian was out of the hollow then who was going to keep earth together? it wasn't like the fragile ground could stick to each other.

" so Adrian is in their hands. we need to save him. "

" We couldn't do shit the first time, how are we gonna do anything now that the Queen has gotten even stronger? "

It wasn't right to see Jody so serious. the girl was almost consentingly angry as the glare in her black coal eyes never left her. but the thing with Jody was that the girl usually didn't care about the problems, she just let others find the solution, and then, if necessary, she would help. but the expression on her now wasn't the regular ' I'm _not_in_the_mood_leave_me_alone_'look but the ones that promised torture

" We can't do anything.....but it's not like we're just gonna sit here and do nothing when one of us is getting his ass ripped. "

Clark glanced over at Tia who spitted the sentence in slight irritation her blond messy hair was out of place as the bandages that were wrapped around her scarred body kept making his eyes see red Tia was leaning against the arm of the chair as she eyed Jody.

Diana sighed as she said

" listen fighting isn't going to solve anything. we need to get him out of that place before anything worse happens to him ."

she was still struggling to get the fact that now she wasn't alone with only Tia to count on . she had friends. she had a family and no matter how many months they knew each other, they were there for her and that was all she needed. the entire time they all had listened to her with all ears. they didn't interrupt her as her friends let her tell them everything she knew and heard.

Julia nodded; her green hair falling over her cheeks as she brought a hand to brush them off her face.

" Diana's right. but there's this thing as well they can't kill him because if he dies then who is gonna keep the earth from destruction? "

Clark sighed in agreement he leaned on the black leather couch as he replied.

" Julia got a point the veins are already falling away they need to keep him alive. he's simply the only source of life on earth. without him, there's no earth ."

" Then why are they getting him out ?! "

Tia's frustration was visible in her voice she had her hands tangled in each other as she played with her shaking fingers.

" Will might know these things ....right? "

Clark tried his best to hide the deep cringe from appearing in his sight when the name he tried to avoid the most came out of Julia's lips. his eyebrows went in each other as he pressed his deep brown lips together in a useless gesture to keep his anger from showing.

Jody frowned in thought as she considered her friend's idea. when she was just about to tell her that they could try, the doorbell rang altering them that there was someone at the door.

Diana who was closest to the wooden thing walked the line to the thing and peeked from the peephole. she stepped away to open the door.

the open space revealed no other than William; his tall frame was behind the entrance as he politely smiled at Diana.

" Hello miss. may I enter ? "

the tiredness in his voice didn't match the fake enthusiasm in his eyes. those sleepy, hypnotizing oceans.

as Diana quickly stepped aside to let the man enter Julia jumped in front of him to wrap her arms around his neck and bury her pale face right in his chest.

" WillI've missed you so much! "

William stood shocked at the sudden contact, no one had hugged him in a long time except maybe Sandy who only ever did when she was feeling lonely or scared.

he slowly put his hand on her back as he patted her hair through her green strands.

" you dyed it green"

" yeah! I thought it might look better than pink what do you think? "

" I think it looks gorgeous. may I come in now?"

" oh right ! of course"

William smiled as he walked past the girl to enter. there were soaked spots on his shirt and hair, Clark clenched his fists as he glared hard at the tiny piece of clothing he wore. the white shirt was the only protection William had decided to have against the cold, freezing atmosphere.

Clark shouldn't care ....really

who was he to decide what William needed to wear?

William sat on the couch opposite him and leaned against the back to rest his aching muscles.

there was a tense silence as Diana had sat next to Tia on the floor and Julia had gone to sit next to Will on the couch she was always closer to him than others. Will was the group's comfort pillows single hug from him brought the greatest comfort as they all slept way better when they were sleeping next to them. Clark was the father of the team while Will was considered the MUM of the group. it helped a lot that they used to be together too although they were no longer with each other nasty break up it was.

Clark swallowed hard as he cleared his throat

Will frowned from nervousness as he asked.

" were you guys talking about something important? "

there was uncertainty in his trembling voice.

Jody and Tia shared a look before the black-haired girl faced her older brother with a determined look as she asked him.

" will I'm going to ask you for a favor and you're going to accept it. okay? "

Will tried to smile as he nodded

" if there's anything I can help with ...sure why not? "

Jody took a deep breath as she replied

" I think you've noticed the changing condition of the vessels....meaning Adrian is no longer on the hollow, Diana heard some gossip about this thing that they wanted to kill him ...we want to save him .that simple..but for that we need you ....we want you to get him out of wherever he is and send him to us....we will get him somewhere safe ....but we need you to do this favor ..."

everyone held breath. Will WAS their only chance of ever getting close to the castle. he was the only one allowed to enter as he was the Queen's advisor.

The black-haired man visibly swallowed as he adjusted in his seat. He wasn't sure if the spots on his white shirt were because of melted ice or sweat.

"First they won't kill him second ....I...I can't. "

Diana could feel her eyes winding. she had thought that William would help them ...she thought he was on their side. she thought he would help them get Adrian somewhere safe just why?

Adrian and will were fighting last night

Clark had said that when he was stabbed by Tia and he was trembling in a cold fever.

" is it because you and he aren't friends? is it because he did something to you Is it because you guys fight? "

Diana was shaking as she was tearing up. This was the only chance they had of saving her brother . she would do anything to get the most of this opportunity.

Will could feel the eyes on him . the mad gaze of Jody and the way Julia looked at him with deep pleading eyes and as he eyed Diana he could feel how she was breaking. Tia was trying to comfort her but William had been there .....he knew how it felt to be helpless as they crushed your bones beneath their expectations he knew them all...but he just couldn't ...he just couldn't carry another worry over his broken shoulders. he just couldn't let his heart be the bridge for others to find each other . he was so tired . he was too tired to meet Clark's angry brown eyes, and act all strong as if he wasn't hurting. there was no one for him to lean on . he didn't have someone there for him to carry the weight of the world. he was just too exhausted and he couldn't ....he just couldn't...

"William...I know you're too proud to admit you don't like Adrian so you won't help. but this one favor. he might die .... you're not sure "

Clark knows how to cut him as well.

" I'm not proud to admit anything ...it's not because I don't like him _ where did you even ?! I just can't! _

" WHY ?! "

everyone jumped at Clark's booming voice

" We are giving you another chance to prove yourself and you just throw that away ?! getting Adrian out of the castle is a piece of cake for you! but NO the big PROUD SELFISH Lewis won't EVER do this! This is your chance to fix the shits you've caused! either take it like a man or fuck off ! "

Clark had come closer to him dead in the eye . he wanted Will to take the chance and prove to them that he wasn't a traitor. Clark could still feel the shutter he had felt that day when Will stood next to the Queen wearing the Black Hunters uniform. the betrayal he had felt that was like a sword to his hammering heart was still too fresh, even after five years

Jody had come closer to the men if they decided to throw hands at each other. Tia was thinking the same thing as she stood near them

Diana didn't know why but she suddenly felt like Will WAS the bad guy. maybe Tia was right. maybe Will had changed. no one as long as they worked for the Queen was good. wasn't William working for the Queen too?

the blue-eyed man let the storm pass through his shattered soul. the breeze grazing his broken edges. it was five against one after all he was too tired to fight. and so what .....let's say he got Adrian out ...where were they going to his him....and it wasn't like....uh.

at least if he helped them they would stop glaring at him.

he looked away from Clark's dark gaze and nodded his header all if you're already dying ....right

Clark stepped away from the stormy oceans he did not want to drown in and stood away.

Diana sighed in relief....she was going to see her brother after all" let's say I got him out....how are you going to keep him safe? "

Clark had mischief in his brown orbs as he said. " I know how to keep him out of trouble, you just get him to the port"

Will nodded. it wasn't like Clark would tell him where they were going

there was work on his desk ....it was getting late too...Jayson

" Jody is Jay here "

he tried to keep his exhaustion out of his voice as best as he could ...but Jody was eyeing him worriedly.

" he is ...he has a fever. he's in my room....you want to get Sandy right ? "

" I think I'm bad news for her. "

" you're bad news for everyone. "

There was a bite of sharp I'm Tia's cold sound.

he gave a bitter melody pressed her lips together as she disappeared into her room Will went along with her.

there on the bed was Jayson was sleeping on his usual style, on his stomach as he had pressed his face flat on the pillow. William often fussed about it. was he even breathing?

there were bandages all around his back and stomach the bruises in his skin fading away to yellow near him, using his spread arm as a pillow was Sandy who was hugging his arm to her tiny chest as her small torso rose and fell with every breath. it had to be hard for her to wake up ....and go to the hell that they had to call home...

" Jody ....can you keep her here tonight ? "

her head snapped up. the worried gaze didn't suit her carefree style.

" B_but....mum.."

William pressed his lips together as he clenched his jaw...their mother would seriously get mad at him....might even slap him...but life was slapping him every day so it probably wouldn't hurt as much

" Sandy's sleeping deeply, it's not good for children to wake up all of a sudden .mum would understand."

I hope.

Jody creased her eyebrows her heart clinched wasn't the strong, tall, never breakable Will she knew....he was hurtinguising and she just knew...he was slowly fading away ...

she handy done this since the death of their father ... their only protector but something forced her to do it.

maybe it was because she was feeling lonely. maybe because Jayson was worrying her too much or because it was getting hard to breath or perhaps because Williams looked really small or even maybe because everything was falling apart. but with a single step, she was in her brother's arms. his still-beating heart reminded her of those sleepless nights she used to sneak into his room with Jay shyly following behind her if he was never allowed anything. how the three of them, would sleep next to Will so that they could hear his heartbeat as it was their only lullaby in those dark, starless nights, where the moon wasn't looking over them with soft eyes but instead it was glaring. when things were getting tough ...where mother's slap hurt a bit much .... were crying themselves to sleep wasn't helping them calm down...

" I'm here for you okay ?.... if it's getting too much ."

William pressed his sister close to himself it too much if he asked for help?

he was just too tired from stopping his panic attacks himself too tired to sleep even he could still remember his father's voice as it ringed in his ears.

" pain is just an illusion. "

" This is just a bruise "

" you are just confused. "

but... I am only human.

" I can use a hand sometimes ..... "

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the slap did hurt....but oh well ....it was fine...it wasn't his first time he was getting slapped from life after all.

the weight of the world was pulling him down

everyone breathed like he was going to drown

was he the only one left alone on this lonely earth?

he leaned back on his chair in his room.

he whispered the words" pain is an illusion, this is just a bruise and I am just confused but... am only human. "