The Runaways

Chapter 3

The Runaways.

When the door opens oh so quietly in the middle of the night, Will tightens his arms around Jem and holds on. He knows the story. He'd seen Cal's eyes, seen the bruises. There is no way in hell that's going to happen to his Jem. Jem opens his eyes and Will holds the luminous silver eyes, willing the man to go away. There is a sadness in Jem's eyes that he can't bear, an acceptance of things as they are. But he will be damned if he accepts anything in this place or any other.

"James, come with me" the director's voice is soft in the night. Will would trust him, if he didn't know better.

Jem tenses in his arms and Will can feel his breathing quicken.

Will presses his lips to Jem's temple and sits up, getting off the bed and stands in between the director and Jem.

"He's not going anywhere with you" Will shouts. If the director wants to do his dirty business in secret, let him try!

"Mr Herondale, this has nothing to do with you. Be quiet and stand aside" the director commands in a carefully controlled voice, standing at the door.

"Or what?" Will spits "you'll tie me up and rape me?"

The words almost echo on the silence and Will can still remember the broken skin on Cal's wrists.

"Oh wait! I'm not your type am I?" Will feels Jem come to stand behind him, feels his hand on his back. "I'd die before I let you touch my Jem"

The director takes a few steps in to the room.

"Do you really think you can threaten me, boy?" the director drawls, "While you are here you are my property and I will do with your Jem as I wish "

And that is the last straw. Will charges at the director, sending them both flying out of the room. He knows he gets some good punches in, knows it because there is blood on the director's face but the man is bigger than him and suddenly there are hands grabbing him, pulling him back.

"I'm gonna kill you, you piece of shit!" Will yells, trying to get free.

The director straightens, adjusting his shirt. There is blood on his face, dripping on to the floor.

"You know what to do with him" The director says and the orderlies nod.

Will tries to get out of their grip but they are orderlies at a detention facility for boys, and they know every one of his tricks.

Jem is standing at the door to their room, silver hair almost golden in the dim light of the hall. He takes a step towards Will but gets pushed back by an orderly not occupied with Will. The director's eyes are now fixed on Jem and Will can't bear it, to know what's coming. He tries to turn back towards the director.

"Take me! Take me, please…just leave him alone" he's begging. He'd do anything. Anything for Jem.

"Will" He hears Jem's shocked voice.

And then they hear it. It's Andrew and Cal first and soon joined by every other boy in the hall. Every boy shouting, yelling, thumping the doors, making as much noise as possible.

"Take me! Take me! Take me!"

Will looks around in wonder and laughs.

"It's the revolution"

The orderlies shift, clearly uncomfortable. They know. They know what happens to the boys in the dark. There is nothing they can do but to pretend they don't hear their cries, or see the bruises. But now, clearly confronted with the truth, their grips slacken and Will pulls himself away and makes it to Jem in three strides.

"Shut them up" the director orders and looks back at Will and Jem, jaw working. Jem threads his fingers through Will's and they face this demon together.

"Just shut them up" the director turns on his heel and walks away.

The chaos of the hall subsides and Will closes his eyes and breathes in to Jem's hair. He feels himself trembling and Jem wraps his arms around him.

"William," Jem whispers as the door closes and they're locked in again, “We’re okay”

---

The next day they all get lined up in the sun outside. The director is furious. The freshly broken nose doesn't seem to help matters. Andrew stands beside Cal and resists the urge to laugh.

"This is a facility of law. And you will respect it!" The director declares, moving down the line of boys.

"The antics of last night WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

A few boys flinch at the force and anger in the director's voice. But then someone laughs. The director freezes, turning back around and heading towards the voice. Andrew tenses. He hears Jem whispering something to Will and hopes Will listens to whatever Jem says.

The director comes to a halt in front of them, furious eyes searching for the offender.

"If any one of you steps a hair out of line," the director grinds out, narrowed eyes moving along the line, "you will be dealt with no mercy"

They fix on Will. But Will stays silent and the director eventually moves away.

They are forced to stand in the sun until lunch.

---

They come in from garden duty for dinner. Cal pestering Will about his hair and Will mocking Cal's...well...whole being. And Andrew laughing at them both. Then Will just...stops. Andrew looks around to see whether the director's somewhere in the room. It's Cal who realises first.

"Where's Jem?"

Jem was on kitchen duty today. Jem is generally always on kitchen duty.

Will starts to move but Andrew has a hand clasped around his arm before he can do anything. Will tries to pull away but Andrew holds on.

"Let go of me!"

"Calm down! I'm gonna go and find out what happened. Stay here and don't get in to trouble!" Andrew commands. Will glares at him but subsides.

Andrew shares a look with Cal and Cal moves so that he's between Will and rest of the room.

Andrew approaches the nearest orderly.

"Hey John"

John looks at him warily. But he does look at him so Andrew ploughs on.

"Do you know what happened to Jem?"

"Jem?"

"James Carstairs. You know, the white haired guy always shadowing Will" Andrew says looking back at Will, who's edged closer to hear them, Cal flanking him.

"Oh right" Andrew sees the moment of recognition flare in John's eyes and feels the dread in his heart as John’s whole face become serious immediately.

"He…" John looks past Andrew at Will, "collapsed in the kitchens today"

Will moves, too fast for Cal, making for the startled orderly who takes an involuntary step back. Andrew manages, at the last second, to throw his arms around Will, holding him back.

"WHERE IS HE? WHERE THE FUCK IS HE? WHERE'S JEM?" Will is screaming in his ear and it takes every ounce of strength Andrew has to keep him from attacking the orderly.

"Calm down! CALM DOWN, WILL!" Andrew throws him against the nearest wall, the impact bringing a halt to Will's fighting, "You're no good to him if you get thrown in the cold room, do you understand?"

Will is staring at him, breathing too fast.

"Will," Andrew grips Will's face with both hands, "let me talk to him, okay? Let me find out what's going on and then we'll figure out what to do"

"You don't understand. You don't…" Will whispers. Andrew kisses Will on the forehead.

"He'll be fine. Calm down"

Andrew looks back at John, who's edged a few feet away from them both.

"Is there anyway you could let Will visit him in the med room?" Andrew looks back at Will, whose eyes are fixed on the orderly.

"Please" Cal adds.

John shakes his head and Andrew feels Will straightening up, ready to fight again.

"They moved him to county central hospital two hours ago"

To be continued :D