Part Five

The summer was not what either one expected. Jimmy's Dad work him around the clock, often making him remain at the office for 12-14 hours a day. However it made the few times he did get to spend with Blair all the more special. He found that he had more in common with the kid than just their home environments.

Blair was a smart kid, shy but with a wicked sense of humour and when away from the difficulties of his home life, he was a lot of fun to be with. He opened up a lot around Jimmy, showing off his amazing knowledge mingled with that sense of jocularity. He hadn't expected to have as much fun even though they didn't get together often, he found he had a good friend in Blair Sandburg.

Only one thing marred the pleasantness of their meetings. Their time was stressed by the fact that Blair spent much of the time in pain. His being out of school meant he spent more time at home with Mike.

It was one of those rare Saturdays in June when Jimmy's father had to go out of town on a business trip. For the first time in nearly two weeks, Jimmy had managed to get together with Blair. They were spending the day at Blair's house since Mike was at work and Naomi was with friends.

Jimmy and Blair were going over some books of Blair's when a car door slammed outside in the driveway. Blair jumped at the sound and rapidly began putting all the books into a pile to take to his room. It was too late. Mike had come home, furious. He slammed the front door, threw his coat into the closet and stormed passed Blair who was crouched gathering books. He kicked out with one foot catching Blair in the hip, hard. Blair grunted with the pain, falling onto his side and Jimmy had rose to his feet.

"What was that for?" The young man demanded, angry at this man who had so casually kicked the teenager.

"Get the hell out of my face, you stupid prick. In fact get out of my house." Mike grabbed the older boy's collar and all but dragged him to the front door. Before Jimmy had a chance to defend himself or to turn around and face him, the front door slammed shut again, this time in his face with him on the outside. He could hear the words from inside.

"I don't want that punk hanging around here, you little shit. I ever see him again and you are dead, got it?"

"Yes, sir." Blair's voice was soft and it took a lot of effort to hear it. The sound of a smack was heard, followed by a cry of pain. Then the sounds of more beating.

Jimmy threw himself against the door, trying to get inside to help his friend. The heavy door shuddered under the weight but refused to budge. It dawned on the thin boy that this was not a good thing and a plan began to develop as he continued his assault on the door. It finally gave on his fourth blow. He fell over his own feet and the door as it crashed inwards. Mike was holding Blair by the throat. His large hands wrapped tightly around the thin neck, squeezing firmly. Jimmy could see that Blair was struggling to draw air into his lungs. With a sudden lunge Jimmy tackled Mike, knocking the bigger man to the floor, releasing Blair.

The younger boy fell to his knees, wheezing as much needed air filled his oxygen starved lungs.

Jimmy found his anger was no match for the burly man who had been trying to kill his friend. The man rained blows all over the trembling teenager who lay curled up, trying to vainly to protect himself from the fury and rage that had finally boiled over from Mike.

"You stupid shit. How dare you!" Another kick, this one to the back of his thigh. "This is my house and I will do as I please in my own home."

A small noise at the front door caught Mike's attention and with one last kick to Jimmy's back, he moved to Naomi who stood there with a glazed look on her still beautiful face. It was obvious she was stoned or drunk, which ever pleased her at this time.

"Hey Baby." Mike cooed at his lover. "I lost my fucking job today. How about you make me feel better, then we'll both feel batter."

The two kissed, ignoring the bloody mess that had once been two young teenagers. Mike wrapped his arms around Naomi and pulled her into the bedroom. The door slammed behind them.

It took Jimmy a few minutes to pull himself together enough to push the pain away and drag himself over to the pale, unmoving form that was his best friend. He tried desperately to ignore the sounds of sex coming from behind the bedroom door.

Blair didn't move even as Jimmy checked him over, then rolled him onto his back, all the while asking him if he was okay. Tears glimmered in the wide blue eyes that stared up at Jimmy without really seeing him. The protective instincts deep in Jimmy rose and he gently cradled his friend, rocking slightly as he used to do with Stevie when Stevie had hurt himself.

Too thin arms rose shakily to grip tightly at Jimmy's shirt as the silent tears turned to silent and deep, soul-shaking sobs.

Jimmy was at a loss as to what to do. He father would kill him if Jimmy took Blair home with him and what right did he really have to do that. He figured he could call the cops on Michael but there was a very good chance that nothing would come of it, he'd already been down that road himself and it wasn't a pleasant one. He remembered the last time someone had tried to call the cops for him. His father had forced him to lie to them that he was fine, then he'd spent the next day nursing his injuries from the beating his father had given him in response.

He didn't want that to happen to Blair.

Eventually he felt the tension leave Blair's body as the boy began to fall into a restless sleep. Jimmy nudged the boy awake, helped him to his feet and led him to his room. As soon as his head touched his pillow, Blair was asleep. Jimmy finished gathering up the books scattered through out the living room, deposited them into Blair's room and with one last glance at his friend, Jimmy left the house, determined to figure something out to help Blair.

Blair's quiet nature and his lack of friends meant that no one knew what was going on except Jimmy and it hurt the older boy to see what was happening to his new best friend.

Unfortunately when he returned home, his father had come back early. And that was the last he saw of Blair for the summer

~*~*~*~

Jimmy sat at his cubicle, outside his father's office. He had a newspaper in front of him, open to the business section. His father insisted that he read it every morning to learn the business world better and to learn how the events of the nation affect that world. He hated it.

Ever since his father's return from Seattle almost two months ago, the night he'd last seen Blair Sandburg, things had been rough. Though he hadn't seen Blair since that night they had managed to speak a few times, just to keep in touch and so Jim knew Blair was okay. He wasn't great but he was still alive and avoiding Mike.

Since Mike had lost his job and was home all the time and because he had begun blaming Blair for that also, Blair was constantly under threat of being beaten. Jimmy had begun to develop plans that would hopefully benefit both of them, and Stevie too, if they worked out. However for that he needed some money. So far his father hadn't paid him for his work this summer, so as soon as his father returned from his early morning meeting, Jimmy was going to ask for some money to invest. He figure that would make it seem like he really was eager to apply the knowledge he was gathering at his father's insistence.

Hopefully it would placate his father and not bring his wrath down on Jimmy's back. Lately it seemed the William Parker's temper was much closer to the surface than ever before. Jimmy was fearful of making that temper flare. However tomorrow morning, Parker Sr. was off on another trip to LA. He would be gone the entire weekend so Jimmy had made plans to get together with Blair, do a little camping down near the lake. If only he could get a little spending cash and get started on his plan, then everything would begin to look a little brighter.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until nearly four-thirty when William returned. One meeting had led to another so by the time he returned, Jimmy was already packing to go home. William said nothing but the two did leave shortly after, since William was due to leave early and still needed to pack.

In fact it wasn't until eight that Jimmy finally managed to catch his father off the phone and in his downstairs office.

"Dad? Do you have moment?" Jimmy was nervous. He was terrified that his father would refuse his request and all his hard work and planning would go to waste.

"What, Can't you see I am busy>" The harsh words did not bode well but Jimmy was determined.

"I was wondering if I could get a little money?" He rushed on before his father could refuse outright. "I wanted to try some investing like you have been teaching me and I was reading about some good stocks and I wanted to see if it would really work and well I need some money to try and so I was wondering…"

"Breathe, damn it!" Parker cried out, coming out from behind his desk. "What the hell do you need money for? I give you everything you need, you don't need money.

"But, Dad, I want to learn and practice what I am learning. I thought you wanted me to…" Again he was interrupted.

"You are my son and you will work here, learning the business. You are my heir, lazy shit that you are and you will make me proud, do you understand? You do not need money, you do deserve money until I say so."

The first blow caught Jimmy on the side of the head and he fell forward, barely stopping himself against the side of the desk. His father had moved around until his was behind him and he lashed out again, this time catching his son with a fist to the back.

Jimmy arched and cried out as his body fell hard across the desk and slid to rest on the floor. He closed his eyes tight against the pain as his father kicked him… once… twice. The third kick connected with his head and he saw stars. A hand reached down and pulled him to his feet, heedless of his injuries.

"You goddamn lazy son of a bitch. You wouldn't recognize a good thing if it hit you. Well, it's hitting you now, see it, you little shit. See it."

Jimmy could feel blood as it flowed down his face. The painful bruising in his side and chest made breathing difficult but he fought the blackness that threatened, knowing if he didn't then his father would find another excuse to beat him.

'Dammit, I am seventeen years old, I should be earning money not trying to earn enough of my father's pleasure for him not to beat me.' Jimmy ranted silently, missing his father's next words.

"Damn, Boy, listen when I speak to you." Another slap to the back of his head and he fought to focus once more on his father's diatribe.

".. you will work this weekend instead of screwing around with that hippie friend of yours. I would expect an Parker to have better taste in friends. In fact I don't want you seeing him again. I don't want people thinking my son's a fag." Jimmy's mind blanked out the rest of the words at the term fag.

He wasn't gay and neither was Blair. They were friends who shared a common fate, that was all. Not to mention that he and Blair had planned to go camping at the river near Mt. Baker. There was some good fishing there and they both loved fishing.

"… Jimmy! Now get your ass upstairs and clean your room before dinner. Well discuss this more tomorrow since I won't be going to LA after all. Don't think that this is forgotten either." Jimmy's thoughts came back as he realized his father had finished talking and he was dismissed.

Jimmy wanted to try and sneak out to let Sandburg know the change of plans but by the time he'd finished with his chores, it was dinner and then his father insisted that they sit for a few hours and go over reports for the company. By the time they were done, Jimmy was too exhaust to do more than collapse on his bed where he slept until morning.

In fact Jimmy didn't have a chance to see Blair for the rest of the summer. He was busy at work and when he wasn't, his father kept him occupied with other things.

The one and only time he'd tried to get out to see Blair, his father had caught him and locked him in his room after nailing his window shut. There was nothing he could do to get out and let Blair know what had happened, that it hadn't had anything to do with Blair. Jimmy knew that Blair's low self-esteem would be sorely tested over the summer and he'd hoped that if they spent more time together they could help each other through this but it was not to be.

When September finally rolled around and school started, Jimmy was hurt to find that Blair was not registered there. In fact when Jimmy finally managed to go by his house, it was deserted.

There was no sign that Blair and his family had ever lived there. The windows were boarded up and a sign in the window read For Sale.

With a heavy heart, Jimmy trudged back home. Without his best friend to make life more bearable, he was not looking forward to the future.

~*~*~*~