Emily May looked to Mary Beth and shrugged. Both girl pulled their blankets up to cover themselves and Mary Beth called out. “Come on in, Wally.”

The boy walked in. He was Emily's twin, but looked nothing like her. His hair was a light blonde and he stood half a foot taller then she did. He was also their father's favorite, but that was because he was the only boy. He stopped just inside the door and let it shut lightly. “I was, um...I was wondering, is it true?” He asked.

“Is what true?” Emily May asked.

“There were some pictures around the school and some kids were talking, plus I heard Dad telling mom that a picture was sent here.” Wally leaned against the door. “They said they were of Vance Patterson's brother, right? Wearing a dress?”

Thanks to Djkauf for the editing

More of Tracy's life, post pictures. Also the return of Wally, Emily's brother mentioned just once!

Robert Hallmark walked into the living room of his parents’ split level ranch home. It had been an eventful day for him, full of questioning his beliefs and he decided to go to two of the four people who had never led him astray in his life. He was sure he'd talk to the third before the night was through and he'd see the preacher on Sunday, he always did. He wasn't sure if his brother cared though. Scotty always seemed to do what he wanted, which usually angered his parents, but Robert did his best to be the good son. That usually got him beat up by his foul-mouthed brother. And no one ever spoke of his sister anymore. Robert did his best to never mention her, no matter how much he missed her. He knew she had chosen to live in sin, at least that was what his mother told him, and according to his mother, if he were to talk to her, that would fill him with sin.

The house was tidy, not a scrap out of place. The walls had a fresh coat of white paint and the floors had new carpet. There was a TV. In the living room, just under a cross and near the picture of Jesus, but it was rarely on when him or his brother were home. Only long enough for the weather on the local TV station, and a weekly TV broadcast from a church in Texas. His parents kept him from watching too much TV, claiming it was a road to perversion and rotted his brain. Although his brother would often have it on, when he thought the parents were away.

He stopped in front of them and took a deep breath, not wanting to disturb them from their reading. He let the breath out and looked to the floor, shame began to fill him for having touched the picture in the first place. “Mom, Dad? Can I talk to you?”

His father put down his book and smiled at the boy. “Sure, son. What's wrong?”

“Someone was passing around pictures at school today of another student and....I'm confused as what I should do. I don’t know how to react to the student in the picture, because I'm pretty sure he's wrong for doing what they took the picture of, even though he's been nothing but nice to me.”

“It wasn't a dirty picture, was it?” His mother asked in a scolding tone. “Because if it was, then you should never look at one of those.”

“I...I don't know Mom.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture that someone had handed him on the playground at lunchtime. He remembered when Troy had gone to their church. He only rarely seen Troy on the playground, usually just at lunch time. He only vaguely recalled the Pattersons leaving the church, but he was to young to recall why.

His mother reached over and took the picture. She read the top and bottom. In large print, it read. “Troy Patterson.” At the bottom, in the same block lettering it read “Dress wearing fag!” He wasn't sure when his brother had shown up, but Scotty's voice filled the room as he spoke loudly.

“Is that of Troy? I heard he had his penis cut off and someone caught him touching Bruce's own pe....”

SCOTTY!” His mother roared, cutting of his rambling. “You know we don't allow that potty talk here.”

“Okay, what's the picture of?” Lionel asked. She showed the picture to her husband and he looked at it for a moment, then at her and shrugged. “It's a little girl?” He replied. “Why claim that's....what was it? Troy?”

“Patterson....didn't they go to church with us a few years back?” Molly sat in her chair, still holding the picture. “Mandy? Maggie....Yeah, Maggie and William.”

Her husband looked to her and bit his lower lip as he tried to recall. “Yeah. Them and two kids. Vincent?”

“Vance and Troy.” Scotty pipped up. This got him a glare from his parents, mostly for interrupting them, but he just stood there.

“Is this Troy?” She asked, no intending it to anyone in the room.

“I think it is. I heard other pictures were left all over school.” Robert replied. “Plus, Troy was out of school today.”

Scotty moved over and looked at the picture and nodded. “That's him.”

His mother looked up and raised an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“Back in November, some kid named Bruce went to his house and beat him up. I heard it was 'cause he found Bruce stealing from classrooms at lunchtime. Then later he got tripped. And Troy's been growing his hair out. He...heck, it looks like that when he's at school sometimes." He said, pointing to the picture. "I've even seem him playing with it, kinda like the girls at school do. Plus, that's Mrs. Patterson, don't you remember? I seen her with Vance in the office in November and she was walking through the school today.”

“Really.” Molly forced herself to not smile. She had not seen Maggie in years, but as she looked at the other woman, she recalled her face. She knew she had two bad children, but to left them run as wild as Troy was...She had never allowed that. It had happened with her daughter, but she fought it all the way, but when all was lost, she kicked her daughter out.

“Yeah, one of the stories that went around was that Bruce found him in a dress and tried to beat him up.” Scotty shrugged. “Guess he was in one.”

Molly folded up the picture and looked to her sons. “Robert, you were right to bring this to us. She looked to her husband, who shrugged and let her take control of the situation. “From now on, I don't want either of you to have any contact with the Patterson boys. If their mother lets them go into public, dressing like a girl, which is completely against God's rules...” She added, pointing at her youngest son to make a point. “then who knows what type of little perverts they raised. I want you two safe and away from bad influences like them.”

“Mom, they're not bad.” Scotty replied. “I also heard that Troy got hurt, protecting his mother and grandmother.”

“Scotty.” Her tone took a sharp edge and she glared at him. “No contact at all.”

“Fine, whatever.” He muttered. He turned walked out of the room.

“Well....” Molly leaned back in her seat and drummed her fingers on the chair, as she wondered if she should punish Scotty for his attitude. “Robert, promise me you won't be anywhere around those two boys.”

“I promise, Mom.”

“Good, now go make sure the trash is out and you can have a couple of cookies, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And Robert, remember to mention this tonight when you pray. God is very specific about this in the bible.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Robert said as he turned and left the room.

~o~O~o~

Emily May and Mary Beth lay in their beds in the quiet room. They had both gone to bed early, to avoid their father. Both girls lay in their beds, neither one could sleep. They could hear him fire up his car and take off, on his way for his usual graveyard shift at the cannery. They knew their mother would be in bed already, having to get into the nearby old folks home early for her own shift, leaving the kids at home in the morning.

“I so want to find out who did this.” Mary Beth stated.

“You and me both.” Emily May replied. “At least you weren't mentioned directly in the pictures.”

“Yeah.”

Neither girl had been aware that their conversation was being overheard, till a light tapping at their door caught their attention. Both girls went very quiet, till they heard their brother, Wally on the other side of the door. “Emily May? Mary Beth, can I come in for a moment?”

Emily May looked to Mary Beth and shrugged. Both girl pulled their blankets up to cover themselves and Mary Beth called out. “Come on in, Wally.”

The boy walked in. He was Emily's twin, but looked nothing like her. His hair was a light blonde and he stood half a foot taller then she did. He was also their father's favorite, but that was because he was the only boy. He stopped just inside the door and let it shut lightly. “I was, um...I was wondering, is it true?” He asked.

“Is what true?” Emily May asked.

“There were some pictures around the school and some kids were talking, plus I heard Dad telling mom that a picture was sent here.” Wally leaned against the door. “They said they were of Vance Patterson's brother, right? Wearing a dress?”

“You saw one of them?” Emily May asked as she sat up in bed.

“Yeah.” He nodded.

“Which one?”

“Is it true?” He asked.

“Which picture did you see?” Emily May asked again.

“I only saw a brief glimpse of one of you hugging a girl.” He looked to his elder sister, a sad expression on his face. “Is that really Vance's brother?”

It wasn't her place to answer that, but the rumors would be flying, she knew that much. So she decided to feel out the situation. She knew her father spent a lot of time with him, so her fear was that Wally would turn out to be as closed-minded as their father. “What do you think?”

He shrugged. “I don't know. I mean I only say a glimpse, but it looked like a little girl.” He leaned against the door. “But after Bruce attacked him, there were rumors about him in a dress. I heard he tried to say it was a lie, but now with those pictures, I don't know what to think.”

“What did you think of him after Bruce attacked him?” Emily May asked.

“I heard some when people asked Vance about it. He protected his mom and Granny, that was pretty cool.” Wally replied.

“He hurt himself badly when he did that. He could have just stayed on the ground and let them hurt her, but he got up and fought.”Emily May stated.

“How hurt was he?” Wally asked.

“I can't really say.” Emily May said.

“You don't know?” Wally asked. He looked at Mary Beth who looked down at her hands. “What about you? Do you know? I know he's in your class.”

“We can't say, because it's none of our business.” Emily May said. “But knowing he hurt himself to save his grandmother from Bruce attacking her. What do you think of that? Do you think he's weak?”

“No. I saw him walking around the school when he got back, before he got tripped. He must have been hurt bad.”

“Wally, it's worse then that. He dreams of that fight almost nightly. It wasn't just a fight. Bruce did a lot more to him.” Emily May said. “Now, do you think he's a bad guy? Like he'll attack people or girls?”

Wally thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “I don't know, but I doubt it.”

“Trust me, I doubt he'd hurt anyone without a great reason, and that's to protect people he loves.”

“So is he the one in that dress?”

Emily May sighed. She knew the whole school would know. With Troy leaving the school that would be all the proof that whoever had left the pictures would need to prove Troy was in a dress. “It was him.”

Instead of yelling, or ranting, Wally stunned both of his sisters with a question. “Why?”

“Why what?” Emily May asked.

“Why does he do it then?”

Emily May bit her lip, considering how to explain it. “You know what Aunt June does, right? Well the doctor that she works for?”

Wally bit his lower lip for a moment and shrugged. “He's a shrink, right?”

“Kinda.” Emily May answered. “He actually helps people who were born wrong.”

“Wrong?” Wally asked.

“Say someone was born as a boy, but the soul says female. He sees people like that. Or the people who have both sets of privates. I heard he even sees people who like people of the same sex.”

Wally nodded slowly as it sunk in. He knew his fathers stand on the subject, but he didn't feel that way at all. “So, Troy should have been a girl? Or he has both sets of private parts?”

“He should have been born a girl.” Emily answered. “In fact he's seen the Ivan guy that Aunt June works for.”

“So, does he go by Troy when he's a girl?”

“No, her name's Tracy.” Emily May answered.

“Oh.” Wally said, then he stood straight, “Wait, the same Tracy you spent time with in Dublin? Along with those other girls you told Mom about?”

“Yeah.” Emily Amy answered. They had gone over their trip when they returned home at dinner one night, including telling about a sleepover with a group of girls their age.

His mind quickly raced over the past couple of months and he tapped a finger in the air. “So, those girls were up here in December and around Troy. So they know about Troy?”

“Yeah. That's how we found Troy. We bumped into them and their other friends at a mall.”

“Wow.” Wally stated. “So, they don't mind that he was...born the way he was?”

"She." Emily replied.

“What?” He asked.

“You're in on the secret too, now, so learn the rules. It's not he, not if he's in girl mode. He, him, his and Troy are all the wrong words, it's rude.” Emily said, paraphrasing Rachel and Sage from a month earlier.

“Okay. I can do that. But what rules do you mean?” Wally asked.

Emily May smiled. “Simple. Treat Tracy with respect. She's not a bad person. She's just different.”

“Just like all of us.” Mary Beth added.

“So...” Wally went back and leaned against the wall. “What about Vance? Does he know? I mean does he dress in skirts and stuff?”

“He knows, but he doesn't wear the girls clothes.” Emily May answered. “Would it matter if he did? I know you're on the basketball team with him. If he did that, would you not want to be around him?”

“I guess not.” Wally replied. He was silent for a few moments, his eyes found a piece of the carpet very interesting. When he spoke, his voice got quiet, for fear that their parents would hear them. “Would you two have been this comfortable around me if I was different?”

“You saying you should have been a girl?” Emily May moved to the edge of her bed.

“No, nothing like that. But what if, I was different? What if I, you know, liked boys or something?”

“Do you?” Emily May asked.

“No.” He quickly answered, a look of fear crossed his moonlit face. “I was just asking, you know, like what if.”

“Wally, if you were gay, I wouldn't mind, not at all. You're still the same person, no matter who you love.” Emily May replied.

“I wouldn't mind either.” Mary Beth stated.

“But Dad's always saying how gay people are evil and will hurt you.” Wally said.

“Yep.” Emily Nodded. “And just how many have really hurt him?” She let the question hang for a moment then continued. “It's easy to fear what you don't know. Those girls we hung out with, two of them get picked on for who they are. One's in a wheelchair because of an accident, but she was super cool. There's another who was born with some weird birth thingy and can’t hear. But she was pretty cool, even though her sister had to talk for her.”

“Dad hates black people too, Leon's on the basketball team, isn't he nice?” Mary Beth asked.

Wally was silent again, then he nodded. “Yeah, he is, isn't he.”

“See, if we just follow Dad's advice, we'll miss out on some really nice people in life.” Emily May stated. “Had we gone with Dad's way of thinking, we wouldn't be friends with one of the toughest girls we know.”

“I guess.” Wally shrugged.

“We should get to sleep though, before Mom hears us and wakes up.”

“Yeah.” Wally stood up again and grabbed the door handle. As he started to open the door, he paused and looked back at his sisters. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome, Wally.” Emily May said as she lay back in her bed. “Night.”

Emily watched her brother leave, then when she thought the cost was clear she looked to Mary Beth. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Did you catch that? What he said I mean."

"I think so...." Mary Beth rolled over to Face her sister better. "Is Wally gay?"

"I don't know..." Emily May chuckled at the though of her parent's two eldest kids gay. "But the same rules apply for him as them do Tracy, understand?"

"Yes." Mary Beth groaned out. "I won't tease him or tell anyone."

"Good. Also we let him deal with this on his own. With Dad breathing down his neck, he can't be himself if he is."

Mary Beth just lay there for a moment, then asked. "Why do people hate others? Why can't we all just get along?"

"I don't know. I just don't know." Emily May answered.

~o~O~o~

Maggie couldn't remember when she had started reading her old bible again. She knew it had been sometime in the past couple of months, ever since her concerns about her youngest wearing her clothes had been confirmed. She hadn't poured all her free-time into reading it, but she knew she had picked it up a bit more each night as the months had progressed. She knew why she did it. Everything that she had been told when she was raised said what her youngest was doing was wrong. She wanted to support her child, after all, having a happy kid was better then having to deal with the loss of the child, when they couldn't cope with depression of not being able to be who they really were and took their life.

She found herself in the book of Deuteronomy. And as she pored over the book, for what seem to be the tenth time that month, she began to let other parts of the book settle in. She wasn't focused on the parts of the bible that told her Tracy was evil and God hated her. She kept re-reading the parts, from the same book about things most people never recalled. She knew most people tended to throw the more commonly known stuff around, but some of the other stuff, less than a page away tended to get ignored.

Maggie put her bible down and was silent for a moment. She could hear snoring coming from both her bedroom and her children's. She got up and out of her chair, and slowly went to her knees to pray. It had been so long since she had done so, but tonight, after the events of the past few days, she felt it was needed. She kept her voice a whisper, as to not disturb her family.

“Lord, I know it's been a long time since I've taken the time to speak to you. It's been an even longer time since I've visited a church. I know I've gone astray from the teaching that was instilled in me as a girl. I haven't seen the insides of a church in years, not because of me, or William. We tried to stay at the last one, but when we saw all those people turn on those two ladies.....”

She trailed off and tried to rally her thoughts into something a bit more to the point. “Lord, I need help. I don't know what to do with my youngest. Everything I was taught, tells me that she...he is wrong for what he does, but is he truly evil? He hasn't broken the ten commandments, well except for lying, but who hasn't done that. He honors his parents, we've rarely had problems from him. He's good to the people around him. He's polite and friendly. He's just not right as a boy.”

She stopped for a moment more, trying, and still failing to control her thoughts. “Lord, I need to know how to help my child, I need strength. I need answers. Everything I read tells me he's an abomination, but in the same books I have read, tells me that other people I know are worthy of that title. Please Lord, grant me the strength to help my child. I want her happy.” She paused for a moment, then spoke one more word. “Amen”

~o~O~o~

Friday morning hit and Tracy's first instinct was to get up and get dressed for school. She rolled out of bed and was almost to the door, Troy's clothes in hand when she stopped. She saw the books her mother bought on the bookcase. Then she remembered that she was now being home-schooled. She turned and was considering going back to bed when a thought crossed her mind. She made a quick stop to answer the call of nature, then she headed to the kitchen.

~I don't have to go, but I can at least be nice to them.~ She thought as she opened up the fridge and grabbed the eggs and bacon. She had the coffee going and was working on the eggs as her father came into the kitchen. Without being asked, she sat a plate of eggs and bacon on the table for him. “Eat, I'll get your coffee.”

He looked to his youngest. He knew it was Tracy, even though she wasn't wearing her usual sleepwear. “Honey, you don't have to do that. I can get my own coffee.”

“I know Daddy, I just want to be helpful. I don't have to go to school, so I may as well do something useful.”

He reached over and hugged his youngest. “Baby, you do your chores each week, you cook on the nights that your mother isn't home. You're useful.”

“I know, but....” Tracy sighed and leaned into her father. “I feel guilty for everything that happened, you know, with school and everything.”

“Baby, you had nothing to do with that.” William said. “No one would know that someone would take pictures of you in Sacramento.

“I know, I still feel guilty.” Tracy replied.

“There's nothing you could have done, so don't feel guilty.” William put a finger under her chin and gently moved her head so she looked right at him. “If you had posed for those pictures, and I mean went to whoever had spread these around and asked him to take them, then you'd be to blame. But this was taken without your consent. So this. Isn't. Your. Fault.” He stressed each word, then smiled at her. “Understand?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“So, no nightgown?” He asked as he let go of her so he could sit down.

“No. I'm still afraid that someone will see.”

Her father nodded. “I can understand. You're not having the best of luck, are you?”

Tracy shook her head and didn't answer at first. Then she looked over to her father, as tears seemed to form in her eyes from nowhere. “Why would someone do this?” She asked. “Why would someone go out of their way to ruin my life?”

“Baby, some people are just assholes. There's no sugarcoating it. Some people get off on ruining someone's life.”

A tear ran down her face as she looked to her father, with pleading eyes, hoping for a good answer. “Why?”

“Some people hurt others to make themselves feel better.” William reached out and touched his daughters hand. “they use any weakness in a person and exploit it to make them feel better about their own faults. Others do it to get some sort of power over you.”

“Power?” Tracy asked, wiping at her eyes.

“Yeah. It's like feeling like royalty, or a God. They think they can crush you under their heel. It makes them feel bigger then you.” William leaned closer to his youngest and smiled. “Everybody does it to some extent in their lives.”

“I haven't done it.....” Tracy started to say, then she looked at her father, who arched one eyebrow. “Have I?”

“Baby, we've all done it. Sometimes it's something you say to someone in the heat of an argument.” He squeezed her hand. “It's when you regret what you said, that's good. You don't continually lord yourself over someone. Heck, when Vance was in that dress, you had every chance to make fun of him, but you didn't.” As though he heard the cue of his name, they heard Vance get up and head for the bathroom. The sounds of the shower starting could be heard through the walls.

“But when he saw me in mine...” Tracy started to say, letting her mind catch up. “He did.”

“At first, but now he's totally okay with it.” He father stated.

“He is?”

William chuckled. “You still share a room and he lets you get dressed alone. I'd say that's understanding. He hasn't made fun of you since your grandmother punished him. He's actually getting better around the house. He's a better man for what he had to do, at least I think so.”

A moment later, Maggie came into the room and went to the coffee maker. “Up early?” She looked to her daughter.

“I just thought I'd make breakfast for Vance and Dad.” Tracy smiled. “You want some?”

“Sure. I'd love some. You do that, I'll get the toast.” Maggie moved to the toaster and dropped in two slices of bread.

“So what wild plans do you two ladies have today?” William asked.

“Well, we are going to your mothers and laying out a school plan for Tracy. Maybe find out where she is in stuff.”

“Good. Now will you be keeping up the cleaning on the weekend? Or have you thought about tying it into when you're at Mom's doing schoolwork?”

“I hadn't....you think I should?” Tracy asked.

Her father nodded. “Baby, you'll be over there, four days a week with school work and here for one day. Why lose your only two days off. Find a way to make cleaning and schoolwork mix, that way you can be home when Sage and the girls call. Plus that way you can stay here on the weekend. Do a couple chores on Friday and you're set.”

A few moments later, they heard someone walking down the hall, stopping at the kids room for just a moment, then the steps came closer and Vance stepped into the kitchen. He was on autopilot as he went to the cupboard and began pulling a box of cereal out of the cupboard when his mother tapped him on the shoulder. “You want that? We got eggs and bacon.”

Vance turned around, still looking like he had just woken up. “Sure.” He said with a small grin as he saw the eggs.

Tracy made a quick plate and set it at the table in her usual seat. “There, I'll eat when you're done.”

“Thanks.” Vance perked up a bit.

“So, since your mother is going to be home on Fridays, you can come here on Friday afternoons.” William told his eldest as Vance shoveled food into his mouth. “But Monday through Thursday, you need to go to your grandparents’ house after school.”

“What about dinner?” Tracy asked. “I was cooking dinner early so it's ready when you get home.”

“An hour won't kill us. I'd rather you be safe, than have warm food at five. Or you can ask Dad to come over with you.”

“Okay.” Tracy said with a nod.

William looked up at the clock. “Crap, I need to get going.” He took a few quick bites and grabbed his plate, taking it to the trash can. After putting it in the sink, he stopped at his wife and gave her a kiss, then he hugged his daughter. He patted Vance on the shoulder. “You be good.” Then he headed for the front door.

“Now remember Vance, any problems and just let me know.” Maggie stated. “I don't need you getting hassled over this too.”

“I'll be fine, mom.” Vance replied between mouthfuls of food.

“So you say, but I'm a mom, it's my job to worry.” Maggie stated. “But eat up, you don't want to miss the bus.”

~o~O~o~

Vance was quiet as he rode the bus. Ahead of him he could see Emily May and Mary Beth turn ever now and then to look at him and give a smile of hope. He saw their brother sitting near them, watching the scenery pass by. Some of hte others on the front of the bus kept turning to stare at him, but he did his best to ignore him. Behind him he could hear people laughing at something and the occasional wad of paper would pass by him. Then something slightly wet hit him near the ear. He took in a deep breath and held it for a moment, not wanting to give whoever the satisfaction of knowing they were actually bugging him.

After a few seconds, he reached up and wiped off the back of his ear, only to have it hit once more by another spit wad. Then the kicking started. At first it was nothing, but the closer the school got, the harder the kid behind him kicked the seat. To counter this, Vance leaned forward. After a few moments of them kicking the seat, but not hitting his back, they stopped, then one leaned over the seat and flicked his ear as hard as he could.

“Whats wrong, your fag brother miss the bus?” one of the boys behind him said with a snicker.

“He couldn't find a pretty dress for school?” Another said with a chuckle.

The bus pulled to a stop and he stood up, before he could get into the isle, one of the boys behind him, shoved past him and thrust an arm out, pushing him back into his seat.

Vance waited till they were mostly off the bus, then he got up and followed them off the bus. He had only taken a few steps when he found his right foot hitting something solid and he fell, face first to the sidewalk. He landing on his hands and they exploded in a flurry of pain. He fought back the urge to swear. He was getting back up when he felt someone push his side, sending him to the ground again. Several kids began laughing and the laughter was stopped by a voice. “That's enough!”

“Bobby Anderson, it seems to me like you have a problem with tripping people.” The teachers voice seemed to get an edge to it. “Office, now. I'll be there in a few minutes.”

“But I didn't do anything.” The boy replied, keeping a straight face, like he had a month earlier when he tripped an injured Troy. “He fell on his own.”

“After getting tripped by your foot, then you shoved him back down. Office, now.” The teacher pointed and waited for the student to comply. After a few moments, Bobby slowly walked away.

The teacher came walking over to Vance and offered him a hand. “Let me help you, Mr. Patterson. “

Vance took it and looked at the person as he stood up. “Mr. McCoy?” He said, looking at Troy's now former teacher.

“How's your hands. You fell kinda hard.”

Vance turned his hands over and saw his palms were a bright red, where some of the skin had been removed. “They hurt.”

“Go wash them. If it's bad, go to the nurses office.” Mr. McCoy smiled at him. “May need you to talk to the principal, but for now, take care of those hands.”

“Yes, Sir.” Vance said. He started walking towards one of the closer bathrooms and some of the nearby kids began teasing him.

“Awww, look at the little baby.”

“Gonna cry baby?”

“Bet he misses his little sister.”

“Both of 'em are fags, look how he's dressed.!”

“Matt, you've got the same thing on.”

Vance ignored them and went for the nearest bathroom he could get to, wading though the crowd of taunting students and keeping his eyes to the ground, in case someone else tired to trip him.

~o~O~o~

Clark watched with glee as Vance walked though the cat-calls and laughter. The plan was going well. He still didn't see Troy and that only meant that he had quit school, or was hiding, either way, it was still a victory. Clark walked on towards the cafeteria, hoping for a chance to find Peter and ruin his day. He knew his cousins would be there. He knew he could take Peter, after all, Peter was just a retard, but he knew it was best to travel with muscle. As he passed by a bathroom, the door opened up and a pair of hands reached out and latched onto his shoulders, then yanked him inside, letting the door shut behind them.

He was spun around, then slammed into a wall, knocking the breath out of his. The hands switched from his shoulders, to his coat. He looked up to see Peter staring daggers at him, then with a grunt, Peter lifted him off the ground, turning his hips so Clark couldn't kick anything important. When he spoke, it was an almost growl as he pressed against Clark's chest, causing him to wince in pain. “Did you put those pictures in Troy's pack?”

“What...what pictures.” Clark groaned out.

Peter pulled him away from the wall a few inches, then he slammed him against it again. “You know which pictures!”

“You mean the ones proving he's a fag?” Clark asked, managing to sneer at his tormentor. “That wasn't me, but I saw some yesterday. What's it to you? You his boyfriend?”

Peter froze as the door opened up. He began to lower Clark, till Vance stepped in. “What the hell?” Vance asked, stunned at the sight. “What are you doing?” He asked Peter.

“Vance, watch the door. Clark and I are having a talk about pictures.” Peter dropped Clark to his feet, then pined him against the wall, with an arm across his throat. The other boy began to squirm as Peter patted at his pockets. “Where are they?”

“What?” Clark began to try and escape, which proved pointless.

“The fucking pictures!” Peter growled.

“I ain't got 'em!” Clark stated.

Vance took a step towards Peter, wishing to trade spots with him, but instead he put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, he ain't worth it.”

Peter glared at Vance, then after a few moments, he let Clark go, then quickly grabbed at his coat again. “I find out it was you and I beat the shit out of you, got it.”

“Fuck you, retard. My cousins and I will beat you stupid.”

Peter looked above Clark and smiled, then he lifted him up, catching a part of Clark's coat on a corner of the bathroom stall. Vance put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. “It's not worth it. No point in us getting in trouble over Clark.”

“But what about the pictures?” Peter growled at Vance.

“Peter, I know you're pissed, so am I. But trust me, this isn't a good idea.” Vance replied. He leaned closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. “If you won’t do this for me, do it for her okay?”

Peter held on to Clark for a moment more, then he pulled the tiny kid off the corner of the stall and pulled him in close and glared at him. “I'm watching you. I think for one moment you did this, I will beat the shit out of you and your cousins.” Before Clark could respond, Peter dropped him to his feet, then gave him a push and headed for the door.

Vance gave his hands a quick rinse, then wiped them off on his shirt as he stepped into the hallway. “Why the hell did you stop me?” Peter growled as he faced off with Vance.

“You think Tracy wants you getting in trouble over Clark?” Vance asked in a hushed tone. “We don't know it's him and until we do, just remember that anything we do to him, he may throw towards my family.”

Peter was silent for a moment and he thought about it. Vance was right. After the trouble with Bruce, Clark had become an annoyance to Tracy. He could only imagine it being worse. “Fine.” He grumbled.

Emily May walked up, and stopped by the two boys that looked almost ready to fight. “Hey Vance. I need you to pass a note on to Tra..Troy for me.” She took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it over.

“What is it?” Vance asked as he jammed it in his pocket.

“Just a note, but it's personal for her, so don't read it, okay?” Emily stated. Then she sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Whoever sent that picture sent it to the house, too. Dad got it in the mail and he says we can't talk to Tracy again. Ever.”

“Why?” Vance asked.

“Cause Dad hates gay people and he insists that Tracy is doing this just to get us comfortable, then she'll rape us.”

“That's horse Shit.” Vance said. “Any idea who sent it?”

“No. Dad didn't say. He was pissed at the picture, the one of me hugging her.”

“Did you get the picture? We could give that to Mr. Harper.” Vance said. “The Sheriff’s office is involved. They could do something. I mean isn't the mail protected by the FBI or something?”

“No...damn. I wasn't thinking about it.” Emily May said. "I'll check the trashcan when I get home today." She looked up to Vance, half looking like she was about to pout. She could see her brother down the hall with Mary Beth and a few of their friends. “Vance, there's more. Wally was asking about Tracy and Troy yesterday. He heard about the pictures and doesn’t know what to think.”

“It can't get much worse. Will he try to start shit with her?”

“I don't think so.” She thought about the conversation the night before and the questions about her own twin that was starting to pop up in her mind. “I think he's okay.”

“Good. I'll make sure she gets this.” Vance said, putting the letter into his pocket.

“Now he's hassling Emily and Mary Beth, can I kick Clark's ass now?” Peter asked.

Vance sighed. “When we find out it was Clark, you get to kick his ass, after Tracy gets her turn.”

“Deal.” Peter forced a smile. “Although, after her, there won’t be much left to kick.”

More on the way as the effects of the pictures pick up speed.