First Night On The Job

"It's me...A-Artemis...you...you're safe at home now Lexie." Artemis said quietly, trying not to show he was sacred.

"A-Arty....." Alex blinked again, his eyes clearer.

Artemis nodded and gave a small smile, hugging Alex closer against him. He started humming quietly, humming the same tune he usually would if Alex or Dante was upset.

Alex relaxed at the familier turn before suddenly biting his lip hard as he remembered.

Artemis stopped humming when he saw Alex bite his lip, worried. "L-Lexie...?"

"Y-You'll hate me now Arty..." Alex whimpered softly.

"Why...?" Artemis asked, confused.

"I-I... With R-Raven..... S-So s-sorry..." Alex was close to sobbing.

Artemis froze when he realised what Alex meant, staring at him for a minute before slowly standing Alex on his feet. Artemis slowly moved his hands away, a hurt look in his eyes, giving up again on trying to hide his emotions.

Alex fell to his knees sobbing quietly.
Dante moved past Artemis's to go to Alex, he hugged his papa tight.

Artemis bit his lip as he watched with tears in his eyes, trying not to do the same thing as Alex, sick of crying.

"Dad.... go take care of whatever you have too for yourself, i'll take take care of papa....." Dante said softly, upset a little at his father. Dante knew how strong the drugs were and he knew what they could do.

Artemis didn't respond, staring down at Alex. He knew it wasn't Alex's fault, but it still didn't stop it from hurting.

"Arty..." Jacen sighed, frowning as he watched. He let go of Frankie and stepped closer to Artemis, going to put a hand on his brother's shoulder until Artemis turned and headed outside, slamming the front door behind him. Jacen swore and shook his head, quickly following after him.

"Aunt Angel take papa.... I need to say something....." Dante said before rushing out after them.
Angel sighed and carried Alex to a room, not his and Artemis's.

"Artemis! Come back here, you know it wasn't his fault!" Jacen said as he grabbed Artemis' arm to stop him.

Too upset and angry to care that it was Jacen touching him, Artemis reacted on his hatred of people he didn't trust touching him and quickly spun around, punching his brother hard enough to make Jacen let go and fall over. "Don't touch me!" Artemis growled before turning to walk off again, still trying not to cry, even though the way he'd spoken to Jacen made it obvious he was hurting.

Dante tackled his father. "How can you do this!? How can you just treat your family like crap? I can understand being upset and mad but you don't think about it from papa's side! He was taken advenage of! And then you hit uncle Jacen for trying to help you!" Dante said angrily.

Artemis swore when Dante tackled him, his head hitting the stone pathway. He blinked a few times before trying to push Dante off him. Once Dante finished speaking though, Artemis stopped and just laid there, giving in and finally crying. "I...I know it wasn't his fault..." Artemis said quietly, his voice almost a whisper.

Dante slowly got off him, before slowly sitting nex to him and giving a tentative hug, afraid of get hit too.
Alex was still sobbing inside as Angel and Jasper tried to take care of him. "H-He hates me.... He'll never forgive me..... P=Probably going to l-leav...."

Artemis just leaned against Dante, sobbing quietly.

"He won't leave...he's the one who originally lived here..." Jasper said, only realising afterwards that it wasn't the best thing to say, biting his lip.

Dante hugged him tight.
Alex just sobbed harder as Angel slapped him up the head and muttered in Italian.

Jacen sat watching them sliently, not moving from where he was. He wasn't sure how to react, not having been hit by Artemis before.

"Ow!" Jasper said as she hit him, though he didn't complain, knowing he actually deserved it.

"U-Uncle Jacen?" Dante asked softly.
Alex just continued sobbing.

Jacen slowly raised a hand to his jaw where he'd been hit, still in shock.
Artemis turned and buried his face against Dante's chest as he cried.

"Sorry..." Jasper muttered, hanging his head.

Dante had tears running down his face.
Adam arrived to look Alex over.

Jacen slowly moved over to Artemis and Dante, wrapping his arms around them both.

Jasper moved to sit somewhere else in the room so Adam could get to Alex easier.