Title: The Road not Taken 2/?
Author: Kate R.
Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein. Not the Poem or the song

7 years, Reginald Giles mused as he watched his boys playing tag in the courtyard of the Watcher's Compound. 7 years since Ripper had brought Ethan home with him. And he couldn't be happier. His son was happy and studying to be a watcher, Ethan was preparing to go with him to be magic aid. Not to mention the whole lovers thing. However, what he was watching right now was just them blowing off steam. They were playing it looked like Flag Football, an American came. Ethan seemed built to run. He was lean and fast. Ripper seemed to love chasing him. Suddenly, he watched his son stop and watched Ethan turn back to him. Ripper dropped to one knee, placed his head in his hands, and shook violently. Without the music, the visions rocked him to the core. Reginald watched as Ethan laid his hands on Ripper's shoulders as he shook through it. When it ended, Ripper looked to his office window and waved, telling him to come down. Something he had seen had upset him.

Reginald met Quentin on the way down and they found Ripper and Ethan sitting in the entryway.

"Jonothan Wyndham-Pryce," Ripper said. Quentin thought.

"Something of a fanatic, almost a zealot. Why?" he asked.

"He's abusing his son," Ripper answered. "The boy is 6 and a half years old. If he forgets something, he gets locked in a cupboard under the steps in his father's house for a few hours. He's been beaten a few times for not remembering trivial things."

"Damn!" Reginald hissed.

"I was afraid of something like this," Quentin said. "The boy must be taken from him. But who will care for him?"

"We will," Ripper said. "Me and Ethan'll care for him. But he can't stay with that man any longer. It ain't healthy."

"All right," Quentin said. They followed the two boys out to a car and got in, heading for the Wyndham Manor. Ripper sat clenching his teeth. Ethan knew he was still pissed by whatever he had seen.

Arriving at Wyndham Manor, Reginald and Quentin got out of the car and they walked into the hose. They heard quiet crying from a cupboard under the stair and Reginald opened it. Young Wesley was sitting quietly with tears running down his face. There was a bruise on his cheek as well.

"How long have you been here little one?" Reginald asked. Wesley shrugged.

"Was dark he said softly. Reginald heard the snarl as Ripper headed up the steps. They heard a loud crash as he kicked the door in up there that Quentin was guessing was Jonothan's bedroom. Ethan took the boy outside and sat on the steps with him while they waited. There were more crashes. A lot of shouting that ahd Wesley cringing against Ethan's chest, and then a really loud crack that sounded like Ripper had snapped to Ethan.

"How about when they finish, we get some ice cream huh? Seeing as you'll be livin' with me and Ripper now."

"R-really?" the little boy asked fearfully. Ethan nodded and rubbed his back. Reginald and Quentin came out a moment later with a suitcase filled with Wesley's clothes.

"Wesley, where are your toys?" Reginald asked. Here the little boy looked ashamed.

"I don't deserve them," he said. "So I haven't got any."

"Every little boy deserves toys, Wesley," Reginald said. "We'll just have to get you some. I'm sure Ethan and my son Ripper can help you find some you like."

"We'd like some ice cream," Ethan said softly as Wesley kept staring wide-eyed. "We've never had it before it sounds like and we'd like to try some."

"We can do that, Ethan, Quentin said. "We can most assuredly do that. Wesley, one thing. Forget what he's told you about what the Council does, all right?"

The boy nodded and laid his head on Ethan's chest. He was thinking anything had to be better than Father. He curled up just clinging to the older one when his father was hurled out a window and landed on the ground in a bleeding heap. A young man with light brown hair wearing a leather jacket, jeans and combat boots came out next. He lifted Wesley's father by the hair and punched him four more times in quick succession.

"That was for leaving your son in the closet all night," he growled as he let the man drop to the ground.

"What was everything else about Rupert?" Reginald asked. Ripper grinned.

"For everything else he's done to that boy since the day he was born. So, ready to start your new life kid?" he asked the little boy still in Ethan's arms. Wesley nodded shyly.

"Good," Ripper said. "When we get home after we go shopping for new stuff for you, we'll take all the doors off the closets that are like the one he left you in, kay?"

Wesley smiled nervously but nodded. He would get used to it, Ripper was sure. They headed out to hit the stores in England and to give Wesley a new life. The boy needed that. He needed it desperately

TBC...
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