**FLASHBACK**

"Open the fucking door, you little bastard!"

"NO!" Raiden screamed as David kicked the door in, scurrying under the bed only to have it flipped over. He was grabbed around the chest, arms pinned to his side, and carried from the room. He kicked his small feet but the effort was futile.

His Daddy's face was flushed with anger.

"Stop your fucking squirming and I'll let you down," David growled in a low and menacing tone, "When I tell you to do something, I expect you to fucking follow orders. Now, shut the fuck up and sit over there." He dropped him on the floor; Raiden fell in a heap before scrambling to do as he was told. "Better!"

"I want my mommy," he cried.

"I want my mommy," David mimicked him, "Well you can't have her. Your bitch of a mother is dead." His nostrils flared at the fear in Raiden's eyes.

"NO! You're lying!"

Raiden whined and cried harder as David showed him pictures of Natalie, bloodied and burnt, almost squashed beyond recognition.

"That's what happens when you don't do what you're supposed to do."

"MOMMY!" Raiden screamed. "Why?!"

"You're going to have a new Mommy as of tomorrow," David smiled wickedly, "She's so much prettier than your old one...especially now."

"I don't want a new Mommy! I want Mookie!"

"Fuck Sambora! He's not here either. So guess what, fucker, it's just you and me!"

"Daddy's a monster! Gimme Mookie!" Raiden launched himself at David, his tiny fingernails clawing and grabbing for the phone. "Monster! Give...Mookie!"

"Keep your fucking hands to yourself," David yelled and swiped at Raiden, knocking him into the side of the cabinet. "Ahh fuck! Disgusting animal."

Raiden's small body fell unconscious to the floor, blood seeping from a gash in his head and staining his blond curls, his vision falling into blackness.

**

"Raiden! Raiden, wake up!"

Richie scooped the convulsing child from bed into his arms and sat on the bedroom floor, curling his body protectively around his son. He silently prayed to take Raiden's pain away if it meant the child could live a peaceful life.

Even if Murray hadn't barged into his room during the earliest morning hours, Raiden's screams of pain and anger would have roused him from the deepest of slumbers.

He'd run into his son's room, hot on Murray's tail and found Raiden seizing, fist punching at the bed. Another episode. More violent than the one at school. Only memories of David could cause such anguish to Raiden.

Richie held Raiden's arms close to his side and his head cradled in his Mookie's neck. "Easy, buddy," he whispered, his voice soothing and calm. "It's okay, just breathe. Mookie's here."

Gasping sounds escaped Raiden's throat, his body stiffening with stress and anxiety. "Mommy!" The child finally screamed in agony, his voice raspy as he choked. "Mommy!"

Richie held him tighter, rocking him gently. "It's okay, buddy," he said softly. "It's okay. I'm here." He could feel Raiden's body trembling against his own, his hands clutching at his shirt for dear life. "You're safe now. I've got you."

"NO!"

Richie laid him on the floor with a pillow, grabbing the medical kit from the mini fridge and prepping the medication. Raiden trembled violently as Richie injected the clear fluid into his upper thigh.

"Easy," he said again, his voice calm but firm. "I need you to come back to me."

Raiden's eyes remained closed, his body still shuddering. Richie watched him, his heart breaking for the pain his son was feeling. He stroked his hair, soothing him with soft whispers and gentle touches.

The child's breathing began to slow down as the medication took effect, his eyelids drooping as he fell limp into the pillow. Richie sat beside him, stroking his hair and watching over him. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, but he fought them back, focusing on keeping Raiden calm.

"M-Mookie?" He whimpered as his eyes slid into focus. "I hurt."

"Just breathe, Raiden...here," Richie said and looped a face mask around Raiden's head. He switched on the machine and fresh oxygen flooded his son's system. Raiden struggled to take the deep breaths he needed, his toes and fingers unable to relax.

Richie began to sing one of Raiden's favorite songs in a soft voice, stroking his son's curls.

There's a dark and a troubled side of life

There's a bright and a sunny side too

Though we meet with the darkness and strife

The sunny side we also may view

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side

Keep on the sunny side of life

It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way

If we keep on the sunny side of life

Oh, the storm and its fury broke today

Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear

Clouds and storms will in time pass away

The sun again will shine bright and clear

Raiden stared up at Richie and the rhythm of his chest became steadier, his breathing less labored. Richie smiled at him, his eyes filled with love and concern. "I'm right here, buddy," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from Raiden's forehead. "You're safe now."

"I don't wanna to see Daddy anymore," he whispered, his voice hoarse as he cried. "I just want Mookie."

Richie's hand cradled his son's cheek. "We won't let him hurt you again," he promised. "We're your family now. And we'll always be here for you." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Raiden's forehead, feeling the warmth spread through his body. "I love you so much, Raiden."

"I can sleep with you?"

"Of course, bud."

This wasn't the last time Richie was woken up, however. Three hours after tucking Raiden in his big master bed, Richie was kicked repeatedly by the flailing child. This time, he wasn't able to calm him down and called the paramedics.

As they rushed into the room, Raiden was thrashing, screaming in agony. Richie stood back, his hands shaking as he watched the paramedics work on his son. They administered medication, oxygen and checked his vitals, speaking quietly to Raiden as they worked. It took two grown men to hold Raiden down as a third fought to set up his IV.

"Mr. Sambora," one of them finally said, turning to Richie. "We need to get Raiden to the hospital. He's having a serious episode and his oxygen level is extremely low."

Fear gripped his heart. He felt helpless as he watched Raiden writhe in pain, unable to do anything but pray that he would make it through.

Once Raiden was loaded into the ambulance, Richie hopped in his car and called Jon's cell phone. A sleepy, "Hello?" ripped further at his heart.

"Baby?"

"Rich? What's wrong?" Jon's voice was suddenly awake and steady.

"It's Raiden," Richie replied quietly. "We're heading to the hospital."

Jon let out a small gasp, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"

Richie took a deep breath, trying to remain calm as he explained the situation. "He had another episode," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "It's been getting worse lately. Ever since he said that bastard visited him with Natalie."

Jon was silent for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. "I can be back out there this morning, baby," he said. "Just tell me what you need."

Richie felt a rush of relief at Jon's words. "Thank you," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I-I just need you to be there for Raiden. He's going through some rough shit, baby."

"Of course, baby. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Can you do me a favor and go to the house first? Anything of David or David's, just put it all in a box and hide it away in my closet. I knew it was a bad idea to give him that shit."

"You got it, baby," Jon cooed.

Richie hung up the phone and leaned back in his seat, feeling the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. He knew he couldn't do it alone, but the thought of Jon being there with him, taking care of Raiden, gave him a sense of comfort.

They arrived at the hospital and Raiden was wheeled into the trauma bay. Richie stood back as the nurses worked over him. One attached an IV, another hung the fluid bags. More medication into his tiny veins.

Raiden shook and screamed.

Richie felt a hand gently squeeze his shoulder and glanced over, catching the ethereal form of Natalie watching the scene playing out. Her ghostly face was worried and sad.

"He's strong. He'll be okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I hope so," he said, his voice breaking. He reached out only to find empty air. "Tell that sick fuck to stay away from my son." With that, Natalie disappeared and Richie stood resolutely at his son's side.

Minutes and hours ticked by, the sedative finally kicking in for Raiden. He slept curled up in a white blanket, Richie sitting nervously next to him and holding his hand. He flipped mindlessly through TV channels until the doctor finally arrived.

"How are we doing in here?"

Richie looked over at Raiden and shrugged. "He's been sleeping for a few hours now."

"His psych doctor will be in soon," the doctor said with a smile and attempted to rouse Raiden. The child's eyes opened sleepily. "How are you feeling, sport?"

"I hurt."

"We can give you something for that. Good news is all his labs and tests look good. Nothing abnormal on the CT scan so more than likely it was stress-related seizures. Oxygen and blood pressure are looking much better. But his heart rate is worrying. He's hovering between 140 to 160. We want that closer to 90. We're also gonna do a 24 hour EEG and monitor him for any further seizure activity."

There was a knock at the door and Raiden's psychiatrist stuck her head in. "Hey there! How's my favorite patient?"

Raiden gave her a small, lopsided smile. "I hurt and I get to stay here."

"We were just discussing how we're gonna proceed with admitting Raiden and further tests that we'll run and monitor," the doctor said.

"I'll take over from here," the psychiatrist replied, taking Raiden's file from the doctor and walking over to sit next to the child. "So...what happened? What it nightmares again?"

Raiden sighed sadly and avoided the curious eyes. "Uh huh. He hurt me on the boat. My...Dad..."

The psychiatrist nodded in understanding, her expression softening. "It's okay, Raiden. I'm here to help you through it. Remember we talked about how he can't hurt you anymore? He only exists in your head." She placed a hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling right now?"

Raiden shrugged, his grip on Richie's hand tightening. "I don't know. Scared..."

"I'm sure Mookie will be here with you all night."

"Damn straight," Richie confirmed. "Papa J's coming home early."

"Really?"

"Yeah...he wants to be back here with us." Richie looked at Raiden with a mix of love and concern. "He loves you so much, squirt. You know that, right?"

Raiden's eyes filled with tears. "I love him too. Mookie! Where's Murray? I need him!"

"Easy...Calm down," Richie said in a soothing tone. "I don't think they'll allow--"

"Murray is more than welcomed," the psychiatrist interrupted with a smile. "Tell you what...how about Raiden and I continue our discussion. That way you can run home for anything you two need for your overnight stay."

Richie nodded in agreement, giving Raiden a reassuring smile. "Take care of my boy," he whispered, lips against his son's forehead. "I'll be right back with Murray."

Raiden managed a smile and allowed himself to be swept into a tight and comforting hug. "I love you, Mookie."

Richie held his son close for a moment before reluctantly releasing him. "I love you too, squirt. I'll see you soon."

He stepped out of the room and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. His mind was flooded with thoughts, fears, and worries.

Jon will be here soon...Jon will be here soon...Jon will be here soon...

Richie made the trek home and unlocked the front door. He stopped short at the sight of four suitcases. "Jon...Jonny!?"

Footsteps...then Jon smiled over the banister, taking the steps quickly and launching himself into Richie's arms. "Hey, babe. I missed you."

Richie held Jon close, feeling the warmth of his body through the thin fabric of their shirts. "Me too," he breathed, his lips brushing against Jon's. "Jesus Christ, I fucking missed you."

Jon pulled back and grinned, his eyes filled with emotion. "Sorry it took so long, but I had to pack quickly." He gestured to the suitcases. "How's Raiden? Where is he?"

"At the hospital. They're keeping him overnight. I came back here to grab Murray. Raiden's with the psychiatrist. Jonny...it was bad. Really bad. He couldn't breathe and...Jesus...." Richie broke down into tears and buried his face into Jon's neck.

Jon tightened his embrace, stroking Richie's hair soothingly. "It's okay, babe. He'll get through this. We'll get through this together."

Richie took a shaky breath and pulled back, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice rough. "I just...I don't know what I would do if something happened to Raiden."

Jon reached up and cupped Richie's face in his hands, his eyes soft and tender. "I know, babe. I know. But everything is going to be okay. You'll see." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Richie's lips, their lips lingering for a moment before pulling away.

"You're right. I just wish there was something more I could do."

Jon smiled softly, his thumb brushing against Richie's cheek. "There is. Just be there for him. Let him know you're there for him, no matter what. Now c'mon...let's get Murray and a bag packed." He led the way upstairs, his hand gently guiding Richie's back.

The two of them made their way into Raiden's bedroom, where Murray was waiting for them, tail wagging worriedly and he began pacing and whining. Richie and Jon made quick work of packing the essentials for Raiden.

"Don't forget Mr Bear," Richie said, his voice cracking.

"I could never forget Mr Bear," Jon replied playfully with a smile, grabbing up the teddy bear that Raiden considered a friend. "He's coming with us, right, Murray?"

Murray's tail wagged furiously in agreement, and he began to dance around excitedly, his paws hitting against Richie's legs.

Richie chuckled, placing a hand on the dog's head. "Calm down, Murray. We're all packed and ready to go." He turned to Jon, his eyes filled with emotion. "Thank you," he said softly.

Jon slid his hand down Richie's cheek and cupped his chin. "We're family, baby, and I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I don't know what I would do without you." Richie leaned into the touch, his eyes closing as he savored the feeling of Jon's hand on his face.

"You never have to find out." Jon pressed his lips against Richie's, their kiss soft and tender. Murray's warm tongue licked at Richie's lowered hand and head butted him.

"Looks like someone's anxious," Jon commented. "Let's go, boy! Let's go see, Raiden!"

*~*~*

"Look who's here!" Richie called out into the hospital room.

Murray bounded into the room, his wagging tail nearly knocking over one of the chairs. He jumped onto Raiden's bed, his front paws landing on Raiden's chest.

Raiden looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Murray!"

Richie laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Raiden. "He rode shotgun. Didn't you, Murray?" The dog yipped excitedly in response, his tail thumping against the sheets.

Jon stepped forward and placed a hand on Raiden's shoulder. "Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?"

"Papa J!" Raiden's heart monitor alarm began blaring as the child got excited.

"Easy, buddy. Easy," Jon said soothingly then glanced up at Richie with concern. "Is this normal?"

Richie sighed as a nurse came bustling in. "It's okay, Jon. He probably just got a little overexcited. They're monitoring his heart activity." He looked down at Raiden, who was panting and struggling to calm his breathing.

The nurse gave him the oxygen mask and slowly Raiden's heart rate stablized. "No excitement, you two," she said and gave them a stern glare.

Richie and Jon exchanged a look, both suppressing a chuckle. "Sorry," Richie said, his voice tinged with amusement. "We'll try to be quieter." The nurse nodded and left the room, giving them some privacy.

Jon sat down on the bed next to Raiden, his hand gently stroking his hair. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" he asked softly.

Raiden shook his head, his eyes downcast. "No. Is that Mr Bear?" His voice was muffled by the oxygen mask so it was difficult to understand him.

"Of course," Jon smiled. "He wouldn't miss this."

Richie picked up the teddy bear and handed it to Raiden, who clutched it tightly to his chest. "Are you feeling better, buddy?" He asked, his voice soft and gentle. Raiden nodded. "Good. You gave us a scare."

Jon leaned over and kissed Raiden's forehead, his eyes filled with concern. "You're our boy, and we won't give up on you."

Raiden gave a small smile, his eyes still downcast. "I just want to be okay."

Richie and Jon looked at each other, their expressions softening. "You will be, Raiden...eventually...it's a long road but you're a strong kid," Richie said, his voice reassuring. "We're here for you every step of the way."

Murray whined and pawed at Raiden, eliciting a quiet giggle from the child. Jon smiled fondly, his hand gently petting the dog's head.

"And don't forget about Murray. He's always here for you too. We brought you something else," Jon said sneakily and withdrew a happy meal from behind his back.

Raiden's gave him a big smile and took it gratefully. "Thanks, Papa J. Nuggets!"

"C'mon...let's get you sitting up a bit," Jon said, adjusting the bed and removing the oxygen mask from Raiden. "There you go, buddy. Dive in."

Richie watched with fondness as Raiden munched on his nuggets, his eyes trained on the small boy who had become such an integral part of their lives. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Jon's cheek, his hand cupping his jaw.

Jon closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of Richie's lips against his skin. "I love you," he whispered.

They sat and watched TV with Raiden while the child ate, his nuggets being eyed by Murray. He sneakily offered the pup half a nugget, which Murray took easily from his tiny hand.

"Did you round up all the items I told you about?" Richie asked Jon.

"Yeah...the box is in your closet, like you requested," Jon answered, leaning back into the chair. "Hey bud...so...Mookie and I decided it might be best that you didn't have your father's possessions at this point--"

"I don't want it," Raiden interrupted. "Mookie is Daddy."

Richie looked at Raiden with concern, his eyes searching the boy's face. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice gentle. "We don't want you to feel uncomfortable. We just want what's best for you."

"I know. Mookie is my dad. That other man hurt me." Raiden's voice was quiet, but the pain was evident in his eyes.

Richie took a deep breath, his hand coming up to brush against Jon's. "I understand, buddy. And we'll always respect your feelings. But if you ever change your mind..."

"I won't," Raiden said in a distant voice, his eyes fixed on the TV.

Richie and Jon exchanged a worried look, but they knew better than to push the issue any further. They sat there together, quietly watching Raiden eat his nuggets and play with Murray. The silence was broken only by the quiet beep of the heart monitor and the occasional yip from Murray.

The nurse came back in and hour later with a medical cart. "Time for your night time medications. The doctor added a stronger sedative." She readjusted the bed and Raiden took his medicine without much resistance.

Jon took out Raiden's favorite Star Wars blanket from one of the bags and the two tucked their son in. Lastly they turned off the bright lights and Raiden wiggled around until he found the sweet spot. He pet Murray and scratched behind the pup's ears.

Slowly, he drifted off and Jon looked over at Richie. "I can stay if you wanna go home...grab some sleep. You look exhausted."

"You sure?" Richie asked, his voice soft and comforting. "I can stay if you need me."

Jon shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, I'm fine. I just need some time to process everything. Maybe do some writing."

Richie stood up from the chair the bed and took Jon's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I'll be back in a few hours. Just call me if you need anything or if things change." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Jon's cheek. "I love you."

Jon wrapped his arms around Richie's waist, pulling him closer. "I love you too. Sleep well." He watched as Richie left the room, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion. The room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor and soft snores.