Summary- Noah has a handicap, caused by his bullying classmates. What he didn't know was that Trentsville was home to many more dirty secrets then what was done to him.

AN- this is slash. Its also got some drama in here people so be warned. My summary sucks and so does my grammer. I apologize. I'm tired and full sentences right now are just not my friend. I hope you enjoy and please review.

Ok now I go to be... nighty...

Reason 1- Blindness

Noah couldn't find it in himself to cry anymore. Crying took effort, took emotion and Noah was numb after all this. He just wanted it to end. That was all that mattered was that it would end soon, Noah would go home and everything would be ok…

"What a dumb ass kid! Can't even complain about it anymore," One of the kids, at least in 4th grade snarled at him. The kid aimed a swift kick to Noah's gut. Nolan gasped as the air in his body emptied immediately, leaving spots in his vision. He looked up at the kid, a good 2 years older then him. Sadly, this kid was a nameless face of tormentors that confronted Nolan each day. Apparently, today was his day to get his kicks from the 'fat kid'.

The kid had with him two other friends, who for the most part, stood on the side and laughed. Occasionally one of them would throw a hit or kick if it convenienced them but wouldn't go out of their way. It was their friends turn.

After a brutal five minutes, five minutes Noah was sure couldn't go by any slower, the kid above him stopped. He looked down, slightly panting from the physical exertion. After catching his breath he bent down next to Noah, looking eye to blackened eye with him. Nolan knew his eyes were either numb or blurred with pain while the other kid looked like he just ran a marathon.

"You should learn your place human," The kid spit out. Noah didn't even hear much of the words, he was too busy dealing with his shock. The kid's eyes, usually so dark almost black in color, shimmered green in a puff of smoke across the iris. Noah only saw that before he was dealing with the tremendous pain on the back of his head. He was sure there was a moment of total darkness. Slowly testing to see how sore he his, Noah shifted but instantly regretted it. His head felt like it's splitting in two. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to make the pain go away, but it doesn't. The pain stayed, pounding through his throbbing head.

"Hey, get up!" The kid yelled. Noah couldn't help but ignore him right now. His head was being ripped in two by a throbbing. He felt a nudge at his foot and his eyes snapped open, hoping the kid would give him a break while he deal with the pain.

Noah blinked then blinked again. Where his eyes open? What was going on…? His fingers reached up and rubbed at his eyes but… nothing… Noah felt the confusion drown out his migraine. He scrambled to stand up, using the back wall yet still nearly falling. His eyes run in all direction, searching for everything and finding nothing. His confusion quickly transformed into panic and a second later, fear.

"What is wrong with you?" The kid asked. Noah's eyes zoomed in on the direction of his voice but he wasn't there. There was nothing there except pitch black.

"I… I can't see," Noah stammered. He didn't see when the kid gave him a confused look.

"What?" The kid said uncomprehendingly. Noah's eyes searched for any break to the darkness but there was nothing. His entire world had the light shut off and he couldn't see anything.

"I… I… I can't…. see!" Noah cried out. All the practiced numbness was gone. Now he was purely terrified. He blinked and could feel tears watering at his sightless eyes and didn't bother to stop them from falling as he slunk to the ground. "Why… why can't I see anything?!" Noah shouted. He heard footsteps leaving and knew the kids took off. He was alone without the one thing that never failed him. Noah stayed on his spot against the ally wall and cried, praying his sight would return and nothing would be dark again.

Noah sat up, jerking himself awake. There were tears in his eyes hidden beneath the sunglasses he was sensible enough to put on, even after falling asleep in the car. He shakes the tears away and briskly reminded himself, I am not that seven year old kid I am not alone.

"Are you ok Nolan?" Mrs. Edgecombe asks. She's in the driver's seat of the car, a Toyota Prias, Noah already assumed by its quiet hum and small interior. He shifted so Mrs. Edgecombe couldn't see the tears already running down his face.

"'m fine," Noah answered. "Just tired."

"I can imagine. You must be pretty… anxious about going home." Mrs. Edgecombe was a psychiatrist. Its in her job description to be nosy.

Noah huffed and smiled a little. Anxious indeed. "Yeah you could say that."

"But what would you say?"

"Well I'm the one who wanted to go home," Noah replied. "I don't think I can say much about it then now can I?"

Mrs. Edgecombe sighed and Noah noted the g-forces as they pushed him to the right. "You can still decide to go back to the school Noah. You are always welcome."

Noah rubbed his eyes, taking away the last of the tears and threw in her direction a bright smile. "No can do Chief. The entire point of that school was prepare me to deal with this," he pointed to his eyes, "in the real world. It would be a shame if I never got to do that in practice."

"You know I'm still going to worry about you. Kids aren't any better in high school."

Noah snorted in genuine humor. "Yeah well I'm not that seven year old little fat kid anymore who lets people push him around."

Mrs. Edgecombe chose not to make a reprimanding remark about that comment. "No now you're a skinny little smart ass."

"Pssh, I don't believe you when you tell me I'm skinny. Curves are all I feel under these hands of mine."

"Yeah, curves of the bone protruding out. And watch what you say to people. You have a history of not eating."

"Correction, I have a history of depression. Don't worry though, I will stay away from sharp objects and words rhyming with 'suplosion' and 'seth'."

Mrs. Edgecombe gritted her teeth. "I wish I could be as carefree as you are in this situation."

Noah smiled, hiding how he really felt. Yes he was laughing and having fun but if he wasn't, he'd be tearing his hair out and screaming. He was going back to the town that had literally blinded him with their hatred. How can he not be nerve wracked by that? There was also the question that kept plaguing Noah's mind. Trentsville took away his sight, what else could they take away from him?

Noah shuddered and pushed that thought away. Must. Think. Happy. Thoughts.

Mrs. Edgecombe noticed the shudder and eyed Noah. "Are you cold?"

"Uh no," Noah said and faced Mrs. Edgecombe. "Are we there yet?"

"Are you going to start that again?"

"No I'm genuinely curious if we're even a smidgen close then we were six hours ago."

Mrs. Edgecombe rolled her eyes at Noah's smartass reply. "Yes we're closer. As a matter of fact I think we're almost there."

"Goodie," Noah let out a hint of sarcasm, one that did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Edgecombe's trained ear.

"You are really freaking out about this aren't you?" She asked. She really thought that Noah, the way he smiled and joked wasn't too upset about this.

"Uh yes," Noah said, adding a silent 'duh' at the end. He could feel the psychiatrist's eyes on him. "You honestly expect me to be calm and collected when I'm going to the town that almost killed me? You're better then that."

Mrs. Edgecombe wrinkled her nose, disgusted that she didn't recognize the front from the beginning. "If your so afraid then why are you doing this?"

"Mrs. Edgecombe, If I can't even deal with a small town of six thousand how am I going to take on the world? I'll just deal with some odd number of teenagers, get through school and go someplace where they don't have a problem with my Body mass index." Noah turned to face Mrs. Edgecombe with a reassuring smile on his face. "Everything will be ok."

Mrs. Edgecombe sighed and looked at Noah. He was still so young and for some strange reason, happy and jubilant. The kid had been through hell and back and yet, he could still smile easily. She couldn't understand how he did it because she knew she herself could never go through what he did and be as optimistic as he is.

In the corner of her eye, Mrs. Edgecombe saw a sign go by reading, "Welcome to Trentsville." "We're here."

Noah's look of optimism disappeared and he faced away from Mrs. Edgecombe. "Ahh, if only I could see how much hell has changed in the past few years."

Mrs. Edgecombe snorted. "Try and be a little less patronizing to your town."

Noah smirked. "If you want, I can step out of the car and do a victory dance and stick my tongue out at a house, your choice of course."

"Any houses you want to egg before we actually claim to be here?"

"Oh yes please. Let's go to Terry Finch's house. That bitch still owes me fifty cents."

Mrs. Edgecombe mocked a sigh. "Its good to know you don't hold a grudge Noah." She navigated the streets easily, passing a big brown building with a sign reading, "Homecoming!" She felt a little sad at this. "I think you missed homecoming."

Noah shrugged. "I'm a sophomore. I'll get more chances."

Mrs. Edgecombe felt a shade brighter. He expected to live. As depressing as she realized it sounds, it was a good sign. It meant Nolan was serious about trying to live.

Mrs. Edgecombe finally came to Noah's family address. She pulled into the driveway of a two story white house with deep green shutters and door. It was well taken care of having a seemingly coat of fresh paint. Mrs. Edgecombe got out of her car and immediately noticed there was a pile of metal scrap next to the trash. It was all intricate with sharp pointers and from what Mrs. Edgecombe could guess, it used to be a fence. In its place is a solid brick wall leading up an alternate route to the door.

"It looks like they were prepared for you," Mrs. Edgecombe informed Noah when he stepped out of the car. She watched him take in his surroundings before his nose wrinkled.

"They just painted," He told her. Mrs. Edgecombe laughed. "It smells like they also just plastered something."

'They put up a brick wall."

Noah doesn't look happy. "What color is the house?"

"White with green trim." There is a look of relief.

"Ok, so they at least kept that." Mrs. Edgecombe helped Noah pick up some of his stuff from the car before following him up the driveway. She was relieved that he had no problems though she wouldn't know why he would.

"Watch your step!" Noah stopped abruptly and his eyes furrowed in the general direction of where the noise came from. There was a box hiding in the bushes, motion activated to yell its one command. "Watch your step!"

"What is that?" Noah asks Mrs. Edgecombe who is examining the box.

"Its to help you get around the step up I think," She retorted. Noah just glares harder.

"I knew that there was a step up."

"They're just trying to be helpful Noah."

Nolan gave a pointed glare at the thing as he stepped up and the thing shouted at him again. "That is going to get really annoying, really fast." Mrs. Edgecombe smiled at him while Noah quickly searched and found the doorbell.

There is a thump and the sound of someone running.

"God dammit, Julie if this is you I'm going to kill you…" The door flied open and behind it a medium sized woman with long brown hair and big blue eyes. Mrs. Edgecombe quickly could see that this was Noah's mother. She watched as the woman's look of ferocity switched to shock and then quickly to happiness, excitement and love. Mostly though, she looked like she was still surprise and was waiting for the mirage to drift away.

"Noah," Her voice has a questioning tone, asking him if he was real. Noah smiled but Mrs. Edgecombe could see he was just as nervous.

"Tabby who is it?" A male calls out coming from the other room till he was right behind his wife. A look of shock spread across his face but it stayed there unlike his wife. "Oh my God."

Noah finally drew up the courage to talk. "Hi mom, dad." He said. He had barely gotten the words out when his mother threw her arms around her slightly taller son. She doesn't let go for a long time, allowing tears of relief to fall down her face. After a minute, Noah's dad comes up to them and forces her to let go of him so he can hug Noah.

"You, um, you were aware that we were coming right?" Mrs. Edgecombe asked Noah's mom. She reminded herself that Noah's last name is Bailey. "I mean this isn't a surprise that we were coming?"

Mr. Bailey pulled away from his son while his wife shook her head.

"Oh no, we knew he was coming but there have been so many times…" Mrs. Bailey trailed off as she wiped her eyes of fresh tears. Mrs. Edgecombe nods in understanding. There have been many times when they had called the Baileys and told them their son was coming home only to give another call to say it wasn't going to happen.

Mrs. Bailey had a look upon her like she wasn't sure what she wanted to do first. Mrs. Edgecombe could see her itching to get her son inside and make sure he was alright. Her husband looked equally as anxious though both of them refused to make any sudden movements. It was almost like they were afraid it would break their fragile son, and while Mrs. Edgecombe could describe Noah as many things, fragile wasn't anywhere on her list.

"Well," Mrs. Bailey started allowing herself to touch the side of her son's face. "Your brothers aren't here. They went out for homecoming and a sleep over."

"That's fine Mom," Noah said. "I'm a little tired anyway…"

"Oh of course you are, get in!" Mrs. Bailey pushed Noah and Mrs. Edgecombe into the door before closing it. She looked over and saw Noah carrying the heavier suitcase and her face furrowed in anger. "Why are you carrying that?" Her eyes flashed over to Mrs. Edgecombe looking accusingly at her. "Why didn't you carry it?"

Noah sighed. "Mom, I'm blind. I haven't lost the ability to control my arms."

Mrs. Bailey turns a worried glare to her son. "You could trip and hurt yourself!"

"I haven't tripped in 6 years I doubt its going to happen now," Noah stated as he began to haul his luggage upstairs. Mrs. Bailey looked scandalized.

"Noah stop! We already set up a bed for you on ground level."

Noah stopped and turned around. "The only bedroom on ground level is the master bedroom."

"Well for now it is but we have a construction team who says they can build another room down here in three months…" Mrs. Edgecombe can see that underneath his glasses, Noah is getting annoyed.

"Is my old room still available?" Mrs. Bailey frowns at him.

"Noah I won't have you go around and trip and hurt yourself…"

"Mom is my old room still available? Is anyone sleeping in it?" Noah doesn't hold back the edge in his voice.

"Well yes, but…"

"Then I will sleep in there." Noah turned around and continued his ascend up the stairs. He got all the way to the top before Mrs. Edgecombe followed him. His room was all the way down at the end of the hall. Mrs. Edgecombe saw that the door was closed and when Noah opened it, it looked exactly like a seven year old boys room should look like. Noah stopped and sniffed the air.

"I don't think mom has changed anything in here," He said.

"Yes I agree," Mrs. Edgecombe said. "And you really have to give her the benefit of the doubt. She doesn't know how well you've adjusted."

Noah looked annoyed but reluctantly agreed. "Yeah." He dropped his suitcase and sat on the bed, taking off his glasses and putting them on the nightstand. Behind those glasses were the most beautiful icy blue eyes Mrs. Edgecombe ever saw. She imagined they were much more beautiful when they were in use but she knew it would not happen soon. Noah was staunch in his stand that he was not going to even look into surgery. Mrs. Edgecombe had tried to get him to come out in his decision but he was a rock when it came to that.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I was planning on just going to sleep. I have school tomorrow." Mrs. Edgecombe looked at him shocked.

"Your going to school tomorrow? Don't you think that's a little too soon?"

Noah shook his head lightly. "I need to start up. I'll go mad around here with nothing to do."

"You could calm your poor mother's nerves. I'm sure she's having a fit on how skinny you are."

Noah smiled and stood up. "Are you staying here for long?"

Mrs. Edgecombe sighed sadly. "No I'm afraid if I want to make it back before tomorrow morning I had better left now."

Noah's smile left him and he pursed his lips together. "Well, I guess this had to happen sometime." Mrs. Edgecombe smiled. "I'll walk you out."

"I would think less of you if you didn't."

Noah led the way down the stairs, something that made Mrs. Bailey look about ready to faint. Noah seemed to sense this but ignored it. He turned to face his mother, no sunglasses to mare his beautiful eyes. "Mom, Mrs. Edgecombe is leaving."

Mrs. Edgecombe nods to Mrs. Bailey. They had met before when she came to take Noah away. Before she had looked sickened, her eyes shrunken and her face pale. Mrs. Edgecombe could see how much better both of them were and even more so for Mrs. Bailey, whose son was returned and safe under her roof.

"It was very nice seeing you again Mrs. Bailey," Mrs. Edgecombe said. She turned to Noah and gave him a big hug. "You be good. Call me for anything day or night." Mrs. Edgecombe finally let go of the boy and gave him one last final glance. With his face set in her mind, Mrs. Edgecombe turned to leave.

"Mrs. Edgecombe," Mr. Bailey stopped her right as she was headed out the door. She turned and looked at Mr. Bailey who went over to his son and hugged him again. "Thank you for everything that you've done. Really, I have my son back…"

Mrs. Edgecombe drew in a deep breath and sighed. This is why she did this job. She nodded and walked out the door before she decided to stay. She was walking down the pathway when she saw a group of kids, probably Noah's classmates. Praying silently to herself, she opened the car door and got in. Pulling out of the driveway and then Trentsville Mrs. Maria Edgecombe could only pray that Noah would be better off this time around.