So, this is my fifth fanfic I'm proud to say;) And hopefully, it won't be my last. It starts out with Rory, who recently lost her fiancé, Liam, in a plane crash. Everyone is convinced that he's dead, but a turn of events will prove otherwise. With the help of Matt Channing, a rather arrogant and undependable guy, Rory will embark on an adventure that could take them all the way to Africa, South America, and where they least expect to go...

What will happen when the clues start threatening Rory and Matt's safety? And how will Rory choose if she falls for Matt, but Liam comes back???? Find out by reading "Liam's Secret." Rated M for mature scenes and violence. Enjoy!

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My pallid fingers snaked down my skirt and clutched the caps of my knees. They dug into my flesh coated with silky stockings and relaxed once the Priest began to speak.

"I know this is a very difficult time for the Channing family. Losing a son is never easy…" he announced, while motioning towards the cherry wood casket. I could hear Mrs. Channing sobbing a couple seats down from me. Dabbing my own damp cheeks with a tissue, I took a deep breath and attempted to steady my own composure.

"Liam Channing was a man of great courage and compassion. He gave up his life to help the people over in..."

The Priest paused for a moment and leaned closer to the funeral director.

"Where was it again?" he whispered in his raspy, Scottish accent.

"Guyana and Tunisia, Sir" the funeral director muttered back. The Priest put on a big smile and straightened his stance.

"Yes, of course, over in Guyana and Tunisia. He will be deeply missed. We must look at the plane crash as God's way of admitting Liam into Heaven."

I rolled my eyes and let out a noisy sigh. Everything seemed to happen so fast. I had gotten word that my fiancé, Liam, had perished in a plane crash off the Ivory Coast. His body was never found, but both the American and African authorities presumed that he was dead.

I could remember the detective dressed in a gray suit with a silvery, blue tie, saunter into my office. His salt and peppered hair was swept over to one side of his head and a straggly beard hung down from his chin.

"We've been searching for over two weeks now and so far, there's been no report of your fiancé's body" he stated flatly. I covered my face with my hands and took several deep breaths. 'How could this have happen…' I remembered thinking.

The detective shifted in his seat and adjusted the belt buckle just below his protruding stomach.

"And are you sure they've checked the entire area?" I questioned in a sharp tone. The detective slowly nodded his head and leaned forward.

"Look, unless your fiancé is Superman, he's gone"—he declared brusquely—"That plane fell 15,000 feet out of the sky because of a faulty engine. Now, whether you're going to accept the facts or not, is up to you."

I sat there for moment and just stared at him. My mind reeled with all sorts of mean and threatening things I could have yelled, but I didn't. No…I was too good for that.

"Well…"—I said with a huff, as I stood up—"I appreciate the update, but I could do without the smart comments, detective. I'm a grieving woman who just lost any chance of happiness for the future. Hopefully, you can sympathize with that." My voice didn't quiver a bit and my gaze was head on. The detective looked at me and chuckled a little to himself. Then, turning to leave, he stopped and spun around.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, Ms. Gilmore" he said penitently. I sat back down in my chair with a plop and straightened out the folders on my desk.

"I'm sure you are detective…now, get the hell out of my office," I snapped.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud shrill from Mrs. Channing. My eyes blinked a couple times, as I finally recognized my surroundings.

"Now, Liam's mother will say a few words," the Priest announced with a small grin. I could feel my throat seize and the tears flow down my cheeks like acid. Seeing Mrs. Channing stumble over to the casket was too much to bear. Without a second thought, I stood up and proceeded to sludge through the saturated grass. Where I was going, I wasn't quite sure. A few of the guests and close family friends diverted their gazes over in my direction. I could hear the faint whispers and see their baffled expressions.

"Rory!" Mr. Channing called after me. My strides became longer and my pace, faster. The mud and the slush flew this way and that. I ran past hundreds of tombstones and didn't stop until I reached a small clearing.

Panting for air, I clutched my chest and sat down next to the statue of an angel. My heart pounded like it was about to rip out of my chest or something.

"You know, that's an obstruction of justice in some countries," a voice muttered from a little ways away. My eyelids fluttered open, as my gaze rested on a tall man. He looked to be in his early twenties with dark brown hair and hazel colored eyes. His complexion had a tinge of olive, which made his cheeks glow amongst the icy surroundings.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned in confusion. The man motioned towards the stature that I was currently leaning against.

"It's not like I'm going to break it" I stated curtly, as my eyes shifted to the stature and up at his. The man took a couple steps forward before stopping and placing his hands in his pockets. He appeared to be dressed up for a function of some sort. Maybe he's here for a funeral too…I thought to myself.

"The stature of Saint Catherine…wow, that takes me back some years," he whispered softly. I noticed the humble expression that hung along his face and his gentle eyes. Despite all the things jumbled up in my mind at the moment, I couldn't help but find him slightly attractive.

"Are you here for a funeral?" I asked suddenly. The man's eyes snapped over to look at mine, as he stared.

"Yah…I am," was all he uttered. I nodded my head and wrapped my arms around my knees. The cold air was doing my insufficiently-dressed legs no justice.

"So who died?" I inquired. The man took a step back and let out a puff of air, which floated up into the atmosphere.

"Pardon?"

"Who died?" I repeated once more. He stood there and observed the wooded area for a bit before answering.

"My brother," he informed briefly. Wow, getting information out of this guy is like pulling teeth…I thought to myself. "He died in a plane crash…"

My eyes shot up with a sort of uncertainty flickering in them. Could it be true…Could this guy be related to Liam?

"What was your brother's name?" I asked hastily. The man furrowed his brows and began to walk towards me.

"Aren't you full of questions," he teased with a little smirk. I peered down at my black high heel shoes and peered back up to find the man standing right in front of me.

"Your brother is Liam Channing, Correct?" I quibbled anxiously. The young man looked up at the clouds in the sky and opened his mouth. He almost seemed to be tasting something I couldn't see.

"So, you've met the Channing family," he remarked brazenly. I gawked up at him and couldn't help but smile.

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," I declared with a smirk. I could feel my cheeks begin to flush and my heart begin to beat faster. That's odd…why am I feeling this way??

"It is a bad thing…" he replied firmly, as he stared downwards at my face.

"There you are!" a voice called from behind him. My gaze shifted over to Mrs. Channing, who was currently marching through the mud to reach us.

"Why weren't you at the service?" she barked at the man standing before me. She grabbed him by the cheek and slapped him lightly.

"We hardly see you anymore Matty and when we do see you, it's always about the car or money…"

"Maaaa…"—the man whined, as he briefly glanced over at me—"Can we not talk about that right now." Mrs. Channing ran her hand down Matt's unshaven cheek and smiled. Then, she moved her gaze over to her next victim: me.

"And you! Why did you go running off?" she shouted in her New Yorker accent with a splash of Scottish in it as well. I shrugged my shoulders and opened my mouth to speak, but Matt did it for me.

"Ma, can we do this later. Can't you see we're all pretty upset over this whole thing" Matt defended in a smooth voice. Mrs. Channing clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes.

"Fine, but I expect you at the reception, Matty. Understood?" she roared. Matt nodded his head and leaned in to hug his mother.

"I've missed you," he asserted playfully.

"Oh, don't lie…" she yelled in protest, as she gave her son a quick hug. Matt pulled away and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Remember…reception, be there!"

"Yes, Ma. I'll be there," he shouted after her. A large smile began to formulate on my reddened lips. Matt noticed this and began to smirk himself.

"Stop smiling—" he shouted jokingly "—this is a funeral, for God's sake!" I nervously dropped my gaze downward and continued to leer secretly.

"Matty, huh?" I muttered under my breath. Matt's cheeks turned crimson, as he shifted his feet along the wet grass.

"Yah, it's sort of a nickname," he stammered. I could tell that he was slightly embarrassed by the whole thing.

"I like it…it's cute," I remarked, as my eyes flashed upwards. His hazel colored eyes froze on me, causing my entire body to fidget and squirm in self-consciousness.

"We should get going" he finally declared. Nodding, I heavied my body up and began to take slow strides through the slush and the mud.

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Hey guys: I hope U liked the first chapter. This is going to be a Romance/ Mystery. So, if you're into those sorts of genres, then you'll like this fanfic. REVIEW because they are extremely helpful to me as a writer. Just give me your feedback and I'll write more…Appreciate it!!

Brittany