Welcome to my new short story.

Legal: I own nothing but the idea.

The very important stuff to know before reading:

*This starts after Ray of Light only Cam is alive and still with Maya. EClare did break up but only because Eli began using drugs and his behavior became erratic.

*Jake and Katie are still together.

*Also Dave and Alli never broke up.

That pretty much does it enjoy everyone.

Ch. 1 The World Caught Fire That Day

(OWEN)

"Ugh why do we have to have practices so bloody early?" I groan when I come out of my house into a thick blanket of fog.

It's not even 5:30 on this Thursday morning but I have to get to Ice Hounds practice. Considering how little I get to play I think I should be excused from these early practices. Even early football practices didn't start until 6:30 at the earliest. I toss my backpack into my SUV and get in turning on loud music to help wake me up and I start driving to the arena.

A few houses down from mine Clare catches my eye. She's lived just down the street for as long as I can remember but we didn't run in the same circles and I never really cared, until today. It's not that Clare is awake and getting into her car this early that catches my attention however. No the reason, the sole reason I even notice Clare through the fog is that just as Clare gets into the driver's seat a man holding a knife jumps in the backseat. I see them as I pass, the crazy emptiness in his eyes that tells me he will kill her. I see the fear in Clare's eyes, the tear that rolls down her cheek and the urge to scream but the man has the knife at her throat.

He must tell her to drive because she starts driving and I turn around rapidly to follow them. Crazy dude has the knife right at Clare's throat and she's terrified, crying so hard I'm not sure that she can even see through the tears. I start to speed up but realize if I bump Clare's car and spook him he could very easily cut her throat. I watch them but keep a bit of a distance as I call 911. I tell them Clare was carjacked or is possibly being kidnapped, I give them Clare's license plate and the street we're driving on. I know the cops are on their way but Clare's getting hysterical and the guy keeps moving the knife near her neck and I'm afraid he's going to kill her. Then Clare notices me following them I see her eyes look up into her rearview mirror, I don't even know if she recognizes me but her eyes beg me to help her and I have to do something before the cops get here because crazy dude might kill her first.

I speed up until I'm just behind them and honk really loud, it distracts the crazy guy for a moment and he pulls the knife away from her neck. Knowing this is my one opportunity I speed up more and turn my car a little so that I can pull a sort of PIT maneuver, might not be police professional but it works. Clare's car spins out and comes to a stop, mine does the same and I leap out running over. I open the back door and pull the guy out, he's still got the knife and he lunges at me but I punch him in the stomach. He doubles over but while he's doubled over he gets his foot behind me sending us both to the ground.

I land hard on my back knocking the air out of me and while I struggle to breathe I hear sirens in the distance. Hearing Clare scream I look up and see the attacker holding the knife which now has blood on it. I really don't know if it's my blood or his because I can't feel anything right now. He raises the knife again and the sirens get closer. He makes an angry growl, he's got blood on him and I grab his wrists but I'm still struggling to breathe. I hear the sirens so close now and he hears them too. He punches me and tries to run but I grab his leg and hold pulling him back down. He knows he's trapped, I can see it on his face he knows he's going to get caught and I see his hand move fast, the next thing I feel is a jab in my neck. I feel like it's hard to breathe and then I feel blood coming from my throat and Clare screaming louder than the wailing sirens of the police car.

"FREEZE DOWN ON THE GROUND!" I hear cops yelling and I let go of his leg.

"Owen?" Clare cries taking her scarf off and holding it to my throat. "You're going to be okay," she tells me but she's sobbing and pale and looks very worried.

"Owen look at me," Officer Turner says and I look over at him guess he was one of the first responders. "Stay with us okay, an ambulance is on it's way you're going to be okay just lie still and don't try to talk," Turner instructs.

"You'll be okay you have to be okay you saved me Owen," Clare cries still holding her scarf firmly to my throat and squeezing my hand tightly.

Around me I hear the guy being arrested, he's yelling some stuff that doesn't make any sense. I hear another siren approaching which I assume to be the ambulance. I look into Clare's eyes, I never noticed before how very iridescent blue her eyes are. I focus on her eyes, swollen with tears, a stream of blood running close to her left eye but I'm focused purely on her eyes. And they are the very last thing I see before the rest of the world goes quiet and black.

(CLARE)

I see the blood covered blade stab into Owen's throat and then slice quickly over Owen's throat, blood begins pouring out and I scream so loud it takes every bit of oxygen in my body. I lean against my car just as several police cars screech to a halt. They all come out of the cars at once, their guns poised on my attacker and they yell for him to get down. When my attacker goes down on the ground and several officers run over to handcuff him I run to Owen. He's bleeding from the throat and I'm almost certain I'm going to watch him die in front of me. I take my pink and orange scarf from around my neck and hold it over his throat praying that I can stop the bleeding and Owen will not die. Officer Turner rushes over and tells Owen to lie still, he assures Owen he's going to be okay but Owen is pale and he looks scared. Owen looks around and then looks at me, his eyes locking onto mine and then his eyes close and my eyes fill with even more tears.

"Miss you need to move back," someone says pulling at my arms to get me away but I'm still holding my scarf over Owen's neck.

"No," I shake my head.

"Clare it's the EMTs they need to get Owen into the ambulance," Officer Turner says and I let him pull me back.

"He's going to be okay isn't he?" I cry against Officer Turner's police jacket. The EMTs are hurriedly looking at Owen and yelling a bunch of stuff. "He saved me he can't die," I beg Officer Turner, not that he has the power to determine if Owen lives or dies.

"Hey she's bleeding too you better take her," Turner calls to the EMTs.

A lady EMT takes me from Turner's arms and looks at me, "Hey we got one more."

The woman takes a gauze pack and quickly wraps my head before taking my arm and putting me in the ambulance. They sit me near the doors out of the way and put a blanket around me. I don't realize just how much I'm crying or shaking until the blanket is around me. Owen is still unconscious and the bandage around his neck is covered with blood, they're hooking him to an IV. I close my eyes, I feel a little dizzy and I don't want to look at Owen bleeding anymore because all I can think is that he wouldn't be bleeding if he hadn't saved me. The ambulance stops and an EMT tells me to stay while they get Owen out and run into the emergency doors with him.

The lady EMT tells me to stay again and then comes back with a wheelchair which she puts me in. She takes me in the emergency room but I can't see Owen. Everything around me is a blur, it's like I'm in this bubble and everything else around me is moving fast. I'm taken to an examination bay and put on a bed while a doctor looks at my head. Since I can't stop crying or shaking they hook me up to an IV and clean my head, bandage it and tell me to lie back with ice on my bump. I do everything they say but I still feel like I'm in this bubble and everything else is just surreal, dreamlike almost. How I wish this was a dream and Owen wasn't hurt.

"I called your mom and your family is on their way," Officer Turner tells me coming into the room.

"How's Owen?"

"He's in surgery I called his family too and they're also on their way."

"I want to see him," I insist.

"You can see him when he's out of surgery but the doctor will probably have to release you first. Dave wanted me to tell you hi from him and he hopes you're okay. I said he'd be able to see you later," Turner says and I nod.

"That guy the one who…" I pause for a breath because my lower lip trembles so hard I can barely talk.

"He's been arrested Clare, he's in jail now. I'll need a statement from you but I'll come to your house later today assuming you get released today anyway," Officer Turner comments just as a doctor comes in.

"She should be released in the next hour or so, she was in shock when they brought her in but her vitals are looking much better," the doctor tells Turner before turning to me. "You got a bump on the head but I don't think you have a concussion, still after you've had a bit of time to rest we will do a thorough exam. Have her parents been notified?" The doctor questions looking back at Turner.

"Yes I called them they should be here soon," Turner nods.

"Good can you sit with her in the meantime and just be sure she doesn't fall asleep?"

"Yeah no problem," Turner replies.

"The boy that was brought in with me, Owen Milligan, he'll be okay won't he?" I ask the doctor.

"I'll go and see if I can get an update on him for you," the doctor tells me before leaving through the curtain.

While the doctor is gone Officer Turner makes small talk about Dave and then the doctor comes back to say that Owen is in surgery still. Just after he leaves my mom throws back the curtain and storms in with Glen and Jake right behind her.

"Oh baby thank heavens you're okay! I can't believe you were carjacked how did that even happen don't you lock the car doors when you start driving?" Mom says as her voice goes from worried to scolding. At the word carjacked I see it all again, a man with crazy eyes in the rearview mirror, he's in the backseat of my car and holding a knife to my throat. It's so clear it's as if I'm there again, like it's all happening again and I burst into tears.

While my mom seems to be arguing with Turner Jake sits on the bed to hug me so I cry on his chest. Even Glen sits on the foot of the bed, sort of awkwardly patting my leg but at least it's somewhat comforting.

"Honey this isn't helping Clare needs us right now," Glen admonishes and my mom shuts up.

"Well I'm just thankful she's alright," Mom comments and sits in the chair just as the doctor comes back in.

He does an exam and determines I don't have a concussion just a bump on the head. After talking with my mom for a minute she's given a whole bunch of papers to sign for my release. While she begins filling those out a nurse wraps my head in fresh bandages and then unhooks me from the IV.

"I'll come by a little later to get her statement," Turner says to Glen while Mom is filling out the papers.

"I want to see Owen, I've been released and I want to see Owen," I demand.

"Owen?" Jake questions.

"He saved me and now he's hurt because he saved me and I want to see him," I state again with some agitation that no one is telling me where to find him.

"I think he's still in surgery but I will take you upstairs to the waiting room," Turner offers.

"Clare you need to go home and rest," Mom asserts.

"NO," I snap at her which was stupid because now my head is pounding. "I have to see Owen, I have to know he's okay and I'm not leaving until I do," I insist in a firm voice.

"I'll stay with her you guys should go to work anyway," Jake comments.

"I'm not going to work today I'll stay with her," Mom says without looking up from the papers she's filling out and I shake my head. I love my mom but I really don't think I can handle her right now.

"Why don't you give Jake your keys and we'll take a cab home. He can stay with her, we'll call the school and you can call into work," Glen suggests and I smile at him.

My mom grumbles but she hands Jake her keys, I get off the hospital gurney and Jake takes my arm. Then we follow Officer Turner upstairs to a waiting room, I've never before seen Owen's parents but Tris recognizes me as soon as we come in.

"I'll see you in a little while," Turner says before leaving.

"Clare what happened?" Tris asks with much alarm. I must look worse than I thought given the alarm in his tone.

"Is Owen okay?" I question while Jake puts me in a chair, I think he's afraid I'm going to break.

"How'd you know about Owen?" Tris asks.

"He's here because of me. This crazy guy jumped in my car and tried to car jack me and I guess Owen saw. He saved my life, Owen is a hero. I'm sorry he's here I'm sorry he's hurt he wouldn't be…hurt…if…" I'm crying too hard to talk now and Jake sits next to me squeezing my hand.

"I'm glad you're okay and Owen will be okay too, he should almost be done with surgery," Mrs. Milligan tells me as she comes over and take's my hand. I wipe my tears and take a deep breath so I can speak.

"Your son is a hero, he saved my life I am so sorry he's hurt. I want to see him if it's okay?"

"Yes of course," she replies squeezing my hand and sits down again.

I spend the next few minutes just trying to breathe and contain my tears. I know Owen's Mom told me Owen would be okay but they all look very worried. In order to keep from thinking about what happened this morning I'm digging into my arm with my nail absentmindedly, at least until Jake notices and grabs my hand. He's holding both my hands now and giving me a worried look but a doctor comes in and we all look at the doctor.

"Owen came through the surgery just fine, he's in recovery and his vitals are good. He has a puncture wound on the left side of his right abdomen that missed any organs, it punctured through a few layers of muscle and had to be sewn up. The laceration to his throat was the most severe injury; thankfully it missed the artery and jugular which kept him from bleeding out. That's the good news, however the knife nicked the cricoid cartilage and went directly into his larynx, the knife even went deep enough to cut one of the vocal cords and severely damaged the superior laryngeal nerve."

"What does that mean?" Owen's dad asks.

"There's a very good chance that Owen will never be able to talk again," the doctor says and I gasp, more tears coming from my eyes.

"At least he's alive, losing your voice is not the worst that could have happened. He'll still be able to move and walk," Owen's dad comments in a voice meant to be comforting but I hear the sorrow in it.

"We're going to keep him sedated for the next 24 hours to let his body heal. You can go in and see him if you like but we he will be unconscious," the doctor tells us.

"I'd like to see him," I hear Owen's mom say. I get out of Jake's embrace and stand up going to Mrs. Milligan before she leaves the room.

"I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry, Owen wouldn't be hurt at all if he hadn't stopped that guy. If he hadn't saved me, I'm sorry…Owen shouldn't…be in the…hospital," I blubber between labored breathes and sobs.

"I think I need to take her home, she's had a pretty traumatic morning," Jake speaks up and comes over to me.

"Yes you should get home and rest, Owen's alive and he'll be okay you heard the doctor. You can come back and see him tomorrow," Mrs. Milligan tells me.

"Come on Clare we need to get you home, you can come see Owen tomorrow when he's awake," Jake insists taking me by the arms and walks me out of the waiting room.

When we get out to the hallway Jake puts his arm around me and we walk down to Mom's car. I don't remember the drive home but I was crying the whole way so that's probably why. When we get home Mom tells me to clean up and then rest in my bed, Glen says Officer Turner will be here in an hour to take my statement. I get upstairs and into the washroom, it's only now that I see blood soaked into my shirt and jacket from the bump on my head I guess. No wonder Tris looked so startled when he saw me. I wash my face and then go into my room to change my clothes; I get into my pajamas and into bed.

"Everyone's been calling, every newspaper and all the TV stations. Everyone wants to interview you after what happened. I told them we'd call them back when you we were feeling better," Mom tells me when she brings me a cup of tea.

"Mom I don't want to be interviewed by anyone," I reply.

"Well of course you do Honey everyone wants to be on TV," Mom says and then leaves my room. I sip at the tea and watch one of my favorite movies on my laptop until there's a knock on my door. I call to come in and Officer Turner enters.

"Hi Clare I just need to get your statement, just tell me what happened," he says pulling up my desk chair to the bed and turning on a voice recorder.

"I left my house at 5:20 I was supposed to go swimming at the school before it opened, and do some work on an article I'm submitting to…I guess that stuff doesn't matter does it?" I comment when I realize I've been rambling.

"That's alright Clare continue."

"I unlocked my car, I park on the street and so does Jake because…that doesn't matter either," I stop myself but the closer it gets to the moment that guy jumped in my car the more agitated I get. "I unlocked my car, when I press the button all the doors unlock and when I got in this man jumped in the backseat," I say and take a deep breath closing my eyes.

"Take your time Clare it's okay," Officer Turner tells me in an encouraging voice.

"I heard the door close that's when I realized he was there and I looked back. This man was there, in my backseat he had these eyes…he looked terrifying and he put a knife to my throat and told me to drive. I…I didn't know what else to do. He said…he told me that he'd kill me if I screamed so I started driving," I say with several pauses for deep breaths and tears. "I just began driving down the street and he kept to the knife to my throat, I was petrified and crying really hard I couldn't see very well through the tears. I could feel the knife against my skin a…" I stop again and close my eyes as I start sobbing harder. I swallow the rest of the tears and take a deep breath before continuing. "It felt like a long time that I was driving with his knife to my throat. Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Owen following us, he honked his horn really loud and the guy turned around taking the knife from my throat. Owen's car hit mine and both our cars spun out a little, I hit my head and the next thing I know Owen is pulling the guy from my car. I got out and saw them fighting and I screamed and I heard the sirens but that guy then cut Owen's throat a…"

"That's okay we know the rest," Turner says turning off the recorder.

"That man why did he do it? Why'd he carjack me?"

"You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was fleeing after attacking his mother and we believe when he saw you he saw a quick getaway and that's why he carjacked you. His name is Jerry Walls he's being assessed at the psychiatric hospital. He'll either be held there or he'll be held without bail in lockup. He won't be out on the streets again you don't need to worry."

"He attacked his mom? Is she okay?"

"No he killed her and that's why he was running," Officer Turner says and I curl my legs up to my chest as I start crying again. Knowing that he killed his own mother I realize just how truly close to death I came, had Owen not been there I'm sure that man would have killed me.

(ADAM)

Drew parks at school and we get out of the car, Dad dropped Dallas off for practice early this morning. Drew and I walk up to the steps where most of the Ice Hounds are hanging out. Everyone but Owen it looks like.

"Owen ditch you all for better company? I knew he was the smartest of you all," Bianca chides the hockey team as she bounces up the stairs to us. She puts her arms around Drew's shoulders and greets him with a kiss.

"Milligan better have a really fucking good excuse for not showing up for practice," Dallas gripes.

"Owen wasn't at practice?" Drew asks.

"I'm going to go find Clare," I comment knowing she was going to get to the school early this morning.

"Didn't you guys hear?" Dave questions from behind us and I turn around.

"Hear what?" I inquire.

"Clare got carjacked early this morning, some crazy guy with a knife jumped in the back of her car. Owen saw it or something and followed them. He managed to stop the guy, my dad says he thinks Owen pulled an amateur pit maneuver and then he started fighting with the guy. Clare and Owen both went to the hospital, I think Clare isn't hurt too bad but my dad said Owen's in surgery," Dave tells us and my heart stops.

"How the fuck did you know that?" Dallas inquires.

"My dad was one of the first responders, he recognized Clare and Owen from school and called me," Dave replies.

"Clare's okay right? Is she home? I should go see her," I say quickly turning to head back to the car but both Drew and Dave catch my arms.

"Adam you can't leave school," Drew tells me.

"Last I heard Clare was still at the hospital and she'll go home and rest after that, if she gets released from the hospital today. My dad will get her statement and he promised to call me when he had any information on Clare or Owen," Dave informs us.

"You can see her at lunch if she's home or after school," Drew comments.

"Come on we should tell Jenna and the others," Dave urges pulling me into the school and Drew lets go of me.

We walk in and find Connor, Jenna and Alli. Dave tells them what he told us and they're all worried too of course. We all try calling Clare but her phone goes straight to voicemail, so does her mom's and Jake's and the house phone is constantly busy. When the bell rings Dave and I walk to our broadcast and print production class. Eli's in the class as well as Clare but obviously she's not here today. Since their breakup last week Eli and Clare have been avoiding each other and this class has been pretty awkward.

"Is it true about Clare? Rumors have been going around the school that she was kidnapped," Eli comments.

"Carjacked but I guess kidnapped works too. Either way she had a knife held to her throat by some crazy guy," Dave replies.

"Is she okay?" Eli asks.

"In the hospital still but my dad said she wasn't hurt too bad, he didn't think anyway. Owen was though," Dave says.

"Right he saved her, from bully to hero," Eli responds in a slight sardonic voice as the teacher comes in.

"Welcome class, I'm sure you've all heard the rumors abounding through the school about Clare Edwards and Owen Milligan. First let me tell you that both are alive, beyond that everyone needs to stop spreading rumors and please respect the privacy of the families. Now then onto today's class," the teacher says.

Morning classes seem to take forever but as soon as second period lets out I run out to the stairs. I'm not the only one Alli, Jenna, Connor and Dave are also running out. We all take Dave's car to the Martin-Edwards house and I ring the bell.

"Hey guys she's upstairs, you can see her but she's pretty emotionally fragile right now. She's been bursting into tears all morning," Jake tells us when he opens the door and lets us in. We go upstairs and I knock softly on Clare's door.

"Come in," she calls and when I open the door and she sees me she gives a relieved smile. "Hi Adam, hey everyone," she says sitting up in her bed a little. I can tell she's been crying a lot, she looks tired and afraid but aside from that the only injury I see is a bandage around her head.

"Are you okay? Obviously you're not okay after what happened but how badly injured are you?" I question gently touching her bandage as I sit on her bed.

"I got a bump on the head that's all. Owen's in the hospital, he got stabbed and his throat cut. He fought with the guy, he fought with him to save me and now he's in the hospital a…"

"Clare breathe," I remind her when she starts to become anxious and more upset.

"Is Owen going to be okay?" Dave questions.

"The doctor said he would, he's being kept sedated so he can heal. He shouldn't even be in the hospital, it's my fault" Clare tells us.

"No Clare it's the fault of the guy that carjacked you," I assert.

"What about that guy that carjacked you? Why'd he target you?" Connor questions and is subsequently smacked by Jenna and Alli.

"He's crazy, he killed his mom and saw me getting into my car that early and he got in. The knife was at my throat, I could feel…"

"Clare stop," I interrupt her before she goes any farther because I can see how scared she is just thinking about it again. "It's okay you don't have to talk about it," I tell her.

"Adam's right don't even think about it you're safe and Owen's going to be okay that's what's important," Alli speaks up.

"When are you coming back to school?" Jenna questions.

"Tomorrow I'll be back tomorrow," Clare answers and then her bedroom door opens.

"Helen says Clare needs to rest and you guys need to go. You can come back after school," Jake informs us.

"I'll be back right after school just get some rest," I tell Clare hugging her goodbye. Jenna, Alli and Dave do the same before we leave and Dave drives us back to school.

"How's Clare?" Bianca inquires when she sees us all coming into school.

"Aside from a bump on the head she's okay physically and she'll be back at school tomorrow. She's traumatized though," I reply.

"The girl was carjacked at knifepoint of course she's traumatized," Drew responds.

"What about Owen?" Bianca asks.

"He was stabbed and had his throat cut but he'll be okay he's out of surgery and sedated so he can heal," Alli replies.

"Helen kicked us out so Clare could rest but I'm going back after school," I tell my brother. "Clare's not hurt but she's definitely not okay, not by a long shot."

Update on Tuesday June 2nd will pick up with Clare returning to school and include Owen waking up.