An Ed to Face

ALRIGHT! Chapter four! WOO WOO WOO!!!! Anybody got a tranquilizer? Okay, I might just have to bribe the 'hits' on this chapter to read the freakin' story and review it since I still only got my one faithful reviewer (aw!). Welp, here's the deal, read my story, and I'll give you a lolly. Wait... (looks from left to right and behind, then steps back and makes confused hand gestures), how's that going to work since I can't just shove a lolly pop into the CD drive and expect to email the lollies to you guys. Errrr...can you just read it anyway? I don't know what to do to attract more readers; I've tried almost my best, probably 90 to make this story great. Please read and review the story? Some of you must know how it feels to have a neglected story, I've seen it, poor people whose stories aren't reviewed for months or ever for that matter. Man, I love the word 'lolly'. LOL.

Author's notes to FanofDa'Edboyz: To explain the bold face stanzas in the last chapter, I must say that they are a poem that I wrote with the inspiration of this story and its subjects. I added it in the last chapter, it went along with the theme. It was like a songfic, yet with a poem. Now I realize that I should have explained it in the head notes that the poem would be included throughout the chapter, then you could've understood what I meant by it. Don't mind S.O.S., he only shows up three times in this story and two of them are done already, he's not important to the story, I just needed someone to find Lee's body, I didn't know who else would figure it out. So basically he's what his name prescribes, help in my story. Oh, about what you said of Peach, Ach Creek, you said that the OC was one of the reasons why you stopped reading it. What were the others? I'm curious here, I'm a curious kitten. I'm going to get into why Rolf killed Lee a little more in chapter six. Thanks again for such a long and praising review. And what I meant by the writer's block thing was the whole crash scene. Originally, when I wrote the story I got stumped, until I thought of a naughty idea. I was laughing evilliy and making comments to my sister, and wollah! I decided to make a car crash scene. Man, I thought I was sick. But usually the sickest ideas produce some pretty good stuff. We shall see. Thanks again.

(Serious, deep man-voice starts speaking) "Previously on 'An Ed to Face', we were left beside a cliff hanger after the freak accident when Eddy's car was hit by a driver on the wrong side of the road. What happened? Who's hurt? Who dies in the next chapter? Does anyone die in the next chapter? Does everyone die in the next chapter? When will April get a job? Today, we will find out after this commercial break." Not really. Okay, enough of my fooling around, on with the story!

Chapter Four

"Home"

Kevin got up from his chair in the hospital room which was flooded with light from a corner window. Eddy's parents had just left, and he sat up on the end of his bed in a stale hospital room with a bandage on his head, his arm in a sling. His body was inhabited by numerous bruises and more aches than the ibuprofen could mask. It had been quite a task to get dressed. As Kevin watched him sit on the side of the bed in such a distressful mope, he wondered why what had happened was even necessary, even plausible. Had he not received enough pain and sorrow in his life? Why? And although he had been told countless times why, a man with a high alcohol level carelessly driving home to meet his death, it wasn't the answer he could understand. It wasn't the real answer, the answer to everything. Why? What was the point of all this? Sometimes, in the past two days that he had been laying in bed and getting better, he had been dwelling on those last two moments before the cars hit each other and the sound and shock had deafened him. And he decided that if he had been able to go through it again, he wouldn't have been scared, but joyful. He had missed his chance at death. And that was the way that he saw it and no one could tell him differently. Kevin put his arm around him and helped him up. Eddy stood slowly; sharp pains going through his legs. It took an eternity to just to limp to the door. He became discouraged when he saw the long hallways outside the room stretching down in all directions.

"Are you sure you don't want a wheelchair?" A nurse asked from the counter. Eddy looked at the woman, waiting for Kevin's word since he knew all about injuries and the capabilities of the human body, being an athlete as a teen.

"No, he got this way from laying in bed too long," Kevin said; then he pointed down the hallway to the right, "Down here." The two men etched down the long hallway slowly to 'intensive care'. After what felt like forever, they reached a specific open door. Kevin stopped however, just lingering before the doorway. Eddy tried to see in, but couldn't at his position.

"What?" He looked at his friend's eyes, which were serious.

"Brace yourself," he answered grimly, "I told you she was beat up, but I didn't tell you how much." He helped him into the room then, trying just to get it over with. When Eddy saw the woman on the bed, he almost fell if it hadn't been for Kevin. Tears formed in his eyes; he could hardly stand to look away from her, but just looking at her burned his eyes like the application of an acid. She lay asleep, bruises all over her pale skin. A huge scratch ran rudely across the side of her forehead, three gashes blemished her arms, and another had sliced up her left hand. Her neck was cast in a brace and all the bandages on her chest gave her no need for the hospital gown she wore. And at last, her arm was in a sling as Eddy's, but the opposite limb. It was all he could do to not throw up at the sight of all the purple, and green. Kevin helped his poor friend over to the hospital bed, as he looked down at his love with tears in his eyes. The room was quiet, except for the beeping of monitors.

"You said she was going to be okay," Eddy's voice shook, "She doesn't look like she'll be okay!"

"Yes she will," Kevin sighed heavily. He could feel Eddy shaking; never had he seen him like this before. He never saw fear in him, sadness, regret, or sorrow, even though he was drunk with it all. Kevin let go of him and lingered by the door. He watched him sit down on the bed. He could hear him sniffle; that was too much for him, so he left. The tears in Eddy's eyes dripped down his face as he sobbed over her. He looked at Veronica's beat up hand that lay on the grey blanket which was laid so perfectly over her gently, afraid he's shatter the beaten fingers.

"I'm so sorry," he blurted out, "I'm so sorry. It's my fault you're hurt more than me, it's because I turned the car to the left. I didn't want to turn right, into the deep ditch, so I turned left. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he heard a weak and miserable voice say slowly. His eyes shot over to hers; she was awake.

"Veronica it is my fault!"

"You are not the one who ran into us," she said in anger, "You did your best to prevent the collision. I'm just glad you're okay." Eddy was about to answer her in mutual opinion, but stopped himself. There was no reason to lie to her, he wasn't glad he was alive. Veronica turned her hand over and grasped Eddy's with a strength that surprised him. A smile was on his face now, one of peace and happiness.

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Eddy had both hands on the steering wheel of Kevin's car. He drove carefully, almost paranoid. He had not wanted to get back on the road after only a week's leave, but he needed to get back to work. After a month, it was finally time to take Veronica home, well, to his home. Eddy looked at his house as he stopped the car. They got out and he helped her into the house. It was the normal quiet at this time of the day. All she could do was stare at him, stepping forward. Her arms around him, she whispered.

"I thought I could never hold you again." Eddy almost laughed, he was so happy, even though he knew she was about to leave.

"You better go pack," he let go of her coldly and marched away, almost furious. Eyes watched him leave to her room, they began to tear.

"I have to leave," she spoke up, defending her case.

"Move here," he practically ordered, wiping his eyes in the bedroom where he remembered kissing her so many nights.

"I can't just up and move."

He came back and took her hand, "I'll wait. Just say you will so we can plan, you can live here with me and Kevin."

"You know how inappropriate it is for a woman to live with two guys," she frowned at him.

"We respect your privacy and stuff," Eddy almost begged. Persistence was in his blood and he used this to his advantage, "And you know I'll protect you from anything, even myself." He could almost laugh at saying that, only making things worse.

"You always ask me to take off all my clothes in front of you!"

"If you did it I would stop asking," he smiled deviously. She rolled her eyes.

"I like New York Eddy."

"But you LOVE me."

She smiled at his begging face, always enjoying weakness in him, "Yeah. I might as well stop procrastinating since I know I'm going to say yes anyway. You wouldn't mind at all? I could get my OWN place."

"No, you can have the extra bedroom you're in now. It wouldn't be trouble."

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"No, the apartment went for forty thousand."

"Forty THOUSAND!" Eddy freaked, "I'm glad I don't live in New York." Kevin and Veronica looked at each other, slightly remembering Eddy's greedy days as a twelve year old. He opened up a box that Kevin had misplaced in this bedroom. He took out a pot, alarmed to have found such a replacement for Kevin's rice mishap. "You have dishes?" He asked, knowing that she would, but never really thinking upon it.

"Yeah." Veronica smiled at him, unpacking a trash bag of her blankets. Kevin looked up at the ceiling and mouthed a sincere thank you. His friend frowned at him, then left the cluttered room. He went down the hallway back to the kitchen when he thought of Benny. It's funny how small objects can bring thoughts, events, and people back to your mind all of a sudden. Eddy had noticed the owl knick-knack that sat on a shelf; this particular owl having scared Benny the first, second, and third times he had seen it. Three months ago he had seen him. He sobbed hard in the open air. His hand over his mouth, he gasped.

Marie had taken his wonderful child away from him and moved to Albance, a city sixty miles away. She had moved in with a man she got her fixes from. How dare she put her son in such an environment? He had an idea on how to get Benny safe, but it was far too risky to him. In the kitchen, he set down the box of dishes, looking at the phone.

"No," he remembered Marie's move...

He had already had a bad day. Veronica had left for New York, the hospital bills halted him from paying his half of the rent, and his boss had yelled at him again about Rita. Now this. He got in his car with his anger building, speeding over to Marie's apartment. There she was outside the apartment complex, helping some man named 'Billiard' pack her couch into a small moving van. He got out of his car, glaring at the back of her head.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM MARIE!?" He slammed the car door shut.

Marie turned to the road, seeing her ex-boyfriend and father of her child come up to the lot, "Eddy?"

"Don't doubt it Marie, why are you moving?" He couldn't help but shout. Marie looked at Billiard and they set the furniture piece down on the truck's bed.

"Because I can't pay my rent." She said with no shame.

"What do you mean?" Eddy held out his arms in an insane gesture.

"I've lost my job at the antique place."

"Why?" He knew why.

"Coke fell out of my purse." Billiard shook his head at him.

Eddy frowned, putting his hand on his head, "You have to wreck everything Marie!" Usually he was merciful, but this was too much. Her company walked off. Eddy glared at him, "Where are you going?!"

He turned his head, giving him his dark eyes, "This," he motioned at them and the apartment with his hand, "it's none of my business."

"Are you moving in with him?" Eddy yelled at Marie, who was now staring at the ground.

"Yes."

"Okay, that isn't YOUR business!" Billiard said as he was pacing back.

Eddy stared at him in fury, and shouted in such a fast language that no one could stop him, "It is if my son is in it!" The man he was glaring viciously at shook and went to the driver's seat of the truck. "You can't live with him Are you thinking Marie!?"

"He's nice!" Marie was now angry, and didn't mind shouting at him to a certain extent.

"He's a drug addict!"

"I am too!" She screamed in admittance. Those words had never come out of her mouth. Even though this wasn't news to Eddy, he still was shocked. She lifted her head, calmed down, and said, "You can't have him."

"Give him to me Marie. You aren't putting him in any danger," Eddy shrieked, "That man sells drugs, in his home. Do you know how dangerous what he does is?!"

"We spent time there before, a lot happened, but we were alright."

Eddy freaked out again, "What? What happened!?" Marie threw her hands up and went off rapidly to the truck. But he followed after her, "Heah, Marie!" The truck drove off before his eyes. He put his hands on his head again, he couldn't handle this.

Gasp. Tears fell down his face. He hit the counter, grasping it in his hot palms. Leaning forward, then he went back again as the tears ran down faster. Kevin came into the kitchen with another box of misplaced dishes. He stopped at the sight of Eddy leaning over the sink. He heard him sob. He could not stand seeing him cry before and he most certainly wasn't going to now. He set the box down quietly and went off back to the bedroom.

Hopeless, the situation seemed. Eddy knew that he had to get Benny out of this mess, but only one option was available, and this option was a chance that he had kept as a barrier up to this point. Marie, after a fight that they had had seven months before Benny's birth, had reported her alleged rape to the police and had tried to send him to prison. She gave it up later, but it was still on file. This file, this report, this stain, was what Eddy feared. How many social workers would allow a rapist to have full custody of the victim's child? And if he had Benny taken away from his mother, there was no chance he would ever be able to see him. So he had to make a choice: leave Marie to ruin their son's life, or quite possibly lose him forever.

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Social services was lined with computers and people. Eddy walked to the room where Benny was. He felt so out of control right now, having to ask to see his own son? An odd smell was in the hall. He grimaced, oh, it was awful. His fingers tapped violently against the palm of his other hand. He looked through a window, finding that this was the room. He opened the door and looked at Benny in relief. Then he saw the man next tot he door to the left. He watched Eddy as if he was going to hurt his son.

"Dad!" The little child hugged his dad's legs. He looked down at him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Then the little figure stepped back and stared at him, "Why am I here?"

Eddy swallowed hard at this damning sentence, "M.m... mommy wants to be with a bad man, so here you'll be safe."

"Cam I come with voo?" Benny's lower lip pouted uncontrollably and his eyes were gleaming under the light of the ceiling. He looked scared for his mother, if not scared for his own situation.

"No, not yet. I have an idea though."

"Vhat?" Benny asked excitedly in his lisp.

He knelt down and smiled, "I want you to put on your 'cutest', saddest face when I get Veronica who's outside the room, okay?" Benny nodded, still not knowing what was going on. "And when she's here, I want you to ask her to adopt you."

He suddenly became dark and all the more frightened, "But I vant to be with voo!"

"You will, don't worry. She lives with me now, so if you are adopted by her, you will live with me." The boy became overjoyed at those words, just to have it turn into a frown.

"Why von't you adot me?"

"Uh," Eddy looked at the social worker, then back at his boy, "Because daddy's not allowed."

"Why?" He couldn't comprehend that fact that his own father couldn't have him.

"Because they think I did something wrong."

"Tell them you didn't," he held the most faith in him, who was only fifteen years older than he was.

Eddy smiled at him, "They won't listen, I already tried."

"Oh," Benny's head bobbed at that, but his face was long in solemnity.

"So I'll be back. Remember to look sad," Eddy left the room excited to where Veronica was sitting in the lobby.

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"Eddy, WHY would you tell him to do that?!" Veronica yelled. Kevin stood by the closed door, listening to one of those 'couples' arguing.

"I thought you would say yes!" He heard Eddy explain, "I thought you'd want to adopt him!" Kevin went away from the door, seeing this was not his to deal with.

"I can't adopt YOUR kid! Why don't you take him, he's your kid, you love him!" She stared at him on the opposite side of the small bedroom, panting and glaring at him as if this was all wrong.

He looked at his feet, still in his shoes, "Because the social workers won't give him to a rapist."

"You didn't rape Marie! How many times do I have to tell you this?"

"They think I did."

"What? Just because of a report that didn't go through to the trial? They won't hold him back from you for that reason! Did you even try to get him back?" This was where her desperate shouts were overcome by the silence of the house. Guilt was harboring his face, holding his tongue. She watched him impatiently, becoming frightened as more seconds paced by. He dared to look into her eyes, swallowing hard yet again. This whole situation asked questions that he didn't want to deal with or go through with. But what more could he expect from those around him? Such passionate and sincere people they were. He knew they loved him like crazy, and that this wouldn't be easy.

"It doesn't matter, if I tried they would tell me no."

"You don't know that. Marie has disproved the rape herself by letting Benny visit you, now a rape victim wouldn't do that. They won't have any choice but to give him to his dad. So stop this, I am not adopting him, YOU are!" She pointed a finger at him, trying to convince him of what seemed he couldn't grasp.

"You have to listen to me, you have to adopt him, I can't." He walked over and took both her wrists, hoping to force her to agree. She was shocked as he repeated it. "You have to adopt him. I can't tell you why, but you have to."

"Why?" She asked silently, staring up at him. She could feel his heavy, nervous breath on the side of her face, and knew that this went much deeper than it appeared. He trembled, knowing his plan was smacking him in the face, like so many lives had. "Why?"

"Is there... something wrong with you? I saw you coughing this morning, it woke me up. It sounded horrible. I've heard this same cough for the last month that I've been back here with you...is there something I should know?" She looked at him heartbroken.

"No," he moaned quietly, hoping she wouldn't hear it but give up her interrogation. But she kept her eyes on him, waiting for the answer she so desired. So he did the only thing he could, tried to leave. He went over to the door, letting go of her and grabbing the door knob. But, as he turned the knob, he felt her two arms embrace him and pull him to the wall where she turned him around, pressing him to it. He tried to push her away, but she held on so tightly, staring up at him as before, digging into his soul for the information she needed.

"Then what is it?!" She shouted madly. Then, as if a floor panel of her mind was just fastened down, she saw where this was going. He watched her mind go blank, and become paralyzed as she stared at him with such a terror. Quickly, she stepped back from him and let off her hands. Then she rushed to her room as fast as she could, leaving him and going to her bed. She lifted up her bed skirt and took out a metal box among so many cardboard ones. She put her hand on her neck for the key to the lock on the box. But the chain was the only thing she could feel, and the key was missing. She gasped, looking at the box with the key in the lock, sitting so still, so eerie. She turned her head slowly to the door and saw who stood in the doorway with the content of that secret box in his right hand, pointed toward the floor.

"You didn't think I'd find it?" He asked, making her quiver in fear. She threw the box down and tried to stand on her shaking legs. "I've always wondered what that stupid key was for." She kept her hand on the necklace, tears rolling down her face. She looked at the gun, crying at the sight of it.

"You weren't supposed to know." She sobbed, staring helplessly at him.

"So I couldn't stop you?!" He shouted with the most anger in his eyes.

"Yyyyy...yes, I can't stand to be here anymore," she moaned, gripping that necklace until her nails were digging into her palm. She stood there weakly, staring over at him as his anger built. He lent on the doorpost, with such a grasp on the gun that was so cold.

Then, as she had feared, he shouted, "You thought that the best way to deal with your pain was to give ME more!?"

"No Eddy..." she shook her head in a violent sway.

"WHAT did you think? That I'd be happy that my only friend that knew what happened back then, my baby, was dead?" He continued to shout at her, believing he had every right to. Veronica's head hang out of his eyesight. This was the challenge: just to look at his tear clogged eyes.

"No," she croaked in a whine.

She had lied to him, "Then how could you?" He watched her turn to him; putting her head in her palms. Her sobs climbed into Eddy's mind. For an instance in life to mean anything in a guarantee to him, he had to tie it down in a desperate attempt. Because it would fly from his grasp otherwise. He had to tie her down. "Just... say you won't do this."

"I can't..."

"Why now? Why now? There have been so many years since our lives were wrecked, why now?"

"I was going to do it in New York, three months ago. I had a rope, and a balcony... I tied it up to the end of the railing, and tied it around my neck... it felt so good." She was crying, this uncomfortable, shameful argument was the least she could stand, as Eddy's eyes fogged over, and he gritted his teeth in anger. "I... stepped over the balcony, but I looked down... you know I'm afraid of heights. I stood there- all I had to do was let go of the railing. It was so cold... all I had to do was let go and it was over. I wanted it so bad, OH! Why couldn't I do it? I thought about you, I always do. And... errr, the only reason why I was afraid of heights is because I am afraid to die!" She paused at that, gasping, "And I realized that. I was afraid to die. What's wrong with me? I want it, I WANT it." She bit her nails viciously, her fluids pouring over onto her finger tips.

"That's why you came back?" He asked, staring at her with a newfound fear.

"Yes, you always made me strong Eddy, so I came back, I had to see you one more time," she braced herself for more shouting, expecting him to be furious. But for some time, he remained silent, stunned, and seemingly ashamed in himself.

"I took the gun and hid it, you think you are evil for what you have been thinking, I hid the gun. But, as a couple of days went by, I thought about it and it seduced me. You don't think I think like you? You don't think I'm miserable? You don't think that I've thought about it? When you left... and when Marie left... I thought about it... 'cause if I don't have Benny, if I don't have you... I have nothing. What's the point of being alive?" He shook his head, "Now I can have both, but I...you know when we got in that crash... I wished I was dead. I was freakin' let down. I know I'm second best, but if you don't stay, I have nothing. I'm sorry I am putting all this on you. But I can't..."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't kill yourself," he watched, hoping she was reconsidering, but she just threw more excuses at him.

"But... I just can't stand it anymore. I have been standing the guilt from still hating Sarah, the sorrow of Ed, of Ed. The fact I can't love another beside my darling... I just miss them so much." She felt ashamed to be loved by Eddy, not deserving it.

"I know," she could hear his footsteps descending then the sound of a gun being jangled in the hands of its possessor. Veronica's eyes met his again, and this time she almost screamed in agony. She was watching Eddy, now his own enemy. The gun was pointed at his own head, rested against it in tense manner.

"Eddy!" She stepped forward, but was too afraid to move any further. He lowered the gun and pointed it at her heart. She swallowed hard, seeing the flame in his eyes.

"If you are going to do it, I'm going to go out with you. You want to die? I'll... do it... for you. And end this," he held the gun tightly, this wouldn't be an accident, he wouldn't slip. Two clean shots would be all he needed to end this.

"I don't want you to die, I don't want you to kill me," she quivered, feeling so cold, "Put it down." Eddy kept his arm stiff, pointing the gun at her with his index on her gun's trigger. Quickly, he removed the bullets from the gun and dropped them into his pocket. Those fell down to the bottom crease of his pocket, falling though a hole and dropping down his leg. Eddy and Veronica watched the bullets roll on the ground, having heard the sharp pin drop of the impact. They rolled down the floor panels and out of sight. He swallowed hard, threw the gun toward the bed and rushed over to grasp her in his arms.

"I'm sorry," he held her face to his shoulder, searing her to his own body.

"Me too."

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Okay, that's the end of chapter four. Please review.