Hey everyone. I'm glad that you all like the last chapter, I was very nervous that you wouldn't so it is a great relief that everyone who reviewed are still enjoying my story.Um, I don't really know if this chapter is quite up to snuff but, it's the best i could get it... Thanks for reviewing and on with the story...

Disclaimer- Things that I would buy if I owned GG... An itouch, Heroes on DVD, a puppy, another puppy, an architect to make my room bigger, a pig, a trip to every country in Europe, and a ton of other things. Do I own any of theses things? No. :(

Chapter 6

Sworn to Secrecy

Lacey gulped and slowly raised herself off of the ground, relieved that she didn't have to breath in the scent of the disgusting recliner any longer. She carefully avoided making eye contact with Jess, as he did the same thing with her. "How much did you see?" He mumbled, head tilted towards the floor.

"Enough." Lacey said quietly. Jess stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked Lacey to follow him him as he headed to the stairs and started walking up. Lacey followed up him all the way up to the roof, much to her dismay, where he turned abruptly and looked into her eyes intently. Lacey never could figure out how he could stare at someone so intensely, his coffee brown eyes boring into her plain hazel ones. Not fair.

"Listen Lacey..." He started, stopping to take a long breath. "What you saw in there... it was nothing, Ok. No big deal. So... you don't need to tell anybody alright, cause I've got it under control."

"Under control. Right." Lacey scoffed but then became serious. "Jess he hit you. We have to tell someone or it might get worse." Now it was Jess's turn to scoff.

"He wasn't even that bad. I've had worse." He said nonchalantly. Lacey's eyes widened.

"You dad's done this to you before?"

"He's not my dad." Jess said fiercely. "I don't need a dad."

"Fine your step dad."

"He's not that either. He's just my mom's...recent." Lacey's eyebrows furrowed

"Recent what?"

"Anything, roommate, boyfriend..."sex buddy". Whatever Liz wants him to be."

"Liz?"

"Yeah, you know my, for lack of a better word, mom who does nothing but drink booze all day, when she's not passed out or with a guy that is..." Jess stuffed his hands and looked up at the sky. Lacey didn't understand how Jess couldn't have told someone about this, what else had he been subjected to in his childhood?

"Jess, I can tell my mom, she's a lawyer. She can help yo-"

"NO! No one can know about this Lacey." Jess said, suddenly frantic. "I need to stay here. Liz doesn't know how to take care of herself. She needs me to be there. Besides here is better than some foster home or random relatives house. I'm not week alright. I can take care of myself. I have for the past fourteen years and I can for the rest of my life."

"But Jess, this isn't life, this...this is hell! No one should have to go through this." Lacey cried, trying to reason with the raging boy standing in front of her.

"Jeez, Lacey. No one's life is perfect, alright. So what if how I live is less than ideal? Who gives a crap in New York City? No one, that's who." Jess stated ferociously.

"I give a crap, Jess."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you give a crap, this time two weeks ago, it wouldn't matter to you, why does it matter now?"

"It would have mattered then too, Jess."

"Oh really." Jess said sarcastically.

"Of course." Lacey said. She would have cared, right? Even though she didn't like Jess, she wouldn't have wanted this to be happening to him.

"Whatever." Jess dismissed, but suddenly turning on her, totally sincere. Lacey was having trouble keeping up with all of his mood changes. "Please don't tell anyone Lacey." He said softly yet sternly. "Please." Lacey looked into Jess's eyes. She supposed that it really wasn't her secret to tell and he had had a bad enough night already without the overlooming fate of her telling someone haunting him. Making up her mind, Lacey sighed loudly.

"Fine." She relented. "But if it gets any worse, don't expect me to keep it quiet any longer." Jess visibly relaxed, his shoulders were not stiff anymore and his eyes uncreased.

"Good. Now I'll walk you home, someone like you shouldn't be out in the streets this late."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lacey asked. She had made it there by herself hadn't she? "I am perfectly capable of walking back to my house all by myself, I'll have you know."

"Huh." Jess replied, still walking towards the stairway leading to the street. Rolling her eyes, Lacey trailed after him. Only when he turned around to smirk at her did she notice the bright red mark on his cheek. She had made the right decision...right?

!!!OOO!!!

There it is. Chapter six in all it's glory. Again, thank you for the reviews, and keep 'em coming (hint, hint)