Everything starts to unravel in this chapter... I decided to post since Cara did... she gave me a spurt of inspiration to finish this chapter.

Did I mention how sexy Tyler is? ;) I can't help but mention it over and over and over again... sue me:)


Exposed

The next morning Reid woke up from the beeping that was coming from beside his bed, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had almost forgotten why he had set the alarm in the first place, especially on a Saturday. He sat up in bed and he tossed a pillow at the sleeping figure next to him.

A small groaning, mumbling sound came from Tyler's mouth as he flipped on to his stomach, crashing the pillow over his head in an attempt to block out the unwanted noise. Reid pressed the 'Alarm Off' button and swung his long legs over the side of the bed.

"Wake up baby boy; we've got things to do…" Reid mumbled.

"What?" Tyler moaned as Reid pulled the pillow off of his head.

"Remember you're coming with me to find out some information," Reid grinned sleepily.

"Do I at least get to shower?" Tyler asked propping himself up on his elbows.

"If you don't get up now, then no…" Reid shook his blonde head.

"Geez, slave driver…." Tyler groaned pulling himself out of his bed.

He grabbed his things for the shower and moped his way to the bathroom, Reid glanced at the clock it was nearly 6 AM, no one in their right minds would be up at this hour. He grinned grabbing his things and following Tyler to the showers.

Within twenty minutes the two boys were showered, shaved and dressed ready to go. Tyler pulled on the orange hoodie from the edge of his bed and glanced at Reid who was pulling on his ever-present fingerless gloves.

"You ready?" He asked casually.

"That's my line," Reid scoffed.

"Let's get whatever you have planned out of the way, I want to go back to sleep…" Tyler groaned holding the door open for the older boy.

"You're going to hate me in about fifteen minutes…" Reid mumbled leaving the room; the younger boy rolled his eyes and followed him out the door.

The two boys walked all the way across campus to the administrative office, just as they were half way there the rain started to come down on them. Tyler groaned and ran faster to catch up with the slightly taller blonde boy in front of him. They got to the fence and glanced at each other.

"What are we doing exactly?" Tyler asked watching Reid scale over the small fence.

"Just hurry up," Reid stated annoyed watching Tyler follow his lead.

"Caleb is going to kill us," He mused as they got closer to the building.

"He did the same thing a few months ago, so I'm not gonna even listen to his lectures..." Reid rolled his blue eyes as they stood in front of the large door.

Tyler pulled on the door, it was locked. "It's locked, looks like we've got to go back to the dorm and sleep..." He stated turning around to head back in the direction they came.

"Not so fast Baby boy," Reid stated grabbing his best friend by the back of the hoodie, grabbing him back to stand next to him.

Reid's eyes turned black as the lock on the door clicked and he smirked over at his best friend. Tyler sighed and followed him inside. They creeped up the stairs and unlocked the records room door, Tyler's eyes went wide realizing fully what Reid had in mind.

"Reid we can't do this..." Tyler stated in a harsh whisper.

"Yes we can..." Reid stated with a laugh.

"This is her personal information Reid, if she wanted us to know everything she'll tell us eventually..." Tyler stated.

"Ty," Reid turned to look at him stopping in front of the "C" filing cabinet.

"What?" Tyler asked noting the serious tone in his best friend's voice.

"I think that someone is hurting her..." Reid stated truthfully. "The only way for me to help her, to keep her safe is to learn more about her..." Reid explained.

"Why can't we just talk to her?" Tyler asked.

"Because if we talk to her she'll clam up, or she won't tell us the entire truth..." Reid stated pulling open the top file searching for her last name.

"So you really think that someone is hurting her?" Tyler asked concerned.

"Yes," Reid stated grabbing a file from the cabinet. Carmichael, Ever Devlin the file read, Reid smiled slightly and opened up the file, "Here look for something," He stated handing some papers over to his best friend.

Tyler sighed taking the stack of papers that his best friend handed him, his blue eyes surveyed over the papers Reid had handed him. He wasn't sure what they were looking for, but he didn't feel right poking his nose in Ever's business.

"What are we looking for?" Tyler asked scanning over her birth certificate.

"Anything…" Reid stated.

"I've got her birth certificate," Tyler stated pulling the slender piece of paper in to his grasp. "Ever Devlin Hart," Tyler's brow furrowed.

"Hart, her last name is Carmichael…" Reid mused looking at Tyler.

Tyler sifted through some more papers, "Adoption papers…" He stated pulling them out. "She was adopted by her mother's husband… Andrew Carmichael…" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Hmmm," Reid sighed pursing his lips together going through the papers in his hands. He came upon transfer papers and sucked in a deep breath. "She did transfer out junior year, and transferred back in…"

"Where from?" Tyler asked.

"Broomley Brooks…" Reid stated trying to remember where he had heard that name before.

"That's that school, for troubled girls in Vermont…" Tyler stated snapping his fingers.

"But why was she transferred there? She has excellent grades…" Reid stated eyeing her report cards.

"I think I found out why…" Tyler stated wincing slightly as he picked up a second birth certificate.

"What's that?" Reid asked looking at Tyler skeptically.

"Another birth certificate…" Tyler whispered.

"What?" Reid asked his eyes wide with shock.

"April 29th, 2007…" Tyler exclaimed. "Declan James York," He read off. "Mother, Ever Carmichael"

Reid snatched the birth certificate from his best friend and his blue eyes read over the information on the certificate. His mouth falling in shock, he couldn't believe that she had lied to him about Declan. He was her son, not her brother.

"What else is she keeping from us?" He whispered questioningly.

He sorted through the papers dangerously as Tyler looked for more information, he sighed falling upon the death certificate of Ever's mother. He read over the death certificate and he bit his lip handing it over to Reid.

"Asphyxiation, that means someone strangled her or smothered her, right?" Reid asked looking over at Tyler.

Tyler simply nodded, "The report attached says that it went unsolved… they were looking at her husband, or her stepson, but they didn't have any concrete evidence against anyone…"

"Those bastards killed her mother," Reid seethed.

"How do you know, Reid? Now you're just throwing shit around…" Tyler stated not amused with his friend's assumptions.

"Come on we have to look for something else, there has to be more…" Reid stated in a greedy tone.

"Reid, don't you think we've found out enough?" Tyler stated with a sigh.

"Tyler…" Reid mouthed pulling out a few slips of paper; they were hospital records, and other odds and ends pertaining to doctor's visit, psychiatrist visits and prescriptions.

"What?" He asked looking at Reid.

"Look," He showed Tyler the papers he had found.

Tyler became a bit uncomfortable and looked at Reid, "I think we should leave now…" He stated putting the papers he held back in to her file.

"Fine," Reid could feel his anger levels rising at the though of his best friend wussing out on him.

He stuffed the papers back in to the file and the two fled the scene and ended up back at their dorm within twenty minutes. Reid watched as Tyler sprawled across his bed staring up at the ceiling, absentmindedly.

He couldn't get the information he had found out of his mind, Declan was her son, what freaked him out most of all was the fact that her son's last name was York. His mind then drifted to the hospital records he found, those were the most disturbing findings of all, along with her mother's death certificate.

He couldn't believe the web of lies she had been manipulating, he had to get the truth from her today, whether she wanted to tell him or not. Reid wanted to expose her demons and help her overcome anything. He wanted her to be able to break away from whatever it was that was hurting her.

He tried to let his eyes rest but he found it hard to concentrate on anything else but Ever. He got off of his bed and grabbed his jacket leaving Tyler by himself. He walked out in to the halls and found himself walking to the park. It was a good two miles away from Spencer, but he had nothing better to do with his Saturday.

Ever woke up to the crying coming from the room next door, she rolled out of bed and walked to the room in an almost zombie like state. She was glad that she didn't have to deal with David last night; it was almost a blessing in disguise.

She knew though, that if his friend got back to him she'd probably be in some trouble. She usually locked herself in her room on the weekends, but she had told Reid that she'd meet him at noon, what was she thinking?

She pulled the boy out of his crib and tried to settle him down; she walked down to the kitchen and made Declan a bottle. She hummed to him softly rocking him back and forth in her arms. Once the bottle was finished she but the nipple in to his mouth and the boy instinctively began to down the white milky substance.

"Mark told me that you were quite an unpleasant little bitch last night," David's voice engulfed her ears.

She immediately tensed up and sucked in a deep breath feeling his body coming closer to her. She closed her eyes hoping that he would just go away, but unfortunately she wasn't that lucky. She bit her lip and turned to him her eyes flashing at him violently.

"I don't appreciate your friends trying to grope me when I'm out with mine…" She stated trying to stand up for herself. She was hoping that the young boy in her arms would make the older boy back down.

"I heard about these friends, one of them in particular… that little blonde faggot that was here that day with you…" He snorted circling around her, like a lion to its prey. "He just wants to use you," He seethed.

"What do you know about him, David?" She asked wanting to bite her tongue but she couldn't.

"That's his reputation isn't it?" David asked leaning against the counter casually. "I've done my research… these people that you hang out with now…" David grinned madly.

"What are you talking about?" She asked him.

"These Sons of Ipswich…" David stated his tone showing his distaste for the bunch, although he didn't know them. "Rich elite boys, what would they want with a no good whore like you?" David questioned.

"Do you really think you should be talking like that in front of Dec?" She asked adjusting the young boy in her arms, she was trying to get away from David, she was moving casually to the stairs.

"Do you really think I care?" David asked with a scoff.

Ever shook her head and tried to calm her nerves, she was starting up t he stairs and David grabbed her elbow, pulling her closer to him, as her grip tightened on the six month old in her arms.

"David don't do this now," She sucked in, settling the shaken boy.

"Fine…" He growled letting her go.

Ever walked up to her room and changed her clothes, pulling on a pair of faded blue jeans, and a red long sleeve shirt that had a few buttons at the top for decoration. She pulled on a pair of red and white Adidas and brought Declan in to his room. She changed the boy in to a hunter green overall set with a pair of matching green and off white shoes.

Placing him in his crib she backed up his diaper bag and grabbed his pack-and-play, bringing them to the door. She hoisted the boy on to her hip and grabbed the diaper bag and the pack and play heading down stairs.

"And where pray tell are you going?" David's voice made her jump as she was descending down the stairs.

"I'm taking Declan to the park, it's a nice day out, and he could use some fresh air…" Ever stated as David came next to her and grabbed the pack-and-play.

"You better not be going to see that boy…" David growled as he brought the pack and play out to the car, surprising Ever with his spontaneous act of courtesy.

"No, just going to the park and going to read one of my books," She gave him a grin that hid the truth.

"If I hear differently…" He trailed off shoving the pack and play in to her car.

"Will you watch him for a second?" She asked him. "I almost forgot about Ruby," She stated handing Declan to a shocked David and running back in to the house quickly. She had almost forgotten about the school project and bit her lip as she ran up to her room and found the baby and diaper bag.

"What's a Ruby?" David asked trying to calm Declan down who was obviously upset and didn't want the man to hold him.

"My Home Economics project, apparently they want us to learn about responsibility…" She mused putting the doll in the backseat of her car. She pulled the car seat from her trunk and took Declan back from the larger man and put his pacifier in his mouth, quieting him down.

"I swear Ever, if you are going to see that boy…" David stated returning to his normal brooding self.

"I was wondering when you were coming back," She mused shutting the door. "You were being way too nice there for a moment…" She snickered climbing in to her car.

"You've got a lot of nerve kid," He gritted his teeth watching her get in to the driver's seat of the car.

"Bye," She waved knowing she had pissed him off, but she really didn't care at this point.

She drove to the park and parked next to the bridge; she got out of the car and took a deep breath smiling at the sunny sky. It was a beautiful day, something that you didn't see often in Ipswich, especially around this time of the year.

She pulled the doors open on her car and looked in at the boy who was playing with a silver barbell rattle. She grinned and popped the trunk wondering how she was going to get everything to the park without leaving Declan by himself for a brief period of time.

"Need an extra set of hands?" A deep voice asked from behind her.

Ever jumped and held her chest turning around to meet the icy blue gaze of Reid Garwin. She smiled at him and he tossed her one of his infamous smirks.

"What are you doing here? It's only 11…" She stated looking at the clock on the dashboard that read 11:11 AM.

"I had to get out of the dorms, Tyler was snoring…" Reid shrugged his shoulders pulling out the diaper bags and the pack-and-play that were in her trunk.

"I'm more than glad to see you right now," She laughed slightly. "I wasn't sure how I was going to get all of this… out there…" She jabbed her thumb in the direction she had wanted to go in.

"Most have been an inkling that knew you'd need my help early…" Reid grinned at her closing the trunk as she pulled Declan and Ruby in their car seat's right behind him. "Hurry up, there's this nice spot right in front of the water…"

"Ok," She stated as he stopped a few feet away from the water. He put down the diaper bags and began fighting with the pack and play.

Ever tried to hide her laughter but she couldn't contain it as she placed the two car seats down and helped Reid pull the pack and play out.

"You should really learn how to work one of these things…" She laughed as she took a blanket out of the diaper bag and put it on the bottom of the pack and play putting Declan in their with a few of his toys.

"Bring Ruby over here and sit down…" He instructed taking a seat on the grassy area he had picked out.

Ever did has he told her and took a seat sitting with her legs stretched out in front of her and her head hanging back slightly taking in the warm sun. She heard Declan giggle and smiled to herself.

"So what's up Reid?" She asked him casually.

"I just wanted to get to know you better, I figured that is part of the project, right… and we're friends now…" He stated just as casually.

"I suppose you are correct Mr. Garwin…" She stated with a short smile. "So what would you like to know?" She questioned, hoping he wouldn't get too personal.

"Umm, tell me about your family…" He stated carefully. "I know you said your mother died, but what about your dad?" He asked.

"Well my real father, James Hart…" She stated with a small pause. "He killed himself, when I was two…" She stated biting her lip. "I don't know much about him, but I know that's how we got most of our money… he was a very successful Realtor." She shrugged.

"Donald Trump like?" Reid asked trying to lighten up the mood a bit.

"Something like that, yeah…" She laughed softly. "Shortly after that my mother married Andrew Carmichael, and he adopted me after the first year, and they were together for ten years, he was my father you know… he raised me…" She sighed and shook her head tears slowly forming in her eyes. "He was killed in a car accident…" She sighed. "He got drunk one night when he was staying in Hastings, and he was out on the road, and a couple smashed right in to him, out of nowhere… and all three of them died…" She whispered shaking her head.

"Wow, Ever I'm sorry to hear that…" Reid's face fell sympathetically.

"Well after that, that's when my mom started to serial date, new guy after new guy… and then she met Richard… and things were pretty cool for awhile, but then they got married. And my mom became like his personal slave…" She shrugged.

"She got pregnant, and had Declan… a month later she died… natural causes…" She sighed wiping away the tears from her eyes. She avoided his eye contact; little did she know that he knew she was lying through her teeth. She composed herself and glanced at him, "What about you?" She asked him.

"Well my father died four years ago…" Reid stated dully, sounding very uninterested. "My mother hasn't been the same since… she goes out and parties, like she's having a second child hood or something. I barely ever see her and she really couldn't care less what happens to me…" Reid shrugged his shoulders.

"That's why you are the way you are…" Ever pointed out realization hitting her.

"Excuse me?" Reid asked.

"That's why you act out, cause fights, mess around with all the girls at Spencer, and everything… you're begging for attention…" She stated looking at him.

"What are you a psychologist?" He asked her.

"No, but I've seen my share of them," She mumbled and shook her head. "It's the classic cry for attention." She stated simply. "And I don't mean it in a bad way, I don't think that you really know when you're doing it… it comes as a second nature to you, Reid…" She explained.

"I guess it makes sense…" He shrugged almost forgetting about his earlier developments that day.

The two sat quietly for a bit and were only disrupted when Declan started to fuss. She grinned over at Reid pulling out a pre-made bottle from his bag and picking the boy up. She was cradling him in her arms and cooing at him as she fed him the bottle.

Reid's conscious told him to mind his own business, but his heart and his emotions were telling him to ask her. He could see the way she looked at the boy in her arms, she didn't look at him like he was her brother; she looked at him as though he was her son.

"When were you going to tell me?" Reid asked his voice cracking slightly at the thought of her lying to him. He stood up so that he could get a good look at her.

"What are you talking about Reid?" Ever asked cradling the infant in her hands and looking up at the blonde boy.

"When were you going to tell me that Declan was your son?" He asked.

Ever nearly released her hold on the small boy, her eyes wide and her mouth slack jawed while staring up at the handsome teenager before her. She snapped her jaw shut and placed Declan in his pack-and-play. She dusted her hands off on her jeans and looked over at Reid.

"How did you find out?" Ever asked him carefully.

"I've never seen a sister take care of a baby brother the way you do... besides I found out that you were sent to Broomley..." Reid stated waiting for her to take the lead and explain. "From Junior year until you transferred back this year," He stated looking at her.

"How did you?" She trailed off with her question and he gave her a look.

"I have my ways of finding things like this out Ever," Reid stated simply.

Then it hit her, "You went through my personal file, didn't you?" She asked him horror stricken. There were things she didn't want anyone to know in her personal file; Broomley being one of them.

Reid didn't say anything, "I know that Declan's last name is York... care to explain that?" Reid asked his tone a bit hurt. "Your mother's death wasn't an accident..." He stated unfolding all of her secrets right in front of her.

"Stop," She glared at him. "Just stop!" She demanded. She began packing up their things. "You really crossed the line Reid," She felt like crying but she held in her tears, not wanting him seeing her crying.

"Ever I just wanted to know more about you, you weren't letting me in..." Reid whispered watching her pack up Declan's things. "And I know..." He stated standing up.

"Know what Garwin? You know everything now don't you?" She asked harshly using his last name instead of his first a sure sign that she was pissed.

He walked over to her and pushed up her sleeves revealing the scarred, bruised, almost mutilated skin of her wrists, "I know about this..." he stated. Ever stared down at her wrists and she felt the tears escaping her eyes, they fell with resentment as she pulled Declan out of his pack and play and grabbed everything she could towards her car, thankful that she had met him there.

"Ever I want to talk," Reid ran up behind her with the last few things she couldn't carry. "About all this..."

"Well Reid I don't want to talk about it..." She snapped glaring up at him. "That's the reason I told you the lies... because I didn't want you to look at me the way you're looking at me now..." She stated seeing that hint of pity behind those cold blue eyes. "I wanted to have a clean slate with someone..." She whispered harshly.

"Then why lie to me?" He asked her. "Why lie to me about having a boyfriend?" He asked knowing now that her college boyfriend was a lie as well.

"Because I didn't want to let myself get close to you," She cried looking at him. "I don't want to se myself up for a heart break… I can't handle that…" She growled at him.

"Ever," Reid tried to keep her from pulling out of the parking spot.

"Reid, just leave me alone..." She stated closing her door and ignoring his pleading tone.

"I can't..." Reid shook his head holding the door open.

"Why?" She asked him looking up tears in her eyes. "You fuck all these girls and leave them, without a second glance, why can't you do the same with me?" She asked him bitterly.

"Because you mean more to me than those other girls..." Reid confessed.

"Well I'm sorry Reid but I don't feel the same way about you, so please just leave me alone..." She didn't look at him.

Ever shut her door and stuck her keys in the ignition. Reid took a step back defeated and watched her pull away, he swallowed hard and he felt a pain in his chest, something he had never felt before. Her words stung him like she wouldn't believe, had Reid Garwin just have his heart broken?

Ever drove her way home, not really wanting to look back... she looked in the rearview mirror at the baby in the back seat smiling playfully, the only reason she hadn't offed herself after her mother died. Reid had been right, Declan was her son. She had been shipped off to a boarding school for troubled teens when her mother found out she was pregnant.

The one person she despised more in the world than herself had impregnated her at 15, her mother didn't believe her when she told her at first, and told her it was all in her head. Some sick fantasy she had concocted she stated, that was until after the baby was born and a paternity test was ordered. After the results came back her mother was in complete shock and disgust that what her daughter had told her was true.

Ever pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned the engine off, it was too much for her right now. She couldn't see clearly because of the tears blurring her vision and her emotions causing her head to pound.

She rested her head against the steering wheel and sobbed quietly as to not disturb her 6 month old son. She swallowed abruptly, biting her bottom lip she thought about what Reid had said to her.

She meant more to him than that? She was more than some girl he wanted to screw around with, or did he use that on all the girls? She knew from what Sarah and Kate told her and the way that Pogue, Caleb and Tyler were shocked to find out that he liked her. It was genuine, something that Reid Garwin didn't know much about.

Ever was brought out of her thoughts when she heard honking coming from next to her. She glanced over and saw a familiar black Hummer next to her, she hurriedly wiped her eyes and saw Tyler roll down his window, and she did the same.

"Ev, You ok?" He asked her concerned, he had picked up the nick name from her in class, the only other person that ever called her that was her mother.

"Yeah," She nodded slowly, watching him pull the Hummer in front of her car, turn the vehicle off and run over to the passenger's side of the car.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"What are you talking about?" Ever asked calmly. She should have known better than try and play dumb with Tyler, he was too smart for that.

"Reid told me everything..." Tyler stated raising an eyebrow at her.

"Where would you like me to begin?" Ever asked sitting back in her seat and closing her eyes

"You can start with that cute little boy in the back..." Tyler stated glancing in the rearview mirror at the small boy that was now asleep.

"I got pregnant when I was fifteen; my mother shipped me off to a boarding school for troubled teen girls..." Ever sighed. "After I had Declan, she was killed a month later..." Ever shivered at the thought.

"It was unsolved, right?" Tyler asked her, his voice was deep but soft.

She felt the tears falling and nodded her head; he could see she had visibly tensed up when he said this.

"After that I decided I'd go back to Spencer, and finish off school." She whispered playing with the material of her sleeve, which was still pushed up from Reid.

Tyler took her right arm in his hands and inspected the cut that she had just put there a day or so ago. His face scrunched up in concern and his blue eyes met her dull green ones.

"What about this?" He asked.

"The antidepressants they put me on don't work..." She whispered. "So to relieve the pain I go through, emotional and physical... I cut..." She sniffled slightly not wanting to look up at Tyler. She was afraid of what he might think of her now.

"Want to know a secret?" Tyler asked quietly. Ever looked up to meet his handsome face again.

"What?" She asked.

"You're not the only one," He pulled up the sleeve of his long sleeve orange hoodie, on the tanned skin of his wrists were several scars.

"What?" Her eyes grew wide.

"My father died two years ago, and my mother has always had this over protective hold on me of sorts. I guess I couldn't really take it anymore, my father was my best friend for the longest time, and I was losing everything when he died... so the only thing I could do to take the pain away..." Tyler trailed off with a shrug.

"When did you stop?" She asked noticing the scars were all older, none of them fresh.

"About six months ago..." Tyler answered pulling his sleeve down.

"Does Reid know?" She asked him.

"He was the first of the guys to find out, he really pushed me to help myself and it worked…" Tyler shrugged laughing it off slightly pulling his sleeve down absentmindedly.

"Tyler, there are so many things that I can't tell you guys…" She whispered shaking her head fighting the tears in her eyes.

"Why not?" He asked her.

"Because I've never been the kind of person that can just expose themselves… expose everything there is to know about me…" She whispered.

"Do you trust us, Ev?" Tyler asked carefully, taking her hand in his.

Ever was silent she didn't know how to answer Tyler's question, trust wasn't something that she had been familiar with for the last year of her life. She didn't know who she could trust or who she could give herself to, and when things were finally starting to make a bit more sense she went and screwed it all up for herself.

She sat looking completely stone-silent and didn't say a word to Tyler the tears slowly escaping her green eyes. She had more questions, and more emotions running through her than she could every remember having in her entire life.

Tyler put his arms around the girl bringing her in to a comforting hug, he didn't know why but he felt that it was his place to help her. It was his place to find the girl that Ever use to be. He let her cry in to his shoulder for a few minutes and he pulled away from her.

"You ok?" He asked her cautiously.

"Yeah," She forced a smile out and looked up at Tyler his deep blue eyes pulling her in.

Her stomach flopped around and she felt a bit off kilter. She stared in to Tyler's eyes for a moment looking for a small sign of pity, but she found non. Tyler understood her, Tyler got her... Tyler... she felt deep inside, was her.


Wow, ok... so there you go... REMEMBER to R&R! I love reading all the reviews! They give me inspiration, the more reviews the more chapters and awesome stuff you get... aren't you lucky?