Chapter 9

A/N: I apologize for the delay. My adapter that I connect my keyboard to on my PCU went out, and I had to go buy a new one. Some of this chapter, I got the inspiration from Friday's show for, but it is still a different spin on it. Enjoy!!!

Markko could not believe what he was wearing. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you are just going to take off? Do you even realize what that would do to Starr?"

Cole raised his voice. "Markko, don't you get it? She is better off without me. She will get over it."

"No, Cole she won't. Do you even know that while you were gone the last time, she did not eat or sleep? You love her, I know you do. You have to fight for what you two have, and you have to fight for you."

"Markko, you don't know. Her life was so much better before me. I have brought so much drama."

Markko was becoming exasperated. This was really irritating him. Fine, if you think Starr would be better off without you, think about this. We have all put our butts on the line for you, and now you won't do the same thing for someone you claim to love. Sounds pretty selfish to me, man." Markko looked at Cole and left. He was fairly certain that he had talked Cole out of leaving.

--

Cole turned off the lights, and just thought about everything. What had he done? Who had he become? Miles could die, and it would be his entire fault. He knew that this is not how his mother would have wanted him to be. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he needed to do what was right. He had to turn himself in. He figured that he had to have dozed off at some point, because he seemed completely rested. He was surprised when he heard Starr and Langston come in. Starr called out. "Cole, are you here?"

He came into the living room. "Yeah." He ran into Starr's arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She was really worried that Cole would not be here. Unbeknownst to Cole, Markko had called Langston last night and told her all about Cole's plan to leave Starr. She was not going to let that happen. She loved Cole, and was not willing to lose him. Cole pulled away from their hug, and looked at her. "Starr, I m going to turn myself in."

She looked at him, "What? No, you can't. Cole, I can not lose you again. I went to check on Miles again, and John McBain confessed. There is no reason for you to confess." He held Starr.

"Starr, I have to do this. My mom raised me so much better than to let someone else take the fall for something that I did."

"Cole, you were out of your mind. No one blames you."

The doorbell rang. Langston could tell by the shadow that it was Markko. She answered the door. Langston tried to intervene, "Starr, maybe Cole is right."

Starr snapped, "Langston, shut up!!! This is not about you."

Markko looked at her, "Don't talk to her like that" Langston was pissed that Starr snapped at her, but knew the last thing that Cole needed was a huge fight. She had known Starr long enough to know that Starr would not back down, and that Markko would be the same way. Heck, she wanted to tell Starr what she thought about this whole thing, herself. She took Markko to go sit on the couch so Cole and Starr could go through this.

Cole looked at Starr. "Starr, I know that you are upset, but please don't take it out on Langston."

"Cole, I will deal with that later. Just, promise me that you will not turn yourself in"

Cole gave Starr a passionate kiss. "Starr, I promise that it will all work out. I have to do this." Cole gave her one last kiss and walked out the door.

Langston looked at Starr, "Starr, maybe telling the truth will help Cole."

"Langston, off all people, what do you even know about telling the truth?"

Langston shot Starr a look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are sitting here, telling me that Cole should tell the truth. You lied, why can't Cole?"

Langston felt a tear fall down her cheek. "Starr, Cole needs to do what is right for him. As for me, you have no right to judge me when you have done countless things that are wrong." Markko was keeping his mouth shut, and trying to let the girls fight this out.

Starr sneered at her. "What do you even know about what it is like to care about someone as much as I do Cole? You and Markko do not have anywhere near what I do."

Markko interrupted, "Hey, I know you are upset and I get that. But, this is not about Langston. She is trying to help, so back off."

Langston said, "Markko, let's go. I don't want to be here, which is a shame since it is my home. Markko and Langston walked out the door.

--

Cole figured the police would be at the hospital, so he went to the hospital to turn himself in. John McBain saw Cole come around the corner. He pulled him aside. "Cole, I have been trying to get a hold of you for days. What are you doing here?"

"Starr told me you confessed. I can not let you do that."

"It is already done, Cole. You are free and clear."

"What is going to happen to you, John?"

"They are not arresting anyone, yet."

"John, you do not get it. I am not letting you go down for shooting Miles. Why didn't he tell them that I shot him?"

"Lawrence says that he does not remember who shot him, but he was asking about you. I think that he is just trying to protect you." Cold could not understand why Miles would want to protect hi, when he had been the one to shoot Miles. Granted, he hated Miles, but he would never want to kill him. Cole noticed that no one was in Miles' room. He needed to know exactly why Miles had not done anything about it.

"John, I want to go see Miles. I need to know why he did it."

"It is too risky, Cole."

Cole began to raise his voice. "John I am doing it. You can't stop me. My mom would want me to do what is right."

"Cole, your mom would not want you to throw away your life over a loser like Lawrence."

"John, I shot him." Cole was starting to yell again. "I owe him this much, and I need to know why he protected me. I also need to know if I am going to owe him something."

John could tell that he could not argue his way out of this one. He nodded, "Okay, Kid. I will keep an eye out. You are not wanted by the law since I confessed."

"John, I have been through this with you. If you get arrested, I am telling the truth. I am not letting you go to jail for me." John decided that they would discuss this later. He really had never noticed before, but Cole really had a lot of Marty in him. He had her heart, and her stubbornness.

"Cole, go ahead. Make it quick. We do not want to have to explain to Natalie why you are here." Cole walked into Miles' room. He saw that Miles was on oxygen. Even though he hated Miles, he did regret doing this to him. Miles opened his eyes and looked up.

"Cole, what are you doing here?"

--

Markko and Langston walked into La Boulaie. Markko noticed Langston had not said a word the whole way over there. "Langston, are you okay?"

"I am fine." He put his arms around her. He just held her. He knew what Starr had said had gotten to her.

"Langston, don't listen to Starr. She is just being an idiot."

"Markko, I just thought that living with Starr would be great. We fight even more now."

"Langston, don't get me wrong. I am really mad at her for saying those things to me. But, this whole thing with Cole is hard on everyone. You and Starr are best friends. You will work everything out." Markko put his arms around Langston. He really was so mad that Starr could treat Langston like this. Starr walked in the living room and saw Markko and Langton hugging. Markko pulled away and glared at her.

"Langston, can we talk? Markko, would you excuse us?"

Langston grabbed on to Markko's hand tighter. "Well, Starr, see the thing is you attacked Markko as well as me, so he stays. Anything that you can not say in front of him, I really do not want to hear."

To Be Continued…

What will Miles say to Cole about Cole shooting him? Is Starr ready to apologize? If so, will Langston accept her apology? Stay tuned for Chapter 10!!!

Coming Soon: Will Todd and Blair continue to let Starr see Cole since John has confessed, or will they decide that Cole is guilty and too dangerous to see their daughter?