~A.N~

So I go back to school tomorrow. I will try to update tomorrow but I was sick the week before Christmas and missed that whole week of school so I am going to have a LOT to make up. I will try to update this week though of course :) Review please-your reviews keep me going.

Oh and Happy New Year! First update of 2013! Whoo! :D

Chapter 10

The Death of Riker Jackson Brewer

Kim reached her hand out and touched the necklace, rubbing the skull a little bit. She could feel Jack go stiff at her swift movement. Kim continued to rub the skull until Jack's hand gently grabbed her's. Kim looked up at Jack, a little bit of fear starting to stir in her gut. Jack's eyes were dark and his face was still blank. It was like saying that sentence had made the teen shut down from the inside out.

Jack sighed after a while and put her hand in her lap and then let go. Kim didn't move; she watched Jack with interest. After a few more moments of stillness, Kim shook her head. "I'm sorry Jack, I shouldn't have asked. I am just going to go home now thanks for everything and-" Jack held up his hand and Kim stopped herself.

"No it's fine. I…I need to tell someone the real reason he died anyway…" Jack's voice was barely above a whisper. Kim then patted the spot on the bed next to her and Jack exhaled. He stood up and obeyed Kim, sitting in the spot she had insisted. Once the room went quiet again, Kim took Jack's hand in her's and squeezed it- signaling that everything was alright. Jack squeezed back and slammed his eyes shut. "Riker is my dad. People think he died because of a simple car accident." Jack chuckled darkly at his own sentence.

Kim's gut pleaded at her to leave, to escape before Jack did something; anything. But Kim overlooked it and listened, rubbing circles on Jack's hand with her thumb. Jack never laughed, so that small chuckle that had escaped from him had freaked Kim out a little bit, but she just scolded herself for being so weak. "An accident…they thought it was a simple accident. If only it was that…" Jack trailed off again and his other hand started to fumble with the chain of his necklace, the sun from the window reflecting off the sliver like glass. "It wasn't an accident…Spike did a good job of covering everything up. Damn, he even made me believe it was an accident." Kim flinched a little at Jack's curse; every word that was leaving his mouth was filled with venom and hatred.

Kim never liked curse words, so being around Jack was hard sometimes but she knew that since he was changing; she may be able to actually change his foul language around too.

"Who's Spike?" Kim asked in a small voice, afraid that Jack might lash out at her for interrupting his story. Jack wouldn't do that…right? Kim asked herself as Jack shot Kim a small glare. The teen then looked back at the ground and just frolicked with his necklace more.

"Spike used to be my father's friend. Then my father said Spike turned on him. I meant him once and he was brutal to me. If you looked up ass in the dictionary, his freaking picture would be under it." Kim stayed unobtrusive as she listened. She wanted to learn as much about Jack as she could. Why? She didn't know-she just did. "So he ratted us out when he stole some things from a store. My dad was pissed at him for this so he came into my room one day and asked if I wanted to help him smash up Spike's house. Me, being…stupid; agreed. So we got ready and headed to Mike's Bar for diner." Kim knew that place. She had passed it in the car a lot. It was closed down now, boards on the windows and the colors all varied and washed-out from the pouring rain.

"That place was open?" Kim asked without thinking. Jack nodded.

"Mike and my father were the best of friends. But after…my father's death…Mike suddenly shut down his bar. I haven't heard from his since and he has known me since I was a baby. This all happened this summer too- just a month ago. Time flies by when you are washed up in your own sorrow…" Kim gave Jack and questioning look. He just shrugged and kept talking. "Anyway, my dad got drunk at the bar. It was a stupid time to get drunk too-you just don't go and get drunk right before you are going to smash up a freaking house!" Jack yelled out the last part and stopped playing with his necklace. Kim flinched a little at the brunette's sudden outburst.

She let go of his hand.

Jack took a breath and calmed himself down. He couldn't lose it now, not in front of Kim. "My dad had a nickname, the Skull Ripper. He got that nickname in high-school."

"How?" Kim asked, mentally face-palming herself afterwards for being so stupid. He was getting there anyway.

"He was the Seaford player when he was in high-school; better than me. But I take after him that's why I am what I am now. My father also got thrown in jail in senor year for attacking someone with his skull necklace." Kim gulped. Jack sent her a side-glance. "In all my life I have never killed someone Kim, if that's what you are afraid of. I'm not that stupid." Kim nodded. Jack sighed again and his eyes locked on the wall. "We went to Spike's house and what we saw shocked us. Spike was sitting there waiting for us. He had a gun. A colt."

Jack and his dad were crouched in the bushes by Spike's house. "Alright Jack, you ready?" Jack nodded and they stood up. They walked to the front door of the house and Riker kicked it open with all of his force. They walked in and then heard laughing. Jack give his father a look and Riker just shrugged his shoulders. They slowly crept around the corner to see Spike sitting on the couch, flipping a handgun around in his hands. Once his eyes landed on Jack and Riker, he cackled. The older man's laugh echoed around the house and sent chills down Jack's spine. Jack would probably never laugh again. Jack wasn't frightened though, he and his father have been in worse problems.

"Come on over here Skull Ripper, tell me how I owe the pleasure to be in your pathetic presence." Jack could hear his father snort and walk into the room, forgetting about the gun. The teen knew that the alcohol was getting to his father's system and brains and soon he would start saying stupid things. Spike continued to flip the gun around as Riker stood in front of him, cracking his knuckles. Jack stayed by the door, or really he wanted to stay by the door. He had never seen Spike like this and it was freaking him out a little. Riker called Jack over and he had to obey.

"Spike, I know you ratted us out. And now y-"

"What? I'm gonna 'pay'?! I have a gun you dumbass!" Jack knew his dad was going to flip soon. He put a hand on his father's shoulder but he shrugged it off and took a step towards Spike.

"I-"

"Shut up Skull Ripper. Leave before I shoot your ass to next Tuesday." Riker lost it. He hit the gun out of Spike's hand and grabbed the man by the neck. Jack watched the gun fly to the other corner of the room. Riker and Spike got into a fist fight and Jack just watched the gun sit on the ground. He heard a slam and looked over to see Riker had slammed Spike into the wall. Spike fell to the ground in a lump. Riker turned and Jack saw his jaw was bleeding.

"Dad-"

"Shut up, let's get out of 'ere." Jack nodded and followed his dad out the door. Riker walked over to Spike's Porsche and smashed the window. He then unlocked the door and got in, Jack still lingering from the outside. "Get in you pitiful excuse." Jack gulped but obeyed and got in the car. His father was officially drunk now-once he started with the harsh words and slurred sentences-that meant he was done for. Riker started driving and Jack watched out the window, tensed up as hell.

Suddenly, Jack saw bright lights in front of him and then everything went black.

Jack woke up, his head hurting. He groaned and then felt a terrible pain in his side. The teen looked down and saw blood coated his side like syrup-it was everywhere. Jack could only gawk.

The pain in his side grew worse and he felt dizzy. He looked around him. He was in a forest and he smelled something like…smoke. Fire. Jack stood up shakily and looked around, trying not to fall down from the pain in his side. His eyes widened when he saw where the fire was coming from. Two cars, one rolled over and one smashed up were placed in front of Jack like two planned out chess pieces. Jack remembered everything.

Spike, his father- his father!

Jack started, or tried, to run over to the smashed up Porsche. When he got there he started to hear the police sirens. He then saw something that would haunt him for the rest of his life. His father was dead-like red paint splattered in the wrong place. Bright red was everywhere and Jack gagged a little. His eyes then locked on his father's skull necklace and he couldn't stand the pain anymore.

The teen fell to the ground, the sliver necklace printed in his mind.

Everything was silent for a moment after Jack finished up his story. Then Kim looked over and saw Jack's eyes clamed shut tightly. She put a hand on his shoulder and his eyes snapped open. "Jack, I'm sorry." Jack just nodded. Then he chuckled darkly again. Kim gulped.

"I got a scar from that accident-one that braids me like a cow…" Kim looked down at the ground and bit her lip. She debated it for a moment in her mind and then came to a decision. She wanted to know.

"Can I-I see it?" Jack just lifted up his shirt. Kim's eyes traveled down to his abs and then she made her eyes look where he was pointing. On Jack's right side, there was a bright red gash that was at least an inch or so long. Kim gasped a little and then looked up at Jack's face to see if she could get any emotion out of him. His face was a stone. "Jack-"

"I still take after my father exactly- I'm a replica of him and his actions." Jack pulled down his shirt and Kim sighed. "Kim, in my life I have never questioned myself but once you came along-everything changed. Now I'm questioning my actions and me."

"I did-"

"Save it. I don't know but you are different. I'm drawn to you." Kim just nodded. Jack stopped talking after that and his eyes diverted to the ground. Kim sighed and laid back on Jack's pillows. She closed her eyes and just thought for a moment.

"Thank you." She whispered and Jack gave her a look.

"For what?" She asked, Kim becoming more tired as she laid there. She breathed in and then sighed.

"For telling me the truth." She muttered back as she let sleep take her. Jack rubbed his temples. Great now she is asleep. Jack thought to himself and groaned. Now what?

Lay down with her you idoit. Jack's frowned a little when his best friend- his conscious- started yelling at him again.

I would but oh I don't know- you freaking flipped out at me earlier for caring for her! Jack yelled back- confused on why the sudden change.

Yeah, yeah I know. But you care for her-you love her. It is that simple. Jack scoffed.

I don't love her. She is a bitch. Jack swore he heard his mind laugh at him.

Then how come you just told her the truth? Admit it; there is no getting off this one. Jack groaned again.

Fine just leave me alone! Jack stood up slowly and then went over to the other side of the bed. He got in and then laid next to Kim. She instantly snuggled into him and Jack smiled. She buried her head deeper into his chest as Jack closed his eyes and held the blonde tighter. He actually kinda enjoyed this.

Told you so. Jack wanted to slap his conscious now.

Shut up. He growled back as he wrapped one of his arms around Kim and started to fall into a deep sleep.

Maybe…change wasn't so bad.