Chapter 12

Silence. That is how the rest of the day passed, in silence. Will didn't say anything more to her neither did Scout. She knew that they were worried about her and this is exactly why she never wanted to tell them. She moved her things into Scouts apartment and was surprised to see twin beds in the spare bedroom. "Scout? Why twin beds?"

"Well I figured you and Hamilton didn't want to sleep together so I traded the big bed for 2 twin beds. Should I write Ricky and Lucy on them?" He was smirking but then turned and left the room. She hated that Scout wouldn't talk to her. Yes, she had kept a secret from them, a big secret, but it was to protect them. Surely they could see that.

As she continued to unpack she noticed someone standing by the door. Will. "I'm sorry you know. I didn't tell anyone because I wanted to protect you all. I didn't know it would blow up in my face." She looked at him and saw him nodding. He understood then, that at least made her hopeful that by tonight the silence would be gone. "Are you going to say anything or just stand there?"

"You and Scout leave in 20 minutes to get Hamilton. Scouts driving, no exceptions. Munchie is going with me to the park." She watched him turn on his heel and leave. Great, she thought, they both hate me now. Hamilton, he'll hate me too. No secrets, yeah right why did I have to say that? She walked into the living room to find Scout typing furiously on his computer with his Bluetooth in his ear.

"Yeah dad I know…well I don't ask for a hell of a lot…I can't tell you why dad!" He was yelling. She went and sat down across from him; he gave her a small smile and turned the screen around. "You're the senator for crying out loud! Use your connections I don't care! No one will get access to any information involving Jake, Ham, Will, Sean, Bella, or me…Really?!...Thank you, dad." She had finished reading the screen and was utterly confused. "My dad is coming through after all Jake." He gave her a big smile. "Can you fix my computer?"

"Yes, but…I thought you hated me? You haven't talked to me." She started to de-bug his computer. Somebody had tried to hack in to the hard drive but Scout had done a good job at keeping them going in circles.

"No. That's a stupid thing. If I hated you, you wouldn't be living with me. I wanted to keep you safe, which thanks to dad no one will be able to access any information about any of us." I looked at him with probably a dumfounded look on my face. "You're like my sister. When I find out some perv is threatening you, yeah I'm pissed that you didn't tell me by the way, but it's not you I'm mad at. It's him. He needs to know who he's dealing with. I'll do what it takes to keep you safe and I know Ham and Will, they'll be right next to me. Now…enough with the sappy stuff, we have to go get Ricky, Lucy." He smiles at me and I throw a couch pillow at him.

"Yeah and you're welcome by the way for fixing you computer. And…thanks Scout." He gave me a hug and we left towards the airport.

It wasn't as silent a drive as I hoped it would be. Parker was never mentioned and I was thankful for that. It was mainly jokes that filled the car as we sat in traffic.

"You're not going to go all girl on me and run up to him and be all 'oh Ham I missed you so much *kiss kiss kiss*' because if so you'll have to excuse me while I barf barf barf." He was cracking up so hard I had to tell him the light was green.

"Ha ha ha. I know you'd love that Mr. I got you Ricky and Lucy beds. Now eyes on the road Mr. Comedian."

"Oh come on Jake. You know you and Ham won't last 10 minutes without pushing those beds together. I can picture it now. I'm almost asleep and *BANG* the beds separate and one of you is on the floor while the other is cracking up with me standing at the door saying 'uh uh uh none of that in my apartment'"

"SCOUT! You…you…you.." I punched him just because I couldn't think of a comeback.

"I…what? Know you and Ham better than you think?" He smirked and I couldn't help but smile back. He was right and I knew it, except it'd be longer than 10 minutes. But one day maybe Hamilton and I would work things out and be able to be together again like we were. I couldn't help but hold onto that hope.

We parked the car and started to head to baggage claim where we were told to meet him. I was pacing back and forth while Scout just sat there and stared at people who passed by.

"Hey Jake. I think I see him!" I whirled around looking frantically as I heard his laughter. "Oh man that was priceless! You really are nervous aren't you? You should have seen your face Jake, I'm serious it was 'is my hair ok?' looking!" He was laughing so hard I swore I saw tears coming from his eyes.

"Not funny Scout." I kicked his ankle and smiled.

"OW! Don't kick me. I was just trying to stop your absurd pacing, now sit down like a good girl and wait. Here I brought a book." I looked at the cover and shoved it back at him.

"Dating for dummies? Really Scout? Grow up Calhoun."

"I am grown up. I'm not pacing and worrying if I look okay. It's just Hamilton for crying out loud. You could have a paper bag over your head and he'd still think you're beautiful. Maybe weird but still beautiful."

I sighed. "Right. Can we just sit silently? I'm going to have to listen to enough of your jokes when we are both living with you."

"Admit it. I'm a lot more fun to live with than Will. He never liked whipped cream fights." He smiled.

"Fine. That was fun, but I swear if you try and do some lame sabotage thing when Ham or I go to open the bedroom door you're a dead man." I looked at him seriously, even though I was joking.

"Uh-huh. I know you'd get me back, and then the war would begin. Maybe it already has and you just don't know it yet."

I looked at him, there was something he was hiding or planning. I couldn't think on it long because out of my peripheral vision I saw him. Hamilton. I jumped up and ran to him.

"Hamilton! I missed you so much! I'm sorry!" I collided with him, wrapping my arms around his neck and sent him into the wall behind him. I was never going to let go.