I'm back :) I hope y'all liked the last chapter. I didn't because I'm not a fan of Truth or Dare, but I did get compliments on it. I'm so, so, so sorry that is has taken me so many months to update. I don't have excuses other than the fact that it's my senior year and I've been super busy keeping my valedictorian spot and keeping my grades up and deciding where to go to school…Please forgive me. I hope y'all are still with me.

Shout out goes to an anonymous reviewer whose name I can't remember. This reviewer told me that he/she enjoyed my story because there was no swearing or inappropriate conduct. I do this because of my beliefs, and I hope that this doesn't affect any of your opinions.

This chapter is dedicated to Call Moi Crazy—she was my four hundredth reviewer! I'm so excited! So do ya think we can get five hundred by the time this story is over? I think we can!

Disclaimer: Nothing except what actually is mine…is mine.

….

Recap (Cammie):

I started to walk toward where I knew she would be, but Zach's hand stopped me. He gave a slight shake of his head, indicating that maybe now wasn't the best time. Then Kate was in the living room, looking at all of us. Her eyes scanned the group and the ghost of a smile lit her face. "I see you guys have been playing a classic game of 'Truth or Dare.' Nice."

Zach nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess." He stepped toward her, looking concerned. "Aunt Kate…what happened?" he asked, his voice slightly hard, as if he expected bad news.

Mentally, I berated myself. Of course it was bad. She wouldn't look like death warmed over if it wasn't.

She swallowed thickly. "When I got to the hotel…Damian was gone." And with that, she burst into tears.

….

Chapter Fourteen: He's Back

Zach

I stared up at the ceiling, absently running my fingers through a sleeping Cammie's hair and down her arm. It was early, too early to be up. I knew that. Yet, I couldn't get myself to close my eyes. The vision of my aunt's tear-stained, pain-filled face was still fresh in my mind. Part of me wanted to throttle Damian Ride for hurting Kate. The other part of me…well, he knew that Damian was probably just as hurt as Kate, if the look on his face as he left us was any indication. Still, it wasn't easy seeing the one person that had always been there for me in pain.

Next to me, Cam stirred slightly, shifting closer to me. I smiled at my Gallagher Girl as she cuddled into my side. At least in this confusing time, I had her in my life to make sure I didn't go crazy. I tightened my grip on her, burying my nose in her hair, inhaling her beautiful scent.

Which totally sounds creepier than it actually is. Oops.

"Zach," she murmured softly. I smiled down at her, smoothing out the worry lines on her face. She snuggled closer still and buried her face in my chest. I could tell she was looking for my heartbeat—she had a thing for it. I don't know why. All I knew was that the gorgeous woman lying next to me was there and that was what was keeping me tethered to this place. A year ago—maybe even months ago—I would have been out of here faster than you could say "Chameleon" at the first sign of danger, but now…now, the most important person in my life was with me and there was nothing that could keep me from her. Not even Kennadie Wilson or the part of me that wanted to hurt Damian Ride for hurting my aunt. Twice. (Although, technically, the first time it was Kennadie's fault.)

Cammie yawned and I glanced down at her. Her eyes fluttered, as if she were dreaming. I leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her lips. She started to respond, but I pulled away, feeling a little less stressed out. I grinned as her eyes opened, a sleep-induced smile stretching across her face as her hazy eyes met mine. "Hey," she murmured. "Why are you awake?"

I shrugged, as well as I could laying down with her in my arms. "I couldn't sleep," I replied softly, gently running a hand through her hair.

She gave me a sympathetic look and snuggled deeper into my arms, her hand resting on my chest, drawing meaningless lines up and down my abdomen. I shivered involuntarily and could sense her grin. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wish there was something I could do to help."

I smiled down at her, tilting her head up to meet my eyes. "You already are, Gallagher Girl," I said softly, kissing the top of her head. "You already are."

….

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Connie had gone up to Kate's room to see if she wanted to come down for breakfast. She did, but she looked awful. Aunt Kate was a very strong woman, but even I knew when it came to pain over love…you would be a mess. She tried to put on a show for everyone else, prompting others to feign their own smiles, but I knew she wasn't truly happy. She wouldn't be truly happy until Damian was back in her life—if that ever happened.

"So," Connie said, breaking the silence, "what are y'all planning for the day?"

Everyone glanced around. All eyes zeroed in on Cammie. She shrugged her shoulders. "I hadn't really planned on anything." She paused and then glanced at Kate. "I don't really think it would be a good idea to go anywhere anyway."

Connie nodded. "That's smart. Why don't you do something in?" she suggested.

Cammie smiled. "Of course, Grams." She started to stand, reaching for her empty plate in the process.

I jumped up. "Hey, don't do that. Why don't you and your friends go pick some movies out for a marathon while Nick, Grant, Jonas, and I do the dishes?"

All three of my friends groaned in protest. I ignored them, staring imploringly at my girlfriend. It'd be nice for her to have some girl time—and, let's face it, we guys hadn't had any guy time either.

Ignore the fact that I totally just sounded like a girl.

Cammie smiled slowly. "Okay." There was a look in her eyes that told me I would regret letting her go off alone with her friends, but I didn't care. As long as she was happy.

I smirked down at her and leaned down, brushing my lips across her cheek. I lingered there for a moment, taking in the feel of her closeness.

Then someone cleared his throat and I jumped away. Joe, who had just shown up, was glaring at me as if I had just committed the worst crime imaginable. Because touching his best friend's daughter was a crime in his mind.

I only rolled my eyes at him and smirked down at Cam, whose face was turning a bright red. "Okay," I said. "Let's get this show on the road." When Connie started to get up, I snatched her plate out from under her. "No, no, Connie," I said with a charming smile. "Let us teenagers do the work. You and George and Joe and Kate and Abby and Rachel just sit back and relax, okay?" Every single adult in the room and my friends were staring at me as if I had grown two heads. I huffed and continued picking up dishes. When none of my friends moved, I sent them a withering look. "Are you going to help me or not?"

Immediately they all fell into action, gathering dishes on both sides of the table. I walked into the kitchen as they finished picking up the dishes and dumped the ones in my hand in the sink. I flicked on the tap to hot and waited while it temperature rose. Seconds later, Nick, Grant, and Jonas were filing into the kitchen. In silence, we formed an assembly line. I washed the dishes, Grant rinsed, Nick dried, and Jonas put them back in their original place. Once we had a comfortable rhythm going, I glanced up at them all.

"Kennadie's going to come back here," I said softly.

All three of their heads jerked to look at me. Jonas nearly dropped the plate that was suspended in midair as he gaped at me. "Why would she come back?" he choked out, speaking for all of them. "I mean, didn't she already get what she wanted? To split her dad and Kate up?"

I snorted and turned back toward the sink. "There's more. I know there is; I just don't know what it is that she wants. It has to do with Cammie, I think, or maybe Macey." Nick tensed up, his fists clenched. "Calm down, dude. I'm just saying that because they are the two that were caught in the headquarters of the Circle in the fall." The room fell silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Mine weren't pretty. The awful things that I had felt during the time that Cammie—not to mention Melanie—was with the Circle came flowing back to me in a rush. I winced and took in a deep lungful of air. It was over.

Except for Kennadie was here. A trained member of the Circle. There was that.

"We've gotta be cautious," Nick said finally, breaking the silence. "There's no way I'm letting Kennadie anywhere near Mace or Cammie or Mel. The psycho will have to go through all of us before getting the any of them."

Grant glanced between the two of us. "Kennadie would have a lot of nerve coming here. You'd think she would be smarter than that, coming to the place where two peoples' hearts were broken." He clapped Nick and me on the back, nodding at the two of us. "Don't worry, man, we got your back."

I smirked. "I know. I just had to be sure." I glanced and Jonas. "Jo?" I said softly. "You think you can set up some sort of security system along the house? Hack into one?"

A smile stretched across his face. Here was his element. Then he gave me a look. "You think I haven't already checked out the security system in this place? I've got it covered." He pointed to the wall behind Grant. "For Morgans, their security system was easy to crack."

I followed his finger to the pad that was mounted to the wall. So that's what it was. I grinned at my friend and then stretched fist toward him. He gave it funny look for a minute before a light bulb seemed to click and he bumped my fist with his. He looked so proud of himself. I stifled a laugh.

We finished the dishes without another word, though occasionally I would splash Grant who would retaliate by splashing back and Connie's voice would sound through the door with a warning. Once the last dish was put in the cupboard, we all filed out of the kitchen to the living room where our girlfriends were talking.

I slid onto the couch next to Cam and wrapped an arm around her. She didn't pause in what she was telling her friends, but the corners of her mouth tilted up infinitesimally; I only saw it because I knew her so well and I'd studied her so much. I didn't really listen as she told her story or whatever it was. I watched her. Her expressions changed so much that it was hard to keep up. Her face changed to express her reaction to whatever she was saying and I wondered briefly why so many emotions flitted across her face.

It wasn't until I heard my name in the same sentence as Kennadie's that I began to pay attention. "…Kennadie totally hitting on Zach. It was disgusting."

My nose wrinkled up and I squeezed my Gallagher Girl's shoulder. "She wasn't hitting on me."

Cammie glanced up at me and rolled her eyes. "Yes, she was, and we both know it. I couldn't believe that my childhood best friend was hitting on my boyfriend."

I smiled and nuzzled the top of her head. "Don't worry, babe, you're the only one I see."

She snorted. "Whatever." Then she glanced around the room. "We've decided to have a Jason Bourne marathon—including the fourth one." Her eyes flashed mischievously. "I wish I had me my own Jason Bourne." Her friends nodded in agreement.

I growled lowly, pulling her possessively closer. "I wouldn't let you go even if you wanted to," I whispered in her ear. I felt her shiver in my arms and smirked against her ear. I pressed a kiss to it and rested my temple on the side of her head.

Her arms snaked up to where my hands rested across her waist. "Mm, I don't think I ever want you to let me go."

"Hey," Bex barked, dodging Grant's attempts at a kiss. "Get a room if you're going to be all gross. I want to watch some Bourne."

I smirked at her over Cam's head. "You're just jealous," I retorted.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Goode." She glanced over at Nick and Macey. Nick's arms were wrapped around Mace and he appeared to be whispering sweet nothings in her ear. And get this? McHenry blushed. I was so shocked, I let out a burst of laughter before feigning a cough.

"Sorry," I murmured, glancing at Macey who was glaring at me. I knew she wasn't really upset since she settled back into Nick's arms with ease. Of course, since it was me, she would pretend to be mad for a while.

Cammie elbowed me, though there was no real force behind it; my Gallagher Girl could really pack a punch—if she intended to hurt me, she would. "Be nice," she whispered to me. "You know she is still adjusting to everything."

I nuzzled her neck and decided not to comment. I didn't want to argue anyway.

The movie played on, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I had never really understood the appeal that Bourne apparently held for many spy girls. (I refer to the girls I know at Gallagher—not the wanna be spy girls.)

As soon as the end credits rolled, I groaned, tightening my arms around Cammie's middle. "Are you gonna make us go through all of those?" I whined.

Cam shot me a look. "Put in the next one, Mace."

Instantly, McHenry was up and bounding toward the television. She pulled the DVD out of the player and reached for the movies. She placed the disc carefully in the case and took out the second one. Before she could insert it into the player, however, a loud noise made us all jump.

Cammie was on her feet before anyone else had time to react. I jumped up next to her and followed as she crept toward the kitchen, where the noise originated from. There was no need to be quiet; a loud gasp was heard from the kitchen. My aunt's voice could be heard near the stairs as she whispered, "Damian?"

Immediately, I pushed passed Cammie to see the face of the man who I both wanted to punch and hug (but don't tell him that).

The sight that met me when I entered the kitchen was almost heartbreaking in its entity. Damian stared at Kate who was holding back tears. He drank in her appearance, even as sad as it was. It was like—forgive the cliché—he was a blind man seeing the sun for the first time, and it was at that moment that I truly understood the love he must hold of Kate and she for him as they continued staring at one another.

I cleared my throat, hating myself for breaking their staring contest. Damian's eyes snapped to mine and I knew at once that something was wrong—that he wasn't just here for Kate, though I'm sure that was a big factor in his decision to come back.

"What is it?" I asked when he didn't immediately speak up.

He swallowed thickly and his eyes darted behind me where I could feel Cam's and everyone else's presence at my back. I waited with baited breath, anticipating what was coming but wishing it wasn't.

Finally, he let out a sigh. "It's Kennadie." He paused then and I growled lowly.

"What about Kennadie?" Nick surprised me by asking before I could.

Damian's eyes flickered between all of us before he uttered my worst possible nightmare come true:

"She's gathered the remaining Circle members. They're coming here."

And my world stopped turning.

….

Okay. It's short. I know. And I haven't updated for months and this is totally not worth the wait. I know, I know, I know. But the thing is…I'm not into this story anymore. No, wait. That's not it. It's just that…I'm having a hard time getting inspiration to elongate the story. I know what is going to happen at the end and how everything will be open for Mel's story. I just…don't know what should happen in between. And that is why I'm making an executive decision. I am going to end this story sooner than I thought. I'll go back and edit the titles so they aren't labeled "Day Such-and-Such" and it'll just be a regular story. I know some of you are probably going to be really mad at me but please continue reading. I really just need this to be over so that I can start a new story, have a new beginning. I have to focus on more than just writing, as hard as that may be, and I really need y'all to support me in that. Don't be angry. I promise the ending will be good and I'll get everything in that is needed. There will be three to four more chapters, if that. I will definitely do an epilogue. I have it all planned out in my mind. Please don't stop reading. I love you guys and you're what keep me going. Thanks for sticking with me this long.

~XJamesBondX