Making Memories of Us

The decision to kiss for the first time is the most crucial in any love story. It changes the relationship of two people much more strongly than even the final surrender; because this kiss already has within it that surrender. -Emil Ludwig

Freedom!

I'd never have thought I would be this happy to be in a wheelchair being pushed out to Jerry's Volvo, but I felt like dancing! I was finally leaving the place I had affectionately named the prison. When I saw the Volvo, I couldn't help, but think what a wondrous invention it was. Jack helped me into the front seat. I looked at the driver's seat and my happy mood was deflated.

"It's nice to see you too, Maddie." Bobby said as he noted that my face went from elation to discontent in point five seconds flat upon seeing him.

"Why are you driving?" I asked.

"Jerry wouldn't let me drive because I have too many speeding tickets." Jack answered for Bobby as he climbed into the back seat.

"And he lets him behind the wheel? The guy who totaled his own car, on purpose."

"Buckle up kiddies." Bobby announced over our conversation. I gave him a dirty look for calling me a kid, but did as he suggested. Bobby started the ignition and we were off.

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"Uh, Bobby. You past my house by about ten feet." I said when the car stopped. Bobby and Jack shared a knowing glance. They are up to something.

"You're not going to your house, Maddie." Jack told me.

"Oh, really. And where will I be going?"

"You'll see, Maddiekins." Bobby said, grinning.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Maddiekins? What are we like boyfriend and girlfriend, Bobby? Can I call you pookie?" I asked, teasing him.

He gave me a disgusted look. "Yeah. In your dreams."

"No, Bobby. In yours." I said.

Bobby opened his door and got out of the car. Jack and I followed suit. I began to walk towards their house, since that's where I figured they were taking me. I felt fingers latch on to my wrist and before I knew it, I was being tugged back.

I turned around and faced them. "What? I thought we were going in." I said.

Bobby and Jack smirked at each other. "Yes. We are going in, but you're missing something. What's she missing, Jack?" Bobby asked.

"This." Jack whipped out a black blindfold and held it between his hands.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked, backing away from the pair.

"Yes." Jack said, stepping closer to me. He knew I hated surprises yet, here he was planning one. "Just make it easy for me and hold still." I sighed and did as he asked. There was no point in fighting him. He would just win, anyway. He threw the blindfold around my head and tied it tightly. I couldn't see a thing in a matter of moments. "Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?" Jack asked.

"Does it look like it?" I snapped. Both he and Bobby laughed.

I felt a hand at the left side of my waist and then another take my right hand. "You can start walking now. I've got you." I heard Jack say in my ear. It was a strange feeling walking this way, but I became used to it quickly. Then we came upon a set of steps.

"I am not attempting to climb them. Carry me." I told Jack.

I felt his arm slid under my legs as he lifted me up. I rested my head on his shoulder as he carried me. "You are such a bossy thing." he said to me.

"Yes, and you love me for it." I murmured.

"That I do."

I heard a gagging noise in the background and knew who it must have been. "Oh, shut up, Bobby." I said to him.

"It's not my fault you two are so sickening."

"Like looking at your face isn't." I told him.

"Did living in the hospital make you grow claws or something?" he asked.

"No. I just can say what I want because Jack is holding me and will run fast when I tell him to." I explained.

"Are you guys done now? I mean, we could stand on the porch until you have finished." Jack asked.

"Just go in, Jack." I told him. I felt him step over the threshold and into the house. I knew this more than my own, I felt him take a left. Which meant we were in the living room. He set me down on my feet. I felt his hands at the back of my head. The blindfold began to loosen, until it was completely removed. I opened my eyes and smiled at the sight before me.

Everyone was there, crowding the tiny space. A large Christmas tree sat in a corner where an arm chair once sat. A cluster of presents underneath it. I realized I had forgotten that I had missed Christmas while I was in the hospital. It was January second today. I had missed it by a week and a day. How could I forget about Christmas?

"Surprise." Jack whispered into my ear from behind me. I turned around to meet his eyes. Then I threw my arms around his neck with a squeal. He wrapped his arms around my waist. Before I could think straight, I kissed him fiercely on the mouth in front of everyone. It wasn't long before I heard whistling and catcalls, and they seemed to be coming from the same direction. I broke our kiss to turn around to find out who the culprit was. I spotted a familiar red-head, who was about to stick his fingers in his mouth to whistle, again.

"Don't even think about it, Daniel!" I called over to him.

His hands dropped to his sides. "You're no fun." he said, giving me a pouty look.

I laughed. I reluctantly left Jack's side to greet everybody. I had not taken two steps, before I felt two small bodies slam into me. Daniela and Amelia decided to give me an impromptu group hug which was kind of awkward. I knelt down to make it easier to for them to wrap their arms around my neck. After a few moments, they let go and stepped back. "We're glad your back, Auntie Maddie." Daniela said for the both of them.

I stood up. "I'm glad to be out of that icky hospital." I told them. Amelia gestured to for me to kneel down so she could tell me something.

"Are you going to marry Uncle Jack?" she asked, quietly.

I nodded. "But that's a secret between me and you. You promise not to tell anyone?" I asked.

"I promise." She said. Then she and Daniela scampered over to a little girl with blonde curly hair that I didn't recognize. I looked over the group and then I noticed Charlie standing next to Bobby. He kept trying to wrap his arm around her waist, but at every attempt she would elbow him in the ribs. I smiled at the pair and quirked an eyebrow at Charlie. She rolled her eyes at me and I moved on to the rest of the group.

I didn't get far, before I was pulled into a tight hug. I could scarcely breathe because the person was squeezing me to hard. I noticed the long black hair of the person and knew it must have been Sofi. I patted her on the back. I wasn't going to attempt speaking. "Maddie, mi mejor amiga. Soy así que alegre usted es casero. ¡Agradezca a dios que usted está bien!" she said in rapid Spanish. I didn't understand a word she said other than amiga. I had taken French and Latin in high school and college, now I wish I had taken some Spanish as well. She relinquished her hold on me and stepped back.

I caught my breath. "I'm glad to see you too, Sofi. Though I did see you not so long ago." I said.

She smiled, genuinely. "I know, but it's good to see you out of that place."

I gave her a grin. A piece of my hair had fallen in my face. I moved it behind my ear with my left hand. Big mistake. The light caught my ring and it glinted, causing Sofi to call attention to it. She grabbed my hand and started to examine the ring. "Dios Madeleine! Is this what I think it is!" she asked excitedly. Triggering everyone's attention towards me. Charlie walked over to us. She and Sofi exchanged frosty glances, then she looked to see what Sofi was making a fuss about.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed when she saw the ring. "Maddie, Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrugged nervously. I looked to Jack, sending a silent message to him. Help me! I noticed Daniel standing next to him smirking smugly. The little bugger knew! How does he know!

"If she didn't tell me, then she wouldn't tell you." I heard Sofi tell Charlie. I looked back at them and could see the tension amounting between them.

"She didn't tell you, because she obviously didn't want anyone to know. If she had told you, The whole world would have known by now." Charlie said, further proving something had definitely had happened between them.

"You think you're so perfect, Charlotte, but I see right through you." Sofi said, narrowing her eyes at Charlie.

I moved forward to stop them from continuing, but Daniel moved me out of the way. "That's enough, girlies. Retract the claws, now. You two should be ashamed of yourselves, putting poor Maddie in the middle of your petty fight." he said, shaking a finger at the two of them.

"It's not a petty fight." Charlie said, stubbornly.

"Yeah, it's not." Sofi agreed crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I don't care if it is or not. I'm not Maury Povich, and this isn't a talk show. It's a party. So deal with your problems with each other some other time." he said with a smile. They each other one last scathing look, before retreating to their corners of the living room.

I looked up to Daniel. "I love you." I said.

He quickly covered my mouth with his hand. "Shh! Don't let Jack hear you say that. I want to live." he said in a dramatic whisper. Then he smirked and gave me a wink. "Besides you won't love me in a few seconds." he said, mischievously.

I didn't like the tone of his voice. "Daniel, don't you dar-"

"I'd like to make an announcement, everyone. I know you are all wondering what the hell was that all about." he started.

I tried to cover his mouth, but I couldn't reach without jumping. Every time I got close, he'd swat my hand away like it was an annoying fly. I hate tall people. "I can't really tell you what's going on between those two, unless…Ladies, would you like to share?" he asked only to be greeted by answer of silence. "Well, since their unwilling to divulge, Let's just call It a lover's spat. Now, I'm getting off-track. Okay, I didn't really want to announce anything. I just wanted to tell you the thing they happened to be gawking over was an engagement ring. Thank You."

He tried to slink away from me as everyone was just figuring out just what his words meant. I his arm and pulled him back. I yanked him down to my level by his shirt. "I detest you." I said, angrily.

"Now Maddie, don't confuse me. I know you love me. You only just said it moments ago."

"That was before. Now, I detest you."

I looked away from Daniel and noticed all eyes were on me. I felt my cheeks start to heat up and redden. My palms suddenly felt slick with perspiration. I started to breathe heavier. My eyes were losing focus. I knew what was happening, it happened every time I had to speak in front of a crowd or even in front of a class in high school. It had the same result, I either ran away and hid until I calmed down, or I threw up. Not liking the second option, I turned on my heel and ran out of the room.

My first thought was to run up the stairs to Jack's room, but then again it would much too easy for them to find me there. Everyone knew I snuck up there when I felt scared or nervous. Usually it was because Jack was there, but just sliding into his bed with his scent-filled sheets was comforting enough for me. Instead of going up the stairs, I took a left and went through the kitchen. I went out the back door and walked around the house, trudging through the snow. I quietly slipped onto the porch, and was about to sit in the chair in the corner that always had a blanket draped over it. Then a voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Sneaky, but not sneaky enough."

"Go away, Bobby." I said. He was leaning against the wall by the door, smirking at me.

"You gave us quite the slip. Poor Jackie is upstairs looking for you. Then again, I suppose you really didn't want to be found, or you'd be up in his room. Waitin'." He moved away from the wall and stepped over to me, giving me a determined look. Even though he towered over me, I couldn't help but think about how short he was. (I never tell it to his face, though.) Then again, he never looked so intimidating to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Well, Obviously I wanted to be alone. So, do me a favor, go back inside the house and annoy someone else." I said, pushing past him. I guess he didn't like that because he grabbed a hold of my wrist and spun me around. Then he stepped closer to me and I stepped back. It wasn't long before I was against the door, trapped.

"How did you do it?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"You know."

"No, I don't know, Bobby. Could you be a little more specific?" I asked.

"How did you get him to do it?"

"What? If this him is who I think you're talking about, I didn't do anything. Anyway, I don't really see why it's any of your business." I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him.

"He's my little brother. Everything he does is my business. So, how'd you get him to do it? You're not pregnant, are you?"

"How did you-" I stopped. What was I doing? Of course he didn't know. "No, I'm not. What ever gave you that idea?" I said, quickly trying to cover up my almost slip.

"You just did." he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

I chewed on my lower lip. "I don't know what you are talking about." I said, uneasily. Damn my stupid mouth.

"Oh, I think you do. Pregnant, huh? Figures you two would be too dumb to use protection."

"I am not dumb!" I shouted.

"So, Jack is then." He stepped closer to me. I stepped back, tripping over the threshold and falling against the door. "That's not a very nice thing to say about your fiancée, Maddie."

"Stop twisting my words around! I didn't say anything like that, and don't you tell…AHH!" Someone pulled open the door, which happened to be holding me up. I fell backwards, expecting to hit the ground, but luckily the person caught me in time. Once I was steady, I turned to look at my rescuer. "Jack?"

"What's going on out here?" Jack asked, looking in Bobby's direction.

"Nuthin'." Bobby said, putting his hands behind his back. He gave Jack a grin that suggested otherwise. "So, Jackie. You're gonna be a daddy, huh?"

Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He looked down at me. "Maddie? You told him?" he asked me, incredulously.

"It's not my fault!" I jabbed a finger at Bobby. "He made me do it." I said.

"So I tied you up and tortured it out of you?" he asked.

"You." I stared at him questioningly. "Gah! You are the most irritating person on the planet! Do you know that, Bobby?" I said, throwing my hands up in the air. I turned around, pushing past Jack, I walked back into the house. Muttering darkly under my breath.

"Nice. Why'd you go and do that for?" I heard Jack ask Bobby.

"It's fun." Bobby said.

I walked into the living room. No one took any notice of me, which was strange considering what had happened. I plopped down in the empty seat next to Daniel. He looked over to me. "I explained everything to them for you. Don't worry." he said.

I sighed in relief. "Well, you do know how to apologize. I'll give you that." I laid my head on his shoulder.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing. Just Bobby being…well, Bobby."

"Is Bobby the cute one who looks a lot like Mark Wahlberg?" he asked.

"I guess. Why?" He gave me a impish wink. "Daniel, don't do what I think you're going to do. Bobby is not Jack. He won't let you mess around with him."

He stood up ignoring my warning. "See you in a bit." he told me.

"Where are you going?" It was a stupid question, but it had to be asked.

"To make Mr. Bobby Mercer's acquaintance." He smirked and started to walk in the direction from which I came.

"Great. Just don't come crying to me when he punches you in the face!" I called after him. I watched as he disappeared from sight. A few seconds later, Jack emerged. He came into the room and sat down next to me. I gave him a look.

"What?" he asked.

"I can't believe you left him alone. I thought you liked Daniel."

He laughed. "I do like Daniel, but Bobby deserves this."

I gave him a scathing look, but didn't say anything. We sat there quiet for a few minutes, waiting for any tell-tale signs. Then we heard it. A loud CRASH! Followed by what sounded like scuffling. A few seconds later, Daniel emerged being pushed into the room by Bobby, who had Daniel's arm twisted behind his back. Daniel had a bruise coming out around his eye.

"Where does this belong?" Bobby asked.

I stood up and walked over to the pair. "He's my friend." I said.

"Here." Bobby said, thrusting Daniel towards me. "Keep him away from me." Bobby started to walk towards an empty chair.

"You still would make a wonderful underwear model!" Daniel said to his back.

"Friggin' fairy." Bobby muttered as he stalked over to the empty chair.

"I am Bi-sexual!" Daniel yelled at him.

I pulled him over to where I was sitting. "Do you like getting hit or something?" I asked him.

"He's a very unhappy person." he remarked as I sat him in my chair.

"What did I tell you? Now, I'm going to get you some ice for your eye. Even though, I should let you suffer." I turned to walk in the direction of the kitchen.

"She's pretty when she's angry and being bossy." I heard Jack remark as I was walking away.

"Aye, she is." Daniel agreed.

I snapped my head around. "Shut up, you two." They gave me twin smirks. I sighed and turned, continuing on my way to the kitchen.

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Maddie fell into my bed, her long hair fanning out against the pillow. It had been a long day for both of us, but especially her. She spread out her arms and smiled at me, silently inviting me to lay with her. I couldn't be happier to oblige. I slid in and gathered her in my arms. She sighed contentedly. Then her head shot up.

"We need a bigger bed." she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Pretty soon I'm going to be as big as a whale and I don't think we'll be able to fit comfortably in a twin."

"That was a random."

"Well, I was just thinking…"

"Stop thinking. You need to relax for now. Let's worry about that some other time."

She smirked at me. "I know what you want to do." she said in a sing-song voice.

"And what's that?"

"You want to ravish me."

"What!" I gave her a quizzical look. "That's it, no more romance novels for you."

"Well, would you rather me say you want to sex me up?" She quirked an eyebrow at me.

"That's just disturbing."

"Good. Ravish it is."

I rolled her onto her back. "You're just being silly." I began to place light kisses along her neck.

"No. I just don't want to be crude." My hands skimmed along the hemline of her shirt, but I hesitated before letting them go under.

"Are you sure? I mean, if you are too tired…-"

"God, Jack. I wouldn't have basically invited you to if I wasn't sure."

It was all the incentive I needed. I slid my hands along the plane of her stomach, underneath her shirt. I pushed the fabric up along the way, revealing a little bit more skin. Once I had it in a bunch, she sat up slightly so I could remove it from her body. My eyes raked her body and then I saw it. There was a long, relatively large scar that followed the line of her left collarbone. She looked at me and then followed my line of vision. Her hands moved quickly to cover it.

"It's hideous." she said in a quiet voice.

I moved her hands away. "No. It's not. I just don't like you having it." I traced it gently with my fingers.

She looked up into my eyes. "Now you know how I feel about your scars." she said, simply. I looked away from her stubbornly. She sighed. "You don't actually still believe you deserve them." I felt her fingers at my chin, gently moving my head to look at her. " 'Cause you don't." she said firmly once she had me looking at her.

"How do you know?" I asked. I don't know why I let it slip out. I knew it only upset her, but then a look of determination came over her features. Before I knew it, I was on my back and she was straddling my hips. She began to tug at my shirt.

"If you don't help me get this off, Jack. I swear I'll get the scissors and I'll cut it off." I sat up a little to give her enough room to remove my shirt. She yanked it over my head and threw it on the floor. She smiled at me before dipped her head and began to kiss a particular nasty scar. There was nothing sexual about it. It was almost like she was trying to make it go away with her kisses like a mother's kiss to a booboo makes the pain go away.

"What are you doing?" I asked her as she moved on to another one. It was a stupid question, but I needed to hear her say it.

She looked up. "All these scars are linked to a bad memory. I think when you look at them now after I have kissed, you may remember a better memory. That was a bad explanation. You must really think I'm crazy now. I guess this may be your warning that you're going to marry a crazy person." She sighed.

"It's not crazy. Continue, if you want to."

"Thank You."

She went back to her task of kissing all the scars that she knew of. I don't think I could have loved her more, than in that moment. When she was done, I flipped her back into our earlier position. I began to place kisses along her scar.

"But that was a good memory." she told me.

"Not for me."

She placed her hands on either side of my face and pulled me closer to her. "Agree to disagree?" she whispered.

"Yes."

She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine.

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A/N: I'm SO sorry it took so long to update. I was having trouble writing this chapter for some reason. I think I re-wrote it about four times, and still not completely satisfied with it.

I'm also really sorry for the delay in review replies. First I wasn't getting the alerts, then the site wouldn't let me answer them, and then the site was completely down. So expect replies within the next few days.

This is a ONE time thing…(I can't believe I'm advertising myself) Okay, I wrote a story when I was in the process of writing this chapter. It's a little one-shot, that's also a companion piece to this story. It's quite different, but if your willing to check it out and leave feedback, I'd really love it. It's called Never Alone, If your interested…

Thanks for reading and remember to review!