Disclaimer : South...isn't...mine!
Previously :"Just-hold that thought,"I told her as the rings droned on.I groaned jumping over the bed,and answering the phone.

"Hello?"I grumbled impatiently grabbing at my socks,while trying to balance on one foot.

"It's me."

Thanks to these kind people for reviewing last chapter : dttdemon,Hotcutii3,LoveAsh87, and lexj!!
THANKS SO MUCH GUYS!I TOTALLY LOVE YOU!AND I LOVE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ THE CHAPTER ANYWAY!

Chapter Twenty-One : A Place To Bury Strangers Pt. 2

(Spencer POV)

I wrap a towel around me running out of bathroom after I heard Ashley scream.

"Oh my god!Ashley?What is it?"I ran into the room to see her on the floor laughing on her back.

She sees me and stops,then her eyes go wide."Oh my god!"

She picks up the phone."Hello?Hello?Are you still there?"

"Who is it?"I asked,but she waved her arm at me.

Oh,really...I took the phone from her putting it on speaker.

"Uh,"Ashley said giving me an apologetic smile."Y-your on speaker.Spencer's here."

"Hi,"I say into the phone,still confused to why Ashley was acting so strangely.

"Hey Spence,"she whispered after a seconds pause.She sounded nervous,like she didn't expect to talk to me too.

"Jamie?Jamie is that you?"

(Jamie POV)

I put the phone down."I can't do this..."

Rory picked it up covering up the receiving end so he couldn't be heard."Jamie listen to me,okay?You can do this.You need to talk to them."He pressed the speakerphone button and threw the phone back at me."Talk!"

"Hello?"

"Fuck!"I took a deep breath before answering."Y-yeah it's me...Um.How are you guys?"

"Your doing good,"Rory mouthed to me urging to me go on.

"We're doing fine,"Ashley answered before a "Great" from Spencer.

"That's,"I started glaring at him,"good-I mean great. That's just-Um...Your probably wondering why I called?"

"Well,it's been a couple of years.That's a long time.We missed you,you know..."

"Jamie you there?"Spencer asked after I didn't speak again.

"I'm here."I bit back tears as I nodded silently."I missed you guys too...I'm really sorry how I left things Ashley...I shouldn't have left like that."

"Don't worry about that now,Jay,"Ashley whispered sniffling.She would break down soon."We're just glad you called.Really glad.You have no idea how much we've wanted to find you and bring you home."

"I know,I know."I closed my eyes again and began rubbing my temples to distract myself from pain in my gut.

"But uh...I think I might take you up on that offer. Maybe come down next week for Halloween.Give Mr. C a scare,or something..."

"Really?"both of them gasped.

"Are you sure,"Ashley stepped in."I mean,well,are you sure?"

I looked away at Rory smiling at me."And I'm going to bring an old friend with me.You'll love 'em."

"What?"he said out loud,then quickly covering his mouth.

A Few Days Later...

(Abigail POV) Somewhere outside London

"Aiden,you can't ask me to do that,"I whispered into the phone outside of my apartment.I buried my face deeper into my warm coat.

"Abby,please?"he pleaded again."I won't stand by and-you want to see her again.I know you do!"

"Aiden!Don't you get it!"I yelled at him.I cursed at myself shutting the door."Five years Aiden!My life has changed so much since-I have a whole new life here!I'm happy!"

He sighed,"I'm sorry.I wasn't thinking,I just...saw something in you guys.I know that you still love her,and somewhere inside of her she feels the same."

"I do,"I whispered staring out at the busy city."But...that was a different time.It doesn't matter now."

"Abby-"I cut him off.

"No,Aiden.I'm not talking about her anymore."

"Just...sleep on it please?"

"Alright,alright,"I gave in heading back into the apartment."I need to go now Aiden...I'll talk to you later."I shut the phone,and climbed into bed quietly putting away my boots and coat.

I laid back down, unable to close my eyes.

Why?Why did I answer the phone?Why did Aiden tell me that?Why! I cram a pillow down hard over my head to stop the questions.

"Why did he want me to come?"I muttered silently trying not to make much noise."That went well last time,didn't it?Showing up unexpected,yeah what a picnic that turned out to be."

I glanced at the bathroom door open,and I saw Rachel's smiling face.She wrapped her arms around me and whispered,"Did I wake you?"

"No I couldn't sleep anyway,"I said slowly trying to hide the shakiness in my voice.

Rachel...What could I say about Rachel?
I mean,she's my best friend.She's so sweet,and funny and beautiful...She was the first person I met here in London for school that didn't treat me like some foreigner.I found balance,and peace in her eyes and presence,forgetting all the sorrow and everything else that was destroying me inside that past year.

It'd been awhile since I let anyone in since Jamie,so I kept denying what I felt for her for a long time.
Until one day,just a typical day in the park,she said that she was moving away.That word burned me up from the inside,and I couldn't think of being away from her.Either just as a friend,or something more than that.I didn't care,I wouldn't let her leave unless I would be there next to her.So,what did I do? I told her what I'd been keeping from her,and to my surprise,she kissed me right there on the bench.It's been three years since that day in the park,and we're still together,solid as a rock.

"Your feet!"she yelled suddenly starting to laugh. "They're freezing."

"Sorry,I was out on the balcony.Aiden called.He asked me to come visit,"I let out before I knew what I said.

"Really?"Her head popped up to look at me."Where are you off to then?"

"Nowhere,"I sighed."At least not yet.I don't know right now Rach."

"Okay."She nodded intently laying her head on my shoulder."Well...not too long then?I mean if you do decide to go.I'll miss you too much."

"What about William?"I added changing the subject."Isn't he coming up to see you and your Dad?"

"I don't know really,"she assumed giving out much aggravation in her words."Will's been a brute lately and I honestly do not care if he comes."

"You don't mean that,"I responded ignoring her grunt. "You always say that before he comes.But when he does,your always happy afterward."

After a seconds pause,her gaze softened."So.When are you going?"She nearly spoke,but Rachel's eyes grew intense with meaning.

"I'm not sure,I want to Rach,"I told her."If I do...I'm just gonna' regret it.It's going to end badly,I know it."

"Why?"

"Because someone,someone that we haven't seen in years is coming,and knowing her..."

"Who is she?"

"A friend,"I said making as little eye-contact as possible.She glared at me,so I continued."Honestly, she was my friend.She's the one who convinced me to move away from my father.Jamie was,"I whispered quietly,my eyes began to tear and I looked away,"so strong,and brave.Even when her own life was in danger,the only thing she worried about was our safety.She wanted to protect us.Protect me."

"Why?What happened to her?"She wrapped her arms tighter around me.

"I don't even know where to start,I mean she's had it bad Rach,"my voice was barely above a whisper, but she heard me clearly."You don't even know-"

"It's okay,"she said understandingly."You don't have to tell me,I shouldn't have asked."

"I'm fine.It's just hard to think about what happened,"I started giving her a wary smile."It just...hurts to talk about her sometimes.I miss her,I really do."

"You cared about her a lot,didn't you?"she asked,and I nodded.

"Yes...but that doesn't matter now.I was a different person,and I've changed."

"This Jamie,"she whispered into the dark,"you fell in love with her..."

"I thought I was in love with her."I suddenly felt a weight in my stomach reminding me of that lie once again.

"It hurt you, her leaving,"she told me,and shook her head,"But Abigail,I understand if you still do.I won't judge you,I promise."

I sat up,rubbing my aching forehead."Can we not talk about this?"

"Listen to me."She did the same,climbing into my lap."I get it,I do...I'm not the crazy-jealous type,you know that.I'm okay with you going there."

I leaned my head back,and laughed."Oh,really?"

"Hey!That was one time,and I swear she wouldn't stop looking at your ass.It had nothing to to with your skirt."

"Well, it did have skulls on it,you know."I controlled my giggling."Okay,okay...I'm sorry.Your right,she was definitely admiring my assets."

"Abby!"

(Rory POV) Two Days later...

"Hey,I gotta' talk to you."I said pulling Jamie aside in the hallway.

"Your not backing out on me now,"she guessed."We leave tomorrow!"

"They don't want me!"I yelled at her."They want you.I really,really don't feel comfortable seeing them again.Especially,you-know-who!"

She rolled her eyes."Come on!You gotta go!You said-"

"No,you invited me,"I corrected,very pissed off at the moment."I have no business being there with those people!"

"Yes you do!"she snapped back."They were your friends!Aiden was your boyfriend-proof of business right there."

"Ja-a-amie!"I whined feeling the urge to start pouting at her."I really,really,really don't-"

"I.Don't.Care."She gave me one glare before giving me a smile."7 A.M. tomorrow,be ready."

"Forget it!"I screamed at her as she walked away."I'm not going!I'm not!Watch me!I won't be there!Just watch,you'll see!"

The next morning...

Jamie's Land Rover screeched to a halt in front of me. I threw my bags into the backseat climbing in. I looked at the smirk stretched across her face,and I glared at her.

"Don't you dare."

(Jamie POV) After we arrived in Ohio

"I forgot how hot it was out here,"Rory said fanning himself in the cab.

"That's why we invented air-conditioning,"I said reaching over to turn up the cool air.The driver gave me a cold look before returning his eyes to the road.

"It feels like we're minutes away from our impending doom,"he muttered staring out the window.

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much,"I replied,annoyed.I hear the cab driver's heart laugh looking at me in the rear-view mirror. Rory gives me a glance,and I just shrug.

The door slammed,and I waved goodbye to the driver.The cab swirved forward to show Mr.Carlin's two story house.It almost looked the same,but the white paint was now a light gray,and the red panes on the windows had faded.Vines had grown from the bushes trailing up the house,curling around the yards arched fences.

We stood outside the front door, staring at the words above it.

"Welcome Home,huh?"Rory said beside me."Well...isn't that ironic."

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