~A.N~

I'm so glad you guys waited this long, seriously thank you so much :) Thanks for the reviews and all the great things you guys have said.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, reviews are awesome and you are awesome if you leave one. :D

One last thing I promise and then you guys can read; can you guys spread the word around that I'm back? I know that a lot of people have lost hope so we need to let them know that I'm back in business!

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Chapter 25

Free at Last

The ragtag group of teens got to the dojo, Jack and Jerry almost falling over several times from fatigue. Once they got inside and Rudy saw their conditions, he didn't freak like he would have done years ago. Instead, he calmly ushered Jack to gently place Kim on one of the worn benches and then demanded the two teenage boys to take a seat on the floor. The older man then scurried out of the room like a mouse hunting cheese; only to return several moments later with a whole bunch of medical supplies. He approached the two boys first and Jack stopped him.

"Kim first," He commanded as Rudy stopped, turned, and obeyed.

Rudy was fixing up Jerry's wounds as Jack sat there, his head buried in his hands. It had been about an hour and Kim hadn't made any sudden movements. She was nowhere near waking up. Jerry flinched as Rudy wiped some blood off a gash on the back of his right leg.

"Jesús Rudy! ¿Estás tratando de hacer que maldita a sangrar de nuevo?" Jerry half shouted as he winced again, followed by another string of angry Spanish words.

Rudy rolled his eyes, "Do you want to bleed to death?"

"Yo I didn't-" Rudy sent Jerry a death glare and he shut up instantly. Jack moved his hands so that he was still leaning on them, but out of his one eye he could watch the blonde. Jerry looked over at Jack's sudden movement and then his eyes filled with concern. "Yo Jack you alright?"

The brunette let a few moments pass as he tried to form the words with his mouth. None came out. Rudy sent Jerry a worried glance. They turned their heads back to Jack as he finally got his tongue to move and spit out the words he wanted to say a few minutes ago. "Fine," He answered, voice stiff.

Rudy shook his head.

"Rudy, what can we do?" The Latino whispered to his sensei, his eyes never leaving Jack's hunched over back.

"Nothing Jerry, we just have to wait."

"Wait? Are you freaking kidding me? He has been waiting for love for his whole lifeand now that he finally has it—you are going to say to wait? Wait for what? A fucking hurricane to blow over? This isn't swag sensei!" Rudy held up his hand to silence Jerry's shouts as the teenage boy quieted and mumbled cusses under his breath. Rudy stood up and Jack did as well, turning his face to shadow his eyes.

"Jack," He said softly, the boy in question staring at the ground with regret.

"I . . . Rudy I . . ." Jack couldn't get the words out as a few tears leaked out of his eyes and onto the mats. "I," His voice cracked and Jerry looked up now; Kim thrashing around a little bit behind Jack. "I lost her once, twice, three times. I can't go through with losing her again. I won't be able to survive. I-I love her. I haven't loved since I was, well never. I've never loved anything or anyone before. I was always alone. She is my lifeline; I have something to grasp onto, finally, after all this time. I'm not going to wait any damn longer Rudy."

Silence.

No sudden movements, no bugs buzzing in the corner. Jack sat back down and grabbed Kim's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"You. Are. A. Bitch. You don't deserve him."

"Yes I do!"

"No bitches deserve a man like that."

"I'm not a bitch! You are! Strutting around school like you are top class when you really aren't! You are just a stuck up snob!"

"And you aren't?" "No! I care!"

"Pfft. All bitches like you care about yourself,"

"No! I care about him and only him! I would die for him while if you were his girlfriend—you would rather him die just to steal his riches and will!"

". . . One day, one damn day he is going to leave you for me. And then I'm going to be the one he says 'I love you' to and the one he kisses. He never loved you."

"So, did you break it off with that bitch Crawford?" Sally asked, loud so Kim could hear. Brody smiled a little.

"I'm going to. Tonight. I told her I was going to be late so I could have some alone time with you." Sally smiled and they kissed again, this one quicker because Sally wanted to shatter Kim's heart more.

"So, why did you stay with Crawford for two years? Playin' her off as your girlfriend?" Brody tried to kiss Sally again, but she held up her hand. Brody sighed. He was too stupid to wonder why she was asking these questions.

"I did it so that I could have more fun. Sleep with one girl and then the next day, kiss Kimmy. It was a jackpot. Sad part is that Kimmy would never let me sleep with her."

"Mmm…"

"No! No, no! NO!" Kim's shrieks shred through the silence that filled the dojo, causing Jack to jump up and try to shake Kim awake.

"Kim! Kim! Wake up! It's just a bad dream girl, please wake up!" He pleaded, his heart not being able to see Kim in so much pain. She didn't stop thrashing as more nightmare over-whelmed her mind.

Finn kissed Kim on the forehead and then held her tighter. "What happened girl?" He asked softly as Kim buried her head into her father's shoulder. The blonde didn't answer her father's question.

She didn't want to.

Her father was standing the middle of the kitchen with blood dripping from his hands. Glass was shattered on the floor everywhere and Kim gasped. Finn heard her and turned, his eyes growing dark as they landed on her.

"You!" He shouted as he started to walk towards her. Kim backed up against the wall and whimpered a little. Finn slapped her hard.

"You are the reason that your mother is dead! It is your entire fault!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Kim cried, tears running down her pale cheeks, "It's all my fault! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Jack stopped shaking her and pulled her upwards instead, all the while more tears streamed down Kim's face as she shook her head rapidly.

"You snotty little bitch, you just keep trying to hook up with the players huh? Don't you freaking understand that they are like the villains in the army? You escape them and they will find a way to kill you." Kim was scared now. Her father's tone of voice had changed and his eyes weren't focused.

"Mommy . . ." Kim whispered as she let more tears slide down her paled face.

Jack hugged her tightly as her tears damped his shirt. The boy's bruises screamed at him for mercy but Jack ignored them, he needed to wake Kim up. "Girl, girl, it's alright…please wake up. Kim, Kim, please!"

He murmured as he softly kissed her forehead. Kim stopped crying and started to breathe heavily instead.

"Let's get out of here. You explain when we get to a safe place." Jack nodded and then Kim when over to one of the passed out cops and took the keys to the cuffs.

"Turn around Brewer." Jack turned around and waited as Kim unlocked the cuffs quickly. Jack heard the cuffs drop to the ground and he pulled his hands away, rubbing the red lines starting to bleed on his wrists. Kim dropped the key and then went to stand in front of the brown-haired teen. Jack didn't notice Kim in front of him so he just kept rubbing at the lines; hoping they would stop bleeding soon. Kim then stepped forward and put her hand on Jack's and his eyes shot up and meant Kim's as he froze.

Kim sighed and then rubbed at the lines a little bit, ignoring Jack's small wince. "Jack are you okay?" Kim asked, meeting his eyes again as she took one last look at Jack's wrist and then let go of his hand.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." Jack voice wavered a little in the beginning but then he hid it quickly. They both heard a door slam shut and Jack stepped in front of Kim, turning quickly to look behind them. Jack's body shielded Kim's so that the interferer couldn't see her. Jack also had his hand on Kim's waist, not noticing. Kim did and she blushed a little and then scolded herself.

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

"For what?" He 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.

Kim's eyes shot open as she let out a gasp. Jack pulled away a little so he could see Kim's face, but they still stayed locked in his hug. "J-Jack?" Her voice was quiet and unsure. Jack looked her in the eyes and smiled warmly.

"I'm here girl," He answered as she buried her head into his chest, "I'm here."