AN: First of all... Thank YOU ALL SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR READING, REVIEWING, FAVORITING AND FOLLOWING :).

NO WORDS CAN EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL I AM.

SO WITH THAT I GIVE YOU THE FINAL CHAPTER TO 1984. WE ARE BACK WITH PAUL AND JACK AND BURT.

THIS CHAPTER... WAS DIFFICULT TO WRITE. :(

BUT IT NEEDED TO BE WRITTEN AND I'M NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM THIS... NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL.

SO THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR THIS JOURNEY. WE ARENT DONE YET...

THANK U FOR UR SUPPORT.

And my thanks to garethglee14 and umbrell0326. I really couldn't have done this story without U! X3 X3

PLEASE REVIEW..

Chapter 28

Lima, Ohio 1984-

"Oh sure Jack, and while we are at it why don't we just let all the freaks and nerds in our circle? Cause having Paul join us wont turn us into big fat losers?!"

Burt silently but angrily lowered his voice to Jack as they both were running laps after school, training for the upcoming game a week from now. As football players they need to build thier strength if they ever plan on winning the game. Also they needed to train if they were ever going to be better players. It was very sunny outside with a slight breezy wind blowing softly as the boys ran not minding the chilly air.

Burt was angry but mindful to keep his frustrations in check when Jack so casually suggested and insisted that they (as in some of the guys from the football team) hang out with Paul Karofsky. Or at least leave Paul alone. He didn't want to piss Jack off again like he had last week. He didn't really get why Jack was so protective over that geek.

He knew Jack and Paul had become like two peas in a pod in recent weeks. He didn't like it one bit. And he didn't understand his fellow jock's friendship with the photography loser. But since Jack forgave Burt for teasing Paul a week ago He decided to let it go and not ask questions about the weird friendship.

Jack still felt guilty when Paul turned down his idea for Paul and the jocks to mend the fences and be cool to each other.

He was angry at Paul but he understood why Paul said no. But still... He had to do something! Anything.

Jack couldn't just let Paul continue to be bullied by some assholes on his team. He had to take a stand. EVEN if it was against one of his own teammates.

Jack didn't care.

NOW that Jack was popular enough to have some say, he vowed to do anything to protect Paul. Just as he promised his CLOSE friend he would in the beginning. Jack never broke his promises. He wouldn't start now.

"Get your head checked if you think being friends with that fa- LOSER is gonna change anything"

Burt bites back his ignorant words as he stares back at a VERY ANGRY looking Jack.

Jack knew what Burt wanted to say about the love of his life. But he wasn't gonna let Burt say such bad things about Paul. So Jack mustered up the meanest face he could make so that Burt could get the message.

Burt got the message as he fiegned offense and silently apologized.

Jack inwardly smiled. And decided to let it go.

Suddenly the tired out-of-breath boys stopped doing laps around football field, catching there breath they decide to take a break. They had been running for over an hour now and they were exhausted.

"You're dreaming-" Burt slowly began, " you absolutely have to be one hundred percent crazy and living in some deluded dream world with magic unicorns if you'd think that this will work and let me tell you several reasons why this wouldn't work".

Jack sighed, but chose not to speak. Instead he paitently waited for Burt to continue his rant.

"OK- Jack one thing you need to understand and that you havent gotten through your thick skull yet" Burt spoke seriously staring directly at Jack. Eyes never leaving his face, "is that guys like Paul wil NEVER FIT IN with guys like you and me. Its just the natural order of things. Jocks and losers like your friend arent supposed to be friends. That's how its always been and will continue to be. McKinley needs leaders. And as Jocks its our job to lead our school to victory, is it not?"

Burt asks as Jack nods in agreement not liking where Burt was headed with this speech. But still he CHOSE to keep his mouth shut.

"All right NOW why would WE want to mess up the order in which this school needs to survive? Imagine it Jack- If Paul were to sit with us and hang out with us and be pals, buddies , amigos than that would give other losers the impression that we actually like them. And than what?" Burt says. Jack stares back, desperatly wanting to say something. Anything... to prove Burt wrong. But the words would not come out. Burt continued.

"Yeah sure Paul would feel popular BUT and this is a BIG one... He will never be one of us. He can try- YOU can try. But it will NEVER happen. There is a reason why no one has ever tried what you are foolishly trying to do. As I said you try to disrupt the natural order of things... It will come back to HAUNT you".

And with that, Burt increased his speed and took off.

Having said his piece, Jack watched him run ahead of him as Jack involuntarily slowed down.

Burt's words angered and scared him – 'haunt you'. Jack was devastated at the harsh truth of it all.

High school social classes weren't meant to be mixed and for good reason.

They just didn't see eye-to-eye.

Afraid of the coach's anger, Jack snapped out of his thoughts and increased his speed.

No one wants to face truths like this but Jack was forced to.

With a heavy, panting sigh, he finally finished his laps with the rest of the team and headed towards the locker room.

.

Paul was leaving his third period geometry class and was in a spectacular mood.

Despite the argument with Jack the previous day, he knew he was understood.

Harsh truths need time and he was confident in their close friendship. And besides, he giggled to himself at his love interest in jocks. Jocks can be really hot anyway.

As he was rounding the hall, he spotted Jack coming towards him, headed towards his fourth period class. Jack was alone. Almost immediately, their eyes met, like one of those cheesy Harlequin romance novels.

And when they got closer together, Jack winked and Paul giggled.

They were so incredibly happy together!

The day droned on.

Class after class after lunch after boring class followed.

They didn't see each other until they were headed towards the last class of their day.

And yet again, they passed each other, near the science hall. The science hall was in a secluded section of McKinley and there weren't many students nearby. However, Paul was distracted, reading his notes for his next class. He didn't actually see Jack approaching him.

And as they passed each other, Paul yelped as his arm was grabbed!

Momentarily confused, he struggled to gather himself as he was dragged into the gymnasium and then near the ticket booth, a very secluded area.

Suddenly, Paul found himself thrust against the wall of the booth and finally realized who had kidnapped him.

"Hey babe."

Jack whispered.

"Jack," Paul quietly protested, "I have to get to-"

Paul didn't get to finish because Jack's lips and tongue were suddenly on him!

Jack pushed harder against him as Paul fell into the kiss.

They didn't even hear their books falling from their arms as the passionate liplocking went on and on. Jack's lips rotated a little as Paul opened up further. They were both dizzy and a little disoriented and didn't care.

But then, Paul remembered he had to get to class.

He finally gently and successfully pushed Jack – a little.

"J-Jack…"

Paul breathlessly said.

"Jack, I-I really d-do have to get to class."

Jack ornrily smiled and placed little kisses along Paul's cheek, jaw, throat, collar bone, back to his throat, jaw, cheek, ANYWHERE he could, as if he didn't hear Paul's protest.

Paul's found his eyes involuntarily closing as his hands found their way to Jack's shoulders.

"I can't hear you babe."

Jack whispered.

Paul shivered.

"P-please Jack. Stop."

Obediently, Jack stopped and lifted his head, a mere inch or two from Paul's inviting lips. Suddenly, Jack smiled.

"I have a surprise for you." Jack whispered.

Paul was intrigued.

"Jack Hampton. You are always full of surprises."

Jack flashed a winning smile.

"I'm thinking about coming out."

Paul's expression changed from curiosity to horror to confused and back again.

"No babe," Jack softly continued, "not you. Me."

Paul said nothing.

"I'm tired of hiding."

Jack explained.

"And I'm thinking of doing a male collage for my photography club project. I have some photos in my photo bag that'll help me-"

"Are you insane?!"

Paul protectively asked.

"Why in the world would you bring photos like those to school?"

Jack's eyes furrowed a little.

"It's part of my project, babe." And then, he soothingly added, "But don't worry, babe. Nothing will happen to me."

Momentarily satisfied but uncomfortable with Jack's response, Paul couldn't help but smile at the wondrous and courageous boy in front of him.

"Jack Hampton. You TRULY are full of surprises."

Jack heartily smiled and slowly leaned for another kiss. But he was thwarted again by Paul, who had to interrupt him.

"But Jack," Paul whispered, "what about your-"

"Fuck my parents."

Jack angrily whispered, his lips barely an inch away from Paul.

"They don't matter. I have to be me, Paul. I just…have to."

And then, their lips were attached again. But this time, the kiss was soft, gentle, almost relaxing. They both found comfort in each other's embrace and time had no meaning for them.

Brrrrrrrrriinnnnngggggggg!

Jack groaned into Paul's mouth and pulled back.

"Just you wait, Paul Karofsky."

Jack happily said.

"This is gonna be great!"

And with that, Jack quickly and harshly kissed Paul again, teeth crashing together. And just as suddenly, Jack pulled back, winked, and ran off, leaving Paul gasping, a whirlwind of emotions. B

ut then, Paul just had to laugh out loud.

DAMN YOU, JACK HAMPTON, Paul thought, YOU REALLY ARE FULL OF SURPRISES.

Paul then turned, grabbed his books from the floor and headed towards the last class of the day before photography club.

He was so happy!

.

Paul watched Jack cockily stroll into the room which held the photography club.

He loved just looking at the young jock smile at him.

It was as if nobody else was in the room, their eyes glued to each other.

If they would have noticed, they would've seen Burt Hummel looking at them with incredibly sad eyes.

The teacher arrived and discussions flurried around the room.

Eager students began asking questions about the club's project – a collage on a social issue.

Paul and Jack would glance at each other, even chancing a wink.

It all went unnoticed – except for Burt, who couldn't take his sad and possibly guilty eyes off them.

"Mr. Hammet?"

Everybody's head flipped towards the loudspeaker in the class room.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Could you please send Mr. Jack Hampton to the office?"

Jack and Paul were confused.

Mr. Hammet looked at Jack. Burt's head fell away.

"Sure thing."

Mr. Hammet responded. And then, he turned his attention to Jack.

"Jack? Go to the principal's office please."

"OK." Jack sullenly answered.

Paul watched him slowly get up and look at him with so much confusion in his eyes.

But Paul just nodded, a little smile on his face, as if to say that everything would be alright. Burt suddenly couldn't look at them. Jack left.

As the club went on, Paul noticed that Jack had left his photography bag on his desk.

Paul grabbed it, placing it on his desk.

And that's when Paul remembered that Jack had those male photos in his bag.

He didn't want them to be found. So, despite paying attention to Mr. Hammet, Paul quickly searched for the photos, so he could place them in his bag.

The photos were gone.

Paul was scared.

He looked around the room as if the students or walls or anybody had an idea of where they were.

And when his eyes fell on Burt, he saw Burt turn away, an enormous look of guilt or something in his eyes. Paul turned back and frantically searched Jack's bag.

They were gone.

Paul sighed. Burt suddenly left the room.

Minutes passed.

Soon, ten minutes passed.

And then fifteen.

Jack hadn't returned, but Burt did.

And as soon as the boy came into the room, he didn't take his eyes off Paul. He lumbered to his seat and plopped down, STILL staring at Paul. And then, Paul was astonished at what happened next.

Burt mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' and put his head down.

Confusion. Fear. Anger. More confusion.

It was hard to tell what Paul was feeling then.

Nobody seemed to notice the little conversation the two boys had. Paul barely paid attention to the Mr. Hammet.

Burt didn't either.

And then, the club was over for the day.

Paul turned to Burt to ask him questions but was unable to fulfill this task.

Burt shot up out of his seat and raced out the door. Paul's eyebrows just furrowed.

.

Paul hadn't seen or heard from Jack after that for quite a while.

He tried calling Jack's home phone number, but every time he asked to speak to Jack, the receiver simply hung up.

He desperately needed answers and there were none to give.

Hours passed. The sun set and no Jack. Paul ate dinner alone (as usual) and no Jack. He watched silly sitcoms on TV and no Jack. Confusion had turned into fear.

This wasn't Jack's behavior.

Finally, it was bedtime.

Thoughts raced a mile a minute as Paul drifted off to a disturbed sleep.

An hour passed.

Maybe two.

Paul didn't quite know. All he knew was that a sound was interrupting his sleep.

It was a sharp sound and seemed to repeat every five seconds or so. It was coming from his bedroom window, which faced the front of the house.

Crack!

It happened again!

Finally, Paul got up and opened his window.

What he saw before him both relieved and terrified him.

Below the window stood Jack Hampton in a state of sheer terror and anxiety. He'd never seen Jack this way before.

"Finally!"

Jack all but screamed.

"Jack!" Paul nervously said.

"What's wrong?"

Jack panted a few times, looking around him very anxiously.

"I n-need t-to t-t-t-talk to you!"

Paul immediately started crying, seeing the incredibly scared boy below his window.

"Jack! Please! Tell me! What's-"

"MY PARENTS!" Jack yelled.

"They're INSANE! Please Paul! Help me! Help me! Hellllp meeeee!"

"JACK!"

Paul screamed.

"What's happened?!"

And then they heard and saw it.

The obvious sounds of a police car, sirens blaring and cherries blooming. And that's when Paul heard the most terrifying, nightmare-inducing sound of his life – Jack screamed. It was an animalistic, prey-like, terrified scream.

A scream of one being chased by a predator that there was no escape from.

"Jack!"

Paul yelled.

"What's going-"

And before he could finish his question, Jack took off, running his Fly-like speed around the house.

Paul watched him run, just as he heard in the near distance, "Get back here, Hampton!"

A police officer was chasing him around the yard and gaining on him. Paul didn't know what to do.

He quickly put on any clothes and shoes he could find.

Soon, he raced down the stairs and out the front door to witness what would become the scene that would replay over and over in his mind for over thirty years.

Jack was being dragged to the police car!

"Paul!" Jack screamed, as his body was horrifyingly close to the car.

"Paul!"

"Jack!"

And right when his head was being forced into the back seat, Jack screamed "I LOVE YOU!"

Paul exploded in tears.

Jack was now firmly locked in the police car, the door slammed like a jail cell.

Jack's face was glued to the window, his hands pleadingly placed on either side of his head.

The two anguished boys stared at each other for just a moment. And then, the police car took off.

Neither boy didn't stop crying for quite a while.

Paul's mind was overloaded.

His day rushed, his feelings a whirlwind, and his legs gave way as he fell to his knees on his driveway.

The sounds and sights of the police car finally died away as Paul then collapsed.

.

Rumors. Rumors are unreliable, but powerful. The next few days passed blindly for Paul at McKinley High School. Jack hadn't been seen or heard from again. Paul abandoned the idea of calling his house – he didn't want to be hung up on anymore.

Days soon turned into weeks and the rumors, which had been strong at first, began to die down as teenage lives resumed without one Jack Hampton.

But Paul couldn't forget. He couldn't really function. He perfunctorily performed his class duties and his photography club collage. There was the unknown fact that he abandoned his questions for Burt Hummel.

Life drifted on in a listless way for Paul. Questions and rumors mixed with more questions and rumors until one day, one specific rumor suddenly erupted into the biggest one of them all.

Jack Hampton was dead.

"No way…" Paul muttered, as he stood like a statue in the middle of the hall. Burt walked by and couldn't look him in the eye.

.

He hadn't been there in months. It was still the typical, suburban house in the Lima area. Ugly paneling, black shutters, garage doors closed, as if to say nobody is welcome. Closed, brown curtains adorned all the front windows as Paul walked up the front porch of the Hampton house. He didn't even get a chance to knock on the front door before it was being rushed open.

There stood Mrs. Hampton, furious and flustered, staring at Paul. He couldn't help but have a little twinge of fear.

"Yes?" Mrs. Hampton asked, in a very unfriendly way.

"Umm, Mrs. Hampton?" Paul timidly asked. "I'm Paul-"

"I know who you are." she sneered. "And you're not welcome here."

She was about to shut the door when all of the pent up emotions that piled for weeks couldn't be held back. He angrily held the door open just as Mrs. Hampton whirled back around, bewildered that someone would dare oppose her.

"Please!" Paul pleaded. "What happened to him?"

She took a moment to eye him up and down. Her cold, hateful eyes blazed through him.

"He was at a relative's house and got in an accident." She coolly replied. "He's dead. Now, IF you don't mind, we're in mourn-"

"But," Paul pleadingly interrupted, "what happened?"

Again, she eyed him up and down and a vicious shiver went through Paul. She didn't answer. Paul swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Where is the funeral?" Paul gently asked.

And then, all of the fury of Mrs. Hampton came alive. She forced Paul's hand away from the door, wiping her own hand on her brown blouse as if she was infected or something.

"There is no way in hell you're going to my son's funeral, you sinner!"

Mrs. Hampton slammed the door. Paul just stood there. And Jack was gone.

.

A day passed.

Paul was in slow motion.

Had he been more energetic, he would've looked for an obituary in the local newspaper.

Since there was no funeral, he didn't know where Jack was buried.

And he didn't even consider a death certificate.

All Paul Karofsky knew was that the love of his life was dead.

Gone.

Away. Unreachable. Untouchable…

Sleep didn't help.

Food didn't either.

Paul had no idea how much time passed since he found out Jack was dead.

It's funny the things you think about when a loved one is dead.

Paul found he missed that goofy smile, the silly Ticklefest, #27 The Fly…his gentle caress, his passionate kisses, his beautiful body…

Paul gently closed his locker and moved in slow motion that day at school.

Jock bullies ignored him for the time being and everyone seemed to be distant in some way.

Paul's vision always seemed cloudy which was unusual for a photographer.

Speaking of photography, he didn't quit the club.

He briefly considered it but decided against it.

He knew what he had to do.

Paul Karofsky changed his collage to honor teen deaths. In the middle of club one day, Paul felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

He slowly looked up into the eyes of Burt Hummel.

Neither boy said anything as they looked at each other.

Nearly half a minute passed before Burt finally removed his hand and went back to his desk. Paul watched the slow-moving boy flop down in his seat, head bowed.

Neither boy thought much of what just happened. Paul couldn't care. Burt cared too much.

Weeks passed.

Paul never returned to another football game.

He stuck it out in photography club, getting high praise for his teen death awareness message.

Jack's football picture and photograph from the local newspaper were the only photos he used in the collage.

Of course, Paul kept the two most important photographs of Jack Hampton and Paul Karofsky to himself.

Those photos were HIS. They were NOT to be shared.

After a month passed, Paul was slammed into a locker by an enormous jock.

Burt came to his defense.

Paul was never locker-checked again.

Memories like these seared his mind as the school year finally came to a close.

There would be more memories of high school, but nothing as poignant as his relationship with Jack.

Paul never did solidify any real friends in high school.

Burt didn't bully him anymore.

And as if in a dream, 1984 soon came to a close.

Paul was alone.

But Jack was not forgotten.

AN: THANK U GUYS AGAIN. ;) -ILOVESMESOMEGLEE