A/N: Posting way, way early because I won't be home tonight. Still on chapter 39…this could get very interesting. Anyways, hope you enjoy!
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Never had Jeremy wished the ability to disappear quite as ferociously as he did at that moment. Half of Mrs. Lockwood's face was bathed in shadow but he could still see the 'O' of surprise her mouth made. He had the ridiculous urge to cover his chest with his hands.
"Mom?" Tyler choked out, "Uhm-what are you doing up?" She turned away then, bringing a hand to her eyes.
"I came to check on you actually. I-I didn't know you had someone with you. I'm sorry but I would like to talk to you downstairs as soon as you are presentable." It was then that Jeremy actually wanted to die. "Your…friend too." 'No, now, right now' he decided rashly. Jeremy shot a horrified glance to Tyler as she walked away.
"God, Ty, I'm so sorry," he muttered, barely keeping a grip on himself.
"Just get dressed." Tyler fastened his pants with shaking hands. It was all too clear that he was on edge as well.
"What's going to happen Tyler?" He yanked on his shirt as he asked, straightening it before looking back at Tyler. Tyler just shook his head slowly.
"I don't know," he admitted very quietly. Jeremy took his hand as soon as he was on his feet, wanting to offer whatever comfort he could. "I'm scared Jer." Jeremy pulled him into a hug.
"It's going to be okay. I'm sure." If it wasn't, Tyler could always stay with him for a little while. He didn't say the words aloud though. Tyler pulled out of the hug and set his shoulders before leaving the room. Walking down the stairs Jeremy couldn't help but think that they were about to face a firing squad. Then again, he didn't know Tyler's mother well at all. For all he knew, they were.
Walking into one of the many rooms on the first floor, the one with the lamp on as it happened; they saw her with a drink in her hand. She held a hand to her forehead again, pacing restlessly.
"Mom," Tyler murmured.
"Just, just sit there," she said, half pointing to a couch. Tyler went, ducking his shoulders as if he could make himself disappear. Jeremy followed suit almost exactly. Mrs. Lockwood turned to face them before closing her eyes and taking a gulp of her drink. "How long," she finally looked at them, "has this been going on?"
"Not long," Tyler asserted, "a few weeks."
"And you're…sleeping together?" she whispered. Tyler nodded once, jerkily.
"Were you going to tell me?"
"I wanted to Mom, I really did. It just- I just…I don't know. It all came out of nowhere."
"Tell me about it," she murmured, sinking into a chair as if she couldn't stand to hold herself up any longer.
"I'm sorry," Tyler said earnestly. Jeremy cringed. They were both in pain related to him. He still wanted to die.
"And I suppose I'll have to call your mother," she sighed, turning to Jeremy.
"She's-" his throat ran dry, "she's dead." Realization dawned on her face and she took another large sip before covering her mouth with a hand.
"I'm sorry. You're the Gilbert boy aren't you? Jeremy?" He nodded in affirmation. "Tyler told me about you…just not everything." Jeremy bit his lips to stop from smiling. He couldn't believe Tyler had told his mom about him.
"We haven't told anyone yet, not really." Jeremy figured that whoever found out on their own, was told by someone else, or was only told because they didn't want someone else to tell them didn't count. "We just, we didn't know what was happening and then we didn't know if it would last and now…well we still don't know exactly what to do. And for the record, I'm sorry too."
"It's serious?" she questioned softly, glancing between the two boys. They glanced to each other before nodding.
She sighed again and finished her drink, abandoning the glass on an end table. She crossed and uncrossed her legs, flipping the tie of her robe with two fingers as she tapped her chin.
"I have to admit, you've both blindsided me with this. With something that I have to say I never wanted to see. But I suppose telling you not to see him would do no good?" She glanced at Tyler and he nodded, clenching his hands on his knees. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked him. After a moment Tyler shrugged.
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I can't help it. I love him."
The declaration shocked Jeremy. They'd said the words to each other and Jeremy had told Elena, but that had been desperate. Though he supposed that in a way this was too. Mrs. Lockwood rubbed her hands over her face.
"I don't know how to do this. What do parents normally do when their children are running around like this?"
"I don't know any better than you do Mom," Tyler said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.
"I suppose a curfew. Grounded for two weeks? Does that sound adequate?" Jeremy watched as Tyler's jaw dropped slightly.
"Mrs. Lockwood, please forgive me," Jeremy jumped in before he could stop himself, "but we'd planned a camping trip in just a few days time. The Salvatore brothers are going too." He was completely pulling this out of his ass, but Tyler couldn't be grounded over the full moon.
"Could we move the punishment to then?" Tyler asked, jumping on board, "I could do extra chores around the house too?" She laughed slightly.
"When have you ever done chores?"
"It would be worth it. Please Mom."
"All of my parenting instincts are screaming at me…but I suppose it wouldn't hurt. You could use a few days out of town, since the cruise didn't go well. But as soon as you come back you are on lockdown young man." Tyler nearly jumped off the couch, hugging her quickly.
"Thanks Mom."
"For the rest of the night Jeremy can stay in a spare room. When he goes home tomorrow you and I will talk again. For now I'm going to bed." She rose without another word, pressed a kiss to Tyler's cheek, and left the room. Jeremy let his head fall into his hands, exhaling harshly. After a moment, Tyler sank onto the couch next to him.
"I thought my heart was going to explode." Jeremy leaned against him.
"Honestly, that went better than I expected."
Jeremy joined their hands and Tyler twined their fingers together.
"What's gonna happen tomorrow?"
"Can we just face that tomorrow?" Tyler questioned softly.
"Okay," Jeremy sighed. "So long as you're with me."
"Of course." Jeremy let his eyes slide closed.
"You should sleep," Tyler murmured somewhere from the blackness.
"I don't want to yet," Jeremy said, opening his eyes a crack to look at Tyler, "don't want to be away from you." Jeremy couldn't explain the need clutching at him. Maybe because tonight had drawn them impossibly closer and he wasn't ready to let go yet. He took a slight breath before climbing into Tyler's lap and curling there. Tyler wrapped his arms around him, pulling him flush against his chest. They didn't say anything. Jeremy's fingertips reached out to brush against the gray of Tyler's shirt. There was nothing sexual about it. He just needed it. His fist curled in the t-shirt at the thought, creating dark canyons in the fabric. They stayed like that for hours. When the sun painted the room a lighter shade, Jeremy finally closed his eyes.
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