November 2005…

Jack stood outside of Jerry's house, leaning against the wall, unable to go inside and be with the rest of his brothers. He hated how everyone was going about, happy and smiling while they were all joined to mourn Evelyn. He felt sick to his stomach every time the realization that she was no longer going to be there for him hit him. He brought the cigarette in his hand up to his lips and inhaled the smoke deeply, letting the warmth of it take him over.

Daniela and Amelia ran past their uncle, giggling softly as their clothed dog chased behind them. Jack smiled at them, they had an innocence that wouldn't let them understand the harshness and cruelty that this world was filled with. He wished that they could have that forever. He wished that he could have ever had it. He felt a hand press down on his shoulder with strength and compassion and turned around to face his eldest brother.

"You okay?" Bobby asked.

"Would you please stop asking me that?" Jack muttered, throwing his cigarette to the ground and stamping it out with his foot. "I'll be fine."

"It's just you were closer to Ma than…"

"I need to get out of here," he said. He pushed himself away from the wall and started to head away but felt Bobby following behind him. "What?"

"Where you going?"

"Away."

"Where away?"

"I want to visit ma, okay?" He turned to face Bobby, looking him straight in the eyes, then looked away. "I need to visit her."

"Me and Jerry'll go with ya," Bobby said.

Before Jack could object Bobby called out to Jeremiah and the three of they were heading towards their cars, Jeremiah took his own so that he wouldn't have to worry about someone driving him home. Jack slipped into the backseat of Bobby's car. It was the safest bet, even if he was a horrible driver. If Jack had driven with Jeremiah, there would be numerous attempts to get him to talk to his brother, to open up. With Bobby, however, sitting in the back of the car meant there was practically a wall between the two of them and there would be no talking of any kind.

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Isabelle walked over to the grave, her eyes watering hopelessly. She knelt down in front of it, the dirt still fresh with only a light layer of pure white show covering the brown, frozen earth. She placed her hand over the engraving, letting her fingers trace letters which formed the surname 'Mercer.' Pulling her hand away from the tombstone she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the cold. She felt this sense of being watched and immediately after it felt someone draping something over her shoulders.

Standing up quickly, the jacket that had been placed over her fell to the snow covered ground. She turned to face who was behind and was surprised at the sight. The only person she ever knew but never knew stood there. His eyes, too, were filled with tears, a cigarette hung carelessly out of his mouth and he was jacketless, a scarf was the only thing on him that gave any indication that it was cold outside.

"You looked cold," Jack said, the cigarette somehow staying in between his lips as he spoke.

Isabelle took a moment to take in the sight of him. His hair had darkened and his faced looked pale and gaunt. He had filled out slightly, but there was something about the way he held himself that made it seem like he was unaware of the changes. His eyes were the only thing that had not changed. Still those same blue pools that made expressed his innocence and understanding, slightly jaded by the world but still pure.

"I'm okay," Isabelle replied. She picked up the leather jacket and handed it back to Jack, unable to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry for what happened."

"Thank you for your condolences," he said, coldly. "It's nice to know you could make it back here. Even if it was late."

"I made a decision not to show up to the funeral for your family's sake, I didn't want to cause a disruption."

"She was practically your mother and you didn't show up 'cause you were afraid to face me. Very classy, Belle."

"I came back here to honor the woman who practically saved my life, I didn't come back here to fight with you, Jack. So leave it be."

Isabelle turned away from him and went to walk out of the graveyard when she felt someone grab onto her arm. She turned towards him, ready to pull away but he caught her off guard. As she turned towards him, he pulled her closer to him, throwing his cigarette to the ground and pressing his lips against hers. Jack pressed his hand into the small of her back, holding her as close as he could. She didn't resist at first but after a moment, she pushed him away violently, breathing heavily. She slapped him angrily and took a step back.

Jack stood on the stage of some dirty night club, glaring down at Isabelle. It had been a year since the two of them had broken up, but she had been told by Bobby that he was playing a club in her town. She went alone to see him perform, secretly just wanting to see him. He looked a mess, ripped clothes and hair worse than when he was a teenager. His skin was pale and unhealthy, he was too skinny for his height. His bones stuck out anywhere visible. It was the life of the single, poor rock star that he had wanted for so long.

After a couple of songs, Jack turned back towards his band. He whispered something to them and then turned back around to the crowd. His eyes focused on Isabelle and he smirked deviously. He pressed his lips to the microphone, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. The small, but loyal, crowd cheered as Jack began to sing.

"Is it still me that makes you sweat/Am I who you think about in bed/When the lights are dim and your hands are shaking as you're sliding off your dress/Then think of what you did/And how I hope to God he was worth it./When the lights are dim and your heart is racing as your fingers touch your skin./I've got more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better fuck/Than any boy you'll ever meet, sweetie you had me/ Girl I was it look past the sweat, a better love deserving of/Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat/ No, no, no you know it will always just be, me…"

Isabelle felt the pain that he wanted her to feel. He wanted to hurt her, took pleasure in it. He wasn't the same Jack she had known. That Jack was gone forever. She wrapped her arms around herself, leaving the dingy club and all her leftover feelings for Jack behind.

Isabelle snapped back to reality. She glared at Jack, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the cold from the weather and from the memory. She wanted to feel like she used to with him. She wanted the safety and warmth that he once gave her, but all signs of the Jack she loved had vanished.

"I am tired of this revenge you're trying to get on me. This was a most inappropriate time," she said.

"It wasn't about revenge," Jack said, holding onto her arm. "I didn't kiss you to get back at you. I did it because…"

Jack at Isabelle's eyes, he knew he couldn't explain it to her. How could he tell her that when he saw her all of his feelings for her came back to him? He wanted all the nights of endless one night stands and guilt to fade away as he broke down and told her, knowing she was the only person who truly understood him. He wanted to be seventeen again and lying in his bed with her beside him their limbs intertwined as they talked about their pasts or their future, but never doubting that they would always be a they. Always tied to one another.

It was too late, he decided. He turned off his emotions, which had become second nature to him again over the past few years, and continued.

"...I thought I could at least get a pity fuck," he lied, his voice harsh.

"When did you get so cold?" she asked, more disappointed than mad. "You didn't used to be like this, I could never have cared so much about you if you had been."

"People change," he replied, bitterly. He pulled out another cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag. "You used to love me."

"I do…Did love you."

"So much that you left me?"

"It was my family."

"I thought I was, too. I thought they were," Jack said, pointing towards his brothers who were hanging out around Bobby and Jerry's cars. "I thought she was." He pointed towards Evelyn's grave.

"You were, you all were, but in a different way, Jack," she said, pleading for him to understand.

"In the way that it doesn't matter if you stayed or left?"

"If I remember correctly, you broke up with me."

"So letting that Ian guy paw you the night we broke up."

"We were dancing."

"It doesn't matter, he was all over you. Then sleeping with him weeks later. Getting over me so easily that you dated Gavin so soon."

"Two months, Jack. It took two months for me to believe that Gavin actually wanted to date me after the incident with…You know what, I don't have to apologize to you." Isabelle shook her head softly, bringing a gloved hand up to her face and wiping away the tears sliding down her cheeks. "I am so glad she can't hear us now, Jack," Isabelle said, referring to Evelyn. "She would be so disappointed in the both of us. Fighting over something neither one of us had any control over."

"You had control over screwing Ian," Jack replied, his excuse for so long.

"After we broke up, Jack," she said. She pressed her hand against his cheek, running her thumb along his cheek where she had hit him. "You only used that as an excuse. Besides, didn't you cheat on me a week into our relationship? You're a hypocritical bastard."

Despite the harsh words that escaped her lips she was so gently in the way that she said them. She rested her hand on his face and looked away as she pulled her hand from his cheek. She took a step closer to him and stood on her tip toes, kissing his cheek innocently.

"I should get going, I told Jane I would be home in an hour. She's going to be late for the night shift if I don't."

"Before you go, can I ask you something?" Jack questioned.

"Sure."

"Are you still dating Gavin?"

"No." She shook her head softly, looking down at the snow. She started to remove her glove and held her left hand up to him. "We're engaged."

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A/N: I know that it's short, but I needed to set something up to start the beginning of it. Also, need a bit of help with something coming up in the story. I kind of want someone's opinion on whether or not it is coming out well. If you want to help, there's a HUGE spoiler in it, and can keep a secret please IM, Email, or PM me. Thank You.
The song Jack sings is called "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" by Panic! At the Disco.

Thank You:
bigamericanflirt (Aw, thank you! Just keep reading to see what happens between the two of them...Might be something, ahem, interesting...lol.)
brandy2009 (I'm glad you are loving the story! Makes me smile that people like and want me to add more!)
Cheetah girl 15
EbonyRose02 (Yep, Jack was an idiot. No need to apologize for not reviewing the past few chapters at least you are still reading!)
i run with scissors
jsweetie79
Shining Star of Valinor (Yeah, I know I totally overused the "f" word in that last chapter, but it's totally my favorite curse word when I fight with people! lol. As for the F bomb thing in your class, that is so something I would do! Luckily, I never took physics. As for Gavin being kicked in the nads, well, he's supposed to be the nice guy. And post soon!)

Please Review and you'll get a nice little thank you like these ones of your very own!

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