Author's Note

I am sorry this is not a chapter, I just had to write this.

At the moment, I can not continue Our Time To Shine, because of my upcoming exams and secondly, because of a personal situation that I have only just been made aware of. Which means that I do not feel that it is right, at this moment in time to continue the story.

I am sorry, because I feel like I am letting you down and I am letting you down, and myself down by not continuing.

I will try and continue it at some point, but we may be talking a matter of months, so I apologise.

In the meanwhile, be happy, be strong and remember that I love you, my readers.

Thank you Cookie05, Candy-Apple14, Camogirl14 and C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for supporting for so long.

Hopefully we will meet again,

Wall With A Fez AKA Rachel xxx

20/04/2015

Chapter 51

Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing

Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing

Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing

Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing

Thank you Thatcreepygirl for adding this story to favourites

All your reviews were really sweet, and I am glad that you are all enjoying this story so much.

Ok, so I am back only two months later, I have done 20 of my exams, only 4 to go.

I hope you are still interested in this story, because I am. I have been thinking about it a lot, and now I am in a position where I feel that I can carry on with this story.

So I will do, hope you enjoy xxx

Previously in the story it was Jemima's birthday.

"What is up with you losers and parties?" Jack snapped,

"celebrating momentary happiness, because life is shit," Jemima replied,

"cheer up," Tyler commented, picking up on her bad mood, "it's a party not a funeral."

Jemima didn't laugh, like he had intended, instead the girl grabbed him and pushed him on to the sofa.

"Whoa, crazy bitch in the room," Jack commented, before clutching his cheek, staring at the Welsh girl who had slapped him. "What is ya fucking problem!" he yelled at her, shoving her backwards, and in response she spun round and shoved her elbow into his stomach.

"Mike!" Tyler yelled, in the midst of what had quickly become a fight between Jack and Jem: Jack pushed her into sofa, before grabbing her hair, while Jemima bit his arm and pushed him to the ground. He kicked her and causing her to fall over. Within seconds they were both on their feet, circling each other like lions.

Jack struck first, and Jem ducked, before using his lack of defence to ram into him; she caught him off guard, and he stumbled backgrounds before hitting out and striking her face. She was in shock for a moment, before punching him square in the face and he crashed into the table, knocking the glasses.

Jemima's attention faded from the fight, instead she was transfixed by the falling glass that smashed upon the ground. She watched the shards of glass fly, the sense of helplessness pinning her to the spot. She didn't notice her surroundings till Jack kicked her legs, causing her to collapse to the ground only millimetres from the broken glass.

It was around this point that Mike ran in, "what happened here?!" he yelled, Jemima said nothing; having barely noticed his presence. "Jack? Tyler? Jemima?"

"That bitch attacked me," Jack commented,

"do not call..." Mike started,

"ok," he snarled back, "that Welsh harpy attacked me."

"Me too," Tyler added,

"Jemima," Mike said, "Jemima," he repeated. "Jack, get Gina,"

"but I am injured!"

"get Gina, then wait in the Office," Mike replied, tone authoritative, before turning his attention to Jemima. "Jemima, can you hear me?"

"I'm not deaf," she told him, her dazed state starting to fade. Mike offered her a hand, which she refused and they made their way to the office.

"Why did no one invite me to the massacre?" Bailey commented, as he walked past them,

"probably cos I would have crushed you," Jem snapped, voice cracked.

"Mike, what's going on..." Gina started, upon seeing Jemima's bloodied face and arms.

"There was a fight," he explained, "I'll deal with Jack," he told her, leaving Jemima with her.

"Come on babes," Gina said, "we'll get you patched up."

Xxx

"Rick," Erin said sticking her head round his door,

"don't look," he replied immediately,

"um why..."

"it's a surprise," he snapped, shoving everything he had been doing under his bed. "Ok, you can come in now."

Erin walked in, "what were you doing?" she asked,

"it's a surprise," he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"So Valentines Day Party," Erin started grinning at her boyfriend, "do you want to come with me?"

"Sorry, I'm going with Tyler," Rick joked, while Erin gave a look of mock-horror.

"Well, I'll just go with..." Erin paused, for dramatic effect, "Arietta. Never needed you anyway Rick."

"Of course I'll go with you Miss Walker; it will be a honour," he told her,

"no, no, no," she replied, looking away, "you can go with Tyler, I will be perfectly happy with Arietta. Actually I will be happier," she corrected.

"Your words wound me," he declared, pressing his hands to his chest, wounded look on his face.

"Get Tyler to kiss you better," she shot back, grinning.

"I would much rather kiss you," he replied,
"well I would rather..." she paused, wrinkling her nose at the thought of kissing Ari, "yeah..." she admitted, "I would rather kiss you."

"So is that a yes?" Rick questioned,

"yes," Erin replied, nodding.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, Erin leaning against Rick, while he stroked her hair.

"What were you doing?" Erin tried again, he looked away, blushing slightly. "Rick..."

"I write letters to the baby," he admitted, ducking his head, so not to see Erin's reaction.

"You are going to be a great Dad," she commented,

"really?" Rick asked, looking up at her,

"yes."

Xxx

Jemima had been patched up, and after a lecture from Mike, where he had docked her monthly allowance (not that she really cared, it was a meagre amount, and Melanie was incredibly generous so she wouldn't be missing very it much – especially since 96% of it went straight into her savings account). He had then proceeded to make a comment about how she would have some lovely bruises for tomorrow's party, and then he set her extra chores;

Something that did bother Jemima Anderson.

Especially when it clashed so horrifically with her schedule.

The first task she had been set was washing; a task so historically, and stereotypically feminine, that even the idea of it made her feel slightly nauseous.

It was when she was hanging up the washing that Jack approached her; his cheek a little on the red side, Jemima was still debating whether that was because of her slap, her punch or the ice pack, when he spoke.

"You're meant to apologise to me," he snapped, crossing his arms, as if he was an indignant toddler rather than a teenager.

"Why?" Jemima questioned, "I was right."

"No, you were out of – fucking – order," he spat but he was cut off just before he could be finished, by a notebook being shoved in his face. It was not Jemima's usual notebook, but a smaller one, containing a different kind of information; case studies... almost.

Jack paled, his eyes wider than usual. "How...?" he stuttered,

"research," she told him, taking the notebook off of him.

"What..."

"nothing," she replied, putting it in her pocket.

"I didn't finish,"

"you were going to ask what I was going to do with the information," she stated, he nodded dumbly, "and the answer is nothing. I am not going to give it out to anyone else, nor sell it on to a third party, or use it for malicious intent."

"So you are not gonna tell anyone about the... thing," he asked,

"no I'm not."

"But... why?"

"I crave information," she told him simply, "which means, for you, your secret will remain buried," she paused, "just like my past."

"What's so bad about your past?" Jack asked,

"it will remain buried," she told him calmly.

"Is that why you attacked me earlier?"

"What?! Childhood trauma!" She snapped, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"I could understand that," he replied, tone deep and humourless.

"Not surprising when you consider what parents and society are like..." Jemima trailed off, noticing Johnny standing on the patio watching them, then noticing her own surprise that she had been so unobservant. "Finish hanging up the washing," she commanded,

"but it's your punishment!"

"Well I delegate it to you, feel privileged," she shouted over her shoulder, as she made her way across the lawn to Johnny.

"So you are now best friends with the guy you punched in the face," Johnny commented,

"nope, I just showed him a piece of my mind," she replied.

"The expression is: gave a piece of your mind," Johnny said, picking up upon her apparent mistake.

"Yes, I know. However, I believe that term is misleading. The adjective "give, giving, gave" implies that I provided him with something that was not returned, so I would have lost a piece of my mind. Instead I showed him a piece of my mind, and instead of losing anything, I gained."

When she stopped she noticed that Johnny was doing his face that looked halfway between impressed, constipated and amused. "You don't need to analyse everything."

"Yes I do."

Johnny snorted slightly, and Jem sat down on the bench next to him, before falling into an easy silence.

"You know Tee's annoyed at you for turning on Tyler," Johnny commented,

"I did not know, however I did suspect it from Tee's passive-aggressive behaviour, and from previous research."

"Stalker,"

"intense researcher," she corrected.

"I know it's all soppy and stupid," Johnny started, a moment later, turning to face her, "but do you want to go to the Valentines party with me?"

"I don't want to go to the party," she told him, voice slow, "but if I was going to go then you would be my first choice for company."

"Why don't you want to..." Johnny trailed off, before realisation smothered his features. "Two days after your birthday."

"You're getting observant," she commented, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Sorry," he apologised, "I forgot."

"It's ok," she replied, almost immediately, "you're only human. I wasn't expecting to you to remember that tomorrow is five years since the day my Mum died."

"Is there anything you would want to do instead?" Johnny asked, "like visit a certain place?"

"I would say visit her grave, but Cardiff is approximately 320 miles away," she commented.

"Ari and Sam went to London before Christmas," he pointed out.

"That is less than 300 miles away..."
"still... and Erin and Rick went to that place beginning with L, before you arrived."

"Lymington, which is about 350 miles away, but they didn't ask permission. They just went missing," Jem pointed out.

"Ok, so Cardiff isn't an option then,"

"no it isn't."

"Is there anything else?"

Jemima studied his face for moment, his desperation to please etched onto his features, along with an earnest expression. She smirked, and a second later laughed. Confusion filled his face.

"You're too cute!" She exclaimed,

"I'm not cute," he argued, pouting slightly, "and I was being serious."

"I know," she replied honestly, "and I'm grateful..." her facial expression shifted, her eyes hardened, and tone lowered to a serious note, "it's nice having someone who will look out for me," she told him.

"Oi! Why am I doing ya fuckin chores!?" Jack yelled from across the garden, smashing the moment like a watch with a sledgehammer. Jem sighed, getting to her feet and making her way over to the washing line, while Jack strode off in the other direction.

"You know you were asking if there was anything else," Jem called back to Johnny,

"no chance," he yelled back, walking off.

Xxx

"Will you go to the valentines day party with me?" Tyler asked, as they were playing pool.

"Yes," Robbie replied,

"I was asking Tee," the other boy replied,

"damn," he commented, shaking his fist with mock anger.

"Yes," Tee said, though still laughing at Robbie.

"So is it like a thing that people have to invite other people?" Robbie questioned,

"well you don't have to to, but most people do," Tee explained.

"So you two are going together, Sarietta Postbox are going together..."

"Sarietta Postbox?" Tyler questioned,

"Sam and Ari's ship name," Robbie stated, as if it was obvious (though it kind of was), "Erin and Rick, probably Johnny and Jemima."

Tee groaned at the mention of the Welsh girl, and Tyler nodded in agreement.

"Anyone else?"

"Bailey and himself," Tee stated, "since he is so in love with himself."

"No need to bring out the sass, Tee," Robbie warned jokingly.

"So the girls that are free would be Kitty or Faith," Tyler pointed out, "or Gina," he added.

"Yep, Gina, I'll go with Gina," he replied, laughing, and he looked up to see Jack, who was walking past and shot Robbie an odd look. Robbie raised his eyebrows in reply, smirking slightly.

"I think her husband might complain about that," Tyler told him,

"and I think it's illegal," Tee added.

Xxx

It was break time the next day when Sam managed to find Ari, who was staring blankly into space.

"Happy day-of-consumerist-crap-and-romanticised-clichés," Sam greeted, taking a seat next to her girlfriend.

"Hi," Ari was able to reply, what seemed hours later.

"If you want to talk abou..." Arietta shook her head, cutting her off. Standing up abruptly,

"I need..." she started, and Sam nodded, watching her girlfriend's retreating figure across the playground.

"Wait!" The blonde yelled, taking off after her girlfriend. Ari turned round to face Sam who responded by taking off her hoodie and handing it to Ari. "It's cold," she explained, "don't get cold."

Arietta smiled slightly, putting on the hoodie and watching as Sam headed back inside.

Xxx

There were many things that were associated with Jemima Anderson; being unobservant was not one of those things; in fact it was usually the complete opposite.

However today was not an ordinary day, and Jemima had forgotten to answer to the register. Had not paid any attention to the lessons, and hadn't even corrected teachers; or even talked, for that matter.

Instead she had sat quietly in her seat, writing in her notebook.

When teachers pulled her over at the end of class to ask what was wrong, she used the fewest number of words possible to explain that she was fine, and when the teachers tried to dig deeper, she clammed up and eventually they had given in, and just sent her on to her next lesson.

It was after school, when they arrived home that people started noticing.

"Jem, how am I meant to organise this?"

"Jem, who is sorting out the food?"

"Where are the decorations?"

People kept bombarding her with questions.

"Why do you keep asking me?" she finally snapped,

"cos you're the one organising it," Jody pointed out.

"No, I'm not."

"Why not?" Tee asked, crossing her arms.

"Because I don't want to," the Welsh girl replied,

"the whole world doesn't revolve around you," Tee snapped, reaching the end of the tether; after all Jemima's behaviour over the last few days had been really getting to her.

"I know, this planet does not revolve around me. It revolves around the sun, and I'm not stupid enough to believe that it revolves around some fictional being..."

"How about being a little less offensive, and a bit more accepting," Faith suggested.

"Ok Faith, you sort this party out, I'm having nothing to do with it."

And with that Jemima Anderson stormed upstairs to her bedroom.

"What's her problem?" Tyler questioned,

"it's not fair to expect her to organise every party," Johnny pointed out, "only two days ago she organised her own surprise party."

"But she likes organising parties," Mo said, "that's what she said."

"Well maybe she's just not in the mood for it," he replied.

"So... what's up with Welshie then?" Jack questioned, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl.

"I don't know," Johnny lied.

"Something from the past?" Jack guessed,

"he said he didn't know," Kitty pointed out.

"I think we should start getting everything ready," Faith suggested,

"yeah," Rick agreed.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"So who's doing what?"

Everyone remained silent.

"Well, I'm going to see Sam," Ari said, breaking the silence.

"How is that helpful?" Erin asked,

"I never said it was," she replied cheerfully.

Xxx

"Arietta!" Lynne exclaimed, as she opened the door,

"hi, is Sam in?"

"Yes, yes, come in," she gushed, letting Ari into the house.

"So are you two doing anything special for Valentine's Day?" Lynne questioned,

"well, we are having a dumping ground party..."

"another one," she interjected, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Ari nodded, "another one."

"Samantha," Lynne yelled up the stairs, "your girlfriend is here!"

There was silence for a moment, before feet thundering on the floor above, and down the stairs.

"Ari!" Sam exclaimed, grinning,

"I was just going to put the kettle on," Lynne said, she turned to Ari, "do you want a cup?"

"Yes please," Sam replied,

"I was asking Arietta, not you, because I already knew your answer; it's always yes!"

"Yes please," Ari replied smiling.

Sam's grandmother wandered off into the kitchen to make the tea, leaving Ari and Sam.

"Are you ok?" Sam questioned after a moment,

"I am now, I was just having a bad day," she paused, "I didn't get much sleep; kept having nightmares."

Sam grimaced, "what's the matter?" Ari asked.

"I just wish that you didn't have to..." she stopped, searching for a word, "wish you didn't have to relive the past."

"I had three panic attacks," Ari admitted, hanging her head slightly.

"It's not your fault,"

"but it's in my head," she snapped, frustration ringing through her voice, "if it's in my head why can't I control it?"

"Humans were not made to be able to control it," Sam told her softly, "we just have to live with it. Pull through. Strong like an Amazon."

Arietta smiled weakly, "you do know you can call me any time?" Sam asked,

"even..." Ari started,

"even three in the morning," the blonde finished, blue eyes serious.

There was silence for a moment, Ari clutching Sam's hands, as if afraid to let go.

A couple of moments later the grip lessened, and the dark cloud had passed from Ari's face.

"So, I brought your hoodie back," she started, smiling.

"I have a feeling this is going somewhere..." Sam replied, Ari just laughed,

"and I thought,"

"never a good sign," the blonde interjected, and then squeaking in protest when Ari's bony elbow collided with her ribs.

"Samantha Carter, can you let me finish?" She questioned, hands on her hips,

"no."

"Stop it," she warned playfully,

"nope."

"What is my granddaughter doing?" Lynne shouted from the kitchen,

"just being annoying," Ari replied,

"just like normal then," she shot back.

"Rude!" Sam exclaimed, "I am delightful."

Ari raised her eyebrows in disbelief,

"you're just in denial," Sam replied.

"No dear, that's in Egypt," Ari stated, as she walked into the kitchen.

"Biscuit?" Lynne offered, pushing the tin under Ari's nose.

"Yes please," Sam said, taking the biscuit.

"Did no one teach you to be polite to guests?" Her Grandmother questioned,

"Ari's not a guest," Sam pointed out, "she's family."

"Yeah," Ari agreed as she took a biscuit, "I'm just a bit of a different colour from you lot."

Xxx

"So what was this idea that you were suggesting?" Sam asked, a cup of tea and three biscuits later.

"Well, you know there is a party at the dumping ground," Ari started,

"are we going?"

"yes," she told her, "but I was thinking that for fun we could swap clothes. Like, I could be all butch and you could be super femme."

"I could do your hair!" Lynne exclaimed, clapping her hands together, "and your makeup."

"That's a terrible idea," Sam replied, "you are not going near my hair, or face, with instruments of torture."

"Lip gloss has never killed anyone," Ari told her,

"well actually..." Sam went to correct her,

"don't go all Jemima on me," she replied, raising her finger, indicating that the blonde girl must remain silent.

"Ok," Sam groaned, "if you insist."

Xxx

Johnny knocked on Jemima's door, hoping that he could talk to her, see if she was ok.

"Cachau bant," she yelled from inside the room, Johnny opened the door.

"What?" He questioned,

"I think it was pretty self explanatory," she snapped,

"you shouted something at me," he told her,

"I... oh..." she paused, looking a bit sheepish, "did I say "Cachau bant"?"

"Yes," Johnny confirmed,

"right, that's Welsh," she explained.

"You know Welsh?" he asked, as he closed the door, and sat down next to her own the floor.

"Of course, I am Welsh," she pointed out.

"But I thought it was a dead language..."

"In 2011 19% of the Welsh population said that they could speak Welsh," Jemima quoted.

"How do you know it?" Johnny questioned,

"well my Mum grew up in Anglesey, which was and still is, the stronghold of the Welsh language. So when I was little she talked to me in both English and Welsh, so I learnt it that way. Then when I lived with Melanie she encouraged me to read Welsh literature, and I'm taking second language Welsh GCSE this year."

"You're taking a GCSE this year!" Johnny exclaimed, "you never mentioned that."

"Didn't I? Well it's hardly relevant, and I'm taking maths too, my school insisted," she told him, as if making a comment about the weather.

"You are unbelievable sometimes!"

"Is that a compliment?" Jemima questioned,

"I..." Johnny paused for a second, trying to work out whether it was a compliment or not, "don't know," he finished lamely.

Jem laughed slightly, while Johnny thought for a couple of moments.

"I know I asked yesterday, but is there anything that you want to do? Or I could do for you?" Johnny asked.

"Stop the cycle," she told him suddenly.

"What?"

"Tonight we are going out. I'll get the bleach, you need to get a bottle of water and a glass."

Xxx

"Ellen Page has just come out," Ari stated, as she scrolled through Twitter on her phone.

"Who?" Sam questioned, tearing her eyes away from her reflection.

"Some actress; cute, Canadian, a lesbian," she elaborated. She paused looking down at the remainder of the outfit that Sam had laid out for her, "Sam, how to you tie a tie?"

Sam pulled herself away from the mirror, and sat down on the bed next to Ari.

"Look at me," she commanded, Ari turned to face her and Sam passed the slip of fabric round her neck and tying it perfectly.

Within a second Arietta was admiring herself in the mirror, "I look so good," she declared, while Sam fiddled with the blanket on her bed, nervous about her own look.

"You just wanted an excuse to dress up in my clothes," Sam stated,

"you bet!" Ari exclaimed, pulling out her phone and starting to take selfies.

Sam snorted slightly, "you and your selfies," she said, finding herself smiling.

"You find it adorable," Ari reminded her, as she shifted her angle.

"Maybe," Sam admitted.

"Would you say I look more like a hipster or a lesbian?" The Chinese girl questioned, "I mean," she continued, without giving Sam an opportunity to reply, "the looks are very similar. Well... stereotypically anyway."

She paused slightly. "Lesbian or Hipster? I feel like that would be a great television show."

Sam just listened, happy to hear Ari ramble on about her mad ideas and schemes.

"Get over here," Arietta said a couple of minutes later, only about a second after finishing an incredibly one sided conversation with herself about the feeling of an exceptional key change.

"Why?" Sam asked cautiously,

"it's our first Valentine's day-of-consumerist-crap-and-romanticised-clichés and we should take pictures for posterity," Ari stated, Sam found herself surprised that her girlfriend had reminded her word for word definition.

"Plus," Ari added, "you look really cute today."

"I look cute everyday," Sam joked,

"true."

Xxx

Back at Elmtree House everything was a bit of a mess, well quite a lot of a mess actually.

Especially since no one had properly taken charge after Jemima had stepped down, meaning that nothing was really getting down right, or well, or at all. Causing people to get stressed/annoyed/bored. So it was a welcome relief when Sam and Ari turned up, and Sam suggested just ordering pizza, while Ari, with the help of Rick set up a music system and playlist.

Within half an hour their "party" was in full swing; they were sitting on the floor eating pizza, well apart from Johnny who was gathering up spare pieces of pizza, to take upstairs to Jem.

"It's going to be so weird not living here," Kitty commented, before freezing, the room silenced.

"What do you mean?" Erin questioned,

"I..." Kitty stuttered, "it doesn't matter."

"No," Erin replied, "it does."

There was silence for a moment, and Kitty sighed realising that she had to tell them.

"My brother is fostering me," she admitted,

"when?" Johnny asked, still standing in his original position, holding the pizza meant for Jemima.

"Wednesday,"
"this Wednesday?" Erin asked, the younger girl nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rick questioned,

"sorry," Kitty apologised, ducking her head to avoid their eyes.

"Why all the long faces?" Mike asked as he entered the room,

"I told them about me leaving," Kitty explained, Mike sighed slightly.

"Can you turn off the music?" he asked Ari, who kindly obliged. "Johnny, can you go get Jemima, and Jack can you get Gina."

The room was silent as the two boys left, the air still, the atmosphere solemn.

Within a minute Jack had reappeared with Gina, and Jemima was eating the pizza that Johnny had saved for her.

"Ok, so there are many things that we need to tell you," Mike started, looking to Gina who nodded encouragingly. "Firstly, as you know Kitty is being fostered by her brother. Secondly," he looked to Gina, "Gina will be leaving us."

Exclamations of "What?!" "No!" "How?" "Why?" Exploded throughout the room.

"Babes," Gina said, raising her hand, trying to hush the dumping ground kids, "I have had to take a job elsewhere as a head care worker, because otherwise I won't be able to afford to pay for my Mum's care."

Everyone sat in stunned silence (apart from Jemima who already knew, and was thoroughly enjoying the pizza that she was eating).

"Also..." Mike started,

"there's more!" Tee exclaimed,

"unfortunately," he replied nodding, "unfortunately we are being closed by the council, and the land is being turned into luxury flats but..." he silenced the kids before they could start talking, "we are all,"
"apart from Kitty and Gina," Jemima input,

"yes," he said nodding, "apart from them we are moving into a new house called Ashdene Ridge."

"Where is it?" Ari asked, looking panicked, gripping onto Sam's hand like it was her lifeline.

"Don't worry it's only about ten minutes in the car from here," Mike reassured them.

"What about school?" Faith asked, "we will still be going to St Mary's?"

"No," he told her,

"you can't be serious," she declared, getting unusually angry, "Mike I am doing my A-Levels, I can't move to a third school in less than a term!"

"St John's is being reopened," Mike explained.

"Mike," Sam started, "I know I don't live here any more, but... will I be moving back to St John's?"

"I believe you will be offered a place, and it is up to you and your grandparents to decide if you want to stay at St Mary's or go back."

"Going back definitely," Sam commented, squeezing her girlfriend's hand, who smiled back weakly.

"Are you done with the news now?" Tyler questioned,

"no, I am not," Mike replied,

"seriously!" He exclaimed,

"yes. We are obviously getting a new care worker, her name is May-Li and you will get to meet her before we move. Also we are getting a new girl, her name is Floss, and we were meant to be getting her before we left, however she is going to be moving into Ashdene Ridge at the same time as us."

"How old is Floss?" Mo asked,

"she is 7," Mike responded.

"Anything else ya got to say?" Jack wondered, "has the Queen quit."

"Abdicated," Jem corrected,

"all right Welshie," Jack replied, though his original nickname for her started to seem a little bit more affectionate than before, "has the Queen abdi-what-ed?"

"Not as far as I know," Mike told him, "and no, I don't have anything else to say. Just... enjoy the party."

Xxx

Johnny lay in bed, fully clothed, trainers at the foot of his bed and the bottle of water and glass on his table.

He couldn't feel a little bit nervous; Jemima had disclosed none of her plan to him and for all he knew he could have signed up for a high security mission to steal the crown jewels (though he liked to think Jemima had more originality and imagination than to carry out such a clichéd crime).

His window sliding open (though he was thoroughly sure that he had locked it) disturbed him from his thoughts, in the darkness he couldn't see Jem but he knew it was her.

"Have you got the water and the glass?" she hissed,

"yes," he whispered,

"give them here," she commanded and he quickly passed them to her, and she started to climb down. He then pulled on his shoes and followed the Welsh girl out of the window.

The two of them made their way through the shadows, and as they reached the main road they started running; Johnny following Jemima, because he had no clue where they were going.

It was only as they slowed down that Johnny heard that Jemima was talking, "...cross referencing the co-ordinates, to suitable areas in the nearby area which also held similar infrastructure was incredibly challenging. The amount of manipulation," she looked to Johnny, "of numbers," she added for clarification, "was to a point I have never reached before, but I eventually was able to track down a bearably suitable location."

"How far away is it?" Johnny questioned, deciding to ignore Jem's talk of maths.

"2.1 miles," she told him simply, "from the next lamppost."

"How can you be so exact?" He asked,

"practise," she admitted, voice small, almost sounding ashamed.

They walked for silence through the February night, and Johnny couldn't help but regret not dressing in warmer clothing. Jemima's pace was brisk and Johnny's regret started to fade, though he had a feeling that the regret would return the second he stopped walking.

"A housing estate?" Johnny questioned, stopping slightly for the first time in over twenty minutes.

"Yes," Jem replied, "I spent my first nine years of life on a council estate, and it was where my Mum died."

She continued walking, "though Byker is not quite Ely," she commented.

"Ely?" Johnny repeated,

"area in Western Cardiff," Jem explained, "that was where I grew up, well until Mum died and I got taken into care. Then I moved to a nicer area of Cardiff, well that's what my foster mum called it. She always spoke about Ely with such disdain," she paused, "much like the average Cardiffian to be honest. I always liked Ely, well I guess I was too young to dislike it, too young to know any different."

She stopped.

"This way," she told Johnny, leading him down a road, then another, then another. Then towards the blocks of flats, Jem led them towards a staircase and Johnny couldn't help but feel slightly worried; he had no idea what Jemima was planning and the fact they had brought water, bleach and a glass, wasn't putting him at ease.

After climbing a couple of flights of stairs Jemima brought them to a stop,
"Jem," Johnny started, she silenced him. He watched as she poured the bleach into the glass, before adding the water.

She paused for a second, and Johnny took a step back, and another.

Jemima took a deep breath, preparing herself then she raised the glass towards her lips.

Johnny was frozen, his brain trying to comprehend what was going on. What Jemima was doing. What Jemima was going to do.

The glass touched Jem's lips, and before she took a sip she threw the glass at the floor;

The glass smashed upon impact and the Welsh girl stared transfixed for a moment, then they heard voices drifting up from the stairs below and she snapped out of her trance.

Jem grabbed Johnny's hand and pulled him the next flight of stairs, then the next, then the next. She then pulled him into a halfway, and pretty much dragged him along its length to the stairs on the other side.

They then sprinted down the stairs, and out onto the streets below.

Where they almost immediately slowed to a walk.

"What was that?" Johnny panted,

"stopping the cycle," she explained, though her message which seemed almost cryptic to Johnny, didn't really help, "closure," she elaborated. "That was closure."

Johnny just nodded, "McDonalds!" Jem exclaimed, changing topic completely.

"Jem, it's the middle of the night it will be clo..." Johnny trailed off, as he noticed the banner in the window clearly indicating it was open 24 hours a day.

"Do you want a McFlurry?" she asked laughing,

"of course," he told her, as they made their way inside.

Xxx

"Ice cream... February... night... bad..." Johnny mumbled as they made their way up the drive to Elmtree.

"Nearly there," Jemima told him, not seemingly to bothered by the fact that Johnny was resting almost his entire weight on her.

Miraculously Jemima managed to get Johnny into his bedroom without any broken bones, or waking anyone up.

Johnny fell straight into his bed, and was asleep before he even touched the mattress.

Jemima stood there for a moment, thinking about the events of the night, thinking about how Johnny had agreed to help her unconditionally without any explanation about what they were going to do;

He trusted her.

"Thank you," she whispered into the dark room, "thank you Johnny Taylor."

So that's the end of the chapter... finally.

I have been writing this chapter for over the last two weeks so I am so glad that it is finally done.

I will try and update soon, like within the next two weeks, because I am nearly done with my exams (only 4 to go!)

Anyway, if you have exams, hope they go well for you :)

Please review xxx