**.When the night has been to lonely / and the road has been too long / and
you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong. **
Two months later, the boys were still staying in Kylee's house, getting used to life in the future. They had officially learned the slang, pricing, technology, and everything like that within the first month. They seemed to be quick learners.
As those two months went by, Kylee and Jack became inseparable. Except when Kylee was with Caleb. Caleb demanded that she not hang out with Jack if he was there. He always wanted to be alone with her. Her relationship with Caleb seemed so empty, without any feelings. Yet she felt a need for him, she needed his presence.
Kylee and Caleb had just gotten to Kylee's house and were walking up the driveway, when Kylee started talking about the party her and Jack had gone to the previous night, since Caleb had had to work.
"You WHAT!?" Caleb exclaimed, grabbing Kylee's arm and stopping her dead in her tracks. "You went to a party with that guy?"
"Well, yeah. You had to work, and I didn't want to sit home alone that night, so me and Jack just went to Elias' party. Nothing happened, Caleb, if that's what you mean. Jack and I are just friends, you know that." Kylee said, her chest tightening with every word. She could see the anger on his face and she knew what was coming.
"You fucking bitch, don't fucking lie to me." He said through his teeth. He was livid. "You fucking whore, if he isn't out of your house by the time I come tonight, that asshole is dead."
"You can't tell me what to do with my house and my friends, Caleb." She said, her voice low and trembling. "You can't control me."
"You fucking bitch!" Caleb's fist connected with Kylee's right cheekbone as she fell to the ground.
She knew that was coming, It had happened too many times before. This time it was out in the open.
"I'm sorry, Cay." Kylee whispered through tears. "I'm sorry."
"You're fucking sorry," Caleb shot back. "You better be fucking sorry or I'll make you sorry."
Jack, who had been at the window at the time, happened to see the whole thing. The second Caleb hit Kylee, he was on his way outside to soak the bastard. This was something he should have seen coming; her occasional bruises-she didn't seem to know where she got them.and the cuts, the way she always degraded herself, the nights she'd wake up screaming and thrashing as if she were fighting someone off.he should have seen it.
"Caleb." Jack said as he approached the scene. Kylee was still on the ground, crying quietly. When she saw Jack her eyes widened in fear.
"Jack, no." She whispered. "Jack."
It was too late for her to do anything. Jack had already attacked Caleb, knocking him to the ground. He had soaked a countless number of guys that made him mad, but this one was something different. He'd never fought for love before. He couldn't stand knowing that Caleb was doing this to Kylee and Jack was just standing by and watching.
After a few minutes, Jack had proven to Caleb that Caleb wasn't as tough as he tried to act. Caleb was now lying on the ground, holding his stomach and whimpering like a baby.
At that moment, a police car drove by. The cop saw the scene and backed up into Kylee's driveway. He got out and looked over the situation: the crying girl sitting on the grass, nursing a black eye; the tall, Christian Bale look-alike standing above a young man, who was holding his stomach and glaring at the girl through teared-up eyes.
"What's going on here, kids?" The officer demanded.
"Kevin!" Kylee whispered.
"Kylee? You don't look the same.what's happened to you?" Officer Pals asked, rushing to Kylee, whose family had been a friend of his family's for a long time.
"Kevin.it's nothing big, don't worry about it. Thanks for your concern-"
Jack cut in. "-Offica, dis young man is abusin' Kylee.I saw'im punch'er, an' he was goin' at'ah again an' I ran out an' tried ta stop'im." Jack ran to Kylee now, helping her up.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
"Jack." She whispered. "Yes. No. I'm not okay, I need to be alone." She tore herself from his soft grip and ran into her house, to her room, locking the door behind her.
**
Tal, ya know.I really care fer ya. Ya can't keep doin' dis to ye'self.ya hafta let go, Tal." Blink said desperately, trying to knock some sense into her.
"Blink, you don't understand. I can't just 'let go,' it's not that easy.I needed him and he just.he left, then came back, then left again.I can't take it anymore.I can't let this happen again." Talia cried, breaking down into sobs. "All men are the same, I've learned my share of that." Blink instinctively took her into his arms and held her.
"Not all men are the same." He whispered defensively.
"Okay, so there's a select few that aren't like him. But they're not anywhere near here, are they?"
This last comment killed Blink. "Tal, da one dat isn't like'im is sittin' right in front'a ya. Ya just don't see it, Tal."
Talia looked up. "What are you saying, Blink?"
**.Just remember, in the winter / far beneath the bitter snow / lies the
seed, that with the sun's love / in the spring, becomes / The Rose.
"I'm tellin' ya.I love ya, Tal. I'm not like dem.I couldn't hoit ya if I wanted'a. And I'd neva wanna, anyways. For da last two months, Tal. All I's been doin' is t'inkin' about ya.wishin' you could see."
Against Talia's mind, which was screaming for her to run away, her heart compelled her to move closer to Blink, staring deeply into his eyes. He stopped talking when he saw the look in her eyes.
She accepted his kiss with every bit of strength she had left in her, and for at least the next few moments, let all her fears and doubts slip away.
**
Guessing that Kylee had retreated to her room a half an hour ago when she ran inside, Jack started for the second floor. As he drew closer, he knew she was there when he heard her choking sobs from down the hallway.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.
"Leave me alone!" She cried angrily. "You've done enough!"
"Kylee, open da door. I need ta talk to ya." he said flatly.
"Jack, god damn it." She whipped open the door, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"What do you want?"
"Kylee, don't you see?"
"See what?" She answered. "I see everything crystal clear."
Jack scoffed. "No ya don't, Kylee. What's he doin' to ya? Look at y'self!" He embraced Kylee, as she was now sobbing again. For a few seconds she collapsed into his arms.
Changing her mind, her fists found themselves pounding on Jack's chest and shoulders as her rage flew out. After a few shocked seconds, Jack grabbed her gently and held her back in his strong hold.
"Kylee." He whispered. "What has he done to you?"
"Jack." She whispered.
"He's been doin' dis all along, hasn't he?"
"I."
"Kylee, I saw it. I know he has. Kylee, ya can't stay wid'em, he'll kill ya if you make'im mad enough."
"But I need him, you don't understand!" She cried, dropping to the ground. "I can't lose him, I need him. He loves me. I just do the wrong things sometimes, he's just trying to keep me in line." She sobbed. "I need him."
Jack sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his russet-brown hair. "Kylee, ya know as well as I do dat love isn't supposed ta hoit. If'e really loved ya, he wouldn't lay a hand on ya." He said angrily, frustrated. He walked over to her and attempted to wipe away the tears streaming down her cheek. As he moved his hand, however, her eyes grew wide with fear and she drew back, gasping.
"Kylee." Jack said. "Kylee, I was gonna wipe tha tears on ye' face. Kylee, I'd neva hoit ya. I love you, Kylee. I'd neva lay a hand on ya."
Jack was as surprised as Kylee was at what had just come out of his mouth. Sure, he had meant it, but he didn't mean to tell her.
At that moment Kylee looked deep through his eyes and saw what she should have seen two months ago. She realized that she had seen it then but had refused to accept it. She understood what Jack had been trying to tell her about Caleb. She knew it had to end there. Yet she didn't feel as lost as she had a minute ago.
In all actuality, she felt found. Now safe in the arms of the one she loved, of the one who truly loved her. Who would treat her the way she'd never been treated-with respect, and most of all-with love.
"Now I know what brought me an' Blink heah." Jack whispered as he held Kylee tight, stroking her hair.
"What?"
"Love." They both smiled.
Two months later, the boys were still staying in Kylee's house, getting used to life in the future. They had officially learned the slang, pricing, technology, and everything like that within the first month. They seemed to be quick learners.
As those two months went by, Kylee and Jack became inseparable. Except when Kylee was with Caleb. Caleb demanded that she not hang out with Jack if he was there. He always wanted to be alone with her. Her relationship with Caleb seemed so empty, without any feelings. Yet she felt a need for him, she needed his presence.
Kylee and Caleb had just gotten to Kylee's house and were walking up the driveway, when Kylee started talking about the party her and Jack had gone to the previous night, since Caleb had had to work.
"You WHAT!?" Caleb exclaimed, grabbing Kylee's arm and stopping her dead in her tracks. "You went to a party with that guy?"
"Well, yeah. You had to work, and I didn't want to sit home alone that night, so me and Jack just went to Elias' party. Nothing happened, Caleb, if that's what you mean. Jack and I are just friends, you know that." Kylee said, her chest tightening with every word. She could see the anger on his face and she knew what was coming.
"You fucking bitch, don't fucking lie to me." He said through his teeth. He was livid. "You fucking whore, if he isn't out of your house by the time I come tonight, that asshole is dead."
"You can't tell me what to do with my house and my friends, Caleb." She said, her voice low and trembling. "You can't control me."
"You fucking bitch!" Caleb's fist connected with Kylee's right cheekbone as she fell to the ground.
She knew that was coming, It had happened too many times before. This time it was out in the open.
"I'm sorry, Cay." Kylee whispered through tears. "I'm sorry."
"You're fucking sorry," Caleb shot back. "You better be fucking sorry or I'll make you sorry."
Jack, who had been at the window at the time, happened to see the whole thing. The second Caleb hit Kylee, he was on his way outside to soak the bastard. This was something he should have seen coming; her occasional bruises-she didn't seem to know where she got them.and the cuts, the way she always degraded herself, the nights she'd wake up screaming and thrashing as if she were fighting someone off.he should have seen it.
"Caleb." Jack said as he approached the scene. Kylee was still on the ground, crying quietly. When she saw Jack her eyes widened in fear.
"Jack, no." She whispered. "Jack."
It was too late for her to do anything. Jack had already attacked Caleb, knocking him to the ground. He had soaked a countless number of guys that made him mad, but this one was something different. He'd never fought for love before. He couldn't stand knowing that Caleb was doing this to Kylee and Jack was just standing by and watching.
After a few minutes, Jack had proven to Caleb that Caleb wasn't as tough as he tried to act. Caleb was now lying on the ground, holding his stomach and whimpering like a baby.
At that moment, a police car drove by. The cop saw the scene and backed up into Kylee's driveway. He got out and looked over the situation: the crying girl sitting on the grass, nursing a black eye; the tall, Christian Bale look-alike standing above a young man, who was holding his stomach and glaring at the girl through teared-up eyes.
"What's going on here, kids?" The officer demanded.
"Kevin!" Kylee whispered.
"Kylee? You don't look the same.what's happened to you?" Officer Pals asked, rushing to Kylee, whose family had been a friend of his family's for a long time.
"Kevin.it's nothing big, don't worry about it. Thanks for your concern-"
Jack cut in. "-Offica, dis young man is abusin' Kylee.I saw'im punch'er, an' he was goin' at'ah again an' I ran out an' tried ta stop'im." Jack ran to Kylee now, helping her up.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
"Jack." She whispered. "Yes. No. I'm not okay, I need to be alone." She tore herself from his soft grip and ran into her house, to her room, locking the door behind her.
**
Tal, ya know.I really care fer ya. Ya can't keep doin' dis to ye'self.ya hafta let go, Tal." Blink said desperately, trying to knock some sense into her.
"Blink, you don't understand. I can't just 'let go,' it's not that easy.I needed him and he just.he left, then came back, then left again.I can't take it anymore.I can't let this happen again." Talia cried, breaking down into sobs. "All men are the same, I've learned my share of that." Blink instinctively took her into his arms and held her.
"Not all men are the same." He whispered defensively.
"Okay, so there's a select few that aren't like him. But they're not anywhere near here, are they?"
This last comment killed Blink. "Tal, da one dat isn't like'im is sittin' right in front'a ya. Ya just don't see it, Tal."
Talia looked up. "What are you saying, Blink?"
**.Just remember, in the winter / far beneath the bitter snow / lies the
seed, that with the sun's love / in the spring, becomes / The Rose.
"I'm tellin' ya.I love ya, Tal. I'm not like dem.I couldn't hoit ya if I wanted'a. And I'd neva wanna, anyways. For da last two months, Tal. All I's been doin' is t'inkin' about ya.wishin' you could see."
Against Talia's mind, which was screaming for her to run away, her heart compelled her to move closer to Blink, staring deeply into his eyes. He stopped talking when he saw the look in her eyes.
She accepted his kiss with every bit of strength she had left in her, and for at least the next few moments, let all her fears and doubts slip away.
**
Guessing that Kylee had retreated to her room a half an hour ago when she ran inside, Jack started for the second floor. As he drew closer, he knew she was there when he heard her choking sobs from down the hallway.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.
"Leave me alone!" She cried angrily. "You've done enough!"
"Kylee, open da door. I need ta talk to ya." he said flatly.
"Jack, god damn it." She whipped open the door, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"What do you want?"
"Kylee, don't you see?"
"See what?" She answered. "I see everything crystal clear."
Jack scoffed. "No ya don't, Kylee. What's he doin' to ya? Look at y'self!" He embraced Kylee, as she was now sobbing again. For a few seconds she collapsed into his arms.
Changing her mind, her fists found themselves pounding on Jack's chest and shoulders as her rage flew out. After a few shocked seconds, Jack grabbed her gently and held her back in his strong hold.
"Kylee." He whispered. "What has he done to you?"
"Jack." She whispered.
"He's been doin' dis all along, hasn't he?"
"I."
"Kylee, I saw it. I know he has. Kylee, ya can't stay wid'em, he'll kill ya if you make'im mad enough."
"But I need him, you don't understand!" She cried, dropping to the ground. "I can't lose him, I need him. He loves me. I just do the wrong things sometimes, he's just trying to keep me in line." She sobbed. "I need him."
Jack sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his russet-brown hair. "Kylee, ya know as well as I do dat love isn't supposed ta hoit. If'e really loved ya, he wouldn't lay a hand on ya." He said angrily, frustrated. He walked over to her and attempted to wipe away the tears streaming down her cheek. As he moved his hand, however, her eyes grew wide with fear and she drew back, gasping.
"Kylee." Jack said. "Kylee, I was gonna wipe tha tears on ye' face. Kylee, I'd neva hoit ya. I love you, Kylee. I'd neva lay a hand on ya."
Jack was as surprised as Kylee was at what had just come out of his mouth. Sure, he had meant it, but he didn't mean to tell her.
At that moment Kylee looked deep through his eyes and saw what she should have seen two months ago. She realized that she had seen it then but had refused to accept it. She understood what Jack had been trying to tell her about Caleb. She knew it had to end there. Yet she didn't feel as lost as she had a minute ago.
In all actuality, she felt found. Now safe in the arms of the one she loved, of the one who truly loved her. Who would treat her the way she'd never been treated-with respect, and most of all-with love.
"Now I know what brought me an' Blink heah." Jack whispered as he held Kylee tight, stroking her hair.
"What?"
"Love." They both smiled.