A/N – Before I begin this chapter, I'd like all of you to know that this is indeed the final chapter. I've gone back in fourth in my decision of how to end it, but I finally decided. And ooh, I've got a pretty doll for you all to lookit! The prettyful little doll is one of Dawn, made courtesy of TraceAce! (Told ya I'd let everyone see the purdy masterpiece. :-D) It can be found here: http://crimsongem.freehomepage.com/dawn.jpg
~~~~~~~~~~
'You know that I'll protect you,
From all of the obscene,
I wonder what you're doing,
Imagine where you are.' – Blurry, Puddle of Mud
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Ten
:
Solving The Situation
Dawn stayed slumped against the wall for the longest of time, she felt like crying, yet she was too distraught to do so. Matt wasn't supposed to find out, no one was. Not until she had turned 18, which would be in almost 3 years. But now that she thought about it, 3 years, 1095 days, that was a long time. No man in their right mind would wait that long just to have an open relationship with someone ten years younger then me.
I guess Matt is really looking after Jeff… In 3 years, we won't still be together, will we? It's just one of those temporary love spurts. Dawn had been through those before, those huge crushes that lasted months, but she felt so much more differently for Jeff. It's just that a true relationship would be impossible, wouldn't it? In three years, he could find someone so much better then her to make him happy. Do I even make him truly happy? She slowly shook her head, Dawn didn't know where these thoughts had suddenly come from, but the reality, she supposed, had finally hit her.
"Well someone looks glum."
"Hey, Chris," she greeted blandly, tossing a weak smile his way.
"How 'bout two pennies for your thoughts this time?"
She sighed. All she needed now was one more person to know what was going on between her and Jeff, with Matt. Why did it all have to get like this?
"It's… nothing," Dawn replied after a long pause. "Nothing you can help with…"
"Just don't run away again, you hear?" Chris tousled her hair playfully before leaving her to herself again.
Run away again? That was a tempting thought. Dawn remembered very clearly how she went from hotel to hotel in various cities around the country, making sure she wasn't found. She could do that again. There was enough money in her account to last her a few months, after that ran out, home was a repulsing yet simple solution. They would only look for her for so long, if they even looked for her at all. Dawn frowned. Would Jeff miss her? She remembered watching in those couple of months she had disappeared, he didn't look tormented over it at all. In fact, he seemed as if he were on the top of his game.
I think I've done enough damage around here, Dawn mused forlornly. Slowly she stood with knees that felt like j-ello and a heart that was aching, but she'd made up her mind.
~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't believe Jeff is so stupid!" Matt yelled exasperatedly, slamming the door on his way in. Amy went over to him, hearing the harsh note in his voice and cast him a questioning look. He looked tense from anger.
"Jeff and Dawn," he said simply. Amy understood instantly.
"Matt…" she started, but he cut her off, too lost in anger to listen.
"How could he does this when I told him now? So he likes her now, but it won't be the same next year! He'll find someone better, someone his age! I don't see how he can be so stupid now," Matt seethed.
"Baby," Amy said, wrapping her arms around his waist, "calm down. Haven't you seen them together? They look so happy. Don't you want your brother to be happy?"
"Yes, but I don't want him breaking the law! I don't need my brother in jail!" he argued, but Amy tried to keep calm and reason with his temper.
"Jeff knows what he's doing is illegal, Matt. But they're in lo-," Matt held up a hand to her.
"No, don't say it. They can't know what love is. Dawn is too young and Jeff would never fall in love with a 15 year old!"
"Well he has. Matt, stop trying to control Jeff's life. He's an adult now and Dawn is who he wants."
"Dawn isn't an adult," he said through gritted teeth. "Why are you taking their side anyway? You should be with me on this one!"
"I want to see Jeff happy, you should too. Are you really going to let age cloud the view of love?" she received an odd look from Matt, both were set firmly.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Dawn?"
Jeff whirled around in the room, she wasn't in there. Normally he would have waited for her, but they really needed to talk now. His search led him to the lobby, there didn't seem to be anyone around expect for someone pushing out the doors of the hotel. He figured Dawn would have come down for a drink, but she wasn't around the vending machines, or the snack food dispenser. Jeff sighed and looked around.
Had that been Dawn that was leaving the hotel? Black hair, a blur of color, it had been her. She'd heard everything between him and Matt, hadn't she? Jeff took off, following in the direction he remembered seeing her turn in. Something inside him told her that he had to catch up with, so he ran. He didn't know where he was running, he just hoped it was in the right direction.
If he hadn't been so bent on getting to Dawn he would have frozen in his tracks at what was ahead. A train station. Jeff willed his legs to move faster, pushing past a crowd of people. But he was too late. The train had already begun to pull out… and Dawn was on it. He caught sight of her head leaning against the window and frowned deeply. What was said between him and his brother was bad enough, but he could feel the strings to his heart being pulled as the train began to travel out of sight.
His eyes stung and it took him a minute to realize he was crying. You aren't coming back this time, are you? Jeff hung his head and sat down in the middle of the boarding platform, not caring who tripped over him or who stepped on him. With knees curled against him and arms wrapped around them, he began rocking himself back and fourth. No one even stopped to see what was wrong with the superstar, they just went on their way.
I hate you, Matt! You ruined my life. Already Jeff was planning on screaming at his brother. It was his fault. His fault Dawn was gone! He needed to punch something, anything, which led his fist to the hard cement.
"An injured wrestler is not good for business."
Jeff's head perked up in the blink of an eye. In a rush he was on his feet, hugging the small frame in front of him.
"Dawn," he murmured, "I-I thought you…" he didn't know how to say it, but Dawn got the idea.
"I switched trains at the next stop. I'm sorry, Jeff."
"It's okay. Just, don't keep running off on me like this…"
"Okay," she smiled.
"Now come on, we have problems to fix," he didn't like the thought of it, but Dawn felt the need to comfort him in some way.
"It'll be alright," she knew it was a lie, or hopeful wishing, but they could work things out… Together.
