Life After High School - Ten Years Later

By Risty and Silver

Disclaimer: ahem. We don't own them.

Summary: Just read the damn thing.

A/N: Sorry I didn't get this up sooner. I've had to spend a couple of days doing a piece of Sociology coursework, but its finished now and therefore I can start writing again. Yippee!

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(Kane's POV)

When Ria, Vincent and I went back inside, I heard Jaime talking on the phone. I heard Boromir's name being mentioned and asked Ria who she might be speaking to.

"Probably Adele" Ria shrugged. "That's Boromir's wife. I heard mum talking to dad once and she said that he drinks a lot since your mum left him. When things get bad, Adele always phones my mum for advice."

"Oh" I sort of knew what she was getting at. Billee and Legolas refuse to speak to Boromir any more, and so do Ranger and Kivan. I've heard them call him a lot of names, in particular a drunken loser. As far as I was concerned, Boromir was not my father and I wanted nothing to do with him, but in a way I could not help but feel a little bit sorry for him. He must have really loved my mum to still be so upset after ten years.

When Jaime had finished on the phone, she came through to the kitchen and asked us if we wanted to help make dinner. Ria and Vince both seemed keen, so I took the opportunity to go into the hall and call my mum. The phone rang and rang, but there was no reply. After a few minutes, I put the phone down and then picked it back up and dialled my dad's work line. That rang for quite a while too, which is very unusual because if my dad or Benny weren't there, Lucas always was. Just as I was about to give up, someone picked up.

"Hello" a voice said. I recognized Blaze's voice at once. "Blaze speaking, how can I help you?"

"Blaze, it's Kane," I said quickly. "Where are my mum and dad?"

"Well…they aren't here at the moment, kid," he said quietly. Don't ask me how, but I knew that he was hiding something. I could sense it in his voice.

"It's my mum isn't it?" I said suddenly. "What happened Blaze? She's…alright isn't she?"

"Listen Kane" Blaze said seriously. "You have to be a brave boy. Your mum is in hospital and she's quite ill. Your dad is going to call you either this evening or tomorrow and let you know what is going on."

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked desperate for him to say that everything was going to be fine. His next words stopped me cold.

"I don't know, Kane," he whispered, his voice trembling. "No one does. All we can do is hope."

"Yes" I managed to say. I had a big lump in my throat and I could not get rid of it. Somehow, I managed to put the phone down and walk into the living room. Then I sat on the sofa and started to cry. I hadn't cried for years, but I needed to just then. And that is where Ria and Vincent found me a few moments later.

They both stood and looked at me for a moment, not sure what to do. Then Ria sat down on one side of me and Vince on the other and they both put their arms around me.

"Don't cry Kane" Vince pleaded. "What happened?"

"Mum is in hospital," I said quietly, wiping my eyes on his sweatshirt. "She is ill."

"Oh Kane, I am so sorry" Ria really did sound upset. "Is she going to be all right?"

"I think so" I lied, not wanting to upset Vincent. "Dad is going to call later and give me the latest news."

True to his word, my dad called just as we had finished dinner. He did not say much, just that mum was very ill but the doctors believed that she would be fine, although she would have to stay in hospital for a while. I asked if we could come and see her, but he said that it would not be a very good idea. I understood what he was getting at, the woman in the hospital bed would not be my mum, it would be someone else and I wasn't sure that either Vince or myself could handle it. He didn't tell me what had happened either, but I could guess. Then he asked me to put Jaime on and I went back into the living room

"Bed" she told us as she came back in after a minute. "Now please."

The twins began to protest, but one look at the expression on their mums face told them that it would not be a good idea. They all went up to bed, all except me and Ria who crouched in the shadows as Jaime talked to Ria's dad. She was crying, we could hear her.

"I feel so helpless" she sobbed. "I know she hates me, but that does not stop me caring. All Damon asked was whether Kane and Vince could stay with us for a while longer. He wouldn't tell me how she was, what had happened to her or what hospital she was in. The bastard wouldn't tell me anything. All I know is that Blaze told Kane that she was in a very bad way. What can I do, Frodo?"

"Nothing" Jaime's dad said with a sigh. "It is not your business Jaime, and if you try and find out what hospital she is in, you will only upset Damon and Benny even more. If you want to do something to help, look after Kane and Vincent. It's all you can do. Even though they don't want to talk to us, Damon will let Kane know what is going on in a few days or so."

They trailed off then, obviously the conversation was over. Ria looked at me and sighed. I shook my head and then she did something quite surprising. She leant forwards and kissed me, straight on the lips. It was only quick, but I couldn't help blushing. When I looked at her, I could see that she was blushing too.

"Goodnight Kane" she said quietly, then ran off upstairs. I followed her up at a slower pace, my mind racing. I had just been kissed for the first time…by Ria.

As I went into my room, Vincent sat up, his nightclothes already on.

"Why are you grinning like that?" he asked. I just threw my pillow at him to shut him up. No way was I going to let him find out, I would never hear the end of it…