Life After High School - Ten Years Later

By Risty and Silver

Disclaimer: The short answer is: No. The long answer is: Nnnooooooooooooooooo.

Summary: You've read this far . . . man.

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(Kane's POV)

When Ria said that she loved me too, I had never felt so happy before in my life. Even though my head hurt and everything. I was just about to tell her that when the door opened and my mum came in, closely followed by Vince. She was carrying a tray of food and she seemed happy to see that we were awake.

"You two have to take it easy for a few days" she told us as she put the tray on the bed. It was chips and fishcakes, which is one of my favourite meals. "Benny says that you will probably be able to get out of bed for a while tomorrow, but absolutely not rushing around and you can't go outside yet. You have been given very strong sleeping drugs and they will take a few days to wear off completely. When you have finished your dinner, I'll bring you some ice cream. Oh and your parents said they might stop by for a while, Ria."

"Mum?" I asked as she began to leave the room. She turned round and smiled at me.

"What is it, Kane?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Jaime and Frodo don't blame dad for letting Jaime get kidnapped do they?" I asked anxiously. "It was my fault that she got kidnapped, not anyone else's. They haven't come to take her home, have they? Because it's my birthday in four days and I want Ria to stay for that."

"We'll have to see what Jaime says," my mum told me. "Don't worry about it now, if Ria wants to stay a while longer, I am sure that we can sort something out."

"You do want to stay, don't you Ria?" Vince asked anxiously. "Just for a little while longer?"

"Yes, I would like to stay" Ria smiled shyly and I couldn't help but smile too. "Although I do miss my brothers and sister quite a bit."

"Well in that case, we will have to see what your parents say, Ria" mum told us. "When they come to see you, I will have a word with them if you like."

"Thanks mum" I grinned and began tucking into my chips. Vincent insisted on climbing into bed with us while we ate our dinner and watched videos, which meant that it was a bit of a squash, but neither of us minded too much. Especially since it meant that we had an excuse to put our arms around each other without anyone suspecting anything.

(Emma's POV)

After their dinner, Kane and Ria had a short sleep. They were still sleeping when Jaime and Frodo arrived. Damon and the boys were in the hideout, they told me that they were coming up with some plan to finish Boromir and the others once and for all, so it was left up to me to greet them. I invited them into the kitchen and made them both a cup of tea while we tried to make polite conversation. I don't think it was particularly easy for any of us. I didn't hate Jaime any more, I was past all that, but I had moved on and it didn't seem as though she had. She was still living in the past, desperately clinging to some belief that we could put everything behind us and start again. I did not want that, Damon did not want that and nor did Benny. Benny and Lucas did not even mention their friendship with her brother any more; both said that it was a part of their lives that they would rather forget. Damon, the children, and me we were their family now. And we were all they needed.

After a while, when the silence became too much to bear, I sent Vince in to see if Ria and Kane were awake yet. It was while he had gone that I remembered what I had promised to ask.

"Jaime" I said quietly. "Frodo. Kane wants to know if you blame Damon and I for letting Ria get kidnapped. He is convinced that you are going to take her home as soon as she is strong enough and he doesn't want that. It is his birthday in four days time and he wants her to stay for that. But she also wants to see her brothers and sister so I was thinking, what if you let Ria stay for another two or three weeks and your other kids can come to Kane's birthday party on Friday. That way Ria can have a chance to see her siblings again. What do you think? Ria seems quite keen to stay too, so I think it would work."

"Well I don't see why not" Frodo began to say, but the phone ringing cut him off. I apologized and picked it up.

"Hello" I said politely. "Darkshield residence, Emma Darkshield speaking" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jaime wince slightly as I said my name and that made me angry. I knew that she wouldn't chance, she would never accept Damon as my husband and I was right to not be friends with her again.

The person at the end of the phone said a few words and I froze, unable to believe who it was. Finally I managed to find my voice.

"It's for you, Jaime," I said quietly. "It's Adele."