"Sir?" asked an officer, walking through one of South Carolina's darkened alleys. Michael looked up, instantly alarmed. He started to creep toward the fire escape of the apartment building near him when the flashlight's beam hit his torn red shirt. As soon as he was spotted, he started to run up the metal stairs. "Hey you! Don't run!" the officer commanded, chasing him.
Mike was panicking. He was running out of stairs, quick. He turned his head around; the officer was gaining on him. He didn't know why, but he spit down at him. It was a stupid spur-of-the-moment thing, and it would probably cost him later. "Let's not cry over spilled milk," he heard his mother's voice say into his mind. He was at the top of the building now, and he looked around for an escape. Door! He ran to it and yanked on the handle. No such luck. He looked behind him to see the officer quickly approaching him. He went to the edge of the building, looking down all 12 stories of it.
"Son, don't jump!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Click, click, and click. Click, click, click, and click. Jamie finished dialing and tapped on the end table, waiting. "Officer Holey please.Thanks," more waiting, "Yes, Officer Holey? .Yes, this is Jamie Carter, I was wondering about my son Michael Carter's missing person case.Yes.Nothing? Well do you have any leads?. Okay. Well. Thanks." Jamie set the phone gently into the cradle.
Landon came into the room. "Nothing?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied, tears welling up in her eyes. Why was he torturing her so? "I just wonder what's happened to him. If he's hungry, if he's cold, if he even misses us."
Landon held her, close but secure. "Don't worry about, okay. It will all turn all right in the end. I feel the same way." He took his index finger and gently wiped away the tear that was climbing down her cheek. Landon took his hand to her chin and raised her head to his putting her directly in his gaze. "We'll always have each other," he said.
Jamie smiled and put her hands on the back his head, "Maybe, Carter, if I decide we should always have each other. I might want to cut it short," she said jokingly. Landon kissed her slow, gently, and she moved her hand slowly down his back. "I love you," he whispered into her ear, then started kissing her neck.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michael adjusted in his chair, tired of the officers' questions. "Just tell us your name boy! We'll find it out sooner or later, you might as well make it sooner!" He just kept his mouth closed. Maybe they would let him go. "Yay, they'll never let you go," he thought.
The officer tightened the handcuffs that enclosed his wrists. "Ow," complained Mike, "Loosen them up, will you?"
"If you tell us your name," offered the officer. He kept his mouth shut, and after a while they were even more tight. He couldn't bare it anymore. "It's Mike, okay! Loosen these!" he felt as though his wrists were breaking. "Mike what?"
"Mike Carter!" suddenly, there was slack on his swollen wrists. Two red marks circled his wrists. "Thank you for cooperating, son," said the officer, leaving Mike alone in the tiny room.
"Mike Carter," said the office to the lady by the computer.
"Is that his full name? Or is it Michael?" called out the naval voice. The officer popped his head into the small room. "Full name Michael?" Mike nodded and the officer ducked out again. "Michael!" he heard the officer call out.
"Okay. Okay. Try to get out of him where he lives." The officer strolled in again. "Where do you live, son?" Mike clenched his jaw. "Don't make me tighten the cuffs again, just tell me!"
"North Carolina." The officer looked surprised that he could get that far away. "Where in North Carolina?" Mike closed his mouth. He didn't want to go back, but it was no use. Soon the cuffs were tightened and out spilled "Beaufort."

A/N Please R/R I LOVE the reviews that I have been getting for this story. Thanks everyone!