Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.

Chapter 29 uses "In the Arms of Sleep" by Smashing Pumpkins

Chapter 29: In the Arms of Sleep

Amy leaned back completely in the seat of the car and closed her eyes. "It's been a really long day," Ephram said as he pulled up to her house. She nodded, yawning lightly. "And it's not over for me yet," he added.

"Why do I feel like all of this is my fault?" Amy finally asked, not wanting to get out of the car.

"It isn't at all," he said placing a hand on her shoulder, "The only person responsible for any of this is Tommy's dad,"

"Yeah, but if I hadn't become such great friends with him you wouldn't have to be involved in this mess,"

"I chose to be, Amy. Your friends are my friends, if they want to be at least," she opened her eyes to his tender words. No matter what he said it always came out perfectly, as if it were being read out of a book. "How could I not care about someone that means so much to you?"

"Easily. I don't care about Kayla, and supposedly she thinks she means something to you," she responded. It wasn't that she wanted to be a bitch about Kayla, she just had a really hard to accepting that someone so disloyal and untrustworthy could make a complete 180 degree turn all because of one conversation with Ephram. But then again . . . it WAS Ephram, and Kayla was right when saying he makes friends easily. None of it made sense.

"I love you," he said, pretending she didn't say anything derogatory about his new friend. He knew she'd come around eventually, and just didn't think it was worth continuing the same argument. At his words her eyes melted. He was everything she'd ever need, ever want, and knowing that she had him, and that he loved her more than life itself, made her temporarily forget everything that was wrong in their lives.

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"Sleep will not come to this tired body now

Peace will not come to this lonely heart

There are some things I'll live without

But I want you to know that I need you right now

I need you tonite"

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"I love you too," she said kissing him. "I only hope my Dad can put his love for me over the fact that I'm coming home so late and after a very long few days,"

"My dad said it's all good. You know, you're so good with Micah and Delia. I can't believe how they just take to you like that,"

"Kids just need to know they're loved and cared for. I know my parents always told me and still tell me that they love me everyday. I know Tommy didn't have that so much from his father, but he did from his mom. I just want Micah to realize he's loved by more people than just his father," At this Ephram kissed her.

"I know we're young, but I hope I love you like this forever," he said stroking her cheek with his thumb, "And I'm pretty sure I will," she threw her arms around him as best she could for leaning across the car. "And if I do, and if you do," he continued, "then our children will have the best mom in the whole world,"

Amy didn't know it, but she was one of the most fortunate women in the world. She had two very sweet, very gentle, generous men in love with her. And while she only knew about one of them, Ephram, she knew that Tommy wasn't just any old guy either, he was special too.

"I love you so much," was all she could eek out before she kissed him once again before getting out of the car, "I'll call you tomorrow," as she ran to the door of her house. Ephram had seen his girlfriend grow so much in the past few days, and as much as he wished he was responsible for it, he knew it was Tommy. This didn't make him angry, however.

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"I steal a kiss from her sleeping shadow moves

Cause I'll always miss her wherever she goes

And I'll always need her more than she could ever need me

I need someone to ease my mind"

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Bright was sitting on the couch, dozing off when Amy walked in the house. He half snored, waking himself up and wiping the drool from his chin. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I thought Dr. Brown told you guys," she said, worried.

"He did, I just want the real story," he still wasn't completely awake.

"That IS the real story," she said not angrily but with passion, "Look, it's sweet that you waited up for me, really. But I'm fine."

"I can't believe Callahan has a kid!" he said shoving some stale popcorn in his mouth.

"Yeah, it's a pretty hard situation, but he handles it well,"

"He won't be for much longer. His dad called here looking for him, didn't you know?" he asked nervously.

"No, how would we KNOW?!" she said, her voice carrying throughout the house.

"Shh, mom and dad are asleep. I thought Dad called Dr. Brown," he continued.

"No . . . well what did Mr. Callahan say?" she asked biting her lip. She didn't think this day could get any worse.

"He said he's looking for Tommy and Micah, said if Tommy doesn't bring Micah back he's calling the police because it's kidnapping," he said chewing.

"Oh my God, NO! How can this be? Mr. Callahan doesn't DESERVE to have Micah living there. He'll have to grow up just like Tommy did," tears welling in her eyes for about the twelfth time that weekend.

"Look, calm down, Dad's going to take care of everything tomorrow, there's no use in calling the Brown house now and riling everyone up. Call first thing in the morning or something,"

"What? I think they have the right to know that they might be in trouble with the police . . ."

"Amy, just wait, okay? Let them breathe a little. Nothing's supposed to happen for a few days anyway,"

"What good will waiting do?" she asked pushing her hair out of her face.

"It'll give Dad, an adult, the chance to talk with Dr. Brown and come up with a good way to handle things, plus they can't report a missing child unless they've been gone for 24 hours or so, I think."

Amy sighed. While she didn't exactly agree with the idea, she didn't have the energy to oppose everyone in her family's plan. "Fine, I'm going to bed,"

"Hey," he said gently now, patting her on the back, "I'm glad you're okay,"

"Thanks," she said placing her head on her brother's shoulder for a second. "I'll see you tomorrow then,"

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"But sometimes a someone is so hard to find

And I'll do anything to keep her here tonite

And I'll say anything to make her feel alright

And I'll be anything to keep her here tonite

Cause I want you to stay, with me

I need you tonite"

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Ephram entered the house and saw that Tommy was no longer on the couch. Obviously unaware of the new danger that lurked, he fell fast asleep under the blankets. It wasn't until about three AM that he heard Micah crying. "So this is what it's like to have a little kid in the house," he whispered to himself. "As cute as that little kid is, I don't think I could be a dad right now,"

He didn't know it but Dr. Brown was standing right behind the couch. He had heard the crying and come down stairs to get away from it for a little bit. Delia hadn't woken up in the middle of the night for such a long time that he began to forget what it was like.

"I'm glad you see it my way," Andy said to his son. Ephram jumped up, not from embarrassment that his dad heard him, but because he didn't expect anyone else to be on the main floor.

"Micah wake you up too?" he said laughing and stretching his arms.

"Yeah, what time did you get home, anyway?" he asked drinking orange juice out of the carton. At this Ephram laughed.

"About three hours ago. We had a few more incidents than we would've hoped for,"

"Like a surprise visit from Kayla?" he asked raising his eyebrows and laughing, "I thought you hated her."

*Here we go* Ephram thought, rolling his eyes. "Not anymore. Anyways how'd you even know she was here?" trying to put the pieces together.

"I'm a light sleeper. I heard everything that happened. That, and I saw the kitchen,"

"We cleaned it up . . ." he slowly replied. He was certain there was no proof.

"Next time you're planning on making the kitchen look like it hasn't been through WWIII, try cleaning the ceiling too," he said winking, "oh, that and someone, I think it was Amy, wrote "death to Kayla" on the inside of the bathroom door in frosting . . ."

Ephram needed a laugh, and he certainly got one. "Sounds right, Amy doesn't exactly approve of her,"

"Not too long ago you didn't either," he sat down next to his son, "You're awfully cozy with her all the sudden,"

Ephram didn't like where this was going so he put up his defenses. "It's not what you think. You know I love Amy,"

"I know you do, but I also know you loved Madison,"

"PLEASE don't drag her into this again," he said squeezing his temples with his palms.

"I'm just saying you're young. You fall in and out of 'love,'" he said making quotation hand gestures, "quickly,"

"Amy's all I've ever wanted, Dad. I'm not falling out of love with her anytime soon,"

"She's a sweetheart, there's no mistaking that, but you have to sit back and think before you carve things in stone, son,"

"Where's all this coming from?!" he asked loudly, figuring that everyone was already awake from Micah, "not too long ago you ENCOURAGED me to love her, to never give up!"

"Maybe I'm just scared that you're moving too quickly," his father said quietly, looking at the floor.

"I know what I'm doing. The only one I love is Amy. I don't feel anything for Kayla, and even if I did it'd be no match for what I feel for Amy."

"I'm just trying to help you, that's all. Trying to save you from what I went through," He hadn't ever talked about this with his son, but he knew it was time.

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"She comes to me like an angel out of time

As I play the part of a saint on my knees

There are some things I'll live without

But I want you to know that I need you right now"

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"What do you mean?" he asked, becoming more understanding.

"I never told you this before, because I didn't think you'd understand, but you're sixteen now and you're already dealing with a lot of things that will end up making you grow up faster than a lot of kids your age," Andy breathed. He had so much faith in his son. As he looked at him he saw a spark of when he was young and a spark of his late wife, Julia. These things alone gave him the courage to tell his story. "When I was young, about eighteen or so, I was in love with a girl I had been chasing for a few years. She finally loved me too and I proposed to her one night. She accepted and we were happy for awhile but we never made it to the wedding. Somewhere along the line she met someone else, and while she claims she never meant to fall in love with him, it was inevitable; the way she talked about him, looked at him . . . and so we broke off the engagement. Oh, I was down for awhile, thought I'd never love another, but then I met your mom. At first she annoyed me, mostly because she was so good at everything she did. Later I realized I wasn't annoyed at all, I was in love."

"Wow, so you're saying you never would've met mom if it weren't for your incredibly poor judgment skills?" he said trying to lighten the moment, seeing the tension in his father's eyes and wanting to alleviate it.

"Something like that," he said smiling.

"So what you're telling me is . . .?" he asked geniuinly trying to understand.

"All I'm saying is that you and Amy aren't married. I know you're in love but I also know you're young. I just want you to be realistic, Eph, that's all. If something happens between you two I don't want you to feel like you're no good; whether it be because you love another or she does."

Because Micah had stopped crying, Andy Brown made his way up the stairs in a successful attempt to fall back asleep. For Ephram, however, sleep wouldn't come so easily.

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"Suffer my desire

Suffer my desire

Suffer my desire for you"