Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a
college student.
Chapter 33 uses "I promise," by Stacie Orrico
Chapter 33: I promise
"Hey, hey, knock it off a second," Tommy yelled, his eyes glaring nervously in the rearview mirror. His friends were quite obviously involved in their own moment rather than what was happening outside the car. "Hey! For real you guys!" he said, his voice becoming angrier.
"What the hell is your problem?" Ephram asked agitated, but Amy touched the tip of his nose with her finger, calming him down into a smile.
"Something's not right . . . that van, behind us . . . the guy hasn't left it once this whole time,"
"Maybe he's waiting for someone," Amy said, breathless still from greeting Ephram.
"That can't be it," Tommy said with certainty, "If that were it he'd probably have gone and rang the doorbell by now,"
"Alright, alright, just start driving away and see what happens," Ephram suggested, feeling Amy's grip on his arm tighten up. Tommy hopped in the driver's seat and put the car into drive. Not pushing on the gas pedal, he let the car roll lightly, just to test the van's patience.
"I don't like this," Amy said biting her lip, "Tommy just drive home,"
"No, Amy we have to know," Ephram said rather insistently.
"Ephram you can't decide for everyone here!" She yelled back, her voice shaky, "And I said drive HOME!"
Tommy was in a quandary. While he wanted more than anything to listen to Amy, he wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on just as much as Ephram did. He looked back in the rear view mirror and saw that the car was beginning to follow them.
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"Will I always be there for you?
When you need someone, Will I be that one you need?
Will I do all my best to, to protect you?
When the tears get near your eyes
Will I be the one that's by your side?
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will"
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"Shit, this is unbelievable!" Tommy said as he began to pick up speed.
"If you don't drive home right now I'm getting out of this car and walking there!" Amy said trying to unbuckle her seatbelt, but Ephram held her hand so she wasn't able to.
"If you think I'm letting you out of this car you've got another thing coming," he said sternly.
"Everyone shut up! I can't even think with you two arguing!" Tommy said, sweat dripping from his brow as the van followed behind him at an uncomfortable distance. With each corner he turned, the van followed, with every mile it followed, Tommy grew more and more certain that it wasn't a stranger in that van; it was a man that was out to get him.
"Pull into that gas station!" Amy suggested, as she sat worriedly next to Ephram.
"Why?" Tommy asked, "He'll just get a better chance to do whatever it is he's trying to do,"
"Amy has a point," Ephram commended her, "There are a lot of people in gas stations, we'd be safe. Just pretend we need a soda or something,"
"Yeah, real good," Tommy said sarcastically, "and who do you think is going inside for the soda?"
"I will," Ephram said pointing to himself. I'll get the license plate when I come back and we can call the police,"
"No, we still can't call the police! Micah . . . remember?" Amy said sadly.
"He's probably looking for me right now," Tommy said closing his eyes. He couldn't let harm come to him; not with his son waiting at home to see him again. "Look, just hurry up then so I can get home to him, okay E?" he said, his voice cracking.
Sure enough the van pulled into the gas station and parked at the gas stall across from them. Ephram moved with quickness he didn't think possible and slipped into the quick stop store to grab some sodas. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve . . . there was no way he had ever dreamed this is how he and Amy would be spending the holidays. Part of him wanted to just tell Tommy they couldn't be involved anymore; that he and Amy's relationship was suffering because of everything, but the other half of him felt as if he were a part of what was going on. He and Tommy were just starting to become close, and he knew that if he suggested Amy stay away from him it could only make things worse. There was no way she'd let go of Tommy . . . and for the first time, as Ephram pulled a mountain dew from the coolers of that very gas station, he felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. He knew that Amy and Tommy were best friends, and that didn't bother him. Ephram began to feel that he wasn't being good enough to Amy; that Tommy was there for her all the time and this would have to change. He didn't want Tommy to change, HE was the one that wanted to start paying attention to her more.
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"Will I take tender care of you?
Take your darkest night and make it bright for you
Will I be there to make you strong and to lean on?
When this world has turned so cold
Will I be the one that's there to hold?
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will"
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Tommy and Amy crouched down in the car so the man in the black van couldn't spot them. Something came over Tommy and he rolled over the seat and into the back with Amy. Bad move. Amy moved over to make room for him,
"What are you doing? He's going to see you!" she said, her heart pounding heavily in her chest from worry.
"I can't crouch enough up there . . . the steering wheel," he said rubbing his forehead. He noticed that Amy was crying again. "Why are you crying? Everything is going to be okay, I promise."
"Promises aren't enough, Tommy . . ."
"Sure they are," he said, not understanding. Her brow furrowed and more tears slid freely.
"No. They aren't. Colin was a promise . . . it didn't mean anything," she said sniffling, "he's gone,"
"What about Ephram? You love him, right?" he asked, even thought the words cut deeply into his heart.
"More than life," she said closing her eyes.
"Love is like a promise . . ." Tommy's words were about her, though she didn't know. She couldn't. All she could do was nod, and Tommy moved his hands away from her, knowing that she could never be his.
"I don't believe in promises," she admitted. "Not anymore,"
"Well that's too bad," he said looking at her with a friendly glow.
"Why?" she asked calmly.
"Because I was just about to promise you that I won't let anything happen to you,"
"I won't believe you . . ."
"You don't have to . . . but I still promise." He said looking away. They sat silently for a few more moments before changing the subject to a more comfortable one.
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"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will
Yeah
And I love you more every day
And nothing will take that love away
When you need someone
I promise I'll be there for you (there for you)
I promise"
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A few moments passed and Ephram was up at the counter about to pay for the drinks. Amy and Tommy hadn't been watching the van . . . they didn't know the man had gone inside. He now stood behind Ephram, committing his every feature to his memory for future use. Ephram turned, looking the man straight in the eye, having no idea who it was.
"Damn lines, huh?" Ephram said lightly. The man nodded and smiled. He had dark brown hair and eyes that seemed all too familiar to Ephram, but then again, it was Everwood, he'd probably seen him before. After he paid he started out the door when he felt someone grab him from behind.
"So are you and Micah going to get a place?" Amy said, her tears ceasing now, but they still weren't looking out the window.
"I'd like to, once things settle down of course," he said smiling at her.
"I can't wait till I'm out of my house," she said sighing, "it's not that I don't love my family, I just want to be on my own,"
"You think you and Ephram will get married?" Tommy asked bluntly; he desperately wanted to know her take on it. Her eyes grew large, no one had ever asked her that before.
"I'd like to someday. I mean, it's a ways off, but I think he's the one," she said dreamily. "Oh . . ." she said noticing his facial expression, "Tommy . . . don't worry, you'll find someone to love and she'll love Micah too,"
*I already found her* he thought, but just nodded.
A hand clenched around Ephram's mouth and although he struggled to break free, the man managed to get him into the van without anyone noticing. The man tossed him in the back, as if he were a prisoner being taken away in a police car, and as the doors shut, Ephram screamed and thrashed around.
"Where the HELL are you taking me? WHO ARE YOU?!" He yelled angrily.
"Soon you'll see," the man said as he drove away.
Amy and Tommy had been so caught up in their small talk ( it was a nice reprieve from worrying about what was really going on ) that they didn't realize how long Ephram had been gone.
"What's taking him so long?" Amy said peeking her head up to see out the window. "Oh God." She swallowed hard. "The van's gone!"
"Good!" Tommy smiled, not understanding what she meant.
"No. No. Not good. Ephram's gone too . . ." she said beginning to cry. "EPHRAM!"
Tommy rested his face in his hands and sighed. How could this be happening?
Ephram had run out of energy to yell and curse by the time they had pulled into a driveway. Opening his eyes, he was horrified, yet somehow not surprised, to be sitting in front of the Callahan house.
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"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will
And I promise (and I promise)
I promise (oh I promise you)
I will be there when you call me (when you call me)
I promise (I promise)
I promise I will"
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A/N: Finally an update. I've been mad crazy all week but managed to find sometime this afternoon. Thanks for all the reviews; they were really helpful in helping me decide who Amy should be with. Just because things seem to be going in one direction right now in the story doesn't mean they won't turn around and end up the way you guys want (wink, wink) Thanks again and keep reading and reviewing!
Chapter 33 uses "I promise," by Stacie Orrico
Chapter 33: I promise
"Hey, hey, knock it off a second," Tommy yelled, his eyes glaring nervously in the rearview mirror. His friends were quite obviously involved in their own moment rather than what was happening outside the car. "Hey! For real you guys!" he said, his voice becoming angrier.
"What the hell is your problem?" Ephram asked agitated, but Amy touched the tip of his nose with her finger, calming him down into a smile.
"Something's not right . . . that van, behind us . . . the guy hasn't left it once this whole time,"
"Maybe he's waiting for someone," Amy said, breathless still from greeting Ephram.
"That can't be it," Tommy said with certainty, "If that were it he'd probably have gone and rang the doorbell by now,"
"Alright, alright, just start driving away and see what happens," Ephram suggested, feeling Amy's grip on his arm tighten up. Tommy hopped in the driver's seat and put the car into drive. Not pushing on the gas pedal, he let the car roll lightly, just to test the van's patience.
"I don't like this," Amy said biting her lip, "Tommy just drive home,"
"No, Amy we have to know," Ephram said rather insistently.
"Ephram you can't decide for everyone here!" She yelled back, her voice shaky, "And I said drive HOME!"
Tommy was in a quandary. While he wanted more than anything to listen to Amy, he wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on just as much as Ephram did. He looked back in the rear view mirror and saw that the car was beginning to follow them.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````
"Will I always be there for you?
When you need someone, Will I be that one you need?
Will I do all my best to, to protect you?
When the tears get near your eyes
Will I be the one that's by your side?
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````
"Shit, this is unbelievable!" Tommy said as he began to pick up speed.
"If you don't drive home right now I'm getting out of this car and walking there!" Amy said trying to unbuckle her seatbelt, but Ephram held her hand so she wasn't able to.
"If you think I'm letting you out of this car you've got another thing coming," he said sternly.
"Everyone shut up! I can't even think with you two arguing!" Tommy said, sweat dripping from his brow as the van followed behind him at an uncomfortable distance. With each corner he turned, the van followed, with every mile it followed, Tommy grew more and more certain that it wasn't a stranger in that van; it was a man that was out to get him.
"Pull into that gas station!" Amy suggested, as she sat worriedly next to Ephram.
"Why?" Tommy asked, "He'll just get a better chance to do whatever it is he's trying to do,"
"Amy has a point," Ephram commended her, "There are a lot of people in gas stations, we'd be safe. Just pretend we need a soda or something,"
"Yeah, real good," Tommy said sarcastically, "and who do you think is going inside for the soda?"
"I will," Ephram said pointing to himself. I'll get the license plate when I come back and we can call the police,"
"No, we still can't call the police! Micah . . . remember?" Amy said sadly.
"He's probably looking for me right now," Tommy said closing his eyes. He couldn't let harm come to him; not with his son waiting at home to see him again. "Look, just hurry up then so I can get home to him, okay E?" he said, his voice cracking.
Sure enough the van pulled into the gas station and parked at the gas stall across from them. Ephram moved with quickness he didn't think possible and slipped into the quick stop store to grab some sodas. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve . . . there was no way he had ever dreamed this is how he and Amy would be spending the holidays. Part of him wanted to just tell Tommy they couldn't be involved anymore; that he and Amy's relationship was suffering because of everything, but the other half of him felt as if he were a part of what was going on. He and Tommy were just starting to become close, and he knew that if he suggested Amy stay away from him it could only make things worse. There was no way she'd let go of Tommy . . . and for the first time, as Ephram pulled a mountain dew from the coolers of that very gas station, he felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. He knew that Amy and Tommy were best friends, and that didn't bother him. Ephram began to feel that he wasn't being good enough to Amy; that Tommy was there for her all the time and this would have to change. He didn't want Tommy to change, HE was the one that wanted to start paying attention to her more.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"Will I take tender care of you?
Take your darkest night and make it bright for you
Will I be there to make you strong and to lean on?
When this world has turned so cold
Will I be the one that's there to hold?
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Tommy and Amy crouched down in the car so the man in the black van couldn't spot them. Something came over Tommy and he rolled over the seat and into the back with Amy. Bad move. Amy moved over to make room for him,
"What are you doing? He's going to see you!" she said, her heart pounding heavily in her chest from worry.
"I can't crouch enough up there . . . the steering wheel," he said rubbing his forehead. He noticed that Amy was crying again. "Why are you crying? Everything is going to be okay, I promise."
"Promises aren't enough, Tommy . . ."
"Sure they are," he said, not understanding. Her brow furrowed and more tears slid freely.
"No. They aren't. Colin was a promise . . . it didn't mean anything," she said sniffling, "he's gone,"
"What about Ephram? You love him, right?" he asked, even thought the words cut deeply into his heart.
"More than life," she said closing her eyes.
"Love is like a promise . . ." Tommy's words were about her, though she didn't know. She couldn't. All she could do was nod, and Tommy moved his hands away from her, knowing that she could never be his.
"I don't believe in promises," she admitted. "Not anymore,"
"Well that's too bad," he said looking at her with a friendly glow.
"Why?" she asked calmly.
"Because I was just about to promise you that I won't let anything happen to you,"
"I won't believe you . . ."
"You don't have to . . . but I still promise." He said looking away. They sat silently for a few more moments before changing the subject to a more comfortable one.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will
Yeah
And I love you more every day
And nothing will take that love away
When you need someone
I promise I'll be there for you (there for you)
I promise"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
A few moments passed and Ephram was up at the counter about to pay for the drinks. Amy and Tommy hadn't been watching the van . . . they didn't know the man had gone inside. He now stood behind Ephram, committing his every feature to his memory for future use. Ephram turned, looking the man straight in the eye, having no idea who it was.
"Damn lines, huh?" Ephram said lightly. The man nodded and smiled. He had dark brown hair and eyes that seemed all too familiar to Ephram, but then again, it was Everwood, he'd probably seen him before. After he paid he started out the door when he felt someone grab him from behind.
"So are you and Micah going to get a place?" Amy said, her tears ceasing now, but they still weren't looking out the window.
"I'd like to, once things settle down of course," he said smiling at her.
"I can't wait till I'm out of my house," she said sighing, "it's not that I don't love my family, I just want to be on my own,"
"You think you and Ephram will get married?" Tommy asked bluntly; he desperately wanted to know her take on it. Her eyes grew large, no one had ever asked her that before.
"I'd like to someday. I mean, it's a ways off, but I think he's the one," she said dreamily. "Oh . . ." she said noticing his facial expression, "Tommy . . . don't worry, you'll find someone to love and she'll love Micah too,"
*I already found her* he thought, but just nodded.
A hand clenched around Ephram's mouth and although he struggled to break free, the man managed to get him into the van without anyone noticing. The man tossed him in the back, as if he were a prisoner being taken away in a police car, and as the doors shut, Ephram screamed and thrashed around.
"Where the HELL are you taking me? WHO ARE YOU?!" He yelled angrily.
"Soon you'll see," the man said as he drove away.
Amy and Tommy had been so caught up in their small talk ( it was a nice reprieve from worrying about what was really going on ) that they didn't realize how long Ephram had been gone.
"What's taking him so long?" Amy said peeking her head up to see out the window. "Oh God." She swallowed hard. "The van's gone!"
"Good!" Tommy smiled, not understanding what she meant.
"No. No. Not good. Ephram's gone too . . ." she said beginning to cry. "EPHRAM!"
Tommy rested his face in his hands and sighed. How could this be happening?
Ephram had run out of energy to yell and curse by the time they had pulled into a driveway. Opening his eyes, he was horrified, yet somehow not surprised, to be sitting in front of the Callahan house.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?
I promise, I promise
I promise I will
And I promise (and I promise)
I promise (oh I promise you)
I will be there when you call me (when you call me)
I promise (I promise)
I promise I will"
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A/N: Finally an update. I've been mad crazy all week but managed to find sometime this afternoon. Thanks for all the reviews; they were really helpful in helping me decide who Amy should be with. Just because things seem to be going in one direction right now in the story doesn't mean they won't turn around and end up the way you guys want (wink, wink) Thanks again and keep reading and reviewing!