A Magickal Trip - Part 10

'Startling revelations'

~At the cabin~

Jake sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor, letting her hands rest over the carving in front of her. Hamilton sat down opposite her with a sincere look of concern on his face.

"What's wrong baby?" Jake took a deep breath and tried not to look at him. She never wanted to be the one that broke his heart. Hamilton put his hand under her chin and gently raised her head until his ice-blue eyes met hers. When they did he was alarmed to find tears welling in her eyes.

"Jake, did I do something wrong? I shouldn't have brought you to the cabin, it's too fast for you, god i'm sorry baby... please dont cry...' he babbled apologies until she lifted one hand, placing it on the side of his face. Pushing back her tears she said quietly said "You haven't done anything Ham, I love that you brought me out here, i just... I have something to tell you and it's really hard..." Hamilton looked back at her in complete confusion. What could she have to tell him, that would make her so upset? All of a sudden it came to him...

"God Jake, you're leaving..."

Panic took over Hamilton's body. He shook from head to toe and had to remember how to breathe. He didn't know what to do if he lost Jake.

"Ham, I'm not leaving."

"Then what Jake?" He relaxed a little, still cautious of what she would say next. Jake didn't know how to tell him so she just blurted it out.

"I think your mom's having an affair." Yes, she blurted it out, but she did so so quietly that Hamilton had to ask her to repeat herself. She gathered up all the strength she could then said it again more clearly.

"I think your mom's having an affair with Finn...." This time he heard her. She looked at him expecting him to get upset or angry, or both, but he stared back at her expressionless. She started to worry. Maybe he'd think she made it up... So she showed him the proof, removing her hand off the carving.

"this is why" she whispered, once again running her fingers gently over the imprint. Hamilton looked at the carving then moved over and hugged her. Jake realised he wasn't angry or upset and it confused her greatly.

"I love you so much Jake... and thankyou for telling me about this as soon as you found out, but its ok..." Jake looked at him in disbelief.

"How is this ok Ham?"

"because i knew Jake."

~Finn's car~

Finn fiddled with the radio until something decent came on. He stopped when he recognised a song he hadn't heard for some time. He remembered Kate and him sharing special moments when this song had played. She remembered it too. *flashback finn + kate scene episode 3* He couldn't help but smile as he glanced across to Kate's sleeping form in the passenger seat. He casually hummed along, while drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, remembering the feelings that Kate raised in him, that day in the boathouse.

"How did we get here Michael" Kate raised her head, looking at him sadly, tears slowly gathering in her eyes, threatening to fall.

~Outside the cabin~

The car rounded a corner, and recognising Bella's truck, Will hastily pulled the car to a stop. He practically jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped. He burst through the cabin door without bothering to wait for Scout to catch up. Searching from room to room, he finally found Jake and Hamilton cuddling on the floor at the base of a bed. Briefly Will forgot what he came for, raising an eyebrow at the strange situations, and places these two were found in. Reality caught up to him however and Jake noticed his presence in the room.

"Will?? what's going on?" Jake was startled by his sudden appearance, and a bad feeling took over her body.

"Jake.... " Will's sudden hurry to get to her winded him, as he tried to force the words to escape his lips. Scout took that moment to come into the room, looking at Will with a completely confused look.

"Damn Will, what in the hell is going on? You practically pull me out of the dorms so we can go find Jake, and now we've found her, after quite a long time i might add, and you leave me in the truck after stopping quick enough to give me serious whiplash...." Scout glared at Will. Something was going on, and he didnt like not knowing what it was.

"Jake... I saw your mom... well i heard Finn talking to her... She KNOWS... i doubt she'll be far away... i dont know how she'll know where to go, but she certainly didnt sound impressed with Finn...I get the impression she'll find a way..." Jake looked around, trying to focus on anything other than what Will was telling her...

"Was she really pissed off?" She managed not to look at him. If her mom was really angry, then Will was right. She wouldnt be far away.

"Yeah, i think she was...I'm sorry Jake, I came as fast as I could..."

~ Outside on the dock ~

Bella's head shot up when she heard someone inside the cabin. She was pretty sure she'd heard a car stop nearby, but why would anyone come out here? Unless Hamilton had invited Will, but he would have told her... she was sure he would've. Thinking it best to make sure everything was ok, she pulled herself to her feet, wiping the cold tears from her cheeks she shook her head. Scout Calhoun. Probably the only person to make her cry since her mom left. She hated the power he had over her, even if he didnt know it. Hell, he couldnt know it. He was all the way in New Rawley, with THAT girl.. Why would he give a second thought to some townie...

Bella opened the back door of the cabin, and walked down the hall to Jake and Hamilton's room. She started speaking before she even rounded the corner. "Jake, what's going on? I heard noises..." Her eyes flew wide open as she literally ran into Scout. He sturdied her with an arm around her waist, taking just a second to smile at their contact. Then as if slapped across the face, he let her go and moved away, mumbling a 'hello' as he moved into the corner of the room, trying to dissapear.

Jake looked up at Bella, feeling bad at her sudden discomfort. She felt Hamilton's arms weave around her. "Bel, my mom knows, Will thinks she's on her way." Bella couldnt believe her ears. All her problems from the last couple days faded away, as she realised she was all together too close to loosing the best girlfriend she'd ever had.

"No Jake! We'll do something, we'll go somewhere... maybe she just thinks she knows... it'll be fine... really..." Bella looked at Hamilton desperately. If anyone would be pushing to keep Jake in New Rawley it'd be him. But he just buried his face in Jake's neck, wishing it'd all go away.. wishing it'd go back to the pillow fight they'd had earlier, that smile...that happiness in Jake was all he wanted out of life.

"No Bel, It's time to get this over with. I started this to get her attention, I put myself in this position. It's time to sort it out." She leaned closer to Hamilton. "To get some sort of normality back." Jake pulled herself to her feet. She felt good about the decision. Granted she had a lot to loose. Hamilton was everything to her, the friendships she had made in New Rawley meant just as much, but she couldnt keep up the facade of being something she wasnt.

~ Finn's Car ~

"Kate, I um.. I didnt know you were awake..." Kate looked at Finn pleadingly. He knew what she was talking about... he felt it too, or he used to.

"How did we get here Michael... we used to be so in love... God, at college we were the couple that everyone talked about. everyone thought we'd make it. and now... damn it, I thought we'd make it...." Finn avoided her gaze, looking for the next turn off. He knew the way to the cabin off by heart. He'd taken all the short cuts he knew how to, just so they'd get there in time to stop Hamilton's heart being broken.

"I thought we'd make it too Kate, but that was before Steven came along, and your eyes happened to wander to the boys with all the money." It sounded more bitter than he had meant it to. But it was true all the same. Finn had loved her more than anything in the world. And he thought she loved him too, but Steven showed his interests in her and suddenly it went from 'I love you Michael' to 'this just isnt going to work Michael.'

"You don't understand Michael, it wasnt like that. I had my reasons, It was so hard at the time, and I couldnt tell you what was happening.." Finn cut her off.
"You've said that before Kate. What reasons? Why did you break up the one thing i thought was always going to be there? Why did you throw my love back in my face if it wasnt for the money, for Steven..." Kate took a deep breath. She didnt want to tell him like this, and she knew she could never tell him the whole truth. He wouldnt understand.

"I was pregnant Michael... " Finn's head snapped towards her, the look on his face pure disbelief. Pregnant? he had to know...

"To Steven?" Kate shook her head sadly.

"No Finn, to you."

TBC