Disclaimer: Nope... :walks off in a huff:

Note: Hey guys, I just want to thank all of the reviewers. I love you all! Truly, you are the reason I write. Well, on with the chapter...

Twilight Memories of a Past Life

"…Sometimes fear can drive people over the edge…they'll do things they didn't expect to do themselves…When I first saw him again I was afraid…afraid that something would go horribly wrong and I would end up being hunted by him again… I wish I could have remained that ignorant…"

-Ralph

He had not stopped to watch the scene also. The one thing that might be normal in his life right now; a little chaos. Everyone had started laughing, laughing at the crazy boy talking to himself in the middle of the hallway. Screaming even. Something about it being an accident. Something about blood. His voice high pitched in his frightened state, he was a sight for everyone then. The choirboy could scream too.

Ralph had recognized the screaming at once. His ears trained to that voice more than any of the others. At first, he had tensed, going back to a time when frantic screaming was a sign for alarm. He had almost run, had almost escaped his fears. However, in the end, things turned out a little differently.

The screams. They weren't normal at all. Not by his standards anyway, and he knew his standards were pretty screwed up. The screamer was not trying to murder him, he knew now. The screamer needed help. He threw his caution to the wind then, he was needed somewhere. For once.

All day Ralph had gone through the routine set for him. The classes on his schedule were all lined up just like he remembered them. He was to go back to his former agenda and conform back to the civilized boy he had once been. With the exception of getting out of class at anytime to go talk to the guidance counselors. He'd be damned if he found himself there though.

Only when Ralph had pushed his way through the crowd and run almost hysterically to the boy on the ground did people stop laughing. And for good reason. Jack Merridew had stopped screaming, and commenced thrashing on the ground madly. A sight that was no longer funny, but frighteningly dangerous for the young boy.

"What's wrong with him!" Ralph shouted over the many worried voices. He almost made it to the ground beside the seizing boy, before a teacher hurriedly pushed him away. He landed a few feet from the panic stricken staff who were rushing to get Jack to the nurse.

"Everyone go to your next period and stay there." A very loud voice said over the noise of the students. Their principal stood in the middle of everyone with a look of pure dominance. He would get his way as the students continued walking, though now chatting excitedly about the recent happenings in the hall.

Ralph stood as well, turning to walk to his history class, only to stop again. This time it wasn't from the screaming itself, but the effects the screaming had had on his mind. He remained where he was, looking helplessly around to all the students passing them. He screwed his brow in confusion. He couldn't remember the way to his second period.

"Ralph?"

The fair boy turned flipped back around when he heard his name. The principal stood only a few inches away from him, a worried look coming over his eyes.

"Y…yes?" Was Ralph's nervous and broken response.

"Are you alright?" The questions were simple at least. He didn't know what he would have done if it weren't for this. He nodded his head slightly, but it did not seem to convince the older man.

"Why don't you go down to the nurse with Mr. Merridew? You don't seem well at all, and your face is dreadfully pale." The principal's words were soft and gentle.

'Wouldn't want to scare the savage.' Ralph thought with contempt. He nodded his head anyway and followed behind the man until they reached the nurse's office just down the hall.

He was ushered into the small room, the smell almost overwhelming him. He remembered such a stench when he had come home from the island and had been taken to the hospital for observation. All of the children had stayed for a few nights.

"Another one?" A tall, thin woman said coming out of one of the back rooms. Ralph tried to get a peek at what was back there, but wasn't able to see anything.

"I think it best if Ralph stayed with you this period, Julie." The principal said while squeezing Ralph's shoulder in assurance. Ralph looked to the ground, his face reddening at such a recognition.

"Take him back there to the other island boy. Mr. Merridew has stopped seizing now. I think he'll wake up in about an hour." The nurse, Julie, said calmly.

"What should we do about that?" The principal asked, still not letting go of Ralph's shoulder.

"Well, inform his parents for one. The doctors said this was likely to happen with at least one of the boys, I'm not surprised it happened to that one actually." She looked to the room she had just come from, "His seizures aren't consistent enough to put him on medication, so they want us to keep him here. He really doesn't need to be missing anymore school. So I guess we just wait this out and see how he feels when he wakes up."

Ralph didn't know what to think. By the sound of things, this wasn't the first time Jack had had a seizure. He wondered vaguely if he had seen any such episode by the redhead while on the island. He hadn't, so he came to the quick decision that these were a recent development in the younger boy.

"Alright," the principal gently pushed Ralph to the back room, where he figured Jack was now. He was left to open the door himself and step inside. He looked back to the adults in the office. They just smiled reassuringly at him.

Closing the door behind himself, Ralph traveled the short distance between the entrance and the small cot across the room. He could see Jack's unconscious form lying almost peacefully on it. He knew the younger male was far from peaceful at the moment though. He had seen the thrashing of his limbs, heard the sound of his frightened screams. No, Jack was not peaceful.

He sat down on the edge of the cot. His weight along with Jack's made it sink only slightly. He hadn't realized they were so weightless, but this put it all into perspective. They had all become almost featherlike in there absence.

He looked to Jack. The boy's short-sleeved shirt showing off pointed elbows and an arm that was far skinnier than Ralph remembered it being, even before the rescue. Jack had become steadily worse since leaving the island, that much was clear. Yet, why would something like that happen? Why would Jack's ailments get worse now?

He found himself drawn closer to the boy laying beside him. Rubbing a nimble finger up from Jack's finger to his elbow, he laid down also. He swallowed hard against a lump in his throat.

This was the boy who had, just a few weeks ago, been chasing him through an unflawed forest. Who had set that same unflawed forest ablaze to find and kill him. He was afraid of this boy, yes; and yet, he felt unmistakably close to him. A sort of force drawing them closer and closer, yet farther and farther from the so-called typical world.

This is what he had been waiting for. This is what he had wanted.

Then why did he feel so out of place now? Why did he feel this urge to cling to the boy who only reminded him of that godforsaken place they called an island? Jack was his only reminder to a deranged normalcy they had all gotten used to, and he didn't quite want to let it go.

He felt his eyes get heavier and sag under their own weight, how little it was. He fell asleep soon, his arm encircling the thin boy beside him tightly.

Note: Let me put a few things out there that are running through my mind...

1. I am so American it's sad. So my slang for this fic is definitely going to fit in with my lifestyle a lot better than what it would with the boys'.

2. I am not a medical expert, so Jack's problems may not be solved realistically. The ideas will not be too entirely absurd, but I can almost bet you some of my information is going to be incorrect. I have no previous experience with seizures so I don't know exactly how they work and what the doctors would do.

3. This fic is set closer to the current century, so most things will revolve around year 2006. Not that I think the 50s weren't interesting, but I didn't live back then. It's just easier to stick to something I know well.

Well, I guess that's it. I just ask that you keep those things in mind while reading. I don't want people to think I'm a total idiot for thinking I know what I'm doing. I know I don't know. HA! Funny sentence. Well, thanks for reading. I honestly love you all.

-Ayumi