Ask Me Again

Chapter One: Wake Up Call

In the beginning it was wild…crazy wild…the feeling was so new to both of us we didn't have time to make sense of it all. It didn't happen all at once, nothing like this ever does but… the idea kind of has to grow on you for awhile before you decide on a course of action. Here's our story…

May 9th 2003…

"Hey, kid." Justin groaned and rolled over. "Kid, wake up. Man, you need to move. Get up!" He groaned again as someone shook him roughly. "God damn little…." The person waking him muttered. Justin peeked out from the slots he'd opened his eyes to. Realising where he was and that he had no idea who this person was he sat straight up, his eyes hardening and running a hand through his hair. The one waking him shook his head.

"Geez man, you could sleep through anything." He said raising a brow at him. He was handsome, Justin couldn't help thinking, he had chiselled features, a sharp jaw-line and cheek bones. He had dark green eyes.

"Err…right." Justin said standing up and grabbing the tin box he'd had his arm around as he slept. He scanned his surroundings then looked back at the older of the two. "Thanks."

"No problem…" He drifted off not knowing the name, the silence meaning he wanted to know who he addressed.

"Justin." He replied, then added; "And you are?"

"Valentino." He held out a hand. "You live on the streets, Justin?"

"Yeah." Justin took his hand and shook it. "You work here?" Valentino paused. "Yeah, that's why I woke you. You can stick around here today if you want, I could find you food and stuff for the day."

Justin nodded almost eagerly, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had food, and Valentino could tell. He grinned and stood up offering a hand to Justin, who accepted. Valentino took out a pack of cigarettes and questioned; "You got a light?" Justin nodded, "If I can have one of them." He took one as the pack was held out to him. Justin lit up and took a drag before handing the lighter to Valentino. "C'mon, I'll get you a locker to leave your stuff in."

Justin's fair haired head nodded and his blue eyes sparkled dimly at this new mention of kindness. It was now he realised that this guy, Valentino, could be a friend and seemed willing to help him.

Two Weeks Later

Valentino handed me the pack of cigarettes while he took Justin's lighter. They were standing in the smoking zone of the train station, which happened to be outside by the rails. Valentino, absently slipped the lighter into his pocket as Justin handed him the pack of cigarettes. "So where you goin' anyhow, Jus?" Valentino asked him, he's just learned that Justin was planning to leave for somewhere else, to make a new life for himself.

"A place my Mom took me before she died. It's a field where we rode horses." Justin replied, then before he knew what he was saying his tone softened and he asked; "Come with me?" The softness of his voice scared Valentino. "Wow, man what you talkin' 'bout?" he said quickly, his green eyes widening. Justin tried to take a drag of his cigarette but found it unlit. "Hey! Man you trying to scam my lighter!" Justin snapped angrily on him.

"Who would want your piece of shit, plastic lighter?" he said fumbling for it in his pocket. "Alright man, light it up for me then." Justin said realising he'd been jumping to conclusions. But it had been a good diversion to change the subject.

Using both of their hands together they made a wind break for the tiny flame, as Justin lit. Justin moved one hand down and put the lighter in his pocket and started to move the other but Valentino caught it. "Ask me again." His voice was soft, like Justin's had been. Justin met Valentino's eyes and was about to say something when someone honked their car horn beside them. Valentino released Justin's hand and turned to look at the car. "Your ride?" Justin nodded and handed his cigarette to Valentino, before going to the car and pulling the door open. As the black car pulled off Val caught a glimpse of the license plate but thought nothing of it. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "'Ask me again..' man, what kind of shit am I on?" Valentino asked himself walking off.

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In the car…

"So, how old are you, Justin?" The man asked. He had a slim face and white hair. Justin watched the rain pour outside the window before looking at him. He was wearing a leather jacket. Justin wished he had one of those, keeps the rain and cold out better than his hoodie.

"Seventeen." He replied evenly then looked back out the window.

He wished he had a smoke.

"Ah, seventeen, a good age." The man said in a warm tone looking over at Justin, then back out at the road. It was dark, and pouring buckets outside. The highway seemed deserted, empty, alone. Justin shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't." His tone came out harsh but he softened it immediately. "Call me John." "A'ight." Justin ran a hand through his hair still looking out the window.

"Justin, what if I were to tell you, you were going to die tonight?" John asked him his eyes not moving from the road. "I'd say you were crazy." Justin tried not to show it, but that last statement made him uncomfortable, not that the silence following his own words was any more relaxing.

"Ah, but that's where your wrong Justin…I may be crazy… but that doesn't change the fact you will die tonight." His tone remained even and Justin looked over at him, trying to tell if he was joking or not. John's face was solid, but content, not one bit of evidence showing he was joking. "Man, lay off. You don't scare me, old man." He continued to watch the older man his eyes slightly more wide, but he managed to keep his words even."Oh but Justin, you should be very, very afraid." Once again John managed to keep his voice steady.

"Pull over and let me out, I've heard enough, stop it." Justin shivered and watched out the window again. "Hey, Justin…" John drifted off, his eyes on the seventeen year old. As soon as Justin looked over John's elbow hit his face, knocking him out cold. John smirked. "Damn kids, think they can live forever…"

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As Justin woke he groaned, but when he went to touch his head, his hands were bound together in his lap. His eyes snapped open wide as the cold realization flooded back to him. He looked over to the driver's side. John was eerily watching him with menacing eyes. "Good, your awake. I need you to think of the place you want to be buried." Justin shook at his comment.

"What? Man, just let me out the games over." Justin said, a slight pleading tone filling his voice. John laughed. "It's too late for that, Justin, your already going to die."

He knew John was serious now. "LET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS CAR YOU OLD SICK BASTARD!" Justin yelled at him.

John smirked. "Justin, Justin…you've just gone into the second stage of death; anger." Justin shivered at this comment. "Just let me out, please. Why are you doing this?" Justin's voice was soft and pleading. "Because I have to." John glanced at him. "I'm sorry, but I have to."

"I'll do…anything…anything you want, just don't kill me, please don't kill me." The seventeen year old said softly, begging the old man to stop this now. "The third stage of death is bargaining, Justin." John said quietly ignoring the young man. "I want you," he paused opening the glove compartment and taking out a few sheets of loose paper, then digging for a pen. "I want you to write your 'Last Will and Testament'." John gave him the pen and paper but Justin refused to write.

Half an hour later…

"Have you decided where you will be buried?" John asked him, his voice icy, his eyes on the road. "Yeah." Justin's voice was saddened and he was crying softly. "Where?" The older man inquired further. "In a field. It should be along here." They sat in silence for a moment before Justin pointed to a large field with a single towering tree in it. "That's it."

John nodded and pulled up beside it. He got out of the vehicle and popped the trunk, walking around back Justin saw through the rear-view mirror that it was a large suitcase, large enough to fit a human body. Chills went through Justin as he got out of the car, John having pulled the door open for him. John led him over to a good place and sat him down, the car lights illuminating the scene. "Write your will."

As he said this John began to dig. He continued to dig as Justin wrote until a pit, just big enough for the trunk to fit. "You'll get it to him, won't you?" Justin was crying softly. "Who, Justin?"

"Valentino." Justin had finished writing and signed his name handing it to John. "Yes, I'll get it to him. Justin, I have to know; why did you pick this place?" Justin shrugged. "No reason." This made John angry. "Why?" he demanded anger tinting his voice.

"M-my mom took me here when I was little, we rode the horses…before she died…"

"Fair enough, are you ready Justin?" John asked. "Just a minute more…" Justin looked around. The younger of the two shivered. "I should of asked him again, oh why didn't I ask him again." His head sagged. "I'm ready."

John helped him stand up, he'd already put the trunk into the pit. Justin looked down into the pit, quiet tears running down his cheeks. "I hear music. Carnival music. Do you hear it, John?"

"Yes Justin, I hear the music. It's in the distance." John nodded.(A/N: At this point the episode I was yelling 'RUN JUSTIN RUN!', because really he had every chance to run away….)

"Will it hurt?" Justin was seeking consolation from John who shook his head. "No," he replied. "It will be very peaceful, quiet, and dark." Justin nodded. "Ok." He took deep breaths, hoping it would help him, but he knew truly it wouldn't.

"Lay down in the trunk, Justin." John commanded softly. Justin did as he was told, making himself shrink. As the lid of the trunk covered him he took short breaths, trying to conserve oxygen. The lid clicked shut, and then he heard the sound of dirt falling onto the roof. He was being buried alive. Justin was no longer crying. He was silent, relaxed, and ready for what was coming ahead.

Once the teen was buried John turned back to his car. He got in and drove off, back towards the train station. It took him about an hour and a half to get there. Once he arrived he put the will Justin had written by the locker Valentino had given Justin just two weeks before. Now he drove, to turn himself in.

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Detective Lily Rush, and her co-worker Scotty(A/N: I'm not sure so tell me in review if I was wrong.) headed to the train station to check were John had said, the locker number 55(A/N: Made the number up.). Once they neared the bright yellow locker they saw and envelope with the words 'Last Will And Testament' written on the front. Taking it they opened it to find the key to the locker and a piece of crinkled paper with messy writing and tear stains on it. Quickly they put the will into a large Ziploc bag, so they could read it without damaging it further. Lily took the key, fitting it into the hole on locker number 55. Inside was a small tin, with carnival tickets in it, and an old sweater and running shoes. Lily read over the will. (A/N: I don't remember what it said, so just use your imagination. If anyone knows what it really is tell me through review and when I edit it I'll put it in.) "Says he wanted this stuff to go to a guy named Valentino." She said looking up at her co-worker. "And something about 'asking you again'." She looked at it and shrugged. "Better track down this guy, Valentino."

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They had found Valentino outside in the smoking section, standing there watching the rain. The two detectives came up to him, showing a badge as they went.

"When was the last time you saw your buddy Justin?" they asked coolly.

"If he's in some kinda trouble I don't know anythin' about it!" Valentino said in annoyance staring down the detectives.

"Well here's the bottom line, Valentino, we think you pal Justin was abducted. So if you want to see him alive your going to have to cooperate!" Scotty shot back at him holding the will up for him to see. Valentino read it over quickly his eyes widening in horror.

"Oh man." He said calming down.

"So when was the last time you saw him?" Lily questioned him. "A few hours ago, standing right over there." He pointed farther down the walkway.

"How many hours ago? This is a matter of life and death." Scotty pressed Val for more information. "Three, maybe four." He replied sinking his hands into his pockets. "Then what happened?" Lily continued their interrogation.

"He was running away, this guy came to get him."

"Did you get a license plate number, or type of car or anything?"

"Yeah, the license plate was 89OP..something. I'm not sure."(A/N: I didn't remember this either, let me know if you remember.)

"Ok, Valentino, thanks we'll let you know if we find anything." Lily and Scotty walked away. "Do you think we still have time before he runs out of air?" Scotty asked her. "Who knows?" Lily replied.

It was peaceful. Calm, quiet and peaceful. Just like he'd said. Justin closed his eyes and hugged himself, it was cold down here…all alone. He didn't mind the cold really…he wished Valentino was with him…holding him…making him warm… Justin mentally slapped himself, because he was never going to see Val again, and would definitely never be hugging him. He closed his eyes, the cold numbing him…he wished he could just fall asleep…

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Valentino sat on the cold stone bench staring at the ground. No one was in sight, the last trains just leaving. His hands slowly raised to his face and he cradled it, his jaw clenched in worry. His legs bounced from the toe up, a nervous compulsion. He thought about Justin, it was about the only thing decent to think about in such a time of worry. Man, why would that sick bastard pick Justin? He had so much to live for, he didn't deserve to die, not yet, not now. Val felt tears rise in his eyes and they spilled down his cheeks as he gave himself a moment of weakness, but soon he had pulled himself back together, dried his cheeks and was standing up, smoking a cigarette.

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John sat at the interrogation table across from Lily. He stared at her numbly, and she stared back. "Why don't you save him, John?"

John said nothing, just stared at her, his hands folded neatly on the table before him. Lily sighed as someone knocked on the door she stood up and went to the door. Someone said something to her and she nodded, leaving the room to be replaced by Scotty. Instead of sitting across from John he sat beside him. About five feet away, the coldness of the room was eerie as the silence dragged on.

"You know John, it was raining the night you killed the other boy, too." Scotty said matter-of-factly. "The rain changes the smell of people, their hair," he scooted his chair closer to John. "Their skin, their clothing. You like that smell don't you, John?"

John almost flinched his eyes turned to Scotty, his breathing quickened as the younger male moved towards him. "Face it John, you like young boys, don't you?"

"No." John said clearly, perspiration forming on his brow. "No?" Scotty asked. "Then why are both of your victims seventeen year olds John, what did you do with them before they were buried alive?"

"Nothing." The older of the two's jaw clenched. "But, John, why else would you bury them alive..?" Scotty asked his eyes narrowing as he moved closer. "And sitting so close to them so you can smell their wet bodies, their hair, their skin, their clothing…"

"I didn't!" John stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over. "The stupid bastards think they can live forever! But they can't! Take it from me!"

Scotty stood up as well. "Why John, why can't they live?"

"They'll all die at one point!"

"But not at that age, John."

"They can though…like when my friends dared me to jump off that bridge…I did it but it was the first time I realized I could die, and now the cocky sons of bitches should all die." His face was flush with anger. "And when they get older they get sick!"

"Are you sick, John?" Scotty asked his knuckles resting on the cold table top.

"Yes." He sighed.

"Are you going to die before your time?"

"Yes."

"Don't make Justin die before his time John, where is he?"

John nodded and explained the location in grim detail. Scotty nodded and left the room. He gave the directions to Lily who passed it on to the police. Soon the police, an ambulance and Lily's car holding Scotty, her and Valentino sped to the rescue of the poor seventeen year old.

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Lily had to stop for gas, so the ambulance and police beat them there. Yet, when they arrived a trembling teen sat on the back of an ambulance a blanket around his shoulders. In all the worry of the day Valentino half-smiled when he saw Justin and ran over to him. Resting his forehead on Justin's and putting an arm around him to rest on his shoulder he gave him a comforting squeeze. Justin leaned into him. "You came." He whispered his eyes blind with tears. "Yeah, Jus, I came." The two hugged and Justin melted under the feeling of Valentino's hot breath on his neck. It was then the two knew they needed each other, and everything was going to be okay, they both had each other to live for.

(Ok people, it's now a OneShot! I've had two people ask me to make another story, and if you guys think so too, then make sure you tell me & if you have any ideas for it make sure you tell me that too! This was very fun too write, but if you guys see any errors please tell me right away! )