I know, this hasn't been updated in AGES...but here's anew chapter for you, and now that I've gotten this part out, the next should be easier to write. I guess once the writer's block goes away, everything comes out much easier.

Please reply and let me know if you are still reading this, and if you want me to continue...

Jenny

Chapter Three:

Sara signaled to the bartender that she had Jaysen needed another round of tequila, laughing as Jaysen impersonated his ex-wife, Cheryl.

"She couldn't have been that bad," Sara laughed, gasping for breath, "No one can be that bad, Jase."

Jaysen's eyes were wide as he countered, "Don't tell me you haven't had a boyfriend like that."

"Oh, please," Sara retorted, slamming back her shot of tequila and pulling the next one towards her with a shudder, "Just how many boyfriends do you think I've had? No one wants the geeky work-a-holic, Jase."

Jaysen rolled his eyes, "Sure, no one wants a beautiful woman," He stacked his empty shot glass beside his sister's, raising his next one to her, "You just tell me who doesn't want you, and I'll go kick their ass."

"I've had one boyfriend in the last five years." Sara stated after a long pause and a heavy sigh, "One. You've been married, divorced, in so many serious relationships. How do you do it?"

"Do what? Date? It's not that hard, Sara, 13 year old girls do it all the time." Jaysen teased, "Maybe you just haven't found the right one."

Sara shrugged, sighing once more, "How do you open yourself up to someone completely? Trust them with everything?"

"I don't know." Jaysen replied softly, "I just do."

Sara raised the shot glass to her lips, sadly gulping the burning liquid down, "I've tried...I really have, but the closer anyone gets to me, the more scared I am to trust them."

"Not everyone will be like Mom and Dad, there are a few good guys out there, you just need to find the right one." Jaysen said softly as he slammed back another shot, "Don't find a boyfriend and then grow close to him, find a friend you can trust, who you are attracted to, and run with it. If he's a true friend, if it doesn't work out, you'll still have your friendship."

Sara motioned to the bartender for another round, but Jaysen grabbed her hand and shook his head, "It's time to go, we've both had enough."

"I guess you're right." Sara agreed, slightly slurring her words. She pulled out her wallet, but Jaysen covered her hand and shook his head.

"This one's on me." he said firmly, throwing a few bills onto the bar, surveying their damages. A quick estimate had them at about 30 shots, although he didn't care enough to do a detailed count. Steadying a swaying Sara, he led her towards the hotel elevators.

Sara stumbled into the elevator, leaning against the elevator wall and closing her eyes, "You're going to stay the night? I don't want you to get in an accident on the way home."

"Sounds like a good idea." Jaysen admitted, rubbing his forehead tiredly, "I don't think I could drive even if I wanted to."

Half an hour later, Sara was nestled snugly into her bed while Jaysen had passed out on the couch, both able to sleep peacefully as the alcohol numbed their minds of the day's events.

--

Greg knocked nervously on Sara's hotel room door, unsure of what to expect. Yesterday, she seemed like she was falling apart, but Sara was always a complex person to read. He could only hope that she would open up to him and trust him enough to let him help her.

He knocked again, growing antsy as he got no response. Just as he was about to knock a third time, the door opened to reveal a disheveled brunette male, exposing a bare chest as he yawned tiredly, "Yes?"

"I'm looking for Sara..." Greg said softly, "Maybe I have the wrong room."

The man yawned again, stretching as he swung the door open, "No man, come on in, you must be the elusive Greg."

"I wouldn't say elusive, but last time I checked, I was Greg." Greg replied nervously, unsure of who this man was and where Sara was at.

A few seconds later, the sounds of vomiting filtered through the bathroom door, leading the man to say simply, "She had a little too much to drink last night."

"Sounds like it." Greg replied, "You look a little worse for the wear, yourself."

"Needed something to chase the memories away. I'm Jaysen, by the way, Sara's older brother."

Greg nodded, things slowly starting to make sense. He turned as the bathroom door opened and Sara stumbled into the bedroom, blushing as she spotted Greg. She tugged self consciously at her pajama top, looking down at the ground, "Greg, I didn't expect you until later."

"It's almost noon." Greg replied, a smirk on his face, "Rough night?"

Sara rolled her eyes, "Shut up. I see you've met Jaysen."

Greg nodded, sitting on the bed next to Sara, "Are you going to visit her today?"

"I sort of have to." Sara muttered, "There's not much time left."

Jaysen groaned, walking towards the window and looking down over the city, "I have a feeling she'll be even less receptive than she was yesterday. She's had all night to think of new excuses to ignore us, new hateful things to accuse us of."

"Can't really blame her, we did blatantly ignore her for years." Sara whispered, rubbing her head tiredly, "I'm already tired of this and I've only been back for a day."

Silence filled the air, and after a few seconds, Sara jumped to her feet and rushed back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. In the main room, Jaysen turned to stare at Greg, "So what's going on between you and my sister?"

"She's my best friend." Greg replied, "That's it. We're not dating or anything."

"She seems to like you a lot." Jaysen pressed, hardening his stare slightly, "She's been through a lot in her life, I don't want to find out you're giving her trouble."

Greg shrank in his seat slightly, his cheeks burning red. He wouldn't deny that Jaysen scared him, more than just a little. Sara had never spoke of her family, and it really made him wonder if Jaysen was this overprotective of his little sister or perhaps just a bit psychotic. "I'd never hurt Sara. We're best friends, I told you. I'd die for her."

"That's good to know." Jaysen said cooly.

Greg jumped slightly as Sara spoke from right behind him, "Jase, you're scaring him."

"I'm not scared." Greg said quickly, although his voice betrayed him. He turned to face Sara, "You okay?"

Rolling her eyes, Sara replied, "I'm never drinking again. I've learned my lesson." She walked to the dresser, rifling through her clothes until she found something that matched, "Okay, you need to scram while I change." She smiled towards Greg, "That means you too, Greg."

Greg's face flushed again as he rose, moving towards the door, "I'll be down in the lobby."

"I'll walk you down." Jaysen added, slipping on his shoes and running his fingers through his messy hair, "I'll probably scare all of the customers away."

Greg forced a small laugh as he and Jaysen exited the room. He wasn't quite sure what to do now that he was alone with the other man. He was spared from conversation, thankfully, as Jaysen's cell phone rang. He flipped out the phone, answering gruffly, "Sidle."

The gruff man was silent for awhile before asking in a chillingly cold tone, "When?...We'll be right down."

He slammed his phone closed, shoving it into his pocket. Turning towards Greg, he shook his head, "Stick around, Sara may need you. Our mother just passed away."

Greg couldn't help but notice the lack of emotion Jaysen used when talking about his mother, and wondered if Sara had the same pent up hostility towards the woman. Sure, she had done some horrible things, but even if his mother had been as awful as Laura Sidle had been, he couldn't imagine not being upset about her death.

Jaysen knocked on the door, a scowl on his pale, unshaven face. Sara opened the door, still in her pajamas, "What? I was just about to get into the shower."

Jaysen was silent, and Sara's eyes welled up with tears immediately. "Mom?"

"She's gone."

Sara's legs began to shake and she dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands as she began to cry. Both men watched for a moment, frozen in their spots. After a few seconds, though, Jaysen turned to look at Greg, "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Greg rushed to Sara's side, wrapping his arms around her and helping her to her feet, leading her to the bed while Jaysen pulled the phone book out of the flimsy wooden desk. There were arrangements to be made, and now that his sister was being looked after, he'd be able to get everything done and get this process over with.

Stealing a glance at the two, huddled together on the bed, Jaysen couldn't help but give a small smile. She had spent hours bitching the night before that she didn't have a boyfriend, yet here she was in Greg's arms, oblivious to his attraction to her. Jotting down the number to the funeral home he had selected, he slid into the hall to give Greg and Sara their privacy while he made the necessary arrangements.

TBC...