Don't die of shock, but this is the third update in three days!

I love getting over writer's block! :) And y'all's reviews are encouraging!

This is a big chapter for me because it's part of the original plotline I had when first planning this story!

I always knew it would end up here (and the next chapter) and it's been a crazy journey with lots of detour subplots, but here it is!

I hope y'all like it :)

Chris waited at April's locker once the final bell rang, to give her a ride home.

People had been whispering around him all day, thanks to that damn article, and it was really getting annoying.

He just wanted to get home!

A minute later, he spotted April coming down the hall, but could tell she wasn't very happy.

As she got closer, he realized she was crying.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately, as she practically dropped into his arms.

Her head shook, "Can we just leave, please?"

He nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and directing her out the door.

It didn't take them long to reach the camaro.

Chris waited until she was inside, with the door closed, before bringing it up again.

"April, what happened?"

She stared out the window, tears still in her eyes, "Everyone's talking about that stupid article."

He frowned, "They're idiots, babe. It's a small town, there's always gonna be talk...why, did someone say something bad?"

She looked over at him, "You could say that."

She sighed, "I had algebra last today, and Vicki was there, running her mouth as usual. I tried not to let it bother me, but then she started goading me, talking about the pictures, asking me how good you were and then Colton Brenson and Jessica Kent were laughing, and then Zack Sanders started whistling at me, asking if I was available this weekend and I just-" her lip quivered as she trailed off, and Christian cursed, throwing the car into drive.

"I'm sorry," He told her.

She swallowed, nodding, as they pulled out, then asked, "Chris...where are we going?"

He had turned the opposite direction of her house.

"You don't deserve this, and I'm gonna make sure that dick reporter knows it."

She wasn't sure what he meant, but his tone caused her to remain silent.

Elena moaned as Damon's mouth moved over her skin, that was flushed pink by the hot water running over them.

She had enjoyed welcoming him home, on the bed, on the floor, and now in the shower, and he had no problem showing his appreciation.

Especially with that sinful mouth of his.

"Mhmm I love you," she sighed, as he latched on to her hardened nipple.

He smirked, then swirled his tongue around her, letting his hand drift to her center.

She wasn't sure how she still felt a stirring in her stomach after all the orgasms he'd given her in the bedroom, but it was Damon, and she knew better than to question his abilities.

His mouth found hers, and she kissed him deeply as his fingers pumped inside of her.

The moan died in his mouth as she once again felt herself tighten around him.

His thumb grazed her clit, and she climaxed, falling into his arms.

He laughed quietly, "That one seemed good."

She managed a smile as she caught her breath, but didn't respond.

Instead, she chose to lean against his chest.

"I'm so glad you're home."

He kissed her head, "Me too, baby girl, me too."

They remained there a while longer, before Elena decided they probably shouldn't waste the water, and grabbed a towel before stepping out.

Within the next five minutes they were both dressed and had moved to the living room.

Damon pulled Elena into his lap as they sat on the couch.

"We should go out tonight," He told her, "You, Me, and Chris. Go to dinner somewhere."

She rested her head on his chest, smiling, "Sounds good. Chris will probably enjoy some real food, anyway."

Damon nodded, "Probably. And I'll enjoy the time with my family."

She looked up at him, "You're in a good mood, considering."

He smiled back, "You have that effect on me."

"Oh, I do, do I?"

"Yep," He kissed her, "And I'm home. What is there not to be happy about?"

April finally realized where Chris was heading when he turned off the main road, and the MF MOTEL came into sight.

"Chris...are you sure about this?"

He didn't answer.

She swallowed, "Chris please, don't do anything stupid."

"I warned him," Chris shot, "He's not just gonna get away with doing this, especially not to you, and it's never gonna stop unless someone does something. This time it's us, next time, it'll be Mom, or something, and I'm not tolerating it!"

To make matters worse, when they pulled up, Edward Garrison was already outside, standing next to his black sedan.

The tires squealed slightly as Chris spun into the parking lot, and stopped.

He was parked and out the door before April could protest.

She unbuckled quickly, getting out of the passengers side.

Chris was already halfway to Garrison.

"Ah, Christian," the man started, recognizing him, "I thought I might see you again. How'd you like your little exposè?"

Instead of answering, Chris hit him, with enough force to make the man stagger.

April called out, "Chris! Come on, please."

Garrison had lost all pretenses, "She's right. You need to walk away, right now, son. Or you're gonna find yourself in a world of trouble."

"You're the one in trouble," Chris spat, swinging again.

This time, Garrison managed to block his fist, but Chris used his distraction to upcut into the man's ribs.

Thrown off, Chris gained the advantage, knocking Garrison's feet out from under him.

It was lucky the man was so short and out of shape, but still, he was able to flip his elbow up and caught Chris on the side of his head.

They struggled for a second, fist flying, before April was able to get her arms around Chris, who had flipped on top, and drug him backwards.

He jumped to his feet, and she placed her hands on his chest.

"Chris, stop!" She demanded, "Stop!"

He was past listening though, as he struggled to get past her.

Garrison was pulling himself off the ground, as the sounds of sirens filled the air.

Someone must have seen the fight and called the cops.

They were just across the street from the station after all.

"You're in for it now, kid," Garrison spat, as the cop car pulled up, and Liz got out.

She seemed only vaguely surprised to see Christian there.

"What's going on?" She demanded authoritatively.

"This punk kid jumped me," Garrison shot, "That's what's going on!"

"Because you're a piece of shit that just wants to-"

"Okay, okay," Liz jumped in, "Chris, calm down."

She saw his busted lip then and sighed, "Look, just get home, alright? I'll take care of this."

Chris started to protest, but April pulled his arm, "Babe, come on, please..."

He looked at her, sighed, then nodded, "Fine."

Liz waiting until the teens were in the car before turning back to Edward Garrison.

When she'd gotten the disturbance call from the hotel, she'd figured he was somehow involved.

Except she'd half expected it to be Damon she'd be pulling off of him, after that article had been released.

The man was rubbing his jaw, "I want to press charges on that brat," he told her.

She rose a brow, "Mr. Garrison, from what I can tell, Chris had a bloody lip. That's assault on a minor."

"What?" The man blinked, "He was the one that-"

"It doesn't matter," Liz stated, "He's under the age of eighteen, so I'll need to take you to the station. You can call your lawyer there. I'm sure they can make it down by morning."

She had to fight back a laugh at his mortified face, "I'm not spending the night in jail!"

She pulled out her cuffs, slowly, dramatically, "You want me to add resisting arrest to your charges?"

He paled, "You're arresting me?!"

She gave him a pointed look, "Yes I am. I don't like bullies, Mr. Garrison, especially ones that pick on teenagers because of their false sense of entitlement."

"But-I-You can't!"

She shrugged, "Actually, I can, and I will. Unless..."

"Unless what?" He bit.

She hooked her cuffs back, then met his gaze, "Unless you get out of town. Tonight. And don't plan a visit for a while."

He eyed her, "This is insane."

"Well it's that, or jail," she warned, "Take it or leave it."

He muttered out a few choice words, but finished with "Alright, alright, let me get my stuff."

She smirked behind his back, making a mental note to call Elena, and tell her the bastard would be on a plane back home within the hour.

She'd follow him to the airport to make sure of it.

Elena had just gotten off the phone with Liz when she heard the door open.

She knew it was her son, and that he would probably still be shaken, as she walked back to the living room.

Damon jumped up from his spot on the couch, concerned, "Chris?"

Her son's bleeding lip stretched into a smile upon seeing Damon, "You're back..."

Damon's brows pulled together, "And you're a mess. What happened?"

"Garrison," Elena answered, calling their attention, and noticing April standing behind Chris.

Damon's expression turned murderous, "That bastard did this?"

Elena shook her head, "No, your son did. What were you thinking, Chris?"

Chris stood straight, "I was thinking he had no business doing what he did and that someone needed to show him that."

"What happened," Damon repeated.

"Chris started a fight with the guy, and he fought back. Liz stopped it and apparently ran Garrison out of town. She's not happy with you though, Chris."

He shrugged, and Damon shook his head, "You went after him? Why?"

"I just told you," Chris defended, "I don't get why it's a big deal."

"It's a big deal because it was reckless, Christian! You could have seriously been hurt, or arrested, or anything! What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that someone had to do something!" Chris spat.

Damon looked at him disapprovingly, "These are things that you need to let us handle, Chris. Throwing punches...that's a stupid move, and you could have easily gotten in big trouble! Not to mention that you drug April into it too! You have to consider how your actions are affecting other people Chris!"

"Really? I need to consider other people?!" He set his jaw in a way that indicated a chord being struck.

"I was thinking of others! Of April, of Mom! I was doing what I had to to protect the people I love! I was doing what I've always done when shit got bad! And where were you? Huh, Dad? Where were you when all this was happening?! In California, saving your career! Mom raised me by herself for years, while you were getting everything you wanted! And we did fine without you. So don't tell me I wasn't thinking about others when I made my choice! I made that choice for them! Because someone had to, and I couldn't count on it being you, because you weren't even here! You were in fucking Los Angeles, where you've been every other time we needed you!"

Chris breathed deeply after his rant.

He could see the hurt in Damon's eyes and looked away.

He refused to feel guilty over the truth, no matter the reasons.

He just wanted someone else to hurt.

Someone else to blame.

But he also knew Damon didn't deserve that.

The man had done nothing by try since he'd come back, but Chris couldn't care about that.

Not right now, when silence filled the room, his girlfriend was trembling, and his own eyes burned with tears.

It was just too much.

He couldn't breathe.

Without stopping to think, he grabbed April's hand and pulled her out the door.

He vaguely heard his mother call to him, but it didn't matter.

The camaro's keys were still in his pocket, and he needed to get away for a minute. Clear his head.

April got into the passenger's seat without a word, and he pulled out quickly.

As soon as the car's tires hit asphalt, he upped the gear and hit the gas.

The camaro jolted as she sped, and he was pretty sure they were going faster than the legal speed limit.

But he needed to go fast, needed to see the fields nearby fly as he passed them.

He needed to get away.

The tears that had threatened fell now, running down his cheek.

He hurried to wipe them, grateful that April didn't try to make him talk.

He looked over, and found her focused on the road ahead, eyes unblinking.

Then she screamed.

"CHRIS!"

His eyes saw the reflecting sign too late.

Wickery Bridge, currently under reconstruction, was directly in front of them, and there was no way to stop.

So he swerved.

Everything happened in a blink, but he caught each detail as though it were slow motion.

The loud squeal of the tires, rivaled by April's scream, and gravity shifting as they flipped.

His hand shot out across her instinctively.

Then the loud crunch of metal.

A sharp pain in his head.

The cold splash of the river.

And everything went black.

Sooo I'm just gonna leave that there. ;)

Review, please!