Hidden Hearts

Disclaimer: I do not own this TV show nor do I own most of these characters. If I did then I'd most likely have had something like this happen some time ago. ;-)

Part 22

--5 Days Ago--

--New York--

The last bell of the day rang and out of every classroom poured students dying to get out of the building. The halls slowly started to empty the sounds of friends talking about their plans for the weekend and how much homework their teachers gave them, started to become less. The sounds of lockers opening and closing slowly slowed and soon the halls were filled with nothing but the echo of students' conversation that were now talking place outside the school building.

Melinda Turner was very different from any other high school student, she was two years ahead of students her age and she was going to graduate this year at the age of 16, she was out the classroom door as fast as possible. Melinda would love to say she was the first one out of the school building but she happened to be dead last, which in the end caused her to miss her bus. Today wasn't the best day of the week, though it was Friday and it was supposed to be. Melinda sighed and dropped her school bag down to the sidewalk and leaned up against the fence and waited for another bus that would take her home. Home that sounded great to her right now, what also sounded great was the school year was almost done; they only had two weeks left before graduation hence all the books packed into her bag and why it was so heavy. Summer...that would have sounded so nice if the plans she had made to go to Florida hadn't been cancelled. Melinda kicked the bottom of her disgusting black school shoe against the pavement as she thought about the trip being cancelled.

Melinda had worked hard for the money she earned, she had two jobs one yes was freelance babysitting for neighbors and family members but she also worked at the local newspaper and was a typist. She made good money there but the hours were horrible and she had taken the job so she could get the money to go down to Florida this summer, and now after a year of working and making the money she needed, she couldn't go. Melinda had been told that her biological parents were there but then Dr. Madden informed her that her of the horrible news, her biological mother had died. Melinda had cried for her lost chance at meeting her mother but knew deep in her heart that staying here; with a family that wanted her was best.

Melinda groaned and stood up from the fence and put her hands at the bottom of her sweatshirt, it was too hot to have it on. Just as the sweatshirt covered her head someone walked up to her and poked her side causing her to jump.

"Hey, Lin..." Matt said smiling as he moved back a step so he was leaning up against the fence.

Melinda pulled her sweatshirt over her head and placed it over her bag and rolled her eyes. She would have freaked out if it had been any other person that had poked her. Matt was her best friend, they lived right next to each other, though this year they hadn't been getting along much and Matt rarely talked to her. Melinda wasn't the cheerleading type; though she had the blonde hair that goes with the gig she wasn't dumb she was basically a nerd. Melinda may have the looks of a cheerleader but she was no such thing she even had the glasses and romance novel in her bag to prove it as well as the expectance letters to Harvard, Yale, Duke and NYU, all offering academic scholarships.

"What do you want, Matt?" Melinda asked.

They had been friends, once, not this year. This year it was all about Matt proving to his new football friends that he was no longer friends with her, so that meant humiliating her in front of everyone at school. Matt was a year younger then she was and even it might seem cool to be best friends with a senior it wasn't cool to be best friends with her.

"Don't be like that." Matt said gently as he leaned forward so he could check if there were any busses coming.

"Be like what, Matt? Offended, defensive, oh right you're the one that has to be defensive, have to cover that end zone." Melinda said as she picked up her sweatshirt and her bag, throwing both over her shoulder.

Matt grabbed his bag and started to follow Melinda, he knew that he was a jerk to her lately but they had been best friends he didn't want to lose that, even though he knew he probably already did. Matt jogged a few paces to catch up to Melinda, once by her side he spit out his chewing gum and continued to walk along side Melinda. Melinda rolled her eyes couldn't Matt take the hint?

"Where are you going?" Matt asked trying to get Melinda to talk to him.

"Another bus stop." Melinda said as she continued to walk, but when she saw Matt was following her she turned around and started walking back to the other bus stop.

"Oh come on!" Matt said as he turned around and started to walk after Melinda. "Why won't you just grow up, Melinda?!" Matt asked getting frustrated when Melinda turned around again to walk to the other bus stop that was five blocks up.

"You know me, I like to follow example. So when you grow up, maybe I will too." Melinda said and kept walking to 116th knowing if she turned around again she'd never make it to the other bus stop by the time the bus came.

Matt smiled, he knew how feisty Melinda could be, and just how stubborn as well. Matt continued to walk after Melinda happy that she hadn't changed directions again, but he did remain silent not really in the mood to fight with Melinda at the moment. Matt just wanted to catch a bus, maybe have a talk with Melinda in the mean time.

Melinda turned around and saw Matt was still following her, she also saw their bus coming and they still had three more blocks to go to get to the next bus stop. Melinda cursed and grabbed onto the straps of her backpack and made a run for it, not even bothering to call Matt and warn him. Matt didn't need the warning anyway, he soon saw the bus and started running after Melinda, toward the bus stop as well.

In the end neither of them made the bus stop and the bus just flew by and they both stopped running, both panting for a short while before they just walked up to the bus stop and waited for the next bus, ignoring the other.

"This is ridiculous!" Matt groaned as he threw his arms up into the air.

"Don't I know it?" Melinda said shaking her head as she rolled her eyes.

"This is all you're fault!" Matt said pointing a finger at Melinda.

"My fault? How is it my fault?" Melinda asked as she turned to face Matt shocked.

"If you hadn't been such a...a..."

"A what...go on...say what ever it was that you were going to say. What am I?" Melinda asked as she stared at Matt.

"A stubborn person then we wouldn't have missed that bus!" Matt accused.

"You know I am so sick and tire of being made fun of!" Melinda screamed at matt.

Matt realized his mistake too late. "Lin...I'm..."

"Don't bother." Melinda said and stalked away from the bus stop turning down the block not going in the right direction of another bus stop.

Matt didn't follow this time and he wished he had. When Matt got home later that evening he was met at his door by his father looking as pale as a ghost and about to tell him someone in the family had just died. Matt had rushed past his dad before he could tell him anything and ran into the kitchen to see his mother at the kitchen table next to Melinda's mother, Phoebe Turner and Cole Turner, Melinda's father. Melinda's mother was crying hysterically with his mother and Melinda's father comforting her.

"What happened? Where's Melinda?" Matt asked knowing that something had to have happened to Melinda if her parents were here and her mother was so upset.

"Son..." Matt's father started.

"Where's Melinda!?" Matt asked once again screaming.

"She's been kidnapped." Matt's father answered as he looked down. "She was abducted by a mad man and...is being held for ransomed. The Turners came here because; they shouldn't be alone right now."

Matt just shook his head. It was his all His fault! Matt ran up the stairs to his bedroom and slammed the door behind him and jumped into his bed and screamed into the pillows. It was his entire fault! He should have followed her; he shouldn't have let her go alone.

"Doctor Madden?" Melinda asked as she looked out the window and saw them passing a sign that read 'Welcome to Pine Valley'

"Yes...Melinda?" Dr. Madden asked and turned to look at the teenager that was being given a third and final chance to make her life better.

"Why are we here?" Melinda asked. She had agreed to go away with Dr. Madden only because of the promise. That she'd be told who her biological father was and where she could find him and her family.

"We're here so you can finally be with your real family." Dr. Madden said as the car stopped in a drive way. "For tonight...you'll stay here and tomorrow we'll go see to finding your father. Tomorrow your new life starts" Dr. Madden said and watched Melinda nod smile and get out of the car with her back pack. This was going to be easier then she thought.

"I won't be Melinda Turner anymore...I'll be Melinda Stone Chandler." Melinda said smiling as she walked up to the front door.

TBC...