Chapter 15-Kurt

Jeremiah awoke with a start once he realized that he was moving. But he wasn't on the bus. He sat up and looked around. He was on a bed with red sheets. He looked up and saw a window above him. He moved the curtains and his eyes got about two times bigger once he saw that the scenery was moving along with him.

He got off the bed and climbed shakily to his feet. He made his way up to the front of the vehicle he was in and dropped down in the passenger seat. In the driver's seat was Kurt Martin. He kept his eyes glued to the road but reached out and ruffled Jeremiah's hair.

"Why'd you kidnap me?" Jeremiah asked.

"I didn't kidnap you kid. I'm your father," Kurt responded as he chuckled.

"You're not my dad. I don't have a dad," Jeremiah said as he shook his head. "Carey doesn't have a husband."

"Yeah, well, I'm her ex-husband."

"Does that make you my ex-father then?"

"The kid has a sense of humor!"

"I have a name."

"I know that."

Jeremiah stayed silent as he glared out the window. Kurt glanced at him a couple of times and tried to make small talk with him, but he stayed quiet the whole time. They stopped at a restaurant and as Jeremiah ate quietly, Kurt called Carey.

"Kurt?" Carey questioned in a surprised voice.

"Hello Carey," he said as he smiled into the phone.

"What're you calling for?"

"There's someone here who wants to talk to you." He held out the phone to Jeremiah who wiped his palms on his jeans and reached out for the phone.

"Hi mom," he said into the phone in a soft voice.

"Jeremiah! Are you ok? You're not hurt are you? Why did you run away? We were worried sick about you! Why-"

"Slow down mom. Yes, I'm fine. Nothing broken, no bruises, no scratches. I ran away, I guess, to find myself. To see who actually cares about me. A…a part of me wanted it to be Sarah. But, when I ran away, it was then I realized she wouldn't come looking for me. You would. And Zack and Cody. You're my family and you're the only ones who care about me this much…and I want to thank you…for setting my life straight. I'd probably be in jail if it weren't for you guys." Jeremiah said as he smiled into the phone. "Where're Zackster and Codes?"

"Right here."

"Hey guys."

"Jer! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm here with Kurt. He's going to take me back soon. I'll be home and…I promise I won't run away again. I know it hurt you too much last time so I won't do it again."

"That's good to hear." Zack sighed with relief.

"Jeremiah!" Jeremiah looked up to see Kurt making his way towards the door. "I have to go now."

"We love you Jeremiah," Cody said into the phone. A strange feeling entered Jeremiah that made him smile. So this was what it felt like to be loved. It was a good feeling.

"I love you guys too," he responded softly before he hung up the phone. He dropped the phone into his pocket and followed Kurt out the door. He quickly ran back, grabbed a handful of French fries, and ran out the door.

Once they got back into Kurt's band bus they took off for the highway. Kurt had the radio on and was bobbing his head to the music. Jeremiah picked up a red electric guitar off of the floor and held it in his hands. He ran his palm over the cool surface and held a chord with his left hand.

"Playing the guitar takes a long time….to…learn," Kurt said slowly as Jeremiah started playing the beginning of a song. He suddenly stopped and tuned some strings slightly. He then started playing again, and he can play very well, considering that this was the first time he has ever picked up a guitar. He was playing the song I'd Do Anything by Simple Plan. "You really are my son Jeremiah!"

Kurt's and Jeremiah's heads suddenly went flying forward as something crashed into the bumper of the car. Glancing in the rearview mirror, Jeremiah saw Sarah's face reflecting in the light.

"Oh no!" He whispered in fear as his face paled.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked as he shot a quick glance at Jeremiah.

"That's Sarah McGwire. My…other guardian. She's trying to get custody over me but, I don't want to go back with her." Tears started to fall from Jeremiah's face. "Please don't let her take me! Don't let her take me!"

"I won't, don't worry," Kurt said as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, "Hold onto something, Jeremiah." He pressed his foot down on the gas pedal and sped up. They pulled away from Sarah as Jeremiah quickly dialed the phone.

"Mommy!" He cried into it once Carey picked up the phone. His head slammed into the window and he was dazed for a couple of seconds. "Mom! Sarah's back!"

"What's going on? Are you guys ok?"

"We're being chased by Sarah. Kurt's doing all he can to get away from her."

"Stay calm. Call the police."

"Ok. I will."

Jeremiah looked back in the rearview mirror and noticed that Sarah wasn't there. His heart slowed down for a couple of seconds and he gripped the phone I his clammy hand. Kurt also thought that things were fine because he slowed down a little. They drove in heart pounding silence, thinking that Sarah would suddenly appear.

Then it happened.

As they crossed an intersection Sarah came barreling into their side, causing them to lose control and to start spinning. Jeremiah screamed as they spun faster and faster, The lights and objects surrounding him blurred into one huge color. They suddenly stopped spinning and he hit his head hard on the window. He heard metal smashing against something before he slipped into darkness.

----------------------------------------

Cody's POV-

I was shaken awake by my mom as I rolled over in my bed. I rubbed sleep from my eyes as I muttered, "Whassamatter?"

"Jeremiah…car accident…killed…hurt," Carey choked out as she hugged Zack.

"What?" I yelped, now fully awake. 'Please tell me I heard wrong. Please tell me Jeremiah isn't dead.' I thought as I stared at my mom in shock. She was telling us that we had to get dressed and get into the car. I was wearing a dark blue t-shirt over dark long pants. I just pulled on sneakers and ran out the door. We rushed into our car and my mom drove away as fast as she could. Zack sat in the front, I was in the backseat but I was leaning forward so my chin rested on Zack's shoulder. I tilted my head so it was resting on his as I sighed, my breath coming out in a shaky way.

"Everything will be ok Cody," Zack whispered to me without looking at me. "I promise."

"How can you promise on something as life threatening as this?"

"I just can."

Flashing lights came up on our left and I gasped once I saw how totaled the car was.

No one could survive that.

-------------------------------------

Jeremiah's POV-

My vision slowly came back as my head thudded in pain. I tried to move but realized that my body was pinned to the floor of the car. How that happened, I didn't understand. I looked up and saw that Kurt shielded me from the glass the fell from the window. Let me rephrase that, was shielding me. He had a lifeless look in his eyes that I have seen one too many times in my young life.

"Thank you Kurt, for saving me and letting me see tomorrow. I'll never forget that," I whispered as I reached up and closed his eye lids. I pushed my hands above my head and felt the door. I pushed on it but it wouldn't budge. Pain shot up my arm so I had to stop. I could hear voices outside the car door. There was a deafening sound of a saw against metal and light shone into the car. I held out my hand and waved it around to let people know that I was still alive, but pinned between the bottom of the car seat and the front of the car that got smashed in.

"Jeremiah!"

I felt two pairs of hands grabbing my hand and I immeditaley knew that it was Zack and Cody.

"Are you all right," they asked in unison.

"I'm fine…thanks to Kurt. He saved me. He died protecting me," I responded as some paramedics grabbed my arms and slowly tugged me out of the car. I got shakily to my feet, only to be lifted up and placed on Cody's hip as he hugged me tight. I'm not one who actually let's people pick me up, but this is the only exception.