AUTHORS NOTE: And...I'm back! This chapter may be a bit distrubing so brace yourself. LOL!

Jacqueline cast one last glance at the disappearing sight of Pleasantview, feeling tears forming in the back of her eyes. She hated it, but she had to so this. She loved her family very much. She could picture all of them, her father spending sleepless nights and drinking too many bad coffees to search for her, her mother weeping and having to take sleeping pills, Lucy crying her eyes out and her other younger siblings, wondering where she went.

"Maybe I could go back..." She thought

She felt her hand taken by another one, warm and soft. Her eyes met his. The eyes of the reason she had to run away. Because as much as her family loved her, they would never understand that she loved Alexander Goth, that he loved her, just as much as Mortimer would never understand. They loved them but they loved them the wrong way, smothering them. She knew they were but tenagers, they acted this way for a reason. But then, she remembered the arguments, the bad words, how her mother dissapointed her when she sounded so childish, with dull arguments, posing as a victim and pointing fingers, while she was sitting down and speaking calmly. She had opened her heart and they had crushed it.

" They are reaping what they sew".

With that in mind, her eyes focused on the road ahead of her as Alexander, understanding her mourning of her childhood was done, drove off to the place where forbidden loves could have a chance.

XXXXXXX

Jennifer looked at the rooms of her children, all empty, as the night had spread its dark coat. No stars were shining and the moon was shy. In the silence of her home, all of her possessions, all the wealth she had built and was proud of seemed suddenly dull. Lucy and the kids were at their uncle Daniel's house. Angela and Lilith stopped their feud right after they saw their young cousin's cheeks drained of all colours, her eyes red and puffy from crying too much.

" Why don't we have a sleepover? Wouldn't it be nice, Lucy? To talk, to watch movies?" Angela had suggested

" Yeah, the goody-two-shoes' right, you definitely have to see Eden. That Eugene Simon guy is a hottie."

Lucy had understood that it was more a way of having her thinking of something else, they cared enough to try and she had agreed. Daniel had suggested that the youngest children could remain with them, Mary-Sue volunteered to babysit while he and John would search in the entire neighborhood.

Sighing, Jennifer felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. A text from Lilith.

" The kids are sleeping tight, though Lucy has nightmares on nightmares. Mom asks if you'd be okay with her giving her some light medicine to sleep?"

She gave her approval, texting back. She felt two arms embracing her from behind.

" You should sleep." John said, kissing her softly

How could she? She had driven her own daughter away, her dreams were plagued with images of her dead, laying in a cold street, her body washed by raindrops.

" Any luck?" She tried

" No..." John sighed, looking exhausted from the stress

They sat in the kitchen, Jennifer preparing hot cocoa.

" The neighbors have no clue, though they all promised to keep their eyes open. But there is something..."

She stared at him.

" Alexander Goth has ran away too."

The feeling of guilt sank even more down their throats, burning them more than anything they could have ever ingested.

"Care to remind me why we're here in the first place?" Alexander asked

" I need a drink, and I need a driking buddy." Jacqueline replied

They had driven far and they were now in Bluewater Village, facing the Dante Club, held by Malcolm Langeraab. The day had been hard, they were tired in body and washed out in spirit. Both of them had mixed feeelings about leaving their family behind. Alexander had thought of his father, alone in this big mansion of his, of Cassie trying to expand the family to no avail... To this was also added the stress. Their families had reported them as missing and their portraits had started to be shown on the news. Perhaps it was why Jacqueline seemed so eager to burn some steps. The night was young and they could have little freedom left until they were found and brought back to their personal hell. It was a strong word, they knew it, and their kin meant welln but the road to Hell was paved with good intentions. This night, these moments, they were theirs to enjoy, no strings holding them back, they were freed puppets who could dance on their own rhythm. Sighing, music blasting out the complex, Alexander sighed.

" It won't work. We do not seem of age. What if they ask for our ID cards?" He asked

" Don't you remember who my cousin is?" Jacqueline replied, raising an eyebrow.

Seeing his look, she added:

"Lilith comes here everytime she wants to get wasted and she never had to give her ID card. The owner knows but doesn't give a shit as long as we pay and don't trash his place."

Alexander gave in and together, they entered the building. It was hot in there, crowded, they could barely hear themselves speaking. They sat at the bar, Jacqueline ordering two glasses of vodka. Malcolm had raised an eye at the sight of the young couple but let it pass.

" Na zdrowie !" She exclaimed while they toasted

They drank it up in one single sip. It burnt their throats, yet they didn't care. Alcohol could waste them, they were already wasted anyway, high on the freedom they had taken. They ordered more, drank, and started all over again, enjoying the loud music, rejoyicing in people's contagious happiness, of the joyful atmosphere of the place, and during those moments, they felt the happiest they had ever been. They were young, they were free, they were in love, the rest could bite the dust, all that mattered was them, only them. Forgotten the bad feelings, forgotten the doubts, even the anger had been erased, all tha remained was the thrill of the night and the excitement of the moment, shared with a good company.

Hours later, they were sitting on one of the many sofas provided by the place, watching people having a blast on the dancefloor. Discovering secrets too. A man happily married and a father of two making out and soon dissapearing in a photobooth with a young mistress. Flirting widows, one-night stands... The world was very different from what they had been taught. Their parents had given them a very vanilla edited story of the universe surrounding them. Their cheeks were red and burning from the drinks, they laughed for no reason, and seeing those people getting closer gave them ideas. Sure, they had kissed that night but a new desire was rising in them.

" You look so hot, Jack!" Alexander said

Jacqueline smiled, she loved it when he used her nickname. He kissed her and soon, the chaste kiss became a makeout session, hands visiting squares of clothed skin.

" Have a condom?" She asked

" On birth control?" He asked back

They understood that they weren't, yet they didn't care.

" Guys, no babies made here, there are rooms right next door. Catch!" Malcolm said

Alexander catched what was sent to him: condoms. The teens shared a smile and went off. That night, the moon witnessed the birth of a man and a woman under the sheets.

XXXXX

"What do you mean, my baby's gone, you fool?!" Bella shouted at her husband

Her return had surprised everyone and Mortimer would have never thought that the joy. of having her back would be tarnished by one of her famous tantrums. Back in the living room, Cassandra was sitting down, pale and clearly tired. Don was holding her against him, her head resting on his chest, his beating heart soothing her like the sweetest lullaby. But everytime her parents shouted more, it broke her peace and she was reminded of how unwell she was. Her husband had enough of that. He rose, despite his wife urging him to restraim himself, yet he entered the kitchen.

"Enough! Shouting won't bring Alex back but if you continue, it will certainly kill your grandchild to come!" He bluntly screamed at them

Silence finally arrived in the mansion and the Goth couple suddenly beamed with joy for the first time in hours.

"Granchild?!"

A scream escaped Lucy's throat as she woke up suddenly, sweat making her shivering. Angela woke up immediately, concern painted all over her face.

"Lucy, it was just a dream."

"It was horrible!"

She broke down in tears, only to be hugged by her cousin.

" Jack was staring at me, her iris red and she... She was floating, surrounded by evil arms with long sharp nails, one swift blow and my parents's bodies were shattered in several pieces... She told me she seeked her revenge as I didn't have her back... That I broke my promise to be there for her..."

"Jacqueline would never hurt you or your parents, she loves you."