Alright...the final revision. Again I will say that to this point the only characters I own are Lena and Jorden. There is one more to come and a visit from someone I'm sure some you will enjoy. Chapter 6 will be up soon!

Chapter 5: Faith and Trust

Lincoln shot up off the couch and ran toward the spare room where Michael and Sara were running from.

"What the hell was that?" Lincoln yelled examining every window he could find. "You guys alright?"

"We're both fine, you?" Michael asked conducting his own examination of the windows.

"I'm good. Where'd it come from? None of these windows are broken," Lincoln said frantically looking for damage.

"Guys," Sara's voice was fearful as she pointed at Jorden's door. It was still closed. She hadn't come out of her room.

"Jorden," there had never been more fear in Lincoln's voice. All three sprinted to the bedroom door, which Sara expected to Lincoln to throw open. To her surprise, Lincoln just cracked the door open and moved into the room slowly. Michael was behind his brother in the same manner, so Sara followed suit.

"Jorden?" Lincoln didn't want to scare her anymore than she was. There was glass all over the floor and a huge brick right in the middle of the mess. Jorden was sitting on her bed, back against the wall with her knees pulled up to her chin and rocking back and forth ever so slowly, with a dead gaze on the brick in the middle of the floor.

"Oh no," Michael said then turned and told Sara to stay in the doorway. He and Lincoln made their way slowly into the room trying to avoid stepping on the glass as much as possible. Every time they stepped on the glass it crunched under their shoes and Jorden jumped and pulled her knees in tighter. "Careful, Linc, she's in bad shape."

"Yeah," Lincoln whispered back to his brother. "Jorden?" he tried again to get her attention but there was nothing. He couldn't tell from where he was standing, but it didn't look like she was hurt. He kept walking further into the room and more toward her until he stepped between Jorden and the brick. Her eyes never moved. He knelt down at the edge of the bed, almost level with her eyes, and said her name again as he reached out to touch her hand that was clenched around her knees. As soon as his fingers touched her hand, she pulled away from him, her head jolted up and Jorden caught his eyes in hers.

Lincoln had never seen more fear in Jorden's eyes before. He took his other hand and moved toward her head. His fingers touched her cheek and she flinched a little.

"Jorden, it's me," he was trying to be as soft as was humanly possible. "I'm here, Jorden. You're okay now," he was cradling her face in his hand now. He watched a tiny tear form in the corner of her eye and fall down her cheek. He caught with his finger and gently wiped it away.

"Lincoln?" she whispered ever so softly and blinked a few times, revealing a few more tears, like she had come back to reality.

"Yeah," he whispered back. "It's me. I'm right here. You're okay now. I'm here. You're safe now, I promise."

Jorden's head fell to her knees and she began to cry. Lincoln stood up to sit on her bed and wrapped his arms around her. He kept whispering reassuringly to her and rocking her back and forth. He motioned, with his eyes, for Michael to get rid of the brick.

"Let's get out of here, Jorden," Lincoln whispered to her. He was careful not to let go of her hand as he moved off the bed, leaned over to put her arm around the back of his neck, cradled her in his arms, then picked her up and took her out to the living room. He set her down on the couch and quickly took the seat next to her, never letting go of her hand. As soon as he sat down next to her, Jorden fell into him, her head on his shoulder. Lincoln wrapped his arms around her again and leaned back a little into the couch. He kept talking to her, reassuring her that she was safe and that she was gonna be okay, hoping she'd be able to fall asleep.

Michael found the broom and dustpan in the kitchen and he, with Sara's help, went to work on cleaning up the glass and getting the window covered.

"Is she gonna be okay, Michael?" Sara asked very concerned.

"She'll be okay. She just needs some time," Michael assured her.

"I've never seen Lincoln act so…" Sara was searching for the right way to phrase it so she didn't seem to be insulting Michael's brother.

"Gentle?" Michael found the word for her. "It's not an act. This isn't the first time we've seen her like this," he said.

"Something awful must have happened to her before that made her react that way?"

"There are only three things in this world I know Jorden is afraid of: gunshots, explosions, and breaking glass. If she even hears any one of those sounds she gets a little more startled than the rest of us would," Michael explained.

"You don't know what made her afraid in the first place?" Sara asked with a little bit of surprise.

"Jorden and Lincoln are the only ones who know. He is the only person she's told. I think that's why he's the only one who can bring her back when she gets like that," Michael answered. "I'm not sure I want to know."

"Someone else needs to," Sara started to explain. "What if something happens to Lincoln and he can't bring her back. What I just witnessed looked a lot like a psychological break and if, heaven forbid, something like this happened again and Lincoln wasn't here. Michael, if she stays wherever she goes for too long, you might never get her back and you'd lose Jorden forever."

"She has a point, Mike," Lincoln said somberly from the doorway.

"Jorden?" Michael asked, concern all over his face.

"She fell asleep. She's on the couch now," Lincoln answered. "Sara's right though. As much as I'd love to be her hero, I won't always be around. Now, more than ever, with our lives in danger every day she needs someone else, Mike."

"We're all she's got, Linc," Michael argued. "Well, us and Lena who I don't think would be much help in this situation."

"You're right, there. I don't like to think about it, but there are people trying to kill us and they very well might succeed. I won't leave Jorden alone, Mike." Lincoln was more serious than Michael or Sara had ever seen him. "I've done too much leaving in my life. I won't do it again. I know LJ will be taken care of if something happened to us. Jorden is like our sister, Mike. I've messed up too much with her. I can't just leave her. I won't do it."

"I won't either, Linc. You can trust me with whatever you need to tell me, but like you said, we can't guarantee that we'll both make it out of this with our lives."

"I'll do it, then," Sara offered. She couldn't help herself. "Tell me. I'll take care of Jorden."

"The reality is that none of our lives are guaranteed."

"I know that, Michael, but I'd like to at least try to help."

"It would be some insurance, Linc," Michael pointed out to his brother.

"Alright but pity is another thing Jorden doesn't need, and that will be your first emotion when I tell you this."

"How much does one person need to go through?" Sara asked in dismay with pity in her eyes already.

"Just don't show Jorden that look," Lincoln said.

"I won't," Sara said. She looked like she was ready to cry before Lincoln even started.

And so Lincoln began, hoping that some understanding of Jorden's past would allow them to help her in the future. He went through the different events in Jorden's past that caused her psychological reactions to gunshots, explosions, and smashing glass. By the time he finished you could see the pain on his face just talking about it. Sara could barely hold back her tears. Michael just stood in disbelief. He had no idea how much Jorden had been through before he even met her. He just couldn't imagine how his most precious friend could have survived all of that.

"I guess you told them," Jorden spoke softly from the doorway. The three of them were so deep in thought they jumped at the sound of her voice. Sara couldn't contain herself any longer. She walked over to Jorden and hugged her so tightly Jorden had couldn't breathe. "Really, I'm ok now Sara," Jorden said as Sara released her hug and stepped back.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Michael asked. "Are you gonna be okay in here tonight?"

"I'll be fine, just as long as no more bricks come through my window," Jorden tried to joke but it didn't go over well.

"Linc, would you kill me if I asked you stay in here with her tonight?" Michael asked his brother. "I just don't think leaving her alone is such a good idea right now."

"I can stay in here, just point the way to that air mattress."

"You don't have to sleep in here, I'll be fine," Jorden pleaded with Lincoln.

"I'd feel a lot better with him in here with you," and that was enough for Jorden to give up her argument. She knew Michael meant well, and besides, she trusted Lincoln.

Michael and Sara returned to the spare room, leaving the door cracked open just little as a precaution. Jorden got into bed and watched in amusement as Lincoln tried to finagle around the air mattress.

"Forget that thing," Jorden told him.

"And what would you suggest cuz in case you didn't know; hard wood flooring is not the optimal sleeping surface?" Lincoln teased.

"Oh just be quiet and get up here," Jorden said.

"You sure?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."

"I won't pass up a comfortable bed," Lincoln said getting to his feet.

"Right over here," Jorden patted the empty bed space next to her. There was a lot of empty space in Jorden's bed; plenty of room for two people. Lincoln laid down next to Jorden, flat on their backs looking directly up at the ceiling.

"Figure skating, huh," Lincoln teased. "What else do we not know?"

"Don't even start in on that," Jorden was bound and determined to end this conversation before it began.

"Well, we've got to talk about something to avoid thinking about how incredibly awkward this situation is," Lincoln pointed out as they both started laughing.

"Okay, okay, let's see?" this was by far one of the silliest ideas she had ever come up with.

"Okay, here we go. We could start with why you practically mauled me when I got here."

"We could. Well," Jorden was trying to understand herself what exactly she had been feeling at the point. "I guess I was just relieved to see you alive with my own eyes," Jorden could only come to that conclusion.

"I haven't gone anywhere," Lincoln assured her.

"I know that but," and here it was. The one thing she really hoped she'd never have to tell him.

"What? Something happened I don't know about. Something that obviously had you thinking I was dead," Lincoln looked worried now.

"It's ridiculous and my fault really. A stupid, silly mistake on my part. Really it's nothing to worry about," Jorden found herself again wanting to change the topic.

"You can tell me, anything. You know that right? And if whatever made you that relieved to see me must have been a pretty big deal," Lincoln was trying to figure it out but wasn't getting anywhere. The only time he had come close was when he was to be executed and it was national news that the execution had been delayed.

"It was a while ago, really its no big deal. It was way back when you were scheduled to be…executed," Jorden could barely say the word. The thought of it sent shivers up her spine.

"Obviously it didn't happen…"

"But I thought it did!" Jorden blurted out, surprising herself and Lincoln.

"What?" Lincoln knew he had missed something.

"The night you were supposed to be…" Jorden rephrased, trying to avoid the word she hated, "the night it was supposed to happen, I stayed up watching the clock. I'm not entirely sure what happened but I passed out at some point, at least I think. Around three o'clock Lena called me to check on me, my ringer snapped me out of it. I didn't answer though. I didn't turn on my computer, didn't touch the TV. I didn't leave this room for four days. I stayed in bed and clung to that pillow you gave me a few years ago."

"What made you get up? It must have been something significant?"

"Michael called. He wanted to see me and I figured it was to talk about you and memories; his way of dealing with you being gone. I felt obligated to help him out so I headed for the prison."

"You drove all the way down there in silence?" Lincoln was astonished. Jorden always had something making noise like music, especially in the car. She hated silence.

"I drove the whole way there in silence. I didn't want to be reminded time and time again that you were gone. So I avoided it all together."

"So how did you find out that I wasn't…gone?" Lincoln was careful in choosing his words.

"Michael, that day I went to see him. The first thing I said to him was that I was sorry he had to witness the whole fiasco. Then he said something like, 'It was hell that little bit of time they closed the curtain'. I agreed with him then he said 'but it was a relief'. I asked him what he meant by that and he said it was a relief to see you again, alive in the back corridor. I think my heart jumped into my throat at that point. I asked him what he was talking about and may have called him a liar or said something to the effect of he was in denial. He was confused and told me that you weren't…gone. I explained to him the whole not leaving my room thing. He got this completely shocked look on his face and said something like 'So you don't know at all?' and I asked him what he meant. He explained to me how everything had been postponed and the evidence that had been slipped to the judge."

"I saw him that day. I remember he told me he had seen you. That work team thing. Why didn't he tell me about this?"

"I told him not to."

"Why. I'd have called you, sent you a letter or something, anything to prove it to you."

"I believed him after he explained it all."

"But it still obviously worried you."

"It did, but I knew when you guys broke out that you were with Michael and that you'd keep each other safe until I could see you again."

"And you couldn't have tried to see me that day cuz you have to schedule those things in advance."

"Or believe me, I would have told those guards right then and there that I needed to see you."

There was short pause before Lincoln spoke again. "Wow."

"What?"

"You missed me that much?"

"What?" now Jorden was the one who didn't know what Lincoln was talking about.

"You were that hurt by my…being gone that you wanted nothing to do with the world?"

"I wouldn't describe it quite like that…"

"I would. Wow, that kinda makes me feel important. Makes me feel like I matter."

"Of course you matter."

"With all the things I've done and the wrong choices I've made, I'm not sure I should matter."

"You matter more than you think. You matter to LJ; I know that for a fact. You mattered enough to Michael he put himself in prison to break you out. If you didn't matter to Veronica, she wouldn't have taken your case in the first place and she wouldn't have fought so hard to prove that you were the one telling the truth."

"I think their faith and trust are misplaced."

"My faith isn't misplaced. I put my faith and trust in you everyday. I knew you guys would come here when you were ready and when it was safe. I trust you to not knowingly put me in danger."

"About that brick, we had no…"

"There is no way you could have known about that," Jorden cut him off. "I don't blame you."

"Maybe you should. I'm sure those people were looking for us."

"Bricks get thrown through windows all the time in this neighborhood. You don't know that whoever threw it was after you."

"Have I ever told you how much I missed talking to you?"

"When would you have done that?" Jorden teased.

"Seriously, I wish I'd have called you or wrote you or had you come down more often."

"You had more important things on your mind, like your life."

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, Lincoln."

They both situated themselves into comfortable sleeping positions. They settled with her back to him both lying on their side. A little time had passed when Jorden changed position a little bit and moved a little closer to Lincoln, her back still to him. A little more time went by and Jorden moved again, in the same fashion. A little while later it was Lincoln's turn to move. He was close enough to Jorden that he could slip his arm under her neck so her head could rest on his shoulder. When he determined that he had not woken her up by doing that, he reached his free arm over Jorden's waist and pulled her closer to him. He ran his hand over the back of her hand and laced his fingers between hers. Then, to Lincoln's surprise, Jorden reached her other hand up toward her head and took Lincoln's empty hand in the same way. She was completely still and looked completely peaceful. Lincoln, taking his cue from Jorden, rested his head against her back and the two of them fell asleep in each others' arms.

Morning came and Michael woke up alone in the spare room. He walked out of the spare room to find Sara quietly making coffee in the kitchen. There was no sign of Lincoln or Jorden.

"Morning," Sara whispered to Michael.

"Morning. How long have you been up?"

"Not long, about fifteen minutes or so. Coffee?"

"Please. Lincoln or Jorden up yet?"

"Nope. No sign of either of them yet."

"Not surprising, at least for Lincoln. He always slept late."

"Do you think Jorden is okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine, Sara. And if she wasn't Lincoln was there with her."

"Maybe we should check in anyway?"

"Alright, I'll go and check," Michael resigned his argument. He got up from the kitchen stool and made his way across the living room to Jorden's door. He tapped lightly on the door before cracking it open. "Jorden? Linc? You guys awake?" he whispered as he opened the door further. "Oh my gosh. Sara, come over here. You've got to see this," Michael whispered toward the kitchen.

Sara came over to the doorway and asked, "What do I have to see?"

"This," Michael whispered as he pushed the door open so that Sara could see.

"Oh my gosh, go and find a camera."

"She'll kill us. Not to mention Lincoln."

"Oh come on, Michael," Sara pleaded.

"Okay," Michael made way his through the living room and into the kitchen searching for a camera. "I can't find one."

"That's because it's in there," Sara whispered pointing at Jorden's desk. The camera was sitting next to the desk lamp. "Make sure the flash is off. It's bright enough in here we won't need it anyway," she whispered after Michael as he made his way across Jorden's room to retrieve the camera.

He made his way back over to Sara, turned on the camera, adjusted the flash to off, played with the zoom a little bit, and took the picture. He showed the picture to Sara for her approval. She approved and Michael replaced the camera to Jorden's desk.

"Let's let them sleep a little longer," Sara suggested to Michael.

"Good idea," Michael agreed and closed the door behind them as they left Jorden wrapped in Lincoln's arms, hand in hand.