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"So what's the plan now then?" asked Fabian. "You just keep running?"

Jerome and Mara shared a look, before Jerome spoke up "I'm going to drop the Princess here over to a far off village, give her a new name, identity, then leave her to try and make a new life. Right?"

"Right," Mara nodded "I don't mind what kind of life I have now…as long I'm living,"

"So the two of you are just going to split up?" Joy asked disappointedly "But you've come so far together," She wanted them to have their own little love story. Their own fairy tale, the one that she had never gotten. No one ever wanted Joy, not in the way she wanted to be wanted. Nina got someone, and now even Patricia. It hadn't been a surprise to anyone when Eddie and Patricia had got together. Joy had then hoped that maybe Mick could fill the gap in her life, the gap that kept getting filled with hurt and rejection, but the closest they ever came was really really close friends. And that would have to do for now.

"No, I like to travel." Jerome nodded, taking a sip of water "And the open road is no place for a woman,"

"Nice," Eddie laughed, the girls all stared at him wide eyed.

"That is the most sexist thing I have ever heard," Nina shook her head.

"You are so stupid," Joy shook her head.

"Gosh slimeball, you're practically a woman the amount of time you spend on your hair-" Patricia spoke up, before she was cut off.

"Hey hey! Don't gang up on me!" Jerome defended himself "Just saying."

Line Break

"I know you have it," the tall boy whispered. Mick made sure the rope that was keeping the horses safe was stable and that the knot would hold, before turning around.

"And how would you know that?" Mick asked

"Just give it to me, you promised."

"No! You promised, Jerome! You said whoever found the gem, kept the gem, and we need it here! That gem is hooked up into the wiring of our home! It's giving us energy! It's keeping us alive!" Mick didn't like confrontation, but neither did he shy away from it. If possible, stay away, but if someone needed to be taught a lesson, he would make sure they learnt it well.

"I know exactly what the gem does! It belonged to my father and now it belongs to me! I could use it so much better than you ever could! I could keep the sun charging for longer than the existence of all humans! I could keep the earth going! And you want to use it all for yourself-"

"The world will end when the world ends. The sun still has billions of years, maybe when it's about to go off I'll give the gem away. But I found it, and you know that's it's mine."

"Oh come on, Mickeroo," Jerome smiled sarcastically, "What happened to us, eh? We were so good –"

"I left your gang of killers ,because I was the only one there who actually had a heart!"

"Had a heart?" Jerome laughed loudly, running his hands through his hair, only then he remembered he might mess it up, not time to think about that now. "Oh come on Mick, you say you're more humane than the rest of us, but you forget, you killed people too," Jerome looked down at Mick. Oh and the memories that came back when he did.

A long time ago, Jerome had been in a gang, a gang of bandits who went around, a sort of private police, killing those who managed to escape the law, only those who deserved to die. And sure…on the occasion they might have snatched an item or two. Mick had been part of that gang, then he left, he walked out one day saying he could do better. Jerome, who had been the leader of the gang, actually ran after him that day, actually begged him to stay. The thought now made him sick.

"But Mick," he cried, his hair longer and more fluffy, a cotton red hat over the top to protect it from the brightness of the sun. "Mick please," he grabbed the boys arm "You can't leave us, we need you,"

"Listen, Jerome. It's not that I don't want to, it's because I can't. I literally can't, I don't know how you do it. You sleep so soundly at night while I toss and turn, please. I just want to leave here, to never have been part of this,"

"What about Frank? Joseph? Huh? What about Mark? You just walking out on all of them too?"

"Jerome," Mick shrugged him off, a sad look in his eyes "I really am sorry. And I would stay…not for them but for you. Let's face facts, Jerome. You're my best mate, and I don't want to lose you," suddenly his eyes brightened, and a smile spread across his face as an idea flew into his mind "Come with me,"

"What?" Jerome asked, freezing.

"Come with me, Jerome. We'll leave here, start again, find somewhere new-"

"What about Mark? I can't leave him!"

"They want to stay! They like the killing! But you don't! You don't Jerome, like me. Now come on," Mick stood in the door way, eyes wide and pleading. But Jerome stepped back, into the shadows.

"You wouldn't leave if I was really your best friend."

"You wouldn't stay if I was really your best friend."

"Don't remind me," Mick shook his head, disgusted at himself. "But you owe me Jerome-"

"I don't owe you anything." Jerome cut in quickly.

"Actually, you do. If you don't want me to go to the queen and tell her exactly what you've done, or in your case, haven't done,"

"You wouldn't,"

"I would if our survival depended on it. Now promise me, promise me you won't take it,"

"Yeah yeah,"

"Jerome! This is serious! Would you please think about someone else for once in your life! I need you to promise! To cross you heart!" Jerome looked down at him, nostrils flaring slightly. To cross your heart was a promise that you could not break. He drew the x over his shirt, and it shone bright silver for a moment, there was a scar now on his chest, that would remain there until the promise had been kept. Which meant until he was far away from the gem.

"Happy?"

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