Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've been having some serious laptop issues. It all worked out for the best though because I wrote this chapter in a hurry and it wasn't what I really wanted. But with the great laptop crash of 2010 I was forced to rewrite and now I'm happy with it and I hope that all of you are to!

The song for this chapter is "Stripped" by the Shiny Toy Guns- Link in my Profile

Chapter 11

Some Kind of Wonderful

I stayed at Caleb's house for a few days before going back to school. Tyler was still in the hospital, and I was there with as much as I could as he recovered. We both had a lot of work to catch up on, and Kate took the liberty of bringing us our school work much to our dismay. I wasn't looking forward to going back to school and being the subject to hundreds of stares. Everyone knew that something strange had happened at the barn, and with one of our top students missing, it had turned into a full blown scandal.

I closed my Calculus book in triumph and looked at Tyler who was sitting up across from me on the hospital bed. He was concentrating on his work, but looked like he was getting nothing done. He dropped his pen and rubbed his temples.

"Are you okay?" I asked moving closer to him. He looked up like he was surprised to see me.

"I just have a head ache," he responded. He reached out his hands to me and I took them. He pulled me closer, and I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes and letting the feeling of security drift over me. This was almost over. Once the whole Chase situation blows over with the public, we could just be happy.

I fell into a light sleep, dreaming of the rest of my life with Tyler. I was going to marry him and I was one hundred percent sure of that fact. I would never let him out of my sight again; I don't think I could take that.

xxx One Week Later xxx

Tyler was waiting for me outside of my dorm room. People were rushing by us, their hushed whispers hitting my ears. I knew they were talking about us, and I tried my hardest not to listen.

"Ready?" he asked me, holding out his hand for me to take.

"Ready," I said back, fitting my hand into his as we walked down the hallway to the stairs. His hand felt a little funny against the skin of my palms. They had healed unusually fast, and I had learned that this was a gift from Pogue and Reid.

"I thought you couldn't heal people," I said to them when I found out that they had helped me.

"We can't," Pogue confirmed, "but we can help your body deal with things that aren't impossible for it to get rid of on its own." I nodded but didn't really understand.

I paused looking up at the main academic building of Spencer where I had English and Tyler had calculus. Tyler saw that I was hesitant.

"I'm not fully opposed to ditching you know," he said. I could tell he was kind of serious, and I couldn't help but agree. The responsible part of my brain kicked in and my heart fell.

"All of our teachers know that we're supposed to be coming back today, and we're already so far behind…" I trailed off, I could hear myself being annoying. I leaned my head against his shoulder and he laughed at me.

"Come on," he teased, "We wouldn't want to be late." He dragged me into the building and I was thrust into a day of too much work and not so hidden whispers. It was unfortunate when I caught a few that said I had something to do with the fact that Chase was missing. Caleb had asked the police if they found someone else, and they had said no. There was no official statement that said that Chase's disappearance and the fire were related, but you could rely on the student body to put two and two together in the most devastating way possible.

The day went by slowly, only broken up by lunch where I could take comfort in my friends. Mel waved at me and I waved back but I didn't talk to her. She didn't look too sad, but I guess it has been over a week and she's never been one to mope.

My winning cross country season was basically over. It was the end of the season when I got hurt. I went back to practice the day I got back, and States was the next day. There was no way in hell I would be ready for that. I would painfully sit on the side lines and watch my team run without me. It was the same for Tyler. The swim team headed to States minus one of its best. He was going to college for swimming and luckily the scouts had already spotted him. I wasn't running in college so this was bitter sweet for me. I would run on my own, but running on a team was just a little more special.

The rest of the school year flew by pleasantly. Soon people stopped whispering about the fire and my life was as I hoped it would be that day I was dreaming in the hospital. Tyler and I only grew closer. He was my best friend and I loved him more than I could ever say. We had our little fights, but they only made me love him more, especially when he proved me wrong. I was changing for the better are he was the one making that change happen. I was learning to let go of things and have more fun. I was the happiest I'd ever been.

Caleb and Sarah were still going strong as ever. The three of us had gotten into Harvard and were headed there in the fall. Tyler was off to Northeastern along with Kate. Pogue and Reid were going to Boston College. Reid's girlfriend Allison was going to Mass Art. We were all going to be close, so Kate, Sarah, Allison and I were sharing a cute four bedroom apartment in the city, a block away from the apartment the boys were sharing. We were all set up for next year and everything was going perfectly. One more month to graduation and we were out of here, able to get on with our real lives.

"Hello?" a groggy Tyler answered the phone.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned. I was calling him to inquire why he hadn't met me at my dorm door like he was supposed to. When he'd answered like that, I dropped the attitude that I was going to give him instantly. Was he alright? It wasn't like him to stand me up.

"Sorry!" he replied with more energy. I could hear him stumble out of his bed. "I took a nap because I had a killer headache and I slept more than I meant to, I'll be over in a minute," he explained, and then hung up before I had the chance to reply.

Five minutes later there was a knock on the door. I opened it and Tyler came bursting through.

"I'm so sorry!" he said again, leaning over to kiss my cheek. "I don't know why my alarm didn't wake me," he continued.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked again, putting my hand to his forehead. "You look awful. We don't have to go out tonight if you don't want to," I offered. He looked sick to say the least. There were big bags under his eyes and he looked very pale.

"It's only because I just woke up," he explained. "I'll feel better once I start moving around."

I just nodded and let him lead me away from my dorm. He wasn't acting normal; he was a little jittery, not exactly the laid back Tyler that I know. He did just wake up from a nap, I told myself.

"I think I'll drive," I said as Tyler was reaching for his keys. He still seemed a little off and I didn't want him falling asleep at the wheel of the Hummer.

"Okay," he agreed, dropping the keys back into his pocket.

We entered Nicky's and I immediately spotted Caleb, Sarah, Kate, Pogue, Reid, and his girlfriend Allison at our usual table. Reid and Allison had been dating since December and she had "tamed the beast" so to speak. She was head strong enough to tell Reid off when he needed it and they have the most equal relationship that Reid has ever been in, and the longest. Allison was a real fire ball but she was also undeniably sweet and was instantly accepted into our group. She went to Ipswich High School so her and Sarah got along particularly well.

"I wish this rain would stop," Tyler stated as he took his wet jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair.

"It is April," Kate pointed out.

"Yeah but still," he replied sitting in his usual spot between me and Caleb and across from Reid.

We chatted like always, talking about next year, and how excited we were to live in the city. While we were talking, I couldn't help but notice that Tyler was oddly distant. He kept rubbing his temples like he still had one of his headaches.

"Do you want to leave?" I asked, putting my hand on his shoulder. "If you have another headache it would be better to leave, it's really loud in here," I whispered in is ear. He nodded and I stood up, taking his hand.

"We're gonna call it a night," I said to the others.

"You're still coming to the beach tomorrow though, right?" Caleb asked us.

"Yeah man," Tyler answered, "We'll be there,"

"See you later," Reid said as we backed away from the table.

"See you."

Silently Tyler climbed into the passenger's seat of my car. I took a deep breath knowing that we were about to get into a fight, but it needed to be said.

"I'm really worried about you," I said, and he visibly flinched.

"Why, there's nothing wrong with me, I'm just stressed from school that's all," he argued feebly.

"Why? This should be a non stressful time. We're already into college, and school is practically over. I know that's not the reason so why don't you tell me what you really think?" I retorted.

"If you're so smart Murphy, why don't you tell me what's wrong with me?" he snapped. I was taken aback. This was so unlike him it was scary. I tried to shrug the remark off and continued.

"I think it has something to do with what happened back in November," I said slowly. "I think you should go to the doctor," I continued cautiously, "just to make sure every thing's okay."

"Why should I go when there's nothing wrong with me?" he replied. We pulled up to the dorms and I cut the engine, turning to face him.

"I don't believe that and neither should you," I said.

"Because you know everything Murphy, because you're always right," he snapped again. I couldn't believe this. This wasn't the Tyler that I know. I knew I was going to have to play dirty, so I said the thing that would make him do what I wanted. Despite him being mean to me, I knew that he would never want to let me go.

"You're not acting like yourself Ty. If you don't go and find out if somethings wrong I don't think I can be with this person you've become." It was a lie, I would never leave him, but he was being so unreasonable that I had to scare him.

He got out of the car, slammed the door, and started head towards the dorms. I followed.

"Tyler, wait!" I yelled after him, starting to run to keep up with him. He froze and turned around. His eyes turned from a black fury, back to the soft blue that I loved. He looked scared, and I knew that my Tyler was back. I met him with a hug and he wrapped his arms around me like he hadn't seen me in months.

"I'm sorry Murph," he said sadly. "I'm just scared. What if there really is something wrong with me?" I hugged him harder.

"You're probably fine," I assured him, "we just want to be safe." The words were comforting, but neither of us believed them.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" he asked worriedly.

"Of course," I responded. We walked up the stairs and into my empty room. Keira was gone as usual, and we changed our clothes and settled into my bed. I cuddled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me.

"I don't really feel like it tonight, if that's okay," he said softly kissing the top of my head. We started having sex back in February, and usually when one of us spent the night we would sleep together.

"It's alright," I yawned, and cuddled closer to him, turning my face up for a kiss which he met.

"I'll go to the doctor tomorrow I promise," he whispered.

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