A/n: Oh goodness! I love loved the reviews for Ch. 17. And I'm so grateful that there are new reviewers and the same ones keep coming back. It honestly made me smile ear to ear. I hope this next chapter comes out well. I have no idea how I'm going to write it, but I hope it flows together. I'm nervous about this Ch. So let's hope it works! :)
New reviewers- Like-Vines-We-Intertwine, and ninjadragons & everyone, thank you so much for the kind reviews. Mana-McC, you've reviewed from the beginning and that's amazing! I appreciate it so much. Thank you! :D

Chapter 18

The Value of an Apology

Tyler Lockwood.

He drove from Michaels' house with total and complete regret. He knew what he had done was wrong and wanted all the world to take it back. Flashes of that nights' events went through his mind.

Melissa and Jeremy. All of the touching and holding. How they looked so-, intimate.

Michael. He was so open with Tyler. He was there for him. Confided in him. And the way he kissed-

The places from where Michael bit him sent tingling sensations all through Tylers' body. The warmth of the other boys' tongue and the way he held Tyler, it was just all so over whelming. But the fact that Tyler couldn't go through with it haunted him. He wanted it so badly. He jeopardized his relationship with Jeremy for it but guilt tugged at his heart. Even though he was hurt, Jeremy deserved better.

Tyler Lockwood first wasn't sure if he should ever talk to Jeremy again. And now he had to deal with whether or not he'd tell Jeremy what happened. He knew the guilt would gnaw at him until he went insane if he didn't confess. But then again, he was pushed to it damnit! If Jeremy didn't have that tramp in his arms on that couch, than Tyler never would've seeked affection from someone else.

It was all Gilberts' fault.

Which is what the 5-year old Tyler would say. But he knew the truth. However, he also knew that he was still upset with Jeremy; Even though what he had just done trumped anything Jeremy's ever done at this point.

The kid was just in udder confusion. But his heart finally told him what to do. After his head told him to drink until his body went numb. A drunken and emotional Tyler was never a good thing.

..........................................

Jeremy Gilbert.

Where is he? Ran through his mind.

Melissa left his house hours ago and Tyler definitely should have been there long before now.

Maybe he never forgave me. Maybe when I said, 'no one special,' it hurt him more than I ever thought. I didn't mean it. It was entirely the opposite. I wish I told him already. It was what I was going to do tonight. The thing that would earn his trust again. The big gesture he wanted. I was going to tell him I loved him.

Jeremy Gilbert hadn't felt this emotional since his parents past away. His eyes started to burn and his face was so hot. He felt his throat tense up and almost choked from the lack of air.

After a while his eyes let go the tears they were holding back and his cheeks were stained with salty liquid.

He wished he could go back in time and tell Elena about him and Tyler. And actually he wished he had told Tyler before now how he felt. The two of them hadn't said it yet and some people would say it was too soon to go to that level but Jeremy realized how much he did love Tyler when he didn't show. It made him realize that he could lose Tyler. And so many things worried Jeremy.

He worried that Tyler wouldn't forgive him and that was that. Whatever was going on between them would end and Jeremy would be devastated. Or Tyler decided not to show up and never even give Jeremy the chance to explain or tell him how he felt.

Jeremy stayed in his room with his phone by his side. He wasn't sure if he should call Tyler and ask where he was or if he should just give Tyler his space and he'll call when he's ready. Or if he'll even want to.

Tyler's wasted.

Shot after shot. One quick shot of Tequila right after another. He wasn't used to the Tequila and his head was spinning. He was spinning and when he'd attempt to talk he'd slur his words. Took him 4 times to stand up from the couch in his Dads' study. His legs would wobble underneath him. Looking at him trying to stand on his two feet was like watching Bambi stand for the first time. All shaky and awkward.

Finally he managed to work his way to his phone and scrolled through the contacts.

J

Jake

Jared

Jasmine

Jeremy

There it is!

Call Jeremy.

Even intoxicated, Tyler was hesitant to make the call. He had no idea what he was going to say. But shoot, he was drunk and figured no matter what came from his mouth, he'd blame it on the alcohol.

"Blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol." He started to sing.

It's ringing!

...........................................

"Tyler! Oh my god, uh. Wh-where are you?" Jeremy was so glad to see it was Tyler calling. Some would probably say too glad, but whatever. He was his boyfriend and Jeremy was worried about every scenario in the book.

Slurring, "Ya know what? I have- have had...it. You refuse to tell your family about you with a-anotha dude, but you'll grope that girl on the couch where any-anybody could see? What's up with that!"

"Baby what're you talking about." Oh damn. Jeremy's never called him that before. He sounded like a total chick but that didn't bother him.

"Doooon't 'baby' me. I saw you. Kay? Right there. In the living room. On the couch. You remember that couch right? The one that you hit me over the side of my head with a Mntn. Dew can and knocked me out? Yea, and I forgave you like 10 seconds after that by the way. Oh but now! Now it's known as the couch that you like to grope on random chicks in front of god knows who."

Jeremys' mouth dropped open and his heart began to race. He knew Tyler saw it all wrong and apparently decided to get drunk. But- How did Tyler see that?

"When did you see that? Were you- were you here? Tyler were you here tonight? When?"

Interrupting him, "It's my turn to ask the questions. No, no. I'll tell you what I did. I climbed your fucking tree so no one would see me going to see you. Because that was what YOU wanted! I even got you fucking food. Chinese. Well don't think about eating it now 'cause it's all gone. And you wanna know who ate it? Me! And Michael. Yeah that's right. Michael. He's a guy on the football team and he's gay! He knows all about us because I told him. While you were off with that damn girl, I was off telling a FOOTBALL JOCK that I was seeing Jeremy fucking Gilbert! And after I saw you with that girl," he says with disgust, "I called him. Yup. And he wanted to see me. Unlike other people I know. And-"

He was immediately cut off.

"And what?" By this time Jeremy couldn't take it anymore. His emotions got the best of him and he wanted to know what Tyler and this guy did. He hoped for the best but expected the worse. Tyler never even mentioned a guy named Michael. Jeremy's never even heard of him. And he was gay? A gay jock? Guess it's a trend.

Tyler was quiet. He didn't answer the other boys question and his eyes began to sting. The alcohol was still running thick in his system but he was sober enough to know that if he told Jeremy the truth, it'd be the end of them. He was also sober enough to realize that they never even said the "L" word. Tyler wanted to several times. Just randomly or while they were..."together". But he never did. He was afraid that Jeremy wouldn't say it back. Especially after what he told Elena. Now, however, he wished he could.

The older boy with a thousand regrets closed his eyes shut and drew in a deep breath. He rarely ever prayed but he did this time. He prayed that Jeremy would forgive him.

"We-", he sighed, "we k-kissed. And-".

Jeremy cut in again.

"There's more?" His voice wasn't weak anymore. It was hard and angry. His face on the other hand, was anything but angry. It was sad. His lips shook slightly and his eyes welled up with tears again.

"Yeah. He just- he", Tyler paused. "He went-", he cleared his throat. In a low tone, "Down."

Silence.

On the other end Tyler could hear Jeremy breathing. He could hear him sniffing back the results of crying. Tyler could only imagine what Jeremy looked like. Before the incident happened between himself and Michael, Tyler wasn't sure if he could forgive Jeremy. But now all he could think about was if Jeremy was going to forgive him. If he could, Tyler would stretch out his arms and hold Jer until his arms hurt. And all of this was so unfamiliar for the youngest Lockwood. Normally relationships and all this other drama never concerned him. Well, that was before Jeremy.

"What else?" He finally asked.

"Nothing. I- I left. He was- he was going to-... but I- I left. I stopped him. That was it." Tyler wasn't slurring his words anymore. His voice became clearer as he confessed what happened.

What do you do when your boyfriend just tells you he cheated on you? Do you hang up? Do you yell? Or do you just break up with him? He sure as hell couldn't forgive him. Jeremy didn't know what to do.

"I'm gonna go." He said firmly. He was devastated, but he couldn't let Tyler know that. Screw that. He wasn't going to be the little bitch who Tyler can mess with.

"Jeremy? Wait." Tylers' tone rose.

"Don't call me." He said in a simple monotone voice.

"I'm-... I'm sorry."

Dial tone.

A/n: Aah! I wrote it. I was nervous about how it was gonna go. It all just came out. I was going to go another direction, buuuuut this version seemed better. Please! Tell me what you thought.
I am so happy with how this story is going so far. I started one for Steroline and I'm not really getting into it. :( I guess Jyler's just funner to write. =)
If ever the need to review, it'd be now! :)
Thank you so much for reading. Hope you enjoyed.
I've got no clue what the next chapter's going to be about. Any ideas?
Let me know if you want more Melissa, or Michael, or regular TVD ppl. :)