Saved and Rejoined

By Dueler312

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of OLTL.

Chapter 3

Starr was still holding on tight to Cole in the park, trying to comfort him. Cole was still down after what he nearly did. He vowed that he would never hurt Starr like that again, but he nearly had, and just couldn't shake it out of his mind. Starr saw that he was in his mind again, and called out to him.

"You okay, Cole?" she asked Cole looked up at Starr, and then said, "No, I'm not." He tried to pull away, but Starr held on to him.

"Cole, it's going to be okay," said Starr.

"How can it be?" asked Cole, standing up and walking away a little. "I made a promise to myself to never hurt you like that again, and I broke that promise." Starr went to him and tried to comfort him, but Cole didn't really want any comfort. Finally Cole said, "I got to go, Starr," and he headed off in the direction toward the Buchanan Mansion. Starr watched him as he went off. She knew how bad Cole was hurting, because somehow, she felt it in her heart as well, and she didn't want Cole to feel that way. She needed to talk to someone, and she knew that person was, but she decided to wait until the morning. She then hurried home before someone would start worrying about her.

Everyone was asleep when Starr got home. She lightly climbed the stairs and headed to her room. She put her purse down and took a deep breath. She couldn't stop worrying about Cole. She was so worried that she didn't notice that Langston had walked in.

"Starr, are you okay?" she asked. Starr took another deep breath, and then didn't answer, but just hugged Langston real tight. Langston then knew that something was really wrong.

Jessica was in her room, getting ready for bed. She had said good night to Chloe and Bree and laid down and went to sleep. Just as she did, she starting having some kind of weird dream. She was in a weird place when she saw Tess, one of her alter-egos.

"What are you doing in my mind, Tess? You shouldn't be here," said Jessica.

"Then you better do something, because that baby isn't the one I gave birth to," said Tess.

"Yeah, because I gave birth to it," said Jessica.

"No, I mean that's not baby that was inside us," Tess argued back.

"And how would you know that?" asked Jessica.

"Ask our gatekeeper, or open your eyes," said Tess. "I know about that feeling you get when you think about Chloe, and you know what it means."

"Yeah, because-" but Jess didn't get that far, because someone had grabbed Tess around the mouth. It was Bess.

"Time for you to return, and don't worry," Bess directed at Jessica. "That feeling will go away." and she and Tess disappeared, which made Jess wake up.

"What did Tess mean by I already know what that feeling means?" she asked herself. She pondered that as she lay down on her bed to go back to sleep.

Starr was still hanging tight to Langston until a minute later when she let go. "Sorry about that," she apologized.

"Hey, it's okay," said Langston. "I take it things didn't go well with Cole huh?" she asked.

"Not exactly," said Starr. She lay onto Langston of all that had happened. When she finished, Langston was in complete shock.

"Wow! Talk about an intense night there," said Langston.

"Yeah. Right now, I think he's just lost right now, Langston, with everything that has happened in his life," said Starr. "I really want to help him, but I need him to let me in." Langston just stood there, seeing her best friend looking real down. Then she went and wrapped her arm around Starr and said, "Hey, if anyone can get through to Cole, it's you. Its what you said, remember?"

Starr chuckled a little, and said, "Way to use my own words against me." Langston gave her a hug, and that's when Starr knew. She had to stop at nothing to get the boy, who became the man she has loved the most, opened back up and to the way that he was.

The next day, Starr was at her locker, when Mr. Joplin walked by her.

"Hey Starr, is everything okay?" Starr was still a little down from last night.

"Yeah, I am," Starr answered.

"This wouldn't have to do with Cole would it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it does, but this is something I really need to do by myself," said Starr.

"Are you sure, Starr, because I can help by trying to talk him?" Schyler offered.

"I'm sure," said Starr. "I know I can get through to him, and I'm not going to stop." Schyler looked at Starr, and then over at Cole. Then he said before he left, "He's definitely lucky to have you helping him getting his life back." Starr smiled as he walked away. He was right. Ever since she met Cole, Starr had this feeling that was just growing stronger, and its has been still been growing strong up to this day. Starr didn't notice though that while she was thinking this, Cole had walked up to her.

"Hey," he said. He was still looking a little down from last night as well.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Starr.

"A little," said Cole. "Hey, are you doing anything after school?" he asked.

"No, why?" asked Starr. She started to get a little suspicious.

"I want to meet you in the park, where we had that 'Starr-like kiss,'" said Cole. He then walked off. Starr was a little confused, but then figured why he wanted to meet there. It was where they got together as a couple, and she realized that would be a perfect spot to help him. Starr put aside though as she had to get to class, as she was late because the final bell rang.

Over at Llanfair, Jessica was eating with Jared and Natalie, still thinking about that dream of where Tess came to her, and then Bess took her away.

"Jess, are you okay?" asked Natalie.

"Um, yeah," said Jessica. "I think I'm going to go lie down, I didn't get much sleep last night." Jessica then put her dish in the sink and headed upstairs.

"What was that about?" asked Jared.

"I don't know," said Natalie.

Jessica was going over what Tess said in her dream. She knew about her that feeling of sadness whenever she thought about Chloe, and when it was stronger when she held her baby daughter, but she knew that because she was a part of her. She still wondered though why Tess was still saying that baby wasn't hers. Jess then figured that she had to figure this out, before this feeling drives her crazy.

(A/N: How will Jess figure out this mystery? And will Starr be able to get Cole to open up to her? Stay tuned.)