The Greatest Secret

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 185 (Vulnerability)

Tyrone's heart fluttered about in his chest and his feet felt as though they were on air. It was times like these, he was grateful for Nora, she managed to get him to see his son's wedding without being caught. It certainly explained how she managed to get around places unseen. There had been a small cabin nearby that was no longer in use, they hid in there before the cops initially opened the place up for the wedding, which meant, they were there before anybody at all had been there. A day's wait was a long one.

When they hid in the cabin, Tyrone kept a lookout while Nora kept perfect vantage points. She also wanted to keep a lookout for Bana, but she knew it would be way too much trouble for him. All the cops would keep him from appearing anywhere. Nora had also set up microphones everywhere around the area, so it had been just like they were right there where the guests all were. She even had a great set of binoculars for him to use. When the wedding had begun, officers had arrived to investigate the premises, but they never bothered to check the cabin.

When he looked through those binoculars and listened through the radio Nora had, it shocked him to see the expression on his son's face. Of course, before that, he'd heard Robert talking with Angeline about him, and that had his heart going a mile a minute. More importantly was the emotion of the wedding, the finality on the faces of Robert and Marissa, and the security of their hearts. If love existed, was that what it was? The two of them had appeared so confident, so sure, so relieved, and so very in love.

When he'd seen the Best Man, Matron of Honor, Groomsmen, and Bridesmaids all walk down the aisle, they too had the same basic expressions. Love. He didn't want to believe it, he couldn't possibly fathom it, but there it was right in front of him. He'd thought heavily on Carly's words the past few weeks, how could Robert and Marissa be marrying after thirty years if they weren't in love? During that time, he'd been so fixated on the wedding that he never paid any attention to where Nora was. Not that it mattered, she'd been napping on a dusty old mattress they'd found tucked away in a corner.

He turned his gaze over to the mattress and raised his eyebrow, Nora was still lying on it, albeit reading a book now. "I cannot believe you actually slept on that thing, and you're still on it!" She looked up at him and shrugged.

"What can I say? There wasn't anything else comfortable around. Besides, I'm used to dusty old shit. Where do you think I've been staying since my mother died?" His eyebrows rose. He'd always been curious about that, his thinking was she lived in that damn cemetery they met in.

"You're a very mysterious person."

"Yep, and I'd like to keep it that way too." He lifted his eyebrow and lowered the binoculars to his midsection. She rarely talked about herself, her past, what her plans were for the future, so he felt she was doing a damn good job of being mysterious. She hopped off the mattress and moved over to the window, gazing at the wedding guests moving over to a larger building. "The wedding reception…If you lay low, you could probably get in there." He frowned and turned his eyes to the guests.

"Yeah, maybe, but I'm not sure if I want to risk that."

"What? You don't have anyone you want to see?" His heart sank as he eyed the blonde haired woman standing next to Veronica on the groom's side. With drooping eyes, he turned away from the window and scoffed.

"Like who? There's no one there that interests me in the slightest bit." He tossed his binoculars onto the bed as Nora pushed away from the window and moved past him.

"Liar." One word, stabbing him like a serrated blade. What did she know? She was just a teenage girl, there was no way she could see past him. Then again, she did seem pretty knowledgeable about the way the world works. She had to be, with all that she dealt with. "You're a horrible liar, Tyrone. You may have a wall up, but you still wear your emotions on your sleeve. Your breathing slows down and you start zoning out, that's how I can tell you're lying. You're a very expressive person." He rolled his eyes and watched her move over to the door. "Anyway, if you can lay low, not be seen, and get her alone, I'm sure you can talk to your ex." The corner of his lip twitched as he immediately pushed down the rising hope inside of him.

"You're nuts. Even if I could get past the some thirty or so officers surrounding the place and slip past all the party guests who could easily recognize me and find Angeline alone, she could easily sound the alarm that I'm in!"

Nora sighed heavily and stared at him with a slightly cold expression. He felt the shivers down his spine and remained quiet as she continued to watch him. "Tyrone...A wedding is a highly emotional time, it brings out joy, love, excitement, thrills, and at the same time, vulnerabilities. It's packed with more emotion than even a funeral at times. Chances are, if she still harbors any kind of emotion towards you, she's not going to 'sound the alarm'." He sighed and looked away, trying not to give away his impatience and frustration.

"Well if you have any plans, then tell me what they are, because I highly doubt there's any way to get in there." She smirked and tilted her head to the side.

"Trust me."

Inside the hotel on the premises, Angeline had taken a step away from the reception downstairs. She was in her room, the door was unlocked and open, she only expected to be in there for a few seconds. Down below, the guests were being entertained by the band, having a fantastic time. The majority of the guests didn't hear what she happened to overhear, apparently Bana Shay was spotted on the grounds, so every officer was out looking for him. She wasn't afraid of that, since it really meant nothing to her. If he was truly there, then the police would take care of it. No one wanted to ruin the wedding, though.

She was busying herself with her purse at the small table in front of the window. When she lifted her head and gazed out, she was drawn in by the breathtaking view of the large lake, rolling hills, and mountains. Her lips curled into a smile as she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. When she heard the door behind her close, she gasped and turned around, her heart racing. Her eyes grew wide when she spotted Tyrone, of all people.

"Tyrone! What are you doing here?" He had a hand on the door and lifted his other hand up when she started to reach into her purse for some sort of defensive item.

"Hold on! I just wanted to see you…" Sweat beads were dripping from his forehead and his chest was heaving heavily. It sparked her curiosity.

"How the hell did you get in here? Bana isn't really out there, is he?"

"Truthfully? No. His daughter helped me get in by finding the guards and saying that he was. He's nowhere to be found. I got in by…sneaking through the building." He lowered his hands to the sides and watched as Angeline tapped her chin. "I just wanted to see you, to talk to you…it's been a long time…"

"All that crap just for me? Sneaky and impressive…but since when do you give a shit about me? You told our son that I was dead."

"I know, and I was wrong to do that, it's just…I don't know what I was thinking back then. My father told me the truth of all the lies and everything just…nothing mattered to me anymore."

"The past is past, but what's present is still happening. I have nothing to say to you." He winced as she grabbed her purse and started walking towards him, stopping halfway. "There was the man I loved before, the one that I married, I wouldn't mind talking to him. You, however, I have nothing to say to."

"Angel…" He looked at her apologetically and felt his heart tearing apart inside.

"No. That's not going to work. You're still arrogant, still hot tempered, still angry, still trying to rip apart the family…that's from the stuff I've heard. You've caused a lot of people a lot of pain, I don't think you've realized that yet."

"I have! I-"

"Just shut up…" His throat gripped him as she continued her walk. Her eyes remained mixed with his, but they were filled with detectable sorrow. "You think you can just waltz right back into my life and expect me to take you back? I'm sorry, but it doesn't work like that. Maybe it was meant to work like that with our son and Marissa, but for me, it's going to take a lot more than just 'sorry'. I think that's everyone's thinking right there. Is that gang you formed back in 1980, out of your ignorant anger, crusade against love or whatever it was, still around?"

"Uh…"

"The truth, Tyrone. No lies."

"I wouldn't lie to you…"

"That's one thing you never did. You've never lied to me. You've lied to our son, to just about everyone. Why is that?"

"Because I…" He loved her back then, perhaps he still loved her. He cherished her as well. "I never meant to lie to Robert. I loved him, I still do, he's my son…even if he's adopted, he's still my son, by all means."

"Yeah, I know. What about me, why are you even here right now?"

"I…" She stared at him, waiting for an answer. She knew well that his gang was still around, she knew he probably still had some anger left in him. At least, from what she had been hearing, but she didn't know a whole lot. She took a deep breath and brought her hand to his chest.

"You can't say it now because you either don't believe it or you're afraid...I don't know, but I can tell you one thing. How I feel doesn't matter. I want to know the man who supported Robert and Marissa thirty years ago, before that fucked up father of yours decided to destroy him. The man you used to be. Who you are now is nothing. You are nobody to me right now, Tyrone…I'm sorry. I can't feel anything for a man who would willingly destroy his own family instead of helping them."

With that, her hand slid away from him and she left her room. His body shook and his hand moved up to his chest, closing up firmly as tears came to his eyes. His heart was splitting in two. He hadn't expected her to talk to him or to take him back, but he hoped maybe there was something there. Remembering the look in her eyes, he saw a flash of hope, so maybe there was. What could be done, though? What could he do to win her back?

As he thought on what he could do, he wiped his eyes and stared out the window at the perfect view. A smile came to his lips as he recalled the vivid memory of his marriage with Angeline. When they were first together, there was nothing holding them back from being happy. Their honeymoon had been in a hotel room very similar to this, with a very similar view. Back then, he would do anything for her, anything at all to make damn sure she was happy. What changed? His father? Should that have changed anything? No, not if he loved her. He never questioned his feelings for her. So very much in love and so jovial.

He walked towards the window and gripped the windowsill. He recalled the day they adopted Robert, finally a family unit. Then there was the day they met Arian and his wife, Angeline and the man's wife got along very well. Even he and Arian had become good friends.

Then it happened, Devlin told him everything about his life, everything had been a lie. He started doubting everyone he knew, everyone close to him, he began pushing people away, including his beautiful wife. It came to a point that she left him. Somehow, he won custody of Robert. After that, he started pushing everyone away.

His hands clenched and his eyes narrowed at the party below the window. There was so much joy, so much happiness. It was his own fault that he couldn't feel it. He blamed his father, but it was his own damned fault for letting his father make him question his own beliefs. Did his wife love him? Yes she did, with all her heart. To this day, she still felt something for him. To this day, he would still do anything for her.

What did she want, then? What did he have to change? His eyes widened as he spotted Marissa and Robert dancing down below. Next to them, Sam and Freddie were slow dancing as well, it was very synchronized. And there it was, staring him right in the face. All the pain he caused them over the years. Did Angeline want him to change that? Did she want him to have some kind of retribution? They all deserved happiness? Was that her point? He scoffed and turned away, crossing his arms and sitting back on the windowsill. What could he do? There was nothing. He was an old man, prideful and set in his ways, why should he change?

She wanted him to.

He didn't feel like changing.

Still her words nagged him.

Twenty six years old, Tyrone and Angeline cuddled on their bed. Angeline was laughing and Tyrone was kissing her forehead. "I still can't believe you snuck out on your father's birthday party! I never thought you were crazy enough to do that."

"Oh please, he's just my father, you're my girlfriend. You were getting bored and had a headache, reason enough to get out of there."

"So? He's still your dad."

"Yeah, and you're my girlfriend. When you love someone like I love you, you'll do anything for them. Even if it means running out on your father." Angeline blushed crimson and looked up into his eyes.

"You…love me? All my baggage back home and everything, you still love me?"

"Of course."

"You know my father won't take lightly to that." She spoke softly and Tyrone's eyebrows rose. He knew her old man was an abusive drunkard, constantly angry and manipulative beyond recognition. He wanted to take her away from that. "I don't know how you can love someone who has a family that could possibly kill you at the blink of an eye."

"Don't ever doubt that I love you. I'd stand up to the world for you. You're my angel." Her blush deepened and she closed her eyes, cuddling closer to him.

"I love you too. Always…I won't doubt it if you don't doubt it. Just promise me that you're real…you're not just saying stuff and I can trust you."

"I promise, Angel. I promise."

Tears came to his eyes as he took a step away from the window, his body trembled and his tears fell onto the ground. What the hell had he done? That memory was one of their first memories together, the first time he ever told her he loved her. He promised her the world, he would do anything for her.

A hard knocking sound jarred him into reality. He turned around and saw Angeline standing in the doorway. Her lips were pressed tight and her arms were folded across her chest. "Tyrone, you can't stay here forever. I can get you out of here without anyone saying anything or seeing anything, but you do have to leave."

"Angeline, I…" His lower lip quivered and he took a slow step forward. She closed her eyes and slowly breathed in, shaking her head. She wanted to get him away as soon as possible, she just couldn't stand him still being here. It hurt.

"Just hurry it up, I need to lock my room up. You know you're on the banned list. Even though Marissa dropped everything against you and is focusing on Bana and Lionel, that doesn't mean you won't be taken in by the authorities if you're spotted here." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I understand…Show me the way out, then."

"Follow me." He nodded and left the room, waiting as she closed the door and locked it up. He watched her, his heart longed for her.

"Uh, So Andrew and May…"

"Mom and Dad?" She turned to him and frowned. "They passed away. Dad in 2010, mom in 2011…"

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine. Dad sobered up in his last ten to twenty years, so whatever." Her words choked him. He watched her walk away and felt a sharp, stinging pain inside his chest. She stopped and looked back to him. "Well what are you waiting for? Come on. The guests are all outside, this is your best chance for getting out of here unseen."

"Right…sorry…" He hurried over to her and chuckled nervously as she shook her head.

"Jesus…"

Well, looks like we're learning something here. Wow.