Hello everybody! Mostly recovered now, should be able to play in Wed.'s game.

Reference from last chapter was Titanic - "he'd never let go" I didn't realize it at first, it's pretty easy to miss …. :)

Here's the next chapter.

I saw Jerry and Eddie leave. I glanced back at the screen. Twelve girls, all violently killed. I looked closer at one in particular. She- no, just a coincidence. It had to be. I looked Kim, who was clearly frightened. I whispered softly, but commandingly, "You're staying with me tonight."

KIM POV

Jack told me to stay with him tonight. I nodded, unable to talk just yet. Jack's mom came into the room.

"I've called your mom, Kim. You can stay over." She said quietly.

"Thank you," I replied, my voice getting stronger. I got up.

"I'll go call her now, check in with the twins." I said quickly, grabbing my phone and heading up to the guest room.

As I scrolled to my mom's contact on my phone, I saw the numbers of my older sisters, Katie and Erica. Katie was 28, Erica was 26. They were both grad students and shared an apartment in San Francisco.

They went through this, talk to them.

I called them.

KIM: Hey, Kate. Can I talk to you guys?

KATIE: Hey Kim! Sure, let me put you on speaker.

ERICA: There's our little sis! What's up?

KIM: Have you guys seen the news?

KATIE: No, why?

KIM: … Briggs is back. He already has three new victims.

-I heard gasps from both of them.-

ERICA: No! Oh, God, no! Is it still the same? He's going after the blondes?

KIM: Yes.

KATIE: And now you're 16. - Oh Kim! You must be terrified. And now I am!

KIM: And the news, they showed the pictures, and-"

-Tears started welling in my eyes.-

KATIE: Shhh, hey Kim, it's okay. You going to be fine. Are you home or at a friend's house?

KIM: I'm … at Jack's house. He wants me to stay over.

ERICA: Stay there Kim. It's what, already 10 PM? You're getting freaked out. I recommend letting your cute Karate Kid take care of you.

KIM: Alright, but Jack's not cute, I don't know what you are talking about.

KATIE: Come on. Seriously?

ERICA: No, what she means is, he's not cute, he's drop dead gorgeous. Am I

right Kim?

-I sighed. -

KIM: You guys have a point. He's… handsome.

KATIE: More than that. Skater, smart, thoughtful, and hello, BLACK BELT?! You, young one, have found the perfect guy for you.

KIM: We're just friends. There's nothing going on between us

ERICA: Really? Well, from our sources, not only did you DREAM about him, you seemed pretty comfortable sitting on his lap watching those movies.

-Oh my gosh how do they….. Morgan and Ellie!-

KIM: Did the twins tell you that?! They promised to keep the dream a secret! And I wasn't on Jack's lap!

KATIE: There are no secrets between sisters, Kim. I thought you knew that by now. And as for the lap thing, yes you were. They took a picture with your phone and figured out how to send it to us.

My sisters are evil masterminds out to mess with my love life… all of them

-I heard Jack coming up the stairs.-

KIM: It's been fun talking, but I gotta go.

KATIE: Kim, tell Jack… about Cassie. It'll help him understand what you're going through.

KIM: O-okay…

ERICA: And stay out of dark alleys!

I hung up.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"It's late, so I'll see you in the morning" he said, walking into the room next door.

I tried falling asleep, but I couldn't. I tossed and turned. Finally, I remembered what Katie had said.

Tell Jack about Cassie, it'll help him understand.

I got up and quietly knocked on Jack's door.

"Come in" I walked in.

He was reading a comic book... shirtless.

It's is the middle of September, not like it's freezing…. Damn!

I had never realized how toned and tanned Jack was. Underneath those checkered shirts and loose gis, he was seriously ripped.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked.

"Yea, me neither. Wanna talk?" He said, putting the comic away and sitting cross-

legged on his bed. I went and sat next to him.

"I need to tell you about something. Something about Briggs."

I saw his mood shift from carefree to tense.

"What happened?"

"Well, you know I have a big family. Five sisters and all. A lot of my extended family

lives here in Seaford. Most of my cousins are blonde, too. Anyway, a while ago,

when I was five, I was out with my mom and my big cousin Cassie. My mom had let us

walk around the mall while she was shopping. I saw a puppy on the street. When I

showed it to Cassie, it ran into an alley. I broke away from Cassie and followed it. It

was sitting next to a scary guy with big fists. It was Briggs. I started screaming. Cassie

ran in. She was a black belt, so she fought him. She told me to run, get back to my

mom. I ran and found my mom. We rushed back to the alley, but they were gone. We

reported Cassie missing, but she wasn't discovered dead until six months later…. And it

was all my fault!" I finishing, tears beginning to stream down my face. Jack pulled me

into a hug, stroking my hair softly.

"You can't blame yourself. You were only five." He whispered soothingly. He paused

before saying softly. "That's the reason you took karate, I imagine?"

I nodded. "And she was better than I am today. He's after me, Jack, I know it! That's

why he came back. To add that little five year old girl who's now sixteen to his list." I

said, collapsing onto Jack's bed, sobbing.

Jack pulled me onto his chest and patted my back.

"It's okay, Kim. I'm not going to let him hurt you. The two of us are a team; nothing can

stop us," he said, pressing kisses on my forehead and cheek. I slowly stopped

crying, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Meanwhile…..

JERRY POV

xxxXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXxxxx

How's that for a life-ruiner! I have Rick Riordan to thank, because he's given countless examples of not-quite cliff-hangers, now affectionately called life-ruiners.

HA! You think I was going to give Jerry so much detail and then NOT give him a chapter?! I say, he fully deserves it!

I have a feeling that somebody is going to ask if Cassie was Carlo's girlfriend. She could have been, but remember, there was nine victims. It could have been someone else. It's up to you if you want to believe that.

Man that chap was intense. ...

Review if you want to keep this story going

Live long and Prosper

P.S. I'm obviously going to have a Briggs vs. Kim scene, but I'm not sure how I want it to go. Post your ideas! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!