Chapter Twenty-Two

Unexpected Consequences

Tyrone held the basket in one hand while looking for what he was going to eat. He hadn't planned on eating alone, but Jake hadn't shown up. While he was slightly worried, it wasn't too bad. After all, Jake was a grown man. He was probably stuck in traffic or waiting for the van to be fixed. Tyrone took a deep breath. He had cried out the sadness he had felt before. For a long few minutes had had stayed in the bathroom, allowing himself to just let go.

But what was he expecting? The usual adopting age was six to twelve years old. When you breach twelve, you don't exactly have much chance. Tyrone had watched others embrace new families. Get to know their mothers, laugh with their fathers. Disappearing, one at a time. But as soon as one disappeared, another came in and replaced that person. Another person who had lost their parents. Whether abandoned, their parents killed, missing, or something else they always came. A flow that Tyrone watched as he grew up. He was more the son of Evelyn than anyone else.

He used to turn to God, used to ask the man in the sky about his parents. Why? What was the reason? When he was younger, he liked to think that the answers weren't there simply because he was so close. Why tell him when he would soon find out? When he grew older, he started to realise the truth. His parents wouldn't come back. He was an orphan for a reason. And being old enough to realise the hard truth, he was old enough to also realise that he wouldn't be chosen.

But still... the Baltimore couple... it felt so good. So perfect. Too perfect. Now, they were probably laughing with a different son. A new son. And Tyrone... well, he was back to the drawing board. Once this storm cleared, he would go back to the orphanage. He knew that when he turned eighteen he would have to move out. Find a job. Independence...

"Excuse me."

Tyrone looked up to a tall man with blue eyes and black hair, looking straight down at Tyrone. Tyrone could also see a man peering through the window with a goatee-moustache combo and bristled hair, also looking straight at him. Thoroughly creeped out, Tyrone faked a smile and gulped. "Y-Yes...?"

The man licked his lips, opening and closing his mouth before taking a breath. "My name is Jason Stark."

This immediately caught Tyrone's attention. The name niggled at the back of his mind, and it wasn't long until he remembered that Jason Stark was mentioned on the radio and news. A nutcase who claimed to foresee the bridge collapsing. The police had laughed the whole situation off, claiming the man as an attention seeker. Really not wanting to talk to this man, but not wanting to be rude, Tyrone coughed lightly.

"I apologise, Mr. Stark, but I have to go." Tyrone turned just as the door chimed as two men entered it. Dressed in a dark blue uniform with a yellow badge and yellow lines traveling down their trousers with a hat on, two policemen had entered. One with darker skin and white hair, evidently the older of the two. The second was Caucasian, a younger man who obviously hadn't realised the thick moustaches don't look good. They appeared to be on duty.

Tyrone continued forward when he felt pressure on his arm and was forcefully spun around. Tyrone let out a surprised gasp and tried to wrench his arm away to no avail, looking into the eyes of Jason. Tyrone was scared. This man was a nutcase, claimed he had visions, like some crazy religious type. Tyrone was religious, but he hated the people who said they were possessed by god. Hell, Jason looked homeless, or at least trying to disguise that fact with his scruffy look and stubble.

"Please, listen." Jason said swiftly. "You're next."

"What are you talking about?" Tyrone replied, his breath quickening. This couldn't be happening, what did this man want, why was he next? Next for what?

"You're going to be killed next."

At that, Tyrone blanched. This man wasn't just a nutcase, he was a murderer. He was some kind of killer, a serial killer by his words. Someone had to be first for him to be next. Thinking quickly, Tyrone turned towards to two policemen who were at the checkout counter. Trying to remain calm, Tyrone called out. "Help." He said quickly and loudly, drawing the attention of the two officers. The younger one looked at Jason grabbing tightly on Tyrone's arm while the older one put a hand on his waist, where his gun was.

Walking towards the two, the younger man looked to Tyrone. "Son, is there a problem?"

"Yes. Yes, there's a problem." Tyrone said, feeling his heart race as Jason's grip grew tighter. Tyrone glared at Jason. "Let go of me!"

"Sir, I would advise you to do as he says." The older police officer said.

"He said I was next!" Tyrone said, shivering. "He said I was next and that I was going to be killed!"

Immediately, Jason let go and looked worried. The older policeman immediately put a firm hand on Jason's shoulder. "Sir, I think you need to come down to the station with us."

Jason opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the younger policeman.

"We just want to talk, sir."

Jason's mind was racing. This wasn't meant to happen, this wasn't right. He had warned Tyrone and now the police were telling him to go to the station? No, he had to explain. He put his arm out to try and excuse himself when a faint clink was heard.

Glancing down, Jason felt everything tumble down. It was a piece of the lampshade he had cleared up earlier. It must have been caught in his jacket. Not only that, but David's blood was still on it. Looking up slowly, Jason felt the stares from the policemen and Tyrone's scared gasps.

The older policeman acted quickly, pulling Jason's arms behind his back and cuffing him, pushing him against the store wall.

"Sir, you have the right to remain silent." The officer quickly patted down Jason, noticing the wounds on his hands, including the missing nail. The officer was quick to conclude that this man had recently been in a fight, and that glass looked as if he had stabbed someone. Along with Tyrone's accusation, everything fit that this man had just come from a previous attack. It was a good thing they caught him now.

Jason could only stay still and not say anything at all. This was bad. Really bad. He allowed himself to be pulled out of the store and placed in the cruiser as the younger man had a notepad, talking to Tyrone. Jason bit his lip and saw in the wing-mirror David standing at the base of the stairs, looking worried. Jason managed to mouth 'Don't tell Jennifer' without the policemen seeing. David creased his brow, before acting casual, walking up the stairs. Placing his head against the seat, Jason knew that if Jennifer found out, she would be too suspicious to understand.

XXX

"I was just about to get out as well. Christ, Jeremy, you just had to get injured."

"It's not like I wanted my foot to be run over." Jeremy replied meekly to Chloe, who was sitting at his bedside. For the last few days, Chloe and Jeremy had been spending a lot of time together, much more than usual. Chloe's recovery was surprisingly quick, considering the fan-blade hadn't hit any internal organs. Nothing what so ever. She had a lot of bleeding, but that stopped with help from the doctors and now she just had stitches.

Chloe shook her head. "I know. It's just... I hate hospitals."

"You don't have to st-"

"Of course I'll stay." Chloe sharply replied. "You're my boyfriend, I'm going to stay right here next to you."

Jeremy was taken aback. Chloe had always been much more independent, but recently she had been much closer. Jeremy was used to her disappearing and doing her every whim. Now it seemed she was doing as he asked. It was a change of pace, and it jarred Jeremy. For years he had loved Chloe while she was independent... now?

"I appreciate that..." Jeremy smiled, a smile which turned into a grimace. "Ow!" He looked down to his foot to see Chloe prodding the cast. Luckily, the injury wasn't as bad as it seemed. It was bad, that much was true, but luckily he wasn't missing anything other than some skin. His big toe and middle toe was broken, but otherwise it was a matter of stitching the skin together and putting everything in a cast to fix the fractures across his foot. It still hurt like hell though. "Ow, why're you poking it?"

"Why not." Chloe replied with a mischievous grin.

Finding himself catching her grin, Jeremy replied by poking her stomach, right on the scar.

"Ow..." Chloe pursed her lips and glared playfully at Jeremy. "You wanna fight?"

Before Jeremy could respond, Chloe suddenly climbed on the hospital bad, straddling her legs over each side of Jeremy's waist. Latching her hands on Jeremy's shoulders, Chloe leant in closely.

Jeremy blushed. He was not used to this kind of contact, especially from Chloe. She wasn't the most physical in their relationship. Neither of them were.

"I'm in a playful mood." Chloe responded, smiling. "You know, there are two things we haven't done in this relationship. Well, actually, a fair amount, but two things."

Blushing even more, Jeremy turned left and right before whispering, "We can't... do it... here..."

Chloe giggled uncharacteristically, putting a hand to her mouth. "Not that, silly."

"Oh, uh..." Impossibly, Jeremy turned even more red.

"We can do that later, when I'm not at risk over breaking your foot even more." Chloe laughed it off, before leaning further down so that their noses were practically touching. "We haven't done something that we should have done a while back."

Clueless, Jeremy could only blink. "What..."

"I haven't kissed you."

"Huh..." Jeremy continued to look confused. "Yes we have..."

"Yes, on the cheek. I haven't 'kissed' you."

"You don't have to..."

"Of course I have to. The way we were acting, we were like friends. I don't want to be friends, you know that. I want this relationship to be legit. I don't want to... to go behind your back anymore. We always said that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but we never acted like it. So, I figure..." Chloe trailed off.

"Uh..." Jeremy was speechless. Chloe acting this way, almost like a completely different person, was a surprise. He didn't hate it exactly, but this wasn't the Chloe he knew. But was this the Chloe he wanted to know?

Chloe slowly moved her head forward, whispering, "Close your eyes."

Complying, Jeremy shut his eyes. He was quivering slightly. His mind chose now to tell him that he had never been kissed on the mouth before. It was one hell of a first.

Leaning closer, the two's lips were almost touching. Suddenly, Chloe drew away.

"Actually, there's one more important thing I haven't done." Chloe said.

"What...?" Jeremy felt slightly disappointed.

"This." Chloe leaned close again, putting her mouth against Jeremy's ear. "I love you." Chloe drew back again, smiling towards Jeremy. A pleasant smile. One Jeremy wanted to see more of. He opened his mouth to reply back.

"I love you to- Mmph!" Jeremy started to speak but was cut off as Chloe quickly latched her lips around his own. Unable to think and not knowing what to do, Jeremy felt Chloe's tongue push through his lips. Curling her arms behind Jeremy's back, Chloe held him in a tight embrace. Following his instructs, Jeremy reached behind her and pulled her in close, pushing her body against his. This was a completely new feeling to him, Chloe pushing into his chest, their tongues entwined. It was hands down the greatest moment in his life. He could even ignore the fact that they were in a hospital.

Both opened their eyes and looked deep into each other's eyes while still kissing. As if they were soul mates, bonded from birth, both saw the same scene.

Jeremy saw the girl so many years ago, looking beautiful with a smile that stopped his heart and his mind.

Chloe saw the boy that complimented her with sincerity. Not like her father, not like her mother. A proper compliment.

Together, the two decided then and there that they would uphold their promise. The same line ran through their heads. Forever and ever...

A/N: Yikes. I wonder how long I'll give Chloe and Jeremy time for their relationship, before I let them back into the main plot... hmm...

Thanks to LocalTalent53 (x9), Bookreader2010 and Gabe's-Girl-Forever for your reviews! Love 'em!

I enjoyed this chapter, I really did. But my greatest weakness is coming into play. I'm starting to grow attached to each of the characters, and I really hate to kill them. But, alas, I will have to. In fact, I already know the three people who will die in this Ac... woops, slip of the tongue.

Thanks and 'till next time!