*AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I know I "completed" this story already, but I have not been happy with how I just sort of threw together an ending and with ultimately how it ended. I just got frustrated as I had major writers block and couldn't figure out how to go forward with the rest of it and eventually finish it the way I actually want to. So, here I am again! I'm going to delete some things and basically start fresh and continue on. You guys have been amazing and I wouldn't have inspiration without you and wouldn't continue it on without your support and encouragement. Thank you so much to anyone who has followed from the beginning or has just started reading- it means the world! And I hope there is no disappointment ;) Here goes!*

Thirty Two- Close Call

*Jason's POV*

It always amazed me the way things changed with time. Even if you weren't ready to catch up with the things that life enviably threw your way, it would go on without you- regardless of how many steps you were behind and how much more time you needed to be prepared.

I mean, hell, one day Eric and I are cat calling random girls in the mall convinced we'd eventually catch one of their interests and the next thing I know, I just so happened to stumble upon the opportunity to help the new girl with my old locker, going on real dates, doing better in school and eventually growing quite attached to said girl.

And now? I'm in the middle of some stupid overrated party watching as booze and blood fly everywhere. And I didn't even know why.

In the brief second my jumbled up thought process had to work, I wondered if this would really all matter a few years down the road.

Eric and I had a plan, you know. Try to land as many hot dates as we could and brag when the other was rejected, pull through school with our C and D averages just enough to pass and then we were going to travel the world. We were going to go wherever the road led us and maybe find a life worth settling for eventually somewhere on our journey. My Mom desperately wanted me to go to college but I always said screw it. It was my life. And my choice was to go and never look back.

No one would take that from me.

My biggest goal in life from the time I was old enough to understand my own thoughts and actions- whether they be good or bad, was to leave Philadelphia. I wanted to leave and not even give it a second glance. I was no brainiac but I knew. I knew there was more out there and more to life than that town held for me and I was bound and determined to find it. I wasn't a planner and I didn't anticipate much but that was one thing I knew I would stick to. Eric could never decide though.

Man, I honestly thought that everyone who breathed our city air felt the same. But I suppose I couldn't be right about everything.

Everything happened in a blur. I swear it barely had time to register through my thick head.

I had jokingly, yet seriously asked Sarah about considering to my prom date and within seconds, Shawn was fist fighting with Kiener, I dropped my drink trying to hold her back from throwing herself into fists flying and then was watching as Shawn slurred out a drunken speech about how no one cared and was out the door before I could hardly blink.

Sarah wasn't slow to follow him either. I couldn't help but wonder exactly what the hell was going on with the two of them. Everyone knew it was more than what she tried to say it was but I was pretty sure she didn't actually realize it. Truthfully, I was hoping she never would.

I turned to Eric with a questioning and concerned look. And I didn't even have to say anything for him to know exactly what my facial expression was asking.

"Go after her, Jason. It's dark and it's raining and I have no idea of she's had a drink or not. You'll regret it if you don't, buddy." He put a hand on my shoulder comfortingly and I nodded.

I lurched past him and practically shoved people who had stupidity stared dancing again despite there being no music and the drama that has just unfolded moments beforehand and eventually found my way to the door, ripping it open with a little more desperation than I cared to admit.

Eric wasn't exaggerating. It was practically pitch black outside. Not even a single star lit the black velvet up and the rain poured down in heavy sleets. Even squinting I could barely see anything. Let alone anyone. I glanced behind my shoulder and saw that Eric had began pushing past people to catch up with me and Topanga and Cory weren't far behind him as well.

There was a sudden light however that seemed to come out of nowhere. I shielded my eyes and then quickly looked back out towards the blinding rays.

Sarah's dark silhouette came into focus and the lights were headed straight for her.

For not being the brightest crayon in the box, I was glad I had some sense and fast reactions. Realizing the lights belonged to a large jeep, I dashed out into the rain, heading straight for Sarah myself. The adrenaline that pumped through my veins was enough to shock start a heart that was no longer beating. It was a matter of who got to her first. She seemed to be frozen in place and unable to move.

The only thing that raced through my head was 'Please let me get to her first,'. The memory of her being struck by a two ton hunk of metal would stay with me for as long as I lived and I would never stop blaming myself or let my body rid of guilt if I couldn't. I HAD to.

Quickly wrapping my arms harshly around her, I tackled her to the ground as far away as I could, making sure that she landed mostly on me for support. The jeep quickly swerved, blared their horn and then came to a screeching stop.

'A little too late there, douche bag,' I thought to myself, a grown replacing the words that tried to escape.

Sarah laid against me, curled up in a ball with her eyes shut tightly. A sharp pain rocketed up my arm and through my rib cage. I knew the majority of the flesh on my arm had been scraped to ribbons and I was sure I had fractured- or possibly even broken a few ribs.

But was it worth it?

Absolutely.

Sarah let out a whimper and I quickly snapped back into reality. The echoing of thundering footsteps quickly sounded and I gently pulled her up, only for her to practically be tackled again by Topanga.

"Sarah! Sarah! Are you alright? Oh my god, are you alright?" Topanga quickly but gently pushed strands of wet hair from her face and she eventually opened her eyes- her expression clear that she wasn't sure what the hell just happened.

She nodded slowly and Topanga was quick to hug her again, obviously not caring about getting drenched in the process. I glanced up to see Eric standing above me and Cory bent down to our level. Cory quickly removed his jacket and did his best to hold it above both Topanga and Sarah.

Sarah looked at Topanga after she was finally released again, her eyebrows knitting together and then she gradually looked up at me. I couldn't quite read what emotion over took her features but I didn't care, I was just glad she was alright.

"What in God's names are you doing?"

I was taken aback slightly. "Saving your ass, obviously. What do you freakin' think I'm doing?"

"Oh."

Eric reached his hand down towards us and I took it, slightly grimacing as my torn skin moved. He pulled me up and I pulled her up with me as well. She stood in front of me, surrounded by all of us slightly frozen. I don't think she had quite registered what had happened.

"Are you okay?!" A shrill voice suddenly came.

Everyone turned to see a woman in her forties rushing towards us. People from inside the party had began to pool around the door and I suddenly started to feel very uncomfortable. Where was anyone a few minutes ago? All these kids lived for was drama and the ability to say, "hey, I was there for that,". My head spun slightly.

Sarah nodded slowly. "Yes. It was my fault. I'm sorry."

The woman stood holding some sort of bag over her head, concern swimming over her face. "Are you sure? I am so sorry. With all this rain it was almost impossible to see you. Do you need to go to the hospital? I will take you. I am so sorry."

"I'm fine." She said, giving her a half hearted smile.

"Are you-"

"-yes."

"Okay. Here," the woman paused for a minute. "I'm going to give you my phone number just in case anything comes up like an medical bills. I'll gladly take care of them." She hurriedly rummaged through her purse, pulled out a pen and some sort of note pad, jotted down her number and held it out to Sarah, who hesitantly took it with a nod.

The woman gave her one last apology and then disappeared into the house, obviously looking for her kid. I couldn't help but shake my head. If you couldn't see because there was so much rain, it would should have been an inclination to, you know, maybe not drive.

"Come on, Sarah. Let's get you inside and I'll call aunt Penny."

Sarah nodded and for once didn't fight her cousin on her telling her what to do. I watched as Topanga pulled her into her arms protectively and moved her inside and Cory was hot on their heels, still holding his jacket above them.

"You okay, man?" Eric suddenly asked, motioning towards my arm and to the fact that I was gingerly holding my torso.

I gave him a smirk. "Yeah, dude, I'm good."

"That was pretty brave."

"You would have done the same thing."

Eric shrugged and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get inside before we get sick too."

I nodded and watched as he headed back inside, watching also as the crowd of kids from our school slowly started to disappear either inside the house or out of it. I shook my head again, letting go of my torso and carefully examined my arm. It definitely looked worse than it felt. But it was worth it.

My attention quickly diverted and shot upwards at the sound of twigs snapping suddenly. It took a second to let my eyes focus in the distance but when they did, I saw Shawn and he was standing there with a shocked expression on his face. Unintentionally, I gave him a slight glare. If it wasn't for his antics, Sarah wouldn't have almost been crushed by a hunk of metal and my body wouldn't feel like mangled hamburger. It could have absolutely been worse, but it could have been absolutely avoided too. And I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of feeling bad for him.

Everyone had their demons.

And now, he just so happened to be mine.