Here is chapter 10!

Sorry for the long wait. I've been really busy with the last few weeks of school, reading new books and outlining my original novel! I've also posted the next chapter in my Hunger Games fanfic and I've written a new one on a book series called The Wolves of Mercy Falls so be sure to check those two out!

I DO NOT OWN FALLEN.

Enjoy!

Ten: Revealed

A silent but calm morning welcomed me when I awoke in John's warmth. I was still curled up to his chest with both of his arms wrapped around me. The brightness of the morning light revealed that the skies were cloudless, usually the sign of a good day, but I had the strangest feeling that it was far from it.

How would John explain to me what happened last night, and would we still be okay? I loved John, but not the way that he had wanted me to and I didn't want what we have now to change or prevent us from being together as friends. I gripped the back of his muscle shirt and buried my face in his chest, the smell of his deodorant was fading away but still wasn't a bother towards me.

The action made him stir and he released me shortly to stretch his arms and give a long yawn, assaulting me with his morning breath. His dark slanted eyes had met mine and was happy to see the light still within them.

"Morning cutie," he said ruffling my hair with a short smile. "Ya sleep good?"

"Yeah," I said returning his smile.

He placed one stretched arm back over my shoulder pulling me back into his warm chest. He inhaled a long breath before speaking again. "Look cutie, I know what I did last night was wrong. I just really needed you to know how I feel, and I didn't want to keep it to myself forever. Please, please don't be angry with me." he begged. "I don't want to lose you."

I pulled back and looked at him straight in the eye. "Never," I said to him.

"You're not mad about what I did last night. Are you?" he asked.

"No, just, still a little confused. I'm not too sure how to take it all in still."

"I know cutie. It'll take some time for me too, but, this won't change anything about us will it? I mean, I know that you don't feel the same way about me but I just..."

"No John," I said firmly. "It changes nothing about how I feel about you now. You're still my best friend, and the mean big brother I never had."

He looked back at me with more comfort and reassurance in his eyes but then began to form a pout. "Well in that case of being a mean big brother," he said and then began to assault me in a tickle frenzy.

"NO... JOHN...STOP..."

"Oh okay," he said and then stuck his armpit in my face. "Then have a nice whiff of some good morning B.O."

I just had enough time to hold my breath as his armpit hair brushed against my face but quickly pushed him back and saw him nearly fall off the bed clutching his stomach in a state of hysteria.

"You're so mean," I exclaimed while still holding back a laugh.

Once his laughter died down he gazed back at me with his lustrous onyx eyes. "But you can't help but love me right?"

"Yeah. You're just a mean and smelly big brother." I said letting my face lift into a smile.

With that he moved closer to me on the bed and ran his hand through my hair while drawing me closer to him. He remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

"I don't want this to change Luke. I still wish I could be more than just your friend, but, I love what I have with you now and I don't ever want to lose this."

The guilt began to return to me in an instant. That I couldn't give John what he wanted. That someone so kind, loving and caring as him deserved to have.

"I'm sorry John," I said to him as my own arms wrapped around his frame.

"I told you cutie," he said massaging the back of head with his warm hand. "Don't feel sorry for something that you don't feel back. I know you love me, and that it's not as much as I would want it to be, but it's enough, it's more than enough right now." He gently placed a kiss on my forehead. "I know you might not like it but could you promise me something?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"Don't tell Jack about... what happened last night."

"John, you know I'm not going to keep something like this from him. He's my boyfriend."

His expression had waned at me saying that. "I know cutie," he said. "But if Jack finds out about me kissing you from you, he'll make a necklace out of my testicles."

A laugh involuntarily escaped from me. "Oh, god John don't worry about it. I'll explain everything. You of anyone should know the kind of person he is, I know he'll understand."

"I hope," he said looking a bit distant.

There was a soft knock on the door before Susan opened it, her sweet smile bringing more light into the room. "Rise and shine boys, breakfast is almost ready."

"Aw c'mon mom, just a few more minutes," he said looking at her while cuddling closer to me.

"Johnathan Alaric Choe it is nearly a quarter till ten. I can't help but fear that Luke has been starving for how long you've kept him locked in those grizzly bear arms of yours." she said firmly.

"Ugh, mom, I hate it when you use my full name," he said scratching the back of his head. He told me shortly after we met that he was half of British and half of Korean decent, and when he and Susan cut ties with his father that he took her maiden name but kept his middle name for it being his grandfathers that he still has a close bond with. "And for the record," he said back to her, "Luke here has been peacefully sleeping in these "grizzly bear" arms of mine."

"Now don't you use that tone with me young man. Or I might just give all of the bacon on your plate to Luke." With that, she ducked back out the room with the door still a jar open.

"You would give it back to me though would you?" he asked with bright puppy eyes.

"Maybe a strip or two."

A big smile broke onto his face. "And that's why I love you," he said, fully embracing me again.

Susan had made a fresh batch of pancakes with cinnamon added to the mix and was still pouring more on a pan as we came down stairs.

John had nearly begun devouring the three already on his plate as we sat down at the dining table. Susan gently placed a plate with two large faintly steaming pancakes on them with a small dab of butter on top. The sweet aroma stimulated my salivary glands and I eagerly began spreading the butter and cutting the cakes in pieces with a small puddle of maple syrup added lastly.

Once I was finished with the two she placed another plat beside the empty one that was topped with scrambled eggs and four strips of crispy bacon.

Susan sat at the other end of the table with a small mug of coffee watching the both us eat lively. "So Luke," she said, "I heard that you and Jack are going steady now."

"Yeah, we made it kind of official a few days ago."

"Aw, well that's just too sweet. You two were always such close friends, I know you'll be very happy together." I was beginning to see where exactly John got his smile from. It was almost difficult to believe that despite what the both of them have gone through that they still found something good.

"Thank you Susie," I said smiling back at her.

"Well, I'm really grateful that you've been able to be some company for John here. He hardly answered any of my calls when he was on tour."

"I told you mom," he said. "We were busy non stop."

"Oh, I know I know, band stuff and all. Just be sure next time to send me a text to let me know you're doing alright."

"Okay, I'll try to remember."

Susan let out a short sigh and drank the last bit of her coffee before rising and taking the empty plates to the sink. I gathered my own and offered to help her. "Oh no sweetheart, you're our guest. You on the other hand," she looked over to John. "I could use some help from."

John reluctantly stood and went to help Susan with the dishes, stopping in front of me to kiss my forehead and ruffle my hair. "Wait for me upstairs," he said. "There's something I want to give you."

I walked quietly back up the stairs to his room. Once there I browsed about looking at some of the new posters of his favorite bands like Hoobastank and Lifehouse that he had on his wall, and I could see that some of them had signatures on them. It never really crossed my mind that he could have met them when they were on tour.

I also saw the hardcover box set of the Harry Potter series I got him for his eighteenth birthday during spring break. A smile caught my face as it looked like he had not even taken them out of the box to read.

I sat on the edge of the bed and it was only a few short minutes before I heard rushed foot steps up the stairs and then saw John slightly panting in the door way.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," he said showing all white teeth. "I, I never called and wished you a happy birthday." he looked down towards the floor.

"I got you're text though," I said, trying to be understanding.

"Yeah, but that was nothing special."

"Aw c'mon John. Just telling me that alone was enough to make me feel special. You were really busy this year, I understand."

"Thanks cutie, but I really wanted to make you something for this year," he said almost holding back a nervous look.

"Make me something?" I asked.

"Yeah. I told you before that my grandfather's a jeweler and that I've been learning things from him for a while now."

"Yeah," I said, remembering back when he showed me all the amazing rings he wore that he had made by hand.

"So, I made you a ring. I made one for Lucie too." He walked over to his dresser and pulled out two small boxes covered in black velvet. He checked underneath the boxes and handed them both to me. "This one's yours," he said pointing to the one in my right hand.

I looked underneath the box and saw my name written in gold writing. I looked at him for reassurance and carefully opened the box.

A sterling and lustrous metal flower had bloomed within the dark confines of the black velvet. There was a vine like pattern with faint outlines of leaves that connected some of the vines on the bottom part of the ring. As I moved and turned the ring the iridescence of the metal would trail along the ray of light that followed it.

"John," I said bewildered. "This... it's so beautiful. There's so much detail. How did you make this?"

"It's a long process to describe but I used a lot of tools to shape them while the metal was still hot. I burned myself a few times though. The metal's made entirely of silver with stainless steel to prevent it from tarnishing."

I met his eyes and saw a look of glee inside of them and brought him tightly in my arms. "Thank you so much John. It's amazing and I'm sure Lucie will love hers too."

"Glad you love it cutie," he said bringing his own arms around me. We held one another a while longer than I was expecting but found myself not wanting to let go. What could I have ever possibly done to deserve this much love? I gripped the back of his shirt and saw my vision blurred by oncoming tears. "I love you cutie, so much."

I pulled away from him once I felt that my tears were all dried.

"Hey, Luke, what's wrong? Are you crying?" he ran a knuckle across my bottom eyelid.

"No." I said trying to hide my face.

"Aw no, please tell me you don't hate it that much," he said sounding hurt.

"Shut up, I love it," I said with a short laugh shoving his shoulder.

"I know I know, but, why the tears cutie," he asked ruffling my hair.

"I just don't know if I deserve this."

"What are you talking about?" he sounded worried.

"Why do you love me?" I asked.

He gave me a cold look, as if I put a knife in his chest. "Luke... why would you ask me something like that? I, I love you because your you. Your kind, selfless, caring, you never judge anyone harshly, you put everyone's feelings before yours and..." his face drifted down to the bed sheets. "You gave me your love before I even gave you mine. How could I not love you Luke?"

His eyes met mine at his last remark.

"I never knew that you felt that way."

"Well remember it," his placing his warm hand on my head. "And I know it's not just me that feels this way about you. So does Jack, and everyone else. You're a good person Luke and you deserve every ounce of love that's given to you. And if you ever doubt that again, I'll smother you with my old gym socks I still haven't washed." his face was pouted as a joke but I knew he would do it.

"Thank you John," I said resting my forehead on his chest. "I love you too."

"You sure you don't want me to drive you back?" John asked as we stood out in the drive way. The sky was now clearer with still a number of clouds still passing the sun that shone brightly.

"Yeah I'm sure. My apartment is only a mile and a half away, I could use a walk and some fresh air."

"But what if something happens to you and I'm not there to help," he said with his eyebrows slightly raised and his eye wide with worry.

"I'll be okay big brother," I laughed punching his shoulder lightly.

"Alright," he complied and drew me into his arms. "Thanks for staying the night. Hope we can do something like this again."

"I'm sure we will," I said as we pulled away. "Thanks for taking me to the movie, really enjoyed it. Did you hear that they're making the Deathly Hallows into two movies?"

"Yeah, what up with that?"

"Eh, hopefully it's still good."

I raised my right hand and fiddled with the silver ring on my middle finger. "Thank you for the ring again, it's beautiful."

"You're welcome cutie." he softly pinched my cheek. "Tell Little Luce I said hey and give her a big hug for me."

"I will." I smiled

"Se ya at school tomorrow then," he said and pulled me into another quick hug.

"Okay," I said and began my way past the driveway and into downtown.

The breeze felt nice and slightly warmer than yesterdays. There would be no rain until Thursday so I'd be warmer for a few more days, that is until I see Jack.

At the thought of him I heard my phone and saw a text message from him. Speak of the devil.

Jack: Hey Lucian have a good time at John's?

My thoughts quickly went to what happened last night but tried not to worry too much. John said he would sort it out with Jack himself.

Yeah, just left his place now.

Jack: Sleep good?

Yeah very good.

Jack: Well that's surprising he always hogs the covers and kicks me in his sleep when I stay over at his.

Really? He slept like a bear when I was with him.

Jack: Go figures! lmao xP

Haha yeah Susie made us breakfast too! :D

Jack: Lucky :( I miss her cinnamon pancakes.

Yeah really good stuff ;P Hey what ever happened to "babe"?

Jack: Sounded too cheesy, and I like the way your name sounds when I say it.

I could feel my cheeks turning pink and my heart skipping a couple of beats. How does he always have these effects on me, even when we're just texting? My fingers were fumbling for what I was going to say next.

So, have any plans later?

Jack: Nope. I get off work at 2. Why? In the mood for something?

Now my heart began racing.

Sure uh, how about I go to your place later?

Jack: Okay ;) I'll pick you up. Until then...

I inhaled like I just resurfaced from a raging sea. I don't think I'll ever get used to being this way with Jack.

Just when I put my phone away a tall figure collided with me. I staggered back nearly falling and looked to see a bright red scarf and apologetic violet eyes.

"Daniel!" I said wrapping my arms over his shoulders in a hug.

"Oh," he said in shock. "Well hey there stranger." he returned my friendly gesture.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon." I said pulling away.

"Yeah, that makes two of us," he said giving me a short smile. "What brings you here? And, why are you wearing the same clothes from yesterday?"

"Oh, I stayed the night at a friends," I said scratching the back of my head.

"That boyfriend of yours? Kinda explains the messy hair," he said furrowing his eyebrows.

My face heated up. "No no no, it's nothing like that. It was my friend John."

"Cheating on a guy like that already? Sheesh Luke, I didn't think you were that kind of person."

"Shut up," I laughed shoving his shoulder. "You know it wasn't like that."

"Yeah yeah, just messing with you." he said in hysteria. It felt good seeing him laughing like that, assuring me that whatever it was that happened to him in the past was somehow healing.

"So, where are you headed to?" I asked once the our humor died down.

"Back to my place, I just had a late breakfast with an old friend."

"Oh, so you know people here?"

"Just a few people but he came back knowing I'd be here too."

"Well that's nice to hear," I was glad knowing that Daniel was not entirely alone in this town.

"Yeah. So, where are you going?"

"Back to my place too, Jack doesn't get off work for a couple hours and I'll be at his place."

"Oh okay, well try not to have too much fun," he grinned.

"I'll try to control myself," I said with a laugh. "Well hey, why don't we hang out for a bit. You know if we're friends we should at least get to know each other a bit more."

"Yeah," he said with a bright smile. "I'd really like that. How does my place sound? It's not in the best condition now but it's warm." he gestured to the wind which was getting a bit colder now through my sweatshirt.

"Sound's good," I said returning his smile.

"Gosh, it's much colder here than the last time I came here," Daniel said as he closed the door behind me and set his scarf on the coat rack.

"Yeah I know, hasn't been this cold for a couple of years now?" I asked rubbing my arms for warmth.

"I use to love it like that when my family was here."

"How long ago was that?" I asked.

"About ten years ago. I've nearly forgotten what it was like back then."

I immediately felt guilty for bringing up something about his past and quickly tried to change the subject. I was quickly distracted by all of the canvases of oil paintings and papers with graphite drawings that hung all along the walls of his apartment. "Oh my god," I was completely entranced by the artwork telling its story to me with each new painting and drawing. Before I knew it, I was walking along the tiled floor and losing myself in a world crafted entirely by hand.

"Yeah," Daniel said bringing my attention back to him. "I like doing this occasionally every now and then."

"If by occasionally you mean one or two every day. There's so many, and they look so life like. You can't even see the graphite or brush strokes."

"Seems you know a little bit about art, is there an artist in you I don't know about."

"Sorry to say, but I'm only good at music. I tried painting one time, but it looked like I just spilled the paint all over it by accident."

"I bet you would be good with a little practice." he smiled.

"What inspires all of this?" I asked. Most of what was on his walls were of landscapes. The one that kept my attention was of a sunset on a lake shore that darkened the color of the water and the mountains that surrounded it.

"Just when I feel something and need to get it out on paper."

"Never knew all of this was inside of you. They're beautiful, all of them."

"Thanks Luke." he said and stood beside me within the silence. "Would you like some coffee? I didn't get a chance to shower last night and don't want you to be with a smelly guy while you're here."

"Sure," I said and walked over to his kitchen and already stated his coffee brewer. "So, how long do you think you'll be staying here in town?"

"I'm not too sure," he said looking through the glass as dark liquid had begun to drip. "I was originally planning to stay here for a couple of months and then moving in with a friend in California, finish High School and just see where my life went from there."

"Are you... still planning on doing that?" I asked. The thought of Daniel leaving soon was sad thought for me. I'd just made a new friend and would have to say goodbye to them shortly.

"Well I was, but now I've had a little change of heart. Didn't know I'd meet someone who would make it worthwhile to stay." his eyes met mine.

"I'm glad I could make your stay here a pleasant one." I walked up to him and drew him into a hug. He warmly accepted my gesture and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"I never thought I would have a friend as good as you Luke."

"Well, you deserve to have one," I settled in his warmth and could hear the soft steady beats of his heart.

"C'mon Luke," he said as we still held one another. "I probably smell like and old gym locker."

"You should meet my friend John. You smell like a rose bush compared to him once he's gotten out of gym class."

"Seems like a cool guy," he laughed as he pulled away and walk towards a hall. "Just give me ten minutes and I'll be right back to you. Help yourself to the coffee." he said with wink.

"Will do," I said and looked back to the museum of artwork before me.

I could hear the shower running and went to pour a mug that was spare on his counter. I walked back over to the artwork and saw that some of them had gotten a bit darker as I moved further away from the kitchen and into the living room.

There were images of dark forests with small outlines of ravens flying by them captured at just the right moment of a wing stroke. I stopped at a painting done entirely in a blue and black coloring. A girl with long straight black hair that stopped at her waist was in what appeared to be a black ball gown and cradled her face in her hands that were covered in lace.

I set the mug on the coffee table and looked more closely at the painting. There was something hauntingly familiar about it. It felt like looking at an old photograph but still at something entirely new in itself.

I looked at the paintings around it and saw that there were more of girls with long black hair and their bodies positioned in a way that hid their faces.

There was a girl in a layered black dress that faced away from view in a lake surrounded by fog and ran her hand in thick wavy hair that passed her waist. One of a girl in a white dress that stood atop a rocky shore where waves had crashed against the shore. Another of a girl in a dusk background wearing a thin ankle length dress holding a rose as her long hair blew in the wind, and was the only painting where part of her face was revealed.

I could feel my pupils dilate as I looked more closely at the girl's face. Something was caught under my foot as I stepped closer to the painting. I staggered back thinking it was a pile of drawings but was merely an old leather bound book. It was faced backwards and I slowly reached down to pick it up. I opened it to the last few pages and realized from the blank pages that it was a journal.

Why would Daniel have an old Journal with nothing even written in it? He probably used it as a sketch book and I turned more pages back in hopes of finding more drawing until I stumbled on one that had only writing on it. It was a Journal entry and I turned to the page before and found an entry that was made a few days ago. The writing was written in an almost cursive like formation but still clear and easy to read, it reflected Daniel very much.

I immediately wanted to close it as to not invade his personal thoughts, but then noticed the top of the journal had a few ripped out pages that were hanging an inch out. I pulled them out hoping I'd found more drawings but saw there was only writing on them as well.

I could see that they had come from it from the small gap left close along the spine, but the pages were much darker than the others and the writing was smudged. The handwriting was still the same as the entry I had seen before, but the date for which it was written on had me bewildered.

March 21, 1992.

This couldn't possibly be Daniel's writing. If he's even as old as I am he would have been barely born around this time period. But then a thought occurred to me that it could have been a relative of his, I know that Lucie had handwriting that was alost exactly like out aunt Maria's.

The first line of the entry had caught my attention instantly. Next time, I will have to give her up.

The words were written with such honesty and wisdom, I thought for certain it was Daniel's.

The entry began to sound a bit confusing at first but the mentioning of a name Lucinda had caught my attention. How coincidental it was that a relative of his knew someone with same name as my sister.

The writer mentioned about writing a book called The Watchers: Myth in Medieval Europe and that it was because of that that he found the girl named Lucinda. My heart had warmed as I thought this could be how the writer had met who could have been a lover or friend but the later parts became more bittersweet. They mentioned about not ever falling in love and that it wasn't the truth, that the agony of one more loss will overwhelm me.

I began to lose sight of what it was that they were saying. The words had begun to sound too much like they had come from Daniel, that these words were written by his hand.

It's too late now, but it won't always be. I have already begun the preparations of our next encounter seventeen years down the road.

My heart heaved in pain and an image of the girl and boy from my dreams flashed before my eyes. No, why is this happening? Now of all times...

I looked up from the journal entry back to the painting of the girl holding the rose. The wan face that crept through the long flowing black hair was more apparent than before. I was stepped farther back than before but I realized more than could see that the girl holding the rose, that all of the girls in the oil paintings with long black hair were my sister, my Lucie.

"Luke, what are you doing?"

I spun around and saw Daniel in a faded dark red shirt and black jeans. His hair was still lightly damp and a hand towel was around his shoulders.

The journal entry slipped from my hands and glided slowly to his feet. "Why." I said bluntly. "Why do you have paintings of my sister. And that journal entry, why does it have your handwriting in it and a date that's nearly as old as me." I didn't realize I had been shouting.

"Your... your sister," he sounded like he was about to have a panic attack.

"My sister Lucinda!" I exclaimed.

All emotion had drained from his face. The one look in his eye that I no longer wanted to see was back where it was from the start. His cold eyes had finally looked up at me. "Get out." he demanded.

I knew there was pain in his words, but still I hesitated. "I, I..."

"GET OUT!"

I flinched and stepped back a few steps. I never thought of Daniel yelling out like that, much less what it would ever sound like. I felt warm tears coming to my eyes but I didn't feel the need to cry.

I dropped the journal and shot directly for the door without a glance back at him. I was in such a hurry to leave that I didn't close the door behind me and ran the short three doors down to my own apartment s and fumble through m pocket for my key. I didn't look over to his door to see if he was coming after me and turned the key and slammed the door behind me with all three locks on the door in place.

I was in my room before my thought of Daniel looking as he did came back to me. My heart was beating so fast that it hurt and felt like my rib cage would give at any moment. Liquid fire began pouring from my eyes as I let out the dry and hoarse sobs I still couldn't fully believe were mine to feel.

Once my room became quiet the door bell had rung. I didn't want to answer it, fearing it would be Daniel. I waited for either my mother or Lucie to do it but then realized that Lucie must have stayed over at Emily's, and that my mother must be with that guy she was meeting with for the last few weeks. It explained why the apartment was so quiet.

The door bell rang again but with three rings at once, showing that whoever was on the other side was becoming impatient. I rose to my feet and cautiously walked to the front door. The bell rang again two more times at once.

My hands wrapped around the door handle, and turned.

I deeply apologize again for the long wait. Things have been pretty piled up as of late and I don't know when I will have the next chapter up, but thank you very much to any of you who are still reading.

Until then my fellow Fallenatics!

The journal entry with the date March 21, 1992 is a real exert written by Lauren Kate from an exclusive poster that comes with first edition copies of Torment. I do not own the exert. All rights go to Lauren :)