Alright, I'll be updating A Love Like War in a sec!

Now, we all know that this would not be my story if it didn't have at least one Jara scene! So...Jara chapter! :D

Enjoy!

Jerome and Mara ventured out into the unknown, the RV their destination. When they pushed through the last few branches, they saw a cliff. On the right, a set of stairs led to a platform on the edge of the cliff. On the left, the RV sat, the door hanging open and a vehicle nowhere to be seen.

"I was hoping there'd be a truck or something so I could get some help." Jerome grumbled and pulled her toward the RV.

"Wait, J, the RV is hanging off the cliff. I don't think it'd be safe to go in there." She pointed out, holding him back.

"Good eye, babe." He complimented and his blue eyes swept around the area. "Here's a rope, but I don't want to tie it to those stairs…"

"There are sandbags up here," Mara announced as she climbed the steps.

Jerome followed her and walked over to the large machine that sat before them. He flipped the on switch curiously but it didn't respond. He looked up and stared at the foggy ravine that was in clear view since there was no third wall.

"What is it?" Mara asked.

"I think it's a mountain lift." He replied, switching the control off.

"Do you think Nina, or help, could be on the other side of the gorge?"

Jerome shrugged. "Maybe, but it's not working anyway. But we'd have to talk to the others first."

Mara nodded and stepped out of his way as he lifted a sandbag and started down the steps. He moved three more and tied the rope onto them. He tied the other end of the rope to the trailer hitch and double-checked its security. He took Mara's hand and climbed into the RV. His eyes instantly widened.

"J…" Mara whispered, hugging his arm.

"I don't know." He said and she looked up at him pointedly.

"You and I both know."

Dried gore tainted the white cupboards and yellow counter top tile. The windows of the trailer smashed and the glass lay littered on the floor. The RV had no sign of any living thing.

"And if this couldn't get any weirder…" Jerome mumbled, motioning to the counter.

A stuffed bunny stood, dried red splotches covering its body. A blood stained meat cleaver was taped to its arm.

"Whoever did that is sick."

Jerome chuckled and pulled on one of the wood planks that held one of the cupboards shut. As Mara looked around, he took the meat cleaver from the bunny and chopped through both planks.

"There must be some pretty important things in here for someone to board them up." Jerome said as he opened the second cupboard. "Or there's something really important on the other side of that gorge for someone to hide gas and a part of the machine in here."

He slung the belt over his shoulder and grabbed the gas tank, running a hand through his hair.

"Alright, love, you ready?" he asked, turning toward the door. When he didn't receive an answer, he peered back at her. "Mara,"

She stood by a broken window, staring at a baby crib, and Jerome dropped what he was carrying, rushing to her as she bent down and picked up a baby rattle. He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back.

"There was a baby…" she whispered.

"Honey," he spun her around and she gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand. He pulled her into his chest as she cried and led her out of the RV. "Sit here," he instructed and sat her down on the steps.

She watched him with swollen eyes as he grabbed the gas tank and belt from the camper and kicked the door shut. He scooted past her and climbed the steps to the machine.

"I'm going to fix this and then we'll head back to the car. Will you be okay, darling?"

She nodded and hid her face between her knees, letting herself let out quiet sobs as her boyfriend fixed the mountain lift controls.

It broke his heart to hear her so heartbroken.

"J, why would someone do that to a baby?"

Jerome straightened and let out a long sigh. He turned to her as she stopped at the top of the stairs. "Mara, please don't…"

"Don't what? Care that some psycho killed an innocent baby?" she snapped. "How can you just walk away from that and not even care?"

"I do care." He defended himself. "I just don't want you to beat yourself up. If I had known that…you would've seen that, I wouldn't have let you in there. I don't want you to ever be upset or heartbroken, but you are and it kills me."

Mara closed her eyes and Jerome wrapped his arms around her.

"How could they do that?"

"I don't know. They are sick and horrible. I'm sorry, baby." He said and kissed her hair. "Come on, let's go back.

She nodded and followed, holding his hand tightly in her own. Her heart pounded with her head and the thumping rang in her ears. Just the thought of someone having such a cold heart or no heart at all amazed her. How could someone do that without a single ounce of guilt?

They pushed through branches and stepped over sticks and stones, on their back to the car. When they made it back, the others weren't there.

Jerome looked at his watch. "We've still got a few minutes until we have to meet up. Would you feel up to checking out that tree house over there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She assured him and let him guide her to the child's play house.

Review?

"There's this thing about himself that he's never told you before. Baby! He need to tell you something. I don't got a belly button!" -Belly Button, Veggie Tales (My siblings are making me play it!)

-Rachel