Hiya folks.

I want to take this time to remind you readers that there were a few things that was not mentioned in the last chapter when TJ told them about what happened while he was gone. The inmate that he killed, Alex, and breaking out of Duval to name a few. There's a reason for that, which will be explained as the story progresses.

Also, this chapter doesn't focus so much on the gang as much as the last chapter. The following chapter will, but not this one. I'm working out the kinks for the next chapter. As a result, this chapter is shorter than I would like.

I don't know about you all, but I'm not a fan of the images next to the stories that added. It's distracting, in my opinion.

Read On!

Journal,

I'm not sure where my relationship with the guys stands at this moment. We've reconciled, and that's great, but now what? Are we going to try to be friends again? I don't believe we can ever get back to the strong friendship we had before. We can get to be acquaintances, hang out a couple times, but being friends? That's kind of a stretch.

I'll sleep on it.

~*~V~*~

"TJ where we goin'?" Zack asked as we walked down the street. I was planning on going alone, but Zack wanted to come. It's like I can't say no to him, being my little brother. He's a quiet kid, shouldn't be too much trouble with his coloring book and crayons in his backpack. He wasn't much trouble when I told him I was the person that he was talking to on the phone.

I caught him waiting by the phone on Thursday. I always called on Thursday's when I was in Duval. I knew I would have to tell him he was talking to me, but I didn't know if he would believe me. I told him I knew who Mr. Stranger was and that he was me. He looked surprised, so I told him about a few of the things we talked about. It's our little secret.

"To a friend of mine," I told him. It had snowed overnight, and I was holding his hand in case he slipped on ice and fell.

"Is he your best friend?"

"Not exactly. He's more like a role model to me. He visited me while I was gone."

"What's a role model?"

"A role model is someone you look up to, someone you want to be like when you grow up. Do you have a role model, Zack?"

"I don't know."

"That's okay," I said, walking up to the house I was headed to. "You're only three, you don't need a role model yet." It's been years, but I still remember where this house is. I should; I spent plenty of time in here. Is his car in the drive way? Yeah. I choose not to break in like I used to; I rang the doorbell instead. "Zack, when we get inside, I need you to be on your best behavior okay? You can't scream or shout in here."

"You mean use my inside voice like teacher says?"

"Exactly," I said, hearing footstep approaching from inside. "You have your coloring book with you. We won't be too long." I turned back to the door when it started to open. I kept holding Zack's hand as he hid behind me. "Hello, sir."

"Detweiler, I was beginning to think you would never visit," said Prickly. "And all the times I've visited you."

"I said I was going to visit when I got out," I said putting my hands up defensively. "I've just been busy with moving back in and school….and catching up with my little brother." I looked back down at Zack, who is still hiding behind me. "I hope you don't mind me bringing him. He wanted to come. He'll be quiet."

"No, it's no problem at all," he said letting us in. Zack held on to my jeans as he both came in from the cold. "What's his name?"

"You won't believe what his name is," I whispered. "His name's Zackary David."

"…You don't say," He said, looked behind me to get a look at Zack. "What are the chances of that?"

"I know. It's crazy. It's okay Zack, there's nothing to be afraid of…"

"Are you a friend of TJ's?" Zack asked.

"Why yes I am."

"Then you can call me Zack, 'kay?"

"Zack, why don't you go into the living room and work on your coloring book?" He nodded and walked away into the living room.

"Nice kid. Is he just like you?" asked Prickly.

"No, I don't think so. He's more introverted; I was more extroverted at that age, according to my parents," I said. "So what's going on? How retirement treating you these days? Did you go to that golf course in Augusta like you said?"

"I just go back from there a few weeks ago. The course was beautiful. Must've played golf on it about ten times."

"Good. I thought you were only spending your retirement visiting me," I said, following him up the stairs.

"Oh no. Of course not. I've been travelling between the two times a month I visit you. But something did happen to me about a week ago."

"What was it?"

"I got a call from the principal of the high school," He said going into one of the rooms. I went inside as saw there were boxes against the wall. a few were on the floor and open. What caught my eye was the faded and peeling green wallpaper printed with dinosaurs. "He, and the rest of the school board, wants me to come out of retirement and be the principal there. I'm guessing that seeing you enrolled there had something to do with it."

"Because you're the only one who knows me," I said. "Doing some cleaning around here?"

"Yeah. I don't need all this stuff. Most of it I'm throwing out, but I'm glad you brought your brother. This is all Zack's stuff, my Zack, I mean," He said, looking through some of the boxes. "You won't believe how many of these boxes are toys. How old is Zack?"

"He's three."

"My Zack was five or six when he….you know. I was planning on either donating or throwing most of his toys out, but if there's a kid who wants any of these then they can have them."

"Zack has plenty of toys of his own, but one or two would be okay."

"How's school coming along? Is it a big change from Duval?" He asked after a while. I was helping his sort through some of the boxes and move then outside. They were heavier than what they looked. Now that the window was unblocked it was brighter in the room. After going in and out of the house a few times, I noticed how it looked. The paint was chipping, some of the blinds were tilting and coming off the hinges, and I couldn't see the lawn because of the snow, but if it's anything like the outside of the house, it needs to be cut, watered, and weeds needed to be pulled. He had really let this place go. It's fine on the inside, minus all the dust, but the outside is another matter. I checked on Zack, and he was content coloring in the living room.

"The classes are harder, but not that different. There's the whole social aspect of it, but I wasn't planning on getting too involved with that part. I just want to get in, and get out," I said, opening another box full of toys.

"Have you talked to your old friends?"

"I was forced to, actually. Vince has a little sister that goes to Zack's daycare, and the two of them are friends. He even has a little crush on her."

"What's a three year old doing with a crush?"

"That's what I said. He needs to go back to playing with his tinker toys! But he's a little kid, still a toddler. I figure that it'll blow over and he'll forget about ever having one. It's innocent at his age. Not like he's trying to do something. He thinks girls are confusing."

"Better he learns that now than later."

"Right. I wonder how it'll end. But yeah I was forced to talk to them because Vince's sister wanted to come over and play with Zack yesterday. I was planning on coming yesterday, but that had to be moved to today. I took them out for pizza and I met the guys there and told them everything. They said they would give me another chance."

"That's good. Are you going to try to be friends with them again?"

"I'm not sure. I only want to finish high school. Get it over with so I can move on. I don't want to get wrapped up in the whole high school drama BS."

"Do you want to go to college?"

"I'm not sure about that either. What would I go for? I'm not interested in anything that would give me a job. There aren't many jobs for philosophy majors."

"Philosophy majors normally go on to law school," He said. "How does that sound?"

"It's not for me. Law school costs an arm and a leg. Besides, I'm not interested in law. I think I'll minor in philosophy. I need a major that'll make me money. Speaking of money, I'm looking for a job. I know you're my elementary school principal, but can I use you as a reference when I apply? The only other one I have is Mr. Simmons."

"I'm not sure how credible it'll be, but go ahead. It's going to be hard enough for you to get a job with everyone knowing who you are." I grabbed the broom against the wall and started o sweep the dust on the floor. This room was filthy, must've be closed for years. Before I was about to open another box, I saw Zack come over to me in the corner of my eye. I turned to him, and saw he was holding a teddy bear in his arms.

"Hey Zack. When did you come in here?" I asked, kneeling down to his height. "Where'd you get that teddy bear?"

"I found it," He said, hugging it. "In one of the boxes."

"That was one of my sons. In fact, it looks like that one was his favorite," Said Prickly. "He called it Gabby. You can have it you want, Zack."

"Thank you, sir."

"It looks sort of dirty," I said looking over it.

"When you get home, make sure to wash it to be on the safe side. It's been packed away in these boxes for God knows how long. I have no clue what could be in its fur," Prickly said.

"What's your son's name?" Zack asked.

"His name was Zack, just like your name."

"Really? That's amazing! Do we have the same middle name too?"

"Yeah, his middle name was David, too."

"Wow! No one else at daycare has my name! I like my name. It begins with a Z and Z is a weird letter."

"Do you know all the letters of the alphabet, Zack?" I asked him. He has to in order to know that Z is a letter.

"Uh-huh. Teacher taught me when I was bored at daycare. She taught me how to write my name, too."

"Then you must be very smart. Not a lot of three year olds can write their name."

"That's what momma and daddy says too. I'm gonna go back and finish coloring now." I watched him walked out the door and back downstairs.

"He looks like him a little bit," I heard Prickly said.

"It's the hair, isn't it?"

"Yeah, and if he had green eyes, it would be that too. What are the chances of that happening?"

"Low, I think."

"How'd you two get over here? It's freezing outside. You didn't walk, did you?" I nodded.

"It's all I had. I don't have a license, let alone a car. And it's not that cold outside. I'm working on getting a license. I'm going down to the DMV next weekend to see if they have driving lessons, and I'm looking for a job to buy a car. It's all a vicious cycle. For the meantime, I'm catching up with my brother."

I stayed there for another hour helping him clean before heading home. Zack got to keep the teddy bear, and one of those boards with the magnetic pin attached to draw pictures on. I promised I would come back over next weekend to help clean out the attic. The guy is getting old and needs help with those boxes. I don't mind. He's helped me plenty of times. I owe him the favor.

I have good news and bad news!

The good news is, Randall will be in the next chapter. The bad news is, I don't know how this story will end, but that's far from now. I'll work it out.

What do you all think TJ would go to college for after all this? I'm interested in what you all think. I'm working on giving him a hobby that relates to it.

Please Review!