A/N: Thanks for your reviews! Anon, who doesn't like that I have multiple stories because you don't know what I'm doing, it's okay, I know what I'm doing, I know every plotline in every era in this verse. You don't like my update speed, well, I don't either, but unfortunately I don't get paid to write so I have to go to my day job every day plus take care of every day things that pop up in life that need done or taken care of and sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day to allow all the time I'd like to give to my projects. You don't like that I sometimes focus only on one story, well, that's because that's where the inspiration is at that current moment, that's why I like having multiple projects, when one chapter isn't cooperating, another story is. That's just how it goes when you write; you can't just force your characters when they aren't ready to give you the scene. Sorry you're not having a good time…but I still am, so I'm going to continue to do what I want, have a nice day!

Chapter 4

"Do you want to call and check on your parents?" Johanna asked Jim after hanging up from her mother.

"They keep saying on the radio not to make calls," he replied.

She gave him a small smile. "I doubt that's stopping many people…I had intended to call my mother; I was just giving it a little more time but she beat me to it. If you want to call, go ahead."

Jim pondered the situation for a moment; part of him wanted to call…but the other part of him wasn't so sure. Things had been difficult between them more often than not ever since he had gotten engaged and he really didn't know if calling was a good idea.

"It's also okay if you don't want to," Johanna assured.

"Is it though?" he asked.

"Yes, of course…besides, you're right, they are saying not to use the phone, so if someone would ask why you didn't call, you could say you were just doing what they told us to do," she replied.

"Do you really think my mother would accept that excuse?"

She shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

"Like what?" he scoffed.

"Well…she did get us two of our flower girls."

"Because she had something to prove to Angie," Jim replied.

"She could've just bought her a doll," Johanna remarked. "But listen, you don't have to call if you don't want to. I know that feeling all too well and it's okay to have that moment where you don't want to deal with it."

"I don't know what to do," he admitted. "I probably should call…but I dread the moment when it turns into a call I wish I hadn't made."

"Do they know my phone number?"

"No; I'm trying to keep it that way as long as possible," Jim remarked.

"In that case, call and check in, if it starts turning into something you don't want, just reach over and disconnect, you can always blame that on the phone lines being congested. They are talking about that on the radio," Johanna replied.

He pondered that for a moment. "That could work."

"Then ease your mind and call."

Jim sighed deeply and picked up the phone, dialing his parents number. The line was busy so he hung up, waiting a few minutes and then trying again. This time it rang several times before his mother's voice finally came across the line. "Hello?" she said sharply.

He couldn't help but sigh a little at her tone. "Hello, Mother."

"Jimmy?" Elizabeth said, her tone sounding more like a demand than a question.

"Yes," he replied. "Surely you haven't forgotten what my voice sounds like; it hasn't been that long since I've talked to you."

"I tried to call you and you didn't answer!" his mother exclaimed.

"That's probably because I'm not home."

His mother huffed on the other end of the line. "Where the hell are you during a city-wide blackout!?"

"I'm with my fiancée," he replied.

"I should've known," she muttered.

"You probably should have known," Jim agreed.

"Well it's not like I know how to reach you when you're with her," his mother stated. "I guess once you get married I'll never be able to get ahold of you, I won't have your phone number since you're moving in with her…instead of the other way around like it should be."

"Mom, I told you why I'm moving in with her. My apartment is without heat more often than not in the winter the last two years and her place is closer to work…and the rent is less than mine. It's better for us to keep this apartment."

"So you claim, but the fact remains, I'll never be able to get a hold of you…you won't give me the damn phone number!"

"I will give you the number!" he exclaimed; although a part of him hated that this topic had come up when he was trying to keep the number to himself for a little while longer.

"When? After it's too late?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jim asked.

"Are you going to wait until after something happens and you don't get notified to give me your precious girlfriend's phone number?" Elizabeth asked. "What the hell are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," he retorted. "I just figured if you had her number, you'd call her to complain about stupid things."

"Do you really think I'd willingly call her?" his mother exclaimed.

"I never can tell with you," he replied.

"I wouldn't! I would only use it if I need to get a hold of you," Elizabeth stated. "Can't you at least do that much for me?"

Johanna took the phone from Jim's hand. "555-7931," she stated before handing the phone back to him.

Jim met her gaze and she shrugged. "We're getting married next month, there's really no reason to hold on to it," she replied. "After all, she does know where I live."

He figured that was probably true, even if he did hate to lose that one last thing that he was keeping from his mother. "Did you write it down?" he asked his mother.

"I wasn't prepared," Elizabeth replied. "I had to use a flashlight to dial the phone."

"Where are you in the house? Can you get a piece of paper and a pen?"

"I'm in the bedroom. Let me lay the phone down so I can use the flashlight to look in the nightstand drawer."

"Go ahead," he told her.

He heard the soft sound of the drawer sliding open and the rustle of items inside it. "Alright," she said coming back on the line. "I have a piece of paper and a pen now. Can she repeat the number?"

"I think I can tell it to you myself," Jim remarked.

"You didn't want to the first time; it's pretty bad that she has to be the one to volunteer it," Elizabeth remarked. "You'd think if someone didn't want me to have the number it would be her instead of my own son."

Jim held the phone out to Johanna. "Repeat the number, apparently I've blown my chance to say numbers to my mother."

Johanna took the phone. "Are you ready to write it down?" she asked Elizabeth.

"Yes."

"555-7931," she told her once more and then waiting a moment, she asked, "Do you have it?"

"Yes," Elizabeth answered, pausing for a second. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, I'll give you back to your son now," Johanna said before giving the phone back to Jim.

"Mom, were you asleep when the lights went out?" Jim asked.

"No, I had just gotten out of the shower. Your father had a business dinner and I had to go along even though I don't want to be out in the evening with a damn killer on the loose but he doesn't seem concerned about it; so of course he had to linger and we were late getting home," Elizabeth stated.

"Where's Dad now? I don't hear him in the background."

"He's looking for his keys, he wants to go to the bank."

"Is he out of his mind!" Jim exclaimed. "What does he want to go to the bank for?"

"He thinks someone might try to rob the bank," Elizabeth stated. "I told him to let them do it."

"He doesn't need to be out on the streets in the pitch black, going to the damn bank and he sure as hell shouldn't be leaving you home alone in a blackout," Jim said firmly.

"I don't want to be home by myself," his mother replied, her voice cracking a little. "And I don't want him going to the bank, what if someone does try to rob it? They might kill him to do it and no one will even know until the lights come back on…it's not like the alarm is going to go off."

"Put him on the damn phone," he stated. "He's not going to the bank and he isn't leaving you home alone. The bank is insured, it can fend for itself."

"He's not going to get on the phone, he's too busy ripping the downstairs apart trying to find his keys but he's not going to find them."

Jim's brow rose. "He's not?"

"No," his mother replied.

"Why not?"

"Because he didn't realize they had fallen off the dresser and was on the floor so I hid them when he went downstairs," she whispered.

"Where did you hide them?"

"In the toilet tank," she murmured.

Jim laughed. "Really?"

"Yes, it was all I could think of…he's not going to look there."

"What about your keys though? He might try to get your keys."

"I thought of that," she replied. "But for whatever reason, when we got home, I brought my purse upstairs with me. It was so hot and sticky out that I just wanted to get ready for bed so I just came on upstairs and brought my purse with me…so I hid my keys too when he was out of sight."

"In the toilet tank?"

"No…you know those lights on each side of the medicine cabinet?" she hurriedly whispered.

"The ones with the frosted glass globes we just put on for you last year?" he asked.

"Yes…I dropped them down in one of the globes."

Jim smiled. "Good thinking."

"You'll have to remind me where they are if I forget," Elizabeth murmured.

"I'll remind you," he promised. "He doesn't need to be out."

"I don't think so either. You stay put too."

"I am; we're not going anywhere. The door is locked and we're staying put like they're telling people to do on the radio."

"Make sure you listen," she told him. "I'm already hearing murmurings on the radio about looting but I didn't catch where."

"Don't worry, Mom; we're staying put. Have you gotten ahold of the others?"

"I called Michael…he got mad that I called because they were trying to get the kids back to bed. Alicia was crying and Angie wanted to talk to me; so I made him put her on and I told her to let Alicia sleep in bed with her and Natalie just blew a gasket, saying it wasn't necessary when they share a room. I told her I just figured Alicia would be able to go back to sleep if she was close to Angie but you know how she is. Angie wasn't bothered by the idea but that Natalie is a pain in the ass."

"I don't see why it was a big deal to make that suggestion," Jim remarked. "Alicia probably would feel better being tucked in with Angie for the night."

"You just can't help them!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Then Michael was on there mad because I called. I just wanted to make sure everyone was where they belonged, what's so wrong with that? I don't want my grandchildren out in this mess and I never know what they might be out doing in the evenings during the summer. I really didn't think there was something wrong with calling."

"There's nothing wrong with it," he told her; doing his best to let her vent as she was clearly upset and agitated by the situation they were in. "What about Maddy? Did you call her?"

"Yes, she had just gotten home from closing the store when the lights went out."

"I'm glad she made it home in time," he replied. "Did you hear from Andrew?"

"Andrew called just before you did; he was in New Jersey for meetings and had gone to some work event this evening; when they heard about the blackout, he decided to just get a hotel room and stay there for the night."

Jim scoffed. "Lucky him being in a nice cool hotel room with electric."

"It always seems to be that way with your brother," Elizabeth remarked, a touch of bitterness in her tone. "He always comes out smelling like a rose."

"Maybe when he comes back to the city I'll punch him for his good fortune," he quipped.

A soft laugh floated across the line. "He may deserve it this time," his mother said lightly. "I hear your father coming, I've got to make sure he doesn't find the keys so I'll let you go. Stay inside where it's safe."

"I will, Mom, I promise."

"Keep the girl in too…you don't know where that nutjob is that they're looking for."

"Believe me, we're being cautious. If you need me, call," he told her. "Especially if Dad gets funny and runs away to the bank. I'll try to come and get you if he takes off."

"He's not getting out of this house," she replied. "I'll call and check in in the morning, Jimmy."

"Alright, Mom; goodnight."

"Goodnight," she replied before ending the call.

Johanna glanced at him as he hung up the phone. "If I heard correctly, your father is trying to go to the bank?"

Jim nodded. "Yes, but she's hid the keys so hopefully that will put an end to it. He must be out of his damn mind…especially to go and leave her home in the dark by herself."

"It seems out of character for him," Johanna replied.

He shook his head. "Actually it's not," he admitted. "You know I love him…but he can get way too wrapped up in his work…and sometimes that doesn't bring out a good side in him."

"I guess when I think about it, I have seen some shades of the not so good side lately," she said, an apologetic note in her tone.

He patted her hand. "We both have," he agreed. "It's been awhile since I've seen so much of it."

"Is there something that triggers it in him?" she asked.

"I don't know…I've never really thought about it."

Johanna sighed. "Parents…you just can't figure them out."

"Isn't that the truth. Do you want to try and get some sleep?"

She shook her head. "No, honestly I'm thinking of eating the ice cream in the freezer…you know, as a precaution against it melting."

"It's the humane thing to do," Jim agreed. "You get the ice cream; I'll get the spoons."