AN: I don't know if anyone ever watched Melrose Place- I never did. However, I do know that Anthony Tyler Quinn (Mr. Turner) appeared in a handful of episodes, one of which is referenced in this chapter.

Stolen Souls: Further Confessions

The stillness of the apartment made it impossible for Shawn to concentrate on anything, much less math homework. There was something decidedly wrong. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jon sitting on the couch staring blankly at the television. Shawn wrinkled his nose and tapped his lips with his pencil. What was wrong, he determined, was that Audrey wasn't with them.

One good thing about being a kid was being able to bug the heck out of adults until they gave you the information you wanted, just so you'd shut up. Shawn decided to take advantage of this and joined Jon on the couch.

Jon was sitting with one arm extended out over the couch's arm and holding the remote. His free hand covered his mouth. The far-away look in his eyes made it apparent that he wasn't paying attention to what was on the TV screen.

Shawn glanced at the television and then at Jon. "So," he began brightly. "This is a good episode of Melrose Place."

Jon looked at him without changing his position.

"Yeah," Shawn continued cheerily, knowing that Jon hated soaps of any kind. "This is the one where Rory marries Heather Locklear's character."

Jon sighed and handed Shawn the remote.

Shawn's mouth twisted into a perplexed frown. This wasn't going quite the way he had expected. After some thought, he felt it best to cut to the chase. He already knew what was bothering Jon.

"So," he tried again, "When are you going to go get her?"

Jon didn't acknowlege that he had heard him.

"C'mon, Jon," Shawn smiled knowingly. "I know that's what you're thinking..."

Jon gave him an annoyed look. "And just how would you know that?"

Shawn shrugged proudly. "It's a gift. But seriously, when are you going to go get her?"

A blank look fogged over Jon's gaze again. "Dunno. I can't get a hold of her. She's not answering her cell phone."

Shawn regarded him steadily. "She'll start her shift at Hannigan's soon, so why don't you go there?"

From the expression on his friend's face it was obvious that he hadn't thought of that.

"Nah," Jon shook his head. "It wouldn't do any good. She's made it abundantly clear that she doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

Shawn rolled his eyes. "So she was a little steamed this afternoon. Audrey'll be over it by now. I'm even willing to bet that she's mooning over whether or not to come over here."

Jon gave a snort of derision. "And how would a fifteen-year-old kid like you know that?" he said, half-jokingly.

Shawn tried to conceal his smile. "Hey, when I like the subject I study hard."

That garnered a small smile from Jon.

Shawn brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Really though, you ought to tell her."

"I have told her that I'm sorry," Jon frowned. "And a lot of good that did me."

"That's not what I meant." Shawn carefully watched for Jon's reaction to what he was about to propose. "I meant that you should go tell her that you love her."

Now Shawn had Jon's undivided attention.

"Excuse me?" Jon stared slack-jawed at the boy next to him, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I should tell her what?"

"That you love her."

Jon rested his cheek on his fist. "What gave you that idea," he muttered. He steeled his gaze on a point on the wall apparently trying to bore a hole through it with his sight.

Shawn took a deep breath. He really didn't have any solid evidence for his assumptions; he only had bits and pieces of reason, fragments of a possible underlying attraction. But most of his conclusions came from reading into to words and gestures, his own wish to see them together, and a gut a feeling.

"I saw what almost happened earlier this week," he finally said.

Jon looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Now what are you talking about?"

"After school on Wednesday. I left some books in your class and when I went back to get them, I saw you guys almost kiss."

Jon returned his eyes to that spot on the wall. "Yeah, well, nothing happened."

Shawn was beginning to get exasperated. "But that's not the only thing. I've seen how you look at her and how you act around her. Jon, I've seen you with a lot of different girls and you've never been like this before."

Jon closed his eyes. This was one of those times when he hated how perceptive his charge could be.

"And so what I am- No, Shawn, there's no point in discussing this," he said brusquely, getting up.

"Why not?" Shawn demanded, kneeling on the couch cushion so that he could see Jon. "It's true isn't? I am right."

Jon stopped half-way to the door to his bedroom. He slowly turned around to face Shawn.

"So what if it is true?" He sounded almost hopeless. He just wanted Shawn drop the subject. He had already accepted that there was no way things could work out between him and Audrey and yesterday only served to further prove that.

Finally an admission, or semi-admission. Shawn could barely contain himself.

"So go tell her!" he cried eagerly, clasping his hands together.

"I can't do that."

Shawn's smile faded. "Why not?" he asked genuinely perplexed.

Jon walked back over to the couch. He had to smile for despite what Shawn thought he knew about relationships, he was still pretty naive.

"Look, Shawn," Jon decided to level with him. "I realized a long time ago that things just can't work out. The timing's just off. And then there's the age thing; she's just a kid."

Shawn either didn't understand or refused to understand, Jon could see the stubborn look that settled in his eyes.

Shawn folded his arms over chest. "So you're going to marry Ms. Tompkins, aren't you?"

The change of subject came out of left field and took Jon by total surprise.

"I-I-I don't know, Shawn!" Jon threw up his hands, more frustrated with himself than with the boy's questions.

Shawn pinched at the afghan hanging over the back of the couch. He didn't understand why adults had to make everything so complicated. In his mind, the resolution to the current problem was simplictic- Jon told Audrey that he loved her, she returned his affection, and that was that. Though Shawn would ferevently deny that he believed in happily-ever-after endings, in way, that was exactly the way he viewed the situation. He never considered outside influences that might stand in the way of such a fairy tale.

"Have you ever told her that you love her?" There was a hint of accusation in his voice and an underlying fear of the answer in Shawn's voice.

"Look..." Jon stopped, let out a breath, and started over. "No. No, I haven't."

"Why." The word was more of a statement than a question stated in a tone that seemed to dare the teacher to answer contray what Shawn believed to be true.

"Because I'm not sure that I do."

"Why."

"Shawn," Jon felt that he had to put a stop to this discussion. This wasn't something he should be discussing with a kid; he should be talking to Eli, if he had to talk to anyone. And yet, he somehow felt that Shawn was actually the best person to confide in, whatever the teacher- student, guardian-charge relational boundaries he might be disregarding.

"Because," he glanced at Shawn. He looked away from the boy's hard stare. "Because of Audrey."

Shawn smiled slightly. "What was so difficult about that? It's not like I didn't already know."

Jon sighed.

"So," Shawn went on. "Go to Hannigan's and tell her."

"You don't get it, Shawn," Jon said, shaking his head. "Things aren't so black and white. I have to consider what's best for the both of us."

"You're right I don't get it." Shawn gave the afghan a hard twist. "What's best is for you guys to be together. If you love each, that is best. What's there to consider?"

Jon smile morosely. "Lots of things, Hunter." He sat on the back of couch. "First of all, I don't know if Audrey's feelings towards me are that strong."

"They are," Shawn cut in.

"Have you asked her directly?"

Shawn's shoulder slumped forward. "No," he muttered in admittance.

"Another thing," Jon went on. "Audrey isn't the type of girl you date just to be dating. She has definate ideas on what she's looking for and won't date for dating's sake. She's the kind of girl you date only if you're serious about setling down. That's what she's looking for. Besides, she needs someone who can take care of her."

Shawn looked up at his caretaker through his bangs. "You take good care of me. You'd take good care of her, too."

Jon smiled. "Thanks. But I couldn't take care of her the way I want to."

"Material things don't mean anything to her."

"I know, Shawn, I know."

"So you're not even going to try to see if things could work out?" Shawn couldn't accept that possibility. It was utterly inconvievable that Jon would let someone like Audrey slip through his fingers without even trying to hold onto her.

Jon looked at Shawn for a long moment before answering.

"No, Shawn, I'm not."

Topanga was just about to head out the door when her mother called her from the kitchen.

"Tippy!" Mrs. Lawrence called in a chirpy voice. "Sweetie darling, there's a telephone call for you."

"I've got to get to Chubbie's, Mom," Topanga called back. "I'm meeting Trini. Who is it?"

There was a moment's silence, as her mother presumably found out the identity of the caller.

"It's Allora."

Topanga rushed into the kitchen and took phone from her mother.

"Hello?" She answered breathlessly.

"Hullo, Sweetie darling," Allora teased her. She sound frail, even over the phone.

Topanga laughed nervously. She hadn't spoken to Allora since she had told Miss Andrews her friend's secret. "How're you doing?"

There was a pause. "Not so good," Allora admitted. "I feel really tired almost all the time. And Mom and Dad won't let me out of their sight, so I feel suffocated."

"Oh," Topanga twisted the telephone cord around her finger. She wasn't sure what to say.

"Hey, listen," Allora said, trying to sound upbeat. "I can't talk long; I'm not even suppose to be on the phone, but Dad let me call you and tell you the news."

Topanga stood up straight. "What news?"

"I'm going to New York tomorrow to see that doctor Miss Andrews suggested."

"Oh," Topanga said again. "How long are you going to be there?"

"I dunno," Allora responded. She seemed depressed. "Maybe for the rest of the school year. It just depends on how bad things are. But this trip tomorrow is just a consultation. I'll be back on Tuesday."

Topanga sighed. "Are you going to be back in time to go on the New York trip?"

"Yeah," Allora said hesitantly. "But I don't know if I'll be allowed to go with you guys."

"Aw, it won't be fun without you!"

"Right," Allora tried to joke. "You'll be in NYC with Cory and you'll forget about me!"

Allora couldn't see her friend, but knew Topanga was blushing.

"Al-lora!" Topanga grinned, the blush evident in her voice.

Allora laughed. "Well, in case I can't go, you'll have to take lots of pictures."

"I will," Topanga promised. As a mischievous afterthought she added, "Is that lots of pictures of New York you want or of Mr. Turner?"

"Topanga!" It was Allora's turn to flush crimson.

The girls shared a laughed before Allora had to hang up.

"Well, I guess I'll see you Tuesday," Topanga said.

"Yeah," Allora said quietly.

The was silence on the line.

"Tippy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for telling."

Topanga smiled. "Anything for my best friend."

Hannigan's was a cozy little bar and grill joint on the corner of 5th and Grant. It specialized in homestyle family cuisine, but in the evenings after nine, mixed drinks were the entree of choice.

Audrey was working the booths which were filled with mostly male patrons. Jon spotted her coming out of the kitchen with a tray loaded down with food and drinks balanced slightly above her shoulder on one hand.

Jon took a seat in a booth just out of her service area where he could watch for a chance to talk to her. She looked tired, he noticed. With her hair tied back into a topknot, it was easy to see how promiently her cheekbones stood out. There were dark circles under her eyes which Jon attributed to long days and late shifts. For the last three weeks, Audrey had been working overtime in ten-hour shifts from six in the evening til nearly four-thirty the following morning. Jon hated that she had to work while she was interning.

Audrey chatted cordially with her customers as she took their orders. She was dressed in the uniform typical of Hannigan's female employees.Over her long-sleeve, button-down white shirt, she wore a vest with a hunter green and mauve pin-stripe front and solid mauve back. A Hannigan's name tag was pinned on the right side of the vest near her shoulder announcing, "Hi! I'm Audrey". The front hem of the vest hung below the waistline of the hunter green apron that was tied over her black skirt. She wore fleshtone panty hose and black strappy heels. Jon inwardly cringed when he glanced at her shoes; she had once voice concern that long hours on her feet in those shoes might end up damaging her feet to the extent that she wouldn't be able to dance en pointe anymore. And they caused her a great deal of pain. Unfortunately she had little choice in her selection of footwear and would have to put up with the impractical shoes until a better job came along.

One of the men at the table Audrey was at order a Long Island ice tea. Jon smiled in bemusement as Audrey repeated the order back as "one Lon Guylan ice tea".

Another waitress, a cute blonde with a pixie-ish face, came over to Jon and asked if she could get him anything. She tried flirting with him, but he wasn't interested. He ordered coffee and the waitress went off to fill the order, visibly disappointed Before long, she returned with the coffee. Jon absently stirred the steaming liquid, not very interested in it either.

Audrey was desperate to take a break. She had been working non-stop since her shift began. Everytime she was about to go on break, one of the other girls would slip out for a smoke when they weren't suppose to and Audrey would have to cover their tables for them. There was a brief lull in business and Audrey jumped at the chance to sit down. She headed for the breakroom after telling Ginny, her manager, that she was going on break. With her hand on the employee's "lounge" door, Audrey suddenly decided to go back out on the restuarant floor and check on Mrs. McGillis, a sweet, but high maintenance old lady, who would only be waited on by Audrey.

After seeing that Mrs. McGillis was happy, Audrey headed to the back again but stopped when she saw Jon. She wondered why he was at Hannigan's and was slightly hurt that he wasn't sitting in her service area. Ignoring her injured pride, Audrey walked over to his booth.

"Hey there, handsome," she quietly teased. "This seat taken?"

Jon looked up and a smile spread over his face when he saw. "No, no. Have a seat if you would."

Audrey slid into the dark leather-backed booth. As soon as she was sitting, she slipped out of her shoes; her feet throbbed as she wiggled her toes slowly.

"So," Audrey said, tugging her skirt down as close to her knees as it would go. "What brings you out here so late?"

Jon pushed his coffee away and leaned his elbows on the table. "You," he said simply.

"Really?" Audrey smiled. "Why is that?"

"I feel really bad about what happened yesterday afternoon."

"Oh, that." Audrey waved her hand in dismissal. "That was my fault. I don't know why I said all those horrible thing. I really didn't mean any of it."

Jon studied her for a instant. "I know you didn't," he said, hoping that she couldn't hear the relief in his voice. "I was just worried you might be angry with me."

Audrey shook her head. "Absolutely not. Actually, I was afraid you were upset with me."

"Never." Unconsciously, Jon reached across the table and place his hand on top of hers.

Audrey could feel her cheeks heat up but she didn't pull away.

"I just want you to be able to talk to me Audrey," he said seriously. "I want you to trust me enough to tell me if something's wrong. Sometimes I get the feeling that you don't."

"I do, Jon," she assured him, putting her other hand on top of his. "Really, I do. It's just that...I don't know I sometimes overreact to things that are said. I'm so embarrassed over yesterday."

"Ah," Jon shrugged. "Let's forget about it. That was yesterday after all."

Audrey grinned and was about to say something more when Mrs. McGillis started calling for her.

Audrey looked at Jon wistfully; she didn't want to return to work so soon or take her hands away from his. Jon broke their connection to add cream to a cup of cold coffee. Audrey slipped her shoes back on and stood up.

"Hey," Jon caught her wrist before she left. "See you tommorrow?'

Audrey smiled to herself and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

So? What do you think? Should Jon tell Audrey or not? Should Shawn mind his own business? Talk to me!;) Thanks again to all you wonderful reviewers. Special thanks to Gohan Hugger and Shawna for such encouraging reviews. It's very flattering to get your reviews since you are such talented writers!