Hello readers! Thanks for being patient with me, normally I have these chapters edited before I post them. Which is why it takes so long I don't like to skimp on quality for the sake of swiftness. Something you may not know about this book is that I actually have it finished, but I'm re-editing each prior to posting it (since I wrote it forever ago) which is why it's taking so long in spite of it already being finished. Now enough of me talking let's get back to our heros, shall we?

My heart was beating wildly, with a rush of adrenaline I scaled the wall in merely seconds like I would have if it were a tree. I saw Jethro, and another man. He and Jethro were struggling, the man had Jethro pinned and a gun in one hand, which Jethro was holding straight away from him with all his strength.

I yelled out in desperation, thinking quickly:

"Wow! You need a gun to hurt someone?"

The guy looked at me still struggling with Jethro.

"I can use my hands...and this!" I yanked off my boot and hurled it at the guy's head. The guy is stunned and before he could move it hit him in the forehead knocking him to the side.

Jethro scrambled to his feet and we both ran off the side of the building and jumped as another gunshot went off and the sound ricocheted in my brain.

I landed on the grass, but it didn't do much to slow my fall. I tried to brace myself and instead just ended up collapsing and falling on my face. Jethro landed with far more agility and grace. But he still got up shakily and tried to help me up. I cried out as pain sliced into my ankle. He picked me up without a word, and helped me inside and propped me up against a, probably filthy, school wall. But at that moment I didn't care. He called the police and paced up and down the hall as he did so and when he finally got through he went further into the school carrying me.

The halls were empty due to them calling a lockdown.

"You saved my life." He whispered but it reverberated through him and I could feel it as he held me close to his chest. He sighed as I looked up at him still in a little bit of a daze trying to figure out what was going on. "But now they'll be after you too. I'll take you to the nurse's office. Then I'll go."

"No, if they're after me then I'll help you, two is better than one. It's only a sprained ankle I'm fine really."

He seemed hesitant, "You can't even walk,"

"Come on, it'll be fine, trust me." I looked up at him with begging puppy dog eyes. With a reluctant sigh he gently set me on my feet. I managed to limp, he steadied me when I seemed about to fall. We managed to both make it into the pine tree in the field. I watched the police cars' lights flare in the distance as they searched for the criminal.

"Here, sit down. You really are going to injure yourself further if you don't bandage that." He gingerly pressed me down so I had to sit. He pulled out a roll of ace bandages from his backpack.

Since when had he had that in there? I took off my shoe and he wrapped my foot. I put my shoe back on, and I hobbled easier after that.

"Where are we even going?" I inquired.

"Anywhere away from here, I can't go to school with them watching me. Any preferences?"

"Seven eleven," I suggested, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"With your sprained ankle?"

"I have a bike,"

"Fine, but I'm pedaling, you are not hurting yourself further." He insisted we went to my bike and he got on, I had to cling to him by the waist to keep from falling off. My heart did a little fluttery thing at being so close to him. When we reached Seven Eleven I consoled myself with the familiarity of it all, my hands brushed the shelves and I deeply inhaled the pungent aroma of Coffee and Cigarettes that swayed in the air like it was dancing to jazz music.

I reached into my pocket when something caught my eye and I fingered the leathery worn dollars there.

"How about we get slurpees?" I suggested, he shrugged complacently.

"Sure, I have a few dollars."

I got Dr.Pepper, and he got Cherry. We both purchased the slurpees and with what we both had left I got an assortment of candy and other snacks.

"There's a park nearby." I said casually.

"You could just say it." He teased with an off handed smirk.

"Can we go to the park?"

"Yes, we can." He smiled, I put everything in the cutesy basket in the front of my bike that for once got put to good use other than holding my backpack on occasion and we rode off to the park.

When we got there we spotted a quaint bench and sat down, we each finished our slurpees and snacks and then just started to watch the clouds.

"Do you remember English class, last year, in eighth grade?" I asked and he laughed, man I loved that laugh.

"When you drew the freaky dead puppy drawing? Yes, I remember, you're all rainbows and then next thing I know you're drawing dead puppies. You're very odd." He smiled, I laughed nervously and attempted to hide my bright blushing, I couldn't meet his cobalt colored eyes.

"You're a good artist though." He remarked with a warm smile.

"Thanks. You know, that rooftop scene that we experienced would be a great drawing. Maybe someday you could pose for me and I could draw that."

He raised an eyebrow, "I can never tell what you are intending by what you say."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind, anyway, maybe you could draw something else for me?" He inquired.

"Sure, what do you want me to draw?"

"Well, there's this, history project for...Extra credit that we have to design a coat of arms for and because you're so artistic I was wondering if you could help me?" He smiled winsomely.

"Yeah, I can draw that, but you have to tell me what it's really for. I won't judge, I promise."

He pressed his lips together in thought contemplating something and then turned away swiftly. My heart did a little somersault, What did I say wrong? I wondered.

"I just need to, it's a family thing." He said quietly.

I sighed quietly. He was so close, and yet so far away. Every time I thought he was going to let me in, he guarded himself from me.

I let him have his space and swallowed my pain. "So...what do you want in this coat of arms?"

He perked up a little,

"I wasn't really sure yet, but I want there to be four main kinds of symbolism in there. Loyalty, bravery, trust, and a symbol of service. Something like that..." He trailed off as if considering these things.

"Well, until we figure that out what's your plan?"

"What do you mean?" He looked at me baffled.

"Well, the reporters --"

"Oh, right, I still have to go home. I would love to run away from all this, but not right now. I have to take my responsibilities." He sighed exasperatedly.

"I understand, I mean, whatever floats your boat. But just one question, where am I gonna go?"

"I had almost forgotten! I was enjoying my time with you so much I forgot--I can't believe I -- Ughh!" He buried his face in his hands angry at himself. He searched through his backpack,

"Here, take this." He handed me what looks like a watch. "It has a little button that if you press it, alerts my device that you're in danger."

I gave the 'watch' a second look and realized that it was just a cover for a container with a small blue button beneath it. I closed it,

"Thanks, but what if you get in trouble? And also, did you just say you liked hanging out with me?" I smirked, he blushed.

"What if I get in trouble? I have my own that alerts other people." He waved it off in a flustered manner.

"You didn't answer the second question." I smirked more.

"Yes, I mean, no. I mean, what were we talking about?" He stuttered.

"It's okay, I've enjoyed it too. I just don't want it to stop, I mean, can't we figure this out together?" He tensed when I touched his arm at first then relaxed and put his arm around me ever so carefully.

"I would love to Stormy, but I'm not even supposed to be here, I'm not even supposed to have seen you again. Man, I'm going to be in so much trouble." He muttered combing a nervous hand through his hair.

I'm confused so I tilted my head as I looked at him and asked,

"What's there to be in trouble about? I mean, other than the fact that we skipped school and all that...Can't I just come with you? I swear I would be more of a help than a hindrance."

He smiled, his eyes glinting.

"You're so clever, and yet I'm glad you still don't know what's going on, because there's a lot I'm going to be in trouble for and as I said before. I'd like for you to come with me, I really would, but I'm not even supposed to be seeing you. You'd be in more danger with me than without me. They might even forget they saw you, when they tried to shoot me, so to speak. If you weren't with me." He looked me right in the eyes. "Please, Stormy, please, this is for your own good." He whispered, his face was so close to mine I could feel his breath intertwining with mine.

"No, I've already almost lost you when you broke it off BY TEXT, it ain't happenin' again, so you might as well get used to it! I'm a really good sneak, so I won't be any trouble I swear. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried!" I told him defiantly, he shook his head with a bewildered smile.

"And here I thought I was going to have a tender moment with you and get you to agree."

I gave him the Seriously? Look and he laughed.

"Fine, I'll explain it to you sometime, but right now. I've got to go back to the school. My parents should be showing up soon."

I looked down in shock at my watch. It was 2:15, he was right we should have been heading back to the school.

He got on the bike and so did I, and we headed off to the school, when we finally got there he left with a brief wave to go find his parents. I meanwhile texted my parents that I was going to be staying after school for a little while and instead hid in the bushes and waited till the car, that Jet had climbed into, got going so I could follow them on my bike. He might have tried to lose me, but he was not going to get rid of me that easily.

I figured since last time was a huge cliffhanger, I'd leave you with a nicer one this time. Please return for more soon!