A/N: I absolutely hate this chapter. Hate hate hate. I don't think I've ever written anything as bad as this, but when I started writing I had no inspiration whatsoever and by the end I suddenly got all of these ideas and I had to finish this chapter before I could put them on paper so I AM SO SORRY. I LOVE YOU!!! Try to enjoy. (btw Teo in the gif!) 

-

"I swear to God Jason, if I die I will forever blame you!"

Teo's legs moved fast, running away with his pulse ramming in his chest and despair floating throughout his body. Jason managed to let out a laugh, though he was running just as fast, ignoring the heavy pain in his legs and the horror in his mind.

"How can you blame me while you're dead?" he panted, timidly turning his head around but not slowing down his pace. Shit, they were still there. He looked in front of him again and furrowed his eyebrows.

"I will find a fucking way to haunt you!" Teo exclaimed, grabbing Jason by his sleeve, roughly pulling him towards a random street. "Are they still there?"

Jason glanced behind him again and gulped, fixating his sight on the pathway in front of him. "Fuck! They pulled out their guns!"

"Shit!" Teo roared, stuffing one of his hands deeply into his pockets whilst trying to run even faster. Jason did the same, slightly slowing down so he could grab the gun from underneath his waist band. He removed the magazine in a swift movement, pulling the slide back to look into the chamber. Once he made sure there were cartridges in the firing chamber, he slid it back.

"Keep running!" Teo screamed, seeming to do the same thing as Jason was. Jason didn't want to waste his breath on replying so he just fastened his pace, chuffing for air.

He kept his finger outside the trigger guard, extending it straight and flat on the sides. Jason was scared shitless to say the least, the pistol in his hand causing him to nervously shiver. "Teo, I'm fucking tired!" He breathed, unwillingly slowing down. Teo cursed incoherently under his breath, "Keep running!"

An obnoxious, boisterous sound echoed through the air, and without even as much as a warning, a bullet flew past Jason's head.

His heart sank to his stomach, fully succumbing to the fear as he held his weapon in the firing-ready position. He steadied the gun with his other hand, proceeding to run while turning the upper half of his body around, facing the men following them. He tried to align the front sight with the rear sight, forcing himself to keep his legs moving.

Fixating the gun on one of the men, Jason took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. The gun fired and the loud, obnoxious noise echoed through the air once again. Almost instantly, one of the men fell.

"One down!" Jason screamed, relocating. He firmly squeezed the gun, his heart lurching in his throat. "You okay?" Teo whispered, incapable of speaking loudly. His breathing was steady in comparison to Jason's, but he still appeared just as exhausted.

"I'm fine." Jason huffed.

Teo turned around and slowed down his pace, and immediately another shot blasted through the air, the streets nearly shaking. "Two down!"

Jason was about to face the last guy but Teo harshly pushed himself at Jason, causing the two to fall on the ground. That's when another shot clanged.

"Thanks." Jason murmured as Teo pulled himself away from on top of Jason, not saying a word. He breathed in and out deeply, trying to stand up but failing to do so.

"I got this." Jason said, directing the gun on the last man, who was in the vicinity of reaching them. Without hesitating he pulled the trigger, and the last man fell too, blood flooding out of his forehead as his the gun in his hands dropped to the floor.

Relief washed over Jason and he put his own gun down, closing his eyes.

What just happened? One minute him and Teo were doing some grocery shopping, the next minute they were running for their lives, literally. Damian's men had appeared out of nowhere and if Teo hadn't noticed that they were following them in time they would've been long dead by now.

Jason couldn't help but feel his throat closing, confusion and hysteria settling itself in the pit of his stomach. A tug pulled at the cores of his insides and he was totally clueless to what he was supposed to do now.

Someone touching his shoulder caused him to jerk his face around. Fortunately it was just Teo.

"Good job, Jase."

"Yeah." He muttered, a beep starting to peal in his ears.

"Just go home, I'll take care of this mess." Teo spoke softly, and that's when Jason realized that there were three dead men lying on the floor, blood surrounding them all.

"Okay."

-

Burlington was inexplicably boring. Everything was so blasé compared to New York and Boston. Jason found himself reading all the books on the shelves, cooking himself dinners—which is something he would never do—and working out. He spent his days outside, doing sit ups, jogging through the woods and occasionally going to the supermarket, even if there was nothing he had to buy.

Surely Vermont was beautiful, and the house Jason was staying in was extraordinary with wood everywhere, yet it felt like the crappy roads and the spiritless surroundings overruled that.

Living with Claudia and Felix seemed like heaven compared to living in Burlington, all on his own. At least he wasn't alone all the time, at least he got to do stuff. Fun stuff. He barely got visitors here and if someone did visit him, it was just Teo to check up on him.

On top of that, Jason passionately missed Alexia. It was like when he was in Boston, he was still a bit connected to her while being here completely cut him out of her life. Christ, did he love that woman. She was in his thoughts all the time, and quite frankly the longing he had for her was starting to become unbearable.

How long had it been since he last saw her?

Two weeks.

"Thanks for letting me use your shower." Teo said as he walked in the living room, his hair damp with a change of clothes. Jason dismissively waved a hand, "Nah. It's not even my shower."

Teo, Stefano and Dominic had found this cabin in Burlington, Vermont, and assured Jason that he would be totally safe if he stayed there. Of course he obliged, not knowing that it was an absolute dead end.

Albeit, as long as Alexia was safe he was fine.

"Well it's kind of your place, right?"

"I guess."

There was a comfortable silence until Jason broke it. "How is she?"

Teo opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again. "She's..." he frowned and thought about it, "she's dealing with it. I think."

Jason nodded, but he wasn't satisfied with Teo's answer. He didn't want her to 'deal with it', he wanted her to be okay. Happy. Enjoying life. He couldn't help but worry about her, thinking about whether she was still getting stomach cramps and if she was studying for her exams.

"What about you?" Teo asked.

"What about me?"

"How are you?"

The question sounded odd. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Oh let me think," he feigned, "you fall in love with my little sister who's engaged, her fiancée tries to kill you several times which causes you to leave college, leave your friends and leave your family just to hide, first of all in Boston—with two people you didn't know—and now in Burlington where it's so boring you'd rather die. Spring break is in two days and you're stuck here while everyone is going out and add to that how you're not seeing anyone... catch my drift?"

Jason shrugged shortly, averting his gaze. Everything Teo said was true but he's been so caught up into that mess that he hadn't realized how fucked up it actually was. "I haven't really thought about it." Quite frankly no one had asked him how he was in ages so hearing the question freakishly confused him.

"As if. You've been sitting here for two weeks, it's impossible to not over-think."

"I mean yeah, but that's not going to help right?"

"If you say so."

Teo was about to say something else but then got cut off by his ringtone. Without any hesitation he took his phone out of his pocket and answered the call, putting it on loud speaker automatically. Jason furrowed his eyebrows as Teo mouthed "Alexia".

Jason's heart lurched in his throat, a nervous pounding swelling up in his chest. Her voice shook him to the core and he inhaled deeply, staring at the ground.

"Teo?"

Teo noticed how uncomfortable Jason appeared but when he wanted to put the call off loud speaker Jason objected.

"Hey Lex." He replied, warily eyeing Jason.

"Where are you?" she snapped.

"Not home. What's up?"

"I need you here." Alexia sighed.

"I can't speak right now, Alexia. Is this important?"

"Um, no. I just don't want to be alone in the house with Damian. He's been all over me and I can't stand being in his presence..."

Jason suppressed a growl as the anger built up in his stomach. That motherfucker. The hatred he felt for Damian was indescribable.

Teo seemed to feel the same as he hissed, "Stay away from him! Go to your dorm or something, where are Dom and Stef?"

"Dominic is at his own place and Stefano is out drinking somewhere. Please just come home soon."

"Alex," Teo ran a hand through his hair, "just stay away, okay? I'll go call Dominic and tell him you'll be staying with him and Carina for just a couple of days. Stay the fuck away from Damian."

"O-okay."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

There was a short silence.

"Have you heard anyth—"

"No, Alexia, still no news about Jason."

She let out a weird, strangled noise and then whispered another okay, ending the call. The guys were both quiet after Alexia hung up, both engulfed into their own thoughts.

"Do you want to talk to her? Facetime or something? I mean..." Teo awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Jason shook his head. "No, I'm trying to stay as far away as possible."

"But why?"

"Have you seen what happened to the people around me? I will not let her get hurt for my sake, again." It baffled Jason how people didn't get this.

Teo raised an eyebrow, "But it's so stupid, Jason. She is not okay without you and you are not okay without her. It's no big deal, seriously, she would love it."

"I don't care!" Jason shot, "What if she gets hurt, Teo? Huh? What if Damian decides she isn't worth it and does something to hurt her?"

"She won't! She's my little sister Jason, do you really think I would let her near you if she had the chance of getting hurt?"

"Teo just don't." he stood up and stomped out of the living room, enmity burning effectively throughout his body. It pissed him off how no one wanted to look at it from his point of view.

-

"You are such a hot potato."

"I can't believe you just said hot potato. Don't ever call me that again." Jason stifled a sincere laugh, alleviation clouding the agonizing thoughts in his mind. Seeing Chaz and Ryan felt like a piece of home had come to visit him and he was determined to make the best of it. Teo had surprised him with the two, apparently he'd sent them the address and they came right away.

Chaz laughed, leaning back against the couch. "But you are! If there's one person who gets angry fast it's definitely you."

"So you decide to call me hot potato?"

"It's a synonym for hothead." He shrugged. Jason shook his head, emitting a snicker, "Whatever you say, Somers."

Ryan didn't seem to be in high spirits, clearing his throat. Chaz and Jason looked at him and he interlaced his fingers, displaying a bleak expression.

"Spit it out." Jason murmured, realizing Ryan was going to say it anyway so he better got it over with.

"You can't just leave and not tell anyone anything!" Ryan snapped, "We get it, Jason. You don't have to endanger yourself and visit every time but do you understand that we had no single lead on you? Damian could've killed you for all we knew!"

"Ryan..." Jason would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling a bit bad. He desperately wished for his best friends to understand.

"No! Fuck us! Fuck me, fuck Chaz, what about Alexia? The poor girl has been looking like a ghost for weeks! She thinks you're either dead or purposely trying to stay away from her—"

"I am purposely trying to stay away from her." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"But why?"

He was so tired of people asking that question. "Isn't it fucking obvious?"

"No."

"God!" Jason took a hold of his hair and tugged, frustration evident in his movements. "She'll fucking die, that's why!"

"She won't! Why do you keep thinking that?"

"Ryan, I swear to God,"

Ryan cut him off, "She won't. Do you realize that she only has you?"

"What do you mean 'she only has you'? She has you! She has Chaz, Chloe!" Jason exclaimed, throwing his hands up. This was beginning to really annoy him. He made a decision and whether they agreed or not, they would not be able to change his mind. Stat.

"She has me, yeah, but she doesn't talk to Chaz and Chloe just made up with her—"

"She doesn't talk to Chaz?" he turned around and sharply looked at Chaz, who grimaced. "She doesn't talk to Chaz?" he repeated, his voice now dire and threatening. Chaz shrugged, glancing at the wall behind him, "We had a disagreement."

"You're not telling me this is still about that shit discussion you had weeks ago when you thought she was cheating?"

"That too..."

"That too? Can everyone stop fucking playing with me like this?" He furrowed his eyebrows, his fists balling. Chaz actually found the decency to argue with Alexia, even when he knew how she felt and what was going on?

"It's nothing big, Jase," Ryan spoke, "Chaz was just jealous because he thought she saw you regularly and then she told him she didn't but she was pretty upset so she left. And then... anyway they didn't make up."

He inhaled deeply, fuming with exasperation, "And then what Ryan?"

"Well we found her and Chloe passed out on the floor."

"Passed out?" Alarm bells started chinking in Jason's head, his heart skipping a beat. He absolutely hated what he was hearing.

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. Her and Chloe had something to drink and I guess they fell asleep. Me and Chaz went to check on them and when we found them on the floor we just tucked them into bed. There was a huge drawing of your penis on the floor, too."

"Wait, what?" Jason raised his eyebrows in bewilderment. He didn't comprehend a single thing they were saying, all he could think about was Alexia and how she'd drank too much.

"Don't worry, Chaz' dick was drawn as well." Ryan and Chaz both let out a short chortle, but Jason didn't feel the least bit happy as he angrily kicked the couch, unable to suppress his feelings.

-

That's how Jason slowly pushed himself away from everyone. Teo left the same day and didn't reappear for another week, and once Ryan and Chaz saw themselves out there was no sort of contact between them and Jason anymore. Just the way he wanted it. Jason had no interest in seeing and talking to people when he concluded that everyone would continue bothering him with their aggravating questions and comments.

All he was trying to do was to keep Alexia free from any harm, knowing that she would never fully be that. As long as Damian was around there would always be that little shred of remote peril.

"Stupid," Jason jabbed the punching ball with his fist, "-fucking," he was blinded by his outrage as he punched the punching ball again, "-piece of crap!"

Wham. The last blow propelled the ball hard enough for it to nearly reach the ceiling, causing him to step away as it came soaring back with much speed and force.

Lately he'd been dealing with a lot of bottled up anger and the only way to let it all out was by working out extra hard.

He slumped down to the floor breathlessly, pushing himself against the wall as he grabbed the water bottle and guzzled the contents into his throat. Sweat ran down his forehead, his clothes grossly sticking to his skin. He swiped his hair backwards and panted softly before taking another big gulp.

"Working out?" Teo stepped inside. Few people in Burlington actually went to the gym and Jason was usually the only person going. Right now, him and Teo were completely alone—as expected.

"Yeah." Jason in and exhaled deeply, steadying his breathing.

Teo seemed to have come to Burlington after work right away, because he was neatly dressed in a suit and had his hair swayed to perfection. "You have been doing that a lot."

"I have nothing else to do."

Teo nodded and walked over to Jason, seating himself on the ground in front of him. Jason groaned but Teo ignored that. "Fair."

That's when Jason noticed the laptop in his hands. He knit his eyebrows together in vexation, confused about what Teo was doing with his laptop.

It was silent for a while. Jason eyed the laptop, then stared at Teo, then went back to eyeing the laptop and Teo did the same, looking at Jason and then glancing at the laptop in his hands.

There was an awkward vibe until Teo muttered, "I have never seen so much porn on one laptop."

Jason puffed out a breath, narrowing his eyes, "I've got nothing to do!"

Teo laughed. "Not judging you!"

"You better not." Jason sneered. Teo rolled his eyes, "So how's the working out going?"

"Fine."

"Getting bulky?"

"Sure."

"Give me something man, I'm trying to make conversation with you here."

Jason sighed. "How are you and the girlfriend?"

Teo's eyes lit up, a look of adoration overtaking his face as he smiled widely. "Me and Maya are good. Great even, we're going on vacation together next week."

"Where?" Jason was extremely pissed off, yes, but it appeased him to see Teo happy. The man had been struggling with the relationship for a long time and to hear that he'd finally worked things out was refreshing.

"Cancun. Spring break is coming up, you know?"

"Ah," Jason nodded, "Spring break with your girlfriend. Kind of weird, huh?"

Teo shrugged but chuckled. "A little, but I'm sure it's going to be fun. I can't wait to get drunk and end up in bed with her every single day."

"Yeah," Jason frowned and looked at the ground, flashes of Alexia flourishing in his mind. He wanted that, too. "I can imagine."

"We were actually thinking about inviting Lex. She's been feeling like shit for a while now and dad gave me permission to invite her, so..."

"Oh," Alexia in Cancun, spring break capital of the world? Drunk, dancing around the beach in a little bikini with that arousing body of hers whilst countless men eyeballed her and even touched her? Good idea, Teo.

Jason groaned again, "Yeah.."

Teo snickered. "Don't like the idea?"

"I just don't like the idea of Alexia parading around in one of her skimpy bikinis while a dozen men fuck her with their eyes." Jason snapped irritably, unmistakably showcasing his concerns about this trip. Teo's eyes hardened and he let out a growl, shifting uncomfortably. "You think that's going to happen when I'm around?"

"I don't know what will happen!" Jason exclaimed, "But I do know that fuck, she is beautiful, and I am definitely not the only man who sees that."

"Jason, you manage to forget that I'm her fucking older brother every single time! Nothing would happen to her as long as I'm around, you idiot!"

Jason shrugged, standing up. "Just don't like the idea."

"I didn't ask for your fucking permission."

"Woah," He looked at Teo in stupefaction, surprised by his sudden choice of words. Teo didn't seem fazed as he hissed, "You're giving everyone attitude and frankly, suit yourself, but you have got to realize that all I've been doing these past weeks is take care of you and help you and I'd appreciate a little bit of fucking respect."

"Uhuh." Jason shook his head, not caring for Teo's words as he sauntered to his bag in the corner, getting ready to shower. He reeked of sweat and it was disgusting.

"Do you think I enjoy coming to fucking Burlington?"

"I never said you had to come." Hearing Teo say that was not pleasant, Jason would admit, but he was not going to appear like he cared.

"But I do it anyway. Want to know why?" Teo stood up as well, quickly following Jason to the gym's corridor.

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me either way."

"I care!" Teo declared, harshly grabbing Jason by the shoulders and forcing him to turn around. Jason avoided eye contact, feeling his shoulders involuntarily slump. It had been a long time since he heard anyone say that.

"You're like my brother. This is hard for us too, Jason. We just found out we've been sharing our home with a psychopath, we let him touch our little sister, we let him into the family. He's engaged to Alexia, he is about to marry her. Dad won't listen to us, mom is dead, our entire family is falling apart. Do you know how hard it is to have your father yell at you because he won't believe that his son in law killed his wife?"

Teo's words echoed in Jason's mind, his heart plummeting as he clenched his jaw. "You talked to Emilio?"

Teo tensed. "He wouldn't fucking believe it! He said we were confused, he said we were trying to deal with mom's death so we pinned it on him! He won't believe us, Jason, if he doesn't then we can't do anything!"

"Okay, okay, relax Teo," Jason murmured, gently putting an arm on Teo's.

"No! The business doesn't work like that! We can't just kill him, we can't do anything without my dad's consent and he won't give it to us, he doesn't believe his own sons!"

"Teo..."

"I can't do this!" Teo then proceeded choke back a sniff and Jason did all he could do—he pulled him into a warm embrace. Something Teo needed.