Avril stared at her brother in horror.
What the hell?
He killed Tori Hastings?
Was Tori actually dead?
What about the mail they had got that day?
Why did she say she was kidnapped?
Of course. It was a cover up. They were so stupid.

"Okay, Av, don't hate me please. I had to do that. That girl was worse than hell."

Ashton was alive, Tori was dead.
If Ashton hadn't killed Tori, would she be alive, and Ashton dead
God. Of course he did it in self-defence.

"I know." She mumbled.
Ariana sighed. "It's already been a long day. Ash, you must be so tired. Why don't you get the hell pit of here and come back home?"
Adele rushed forward too. "Yeah, you have no idea what's going on there. The TAJ stuff, the J stuff, the Ethan and Wren stuff."
Ashton creased his eyes. "What? Who J? What TAJ? And what the hell Ethan and Wren?"
Ariana shook her head. "One of them maybe Tori's secret helper you know. We need to get him to save ourselves."
"Or her." Avril added.

Ashton went to the mattress and sat there. "Oh God. When will this mess get over?"

Huh. Will it even? They all doubted it.

Suddenly, Ashton stood up. "Guys. Go back to Suwatton. Dig deeper, please. I can't live here any longer. Find that guy, and force everything out of his mouth."

"Ashton, come on. Just come home with us. It will prove everyone everything's fine."
Ashton turned his head. "How can you be so dumb, Av? They'll blame me for the fire. And then they'll think I killed Tori. And...okay, I did, but where's the proof that she kidnapped me?"
Avril thought harder.
"Ashton, your condition's a proof. You're injuries. Everything."
"Do you really think they buy this stuff? Huh."

Well, he did have a point. A valid point.
To get out of this mess, there was a single way.
Mission Kidnapper x2.

Was that Jasmine?

"Ashton, do you know Jasmine?" Avril asked.
"Hah. Of course. That Tori buddy."
Madeline came forward. "Wait. Did you and Tori have some connection?"
Ashton seemed irritated.
"Well, no, but she was my partner in the crossword-hunt and one moment she was all-good, ever-polite, and the next she began passing me angry glances. Once she even tripped some water on me."
What?
"She seems some kind of a psycho, man!" Adele    cried.
"Um, I recently heard her talking to her partner about being in some Mental Hospital in Philadelphia."
She actually was a psycho.
"Yeah, she was from Philly, right?" Madeline said.
They had found out about this from her Facebook page.
"Uh-huh" Avril added in.

Ashton groaned. "I'm so sick of it!"

Well, weren't they all?

"Ashton, I have a plan." Ariana said, sitting on the couch.
They all looked at her.
"Ashton, you'll come back with us. But you won't talk about Tori. No mention. You'll just say you were kidnapped and you didn't see the kidnapper. And if the helper is from school, we may notice any sign. You know, his expressions and stuff. It'll make things easier."

Well, Ariana had a point.
And they all nodded.
Ashton nodded too. He said he'd love it.

"What are we waiting for, let's go surprise Mom!" Avril gleamed.

Maybe, maybe things were going to be better.

The five of them stepped out of the warehouse into the morning sky. The sun shone  brightly above.
They went to Avril's Acura, and Ashton made a face. "This was supposed to be mine."
"Ha, ha." Avril mocked.

Avril threw the car keys towards Ashton. "Well, have it."

And then they drove back to New Jersey.
A mega Surprise was awaiting for the citizens of Suwatton.

Awesome.