He continued,"Once I left mom and dad I went to Granpa's house to look for anything that would lead me to you, I found a note left by Granpa informing me about your location. I took his car and drove to your house. I found that you were still at the university so I made arrangements to stay at a place near your house. Trace, do you know how absent minded you are that you did not even notice me watching and following you," he said chuckling and teasing me.

He continued," I followed you around and made a note of your daily activities and slowly stopped following you. Then three days ago as I decided to check on you I saw that you weren't at your house. I looked for you but couldn't find you. Then yesterday as I was driving to Jane's house I saw you in an unfamiliar car driving away. I immediately followed you and found you at Granpa's house. I wasn't going to show myself but I had to because Ryan's men had come to burn the house down. So... I guess that rounds up my story.

"Ok...fair enough but I want to know where were you when Jane, my best friend was kidnapped and when her sister hurt me to a point that I collasped?"

"Ah... about that I'm very sorry I was busy with...something else".

"Hmm... ok so you do not trust me or you do not want to tell me?"

"No Trace, I trust you blindly but the thing is that I cannot tell you what I was busy with... Sorry..."

I let the matter slip. It was almost night so we decided to call it a day and settled down to sleep. He pulled me close to himself and held me while I slept. For the first time in 18 years I felt safe and at home.

I got up in the middle of the night only to find Theodore gone. Aish! where did he go in the middle of the night and left me alone, and to top it all he had sworn to protect me and stay by my side all the time. What a liar!

I sat up and looked around only to find his backpack gone too. I know for sure that he'll tell me that his bag grew legs and followed him when I ask why he had taken his bag along with him. I stood up and checked what supplies I had with me. As expected I had my phone, Mike's car keys, the file demanded by the kidnappers and a bonus I had the keys to Theodore's car. I stuffed everything into my pocket and holding the file in my hands. Obviously the file won't fit in my pocket.

I noticed that we weren't that far from Granpa's now burnt house as I recognised it's sillhouette against the dark moonless night. As I reached it painful but happy memories of my childhood spent in this house flooded my mind. I walked up to Mike's car and decided to spend the rest of the night here. I got in and made myself comfortable in the driver's seat incase I had to make a quick getaway. Slowly I fell asleep still worrying about Theo. Yup thats what I'm gonna call him, his name is tooooo long.

"Wake up...", a voice whispered. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!", I screamed as I opened my eyes to Theo's face just an inch away from mine. He backed out laughing as hard as ever. I got out of the car and smacked his head.

"Ouch! and I thought I was supposed to be the older one", he said with a wide smile on his face.

"Not when you leave me alone in a shack in the woods", I said somewhat coldly.

"Ohh... calm down sissy-wissy I had to keep watch since someone fell asleep", He said while still teasing me.

"By the way how did you open the car I remember having closed the door...?"

"Oh my dear little sister it won't work if you just close the door, you also have to lock the car".

"Ah...", I said. "Now stop day dreaming we have to get back to the city and we are taking my car and I am driving", he said as he ran to his car near the back of his house. I followed and saw him seated in the driver's seat with a puzzled expresion on his face.

"Get out genius, I am going to drive", I said while swinging the car's keys in my hand. He pouted as he got off. We packed our belongings and sat in the car. I drove away while glancing at my Granpa's house for the last time.