This was the biggest mistake, I have done. What was I thinking, when I was dying to see him. No person can be changed, except for an undeniable happening. My skin was burning and my heart was pounding with a rage, that took over me, as I was driving back home, and all his words kept echoing in my mind. I was angry. Not with anyone, but with myself and my stupidity, that I ever thought that things could change.

It was almost 2 a.m. when Madeline sneaked inside Jacob's place. Doing one detailed scrunity of the house, she tip toed through the living room till she reached the stairs.

Bingo!

Reaching the stairs safely, she accelerated her speed and made her way up to her room but crashed over a human presence in the dark. Letting out a yelp, she ended up stepping mid air. As, she raised her hand in the air, to catch hold of the railing, a strong hand grabbed her hand and stopped her from tumbling down the stairs.

Within her terrored pants, she adjusted her eyes into the dark and peered at the darkened face. It was Jacob, fuming with rage.

"You?" she exclaimed in a defensive tone.

"Glad, you came back in one piece." the annoyance in his voice was clear.

Madeline averted her gaze and gulped.

"Where were you?" he demanded.

"Umm..!" trying to sound stoic, "Just went for a drive."

"I know." Jacob nodded sarcastically locking a pointing stare on Madeline, "I just want to know where did you go?"

"Anywhere, Jake!" her voice came out stern, "That shouldn't bother you. And, if that bothers you, drop me home!"

"Stop talking to me in that tone!" he thundered, "I am not stupid to begin with."

"T'is my life. I will live it my damn way. I am not a kid that you will keep protecting me every damn time."

"You tell me to let you live your own way? So that you keep doing this sh*T? Are you out of your mind?"

Madeline kept her gaze locked at the ground and slowly the sheild of coldness faded off her face and a tear drop dampened her cheek. She silently kept standing in her place, eyes downcasted. 

Jacob saw the tear and plunged his shoulders down. "I am sorry!"

She looked away and sniffed, "You were tracking me the whole time?"

He studied through her defeated look and replied in a whisper, "Yes. I had to." clearing his throat, "Maddie, let's be straight about this. Not long ago, you were a prey for the Hawks. That man deluded you and after winning your trust" subsiding his growing rage, "He tried to kill you with a healthy brain and understanding. And you..." waving his hands in the air, "You go missing. Have you checked how many times I tried reaching you? Maddie, I was dead worried. Had I not tracked your phone, I would have probably already sent a search patrol for you."

Rubbing away her tears, she replied in a dead voice, "He was shot. There was nothing he could do."

"He doesn't even deserve your care."

She winced and sniffed. Jacob slowly brushed through her hair and leaned her head against his chest.

"I am sorry!" she sobbed, "I talked to you in that tone and I shouldn't have been there."

"Shh! It is fine! Even I ended up reacting the wrong way. I just don't trust that man anymore. Believe me, you deserve better."

The next morning, at the hospital;

"The recovery is taking place, quite fast, I would say, I'm impressed." Doctor mused, scrutinizing through his wound, "How are you feeling, right now, Jackson?"

"Nothing!" he shrugged. The doctor stood up and huffed.

Jackson studied through Jereff's poker face and the doctor's bored face, "What?"

"Mr. Claros!" The doctor replied, "It is okay to not act like a man of steel. I am here to treat you and I won't be able to do my job if you don't cooperate."

Jackson rolled his eyes, "It is just a bullet wound, doctor."

"Yes, and that almost killed you."

He scoffed and averted his gaze.

"Don't you act like a smug, Jackson!" Jereff quipped.

Jackson shot his eyes at Jereff and locked a pointing stare over him.

The doctor sensed the impending cold war between the brothers and decided to slip out of there. "Mr. Jereff!" he turned towards Jereff pulling his attention towards himself, "For the extensive blood loss, the numbers are still not stable. But, I believe if your brother decided to cooperate he will recover faster."

Jereff silently listened to his words and nodded thereafter. The doctor glanced at Jackson and left the room. Jereff turned towards Jackson and throwed a poker face at him.

"Okay, why do feel like you are about to kill someone?" Jackson questioned in a joking tone.

"Because, I am"

"Who is that?"

"You! I am having a sudden urge of breaking your head into two."

"You always do."

"Because, you always act like nothing ever happened. Thank your lord, Jack, you were in a fairyland, yesterday. I have a serious bone to pick with you."

"I don't think I am ready for this right now." Jackson titled his head and breathed."

Jereff rested his hands over his hips and closed his eyes to compose himself. After a brief moment, he walked up to the stool and sat, "Jack! This was bound to happen. Was it really necessary to show your face?"

Jackson thought about his words and smiled to himself.

"I am serious, Jack! They could have killed you."

"But, they couldn't" he looked up at Jereff's confused face and shrugged, "But, after all this at the end of the day, they learnt who the boss is. By now they must have understood that this was just a ploy. And, now they are left with nothing but a few dead men."

"But..."

"The package is delivered!"

Jereff kept gaping at Jackson and he nodded.

"How? When?"

"When they were busy wasting their bullets in plain air."

Jereff arched his eyebrows and regsitered in his words. "But, the cops were there."

"I know!"

"How can you be so calm about this?" he complained.

"Because they are doing job and we are doing ours."

Jereff stormed up from his seat and started pacing through the room. "Do you know their job is to get you busted?"

"With one small tweak, Jereff." leaning forward, "We can falter the worse."

Jereff halted in his place, flounced towards him and grimaced, "I hope you know what you are doing."

"I know! Just trust me in this brother. I know what I am doing!" he mused.