Kay couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun and felt so at peace. Being back at Joey's uncle's cabin made it feel as if time had stopped, as if she'd never left.

The only difference was that, after months of living with Joey, Kelly didn't complain that she had to share the room with Kay. The two of them stayed up late into the night talking, remembering old jokes and people. During the day, it got a little odd since the presence of Jessie and Angie proved that time hadn't stopped flowing, as much as it seemed that way sometimes.

"I wish you guys didn't have to leave," Kelly said on their last evening at the cabin. "It's so fun being back together."

"We're all going in the same place," Kyle pointed out. "You guys need to get back to college."

"I can't believe you dropped out and became a rock star," Joey mumbled. "And I didn't think about it first."

"I didn't drop out," Kyle said. "I'll go back and finish at some point."

Kay rubbed her arms. The idea gave her chills. Because whether they liked it or not, the tour wasn't going to last forever, and then what? What would happen to Tom and Jimmy? The same uneasiness seemed to settle over Kyle and she was reminded of a pending conversation. But they'd been having so much fun, she hadn't brought it up. They'd have enough time for serious conversation.

"At some point," Jimmy echoed, obviously picking up on the problem.

"There will be time for everything, whatever that turns out being."

"It's so easy to just go with the flow," Tom said.

"But that can't happen forever," Angie pointed out.

"Why have you all gotten so serious?" Kelly let out a laugh.

Her question lightened the mood and Kay decided to continue going with a flow for a few more days. It was easy, after all, even as they left the cabin and headed for Dallas. Once there, she was more than happy to be alone with Kyle, drive away his worries in fun and fulfilling ways.

But as the evening of their concert approached, she could feel him becoming more tense.

"What's going on?" she asked as she watched him putting on his t-shirt.

He faltered, and it was obvious something was wrong.

"Kyle?"

"I..." He bit his lower lip. "There are more things, but I guess I should start with one of them. Macy wasn't happy with Jessie announcing our breakup."

Macy. Kay rolled her eyes. "That's not really any of her business, though, is it?"

"You'd think," Kyle mumbled. "But she was really upset about it. Said it screwed up her marketing campaign. And we also didn't give her a fair warning before it happened."

"She would've talked you out of it!"

"She would've tried. The thing is, she's pissed enough that she said she's done with us after this concert."

Kay tilted her head because she wasn't sure how to feel about that, especially since Macy did seem to scream a lot and be rather unpleasant.

"Do you even really need her?"

"She did do the organizing, so I'm not sure we could run this without her."

"Oh."

"So yeah... The tour is pretty fucked after this."

She had no idea how to feel about that either. "What does Jessie think?"

"She didn't back down on what she did. I'm a little worried about her, too, because this puts us in a position where we have to decide what to do maybe a bit sooner than we wanted."

There was that, too. "So is this why you've been so worried?"

"Yeah, mostly."

"But not wholy."

"No."

She didn't think she'd ever heard his voice so tense. "What's going on?"

"That conversation is going to take some time, so I think that maybe we should talk after the concert?"

She ached with curiosity, but she nodded. He was right. It was late and he had somewhere else to be for now. Though the thought that after the concert, they'd have to slip into the darkness terrified her on some level. Not that it mattered.

They were out of time.

🌗

"So this is it? Macy is just leaving you?"

Jimmy couldn't believe it had come to that. Sure, they'd ended the rouse, but the venue had been packed. The tour surely still had potential.

"I think it's more us not talking to her first than anything," Jessie said, hugging herself.

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him. She relaxed instantly and cuddled against and it made his feel so much better that he could have this effect on her. For a few moments they continued their walk among personnel trailers, like they used to when they'd first met.

"I am sorry to see her go," she finally said. "But honestly, I couldn't stand the lie anymore. I know it was my idea, but with Kay back in the picture, it just felt wrong. And then there's you."

He couldn't hold back a smile. "What about me?"

She turned to him and even is she looked about to scold him, there was a tiny smile on her lips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That I'm not sure how I'm messing up your plans."

"To be fair, you're not. You're incredibly supportive. Come to think about it, you're incredible as a whole."

"So are you." Which didn't even begin to cover how amazing she was.

A blush filled her cheeks. "The thing is, I can't do it anymore. Can't pretend to be in love with Kyle and looking forward to marrying him when he's not the one. It didn't matter much before, but ever since you showed up..."

Her words brought a comfortable warmth to his chest. "You do know I understand, right?"

"Yes, but I don't want you to have to. I don't want to keep pretending. I want to be able to do this." And she took his hand.

"I'm down for that." Hell, he was down for anything.

As if guessing this, she stepped closer. "What else are you down for?"

Kissing her, right there and then, not caring who saw them. She seemed to be on the same page because she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back hard. It felt amazing, as it always did, except this time, it was a bit more because they both agreed that this was it. Them. Not temporary, not hidden.

He took her hand and pressed it on his chest, over his heart. He couldn't remember the last time it had beat so loudly. But ever since she'd entered his life, it had mended, leaving his poisonous history behind.

"Your heart is beating so hard," she whispered, pulling an inch away.

"For you," he whispered back.

"Jimmy..."

"It doesn't have to be more than you want it to."

"But I want it to be so much. I want it to be everything."

He couldn't agree more with that, so he kissed her again. This was so right, it should never be hidden. They'd figure out the rest somehow. As long as they were together, they'd figure it out. Her crazy family as well as his.

Something hard hit him behind the knees and he pushed Jessie away to avoid toppling over her. Before he could compute what was going on, his knees hit the concrete and Jessie let out a scream of surprise.

In a second, his senses returned to him and he raised his arm to block a kick aimed at his side. He caught the second in midair and twisted the man's leg, forcing him to the ground.

With a twist, he rose into a crouch, and then to his feet, jusf as another guy threw a punch at him. He caught it and pulled the man towards him just to headbutt him. Jessie had also managed to break free and elbowed her attacker in the stomach, as proficient as ever.

Jimmy focused on his own side and blocked another few hits. Someone hit him in the back and propelled him forward, right into one of the other men. His twisted against him and took advantage of the fact that the man had grabbed him to lift himself off the ground and kick the guys in front of him in the chest with both feet.

As the thugs dropped to the ground and cleared his line of sight, his heart jumped so violently, it seemed to break against his ribs. Three men had managed to immobilize Jessie, and even if she was struggling, their odds didn't look great. There were three other men around him, except for the one holding him up. The distraction cost him dearly as one of the men punched him in the stomach hard. It took everything not to fall off his feet.

He needed to break loose and get Jessie out of there.

Another hit to the side of his knees had him falling over. He spun from his back to his stomach and tripped the nearest man.

"Stop!" one of them ordered.

As if. He was not stopping until they were all down.

Something cold and hard stuck to the back of his head.

Or until that happened. Jimmy could recognize the barrel of a gun when he felt it.

"If you don't stop struggling, we'll shoot him," the same man barked.

Jimmy raised his eyes and took him in. He was the tallest of the lot, muscular, bald and with a hoop in his left ear. By the way he scowled, it was obvious that he was in charge. If he ordered it, the guy behind Jimmy would shoot him.

Jessie fell limp against the man holding his arm around her waist. The panic in her eyes broke him to pieces.

"That's better," the leader said with a snarl. Then he nodded to the man holding Jessie. "Zip her and bag her."

"No, leave her alone."

Jimmy's words only gained him a hit to the back of his head with the handle of the pistol. His teeth clattered together and his vision blackened for a few moments.

"Don't be a hero. Unlike her, you're not worth anything."

"Why are you doing this?" Jessie asked, her voice even and deadly.

The men exchanged a glance and a laugh.

"What do you mean? Money. Loads of money."

"I've got money," she said. "I can pay you to leave us alone."

The men laughed again. "That's not how it works, love." The one that seemed to be their leader nodded and a thick black bag was thrust over Jessie's head.

Jimmy's muscles tensed as his whole body ached to launch at Jessie, free her from this madness. But his head throbbed and there was a gun stuck to it that didn't let him move.

"What should we do with him?"

The leader glanced down at him as if he were nothing. "Leave him. He's just a kid."

"Just a kid, my ass," someone mumbled from behind. "I think he broke two of my ribs."

"You could take me with you," Jimmy suggested.

The bald man grinned. "I don't think so.".

A stabbing pain to his temple preceeded complete darkness.

🌗🌗🌗

Oh no! Bad things happened. What now? Well, now we head for the climax, of course and finish this baby up! But that will take a while so don't be too disappointed.

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