"Give me the phone," my voice hard. I held my palm open for Axle.

After Axle and I had read the note, he called Jacen and has been on the phone with him for the past fifteen minutes. I have been sitting on my bed with my hands over my face, waiting to see what happens next.

Do I go home? I doubt that I could get home now that I'm so far away, but I can't just go on this trip and pretend that everything is fine. Because as of lately everything was far from fine.

I needed answers. I wasn't going I be in the dark any longer. That brings me back to now, where I am still waiting for Axle to hand me the phone.

Axle looked at me for a second before returning to his conversation.

"They left a note and-"

"I said give me the damn phone Axle!" I yelled, as I ripped it from his grip and held it up to my ear. I turned away from him and faced the burnt orange wall.

"Don't think I willingly want to talk to you, but I need answers now, and I intend to get them. No more excuses, and no more shutting me out. I'm in this just as much as you are so stop treating me like I'm a helpless little girl. Meet us in room 1605 in the next ten minutes."

With that, I hung up, and threw the phone back at Axle, who was looking at me, shocked.

"What-" I held up my hand and flopped down on the edge of my bed.

"Time for crying and feeling bad for myself is over. Whatever this is, it's much bigger than I originally thought. There is no room for error now that my family's involved."

Axle nodded in understanding and pulled a tank top and shorts on.

Finally, after what felt like years of waiting, I heard a knock and jumped off the bed. I quickly checked the peep hole to see familiar faces, and opened the door.

"Took you long enough," I muttered as they entered our hotel room. I shut the door once all four of them were in the room, and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Explain, now." I said with a steely voice. Jacen looked at his friends and then to Axle before finally meeting my eyes. "This isn't something you want to get involved in Zaph."

"Well you were the one who got me involved! So get comfortable, because you arent leaving without confessing." I said raising my voice.

"What he means to say," Spencer said slowly, like a trainer speaking to a feral dog poised to attack, "is that, there have been numerous occasions where we have barely escaped with our lives. To drag you into it, even when you think you want to know, is selfish of us."

"Well I can't help but see it that you are being selfish by keeping me out of whatever it is."

I took a step towards the boys, observing every one of them for a couple of seconds before speaking again.

"They aren't just targeting me; they are targeting my family. The only way I can keep them safe is by knowing what it is I am up against so that I am capable of protect them."

Jacen took a step forward, his mahogany colored eyes looking haunted. "The only way we can keep you safe and protect you is by keeping you in the dark." He extended his hand, as if reaching for my face, but I turned away.

"The only one you are really protecting is yourself." I said with my eyes closed. I walked to my bag, and grabbed clothes for sleeping. As I was turning to close the door, I paused.

"Go ahead and keep secrets, Jacen. Its what you're best at. Just know that I am even better at revealing them." And with that a shut the door and turned on the water getting ready to take a shower.

Jacen's POV

"Shit," I muttered, as Zaph closed the door. "Fuck."

"Believe it or not, you're not helping the situation with those kind words." Axle said, his body extended on the bed. I sent him a glare.

"We need to tell her soon Jace," Luke said calmly, eyeing me as he spoke. I knew he didn't trust getting too close to me when I was riled up.

"Don't you think I fucking know that? How the hell am I supposed to tell her something that might ruin her?" I ran my fingers through my hair as I paced feverishly on the carpet.

"If she finds out by herself it will ruin her." Finn said, twiddling his thumbs and avoiding eye contact. "You seem to be forgetting the fact that she won't be alone."

"If you haven't noticed by now, she kind of hates me now." I said exasperatedly.

"Well, sorry to break it to ya Jace, but you're not the only friend she has. And it's your fault for shutting her out."

"Damn it I know! I know its my fucking fault that everything has gone downhill for her since the moment I ran into her! I know that I have caused her pain, and that even if she hates me for the rest of her life, it wont be a long enough punishment for me. I know, alright? I know. And if you would like to break it to her that her father, the one that abandoned her at birth, is suddenly out to get her, and is also the one who has a say on whether we live or die, then be my fucking guest." I snarled, panting loudly.

Everyone was looking at me with wide eyes, as I tried to calm myself down from my rant. My fists were clenched at my side, and no one moved. Everyone just stared. Even after I had calmed down slightly, and my hands were throbbing after I released them from their iron grip, everyone kept staring at me. My heart beat slowed to its normal pace as my mind began to process my surroundings again.

But...

Wait.

They weren't looking at me.

They were looking behind me.

I turned slowly, and paled at the sight before me.

I had never, in all of my years of underground business, where people were killed left and right, had seen a face more terror-srticken that Zaph's at that moment. She braced herself against the wall, and opened her mouth as if tosay something, but nothing came out.

The wall wasn't enough to keep her from losing conciousness, and falling to the ground at my feet.

;)

xoxo,

deep_in_the_meadow