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Dedication: TangledInLove by creating the cover on the side. Thank you so much. :)

Song: Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton. (Even now I can't not think of the movie White Chicks when listening to this).

thank you so much for reading this story and sticking with it. When I first began writing it, I was just mucking around, hence the one page chapters... But when I actually started getting views, I actually started putting effort into it. You guys are that amazing. <3

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Jason's P.O.V:

As soon as she'd hung up on me, I found myself ditching Jeremy. I ignored his questions, legging it out to my car. I sped, literally, to her house and rounded up the hill. There was a car I didn't recognise in the driveway, and all the lights on.

I stared at the house for a few moments, processing in my mind what my eyes were seeing. She hadn't exactly sounded like she was chilling at home...

I fumbled in my pocket, before fishing out my phone. With trembling fingers, I searched my contact list for Melanie Stewart. Finally, I found her, pressing the call button. In two rings, she greeted me.

"Hello...?"

"Mel, it's me, Jason. Is Emma with you?"

"No." She answered, her voice strained. "She was here, but she ran away. I thought she was looking for you?"

"I'm not home."

"Oh."

"Mark is though."

"...Oh."

"Where do you live? I'm coming over."

She rambled off her address, and then repeated it. I hung up, without another word. Soon enough, I arrived at her house, nodding in approval at the place. It was a very, modern house. It was quite nice. I shook the thoughts away from my head and sprinted inside. I didn't have time to approve or disapprove of my current situation.

I had barely raised my fist to knock before it was swung open. Melanie stood there, her eyes puffy from crying, her nose slightly red. She beckoned me inside and I did. She pressed a slim finger to her lips and inclinced her head up the stairs.

I nodded once, and trailed behind her wordlessly. After winding up a series of stairs, we located ourselves into what I could only guess was her room. I didn't take in my surroundings, I just got straight to the point.

"What are we going to do? Emma isn't answering."

Mel shook her head, tears filling her eyes again. "I don't know, Jason."

As if on cue, the door down stairs opened. Footsteps could be heard leaping up the stairs, what sound like two at a time. The door busted open and there stood Emma. My jaw dropped.

I barely even recognised her.

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Emma's P.O.V:

I forced my legs to run beneath me, as I sprinted as far away as I could. I had lost count of time. It felt like I had been running for about twenty minutes. I stumbled again, after numerous times, but this time I couldn't get up. I cried out in pain as my face connected with the harsh ground.

I rolled to my side, gasping for breath. The fall seemed to have completely winded me. I began rocking back and forth, my whole body trembling. Tears gushed down my face so rapidly, I thought I'd drown. All I could see in my mind was the accident.

That horrific, horrible, traumatic accident that I had cowardly run away from.

What was wrong with me?

Even if it was Mark Mayor, my most loathed enemy, was hit, I should have done all I could to help him. It was very unlike me to run away from something like that, and here I was, running. Well, not exactly at the moment.

My mouth watered and I knew I was going to be sick. I slowly crawled onto my hands and knees, just before I threw up everywhere. It was disgusting. Bits got in my hair and I collapsed, yet again on my side, dry heaving.

My eyes stung ridiculously as more tears seemed to flow our of them. I didn't bother wiping them away anymore. It was no use. I was beginning to think they were never ending.

Slowly, with very shaky legs, I got up into standing position.

I had to find Jason.

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I thundered up the stairway in her house, silently thanking God that I didn't run into her parents. Imagine that! I wouldn't be able to begin to explain myself to them. I took the stairs two at time, I was in that much of a rush.

I wrenched the door open and who stood there surprised me.

Both Mel and Jason.

They turned, staring at me in surprise. I swear Jason's mouth was almost on the floor. I knew I looked terrible. I felt even worse.

"Oh my God!" Mel cried, being the first to break the tension-filled silence. "What happened to you!?"

My whole body sagged and my legs collapsed out from underneath me. Both of them swooped over to me, lifting my limp body up.

"...Is that vomit?" Mel asked, wrinkling up her nose.

"Yeah." I whispered, my voice cracking, causing me to hiccup. Mel exchanged a look with Jason, concern etched on both of their faces.

"What happened?" Jason asked, his voice low and quiet. "Did Mark do something?"

He studied me closely and sucked in a deep breath.

"Did he hit you?"

Absently, my hand raised to my cheek and my cool fingers met the swelling. I winced at the touch. I was going to have a nasty bruise from where he hit me.

"Yes." I nodded. "And then the car hit him."

"What?" Jason asked, making it out like I had said a joke.

I sank to the ground again, my legs unable to support me any longer. "I know it was stupid, but I thought if I told him I'd go to the Police, he'd stop..."

The silence was almost deafening and I continued slowly, my whole body shaky again. "And then he threatened me again and hit me. I ran across the road to get away from him..."

"Go on..." Mel urged quietly after I fell silent for numerous moments.

"And then a car came out of nowhere..." I said, my eyes filling up again. "And it hit him and like the coward I am I ran away! I didn't even help him! I didn't  even stay to see if he was okay!"

"Why would you?" Jason asked, making me snap my head to his in surprise. "After he has practically ruined your life, why would you?"

"Because he is your Father, Jason."

He buried his face into his hands. "I have to go find Mum."

"Jason..."

"Don't." he said, standing up. "Don't you dare blame yourself. It wasn't like you were in the car. I just... I just need time."

He then strode out of the room. After I stared at the doorway, where he disappeared from, I broke down again.

"Hey," Mel said. "Go shower. You must feel like Hell."

I nodded weakly and dragged my feet towards her shower. I peeled off my clothes and glimpsed at myself in the mirror.

My long hair was a knotted mess, trailing down my back. My eyes were ringed red and puffy. My cheeks, were red and tear stained. One cheek, was about double the size of the other and tinged purple. My lips were red and swollen as well. Did I mention I had vomit on my chin and in my hair?

Yuck!

I stepped into the shower, the hot water stinging my skin, as my body was so cold from the harsh weather outside. I reeled backwards, my back slamming into the cool tiles behind me. I placed a hand over my still frantically beating heart. I turned down the heat and hesitantly stepped back in again.

This time, I was successful.

After a long, needed shower, I stepped out and wrapped my body into a soft, white, fluffy towel. The material felt nice on my skin. When I emerged, feeling like a totally new person, Mel had clothes piled on her bed for me.

I gave her a small, grateful smile and dressed quickly, not bothering to go back into the closure of the bathroom. We were best friends after all.

"It wasn't your fault, Emz."

"He could have survived if I stayed. I could have at least called the Ambulance!"

"I'm sure the driver did as soon as possible, Emma. If you stayed, you would have had to undergo interviews, statements and all that sort of stuff. Do you think you could have handled it, after what you witnessed?"

I didn't respond, in the back of my mind, I knew she was right, but I couldn't accept it. If he passed away, it would practically be on my shoulders.

His blood would be on my hands.

"I'm going to call your Dad and tell him you're alright, okay?"

"O-okay." 

I slowly sat on the bed and she collapsed beside me, her iPhone pressed against her ear. She waited patiently for him to answer.

"Hi James, it's Mel. Sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I just wanted to inform you that Emma's okay. She's at my place. She doesn't really get along with Chase and she's really sick. She apologises for ditching."

She paused as he responded and she nodded. The corners of my mouth twitched. She had to realise he couldn't see her.

"She's asleep at the moment. Yeah, she's out of it. Tell Luke to come back home because she's fine. Okay, thanks Dad two. Bye!"

She hung up and threw her phone onto the covers.

"Apparently Luke's been out looking for you."

"He has?" I asked, sitting up in surprise. 

She nodded. "James is going to ring him though."

I didn't reply.

"Come on, go to sleep. You look exhausted."

"I have to go see Jason." I replied stubbornly.

"No, you will sleep and then go see Jason."

She peeled back the covers and I sunk into her soft, mattress. She flicked off her light and crawled in beside me. She hugged me and I remained to lay there, stiffly.

"Love you Emma."

"Love you too."

I closed my eyes slowly. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep after seeing what I did today, but I found exhaustion beating me and I practically fell into a coma.

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I stared at his tensed back, awaiting for any type of response from him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and turning to face me. It was very visibly obvious that he was stressing out. Well, who wouldn't be? Even if they weren't close, it was still really heavy.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is!" I cried, my eyes filling up with tears again. "Of course it is my fault! If I hadn't gone there, it never would have happened and-"

"Shh," he murmured quietly, cutting me off by silencing me with his finger against my lips. "It isn't, okay? Stop blaming yourself."

"It's hard not to!"

"I know."

I sagged against him as he wrapped me in his embrace. He rested his chin on the top of my head and I buried my face in his chest, trying to refrain from breaking down again.

"Of course, my Dad who is your enemy gets hit by a car and you're the one that's sad."

"You're sad too!" I huffed, drawing back and mock-glaring at him. "Don't pretend your not."

"Of course I am, even if he is a twit, he's still my Dad. But it doesn't change the fact that he used to try to hit me whenever he was home or take my girlfriend away from me. Or he just wasn't there for us to begin with."

"I know, but-"

"No buts. Can we just... can we just talking about something else?"

I nodded and sat heavily down on the seat. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of the place. It smelt of sickness and disease. He collapsed beside me, placing his head into his hands. I stared at him in silence, for a few minutes, biting my lip. I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't exactly known for my well used words. I usually just blurted out random and awkward things that don't relate to the subject being spoken.

"I wonder how my Mum's doing." he said quietly. "She hasn't arrived here yet. I told her almost an hour ago."

"Maybe she's just too shaken up to come," I murmured. "It must be a hard thing to hear."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," I joked, trying to lighten up the mood. He didn't crack a smile, so I dropped mine instantly, knowing my bad jokes wouldn't be successful at the moment. Well, were they ever?

Soon enough, Jason's mother walked through the doors. Her skin was pale and her hair a mess. She still walked with her head held high and her back straightened, but her shoulders were sagged and her eyes tinged red. Jason stood instantly and they hugged each other tightly.

I felt like I was intruding on family time and slowly began to slink away. I didn't get far before Jason beckoned me over. They both took turns in hugging me and each other, crying. I stood there not knowing what to say and awkwardly patting their backs.

Doors could be heard opening and we all looked over, letting each other step out of the others embrace.

"Miranda Mayor?" The Doctor inquired.

"Yes." I said, speaking in behalf of the Mayor's as they both just blinked at him as if he was an Alien from a different planet.

"He's suffered a lot of internal injuries and a severe brain bruising. It isn't looking good at the moment to be truthful, but the good news is, he is alive."

"I don't know if that's a good thing," Jason muttered. 

Miranda nudged him in the side and gave him a disapproving look. "He may have been a horrible man, but he was still your Father. Don't be so disrespectful."

"Sorry, Ma." Jason muttered again, casting his eyes downwards.

"May I speak with you?" The Doctor asked. He had half a bald head and whatever hair he did have, was greying. He had kind eyes and a wide smile though. "When you've got a moment, Miranda."

She nodded slowly and walked after him. Jason and I watched the two in silence. He exhaled a deep and steady breath, turning to face me.

"Is it horrible to feel disappointed he isn't dead?"

Instead of responding, I sighed deeply through my nose.

We weren't free just yet.

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