


Asking and Accepting

by The Other Side of Sanity



Category: Unnatural History
Genre: Adventure, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-05-13
Updated: 2012-08-15
Packaged: 2015-01-19 22:46:35
Rating: K+
Chapters: 19
Words: 10,703
Publisher: www.fanfiction.net
Story URL: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6988799/1/
Author URL: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2901727/The-Other-Side-of-Sanity
Summary: What happens when Jasper's mom comes back and tells him the real reason why she left? What if it puts them all in danger? Find out how the Griffin Gang solves this mystery JAGGIE story JasperXMaggie HenryXWhitney





	1. Chapter 1

**Jasper POV**

_How much creepier can Henry get?_ I thought. He has been watching Maggie and me from a distance ever since he walked in on Maggie and I kissing. "We tripped over each other!" We say when Henry constantly asks, so in this case 24/7.

I asked him once why he is always watching Maggie and I from a distance and he says he is trying to figure out our aura or something. I tuned out because I started thinking about Maggie. With her beautiful silky hair and- I'm thinking about her again. I admit it. I'm in love with Maggie Winnok. I don't realize what he's talking about until he says I should ask her out again.

"WHAT!" Everyone stares. _Whoops to loud. Anyways…._

"I said you should ask Maggie out again. Now can you answer a little less loudly? I don't want to draw any attention."

_Wow. Jungle Boy not wanting attention? It's a world gone mad._ "Oh, well I don't know." What if she turns me down again? I want to ask.

"She won't turn you down." Smirking as he said it.

_What do you know? How do you kn- wait, did he just read my mind? _"Did you just read my mind? Wait, how do you know she won't?"

"Who won't do what?" Maggie walked in. Did she just hear what we talked about?

**Maggie POV**

"Um.. If Dad's going to….. Let us invite you over for dinner." Jasper said while Henry nods in agreement. I think Jasper's holding his breath. If he is, I don't think he's not going to last.

"Oh, well if you want me to-"

"Yes!" They said in unison. Jasper finally exhales.

"Ok so I'll drive there."

"Nah." Jasper says. "I'll drive you. You can just ride with us"

"Oh ok thanks." I smile. Jasper smiles back but nervously. _Why is Jasper nervous? Oh I wonder why. Aw come on! My OCD has to act up now?_

Henry says he has to meditate or something. He mouths something to Jasper but I don't quite understand. It looks like they're having an argument. Jasper finally gives in after a minute has passed.

Henry looks at the pen I'm clicking five at a time. He looks at me, smiles, then starts off as a walk, then jog, then finally run.


	2. Chapter 2

**Henry POV**

"_Haha! I just ran when I agreed I was going to stay hopefully he still asks her out." _Ow….. I just ran into someone. Oh crap it's a girl. I hope I didn't hurt her. I helped her up and she thanks me.

"Henry?" The girl asks.

"Whitney?" It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! My heart is leaping.

"Oh my gosh Henry it's you! How have you been?"

"I've been good. How about you?" It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney! It's Whtiney!

"I've been good, but I've been better."

"When did you come back?"

"Well my mom moved us all back from Georgia to here. She thought it over again and said that it would be better here in Washington D.C."

"Well I'm happy your back Whitney." I pinch myself to make sure it isn't a dream. I pinched myself a little too hard and I wince.

"Oh Henry are you ok?" She noticed me wince. Crap. Wait she's concerned, she cares about me. Wait She Cares About Me!

"Oh yeah I was just making sure this isn't a dream" I realized what I said and my eyes widen and I start to blush.

She just says "Well this isn't a dream." She smiles and I noticed her blushing.

"Hey do you want to join Jasper, Maggie, and I for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah sure. I'd like that." She blushes even more. What does that mean? Well I'll have to ask Jasper later.

We walk down the halls talking about what adventures we both have been on.

As a compulsion, I reached for her hand and grabbed it gently. We both blush even more. I defiantly have to ask Jasper what this means.

We continue to walk down the hall hand in hand trying to find Jasper and Maggie hopefully not interrupting anything, again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Unnatural History sadly cuz if I did, Jasper and Maggie would already be together 3 **

**Jasper POV**

_Why is this so hard? Why can I not just ask her out? I am SUCH a wimp sometimes? Oh wait she's talking, she's so beautiful._

"That was weird. Wasn't it?" Maggie said.

"Oh, uhhuh. Yeah I think Dad gave him something." I reply.

"So I'll ride with you?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you later." She said while walking away. Gone gone she went.

_I should have asked her right there and then!_

**Maggie POV**

_I wonder if Jasper still likes me. I mean, he could still be heartbroken when I turned him down. Why did my OCD have to act up there and then? Oh yeah because I was nervous. Whenever I'm around Jasper my OCD acts up. Stress and nervousness they say for triggers. Why am I nervous around Jasper? Maybe because I love him? Yes I am Maggie Winnok and I am in love with Jasper Bartlett! Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes! I am in love with Jasper Bartlett! I now admit that I am in love with Jasper Bartlett._

**Sorry so short I promise that the next chapter will be longer **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks 4 reviews! Dear Interested reader, thank you! I wasn't sure on how 2 spell it thank u 4 the advice!33333 Ms. A. Abrams, I am 2! Haha so To The Story! **

**Jasper POV**

"So how was your day at school?" I ask. Sounds cool? Yeah.

"Oh the usual. The raising of the hand and the snickering of the other girls."

_I should give those girls a piece of my mind!_

"Oh no Jasper it's ok. You don't have to."

"Huh?"

"What you said about the girls and giving them a piece of your mind."

"I said that aloud? Crap." I uttered.

"It's ok, that just shows you love, care and protect me."

"Will you be my girlfriend?" I blurted out.

She turned sharply toward me. "What did you say?"

I took a deep breath, I hope Henry better be right about this. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes. Yes Jasper I will." She said smiling. (JAGGIE! JAGGIE! JAGGIE! JAGGIE! JAGGIE!)

_This is the best car ride ever! Good thing Henry said he would just walk haha!)_

**Maggie POV**

_I was just thinking if he would ask me and then he did! Ahahahaha!_

"You did?" He asked.

"Do you read minds?"

"No. Do you?"

"No."

Uh-oh akward moments makes my OCD act up even more!

"OCD?" He asks.

"How did yo-"

"It's noticeable. It's ok we all have out quirks." He smiles.

"Then what's yours?"

"I'm afraid of heights."

"Huh? What was that? I didn't hear." I played with him.

"I'm kinda afraid of height. OK? There I told you." He says sadly.

"What about that time when you climbed up Dr. Monroe's office?"

"Not that kind of heights. Like falling or jumping off a helicopter height."

"Well you don't have to be sad or embarrassed about it."

"Here this will fix it."

I lean over and kiss me after he parks at the park. We both melt into the kiss. I pull away and I see him smiling.

"Yeah, but you know I'm still a bit sad." He smiles. He played back with me.

"Oh?" I say as I lean in again to kiss him. This kiss is with a little more force but still gentle. I pull away and then he says,

"Yeah, I'm better." He smiles.

_Best car ride EVER!_

**Sorry guys I didn't update quickly as I did. It's because I have a campaign -which goes on until Thursday-, memorize two prayers -which I recite the 2****nd**** 1 tomorrow-, and HOMEWORK! Well update soon! If you ask-just 2 add- how I know so much about OCD, it's because, sadly, I have it Oh well UPDATE SOON!33333 comment pls nd if u or anybody u ko has OCD 2 tell me so I know I'm not alone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Again sorry didn't update soon enough! Well thanks 4 review! So sadly I didn't win the position I was running 4 tear tear cry cry Well, there's always a next year! Although, my crush didn't win president And he can't run next year! Oh sorry I'm rambling…..So hope you enjoy this!**

**Henry POV**

_Still have to ask Jasper and Maggie what that means. Haha if Jasper and Maggie get married, Maggie will be my sister-in-law! Maggie Winnok (thanks Interested Reader;)) Bartlett. I wonder what happened with Maggie and Jasper. _

Whitney and I see Jasper's car and see them blushing feverishly. I wonder what happened. We enter the door and Jasper and Maggie are right behind us. Whitney raises both her eye brows when she sees Maggie's face blushing. Maggie makes a I'll tell you later stare and Whitney turns around.

"Looks like we've got lots of company today." Smiles Uncle Brian. That's when Jasper, Maggie, and Uncle Brian realize Whitney was there.

"Oh my God! Whitney you're here!" Maggie exclaims.

"Yeah. My mom thought we would all do better here in D.C."

"Well dinner's ready." Uncle Brian says.

"I can't believe Whitney's back!" Maggie whispered to me.

We all seat ourselves at the table and we eat. When Uncle Brian says he has work to do he leaves.

"You know Jasper has a digital diary in his computer. Right?" I say when Uncle Brian is his office.

Jasper's eyes widen and he stares a cold stare at me. Everyone turns to Jasper and laughs.

"No I do not!" Jasper says.

"Yeah you do. You even told me that night after we solved the John Dillinger mystery." I protest.

"What's in it?" Maggie and Whitney says at the same time.

"I don't know he didn't tell me. The computer is in the bedroom on your nightstand right?" I smirk.

"Yeah why?" Jasper says slowly.

"Umm….. Nothing." I say. His eyes got wide. Whiney, Maggie, and I glance at each other. Then Maggie and Whitney shot up the stairs but before Jasper can even get up I pinned him to the chair.

"Henry! Maggie! Whitney! I am so going to kill you guys!" He shouts.

"Got it!" Whitney and Maggie shouts.

"Well you can't get it! My computer has a password! Ha!" Jasper taunts. His eyes widen when he realized what he said.

"Good thing you taught me a thing or two about hacking." Maggie says while smirking. She turns it on and works on it.

"Yeah I did, but my computer can't be hac-"

"Dang it! He's right!" Maggie says.

"Wait let me try." Whitney says. She works on the computer for three minutes and we got passed the password.

"You hacked it?" I say.

"No. I typed in the password."

"What is it?" I say.

"Haha. I'll tell you later."

"Yeah but you don't know what I named it under. I could've saved it under a false title. It would takes years to open all of them So you can't get it." He says triumphantly.

"Wait. There's a USB where he keeps it stored." I say recalling.

"I'll go get it." Maggie says. She goes upstairs and comes back downstairs five minutes later. "Got it." She says smirking. She turns the computer on and says there's a password .

"Whitney?" She says summoning her again.

"Got it don't worry." She says. She enters the password and says "I got in."

Whitney found a rope when she went in Jasper and I's bedroom to get the laptop so I tied him to the chair after she gave it to me so I can read too. They start reading and when we see something that mentions Maggie her eyes widen.

"You liked me even when I turned you down?"

**Sorry didn't update as fast as I did. Well hope you liked it sooooo….. PLEASE REVIEW! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sooooo thanks 4 reviews guys. This time I'll give you 2 stories in 1 day. When I went 2 mass my crush was behind me I started shaking when I saw he was there. Anyways, here you go! P.S Please tell me if you get butterflies around your crush. I do. I would drop dead if one of the readers was my crush. But he won't know my username. But….. Sorry Rambling again, Back to the story…..**

**Jasper POV**

I shift uncomfortably in my chair.

"Ummmmm….. Well since there's no point in hiding now because….. Well you know. Yes. I never stopped and I never will."

"Same here." She said .

"Henry, can you untie me now?"

"Oh yeah sure sorry." He said while untying the bonds that binds me to the chair.

"You wanna go upstairs?" Henry suggests to us.

"Henry, it's want to, not wanna." Maggie corrects Henry.

"Oh. Maggie and I will stay downstairs, but you and Whitney can go upstairs. We'll meet you there." I say. I really wanted to talk to Maggie and possibly, just possibly, I'll show her some more of the diary. Whitney and Henry go upstairs while we both tune out sitting at the table.

_I wonder what she's thinking about. She gives me butterflies and now, I actually have her. Not to sound greedy or anything like that but she's mine. No one is going to take her away from me. They'd have to kill me first. _

Just then I hear a knock at the door which, of course, breaks our train of thought. I stand up to open the door and Maggie follows out of curiosity. I understand her, if I were her, I'd do the same. When I open the door I hold back and swallow the scream of surprise that almost escapes my lips.

Right there in the front of the door is the person I had despised my whole life ever since the incident. But then a person emerges from the darkness. I stare at Maggie who also stifles a scream of surprise. There in the door way stand the person I despise the most and Maggie's one of the most beloved people in the world for her.

"Dad! Someone's at the door," I yell out.

"Who is it?" Dad says walking down the stairs.

"It's Maggie's and I's moms." I say.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter! And they're not reading each other's minds it's cuz they accidentally say it aloud. And there's a letter but the font I used might've not uploaded with the story sorry if it doesn't. There are 2 chapters that I updated. So after this press next.**

**Maggie POV**

"You," Jasper snarled "What are you doing here?"

_Oh Jasper. I am so sorry for you. _

"Jasper I know this is hard for you to understand, but I want you back now." His mother said.

"No. You can't take him back." Snarled Dean Bartlett. He finally came after he tripped down the stairs after he heard who was at the door.

"May I come in?" Asked Maggie's mom.

"Oh yes sorry." Dean Bartlett said, his voice calm and gentle, but when he turned back to Jasper's mom his voice became furious and twisted again.

"Brian, please understand. I had to go away or el-"

"Or else what? You already left us for nearly _nine_ years! What are you going to do? Leave us again? We're already fine without you!" Jasper screamed at his mother.

"Here take this letter though, read it and I hope you understand. I'm staying at a hotel near here. Please read it." His mother says. She hands him the note and leaves while her lip started to tremble.

"Maggie, go upstairs while I talk with your mother." Dean Bartlett says.

My mother. I forgot that she was here with all the drama with Jasper's mom.

"Ok." I say. A simple yet vague answer .

Jasper and I go back upstairs and his room that he shares with Henry. When we got in Whitney and Henry stare at us. They looked confused. They were bewildered when he didn't go to his bed. Instead he went straight to the window, opened the window, climbed in, shut the window with a bang, and disappeared out of view when he sat down. To give him privacy Henry got up and closed the curtains I never noticed before.

"Ok. What happened? When you guys walked in I saw Jasper crying."

"He was? I didn't see." I said surprised.

"What happened?" Whitney asked.

I told them what happened. Their eyes got wide when I told them about Jasper yelling at her.

"I wouldn't blame him though." I said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry didn't update as quickky!**

**Whitney POV**

"So what's the password?" Henry asks.

"Maggie and Jasper forever." I say.

"Awwww. That's so cute!" Maggie says in a very un-Maggie way.

Henry and I glance at each other and burst out laughing.

"What?" She says confused.

"It's just because that was so un-Maggie of you." I say.

**Jasper POV**

**Dear Jasper,**

** I am sorry for leaving. It has been nearly nine years. We have a lot of catching up to do, if you want to. I know you despise me right now for leaving. Please understand. I was wandering around the forest because I was stressed and the quietness and nature calms me. When I was in the forest, I saw someone getting kidnapped and the bad people saw me. So, I had to leave you and your father because they said if I stayed and if I told you and your father, they said they would harm you and your father. I'm sorry I am staying at a hotel near here called **_**The Game Hotel**_**. It sounds weird, but they said the 'Game' part stand for the initials A.M. and E.G. I think they are the married couple who runs the hotel. Anyways, I hope you understand.**

** Your Mother**

_There's her usual self, rambling hah- wait did she say kidnapping? _

The next thing I know I'm bursting into the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry I haven't updated in a long time! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Unnatural History. If I did, there would be more seasons, Jasper's mom coming back, and Jaggie!**

**Jasper POV**

"What?" Henry screeches after I tell them about the letter and the kidnapping.

"Yeah!" I yell.

"I'm going to the hotel." I declare.

"We'll go with you." Whitney says.

"No," Jasper says stubbornly "I want to go alone. I want to talk to her.

"Let him go alone. After all, she is Jasper's mother." Maggie says siding with Jasper. I cast her thankful glance.

"When are you going?" Whitney asks.

"Right now, I want to go right now. I don't care if it's 10:00 right now." I say.

"Jasper its 10 degrees Fahrenheit, if you go out you'll freeze to death." Maggie says.

"I'll go tomorrow then." I say.

"Can Maggie and I sleep over?" Whitney asks.

"Sure." I say.

**Sorry so short! I have writers block **


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry it took long guys. But guess what? **_**The**_** Italia Ricci (the one who plays Maggie) read this! Also, **_**The **_**Jordan Gavaris (the one who plays Jasper) and **_**The **_**Mike Werb (the creator and executive producer) might be reading this too! AHHHH! I'm as happy as you are! So here's the next chapter:))**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Unnatural History. If I did, there would have been more seasons and of course Jaggie!**

**Maggie POV**

"I'll go get the sleeping bags." Henry says.

"I'll go help." Whitney offers.

"Yeah, but it's only two sleeping bags. I can handle it."

"No sweetie I'll help." She smiles while trying desperately to get Henry to understand Jasper and I need to talk."

Henry now understanding says, "Oh. Ok. Come on its downstairs, Honey." Smirking as he said it.

Whitney and Henry go to the closet downstairs and try to find the sleeping bags.

"_So_, Whitney told you the password?" He asked me while I was dragging the word 'So'.

"Yeah, um. " I was lost for words. Me, Margret 'Maggie' Winnock lost for words. To admit it, he looked pretty cute when he was struggling to get out of Henry's grasp before he tied Jasper up to the chair. Actually, he's always cute, even when he just woke up and I was right there beside him on his dresser because Henry let me in. Especially how he had bed-head and… Oh wait he's talking, haha didn't notice.

"You can laugh at it if you want which I probably sure you did….. Did Henry hear? If he heard, he's going to threaten me that he's going to tell everybody." He says.

"Umm….. If I say yes are you going to get back at Henry?"

"Yeah, most likely I will."

"Then, yes. Yes he did. Look, it's ok. Plus I didn't laugh, I thought it was cute. But Henry laughed."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

Then did I realize, our faces were inches away from each other. Which I am positive he noticed, too. Closer and closer we inched together. Then finally, our lips met. It seemed to last forever, but after a minute we pulled apart. Just then, Henry and Whitney came in. I had a feeling they were waiting so they wouldn't interrupt us, but also not to create any awkward moments after Jasper and I kissed. Which I'm sure would happen. Then, my OCD would act up and then well, you get it.

"So there's a problem, we could only find one sleeping bag. Then I remembered that I used that, but it got ripped so we had to throw it away." Henry says to Jasper.

"Then Whitney and Maggie can just use my bed and I'll take the sleeping bag." Jasper says.

"No Whitney and I can just share my hammock, its big enough for the two of us. You and Maggie can share your bed." Henry says.

"What?" Whitney and I say at the same time taken by surprise while blushing.

"Yep." Henry says smiling and clapped his hands once while throwing the sleeping bag into Jasper's open closets.

…..

After we all got ready to go to sleep, Henry tried to help Whitney get into the hammock. After many tries, she almost got it but ended up falling on the floor. We all laughed.

"Don't worry Whitney," Jasper says, "When I tried to get into that hammock while Henry was using as he says 'icat' I fell off and ended having a bruise on my back for two weeks."

I laughed while picturing Jasper swing/falling off the hammock.

"Hey, try getting on that hammock without swinging or falling off." Jasper playfully fights back.

"Ok, whatever you say." I say smiling.

"Here I'll help." Henry says while helping her in by picking her up and gets both of them in at the same time. I looked at him amazed.

"How do you do that without falling off while carrying someone?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know, probably because I have practice?" Henry says.

"Well good night." I say.

Jasper and I put the blanket over ourselves and fell asleep knowing tomorrow is going to be a _very _long day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, here it is! I hope you enjoy it! Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I was even thinking of abandoning this story, but Synesti gave me the courage and hope to go on:)) Thanks Synesti! I thought you guys didn't like my story… Anyways, here you go! Remember! I don't own Unnatural History! Or Jordan Gavaris, or Italia Ricci, or Kevin Schmidt, or anything involving Unnatural History:_(**

**Jasper POV**

I awoke to a slightly snoring Maggie. She was curled up beside me with my arms wrapped protectively around her. _Wow, she is so cute when she sleeps._

"Maggie, wake up." I say quietly, my head hovering above hers. She doesn't wake up, so I shake her slightly while softly telling her to wake up.

"Jasper!" She wakes up, shooting up and hitting my forehead with her, _very_ hard to be exact.

"Ow, that hurt very much, Maggie." I say with a laugh.

"Well try waking up to hitting your head on someone." She says and laughs back.

"I did, actually." I smile to her.

"C'mon lets go, we have a long day ahead of us." She says to me. We get ready and go downstairs.

"Hey guys! Woah, what happened to your foreheads?" Henry asks us.

"Long story short, I woke up Mags and she hit her forehead on mine." I say with a smile.

"Well, lets go to the Game hotel." Whitney says.

**Sorry it's short, it's kinda like midnight and.. well you get it:)) update soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

They drove to the hotel and when they got there, Jasper hesitated. He had insisted to go alone, and they finally gave in after thirty minutes of him begging. He took the key out and opened the door. He locked the door and then proceeded to the hotel room his mother had said she was in. He stood in front of the door, hesitating once again. He knocked and took a step back. The door opened and there stood his mother. She quickly stepped aside and he stepped in.

"Explain." He said. His mother launched into the story on what had happened.

"Your father and I got into this horrible fight so I went for a walk in the forest. I saw some people acting all mysterious so I followed them. I hid behind a bush but then this squirrel decided to rat me out so it bit me. The little retched fur ball ran after I had jumped up. They saw me then threatened to hurt the people I cared about, so I decided to leave the country so they would not hurt you and your father. Then-"

"Wait, hold up. I understand why you had to leave, but did your really have to abandon me in a boarding school with_out_ telling dad?" He said, his voice rising at each word. "You left me there, you left me there to basically rot, with my father not even knowing where I was? Do you know how much pain you put us through?" He was screeching by now.

"Jas-" His mother tried.

"No,"

"Listen to me, Jasper."

"No, I will not listen to the person that sent me somewhere to rot. I will not listen to the person who _abandoned me!_" He screeched out. "You know what? I'm done." He quickly stood up and grabbed the door handle.

"Jasper," She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off and stomped down the stairs to his car. He wrenched the door of his car open and slammed it. He quickly drove off, trying hard not to crash the car out of his anger. He calmed down a bit and that was when it happened. A black van that he realized he had seen at school, the store, everywhere. It sped up and he tried to avoid it. He switched lanes but the van followed. It then crashed into his smart car, sending the small car into a tree. It slammed into it and then fell to the ground. Jasper was slowly losing consciousness but he had enough time to form one thought.

_He was followed._


	13. Chapter 13

Maggie dropped the phone. _No, please no. This can _NOT _be happening. _She thought. Tears freely streamed down her face. She felt numb. A million thoughts were running through her head. _Jasper. Crash. Hospital. _Next thing she knew, she was sprinting to the hospital. She passed bikers and strollers, the owners yelling at her watch out. She ran faster than before, with tears streaming harder. She finally bust through the hospital doors and ran to the reception lady.

"Whe-where is Jasper Ba-Bartlett?" She cried out.

"Are you family?" Her high-pitched monotone rang through the lobby.

"No, but-"

"Then you can't go in."

"P-please, he's my boyfriend, I-I c-ca-" Her desperate plea was cut off and she collapsed. Nurses quickly swarmed her and she was brought into a room to be checked up. Her consciousness was slipping away. She uttered out one last thing before she was absorbed in darkness.

"Jasper…"

_**/x/**_

"What do you mean a car crash?" Henry screeched out.

"I'm sorry sir, but-"

"Where is he?"

"He's here at the D.C Water Shore Hospital-" Henry slammed the phone down and took a deep breath while pinching the bridge of his nose. _This can't be happening. _Henry thought. He picked the phone up and thought about sending a text to his uncle. _Should I send an e-tweety-text to Uncle B or call him?_ He thought. He settled on calling him.

_**/x/**_

"Jasper!" Maggie had just woken up and had seen she was on a hospital bed. She was alone in the room and she wanted to go insane. _Every_thing was white, and she meant everything. A nurse then came in.

"Glad to see that you're awake!" The nurse chirped.

"Where's Jasper Bartlett?" Maggie demanded.

"Who?"

"My boyfriend. I came here to see him, but the nurse wouldn't tell me what room he was in. He was in a car crash."

"Oh, that one! Yes, yes I know where he is. He's in room 324." The nurse said absentmindedly. Maggie was sure that the nurse hadn't meant to say it, and she didn't even notice she had told her the room number he was in. The nurse left and Maggie yanked out the wires out. She stumbled out the door unnoticed and watched the door numbers she passed by. _Room 225, room 226, room 227. . ._ The rooms went on and on. _Room 323, room 324!_ Maggie pushed the door opened and she immediately froze. The smile that was on her face when she stood in front of the door was quickly swiped off her face and tears replaced the once joyful face of Maggie Winnock. She took an unsteady step forward but collapsed from grief.

She stood and walked to his bedside. She dropped to her knees and cried. She cried harder than ever. There lay Jasper, pale and lifeless, connected to millions of wires that led to machines.

"Maggie," Her head snapped up at the strained hoarse voice.

"J-Jasper?" She chocked out.

"Don't dry," He murmured out. "Please don't cry." She quickly stood up and grabbed his unbandaged hand.

"Jasper, I-I. . ." Maggie chocked up. "How?"

"Followed, black van. . ." His voice faded and he was unconscious. She kissed his forehead and sat in the chair next to the bed and then it hit her. _He was followed by a black van, that black van was the one who caused this. _She was now angry. The door bust open and a shout came.

"There!" A male nurse started to drag Maggie out but she resisted. She wrenched herself from his grasp and ran over to the other side of Jasper's bed and hide in a corner, whimpering. The broken whimpers broke half-conscious Jasper's heart. The male nurse calmly walked to Maggie and tried to soothe her. Jasper watched through half-opened eyes as the nurse walked a crying and broken Maggie out of the room.


	14. Chapter 14

"We're here for Jasper Bartlett?" Brian Bartlett's urgent voice rang through the hospital. Henry numbly followed him from behind. He still couldn't believe it. Jasper, his cousin, was in a car crash. It didn't seem like reality to him. As the nurse asked if they were family, Henry spoke up.

"Did a Maggie," He corrected himself. "Margret Winnock pass by here?"

"Oh, she's in a room right now. She had collapsed and is now being held in Room 224." The nurse hadn't meant to say the room number, Henry knew, but she did not notice.

"Thank you." They hurried to Jasper's room first. When they entered, they gasped. Jasper was connected to at least a dozen wires. Silence froze over and the only noise that could be heard was the heart monitor and their ragged breathing.

"Henry, you go visit Maggie, I'll. . ." He trailed off and Henry understood. Mr. Bartlett wanted some time alone with his son. He nodded and made his way to Maggie's room. When he was near the door, Henry heard yelling.

"Why can't you, huh? I want to see him!" He barged in and found a nurse trying to calm her down.

"Maggie?" Henry questioned. Her head whipped to his direction and she sighed in relief.

"Finally, a familiar face!" She exclaimed. "Will you please tell this man to let me see Jasper?" She was exasperated. She had been arguing with the nurse for an hour and he still had not let her see Jasper.

"You can see Jasper later, okay?" He soothed."Can we have a moment alone?" He said to the nurse. The nurse exited and Henry bombarded her with questions.

"What happened, Mags? Do you know any details about the accident? And how did you end up here?" He demanded.

"Okay, okay, one at a time! First, Jasper was in a car accident, as you have probably been told. And I ended up here in this hospital bed because I collapsed." She said.

"What about details?" He asked. Maggie hesitated telling him. She knew she shouldn't hold information back, but she didn't want Henry to freak out. She came out with it anyways.

"He said. . ." Maggie faltered. The next part came out in a whisper. "He said he was followed." Her head bowed down.

"What?" He lowered his voice. "He was followed? By who?"

"He said he saw a black van, Henry, what do you think what's happening? What's really happening?" Her voice was turning into a desperate tone. "All of a sudden his mother comes out of nowhere, and then she asks him to meet at a hotel. Then, when he's coming back, he gets in a car crash by a black van that was following him. Don't you think that's a bit . . . unnatural?"

"More like suspicious." He pondered. "What if-? No, it can't be."

"Henry, what? Tell me." Maggie demanded.

"Well, we don't really know anything about Jasper's mom." He spoke slowly as if he were picking his words out. "And if you think about it, not even Jasper knows why she left. It was a bit . . . sudden. Call me crazy, but do you think this has something to do with Jasper's mom?" As they mulled over this, Jasper's mom was in her hotel room, scared to death.

"We told you not to say a word, didn't we?" The voice was smooth and silky, unusual for a person like himself. "Now, you have to pay, but don't worry, your _son _cleared up some of it."


	15. Chapter 15

**I tweaked this chapter a little bit, so if you have read this already, scroll to the bottom for your… little surprise;)**

_Previously on A&A,_

_ "He said he saw a black van, Henry, what do you think what's happening? What's really happening?" Her voice was turning into a desperate tone. "All of a sudden his mother comes out of nowhere, and then she asks him to meet at a hotel. Then, when he's coming back, he gets in a car crash by a black van that was following him. Don't you think that's a bit . . . unnatural?"_

_ "More like suspicious." He pondered. "What if-? No, it can't be."_

_ "Henry, what? Tell me." Maggie demanded._

_ "Well, we don't really know anything about Jasper's mom." He spoke slowly as if he were picking his words out. "And if you think about it, not even Jasper knows why she left. It was a bit . . . sudden. Call me crazy, but do you think this has something to do with Jasper's mom?" As they mulled over this, Jasper's mom was in her hotel room, scared to death._

_ "We told you not to say a word, didn't we?" The voice was smooth and silky, unusual for a person like himself. "Now, you have to pay, but don't worry, your son cleared up some of it."_

"What, what are you saying?" Maggie whispered out. Her eyes widened as soon as Henry had voiced his thoughts. "You don't honestly think she was involved in all of this, right?"

Henry grimaced. Maggie shook her head.

"Y-you're crazy!" She exclaimed.

"Think about it, Maggie. She comes out of _nowhere _after what, nine years? And then when he comes to visit her, he gets hurt." He explained.

"Henry, sure, it was . . . mysterious, but that may not mean _anything_." She reasoned.

"Yes, key word, _may_." Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Henry, you're over thinki-" She was cut off.

"Did you forget that he told you he was followed by a black van?" Henry's voice turned shrill. "Don't you want to help him?"

"Of course I do! But I don't want to jump to conclusions that may or may not be true." She defended.

"Well, it doesn't look like it at my point!" Henry said.

Maggie threw her arms up. She was being pushed to her limit, what with Jasper being in a car accident and her frustration at the nurses.

"Well if that's the case, you're point is filled with ridiculous conclusions and false accusations!" She yelled. Just then, Jasper's father burst in through the door.

"He's awake! Come on, hurry up!" They had never seen Brian Bartlett this excited before. Maggie shot out of the bed and hurried to Jasper's room, momentarily forgetting about her fight with Henry.

"Jasper!" She yelled as she threw the door open. Jasper's eyes were fluttering open and she rushed to his bedside.

Just then, his heartbeat started to rapidly increase. Then, it started to pan out. His eyes snapped shut and he lay motionless. A nurse came in after his father pushed the button to call for a nurse and checked Jasper.

She turned around, her face ashen gray.

"He-he's dead."


	16. Chapter 16

**Again, I tweaked it a bit so there's a minor change;)**

Maggie couldn't believe it. Her whole and entire world dropped and dropped into big, uneven shards. Everyone looked at her, their eyes full of concern. Her eyes filled with tears but she swallowed them down. She stood still, her eyes glued to Jasper's lifeless body. All she wanted to do was scream and break everything in the room, but she held herself back. She stayed quiet but in Jasper's dad's case, he was the opposite. He dropped down into a chair and sobbed loudly. Henry walked to where his uncle sat and rubbed his back, trying to soothe him but crying himself. Whitney, who she only noticed now since she was so quiet, wrapped her arms around a shaking Maggie and tried telling her it was okay, that everything was going to turn out fine. But it wasn't going to be okay, nothing was. Her boyfriend just _died _and Whitney said everything was going to be okay. Well it wasn't, and it was never going to be.

She felt numb. _He can't be dead. He just can't. Not after everything we have been through. _She ran out of the room and heard Henry and Whitney's voices, calling her back. She collapsed onto a park bench, not bothering to wonder how she got there, and fell unconscious.

**. . .**

Jasper was getting tired of all the darkness. He was stuck in this limbo, where he was aware of everything, but it didn't feel like it was actually there, like it was distant. In his perpetual indeterminate state, he saw flashes of memories. He saw some when he was a toddler, some of his family when it all still made sense, Henry, Maggie, and him following clues, but one in particular stood out.

_ "Mommy, look what I found!" A seven year-old Jasper cried out as he went for a stroll in the park with his mother in the warm, autumn sun. He was a curious and energetic little thing, and parks were what excited him the most. Sarah Bartlett looked down at her son and saw that he picked up a twig. _

_ "Just like in that story you told me about the wizards last night!" His chocolate brown eyes sparkled with curiosity and happiness and Sarah almost regretted that she signed him up for a boarding school. The boarding school was called Greensworth Boarding School, 'Where we green it up in education!', whatever that meant. _

_ "Jameson," She called him by his first name and Jasper wondered why. "You're going to go to a special school, you know, like that character in the story?" Jasper started to bounce excitedly. _

_ "Will there be wizards, and witches, and spells?" He asked eagerly._

_ "No, no," Sarah said. "It's much better. You get to make new friends and you get new teachers." She tried to sound as positive as she could. _

_ They walked along in silence until little Jasper broke it._

_ "Why, Mommy?" He asked. Sarah couldn't tell him because she couldn't take it anymore. It's not that Jasper was a horrible kid, no, but she was getting overwhelmed. What with the fights her and Brian have and the debt from the burial of her daughter, Angelyn Bartlett. She gave birth to twins, Jameson Asper and Angellie Lynnie Bartlett. When Angelyn came out of her, she was pronounced dead an hour later. At that moment, little baby Jasper had started crying, as if he sensed what had happened._

_ Sarah didn't answer. A week later, she had dropped him off at Greensworth. She was never seen or heard of again. Jasper turned up at home a month later, eyes wide with tears. He had found his way home by guessing the twists and turns his mother had made and followed them. _

Jasper felt as if he were being pushed down by a hundred pounds of dirt. The vague energy he had was being sucked away. He started to pant, as if he had run across D.C. He felt as if he had a migraine, but it felt like the feeling was far away. Then it all subsided and he felt as if he were being lifted. It was like being pushed back into your own body.

His eyes snapped open and he was blinded by pure white.

**Did anyone get the Harry Potter reference?:))**


	17. Chapter 17

As Jasper's eyes opened, he figured out the reason why he was blinded by white was because there was a white sheet over his head. He pushed it off but his movements were sluggish. As he sat up, he shivered. It turned out he was on a metal table. As he looked down, he was horrified to find out he was butt-naked. Jasper couldn't hear, taste, nor feel anything. As he looked around, he saw other metal tables with sheets over what suspiciously looked like bodies.

The senses he lost were slowly coming back to him, one by one. Taste came back to him pretty quickly and Jasper was immediately thirsty. The feeling came back to his hands and legs but Jasper didn't dare walk as he didn't have any clothes on. Jasper discovered he had regained his hearing when he heard humming coming from the corner. As he turned his head, he saw the janitor, mopping up the floor. When the janitor turned around and saw Jasper, he dropped his mop and started yelling in Spanish. Jasper didn't understand, as he had taken Latin instead of Spanish as his language class.

The janitor scampered out the door and Jasper tried to rack his brain on where he was. Then, Jasper took in the weird silver doors aligned perfectly on the wall, the metal tables, the smell of anesthetic, the tubs of cream on the tables and the draining holes that were installed into the metal tables. He was in a funeral home. His eyes widened when he realized where he was. _I was dead! _He thought. A minute later, a man in a black suit walked in. Jasper sized the man up and from the name tag pined to the front of his suit, found out his name was Charlie.

The man named Charlie looked bewildered.

"Young man, your name is Jasper Bartlett, yes?" His deep voice rumbled. As the man came closer, Jasper made sure the sheet was over his lap.

Jasper's mouth was still extremely dry so he just nodded.

"Let's just be glad that you awoke before we started the embalming process." Jasper nodded once again.

As the man talked, Jasper tried to grasp the fact that he had died and come back.

_**/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ **_

_A crying Maggie stood next to the casket. As she looked into the casket, she saw Jasper's lifeless body. She looked through tear-blurred eyes. _

_She dropped to the ground and her side lay against the cold metal box that held her first and only love. She cried as every moment, every touch, every hug ran through her mind. As she brought her head up, she saw that the room was empty. She then pulled herself together and stood up. _

_What she saw made her heart stop. His body was gone. _It can't be! _Maggie thought. _His body was just there a few minutes ago!

Maggie bolted up and she heard her neck crack. _Where am I? _She thought as she stretched her neck out a bit. She looked around and saw that she was in a park.

She took in the crisp autumn air, the birds twittering in the distance, and the sun shining down. Maggie closed her eyes as she reveled in the warm sunlight as she had momentary amnesia. Then it all came crashing down and Maggie felt like she couldn't breathe. She started to hyperventilate. Just then, she heard voices in the distance.

"Maggie!" The voices screamed out. At closer inspection, she saw that it was Henry and Whitney.

When they had run over, they pulled her up and practically dragged her away.

_**/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ /x/x/ /x/ /x/ **_

They had dragged Maggie over to Jasper's house to plan the funeral and she kept quiet the whole time.

"We should get him a wood casket-" Whitney suggested.

"No, as much as it gives us air, you know he didn't like trees." Hey, Mags, remember that day when he kept running into them at the Sequoia Park on our trip to California?"

"Huh? What?" Maggie had been lost in her thoughts. Right when Henry was about to repeat, the phone rang. Maggie stood and picked it up.

"Hello?" A deep voice sounded from the other line.

"Hello? Who is this?" Maggie asked.

"You should know." A deep voice rumbled from the other end. "You're boy-toy does."

"Who is this?" Maggie demanded again. Her snapped out of her out of it state, only to be replaced by bold determination.

"Someone who shouldn't be messed with. Meet me at the park, eight o' clock sharp." By this time Henry had put the phone on speaker.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"I have your friend, Bartlett. He might not last for long…" The man's scratchy voice pounded its way into Maggie's ears. _He has Jasper? But, he's d- _Maggie stopped herself before she could say it.

Henry started to say something but the phone went dead.

"Maggie," Henry said, "don't listen to him, Jasper's. . . gone."

"I know, but-" Maggie stopped herself.

_No use in getting our hopes high, right?_

That little phrase should give you a clue;) Until then, review!:D


	18. Chapter 18

**I changed something in Chapter 16 so read it if you haven't seen the changes!:)**

Jasper sighed. He was waiting for Charlie to come back. The man had given him clothes to wear which were a little too big for him and now he was going to get Jasper more water for his throat. He heard a clatter, like bricks falling onto sheet metal.

"Charlie?" Jasper called out. "Are you okay?" Eerie silence answered him.

"Charlie?" Jasper cautiously called out again. He stood up from his chair and took slow, silent steps toward the hall. As he entered the cold, dark hall that was only illuminated by the early morning light, Jasper immediately sensed something was wrong but he didn't get to dwell on the thought because as soon as he finished it, he felt something suspiciously like a book hit him in the head. Jasper turned around, a _What the freak? _expression on his face. Jasper looked at the person's hand and saw that it really _was _a book.

"A book?" Jasper's shrill voice questioned while his eyebrows furrowed together. "Really?" The person shrugged. He shook his head and his eyes caught the gleam of something that was in the person's hand. Jasper realized what it was. It was a needle, filled with a greenish yellow substance. It was filled to the top and before Jasper could think of what it really was, the person's hand shot out, faster as a viper, and stabbed it into Jasper's arm, injecting the weird liquid. He immediately felt woozy and was seeing double everything. The next thing he knew, Jasper was unconscious.

_**/x/**_

The church bell tolled eight o' clock. Maggie scanned her eyes over the park, which was teeming with activity, looking for anyone who looked like they were looking for someone but to no avail. Maggie had gone, after telling Henry that she wouldn't go, because she really wanted to know if they really had Jasper, or, rather, his body. Maggie waited for another thirty minutes, standing in the warm sun, trying to find whoever she was trying to find. When the church bell near the park had chimed once again, signaling that it was nine o' clock now, Maggie gave up and walked back home. _I can't believe that they actually had Jasper! I mean, he's gone! _At that thought, Maggie wanted to curl up into a ball. Tears started to stream down her cheeks and Maggie angrily swiped at them with the back of her hand.

"I'm stupid for thinking he would be there." Maggie murmured to herself as she slammed her door closed. She dragged her feet to the kitchen and got a cup of water. As Maggie watched the crisp, clean water filling into the shiny, crystal-like cup, she felt as if her mind was blank. She turned the sink off and leaned against the kitchen island. Raising the glass, she froze mid-sip. Right then and there, the full force of the situation slammed into her like a two ton truck hitting a buffalo. Sure, she was crying when they told her Jasper was gone, but those were confused tears, tears where you people are telling you what's happened but you can't accept so much that you just don't understand.

The glass slipped out of her trembling hand onto the cold, hard tiles, showering the floor with gleaming glass shards and small pools of water. She slid down, her back to the kitchen island. Steady streams of small salty tears cascaded down her face. Maggie clutched her hands to her chest as she felt as if her heart was ripped out repeatedly. Sobs erupted out of her and the small tears turned into big, fat pools of agony, running down her face. She curled up into a ball and toppled over onto the glass shards. It pierced into her back, adding to her pain. Maggie was aware of her blood mixing in with the water, creating a watery red color.

_**/x/**_

"_What are you doing? Let go o-" She was cut off as the man slapped her across the face. A grunt came out of her mouth as his hand came in contact with her cheek. She thrashed around while the man managed to bind her hand behind her with rope. _

"_Yah're a feisty one, aren't yah?" _He stressed the word 'you'._ She noted. She kicked him in the face and he let out a snippy growl. He splashed something in her face and it immediately started to burn. The pain was excruciating, but it passed by and felt as if she were floating on air. _

"_Get a load of what would happen when we tell Sarah her precious daughter lived!" The man's gruff voice called out to his companion._


	19. Chapter 19

_Previously on A&A,_

_ The glass slipped out of her trembling hand onto the cold, hard tiles, showering the floor with gleaming glass shards and small pools of water. She slid down, her back to the kitchen island. Steady streams of small salty tears cascaded down her face. Maggie clutched her hands to her chest as she felt as if her heart was ripped out repeatedly. Sobs erupted out of her and the small tears turned into big, fat pools of agony, running down her face. She curled up into a ball and toppled over onto the glass shards. It pierced into her back, adding to her pain. Maggie was aware of her blood mixing in with the water, creating a watery red color._

* * *

><p>"<em>What are you doing? Let go o-" She was cut off as the man slapped her across the face. A grunt came out of her mouth as his hand came in contact with her cheek. She thrashed around while the man managed to bind her hand behind her with rope. <em>

"_Yah're a feisty one, aren't yah?" _He stressed the word 'you'._ She noted. She kicked him in the face and he let out a snippy growl. He splashed something in her face and it immediately started to burn. The pain was excruciating, but it passed by and felt as if she were floating on air. _

"_Get a load of what would happen when we tell Sarah her precious daughter lived!" The man's gruff voice called out to his companion._

* * *

><p>Maggie pried her eyes open, only to shut them quickly with a groan because of the blinding light. After a few moments, she opened them once again, her eyes finally adjusting after a second. She lay down there on the floor with the ecstasy of morning amnesia. She stretched out, not yet noticing that she was on the floor, nor the shards of glass that sparkled beside her. As she stretched out, she felt a sharp pain in her back. Maggie yelped as she shot up, now aware of everything.<p>

As Maggie stood up, the pain in her back got worse and she noticed the glass shards and spots of dried blood. The previous day soon came back to her and she leaned against the kitchen island for support. Maggie stood there, eyes fixed on the floor, for who knows how long, until the phone rang. She shook herself out of her trancelike state and went to go pick up the phone. She caught it just in time for the last ring.

"Hello?" Maggie asked, exhausted.

"Hey, doll, remember me?" The voice that had talked to her yesterday sounded as Maggie resisted the urge to throw the phone and run. "Listen up, I've gotta deal . . ."

* * *

><p>Jasper wriggled around the sack despite the raging headache that left him wanting to go back to sleep. The last thing he remembered was being hit by a book and the gleam of metal in the dark corridor that was illuminated by the last feeble rays of moonlight. Someone started to yell, whether it was directed at him, he didn't know, but he continued to wiggle around the sack. He instantly regretted continuing the action because a moment later he was hit by something particularly hard. Jasper whimpered out an <em>'ow'<em> and stopped moving.

As he lay in the sack, he tried to think about where he was. He racked his brain but it made his head pound harder. He groaned and as soon as it left his mouth he wished it hadn't. Someone smacked him with whatever they had. When it made contact with his face, a ringing sound sounded through his ears. _A pan, yep, definitely a pan. Seriously, where do they get all these things? _Jasper thought as his raging headache turned into something much, much worse.

"Stop moving and shut up!" The gruff voice called again. Jasper felt something warm trickling down the side of his face but he didn't dare to lift his hand and see if it was as to not risk being hit again. For a while, things were quiet except for the occasional vulgar joke and laughs that would follow soon after, something that sounded like strangled cats.

After what felt like hours later, the car stopped to a halt and Jasper's body slammed into the seats in front of him. He held in a groan of pain and stayed quiet. He heard the doors slamming closed and he felt a door next to him open.

He felt himself being dragged forward and tried to resist but was hit again.

"You never do listen, do yah?" The gruff voice that had yelled at him earlier said.

Outside, he was starting to untie the bag. As soon as the bag fell Jasper was blinded by a bright light that may have been the headlights of another car. He didn't have time for his eyes to readjust before the man started to drag him out of the car.

He stumbled along, still not being able to see, but nonetheless began thrashing around after the first few steps. He tried to wrench himself from his grasp but his attempts were futile.

After the light faded in his eyes, he examined his surroundings as best as he could because he was still drowsy. His vision was still blurry and it made him feel as if he were looking through glasses that weren't the right prescription for him.

From what he could make out, he was being dragged toward a warehouse. It was worn down and paint had begun the peel off long ago. Dented sheets of scrap metal and dirty bottles filled with liquids that were so thick and poisonous looking it wouldn't have surprised Jasper if he stuck his hand in it and his skin would have been missing a few patches. The dirty bottles led to a lake that was equally as dirty as them. Jasper swore he saw a few dead fish floating on the surface of the murky water.

The sky was a darkish sort of blue so it might have been dusk.

He hauled him through the door and he tried to break free again. Startled, his captor let him go and he ran for it. Jasper passed the river but before he could get any farther, a car stopped right in front of him, barring his way. He was then grabbed from behind and thrown on the ground.

"Listen, kid," The man spat. "Yah're gonna listen to me, got it? 'Cuz if ya don't, things are gonna get ugly as hell."

"You mean as ugly as your face?" Jasper raspy voice snapped.

In response, the man started to send punch after painful punch onto him. For good measure, he threw in a few kicks. As his foot made contact with Jasper's rib cage he heard a crack and winced as he continued the assault a few more times. He groaned as he held his hand up to where the crack had sounded. His assailant smirked and let out a self-satisfied '_hump._'

He grabbed onto his other arm and started dragging him through the same path they had taken a few minutes ago. When they reached the old warehouse, he locked the door behind them.

"Giando! Is that you?" A voice called out from somewhere.

"It's me! I brought the other brat!" Giando called out. Jasper turned his head and finally got a good look at him.

_ Big, wide, and ugly. _The words that popped into his mind at once.

Giando had dark, curly hair that was cropped short to his head. His slit-like eyes were a mixed shade of a crude brown and green. The countless green specks in his eyes were like small little crooked lines, as if it each were to mark every wrong deed he had done. He had broad, bulky shoulders with an equally thick neck to match. The cruel man had a gun attached to his belt and Jasper thanked the Lord that he hadn't used it when he had attempted his feeble escape. He looked like one of your typical bad guys, but what set him apart were the large welts that speckled his face like reversed moon craters. The ridges in his skin were highlighted by a seemingly permanent sneer. It was caused by a whip, no doubt, but who had lashed out a whip at him and what had he done to deserve that sort of pain?

Jasper mentally punched himself. He shouldn't feel pity for what this world considered a man, but he couldn't help it, he _always _tried to see the good in other people, no matter what that have or might have done. It was a habit he had caught himself doing whenever he had to deal with the usual school bully. But this man Giando was no ordinary school bully; he was something much, much worse.

Giando threw him on the uneven concrete with such force that when Jasper landed on his knees, the excruciating throbbing in his ribs vibrated throughout his body, almost making his body tremor with the agonizing pain. The pain stole his breath away. He carefully sat down, gasping for breath and clutching his side. Jasper kept his head down.

"Look at me!" Giando commanded. When Jasper didn't comply, he grabbed his chin and forced his head up. "Didn't I tell you to look at me?" Jasper spat in his face. Giando growled and wiped it off with the back of his hand.

"I would have looked at you, but you're just too ugly." Jasper sneered at him, something he thought he'd never do. In response Giando kicked him again. He walked away and left him there.

As he lowered his head, brown orbs caught brown.

"Jasper?" A familiar voice called out.


End file.
