Like a Train Wreck - 49. Chapter 49: Graduation

"I can't believe it's almost over." Miracle looked at Issac, sitting out on the football field during lunch period. "Are you going to miss it?"

"Not really, you?" Issac asked.

"I'm kind of the sentimental type. Plus, it's like my biggest fear is the closest that it's ever been." Miracle laid back in the grass.

"And what is that?" Issac laid beside him.

"Being just out and...without a direction." Miracle said.

Issac frowned. "So long as I'm here, you will have something." He looked up. "I have to ask though, what is the story with Mr. Danes? I...uh..saw the video. I don't know who did it but someone made a website and put the video up."

Miracle closed his eyes. "Great." He sighed. "It's not complicated, I filmed it to try and blackmail him, to make him be the kind of boyfriend I wanted him to be. Really he wasn't a boyfriend at all. It didn't work and...well it was my friends idea to send a copy back to Australia way later, to get the revenge they felt I should have gotten to start with."

Issac nodded. "Well at least you won't have to deal with him long. Maybe nothing will come of it."

"Maybe." Miracle opened his eyes and that was when Tara, Dayna and Aiden came into his sight as they walked up around them. "Well, hello."

"We figured we would hang out." Tara sat down in the grass. "We should take advantage of the time before we all go off into the world."

Dayna sat down with Aiden. "Easy for you two to say. I'm doing community college. It's the only way I can stay home and keep pulling the income in."

Issac rolled his eyes. "I don't need your stupid Dad."

"You won't work." Dayna shook her head.

"Well, my Dad sends money." Miracle sat up.

"Good, move in and help out." Dayna smiled.

Issac grinned and sat up aswell. "I wouldn't mind you moving in, though my reasons would be entirely different."

"I'm really not ready for it to end." Miracle frowned. "I'll be a finger print. Just something left behind, never remembered, never seen, noticed, never touched."

"That's not true." Aiden shook his head.

"I know it is true, I don't know how I know it but I just do." Miracle took a deep breath. "But I'll be okay, I have no other choice than to be okay."

"Miracle, this would be unusual but...Miss Alexander being who she is, I'll bet I could make you part of my speech, we could make it together or you could do an opening for me." Tara looked at Aiden. "You could make that happen, right? Shes your Aunt."

Miracle's eyes widened. "I would be terrified."

Tara smiled. "Make yourself not be, you want to be remembered, right?"

Miracle looked down, his eyes watering. "More than anything."

"Then I'll make it happen." Aiden said.

Issac wrapped his arms around Miracle and pulled him close, then he looked at Tara and Aiden. "Thanks." He said.

Aiden nodded at Issac and looked at Tara. "Good idea." He smiled.

"Well I get good ideas, unlike Tanya." Tara rolled her eyes.

Miracle sat up and unzipped his backpack. "I forgot to share this." He pulled out an envelope and showed it to everyone and then pulled out the mug shot of his mother and then a letter. "I don't know how my Dad found me, my real Dad, but...he said in this letter that my Mom was a prostitute...that he arrested her and that I was conceived in jail and he broke her out and..."

Tara looked at the envelope. "Give me that." She grabbed the envelope and looked at it.

"None of it makes sense." Miracle said. "She never said anything like that, nothing about him being a police man and I don't know how he would find me."

"He wouldn't." Tara looked up, annoyed. "My sister has a stack of these in her room, these envelopes. They are supposed to look old, I don't know how she got them stamped like this, maybe our older brother." She looked at the mug shot. "She probably got that picture off facebook, check it, does it look familiar to you?"

Miracle looked at the mug shot and stared at it. "Kind of, I don't get why someone would smile in a mug shot."

"I doubt they would." Tara took the letter and looked at it. "That is Tanya's handwriting." She crumbled it up, angry. "This is all trash." She said, taking all of it and stuffing it into her bag. "Forget about all of it. Shes going to hear from me."

"Miracle.." Daniel waved, standing at the door of the history room.

Miracle rolled his eyes. "Don't you have a class." He walked up.

"Not right now." He grinned. "I wanted to catch you before you go disappearing again."

"Not my fault I disappeared, you did that." Miracle frowned.

"Want to come in?" He gestured towards the room.

Miracle shoved past Daniel and walked inside, turning around as the man shut the door.

"I really didn't think you'd do it, send that video, especially after all that time, it was so random." Daniel said.

"Well my friends thought it would be funny."

Daniel nodded and then suddenly grabbed Miracle by the shirt and yanked him around, slamming him into the wall by the door. "Yeah? Well some didn't get a kick out of it, I sure didn't."

Miracle gasped in surprise and then stared back at Daniel, his eyes narrowed. "Choices have consequences." Miracle ran a hand up his chest and grinned, balling up Daniel's shirt in his hand and he yanked him closer. "You still want me."

Daniel grinned, his hips pressed against Miracle's, his hand kept a firm grip on his shirt as he kept him firmly against the wall. "And if I did?"

"Then you would." Miracle said.

Daniel's hand moved from Miracle's shirt and his fingers grabbed at those short blonde strands and he yanked Miracle's head back. "By the way, I like you as a blonde." Daniel leaned close and let hot breath trail along Miracle's neck. "I wouldn't make the mistake of ever messing with you again." He whispered and then let Miracle go and stepped back. "Get the fuck out of here."

Miracle's eyes shut tight when his hair was tugged on and then he heard those words, when he was released, he looked at Daniel and grinned. "Then it's your loss...again." Miracle pushed away from the wall and walked out of the class room.

Issac stopped and stepped back when Miracle came out of the room, he looked up at Daniel. "What happened?"

"He wanted to say his peace." Miracle closed the door behind himself. "If it makes him feel better." Miracle shrugged and walked down the hall.

"So, I wanted to have one last session. Aiden tells me that you and Issac plan to go back to New York after graduation." Linda looked up at Miracle. "I am going to give you the files that I have here, I hope that you continue to seek treatment. It takes a long time to reach a point where you...well, where you recover."

Miracle nodded. "Maybe, once Eric is taken care of and I don't have to question if the person is a spy." He shrugged. "The plan is to go stay with my Mom and Craig. I just found out that he proposed to her. They are planning for a wedding in July, that's right around my birthday, the lucky eighteen. So..it should be a very special time."

"You don't sound to excited." Linda said.

"When I say things like eighteen or graduation, it just makes it all so final. I mean, when everything started, I had just turned sixteen and that feels like...forever ago." Miracle wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand. "It's like, I ran out of time. This is it, no more time, I'm on my own. I know that's not true but..it feels like that anyway."

"You're scared, it's a big transition, even the idea of it." Linda said. "That is perfectly normal, Miracle."

"And you can't stop it." Miracle let out a nervous breath.

"But it will be okay, think of your brother."

"I'm not like him." Miracle took several nervous breaths. "I'm not ready." He shook his head. "I..don't want to be grown up yet." His face tensed up, tears rolling down his face.

"It's hard to let go, it really can be but the harder you hold on, the worse that it feels, the more that it hurts. The more you look back, the harder it will be." Linda said with such sympathy as she watched Miracle.

"You're right." Miracle looked down and sniffled and then sighed, calming himself. "Tara wants to make me part of the speech, it's because I told them that I felt like...I would be left behind like a finger print, not seen, not remembered...just carelessly left behind." Miracle looked up. "So she wanted me to feel like I would be remembered. The idea of being on that stage and doing something like that, it scares me."

Linda nodded. "You feel like you would be the only one holding on, clinging, staying behind and because of that, you'd be forgotten." Linda said. "It was nice of her to offer you an opportunity to do something to change that and as scary as it is, I feel like you should push through and do it and then let go. Then you aren't a finger print, nor are you left behind."

"Yeah." Miracle looked up. "But you're supposed to say something meaningful, how am I meaningful?"

"You're strong, you're a survivor, you've gone through things that most of those people in that audiance have never been through. You survived a very rough childhood and the after effects and the things that happened to you not even to long ago, even if it feels like forever ago to you. Think of those things. You survived attempted suicide, you faced the man that hurt you the most, you are so much more stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"I'll try to keep...that in mind." Miracle nodded.

Linda gathered the files into a neat stack and shoved them into a small white bag and zipped it up. She stood up and moved to the couch where Miracle sat. "You always keep that in your mind." She hugged him.

Miracle hugged her and closed his eyes and nodded. "I will." He eased back.

Linda smiled and handed the files to him. "You be safe and you be well."

Miracle took the files and nodded. "I will." He managed a smile and then stood up and walked out of the office and then quickly headed out of the house, moving down the steps and around to the side, he lowered to the ground, clutching the files and his eyes shut tight and he cried, hard but quiet.

Tara walked into the doorway of Tanya's room. "Hey."

Tanya looked up from the magazine she was reading and carelessly tossed it aside. "What do you want, mouse?"

Tara walked inside and threw the envelope onto the bed, the mugshot and the letter slipped half way out. "The fuck is this? You know, when you want to pull some shit on my friend, don't leave what you bought on your dresser."

Tanya looked down at the items and then looked over at her dresser where the stack of vintage envelopes were kept. Her eyes narrowed on Tara. "Fuck you."

"You aren't even packed, you better get to throwing your clothes into a suit case if you're going with Sean because God knows you never fold anything." Tara turned around to head out of the room.

"Fold this." Tanya grabbed a pillow and slung it at Tara, only for it to hit the wall.

Tara laughed. "You missed." She walked out in the hall. "Dad! Tanya is being bad again!" She called out as she headed back into her room and closed the door, locking it.

Tanya climbed off the bed and ran out into the hall and grabbed Tara's door knob, trying to get in. "Open this door!" She banged on it.

"Pick the lock, bitch! I'm sure your magazine teaches you how, along with the other bimbo stuff it tells you about!" Tara yelled.

Tanya walked around the corner and through the living room and looked around. "Mom and Dad aren't even home!" She screamed and then heard a knock on the door. She walked over and opened the door.

"You must be Tanya." Miracle said.

Tanya sighed and rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. "Whats it to you?"

Miracle stepped inside. "Well...a lot of things." He pushed the door shut and leaned back against it. "It's bad enough that the world was turned into a lie for me but...then you have to try and turn my own parents and my being brought into existence a lie too." Miracle shook his head. "Kind of pathetic, actually."

Tanya turned around to look at him. "It's a funny story."

"Maybe for fiction." Miracle frowned. "I was subjected to one of the biggest liars in the world and if you only knew what he did, you wouldn't find it funny that you fall into the same category." Miracle then turned around, opened the door and walked out.

Tara stood at the corner of the hall and watched Miracle walk out. "Choke on those words, sister. If you only knew, you'd want to." She turned around and walked off to return to her room.

Tanya waved her arms out. "What the fuck? I don't understand!"

"Are you okay? I hope you're not still nervous." Aiden smiled.

"Yeah, thanks for the costume." Miracle stared at himself in the mirror, adjusting the blue hat. "I feel silly."

Aiden laughed. "You feel silly when you wear anything that's not in your closet. And it's not a costume, it's..." Aiden looked up, having not thought about the meaning of it. "Well, it's like a ceremony thing, like a wedding."

"Still..." Miracle frowned.

"Everyone else will be wearing one, so it'll be completely normal. There isn't a need to feel weird about it and then right after, everyone usually tosses their hats up in the air and then they go off and be with their family and like prom, no one will really pay attention to you." Aiden explained.

"Family." Miracle frowned. "I won't have a family there."

Aiden grinned, he didn't even plan on hinting anything to Miracle or it would of become to obvious. "Well, you can be with me and my Mom."

"Thanks, you have both been like family to me." Miracle turned around. "Maybe that's why, we, us, you and me, maybe that's why it was so awkward. Someone told me that sometimes all you can be to someone is friends, sometimes it just works that way and I think that's how we are." Miracle smiled.

"Yeah, me too." Aiden nodded. "So where's your speech? I wouldn't mind a sneak peak." Aiden laughed.

"I didn't write one." Miracle confessed. "Most of the time, my best, well it comes from my heart, in the heat of the moment."

"That's brave." Aiden said.

"Brave but true." Miracle nodded.

"Just don't be scared, you weren't afraid when we presented our projects. I saw nothing but pure confidence, you have it in you."

"That came from anger though, I don't have anger right now." Miracle shook his head.

"You have a lot to be angry about, every friend that died, the fact that your life was ruined, you were chased away and because of the pressure of being on the run, it hurt you and Jaemin. I know, you like Issac now but..you can't deny how much you loved Jaemin. I've never even heard you tell Issac that you loved him. You have much to be angry about." Aiden nodded.

"I've never told Issac that I loved him, if I did and I don't remember it, well that just goes to show how meaningful it was. I've told him that I liked him, which is weird for me. I've never just liked someone, I've always just dived into the deepest depths, straight to love." Miracle said.

"I think it means that you're learning, really learning." Aiden smiled. "You like someone first..and then eventually, if love happens, then it's great but you have to like them first and it has to be because of them as a person, not just the idea of them making a dream happen."

Miracle smiled. "I do like him as a person."

Linda opened the door and smiled. "Okay, well you two look ready to go." She looked at Aiden and brought a hand up close to her mouth. "This day came way to soon."

"Oh, Mom, don't get sentimental." Aiden laughed and walked over to hug her. "I'll just be in the next state." He smiled.

Miracle's smile faded a little and he looked down, this was it, everyone was moving on after this.

Miracle sat in one of the chairs in the section with the other graduates, Issac on one side, Aiden on the other and Dayna and Tara behind Issac and Aiden.

"Look at that stage...empty and that microphone alter, thing, right in the center. Karma is going to get me. I joked last year about making a speech." Miracle said, letting paranoia get at him.

"What did you say?" Issac grinned.

"If I did something to make a big reputation, maybe I'd get enough attention to make a speech." Miracle paused. "Or something like that."

Tara laid a hand on Miracle's shoulder. "Relax! I'll be up there doing the same thing. At least your timing can be as long or as short as you want it, I have the expectations on me."

"Miracle didn't write a speech." Aiden said.

"You didn't?" Tara's eyes widened.

"I do my best in the moment." Miracle said as the Principal stepped up to the microphone and started talking.

"Positive thoughts, just keep positive thoughts. Or better yet, just keep your mind on what you're saying, what you are telling, if you speak from the heart, I know for a fact that everyone will be touched by it." Aiden nodded.

"I'll try." Miracle said as they started calling people and then he looked back to where the parents and families were, way in the back and the snap shots were already starting.

"Miracle, my Mom will take pictures of you." Aiden said, though he knew of someone else that would be doing the same, however this was something that wasn't intended to come out until after.

"Aiden Alexander!" Aiden heard his name announced and he smiled and patted Miracle's shoulder and stood up to go get his diploma. He smiled seeing Aiden on stage and clapped for him and then grabbed his phone and took a few pictures, wanting something to remember him by. He then watched him walk off stage as more names went on being called.

"Even that is nerve wrecking." Miracle took a deep breath.

"I remember Tanya graduating..." Tara grinned. "She blew kisses at everyone and spoke in the microphone, telling everyone she loved them and they had to usher her off the stage. All the outcast kids started booing her." Tara sat back. "I'm kind of glad I wasn't to much of a mean girl. I mean...I would be a little bit of a bitch if they got around me but other than that, I minded my own business."

"Well that was just obnoxious." Miracle said. "You're supposed to speak, I'm sure you will be respected."

"Part of me wonders..." Tara said. "I mean I did most of the school year out of the country. I hope they don't hold that against me."

"I'll take care of it, I'll explain why you earned it and you did earn it, you could of made a paper about all that bad stuff I told you and you went into the office with nothing." Miracle looked back at Tara. "That means a lot to me."

Tara smiled. "That stuff shouldn't of been made a school assignment."

"Miracle Hart!" The announcer eventually called out.

Miracle's eyes widened. "Oh no..."

"Oh yes, go get 'em!" Tara pushed at Miracle.

He stood up and gave Tara a playful glare as he walked up onto the stage, his nerves felt like shattering glass. He breathed heavily and his hand shook as he took the diploma and then watched the announcer.

"This is an unusual event but as per the valedictorian's request, she wanted an opening speech, so if you will." He gestured towards Miracle and stepped back, taking a seat in a chair set up on the stage.

Miracle let out a breath and walked up to the microphone and stared at the huge crowd and forced himself to take a breath back in before he suffocated.

"Well, as you may or may not know, I haven't been here for very long and...I finally found a place to call home. I haven't had that in the longest time." Miracle said, nervous, yet already his emotions were taking over. "I made new friends and..I appreciate each and every one of them. I came from a bad place, I've been hurt, a lot. And it's easy to cry but...someone told me that the fact that I'm here now, well, it means I'm a strong person, even if I doubted it. I've been to really dark places and I've been saved from them. I guess what I really mean by all of that is that, life can be so painful, it can hurt so bad, sometimes it can even make you want to end it."

Miracle paused and wiped his face. "But then at the same time, when you find the right things, the right places, the right people, it can be so wonderful, it's like the flip of a coin. They say the balance has to be there, you can't enjoy the good without the bad. I don't really believe that, I think I could always enjoy the good, even without the bad. I was scared of this day, I wasn't ready to leave, I wasn't ready to grow up but for those that are, if you have a plan, follow it, don't be lost." Miracle bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes.

"The valedictorian.." He opened his eyes. "We hated each other, we were given an assignment to get to know each other, to write about it, though we both know it was just to make us be friends. If any of you think that she doesn't deserve it, well I hope you don't think that. Having her understand me, it meant the world." Miracle closed his eyes and quickly left the stage, surprisingly hearing the applause following behind as he went behind the stage with the others.

"See? They loved it." Aiden smiled.

Miracle hugged Aiden, who in return, wrapped his arms around Miracle. The announcer got up and went back to the microphone and announced Tara's name before stepping back.

Tara smiled and stood up and walked over to the stage and up the steps. She smiled and took her diploma and the announcer took his seat again as she settled at them microphone and laid her written speech out.

"First of all, I want to thank you for your support of my dear friends opening speech. I did it this way because it meant a lot to him and I wanted to do something special for him. He was terrified to come up here and I want to thank you for letting him know that there was no reason to be afraid." She looked down at her paper.

"I know some of you may not feel that I have the right to be up here, that I took a majority of the year in classes out of the country. I had excellent grades and because of the mentioned assignment, they were transferred here. Again, some of you feel that it might not be fair. But as my friend implied, we are proof that two people that hated each others guts can end up being friends in the end. And I think that sends an important message, that petty things are not worth hate and that is why I feel like I am where I am today.

Tara looked down at her paper."Some friendships will be lost as we move on, some may remain, the most important thing that we take with us are the good memories and the dreams that we have." She looked up. "Of course, I was sworn to be a realist here and I hope that you do that as well. The world is not a place to be idealized, it's not always wonderful but it is what you make of it so..as we leave here today, let there be one more day without worries, let there be one more wonderful day with friends and with family and the rest will come as it may." Tara smiled at the applause that followed and she walked off stage and headed around the back.

"You did a good job." Miracle smiled and hugged her.

"Well thank you." Tara laughed. "For something I whipped up real quick after Tanya ruined the original one, I think it was better though." She nodded.

Issac ran over. "Hey, guys! It's time!"

Aiden grinned and grabbed Miracle's hand as the group ran around the stage again and into the group of graduates.

Miracle laughed nervously. "Is this the part?"

Aiden laughed. "Yes and it only lasts a second." He pulled Miracle's hat off and put it in his hand. "Just wait until everyone else does it."

Miracle nodded and looked around and then when he saw everyone toss their hats up, he threw his up aswell and they all went into the air and then came sailing down to the ground. A sigh escaped.

Aiden grinned. "We got a surprise for you, me, Mom and Issac."

"Uh oh...what now?" Miracle laughed.

"Well, it was Aiden's idea, Linda loved it, they asked my opinion and I figured, since we're going back to New York anyway, what the hell?" Issac grinned.

Aiden turned around and grinned as he saw his mother. "I wasn't the only one with family here, Miracle."

Miracle stepped closer and looked around Aiden to see Erica walk along with Linda and his eyes widened and a smile appeared. "Mom! Over here!"

"We're coming!" Erica laughed as she moved through the crowd and then ran for Miracle and wrapped him up in the tightest hug. "I have missed you so much, and to see you again, on this day!" Erica pulled back, her eyes tearing up. "I love you so much, baby. So much."

Miracle smiled and then took his Mom's hand. "And that's your engagement ring, it's beautiful."

Erica smiled. "I know. Want to know something hilarious? I made Craig promise he'd put Martha's ring on my finger, just something for me to laugh about."

Miracle laughed. "That is so like me...or rather I'm so like you!"

"We're apples, we fall from the tree and land side by side." Erica looked around. "Where is Jaemin?"

Miracle's smile faded. "He left, said he was going back to New York, you haven't seen him?"

"Nope, haven't seen or heard a thing." Erica shook her head.

"We broke up." Miracle waved at Issac and motioned for him to come over. "This is Issac, he's coming back with me, or, well, us."

"I hope you don't mind if my sister comes." Issac said and then he smiled and shook Erica's hand. "It's really nice to meet you."

Erica smiled and let go of Issac's hand. "Are you kidding? The pretend daughter I never had." She looked between them. "I'm sorry you and Jaemin broke up though. You guys had a strong relationship." She shook her head, figuring it wasn't a good time to talk about it. "Anyway, I got here because Craig set up a private jet, so when we get back, you will be totally under the radar, Eric won't even know your back."

Miracle went quiet and looked away. "Might not be entirely true."

Erica looked concerned. "Why?"

"Eric has been having you followed." Miracle said. "Issac hacked into his phone and heard the conversation."

"Oh no..." Erica sighed. "He had me taken to a base, the plane took off from there, talk about obvious." She shook her head. "But he couldn't of known where I went, would of took him to much time to get a plane ready to even follow my jet and even still, he could assume I just went to visit, I'll just have to arrive back alone and we'll figure out a way to get you both there."

"Well, we'll figure it out, later." Miracle nodded.

Back at Linda's house, she had already set up for a party and was sorting through the food, getting ready to cook it on the grill when Erica came out with the cooler, pulling it by the wheels.

"And the booze is here!" Erica grinned.

"What?" Linda's eyes widened.

"Chill, would you rather them drink here or go out and do it somewhere else? Being a little obsessive with nostalgia comes in handy sometimes, you know what they will do." She looked up. "By the way, love some speakers outside, music is great." Erica smiled.

"See? My Mom is a cool Mom." Miracle nodded. "Though yours is too." He smiled at Aiden and climbed onto the trampoline and started jumping with Issac and Dayna. "I can't do flips."

"I can." Issac grinned and then jumped and did a flip.

Linda put a few hot dogs on the grill. "So you're the friend type of parent?"

Erica grabbed a beer out of the cooler and popped it open and took a sip. "Well to be honest, as you may already know, I didn't exactly raise Miracle. He was sixteen when I reunited with him, I mean I did his toddler years and all that but he was five when...well when it happened." Erica walked over to Linda. "So, I just...level with him. I mean I don't see that I have the right to come back into his life all authorative and at the same time, like I said, at least when they are with you, well, you know they are safe."

Linda nodded. "I never said you didn't have a good point."

"I do have a good point. Miracle snuck out of the house, went out to clubs, at least I know he did it once and it got him attacked, so if I have him with me, let him be free to break some rules too, at least he's doing it where I can protect him." Erica shrugged.

Linda nodded and smiled. "Well, I think that is a wise way to be. They will all eventually do it sometime and maybe it's not so much the drinking it's self but the things it causes."

"Oh, of course, driving drunk, meeting strangers, taking off with them. Think about Natalee Holloway." Erica took a sip of her beer.

"I don't know why they make that such a mystery..."

Erica grinned. "It's obvious that he put her in the ocean." She shook her head. "Of course it's a tragedy but come on, get a clue people, he had her on the beach, why not hope that the waves carry her out to sea?"

Miracle let his feet fall out from under him and he fell onto the trampoline and bounced a few times until he stopped and laughed. "I'm tired."

Issac jumped off the trampoline, flipped and twisted through the air and landed feet first on the ground, slightly bent at the knees and then stood upright. "And that is how I stop jumping."

"Show off." Dayna said as she simply slid off the trampoline along with Aiden.

Erica walked down the steps and sat her beer on the picnic table near by and clapped her hands. "Okay guys, come here. Momma has a game plan." She grinned.

Miracle laughed and hopped off the trampoline and followed the others as they all walked up to Erica. "Momma? It's funny to hear you say that."

"Well I am." She grinned at Miracle. "Okay, what we're going to do is fly to St. Louis where Craig has another FBI jet waiting, you three.." She pointed at Issac, Miracle and Dayna. "You will take the second jet to another New York base. I'll return to the original so that I appear to arrive alone. Don't get off the jet or go anywhere until I call and tell you that Craig and I are at home. A taxi will be ordered and waiting for you, best Miracle wear a hoodie, something to hide his face and he sits in the middle. Neither of you two will be recognized."

"Mom, I really didn't inherit your smart gene, why?" Miracle shook his head.

"Because my impulsive one was probably stronger." Erica grinned. "Still, Eric will know something is up with my leaving in the first place so it's below brilliant but it gets you home safely. I just hope there are no more drive bys."

Miracle grinned. "Drive by isn't funny but I wish I had been there to see you and Martha." Miracle laughed.

"The woman tried to imprison me in her kitchen with a doggy door." She sat her beer on the picnic table. "And I still haven't asked what happened to the dog!"

Issac's eyebrows lifted and he shared a look with Dayna.

"Seriously?" Linda asked, stepping away from the grill for a minute to walk down the steps.

"Yeah, we both got drunk and she was cooking spaghetti and I went to go in the living room to eat and watch tv and she had this doggy door up to keep me in the kitchen. I went to step over it and then we started bitching, she grabbed my bowl and threw it at the wall." Erica shook her head. "It was damn good spaghetti to, and then bullets came flying through the window and Hunter had to tackle us down on the floor."

Miracle walked up on the porch and started getting beers for everyone and he headed down to the picnic table and sat them down and then settled down at the table himself as everyone else joined the table.

"Can I call that scary or funny?" Issac asked, opening his beer.

"Well I didn't die, so feel free to laugh, I do." Erica grinned.

"You have very interesting stories to tell." Linda said. "Is it just New York or...?"

Erica shrugged. "I don't know, all that drama with Eric and Craig and Paula and all them, I didn't even know the people when I came around. Miracle wouldn't even be in it if..." She trailed off. "Well, no reason to talk about the ifs."

Aiden sat there, staring at his can of unopened beer. "Uh...if everyone doesn't mind, I think I'm going to do some early packing? Yeah, I planned to go early, Jennifer and I are going to spend the summer together, it gives me the chance to make a quiet adjustment." He then got up and headed in the house.

Miracle made a face. "Be right back." He followed after Aiden and went inside. "What's wrong?"

Aiden turned around. "Our lives." He shrugged. "Your Mom tells all these stories and I can't think of a thing to say, mine is bland and boring in comparison. My Mom seems barely able to keep the conversation going. I think even Issac is a little alienated, interested, sure but...new. And Dayna...well, just as blank as me."

Miracle leaned a shoulder against the wall and nodded. "So do you feel inferior or something? You shouldn't, My Mom tells these stories, and sure, they are funny but in reality, my Mom hasn't gone through nearly as much crap as me and my friends have and really, getting to have a normal life? It would be great, hardly something to call bland and boring."

Aiden shook his head. "Then why do you brag?"

"Because, sadly, it's all we know and...putting some kind of positive spin on it makes it easier to deal with." Miracle sighed.

"And harder for some to relate." Aiden walked up to Miracle. "So, I'm just going to say goodbye here. I'm going to miss you and...I hope you find true happiness, I wish that so much for you."

Miracle slowly nodded and took a deep breath. "Thank you, for everything you've done for me."

"It was never a problem." Aiden kissed Miracle's forehead. "Just uh...be sure to facebook when Eric goes down, I really want that for you."

Miracle smiled and nodded. "When we figure it out."

Aiden nodded and walked down the hall, stopping at his room and he looked back at Miracle one last time before walking in and shutting the door.

Erica walked outside to the rental mini van she had gotten. "So is that everything?" She looked at Issac and Dayna.

"What we can fit." Dayna said. "My Dad will take care of everything else."

"He'll probably burn anything of mine." Issac rolled his eyes.

Erica slowly nodded. "Okay, well New York bound we are then." Erica climbed in the drivers seat, Miracle taking the passenger while Dayna and Issac got in the back.

Across the street and a little ways down but close enough to hear, Philip sat on his motorcycle. He pulled the phone to his ear. "Jack, they are going back to New York."

Erica started the mini van and pulled out of the drive way and headed off down the road. "I'm sorry about the party, I didn't mean to make it awkward.

Dayna shook her head. "It wasn't you, it's just that...when some people hear stuff like that and compare it to their lives, some people might feel a little smaller. I think that's how Aiden felt, maybe even his Mom."

Erica nodded. "I should of had better sense. I grew up in a small town, no mob guys or shootings or crazy messes. I remember being your age and life was really great back then." She smiled. "Really peaceful, actually."

Dayna nodded. "Yeah, Miracle helped me out a lot, made me feel better about myself but I'm still rather shy, I guess you can put the confidence on the girl but you can't bring it out of her."

"You can, sometimes." Miracle said and then he looked back at Dayna. "It just takes some getting used to. I think really what you need is a girl friend, someone to really relate to and when we get to New York, I know just the perfect person to do that." He smiled.

"Well, I really think New York will be a great place for you guys. I really enjoyed it when I got there. And Miracle has got some pretty great friends."

"Yeah, I met one of them." Issac smiled. "His name was Sterling."

"Sterling is a real old friend of Miracle's." Erica then grew quiet.

Miracle looked at his Mom. "What is it?"

"Uh...well, it's not really my place to say or rather, I kind of don't want to be the person to say it." Erica frowned.

Miracle looked out the window. "Bad surprises, I hate those."

Erica frowned and kept driving, Issac grew quiet.

"Uh..what about Faye?" Dayna asked.

"Faye?" Miracle looked back at Dayna and then looked at Erica. "Is there anything about Faye? Faye Carter?"

"Carter? Faye Carter? As in Cody Carter? As in his missing Mom?" Erica slowly shook her head. "Not a thing, why?"

"Well, I kind of called Eric's phone and some how she got hold of it and she told me to locate her and call the police, that he had been holding her captive and that she didn't know where she was. Of course I don't know how to work all the things on Issac's computer so I really didn't know what to do." Dayna explained.

Erica slowly nodded. "I should speak to Craig about that. If we can get evidence, we could get him for it."

"What I heard is not enough?" Dayna asked.

"Well for one, you called from, where?" Issac asked.

"I made the number and the signal from Madagascar." Dayna said.

Erica's eyebrows lifted. "Well, okay...there is that. I don't know what they could do with that. Uh...and then..."

"Eric might say you're lying because you are my friend and I already tried to bait him with it earlier anyway." Miracle interrupted. "And I did that calling from Australia with a man's Florida cell phone."

"And if he hides her good and covers it up real good, which he can, no one tied him to Kyler, Jordan or Skylar, they didn't even get him when he barely escaped after Melanie attacked him. The whole thing could turn into a he said, she said." Erica made a face. "At least I would assume. Craig could tell you better."

"Thing is with Skylar, Rachel is his weak spot. Rachel is Skylar's Mom and she works for him." Miracle closed his eyes. "Which leads me to something I should tell you..."

"What is it?" Erica asked.

"Rachel as in your Rachel, Skylar as in the baby she had with Dad, as in my Dad, as in your ex husband. Jeremy is in New York, Issac hacked Eric's phone, recorded all night and got a phone call between Eric and his father. They talked about it, said they made failed attempts to capture him, didn't know what he was doing, Eric was ordered to send Rachel to distract him from finding you." Miracle explained.

Erica's eyes widened at the realization, she didn't know what to think, much less, what to say. She almost wanted to slam on the breaks but she kept driving, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. She was clearly shocked silent.

Miracle stared at his Mom and then sighed and looked out of the window. "I had to tell you. That's why they have been keeping close tabs on you and Craig."

Erica simply kept driving, she didn't say another word.

"Your Mom's been like catatonic, I'm surprised she could even get her luggage and get on the plane." Issac looked across at Miracle who sat on the other couch.

"Well, I think it's more of a shock to her." Miracle looked at Erica who sat in a chair, faced away from them. "I just have flashes of memory, she actually knew him, loved him and then he sneaks off into the army and mysteriously disappears and then Rachel and Skylar are also in the picture, well, Skylar was in the picture, I don't think she even knows where to begin with it."

"My first question would be, where the fuck did he go?" Dayna said as she looked up briefly and then went back to doodling in her notebook.

"And would that be before or after you dug out the old receipt where you pawned off the ring?" Issac grinned at Dayna.

"It's not a joke." Dayna said.

Issac shrugged. "Damn, just trying to have some fun."

"Was it fun when Mom left for days and you didn't know if she was alive or dead? Was it fun to watch her lay in bed, shooting up needles? Or finding some guy throwing her out of a car when he was done using her? Or thinking about her walking the streets, not knowing if or when a serial killer would pick her up?" Dayna looked at Issac.

Issac frowned. "Okay, Dayna, you really pounded your point into my head. Lets not forget that it was your dear Dad that gave up on her."

"At least he paid for her rehab and her psychiatric facility where she lives safely." Dayna said.

"Yeah and you get the peace of mind of knowing that you have a decent Dad. I don't know how I was conceived. Maybe I was made from one of those guys that pushed her out of the car and into the ditch when he was done?" Issac frowned.

Miracle looked between them. "Stop arguing, the past sucks, I think that's very obvious for all here."

"True, why should you complain, Issac? Miracle had it really bad, at least one of Mom's johns didn't do things to you." Dayna said, still doodling.

"He said stop, Dayna. He didn't say take one more last shot." Issac shook his head and moved over to sit next to Miracle and wrapped his arms around him. "We should be in St. Louis soon."

"And after that...New York again." Miracle closed his eyes.