Like a Train Wreck - 56. Chapter 56: Right Click Save As

Erica walked up the stairs in the stairwell of the parking garage. She stopped on the fourth flight and then turned around. "Sure you like this spot? I might get mad and push you down." She said, sarcastically.

"I know you better than that." Jeremy sighed. "I saw Rachel first."

"I've yet to get my chance with her, not that I've missed it, I just haven't bothered." Erica crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall.

"I was hard on her." Jeremy looked down. "What you both did, it really hurt our kids. What's the worst is that she stood right there and watched it happen, let it happen. You might have been selfish, requiring me and basing whether you wanted our son on that? You should be ashamed, what you got going for you is that at least, maybe you thought he was going somewhere good."

"I was young, we both were, me and you." Erica looked at Jeremy.

"And? That's the excuse? You were young?"

Erica looked at him. "I don't throw around an excuse, just the fact. I was young, and yeah, I was selfish. I wanted you, I stole you from Rachel, broke you up. I named our kid based on the fact that I got what I wanted and he was the product of what I made happen, he completed it. But that's right, completed, without you, the one thing I wanted to begin with, I wanted nothing at all. I regret that every day and when I learned all that happened because of that decision, I hated myself for it. He's forgave me and now I just do all I can to be there for him, to be the best that I can be now."

"And at the time, you really believed he would go somewhere good?" Jeremy asked.

"Of course I did." Erica said.

Jeremy nodded. "I won't lie, I was angry when I found out, again, like I said, Rachel stood there, put our daughter in that situation, fated her to die and she stood there and watched it all happen. She claimed at least she was there to be in control, she never took control."

"And?" Erica shook her head.

"And she threw it around that you weren't, but then usually people give up their kids with the thought that they will go to a nice home. You weren't there to see what happened, you didn't have any control and truth be told, had I just been open and honest with you, maybe that wouldn't of happened. I don't know why, but I can't be as angry with you as I am with her." Jeremy shook his head. "You and Miracle seem to have a way with people."

"So you've seen him, have you told him?" Erica asked.

"No and that is one thing we need to agree on, he can't know yet. And it has to do with why I never came back."

Erica slowly nodded. "And why didn't you come back?"

Jeremy looked at her. "Are you going to argue if I tell you that I can't say right now?"

"You know me, I ask and I get." She tapped the tip of his shoe with the tip of hers. "Remember that."

"Well, I joined the military, as you know..." Jeremy looked up. "Didn't you watch the tape? I mean, did you bother to look, ask, anything?"

"I watched the tape for the first time when I reunited with Miracle, I watched it for him. I didn't care to be told on video that you went back to Rachel." Erica shook her head. "Was I wrong..."

Jeremy looked up and laughed, shaking his head. "Should have taped a note on there, didn't go back to Rachel."

"Would of helped. So, as you were saying?"

"Well, my three month term was coming to an end and I was approached by these men, said they had a job opportunity. They were in suits, so it sounded like maybe something I could do and be at home. Well I had to sign papers to even be told about the job and by then I was told that by signing the paper, I already agreed to the job."

Erica's eyes narrowed at him. "What kind of fucked up people do that?"

"They said that the job was confidential and that the knowledge we gained could only be obtained by accepting the job and we could only obtain the knowledge by signing the paper to which they would tell us nothing until we did. Trickery? At it's best. Now, Erica...you can't tell anyone until I tell you that it's safe."

Erica nodded. "Secret, promise."

"It was the CIA and while under them I was given alternate identities to which I could use at any time on various jobs, different houses, locations all over. It was a lot. Then they put me on this case about Eric, especially when they realized the connection between me and Miracle, when I realized it. They said it would be my final assignment and that they would let me go, we signed a contract, one that I thoroughly read this time. So it's a done deal, once Eric is..dead or in prison, I'm free." Jeremy nodded.

Erica looked down and then ran a hand through her hair. "If only I knew. Hell, the least they could have done was let you send a coded letter."

"They don't care about that stuff." Jeremy shook his head. "And you know who you gave Miracle to? Eric's fake adoption agency. You know what they do? The lady gets your file and gets your child and then Eric comes back and tells you that if you mess with them or try to get your kid back, you will go down for giving them your kid." He shook his head. "They just didn't find you because you left. That's actually when Rachel came, looking for me, and she hooked up with Eric, basically."

Erica looked up. "Can you at least give me your number? A private number or something? For one, my new marriage is probably void now, ours is probably still valid, regardless, we have a child together and I have a right to contact you."

Jeremy nodded and lifted his hand. "Your phone?"

Erica took out her phone and handed it over so Jeremy could put himself into her contacts. When he was done, she took it back and put it back into her purse. "I promise I won't tell, and if I call you, I won't be careless about it, but don't you dare pull it again."

"I don't plan to." Jeremy shook his head.

Erica nodded and walked out of the stairwell.

Miracle walked over to the door way of the dining room and leaned against the frame of the opening. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a job." Jaemin said, looking at the paper.

"Seriously? You're really doing it?" Miracle grinned. "And by the paper?" He almost wanted to laugh. He walked over and sat down at the table on the long side since Jaemin was at the end.

"Miracle, it's part of growing up." Jaemin said.

"You don't think you're grown up? When you've already uh..." Miracle looked around. "Done some pretty grown up things?"

"Kids have done that stuff, and it's nothing to be proud of." Jaemin said.

Miracle grinned and tugged at the corner of the paper. "Hey, I can be the psychic at the car dealership."

Jaemin looked up, wanting to laugh. "So you want to get paid to lie to people?"

"Well whoever gets hired will be doing it, why not? I love to make up stories." Miracle sat back.

"What if they test you? Make you tell them something about their past? Like before they even consider hiring you, to make sure you're real." Jaemin looked at Miracle and grinned.

"I'll tell them my power don't go backwards, it only goes forwards." Miracle shrugged.

"You know what? Go try it out for size, I'm not going to stop you. Learn from experience, if you manage it, should look interesting on your history." Jaemin grinned and looked at the paper.

"Fine, I will." Miracle nodded. "On a serious note, we should be more careful with Issac. He packed up and tried to sneak out, he was going to leave. He feels like the odd one out."

"I know he does." Jaemin sat the paper down and frowned at the news. "I told him that he was just going to have to try, if he can't push past it then there is really nothing either of us can do. I love you and I'm not stepping aside. We broke up and I know I treated you horribly and now that we're back together, I'm not giving you up again."

"But will I give you up?" Miracle stared at Jaemin. "You know, it's pretty shallow that the only difference I make between you and Issac is that you're maturing so much?" Miracle nodded at the paper. "Because you're doing things like this? Doing what's responsible and I just hated it..."

Jaemin looked up at Miracle. "I was just trying to be overly careful, we're home now and given how things happened, I'm pretty sure Eric is going to steer clear, and honestly I worry more about him than this biker gang, they wear freakin jackets that say who they are at the very least."

"So you might cool down a little?" Miracle asked.

"Maybe, but if life has changed me in some ways, I can't control that, not all of it. And I would hope that you didn't hold it against me." Jaemin shrugged. "Because if you're just holding on to Issac to fill in for what I used to be, we're dragging him through pain just so you can use him. I know that sounds ugly but I'm not going to sugar coat it for you."

Miracle looked down and sighed, shaking his head. "You're right and I need to hear it. If I tell him that, if I tell him that he was a filling...it's going to crush him."

"Then don't tell him that. Just tell him that you're letting him go because...you don't want him to spend all his time feeling like he has to prove something. That is a truth in a way."

"Where is he?" Miracle asked.

"He went with Craig this morning, he said he would let Issac see the cyber division, kinda show him some of the technology. They can't show him how to do anything illegal of course, but he's hoping to get something out of it. He didn't tell Craig that was why he wanted to see." Jaemin sat back in his chair.

"The siblings with the parents. Jaemin, I just might get replaced around here. And it's my first chance at being the only child in this family, no more Hunter in the house." Miracle grinned.

"Not true, your Mom adores you and I think after everything, Craig really wants a chance to connect with you. I think Martha being out of the picture was the best thing that could happen, something tells me that she was like a driving force behind how your family was. Your Mom really changed it."

"Yeah, now she just wants to change the house. Martha's flowery living room is icky." Miracle grinned. "If I remember right, my Mom likes black leather. So I see this house growing younger."

Jaemin grinned and shook his head.

"We're back!" Erica opened the door and walked in with Dayna, who quickly retreated to her room. "Miracle?! I got ideas for your room!"

"I'm in here, Mom!" Miracle called out.

Erica grinned and walked into the dining room, tossing her bags on the table. "Okay, so you know how people put rooms over the top of garages? Well, what if we did that? Then Craig can't bitch about the master bedroom."

Miracle looked up at her. "But that's building a room, wouldn't that cost a fortune?"

Erica looked around and shrugged. "Well, I kinda wondered if, maybe, we could pick your room up and sit it ontop of the garage and then add more wall and floor to equal the square footage? I mean, people pick up and transport houses, so why not a room?"

Miracle grinned. "Call Craig and ask, put it on speaker phone."

"He probably won't argue at work." Erica grabbed the phone and dialed Craig's number and then put it on speaker and sat it on the table and listened to the rings.

"Hello?" Craig answered.

"Hi, baby! It's me! Look, I hope you have a minute, I had a new idea about Miracle's room." Erica grinned.

"Let me close the office door." Craig said, shutting the door. He grinned and sat at his desk. "So what is this new idea?"

"Well, you know how people build rooms over the garage? I was thinking we could do that, sort of. But wouldn't it save money if we just picked up Miracle's room and sat it on top of the garage and added extra wall and floor to make up the square feet?" Erica looked at the boys.

Craig started laughing. "First of all, that would deform our house, their would be a dent where his room used to be. What would we do with a dent?"

Miracle grinned and pulled his legs up in the chair.

"Build a hollow wall to hide it?" Erica raised her eyebrows.

Jaemin wanted to laugh.

"That's like putting tape on broken glasses. If we wanted to sell the house, it would be devalued." Craig shook his head. "You should know better, you had to sell your house in Nevada."

"Yeah, but I didn't have to do anything to it." Erica said. "We could always just play it off like a joke room..." She started grasping at straws. "Like...here's our conspiracy theory room and...the hollow wall opens and it's just...a piece of yard and they can toss stuff in it."

"Are you really trying to convince me, or are you playing now?" Craig asked.

Erica grinned. "Playing a little. When I start grasping at straws, I start to have fun."

Craig laughed. "It's a good idea at concept, but in the end we would have to put another room there. So all in all, if we did that, we would be better just to build a room on top of the garage from nothing. And yes, that would be expensive, especially when you count all the cosmetics that he wants."

"Okay, well, can't say I didn't try." Erica shook her head.

Craig grinned. "I have to get back to work."

"Bust some hookers for me." Erica grinned. "Love you."

"Love you too." Craig hung up.

"Mom, he's not a cop, he's FBI, he doesn't bust street hookers." Miracle said.

"Well, he'd go out and do it for me." Erica joked and grabbed her bags, leaving the room, humming.

"I love your Mom." Jaemin laughed.

"I think we all do." Miracle smiled.

Erica walked into the bed room and shut the door, tossing the bags onto the bed. "He'll get his room, he deserves it and I know just who's going to get it for him." She dug through her purse and pulled out her phone.

Erica grinned. "Mr. CIA, money in the bank, you owe us." She whispered and looked at the door and then went into her contacts and hit Jeremy's name as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door, turning the shower on.

"Erica? This soon? A shower in the background? Nice, very you." Jeremy grinned.

"Oh, there's going to be a lot of very me's." Erica said. "Our son wants his dream room and you're going to pay for it. You got the money and you owe it. You damn owe me but you definitely owe him."

"Oh, so this is how it's going to be? Okay, fine, you're right. I do owe him and I have no problem doing that for him. How are you going to explain getting the money? You got a job? Exactly what kind of room does he want?"

Erica locked the bathroom door and waved her hand, the steam getting on her nerves. "He wants a room built over the garage, it'll have to be built from scratch with a floor to ceiling, corner to corner window, theater lights that change and fade colors, chandelier that does the same, he wants a corner to corner, ceiling to floor water fountain with a rock background and a gold light, a private bath with a gold garden tub, on a pedestal with steps and gold sinks..."

"Woah...woah woah..." Jeremy stopped her. "So he wants a room from cribs?"

Erica sighed. "He deserves to get every little piece of that dream room."

"We're talking about a million dollar room. You never went to college, did you do it while I was gone? What kind of job do you have? How do you plan to explain where you get the money?" Jeremy asked.

"I'll win the lottery." Erica shook her head.

"Right when he wants it? How convenient." Jeremy couldn't help but to laugh a little. "Now I know where he gets his impulse from."

"He actually asked for it a while ago and we've gone over various ideas, so no, I don't think it would be convenient." Erica said. "And even so, how is anyone going to figure it out? It's just luck, they can't explain a thing. That's what the CIA does, right? They make stuff happen and they don't get caught." Erica was careful to keep her voice low.

"In fact, forge me a lottery ticket and I'll just luckily win right in front of everyone." Erica suggested.

"Yeah and when there is no proof that you didn't buy it from anywhere? No footage? They would say it would be sloppy for starters, even if you think no one would care, they care about stuff like that, and they don't do personal stuff for people anyway."

"You know, when you owe your son, you seem really stubborn to try and get out of this." Erica unlocked her bathroom door and looked outside, seeing that everything was still like it was. She shut the door and locked it again.

"No, I seem really careful. If I could write you the check, I'd tell you to come meet me right now. I would love nothing more than to give him a room like that, he deserves it, I believe that just as much as you."

"Write a check?" Erica started to laugh but then quickly covered her mouth. "Paper trail? That's really careful. What happens if I deposit that into the bank?"

Jeremy shook his head. "Erica, I got emotional, give me a break."

"Just think about it, please? I want to give him the room, and trust me, when you tell me that I can say something, he'll know that you helped me do it." Erica ran a hand through her hair.

"I'll think about it. You have to contact me though, I can't text or call, and guard that phone like you're still a teenager and Daddy is going to find your dirty pictures in it."

Erica rolled her eyes. "Funny, I get it. Bye." Erica hung up and then turned the shower off.

Miracle sat at the table in the car dealership and smiled at the manager who sat down in front of him.

"So..you..want the psychic job?" The man asked, looking at Miracle as if he were judging his appearance.

"Yes and my powers say I'm going to get it." Miracle smiled. "My powers also say that by hiring me, your sales will increase because due to my..special ability, people will have more confidence, with future knowledge, they will feel safer in investing their money into your vehicles."

The man grinned at Miracle's pitch. "That's the perfect thing to say, kind of pitching someone what they want to hear, don't you think?"

"Maybe so, but it's the future that I see, and if you disbelieve in me, you change that future, this is the very moment that you decide that fate." Miracle stared at the man and folded his arms on the table.

"Why don't you tell me my future, personally?" The man asked, leaning forward in an interested manner.

"Well for starters, I know you think I'm a fraud, do I win a point there?" Miracle asked.

"Go on." The man grinned.

Miracle stared at the man and then looked at an employee that walked off in the background, catching his name tag. "Larry is planning a huge robbery. Like one that no one has ever seen. I think he is affiliated with a gang, like ten or more cars get stolen, he has access to the keys, am I right?"

The manager sat back, appearing thoughtful yet he was still very skeptical. "Yes, if he takes people on test drives."

"Well, if you want to save those cars, you better uh...turn him into a janitor or something." Miracle said, not wanting to cost the man his job.

The manager grinned. "What else do you see?"

"Oh and I would suggest telling his family, maybe they can help him get out of the gang. Then maybe in time you can trust him with his privileges again." Miracle said, really trying to make up for his lie.

"Sure, go on, what else do you know?" The manager was entirely amused at this point.

"Well.." Miracle looked at him thoughtfully. "I don't think it's right that you keep pumping me for personal gain under the pretense that you're trying to verify my eligibility for this job."

The manager started to quietly laugh. "I tell you what, I got your number, I am sure you will predict my ring before it happens."

"Okay." Miracle nodded. "Thanks..for your time." Miracle stood up and walked away from the table.

"Well, I got a job." Jaemin grinned as he walked into the kitchen.

Erica looked up from where she was slicing an apple. "Where at?"

"A morgue."

Erica stopped slicing the apple and laid the knife down and looked up at him. "Are you serious?" She stared at him. "Well, it would uh...match you." She waved a hand at his look.

Jaemin laughed. "No, I'm kidding."

"Good, Miracle would have probably wanted to see a body or something. Hell, I don't know how he would of reacted." Erica picked up the pile of slices and put them in a bowl.

"I think of those crazy people that say the bodies turn them on and they do things with them." Erica turned around and grabbed a salt shaker. "Creeps me out, if one of them does anything to my body, I am haunting them forever."

Jaemin's eyebrows lifted. "Nice thought, really comforting."

"Hey, you don't have to worry. It's creepy men...and females are the most common victims." Erica started salting her apple slices.

"Well, Craig's FBI, so he probably knows the people." Jaemin said.

"Huh." Erica shook her head and sat the salt shaker down. "You never know them, they're sneaky. They get done and know how to clean up the mess and then they dress you up and do you up and you're all ready for the funeral."

"That's morbid." Jaemin's eyes widened.

Erica laughed. "That's real." She shook her head. "So did you really get a job at all or was it all a joke?"

"Maybe you should talk to Craig about your concerns." Jaemin suggested, wanting to see what kind of conversation that stirred up. "It would entertain us."

Erica grinned. "Only because my son loves you. Now, did you get a job?"

"Well, this library near by is going to consider me. Doesn't seem like me at all, does it? I just wanted to shoot for anything that wasn't stereotypical." Jaemin said.

"I think something like that could work for you." Erica ate an apple slice. "And, I mean, you would be surrounded by so much interesting knowledge. I think that was a good choice, I hope you get it."

"Want to know what Miracle did?" Jaemin grinned.

Erica looked up. "What?"

"Car dealership psychic."

Erica started laughing. "Getting paid for telling stories, hey, that's fun. I would do it."

Craig walked in. "Hey guys." He sat his brief case down.

Jaemin looked at Erica. "Well?" He grinned.

Erica looked at Jaemin. "Okay." She looked up at Craig. "I have a concern."

"What is it?" Craig asked.

"It's about when we die. I don't trust no one, those morgue people are creepy, they know how to..." She looked at Jaemin and winked at him. "They get it on, you know? I mean they know how to get it done and clean up their mess and have you all done up and clean for the funeral and you never know." Erica crossed her arms.

Craig started laughing and he looked up at Erica. "Half the time, I don't know when you're serious. These kids love when you start with me."

Erica tried not to laugh and she tried to look concerned. "It's serious. Haven't you ever come across it in your line of work? Or do they just all get away with it? I'm telling you, they're sneaky."

Craig grinned and took a deep breath. "What would make you feel better?"

"I don't think nothing could, that's why I'm talking to you. I mean, I'm sure that you know people but, really, they're sneaky, you don't know them. And, I guess the family could guard and make sure, but...you don't want your family to see it. So what do you do?" Erica brought a hand to her mouth.

"How about...you just live in the moment?" Craig grinned. "Isn't that easy for now?"

Erica nodded. "Okay, I'll just do that."

"Good." Craig smiled and grabbed one of her apple slices and walked out of the kitchen.

Jaemin grinned.

"Happy? Wasn't the best, really a morbid topic." Erica grinned and shook her head. "He stole an apple slice..."

"And he's FBI." Jaemin laughed.

"I know, they think they can do all the crimes they want." Erica shook her head.

Miracle laid in bed, in the middle with Issac and Jaemin, lights out and the television on. He laughed. "It's been ten minutes and they have been standing in that town, just looking awkward and haven't found a single clue."

"This show is so cheesy." Jaemin grinned.

"Well, it's because...well, it's X-Files. And they take these investigators and put them in these places where they just don't look right, their wardrobe don't even fit. It's like sticking Law and Order on Bay Watch all day." Miracle waved his hand at the tv.

"It's kind of like they try to make a protest out of every episode against some kind of belief system." Issac said.

Jaemin laughed. "Or maybe you could stick Carrie on Titanic, if you catch her in the right mood, she might keep it floating, though if you zap her in there after shes pissed off, she makes it ten times worse!"

Miracle laughed. "Hey, get that guy to give Carrie that big blue diamond, she'll cheer up."

"Power Rangers and Buffy." Issac grinned. "She'd be outnumbered."

Miracle gasped. "Oh no! Buffy would kick their ass. Plus she has Faith."

"Depends on the season." Issac grinned at Miracle.

"And she has Angel and Spike, and really, she doesn't even need any of them." Miracle said.

"Again, depends on the season." Issac laughed.

"She would still stomp them. She fought Glory, that woman can throw you at a cement wall and Buffy's bones cracked the wall, not the other way around." Miracle shook his head. "If you're in my bed, Buffy wins."

"Mean Girls and The Lost Boys." Jaemin grinned.

Miracle laughed and then got up and climbed off the foot of the bed. "They become a gang!" He said.

Jaemin sat up and laughed. "Then where do they go?"

"Fast and Furious, that's where they get their cars." Miracle said just before glass shattered and he jumped back as a rock with a cell phone landed on the floor at his feet.

Issac and Jaemin's eyes darted towards the window and then Jaemin looked down. "Is it your phone?" Jaemin asked.

Miracle looked at the window and then down at the phone. "No, it's a new one. How nice of them." His eyes then widened as it lit up and rang, Philips picture and name coming up. "Should I be surprised?"

"Oh my god." Jaemin leaned down and just picked up the rock and laid it on the bed, not even bothering to untie the phone. He tapped the speaker. "Hello?"

"Jaemin! Hi! It's been a while." Philip grinned.

"Not long enough. So what's the point of this? Miracle's not broke, he has another phone, probably just toss this one in the trash." Jaemin shook his head.

"Well, I was hoping that he would keep it just for me." Philip laughed.

Miracle narrowed his eyes and grabbed the rock and pulled the phone free from it. "You better hope that your prints aren't on this phone."

"Oh, my prints aren't on the phone but I would love to leave them on that body of yours. I must say, you look nice in only underwear. Really picture worthy." Philip said.

Miracle's eyes widened and before he could say anything, Jaemin snatched the phone from him.

"You leave him alone, you sick fuck. Is this what you do? Stake out the back at night? Watch because you will never have? You are so fucking pathetic."

"Jaemin, you should watch your tongue." Philip warned.

Miracle walked to the window and yanked the curtains shut. "I'm sick of my room!"

"Awe, why'd you close the curtains? Hey, if you hate your room, you can come check out mine." Philip laughed.

Miracle walked over and grabbed the phone from Jaemin. "You think that's flattering? You think that I'm complimented that you look in my window? You think I like it that you spy on me and take pictures of me?" Miracle paced the room. "Well, let me give you a little insider, Philip, something I wouldn't dare do before. I've been filmed, I've had more pictures taken of me than I can probably remember, I was only a child, didn't even know what it was all for, I'll tell you this much, it was a little more x-rated than what you have. So..do you still think I like it?!"

He stared at the phone, hearing heavy breaths on the other end. "What? Come on, reply! You don't got anything to say now? No smart ass come back?!" Miracle then watched the call disconnect. He dropped the phone and closed his eyes, feeling his shoulders and his neck tense up.

"I'm going out there." Jaemin got off the bed and ran out of the room and off down the hall.

Issac walked over to Miracle. "Are you okay?"

"My muscles are tense...and it hurts." Miracle said.

Issac started rubbing Miracle's shoulders and neck. "Try to relax, he's a creep."

Miracle opened his eyes. "At least he acts like a normal stalker, I can just get annoyed and pissed and upset with him. He doesn't ruin my life like Eric."

"Eric must be pretty bad for you to look at the bright side of a stalker." Issac frowned.

"Well you know, you got your first taste of it, I'm sure." Miracle turned around. "Now there's more me floating around the world." He looked up at Issac. "Do you know that sometimes I question if David's content, if me...as a child, I wonder if those things are still floating around out there somewhere?"

"That will make you crazy." Issac said.

"He's gone." Jaemin walked back into the room. "Fucking jerk. I swear if I find him, I'll get that phone."

"It'll be to late." Miracle looked at Jaemin. "Those pictures could be traveling right as we speak and once they do, you never know if they ever cease to exist."

Jaemin's eyes widened at Miracle. "Did I miss something?"

"Just me wondering if all of my dirty pictures still exist, online or otherwise, all it takes is putting it online and then a right click, save as, and then you wonder, even if you can't find it online, do people still have it? Did they print it? Maybe it's in an old box somewhere."

Miracle started to laugh a little, even though it was far from funny. "These days, maybe people flick through them while they listen to their IPod."

"Miracle, you can't do that." Jaemin stepped closer and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking his head. "Don't do that."

The slightly crazed grin faded from Miracle's face and he looked at Jaemin. "Just telling the truth."

Jaemin frowned, he couldn't deny what Miracle was saying and he wouldn't insult him by trying to. "You can't obsess over that."

"Well, good thing I haven't brought it up to my Mom, the concept hasn't crossed her mind. Talk about obsessing." Miracle walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Please don't." Jaemin followed Miracle and sat beside him.

"Miracle, it doesn't matter. Everyone around you cares about you and loves you." Issac sat on the other side of Miracle.

"Yeah, but while normal people look at pictures from when they were kids, I have to wonder if strange people are looking at..." Miracle shook his head. "Fine, I'll let it go."

"Because you are or are you just bottling?" Jaemin asked.

"What does it matter? I can't do anything about it." Miracle crawled back and laid on the bed and closed his eyes.

Issac poked at his eggs and then looked across the dining room table where Jaemin sat. "It's still stuck on my mind."

"What?" Jaemin asked, taking a bite of sausage.

"The pictures." Issac said. "I mean, not just Miracle's situation but when you think about it, everything that goes up, it can go anywhere and you never know if it ever ceases to exist."

Jaemin looked up at Issac. "But you don't have anything that you care if it goes away or not, right?" He slowly shook his head. "I just mean that Miracle's situation is...well it is. You shouldn't get worked up over normal crap that goes on there."

"Still, the concept. Someone could just pull up one of your pictures, right click, save as and then your power to delete the picture from the world is taken away forever." Issac stared off into space.

Jaemin started laughing. "Would you stop? He's probably going to wake up and if he overhears, he's going to be right back on it. I'm hoping he wakes up on the right side of the bed."

"I climbed off the left." Miracle leaned against the opening to the dining room and crossed his arms.

Issac and Jaemin looked over at Miracle.

"That's creepy." Issac said.

Miracle grinned and laughed as he turned around and walked into the kitchen and scratched his head, yawning. "Someone needs to call the window repair person."

"I don't know the information." Jaemin said. "Like the house insurance stuff."

"Mom's going to give us an F on playing house. I still can't believe she talked Craig into it." Miracle grabbed the phone. "I'll call Craig's boss." Miracle dialed the number.

"Hello?" A man answered.

"Hi, Craig's boss? It's Miracle, look, I need to know how to call the house insurance to get the window fixed. And you can't tell Craig that I asked for help or they will give me an F on playing house."

Jaemin grinned, shaking his head.

"Uh...I'm not sure I quite understand you." The man said.

"I just...I need to know what his house insurance company is, what's their name and their number? Do you know? You'd think if they wanted us to properly play house that we would have this information!" Miracle shrugged and looked for a pen and paper.

"So, let me get this straight. Craig has you playing house?" The man asked.

"It was my Mom's idea, she wants to teach us house management." Miracle laid the paper on the island and tapped the pen against the edge of it. "Yeah and someone threw a rock through my window."

"Well, I'm afraid I don't have that kind of information."

"Okay, well, I'll just call a random place and it'll be their fault. Bye!" Miracle hung up.

Jaemin started laughing.

"I'm reporting everything you guys do, like how I do everything while you both sit there." Miracle dialed information and brought the phone to his ear. "Window repair please."

Issac grinned.

"Miracle, I think we make lousy house people." Jaemin kept laughing.

"I'm doing it." Miracle waved an arm. "Oh hi, yeah, someone threw a rock through my window and I need a new window." He looked around. "The measurements? I don't know that. Can't you just come measure it and then go and get the window and bring it back?"

Issac started laughing.

"It's just a bedroom window, you know, a boring bedroom sized window." Miracle walked around the kitchen. "Please? I'll pay the labor, okay?"

Miracle stopped. "So I got to hire a handy man to get the information to give to you? Okay, since you're to lazy to do that and since I have to spend money to get information for you, can I expect a discount?" Miracle turned around. "No? Well learn how to do business better! You just lost a customer!" Miracle hung up.

Jaemin stood up and walked over to put his plate in the sink. "You really did good, Miracle."

Miracle glared at Jaemin. "Well, why don't you try? Go measure the window."

"Where is the tape measure?" Jaemin asked.

Miracle looked around. "I don't know. Go look in the garage." He walked over to the table and sat down, frustrated. "This is Philips fault, I should make him be here doing this."

Jaemin frowned. "Hell no, Miracle don't even take him that lightly. He's not a joke, you took Brad to lightly and remember what happened."

Miracle looked up at Jaemin. "You think I'm taking him to lightly?"

Issac nodded. "I kind of have to agree, I mean you totally downplayed him. At least he's like a normal stalker, I can just get annoyed and upset with him?"

"He said that?" Jaemin looked at Issac.

"Oh, is this the part of house where the child is born?" Miracle grinned sarcastically and looked between them.

Jaemin looked at Miracle. "No, I'm just saying, you underestimated Brad, I don't want you to make that same mistake again. He's sexually interested and if you aren't careful, your guard will be down when he makes the real push, which won't even happen if I can help it."

"I won't make that mistake again." Miracle shook his head.

Jaemin nodded and walked off to go try to measure the window in hopes that they could attempt to get it fixed.

Miracle sighed and looked out of the window.

"Are you alright?" Issac asked.

Miracle looked over at Issac. "I talked to Jaemin after you tried to leave. He helped me to sort out my feelings but..I don't know."

"What is it?" Issac asked.

"I'm going to sound like such a bitch." Miracle shook his head. "You had all these great qualities, some just your own and many that Jaemin used to have and sort of...lost and it was all of those qualities that attracted me to you. Thing is, we talked and he told me that if I just want you in this relationship to fill in the qualities that he lost or that changed or that..he doesn't have anymore, I shouldn't do that, it isn't fair."

Issac looked down and nodded. "I'm not surprised, Miracle, I've actually known that all along. It's what made this worse, Jaemin was love to you and I was...make up. Not to say that I think you never cared about me, I think you did and that you do..."

Miracle looked over at him. "But since then, we have all been getting along so great."

"Until that next moment hits..." Issac said.

"So then, what happens?"

"I step out." Issac stood up and walked over to Miracle and he sat in the chair close to him and took his hand. "But it doesn't mean that I stop caring about you or that I stop being here for you."

Miracle looked up at Issac. "Being here.."

Issac looked down. "I guess I would...crash on the couch or something. Or maybe it'll really push them to build that room for you over the garage, then I'll have a room." The hint of a smile appeared.

"Do you promise me you won't end up crazy? Because according to Ashley, I take guys, I wreck them and then..."

Issac laughed. "No, I'm not going and doing anything insane."

"Thanks for making this easy." Miracle said.

"It's not entirely easy." Issac pulled his hand away. "I'm going to go, have a little time to cry, if that's okay? It's just a thing, it happens and then it goes."

Miracle nodded, understanding. "Use my Mom's room, you won't be bothered."

Jaemin walked back in. "I got the measurements..." He watched Issac walk by and then he looked over at Miracle.

"He needs to be alone." Miracle looked up at Jaemin. "I told him the truth, he took it okay, he just needs to go through the emotions."

Jaemin slowly nodded and sat beside Miracle. "Well, it kind of feels like it really should be now."

"I'll still miss it, we had fun just laughing and talking." Miracle grabbed the phone. "You got those measurements, Mr. House?"

Jaemin grinned.

"Okay! So with my new friends...and Jasmine, we're going to mess with Ashley some more." Miracle said, sitting in the grass in his front yard with Ryder and Tara.

"Is she the one about the bridesmaid?" Ryder asked.

Miracle nodded. "Yeah." Miracle grinned and dialed Jasmine.

"Hello?" Jasmine answered.

"Hey! Jas, it's me! I'm here with my friends, Ryder and Tara. Want to call Ashley and gang up on her with us?"

Tara looked at Miracle and Ryder, her eyebrows lifted.

"Oh hey. We could, but it would probably go around the same circle." Jasmine said. "I'm still mad we didn't go to her house."

"You were going to go to her house?" Ryder looked at Miracle.

"Yeah, we were and then everyone messed it up. We would have left before the cops got there, we would of got away." Jasmine sighed.

"The cops? What did you plan to do?" Ryder asked.

"I was going to call her out and just start some Jerry Springer in the front yard." Jasmine said.

"Jasmine, I'm sorry. I regret it, we screwed up a really good opportunity." Miracle frowned. "I'm sorry!"

"Me too, the phone calls are only so much fun. Shes slung all her ammo."

Miracle frowned. "Okay, well I'll just talk to you later." Miracle grabbed the phone and hung up. "Shes still mad." A grin slowly appeared. "Ryder...want to be Sterling's secret affair?"

"I wouldn't be good at it. You're the one that's good at the dramatics." Ryder grinned.

"It's easy, you just think off the top of your head." Miracle looked down at his phone. "Tara, you could call and pretend to be the woman that Ashley is giving the baby up for adoption to." Miracle laughed. "That will really piss Sterling off."

Tara laughed. "Don't you think he would know better?"

"Not if she decided he was still sinful and the baby is an abomination." Miracle stuck out his hand, offering the phone to her.

Tara shook her head. "Wrong sister. You could call Tanya, three way her, she'll do it."

Miracle laughed. "Call her."

Tara grabbed the phone and dialed Tanya's number and put it on speaker.

"Hello?" Tanya answered the phone.

"Hey, remember Miracle? He wants a favor and it's right up your alley!" Tara handed the phone to Miracle.

Tanya grinned. "What is it?"

"Okay, well, I need you to call my friend, Sterling and pretend that his girl, Ashley, is planning to give their baby up for adoption to you when it's born because she changed her mind and doesn't think he's reformed and that he's still sinful and so the baby is an abomination." Miracle explained.

Tanya laughed. "That's a tall order. What's his sin?"

"Being formerly gay, in her book." Miracle said.

"That's fucked up." Tanya laughed. "Go ahead and call."

Miracle scrambled the number to a Raleigh number and dialed Sterling's phone. "Shh..." he brought his finger to his lips.

"Hello?" Sterling answered.

"Hi, is Ashley home?" Tanya smiled.

"Who is this?" Sterling asked.

"My name is Barbara, Ashley is giving her baby to me when the baby is born. Are you the father? Look, I hope everything is okay. Shes been saying that she wants to do this, that the baby was an abomination and that you're sinful and I just felt awful and I don't want a baby to be called something like that." Tanya lightly bit her nails.

"Excuse me? I don't know what you're talking about." Sterling said.

"Are they doing it again?!" Ashley screamed in the background.

Miracle brought a hand up to his mouth.

"Shes going to get cussed out." Tara whispered into her hand.

Sterling sat the phone down and put it on speaker. "Wait till you hear this one."

Tanya tried not to laugh and took a breath. "What is going on? All I know is that I met a woman named Ashley and we signed a contract for her to give me her child. She called it an abomination, I was calling to make sure everything was okay."

Ashley's mouth fell open. "I've heard it all now! Why is my baby an abomination?"

"You told me about your guy and his dirty past. You know, I think it's just awful, the way your mind is. You know, you did the right thing, signing your baby to me. Though, man? Sir? I should tell you that she did smell like one to many tequilas and that worries me, the babies health." Tanya pulled the phone from her mouth for a second.

"He's unbelievable." Sterling shook his head.

"I don't know who you are, but as one of Miracle's many friends, I would suggest that you don't do this again." Ashley said.

Tanya started laughing. "You're the angel, I'm the devil, you tell me no, I think you said yes."

Tara burst out laughing.

Ashley grabbed the phone and hung up.

Ryder smiled, managing to hold his composure.

"That was fun, call me up any time you need someone to mess with her." Tanya laughed and hung up.

"Miracle? Were you messing with Ashley again?" Jaemin walked outside.

Miracle looked at Jaemin. "Not my fault Sterling doesn't change his number." He laughed. "I wait for the day that happens, that is suspenseful."