Trigger The Years Past - 9. Chapter 9: Insignificant Mysteries

A female investigator walked into Miracle's room upon permission granted and walked around his bed, she took a seat in the chair by the bed and looked at Miracle. "Are you awake? Can you wake up?" She spoke in a soft voice but loud enough in hopes of jogging him awake.

"I'm restlessly awake." Miracle rolled his head to the other side to look at the woman. "Fighting the pain meds can be a problem, sometimes I don't want to fight them. Who are you?"

"I'm Investigator Nora Jerdain, you can just call me Nora if you want." She smiled.

"Oh, dealing with cops again." Miracle sighed. "You know, I can't even laugh...or it hurts? Laughing is my joy."

"Better reason to put away who did this to you. Everyone says Martin did it, the only problem is, at the time of the event, only you, Martin, and your mother were on the roof top. She says that he was going to push you off the roof, he says he only took you out for air and she just came out and shot you." Nora explained.

"He's lying." Miracle said. "I think he drugged me."

"You tested with a high amount of xanax in your system." Nora said.

"Well, I'm prescribed that, but Cheston keeps my medication locked up and hands it out to me." He looked at her. "I didn't do it."

"Okay, I'll check that out, make sure your numbers are in check with your prescription dates." Nora said. "Why would he drug you?"

"Because his psychotic son, Eric, he died. He was obsessed with me, and I didn't want him." Miracle looked down. "So like, I remember the ladies grilling me, like a bunch of snobs...and then the glass broke, and the next thing I know, I'm upstairs in the hall and he's showing me the stairs to the roof terrace, which I never noticed before. Anyway we go out, he kinda leads me to the railing and it's disorienting, I told him that, and he said...something about throwing up and...the grounds keeper. Then I felt his hands on my shoulders...and almost the beginnings of a pressure and then the door opened and he yanked me back. Then there's a bang and everything goes black."

Nora wrote these notes down. "Is it possible Martin yanked you in front of him at the same moment your mom went to shoot him? Maybe she knew he was going to push you? How would she know he was going to push you?"

"It's possible, like, I was yanked and I stumbled around to face towards the door that went out to the terrace." Miracle said.

"So you would of been in front of him." Nora said, drawing a little doodle of what she was picturing in her head.

"Yes, look...my mom wouldn't shoot me, ever." He looked at Nora. "I am telling you that Martin did it. I don't have the energy to...lay here and tell you all of the reasons why Martin did it...I mean there is two years worth of history and...I'm telling you, my mom is innocent."

Nora looked on carefully, seeing that she was beginning to stress Miracle. "Okay, calm down. If you could tell me where to look, is this history documented?"

"There are news articles, from New York. When my friend Melanie broke in at a warehouse where Eric, Martin's son, kidnapped me, my friends came to save me. Sarah died there. Then at Eric's island home, my adoptive mom...Martha, was strapped with dynamite and forced to cut Robin open and her fetus fell out and they both died, Martin was even there and helped Eric escape when it happened. I don't know if that made news, just go to prison and ask Martha. Then go to Rachel Carter, ask her about everything, she won't talk unless her immunity is kept indefinite. While you're at it, ask her about Ashley Rose who had Issac prisoner, the same Issac that Eric himself brought to my house and shot right in front of me, Eric died in the same room." Miracle closed his eyes, growing tired. "I gave you a bunch of sources, Eric was obsessed with me and went after everyone around me, that's more motive for Martin to try to kill me, more motive than my mother would ever have."

Nora nodded. "Okay." She placed her hand on top of his. "I'm on your side, and I will chase all of those leads, I'm not on a witch hunt for your mom. I personally don't believe Martin's version, I just have to prove it."

"Well, you got the victim and what I know and what I believe...and I had no access to my medication, so who else drugged me?" Miracle looked at Nora. "Go and get the proof."

Nora nodded and stood up and walked out of the hospital room.

Miracle watched her walk out and then closed his eyes. "I don't need this again..."

Erica sat in the interrogation room and laughed, running a hand through her hair. "I always thought Craig was so obsessive compulsive to tell me to keep every single receipt. Like seriously? I used to just crumble them up and throw them away. I guess it's a good thing now."

Nora stared at Erica, the tape recording.. "So, tell me everything that happened. How did you have a gun?"

"I own one, Craig bought it for me for protection. He's FBI, he has some pull, if I travel by plane, if it comes, no ammunition is allowed with me, they take it and give it to who ever when I go through security, Craig pulls the strings. I get it back when I land and go through security again. I rarely travel by plane, only if it's a sudden event or emergency."

Nora nodded. "Then?"

"Jeremy picked me up. He always drives, he lives in Colorado, so it's far easier. He picked me up in a taxi."

Nora paused. "He drove up here, yet he picked you up in a taxi?"

Erica thought about it. "Hell, I don't know, ask him what was going through his mind. It was a surprise, I was going to call my own taxi." She opened her purse. "We went to the hotel where we had ajoined rooms." She tossed a piece of paper on the table. "I made them print out the receipt for the ajoined rooms." She then pulled out a long receipt and threw that on the table, along with two smaller receipts. "Then I took a taxi, that receipt, went to the spa, that receipt, then I went and bought ammo for the gun, that receipt." She pointed them all out. "The taxi receipt has all the travel charges, wait charges, and they all have the time stamps. Then I went back to the hotel..."

Erica looked up at Nora and grinned. "Then we did use his vehicle to go to the party."

Nora's eyebrows lifted and she slowly nodded. "You stay on your toes, Mrs. Hart."

"Please, Erica. I hate formal references." She zipped her purse and smiled. "That's what happens when you listen to your FBI husband that always wants you prepared. I'm not his safe ex wife that stays in the house."

"Okay, Erica. So you bought ammo just before going to the party."

"The ammo shop was two stores down from the spa, I could fake my alibi with the spa, like seriously. I'm not hiding anything because I'm innocent. I know what I saw and I know what I believe." Erica shoved her purse aside. "I recognized Martin from a previous party at his sons home, Eric's home, when Robin and her unborn child was killed."

"Miracle mentioned it." Nora said.

"Okay, well, I followed them, saw Martin's hands on Miracle's shoulder right at the railings of the terrace. Given who he is, who his son was, and most definitely what happened at that party, and the fact that they ran just after it happened, and my friend, Miguel, and I heard a helicopter soon after, and now his sons been killed after being obsessed with my son for two years, and that obsession lead to his death, I felt sure that he was going to push him, he turned around and yanked my son in front of him to protect himself." Erica said. "And there goes...an accident, something I would take onto myself if that is how it had to be."

"A key to a case is motive." Nora said. "What were the circumstances of...Eric's death?"

"It happened in my home, only Miracle and his, at the time, boyfriend were there. By the time anyone got there, Miracle was the only one alive, Eric was dead, Miracle's friend, Issac, one of Eric's hired men, and some guy on Miracle's bed, and then unfortunately Jaemin killed himself. He was away from the scene though, down stairs in Miracle's old bed room." Erica explained.

"Did Jaemin do it?" Nora asked.

"No, Hells Angels did, Miracle told us that they took him for ransom. He was handcuffed to the chair, the evidence supported it, given the gag laying on the floor had his DNA on it. The only person he killed was the guy on the bed, who had been trying to rape him. One of the gang members had to of killed Eric, the shot was spot on between the eyes, Miracle has no experience to land that kind of shot." Erica shrugged. "Still, it was ultimately Eric's obsession and Miracle's rejection that lead to that, or so I guess Martin thinks."

Erica dug her cigarettes out of her purse and pulled one out. "Are you still holding Martin, by the way? He is a flight risk, he has money, hired people, he has ways to escape and disappear. Eric evaded for two years using those very same resources. My son was tormented."

"We're holding him...but once the bail hearing starts, if bail is granted and he can pay it."

"What?!" Erica looked up, interrupting Nora. "Did you not just hear me? He's a flight risk. He'll go hide, he'll find ways to come after my son!" Erica stood up and lit her cigarette, blowing out a drag. "This can't happen again! It's unacceptable!" She looked at Nora.

"You can always leave with your son..." Nora started.

"I can leave with him?!" Erica laughed. "Woman, he's in ICU, how the fuck can I leave with him? And even so, he had to run before! It's not right, he has every right to settle somewhere and build a life without crazy people torturing him! How do I know Martin won't go to the hospital? Or send someone? He can pay off doctors and nurses! He could have insiders! Or people to go in there in disguise!" Erica screamed in a rant.

"Erica, calm down." Nora spoke in a calm voice, slowly standing up. "You can make a visitors list, photo IDs, we can provide security, there are measures that can be taken."

"What if he puts up a fake cop beside the door!" Erica shook her head. "You people are so worthless..."

Jeremy came into the room. "What the hell is going on? Erica, everyone can hear you screaming."

"Martins going to make bail!" Erica turned towards Jeremy.

"Oh no..." Jeremy frowned, displeased, but handling it well in comparison to Erica.

"He's going to do everything that Eric did...all over again." Erica fell down in the chair and looked at Nora. "You have to tell the DA, there is special circumstances."

Nora sighed. "I can set up a meeting with the DA, that is the best I can do, and I'll contact you with a time."

"This is crap." Jeremy shook his head.

"Crap? It's Freddy Krueger pulled out of dream land by Jason Voorhees!" Erica grabbed her purse. "And you know how that ends?!" She looked at Nora. "With only a head, Freddy still winks!" She stormed out, Jeremy following her.

"Miracle." Andy walked into the room. "Hey." He smiled and walked around, sitting down. "I was hoping to catch an opening, this one person rule thing, while you're recovering and all."

Miracle looked up and smiled. "Yeah, well they said I should be out of ICU soon. I'm a tough cookie to crumble...I guess, physically, maybe." He looked down. "So weird thing, Lacey tells me that you're finding this...weird sort of thing for her. Like you argued with her because...well, it troubled you."

"Yeah, that." Andy nodded. "I guess, sometimes, you discover new things, sometimes when you meet certain people. She makes me happy, I don't know if it's an attraction, a crush or...just a friendship draw. Maybe a little of all, shes just...like sunshine."

"That's really beautiful...like sunshine." Miracle said. "Lacey is the best, most awesome friend. She'll cheer you up no matter what."

"Yeah." Andy nodded. "But like I said, when you meet certain people." He looked up. "I look at you, Miracle, and I know for sure that I'd love to call you sunshine and...I know why, I don't question, I'm not confused...maybe I am bisexual, maybe it's new or...Lacey just brought some side out...but, you far outweigh that side."

Miraclee stared at him. "What are you saying?"

"What am I saying? Miracle, I know it looked like I...shut things off or...just flipped a switch when Gavin and Sterling came around, I tried...and having others around, it was a decent distraction. And when you came around, I tried to tell myself you were just another person. In the short term, it's easy, we lived four years platonically, so long as I didn't let my eyes...or my thoughts...drift."

Miracle took a deep breath. "Andy, this thing with you and Lacey happened for a reason. I learned...great love can happen when it just surprises you, when it just...happens and you just...feel it."

"That happens with me...when I let myself look at you...and let myself feel." His face tensed up, trying not to cry as he reached over and slid his hand over Miracle's. "I was your first friend when you needed one, after you lost everything...could anyone understand how you felt anymore than me?"

Miracle looked down and he closed his eyes. "You gave me so much." Miracle looked at him. "And I don't want you to think that I don't think that it was any less special. Maybe...if we were talking to eachother, saying these things a little sooner, I don't know, I...just know where I'm at now and it's the sweetest thing, it's going to be the sweetest thing."

Andy shook his head. "What does he have that I don't?"

Miracle started to softly cry. "This is going to sound so messed up." He shook his head. "It's so much more than before. He's Eric's brother....and no, this is not some thing about wondering what it would have been like to be with Eric." He looked up at Andy. "I would never want to know that, Cheston is a good guy, but he is Eric's brother. I'll get to have everything...and I just feel like...I deserve it."

"Miracle...you have it so wrong..." Andy slowly shook his head.

"I flatlined and when I did, I went away and...I saw Jaemin." Miracle closed his eyes, tears falling as he cried a little louder and gasped for a breath. "He told me that he thinks I was still going to have everything, maybe this is it? For all Eric took, I get it back? Cheston told me, his mom is selling everything that belongs to Eric, and shes giving me all of it. And I'm with Cheston, and we have the nice house..." Miracle gasped as his words picked up. "Martin will be gone in prison and Cheston will be the king...and it'll be me at his side. We'll have everything, the money, the power...no one can hurt me again..."

Andy's eyes widened at everything Miracle was saying, not sure whether or not he really believed that Miracle saw Jaemin, not after he dreamed him up that one time. "Miracle, there is a thing called a bail hearing. Martin could get out on bail, if they set it, and he has the money to do it. I'm surprised Cheston even put all of that into your head, he's an attorney of all people."

Miracle looked up. "Bail hearing?" His eyes shifted around the room. "That means he can get out, he can hide, he can get away, he can come after me." Miracle looked up in horror. "It could happen all over again..."

"Miracle, listen...you got away, you can do it again...and I don't mean like Jaemin. No hiding, no paranoia, the man didn't look for you before. He probably went after you in convenience, which so long as your close, it's convenient. We can just start over..."

Miracle closed his eyes and started crying again. "It hurts..." Miracle looked at Andy.

Cheston walked in. "What are you doing? You know you're not supposed to upset him."

Andy looked up. "Yeah, and you're helping by filling his head with this future of money and power?" He stood up. "Okay, Mr. Attorney, did it ever occur to you to tell him about, oh say, a bail hearing?"

Cheston looked at Andy. "I was upset, I got ahead of myself. I realized that..."

Andy nodded. "So what are you going to do? Keep Miracle? Give your old man more chances to take him out?"

"I made a very bad mistake." Cheston said in a firm tone.

"Stop arguing." Miracle looked at them. "Maybe he should of pushed me off the roof..."

Cheston pushed his way around Andy and sat down, grabbing Miracle's hand. "That is so far from true. I love you...God, I love you so much."

Andy looked at Miracle. "I guess...in the end, Jaemin will always know what's right." He frowned and walked out of the room.

Cheston watched Andy. "What does he mean?"

"When I saw him, when I flat lined, I thought I realized what he meant, I would be getting everything Eric owed me...for all he did to me. Then...you'd become the King and...I'd be by your side...and I would have everything, all that Jaemin wanted for me, all the happiness in the world. But...he'll make bail and then the dream will crash down before it even has time to really be dreamed about." Miracle looked at Cheston.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away. I was just so happy that you were alive and okay and you woke up and I was thinking of everything that could be, would be, will be, if it all goes right. Then I started realizing the realities of it...later." Cheston leaned forward and kissed Miracle's cheek. "Forgive me?"

Miracle shook his head. "I'm not mad, I just wonder what will happen when he gets out." He rubbed the side of Cheston's hand with his thumb. "Maybe he won't be a stubborn bastard, maybe he'll just get over it..."

"Maybe you should send him after Eric's real killer." Cheston suggested.

Miracle's eyes widened and he shook his head. "I couldn't do that. He was a Hells Angel. I was stupid when Jaemin and I first came here, I thought people like them could take Eric down, they took me as a joke, blew me off, until they realized I was money in the bank and pulled off the ransom. Then the guy, Jack, he got upset, I guess, because Eric hurt me and killed my friend and...he just killed Eric."

Cheston smiled a little. "I don't mean to...well, I know this is serious, but I have to say that you have guts."

Miracle grinned and then laughed. "It hurts less when I laugh now, I guess that's a good thing."

"Good, I know you enjoy laughing."

"It feels good to laugh. People shouldn't take it for granted." Miracle smiled. "Even if I did tell Martin who did it, he would probably blame me for getting them involved, still blame me for the circumstances, just blame me for not being with Eric. Because...if I had been, he would be alive right now, probably."

"When you get out of here, where do you want to go? I'll take you anywhere in the world you want." Cheston said.

"I can't." Miracle shook his head. "I have my parents here, my friends, I can't run again."

"It's not running, I want to do something nice for you."

"It would feel like running, given the circumstances." Miracle took a deep breath. "I think I need to sleep now."

"Okay." Cheston nodded in understanding. "By the way, the doctors said you'd be moved to a regular room in the morning, so be ready to rise and shine." He smiled.

"And eat their horrible food." Miracle grinned. "You didn't bring me anything."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll come with waffle house, you can throw their breakfast in the trash." He grinned. "I know you love waffle house."

"My favorite." Miracle smiled and then closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Oh, I'll take you anywhere in the world!" Andy said as soon as Cheston walked out of the hospital and he headed over and fell into a walk beside him. "No wonder Miracle loves you, Chest! You're like a knight in shining armor!"

"So you eavesdropped?" Cheston grinned. "Well, makes us even then, I kinda overheard you." He looked up. "Oh, you just love Miracle, but you got all these little mixed up feelings about Lacey, it's okay though, you don't know what they are, and they are so tiny and insignificant when it comes to Miracle." He looked over at Andy. "Maybe I should have a chat with Lacey? She is Miracle's friend...and I do need to get to know his friends."

"Go ahead, mock it, funny thing is, that's where you're sadly lacking. You have the looks, the money, the power, but you don't know his friends, barely know his parents, and how much do you really know about him?" Andy sighed. "If you knew anything at all, Cheston, you would know that you're a total David with icing on top."

"A David?" Cheston questioned.

Andy shook his head. "You know, I'm not even going to tell you this in any cute or sarcastic way because it's a sad truth."

"What's a sad truth?" Cheston asked.

"You're going to become David." Andy asked.

"Sure." Cheston said.

"The man fucked his mind, at eight years old he was being used and molested and being made to think that David was his lover and that the man cherished the ground he walked on. That man would talk him into allowing him the sex, he would tell Miracle, if you love me, we have to do this, people that love each other do this, it's how you get love. Yeah, it was how Miracle got love, because then Miracle got all the attention and the best parenting a kid could ask for, overflowing the pot of what is a spoiled child, being graced and treated like he was all that existed in this man's world. Until it was time for Miracle to pay his love..." Andy shook his head.

Cheston shook his head. "That's horrible, and I get what it did to him."

"Obviously you don't, promising him trips anywhere in the world? Having him rambling on about all the power he's going to have, calling you the King? I mean, come on, Cheston, head of family, okay, but don't you think King is a little fairytale land?" Andy shook his head. "He's regressing, just by using that childish reference, it's all you need to see."

"He almost died, I just want to..."

"I know." Andy said. "I know, for any normal person, it would be right to treat them with such love and care, but you give that to Miracle, and he takes it and magnifies it times ten, and then he's blasting off in a rocket ship." He looked down. "And I know, it seems mean to limit and to deprive and to hold back and to deny...but you have to work him, it's such a careful technique, you have to do opposite David and keep it up, constantly. It's like...a reconditioning."

"And you haven't managed to do it in over four years?" Cheston's arms waved out.

Andy looked up. "He developed it, I mean it was a system, a belief that was so implanted into him, at such an age, so close to developmental yet so close to finishing childhood, the orphanage didn't do anything more than they had to, he was probably a total loner and hell, probably a selective mute until he was adopted by the man. And it was every day...every day."

Cheston crossed his arms. "Even if...I started...or rather, stopped what I'm doing, did things the way you deem are right, objectively speaking, still wouldn't keep you from making this competitive, would it?"

Andy sighed. "I don't know, I can't make Miracle love me, but he never would consider it, so long as you're offering him such a fairytale life, but what bothers me more about that, is if something happens to you, he crashes again, if he gets the chance to attach so tight."

Cheston shook his head. "I can't help what I have to offer, I can't help if my life is some persons dream. Miracle will enjoy the luxuries of being with me, but you're right, I don't have to spoil him, but I'm not exactly tossing him in the basement either."

Andy nodded. "Didn't say you had to, just make sure he feels like he earned it. Thing is, right now, he is completely helpless, and it's like I told you, he's going to go into that role, he already has, and you fell for it, went right into wanting to do anything and everything for him."

"So does that cut out waffle house?" Cheston asked.

"No, hospital food sucks." Andy shook his head. "Maybe it's best that he did end up with you, when he was a dancer, he would come home wearing those costumes, sometimes the lust overpowered my thoughts. Sometimes I would get my chances, but for how I felt, I wouldn't bring myself to use him, but it was there...and it was always so strong."

"Then maybe there are other things you should question. What drives your desperation? The love or the lust? You have both, and maybe it's both, if it is, you should find out which one is the stronger of the two."

"Maybe." Andy nodded and then turned around and headed off.

Cheston sat at his desk, taking a sip of his coffee when his phone rang and he hit the speaker. "Yeah?" He sat his mug down.

"Your mother is on the line, should I put her through?" The secretary asked.

He grinned. "She would be mad if I told you no." He laughed.

"Cheston, I had to speak to you. Are you alone?" Maria asked.

"No, you just spoke frantically in front of a mother and her mentally unstable murderous daughter." He grinned. "What is it?"

"You know I find your sarcasm dreadful when I'm upset. You know Pamela? From the party?"

"Uh...no. You do all the guest lists, I just play host and act my part." Cheston sat back. "What kind of gossip is she up to?"

"It's not what shes saying! It's what she found! I am sending it to your email." Maria said.

"What she found, mysterious." Cheston saw the email pop up and opened it and looked at the link. "Jordan's dirty little secret?" His smile quickly faded, knowing Miracle had killed Jordan. He then clicked on the link, afraid of what he might find.

A website came up with a video and above that, it said; JB got caught!

Cheston's eyes widened and his head tilted to the side as it began to play. "Mom...how did they find this?"

"I don't know, but this could ruin our family name!" Maria screamed in horror.

"Hey, you don't know what kind of life Miracle has had."

"Ha! It's all right here, he's a porn star! And wait till you see the end, he blackmails with it too!"

"He was a porn star when he was eight years old." Cheston frowned. "Feel better about that, mom?" Cheston looked at the video. "I don't know what this is, but you tell our people I want it found and erased."

Maria was at a loss for words.

Cheston then looked up when Miracle and Daniel began fighting. "This...wait, this isn't even Jordan."

"Well, I just thought he got his names mixed up, I figured he messed his site up." Maria said.

"That's sleazy, mom." Cheston's eyes narrowed.

"So is filming yourself! He had to of put it up there, who else could of?! And are you sure his little story is even true? Did you even check it out?"

The video stopped and he took a deep breath. "Mom, I'm telling you to knock it off. Miracle is an innocent victim, one with a heart of gold that just wants to be loved, and instead gets crap like this! Get our people on it, I want this site erased." He slammed the phone down and ran his hands down his face.

"Daniel...." Cheston clicked out of the site and deleted the email as he looked thoughtfully. "His teacher, from Australia, the one he sent the video back to...but how does it...tie with Jordan?" He slowly reached for the phone and then stopped, deciding he wasn't going to reach out to Miracle for the answers, his past was plaguing him enough, instead he had another parent to deal with.

He picked up the phone and then dialed the jail. "I need to speak to an inmate please." He paused. "Martin Alexis." He sat back while he was on hold.

"Hello?" Martin answered.

"Step Dad." Cheston responded. "I know your bail hearings today, if they set one, they likely will, I know you'll pay your way out."

"Why wouldn't I?" Martin said.

"What I need to know, are you going to make anymore attempts on Miracle? And don't worry, this isn't being recorded, I really need to know."

"We were on the terrace and that boys crazy mother shot him." Martin grinned.

"You're just as awful as Eric." Cheston laughed sarcastically. "Tell me this then, honestly, do you think I have anything to worry about? Think anyone still has any issues or maybe everything can be let bygones be bygones?"

"I wouldn't know, I don't live in that womans head." Martin said.

"Damn it! Just be straight with me! If you leave him alone, I have no reason to try and trick you." Cheston's hand balled up into a fist. "But remember what I said, when I have problems, I eliminate them quickly. Miracle is under my protection now, you're not Eric...and I'm not Jaemin, the latter of which, you should really consider."

Martin grinned. "No, you aren't that teenage delinquent that put himself out of his own misery. If you were, then I would worry." He then hung up the phone.

Cheston slammed the phone down again. "That bastard."

"Hey, baby." Erica smiled as she walked into the room and looked at Miracle, a brown paper bag in her hand.

"How's a normal room feel?" Jeremy grinned, following Erica, closing the door behind them.

Miracle smiled. "It has a window, for one. You know I hate windowless rooms." Miracle looked out. "Vegas looks great up high, can't wait to see it tonight." He looked at his mom. "So what is it, the surprise."

"Oh, right, the surprise." Erica waved the bag around and sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a bag out of the bag. "Checkers! A big tray of bacon ranch and cheese fries." She laid the bag on the small table.

"Nice." Miracle grinned and pulled the bag down. "I heard their menu today was meatloaf, translation for a flavorless chunk of meat." Miracle pulled the plastic tray out along with the utensils and pushed the bag aside.

The door opened again and Maria stepped inside, a frown appeared at seeing Erica and Jeremy. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was hoping to see Miracle alone. I know I haven't visited since..."

Erica looked at Jeremy and then looked over at Maria. "Oh, we could always come back." She looked at Miracle. "Is that okay? We can go make sure they don't bother to bring you lunch, that way you don't have to waste the food."

Miracle laughed. "And it finally doesn't hurt to laugh, at least if it's...you know, small." He smiled and looked at his mom. "Yeah, that sounds good, it makes sense." He looked over at Maria. "Hi."

"Okay, we will be back in a little bit, maybe bring you back a surprise from the gift shop." Erica kissed Miracle's cheek and stood up and took Jeremy's hand and the two walked out as Maria stepped aside.

Maria waited until the door shut and walked towards the bed. "I see you're feeling much better, that's good." She spoke monotonously.

Miracle nodded. "Yeah, I just can't wait to be out of this place. It sucks to just lay somewhere for days...and with only a television, and cable as cheap as a hotel..."

"Cheap." Maria grimaced and sat down in the chair beside the bed. "I wanted to really talk to you, I mean you are in my sons life and naturally, as his mother, well, I am sure your parents will be the same way."

"The talk." Miracle looked up. "It's weird getting it from the mother, but I guess when the father is...crazy."

Maria tilted her head to the side. "Is it really fair to be throwing judgements around?"

Miracle stared at her and sat his utensils down before having the chance to rip the plastic open. "Well, it seems that is all that party was about, as far as I saw, before I really got screwed up."

Maria sat back. "People just like to protect themselves and those around them, I am sure everyone does. Though, I do want you to consider, if you were to throw judgements around, how would you feel if everyone tossed it around that you're a porn star?"

Miracle coughed and choked on his water as he sat the plastic cup down. "A porn star?" He coughed again. "What are you talking about?"

"Your sex tape with Daniel, then you threw it up on a site and list some guy named Jordan? You didn't even keep the names in order. Do I even need to say how sleazy that looks?" Maria spoke, suddenly getting a little worked up.

Miracle's eyes widened as he stared at her. "A site? I didn't make any site."

"Well someone sure did, and not only did you make a sex tape, the guy didn't even know you were making it! There's got to be some kind of crime in that! And you tried to blackmail him?!" Maria shook her head.

"I was a sophomore in high school, do you know how many years ago that was?! And then I was stupid and gave the video to Jordan. That's it..." Miracle shook his head. "I'm not a porn star! And...I don't know who would put it online. Whether you know it or not lady, I've had a lot of me put online that may or may not still be on there, all out of my power."

"Right, my son told me you were...exploited very young." Maria nodded. "If that is true, I am horribly sorry, I just don't know what you expect me to think of you when you go around making sex tapes and blackmailing people."

Miracle stared at her, his eyes couldn't get any bigger as he stared at her in disbelief. "If that is true? The man was arrested, but I'll be damned if I'll go out of the way to get the papers to prove it to someone who comes in here calling me a porn star. I did some stupid crap, but you have no idea why or what my reasons were. I know it might look horrible, but you know what? It felt worse, to be hurt, to have to do those things, because the world wasn't the way the man taught you it was."

Maria slowly nodded. "And just how did the man teach you it was?"

Miracle shook his head. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. If you were asking because you cared, that would be one thing, but all I see is judgement, even still."

Erica and Jeremy knocked on the door and walked back in. "We're back, I hope we were gone long enough." Erica smiled.

"You were gone to long." Tears rolled down Miracle's face. "I want you to leave." He stared at Maria. "Get out of my room."

Erica looked at Miracle and then at Maria as she stood up and grabbed her purse. "What did you do to my son?"

"I'm sorry." Maria shook her head and walked out, quickly shutting the door behind her.

Erica stared at the door.

"Erica..." Jeremy whispered.

"Kill her, maybe that'll take Martin down another notch." Erica's eyes narrowed and she spun around and walked over and sat in the chair. "Miracle, what did she say?"

"Someone took that video, the sex video of me and Daniel and put it on a website and put Jordan's name on it, and she found out about it. Probably one of those nosey bitches from the party." Miracle reached up and wiped his face with a single hand.

Jeremy looked confused. "Who would do that?"

"I don't know, she came in here and called me a porn star, told me what were people supposed to think of me." Miracle explained.

"Lousy bitch." Erica's eyes narrowed.

"Now it's ruined, even if they put Martin away, shes not going to give me the money out of everything she'd sell of Eric's, when I deserve every dime of it..." Miracle sighed.

"You'll get it, that miserable old hag will die someday."

"Erica!" Jeremy's eyes widened.

"What?" She looked at Jeremy. "It's just the truth."

"Yeah, but you don't have to be so...happy about it." Jeremy said.

"I didn't say I was happy, just that...one day she'll die and Miracle will get what he deserves, it's just the way it goes, cause and effect." Erica shrugged.

"Were you that chipper when you got your inheritence?" Jeremy asked and then looked away. "Forget I asked, you just had to graduate for it."

"Look, that woman was being ten million times more shallow than I am being right now." Erica said. "And that's actually bad."

"She wanted to analyze my story about David...and I didn't get the chance to tell her the story, you guys walked in. I wasn't going to even tell her about it. I just said that I know I did some stupid things, but I did them because the world didn't turn out like he taught me and it hurt. And then she asked me how he taught me the world worked, and...the way she said it, God, it was like she was humoring me or something." Miracle looked down.

"See? Ten million times more shallow." Erica grabbed Miracle's utensils and ripped the plastic open. "Here, baby, eat your fries before they get cold."

"Yeah, just make sure the jet has enough fuel for the return trip, which will be as soon as I'm done here, I don't plan to stay away from Miracle any longer than I have to. He won't like it as it is that I took off, but I can't ignore the information that I gathered, which I can't discuss, just make sure no one knows that I came here, I'll take the liberty myself of telling who I think should know, if anyone." Cheston hung up as the taxi pulled up to a house. "Just wait here, keep the meter running." He climbed out and walked towards the house.

Cheston headed up onto the porch and knocked on the door. "Dreaded place." He mumbled.

Lucas opened the door and looked at Cheston. "Yes, can I help you?"

Cheston took a deep breath, knowing that this was a delicate situation. "I do have a few questions. I'm pretty sure that...you remember, Miracle?"

Lucas stared at Cheston and drew in a breath. "Are you FBI?" He asked. "Cold cases?"

Cheston grinned and looked down, shaking his head. "No, nothing like that. I just need to talk." He looked up. "I came a long way and..West Virginia isn't exactly my idea of a fun trip."

The man slowly nodded and opened the door further, stepping aside. "Come in."

Cheston walked inside and looked around. "Nice house. Very...mountain cabin."

"It's pretty much what you get in this area." Lucas said as he walked into the kitchen and sat down at the bar. "You can join me here."

Cheston walked over and sat at the bar across from Lucas. "So, my reason for being here, I came across a website, Miracle and Daniel and...Jordan got caught. I have a...way of finding things out. What surprises me is that the originator of that site, well it came from here, and even more surprisingly, you were the investigator that showed up when Jordan was killed, and Miracle...well, that was a whole mess."

Lucas held his breath and stared at Cheston. "Yeah, it was a mess, more than you know." He shook his head. "Jordan, prior to that time, was Adam, we were together and one day he got a job opportunity and took off, just disappeared, left me with nothing, but just some stuff that he forgot, he didn't care to take everything."

"Double identity, the plot thickens. You mention stuff he left behind, why?" Cheston asked.

"Because of Miracle, when I saw him, I wasn't visibly shocked or anything, but it was a slow recognization, like that age progression." Lucas stood up. "I'll be right back." He walked off towards the back of the house.

Cheston looked perplexed only for a moment and then watched Lucas walk off and patiently waited, tapping his fingers together.

Lucas walked around the bar again and sat down, laying a yellow folder on the surface. "He had those printed, in a box, all the pictures had a first name posted at the top and a photo number. So the first name was a definite ringer."

Cheston took the folder and opened it and pulled out several photos and his eyes widened as he flipped through them, realizing they were from when Miracle was with David, some of them were Miracle by himself and some of them were Miracle with David. He grimaced and quickly pushed the photos back into the folder. "Jordan had these?"

Lucas nodded. "I don't know why I kept them, something just told me to. And then I thought the reason showed up when I saw Miracle...but he took off before I got the chance to see him again. I guess he was spooked by everything."

"So I take it you were happy that Jordan or...this Adam, well, that he was dead?" Cheston asked. "Did you ever believe it was self defense at all?"

"If it was any self defense, it would of been against Jordan, if he recognized Miracle like I did, I want to bet that he did. I never believed the self defense story Miracle gave, honestly I didn't know what to make of it, only that if anyone was a pretty defenseless victim there, it was Kyler. His face was bashed in, but yeah, I was glad Jordan was dead."

"So what do you believe really happened?" Cheston asked.

"It's to confusing to really even think about." Lucas shook his head. "The story Miracle gave, the way the injuries were...he gave a mess of a story. So I spun it the best I could, that Jordan and Miracle were lovers, Kyler attacked, Jordan and Kyler struggled, Jordan did much of the damage to Kyler. When they got the chance, they ran for the door, but Kyler managed to hit Jordan in the back of the head with the hammer, he was messed up and disoriented, dropped the hammer, grabbed Miracle, and Miracle had to hit him one more time to get away, the killing blow."

Lucas shrugged. "I blamed Kyler's overkill on Jordan, it was the only way I knew how to...do it."

"Do you really believe that though?" Cheston asked. "Have you ever questioned if Miracle was just a murderer? And why did you cover for him?"

"If Miracle masterminded it, managed to take them both out, I would be surprised."

Cheston sat there quietly, carefully thinking on the matter. "Why did you feel the need to clean up his story for him, make sure it sounded nice enough to clear it out and...pretty much cover for him?"

"He over did it...hard. He really wanted to yank the sympathy, when I saw him and that recognition kicked in, I thought about those pictures, and then he just kept talking and talking, going beyond what happened in that room, talking about his life, that child in those pictures, suddenly he was older and becoming a human life to me. It's bad enough just to see those pictures, but then when that happens..."

"It really hit you. Disturbed you, maybe?"

"Disturbing could be one word you could use. One in many." Lucas shook his head. "Though I can hide myself pretty well, keep my composure, show whatever I want to show, just put my mindset in whatever I need it to be in."

"So you protect him...but then revictimize him with that site, I don't get it." Cheston looked up. "How could you put that video of him up? How did you even get it?"

"I tracked his place in New York with his new identity, I found the video, I don't know if he had more than one or what. I found out what happened at his job, I assumed it was the same video he was caught watching. I was so angry because that was the life he left me for. So..I just did it and then I forgot about it. I mean, the whole thing, the murder, Miracle taking off, me putting the website up, it just all happened and then, forgotten. Rarely in life are things forgotten, and most of the time, people don't want to stir them up again."

"Well, just so you know, it doesn't exist anymore." Cheston said. "I have that power, I made sure that it disappeared." He nodded. "As for the case, think it will ever be reopened? If it is, what will you do?"

"That's fine, the site was the wrong thing to do anyway." Lucas nodded. "The case? It's possible, small town, there aren't many." Lucas looked up at Cheston. "I think...a better story should be made. They are usually more careful the second time around."

"Something to think about." Cheston said after a long moment of thoughtful silence, he then reached into his pocket and laid his card on the counter. "Call the personal line, my cell, if ever it's mentioned again, I'm asking this personally."

Lucas took the card and nodded. "Of course, I'll do that."

"Good." Cheston smiled and grabbed the folder. "I'm taking this, if you don't mind." He then walked towards the door and headed out.