Fraternizing with the Enemy

"Meagan? Can you go down and get your brother please?" her mother asked from the kitchen. "Your sisters too?"
"Yes, mother." she replied, standing and slipping on her shoes.
Meagan could either take the long way by walking all the way to the front of the building and then around the side or she could go out the side door, into the middle of the Bolt's rally and slip around the side and back of the building. Meagan didn't feel like walking all the way to the front of the building, so she decided to go through the Bolt rally. She slipped through the door and walked towards the back of the building, listening absentmindedly to Cory, when she bumped into one of them.
"Oops. Sorry." Meagan said, stepping away from the person.
They locked eyes for a moment before he said, "It's okay, I should've paid more attention to where I was walking...My name's Will, but most everyone calls me Hock."
He held out his hand and Meagan shook it, replying, "Meagan. Nice to meet you Will."
She said good-bye and continued around the building until she got to her brother. "Mom says it's time to come in John. You too Miranda and Sarah."
"You’re kidding, right Meagan??" Miranda asked her.
Meagan shook her head, "We have church in the morning and you know how mom feels about you falling asleep in church."
John looked at Tom and back at Meagan, "Meagan's right. Tom can handle it, right?"
They looked at Tom, "Y-y...I mean, yeah, of course. No problem John." He looked at Meagan, "Hey Meagan..." She knew he adored her, but in her opinion, Tom was repulsive.
John patted his friends back and jumped down from his make shift podium. "You’re sure about this Meagan?" he asked, resting his arm across her shoulders like every other time he tried convincing her to join him.
"Uh...let me think...Yeah John, I'm sure." she sighed, attempting to shrug her brother's arm off her.
Meagan's mind began wandering as her brother, yet again, attempted to bring her to his side.
Will, she pondered, his name sounds familiar...I know he's a Bolt...I saw his jacket, but...who is he??
"Well, well, lookie here Hock...If it ain't Mr. Big shot Sea and his smutty little sisters." Cory smirked. "Evening Meagan. How are you? Still hanging out with your ruddy fool of a brother, I see."
"Oh look John! It's Cory! Isn't that just wonderful? Say Cory, don't you think you better get inside before that drunkard father of yours decides to beat you for being late??" Meagan smiled with venom, batting her eyes at him.
A vague hint of fear passed over Cory's face, "Watch yourself girl." With that, Cory left at a brisk jog.
"See Meg? That's why I want you on my side."
"John, that had nothing to do with sides. I was just standing up for my FAMILY." she sighed, pulling his arm off her and running back up to the apartment, readying herself for bed. Meagan was changed and just had to brush her teeth and hair.


He had, of course, heard of her, but he had never imagined that he would ever meet Meagan Jacobs.
Funny, he thought, we go to the same school; I'm amazed I've never seen her...
"Hock? You out here??" a light voice called.
"Yeah, Emily..."
He continued looking at Meagan through a window, watching her brush her hair and only half listening to Emily.
"Hock? Are you even listening to me?"
"What...?"
She sighed, "Never mind. Good night Hock." She kissed his cheek and retuned to her apartment.
Will hated Cory's sister, she was so annoying. When Cory had cornered him about asking her out, Will told him he'd ask her in his own sweet time. He still hadn't done it.
He sighed and stuck his hands back into his pockets, walking across the path between the two buildings and up the stairs to the third floor. He passed other Bolts in the hall and nodded in an uncaring greeting as was expected of the Bolts' second in command. When he first had joined, he loved the idea of being in a gang, and now, after four years, he wished that there was some way out of it. But there wasn't. He was stuck until he turned twenty. And truth be told, if it weren't for him, Cory wouldn't be anywhere. Will was the brains of the operation and Cory the brawns.
"Oi, Hock, come 'ere man." Cory called.
"Yeah?"
"I want her."
"Who?...And for what?"
"Sea boy's sister so I can rub it in his face."
"So? What's that got to do with me?" he asked, leaning against a wall, looking at Cory in mild interest.
"I want you to get her." Cory smirked, "Wouldn't trust anyone else in the world with the job...What do you say?"
Will knew better than to disagree with any plan of Cory's, "...What's in it for me?"
"My sister off your back."
"...Okay, sure man."
"Thanks Hock." Cory said quietly, ducking back down the hall to his apartment.
This wouldn't be so bad. In fact, this wouldn't be bad at all. He'd start first thing Monday morning...maybe even tomorrow after...he shuddered to think of it...church. If there was anything Will wished to get out of more than the gang, it was church. It was so boring and stuffy and the preacher it seemed, preached the same sermon every Sunday. It got old real fast and Will made it a habit of sitting near the back of the sanctuary so he could get out as soon as it was done.
He fell asleep thinking that tomorrow was one of those ruddy Sunday's that he detested so much.


"You fell asleep again John, again!" Meagan whispered forcefully, elbowing him in the ribs for the third time.
"Sorry," he hissed quietly, straightening up in his seat, "I cou-"
Before he could finish, the pastor dismissed the church and Meagan had gotten half way out the door before John had caught up again.
"You really dislike church that much, eh?" he joked, handing her jacket to her as she stood from adjusting her sock. Which had proven a little difficult due to the dress her mother had made her wear.
It was light but the way it flowed away from her waist, falling in large ripples around her and stopping at the thick black ribbon trim just below her knees, made it difficult to deal with when fixing her socks that were determined to bunch up around her ankles. Meagan didn't know what possessed her mother to make her wear it, but then again, it was coming to a stage where her mother wanted her to wear the old clothes she had worn when she was sixteen.
"Yes, I really dislike church that much." she sighed, shoving her arms into her coat sleeves.
"Okay, what's bugging you?" he asked as they walked homeward with the rest of the family farther ahead of them.
"Dad thinks I need to choose a side and mom...well she's always complaining that the three of you need to get out and that I should act like more of a lady and stop learning to fix cars and stuff."
"Speaking of which Meagan, you want to come to the shop with me tomorrow after school?"
"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"
"...Just asking." he smiled, his arm across her shoulders. Here it came, "So Meagan, are you going to pick a side sometime soon??"
"I thought I told you, I'm not choosing sides."
"Please Meg, I'm begging you."
"No John, now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take my walk alone."
He held his hands up in front of him defensively, "Alright, alright. I'm sorry for trying to help, but please Meg, please, choose a side... I-I... I'd rather know that you want to join them then to not know what you want at all."
"...I'll think about it...But...I'm not promising you anything." she consented, continuing down the sidewalk past their apartment on the same walk she took every week. That week's walk seemed normal, everything was the same as always and Meagan hated that. She desperately wanted something new and interesting to happen.
"…Mind if I join you?" a voice said from behind her.
She turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw none other than Will. "Nobody's stopping you."
"So...Did you enjoy church this morning?" She scoffed and looked at him in disbelief. He smirked, "I know...Just trying to make conversation is all."
"What, you’re not going to try and convince me to join the Bolts??"
"Nah. No point in asking a question I already know the answer to."
"I like that answer." she smiled, looking in his green-blue eyes that were half hidden by shaggy brown hair. Her own brown hair tugged at its restraints, longing to be freed from the hair tie holding it up in a curly ponytail as it whipped behind her in the breeze.
They continued on and came across a few people, including a small group of younger Bolt prospects, all trying to get Meagan to stop and go with them instead. Will put an arm around her, pulled her closer to him and snapped at the boys, "She's with me. Buzz off."
They took one look at Will and scattered. Meagan assumed he was pretty high in the Bolt ranks, since they wouldn't scatter for anyone that wasn't. His arm slackened a little, but remained around her and they continued walking, discussing school and other things of the like. Meagan didn't even really mind that they were so close; in fact, she rather enjoyed it. She couldn't remember ever being this close to any guy other than her brother. It was nice for a change.
"So...are you looking forward to the school dance this Friday?" Will asked as they turned a corner that began leading them back towards the apartment complex.
"I'm not going."
"Why not?" he puzzled, "I assumed your brother would make you go...or at least try to."
"He doesn't make me do anything...I'm not going because I don't want to."
"You sure that it's not because you don't have a date or something?" he persisted.
"That too...but mostly I don't want to go is all."
He shrugged and his arm finally left Meagan's waist as they approached her building.
"Bye Will." she smiled, opening the door just a little, "See you at school tomorrow??"
"Yeah. Sure...See you then Meagan." he smiled back, half turning around again and holding up an open palm in farewell as he walked towards the other building.
She slid inside the door and darted up the three flights of stairs to her apartment, realizing that she was almost late for dinner.
"Have a nice walk honey?" her mother asked as she hung her coat in the small closet behind the table. "You were gone longer than usual."
"Yes mother, it was okay. I guess I lost track of time today."
"That's alright...Set the table please, dinner's almost ready."
She nodded and took out the utensils that were necessary for dinner to be served and eaten. Quickly the table was set and Meagan helped her mother put the food on the table, sticking large serving spoons in their proper bowls and pulling her still half sleeping siblings out of their beds to sit up and eat.
"Where'd you go that you were gone so long Meg?" John asked between bites of food.
"First of all, don't talk with your mouth full and secondly, none of your business." she insisted, returning to her vegetables.
"No, seriously, where were you?" he asked, after swallowing a large mouthful of food.
"Walking, duh."
"Meg..."
"John..."
"Both of you stop it!" their father interrupted, his face showing his annoyance at their childlike behavior.
"Sorry father," they both said, looking down at their food guiltily.
The rest of the meal was silent and when everyone was done, Sarah and Miranda cleaned up the leftover food and washed the dishes obediently.
"Meg?" John said, poking his head out of their bedroom.
"Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you for a second?"
She sighed, "I'll be right back Sarah...Coming John."
Meagan set down her pencil and got up from the living room floor where she'd been helping her sister with her math assignment. Upon entering the room, she noticed it was rather dark, only a lamp lighting the room. She saw John's feet on his bed and knew he was lying there with a somber, serious expression on his face. "Where were you really?" he asked, sitting up.
"Walking,"
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not." she said defensively.
"You’re not telling me something..." he said quietly, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. John stood and in three paces was standing in front of her, towering over all of Meagan's five feet of height. "I want to know what it is."
"I'm not a Sea, you can't boss me around like you do them; you don't own me John." she spat, making the most of her small stature. "And so what if I'm not telling you something? You’re not mom."
He rubbed the back of his neck, "You’re right, I'm not, but I am your older brother and I'm just trying to look out for you."
"No, you’re trying to control my life Mr. Sea. Just buzz off."
He looked at her, shocked. She had never spoken to her brother like that before and it felt good. Meagan stalked out of the room and returned to her sister, not speaking to John for the rest of the evening.


As soon as the first rays of sun hit Will's face, he was out of bed. He didn't sleep much the night before. She was on his mind all night. He hadn't known her long but in the short time he had, he connected with Meagan like no one else before her.
"Your up awful early Hock," Cory smirked when he came outside earlier than usual to walk with him to school. "You feeling alright?"
"Never better, never better."
"Okay, what's up? Man, you’re never this awake...ever."
"Nothing...just a good night's sleep I guess." he smirked, spitting in the grass a few feet from them.
"Ahhh, I see what's going on..." Cory said, his smirk growing bigger. Will heard him talking, but didn't listen to it. Jacobs and all three of his sisters were leaving their building and walking towards school, which was about a mile away. The person he was interested in though was still at the building, adjusting the books in her arm before slowly walking down the sidewalk alone. Maybe I should walk with her? Will contemplated, Nah. That'd just be awkward. Will heard Cory laughing beside him, "Dude, you've got it bad."
"Whatever. Shut up man. Let's just go." he growled, shoving Cory lightly.
He was probably the only person that could treat Cory like that and not get sent to the hospital or told off.
They set off down the sidewalk as well, walking faster than Meagan so eventually; they ended up walking around her.
"Morning Meagan." Cory smirked, yet again, as he passed her on one side.
"Cory," she said through clenched teeth.
"No need to be so mean." he joked, slowing to her pace. Will slowed down too, walking on Meagan's other side.
"I'm not being mean. I'm just not being nice." she smirked, looking straight ahead of her.
Will admired that she didn't take crap from anyone.
Cory's arm wound its way around her shoulders and said dangerously, "You will join me...I know your secretly wishing to betray your brother...You won't be able to resist."
Will couldn't help but feel a little protective of her with Cory in such a close quarters to her. He knew Cory, maybe even better than Cory knew himself. If he got the opportunity to do something, he would do it.
"Get out of my face Jennings, your breath smells worse than ten thousand rotting corpses." she spat, wriggling out of his grip and speeding up her pace, leaving Cory and Will behind.
"Guess I hit a nerve there, eh Hock?" he smirked, holding his head high.
"I guess."
He looked at Will, his smirk growing into a nasty grin, "Oh go on, catch up with her...I'll see you around."
Will looked ahead at the back of her head, but continued to walk at the same pace. "Dude, go." Cory said, pushing him ahead a little, "You have to talk to her again eventually."
Will sighed and gave in, "Alright, I'll go. Later."
He picked his pace up to a jog until he caught up with Meagan, where he slowed down to her pace, "Good morning," he ventured.
"Good morning," she smiled, making her brown eyes twinkle.
He loved her smile. When she did, her entire face lit up, her eyes shining the brightest of all.
Oh, who was he kidding, Cory was right; he had it bad...And frankly, he didn't care.
"Thank you..." she said after an awkward silence fell over them, "For yesterday."
"Wha-...?"
"When we ran into those friends of yours, yo-"
"Oh, that. No problem. Just figured you'd rather be left alone..." he muttered somewhat shyly.
"No, really, thanks. I enjoyed it. I was starting to hate how uniform my walks were getting...almost as bad as church."


It was a late Saturday night, several months later when Meagan found herself wandering the dark, abandoned neighborhood streets.
She had been meeting up with Will after church on Sunday's to walk since the first time he'd come upon her on her walk. Some days they would talk, while on others they wouldn't say a word. John had noticed her smile at him during classes and talk to him in the halls and at lunch. Several times she'd gotten cornered, but wouldn’t tell John a thing. At one point, Meagan was so desperate that she went to her mother and explained the situation, telling her everything; what she thought of John, both gangs and what she thought of Will. Her mother's advice was to do what she wanted; her brother didn't control her life, he shouldn't even be trying to control her life, according to both Meagan and her mother.
Meagan had been sent out by her mother to find her brother and sisters and bring them home. "Ugh, I hate it when this happens..." she grumbled to herself as she turned another corner onto a darker, quieter street.
"Meagan...?" she heard from behind her.
She whipped around and saw Will, running to catch up to her. When he was near enough, she noticed the small gash that started on the right side of his forehead, just above his eyebrow and ran part way down his cheek, just under his eye. "Are you okay?...What happened??" she asked worriedly.
"Your brother...came after me with a bunch of his guys..." he muttered, slightly out of breath. "…Told me to stay away from you or he'd kill me..."
"He doesn't own me, I'll see whom I want to..." she said quietly. Will stepped closer to her, his head much higher than hers. He was even taller than John, or so Meagan could tell from her point of view. "Will..."
"Yes...Meagan...?" he breathed quietly, bringing his face closer to hers until their lips touched gently. Meagan's arms snaked up around his neck and his around her waist, deepening the kiss.
She heard a set of tires screech to a halt, "Get off her!" John yelled and Meagan pulled herself away from Will, looking at her brother jump from the car and run to the sidewalk where they were standing.
John punched Will square in the jaw and grabbed Meagan by the wrist, attempting to pull her back towards the car.
"Get off me John!!" she screeched, clawing away at his hand that was wrapped firmly around her wrist.
"Ow! What's wrong with you Meg?!...You’re fraternizing with the enemy!!" he yelled as both of them stood in the middle of the street.
"Maybe the enemy for you, but if you'll remember, I don't belong to either gang, so you can just shove your lecture up your butt." she yelled back, slapping him in the face with all her might. She stalked off, returning to Will who was sitting on the sidewalk, rubbing his tender jaw. "Are you okay?"
"...Fine." he said quietly, "Meagan?"
"Yes?" she asked, holding out her hand to help him up. He pushed himself off the ground and was again on his feet, looking at Meagan with the most seriousness she had ever seen on him. "Will?"
"Would yo-Meagan, watch out!!" he said, grabbing her and pushing her to the side as John again rushed at Will, tackling him to the ground, throwing punch after punch. Meagan tried pulling him off, "John, stop it!!"
"No! I told him to stay away from you!!...I'm going to kill him!" He growled, grabbing Will's hair and punching his face more. Meagan's eyes began welling with tears and she heard another set of tires screech.
She heard several pairs of feet behind her and watched helplessly as several Bolts came to Will's rescue, beginning to beat the living tar out of John.
"Meagan!" Cory said, grabbing her from behind and whipping her around to face him. He held onto her shoulders and she couldn't stop the tears running down her cheeks. He shook her a little and nearly yelled, "What's going on? What happened?"
"J-Joh-...My brother was trying to kill Will for talking to me." she whimpered, trying to keep her voice steady as possible.
He let go of her and walked purposefully into the five-on-one fight, pulling a battered Will to his feet and bringing him away from it. "Boys, cool it. Let's go."
The Bolts that had been beating her brother stopped their attack and followed Cory to his car, jumping in with military like obedience.
"Dude, I'm fine, let me go." Will protested, flinging his long hair back out of his face.
"No way. I'm taking you home."
Will fought his way out of Cory's grip, "Fine man, I'll see you later, alright?"
Meagan listened to their conversation as she helped her brother up and got him to the car, making him lie in the front seat.
"Meagan..."
"Yeah, Will?" she asked as she wiped sweat mixed with blood from John's head.
"...Would you..."
"Yes...?"
"Well..."
"Spit it out Will, I don't really have all night."
"Would you like me to take you home?...He doesn't look good enough to drive..."
"...Yeah...That would be nice. Thanks Will." she smiled as she crawled into the car and pulled her brother over to the passenger side of the bucket seat, lying his head in her lap as Will slid into the driver’s seat. He put it in gear and slowly drove down the road, headed back towards their side of town. John was either sleeping or unconscious; most likely the latter, but never the less, he lay there peacefully and Meagan watched him, tuning out the rest of the world.


Will looked at Meagan every now and then as he drove her brother's car down street after street in the dark night. After some time of silence Will asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." she sighed, gently leaning against his side, "How about you?"
"...I feel better now that his hands aren't constantly connecting with my head...not as good as I felt before that, but..." he told her truthfully.
Meg smiled and closed her eyes, feeling the movement as Will's arm moved up and rested on the seat behind her shoulders, his fingers playing with her loose, curly hair. She looked up at him and saw the grin on his face, making her smirk, "You weren't going to ask me something before John showed up, were you?" she inquired.
"I...I was."
"Well?"
"I was wondering if you...would be my...girlfriend?"
He what? Meagan thought, shocked, There's got to be a catch.
"...Just out of curiosity, is there a catch by any chance?"
"...A catch? I thought you knew me better than that Meg. No, of course there's no catch." he smirked, looking at her briefly. He pulled up to the side of the road, getting out and helping Meagan out before he walked around to the other side of the vehicle and opened the door, sitting an unconscious John up in the seat before picking him up and putting him over his shoulder, "Mind if I bring him up for you?"
"Follow." she said simply, opening the door to her building and began leading him up the stairwell. Everything was quiet except for the occasional squeak from the leather of John and Will's jackets rubbing against each other.
"So," he grunted as they got to the third floor, "Are you going to answer my question?"
"I might." she smirked, slowing the pace a little as they got past the first couple of doors.
"Hey...what's going on? What's he doing here??" Tom spat, sticking his head out of his door when he heard them talking.
"Buzz off Thomas. You weren't involved." Meagan snapped.
Soon, they were outside of Meagan's apartment and she opened the door, slipping inside and holding the door so Will could bring John inside. Luckily for both her and Will, Meagan's father was out of town that week so it was just her mother sitting in the living room when they came in.
"Oh my, Meagan, what happened?" her mother asked worriedly, covering her mouth with her hand in shock.
"Evening m'am...John here came after me because he didn't like that I was talking to Meagan and Cory and some of his guys came and beat him." Will said as he followed Meagan into her room, directing him to John's bed.
Her mother stood in the doorway, watching in interest as he carefully put him down and straightened up to stand in front of Meagan. His fingers stroked her dark hair and her mother left the room to retrieve bandages for both boys, "So, do I get an answer?" he asked again.
She smirked at him, grabbed the back of his head and pulled it down to kiss him, "That enough of an answer for you?" she asked.
He pulled her back into him, kissing her soft lips once more and nodding a little, "Mhmm."
"…Good."
"Meagan, did you find your sisters?" her mother asked, entering the room with an array of bandages.
"No, I don't know where they are." she said, grabbing some of them and making Will sit on her bed to begin bandaging the cuts on his head.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name young man." her mother said as she tended to a now semi-conscious John.
"William Adams, m'am."
"William, do you live in the other building?"
"Yes m'am." he said as Meagan finished cleaning his cuts. "Ow, Meg, that hurt!"
"Well that's what you get for being in a gang." she smirked, kissing his cheek and whispered into his ear, "I never knew you were so polite."
"You'll find that I'm just full of surprises." he whispered back.
"Will, how are you feeling?"
"Little sore... John has an arm." He admitted.
"…Meagan?"
"He's got a fat lip, black eye, couple cuts and other bruises."
"Well Mr. Adams, I believe that it would be best if you stayed here for the night. You can go home in the morning."
"Bu-"
"No buts young man, my son beat the life out of you and you bring both him and Meagan home safe, it's the least I can do. Now lay down and get some sleep." her mother interrupted, "You too Meagan."
"Yes mother, goodnight."
"Goodnight Mrs. Jacobs, thank you."
"Goodnight." she smiled, shutting the door as she left.
"Take off the jacket Will." Meagan said quietly, as she took off John's and tossed it to the end of the bed, lying him back down and pulling the covers over him.
She turned around again to see Will looking at her, in a daze, "Do it."
He slowly pulled it off and tossed it onto the floor, "There, happy??"
"No, move over."
"Why?"
"This is my bed, and I plan on sleeping in it." she smirked, whipping her hair into a quick braid, "As for you, I don't really care where you sleep, but go to sleep."
He smirked and laid his head down on her pillows, looking at her innocently. "Even right here?"
"Yes, as long as you move over!" she sighed, pulling back the blanket and crawling under it.
Will kicked off his shoes after Meagan told him off for having them on and slid under the blankets next to her, making an innocent puppy face to annoy her.
"Will, stop it!" she groaned quietly.
"What?...No kiss goodnight??"
"Ugh, you men...so needy." she sighed, giving him a light peck and rolling over.
He smiled and snuggled up against her, wrapping his arm around her and playing with her fingers as he fell asleep.
Meagan woke up and saw her brother glaring at her from his bed, "What's the matter with you?"
"Him... You brought one of them home." he spat, nodding at the still sleeping Will behind her.
"For all you know, he might have saved your life, so don't talk about Will like that Mr. Sea."
"Kids, no arguing!" their mother yelled from the kitchen. "I have a feeling the two of you went at it bad enough the other night by the looks of the bruise on John's face and the scratches on his hand." There was a black and blue handprint etched across John's cheek.
There were giggles heard in the other room and they weren't coming from their mother.
Will stirred and squeezed Meagan's hand, "Morning," he whispered, smiling at her.
She turned over enough to give him a soft kiss and whisper back, "Morning, how'd you sleep?"
"Okay, though I could've sworn I felt people poking me." More giggles erupted from the other room.
"Alright, who's in there with you mother?"
"Your sisters."
"There's who was poking you Will." Meagan sighed, throwing back the covers and getting out of bed.
"Oi, what? Your sisters were poking me??"
"Oh they do that. They’re quite harmless little creatures, really. It's their boyfriends you have to look for...Init that right Miranda? Sarah?"
Their heads popped in the door and chorused, "You bet."
Meagan rolled her eyes and pulled Will out of her bed, bringing him into the other room. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers when she got to the kitchen, "Dad! Your home early!"
"No. Actually, I'm home late."
"Wha-...?"
"It's Monday. You've been asleep since Saturday." he smirked. He looked behind her and saw Will, "And who is this young man who was sharing your bed Meg?"
"Uhm...Will..." she stuttered. Her dad hated Bolts with a passion.
"Will??...Don't think I've ever heard that name before...You new to the Seas, boy?"
"No sir...I'm second of the Bolts."
"Meagan? Do you care to explain why a Bolt is in my house?" her dad asked threateningly.
She sat down at the table across from him and explained everything that had happened on Saturday night, though she did leave out a few details.
Her father sat there for what seemed like forever, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Finally he spoke, "Well, I suppose your alright boy; looking' out for John and Meagan even after he beat you."
"Thank you sir." Will said, as Meagan's mother set large plates of food in front of him and Meagan.
"Yes! I'm starved! Thanks mother." she grinned, silently inhaling the food in front of her.
Will shook his head and smiled, though he devoured his food as well.
"Meg, would you mind helping John eat, we can't get him to." Miranda asked, stepping into the kitchen with Sarah behind her, both looking defeated.
"Not if you'll check his bandages." Meagan smirked, pointing to Will as she went back into the bedroom.
"John, you've got to eat."
He shook his head and looked away from her.
"I don't want to have to force you,” she said, sitting on the edge of his bed.
He looked at her with hatred in his eyes, "You chose them over me...me! Your own brother! Does family mean nothing to you Meagan?"
"I didn't choose anyone over you. Reality check! I’m still not in either gang! My...boyfriend just so happens to be a Bolt! So what?"
"What about Tom!"
"Tom is disgusting! He cares more about his hair than me. And I care more about Will than Tom. Now eat."
"No," he spat, "You've betra-"
"What happened to the John that said he didn't care which side I chose, as long as he knew what I wanted?" Meagan asked bitterly, cutting him off.
"But I do care which side you choose!"
"Well too bad, I'm not going to choose a side!"
"You know what? Go away. Don't ever talk to me again. I've seen where your loyalty lies."
The thud of feet echoed on the hardwood floor and John spat, "What are you doing here? You don't belong here and this has nothing to do with you! I swear to God that when I'm better, I'm going to kill you!"
"And make your sister hate you forever?" Will asked, casually picking his jacket up off the floor and brushing away the non-existent dust, "Could you really live with that for the rest of your life? Knowing you ruined your sister's chance to be truly happy? Because I would think you would want to see her the happiest she could possibly be, no matter what choice she makes." he turned to leave the room again, "...Oh and by the way...you’re welcome for saving your life...you’re also welcome for not trying to get Meagan to join the Bolts like Cory told me to."

Epilogue

"Oi, Will, can you give me a hand over here?" he called from inside the hood of one the cars they were working on.
"Yeah, coming." Will said, handing Emma back to Meagan. "What is it this time?"
"This," he smirked grabbing Will by the neck and rubbing his knuckles against his head, musing up his still shaggy hair.
"Ugh, stop it!" Will yelled, "John! Cut it out!"
"Say it!"
"Never!"
"Say it!"
"Boys! Stop it!" Meagan called from across the shop, "Must I treat you like Emma, I can you know...I certainly hope you’re more mature than a four year old..."
"Sorry Meg," they chimed together.
"It's okay. I still love you twits...but I don't know about little Emma here..."
Will ran up to his daughter and grabbed her, spinning her in the air and tickling her, "You still love daddy and mean uncle John, right Em’s?"
Emma looked at Meagan and said with a big grin, "No, I think your both stupid twits!!"
"Meagan!!"
"Yes?" she asked, batting her eyes at Will innocently.
"What are we going to do with you? You’re such a bad influence on our poor little daughter here."
"I am not! It's not my fault if you’re both stupid twits."
"If we're both stupid twits...then why'd you stick around?" John grunted as he tightened a bolt on the engine.
"Someone's got to make sure you don't kill each other." Meagan smirked, hopping off the trunk of a car.
"We're past that...that was what? Ages ag-"
"Try eight years John, not all that long ago."
Neither of them had left their gangs, they just tolerated each other since then.
Will had taken over the Bolts after Cory had gotten arrested for...lord knows what all Cory had done. He had been a bad seed from the start, but then again, Will owed him a lot...he'd have never really gotten a chance to know his wife if Cory had not asked him to try and get her into the Bolts in the first place.
The only good thing about the gangs was that once any member turned twenty, they were out, gone and done with; retired, and that kept the numbers under control. Meagan didn't understand why, but both John and Will still wore their old jackets. She guessed it was just a habit of some kind, or something like that. The kids that were still there would come to John or Will, depending on which gang they were from, and ask them question after question about anything that came to their minds; most of the questions were about why they got along now and then they would tell the now "famous" story about a girl named Meagan Jacobs, who wouldn't have anything to do with either gang, even though her brother was the leader of the Seas.
John's head came out of the car's hood covered in grease, like his hands, his usually bleach blonde hair streaked with black. He grabbed a rag and tried to wipe off some of the grease, "Shall we see if she run's now?"
"Uncle John!! Let me help! I want to help!" Emma squealed.
"Wouldn't think of asking anyone else Em’s, come 'ere." John smirked holding open the driver’s door for Emma to climb in. He leaned over her and stuck the keys in the ignition, "'Kay Em’s, fire her up."
Was it bad that a four year old knew how to start a car? Oh well...
Her little fingers wrapped themselves around the key and turned it, the engine rumbling to life.
"You two didn't teach her to start a car did you?" Meagan's dad asked with a smirk, shaking his head. "I can't believe you would teach my innocent little granddaughter to start cars."
"Innocent? Little? Ha! I beg to differ on that one dad." John smirked, scooping up Emma and setting her on his hip. "She's just like Meg."
"Be that as it may, if the four of you don't leave now to go clean up, we're going to be late."
"You’re not seriously dragging us to that stupid family reunion, are you dad?" Meagan groaned, tossing Will and John their jackets.
"Yes, I am and do you know why...?"
"No, do tell."
"These two and their gangs scared off almost all of your family, so none of your relatives really know Will and I figure that it's about high time they did...Now scat! I'll close down the shop."
Their small group walked down the road, passing their old high school on their way back to the apartment complex. As they turned the corner onto their street, they came upon a Bolt and a Sea fighting.
"Now aren't you glad that you didn't kill Will in a similar fight John?" Meagan smirked.
"A little.... Well okay, I'm really glad I didn't kill him."
"Care to explain?"
They stopped just past the two boys, "Because if I had killed him you would've hated me forever, I would have been abandoned on that street unconscious, you probably would've turned your back on me and joined the Bolts and last but certainly not least, Em’s here wouldn't be around to make sure I don't kill myself fixing those cars." he smirked.
"Very good...Now, what are you going to do about those two, Mr. Sea and Mr. Bolt?"
They looked at each other and nodded, walking back to the fight and breaking it up.
"You've got them wrapped around your finger don't you mommy?" Emma asked as they watched the two men tell the boys off.
"I've got them so wrapped around my finger it's not even funny Em’s." Meagan smirked, giving both John and Will a kiss on the cheek upon their return.
"That's not funny." Will pouted, pulling Meagan back and kissing her soft lips for a long moment.
"Ewwww, uncle John, their doing it again!!" Emma whined.
John busted out laughing, "Come on guys, stop making out in public...Dad's going to kill us if we're late."