"It's been fifty years, fifty long years since I've done this. Looking back on what I said all those years ago, all the hopes and dreams I had, I've come to the conclusion that if having things turn out the way you wanted them to is the measure of a successful life, then some would say that I'm a failure. The important thing is not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past. And recognize that every day won't be sunny, and when you find yourself lost in the darkness and despair remember it's only in the black of night you see the stars. And those stars will lead you back home. So don't be afraid to make mistakes, or stumble and fall, cause most of the time the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe you'll get everything you wish for. Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined. Who knows where life will take you. The road is long and in the end, the journey is the destination."-Coach 'Whitey' Durham from 2005: Time Capsule One Tree Hill

I smiled while writing most of this chapter so I hope it makes you smile too.

-A

Song: Hello - Adele 

***

Jess sits in her room going over everything Hera had just told her. Hera was currently in the bathroom taking a shower while Shakespeare was in the living room playing games. Upon picking up Hera, Jess had called in sick to her office. Luckily she didn't have any court cases for the day so she could afford to skip work and work from home.

The sound of a phone ringing fills the room. Jess gets up and walks to the side bed where Hera's phone laid.

Jamie is written on the caller ID.

She picks up the call.

"Hello Sister," Jamie says.

"Hello brother,"Jess replies a grin on her face.

"You're not my sister, who's this?" Jamie asks.

"Her friend Jess," Jess says.

"The fake lawyer?"Jamie asks.

"Excuse me? I'll have you know I'm no fake," Jess says frowning.

"That's what every fake says..."Jamie starts.

"Careful now, character defamation spells lawsuits,"Jess says.

"Thanks for reminding me that I still have a case of defamation against you sitting on my desk waiting to be filed,"Jamie replies.

Jess twitches her lips.

"I really don't like you," She says.

"The feeling is mutual. Now please give the phone to the one I want to speak to, my actual sister,"Jamie says just as Hera walks in towel wrapped around her body.

"It's your annoying brother,"Jess says stretching the phone out to Hera.

"I heard that,"Jamie says from the phone.

"I said it so you'd hear," Jess replies as Hera takes the phone from her.

"Jamie,"Hera says answering.

"Whats up?" Jamie asks.

"I just got out of the shower, I'll put you on speaker phone," Hera says.

"Too much information!"Jamie says earning laughter from Jess.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"Jess says to Hera.

Hera furrows her brows confused by the sudden expression of love.

"I'm glad you called, I was going to call you,"Hera says sitting on the bed with slumped shoulders.

"Why? What's wrong? "Jamie says hearing the weakness and sadness in her voice.

"I need that ticket,"Hera says.

"I thought you said three weeks?"Jamie says at the same time Jess asks,

"You're leaving?"

"You told me to run Jess,"Hera says to Jess.

"Yes, run from the office not America!"Jess says not wanting to lose her friend again so soon.

"Your voice Jess, Shakespeare's in the living room,"Hera says reprimanding her.

"What's going on?"Jamie asks.

"Nathan is back," Hera answers.

"Who?"Jamie asks confused.

"Nathan,"Hera answers.

"Who's Nathan?"Jamie asks confused.

"Lexis' younger brother, stupid,"Jess answers.

"The one who loved you and never told you of his brother being alive Nathan?"Jamie asks ignoring what he deemed Jess' irrelevant childish snide.

"The very same,"Jess says sitting against the bedside table.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Is his father back? Shakespeare, how's she? Where's she?" The questions roll out in quick succession from Jamie his voice filled with concern.

"Shakespeare's fine, she's in Jess' living room,"Hera says and goes ahead to tell them everything that happened.

"So it's just him," Jamie says once she's done.

"Yes," Hera answers.

"From what I remember of Nathan he was good,"Jess says.

"And your point is?"Jamie asks.

"That he was good, so there's no reason to be so scared as to leave the country," Jess says.

"The key word being was, if he hid Lexis from Hera and the truth from both parties I'm afraid the was is very prominent in explaining who he now IS,"Jamie says placing emphasis on the word "is".

"True but we don't know..." Jess says but is interrupted by Jamie,

"This is why I wanted you to get out of there fast,"Jamie says frustration his voice.

"Look at it this way now that he's back maybe you can get some answers,"Jess says.

"Answers?" Hera says.

Jess nods.

"After all that happened Nathan is sure to ask to speak to you,"Jess says.

"Or have you thrown in jail,"Jamie says.

"Thanks for the input," Jess says sarcastically.

"Considering he supposedly once loved her if we're to trust Peter's words, he won't. He'll be mad but he'll definitely not throw her in jail,"Jess says as the phone vibrates announcing the arrival of a text.

Hera looks at it, it's from an unknown number. She opens it up and reads it.

Hera stares at it speechless.

"Hera?"Jess calls out.

"How...how did he get my number?" Hera asks rhetorically.

"Hera?"Jamie calls out.

"Who?" Jess says collecting the phone from Hera's hands.She looks at it.

"We need to talk - Nathan," Jess reads out loud.

"Nathan wants to meet you,"Jess says.

"Why?" Jamie asks.

"Because he needs answers stupid, "Jess replies.

"Stop calling me stupid," Jamie says,

"Stop acting stupid, stupid," Jess replies and glances at Hera who seemed to have blanked out.

"Hera, Hera," Jess calls out waving her hands with the phone in front of Hera's face.

"Oh my goodness I need to leave. I can't stay here,"Hera says snapping back to her sense.

Jess holds onto her hands.

"You're not going anywhere except to go meet Nathan,"Jess says.

"What?"Hera says in disbelief. The only thing she wanted to do was book the next flight out of the country.

"Running now will only worsen things. Regardless of if he's angry or not at you, he has to be curious. There's a difference between hating someone and actually meeting whom you hate. Be it to tell you to leave, get answers or help, one thing is for sure, meeting you has made him unstable and now that he has calmed down and processed your reappearance he wants answers, hence the request to meet. You should go,"Jess says.

"You've lost it," Hera says pulling her hands away from Jess' hold and walking away from her.

"If you don't you'll forever wonder what could have been if you didn't. Yes, Nathan was a horrible person for not telling you about Lexis but then again we have no idea what he was fed by Peter," Jess says walking over to her.

"The more reason I need to leave, I have no idea what Peter has told them," Hera replies.

"You know Nathan more than all of us, regardless of what's happened is he someone who would sell you out to his dad? If the answer is no then meet him. At least, then you'll know what he wants from you, Answers or your disappearance from their lives?"Jess says walking to Hera.

"That way maybe you can get some answers into what happened 5 years ago. Out of anger he'll spill the beans on what he's been told and why he cut you off. All you need to do is face him without saying anything like you did to me,"Jess says.

Hera stays quiet, her lower lips drawn in by her teeth.

"You can't just run away! That'd make Lexis even more suspicious,"Jess says frustrated.

Hera releases her lips. "Jamie?" She calls out.

Jamie lets out a sigh, he'd been quietly listening and carefully considering it's pros and cons like a lawyer considering a client's case.

"As much as I hate to admit or agree with it, she makes good points. You should meet, you chose to stay, knowing this would be a possibility, now deal with it's consequences,Just remember Hera regardless of the outcome of what you learn from your conversation with his brother, you decided to let Lexis go,"Jamie says.

***

Thanks to J and J. They remind me of Tom and Jerry lol.

Thank you for all your love and support. It was the strength that aided in writing this chapter.

xoxo

- A