Jemma's POV:

It's ten after five and I'm getting out of my car at the beach trail.

 I grab my phone off the seat and put the buds in my ear. Nothing gets me pumped up like my tunes.

I was jamming to Bartender by Rehab when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

OMG this cant be happening.

 I thought this was safer then the loop. I didn't even bring my pepper spray. Those thoughts flashed quickly through my mind.

Then I remembered what Blue taught me.

I threw my elbow back as hard as I could, stomped my foot on my attacker's foot, turned and threw my fist as fast and hard as I could.

In the tussle my earbuds fell to the ground.

I'm about to take off running since my attacker is doubled over when I hear a voice wheeze "Jesus Jemma are you trying to kill me?"

Oh no, I know that voice. "Oh my god Michael?"

I walked back over to him to make sure he's okay then slap him across the back of the head.

"What the hell was that for?" he asks standing up and slightly glaring at me.

"You scared the shit outta me you big jerk face!" I huffed.

"I was calling you and walked right in front of you how did you not know it was me?"

"Maybe cause I was listening to music and you mean , that you came from behind me. Are you stalking me Michael? Awe I feel so special! Mr. big ex military hot teacher man is so sprung that he's become a creeper!" Now that I'm over my shock I tease him.

"Actually I was already on the trail but turned back to get my camera. I wanna take some pictures of the sunrise. So technically you're stalking me. Awe I feel so special!! Ms. Club manager Ass kickin cutie is so sprung she's become a creeper!!" He uses my own words in a really squeaky high pitch imitation of my voice.

"You are such a dork and I don't sound anything like that." I giggled

"Haha you didn't deny it" He taunted grinning from ear to ear.

I rolled my eyes at him and lean down to pick up my ear buds.

 "Nope sorry to disappoint but I really didn't know you ran here. I started yesterday morning since you and Donald made me completely paranoid about running the back roads." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"So are you gonna follow the other piece of advice I gave you?'

At my blank look he continued "Ya know finding a running partner. Safety in numbers and all that."

I just shrugged my shoulders again and started to walk towards the trail. "Well you're here so I guess technically I'm not alone. So I guess I did listen to you." I called over my shoulder.

"Was that your idea of asking me to run with you. Wow Jemma I'm honored and I would love to! Think you can keep up?" He replies with a smirk like he didn't think I could.

"Pshh the real question Mikey is can you keep up. Seeing as your practically a senior citizen?"

He rolled his eyes "Oh ha ha kiddo. Let's see whatcha got."

We ran half way in comfortable silence keeping pace with each other. We stopped midway on the bridge over the water to watch the sunrise. Michael pulled out his camera and took a few pictures. I noticed the flash in the corner of my eyes and turned to see he'd just takin a picture of me with the view in the background.

"Michael erase that and don't even think about taking another one. I'm all sweaty and look like crap!"

He rolled his eyes and said "Nope" popping the P. "It's a great picture and you look beautiful as always Jemma. You couldn't look like crap even if you tried. So come on lets take a few together so we can commemorate the beginning of our running relationship!"

He walked to me and threw his arm over my shoulder pulling his other arm out to aim the camera at us and still get the ocean and rising sun in the picture. I know I was blushing as I repeated his words back in my mind. Hopefully he'd just think I was still flushed from running.

A couple of minutes later we finished our run.

He walked me to my car and we said our goodbyes. I'd be totally down with starting every morning this way.

I quietly walk into the house since It's still too early for everyone to get up. I was heading to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and breakfast when I hear Terri and Danny arguing.

"I think we should call the cops. What if something happened to Jemma. She could be hurt or someone could have taken her!" my dad sounded seriously worried.

"Oh Danny shut up, that little bitch probably just snuck out to screw one of her so called guy friends. You should of seen all the guys she was with at the beach. It was downright shameful. We are not calling the cops. If this got out it could ruin the elections. She'll turn up in time to get to school so just shut up about it" Terri yelled.

Wow mom, you're on your way to mother of the year award!

"Terri I don't give a damn about your election, I'm worried about our daughter. I'm calling and you can just get over it!" my father yelled back.

"You've known she's not your fucking daughter for 3 years. So you shouldn't be surprised by me telling you that you have absolutely no say in anything!" she screamed at him.

I gasped and ran forward.

"Where the fuck have you been you little tramp?" Terri screams at me.

I'm staring at my dad with tears in my eyes. I blink them back and turn to Terri

"Is it true? Whose my father?" I scream at her unable to hold back my emotions.

"We're not discussing this! Quit trying to change the subject. Where the hell were you?" She screams back.

I shake my head and ask again "Who is my father" in the coldest voice I've ever used.

"That's none of your business. Now answer the fucking question" she screams.

I look her in the eye and tell her "Fuck you it is my-" my retort was cut short by Jen and Justin

"She was running. she runs every morning" Jen yells over me.

I hadn't even realized we woke them up. 

I think I'm going to be sick. I rush to the sink and puke. I feel a hand rub lightly on my back and shrug it off. 

Only vaguely registering that Terri was screaming that there the proof was that I was a slut. I'd gone and got myself knocked up and probably didn't know who the father was.

I wiped my mouth and turned, noticing that it was Justin who had tried to comfort me.

I laughed almost hysterically at Terri "Like mother like daughter is that what you mean? Is that why you wont tell me who my father is? I shouldn't even be surprised that you were such a slut! I mean nothing has really changed right. You're still fucking anything with a dick!" I screamed at her my entire body shaking from the amount of anger coursing through me.

She lunged at me and Danny got between us "For fucks sake Terri just tell her, Tom's her father!" He screamed at her.

I cant be here, that's it. I look at my so called parents and without saying another word turn to leave. I don't bother with getting anything or saying bye to anyone I just leave. 

I need space and air, lots of air because I feel like I cant breath. 

Is this how Jen feels when she has an asthma attack? 

It sucks.

I drive around for a while just trying to comprehend everything. 

So many question and yet some things are starting to click.

 I felt overwhelmed with anger. 

Did Tom know? 

Was that why he treated me like a daughter? 

Cause he knew I was his biologically. But why wouldn't he tell me?

I glance at the clock on the dash and realize I've been driving for about 3 hours and somehow I ended up at The Zone.

 I put the car in park and jump out and head to the staff entrance at the back. 

He'll be here. 

There's a staff meeting every Monday morning. I grab the door handle and use all my strength to throw it open.

 Everyone is there. They're looking at me like I lost my mind. 

"Jemma Bean shouldn't you be in school" Pete asks.

I shake my head and even though I'm trying to speak normally I end up yelling "Where the hell is Tom?"

"He's in the office Jems, he got an important call about an hour ago and hasn't come out yet. Are you okay Princess?" Blue asks while trying to give me a hug.

I just ignore him and go to the office. I don't even bother to knock I throw the door wide open and see him sitting with his head in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me? How could you keep this from me? Was everything over the last few years just a way to ease your guilt over the fact that you didn't want me?" My voice breaks from all the tears.

He jumped up and ran over to me and tried hugging me.

 I shrugged out of his hold though. He didn't want me enough to actually be my father. That was the only conclusion I could come to.

"What? Now you want to actually play your role as my father?" I snarled, pain like never before ripped through me. Pop's didn't want me...

He grabbed me again and hugged me harder "I swear Jemma I just found out. I never would have kept that from you. I've always loved you as my own."

I step back and see that he's got tears in his eyes as he says that. I take a deep breath and take another step back

"I gotta go." I whisper and scrub my eyes to make the tears stop.

"We need to talk about all of this Jemma. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and I'll answer everything I can." he pleaded.

"I just cant right now. We'll talk, I just need to process everything first." I kiss his cheek and walk out.

I drive back to my town and decide to get a hotel. I'm not going back home. I check in and just lay down on the bed staring at the ceiling. My phone keeps ringing but I just ignore it.

I must have fallen asleep because the sound of my phone woke me up. I look at the bedside clock to see it was almost 9 at night.

I grab the phone and answer it without looking. "Look I'm alive and in a safe place so stop calling and don't even think about sending Scott, Pete or Blue looking for me. I mean it Tom" I croaked, figuring it was Tom because he's called all day.

"Jemma it's Michael. I've been calling you since you didn't show up for class and then Jen came by to pick up your work after school. Once she clicked that I'm your Michael she burst out in tears saying something really bad happened and you ran away and she can't get in touch. Sweetheart I'm so worried, where are you?"

I leaned back on the bed. "I'm sorry Jen worried you and that she found out you're my friend, but I promise she's not gonna try and get you in trouble so you don't need to worry" I try reassuring him.

"Dammit Jemma I'm not worried about that! I'm worried about you!" He snapped.

"Oh, I'm okay. I'm staying at the hotel. I just have a lot to process and things to figure out. I didn't run away. Well I guess I sort of stormed out but I just needed to be away from those people." I sighed still utterly spent emotionally.

"Want to talk about it Sweetheart? It might help to vent a little." Concern clear in his voice.

"I don't want to be a pain Michael." I hedge, I want to talk to him but I don't want to bore him with my sob story life or worse drag him into the stupid drama just because he's being a caring friend.

I hear him sigh "What room are you in?"

"109 why?"

"Just stay where you are. I'll be there in a few minutes." Click the line went dead.

Oh duh there's only one decent hotel in this po-dunk town. So it wont be all that hard for him to figure out which one I'm at.

I heard a knock on the door and answer it

"Jemma you didn't even check to see who it is" was his annoyed greeting.

"I knew it was you. Because you told me you were coming so get your panties out of their twist and fyi it's not a good time to lecture me on my safety. I'm a little bitchy at the moment.'' I warned.

I head back into the room and see my appearances as I pass the mirror. I look like I was hit by a bus and dragged about a thousand miles! I shrug and throw myself back down on the comfy bed.

He walks in closing the door.

He plops himself down next to me and grabs my hand. "I was worried sick after Jen came by and I tried calling but you didn't answer. I was worried you were hurt or lost or god knows what else. I even called the guys to see if they'd heard from you."

"Sorry I really didn't mean to worry anybody. I just needed to try and wrap my mind around everything." I said sincerely touched that he was so concerned about me.

"Well if you want to talk or vent I'm here. I'll listen without judging." he said shifting me so my head was on his shoulder and he was rubbing my arm, comforting me. 

It was nice.

I snuggled closer and wrapped my arm around his stomach and told him everything about catching my mom with my teacher and how that changed how she treated me, I mean she was never exactly warm but she didn't seem to hate me that much before then. I also told him about how shortly after that Danny started to pull away. The whole story with Drake, even the little bit that I whispered to him in the cafeteria.

I told him the plans I'd made for the night I'd walked in on Drake. My thoughts and feelings about The Zone and college and Tom and Susan. My plans of getting an apartment when my birthday comes around. Then everything that happened today.

I talked about everything that was going on and that I was feeling.

 Except how I felt about him. I couldn't burden him with an unwanted romantic confession.

He'd stayed quiet throughout most of it. Only asking a question here or there. But I knew he was listening because depending on what I was talking about he would either continue to soothingly rub my arm or give me a little side squeeze and kiss my forehead.

After a few minutes of silence I looked up at him. He placed a hand on each side of my cheek and used his thumbs to brush my tears away. Then he leaned towards me and gave me a soft tender kiss on the lips.

 One that sent my heart racing even though it was just a gesture to comfort me.

"What do you think I should do? I'm moving out tomorrow for sure. I'll just stay at a hotel until I get a place. But what should I do about Tom and Danny? They've both been calling me non stop and texting me that we need to talk. I'm afraid of what else I'm going to find out though."

"Well let me start off by saying your mother is a grade A bitch and she doesn't deserve to have someone as amazing as you in her life! Next is that douche Drake. Baby, you are way too good for him. You deserve someone who is going to put you first and treat you with all the love in the world. And that line about a man's needs is such bullshit. First off he's not a man. He's just a kid playing dress up. Secondly a real man wouldn't pressure you into anything. A real man will wait for you because a real man knows you're more than worth the wait and anything that happens between y'all will be even more special because you wanted it as much as him. Next only an idiot would cheat on their woman. Especially with Carrie's cheap fake ass. That girl probably has permanent pillow creases on the back of her head. As for the way you feel about The Zone, I think it's great that you love it there and you feel a familial closeness with them. The moving out thing, I totally agree with you, it's got to be hard to feel unwelcome in your own home. Especially by those who are supposed to love you. So if you need help I'll take tomorrow off and help get what you need out of there during the day so you won't have to see your mom. As for the staying in a hotel until your 18 and can sign a lease contract. Well that's just ridiculous and a huge waste of money. You'd go crazy after a few days because this isn't a home. It's too sterile to be able to really relax. So if you want you can stay at mine as long as you want. I'll even change the spare bedroom around for you. I mean if you want, you don't have to. I don't want you to feel weird about staying with your teacher. I just don't think you'd be very comfortable here for an extended period of time. Lastly I think you should talk to your fathers. Yes I said fathers as in both Danny and Tom. Danny might not be your dad biologically but he did raise you. Even if he did a piss poor job of it the last couple of years. Maybe talk to Tom first so you can have a few days to process before you speak to Danny . I'll back you no mater what you decide but that's my opinion"

Wow what a speech. I cleared my throat before responding

"Thanks Michael for listening and caring. I've told you before I don't think of you as my teacher so I'm not weirded out. But are you sure? I mean me crashing at your house is kinda a big deal and I wouldn't want to get in the way. And speaking of teachers, I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to talk about students like that. Even if the pillow crease comment was epic. I think I'll take your advice about Danny and Tom. I'm freaked about it but if Tom really didn't know I was his kid then I can't really be mad at him. It wouldn't be fair"

"I thought we already went over this Jemma. I don't say something that I don't mean. So I meant it when I said that I'd like you staying at mine. You're in no danger of being in the way. So get that negativity out of that pretty little head of yours." He pulled back to look me in the eyes and gave me a heart stopping smile. Then placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

He got up and dragged me to my feet and towards the door grabbing my phone in his other hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a semi-dazed state from his sweet kiss.

"We're going to get Ice cream and do some Jemma cheering up" He said smiling at me.

"I'm not going anywhere. Have you seen how crazy I look?" I asked him like it was the craziest idea in the world.

He shook his head "You look gorgeous as always sweetheart." He insisted.

I crossed my arms. "Nope not happening" I say stomping my foot to prove a point.

He just rolled his eyes and in one quick movement picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Excuse me cave man but this is called kidnapping" I yelled sounding slightly breathless from being upside down and seeing that scrumptious booty in snug jeans just a few inches from my face.

I heard him laugh and felt it jostle me.

"Jemma as you've stated numerous times since I've met you. In the state of Texas you're legally an adult. So technically I'm adult-napping and you know you like it! I can feel you staring at my ass right now!"

I was going to pop him on the back but as I laughed he jostled me which caused me to smack him on that firm tooshy of his.

Next thing I knew I felt a slight sting on my butt. It wasn't painful but very pleasurable which caused me to wiggle and bite back a surprised moan.

Bad Jemma, you aren't supposed to have naughty thoughts about your sexy friend.

He opened his truck door and carefully dropped me on the seat. "You look beautiful so stop worrying. You're rockin the hobo look!" He teased and I stuck my tongue out at him.

He stopped at an all night diner and held my hand leading me to a corner booth. The waitress comes up and we order 2 huge sundaes. I spend the next half hour scarfing down all of my sundae and half of his while he talks about his days in the service, more about his family, funny pranks him and his friends pulled when they were kids. The senior prank they pulled on the school.

By the time we left he had me laughing so hard my sides hurt. Especially when he told me stunts him and his brother did. I told him that his brother sounded like quite the character and I couldn't wait to meet him.

 Then he dropped the bomb that I already had. Skip is his brother.

We were walking into his apartment where I was staying tonight and officially moving into tomorrow. Since it was almost 2 in the morning and he didn't want me staying at the hotel because it wasn't as safe as staying with my own personal G I Joe as he put it.

"Why didn't you say anything about him being your brother when I met him?"

"Honestly I didn't even think about it. Yeah he's my brother but he's my best friend ya know"

He led me to his room and got a t shirt and some boxers for me so I could shower and sleep in something other then my dirty work out clothes from this morning.

"I'll be in the living room if you feel like talking or hanging out when you're done. If not you can just crash in here and I'll take the couch tonight." He gave me a hug and another barely there cotton candy soft kiss and walked out.

While I was in the bathroom I noticed that everything was in the exact same place I put it yesterday. Hmm I guess he didn't notice after all. Either that or he didn't shower after our run this morning and since he definitely didn't stink I'm going to go with option A.

I hop in and let the hot water sooth my knotted muscles for a few minutes before I wash. As I'm drying off I can't help the little laugh that comes out as I see that on the mirror where I wrote Jemma rox my sox was a little message that said Not yet but he wishes she would! xxx Skip rules this beeeeech!

I head out to the living room to see Michael laying on the couch flipping through the channels. When he sees me he smiles and says "Feel better?"

I nod and he sits up and opens his arms for me to cuddle into him.

We're watching reruns of I Love Lucy with my head on his chest and his hand smoothing my hair. The steady thump thump thump of his heart beating in my ear works as the best lullaby and I'm out.