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Bethany nodded, it all felt so surreal. Part of her, the crazy part filled with fear, wanted to stay with Nick. While the other part, stronger and more dominant, demanded to belong to Nate. "Yeah.." She agreed.

Nate smiled softly, he gently took her tear stained face in his hands, and he softly put his lips to hers. He had missed her. Being with her, holding her, seeing her... kissing her. He had never missed anyone quiet as much as he missed Beth. He had wasted a major part of his life, missing her. But now that he had her back, ot was worth it.

Bethany kissed him back, old feelings that she'd had for Nate stirring in her chest.

He pulled away and softly smiled at her, but when he heard Nick's heavy footsteps he looked at the door. Nate jumped up and quickly closed the door, locking it to buy them some time. Then her hurried over to the window and opene it, thankfully it was a one story house.

"Get Jeffery, we don't have alot of time." he softly urged Bethany.

((Idea!! So after they get away, Beth and Jeffery stay with Nate. So one day Jeffery gets like really really sick. And so when they take him to the hospital they need like all kinds of money to get him better. And Beth can't Afford the bill, and the hospital won't let Nate pay, cause he's not blood relation to Jeffery. So Beth goes to Nick, but he dosen't help (even though he can) he just ends up tricking Beth to get 'in bed' with him. So Beth is all heartbroken cause she's kinda run out of options. But Nate is to stubborn to accept it. So he goes to Atticus (and all in all he becomes Ghost without anyone but Attie knowing) and he goes and somehow gets the hospital to let him pay without Beth knowing, and he's kinda tricked the bank. And so he don't tell no one what he's up to, and he kinda takes Attie's place as the new Ghost...))

((I love it (: ))

Bethany nodded, fearful of the footsteps echoing down the hall. She scooped up Jeffery in her arms and wiggled out of the window, her bare feet touching the dirt in the front yard. It had stopped raining, but the dirt had mended into a stick mud. She wrinkled her nose but hopped out entirely.

(awesome!)

Nate made sure they where out, and safe. He heard the sound of Nick's heavy body slamming into it and making him look at the door before diving out the window. "Cmon my car's over here..." he said taking her hand and hurrying off with her.

Bethany fallowed, her body heaving with fright at the sound of Nick getting closer.

Nate helped them into the car, then got in himself. When he saw Nick come out, the car screeched as Nate floored it and sped off.

.

A few months had passed, and Jeffery had surfaced with a new and horrible sickness. He had come down with a bad case of Pneumonia. At first, Bethany had dismissed the runny nose and constant coughing as nothing more than a cold...But then he got worse...Fast. Once his temperature spike 105, and Bethany had no other option but to hospitalize him. The poor kid was scared out of his little mind. His skin was paling by the day, but Beth couldn't come up with the money for antibiotics and the hospital wasn't allowing Nate to cover the expenses.

Bethany sat at the bed neck to Jeffery. His eyes were rimmed with red, as were her's. Jeffery was now almost as pale as a ghost, and he burning. Beth gingerly placed a velvet hand over his forehead and cringed at the scorched flesh that bubbled under her palm. She drew back and frowned, looking over his heaving chest and tired frame. He wheezed softly, his eyes fluttering constantly to stay awake during visiting hours. The only reason he was still in the hospital was because Bethany's insurance was paying for it day by day. But her insurance was dwindling and he'd be kicked out soon. Without medical attention, he'd surely die.

"This is my fault.." She breathed, looking at her hands with defeat. She ran a hand through her platinum blond hair and drew it back into a loose and messy ponytail, trying to escape the heat that was radiating from Jeffery's pale and weak body. She could only imagine the pain he was in.

Nate stood out in the hallway, consulting in Atticus. Atticus always came about, but he had never actually met Beth, or Jeffery, he was simply there to listen to Nate. He looked at his young friend with sympathetic blue eyes after Nate had concocted another scheme to get money, or to allow him to pay.

"Nate... That isn't gonna work either..." he sighed.

Nate blinked his teary amber eyes and rand his hands through his hair in frustration. "I know..." he sighed, ignoring his now messed up hair. "... Attie... When I was fifteen I could've fixed this in a snap-"

"-No Nate, you couldn't have...." Atticus watched him lean against the wall, then sink down to the floor, his head in his hands. "How much longer will he be in here?"

"Her insurance only pays for a few more weeks..." Nate began looking up at Atticus. "She said Nick is her last option, she's gonna try to get money from him-"

"-If he's anything like you described him, he ain't gonna pay... Gotta save that money for booze and girls..." Atticus thought, outloud.

"We can take him to court-"

"They where never married: nothing can tie him to Jeffery or Bethany..." Atticus sighed.

Nate blinked at him pitifully.

Atticus wa biting his lip, something he did to think. "You get in there and be with her." he finally said, helping Nate up. "And if Nick dosen't pay, you call me. I might know another way..."

Nate didn't ask anymore, he just nodded somberly. Atticus patted his shoulder, before turning and leaving, himself. Nate watched him go, then he turned and walked quietly into the room. He looked at Jeffery's weak frail figure. Even of they could pay, would it be to late? He looked to Beth who stared miserably at her hands. He quickened, walking over and kneeling down at her side. He cast another glance at Jeffery, then he looked at Beth. He gently wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her closer. "How you holding up?" he asked softly, already having an idea of her answer.

Bethany exhaled sharply, the sound of her breath coming out raspy and tired. She hardly noticed Nate until he touched her, then she collapsed into him. She couldn't really cry, that much was gone from her, but she whimpered softly. Like a puppy that had never been loved, or a kitten that wanted affection desperately.

"Nate.." She whined, feeling tears slide down her throat, "what if he doesn't...make it..?" She murmured, feeling her shoulders heave, but she still didn't cry, there were no more tears.

Nate blinked when she collapsed into his arms. Tears filled his amber eyes, for what reason... he didn't know. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her tightly, close to his chest, in a comforting way. He knew she couldn't cry, surely she couldn't, she had spent several nights crying. Occasionally she would cry during the day, when Jeffery would drift into uneasy sleep. She tried her hardest to hide the tears from her son, and Nate.... But Nate knew better. Bethany tried to seem strong for the sake of her son... But one can only be strong so long, before they break. Nate was sure she had broke, and he listened to her as she spoke. He was quiet for a moment, then after a sigh, he spoke.

"He's gonna be okay, Beth. We'll find a way to pay for the antibiotics..." he doubted his own words, since Nick was their last option, things seemed bleak. "... It'll be alright Beth..." he soothed. Nate had a 'singer's voice' it had a naturally soothing affect on people. Maybe that's why he had always been such a good liar, and con-man... He didn't know, that was all behind him. He felt Bethany trying to cry, her shoulders heaved. He looked down at her and let her rest her head on his chest.

"C'mon Beth, you're too tired to cry anymore." he sighed softly, still holding the girl's tired frame closely.

Bethany nodded hopelessly, no mother should have to watch her son die. Bethany wouldn't wish that sentence on even her greatest enemy. "I know." She croaked, her eyes still looking at the sleeping boy. He was truly the spitting image of Nick. But, Nick has long and gangling, with sunken in cheeks and worn, pale, skin. While Jeffery was plump and so full of life...Well at least...he'd used to be.

Bethany mulled over numbers, but no matter how hard she crunched them, she saw no way that she could come up with the money. ***** the health care system, she thought, ***** them for not helping us...He inner voice whimpered.

Nate was quiet, thinking. What had Atticus meant? He might know a way for them to get the money? What did that mean? As much as he hated Nick, he was their last choice, since he couldn't decode Atticus's message. He sighed and looked at Bethany, then to Jeffery.

"Are you still gonna go talk to Nick?" he asked. He hoped she would say No, that he wasn't worth their time... But, if it's the only thing that may help Jeffery... It must be done...

"Yeah." Bethany croaked, "I mean...what other choice do I have..?" She muttered, swiping a hand across her face and standing. She shouldered her navy green jacket and rolled her shoulders. Bethany shot a painful glance at Jeffery then sighed.