"Man, Spinner, you've done your share of stupid things, but now you've REALLY screwed up!" It was past 2:00 am. Spinner, Craig and Marco were at Jimmy's for the night. Again, Jimmy's folks weren't around. But nobody could sleep tonight. Jimmy had been waiting by the phone all night hoping to hear from Jo, or word of Paige, if she was found.

"What, exactly, do you mean by that!" Spinner shot back at Jimmy.

"If you haven't picked a fight with-"

"That wasn't my fault she was putting the moves on…" Spinner tried cutting him off.

"…Paige wouldn't have run away!" Jimmy yelled.

Spinner wanted to say that hadn't been his fault either but he couldn't deny it. He knew she had run away from him. It had happened before when he tried to take her from Jo's house. Jo…Jo was in the hospital. He couldn't explain how he felt the moment he saw her lying on the sidewalk. It was only moments before he had wanted to beat her down him self, for trying to take Paige away. But seeing her lying there, with blood dripping from her lips, she looked so helpless. Spinner was still angry…or he felt like he should be…but he couldn't manage it…

Just then the phone rang.

"I GOT IT!" Marco and Jimmy both yelled and reached for the phone. But of course neither of them noticed the other reaching for it, causing their heads to slam together.

"Ow!" Marco yelled.

Jimmy rubbed his head grumbling. Seeing that neither of them were capable of it now, Craig picked up the phone. "Hello?"

Jimmy rubbed his head then reached for the phone. Craig handed it to him.

"Hello?"

"Jimmy?" A female voice said "It's Alex."

"Hey! Anything happen? Is Jo awake? Any change?" Jimmy then pressed the speaker button so they all could hear.

"Yes, yes she is awake, but they won't let me see her tonight! They said she's going to be ok, her dad is with her now."

"Well that's good at least…" said Marco.

Jimmy let out a sigh of relief, at least partly. He knew one of his friends was alright. "What about Paige?"

"I…I don't know…we haven't heard anything, just that we're going to the station in the morning. How're you fellows holding up?" Alex asked.

"We can't sleep…" said Marco.

"Sorry, but you're going to have to try, not that I'm one to talk. The police will want to talk to you too. Brent says they're looking for any information they can get, though I don't know if they will do anything with it…" Jimmy heard the bitterness in Alex's voice.

"They will, Alex, it's there job." He said.

"Yeah…well, lets hope the Canadians are better than the Americans."

"Why do you say that?" Craig asked.

"It's just…oh, never mind. Look I'll see you all tomorrow, Brent wants me off the phone in case his dad calls." Alex said, she sounded like she was really put out, not that anyone could blame her.

"Alright, get some rest, will you." Jimmy said.

"Yeah…night, Jim. Night, Guys." And Jimmy heard the line click as Alex hung up.

"What did she mean by that?" Craig asked. He looked at the others. Spinner as always looked absolutely clueless, Jimmy seemed deep in thought, but Marco…Marco seemed a bit nervous. And Craig figured that he must have known something they didn't.

"Ohhh…" She opened one eye very slowly. For a moment she thought she had gone blind, for only darkness met her gaze. But slowly her eyes adjusted and she saw that it was in some sort of dark stone space. Her head hurt like hell, and her lips felt dry and crusty and she realized it was dry blood she tasted. Her shoulders ached but when she tried to move her arms to rub them she found she couldn't move. Her wrists were bound! Panic struck as she wriggled trying to break free, but her bounds were too tight, they felt they might cut through her skin!

"Nice try, Spirit." said a voice from the shadows. Paige didn't have to think.

"Don't…call me that…" Paige managed to speak out, but her voice felt very weak.

Dean appeared from the dark corner, he was wearing jeans and a black shirt. The sleeves were short, showing off the tattoo on his arm. He looked even bigger and stronger than she remembered. Or was that because she wasn't afraid of him before? "Poor Spirit, not so tough now, are ya? Not without your little friends…"

Her friends? Jo! That's right, she had come after her! But where was she now? Was she here too? Paige looked around desperately, inwardly hoping that Jo might be there so she wouldn't be trapped alone. Maybe they could escape together. But there was nobody.

"Jo…" Paige's voice cracked when she realized she was alone.

"Oh yeah, the red head. Fiery as I've ever seen them." Dean snickered.

Paige's eyes widened "What did you do! Where is she?"

"Heh, well my friends thought it would have been fun to bring her along, and I was more than happy to oblige, I'd like to see what that fucking dyke could do…"

"No!"

"Relax, doll…she's not here…as much as I would have liked to show that piece a thing or two, we had to make a get away before the cops showed up. Sadly we couldn't have gotten away with both of you."

Paige let out a sigh of relief. Jo wasn't here…she could send help! She saw them, she could be saved!

"But…heh…before leaving we made sure to shut her up." Dean grinned as Paige's face turned a deadly white.

"Wha-what are you t-talking…about?...

She couldn't say anything. What did he mean by that? Had they hurt her? Was she even still alive…Paige felt all her hopes for survival shatter. How could she possibly get out of here now?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jo was released from the hospital the next afternoon, despite her nasty outward appearance from the beating she suffered no eternal injuries and was strong enough to return home. The doctors had explained it was partly because she was already so physically fit.

Marco came over to see her as soon as he heard she was alright. Jimmy called and promised to visit later. Despite everything though, Jo still felt sick to her stomach. Somewhere out there, Paige was alone, frightened and possibly being raped and tortured. If Jo hated anything in the world it was feeling small and helpless, which was all she could feel now.

She was now sprawled out on her bed, her arms hanging over the edge and starring at the wall. Alex was on the floor leaning against the wall and Marco sat in her desk chair.

"Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?" Jo said softly to no one in particular.

Marco simply shook his head, for that answer was way beyond him. Alex however would not be so silent.

"I don't see what the hell good it is just sitting around here. We should be out there looking for her!" Alex got up and went to the window.

"Its not so simple Alex…" Jo started to say but was quickly interrupted.

"Look," Alex continued. "…if we could just get out and go. I could get him I kno-"

"Alex, for God's sake, LISTEN to yourself!" Jo shouted. "Where, the hell is your common sense!"

"Jo…" Marco said soothingly, trying to keep her calm. "You don't need…"

"No!" she protested, then continued on "It's not like finding a lost puppy! This isn't some fairy tale, where you can just jump in and save the day without so much as a scratch! It doesn't work that way! Don't you dare think that people aren't taking things seriously and that you can do everything better! For the love of God, I was beaten and could have easily been raped again! It sucks but it certainly wasn't the fault of the police because you may think they were too lazy to rescue me. You don't think they're out there all night searching for Paige instead of going home to their own children? This is real life Alex! And you can't always be the hero of the story!" Tears were spilling from Jo's eyes. She hated being angry at her friend but it was now that she couldn't help it. "I am so sorry…" she said sobbing "I…Alex I already feel so helpless…and you…you are so passionate…and even though I believe it's unethical…it makes me feel so guilty!"

Alex rushed up and embraced her friend. She took no offense whatsoever in Jo's speech. In fact she agreed. She was very passionate and often spoke too quickly and too much without thinking first. She often wished that life was more like a fairy tale and often acted on it, it seemed to make things easier for her but just as often got her into trouble. But she saw now, more than ever what Brent was talking about earlier. It was time to stop the nonsense. Jo's energy and passion was stolen from her twice now in her life, which no girl deserved to suffer. "No, Jo" Alex said "I'm sorry. I am too passionate. I blurt things out without thinking, not even considering those who listen. My head has been in the clouds too long."

"Alex, your passion really is a good thing," Marco added in "But it can be overdone. And Jo is so tired."

"Yes, I know now." Alex nodded, still holding the sobbing red head in her arms. "And it isn't fair. Jo, you don't deserve any of this."

Jo was too exhausted to say anymore. Marco had never seen her like this. The doctors claimed she was healthy and strong as a horse. But she looked so ashened, her eyes were dark and sunken in. How could somebody so healthy appear so sickly? Was it simply the result of the beating? Or was it something else?

(A/N: Yes I know it wasn't very long, Yes I know it took forever, and YES you're going to kill me. But College work takes up so much flipping time! AHHHH! But I'm still writing! This isn't the end! I love you all so much and the reviews are wonderful and you make me so happy! Please continue to read! I enjoy hearing from you! More soon)