Sequel time! This originally started as the last chapter of Missing but I figured it worked better in here...so about the first 200 words were written ages ago when I started the last chapter of Missing...but then I changed the plot some so it didn't work...anyways enough rambling...here you go!

Please bear in mind I know next to nothing about gunshot wounds so this might not be entirely accurate...I've looked it up a bit but...I have also discovered that either I'm being rather fussy or that it's actually kinda hard to find that kind of thing out...any help???? I'm working off a bit of basic knowledge here...and trust me when I say that it's not much!

Oh and also don't flame me for how James is at the minute, he's gonna cut, more than likely he'll end up getting involved with drugs and alcohol and he's gonna contemplate suicide a lot. Barring the drugs/alcohol that was me 3 years ago...I didn't stop till 9 months ago...anyways just don't flame me over James' character, and if you're gonna be affected by any of it don't read!

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James woke the next morning, back in his own room finally, he'd grown tired of having to bunk with Bruce, who rather thankfully was a very deep sleeper and so far hadn't woken to James' screams, Zara had insisted that he did, for at least a month while he healed, of course James being James the second the month was up he moved back into his own room – ignoring several protests as he did so. Zara had attempted to add extra time to it after the Bethany thing; James had refused point blank and moved himself back into his own room. He'd only been back in it for two weeks now and hadn't left it for anything but meals. After making sure that no one had come in in the night (he'd pushed a box against the door, if it had opened then the box would have moved), and theoretically from that fact that no one had heard him, he left unable to ignore the growling in his stomach any longer.

He'd been avoiding eating with everyone as much as possible; they all seemed bent on staring at him as if trying to see if he was ok when he so obviously wasn't. Unfortunately it was a Wednesday which meant classes, which meant that everyone else was up as well. He was normally earlier but staying awake until at least 3am in a futile attempt to prevent nightmares did start to take its toll. In a manner eerily similar to some of Bethany's last thoughts before being kicked out of CHERUB, James often found himself thinking about how if you acted normal and pretended everything was normal everyone thought he was fine. He wasn't exactly acting normally currently, but most people chalked it down to him having a bad day.

He considered ducking out of breakfast and just grabbing a microwavable thing to do in his room. That plan however was scuppered when Kyle saw him and pretended to faint in shock.

"He lives! He has left his room! God James you're pale, you need to get outside."

James didn't bother dignifying that with a response, instead deciding to turn round and go back to his room. Even if Kyle would still joke around with him the rest of campus didn't, in James' opinion they treated him like a china doll. They'd been doing it since he got back from Ukraine and it had only gotten worse since Lauren...James stopped himself from completing that thought. Unfortunately for James he still had at least a week until anyone even thought about letting him start walking again, partly due to Bethany ripping his stitches and Zara being ever so slightly over protective, and Kyle just caught hold of him and started dragging him towards the elevator and down to breakfast, James protesting rather loudly the whole way.

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Everyone in the room immediately quietened down when James entered, still protesting and still being dragged by Kyle. Kyle shot them a few well placed glares and they resumed their chatter, albeit more quietly than before. Ignoring them all Kyle grabbed trays for him and James and forced James to go get himself some food, James just sat there stubbornly and decided that this week couldn't go fast enough. At least then he'd be on crutches and would have a slightly better chance at being able to avoid everyone's stares. Still, being below them help somewhat, at least he couldn't see their eyes, but he could still feel their gaze burning into him.

Kyle decided to interrupt his thoughts by ramming a carton of orange juice under his nose. James just shrugged and threw it onto his tray, Kyle sighed, at least when James was trying to stop him from making him do something he could actually be bothered to put up a fight. James being all quiet and almost submissive just wasn't right. He dragged James towards an almost full table and, ignoring some rather nasty looks from the occupants, put his and James' trays on it and proceeded to eat. James had appeared to shrink under the looks he was getting from the others at the table and was consequently ignoring his food and studying his nails rather intensely.

James took the first opportunity he could to bolt and made his way up to his room desperate to get away; this was going to be a lot easier when he could walk, well, run. It was rather hard to disappear into the shadows when campus wasn't particularly designed for wheelchairs. Major design flaw there. Kyle thankfully hadn't followed him; he normally did so James was relieved to say the least. He managed to get up to his room without bumping into anyone and as soon as he was inside the door was locked and bolted. There's no way to pick a bolt.

Sighing with relief, James wheeled himself into his bathroom grabbing his razor off the side as he went. His wrists weren't any good, uniform was t-shirts, it was annoying at times but he dealt, he had to. He ripped his shirt off and threw it on the floor staring at the countless lines covering his chest in various stages of healing. The first ones were shaky things, barely deep enough to leave a mark, only a week later they'd grown much deeper and more organised, now almost his whole chest was covered in cuts. Neat, diagonal lines when he was lucid enough to pay attention, a large clump crossing each other when he wasn't. There were more large clumps than neat lines.

Lifting the razor he placed it against one of the few bare places on his chest and cut. Blood started flowing immediately running down his chest and into his trousers. He couldn't care less; he wasn't leaving his room for the rest of the day anyway. This was apparently one of those few times where he actually concentrated on where he was putting the blade. The next cut was directly underneath at exactly the same angle. Before he had chance to cut again he heard someone hammering on his door, Kyle, and shouting at him. James smirked and stuck his finger up at the general direction of the door.

Seeing that Kyle wasn't going away anytime soon he groaned, grabbing a bandage from the cupboard and wrapping it over the newest cuts as he did so. He pulled his shirt back on and made his way back into his bedroom. Rather than trying to explain the blood on his trousers James just grabbed a jacket and threw it over his lap. Groaning he pulled the door open and plastered on a smile, forcing himself to look up at Kyle rather than down at his shirt where the faintest marks of blood could be seen. Maybe he wouldn't notice; wishful thinking but maybe he wouldn't, it would make life a whole lot easier if he didn't. Not that life seemed to like going easy on James but there you go, some people are destined for sucky lives.

"You up for bowling? Kerry and Gabrielle are off as well," apparently not noticing how James' face fell at the suggestion, well either that or he just didn't care and decided to press on anyway, "we can go girls v boys, the girls seem up for it. It'll be fun, besides they'll probably faint in shock when they realise you've not only left your room but you're leaving campus. Come down just so I can see their faces, please!"

Kyle attempted a rather demented version of the classic puppy dog eyes, then proceeded to get down on his knees and look up at James like a five year old who wanted chocolate might. James sighed and conceded, Kyle wasn't going to let him be unless he agreed and he really didn't want to be faced with that image of Kyle any longer.

"I'll be down in 10 minutes." He said sullenly turning away from Kyle and going into the bathroom. "You can wait that long right?"

Kyle nodded eagerly and ran off, presumably to get ready himself. Despite not wanting to go James did have to admit that the look on Kerry's face would be funny. Maybe he should find a camera...

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Was gonna make it slightly longer but I haven't been able to write an update for Interesting...I'm out all tomorrow, Friday is packing day, Saturday/Sunday is my friend's birthday do and then Monday I go to Egypt – nowhere in that schedule is there time to write so until I get back from Egypt this is it. But I'm going old school so I should be able to get some typed up and online a couple of days after I get back!

I know this chapter didn't explain much but I'm gonna spread that out through the fic – it's a main part of James' character actually so I'm not explaining it all at once. You'll see what I mean in about 2 weeks time! :D

Review please

Ldf x