Sorry I haven't updated in so long! Been really busy & a little stressed, I hope you liked this story because it's nearing it's end, but there'll be plenty more to come, maybe some one shots. Also, before you read this chapter, please have a look at the chapter before this, as I completely replaced it.

Jedakiah. His eyes were hollow and cold, stood in the doorway; he looked at Stephen with no warmth, love, or compassion. Jedakiah walked past Stephen, leaving the house.

"Stephen, where on earth have you been? I tried calling you-"

"I'm home now" Stephen interrupted his mother. He knew what she was going to say, he knew how she felt, he understood. "So what did Jedakiah want?"

"He was worried" she laughed, as if it was something he should have known. "We all were."

"I'm sorry mom..." Stephen wrapped his arms around his mother. "It's hard to relax when it comes to the people we love, huh" Stephen thought of all the people he cared about: his mother and family, the tomorrow people, and John. It was hard to relax when he was constantly fussing over John. John lived in a dangerous world, it wasn't easy being him, it wasn't easy caring for him either. Always threatened, even when it seemed like things could only get better. Stephen was sick and tired of this life, and John deserved more.

"I guess it is" Marla replied after a long pause. She held her son tighter, like she planned never to let him go again. All she had left was Stephen and Luca, she couldn't afford to lose them too.

"I'll be upstairs" Stephen said, peeling his mother's protective arms off him and racing up the stairs. Astrid was waiting in his room, sat on his bed. "Astrid?"

Astrid stood up and charged past him, not breathing a word, not looking him in the eye. "Astrid!" he called after her, running down the stairs. Astrid slammed the door in Stephen's face, but he ran out after her anyway, "Astrid!" he yelled. She stopped. She slowly turned to face Stephen who stood a couple of feet away from her. "You were worried." Stephen panted, out of breath.

"Yep" Astrid snapped. "You didn't think to call, or text?"

"I had a rough night-"

"A rough night?!" Astrid screamed, "How do you think my night was?"

"I'm sorry" Stephen lowered his head, unable to face his best friend. Astrid walked away in silence. How could he be so ungrateful? He had family and friends that cared for him, and he was throwing that away.

John?

Yeah Stephen?

Stephen lay on his bed, he didn't say anything more. He couldn't. John teleported into his room, stood at the foot of Stephen's bed. John looked at Stephen's tense body face dripping with sweat, or was he crying? His hair ruffled and his eyes vacant. John didn't say anything, he lay next to Stephen, wrapping his arms around his tense body. He rested his head against Stephen's neck, feeling him exhale and relax a little. His body was less tense and his eyes closed as he accepted John's help. He needed someone there, not someone to tell him everything would be okay, but someone who was there for him no matter what. John was what he needed. He was tired of making everyone worry, he was tired of the people he loved being in danger. He just wanted to escape for a while. In John's arms he felt he could escape, he was safe, he was free. As long as he had John, he'd be okay.

Stephen opened his eyes to be faced with John's gazing protectively into his. it was dark, he'd fallen asleep and John had stayed with him. "We're making a habit of this aren't we?" John joked, smirking.

"Thank you" Stephen smiled, resting his head against John's chest. "Thank you for being here for me."

"Don't you forget it" John replied.

Stephen stared at him with sad eyes "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Making you worry" Stephen sighed. "I put you through a lot, I put everyone through a lot. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

John laughed in response, "Shut up, that's what I'm here for, to worry. It's my job as your..." John stopped, searching for the right word.

"Your what, hey?" Stephen teased as he gave John a nudge.

"As the person who loves you more than anything" John whispered gently into Stephen's ear.

Stephen leaned forward and kissed John "Thank you" Stephen grinned as he started to blush. John gave him a wink and teleported out of his room

Stephen spread out over his bed, feeling a lot more relaxed and a lot happier since seeing John. John knew what Stephen was going through, no one else could really know or understand, not even Jedakiah or Astrid. He still felt bad for how he made them feel, but he was protecting them as much as he could, he didn't want them worrying any more than they already did, so this was the best way forward. He accepted the guilt he felt and tried to think about how it was for the best. He always had John if he ever got lonely in this world that he had to live in, apart from everyone else. He pictured John's calming eyes and let himself fall asleep once again.