Sweet Child Of Mine

Back in England I ran away from home a few times. Well I didn't exactly call that place home, if I'm being honest.

The streets definitely weren't a nice place to be, especially at night. I'd learned that the hard way.

And that was in England. Huntington was a whole different story.

I managed to get back into the house after I left the hospital. Luckily no-one was there, not that I expected them to be.

I stuffed aload of clothes of mine into a duffel bag, grabbed the $100 I had saved up and left the house for good.

Not knowing where I was going I just followed where ever my feet were taking me.

I could handle myself. All I had to do was find a place to go for a few days...then hopefully I'd figure out something from there.

The only thing I knew was that I could never go back to Dad and the others, at this moment in time I think that they were ready to kill me...

./\. Matt's POV./\.

Zacky didn't manage to catch Alex, when she took off running. And when the others went in search for her, they couldn't find her either.

The doctors made me go home that night. They said, that because Val wasn't in I.C. that, I wouldn't be able to stay.

Obviously the first thing I did when I got home, was get a ice cold beer from the fridge. But as usual, when I was feel down and out, one beer usually turns into a crate.

And that's what my lifestyle consisted of for the next three days.

Drinking. Passing out. Waking up. And then drinking again.

The guys were very worried about me. Not only because Val was showing hardly any improvement, but with Alex disappearing, they thought that I was just going to give up hope.

And at this moment in time. So did I.

./\.Alex's POV./\.

Cold. Wet. Tired. Hungry,

These were the only things I was feeling. Withing three days, I hadn't even made it out of Huntington and I was almost out of cash.

Pulling the damp hoodie closer to my body, I trudged further down the sidewalk. The dark causing shadows to form everywhere.

I took a seat in a booth of a small neglected cafe. There was hardly anyone in there.

An elderly lady came over to me with a cup of coffee.

"Whats a pretty little thing like you doing out this time of night?" She asked sweetly, as she poured the coffee into a cup. I didn't answer. "Honey. I can tell that your not a street kid." Briefly I looked up at her.

"Want to talk about it Hun?" She asked sweetly, wiping her hands on her little apron.

"Not really..." I sighed, looking down at the coffee cup.

She nodded. "If your lucky enough to have a home and a family, you should be there with them sweetie. 'Cause at the end of the day...blood is thicker than water." She smiled softly, "And the coffee's on the house."

I looked up at her and smiled slightly, "Thanks." I mumbled.

But those simple words. Blood is thicker than water. Got me thinking. I had been acting like a right bitch lately. And the only reason for it was because..I was afraid.

I was afraid that if I allowed Val into my life, that I was going to end up losing my Dad. Again.

I was afraid that I would get hurt. Again.

Finishing off the cup of luke warm coffee. I grabbed my bag and raised to my feet.

I had a home and I should be there.

As I left the cafe, I looked over my shoulder and smiled once again at the elderly lady, who in return smiled at me and nodded.

I wasn't really sure, what part of Huntington I was in, so I made the decision of calling someone.

Rummaging around in my pocket, I found some coins for the pay phone in the street.

With a Shaker hand I picked up the receiver and held it close to my ear, whilst putting the coins into the slot.

It rang five times before someone picked it up.

"Hello?" They asked sleepily.

I let out a long breath "Jimmy, it's Alex...Can you come get me...please..."