Always

"WHAT?"

"Marry me, Lexy."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes." Alex threw himself into Jack's arms and kissed him repeatedly.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

In the morning, Jack and Alex apologised to Andy and Alan for all the shouting, who understood completely, and congratulated them on their engagement.

Over breakfast, Alex told Jack what he knew about why Oli and Josh were after him, because although they were engaged, they couldn't afford to just spend all their time obsessing over it, not just yet at least, not while Josh and Oli were still out there.

"But why do they want lyrics in the first place? And why yours specifically?" Jack questioned.

"I don't know." Alex answered, feeling defeated by their current situation.

"We'll tell you why." They came from fucking nowhere, and Jack and Alex both nearly had a synchronized heart attack. "You see, Alex. Your father had an affair, that's why he left. Right?" Alex looked at the floor, he'd never told anyone, not even Jack, and Jack had never wanted to pry. It made sense though. Why Alex had trust and faithfulness issues, always doubting the others intentions. Oliver took Alex's silence as a yes. "So I wanted to give blood, I'm a good Samaritan, well, was. But I didn't know my blood group, so they did a DNA test, right, and guess who it turns out your father had that affair with? You got it. My goddamn mum. And I, lucky fucking me, happen to be the offspring of that particular intercourse. So, hey brother." Oli smirked. It wasn't the biggest issue to Alex that he had another brother, he was quite used to that happening, but Oli? It just had to be Oli.

"But that doesn't explain why you want his song lyrics and to murder us..?"

"Patience, young grasshopper. First of all, you two, are fags, and I find it utterly grotesque, that I am related to a queer. So I hate you for that. I also hate your father, Alex, because when my dad found out about this affair, he divorced my mum. So, there's that, thanks for the broken family. And I wanted lyrics because I wanna be famous. Simple. It's not like I was ever good at academia and shit, but turns out, even writing songs is hard, no matter how much emotional material you've got to work from. Then bam, I remembered you, how I hate you, and it just worked out. I thought you would have been the type to write lyrics, had no idea though. A lucky hunch. If you'd had said you didn't write lyrics, and had no idea what I was talking about and therefore none to give me, I would have left you alone man. You dug yourself into this shit." Oli detailed, smiling wickedly at how everything had all mapped out nicely.

"But why do you want to murder us? Hate is one thing but, did you have to kill his mum?" Jack replied.

"Meh. Dramatic effect. Also Josh got kicked out the army for being, get this, mentally unstable, and he kind of wanted revenge, and murder worked for him." Oli was way to relaxed about this topic of conversation. Alex got up and ran to the room, Jack assumed it was because he didn't want Oli to see him cry.

Jack kept asking more questions, he wanted a proper understanding, and he was making good use of being able to ask questions and not just being held at gun point, because even Oli wouldn't commit a murder in daylight, in a busy youth hostel. That was probably why the two gunmen weren't with them.

"Oliver Sykes, Josh Franceshi. You're under arrest for murder, attempted murder, death threats and kidnapping. Move and I promise, we won't hesitate to shoot." A team of about five police officers burst through the door, and all aimed their guns at Oli and Josh.

The trials were to be held in two weeks, and in the meantime Vic, Mike, Tom, Jack and Alex were advised to continue to stay in the youth hostel, and if Oli and Josh were found guilty, they'd be given a certain amount of money for accommodation, as no-one wanted to return to what was the Gaskarth-Fuentes household, apart from Jack and Alex, who would have to return after the crime scene was dealt with, in order to sell the place. They'd also be given money to live off for around six months, giving them time to get back on their feet and for Jack and Alex to find work in Baltimore, because they didn't want to totally uproot Vic's, Mike's and Tom's lives, and move them to Chicago, or elsewhere. Jack and Alex would look after the kids (ie 10 year old and two teens), as guardians.

"Josh Franceschi, on the grounds that you are mentally unstable, you are cleared of all charges, but must spend an indefinite amount of time in Baltimore Mental Hospital, until it is fully proven that you have regained mental stability, which is an unlikely case. Case closed. Bring in Oliver Sykes." The judge concluded the first trial. Jack and Alex wouldn't argue with that, it was clear that there were definitely some cogs missing in Josh's mind. I mean, to take part in all this just because he got kicked out the army?

"Oliver Sykes, you have a life sentence, and must attend therapy sessions four times a week in Baltimore State Prison in order to attempt to redeem your mental state. You will never be relieved of your sentence, despite any good behaviour. Case closed." Alex and Jack were overjoyed to hear that Oli was behind bars, it meant they were safe again. Safe, and with each other.

They were given a house on one of Baltimore's finest estates, and damn this house was nice. Vic and Mike had a room each, with an adjoining door, and a shared ensuite bathroom. Tom had a room across from Vic's, also with an ensuite bathroom, but also a small balcony with a table and two chairs. Tom's room was next to the spare or guest room, and at the end of the corridor was Jack and Alex's room, the master bedroom. It was massive, and had a kingsize bed, a walk in wardrobe, and a massive bathroom, with a giant triangular shaped bath, and a shower. Downstairs there was a kitchen and dining room that was open planned, and next to that was the lounge, with a black Italian leather sofa. There was an empty room next to that, which Jack and Alex later decided on turning into a music room.

"Lexyy.." Jack had been watching Home Alone on television, and finally, for once, actually got bored of it. Alex was sat beside him with his big glasses on and a beanie, in sweat pants and shirtless (it was like he was a teenager again), reading some way-too-thick book called The Knife Of Never Letting Go.

"Yes Jack?" Alex didn't look up from his book.

"I'm boreddddd."

Alex took his glasses off, and looked Jack dead in the eye, and revealed what he had in fact been reading; he had been covering it up by hiding it inside The Knife Of Never Letting Go. You'll never guess what he was reading. Tips On Hot Gay Sex. Jack nearly choked on air. He had no idea there was even a book on that.

"Wanna mess around?" Alex smirked.

"But I th-"

"Yeah I know, sometimes I feel that way, sometimes I don't. It used to be all the time, but I don't know, I don't understand it any more than you do. But come on. Don't ruin the fun."