The next step -- TBD

I sat on a rock with my face in my hands.  I was in the park where Stephanie told me to meet her -- it was where we always met.  It was a week or so after the attack on Lenni.  I had no idea where I stood with one of my only closest friends -- Dean.  He said he needed to talk to me, he even had my wand, but he refused to even want to talk to me right now.  I was dragged there, too.  I tried to stand up to them but it didn't work very well.

I saw Jetty in the park and walked over to him.  He looked up at me when I put my hand on his shoulder.  I was instantly concerned when I saw the bruises and swollen eye plus a split lip.  "Jetty, what on earth happened to you?" I asked, taking hold of my boyfriends hand.

The concern on Stephanie's face made me feel a little bit better... at least I knew someone cared for me.  I had been avoiding my sister due to the fact that I was sure Fred told her only what he saw... who knew how he perceived anything.  I wasn't as tough as the Gryffindors.  I tried to stop it and to help... but it didn't do a thing.  "Steph, the Death Eaters took Elena," I said quietly.

I gasped and toJetty to a different spot so I could sit next to him.  "Is she okay?" I questioned.  Why was Jetty so upset?  Was she not okay?

I nodded.  "She will be... maybe not emotionally, but they saved her," I replied.

I had to be missing something here.  "Jetty, start from the beginning," I coaxed softly.  I was really rather lost about what happened, why he was so upset, everything.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair.  I guess I had to start somewhere and why not the beginning?  "I don't know exactly when all this coincides.  But I was taken in my sleep by the Death Eaters.  I don't know where they took me... I heard them talking about me and my father.  Comparing us... I guess they want me to be a Death Eater.  I had no idea what was going on until I heard McNair talk about Lenni.  They started to torture her; I was trying to get a plan together and then they pushed me forward.  The look on er face..." Tears came to my eyes and I hung my head.  I could have helped her so much more than I did...

With the way he was acting, one may have had doubts what he did.  I squeezed his hand and asked, "What happened next?"  I knew he wouldn't have hurt Elena.  He was not that type of person.

"Well, I stood up and told them to stop.  Then Darwin and McNair got pissed.  They tossed me to the side and started to show me what I should do."  I shuddered and took a deep breath.  "That's when the guys came in..."  I was not even sure if they realized I was there at first.  I had no idea how I was going to convince him I was trying to help and was forced to be there as well.

I hated seeing Jetty like this.  "Jet... do they know your side of what happened?  They can't believe you were a part of that.  That isn't you," I assured him.  If he stood up in front of all the Death Eaters... that took a lot of courage.

I shook my head.  "I tried to help even more but they knocked me out... I don't really know how I got the rest of the bruises or anything.  But Steph... I don't belong anywhere.  Not with the Death Eaters and not with them.  I don't know why I even try... I'll never fit in," I said, letting the tears fall from my eyes as I kept my head hung.  I didn't even want to look at Stephanie right now.  She pprobably would be so disapointed in me.

I wrapped my arms around Jetty.  "You belong here -- with me.  I know that you would love to be a part of them... but perhaps that really isn't your place after all," I said quietly.  He shouldn't have to try this hard to be a part of that group.  It wasn't his fault for how his father was.  And I ws getting tired of Jetty having to pay for those sins.  It was just getting ridiculous.  And honestly, there weren't just two options of what group one could be a part of.

I looked over at Steph and mustered a slight smile.  At least I did have her.  "I don't know why I try so hard to fit in with them.  I just need to stop.  I'm not going to ever be one of them, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be crossing over into the dark side, either," I resonded quietly.

I gave him another hug and saw someone walking towards us.  It was his sister.  I was rather surprised.  I pulled away and gave Jetty a kiss.  I'd let them have a moment though I was going to stay close.

I turned and saw Jada.  I could see that her mascara was smudged as if she had been crying.  I went to her.  "Jada, what's wrong?" I asked.  I swear... if Fred did or said something to make my sister this upset.