What Happens, Happens

Chapter 12

"I'll look back on this and smile because it was life and I decided to live it."- ?

Six days came and went in the blink of an eye. Before the boys knew it, they had to head back home.

Sam and Jace walked around the convention center on check-out day. They looked at the people coming in and out, carrying projects and leading animals into carriers or trailers.

"This has been fun. We should do something like this again." Sam said as they walked their bags to the car.

"Like what? Conventions or sharing a bed?" Jace laughed as he followed Sam.

"Both, but sharing a bed is more convenient," Sam smirked and opened the trunk of the car.

"For you. I actually work." Jace smacked Sam lightly.

"I work, sometimes. You work too hard. You need to take a break every once in a while. Don't stress yourself out." Sam smiled at Jace and took his bags from him. He put them in the trunk and closed it.

"But I agree. This has been one of the best weeks of my life." Jace smiled at Sam.

"Same here." Sam returned the smile.

Sam went over to the passenger's side and Jace went to the driver's side. "I hate that you're making me drive."

"Well, I drove on the way here, and you slept most of the way. It's my turn to sleep and your turn to suffer." Sam laughed and put his seatbelt on.

Jace started the car and put his seatbelt on too.

He pulled out of the hotel parking lot and onto the road. "I'm going to stop and get something to eat, you want anything?"

"Just a coffee. Cream only." Sam turned in his seat, trying to fall asleep.

Jace stopped at a small convenient store and got Sam's coffee and a doughnut and water for him.

"It's kinda hard to drink coffee when you're falling asleep." Jace laughed as he placed Sam's coffee in the cup holder.

"You try doing something on 3 hours of sleep," Sam grumbled.

"I do every day. It's called work and dealing with you." Jace had a smug look on his face.

"You're mean." Sam pouted as he took a sip of his coffee, swallowing and sticking his tongue out a few moments later. "That's hot! I feel like I just burnt my tongue off!"

Jace laughed at Sam's misfortune. "Sucks to be you," Jace said in a lighthearted tone.

"You really are mean," Sam said in a sarcastic voice.

"Stop acting like you didn't know that. I can be absolutely heartless sometimes." Jace stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. You wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Whatever." Jace rolled his eyes and focused on the road.

~~~~~Time Skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The boys walked off the plane and into the airport.

"Still tired, big guy?" Jace looked over at his sleepy friend, slowly following behind him.

"Yeah. Can I take a nap on the way home?" Sam said in a groggy voice.

"I thought that's what you were planning on doing anyway." Jace snickered and went the claim their bags.

Jace, carrying all the bags, walked out to the car, Sam still following him. "Just get in the car. I'll take care of our stuff."

Sam does exactly what Jace said. He quickly made himself comfortable and was almost asleep when Jace slammed the car door. Sam groaned.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? Poor baby!" Jace snickered and started the car, feeling better about being in his own car and not in a rental. "I'll try to get us home as soon as I can."

He pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road once more. He followed the road until they got into the bad part of downtown.

The place where gangs are more common than homeless people, where shootings happen every day, and where people are killed for almost anything.

Jace slowly pulled around a corner, not seeing any traffic.

But, he was wrong.

The next thing he knew, he was covered in blood, glass, and could hear the sound of an ambulance approaching. He looked over to see Sam in the same condition.

"Sam," Jace whispered softly before blacking out.