Bent.

1. If I Fall Along the Way, Pick Me Up and Dust Me Off

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Unwell! If you haven't read that one yet, this is going to be awfully confusing. Title and Chapters are based on another Matchbox Twenty song. You should go listen :)

1. If I Fall Along the Way, Pick Me Up and Dust Me Off

Mitch was in a full-out sprint through downtown Austin, and he was pretty damn sure he looked like a mental patient.

Well... that's because he was.

Kind of.

Strangers dodged him as he flailed down the sidewalk, only half-hearing Kirstin's voice screaming behind him.

He knew that she was terrified that he was having some sort of episode.

He thought about it for a moment, as his feet slapped against the pavement.

Was he having an episode?

This was entirely possible.

He saw what he was looking for in the distance, and slowed his pace. He hadn't thought about what he would do when he got this far.

Shit. Now what?

Kirstin grabbed him from behind, effectively halting him in his tracks.

"What the actual hell, Mitch? First you look catatonic on that bus, then you take off with no warning! Are you okay?"

Mitch kept walking, pulling her along with him. He felt bad. Truly, he did. But once he explained the severity of the situation, he knew that she would have no choice but to understand.

How should he go about explaining? He eyed his target in front of them, picking up his pace again slightly. He could almost feel Kirstin's eyes narrowing next to him.

"Why are we following this guy, Mitch?"

I could pretend I thought he left something on the bus. What can I...

"MITCH, ANSWER ME BEFORE I CALL 9-1-1 AND TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE HAVING A PSYCHOTIC BREAK."

"Kirst, I'm fine. I just can't lose him, okay? I had to catch up."

"I've never known you to be so... forward," Kirstin muttered, following along, knowing that she had no other choice.

"Excuse me?" Mitch asked as they approached the tall blond. He turned towards them, stopping on the side of the walkway for others to pass. Blue eyes met brown, and Mitch nearly melted.

Those eyes felt so beautifully familiar, it broke Mitch's heart.

The tall man smirked at the duo, and Mitch could swear he heard Kirstin's heart thumping in her chest, and he was certain that he heard a longing sigh escape from her lips.

"Hi. I'm the guy from the bus," Mitch muttered.

The man laughed. It was warm and genuine. "Yes. I remember."

His smile was better than it was in Mitch's mind.

"Did you drop these?" Mitch held out his own air pods. It was all he could think of. "I thought I saw them fall from your pocket."

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Not mine. Nice of you to follow me to ask, though."

Great, he thinks that I'm a stalker. Shit... am I a stalker?

Mitch forced a laugh. "No, no. We were getting off at this stop, anyway."

Scott smirked again. "Sure you were. Anyway, I appreciate it, but mine are in my bag."