Losing Time (boy x boy) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Six

I doze, teetering on the line between consciousness and unconsciousness. Flashes of memories speed behind my eyelids. 'Devon and I laughing, Devon bleeding in front of me, me in the rain watching Devon walk towards me. Then I see a little blond girl running through a field, joy in her eyes. A blond-haired woman is chasing her.

'A black-haired man is standing over a grill, laughing. Then I'm chasing the little girl. Her giggles echo through my mind. She squeals when I catch her.

'"Slow down, you two!" my mother pants. She finally catches us. We lay on the ground for a while.

'"Sarabeth, Lisbeth, Jaxon dinner!" dad yells. We run towards him.'

For once, I gently wake up, a bittersweet feeling in my heart. Now I know her name. The one who gave birth to me. Sarabeth; it suit her. My sister's full name is Lisbeth. Did they do that on purpose?

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Dylan beams at me.

"How can you be so chipper?" I groan, rubbing my face. That's when I realize I'm laying in a bed.

"Nothing to it. Well, besides coffee."

"Did you carry me?"

"Yup. You only weigh, like a hundred pounds, kid."

I glare at him. "One hundred and sixty, douchebag."

"Ooh. You're real snippy this morning."

My mind wonders back to that memory. "Sarabeth," I mumble without realizing. "But what's his name?" Dylan stays silent, just watching. I jerk when I notice him. "What?"

"You were muttering. Just trying to find out why."

"Oh. It was a memory...about my parents."

"All right then. I got a tidbit of information you should know."

I sit up. "What is it?"

"Just the location of one involved in the assassination of your parents and the kidnapping of one Lisbeth Cooke."

"Good. Let's go."

"Whoa there, kiddo. Can't just go blowing in there half-cocked. Got to make a plan first."

"Right. Do you have the location's blueprints?"

"Who do you think I am, noob?"

"I'm not a newbie."

"Yeah, you are. Got all the knowledge, sure. But it's all locked up in there." He taps my forehead.

"I'm NOT a newbie." He must see something in my eyes, for he doesn't argue. We debate for an hour until we have a plan we both agree on.

"All right, kiddo. Let's get going."

I stop him by grabbing his arm. "Thanks for helping."

"Would you stop thanking me? Makes me feel like I'm using you." I step back, startled. He grins. "Not that I wouldn't mind tapping that, but..." He leaves it at that and walks out to the car. I'm left gaping.

"You coming?" he calls. I hop in the passenger side.

Dylan roars with laughter. "If you could see your face!" I'd rather not; I'm sure it's ten shades of red.

"So you're..." I pause.

"I'm whatever I want to be."

"You're bisexual?"

"I'm bi, straight, gay. Just depends on my mood."

"But that's bi, right?"

He shrugs. "Whatever."

"You're a complicated person."

"That's what she said." He laughs again.

I sigh. "I'm stuck with you for god-only-knows how long."

"That's right! Enjoy it while it lasts."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Everything. Nothing. The psychologists haven't quite figured it out yet."

We finally arrive at the location. It's some sort of warehouse. We scan the perimeter, finding only a few guards stationed periodically.

"Have all the members of Arrow sworn off killing?" I ask.

"Almost all of us, yeah." He glances at me. "Why?"

"Just wondering." 'What does that say about me?'

"Look here, kid," he begins, turning to face me, "lying to your partner, the one who's got your back, is not a good idea."

I heavily breathe out. "Fine. I'm beginning to remember more and more. Apparently, I had no problem killing people."

He stares at me for a while. "Well, that was before. You're a different person now, Jaxon. You can choose who you want to be."

"Shouldn't you be telling me 'people never change' or something?"

"No. I'm saying be true to yourself."

"But I barely know who I used to be."

"But you know who you ARE."

"You're right! And who I am knows that every life is precious. I won't kill unless I have to." I sit there for a second. "I know why I killed."

"Hm?"

"I was so obsessed with revenge that it consumed me. I only saw those people as objects in the way of that vengeance. They weren't human beings, not to me. They meant nothing compared to my hatred."

"How do you feel now?"

"Life is sacred and revenge isn't that important. Not compared to innocent lives. The ministry doesn't care about that. I never realized, blinded as I was by rage, that I was becoming like them. And now, my hands are as soaked in blood as theirs." I study said hands. "I'll never be clean again. But I'll never kill again. I thought...I thought that, to defeat them, I had to become like them. But I don't."

He stares at me. "Damn, kid."

"What?" I look up.

"I don't know what happened to you when you were gone, but obviously it was a good thing."

"The memories I do have of killing people-whether with knives, guns, or bare hands-I've found out that I don't enjoy it. It brings me no satisfaction, it never did."

He nods. "Glad you figured it out. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." We exit the car.