If there really was a hell in the afterlife then Jason would gladly go knowing that he had lived as the only man [Name] ever loved.
Because no matter what happened, he loved her.
He would lay down his life, slit his own wrists, cut his own throat, if she asked him. The world could drown in flames and he wouldn't care as long as she was happy and safe, because she was the only thing his eyes could see.
He lived for her smile and her touch and her love, and if he couldn't have her then he would rather be dead, because she was his world and his everything.
Jason could never bring himself to hurt her, even when they hauled him into the police car and locked him up in that goddamned asylum he didn't blame her. She was afraid, he understood that, maybe he was a little rough but he would make it up to her somehow.
They'd ride drink cheap beer all night long, dance 'til dawn, and drive off into the sunset. Together.
That was what he thought. What he had hoped while stuck in Ravenhearst without receiving even a single fucking letter. He only had one valued possession while stuck in that ridiculous excuse for a hospital, and that was her favorite novel.
Wuthering Heights.
But then he realized that he was Heathcliff, broken and lost without his Catherine. And to be okay again he needed to be with her.
"Because misery and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart—you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine. So much the worse for me that I am strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will it be when you—oh, God! would you like to live with your soul in the grave?"
He could not live without his soul. He needed to wake up, break free, find it. Get it back.
Wake up from this stale nightmare. Break out of this prison. Find her. And after that the only thing keeping him sane were those two words "Find her" which he repeated so often and so eagerly in his head that the phrase merged into a single sound constantly repeating like a mad parrot. Finderfinderfinderfinderfinderfinder.
He kept her book with him whenever he could, it was also his single belonging aside from the clothes on his back that he carried when he escaped.
The news reports were wrong; there was no bomb. Just three open gas stoves, courtesy of a horny, virgin (not anymore) nurse with a key, and a lit match.
Oops.
During the commotion many of the other criminally insane attempted to escape, Jason was one of the lucky few who managed to sneak inside a doctor's car and stab her throat with a pencil.
He drove west until he reached Rosewood, where he disposed the car and body by dumping it into the harbor.
There were going to be a lot of burned, unidentifiable corpses once the fire had been dealt with, giving him a few hours—maybe days. So Jason, using the doctor's money, bought decent clothes and created himself a new identity (just for now at least).
He stayed the night at a run-down lodge where he dyed his hair and tried on a pair of contact lenses. Until he found his girl and left this state he was to be Allen "AJ" Johnson, like J.D., in honor of [Name]'s beloved 80s movie. (She giggled every time he called her Ronnie.)
"AJ" rose early the next morning to find himself a ride back to Torrington—he didn't know where [Name] was but he needed a place to start. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be a single fucking bike in that entire town.
Until he spotted a Yamaha parked by a hospital.
It was when he started to hotwire the motorbike did he see her. She wore a ridiculous red wig and an equally ridiculous white-dotted red blouse, but he knew his Ronnie.
He wanted to approach her, but then he realized that she wasn't alone. Who was that douchebag with her?
A.J. waited for the two to come out of the hospital, when they did she was wearing his jacket.
That. Fucking. Cheating. Bitch.
No, he quickly corrected himself. It's not her fault. It's this guy. He brainwashed her, he had to because Ronnie wouldn't forget about Jason. Ronnie loved Jason. Ronnie was made for him.
He glared at the blonde who looked at his Ronnie with disturbing adoration.
You little shit, get your hands away from her. I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you. She's mine. Mine.
And now he had her in his arms again. She was right here. They should be celebrating, yet why did she look so terrified?
*
You turned and muttered in disbelief, "J-Jason"
He winked "Actually, the motel records in Rosewood know me as AJ, but hey, if you like Jason so much you can scream it"
You flinched and he scowled. You looked away and his hold tightened around you.
"Ronnie?"
You said nothing. This was too surreal. Maybe this was just a bad dream and you'll wake up when Berwald knocks on the door to check on you.
"It's okay, don't worry. I'm not mad. All is forgiven, baby girl." He leaned down to kiss you and you were too stunned to resist "Besides, I'm at fault too. I scared you, I'm sorry. I was just so mad at your dad" At the mention of your father his artificial blue eyes glinted like a knife.
Don't anger him, don't insult him. Say something! "You dyed your hair. . .and your eyes"
He grinned "Like it? Jason had red-brown hair and red-eyes, I needed to change into someone else fast, but the store ran out of brown contact lenses."
"Uh-huh. . ."
"Why do you look so upset?"
Shit. "I-I'm not upset, you just took me by surprise. How did you get in?" This house wasn't equipped with the latest security but its gates were difficult to climb.
"I told you, if it's you I'll find a way. Always." He said in response, like his "explanation" made the slightest sense.
"Right. . . I'm happy to hear that, Jaso—AJ"
He chuckled and your heart softened despite yourself. Denying the logical parts of you, a piece of your heart still missed him. Still loved him as the boy who gave you hope.
"My bike is waiting outside" He whispered to your ear, giving you goosebumps. "God, I missed you, Ronnie. It's taking every damn quarter of my self-control not to fuck you in this balcony right now"
Ba-dump went your heart.
Someone knocked at the door "Miss [Lastname]? You've been up here for some time now. Dinner is ready." Berwald.
"Ronnie. . ." Jason grasped your nape with one hand "Ronnie, let's run away together. What do you say?"
"I. . ." You put your hand on his chest. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
"Ronnie."
"The book. You highlighted the line—"
"I highlighted that line because it's true. That blonde homewrecker doesn't deserve you; he can't love you in a thousand years as much as I do in a day."
"Did you. . ." You swallowed hard, unable to finish the question in time as another set of knocks cut through the conversation. "Miss [Lastname]? Are you all right?"
Jason nibbled the skin on your neck, "I love you, [Name]." Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump. You didn't know if that was your heart or his.
The knocks grew frantic. You pictured Berwald already thinking to break down the door.
You grabbed his cheeks and pulled him in for a deep kiss, "Okay."
Author's note: "Bitch did WHAAAAAAT?" is probably your reaction. If yes then, "Yay me!" (Keep in mind that this isn't the last chapter so don't kill me just yet.) XD
"I was meant to be yours!/
We were meant to be one!/
I can't make this alone!/
Finish what we've begun!/
You were meant to be mine!/
I am all that you need!/
You carved open my heart!/
Can't just leave me to bleed!"
— JD, Heathers the Musical