JC stumbled over a tree and cursed at it under his breath.  He even stopped to kick it in his frustration.  The forest was very dark; the only light was from the full moon that peaked around the trees.  He was lost in the woods with no clue where he was going or even if he was going in the right direction.  He sat down on a fallen tree and put his face into his hand while called out angrily into the night, which was mostly directed inward at this point.  Why couldn’t he have just stayed and talked this out with Kim, after all he did feel the same he just couldn’t tell her that.  It wasn’t like he was looked for love right now; surely Kim would have understood that.

            “You know for some one that is trying to get away, you sure are making a lot of noise.” Katy stated she had caught up to him awhile back, and was just following him to see what he was doing.  She approached him slowly, thinking he might dart off again but he didn’t.  He remained seated but didn’t look up at her.

            “Just drug me, so we can get this over with.” JC said, maybe the drug would make him feel better and help him forget what he had just done to poor Kim.  He knew who it was; he should have known that she would catch up with him sooner or later.  It wasn’t like he stood and chance in hell of getting away.

               “First of all you are insane if you think I am dragging your unconscious ass back through this forest.  Second, I hadn’t planned on taking you back.” Katy said taking a seat beside him on the log.

            “Really?  Because I am not going back unless it’s by force.  I mean, I can’t.  I really screwed up here.  Everyone is going to hate me.” JC explained, after all he did have his pride to contend with.

               “Then I guess you aren’t going back.  I understand why you ran.  You needed to get away and right now so do I.  So let’s just hang out here awhile.” Katy offered.  He could tell that something was bothering her as well; she wasn’t being her usually witty self.  JC agreed with her and so they both sat there for a long while staring out into the trees.  There were distant sounds that made JC a little jumpy, but Katy remained unfazed.

              “I think Just was right you are fearless.” JC said.  He heard her laugh lightly.

            “I’m not.  I am just not afraid of anything in these woods, kind of like you I guess.  You did run off into the dark, so whatever you were running from must have scared you more than the dark.” Katy said raising an eye brow at him.  This time he laughed.

            “I am terrified; Kim told me that she likes me.  But I don’t know how I should feel about that.  I mean she did tackle me to the floor and then abduct me.” JC said.

            “There is your problem, fuck how you should feel and just let your feelings be whatever they are, no matter how illogical it may seem.”  Katy explained.  JC thought about it for awhile.

            “So you really aren’t going to drag me back?” He asked, part of him didn’t believe her.  Maybe she was just playing some kind of mind game with him and he wasn’t sure that he could win a mind game against her, she defied logic.

            “No.  I knew when we started this that there would be risks involved; I thought that I had taken everything into consideration.  But tonight I realized that this is costing me more that I am will to sacrifice.  It’s costing me my friends.” Katy said softly as if she was still thinking about it.  It made sense to JC, it had always been clear to him how much the girls valued their friendship, like he had once had with the guys.  “Besides, I don’t think that is had been me that was keeping you there in the first place.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” JC asked.

            “Don’t be stupid JC.” Katy snapped back.  No amount of planning and weaponry could ever keep five guys at bay.  It was the fear of leaving the others behind that made JC stay.  JC had the numbers on his side, there is no way the girls could have subdued all five of them if they had attempted to escape.  Someone would have gotten away, and could have gone for help.  But the guys started to fall for the girls and there was a question as to if some of them would even try to get away. 

           Katy reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny compose.  It was pretty beat up but it seemed precious to her.  She took JC’s hand and placed the compass gently on his palm.

              “Kim gave this to me a while back.  She said that I had a knack for getting lost some times and that this might help me find my way.” Katy explained.  It wasn’t just about being in the woods; JC had a lot of tough choices ahead of him tonight and might be the one need of some guidance.  Katy was sure that she could find her way this time. 

           “I can’t take this.” JC said trying to give it back to her.  He didn’t want to be held accountable for the items safe keeping, even though he was lost.  But Katy refused to take it back.  Some how she felt like Kim would want him to have it.  JC knew he couldn’t force her to take it.

            “If you just head south you will come to a small town, what you do from there is your business.  It’s not as far as you might think.” Katy explained climbing up off the log.  At this point she really didn’t care if she got lost in the woods; it was peaceful out there unlike the chaos that awaited her back at the house.

            “What about the video?” JC asked.

            “You were right before; this was never about the video.  But believe me when I say that we never meant to hurt you guys and I can see that you are hurting.” She said.  But he wasn’t the only one hurting tonight, in some way they all were.  She started off toward the house; they had traveled a fairly far from the house.   JC must have been running when he left the house to make it so far in such short amount of time.

            JC sat there alone in the woods, flipping the compass around in his hand thinking about what Katy had said, the sounds seemed less scary to him after what Katy had said.  He finally found the strength to get up and continue on his way.

            Katy walked slowly back, taking time to think about what she was ging to tell the others as well as making it appear that she had actually search for JC.  Katy didn’t believe in lying but maybe this one time it wouldn’t kill her then again maybe she would have to lie.  She paused at the door, which was just kind hanging on by a thread.  By now it was nearly dawn, the sun light rays barely visible in the distance.  What would the odds be that everyone was asleep?

            The door creaked as she closed it causing Mandy to stir a little from her place on the sofa.  Brandi and Kim were nowhere to be found, Mandy must have been voted to stay up and wait for Katy to return, a mission that she had clearly failed at.  Katy went into the kitchen and located some cookies, she thought the sugar might help her feel better, but it didn’t.

           “How long of you been home?” Mandy asked stretching her arms and trying to wake up.“Not long.” Katy sighed.  “I couldn’t get JC back.” Katy figure she might as well but that out there since it was likely the next question any way.  Mandy frowned and looked at the ground.

          “So what are we going to do now?” Mandy asked.  “We skip a few steps but proceed as planned.” Katy said.   Katy went over and turned the computer on; she wanted to at least try to put the video together.  If JC went to the cops she figured that they had at least the rest of the day to get things is order, then they would have to leave, since there was no way of knowing what JC had decided to do.

           Mandy didn’t question Katy further but left to take a shower, leaving Katy alone for awhile.  Katy was surprised that she didn’t feel as tired as she thought she would, having just stayed up all night, but maybe she could get a nap later.