Emergency

[Oxidizer]

Type of Story Oneshot

Rating T (L/SC/VD)

Main Character(s) Tracey Thompson

Genre Angst

Warnings Contains themes of sex and violence

Summary Exploration into Tracey's past

EMERGENCY

The sound of cars strolling down the suburban street was audible; the pavement littered with pedestrians whose feet warmed as the heated concrete burned into the soles of their shows. It was a typical summer afternoon of 1997.

Outside a piercing parlor a teenage girl with brunette hair, worn-out ringlets at the tips, stepped out from the salon-like store, where she pulled her red long-sleeved fishnet top down over her freshly pierced belly button, which still glowed from where the needle had penetrated in order to open up a hole for the bar to slot into.

17-year-old Tracey Thompson, the daughter of a local detective who shared the same surname, walked across the road coolly in her silvery green leather pants before jogging to the other side where her friends were waiting for her in their ride.

"Did you get it?" Hayley Andrews, another rebellious teen, asked with glee as Tracey approached. She nodded slyly at first before erupting into satisfied laughter, pulling her top up to reveal her new piercing properly.

"Whoa, that's amazing!" Hayley exclaimed as she held onto Tracey's hips and pulled her in closer to get a better look. "I'm so getting one as soon as I get the cash."

Tracey chuckled as she threw an arm around her best friend before leaning over to have a look at the slightly older guys sitting at the front of a black Holden. "Hey Jay, Scott."

Jamie Grey and Scott Callahan were the usual jocks. Always getting high on a Saturday night and using every other day of the week to impress and eventually nail girls in between sports.

Tracey opened one of the back doors, standing back for Hayley to climb in. "Thank you." she chuckled playfully as she bounced in a seat at the back of the car. Tracey followed suit before closing the door on behind her as Scott looked at the girls via the rearview mirror with a sleazy grin as he revved up the ignition.

"So where to now?" Hayley asked as she leant forward to poke her head in between the two front seats of either boy. Tracey was too busy checking out her piercing, which she found totally sweet.

Jamie supplied her with an answer. "To pick up Gemma and Nicky."

Tracey choked. "Nicky and Gemma? Together? Are you serious?"

The engine rumbled which made the car bounce as fumes poured out from the scorching exhaust pipe. The once clear breeze was now poisoned by a dusty fog as they prepared to make their exit.

"Why? Is that a problem?" Jamie raised his Adidas logo-shaved eyebrow quizzically.

Hayley butted in and finished Tracey's sentence for her, who was fine with it. She was more of a listener than a talker anyway and preferred it like that. "It is if you want your car in one piece! Those two don't mix, not ever! Not since-"

"They broke up." Jamie clocked on. "Gotchya."

A serious silence fell upon the gang for a second before bursting into hysterical laughter. Scott turned the stereo on where Smells Like Teen Spirit blared out from the open windows, alarming pedestrians as they crossed the road. He floored the accelerator and tore out of the street; red taillights sped off into the distance.

Teenagers dived out of the way as the black Holden mercilessly tore through the front gates of the school, doing a U-turn before coming to a screeching halt in the carpark.

"A little careful next time," Tracey looked up to stare back at the faces that glared at them through the car window. "You could've ripped my new piercing!"

Scott chuckled as he looked back at her. "I'm sorry, but that's what happens when I have Kurt Go-Bang yelling down my ears. I lose focus."

"Kurt Go-Ba…" Tracey twisted her face in confusion before a moment of clarity made her eyes widen. "You are so dead! I can't believe you just said that!"

She leaped up from the seat to nudge him playfully in the back. An exasperated laugh escaped his lips as he flinched in humorous pain. "Maybe next time you can not leave your cassettes in my player?"

She grinned sarcastically as she gave him the finger. He feigned outrage and clutched at his chest as though it had hurt his feelings. Jamie sighed as he opened the door on his side. He looked over at the dark-haired boy with piercing green eyes in a grey hoodie from afar. "There's Nicky."

Hayley leaped up from her seat and pushed the door outwards, stretching her back as she stood out of the vehicle. "Now all we need is Gemma." she stifled a yawn with the back of her hand.

Scott and Tracey got out of the car in unison as Jamie yelled across the carpark to get his friend's attention. "Hey, Nicky! Over here!"

Nicky whipped around to locate where his name was being called from. He scanned the campus briefly before seeing his friends. A rueful smile crept across his lips.

"Hey, guys." he said as he approached them with his hands both pockets. They didn't have to ask, he had been sad for the past 3 weeks, ever since the rumors spread about him and that psychotic girl from next door.

Hayley stepped forward and linked arms with him, leading him deeper into the group. "We were thinking that you need a serious cheering up, so how's a small party sound to you, Mr. Brice? It'll just be us."

"And Gemma." Jamie masked with a cough.

Hayley shot him a look before clarifying. She resumed her attention on the wide-eyed boy whose arm was still linked with hers. "Come on! You guys were getting on great until you had to babysit that psycho. Why not? Who knows, you guys may even hit it off again."

Tracey leant against Scott with folded arms and nodded. Nicky looked at each of them individually with a look of contemplation. A faint smile played across his lips. "I-I don't know."

"I could easily talk to her." Jamie encouraged.

Nicky sighed before reluctantly agreeing. He never had a choice when it came to these people. "Fine. Go on then. But if we argue again it's your fault."

All of them wore mischievous grins. Their plan to get Nicky and Gemma back together was slowly beginning to work.

Dancing in her bedroom whilst listening to Firestarter on her Walkman, her father entering the room went unnoticed. "Tracey?"

She continued to dance. Eyes closed. Entranced. "Tracey?" he tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump back and slam her headphones down in surprise.

"Dad!" Tracey yelled as her heart raced erratically. "Are you trying to kill me or something?! Jeez!"

Off-duty detective, Stephen Thompson, chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just-" his humorous tone vanished in an instant when he caught a glimpse of his daughter's stomach through her fishnet top. "-Mind telling me what the hell that is?"

"Oh, that?" Tracey swallowed nervously, folding her arms across her piercing in a vain attempt to hide it. Busted. "It's… something I had done this afternoon."

Stephen's eyes widened. "During school hours?"

"No. At lunch time."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Stephen sighed as he sat on her bed. "I thought you were smarter than that, Trace. Was it those friends of yours? Did they pressurize you into doing this?" he tried to think of a rational explanation for her rash behavior. His daughter would never dream of defacing her body like that.

"What? No!" Tracey exclaimed defensively. "It was my choice. I wanted it and I like it. Okay?"

Stephen sighed disappointedly. "If your mother was here, she'd-"

"She'd what?!" Tracey snapped. "Run off with some guys she was screwing behind your back? Is that what she'd do?"

All Tracey knew about her mother was that she was a whore, as drunkenly recalled by her father.

"I'm going to go now and pretend I didn't hear that." Stephen shook his head dismissively before rising from the bed. He and his daughter shared an awkward look before he quietly left the room, closing the door on behind him.

Tracey just stood there until she heard her father's footsteps diminish down the stairs before falling back on her bed; an agitated sigh passed her lips as she looked up at the ceiling. She couldn't wait until the others came to pick her up.

"Tell me why we're here again." Nicky huffed as the car pulled up along side a dimly lit alleyway. Faint rain began to fall from orange and thunderous skies, where the gentle rainwater streaked down the glass.

"Because without the party treats there ain't no party?" Jamie rolled his eyes, accompanied by a playful chuckle at the new naivety that his friend had inherited.

Scott looked at his watch and then at the silhouette of someone standing ominously at the farthest end of the alley. "If you don't wanna come, I can go see Razor on my own. It's no big deal."

"No," Nicky held Scott's shoulder from the back seat. "I'm game."

Jamie and Scott shared a reluctant look before agreeing just this once. "Okay. But I'm doing the talking. Alright?"

Nicky nodded, pulling on the hood of his jacket, as he and Scott exited the car. "You stay here and wait for us in the car." Scott told Jamie. Disappointment invaded his facial expressions.

Jamie began drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he watched his friends make their way down the alley and nearer toward the elusive figure who continued to wait eerily for them to arrive.

"So what kind of name is Razor anyway?" Nicky frowned in distaste as he stepped in a recently formed puddle.

Scott chuckled. "You've never heard of Ryan Sharp? Razor's his nickname." Nicky shook his head unknowingly. "Surely you've heard of him, Fitz Street's nastiest dealer?"

"Can't say that I have." the green-eyed boy sighed as they walked further down the shadowy alley. The only light was that coming from the streetlights. The silhouette rested its foot against the wall as Razor restlessly placed his hands in both pockets of his jacket.

"Well, you should. You know he has a reputation for slashing people's faces with a razorblade, right? Hence the nickname" Scott told an apprehensive Nicky. "Oh, and he hates women."

Nicky paused for a moment and frowned humorously. "He's gay?"

"No!" Scott stifled a laugh with his sleeve-covered hand. "He's known to beat women after he's had fun with 'em. You heard the story about Hannah Laskarides?" he refrained from shaking his head at his friend's unknowing response. "She's a hooker. Or was. Razor beat her in a coma and frisked her after they f*cked in his car. She died in hospital later that night."

Nicky swallowed nervously as they approached the late teen who remained in the dark, clearing his throat upon their approach. "What can I do for you fellas?"

"Cannabis." Scott replied coolly. "Two kelos."

"Do you now?" Ryan 'Razor' Sharp stepped out from the shadows. Nicky looked on in surprise at the dealer's face; he was so much younger than he expected him to be. "And what makes you think I'm gonna hand that kind of stuff over to you?"

Scott pulled out a $20 note from his pocket. "'Cause we're payin'."

Ryan took the cash and crinkled his nose as he rummaged around in the pockets of his hoodie. "Then in that case, I think I might be able to fix you up with some quality gear."

"Thanks, man." Scott cut the stream of nervous sweat from his brow off with the back of his hand whilst Nicky tapped his foot impatiently. He had a bad feeling about this guy.

Ryan pulled out two clear packets of marijuana from his pocket and handed them to Scott. His eyes widened as he let out a pained groan when he felt Ryan crush his hand, the cannabis clenched inside. "You tell anyone where you got this, I'll be coming for you. Get me?"

Scott bit the inside of his lip and nodded. Ryan let go, making the younger boy fall back and wince in pain. Nicky stood protectively at his friend's side. "Good. I'm glad we see eye to eye."

Just as they began to make their way back to the car, a hand pulled Nicky back. Scott turned around to investigate what was going down. "Hey, let him go!"

Scott looked on as he saw the 19-year-old hoodlum push Nicky hard against the wall, his grip tightening around his groin. Nicky tried his best not to antagonize him further. "You ever insinuate that I'm a faggot again and I'm gonna come back for these." Ryan squeezed tighter. "Understand?"

Nicky let out a discomforted groan as he nodded the best he could under the circumstances. "Now get the hell out of here!" Ryan barked, letting go of Nicky's groin and chuckling to himself as he watched the boys rush out of the alleyway in unsettlement.

Playfully swinging her legs from the bench, Hayley took another swig from the bottle of vodka that she had grasped in her hand before passing it to Tracey, who was sat on the seat below. "So what's happening with you and Scott?"

"What?" Tracey almost choked after taking a sip of the much needed alcohol due to the confrontation with her father. She hastily passed the bottle to Gemma who was sat at her side. "Me and Scott?"

"Come on, we both know you guys are doing it!" Gemma giggled as she passed the bottle back to Hayley, who didn't even attempt to stifle her laughter. She took the bottle back eagerly.

Tracey grinned slyly. "What if we are?"

"I knew it!" Hayley cried victoriously.

Gemma spurted the vodka as she pulled the cap from her lips, Hayley had offhandedly passed it back after taking turns.

"So what about you and Jay? I've seen the way you look at him." Tracey teased.

"I-I don't know." Hayley stammered. For once in her otherwise confident existence she was nervous. "I want there to be something, but there isn't."

Gemma handed her back the vodka. "Have you told him how you feel?"

Hayley ran her fingers down one of the thumping speakers of the stereo position by her side on the bench. The only light in the lonely park was the orange glow emanating from flickering streetlights. "No. I tried to but wussed out."

"You should tell him when the others find us a decent place to party." Tracey suggested. She shook the quarter-empty vodka bottle playfully when she was met by one of Hayley's grimaces. "Spin the bottle?"

The trio smirked ingeniously. "Is that a tactic your dad uses when he questions criminals, Trace?"

"Only the hardened ones." she winked and played along.

"Okay, okay. I got one." Hayley finished the last of the vodka, her attention aimed at Gemma. "You and Nicky. When are you guys gonna hook up again? You were great together." Tracey nodded in agreement.

Gemma sighed as she played with the frayed ends of her jeans. "I don't know. Everything was fine before… we never would've broken up if Mr. Hendrey hadn't of asked him to look out for that Jacobean girl."

"Well, she's gone now." Tracey stated the obvious. "Why don't you guys try to get back together at this party? Hayley's gonna try it on with Jay."

"Hey! I never said-" Hayley's defensive exclaim was cut off by Tracey's hand.

"Yes, you are, Hayles."

She rolled her eyes playfully before resuming focus back on Gemma, whose face was now melancholic. "Where are the others? They should be back by now."

"Are you sure its, you know, safe?" Nicky looked up at the rundown house standing before him and his friends, his sparkling green eyes almost fluorescent from the streetlights.

"Don't worry, I checked it out earlier. It's safe." Scott assured him with a faint laugh. "Now are you guys coming or what?" he asked, almost daring them as he stood in the broken doorway.

Jamie and Nicky both paused in unease before reluctantly following Scott up the front steps, who shook his head in amusement before stepping over the threshold. "I swear, you're worse than the girls."

"I'm not!" Nicky exclaimed defensively.

Jamie nodded in agreement to his buddy's claims. "Me neither."

"Then come on!" Scott turned around to look at the pair with raised eyebrows. "Don't you want to see what the inside looks like?"

The intimidated boys sighed in unison before cautiously tailing behind Scott who led the way, all three vanished from the street's view to explore the interior.

The stairs were derelict and looked far too dangerous to use. Plaster fell from the walls which revealed countless cracks underneath. It looked like the typical haunted house that every neighbourhood was notorious of having.

Sharp wind blew the front door shut behind them as they walked further through the hallway, making Jamie unintentionally cling on to Nicky for safety, who turned around to confront him playfully. "Uh, Jay, what are you doing?

"Nothing," Jamie grimaced, letting go of the boy in his unsettled grasp. "I wasn't scared. I was… Look! The living room."

Scott chuckled. "What about it?"

"…Is there." he pointed toward a doorless frame and deadpanned.

Nicky and Scott laughed at their friend's nervousness as they ventured further inside the brittle landing. Jamie barely managed to contain his embarrassment. It wasn't until he saw a potential danger that he immediately snapped out of his bashful stance. "Nicky! Careful, man!"

Turning around to investigate the source of their friend's panic, Nicky and Scott whipped their heads around in unison to see a rusty rebar protrude from the wall hazardously. If one of them had tripped on the debris they would have serious injured themselves. The metal faintly brushed against Nicky's hoodie. "You almost walked into that."

"Thanks, dude." a relieved sigh passed Nicky's lips as he passed the lethal-looking spike.

Jamie smile gingerly. "No problem."

Once the commotion was over, the guys made their way into the living room, which smelt of mould and had burnt curtains hanging from the windows. Twin blackened dolls stared up at them with melted eyes creepily from the sodden carpert. "Whose house was this anyway?"

"I don't know," Nicky began to share a ghost story which fed hysteria through Fitz Street for the past 5 years. "But I heard that a girl and her grandparents died in a fire here. I'm not sure how true it is though."

Jamie hammered nervously. "Okay, we've checked out the party digs. Can we go now?"

The girls leaped off from the park bench when the car pulled up at the roadside. Hayley paused to pick up her stereo, rolling her eyes at Tracey who made a point of retrieving the empty bottle.

"About time." Gemma playfully complained as she opened one of the car doors. "What took you guys so long? Been looking at Playboys again?"

"No," Scott chuckled as he liberated a spliff from his pocket. "We were buying some party treats as it happens. But if you don't want some…"

"Now I never said that." Gemma replied adamantly, ducking into one of the back seats.

"Thought that'd change your mind."

Tracey opened the door at the front to sit next to Scott as Hayley squeezed in the back next to Jamie. The spaces they took purposely placed Nicky and Gemma together, who had little choice but to go along with it. Scott gave the others a moment to get comfy before putting his foot down.

Hayley leaped on Jamie's lap as means to give Nicky and Gemma some room for potential fourplay. Not to mention enjoying the fact that Jamie had wrapped his arms around her waist. She was sat in a way that faced him, their facial features touched teasingly, and the moment she had waited so long for happened; he kissed her.

"So." Gemma twitched her mouth awkwardly. Nicky casually searched her face, smiling faintly to himself upon seeing the way her nose crinkled. He had missed that. Scott and Tracey shared a smirk as they watched on from the rearview mirror.

Nicky grimaced when he caught on that he was being watched. "So."

Jamie and Hayley had engaged in a noisy game of tonsil hockey at that point. Their tongues danced around each other; lips smacked.

"Looking forward to the party?" Gemma finally spoke up. Why did this have to be so awkward?

A brief smile reappeared on Nicky's lips as he looked up at her from playing with the sleeves of his hoodie. Jamie opened an eye to watch on in between kissing Hayley hotly on the mouth. "Yeah. You?

Gemma's eyelashes made slow, sensual movements as she returned the smile. "Yeah."

"I can't believe you tricked us into coming here." Tracey snarked whilst sat on Scott's lap in the corner of the squat's living room. It had been effortlessly tidied and candles were lit.

"Hey, I didn't trick anyone." Scott proclaimed defensively in between deep kisses. He brushed a strand of hair from his bisexual girlfriend's forehead. "It was your crazy mind that cooked up the idea of us having a decent party place."

Tracey grinned into one of his kisses before pulling away, Scott's hands held her waist as she leant back to look over at Nicky and Gemma. "At least our plan worked. Squat or not."

"Yeah." Scott chuckled softly before resuming the kiss.

From the opposite side of the room, Nicky ran his hand through Gemma's platinum blonde hair, who sat on his lap like the others. "I missed you." he confessed in a soothed voice.

"Me too." Gemma's eyes were laced with a fine layer of unshed tears.

"I'm sorry about what happened." Nicky held her closely as she leant into a cuddle. "If I had known Eve was going to get in the way, I'd have never accepted Mr. Hendrey's offer. You gotta believe that."

Gemma brushed Nicky's soft dark hair from his forehand to plant a tender kiss in its place. "It's okay. It's behind us now." she pulled back gently and silently laughed. "I'm just glad that our friends are such deceitful bastards and set this whole thing up."

Nicky chuckled lightly. "So am I."

Tracey's lips tore away from Scott's as she got off of his lap, holding both his hands to pull him up with her. "Okay," she roused the others' attention. "Who's up for some fun?"

"Sure." Gemma turned around to face her. "What you got in mind?"

"Sex, drugs and rock n' roll." Tracey smirked. "And a game of spin the bot-" she cut herself off when she realized that two of them were missing. "Where's Hayles and Jay?"

Outside in the hallway, Hayley let out an exasperated groan as Jamie continued thrust himself inside her up against the wall. Her cheeks were rosey and her face flustered; plaster crumbled from the derelict architecture. She heard Tracey's inquiry into their whereabouts and barely managed to respond through stifled moans. "Coming!"

"Correction, Hayles." Jamie groaned as he continued to pop her cherry. "I'm coming."

Laughter escaped Hayley's lips as he came inside her, Jamie's jeans were down to his ankles as he slipped his hand up his new girlfriend's short denim skirt.

Moments after they had zipped themselves up and adjusted their clothes, they made their way back to the living room, where Tracey was dancing to Tubthumping on the stereo.

Hayley, being the party animal that she was, left Jamie's side to dance with Tracey, where she held on to the brunette's hips and pulled her in close; both gyrated up against each other.

Scott swiped a bottle of beer from the overturned cardboard box which they used as a makeshift table as he watched the two girls dance and make out. Jamie collapsed to sit by his side and smirked. "I love it when they do that."

"You're not alone there."

Nicky glanced up from kissing Gemma to see Tracey and Hayley up close and personal whilst their bodies continued to hump the air in perfect synchronicity to the beat. "Whoa! When did this happen?"

"While you and Gem were busy playing tonsil hockey." Jamie snarked.

"You should've told me!" Nicky exclaimed. Gemma rolled her eyes at the typical boyish behaviour that commenced.

Jamie gaped as Hayley and Tracey got even closer; their kiss deepened as they put on a deliberate show for the guys. "And to think she was screwed no less than 5 minutes ago."

Suddenly the dancing stopped and all eyes turned to Jamie, who once again felt the warm sensation of embarrassment wash over him. "Uh, anyone for spin the bottle?" he grimaced.

"That sounds like a good idea." Hayley deadpanned and straightened her hair, which was still rifled from when Jamie had her up against the wall.

Tracey turned down the volume of the stereo and cleared her throat before sitting down and joining the others, who were now sat in a circular fashion. She liberated the empty vodka bottle from her handbag and placed it in the centre. "Okay, who's going first?"

"I will." Nicky brazenly stepped forward.

"Alright." Tracey smirked. "You have to kiss whoever the bottle lands on."

Nicky raised his pierced eyebrow challengingly. "Even if it's Scott?"

"Especially if it's Scott!" The boy in question grimaced at the prospect of getting it on with a guy. He'd much rather get it on with Tracey. "I can't think of anyone hotter than my boyfriend kissing another boy."

"Okay," Nicky grinned faultlessly, his hand on the bottle and ready to spin. "Here goes."

Gemma wrapped her arms around his waist as he twisted it with velocity. Scott watched on with worried eyes as he silently prayed for it to not land on him.

Nicky cringed nervously as the bottle began to slow its pace. All eyes were filled with intensity. It churned ominously until it pointed toward Jamie. Tracey and Hayley smacked their hands together as they both cried out in unison victoriously. "SCORE!"

Jamie's breathing hardened as he looked around anxiously at the others who stared at him, more prominantly at Gemma. Nicky glared at Tracey in a 'I'm going to get you for this!' kind of way before leaning forward. Hayley and Tracey's eyes were enthralled as the two boys' faces brushed against each other.

Nicky closed his eyes and locked lips with Jamie, who caressingly grabbed hold of the younger boy's head and pulled him in closer; the kiss deepened and became rougher as they introduced the use of tongues.

Scott took a large swig of his beer and blinked. Surely he was tripping from that joint they had smoked back in the car.

Jamie's lips slowly pulled back from Nicky's as the pair both leant back in their respective places. Tracey shared Hayley's gobsmacked expression, managing to only usher three simple words: "That. Was. Hot."

Gemma unfolded her legs and stood up, dusting herself down before giving the others an excuse. "I got to go to the bathroom. Be back in a second, yeah?"

The others, apart from Nicky and Jamie, waved it off and thought nothing of it. "Okay."

"I need some air." Jamie got up to follow her out as Nicky watched on regrettably. He couldn't lose her again - not now - he had only just got her back.

"Gem?" Jamie called out in a quiet voice. Her silhouette was outlined by the morning rays raking through the broken door as she turned around. An aura of sadness shrouded her like a shawl. "You know what happened back there was just a joke. It was nothing. We're not-"

"Gay?" Gemma interjected as she sighed in resignation. "It's okay, I know."

Jamie twisted his face in confusion. "What?"

"I've seen the way you look at him. Whenever we kiss or hold hands you seem sad or jealous. That's why I broke up with him." Gemma dropped the bombshell. Jamie's face unable to take in what he had been told. "It wasn't because of Eve Jacobsen. She was just a convenient excuse."

"Wait a minute." Jamie inched closer to hold her arm gently, to which she flinched back as if the emotional pain was physical. "I wasn't looking at Nicky." he confessed in an ashamed voice, sorry that he couldn't control his feelings. "I was looking at you."

Gemma blinked. "Me? But I thought you and Nicky were…"

"No!" Jamie somehow found it in him to laugh, unaware of the presence of the others who stood in the doorway and watched. They had came to find out where others wandered off to. "We're just friends. It's you I want."

Gemma's face was tainted by a surreal mixture of flattery and dread. Her eyes widened, prompting Jamie to turn around to confront what she seemed so panicked about. He swallowed nervously when he was met with a look of contempt from Nicky. "What did you say?"

Pain filled Hayley's eyes as she shook her head in disbelief. Everything that happened between her and Tracey was just them having fun. She couldn't believe she gave up her virginity to someone who never truly loved her.

"Sh*t," Jamie's face contorted into an apologetic frown. "Nicky."

Crystalline green eyes darkened as he charged forward to launch a first to collide with Jamie's face, who was jerked back by the sheer force and brutality of the assault. Gemma cried out to seeing the pair fall out. "Stop it!"

Nicky grimaced as he clicked his knuckles. "Defending him now, are you?"

"It's not what you think!" Jamie spat as he nursed his split lip.

Tracey stood protectively at Hayley's side as Scott contemplated as to whether or not to intervene. He wanted to separated Nicky and Jamie more than anything but didn't fancy his chances; the squat wasn't the place for violence and things were set to escalate.

Nicky didn't want to hear it. Believing that his best friend and his girlfriend were seeing each other the whole time behind his back made him see red. He lashed out in an attempt to hurt Jamie like he had been hurt once more, but the older boy blocked his punch and pushed him back in order to keep him away. It wasn't until a cracked splitting sound occurred that the gang realized that something had gone drastically wrong.

Protuded from Nicky's abdomen was the rusty rebar that Jamie had warned him of earlier. He had unintentionally been pushed straight onto it. Blood and steel tore through his hoodie.

"Nicky!" Gemma screamed in desperation and charged forward to do something. Anything. Her boyfriend looked at her with saddened eyes as the colour to his lips faded in moments to an ashen blue.

The others looked on in shocked disbelief. Frozen to move or seek help. It wasn't until reality sunk in that Tracey whipped out her cellphone and dialled 000 in a panicked rush; her fingers slipped all over the numbered buttons.

"F*ck, I'm so sorry!" Jamie felt a sudden surge of guilt and sickness; he couldn't move as unshed tears swelled up in his eyes. "I didn't mean to do it!"

Blood seeped from the corner of Nicky's mouth as his will to speak diminished. Rust fused into the wound which penetrated his thorax. His breathing was heavy and panic-stricken.

Tracey breathed an exasperated sigh of relief as the operator finally picked up. "Hello, Emergency Services. How may I help you?"

But it was already too late.

Nicky's body twitched and convulsed as a viscous amber-like stream of blood spurted from the dying boy's mouth. His once sparkling eyes flickered into two lifeless marbles. He was gone.

Gemma screamed a hysterical cry, the others unable to function. They may as well have died with him. "NICKY!"

"James Grey, I'm arresting you for the murder of Nicky Brice. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do mention may be given in a court of law." The unintentional killer was ducked into the back of a police car by a uniformed officer. Red and blue lights flashed as onlookers observed the crime scene from beyond the yellow police tape which cornered off the old Jacobsen residence.

Nicky's body was wheeled out of the house in a zipped up bodybag, where two paramedics slammed him gently in the back of a black van; the word Ambulance was readible once the doors closed on behind him, where he would remain in cold storage at the morgue until the inquest.

Hayley and Scott sat at either side of Gemma, who had a red blanket wrapped around her, as they sat in the back of an ambulance where they waited for the police to take their statements.

Tracey, who also had a red blanket draped over her shoulders, smiled ruefully at the sight of her father ducking under the police tape to approach her. "Dad, I'm so glad you're here!"

"Well, I'm not." Stephen snapped. Tracey grew weary at the tone of his voice; she had never heard him so angry in all her life. "I just came to tell you that your stuff's out on the front lawn. I want nothing more to do with you.

"But…" Tracey choked back on the tears that threatened to spill out. "I love you."

Stephen popped his neck as he looked up from his shoes to stare back at her. He was unable to look at her before but felt it necessary now. This girl was not his daughter. Not anymore. "Well, I hate you." Those words cut deep. "Get out of my sight, Tracey. I don't ever want to see you again."

"Dad, please!" Tracey begged as he turned around to walk off. She held on to his arm to try and reason with him, but he shrugged her off.

"And don't think about coming back to the house, I've changed the locks!" were the last words that Tracey Thompson's father ever spoke to her.

"Please," she fell to the ground a brokenhearted void. "Don't leave me."

END

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