"Calm down? You want me to calm down! Let's review the facts here," Jason said, pacing the emergency room floor. He kept pushing his brown hair out of his face. The other two people in the room had already moved to the "safety" of the other side of the room. Jason had been ranting and raving ever since his mother had made it to the hospital. Wanting to send out the police armada, Jason immediately hit his mother up to calling Mr. Kramer. But she would not hear of it. She said that she wanted to talk to Adam alone and see what had happened before calling anyone, sending Jason to the emergency waiting room with Chuck.

"You need to calm down, they are all going to think you are going crazy," Chuck said, glancing back at the other two people and at the nurse at the front counter.

"They would be like this if they had a brother like I do!" Jason said, and resumed pacing. "I can't believe that she would do that to him. She could have killed him with that stunt!"

"But she didn't. I am sure that she does not get the whole picture," Chuck replied, but seeing Jason's glance, he quickly recanted it.

Jason continued to pace, only stopping to think or say something.

"You know, it is too bad she is a girl. I would have clobbered her by now," Jason spouted off.

Chuck had to chuckle at that. It was very rare that Jason ever threatened anyone. Adam was the defensive one.

"You never did tell me Adam's side to this," Chuck asked, trying to change the subject a little.

Jason just grimaced, " I don't think he is awake enough to really get it all. It just makes me mad. Everything was going great. Then she had to stick her nose back into our lives and BOOM! Here we are."

Chuck got up and walked over to his friend. Jason almost walked right over top of the chunky boy, but stopped short of it. "Sorry, Chuck." Jason muttered.

But Chuck stopped him and forced him to face him. "Jason, everything is going to be fine. You need to trust your mother on this one."

Jason looked like he was about to say something to counter Chuck's response, but then stopped and slightly smiled. "I guess I am acting like Adam's father." Jason then sighed and looked at the floor.

"What?" Chuck asked, noticing Jason's body language.

"I just wish that sometimes Dad had a normal job. A nine to five job that was just like any normal job," Jason snorted.

"Jason, you don't mean that," Chuck answered.

"Yes I do, Mom needs him. That brut and his sister almost killed my brother," Jason fired back.

But Chuck already saw that statement coming. "Jason, if it was not for your father being an investigator, then you and Adam would not be the Kramer Brothers. Your mother has been with your father for over 20 years and she is an investigator herself. For once Jason, just act the part of the son and Adam's brother. He does not need a dictator," Chuck said with an even tone. "Trust me, everything is going to be just fine."

Jason blew his hair out of his face out of frustration. It was not everyday that Chuck would put one over on him. It was not everyday that Chuck was even serious enough to say what he did. Jason could not really say anything, but his smile said it all. For the first time that night, Jason sat down to rest.

Fifteen minutes later, his mother emerged from the ER area. She came over and kissed her oldest child on the forehead and led him back to the room. He came face to face with his brother again; who flashed him a look. Jason smirked at Adam, whose eyes seemed to look a lot brighter.

"Boys, I have decided that we are going to let things pass with Christine," Laura said as she took command. Jason went to interrupt and she simply gave him the "I am the mother" look. Jason immediately rolled his eyes, but remained quiet. "I am going to arrange for a member of the police to speak to her sternly about this though. But let's face it. The evidence is more than likely gone. It would be Adam's word against hers so we are not going there. As for her brother, I am pursuing assault charges. We do have proof there since we have witnesses. Do we have an understanding here?"

"Why does she get off free as a bird?" Jason snorted and crossed his arms. "She could have killed Adam."

"I know Jason, I am just as angry. But I do not think that she would intentionally put Adam into harm's way, but she did do something really stupid. That will be taken care of in a legal fashion. Now I have never forbidden any of you from seeing anyone, but I forbid both of you from even speaking to the girl from here out," Laura continued. It was true. She had never taken such a stand.

"Well that is not going to be a problem for me. It is loverboy here that feels sorry for her," Jason quipped. Adam glared at Jason. But then Laura turned her vision onto him, looking for an answer.

"I agree, but she seeks me out. How...," Adam muttered slowly.

"Then you will have to make it clear. Have you ever thought about what this does to Alyssa? If you don't take control my dear son, you will lose something great," Laura fired back. Adam had almost forgotten about Alyssa in his fogged up mind.

"Oh, God! I need a phone before Christine gets to her!" Adam said, almost sitting up. But Jason pushed him back down.

"Chuck called her for that reason. She is stopping by in the morning before school to check on you. You are lucky that she trusts you. Kara would have killed me by now," Jason said, with the matter of fact tone. Adam seemed relieved that someone had talked to Alyssa first, even though he wished he could have told her himself.

"Adam, you have a good heart. I know that it is hard to just let someone go that needs help, but you have enough on your shoulders. You can't help others until you have taken care of yourself. You are a giver and Stephanie is a taker," Laura said, taking her youngest son's hand. " I am glad that you want to help, but I want you to abide by my wishes to stay away from her. She could have killed you and for what?"

Adam knew that his mother was right. He always was one for helping people, but this time it was hurting him and the people who loved him. "I will. I promise Mom, I do not have any feelings for her. I know that it looks like it, but I just get suckered in every time. I will just need to keep someone around for awhile. I guess I don't know how to say no."

Jason knew that was true. Adam did not know how to say no to anyone, except Eric Peterson.

"That sounds like a good plan to me, honey. Now I am going to go and get things taken care of and have Chuck give a statement so he can get home," Laura said patting Adam on the head and then Jason on the forearm.

"I will stay with him Mom, so take your time," Jason said. It was not the way he would have handled things, but his mom had a point. Years of being married to a law enforcement figure had rubbed off.

The brothers thought about things in silence for a few minutes before Jason spoke up.

"I will make sure that you are not alone for awhile. The gang can handle that one. But she is right. I am sure that this is really hard on Alyssa. I know that it is hard on me."

"Jason, I don't need bodyguards. Christine is not going to do anything."

"She is twisted!"

"That she is, but she is not a killer. But for my family and Alyssa's sake, I am going to stay completely away from her."

"Good!"

The room was quiet for a moment. But then Adam broke the silence this time.

"Jason?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for coming and getting me."

Jason was at first going to give Adam the big brother lecture that he normally gave at these times, but he did not this time. He just simply smiled and said, "Anytime. But let's not make a habit out of it."

"I can shake on that one!" Adam said with a laugh. He closed his eyes, just to stop the spinning. He was still feeling the effects of the drug in his system.

"Adam? I need to know something about tonight," Jason said with a nervous tone in his voice.

"Ask away."

"Nothing happened, right?"

Adam knew that question was coming. His mother had asked him the same question before when she was drilling him. He did his best under the circumstances since he was still feeling the after effects of the drug.

"No, Jason. Even though I was drugged, I was able to remember things up until Nathan pulled me out of the van. Christine drove us there and I was mostly in the back of the van by myself the entire time."

"Then why didn't you call or something?" Jason asked. He did not realize that Adam had any recollection of any of the events.

"I could not move. Nothing worked. I really did think I was having a seizure because I couldn't move, but then it lasted too long. I am just glad that you came and that you have trusted my word."

The last part of that statement made Jason feel guilty. At one point, Jason had his doubts. But he knew that he had to stick by his brother.

And things went just as Mrs. Kramer has said they would. The sheriff sent for Christine to come into the station with her stepfather that very morning. Christine denied any wrong doing and said Adam came to her that way. Nathan was charged with assault of a minor since Adam was seventeen. The sheriff agreed to allow him to remain free until his court hearing if he promised to stay away from the Kramers. And he did.

Two weeks went by with no contact between the two families. Alyssa had taken things well, but the mental image of her boyfriend in the van with Christine angered her and made her sick at her stomach at the same time. What angered her more was that Christine endangered his life just to break them up. They did not really see Christine because Christine hardly came to school. Things were actually getting back to normal, even though many rumors did fly. The boys just ignored them and everyone who knew the Kramer Boys, especially Adam, knew that they were just rumors.

So things were finally settling down until that Monday morning of the third week. Christine had always avoided the brothers, but today she walked straight up to Jason. Adam was not far behind, but out of Christine's sight.

"I have something to tell you my dear Jason," Christine canted in a teasing tone. Her smile was so evil that Jason could have sworn that it was the devil itself in front of him.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say because you are nothing but a liar and a whacked out girl," Jason said as he turned to go the opposite way. He also wanted to get Adam turned around before Christine made it to him. Adam was pushing Alyssa so he was moving at a slower pace through the crowded hall.