Klars (LarsxKirk)

14. The Letter

It's been an hour in the studio since Lars and Kirk escaped, and it would be fair to say that everything has changed.

The couple, who had previously been displaying their deep affection while mocking James and using the elevator to an unnecessary level, had left and found themselves a hotel room that they could stay in without getting hunted down.

James had managed to stand from his collapsed position, retreating back to his own house, where he stayed in his bedroom playing melancholy melodies on his guitar and keeping his toes crossed that Francesca would avoid him.

Jason is still at the studio, however, and had planned to give James a call. He had grown rather concerned about him, after he confessed that he had feelings for someone who didn't like him back, after his jealousy-fuelled anger towards Lars and Kirk, and especially after disappearing from the studio without giving anyone any warning.

In fact, Jason was really, really concerned. A few weeks back he called James' wife, Francesca, to tell her of his concern, but she called back later telling him that James had denied everything and stormed out. Jason had a feeling things were getting serious, and feared that if he didn't do anything quickly, things might get even worse.

It was now late into the evening, and Jason was perched at the desk of the band's office, the phone within his reach. He tried to plan a conversation in his head; he tried to find the words to tell James just how serious this could get. Finally, with a few ideas, Jason reached out for the phone.

But he didn't pick it up and dial the number. His arm stopped in mid air as his eyes came to rest on a dab of white peeping out from under a vinyl copy of one of their albums, Ride the Lightning.

It was an envelope. A crisp, white, flat envelope. And as he pulled it out, Jason saw, to his surprise, that it was addressed to him, in neatly scrawled handwriting that looked strangely familiar.

Should he open it? It's addressed to him, but Jason feels like he wasn't supposed to have found it. It was obviously never meant to be posted to him, as it didn't have his address, or even a stamp. Just simply, in small, neat letters, his name. Jason.

Jason frowns, considering the question again. Did someone plan to give it to him personally, or was he just meant to find it? He isn't a fan of spoiling surprises, but maybe the information is important, and he taps his finger on the edge of the envelope, waiting for some sort of conclusion to surface.

However, he still can't decide. Should he shove it back under the vinyl and pretend he never found it? Or should he open it and see what's inside? Jason considers the last few hours and their events, and then finally concludes that this might be important information about either James' situation, or Lars and Kirk's. Whatever it is, it must be helpful to him, otherwise the letter wouldn't have been written in the first place.

Without further hesitation, Jason begins to tear the envelope open. He can't be bothered to wait for someone to give it to him - everyone's gone anyway, and so they must've left it for him to find. Inside he finds a small, folded slip of paper, which he slides out of the envelope and studies for a second, before he unfolds it.

To Jason's astonishment, the little letter bears only three words, and as Jason reads them, he gulps as his heart breaks and shatters into a thousand pieces.

The letter reads: I love you.