Hybrid Theory: A [Linkin Park] Spinoff.

Morning After.

[Later. On the bus.]

I kick my boots off and climb into my bunk,"Welp.... let's get back to the insanity, shall we?"
Chester snores softly, indicating that he's already in the dream.
I lay flat on my back and close my eyes, quickly falling into dead space.

I open my eyes to find myself tangled within the sheets of a large four-poster bed,"Ugh.....where are my clothes?"
Chester rolls onto his back, clearly still asleep.
I scramble out of the bed, throwing my jeans on before quickly sliding my arms through the sleeves of Chester's off-white button up shirt and moving out the door, quickly buttoning the shirt as I move down the stairs.
Jordana stands at the bottom of the stairs, her arms crossed,"Had quite a night, didn't you?"
I jump slightly,"I don't want to talk about it."
"You do, just not to me. Correct?"
I push past her and move into the kitchen,"Nope. Don't want to talk about it at all."
She walks after me,"Listen. I kinda feel like it's my job to protect you from what you can't protect yourself."
I look at her,"Entitled, much?"
"No. I just get that feeling with certain people. I'm sorry."
I smile and slip past Andre,"Hey man. Need help making breakfast?"
He smiles,"Can you cut the potatoes?"
I nod and pull my glove off,"Sure can."
He looks at me,"That shirt is long enough to be a dress for you."
I look down at the floor,"Yeah....it is."
Andre sets down the skillet that he was holding,"Child.... don't tell me you threw your life away in a moment of passion."
I sigh heavily, on the verge of tears,"I did....I couldn't help it, Andre. I was feeling lost and alone.... He was there.... and things moved a little too fast......."
Andre walks over to me,"Come here, my child..."He takes me in his arms,"let it out. Just let it out."
I break down, my body racked by uncontrollable sobs and intense pain,"I just.....I couldn't help it."
Chester walks into the kitchen,"What's going on?"
I turn and pick up the knife that's laying in reaching distance on the counter, quickly throwing it at Chester.
He ducks, the knife sticking into the wall where his head would have been,"What did I do wrong?"
Jordana looks at him,"You are so lucky that she's going to be carrying your children, or else I'd let her waste you. Right here. With her glove."
Andre picks me up, his large arms and hands strong, yet surprisingly gentle,"Wait on the couch while I go draw your bathwater." He carries me into the living room and sets me on the couch.
I sigh and let my head fall back against the headrest, small tremors running through me.
Jordana walks over, her voice soft,"Does it hurt or anything?"
I shake my head,"Just emotionally. Physically, I'm numb. My emotions are a wreck."
Andre walks back down the stairs,"Eren, there's one of my shirts laying on the back of the toilet. You can wear it if you like."
I smile and stand up,"Thanks, Andre."

[Five minutes later.]

I sigh as I sink down into the hot water, my every ounce of strength being leeched away by the thoughts crowding my mind,Why? Why did I have to do that?
A knock at the door,"Eren? It's Jordana. May I come in?"
I clear my mind,"Yeah. Come on in."
She walks in and sits down on the toilet,"You feeling okay?"
I sigh and throw my hands up in a defeated gesture,"I can't win for losing. I feel like every time I make progress with him, he just goes and blows it to smithereens."
"Eren. That's just life in general. What worries me is the stunt you pulled with the knife."
I look at her,"Why? Is that not normal for someone who can't stand to be in the same room with someone else?"
"Yes.... but no. I mean... you could have reacted in so many different ways."
"Yet I chose to try and kill him..."
"Hey. Don't beat yourself up over it. I was that way at your age. I just didn't end up with kids.... although they would have been fabulous looking."
I smile,"Who would the father have been?"
Jordana smiles, a starry gleam in her eyes,"Take a guess."
I rack my brain for a moment, then come up with the only possible answer,"Andre!?"
"Yep!!!"
I stammer,"But you two get along so well... how could you have wanted to kill him?"
She sighs,"I was just like you. I was young and afraid."
I smile,"Yah know, I can already picture what it would be like to have twins..... Charles would be like Chester, always getting in trouble, and Mark would take more after me, always trying to do what's right."
Jordana looks at me,"It could be the other way around."
My mind stalls,"No. Get out. That is like....just...no."
She smiles,"It is possible."
I shake my head, a soft laugh escapes from the pit of my stomach,"Hah. I'm glad you're here to talk to, or else I'd lose my mind."
Jordana stands up,"I'll go let Andre know that you'll be eating breakfast," She walks out.
I stand up, the remaining amount of bubbles and lather sticking to my skin.

[A few minutes later.]

I walk down the stairs, Chester's shirt wrapped tightly around my right fist, Andre's large black shirt hanging from my shoulders rather comfortably.
Chester pokes his head in the door,"Hey. Look who decided to join the riffraff."
I throw his shirt at him and sit down at the table, taking the empty chair between Jordana and Andre,"I'm sorry, King Bennington. I didn't know that I had a time limit."
Andre sets a plate down in front of me,"Resistance gumbo. Hot and delicious."
The smell of the food quickly draws my attention and mind away from the current bane of my existence.
I smile and start eating,"Dude!!! This is awesome!!! What's in it?"
Andre smiles and starts counting on his fingers,"Deer. Pork. Beef. Cheese. Onions. Garlic. Potatoes. And if I'm not mistaken, a little bit of my blood."
I stop, my fork dangling somewhere between my mouth and my plate,"Your blood?"
"Relax. It's ketchup."
Jordana chuckles,"You better get over that fear, real fast."
I smile,"Dang. Y'all know how to make someone feel better."
Chester speaks up,"Eren. I'm sorry. Okay?"
I look at him, my jaw set, eyes cold and unreadable,"I forgive you, but remember. You're on thin ice for a while."
Jordana lays her hand on my shoulder,"Hey. He only played on the emotions that you gave him, so the blame is just as much yours as it is his."
I sigh heavily and stand up,"I'm going for a walk."
Andre points to his forehead,"Forgetting something, aren't you?"
Realization hits me, It came off last night!!! I nod,"Thanks, Andre. I completely forgot that I took it off last night."
Jordana smiles,"Did you take it off? Or did someone else?"
I sigh,"Y'all ain't going to let me live this down, are you?"
"Nope!"