I've been wanting and waiting to do this one forever! I vowed to do it when I was done with Sweet and Low but I want to see if everyone likes this. I have two chapters done but I'm only posting one for now. Sweet and Low is almost done so if every likes this, I'll post again when S&L is almost complete or complete.

My cast:

Josie Parker - Josie Maran

Brain 'Trapper' Parker - Ami James

Tim Randall - Francis Capra

More characters will be added as they are introduced. Google them or look at them on the forum under the title name.

Also, I do NOT own any recognizable people or names. This is purely for fun and I mean to harm! :) All quotes and lyrics that are not my own have the name or author of the person that does own them. The tid bits after the definitions are my own little wise words...lol.

This is the first chapter, duh. If you read it, please review! I'm counting on these reviews to tell me if I should write more. Also, if you can't figure it out by the chapter. Josie is 19 and Billy and Trapper are 27! I hope you enjoy this and again, leave a review. Even if it's one word!

Change chaynj- to become different, or make something or somebody different

Some people go through a gradual change as they get older. Some people don't change at all. And some people wake up one day a completely different person than the day before. Some people change on their own accord, some are forced to change and some feel the need to change to get their way. Whether it's a change for the good or the bad, change happens. It's as simple as that. It's a way of life.

They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

-Andy Worhol

Josie couldn't remember the person she was six years ago. The twelve year old child she was back in Boston was so far gone from her memory and her being, there was no salvaging it. The only thing that was left was a rebellious and juvenile nineteen year old hoping to get away from the sticky web that was her mother and step father. Michael, her step-father, wasn't all that bad. He wanted Josie gone but he knew she was doing these things to piss her mom off so she would get sent back to Boston. But no, Kelly would not grant her that. Her mother purposely kept Josie in California.

Wonder what happened? Wonder how they ended up in California? Wonder why and how Josie changed? Well, let me give you the low down.

It was the first week of September, 2002. Josie hadn't even started school yet. She was starting Junior High and it was a big deal. Anyways, Josie got up one Saturday morning to go downstairs to have breakfast. It was a tradition that her father, Ricky, made sure to keep up. It was one of his only day's off and he wanted to spend that day with his children, or child. Josie's older brother Brian just turned twenty and he lived with his friends a few streets down. He would come over every once in a while but tended to keep his distance. She wasn't sure why but her mother always told her it was none of her business. Josie obliged and kept her nose to herself and butted out when she was told to.

It's how she was. She was Kelly's pride and joy, unlike Brian. Josie was the perfect little girl. She wore the ribbon's on her hair and made sure to keep her elbows off the table. No one really knew how she became so proper living in south Boston but she was. She never let the looks of her house or neighborhood taint her sweet and innocent outlook on life. Brian often picked on her for being so picky but he was proud of her. He would give his life to make sure she stayed this way. If anyone could get away and make something better of themselves, it was Josie Parker.

Back to the story.

As Josie made her way downstairs quite a few things seemed odd to her. One, she didn't hear the clinking of the pans from her father. Two, she didn't hear her mother moaning about being up so early. Instead she heard her brother and another deep but familiar voice. She walked into the kitchen and saw Brian and his best friend, Billy, sitting at the table.

"Good morning, William." she greeted him softly. Brian smirked and gave Billy a look that read be nice.

"Morning, Josie." Billy grumbled. Billy was not one for a perky morning. Well, he wasn't one for anything that had the word perky in it unless came along with the work rack or tits. And seeing as Josie was twelve and the only thing perky about her was her attitude, her and Billy didn't get along too well. He classified her as the stereotypical best friend's annoying little sister.

Josie walked over to her brother and wrapped one arm around his neck. This was a sight to see. Josie in her light pink dress and curly hair tied back into a pony tail leaning very lovingly on her older brother, who at only twenty, was nearly covered in tattoo's and looked like the guy a father would pull a shot gun out on. See Brian and Billy weren't your average day Joe's. No, they worked for Billy's father, Bones Darley. Bones was well known throughout the city. He was known as a ruthless, killing machine that had no feelings and no heart. Plain and simple.

Of course, Josie didn't know any of this. She didn't know what her brother and his brooding friend sold drugs at night. She didn't know that he could be found dead at any street corner or alley way. She didn't know that his new tattoo's were not just him wanting to be artistic, it was a sign of who he was. It was a sign of what his life was and will forever be. She didn't know this and he liked it that way.

"Brian, what are you doing here?" she asked, looking over at her brother. He wrapped his arm around her tiny waist and pulled her onto his lap.

"Am I not allowed to come by and see my favorite little sister?" he asked in a mocking hurt tone. Josie smiled sweetly at him, showing of her dimples and moved from his lap.

"I'm your only little sister. It's a give in that I'm the favorite." she told him. Billy snorted from the other side of the table and pointed at Josie.

"Trapper, she's too smart for being a kid." he told his friend. Josie glared at Billy and crossed her arms.

"In case you've forgotten William, his name is Brian. Not Trapper." she told him coolly. Billy smirked and looked at Brian, who was also smirking.

"See what I mean? If she wasn't so clean cut, she'd be one hell of a chick with that mouth and sassy ass attitude." he chuckled.

Little did they know that would be the last laugh anyone had for a while. What they also didn't know was that while they were chatting Kelly was at the city morgue identifying the suspected remains of her husband. He had gone out early this morning to get some eggs for breakfast and ended up on the receiving end of a six inch switchblade.

It didn't take Kelly long to make the decision to move away. She had gotten her sister to pack her and Josie's things while they were at the funeral. She had wanted to get out of Boston for years but Ricky wasn't budging. Boston was home to him. Now that he was gone, she could go and take Josie to live her life elsewhere.

"Brian!" Josie screamed as Kelly held her by the waist, dragging her to the car. Tears were streaming down the little girl's face as she helplessly reached out for her brother to take her. Billy, as tough as he was, couldn't even bare to look at her. He knew how close Brian and Josie were. "Please, Brian! Don't let her take me! Please!" she screamed and pleaded.

"Josephine Leigh Parker!" Kelly shrieked. "If you do not quit that this instant you will be in deep trouble, missy." she threatened. Josie wailed louder as Brian looked away. He wanted so badly to walk over and snatch his little sister up and run off but he couldn't. Not because it would be considered kidnapping. No, it was because he knew that deep down inside this was going to be good for Josie. This was the break and escape she needed. Kelly had talked to him face to face telling him that this was best for everyone and he believed her. Billy had been the one to tell him not to listen to her. She had disowned her own son the minute she found who he was hanging out with. Billy knew this wasn't going to be good, he just knew it.

"I don't wanna go!" Josie screamed and reached out for her brother again. Brian couldn't take it anymore and walked over to her. Kelly loosed her grip just a little as he kneeled down in front of his little sister.

"Josie, don't act like this." he told her as softly and as firmly as he could. Josie shook her head and threw her arms around his neck. He returned the gesture and rubbed her back softly. "It's not like you're going to loose me forever. You'll see me soon. Either I'll come visit you or you can come here to visit me." he told her, looking up at Kelly for assurance.

"Of course, honey." she smiled sweetly and kneeled down next to Brian. "I won't take you away from your big brother. We just need to get away for a while. It's better. I promise." Josie didn't dare look at her mother, she wasn't buying it, she kept her stare on her brother. She didn't feel as if her mother was betraying her, she felt that Brian was betraying her. He was letting her go, just like that.

"We need to go, Josie." Kelly told her, standing up. "Tell him goodbye." Josie's eyes filled again when she heard the word. All the anger she felt towards her brother faded as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"I don't want to leave you, Brian." she whispered. "I don't want to go."

"I know, Josie. I don't want you to go either. But it's for the best." he whispered back. Josie unwrapped her arms from his neck and looked at him sadly. "Just be a good girl. Okay? Promise me?" he asked. Josie stared at him and tilted her head. Without saying another word or promising him, she stalked off to the car and slid into the backseat. A good girl? Was that what she was?

Kelly looked over at her daughter and sighed.

"It's for the best." she told her daughter once again. Josie looked over at her and for once in Kelly's life she saw a piece of Brain come out in the tiny child.

"You'll regret this." Josie warned and looked out the window at her brother. "I'll make sure you regret this."

That would be the day that changed Josie forever.

Days went by, then the days turned to weeks. After that six long, agonizing years had passed and she had not spoken to her brother once. Kelly changed their numbers and made sure to keep her address private. She hid and burned all things that had to do with her low life first born to keep him out of her angel's life. That was her first mistake. And her second was telling Josie why she wanted to leave. Kelly yelled at her one night that Brian wasn't the god send Josie thought he was. Josie's eyes were wide with anger and shock as he mother yelled at her, calling her brother nothing but a piece of scum gang banger. That's when realization hit.

Josie was thirteen when she picked up her first cigarette. Kelly didn't seem to notice, she was too busy with her new boy toy, Richard. Kelly also didn't realize that Josie's wardrobe had changed drastically. She went from wearing a lacy dress or skirt everyday to wearing jeans and clothes other girls were wearing. Kelly not taking notice of this really pissed Josie off. So it wasn't a bad thing when Kelly found Josie drunk off her rocker one night. Josie loved the look on her mother's face when she grinned and held up the bottle of Jack Daniel's.

That was the beginning of an all out war. Josie would go out, skip class and ruin her precious angel image day by day and Kelly would eventually get tired of trying to save her. Josie didn't do all this because it was fun, granted it was and she loved it, but she wanted to go home. She tried to emulate her brother and the life back in Boston as much as she could, hoping her mother would get tired of it and send her back. But Kelly wouldn't budge, instead she fought back.

Kelly knew Josie was doing all these things in spite of her and the last thing on her list to do was to let Josie win. Kelly even went to the extreme of holding Josie back a year so she couldn't leave at eighteen. Josie might have wanted to get out but she knew she had to graduate. Her father was to thank for that. He set up a fund for Josie when she started school and money was going to pile up in the bank account until she showed up with her high school diploma. Some days Josie didn't want the money but she knew it would make life a hell of a lot easier.

So slowly over the years Kelly's baby girl changed. Kelly had tried her hardest to make sure Josie didn't end up like her brother but in the end, she pushed her to be like him. Josie knew her brother wouldn't want this for her but she had to do what she had to do. Besides, he was probably doing worse things than she was. This made Josie feel better about doing the things she was doing. He had done the same things so when she was able to get back to him, he couldn't say anything. He couldn't tell her that she shouldn't be doing drugs or running from the cops. It's would make him a hypocrite.

"Does your mother know you're leaving?" Tim asked. Tim had been a good friend to Josie when she first got here. He was the one that showed her everything about the life that was a magnet back in Boston and helped her when she was down. That help usually was a few grams of coke and a few shots to go along with it.

"Maybe." Josie tilted her head to one side coyly. "Maybe not." she said throwing it to the other side. Tim smirked and pushed the mirror over to her. She got down to the floor and leaned over the mirror that had a single white line going across it. In a few seconds and a swift motion of her head, the white line was gone. She threw her head back onto the couch and smiled over at Tim.

"I'm gonna miss you." she sang. He shook his head and pulled her of the ground and onto the couch next to him.

"How about you show me how much you're going to miss me?" he whispered, brushing his lips against her ear. Josie's lips curved up into a evil grin and slowly moved her head to look at him. Tim's heart beat faster as she moved her face closer to his.

"No." she said and quickly stood up, grabbing her keys. "Listen, thanks for the going away present but I gotta go. My plane leaves at 3:45pm and I want to get there before word gets back to my mother." she said and slipped her shoes on. Tim smirked at her as she fixed her hair in the mirror and reapplied her lip gloss. That's one thing Josie didn't loose. Her sense of style. She might have hung out with the junkie's and gang members but there was no way she was dressing like them or the whores. She had a nice sense of fashion. It was cute and crazy.

"I still cannot believe you're going to wear that." he said pointing to her. She was wearing a pair of black leggings under a dress that looked more like a long white wife beater with designs on it.

"I think I can protect myself." she told him harshly. Tim sighed and walked over to her. He placed a hand on each side of her tiny waist and made her look at him.

"Just be careful. Call me if you need me. Alright?" he begged. Josie smiled and hugged his neck.

"I am going to miss you." she whispered and kissed his cheek. "I do expect to see you when I get all straight out there. I'll pay for it, if need be." she smiled. He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Call me when you get there." he ordered and walked over to the door. He opened it slowly and she kissed his cheek one more time before walking out.

Josie hurried to the sidewalk to her mother's car and jumped in. She had had the plane ticket in her pocket for almost a week and it was burning a hole in it. She was excited but nervous. She hadn't been able to get a hold of her brother yet but she had a number to a bar that she heard Brian and Billy talk about all the time. She prayed it was still there so she could let him know she was coming. Hell, she hoped he was still alive.

She parked the car in the parking lot and grabbed all her things from it and the hidden stash of bills her mom hid under the seat. Josie smiled when she counted out 150.

"Thanks, mom." she mumbled and threw the keys in the driver's seat and locked it. She didn't look back as the walked to the airport terminal and scouted for the first pay phone. She found one and ran over to it before someone else could take it. She set her bags down and pulled a quarter out of her pocket along with the number she had found. She took a deep breath before putting the quarter in the slot and dialing the number. Her heart raced with each ring it took and she could have died when someone picked up.

Re·gret ri grét- to feel sorry and sad about something previously done or said that now appears wrong, mistaken, or hurtful to others.

Some say that living life is not regretting. Some say that regret is life. Some will say it's okay to regret and some say that it's a waste of time. But no matter how hard you tell yourself that you won't regret it, the more you think about it and you end up regretting it. And that is inevitable.

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. The only difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.

-Jim Rohn

Never had Trapper heard such well spoken and true words. At one point he believed the old Chinese proverb that said, 'To regret the past, is to forfeit the future.' but as the days went by without a word from his mother or sister, he slowly started to see a blurred future and he started regretting. He regretted letting his mother take her away from him without a fight. He regretted not going out to San Diego and finding her just to see her. He regretted not spending more time with her and telling her it would be okay when deep, deep down inside he knew it wouldn't. Some days he even regretted becoming the man that he did and forcing his mother to disown him.

"Trapper, you there?" Joe asked, sitting down at the table. Trapper's thoughts broke as he stared at his best friend's little brother. No one could tell by looking at him though. Joe was a tiny, scraggly little man. He had tattoo's scattered everywhere and somewhere in the hear that he had, there was the Darley attitude but other than that, he was the sane one out of all of them.

"Yeah, just thinking." Trapper sighed and looked around the smoky bar. He had been waiting for Billy to show up for about half an hour but so far he was a no show.

"Josie?" Joe asked softly. Trapper smirked and looked over at the younger Darley. This is what made Joe the sane one and different than Billy and Bones.

"Yeah. I can't believe in a month it will be six years." Trapper sighed and waved the waitress for another beer. She nodded to show she had seen him and walked to the bar. "It's been too long." he mumbled as Hilary set his beer down.

"You talked to your brother?" he asked her before she left.

"Baggy? No, but I heard a customer saying Billy and them had a busier night." she told him quietly. Trapper nodded and let her leave. Joe looked over at him and smirked.

"How did you get off duty tonight?" he asked. Trapper chuckled and leaned back in the booth.

"I'm special like that." he told him.

"You're special in more ways than that, Trap." Billy's taunting voice said. Joe shook his head, laughing as he stood up to walk off. Trapper turned to look at his friend.

They had known each other since grade school and had been string ever since. Trapper didn't initially join in the Darley's side business but after a while he got interested. He saw the affect Billy had on people when we was just a teenager and he wanted that. Plus, it got him extra cash and a way to get away from his parents. His dad wasn't bothered when him and Billy's appearance started to change but it was Kelly who flipped. She didn't agree with the tattoo's that slowly started to cover up the two men's bodies. She was really pissed when he joined the gang. That was Trapper's last day in his parent's house.

"If that ain't the pot calling the kettle black." Trapper smirked and moved over to let his friend sit down. Besides Joe, Trapper was the only one that could get at Billy and not get shot or ripped into. Billy pulled the cigarette from his lips and smirked at Trapper.

"I thought you were taking advantage of your night off?" Billy asked, stubbing the cigarette out and sending a quick glance at Hilary.

"I am. I'm sitting down having a beer instead of dealing with the latest era of junkies that flock to Southie." Trapper smirked and sipped his beer. Billy nodded to Hilary when she set his order on the table. He looked at the first shot glass for a moment before picking it up.

"She'd be nineteen now, huh?" Billy asked and quickly downed the shot. Trapper sighed and nodded his head.

"Yeah. I can't believe it." he told him and chuckled lightly. "I hope she's at least changed her style." Billy couldn't help but chuckle and nod.

"Yeah, that frilly stuff was horrible. I know she's a girl and all but, damn." The men got quiet for a moment until Trapper spoke up.

"Why would she do that?" he asked Billy, quietly. "She's my mother. Why would she just leave like that and not let me see or talk to my sister? How could anyone do that to their child?"

"She's not a mother, Trap. She's a money hungry bitch. You know she hated it here and you knew she'd leave the moment she could. I told you she would do this." Billy replied calmly, remembering the day of his friend's dad's funeral. Billy knew Kelly would take off and warned Trapper but he just blew him off. Trapper didn't think his own mother would keep his little sister away from him.

"I know, I know." Trapper sighed. "I don't even know why I'm thinking about it."

"Because you have too much time on your hands." Billy smirked. Trapper chuckled and rubbed his hands over his head. He heard someone clear there throat and looked up to see Hilary standing there.

"There's a phone call for you in the back." she told him softly. He looked over at Billy confused and nodded. He slowly stood up and walked down the hallway to the pay phone. He saw it laying on the side and picked it up.

"Yeah?" he answered carefully. He wasn't sure who would be calling him at the bar when he always had his cell on and being who he was there was always a threat. You had to have eyes in every direction or you'll be a target.

"Brian?" a tiny voice whispered. Trapper's whole body froze and leaned into the booth more to hear better. Were his ears deceiving him?

"Josie?" he whispered. He never believed that he would be hearing this tiny voice ever again.

Josie's whole body froze and tears sprung to her chocolate brown eyes when she heard the voice she had missed for the past six years. The voice that would laugh with her at night and yell for her when she was out of his sight. The deep but soothing voice that belonged to the only person, besides her father, that really and truly cared for her. Her brother.

"Yeah, it's me." she smiled through the phone. He ran a hand over his head and couldn't force the grin that was on his face. It was Josie, he was talking to her. He had a billion questions he wanted to ask but nothing would stay still long enough for him to actually capture it and sat it.

"I, uh...How are you?" he asked. Josie's heart flipped a few times and she leaned against the wall to steady herself.

"I'm good." she smiled and played with the cord on the phone. "How are you?"

"Good, good. Having a few beers." he chuckled. "How did you know I would be here?" he asked, trying not to sound rude. Josie laughed and looked up at the sky.

"I remember hearing you talk about it when I was little. I hoped it was still here and that someone would know you." she told him.

"Yeah, it's still a staple of mine." he chuckled. There was silence for a moment but Josie broke it quickly.

"I'm coming home." she said quickly. Trapper felt his breath hitch and when he felt someone looking at him he turned to see Billy. Billy sent him a confused look as he lit another cigarette.

"Seriously?" he asked, slowly.

"Yes. I'm at the airport now." she told him. "My plane leaves at 3:45pm and it's almost 3:20 now." Trapper looked at his watch, 6:20pm his time.

"When will you be here?" he asked.

"The flight is just over 5 hours long. So it would be about 11pm your time when I get there." she sighed. "Is this okay? That I'm coming back. I mean, I don't want to be a burden or-"

"Do you need me to pick you up? When do I need to be at the airport?" he asked smirking. He knew she thought he didn't like her coming back but he did. He just couldn't believe it.

"Just be there at eleven." she smiled, happy to hear he was going to be there.

"Alright then. I'll be there." he smiled. Josie heard her plane number being called and sighed.

"Listen, I have to go now. I'll see you soon." she told him.

"Alright, kid. See you soon." he smiled and hung the phone up. He ignored the questioning stare Billy was giving him and started to laugh. Billy thought he had lost his mind, seeing his best friend burst into hysterics after a phone call.

"Who was that?" Billy finally asked, wanting to know who got Trapper to smile and laugh over the phone. Trapper looked at Billy and smirked.

"Josie." he told him simply. Billy's head tilted and he looked at the phone.

"Josie? As in Josie," Billy held a hand to his waist where she used stand next to him. "Josie?" he asked, needing clarification.

"Yeah, that Josie." Trapper nodded, finally feeling the feeling set it. "She's coming home. She's finally coming home." Trapper closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall. Billy laid a comforting hand on his friends shoulder, not sure at how to take the information. This was something that neither man expected.

And neither knew just what they were getting themselves into.

Easy for a good girl to go bad

And once we gone, (gone)

Best believe we've gone forever

Don't be the reason

Don't be the reason

You better learn how to treat us right

'Cause once a good girl goes bad

We gone forever

-Good Girl, Gone Bad by Rihanna

FYI to my NY reader/readers...I'm working on Tres Joli right now! Sweet & Low is in my Beta's box and Crash & Burn will be updated after TJ!! Thsi story has kidnapped me from writing anything else but i'm back on track now!!