Here it is picking up where the last chapter left off. Song is Take Me Home by Lisbeth Scott and Nathan Barr. I remember hearing it off of True Blood in the second season when Sookie was in her grandma's room. Well he song just kinda stuck with the scene in which Jake in his parents room. Hope Yall like the RWBY picture of Ruby Rose to the right. Also dedicating this chatper to ladyafyon for... just being awesome :)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jake

It was only a few minute drive to the house that is now mine. Then it was like everything just sped up. Maybe it was numbness or focus blending together? That wasn’t a thought that would matter right now. There was light chatter on the way there. No one really said anything to me. Danny stayed by my side while we sat in the back of Jimmy’s car while he sat up front with Lillian. Everyone else was pretty much in the van with Charles behind us.

My Grandmother didn’t ask about coming along even though it wouldn’t have been a problem. She didn’t claim to want anything either. Even though I kept asking lightly.

So when we got to the house at the end of the street which another street crossed in front of another set of houses. Odd that I never quite noticed that detail before. It looked quiet and dark. I knew my grandma and I had to run through a process of turning things off at the house because there would be no way to pay for both houses at the same time. So it just made sense that way.

Memories did not coming flooding back in a rush when I saw it. It was like a numbness but not. My emotion at the moment really was confusing me at first. Even that feeling went numb too. Or maybe I just got stronger. 

At the front door my hand did not shake at the door knob with the key. Everyone else kind of hung back to give me space. I appreciated that too. If it meant for me to break down, they did not need to see any more of that. Once inside the front door I smelled the stale air. Everything was just as it always had been. Dust settled on a lot of objects from what I could see.

“You guys don’t have to worry about taking off your shoes. Its been awhile since anyone has been in here.”

It was also slightly a little dark so Danny switched on the light. He looked a little surprised that the lights still worked. It must have been such a natural thing for him to do. Something else I noted about him is he turned on lights as went through his house. Apparently he could be pretty blind in the dark. That was something we kept on here. My family and I were never big television watchers anyway. Everything else was shut off. Gosh I had to learn in such little time.

“The gas, water, and of course the cable’s been shut off,” I explained to Danny.

Danny just nodded at me while pretending to not watch me.

I walked through the living room not seeing memories of the house because that could lead to tears which would only lead to concerning Danny some more.

“You think you could hang back?” Maybe my words sounded harsher than intended.

Danny flinched, looked concerned, and then asked me if it was really ok. 

I nodded to him while I walked forward into the kitchen while his eye’s followed me. Then I moved by the laundry room which was about as clean as it was last I saw it. When I came back into the living room Danny continued to watch me. Finally I came into the hallway out of his eye sight. I didn’t bother turning on the lights. I felt like a ghost in the house. Everything was so quiet and I was always light on my feet.

The first door to my left was my bathroom. My grandmother had been here to bring my personal needs. I could only tell because it looked like someone was in a hurry here. It had to be the double sink I really liked since the first day we moved here.

Next the extra bedroom. I purposely skipped my parents bedroom. Absolutely nothing had changed so there was not much to take into inventory. The same computer which I was most likely going to sell was still in its place. It was over seven years old after all. Besides that who used desktops like that anymore?

My room at the very end of the hall was the next room. My footsteps were loud now for Danny to hear. So if anything happened to me, he would hear. That and it would make him feel better to know how I was. My room was almost the same. My Grandmother had been here too obviously. She did her best to keep things in order. She even made my bed.

Goodness I had angels down here looking after me.

When there wasn’t anything for me to look at I walked again past my parents room back to Danny. I was going to save that part for later because there were people waiting on me.

“Everybody can come in now,” I said in a face that was supposed to be neutral. 

The night before, after Danny left, I went through everything in my head on what I was going to keep and what I wasn’t. Most of the stuff I wasn’t going to keep I was going to give away. I mean I had to give something to the people that came to help me. 

Danny made a motion with his hand out the front door and soon everyone was in with boxes, markers, tape, and whatever else that was needed to get this done. I didn’t watch too closely because I didn’t think I wanted this to be too real. They already might think I was a little crazy because there were a lot of things I was letting go. 

They all chattered amongst themselves while they folded the boxes into proper boxes. To make room the boxes had to be flattened so they needed to be refolded. It seemed like such a normal thing. A thing that reminded me of high school group projects.

Charles always keeping things light decided to use some of the boxes to make a fort. I managed to laugh a little at that. 

‘This isn’t high school anymore,’ my thoughts churned, ‘its time to grow up.’

I got down on my knees to join them and two of the new kids with us looked at me kind of funny. I ignored them.

“I plan on letting go of a lot of stuff here,” I told them all and they all got quiet, “So if you see something you like please come to me first.”

They all nodded in understanding.

“Oh and I am saving my parents room for last,” I finished.

“We understand,” Heather, always bold, said.

My heart hurt watching this woman in front of me that was in her last trimester standing in front of me. I couldn’t thank her enough.

Once the boxes were all set up it was time to label. These boxes were actually for them to take what they wanted with them. At first they were all apprehensive about taking anything but I kept insisting. The two new kids were the first to break as they said they weren’t looking for anything major.

Eventually one by one they all agreed to have at least one item.

We started with the living room and that was a lot and more hesitation from everyone. 

“If I plan to live here alone-”

“-Ahem,” came from Daniel.

“You know what I mean,” I told him also knowing what he meant then continued, “It would just be creepy to hold on to all of this. I have to change and this place needs to change too. Believe me I thought this all through. Over and over again.” I let my hands fall to my sides which slapped my thighs at the same time.

All I had left were two lamps on each side of the couch. The rocking chairs were going to Charles for his parents because their’s were awfully old. The giant coffee table was going to have be picked up later by Jimmy’s dad. A lot of decoration items went to the girls. I was still left with a lot which I questioned.

“There’s still more rooms to go through so we don’t want to start taking too much already,” Lillian explained.

I sighed in defeat.

Once the living room was cleared I knew it was going to look weird and empty. The kitchen I barely gave much away because there were a lot of needs in there. More decoration items that I especially found ugly were going. The girls wouldn’t even take them for themselves. Instead Katie had a grandmother herself that might have wanted them. Heck I couldn’t tell if it was rooster or a hen that my mom kept on top of the kitchen table. It was stuff like that.

The laundry room was left untouched only because I was told I might need all of it someday. Even if I didn’t know what to do with it. I gave in to more defeat. At least I had pretty much a basic living room and kitchen now. 

Next we moved on to the spare bedroom. All I had left in there now was a bed and lamp. Yes the computer, treadmill, computer desk, scanner, printer, and wardrobe was all out of my hands now. 

My room caused the biggest uproar because…

“That’s too much dude,” Marcus had a look on his face like he couldn’t believe what I just said and very disapproving. 

I knew this was going to be a problem.

“I need change, drastic I know, but I need it!” I argued back.

The two new kids Mike and Chase were looking at me funny which I continued to ignore.

“You’d just have a bed in here,” Katie was not on my side for once.

I just shrugged because I really didn’t know what to say.

Then they all told me they would think about it.

“Well its going whether you guys take it or not,” I said with steel with in my voice. “There is always Goodwill or The Salvation Army.”

That was about as much as open threat made possible. I think I deserved a pat on the back.

“We’ll still think about it so don’t throwing it all away yet,” Daniel said giving me a pat on the back. I refrained from rolling my eye’s at the irony.

Danny who stayed quiet this whole time just came to stand behind me.

“Please just some small things for now,” I pleaded.

“Jake come on,” Danny turned me around to face him, “Go get some air.”

I knew not to take any anger out on him. So I didn’t. Never again. I knew not to take any anger out on everyone else. So I didn’t unleash any of it on them either. I took his advice. 

So while everyone walked around my old bedroom checking inventory I hoped I made a different turn instead. It just took that one last second when Danny turned his head from me that I went into my parents room to hide. Yes I knew it would be kind of weird to do but I wanted to be someplace else. Even with the shortest time I’d been here, something about my parents room always made me feel safer. It didn’t matter which house. Where ever they were, I felt safe.

“But they aren’t here anymore,” I said to myself so low that no one else could hear.

I am stronger now. 

First I opened the bedroom door being all ninja about it and then stepped inside shutting the door behind me.

Even as I looked around the room which had not been touched what so ever. Somehow it stayed cleaner than the rest of the house. The bed was made from my mothers doing. Somehow, unless it was my imagination, I could still smell them in there. When I had my back to the door I realized I was leaning on their bathrobes. They never did anything cheesy like have a his and hers kind of bathrobes. They just used whichever bathroom was available.

No I did not do anything creepy like sniff them.

Instead I stepped further in the room and just stood there. No tears were falling and I wanted it to stay that way. I looked at my moms dresser that was still looking scattered from her make up. She expected to come back to clean up after her date with my dad. Only that was never going to happen. Even the closet door was left open from my dad. A fact that my mom used to complain for years about him. Sometimes he would remember but then end up forgetting again days later.

I could almost smell the perfume she used before she left but I couldn’t find the source of it yet. The room was still nice and tidy. I fought the urge to start straightening things out. Was I going to start clearing things out of here too? Yes I was going to have to. It would just be too creepy to leave everything as it was.

Then finally I cried. It just happened too quickly.

These tears were different from the ones before. Those tears were like it was the end of the world. These were feelings I even hid from Danny because he had done so much for me. 

Like back in those dark days without Danny. What happened was almost… suicidal. Sometimes I forgot not to use the butter knife to get the toast out of the toaster. But that happened when I was alone. Another time was when I was about to try to dry my hair while I was in the bathtub. I had to physically slap myself from being so careless after that one. 

When I cut my face shaving not realizing how much bleeding that was going on, now that was the attacks really started to happen. 

Stuff like that.

But this was different. I didn’t see blurred faces anymore. Especially not this time. I grieved a real grief that was supposed to be normal. I wasn’t overwhelmed this time with the school shooting. I also wasn’t down on my knees or had to hold myself. Both arms stayed on separate sides. 

When it came to clearing out this room I decided I was going to be alone for that. Danny just didn’t have to know about it.

The door opened and I hurriedly started to clean up my face.

“What are you doing in here?” Was the first thing out of Danny’s mouth and then, “Are you crying? Do you need me? Of course you need me what a stupid question to ask!”

“Busted and yes I did cry but please relax Danny,” I rushed my words, “It isn’t like before.”

His arms went around me anyway for comfort.

“I appreciate this. I appreciate all of you for doing this. But I am ok now.”

I hoped he understood what I said because it was all said in his chest.

He signed then and then asked with relief, “Alright then did you need more alone time in here?”

Originally I was going to just shake my head but then rethought it so I told him, “No I think I had all the time I needed here alone and I’m ready to leave.”

He held me by his side when we met everyone up in the living room.

“Thanks again for coming,” I said and realized I may not have cleared my face enough.

Katie was the first to approach me with a hug. Her arms amazingly had a way of wrapping themselves around me. She was also stronger than she looked. I finally realized she had no crutches. I made a mental note to myself to stop thinking about myself too much.

When the hug ended she picked up both of her boxes on top of each and left the house. Lillian hugged me next and did the same. Then it was Heather. Mike and Chase just awkwardly grinned then left. There were more pats on the back from the guys. Maybe because they didn’t want Danny to get jealous or something. Which I found kind of hilarious because that wasn’t the case at all. Danny was not that much of the jealous type or maybe I just hadn’t seen that side of him yet. Daniel bumped fists with Danny and just nodded at me.

Hmm, now that was something to think about sometime.

Everyone drove off leaving Danny and I alone in the house. He was suddenly behind me running his fingers behind my ear. I could feel him breathing behind me he was just that close. Even though I couldn’t feel him pressed up against me. Automatically I reached up to take his hand.

It wasn’t like he was asking for some naughty time or anything. He was just being affectionate. I just never got around to talk to him about intimate moments yet. Maybe we could now.

“I love your affectionate side,” I told him to open the topic.

He didn’t say anything as I turned to face him. He just watched me with his eye’s with that had a soft look to them. He started to touch my face while my hand rested on his as his hand slowly moved the left side of my face. I let him trace a pattern on my face that I would never see because it wasn’t like I was in love with me. Only the person that loved the other deeply could see things no one else could.

“What is it you see?” I asked him out loud.

He looked at me questionably at first but then understood.

“An amazingly strong person is standing here now,” he answered letting his smile show.

The way the air that came out of his lungs when he spoke was something I wished I could rub myself in. So then anyone that could smell me would only smell him and know that I belonged to him only. 

“You want to come back over to my place?” he suddenly asked out of the blue. His face did not change.

I thought about it first because I didn’t want hormones to start running this relationship. I nodded and he kissed me briefly. It was a longer and much more of a passionate kiss but because this kiss lasted under two minutes it felt brief to me. He picked me up again and we went to the front door. 

I had to open the door for him so we could get out. 

“Normally this is supposed to be the other way around,” I joked.

He looked at me and smiled. I had to say with his face in the sunlight made his features brighter but I kept that thought to myself. He let me down so I could lock the door.

We walked to his house hand in hand. I realized we had been in my parents house for over two hours. Mrs. Sky was in the dining room reading a romance paper back novel when we came in. It also looked there had been a lot of people around lately.

“Mom, I brought Jake with me,” Danny said loud enough to catch her attention. 

We took our shoes off at the front door unless we wanted her wrath. 

She didn’t look up from her book but said, “You don’t have to announce that anymore. Jake is welcome here but you both still need to behave.”

I was finally able to keep a poker face. Danny unfortunately couldn’t but it was a good thing for his mom to be reading now. He took one last awkward look my direction and I shrugged at him.

“Danny that was a while ago so you shouldn’t have to feel so guilty,” I told him when we were out of earshot. 

He didn’t say anything until we were back in his room. He made a lot of changes to it. Some being that there a couple of sleeping bags on his floor and suitcases open. How he managed it with all the good care he was giving me was a mystery. His walls were now pretty much blank. There were new sheets and pillows now. He still kept the color blue around him.

“I still have the last sheets in its original plastic bag,” he explained my unspoken question, “I kind of wanted to just preserve that night on them.”

He smiled wide at that last bit and I couldn’t help but smile back. Then I yawned.

“You see it takes more a toll on you then you’d know,” he led me to his bed, “and I know you’d never say anything about it.”

“You’ve been having company that I don’t know about?” I said partly to avoid that part of the conversation and because I was curious.

“Yeah my cousins spent the night,” he said walking towards me.

He had me cornered so I had no choice but to sit on his bed. I smiled and maybe giggled like a school girl. Holy crap I’m not in school like that anymore. Now I suddenly felt more awake but Danny was leaning over me not letting me escape.

I tried to repeat his affection by touching the side of his face.

“Not going to work,” he said and pushed himself on top of me getting me to lay down.

I wrapped my arms around him holding him to where he was when I said, “Let me call my grandma to let her know where I am.”

“No,” he said, “Nice try but she knows by now that you are with me.”

Dang it, he knew my tricks before I could even set them into motion. 

“I love you Danny,” I said.

He laid there still and all I could feel was him breathing on me.

“I love you.”

He didn’t even