If we meet again

Chapter 9

Joe's POV

 I'm exhausted. It's really hot for March, although I guess it's almost April now. It was almost freezing just a few days ago, I guess the weather is just whack right now. I can tell Nick really wants to go see Brook, and I don't blame him. As I was coming outside I saw a silver movement in the corner of my eye. I thought it was a trick of light, but then I heard a little gasp and then some stifled crying, then silence. I ran in the direction of the noise. It's a little muddy, since it rained yesterday (again, wacky weather) so I could see some footprints.

"Stop!" I called, and I heard some rustling. I followed the direction of the sound and found Brook sitting behind a fallen tree. "Brook?"

"H-hi." she said in a small voice.

"Are you running away?" I asked incredulously. She nodded.

"I don't want to stay here." she said. I sighed.

"Why did I hear you crying?" I asked.

"I slipped." she said.

"But you landed in the mud." I said, looking at her arms and back - they're covered in mud.

"Um...it hurt me because...uh..." she looked at me awkwardly.

"Oh! Oh, right." I said, realizing. "Why do you hate it here so much? Is it because of the morning we were alone?"

"Sort of." she said. "Anyway, you obviously hate me so-"

"We don't hate you." I said. She stared at me.

"Everyone hates me." she said softly. I shook my head.

"That's not true, we love having you, boo." I said, using a childhood nickname.

"Boo?"

"Habit, I'll stop. Sorry." I said. She shook her head.

"It's...it's okay." she said. "I know it's hard to break habits, and..."

"I know." I said, smiling.

"Look, I don't need you. I don't need anyone. When my family was killed, I ran, and I've been living alone for over a year! So don't think for one second I need anyone else!" she yelled. Her eyes widened at the same time mine did.

"Your family...."

"No," Brook said, her eyes wide. "I didn't mean-" I cut her off and pulled her into a hug. When I let go she stumbled back. I put my hands on either side of her cheeks, which were covered with dirt.

"We love you, Brookie." I said. Brook immediately started crying. She grabbed my wrists and pulled them off her face. Even though that was meant to be some kind of refusal, there was weakness in it. Her hands slid off my wrists helplessly, rather than the push she had undoubtedly been trying to do.

"I don't need you." she said in a heartbroken voice.

"I know." I said. "But you should stay." She shook her head, but she didn't stop me when I took her wrist and gently pulled her along. She stopped walking when we got to the door. Her hand fell from mine.

"I'm not going in there." Brook said. I sighed.

"Please angel, just take a shower and eat something." I said. She let me guide her upstairs to the bathroom. I handed her some new clothing Mom had left for her, then I went downstairs and waited. About twenty minutes later Brook came downstairs, with wet hair, dressed in the jeans and tank top I had given her. I smiled. She looks so pretty when she's clean. I just wish she was smiling. I guided her outside. Nick and Kevin stepped outside and I looked over to see Brook and to bring her over to them, but she had disappeared. I walked around the side of the house and sighed. Brookie is sitting on the steps, her arms folded in front of her, her head is down on them.

"Angel?" I sat down next to her. She looked up in surprise. "What are you doing, boo?"

"I....I don't want to see him." Brook said softly.

"Since we have temporary custody over you, avoiding him on day 1 will just make things awkward when you have to see him again." I said.

"You have temporary custody over me?" she asked. I nodded. Brook sighed.

"What's the matter?" I asked her.

"I don't want to stay here." she said.

"Why not?"

"B-because I gets in trouble a lot, a-and I don't likes the way you...um....handle it." Angel said softly.

"You gets in trouble a lot?" I asked, smiling. She blushed.

"I sorry." she said. I was trying really hard not to laugh. I guess she baby-talks when she's in trouble.

"It's okay boo." I said. She smiled a little. "What?"

"I like nicknames." she said, burying her face again. I laughed.

"Come on, let's go see Nick." I said, pulling her arm a little to get her to stand up. She pulled back.

"No." she said. I sighed.

"Don't tell me no." I said in a warning voice. She whispered something, but I ignored it and pulled her along. When we got back to the backyard, Nick walked over to us.

"How do you feel?" he asked Brook, choosing his words carefully.

"Hurts." Brookie said softly, turning and hiding her face in my shirt. I tugged lightly on her braid and she turned back around. "A-and sorry for trying to get away."

"You ran away?" Nick asked, surprised. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"N-no..." she whispered. I swatted her bottom twice and she looked up with tears in her eyes.

"So you did try to run away?" Nick asked.

"Y-yes sir." Brook said.

"Brookie...why?" Nick asked, heartbroken. 

"I don't like it when I get in trouble a-and I do anyways and then I gets in trouble and..." she trailed off. Nick sighed. 

"I know you don't like it baby, that's why it's a good punishment." Nick said and she hid her face in me again. 

"S-sorry." she mumbled. I looked at Nick and he chuckled and shook his head. She moved over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in him.

"You're so cute though, it makes it so hard to punish you." Nick said. She looked up at him. 

"That won't stop you from doing it though?" she said questioningly. Nick smiled and shook his head. 

"Afraid not, baby girl." Nick said. She let him pick her up, but it was probably hard for him since they're about the same height. 

"I love you, Nicky." she said softly. His face lit up like I've never seen before. 

"I love you too, Brook."