It's You and Me. Always. (JJxREADER)

Chapter 26: The Runway.

Y/N's POV:

I awoke the next morning, my stomach a pit of nerves once I realised John B hadn't returned. But the lack of police sirens informed me that he did not go through with his plan, luckily.

Sitting up in bed, I drew my knees to my chest, leaning my head against them whilst staring through the window. The sun was rising, coating me in a mixture of morning hues, but today, I failed to see the beauty. I failed to see the symbolism behind the sunrise, how it can mean new beginnings, a new day.

It's all good and well focusing on that side of things, but it doesn't erase the problems from the previous day. It doesn't magically ease my heart of all pain and suffering- nothing will be able to do that.

"You okay, Princess?" JJ spoke from behind me, his gruff morning voice still having this hold over me, even in the most dire of circumstances. I hummed in response, listening to the shuffling of bedsheets as he moved to sit behind me, his legs on either side of me as his arms wrapped around my waist.

JJ leaned his chin on my shoulder, sighing deeply as we just sat there in silence, lost in a cloud of our own thoughts.

"JJ," I said softly, breaking the silence that had settled between the two of us. He hummed in response and I took a deep breath before continuing.

"I'm scared."

JJ turned me around so I was now facing him, sat in his lap with his hands gently on the small of my back. "Why are you scared, Princess?" he asked gently, stroking my hair out of my face and letting his fingers linger on my cheek.

"I'm scared we won't survive this summer. I've already lost count of the amount of times we've been shot at or all the fights we've been in and all the running away from cops. How is it that we've completely brushed over the fact that it's not fucking normal for a teenager to go through all that? When did we all collectively decide to always having to look over our shoulders at every single turn?"

JJ looked into my eyes as I awaited an answer, though I was sure he wouldn't be able to give me one. I sighed in defeat and moved to get up, JJ grabbing my wrist before I could. 

"Honestly, I don't know when we decided them things and I should've known how you felt about all of this. Truth is, Princess... I'm scared too." I looked at him, taken aback by his confession. JJ was never really the one to have fears, and if he did he would never share them with anyone.

"I'm scared John B will get himself killed or arrested, I'm scared Pope and Kie will keep on drifting apart, I'm scared my dad will try and hurt me again. But what scares me the most is that you might get hurt. So hurt that you decide you can't do this anymore and you'll leave us. You'll leave me."

JJ had allowed himself to open up to me, exposing his vulnerability as a single tear shed from his eyes. He sniffled, looking down as if he was ashamed for crying in front of me. Cupping his face in my hands, I lifted his head up and softly kissed the tear that streamed down his face, quoting the words he spoke to me yesterday.

"You're too pretty to cry," I whispered and this time, he chuckled, his tone deep with emotion. "JJ, I don't know if everything is gonna work out in our favour, but I know one thing." I looked in both of his eyes, shedding any looks of hesitation as I spoke once more.

"I will never leave you. Not now, not tomorrow, never."

He pulled me closer, catching my lips with his and breathing a sigh of relief. I smiled into the kiss, feeling better about having talked things out with JJ. Once we pulled away, I smiled at him, kissing him on the nose, which made him laugh, before climbing out of bed, making my way to the bathroom and switching the shower on.