Look After You - Sequel - Jack Grealish

Seven.

Alexa wasn't sure how she ended up in the situation she was in, but she found herself in the local pub, surrounded by people who knew her name, whilst she didn't know theirs, the drinks flowing across the table, and she tried her best to control herself, breathing in and out, knowing that this was a bad move.

"Aye Lexa, cmon have a drink with us" One man spoke, as he pushed the overflowing jug closer to her, as her eyes took in the yellow and pink colours, slowing fading into an orange.

"I'm good thank you, I need to get back" Alexa smiled, she tried her best to be polite, and remain her sober self, but she couldn't lie, this was extremely hard, but she knew better, she had to do better.

"You haven't even had one drink" another male spoke, as Alexa sucked in a deep breath, the smell of alcohol intoxicating her, but she knew she could do this, this was step one of getting better.

"No I'm good thank you" Alexa smiled, as she began to walk to the door, but a voice soon stopped her, even if she didn't know who it belonged to.

"Got a fella to get back to darling? He must be really lucky" the voice chuckled, as everything flashed across her mind, she didn't have no one to get back to, no one would know if she caved and had one drink, but she knew, one drink would never be just one drink, not now, not ever.

"Yeah, I've got a boyfriend who I need to get home to" Alexa muttered, as she pulled her coat tighter and walked out into the cold air, she didn't really know where she was going, or how she would get there, but she knew she was stronger than the person she used to be, and she was determined to not let anything stop her being a better person.

"You can do this" Alexa whispered to no one but herself, as it took every ounce of her body to move away from the door inside the place where her darkest nightmares lived, her phone silently buzzing in her pocket, much to her being oblivious as she tried her hardest to ignore the voices that were really in her head, but spoke as if they were stood next to her.

"It's time to go home" a voice spoke, but she wasn't sure if it was herself speaking, a voice inside her head, or a real voice from next to her, but she followed them, and she silently wished that there would be peace on the other side.

~~~

"Lex?" Jacks voice spoke, as she held her elbow stood at his door, she wasn't sure how she got there, she didn't remember a train journey, or a taxi, but she knew what the voice meant when they said let's go home, he was home, he was home to her anyway.

"Whatcha doing here?" Jack smiled, as he pulled her into his arms, holding her close, hoping that this wasn't a dream and she was in fact stood in his arms.

"I missed you" Alexa whispered into his chest, as she smelt his aftershave, engulfing her, making her feel somewhat alive.

"You're freezing doll" Jack muttered, as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to make her feel warmer. "Cmon, I'll warm ya up" Jack stated, as he pressed his lips to her forehead briefly, before he walked her over to the sofa, sitting down with her, pulling her into his lap.

"Ya look like you've seen a ghost doll" Jack chuckled, as Alexa snuggled deeper into his chest, feeling like she wouldn't ever get enough of this. Like his touch was magic, like he was all she would ever need anymore.

"I feel like I'm in a constant battle, and I don't know how much longer I can fight" Alexa breathed, as Jack listened intently, trying to focus on what she was saying and make sense of it all.

"I'm here doll, me and you against everything, yeah?" Jack smiled, as Alexa smiled at him. "I feel like I'm invincible when I'm with you" Alexa smiled, as Jack shook his head, his fingers brushing through her hair as she lay on his chest.

"Ya not though doll, ya might be my world, but you can't save the world" Jack stated, trying to make sense like Alexa often did, but he didn't, but it made sense to him, and that's all that mattered.

"I was thinking about moving up here, just for a little while" Alexa whispered, as Jack looked down at her with his brown orbs, the words leaving her lips making his heart feel heavy, he wanted nothing more, but he knew he couldn't stand in the way of the bakery, not after everything she had gone through to finally get there.

"Lexa, I love ya, I do, but I can't let ya do that" Jack stated, as Alexa looked up from his chest, her own eyes full of something Jack couldn't quite put his hands on.
"The bakery means so much to ya, I'm not letting ya throw that away for me" Jack stated, as Alexa nodded her head, she stayed silent but only because she knew it wasn't worth arguing about, she knew she wouldn't ever win in that conversation.

"But stay with me for a while, just so I can keep my eye on ya, make sure ya are okay" Jack smiled, as he pressed his lips to her temple, rubbing her back soothingly as she lay her head back in his chest.

He knew that Alexa had battled dark demons in the past, he knew that metaphorically she was broken glass and he was trying his hardest to piece her back together, but he didn't know how to, he knew he couldn't do it alone either.

But as he rubbed her back, and played with her hair softly, watching her fall asleep in his arms he knew that this is all he ever wanted, and this was the girl he had fallen in love with, and he intended on doing everything he could to never let her go.