Come Home

Chapter 30

"What do you think you are doing?"

Alice froze hearing the deep voice behind her. "Shit," she softly cursed. It had been a week since she was stuck on the couch and she was feeling restless.

"What was that?"

"I'm doing therapy on my knee?" She asked as he moved in front of her, blocking the sunlight from her eyes. "It's good for me."

"And when did the doctor give you the all clear for that?"

"Leave me alone North," she glared at him, "I know my body and I'm fine. Now go away."

"Sorry Baby but I can't do that," he shook his head, "I really don't want to face..." he cleared his throat, "your men."

"Chill out North Taylor," she rolled her eyes. "They know I am out here."

"Is that so?" he asked, "because I highly doubt they would be okay with you pushing yourself when both Doc and Doctor Roberts haven't given you the all clear."

"And you would be correct," two voices said behind him.

"Shit," she whispered closing her eyes.

"What was that you were saying, Alice?" Jackson asked keeping a stern look on his face.

"I need to exercise my knee, Jackson," she protested. "I'm just walking, promise."

"But you haven't received the all clear yet," Jasper tried to explain. "If you work those muscles too soon you will cause more damage than harm." He sighed as he came to stand beside North, "I know this is hard for you Pet, but you really do need to rest for just a bit longer."

"You have your appointment in two days, Alice," Jackson said before pointing back to the house. "Now get your ass back into that house and rest your leg. Do not get back up off that couch unless it's to go to the bathroom or one of us or your exes are helping you somewhere, am I understood?"

"Yes Sir," she whispered.

"Can I please carry you?" North asked.

"Yes," Jasper nodded, "we are going grocery shopping." He pointed at Alice, "We better not find you trying to sneak off to see your pretty little pony or puppies again, Alice."

"Yes Sir," she nodded as she tentatively wrapped her arms around North's neck as he swept her up bridal style.

"There you go, Baby," North said as he sat her back down on the couch.

"You really need to quit calling me that," she huffed as she rolled her eyes. "You lost the right to call me that after you destroyed us."

"I know," he sighed, "I'm sorry." He crouched down to her level, "you know we would take it back if we could, don't you? We were stupid foolish boys that didn't realize what we had until we fucked up and lost you. All we can do now is apologize and try to earn your friendship back."

"You're right," she said as she picked at the pillow in her lap, "you were stupid but that was long ago and you can't change the past. You can only learn from it and move on and that is exactly what I have done. I've learned that I can't trust you when it comes to my heart and I moved on. I found two wonderful men that proved over and over that I could learn to trust again and with their help I learned what true love is. I can honestly say that I forgive you now. It took some time but I let go of that hurt, you need to also. Sure what you did was pretty crappy but like you said, you were idiots. Hell North, you stayed here when you didn't have to. What were you thinking? Any sane group of men would have left even after my grandparents told you that you weren't fired. Why stay?"

"Because of you," he admitted.

"What?" She asked confused.

"It was partly punishment and partly hope," he shrugged. "We realized the moment you saw us that we fucked up. We regretted it every day since then. We stayed in hopes of you coming home so we can apologize and grovel and whatever the hell we needed to do to get you back. Staying reminded us every day what we did. We have to face our fuck up every day." He sighed, "we hoped that the day you came home you would see how much we've learned and changed and earn you back, but now we know that's not possible, is it?"

"No, it's not," she shook her head, "I love Jackson and Jasper with all my heart, North. I can forgive all of you, but I can't forget what you did to me. I can't let you that close again, I can't love you again, my heart belongs to them."