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Chapter 12 // Flashback Two

The ride home was silent, but not the kind of silence that crushed you.
It was warm, almost comforting, the way a hug felt when no words were needed.

Hustle drove, his hand resting protectively on the console beside Sajadaa's leg.
Danny sat up front, fidgeting with the radio but not daring to turn it on.
Aaliyah and Reef sat in the back with Sajadaa, stealing glances at her, wanting to say something — anything — but knowing she needed quiet right now more than anything else.

The streets blurred by West Orange pulling them in like a promise.

When they finally pulled into Hustle's driveway, Sajadaa blinked up at the massive house.
Sleek and homey, the black and white color scheme gave it a clean, calm vibe.
It wasn't just a house — it felt like a place where healing could happen.

"Home," Hustle murmured, almost to himself, before getting out and gently opening Sajadaa's door.

They helped her inside carefully, as if she might shatter.
Inside, everything was soft — thick plush blankets stacked neatly on the couches, candles lit in warm corners, and a light scent of vanilla and clean cotton floating in the air.

Hustle had gone all out.

There was a room ready for her — white sheets, black velvet throws, a massage chair in the corner, aromatherapy diffusers releasing soft mists into the air.
On the bedside table, a little handwritten note:
Anything you need. Anytime. We're here.

Tears prickled Sajadaa's eyes again.

And if that wasn't enough, two caretakers stood near the hallway, professionally dressed and waiting for orders.

Sajadaa shook her head immediately.

"No," she whispered hoarsely. "I don't want strangers... I just want y'all."

They nodded, understanding, and quietly left.

After getting her settled — tucking her into the bed like something precious — Sajadaa called out softly:

"Can you all... come in here?"

They didn't hesitate.
One by one, they filed in — Danny first, pretending to trip over the rug to lighten the mood.

"Hope you got health insurance, Jadaa, 'cause if I fall—" she started.

Aaliyah rolled her eyes. "Sit your clumsy ass down, Danny," she said, flopping into a chair dramatically.

Reef chuckled, shaking his head. "Chill out, both of y'all. She don't need all that noise right now."

Sajadaa gave a soft, tired laugh — a sound so fragile it felt like it might float away.

Hustle moved closer to her bed, crouching down so they were eye level.

"What you wanna talk about, baby?" he asked, voice low, respectful.

Sajadaa's fingers twisted the edge of the blanket.
Her throat felt raw.

"I'm lost," she whispered. "I'm... so confused. I don't even know how to feel. And I don't wanna be a burden. I don't want to drag any of y'all down with my broken pieces."

For a second, no one spoke.

Then Danny slammed her palm against the bed frame, making Sajadaa jump slightly.

"Girl, shut the hell up with that," Danny said fiercely, tears burning in her eyes. "You ain't dragging nothing! We chose to be here. You ours. Broken or not."

Aaliyah nodded quickly, her voice shaking. "We don't leave our own behind. You ain't gotta be perfect for us to love you."

Reef leaned forward. "Real shit, Jadaa. You family now. That ain't conditional."

Sajadaa's lip trembled.

And then Hustle spoke — his voice thick, almost cracking.

"Can you trust me, Jadaa?"
He reached for her hand, wrapping it in both of his bigger ones. "Can you trust me to hold you down? To love you the way you shoulda been loved all your life?
No lies. No running. Just us."

Sajadaa stared at him, heart hammering.

"And can you be mine?" Hustle whispered, voice shaking.
"Can you let me protect you? Heal you?
I failed you once... leaving you in that house...
I swear to God, I'll never fail you again."

Sajadaa squeezed his hand, her voice breaking into a sob.

"You didn't fail me," she choked out. "You saved me."

But deep, deep inside — hidden so far down she barely even touched it — was a secret she couldn't bring herself to say:
They didn't just beat her.
They stole pieces of her she wasn't sure could ever be returned.

And she wasn't ready to let them see that yet.

Not yet.

Sajadaa swallowed, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

She stared at Hustle.
At Danny, Aaliyah, and Reef — their eyes brimming with unshed tears, their hands ready to catch her.

"I trust you," she whispered.

And it was like the room breathed for the first time.

Hustle leaned his forehead against her hand, letting out a shaky breath.
Danny sniffled loudly, pretending not to.
Aaliyah wiped at her eyes viciously.
Reef just nodded, jaw clenched tight.

Hustle sat up, glancing at everyone around the room.

"Then it's official," he said gruffly. "Right here, right now — we a family.
Not perfect. Not clean. But real.
We protect each other. We love each other. We don't leave nobody behind."

Danny held up her pinky like a kid.
"Swear on it."

One by one, they all linked pinkies — even Reef, shaking his head with a small smile.

They weren't just survivors anymore.

They were a family.

A family with a mission:

Heal. Protect. Love.
No matter what.

End of Flashback.