2 a.m.

Chapter 12 (Final)

*** Thank you for reading. This story means a lot to me, I fell in love with these characters and their stories and enjoyed every second sharing their lives with you. Thank you.***

It's close to ten when Grams and Grandpa leave. They'll be leaving in a few days, just to be sure everything goes well. Then they'll be on their way home, but also to mom. Gram's adamant about being there for her, and making sure she's taken care of as well as she can be. That's what a mother's love should be, even if your daughter is a colossal screw up. They explained the next time I saw her would be in maybe a year or two, and that was if Gram's thought I was ready. Of course it would be while she was behind bars, but at least she would be clean right?

As they drive away, Grams waving out the passenger window and Grandpa driving, Derek's truck pulls up loudly. The night has turned a little chilly and I wrap my arms around myself, the warmth from the coffee wearing off. Kevin hops out of the truck first, looking tired and definitely ready for bed.

"Tired? It's only ten!" I call to him, meeting them at the truck in front of the house. I ruffle Kevin's hair playfully and he smacks my hand away, giving me a sour face in good humor.

"He's not used to partying all night and then having to be up early!" Myra says, getting out of the truck. Kevin sticks his tongue out at her and shuffles inside, giving me a wave and mumbled goodnight.

"He's not used to being up early at all!" Derek jokes from the driver's seat. He hasn't gotten out so I assume he has to go home tonight. "How was dinner?" He asks me.

"Yeah, was that them leaving when we pulled up? I was wondering why you were standing out here like a weirdo," Myra winks at me.

"It was... good. I guess." I don't know what I should start with; my mom is in rehab and then prison bound and I am now the owner of this house in the next three to five business days.

"Good is vague!" Derek says through the window. Myra looks at him a makes some sort of gesture with her hands and he cuts the engine, making the night feel startling quiet.

"What happened?" Myra asks not unkindly.

"They told me that my mom got arrested. In Montana of all places, if you can believe that. What the fuck is in Montana?" Derek looks surprised but Myra keeps a blank expression and keeps listening. "So now she's going to be in a rehab place somewhere in Florida for a while, and after that she has to go to prison for god knows how long. They didn't tell me everything, Grams thinks there are some things I shouldn't have to deal with because I'm just a kid," Myra gives a snort at that, "and I don't know how long she'll be behind bars, but it's long enough that Grams decided I should own the house instead of mom," I end with the thoughts rattling in my head and still not able to wrap my mind around it all. Mom is going to prison. I'm going to be the owner of this house, not her. Mom is safe.

"Shit," Myra breathes. I bob my head and shuffle my feet a little. No one says anything, but Derek's phone rings loudly and makes me jump a little.

"Yeah? Okay, okay, sorry I'm on my way right now. Okay, bye mom." He quickly hangs up and starts his truck again. "Sorry guys, I got to go," he says to us. Myra opens the door and hops in quick, giving Derek a very sweet and slightly steamy kiss goodbye. I wave again and Myra and I walk inside as Derek pulls away, honking his loud ass horn again.

We walk into the living room quietly and sit on the couch, neither of us speaking. After a minute or two Myra finally speaks up.

"So, this a good thing. You have a fucking house! And your mom is off the streets, her crazy ass is finally somewhere where you can be sure she won't get into anymore trouble. This is definitely a good thing. Right?" She looks at me, one arm resting on the top of the sofa and the other lying across her lap. I look at her, and see how amazing she is all over again. This incredible girl, whose face still carries the marks made by her own father, her body scarred and herself afraid, can still see a way to look at someone else's situation and make it a good thing.

"You know you're like my inspiration right?" I smile fondly at her.

"Who, me? I'm nothing special," she says casually. Then adds, "Well actually I'm pretty fucking great so, I'll accept that."

"And so humble!" I laugh. She winks at me.

"This is a good thing," I agree. She smiles and pats my knee, getting up.

"Good! And now that I know this is a good thing for you, we need ice cream and movies. Our own little housewarming present!" She shimmies her hips and sings the words with a big smile on her face.

"Sounds good! Let me go change and call Jack real quick though okay?" She nods and heads to the kitchen, while I go upstairs.

A quick change of clothes later I'm dialing Jack's number, and it rings a few times before he answers.

"You'll never guess where I am right now," he answers. I smile and lean against my dresser.

"And you'll never guess what I have to say," I add.

"Okay, but go look out your balcony."

"Okay?" I go to my doors, pulling the curtain back. I gasp a little when I see Jack leaning on the railing, his phone pressed to his ear, smiling at me through the glass.

"Jack, there's some creep standing outside my balcony, what should I do?" I joke.

"Kiss him!" Jack says and I hear him through the glass and on my phone. I toss my phone on my bed and open the doors, doing exactly what he said. My body presses against his perfectly, and his hands cup my face. I breathe in and all I can feel is Jack, my Jack.

"I thought you had a party to be at?" I ask through our kiss.

"Baseball was on tonight, no one even paid attention when I left," he mutters, pulling me closer and separating my lips with his. I shiver, from the kiss and a little from the cold.

"Jack," I whisper. He pulls back so I can look up at him.

"I own the house. My grandparents gave it to me, because my mom is in rehab. It's mine. And my mom won't be back for a long, long time. And this is a good thing." I smile at him.

"Are you serious?" he asks in a normal voice. I nod, and he gives me that smile that's just for me.

"Val, that's... well I don't want to say great because you know, rehab isn't a party like everyone tells us it is, but it's kind of great, for you. You know?"

"I have a question for you," I add quickly.

"What?" he asks.

"Do you want...? I was thinking, you know it just seems like the next thing for us, if you wanted to maybe... move in?" I feel nervous, and butterflies violently jump around in my stomach. But the look on his face makes everything melt away, and it's just me and him, a boy and girl, and a love I was never expecting.

"Valerie, of course I want to. I wanted to ask you the same thing, I mean I thought we would get a place together but now you actually have a place so..." He smiles at me again.

"This is our place, Jack. Myra and Derek are looking into houses already, and I think she's waiting to tell me but Derek already let it slip. This is our home, you and me." There's so much emotion in my voice it just might kill me. But Jack leans in to kiss me and I think I did die, because it's heaven with him.

"You want this? Us? Now that you have a house, you don't have to worry about your mom anymore, you still need me?" He looks incredibly vulnerable and young, like the little boy I first met when we were kids.

"I will always want this. I will always need you. Jack Mills, you're going to ask me to marry you someday and I'm going to say yes. And then we'll get a dog and have babies and be happy for the rest of our lives. Because no matter what happens, as long as I'm with you, I will never be unhappy. I love you, more than anything else I know."

"Valeria Topson... that sounds just perfect to me."

And then I take the small step that's keeping us apart, and make sure he knows how much I love him. His hands are in my hair, and mine are clutching him closer, and all I can think in this moment is one word:

Home.