Tempted (#Wattys2015)

Tempted:33:

*Bella*

"Justin, what are we doing here?" I asked him, taking his hand from his side as we walked along the side walk, watching a smirk curl on his lips.

"When I was little my mom always wanted a cat, but my dad said no because we were enough to take care of, now she doesn't...really."

"You're buying your mom a cat?"

"Yes, and you're helping me pick it out."

"...What if it bites me?"

"Oh my goodness, it's a cat, not a tiger."

"So?" I giggled, smiling as he held open the door for me, letting me inside first, but didn't let go of my hand, knowing exactly where to go in the store. "Aw, oh my goodness. We have to pick one?!"

"Yes, one."

"B-But-" I stuck out my bottom lip, now hugging his waist. "They're so cute and look at that white one with the little black spot. I want it Justin."

"Maybe...but you're leaving for college."

"I could name it Justin, that way you'd be with me everyday."

"No." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You can't fall in love with more than one cat."

"Maybe I want a kitten. I might buy myself a kitten."

"You won't be able to give it attention babe. You'll be in classes, you'll probably get a job, singing..."

"Party pooper." I mumbled, tilting my face closer to the glass. "Can we go in and seem them?"

"I think so."

The volunteer inside was already watching us, and I smiled at her, looking down at the white fluffy kitten that had caught my eye a few minutes ago.

"Did you want to come in?" She asked, opening up the door, and I quickly nodded my head, pulling Justin in behind me, careful of my feet.

"What's that white ones name?" I asked her, letting go of Justin to walk over to it.

"Oh, that's Lily. She's only a few weeks old."

"Hi Lily." I was grinning like a kid, holding my hand out for her to sniff, and she did, then tilted her head up into my palm so I was petting her. "Justin, Justin look at her she's so cute."

"She seems to like you a lot."

"If your mom has her I'll get to see her." I scooped her up, scratching gently behind her ears, laughing as I felt her purring against my chest. "She's perfect for your mom."

"Hi princess," He said to Lily, scratching under her chin. "Mom will love you."

"Please? Look, she loves you."

"Alright. Lily it is."

"There will be some paperwork and stuff, but nothing major." The volunteer told Justin, going off to the corner and started sifting through things.

"I knew he loved you."

"We'll have to get food and stuff for her too. I won't have my mom worry about that."

"She's so cute. Almost cuter than you."

"Shut up." He chuckled, rolling his eyes at me as he was handed the paper work.

"He's mean to me." I whispered to Lily, feeling her wet link nose rub into my cheek.

I don't know if I will be able to hand her over to Pattie.

I waited for him to finish everything, smiling as I looked down to find Lily napping in my arms, her tiny tail curled around herself.

"What made you come up with this idea anyway?"

"I was just thinking...and it'll give her company...she gets lonely in that apartment."

"I would too." I admitted with a shrug, smiling again down at Lily and kissed her head. "She's so precious, oh my goodness."

"She loves you." He chuckled, the volunteer exchanging papers with him again.

"Just give that to the cashier when you check out, and here." She went in the back, coming out with one of the traveling crates. "You just have to keep her in here at the store."

"Okay." I frowned a little, hearing Lily meow has I woke her up and sat her inside of it, holding it up in my arms.

"Alright. We'll be in and out of here so we can get her home."

"Ok." I smiled at Justin, following him out of the room and felt his hand rest in my back before he grabbed a cart, motioning with his chin to set Lily in the front, which I did. The crate alone was heavy.

She meowed continuously, more of a cry then a meow, and I stroked her head through the top, watching Justin do his thing as he started looking at the papers the volunteer gave him, then picked out food, while I was happily looking at collars on the other side.

"I like this one." I said to her, picking up a blue sparkly collar. "I'm going to buy it for you and get you a toy."

"Babe, I got it."

"No." I stuck out my tongue, running my hand quickly over my ponytail, laughing as he came up behind me and sat the food he had gotten for Lily in the cart, sliding his hands on my hips.

"Please let me get it, please. I'll let you buy a toy, but that's it."

"Why?" I pouted, leaning back into his touch, trying not to laugh as his thumbs moved in circles over my yoga pants.

"Because I have money set aside specifically for this. Don't worry about it."

"Justin, it's a cat collar."

"Bella..."

"Alright, alright." I sighed, pecking his cheek before he let go of me and pulled the cart behind him.

"We need a cat pan, cat litter, and toys...I can make her a scratching post but I still have a bunch of cardboard from moving."

"You've really thought a lot about this, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I have." He smirked, taking my hand from my side.

He was going to make her so happy.


___________

*Justin*

"What are you doing?" Mom laughed as I covered her eyes, letting Bella step inside in front of me with Lily in her arms.

"I told you I have a surprise."

"Justin, you know how I feel about surprises."

"Too late. Open your eyes."

As she did, I picked up Lily's paw, making her wave as a meow escaped her lips.

"Oh my goodness! Justin!" Pattie practically ran over to me, scratching Lily behind the ears. "She's so pretty...how did you-"

"She's yours. Don't worry about anything else. It's all in the car."

"She's so adorable. You have to let me give you something for her."

"Mom, she's a present. Please don't, really."

"Animals are so expensive...you have college..."

"Mom, it's fine. I have a lot saved up, trust me."

"What's her name?"

"Lily." I told her, letting Pattie take her into her arms.

"Aw, thank you so much. She's so sweet."

"Bella helped me pick her out." His arm slipped around my waist, grazing his finger tips against the little skin that peeked through the bottom of my shirt.

"Thank you. I love her already. You guys are so sweet."

"Thanks." I blushed slightly, letting myself lean into Justin more and put my arms around his torso.

"No, thank you. Oh my goodness she's perfect."

"I'm really glad you like her." He grinned, giving my hip a little squeeze. "We can get the rest of the stuff out of the car before we head out. I promised Bella we'd go home, make cookies, and maybe watch a movie or go for a walk, so..."

I was blushing at the fact that he was even telling her, but he had promised me, mainly because it was summer and I hadn't seen much of him since he found out about his mom...that I was leaving for New York in just a couple of weeks.

I wanted all the time I had possible with him.

"That's sweet. You guys go have fun. Lily will keep me company."

"I got food and stuff." Justin told her while taking my hand, leading me out of the house. I heard the jingling of Lily's collar, assuming she had been sat down, and Pattie followed behind us, shutting the door after her.

"You didn't have to do that Justin."

"Mom, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

I let go if his hand to get the cat pan, paying close attention to his arms as he got the heavier things, swallowing discreetly as they flexed and scarred back up to the building, letting myself in to find Lily crying at the door.

"Aw, they're coming." I told her, setting down the cat pan to pick her up again and scooted it out into the hallway. "You're so sweet. You should have seen Justin's muscles though. They're very nice."

Just then he walked in the door, and I stared again, letting my eyes wander across the tattoos while he asked his mom where to put everything, disappearing off to the kitchen with the food.

Lily continued to purr, ignoring everything else around us and rubbed her face against mine.

"I don't want to leave." I whined to myself, scratching back behind her ears again while Justin appeared back in the hallway, his hands nestled into his pockets, eyeing me in that familiar way that made me blush. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like that."

"Why?"

"Because your mother is here."

"I can't help it when you're wearing those pants."

"Stop it." I scolded again, smacking at his chest with one hand while I held Lily in the other, laughing as she meowed.

"You know, when we go back home we can play that game where-"

"Stop." I kept a straight face this time - well tried as he pouted, holding my hips as Ms. Pattie came out again.

"Alright, I'll just put the litter box in the bathroom after you guys leave. Thank you."

"Are you sure? Mom, I can-"

"No, it's fine. Really Justin."

"Alright." Although he didn't seem so sure, and I took his hand after setting Lily back down, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you so much." She hugged him, his eyes closely tightly from the embrace, then me. "It's the best surprise I've ever gotten."

"I'm really glad you like her Mom."

"Me too." She laughed, looking at Lily who had started to wander through the living room. "But you guys go on home and have some time. Really."

"Alright Mom, I'll call you tomorrow." He hugged her again, sweetly kissing her forehead before coming back to my side.

"Ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow than."

She walked us out to the door, where once again Justin had snatched up my hand, swinging our arms while walked back to his car.

"She was really happy." He said after we were inside, starting the car before sliding his hand on my leg.

"Yeah she was. You put a lot of heart into it."

"Yeah, I did." His smile faded, slowing down at the end of the road and swallowed.

"What's wrong?"

"I guess I'd keep Lily...if something happens."

"Justin..."

"I will. She'd want that."

"You can't think like this."

"It's impossible not to Bella."

"She's not going to-"

"Don't." He seethed, clenching his jaw shut.

I didn't say anything else, I just simply leaned over and kissed his cheek a few times, feeling his muscles relax again.

There goes happy Justin for a while.

__________

*Justin*

I leaned over Bella again, laughing at her while she started putting the cookies on the pan, sweetly placing a kiss on her cheek.

"If this your way of sneaking over to eat the cookie dough again, it won't work."

"It's not." I insisted, shaking my head while slowly moving my finger tips against the warmth of her skin.

"Good. I think you ate a whole cookie."

"It was good."

"You're going to get food poisoning."

"Oh my goodness, no I'm not."

"If you say so..." She teased, smiling as I kissed her cheek again, and when she was done with the cookies I put them in the oven, setting the timer before I grabbed her waist, picking her up so she was now on the counter.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, brushing my already messed up hair back.

"Why not?"

"I don't know." With a shrug, she wrapped her arms around my neck, still playing with my hair.

"I just figured we had about ten minutes...so..." I grinned, leaning into her lips and skimmed them with mine.

"I see."

"Are we going to talk, or...?"

"No." She shook her head, giggling a little before I kissed her, lightly tugging her forward while I tenderly moved my lips along hers, not rushing anything.

I wanted to kiss her with everything I was feeling, because it felt like my time with her was running up, and it was. She'd be in this big city living out her dreams, and I'd be stuck here doing who knows what without her...

I pulled her closer again, leaning myself a little more into the kiss and slid my hand up to her cheek, my stomach twisting in a knot.

How could this be mine? How could I be with someone like her...when I'm nothing...

"I love you." I whispered, caressing both of her cheeks while I closed my eyes.

"I love you too." She pecked my lips again, holding my hands to her face.

"The cookies still have three minutes..." I mumbled, letting my hands fall back to her hips.

"Hmm, what should we do?"

"I don't know." I said in the same tone, shrugging my shoulders while I chuckled, kissing her all over again.

If I could do it forever, I would.

"Justin, the timer."

"Oh, right..." I pulled myself away, grabbing a pot holder to pull out the cookies, which you could smell, and I was tempted to pull one right off and pop it into my mouth, but then I'd burn myself. "I plan on dunking mine in milk too."

"That's the best kind."

"And now you know how to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch."

"No, I'll leave that to you. I'll mess something up."

"No you wouldn't."

"Yeah huh."

"It might take a few more tries for me."

"Hmmm," I smiled again, leaning it into her cheek while sliding my hands back to her hips. "Really?"

"Really."

I winked before pulling back again, opening one of the cabinets and got a plate.

She was the only reason I was staying sane right now._________________________________________

Sunday:

4:32 PM

"Hey man." I clapped my free hand with Mike's, pulling Bellain beside me.

"Bella!" Jackie squealed from the other room, instantly taking her away from me in a hug.

"I missed you too." Bella laughed, hugging her back with same amount of force, taking the step back to me and slipped her arms around my torso.

"Hunter's already out back with my sister."

"I don't know if I'm getting in." Bella said beside me while we followed them, and I raised an eyebrow, watching her closely.

"Why?"

"My shoulder...and my leg..."

"Oh stop. You can't notice Bell."

"You're just saying that."

"No I'm not. Honestly. Come on. Get in the pool with me."

"Justin..."

"Please? Please, please, please?" I kissed her cheek, pulling her into my chest by her waist. "You're leaving soon."

"Ugh. Fine, I'll get in the pool with you. I can't say no to that face anyway."

"Thank you." I kissed her forehead, pulling her outside with me where Hunter was jumping in the pool, letting Bella go back to Jackie while I made my way to Mike. "Hey, have you heard anything about - you know?"

"No." He shook his head, motioning to Hunter. "Neither has he. We've been keeping our ears open, trust me. Maybe he isn't coming back."

"No, he's coming back. There isn't anyway he's letting us get away with this. What I don't understand is what's taking so long."

"Me niether...but let's try to have a nice time...after all Bella is leaving soon. She'll be ok."

"This Manny we're talking about. I'm going to have to be so careful...and now my mom..."

"Hey, we're here to have fun. We're all looking out for loved ones here."

"I know." I sighed, looking back at Bella as she laughed.

A part of me still didn't understand why she was with me.

____________________________________

*Bella*

"How's his Mom doing?" Jackie asked me, leaning against the counter with her glass in her hand.

"Um, I don't really know. Ok I think. We stopped by and gave her a little kitten a few days ago, so she has some company."

"And Justin?"

"He doesn't talk about it." I sighed, biting down on my lip and looked back towards the window. "What's he doing anyway? I thought we were leaving soon."

"Maybe he snuck off to smoke."

"I swear if he's smoking again, he's really not getting anything. What are Mike and Hunter doing?"

"Changing - and probably fooling around."

I laughed a little at that, then I went over to the door.

"Justin, what are you -Justin!" I kicked off my shoes, threw off my jacket, and dove into the water after him, a faint cloud of blood around his body.

How long had he been under water?

A minute?

Two?

And what the hell had he been doing?

I hooked my arms around his body, using my feet to push us up to the surface with a gasp for breath, but he didn't move. His head still hung low, blood finding its way into the pool, but I still didn't know where it was coming from.

"Mike! Hunter!" I screamed, pulling Justin out of the pool- or trying to.

Hunter ran out, his gun in hand, then he quickly put it away and ran over to us, helping me get Justin out of the pool.

"What happened to him?!"

"I don't know!"

I took off my jacket as quickly as I could, balling it up on the ground and rested his head on it, then pressed my ear against his chest, hearing a slow heart beat- but it was there.

"Shit, he's bleeding."

"I don't know where," I said in a whimper, putting one hand over the other and pressed down hard on his chest.

I never actually thought knowing CPR would come in handy.

After pulling away from his lips, he laid still, panic rushing through my veins at the thought of this not working.

"Come on baby," I hit his chest with my fist this time, a few tears falling off my lashes.

Then I did it repeatedly, his body shooting up as he turned his head to the side, coughing up the water from his lungs.

"Where are you bleeding?" I asked his frantically, pushing off his leather jacket.

"I-I don't know."

I looked around, then saw the cut in his side by his shirt.

"Take off your shirt." I commanded, trying to hold everything together in front of him.

"W-Why?"

"Justin, please."

"I don't feel good." He mumbled, starting to lean himself into me, but I sat him up, pulling his shirt above his head and held it against the cut. "Fucking hell! What are you doing?!"

"Stop, don't try to pull away. Let it stop bleeding."

"It hurts, stop." He winced, trying to push my hands away again.

"You stop it, you're making it worse. Sit down- actually, lay back."

"Bella-"

"Justin..." I said back in the same tone, pressing him down and applied more pressure to the wound. "Now is not the time to be stubborn."

"I'm not, it really hurts."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Shit he's here! Bella get out of here! Get the girls out of here!"

"Who's here?"

"Bella get out of here!"

"Justin stop, I think you just fell in and hit your head."

"I have enough common sense to not fall in the pool!" He shouted, then started coughing again, holding my hand against his cheek. "Who even pulled me out? Hunter?"

"I did."

"Thank you."

I weakly smiled at him, leaning down and pressed my lips against his for a few seconds, then pulled back.

"You're bleeding..."

"I'm fine."

"Don't even start." I laughed a little, then my head snapped up as Mike came out of the house, walking over in our direction.

"No one is here."

"Might wanna double check." Christian said, and I pushed myself closer to Justin, Hunter now standing in front of us.

"I thought Justin killed you." Mike spat back, a gun held in his hand.

"Should have double checked then too." He looked over at me, a mischievous smile curling along his lips. "Well hello again angel."

"Don't fucking talk to her." Justin said, his teeth clenched from me holding his t-shirt against his cut.

"Aw. What's wrong? Jealous?"

"Of what?" Justin laughed, my hand holding tightly to his.

"That I got to put my hands all-"

"Shut up!" Hunter said, making me jump where I sat.

"It's ok." Justin coaxed, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's two against one, so drop the god damn gun and get out of here!"

"Mike," Justin warned, while Jackie came out of the house, unaware of what was happening, then quickly hid behind Mike.

"Everybody has a girl but Hunter, huh?" Christian said, holding onto the position he had. "Why is that? What happened to your girlfriend Hunter?"

"Shut up!"

"Both of these girls are going to end up just like her, sad, isn't a. it?"

"If you say another fucking word-"

"So which one will it be today? The blonde, or the brunette? I'm thinking brunette."

Before anybody had any time to react a gun went off, Justin had shoved me over and thrown himself over top of me, my heart stopping for a good few seconds, then I heard a thud, and Justin lifted himself up a little, looking at me, then over in the direction Christian had been.

He was dead.

"Let's go." Hunter said, but hardly, a familiar darkness in his eyes, but I didn't usually see them from him, I saw them from Justin.

Justin rolled off of me, his hand clutched to his side again.

"You think you can sit up?" I said to Justin, brushing his hair back so it wouldn't go in his face.

"Yeah." He nodded, pushing himself off, then coughed, clearing left over water from his lunges, standing up on his feet and took my hand, pulling me up on my feet.

"How's your head?" I picked up my jacket and his shirt, slipping my arm around his waist as he blinked a few times.

"Hurts like a bitch."

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital."

"No, I'm fine. I'll take care of everything when we get back to the house. Don't worry about me."

"You were about thirty seconds from dying, I'll worry all I want."

"Justin, just come inside. You're all wet. You can borrow some of my stuff." Mike said, opening up the sliding glass door and motioned with his chin into his house.

"Alright."

We went inside, my hair now damp from jumping in the pool along with my clothes.

I shivered, chills running down my spine from the air, my teeth chattering, causing Justin to look over at me.

"You might fit into my sister's stuff." Mike said to me once we got in his room, a shirt tossed to Justin along with a pair of sweatpants. "Hey Chelsea? Are you still here?"

"Yeah," she opened the door slowly, peaking her head out. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, you can come out. I'm sorry."

She slowly opened the door, inching her way up and looked at me.

"Do you think Bella could borrow some clothes?"

"Sure,"

"Justin," I whispered, quickly turning to look at him. I didn't want to leave him alone.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be ok."

"You must be freezing." Chelsea ran through the hall to a closet, pulling out towels and handed them to me and Justin.

"What size are you?"

"Small." I said with a blush, watching Justin nod once before he disappeared off with Mike, then followed her into her room.

"Where's Hunt?" She asked me, shutting the door.

"Downstairs. Probably taking care of Christian."

"Oh no...is that who was..."

I only nodded, smiling as she handed me a shirt and sweats. I didn't mind. I'd be warm.

"His gun was pointed at me." Whispering I changed, holding my wet clothes in my hands. "Hunter shot him first."

"Is it hard?" She asked me, our eyes meeting again. "Being with Justin?"

"Yeah," Swallowing, my eyes went to the floor. "But I'm still here, and he's worth it."

"He loves you, I can see it."

"I know." I sighed, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Thanks for the clothes."

I undressed quickly, slightly embarrassed, but it felt good when I was in dry ones again.

"No problem. I can dry you're clothes." She held out her hands, and I handed them to her.

"Thanks. I'm going to go check on Justin."

"Alright." Smiling before I disappeared off to where Mike and Justin had gone, I went through the hall, blinking back tears as I thought quietly to myself.

"He won't let me look at it." Mike said, Justin propped against the wall.

"I can clean myself up. It's nothing new." Justin groaned, his eyes shut with his hand on his side, blood trying to seep its way through.

"I'll do it. You have a first aid kit?"

"Yeah, right there."

"Come here." I said to Justin, pushing his hand away and found the rag Mike had gotten, wetting it with warm water and started dabbing lightly.

"I'm sorry." He said to me, a slight grunt emitting his lips.

"Why are you sorry?"

"You know exactly why, and don't tell me it's ok."

"Then I don't know what you want me to say." My voice cracked, my hand reaching for the peroxide where I dumped it onto the rag, taking his hand in mine as I put the rag against his side.

All I heard was him suck in his breath, his other hand clenching in a fist at his side.

"Bella, he- you-"

"Don't." I gave him a reassuring smile, bandaging up the wound, and planted a sweet kiss over it afterwards, then put everything away.

"Was Hunter taking care of Christian?"

"Yeah, I would have put the bullet in him myself if I could have."

"Justin, please don't." I closed my eyes, standing up next to him and rested my forehead on his shoulder.

"I don't understand how they figured out where we were. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here."

"Stop." I squeaked again, feeling his arms wrap around me. "If I wouldn't have come you'd be dead."

"I know you're upset."

"Of course I'm upset! You threw yourself over me to cover a shot and the shot wasn't even Christian's. I'm just shaken up, I'm not like all of you guys that are all tough and used to it. It's scary. Every time you leave me I know there's a chance you won't come back."

"Bella that's not going to happen."

"You always say that! Look what happened!" I finally caved in to the urge to cry, hugging his body to mine, his arms tightening around me.

"Please don't cry," He coaxed, running his hands along my back and kissed the side of my head. "I'm sorry."

"I love you, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"The same goes for you," He pulled back, cupping my cheeks in his hands as he bent down on his knees to be eye level with me. "I'm going to do the best I can to protect you. Always."

"I know."

"And you're beautiful face has no room for tears, got that?"

I nodded again, melting as his lips meant mine in a tender kiss, my cheeks still caressed in his hands.

"I need to lay down." He said, sucking his his breath as he moved forward.

"Do you need help?" I asked him, watching as he slowly hopped down off the counter.

"You act like this hasn't happened to me before." He laughed, then winced, his hand held at his side.

"Please take it easy. I'll drive us home."

"My car? You're going to drive, my car?"

"Justin, you need rest. Not even 15 minutes ago you were laying concrete with me over you doing CPR, so stop."

He locked his jaw after that, looking straight ahead away from me, huffing out air, but I ignored him.

"Is he ok?" Jackie asked me, Justin now with Mike.

"Yeah, and he was being all sweet, now he's going to be all grumpy."

"He'll be fine."

"Is Mike ok?" I asked, glancing over at the both of them again, Justin's back to me as they talked, his hand running feverishly through his hair.

"Seems fine, but then again I never know."

"Justin's barely going to talk." I mumbled, my arms crossed over my chest.

"He'll come around, I'm sure he's shaken up too."

"I know." I rested my forehead against my hand, letting out a deep breath and wiped under my eyes. "I'm going to go outside for a minute."

"Ok."

I went through the living room, walking past Justin and out the door, the blood dispersed around the pool, spread on the concrete where Justin had laid.

I sat myself down on the stairs, letting out a shaky breath and buried my face in my hands, the memories of that god awful night flooding back into my brain, the faint scar on my arm and leg a reminder I saw practically everyday, but I always pushed those thoughts back.

I was suddenly sobbing, my arms wrapped around myself with my head against my knees.

Chelsea asked a very good question, it was hard, so hard...the easiest part was loving him.

I felt an arm wrap around me, my legs lifted up into their lap, my face buried in Justin's chest as I continued to sob.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, repeatedly kissing my head, my body as close to his as it could be.

"It's ok." I managed, moving my face into his neck, taking in everything, knowing if I wouldn't have done outside to see where he was...he wouldn't be right here like this.

"I love you, so much Bella."

"I know, I love you too."

"Do you want to go home?"

I only nodded, pulling myself back and wiped my eyes, trying to steady my breathing again.

"Ok, come on." He patted my arm, signaling me to stand up, then walked back up the stairs, telling them we were leaving and got his keys off the table.

"I'm still driving." I told him, snatching the keys from his hand with a sniff.

"Bella, I'm fine."

"No." I said flatly, walking through the grass in front of him and threw myself in the drivers side, starting the car before he could get me out.

Instead he got in the passenger seat, sighing to himself as I pulled away.

"I should really take you to the hospital."

"And tell them what Bella?"

"That you fell in a pool and hit your head."

"I'm not going to the hospital."

"Ok, then I'm staying up tonight."

"Why?"

"Because I am, concussions are dangerous."

"You don't even know that I have one."

"Because you won't let me take you to the hospital." I turned out of the neighborhood, looking up at him in the mirror, my face blotchy with puffy eyes.

I looked god awful.

"I'm not going to the hospital."

"Fine, I'm not arguing with you anymore."


He stayed quiet, keeping his arms crossed over his chest for the rest of the drive, thinking quietly to himself- I knew that look.

We both got out at the same time, quietly walking, but when he didn't offer his hand, I took it anyway, giving it a squeeze as he looked down at me.

"I don't want you mad at me." He whispered, pressing my body up against the wall.

"Justin, I'm not mad at you."

"Or crying..."

"I was just shaken up, I'm ok."

"You promise?"

"I promise." That got me to laugh a little, leaning back against the door as his arms wrapped around my waist in a hug.

"Come on," He let out a chuckle, opening the door and walked with me inside, "No need to stand out here."

"Yeah." I swallowed, combing out the ends of my hair with my fingers.

"Smile." He came up behind me, hugging my waist in his arms, pecking my cheek a few times with his soft lips.

I leaned back into him, holding onto his hands as his lips traveled down to my neck.

"It's kind of hard not to smile when you do that."

"That's what I thought." He whispered, sliding his hands under my shirt, making me weak kneed as his hands moved along my skin.


I turned around then, pulling him down by his neck and arched my back, tugging at the ends of his hair.

"I think that's more than a smile." He mumbled, his hands pressed into the small of my back.

"No, we're done kissing. You need to go lay down."

"Bella, I don't want to."

"Justin." I gave him one of those looks, holding my finger up to his lips. "You once again were a few minutes shy of death. I'm not in the mood for joking - and I'm texting my dad to tell him I'm staying here."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

"You don't have to stay."

"Justin, I want to stay. I'm not leaving after you hit your head like that. I wish you'd just go to the doctor."

"I'm fine Bella."

"Stop saying that."

He sighed, coming up behind me again and kissed my cheek.

"Christian's dead...which means we've probably made Manny angrier."

"I think is sent a message."

"Justin...you can go to jail - I could go to jail - Hunter-"

"Baby, I could have been in jail a very long time ago, but I'm not."

"That doesn't mean anything. What if Hunter-"

"He won't. We've worked for Manny long enough to do things."

"Did you do that? You helped clean it up?"

"I couldn't stomach it most of the time. I did what I had to do Bella."

I bit down on my lip, picking up my phone to send a quick text to my dad, and then turned back to Justin.

"Are you really mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad Justin." I let out a sigh, crossing my arms over my chest. "It was just a crazy night - a scary night."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

"I know that, but things don't always work out the way we want them too."

"I just want to spend as much time with you as I can while you're still here with me...I want to give you normal." He cupped both of my cheeks then, leaning down so our eyes met.

"I know you do...we are normal."

"You can't tell me that our relationship is normal. A normal relationship wouldn't involve you being afraid for your life all the time, or being afraid of sleeping."

"If I wasn't willing to go through those things for you I would have left a long time ago."

"Why haven't you?"

"Because I love you. You know that."

"Yeah, I do. And I love you too."

"Now please will you come with me and lay down so you can get some rest?"

"Yeah...I'm just going to get some medicine first."

"Good idea."

He went into the kitchen while I went to his room, changing into one of his t-shirts and sat down where I usually did, hearing the crickets chirping outside.

"I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep for a while though." Justin said walking back in and tugged off his shirt, crawling slowly beside me because of his cut.

"Be careful."

"I'm alright. It isn't that bad."

"Yes it was." I felt his head rest on my chest, brushing his damp hair off to the side with my fingers.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's alright." I reached down as he held out his hand, smiling as thumb started moving against my palm.

But now one thing was for certain - Manny's back.

________

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