no savior.

no vacancy

KJ's POV

I don't want to admit to myself where we're going until we're pulling into the driveway, and Vin is telling me to park the car.

You have to be fucking shitting me.

"This is where we're staying?"

"Yep," He tosses me a set of keys, "Check it out."

I look at him to see if he's serious. He is. I climb the steps to the porch and enter the house, feeling as if I've dived into liquid nostalgia. I inhale, reminiscing with just myself. The house of my ex-girlfriend is now in possession of my ex-boyfriend.

I take a quick sweep around the house, everything seeming in it's place, right where we left it. I walk the house, noticing the blue trim has faded a little, due to lack of upkeep.

"So this was the surprise you wanted to keep from me?"

"I didn't think you'd come is when I said 'heading back to St. Louis' I meant a farmhouse about an hour out."

"And here I was thinking this was a ploy to get me committed," I force a dry laugh and he joins before handing me a box, "Pick a room for us."

"Us?" I tease.

"Pick the room dipshit," he rolls his eyes and I head upstairs, picking out what used to be Ms. Cassie's room. It was cleaned out after her death, unlike the other rooms, which seem close to tombs at this point. Has it really been five years? I can't tell if it feels like it's been longer or shorter.

***

"Where have you been? What happened to your truck?" My dad greeted me at the door, livid, "Kaylie Jane!" I noticeed his wife, Mindy on the side, watching us.

"It's KJ," I corrected him, "It's been KJ."

"Excuse me?" he grabed for me and I twisted away from him, grimacing at the outcry of my whole body.

"You haven't been a father since I was thirteen! Don't try it now."

***

"That's everything, Baby girl."

Vin drops the last box at the threshold of the room and I and throw an empty one at his head, "So now you can help me?"

"Nah," He strips off his shirt, "I am gonna shower though."

"I guess I'll just do everything myself as usual!"

"No, you should shower too," he calls from the bathroom.

I go back to unpacking as the shower cuts on, then back off, "Hey!"

I glance up, seeing Vin in his unclothed glory, "That was an invitation by the way."

I open my mouth to say something smart but he beats me to it, "Nope. Get in the damn shower, dipshit."

I try to think of something smart to say, but before I know it, I'm already in the shower and we're both already wet.

***

I bolt awake, my body soaked in sweat, Vin wrapped tightly around me, "Ssssssshhh. It's okay, Baby girl. It's okay."

I realize I'm struggling against him and relax attempting to steady my breathing. Calm down. It's over. It's over.

"It's alright," his low voice soothes me, rough around the edges but sliding into my ears with his familiar smooth center. 

I jump from his arms and run to the bathroom, tossing water in my face. My whole body shakes lingering images from my night terrors flashing in my memory, my eyes clenched shut.