AcklesLuvr81

An hour later, Summer pulled into the driveway of the Long Island house, the late-afternoon sun slanting golden across the lawn. Ben sat in the passenger seat beside her, his big frame somehow making the car feel smaller. He’d showered, shaved most of the wild beard down to a neat scruff, and changed into clean jeans and a dark button-down that Summer had kept in the hotel closet for emergencies. He still looked rough around the edges—hair too long, eyes carrying too much—but he looked like Ben again. Summer killed the engine and turned to him, a small, nervous smile curving her lips. “Shall we?” she asked softly.

Ben looked at the house—the white siding, the porch swing, the basketball hoop over the garage—and let out a shaky breath. “I’m nervous,” he admitted, voice low. “What if he hates me? What if he sees the monster you told him about and can’t see past it? ”Summer reached over and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. His palm was warm, calloused, familiar.“It’ll be okay,” she said. “He’s scared too. But he wants to know you. Really know you. Give him time, and he’ll see the man who changed. The man I fell in love with again.”Ben squeezed her hand, thumb brushing over her knuckles.“I don’t deserve you,” he murmured.“You do,” she whispered back. “You always did.” They got out. Summer led the way up the walk, Ben a half-step behind her, shoulders squared like he was walking into battle. She opened the front door. Adam and Jenny were on the couch—Adam in a fresh hoodie, Jenny curled against his side with a throw blanket over her lap. The TV was on low, some sitcom neither of them was really watching. 

The second the door opened, both of them looked up. Adam saw Ben first.For one long heartbeat, no one moved.Then Adam stood slowly, like he was afraid sudden movement might shatter the moment. His green eyes—so much like Ben’s—locked on the man in the doorway. Pride, fear, hope, and something deeper all flickered across his face at once. Summer stepped aside, tears already gathering in her eyes. Adam walked forward. Not fast. Not hesitant. Just… steady. He stopped a foot away from Ben and extended his hand.Ben stared at it for a second—like he couldn’t believe it was real—then reached out and took it.The handshake was firm, two strong men measuring each other without words.“Hello, son,” Ben said, voice rough with emotion.Adam looked up into those same green eyes, saw himself reflected back, and something inside him cracked open.“Hi, Dad,” he answered quietly.

The word hung between them—simple, enormous.Ben’s control broke. He pulled Adam into a crushing hug, one big hand cupping the back of his son’s head, the other wrapped around his shoulders. Adam stiffened for half a second—then hugged back just as hard, face buried in Ben’s shoulder.Summer watched them, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Jenny stood beside her, eyes shining, hand pressed to her mouth.Ben pulled back first, keeping both hands on Adam’s shoulders, studying his face like he was memorizing every line.“You got big,” Ben said, voice thick. “Last time I saw you, you were barely walking. Now look at you.”Adam gave a watery laugh. “Yeah. Mom says I got your height. And apparently your stubborn streak.”Ben chuckled, low and warm. “That you did.”They moved to the dining table. Summer had set it simply—roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls still warm from the oven. Nothing fancy. Just family.They ate, and at first the conversation stayed light.Adam told Ben about school, about basketball, about how he’d once broken the garage window with a bad shot and tried to blame the neighbor’s cat. Jenny chimed in with stories of Adam’s terrible attempts at cooking “He set off the smoke alarm making toast”. Ben laughed—real, deep laughs that filled the room—and told Adam about the time he’d tried to teach his mother how to throw a spiral football. Summer glared playfully at the story. It was easy. Warm. Healing.

Then the mood shifted, slow but inevitable.Adam set his fork down.“Where were you?” he asked quietly. “All this time.”Ben’s smile faded. He leaned back in his chair, eyes dropping to his plate for a long moment.“I was betrayed,” he said finally. “My team—Payback—they turned on me. Vought gave the order. They sold me to the Russians. I spent years in a hole, being experimented on, tortured. They froze me in cryo when they decided I wasn’t worth the trouble anymore. I woke up a few days ago.”Adam’s jaw clenched. Jenny reached under the table and squeezed his hand.Summer spoke softly. “He came to find us as soon as he could.”Adam looked at Ben again, eyes searching. “Mom told me… about what you did to her. Before I was born.”Ben didn’t flinch. Didn’t look away.“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I did. I hurt her.

 Badly. I was angry, out of control. I slapped her. I hit her. I—” His voice cracked. “I raped her. He paused for a long moment and then continued. “She left me after that, and she was right to.”Adam’s fists clenched on the table.“But I got help,” Ben continued. “Real help. Therapy, groups, the works. I changed. I spent years trying to be the man she deserved. When we got back together, I swore I’d never raise a hand to her again. And I didn’t. Not once.”Summer reached over and covered Ben’s hand with hers. “He didn’t,” she said softly. “Not after that.”Adam looked between them, processing. “You believe him?” he asked her.“I do,” Summer answered. “I saw the change. I lived it.”Adam exhaled slowly, shoulders dropping a fraction.“I don’t forgive you yet,” he told Ben. “Not completely. 

But… I want to know you. The real you. Not the Vought poster. Not the monster. You.”Ben’s eyes glistened. He nodded once, throat working. “That’s more than I deserve, son. But I’ll take it. And I’ll earn the rest.”The tension eased, just a little. They finished eating in quieter conversation—Adam asking about missions, Ben asking about school, Jenny chiming in with gentle questions that kept things from getting too heavy.After dinner, Summer started clearing plates. Ben followed her into the kitchen.“You did such a great job raising him,” he said quietly, leaning against the counter while she rinsed dishes.Summer smiled over her shoulder. “He made it easy. He was always such a good kid.”Ben chuckled. “Well, he definitely got that from you.”They both laughed—soft, real—and the sound felt like sunlight after years of rain.Ben stepped closer, hands gentle on her hips, turning her to face him. He leaned down and kissed her—slow, deep, full of everything they’d lost and found again.Summer melted into it, hands sliding up his chest.Neither of them heard Adam walk in.He stopped in the doorway, saw his mom in his dad’s arms, saw the way they kissed like no time had passed, and quietly backed out without a word—giving them the moment they’d waited sixteen years for.In the living room, Jenny looked up. njhm “Everything okay?”Adam smiled—small, real, a little sad, a little hopeful.“Yeah,” he said softly. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

In the kitchen, Ben and Summer broke from the kiss slowly, lips lingering, breaths mingling. Ben held her close, one arm banded around her waist, the other cradling the back of her head like she was something precious he’d finally gotten back. Summer rested her forehead against his chest for a moment, listening to the steady, strong beat of his heart—the same heartbeat she’d fallen asleep to a lifetime ago.She tilted her head up, hazel eyes soft and thoughtful, a small, real smile curving her lips.“I love you,” she whispered.Ben’s green eyes warmed, the hard lines of his face softening in a way only she had ever seen.“I love you too, Summer,” he said, voice low and rough with emotion. “Never stopped. Not for one damn second.”They embraced again, tighter this time, like they could press the years apart back into nothing. Ben’s big hands stroked down her back, slow and soothing. After a long moment he pulled back just enough to look at her.“I guess I should be getting back to the hotel,” he said quietly, though the reluctance was clear in his voice.Summer shook her head immediately, fingers curling into the front of his shirt.“No,” she said firmly. “Stay the night with me.”Ben gave her a long, searching look. “Is that a good idea? I don’t want to mess this up. Not with Adam here. Not after everything.”Summer took both his hands in hers, lacing their fingers together.“Ben,” she said softly, “I love you. And as far as I’m concerned, we’re still married. You’re stuck with me.”A slow, mischievous smile spread across her face—the same one she used to give him when they were young and reckless and the world hadn’t broken them yet.Ben chuckled, low and warm, the sound rumbling through his chest. He wrapped her in another hug, lifting her just slightly off the floor, face buried in her hair.“God, I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “Missed us.”Summer smiled against his shoulder. “Me too.”They made their way upstairs together, hand in hand. In the living room, Adam and Jenny were still curled up on the couch, the TV flickering with some late-night rerun.“Hey, guys,” Summer called softly. “We’re heading to bed. Keep the TV up if you want, but don’t stay up too late, okay?”Adam glanced over, gave a small nod and a half-smile. “Night, Mom. Night… Dad.”Ben’s throat worked visibly. “Night, son. Night, Jenny.”Jenny waved shyly. “Goodnight.”Summer and Ben continued down the hallway to the master bedroom. The door clicked shut behind them.The moment the latch caught, the air changed.They tore at each other’s clothes with quiet urgency—Ben’s shirt yanked over his head, Summer’s sweater tossed aside, jeans unbuttoned and shoved down in a frantic tangle. Hands roamed, rediscovering, relearning. Ben lifted her easily, carrying her to the bed and laying her down like she was made of glass.He climbed over her, arms bracing on either side of her head, caging her gently. He kissed her again—deep, slow—then began working his way down her body. 

Open-mouthed kisses along her jaw, down the column of her throat, across her collarbone. He lingered at her breasts, tongue circling each nipple until she arched and gasped his name. Lower still—her ribs, the soft curve of her stomach, the dip of her navel.When he reached the waistband of her panties, he paused, looking up at her with dark, hungry eyes.Summer nodded, breathless. “Please.”He hooked his fingers in the lace and slid them down her legs, kissing every inch of skin revealed—hipbones, the crease of her thigh, down to her ankles. Then he shed his own remaining clothes and crawled back up her body.Summer’s breath caught when she saw him—thick, hard, ready. Her pussy clenched with raw anticipation, slick and aching.Ben positioned himself at her entrance, the blunt head nudging her folds. He braced himself above her and looked straight into her eyes.“I’m gonna spend every last breath making it up to you,” he said, voice low and solemn. “Every time I hurt you. Every time I made you feel unloved. Every time I wasn’t the man you deserved. I want you to know I’m making up for all of it.”Summer’s eyes filled, but she smiled—wide, bright, ear-to-ear.“I know,” she whispered. “I believe you.”Ben leaned down and kissed her—passionately, hungrily. Tongues slid together, the kiss turning desperate, hands roaming, bodies pressing closer.He pushed inside her slowly, inch by inch, that familiar stretch making Summer moan into his mouth. Her legs wrapped around his hips, heels digging into his lower back, urging him deeper.“Fuck, Ben…” she gasped when he bottomed out. “I’ve missed this. Missed you.”He groaned, forehead pressed to hers. “You feel like home, baby.”They found their rhythm quickly—slow at first, savoring every slide, every drag. Then faster, harder.“Harder,” Summer moaned, nails raking down his back.Ben obliged, hips snapping, thrusting deep and rough. He hooked her legs over his shoulders, spreading her wider, the new angle letting him hit that spot inside her that made her cry out.They fucked like they were making up for lost time—hard, relentless, bodies slick with sweat. Summer’s moans turned to screams, her pussy clenching around him as her climax built fast and brutal.“Oh fuck—Ben—yes!”She came hard, back bowing, walls pulsing around him, screaming his name as waves of pleasure crashed through her.Ben followed seconds later—two more rough, deep thrusts and he buried himself to the hilt, groaning low and ragged as he spilled inside her, hot pulses filling her completely.Summer felt every throb, the warmth flooding her, triggering another smaller, sharper orgasm that had her whimpering beneath him.Ben collapsed on top of her, still buried deep, cock twitching with aftershocks. Their breathing synced, harsh and satisfied.After a long moment he lifted his head, looking down at her with something soft and shattered in his green eyes.“You are so fucking beautiful,” he rasped. “You have no idea how much I missed being with you like this.”Summer reached up, cupping his bearded jaw, thumb brushing over his lower lip.“I love you, Ben,” she whispered, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. “I never stopped.”He leaned down and kissed her—slow, deep, tender.“I love you too, Summer,” he murmured against her mouth. “Always have. Always will.”They fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, bodies tangled, hearts finally beating in time again.In the distance, high above the quiet Long Island street, John hovered unseen in the night sky. His eyes glowed crimson, fixed on the bedroom window where the curtains were drawn but not quite closed.He watched.He saw the silhouettes move together.He saw Summer disappear beneath Ben.He saw them collapse, spent and entwined.Fury boiled through him, hot and black and bottomless.“Summer,” he growled, voice low and venomous. “You will pay for this.”Then he shot upward into the darkness, a streak of red against the stars, leaving only silence behind.

Over the next few months, Summer and Ben slowly, carefully rebuilt what they’d once had—learning how to be with each other again, not as the broken people they’d become, but as the versions they’d fought to become in spite of everything. Ben moved back home permanently. No more hotel rooms. No more hiding. He slept in their bed every night, arms around Summer like he was still making up for sixteen years of empty space beside her.Adam loved having his father there. Truly loved it. The house felt fuller, warmer. Ben was patient in ways Summer had   never seen before. When Adam messed up during training—dropped a weight too soon, lost focus mid-spar—Ben didn’t yell. He didn’t even raise his voice. He’d put a hand on Adam’s shoulder green eyes steady, and say things like:“Shake it off, kid. You’re stronger than that mistake. Try it again—slower this time. Feel the movement before you force it.”Adam soaked it up. They trained together in the backyard most evenings, father and son finding a rhythm that felt natural, inevitable. Ben cooked breakfast on weekends (pancakes with chocolate chips for Jenny, eggs over-easy for Summer, bacon so crispy it snapped). He cleaned the kitchen without being asked. He even learned how to fold fitted sheets—badly, but he tried. Summer would find him in the laundry room cursing under his breath at a tangled mess of cotton, and she’d laugh until tears came.The world still didn’t know Soldier Boy was back. Vought didn’t know, but they were quiet—too quiet. Summer worried constantly. Every time the phone rang, every time a black SUV slowed on their street, her stomach clenched.“Ben,” she’d whisper in the dark, curled against his chest, “what if they find out? What if they come for you again?”He’d tighten his arm around her, kiss her temple. “Let them try. I’m not going anywhere. Not this time.”John had been silent. No calls. No visits. No threats. Ben thought it meant the kid had finally accepted his place—out of the picture, out of their lives.Summer wasn’t so sure.She caught herself glancing at windows at night, checking locks twice, waking up in cold sweats from dreams where John’s eyes glowed red in the dark.But the days were good. Really good. Blissful, even. She let herself believe, just for a little while, that they could have this.

November 2000 arrived crisp and golden. Adam and Jenny had been together exactly one year.They went out for their anniversary—nothing extravagant, just a quiet Italian place downtown Adam had saved up for. He held the door for her, pulled out her chair, let her order first. He was nervous; his leg bounced under the table the whole meal. Jenny noticed, reached across, and laced her fingers through his.“You okay?” she asked softly.He nodded, swallowed hard. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”They talked about everything and nothing—school, music, the way Adam still couldn’t make toast without setting off the smoke alarm. But underneath it all, the conversation from the hospital lingered. The promise rings they’d talked about that night. The future they’d whispered about while the world fell apart around them.Dessert came. Adam barely touched his tiramisu. When the waiter cleared the plates, he reached into his jacket pocket with shaking fingers.Jenny’s eyes widened when she saw the small velvet box.“Jen…” His voice cracked. He opened it. A simple silver ring with a tiny diamond glinted under the restaurant lights. “I know we’re still in high school. I know people will say it’s too soon. But I don’t care. I don’t want to do this with anyone else. You’re my soulmate. I wouldn’t survive this world without you. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”Jenny’s eyes filled instantly. She nodded—fast, frantic, tears spilling over.“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Adam. I love you.”He slid the ring onto her finger with trembling hands. Then he kissed her—soft, reverent, right there in the middle of the restaurant. She kissed him back, arms around his neck, both of them crying and laughing at the same time.Back at the house, Summer and Ben were curled on the couch. Summer had won the movie argument—Ben had grumbled the whole time about “chick flicks,” but now Titanic’s credits rolled and he was quietly sobbing into a throw pillow.Summer laughed, nudging him gently. “You okay over there?”Ben wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to play it off. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just… dust. Bad ventilation in here.”She raised an eyebrow. “Dust, huh?”He let out a huge, frustrated sigh. “She couldn’t move over? There was room on that damn door. Plenty of room. Jack didn’t have to freeze to death like that.”Summer burst out laughing so hard she almost slid off the couch. “Oh baby, that’s been said a million times. Wait till you see The Notebook.”Ben shot her a playful glare. “No more. Please. My heart can’t take it.”She leaned over and kissed him—soft at first, then deeper. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, hand sliding up her back under her sweater.They were mid-make-out, lost in each other, when the front door opened.Summer and Ben sprang apart like teenagers caught by parents. Summer smoothed her hair, cheeks flushed. Ben cleared his throat and tried to look casual.Adam and Jenny walked in hand-in-hand, glowing.Summer recovered first. “So… how’d it go?”Jenny shrieked in surprise, then laughed. “Mom! Dad! You scared us!”“Sorry, honey,” Summer said, smiling. “So? Did you two enjoy your date?”Jenny held up her left hand. The tiny diamond caught the light.Summer gasped. “Oh my God!”She ran over and pulled Jenny into a hug. “It’s beautiful!”Ben stood, walked to Adam, and extended his hand. Adam shook it—firm, proud.“Congratulations, son,” Ben said, voice thick.Adam beamed. “Thanks, Dad.”The four of them stood there in the living room—laughing, hugging, crying a little—while outside the November wind rattled the windows, and somewhere in the dark, John watched from a distance, eyes glowing red, silent and seething.

The holidays came and went quietly, without any sign of John. No surprise visits. No late-night texts. No glowing red eyes watching from the shadows. For the first time in months, the Long Island house felt like a sanctuary again.

Ben and Summer fell deeper in love with every passing day. They relearned each other in the small, ordinary moments, late-night talks on the porch swing where Ben would pull her into his lap and kiss her temple while they watched the stars, slow, lazy Sundays where they stayed in bed until noon, tangled together, whispering memories and making new ones.

Ben gave Summer a dainty necklace for Christmas—a single teardrop diamond on a thin white-gold chain that caught the light whenever she moved. She wore it every day. The emerald pendant John had given her had been gently placed in a drawer weeks ago, forgotten beneath folded sweaters. She didn’t need reminders of the past anymore. She had Ben.

Adam and Jenny were thriving in their engagement. They were working hard to finish high school early, staying up late at the dining table with textbooks spread out, laughing when one of them got an answer wrong. Adam would lean over and kiss Jenny’s temple whenever she solved a tough math problem, and she’d blush and call him her “personal cheerleader.”

Summer still worked at Vought, but it was becoming harder every day. She and Ben spent long evenings at the kitchen table trying to find a way to break her contract cleanly—legal loopholes, quiet negotiations, anything that wouldn’t trigger retaliation. Ben wanted revenge. He wanted to burn the whole tower down for what they’d done to him, to Summer, to their family.

That was the only thing they ever really argued about.

One night in early January 2001, after Adam and Jenny had gone to bed, Summer stood at the sink rinsing dishes while Ben dried them. The argument had started small and grown.

“I can’t just sit here knowing what they did to us,” Ben growled, setting a plate down harder than necessary. “They stole sixteen years, Summer. They tortured me. They hurt you. They experimented on our son like he was a lab rat.”

Summer turned off the water and faced him, hazel eyes pleading. “I know, Ben. I know what they did. But if you go after them now, they’ll come after all of us. I lost you once. I can’t do it again. Please.”

Her voice cracked on the last word. Ben’s anger drained away the moment he saw the tears welling in her eyes. He crossed the kitchen in two strides and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. “I’m sorry. I won’t do anything stupid. I promise. I’m not leaving you again. Never.”

She clung to him, face buried in his shirt, breathing him in. “I just want us to be safe. All of us. That’s all I want.”

He kissed the top of her head, rocking her gently. “We will be. I swear it.”

Now it was mid-January 2001, right after the new year. The house was buzzing with excitement for Adam and Jenny’s early high school graduation. They were both finishing a semester ahead of schedule, and the ceremony was small but meaningful—just ten kids total, including them.

Ben and Summer were in their bedroom getting ready. Summer stood in front of the mirror in a soft cream blouse and black slacks, fastening her teardrop diamond necklace. Ben was behind her, struggling with his tie, muttering curses under his breath.

“Ben, can you hand me the perfume?” Summer asked, smiling at his reflection.

He handed her the small bottle, then went back to wrestling with the tie. “I hate these fucking things,” he groaned, yanking at the knot.

Summer chuckled, spritzing the light floral scent on her wrists. “Oh, stop fussing. It’s for Adam and Jenny.”

Ben huffed dramatically, but there was a playful glint in his green eyes. “Fine. But if I strangle myself with this noose, it’s your fault.”

She laughed and stepped over to help him, fingers deftly fixing the knot. “There. You look handsome.”

He caught her hands and pulled her close for a quick kiss. “You look beautiful. Always do.”

They arrived at the small auditorium early. It was intimate—folding chairs arranged neatly, a simple stage with a podium and a banner that read “Congratulations Early Graduates, Class of 2001.” Only about ten students were graduating ahead of schedule, including Adam and Jenny.

Ben and Summer found seats near the front. When Adam and Jenny walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, Summer’s eyes filled with tears. She reached over and took Ben’s hand, squeezing it tightly.

It wasn’t just pride for Adam. It was the first major milestone since his first birthday that she got to celebrate with Ben by her side. The weight of that realization hit her hard. Ben felt it too—he lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, his own eyes suspiciously bright.

After the ceremony, everyone spilled outside into the crisp January air, laughing and taking pictures. Summer suddenly patted her side.

“Oh, shoot—I left my purse inside. You all head to the car. I’ll be there in just a minute.”

Ben smiled, leaned down, and kissed her forehead. “Take your time, baby. We’ll wait.”

Adam and Jenny walked ahead with Ben, chatting excitedly about the small reception planned at the house.

Summer hurried back into the auditorium, found her purse under her seat, and turned to leave.

She came face-to-face with John.

She let out a small, startled yelp.

John stood there in a dark coat, eyes glowing faintly red, expression unreadable. His gaze dropped immediately to her neck—to the dainty teardrop diamond necklace Ben had given her, the emerald pendant he’d once bought her long forgotten.

“John…” Summer breathed, taking an instinctive step back. “Please.”

He didn’t speak. He simply moved—fast, too fast—arms wrapping around her waist before she could scream. In one smooth motion he lifted her off the ground and shot upward through the open skylight, carrying her into the cold winter sky.

At the car, Ben, Adam, and Jenny waited.

“What’s taking Mom so long?” Adam asked, concern creeping into his voice as he checked his watch.

Ben’s instincts flared. Something felt wrong. “You two stay here,” he said, already moving. “I’ll go check on her.”

Adam nodded, wrapping an arm protectively around Jenny. “Be careful, Dad.”

Ben strode back into the building, calling her name. “Summer?”

The auditorium was empty now, chairs still in neat rows. He spotted her purse on the floor near her seat, contents spilling out—lipstick, wallet, keys.

Fear slammed into him like ice water.

He rushed back outside. “Adam—take Jenny and go home. Now.”

Adam’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?”

Ben’s voice was tight, urgent. “Your mother is missing. I’m pretty sure Homelander took her.”

Adam’s face hardened. “I’m going with you.”

Ben started to protest, but Adam cut him off. “I’m not taking no for an answer. She’s my mom.”

Reenie didn’t get any sleep. She tossed and turned all night. The sheets smelled like Colter. She stared at the closed door, wondering what Colter was doing. She grunts, throwing her hands up over her face. “Get a grip Reenie, he’s probably fast asleep. He isn’t even thinking about you” She thought to herself. On the couch golden beams of morning sliced through the darkness. Colter had tossed and turned as well, not being able to close his eyes. He found himself staring down the hallway. He had been in love with Reenie for a while, but he knew she wasn’t interested. She wasn’t looking for anything serious, so he just stayed back. He wouldn’t let her know it, but he got so jealous whenever Russell flirted with her. He flings the blanket off of him and sits up on the couch rubbing his face. “Come on Colter, get it together, man” He told himself. He stood up and walked over to the sink grabbing a small glass from the cupboard. He filled it with some water and took a sip. His throat cracked as the clear liquid slid down his throat. He took another sip. Reenie appeared from the bedroom. “Hey” he managed to choke out. Reenie smiled at him. “What are you doing up?” He takes another sip of his water and Reenie grabs a glass for herself. “Couldn’t sleep. You?” She takes a long swig of her water. “Me either. I’m just worried about Russell” She didn’t need to add that last part so why did she? Colter looks at her a little surprised “Ya me too” He tells her, placing the glass in the sink. He tries to hide the jealousy he feels. He tells himself she is just worried, nothing else. She isn’t with Russell. “Colter?” Reenie’s voice breaks him from his thoughts. “Uh..ya?” Reenie places her glass down. “Hey, where’d you go to?” Colter smiles playing it off. “Sorry I just got lost in thought of where Russell could possibly be” Reenie put a hand on his arm. “I know it’s like he just vanished. Maybe we can find some leads on the last place Russell went.” Colter nods “That sounds like a good place to start” 

An hour later Colter and Reenie are sitting in a diner, half eaten plates of food and papers are scattered amongst the table. Colter is looking at the layout of the area where the girl may have been held. He’s scanning over it when he notices something. “Hey look at this” Reenie looks over. Colter takes a piece of paper and lightly shades over the paper. Slowly words in Russell’s handwriting come to view. “It’s an address,” Reenie says. Colter nods “Yes, this is good. Our first real lead” Colter and Reenie clean the papers up, pay for breakfast and head to the car. Colter puts the address in the GPS. “Looks like it’s about 20 minutes from here. 

They arrive at the address. It is a run down abandoned building. Colter unholsters his gun. Reenie follows closely behind him. Colter carefully opens the door. He doesn’t see anything. They check all the whole area. It's empty. There is a chair in the middle of the room with torn duct tape and blood. “Colter look!” Colter looks over at the chair. “They had Russell here, I know it” Colter says. “Maybe there is a clue” Reenie starts searching the area for anything useful. Colter starts looking as well. They search for what feels like forever and they find nothing. “Dammit!” Colter shouts, his voice echoing off the walls. Reenie walks over to him. She places a hand on his arm, grounding him. “Colter, it’s ok we will find him.” She reassures him. 

Later that night they are sitting on the couch in the airstream. Reenie’s feet tucked underneath her. She has a throw draped across her and a glass of wine in her hand. “We should go back to Russell’s room and see if we can find anything useful.” She tells Colter. Colter smiles at her. “I agree” They get into some friendly conversation. They talk about her practice and Colter talks about a few of his past cases. They both reach down for the bottle at the same time for a refill. Their eyes meet. Something sparks. “Here let me” Colter says, pouring her a glass of wine. “Thanks” she smiles. Colter pours himself a glass of wine. He sits back and meets her eyes again. “You know I’ve been meaning to tell you something” Colter starts. Reenie breath hitches. She takes a sip of her wine. “Oh?” she swallows hard. “And what would that be?” Reenie had moved closer to Colter without realizing it. Colter had done the same. Their knees were practically touching. Their eyes never left the others. Colter swallowed hard, his throat dry. They were moving closer and closer to each other. “I….uh” Colter swallows again. “Yeah?” Reenie says softly. They start leaning in closer to each other, when Colter’s phone vibrates on the table making them both jump back. Reenie takes a deep breath.  Colter grabs his phone. “This is Colter” Reenie is trying to compose herself. Did that just happen? Or had she imagined it? Did Colter and her almost kiss? “What! Where!?” Colter shouted, making Reenie come back to the present. “Thank you” Colter hangs and looks over at Reenie. “They found the girls. I don't know how, but they are at a shelter not too far from here.” Reenie is shocked. She stands up. “Colter! That's great!” He smiles at her. “We can’t go to the shelter tonight, but we will go first thing in the morning. Reenie nods. 

—----

The next morning Reenie and Colter pull up to the shelter. “Let me talk to them” Reenie says, taking her seatbelt off. Colter gives her a look of understanding. “That’s probably a good idea, who knows what these girls have been through” The two of them make their way to the door of the shelter. Reenie walks up to the front desk. “Hi, can I help you?” A gray haired woman asks, her name tag reads Janet. “Hi, Janet, yes I was wondering if you could help me. There were some girls brought in last night. Would it be possible to talk with them?” Janet looks Reenie up and down and then her eyes go to Colter. “He stays here” she grumbles. Colter starts to protest, but Reenie puts her hand up, stopping him. “That’s not a problem” Reenie smiles at the woman. “Alright, come this way” Janet gets up with a loud sigh and grabs her clipboard. “I’ll be right back” She tells Colter following the woman. Colter smiles and sits down in the chair. Sighing heavily he glances around the room. There are three other ladies in the office and they are staring at him. Colter shifts in his seat. “Men aren’t really perceived well here, are they?” He chuckles slightly. Silence, You could hear a pin drop. Colter chuckles nervously and the women go back to their typing on their laptops. 

Reenie follows Janet down the corridor. The air is thick and smells of antiseptic.She walks past other guests' rooms. Finally coming to a room with multiple beds. “Here we are. There will be an armed guard in the room with you. These girls have been through hell and back” Reenie nods in understanding “I understand, do you know if any of them are named Michelle?” Janet looks at her clipboard. She nods “Yep, one Michelle” Reenie looks at her and thanks her. She walks inside of the room. There are eight girls looking like their ages range from 12 to 16. They don’t look the way you would expect. They looked healthy and ok, but Reenie knew better. Trafficked girls don’t look homeless or look like they work the streets. They are almost always clean and in good health. Cause nobody wants to buy someone who looks homeless or unhealthy. Their mental state on the other hand is not healthy. Reenie knew that these girls were not ok. She put on a smile and walked into the room. The armed guard stops her and asks for identification. Reenie grabs it from her purse which she has to leave on the table so the guard can search it. The woman finishes going through her purse and hands it back to her. “These girls need their rest, please make your visit short.” Reenie nods and makes her way further into the room. Some of the girls look up at her and then look away. She starts to open her mouth to speak, when a girl who looks like the girl in the picture walks over to her. “Reenie?” the girl asks. Reenie is at a loss for words. “Yes” she manages to say. The girl smiles embracing Reenie in a tight hug. “He said you would find us” Reenie backs away slightly. “Who said?” The girl smiles again. “Russell of course” She wraps Reenie in a hug again. Reenie is not able to form words and just returns the hug to the girl. The girl finally pulls away. “I’m Michelle, my dad hired Russell to find me” Reenie looks at her. “How did you know who I was?” Michelle lets out a small chuckle. “Well Russell said that a pretty brown haired woman would come looking for us and he also told us not to be scared because you may have a very large man with you.” Reenie laughs. Really laughs. “He said that? Oh, boy he would be talking about his brother Colter” Michelle smiles and nods “ 

Yeah, that’s right. Russell saved all of us. We all thought he was bad, he was calling himself Darren then, anyway he told me who he really was and that he was going to save us all. I was very hesitant to believe him, but he eventually gained my trust.” Reenie smiles “Yeah, he has a way of doing that” Michelle continues “Well one night he was talking to me and one of the men caught him and they were suspicious. They told him to hit me. He really tried, but he was too good and blew his cover. The guy started fighting with him and he grabbed his keys and yelled for us to run, so we did. We ran and ran and ran until we couldn’t anymore. We were so scared, but a cop found us and brought us here. So did you find Russell?” Reenie’s face fell. “No we haven't, we were hoping you might be able to help us find him.” Michelle looks at the floor. “There is this place they would take us. He might be there, but I don't know where it is. They always put a bag over our heads.” Reenie takes her hand in hers 

Summer woke up feeling like she’d been hit by a truck. Her throat still ached, a dull, persistent burn every time she swallowed, and the bruises on her neck had darkened overnight into ugly purple fingerprints. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror for a long time, tracing the marks with careful fingertips, the memory of John’s hand around her throat replaying in slow, sickening motion.

She’d barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Ben’s face, John’s face, the lab, the cell, Carter’s smirk, the way Adam’s eyes had shattered when she’d told him the truth. She’d cried until there was nothing left, then lay awake staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out how to keep breathing through the wreckage of her life.

But today she had to move.

She had to see Ben.

She had to tell him everything—before she brought Adam to meet the father he’d mourned for sixteen years.

She showered slowly, letting the hot water scald away the last of the night’s tears, then dressed in something simple: soft jeans, a loose sweater, her blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail. She hid the bruises under a light scarf, just enough to keep questions at bay.

Downstairs, the kitchen slowly filled with the comforting smells of Sunday morning: butter melting on the waffle iron, bacon sizzling in the pan, sausage links popping, eggs scrambling with salt and pepper. The aroma wrapped around the house like a hug, even if nothing else felt warm right now.

Adam wandered in first, still in sweatpants and an old band T-shirt, hair messy from sleep. His green eyes were shadowed, the usual spark dimmed.

“Smells great, Mom,” he said, voice quieter than usual, lacking its normal bounce.

Jenny followed a minute later, rubbing sleep from her eyes, blonde hair tangled, wearing one of Adam’s oversized hoodies. “Smells wonderful, Mrs. Anderson.”

Summer managed a real smile for them, small but genuine. “Thank you, guys. I figured after the night we all had, you could use something hearty.”

They sat at the kitchen table, plates piled high with waffles, crispy bacon, sausage links, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit she’d sliced up. For a few minutes they ate in companionable quiet, forks scraping, the occasional soft “mm” of appreciation. Summer watched them both, her heart aching at how young they still were, how much they’d already carried.

Finally she set her fork down.

“I’m going to see your father today,” she said to Adam.

Adam looked up sharply, concern flashing across his face. “I’ll go with you.”

Summer shook her head gently. “No, honey. I need to go alone. I have to tell him… that John is his son.”

Adam’s eyes went wide, almost terrified. “Mom, are you sure that’s a good idea? What if he does something? What if he—”

Summer reached across the table and placed her hand on his arm, steady and warm.

“No, baby. Your father changed so much before he disappeared. He worked hard on himself. He wouldn’t hurt me. I know this.” She squeezed gently. “I need to talk to him first, prepare him. Then we’ll figure out when you can see him. Okay?”

Adam searched her face for a long moment, worry etched deep, but finally he nodded slowly. “Okay. But… text me when you get there. And when you’re leaving. And if anything feels off.”

“I promise,” she said, voice soft.

Jenny reached under the table and squeezed Adam’s knee, offering silent support. Summer gave them both a small, grateful smile.

After breakfast she cleared the plates, kissed Adam’s forehead, hugged Jenny, and grabbed her keys.

“I’ll be back in a couple hours,” she said. “Love you both.”

Adam watched her go, worry still tight in his chest.

Summer drove to the Vought Embassy Hotel in silence, radio off, windows up. Her hands gripped the steering wheel too hard. Every red light felt like judgment.

She parked in the garage, took the elevator to the 14th floor, walked the familiar hallway to 1432, and stood outside the door for almost a full minute, heart hammering.

Then she swiped the keycard and stepped inside.

Ben was sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, staring at nothing. He looked up when the door clicked, and the raw hope that flooded his face nearly broke her all over again.

“Summer,” he breathed, standing slowly.

She closed the door behind her, leaning against it for support.

“Ben… we need to talk.”

Summer slowly walked over to Ben, her steps hesitant but deliberate, like she was crossing a bridge she wasn’t sure would hold. When she reached him, she didn’t speak—just wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

Ben’s arms came around her instantly, crushing her against his chest like he was afraid she’d disappear again. His face buried in her hair, breathing her in deep.

“I missed you,” he whispered, voice rough and thick with everything he hadn’t been able to say for sixteen years.

“I missed you too, Ben,” she said against his shoulder, fingers curling into the fabric of his hoodie.

They held each other for a long moment, neither quite willing to let go first. Finally Summer pulled back just enough to look up at him, hazel eyes searching his green ones.

“So… what’s going on?” Ben asked quietly. “Did you talk to Adam?”

Summer nodded and eased out of his arms, moving to sit in one of the small upholstered chairs by the window. Ben followed, taking the chair opposite her, knees almost touching. The room felt too small for the size of everything between them.

“I did talk to Adam,” she said. “And I told him everything.”

Ben’s face fell. The color drained from beneath his beard. He swallowed hard, voice barely above a whisper.

“Everything? Even the things that I—” He stopped, throat working. “That I did to you.”

Summer reached across the small space and placed her hand on his, fingers gentle against his scarred knuckles.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Even that. I wanted him to know the whole truth. He needed to understand who you really were—not just the hero Vought sold to the world.”

Ben’s eyes dropped to their joined hands. “How… how did he take it?”

“He was shocked. Hurt. Angry at first. But once I told him how hard you worked on yourself, how much you changed before you disappeared… he started to listen. He’s not okay yet, Ben. Not completely. He’ll be standoffish when he meets you. Protective. Please don’t take it as an insult. He’s just trying to guard the mom who’s been his whole world all this time.”

Ben’s mouth curved in a small, proud, pained smile. “He’s got that from you. The heart. The fire.”

Summer squeezed his hand. “He’s got a lot from you too. More than he knows.”

Ben’s eyes lifted again, searching hers. “Summer… I really am sorry. For all of it. For every time I hurt you. Every time I made you afraid.”

“I know you are,” she said quietly. “I know.”

A beat of silence stretched between them, heavy with years.

“Ben… there’s something else.”

His gaze sharpened instantly. “Okay. Go on.”

Summer took a deep breath, steeling herself.

“You remember I told you about John? The little boy in the lab—the one you saw them experimenting on?”

Ben’s whole demeanor shifted at the mention of John’s name. His shoulders tensed, jaw tightening. “Yeah. What about him?”

“He’s yours.”

The words dropped like a bomb.

All the color drained from Ben’s face. He stared at her, unblinking.

“What do you mean he’s mine?”

Summer stood up, suddenly restless, and started pacing the small space between the chairs and the window. She turned to face him again.

“You’re his father.”

Ben shot to his feet so fast the chair scraped backward. “What? How?”

Summer threw her hands up, helpless. “I don’t know, Ben. All I know is he’s your son. The DNA test proved it.”

Ben’s hands went to his head, fingers raking through his wild hair. “I know I was a little frisky back then, but it was only you and Countess. Countess—” His eyes lit up with sudden, furious realization. “Did that bitch give birth to my kid and never tell me?”

Summer shook her head quickly. “We don’t know who the mother is. Only that you’re his father.”

Ben cringed, covering his face with both hands. “So you’re fucking my kid. Wonderful.”

The words hit like a slap. Summer’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t back down.

“Ben… John and I are over.”

Ben dropped his hands slowly, staring at her. “You are?”

She nodded, voice small. “I broke it off with him last night. He didn’t take it very well.”

Slowly, carefully, she slipped the scarf from around her neck.

Ben’s eyes widened, then darkened with horror and fury as he took in the deep purple bruises ringing her throat—perfect handprints.

“Did he do that to you?” His voice was low, lethal.

Summer nodded, tears spilling over.

Ben’s fists clenched at his sides so hard she heard the knuckles pop. His breathing turned ragged, chest rising and falling like he was trying not to explode.

“Ben—”

“I’ll kill him,” he said quietly, almost conversationally. “I’ll rip his fucking head off.”

Summer stepped closer, hands raised. “Ben, please. That’s not what I want. That’s not what Adam needs.”

Ben’s eyes snapped to hers, wild and wet. “He put his hands on you, Summer. After everything you’ve already been through—”

“I know,” she whispered. “I know. But I can’t lose anyone else. I can’t.”

Ben stared at her for a long, shattering moment. Then he exhaled hard, shoulders dropping, and pulled her into his arms again—gentle this time, careful.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured into her hair. “I’m not going anywhere. And I’m not letting anyone hurt you ever again.”

Summer clung to him, tears soaking his hoodie, the weight of sixteen years and all the pain between them finally crashing down around them both.

Summer pulled back just enough to look into Ben’s eyes.

They stared at each other in the dim hotel light, breathing shallow, hearts hammering in perfect, painful sync. The air between them crackled with sixteen years of longing, grief, and everything they’d never stopped wanting. Neither of them spoke. They didn’t need to.

Slowly, gently, Ben leaned in.

Summer leaned toward him.

Their lips met in a kiss that started soft, tentative, like they were afraid the other might vanish again. But the moment their mouths touched, something inside both of them broke open. The kiss deepened—slow, passionate, full of everything they’d buried. Ben’s big hands cradled her face like she was fragile and priceless; Summer’s fingers threaded into his wild hair, tugging him closer, needing more.

They moved together like no time had passed.

Clothes came off in quiet reverence. Ben peeled her sweater away, kissing the newly bared skin of her shoulders. Summer pushed his hoodie up and off, palms sliding over the familiar planes of his chest, the scars that hadn’t been there before. He kissed down her neck, open-mouthed and reverent, small soft bites that made her gasp. When he reached her bra he paused, eyes asking permission. She nodded, breathless, and he unhooked it with careful fingers, mouth following the path of his hands, worshipping every inch.

Ben gently guided her backward until the backs of her knees hit the bed. She sank down, pulling him with her. He kissed his way down her body—collarbone, the swell of her breasts, the soft curve of her stomach—lingering at every freckle, every place he’d once known by heart. When he reached the waistband of her jeans he looked up at her again, green eyes dark with need and love.

Summer nodded.

He unbuttoned her jeans slowly, reverently, sliding them down her legs along with her panties, kissing every newly revealed inch of skin—hipbones, the inside of her thighs, down to her ankles. He tossed the denim aside and stood, stripping off his sweatpants in one smooth motion.

Summer’s breath caught when she saw him—thick, hard, ready. Her pussy clenched with raw anticipation, slick and aching for him already.

Ben climbed over her, caging her gently with his arms, and positioned himself at her entrance. He rubbed the head of his cock along her folds once, twice, coating himself in her wetness.

Then, slowly, he pushed inside.

The familiar stretch made Summer’s back arch, a long, broken moan spilling from her lips.

“Fuck, Ben… I’ve missed you so much.”

He groaned low in his throat, sinking in inch by inch until he was buried to the hilt, filling her completely. Her walls fluttered around him like they remembered him perfectly—because they did. She was made for him. He was made for her.

He moved slowly at first, savoring every drag, every push, letting them both feel it. Their eyes never left each other’s. The rhythm was instinctual, muscle memory from years ago, but somehow deeper now, more desperate.

“Harder,” Summer moaned, nails digging into his shoulders.

Ben obliged.

He braced himself on his forearms and started thrusting harder, deeper, the bed creaking beneath them. Summer’s legs fell open wider; he hooked one over his elbow, spreading her further, the new angle letting him hit that spot inside her that made stars burst behind her eyes.

They both moaned—loud, unrestrained.

Ben fucked her relentlessly, hips snapping, the wet slap of skin on skin filling the room. Summer’s moans turned into cries, then screams, her hands clawing down his back, leaving red trails.

“Oh fuck, Ben—yes!”

Her climax built fast and brutal. When it hit, she shattered—back bowing, thighs shaking, screaming his name as her pussy clamped down around him in pulsing waves.

Ben’s control snapped. Two more rough, punishing thrusts and he came with a guttural groan, spilling deep inside her, hips stuttering as he filled her completely.

Summer felt every hot pulse, the warmth flooding her, triggering another smaller, sharper climax that had her whimpering his name again.

Ben collapsed on top of her, still buried to the hilt, cock twitching inside her as aftershocks rolled through them both. Their breathing was ragged, synced, chests heaving together.

After a long moment he lifted his head, looking down at her with something soft and shattered in his green eyes.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” he rasped, voice wrecked. “You have no idea how much I missed being with you like this.”

Summer reached up, cupping his bearded jaw, thumb brushing over his lower lip.

“I love you, Ben,” she whispered, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. “I never stopped.”

He leaned down and kissed her—slow, deep, tender, tasting like salt and relief and sixteen years of waiting.

“I love you too, Summer,” he murmured against her mouth. “Always have. Always will.”

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, tangled together under the hotel sheets, Ben’s broad chest rising and falling beneath Summer’s cheek, his heartbeat steady and familiar against her ear. For the first time in sixteen years, she slept without nightmares—deep, dreamless, wrapped in the warmth of the man she’d mourned as lost forever.

—----

When they woke, the afternoon sun slanted through the heavy curtains in thick golden bars. It was well past two o’clock. Summer stirred first, blinking against the light, feeling Ben’s arm tighten around her instinctively even in sleep. She smiled softly, pressed a kiss to his collarbone, and whispered, “Ben.”

His eyes opened slowly, green and soft, and the smile that spread across his face made her heart stutter.

“Morning, baby,” he rasped, voice still thick with sleep, hand sliding up her bare back.

“Not quite morning,” she teased, kissing the corner of his mouth.

They didn’t speak much after that. They showered together, slow and languid under the hot spray. Soap-slick hands roamed, rediscovering every curve and scar. Ben lifted her against the tile, legs wrapping around his waist, and they made love again—gentle this time, deep and unhurried, her fingers in his wet hair, his mouth on her neck, both of them whispering broken “I love you”s between moans until they came together, shuddering, clinging, the water still running over them like rain.

Afterward, wrapped in hotel robes, Summer sat on the edge of the bed brushing out her damp hair while Ben watched her from the chair, eyes soft.

“I need to get home,” she said quietly. “I have to make dinner for Adam and Jenny.”

Ben leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Let me come with you.”

Summer paused, brush still in her hand. “Ben… I don’t know. Not yet. He’s still processing everything. I need to talk to him first.”

Ben nodded slowly, jaw tight but understanding. “Okay. But tell him I want to see him. Soon.”

“I will.” She stood, crossed to him, and leaned down to kiss him goodbye—slow, lingering, full of promise.

“I’ll call you later,” she whispered against his lips.

He caught her wrist gently before she could pull away. “I love you, Summer.”

Her heart squeezed. “I love you too.”

She left the room on unsteady legs, the taste of him still on her tongue.

The drive home was quiet. She stopped at the grocery store for ingredients—chicken, potatoes, green beans, the things Adam loved—and by the time she pulled into the driveway, the late-afternoon sun was turning everything gold.

The house was empty. Adam and Jenny must still be out. Summer exhaled in relief; she needed the quiet to pull herself together.

She moved through the kitchen on autopilot, humming softly under her breath as she seasoned the chicken, chopped potatoes, set water to boil. For the first time in years—maybe ever—she felt light. Happy. Like pieces of her soul that had been missing were finally back in place.

She was smiling to herself, lost in the daydream of Ben’s arms, his mouth, the way he’d looked at her like she was the only thing in the world, when strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind.

She froze.

Then she whipped around—and came face-to-face with John.

Her scream lodged in her throat as his hand clamped over her mouth.

“Get away from me!” she choked out when he pulled back just enough for her to speak.

John’s blue eyes were dark, unreadable. He leaned in close, lips brushing her ear.

“You’re going to regret spreading your legs for him,” he whispered.

Then he was gone—out the back door in a blur of motion, leaving Summer shaking, chest heaving, tears burning her eyes. How did he know she had been with Ben? Was he spying on her? A chill ran up her spine. 

“Mom?!”

Adam’s voice snapped her back. He burst into the kitchen, Jenny right behind him, both of them wide-eyed.

Adam ran to her, hands on her shoulders. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Summer tried to speak, but her voice cracked. “John…”

Jenny’s hand flew to her mouth.

“He… he was here,” Summer managed, voice trembling. “He grabbed me. He threatened me.”

Adam’s eyes went dark, dangerous. “I’m done with his shit.”

Summer reached for him, desperate. “No, Adam, please—”

He looked at her, jaw set. “Mom, he needs to be dealt with.”

Summer wiped her face, trying to steady herself. “I know, baby. I know.”

She took a deep breath. “Your father… he wants to come to dinner tonight.”

Adam’s eyes lifted to hers, surprise cutting through the anger. “He does?”

Summer stepped closer, touching his arm. “Yes. I told him I had to talk to you first. So… what do you say?”

Adam’s lips twitched—almost a smile, small and uncertain, but there. He nodded once.

“Okay,” he said quietly. “Great.”

Summer exhaled, relief flooding her. “I’ll call the hotel. I’ll go pick him up in about an hour.”

Adam stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Mom… what about John?”

She gave him a soft, tired smile. “Honey, you let me deal with John. Now go get ready.”

Adam hesitated, then pulled her into a quick, fierce hug. Jenny followed, squeezing Summer tight. Then they disappeared down the hall to change.

Summer stood alone in the kitchen for a moment, letting out a long, shaky breath. She couldn’t let Adam see how badly the encounter with John had scared her—how her hands were still trembling, how her heart hadn’t stopped racing.

She walked to the landline on the wall, fingers shaking as she dialed the hotel.

“Vought Embassy, room 1432, please.”

It rang twice.

“Hello?” Ben’s voice, rough and warm.

Summer smiled despite everything. “Ben… hi. I talked to Adam. He’s okay with you coming to dinner. I’ll come get you in about an hour.”

There was a pause, then the softest exhale, like relief made audible.

“I can’t wait, baby,” he said. “I love you.”

Summer’s heart swelled so much it hurt. “I love you too, baby.”

The last two words hung between them, quiet and perfect, and for a moment—just a moment—everything felt right.

Part 19

The next day you wake up alone in a hotel room you got at the last minute. The sun is shining deceivingly bright. You groan and cover your face with the pillow. Your phone starts buzzing. You groan again looking at it. Russell’s name flashes across the screen. He hadn’t stopped calling since last night. He had left a dozen voicemails. You hadn’t listened to any of them. He had texted you multiple times as well. You ignore the call and groan again, pulling yourself upright in bed. Your phone starts buzzing again. You are ready to scream when you notice Colter’s name on the screen. You answer it. “Hello” Colter’s voice comes through. “Y/n, hey sorry to wake you. Just wanted to know if Russell and you wanted to get some breakfast? I already called Reenie and she is coming too.” Your chest tightens at the mention of Russell’s name. “Uh…ya Colter I’ll join you, but ummm” Colter sighs “What is it?” You draw in a deep breath “I broke up with Russell last night” You could hear a pin drop. The dead air on the other line makes you wonder if Colter is still on the phone. “Colter, you there” you ask. Colter clears his throat “Yeah I’m here. I’m so sorry y/n. How are you?” You let out a breath “I’m ok”

The diner was cold. You walked in and instantly were hit with the aroma of bacon and eggs. You saw Colter and Reenie. You made your way towards them. Reenie stood up and gave you a huge hug. “Are you ok honey? Colter told me” You nod and just smile. You sit down in the booth. Colter looks at you with those sympathetic eyes. “I’m ok guys really, it was a long time coming.” Colter sighs and looks at the menu. The waitress comes over and takes your order. 

After you are all finished eating you look at Colter. “Can I get a ride back to town with you” Colter nods “Of course you can” 

The ride back is quiet. Reenie offered you the front and you had declined, you just wanted to curl up and go to sleep. You caught Colter stealing a few glances of you from the review mirror. Colter pulled up to Reenie’s apartment. He climbed out. You could hear their muffled voices. You sit up and open your door, climbing out. You hug Reenie and say goodbye. You both watch as she goes inside. Colter looks over at you. “So where you want me to take you?” You shift your weight and lean on the truck. “Can I go to your place?” Colter leans against the truck as well. “Of course you can” You smile at him. “Thank you” He wraps an arm gently around your neck. “Come on lets go” 

You arrive at Colter’s. You walk into the familiar surroundings. You put your bag down and sit on the couch. He sits down next to you, close enough you can feel the heat of him. He looks over at you. “So you wanna tell me what happened?” Your heart pounds as you turn towards him “I was just done with all of it. It was too much. The cheating and lying. I couldn't take it anymore. I told Russell it was over. He’s been trying to contact me.” Colter takes in a deep breath. “ I’m so sorry y/n, you deserve so much better.” He puts his arm around you and brings you closer to him. You allow him to embrace you and break down in his arms. Your shoulders shake as you sob. Colter rubs your back as you cry. Trying to comfort you. “Shhhh, it’s gonna be alright” He whispers in your ear. You look up into his eyes. He takes his thumbs and wipes your tears away. You smile and pull back away from the hug slowly. “Ugh I’m such a mess” Colter lets out a small chuckle. “That’s ok I like messes” Your breath hitches and you stare at him. Colter shifts nervously on the couch. “ I just mean…I..” He stumbles over his words. You laugh. “Colter your so silly” 

Two hours later…

He looks over at you asleep on his shoulder. His heart is so full. He knew your heart still belonged to Russell, even though that jerk didn’t deserve you. It killed him every time you showed up at his doorstep because of his brother's mistakes, Russell had hurt you more times than he could count and every time made him want to punch his brother in the face. So when he saw your black eye he had lost it in that hotel room and did what he had been wanting to do for months. He leaned back just slightly. His arm was falling asleep, but he would never move. He just sat there and watched you sleeping peacefully on his shoulder. He had loved you for years. Even before you had gotten involved with Russell. It had broken his heart, but you had been so happy he couldn’t be upset. He had just been happy you were happy. Then you weren’t. You shifted in your sleep and moved off his should to his lap. He put his hand on your shoulder. Just watching you sleep. He didn’t want to disturb you. He eventually dozed off as well. 

You wake up, blinking the sleep out of your eyes. It took you a few seconds to remember where you were. You sat up causing Colter to wake up. “Hey sleepyhead,” he says, scratching his head. You smile at him “Sorry I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you” Colter smiles. “No problem, so what do you wanna do today?” You look at Colter. “I should probably go to my house…I mean Russell’s and get my stuff” Colter sighs running his hand down his face. “Alright, give me a minute and I’ll take you” You put a hand on Colter’s arm. “No, I should probably go by myself” Colter looks at you. “I don’t think that's a good idea” You smile at him reassuringly. “I will be ok, Colter” He reluctantly agrees and you grab your bag and head to Russell’s. 

Your ride pulls up to the curb and you see Russell’s truck in the drive. Your heart pounds at the thought of having to see him again. You walk up to the door and knock. The door opens and there he is. Russell Shaw in nothing but a pair of sweat pants. He looks at you like you are something he can’t touch. “Hi, Russell I came to get my stuff” Russell’s shoulders slump. “Oh, yeah sure” he steps aside so you can walk through the doorway. You walk towards the stairs when Russell reaches out and grabs your wrist, not rough but firm “Please y/n can we talk?” You pull away, “ There is nothing left to talk about” you turn and walk up the stairs. Russell follows you. You go to the closet and pull out your suitcase and toss it on to the bed. You walk over to the closet and take your clothes out and toss them onto the bed. Carefully you start removing the hangers and putting the clothes in the suitcase. “Come on baby, please just listen. You don’t have to say anything” Russell pleads. You don’t answer and just keep putting the clothes into the suitcase. “I am so sorry. I was an ass. I had no right to accuse you of sleeping with Colter. I’m the one who messed up. I know I can never make that up to you, but please if you give me another chance I will make it my lifes mission to. I will make sure you know just how much I love you” You are still quiet. You don’t say anything. You continue to fold the clothes and put them into the suitcase. ‘Come on baby, please I’m trying here you have to meet me half way” You stop your eyes darting to him. “Russell, I did meet you halfway, I did give you chance after chance. You broke them, every chance you promised me you would change you promised me you would stay away from Sara. I’m tired of all the broken promises.” Russell walks over taking your hands. “Y/n I am so sorry I will never break another promise to you. Please just give me another chance” You look at the floor, your heart breaking. “Russell…” he lifts your chin to meet his eyes. “I love you y/n” You look away down at the pile of clothes and notice something. A hoodie. Not yours. You pull away. You grab the hoodie. You read the logo on it. Red Saloon Inn. Sara’s bar. Sara’s hoodie. “Russell, why is this in the closet?” Russell looks at you. “Because it is yours” You feel the anger rising inside of you. “No, Russell, this is not mine!” you throw it at him. He catches it. “Y/n! What the hell!” You can’t contain your anger anymore. “Russell, I am going to ask you this one time and one time only. Did you sleep with Sara when I left?” Russell eyes grow wide. “What?” You give him a look and he knows this is done. He gives you a defeated look.

“I’m sorry y/n I thought if I told you, you would never come back” Tears run down your face. “You had her in our bed?! How could you do that to me? To us? Russell it's over. I am done.” He grabs your arms in a desperate attempt to get you to stay. “No baby, don't say that. You don’t mean it” He pleads with you frantically. You rip away from him. “No, Russell!” you shout. “ Stop! It's over, I'm done.” You turn and walked to the door, when Russell grabs you harder than he ever has before. You try to get away, but it’s no use, he has a vice grip hold on your arm. “Ow! Russell let go!. You are hurting me.”  Your eyes meet Russell’s and there is nothing in them. His eyes are dark, hollow, and unfeeling. A chill runs up your spin. “Russell please” you beg, but he isn’t listening anymore. He calmly uses his other hand to close the door and lock it. Finally he speaks and you wish he hadn’t “If I can’t have no one can” Fear rises inside of you. “Russell, please let me go. What are you doing?” He finally lets go of your arm. Roughly sitting you onto the bed. “I just want to talk, this isn’t over” You rub your arm which already has bruises forming. Tears fall down your cheeks. “Russell, there is nothing to talk about-” Something loud crashing to the ground stops you. You look over and see the lamp broken on the ground. You let out a small yelp. “Stop saying that!” He shouts. “This isn’t over!” You feel your phone buzz in your pocket. He hears it. “Don’t answer that” you look at the screen. It’s Colter. You don't answer it, but slide to send an automatic s.o.s message. “Put it down!” Russell demands. You put the phone on the nightstand. “Ok” your voice shaky. “Now let's talk,” he says. You swallow hard, your throat dry. Russell starts. “Look, baby I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I have a problem. I know it, but I swear to you right here and now. I have not been with Sara since the night you came home.” You let out a shaky breath. “No Russell, nothing you say will make this right. You cheated on me more times than I can count, you have hurt me, betrayed me, and broke me too many times.” Russell’s rage rises again and he punches a hole in the wall. Plaster dust clouding the room. You let out a scream and run for the door. He runs toward you, grabbing you by your waist and throws you back on the bed. You scramble to get away, but he grabs ahold of your arms pinning you to the bed. “Russell!” you scream. “Please let go, get off of me!” Before Russell  can say anything, a loud crash echoes through the room as the door gets busted off the hinges. Colter stands there. “Get the fuck away from her!” He growls. He lunges, grabbing Russell and throwing him to the ground. “Y/n are you ok?” Colter asks you. You nod. Colter walks over to you and helps you off the bed. Russell groans on the floor. “Thank you Colter” you say, wiping your face, trying to calm your nerves. You look down at Russell lying on the floor. You can’t believe that the man you loved could do that. Colter walks over and embraces you.

—-----------------

One year later…

You sat at the bar counter in your new apartment sipping your morning coffee. Colter say next to you. It had been a year since that day with Russell. He has been arrested, but you didn’t want him punished, so against Colter’s wishes you didn’t press charges and only asked Russell for one thing. To leave town and not to come back. To your surprise he agreed. He had been really remorseful for what he had done to you. You knew he would never forgive himself and that torture was enough for you. He had left that week and you hadn’t seen him since. Colter and you had stayed friends. You still helped him on cases. You still felt something for him, but never told him. One night a few months back after a few drinks you ended up spilling the beans to Reenie. The next day you had sworn her to secrecy. She promised not to say anything. You had been grateful, now you sat in your new apartment finishing your coffee and sitting next to Colter. He had come over cause he needed your help on a new case. A man had disappeared while hiking. He knew you knew a lot about the area and where some hidden trails might be. “Y/n?” Colter pulled you from your thoughts. “Uh…sorry, yeah that would be a good place to start” You tell him. He smiles at you. “Alright, well let's get going” You grab your bag and hop off the stool following him to the door.

Two hours later you stand in the parking lot of the park. Colter had made his save, the man had fallen down a ravine. Colter and you worked together to get him out and called emergency services. You watched as the man was loaded into the ambulance. “That was really great,” you tell Colter. He smiles at you. “Couldn’t have done it without you” You start walking and pain shoots through your ankle. You had twisted it in the Ravine, but with all the adrenaline you hadn’t really felt the pain. You lose your balance and start to fall. Colter catches you. Looking into your eyes. “Thanks” you say breathlessly staring back into his eyes. “Yeah no problem,” he says , helping you back up. “Guess I twisted it” you say not looking away. “You should really have that looked at” Colter helps you to his truck. You shake your head. “I’ll be fine.” He laughs and shakes his head. “You are so stubborn” You smirk. “Just something you love about me” the words were meant as a joke, but both of you felt it, the sudden shift in the air. Suddenly the air felt really warm and thick. “I just meant-” Colter puts a finger to your lips, silencing you. “You’re right,” he whispers, smiling at you. Suddenly you felt all of your resolve wash away. You feel yourself leaning in towards Colter, who is leaning in towards you as well. Before you know it, your lips crash into his. The kiss is soft and small. Like he is testing the waters. Then slowly he parts his lips teasing his tongue to your lips. You part of your lips allowing him access. His tongue slips into your mouth and your tongue into his. You continue the kiss until one of you comes up for air. When you finally part breathless. “You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that.” Colter says. You smile looking into his eyes. “What took you so long?” You smirked. 

You both laugh as Colter pulls you into a tight embrace. 

The End ❤️

Russell and Reenie sat at the counter of the local bar, both on their third drink. They had just closed a case and were celebrating. Colter had left already. Which left Reenie and Russell alone. Reenie held her drink in her hand looking at some placemat in front of her. Russell was going on about some conspiracy theory. Reenie was listening, but her mind drifted to Colter. She was lost in thought when she felt Russell's hand on her thigh. Her eyes came into focus just as he tucked hair behind her ear. “So what do you say?” His hand slides further up her thigh. She grabs his hand, stopping him. “Russ, wait” He looks at her confused. “What? Why?” She moves back, putting more distance between them. “Russell, I can't do this anymore. I'm not sleeping with you again.” She moves his hand off her thigh gently. He leans back downing his drink, slamming the glass on the counter harder than he intended. “Yeah, and why not?” He snaps. She looks at him. “What do you think I'm going to just hop into bed with you everytime?” Russell rolls his eyes and huffs “You have so far” The jab is sharp and painful and he knows it. “Shit, Reenie Im sorry” He reaches for her and she pulls away. “No, you know what this was a mistake” She grabs her bag off of the counter and hops off the stool. Russell turns quickly. “Reenie come on don’t be like that I’m sorry” she ignores him and keeps on walking to the exit. The cold night air bites at her face when she steps outside. It feels good on her flushed cheeks. She draws in a deep breath. She knows she probably only has minutes before Russell follows her. She takes another step forward pulling her phone out and calling a ride. She hears the door open behind her. She turns around. Russell is standing there. “Please Reenie, I'm sorry” He begs. Reenie walks towards him. “You have til my ride gets here.” He nods understandingly. “Reenie, I was a jerk.” He starts. Reenie raises both eyebrows in acknowledgement.  He continues. “I just… I thought we had something.” Reenie's shoulders sink. “Russell, I'm sorry. I never meant to lead you on.” Russell steps a little closer. “Reenie…” Reenie looks up into his eyes. “I'm sorry Russell. I don't want to hurt or upset you” Russell reaches up and holds her face in his hands. “It's ok Reenie, just tell me” He looks at her with pleading eyes. “I Love Colter” she confesses, shattering Russell's heart. His hands fall from her face and he steps back. “Oh, I see so what was I? Just a placeholder?” Russell's voice cracks. Reenie takes a step forward reaching for him. He pulls back. “Russell, no…yes…shit please” Russell just turns and walks away as her ride arrives. “Your ride is here” He mutters walking back into the bar. Reenie wants to run in after him, fix it, but what would she say? She'd already said enough. She let out a breath, turned on her heel and walked to her ride. 

—

Its been 2 months since that night at the bar with Russell. Reenie hasn't heard from him. Colter told her he was in Texas working on some secret op. She had smiled. Colter, oblivious to everything, had just smiled back. Now she was sitting in her office working on the final preparations for a case she was working on. Her phone buzzes on the table. She looks down and sees Colter's name flash across the screen. She picks it up and answers it. “Hello?” Colter's voice sounds frantic on the other end. “Reenie? Hey, have you heard from Russell?” Colter's voice is full of concern. “No Colter I haven't why? What's going on?” Colter draws in a deep breath. “It's Russell. He's gone off the grid. No one's heard from him in a week.” Reenie's heart leaps into her throat. “Well doesn't he do that often. I'm sure he's fine.” Reenie can hear Colter on the phone breathing nervously. “Not like this. Something isn't right Reenie. I need to go find him. Can you come with me to help? Please?” Colter pleads with her. Reenie can't help but agree. She hangs up and heads home to pack. About an hour later Colter's truck pulls up to her house. She grabs her suitcase and heads for the door. Colter sees her and smiles. He hops out of the truck grabbing the suitcase from her. “Thank you” she climbed into his truck. He climbed into the driver's side and started the engine. “So where we going?” Reenie asked. Colter looks at her. “Texas,  that's the last place anyone saw him. He was working that case I told you about. The high stakes one. He was last seen leaving the hotel around 10:30am last Monday morning. Reenie lets out a huff. “What took them so long to say something?” Colter shifts in his seat, tightening his hands on the steering wheel. “ They didn't, I just know my brother and he wouldn't go this long with no contact, not after everything with our dad and…” He trails off. Reenie puts a hand on his shoulder. “Its ok Colter, we'll find him. Do you think this has anything to do with your dad's case?” Colter shakes his head. “No, the last thing Russ told me was that he was investigating a human trafficking ring” Reenie's breath catches in her throat. “Human trafficking?” Colter nods “Yeah, it wasn't official or anything, but an old army buddy of his asked him to help because his daughter had gone missing. So Russell did what he does best and inserted himself into their circle.” Reenie's hand tightens on the door handle. She is so worried. She tries to hide how much. She doesn't want Colter to notice. Even though she loves Colter, she does care about Russell and it would break her heart if something happened to him. 

They pulled into the hotel that Russell was last seen at. Colter turned off the engine. “I'll go talk to the clerk and see if they know anything.” Reenie nods. Colter shuts the door and heads inside. Sitting in the deafening silence Reenie's mind can't help but wander to the last time she saw Russell. The look on his face. He was so hurt. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She was just trying to be honest. A small tear dripped down her cheek and she wiped it away. If she could go back, she would go back to that first time with Russell and stop it then. She would make sure he knew she was in love with Colter. That there was no chance for them. Why had she gone that far? She loved Colter, but she still went to Russell’s bed. Why? A loud tapping on her window makes her jump out of her skin. She turns to look and sees Colter standing there with a small smile. She opens the door. “You scared the shit out of me” she climbs out of the truck. “Sorry, what has you so lost in thought?” Colter asked her, helping her out of the truck. “Nothing, so what did you find out?” Colter sighs knowing she isn’t telling the truth, but doesn’t push. “No new information, but they did give me his room key, so maybe we can look for clues that way” Colter holds up the keycard. The two of them make their way to the room. Once inside it’s no question on whether or not this was Russell’s room. Reenie could smell his cologne, something woodsy with a hint of orange. Take out bags and beer bottles are everywhere, Russell’s bag is still on the bed like he expected to be back. “Reenie look at this” Colter's voice pulls Reenie from her thoughts. She makes her way over to him to see what he found. Colter holds out a layout of what looks like the area where the girls are being held. He moves it and there is another paper that has a picture of a girl. She looks like she is 15. “This must be the daughter of his army buddy” Reenie looks through the other papers on the table. “Colter I think he found her” Colter grabs what Reenie has in her hand. It’s a piece of paper that has Russell’s handwriting. ‘Found her, now need to get her out’ Colter sighs “This isn’t good” Reenie confused “Why?” Colter looks into her eyes “Because if Russell found her, knowing him he didn’t just stop there. He probably tried to get all of them out and blew his cover” Reenie’s heart pounds in her chest so hard she can barely breathe. “Colter” her voice shaky “Do you think Russell’s dead?” Her voice cracks on the word dead. Colter looks at her his eyes telling her more than his voice. “I don’t know” He finally says in a shaky voice. “But I am going to do everything I can to find my brother” He sits on the bed his head in his hands. Reenie sits next to him, not to close but close enough to feel the heat from his body. She put her hand on his shoulder. He looks up at her and pulls her into a hug. Shocked at first, because Colter doesn’t show affection like that usually, she eventually melts into the hug letting her arms wrap around his shoulders. After a few minutes Colter lets go. “I’m sorry” Reenie shakes her head. “Don’t apoloize” Colter smiles at her. “I’m going to go get the airstream set up somewhere for the night.” Reenie smirks “Alright, I’ll get a room” Colter shakes his head. “Why don’t you just stay in the airstream? Or you could stay here in Russ’s room it’s paid for until the end of the month.” Reenie feels her chest tighten. Staying in the airstream that close to Colter, one bed or sleeping in Russell’s bed…again but without him. Alone. “Alright, I’ll stay in the airstream with you. Is there a couch?” Colter nods “Yes, so you take the bed. Reenie shakes her head. “I couldn’t do that. I’ll take the couch.” Colter won’t hear another word. “Nope, don’t want to hear it, I will take the couch” Reenie smiles “Thank you.”  

Later that night after finding a place for the Airstream Colter and Reenie are sitting at the little table eating dinner that Colter had made. Afterward, Reenie offers to clean up. “Here let me take that?” Colter hands her his plate. She grabs a few other dishes and starts washing them. Colter helps dry. “You didn't have to do that” Colter smiles. “I know, but I wanted to help” Reenie grabs two mugs from the cupboard while Colter grabs a bottle of wine. “Thank you Reenie” Reenie's heart pounds in her chest at the compliment.  “Really Colter it was no problem.” Colter looks at her, taking her hands in his. His voice comes out serious. “No, not for cleaning. Thank you for coming with me. I really appreciate it. Especially since I know how you feel about Russell” Reenie's breath catches in her throat. Colter continues “I know how much he annoys you” He laughs. Reenie forces a smile and let's a breath she didn't know she was holding. “Right, the man is infuriating,” she says, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Colter laughs again. “Yeah, he sure can be that's for sure” The two of them laughed together. Reenie gets up first. “Well I guess I should be going to bed. We have a lot to figure out tomorrow.” Colter looks at her. “Yeah you're probably right. Goodnight Reenie ""Goodnight Colter” she smiles and heads towards the bedroom. 

Part 2

Summer rushed to her car in the hotel parking garage, heels clicking too loud on the concrete, the keycard still burning in her pocket like evidence. She yanked the door open, climbed inside, slammed it shut, and finally let go.The tears came in a flood, hot and unstoppable, her body shaking with great, wrenching sobs that echoed in the confined space. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles went white, forehead pressed to it, blonde hair falling like a curtain around her face.Torn.

Absolutely torn in two.John: the man she was supposed to love, the man who had held her together for months, who had become family, who looked at her like she was his whole world.And Ben: her true love, the one she’d mourned for sixteen years, the one whose absence had carved a hole in her soul nothing had ever filled. The one whose arms still felt like home, whose kiss still tasted like every promise they’d ever made.She loved them both.

And it was killing her.After long minutes the storm passed, leaving her hollow and exhausted. She wiped her face with trembling hands, fixed her makeup as best she could in the rearview mirror, and started the car.She stopped at the 24-hour market on the way home, picking up the chocolate fudge brownie ice cream Adam had asked for and a couple of other things to make the lie look real. By the time she pulled into the driveway, she had almost convinced herself she looked normal.Almost.She could still feel Ben’s mouth on hers.

His rough hands sliding up her back.

The way he’d groaned her name like a prayer.She shoved the thoughts down deep, grabbed the grocery bags, and walked inside.Adam bounded into the kitchen like an excited puppy, snatching the ice cream tub and two spoons. “Thanks, Mom! You’re the best!”“Keep that door open, young man!” she called after him as he disappeared down the hall with Jenny giggling behind him.John was on the couch, remote in hand, staring at the TV without really watching. He didn’t look up when she came in.Summer put the groceries away slowly, every clink of a jar too loud in the quiet house. Finally she walked into the living room.“Hey, baby,” she said softly, trying for normal.John’s eyes flicked to her, flat and cold. “Hi. Did you get your work done?”The emphasis on “work” made her flinch. Guilt slammed into her like a wave.“What’s wrong?” she asked, stepping closer.He clicked the TV off. “Nothing. I’m gonna head to bed.” He stood, brushing past her without touching.“John, hey, wait—what’s going on?”He stopped in the hallway, shoulders rigid. When he turned, the hurt and anger in his blue eyes stole her breath.“Where were you tonight, Summer?”Her throat closed. She couldn’t answer right away.“I told you,” she said finally, voice small. “I was at the office.”“Right.” His laugh was bitter. “Goodnight, Summer.”The words burst out of her before she could stop them. “I was with Ben.”John froze, back to her, every muscle locked.

He turned slowly. “You what?”Tears filled her eyes instantly. “I went to see Ben. I needed to talk to him.”“Talk.” The word dripped acid. Summer’s gaze dropped to the floor, guilt written all over her face. “Yes. I went to talk to him. Nothing happened, John.”His eyes narrowed to slits. “You expect me to believe you went to a hotel room alone with Ben and nothing happened?” “We kissed,” she whispered, tears spilling over. The sound that followed was deafening, a sharp, explosive CRACK as John’s fist punched straight through the drywall, plaster dust exploding into the air. Summer shrieked, hands flying to her mouth. Footsteps thundered down the hall. Adam and Jenny appeared in the doorway, wide-eyed.“What the hell was that?” Adam demanded, looking from the hole in the wall to John’s bleeding knuckles. John’s gaze cut to Summer, then to Adam, cold and hard. “Ask your mother,” he said quietly, voice lethal. Then he walked out the front door and slammed it so hard the windows rattled. Summer stood frozen, tears streaming down her face, the house suddenly silent except for the distant sound of John’s car roaring away into the night.

Summer collapsed onto the couch, face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking with silent, wrenching sobs. The living room felt too big and too small at the same time, the remnants of their happy evening mocking her now. Adam was at her side in an instant, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Mom, are you okay?” His voice was tight with worry, big hands hovering like he wanted to touch her but wasn’t sure where it was safe. Jenny appeared on her other side, sinking down beside her, one gentle hand on Summer’s back. “What happened, Mrs. Anderson?” Summer couldn’t speak. The words were lodged behind a wall of tears and shame and terror. She just shook her head, pressing her palms harder against her eyes like she could block it all out. Adam and Jenny exchanged a look over her bowed head. Adam’s jaw clenched; whatever had happened, the next time he saw John it was not going to be pretty.

Finally Summer straightened, dragging in a ragged breath, wiping her face with trembling fingers. She looked at Adam, trying to find her voice.“I’m okay, honey,” she managed, though her voice shook violently. “I’m okay.” she repeated. “Mom, what happened?” Adam asked again, concern etched deep in his green eyes. Summer swallowed hard. “Honey… There's some stuff going on. Some really big stuff that’s happened. But I can’t get into it just yet. I promise you I will explain everything, but I need to speak to John first.” Adam’s brow furrowed. “Mom, is that a good idea? The guy just put a hole in our wall. He’s not exactly stable right now. He could hurt you.”Summer shook her head, forcing a watery smile. “No, honey. He would never hurt me.” She stood on unsteady legs, grabbed her keys from the hook by the door, and headed out into the night before either of them could stop her.

Summer drove on autopilot. She knew exactly where John would go. Vought Tower. The familiar route to Vought Tower was muscle memory even after all these years. She hadn’t set foot inside the building since they’d finally released her, but she knew exactly where John would go when he was spiraling, the old lab where he’d been raised, tortured, molded into Homelander. The place that had been his entire world as a child. His only constant. Summer pulled into the underground garage, the towering glass building looming above her like a bad memory. She hadn’t set foot inside since they’d finally released her all those years ago. Her chest tightened just looking at it. She climbed out, drew in a deep breath, and swiped her badge.The door buzzed open.The smell hit her first: antiseptic, ozone, cold metal. Exactly the same. She walked to the elevators on legs that felt like water, pressed the button for the sub-level labs, and stepped inside.The doors closed.Her reflection stared back at her in the polished metal walls: blonde hair messy, hazel eyes red and swollen, face pale. She looked like a ghost returning to the place she’d died. Memories assaulted her.

Being dragged down this same hallway by Carter. The cold cell with no windows, Carter’s hands—Her chest seized. She couldn’t breathe. The elevator felt like it was shrinking. Black spots danced at the edges of her vision. The doors dinged open. She stumbled out into the corridor, bracing a hand against the wall until the panic ebbed. She walked past the old play area, the first place she had met John. The place she first got to see Adam again.

She pushed open the final door to the main laboratory.John stood in the center of the room, back to her, perfectly still beneath the harsh white lights. Machines hummed quietly around him. The place looked exactly the same, cold steel tables, monitors, restraints that had once held him. “John?” she called softly.He didn’t move. Didn’t speak.“John, please talk to me,” she pleaded, stepping closer.Finally he turned.His eyes were dark, empty in a way that chilled her to the bone.“Why are you here?” he asked, voice flat and cold.She took another step. “Because we need to talk.”He scoffed, turning away again. “Talk. Now you want to talk. After you kissed him.”Summer’s shoulders slumped, shame flooding her. “Is that all that happened?” His voice had softened, just barely, threaded with desperate hope. Summer’s hand went to her chest, fingers closing around the emerald pendant John had given her for Christmas. She clutched it like an anchor. He read the answer on her face before she spoke. “Just tell me, Summer,” he said quietly. “Did you fuck him?” Her eyes darted to his. She opened her mouth. “Answer me.” He yelled. She crumpled, sinking to her knees on the cold lab floor. “No,John, but, I’m so—”The truth slipped out before she could stop it.

“But what? Out with it!” John yelled, his eyes widening. Summer flinched. “If Adam hadn’t called… I probably would have.” A sound escaped John’s throat, half growl, half wounded animal. Then, he was on her in a heartbeat, hand wrapping around her throat, lifting her clear off the ground. His grip was iron.“I love you, Summer,” he said through clenched teeth, eyes wild. “Why would you do that to me?”She clawed at his hand, gasping, vision spotting. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe, terror flashing white-hot as memories of Ben flooded back.“Please—” she managed to rasp. Something in her voice, the raw fear snapped him out of it. Horror flooded his face. He released her instantly. Summer dropped to her knees, gasping, coughing, one hand at her bruised throat. “Oh my God, Summer—” John fell to his knees too, hands hovering, afraid to touch her. . “I didn’t—I lost it—I’m sorry—”“Get away from me!” she screamed, voice hoarse, scrambling backward on the floor until her back hit a cabinet. John’s face shattered. “Summer, please, I didn’t mean—” “How could you?” she choked out, tears streaming. “You know what I’ve been through. You know—” The words broke him. He curled forward, forehead pressed to the cold floor, shoulders shaking with silent, wrenching sobs. “I’m so sorry. I can’t lose you. I need you. I’m nothing without you.” John sobbed. Summer stared at him for a long moment, chest heaving, throat burning. After a few moments she finally stood up. She walked over and leaned her back against the cold concrete column in the center of the lab, a few feet of sterile floor separating her from John, who remained on his knees, head bowed, shoulders shaking.

The harsh overhead lights buzzed faintly, casting long shadows that made the room feel even colder, more clinical. Her hand drifted to her throat, fingers brushing the tender skin where his grip had been moments ago. She could still feel the burn, the pressure, the terrifying moment when air had refused to come. The fear. It crashed over her in waves, dragging up memories she’d buried deep. Ben’s hand around her throat the first time, the way the wall had cracked behind her head when he slammed her into it. The nights she’d hidden bruises under turtlenecks, the excuses she’d made, the love that had blinded her until the night he’d raped her so violently she’d bled for days, until the doctor had whispered “torn vaginal wall” and something inside her had finally snapped. She shivered violently, arms wrapping around herself. She should have left the first time.

She hadn’t, and she’d almost died for it. John looked up at the sound of her ragged breathing. His face was wrecked, eyes swollen, cheeks streaked with tears, the mighty Homelander reduced to a broken man on the lab floor. “Summer…” His voice was raw, barely audible. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I swear on my life.” She lowered her eyes, unable to hold his gaze. “John, you hurt me,” she whispered, the words scraping out of her bruised throat. “The one person I never thought would. You know my history. You know what Ben did. You know what Carter…” She couldn’t finish. The name alone lodged like glass in her throat. John’s head dropped again. “I’m not them,” he said, voice cracking.“I didn’t think you were,” she answered, still keeping the distance between them, her back pressed hard against the column like it could hold her up. “Until tonight.” Silence stretched, thick and suffocating. “I’m going to tell Adam his father is alive,” she said finally.

“Alone.” John’s head snapped up, desperation flooding his red-rimmed eyes. “Summer, we were going to tell him together—” “John,” she cut in, voice steady despite the tremor in her hands, “Adam is my son. Ben’s son. I’m the one who’s been there every day of his life. I should be the one to tell him alone.” John pushed to his feet slowly, taking one hesitant step toward her. “What about me being Ben’s son? Doesn’t that count for anything?” She took an immediate step back, spine hitting the column again. “Don’t,” she said sharply. “Just… stay back.” He froze, hands raised in surrender, fresh tears spilling over. “Summer, please—” “I have to go.” She pushed off the column, legs shaky but moving. “Don’t come to the house tonight. Stay in the hotel. I’ll talk to Adam, and then… we’ll see.”She turned and walked out without looking back, the lab door hissing shut behind her, leaving John alone under the cold lights, the weight of what he’d done crushing him to the floor once more.

Summer walked through the front door like a ghost, purse slipping from her numb fingers to the floor with a soft thud. The house was dim, only the glow from the living-room lamp spilling into the hallway. Adam was on the couch, Jenny’s head resting in his lap as they watched something quiet on TV. The second the door clicked shut, both of them flew upright.“Mom?” Adam was across the room in two strides, green eyes wide with panic. “Are you okay?”Jenny hovered just behind him, blonde hair tousled, worry etched across her young face.Summer managed a nod, but it felt mechanical. “I’m okay,” she whispered, voice hoarse and raw.Adam’s relief lasted half a second. His gaze dropped to her throat, and every ounce of color drained from his face.“What happened to your neck?”Summer’s hand flew instinctively to the darkening bruises blooming across her skin, fingers brushing the tender marks John’s grip had left. The touch sent a fresh wave of pain—and memory—through her.“Adam… come sit down,” she said softly, reaching for his arm.“I don’t wanna sit down!” His voice cracked sharp, anger and fear warring in his eyes. “Not until you tell me what happened to your neck. Did John do that to you?”Jenny let out a small, shocked gasp, hand flying to her mouth.Summer couldn’t answer right away. Tears welled hot and fast, but she fought them back, trying to stay strong for her son. She guided him gently toward the living room anyway. “Please, honey.”Jenny placed a calming hand on Adam’s arm. He shook it off, but after a long, tortured moment he sank onto the couch, Jenny settling beside him, close but giving him space.Summer sat across from them on the coffee table, knees almost touching his.

She took both of Adam’s hands in hers, looked straight into his green eyes—so much like Ben’s—and made the decision right then.“Yes,” she said quietly. “John did this to my neck.”Jenny’s gasp was louder this time. Adam’s entire body went rigid, fists clenching on his thighs, eyes blazing with pure fury.“I’ll kill him,” he growled, voice low and shaking. “I told him. I told him if he ever hurt you I’d break his face.”Summer squeezed his hands tighter, anchoring him. “There’s more, baby. So much more. And you need to hear it all from me.”Adam searched her face, confusion mixing with the rage. “More?”She drew in a deep, trembling breath and started from the beginning.“Before you were born, your father—Ben—wasn’t always the man I let you believe he was.” Her voice shook, but she forced herself on. “He hurt me, Adam. A lot. Slaps at first. Then kicks. Punches. There were nights I thought he’d kill me.” Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them away. “The worst was the night he raped me so badly I ended up in the hospital. The doctor said my vaginal wall was torn. That was the night I finally left him.”Adam’s face crumpled, horror and betrayal warring in his eyes. Jenny reached for his hand; he let her take it, but he never looked away from his mother.“I stayed gone for a while,” Summer continued, voice breaking. “But Ben… he worked on himself.

Really worked. Therapy, anger management, everything. He changed. I saw it. I believed it. We got back together, we got married, and then… you came along.” A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “You were the best thing we ever did.”Adam’s grip on Jenny’s hand tightened until his knuckles went white.“Then, when you were barely one,” Summer went on, “Ben disappeared on that mission. Everyone said he was dead. A couple weeks later Vought came for us. They stormed the penthouse. You were so little, but you fought them, baby. You threw two grown men across the room trying to protect me.” Her voice cracked completely. “They took you anyway. Tested you. Hurt you. Kept me locked in a cell so I couldn’t stop them.”Silent tears rolled down Adam’s cheeks now.“That’s when I met John,” she whispered. “He was just a little boy then, maybe seven or eight. They were doing terrible things to him too. We became each other’s only comfort. He protected you however he could. You two were like brothers even then.”Jenny’s eyes were wide, hand over her mouth.Summer’s voice dropped lower. “There was a guard. Carter. For almost two years he… he raped me. Nearly every day. Until one day he was just… gone. Promoted, I heard later.”Adam made a broken sound, half-sob, half-rage.Summer reached out, cupping his wet cheek. “I earned little freedoms over the years by staying quiet, never telling the truth. I got to work for them, got to live with you, but I’ve never seen my parents in person since your first birthday party. I only get one phone call a week. Dad died a few years ago and I never got to say goodbye.”She was openly crying now, but her gaze never left her son’s.“John’s been part of our family for a long time. He’s the only reason I survived some of those years.

Summer looked at Adam, whose face had gone pale beneath the lingering bruises, eyes glassy with shock and betrayal as the weight of everything she’d just told him settled over him like a suffocating blanket. Jenny sat frozen beside him, one hand still resting on his knee, her own eyes wide and brimming with tears she was trying not to let fall.“Adam… there’s something else,” Summer said softly, her voice barely holding together.Adam’s gaze snapped to her, glossy and searching. “What else could there possibly be?”Summer’s heart broke all over again. The words slipped out before she could stop them, gentle and devastating.“Adam… your father.”She paused, just long enough for the silence to stretch unbearably.Adam and Jenny both stared at her, waiting, not daring to breathe.“He’s alive,” Summer whispered. “Vought had him this entire time.”The room went deathly still.Jenny’s hand flew to her mouth. Adam’s eyes grew impossibly wide, emerald embers flaring with disbelief.“What,” he choked out, the single word scraping from his throat.Summer reached for his hands, gripping them tightly. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. I only found out yesterday.”Adam’s gaze turned sharp, almost accusing. “You knew for a whole day? Is that what happened with John? Does he know?”Summer lowered her eyes, shame flooding her, then forced herself to meet his burning stare. She nodded once.“Yes. I didn’t go to the office last night.

I went to see your father. He’s at a hotel. John questioned me about it, and I told him that your father and I kissed… and he didn’t take it well.”Adam’s jaw clenched. “He put his hands on you because you kissed Dad?”Summer shook her head, tears spilling freely now. “No. He put his fist through the wall because I kissed your dad. He put his hands on me because I told him that tonight… things would’ve gone further if you hadn’t called me. That’s when he lost it. He wrapped his hand around my throat.”Adam’s entire body went rigid with fury. He lifted a trembling hand and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his touch impossibly tender despite the rage simmering in his eyes.“Mom, you did nothing wrong,” he said fiercely. “Nothing excuses him putting his hands on you.”Summer pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his shoulder. “I love you, Adam. My sweet, sweet boy.”Jenny watched them, tears finally slipping down her cheeks, a small, heartbroken smile on her face at the love between mother and son.The front door suddenly slammed open with a force that rattled the windows.John stormed in, eyes wild, blood still dried on his knuckles from the wall—and from the nurse he’d accidentally lasered in his blind rage earlier.He looked at Summer, then at Adam, and a cold, bitter smirk twisted his mouth.“Hey, little brother,” he spat.Summer shot to her feet. “You son of a bitch.”Adam’s head snapped up. “What is he talking about, Mom?”John’s smirk widened as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, your mom didn’t tell you? I’m Ben’s son too.”Adam’s eyes widened in pure shock. He turned slowly to Summer. “Mom?”Summer could only cry, tears streaming silently as she nodded.John took another step toward her.Adam was up in an instant, planting himself between them like a wall, shoulders squared, fists clenched.“Get away from her, John,” he said, voice low and deadly. “I saw what you did to her neck.”For a split second, guilt flickered across John’s face.

Then it was gone, replaced by something colder. “Did she tell you your father did worse to her?” John asked quietly.“Yes,” Adam answered without hesitation, eyes never leaving John’s. “She told me everything. Except, apparently, that we’re actually brothers. But I know if you hadn’t stormed in here like an asshole, she would’ve told me. So why don’t you get the fuck out before I make good on my promise to break your face.”The room crackled with tension.John held Adam’s gaze for a long, charged moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out, the door slamming behind him hard enough to shake the walls. The three of them—Summer, Adam, and Jenny—stood in the sudden silence, all the truth finally laid bare between them, raw and bleeding and impossible to take back.

Part 18

Russell and Colter broke apart at the sound of your voice. Dust particles floated in the golden beam of light that the sun was projecting through the window. Your annoyance flared in every muscle. You drew in a deep breath. “What is going on?” Your voice hoarse from the yelling. Colter pulled himself up dusting himself off, putting the back of his hand up to his split eyebrow. He winced slightly at the pain. “I'm sorry y/n”  Russell cringed in disgust. He placed his large hand on the dresser for leverage and pulled himself up off the floor. He ran his hand through his hair. “Suck up” He muttered under his breath. Your eyes were sharp darting in his direction. “Russell, really grow up!” You snap. You turn on your heel and walk away before he can say anything else. Reenie follows you. You kept walking fast. When you finally reached the car you lost it. You leaned against the trunk. Sobbing.  You felt Reenie's hand on your shoulder. You sat up wiping your face. You placed a hand on Reenie's.  “I can't do this anymore, Reenie.” You confessed. “The constant fighting, lying, cheating…I” the hurt was so much you couldn't finish.  Reenie grabbed you, embracing you tightly. She hugged you so tightly like she was trying to take all the pain away with one hug. “Oh honey, I'm so sorry” she backed away just enough to wipe your tears. The sound of boots on gravel makes you look up. Your eyes lock on Russell. You could see the guilt tormenting him. “Can we talk?” You look at him, your eyes still puffy from crying and nod. Reenie opened her mouth to speak, but you stopped her. Just a slight shake of your head. Russell and you walk over to the corner of the building. “Look I'm sorry” He starts. 

“I know I've been an ass. I know I hurt you.” His voice cracks on the last part. You look into his eyes. Looking for some fraction of dishonesty.  You didn't see any. This wasn't the same type of apology as the one in the kitchen. You could see that. This was different. He seemed honestly guilty for his actions. “Its ok. Im ok ... .we're ok” He breathed a sigh of relief. “I love you so damn much,  the last thing I would want to do is hurt you” Your eyes lowered to the ground. He hooked his finger under your chin and lifted your head until your eyes met his. “I love you too” You rasped as fresh tears fell. “You know I didn't mean to hit you with the phone, right?” You nod as he wipes a tear away with his thumb. He wraps his arms around you. After a few more moments you walk back over to Reenie, Colter has joined her now. She is tending to his split eyebrow. Colter looks at you. You catch his glance then look away. Reenie stands up straight and clears her throat “Are we all good now? Can we get back to the case?” Colter raises an eyebrow looking towards Russell. “Yeah, let's go talk to the clerk again and see if they remember anything.” He walks away towards the hotel office. All of you follow Colter. You walk inside. Colter walks up to the clerk. “When did she leave?” The clerk looks at Colter then the rest of you. “Didn't know she left. She must've skipped out on us” He smirked. Russell lunges past Colter grabbing the clerk by his shirt collar. “Listen you little fucker. Im not in the fucking mood. There is a missing woman, now how about you give us whatever information you have, before I break your face.” The clerk trembled “Right ok” Russell released him. He looked through the papers on the desk. “This is everything I have on her, but I’m serious I don't know where she is” Russell grabs the papers. Colter looks at the clerk. “Did she have anybody with her?” The clerk shakes his head. “Alright, thank you.” The four of you all walk out. 

The drive back to the hotel is quiet. Russell has one hand on the steering wheel and one holding your hand. He steals glances of you every now and then. “Colter thinks we should get some rest tonight and regroup tomorrow morning.” Russell's voice comes out in a huff. You look over at him and smile. The two of you don't say anything the rest of the drive back. 

The hotel smelled of mildew and mothballs. You set your bag on the bed. Russell followed after you. Tossing his bag on the table. “Im gonna hit the shower” He muttered.  He disappeared into the bathroom. You laid back on the bed, closing your eyes. The events of the day flashed through your memory. The fight with Colter and Russell.  

Your break down with Reenie. Had you given in too fast? Had Russell fooled you like he always did? Colter had thought Russell hit you. He was concerned for you. He cared about you. Wait–why were sitting here thinking about Colter when you were with Russell? Sure Russell had been unfaithful, but things were different and he hadn't been with Sara for months. At least that's what Russell told you when you came home. You believed him. Right? You didn't have time to answer your own thoughts. Russell came out of the bathroom. The towel wrapped around his waist. The water dripped down his chest, the light making his body glisten. “Water pressure is great” He beamed as if the shower had renewed his energy. “Great” you smiled. You got up and headed for the shower. You turned the water on. The steam instantly fills the area. You step under the water and it let the water run down your body. You close your eyes. You mind drifts to Colter again. You imagine his arms around you. Holding you. Kissing you. “Colter” you whisper. You come too when you feel the arms around you that you thought were imagining freeze. Russell's arms. You freeze not knowing what to do.

 “What did you say?” Russell's voice cracks with pain and anger. You turn slowly in the shower to face him. You look up, meeting his eyes. You bite your lower lip. Averting your gaze. “I didn't say anything” The lie tasted like ash in your mouth. Russell didn't say anything. He just turned and left the shower. You heard pounded.  What did you just do? You finished your shower quickly and got out. You opened the bathroom door. The hotel room is empty. Russell is gone. You crumble to the bed with your head in your hands. 

The next morning you wake up in the bed alone. Russell never came back. You pulled yourself up still wrapped in the towel. You grabbed your phone on the nightstand calling Russell.  It goes straight to voicemail. You sigh loudly and hang up. You grab some clothes from your bag. You pull on some jeans and a t-shirt. You grab your phone and call Reenie. She answers on the first ring. “Hey hun, you alright?” You sigh and draw in a deep breath. “Have you seen Russell?” Reenie's voice comes through the phone softly. “No I haven't” You close your eyes. “Ok thanks.” You pull the phone away from your ear when you hear Reenie's voice. “What happened?” You bite your lip forcing back tears. “Nothing, everything is fine” you tell her hanging up. 

An hour later you are standing outside the diner you were supposed to meet Colter and Reenie. You scanned the parking lot and didn't see them. You walked into the diner and that's when you saw him. Russell. He was sitting at a booth. His chestnut hair falling in his eyes as he stared down at his phone. You rushed over to him. “Russell! Where have you been?” He doesn't answer you. He just keeps scrolling through his phone. You slide into the booth across ross from him. “Russell, please talk to me. I'm sorry please” you reach out for his hand and he pulls away. Your shoulders sag, sorrow tore through your body like jagged razors. “Please Ru-” you stop talking when you hear the bells for the diner door. You turn to see Colter and Reenie. They are walking towards you. You stand up to greet them. Reenie looks at Russell then at you. “Well I see you found him” she laughs. You look at her. “Uh yeah guess I did.” Colter looks at you, he can tell that something isn't right. “Everything alright?” He asks, his voice full of concern. “Yeah everything is fine” Russell mumbles, but it almost sounds like a growl. You all sit in the booth with Russell. Colter is talking, but you can only think of Russell. He won't even look at you. 

Over the course of the day you end up getting a lead on the missing girl and her boyfriend. You find her and the boyfriend in a shed. You are able to apprehend the girl's twin. You all head back to the hotel. Russell still hasn't talked to you or looked at you. Russell leaves the area before you can get in the car with him. Reenie walks over to you. “Honey, what's going on?” Colter comes up behind her. “Yeah, he just left without saying anything” You just shake your head. “Nothing, I can't talk about it. Can you guys give me a ride back to the hotel?” Reenie smiles at you. “Of course we can honey” You smile back at her. You climb in the backseat and head back to the hotel. 

You pull up to the hotel. You thank Colter and Reenie for the ride.  You walk to your room and they walk to theirs. You open the door. You breathe a sigh of relief when you see Russell. You close the door. You sit in the chair across from Russell. “Russell, please can we talk” Russell shifts his weight in the chair not looking at you. “Russell come on, would you look at me?” You plead with him. “How long?” He finally says still not looking at you. “How long for what?” He finally looks at you and you wish he didn't. His green eyes burned through you so sharp you flinched. “How long have you been fucking him?” Your eyes widened, you felt the dread in the pit of your stomach. You knew right then and there this was not going to be a normal argument. “Russell, I'm not. I've never-” you are cut off by him standing with enough force that the chair tipped over. He towered over you. “Save it!” He roared. He leaned down and his lips grazed the shell of your ear. His voice dripped with malice and hatred. “You're nothing but a lying whore” he rasps into your ear. You are overcome with rage, every muscle was tense, you could barely control it. Finally you stood up. “How dare you!” the anger in your voice was undeniable. You pushed him back away from you. “You fuck Sara idk how many times and I accidently mention Colter's name and suddenly im the whore! You have a lot of fucking nerve!” Russell takes another step back, obviously caught off guard.

 “Y/n” you cut him off. “No, I'm the one talking now! You are not going to make me feel bad for having thoughts about your brother when you have actually fucked someone else! I never did anything with Colter. I've been completely faithful to you, but yes I have had thoughts of your brother. He treats me better, he actually shows he cares.” Russell tries to say something but you put your hand up to stop him. “No Russell, you have hurt me too many times and I keep coming back. I keep forgiving you.” Your voice cracks on the last part. You feel your legs give out on you as you collapse into the chair. You felt numb all over. “Im done Russell, I can't do it anymore.” Russell looks at you. “No baby, don't say that. Please, I'm sorry. I was angry and hurt. I never meant to accuse you. It just came out. I know you didn't do anything with Colter. Im the fuck up. I'll do better, please just don't leave me.” Tears stream down your face as Russell gets on his knees laying on your lap with his arms around you begging you not to go. “Russell, I'm sorry, it's over.” You push him away and walk through the door letting it close behind you. 

Part 8

It's Christmas time in LA. The sun is shining and people are walking around in shorts. Much different from the Midwest Christmases you were used to. You had transferred here from a small town in Wisconsin about a year ago. The big city had been so overwhelming to you at first, but then it grew on you. There was a lot more crime in LA than your little rinky dink hometown. You pulled up to the precinct, climbed out of your car and made your way into the office. You walked up the stairs and into the squad room. You barely have time before you are thrown into a briefing. You see Finau, Shepard, Oliveras, Bell, Blythe and Meachum. Meachum was a sarcastic son of a bitch. He infuriated you. He was always pushing your buttons. Making you second guess things. The rest of the team was wonderful, Mark Meachum was your nightmare. You leaned against the table as you listened to Blythe. He was giving everything their orders. There was an organization that was running guns and people and they needed to infiltrate them and take them down. “Bell and Shepard I want you in the truck listening Finau I need you with me. Meachum and y/l/n You two are going to be going undercover.” You look at Meachum and his smug smirk. You roll your eyes. “Is that going to be a problem?” Blythe asks. “No sir” you both answer. “Good, you are going to pretend to be a couple of drug addicts that need money fast and you are a couple” Your eyes shoot to Mark who's already looking at you smiling. “Dismissed” Blythe says and you leave and go to your desk. Mark follows you. “Alright well let's get started” You groan.

30 minutes later the two of you are in the car looking like your part. You are wearing a ripped shirt falling off of one shoulder and dirty jeans with holes in them. Mark starts the car and you head to your location. The two of you are supposed to put on a show at a bar. Making out and itching for a fix. The guy in charge of the organization hangs out there all the time. You arrive at the bar. You look at Mark and he gives you that infuriating smirk. He laces his fingers with yours. As soon as his skin touches your something inside of you cracks. You force it down telling yourself that it's just part of the show. You walk into the bar and sit in a booth next to each other. You spot the head guy. Alvarez. He is sitting in a booth across the way. Mark pulls you close his hands on your waist. You lean back against him. Your hands on his thighs. You feel Mark lips against you neck as he places a small kiss on it. You shiver. You don't know why, but this doesn't feel like pretend. “Ok you ready to do this?” you ask Mark. He nods  “You said we were gonna score” You say in character. “Ya well if someone hadn't blown all out cash I would've been able too” Mark snaps back in character. Ruiz, who is Alvarez's right hand man, walks over to the two of you. “You guys need something?” He asks you. Mark pipes up first “Nah man, just having a disagreement with my old lady, but you wouldn't happen to know how we could make a little cash would ya?” Ruiz looked at the two of you. “Let me talk to my associate and I'll get back to you” He says walking over to Alvarez. “Hey boss, those two over there are looking for work” Alvarez looks at you and Mark. Then back at Ruiz. “Ya, so bring them over here. That one's got something I might be interested in” 

Over the next few days the two of you play your roles. They separate you and Mark, something Mark's doesn't like. When you come back together, there is something almost affectionate about Mark's touch. “Hey baby you make us some good money?” He says in character kissing  you. His kiss almost feels real. You nod. “Alvarez wants me to go with him tomorrow. He said he has something for me that I can't turn down.” Mark looks at you and a low growl escapes his throat. Ruiz who is standing close by puts a hand on Mark's shoulder.  “Dont worry big guy. Alvarez will take good care of her” He says with a smirk. Mark turns around on the guy slamming him up against the wall. His forearm pressed to his throat. “Watch your fucking mouth!” he sneers. “Tony stop!” You yell Mark's fake name. Mark let's the guy go. Ruiz takes off leaving the two of you alone. “Mark, what are you doing?” You whisper. He eyes meet yours and for a split second they are filled with concern. Then his smirk is back. “Just playing my part, doll” You roll eyes. “You are so infuriating” You say walking away. 

The next day you leave with Alvarez. Mark pretends he doesn't care, but inside he is dying. He has feelings for you, but he would never tell you that. He was stubborn. He knew that. That's why he had been giving you such a hard time. He didn't know how to act around you. Ever since his recovery. So he gave you a hard time and kept his distance, but what he wanted more than anything was to be yours for real. Not some undercover act. Not some job. Just you and him together. He was supposed to meet up with you later that night. To talk about your plan to take these assholes down. He couldn't wait for this job to be over.

You and Alvarez arrive at this upscale hotel. Your heart starts pounding as soon as you arrive. “So why did you need me to come?” You ask him. Alvarez looks over at you and smiles. It's a creepy smile. A predator's smile. A shiver goes down your spine. “Relax, you are just going to entertain some people.” You look at him. “Entertain how?” You ask, your voice trembling slightly. “Just a dance or two. Maybe a drink. Maybe more” Your eyes widen. “More? Hey buddy get this straight. I ain't sleeping with nobody” Alvarez grabs your wrist. “You want the money?” You nod. “Then you’ll do what I say” You nod again. “Good girl,” Alvarez says. “Can I call Tony?” You ask. Alvarez looks at you, raising an eyebrow. “Make it quick,” he says. You agree and pull your phone out. You step out of ear shot. You put the phone to your ear. He picks up. “Hey y/n, you ok?” “No, Mark, we need to end this fast. He wants me to “entertain” men.” You can hear Mark's jaw clenched through the phone. “Hang tight, alright Im coming” You hang up and walk back over to Alvarez.  

An hour later you are in an evening gown. Looking in the mirror terrified. Alvarez comes into her room. “Wow, you look amazing” He says. You smile, and let him lead you to the room. 

Once in the room, you scan it. The room is full of men young and old. There are other women in the room as well. Then you see him. Blythe is sitting in one of the chairs. Relief washes over you. Alvarez grabs your arm. “You see something you like?” He asks you. You nod. “Yes, can I talk to him?” You ask Alvarez. Alvarez leads the way. You stand in front of Blythe. “Well hello there” Blythe says. You smile and sit down. Blythe looks at Alvarez. “How much?” Alvarez smiles. “She’s nice right? 10 grand for the night” Blythe agrees. They exchanged payment. Blythe grabs you by the arm and takes you out of the room. Just as he does Mark and the rest of the task force storm in yelling and arresting people. Mark walks over to you. “You ok?” You look at him “Yes, thank you.” You smile. The two of you make your way out of the hotel. Mark wraps you in a hug catching you off guard. He pulls away just as fast as he grabbed you. 

The next day you come into the office. You walked past Mark and he doesn't even look up. You walk over to your desk and sit down. Mark completely ignores you. You dont understand cause you thought you and him had shared something and even became slightly closer.  

Over the next week Mark barely says 2 words to you. There is a big storm coming. People are gearing up for it. The mountains are planning for snow. It's the day before Christmas eve. Just as you are getting ready to leave. Blythe comes in. “Listen up I need Meachum and y/l/n” Mark and you follow him to his office. “I need you to go up to this cabin and keep an eye on this suspect.” You look at Mark. Then back to Blythe. “It's almost Christmas” You say. “I know and I'm sorry,  but I need you two on this right away.” Mark stands up. “Understood sir, we won't let you down” Blythe nods. “So who's the suspect?” You ask. “He is suspected of kidnapping his child. We can't bring him in just yet, cause we have no proof that he has the child. So I need you to do a stakeout. You should only need to be there one night. You'll be home before Christmas.” Blythe explained. 

The next few hours are spent getting ready. You don't know what you are going to do. How are you going to be in a cabin with Mark for the whole day? You pack an overnight bag. Grab a few extra things and throw the bag over your shoulder. Your doorbell rings. Mark stands on the opposite side. You open the door. He sees the bag over your should and the bag in your hand and makes a face. “You planning on staying awhile?” He smirks. “Shut up, let's go get this over with” You snap. He puts his hands up in mock defense. You put your bags in the car. 

The drive is pretty quiet. The snow had started falling. Mark stayed quiet, eyes focused on the road. The snow was starting to stick. He stole a glance or two of you when you were looking out the window. He couldn't believe he had agreed to this. Even though Blythe hadn't really left room for a discussion in the matter. Now he was stuck. How would he be able to hold back his feelings? He barely contained them during the undercover op. That's why he hadn't talked to you really since the case was over. He had kept his distance. Trying so hard to go back to normal, but that case did something to him. He couldn't stop thinking about you now. His feelings had doubled over. He felt like he was falling for you,  but that wasn't possible. He wasn't the relationship type. He tried with Melinda, but he had ran away like a coward. Now here he was again. Stuck. Trying not to show you how he felt. 

You finally pulled up to the cabin a little after midnight. Mark turned the car off. You opened your door and climbed out. You walked over to the trunk. Mark was still in the car. You smacked the trunk with the palm of your hand telling him to open it. He doesn't respond. “Mark? Come on open the trunk” you tired again. Nothing. You throw your hands up in the air and start walking away. You make it half way around the car before you slip on ice. You land with a thud rolling your ankle. You hear a pop and yell out as white hot pain shoots through your ankle. Mark finally climbs out of the car. He walks over to you. “How'd you manage to do that?” He smirks. You glare at him. “Can you just help me please?” He sighs holding back laughter. He leans down, hooking his arms under your legs and arms. He scoops you up and carries you into the cabin and places you on the couch. He kneels down next to you. He touches your ankle and you flinch. “Stop, let me look” He complains. You whine. “It hurts.” “You are such a baby” He mocks you. You slouch back annoyed and slightly hurt. “Why are you such an asshole?” His eyes flick to yours and you swear you can see guilt or concern in his eyes. "Why are you such a baby?” He snaps back. He stands up and walks over to the freezer. You watch him as he searches to see if there is any ice. He pulls out a small plastic ice tray and starts putting ice cubes in a towel. He walks back over to you. You pretend you weren't watching. He kneels down again, gently grabbing your ankle and putting the ice on it. You flinch slightly. 

He doesn't say anything this time. “You know, I don't mean to be an ass to you” He says quickly catching you off guard. “Huh?” You look at him confused. “You know earlier when you asked me why I was an asshole…I…I don't mean to be. I guess it's just part of the walls I've built. He doesn't meet your eyes. You just stare at him dumbfounded.  “Mark…” He looks at you. “Dont” You look at him. “Mark I'm sorry I didn't mean anything by-” His grip on your ankle tightens slightly. “Y/n” He runs a hand through his hair. There is something about the tone in his voice that makes you drop the subject. The two of you just sit in an awkward silence. After a few moments he takes the ice off your ankle. “It looks like it's just a sprain. Should be fine.” You look at him “Thanks” you whisper. He gets up and runs his hand through his hair. “So first thing tomorrow we get this guy, yeah?” You nod. You look up and smile at him. He meets your gaze. His green eyes burning into yours. He extends his hand. You give him a confused look. “Let me help you to the room. I'll take the couch.” You reach forward and grab his hand. You stand, careful not to put too much pressure on your ankle. Mark wraps an arm around your waist for support. He helps you to the bedroom. You make your way to the bed. Mark helps and guides you down to the bed gently. His fingers linger a moment longer than they should. You look up at him. He meets your gaze. 

For a moment you think that he might lean in to kiss you, but he backs up. “Well goodnight. I'll see you in the morning.” He says quicker and then he disappears into the hall. You let out a soft sigh and lean back on to the bed. That night the two of you both toss and turn. Both of you thinking of the other. Trying to ignore the feelings. You laid there trying to ignore how you felt with his arm around you. You finally were able to drift off. 

Morning arrives, painting the cabin in ribbons of golden light. You stretch in the bed. You can feel the warmth of the sun streaming in through a crack in the curtains. You get up and make your way to the bathroom, rubbing sleep from your eyes. You turn the doorknob opening the bathroom door. Your eyes shoot open as your gaze crosses the nakedness of Mark. You shriek and slam the door. You cover your face. “Omg I am so sorry Mark” You hear a chuckle on the other side of the door. “Are you seriously laughing?” you snap but there is no bite to it. “You can come in now,” Mark says from the other side of the door.  You slowly turn the doorknob. Mark is now covered with a towel that is wrapped around his waist. Your eyes linger on his chest. Your eyes slowly meet his gaze. “Im so sorry. I didn't even know you were in here.” Mark smiles.”Yeah, I didn't plan on giving a show today” He chuckles abd you cant help but chuckle as well. 

A few hours later the two of you are staking out the cabin next door. You finally get the evidence that you need. Mark calls Blythe. 2 hrs later the guy is in custody and the kid is being returned to his mother. "Good job you two!” Blythe praises you both. You smile. “Thank you sir” Blythe looks at the sky. “You two should make sure you get out of here before the storm hits.” Mark looks at the sky as well. “Ya it looks like we are getting a white Christmas” he chuckles at himself. Blythe waves and heads out. Leaving just you and Mark. “I'm ready if you are” He says to you. “Actually I really need to do something then we can leave.” you tell him. Mark makes a face. “Seriously the storm is coming.” You brush him off. You walk outside and start collecting some pinecones. Mark follows you. “What are you doing?” He asks you. You turn around. “I always did this with my grandma. We would collect pinecones and make wreaths.  Then we would give them as gifts to everyone in the family.” Mark smiles at you. “You want some help?” You look at him surprised.  “You wanna help me?” You ask. Mark looks at you. “I offered, didn't I?” He says. You smile. “Yes I would love that. My grandma died a few years back, but I've tried to keep up with the tradition.” 

The two of you gather pinecones until the snow is coming down to the point you can't really see. “I guess we should get going.” You tell him. You both pack up the pinecones,  along with your other stuff. You climb into the car and start to head out. You only get a little ways down the road before it's clear you two aren't going anywhere.  “Dammit we stayed too long. It's all my fault” tears start forming. Mark notices the tears. He leans over in the car. “Hey, don't cry. It's not your fault.” He comforts you. He reaches up and wipes a tear from your face. You look at him. He looks at you. Something shifts. He felt it too. You didn't pull away. “Let's get back to the cabin.” He says. You nod not looking away from his gaze. Your stomach was doing flip flops. He finally tore his gaze away and turned the car around. 

You both entered the cabin. You sit on the couch still being careful with your ankle. Mark starts a fire. You watch him as he piles the firewood.  His muscles tightening under his shirt. His hair fell slightly over one eye. You watched as he lit the fire. The flames lighting up Mark's face. You started feeling a heat low in your belly. Just watching him move. “Why did you ignore me?” You blurt out. Mark freezes. “What are you talking about?” “After the case. I thought we had grown close, but you ignored and avoided me ever since” is the only time you can talk to me or be nice is when we are working a case?” Mark is quiet for a long time. He makes his way over to the couch and sits right next you. “I was scared.” You look at him, your eyes still just as wide. “Scared of what?” “Of what I felt” He confesses.  “What do you mean?” You ask still confused. Mark gets frustrated. He stands up running his fingers through his hair. “Lets just drop it ok?” He asks with a pleading look. “Mark no please talk to me” you press. You stand up. He turns away from you. You put your hand on his shoulder. He spins around. Looking deep in your eyes. "I was scared of what I was feeling…for…for you” The words finally came out. Mark watches you for some appalled reaction.  Instead you move closer to him. His eyes flicker with surprise. “Wait…you-” You cut him off by crashing your lips into his. The kiss is stiff at first, then Mark kisses you back. He kisses you like a man starved. You make a small noise as his tongue enters your mouth. His hands tangle in your hair. Your hands wrap around his arms. When you finally break from the kiss you are both out of breath. “I have wanted this for so long.” You confess. “Me too,” Mark says breathlessly.  

You smile at him. He wraps his arms around you pulling you closer. He kisses you again. This time the kiss is more passionate. More tender. He takes his arms and hooks them under your thighs lifting you up. You wrap your legs around his waist. He carries you to the bedroom. Laying you down gently on the mattress. He places small open mouthed kisses from your jaw to your shoulder. “You have no idea what you do to me.” He growls. You reach for his belt. He gently grabs your hands. “Not yet” He whispers. He puts your hands up over your head. He slides his hands down to your forearms. “Just let me take care of you” He slides his hands down your arms to your sides until he reaches the hem of your shirt. He pulls it up and over your head. He throws the shirt to the side. “Mark…” you breathe.  He puts a finger to your lips. He leans over you kissing every inch of your neck down to the swell of your breasts. You let out a small moan. He slides the straps of your bra down off your shoulders, reaches behind with one hand unclasping your bra freeing your breasts. He pulls back just enough to see you. “God, you're beautiful.” He rasps. He takes both of your breasts in each hand slowly caressing you. You moan as he rolls your nipples in each hand until they are both hard. He takes one nipple in his mouth, sucking gently, sending sparks of pleasure right down to your core.  As one hand is placed on your hip the other unbuttoned your jeans.

 He leans down pulling your jeans and panties off in one swift motion. You can see him straining through his jeans. You smile. You reach out and grab him through his jeans. He moans as his head falls back. “Fuck” He gently grabs your wrist pulling it away from him. You frown. A low chuckle comes from his throat. “Aww baby dont look at me like that. You'll get it soon enough. “Please Mark” you beg. He smiles. His hands on your thighs spreading your legs apart. He lowers himself between your thighs. Placing small open mouthed kisses all the way down. He reaches where you want him the most. You can feel his breath on your wetness. Then he starts places on the other thigh. You are dripping for him. You can feel it. “Mark please I need you” you beg. “Im taking my time with you” he says in between kisses on your thigh. You feel his breath on your wetness again. “You are so fucking wet” He beams with a hint of satisfaction.  He lowers himself further and you feel his tongue slide through your folds. You gasp and moan at the feeling.  His tongue continues to flick your clit. Making you squirm. 

He places one of his big hands on your stomach to keep you from moving. He slid one finger inside of you making you moan and tighten around his finger. He enters a second finger. He pumps in and out of you as his tongue finds you clit once again. You moan loudly. “Fuck Mark” He smiles against your skin. He turns his fingers curling them just right to hit that sweet spot. Then he starts pimping again as he flicks and sucks your clit. “Mark please I need you inside me now” you beg. He pulls his fingers out of you and sits up sucking his fingers and wiping the back of his mouth. “Fuck baby you taste good” He leans back unbuttoning his pants. You sit up. “No let me” you say scooting to the edge of the bed. You unbutton his jeans and slide them down his legs. You can see the outline of his cock and you feel your arousal drip down your leg. You slide your hand under the fabric and wrap your hand around his cock. You look up into his eyes and kiss him again. This time tasting yourself on his tongue. You slide his boxers down. His hard throbbing cock is glistening with pre cum. You begin to stroke him and wrap your mouth around him tasting his precum on your tongue. You suck and stroke. He grabs your hair. “Fuck baby” he moans. Your mouth leaves his cock with a popping sound. He pulls you up to him. Kissing you deeply. Before you know it you are back on the mattress with him on top of you. His weight pinning you to the mattress. He reaches down between you. He grabs his cock and slides it through your slick wetness coating himself with it. “Fuck y/n you dont know how long I've been waiting for this” He enters you slowly.

 Allowing you to adjust to his size. You moan as he enters you. He slides almost all the way out then slams back in filling you up. You cry out the sensation almost overwhelming you. Each thrust deeper than the next, making you scream out in pleasure. He pressed your legs further apart and angled even deeper. His thrusts giving you even more pleasure. You could feel every inch of him. You wrapped your legs around his waist pulling him closer to you. Your nails dragging down his back as he fucked you harder and faster. The room is filled with nothing but the sounds of moaning coming from both of you. You can feel yourself getting close and he knows it. He slams harder into you. That does it, you scream and moan in pleasure as your climax hits her hard. Your legs shake, your body quivers as the waves of pleasure ride over you. He slams into you with one last final thrust, filling you with his cum. He stays buried inside of you just letting you feel him as he collapses over you. The only sound now in the room is from both of you breathless and satisfied. Finally he slides out of you, making you whimper. Your body feels empty without the feeling of him. He rolls off of you and pulls you over to him. You lay on his chest. “That was fucking amazing.” you say. He smiles. “You are amazing. He kisses the top of your head. He looks at the clock. “Hey, it's Christmas.” You look up at him. “Merry Christmas Mark” you say. He wraps his arms tightly around you. “Merry Christmas y/n” You didn't know what the future held for you two, but you did know that there was nowhere else you would rather be than in his arms. The two of you fall asleep in each other's arms not knowing what was next, but still blissfully happy with the snow still falling outside. 

THE END

The hallway blurred around her. One heartbeat she was frozen, the next her legs were carrying her forward like they’d been waiting sixteen years for permission.

“Ben!”

The name tore out of her throat raw and desperate. She slammed into him so hard his back hit the wall, but his arms were already open, already crushing her against his chest like he could fuse them back together. Her feet left the ground as he lifted her, her thighs locking around his waist on pure muscle memory.

“Oh my God, baby,” he rasped into her hair, dragging in lungfuls of her like a drowning man breaking the surface. Vanilla, hospital soap, her. Home.

Summer buried her face in the hot curve where his neck met shoulder, breathing him in. He smelled of gunpowder, sweat, and something metallic that hadn’t been there before. She sobbed against his skin. “I knew. I knew you weren’t dead. They told me for years and I never believed them. I dreamed for this every single night.”

His hand cupped the back of her head, fingers tangling in blonde strands like he was scared she’d vanish if he let go. “I’m here, baby. I’m right fucking here.”

A sharp, deliberate cough sliced through the haze.

Summer’s eyes snapped open. Ten feet away, John stood rigid, arms hanging loose at his sides, jaw carved from granite. His blue eyes were locked on the place where Ben’s hands splayed possessively across her lower back, fingers nearly touching through the thin cotton of her sweater.

The world crashed back in.

Summer’s heart stuttered. “Oh… uh… John.”

Ben’s arms didn’t loosen an inch. If anything they tightened, one big palm sliding down to grip her hip like he was staking claim. Slowly, deliberately, he let her slide down his body until her boots touched tile again, but he kept one arm banded around her waist, keeping her tucked against his side.

“Ben,” she said, voice small, “this is my… this is John.”

Ben finally released her waist, but only so he could extend his right hand toward John. The handshake that followed looked friendly to anyone walking by. It wasn’t. Knuckles went white, forearms corded, both men leaning in just enough to make the grip punishing.

“Tight grip you got there, John,” Ben drawled, voice low and lazy and loaded.

John’s smile never reached his eyes. “Same to you, Soldier Boy.”

Summer felt the testosterone spike like a physical thing and stepped between them, hands raised. “Ben, what happened to you? Where have you been?”

Ben’s gaze flicked back to her, and just like that the mask slipped. Something ancient and wounded flashed across his face before the smirk returned. “Long story, sweetheart. But we got time now.” He reached up, brushed a knuckle down her cheek, and she felt that old spark ignite low in her belly. “So where’s our boy?”

Summer’s smile came shaky but real. “Right in here.” She tilted her head toward 214.

Ben moved instantly. Summer threw out an arm and caught his wrist. “Ben, wait.”

He stopped, but irritation flared green in his eyes. “Summer, what the hell are you doing?”

“It’s been sixteen years. You can’t just walk in there and drop a bomb on him.”

“The hell I can’t,” he muttered, trying to step around her.

John moved faster, hand clamping on Ben’s forearm like a vice. “She said no.”

The air went arctic. Ben turned slowly, eyes narrowing to slits. “I suggest you get that fucking hand off me unless you want to take a tour through that wall, kid.”

Summer darted between them again, palms flat on Ben’s chest. She could feel both their hearts hammering,one she’d known half her life, one she’d only just found. “Ben, please. Just let us explain first. He doesn’t even know you’re alive.”

“Us?” Ben’s gaze cut to John like a blade. “What, you need Pretty Boy’s permission now?”

“John’s been part of our lives for a long time,” she said softly. “He’s… he’s family, Ben.”

“Yeah?” Ben’s laugh was ugly. “Well, I’m back now. I’ll take it from here.”

Summer’s hands slid up to cup his bearded jaw, forcing him to look at her. “Ben… not yet.”

His nostrils flared. “Baby, all I want is to take you and Adam home.”

The tears came fast and hot. “We haven’t had a home since you disappeared, Ben. Sixteen years.”

Something cracked in his chest; she saw it. He grabbed her hands, pressed them over his heart. “I’m here now. I’m never leaving you again. I swear on my life.”

Behind her, John made a rough sound. Summer felt his chest brush her back, felt the way his breathing went shallow when Ben threaded their fingers together.

She turned just enough to meet John’s eyes. “Can you give us a minute?”

John’s jaw flexed so hard she heard it. “Babe—”

“Please. I’m okay.”

For a second she thought he’d refuse. Then he dragged both hands through his hair, nodded once, and leaned down to brush a soft, deliberate kiss across her lips ,right in front of Ben.

Ben’s growl was low enough to rattle glass.

John walked away without looking back.

Summer exhaled shakily, then tugged Ben down the corridor. She found an empty consult room, flicked on the light. The room was cozy with two  plush chairs, a tiny table, a window overlooking the parking lot.

“Cozy,” Ben deadpanned.

She ignored him, went straight to the window and leaned back against the cold glass. The chill bled through her shirt, grounding her.

Ben’s voice came out rough. “I was frozen, Summer. Her eyes snapped up to his. “My own team sold me out. Vought handed me to the Russians like I was nothing. After everything I did for them, for this country…” His fists clenched. “They left me in a box for sixteen goddamn years.”

Summer had tears falling. “Oh my God, Ben…” She crossed the room in two steps and threw her arms around him again.

He crushed her close, burying his face in her hair. “It’s over. I’m back, and I’m never losing you again.” He pulled away just enough to cup her face. “I love you, Summer. I Never stopped. Not for one second.”

“Ben—”

He kissed her before she could finish. Hard, desperate, tasting like salt and fury and every year they’d lost. For one heartbeat she froze; then muscle memory took over and she kissed him back, hands fisting in his hoodie, a soft, broken sound escaping her throat as their mouths moved together like no time had passed at all.

Neither of them noticed the door was still cracked open six inches.

John stood in the shadows of the hallway, one hand braced against the wall, watching Ben kiss the woman he loved like the world was ending.

His knuckles went white. His heart cracked clean in half.

And he didn’t move. Not yet.

John forced himself to turn away from the cracked-open door, from the sight of Summer melting into Ben’s kiss like the last sixteen years had never happened.

John’s boots hammered down the corridor so hard the linoleum cracked under his heels.

 He didn’t feel it. He didn’t feel anything except the white-hot shard lodged in his chest where his heart used to be.

He shoved through the first empty patient room he found, slammed the door behind him,The door slammed hard enough to crack the frame. His vision had tunneled to red.Then he lost it and let the monster out.

A metal tray stand went flying first, clanging off the wall. An IV pole followed, bending like tinfoil when it hit the floor. He ripped monitors from their mounts, plastic shattering. His eyes flared molten red and twin beams carved smoking trenches through drywall, through the bathroom door, through the mattress until stuffing snowed down like ash.

A crash cart went through the drywall. The bedside table, the rolling stool, anything that wasn’t bolted down became shrapnel. “How could you?” he roared to the empty room, voice cracking. “How could you fucking do this to me?”He punched the window; the safety glass spider-webbed but held. Another punch. Another. Blood smeared across his knuckles and he welcomed the pain, anything to drown out the image of her melting into Ben’s arms like the last ten months with John had been a dream. His eyes glowed molten red again, twin beams carving smoking trenches across the walls, the ceiling, the mattress. Sparks showered. The fire alarm shrieked. He didn’t care.She had kissed him back. She had melted into him like sixteen years hadn’t passed, like John had never existed. His vision tunneled, breath coming in ragged, animal bursts. He punched the concrete wall; the impact reverberated up his arm, but did absolutely nothing to dull the pain inside.

Did she ever love me?

Was I just the placeholder?

The safe guy she settled for while she waited for her real soulmate. He felt like an idiot. Was he nothing more than a stand-in, a safe pair of arms until the real thing came back? 

His chest heaved. He couldn’t get air. The room spun, fluorescent lights strobing at the edges of his vision. His chest felt like it was caving in. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think past the roar in his ears. The lasers hot and red. He didn't hear the door open.

A young nurse, maybe twenty-five, stepped in with a clipboard. “Sir, you can’t—”  His head snapped toward her.  A red line sliced across her chest before John even registered she was there. The beam sliced clean across her upper chest, a hand-width below her collarbone. Her clipboard clattered. Blood bloomed bright and instant, soaking her teal scrubs in a widening bib. Her mouth opened in a silent O, then the scream came, raw, piercing, endless. John was across the room in a heartbeat, one hand clamped over her mouth, the other catching her as her legs buckled.“Oh God, oh fuck, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, just hang on—”She thrashed weakly, eyes rolling white, blood bubbling between his fingers.He scooped her up, cradling her against his chest, and ran. Nurses and doctors swarmed the station as he burst through the doors. “Coming through! She’s hurt bad!” He laid her on the first stretcher he saw, hands slick and red. “She has a chest wound, supes from the college attack—one nurse wheeled a crash cart, shouting orders. Someone shoved an oxygen mask over her face. John stepped back from the stretcher, blood slick on his forearms, and backed away as the curtain whipped closed. Then he was gone, boots pounding down the stairwell before anyone could ask a question. 

Back in the consult room, Summer finally tore her mouth from Ben’s.“No… Ben, I can’t. We can’t.” She stumbled backward until her spine hit the window, palms up between them like a shield. Ben’s chest rose and fell hard, lips swollen, eyes dark with sixteen years of starvation. “Why the fuck not?” Tears spilled over her lashes. “Because I’m with John. Because I’m not yours anymore. I love him, Ben. The words tasted like rust. “I love you, Ben. I never stopped. But I love him too. We’ve been together for almost a year. ”Ben’s face went through three emotions in half a second: disbelief, betrayal, then pure venom. The words hit Ben like a gut punch. He actually flinched. “You’re in love with him.” A humorless laugh scraped out of him. “What is he, twelve? ”Summer’s eyes flashed.“Are you serious? I was eighteen when I met you, Ben. Three months out of high school. You’re the last person on earth who gets to judge me for dating someone younger.” His jaw worked, pride and fury warring across his face. He opened his mouth to say something.  “Don’t. You have no idea what I’ve been through—” Her voice shaky. “I waited Ben…I waited years. John is the first person I’ve been with since you… willingly, anyway.” The last two words slipped out before she could stop them, barely a whisper. Ben went predator-still. “What the fuck does that mean, ‘willingly’?”

He crossed the room in two strides, hands gentle but firm on her shoulders. “Summer, did someone hurt you?” “Did someone hurt you?”She turned away so he wouldn’t see the fresh tears. “Don’t. Please.”He moved behind her, arms sliding around her waist, turning her carefully until she faced him again. “Baby, talk to me. I’m here now. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I’ll burn the world down.”She shook her head against his chest. “I can’t. Not yet. Please don’t make me.”His embrace tightened, protective, heartbreakingly familiar. He pulled her into his chest, rocking her slightly. “Okay. Okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” After a minute he guided her to one of the small plush chairs in the room. She sank down, trembling. Ben knelt in front of her, taking both her hands in his.“Summer, I love you. Knowing you moved on… it’s killing me. But I’m not giving up on us. I’m gonna fight for you, baby. For our family.” Summer looked up, eyes red “I love you too,” she whispered, but it wouldn’t be fair to John.” A low, animal growl rumbled in Ben’s throat, but he swallowed it down. “I know. Believe me, it takes everything in me not to throw you up against that wall and remind you who you belong to. But I’ll back off… for now.”Summer exhaled shakily. “Thank you. Just… let me talk to him first, okay?”Ben nodded once. Summer stood, dug in her pocket, and pressed a plastic keycard into his palm. “Vought keeps a suite for me at the Embassy downtown. Room 1432. Standing reservation. Stay there tonight. ”His fingers closed around the card like it was the only lifeline he had. “Vought?” he asked, suspicion flaring. “No questions,” she said softly. “Just trust me. Please. ”She brushed a feather-light kiss to the corner of his mouth, then slipped out the door before she could change her mind. Ben stood alone in the little room, keycard cutting into his palm, the ghost of her lips still burning on his skin. 

John stood in the ruined patient room, blood drying on his forearms, staring at the scorched walls.The nurse was in surgery. Critical but stable. 

He’d almost killed an innocent woman because he couldn’t control himself. Summer was probably still in Ben’s arms. He pulled out his phone with bloody fingers and typed a quick text. “We need to talk. Rooftop. Now.” 

Summer’s phone buzzed against her hip like a hornet.

She pulled it out with trembling fingers. 

‘Rooftop. Now.’ Her stomach dropped straight through the floor.

She drew in a shaky breath, wiped her face one last time, and headed for the stairwell. Inside Room 214, Adam and Jenny were still wrapped up in each other, oblivious to the earthquake happening outside their door.Adam’s heart was hammering so hard he was sure Jenny could feel it. He took both her hands, thumbs rubbing over her knuckles.“Look… I know we’re still in high school,” he started, voice cracking just a little, “but I love you, Jenny. That attack showed me how fast everything can disappear. So this isn’t a proposal or anything crazy… it’s a promise. A promise that I’m gonna love you forever.”

He swallowed hard. “Soon as we’re out of here I’m buying you the prettiest promise ring I can find. And one day it’ll be the real thing.”Jenny’s blue eyes filled instantly. “Adam…”

She launched herself at him, arms around his neck, kissing him through happy tears. “I love you too. So much.”They held each other like the world wasn’t falling apart ten feet down the hallway.

Summer pushed open the rooftop door. The wind whipped her blonde hair across her face as she stepped out onto the gravel. John stood at the far edge, back to her, city skyline behind him. The late-afternoon sun painted everything bloody orange.“John?”He turned.Summer stopped breathing. 

Blood.

It was everywhere: streaked across his forearms, splattered on his white T-shirt, smeared on his cheek like war paint. His hands were shaking.“Oh my God, baby, what happened?”

She ran to him, reaching out.He flinched away like her touch burned.“Don’t,” he said, voice flat and dead. “Just… don’t pretend you care.”Summer froze. “What are you talking about? Of course I—”“I saw you, Summer.” His voice cracked on her name. “I saw you kiss him.”Her heart shattered all over again. “John, no, it wasn’t—”“Save it.” He spun, eyes glowing faintly red with leftover heat vision, fists clenched so tight the gravel crunched beneath his boots. “I know what I saw.”Tears flooded her eyes. “John, please listen—”“Did you ever love me?” he asked, so quietly it was worse than shouting. “Or was I just keeping your bed warm until he came back?”The slap was reflex. Her palm cracked across his cheek before her brain caught up.The sound echoed off the rooftop.Summer’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh God, John, I’m sorry—”He didn’t even flinch. Just stared at her, cheek already reddening, something broken behind his eyes.Then he grabbed her arms, hard, yanking her forward. She shrieked, terror flashing white-hot.“John, you’re hurting me!”The words snapped him out of it. Horror flooded his face. He released her like she was on fire, stumbling back, hands up.“Oh my God, Summer—” His voice cracked completely. “I didn’t, I would never—”She backed away, cradling her arms, eyes wide with fear she hadn’t felt in years.John dropped to his knees on the gravel, head in his hands. “I saw you kissing him and I lost it. I thought you loved me.”Summer’s legs gave out. She knelt in front of him, tears streaming. “I do love you,” she whispered fiercely, taking his blood-streaked face in both hands. “That’s the part you didn’t see. I told Ben I couldn’t be with him. I’m with you. I love you, John.”He looked up, blue eyes shattered. “You do?”She nodded, crying harder. “You really think I’d throw away ten months of us? I got caught in the shock of seeing him alive. I will always love Ben, but he’s my past. You are my future.”She kissed him, hard, desperate, tasting blood and salt and terror. He kissed her back like a drowning man, hands gentle now, cradling her face, apology and need and love all tangled together.When they broke apart, foreheads pressed together, breathing the same air, Summer whispered, “Let’s go get Adam and Jenny and go home.”John cleaned up in a staff bathroom (scrubbed the blood from his hands and arms, changed into spare scrubs someone found him), and twenty minutes later they walked back into Adam’s room hand in hand.

Adam and Jenny were curled together on the bed, glowing with their own private joy, oblivious to the war that had just been fought on the roof.“Hey, honey,” Summer said softly, managing a smile that almost looked real. “You ready to go home?”“More than ready,” Adam grinned.They stopped at Adam’s favorite burger joint on the way home, the four of them crammed into a booth laughing over fries and milkshakes like the world hadn’t almost ended an hour ago.Back at the house, Adam and Jenny collapsed on the couch with their food, already bickering over who got the last fry, young and in love and beautifully unaware.Summer caught John’s eye and tilted her head toward the hallway.In their bedroom she closed the door softly and sat on the edge of the bed, hands twisted in her lap.“We need to tell him now,” she said quietly. “All of it.”John nodded, throat working. “You gonna tell him the whole thing, or just that his dad’s alive and I’m his half-brother?”Summer rubbed her temples. “I don’t know. I should tell him everything (what Ben was really was, what happened to me at Vought, all of it), but… God, I don’t know if I can break his heart twice in one day.”John sat beside her, close but not touching. “We start with the big stuff. Ben’s alive. I’m his brother. We let him breathe for a minute, then we decide how deep we go.”Summer’s eyes widened suddenly. “Oh my God… Ben has no idea you’re his son.”John’s whole body went rigid. “He doesn’t need to know.”“John—”“Not yet.” His voice was raw. “Let’s just get through telling Adam his father’s alive first. Then we deal with the rest.”Summer searched his face, then leaned her head on his shoulder. “Okay,” she whispered. “We’ll tell him together. And we’ll get through it. I promise.”John’s arm slid around her, grip tightening like she was afraid she’d vanish.

“We’re going to be okay,” he said against her hair. “All four of us.”Outside the bedroom door, the sound of Adam and Jenny laughing drifted down the hall, young, happy, untouched by the storm about to break over them all.

Later that evening – The house was quiet except for the low hum of the TV in the living room and the occasional burst of laughter from Adam and Jenny. Summer stood at the kitchen sink, sleeves rolled up, blonde hair slipping from its loose knot, mechanically scrubbing a pan that was already clean. The emerald necklace caught the light every time she moved, a constant reminder of John, of promises, of the life she’d built while waiting for a ghost. John was sprawled on the couch with the kids, pretending to watch whatever action movie they’d picked, but his mind was miles away. Summer glanced at the clock, 9:03 p.m. She dried her hands, heart hammering.

“I’ve got to run to the office real quick,” she called out, voice bright and fake-casual. “Forgot some files for tomorrow. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”Adam barely looked up from the screen. “’Kay, Mom. Drive safe.”John’s eyes flicked to her, sharp and knowing, but he only nodded. “Text me when you’re on your way back.”She forced a smile, grabbed her keys, and slipped out the door before guilt could choke her.The drive to the Vought Embassy Hotel felt endless. She greeted the doorman with a tight smile—he’d known her for years, never asked questions—and took the elevator to the 14th floor. The hallway was silent, carpet plush under her heels. She stopped in front of 1432, took one steadying breath, and swiped the keycard. The room was dim, only the city glow through the windows and the flicker of the muted television.

Ben sat in the armchair by the window, elbows on his knees, staring at an infomercial like it had personally offended him. His eyes were red-rimmed, the beard and long hair making him look half-wild, half-broken.“Ben?”He didn’t look up right away. “Over here.”Summer crossed the room slowly, sat on the ottoman in front of him, and took one of his big hands in both of hers. “Hey… talk to me. Are you okay?”Ben finally met her eyes. The cocky smirk was gone. Just raw, aching grief.“Sixteen years, Summer.” His voice cracked. “I missed everything. Adam’s first steps. His first words. First day of school. The world’s completely different. Cell phones. Internet. Music I don’t even recognize. And my boy… he’s a man now. My son’s seventeen and thinks I’m dead. I wasn’t there for any of it.”Tears welled in her eyes instantly. “I know,” she whispered. “I know.” He swallowed hard. And you…” He looked at her then, really looked, and the tears he’d been fighting spilled over. “You’ve got a whole life I wasn’t part of.” Tears welled in her eyes again. “What happened to you? Where were you?” Ben’s jaw worked. He stared at their joined hands like he was afraid she’d vanish if he blinked.

“That morning I left for what was supposed to be a routine op in Russia… my team turned on me. Payback, Crimson Countess, Black Noir, all of them. Vought gave the order. They handed me over like I was nothing. Russians kept me in a lab. Torture, experiments, poison… anything they could think of. Only thing that kept me sane was knowing you and Adam were waiting.” His voice cracked. “I escaped once. They dragged me back. Decided I wasn’t worth the trouble anymore, so they froze me. Next thing I know I wake up and it’s the year 2000. They’d shipped the box back to Vought like I was expired cargo.”Summer’s hand flew to her mouth, tears spilling over. “Oh my God, Ben…”“I thought about you every single day,” he whispered. “Every time they cut me open, every time they pumped that green shit into my veins, I just kept thinking, ‘I promised her I’d come home.’”

Summer’s tears were falling fast now, dripping onto their clasped hands. “They told me you died in a reactor explosion. I knew it was a lie. I knew you’d never leave us.”Ben lifted one hand, cupped her cheek, thumb brushing away a tear. “So what happened after they took me? The penthouse? Your parents? Jim? Where’s our boy been all this time?”Summer closed her eyes, the words sticking in her throat like broken glass.

 “A few weeks after you disappeared, Vought came for us. Stormed the penthouse. We fought, Ben. Adam was just a baby and he still tried to protect me, but they sedated us. Her voice shook. “They took Adam. Said they needed to ‘study’ his abilities. They locked me in a cell so I couldn’t interfere. For years I only got to see him in supervised visits. That’s when I met John. He was the little boy they were… hurting. The one you told me about.” Ben’s grip on the armrest creaked ominously.“They kept me compliant with threats,” she whispered. Summer’s words tumbled out faster, like poison she’d held too long. “They gave me tiny freedoms if I stayed quiet. I still only get to call Mom and Dad once a week, monitored, restricted. Dad died a few years ago. I never got to say goodbye.” She was sobbing now, barely able to breathe. “I miss him so much.”Ben pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so fucking sorry I wasn’t here to protect you.” She clung to him, face buried in his neck, years of grief pouring out. When she could speak again she whispered

“There’s more.”Ben’s eyes darkened. “The ‘willingly’ thing you said earlier.”She nodded, barely.

“There was a guard. Carter. He… he raped me. Almost every day for a year. Then one day he just… disappeared. I heard later he got promoted.” The temperature in the room seemed to drop twenty degrees. Ben’s entire body went rigid, a low, continuous growl rumbling in his chest. His hands fell to his side, fists clenched so tight the knuckles went white. The chair armrest splintered under one grip without him even noticing. The sound was so violent Summer flinched. “He touched you?” His voice was deadly quiet. Summer couldn’t speak, just nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Ben’s eyes were green fire. “Carter,” he repeated, voice deadly quiet. “I’m going to find him. And when I do—”“Ben, no.” She grabbed his wrist with both hands. “Please.”He looked at her then, really looked, and the rage banked into something worse: guilt that cut deeper than any blade.

“I should’ve been there,” he rasped. “I should’ve protected you.”“You didn’t know.” She cupped his bearded face. “You would’ve torn the world apart to get to us if you’d known.”He turned his head, pressed a kiss to her palm, eyes closing like the contact was the only thing keeping him sane.

She collapsed forward into his arms again. He held her until the storm of tears slowed. When she could breathe, she pulled back, wiping her face. “Adam doesn’t know any of this. He thinks you died a hero. He thinks Vought ‘protected’ us after you were gone. I couldn’t take that from him.”Ben’s eyes softened, pain flashing across his face, memories of his own darker days, moments with her flashed through his mind. “You protected him from me too, didn’t you? ”She met his gaze, steady despite the tears. “I protected him from the parts of you that would have broken his heart. The rest… he deserved to love his father.” Ben’s throat worked. He rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t deserve you.” Silence stretched, heavy and electric. Ben tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, thumb brushing her cheekbone. The air between them crackled the same way it always had dangerous, inevitable.“Summer…” His voice was rough.She felt it too. That pull. That heat. Sixteen years and it was still there, banked but never extinguished.

Ben leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn’t. Their lips met—soft at first, then deeper, hungrier. Sixteen years of grief and longing poured into that kiss. His hands slid to her waist, lifting her like she weighed nothing, backing her toward the bed. She went willingly, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him down with her as they fell onto the mattress.His mouth moved to her neck, her collarbone, hands sliding under her blouse, pushing it up and off. She arched into him, gasping as his beard scraped deliciously against her skin, as his palms cupped her breasts, thumbs teasing her nipples through lace. Her phone buzzed violently in her pocket. She froze. Ben groaned against her throat. “Ignore it.” “I can’t.” She fished it out with shaking hands.

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Adam’s name on the screen. She answered, trying to keep her voice steady. “Hey, sweetie.” “Mom, before you come home from the office, can you grab ice cream for me and Jenny?” Summer closed her eyes. “Uh… yeah, honey. Sure. Be home soon. Love you.” She hung up. Ben was kneeling in front of her again, big hands resting on her thighs, eyes dark with want and restraint. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, standing. “I have to go. I can’t do this to John.” Ben caught her wrist gently. “Summer, please stay.” She looked at him, tears threatening again. “I’m with John. I love him. I shouldn’t have kissed you… again.” She pulled free, she scrambled off the bed, pulling her blouse back on, smoothing her hair with trembling fingers and walked to the door on unsteady legs. At the threshold she paused, hand on the frame. “I’m sorry, Ben. I just… I can’t.” At the door she paused, hand on the knob. “Stay here. In this room. Let me figure out how to tell Adam his father’s alive. Let me figure out how to do this without destroying everyone I love. Then she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving Ben alone on the hotel carpet. 

Part 17