Jax had been up at the pond for the last few hours, the noise in his head too loud. It had been like this off and on in the years he had been home, every part of him wanting to run again, but he always found a reason not to. At first it had been Ari, then Sunny and the kids, then Shiloh had shown up. There were people that counted on him, that loved and wanted him around, but being there was still too much most days. The ghosts of his childhood clawing at him, reminding him of why he had left in the first place.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't realize he wasn't alone until Ari dropped down beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You look like you're ready to run away again," she murmured, unable to hide the way the thought alone made her heart ache. She had watched him leave once before and it had nearly destroyed her. She didn't think she could go through it all over again.

"I'm not gonna, don't you worry," he sighed, resting his head against hers. "Just...bein' back here brings up a lot o' shit I tried real hard to bury."

He had done his best to hide it, but he had never been great at lying to his baby sister. Even now, he knew she was the one person in the pack that would understand what he was going through. After all, she had lived through their father's abuse the same as him.

"It's easier to carry if you talk about it. Bottling it all up...it doesn't go away, Jax." It had taken her years to learn that, to trust in Adam enough to tell him everything. She had been terrified that he would leave her or think maybe she had deserved it, but he had gently guided her through it and reminded her that she had been a child and at no fault for what had been done to her. If she could do the same for her brother, she would gladly take the weight. Or if she could coax him into opening up to Sunny, that could be just as helpful.

"I know ya got a point, Ari, I do, but I just ain't ready to go diggin' into it that deep yet. I was still a kid when that old bastard ran me off. I had no idea how to survive out in the world away from here and I had to do a lot of thing I ain't proud to admit." Not to mention the close calls with hunters and the scars he still carried from silver blades and bullets from those encounters. "Dunno if I'll ever really be ready to get into it."

She nodded, knowing it wasn't easy and not knowing the extent of what he had gone through. Quietly, she stood and rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small squeeze. "When you do feel ready, my door is always open," she promised before moving from him, intent on giving him his space. She didn't get more than a step away when she felt his hand on her wrist, gentle and seeking.

"Stay for a bit? I don't...I don't wanna talk but I don't wanna be alone much either."

With a soft smile, Ari dropped back down beside him and leaned against him, willing to stay as long as he needed.

"I know it's hard, but I'm still glad you came home."