“Ultimately, yes?” He didn’t sound overly sure of his answer, “The thing is, it’s going to be hard. I’m expecting screaming and yelling and accusing.”

“I have a feeling you’re right. Do you think I should have called before we just drove over here? Maybe they won’t be home.” She began chewing on her cuticle until he reached up and grabbed her hand, pulling it over and holding it in his lap.

“We can get through anything together. They can scream and yell all they want, it won’t change anything. You know how you feel.” He squeezed her hand. Now that she was able to let him touch her in these small ways without cringing or pulling away, he was feeling as if he could take on the world.

Looking down at her hand clasped lightly in his Morgan suddenly felt a sense of strength and security wash over for her. She realized that Justin couldn’t protect her from all of the bad things in life, but that he would love and support her through all of them and it didn’t matter how hard she pushed him away or how much she pulled away, he would still fight to help and do everything he could possibly do to help. He may not be able to express his feelings they way he wanted to or even express them at all. But every part of her knew she was loved and cared for.

He pulled into the long winding drive and her heart rate accelerated. Both of her parents’ cars were parked in the drive. He glanced over as he slowed to a stop, “You still sure you want to do this?”

She looked into his eyes and nodded, “I have to.”

“Ok then.” He slipped out from behind the wheel and walked around to her door, holding out his hand to help her out of the car. Lacing their fingers together they began walking toward the house. Justin reached out to press the doorbell and glance down, “If you get uncomfortable, or need to get out, you squeeze my hand and we’re out of there in less than a minute. Got it?”

She smirked and nodded, “Will we be leaving in a hail of gun fire as we dive roll out the door?”

He rolled his eyes, “At least when you were frightened and scared, you were quiet.”

They waited for one of her parents to answer the door glancing around the yard Mor commented, “Does the yard look like crap or is it just me?”

Justin looked over his shoulder, “NO. It looks like crap.”

“She must have frightened off another gardener.” She grinned up at him and he was chuckling as the door opened.

“What are you doing here?” Her mother shifted her weight to one side.

“It’s great to see you too Margot.” Morgan rolled her eyes, “We came to talk to you. I have some things I have to tell you.”

Margot Northrup raised an eyebrow and leaned against the door frame, “This should be interesting.”

Walking into the living room, Justin and Morgan sat down on the sofa. Morgan looked around, “Is dad here?”

“He’s napping.”

Slowly nodding Mor said, “Of course.”

Sitting down in a chair, Margot settled back and sighed, “What do you want Morgan?”

“I need to explain a few things...”

“So if you need to explain a few things, why would you drag him along with you?” She motioned toward Justin with her head.

“He’s here because I wanted him here.” Morgan squeezed his hand, “I’m here because as my mother, I suppose on some level you have a right to know what has happened to me.”

“If you came all this way to tell me you’re in love with Justin here, you really could have just called.”

“Ok, let’s start there.” Morgan rolled her eyes, “Yes. I’m in love with Justin, and no, that shouldn’t come as a shock to you. But that isn’t what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to talk to you about something that happened in New Hampshire.” Taking a deep breath and looking at Justin for a last little moment of support she started, “Before Christmas, someone I thought was a friend attempted to rape me. He drugged me, he hurt me and he would have raped me if South hadn’t come in and stopped him.”

Justin scanned her mother’s face, trying to read her expression. Margot Northrup sat there, starring at Morgan with a look of confusion, “What?”

“I was almost raped. He slipped a drug into my drink at a dance and then took me home and tried to rape me. If South had been two minutes later, he would have succeeded.”

Her mother actually grew pale, “Dear God Morgan, why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you say something?”

Morgan’s eyebrows drew together in genuine confusion, “To you?”

“Yes! I would have...I could have...I would have tried to help. I’m your mother.” Margot’s eyes turned to Justin, “I thought you were supposed to protect her! I thought that’s what you were all about! You make your grand gesture and cut her father and I out of her life, and then you just leave her alone to be abused and hurt! Where were you when my daughter needed you?”

Justin sighed and scanned Morgan’s profile, “Look Margot, no one feels worse about what happened to Morgan than I do...don't you think that I care about her? That I love her? That I wouldn't have done something to stop this from happening if I could have?”

“This is all YOUR fault.” She pointed a long finger at him, “You drove her away... you were the reason she ran to New Hampshire... if you wouldn't have been so overbearing than maybe...”

Morgan interrupted immediately, “STOP IT! You can’t talk to Justin like that. You have no right! Did you ever think that the reason I went to New Hampshire was to get away from this "happy home life" you have provided? Jesus Christ... do you realize that Justin is the only person in my life that has ever taken care of me? He was there when YOU weren't.”

Margot’s expression turn cold and hard, “No Morgan, he was only there to help drive us apart.”

Morgan stood up, Justin’s hand held tightly in her own, “Well then I am sorry that’s what you think, and if that is really what you believe in your heart than maybe YOU should be the one getting help, not me. You and dad tore this family apart... it wasn't me and it certainly wasn't Justin.” Justin stood by her side, “Goodbye Margot.” They walked out the door and Morgan didn’t look back.

As they drove, Justin watched her out of the corner of his eye, “I’m proud of you.”

She sighed as she turned her head against the seat back, “Why?”

“You held your ground. You said what you wanted to say and you didn’t back down.”

Tears began streaming down her cheeks, “For a moment, just one second, I thought she was going to be my mother, that she was going to be there for me and try to comfort me and help me, but it was just another opening for her to attack you. I'm sorry Justin. I’m so sorry.”

Hey glanced over, “Sorry for what?”

“For making you come with me. You didn't need to sit there and be berated by her...again. I should have known better.” She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

“Morgan I told you, I was going because you needed me. Nothing that she says is going to hurt me. I learned a long time ago not to let her get to me.”

She took a deep breath, “Justin I know you. I know that you put on your big brave exterior where you don't ‘let her get to you’. But the truth is, she does, she does get to you... because you have made it your personal mission to be my friend, boyfriend, and family all at once. Justin, I know that you are going to feel bad about what she said... but please know this... you have never driven me away here. You have been the only constant in my life. She knows how much I care about you and love you... and basically she is jealous of that.”

“Morgan I never meant for our relationship to get in the way of your family.”

“Justin it isn't that. It's my family, the people that were supposed to love me unconditionally drove me away. You took me in, you took care of me, you protected me from the people who were supposed to do it. My family isn’t normal. I guess the worst part of all of this is realizing how final it is, how I really DON’T have a family.”

JC, Lyn and Stasia were all in the kitchen when Justin and Morgan walked into the house. Mor smiled weakly at her friends as she took a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, “Hey.” She walked out onto the patio and sat down near the pool.

JC looked up at Justin who was running a tired had over his face, “It didn’t go well?”

“It went exactly how we thought it would go. Her father was ‘napping’ and her mother freaked out about me.”

“That could not have been good.” JC shook his head.

“You know what? I don’t think that was the bad part. The bad part is that Morgan feels like she’s actually lost her family now. Like she walked away, she made the decision to finally be done with it, now she’s feeling like she has no one. At least no family.”

Stasia and Lyn both started to stand up and JC shook his head, “No. You guys leave her alone, I’ll talk to her.”

Lyn crossed her arms over her chest, “JC!”

“Sweetpea, I have known Morgan forever...”

“You haven’t known her any longer than I have!” Lyn glared at her husband.

“Lyn honey, would you please just trust me on this?”

Rolling her eyes Lyn flopped back in her chair, “Marry the man and he thinks he can control your life.” She turned and pointed at Stasia, “Remember that.”

Stasia smirked and nodded, “Duly noted my friend.”

JC shoved his hand deep into his pockets as he approached Morgan. He bent at the waist and kissed the top of her head, “Rough morning?”

Mor sighed, “You could say that.”

Squatting down next to her, he looked down into the pool, “So rumor has it you handled yourself like a champ.”

She smirked, “The rumor came from a highly biased source.” She pulled her pant leg up a bit further, keeping out of the pool water, “She was such a bitch, JC.”

He watched her as she moved her feet slowly beneath the surface of the water. Standing to kick off his flip-flops and pulling his warm-up pants up to his knees, he sat next to her and moved his feet in unison with her’s, “I’m sorry.”

She let her head fall on his shoulder, he reached up to place his hand on her cheek, “It didn’t exactly surprise me that she was a bitch, but for a split second, I thought she was going to be my mom...I was wrong.”

“Maybe she doesn’t know how.”

“She totally doesn’t know how, but that’s her own fault. If you need your heart fixed, there is noone else in the world you should go to. Margot is honest to God the best in the business, but if you need a shoulder to cry on or you need some support, you better look elsewhere.”

“Your mom treated Lance right? Back when he collapsed when Lou wouldn’t let him go to the doctor before that show.”

“Yeah, only good thing she’s ever done for me.” She nodded.

“Only thing?” He craned his neck trying to see her face.

She rolled her eyes, “Well, there was the whole giving me life thing, but COME ON, she can’t play that trump card forever!”

“OK. So she was a bitch, which you expected, but there’s more to this mood than just Margot being a bitch. As sad as it is, you’re used to that, so why the MAJOR funk?”

“Yeah, that part doesn’t even really upset me, I guess it finally dawned on me today that I don’t have a family. I’m alone in the world now.” She squeezed her eyes shut, “That’s just freaking me out a little right now.”

“What are you talking about? How can you say you don’t have a family? Of course you have a family! I mean Stasia and Lance are like the mom and dad, they’re all responsible and caring and nurturing. Lyn and I are the Big Brother and Sister because we are all overprotective and we’ll beat up anyone who tries to hurt you. Chris is the Crazy Uncle, you know the one you don’t want to admit belongs in your gene pool. Dani is the Stylish Aunt who gives amazing gifts and tells you stuff your parents wouldn’t. Joey is the annoying Little Brother who bugs the shit out of you until he gives you that hug that let’s you know how much you’re loved. And Angela...she is the Bestfriend/Cousin, the one you’ve grown up with and can’t imagine life without. It may not be the BEST family in the world, but it’s a family.” JC held out his hand and waited until Morgan’s slipped into it before he finished, “We may not have the same blood Mor, but never forget we’re family. I’d die for you.”

She was quiet and nodded her head against his shoulder, “I love you.”

“I’m lovable.”

She snorted, “So who’s Justin?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Mor grinned, “In our big dysfunctional family of ours, who’s Justin?”

JC laughed, “Justin isn’t IN the family. He’s the annoying neighbor kid who’s not good enough to date my little sister!”

Morgan’s head whipped up and she grinned evilly, “I’m telling him you said that!”

“Oh no you aren’t! I’ll tell MOM you’re tattling.” He stuck his tongue out.

Morgan kissed his cheek, “Thanks.”

“Just doing my job.” He kissed her forehead.

The room was dark as she slipped in and silently closed the door behind her. As she padded across the room Justin sat bolt upright, “What’s wrong?”

She jumped and covered her heart with her hand, “Jesus! I thought you were asleep!”

“I was, but then someone crept into my room and woke me up.” He ran a hand over his face, “What’s wrong? Did you have another dream?”

She stopped at the edge of the bed and pushed her hair back with both hands, “No. I just couldn’t sleep because you guys are leaving in the morning.”

“You know there is a ticket for you, you just have to throw some stuff in a bag.” He pushed himself up and leaned back against the headboard, “You can’t sleep because we’re leaving?”

“Well...because you’re leaving.” She sat at the end of the bed facing him, “My whole family is going on the road, but you leaving is the worst part.”

He shook his head, “Annoying neighbor kid...JC is an ass.” He yawned, “Do I want to know what time it is?”

“Probably not.” She flopped across the foot of the bed, “What are you going to do without me to wake you up in the middle of the night?”

He smiled, “I had just assumed you’d call me at 3AM every night.”

“I talked to my advisor today while you were at Jive.”

“How’d that go?”

“He’s arranging for a medical excuse for me. Dr. Westerville faxed him a letter and he said he’s help with a transfer back to Orlando if that’s what I want, or I’m welcome back to UNH whenever I’m ready.”

“So what are you going to do? Or do you not know yet?”

“I have three classes to finish, I can’t take them at either school this term, because I’ve missed so much. I am going to call all three professors at UNH to see if I can do online correspondence stuff or if I’d be required to attend. If I can do it online, I’ll just take them at UNH, if not, I’ll transfer back here and finish summer term here.”

“Well, after the tour, if you want to go back to New Hampshire to finish there, I’ll go with you. I’ve never spent any real time on the East Coast. It’s only like 10 weeks or something.”

“Try 20 weeks.”

“That long?” He yawned, “So I could use a little vacation. There has to be a studio in New Hampshire somewhere...maybe on campus or something. I could record some stuff there, it would be just the two of us, on our own.”

“Living with South?” She raised an eyebrow.

His voice cracked slightly, “Sure...why not.”

“We’ll see what these professors have to say, then we’ll decide together.” She starred at him and her eyebrow drew together, “I miss you.”

“I’m not even gone yet.”

“I miss being with you. You holding me and me being able to let you.”

Justin scanned her face, “We have no reason to rush. We have the rest of our lives to hold each other and connect in that way.”

She nodded, “Hold me?”

“You never have to ask Morgan.”

She crawled across the bed into his waiting arms. With her back pressed against his chest, she felt more relaxed than she had in a very long time. His arms came to rest lightly along her arms and he kissed her temple lightly, “I miss you too.”

“We’re going to be alright aren’t we?” She took his hand.

“We’re going to be fine, we are fine. We hit a bump in the road...a big huge mountain of a bump, but we’re getting over it together. I’ve never been more proud of you. You are so strong.”

“I’m only strong because you hold me up.”

“That isn’t true. I was there to hold you up when you moved to New Hampshire. I wasn’t there when you went to Dr. Westerville the first time. You are getting better on your own.”

“On my own with a on of support.” She squeezed his hand, “We have the best friends in the world.”

He nodded, “Yes we do. They held me together when I didn’t think I could survive this.”

“I think it’s just sinking in how much I’m going to me everyone. It’s not the longest time I’ve gone without seeing an of you, but it’s longer than I’d like.”

He kissed her temple, “You know all you have to do is call and we’ll have you on the next flight to where ever we’re going to be. I’d much rather have you with us, then here by yourself.”

She laughed, “How can you say by myself? I’m going to have Jake, Blarney and Tipperary, as well as you mom and Paul dropping in fifty times a day. Brenna is planning on staying with me a few days...all in all I think I’ll be a pretty busy girl.”

“You’re going to call every day right? You won’t forget?” He stroked her hair lightly.

She rolled her eyes, “No I won’t forget to call. You are so over protective now.”

“I’m NOT over protective...I’m exactly the right amount of protective. Plus, wanting to talk to you has nothing to do with being protective, it just means I think I’M going to need to at least hear your voice every day.”

“Oh.” She settled back against him more fully, “See, now that was sweet. I thought you were just being a jackass.”

He yawned, “I’m sweet far more often than I’m a jackass!”

“I’m so tired.” Morgan echoed his yawn.

“Me too. We should both get some sleep.” He shifted slightly snuggling closer to her and helping both of them get more comfortable. It wasn’t long before they were both sleeping soundly.

As Morgan was stumbling out into the hall with her hair knotted and her face still marked sleep, JC was bouncing up the stairs looking for Lance. He stopped in front of her and brushed her hair back. Her eyes were sad and her expression was heavy, “Rethinking your decision to stay home?”

Mor’s forehead hit his chest with a soft thud, “Did I make a mistake?” her voice was muffled by his sweatshirt.

“Sweetie, you never make mistakes. You just learn stuff the hard way.”

She punched him lightly in the stomach, “Jerk.”

“You know that you can change your mind at any time and we’ll get you there...where ever ‘there’ is that day. I for one, would be much happier if you were to decide to join us.” He hugged her tightly and then whispered, “You don’t want to say good-bye to him again do you?”

“No. I don’t want to ever want to have to say good-bye to him again. What am I going to do when I need him?”

“You call him. You call him whenever you need him, I don’t care if it’s when we’re on stage. You can call ANY of us whenever you need us.” The scruff on his chin scraped against her forehead.

Morgan nodded, “I know. I know.” She took a step back and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I’m going to be ok, it’s just going to be hard. Justin hasn’t spent a billion dollars on therapy for nothing, I’m much stronger now.”

“You’ve always been strong. He’s spent a billion dollars to help YOU remember that.” He kissed the top of her head and then raised an eyebrow, “Were you coming out of Justin’s room all disheveled?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep last night and...”

“And I need to take him out back and kick his ass?” He teased.

“Nah...he was a good boy.”

“Better be! I WILL kick his ass.”

Brenna stumbled up the driveway, hair in a ponytail, still dressed in her pajamas with sweatshirt pulled on over the top. The front door was standing open as Lance and JC carried suitcases out of the house to the vans parked in the drive. She waved weakly and rolled her eyes as JC made a snide comment about his sister-in-law being a real morning person. Snorting she sniped, “I love you less right now JC.”

He shoved the bag in his hand into the van and jogged over, scooping her up into his arms and spinning, “Brenna you LOOOVE me. I’m the best brother-in-law you’ve got.”

“Ryan is TWICE as cool as you.” She swatted at him as he put her down.

“I’m hurt!” He covered his heart with his hands, “Mor is in the office.”

Bren nodded, “Thanks.” Making her way through the house, she walked quietly into the office, finding Morgan standing at the window watching her friends load the vans that would take them to the airport, “Hey.”

“Hi.” Mor turned to face her, leaning against the window frame, “I can’t believe you got up this early.”

“I had to have Lyn call me four times, but I wasn’t about to leave you alone the morning they left.” She held out a steaming cup from Starbucks, “I brought caffeine.”

“Thanks.” Morgan took a sip, “I slept in his room last night, I think that made it harder.”

“As hard as it made it for you, it had to be twice as hard on him. He has to leave you behind.” Bren leaned against the desk.

Justin walked through the door, “When did you get here?”

“Just now. Are you all packed and ready to go?” Bren smiled.

Justin was still having a hard time accepting that Brenna was suddenly one of the ‘good guys’, but if she was helping Morgan, he was going to lean to deal with it, “Yeah. I was just coming to tell Mor that we’re loaded up and ready to head to the airport.”

Bren stood up and said, “I’m going to go say good-bye to my sister and JC.”

Morgan nodded, but her eyes never left Justin. When Brenna left, she closed the door behind her. Justin crossed the room and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, “I’m going to be back before you know it.”

“I’m not going to say good-bye...I can’t, not this time.” She looked down at her feet.

Placing a finger under her chin, he urged her eyes back up to his, “You never have to say good-bye to me. I’m never going to leave you...not really.”

She nodded and then leaned up to kiss him lightly, “I love you.”

He cupped her cheek and kissed her again, “I know, you love me just slightly less than I love you.”

The corners of her mouth twitched, “I love you more.”

“Do not.” He smirked.

“Do too.”

“Do not.” He laced his fingers with hers and they walked to the door.

“DO TOO!” She squeezed his hand.