Beach Day and New Relationships

"Sally let me see your wrist."

"I'm fine JJ really I'm b-better."

He grabbed my arms, "Last time before I do it myself. Let me see your wrist darling."

"I'm fine Jack." I tried pulling my arms away.

He sighed rolling my sleeves up. I bit my lip looking away.

"S-Sally…"

I felt tears fall and he moved my head to look at him. Sadness and disappointment was written all over his face and it hurt more than the thoughts do. He moved his hand to wipe at my tears and pulled me to his chest. He ran his hand through my hair as tears ran down my face.

"Sweetheart I'm not mad at you just...disappointed."

My grip on his shirt tightened as more tears fell at that word… I've heard that word a lot growing up and it hurts coming from him.

"Why didn't you come to me love?"

"I-I was scared…"

"Of what?"

"That y-you would be m-mad. The o-other two are getting b-better yet I'm g-getting w-worse…"

"Oh sweety I'm not mad and I wouldn't have been mad. I want to help you but you have to come to me ok?"

I nodded my head not moving from my spot on his lap.

We sat in silence for a bit before Jack spoke, "Can I do something darling?"

I nodded my head not trusting my voice as I lifted my head up.

"Ok I'll be right back I just need to go get something."

"Y-your not going to tell t-them are you?" I asked with my eyes going wide and my voice full of fear.

"No. Not unless you want me to."

"Please don't…"

He kissed my head wiping my tears, "I'll be right back."

He got out of the car and walked over to Emily. I buried my head in my knees, arms wrapping around my legs as sobs racked my body. I looked up at the sound of the door closing. Jack sat across from me a small pink pouch in his hand.

"Can you take your hoodie off and give me your arms darling?"

I reluctantly took my hoodie off and slowly rested my arms on his knees. I looked down at my lap away from the red lines that cover my lower arms. I felt something cold glide across my skin. I looked up to see Jack drawing softly over the cuts. He was looking at my arm concentration on his face tongue sticking out slightly. I looked down at my arm to see a tree forming. After a few minutes he moved to the next arm. I looked at my left arm to see a Japanese cherry tree. It was pink with flowers falling to the ground. The trunk of the tree had a heart with our initials in it. I examined the details while he worked on the right arm.

"Done!"

I looked at the other arm to see a galaxy, it had different colored stars and constellations on it. I looked back up at Jack as he brushed the remaining tears away.

"T-thank you JJ…"

"Of course love and when it starts to fade let me know and I can trace over it."

I nodded and hugged him, putting my head in the crook of his neck.

"Are you ready to head back and maybe swim?"

"Can we s-sit in the sand for a b-bit first? I need to calm down for a bit."

"Of course darling, come on."

He helped me out of the car and we walked back to where the others were. No one said anything about the marker on my arms or the red lines that peak out in some places. I sat next to Jack on the sand, my head on his shoulder. I buried my feet in the hot sand loving the feeling as I calmed down from the breakdown a few seconds ago. After a few minutes of sitting there with my eyes closed water was dumped on my head. I gasped looking up at Jake who had an empty bucket and a grin plastered to his face.

"Why you little! Get back here!"

He ran as I got up running after him. I jumped on him pushing us both into the water, we surfaced laughing and I splashed him with water. I was picked up and squealed as Jack threw me at Damien.

"Dee watch out!"

He swam out of the way as I hit the water going under only to resurface a couple of seconds later.

"Where'd he go!"

"Boo!"

I jumped spraying him with water.

"You both are idiots!"

"You love me!"

"Sadly yes I do."

He gasped, fake offended, "How dare you!"

"Oh I dare sweetheart."

He picked me up bridal style and carried me back to the sand dumping me on my towel.

"Oof! What was that for!"

"I felt like it."

"Rude!"

"I know."

He sat down pulling me on his lap.

"Can we go home soon?"

"Just a little longer, have you eaten today?"

"No, but I'm not hungry J."

"I'll let it slide for now but you need to eat something when we get back."

"Fine."

I leaned my head against his chest, closing my eyes and yawning.

"Tired love?"

"Mhm…"

"We'll go soon ok."

"Ok."

"You stay here I'll be right back."

"Mhm."

I moved off his lap and sat down drying myself off a bit.

He came back with his towel and picked me up. I leaned my head on his shoulder falling asleep in his arms.

Carson's Pov

I stopped in front of Allie's apartment door.

"I don't know about this Al."

"You'll be fine and I'll be there with you."

"He's going to kill me."

"No he won't."

"I abused you and Sally and tried to kill her."

"But you didn't want to and he knows that."

"I don't think that will matter."

"Well I won't let him kill you."

I sighed, "Alright let's get this over with then."

She smiled, opening the door. Gosh how I love that smile more then anything.

"Dee! I brought mystery boy home!"

"Really? Mystery boy?"

"Oh shush you know you like it."

"Finally, you've been avoiding it. Why it's a mys-" He stopped when he saw me.

"Hey Damien… How have you been? Haven't seen you since Thanksgiving I think."

"Oh no! Nononono. I can put up with you and Sal being friends with him but I will not let this happen again. I will not put up with you dating him again. Not with what happened last time."

"Dee you know he didn't want to."

"No. I do not approve of this. This has disaster written all over it"

"Come on Dee. Sally approved already!"

"Nope, will not approve. He has yet to earn my trust back."

"That's because if I leave you two alone you will kill him."

"Not my fault. He's the one that hurt you and Sal."

"It wasn't his ethier. He did it because he was scared and wanted to protect his mother. The only family he has left, he did it to save her life."

"Allie it's fine I'll just go...he's not ready to trust me again and that's perfectly reasonable. I'll just wait till then…"

Damien sighed, "Fine. But he still has to earn my trust. One slip up, one mistake and he's a dead man. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes! Thank you Dee!" She hugged him.

I nodded a small smile forming, "Yes sir."

"Good and until he earns my trust your door stays three inches open if he's in there."

"Got it."

"Yes sir."

He nodded, "I have to go pick Maddie up from work and drop my book off. I'll be back tonight for dinner."

"Alright say hi to M and Sal for me!"

"Will do." He leaves.

Allie turned to me, "Well that went well."

"Better than expected."

She smiled, "Come on I think we have Toy Story."

We walked to the couch and put in a movie. She curled up in my side and I wrapped an arm around her holding her close.

"I missed this...just the two of us cuddling and watching movies till we fell asleep…"

"I missed it too...but hey we can now...right?"

She turned to face me that beautiful smile on her face and pecked my lips.

"You've earned my love and trust back Carson. So yes we can do this again."

"Does this mean I can kiss you? Because you wouldn't believe how long I've wanted to kiss you again."

She pressed her lips to mine and I kissed her back loving this feeling. We slowly pulled away, I brought a hand up to cup her face and caressed her cheek.

"I missed you so much and I'm so, so sorry for what I did lighting bug."

"I missed you too Car...I forgive you, you know."

"I know but I hurt you and it's the biggest mistake I've ever made."

"I'm ok Carson I'm alright."

"I left a scar…"

My index finger traced the scar on her arm.

"I did that...I left a mark on your beautiful skin… I can ever forgive myself for that."

She tilted my head to look at her.

"I forgive you for it and that's what matters."

She pressed a kiss to my lips before leaning her head on my chest moving my arm to wrap around her waist. I laughed holding her close and turning back to watch the movie.