He Left.

Jesseye came down from her loft about an hour or two later, rubbing her eyes and sighing deeply. "Where's Shane?" she asked softly.

The older woman didn't even bother looking up, "He's gone. He won't hurt you anymore, Jess." she said with a shake of her head, painting a fresh coat on an old mustang.

She blinked her surprise, "Wh-what?"

"He left, sis." Jazza reiterated while dipping her brush in a can of metalic paint, "He took his cut and went." She reported as if she didn't care either way.

Tears welled up in her puffy eyes, "Was, was, that why you were yelling?" Jesseye asked hoarsely before drawing conclusions and clenching her hand into a fist,"You kicked him out?!"

Jazza's brows arched together. She set her brush down in a safe space and looked up, "You're mad at *me*?" she asked in a tone as cool as ice,"He hurt you." She nearly growled, pushing herself up from the ground, "I can't have someone like that around you, sis."

"Why?" She nearly seethed. How could she do this to her?! "I told you I can handle myself!" Jesseye stomped her foot, gritting her teeth, "I don't need your protection!" she shouted before turning away.

"Where are you going?" her black friend asked a bit harshly.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Jazz." she snarled, climbing quickly upstairs.

She texted Shane then threw on some proper clothes. 'Where are you? I'm sorry about Jazza. She's overprotective.'

Shane looked down to his phone vibrating in his pocket. He sighed and shot her back. 'I don't want to hurt you. I'm sorry,' he sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he pumped gasoline into his van's tank.

"Shane!" He spun around and locked eyes with someone he did not want to see. Steven. The large man stormed over to him and grabbed him by the collar. "You think you could hunt in our territory and get away with it, asshole?"

More men filed in, surrounding Shane as ordered. "Daddy's not protecting you anymore, boy." One of them growled into his ear.

Jesseye sprinted towards town, "Where is he? Where would he have gone?!" She asked herself frantically, panting lightly.

He had probably already skipped town! Why would Jazza do this to her? She had no right! She appreciated the slightly older woman helping her calm down, but this was too far. He didn't mean to hurt her. She just wasn't in the right state of mind to handle tempting jokes like that!

Shane grunted against the man holding him. "Ya'll deserve ta be robbed blind for all the shit he did to me." He spat blood on his captor's shoes.

"All of us, huh?" The leader asked in a deep sneer. "Then let's start with you." He said before slamming his fist into Shane's stomach. The younger man gasped and finally dropped to one knee. Steven's men kicked him in the stomach.

"Go to Hell." Shane bit shakily. Pain coursed through him, but if he showed it, he was a goner. This was what these men lived for. He gritting his teeth, he tried to rise -- only to be hit down once. He spit blood and involuntarily groaned. "Aghhh." His lip was definitely split.

Jesseye's eyes widened as she turned a corner. "Shane." She whispered dismay before ducking into the alley again.

"Hurts, doesn't?!" One of them roared. Her muscles tightened when she heard her crush's attackers laugh. They were taunting him.

She gulped and peaked past the wall once more. Shane groaned and slumped over, but Steven's goonies wouldn't let him fall.

If she could just take down the leader then the others would flee. Why was it always the biggest one? She sighed before rushing around the corner.

"Hi," she whispered a cool greeting into the large man's ear, holding her dagger against his neck.

Steven froze and glanced down to the blade. "Hello," he answered nervously.

Using the pressure of her dagger, she pulled him back from Shane, "Let's call off your boys, kay?" she asked with a mock cheer, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

The man looked to his guys and gulped. "Y-you heard her." He said shakily.

His goonies let Shane go and he fell to the ground, groaning, "Aghhh."

Jesseye grit her teeth, even more determined to take care of 'poor' Steven. "Now scram!" She shouted in a harsh tone, holding the leader hostage.

The man looked at each other and raised a brow. "And what'll you do if we don't?"

She snarled and pressed the blade into Steven's neck to draw blood. "I'll kill him."

It wasn't difficult to see how serious she was. Rage was a powerful thing. So, one by one, they ran off.

Shane was still on the ground, clenching his stomach. His ribs were probably broken. "Touch him and I'll slit your throat." She threatened through grit teeth before reluctantly releasing the man. He nodded and jogged after his men, "And tell your boss that he's protected!" She roared after him, fisting her hands once more.

She huffed and helped Shane into his van, laying him down on his bed before taking the front seat,"We're going home," she said, her mouth still twitching in anger.

He groaned, shaking his head and holding his stomache. "But Jazz--"

"I don't care what she said!" Jesseye snapped back, shoving it into drive. If Jazza hadn't overreacted then this wouldn't have happened! This was her family, didn't she get that? Did she think she only wanted him around to get in his pants? No! He was her best friend. She loved him.

Her crush was just a bonus annoyance that she wished she could get rid of. She wasn't going to let it in the way of anything. She needed him safe, happy, well cared for. It didn't matter how gut wrenching that task was.

He clenched his eyes shut as she took a right turn. "I h-haven't gotten beat up on a long time." His laugh quickly broke into a groan. Why was she here? Why had she saved him? None of this made any sense, and agh, he could barely think.

Jesseye shook her head, gripping the steering wheel, "And you shouldn't have today," she felt a curse for Jazza on her lips so she simply didn't speak.

If she dropped to that, she knew she'd just keep falling. Today wasn't a good day to slip. She couldn't be that person again. She'd shown herself too weak already. If she broke again than he'd never consider her anything more than a partner in crime.

He remained quiet as she drove, the pain nearly unbearable. She drew a deep breath and nodded, arriving at the shop a couple minutes later. "I'll get you some ice," she said emotionlessly before climbing out of the car and walking into the garage.

She yanked out an icepack, wrapped it in a paper towel, then finally glanced to Jazza,"He got beat up, are you happy?" She asked through pursed lips.

"No, I'm sorry!" Her sister didn't wait for her to answer. "I just didn't want you getting--" Jazzebella sighed as she slammed the door shut.

Jesseye stalked back to his van, placing her pack gently on his eye, "And you said you didn't need my protection," she smirked as she bent down next to him. She scoffed lightly at memory.

He laughed just enough to elicit a suck of sharp breath, "Maybe I do a little." He said with a weak smile. Agh only that small movement of his jaw hurt. A groan flowed from his lips. How it destroyed her as she continued to hold the ice on his eye. "Thanks for coming to get me. I'm sorry for what I did."

She placed a soft smile on her lips, "It's okay," she said with a nod. She had the urge to stroke his cheek and withdrew. Her heart ached dreadfully for him as she leaned back into her hands.

"I shouldn't have played around like that." He mumbled with a slow shake of his head. "I won't do it anymore. I promise."

She nodded her forgiveness, "Thanks. I just.. Um." She glanced away, sighing deeply. He already knew. Why bother trying to explain it? Did he care at all? "You wanna watch me movie with me..?" She asked as if a humble slave.

He seemed just like the rest, taunting her because they didn't actually care. But maybe if she just gave him one more chance? Maybe, maybe, he'd-- oh who was she kidding?

She clenched her fist and tried to shake her head of her thoughts. His answer surprised her doubt filled heart, "Yeah, course, Jess."

She looked up with tears in her eyes, "R-really?"

He nodded and tried to get up to prove it. But he couldn't, he started to fall. She gasped and caught him, "Okay, okay, I get it." Shane tried to smile but it didn't last long. She held his arm around her shoulder and gently placed her hand on his side. "Let's get you down and I'll call Jazza, kay?"

He only nodded. As soon as they reached the dirt ground, she started yelling for the dark skinned woman,"Jazzabella! We need help!"

Jazza's head shot up at the noise. She rushed to them and helped drag him into the shop. Once her duty was done, Jesseye dismissed her and she didn't object. They deserved that much.

After she lugged a blanket from her room and tucked it securely between him and the couch's armrest, Jesseye settled a good distance away.

"Actually, what do you think of a cartoon show? I started one the other day, Gravity Falls?" Shane glanced over to Jess and shrugged.

She smiled and switched it on then remembered his ice. "I'm sorry about Jazza," she said, the unrest in her soul making her quiet. She rested her head atop her knees and sighed, "I just used to get in a lot of trouble with guys like you, so she's protective."

He shook his head lightly, moving the ice to his side. "It's fine. It's good that she's protective." He winced before looking back to see her holding it for her. He frowned. He didn't deserve her kindness. "She did nothing wrong. I did."

"It's fine," she stared blankly at the TV and yawned. Throughout the show, she couldn't help moving closer. It was easier to hold up his pack that way. Jesseye hated the pain she knew he was feeling. She wished she could help and comfort him more.

Shane noticed but didn't say anything. He just yawned. Truth be told, he wanted her closeness.

She smiled at him softly and pushed her luck a bit more, scooting over a bit more. He was probably too distracted. He bit his cheek as he wanted desperately to pull her close and hold her, but everything hurt it.

She sighed deeply as she couldn't focus on the cartoon show. It was one of her favorites, but so much had happened today. Without much thought her gaze switched to him. For nearly an entire show she watched the light flicker across his bruised face. Would he ever love her?

Rightfully she thought he was too tired and absorbed by his show to notice her. Shane didn't look up to her and make eye contact until the episode ended. She snickered lightly and glanced away, blood warming her face.

He cleared his throat while rubbing his swollen eye. "It was pretty brave if you to come get me." He commended softly, hoping a lower tone would be easier on his jaw, "Stand up to those guys. Thanks." He said with a smile, honestly kind of proud of her,"I wouldn't have been surprised if they had killed me."

"It was nothing." She dismissed through a yawn,"I'd do anything for family," she said sincerely.

He smiled his agreement. "Same."

"For you," she smiled and let that sink in for a moment before adding. "We're friends, remember?" She asked, leaning up to kiss his cheek. If Jazza could be bold, why couldn't she?

His face fumed with heat. Regret stung her heart. What a great friend he was. How could he be the lover she wanted if he hadn't even noticed until now that she was snuggling up against him?

She deserved so much better than him, but, he knew, she wanted him alone. Shane sighed at that simple truth. He liked her back. Yet he had done nothing, but hurt her. He had tortured her then watched her sob smuggly from the sidelines. How selfish he'd been. How could he, after everything that happened today, deny her any longer?

He slowly put his arm up on the back of the couch and lowered it to her shoulders to pull her close. She looked up to him and just grinned so wide, completely relaxed in his arms. 'She's not gonna hurt you. She saved you. She deserves your trust.' He had to tell himself.

"I love this, Shane," Jesseye couldn't help whispering, nuzzling her head into his chest. She was overjoyed.

He took a slow deep breath as he drew her into him, focusing on her instead of his pain. He smiled and hugged her tightly. "So do I." He said softly as he rubbed her back gently and watched his show. Oh those simple words melted her heart. She felt like putty in his lap.

Was he really enjoying this as much as her? He sighed shakily and buried his face in her hair. Maybe this day was turning around. He was holding her, again. Did that mean she actually had hope or was it because they were both exhausted?

She shrugged with her face buried in his chest, her breaths gradually slowing.

Shane smiled down at Jesseye when he noticed she had fallen asleep. Forgetting all about the TV, the man slowly turned and laid down so that she could probably lay on his chest. She had proven herself today. It was time he acknowledged his own feelings and excepted hers. He smiled at her soft snore and rubbed her back. It was time he stopped hurting her.