Chapter 8: Like Father Like Son Part 2

It had reached noon easily, and the Pierce household was so quiet, that the birds chirping outside in harmony ultimately took over, their beautiful voices echoing against the cream coloured walls.

Allison had gone off to take a shower, the twins still remained inside their room grumpily, and Jackson had finished getting dressed, ready to venture off to his workplace to talk to his boss about an advanced paycheque.

He climbed up the stairs with two plates of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in his hands and walked past his room and Allison's, all the way towards the twins' bedroom.

As his hands were preoccupied, he didn't bother to knock, and instead, lightly pushed the door open with his right hip, barging in to witness Jocelyn and Alex laying sulkily in their beds, in the exact same position he had seen them in over an hour ago.

"Is anyone hungry?" Jackson spoke lightheartedly, putting on his best cheerful smile as he approached the two.

"No," Alex replied emotionlessly with an irritated pout outstretched widely across his face, as Jocelyn groaned inwardly against her pillow in agony.

"Okay...if you say so." Jackson shrugged teasingly, making his way towards the table between their beds that presented a small lamp and Alex's Gameboy that was left remarkably untouched. "I guess I'll just leave the sandwiches here; you know, in case you two ever do get hungry."

Jocelyn rolled her eyes at her older brother's persistent tries and flatly countered. "We won't."

Alex nodded his head in agreement at his twin sister's words, as Jackson subtly raised both eyebrows with a playful grin hanging on his lips as he made his way back towards the door, leaning against the doorframe for support.

"You two do know that you have to step out of this room at some point, right?" The eldest Pierce sibling asked. "You have to go to school, and then there is the matter of going to the bathroom-''

"We will work that out when the time comes," Alex interrupted, eyeing his older brother in an ambiguous manner, as Jackson raised his right eyebrow upwards in intrigue.

Without any hesitation, he simply nodded in response, and then slowly stepped out of the twins' bedroom, making sure to shut the door completely behind him.

As he started walking down the hall, a thought occurred to him, and he stopped in his tracks momentarily, then retraced his steps back towards the twins.

He quickly opened their bedroom door and was amused to find Jocelyn and Alex devouring the sandwiches like a pack of wolves.

Jackson withheld his urge to laugh, and stood in the doorway, patiently waiting for them to notice his presence.

Once they did, the twins froze in their spots with their mouths half-opened and their sandwiches half-eaten, staring at their older brother in shock.

"I was going to say that I also made lemonade; it's in the refrigerator downstairs," Jackson managed to get out, pausing between words to prevent the laughter from escaping his lips. "Anyways, enjoy your lunch."

Without another word, he fled the room once again, closing the door on his way out, and finally released a brief chuckle while proceeding down the hallway with his car keys now dangling on his pinky finger.

As he came across his own room, he noticed Allison's door left slightly ajar, showing her standing in front of her bed in wet hair, staring sentimentally at a specific charm on her bracelet.

Jackson observed his younger sister intently as she twirled the bone-shaped charm between her thumb and index finger in silence, with a univocal expression attached to her face.

He approached her bedroom quietly, and lightly knocked on her door, quickly snapping Allison out of her melancholic thoughts.

The eldest Pierce daughter turned around to meet her brother's soft gaze, as Jackson walked inside the room, standing closely in front of her with caring eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips, as Allison reflexed into a patent beam, and nodded her head in assurance while releasing the metallic charm from her grasp.

The two shared a strong gaze until Allison's eyes trailed downwards to Jackson's right hand and the car keys that he clutched tightly in it.

"Are you going somewhere?" She questioned, changing the sensitive topic, as Jackson followed his sister's eyes towards his own hand, and remembered where he had planned to go.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, briefly stammering as a result of his forgetfulness. "I was going to go see if Henry was still at the café by chance, and ask him about an advanced paycheque." He further explained, getting lost in a habitual ramble. "I know today is the long weekend, so there's a chance he might not be there at this time. I was supposed to go this morning, but then..."

He stopped in the middle of his sentence abruptly, not wanting to vocalize the unfortunate event that took place in the morning.

Allison shot him an empathetic look, and nodded once again in comprehension, responding optimistically. "Well, hopefully, he's there."

She stared up at him with her brown eyes and an encouraging smile, as Jackson let out a slight laugh, amazed by his sister's incredible ability to be undeniably sanguine at the most desolate of times.

Deciding to linger a bit longer, Jackson smirked playfully, eyeing Allison's soaked hair more in-depth as it produced a small puddle on the floor.

"Ah, I see you've decided to stick with this hairstyle after all," he teased, referring to their banter yesterday about her hair being left damp, as an outcome of running late to work.

He reached out to gently grab a strand of her drenched hair, as Allison rolled her eyes in a playful manner, but played along.

"Why yes," she responded, as Jackson swiftly let go of her hair, and smiled down at her. "I think it really suits me, as someone once said."

The two shared a short laugh together, until nothing but silence passed on, as they both met each other's gaze once more.

"Maybe I should," Jackson started awkwardly, jingling his keys noisily, and gestured towards the door as he took a step back.

Allison anxiously rocked back and forth in her spot, contemplating mentally, but then finally reaching a decision, she made a mad dash towards her brother.

"Jackson, wait," she spoke aloud, halting him in his steps, as he turned back around and raised a curious eyebrow, unaware as to what she was going to say. "I have to tell you something."

Her voice was firm and serious, and she displayed a conflicting expression in conjunction, leaving Jackson to be concerned about her possible revelation.

But as if time was against her, the loud chimes of the doorbell going off reverberated throughout the house, preventing Allison from speaking her mind.

Being kicked into his instinctively protective nature, Jackson muttered lowly to himself. "Who could it be now?"

Allison sighed momentarily, having been impeded from her divulgence, but nonetheless, started following her brother's steps out of the room.

As they exited Allison's room and entered the upstairs hall, the sight of Jocelyn and Alex standing outside of their bedrooms with hopeful expressions surprised the eldest Pierce siblings.

"Bruno's back?" Jocelyn assumed, the sparkle in her eyes returning, as Alex stood beside his twin sister in anticipation, replicating her same smile.

Jackson stared at the twins for a short moment, and then wordlessly trudged downstairs with the rest of the Pierce siblings trailing behind curiously.

The twins hung back in the living room in fear of being let down, as Allison stood closely behind Jackson who had made a move to open the front door.

As he held the doorknob securely in his right hand and pulled back in his direction, he was heavily disappointed when he saw the two-faced boy standing dominantly in front of him, a mischievous grin sewn onto his lips.

After staring at him intensely in silence, Jackson only then observed the bouquet of flowers he was holding in his hands.

Not hearing her older brother say anything, and failing to see his reaction, Allison made another step towards the door and asked obliviously. "Who is it?"

The twins remained quiet, vigilantly studying the situation, and hoping that Bruno had returned to them once again.

Jackson withheld his urge to let out a discontented breath, and instead, released the doorknob, and stepped out of the doorframe, avoiding his sister's questioning eyes while announcing emotionlessly. "It's Ethan; your boyfriend."

Allison's eyes widened at her brother's words, as the twins held on a disheartened expression, returning to their utterly miserable state.

Jackson now leaned against the kitchen counter in annoyance, as Allison viewed Ethan standing on her porch with flowers and a sweet smile.

"Ethan..." she trailed off weakly, unable to conjure up a convincing smile, as the brown-haired boy stepped inside the house with gleaming eyes, taking Allison's disconcerted greeting as an invitation. "What uh, what are you doing here?"

At no sign of a four-legged creature entering their house, the twins temporarily slumped down on the couch, also dejected by Ethan's presence.

Ethan approached Allison slowly with a charming grin and responded mellowly. "You weren't answering your phone. I was worried about you."

Jackson rolled his eyes and scoffed quietly at the sound of his banal words, as Allison feebly let out an uncomfortable laugh, struggling to come up with a convincible excuse.

"I uh..." she stuttered, abstaining from meeting his piercing eyes. "I was quite busy today, and my phone was turned off."

Jackson squinted his eyes and examined the uncompromising interplay, struck by his sister's words.

Ethan nodded in response to Allison, and then looked downwards to present the flowers to her in pride. "I wasn't sure what kind of flower you liked, so I brought you roses. I figured everyone likes roses."

Jackson stifled another chuckle, amused by Ethan's cliché choice, as the twins listened uneasily to their mushy exchange.

Allison smiled awkwardly, forcing a laugh to escape her lips, and then hesitantly accepted the bouquet of roses from him. "Um...thank you."

"I was hoping we could hang out today," Ethan announced suggestively, as Jackson raised both eyebrows in disbelief.

Before Allison could even reply, Ethan took a look around the house, and raised an eyebrow, proposing an untimely idea. "Where's your dog? Maybe we could bring him along on a walk in the park?"

At the mere mention of Bruno, Jocelyn and Alex both released a disgruntled sound, and marched up the stairs in a foul mood, reminded of their loss once more.

Ethan scrunched his eyebrows in confusion at their nonsensical reaction, as Allison sighed, and ran a distressed hand through her damp hair.

"Did I say something wrong?" The doe-eyed boy spoke innocently, unaware of The Pierce's woeful situation, as Jackson briefly rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Listen, Ethan," Allison began, at last, candidly meeting the boy's gaze. "I don't think right now is a good time-''

Before she could explain any further, Jackson chimed in after her in unexpected opposition, presuming that she had meant the complete opposite, but was forced to decline due to their unfortunate circumstances. "You know what, I was just leaving anyway, so you two can hang out freely."

Ethan watched Allison's entirely shocked expression, taken aback by her brother's condoning words, as Jackson took out his car keys that he had slipped in his pocket, and quickly started heading out the front door, wanting to leave immediately.

Allison furrowed her eyebrows in puzzlement, setting the roses down on the kitchen counter hurriedly, and pushed past Ethan to catch sight of her brother's indecipherable eyes as he stood on the porch with his car keys laced between his fingers.

As she opened her mouth to question his unanticipated sanction, Jackson turned around and beat her to the chase.

"Call me immediately if something happens," he warned sternly in a hushed tone, showing his true nature, as Allison tilted her head incomprehensibly.

"What would happen?" She inquired curiously, as Jackson's expression softened, and he held a strong gaze with her.

"You know what," he replied tenderly, sharing an unspeakable moment with her, and then started making his way towards his car.

Allison paused for a short moment, and then slowly turned around to witness Ethan approaching her with his hands in his pockets.

"I like your hair," he commented, referring to her wet hair, and using it as an excuse to come closer to her, as Allison faked another smile, lost in her conflicting thoughts yet again.

-

The wind had picked up noticeably and blew Jackson's thick black hair backward as he exited his car and made his way to his workplace.

On his march to the café, he couldn't help but think about her sister being left alone with Ethan.

He had promised to protect her after finding out about their abusive father, but he had also promised to grant Allison the freedom to make her own choices.

There was a fine line between the two, and although it made him uncomfortable to think about what Allison and Ethan could possibly be doing together alone and what kind of tricks Ethan could pull, he respected his sister, and he trusted her enough to make her own decisions.

He could only hope things would be okay.

Shaking off his worrisome thoughts, he pushed open the front door to the café, anticipating the pleasant sound of the bell that hung just above the door.

As he entered the Red Rose Café, his eyes came across his fellow co-worker Ben taking a customer's order.

The place was moderately busy, as the townspeople gathered to enjoy a cup of coffee on their day off.

"Hey, Jackson!" Ben exclaimed, noticing his presence, as the eldest Pierce sibling walked over to him with a smile. "I didn't know you had a shift today."

"I don't," Jackson said, as Ben began brewing a cup of coffee, and glimpsed back at him. "I wanted to speak with Henry. Is he here by any chance?"

Ben nodded shortly and then responded in elucidation. "Yes, he's just at the back getting ready to leave."

Jackson let out a breath of relief, muttered a quick thanks, and then made his way behind the counter, towards the back room.

There he saw Henry collecting his things, on his way home to enjoy the rest of his day.

Henry turned around and viewed Jackson who stood straight, trying to figure out how to fragmentize his request.

"Hey Jackson," he greeted with a warm smile and approached him. "Nice to see you. Did you leave something behind?"

Jackson sank his hands into his pockets nervously and began constructing his sentence. "I actually wanted to speak with you about something. Is this a good time?"

The good-natured boss smiled once more and nodded his head in a friendly manner. "You've caught me at the right time. What did you want to talk about?"

Jackson studied his round, amiable face, and took in a deep breath, trying to find his confidence. "I was wondering if I could receive an advanced paycheque this week." Henry stayed quiet, unable to reply in correspondence, and Jackson took that as a chance to elaborate on his plea. "I've just been...saving up for my sister's birthday gift, and I wanted to get her something special." He lied straight to his teeth, not having an option to tell Henry the harrowing truth, and felt a twinge of guilt course through his veins. "Her birthday is in a couple of days, so I wanted to buy her a gift on time."

Jackson bit his lip harshly, and clutched the insides of his pockets tightly, disappointed in himself for lying to his kindhearted boss.

Henry remained silent for a brief moment, and looked at the ground, trying to process his sudden request, as Jackson keenly observed him, to figure out his answer.

"Jackson," he stated lowly, finally meeting his eyes. "You are by far one of the best employees I've had the pleasure to hire, and I truly wish I could provide you that option, but the truth is, I just can't afford it." He paused shortly, displaying a sympathetic expression, and tried to further explain his commensurable situation. "I run a small business that is open 24 hours a day to make ends meet, and I just had to purchase a new coffee machine recently. I've even had to be opened on a long weekend to meet our monthly sales. I'm just barely getting by and paying you earlier, even if it is just a few days early, I just cannot do it."

Jackson earnestly listened to his explanation, and expressionlessly nodded his head in understanding.

"I'm sorry," Henry apologized sincerely, placing a comforting hand on Jackson's left shoulder, as he fabricated an intact smile.

"I-it's okay," the eldest Pierce sibling spoke shakily. "Thank you anyways."

Millions of unpleasant scenarios circled in Jackson's brain, distressed by his dire situation, and the urgency of paying the bills on time.

"I should thank you," Henry interjected, showing his gratitude. "If it weren't for you and Allison yesterday, I would've lost a lot of sales from the damaged coffee machine, but somehow you two managed to fix it, long enough to give me time to get a new one."

Jackson shrugged modestly with his hands still in his pockets and truthfully vocalized. "It was all Allison's doing." He recalled yesterday's events and let out a doting laugh at how his sister was insistent on repairing the broken coffee machine. "She's stubborn, but when she wants something, she'll always give it her best."

Henry reciprocated Jackson's adoring smile and stated genuinely. "You two work well together." He then lightheartedly murmured underneath his breath. "I wish my children got along as well as you two."

Jackson smiled faintly, and then lightly chuckled, appreciative of his close relationship with his sister, and pitiful of how many others didn't get the same opportunity to experience something like that.

"Well," Jackson started, wanting to conclude their conversation to head back home to relay the bad news. "I should get going."

Henry nodded in apprehension, and compassionately smiled once again, bidding him a farewell. "I will see you next week."

With one last smile, Jackson walked out from behind and said goodbye to Ben, then made his way back to his car.

As he sat down in the driver's seat, his mind wandered to the bitter truth; he had not succeeded in receiving the advanced paycheque that he was so sure of obtaining in order to pay the bills.

Compressing his head in distress, Jackson growled in irritation and angrily bashed his steering wheel repeatedly in frustration.

-

Back at the Pierce House, Allison held on a forged toothy grin, standing uncomfortably in front of Ethan.

The twins were pent up in their bedroom, still refusing to come out, and Jackson had left to attend an errand, leaving only Allison and Ethan behind; together, and alone.

As Allison avoided the brown-haired boy's eye contact, Ethan had voluntarily made his way closer towards her, gazing at her in aspiration.

"You didn't have to bring me flowers," the eldest Pierce daughter spoke finally, breaking the intolerable silence, as Ethan lifted the corner of his mouth upwards into a mischievous grin.

"But I wanted to," he replied, as Allison trailed her eyes towards him at last, mentally pondering his intent.

She smiled politely back up at him, as he took in a big breath, and then steered himself into the direction of the living room.

"So, is your mom home?" He scanned the whole living room, making sure to linger his gaze questionably at the now bare walls, finding it a little odd that the family photos that were once there were taken down.

Allison mentally recalled the lie she had told Ethan during his first visit and responded based on her mother's false occupation. "She's uh...working an emergency shift at the clinic. You know, lots of lives to save."

Ethan simply nodded in understanding, as Allison fought hard to maintain her composure as she lied straight through her teeth.

As the brown-haired boy continued to let his eyes wander around the room to notice any more changes, his eyes drifted to the wooden stairs.

"Can we go upstairs?" He asked rather boldly, sporting a wholesome expression, as Allison raised both eyebrows upwards in surprise. "I mean, only if you're okay with it."

"U-upstairs?" She repeated apprehensively, studying Ethan's ambiguous eyes.

She didn't know why she was so nervous about it. She and Ethan had been in her room once before, and it was fine.

Why was she so scared and unsure of it now?

"We don't have to if you don't want to," he added in softly, as Allison gulped forcibly, and then reluctantly took a step towards him.

"I'm okay with it," she managed to choke out, leading the way up the stairs, as Ethan followed closely behind.

The two came across her bedroom, and Allison stepped in hesitantly, as Ethan trailed avidly after her.

The uncomfortable atmosphere only enlarged, as Allison found her heart beating irregularly in anxiety.

"Can I sit down?" Ethan asked courteously, taking notice of her timorous conduct.

Allison nodded slightly in response, and Ethan sat down at the edge of her bed, scanning the room with his brown eyes.

The Pierce daughter stood just before the bed, wanting to escape this undesired situation, but as if her worst nightmare had come to life, Ethan had spoken yet again, uttering a rather redolent suggestion.

"Do you want to sit down?"

Having no confidence to decline his offer, Allison gradually sat down beside the boy, her body stiff as a rock.

"So," Ethan began, trying to make conversation, as Allison tried her best to control her breathing. "I had a lot of fun last night on the double date. Your friend Rebecca sure is...something."

He let out a slight chuckle, as Allison laughed uneasily, staring blankly ahead at the wall.

"I hope I didn't overwhelm you with all the texts and calls this morning," he continued, gazing at the left side of Allison who still kept her gaze forwards. "I realize now I must've given off a stalker vibe."

At the sound of him attempting to make a joke, Allison shook her head with a small smile, genuinely laughing this time, and finally turned her head leftwards to meet his eyes.

"I just missed you, Pierce," the brown-eyed boy confessed huskily, his voice getting significantly low, as he leaned closer towards the frightened girl. "I really missed you."

By the end of his sentence, he was now inches away from her face with his eyes shut, nearing closer by the second, while Allison's eyes were opened wide, completely terrified.

As the harshness of reality broke in, Allison stood up abruptly, gaining a sudden rush of courage, leaving Ethan's advances unrequited, and himself utterly embarrassed.

"Ethan," she addressed firmly, now valiantly staring at him, as the boy held on a look of humiliation. "Look, a lot has happened today, and I just want to be alone right now." She went on further, trying her best to alleviate the damage from her actions. "Thank you for worrying about me, and bringing me flowers, but today is not a good day for me. I'm sorry," she concluded, anxiously playing with her fingers, afraid of how he would react.

Instead of behaving furiously, Ethan quietly stood up from her bed and emotionlessly replied. "I understand."

Allison sighed in relief at his peaceful response, and then tailed down the stairs after him, walking him to the front door.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow," she said, as Ethan gave her a reserved nod with an aggravated expression, and then fled the porch.

Allison closed the front door, feeling a big weight being lifted off of her shoulders, then leaned her back against the door, mentally recalling her encounter with Ethan minutes ago, and cringed in perturbation.

Ethan had wanted to kiss her.

It was only normal for boyfriends and girlfriends to kiss each other.

So why did she not want to kiss him?

-

The clock had struck one, and Allison was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner for her siblings and herself, savouring the tranquil atmosphere in the house that was seldom quiet.

She had heard the distant sounds of the twins' bedroom opening and closing every now and then, as they made their discreet trips to the bathroom, but for the most part, the house was silent.

The Pierce daughter couldn't help but let her mind wander to her unpleasant encounter with Ethan while she cooked, mentally driving herself insane with her incessant overthinking.

She was so indulged in her tyrannizing thoughts, that she had failed to hear the loud engine of a car pulling up on the driveway, bearing an aggravated Jackson who stormed his way up the porch steps.

The irascible Pierce boy unlocked the front door, and angrily marched inside the house, heedlessly throwing the car keys on the kitchen counter to his right, unaware of his sister's presence.

He looked ahead at the view of the living room, expecting Bruno to come running to him excitedly to greet him and change his whole mood around, but was met with nothing but emptiness.

"Oh you're home," Allison declared, being driven out of her ceaseless thinking, completely oblivious to her brother's undesirable condition.

Jackson immediately forged a faint smile, not wanting to showcase his true emotions or appear vulnerable in front of his sister.

He simply nodded at her statement, and leisurely made his way towards the kitchen, as Allison placed a lid upon the dish that she was cooking and approached her brother, the kitchen counter separating them both from moving any closer towards one another.

"What're you making?" Jackson asked lightly, avoiding her eyes to mask the disappointment from the refusal of his request to Henry.

"Pasta," Allison answered casually, with a shrug at the end. "I figured we'd go grocery shopping later this week."

Jackson nodded once again, and briefly scanned the house in search of a particular brunette.

"So uh," he started reticently and held on a distant expression. "Where's your boyfriend?"

Allison paused for a moment to gather her words and shake off the embarrassment from her moment with Ethan and then responded to Jackson's curious inquiry. "He uh...left awhile ago."

Taken aback by her revelation, Jackson raised both eyebrows, curious about Ethan's quick departure.

"Already?" He spoke in bewilderment, as Allison nodded in response.

"Yeah," she confirmed lowly, focusing her sight on the kitchen counter to prevent her brother from dissecting her lies. "He had to go do something at home."

Jackson took notice of his sister's strange behaviour, his stare lingering on her for a bit, and then made his way around the counter towards the fridge, to fetch orange juice.

"That's odd," he commented, as he closed the refrigerator door after getting a carton of juice, and then reached over to grab a glass from a nearby cabinet. "I thought he'd at least stay for dinner." Allison bit her bottom lip with her back facing her brother, while Jackson began pouring the orange juice into the glass, and continued his commentary in a snarky manner. "I mean he went through a lot of effort to come all the way here." After taking a sip out of his glass, he turned around with a caustic expression sewn onto his face and eyed the forsaken bouquet of roses laying on the counter. "Not to mention, he brought a whole bouquet of flowers, just for you. It seems...surprising that he would leave so soon. Very ungentlemanly, don't you think?"

Allison rolled her eyes in annoyance, having enough of her brother's unwanted postulation that he had voiced in a sarcastic tone, and turned around abruptly to face him.

"Why did you leave me alone with him?" She questioned sharply in anger, stepping closer to Jackson who was leaning his back casually against the counter with a glass full of orange juice in his hand. "How could you just leave, knowing what happened to me in the past?"

Now Jackson had also reached a boiling point, and scoffed, stunned by his sister's irrational question, and then raised both eyebrows upwards in disbelief.

He calmly placed the glass on the counter behind him and approached his sister who stood tall in front of him.

"Because I thought that's what you wanted," he argued, letting his voice get a few decibels higher, losing his patience as a result of everything bad that had happened today.

"Why would I want that?" Allison countered, her voice getting louder as well in the heat of the moment, as the two stood inches away from each other.

"Because you told me you liked him last night!" Jackson shouted unprecedentedly, unable to control his intense emotions, as Allison cowered back slightly, shocked by her brother's anomalous actions.

Jackson too scared himself at the strong voice that he used with his sister who stared into his raging eyes with her glossy ones.

He took in a remorseful breath, and then rubbed his forehead aggressively with his right hand, ashamed of his outburst.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly, looking at Allison who had taken a cautious step away from him and was now leaning on the kitchen counter for support. "I'm sorry."

Off in the distance, the sound of creaking floorboards was heard, as Jackson drifted his gaze away from his sister momentarily, and turned his head to the right to see the twins hovering above the stairs together, watching both him and Allison with terrified expressions.

Immediately, his heart sank, as a quick flashback of him and Allison as children resurfaced, where they fearfully watched their parents argue every night.

"Jocelyn, Alex, go back to your room, everything is fine," he said definitively, as the twins rushed back to their room in a hurried motion, not wanting to defy Jackson's instruction.

Once the twins had left, Jackson focused his gaze back onto Allison who was no longer standing in front of him and had resumed cooking, stirring the pasta around with a wooden spoon.

Jackson sighed quietly, and then walked towards her slowly, noticing her body slightly trembling as a response to his repulsive behaviour.

"Allison," he called out, once he stood just behind her, but she didn't react.

She continued shifting the pasta around in the pan, and held a strong gaze downwards, not wanting to show her vulnerability.

Jackson took in a short breath and moved forward, then reached around to softly grab a hold of her right arm holding the wooden spoon moving horizontally in the pan.

Allison stopped her movements at his touch, and let go of the spoon entirely, letting it fall into the pan, as Jackson's grip on her loosened.

She turned around swiftly to face her older brother who stood directly in front of her and stared down at her unreadable face.

"Allison," Jackson repeated, yielding a regretful expression. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

Instantly, Allison displayed a faint smile, showing her optimistic side, and replied in understanding. "It's okay."

Jackson smiled softly in return, showcasing his gratitude, as Allison continued speaking.

"I'm assuming things with Henry didn't go so well," she concluded, changing the uncomfortable subject, as Jackson's face fell completely, remembering their piteous situation.

He shook his head as a response, as Allison's gaze shifted towards the floor, and Jackson viewed the window behind her intensely, unable to form any words.

"We're going to use my child support," Allison spoke clearly, now refocusing her sight back onto Jackson who opened his mouth to object, but beat him to the chase. "And I'm not taking no for an answer."

Her voice was steady, and assertive, astounding Jackson with her authoritative behaviour.

"We are a family, and family is supposed to be there for each other," she finished, meeting Jackson's docile, brown eyes.

Instead of opposing, Jackson simply nodded in agreement, learning to delegate.

"Okay," he replied, smiling faintly down at his younger sister, as she smiled in return, content with her brother's compliant response.

-

A half an hour later, Allison still stood in the kitchen just finishing up dinner, while Jackson started making his way upstairs towards his room, with his phone in his hand.

As he climbed the stairs, he scrolled through his phone that read numerous texts sent by Rebecca which went unnoticed.

She had accepted his apology last night without any hesitation, and she was back to being herself, which frightened Jackson, as he thought about the decision that he had already planned to act upon.

He took in a big breath, letting his guilt overcome him, and turned off his phone, finally reaching the top of the stairs where he took a few steps down the hall, and then reached for the doorknob to his bedroom.

As he clasped the doorknob within his right hand, he saw the twins' bedroom door open slowly, creating a faint creaky sound.

He witnessed Jocelyn cautiously sticking her head out between the crack, drifting her eyesight around to make sure that no one was there to view her.

Jackson stopped in his place, and observed her actions from a position that she could not see, watching his younger sister creep out of her room and slowly tiptoe towards the bathroom.

As Jocelyn reached her final steps to her desired destination and extended her right hand to open the bathroom door, Jackson let out a startling salute.

"Jocelyn," he addressed his sister, retracting his arm from the doorknob, and raised his right eyebrow in curiosity as Jocelyn jerked upwards in fright, then leisurely turned around to face her older brother.

"Jackie," she replied in her sweet voice, with a smile upon her face.

"What are you doing?" He simply asked, wondering why she was venturing into the bathroom so discreetly.

"Just going to the bathroom," Jocelyn said responsively.

A short moment of silence passed, as Jackson found it difficult to say anything else in return to such an answer.

However, Jocelyn took this as an advantage to ask a rather dreaded question. "Are you and Alli done fighting?"

Her voice was so frail, and her gloomy eyes seemed to find their way to her older brother now staring sympathetically at her.

He recalled the familiar events years ago, when he crept into the kitchen in the middle of the night after a horrendous altercation between mother and father where Augustin drove off in anger after breaking several beer bottles, and Jackson was left alone to comfort mother.

He was around Jocelyn and Alex's age, and he too wondered if his parents were done fighting.

Much to his dismay, they had only just begun.

Jackson blinked back his true emotions, and forged a reassuring smile, nodding silently in response.

"Were you fighting about Alli's boyfriend?" Jocelyn probed innocently, catching Jackson off guard at the repulsive mention of Ethan.

He quickly hid his naturally displeased expression, and then approached Jocelyn, placing his hands on her shoulders in a brotherly manner.

Slightly crouching down to her height, he dismissed her presumption and spoke in a tender tone. "There's nothing to worry about, Joce." He continued, as Jocelyn stared naively into his comforting eyes. "Allison and I..." he trailed off, fishing for the right word to use. "We just had a disagreement. But everything is fine now."

Jocelyn nodded in understanding, quick to believe his words.

She had no other choice.

-

A few hours had passed, and each Pierce sibling remained in their own bedrooms, with nothing but silence to occupy them.

The twins still refused to come out of their rooms, which concerned Jackson and Allison, as it was almost time for dinner, and their secluded protest had gone on long enough.

Nonetheless, they stood by their decision, and the eldest Pierce siblings' attempts at getting them out of their bedroom were proven unsuccessful.

Now, Jackson was in his room sitting at his desk and drawing images of whatever came to mind to pass time.

He found himself drawing Bruno over and over again, unable to mentally part with him, as the memory of his contagious smile floated in his head.

Right across the hall from Jackson's bedroom, Allison sat on her bed, holding a pencil in her right hand with her journal resting on her lap.

She seemed deeply conflicted, as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her, remembering her occurrence with Ethan earlier today.

As she recalled the moment she had dodged his attempt to kiss her, she tightened her grip on the pencil in unawareness, getting lost in a vortex of incongruous thoughts.

Her journal lay flat on her lap, open to a particular page she had successfully filled out that recapped the day's events, and showcased her true inner feelings that only brought her confusion.

Allison finally snapped out of her trancelike state, and wearily looked down to view the words that she had written on the off-white pages of her journal, disappearing into her world of conflicting thoughts.

Before she could finish reading her entry, Jackson barged into her bedroom without a knock, startling her in the process.

As he viewed her alarmed reaction, he flashed her an apologetic look for his sudden intrusion, and then awkwardly made his way towards her with fidgety hands, and stood at the side of her bed.

"I was thinking to have dinner now," he announced, his words trailing off as he saw the worn-out journal his sister was holding protectively in her lap. "I'm hoping we can try talking to the twins once more so they can join us downstairs."

Allison displayed a tense smile with a restraint nod, and then made a skittish movement to conceal her personal journal underneath her pillow to mask her ceaseless thoughts for the time being, and then used both of her hands to tuck each side of her tousled hair behind her ears.

Jackson studied his sister's odd demeanor, and raised his left eyebrow in curiosity, letting a few moments of silence pass by where Allison sat quietly on her bed, now staring vividly up at her older brother.

"Listen, Allison, I wanted to talk to you about something," Jackson spoke, at last, sitting down at the edge of the bed, letting the two siblings meet each other at eye-level.

Allison tilted her head in interest, awaiting her brother's alluring voice to reveal his unspoken thoughts once and for all, and watched his somber expression in intrigue.

"I wanted to apologize," he started, glancing at his still jittery fingers playing amongst themselves in his lap, and then paused in between as a result of being unable to properly paraphrase his sentence. "The way I've been acting about you and Ethan...it's not right," he explained, now meeting her dispirited eyes as he regretfully remembered his unpleasant interaction with Ethan last night where he could've been much nicer to him, and when he turned off Allison's phone so she wouldn't receive any texts or calls from him.

At the mention of Ethan, Allison had succumbed back into her troublesome thoughts and slouched back in her spot, now avoiding her brother's gaze as she turned her head to the side, and let out a tired sigh.

"I have no right to judge your relationship with him, and nitpicking all of his flaws is wrong to do. You are old enough to make your own decisions without your pathetic older brother getting in the way," he further elaborated, unaware of Allison's tormenting thoughts and conflicting facial expression.

Jackson smiled faintly, and then drifted his gaze back onto his sister, completing his sincere words. "I just want you to be happy."

After hearing his gentle voice, Allison quickly reverted her sight back onto him, revealing her vulnerable eyes that stared intently into his, exposing her miserable mental state.

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows in uncertainty, then slowly asked an apprehensive question, fearing the worst. "You are happy...aren't you?"

He searched her brown eyes for answers, but all he received was confusion and dissatisfaction where hope and resilience once were, dissipating so quickly in the overbearing silence.

"When Ethan and I were alone today-" she began in a leisurely manner, wanting to finally vocalize her true feelings out loud.

"Did he try anything on you?" Jackson interjected, his concerned expression altering rapidly into a protective and solemn one, as his breathing hitched in distress and his grip on the bedsheets tightened into his clutch, making the veins in his right hand appear much more prominent.

Allison held her mouth vaguely agape, stopping her sentence midway at her brother's worried interception, and then took in a deep breath, trying to choose her words carefully to clarify the situation, with Jackson's intense and anxious gaze on her.

"No," she replied concisely, letting Jackson rest his shoulders in slight ease. "No, it's not like that."

She stopped her explanation once again, finding it difficult to share such a sensitive topic with her brother.

However, her hesitancy dissolved utterly when she glanced forward at Jackson who had on his regular soft expression partnered with his comforting and docile brown eyes, patiently waiting to listen to her.

"He...tried to kiss me." Allison finally disclosed, mentally picturing the very moment that she had completely embarrassed herself in front of Ethan, as Jackson struggled to not form any sudden reaction to the delicate subject on hand, finding his composure slowly fading away. "But I didn't want to kiss him."

Jackson couldn't help the extremely transparent looks he displayed as his sister revealed her predicament to him, mentally cursing himself for acting so immaturely.

"He didn't pressure me or anything," Allison continued in elaboration, now taking short breaths as an outcome of her anxious exterior, while Jackson remained tongue-tied, unable to withstand his tyrannical emotions. "In fact, he didn't get angry that I dodged the kiss. I just...don't know why I didn't want to kiss him."

Now her sight had visibly drifted away from her mute brother who had his own eyes on the white bedsheets beneath him, and then Allison focused her gaze back onto her bedroom wall sheepishly, feeling mortified at her own revelation.

"Is that...wrong?" She ended her declaration with an innocent question, a question that Jackson did not have the nerve to answer.

Instead, the eldest Pierce sibling stayed absolutely silent, still stunned by his sister's unforeseeable words, and found it difficult to come up with a mere reply.

Now Allison played with the ends of her shirt, her eyes still fearfully on the wall, as the overwhelming urge to spill all the contents in her head became uninhibited.

"Maybe...maybe I don't actually like him," she said quietly, vocalizing her inner thoughts out loud at last. "Maybe I just like the idea of him."

Jackson lifted his head upwards to witness his sister's strained eyes, and her guilty appearance, feeling sympathetic towards her circumstance.

"He's perfect," Allison choked out blatantly, holding back her culpable tears. "I think that's why I wanted to be with him. And I just ended up leading him on..."

Jackson wanted to believe all this was true, but he couldn't help but spike a rather presumptive question for the sake of his sister's good conscience. "Are you sure you don't have feelings for him? What if you're afraid?" He continued to provide potential explanations in order to protect her guilty feelings. "After what you went through with our father, it's only normal to feel afraid."

"I know what that feeling's like," Allison responded confidently. "I'm not afraid, Jackson." She met his caring eyes once again and resumed fidgeting with the ends of her shirt, completely overcome by guilt. "Are we horrible people?"

She referenced Jackson's similar situation with Rebecca, and how both of them unintentionally played with their significant others' feelings.

Noticing her condition taking a turn for the worse, Jackson leaned over in his position and took a firm hold of his sister's restless right hand, providing her with comfort and assurance.

"Listen to me Allison," he spoke in a low and steady voice, looking deeply into her eyes in consolation. "We are not horrible people. We made an honest mistake, and we are going to fix it. Okay?"

She smiled faintly and slowly nodded as a response, cordially placing her free hand on top of Jackson's hand that lay on top of her other one.

She believed him of course. He had never steered her wrong before, and he wouldn't start now.

-

It was late evening now, and the eldest siblings had prepared for dinner, lining the same four plates and the same four sets of cutlery on the dining table.

Now they were on their way to Jocelyn and Alex, for a final attempt to get them out of their bedrooms at last.

Jackson and Allison didn't rehearse what they were going to say to convince the twins to depart their rooms. They figured they'd say whatever came to mind to comfort them, and hopefully, the twins would be hungry enough to give in and have dinner downstairs.

As both Jackson and Allison approached their door, they gave each other one last knowing look before entering the bedroom.

With Jackson's hand lingering on the doorknob, and Allison standing diagonally behind him, they viewed the twins laying down emotionlessly on their beds, still in a sulking state.

Jocelyn and Alex both made eye contact with their older siblings for a split second, and then looked away, putting on an indifferent facade.

"For the last time, we are not leaving this room," Alex stated assertively, followed by Jocelyn's supportive chimes, as Jackson and Allison slowly made their way towards them, ready to tackle a difficult situation.

"And we're not asking you to," Jackson replied casually, taking a rather risky route, catching the twins and Allison off guard.

Nonetheless, Allison quickly adjusted to her brother's clever tactic and added on to his response. "Yeah, we just wanted to ask how you two were doing, and if you wanted us to bring dinner upstairs."

Alex raised a suspicious eyebrow, as Jocelyn slowly sat upright on her bed, intensely analyzing Jackson as he plopped down across from her.

Allison moved closer to her younger brother, and conjured her most modest smile, folding her hands in front of her neatly.

"In fact, we've both given up trying to get you out of your rooms," Jackson went on, smiling at Jocelyn who remained wary. "We've realized everyone processes loss differently, and it's entirely up to you if you want to leave your room or not."

He lightly ran a brotherly hand through Jocelyn's hair, creating a frizzy mess, and caused her to let out a soft chuckle in delight.

Beside her, Alex rolled his eyes, still not buying their act, and finally sat upright, staring vigilantly at Allison standing right in front of him.

"Are you sure this isn't another scheme?" Alex questioned, a skeptical expression sewn on his face.

Allison laughed at her younger brother's ingenious assumption, and shook her head, sitting at the edge of his bed. "We just want to talk about what happened today with you guys." She said softly, recalling their chaotic morning. "It wasn't easy for me to handle. I can only imagine how you guys are feeling."

After Allison shared her thoughts, the dubious look in Alex's eyes disappeared and was soon replaced by pure vulnerability, as he reminisced about the blissful time he spent with Bruno.

The room was quiet for a moment, as the twins both finally let their guard down, wanting support and love from their siblings in order to overcome this situation.

"I miss him," Jocelyn spoke up at last, the shakiness in her voice exposing her sadness, as a small teardrop rolled down her plump cheek.

Jackson smiled sympathetically, and pulled her into a warm embrace, trying his best to comfort her and be there for her.

"I know, Joce. I miss him too," Jackson said, protectively engulfing the back of her head into his right hand, as she cried into his chest, feeling the absence of Bruno.

Alex looked over to his twin sister's state in sadness, and then met Allison's caring eyes, patiently waiting for his thoughts.

"I didn't want him to leave," Alex began slowly, holding back his tears, as Allison nodded at his statement. "I thought he would be with us...forever. He was family. He was supposed to be here...forever."

By now, Alex couldn't control his tears, as they flooded down his cheeks, unable to mask his true emotions.

Allison stretched across, and swung her arms around her younger brother in solace, as he wrapped his tiny arms around her grievously.

"I want him back," he wept, murmuring against Allison's shoulder, as Jackson sighed, struggling to watch his siblings in this pitiful state.

He hated seeing any of his siblings cry, and it often made him want to break down and cry.

But he knew he couldn't. He had to be the strong one, and keep his family together, even if it cost him his sanity.

Jocelyn clung onto her older brother, as Jackson held her comfortingly against him and looked upwards, meeting Allison's same concerned eyes.

"I want Bruno back as much as you," Jackson started, putting on his brave face, forcing an optimistic smile. "But the truth is, he already had a home before ours. As much as we love him, and miss him, we can't change that." He took in a deep breath, gaining strength to continue from Allison's encouraging smile. "Bruno will always be a part of our family, whether he's living with us, or miles away. Distance will never change our love for him," he completed, flashing Alex a reassuring glance, as Allison looked at Jackson gratifyingly, continuously amazed by his way with words.

"I know it hurts right now," Allison spoke, smiling warmly at Jocelyn's teary-eyed face. "But it's gonna get better," she assured, tightening her hold on Alex, and leaned down to kiss the top of his head.

"Promise?" Jocelyn squeaked out in her frail voice, extending her pinky towards Jackson who couldn't help but chuckle at her adorableness.

"Promise," he confirmed, intertwining their pinkies together, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

A few moments of silence passed by when Alex began to speak up, asking a rather unexpected question. "What's for dinner?"

"Pasta," Allison answered with a slight grin, finding amusement in Alex's voracious appetite.

"Could we maybe eat it...together? Downstairs?" He innocently asked with beady eyes, surprising everyone with his last question.

Jackson chuckled slightly, relieved to find his siblings feeling much better, and then replied in a hasty manner. "I thought you'd never ask."

With the twins rushing to satisfy their ravenous appetite and already out the door, Jackson and Allison both smiled in satisfaction at each other.

-

After the Pierce's had dinner and finished cleaning up, Jackson and Allison both put the twins to bed and were now in their separate rooms preparing for bed themselves.

Allison stroked her long brown hair for the last time with her hairbrush, and stood before her mirror for a few seconds, looking at herself.

She wore a black tank top paired with one of her favourite night shorts, and from her right wrist dangled her charm bracelet that she couldn't bring herself to part with.

For a moment, she was drawn back to her verbal exchange with mother last night and flinched at the insolent words she was called.

She shook her head, choosing to dismiss her negative thoughts, and walked out of her bedroom after turning off the lights, making her way across to Jackson's room.

She knocked lightly on the wooden door so as not to wake the twins, standing nervously in the dimly lit hallway.

Her heart had sped up significantly, and her fingers were unable to stay still against her sides.

She hadn't a clue why she was so anxious.

She and Jackson had been sleeping in the same room for a while now.

Granted, it was always awkward to initiate the nightly ritual for some reason, but when they had finally decided which room to sleep in for the night, everything was normal.

Seconds later, Jackson opened up his bedroom door wearing sweatpants and a white shirt, with his hair slightly ruffled.

"A-are you done getting ready for bed?" Allison stuttered, finding it difficult to get to the main point, as Jackson nodded in response. "Cool..."

Allison played with her fingers, and stared down at the ground for a few moments, before getting the nerve to ask her desired question at last. "Can I...sleep here tonight?"

Her gaze remained downwards, unable to meet her brother's radiant eyes, as Jackson heartily replied in an avid manner. "Of course."

Allison smiled, as he stepped aside to let her in, and then entered his room, scurrying over to the right side of the bed.

She quickly laid down, and pulled the covers over her, making Jackson smile to himself as he closed his bedroom door, joining his sister in bed.

He reached over to his bedside table with his right arm to turn off the lamp and then positioned himself on his left side, facing his sister who stared ahead at him with her right hand on her pillow, supporting her head.

"Tiring day, huh?" Jackson spoke, trying to make small talk to ease up the awkward tension.

Allison gave him a knowing look and shook her head in exhaustion, muttering softly. "To say the least."

Jackson shared a sympathetic expression, then took notice of the charm bracelet that he gifted his sister, hanging gracefully around her hand that was tucked underneath her head.

"You didn't take it off," he stated, gesturing to her wrist with a curiously raised eyebrow, as Allison followed his gaze.

"Oh, um...yeah," she said in embarrassment, squirming uncomfortably in her position, and came up with a believable lie. "I guess I forgot."

She made a move to take the bracelet off, but Jackson sprung forwards to stop her, gently grabbing a hold of her hand, feeling the cold metal brush against his skin.

"You don't have to," he slowly began, letting his grip loosen on her, as it fell down to one of the charms he was now grasping. "It looks nice on you."

He met her eyes with his usually tender expression, as Allison gazed intensely at him in perusal.

A few seconds had gone by, when she decided to look down at the specific charm he was twiddling with; the bone.

Her mind went back to the conversation about Bruno that she and him had with the twins earlier, and how Jackson was effortlessly able to provide them with comfort and reassurance.

"You're really good at talking to the twins, you know." She confessed in admiration, reverting her eyes back onto him, who modestly shrugged at her compliment.

"So are you," he easily reciprocated with a polite smile, letting go of the bone shaped charm that emitted a congruous sound after making contact with the other charms.

He then trailed his fingers back to her hand, and started playing with her fingers, feeling absolutely content and at ease.

"You'd make a great father," Allison noted out loud, not realizing the sentence's grave effect.

Instantly, Jackson's moving hand completely stopped in its place as a result of being taken aback by the words that came out of his sister's mouth.

Allison grew aware of what she had just said, and mentally cursed herself for letting it slip out of her tongue.

"I meant-'' she began to speak again, trying to fix her mistake, but Jackson cut her to the chase.

"It's okay. I know what you meant," he interjected, letting his right hand fall to his side, as both of the siblings shared an expressive look with each other.

Jackson then shyly looked down at the bedsheets, deciding to vocalize a thought that he had for a long time. "It's funny. I've always thought...you'd make a great mother." At the end of his sentence, he finally met her eyes once again, trying to read her complex expression.

She seemed surprised that he thought of her that way. She'd only ever seen herself as a fragile child unworthy of carrying the title of a strong person, let alone a mother.

"I guess we both are parents, in a sense," Allison voiced analytically, as Jackson intently listened to her theory. "We take care of the twins as if we are their parents, not their siblings."

"I guess someone has to," Jackson agreed, reflecting on the sad reality they were both faced with.

Allison scoffed at the situation, shaking her head in disbelief. "I didn't think that I'd be raising a family while being a child myself," she admitted truthfully. "I mean, today, with Bruno leaving, the twins being so upset, and the unpaid bills...I could barely handle it."

Jackson sighed softly, saddened by how his sister felt, and what both of them had to go through due to the absence of their parents.

"I know," was all he said, able to relate to every word she had spoken. "But tomorrow is another day. And hopefully, it will be much better."

He showcased his resiliency once more, putting on his typical sanguine smile, hoping to release some of the pressure off of his sister.

Allison nodded in understanding at his positive words, and nuzzled up against the pillow, letting her eyes close entirely after taking one last glance at Jackson.

-

It was almost midnight now, and as much as he tried, Jackson could not sleep. The day's events haunted him every time he closed his eyes.

Throughout the day, he had almost broken down countless times, wanting to give in to the loss of Bruno, the twins' distressed behaviour, and the nearly due unpaid bills. The closest he came today to breaking into tears was sulking on the front porch steps, where he had to soon drawback his internal emotions in Allison's presence.

Jackson was mentally strong and resilient at that, but even he couldn't deny that he wasn't invincible. He was human after all.

And being human came with weaknesses.

That being said, he always felt he shouldn't display his weaknesses in front of his family, for their sake; but he hadn't realized that by doing that, he only made it worse for himself. His brain could only handle so much.

So as he lay on his back, staring at the ceiling in mental anguish, he had registered that his ability to repress his emotions had reached a breaking point, where he could no longer conceal his innermost feelings.

Looking to the left, he watched his sister sleeping soundlessly next to him, her soft facial features heightened by the enticing glow of the half-moon's reflection. She seemed at ease, something Jackson could not find himself at after upholding his intact façade.

Unknowingly, he smiled at Allison, cherishing the felicitous moment, relieved to see her safe and sound. Witnessing her in this intimate position brought him back to his childhood, where the two siblings would often find themselves in a similar situation, trying their best to escape their quarrelsome parents.

Although many years had passed, nothing much had changed between the two. They were still very much glued at the hip and each other's confidants.

The only difference was the scars that had formed years back never fully healed. They had gotten significantly worse as the years went by.

In fact, they just kept opening back up again and again, pestering each of them like a nasty infection. The medicine to their wounds was never fully within reach, and they knew that.

So the only other option was to keep a close eye on the damage that had been done to prevent further destruction and learn to live with it.

However, thinking of what could happen if both of them had given in to their internal wounds, Jackson vowed to himself to keep Allison's scars safe and protected from everything. Of course, that meant abandoning his own to guard hers, leaving his completely undefended.

Years of this led to an untreatable infection seeping through his veins until it became a part of him.

Now it showed signs of manifesting, and Jackson knew it was beyond his control.

The silence grew unbearably louder, and the walls around him seemed to be caving in, as Jackson remained lifeless on his bed, tearing his gaze away from Allison, afraid his uncontrollable state would awaken her and place a heavy burden on her that he didn't want her to have to carry.

Instead, he fought through the agony, long enough until he was successfully out of his bedroom and on his way downstairs to acquire a glass of cold water, hoping it would wash down his painful symptoms.

The wooden steps felt cold against his bare feet as he descended down the stairs, ensuring to be exceptionally quiet in his late-night pursuit. His right hand glided across the railing, preventing him from falling down, as the room was engulfed in darkness.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs and travelled clumsily through the living room, Jackson felt his way across the walls to turn on the kitchen lights. Once he had accomplished his small goal, he let out a tired sigh, waltzing over to the cabinet to fetch a glass.

His movements were slow and quiet, as his mind was somewhere else. He found himself replaying the incidents of the day once again, profoundly feeling every ounce of pain in such a short amount of time.

The cries of Jocelyn and Alex overlapped into Henry's rejection of an advanced pay-cheque, which segued into Bruno's happy barks as he ran into his owner's arms. It seemed as though everything was piling up all at once, and anything he did- whether it was close his eyes or open them, he couldn't make it stop.

His brain was on a sensory overload, and he felt like curling up into a ball in the corner and covering his ears to rid himself of all the commotion in his brain.

Luckily the sound of the glass he held shattering against the marble counter broke him away from his tumultuous thoughts, slightly startling him in the process. He widened his eyes at the scene in front of him in disbelief, unable to process it all.

Finally, he slowly backed away from the counter, avoiding the pieces of broken glass that flew dangerously on the tiled floor, and made his way to the other side of the counter, restlessly placing his elbows on the marble with his head buried frustratingly in his hands.

His heartbeat had started beating at a hazardous pace, pounding aggressively against his chest, so he closed his eyes tightly, hoping to mentally block out everything that caused him to be in this state.

He struggled to maintain his composure but continued to fight back ferociously to prevent himself from breaking down and losing his fortitude. He let out a few grunts, violently shoving his head further into his hands and putting more pressure onto the counter to make his elbows sink deeper into the marble, trying to let the physical pain overcome the mental pain.

His tactic proved useless, however, unable to ever come near the severe mental agony he was cursed with so mercilessly.

As he began to accept his defeat, the sound of a car engine was heard, followed by the rattling of keys that grew louder by the second.

Jackson's head quickly shot up in alert, provisionally snapping out of his pitiful state as his protective instincts kicked in, curious about the unexpected visitor. He rapidly pushed past the counter that blocked his way and approached the front door that flew wide open, letting in the cold wind alongside the villainous source of his traumatic condition.

The wretched woman stood in the doorway with wet, stringy hair, a horrific amount of dried mascara on her face, the revolting smell of alcohol absconding from her lips, and a chain of keys hanging loosely in her shaky hands.

"Mother," Jackson addressed indignantly, completely appalled by her untimely and incongruous appearance. "Why are you here?" His words were sharp and expressing clear discontent.

Janet stumbled inside the house with a slight limp, pushing Jackson away from the doorway in the process, and let out a maniacal laugh, cracking the streaks of dried mascara on her cheeks.

Jackson watched his unstable mother settle her arm on the kitchen counter for support, and then closed the front door in utter confusion, unsure of the reason behind Janet's nightly occurrence.

"I want to see my children," the heavily intoxicated woman slurred in hysteria, staggering towards the stairs, as Jackson hurtled in front of her to block her way.

As Janet displayed an aggravated expression, the eldest Pierce son began his rebuke in a rather stern tone. "Do you have any idea how late it is? Not to mention you're completely drunk!"

Jackson's impatience didn't go unnoticed, as all the unfortunate events of the day caught up to him in a resentful manner, lashing out at the inebriated woman standing in front of him.

Janet's reddened venomous eyes met her eldest sons', as she momentarily paused in her position, examining his disgruntled expression in scorn.

"All you men love to make a mockery out of me, don't you?" She spoke wearily, shaking her head in disappointment, as Jackson furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement, not knowing what his mother had meant.

The drunken woman stepped back from her gallant son who continued to guard the stairs and wobbled into the living room with a faint scoff, a pained look sewn onto her cakey face.

Jackson took in a deep breath, trying to maintain what little composure he had left, and trailed after his dejected mother staring psychotically at the ground.

"What happened?" The eldest Pierce boy asked, wanting to know the meaning behind her words, and tried to sound sympathetic, but his voice came out quite emotionless from the lack of compassion left for his mother.

Janet continued to gaze at the hardwood floor for a few seconds longer, then finally lifted her head up to catch a glimpse of Jackson's eyes that briefly showcased concern for her.

Her stringy hair stuck to her cold face, as she announced a startling revelation.

"It seems that Christopher has decided to leave me." Instantly, Jackson's gaze fell to the floor in disdain at the mention of him, as Janet shook her head in anger. "After I gave him some money, he decided to run off with a young blonde chick."

The way she pronounced her words was harsh, fighting back the tears in her eyes that threatened to fall at any given moment.

This time, however, Jackson could not conjure up even an ounce of pity, as he raised both eyebrows in displeasure, choosing to vocalize his disapproving input. "So you lost all the money?" At the sound of his enraged voice and his decision to dismiss Christopher altogether, Janet tilted her head astoundedly. "...The money that we could've used to pay the bills to this house? The money that we could've saved for the twins' future? The money that we could've used for food?!"

By now, Jackson had lost all control as a result of everything that had happened today and was speaking very loudly in a petrifying voice, having no patience for his selfish mother anymore.

"Is that any way to speak to your mother?" Janet spat, regaining her typically impertinent personality as she stepped towards her oldest son disputatiously.

Jackson remained in his spot, unaffected by his mother's menacing movements, and spoke firmly in a hushed tone with his hands shaking vigorously in anger. "You are far from a mother."

Janet scoffed, taking her son's words as a joke, and slowly approached Jackson with a taunting look on her face.

"If you are that concerned about the money, why don't you ask your sister for it? I'm sure she makes quite a lot by whoring around the streets," she jabbed intoxicatedly, sneering at the exasperated boy standing in front of her.

This seemed to be the final straw for Jackson, as he slammed his right fist against the railing of the stairs that he was guarding, making Janet stumble back in alarm.

"Leave Allison out of this!" He yelled, his voice reaching a never heard before decibel, and his face started turning red from all the bottled-up emotions he was now starting to display rather chaotically.

Janet only chuckled in response, finding his outburst quite amusing, and decided to test his patience even more so. "Always quick to defend her," she commented ambiguously, tilting her head in a drunken manner as she continued goading her eldest son. "It's a shame that you couldn't defend that mangey mutt that you had..."

At the mention of Bruno, Jackson's ears perked up, and the vein in his neck popped out, ultimately releasing a side of him that no one had ever witnessed before, not even himself.

"What did you do?" He accused, stepping towards his mother ferociously, while Janet only shrugged her shoulders cunningly, enjoying the great displeasure she caused him, along with having the upper hand.

"I simply saw a post for a lost dog, and reunited that horrid fleabag with his rightful owner," Janet explained in glee, batting her eyelashes innocently. "Was that such a crime?"

A small smirk crept upon her lips, as Jackson balled up his fists, shaking uncontrollably in hysteria, unable to restrain himself.

"You..." Jackson scrambled to find the right word to describe Janet and her wicked ways but failed to do so, leaving her to continue her elaboration.

"I told you there would be consequences for lying to me."

She watched Jackson's state in amusement, finding delight in his suffering.

As Jackson struggled to hold back his violent emotions, he finally met his mother's psychopathic eyes staring daggers back at him.

He fought the urge to crumble down and somehow managed to deliver a few fierce words to rid himself of his sadistic mother. "Get out."

His tone was harsh, but not loud, as the mental pain he faced, exhausted him gravely. If he had tried to yell, he felt as if his brain would have exploded into millions of pieces, leaving nothing behind but even more pain.

Janet showcased a callous grin, satisfied by unloading her anger onto him, and then peered into his soul with her savage eyes, leaving Jackson with the agonizing effect of her malicious words. "I wish you hadn't been born. I wish you had died in my stomach. Then I wouldn't have to look at such a disgrace of a son."

A few seconds passed by of Jackson blinking rapidly, trying to process everything that had just happened. It seemed that even the sound of the door slamming shut behind Janet couldn't pull him out of his mental torment.

His mother's words stung like a hot blade sitting sadistically on his neck. Close enough to burn him, but not deep enough to pierce through his skin and send him out of his misery.

It was a vicious cycle. One that Jackson could not bear to suffer through anymore.

He found himself wandering back into the kitchen, barely caring enough to avoid the shards of glass still laying hazardously on the cold floor. He knew that the physical pain of glass penetrating his bare skin wouldn't even be close to measuring up to the years of mental abuse he endured.

As his heartbeat increased treacherously with every step, knowing very well his erroneous intentions, he pushed himself further, starting to rummage through an overlooked cabinet that his aunt had brought his attention to.

A thick layer of dust enveloped the entirety of the forgotten cabinet, but nonetheless, the treasure inside remained fully intact.

Jackson brushed off the cobwebs, destroying the spiders' habitat in the process, and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels that he thought he'd never once see again.

Pushing back the scarring memories of his father smashing the very exact bottles in anger, he made his way back into the living room, leaving behind any good conscience. 

His wounds had gotten so infected over time that he had completely forgotten how much he despised the very thought of alcohol. The way it affected people, the unforgettable smell, down to its appearance.

Now as he sat on the couch in darkness, all alone, he felt an allure to the very thing that destroyed his father and family altogether. 

He was tired of all the suffering, and he wanted an easy way out, just like his father had done. Fighting back had only made him weaker and hurt him more, so what was the point? 

What was the point of denying who his father really was, and what Jackson himself could turn out to be?

With shaky hands, Jackson clasped the lid tightly, using his entire strength to twist and open the bottle. However, he found his hands slipping against the metal, with what he assumed was his body refusing to give in.

His brain flooded with perilous thoughts, and as he fought himself to try and open the bottle successfully, he grew more and more frustrated, grunting in anger at his failed attempts.

His motions had gotten so violent, that when he had finally twisted open the cap, the contents of the bottle spilled onto him, leaving drops of whiskey on his shirt.

As he lifted up the ancient bottle, ready to feel the sensation in his throat, he heard the voice of redemption, immediately stopping him in his tracks.

Descending the stairs cautiously in the dark, Allison used her right hand to grip the railing for support and her left hand to rub her eyes open entirely.

"W-What's going?" She stammered, unable to see much of anything in the night, as she slowly approached her brother on the couch. "I heard loud voices and the sound of the door slam. The twins were scared so I put them back to sleep."

Jackson sat in silence, still holding the bottle of Jack Daniels firmly against the palm of his hand in uncertainty.

Allison attempted to study her brother's face in order to assess the situation but was distracted by the rather familiar scent of alcohol coming from Jackson himself. She directed her sight downward and only then realized what exactly was happening.

Unable to mask her natural disgust, the words had slipped out of her mouth so effortlessly. "What are you doing?"

If it had been any other time, Jackson would've been shocked to hear such a tone coming from his sister's mouth, but right now he couldn't think. His conscience and composure had vanished without a trace.

"Jackson," Allison said more firmly, utterly shocked at her brother's actions. "Answer me."

He couldn't meet her eyes. He feared that if he did, he'd be full of shame and embarrassment. He knew her face read disappointment without even having to look at it, but he thought that if he ever did, he wouldn't be able to look away and defend his actions.

Instead of stating the very obvious, Jackson spoke in a hysteric tone. "Why do you look so surprised?" This left Allison in dismay, disturbed at her brother's apathy. "I am the son of an alcoholic and rapist. This was bound to happen, and you know it."

His unhinged voice frightened Allison, but she couldn't show it. She had to appear calm in front of him, no matter how taken aback she was.

She shook her head at his invalid statement and countered back. "No, you're wrong. Weren't you the one that told me that we get to choose who we want to be? That our blood doesn't define us?"

She briefly recalled last night and her moment of weakness that left her believing her mother's words.

Still, Jackson couldn't meet her gaze, as he continued to look down at his lap, letting out a small scoff.

"Maybe so," he mumbled quietly. "But our blood will always be the same, no matter what. I will always be the son of Augustin, an alcoholic and a rapist-"

As he repeated his harsh words in distress, Allison shifted herself closer to her brother on the couch and snatched the opened bottle from Jackson's cold hands, placing it on the table across from her and out of his reach.

As Jackson made a move to retrieve it, she placed two firm hands on his shoulders, restraining and forcing him to finally meet her eyes.

"Listen to me," she said slowly and clearly, staring deep into his damaged eyes. "You are not that person, and you will never be." He listened to her go on, struggling to find comfort. "You are Jackson, the most caring and loving person I know, and no one can tell you who you should be or how you should act." By now, her eyes had gotten glossy as she just wanted to take all of his pain and suffering away, and her last sentence came out shaky and quiet. "You don't have to do this."

Jackson watched the great concern she had for him and stared deeply into her worried eyes, listening to each and every word she spoke. He wanted to be strong for her, but he just couldn't.

He found his bottom lip quivering horribly, and the tears carelessly flowing down his face as he let out all the emotions he had been trying to hide over the course of his life.

"I can't...I just can't do it anymore," he cried, breaking down in front of his sister. "I can't be strong." 

He shook his head vigorously, afraid of Allison's reaction to his emotional outburst, but instead was met with compassion and love once again.

"Then don't be," Allison advised with a gentle voice. "Just be yourself."

She gave him a soft smile, assuring him that he didn't have to always be strong for her. That he could be himself entirely.

Without another second, Jackson threw his arms around his sister, sinking himself into the nook of her neck in solace, as Allison quickly enclosed her arms around his shoulders, holding him tightly against her body.

He cried silently against her, relieved to have such a heavy weight being lifted off of his shoulders, and grateful to have someone like Allison by his side.

A few moments passed, as the two held each other in the still of night, finding some sort of peace at last from each other.

They both pulled apart slightly, still holding onto each other for dear life, and met each other's piercing eyes in the darkness as if by fate. The silence grew louder, making their heartbeats blatantly noticeable as the desire within their hearts was provoked once again.

This time, it couldn't be restrained.

The two found themselves crawling closer to each other in the darkness that engulfed the entirety of the room, yet failed to dim the fire that was glowing ferociously in their hearts.

All sane and rational thoughts had been suppressed now, and only the ever-growing yearning was left to control their actions.

Their gaze never faltered from each other as their faces grew closer until there was no space left. 

In a life-altering second, their lips found their way to each other, begging to find comfort and love; the two things they were denied their whole lives. They moved gracefully with each other as if they had returned home at last, or had finally found the missing piece to the puzzle.

The immense passion created such intensity, but their movements were soft and gentle, almost as if they had wanted more, they would lose everything.

Before they knew it, they were gasping for air and severed their connection, forced to meet each other's eyes yet again.

This time they were filled with guilt and shock, now having the ability to listen to their conscience.

They both jerked away from each other in fear almost immediately, breathing uncontrollably as a result of their immoral actions.

"Forgive me," Jackson muttered sharply, running away upstairs and into his room in shame, as Allison followed her sight onto the stairs where he had disappeared, with a shaky finger pressed onto her lips where Jackson's once were.

That night, Jackson and Allison slept in their own rooms, incessantly thinking about the heinous event that had occured, both unaware of what exactly they had started.