"Damnit, Brenda, stop."

This had been going on too damn long. She was too good at running away and putting up walls, but he knew better than to really believe her cold words. He'd seen behind those walls once or twice and he knew damn well he was one of very few who had; who'd even bothered to try.

"No, Jessie, you stop! Stop trying to… Just stop! Okay?" she shouted, wheeling on him her dark eyes looking so lost, afraid.

"No, Bren, I'm not going to stop. I'm not going to stop trying to look out for you, I'm not going to stop trying to protect you, I'm not going to stop trying to be with you and I'm not, I repeat NOT going to stop loving you… ever."

She whirled away from him with a screech of frustration, tears making the cry sound watery and weak. She started walking again, moving even father into the darkness. If he didn't stop her soon, the night would swallow her up and who knew if he'd ever find her. "I'm leaving, they've locked me away for nine months and now they want to take away my baby, I won't let them. I'm getting the hell out of here, with my son, and not you or anybody else is gonna stop me!"

He ran forward and grabbed her, turning her to look at him, ever aware of the tiny bundle in her arms. "Brenda, you don't have to leave, I'll…"

"You'll what? Marry me Jessie? Is that what you were going to say?" she gave him her coldest look, one meant to freeze even the warmest of intentions, but he could see her heart breaking behind her eyes. He knew she loved him too. "You forget about this bastard I'm holding?" she laughed darkly. "Did you forget about all the other guys I was sleeping with while I was sleeping with you?"

"I don't care about any of that, I don't," he said shaking her slightly. He took a deep breath. It did hurt, knowing she'd been with all the others, knowing she'd let them touch her body, but he thought maybe he understood. He knew she'd started running a long time before now; it just hadn't been on her feet. "I love you."

"He's not yours." she spit, her voice harsh.

"Yes he is," Jessie said softly, quietly, his voice fragile like fine crystal. She shook her head violently and tried to pull away. He held her close and wouldn't let her. "He's mine because he's a part of you and you're mine, Bren. I love you more than anything else. I love this kid here, because you do and I'll pack a bag right now and go with you, leave forever, if you want to go. Or I'll stay and work at the factory, or the Piggly Wiggly for the rest of my life if staying is what you want. I don't care Bren, whatever it takes. Don't you get it? I don't care I just… love you."

Brenda blinked, staring up at him, her eyes wide and for once unguarded. The baby in her arms started to squirm, fussing loudly; she looked down at him nervously and began patting his back. Jessie took him from her carefully and turned him around, pulling him against his chest and rubbing his back gently. "Hey there buddy, hey, it's alright. Everything's gonna be alright." He looked up at her then, his face an open book. "Isn't it Mommy?"

There was a long moment where she looked at him, like eternity going by. Then she reached out and took hold of his arm. "Yes," Brenda said her body visibly relaxing, her fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket. "I really think it will be." There was no smile on her lips as she looked up at him in the half light and there were still any number of ghosts haunting her beautiful eyes, but there was something else there now, something that looked a lot like hope. "I love you too, Jessie, always only you."

He did smile, soft and warm as he adjusted the bundle of baby to rest on his shoulder.

"I know."