Ty was coming home today, MB had found him an apartment, it was just outside of East Riverside. He sold his aunt's house over a year ago, he figured it was time, no one had lived in it for a while. The money he got from the sale he saved all of it, he wanted to come home and not have to worry about work for a while.
MB had gotten him furniture, he sent her the money and told her exactly what he wanted, she told him she would cook for him on his first night back. It had been three years since he had broken Bay's heart, he knew that once he was back in town they would run into each other, he just hoped she was happy.
When MB emailed him and said that she had told Bay that he did not cheat on her he was so upset. MB told him that she was hurt, the next day Bay called her and said that it was all her fault. If only she had told him that she loved him too he would have never done that to her, he would have realized that they were forever. It was all in his hands now, if he wanted her he had to step up and call her.
He couldn't though, he was in Afghanistan and doubted he would make it out alive. That was the last time they talked about Bay, she deserved to have a good life, Emmett was probably in her life again. He knew that he had to be fine with it, he still loved her so much but he never deserved her.
The cab dropped him off at the apartments, they were so nice, they even had a basketball court. He was very happy, it was summer time and his days would be spent outside by the pool. He gets to his apartment and knocks on the door, MB opens it and hug's him, " you have no idea how good it is to see you."
They talk for a few minutes then he goes take a shower, it had been a long flight from Germany. He needed to relax, he had gotten shot in Afghanistan, the hospital in Germany was so good for him. The bone in his leg was shattered , they did not know if he would ever walk again. The hospital and physical therapy for a year and he was fine, he had rods in his leg and he felt it only when the weather changed.
MB talked with him all the time, when he went to Germany she felt like she needed him, she would skype with him all the time. She knew what her brother Justin had gone through and would not let that happen to Ty, they played scrabble and monopoly and became best friends.
When he got out of the shower he put his clothes up, he did not have a lot of things with him they were mostly in storage but MB has taken everything out and put it in his apartment, the fact was it did not feel like home.
After they had dinner they sat and talked, he closed his eyes, "please tell me she is happy MB, I need to know that she is fine."
She shook her head, "Ty I don't want to upset you, when I told Bay you did not handle it well, you are my best friend and I don't think that you want to get into that tonight."
He got up and got them each a beer, " you can sleep in the extra bedroom, I have to know how she is doing, please tell me."
MB took a drink of beer, " she spent almost a year in china, about a month ago she came back, I told her that you were coming back to KC." He just looked at her, " Daphne had an internship there and she went to get away from everything here, TY she is not ok."
MB told him everything, from her getting back together with Emmett and taking the blame for everything that happened after Angelo died. Ty had tears in his eyes, she had been through so much, he walked back to the kitchen to get him his third beer.
When he walked back she had tears in her eyes too, " what's wrong MB, there's more isn't there."
MB just sat there she had already told Ty about the assault but he had not idea it was Bay, he told her that she was raped. Assault was not the way to put it, she was too drunk to have said yes, it was awful that her boyfriend broke up with her because of it.
"Bay asked me not to tell you about this, begged me actually, she has been through too much."
He closed his eyes, he knew it was bad, poor Bay. " I just can't even imagine what could have happened that she would say that about, MB you are my best friend please tell me."
She started crying, " Ty it was her that we talked about two years ago, she was raped."
He sat there with his eyes closed, if he had not told her he cheated they would still be together, it was all his fault. The emails he had written, they begged for her forgiveness,he just never had the balls to send them, " how is she MB, it happened so long ago, I messed up her life"
"Ty we talked about it, she said that it would not have changed anything, she would have still taken Angelo's death hard. The fact was that she trusted someone that she shouldn't have, she loved two people and when Emmett left her when she had trouble going on."
"How could Emmett do that to her, she had the most horrible thing happen to her and he just left her to deal with it alone, how can he even look at himself in the mirror."
She let him know about everything, how he was in LA and she was supposed to be with him, they had problems but he was wrong to leave her. She told him about Skye and Mexico, even the fact that Travis fell in love with her. He realized what happened when he saw Lady GaGa's video 'till it happens to you", she was in China but she told him it was over, twice he broke her heart and it would not happen again.
He got him another beer, " does she date, I just want her to be ok, I know that I broke her heart twice too so I can forget about anything happening."
"She dates, there was one guy here and a few in China but you can tell something happened. She is jumpy around guys, Garrett knew about the rape but he was the only one, she doesn't want them to know about the baggage she has."
" Was she going to school, I need to know how she is handling everything, what can I do to make her alright."
MB laughed, " she doesn't need anyone, she tries to be so strong, I can see it when I look at her. She took a class with me after it happened, everyone knew and she was so uncomfortable, I believe China helped her a lot. She could be invisible there, she worked as a tattoo artist, now she works at the shop in East Riverside."
He was shocked, " I would have never pictured her doing tattoos, does she have any?"
MB shrugged her shoulders, "never asked her, I think if you really want to know you should go to the shop, she works tomorrow."
He shook his head, " you have no idea how much I want to see her, she will know that you told me, she knows me too well. I drank a six pack already, you know MB she is my world, I haven't been with anyone. When I would meet someone they would try but I couldn't even think about it, I never thought that I would make it home again, here I am and I just need to see her."
"Well you can ask her to touch up that tattoo you have, it needs color, tell her how sorry you are."
She left, he grabbed him another beer and went sit by the pool, he just thought about Bay, he just had to tell her how he felt. She was the love of his life, what happened to her was unbelievable, if he had known he would have had the strength to call her.
The next morning he wakes up, holding his banana that he had won that with her. God that day she looked so beautiful, he loved her for over six years, when he told her he knew she loved him too. The fact was that he could not let her be waiting if he didn't come back, when he got shot he figured that was it, he made it through and just had to be with her even if it was only as a friend.
He just needed to tell her he was here for what ever she needed, he just wanted to find out who had taken advantage of her.
He really needed to see what wrong with his truck, MB had drove it around the block twice a month. It did not want to start two months ago, she tried to jump it but nothing, he was going to have to call a mechanic shop and get it towed.
He decided to go when she was about to get off, in his wallet he had the pictures they had taken at Maui, well the first set. The second one she took with her, it was after hours and there was quite a bit of nudity.
He got there at fifteen minutes to six, he walked in front and saw her, she took his breath away. She had lost weight, her hair was up with sticks and she was fixing to leave.
He sat on the bench that was a few feet away from her car, he sees her leave but she doesn't walk towards her car. He got up and followed, the broken cup, he wondered how long it had been there. She walked in and ordered her a coffee, when she got it she went sit and pulled out her sketch book.
He had no clue what to do, he sees a couple of guys walk in, he follows them and ordered a coffee and sat in the corner where she couldn't see him.
He watched her draw, the guys noticed her and went up to her, "hey it's been a while since I saw you, wanna go out with us tonight, we thought we would be perfect for you."
Ty stood up , poor Bay she had her head down and it looked like she was crying. No way was this going to happen," get away from her now and don't ever speak to her again.."
She recognized the voice, " six years in the army, I am sure he can kill with his hands."
They walked away, she wiped her eyes," would you like to join me ." Ty walked in front of her and sat down, "I'm so sorry they said that to you, how have you been."She looked at him for a long time, he had not changed, it looked like he knew.
"I forgive you, I realize that you had no idea that you would be back, now you are. I am ok, you know what happened?" He nodded his head, "I just wish that you would not look at me like I'm broken. Those guys were on the football team with him, I had not seen them since I took a class at UMKC, it had been a long time since I was harassed."
"You have no idea how guilty I feel, I love you so much, the thought of doing to you what was done to MB was too much for me. I took the cowards way out, I wrote you so many emails asking for forgiveness, but I didn't want to give you hope."
"I waited for something from you but I knew why I would never get one, like I said I forgive you."
"Bay I said that I still love you, I know why you couldn't say it three years ago but I knew how you felt. God Bay I just want to hold you and never see you cry again, I also know that there is no way that we could ever be together again, I can be your friend though."
She couldn't say anything, the fact was that there was no way he would want to be with her, she put her hand out and he held it. "Ty I lost me virginity to you over three years ago, I really thought that we would be together forever, you know how much you hurt me. A lot has happened since then, I went through a time when I was very depressed, I tried to make it work with someone else. Nothing happened the way I thought that I wanted it to, when I was assaulted I could not even look at my self for a long time. I want to be your friend but we both know that we love each other to much for that to work, please just go on with your life."
He waited so long to here that she loved him, the fact was that she was right but he could not let her walk out of his life. "How can I go on, baby please don't let this be the last time we talk, I miss you so much."
She started crying, he got up from the chair and picked her up, he sat down with her in his lap. He held onto her.
Regina walked out of the office and saw them, her hand went over her heart, she knew how much Bay loved Ty. She sits in the chair Ty was sitting in, " Bay what is wrong," Ty looked at her, " we were just talking, there were two guys that came in and said some mean things to her."
Her hand went over her mouth, "Ty." He looked at Regina " trust me they had better leave her alone."
" Bay no matter what they say we know the truth, I can't even imagine how hard that is for you but you have my blood running through those veins. We take what they say and it can only make us stronger."
She got off of his lap and hugged Regina then went to the bathroom. " Ty what did they say to her, she hasn't cried in so long."
"They wanted her to go out with them, her head was down and she started crying,was it about the rape?"
Regina nodded her head, " man I thought that was over with, she has forgiven Tank, she will be ok."
Tank now he finally knew who it was, " I know that she dated him after I left, why would he do that to her." She looked at him and shook her head, " Ty she had sex with you and Emmett, she dated Tank but he was only her friend, that was where the tears were from. She doesn't remember anything from that night, she will be fine I am sure that it was a shock. Did she know that you were coming into town?"
"Yes, MB told her, I think that I will go home. Here is my phone number ,please give it to her, I don't think she wants me around now."
He stood up and Regina walked him to the door, " Ty I have no idea what happened with you when you had to go to Afghanistan, I will let you know one thing she needed to be held like that, after it happened she needed someone to be there no matter what. Emmett has a lot of guilt about leaving her but she will never forgive him for not being there, they are friends but he wants more, give her time please."
He goes back to the bench and closes his eyes, she never wanted to have sex with him, he hoped that she would call him. He called a cab and they said it would be fifteen minutes, finally he knew who raped her but she had forgiven him. The fact was that he had not, his phone started ringing " hello".
"What are you doing sitting by my car", he looks up and Bay is standing ten feet away. "I am waiting for a cab, my truck was brought to the shop today, it just needs a starter."
She walks up to where he was sitting and hangs up, " your house is two blocks from here, I remember you walking miles back to the base. "
He stood up, " I sold my house about a year ago, I live in those knew apartments right outside of town, that would be about a fifteen mile walk and I can't do that anymore. "
"Cancel your cab, I will take you home." She got in her car and started it, he gets in and calls the cab company.
"Thank you for this Bay, would you like to have dinner with me, we can talk?"
"I need a drink, witch way to the apartments, I will drop you off and go home. We have a bar there, I haven't drank in two years,so I deserve it."
"It is west of Mission Hills, just a suggestion, want to drink at my place. I have an extra room, you could spend the night, as my friend. "
She shook her head, " Ty you really think that will happen, I don't think that is a good idea, maybe we can get together when I wrap my head around this." She started driving.
They talked the entire way home about China, she smiled when she told him about it, living in another land where no one knew who you were was awesome. She spoke to him in Spanish and Mandarin, he couldn't help him self but laugh, she seemed so happy. When they got to the apartment he looked at her for a long time, " Bay just let me say this, I know how bad I hurt you three years ago, you loved me and I made it seem like I had no heart. When MB told me that she told you I was mad, she had no right to do that, then I realized that I never deserved you. I know that we could never be together again, I did a horrible thing to the one person who is better than me, please say that we can just be friends."
She just sat there for a long time looking at the stars, " Ty I understand why you did it, if I had been in the same situation I may have done the same thing, when you picked me up earlier it felt like I would be protected forever. Emmett took my love and he threw me away, I did not matter to him, trust me when I say that I needed to matter to someone. I thought that I would have always mattered to you, how was I supposed to feel, you never even tried to say anything to me. When I got that email from you two weeks after you left I deleted it, all I kept thinking was that you must have had wanted to have sex with someone who was more experienced, now looking into your eyes I realize that you really wanted me to be happy."
She was so right , all he wanted was for her to never think about him, that was why he told her that he cheated. " You know we made love, with everyone before you it was sex, Bay it has been three years since I have let anyone into my bed. I tried but you were it for me, I am so sorry for hurting you ,the counselor in Germany told me that you would have to talk to me to realize that it was all my fault and we could get past it."
She started laughing, " three years."
Ty rolled his eyes, " that is all you got from this, you are the love of my life, just say that you want to try to be friends."
She held his hand, " alright I will try , I am happy that you weren't there the whole time, did you like it in Germany? "
He closed his eyes, " I was in the hospital and rehab for me leg, the bone shattered when I was shot."
She shook her head " I need a fucking drink. " Ty laughed " well I have Tequila or Jack Daniels , please don't drink them together. "
She got out of the car and they walked to the apartment, "can we go sit by the pool, I want Jack and water please."
She went sit in a chase lounge, he got shot, MB didn't say anything. She needed to find out when it happened.
He comes out with the bottle and two glasses, and an ice chest. "Wow prepared, half and half, then you can tell me what happened. "
Three hours later they had talked about everything, she learned about how they thought that he would not walk again but is determination got him through. She told him about Carlton, he was the love of her life, she showed him a picture.
How much she had changed, a little boy made her leave China the only place she felt safe. She had three drink's and she was feeling no pain, she got up because she had to go to the bathroom, she stumbled and fell into the pool.
She swam to the steps of the pool and got out," I am drunk."
He started laughing, "lets go to my apartment and get you a towel."
"Can you go to the trunk of my car and get my bag, I was supposed to go sleep at Daphne's tonight."
He brought her to the apartment and went get her bag, he hoped she would spend the night, nothing would happen but he loved spending time with her.
When he got back to the apartment the shower was on, wow her hair would be a mess, he looked in her bag and she had conditioner.
He walked up to the bathroom door " hey I will go in and bring your bag."
He sees her through the shower curtain, shit he is so hard, she looked absolutely gorgeous. It really didn't matter what he felt, friends, they would be just friends.
In the kitchen he splashed cold water on his face, she had grown up so much, he guessed she had to. He grabbed her some Tylenol and water, she had three drinks but they were not as strong as the first one.
When she comes out of the bathroom she had on pajamas, " if you are tired you can go to the extra room, here is some Tylenol."
She takes it and sits next to him on the sofa, " I am starving, please feed me." He went into the kitchen, " MB made some enchiladas last night,I can heat it up for us."
When he came out with two plates, she had her sketch pad and was drawing, " what are you doing."
"I will make you a painting, your walls need something, I don't have any idea what it will be."
"I think that you are in no shape to be drawing anything now, lets have dinner and go to bed, you know we drank a whole fifth of Jack."
They started eating, " I hope that you don't mind me staying here tonight, I can call a cab."
"Not at all, I had such a good time with you, I feel like I could tell you anything."
They ate and he got up with there plates, she followed him into the kitchen, " Ty would you mind if I did something?", he looks at her and shrug's his shoulders. She gets on her toes and kisses him very light on the lips, " I missed you to."
She turns around and is walking out of the kitchen, " Bay." She turns around, " would you mind if I did something?" He held out his arms and she walked into them, they hugged for a long time.
When she let go of him she just looked at him, " Ty I just need time, I love you so much but I can't be hurt again."