Eric tensed, but didn't move otherwise. "Really? How did it happen, then?"

Rey looked down at his hands. "I can't talk about it no more, so just stop asking about everyth'ang. 'Cuz I believe in God and I know Henry believes in God, and there's no harm Henry would wanna see me come to," Rey looked Eric in the eye in a small glimpse of bravery. "I believe in that." Rey didn't waver.

"Yet look at the harm you've come to—where's Henry?"

"He's waiting for me."

"He's not waiting for you."

"Yes, he is!" Rey burst.

"No, he's not. I'll tell you what God's given you. He's put a bullet in you. And he's abandoned you out here to me, who feels nothing for you. I couldn't give a fuck if you die tomorrow." Eric looked away at the landscape, and did nothing about the fly that sat onto his knee. "God gave you a brother who's not waiting for you. He gave you a brother who's not even thinking about you right now. Just because you and him came out of the same woman's hole. The only thing that means anything right now is that I'm here and he's not. Your brother left you to die. That's what people do."

"I got Mellie," Rey interjected.

"A woman like her ain't going to do shit for you. You don't learn to fight, your death's gonna come real soon." Eric looked back at Rey and they sat in silence for a long moment. Rey was fuming, and stood abruptly, his plate clattered onto the wooden stump with Eric's.

.

-…-

.

When I left the Asian woman to her washing and came to join Rey and Eric to eat, I immediately noticed Rey was missing, and anger grew in my chest. I slapped my plate down onto a box and cornered Eric, who was sitting on a plastic chair near a wooden stump. He didn't even look up at me. "What'd you do?" I hissed.

Eric didn't answer immediately, and I was compelled to hit him. "What'd you do!?"

"I told him the truth." Eric answered simply.

I scoffed, "Bastard—" and turned to go into the motel room.

I found Rey there, curled into a fetal position, humming to himself. My heart almost broke right there.

"Oh, honey," I whispered. I approached him slowly, and gingerly sat next to his bent knees. I placed my left hand on his shoulder, and rubbed it in circles. "Rey, please don't listen to that man,"

Rey stopped humming, and looked at me. "He said Henry left me, that God don't want nothing to do with me," he murmured.

I hushed him and took his face in both my hands, gently turning him to look at me again, "Rey baby listen to me right now—your brother loves you, and as far as I know, God loves you even more. Why d'you think he got you that woman, that surgeon, to fix you?" I stroked his cheek with my thumb, before leaning over to kiss him between his eyes. I felt his own eyes flutter shut. "And I love you—don't you ever forget that," I murmured, my lips just touching his face.

I felt Rey turn to face the ceiling and was about to pull back when he wrapped his arms around me tightly, holding me against him. I kissed his forehead this time, and then pulled myself away from him enough to sit on the bed and lean against the headboard. Rey still had his arms around my stomach and shifted over to rest his head just below my chest, before closing his eyes. I ran my right hand through his hair, the other affectionately holding his right hand, resting on my stomach.

"You should eat," I murmured.

"D'you eat already?" Rey questioned back, and tilted his head up to look at me.

I smiled with warmth at my caring man. "No, honey, we should both eat, then," and I made to get up when Rey tensed and whipped his head to the door. The both of us could hear one of those military trucks pull up in front of the motel.

Rey immediately pushed me behind him and knocking sounded at the door, and I went to grab my .38 pistol. Rey made to go across the room and grab his when shots rang out and into the window.

"Rey!" I whispered fiercely.

"I'm comin'," Rey muttered, wide-eyed and nervous, before frantically ducking behind our bed with me.

"Oh baby, you weren't hurt were you?" I ran my hands down his arms, neck, and chest, before he took my hands and shook his head.

"No, Mellie, I'm OK," Rey still looked worried, but then his face became intense.

"We've gotta fight 'em Mellie," he gestured with his pistol.

I was caught. I didn't want for Rey to have the guilt of having fatally shot someone on his conscience, but as shots continued to ring out and break glass, we were beginning to have no choice. Up until now, it's always been the guys who've killed. I've always been by Rey, protecting him and keeping him happy. Rey's a sweet, warm-hearted man, and I loved him, and knowing that, I'd kill for him.

"You never have to fight if I'm here, Rey," I whispered, and pulled him so I could hold him close. "I love you so much, and I'd do anything for you,"

"I love you too," Rey murmured, and rested his head on my chest, just below my chin. I rested my right hand on the back of his head, and kissed the crown of his head. My other arm was around his shoulder blades, holding him to me.

The shots stopped and Rey tensed, so I ran my hand up and down his back to calm him. "Shh, Rey, baby, it's alright, this is good," I lied. I honestly didn't know if that meant the man was dead or if he decided we were.

Just then Eric came into the room, and we made eye contact. He stared at how I was holding Rey, and at how Rey was holding me, before walking back over to the door. "We're leaving, let's go,"

Rey opened his eyes. I leaned down to kiss the crown of his head once more before we separated and stood up. I turned and grabbed the quilt from the bed we were occupying. It was heavy, and seeing that, Rey plucked it out of my arms with a charming little smile. "Lemme take it."

I then grabbed an additional quilt, this one a lot thinner, and grabbed a towel from the table across the room. I stuffed the towel and sheet in my canvas bag, with our water bottles. Eric glanced at us before he left the room.

I made to follow him, throwing the bag over my shoulder, and felt Rey's hand sneak to hesitantly hold mine. I looked back and up at him, and he ducked his head in shyness. I gave him a warm smile and took his hand under my arm and in both of my hands, and dropped a kiss on his knuckles. I tugged him closer to me, before pulling him out of the room.

.

-…-

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A/N: Hi and thank you for reading this (the fic and this note). This is my first ever uploaded fic, as I've been writing fanfiction for 4 going on 5 years, but haven't publicized anything until now.

In hindsight, I should've picked to upload a fic that had it's own category…

Anyways, thanks a lot and please feel free to drop me a line or two in reviews.