Title: Love 'Till You Hate (2/?)
Rating: T
Pairing: Justin/Rebecca
Summary: When Rebecca decided to visit her father David, she couldn't foresee the change she would be swept up in. Justin's step back, her extended stay with her father, and the reappearance of an ex-girlfriend, all of which tears a fabric once thought unbreakable--her bond with Justin.
Note: I have these crazy, ravenous bunnies who will let me sleep in only one of two instances--one, when I write what they tell me to (believe me, when it's midnight & I have class the next morning, I just want to muffle the bunnies, but no...) and/or two, when they are given their dose of feedback (what can I say, they like receiving reviews?). Anyway, ignore my ramble...Thanks to those who are reading, and those who reviewed. I sincerely hope you Enjoy!


Her mom and her were on better terms, which was perfect because she now had a place to say, until she found her own place.

Preferably one that put a at least an hour of distance between them, but that thought diminished when Nora dropped by to see her.

"Rebecca!"

She hugged her tightly, and Rebecca returned the hug, finding that Nora still exuded that sense of comfort and love.

"We've all missed you so much. Oh, don't ever leave me that long again, do you hear me young lady?"

She projected that look that says she isn't kidding, that scared Rebecca into saying 'okay' but she couldn't help but wonder how she knew she would be here.

"Oh, your mother let it slip the other day, and I would have come by earlier, but as always, things came up."

Rebecca laughed understandably. "So not everything has changed?"

The implications of her question made Nora pause for a second, noting how at least one thing changed since Rebecca left. Or a couple, actually.

"No. A lot of things have stayed the same--Kevin and Scotty are doing well, as are Tommy and his family. Sarah's dating some mystery man--again," she chuckled," and yes, they each have their issues once in a while, but for the most part they're doing well. And Kitty's and Robert's son turned three last week--oh, he's a wonderful boy."

"So the adoption worked out nicely?"

"Yes," Nora smiled," so much so they're considering another one."

Rebecca smiled, genuinely happy for all of them, glad that their lives were working out, but she still hadn't heard anything about Justin.

"I know you're wondering about Justin," the inquisitive woman leaned over and whispered to her, so Rebecca's mother wouldn't hear.

Rebecca didn't move, and when she attempted to speak, only muffled noise escaped her.

"We--I…He-"

"He's fine," Nora squeezed her hand and looked at her in concern.

"Why don't we go talk somewhere private?"

She was hesitant, mostly afraid of what sort of talk would be involved if they went somewhere private.

"It's important, sweetie."

She couldn't shoot down Nora, despite the constraint she was feeling in her heart, and the fear bubbling over in her stomach. Still she nodded and they stepped outside, where Nora breathed in deeply and held the young woman's hands.

"Rebecca, I don't know what happened between you and Justin, and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to explain it either if you tried."

Rebecca smiled morbidly, glad Nora wasn't going to push the subject, because there was no clear explanation for what did happen. Even she couldn't comprehend how things dissolved, how they broke without ever even acknowledging it.

"But whatever happened…I don't know, and I won't judge either of you for it. Really. Or the ramifications."

"Ramifications?" Rebecca's eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head in question.

Nora inhaled deeply again, and she held tighter onto Rebecca's hands.

"Justin, after months and months of trying to reach you…he got tired, angry even, sort of obtained an--what do you kids call it? A 'fuck it' attitude?"

Rebecca drew her head back and winced at Nora's choice of words.

"That is what you call it, right?"

Rebecca chuckled nervously and nodded.

"Yes, well that. And eventually he and Tyler…"

Rebecca felt herself freeze when she said 'he and Tyler' because what was to be said thereafter was now fairly predictable, and as the words came out of her mouth, Rebecca felt her heart fall and her head spin.

"N-nine months? They've been dating for nine months?" she spit out and she shook her hands away from Nora. They had been dating for only nine months which meant that when she had come a year ago…

"Sweetie, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry?" and as if she had gone hysterical, she began laughing and she ran her hands through her hair.

"No, no. Don't be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry about. We broke up, maybe not officially, but we did, and if he's happy, why should anyone be sorry, right?"

Nora raised her eyebrows, and was about to protest what was clearly a defense mechanism, but the look Rebecca conveyed to her told her to not push the subject at the moment.

"Right."

"In fact, when's the next family dinner? I would love to see all of the Walkers again?"

As soon as that spilled out of her mouth, she regretted saying it, knowing it'd be a disaster waiting to happen.

"Uh," Nora was surprised to say the least so she was caught off guard.

"Tomorrow night, at seven."

"Great," Rebecca plastered on a smile and spoke through gritted teeth.

"See you there, then?"

Solemnly, she nodded, disaster fantasies running amuck in her mind. A dinner with the Walkers after being gone for two years. A dinner that included Justin, her ex-boyfriend, and his girlfriend because he would probably bring her along.

"And just to give them a pleasant surprise, I won't tell them you're coming!" Nora exclaimed, already plotting to add a small, celebratory cake to the mixture, and anxious at seeing them pleasantly surprised.

Great, now Justin would definitely be bringing Tyler, unaware that one Rebecca Harper would be present.

And as Rebecca tossed and turned in her bed, she couldn't stop putting together the timeline from the moment she left, to right now. From when she heard about Justin faltering in her rehabilitation, to when he and Tyler came into contact again. Then this--he had only begun dating her nine months ago, which meant that three months prior to that, when she had walked into that living room…they weren't dating? Had she truly overreacted, despite the evidence to the contrary?

She ended up falling asleep after taking some medicine for the headache that overwhelmed her amidst her thinking storm, all the time dreading the upcoming night's dinner. Fearing that due to some mistake (or mistakes) of hers, the bond between her and Justin may now be broken beyond repair.