Life vs. Love

Jake's POV

Tears filled my eyes as I watched my five year old sister comfort my sixteen year old boyfriend. Seeing how much she was growing up made me incredibly proud of her. But seeing Gavin so incapable of expressing anything but sadness wrenched at my heart. He held William as if he was holding onto his childhood with all of the strength he had left. His mother rested in his childhood and he didn't have the strength to let go of her. She was the only member of his family who accepted us and letting her acceptance go was something not even I could give away without a fight. Gavin was fighting for something that was no longer within his reach.

" Gavin?" I whispered, crawling onto the bed. He made no sudden movements so I laid down behind him, draping an arm over his waist. I rested my cheek on his shoulder and listened to his uneven breathing and constant chokes as tears continued to fall from his eyes.

When his sobs began to slow, I took a chance to look up at him. His blonde locks stuck to his dampened cheeks, his blood shot eyes stared blankly at the curtains that hung in front of the large window and his chin quivered, threatening him until he finally gave in to shedding more tears. Lifting my head, I found the closest, exposed skin and sunk my dry lips into his bicep. After slowly removing my lips, I rubbed my cheek into the cold skin.

"I love you." his raspy voice spoke. My eyes immediately darted up to his.

"I love you too, baby." I smiled, brushing the wet hair from his cheeks.

"Jacob!" I heard my mother whisper from the doorway. Turning over, I connected gaze with her piercing eyes. She obviously didn't like my current position, so I quickly kissed Gavin on the cheek and rolled out of bed. My mother grabbed me by the bicep and yanked me into the hallway.

"Owe! Mom, let go!" I gasped, keeping my voice down as well as I could.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she growled, keeping her grip tight on my arm.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused at her angered state.

"I will not have you and Gavin sleeping together under my roof, young man! Your little sister is sleeping across the hall and-"

"Mom, we weren't-"

"Don't interrupt me!" she snapped, squeezing my arm tighter.

"What if Lucy had a bad dream, Jacob? You know damn well that she will come to you first!"

"Mom, I was just tucking him in! For God's sake, his parents just died and I can't fucking kiss my boyfriend good night?" I growled back. She immediately released my arm and stumbled backwards after she processed my words.

"His parents-what?" she gasped, shock etched firmly on her face.

"Gavin ran from the house tonight because the cops called him, saying that both of them we're killed in a car accident. Mom, he was going to be sent to an orphanage if I hadn't showed up!"

"Oh, honey." she whimpered, pulling me into a tight hug.

"I just want him to be okay, Mom." I cried, tears beginning to flood my eyes. "He's so devastated that I don't think he'll ever be happy again. He's blaming himself for their death and I just-I…"

"Shh, honey it's okay." she soothed. "Gavin's going to be fine and he can stay with us for as long as he wants."

"I want him to stay forever." I whispered, more to myself than my mother.

"Oh, Jacob," she almost laughed. "You really love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do." I looked up at her puzzled. "He's my everything, Mom."

"My little baby's in love." she smiled widely, before pulling me into a bone crushing embrace.

"Okay, okay, Mom!" I chuckled, pulling out of the hug. I turned to re-enter my bedroom when she grabbed my bicep again.

"Honey, I want you to sleep downstairs tonight."

"What?!" I gasped, almost angrily.

"Get your pillow and I'll set the blankets up on the couch." she finished, turning down the stairs, leaving no time for me to protest. I huffed a sigh and turned on my heel, heading back into my bedroom. Gavin's eyes met mine as I entered the room, William squeezed tight to his chest. I grabbed the corner of my pillow, never breaking my gaze with Gavin. I shot him a sympathetic smile, sighing to myself.

"I love you. Sleep tight, baby." I turned to leave, but just before my pillow left the bed, it yanked me back. I turned back towards the bed to see that Gavin was leaning across it; one hand clutching tightly to the end of my pillow while the other kept a steady grip on William.

"You aren't staying?" his voice cracked, tears brimming his eyes.

"N-Not tonight," I stuttered. "I have to sleep downstairs."

"Why?" he whined. I quickly jumped on the bed and crawled towards him. Gavin leaned back on his elbows, still keeping his fingers gripped around my feather pillow. I leaned forward on my knees and took Gavin's cheeks in my hands, pressing our foreheads together.

"I'm so sorry, baby." I whispered. "My mom wants me to sleep on the couch tonight. I promise I will work something out with her, but if you need me, please come down stairs and get me."

"Okay." he whispered, his bottom lip quivering.

"No, baby, no." I begged, pulling back. "Please, baby, don't cry." Gavin released my pillow and used his hand to wipe under his eyes. He laid back against the pillows, rolling onto his side and pulling William close to his face. Sighing, I tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, then leaned in to place a kiss on his forehead. I slowly crawled off the bed, making sure that Gavin was going to be okay before I left him for the night. Hugging my pillow tight to my chest, I took one last look at Gavin before turning out of my bedroom. I hesitated at the top of the stairs, wanting to spin around and run back into my bedroom, kissing the life out of Gavin until we passed out together and slept in each others arms. But I had to stop thinking like this. Gavin's upset and far from in the mood to make out. Sighing yet again, I descended the stairs, crossing the foyer and meeting my mother in the living room.

"Hi, sweetheart." she greeted. "How's Gavin?"

"How do you think he is?" I shot back, throwing my pillow on the couch.

"Honey, don't be angry with me. Gavin needs some time alone."

"What he needs is me!" I growled, clenching my fists.

"Now, Jacob, just sit down!" she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. I collapsed back on the couch, covering my eyes with my shaking hands.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my voice cracking. "I just-I hate seeing him cry."

The next hour consisted of my mother comforting me as I fought against my tears. I never thought anything or anyone could effect me in such a way. Gavin means the absolute world to me and seeing him upset is the worst feeling. The tears of agony in his eyes is like I knife in the chest; unbearable.

I laid back on the couch while my mom relaxed in the recliner. We were watching a special on the discovery channel when my mom muted the program. She sat up in her chair and extended her neck.

"Mom?" I asked, sitting up.

"Shh," she hushed me. I strained to listen to what she might have heard, but all I heard was the dead of silence.

"Is it Lu?"

"Shh," she hushed again. Creases molded into her forehead before she leaned back in her recliner again.

"Mom, what was-"

"JAKE!!!" Gavin's shriek ripped through the house.

"Gavin?!" I yelled, jumping over the couch and sprinting towards the stairs. I took them two at a time, my heart rate picking up with each step.

"Gavin? Baby?" I panicked, sprinting the short distance from the landing to my bedroom door. I ran through the doorway, launching onto the bed where Gavin was curled into a tight ball. William was gripped tight between Gavin's fingers, sobs ripping through his throat.

"Baby, baby, baby," I repeated, crawling over to him, pulling him into my arms. I pressed his head to my chest, wrapping a leg around his waist. He threw William aside and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist as a heart breaking whimper left his lips. I kept one arm wrapped around his shoulders while the other kept his head pressed against my chest.

"D-Don't leave m-me, e-ever again-n." he choked on his sobs, clinging to me as tightly as he could.

"Never, Gavin, never." I breathed, my heart rate finally decreasing. "Baby, what happened?"

"I-I had…n-nothing." he shook, his fingers gripping the back of my shirt.

"Jacob?" I heard my mother whisper from the doorway. I slowly looked over my shoulder, her pain stricken face causing me to tighten my grip on Gavin.

"Is everything okay?"

"What do you think?" I whimpered, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Just sleep here, Honey. He needs you." she sighed before walking from the room.

I took my time, gently pulling the comforter back while keeping an arm around Gavin. Carefully lying on my back, I pulled him down to lay against my chest. He quickly reached for my left hand, interlacing our fingers. Pressing his nose to the skin of my neck, his breathing began to slow and I wrapped a strong arm around his waist, protecting my world.

Reviews mean the World(:

~Sleek Blan~