A/N: I was so tired when I wrote this so I hope it makes sense.
Disclaimer: As before.
A sharp wind whipped through her hair as she drew her jacket tighter around her shoulders. The cut on her cheek stung terribly with each gust of wind, and the blood had now dried to her skin.
She didn't know what was going to happen next, but all she knew was she didn't want to go home.
Home was where the sadness hung over her like a dark cloud and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Home was where her mother clearly felt she was a failure, and Haven knew that it was the last place she wanted to be right now.
Steeling herself against the cold night air, Haven walked determinedly in the direction of her final destination, ignoring the ache between her legs and the stiffness down her back; running off had almost pushed her still healing body to the limit.
She was cold, tired, and alone.
She wished the sanctuary of Connor's arms was still somewhere she was able to go.
"What are you doing?" Will asked incredulously as JJ snatched up her purse and keys from the table.
"Going to find Haven. And when I find her, I'm going to kill her," JJ said darkly, storming away towards the front door.
"JJ! JJ, wait," Will called, leaping up to run after his wife.
"What?" JJ sighed, whirling around to look at him.
"I think we should wait her out. I mean, you did cut her cheek open-"
"That was an accident Will, of course I didn't intentionally maim our child," JJ replied.
"I know, but what I'm saying is I think both of you just need some time to cool off. I understand that you're angry, but I also understand that Haven has had a really rough couple of weeks. If you go looking for her now, you're probably just going to end up arguing again, and that's going to help no-one," Will said quickly.
"Will, our seventeen year old daughter is out there somewhere, all on her own. She had a baby two weeks ago. As pissed off as I am," JJ trailed off, her voice cracking, "I don't want her out there by herself. I'm going looking for her"
Relenting, Will nodded as JJ turned and left through the front door. He stood alone in the front lounge as he listened to JJ's car pull away.
He had witnessed a fair few of Haven and JJ's blowups over the years, but he had never witnessed one as vicious as the one he had just seen.
He only hoped it hadn't created a permanent rift between the two.
"Haven?"
To say Zack was surprised when he opened his front door at midnight to find Haven on the front porch was an understatement.
Even more surprising was the bloody cut on her cheek and the puffy red circles around her eyes.
"Haven...what happened to your cheek? I only dropped you home like an hour ago," Zack said incredulously, ushering her inside.
"My mom...she just freaked out on me," Haven said tearfully as Zack guided her through to the kitchen and motioned for her to sit up on the stool.
"What happened?" Zack asked as he walked over to the cabinet above the fridge and pulled down the first aid kit.
Haven shook her head. "She was upset because I was out so late...and I apparently don't make enough effort with Darcy...but I mean...I can't deal right now with Connor being gone...she doesn't get it...and then I got angry and said something pretty bad to her and she turned around and slapped me," she reiterated through her tears as Zack started cleaning the cut on her cheek. "Can I stay with you for a bit?"
"Yeah of course Haven. Do your parents know where you are?" Zack asked.
Haven shook her head. "And I want to keep it that way. I can't deal with anything at home right now...I just need some space"
"Well you have a safe place here. You can stay as long as you need"
