"I'll be back before you know it." Dex was saying to Jess as Aldo waited a little further back with the rest of the family, Susie and the rest of the Utivitch family would be leaving two days later, everyone else had said their good byes, see you soons, and have a good flights before letting the young couple have a minute to themselves.

"I know." she said softly and he stroaked the hair from her eyes.

"Commere." he said before wrapping his arms around her. "Don't worry about everything, it'll all work out." he said softly in her ear making her smile. Looking up at him she stood on her tip toes and lightly kissed him before pulling back and sighing softly. "I'll call you." he said and she nodded before he gave one last wave to Aldo and the family, then smiled to her and boarded his plane.

"Come on kiddo." Aldo said as she walked back to them. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders they started to walk back to the truck. When they got back to Aldo's house she got out of the car and looked at her house where her dad was putting stuff into the car. "Let's make some lunch." Aldo said and Jessica looked at him, then nodded.

"Okay." she said as she turned and followed him into the house.

"Utivitch 'n me went pokin' round the attic last night." Aldo said as he cut an apple in half. Jessica was sort of half listening as she spread peanut butter on a peice of bread.

"Mmm hmm." she said as she looked out the back window, thinking about how she and Dex had stood together on the back porch, not that long ago.

"We found some pretty interestin' stuff." he continued and she nodded before Utivitch cleared his throat.

"We found the bat." he said and she stopped what she was doing.

"You have my undevided attention." she said looking at the two older men who both grinned.

That night her mom called her into the living room. It looked like she had been crying, something Jessica hadn't seen her mom do in years. "Mom, are you okay?" she asked slowly and her mom shook her head.

"Your dad moved into the motel on the highway." she said and Jessica shifted slightly. "And until all this is over, I'm going to have to start working."

"Mom, it'll be okay." Jessica said softly.

"I know sweetheart, it's just really hard right now."

"Yeah..." Jessica said slowly sensing that she wasn't going to like what her mom was about to say.

"Jess, you're going to stay with your aunt Maureen for a few weeks."

"What!?" Jessica shouted at her mom who stood up.

"I can't take care of you, work, and go through a divorce!" her mom shouted.

"I don't need you to take care of me! I'll be eighteen in two months!"

"Jess, you're going wether you like it or not."

"I say not!" Jess shouted. "Why can't I stay with dad, or Mr. Raine or something?" she asked growing more and more emotional.

"Because I've already made the arrangements with your aunt!"

"But mom!"

"No but's!"

"But I-"

"No!" Jessica sighed knowing she lost the argument. As she trudged upstairs, stomping on every step, and making sure to slam the door hardly behind her she wiped at the tears threatening to fall down her face. She rolled over and her eyes landed on her history book, and the copy of Utivitch's book on top of it. Opening the book she flipped to a page of pictures and lightly ran her fingers over Louise's picture.

"What would you do Louie?" she asked softly and rested her chin in the palm of her left hand as she looked down at the pictures. The next morning Jessica woke up sprawled across her bed with her face resting on the open pages of The Life and Times of a Basterd. After peeling her face off of a picture of a baseball bat weilding Donny Donowitz she took a shower, got dressed and went downstairs, ignoring her mom's pleading looks as she slipped Louise's jacket on she walked to the door only to be stopped by her mom closing the door.

"We have to talk." she said and Jess turned away.

"I have nothing to say."

"It's for the best Jess!"

"Best for who mom?!" Jessica shouted. "Is it really for the best, or is it just better for you not to have me running around your feet?"

"Where did you get this jacket?" Mary asked trying to pull it off of Jessica. "I know you've got nicer clothes then this, come upstairs we can talk about it and you can dress a little nicer, maybe give it another go with Luke and you'll feel better, I know you must be heartbroken-"

"No, Fuck Luke, and Fuck dressing to impress mom!" Jessica shouted as she shoved her mom's hands off of the jacket. "There's more important things then always looking nice, or always being with the person who looks best on your arm!" she scowled. "No wonder dad's leaving you!" with that Mary slapped Jessica across the face. Hard. It was the first time she had laid a hand on the girl since she was five and shattered a glass cat Mary had as a decoration on the coffee table. Jessica didn't flinch, didn't move, just stood there, staring at her mother, before she nodded, turned and opened the door.

"Wait, when are you coming back?" Mary called, but Jessica didn't answer, just walked across the street and disspeared into the house she never seemed to want to leave.