With trembling hands, she lifted the lit cigarette to her lips to take another shaky draw. Kelsey Gray never thought she'd be back in Detroit, let alone under such terrible circumstances. She moved away exactly 14 months and 7 days ago but her life came to a staggering halt. She received a call from her mother, informing her that Evelyn Mercer had died as a result of a gun-shot wound during an armed robbery. Without a second thought, she was on the next flight from North Carolina to Michigan. The Mercers always held a special place in her heart. Evelyn was a saint and although her boys were far from sainthood, she loved them nonetheless. Alex looked at Jeremiah, Bobby and Angel as brothers of her own but Jack was different. He was her first love and her only long-term relationship. He was the bad boy and she was 'Miss Goody-fucking-two shoes' as he always reminded her. They started dating in high school but broke up shortly before her move to the south. But she couldn't get over him, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't escape him. It's like he was in her veins. She didn't know if he would want to see her but she knew that if there was any chance that he needed her, without any questions asked, she would be there.

Her heart practically stopped when she heard the sound of a car door slamming shut. She flinched at the feeling of a warm hand on her shoulder as she flicked her cigarette to the ground before turning to see a bright smile on Bobby's face. "Well, shit. I thought that was you, kid! C'mere!" The two hugged one another tightly before Kelsey took a step back, her smile quickly fading. "Bobby, I'm so sorry," she whispered, folding her arms in front of her chest as he wrapped an arm around her. "It's okay. We're all pretty fucked up right now but we'll be okay," he said as they walked towards the front entrance of Evelyn's home. Her smile re-appeared upon seeing Jerry, who waved in her direction but she stopped in her tracks when she realized who he was talking to. Jack's back was towards her but she'd recognize his tall frame and his wild hair anywhere. Bobby felt her stop and looked down before taking her feeble wrist in his hand. "Stop worrying. You'll make everything better for him," he nodded his head, singling the brunette to follow him before guiding her forward. "Trust me," were his last words to her before letting go and throwing an arm around Jack, greeting two of his brothers. Here goes nothing, she thought as Jerry approached her for a strong hug. "You look great, Gray!" Jack's eyes widened, quickly realizing the beautiful girl in his brother's arms was the one he thought about every sleepless night. His mouth went dry as he simply stared into her hazel eyes, unable to move. She held her breath, searching for any emotion behind his ice blue eyes but his expression was unreadable. She could see pain and exhaustion clearly eveident on his but nothing else. She was taken back by his height as he towered over her small frame. "Hi Jack," she whispered, dropping her arms to her side and shoving her hands into the pockets of her pea coat, fighting to find some warmth. He melted at the sound of her voice, wrapping his arms around her and holding her as close to him as possible. She reacted without a second thought, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tight. She inhaled his scent, a perfect mix of amber, whiskey and stale menthol cigarettes. For the first time in over a year, she felt at home. They both caught back tears, embracing one another like never before. She knew he was hurting and she would do absolutely anything to make him feel whole again. "I'm here, I'm here," she whispered, running her fingers through his dirty blonde hair. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He nuzzled his face into her neck, melting into her body and silently thanking God for an angel during the worst moment of his life. She looked over his shoulder to see that both of his brothers had disappeared inside, deciding to leave the two of them alone to enjoy their reunion. He reached down, taking her tiny hand in his and guiding her into the warm home.