What's Meant For You

She loved him when he let her in his home during the chicken epidemic at 10. She loved him at 16, when he swallowed his hatred and took her to homecoming. She loved him on the night of their graduation, when he spent all night worshiping her. She loved him when he left without a trace. She loved him when he didn't call, text, or email for five years.

And, fuck her, she loved him when he turned up out of nowhere, asking for her forgiveness.

Huey P. Freeman x Jazmine DuBois

Romance. Hurt/Comfort. Friendship. Family. Humor.

Rated M

Chapter Six: Happy New Year

There will be a little bit of fun between Huey and Jazmine. Thank you so much for being patient with me while I'm doing some traveling.

JAZMINE REFUSED TO LET THIS DAY REMAIN NEGATIVE. She had too much to celebrate. Like Huey coming home. And Alicia. And their safety and health. She reconciled with her mother and sister. And was working on finding her normal with Huey. Feeling his hands on her. Smiling with her. Protecting her. It was too perfect to let anyone else ruin it.

So she reheated the food, set up the drinks, and had movies picked out to make everyone laugh. No, Tom wasn't going to fuck with her family.

As she moved through the kitchen, she held a still tired Alicia on her hip. She'd been a little warm, tired, and clingy, so Jazmine decided to get her some fluids, give her a warm sponge bath, and get her into something lighter.

"Okay, baby," she said, grabbing a cup of diluted apple juice. She handed it to Alicia, who began drinking right away. "Let's get you to a bath."

As she made her way up the stairs, she found Huey walking out of his old room. She stopped once she reached him so that he could take a look at Alicia, who was drinking tiredly.

"Still not feeling good?" he asked quietly.

"She has a really low grade fever, so she may be coming down with a cold," Jazmine said. "I'm going to keep up with her fluids and make sure she's able to kind of stay cool. Once I get her settled I'm going to make her some soup."

Huey stared at her for a moment. "Thank you."

She smiled before returning to the task at hand. She missed how Huey looked after her as she cooed comforting words to his daughter.

She drank all of her fluids, enjoyed her bath time, let Jazmine dress her, but refused to be put down so that Jazmine could make her some soup. So Jazmine sat in the kitchen, rocking her in hopes that she would fall asleep.

"Someone has a new friend," Sarah said as she walked into the kitchen, a smile on her face. "Let me make the soup honey."

"It's fine, Mom," she said. "I want you to relax and enjoy yourself. Worst comes to worst I'll just have a little helper." Alicia seemed to grip her shirt tighter then.

"Honey, it's fine," she insisted. "I'm okay to make some soup."

"I know," she said. "I just want everyone to relax today. It was... a lot."

Sarah laughed at this. "To put it mildly." She rested a hand on Alicia's back and rubbed soothingly. "And I have a little granddaughter who doesn't feel too hot, huh?"

Jazmine blinked, surprised by the term. However, once the shock faded, she found that the idea felt comfortable in her mind. Her family was growing. She wasn't sure where she'd fit into this equation just yet, but she found that she was excited to find out.

"Alright," Huey said as he entered the kitchen. He walked over to Jazmine and quickly plucked Alicia from her arms.

"Daddy," she whined, moving to reach for Jazmine. It was so adorable that Jazmine found herself walking up to Huey, resting her head on his chest and looking and Alicia. Alicia mirrored her movements, lying her head on her father's chest and reaching out a small, chubby hand to play with a stray curl.

Huey let his free hand fall to Jazmine's lower back. None of them noticed Sarah slip out of the kitchen.

"You don't feel good, huh love?" she asked quietly. Alicia shook her head. "I'm going to make you some soup to help you feel better, okay? Then we can go watch a movie with everybody. Does that sound fun?" She nodded her head. "Okay, you're soup won't take long. Can you sit it here with Daddy while I make it for you?" Another nod. She kissed Alicia's forehead before slipping from Huey's arms.

As promised, her soup didn't take long at all to make. Alicia sat quietly, playing with the ends of Huey's hair. Huey rubbed soothing circles in her back as he watched Jazmine move.

He was in awe. Of her kindness and her rather maternal instincts when it came to Alicia. Watching her interact freely with her filled him with a sense of longing. He wanted her to be a part of them. Become his family. He wanted to continue to grow with her. Love her. Be in her. Have a child with her.

"Alright, pretty girl," Jazmine said, pulling him from his thoughts. She took Alicia into her arms and grabbed her bowl. "Let's get you set up, shall we?"

Huey followed behind them quietly, silently deciding what he'd dedicate this new year - and the rest of his life - to.

Alicia ate all of her soup and had another cup of diluted juice before she settled into Jazmine's lap. Huey, much to everyone's surprise, had Jazmine tucked into his side as they watched the film. She didn't complain.

Alicia had slipped into sleep and Jazmine found herself also dozing off in the darkness of the room. She rested back against Huey's chest and let her mind focus on the feeling of his fingers. He'd slipped them beneath her shirt and began tracing the skin there. Before she could get to comfortable, he leaned close to whisper.

"What is this?" He ran his fingers purposefully over the raised skin. She lifted her head so that they were close enough to speak directly into one another's ears.

"A tattoo," she said playfully. She could feel him rolling his eyes.

"Of?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I would."

"What's the fun in just telling you?" she mused playfully.

"None at all," he breathed. Her breath hitched as he move his hands carefully until he reached one edge of the tattoo. He began tracing slowly.

"So how you tryna play?" he whispered, his lips brushing against the skin below her ear. "I guess and you let me know when I'm gettin' warmer? Sound good?" She couldn't find her voice, so she nodded.

His movements were so deliberate as he traced the lines perfectly. He let some fingers stray further down her hip.

"Mmmmm," he moaned gently in her ear, pretending to contemplate. "Can't seem to figure it out."

He'd traced around it again, perfectly.

Jazmine wondered what exactly had gotten into him. Not that she minded. His hands felt like heaven on her soft skin.

"Huey," she whispered, unsure of why she murmured his name.

"Let's go put her in bed so I can take a closer look." She shivered then. He let his lips skim along her neck, though he placed no kisses.

She shifted Alicia into his arms and grabbed all of the dishes she left. Sarah, Regina, and Grandad had all dozed off while Cindy and Riley tangled together, not paying the trio any mind.

She beat Huey into his old bedroom and stood at the foot of his bed. The longer she was alone, the more her mind began to race. It bounced between the pain she felt in his absence and the need she felt the first time he'd touched her.

She understood why he did what he did. But it didn't lessen the pain she felt in his absence. And the anger of not being given a choice.

Or the relief she felt knowing he was okay. And that he never wanted to leave her. And, from what she could understand, wanted her just as much as he had before he left.

And so when he came into the room, shut the door behind him, and pushed her back onto his bed, she didn't resist him, only watched him with dark, expectant emerald eyes.

He pushed her legs apart and settled between them.

"I know I'm not yet forgiven," he said quietly, "but I'm never leaving you again. I want you. In every way. And I'm not stoppin' until I have you."

Her eyes widened and her jaw went slack as she let his words play again and again in her mind.

"I want you in bed with me every night," he continued. "I want to be the first call you make whenever something happens; good or bad." He gripped her thighs and brought her closer to him before letting his hands fall away. "I want to be the only one allowed right here. I want... it all."

She only stared now, in awe of his confession. Huey Freeman was many things, but emotional wasn't among the list. He'd never been so forward. So honest. So needing.

Her mind tried to find the right words. To tell him just how perfect his response has been. But she couldn't seem to find what would truly express how much she'd wanted that too. How much she missed him. How happy she was that he was home. That he wanted a life with her, after all this time.

So she breathe this instead.

"Touch me, Huey Freeman."

He loomed over her not a second later'

She felt him everywhere. His hands roamed along her stomach, her hips, and her thighs. He buried his face in her neck and ran his nose along her exposed skin.

She brought her legs up to his hips and ran her hands wherever she could touch - his stomach, his chest, his neck, and his back.

They only touched. Felt. Got lost in the presence of the other. And then he pressed his hips down, his length against her core, she willed him closer, wrapping her legs completely around him.

"I missed you," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes as she understood the gravity of this moment. He pulled away to look into her eyes.

"Me too," he said.

"I want that," she said. "All of those things. But before I can give you that... give you a life with me, a bigger family, I need to know why."

"I know," he said. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "The letters first. Then the video. Then we can talk about whatever you want."

She nodded her agreement.

He stood then, pulling her up with him and into his arms. They held one another, falling into a comfortable silence.

Then there was a tiny knock at the door. Huey felt a twinge of happiness when it was Jazmine who pulled away first, eager to see the little girl waiting for her on the other side.

As he followed them down the stairs, he'd also recalled that he still had a tattoo to discover.

She felt lighter. Despite the days events - or maybe even in light of them - she felt... good. Better than.

The older group roused from their naps and everyone fell into a comfortable groove of drinking and eating. Even Alicia felt much better, but Jazmine had her drinking water frequently and monitoring any changes.

She'd slipped into the kitchen to make herself a drink. When she came back, everyone, save Huey, was laughing at an old story Grandad had told. She took a seat beside her mom, on the floor with Alicia and let the warmth of the room and all its occupants fill her soul. As she watched Alicia play and show her toys, Sarah pushed a stray curl behind her daughter's ear, smiling fondly at her.

"Y'all used to get into some shit," Grandad said as the laughter faded.

"Like you didn't," Huey said dryly, earning a laugh from Riley.

"Dat nigga Stinkmeaner."

"The soul food restaurant." Huey supplied.

"Dat bitch Luna."

"Winston Jerome."

"Dat Kardashian bitch."

"The nursing home situation."

"Aight!" the older Freeman yelled. Everyone, including Regina, was in tears as the boys listed not even all of the situations Grandad found himself in.

"You have quite the handful, Regina," Sarah said, earning another giggle and a bright smile.

"All worth it," she said, kissing his cheek. Grandad beamed then.

"Too bad this other beautiful young ladies aren't as luck," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"Da fuck?" The boys asked in unison, Cindy laughing outright and Jazmine hiding her smile behind her hand. Huey shot her a glare that only made her smile wider, her shoulders shaking with poorly hidden laughter. He rolled his eyes.

That's exactly how it flowed for the rest of the evening, laughing, joking, drinking an eating. Before they knew it, if was five minutes to midnight.

Alicia was curled up in Sarah's arms, trying her hardest to remain awake, but constantly slipping in and out of sleep. Robert and Regina danced together happily, off in their own world. Cindy and Riley were curled up together on the couch, Cindy giggling quietly and blushing as Riley watched her with wild, proud eyes.

Jazmine sat beside Huey, taking in those around her. She was filled with such a peace. A happiness. And she knew with Tom out and about and the letters she still had to read, it wouldn't stay this way, but for now, she wanted love to overcome her.

So she let it.

"Whatchu thinkin' about?" Huey whispered in her ear. She all but melted when she could hear his accent.

"This," she said, nodding towards everyone. He looked around. "Moments like this always remind me that I have so much to thank God for. To be grateful for. To smile for. I can't help the feeling of completion knowing that this is what my family looks like."

He made a humming of understanding and wrapped an arm around her. She smiled up at him, and though he didn't smile back, she could see a glittering of something beautiful in his dark eyes.

"Y'all ready?" Grandad asked. They were down to just above ten seconds. Everyone but Huey and Riley began chanting.

"10!"

"9!"

"8!"

"7!"

"6!"

Huey made Jazmine look at him quickly, bringing his face just a breath away.

"I love you."

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

It all seemed to move in slow motion then, and all she could see was Huey Polonius Freeman staring down at her with an intensity she'd rarely ever seen. And then he kissed her, slowly, carefully, needing. She let her eyes flutter shut, moaning so low that only he could hear. He tasted like fruit and dark chocolate, blending so perfectly with the sweet Moscato on her lips.

He pulled away, looking into her wide, dark eyes, before standing to wish his daughter a happy new year.

And then hugs were shared. Happiness. Kisses. Laughter. Excitement. And she drowned in it. Letting it consume her.

As she looked around, the world moving slowly and falling quiet despite the cries of happiness surrounding her, she was lit with a sense of determination. To catch Tom. To read the journal. Listen to the tape. Have the talk.

Because she wanted her family. And as Huey placed a hand on her lower back, rubbing gentle circles, she promised to do whatever she had to in order to get it.

Sheesh! How do you all feel about forward Huey? I'm honestly into it. Of course he isn't like this all the time, but it's important for a girl/boy/non-binary person to feel important in a relationship of any kind. Especially in a situation like this.

I hope you look forward to more Tom information, more information about Huey's time in Chicago, and, of course, some more development on the home front. I hope you all can be patient with me for a little bit longer.

Thank you again for understanding, and, seriously this time, I will see you March 30th, when I'm back.

Please don't forget to review. I love hearing from you.

Much love, Q. I.