Chapter 5 – Reunion

Bobby got an idea and slammed his beer down on the counter. Moving quickly towards the table, he asked, "You're sure you don't want to be with Jack right now?"

"Positive," Grace answered, lowering her beer slowly and looking at him with curiosity.

"Then come here," he said as he sat in the chair across from her. "C'mon Grace," he urged when she didn't move.

Having absolutely no idea what he was up to, Grace stood and came to his side. He pulled her onto his lap, and his lips slid over hers. Grace's eyes widened in surprise. "Bobby what the hell?" she murmured against him.

"Just go with it," he answered. Before she could reply, Grace heard Jack's laughter getting louder, and she closed her eyes.

"Ho-ly fuck," came Angel's voice as he stopped dead in the doorway of the kitchen with Jack in a headlock.

"Wha-?" Jack began to ask but cut himself short.

"Angel, how you gonna talk like that in ma's house?" Jerry asked before noticing the woman in the kitchen. "Holy shit! Gracie!"

Angel tugged Grace off Bobby's lap and whirled her around the room. "You're alive. And damn, you turned into a hot piece of ass."

"Angel, I know you aren't talking like that to a lady." Jerry gave Angel a scalding look as he took Grace into his own arms for a bear hug.

"I'm no lady, Jeremiah," Grace assured him with a laugh.

"C'mon Bobby, back me up," Jerry said.

Bobby sat at the table grinning, Grace's beer in his hand. "She ain't no lady, but she sure is a fine piece of ass."

Jerry sighed and let her go. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly as Bobby and Angel laughed.

"I'm happy to be home," Grace answered with a strained smile. She was doing her best to avoid looking at Jack, but Jerry backed away and there he was.

Jack looked like an elf. His hair was wild and his green cat-like eyes held a slight slant to them. His impish lips were curved into the slightest of smiles on his clean-shaven face. Grace marveled at how tall he was. She had seen him only a year ago, but he'd been crumpled in the snow then and she hadn't realized how much he'd grown.

"You're alive," Grace managed to say without bursting into tears.

"So are you. Welcome home Gracie. We missed you," he murmured as he crushed her against his chest.

He even smelled good, Grace realized as she breathed in his masculine scent. Jack bent his head down to her ear and whispered only for her to hear, "I love you." Jack released her immediately and went to the fridge for a beer. Grace wasn't sure if she'd imagined his words or not, but she gave herself a little shake and sat back down in Bobby's vacated seat. She looked up and met Bobby's eyes as he once again went about stirring the sauce. His expression was that of someone who was thoroughly amused.

Grace turned away as Jerry asked her a question. She focused all of her attention on him, oblivious to the green eyed stare that never left her face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Mercer boys would not let her help clean up after dinner, so she took yet another beer into the family room with her. She'd lost count as to how many she'd had but at the point it really didn't matter. She could still see and walk straight and she didn't have to drive anywhere.

Grace went to the fireplace and began to study the photos on the mantel. There was a picture of Bobby by himself at about 10 years of age. He was standing against a tree with his arms crossed, his facial expression that of a complete and utter badass. Grace knew the picture was from when he'd first arrived at Evelyn's house 20 years ago. The next picture was of Bobby and Jerry. They were sitting on the floor in the bedroom they used to share playing with little green army men. The room became Angel's after the two older brothers moved out and it was now once again Bobby's room.

The next picture showed an addition of a grinning Angel-boy. The three boys were playing in the snow behind the house. The fourth picture had four boys in it. One of which, had wild hair and slanted green eyes. They stood in a row, dressed in Church clothes. Jack was looking up at Bobby who stood behind him with his hands on Jack's shoulders, his collar popped up. Jerry and Angel stood on either side of Bobby, grinning at each other like they had some pulled a prank. Bobby was the only one looking at the camera, but it was still a really good picture. It captured the boys' essences extremely well. The last picture must have been taken just before Bobby went to prison, Angel joined the army, and Jack became a rock star.

In the picture Evelyn sat in the middle of the couch with Bobby on one side and Jerry on the other. Angel and Jack sat beside each other on the floor. It was probably the last picture ever taken of the five of them, and that thought brought tears to Grace's eyes. She stared at Evelyn's face. She looked so happy surrounded by her boys with no thought of the danger in store for all of them.

Grace sniffled softly and felt a presence in the room. She turned to see Bobby carrying in an armful of logs. "She's beautiful isn't she?" he asked as he bent to place the logs in the basket.

"The most beautiful person I've ever met," Grace answered without hesitation. Bobby brushed his hands on his pants and stood to embrace her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and they looked at the picture together.

"Mmmm-hmmm," he murmured, kissing her neck.

"Bobby, what are we doing?" Grace hissed even as she tilted her head to give him fuller access to her skin.

As his lips trailed up to her ear, he answered, "I haven't told my brothers about Jack's killer. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, and this is just a way to keep them from getting suspicious. Plus, it may be the last chance I get to make out with you. I figure one day you'll come to your senses about Jack."

"Ahem," Angel said loudly from across the room, startling them both. "Sorry for interrupting, but I believe it's time for the creature feature of the evening."

Bobby groaned and released Grace, but not before Jack witnessed the intimacy between them. Oddly enough, it didn't seem to faze Jack at all when he saw Bobby and Grace together. Jack just grimaced at the mention of 'creature feature'. He wasn't much into movies that consisted mostly of people being murdered left and right.

Bobby tended to the fire as Angel and Jack sat at opposite ends of the couch. "Well, kids. It's been fun, but I gotta jet," Jerry said.

"You're not gonna stay for the movie?" Bobby asked. "It's Friday night."

"I gotta take the girls to ballet at 7 am. They're having a rehearsal for the big show on Wednesday. You all better be there," Jerry explained.

"I wouldn't miss it, Jer," Grace promised, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're home Gracie," Jerry told her. I'll see you tomorrow. 'Night all."

"'Night" Angel, Jack and Bobby said in unison.

"Gracie will you hit the lights?" Angel requested. Grace turned off the lights, then sat between Jack and Angel on the couch.

"What is this, Angel?" Jack asked as the movie began.

"Something I never heard of," Angel answered. Bobby finished fiddling with the fire and sat in the armchair.

On the screen, a woman was wandering down a dark street with a broken high heel and torn dress. She was sobbing as she looked from right to left and could see only trees. There was a vicious roar and a hairy beast jumped out of the woods. The woman screamed and tripped. The beast knocked her to the ground and started laughing.

"What?" the woman began. "Tommy?" She then smacked the monster (which was actually her boyfriend in a costume). "What is wrong with you?"

The movie continued on in a boring drone. Grace yawned, and Angel pulled her so she could lean against his chest. Grace let her eyes slide shut as Angel's fingers combed through her hair, and Jack pulled her feet up into his lap. Grace couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so content, and she let herself drift off to sleep.

Grace woke to a gunshot on the tv screen, followed by Jack jerking in his seat as he squeezed his eyes shut. Grace sat up and took Jack's hand in hers and tugged it up underneath her sweatshirt like she used to do when they were younger. Jack had been quite traumatized in many ways as a child. Watching his father torture his mother by whipping, cutting, and burning her before finally killing her was not even the worst thing he had gone through as a kid, but it was definitely something that plagued him.

Grace glanced around. Angel was sleeping soundly beside her and Bobby had disappeared. Grace tugged the remote from Angel's limp hand and stopped the movie. She turned the tv channels until she found a much more satisfying late night movie, The Goonies then snuggled up closer to Jack.

"Thanks Grace," Jack murmured from beside her.

"Don't mention it," she answered as she began to drift back off to sleep.

A short time later, Angel woke and said, "Dude what the hell? What happened to the movie?"

"It sucked. It was almost over anyway," Jack replied.

"Shit, I gotta go. Where's Bobby?"

"Upstairs working on something for the 'Escape'."

"Aiight. Well, I'll catch ya'll tomorrow. I gotta get outta here. You want me to carry Gracie upstairs?"

"Nah, I'll get her," Jack replied.

"Later then."

"Later."

Once Angel was gone, Jack turned the tv volume down and watched Grace sleep. He stroked her cheek and whispered, "You're so beautiful." Finally, he forced himself to rise and gently pick her up. She stirred and said something he couldn't understand.

"Hmmm?" he asked.

"Take me to bed, Jack," she murmured, without opening her eyes.

Jack's heart swelled at her words, but he knew she hadn't meant them in the manner he wished. With all the willpower he could muster, Jack carried Grace to Bobby's room and placed her gently on the bed.

"Sorry Jack. I didn't realize the time," Bobby said from the computer desk next to the bed as he stretched and yawned. "I've been tweaking some of the room designs. You working tomorrow?"

"I got lessons at the rec center at 9, but I'll try and stop by the Escape after work, probably around 2 or 3," Jack answered accompanied by his own yawn.

"Go to bed, fairy boy."

"I'm just gonna tuck Gracie in, then I'll be on my way."

Bobby watched his brother in is peripheral vision. Jack was amazingly tender with Grace as he gently pulled the sheets out from under her then carefully laid them on top of her. Once she was settled, Jack leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead.

"You really love her." Bobby stated.

"We all love her Bobby. 'Night." He rose and left the room.

Bobby shook his head in wonder. Jack was so quiet about everything. He always kept his feelings bottled up, and only the people closest to him ever knew what was going on. It was a habit that Bobby had been trying to help him break for 15 years, without success. Bobby worried about Jack, and he would do what he had to do to keep his youngest brother safe from harm. Whatever he had to do.