A/N: Better late than never, right?...I'm sorry again for the delay in updates. I'll try to do better with the next few but I can't make any promises - especially with some hectic schedules/weeks ahead. But I'm hoping that this chapter makes up for it and answers some questions. As always nice reviews are much appreciated. I hope you have a great rest of your week. Enjoy!

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She tries to prepare for him to confide in her once again as they make their way to his couch – the same place they spent the early mornings hours of the day. The worn leather cushions are soon occupied by their fatigued forms again. He lets her lay down and get comfortable first before he moves in next to her, sandwiching her between his rigid body and the back of the couch.

She's heard it all – all the stories, every nightmare and dark memory that continue to plague his mind has been shared with her. He's called and even made a few impromptu trips to Chicago just to be with her and talk about that day all those years ago – his birthday of all days. But his heavy, uneven breaths cascade over the skin of her neck and the top of her chest as he rests his head on her shoulder lets her know that he's not looking to talk. So they just stay there – neither of them uttering a word, choosing instead to bask in the other's warm embrace. He closes his eyes as she begins to comb her fingers through the waves of his hair and places a lingering kiss to his forehead.

He watches as Patrick falls to floor with a loud thump as the gunshot that took him down keeps echoing off the walls. His eyes are empty – gone is that sickening, joyful glint once held within them. The iron stench of blood fills the room as the red liquid quickly pools around his head. He pulls his gaze away from the lifeless form next to him when he hears someone move in the living room. She drops the gun onto the floor just before she collapses onto the chair closest to her.

"Mom." He's not sure if he actually gets the word out or if it's just a figment of his imagination but he doesn't dwell on it as he moves over to her.

His feet move of the own volition – taking him past his mom to grab the towel hanging on the bathroom door. He uses it to apply pressure to the wound on her stomach. Pleas spill off his lips in quick succession – begging for his mom to stay with him. It's a futile attempt, he can tell that much, as she continues to bleed out at a rapid rate. She's fading and he can't do anything to stop it. He grabs the blanket draped over the back of the chair as a last ditch effort to stop the blood from gushing out.

Her hand is already cold and weak as she gently cups his jaw – getting his eyes to meet her.

"Take care of yourself my little Bluebird. Don't let him or any of this take away your light – your life." She blinks slowly as she whispers some parting words.

"How?" He's not thinking clearly and he's not sure why he asks the one worded question.

She smiles at him sadly "You'll find a way sweetheart. And you'll find someone who will help get you-"

Then she takes her last breath as her eyes close. He begins to yell no over and again – the one word becoming something of a chant.

He's shaking his head "No, no."

"Jay. Jay wake up." Erin shakes his shoulder to try and pull him from his nightmare.

Despite her attempts to wake him he continues to thrash in his sleep. His hand moves to hold her hip, his fingers gripping her skin in a way that's sure to leave a bruise. The painful hiss that comes from her is what finally brings him back and he immediately releases his bruising grip.

His apology is muffled by her shirt as he keeps his head on her chest. When the fogginess fades a little more, he realizes that her lips have taken their previous spot on his forehead.

"I'm going to make us something to eat and then I want to take you somewhere." She states quietly as she sits up a little.

He just nods and moves to sit up as well. She climbs over him and makes her way to the kitchen as he lays back down. His thoughts consume him once again as the smell of coconut and vanilla – something that's so uniquely her lingers in the spot next to him. The memory that comes to mind is a hell of lot more pleasant as he recalls the moment they first met.

He just caught another one – bringing his total to three young, unbranded calves. Their mother's call out into the night sky – echoing through the valley and it causes something inside him to ache. But then he's reminded of his own mother telling him to take care of himself. And this is how he's doing that, he thinks as he ties the third rope to his horse's saddle. He's been on his own for four months and he's managed to use his knowledge to steal enough calves to sell off for food for himself, his horse and dog. Taking shelter in an old, abandoned barn hidden within the woods.

When he arrives back to the place he's called home for the last few months he jumps off his horse and leads the four large animals into the barn. Once they're all settled he moves over to grab the last granola bar and then to his makeshift bed consisting of a couple saddle blankets and hay. After getting something in his stomach he lays down and manages a few hours sleep before he hears his dog begin to growl. When he comes to, the rustling gets a little louder followed by a voice. It's melodic and sweet, holding a hint of a rasp within each word. She's young but he can't tell just how young without seeing her. He stays hidden in the shadows as she turns a little – giving him the first glance at her face.

"Shhh, easy buddy." She whispers as she places her small hand on the black horse's face. The large animal's breathing slows which gets her to smile. The sunlight peaking through the window near the roof, illuminates the girl's porcelain skin and every feature of her face – right down to the cute dimple in her cheek as she continues to smile at his horse.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asks as if they'd be able to answer her and it causes Jay to chuckle – thinking that he talks to the animals in the same way. The noise, though quiet, startles the girl who he's guessing to be around his age. She reaches behind her and pulls out a pocket knife.

"You won't be needing that." He murmurs as he takes a couple steps forward with his hands in the air to show he's not a threat.

She gives him a once over – still on guard and keeps the blade in her hand pointed at him. "Are you out here by yourself?"

"If I say yes will you put the knife down?" He nods towards the weapon between them.

"Sorry." It's not very sincere, it's actually comes out a little sassy but he shrugs it off.

"But I don't know you and I can't exactly trust you when you're stealing my family's cattle." She adds as she nods towards the stall holding the three calves.

"How do you know those aren't mine?" He tries to put on the most serious expression he can.

She looks at them again. "Are they?"

"Yes." His face scrunches with the lie which cause her to laugh.

"You're a horrible liar." She giggles as she replaces the knife back into her pocket. "My dad's pissed that he keeps losing calves."

"I just need the money for food for the three of us." He admits and he can tell she's thinking about his words before she turns to leave.

"If I bring you food will you stop taking them?" She looks back at him as she waits for her answer.

He nods and she smiles as she nods back. Then someone is yelling for her and he catches her name. But before he knows it she's gone and he doesn't see her again for a few days.

She knocks first before walking in but he stills seems surprised to see her.

"Hey." She whispers with a small smile.

He repeats her greeting with a small smile of his own.

"I saw the calves back in the herd. Figured I better keep good on my word." She tells him as she dumps the contents of her bag. "There's two bags of feed on my horse for your animals." Her thumb points back over her shoulder and he realizes he should follow her to grab the heavy bundles of food.

They each take a bag and go back into the barn.

"You came out here by yourself?" He asks once they place the food down.

"I didn't think you'd appreciate my parents coming with and finding out about you." She shrugs and he nods.

He's taken aback again when she sits down on the bed next to him. It'd be a lie if he said that it wasn't nice to just be with someone after spending the better part of four months on his own. Once he wolfs down a pop tart, they talk – well it's basically just her talking with him chiming in when she asks a question but he can't say he doesn't enjoy her company. Their conversations go on until the sun starts to set.

"I guess I should probably go before they send out a search team." She says pointing to the door as she stands up.

"I should probably come with you." He blurts out as he moves over to her. His hand goes to the back of his neck and he looks down as he feels heat rise up to his cheeks. "At least until you're closer to your house. It's not exactly safe out there." He suggests as they walk to the door together and he misses a similar pink tint take over her face.

They stop at where the trees end.

She moves her horse forward a little more before she jumps down.

"Hey Erin." He calls out to her, his voice just a tad loud for someone who wants to stay hidden. She looks over at him with an almost concerned expression.

"Thanks." He tells her and she gives him another dimpled smile and a soft nod before continuing towards her house.

She just has to say his name once to break him out the trance like state he was in. He shakes his head of the flashback and looks up at her as he takes the plate she's offering him. He whispers his appreciation before he begins to eat the food she made. Neither one of them had eaten anything since last night so it doesn't take them long to finish their meals. But she still gets done first and goes to clean his kitchen while he takes the last few bites left on his plate.

When they're done they meet at the door and head towards his truck. Her worry for him grows as he hands over his keys without any sort of remark and his face is void of the usual crooked grin. They buckle their seatbelts and he immediately looks out his window. She reaches over and places a hand on his knee – giving the limb a gentle squeeze in attempt to provide him with a little more comfort.

The drive is quiet as they both get lost in their own thoughts but it seems to go by quickly as they soon arrive at their destination.

"Erin." It's like a warning and she tenses with the way he says her name.

"You told me last year that you haven't been back since my mom brought us here when you first moved onto the ranch. Said that you couldn't do it by yourself." She states and he gives her a hesitant look. Her hand squeezes his knee again after a few moments.

"I'll be with you every step of the way. And when you're ready to leave we can but I think you should at least go visit them." She tells him and he nods in agreement.

They use the path set in the middle of the cemetery until they get to the row where his mom and brother are buried. He almost walks right past them – not realizing that the old worn wooden crosses that once marked the place where they were laid to rest have been replaced with grey, granite headstones.

He says her name in a way that's not much different then how he did before.

"Don't Erin me. You said yourself a few years ago that you wanted to give them proper burial sites. So I looked into it for a few months and got your mom and brother's pictures and set it up. They were your family, they were everything to you. And even though I never got to meet them, they're important to me too."

He leans over to kiss her temple then before looking back at the large gravesites in front of them. His eyes scan over the words on both of them before he looks back over his shoulder at her.

"You think you can just give me a minute please?" His question comes out a little bashful, almost as if he's embarrassed or ashamed to ask. But truthfully he just feels bad, here she was trying to be there for him and he was asking for her to give him space.

"You don't have to feel bad for asking Jay." She reassures him as if she can read his thoughts, her hand sits on his chest, rubbing a few soothing circles on his pec before she nods at him.

"Take as much time as you need. I'll be by the truck when you're ready." She tells him and then she turns to walk away.

"Hey Erin." He says getting her to look back at him. "Thanks."

"Of course." She winks before continuing towards the path and then down to the truck.

He doesn't take too long – just wanting to say few words to them before heading back home.

She surprises him again when she stays with him after they arrive back at the cabin. But he's more than grateful – especially when the nightmares don't come. A mixture of flashbacks and dreams keeping him in a peaceful slumber.