"What's wrong?"

"My brother's here. I'm 24 God damn years old and he still acts like I'm 12. He didn't even know me then for Christ sakes."

"Why would he be here at this time of night?"

"Someone, whose ass I reserve the right to kick later, had to call him."

"Can I come in with you?"

"It's going to get ugly."

"It's ok. I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

With that, J.P. pulled up in the driveway. He opened the door for Cameron. They walked up to the side door as Cameron fished her house keys out of the purse she was using for the night. As soon as she opened the door, Thunder, her bull-mastiff/boxer mix came charging through the kitchen barking like a madman. Once he heard Cameron's voice he sat and started whining. She slipped off her shoes as she made her way through the kitchen into the living room. It was pitch black and even though she knew good and well her 2 her roommates were sleeping in their bedrooms, she still heard breathing in the living room. She instantly knew that's where her brother was.

"Where have you been?"

"Out."

"Do you realize it is 4:30 in the morning?"

"Yes dad, I do. I am tired. Do you mind if we discuss this tomorrow?"

"Actually, we are going to discuss it now. Seeing as it already is tomorrow."

"Bloody hell…"

"Don't you get smart with me."

"Well excuse me for minding, but its 4:30 in the morning, I have 2 roommates asleep in their rooms, a date I have to say goodbye to, and you want to argue bubba."

"That's exactly what this is about, your "date"."

"So I decided to go out tonight. Big deal."

James gets up off the couch, and turns on the lights in the living room.

"That's a big deal."

"What? Me dressing up? Come on. Just because I decided to go out on the town, dressed up, doesn't count for much bubba."

"Where is he?"

"In the kitchen. What has he got to do with this anyways?"

"I get a phone call from Cat telling me my sister is all dolled up for a night on the town with Johnny Devine."

"Jesus. Number one, Cat had no right to call you. If I choose to go out with someone, it is MY business. Number 2, if Cat wouldn't have been up my ass all night, drinking so much he couldn't see straight, and even hitting on me, he wouldn't have anything to worry about now would he? Three, in case I have to remind you, I am 24 damn years old. I am a big girl. I can make decisions on my own."

"I know you're an adult Baby Girl, but I still worry."

"James, do you not think I am smart enough to know what the hell I am doing? Not every man is Jacob

Reynolds!"

"I just don't want you to get hurt. I was there for the hell you got put through last time. I can't handle watching you go through it again!"

"I've learned my lesson bubba. I'm not going to place myself in a position like that again."

"Devine, come here."

"Bubba…"

"Yea Storm?"

"This serves as your notice. Whatever happens between the two of you, I swear to god, you better not hurt her."

By then, the noise level had gotten raised quite a bit, and it was starting to wake up the roommates. Cyndi and Kathy come out of their respective rooms, wondering what in the blue hell was going on.

"James, shut the hell up. Let me fight my own battles for once! You think I ever will forget what that son of a bitch did to me? Well, I won't. Believe me. There's no way in hell I ever can forget what he did. You have no right going off the page on every guy I try to date!"

By then, Cyndi decided she needed to step in before things got way out of hand.

"OK you two, enough. Go to your corners. Cameron, you go to your room, smoke a cigarette, and try to calm down. James, just sit there and chill your happy ass out. Johnny, you and me outside."

J.P. then proceeded to follow Cyndi onto the back porch.

"Look, I know you don't know me from Adam. However, you need to listen to what I am about to say. I don't know what's going on with you and Cameron, and that's your business, not mine. However, keep in mind; she's been through a lot. That's why James is as protective of her as he is. He doesn't seem to grasp the concept that Cameron needs to learn to fly again on her own. Yes, she will always need her brother, but if Cameron is ever going to get passed her past, she will have to do it by herself. If she falls, it will be a learning situation for her. I know that you are probably pretty confused right now, but eventually you will understand why things are the way they are. Hopefully, you can help her. We've all tried, especially her brother and Sircy. Maybe, just maybe you're what she needs right now. So when we go back in here, you keep doing whatever it is your doing, for her to be getting back her spirit. That's the first time in a long time she has talked to James like that."

"I didn't want to cause any problems. I told her I would come in with her, even being forewarned it may get a bit ugly. I want to be with her no matter what it takes."

As soon as the words left J.P.'s mouth, Cameron came out of the back door. She had in her hand her stash pack of Marlboro Menthol 100's and a Bacardi and Bud Light from the fridge. She had changed clothes into a pair of her sleeping pants and a tank top. She still kept his jacket on that he had given her earlier that night at the park when he noticed she was freezing. She took his hand and led him through the back gate where a swing sat in the back yard. Once they both got settled, she started to talk.

"I got you a beer. I didn't know what you wanted to drink, but I had noticed you drinking on these tonight, and grabbed it."

"It's fine sweetie."

She lit up a cigarette and took a swig from her Bacardi.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened in there. He had no right to say any of that."

"He's just being a protective older brother."

"Oh I know, it's just that James has a tendency to be too overprotective sometimes. His heart is in the right place, but it can be almost more than I can take at times."

"I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

"Did you mean what you said to Cyndi?"

"What do you mean?"

"That you want to be with me no matter what it takes."

"Yea I did. I told you earlier, I want to be with you. That includes learning everything about you. That also includes accepting you for everything you were, are, and want to be."

"OK. Once I get finished telling you what I need to tell you, you may not be so sure."