Chapter Eight

Vernon stopped the bus outside of a hotel in the middle of Branson, letting the group off to find their rooms. "Alright, everyone off but remember not to cause too much trouble." He gave a pointed look at John. "I mean it Bender."

Dominic smirked, looking up at the older man. "Which one are you talking to?"

Vernon rolled his eyes, looking at the cousins. "Both." He cracked a smile as he caught their grins, knowing that they knew he cared for them.

Thomas chuckled, patting Richard on the back. "Those boys, are something else." He took his wife's hand in his, kissing her head. "Not sure what we'd do without them."

Vernon shook his head, watching as John tossed Amelia onto his shoulders. "Never thought I'd say this, but they're all good kids."

John took Claire's hand, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I love you." He whispered, squeezing Amelia's ankle as she shifted slightly. "Don't fall off there, kid." He chuckled, feeling her little hands on his forehead. "I don't want you to go splat on the pavement."

Amelia laughed, bouncing on his shoulders. "I wanna sleep in your room."

John pulled her down, letting her straddle his stomach as he held her up. "You know that Dominic and I both snore, right?"

"I do not!" Dominic shouted over the buzz of the group. "You're the one that shakes the house!"

John shook his head. "I remember us both getting in trouble at Grandma's because Dominic Alejandro Bender was keeping everyone up."

"If it was just me than how come you've got a matching scar?"

John looked at Amelia, a plan forming in his mind. "Because you snored enough for both you and me."

"Fuck you, El Jefe." Dominic flinched as Kaylie flicked him at the base of the skull.

"Little ears!" She smirked, catching the taller boy in a headlock and giving him a noogy.

"Get off me!" He pushed her arms over his ears, turning to his cousin as he nearly fell over from laughter. "You think that's funny Kurt?"

John wiped a tear from his eye, launching toward his cousin. "Don't use my middle name!"

Dominic twisted out of his grip, pinning John to the ground. "It was Grandpa's name, asshat."

John rolled, attempting to use his strength to get his cousin underneath himself. But the strength he'd once had was gone, robbed from him by the meth he'd been drugged with. "Get off." He croaked, fighting the flaring seizure he could feel coming on. "Off." He looked up at Claire, his message clear.

Dominic jumped off of him, pushing Amelia into Claire's arms as John's seizure started to hit. "Get her out of here." He knelt beside his cousin, taking his head in his hands as he convulsed.

They'd thought he was through this, but Allison's father had told them that there could still be flareups if John got too excited. The group fell into position, making a human wall around their leader.

Dominic clamped John's jaw shut, waiting for the worst of it to pass. "Sal de eso, primo." He soothed, speaking in his mother's tongue, knowing that only John would understand. "Está bien, está bien."

John's seizure faded, letting him open his eyes to see his cousin above him. "Sí, Viviremos." He croaked, letting Dominic help him to sit up. "Thank you." He smiled, leaning his exhausted body against his cousin's chest.

"Burner code." He patted John's chest, letting the younger Bender relax for a moment. "We protect our own."

"And fight for each other." John closed his eyes, smiling as he caught the scent of Claire's perfume. "There's my Sweets." He whispered, feeling her move his body from his cousin's arms to her own.

Claire shushed him, letting his head rest on her chest as she ran her fingers through his sweaty hair. "Let's get you to bed." She pulled him to his feet, looping his arm over her shoulders as they made their way to John and Dominic's room.