Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Four

Phoebe tried to look away as John fought, covering her eyes as he took a hard hit to the ribs. She knew that he'd taken hard hits there last time, and it seemed like with every hit he became more protective. She'd never seen him fight like this, he was using moves from the competitions at school, but he was also using some that she'd never seen before. "John!" She screamed as he stumbled against the chains that lined the ring, able to see blood where the poorly made links had cut into his bare flesh. She gripped Jacob's sleeve, tears gathering in her eyes. "Please, make it stop." She begged, knowing that John had been taking beatings for her.

Jacob pushed her away, smiling at the cheers for John when he started a more aggressive attack. "I want my money, if I make him stop the fight, I'll lose the cash I've been feeding you with."

Beverly forced herself to not show worry for her son as he took blow after blow to his body.

Blood pooled on the arena floor, sweat mixing with the crimson as John took down man after man, until Jacob saw that he was failing and pulled him from the fights before he lost the thousands of pesos that he'd gained from John's wild behavior. "Don't blow this shit." He growled in John's face, roughly wiping the blood from under his nose and his lips. "I didn't let a little bastard like you live under my roof for eighteen years for nothing." He gripped John's arm, able to feel his muscles shaking with fatigue. "I fed you, I clothed you, I kept you safe, and out of the rain; I expect all of that effort back, paid in full."

John nodded, falling as Beverly pushed Jacob back. "He can't go any longer, Jake." She glanced at her son, biting her lip when Phoebe cradled his head on her lap. "He's human. He needs a rest once in a while."

Jacob glared at his son, slapping Beverly across the cheek and kicking John in the side before he marched away from them.

John curled on his side, watching as a scorpion skittered across the dirt of his floor. He sat up, pouncing after the insect and catching it by the venom spine of its tail. He pinched the venom gland off of the bug, crushing its head under a rock before he lifted it to his mouth. "I've eaten worse…" He shrugged, crunching the exoskeleton in his jaws.

He coughed, spiting some of the bug onto the dirt as he choked on it. "Fuck…" He gasped for air, jumping as thunder rumbled outside.

He looked up at his ceiling, noticing that the roof was leaking. He stood, grabbing a rock and tossing it up at the crack he'd spotted. He smiled as the water flowed quicker, rushing over to the small stream. He cupped his hands under the water, drinking it in as fast as he could.

Dominic rested his head on his arm, placing his hand on Jade's stomach where his child was slowly growing inside of her. "Uncle John will be home soon." He sighed, his body and mind mentally exhausted from the worry for his cousin.

Jade kissed his cheek, gently trailing down his neck and behind his ear. "He'll be okay. He'll find a way to get back to us."

Claire leaned on John's windowsill, breathing the scent of the ocean and letting the wind blow her hair back. "How the hell did we wind up like this Why weren't we able To see the signs that we missed Try and turn the tables I wish you'd unclench your fists And unpack your suitcase Lately there's been too much of this But don't think it's too late Nothing's wrong just as long as you know that someday I will Someday, somehow I'm gonna make it alright but not right now…" She lifted her face to the moon, finding comfort in the thought that wherever John was, he was looking at the same moon. "I miss you…"