Trent felt his legs threatening to give out on him as he walked across his backyard.

Fuck, how did that make sense? Well, he had just gone through the hardest thing of his entire life. And had been punched in the face. After having a panic attack yesterday, the worst of his life. He got to the backdoor, put his hand on the knob, then froze up as a memory of his father, drunk and angry, punching him in the face and how it had just knocked him clean off his fucking feet because he had been a goddamned child-

Trent managed to stagger to the edge of the patio and vomit into the grass. Almost nothing came up, because there was practically nothing in his stomach by now, but it was a wretched experience all the same. He felt himself beginning to slip away into the same darkness as before, the one that had come on all at once and with no warning.

He fought it. For a few seconds, he was positive he was going to lose that battle, absolutely positive. But then something seemed to push back, and then the darkness began to recede. He heard sounds behind him, voices.

"Trent!?" Mae asked, and he realized it was probably the third time she'd asked.

"Here," he panted, and spat a few times. "Sorry."

"What happened?!" Bea demanded.

"PTSD flashback," he replied, holding up his hand, and spat again. "Nothing happened." He paused. "Well, you'll never guess who I ran into out at the bridge."

"...who?" Ann asked cautiously.

"Chris." He laughed, then spat again.

"Here, babe," Ann said quietly, pushing a can of Mule Blue into his hand. He thanked her and drank heavily from it, then passed it back to her. "He was actually like super cool. Like really chill and nice and vulnerable."

"What the fu-vulnerable?" Bea asked.

"Yeah, it was amazing. He thinks I'm a legit hardass."

"You are," Mae growled.

"Dunno what to say to that right now. Anyway, it was cool." He straightened up and turned around. Everyone was out there now, staring uncertainly at him.

"What do you need?" Candy asked.

"Um, I need-" He groaned as he felt the tunnel vision start to come in again. "Shit! I need-Candy, will you please bake me another one of those brownies? I mean, the overwhelmingly powerful ones? I need that level of stoned."

"Yes, honey, I will. I'll do it right now," she replied.

"Thank you so much."

"Let's get you inside, dear," Ann murmured.

"Yeah, come on," Bea said.

"Wait," Trent replied, pausing as they got him halfway across the patio, "did anyone think to order more of those wings? The Inferno wings?"

"Yes, I did," Mae said.

"Mae for the fucking win," he muttered. "Are they here?"

"Yeah, they just got here."

"Thank you. Let's do this."

Trent let them help him back inside. He found his sister sitting awkwardly on the recliner, her phone in her hand, legs tucked up under her.

"Trent, I'm so-"

He held up a hand. "Stop, Jessica. I'm not-" he stopped, took a deep and heavy breath, then let it out in a long exhale, "I'm not ready. Just...wait. I will tell you when. I know I seem like I'm kind of being an asshole right now, but I'm actually doing this for your benefit. I need to get in my right mind first, or at least somewhere in spitting distance of it."

"Okay," she replied quietly. Then, "sorry."

"It's...whatever. Help me down onto the couch," he muttered, his legs feeling abruptly extremely weak again.

Bea and Ann got him over to the couch and eased him down, then sat down on either side of him. Claire was already returning with a glass of milk and Mae was setting the wings down in front of him. He immediately opened the box, took one out, and ate all the meat off it. He tossed the bones into the box and then did it a second time. And then repeated it one more time.

"Gonna regret that soon," he groaned, grabbing a papertowel and wiping his mouth off. "Oh God, they're so fucking hot. Holy shit."

"I will go to hell with you, if you want me to, babe," Mae said.

"Will it make you feel better?" he asked.

"Yes, yes it will."

"Then come to hell, Mae."

"Here we go!" she cried and ate the remaining two wings. "Oh! Oh shit! So hot! Holy fuck!"

Trent chuckled, then caught a flash of his father's screaming face trying to crowd in on him. He grit his teeth and gave his head a shake, focusing on the absolute agony burning his mouth right now. It worked. The bad image faded, and then the bad feelings began to fade. They were replaced by the all-consuming heat of the Inferno wings.

"Oh fuck me, it takes like...Doom!" he groaned.

"Don't touch your eyes!" Bea said as he began raising his hands to his face.

"Maybe I want to…" he murmured.

"No! Don't do it, my love!" Mae cried. "I did it and it was soooooooo bad!"

"I know, but just a little," Trent said, and rubbed a finger against his eyelid. The pain immediately bloomed, like napalm being dropped from a fighter jet doing a motherfucking barrel roll. "OH HOLY FUCK ME!"

He heard a snort from beside him and looked over at Bea, although he had to turn his head even more because his right eye was now squeezed shut. "Oh is this funny?!" he cried when he saw her trying bravely to hold in a laugh.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry, but I warned you!" she replied.

He laughed, then groaned. "Fishsticks!"

"What?!" Ann asked.

"I don't know! Brain malfunctioning! Agh! Wes Craven's New Buttfucking Nightmare!" he screamed, putting the heel of his palm against his eye. "I haven't even seen that one!"

"Here, Trent, here!" Claire said, pulling his hand away from his eyes and placing a cool, soft washrag against it.

He groaned and took it, began to lay back, then sat back up. "It's still so hot! Fuck!"

"Drink your milk!" Molly cried.

He began to respond, then gave up and chugged the milk. Mae did at the same time. Once it was gone, he fell back panting, still holding the cloth to his eye. "Oh man, I'm so glad I only did a little. Holy shit this hurts."

"Did it work?" Ann asked tentatively.

"Um...yes. It did. But it's temporary, I know that much, so I'll be right back and then we get this show on the road."

Trent got up and headed into the bathroom to wash his face. Five minutes later, he sat on the sofa, facing Jessica, who still sat in the recliner. He considered, seriously but briefly, making her go stand where she had when she'd been with the rest of his ex-family, but gave up the notion. Now that he'd had the Inferno sauce, much of his anger had left him. He popped his neck and leaned forward.

"I know that whole display must have seemed ridiculous, but I promise that I am here, present, and in the moment, and I am taking this situation seriously. I've bought myself some temporary sanity with that hot sauce, but it won't last too long. I'm hoping to put myself into a...shall we say, 'medically induced coma' to get through the worst of the pain, with weed. I won't be much use to anyone for at least a day, probably two, while I've got it in my system. So I am giving you this opportunity, here and now. Convince me, Jessica, to forgive you."

"...you're so different now," she whispered, then straightened up and cleared her throat. "Um...thank you. I...God, this is...a lot," she murmured, looking from Trent to the others and back to Trent. "Little brother-"

"Don't...patronize me, Jessica," he growled, fighting for control as his anger tried to surge back. "Don't try to manipulate me. Just tell me the straight fucking truth, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Um...I'm so sorry, Trent. For everything I did. And for everything they did. I hated it so much. I hated it. I hated being there, I hated seeing you be treated like that. I tried to protect you in the beginning, but I was two years younger than you, and they already didn't listen to me. I tried, Trent, because I loved you. I do love you. I know that has to seem like such fucking horseshit, but it isn't! I really tried. But it just...it got to be too much. He got to be too much, and then she did, too. She started really getting on me about it when I got into middle school, telling me I needed to stop being such a fucking baby sister or people were going to get ideas.

"I didn't know what the fuck that meant at first, but one day she was drunk and told me that if I didn't stop always trying to stick up for you and protect you, everyone was going to think that you and me were having sex, even if we weren't, and if anyone thought that, then they'd take you away forever! I was thirteen when she told me that! What the fuck was I supposed to do!?" she wailed.

She started crying. Trent reacted almost instinctively, standing up, and then he stopped, hesitated, wondered, and then he kept going.

"Come here," he said, stepping up to her and taking her hand.

Jessica immediately stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she cried as she sobbed.

"It's okay," he murmured, rubbing the back of her head. "It's okay, Jessica. I forgive you."

"No!" she said suddenly, pulling back and looking up at him, "no! Don't just forgive me because I'm crying! I only want to hear it if you really do forgive me!" she demanded, holding back her tears through sheer force of will right now.

"Jessica, I really do forgive you," Trent replied. Because he had seen Jessica manipulate people before. He'd seen her acting. He'd seen her bullshitting through her teeth. She had gotten good at it, but not this good. None of the telltales were there. This was real. She was breaking almost as badly as he had.

"Do you promise?" she whispered, face trembling.

"I promise. I forgive you."

She immediately resumed crying and he hugged her once more, as he had with every woman in this room.

"I always felt so bad when I said those shitty things to you, but he fucking made me! If I was nice to you he'd punish me! You know how he was!"

"I know," he replied, giving her some space when she stepped back. "Looking back...yeah, I can see that. I mean, I saw it so much in Brad-" She laughed suddenly, a sharp and harsh sound. "What?"

"Just-I'm so fucking glad you knocked his head off. He was such a stupid asshole, and he's only worse now. I almost fucking killed him on the drive out here. He's insufferable. So glad you got that fucker. But...dad hit you…" she whispered, her face breaking again.

"It's okay," he replied, putting his hands on her shoulders and giving her a little shake. "Jessica, it's okay. I'm okay. Although I guess I should get it looked...oh. I forgot about that. That's why it hurt extra this time."

"I kinda thought you wanted it that way," Mae murmured awkwardly.

"Sorry, babe, I-it slipped my mind," Bea said.

"It's okay. Fuck, it's probably goddamned cauterized by now. But, Jessica, listen. You did it. You convinced me. I forgive you."

"Okay...do you still love me?" she asked tentatively.

"I…" He stared at her, thoughts beginning to whirl and spin his head. He sighed heavily. "I don't know right now, Jessica. I just don't know the answer to that question. I will try to, though."

"...thank you," she murmured. "...so what happens now?"

"What do you want to happen?" he asked.

"I want...it doesn't matter, you won't let me," she replied.

"Tell me," he replied.

"Fine. I want to stay here, with you, until...you know the answer to that question, one way or the other. But I can figure my way out of this place if you want me gone. I have money and a phone, I can Uber to an airport or whatever."

Trent frowned, thought about it, looked at the others.

"It's up to you, babe," Bea said.

"Yeah, one hundred percent," Ann agreed.

"We'll back whatever decision you make," Mae said.

"Yep," Molly said, "but to be clear, I ain't a sharing a bed with Miss...mmm. With her."

Trent sighed. "You can stay, and I will share the bed. We'll sleep down here, you all will sleep upstairs."

"Aw, come on," Mae muttered.

"Sorry, babe, I'll be too stoned to do anything."

"Um...not based on the way you tore up me and Melody's pussies were two fucking hours last time," Bea murmured.

"Who's Melody?" Jessica asked.

He sighed. "A rich girl from up north. We fuck around sometimes, we met at a party. It doesn't matter, I doubt you're gonna meet her. Anyway, you can stay here. It'll probably be a few days before I can answer you, I think."

"Okay," she murmured.

"And everyone, just...be chill. Please be chill with her. I get your feelings, God, I get my feelings, but...just...it's okay now. I don't know if I love her still, but I do know I respect her basic rights. And you all should, too. I'm holding you to that standard."

"We'll be nice," Bea said.

"We will try," Mae growled.

"That is what I'm asking," Trent said. "Okay, then. Um...I guess I should get something ready to eat. I'm going to be fucking bombed…"

"Babe, can I speak with you downstairs? Alone?" Mae asked.

"Uh...sure. Be right back, everyone," Trent said, and let Mae lead him downstairs. She shut the door firmly behind them and they went all the way downstairs. "Okay, what's wrong?"

"Trent...are you planning to, um...mmm...I mean, you're sleeping down there with her…"

"Wait, are you asking what I think you're asking?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes. Are you gonna bang your sister?" she replied solemnly.

"Mae!"

"What?! I mean, it's okay, I get it, but-"

"Wait, what?! You get it? What does that mean?"

"I mean, I told you before, I think incest is kinda hot. And, okay, like so...I have a confession," she whispered.

"...I'm listening."

"When we were up there, and my mom told me to cover my eyes...I didn't. I peeked."

"At your mom's huge tits?" She nodded. "And…?"

"I was...I'm not sure. I feel...things. It's so weird. I'm not ready to really talk about it yet, and please don't tell the others, not even Bea or Ann, please."

"I won't, Mae. It's okay, it's our secret. I promise."

"Thank you. But like, I'm saying...I get it. And I wouldn't judge you, or be mad. Honestly...that'd be really hot. If you fucked your sister...raw...mmm…"

"Mae," he whispered sharply.

"You've got a hard-on!" she whispered back, looking down and reaching out. "You've got a hard-on, dude! This is turning you on!"

"It's no-Mae! Stop talking about this. No, I'm not going to bang my sister. I mean, definitely not tonight."

"But what if she tries to?" Mae asked.

"While I'm stoned?" She nodded urgently. "Why would she!?"

"I think she's into you."

"Why!? Because you want her to be?"

"No, like-babe, come on. Do I need to spell it out?" She tapped her head several times.

"...are you serious?"

"Yes! I got a feeling. I mean I could be wrong, but I don't think so. I think...she's thinking...thoughts about you, and her, doing things, together."

Trent thought about it. He'd seen her topless once. It had been an accident that made him feel kind of bad because he was nineteen and she was seventeen, and his sister, but it had genuinely been an accident. He'd just caught a flash of her perfect tits as she was changing in her room and she'd left the door open just an inch too wide as he happened to be walking by. And she always wore revealing or tight clothing, so anytime she was around him, it was obvious that to him that his sister was very physically attractive. She had a really great body, and this was still true.

If anything, it was better now…

"You're thinking about it! You're thinking about sticking your meat into your little sister's sweet little pussy!" Mae hissed.

"Mae! Oh my fucking God! Are you writing incest fan fiction!? I said stop!"

"Am I wrong!?" she demanded.

"I'm...considering possibilities," he admitted. "But for now: no. No, Mae. Firmly no. Just...let me settle, please, babe. I'm so fucking fucked up right now. This is worse than ever before."

Her expression immediately softened, then turned guilty. "Shit, I'm sorry, babe. I'm being a huge asshole right now."

"No, you aren't, you're just being...emotional. And horny. We'll talk about this later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Thank you." He hugged her again. "I love you, Mae. I'm not mad at you, I'm just freaking out. Please don't...also freak out. I need…" he sighed, then laughed. "I'm not trying to be a dick, but I need you to regulate your emotions. That is what will help me."

"...I will do the best I can."

"Thank you, sweetheart. I know I'm asking a lot."

"...if this conversation was with anyone else, I'd be so insulted right now."

"I appreciate that." He kissed the top of her head. "Let's go upstairs. I want to get bombed."