"Hey, so, like...is everything okay?" Jessica asked awkwardly as they got into the Jeep.

"Not exactly," Trent replied.

"Am I in trouble?" She looked at him anxiously.

"No, not really. Just...we gotta talk about something uncomfortable, and I'd rather just get it out of the way and also utilize the time we're spending driving also talking about...the issue."

"What, um, is the issue?" she asked. But he thought she was lying. He thought she knew.

Trent pulled out his phone and found the selfie he'd taken. "I'd like to know about this."

Jessica looked at it and her reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened a little and she smiled, very awkwardly, and looked away. "Um...what about it?" she replied after a very long pause.

"Well, uh...I guess I'll just say it: that is rather more intimate than a blood-related brother and sister usually are."

"Um...we should start driving," she murmured, starting the Jeep and backing out of the driveway. He waited as she navigated them out of Possum Springs. When they were on approach to the on-ramp, he finally ran out of patience.

"Well?"

"I don't...know what to say," she replied, not looking at him.

"Okay, obviously you know what I want to discuss, I can tell that from your tone. And I don't entirely remember this weekend. I'm not angry."

"Are your girlfriends?" she murmured. "Because they said it was fine."

"They aren't angry. But we need to discuss this. What actually happened? How'd we end up like that and why is there a picture?"

She struggled for a moment as they got onto the highway, then sighed heavily. "Do you remember how affectionate we used to be? It was pretty typical for us to end up laying in bed together or sitting in a chair together. I just-you know, I always felt safe with you. I felt good with you nearby, before...things got bad. And I missed that. And I didn't realize how much I missed that until Saturday. After you, uh, faded, I got a little stoned when they offered and apparently it made me hot so I took off my shirt and we got to talking and Mae went downstairs to deal with something and Ann had to go see her mom about something, like everyone left for a little bit because they had stuff to do and I said I'd watch over you, and I did."

"So what happened then?" he asked.

"I sat down next to you and you reached out and took my hand and smiled at me. You were being really sweet. You asked me about stuff, like what's been happening in my life, and you kind of wanted me to lay down beside you, I could read it in your body language. And I'm not making that up! I wasn't just 'seeing what I wanted to see', and I wanted to so I laid down next to you, and we got closer, and I just…" she trailed off.

"You just what?" he pressed.

"I...remembered. Certain...feelings...I was having. About you. When we were younger."

"Certain feelings?"

"Yes, Trent! This is really hard to talk about!"

"I get that and I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be an asshole, it's just...I need to know what this is and what the options are. This seems really important, so I gotta know."

"Know what?"

"Just tell me about the feelings, Jess."

She fell silent for a long moment. He waited. They drove along the highway for a few exits until she nearly missed the one she was looking for. She kept her peace until she pulled into the mostly empty parking lot of a Holiday Inn. She killed the engine, then passed him back the keys and looked at him intently.

"You have to promise not to hate me if I tell you," she said. "Or to tell anyone else!"

"I will keep your secrets, Jess, provided they aren't, you know, monstrous. But I'm pretty sure my fiances already know."

A complex curiosity of emotions played across her face, and something seemed to give inside of her, and they all sort of fell off her face at once. She almost looked...defeated? He wasn't sure.

"I know," she said. "I guess there's no point in bullshitting, I'm just...scared."

"I understand that, Jessica. I am too, honestly. But if there's one thing I've not just learned but really fucking learned over the past year, it's that the only way to deal with this shit is to just deal with it. Most other methods of avoidance ultimately cause more problems than they solve. So...we just gotta face this head on and figure it out."

"Yeah, you're right...okay, I guess I'll just...I want to fuck you," she said, staring intently at the steering wheel now. "I want to have sex with you and I don't care that we're related and I've wanted it for awhile now. And...I...was listening to you and Bea in the bathroom." Trent sighed heavily. "I'm sorry!"

"Okay, Jessica, like...I'm not upset that you want to have sex with me or that you got handsy with me while I was stoned off my ass, but eavesdropping isn't cool," he replied.

"I know! I fucked up! But I just...really wanted to know."

Trent began to reprimand her further, then hesitated as he thought of Mae telling him the exact same thing about using her powers on Jessica. He still wasn't sure how good of an idea that had been, but he knew he'd be a hypocrite to give her more shit for it.

"Fine, I forgive you. Just…" he sighed. "We have to deal with this."

"Yeah, I guess we do. But this is so fucking...embarrassing! And I'm scared of people finding out. Although I kind of care less now for some reason. It used to terrify me, obviously…" She laughed bitterly and shook her head. "I'm pretty sure this is mom's fault. She's the one who told me I was basically being a fucking hussy and accidentally seducing you, which I wasn't, but after she said that, I kind of started obsessing over it, and naturally thinking about that a lot led to, you know, thinking about you and me...doing it. And that started really turning me on. And, I don't know, I mean, even if it came from a bad place, I'm still stuck with it...do you even want to have sex with me?"

"...yes," he admitted.

She smirked at him. "I knew it."

"Oh my God, Jessica."

"Come on! You admitted it!"

"Jess, I'm going to need you to be more responsible about this. This is kind of serious."

She lost her smile. "Yeah, okay. Sorry. So...what do we do?"

"I guess we talk about this some more, between ourselves and with my lovers, and then if everything still makes sense...we hook up and see what happens."

"Wow. I can't believe we're actually talking about this. I mean...I'm cool with it. I want to do it. And I've got an implant, so we don't have to worry about birth control...you have a hard-on."

"Oh my fucking-shut up, Jess!" he groaned.

She giggled. "It's still fun to fuck with you. Like...in a nice way, I mean."

"You and every woman in my life will get along famously," he replied, opening the door. "Now let's do this."

"Do they seriously all give you shit?" Jessica asked, getting out with him.

"Yes. In a nice way, in a...sexual teasing way, but yes. I'm drowning in a sea of bad bitchy brats."

"You clearly don't mind."

"No, I do not. I've got a sassy goth fiance, a loudmouth tomboy fiance, and a tough sarcastic fiance."

"And a few girls on the side...I'd call you a whore, but I feel like whores just do people with no regard for them. And you care about them. And they clearly care about to you."

"I love them," he replied.

"And that's very sweet and, honestly, awesome, but-" She froze as she looked towards a dumpster up against the side of the hotel. "You've gotta be shitting me."

"What? Is that your suitcase?" he asked.

"Yep," she growled, striding over to it. She began to reach for the extended handle sticking out over the edge, but hesitated as she got closer. "Oh, my God. Ew."

"What's wrong-whoa! Are you serious? What's that fucking smell?! Is that…"

"Piss," she replied. "He actually pissed on my clothes. And they're shredded, too," she muttered as she stood on her tiptoes and stared in. Trent did the same and made a face. The clothes were gathered loosely in a torn, piss-soaked pile.

"...holy fuck, our dad is fucking insane," he muttered.

"Yes. Yes, he is. And I...can never talk to him again," she murmured.

He turned to face her then. "Thank you for that. Really. I know that you were putting yourself at risk and burning that bridge to do the right thing and that...means a lot to me."

She smiled awkwardly. "...thanks. I did it because, you know, I love you." She paused after a few seconds. "Oh shit, sorry. That wasn't me trying to manipulate you or guilt you or anything-"

Trent held up a hand. "It's okay, Jess. I believe you. And I...need a little more time."

"I understand," she said, but he could tell that had hurt her. He felt bad, because he didn't want to, but he had to be sure. And he just wasn't sure yet.

He followed her into the main lobby and then up to the desk.

"Hi, I'm Jessica Sinclair. I was told you guys might have some of my stuff?" she asked.

"One moment," the woman at the desk replied, and slipped through a door behind her. She returned a few minutes later with a book and a sock.

"Oh, wow," Jessica murmured, accepting them gingerly.

"Yeah. Um. Your...father? I think?"

"Yes," she muttered.

"He was such a jerk. He was so rude. And we are absolutely pursuing him for the state of the room he left behind. I saw your stuff before they threw it out and just...my God. You have my sympathy," she said, her voice pitched low.

"I appreciate it," Jessica replied.

Her stuff in hand, she led him back outside. They got back into the Jeep.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

She laughed and nodded. "Yeah. Your book. Demontower. I've been following you for awhile now, so I know some of this at least."

"And? What do you think?" he replied.

"It's good. Like, really good. I like it a lot and I want to read the sequel."

"Well, I do have it finished."

"Mmm…" She reached over and laid her hand in his lap. "Whose dick do I have to suck to get that?" she murmured.

"Um...holy shit, Jess," he muttered, looking down at her hand.

She giggled. "You're hard again."

"I need...to…"

"Yes, big brother?" she asked softly.

"Holy fucking...stop it!" he groaned.

"Man, it feels good to see you just so obviously into me," she murmured, withdrawing her hand, though slowly.

"It's...weird. You are my sister, but...I mean I don't care, because I think that's bullshit and people should be able to fuck each other if they want to, even if they're related, but there's definitely a part of me that's scared about it."

"Me too," she replied. "If you don't want to, it'll be fine."

"No, I want to, I'm just kinda freaked about it. Also, a lot of people are going to want to watch us doing it."

"...are any of those people men?"

"No. I'd be the only man in the room."

"Maybe it's stupid, but I'm fine with that."

"Seriously? My fiances? Mae's mom? Claire?"

"Yeah, I don't care. And, like, I guess I feel like it's fair. I mean, yeah you're my brother, but you're also their...everything. They're being really cool by sharing you with me. And if incest turns them on, then...I'd be a hypocrite to give them shit for it, given how much incest apparently turns me on."

"Yeah. Well...cool. Um-" He paused as his phone began ringing. "How about you start heading home?" he said, checking the screen. It was Allen. Uh-oh. He answered. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hello, Trent. Um...how are you doing?" he asked, suddenly awkward.

Trent chuckled. "I'm doing pretty well right now. Still a little toasted. Um...what's up? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine, I was just...hoping to ask a favor."

"Oh yeah, ask away."

"No, I imagine you're busy…"

Trent almost laughed. It was obvious to him that Allen had been in the midst of his own difficulties and had called him up while forgetting that Trent had gone through his own difficulties just recently, and now felt awkward about it.

"It's totally cool. I'm not busy. I want to help. I'll come by the store, all right?"

"Okay. If you're sure."

"I'm sure."

"Thank you. I'll explain when you get here. I just need...your opinion."

"Understood. Be there in about fifteen minutes."

Trent had a good idea of what that opinion was about.

"Who was that?" Jessica asked.

"Bea's dad. He needs my opinion on something. We gotta go to his store. I'll guide you there once we get back to town."