Saving Me

Chapter 38

"Why do you have so many snacks?" North asked as he watched Jess bring a ton of wrappers and snacks into the kitchen. She threw away the wrappers and started putting the snacks back.

"Because we were having girl time," She said matter of fact. "Girl time means girl talk which means snacks, when are you going to realize that? You brought us snacks last time we had a serious girl talk."

"Oh yeah," he said shaking his head. "Is she okay?"

"Yep," She popped the p and smirked mischievously. She turned to the rest of them seriously and glared, "you better not have been watching the cameras in her room. It was girl time and if I find out you were ease dropping I will make your life a living hell."

"I disabled the cameras right after you asked her what was on her mind," Owen said as he fixed his cup of tea. "I swear there is no video footage of you two having your moment. I also told them not to not go near her room or to fix the camera until you said you were done bonding."

"Okay," She smiled and grabbed a couple of bottles of water.

"You aren't going to give us a fucking hint about what you were talking about?" Gabe asked and she shook her head. "That's not fucking fair, we aren't suppose to have secrets."

"Then tell me what you are getting me for my birthday," She smirked and he glared. "Girl time means it's between the girls Gabe. You don't see her running out of here, do you?" He shook his head, "Then don't worry about it. We're just talking and enjoying time together."

"You promise she is okay?" Luke asked and she nodded.

"I promise Luke, everything is okay." Jess kissed his cheek then hugged him, "She just needed help clearing out some thoughts and questions in her head. All I will tell you is that earlier today, family time, was the exact kind of day she needed."

"We were just spending time together," Brandon said confused.

"Exactly," She smirked and headed up the stairs back to Lynn's room.

"That makes no sense," Brandon frowned.

"Yes, it does," Axel nodded. "We were together but also giving her space. She could be alone but also not be alone. She was alone to work on her painting but if she started to worry all she had to do was look up and see we were still there. It was a baby step to getting her independence and control back but not so much that it became overwhelming."

"Oh," he said then shrugged. "As long as she doesn't want to leave I'm okay with whatever."

"I doubt she will," Silas said after a few moments of silence. "I think I know what they were talking about. Think about it, she is questioning everything now. After we've been showing her how wrong he was treating her and then the Andersons and how we treat her, I would be shocked if she wasn't confused. It only makes sense she had a lot on her mind that she needed to talk to Jess about."

"You think she knows now?" Victor asked.

"Maybe," Silas shrugged, "maybe not."

"Either way, we will just continue as we have been," Owen said. "But we will start incorporating more times like earlier since Jess said that was what she needed."

"Got it," Kota nodded and everyone else nodded in agreement.

Jess came down a little while later and grabbed her purse, "Momma called and wanted to spend some time together. I told her Lynn was sleeping so it's just me and Momma, I probably will just crash at Momma's." She kissed everyone on the cheek. "Just keep it up and everything will work out the way it is supposed to and how everyone wants it to." She winked then dashed out the door.

"Let's just let her sleep," Nathan said as Marc started the dishwasher. "It's getting kind of late anyway."

"Should two of us go lay with her?" Victor asked. "She sleeps better when she sleeps with two of us."

"Yeah," Kota nodded. "I can't, I have an early mission. I don't want my alarm waking her."

"I have that goddamn mission tonight," Gabe shook his head.

"I got my shift at the hospital," Sean shook his head.

"Mission," Raven rolled his eyes.

"I have to head to the aquarium," Axel shook his head.

"I got to open the bakery," Luke pouted.

"I have paperwork I need to go over," Owen shook his head.

"I have to open the marital arts studio in the morning," Nathan shook his head.

"I have rehearsal," Victor rolled his eyes.

"I have the coffee shop," Marc shrugged.

"I'm free," North smiled.

"Me too," Brandon nodded.

"There you go," Owen nodded. Everyone left to go do what they needed while North and Brandon went to get ready for bed. They got on each side of her and smiled when she smiled in her sleep then snuggled closer to the both of them.