Missing You (Sequel to Somewhere In Neverland)

Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal

Alex's POV:

It was March now. Every day felt like another battle with the kids. Stella was so particular about wanting to hang out with her new boyfriend, alone. I get it. She was fourteen now. She wanted to makeout in private. But as much as middle schoolers say they don't have sex, they experiment to some degree (a degree I was not cool with). So obviously the answer was no. 

Peter was still quite upset over Jane. She was still with Jake, although she expressed to Peter in private that she no longer wanted to be with him. He hoped the breakup would come soon. I told him not to dwell. He was leaving in a few months anyway to tour the west coast and respond to a few interested record companies. None were very big, but they could give the jumpstart he needed. 

Today was a tired Saturday. I accompanied a group I was producing to a show last night, and didn't end up getting home until four. Marina had woken me up about an hour ago to tell me she and Stella were running some errands, but the rest of the kids were home and awake. It was a beautiful day. I hardly fell back asleep with the sun shining through my window. I was almost there when...

"Dad!" A nervous yell screamed, tossing open my door.

"Mm?" I sat up. "What's wrong?"

"It's Jane." Peter was frantic. "She's hurt. I don't know what to do."

"Where's your mother? I'm not the medic." I rubbed my eyes, hopping out of bed.

"You are now." He replied. "It was Jake. She broke up with him, and he beat the shit outta her. So she walked here."

"He what?" I was confused until I saw her. 

She was sitting on the couch, bawling her eyes out into her tiny hands. Her body was dirty and scraped. Blood was smeared onto her twill shorts and dripping down into her baby pink chucks. She was shaking. Her left eye was swelling.

I'd met her plenty of times before when Peter had groups of friends over. Jane reminded me a lot of Marina. The long blonde hair (although Jane's was a dirty color), the small stature, the absolute acceptance and kindness. Jane was also incredibly insecure, being a lost sixteen year old girl. Her mother died two years ago. Looking at her now, I couldn't imagine why the world wanted to punish her so.

"Salt water bath will clean out the cuts." I thought of an answer Marina would approve of. The heavy weight of the water would also slow anxiety. I moved to kneel in front of her. "You're safe now. No one will hurt you again."

She nodded, crying again into her palms.

"Let me help you up the stairs." Peter wrapped his arms around her gently. She nodded, and was supported by him as they walked away.

I grabbed the nearest phone I had, the landline. I dialled my wife, as per usual. 

"Hello?" She asked, expecting one of the kids.

"Hey, babe, it's me. Look, there's been an emergency. Please get home as fast as you can."

"Who's hurt?" She practically yelled.

"None of ours. Jane. I think she and Jake got into a fight."

Marina gasped. "Is Peter over there kicking his ass right now? He better be. I didn't raise no woman-disrespecting pussy-"

"He's trying to keep Jane calm. I told her to take a saltwater bath. She's not in the worst shape, but it's pretty bad. No rush, baby, but just come home soon." I said.

"We're just checking out at Giant. I'll be home in a jiffy. Tell Peter to assemble the cavalry." She said. This was code name for calling over every 'son' we had to terrorize Jake.