FORCE | topper thornton

THIRTY FIVE

"It's Christmas!" I squealed as soon as Topper started to wake beside me, he hummed, pulling me closer, kissing the top of my head lazily, "merry Christmas, pretty lady." He muttered, barely moving his lips off of my hair, "merry Christmas." I replied, smiling as I thought about his gift, "let me go get your present." I whined when he wouldn't let go of my waist. "You're my present." He laughed, rolling on top of me, smushing me down to the bed. "I can't breath." I gasped, jokingly of course, "are you calling me fat?" Topper pushed himself up, hovering over me. "Of course not honey." I smiled up at him, playing with the hair on the back of his head, "honey?" He quipped, rolling off of me. I smirked at him, knowing he didn't like that pet name, "I can think of plenty of other things you like to be called," I teased, this time being the one to be hovering over him. I slowly settled into a straddling position, my plan was working as he looked up at me, eyes slightly wide, his chest rising and falling a little faster, "if you let me go get your present." I added, "damn you, Kenzie." He muttered as I climbed off of him, I could feel his eyes clearly staring at me as I dug through the closet, returning with a small wrapped box.

I got him a watch with a wooden face, and on the back I had 'I love you' and the date we said those words for the first time engraved on the back. Topper sat up against the headboard, smiling as I climbed back on the bed, straddling his legs as I handed him the box, he shook it like a little kid does on Christmas morning. "Just open it!" I sighed, I knew he would like it, but of course it was no compare to my gift, obviously. "Okay, okay." He laughed, tearing the wrapping paper off, he glanced at me before popping open the box. "Oh wow." He smiled, pulling the watch out, admiring the dark stain on the wooden watch face, he flipped it over. His smile grew as he read it, "awe, baby." He pulled me in, kissing me sweetly, "I love it." Topper smiled, giving me another quick peck. "Really?" I bit my lip, taking it from him and strapping it on his wrist, "of course." He spoke with a duh tone, "now," he paused, wrapping his arms tightly around my back, "where were we?"

***

"Merry Christmas." I whispered, kneeling on the cold wet grass, three bouquets of flowers in my arms, I went and placed one on each of the graves. Topper was a few rows away, placing some on his mother's, "I wish you were here, all of you. I know you'd be so happy for me and Topper." I added, some people found it stupid to talk to a marble slab on the ground, but I personally found it therapeutic, letting my words out without worry of embarrassment. "I miss you." I chewed my lip, surprisingly I wasn't crying, I was emotional but dry eyed. I looked behind me at the sound of footsteps, expecting it to be Topper but was more than shocked when I saw Matthew. "What are you doing here?" I sighed, turning back towards the graves in front of me, at this point they were a more welcoming sight than Matthew, "I'm here to pay my respects to Logan." He muttered, he walked up, placing a small thing of flowers on the ground, turning to walk away. "Why'd you do it?" I asked, silently hoping he didn't hear me. "Do what?" His voice was strained, I stood, turning to face him, "everything, treating me like shit, booking up with Zoe. Just all of it." I whispered, not meeting his gaze. "Don't know." He shrugged, figures. "Am I supposed to just accept that as an answer?" I retorted as he began to walk away, "fuck, Kenzie! What am I supposed to say?! There's no excuse for me being an ass to you, now just fucking drop it." His anger came out as he rushed over to me, getting uncomfortably close to my face. "Fine, leave Matthew." I seethed, "just stay away from me and my family." I added, he backed away, shaking his head with that familiar evil look in his eyes. "What family?" He scoffed, looking over the tombstones behind me, I tensed at his words. "Our family." Topper called, I looked to the side and saw him approaching, "if you'll excuse us, my fiancé and I have a Christmas to enjoy together." Topper snapped, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, leading me away from a fuming and shocked Matthew.

***

It was just two days after Christmas when my phone rang, I answered it, recognizing the number as Sheriff Peterkin. "Hello?" I answered, setting my laptop aside, I was in the middle of editing some clients photos, "Kenzie, we have a court date. Tomorrow at 8 am." My breathing hitched for a moment, the day had finally come, Luke was going to be in court, but I couldn't help but worry about what this meant for JJ. "Okay, um do I have to be there?" I asked softly, pulling at the loose thread on my pants, Topper was at work, so I was here alone. "No, but it might be better if you are." She went on to explain why I should go, and that if I can to get JJ to go as well, as to not prolong what's going to happen if his dad is convicted. JJ was still seventeen, he turns eighteen in two months, surely they will be able to leave him on the island until then. "I'll do my best." I sighed, adding a quick goodbye before dialing JJ's number, voicemail, he's probably at work, "Hey, J. Can you call me as soon as you can? I need to talk to to you." I left him the message, forcing myself to go back to work, I would've called Topper but I knew he had his first real client today, a big shot on the island. So I decided I'd just wait for him to get home, as much as it killed me to do so.

I jumped as soon as my phone started ringing, JJ's name flashing across it, of course at the same time I heard Topper pulling into the driveway. I picked up my phone, sliding it to answer quickly, "JJ, the court date is tomorrow." I rushed as soon as I answered. "Oh." Was all he mumbled, I could hear the nerves in his voice, and I knew it wasn't because of his father impending fate, I knew it was because of his own fate. "I'll do everything I can to keep you here, I swear." I assured him, the front door opening, I shot Topper an uneasy smile and he frowned, clearly seeing something was wrong. "But what if he doesn't get convicted?" JJ spoke, I hadn't even begun to think of that, I just assumed surely that he would, I mean their are fingerprints all over my house, his fingerprints. "I don't know, J. But listen, just meet me here tomorrow morning, we'll go together, yeah?" I spoke softly, he sighed but agreed, "okay, bye Kenzie." He mumbled, the line going dead. "Where are you going tomorrow?" Topper questioned coming over to me, he gave me a soft kiss, pulling away for my answer. "Peterkin called, Luke's court date is tomorrow." I whispered, "why didn't you call me?" He gasped, leaning over the back of the couch to meet my eyes, "you had a big client today, love, I didn't want to ruin that for you." I smiled softly, placing a hand on his cheek, "Don't be mad." I added. "I'm not mad, but you still could've called, at least I could've called you back as soon as I was done." He assured me, he looked saddened that I hadn't called him immediately, "I'm sorry." I gave him a lazy smile, pulling my laptop back into my lap. "Let me finish this last picture, okay?" I sighed, the photo popping up onto the screen, "okay." He kissed my cheek quickly, disappearing upstairs, most likely to shower his day away.

I had finished the picture pretty quickly, eager to spend some time with Topper, both of us seeming to need to unwind from the day. I climbed up the stairs, smiling when I heard the water still running, I quickly discarded my clothes, tossing them as I walked. I walked into the open bathroom, laughing when Topper popped his head out, shampoo suds all over his hair. "Oh really?" He smirked, seeing me standing there, "really." I mumbled an answer, allowing him to grab my hand and pull me in to join him.