I quietly sit on the sofa, rocking back and forth taking deep breaths. I'd been sat here for about half an hour now but it felt so much longer. It was like my world had come crashing down. My parents had changed so much when I became a detective. I thought they'd be proud but they were the exact opposite and now I'd been kicked out. I'd never been away from home for long.
Jake sets a mug of hot chocolate down in front of me and I'm snapped out of my thoughts. "Thank you." I mumble.
He sits next to me and rubs my back, noticing the marks on my arm. "What happened?"
"I've been kicked out, my dad hates me... I didn't know where else to go."
He smiles reassuringly. "You can stay as long as you want."
"Thank you... He was so drunk Jake... I've never seen him like that before... He hurt me." Tears well up in my eyes as I tell him everything that happened.
"Im sorry you had to go through that."
I sigh and lean my head against his shoulder as he wraps his arms around me. "You're safe here. I won't let him hurt you."
I jump as my phone starts ringing. It's my mum, I put it on speaker.
"Y/N? Why aren't you at home and why is most of your stuff gone?"
I can't help but laugh. "Is this a joke?"
"What?"
"Dad threw me out when I got home."
"Oh honey, he's drunk, he doesn't mean it. Please come home so we can talk about it."
"Not a chance. If you'd have been there you'd understand. I want to be left alone for a while, I need space." I hang up the phone.
I turn to look at Jake. "I'm really sorry about all this."
"You don't need to apologize, it's not your fault."
"I should have enough to get my own place soon anyway."
He looks slightly disappointed. "You don't have to rush."
"I know... But you don't even have a spare room."
"I'll sleep on the sofa, I don't mind."
"No, I'm sleeping on the sofa."
"But you're a guest."
"But you live here!" He sighs so I decide to give up. "Fine. I'll sleep in the bed if it means that much to you."
"I just want you to be comfortable."
I smile. "I know, I'm just stubborn and not used to accepting much help from people."
"Tell me about it!" I hit his arm but we were already laughing.
A few hours later I've managed to fit my clothes in the wardrobe. I've also showered and changed into my own clothes. I sit next to Jake on the sofa.
"I didn't realise you'd packed a hurricane!" He laughs.
"Yeah I didn't realise I packed so much!" I look around the room where some of my other stuff is just lying around, some is still in the suitcase too.
Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. I watch as Jake goes to open it. Charles comes in with his son Nikolaj. Charles opened his mouth to speak but then notices me and my stuff and squeals instead. I blush and look down. Jake hits Charles gently. "Again, not what you're thinking!"
"There's a lot of that going on recently!" Charles raises his eyebrows suggestively.
Jake changes the subject. "So what brings you both here today anyway?"
"I was going to ask if you'd look after Nikolaj for a few hours while me and Genevieve go on a date, but it's fine if you're busy."
"We're not busy." I interrupt.
"Yeah we'll look after Nikolaj" Jake smiles.
"It's Nikolaj, but thanks Jake, he's already eaten so you don't need to worry about that, I need to go, but I want all the details on you two when I get back!" He leaves.
Nikolaj looks at me. "Hi, Y/N! Do you live here now?" I can tell he's excited.
"Yeah I do." I smile.
"Are you together? I heard daddy say that Jake loves you!"
I eye Jake suspiciously, he's blushing now. "No, I just had a disagreement with my parents and had to leave."
"Oh." He says sadly. "I can't imagine having a disagreement with mine."
"I'm sure you won't." I smile. Nikolaj sits on the floor and starts playing with some toys he brought. Jake plays with Nikolaj while I put some more of my stuff away.
Nikolaj has fallen asleep on a chair by the time Charles comes back. I was feeling quite tired myself so Jake and had been channel hopping. I'd convinced him to settle on a nature documentary. Charles walks in and just looks at us. "What?" I ask.
"Soooo, what's going on with you both?"
I sigh. "Nothing."
"But you're moving in?"
"My dad threw me out."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"It's fine, don't worry."
Nikolaj wakes up and sees Charles. "I had the best time daddy!"
"That's great Niko! Are you tired?"
Nikolaj nods.
"Let's get you home then and I can read you a story." Nikolaj gets up and puts his coat on while Charles picks his things up. "Thanks for having him."
"It was no trouble." Jake and I say in unison.
Charles gives us a knowing look and we all say out goodbyes.
I turn to look at Jake. "What was Nikolaj talking about earlier?"
Jake's cheeks redden slightly. "Hmm?"
"You know what I'm talking about!"
He sighs. "I wasn't going to say anything yet but I do really like you Y/N..." I smile as he takes one of my hands. "So... Do you uh... Wanna maybe go on a date tomorrow?" He looks down.
Im sure by now I was grinning from ear to ear. "I'd love to! I think we should set some ground rules though."
"Rules?"
"Yeah like... We keep it separate from work for now and no sex on the first date."
"Oh. Cool... Coolcoolcoolcoolcool no doubt no doubt..."