Train Wreck

thirty five

Alice POV

Peach was my shadow the rest of the day, carefully sticking by my side as we rested on the couch. She would somehow just know when I needed her head at the right level to scratch for extra strength. I felt her presence nearby as she laid at my feet when I drifted into the kitchen for a drink but she became my actual physical support when my knees started to buckle before I made it back to the couch.

I braced myself against the wall and had to shut my eyes to focus.

I can't keep doing this.

I can't keep scotch taping my body and soul together on a daily basis.

I need to actually heal.

My heart felt like it was shattering as Greg peppered Benji with questions about his childhood while my brother volleyed back casually, asking about Reese and what life was like here.

What HIS life would have been like here.

After letting out a long breath I grabbed my Sprite bottle from the counter and stood, stablizing myself with arms splayed before walking toward the living room.

Peach stayed at my side, bracing my leg at the perfect height to I curled into a fetal position on the couch, tucking into myself as small as I could both to protect my weak body and to somehow shield the walls I tried to keep around my heart.

Clara always taught me that if I can't say anything nice I should just keep my mouth shut so that's exactly what I did.  I quietly listened.  Remington sat next to me, reclined on the couch with his arm outstretched and gently coaxing me from the cocoon I attempted to create.

At one point he scooted around when I went to the bathroom, taking the corner spot and stretching his leg across the middle seat.

"Sorry, gotta get my back stretched out and I think this will help."  Remi shrugged, blushing slightly as I approached with a smirk. Benji only laughed as I found myself pulled into Remington's arms, letting out a breath I did not realize I was holding.

I always seem to be releasing tension when he's around. Remi's presence dials back my Type A, Enneagram 1, need to control. He somehow finds the words I need to hear so my defenses came down back in the forest, and so far they have yet to fully be put back in place.

My head nestled back into his collarbone while his arms wrapped around my stomach, resting on either side of my waist and pulling me closer into his body.

His breath was warm against my ear as he whispered, "Tell me if I hurt you, Liss... please..."

I nodded and let out a long exhale, breathing through the pain as I adjusted my posture carefully and moved a throw pillow to the side so my hip could be more comfortable.

"There," I turned back gasping lightly when I realized how close my face was to his in this new position.  "This will work just fine."

"Yeah.  Good for me, too," Remington let out a cough and I laughed as he blushed a deeper red. 

"You two need to get a room," Benji turned up his nose in disgust, causing us to now laugh at his expense.

"Get used to this, Beep," I warned, stretching my arms over my head as I twisted in my new seat.  Remi coughed again behind me and I cursed myself when I realized this probably gave him a nice view of my ass even in this oversized romper from where he was seated.  "Also, you don't want us to get a room.  We need to have our first date before any of that.  Can't we allow things to happen in order?"

"Order?  What's that?" Greg chuckled from his wheelchair, setting down one of our photo albums and shaking his head.  "Remi has never been one to do anything by the book."