"Bedtime!" Jess exclaimed as she entered the family room where Cameron and JC were watching the end of Scooby Doo.

Cameron scuttled up to JC, attaching herself onto his chest, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder as he smiled gently. "No. I don’t want to go."

"Come on, Cam," Jess said softly as JC got up, Cameron still in his arms.

"But I’m not sleepy yet. When I get sleepy we can go to bed, but I am not tired," she said as she tried her best to disguise the yawn that was coming out of her mouth.

"Well I am," JC said as he let out an exaggerated yawn. "So I am going to go to bed. If you want, you can stay down here and watch TV, but Jess and I are going to go to sleep now."

Cameron contimplated this for a moment before sighing. "Okay, I am kind of tired," she admitted as she rested her head on JC’s shoulder again, watching Jess who was at JC’s heels, following them up the stairs.

JC set Cameron down onto the bed and then pulled down the sheets. Cameron climbed inside of them obediently, her eyes closing tiredly for a moment as her head hit the pillow.

JC climbed in beside her, allowing her to climb into his arms once more, her short little arms attaching around his neck, her chubby cheek flattened against his chest. He watched her from the corner of his eye as her brown eyes, the exact copy of Jess’, closed and then slowly and tiredly fluttered open again, each time taking a little more effort that the one before.

"Come to bed," he whispered to Jess who nodded, and climbed in. He motioned for her to come closer, sighing contentedly as she rested her head beside his chest.

"I love you Auntie Jess," Cameron whispered, her sleepy little eyes finally closing.

Jess leaned in, kissing her cheek. "I love you too, Cam. Sweet Dreams."

"I love you, Uncle JC," she murmured, repositioning her head so it was closer to his chin, "Thank you for playing Barbies with me."

"Sure Cam," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head gently, "it was fun. I love you too, sweetie," he said as she finally fell into sleep.

He looked over to Jess who had been watching the two intently, and smiled, holding in the words he so desperately wanted to tell her. "Night, Jess," he whispered sadly his eyes closing.

She smiled a smile which mirrored his before sighing. "Night, C."

"Roxanne Kent?" asked the police woman as she flashed her badge.

"Yes?"

"Is your mother Caroline Kent?"

Roxy panicked, "Yes," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt the blood drain from her face, her voice sticking to her throat as she listened to the woman before her speak.

"I am Deputy Sharon Kissner. Dade County Medical has in their possession, your mother’s body. She was found dead in her apartment this morning, the cause appears to be two slits at either ends of her wrists. It appears to be suicide. We’re gonna need you to come down and identify the body," the woman continued impersonally. "Do you know where Dade is located?"

Roxy nodded silently, finally aware of the tears streaming down her cheeks. She shut the door, before the officer could finish speaking, slumping down to the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Rox, baby," Justin called from the kitchen, "who was at the door?"

Roxy looked up, her hazel eyes marred with tears, her body shaking as she sat. "My mother…she’s dead," she murmured, as she looked at him hopelessly, her eyes closing in absolute pain.

He rushed towards her his arms reaching for her but she backed away. "No, no," she cried, standing shakily for a moment, before collapsing into the couch. "Stay away from me! Everyone I love dies, my Dad, my sister, my Grandma, my Uncle, and now my Mom. She committed suicide, Justin, she WANTED to get away from me. She was all I had left," she whispered, clutching to the throw pillow, her thin frame wracking with her tears.

"Roxy," he whispered softly, his blue eyes serious, "you have me…" he said softly, nudging her cheek with his chin. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, nuzzling her neck slightly as she cried, too tired to push him away, the circle of his arms doing nothing to soothe her.

Alone.

She just wanted to be alone. Away from everyone.

She hated the world. Hated everyone who was happier than she was. Everyone who had a mother, who had a father. She hated them all. She hated everyone who had a sister to talk to. Hated everyone who went home to spend Christmas with their family.

She didn’t have a family any more.

She was completely alone.

Her mother had been her last living family member. Her father had died three years before from lung cancer. She remembered everything about his death, how long and drawn out it had been. He died little by little, each day that she came home from school he seemed to be worse, his hair a little whiter, his face a little paler; until he died, two days before junior prom.

She had lost her sister too. She’d been killed. Beaten. Raped. And killed. Roxy had just graduated high school, and received the news. Caitlin had been Roxy’s best friend; her protector. And then in a flash, she was gone.

Roxy ignored the hot tears which trickled down her cheeks, her tears melding with the rain which fell around her. The sky was crying; crying for her it seemed. For her loss, for her losses. For her mother. For her father. For her sister. For her.

She was alone. Completely alone. Not a soul to come home to. Not a soul to give a damn when no one else did.

She felt remorse as she looked into the kitchen window. There Justin stood, his face set in sadness as he washed the dishes. He didn’t know her, how to deal with her- they had only just begun. But here he was, sweet Justin, sticking it out, staying with her.

And for that, she felt a twinge in her heart, something that felt like love. She loved him, she thought. She was afraid. So afraid. Afraid to let him become a part of her, for her to become a part of him.

She was close to exactly one person. Jess. Jess had been a comfort to her. She just had this way about her, how she charmed herself into your heart, how she listened, didn’t judge. And now with Justin; Jess understood completely.

She sighed deeply, the puddles which sat around her soaking her sweats. She stood, looking over the balcony, watching the people who passed beneath her. She turned back to the house, her eyes locking with Justin’s as he stood by the sliding glass door, his hands pressed against the flat pane, his breath fogging the window.

He opened the door, approaching her slowly, the rain soaking through his shorn curls. He reached her, but stayed silent, and stood beside her, his eyes set too on the people who traveled beneath them. She looked up towards him, and smiled softly despite herself, taking his large hand into her own. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

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