"Hi Jen we have a gig and since we like you we're going to let you come along."  Cole the oldest said. He was around fifteen and to a ten year old Jenna he was a grown up and letting her come along was an honor. Maybe she wouldn't sleep hungry today. Jenna had a bad feeling about it but if she refused she would have to wait a long time before any of them wanted to be friends again. That wasn't an option. She had been on the streets for months now and she would die before she went back.

The gig was pick pocketing. You find the old ladies or the ladies in heels that wouldn't be able to catch you if they saw you stealing. That was the beginners rules. And after her first snatch, she felt confident. It was always pick and run like hell then in the evening they would regroup and count their 'earnings' . She had food and friends and wasn't alone anymore. That's all that mattered to her. If she had to steal in order to keep them then so be it.

All of a sudden she was in an alley and running. Someone was chasing her yelling for her to stop. She couldn't stop. Why couldn't she stop? She tried but her legs just kept going and going. She heard a loud boom seconds before her body hit the ground. It took her a moment to register the searing pain and then she couldn't breathe. It hurt too much. Whoever chasing her was now standing beside her and looking down at her body. She tried to see who he was but it was too dark.

She was in a field of flowers now. Roses, sunflowers, and so many she couldn't even name. The field went on forever and she couldn't see where it began or where it stopped. The flowers made her feel at peace. She could stay there forever and not mind. But a certain figure caught her eyes on the far right. "Hello?" she called out but no one answered her. The figure just kept walking towards her. "Can you hear me? Hello"  still no answer. She turned around thinking if they didn't want to talk to her then she wouldn't force them.

"Jennifer" that voice.

"Mom?"

"Right here baby." she turned around and came face to face with her mother.

"Mom. I missed you so much. Did you come back for me? Drew was really mean and I had to leave"

"Oh poor baby."

"Can we go now?" Jenna asked in an excited voice.

"Go where? I'm not taking you with me." her mother said sneering.

"But mom you can't just leave me. Not again" she hadn't realized she was crying.

"I don't want you Jenna. I should have listened to your father when he said to just get rid of you."

"Mom you don't mean that. Please don't say that. I promise I won't trouble you. I'll do my homework and make my bed. I'll even do the dishes without complaining. Please mom. Please" she was full on sobbing now.

"I don't want you Jennifer. Your father didn't want you. No one is going to want you." and with that she disappeared.

"Mom! Mom!" she yelled but she was all alone again.

She was in a house now. It was pretty and the couple sitting in the living room were all smiles. They were looking at something on TV and the woman motioned for her to go over and sit next to them. "Do I know you" she whispered but the woman shushed her pointing to the TV. She just sat there looking around and at the back of her mind she couldn't figure out why the house looked so familiar. "Let's go honey"  the woman told her

"Where?"

"To your room of course. You'll be living with us from now on. So come on it's past your bedtime."

She suddenly stopped at the stairs where there were frames of all sizes and shapes. "Who is this?" she pointed a photo of a boy of about sixteen or seventeen year old.

"That's my son Collins. He's such a darling. You'll meet him tomorrow and he can teach you how things work around here."

The woman led her to a door she knew so well. It was familiar and she stopped suddenly. She knew what was behind that door and there was no way she was going inside. "I don't want to go in there." she said pulling her hand back.

"Why honey? You don't like your new room?"

"No it's not that. It just that..."

"Stop being a brat and get in. Unless you want to go back to the streets?" the woman's voice had changed and she wasn't nice anymore.

"No. Please don't send me back. I promise I'll be good." she begged.

"Then get in." she pushed the door and Jenna went inside. The moment she was in the door closed. She looked around but couldn't see anything. She leaned on the door and breathed a sigh of relief. There was no one h....

"Boo"

Jenna shot up from the bed. Her heart was racing and her throat was dry. "Are you okay?" Jeremiah asked from beside her and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. "Shh  Jennifer it's just me. Are you okay? What's wrong?" his voice was concerned almost pleading.

"I'm fine. Just an old nightmare." she replied trying to put him at ease. He learned back and turned on the bedside lamp.

"Jesus Jennifer. You're sweating like someone who just ran a marathon. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes I'm fine. I'll just use the bathroom." she got up and on wobbly legs she walked in shutting the door behind her. She stood by the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale and Jeremiah was right. The T-shirt she had borrowed was soaked with sweat and her hair clung to her face. Deep breaths. She told herself.  It had been years since she last had that particular nightmare. At that time she had stayed up all night long just to avoid dreaming about it. She wondered if she had it today because she wasn't in her bed.

"Jennifer are you okay?" Jeremiah asked from the other side of the door. She opened the door and found him leaning on the threshold. His face was covered with a look of concern.

"I'm fine. I promise." she smiled and he smiled back.

"Here I got you another T-shirt."

"Thank you I'll be right out." she said taking the T-shirt and closing the door. She changed quickly then dropping it in the basket by the door she went and sat beside him on the bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Not yet. Let's just go back to sleep"

He looked at her trying to read her but when he got nothing he gave up. "Okay come here" he said and she went straight into his arms. "If you want to talk am right here." she just nodded and they went back to sleep with Jenna still tucked in his arms. She didn't have any more nightmares. When Jeremiah woke up in the morning Jenna was lying on top of him sleeping soundly. He smiled and thought how lucky he would be if he got to wake up like that everyday.

"Morning beautiful" he said when he felt her stir.

"Morning. What time is it?" she was right. He did look perfect even in the morning. She didn't want to think how horrible her hair looked.

"Who cares. Let's sleep in" he tightened his around her and she realised she was on top of him.

"Jeremy"

"Hm"

"Why am I lying on top of you?"

"Because I was clearly the better choice." she tried to move off of him but his hands didn't move an inch.

"Jeremy let go. I'm sure my breath stinks and my hair looks like a hornet's  nest." she replied groaning.

"Again who cares. I think your beautiful" his eyes were closed now.

"And I can feel you digging in my  stomach." she said blushing but thankfully his eyes were closed so he didn't see her embarrassment.

"Your doing love. You made your bed so lie on it"

"Stop grinning and let me go so I can brush my teeth. And wash my face. And....... " he kissed her. She tried to turn her head away but he moved one of his hand and grabbed her hair gently.

"Don't turn away from me"

"But my breath....."

"I don't give a shit." he growled then smashed his lips to hers.

"So eggs bacon or toast?" Jeremiah asked her when she came down. He had left her in the bedroom to freshen up after their make out session because she had insisted to wash off stray saliva from her face even though she knew she didn't drool.

"Eggs. Am not in the mood for toast and bacon is a no no"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why is bacon a no no?"

"I don't like it." Jeremiah stopped beating the eggs and looked at her for one full minute.

"Okay we'll revisit this topic later." he said then mumbled to himself "everyone likes bacon"

"I heard that. How do you know how to cook? You strike me as the guy who would have people do that and not because you want to but because you just don't have time to."

"True. But when my mom got sick I wanted to do everything for her so I had our cook teach me everything. I can bake too. Just putting it out there" he told her with a smirk

"Be still my heart. A man who can cook and bake and isn't a chef?" Jenna said dramatically

"Make fun of me all you want but when you're pregnant and craving everything and anything, having a husband who can whip up something will come in handy." he said without missing a beat and when she didn't make a sassy comment he looked up and realized what he had said. She went to sit at the table and he finished cooking in silent.

"Jeremy" she started when he had set the table but he cut her off.

"I hope you realize you're it for me Jennifer."

"Jeremy" she said again but this time it came out as a sigh.

"No Jennifer listen. From the moment I saw you something clicked into place in my life. It's as if you were a missing piece of a puzzle, like my other half. I feel at peace when am with you. My soul feels at peace. And when I look at you I don't see how long we've known each other, I see how long I am going to know you. I see the rest of my life with you filled with kids and dogs and crazy friends. I see our future and while I'm not asking you to marry me right now be sure that I will. Maybe tomorrow or day after that. It doesn't matter to me because if I'm ever going to ask that question it's only going to be to you. I'm not saying this to pressure you or anything." he knelt down in front of her. "I'm saying this so you'll know. So you'll have no doubt to what you are to me. Okay?"

"Okay." she replied and leaned in to kiss him but as always Jeremiah pulled her down and it became one of their make out sessions that lasted a whole twenty minutes. "The food is getting cold." she panted out from above him

"What food. I've just had my breakfast but am not full yet so don't interrupt me" flipping her he continued to ravish her lips until they both couldn't breathe.

"Crossword puzzles or workout?"

"Huh"

"We need to find our morning activity. So crossword puzzle or workout together?"

"Jeremy you know I'm not moving in right?"

"You will eventually. But for now I will settle for weekends. I'll pick you up Friday so always have a change of clothing or don't. I like you better in my clothes anyway" she groaned but he ignored her and continued "I'm serious Jennifer. If you're not moving in then you're spending every weekend with me. As a matter of fact next week am taking you out on a date so come prepared."

"You're unbelievable." she said meaning for it to come out exasperated but it was weak. She was excited about spending more time with him too. And she accepted that she was falling too deep too fast. But like he kept saying who cares?

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A little short I know but the next one is going to be pretty long so worry not.
I'll also edit later but feel free to point out errors.

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