"Do you have all your stuff packed dear?" I looked over to see Mom Wright standing with a pile of clean towels and a concerned gaze.

"Yes Mum, I believe I have everything." I told her. She nodded and seemed to get teary eyed.

"You know you can come to visit anytime dear. You are always welcome here." Her voice didn't waver, but she turned abruptly away to stack the laundered and folded things in the cupboard.

"Thank you Mum. It was a pleasure being here over the holidays." I smiled a little and opened my arms to her. She rolled her eyes but came into them for a squishing hug and patted my head.

"Such a good boy." She muttered and then wandered off into one of the boy's rooms with her basket off the floor. I wandered downstairs with my bag of clothes and dropped them in the hall next to Vincent's.

"All set then?" Quinn asked me with a glance. I nodded and he grabbed both our bags to take out to the car.

"I can take them." I offered with an outstretched hand. He shook his head and then nodded at the front door.

"Just get the handle for me." He insisted. So, I reluctantly opened the door for him instead. The cold breeze came through for a minute while he went out with the bags, then I shut it behind him with a shiver.

"Ready to head back?" A warm voice said in my ear as a warm body wrapped around my back and waist. I leaned back into Vincent's embrace with a contented hum.

"I suppose. I'll miss this place though. Your family is amazing." I told him with feeling.

"Yeah, I know. All this awesome didn't come from nowhere you know." He replied in a smug voice. I rolled my eyes, spun about and got him with a half-hard kidney punch. "Oof."

"Watch it. I know your secrets, Vincent Wright." I threatened him as I collected my jacket from the hall closet. He chuckled and nodded.

"Not all of them." He winked at me as I pulled on my hat. I shook my head and went outside where the van was warming up and Quinn was sitting in the driver's seat waiting for us. It was just the three of us heading back.

The brothers had all gone back to their various jobs over the last few days. Some of them didn't have as much vacation time as others did and headed back to their own apartments to get ready for their work week.

I was ready as I'd ever be to go back to school. There was something strange about transitioning between home life and school routine. Like the others being on vacation and then having to get back into work I suppose?

I sat in the back seat and listened as Quinn reminded us both to do our homework and behave in classes. Vince told him what classes he had the coming term and they discussed how he had done in previous years.

My boyfriend was exceptional. Nothing else to it. I was impressed just listening in. I was worried about my own classes this semester, well one in particular. I had Fitness. I didn't have very good memories of the past couple years on that subject.

Nope. Mostly being harassed, left out, or getting my fitness in with the fights and running I had to do. I felt the frown on my face as Vincent got my attention from the front seat. He was turned to ask me a question and I realised I hadn't heard it at all.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I said apologetically. He smiled a little and his brow furrowed.

"I said, 'Are you alright?' You looked like you were upset for a minute." He told me. I shook my head and tried to clear my expression.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about the past. I'm a little worried about one of my classes." I explained with an adjustment of my hat to cover my nervousness.

"Yeah? Which one?" Quinn asked with a look into the rear view mirror.

"Fitness." I said flatly. Vincent turned back to the front.

"Ah. I don't think you should have any problems here. The instructors for that class don't put up with any fooling around." His words were strangely reassuring.

"If you have any issues, the General is very strict about keeping the boys in line." Quinn's words, while less reassuring, did remind me that I had folks in my corner this time around.

"Good point. Do you think you can give me a hand if I fall behind, Vince?" I asked with a bit more energy. He grinned and flashed me a wink over his shoulder.

"You bet, love."

*

"I can't do this." I shook my head and trembled.

"You can do it. I know you can. Just hang in there, one more minute." Vincent purred over me. I stared up into his eyes with a mix of hatred and love that I had never experienced before.

"You hate me." I gasped as my muscles strained. He grinned and shook his head.

"You know that isn't true. I love you. If I didn't then I wouldn't be here. Come on baby. Push." He said with feeling. I shook my head. Droplets of sweat flinging to the side as I strained.

"Urgh. I can't do it. I'm done. Go away." I closed my eyes tight and heard him laugh as he took the weight from me.

"What are you talking about? You did amazing. Better than you think." He told me as I sat up on the bench.

"How is that better? I'm still struggling with the same thing I did last week." I looked over to see a smug smile on his face. "What?"

"I lied to you. I upped your weight by 20 pounds." He grinned as I growled and smacked his arm.

"Bitch. That was hard!" I stood up and stretched my tired muscles.

"Yeah, but if I asked you to do it then you would have chickened out and said no. This way you surprised yourself and did it without thinking too much." He reasoned as he followed me to the next station, after I cleaned up.

"No excuse. You are supposed to help me improve and meet my target weights, not try to kill me." I groused as I sat at the next machine. It was for legs.

"I'm not trying to kill you. You are being dramatic. I am just helping you get past your mental block about this. You can do more than you think you can." He pointed at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I pulled the pin and moved it to the slot. He grabbed it out and I huffed.

"Don't whatever me. Let me prove it." He put the pin in two slots higher and raised a brow at me. I glared at him. "Well? Go on then. Try it."

"Stupid ripped muscle jock dick head..." I mumbled as he stared me down. I took a few breaths and then strained my legs to lift the weight. One, two, three, four.... It was going easier than I thought, but I wasn't about to admit it to him.

"That's it. Fuck you are sexy when you do weights." I laughed at his words and almost dropped the weight too fast. He laughed when I stopped to laugh, and I panted with a tired glare in his direction.

"Okay. Fine. I can do this a little. I can't make my reps at this weight though." I looked away from his sparkling eyes and groaned. I was pouting.

"Don't be discouraged babe. It will take a few sessions but I know you can do it." He said with his damn optimism. I saw a couple guys in the corner watching us and felt a little self conscious.

I wasn't used to working out in a gym. Not since I involuntarily came out anyways. The guys at my old school had made it very clear that I was not welcome in any 'fitness' related spaces. It didn't matter if I was there for credits and didn't like any of them like that.

I made them uncomfortable. The best way to fix that was to get rid of me. I still remember how my teacher wouldn't meet my eyes as he told me that I should maybe change in the washroom down the hall instead, oh and if I could take the girls spin class that would probably be better.

Like I was a stain. A problem. Like I shouldn't be there. Like I wasn't welcome. As if the girls wanted a guy like me stuck in the spin class with them. I didn't even like cycling. "Alex? Where'd you go?"

I looked up and Vincent had moved to stand in front of me with a frown. I shook my head and tried to refocus. I did one more set of reps with him watching me. The unreadable expression on his face made me a little nervous.

"What?" I finally said with a nervous smile. He shook his head at me.

"You just did two more sets than you needed to. You've made your reps." His knowing look made me both want to punch him... and kiss him.

1567

A/N -anyone else have a Vincent from this chapter in their life? I do. It's annoying as fuck. And great I guess. Mostly annoying when we go to the gym though... or when I'm trying to wallow in self misery........