"He can't go."

"Bailey, we need him. He's the only way we can get there," Luke explained.

"He's hurting so badly. No amount of pain balm is going to fix the psychological side of withdrawals, and going back to a place that holds such power over him? That's like suicide. He'd have a hard time going completely sober, but he's in heroin withdrawals from three years of use. He can't go!" Bailey pleaded with Luke.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, sliding his back down the hall to a crouched position. "He's the key to getting that sick bastard thrown in prison, Bailey. He's the key to our freedom!"

"Can't it wait? At least until he's better?" Bailey asked.

"Drug withdrawals can last for months, Bails," Macy said. "Especially when you've been using long term."

"Don't you want justice for your foster family?" Luke asked. "You'd finally gotten the family you'd always dreamed of and he ripped all of that away from you. Don't you want to see him pay for his crimes?"

Bailey stifled a sob. Macy wrapped her arms around her and glared at Luke. "That was really uncalled for," she said.

"It's true. Down here it's easy to feel like we're safe, but we aren't. We're fugitives, and you've all seemed to forget that," Luke said, crossing his arms.

"You still could've worded things better," Macy retorted.

"No, he's right," Bailey said, wiping tears from her face. "That man took everything from me. He deserves to face the consequences of his actions."

Luke stood up and hugged Bailey. "I'm sorry for being harsh. We just need to remember what we're fighting for."

Bailey nodded. "I know. I just want Darien to be okay."

"What can we do to help him on our drive?" Luke asked.

"Well, for one, you'll need to have Gatorade so he doesn't lose too many electrolytes. He's also probably gonna start vomiting soon, so a bucket, or a lot of bags, would be good. He'll need to be drinking a lot of water too to help flush the drugs out of his system. Oh and the pain balm. Someone will have to apply it every hour or so," Bailey explained.

"That's doable," Macy replied. "I'll make sure we have everything he needs before we leave."

"What time are you leaving?" Bailey asked.

"I was thinking after breakfast, so maybe nine o'clock?" Luke said.

"I'll stay with him in his room tonight so I can keep the balm on," she replied.

"He probably won't get much sleep," Macy added. "Withdrawals usually come with insomnia."

"Worst case, he can just sleep in the car," Bailey said. "You'll probably want to bring some blankets to help keep him warm."

"I'll gather those things now," Macy said. "Luke, are we still going out to the dealership?"

"No, I'm just gonna call him. It's easier that way," he replied.

"Okay," she said as she walked to one of the closets, grabbing a few blankets.

Luke pulled out a pay-as-you-go phone from his pocket and dialed the number of the dealership. He walked back to his room and closed the door.

"Here, I'll help you," Bailey offered, taking the blankets from Macy.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a large garbage bag from the closet. "We can put everything in here."

Bailey and Macy gathered the rest of the supplies and hauled the bag over to the ladder. Jackson and Jacob had moved on to a game of chess. Liam was napping in the recliner, snoring softly. Luke came out at this point.

"The guy has a minivan we can borrow. He said we just need to put down a $100 security deposit and pay for the gas we use. The deposit will be refunded when we return the car in one piece," Luke said.

"Oh good!" Macy exclaimed.

"You two should get to bed. It's getting late and we're leaving at nine o'clock on the dot," Luke said to the two boys. "We have to bring some extra stuff to make sure Darien is comfortable so make sure you only bring what we need."

"I'm gonna move my blanket and pillow," Bailey said, walking down the hall.

"How long will we be gone?" Jacob asked.

"It's about a four hour drive from here, so we will probably be able to get home by nightfall, so not even a day. We can grab some food on the way over too so we don't need to bring more than a light snack," Luke responded.

"Oh," Macy added. "Jackson, you're gonna have to sleep in Jacob's room. Bailey is stealing your bed for the night."

"They're getting pretty serious now, huh?" Jackson laughed.

"Oh shut up," Luke said. "She's just taking care of his back. She has to put the pain balm on every hour."

"Sure she is. 'Oh Darien take off your shirt so I can run my hands all over you'," Jackson said, mocking Bailey's voice. Jacob laughed along with him.

"You two need to stop," Macy chuckled.

"She totally has the hots for him, Mace," Jacob said.

"You should've seen how she looked at him when she showed us our room. She undressed him with her eyes," Jackson added.

"I did not!" Bailey gasped.

"Oops," Jackson laughed. "You weren't supposed to hear that. But you totally like my brother."

Bailey's face grew red and she turned to Macy. "Help?"

Macy giggled softly. "You have been paying an awful lot of attention to him."

"He's broken, and I'm helping fix his back!" Bailey tried to defend herself, to no avail.

"Okay guys," Liam said, awoken from his sleep. "Let Bailey be."

"Thank you, Liam," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm going to bed," Luke announced. "I suggest you all follow suit."

Macy followed Luke down the hall and into the bathroom where he began brushing his teeth. Macy started to wash her face, but glanced at Luke in the mirror and was entirely distracted. He had taken off his shirt and was now wearing a white tank top and grey sweats. The thin cotton of the tank top clung to his broad chest, and the sweatpants, sagging ever so slightly, draped down his legs in a flattering manner. Her eyes memorized every curve of his body as he absentmindedly brushed his teeth.

She caught herself in her daydreams, and quickly rinsed the soap off her face. Once her face was thoroughly dried, her gaze returned to the man beside her. Ever so slightly, she reached out her fingers and traced a path along his back. Her fingers danced between his shoulder blades and brushed across his spine.

Luke breathed in slightly at the touch of her fingers. He turned to face her, leaning against the sink, and took her hand into his gently, intertwining their fingers.

"What are you doing, darling?" he asked softly.

Macy looked up into his deep brown eyes and paused a moment before answering. "Studying you," came her gentle response.

Luke brushed a finger across her face and smiled.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on," she continued.

Luke's eyes moved away from her face. "Are you sure you aren't looking in the mirror?" he asked with a chuckle.

Macy's hand touched his cheek. "I'm certain."

Luke leaned down and pressed his lips to Macy's. Her fingers tangled themselves in his hair. He pushed her against the door, slamming it shut. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer. Grabbing her hips, he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Deepening the kiss, Luke slipped a hand under her shirt, brushing her back with his fingertips.

"L-Luke, I can't." Macy dropped her legs and stepped away from him.

"What's wrong? Was that too far for you? I'm so sorry, Macy," Luke apologized, taking a step toward her.

Macy sat down on the edge of the tub, putting her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Luke," she said tearfully, starting to breathe heavy. "I just can't do this."

Luke sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. "Hey, it's okay, baby girl. I want to respect your boundaries and if that was too far, that's okay. I don't want to hurt you, Macy."

Macy looked up and grabbed Luke's hand. "It's not that. I promise." She brought his hand to the hem of her shirt. "It's this."

She lifted her shirt to reveal the scars from her pelvic surgery. She placed his hand on them.

"What are these, Macy?" he asked, running his fingers over the raised scars.

"Calvin," Macy said softly. "This is from when he broke my pelvis."

Luke's eyebrows knit together in a mixture of anger and pain. He brought his hand up to Macy's face. "I will never hurt you like he did, Macy."

Macy looked down. "I know. I know you won't. I just get... scared."

"How can I help?"

"Doing what you just did. Just being here. With me. It helps. A lot. It shows me you won't leave."

"I'm never gonna leave you, Macy. I promise," Luke said, pulling her close, kissing the top of her head.