" 1 1/2 weeks, Mac.

I dont know what to say, Malcolm. Everything feels like it's moving so fast and so slow. When we are out in the field, time moves so fast. When we get back to the bunks, time just crawls by. everyone here is starting to get homesick, well, the people who have homes. You'd be surprised whose parents abandoned them when they were sent here. Some of these guys dont have families anymore, abandoned, thrown out, or disowned. Hell, you might consider me a part of that group now. After I sent you the last letter I wrote another for my parents. I wrote down the truth, the whole truth. How I hate them, how they piss me off, how all I want is for them to be there for me more, and that's why I was an ass. I told the truth about you, and how I didn't mean to, but I ended up falling in love with you. I fell quickly too, It happened so fast, feeling I didn't know I could have, thinking things I didn't imagine myself ever thinking.

I sent it right after I got your letter, and now the next day im writing you this. Let's see how this goes, let's see if they disown me, let's see if they really hate me or love me. We'll see my love.

Malcolm, I know I play off these things when I write to the guys, but I'm worried. I'm not scared, I've never been scared. Well, I was scared, when I saw you in the bathroom and when you passed out in my arms. I was petrified, nothing like that had ever happened to me, I'd never been scared. I mess around and act as if nothing bothers me. This bothers me. Not knowing whether or not I'll come out of this with my parents still by my side. I never wanted a family, because I didn't have a family. I had my grandma and that was it, I didn't want to act like my father toward my kids. I never wanted a family, until now. Until I learned to love. "Family" wasn't a word for me. Fuck, "love" wasn't even in my vocabulary. You really have brought out a different side of me, one I didn't know existed. I love this new side, I love this new view of the world, I love you, and I love the guys.

You said you're being sappy, just look at me now. Malcolm, you can ask Gene or Nan, I've never been open like this. I never felt the need. Not until you. Being with you makes me rethink the world, it makes me rethink my purpose in life. I never thought I had a purpose, but now I know that my purpose is to protect and love you. My purpose is to protect and love because I never had that. God, just look at me now.

Hey, Mac, I love you. If it wasn't for the help of the guys or my grandma, I dont know if I would have ever accepted the fact that I wasn't 100% straight. I may not be gay, but I do know what love feels like because of you. The guys being so open to everything was so helpful when I realized that you were more special to me than I thought. I know you wish I had answers to all of these feelings, and how it all started, and so do I. Hell, I keep wondering that too.

"How the fuck did I end up falling in love with a guy, let alone one that hated me so much. All this time I was looking for something I could love and that thing was a boy."

Who would've thought, that after my past and how I grew up, the "girl" to show me love and life wouldn't be a girl at all? I was looking at my future thinking a woman would be in it, but im so happy it's you in my future instead.

I'm so happy it's you. I wish my parents could look past you being a male and see your personality. I wish they could see how amazing you are, I wish they could see what I see. I love you, Malcolm.

As the time gets shorter so do my letters. All I can think of is to send them as quickly as possible so I can hear your reply. I know how much you love to see me in uniform, so enjoy the newest picture, my love. My head healing pretty well, im already back to work. They even gave me a bottle of Advil, and I also gave you updated injury photos.

-You're husband, Jackson.

P.S. Can you bring some IcyHot when you see me? My back killing me, haha."

I laugh and check the photos, the first 2 are of his forehead. He's going to have 2 badass scars because, with the way it's healing now, it will definitely scar. It's already scabbing over, but still very obviously fresh. In the first photo, he's grinning with a thumbs up. In the second there's gauze padding over the injury and it's held down with an ace wrap going around his head. He looks tired, mentally and physically. Lying down on a raggedy bed, but still giving a small perfect smile.

"He's not doing too well, is he?" Gene asks, looking at the picture.

"He's struggling alright, but I know he'll be okay when he gets out of there. I'm not worried about it, I know he's going to be okay when he gets back."

"Damn right, especially 3 whole days with his lover. Who wouldn't be happy about that?"

"Okay, " I push him away gently. "Tim, scold your man please?" Tim laughed and grabbed Genes' arm, pulling him away from me. "Thank you. Now, can someone drive me to the store?"

"To skip?" Lucas perks up slightly.

"I might as well. Jack asked me to buy him something, so I plan on doing just that. Plus, I want to stop by his house and see Nan."

"Nan?" Nic asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Jack's grandma, the only nice one in his family. I want to see how they reacted after the letter they got from Jack. It's basically saying "Fuck you" but in a more gentle way. I hope."

"I'm in," Lucas stands, and Tim and Gene stand too. "It'll be fun," he looks to Rain. "Come with?" Rain stands and grabs Lucas's hand.

"We have to stay, but keep us updated at least," Em takes hold of Sara's arms.

"Same, I have an essay, but I still want to know how it goes," Patrica grins at me, I smile and nod.

"I'll stay, I might as well," Nic looks at Patrica, and she smiles at him.

I nod with a smile and motion for the others to follow, and together we head to our cars. I asked Gene to drive us to the supermarket so I could buy Jack IcyHot. The car ride was nice, I sat in the back while Tim and Gene sat in passenger and driver. The others drove behind us. We played music, Tim having the aux and playing our playlist, holding our favorite rock songs and pop songs. Gene laughed at how the genres were everywhere but still sang along sometimes. It was fun.

We get to the store, I run in and grab IcyHot for Jack and some cooling packets parents use on their kids when they are sick. I used these on my sore muscles when I had physical therapy. Then I go back out to see two of the guys smoking, and a few sitting outside the car waiting for me. I smile happily and continue towards them. When I get close to them they stop smoking and give me smiles.

"You dont have to stop, it's okay," I chuckled.

"Jack would kill us though," Lucas laughs, opening his driver's door and I see Rain grinning at me.

"We'd rather not die by his hands. Ready to go?" Gene asks putting his lighter in the smoke packet.

"Yeah," I nod and hold up my bag. Lucas nods and slips into his car. Deren jumped off the sports car's hood and grinned at me, Gene got in the driver, I slid into the back seat, and Deren jumped into his car.

"Want me to drop you off at Jack's or do you want to come with us and hang for a bit and I drop you off later?" Gene asks, looking at me in the mirror while I buckle.

"I'll chill for a while, it'll be nice."

Gene gets on a group call with the guys as we start driving away, I pull out my phone and message my parents saying I will be late after school while hanging out with Tim and Gene. I copied and pasted the message to Tim so he knew the story. We drove for a long time, then stopped at a diner to get actual food. It was nice, we had to pull two tables together to fit us all, It would've been more packed if the other 4 came along. I took a bunch of pictures and sent them to the 4 that didn't come along so they were kept up to date. We went to the mall, fucked around for a while, and then they finally dropped me off at Jack's place. There were no cars in the driveway so I let myself in. I heard Nan in the kitchen so I announced myself and walked to the kitchen.

"Mac, is that you hun?"

"Yes, Nan, it is me."

I step into the kitchen and she turns to me with a wide smile. She pulled me into a hug, and I sighed.

"Nan, Jack sent his parents a letter, have they read it yet?"

"Yes dear, his father came home to read it. I didn't come out of my room that whole night," she let go of me and pointed gently at me. "Jack loves you very much, so you tell me if he ever does anything bad to you."

"Yes Nan, I will," I smile at her and she grabs my hand.

"You're lucky you came now. If you were here earlier you would've seen the wrath of Jack's father. Oh, that stupid boy," she shook her head and turned back to the oven. "He's a grown man yet he throws tantrums like a child."

"I'm sorry for the trouble," I swallow and look at my hands.

"Oh hun, it's not your fault. Jack loves you and you love Jackson, and nothing is wrong with that. That father of his is just an old nut that can't crack open, and he gets it from my late husband. I'll tell you what, you and Jack are good for each other," the oven beeps. She goes to grab the mitten but I grab it instead. She scoots back with a grin on her face as I open the oven, bend down, and pull out a cookie sheet. "Thank you, dear. His parents may not be the most open-minded, but you have each other, friends, and me. You'll be just fine."

I put the sheet on top of the oven and took off the mitten. I turn and pull Nan into a hug.

"You should stay for a bit, I can pull out the photo albums, we can eat cookies, we can chit chat," She says and I release the hug.

"That sounds nice, Nan, thank you. I'm going to run to Jack's room first and get something, but I'll be back in just a minute."

She nodded which allowed me to run downstairs and to his private room. I opened his bedroom door, took off my hoodie and my shirt, and selected one of his t-shirts with the school's logo on it. I also decided to be ballsy and pick out his leathers-men jacket. It smelled like him and I was happy.

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