"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life but what we give."

~Winston Churchill

"Ally, you've gotta try this! It tastes like. . . like heaven."

My six year old sister waved the ice cream in the air, completely unaware that almost the entire restaurant was watching us.

"Steph, come here." I grabbed my younger sister's arm and dragged her back toward the table, keeping my head bowed in embarrassment.

"What? Oh, come on, Ally!" She giggled, "Just because Emery is here doesn't mean you have to get all girly and quiet." I felt my face grow even warmer as her words echoed through the parlor.

I looked through my lashes as Emery Payne looked up, his eyes glistening with amusement as he looked in my direction.

"Stop." Steph plopped down in the chair, smiling, "You're little and he's big, it won't happen." I wanted her to just be quiet, for her to stop embarrassing me. But she seemed to only be getting started.

"I'm thirteen and he's fifteen and a half, it's not that big of an age difference." I replied in a hushed whisper. She continued to eat her ice cream, her eyes narrowing by the second.

"I don't understand big girls." She muttered, "It's always about boys and how cute you look. What happened to dollys and playing dress up? And you never play with me anymore." I sat down, pushing my hair into my face so Emery couldn't see how much I was blushing.

"You'll understand in a few years." I replied, sipping at my soda.

"I never will." She said, looking proud of herself.

"It's like one of those unavoidable colds." I explained, "You can keep trying to fight it, Stephie, but you're going to like guys, or girls, and you're going to like them a lot." She snorted.

"You don't know that. I'll ask Jason." I nodded, making a gesture toward our eighteen year old brother trying to hit on the girl behind the counter.

"Go ahead, Sissy. I'm sure he'd love to answer you." She stared at me for a second before we both fell into a fit of giggles.

That's how it was with Steph, no matter what, we always ended up laughing at the end of our arguments.

"Alyssa, right?" I nearly dropped the cup in my hand as Emery stepped in front of Steph and leaned against the table.

"I. . . well. . . I. . ."

"Yes, that's my sister Ally." Steph said, jumping out of her seat and tugging Emery until he sat down.

"Hi." I tucked a strand of my bleached blonde hair behind my ears and smiled across the table. Emery grinned, ruffling Steph's hair.

"And she likes boys, a lot." Steph explained, then grabbed Emery's arm and pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear. But it was so loud that I heard exactly what she said.

"You better not hurt her."

*

"Do you remember him?" Steph giggled, falling back on to the hospital bed beside her as my mind snapped back into reality, "He looked at you with really big eyes, I think he liked you a lot." I laughed, seeing Tessie smiling up at the screen from the other side of Ty beside me.

"We better get going." Ty turned the tape off, pushing himself up from the couch and stretching. Tessie yawned and fell back, kicking her feet in the air.

"I don't want you to be out there after dark, it's too dangerous." Ty said, grabbing the box of envelopes on the coffee table. Tessie sat up, smiling up at her father.

"Where are we going, Daddy?" She asked.

"You aren't going anywhere, Tess. We have to go to a place that little kids can't go." He said, sending me a pleading look, "It's for grown ups."

"But, Daddy! I wanna go!" She cried, reaching for his hand. I saw his eyes soften a little as I grabbed Tessie and sat her on my lap.

"You can't come this time, Princess. Ally and Daddy have to go do boring grown up stuff and you wouldn't have any fun. So you're going to stay here with my big brother and his little baby and play with toys, okay?" She looked at Ty for a minute before laying her head against my chest, yawning again.

"Okay, Mama. I'll be good too, I promise."

*

Ty forced me to keep a hold of his arm when we got to Fourth and Lincoln, claiming that there was going to be "bad" people out.

"It's still light outside." I tried to reason.

"I don't care. Just make sure you stay near me, all right?" I nodded, taking a deep breath before we started to walk down the street. I recognized a few people from the first time I'd come, they seemed to recognize us too, considering most stood up and narrowed their eyes.

"Ty, baby boy, is that you? Ain't it a miracle! Look at you!" A woman threw her arms around Ty before he could say anything. He laughed, hugging her back with a grin.

"Hello, Jez." He replied, still smiling when she pulled away. I could see the woman, the one that had been with her young son the last time I was here, making her way toward us.

"What are you doing back here?" One of the men asked. Ty took the box that was in my hands, pulling out the sandwiches in it and holding it up.

"We've got two and a bag of chips and a bottle of water for everyone. Please wait your turn guys!" Ty started to pass out the food, handing me a few so I could hand them out.

"We've also got a surprise for everyone!" I swung my bag over my shoulder and grabbed an envelope.

"Merry Christmas everyone!" I yelled, starting to move down the line with Ty trailing a few steps behind. It wasn't until I reached the woman with her young son wrapped in a blanket in her arms that I pulled out the special envelope I'd made for her.

We had put quite a few things in each one for everyone else. Christmas cards, a hundred dollar gift card for Wal-Mart, a dollar, and enough money to buy a hotel room for a night. But I had snuck in a couple other things for the woman.

"There's a number in here. It's a foundation called Hearts for Hearts." I explained to her, "They can take you and your son off the streets, help you get back on your feet." The woman stared at the envelope, her eyes finally meeting mine after a second.

"Why?" She choked out.

"Why what?" I whispered.

"Why are you doing this for us? Girls like you shouldn't be down here. You ain't got no business in these parts." I felt Ty's arm tighten around my waist as I smiled sadly.

"It isn't fair. While I'm sitting at home and throwing food in the trash, throwing cards from relatives in the trash because I don't need them. While you guys are out here struggling, trying to live each day. I hope you can find somewhere safe for yourself and your son." I walked away before I could hear her response, terrified I'd collapse in front of her until I'd given her all my money and possibly even a place to live.

*

I must have fallen asleep on the way back home, because I woke up with a start, my hand resting on my chest as I let my other one fall over my mouth so I wouldn't scream.

I made my way down stairs once I was able to calm down, my heart still racing as I stared at the steps beneath my feet.

Ty was sitting at the kitchen table when I walked in, his hand on the piece of paper sitting in front of him on the table.

"Hey." I mumbled, walking into the kitchen.

"Alyssa." The way he said my name made me whirl around to face him immediately.

"What? Are you okay? Is Tess-"

"I got a job." He said, his lips parting as his blue eyes searched mine, "I got a job that I didn't even apply for." I felt my lips tugging into a smile.

"That's great, Ty! Congratulations." He nodded, holding up the paper and gesturing toward it.

"It's a real estate agency. They're even offering to help get Tess and I into a place."

"Great." I said, "That's so amazing, I'm happy for you." I replied. He folded the paper up and walked around the table, pulling me into a hug.

"Thank you." He kissed my cheek and pulled away, "I don't know what you did, but thank you." I laid my head against the fridge, smiling.

"Of course. You should probably go get some sleep. We've got a lot to do tomorrow." I suggested. He was brushing his fingertips against my own, offering me an open mouthed smile.

How had I not realized how great his smile was? His eyes would even get this brightness in them any time he did, making them spark.

"You want to come sleep with me?" He reached up with his free hand and rubbed his forehead, "That's not what I meant. I mean, do you want to come sleep in the room with me?" I laughed, wrapping my pinky finger around his as I listened to the nervousness in his voice.

"That would. . . that would be great." I responded after a few minutes of silence. He hugged me again, relaxing my tense body within seconds.

He must have been wearing one of Jason's many bottles of cologne. He smelt so wonderful that I didn't want to pull away.

"It's going to be fine." He whispered in my ear, "Everything is looking up for us now, Ally. It's going to be okay." Ty pulled back, taking my chin in between his fingers and turning my face slightly so I was meeting his eyes.

"I know." I said, then looked away from him.

"This is our new beginning, Alyssa. We can't turn away from it or else it'll fade away." I nodded in agreement before hugging him for the third time tonight. I didn't say anything, I just buried my face against him, taking in his scent as he held me in his arms.

All I wanted was for him to hold on until he couldn't, until there would eventually come a time when we'd both have to let go.

***AN***

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~ChasingMadness24