After a few minutes of being indecisive I finally just ordered an uber and decided to head back to the place I once called home. My mind was doing all kinds of things and my heart was telling me this was a bad idea but I had to see him, part of it was just to see how he was doing without me and another part was because I missed him, miss the way his laugh was the most beautiful sound in the room, the way he could make me weak by just the way he said my name and his lame jokes he told everytime we were alone. When the uber driver came, I got in the backseat and was silent the entire ride to the place I truly called home. When I got out of the uber I just stood in front of the house before I walked up turning the door handle and entering in, hearing the familiar bark of my dog who I missed just as much as I missed Jack.

I took my heels off, setting them in the same spot I always did when I came home and picked up Trixie who was happy to greet me. I walked through the small hall and into the living room where Jack was sitting, he turned his head and looked at me. He lifted himself off the couch and walked over standing in front of me, his arms wrapped around me and suddenly I caved and wrapped my arms around his torso crying into his chest.

"You hurt me so fucking bad, you asshole"

"I know Dani, I know and I'm so sorry, you have no idea how much this guilt is eating me alive, everything fucking reminds me of you."

"I gave you everything, can you at least tell me why, give me some sort of explanation of why I had to force myself to leave the love of my life."

I felt a shift in his breathing and a little sniffling, I knew I wasn't the only one in tears, when I looked up at him he backed up from me leading me to the couch.

"This is going to sound really cliche and stupid but I felt like I was losing you and I wanted to hurt you before you hurt me. I really fucking suck, Danielle and I never deserved you."

"Don't you ever say that Jack because I love you to the ends of the earth and I wasn't going to leave you, I never even had that thought in my mind. I don't get where you think you were going to get hurt but you weren't and now I'm hurting is that even fair?"

I said as I sat down on the couch and took a tissue from the box dabbing my eyes with it and sniffling as I looked over at him.

"It isn't fair, that's why I don't expect you to forgive me right away but I want to at least work on it"

"I should let you sweat this out, get an uber and leave, not give you an answer because I don't want to take you back so fast, I want to have you miss me but I can't bring myself to reject wanting to try to get things back to the way they were"

"You would have every single right to walk out that door, make me realize but it's been two weeks, Danielle and this feels like hell. I can't sleep anymore, you don't have to be in the same bed even, just as long as you're here I'll finally be able to decently sleep"

I pursed my lips together as I looked at him, I ran my hand through my hair as he looked at me I knew he was waiting for an answer but if I couldn't just leave I had to make him wait. After a few minutes, I sighed and broke the silence causing Jack to look up at me as he scrolled through his phone.

"I'll stay but I'm sleeping in the guest room and the only time I'll be stepping into our room is for the closet."

"Deal, you can slap me for what I'm about to do because you said slow but I have to."

Jack leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips, part of me melted and the other of me was telling me to slap him and remember the deal you just made to keep it slow. My need for him won over the rational side of me, things got heavy quick before I could even think I was on his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist and I smiled against his lips, that's when he knew that he had full permission.

---

When I woke up the next day I was tangled in Jacks' arms and my bare body was wrapped in the sheets, I got up slowly careful not to wake him and put the t-shirt he left on the floor over my bare body. I softly walked down the familiar stare case and let Trixie out the back door and stood on the porch watching as the pup jumped around in the leaves. A knock on the front door could be heard from the back porch.

"Come in through the back"

I yelled as Trixie stopped to run over to the gate and jump around until the mysterious knocker came through the gate. I saw Alex walk through the gate door closing it behind him leaning down to pet Trixie as he walked to the porch where I was standing and picked the small dog up and stood next to me.

"You had an eventful night, huh?"

"So you saw Jacks snapchat, I'm guessing?"

"I just don't you hurt again, Danielle, I never saw you so low as when you were staying with me. I know you're a big girl and can make your own choices, just don't make the wrong one."

Something about that comment didn't sit right in my gut, I knew Alex was being the typical protective big brother and trying to help me make the right choice.

"If I make the wrong choice and get hurt that's my lesson to learn, isn't it? We're taking things one day at a time, we don't even have an official title because I wasn't sure I wanted to even take him back."

"Didn't you make the choice last night when you two did the deed? I just think you're taking him back too fast and you're doing it because you can't let go, trust me I've been there. I know what you're both feeling"

I huffed and turned looking at my brother, my arms crossed over my chest as we both just looked at each other for a second.

"I love you and all Alex but if you're telling me I'm taking Jack back too fast, I could've said that to Lisa too when you fucked around but I never did, I left it alone because if you were gonna hurt her again, not my fault. That was between you two and this is between Jack and me"

Alex set the puppy down and wrapped his arms around me, I wrapped my arms around his torso as he held me close.

"Just please know I love you, I'll support you whatever your choice might be but just think this through, don't rush yourself, Dani"

I smiled up at the older man and stood back from the hug, he kissed my forehead and left. I bit my lip as I walked back into the house, was I make the right choice? Was my brother actually right this time?

Notes