Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lee walked through the shadows of the small town. He hadn’t been here in years, not since he took off in the middle of the night two years ago. It still seemed mostly the same. Small, quiet, everyone knows everyone and their business. That kind of place he hated. He grew up in a place like this and he hated it with everything in him. So why was he here?

He watched the waitress pouring coffee in the little truck stop dinner filled with truckers and older towns folk. She smiled as she wrote out a check and gave a wink to an older man that placed a nice tip on her table. Lee smiled to himself. She always knew how to work a room with her sweetheart charm.

He watched her till her shift was over, watching her take off her apron and grab her jacket. Telling everyone bye as she walked through the backdoor. She stopped next to the homeless man near the dumpster, giving him a sandwich and a soda, like she does everynight. He’s been watching her for over a week now. As he climbs into his old pickup he follows her to her rundown apartment. Unlike all the other nights of watching her through the windows of her first floor apartment from the security of his pick up, he climbs out, shutting his door quietly then sneaking close to the window. He peeps in the open window, the wind blowing the curtains across his face. 

He watches as she undresses and goes into the bathroom, steam flowing through the opened door. Lee moves the curtains to climb into the apartment when he hears a sound he did not expect. 

“Mommy?" The soft voice of a little boy came from the bedroom.

The shower shut off and Y/N came out, wrapped in a towel. “He sweetie.” She knelt in front of the boy. 

“I thirsty.” The boy’s chocolate curls bounced.

“I’ll get you some water.” She walked into the kitchen and reappeared with a cup. 

Lee watched through the open bedroom door as she brought the boy back to bed and tucked him in. His mind racing. He didn’t know how long he stood there in shock. “Lee?” He turned around quickly, seeing Y/N standing there now dressed in pajamas. “I thought that was you.” She said softly with a smile. “You’ve been watching me for days.”

“You were always a good tracker.” He told her with a tight lipped grin.

“You could have knocked. Why sneak around?”

He looks down, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t know if you would’ve wanted to see me.” He clears his throat. “I thought you would hate me.”

She walked up to him and to his surprise, she placed her hand on his cheek. “I could never hate you, Lee.” She pulls his hand from his pocket and pulls him to her door. “Come in.”

“Are you sure?” He asks as they walk through the front door.

He looks around awkwardly. “You sure it’s okay that I’m here? What if your kid wakes back up?” He swallows thickly. 

She watches him look around the place, feeling out of place. “It’s okay,” She tells him as he shoves his hands in his pockets again. “You can ask.”

Lee looks at her with sad eyes. “Is he?” 

She can see the emotions flashing across his eyes. “Do you want to see him?” 

“Can I?” He asks, his voice barely audible.

She takes his hand and carefully leads him to the bedroom where toys are scattered across the floor. He looks down and there in a little blue toddler bed sleeps a little boy that looks just like him. Lee kneels down next to the bed and watches the child sleep. She can see he is fighting back tears as he looks over the child. 

“His name is Liam.” She tells him softly. 

“Liam.” He whispers. “Is- is he like me?” He asks, not looking away from the boy as a tear falls down his cheek. 

“No.” She kneels next to him. “At least not yet. He’s never shown any signs of being.”

“Good.” He nods, sniffling. “That’s good.” He stands walking out of the room.

“Lee,” She follows him out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“I should go.” He goes for the door but she grabs his hand. 

“Wait.” She turns him to face her. “Lee, look at me.” She takes his face into her hands. “You did nothing wrong, do you hear me?” She wipes his cheeks as tears fall. “You did nothing wrong.” She pulls him into her arms and holds him as sobs in her arms. 

He pulls away, taking a deep breath looking at her. “I need to go.”

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” She asks, heartbreak filling her words.

“I’ve already stayed too long.”

“Don’t you want to meet him? Talk to him?” She offers.

“It’s best if he doesn’t know me.”

“No, Lee, it’s not.”

Lee shakes his head. “I can’t be what he needs me to be. I can’t be what you need me to be. It’s impossible with what I am.” He gestures to himself.  “We both know that.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “We tried and I almost hurt you.” His fingers graze the small crescent shape on her shoulder. “I’ll come by once in a while.” He tells her. “I’ll check in, I promise. Just in case he turns out to be like me.” She nods with tears in her eyes. He puts a finger beneath her chin and tilts her head up. “Don;t I always keep my promises?” She nods. “I came back, didn’t I?” She nods again. 

“Don’t be so long next time.” She tells him.

“I’ll try.” He presses a kiss to her lips. 

He turns to the door, “He’s so much like you, you know.” He pauses at the door looking back. “He even has your eyes.”

“Let’s hope that’s where it stops.” He told her then walked out of the door. 

Chapter Text

She closed the back door to the diner and locked the top lock. The rain made it harder to see where she was going as she ran to the parked car at the end of the parking lot. She drove carefully to her little apartment, ready to cuddle her baby boy for a few minutes before heading to bed herself. It was past eight so the three year old may be asleep already but she hoped he was still awake for a few minutes of snuggles. 

Little Liam was a little ball of energy. His bright green eyes shined through his bouncing curls as he ran around. He was very active and very slender, like his father. He had a dusting of freckles over his nose and cheeks and full lips that always had a smile tugging at the corners. Every day she was reminded of Lee when she looked at her son.

She pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and saw the light on in her living room. She smiled knowing that Liam would still be awake. As she walked across the parking lot, she had the uneasy feeling of being watched. Pausing, she looked behind her. Her eyes scanned her surroundings in the dimly lit parking lot. After a few moments she turned and continued to her front door. As she placed the key into the lock she heard a shuffle behind her. She turned quickly and looked around. 

“Lee?” Her voice came out gently. She waited for a moment then shook her head. Just her mind playing tricks again. She opened her front door, shutting it behind herself. “Sarah, I’m back!” She called as she hung up her jacket. “Is Liam still awake?” She walked to the living room and froze. 

The sight in front of her was like a horror movie.

The living room floor was covered in blood. The area rug was completely soaked in dark red. Her eyes followed a trail of blood that led to the bathroom. “Sarah?!” She called in terror as she followed the trail. She covered her mouth in dread, seeing the body of the 22 year old babysitter on the floor of the bathroom. “Oh my God!” She cried looking over the lifeless body in a pool of blood. Her neck was ripped open. The edges of her pale white skin was full of teeth marks. A child’s teeth marks. “Liam!” She called in panic, sprinting to her son’s room. Her anxiety rocketed through her seeing blood smeared across his bedroom door and covering the doorknob. She opened the door and saw her baby boy laying on the floor with his teddy in his arms, sound asleep. His little hands and face were full of dried blood. She picked up the sleeping toddler, the front of his little dinosaur pajamas drenched in blood. 

She sat there on the floor holding her baby, panicked at the amount of blood but relieved he was okay. She kept checking him over and over again. Looking for any sign of an injury, looking for something other than what she knew was happening.

“No.” The voice sounded from the bedroom door making her turn quickly. Her face softened as she saw Lee standing there. His body was rigid and his face pale. “No, no, no!” He said over and over again as he went to her, kneeling in front of her and the sleeping toddler. 

“She’s dead.” She tells him as tears fall from her cheeks. “Sarah-”

“Shh,” Lee pulls her into his arms for a moment before pulling away. “Listen to me.” He took her face into his hand. “Y/N!” He shouted, pulling her attention to him. ”Listen to me and listen carefully.” She nodded as more tears fell. “Pack you and Liam each a bag. Important papers, clothes, but keep it light.” Lee lets her face go and grabs a pack of wet wipes from the little stand in Liam’s room. “Take off all the bloody clothes, yours too.” He hands her the pack. “Clean all the blood off. Keep him asleep if you can.” He wipes the tears from her eyes. “Get in your car and drive to the lake two towns over.”

“What?” She asks in a blur of movements as she pulls off her toddler’s bloody clothes.

“Just do it.” He tells her, taking her face in his hands again. “Listen to me.” He tells her calmly. “Just get in your car and go. I’ll meet you there soon.”

“What are you-”

“Just trust me, angel.” He tells her with a kiss to her forehead. “Now pack and go. Now.”

Her movements all blurred together as she moved quickly, wiping all the blood off of her son then herself. She changed, leaving her and Liam’s bloody clothes on the tile floor in the corner like Lee told her to. She shoves their birth certificates and social security cards in a bag along with clothes and important belongings. She grabs a separate bag and throws a handful of Liam’s favorite toys into it as well as the little blue blanket he loves. She is standing in the middle of the room looking around when Lee walks back in.

“Okay, that’s enough, take him and go.” He hands her both bags. 

“What about, what are-”

“Just go!”

She grabs Liam and is out of the door. Her hands are shaking as she buckles him into his child seat. She drove the 35 minutes to the lake two towns over, the entire drive on autopilot. When she got to the lake, she wondered how she even made it in one piece. She looked back at the sleeping toddler and thanked God he was okay and still fast asleep. She got out of her car and took several steps away from the car and hit her knees. She began to cry uncontrollably as a panic attack wracked through her and nausea rose over her. 

Hours later, she was unsure how many, she’d left her watch, head lights came into view in the distance. She stood as the lights came closer. The truck pulled next to her, and Lee was sitting in the driver’s side. They just looked at one another through the window. Lee’s head hung low as he took a deep breath before stepping out. 

He walked to her, stopping in front of her. “What did you do?” She asked.

Lee said nothing. He walked over to her car and opened the back door. “Take him and put him in the truck.” He grabbed the bags and tossed them in the back of the old pick up. “Clear your glove box and anything that can trace the car back to you.” He told her and grabbed a screwdriver and started taking the plate off the back of the car. He stood tossing the plate into the back of the truck. He looked over at her and she was just standing there. He walked over to her and grabbed the plush blanket from the back seat and shoved it in her arms. “Get the kid and his seat and put him in the truck, now.” He wasn’t angry but he was stern.

She grabbed the toddler and transferred him and his seat into the middle of the bench seat of the old truck. When she turned back to Lee, he was pushing her car into the lake. He watched the car until it sank deep down, away from view. He walked back to the truck. “Get in.” He told her as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

Chapter Text

They’d been driving for hours in silence. She wanted to ask but didn’t want to know the answer. Lee didn’t offer any explanation either. He knew she would eventually ask though. But until then he kept his mouth shut and focused on the road ahead that was lit by the beams of the truck lights.

Liam was in a fitful sleep, nudging awake and moving a lot as the drive went on and on. Lee would look over at the toddler when he would start squirming but only a glance. 

“We should pull over and get a room.” She said looking at Liam, adjusting his little head again.

“We should keep driving.” Lee said in a monotone. “Get as far away as possible.”

“Lee,” She looks down at her watch. “It’s two in the morning.”

“Y/N,”

“He is a child. He needs a bed to sleep in.” She exhales. “Besides, they’d look for my car not your truck.”

“Just,”

“No,” She cuts him off sternly. “He needs to get out of this carseat seat. If not, he will be hell in the morning.”

Lee purses his lips together and huffs in annoyance. “Fine.” Another few miles down the road, Lee pulls into the parking lot of an old motel. “Stay in the truck. The fewer people that see you the better.” He doesn’t look at her as he climbs out of the truck and pulls a few folded bills of cash out of his boot. She looks over at the sleeping child then back to Lee. He pays for a room then walks out to the truck climbing it. He pulls around to the back of the building and parks in front of a room. “I’ll get the bags.” He said, climbing back out of the truck.

After Lee opens the door to the room she pulls the toddler from his seat and walks him into the room. “Can you pull those sheets back, please?” 

Lee looks back and sees her standing next to one of the queen beds. He hurries over and pulls the sheets back, grabbing the pillows. He watches as she carefully lays the sleeping boy down and pulls off his jacket. She gently covers him and presses a kiss to his head. The boy wraps his arms around his teddy and snuggles close to the stuffed toy. 

“I can’t believe he is still so sound asleep.” She sits on the opposite bed and just watches her son sleep.

“I get really sleepy when I- when it’s been a while.” Lee says, standing on the other end of the bed  behind her, digging through the bag on the little table in the room. 

After several long moments of silence, thick, heavy silence, she speaks. “What did you do?”

Lee doesn’t look up at her. “What had to be done.” He said plainly.

She turns around, looking at him. She watches as he pulls clothes out of his bag, no real emotion in his features. “What does that even mean?”

“It means,” He grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, finally looking at her. “Don’t worry about it.”

When Lee walked out of the bathroom she was laying in the bed with Liam, curled in a ball, her arm protectively around him asleep. Lee stood there for a bit, just looking at the two of them. His chest felt heavy, his stomach twisted. Seeing the child so close and watching her interact with him, so protectively. He swallowed hard before shaking his head. He tossed his clothes in the corner of the room and climbed into the opposite queen bed in the room, switching off the light.

——–

She woke up the next morning and was thrown off, feeling herself not in her own bed. She could hear a TV as she blinked her eyes open. Like a flash of heat to her chest the memory and realization from the night before crashed into her. She immediately felt the bed next to her, feeling for her son. Not feeling him, she bolted upright in the bed. Lee looked over at her, hearing the shuffling sheets. 

At the small table in the corner of the room she saw Liam sitting with Lee each with a bowl cereal in front of them, cartoons on the TV.

“Hi mommy!” Liam greeted with a mouthful of cereal.

“Hey baby.” She greeted sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Want some Cheerios?!” He asked sweetly.

“No, thank you, baby.”She smiled, running a relieved hand through her son’s hair. She pressed a kiss to his hair. “Where did you get cereal and milk from?”

“Me and Lee went to the store. He got me a lollipop!”

“He did?!” She looked over at Lee. “You took him out?”

“You were asleep.” He shrugged looking back at his cereal, taking another bit. “That fucking carseat is like, designed by NASA. Took me forever to click it in place.”

She laughed. “Language, please.” She tells him. “It’s not that hard to buckle.”

“Lee said we are gonna take a road trip.” Liam pips up excitedly.

“Yeah for a little while. We’re gonna see some places.” She pushed his dark curls away. “Did you sleep good?”

“Mhm.” He nodded, taking another bite of cereal. 

As he brings the spoon to his mouth she sees the dried blood beneath his fingernails. Lee watched as she swallowed hard. “Hey, bud,” Lee speaks up. “How about after you eat we go get in the bath? Get all cleaned up before we get back on the road.”

“Okay.” Liam answers over his cereal.

She doesn’t stay much to Lee aside from a word here and there, giving her attention to the boy. Lee watched her and the toddler as they moved about, getting cleaned up and ready to head back on the road. He could see they were quite close. He couldn’t help giving a soft smile here and there during their playful interactions. His chest gave a slight pull.

Lee sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard, picking his nails with a pocket knife. He glanced up at the boy every so often while Y/N was in the shower. Liam watched him from the floor next to the bed. He can feel the little boy’s eyes on him. 

He tried to ignore the feeling till he felt the tap on his leg. Lee looks to his side and sees Liam with his hand on his knee. “Can I help you?”

“Watchaya doing’?”

“Cleaning my nails.” Lee tells him, peeling the dried blood from his nails.

Liam looks at his nails and inspects them. “Mommy cleaned mine with a brush.”

“Well, I don’t have a brush.” Lee tells him, not looking up from his nails.

Liam runs to the bag and pulls something out and goes back to Lee. Lee looks down and the toddler is holding a light blue nail brush in his outstretched hand. “You can borrow mine.”

Lee smiles softly at the boy. “Thanks, but I’m okay.”

“Ready?” Y/N asks as she steps out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair.

“About that,” Lee sat up, shoving his pocket knife in his pocket. “We should figure out where we are even going.”

“We can just start driving and see where we end up.” You sit on the edge of the bed near Lee.

“Since when do you do anything without a detailed plan?” Hee looks over at her as he pulls a map from his bag.

“I don;t exactly have a plan here, Lee.”

“Mommy,” Liam tugs her arm. “Can we go to the ocean?”

“That’s only a few hours away from here. I mean we are in North Carolina.”

Lee looks up at her. “You always did want to go to California.” He gives a soft smirk. “We’d just have to figure out the money situation.” He lays out the map.

“Actually,” She stands and goes to her bag, pulling out a can. “I have that covered.”, She handed it to Lee. 

He opens it and looks inside, his eyes growing large. “Where did you get all of this?”

“I worked a lot. I saved.”

“What were you saving for? A trip to China?” He say sarcastically, looking at the amount of money in the tin can.

She looks back at the toddler playing in front of the TV and then back to Lee. “Just in case I ever needed it.” Lee nodded in understanding as he placed the lid on the can. “He is so much like you that I-”

“You were preparing for it.” He handed the can back.

“I guess.”

He stood going for his bag. “You ready?”

They packed up the truck and she buckled Liam into his seat. They decided they were going to make the 38+  hour trip to California. Doing that with a toddler would be difficult and Y/N explained to Lee, who is very used to traveling solo, that they would need multiple stops and stays. Hesitantly he agrees.

They drive in silence for less than an hour before Liam is unable to keep quiet. If it were up to her and Lee the whole trip would be silent after last night. The shock of it all was still playing at her nerves and Lee could tell. But in true mama fashion, she ignored and pushed forward for her child. 

“Mommy radio!” Liam sings, looking up at his mom..

She looks up at Lee, silently asking if he would be okay with it. Lee reaches a hand, turning the knob and music starts playing through the small speakers. The boy smiles happily and starts singing along to the radio. As the drive goes Liam points out animals and trees and everything else you could think of. He seems to have neverending energy as he bounces in his seat.

Around lunch time they stop at a little store and Y/N buys stuff to make sandwiches and chips. Lee fills an ice chest with ice and loads up water and to his new reality juice boxes. Lee finds a clearing down a dirt path and decides it’s a good enough place as any to eat lunch. 

Secluded, private, safe. 

They set up a picnic and Y/N makes sandwiches and pulls juice boxes out of a little ice chest in the back of the truck. “We can camp here tonight.” Lee speaks from where he is leaning back on an elbow on the grass. 

“Really?” She looks over at him. “No more driving? It’s only been like six hours on the road.”

“Kid seems to like running around out here.” He nudges his head towards Liam playing in the field. “Let him tire himself out. I have a tent and sleeping bags in the back.”

“Hear that, baby!?” She looks over to her son. “We are gonna camp here!”

“Yay!” Liam screams with a spin before chasing a squirrel. 

Lee lets out a laugh watching the toddler. She looks down at her hands, picking the grass. “When I went into the grocery store early, Sarah was on the news.” Lee’s smile faded. “Said she was attacked by a wild animal walking home.” She looked up at Lee. “Said she was found near the woods halfway home.” He cleared his throat, taking a sip from the juice box. “Lee,”

“I did what needed to be done.”

“What else did you do?” She looks at him, watching him stay silent. “Lee?”

“I took care of it.”

“How?”

“Why do you want to know?” He met her eyes.

“He’s my child. What if I have to do it next time.” She looks back down to the grass she is plucking.

Lee clears his throat. “I can maybe,” He swallows. “Whenever you settle somewhere, I can make sure he controls it. I can help him some.”

“You should have been there in the first place.” She looks up to him.

“I didn’t want him to be around this.” Lee tells her. “He didn’t need to know this part of who he is.”

“Lee this isn’t part of him, it is who he is!” She said matter of factly. “He did just like you! He killed his babysitter last night! He took a chunk out of her throat, just like you did when you were three!”

“I know!” He snapped. “I know, I’m the one who cleaned it up! I’m the one who bleached the fucking place!” He stood walking away.

She followed him to a distance that Liam wouldn’t hear. “You should have been there in the first place, Lee! You knew what signs to look for and knew what led up to it! I didn’t! I was doing this blind!”

“Why the fuck do you think I was there?!” He turned to her. She paused looking at him. “I knew he was at the same age! I stayed around watching and waiting to see if he would be like me! Since I’ve found out about him I’ve been watching and fucking waiting and praying.” His tone lowered. 

Her voice softened. “You’ve been around this whole year?”

Lee looks away. “I tried to make it before he hurt her but I couldn’t. I was a town over. On my way back.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She turned around for a moment then looked back at him. “So, you watched me- you watched me think I was going crazy missing you and you said nothing.” She pushed her long hair from her face. Lee couldn’t look at her. “Wow.” She walked away a few steps then turned back. “I can’t believe you.” She shook her head walking past Lee. “Keep an eye on your son. I need to clear my head.”

“Y/N,” He called after her but she didn’t turn back around. She just kept walking.

He watched her till she disappeared. “Where mommy going?” Lee looked down to see Liam looking up at him. 

“She is just going for a walk.”

“Oh.” The little boy answers. “Lee?”

“Yeah, buddy?”

“How do you know my mommy?”

Lee kneels in front of the boy. “Well,” He clears his throat. “We knew each other for a long time.” He squints a little from the sun as he looks at Liam. “Since before you came along.”

“Why Have I never met you?”

“I- uh-  I had to go away for a while and she wasn’t too happy about that.”

“Are you gonna stay around now?” Lee says nothing, he just looks at the boy who is filled with questions. He can see himself easily in the boy. It’s more than just eyes and hair. It’s his smirk and the way he flips his hair from his eyes the exact way Lee does. The way he scrunches his nose when his is tired and likes to sing along to the radio. “I like having you around.” Liam tells him.

“Oh yeah?” Lee ruffles his hair. “Why is that?”

“I don’t know.” The little boy shrugs and looks at Lee. “I just do.”

“I think I saw a stream a little off that way.” He points. “How about we go fishing for our dinner?” 

Lee can’t help the smile that forms over his face as the boy’s face lights up.

Chapter Text

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“You want to what?!” Y/N’s voice came out higher than she intended. Even though she was whispering it was easy to hear the truth behind her hushed tone. “Are you out of your damn mind?!”

“Shh!” Lee looks at the toddler on the bed and then grabs her elbow, pulling her out of the motel room. Leaving a crack in the door he turns to her. “I’m just suggesting-”

“You are suggesting taking a three year old to kill a person!” Her voice is a strained hush as she looks around to see if anyone was around.

“He’s almost four.” Lee says low and she narrows her eyes warningly at him. He sighs. “Can you please calm down?” He asks calmly.

“No!” She walks away a little, bracing herself on the hood of the truck. “No, I will not calm down!” She turned back to Lee. “You are not doing this!” She sticks her finger in his face. “You are not gonna just swoop in and take over!”

"I'm not trying-!"

"I've done this for three years alone. You aren't just gonna come in and take the reigns just because-"

"I don't want to!" He holds up his hands in defense.

“Really?! Because it seems like it with your buddy buddy attitude with him all of a sudden! After not paying him an ounce of attention before yesterday-”

“Would you rather him rip someone else's throat out?!” Lee spits suddenly. She quiets instantly, looking at Lee in surprise. She drops her hand, withdrawing her finger from his chest. “If you deny him this he will do that again.” His voice lowers again. “Look, I know I wasn’t there. I Know it’s been all you. But I’m here now.” Lee places his hands on her upper arms. “I’m trying to, I don’t know, be there- here, for him. You don’t understand this like I do. And I know you want to help him in every way you can. But this, this is the one part you can’t help him with.” He rubs her arms soothingly. “Let me take him with me. I’ll do the dirty work and he’ll get to…eat.” She shakes her head, pulling away from him. She starts pacing back and forth in front of the motel room door. “He won’t be killing anyone. It will be me.” Lee grabs her, stopping her. “He’ll just get what he needs.” She stops, staring at him, letting his words settle in her mind.

“I’m gonna go with you.”

“No.” Lee shakes his head. “I don’t want you to be around that.”

“I am around it, Lee.”

“I- I don’t want you to see me doing that.” He places his hands on her face. “Trust me.” His eyes are holding something she can not understand. “Please.”

She shuts her eyes. “Be careful with him, Lee.” She breathes out, looking up at him. “Protect him.”

“With my life.” He pulls her into his arms.

“You can’t do it in front of him. I- I get he will- just don’t let him to see the actual-”

“I won’t.” Lee rubs a soothing hand over her back.

“When are you going to do it?” She asks, rubbing the back of her neck nervously as she steps away from him.

“I want to do it tonight. We don’t know how long he can hold off his hunger.” Lee looks back through the crack in the door at the boy laying on his stomach in the queen bed, laughing at cartoons. “The fact that he was able to even tell the difference so easily, so quickly after the first time,” He shakes his head. “I’d rather do it before it grows.” She nods again, looking at her son on the bed.

“Okay, um. I don’t- what do I do?” She shuts her eyes and shakes her head. “Do I-”

“You are gonna stay here, with him for a while. I’m gonna glance to see if I can find anything. If I do, I’ll come back for him.” She nods again, taking a breath. “Trust me, okay?”

“Okay.” She nods before walking back into the room.

Lee grabs the keys to his truck and Liam quickly notices. “Lee, where you goin’?”

“I am running out for a bit.” He sits on the bed next to Liam. “Can you do me a favor while I’m gone?”

“Okay!”

“Can you keep your mom safe for me?”

Liam nods his head quickly. “I can do that!”

“That’s my man!” Lee stands and high fives the boy. “I’ll be back soon.”

She paused at the door as Lee walks out. “I hate this.”

“I know you do.” He kisses the top of her head.

“I’m still pissed at you.” Her eyes shoot up to his. “This doesn’t get you off the hook.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, babygirl.” He winks as he walks to his truck.

She rolls her eyes, closing and locking the door.

Lee stays gone for two and a half hours. It is just past midnight when the knock on the motel room door wakes her. She wipes the sleep from her eyes as she looks through the peephole to see Lee. She unlocks the door, letting him in.

“Where is he?” Lee asks, walking in.

“He fell asleep an hour and a half ago. Where have you been?”

“It took me a while to find the right one.”

“The right one?” She raises a brow.

“I’m not gonna feed my kid someone who is strung out on dope.” Lee says as he walks past her to the sleeping boy.

“Okay, for the sake of my sanity can you rephrase that in the future?”

Lee laughs as he kneels next to the bed. “Hey, buddy.” He rubs his back gently. Liam scrunches his face just like Lee as he begins to wake. “Come on, buddy. I have something for you.”

“What is it?” Liam stretches, sitting up in the bed.

“You’ll have to come with me to see it. Come on! We’ll go for a ride!”

Lee scoops the boy up in his arms and turns to her. “Take the pack of wet wipes for…after.” She tells him.

“We’ll be back soon.” Lee tells her, pressing a kiss to her head. “Lock the door behind us.” He tells her as he walks out, hearing her turn the heavy lock on the door.

“We’re going for a ride without mommy?” Liam yawns.

“Yeah, this is a super secret truck ride.”

The drive isn’t far, an abandoned baseball field on the outside of the town. Overgrown grass and broken down buildings. An easy place not to be seen. When the truck pulls to a stop Lee looks to Liam. “Okay buddy, I need you to listen and do what I say. I am gonna do something to make your tummy stop hurting.”

“You will?” The hopeful look on Liam’s face makes Lee’s heart soften a little more.

“I will. I’m gonna make it all better.” He unbuckles the boy and helps him out of the carseat. “I need you to sit down here.” He guides him to the floorboard of his truck. “Now, I need you to put your hands over your ears when I leave the truck. Keep them there and count to 100 in your head.” He taps the boy’s forehead. “When you get to 100 I’ll be back and I’ll help the tummy ache go away.”

“Okay.” Liam says trustingly.

“Don't come out till I come get you, okay?” Liam nods. “Pinky promise?” He holds out his pinky.

“Pinky promise.” Liam tells him, looping his little finger with Lee’s.

Lee shuts the door and looks through the window seeing Liam covering his ears. He smirks and starts to walk off.

“Hey sweetie.” The sound of a sultry voice calls. Lee turns to see a young blond dressed skimpily walking toward him. Her tight tank top was practically see through, easy to tell she had on no bra. Her skirt was so short he was sure she would flash everyone if she bent over too far. “I thought you chickened out on me.”

Lee gives a shy, boyish smile. “Nah, I was just ditching some friends” He hitches a thumb behind him. “I wasn’t sure if this was the right place.” He rubs his lower lip, eyes focused on her. “Kind of in the middle of nowhere.”

“This place is good for…meeting people. Privately.” She runs her tongue over her lower lips as she walks closer to him. “You could have invited your friends.” She runs a cheap manicured nail painted a God awful pink down his chest. “Could have been a party.” Lee chuckles but not at her comment. He thinks of how fast Y/N would have snatched this girl and put her in her place, painfully.?”

“So,” Lee glanced back at his truck for a brief second then back at the girl. “What did you have in mind for this little private meeting?” He looks at her, his eyes dragging up and down her body.

She looks behind her at an old shed near a line of trees on the edge of the old field. “Come here,” She nudges her head towards the shed. “Follow me.” She pulls him along to follow her.

He looks back at the truck once more, making sure Liam isn’t peaking. Once behind the old shed she wastes no time pushing him against the back of the metal building.

Her hand reaches down, gliding over his clothed crotch. “You don’t waste no time, do you?” He asks as her lips are on his neck, he grimaces at the feel of the sticky lip gloss trailing down his skin.

He shut his eyes as ran his hands over her body, wrinkling his nose, spelling the booze on her. Her skin was cold and clammy. This girl, he’d observed her for hours, and he listened carefully. She was a bad girl with a taste for men she thinks she can rip off. Take his cash and anything else she could get her hands on. That was her game. Teasing and luring men into her web of seduction. Then after she tempted and teased them enough she would take what she wanted and be gone.She was desperate to take any man on a high so she could get her hands on their wallet. Tonight Lee had been her target

She licked over his lips and leaned in for his mouth. Lee dragged his hand up her body, sliding his hand around her throat. She smiled. “You like it a little rough?”

He gave a gentle squeeze, his mouth twisting into a grin. “No.” He pulls her close to his face, his breath over her lips making her stomach turn in anticipation. “I like it a lot rough.” He hums over her mouth.

He squeezes her throat harder. She gave another giggle. When his hand continues to tighten around her neck her smile soon fades. Suddenly her hands fly up to his hand. She starts to panic, slapping at him to let her go. “Stop it!” She tried to scream but it was a gurgling mumble.

Her face reddens as Lee tightens his grip on her neck. He slowly spins her around, her eyes locked on his in terror, pushing her back against the shed. Applying as much pressure as he can, he watches her eyes filling with tears, fear rushing through her as her shaking hands try in desperation to get him to let go.

As she turns dark red and then purple, her grip weakens on his hands. As she begins to go limp he carefully lowers her to the ground, his grip on her neck never loosening. Carefully he lays her down to the dirt as he feels her pulse beneath his hands slowing down to a stop. He watches the light in her eyes die out then he holds tight for a moment longer.

Once he knows for sure she is gone he releases his hand. He then reaches and shuts her eyes.

Back at the truck Liam is on number 82 when Lee opens the passenger’s side door. “Hey, buddy!”

“You’re back!” Liam reaches for Lee.

“You weren’t scared were you?” Lee asks as he lifts the boy into his arms.

“No!” He shakes his head.

“I got something for you.” He walks to the back of the shed. “Something for us.To share.” He pauses. “I’m gonna need you to not freak out. Okay?”

“Okay.” Liam looks at Lee. “But my tummy really hurts.”

“I know. This is gonna fix that.” Lee tells him as he walks behind the shed.

When Lee comes to a stop next to the body he expects Liam to begin to panic. Instead Liam gives a small head tilt upon seeing the lifeless woman. “Who’s that?”

Lee sets the child down and kneels next to him. “She isn’t important. What’s important is you won’t have the hurt in your tummy any more.”

“It’s okay?” Liam asks Lee with raised brows. “I won’t get into any trouble?”

“No you won’t! It’s okay! Come on, Let’s take off your jacket and shirt.” He pulls the dinosaur shirt from the boy then lifts his own shirt over head. “Come here.” He grabs the boy to his side of the lifeless body. “Start here,” He points to the neck. “It’s easier to tear into.” Liam leans in close and Lee can hear him inhale the scent of the dead body. “Go on.” Lee encourages.The sound of ripping flesh was the only thing that Lee could hear as the boy began in at her neck. “Good?”

“Mhm!” Liam mumbles around a mouthful of tissue.

Lee leans in next to his son and tears into the shoulder as he gets his own mouthful. Blood spurts from Liam and hits Lee in the cheek. “Oops.” Liam mumbles, whipping his little mouth, Lee giving a chuckle around another big bite.

As Liam works over her neck Lee stops him. “Carefull, she had a necklace. We don’t want you to choke.”

“Can you take it off?”

“No, we leave it on so it looks like an animal attacked her.”

“Is that how we keep the secret?” Liam asks as he wipes the blood from his chin.

“That’s right!” Lee wipes his chin with a free hand.

It was 2:45 am when the knock on the motel room door made Y/N jump. She ran to the door, opening it. “I sleepy.” Liam yawned as Lee walked in carrying the boy.

“I know but you need a bath.” Lee tells him as he walks straight to the bathroom.

“I’ll bathe him.” She reaches for her son but Lee pulls away.

“Hold on.” Lee steps back.

“Why? What’s wrong.” She asks, ready to panic.

“Nothing he just. . . got messy.”

“Messy.” She eyes him.

“Yeah.” He tosses the shirts on the dresser. “I wiped him up the best I could but-” Liam turned in Lee’s arms and she saw the mess of blood all over her toddler. She covered her mouth with a gasp and Lee shook his head in a signal for her to remain calm.

She swallowed hard, holding back a scream. “Wow!” She strained out but still managed to sound playful. “You did get messy.” She reached to touch him but pulled her hand back.

“I’ll go take care of it.” Lee told her. “Just, relax.”

She nodded with a lump in her throat the size of a jawbreaker. She sat on the edge of the bed and listened to her child splash and play in the bath like any normal three year old in a bubble bath.

Chapter Text

The sky was dark as she pulled the old pick up into the parking lot in front of the motel room. She quietly eased her way into the room and set the bag down. She checked in on Liam, pressing a kiss to his head. He was lightly snoring in a deep sleep, even at almost ten in the morning. 

She turned to the opposite bed and was surprised to find it empty. She looked around the small room as if she would have missed him somehow. She walked and peered out the window to see if Lee was outside smoking and she still didn’t see him. When she turned around she gasped then a hand covered her mouth just as she was about to scream. Realizing in the beam of light that showed through the partially opened curtains that it was Lee, she immediately relaxed. He let out a hushed laugh at her being scared.

“You ass!” She whispered, slapping his arm, pushing him away. 

“I’m sorry!” He laughed again. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.” She rolled her eyes at him as she walked past. “So you're stealing my truck now?”

“No.” She pulled out a bag. “Here.” She handed it to him.

“What’s this?” He opened it, pulling out a pair of jeans.

“You have like two pairs of jeans and three shirts. I figured you could use a few more pieces of clothes.” She handed him another bag. “I think I got your sizes right.” 

“Where did you get these?” He asked, still standing still, looking at the clothes in his hands.

“A thrift store in town.” She pulled a few toddler shirts and jeans from another bag, folding them and placing them in Liam’s bag. “Are you heading back to bed for a little more sleep?” She looks back at him still standing there. “What?”

“Nothing.” He places the bag down. “Just, thank you.” He shoves his hands into his jeans. “I appreciate it.”

“Well, it’s getting colder. You need more covering for those skinny ass chicken legs.”  Lee laughed softly. “I also got you a better jacket. An actual jacket and not just a flannel.” She stands and turns, seeing Lee, his face is soft but his eyes are questioning. “What?”

“I’m sorry.” Lee says with a breath. She opens her mouth to speak and he stops her. “I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I kept leaving.” He steps closer. “People have walked on you your whole life. I swore to you I would never do that to you and I did. I did it to our son, too.” He places his hand on her cheek. “I deserve your anger. I deserve your hate.”

“I don’t hate you, Lee.” Her voice came out in a strained whisper. “If I did this wouldn’t hurt so much.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I keep hurting you.” He pushed her hair from her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. “You did such an amazing job with Liam.”

“He still needs you, you know?”

Lee dropped his hand and stepped back, sitting on the edge of the table in the corner. “I know.” He laced his fingers together in his lap. “Look, I know you don’t owe me anything and I get it if you say no.” He was looking at the floor, his bare toes digging into the carpet. “I w- I want to stick around.” He looks up at her.

“For how long?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. A while.” He shifted a little. “Till he learns how to handle himself with all of this.”

“And what about after?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you really think you’ll be able to just pick up and leave?” She gives a huff of annoyance and rolls her eyes. “Of course you can. You did it before.”

“Come on, that’s not fair.” He stood going towards her. “I just wanted you safe. I wanted him safe. I wanted to save the both of you from this.” He gestures around himself. “It’s a shit show of a life and I wanted more for you and him.” She stood there with her arms crossed over herself, looking up into those green eyes that made her forget how to breathe. “Can’t you understand that?”

“Lee, I can’t take you walking out on him like you did to me.”

“Then I won’t walk out.” He says sure of himself. “I may go away from time to time-”

“No.” she shook her head and walked away. “Like you did to Kayla? She was always mad and never forgave you.”

“No, not like Kayla.” He follows her. “It will be different.”

“How?” She turns back to him clearly frustrated. “How, Lee? You don’t know how to stay.”

“I’ll learn.”  He looks her directly in the eyes. “I’ll figure it out. I’ll try my damnedest.”

For a brief moment she sees the boy she fell in love with and it's almost too much to take. She turns away from him and wipes at her eyes, making sure she wasn’t crying. She was so close to breaking in his arms. 

“Mommy?” The little voice broke through. 

“Yeah baby?” She turned and walked to the side of the bed. “Hey, sleepy head.” She ran her fingers through his dark curls.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Here you go, buddy.” Lee walked over, handing Liam his sippy cup. 

They watched as he downed his water from his dinosaur cup. He handed it back to Lee and Lee placed it aside. “I sleep long.” He said playfully. 

“Yeah you did!” She smiled down at him. 

“You feel okay?” Lee asked, pushing his curls from his face. Liam nods, rubbing his eyes with a yawn. “No more tummy ache?”

“No,” Liam crawls into Lee’s lap and sits with his head on Lee’s shoulder. Lee freezes unsure of what Liam was doing. When the child settled comfortably on Lee’s lap she looked over at them and gave a soft smile. “Are we driving more today?”

Lee placed his hand on Liam’s back and started rubbing up and down soothingly. “Yeah, we gonna get on the road in a bit.” The boy lays sleepily in Lee’s arms while Y/N is moving around the room, starting to pack up their things. “I’ll help.” Lee says, sitting up.

“No, I got it.” She tells him, waving her hand. “You hold him. He likes to be cuddled when he wakes up.” Lee sits back and holds the boy close to his chest as he continues to rub soothingly over his back. “Just lean back and relax. Snuggle him like a teddy bear.” She smiles seeing Lee look borderline stiff. She knows Lee had never had to do this before and it's foreign to him. 

After Liam gets his morning cuddles Lee helps Y/N pack the rest of the room and load up the truck. As they drive out of town they see police lights and hear sirens going towards the old abandoned ballpark. She and Lee share a look as they continue to drive. 

They were two towns over and the radio was playing low through the speakers. Liam suddenly started to jump in his seat and tap on Lee’s arm. 

“What?!” Lee asks, unsure what is wrong.

“Put it louder!” Liam points to the radio.

Lee looks at the child and turns up the volume. He looks at Y/N. “This kid likes KISS?!”

“ Yeah! Yeah!” Liam starts singing with the radio.

“Does that answer your question?” She looks over at Lee.

“Hell yeah!” Lee turns up the radio and starts singing along.

She can’t help but laugh and the two. They sang and even headbanged. Moments like this Y/N looked at Liam and couldn’t deny how much he was like his dad. She wondered if Lee could see it. He was still careful around him, unsure what to do when Liam went to him. Even the simplest things made him unsure. 

But he tried.

“While we’re in Kentucky I want to stop and see Kayla.” Lee told her as they drove down the highway.

“Who’s Kayla?” Liam looked up at Lee with that scrunched face.

Lee laughed. “Your face is gonna stay stuck like that.” Stopping at the red light he looked at Liam. “Kayla is my little sister.”

“Can I meet Kayla?” Liam asked as Lee pulled forward when the light turned green.

“I haven’t seen her since I moved from Kentucky!” She looked over to Lee.

“I’m sure she would love to see you.” He glanced over at her. “I know you two were close.”

Y/N looked down at her hands. “I should have kept in touch. It was just too hard.” 

“I know.” Lee reached a hand over the back of Liam’s car seat and rubbed her shoulder. “Tell you what. We will go to the Tastee Freeze and I’ll call Kayle from the payphone and have her meet us out there.”

“Sounds good.” She smiles over at him.

“How does that sound, buddy? Ice cream and playing at the park?”

“Ice cream!” Liam shouts with his arms in the air.

After another thirty minutes of driving Lee pulls into the parking lot of the local ice cream shop. Lee pulls Liam out of the driver’s side and sets him on the ground. “What flavor of ice cream do you want?”

“Chocolate!”

“One a cone?”

“Yes!”

“Alright! Go play!” He taps the back of Liam’s head and he runs to the little playground next to the ice cream shop. “I’ll go call Kayla.” He tells her as she walks by him. “Strawberry with sprinkles?”

“How do you still remember that?”

“How many ice creams have I bought you?” He raises his brow and she laughs. 

After calling his little sister Lee walks to the counter to order the ice cream. He keeps looking back at Liam and Y/N running in the playground. He doesn’t realize it but he is smiling. 

“He’s adorable.” The voice of a woman pulls Lee from his staring.

“I’m sorry?”

“Your son, he’s adorable.” The older woman repeats, pointing to Liam in the playground. “He looks just like you.”

Lee’s smile grows. “Yeah, he’ll grow out of that.” He chuckles, looking at the older woman. 

“Nonsense,” She pats his arm. “You’re a handsome young man.” She smiled up at him. “Weird hair, though.” She laughs and Lee chuckles again. 

“Thank you, ma’am.” 

“I’m sure you and your wife have your hands full with him.”

Lee looks back at Y/N, pushing Liam on the swing. “Yeah, he is a handful.”

“Have a nice day, dear.” She tells him before walking off. 

Lee walks back to the playground area and hands Y/N and Liam their ice cream, taking a bite of his. He glances back a few times and Y/N notices. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing.” Lee shakes his head and watches Liam playing with his ice cream. 

“No, you have that look on your face.” She tells him, sitting next to him on the top of a picnic table. 

“What face?”

“Confused.”

Lee gives a soft laugh. “I’m not confused.” He looks down at his cup of chocolate ice cream. “I'm just- a lady at the counter.” He clears his throat. “She told me I had an adorable son.” He smiled and looked up at her. “And that my wife and I must have our hands full.”

“Oh?” She chuckled.

“And I didn’t correct her.” 

“Lee!” A voice from the parking lot called. 

Lee looked over his shoulder and saw his little sister running toward him. He placed his cup down and ran to his sister, lifting her in a spin. 

“Hey, idiot!” He greeted. 

“Oh my God, Y/N!” She reached, moving from Lee to Y/N. “What are you doing here?!”

“Hey, Kay!” She embraced the younger girl. “I’ve missed you!”

Kayla backed away. “Where have you been?! Last I saw you was only a few weeks after Lee took off. Word was you were pregnant.”

“I was. I had a son.”

“What?! Where is he?! Is he here?!” Kayla had a mix of surprise and excitement as she looked for the child.

“He’s here. Liam!” She called and the boy came running. She lifted the boy and his face had chocolate all over it. “This chocolate covered mess is my boy, Liam. Liam, this is Lee’s sister, Kayla.”

“He is so adorable!” Kayla gushed.

“Hi, Kayla! Wanna play?”

“Sure, I’ll meet you out there.” Kayla said with a smile. Y/N placed him down and he ran back to the slide. Kayla looked at Lee and punched him in the arm.

“Ow!” Lee screeched.

“You’re the one that knocked up Y/N!?” 

“I didn’t know at the time!” Lee shrugged.

“He didn’t know until recently.” Y/N told Kayla. “We ran into each other in North Carolina. That’s where Liam and I were living.”

“So what now? You gonna ditch them and drop in every few months like you do me and mom?” Kayla looked at her brother.

“No, that’s not what I’m gonna do.” Lee tells her. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m just trying to be there.”

“What does that even mean?” Kayla asked. 

“I decided to pack up Liam and move to California. Lee is coming with us.” She told her. 

“So are you two like, together again?”

“No!” Y/N and Lee say in unison.

“No we- we’re just friends.” Y/N adds with a smile. “We still haven’t told Liam who Lee is yet.”

“Are you gonna tell him?” Kayla looked at her. “I’d like him to know I’m his aunt. Hell, I know mom would like to meet her grandchild.”

“Baby steps, Kay.” Lee tells his sister. “I’m still trying to figure all this out.” He motions with his hands in a circle. “But for now why don’t you go play with him.”

Kayla hugs Lee. “At least you’re doing the right thing now.”

Lee doesn’t say anything as Kayla walks off and goes to talk to Liam. It isn’t long till they are running through the park together. Y/N and Lee sit back on the top of the picnic table and Lee looks over to her. 

“We can stay at my aunt’s house tonight.” She looks over at him. “Let him sleep in a bed, get a good meal and a bath.”

“You don’t think your mom would mind?”

“I’ll have to make a stop eventually to see her. Pretty sure she has an earful for me. It’s been a month since I’ve been back here.”

“I can go with you. Soften the blow.” Y/N offers. “I mean, I don’t know about telling her about Liam yet, but-”

“We can hold off on that for a while. I just wanted to tell Kayla. She isn’t stupid, she would have figured it out. My mom may, too.” He finally looks over at her. “She’ll ask.”

“I know.” She looks down at the leaves blowing across the ground. “But if we tell Liam and you do disappear-”

“I know.” Lee agrees with a nod. “I know. But, Y/N,” He looks at her and she meets his gaze. “I am trying. I just have no idea what I’m doing.” He lets out an exhale.

“Neither do I.” She gave a gentle smile. “Welcome to parenting, Lee.” 

Chapter Text

It was close to dusk when Lee walked into his aunt’s house. He could hear Liam laughing and the sound of toddler footsteps padding through the house. He couldn’t help the smile that automatically formed on his face. He heard Y/N giggling in the background of the child’s laughter and his smile grew. He couldn’t help it, he had no control over it. 

He walked into the living room and saw Liam spinning around with a stuffer dragon dressed in Ninja Turtle pajamas, hair damp. “What’s going on here?!” Lee said loudly.

“Lee!” Liam ran up to Lee, wrapping his arms around his waist. 

Lee picked the boy up with one arm. “Hey, buddy! You hungry? I bought you a burger and some fries.” Liam nods as Lee sits him at the table, looking over at Y/N. “I got you a burger, too.” He gestured to the table with his head. “Come eat.”

She followed him to the kitchen table and sat, fixing Liam’s food in front of him. “How’d it go with your mom?”

“It was okay.” Lee sat down on the opposite side of Liam. “The same old, where have you been? Are you okay?” 

“She worries about you, Lee. It’s a mother thing.” She smirks at him.

“She asked about you.” Lee looked over at her. “Kayla spilled the beans.”

“Figured she would.” She chuckled softly. 

“She didn’t tell her about Liam, though. Kept that part to herself.” Lee passed her a soda. “She asked how you were and where you’ve been. She said next time to come around. She’d love to catch up.”

“Next time.” She said, looking at him. “We can- we can set up another trip down here, introduce your mom to Liam.”

Lee stopped what he was doing and looked at her. “Really?”

“I mean, if you’re serious about sticking around.” She told him, taking a bite out of her burger.

“I am.” Lee swallowed thickly.  

“We’ll get settled then we can plan something.”

“Or-” Lee spoke up, his food sitting in front of him untouched. “We can maybe stick around.” He looked down then found her eyes again. “Closer to my mom and Kayla.” He picked at the edge of the ugly floral tablecloth. “I’m sure when we get jobs she’d love to babysit.” 

Y/N gave a soft nod. “We can stay for a few days. Talk about it.”

“Sounds good.” He tried to hide the smile on his face.

After eating they settled in the living room and watched television. Some random cartoon that had Liam glued to the TV. Then after that Lee had Liam yelling at the TV for a wrestling match, which made her laugh. Seeing them mimic the moves as they rolled around the living room floor. Lee is being very dramatic as Liam pretends to hit him. 

As the night goes by Liam brushes his teeth and climbs into the twin bed in one of the rooms upstairs. The bedroom Lee used to sleep in when he stayed here as a child. Y/N sits with Liam and hums softly to him till he is fast asleep with the little stuffed dragon. 

She closes the door and makes her way down the stairs, pausing at the living room, seeing Lee looking through a box of old magazines. He looks up, hearing the floor squeak. “Liam asleep?”

“Yeah. Didn’t take him long.” She walked in and sat next to him on the couch. “What are you looking at?” Taking a magazine from his hands. “Better Homes and Gardens.”

“Yeah,” He chuckled. “My aunt was really big on this kind of shit.”

She placed the magazine down and looked at him. “So, about this idea of staying.”

“I mean, it’s just a thought.” Lee clears his throat. “Better than going somewhere where we know no one. At least this way we have a connection to the place. Won’t be suspicious, you know?”

“Is it far enough?”

“I think so. And it wn;t look so random of a move if someone does find you. You simply moved with your baby’s father.”

“Yeah. There's that. Except he has no idea.”

“We could tell him.” Lee offers with raised brows. 

“I don’t know.” Tucking her hair behind her ear. “I don’t think we’re there, yet, Lee.”

“I understand.” He gives an understanding nod. “How do you feel about staying around here?” He looks over at her. “Or maybe a town over? I can get a job in construction. Plenty of places for that around here. There’s a library down the way you try at or a diner. Got plenty of them around here, too.”

“Where would we stay?”

“We can find a little apartment around somewhere. Or-” He looked around. “Here. My mom has already offered me to stay here already. More than once.”

She watched him go on and on about staying and different jobs, working, places to live. All of these ideas just came pouring out of him. “You’re really serious, aren’t you?” She studied his eyes. “About staying. Sticking around and doing this together.”

“I am, Y/N.” He nods. “Liam is my second chance to make shit right. Do things differently than my dad did with me.”

“I guess we can see what happens.” 

“Really?!” His smile grows bigger and bigger.

“Yeah, really.” 

“Thank you!” He breathes out and without thinking he presses his lips to hers in excitement. It’s firm but tender. He pulls away and freezes, unsure if she is about to snap at him or not. “I’m sorry!” He tells her quickly. “I just got-”

“It’s okay.” She laughs. “Not like we haven’t kissed before.”

Lee pulls his lower lip between his teeth. “I know. I just didn’t want to seem. . .pushy.”

“I- I want to give you another chance, Lee.” She takes his hand into hers. “It’s just still too much right now.” She takes an exhausted breath. “It’s just, with everything going on right now, it’s too much to deal with.”

“I know.” He places his hand on her cheek. “I know. It’s okay.”

“But when I look at you with him, like tonight-”

“Makes you wonder what it would have been like.”

“Yeah,” She wipes away a tear. “Exactly.”

“I wonder that a lot, too” His thumb gently strokes her cheek. “I’m trying to fix it.” She leans her forehead on his. “I’m trying to do better. I swear.”

“I swear, Lee,” She breathes out, her breath ghosting over his lips. “Don’t do this to me again.”

“I won’t.” His thumb slides over her lower lip. “I promise.”

As he leans into her mouth a blood curdling scream rips through the air, causing them to jump apart. A shriek pierces through the house again as they both jump up and run upstairs to the room that held Liam.

Chapter Text

Y/N and Lee swung the bedroom door open to find little Liam lying on the bed curled in a ball, holding his belly. Y/N rushed to his side, pulling him in her arms. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?!”

“It hurts!” The boy cried with tears falling from his eyes. He looked up and his eyes landed on Lee. “Lee, make it go away, please!”

Lee reached, taking the child from his mother’s arms. “Come on.” He pulled him up and held him close, walking out of the room. 

“Where are you going?!” Y/N jumped up, following. “Where are you going?!”

“He needs to feed. Now.” Lee tells her as he hurries down the stairs. 

“What?! Again?!” Her voice is panicked and drenched in concern. “Stop!” She tries as Lee hurries through the house, rustling for his keys, Liam crying in his arms. “Lee!” She grabs his arm stopping him.

He grabs his keys and looks at her. “Y/N, do you trust me?” He asks calmly.

“I- I-” She searched his eyes as he stood there, cradling her son. Their son. “Yes!”

He said nothing. He just turned and walked out. The sound of the screen door slamming shut seemed to echo through the house. 

Eight hours. They stayed gone for eight hours. Y/N was going crazy by the time Lee pulled up in the pick up truck. It was seven in the morning and Liam ran into the house with a sling shot in his hands. 

“Mommy!” Liam ran into her arms. “Look what Lee got me!” She grabbed the boy and hugged him tightly. “Mommy, too tight!”

“I’m sorry baby.” She said, holding back the tears. “That’s a cool toy!” She brushed his curls from his face. “How’s your tummy?”

“Better!” He yawned. “Can I watch cartoons?”

“Sure, baby.” She told him as she looked towards Lee. Liam ran into the house as she stood. “What happened!? I’ve been worried sick!”

“It happens sometimes. Sudden need to feed.” Lee explains as they walk into the kitchen. He walks to the coffee maker, touching the glass pot feeling if it was still hot. Of course it was. She no doubt stayed up all night. “I drove a couple hours out of the way.” He poured the steaming liquid into a cup. “I took care of it.” He took a long sip. “I’m sorry it took so long.” He placed his cup down , looking at her, expecting yelling. “I know you must have been worried sick and I’m sorry. I didn’t exactly have a way to get in contact with you. Couple hours there, time to hunt, feed.” He ran a tired hand over his face. “We cleaned off swimming in a lake. Few hours back here.”

“Where did the slingshot come in?” She asked, to his surprise. 

“It- it came with the meal.” Lee said sheepishly.

“Please tell me you didn’t-” 

“It wasn’t. It was an adult.” Lee assured her. 

“Oh- okay.” He saw her shoulder untense. “So, he’ll be okay now?”

Lee nodded. “For now.” 

She nodded, walking over to the counter, grabbing her cup of coffee and refilling it. “Are you okay?” She asked not, looking at Lee.

“Are you?” Lee returned the question. He saw her nod but she wouldn’t face him. “Y/N?” He stepped towards her and he saw her quickly wipe a stray tear from her cheek as she began to walk away. “Hey,” Lee wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “Come here.” She buried her face into his chest. “It’s okay.” He cooed as she began to cry. “I know. It's scary.” He rested his cheek on top of her head. “You were terrified and this whole thing is-”

“Thank you.” She said into his chest.

“What?” Lee looked down at her. She kept her face buried in his chest. “For what?”

“Taking care of him.” Finally she backed away, wiping her face. “For being here.”

“No, baby.” He placed his hands on her face. “It’s my job. He’s my son. Don’t thank me for doing what I should be.”

“Does- des what happened last night happen a lot?”

“No.” He brushed her hair from her face. “It’s just because it's so new to him. He’ll adjust.” He places his index finger beneath her chin. “It’ll get better.” She nodded as he leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. 

Liam took a late morning nap, falling asleep with Lee in the armchair watching The Flintstones. After about an hour Lee woke up and carefully placed Liam on the couch. He made his way through the house and found Y/N out back hanging clothes on the line. 

“How was your nap?” She asked as she unpinned the t-shirt.

“Good.” He reached, pulling a pair of jeans from the line. “Liam is still asleep.”

“Good.” SHe smiled at him. “He is grumpy when tired.”

“I’ve noticed.” Lee returned the smirk. “I could have washed my own clothes.”

“I don’t mind.” She told him as she folded another shirt and dropped it into the basket. “I got the blood stains out of your shirt.”

He chuckled. “Thanks.” 

“Word of advice.” She shook out another shirt and placed it in the basket. “Don’t wear white when you. . . go out to eat.”

“Noted.” He chuckled. He cleared his throat. “So, I’m gonna go to the slaughter house on the edge of town. See if I can’t get back on. I worked there in high school.”

“I remember.” She looked up at him. “You used to always smell like hay.” She smiled. “That something you want to do?” He nodded, taking Liam’s footie pajamas off of the line. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“No, I mean,” She looked up at Lee. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Are you asking if I’m sure I want my family?”

“I guess.” She takes a breath. “Yeah, that’s what I’m asking.”

Lee drops the clothes into the basket and takes the clothes out of her hands. He steps closer, placing his hands on her face, not stopping till their lips are pressed together. 

“I haven’t been this sure about anything in a really long time.”

“You say that, Lee, but-”

“I’ll show you.” His thumbs caress her cheeks. “I promise I’ll show you how much I want it.” 

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She woke the following morning before Liam, believe it or not. The sun was barely over the trees as she blinked her eyes open. Turning over she was met by the warmth of Lee. He was lying there in a deep sleep, his eyes moving quickly beneath his eyelids. His eyes were still red rimmed from crying so much the night before. His slim body curled in around itself as he breathed out heavily. 

Reaching up she pushed his faded red curls from his face. The long curls were growing out from his last run in with the clippers. She liked his curls long, but she never admitted that to him. 

She pressed a kiss to his forehead before climbing out of the bed and heading to the kitchen. She was halfway through her second cup when the lean frame of Lee came from the stairs. Scratching his head with a yawn Lee walked over to the counter, grabbing a mug from the cabinet. He poured the steaming liquid into the cup and leaned against the counter. 

He watched her as she looked through the paper in front of her on the table. “How’d you sleep?” He asks finally, his hands gripping the mug.

She looked over her shoulder at him. “Fine. What about you?” 

“Okay.” He walked over to the table and sat across from her. “About last night,” She looked up at him and she saw his eyes fill with fear. “I- I know-”

“Lee, It’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay but,” She exhales and shakes her head. “Look, I love you, Lee. I don’t think I ever stopped.” She reached, taking his hand. “But you scared me. Do you understand that? You need to give me time to be okay with what you did to me.” She wiped a stray tear from her eye. “I know you love me and I know you didn’t mean it that way but you still scared me. You still did it. There is so much about this that I don’t understand and that’s on you leaving. You never gave me to chance to-”

“I know and I’m sorry.” He tells her, wrapping his other hand around hers. “I know I sound like a broken record but I am. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“Just being here is a start.” She tells him with tears in her eyes once more. “After that, I don’t know.”

“I understand. I just-” He looks down at her hand between. His brow is furrowed together in thought.

“What?” She asked, seeing him nibble his lower lip in worry. “What is it, Lee, talk to me.”

“I know I fucked up. I royally fuck up-” He blinks trying to keep his tears from falling. Looking up the tears fall anyway. “I really don’t want to lose you and Liam. I’m terrified that I am. Slowly I’m-”

“Stop running.” She tells him sternly. “Act like you don’t want to lose us. Stop running every time you get scared. Show you want this as much as you say you do. Be here, Lee.” She can feel the heat in her face and the warm tears falling down her cheeks. “Even though it’s hard, stay. Work through this with us. Don’t leave us behind because you think it’s better. You are what’s best for us. You being here.”

Lee stands and walks over to her and kneels in front of her. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere else. I swear.” He places his hands on either side of her face. “I’m here to stay.”

“I can’t do this without you, Lee.” She sobs as she buries her face in his shoulder, her arms wrapped tight around him.

“I’m here. I swear. I’m here.” He tells her over and over again. “I only left this time to give you time. I knew I’d fucked up and I knew it wasn’t something I could just apologize for.”

“I know, but I need you to stay anyway.” She pulls away, looking at him. His own tears running down his face. “I need you to be here this time. That’s the only way this will work.” 

He nods his head as more tears fall. She wraps her arms around him, kissing his head. She tried to fight how she knew she felt. Tried to make herself believe that how she felt was because he was the father of her child. Because Liam needed him. But the reality was that she loved Lee. She never stopped loving Lee. And she needed him there. 

“Is Lee leaving again?” The small voice came from the stairs.

 Lee and Y/N pulled apart and looked over at the little boy standing there with a pout on his face and big tears in his eyes. 

“Why would you think that, buddy?” Lee stood going over to Liam, scooping him up. 

“Because you’re sad. Mommy is sad when you leave. And you’re sad.”

“Oh, no, baby.” Y/N walks over to her son. “We were just talking about things. I just missed him a lot when he was gone.”

“So, you’re not leaving?” Liam’s big green eyes go to Lee. 

“Nope.” Lee hugs Liam. “ I’m not going anywhere. And even if I do have to go for a bit, I’ll always come back.”

Liam smiles and throws his arms around Lee’s neck, hugging him tightly. “How about some Cheerios?” Lee asks him with a little bounce. 

Y/N watched as Lee ate breakfast with him and they laughed. She left for work a while later and felt a breath of relief knowing Lee was with Liam instead of a babysitter. She didn’t have the worry sitting in the back of her head like before. The feeling of dread when she would get him afraid to see blood stains and a missing babysitter. 

Lee kept his distance the next few weeks. Knowing she needed to wrap herself around him, having done what he did and his reasons behind it. Sure, she understood and it made complete sense. But that didn’t change the fear from it all.

When Lee came up behind her she would jump. When he would appear in the dark she would gasp. He didn’t do it on purpose, but it still got to her nonetheless. He tried. He would take her hand at night while watching TV. He’d look at her from across the room with daydreaming eyes. She saw it in his eyes how he felt and it settled her heart.

“Liam is asleep.” Lee told her, walking into Y/N bedroom. 

“That was quick.” She chuckled, sitting in the bed, rubbing the rest of her lotion into her hands. 

“We spent most of the afternoon at the park.” He sat on the edge of the bed near her feet. “Always wears him out.” He smiled. 

“You two are such a little team of craziness.” She ran her hand through his wild red curls. “Letting the hair grow?”

“You love it.” He smirked, kissing her hand. 

“I do.” Her smile fades a little as she sits back against the pillows.

“What?”

“Did you- did you leave in the middle of the night last night?”

Lee looked down at her hand in his. “Yeah.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just, I couldn’t sleep. Needed to clear my head.” He kissed the back of her hand again. “I came back, though.” He gave a tight lipped smile. 

She sat up, her face even with his. “What’s going on in your head, Lee?” She runs her hand through his thick faded red curls. She notices his eyes going everywhere but her. “Lee?” She dips her head, finally catching his eyes. 

“Why do you love me?”

She was taken aback by the question. She just stared at him for the longest time. His green eyes searching hers, waiting for an answer.

“I- why would you ask that?”

“I just don’t understand how you can love someone- something like me.”

She lets out a sigh. “Lee, you are a good man. Just because you have this…illness, doesn’t make you any less good.”

“I think back-”

“Don’t. Don’t think about what you did. Look at what you are doing.” She takes his face into her hands. “You are taking care of us. You are there for him and you are here for me. It’s been a heel of a few weeks but you stayed. You’re here.” She pulled his face to hers and kissed his lips gently. “You’re where you need to be.”

“Am I?”

“Do you doubt you belong with us?” She asked, dropping her hands, looking him in his eyes. 

Lee shrugged his shoulders. “I know I want to be with you and Liam, but-”

“No buts, Lee. If you have any doubt that being with us is right, if you think that you can’t, that you without a doubt can not do this, then walk away.” Lee watched as tears filled her eyes. “But if you do choose to walk, stay gone.” The tears started falling from her eyes. “Because I can not handle this. I can’t-” She shakes her head wiping her tears. “I just can’t.”

Lee lifted his hand to her cheek, the fresh tears were warm as they slid down his fingers. He leans forward pressing his forehead against hers. “I don’t know how to let anyone love me.” He whispers as a tear slides down his cheek. “It scares me how much I need you.”

“Me too, Lee.” She whispers. “But I’m trusting you with my everything.”

Lee lifts his face just a little, his breath ghosting over hers. “You are my everything.” 

With their eyes still shut he presses his lips gently against hers. Since he’d bitten her, her usual instinct has been to pull away from him when he is this close. This time it was the last thing she wanted to do. She leaned into his kiss. When Lee parted his lips to break the kiss she leaned into his mouth again, pressing another, more firm kiss to his lips. 

He brings his hand to her cheek, pulling her even closer. Heat rushed over his body as he smelled the rose scented body wash she used. She felt his fingers gripping at her. She didn’t push him away or move from his touch. She let him slowly lay her back against the pillows. Although his movements were unsure and scared she could feel the emotion and yearning behind them. She could feel his desperation for her and the raw need to have her. It only made her own feelings and desperation for him grow. 

She slipped her hands beneath his shirt, gently gliding up his back. His muscles flexed beneath her fingertips as he steadied himself on top of her. He pulled away breathlessly. “Wait- are you sure?”

“I am.” She tells him, running her fingers through the faded red curls. “I want you, Lee.”

He leans his forehead on hers. “What if-”

“No what ifs.” She leans kissing his lips. “Just now.”

WIth that Lee pressed his body to hers, melting into one another. They undress each other, feeling every inch of one another’s skin. He hadn’t touched her like this since they were teengers. The emotion of having the person you yearned for most and never could have. Lee was surprisingly overcome with emotions he wasn’t sure what to do with. So he held her as he loved her. He moved carefully making sure she felt every bit of his love, every ounce of his need for her. It wasn;t until they were both panting, shaking, sweaty messed between the sheets that they even parted an inch.

“I love you.” Lee whispered to her. “I love you so much.”

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Lee pushed the old mower through the yard, the sun heating his pale skin, sweat covering his body. For the past several months he’d fallen into blissful domestication. He’d never felt like he had a home, even with his mom and sister. Now he felt like he could always lay his head down with Y/N and Liam. The only problem with that is he always had the small feeling in the back of his mind that maybe it will all disappear. 

“Daddy!” Liam ran out the front door with a big, tall glass of sweet tea. “Here!” He handed Lee the glass. “Mommy said take a break.”

“Thank you, buddy.” Lee stops the mower and takes the glass, downing most of the contents in one go. ”You being good in there for mommy?” Lee asks, whipping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Yeah! Mommy is making a pot roast.”

“Yummy!” Lee kneels next to Liam. “Tell her to make potatoes, too.”

A gust of wind whipped through the air and Liam and Lee both froze. Lee stood, his nose in the air. 

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, buddy, I smell it, too.”

Liam walked to the end of the yard inhaling deeply. “What is it?” He turns his little head with the breeze. “It smells-”

“I don’t know buddy.” Lee walks up next to Liam. 

“Really yummy.”

“I know.”

The sound of laughing down the street made Lee’s head whip to the side. A young man walked next to a girl, the wind blowing around him and then filling Lee’s nose. He swallowed thickly as Liam tugged his pants.

“I know.” Lee repeated, watching the pair coming closer. 

“Daddy,” Liam pulled harder. 

Lee looked down and knelt back next to Liam. “Listen to me.” He turned his face to look at him. “Hey, Liam!” The boy turned quickly to him. “Take a deep breath and go inside.” Liam looks back at the people across the street and Lee snaps at him again. “Liam!” He stands and pulls the boy roughly by the hand, dragging him into the house.

“No!” Liam tries to pull away. Lee picks him up and carries him in the house, Y/N running to the door from the kitchen at the sound of Liam screaming. “Let me go!”

Lee placed him on his feet, Liam trying to push his way past him. “Hey, what’s going on?!” 

She reached for Liam but Lee stopped her. “Don’t!” But it was too late. Liam bit down on her arm, a scream leaving her lips. “Stop!” Lee grabbed Liam but his teeth were deep into her forearm. 

Lee reached his hand around Liam’s neck and squeezed his jaw at the jawline. He pressed harder and his little jaw released his mother’s arm. Blood dripped from his lips, Y/N’s hand wrapping around the fresh bite mark. 

“Ow!” Liam yelled, stumbling back, falling on his bottom.

He looked up at Lee with mean eyes. “Why’d you do that?!” He yelled standing.

“Liam, listen to me.” Lee held on to the boy’s arms. “Calm down-”

“Let me go!” Liam growled out in a way he never had before. 

“What’s wrong with him!” Y/N shouted, tears from both pain and fear. 

She didn’t know what was happening to her baby. She wanted to hold him and comfort him but at the same time she was scared to touch him. 

“Just stay back.” Lee told her calmly, his eyes staying on Liam. “Buddy, take a deep breath, okay?”

“I want-”

“I know, buddy, I know. You smelled it and you wanted it. But you can’t, okay?”

“My stomach hurts!” Liam pouted angrily, still pushing against Lee.

“I know, mine does, too, but listen to me.” Lee dips his head, making Liam look at him clearly. “You can’t just take people. You can’t just take people off the street and eat.” 

“What the fuck is going on?!” She shouted from the kitchen, wrapping a towel around her arm. 

“Just stay in there!” Lee shouted at her.

At the sound of Liam screaming again, Y/N rushed in the room and saw Liam snarling, saliva dripping from his mouth like a feral animal. Lee grabbed him and pressed his thumb into Liam’s neck. 

“Lee, what are you doing?!” She grabbed Lee’s hand and he fell back.

Liam went for his mother’s flesh again sounding like a wild animal. She fell against the wall banging her head against the door frame. Lee shot up, pulling Liam back from Y/N. She watched in horror as Lee held Liam tightly, pushing his thumb into his neck hard. Liam’s face reddened and his fighting lessened. Little by little she watched as his little body went limp in Lee’s arms. 

“Lee!” She pushed him to the floor, Liam’s limp body falling at her feet. “What the fuck are you doing?!” She scooped the child up and held him close. “Wake up!” Shaking him, the tears began to fall down her face.

“He’s okay!” Lee shouted. 

“What did you do?!”

“I knocked him out.”

“Why-”

“Baby, calm down, take a breath!” He tells her trying to keep calm himself. “You have blood pouring from your arm. He is fine. I had to do it. You saw him. He was out of control.” He places his hand on her face. “You trust me. Okay?” She nods, trying to hold back the sobs. “Give him to me.” He gently takes the body from her arms. “God wrap your arm, I’ll be in as soon as I lay him down.”

Running to the kitchen she wrapped another towel around her arm, blood droplets littered the floor. Lee laid his son on the sofa before going to the bathroom and getting a washcloth. Holding pressure on her arm she stood there watching Lee carefully clean Liam up and make sure he was okay before turning to her. 

He took her arm and immediately went to work cleaning and patching up the bite. “What happened, Lee?”

“I put him unconscious.” He sighed. “He smelled someone that triggered a feeding frenzy.”

“I-I don’t-”

“There was a boy, I smelled him, too.” Lee shook his head, whipping her arm, gaining a hiss. “It’s like being absolutely starving and smelling your favorite food. I’m talking, like, you go a week without eating and someone places your favorite dish in front of you.” He pressed the bandage on her arm. “It flips a switch in your brain and all you want is to bite. To fill that need. He is little and still pretty new so he doesn’t know how to control it.” He tossed the bandage papers in the trash. “Knocking him out was the only way to stop it.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “When he wakes up he will be okay. Until he smells that kid again.”

“What can we do?”

“When he gets that way you need to actually listen to me and stay away.”

“Lee, that’s my son!”

“He’s mine, too! But I know how to handle it! You don’t know what it feels like! It physically hurts!” Lee stopped instantly, his head snapping to the screen door. “Fuck!” He muttered in frustration. “That kids needs to get the fuck away from the house.”

She looks at the young boy near the street. “That kid?” She looks at Lee, his face twisted. “It’s doing it to you, too.” She watches his eyes follow the guy. “Isn’t it?”

“I can control it. Liam can’t.” He shuts the door. “Go shut all the doors and windows. Keep the smell out.” She rushes to the windows and pulls them shut. “I’ll take Liam to hunt. It’ll help.” Lee grabs the bag from the closet. 

“Mommy?” The little voice sounds from the living room. “Daddy?” They rush into the room and Liam is holding his stomach curled on the couch. “It hurts. I’m hungry.”

“I know, buddy.” Lee kneels next to him. “I’m going to get some things together and we’ll go hunt, okay?”

Y/N pulls her baby boy into her arms and rocks him as Lee hurries around the house shoving clothes and random items in the duffle bag. “I’m sorry I bit you, mommy.” The little broken voice came from her arms.

“Shh, it’s okay.” She hugs him close. “It’s not your fault.” 

“Alright, come on, buddy.” Lee swings the bag over his shoulder, holding out his arms for Liam. 

“My tummy hurts.” Liam crawls into his dad’s arms.

“I know bud, we are going to fix it.”

“I want that man.”

“I know, but you can’t eat someone where you live. Remember what I told you about that?” Liam nodded, his head tucked into Lee’s neck as he walked out to the car with him. 

“Excuse me?” A voice came from the road. The three of them looked to see the same man that triggered Lee and Liam standing by the mailbox. Liam’s nails dug desperately into Lee’s shoulders. The same sting in the back of his throat rising into Lee’s. “Do either of you know where Missy’s Dinner is?”

Y/N looked at Lee and she had a calmness come across her face. “Take Liam and go upstairs.”

“What?!” Lee muttered into the door of the car. “Are you crazy?!”

“I have an idea.” She walked away from Lee to the young man. “You’re not from around here, are you?” She asks, stopping at the mailbox. 

“No, ma’am. Just passing through.” He walked forward, the sun setting behind him.

“I can tell. Everyone knows where Missy’s is.” She smiles. “Come in and I’ll give you directions.”

She gestured and the man walked past Lee, he held Liam so tight. He felt the boy fighting the urge to lunge forward. His instinct of what he is pulsing through his tiny veins.

“Y/N,” Lee stopped her, a tight hand around her arm, keeping her from following the man into the house. “What the fuck are you doing?!” He grunted out. “He is the one making him sick! Get rid of him!” Lee held Liam close. 

“I know.” She looked Lee dead in the eye.

At that moment Lee understood. No words were spoken, just that one look.

“Are you sure?” He whispered to her. “We said never at home.”

“That is why you are gonna take him into the woods, away from the house.” She told him with a stern voice.

He swallowed thickly, looking at the man standing on the back step. “I was actually about to  head that way now.” Lee spoke up, handing Liam to Y/N. 

“Really?” The man turned back.

“Yeah, come on.” He placed his arm around the young man’s shoulders. He looked back at Y/N. “I’ll be back.”

“He’ll be waiting.” She rubbed Liam’s back.

She walked back and forth through the kitchen holding Liam in her arms. He squirmed and whined. He was in pain from the sudden triggered hunger. After an hour and a half the screen door creaked open. 

“Give him to me.” Lee hurried to her, scooping Liam up. 

He was out the door without another word.

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Y/N sat on the front step, shaking her leg anxiously, waiting for the blue pickup truck to pull into the drive. The sun had long set, the mosquitos thick in the air around the outside light. The air was thick with humidity as she took another break, looking at the clock over the stove again. 

When she heard the familiar grumble she stood, her heart racing as she saw the headlights in the drive. Lee hurried out of the driver’s side, worry etched in his face.

“Baby, what’s wrong? I left work as soon as I got your message. Is Liam okay?”

“Yeah, He is fine.”

“Mommy, Is he here yet?” Liam ran to the door.

“Yes, go inside till I tell you it’s okay!” She snapped.

“What’s wrong?”

She grabbed Lee’s hand, pulling him into the house not stopping till she reached the basement door. “I didn’t know what to do?”

“He is a bad man.” Liam grumbled from the doorway.

“Liam, I said go to your room!”

Lee looked between her and Liam and quickly pulled open the door, rushing down the basement steps. He pulled the old rusted chain hanging in the piddle of the room and clicked on the light and saw a man, blooded, tied up  in the middle of the cement floor.

“What the fuck?!” Lee looked at her as she stood at the top step. He ran to the top of the step. “Who is that?!”

“It’s a bad man!” Liam shouted from the stairs.

“He was watching the kids in the park.” Y/N spat out. “Like, watching the kids in the park.” She stressed the word. “He followed a group to the woods, Liam could smell him through the crowd. He gave him a stomach ache. The man followed the kids near the woods, Liam followed him, I followed Liam.”

Lee pinched the bridge of his nose. “How did you get him in the house?”

“I knocked him out in the woods.” She said simply. 

“She used a big branch, daddy.” Liam added from the stairs.

“Liam, Mommy doesn’t need your help!” She exhaled, pushing her hair from her face. “I made Liam wait in the car, the guy followed me deeper into the woods. When he tried to flirt, I took matters into my own hands.”

“What does that mean?”

“It was dark. I knocked him out with a tree limb.”

“Okay,” Lee shut his eyes walking back and forth in front of the clothes basement door. “The guy in our basement is a pervert.”

“Yes. No man looks at kids that way, Lee.”

“He stalked the kids, Liam stalked him and you followed Liam?”

“Yes.”

“You cornered him in the woods and when he made a move you hit him with a branch or something?”

“Also, yes.”

“And in the dark, you put him in the trunk of your car and brought him here, tied him up in the basement and called me?”

“Yes.”

“Y/N, does he have a family? Is he married-”

“It doesn’t matter! Lee, he is a predator! He followed a kid into the bathroom! He was making Liam sick, like before-”

“He is trying to get up.” Liam said from his crouched position at the cracked basement door.

“Get away from there!” Lee grabbed the back of his shirt, pull him away. “Go to the other room.”

“Daddy, he is a bad man.” Liam stood in front of Lee. “Can’t you smell it?”

Lee kneeled down in front of Liam. “I can buddy. He is bad. Just go in the living room. I’ll call you down in a bit.” He looked over at Y/N. “You stay up here.” She nodded as Lee opened the door and carefully made his way down the stairs, seeing the man trying to pull the ties from his wrists. “Hey there.” Lee greeted, cheerfully.

Lee’s entire demeanor switched. In a second he turned from worried boyfriend and and father to calculated predator searching for prey. 

“Who the fuck are you?!”

Lee kneeled in front of the man. “I am the father of the one of the kids you followed into the woods.” He took the man’s chin in his hand. “And my girlfriend is the one who gave you that gash on your head.” He let his face go. “You know, the cutie you tried to flirt with?”

“I’m gonna fucking kill you and your little bitch!” The man spat.

“Now, now, no need to get nasty. I’m just trying to talk to you, here.”  Lee gave him a good look in the light. “I recognize you.”

“You what?”

“You’re on the sex offender list a few towns over.”

“What the fuck are you-”

“Clark Duncan. 6 foot one inch, hundred ninety seven pounds, you have a scar on your right elbow.” Lee grabbed his arm, looking at the scar. “A spider tattoo on your left calf.” He pulls up the fabric of the man’s pants showing the tattoo. “I know who you are. I’ve been watching you since you got to town several days ago. You landed on my kids radar, too.” He stood going over to the shelf grabbing a knife. “I learned tonight, my girl has a pretty good sense, too.” He leaned back down in front of the man. “Your kind has a stench. Like when meat is just on this side of going bad.” He pulls the knife from the sheath. “Still edible, still will do the job.”

“You are crazy!” He spit blood in Lee’s face.

Lee took the butt of the knife and slammed it into the man’s face, sending him falling backward. “Don’t be such a poor sport.” Lee stood, whipping his face on the back of his hand. 

As Lee walked away the man swung his leg forward, sweeping Lee’s feet from beneath him. His back hit the concrete hard, knocking the wind out of him, the knife flying from his hand. With his hands still bound, the man grabbed the knife going for Lee’s chest. Lee grabbed it with his hands, bringing his legs forward he planted his feet on the man’s stomach and pushed forward, sending the fairly sizable opponent back against the wall with a grunt. 

As he sank to the ground he ripped his hands apart, the makeshift rope tearing his already bruised flesh.  Sliding across the floor he grabbed the knife and sprinted up the cleared basement steps. 

The door flew open and he was met with a sharp pain in his stomach. Y/N stood there with a knife in her hand, plunged into the man’s abdomen. He froze, looking up at her, unsure if the pain was real. 

He stumbled back and fell back down the steps, landing back down on the concrete floor at Lee’s feet. He looked up at Y/N as she stared down at the man.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“Fine.” Lee rolled him over to his back. The man swung his arm to hit Lee but Lee just grabbed him, pinning his arm down beneath his knee. “You?” He called up the steps.

“I’m fine.” She answered going down the steps. 

Lee pulled the knife from his stomach, gaining a guttural scream. “Shut up.” Lee reached, grabbing an old rag, shoving it in his mouth. 

“I smell the blood.” Liam says from the top of the steps.

Lee looks over to Y/N and they have a conversation within two seconds of a simple nod and a look. 

“Come here.” Lee calls with the wave of a hand. 

Liam runs down the steps stopping by his mom. “Mommy, are you bleeding?”

‘No baby, it’s not my blood.” She wiped her hands on her shirt bottom.

Lee grips the man’s hair and holds his twitching body still. “Bite here and pull hard.” He points to the man’s protruding artery, pulsing in his neck. Liam crawls over to the man and straddles his body. With ease he sinks his little teeth into the sweat and blood covered neck. When the man screams and tries to fight, Lee holds his hand over his mouth, muffling his scream, his opposite arm and a knee holding down his arms. Y/N bracing herself over his legs, keeping his lower half still. 

The sound of the pervert gagging and choking on his own blood fills the room and soon his body stops twitching. Y/N looks over at Lee and he has flesh hanging from his lips, the man’s arm like a chicken wing in his hands now. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Text