After a few stories had been told some from me, some from Nora and some surprisingly from Leo, we finally headed inside.

Julia had us, besides Nora, set the table and help clean up the kitchen. Apparently, they were having this welcome home party tomorrow because a few people were returning.

I kind of felt like I was intruding on a family thing but Ray would be here soon. The back door slammed open and four people made their way inside. A guy with curly bright red hair went straight over to Leo while the other man -who was bald, had a beard that ran into a goatee and hazel eyes held a woman who resembled Leo except for her brown eyes, hand. The last person was another women and her eyes were set straight on me. She had ebony skin, tight light brown curls that just reached her shoulders and her eyes seemed golden.

"Who the hell are you?" She snapped, making her way towards me.

I had to do everything in my power not to roll my eyes but before I could speak Julia stood in front of me, "That's not the way you speak to a guest, Cameron."

"It's a simple enough question, Julia."

The others shrugged, "She's right, I mean we asked the exact same thing." Ava piped up as Cameron went around Julia and up to me.

"So who the hell are you?" She snapped once again.

I smirked, "Nicki Jones," I sent a wink to Nora who smiled a bit, "Julia's sister-in-law."

"Shouldn't your last name be Adams instead of Jones then?" She growled.

"Ray and I are half siblings, you know.. different dad's. Now who are you?" Still smirking, I leaned against the wall she seemed to have trapped me against.

She backed up a bit, a glare seemed to be permanently stuck on her face. The woman who resembled Leo spoke up for her instead, "She's Cameron Swanson, this is Jaxon, my husband and I'm Isabella Rivers and that fuzzy red ball is Benjamin Rojas-Warren." 

I nodded, "Nice to meet you." They sent me light smiles and the tension melted a little as the front door opened.

Ray entering in the dinning room, making everyone take their seats. I was in between Emma and Ray. The night carried on uneventful and everyone seemed to relax around me. It was nice, like a real family..

The next morning, I woke up better than I had in years. I didn't want to leave the bed that just kept sinking me in but I needed to talk to Julia about some things.

Getting up, I made my way downstairs, seeing Emma eating some cereal with Julia. "Uh, hey Julia?"

She hummed, looking up at me, "Yeah?"

"I was just wondering if I could use your washer and dry?"

She nodded getting up, "Yeah, of course! I'll show you," She lead me upstairs and I grabbed my bag, before following her down the hall to a small room. "You can do regular wash if you want but rapid wash if faster and just as efficient. Come down and get some cereal when you finish."

She left me in the room and I hurry and threw my clothes in the washer. Making a small necklace fall out and onto the ground. I hurry and picked it up, making sure it wasn't broken before putting it back in my bag. I know it wasn't possible but just touching the thing made my skin burn and dread washed over me as I tried to bury the memories. Instead I just finished loading the clothes before making my way downstairs.

Soon enough I was in a pair of my own ripped tights, jean shorts, black tank top and a jean vest filled with buttons, marking where I've been. It was nice to be in my own clothes and not have people talk shit about me because I didn't have enough change to wash my clothes. I'd rather smell like garbage and have a full stomach then look like a princess, and be starving.

It wasn't the greatest life but hell, it was mine.

Making my way downstairs, I ran into Ray, "We need to change your bandages again." He stated, showing me a small first aid kit.

I nodded, moving to sit down, lifting up my shirt to my rib cage. He tsked, moving the bandage, making my hiss from the blood that made it stick to my skin. He dabbed alcohol, cleaning up the mess.

Looking down at the now stitched cut, I finally realized how bad it really was. It ran from my hip and a jagged line raced up around to the edge of my back. This skin around the stitching was pink and purple and Ray's soft dabs felt like stab wounds.

"You're lucky it didn't hit anything, especially with you being so bone thin.. I can count all your ribs but I can't count all the scars, you know that isn't healthy right?! You're going to need to gain a few pounds or your body might start failing on you!" He shook his head before going back to the main wound.

Rolling my eyes, huffing at him, "Ray.. I'm here, still kicking and a few days without eating and knife fights aren't going to get rid of me. You know I'm stronger than that."

"You may be strong but you're not invisible, I don't want to turn on the TV one day and find you on the news -dead." His teeth clenched and he pulled back, packing his stuff back up.

"I've made it on my own for a long time, yeah maybe not being in the safest situations and maybe not with the best crowds but like I said, I've been out there for a long time. I've seen more in my life time than most middle aged adults and I'm still pushing through. If I'm forced to leave, just know I was still kicking and screaming the whole damn way."