Photo is of Ty, since we haven't seen him in a while.  :)

TEN YEARS AGO........................

The shrill ring of his cell phone woke Zeke from a dead, alcohol induced sleep. He reached over the tall blonde to his right and the shorter red head behind him protested his movement with a small wind. He untangled himself from the two naked women who he couldn't remember their names and snatched up his phone.

"Hello?"

"Zeke?" A soft feminine voice was crying on the other end.

"Yeah, who is this?" He asked, glancing at the clock and seeing it was three in the morning.

"It's Becky....oh, Zeke." She burst into sobs.

Becky was his neighbor a little, scrawney pain in his ass, she was also dating his kid brother Ty who who was seven years younger than him.

"Becky...what's wrong?"

"Zeke, it's your parents......and Ty....they....."

She broke into heavier sobs and he became more sensitized towards everything that was going on, her voice sounded more hoarse, the room suddenly colder. He liked Becky, she was a good girl and perfect for his brother. He had given her his number last Christmas when he saw her at his parents house.

"Becky, calm down. I can't understand you."

"There was an accident, your parents are......Zeke, I'm so sorry. They're dead."

"Dead? What do you mean accident? Becky, what happened?"

"Ty and your parents were out of town, they went to that lighthouse your mom has been wanting to see for their anniversary and....I don't know, they think your dad might have had a heart attack while he was driving and...."

"Wait, Becky. Ty, what about Ty?!" He grew more panicked when he realized his baby brother was in the car.

"He's.....he's....fine,he has a broken arm and they're keeping him overnight."

"What hospital?" He asked.

"What?" She asked with a sniffle, obviously having trouble focusing.

"What hospital."

"Downtown, I'm there now and mom and dad are here."

"I'm coming, okay? I'm coming I'll catch the first flight. I promise."

"Okay."

He hung up and tumbled from the bed, nearly knocking the girls out with him. His parents were dead and that thought loomed over him but he pushed it away, all that mattered now was Ty. He pulled on his jeans and a t-shirt, stumbling into his shoes he grabbed his jacket on the way out the door.

Present day....................................

Zeke was leaning against the drivers door of Morgans car, she'd generously allowed him to use it since his was totaled. On the passenger side Becky was in a wheelchair, her parents standing beside her.

"Just try and ease into the seat," Her dad said.

"I can do it Daddy."

"Don't hurt yourself pumpkin."

"I won't," She promised.

Zeke turned to watch, Becky was being released today and insisted she could climb into the car herself. She braced her arms on the wheelchair and forced herself to the standing position, her legs twisted uselessly beneath her.

She let go of the wheelchair with one hand to grip the car door and tried to ease into the car, it was hard watching her struggle but Zeke knew she wouldn't let anyone help.

She finally tumbled, into the seat and her father helped her tuck her legs inside. Zeke slid behind the wheel and Becky pulled on her seat belt before leaning her head back against the seat.

"We'll meet you at Zeke's," Her mother promised.

"Okay."

Her parents scurried off to their rental car and he started the small sedan. He checked the rear view mirror cautiously, suddenly aware of how nervous he was. His palms were sweaty on the wheel, his chest tight and a lump had formed in his throat. The last time she'd gotten in a car with him, he'd almost killed her.

"Look at you, driving in a sedan with a car seat." She teased.

He didn't reply as he backed out of the parking space and started towards his house. He had bought a small one story house two years ago and while it was dated it was home and he enjoyed it, Becky had to stay with him since her apartment didn't have an elevator.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, glancing at her.

"Just tired," She said softly.

"You can rest once we get to my place."

"Mom and Dad are stopping at my apartment to grab some things."

"I'll order a pizza or something, while you rest."

He tried to keep the conversation going, tried not to check his mirrors and blind spots every five feet, didn't want her to know how nervous he was.

"Hey, Zeke?" She asked, turning her head to face him.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay, I'm not scared." She said.

"What?"

"It wasn't your fault," She reached out and placed a hand gently on his arm.

"Don't," He shrugged her off.

"Don't what? Make you feel human? Forgive you again? Why not?"

"Just shut up, Becky."

She fell silent but he saw the way she set her jaw, obviously angry at him again. She was always angry at him, but she'd get over it.

He pulled up in front of the small, white, one story building and parked the car before going around to her side. There was a nurse coming by later who was going to bring her a wheelchair, for now he had to manage on his own.

He opened the door but she remained seated, her arms crossed over her chest and staring straight ahead.

"Are you going to help me or sleep in the car?" He asked.

She sighed heavily before reaching up for him, he had to bend down to lean lift her in his arms being careful not to hit her head. She wrapped her arms around his neck to try and help but her legs dangled uselessly across his arm.

She weighed practically nothing and he carried her across the threshold and into his house, she came by his house a lot when he wasn't home. She'd clean it top to bottom and leave him a home cooked meal before going to do the same thing at Ty's, while he usually complained about her doing so he was glad that at least it was clean for her stay.

He turned down the narrow hallway, careful not to let her feet or legs brush the wall. He nudged open the bedroom door with his shoulder.

"Oh, I don't want to take your room." She said.

"It's fine,"

"No, Zeke....I can sleep in the guest room."

"I don't have any other beds yet, never got around to it. It's fine."

"What about you?" She asked.

"I'll be fine," He dropped her on the bed, none too gently.

She bounced slightly when she hit the mattress and he turned to leave, he had every intention of leaving her there alone until her parents came back. He reached the door and dared a glance back at her, she was struggling to pull the blankets from underneath herself but her legs weighed her down.

He watched her struggle a few seconds before turning back to the bed and lifting her tiny legs, he pulled back the blankets and carefully tucked her under them.

"Zeke......"

"Don't, just go the hell to sleep."

He stood and turned, exiting the room and slamming the door behind him. He was angry, angry at her for making him soften and making him vulnerable and he hated himself because it was his driving that put them both there.

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