Thanks go out to Eka for the banner and to our readers for the support. Chapter Twenty-Two Justin's POV I don't know what to think or feel. I can't paint, and I know why. It's because both of my children have been taken from me. Jamie has been taken from me permanently, and the baby Brian and I are going to have, I'll probably never be able to see it. I know that I shouldn't be sitting here whining about how my life isn't fair, but I can't help it. I no longer have a daughter or best friend. Daphne won't speak to me, and I won't talk to any of my family. I can't stand their pity. It's right there in their eyes. It makes me want to throw up at how understanding and nice everyone is trying to be. I just want to be left the fuck alone. Well, that's not completely true. I want to be around Brian, but that will never happen. Forcing myself to get up, I go and take a shower. When I'm done, I slip on a pair of black leather pants, and a red shirt that I'm told looks 'fucking awesome' on me. When I'm done, I dry my hair and then slip on my shoes. I grab my keys, and then ask Terri to come with me. When my mother hears that I'm going somewhere, she immediately wants to know where. I turn and look at my mother. "Stay out of my business. Where I go, is for Terri and I to know, and no one else." Then Terri and I leave, and I drive to the Liberty Diner. Pulling up on Liberty Avenue, I take a seat with Terri at a booth, and Debbie comes to take our order shortly. "So Sunshine, what'll it be? We haven't seen you around here for a week." I shrug and then tell Debbie that I want a ham sandwich and a glass of water. When Debbie asks me if that is all, I nod. Then she turns to Terri and asks if my companion wants anything to eat or drink. Terri shakes her head no, and says no thank you. When Debbie goes and brings the order in, I just sit silently in the booth. Terri tries to talk to me, but to no avail. I'm just not in a talking mood. This was the first time that I have been out of the house since Jamie's death, and Daphne started ignoring me. When my food arrives several minutes later, a red head starts to hit on me. After seven minutes of trying to tell the guy that I'm not interested, I finally shout, "FUCK OFF!" Everyone in the diner falls silent. When Debbie passed by, to bring food to another table near me, she gives me a concerned look. After delivering the food to the customer, Debbie walks over to me. "Sunshine, are you okay?" I can only sigh in reply. Then I say softly, but still to where Debbie can hear, "If one more person asks me that..." Suddenly, I'm cut off when I feel a hand smack the back of my head. Looking up quickly, I see Debbie's hand going back to her side. "Deb! What the fuck was that for?!" Debbie gets in my face. "Listen here, Sunshine. I know that you're going through some shit right now. But that doesn't give you the right to act like an asshole. Besides, that job is already filled... And here he is now!" I rolls my eyes, and push Debbie away from me. By her words, I know that it's Brian who has just entered the diner. Now I wish that the ground would just open up and swallow me whole. But of course that never happened. Debbie, who was pissed at the way I'm acting, grabs my chin, and forces me to look at her. "Listen to me, Sunshine. What happened sucked, but it doesn't mean that you should go around acting like a shit." I pull away from Debbie, and then say, "Go away, please Deb. I just want to be alone." Debbie smacks me in the back of the head again, and so I glare at the woman. "What the hell is your problem, Deb?" Debbie glares right back at me. "You are my problem, you little shit. I love you to death like you're one of my own, and you're going around here acting like an asshole. I told you that position is already filled. So every time that I catch you acting rude, I'm going to slap you in the head." My next words are soft and tired. "Leave me alone, please Deb. I just wanted to get away from everything and everyone. My family is fucking smothering me, and I thought that I could get away from that by coming here. Was I wrong?" Debbie rolls her eyes, and then starts to walk away. But before she does, she turns back to me and says, "Oh and Sunshine, don't think that this discussion is over. Because it is anything but." I can't help but roll my eyes. Then I start to eat my meal. I was aware that during the whole exchange with Debbie, Brian had stayed right at the door to the diner, and that thought makes me even more sad than I already am. But what made it even worse, was when Lindsay walked in a few minutes later carrying Gus. The thing that made me want to lose my fucking mind, was when she took a seat at the empty table to the left of the booth Terri and I were sharing. I close my eyes, when I see Brian finally leave his place at the door, and join his son and the mother of his son, at their own booth. Sliding out of the booth, I see the look on Brian's face, and I know that whatever the man is going to say to Lindsay, it isn't going to be good. So with that thought in mind, I meet up with Debbie at the counter, and pay for the meals that I had eaten. A moment later, I lean over the counter and kiss the motherly woman's cheek. "I'm sorry for being such a bitch, Deb." Debbie pats my cheek and tells me that it's okay, and that she's sorry for being mean back. Walking around the side of the counter, Debbie pulls me into a hug before I even know what is happening. "We are your family too, Sunshine. Don't take out your anger or sadness on us." I nod, and then Debbie finishes speaking. "We just want to try and help you. So don't push us away, Sunshine." I can only nod, and hug her back. Then I reply, "I'll try not to push you away so much, Deb. I just hate that this has happened."