Summer of 09'

Riley's P.O.V.

The sun warmed my skin as I sat upon the same plastic slide I had slept in previously, the weather was nice for a change, especially for May. My hands cupped my elbows as I stared into space and I felt someone come sit beside me. I didn't look, I didn't want to bother looking. A felt a hand come to my shoulder in a small gesture of comfort, and then I could hear more shuffling. It was multiple people approaching, my eyes drifted towards the hand upon my shoulder and then to the face.

"Johnathan?"

He smiled lightly as I felt confusion settle inside of me, but I could also feel tears welling into my eyes. I didn't need their pity but I couldn't help but cry, I had missed them. His arms embraced me and face buried into his chest as I cried, his hands running soothingly up and down my back. I could feel myself calm and I took a deep breaths and inhaled his cologne, but it didn't have the same effect Caleb's had had upon me.

"Riley, I'm sorry."

Pity, how did I know this was the reason they were here. I pulled back and took a steadying breath as I let my hands wipe at my red eyes. "I don't need your pity."

"But you do need to know the reason Caleb left."

I sucked in a breath of air, "What if, I don't want to know anymore."

"This isn't only hurting you Riley, this is killing him just as much."

"They why?!"

My hands came up in frustration as Johnathan sent me a look, and I calmed down trying to keep my frustration at bay. My hands falling into my lap as I looked down at them waiting for Johnathan or someone to explain.

"Has Caleb ever mentioned his past to you Riley?"

I looked up and at Kent who spoke now, I shook my head no and he sighed as he walked forward and knelt in front of me. What had been so terrible in Caleb's past? A part of me had always wondered why he never talked about his home life, or his parents.

"Caleb was dropped off at a hospital as a baby, he never knew his biological parents. He was sent to an orphanage where Caleb had been beaten by the caretaker there, several other orphans experienced the same abuse as Caleb. Caleb was placed in foster homes and each home decided he wasn't worth it. He was a troublemaker, an instigator. Then finally he found a family that wanted to keep him."

My heart stopped beating for a several seconds, I knew my parents but Caleb never had an idea. How painful could that be?

"He then met us and we became close friends and Caleb revealed his past to us. We then decided to search for his parents, Caleb had the undying urge to find them. With pulling of strings and the money, we found his mother. We found her grave to be exact a couple days before he broke it off with you. We learned from reports she had been a rape victim, Caleb the child of that. Ever since he's been convinced he's defected, he has terrible genes. He's afraid to have children, he's afraid to love."

My heart stopped once more, did Caleb really believe he was capable of being a monster? Did he really believe he could be such a terrible person like the father he never knew? My eyes squeezed together in pain, oh Caleb. My heart instantly forgiving, my own pain no longer existing, only Caleb's.

"So you came here to tell me Caleb's past so I'd understand. Now what do you plan to do about getting us back together?"

I opened my eyes to see Kent, Johnathan and the rest of them grinning at me. They obviously knew once I understood I'd find a way to make things work. I'd find a way to get Caleb back, and I decided I would.

"We thought you might be able to help us come up with a plan," Kyle added with a shy grin, and now I grinned.

"I might have a couple ideas," I countered as they all smiled and Kent lifted me up and a scream of laughter erupted from my mouth. His arms strong and tight around me, and then I was passed around and hugged each of them tightly. It seemed within the course of the story I had grown closer to Caleb, closer to them.

They weren't just his band mates or his friends, they were the only family he had. I felt as if I had just become family, and a part of me was already devising a plan. We all made mistakes and Caleb had made a mistake, his past influencing it. I knew the pain and influence a past could bring upon someone and I knew he needed me, as much as he wanted to keep me safe.

I wouldn't allow it. My manwhore wasn't a monster, he was the love of my life.