Breakeven

"Remember Winnipeg? And feeling simpler back then?"

Arriving back in Winnipeg didn't feel as good as Jonathan thought it would. Because he had been with his ex-girlfriend for nearly five years and had grown up with her, everything reminded him of her. As his parents drove him back to the house he grew up in he stared out the window, relating everything he saw to a memory that involved his ex.

"Davey's home for a long weekend," Mrs. Toews told her son, hoping this would brighten his sullen mood.

"Doesn't he go to college?" Jonathan snapped.

"He has off from classes Friday so he flew in last night and is staying until Sunday night," she explained sweetly.

"And he doesn't have any games?"

"Not this weekend, no," Mrs. Toews smiled. Jonathan grumbled something to himself and returned his gaze to out the window. Park- their first kiss. Cute little French restaurant- their first date. Pond in the middle of town- the place he taught her how to ice skate.

Suddenly, Jonathan couldn't wait to get back to his old home so he could beat the living shit out of his little brother for suggesting such a horrible fucking idea.

Upon parking in front of Jonathan's childhood home he quickly got out of the car, grabbed the one suitcase he had brought along with him, and made a bee-line to the front door. He walked straight towards the kitchen, dropping his suitcase in the living room first, knowing that was exactly where Davey would be stationed.

"You're a dumb fuck," were his first words to his brother he had last seen during the beginning of August.

"I missed you too big bro," Davey smiled in-between bites of the homemade cookies their mother had just baked before leaving to pick up Jonathan at the airport.

"Stop acting like an idiot. Coming here was the worst idea you've ever had," Jonathan scolded his brother, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Then leave," Davey said simply with a shrug of his shoulders. Fuming, Jonathan turned around and walked to his bedroom before he inflicted serious damage to his younger brother's face.

Was it really Davey's fault that everything in Winnipeg reminded Jonathan of her? Of course not. But it sure was easier for Jonathan to blame him. He had been placing the blame on himself and his little brother just seemed like a much better outlet for his anger. It was unfortunate though, because Davey and Jonathan usually got along great. But something told him this weekend would be full of plenty of screaming matches between them.

- - -

Reese stood at the bottom of the driveway staring at her old home. She had taken a cab back to the house because she didn't want to deal with being in the car with her parents for too long. She took a quick glance down both ends of the street, noticing how not much had changed since she had last been to Winnipeg.

She was happy to be there, happy to be away from everything that reminded her of him. She had met him on only her second day of living in Chicago, so she felt safe in Winnipeg. She just felt safe anywhere in Canada really- she was happy to no longer be in the same country as her scum of an ex-boyfriend.

Reese was just about to walk inside when she saw a familiar face jogging lightly down the road. A wide smile spread across her recently vacant face and she dropped her bags at the door, walking to the end of the driveway to greet her old friend.

"Davey!" She grinned, her arms locking around his neck as his found their way around her middle.

"Reese," he smiled back. "It's nice to see you around these parts."

"You too," she nodded. "Aren't you going to college at UND?"

"Home for a long weekend," he explained shortly.

"Oh, that'll be nice. You'll finally get to eat a nice home cooked meal," she said. "How is everything? How's the rest of your family?"

"I'm good, everyone's good actually. Well, minus Jonny I guess," he shrugged.

"What's wrong with Jonathan? Last I heard he was tearing it up with the Blackhawks," Reese said, cocking her head to the side.

"Eh, a bunch of stuff that I don't feel like dumping on you right now. He's home for the next two weeks though," Davey told his old neighbor. Reese opened her mouth to speak, but Davey spoke first, answering the question he knew she was going to ask. "Olympic break."

"He didn't make the team?" Reese asked sadly. Davey shook his head and shrugged innocently. Reese laughed lightly at this.

They talked for a bit more, exchanging one last hug before Reese took a deep breath and walked into her parent's house.

It wasn't that she had bad parents; it wasn't that they were mean, or that they abused her, it was just that they weren't very understanding. They also happened to love her ex-boyfriend. A lot. He was rich and successful, not like the usual guys she went after. They felt like he was the answer to their prayers- someone who would take care of Reese through thick and thin. She hadn't told them why she was coming back home, and she was terrified to let them know the real reason for her visit.

"You're kidding," her mother said when Reese had told them the whole story.

"I'm afraid not," Reese said with sad smile.

"Reese, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding," she pressed on. Reese looked at her mother incredulously. She had to be kidding. Did she think she was blind and dumb?

"I don't think so," she said slowly, glaring at her mother. "I'm pretty sure I saw them fucking in the bed we usually sleep in every night."

"Okay, you don't need to be graphic," her father warned her. Shaking her head Reese looked down at her folded hands.

"Whatever," she dismissed herself from the conversation and walked up to the bedroom she had slept in for the majority of her life.

This trip back home was going to be a long one.