Their melancholy routine broke towards the end of the second week at Gideon’s. Jared and Gideon had formed a habit of cooking breakfast and dinner together, not talking much since that first morning but working like clockwork in tandem all the same. Jared’s fitness routine kept him hungry, so he was often up and eating before his siblings. Most times they would go their separate ways during the day, even though everything inside Jared was screaming that they needed to be together, perhaps now more than ever.

 

No matter what though, the four of them would find themselves sitting down to dinner at the same time. It had been a Cooper family tradition that Johnathan had started, and even when his job took him away and it had been bowls of cereal that Declan had set in front of his siblings, the Coopers that were at home together at dinnertime ate dinner together. Gideon hadn't questioned it, and it had been a familiar comfort during a time when their grief and confusion made the days anything but.

 

Jared left the front door open this morning after coming in from his run, allowing splashy sunshine to filter in through the screen door to brighten Gideon’s kitchen. He smiled at Rae when she came downstairs, the sun catching the honeyed streaks in her light brown hair as she smiled back. She had dyed it a smooth caramel color the day before, though that was nothing new. Rae changed her hair color the way most people changed clothes. 

 

Jared had already eaten, having been too hungry after his six mile run to wait, but he grabbed an extra fork and stole a bite of Rae’s pancakes, sharing her food like he had when they were kids.

 

“Thanks for having my back that day.”  This was the first time that Jared felt Rae was truly present, her sky blue eyes actually seeing him instead of seeing around him, and he couldn't go any longer without telling her something, anything, of what he had been feeling about that day. 

 

He held his breath, her pause making him afraid she would brush off his words the way Declan had nights before. After a lengthy, too heavy silence had passed, Jared sighed in defeat. He rose to help Gideon with the dishes, if for nothing than to just stay busy.

 

Rae’s hand shot out and caught his before he could get far. “Always.”

 

Jared blew out a breath and squeezed her hand. He could see the exhaustion on her face, but her eyes this morning weren't rimmed with red, like they had been every morning since coming here. Losing their home had been hard on all of them, and while Jared would go out on his runs, or hang with Declan during his target practice, Rae would always stay in, alone.

 

Jared knew too well what it felt like to be alone; roaming the streets for years, hiding and running from the good guys and bad, never knowing who wanted to use him or for what purpose. Even rescue shelters prompted wariness, as he never knew what kinds of traps would be laid there, although since working at one for the last several years Jared now knew that those shelters had been his most likely saviors. But growing up, Jared had gotten used to having only himself for company, and had even grown to prefer it.

 

Then he encountered Johnathan Cooper, and everything had changed.

 

Rae squeezed his hand again when Declan lumbered down the stairs, pulling Jared from his musings. Declan wandered over to the stove, easy as could be, and filled his own plate with three fluffy, blueberry pancakes. Nudging Gideon aside, Declan grabbed a mug from the hooks beneath the cabinets and poured himself a steaming cup of black coffee. He settled in next to Jared, across from Rae, and dug into his own stack of pancakes.

 

Gideon caught Jared’s eye, giving him a brief but comforting nod. They had a long way to go towards putting themselves back together, but looking at his family at the breakfast table now, Jared felt like this was at least a good start.

 

 

“Higher, Jared. Come on, bro, if someone comes at you and you've got a gun, go for the chest, not the junk.” Declan wrapped his hands around Jared’s where they clutched his pistol, and raised them several inches. “Let me see the bullet strike up here, not down there.” Jared nodded, and Declan flicked his ear fondly before stepping aside. Declan watched as his brother raised his arms for another attempt to target the human silhouette Gideon had pinned several yards away earlier that morning.

 

Looking thoughtfully over at Rae, who was practicing her hand to hand with Gideon, Declan called out to her, “You, however, ignore that. Some douche comes at you while you’re barehanded, grab him by the balls.”  Gideon let out an ‘oof’ when he dropped to the ground, and Rae shot Declan a satisfied look in response. “Don’t encourage her,” Gideon wheezed, cupping his hands around the protective padding guarding his crotch. “She’s got this down.” He grumpily waved away the hand Rae offered him, and stumbled stubbornly to his feet.

 

Declan grinned. “Rae always has been good at close combat.” Declan had roped them all back into the training that their father had raised them by. He didn't know about his siblings but Declan sure as hell felt better working towards getting back in the game. Not knowing what the hell was coming next from the Agents and being out of touch with the Renegades was making him antsy.

 

Setting some extra ammo on the stump next to Jared, Declan gave his brother a thumbs up and motioned for him to continue practicing. Removing his ear plugs as he sauntered over to Rae and Gideon, Declan clapped the older man on the back. “Tap out, old man. I’ll take her.”

 

Rae brought her forearms up in a blocking stance. “Bring it on, bro.” She feinted left, then right, and got in a good shot to the side of Declan’s head before he caught one of her arms and twisted, turning her one hundred and eighty degrees, caught in an arm lock with her back to his chest. “Rule number one, RaeRae. Leave the smugness at the door. And never go easy on anyone, when your life’s on the line.” He spun her around and let her loose, motioning her forward to try again. Rae bit her lip and waited a beat before lunging again.

 

Declan effortlessly knocked her to the ground. “I can see your move in your eyes before you make it. Find your poker face.” He challenged her with his chin. “Again.”

 

Rae grunted and jumped agilely to her feet, facing off at her brother once more. She circled around him as he got into her space, trying to read his moves and mimic his body language. Rae’s left arm shot out to deflect a quick blow. “Good,” Declan praised, immediately jabbing out again with his other fist.

 

She blocked that as well. Rae read his moves, her instincts quick and her eyes on his. Declan held her gaze, taunting her, trying to goad her into a misstep. It’s what their dad had done while training him, and then Rae, as soon as they were old enough to have the first ounce of control over their own bodies. Considering Johnathan and Declan’s line of work, not to mention Jared’s past, the risk of attack had been too great for Johnathan to ignore his family’s need for comprehensive physical and mental training. His kids had grown up learning hand to hand combat, marksmanship, physical agility, and methods of escape.

 

Thank crap for that last one, Declan thought. Rae’s skills had saved her and Jared that day, and their dad’s endless drills of having readied emergency bags and first aid kits had gotten them out of the house in less than a minute. If his brother and sister hadn't gotten out, if they had been caught in a messy crossfire…

 

Declan choked, earning himself a strong jab to his midsection for the distraction.

 

“Rule number two, bro. Mind on the fight.” Rae lowered her arms and smirked.

 

Declan swung out a leg, catching her behind the knees, taking her down. He braced his body above hers, pinning her arms to the ground with both of his as she struggled against his hold. “Rule number three. Never celebrate a victory too early.” He dodged her blows, and cut out just as she raised up her knee. “Woah, woah. Unfair play.” Declan’s hands shot down to protect his crotch. “I’m not wearing anything, Rae. Shit.”

 

She gave him a smug smile and rolled out from under his hold.

 

“You kids gonna practice your counting all day, or you gonna get something accomplished?” Gideon grunted, but the pride was evident in his voice as he tossed Rae and Declan each a water bottle. He called over to Jared. “How ya comin’, son?”

 

“Not your son,” Jared gritted out. Declan frowned at Jared’s unexpected retort. He knew his brother well enough that he could tell Jared was no longer uncomfortable around Gideon, so he was a bit surprised at the rancor in Jared’s voice. He watched as Jared fired off three rounds in a perfect cluster just above the silhouette’s heart.

 

“Oh, hell yeah!” Declan cheered. “That’s what I’m talking about. Never would know you've been out of practice.”

 

“Damn fine shooting, s-, er, Jared.” Gideon commented. “Damn fine.”

 

Jared ripped out his earplugs and shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s not like I haven't done this before, though I still don’t know why we are celebrating the shooting of a human being,” Jared muttered. He looked over at Rae, her cheeks still flushed from her morning of sparring. “You look proud, like a fight suits you,” he bit out.

 

Declan laid a hand on his arm, confused at the rare display of bitterness from his normally gentle brother. “Jare?” Out of all of them, Jared had seemed to be handling all the pain and grief from the having their life upended the best. Granted, Declan hadn't really been paying much attention, too immersed in booze and misery of his own.

 

But Jared had seemed to be doing okay. Sure, he had been hesitant when they had first arrived at Gideon Hatch’s little cottage. Jared never really did well with new people, and new places, knowing what his little brother- okay, not so little anymore, but to Declan he always would be- had gone through growing up, Declan didn't blame him one bit. Declan and Rae had grown up in a loving home, never knowing what it was like to have to watch their back every night or scrape by on food left behind by other people.

 

He and Rae had grown up spending playful summers here at Gideon’s, walking the woods, swimming in Hidden Lake, huddling together around the fire pit listening to Gideon and their father tell old stories, but for Jared this was uncharted territory. Strangers made Jared nervous; he never knew how they would react to him once they saw his scar.  It pissed Declan off that Jared had to worry about such a thing, and he hated watching Jared’s nerves and anxiety get the best of him. But Declan had learned over the years just how to cut through the panic, how to support and touch in just such a way that would help to soothe the anxiety. He tried to follow in his dad’s example and let Jared know he wasn't stained and dirty, he was wanted and loved. He might not be as good at putting it into words like their dad had been, but Declan thought he and Rae did a decent job of showing Jared that he was still safe, that he didn't need to be scared anymore.

 

That crippled Declan the most; that the promise of safety had now been jerked away from Jared, from all of them. More often than not since being at Gideon’s, Declan heard Jared enter his room at some point in the night, making a neat pile of blankets on the floor, preferring that to sleeping in his room alone. Declan had stopped offering his brother the bed after several nights of this, every time hearing the same grunt of refusal from Jared. Declan would listen to his brother’s soft snoring before being able to settle back into sleep again. Knowing all Jared needed was the comfort of not being alone, Declan had started leaving his door open a crack whenever he turned in for the night.

 

Declan had been too mired in his own grief to pay attention to the faraway looks Jared would take on during the day. Declan had ignored the almost constant hunch of Jared’s shoulders, a reflexive pose that had been ingrained long ago to make himself smaller during his years on the streets. When Jared spent every dinner in silence, Declan had chalked it up to Jared just being used to either himself or Rae carrying on more of the conversation. He had ignored the way Jared’s leg constantly bounced up and down anxiously underneath the dinner table, ignored the way his hands always shook slightly when he brushed his teeth in their shared bathroom before bed.

 

Declan had taken Gideon’s silent but persistent watchdog stance over the youngest Cooper for granted. He’d been so buried within his own head that he hadn't once sat down with Jared since arriving at Gideon’s to see how he was doing; a former rescue in a new place, a new house, knowing no one except his grief-stricken and too absent older siblings. The ones who were supposed to protect him, to comfort him. Declan had been doing a shitty job of that. Guilt sliced into him, quick and sharp.

 

He jogged back to the house, trying to catch up to Jared who had stalked away. “You okay, bro?” Declan kicked himself for the mundane question, but the truth was that for once, he didn't know what else to say. He didn't know what to do with himself, being out of the field for so long. He was itching for a job, their current idleness making him feel useless. Not being able to help Jared, that felt even worse.

 

“Fine.” Jared shrugged him off and had almost made it to the house when the loud rumble of a motor had them both looking to Gideon’s front drive. Forgoing the back door, the brothers rounded the side of the house, leaving Gideon and Rae to debate sparring techniques in the backyard.

 

 

Immediately forgetting their recent tension, Jared instinctively edged behind Declan as they made their way to the driveway. Declan moved to block Jared from the dark figure that was coasting onto Gideon’s drive on a sleek black motorcycle with silver trim, hidden behind a dark helmet and visor. Declan was about to open his mouth, but the stranger beat him to it.

 

“Who the hell are you?”

 

Jared tensed, knowing that the man’s confrontational tone would automatically set his brother on edge. He tugged at Declan’s sleeve, trying to see past him to whomever had pulled up in front of the house, but his brother was about as moveable as a stone statue. 

 

Declan smiled tightly and returned the man’s question. “Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

 

Gideon’s sudden appearance saved Jared from having to stay Declan. “Reese.” Gideon clapped a hand on the stranger’s back. “Good to see you, boy.” Taking in the brewing situation before him, Gideon cleared his throat. “Declan. Ease up.”

 

“I was just about to introduce myself to your friend here.” Declan drawled.

 

Jared rolled his eyes but he was grateful for Declan’s presence. Sixteen years since he had been hunted on the streets, yet Jared still couldn't help the automatic twinge of anxiety that struck his chest whenever he came across someone unfamiliar, and having recently been accosted by an Agent in his own home didn't help. Jared balled the cuffs of his sleeves in his fists to give his nervous fingers something to do.

 

“Yeah, like hell you were.” Gideon grumbled. He gestured between them. “Reese, this is Declan Cooper and his brother Jared. Declan, Jared, this is Reese Slater. He works with me. He’s a Renegade.”

 

No longer able to hide behind Declan after Gideon’s introduction, Jared took in a deep breath through his nose to help steady himself, and then glanced at their visitor. His heart gave another jump, but this time it had nothing to do with nerves.

 

Reese Slater was the sexiest man Jared had ever seen. The collar of his dark leather jacket was turned up, brushing against the stubble lining his jaw. His lips were chapped from his ride but they looked soft, and Jared wanted nothing more than to taste them, to feel the press of them against his own. In a quick splash of sunlight Jared noticed a small scar on Reese’s left temple cutting through what was otherwise a perfectly chiseled face, snaking its way into hair so brown it was almost black. Jared’s fingers, still curled tightly into his sleeves, itched to run through those thick locks. He was tempted to say something, anything, that would prompt the man to respond just so Jared could hear that husky voice again.

 

Reese’s intense gaze landed on Jared and where normally Jared would shrink back and try to make himself invisible, hiding from the world around him like he used to hide from Agents, Jared now did neither of those things.

 

Declan’s hand clamped around the back of his neck, shaking the stars from Jared’s eyes and crashing him harshly back into real time. “Jare,” his brother said through gritted teeth, that tight, fake smile still plastered onto his face. “Could you do me a favor and go grab my gun? I left it out back after our target practice.”

 

Gideon cut a sharp glance towards Declan. “Be nice.”  Reese started to chuckle, but Gideon scolded him as well. “You, too. Vivienne’s Agents just ran them outta their home.”

 

Reese’s expression turned serious, and though he addressed the both of them, his gaze was once more fixed on Jared. “Shit. I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

Jared almost broke then, at seeing the pity his face. Seeing a stranger respond to their situation made it seem real, like they couldn't hide from it anymore. Rather than make a fool of himself in front of Gideon, his brother, and the most attractive man he had ever met, Jared turned away to walk back to the backyard to do as Declan had asked, rapidly blinking tears from his eyes as he did so.

 

Rae met him halfway, jogging towards him from the backyard. “Hey, Jare. You okay?” She fitted her slender fingers around the ball of his fist, still hidden beneath his sleeves. Looking over his shoulder, she called out to Declan. “Yo, bro. You left your gun back on the stump. Idiot move, rookie.” The teasing light left her eyes when she noticed they had company. “Oh.” Rae looked at Reese, then back at Jared. “Oh,” she said again, quieter this time. She didn't let go of his right hand, and Jared slid his fingers out to squeeze hers in thanks before walking with her back to the driveway.

 

Gideon headed towards the front door, holding it open. “Get on inside then, all of you.” He said gruffly. “Things are a bit different this time around, Reese. I would have given you more notice, but it’s been a little crazy ‘round here lately.”

 

“No worries.” Reese smiled, and Jared’s stomach took a dip.

 

He preceded Reese inside the house, and swore he could feel Reese’s eyes on his back the whole time.