Chapter 42: When the House Empties
(Jay Jay's POV)
Morning came slowly.
Sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the Watson mansion, painting soft gold across the marble floors.
For once…
There were no alarms.
No gunfire.
No people screaming over radios.
Just quiet.
I woke up tangled in Keifer's arms.
Literally tangled.
One of his arms was wrapped around my waist like a steel lock, and the other was under my head like a pillow.
And somehow my leg was thrown over his.
I blinked slowly.
Jay:
"…Keifer."
No response.
He was asleep.
Deeply asleep.
I tried to move.
His arm tightened instantly.
Keifer mumbled half-asleep.
Keifer:
"…don't move."
I stared at him.
Jay:
"You're asleep."
He tightened his hold again.
Keifer:
"…still don't move."
I sighed.
Jay:
"You're clingy."
His eyes finally opened.
Messy hair.
Sleepy eyes.
Completely serious expression.
Keifer:
"You snuck out at two in the morning."
I crossed my arms.
Jay:
"For chocolate."
Keifer looked offended.
Keifer:
"You abandoned the bed."
Jay:
"You make it sound like a crime."
He pulled me closer.
Much closer.
Keifer:
"It is."
I laughed softly.
But then something shifted in his expression.
The joking faded.
Replaced by something deeper.
He touched the bandage on my side carefully.
His voice dropped.
Keifer:
"You almost died."
The room went quiet.
Jay:
"I didn't."
He shook his head slowly.
Keifer:
"That's not the point."
There was something heavy in his eyes.
Something raw.
Something scared.
Keifer:
"When you got shot…"
His voice cracked slightly.
Keifer:
"I thought that was it."
I reached up and touched his face.
Jay:
"Hey."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Trying to steady himself.
Keifer:
"I've lost people before."
He swallowed hard.
Keifer:
"But losing you…"
He shook his head again.
Keifer:
"I couldn't survive that."
My chest tightened.
I moved closer and hugged him.
Carefully because of my injury.
Jay:
"You're not losing me."
He hugged me back instantly.
Stronger.
Almost desperate.
Keifer:
"Good."
And then—
The bedroom door burst open.
Amy's voice echoed dramatically.
Amy:
"ARE THE LOVE BIRDS ALIVE?"
Keifer groaned.
Savannah peeked inside.
Savannah:
"Good morning."
Sophia walked in behind them holding coffee.
Sophia:
"You two look… very comfortable."
Amy gasped dramatically.
Amy:
"Wait."
She squinted.
Amy:
"Why are there chocolate wrappers on the nightstand?"
I froze.
Keifer looked at me slowly.
Very slowly.
Amy pointed.
Amy:
"YOU TWO BROKE THE DOCTOR'S RULES."
Keifer sighed.
Keifer:
"We shared the crime."
Amy collapsed dramatically on the couch.
Amy:
"This is betrayal."
Savannah laughed.
Sophia shook her head.
Then Savannah's expression softened.
Savannah:
"Well…"
She looked around the room.
Savannah:
"This might be the last time we're all here like this."
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Jay:
"What do you mean?"
Savannah closed her laptop slowly.
Savannah:
"The war is over."
Sophia nodded.
Sophia:
"Yuri is in prison."
Amy stood up quietly.
Amy:
"The hit list is gone."
Savannah looked at me and Keifer.
Savannah:
"There's nothing left to fight."
The room went silent.
Jay:
"So…"
My voice felt strange.
Jay:
"You're leaving."
Amy smiled sadly.
Amy:
"Eventually."
Sophia leaned against the desk.
Sophia:
"The Obsidian Circle was built for war."
Savannah nodded.
Savannah:
"And the Iron Vipers too."
Keifer looked around the room.
At all of them.
Keifer:
"You're family."
Amy walked forward and hugged him suddenly.
Amy:
"Still family."
Savannah hugged me carefully.
Savannah:
"You need peace now."
Sophia smiled softly.
Sophia:
"And recovery."
I didn't like the feeling in my chest.
It felt like something important was ending.
Later that afternoon…
Cars lined the driveway of the Watson mansion.
Black SUVs.
Engines running.
Suitcases.
Weapons cases.
Laptops.
Everything packed.
Amy stretched dramatically.
Amy:
"Well."
She looked up at the mansion.
Amy:
"This place was fun."
Savannah smiled.
Savannah:
"Too many explosions."
Sophia adjusted her coat.
Sophia:
"Too many near-death experiences."
Amy grinned.
Amy:
"Exactly."
I walked toward them slowly.
My injury still pulling slightly.
Jay:
"So this is it."
Savannah nodded.
Savannah:
"For now."
Amy hugged me tightly.
Carefully.
But still tight.
Amy:
"Don't get shot again."
Jay:
"I'll try."
Sophia shook Keifer's hand.
Sophia:
"Take care of her."
Keifer answered immediately.
Keifer:
"Always."
Savannah hugged him too.
Savannah:
"You too."
Amy climbed into the SUV last.
But before closing the door she leaned out.
Amy:
"Also Keifer."
Keifer raised an eyebrow.
Amy grinned mischievously.
Amy:
"If you break her heart…"
She cracked her knuckles.
Amy:
"I'll come back."
Keifer smirked.
Keifer:
"Noted."
The SUVs started moving.
One by one.
Down the long driveway.
The mansion gates slowly opened.
Then closed again.
And just like that…
They were gone.
The Watson mansion felt enormous now.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
I stood there watching the empty road.
Keifer stepped beside me.
His hand found mine automatically.
Jay:
"It feels weird."
Keifer nodded.
Keifer:
"Yeah."
But then he pulled me closer.
My head resting against his chest.
Keifer:
"But maybe…"
He looked around the quiet estate.
Keifer:
"This is what peace looks like."
I leaned into him.
Jay:
"I think I like it."
He kissed the top of my head softly.
Keifer:
"Good."
The wind moved through the trees.
The sun dipped lower across the sky.
And for the first time since the war began…
The Watson mansion finally belonged to just us.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey everyone!!
For those who requested to make keifer hurt especially @demonslayer don't worry I'll add it in the next chapters and one quick question guys do you want their collage lives full chapters or 2 to 3 chapters of their collage lives and something big is going to happen after their collage ends.
Spoiler alert:
•Keizer will try to do something after that 'accident' keifer will get hurt and jay will go on a full protective wife/GF mode.
Bye bye!!🫶🏻🌷