Asher Jacobs & Timber Lehmann

I smiled. "You really think so?" 

"Of course, I do. You're a good mom."

I smiled. "Thanks baby," I said and kissed him. "I love hearing that. There's times I wonder... if I'm doing a good job or not. I never exactly pictured myself mom material."

"You really did do a one eighty over night but I'm happy that you did. Actually...happy doesn't even begin to describe it."

"How could I not? You and the kids are everything to me," I said and kissed him softly. I smiled. "What does then?" 

"When my Dad sent me to live with Elena it's because she was the only one who could pull me from the dark place that I was in at the time. After that there was Semara. I haven't talked about her...in forever. She lived in the same district and we did date for awhile but I knew she could do better so I let her go. After Jo she was my first steady girlfriend and...she had the power to open my heart. But you're different than them in so many ways because you opened my soul and it took a really remarkable person to manage that. I love you for it, I don't think you'll ever truly know how much."

"I love you too," I said then pulled away a little. It's not like I hadn't known he'd had other girlfriends, but I didn't really want to hear about them. "I didn't know you had, um... lived with Elena."

"I knew that was going to come out wrong. No, please don't pull away, alright? I was trying to express how strongly I feel about you. That's all. You..didn't know I lived with her? I'm sorry, I thought you did."

"No, I didn't know. You haven't talked much to me about your past... relationships. You told me about Jo and I knew you'd been with Elena, but that's about it." 

I sighed. Well, I'd really done it this time. "I tried to kill myself, Timber. That's why I went to live with Elena for awhile. So, she could...help me."
 

I pulled away from him more and sat up, in total shock I couldn't even speak for a minute. "Why... why didn't you ever... tell me?" I asked softly.

"It was a bad time in my life and it isn't something I like to revisit very often. So much has happened...I just didn't think about it. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "I just... I wish you would've told me. I told you about... wanting to kill myself. I just thought... you'd talk to me about anything. I don't want us to have any secrets between each other." 

"I really didn't mean to keep it a secret, from you. And I'm sorry that I brought up old girlfriends but...hell I don't know. I was trying to make a point and I"m not very good apparently."

I couldn't help but smile a little. He was adorable when he got flustered. "I know you were baby." I laid back down and kissed him softly. "I love you... more than you could ever know. You are the most amazing, and wonderful man I have ever met, and I'm proud to be with you. I will always be proud to be with you," I said and kissed him again.

We all gathered at the house and waited until Asher walked in. "Alright, spill it. What the hell is going on now?" 

Quin and I went around and told everyone that needed to be told so we could relay the messages to our families. I went inside my house and everyone was waiting, Mason even had Carolina and Logan with him. "Quin and I were outside earlier and we were approached by someone...from the Capitol. They have our camp surrounded by an army and they've been watching us the last few days.They want us to cooperate."

"No... no... I'm not going back there, I can't go back there." 

"They have medics who can help Caleb and the others. I'm going to straight with you when I say it's very likely that Caleb could die. His infection is bad, Ezra. As bad as I hate to let all of you go...I don't want a bunch of armed soldiers storming my house and scaring my kids."


"They'll put you in prison...or worse. How am I supposed to set here and let something like that happen."


"We aren't equipped to fight an army, son. If we try none of us will make it."

"I'll die before I go back there. You go if you want to, let them help Caleb, but I am not going." 



"Ezra stop it. I know this is hard... but we do not have a choice. Not this time." 

"Not now, Ezra. I'm serious. I'm trying to hold my shit together to make this easier on my kids and you will too."

I could see her starting to shake and I got up and went to her, taking her face in my hands and making her look at me. "Stop it. This isn't easy on any of us. I know you don't want to go back there, but I'm not going to let you lose your life because of that. Now I need you to keep it together right now. Do you hear me? I mean it Ezra. Losing your shit right now does not change the fact that they've found us, and they will make us go back there. Whether we go willingly or they force us." She nodded and I put my arms around her, holding her to me. "How long do we have?" I asked Asher. 

"Probably about 10 more minutes if even that."

I took a deep breath. "Okay," I said and led Ezra to the couch, making her sit down, then went to the boys, wrapping my arms around all of them. "I love you guys... so much," I whispered. 

"We love you too. I love all of you so much, no matter what happens."


I picked my kids up in my arms and hugged them as tight as I could without hurting them and for once in my life, I cried. I was probably never going to see any of them ever again. No way, would they let me or Q live. Not with the crimes we've committed. Ford, too. He was as good as gone.