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Lainie's POV Today was Thursday. Thankfully things were starting to calm down in the last few days. Matt was going out of town for a conference to prepare for the examination season and Clay was staying over at Tony's since he had claimed his mother made "the best quesadillas he had ever tasted." For the next couple of days it was just me and Justin. ~ Earlier that day ~ "Call me if you need me, bro but other than that have fun with mom." Clay reassured his soon to be adopted little brother and clapped him on the shoulder before getting into Tony's car. Clay had given Justin the keys to the Prius which he drove home after school. ~ End of flashback ~I had been working from home all day. It was a constant circle of finishing off reports, replying to emails and making phone calls to chase up people who didn't want to be bothered or those who had too much to say. "Yeah of course, don't worry. I'll have it finished this evening and then sent asap. Please ask Claire to email the papers as well. Ok thanks, bye." I finished and ended the call putting down my phone. I sighed and breathed a sigh of relief before going back to typing the word document. I heard the front door open and the the jiggle of keys settle into the large bowl on top of the hallway cabinet. "Justin, is that you sweetheart?" I asked glancing at my watch to check the time and it was just after 3:15pm. "Yea...yeah Mrs Jensen." Justin called walking into the kitchen to see me. "How was school, honey?" I asked bringing him into a hug and pressed a light kiss to his forehead as he blushed slightly at the warming affection. "It was ok. Boring." Justin shrugged. "What're you doing?" He asked curiously. "Just finishing this report off. I know it's just going to be you and me for the next few days hun so how about we start off by going to pick up dinner later and then have a movie night?" I asked him as Justin poured himself a drink from the fridge and took a sip. "Ok cool." He nodded walking past me heading into the living room. It took me 30 minutes to finish the report but once it was done, I saved it a million times, backed it up to 3 different devices and shut my laptop down. I got up stretching my limbs and looked at the clock, it was almost 4pm. I made myself a cup of tea and then headed into the living room to see Justin sprawled out on the couch watching some cartoon he and Clay had been obsessing over for the past few days. "You know Clay will be mad you're watching ahead of him." I told him standing in the doorway. Justin looked and shook his head. "It's an old episode, we watched it together." Justin replied shuffling up so he could let her sit down. "Have you decided where you want to go for dinner later, sweetie?" I asked taking a sip of my tea. "How about that new burger joint on Tennyson Avenue? Everyone says it's supposed to be real good?" Justin asked. "Mmm that sounds nice. Sure sweetie, we'll head out at 6pm ok?" I told him to which he nodded his eyes still glued on the to screen. The evening passed and Justin had been abnormally quiet. "Everything ok, sweetheart?" I asked him, my eyes glued to the road as I drove us to the drive thru of the new burger place Justin had been telling me about. Justin shrugged and looked down at his lap as he played with his fingers. "What's on your mind, sweetheart?" I asked my tone soft and calm. Justin remained silent. "It's ok, sweetheart. You can talk to me." I reassured him. "It's just weird...without Clay." Justin began. "Aah you miss your big brother huh?" I smiled. "Yeah I guess." Justin sighed. "Don't worry sweetie, he'll be back on Saturday and so will Matt." I reassured him. "In the meantime, we'll have lots of fun together." I smiled at him. We arrived at the drive thru and ordered dinner before heading back home. Justin settled everything on the coffee table and slumped down on the couch. I headed into the kitchen to grab later before joining him seeing him rifling through the bag eagerly. "Urgh, this is fucking incredible!" Justin moaned in delight at the juicy cheeseburger he'd taken a bite out of. "It is pretty good." I replied taking a smaller bite myself. We played a movie in the background as finished eating. "Thanks for taking me, Mrs Jensen." Justin replied with a small smile. "You're welcome, honey. You do t have to thank me. If you need anything just let me or Matt know ok?" I smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. That evening Justin laid his head on my shoulder as we watched a documentary about sharks. It was just after 10:30pm and Justin stretched and yawned getting up to drag himself up the stairs to the bedroom he shared his Clay. "I'll be in to which you goodnight in just a minute, sweetheart." I told him heading to my room to also change into my nightwear. I knocked on the door waiting for Justin's reply before walking in. "Come in." Justin replied solemnly as he was sitting at the foot of his bed playing with the edge of the duvet nervously. "Justin, sweetie?" I asked. I approached Justin carefully and bent down gently brushing his hair away from his face. "What's on your mind, honey?" I asked him seeing how nervous he was but he shook his head. I sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around him bringing him close to my chest. "You can talk to me, sweetheart. It's ok." I reassured him. "Just nervous." Justin began."About what, honey? It's ok, you're safe here you know that right?" I reassured him. "I haven't been away from Clay sin...since he found me." Justin told me. "Oh honey I'm sorry. I didn't think of that." I replied."Do you want me to stay here with you, sweetie?" I asked seeing how scared he was. "No no." Justin quickly replied."Are you sure honey? I don't mind..." I told him but he nodded his soft brown curls bouncing lightly. "Ok sweetheart. I'm only in the next room if you need me." I told him. Justin got up as I pulled back the cover and let him climb in. I tucked him, gently brushing his hair out of his face and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Goodnight sweetie. Come wake me if you need anything." I told. "Goodnight sweetheart." I smiled before getting up and heading back to my own room to turn in. Later that night, Justin had been tossing and turning. He had had trouble sleeping from the minute Clay had brought him home when he rescued him from being on the streets but he had always been the one to be at his side when he had a nightmare about Seth or his birth mom. Clay would shake him awake and reassure him that he was ok and they'd spend the next few minutes talking about it before Clay would invite Justin over to his bed to lay with him. Justin had refused but Clay had been adamant. "Come on, shithead." He smirked. Clay would always climb in first and shuffle close to the wall before letting Justin climb in as he wrapped his arms around him and held him close gently rubbing Justin's shoulder in a comforting manner. Tonight he was alone and that terrified him. Seeing how nervous Justin was had me on edge. The poor thing had been terrified for 90% of his life. I ended up drifting off to sleep for a few hours before being woken up by Justin's terrifying screams. "No! Mom! Mom, please! Don't let him hurt me!" Justin yelled as he cried in his sleep. I swung my legs over the bed and dashed to Justin switching on the bedroom light. I quickly headed to his bed and tried to wake him up. "Justin, Justin baby. It's ok, it's ok. I'm here. It's just a nightmare sweetheart." I cooed but nothing worked.I sat beside him and hauled him into my arms and halfway onto my lap and held him tight rocking him. Justin thrashed his arms around almost hitting me in the face. It broke my heart seeing him this scared and upset. "Justin, stop. Stop! Wake up, honey. It's ok, you're having a nightmare. Wake up baby." I shook him holding down his arms gently so he wouldn't hurt himself. "Justin!" I shouted to which his teary brown eyes flew open and he gasped in fright looking around the room."Sssh baby. Baby it's ok, I'm here. I'm right here. You're ok. It was just a nightmare, sweetie." I reassured him. I kept my arms wrapped around him. At this posting he was practically sat in my lap with his head resting against my shoulder as I felt the wetness of his exhausted tears on my neck. I gently stroked his forearm with my thumb as I rocked him in my arms, my head pressed against his as I hushed him. "Mmm sorry." He sobbed against me. "Ssssh don't be silly, sweetheart. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's ok, you're safe. You're here with me and I won't let anything happen to you." I continued to reassure him. "Don't leave." Justin asked his voice tired and broken. "Ssssh I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere sweetheart." I pressed a kiss to his forehead and continued to rock him. He turned into me hesitantly wrapping his arms around my waist as violent sobs wracked through his small frame. I held him tight in my arms gently rubbing his back with one hand and wiping away his tears with the other. "Ssshh I know baby. I know, it's ok. It's all over now. You're safe. I'm here." I cooed. We sat like that for the next few hours in the early morning as Justin cried in my arms. It broke my heart seeing him like this. I knew Justin had a troubled past but the trauma of bearing it all clung to him. I wiped away his tears and pressed a kiss to his forehead as I continued to rock him in my arms. "You're safe. No one's going to hurt you ever again. I promise." I hushed gently stroking his cheek with the pad of my thumb as I saw his tired eyes begin to grow heavy with sleep. It had always worked with Clay when he was younger or was ill and refused to take a nap. "Ssssh get some rest. I'm here. It's ok. You're ok. Ssssh get some rest. I'm here. It's ok. You're ok." I repeated until he fell asleep in my arms clinging to me anxiously.