2012 “That’s… my sister?” A younger JJ asked, looking up at Luke with wide eyes, who nodded.

“You wanna hold her?”

He nodded quickly, sitting next to his dad, waiting eagerly as Luke picked her up from her seat, and held her in front of JJ.

“You gotta be gentle, a’ight?” He told his son, before placing her in his arms, him looking down at her with a smile on his face, a newfound love in his eyes as he held her, and gently rocked her in his arms.

2024 He stood frozen in place, his gaze locked onto your lifeless form. Your eyes, once full of life, now remained shut, while your body lay motionless against the cold, hard ground. An overwhelming wave of emotions washed over him, rendering him paralyzed. He stared with wide eyes. That’s all he did. That’s all he could do.

He kept replaying it in his head, the way that his father, his real father, gripped the knife in his hands and the way you ran behind JJ faster than Geoff could even realize what had happened. The blade sunk into your back, you letting out a loud cry that would forever be etched into his memory as you fell towards, clutching your hand to your chest to see crimson oozing out of the wound.

“I don’t get it. Why’d you- why’d you do that? I’m your brother. I’m-“ he pointed to himself, “I’m s’posed to protect you.” His voice cracked at the end, his emotion slipping through the words.

You coughed, taking all your energy to shrug. “B-because I love you.”

“I love you too.” He replied quietly, seeing your lips form one last smile, and your eyes squint at him. He leaned in, cradling your head as he gave your forehead a gentle kiss. “I love you,” he repeated, his sentence broken up by a quiet sob.