This is an AU meant to take place during Kiara's Kook Year, and mostly disregards the rest of the show. As per usual, all recognizable elements belong to the original distributors.

JJ had never been one to admit when he needed help. Ever. Sure, his friends knew that his dad hit him, beat him within an inch of his life. But he never asked for help and as such, they never offered. But that night had been bad. Really bad. As he stumbled along the streets, trying to find somewhere to hunker down for a while, he was struggling to breathe, spitting blood. Normally, he'd have gone to John B but his best friend had problems of his own. Pope's family never liked him, they weren't likely to go out of their way to help him.

Which was how JJ found himself in Figure Eight. Home of the Kooks and the only friend he trusted not to make too much of a fuss. He'd long since learned Kiara's schedule and knew that she was home. The driveway was empty, as he'd expected. Her parents worked late most nights, busy running the restaurant that raked in money from Tourons. She wouldn't send him away nor would she run her mouth to anyone else. Wincing at the pain shooting through his entire body, JJ knocked on the front door before ringing the doorbell a few times.

Kiara tore the door open, ready to tear into whoever had the gall to stop by so late, only to gasp when she saw her visitor. JJ was bleeding from several cuts on his face and torso and his breaths were short, too short for comfort. She immediately ushered him inside, gently leading him up the stairs to the bathroom near her own room. Trying not to cry, she pulled out a first-aid kit, drenching some cotton pads with antiseptic. At the bottom of the kit, she found some butterfly bandages to keep the cuts closed. Once she felt satisfied that she had what she needed, Kiara carefully helped JJ remove this t-shirt. Despite her best effort, a few tears sprung free as she took in the massive bruises that were forming on his upper body. She tried to blink the rest of them away as she gingerly picked up a cotton pad. "I… this is gonna hurt," she warned, lifting it to a cut on his forehead, "I'm sorry." JJ just nodded, his hands coming to rest on her hips. His resilience as she pressed the cotton to the cut both impressed and infuriated her. The only reaction she got was a low grunt as his hands tightened their hold on her. She hated that he was used to hiding his pain.

As Kiara worked, JJ kept his grip on her hips tight. He tried to ignore the pain, tried not to think of the excruciating sting every time she cleaned a cut or scrape. While he normally could breathe through it, he was fairly certain that his asshole father had broken one of his ribs, so breathing hurt too. In the darkness that clouded his head, hazy images of blows coming at him, he latched on to the feeling of Kiara's gentle hands. Hands that were taking care of him, rather than hurting him, hands that belonged to the beacon that guided him through the fog that was his shitty life.

"JJ?"

He hadn't even realized that he'd closed his eyes. Suddenly, he was acutely aware of her thumb running over his cheek, her worried gaze full of tears. She was hurting for him, and the thought stunned him. "I'm okay, Kie," he tried to assure her, "I will be, thanks to you." She went to hug him, only to pause and eye his bruised chest warily. JJ spread his arms as wide as he could, giving her the cockiest smirk he could manage. "You can, you know," he teased, "I can tell you want to, just… be careful." He faltered at the end of the sentence, aware that it wasn't a joking matter. Really, he just wanted her to touch him again. It was wrong to think it, especially since he knew John B and Pope had a thing for her too. At that moment though, he just wanted her to be close.

Carefully, as though he was made of glass, Kiara wrapped her arms around the blond. He rested his head against her chest, for once not as a poorly disguised attempt to cop a feel. Even though she rarely saw JJ being emotional, she was prepared when his shoulders started shaking. Sobs rocked his body, no doubt causing him physical pain. All she could do was hold him tighter and let him cry against her.

"I hate him," he choked, "So fucking much."

"I know," she whispered desperately, "I've got you, JJ."

Her words caved him in completely. Gut-wrenching sobs tore from his throat as he let out the stress and anger and pain he'd kept bottled up for too long. Safe. He was safe. Home wasn't with John B at the Chateau. Home most fucking definitely wasn't with the man who treated him like a punching bag. No. Home was with the girl holding him together. A girl who didn't judge or ask him to talk about his feelings. Kiara. The realization came with startling clarity. He loved her. Yeah, he'd loved her as a friend for years and had been aware of his crush on her for about as long. But as she held him, whispering words of reassurance into his ear, JJ knew that he loved her as someone he could spend the rest of his life with.

"C'mon, you need to get some sleep," Kiara said gently, helping him stand, "We'll talk in the morning, okay?" The only response she got was a weak nod. Still holding hands, they walked into her bedroom. While Kiara turned off all the lights, JJ slid beneath the covers. She winced as she heard him hiss. "I'll go get you something for the pain," she murmured, "Anything else?" He shook his head in response and she left to room.

Waiting for Kiara to get back, JJ, leaned back against the pillows. He'd only been in her room a few times before, they didn't spend anywhere near as much time at her place as at the Chateau. Mostly because her parents didn't like them but also because all of them, including Kiara, felt suffocated by the atmosphere that clung to the houses on Figure Eight. Formal, clean. He absently wondered what her parents would say if they knew he would be sleeping with their daughter. The thought made him smirk.

"What're you thinking about?"

JJ's gaze snapped to the door, where Kiara was standing with a glass of water in one hand and a painkiller in the other. "Just your folks and what they would think about this," he replied, gratefully accepting the glass and pill when she held them out to him, "When will they be back?" He fully planned to be out of the house by then. Kiara's parents barely accepted it when they hung around the Wreck.

"I think they said Saturday," she replied, pulling her hair into a messy bun, "They're off to the mainland to celebrate their anniversary or something." Satisfied that JJ was taken care of and that her hair wouldn't strangle either one of them in their sleep, Kiara crept beneath the covers. She shifted so she was lying on her side, one hand supporting her head as she looked down at him. "Tell me about when you met John B," she asked quietly, "I don't think either of you has told me before." JJ smiled and launched into an elaborate, most likely embellished, story involving a stolen sandwich and a pack of chewing gum.

When they woke up, it was still early. JJ opened his eyes first, roused from his sleep by the sunlight peeking through the gap in the curtains. Turning his head slightly, he watched as Kiara slowly blinked sleep from her eyes. Without thinking, and against the protesting pain that shot through him, he reached out to run a finger along her jawline. She smiled sleepily, whispering a quiet 'good morning' as she leaned into his touch. It was a strangely peaceful moment in comparison to the night before, not that JJ was about to complain.

"Wanna get some breakfast," she asked, shuffling a little closer to him, "I can make chocolate chip pancakes."

"I'd rather just stay here for a while."

Kiara smiled softly, lying back against the pillows right next to him. Catching his hand in hers, she trailed her fingers from his palm, down the length of his forearm, and back up. She bit back a laugh as goosebumps appeared on his arm, pausing to gauge his reaction. Her breath escaped her as she looked up and found him gazing intently at her. She knew that look, had seen it on all three boys' faces at some point or another. To have JJ look at her like that, while lying on her bed, had her stomach fluttering with nervous excitement. The rule they'd made up so long ago was brought to the forefront of her mind as she seriously considered leaning in to kiss him. No Pogue-on-Pogue macking. They'd all been kids then, worried that feelings and romance would tear their group apart. As they grew older, Kiara had come to wonder if maybe they stuck so rigidly to the rule because they didn't want to make her choose, no matter if it was to protect her feelings or their own. Lost in her thoughts as she was, she didn't realize that she'd stopped her ministrations on his arm.

"Don't stop," JJ pleaded, voice quiet, "It feels kinda good."

"JJ…"

He looked away then, embarrassed by his slip. "Right, no Pogue-on-Pogue macking," he muttered, shifting to remove his arm from her grasp, "My bad." He was surprised when she tightened her grip on him. Not enough to hurt him, he doubted she could even if she wanted to, but enough to keep him in place. JJ met her eyes, confused. Did she… did she want him? It was a tantalizing thought. The way she looked at him… did he dare to try? Slowly, mindful of his injuries and her state of mind, he tugged her closer. Kiara didn't stop him. Her expression was a mix of wonder and conflict as she seemingly considered the same dilemma he did. Neither wanted to hurt John B and Pope. But for how long could they use their rule as an excuse? JJ had never in his life wanted anything as much he wanted a relationship with Kiara. She appeared to be into him too. "Kie, if we do this…"

"You can tell them," she replied immediately, "They deserve to know." He nodded and she was relieved. No matter the outcome of their predicament, she refused to hide her feelings for him. She wasn't their favorite person at the moment, she knew that, but it wasn't fair of her to expect him to hide whatever they were when she wouldn't. Even if her parents would think that he'd treat her like one of his Touron-hookups, she knew he'd never do that to her. She could tell just by the way he was looking at her, as though she was the most precious thing he had ever seen. "JJ, please."

It was all he needed. He closed the minimal gap that was left between them, gently kissing her. Feeling her immediately reciprocate, he flicked his tongue over her bottom lip, prompting her to let him deepen the kiss. Of all the drugs JJ had come into contact with during his life, he definitely preferred her. She left him feeling lightheaded and euphoric, like he was soaring. Unfortunately, he was forcefully reminded of his injuries when he tried to wrap an arm around her, only for his ribs to protest. The pain almost surprised him and he pulled away from her with a pained groan. "I'm good," he told her, though his voice was a little strained, "Where were we?"

"Nowhere we can't pick up from when you're back to normal," Kiara reprimanded, putting some distance between them, "I get the temptation but I'd rather focus on making sure you're okay." There was a lot more to that statement than just his injuries and they both knew it. He had nowhere to go. Not until he dared to face his dad again. John B was busy with his own trauma and Pope, while sweet, wouldn't be able to offer a safe place for JJ to heal.

"Can I stay here," he asked, looking up at her earnestly, "Until your folks come back?"

"You really thought I was gonna let you leave?"

"Does that mean I can go back to sleep?"

Kiara smiled down at JJ, sweeping his hair off of his forehead. "Go ahead," she said tenderly, "I'll be here when you wake up." He nodded, already dropping off.

It was the start of something neither had expected when he showed up at her doorstep. But it certainly wasn't something either would take for granted. He was the one she was willing to risk it all for and she was his beacon, guiding him home.