A/N: Augh, I have forgotten the name of the episode again. But this is set sometime after the conversation where Robbie confronts Jackie about not telling him she was divorcing Brian. Obviously I have added slightly to that conversation ;)
This is a short and (hopefully) sweet Robbie/Jackie one-shot. Thanks again for all the encouragement!! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Close
"Close does not mean I'm there for you when you need me."
She had said that, or something like it, to him only that morning. Perhaps if she had left it there she could have been forgiven as he had been distant lately and she had been feeling neglected. Though none of that could excuse what she had said next:
"Michael would have been there."
Her only defence was that she hadn't been thinking and the words had just slipped out. Much like when Brian had asked her "Why?" and she had yelled back at him: "Because you're not Michael!"
She shook her head; she had thought she was over this. She thought she'd moved on from his death; clearly she hadn't. But Michael had been such a good man and a good friend that it had been easy to love him and even easier to idolise him after his death.
She should never have said that to Brian, but Robbie deserved it even less. He had been there for her after Michael's death, the only one besides Stuart who had an inkling of how much Michael's death had affected her. The only one with a prayer of ever filling the void his death had left in her life.
And she had blown it by shooting her mouth off.
She jumped as someone knocked on her door. Getting up off the couch she went to answer it.
It was no surprise that Robbie was on the other side.
"I'm sorry," he said before she even had a chance to let him in. She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "No, please, let me finish," he continued, "I have been a jerk, Jackie, and I'm sorry. I promised after Mike died that I'd be there for you and I broke that promise, I'm sorry," he said again.
She regarded him for a moment, "I don't know what to say," she admitted.
He grinned, "You could try: 'I forgive you, Robbie.'"
She smiled, "I forgive you, Robbie," she repeated. He smiled and made to come in but she stopped him, "On one condition," she stipulated, watching as Robbie's face changed from confused to concerned. "That you forgive me too," she finished.
Robbie relaxed and gave her a cocky grin, "Ah, sweetheart, that goes without saying."
She laughed and slapped him lightly on the shoulder as he made his way past her.