Chapter 1 – Broken.

It had just been another ordinary day and Robert was looking forward to coming home. As he slipped through the door about an hour earlier than usual, he smiled and looked around his house before slowly sliding his shoes off of his feet. It was nice to be able to get the opportunity to relax for the rest of the day. Although it'd been a long day, it had also been such a great day, and Robert doubted anything could ruin his good mood. However, he blinked when he didn't hear a bright 'hello' from Daveigh, his wife. She wasn't out, because her coat was still here and her shoes were still by the door. Perhaps she was just in the shower, or asleep in bed. Robert quickly made his mind up and he pulled his coat off, throwing it anywhere and started to climb up the stairs slowly.

He heard some giggling coming from their bedroom and frowned in confusion. Then there was a moan. Followed by a male voice... That sounded all too familiar. Robert wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on anymore, yet his legs continued to take him up the stairs. The bedroom door was already open and his heart froze eyes wide.

Robert blinked, not wanting to believe the scene that was unfolding before him. That was Daveigh and Don. Don. Don Self; his best friend. His best friend was in bed with his wife... And they were both naked. He didn't want to believe it. Robert swallowed hard, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes. The two didn't know he was there so they carried on. They were kissing, still making love. It was making Robert feel sick and he just wanted to run away but he legs wouldn't budge. He was watching them. His heart was beating quickly for all the wrong reasons. He swallowed once more and felt a tear run down his cheek. His heart wasn't even feeling heavy because there was no heart left in his chest anymore, it was gone, shattered, ruined for eternity. Robert's stomach felt like a stone had just dropped in it, tightening and squeezing, back flipping but it was for all the wrong reasons. His head suddenly began to shake from side to side, his mouth open in shock. It was really happening. The two people he trusted with his life were together in his bed sharing an experience Robert had thought only he and the woman underneath his best friend would experience. The intimacy, the love, everything. It was all suddenly melting away from him now. He'd seen the real truth.

"How..." He muttered and the movement from the two people on the bed stopped suddenly and Daveigh sat up, looking at Robert with her eyes suddenly wide.
"Robert." She swallowed and glanced at Don who turned and looked over his shoulder, his expression held no emotion, he just watched him.
"How could you?" Robert asked quietly, his voice nothing more than a whisper. It was all that he could manage. It was still hard to fathom. Was this really happening? Robert thought about pinching himself, trying hard to make himself believe he were in some kind of extremely bad nightmare and that he'd wake up in a hot sweat with his loving, faithful wife by the side of him.
"It's not what it looks like." Came Don's voice and Robert closed his eyes, shaking his head, his body suddenly filling with anger; the pain and heartbreak rushing through his body with every tormented heartbeat.
"Not what it looks like?" He repeated, his voice getting slightly high pitched as the anger rose in him. He'd trusted this man, helped him when he felt down, trusted him with secrets and swapped stories. Heck, he'd even forgiven the man when he said he had a thing for his wife. And this is how Don repaid him?!

Ugh, he couldn't even look at them. It made him feel physically sick.
"Oh, don't stop just because I'm here. It wouldn't be nice to just leave her lying there like that, Don." Robert said coldly, without emotion. He'd hidden it well, arms now folded, leaning against the frame of the door. Oh, how he wished they could see his inside now, the shards of shattered heart everywhere like a piece of glass broken into millions of tiny pieces. It felt like it too; piercing his lungs and his stomach and every other vital organ, like he couldn't go on anymore.
"Bobby-" Don started but Robert suddenly snapped.
"Don't you DARE call me that!" He yelled before suddenly flying at his so-called friend and pulling him onto the floor. Whether Don was naked or not, Robert was going to get his turn.

"Robert!" Daveigh's voice suddenly piped up and she quickly slipped on her underwear before jumping on Langdon and trying to force him off Don, though it was no use. When Robert was angry, he was strong; very, very strong. Don struggled to get free, fighting back with a bleeding, broken nose. Fists were flying everywhere and Daveigh tried to separate the men but it was no use. Robert could kill Don right now. He felt like he should. He'd been told to fight for his woman and that's what he was doing. Though Dav wasn't his woman anymore; she was Don's. It was obvious to him, the way she'd tried to get him off Don. She'd slept with him for Christ's sake, it was obvious whose side she was on! Robert suddenly felt alone and lost, but he carried on hitting Don, letting out all his anger. That man was a prick and Susan was right! He'd gone around and backstabbed him, sleeping with his wife!
"What kind of best friend are you?!" He yelled, not stopping, even though his knuckles were hurting and were getting covered with blood, "you're a fucking selfish prick! Susan was right! I hope you burn in hell you murderer!"
He pulled himself off of the younger man and stood up, giving him one hard kick in the ribs before stepping backwards, eyes now locked on the shaking woman in front of him. That was his wife and she looked so scared. Half of Robert wanted to hug her close, tell her everything was going to be okay and that he forgave her... But the other wanted to call her a dirty little slut who deserved to have the murdering bastard that Don was. That half won, though he spoke in different words.
"I hope you're happy with each other."
"Robert... Don't."
"Don't what?! Don't freak out because I just saw you having sex with my supposedly best friend?! It's over, Daveigh. We're through."

And with that, Robert turned on his heel, heart shattered so much it was impossible to break it anymore and went out of the room and down the stairs. He quickly pulled on his shoes and coat before grabbing his keys and opening the door, slamming it shut when he was out. Now what was he going to do? He had nowhere to go and he hands were covered in Don's blood. He shuddered at the images scribbled in his head. Robert didn't get into his car, he simply walked, walked on down the road, through some alleyways before he just couldn't hold it in any longer.

Robert collapsed to his knees in the middle of the path and sobbed. It was hard to contain his real emotion now and he'd just let it all out. He carried on crying so hard, not giving a damn that people were walking past him, staring at him as if he were some caged animal in a zoo. Robert couldn't even breathe now, and there tears were coming thick and fast like blobs. They were an unstoppable force just breaking through. He realised he had nothing; nothing for him now. His children were going to have a new father, a younger one and he no longer had Daveigh because she'd made it quite clear she was with Don now. He gritted his teeth at the thought of Don and sobbed more, in hysterics now. Everything blurred. His knees ached from being on the floor. Time passed, but how much time? Robert was unsure. He was unsure of everything. He didn't know where he was... He was just dragged to his feet, but the tears of anguish didn't stop. It was a fuzzy time... Robert's mind wasn't focused on anything, it was all passing so quickly. People were talking frantically, sounding worried but he just continued to cry. He didn't know who those people were and he didn't want to either. He just wanted to die. Why had his day suddenly turned into this? How long had Daveigh been seeing Don for behind his back? The man's brain ached with questions and emotions raced through his body. He was shaking. He was scared about what would happen now, scared of being alone for the rest of his life. Robert's fantastic, fantasy life had come to a sudden end, collapsing like the world trade centre on 9/11, ending in disaster like everything else in this damned world. His eyes were unfocused and everything suddenly went black. All the pain and emotion he was feeling had just suddenly melted away like an ice cube in a microwave. It was all over now, all over. No more heartbreak. No more pain. No more.