Inspired by Iron chef; single parent Jake at the PPMB. Also inspired by the song Long for the Flowers by 311.
Disclaimer: Daria or the shows characters don't belong to me and I make no money from writing this.
Notes: Follows canon (transcripts from Outpost) and has original material.
Added note: I don't know anything about divorce proceedings, so you won't see most of that and I don't know much about Helen and Jake and their early relationship/marriage except from what I read off of wiki. So, a lot of this story is guesswork. If I get dates wrong or anything else, sorry.
Warnings: Big time out of character, AH/AU.
Like, hate, requests to stop, let me know.
Chapter 1
Jake Morgendorffer sat at the little table in his motel room. On the table sat a half-empty gin bottle--no shot glass--and the final version of his divorce papers, the declaration of the end of his twenty-three year marriage.
He picked up the gin bottle and took a long drink. He grimaced slightly and put the bottle down.
Jake sighed heavily and picked up the divorce papers. He didn't read it, though. He didn't need to; he had been looking it over all afternoon and evening that he practically had it memorized.
He didn't need to read it anymore anyway. What he needed to do was sign it, and he had put that off since Helen had dropped them off that morning before she went to work.
Jake lightly chastised himself for his procrastination. Signing it was such a simple task; just sign his name--he could do that--and drop them off with Helen--easy. Except both of those were the most difficult things to do right now.
He didn't want his marriage to be over and he didn't want to lose Helen and his daughters; they were everything and the only things that mattered to him.
How did I get here? He thought and put the papers down.
Jake rubbed his face roughly, stifling a sob. He then looked at his curtain-covered window when he heard a car pull into the parking lot.
He froze and looked at the clock on the bedside table; it was nine pm, still early enough for Helen to drop by.
Jake held his breath, hoping it wasn't she. The car moved passed his room and he breathed, relieved.
Jake walked over to the window and looked out. He saw the just-arrived car park across from him. A weary looking man got out and entered his room.
Probably lost his job, too. And family. Poor bastard, Jake thought and reached for his gin bottle. He motioned to take a drink, but stopped. He looked at it contemplatively and then decided that he had had enough for the night; he went past drunk two drinks before.
Jake put the bottle down, gave the papers a last look and then walked over to his bed. He sat down and looked at the phone on the bedside table.
Jake thought about calling his daughters. He hadn't spoken to them for a couple days now. However, he was in constant contact with Helen. He felt bitterness overcome him at the thought of her and their situation.
He picked up the phone and dialed the first three numbers to his--their home, but quickly hung up the phone instead.
He did want to speak to his daughters, but he was worried that Helen would pick up and he couldn't take her harsh, displeased voice asking him for the documents; he was too drunk and miserable and her words might kill him or at least aid him in doing so himself.
That would make things easier he thought darkly and then winced. No! Think of Daria and Quinn. I can't do that to them.
Jake sighed, admonishing himself for being a coward, and picked up the phone again but a moment later, placed it back down.
He couldn't hear their voices right now, or more accurately, he couldn't stand lying to them tonight. He knew if he called, Quinn would ask him, again, when he was coming home for good and he would lie 'Soon, sweetie."
Helen had kicked him out of the apartment a month before and a couple weeks later asked for the divorce. He didn't fight her much about it. He wished he did now.
They still hadn't decided on when to tell the girls. Soon, seemed right.
However, Jake liked talking to Daria, his eldest. All she would do when he called was complain to him about Quinn being annoying and Helen being a monster. He was thankful that Daria never asked him when he'd be home. She seemed to believe that he'd be home once Helen calmed down. Jake loved that Daria had faith in them, it was too bad it was wasted.
Jake sighed and stared at the phone mournfully. He wanted to be home not in this pathetic motel room. Moreover, he still wanted to say that he was happily married. He thought he had been.
No, he was. Helen wasn't.
Jake felt sadness and anger threatening to overwhelm him. He swallowed the feelings. He couldn't lose it. Besides, he already had and that's what disenchanted Helen.
Jake walked back over to the table and sat down. He glared at the divorce papers.
Helen wanted nothing from him, not that he had anything to give her. She was the one still supporting him; she paid for the motel room and other things he needed. All she wanted was to be separated from him. They would decide everything outside of court, if they could. They still needed to figure out an arrangement of custody of their daughters.
Helen would keep them obviously. Jake knew that he couldn't get them until he found a job and his own place. He was just having a bit of trouble with the job part.
Jake sighed and picked up a pen. He pulled the papers to him and found the part he needed to sign. He hesitated as his heart wrenched at the thought that it was all over once he signed these papers.
He put the pen down and walked outside; he needed some air.
Jake leant against his door. It was a warm night and not very refreshing. However, it was better then the small room he occupied.
He looked at the sky and still wondered how his life ended up here. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to be home right now, listening to Quinn and Daria fighting over something trivial like invasion of space. The girls both had their own rooms, but they still fought about each other existing in the other's space.
Helen would be sitting at the kitchen table, going over case files, but if she had a spare moment, she would invite him to talk with her.
Jake felt tears flowing down his face. He wiped at them.
When did she stop loving me?
Jake cleared his throat and knew what he had to do.
He had to sign those papers. It was what Helen wanted and he had no right to keep her when she wanted to leave. Also, because he knew Helen was going to go through with the divorce, with or without his signature. She was a lawyer and he knew she could do it.
Jake walked back into the room and sat at the table. He took a drink from the gin bottle and picked the pen up again.
He signed the papers quickly and immediately regretted it. He fought the urge to tear up the papers; Helen would only bring him another copy.
It's done, he thought wearily and brokenly.
Jake walked over to his bed and undressed to just his boxers. He lay down and tried to relax, but found he couldn't. He looked at his phone and seriously considered calling his daughters.
Jake startled when the phone rang. He looked at the time. It was nearing ten and still early enough for Helen to call. He hesitantly picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Jake said tentatively.
"Dad! Seriously why did you marry mom and why did you let her have Quinn?" Daria demanded angrily.
Jake smiled amused. "Well, if I didn't marry your mother, I wouldn't have you and we had Quinn to challenge you," he said easily. It was his usual answer to Daria's anger of her mother and sister.
Daria considered it and then sighed. "Mom and Quinn are still insane and they're just trying to get me to join them," she said miserably.
Jake chuckled. "What happened this time?"
"Mom let Quinn have her loser friends over today and they are just so annoying, but mom thinks they are all so cute and fun. Mom then asked me why I don't have friends like Quinn's, or any in general," Daria said irritated. "So I said, I don't have friends because I'm not stupid enough to fit in and I don't have friends like Quinn's because I'm not a complete idiot. So, since Quinn's an idiot it makes sense why she has idiot friends, which also makes sense as to why mom likes them. Mom's still fuming," Daria said, slightly amused.
Jake grinned, but stayed serious. "Daria, you know that isn't nice to say about you mom and sister."
"I know, dad, but mom just gets on my nerves. Especially when she starts up the whole 'Why can't I be more like Quinn?' argument," Daria complained.
Jake sighed. "I know, kiddo, but your mom doesn't mean it that way. She just wants you to be…more adjusted then you are now," he said.
"I think I'm fine the way I am," Daria grumbled.
"I do, too, but you know you're mom just worries," Jake said.
"I know that, too," Daria said and sighed heavily. "When will mom be done being pissed at you?"
Jake hesitated. It was the first time Daria ever expressed, in her way, that she wanted him home.
"I guess, when she's done," Jake said simply, looking at the signed papers on the table and feeling awful for lying to Daria.
"I don't even get what you did that was so bad," Daria said. "I mean, you always go crazy. Mom should be used to it by now," she said lightly amused.
Jake could visualize Daria's smirk. He smiled slightly.
"I never lost my job over it. Also, your mom's stressed, too," Jake said reasonably.
"I guess," Daria said and went quiet.
"Daria?" Jake said, after a moment, desperate for her to keep talking.
"Dad?" she said softly.
"Yeah, honey," Jake said.
"It's bad, huh? You and mom," Daria said monotonously.
"You should get some sleep, kiddo," Jake said instead of answering her.
Daria sighed. "All right."
"And try to be nicer to your mother and sister, okay?" Jake said.
"I'll think about it," Daria said, but didn't sound serious.
"Goodnight, Daria," Jake said.
"Night, dad," Daria said and hung up.
Jake hung up the phone and stared at it, his heart shattering at the disconnection to his family.
He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, wishing he could be home and that everything was as it had been before his breakdown and the loss of his job.
Jake realized he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.