A/N – Just a little one-shot of Liz and her second husband. She mentions in episode 4x21 that he was a good guy so I thought maybe he liked Jess and tried to help him out a bit.
(Not the same universe as What If It Was Sooner)

I curled up tighter, gripping the pillow to my head, forcing the fabric over my ears to block out the yelling.

"You can't leave me!" I heard Liz scream, "You said you loved me! You have to stay!" I could hear the pleading note in her voice even through the slurring from the several drinks she had already had that morning.

"Liz!" His voice was angry, exasperated at my mother's stupidity. "You're drunk – no, don't deny it – I know you are, I can smell it from over here! And I know you've been smoking that shit again!"

"That's none of your business!" Liz hissed. "I can if I want!" Now she sounded childish, younger than me and I was only 8.

"Of course it's my business if my wife's doing drugs! What the hell kind of example do you think you're setting Jess?"

"Don't you fucking dare talk about my son! He's MINE!" Liz was full on shrieking now. I don't think she really cared about me, she was just too possessive. I knew this was true when she came crashing through the door into my room. She ripped the pillow away from my head, dragged my up by the back of my shirt and threw me into the kitchen where he was still standing. He caught me before I fell and I clung onto his arm.

"Get your hands off him!" Liz yelled and too late I realised she was talking to me. "He hates me! You're my son, you have to like ME best, not him!" and she stamped her foot like a 4 year old, then reached out to grab my hair. Yanking hard, she pulled me away from him and then slapped my cheek. I bit my lip and tried not to cry.

"Look, you bastard, you married me so you have to stay here! You have to love me!" She was yelling at him again, I was forgotten in the corner.

"No, Liz, I told you I would leave if you continued taking drugs and getting drunk every night."

"NO!" She screamed and reached up to slap him too. He let her. He just stood there, angry, but not in an out of control rage like Liz. Calm. His lack of reaction seemed to annoy her even more. She thumped his chest and screamed until he caught her wrists.

"Liz," he muttered, in a soothing voice now. "I did love you, I married you and you were drunk on the wedding day. I forgave you for that; you were nervous. But now I see that is just your regular everyday state. I have given you enough chances," his voice turned hard, "I'm leaving. I'll collect up my things and be gone in an hour."

He turned to me and gave me a weak smile. "I'm sorry Jess." And with that he walked into the bedroom and shut the door.

"This is all your fault!" Liz whispered fiercely at me. I stared at her bewildered.

"No. He said he was leaving 'cos you're drunk!" I yelled before I could stop myself. I flinched, ready for the inevitable slap. She lashed out, catching my cheek with her nail.

"Stupid child. If I never had you…" her voice was bitter now like she really regretted having me. I knew I was an accident, she'd told me enough times. I shrank away from her but she pulled me back and shook me. "Why do you ruin everything? Why can't YOU leave?" I saw the hate in her eyes, before she threw me against the fridge and I blacked out.

When I woke up, with an ear-splitting headache, he was gone and Liz was passed out on the couch, an empty bottle in her hand. I stumbled to my room and flopped onto the bed.

I heard paper crumpling as I sagged onto the pillow, reaching behind me I found an envelope with my name on. I opened it and a pile of bills fell onto my lap. My brow wrinkled in confusion as I pulled out a note.

Jess,
I'm sorry I had to leave, and I'm sorry Liz brought you into the fight. Use the money for yourself; don't tell her you have it. Look after Liz and keep yourself safe.

I sorted through the bills, $200, and sighed. Why could my mother not keep a good man?

The bad ones stayed but the good ones were always driven away.

A/N – Please review to tell me if you think Liz is too mean.

For followers of What If It Was Sooner, I'm really sorry I haven't updated recently, life has been hectic with coursework and revision and I have been working on some other stories I might publish. I'm going to write today and hopefully Chapter 3 will be up soon. Thanks!