DROWNED WORLD
SUMMARY: William Cooper's life starts to spiral out of control when an unknown assailant repeatedly tries to kill him. Luckily he has Frank Moses on his side (Post-Movie, friendship Cooper/Moses, violence, language).
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Nothing's mine. And beware. English is not my first language, but I hope the story is readable.
CHAPTER 1
William Cooper stood motionless in front of his door. The biting wind made him shiver, but he didn't move from his spot. He saw soft light coming from the living room and knew that Michelle was waiting for him. This wasn't unusual, but dread was still curling in his chest. Since the disaster with Frank Moses their marriage was strained. Michelle had grown distanced and Will couldn't really blame her for it. He understood her feelings and he had tried his best to reassure her and the kids. He had offered to look for a new home and he had tried to spend as much time as possible with them. Of course Michelle had been aware that his work wasn't an ordinary 9-to-5 job, but there was a big difference between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand. Will had explained that Moses would bother them never again and that they never had been in any immediate danger, but Michelle didn't believe him. And Will still couldn't blame her for it. She hadn't met Moses. She knew nothing about the man.
Will sighed softly and opened the door. Time to face the music.
"Will?"
He sighed again. His wife's voice sounded tired and strained. This was the fourth day in a row he came home this late and he felt guilty.
"Yeah, it's me. I didn't think you'd be still awake."
Michelle was sitting on the couch. Her left hand was clenched in her grey cardigan and Will instantly knew that this meant trouble for him even though her face was impassive. The agent got out of his coat and suit jacket and draped the garments over the back of the couch. Will stepped closer to Michelle and leaned over to kiss her, but she turned her head away.
"We need to talk, Will."
He sank heavily onto the couch. Deep down he knew what Michelle was about to tell him, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Maybe it was just another mundane problem and she only wanted to hear his opinion.
"Will… I don't think I can go on like this."
"Like what?"
"You know what I'm talking about. I don't feel safe here anymore. I jump at every damn shadow. Gracie and Jack are scared too. This isn't our home anymore!"
Will knew all of this. It was not the first time Michelle had told him this after all. He answered like he had done before, "We can move, Michelle. That's no problem at all."
"Move? Where? Into a bunker? What guarantee can you give me that we will be safe?"
He could give her no guarantees. Will longed to restore her sense of security. He longed to restore their previous life. But he couldn't.
"Michelle, please…"
"No, Will. No." Michelle rose and nervously paced the length of their living room. "I'm sorry, but no. You know what I want."
He felt ice-cold. He wanted to protest, to beseech her, but no words came over his lips. Michelle looked close to tears as she said, "I want a divorce, Will."
"Michelle… We…" He had to take a deep breath. "You want to throw our marriage away? Just like that? We can…"
"We can what!? There's nothing we can do. And do you really think that this doesn't upset me as well? Do you think that I don't care? That this is easy for me? I love you, Will, but I can't live with you anymore. I have to think about Jack and Gracie. And…"
Michelle fell silent. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and Will had a lump in his throat as well. He wanted to rail at her, but he knew what she was talking about. He didn't want to admit it, but he had always known that having a family in his line of work was bordering on insanity. He knew that he had been selfish. Reckless, even. But he loved Michelle. He remembered their first meeting as clear as if it had been yesterday. It had been love at first sight. It had been fucking perfect. Their life together had been fucking perfect. And now it would be all over? Will didn't want to accept this. There had to be another way to solve their problems.
"Do you want me to quit my job? I'll do it. I'll find something else."
She shook her head. "You love your job."
"I love you and the children more."
Why was she still shaking her head? He meant it. Michelle wiped her tears with a shaking hand away and said, "I can't ask that of you."
"You don't have to."
"Will… This won't work."
"Why? Tell me what you want."
Her hands knotted again in the folds of her cardigan. After several moments of strained silence she finally answered, "I've met someone."
What? Will couldn't believe what he had heard. He felt like someone had sucker punched him. She had met someone? The words were fairly tumbling out of her mouth and her voice was getting louder as she explained further, "His name's Ben. He is an architect and works from home. I met him at the coffee shop near Gracie's school. He is good with children. He… He is good for me. I didn't plan this. It just happened."
Will's hands had balled into fists. It had just happened? Ben? An architect? He would find and kill this fucking wife-stealing asshole! He just couldn't believe it. Yes, they had problems, but not even in his darkest nightmares he would have thought that Michelle would cheat on him. How could she? He had done everything in his power to save their relationship and she went and fell for this fucker Ben!
"I can see you're mad at me, Will. I understand that. But I simply can't live with you any longer. I hope you can forgive me someday."
The fight suddenly deserted him and left him exhausted and sick to his stomach. She couldn't live any longer with him. He had blown it. He wished that he at least could blame his failing marriage on Frank Moses, but even that was impossible. Moses had only shown him how vulnerable he was in his personal life; he never would have really exploited this weakness unlike many other potential enemies. At least Michelle, Gracie, and Jack were only scared and not dead.
Will rose and collected his jacket and coat. He slipped them on and said without looking at Michelle, "I'll get my stuff later."
"You don't have to. We will move in with Ben."
Of course. Will only nodded silently and turned to leave. He needed some space. Michelle made no move to stop him. It was over.
TBC.
