Chapter 11 – Honour
Jac stood outside the room where Faye was and looked inside. Faye was turned away from the crib in which Harry was lying. She was completely unaware of what had just gone on and for a second Jac wondered if it was best to leave it that way. But she had to tell her, that way Jac would have a better chance of getting Harry. Jac knocked on the door.
Jac inhaled deeply and knocked on the door. Faye raised her hand and took that as a signal to enter the room. "Faye…?"
"What do you want?" Faye looked over to Jac with eyes of stone, until she saw the pain on Jac's face. "What's happened Jac?"
Jac walked over to Harry and stroked his hand with hers. "There was a gunman on AAU, he shot Joseph." Jac began to cry once again. "Michael tried to save him, but the stress was too much, his heart could not take it. He died a few minutes ago."
"No… No Jac he can't have. What about me?"
"What about you?" Jac boomed. "What about your son! He no longer has a father and all he has left is a self-obsessed mother!"
"How dare you. I loved him."
"No you didn't! You're a gold digger, Faye. And always have been. You don't even know what love is. You can't even hold your own son." Jac's voice wavered with rage and sorrow.
Faye did not answer this, instead she went outside and made a phone call. Jac was left alone with Harry. Her mind wandered, even though Harry was only a few weeks old she could see that Harry had taken all the best parts from his Father. He had Joseph's strong jaw line and cheekbones, and his eyes. Jac wondered whether or not he would have his mind, and hopefully his open, warm heart. Jac contemplated taking Harry and running away with him. However she stayed put, holding Harry's hand she waited for Faye to return, which fairly quickly she did, re-entered the room and scribbled 'AF593' "What's that?" Jac asked?
"Nothing." Faye snapped.
Jac looked again. "That's a flight number… isn't it."
Faye looked deep at Jac. "Yes. Yes it is."
"Why the Hell do you have a flight booked Faye. Harry's only a few weeks old. He can't fly." Jac's concern was manifesting within her voice.
"I know he can't fly." Faye answered simply.
"Then why are you going on a flight!"
"I'm leaving England."
"No. Faye, No you can't! That's not fair!" Jac was scared, why would Faye leave at a time like this, before Christmas and leave behind her new born son.
"I can, I've got nobody to stop me now."
"Are you saying you would have left if Joseph hadn't have been involved?"
"Yeah, yeah I am. He kept me here, out of guilt, but he's gone now, so it's okay. I can go."
Jac began to cry once again, this time with rage and pain. How could Faye have thought this bad of Joseph, he did everything he could for her, and for his son, and now she was gonna throw it all away. "JOSEPH DID EVERYTHING HE POSSIBLY COULD TO MAKE YOU HAPPY AND YOU AND YOUR SON SAFE. HE SCUPPERED OUR CHRISTMAS PLANS FOR YOU FAYE! YOU AND NOBODY ELSE!"
"I don't care about what you had planned, Jac. All I care about is that I can get away and be free."
"So what about Harry. What will you do with him?"
"I don't know. Do you want him?" Faye asked this last question as if Harry was a pet that she didn't want.
"He's your son! You can't leave him, he doesn't even have a father!" Jac spoke with desperation.
"And now he doesn't have a mother. Unless you take him." The way Faye spoke made Jac's blood boil.
Jac knew this was the way in which she could fulfil her promises to Joseph. "Okay, Faye. I'll have Harry, and I will love him and care for him as if he was my own. I mean like you said. He should have been mine and Joseph's, and now he is."
Jac walked over to the incubator and picked Harry up and held him close to her. She turned to Faye. "Have you got his birth certificate?"
"No. Joseph was going to get it today."
Jac calmed herself. "I'll do it, It will have mine and Joseph's name on it, and you will have nothing more to do with him, Faye. You understand that right?"
"Yes. No are you going to leave?"
"Say goodbye Faye. To the last person who actually loved you. You're on your own now." With that, Jac left HolbyCare with her son. The first place she went was the chapel of rest. She went in and Michael was sat there, next to Joseph and was holding his hand.
"Are you okay, Michael?"
Tears started to fall down his face. "Jac, I'm so sorry. I could have tried too…."
"Shhhh Michael." Jac began to cry again. "It's okay. I know you couldn't have done any more than you did."
"You were going to spend your life with him. Now you can't."
"No, but Faye's given me his son. So… in a way, I do. He's ours."
Jac sat on the bench next to Michael and took his hand from Michael's. Michael left and Jac was alone with her family. Harry was fast asleep and Joseph too looked as though he was asleep. "We love you, Joseph. We will never forget you and you are always in our hearts." Jac stood up and walked towards the door. She turned around and kissed Harry on the head and looked at Joseph. She smiled, the purest and happiest smile imaginable, before she got taken away on a wave of emotion and slumped on a chair. Harry woke up and looked up at her, his eyes were full of love and admiration. "Let's go make you mine Mr Byrne!"
In the weeks that followed, Jac held Joseph's funeral and Harry's christening. Harry was christened and Harry Joseph Byrne, and he and Jac lived in the Byrne mansion happy knowing that Joseph was always with them. Jac Naylor and Harry Joseph Byrne were happy and Jac knew that she would do everything in her power to do what was best for her and Joseph's son, and she would make Joseph proud and live every day in his honour.
I would just like to thank everybody who has read and reviewed this story! I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Special thanks to Lauraz and Hi-World, who's reviews helped me finish this story. Keep Reading, Much Love, Hollie xxx
