chapter word count: 447


noir heart: twenty eight

"How…uh…how's it going?"

Her voice attempts a breezy lilt, but he can easily detect the waver in her words without needing the nervous 'uh'.

"Good, actually. New case. In fact I'm not really on it, so…everything's pretty easy-you?" he answers, and he can't help but curl a small smile. It's been too long since he heard her voice, and it's…nice.

"Good, good. No, that's good." she babbles, and the little flicker of disquiet becomes a candle. "I'm happy…for you. I'm doing okay, actually. Really good."

He tries to ignore the way she's almost tripping over her words, like she doesn't know what to say in his presence. Is it that bad? He doesn't feel like a pressure-sensitive bomb. Sure, he's the equivalent of a sentient vase that's trying to mend itself, and the progress is so slow that it looks to the untrained eye that nothing has changed, but…

"Oh great. I'm glad to hear it…"

There's a pause on the line, a pregnant pause where he doesn't know what to say – or rather, he does and he's trying to bring himself to say it – and she's either waiting for something to react to or is unable to speak herself.

"Listen…I was wondering…"

"Yes, Jack?"

"I know we…I know…I know we had the divorce and everything, and, well…" he hesitates for a moment while his free hand – trembling slightly – dives into his pocket and pulls out the wedding ring. "I was just wondering if you…if you wanted to…get a coffee sometime? I mean…"

"Jack…" she tries to interrupt him, but he's on a roll. He needs this.

"I mean…I know it went bad but…I'm better now-"

Liar, a jaded voice in his head tells him.

"-and I just…wanted to know if you were open to…maybe starting again? You and me?" he says awkwardly as he stares longingly at the ring, and his face manifests an expression akin to childlike hope and borderline prayer.

Then it falls.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I can't."

His heart stills in his chest, and the world comes to a standstill, bringing with it despondency unlike nothing he's ever felt.

"You see…I moved away…and, well, I can't go back to how it was. That job took you apart and…I just…I can't keep trying to put you back together. I'm so sorry, Jack."

Whatever's left in his heart that still held on to sunshine and love…breaks.


miki fubuki: shot in the feels, and I'm to blame. *bon jovi rock out*
jpbake: you shall have to wait and see.
theonlyreason: thank you so much!
guest: yeeeeeessss!
e-teens: If you want to get technical, it was Jack's fault.
ekalfwons: Swing and a miss! They don't have a child together.
hornedgoddess: Nah, you spelled(spelt?) it right. Glad you're enjoying it.
yuyui hime: yes! Rapunzel!
stefalove: Yeah - on the list of ships that Jack is a part of, Jackunzel is one that I can see happening. Not in this story, obviously.
oninoko: Oh, they would bicker so much. Eeh, kinda. And you are important and accomplished and stuffs!

right, important stuff here: one, Rapunzel isn't a bad person in this.
Two: I'm taking a break from writing - more details in my profile. The other people with whom I have talked at length about the issues I'm going through know who they are, and I thank them for it.