Apology

"What are you talking about?" Thea shook her head, "An old friend. I told you."

"Ok, well… I know you're full of crap." Punk said, "So tell me what it was really for?" He asked.

"I'm… excuse me?" Thea looked at him, "Dad, you know what, it's 3am and I… I've had enough arguing for one day."

"Well you said you can't sleep so… let's talk." Punk shrugged, sitting down on the couch and making himself comfortable as Thea folded her arms.

"There's nothing to talk about." Thea looked at him.

"You're lying." Punk nodded calmly as Thea looked over at him, "It's fine, I mean… if you don't tell me what you're doing, I'll find it somehow."

"You think so?" Thea questioned as Punk nodded cockily.

"Dad finds out everything." Punk nodded as Thea shook her head, "Seriously…" He sat up, "What the hell is going on? I'm worried. I'm worried about what you're up to-"

"Ok, can you stop saying it like that? As if I'm being shady." Thea shook her head.

"Well I'm worried." Punk said, "I know you don't have old friends from college." He said as Thea looked across at him, "So just tell me what's going on?"

She knew she couldn't. Out of everyone, she knew she couldn't tell him, because that would only lead to disaster. She knew he would take matters into his own hands, and would be absolutely infuriated at the idea of Jude being in any sort of harm.

"Dad… really… I just wanted an address for someone I went to college with." Thea nodded. She didn't enjoy lying, especially to people she cared about, but she was just doing what she thought was best. What would protect Jude the best.

"What for?" Punk shook his head with confusion.

"You remember Kerry from college?" Thea asked. Oh, how she hated going deep into a lie.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Well she sent me a get well card. Must have heard I got shot. I wanted to send her a thank you card and let her know I was doing ok but I don't have her address and… who do I know that could find me an address for someone? Sean." Thea shrugged.

"Doesn't Facebook exist for this?" Punk shook his head.

"I don't have Facebook." Thea reminded him.

"You did when you were younger, when me and mom told you that you weren't allowed one." Punk scoffed.

"That's exactly why I wanted it." Thea smiled deviously as Punk sighed to himself.

"That's really all it was?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, really." Thea nodded.

"Well are you gonna talk to Jude? This seems like something stupid to be fighting over-"

"Yeah, well tell that to her. She's the one blowing it way out of proportion." Thea shook her head.

"I think she really likes Sean. I think the last thing she wants is for you to be going behind her back with him, regardless of what it's about." Punk said.

"It's not my fault she's so damn sensitive." Thea shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"Come on, just… in the morning, go talk to her-"

"Uh… I'm the invalid here, she can come talk to me if she wants to fix it." Thea said.

"You're the oldest and… you were in the wrong." Punk said.

"Well you know what, it's almost Christmas and I haven't done any wrapping so-"

"Thea." Punk hummed.

"What?" Thea snapped.

"Just go talk to her. Work it out. You guys can't come for dinner on Christmas Day and be in the middle of a fight. Squash it so we can have a good Christmas. James' first Christmas." He said as Thea folded her arms, "It's petty on both your parts if you don't just talk it out."

"Fine. Fine I will go and I will talk to her in the morning, but if she's still being difficult then I'm not getting on my knees and begging. That's her problem." Thea said.

"Alright, ok." Punk shook his head, "And if it was anything else, you'd tell me, right?"

"Yes." Thea rolled her eyes, "Ok, it's the middle of the night so you have to go."

"Ok." Punk nodded, standing up from the couch.

"Why are you even awake at this time?" Thea questioned.

"I just… I couldn't sleep." Punk shrugged, "No reason."

"Is mom asleep?" Thea asked.

"Like a baby." Punk nodded, walking out of the living room.

"What'd you get her for Christmas?" Thea asked.

"A vacation to Hawaii for a week at the end of January." Punk said as Thea raised her eyebrows.

"That's awful generous." Thea nodded.

"Yeah well she deserves it." Punk nodded, "Got her Grinch pjs too, Christmas cookies and some books I know she wants."

"You're cute." Thea nodded, patting his arm.

"You think she'll like the vacation thing?" Punk asked.

"Hell yeah, of course she will. And if she doesn't, I'll take the ticket." She said as Punk smiled.

"She really wants to have a good Christmas this year. After all the shit that's happened." Punk said as Thea nodded.

"Yeah, it'll be good." Thea smiled, "I'll… talk it out with Jude in the morning." She nodded.

"Good girl." Punk smiled, giving her a hug as she hugged back, "Ok, you go back to bed. I'm gonna go for a donut or something." He said as Thea smiled, watching as he left the house, closing the door over and heading back to bed.

The next morning, Thea headed to Jude's apartment where she saw her sister coming out of her block.

"Jude." Thea called, pushing James in his stroller, watching as Jude looked over.

"I'm still not talking to you." Jude looked over.

"Jude, just come here." Thea shook her head as Jude walked over.

"I have to go to work." Jude said as Thea nodded.

"I just want to apologise." Thea nodded, "I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have gone behind your back. You're right, I didn't think about how it looked and how you would feel and that was wrong of me." Thea said as Jude looked across at her, "I won't do it again. And I'll apologise to Sean too for putting him in an awkward position." She said.

"I don't even believe your apology." Jude shook her head.

"What?" Thea shook her head.

"You're not being sincere. You don't care about how I feel. You just want to apologise so we don't make any atmosphere at Christmas." Jude said as Thea groaned.

"Oh my God." Thea said tiredly, rubbing her forehead, "No, Jude… I'm actually apologising to you, sincerely."

"Yeah well I don't buy it. In fact, I guarantee it was mom or dad who made you come talk to me, otherwise you would have expected me to come see you." Jude said.

"Gosh, why are you making this such a big deal?" Thea shook her head, "Ok, yeah I shouldn't have done it but can't we just move on? You're acting like I slept with the guy or… killed someone with him. You're being dramatic."

"No, I'm just sick of you getting away with things and no one saying anything to you." Jude said, "Even Dominic thinks you're self-centred."

"Excuse me?" Thea shook her head.

"It's obvious." Jude nodded.

"You're being a bitch now." Thea nodded, "I'm here to apologise to you. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Just leave me alone." Jude nodded.

"What are you doing tonight? Me and Dominic were gonna rent a movie and get pizza. The two of us having matching pyjamas with James." She smiled.

"I'm going to a party." Jude said bluntly, "Enjoy your movie." She began to walk away.

"Wait." Thea pulled her back by the arm, "What party?"

"A college party." Jude said.

"And what… you're gonna show up at mom's with a hangover on Christmas day?" Thea chuckled a little.

"No, unlike you, I know when I have enough to drink." Jude nodded as Thea shook her head.

"You know what, I wasn't trying to hurt you… you're trying to hurt me when you say those things." Thea said, "And it does hurt, you know." She made clear as Jude looked across at her.

"I have to go to work." Jude said, walking past Thea and heading down the street as Thea watched and sighed.

"I didn't think there would be so many people here." Kirsty admitted, arriving at the party with Jude that night, "I thought people stayed in on Christmas Eve."

"Yeah, boring people." Jude nodded, "I need a drink." She said, walking over to the bar as Kirsty followed.

"We're only staying for a little while, right? I really don't wanna be hungover tomorrow." Kirsty said.

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Jude said, ordering them both a drink at the bar.

"Is Sean working?" Kirsty asked.

"Yeah." Jude frowned, "He's on call until 3am." Jude said, "Or else I would have just stayed in with him."

"Oh, so I'm your second option?" Kirsty asked.

"No, not you. The party." Jude nodded as Kirsty smiled, "Thea came to apologise to me today." She said.

"Oh, yeah? You guys talk things out?" Kirsty asked gladly, taking a sip of her wine.

"No." Jude said, "She's only apologising to me because she doesn't want there to be any atmosphere at Christmas. I bet you she still thinks what she did was ok." Jude shook her head.

"Is that what you really think?" Kirsty asked, "Maybe she really was apologising."

"No, trust me. You don't know her like I know her." Jude said, "On my fifteenth birthday, my dad had not long been out of prison. I wanted my family to go out, all of us, my dad too, and she made a huge scene, ruined the whole thing." Jude said, "I'm sick of having to forgive her for shit."

"At least she is apologising, though. Don't you think she's being sincere?" Kirsty asked.

"No, I don't." Jude said. She was still too mad and upset to consider talking to her sister and forgiving her. Too much was on her mind, and she was too heated to consider forgiving her just yet, "I really like Sean and the last thing I want is for him to feel caught with my family."

"I'm sure he doesn't. Didn't you talk to him about it last night?" Kirsty asked.

"Yeah but he's just being polite. I know he was uncomfortable with the whole thing." Jude said.

"You really like this guy, don't you?" Kirsty said as Jude nodded.

"I think I love him." Jude said as Kirsty raised her eyebrows.

"So that's why you're being all loopy and crazy." Kirsty nodded teasingly.

"Uh… loopy?" Jude chuckled.

"You love him." Kirsty teased, trying to kiss Jude's cheek.

"Ok ok." Jude laughed.

"Have you said it?" Kirsty asked.

"No… I'm scared he doesn't say it back. He is sort of shut off. He's not one to really open up much." Jude said.

"I thought you were going away with him for the weekend?" Kirsty asked.

"Yeah in a couple weeks." Jude nodded.

"Why don't you say it then?" Kirsty asked, "Or oh… oh, maybe he planned that trip, so he could say it to you." She said as Jude scoffed, thinking to herself for a minute.

"No…" Jude scoffed, "Well maybe." She said as Kirsty nodded.

"Hey Jude… Kirsty." Jeremy smiled as the girls turned around.

"Hey, Jeremy." Kirsty nodded, drinking her wine.

"Hi." Jude smiled.

"You guys look great." Jeremy nodded as they both smiled, "I'm glad you guys could make it." He nodded.

"Yeah well… gave us something to do." Kirsty nodded, "More time to spend more money we don't have."

"Well here… have one on me." Jeremy sat some money down on the bar.

"You don't have to." Jude shook her head.

"Hey, it's Christmas." Jeremy smiled, "I'll maybe see you guys later?" He nodded.

"Sure." Jude smiled, watching as he walked away.

"He's more tolerable when he gives us money." Kirsty nodded, sliding the money he'd left and ordering them more drinks as Jude smiled.

"What's wrong?" Dominic asked, sitting next to Thea on the couch, holding baby James in his arms as he slept whilst they watched their movie.

"Nothing." Thea forced a smile as he rested his head back on the couch.

"Thea." Dominic said, "C'mon, what's up?" He asked her, "I thought the three of us having matching Christmas Eve pyjamas would have kept a smile on your face all night."

"Believe me, it has." Thea smiled, "I'm just… thinking about Jude, that's all."

"You went and apologised. That's all you can do." Dominic said, "If she wants to hold a ridiculous grudge then let her. She's gotta let it go at some point." He said.

"I just hate fighting with her." Thea sighed, "It sucks."

"I know." Dominic said.

"I wish I could just tell her the truth." Thea said.

"You think she'd be more receptive to that?" Dominic questioned.

"I don't know." Thea shrugged, "Maybe it'd make her realise I'm not just being self-centred and selfish. That I'm actually trying to look out for her." She said, "I just wanted to handle it on my own. Protect her on my own without involving anyone else."

"Protect her from what?" Dominic shook his head, "You really think this guy wanted to harm her?"

"I don't know. I don't know, maybe he was just weird." Thea shrugged, "I just have a bad feeling about him, that's all I'm saying."

"Ok." Dominic nodded, "Well you did what you felt was right. I don't blame you for that. And Jude shouldn't either. And she certainly shouldn't be trying to hurt you just because she's mad at you. That makes her just as bad."

"I really wanted this Christmas to be great." Thea sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder, placing her hand on James' back, rubbing it softly as he slept against Dominic's chest.

"Hey, it's gonna be great." Dominic said, "We're gonna have a good time. You and your sister will squash things by the end of Christmas day. I know you both." He said as Thea sighed.

"I don't know. She's really mad at me." Thea said, "But I did everything I could." She said, "I apologised and she didn't wanna hear it."

"See how things go tomorrow." Dominic said, "Don't let it spoil your day." He said as Thea nodded.

"I can't believe it's his first Christmas." Thea smiled, looking down at James sleeping, "He's the best." She whispered, playing with James' hair as Dominic nodded.

"Yeah, I think so too." Dominic said, "I wonder if Santa will bring him anything." He teased as Thea looked up at him.

"Judging by our bank accounts, I'd say so." Thea nodded as Dominic smiled.

"Why don't you pause the movie and I'll go put him down?" He said as Thea nodded, pausing the movie.

"Ok." Thea nodded, leaning down and giving James a kiss on his cheek, smiling as she watched him make a little face in his sleep.

Dominic got up and left the living room, taking James upstairs to put him down whilst Thea waiting on the couch, sighing to herself as she thought about her sister.

"H-Hey… w-where did Kirsty go?" Jude stumbled out of the bar, feeling someone putting her coat over her shoulders, "I uh…" She tried to speak, but really couldn't find the words, nor the steps in her to move forward.

What she couldn't remember was Kirsty meeting a boy and leaving the bar. Jude was fine with it and told her she would be leaving soon anyway, but after another drink or two, she felt herself get extremely drunk, to the point where she couldn't really stand right or speak.

She couldn't really take in much of her surroundings. She didn't feel in control of herself at all. But with only having a couple of drinks, it was obvious it wasn't alcohol that was making her feel this way.

"You ok?" Jeremy fixed her coat on her shoulders, helping her walk down the street slowly.

"Uh… my phone." Jude tried to feel around for her phone drowsily, but Jeremy had her purse.

"It's ok, I got your phone." Jeremy nodded, walking her down the street, helping her walk, "You're safe with me, don't worry." He whispered, helping her down the street, far away from the crowded bars, towards his house.