A/N: Changed my mind. This is now a three-part oneshot. I know, I know, I'm an idiot sometimes. Umm, I can'tthinkof much to say except I'm working on the third and final part, hopefully it will be out soon. I know this is a lot shorter than the first partand itwould've been longer but I decided to split it into two parts, hence there being athird one. Please R&R and don't hate me at the end!
xx
Part 2: The Red Button
Her head was still turned towards the final resting place of the ring. She didn't notice him stalking up behind her, like a cat hunting it's prey.
She didn't see his eyes, and the malicious fire burning in them.
She didn't hear the thoughts swirling through his head, telling him what to do, what he had to do.
She didn't feel the movement of his hands being raised upwards, closer and closer to her shoulders, neck, and head.
She didn't...until it was too late.
Tommy's hands finally rested on the back of Jude's neck, where they began to squeeze and press and rub the muscles in an attempt to ease the tension that was built up there.
"Calm down, Jude, let's be rational about this. Let's just talk for now, ok?"
"Calm down?" She turned around and brushed his hands off of her. "Are you seriously telling me to calm down! And we're not going to talk about it."
"And why is that?"
"Because there's nothing left to say!"
"Oh, I think there is, Jude," Tommy replied with the hint of a threat in his voice.
"Well that's too bad for you, because there isn't. What do you not get about what I just did? My wedding ring is in the trash, just like our marriage is. It's over. End of story."
"No it's not."
"Now why would you think that? Have I not been clear enough? 'Cause you know, Tommy, I don't think I can get any clearer than that."
"We're not over, Jude. We can't be and we never will be. We'll always be together. We love each other. It took us so long to get here; we're not going to just brush it off."
"I don't love you."
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't. I love Tommy--but you're not him. The Tommy I knew and fell in love with disappeared a long time ago. Maybe I loved you, but not anymore. And it doesn't matter that much because I'm not sure if you ever really did love me in the first place."
"How can you say that?"
"Well how could you ever have said you loved me? Huh, Tommy? Because you know what? It was a lie. I just can't believe it took me this long to figure it out."
"I've always loved you, Jude. And I'm not a liar."
"Oh, apparently Little Tommy Q doesn't like the truth, probably because he's never told it to anyone before and doesn't know what it is," Jude taunted, knowing she was just putting more pressure on his big red button.
His voice was steel as he answered. "What did I tell you, on the day we met for Christ's sake, about calling me that?"
"Holy crap, Tommy, get over it. It's a nickname from years ago. Grow up."
Click.
She didn't predict it, see it, hear it, or even feel it until he was right there. Right there, with his hands clamped around her neck, squeezing. Right there, shoving her against the wall and lifting her tiny frame up higher and higher. Right there...
Jude's eyes were wide, fear clearly visible in the sparkling blue. It only urged him on. He felt powerful, and in control. He was the one making the decisions now, not her.
Her hands were grasping at his, trying to pull them away. She knew even trying was futile, and her body was running out of oxygen. It was almost over.
He had lifted her far enough up the wall by now that her feet were dangling. It occurred to her that she could strike out with her foot and kick him where she knew she could do some damage. But she didn't. Because, even after the hell of the past years, the problems with alcohol, and even this very second...
She still loved him.
She couldn't escape it.
She would always love him, no matter what.
With this realization, she just gave up. The fear left her eyes and was replaced by sadness. How did it come to this?
She'd let him do whatever he wanted to her, as long as it was what he wanted. If it meant the end of her life to make him happy, so be it.
He noticed something change in her eyes. He couldn't figure it out exactly, but something was different. And she had stopped struggling. Why?
While his mind was trying to understand the change in her, his hands slipped a little and his grip on her neck was loosened.
It was just enough for her. With the last bit of air in her body, she managed to breath out two syllables.
"Tommy..."
Before, she wasn't struggling. Now she was limp, dead weight. And he finally figured out the secret of her eyes.
The fear was gone. There was sadness after the fear, and then...love? How could there be love in her eyes while he...while he...
"Jude!"
Two bodies crumpled to the floor, one conscious, the other...