Weakness
Punk made his way outside the hospital, walking along the right of the entrance until he found Theo's father standing on the phone. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to the man. He didn't know very much about him, other than he didn't put much effort into his relationship with Theo, and never had.
"I'll call you back." Raul cut his phone call short as he spotted Punk approaching him, "Can I help you?" He questioned Punk.
"I'm Cassie's dad." Punk nodded.
"I know who you are." Raul shook his head, "I remember you from the wedding." He nodded with recollection, "I tell you… I thought my son did well for himself, getting a fine woman like Cassie, until she opened her mouth." He shook his head as Punk folded his arms, "If I had daughters you wouldn't catch them speaking like that to people-"
"But you just have sons that you don't visit or pay attention to?" Punk nodded as Raul glared at him, standing a few feet away from each other in front of one of the benches.
"Get out of my sight." Raul shook his head.
"I actually came out here to check on you." Punk admitted, "I know if that was one of my girls in there I'd… well I'd be losing my mind." He nodded.
"Right." Raul nodded, running his hand over his face.
"Cassie's just not in a good place right now, understandably. It's been a traumatic day and it's… well it's not getting any better." Punk nodded, "And if she believes that Theo wouldn't want you in the room, she has every right to speak for him." He said as Raul looked at him.
"That is my son in there." Raul shook his head, "You people… you don't… you don't know him." He said defensively.
"What a stupid thing to say." Punk shook his head, "He's like a son to me and my wife. He's a good man. Good father." He nodded, "I don't know what the hell your guys relationship is like. I just know it's not good." He said, "And I know that Christmas', birthdays, thanksgiving or just a Saturday night… I'm the dad that shows up for them." He said.
"Well I don't live here." Raul shook his head, "And it's not a damn competition."
"It's not. You're right. Cause you don't even try." Punk said, "Doesn't it bother you that you have a grandson you've only met a few times? Cause I know for damn sure it bothers Theo. That's why Cassie asked you to leave." He nodded.
"Well he never calls me." Raul said defensively.
"I think we both know he did, for too long, until he realised that he was putting in all the effort and getting nothing back. From his own dad." Punk said.
"Well it's difficult. I live elsewhere, I remarried and have other kids… Theo never understood. He never wanted to accept it." Raul shook his head, "He chose to come here with his mother over staying with me in Mexicali." He said, "That was on him."
"When he was a kid?" Punk questioned, "You wanna hold that against him? Because he was forced to decide between his own parents?"
"You don't know anything about it." Raul shook his head.
"I know what it's like to have a rocky relationship with your kid." Punk nodded, "But I also know how to fix it. It's called not giving up. And I think you and I both know that you gave up a long time ago. And Theo damn sure knows that too." He said as Raul swallowed the lump in his throat, looking down at the ground, "I can… keep you updated on what's going on. But Cassie is Theo's wife. He'd trust her with his life, and his decisions. And he'd expect you to show her a little respect." He said, "And I would too, as her dad." He said seriously as Raul looked over at him, nodding slowly.
"I just… I want to know he's ok." Raul said simply. He was a man who couldn't handle reality. Who couldn't handle hearing about his many flaws and failures.
"I'll keep you updated." Punk nodded, watching as the man sunk down onto the bench, putting his hands in his head. He knew out of everyone, this man would feel the strongest regret.
"Sean?" Jude called, walking into her parent's house after getting home from the hospital. After sensing Cassie was getting a little frustrated with people coming in and out of the hospital room, she decided it was best to go home for a few hours, unless she was given a dreaded phone call that things had taken a bad turn.
"I'm up here." Sean called from upstairs as Jude began climbing, reaching the top and finding him in the guest bedroom, which used to be Cassie's old room. It amused her how quickly her parents turned all of their old bedrooms into sweet guest rooms when they all left home.
"Hey." Jude nodded tiredly, "You unpacked my things." She noticed her bag empty.
"Yeah they're in the dresser." Sean pointed, "I wanted to see you before I shoot off to my hotel." He nodded as she looked over at him, kicking her shoes off.
"Right." She nodded quietly.
"How are things?" He asked as Jude just shook her head.
"Not great. And I guess the longer they don't stay great, the less hope everyone has." Jude nodded, "And Theo's estranged father just showed up so… I think that was my cue to leave." She said.
"Well Jeanie text. She said the girls went to sleep just fine." Sean said as Jude nodded with relief, the most relaxing thing she'd heard all day for sure.
"I hope she doesn't mind." Jude sighed, "I felt like we just dumped them with her." She shook her head, taking her jacket off and her hair tie out as her hair fell around her face messily.
"She won't mind." Sean shook his head.
"Did you speak with Jake?" Jude asked.
"Didn't get a chance. It was a long shot. The guy is probably up to his eyeballs in press and work that I probably wouldn't even understand. Not to mention seven dead cops." He shook his head.
"Seven? That's how many?" Jude turned to him as Sean nodded.
"Five in hospital, including Theo." Sean said.
"Gosh, it's just so awful." Jude sighed, massaging her temples as Sean nodded, "I can barely look at Cassie. She's so… so broken." She shook her head, "I think she really thinks she's gonna lose him." She sighed.
"He's a tough dude. And he's hanging in there." Sean said.
"She doesn't wanna hear all of that crap, though. It's Cassie. She likes facts." Jude nodded.
"How is Thea?" Sean asked curiously.
"She just looked exhausted." Jude said, "They were gonna pick Chase up and take him home, so Theo's mom could go to the hospital."
"His mom and his dad in the same room? That might wake him up." Sean nodded with a smile.
"Oh, no. Cassie kicked his dad out. She doesn't want him in the room." Jude said, massaging her neck as Sean watched her.
"Fair enough." Sean said as Jude nodded.
"I thought I'd come here and get a couple hours sleep but… I know for sure I'm not gonna be able to." Jude shook her head, hugging her arms as Sean nodded, standing a few inches away from her, awkwardly looking to the door. He didn't want to leave, and for the first time since their split, he was beginning to sense she didn't want him to leave either.
"Can I make you something to eat or something?" Sean asked her.
"No I'm ok." She whispered, looking over at him. She hated that somehow she still sought comfort in him in stressful times. She didn't want to. She wanted to hate him. Be done with him, after what he had done. But she couldn't.
"My hotel is just ten minutes away." He nodded to her.
"You could have just stayed here." She said.
"I don't think your parents-"
"Sean, they don't hate you as much as you think they do." Jude rolled her eyes, "And they're not gonna leave Cassie's side right now anyway." She nodded. She wished there was a more discrete way of asking him to stay.
It did mean something to her that he was still by her side. That he still chose to be there for her when she needed him, even if she didn't vocalize it. He just knew. She missed that about him. Just his presence around her. The safety blanket she got when she was with him.
"I mean, I can stay if-"
"Yeah." Jude nodded, inching closer to him at the foot of the bed until they were almost touching, "You can." She said, looking up at him. She knew she'd probably regret it in the morning, but right now she just wanted to have him.
She knew he'd gather what she was getting at, and watched as he leaned down, kissing her softly as she kissed back harder, wrapping her arms around his neck as he picked her up and dropped her on the bed.
Clothes were half taken off. He pulled her t-shirt down so it was bunched around her waist, doing the same with her bra. Jeans came down and her panties were pushed to the side as he put himself inside her.
"Fuck." Jude moaned, leaning her head on his shoulder as he thrust between her legs. She couldn't imagine ever going to this place with anyone else. Even with what he had done, physically she knew it could only ever be him. She wasn't sure if it was due to her attack or because she just loved him that much. In an act that wasn't always easy for her, he turned it into perfection every time.
"Fuck I miss you." He groaned into her neck between kisses as she pulled the back of his hair, circling her legs around his waist and welcoming him in. She knew she'd punish herself somehow for this afterwards, but right now it just felt too good to care.
