Blaze Of Glory

PikaDarkness

Chapter 16

When Love Finds Two Hearts

The car ride home (in Delia's car - remember Jeff's car is trashed) was a joyous, Delia was driving as she knew in Jeff's state he wouldn't be able to control the car for more then a few minutes.

Jeff had the kids riled up, now the car was shaking as they jumped around in their seats it looked very weird for a pedestrian to see a car jump violently up and down while in motion.

"Settle down!" Delia shouted, that didn't do a thing. "You can walk!"

Jeff unbuckled his seatbelt the same time Emma did.

"How do you guys do everything at the same time like that?" Misty asked.

Jeff and Emma looked at her. "Do what?" They asked at the exact same time.

"That, doing and saying everything at the same time."

Both Jeff and Emma shrugged.

"Well Delia this is our stop! We'll walk!" Jeff smiled, Delia locked the doors.

"Yeah right, I was kidding! You'd probably start I riot."

"That is the general idea" Emma pointed out, Jeff hi5'ed her. "Scare the shit out of people so they gang up…. Dream comes true"

Everyone laughed.

They stopped at a supermarket to pick up some supplies, Emma had to drag Jeff out of the car, and he was scared people would stare at him because he was arrested.

"No-one is going to stare alright? Their not going to look twice." Emma soothed, managing to get Jeff out of the car.

"It-it just feels weird to be out here…" Jeff muttered, indeed once your in prison you figure you don't belong in the outside world. "L-like I'm out of place or something…"

Emma smiled sadly. "You're not out of place dad, your just confused now, don't worry."

Jeff's head subconsciously shrank into his shoulders, Emma felt very bad for him. When they walked into the supermarket Jeff muttered. "Just let me go back into the car…"

"No dad, see their not staring at you."

Suddenly someone screamed, Jeff looked up. Their neighbour was pointing at Jeff with a look of horror on her face. Jeff pulled his arm back and ran to the car. Emma gave her neighbour a disgusted look before taking off after him. Their neighbour Josephine had no right to do that, Jeff wasn't hurting anyone.

Jeff was in the front seat, crying hard and pulling his hair, rocking back and forth. Emma's heart broke when she saw this.

"Dad! Dad settles…! It's alright! Shh…" Emma tried to soothe him but was unsuccessful. Emma grabbed his shoulder's "Stop! Dad its ok! Josephine is an asshole don't listen to her!"

Jeff was beginning to calm down. His sobbing hadn't stopped. Emma hugged Jeff letting him cry on her if he wanted or needed to.

"I-I told you… I was… out of place…" Jeff choked. Emma pulled him forcefully away.

"You're not out of place. You hear me?! It's because Josephine saw you being taken by the police! She doesn't know about anything that transpired other then that! There was nothing on the news or radio so don't worry about it either." Emma was gently shaking Jeff, trying to get the message through to him. Jeff looked at her before pulling her into a hug, silently weeping on her shoulder. Josephine walked by their car, she looked at Jeff weirdly. Emma cracked.

"Why the hell did you scream at him?"

"H-he w-was…"

Emma filled in. "He was arrested for a crime he didn't commit!"

Josephine looked ashamed of herself. Sidestepping Emma she went to Jeff who looked up at her with red eyes. "I'm sorry." she meant it too.

"It's ok…"

"I didn't mean to give you any trouble…" Jeff nodded. Josephine smiled and walked off.

"See?" Emma said, Jeff smiled meekly.

"Foolish…" Jeff muttered, wiping his stinging eyes.

Emma put a hand on Jeff's shoulder. "No it's not foolish… you've been in prison and obviously you're not used to being back out here but you will be."

Jeff smiled, Emma graciously left him in the car, it was foolish to think he'd be comfortable and used to his surroundings when it used to be a prison, he was obviously frightened, Emma thought that whatever happened to him in their must have been bad.

When everyone came out, and got to the car, Jeff was lying in the backseat he had a firm, determined and remorseful glare on his face. Emma cautiously opened the door.

"Dad?"

Jeff looked over his head and smiled, sitting up and climbing into the front. Delia looked at Jeff seriously as she got into the car, Jeff met her gaze and understood what she was wordlessly asking.

"I'm fine." Delia held the gaze on him. "Really."

Delia sighed and started the car. She knew she wasn't going to get an answer from him but it was worth a shot.

Jeff was far from fine though… no one knew why at he was determined to keep it that way. After all he hid it since that motorbike crash and he was hopeful to keep the secret to the grave.

Emma sensed he was hiding something, but kept quiet. Although she made a memo to ask him later.

Getting to Jeff and Emma's house, everyone grabbed as many bags as they could carry. Jeff was the last to enter. Something caught his eyes and he looked up. Josephine was on her balcony looking directly at Jeff, then she clasped her hands and walked backwards.

"Dad, are you alright?" Emma asked, unfortunately she was a lot smaller in size compared to Jeff and standing infront of him did nothing. Emma pushed Jeff lightly and he looked down angrily. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" Jeff snapped "Look just because I space out doesn't mean anything is wrong!"

"Well sorry for caring dad!" Emma couldn't believe he was angry at a simple question.

"You should be, just get inside." Jeff pushed her hard towards the front door and grabbed her shirt and threw her in when she tripped over.

Emma was scared and refused to talk to Jeff afterwards. Everyone felt the stony wall erected between Jeff and Emma, they didn't look at each other nor speak to or about each other, if they accidentally bumped into each other they'd sidestep around and continue walking as if they hit furniture.

Dinner was unpleasant, Brock and Delia tried to get them to talk to each other but Emma just ignored them while Jeff stabbed at his food moodily. Ash and Misty looked at each other, a spat like this was something not even they had before even less seen between people who were extremely close for Father and Daughter.

Delia had enough. "Look this is ridiculous either you talk or we go home." Jeff didn't respond nor did Emma, who threw meatballs into the air catching half in her mouth and the others fell with a sickening splat on the floor.

Jeff had had enough of it. "Would you cut that out?"

"It's not hurting you. Besides what are you going to do about it? Use one of your new prison moves?" Jeff got to his feet and walked off, Delia was looking exasperatedly at Emma.

"Now why did you go say something like that?" Delia asked crossing her arms.

"Because I can!" Emma snapped back. Delia didn't get mad, Emma was just getting rid of her anger.

"I think you should apologise."

Emma knew she should, but she didn't want to. Emma got up from the table ascended the stairs and went straight to her room.

Jeff was crying in his room, Emma might not mean what she had said, but it hurt badly. Jeff slammed his arms on the wall burying his face in them as he cried. Everything seemed to be affecting him like this and he was sick of it. Why did this keep happening to him? Bad things do happen to good people but the only good thing that happened in his life was meeting Andrea and Emma coming into the world.

Emma… oh shit! I forgot what I did to her this afternoon! I threw her around like a rag doll… I can't blame her for being angry at me… Time to make things up.

Delia didn't leave, it was a matter of time before they made up, she knew Jeff and Emma enough to know that they couldn't be mad at each other for long and someone had to amend things.

Jeff left his room, making his way to Emma's. He knocked and Emma called.

"Come in." Jeff opened the door. "Ugh what do you want?"

Jeff sat down on the bed. "To apologise."

Emma was a bit surprised, she thought he'd be in here to yell at her for what she said to him at dinner.

"When we came home from the supermarket, I had no right to hurt you like I did. I shouldn't have put my hands on you and throw you around I'm sorry."

"Dad it's ok, and I'm sorry for telling you to use a prison move on me, because while you've been in there I know you didn't pick up one prison characteristic."

Jeff and Emma hugged, happy to not be mad at each other anymore for them it wasn't easy to do.

"I think we should go downstairs, I don't think Delia will wait anymore." Jeff grimaced a little; Delia wasn't the patient kind.

"She's still down there?" Emma was amazed, she waited that long? "I agree we should get down there, she'll scream at us later if we don't."

Jeff laughed and the two made their way downstairs. Ash and Misty were having a spat in the lounge room, something about Ash being dense and Misty a stupid loser who's head was on fire.

"Hey, cut it out I don't wanna clean up your blood." Jeff said getting in between the two who glared at each other ominously, before looking away haughtily. Jeff chuckled and moved away from them finding it safe to do so. Delia was still sitting at the kitchen table, Brock was looking at stuff on the counter, the food maybe.

"If you want to make something you can, I'm not going to stop you." Jeff made the announcement that made Brock jump and break the cookie jar smashing it to pieces.

Jeff closed his eyes, that used to be Andrea's, oh well the garbage was its next resting place.

"I'm so sorry!" Brock cried, Emma ran over to help him pick it all up. "I didn't mean to break it!"

"Don't worry Brock it's just a cookie jar" Jeff said, "Things don't last forever."

Emma yelped, her hand was badly cut as Brock moved one of the bigger pieces sending another one into her palm cutting it from the top of her index finger to her wrist. Emma got up elevating her hand.

Jeff was over there in a flash, forcing her to let him look at it.

"Ah!" Emma cried as she opened her hand up Jeff cringed and took her over to the sink to wash the blood away. Then he went to the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bandage and gently wrapping it around Emma's hand.

"There could be glass still in there, but we'll have a look tomorrow." Jeff said as he gently put the end of the bandage into the top bit that covered her fingers.

"Alright." Emma put her hand back up to her chest, it hurt terribly.

Jeff looked back at the glass remains of the jar. "I'll pick that up later." he didn't want anyone else cutting themselves. Brock looked mad at himself. "Don't worry Brock it was an accident." Jeff said earnestly.

"Where'd you get it?" Brock asked, Emma looked up at him for even she didn't know.

"I got it for Andrea on Mothers Day, Emma was too young to get her a present so I bought one saying Emma got it."

Brock was horrified, he couldn't believe he broke it!

"Accidents happen Brock. Don't worry." Jeff assured quickly holding his hands out as though the power of relaxation would shoot out from them.

Brock still didn't look happy or anything that involves smiling, he had just broken something that reminded the Hardy's about the deceased person who meant so much to them, he'd never forgive himself for it. To some it was just a cookie jar but to them it was something a little bit more special then something you put biscuits in.

Jeff ushered them away from the attraction, anymore cuts to someone and he'd be going crazy trying to find another bandage.

Ash and Misty were having a staring competition, for two kids that were 10 and 11 years old they were extremely competitive, Emma threw a cushion that rebounded from Ash to Misty knocking them back to earth. They looked at their spectators with angry looks, then their expressions changed to show confusion as they looked at Emma's hand.

"What happened?" Misty asked, pointing at the bandage.

"Brock smashed the biscuit tin and I cut myself trying to clean it up." Emma failed to mention it was Brock who cut her, probably sparing him from Misty. Ash shook his head and crossed his arms, glaring at Brock who had gone crimson.

"It's true what they say you always hurt the ones you-" Brock hastened to cover Misty's mouth.

Emma filled in. "Love."

Brock had gone so red he could be mistaken for an oddly shaped tomato. Little did Brock know that Emma shared his love. Only Emma was scared to display it for fear of losing him. She loved Andrea and she was ripped from her, Jeff hadn't gone yet but he would be one day, she didn't want to love someone too much in case they didn't share it, or was killed.

Brock and Emma were staring at each other, Everyone else's eyes were flicking back and forth from one to the other trying to make them blink but their gaze remained unbroken.

Jeff motioned for them all to leave the room, that's when Brock and Emma started to talk.

"Emma look I-"

Emma held up her hand. "Don't bother trying to explain, I know what you're going to say."

"Do you? Or do you know what you want me to say?" Brock usually folded his arms at a statement like this but he didn't.

Emma was caught on the question.

"Alright what were you going to say?"

Brock took a deep breath. "I love you Emma, I always have since I met you. I hope you feel the same."

Emma was surprised, but she wasn't ready to handle a relationship just yet, she figured that Brock had a right to know.

"Brock I do feel the same way but I'm not ready for a relationship at the moment I don't mean any disrespect in that, its not you its me, I can't handle loving someone and knowing that it's only temporary."

Brock was a bit upset. "Alright."

"I'm sorry if I've hurt you…" Emma looked at Brock, looking into her eyes Brock noticed they backed up her statements.

"No its ok I understand where your coming from with this, I'm a patient guy, I can wait for you."

Emma walked up to Brock and kissed him on the cheek. "That was for being a good person and respecting my wishes."

"Gives me something to look forward to as well." Brock muttered and Emma giggled.

"I won't keep you waiting that long." and they hugged. Brock was happy to here her say she felt his love and was a bit sad to be kept waiting but he would no matter how much he hated to. "Before you know it we'll be together, you'll see."

"I can't wait for that day…"

"Me too."

Misty walked through the door as they parted, she cocked her head questioningly, Brock walked away and Emma just had to tell Misty.

When Emma finished they started giggling and talking like two girls looking at a poster of some hot celebrity and what they'd love to do to them.

"How long is it going to be till you both get together?"

"I don't know, I just want to feel ready with it before I do something about it."

"I wish Ash told me how he thinks…" Misty muttered looking sad. Emma patted her back.

"Ash might feel the same he just handles love differently, don't forget he's only 10."

"Yeah I know but I don't want to wait until I'm fifteen for him to tell me." Misty slapped her thighs.

"Misty, patience goes a long way, he's probably trying to figure out what that feeling in his stomach is before he can act on it"

"You speak like you're his sister." Misty pointed out.

"I know how guys work, I've been living with one all my life without a female figure around for a while." Emma became solemn. Misty looked at her with obvious sorrow, she had forgotten that Emma knew what it was like to lose someone. She decided to ask about it.

"Emma what was it like around here weeks after your mum died."

Emma looked at Misty

"It was hard, dad was upset for the longest time, if he dropped something or did something wrong he'd get angry, we were living with his parents for a while before we bought this house. I heard dad cry at night which was hard to hear." Emma felt tears burn her eyes. " Then we learnt to get on with our lives, dad stopped getting angry and crying and started becoming the best dad he could, I never went to school so we kept each other company we visit mums grave on Mothers Day and when mum's birthday comes dad used to shy away in his room, and I'd go upstairs to keep him company… its still not hard and is still like this."

Misty felt for the pair, this was heartbreaking to hear and to imagine how they felt would be nearly impossible.

"I shouldn't have asked, sorry"

"No it's ok…" Emma wasn't upset or angry about explaining what she went through, Misty was only asking and she was fine with it.

Jeff walked through the door, Emma felt the sudden urge to hug him after remembering how he dealt with Andrea's death. She did so.

"Wh-what?" Jeff was startled… he hadn't done anything.

Emma didn't reply, she just hugged him. Jeff slowly hugged back he was coming to terms with not being in trouble.

"What did you hug me for?" Jeff asked once Emma let him go. Misty had left when Emma got up.

"Misty asked me about seven years ago… I only just recalled how we suffered, especially how you took it." Emma poked his stomach making him grab her hand, he didn't worry about her other hand; she couldn't use it.

"Well it was a tough time, how else was I supposed to take it?" Jeff asked raising his eyebrows.

"You couldn't take it any other way, you dealt with it the only way you know how."

"You were the one who was spacing out on me anyways, that made me remember you were in the fire too." Jeff shook his head. "Well like I said before, at least one of you made it out."

Emma nodded, she knew what she said the first time Jeff said that. "The wrong one" which resulted in Jeff getting angry and then her explaining exactly how her mother had died, she still remembered the look on his face. The last few months - around 6 to be exact- had been stressful but full of surprises. Being hit by a car, throwing the phone and being in hospital, running away, being hit by a truck, almost dying, Jeff going to jail; it was the biggest six months ever. Emma was snapped out of her reverie by Jeff tapping the side of her face.

"Emma are you all right?" Jeff had bent down and gazing into Emma's vacant eyes.

Emma jerked back to reality. "What?" Emma asked thoroughly shot with this.

"You spaced out… what's wrong?" Jeff asked, he felt something bother her, for it was written on her face.

"Just the last six months, we've walked away from bad situations when is one going to have a major impact on us?"

"I think jail was an impact." Jeff said reasonably, he remembered his first full day out which was the trial and how heavy his conscience had been, and how it still is when he steps out on to the street.

"Not that impact."

Jeff suddenly understood. "Impact of death?"

Emma nodded.

Jeff ran his hands through his hair, thinking of how he was going to try and quell this subject.

"Emma, one day it might, but don't think of it until that day. It might not come anyways… Maybe this is just practice for something bigger."

"What bigger thing might that be?" Emma tilted her head to the side looking at Jeff thoughtfully.

"I don't know, but with what we've been through that just might be the case." only Jeff's eyes swivelled to the ground before he looked back up at her with a 'that's all I got' smile which was returned with a grin.

"How do you know how to stop me worrying about things?" Emma asked, gently tapping Jeff's face acting as if she slapped him.

"I just know you" Jeff then began tickling Emma for 'hitting' him. Emma protected her midsection with her arms and knee, twisting to the side proving to be a successful escape. Jeff put a hand to Emma's cheek rubbing it with his thumb.

"I have a question to ask."

Jeff looked at her inquiringly. "What might that be?"

Emma put her face infront of Jeff's ear and whispered something.

"Oh I don't know…"

"What's holding you back?" Emma asked, looking confused.

Jeff licked his lips. "Well I was with Andrea for life, asking Delia… it just seems wrong…"

"Did you say 'till death do us part' at your wedding." Emma asked, if he didn't there was something seriously wrong there.

"Yes I did-"

"Then there shouldn't be anything wrong."

"I also said forever and always." Jeff muttered, "I didn't expect she'd die at 22. 4 years after we got married seven years after you were born."

Emma engulfed Jeff in a hug as his expression changed to grief.

"Dad, mum would've wanted you to move on… you've done your best so far but she would want you to move on completely."

"I can't just forget her Emma." Jeff murmured, Emma pulled out with her hands on his shoulders.

"No-one is asking you to, just to find the happiness you had with mum."

Jeff smiled.

"Love cant be replaced, especially one that's true… when you find true love you find out how hard it is to loose it then you have to pick up all the loose ends and try to move on the best you can- Emma I cant do this a second time, once was enough! I-I can't do it again! Losing Andrea was bad, and j-just risking it all again- it's too hard!- I can't do it, I can't do it… I've got to- to get love out of my life like this… I can't do it I can't handle it, its too wrong!"

Jeff was freaking at this point. Emma hastened to settle him.

"Dad! Look no-one is going to make you ask Delia, it was merely a suggestion, but it looks like I've located something you've cooped up. Why don't you just tell me all about it? You told me once I can talk to you about anything, its time for me to return the favour."

Jeff couldn't believe how relieved he felt to get that off his chest, he didn't notice the abnormal bump that was covering his heart and squashing it.

"You know what… why don't I tell you the beginning of the relationship, from start to finish? I'll leave some unimportant details out but you deserve to know everything."

Jeff sat Emma down on the lounge before sitting on it himself, Emma turned to face him crossing her legs and bringing them close to her. Jeff faced forwards staring at the wall.

"When I met Andrea…"

To Be Continued…

Aww! Don't you just hate me when I leave it at an important point in the story? Don't worry, the next chapter will be up with this one so you wont hate me for too long and you can quell you urge to know!

Thank you to all the people who reviewed my story and the ones yet to review, the support is wonderful and is greatly appreciated and is still needed, I have a lot more to put in to this story, and the sequels to come and the prequels I need a lot more support. But just saying you liked it and wish me to continue is motivating, if you want you can flame on a couple of parts and give me some feedback on something you want in the story like an emotional death scene for Jeff and Emma, a family friend or they've lied about not having any other family and one of Jeff's parents was alive… hey that gives me an idea! Stay tuned to find out what the idea is it should be in chapter 19 to 21 and reveal some deep emotional secret locked within Jeff, and there is another secret of his to be revealed around 23 to 24. It is kind of like the last Harry Potter book where ends met and things go forward from that. This is one dramatic story if you ask me. By the way now I'll have to change the prequel to what happened before Andrea's death to what happens in the seven years. Oh well, at least I didn't write it yet!

Keep Reading

PikaDarkness