Note: Here you are- the next chapter.

The Bridges We Burn

Chapter Four: Tie Game

It was the most awkward silence Bobby had ever sat through. Sabrina and the kid had been there twenty minutes, all of which Sabrina had continued muttering 'I can't believe it' or some equally as annoying phrase. Jack on the other hand, had took off with Jaime, taking him to his room to set his stuff down. Bobby thought that was odd; that Jack was willing to share his room with someone else. Jack had always value privacy. More so than Bobby, Jerry, and Angel combined.

"So, you wanna tell me the reason for the stupid look you have on your face right now?" Bobby asked, getting more irritated by the minute.

"I just can't believe that Jack's your brother," Sabrina mused out loud. Bobby's eyes darted around the living room where Sabrina and he were sitting, her bags still laying by her feet.

"You know what I can't believe?" Bobby asked rhetorically. "I can't believe how fucking insane my day has turned about to be. First, said woman comes banging on my door ridiculously early, claiming that her thirteen-year old son is mine. Then, said woman, so happens to know my brother. And said woman's son also so happens to know my brother. And of course-"

"Bobby, could you please stop referring to me as 'said woman'. It sounds like something…a smart person would say. So, it sounds weird coming from out of your mouth," Sabrina interrupted, before shaking her head and whispering 'unbelievable' for the millionth time. Bobby huffed. From anyone else the statement would have been a joke. But Sabrina said this comment with all seriousness. Because that's how Sabrina was. Too honest for her own good.

"Gee thanks. Really, it's not problem to let you guys stay here. No need to thank me," Bobby answered indignantly. Sabrina shrugged, as if to say 'okay', and remained staring at her feet. Bobby sighed.

"So, you can't believe Jack is my brother? Well, that's odd because I can't believe that Jack is your…?" Bobby tried a new approach, getting tired of the silent game. Jack had already made it very clear that he wasn't going to be giving answers. And Jaime, well, that kid was just scary. They way he looked at Bobby whenever the oldest Mercer asked him a question- with empty eyes void of emotion- was beyond creepy. What was even worse, was that Jack acted as if Jaime always looked that way.

"Bobby…don't push it okay? It's no big deal. Obviously Jack didn't want you to know or else he would have told you," Sabrina replied after a moment of silence. Bobby looked at her with disbelief. Did she really expect him to just forget the whole, 'oh my God, Jack is your brother' ordeal?

"Don't look at me like that Bobby. Our relationship is in the past. It doesn't exist anymore so…so just don't push it," Sabrina said knowingly with a tight smile. Bobby wiped his palms on his jeans, then ran his hand through his hair out of habit. Sabrina smiled again, only this time more genuinely.

"You really haven't changed at all Bobby. Not a single bit," She whispered affectionately. Bobby's eyebrows drew together in a look of confusion. Sabrina constantly kept him guessing and it was almost frustrating. Like how she spoke of her and Jack's 'past relationship' with a sense of guilt and heartache. Remorse even. And how she spoke of him remaining the same with such…tenderness, when that was the reason for her leaving him the first time.

Because he wouldn't change. Because was too reckless, stubborn, aggressive. And now she said all this almost as a compliment. Sabrina looked down from Bobby's scrutinizing gaze.

"Don't go all analytical-therapist on me Bobby. I still can't stand you most of the time. The only reason why I'm here now is because, well, I think you deserve a chance to be the father I know you can be," she said matter-of-factly. Like Bobby had invited them to stay over for the exact same reason. Only, come to think of it, Bobby couldn't figure out exactly why he had invited them. He told himself it was because it was what Ma would have wanted. Which was true of course. But maybe there was another reason. Bobby shook his head.

"He's not my son Sabrina. What part of that statement don't you understand?" Bobby finally answered. No, Bobby wasn't his father. He couldn't be. He wasn't father material. Sabrina crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows- her signature 'that's bullshit' look. Bobby wasn't fazed.

"Sabrina…even when we were, ya know, together, you were always sleeping around with other men. I mean, it's not like-" Sabrina stood up abruptly, grabbing her bags and flinging a lighter one over her shoulder.

"I'm not a slut, Bobby Mercer. Sure, I may not have been faithful all the time, but I certainly was not 'always sleeping around with other men' as you so blatantly put it. Besides, you were sleeping with other women too. You just can't get pregnant," Sabrina stated dangerously. Then, she turned on her heels and headed up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Bobby called after her. He heard her give a bitter half-laugh from the top of the stairs.

"I'm setting my shit down in a room and then I'm going to check on my son," she answered. Bobby slumped further down into his chair. He was never going to get married.

--

Dinner was a quiet affair. Jack wouldn't look at Sabrina, Sabrina wouldn't look at Bobby, and Bobby wouldn't look at Jaime. It was almost a game of who can avoid who the longest. Bobby was sure Sabrina would win, but he wouldn't make it easy for her.

"And then I said 'Really? So I guess aliens do exist'," Jaime said randomly. Jack smiled, Sabrina lightened her glare, and Bobby stared at the kid in confusion. What was the kid crazy?

"Sorry. The silence was getting on my nerves. I'm pretty sure there's more conversation in a graveyard than there is in this room," Jaime explained unapologetically. Bobby almost smiled. Almost. But he couldn't give up that easily.

"Really Mic, what graveyards have you been hanging out in?" Jack asked with amusement. Ah, so Jack was in on the whole starting-conversation-mission too now? Bobby and Sabrina remained stubbornly quiet. Jaime picked up his glass, took a swig of coke, then set it down and tuned to Jack. Acting as if this was a serious conversation.

"Well, since you asked, a friend and I were walking through a graveyard one night. Don't ask why, I haven't come up with a good answer to that question yet. And anyways, we heard this tapping noise and my friend was like, 'what the fuck man? What the hell is that?'. And the two of us are scared shitless now. Because I mean, who the fuck would be in a graveyard late at night besides no-good teenagers?" Jaime asked seriously. Jack shrugged.

"Or ghosts," Jack put in. By now Sabrina smiling and Bobby was slightly amused, even if he wouldn't admit it. Bobby has never seen Jack so happy in a long time and Bobby thinks that at least one good thing has come out of this mess.

"Exactly. So anyways, my friend I look around and we see this old guy with a hammer chipping away at one the headstones. And my friend says 'fucking hell man! You scared us half to death! We thought you were a ghost or some shit!' and I say 'Yeah. What the hell are you doing working out here so late?'" Jaime takes another sip of his drink, and Sabrina and Jack smile knowingly.

"And he said 'those fools'" Jaime continued after setting his drink down.

" 'They misspelled my name!'" Sabrina, Jack, and Jaime say at once. The three of them laugh and Bobby laughs too, once he finally understands the joke. For a minute or so the tension is broken, as they all laugh at the joke that's not even funny. Even as the laughter dies down, the air they breathe isn't near as thick. Everyone is more relaxed now even as Bobby realizes that Jack is still nervous, Sabrina is still uncomfortable, and Jaime's eyes are still oddly blank.

Bobby chances a look at Sabrina, who catches his eyes. She shrugs. Her way of saying 'it's a tie'.

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