Tragic Consequential Downfall

"Where were you last night?" Carmen asked, softly from the stairs inside the Mercer house when her fiancé returned with a hangover and a seemingly always guilty look on his face; still clad in an old hockey jersey she'd stolen from the clean laundry, that was Bobby's, and her underwear, she stood shivering, tired and…a little suspicious.

He didn't reply; he just shook his head, his gaze focused on the floor a couple feet in front of him as he shrugged off his coat and trudged upstairs, pushing past her on his way to his old room.

Carmen couldn't help but take notice of the look of pure shame and guilt on his face and wonder what had gotten him so upset? Silently praying sex would make him feel better because she didn't feel like talking, the brunette followed him and stood in the doorway for a moment, watching him look nothing but pitiful on the twin bed.

"Jackie," She whispered, sweetly, straddling him to the bed with a seductive smile, "what's wrong?"

Jack tried to will himself to look up at her, but he couldn't; not after knowing what he did last night… It made him feel too guilty looking up into her big brown almost-innocent eyes, knowing she'd been a great girlfriend the past 4 and a half years, and never took him for granted. Man, did he screw this up big time. "Ma's death's gettin' to me…that's all…" He managed, his deep voice hoarse throughout the lie. "I'm fine, I promise," he said, emotionlessly. "Just need some sleep…"

Letting out a sigh of her own, she leaned over to give him a soft peck on the lips and noticed how his first reaction was to kiss her back, but he broke it off and shook his head. "Not now," He said, simply.

Carmen looked surprised by this, but only for a moment before crawling off of him, slipping on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a white almost-too-tight t-shirt with the phrase, "333 – I'm only half evil," in black over her braless chest. She shut the door behind her and appeared downstairs in the living room where Bobby was passed out on the couch, empty beer bottle in hand. Gently, she tugged it free, along with the remote in his other hand and flicked on the TV, muting it immediately as not to wake him up. She put on cartoons that didn't require sound and went to put the glass bottle in the kitchen before relaxing in the recliner chair next to the fire place.

The Mercer house was consumed by a calming, yet eerie silence that she wished would go away. There were so many memories in this house, she almost couldn't bear it.

"Y'know, when you leave tomorrow, Bobby's gonna get drunk and upset 'cause you left him," Evelyn asked her gently from her spot across from Carmen on the couch.

"Yeah, I know, Ma, but he's holding a grudge; has been for 2 years now, and if he doesn't want to get over it, I have no problem leaving with Jack for Chicago tomorrow," Carmen replied, her voice hinting at her aggravation with the eldest Mercer brother. "He won't listen to me if I try apologizing and he won't read any letter I write in an alternate way of speaking to him. So, I give up. He wants to gain my… friendship or affection… or whatever he wants from me back, he'll have to work for it now. He's being too much of a dick to accept that I'm with Jack."

"Did you ever think that that's why he won't speak to you? Because you're dating his baby brother?" Angel said rationally from the doorway. "Girl, you gave everything up for him and sure he was stupid enough to throw you aside afterwards, but he wants you so bad, Carmen, and you don't even see it."

"What?" The brunette snapped. "You're telling me I don't see that he just wants to fuck me and throw me aside every time? 'Cause that's exactly what he wants and that's exactly what happens every time I give into him. And I'm not doing it anymore. I'm leaving tomorrow on that train and I'm not coming back… Atleast not for him."

She could still hear the voices. What she had said to Evelyn and Angel before she lashed out and stormed out of the Mercer house with the final word.

"Jesus Christ; CJ, what the fuck are you doing up at 7 in the morning?" Bobby inquired, burying his face in the pillow with an aggravated groan.

"Did you just speak to me?" Carmen asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Shut the fuck up," He growled.

"No, you're speaking to me without angrily screaming. What's wrong with you? Are you hung-over? Or possibly possessed?"

"I'm too fucking exhausted to argue."

A look of fake realization took over her features. "Ah, you got some action last night, huh?" She smirked.

"Man, you're still the sick immature girl that left here 4 years ago, aren't you? You haven't changed a bit."

"Have to," Carmen argued. "I no longer put up with your bullshit and I fuck your baby brother constantly; if that thought makes you feel any better," She said, feistily.

Bobby looked up at her. "You really haven't changed. Whore was always your style."

"Yeah and fuck and toss was always yours," She hissed.

"Stop bickering!" A voice in the kitchen shouted, angrily and annoyed, both recognized as Sofi.

Bobby and Carmen looked to each other and couldn't help but start laughing. "No one else is ever here when we usually argue…" She stated.

"Yeah, and there's usually sex involved afterward," Bobby added.

"Don't get your hopes up, Bobby," The brunette sighed, standing up to go talk to Sofi, not noticing his eyes following her curves from behind as she left the room.

A/N: This is almost NOTHING. I sincerely apologize, profusely for that.

Review anyway?

:) I have a plan, atleast!

XxCrash.And.BurnXx