Utterly Unexpected

Crushed

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan, or any character associated with it.

Formatting: Italics are for thoughts and flashbacks

Lucas rushed through the Hiroshima International Airport. His heart was beating double-time. Everything passed by him in a blur. He longed to get out of the airport, collect his car and head for home. Sure, he'd spent much longer than a week away from his family before, but for the past couple of months, whenever he went on a business trip, he'd feel uncomfortable leaving Alice and his kids alone. Lucas couldn't stop himself from going over a rather uncomfortable conversation he had had with his wife a few months back.

"Alice, sweetheart, I have to go to Switzerland on Monday," Lucas was filing his medical reports in the kitchen. He lifted his head from his work and watched Alice's face. Her usually cheery expression suddenly changed into a disappointed, annoyed one.

"What for this time, Lucas?" she asked, putting down a glass vase with white roses in it.

"I'm supposed to be lecturing some university students on the different creative alternatives we can use in the medical industry, like artificial limbs, substitutes for blood and other stuff like that."

"Why you? Why do you always have to be the one they choose to do these things? Don't they know you have a family and a life away from work?" Alice began to get red in the face.

"Sweetheart…"

"No. You've only just come back a week ago. It's not fair." Lucas reached for Alice's left hand which was resting on the table. He gently pulled her on to his lap and cradled her in his arms. She rest her head on his chest and he bent his head so he could inhale her delicious scent.

"Lucas, what am I supposed to tell Carla and Zachary?"

"Just tell them that Daddy needs to go away again for a little while longer"

"Do you know what Carla told me the last time you left? She had a ballet recital and I asked her if I should invite you. She…She said that I shouldn't tell you anything about it because you wouldn't show up anyway."

Lucas abruptly lifted his head from his wife's hair. Those few words had cut him deep. Very deep. "I see." Lucas said…

After passing through immigrations, he moved mechanically through the rest of the process. Finally, Lucas exited the cold airport and entered the fresh air of his newly adopted home. He signalled a baggage boy dressed in the red and yellow uniform. The young Japanese national quickly came to Lucas' aid. Lucas bounded across the road to the parking lots as soon as it was clear and looked for his vehicle among all the others in the expansive place. He went to the section labelled Leave-Ins and rushed up to the small building. Stepping into the air-conditioned room calmed Lucas' nerves a bit. A plump man with red hair sat around the front desk. He had a neatly arranged rack of keys beside him and stared into an automobile magazine.

"Good evening sir. I'm collecting my vehicle with the license number LG56-12."

The fat man slowly lifted his eyes from the magazine. He examined Lucas from head to toe then stroked his chin for a bit. He then squinted at the key rack. He ran his stubby fingers along the rows until he found the key that matched the plate number. Lucas quickly snatched the keys from his hand and dropped some money on the counter. "Keep the change," he ordered as he went out.

A few minutes later he located his car. He unlocked the doors and the trunk and allowed the baggage boy to put his things inside. The poor boy had found it so difficult to keep up with Lucas that he was sweating, puffing and red in the face by the time he had arrived at the car. Lucas smiled at him and uttered his thanks as he discreetly pushed some cash into the boy's hands. The baggage boy swiftly put his reward in his coat pocket and thanked Lucas for it.

It felt so good for him to be driving through his neighbourhood streets now. The anxiety and tightness in Lucas' chest had begun to subside. He called to several neighbours who were going about their daily lives. He took deep breaths of the 'familiar' air. He marvelled at the oak trees which bordered the sidewalks on either side of the road. And finally, when he pulled into his driveway, he sighed with joy at the sight of his home.

Alice and her lover were just through when they both heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. "What the heck?" Alice asked throwing off the sheet and rising from the bed. She peeked through the curtains and swore sharply when she saw her husband's car outside. "Martin, you must leave now. Hurry up and get some clothes on. My husband's home. I'm gonna have to sneak you out back." Martin scrambled off the bed and gathered his clothes from the floor in a mad rush. He slipped into his shirt and jeans in record time. Meanwhile, Alice got into a mid-thigh length house dress and gathered the used condoms off the floor. She ran into the bathroom, stuffed them at the bottom of the bin and ran into the bedroom again. Downstairs she could hear a key turning in the front door's lock. Martin dragged the stained sheets off the bed, rolled them up and stowed them away under the bed for the time being.

Alice ushered Martin out of the room and down the stairs as quickly as possible, however Lucas entered the house and immediately spotted the two. He froze in his tracks. He eyed Martin suspiciously and looked with much disapproval of the close proximity at which he was standing to his wife.

"Hello Alice." Lucas slowly pushed the door shut, keeping his eyes on Martin the whole time.

"Hey sweetie. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow. Why didn't you call?" Alice asked, trying her best to give Lucas a genuine smile.

"We can talk about that later, but for the time being, who is this?"

"He's a repairman." Alice replied, keeping her cool as the lie easily flowed from her lips.

"Oh really. What happened?" Lucas' eyes immediately narrowed and his suspicion transformed into hostility. The air in the main room suddenly seemed to get so humid, it was hard to breathe. Martin looked everywhere else but at Lucas, the house's master. He couldn't possibly bring himself to. After all, he had slept with his wife more than once. 'What have I gotten myself into now?' he asked himself. However, Alice stared her husband straight in the eye. She kept calm. She showed no sign of nervousness.

"The dryer broke down and I needed to get some washing done. Harry was out of the area, so he couldn't come. Instead, he recommended Vince Marsh for me. I was just escorting him to the door when you stepped in."

Sweat was dripping down Martin's cheeks. He was amazed at how skilled a liar Alice was. She seemed like an absolute angel, but then again, that was what he thought when he first saw her. Martin flinched when he heard Lucas' voice raise to a dangerous level.

"Get out of my house you worthless creature!" Terrified, Martin quickly weaved his way around the two and took his leave. Lucas was now red in the face and on the verge of hyperventilating. Alice's palms began to sweat. A lot. Lucas stepped toward her and gripped her shoulders hard. He stared down at her. Alice, unable to hold out any longer, turned her head away and shut her eyes. Lucas' hands travelled down her arms to her own hands. He took hers in his. Alice tried her best to ball her sweaty hands into fists, but he was too fast for her…

He knew she was lying. He saw the love marks on her neck, her collarbone, her thighs; he noticed her messy state. He noticed her unusually red lips and the darkness of lust that she normally had in her eyes for a bit right after they had expressed their love. So there was no need for him to check if her palms were dry. But still, he hung on to hope. He still wanted to believe that the same woman who had promised to be faithful to him was living up to his expectations. He still wanted to believe that his wife was innocent. Slowly, Lucas pried his wife's fingers open one by one, still refusing to believe she was cheating on him. Suddenly, he dropped her hands. He squeezed his eyes shut, bit down hard on his lips and balled his hands into tight fists at his side.

"L-Lucas." Alice began, taking a step toward him. She reached for his hands, but Lucas harshly slapped them away.

"Are you bloody mad?! What was going through your mind?! How could you do something like this to me?!" Lucas was about to hit her. Hard. Alice held her breath and prepared for impact. Lucas, however, stopped mere inches from her face. Instead, he grasped her shoulders and squeezed them. Alice felt guiltiness slap her like a plague when her husband's grey eyes desperately searched hers. In his eyes was a complicated mass of emotions – anger, hatred, love, betrayal, regret, hurt and other unidentifiable ones.

"How…How long has this been going on for? I know it's not the first time."

"Ever since you went to Switzerland." Saying that made shame flow through Alice's body. She now regretted the very idea of fantasizing about what it would be like to have an affair. Lucas lowered his head. All his strength left him. He loosened his grip on his wife's shoulders and let his hands slide off them. Slowly, he turned around, picked up his car keys from the spot he'd dropped them and went out the front door. Lucas stumbled across the driveway, and got into his car.

Alice ran to the front door. Grasping the doorjam tightly, she screamed Lucas' name. She pleaded with him to stay. She pleaded with him to understand, but Lucas was in a trance. While reversing, his mind swarmed with thoughts. This is a dream, right? It must be. My sweet Alice would never do something like that. At least, not of her own will. Maybe I ended up forcing her to. I pushed her back against the wall. I didn't give her enough attention, so she had to look for it elsewhere. Yes. That must be it. So now it's official. I'm a terrible father, and a sad excuse for a husband. I can't even keep my woman happy. Lucas sped to a bar on the outskirts of town. he quickly entered it. Right now, he didn't care about his reputation, or his career, or of what people would think. he took a seat at the counter in the dimly lit place. Absent-mindedly, he downed several shots and bottles of alcohol. He'd promised himself before that he would break out of that bad habit - it and smoking too. After his bout, he passed out.

The bartender looked at Lucas worriedly. He knew who he was, and he felt guilty about supplying Lucas with alcohol. Quietly and discreetly he reached for a beret under the counter and covered Lucas' face and some of his hair. Lucas' phone rang. It was lying beside him. The bartender answered it. On the other line was Joseph Gehabich - another well known rich man. "Lulu, when are you coming back to Japan? Your kids are driving me and Chan crazy!"

"Umm. Mr. Gehabich sir?" the bartender began nervously.

"Who is this?" Joseph's voice changed.

"I'm nobody important sir. Just a bartender. But, your friend is in a pinch. Lucas Grendahay. He over-drank."

"Where is he. I'll come for him."

The bartender gave him the address, then went around the counter. "Shizuki, I'm leaving you in charge for a while." The bartender went behind Lucas, pulled him up, and dragged him out of the building. He took off his apron, spread it on the concrete ground, then put Lucas to sit down on it. He stooped down to him and looked him in the face. The bartender lightly slapped him on the right cheek. "Hey. Grendahay-sama. You must wake up now." Lucas was unresponsive. The bartender slapped him a little harder now. "Grendahay-sama. Come on, you need to get up." This time, Lucas groaned. His face was wrenched in pain, and a slight green colour. "Alice!" he called. Slowly, he opened his grey eyes. The bartender was shocked when he looked into them. They were so cold, so lifeless, as if he had lost something very important.

Pulling the beret off his head and putting it into his lap, he asked, "Where am I? Why am I not at home with my wife and children?"

"I don't know, Grendahay-sama. You were in my bar and you over-drank. I wanted to stop serving you, but that would draw too much attention."

"Nyahh~ I feel terrible. Can you help me up please? I need to g-" Lucas' statement was interrupted by a surge of hot fluid coming up his throat. Moved his head away from the bartender, then threw up. If it weren't for the bartender, then he would have collapsed right then and there. Lucas' skin got really cold, and it took much effort for him to breathe. He was about to pass out again when Joseph pulled up. He quickly got out of the car and ran over to them. "Joseph?" Lucas asked weakly. Don't speak. I'm taking you to my home. I won't have you kill poor Alice with worry. Joseph looked at the bartender, thanked him profusely and promised to make it up to him before taking hold of his sick friend and helping him into the car. He put him in the front passenger seat beside him, then drove off.

"Joseph, I'm tired and my back aches. Stop the car and help me around back." Lucas ordered in slurred speech.

"I'm not letting you sleep. You might not wake up."

"Joseph, stop the flipping car now!" Lucas whined, his face becoming flushed. He was beginning to remember what had happened earlier.

"You really have the nerve to be ordering me to do things for you now?! Can you see yourself right now?! Do you know who you are? How could you be so careless? Do you know what could've happened if that bartender hadn't stuck up for you?!" Joseph let out a bitter laugh before continuing. "You probably don't even understand me right now, cuz' you're a disgusting wasted piece of trash. Well, maybe I'm wrong, you should be an expert on hiding how drunk you really are, you bottomless barrel! Have you forgotten the promise you made? The one about not drinking or smoking anymore back when we were in high school. You promised all of us - your wife, me - your brother in law, Daniel, Runo, Billy, Julie, all of us! Is this what promises mean to you Lucas?!" Joseph looked at him for a split second before looking at the road again. He could see his friend was being hurt by what he was saying, but he couldn't stop. He felt so angry that he would do something like that again, after he promised not to do so ever again.

Lucas turned his attention to Joseph. He stared at him blankly. His vision was blurred, and he felt as if he were watching his life through a clouded film. Joseph's words were poison to him. The worst part was knowing that they were all true.

"This is the last time I'm saving your scrawny butt. You have a wonderful life - a beautiful wife, and two awesome children and you're willing to throw them away over a bottle of alcohol. Pathetic. Despicable. Lucas, you're nothing but a worthless piece of white trash."

"Ahh. That's right. I am pretty worthless, aren't I?" Lucas said in a weak hurt voice. He remembered everything, and sadly smiled as he lit a cigarette and opened his window. He rested his head on the head rest, and inhaled the putrid smoke.

Joseph gave his friend a good look. Something's wrong. Lucas would never act like this. I knew it from I got the call, but I was too angry to find out. Darn. More than likely I've added to his burden. I just couldn't keep my big mouth shut. "Lucas, what's wrong? I'm really sorry about what I said earlier, but I couldn't keep it in. I hate seeing you treat yourself like that." Joseph's voice cracked. Lucas opened his eyes, looked at his brother-in-law, then closed them again. Silence continued all the way to Joseph's home. He ran around, put an arm over Lucas' shoulder, and helped him out of the vehicle. He was about to carry him inside when Lucas gently pushed him away. He tried to steady himself, tugged at his collar.

"My kids are inside, right. At least let them see me walking on my own two feet." Joseph let him go, then walked behind him, just in case he needed to catch him. Struggling to keep himself from falling, but determined not to worry his children, Lucas strode into the house, as if everything was peachy. A little girl with red hair that had two turqouise streaks in it, porcelain skin, and grey eyes sat at the bottom of the staircase, staring at her watch. Her brother, with red hair and brown eyes (lightened by grey) sat beside her, sighing. He looked up, and instantly, his eyes lit up.

"Daddy!" he cried. He grabbed his sister's hand

"Pappa, you're back!" she exclaimed.

Lucas kneeled down and embraced his children. "Mmm. Carla, Zacahry,I'm so happy to see you."

The two little ones pulled away smiling, but soon, Carla's smile disappeared.

"Pappa, under your eyes is really dark."

"Yeah, Daddy. And your face is all red."

Lucas stood up and ruffled their hair. "You two." He smiled. "I missed you so much since I left that I cried myself sick."

"Well Daddy, you don't have to do that anymore. We're all together now. You, sister and I, and mother." At the sound of 'mother', Lucas tensed. Joseph saw.

"Yeah. I'm glad for that." he lied. "Can I disappoint you again though. I'm very tired, and I need to sleep, so I'm going to bed now. Is that okay?"

"Sure Pappa." Carla said.

"Thanks." Lucas struggled up to his room. His consciousness was hanging by a thread. He painfully made his way to a guest room. As soon as he got inside, he collapsed, but Joseph caught him before he could hit the ground.

~ Anne Callendar

Sorry I took so long to do this chapter. I was really busy. I have one small problem, though. Wanna know what it is? Well, I don't know if I'm making my valued readers upset, or if I'm making them happy, because nobody cares to tell me if they hate what I've done, or if it's okay. So, to resolve this problem, I'm asking all of you to be honest to me and rate and review my work please! (It's not like I'm a really good writer or anything, so I need guidance.)