Hi Strangers! I'm not dead! My Jolex muse was for a while...but it's back! So this is the first of a two chapter drop I'm doing today-so make sure you'be read this chapter first it puts the story into a lot of context. Anyways I hope you like it!
Charles watched the tiny brunette doctor. Her hands were steady, methodical. Almost their own entity, working at their own will. He imagined what she was thinking, he presumed it was somewhere along the lines of "I am going to die and how many way can I annoy the angry guy in the corner."
He kept his eyes on the doctor. Watched her every move. Watched her face as it switched between determined and horrified and back again. Watched as her steady hands contrasted her obviously racing brain.
He had to, it kept him from looking at the man on the conference table.
A man who had very much changed his life. Gave him perspective, made him realize what he wanted and not what his brother wanted. Made him want live again.
Drowning in memories and thoughts, Charles found his mouth moving, "His name's Jack"
Her eyes shot up, "Excuse me?"
"You said you needed to talk about something, well his name, it's Jack"
"Oh okay, thanks I guess" she looked confused before getting back to work the same concentration still in her eyes.
But suddenly Charles could stop himself, conversation felt cathartic, words starting falling out of his mouth quicker than he could process.
"We met two years ago, he worked at my sister's cafe. And then things happened and my brother recruited him. Jack always hated it, but he said he owed my family and went along with it. I'd only ever seen him twice before he started working for my brother." Charles felt his voice hitch, a sense of regret echoed through his voice.
The doctor-Jo-must have heard the shift in his voice too because she looked back up at him. Her eyes less angry and more pitiful , "You don't have to keep going. It's okay I can deal with the quiet. Really. Besides I'm almost done, easy fix I promise."
But Charles couldn't stop, two years of pushed away thoughts and regrets were pouring out. He couldn't push it back down. Memories flooded his senses. And the forced themselves out.
December 18, 2013
"Charlie!"
He recognized the voice. Her voice's familiarity instantly warmed his insides, and he knew.
He turned around to face the source of the voice, "Jules! Look who finally decided to show her face in town again"
"Is that anyway to greet your favorite baby sister Charles?"
"Favorite is loose term Juliana" he teased laughing, before pulling her in for a hug, "I missed you"
She hugged back but not without teasing back "Don't go mushy on me big brother, I already have one of those."
Charles laughed in agreement before noticing the man behind his sister, "Who's that?"
Juliana turned around, "Oh this is Jack, he's our new hire, he um drove me here"
Charles understood and looked up appreciatively, putting his hand out, "Thanks man"
"No prob" Jack answered before reaching out to take it.
March 14, 2015
"Charles! Come here I need you to meet someone."
Charles tore his eyes from his book, "Mmmhm?"
He looked up to see his tired, worn out, brother. He was leading a man up to him.
"This is-"
"Jack." Charles cut off his brother. His eyes firmly on the man next to his father. He had recognized his face immediately.
James looked at them confused, "You know each other?"
Charles noticed Jack start to speak and rushed to cut him off, "Yeah! We uh met a couple years ago"
"Well then that's even better. Jack is joining our crew"
September 21, 2015
"So you're seriously okay with what your brother wants?"
Charles hesitated, unsure of what he truly wanted, "Well, ummm, yeah. He's my brother and the only parent I've ever had. He knows best."
"Okay? But what do you want?"
Charles thought about it, his mind drawing completely blank, " I-I don't know". He looked at Jack's unsatisfied face him "So if you're so against this plan. Why are you helping? He's my brother-I owe him everything. But he's got nothing on you."
"And I owe your sister a lot more than everything. She gave me a house and a job and a way to stand on my own two feet-when no one else did. I would do anything for her and her family"
Charles just nodded, a sad smile on his face.
"So you ever do anything for yourself?" Jack asked. "Or is everything for brother dearest?"
Charles laughed sarcastically, "Ha ha"
"Seriously when's the last time you did something for yourself?"
"Yesterday. I ordered an extra order of fries with my burger. Just for me." Charles refuted weakly.
"That's what I thought"
"I could do things for myself if I wanted to-my brother just needs help right now."
"Well then, prove it."
"Fine" And he kissed him.
Jo was...confused, to say the least. The big brooding scary guy who nearly half an hour ago told her to shut up or he'd kill her was currently baring his soul to her. He kept talking, telling her about a relationship with a man whose life was in Jo's rather nervous hands.
She was almost done. It was a messy fix. And not something Jo would ever do in a hospital setting. Sloppy work really. Her cuts were jagged, hesitant and shallow. Her sutures were uneven. In a normal setting Jo would have gone about this completely differently. But she made do. And the last time she checked for pulse and pupillary response both seemed optimistic.
But what got to her was Charles. A man she was determined to hate. And yet couldn't help but feel for him. To love someone with your whole being and then to watch them potentially bleed out on a table.
That was a fate Jo wouldn't wish on anyone.
She tried to keep from asking questions and bit her tongue but she couldn't keep her curiosity at bay though so she opened her mouth, "Your brother. Did ever you tell him?"
Jo's eyes were on her sutures and yet she could almost see the hesitation on Charles's face. "Nevermind too much. Sorry"
Charles's face softened slightly before shaking his head, "No it's okay. No I never told him. My brother's been going through a lot. Me coming out to him? That would never end well-for anyone. So I kept it inside. Made Jack my dirty little secret. I'm not proud of it. And now, I guess I'm being punished for it. "
"Well...not quite. I think I got it. Pulse is slow but there and his preliminary neural responses check out. Barring any extraneous complications which given the circumstances…" Jo saw Charles' eyes widen as he stood up, "He's going to be fine" she affirmed for him.
Jo stepped back to watch as her brooding captor seemingly all of a sudden became a completely different person. She watched him whisper apologizes and 'I love you's'.
"I'll umm just go uh scrub out then" Charles nodded yes, his eyes not moving from the Jack's face.
Jo thought about Charles, a man who she thought could be nothing more than cold hearted murderer, melt away. All she saw was someone who was terribly in love with someone else.
And it all made her miss Alex.
She stared at the ring strung onto her necklace. The diamonds reflecting the light of the bathroom giving it a near glowing appearance. Jo didn't have much to lose. Except Alex. If she died today, her only regret would be losing Alex. And the life they would never get to have.
Jo sucked hard, willing her eyes to stop tearing before turning the corner to get back into the conference room.
"Well hello again mon amour"