Look at me, two updates pretty quickly, right? So I've pretty much given up on remembering exactly what happened at the end of season 1, beginning of season 2. I've googled a lot, and I'm trying to keep events fairly matched up, but I'm calling it, time of death... probably about a year ago. This is no longer a 'slight AU'. Officially calling AU-Canon divergence.
"Hi, Bay." John's voice sounded tense. As far as I could tell, he looked exactly the same as when we had argued a few weeks before. It even looked like it may have been the same shirt. Everything was the same... including his anger. Despite his fairly neutral words, he was glaring at me. I instinctively wrapped my arm around my stomach, something I didn't notice until he glanced down at the movement.
"Hey, Mom!" I called over my shoulder, not taking my eyes off him.
"I'm here to see you."
"I'm not talking to you."
"What is it h-John." Mom stopped short for a second before quickly making her way to the door. She laid a hand on my arm, and I gladly retreated, going back to the dining room and grabbing my plate.
Emmett looked up at me, concern on his face. 'What is it?' Whatever I was feeling, it once again had to have been clear. My face was probably pale, or I might have been shaking... Or it could have been the arm still wrapped around my waist. I had yet to let go.
"My... John's here."
Emmett's face hardened, his jaw set. I didn't stay to talk to him about it, just took my plate upstairs to my room. Food wasn't generally allowed upstairs, and I really didn't care at that point. I wasn't going to stay downstairs. I wasn't going to chance seeing him.
I had just started shutting the door with my foot, but it didn't shut. I turned, tensing as it slowly opened, only relaxing when I saw Emmett. He had his own plate in his hand. 'Mind if I join you?' I always found a slight enjoyment when he signed one handed.
"You don't want to see him either?"
'I'll probably end up hitting him again.'
My eyes widened. "What? You hit him?"
He shrugged sheepishly, stepping into my room and shutting the door. I sat at my desk, while he sat in the hanging chair across the room. We ate in silence for a few minutes, and he set down his plate on his lap when he finished. 'It was the day of the fight. He said something, and I hit him.'
"What did he say?"
'It doesn't matter.'
I fell silent. Part of me wanted to argue, wanted to insist he tell me. But at the same time, I had no desire to know. If he thought that it was that bad, that it was bad enough to start throwing punches over... Emmett, peace loving Emmett, throwing punches... I nodded slightly, deciding on that. I didn't want to know. "Ok. Doesn't matter."
'Did he say anything to you?'
"Not really. Said he was here to talk to me. I told him I wasn't talking. It would probably be more of the same, you know? And I'm not listening to that. He's not going to convince me to get rid of our baby." The more I said it, the easier the words came out. Our baby, instead of mine.
He nodded slightly, and something about the glint of the eyes told me that he hadn't missed it, either. 'I'll take our dishes down.'
I easily agreed, handing him the plate before he left the room. After several minutes without his return, I hesitantly opened the door. The screaming was faint, but it was there. With a deep sigh, I went out and started down the stares until the words became more clear.
"No! You are ruining my daughter's life! No, don't you give me that sh-" John was screaming, and I was guessing at Emmett.
"John! No, if you're going to keep this up, you're leaving! Sure, they're young, but there's no helping that now. He loves her, J-" I silently cheered on my mother.
"Loves her? If he loved her, none of this would have happened, Kathryn!"
I made my way down the stairs far enough to see them. Luckily, John's back was to me, so I was able to see Emmett's signing, his face furious. I could tell he wanted to sign faster, but at the same time, wanted to be understood. 'I'm not letting you go up there to hurt her! We are having that baby, and you aren't stopping that!'
"Would you shut up? You're kids! You aren't having kids of your own. I'm not letting her ruin her life, her future! That baby is going, one way or another!"
"John, you need to leave."
"No!"
'Yes. You leave or I'll throw you out myself,' Emmett signed.
"Oh, I'd like to see you try, kid. It would really just make my day."
'Try me, old man.'
"Stop it! Both of you!" Kathryn shouted, her hands moving. "John, leave! Now! Or I will call the cops. And how would that look to your campaign?" Jaw clenched, John swung around to leave and spotted me. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kathryn pointed to the door. "Out!"
With a grunt, he went outside, slamming the door shut. I stared at the door for a moment before quietly standing from the stair I sat on, going back to my room. I shut the door, laying on my bed, wrapping my arms around my stomach. I took deep breaths, doing my best to calm down. I will not cry. You hear me, hormones? Not crying. He's an asshole, and that's that, and I'm not crying. Got it? Despite what I told myself, I felt the tears pricking at my eyes. At this point, I couldn't tell if I was angry, or hurt. What part was I crying over? My hormones didn't feel the need to give an answer, just pushing forth on the crying order they had issued.
I didn't hear the door open, I didn't hear it shut. I just felt the dip in my bed, and I didn't need to ask who it was. I didn't need to look. His arm slipped itself around my waist, and I rolled to face him, burying my face in his shoulder, my shoulders shaking slightly as he stroked my hair.
If there was one thing I could say for these new and improved hormones, was they changed quickly. I was calmed after only a few minutes. Emmett continued to stoke my hair, though, and I wasn't sure if it was more for my comfort or his own.