Kendall's P.O.V.
I was staring blankly up at the huge flat screen hanging on the wall, not even paying attention to the picture. All I could do to keep my eyes open was focus on one thing, and that one thing happened to be the red light up in the center of the outlining of the screen. The light was on because the TV was on. And it was doing wonders for me to stay awake, even though I wanted to sleep so bad. My back was sore, my right shoulder was hurting again, and I had eaten so much food in the past two hours I wanted a nap. Much like a baby. But I couldn't. I couldn't fall asleep, or close my eyes, or get up from my spot on the couch because I would be leaving Juliet. I didn't want to miss anything. I didn't want to take the chance on something happening to her again. She was finally home, and I was able to breath easy, but I still had that gut wrenching feeling in my stomach every time I saw her. Every time she cursed to herself because her chest hurt, or every time she woke herself up by screams and cries because of the nightmare she was having…all I thought was it was my fault. How could I fix this, if I couldn't even stop it in the first place?
I snapped out of my trance looking at the red light feeling her shift next to me and looked down quick. Her feet were on my lap, under a blanket, while her body was curled up into a ball next to me on the couch, sound asleep. She took in a deep breath as she pushed herself deeper into the couch and dug her feet into my thigh. I carefully reached out my hand and set it on her hip rubbing gently. I reached forward to the coffee table, and grabbed my phone seeing a missed call from Logan. I frowned unlocking my phone and sent a text to Logan, asking if everything was alright. I set my phone back on the coffee table seeing it was almost 3 which meant Max would be home from school and I could maybe take a shower while he sat with his mom. I put my head back and yawned quietly putting my other hand on Juliet's feet on my lap. Just as I closed my eyes I heard my phone vibrating and reached for it quick. It was Logan, calling me again and as much as I didn't want to talk, because I didn't want Juliet to wake up, if I didn't answer he would worry. I would too. "Hello?"
"Hey…I don't mean to bother you…I just wanted to see how Juliet was doing." I frowned slouching down in my seat a little making her shift again, and when I stopped moving, I had one hand on her thigh and squeezed gently.
"She's sound asleep right now. We had lunch a couple hours again and it was the first time she didn't throw up after eating." I heard a door shut on Logan's end, followed by the start of an engine.
"Good. I know those antibiotics have been making her sick. But it's good to know she is getting some sleep." I nodded looking back up to the home renovation show Juliet had put on before she fell asleep and yawned again. "Listen…I know with everything that's happened…If you guys have plans tonight, or if you don't feel like doing anything, at all, we get it…but the kids are inviting some friends over for a party and Emily wants Max to come. We'd love for you and Juliet to come too." Before I could answer him, the front door opened, and three laughing teenagers came in. I sat up fast just as Juliet did and sighed up at my son who gave his mother an apologetic look who was gasping quietly. I looked to Robbie and Emily, both giving us sad looks and swallowed hard.
"Let me talk to Juliet Loges. I'll let you know."
"Okay. No pressure Kendall." I nodded and hung up without saying goodbye and turned to Juliet who was groaning quietly as she sat on her butt and leaned into me yawning loudly.
"I didn't mean to wake you up mom." Max put his backpack on the floor by the coffee table and then set his phone and car keys on the table walking to the spot next to him mom. I wrapped around Juliet and smiled at Robbie and Emily as they walked over to the love seat, Emily still walking on her crutches.
"It's okay. I probably shouldn't sleep all day. I won't be able to sleep tonight." I remained still and quiet, knowing the reason she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight is because her nightmares would keep her up. "What did Logan want?" She rubbed her warm hand over my chest and I glanced over to Emily who was getting help sitting down by Robbie, who I noticed, holding her tight. As they sat down I saw Emily put her hand on Robbie's thigh as he whispered something into her ear. "Babe?" I looked down to Juliet quick and smiled.
"I guess they are having a Halloween party tonight. Wanted to know if we wanted to come." She smiled big and looked over to Emily who was looking at us, smiling too.
"Costume party?" She laughed nodding and sat back, sort of leaning back into Robbie who was busy on his phone.
"Yeah…Jessie wanted to invite her friends over and then Sammy wanted to invite his so…I decided it only made sense that I save it and invite my friends." Juliet laughed under me and I rubbed her arm, looking back up to the TV. "I think my parents are inviting some friends from work and a few neighbors. It should be really fun."
"Your dad's always throw great parties. Too many times I've had to be carried out because I was shit faced." There was a laugh from my son that made me turn to him and chuckle too, while Juliet softly kissed the skin on my neck. "I'm not dressing up."
"Yes, you are." I ever so slightly squeezed onto her side making her squeak out and push at me, as she started to stand. I went to get up as well, but Max got up faster than me and helped his mom get to her feet. She yawned loudly raising her arms over her head as she stretched and walked around the coffee table looking at Max and then Robbie. "I have a box in the attic above the garage…can you guys help me get it?"
"Sure mom. What's in it?"
"Old Halloween costumes. I just want to see what I have so I don't waste money on something I don't need." Max nodded as Robbie got up and walked towards the two. I reached out touching Juliet's leg softly as she started to walk by and it made her stop. I looked up at her as she slowly bent down over me and kissed my lips softly. I kept my hand on her leg and kissed up at her mouth as she started to pull away. I heard the garage door open and watched as she pushed away and slowly made her way to our garage. I swallowed hard, and licked my lips watching her sway into the hallway, disappearing fast. I sighed out pushing myself up on the couch and glanced over to see Emily sitting on the loveseat still, her unhurt leg pulled up to her chest as she quickly wrote in a binder, open on her leg. I grabbed my glass of iced tea and took a sip just watching her. Usually, when Emily was here, her and Max were attached at the hips. Rather the lips. And it mad me uncomfortable. But now…because they weren't together, but still friends, it seemed even more uncomfortable. I didn't like it. She was the closest thing to me like a daughter and with everything that happened, like with Austin, I felt like our already strained relationship, was even more strained. I set my glass back on the table and picked up my phone, quickly sending a text to Logan, to let him know we would be over tonight. I even went a step further and offered to help set up or whatever and set my phone back on the table. When I looked up at the TV I saw Emily was looking at me and turned to her slowly. She looked down quick and went back to writing, sighing out softly.
"You alright?" I was quiet, but she heard me and looked up smiling small. She nodded a faint blush on her cheeks and I chuckled. I looked back to the TV and cleared my throat. "How is your foot doing?"
"Fine…there isn't much pain anymore. Just itchy." I nodded sitting back slowly and watched her put her leg down and bend forward a little. "Max told me Aunt Juliet has been having bad nightmares." I turned to her quick and she shook her head. "He only told me because it scares him. I don't know what to say or do to help. And I want to help."
"Just being his friend helps. Getting his mind off it, helps." She nodded and sat back a little looking down at her open binder. "Have your dads ever told you about how they met?" She looked up tucking hair behind her ear and shook her head. I laughed quietly looking out the huge window behind her and shiver ever so slightly at the overcast sky. "You dad and I were in the army…we were on leave for two weeks and because I've always been a good wing man, your dad wanted to go to a gay bar. I went and let me tell you…I got a lot more attention in my life in that one night, than I ever have before." She giggled putting her binder to the side and leaned forward even more. "Your dad saw him from across the bar holding onto a Heineken and looking scared out of his mind. Logan was only 20 at the time so he was in a bar, underage, drinking. He was on edge, and paranoid he was going to get in trouble." She nodded, and I sat up looking down at the ground where my bare feet were and had to smile at the memory. "Some horrible pop song was playing overhead. Your dad walked over to him and asked him to dance. Logan…your dad is a horrible dancer and I think you know that." She laughed again, and I looked up to see her smiling small. "They started to dance. But Logan came to that bar with someone else and when the guy found your dad's dancing he lost it. I saw him going towards James and I freaked out. I shoved him out of the bar and almost got killed, but it was worth it. I didn't know it until their wedding, but I guess that night…the first time he saw him, James was in love. And if I hadn't been there…they may have not even met." Her smile was gone. I swallowed hard and shrugged. "Your dad has always been a force to be reckoned with. The things he has done for me…the things I've one for him…it all comes back to the fact that we are best friends and there isn't a damn thing in this world I wouldn't do for him. That's what friendship is. That's what family is." I paused and heard something behind me, probably Juliet and Max and Robbie but continued. "Life isn't easy. But it's worth it. It will always be worth it if it benefits your family and friends." She nodded sitting back just as a hand touched my shoulder and squeezed gently. I glanced a little over my shoulder and watched Juliet sit on the edge of the couch, looking down at me. "Find what you need?" She grinned big and rubbed her hand up to the back of my neck where she held gently.
"I found our costumes." I groaned out loudly and sat back into the couch letting her wrap her arm around my neck and slowly fall into my open lap. "Don't worry. We'll be adorable." She whispered it into my ear and I rolled my eyes watching my son and his best friend put two boxes on the floor in the middle of the living room giving me stupid grins.
Because my wife was hurt and not in a good place, mentally, I agreed to wear a costume, and not complain too much about it. I let her pack it for me, as we all got ready to go over to James and Logan's house. Logan said he needed help decorating, since James wouldn't be off work until 5:30, and I volunteered myself, and Max and Robbie. By the time all five of us got into my truck, it was raining. I remained quiet as I drove us the short distance to the house and the kids laughed and talked about their day at school. Juliet was also quite next to me and every now and then I would see her rub her chest, softly. It worried me, because she's so stubborn, that she wouldn't tell any of us, including her doctor best friend, if she was in a lot of pain. I was still worried about the chance of infection, even after the doctors gave her the clear to go home. So far there has been nothing to show an infection, but it didn't mean that on the inside, something couldn't happen still. And as I parked on the street in front of Logan and James's house I watched her slid out of the truck, groaning quietly. I bit my tongue, knowing if I asked her if she really wanted to be at a party right now, she'd yell at me, and got out quickly too.
While I made Max take the bag Juliet packed, and watched them and Robbie and Emily walk through the front door of the house, I went to the open garage rolling my eyes at the decorations Logan already had up. I saw him leaning against his car, a bag of fake spiderwebs under one arm while he furiously typed on his phone. "Can you say overboard?" He chuckled looking up from his phone and I stopped in front of him, leaning against the work bench covered in Halloween decorations.
"Sammy is really into Halloween this year. He is finally not afraid of the dark, and thinks all ghosts are Casper, so Halloween is just Candy and funny masks day." I nodded putting my hands into the pockets of grey zip up hoodie looking above and over him at the other side of the garage. They had two kayaks hanging on the wall, along with two bikes, and shelves jammed packed full of outdoor toys and games. "How is Juliet doing?" I looked down to his face and shrugged turning away from his eyes to look at the extra fridge by the door leading to their house. "How are you doing?" I laughed looking down and swallowed hard.
"I haven't had a full night's sleep in about three weeks. If it isn't the pain waking her up every hour, it's the nightmares. And between trying to get her breathing under control and trying to convince her no one is going to come after again…she throws up after every meal and hasn't said one word to me about how fucking traumatized she is and how much she hates me for letting this happen to her. I…"
"Wait." I looked back to Logan who had a hand raised and was giving me a confused look. "Do you honestly think Juliet blames you for what happened?" I nodded a few times and he shook his head pushing off his car and walking right next to me, opening the spiderweb bag. He started to take the fabric out and stretch it out while still shaking his head. "Juliet was hurt. Mentally, physically and spiritually. Those sick bastards broke her down to the point of no return. Until you came out and saved her. You literally saved her life Kendall. Just like always, you are her knight in shinning armor. I…it makes me sick to think of what would have happened to her if you hadn't shown up." He said the last part quietly making me feel even worse and look back to the front of me swallowing a hard lump in my throat. "Juliet is going to deal with the physical pain like a champion. Not many people could be walking around and living life after being stabbed three weeks ago. But she is. However," I saw in the corner of my eye Logan turning to me, putting the spiderweb down, and putting his arm around my back. He put his cheek on my shoulder and with his other arm he tangled it with mine, sighing out softly. "The mental aspect of her recovery is up to her. You can't force her to talk, and you can't force her to move on. She must be the one to do it. But all that means is you must be ready when she is to talk, and she is ready to move on. Just the thought that you are there every night, and that you are there to wipe away those tears and fight away her fears is all that she needs right now." I nodded sort of leaning down into him and he squeezed around me softly. "I think it's a great first step in the healing direction, that she wanted to come tonight."
"She's making us wear a couple costume. I think that's all she is excited about." Logan laughed pulling away from me and going back to his work on the workbench.
"Well whatever you guys are dressed as is going to be better than James and I." I lifted an eyebrow looking down at him and he gave me a dirty look. "James is making us go as doctors." I laughed out loud making him shake his head and raise a finger. "Zombie doctors." I laughed louder pushing off his workbench and pulled my hood up on my head walking out into the rain, him following close, holding the spiderweb. "You two are fucking assholes."
I helped Logan for a good 2 hours, making sure the house, inside and out, was decorated to how he wanted it. Max and Robbie helped a little and Juliet stayed inside carving pumpkins with Sammy, Jessie and Emily. By the time we were done decorating, and I was sitting next to Juliet, James came home. All three of his kids ran out into the living room hearing his booming voice while I stayed seated, drinking from my beer bottle, watching Juliet carve into her pumpkin, sticking her tongue out slightly. I couldn't help but smile at her and feeling nothing, but love seep out of every pore on my body. I started to lean into her, to give her a little kiss to her cheek but just as I got close enough, she turned her head and kissed my lips hard and quick. I closed my eyes and pushed hard into her as one of her hands held onto my face as she pecked at my lips. "You wanna go get changed?" She said it softly into my mouth before pulling away and forcing my eyes open. I narrowed my eyes at her and she giggled looking back down to her pumpkin. "I'll give you a hint as to what we are." I nodded looking over her head at Max walking in, dressed up as a cowboy, with Robbie following close, also dressed as a cowboy. Following in after them were Logan, James and their three kids with, to my surprise Carlos and his wife and daughter, and just as Juliet turned back to me, putting both hands on my face, I felt even more love explode from me. I had my family with me. Everyone was smiling, and everyone was mostly healthy. I was probably the luckiest man alive and as I looked back to my wife putting one hand on her neck, gently cupping it, I realized two things. One…the things in my life I don't have control over, should not ever stop me from living my life to the fullest, ever again. And two…I was going to start acting like life shouldn't be taken advantage of. Juliet opened her mouth to tell me what we were going to be dressed as but I could only chuckle and move into her, kissing her softly, but with enough passion to let everyone around us know that I was madly in love with her. And I couldn't wait to live the rest of my life with her, right by her side.
HI! I think I'm going to end this story here! It's run it's coarse and I fear if I keep going I'll make more horrible things happen to this family, so I'll leave it put. I do however have an idea to a series of one shots, with all the guys, around all the major holidays. Anyone interested in reading something like that? Let me know!