Arms Length ( Jack Abbot x F!reader )
Summary: Jack Abbott was never supposed to be more than a secret—late nights, locked doors, and feelings that weren’t allowed to exist. But when Y/n realizes she’s falling for a man who refuses to admit he wants her, she finally walks away… only for life to rip the ground out from under her in the most painful way possible. With grief taking over her world and Jack realizing too late what he almost lost, both of them are forced to face the truth: some love stories don’t start with a confession… they start with heartbreak.
Warnings: Grief and loss Death of a family member (grandfather) Hospice / end-of-life care Emotional pain and heartbreak Arguments and relationship conflict Possessiveness / jealousy Mentions of sex / sexual language
Jack Abbot was everything to you.
Jack Abbot could be mean in a way that he didn’t even know that he was being.
Meaning he didn’t know that he was hurting you. He didn’t know how much you were hurting by just staying hidden behind his bedroom door—by only ever being allowed in his life in the dark, when no one else could see you.
He didn’t know how much it destroyed you to be a secret.
Jack didn’t want to face the fact that he was falling for you, and he wanted to keep you at arm’s length where he knew that he could still have you. Where he didn’t have to label it. Where he didn’t have to admit he cared.
Because caring meant risking something.
And Jack Abbot didn’t like risking anything.
He didn’t know that he was losing you.
You sat up from his bed with your back facing him as he sat himself up against the headboard. The sheets were still tangled around his waist, his hair messy, his chest rising and falling like everything was normal.
Like this wasn’t breaking you.
No words were shared between you as you grabbed your shift from the floor and threw it over your head.
You wanted to crawl out of your own skin from the way it burned you.
It wasn’t just pain anymore.
It was the feeling of being someone’s favorite mistake.
You didn’t want this anymore. You wanted more of Jack, you wanted everything that came from the man you were falling for.
You wanted his hands holding yours when the world felt too heavy.
You wanted him to call you his.
You wanted him to stop acting like you were only worth the hours after midnight.
But you knew at the end of the day you were just someone he could have to get his dick wet and that’s it.
Because you would’ve given him everything.
You could feel his eyes on you as you moved around the room like you knew it like the back of your hand, which you did in a way.
You knew where his clothes were.
You knew where his spare charger was.
You knew which floorboard creaked.
You knew which cabinet held the mugs.
You knew the smell of his detergent.
You knew his bed better than you knew peace.
And the worst part was… you knew him.
Or at least you thought you did.
“You’re already leaving?” Jack asked you as he folded his arms over his chest.
His voice was casual, like it didn’t matter.
Like you didn’t matter.
“Yeah I am, I just need to get some stuff done at my house before our shift,” you said to him without looking at him.
You couldn’t look at him.
Because if you looked at him, you would stay.
The morning sun was making its way into his blackout curtains that he had in his bedroom. It painted thin streaks of light across the wall, across the bed, across your skin.
The same blackout curtains you had in your bedroom too.
Funny how you were the same in so many ways.
Funny how he still didn’t see you.
“Do you need my help with anything at your place?” Jack asked you. “I can get my stuff and help you.”
He was already looking for a shirt to wear, like he could just follow you out the door and pretend you were something real.
Like he could act like a boyfriend when it benefited him.
“No really its okay,” you told him, forcing your voice to stay even. “It’s stuff that is small that I’ve been putting off is all.”
Your fingers trembled slightly as you grabbed your bag, and your phone lit up in your hand.
Your heart sank instantly.
“Fuck, I have to go,” you said, throwing your phone into your bag too quickly, too carelessly, like you could shove your feelings in there with it.
You bent down to put on your shoes, swallowing the lump in your throat.
“Who was that?” Jack asked you, his arm pausing in the air with his shirt still in his hand.
His voice wasn’t casual anymore.
Because he didn’t get to sound like that.
He didn’t get to care now.
“Just a reminder that I had to go do something,” you said to him as you made your way out of the room.
Jack followed behind you like he couldn’t help it. Like he needed to make sure you really left.
Like he didn’t trust you.
Like you were the one who couldn’t be trusted.
You reached his front door, hand already on the handle.
You just needed to get out.
“Do I know him?” Jack asked you.
Your hand paused over the handle.
Slowly, you turned around.
Jack’s face had hardened. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed. Like he was already building a story in his head.
A story where you were the villain.
A story where you were the one doing something wrong.
“Know who?” you asked him, confused, not knowing where this was going.
And it almost made you laugh.
Because where was that fear when you were begging him with your eyes to love you?
Where was that jealousy when he refused to acknowledge you outside these walls?
You and your cousin had been taking care of your grandfather for the last couple months. He was in hospice and you were the one making sure that he had everything that he needed to make it more peaceful for him with the little time that he had left.
No one at work knew what you were going through and you wanted to keep it that way as long as you could.
You never thought to tell Jack because at the start Jack made it very clear what you guys were.
You wanted more than what he gave you in these four walls but you didn’t want to have to beg to be seen by someone who didn’t want the same thing from you.
“The guy who’s been texting you non-stop for the last couple weeks,” Jack said to you like he had no right to know your business.
Something in you snapped.
Because he said it like you were doing something wrong.
Like you owed him an explanation.
Like you belonged to him.
“How the fuck do you know who’s texting me?” you asked, voice rising. “Have you looked at my phone?”
And then his eyes dropped.
Jack had no right to know anything else about you.
Jack had no right to do any of this.
“Why would you do that Jack!” you said, feeling your face and neck get hot.
Your hands clenched into fists at your sides.
Your whole body was shaking.
“Well I wanted to know if you were seeing someone!” Jack snapped back, throwing his hands up like you were the crazy one.
That hit you like a truck.
Because you realized something then.
Jack didn’t even respect you.
Did Jack really think you were seeing someone at the same time you were sleeping with him?
You stared at him like he’d slapped you.
“Wow Jack,” you whispered. “You really think that’s low of me?”
You didn’t want to hear what he was going to say next.
You didn’t know if you could take it.
But Jack’s pride was louder than his heart.
“Well it would make sense,” Jack said, his voice colder now, “that you would sleep with me just to get a letter from me for the hospital.”
And you felt your heart split open.
You couldn’t even blink.
You couldn’t even breathe.
You wanted to not believe him and the words that he said to you.
You wanted to believe he didn’t mean it.
You wanted to believe that this could have turned into something more.
You wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, he loved you as much as you loved him.
But he didn’t say it like a fear.
He said it like an accusation.
Like he truly believed you were capable of using him.
“That’s low, Jack,” you scoffed, voice shaking as you put your hand back on the handle.
Your fingers wrapped around it tighter this time.
Like if you let go, you would crumble.
“Y/n wait—” Jack said, stepping forward, reaching out for you.
“No!” you snapped, pulling your hand away before he could touch you.
You didn’t want his hands on you.
Not after he made you feel like you were dirty.
“You don’t get to act like this to me and think so little of me,” you said, your voice breaking completely now.
Tears blurred your vision, but you refused to let them fall in front of him.
“I didn’t mean that, Y/n,” Jack said quickly, his voice softer now.
Like he realized what he’d done.
He knew that he messed up.
He knew that he didn’t mean the words that came out of his mouth.
His feelings towards you were so much that he didn’t know what else to say.
Because he still said it.
“I just wanted to know why you haven’t really said anything these past couple weeks,” Jack admitted, voice rough. “You’ve been distant… you haven’t been… you haven’t been you.”
“Jack,” you whispered, shaking your head. “You made it very clear what you wanted in the first place.”
“And that’s what I’m doing here.”
Because he knew you were right.
From the first time he kissed you in the parking lot and the words came off his lips—we can’t have anyone know—he knew it was a lie from the start.
He didn’t want to lose you, but he knew that you were already slipping through his fingers.
“And if you didn’t mean it,” you said, swallowing hard, “then you wouldn’t have said it.”
Jack looked like he wanted to say your name again.
Like he wanted to stop you.
Like he wanted to grab you and pull you back into his arms and pretend this never happened.
You looked at him one last time as you opened the door.
And before you left, you turned back.
“I was hoping,” you whispered, voice trembling, “that one day you would love me like I love you.”
Jack’s eyes widened slightly.
Like the words hit him in the chest.
“I just hope you find what you’re looking for, Jack. I really do.”
You hated how much you still loved him.
You hated how much you still wanted him.
“I just can’t keep on being the one that gets hurt in the end.”
And with that, you shut the door to his house and made your way to your car.
You saw him open his door, coming out to your car.
But you were long gone from his driveway.
As you drove away you let the tears fall freely as you made your way to your grandfather’s house.
You didn’t even wipe them away.
Did you leave the man that you wanted for good?
You knew what the answer to the last question was when you threw your car in park outside the house that you came to every weekend.
The swing still hung up on the old oak tree in the front yard.
The one you fell off of at ten and broke your arm.
The one your grandfather fixed the very next day even though he told you not to climb it again.
You could almost hear his voice in your head.
You shut the door to your car as you made your way up the steps leading to the front door.
But before you could put your keys in the lock, your cousin came out of the house with tears in his eyes.
Because you knew that look.
You knew that look from doctors in the ER.
The look they get right before they tell someone the worst thing they will ever hear.
“No,” you whispered, shaking your head.
“He’s not dead,” you said again, like if you said it enough times it would become true.
Your cousin stepped closer.
“No!” you said, backing down the front steps.
“He was fine when I left for my shift last night,” you choked out.
Your voice sounded far away.
Like it wasn’t even yours.
“He can’t be gone,” you whispered, choking on a sob. “He just can’t.”
Your cousin reached for you and pulled you into his arms.
And that was when the sound finally broke out of you.
The cry that had been building for months.
The cry you had swallowed down every night.
The cry you never let yourself have because you were too busy being strong.
“I’m so sorry, Y/n,” your cousin whispered into your hair. “He was gone when I went to wake him up this morning. He passed early… somewhere around sunrise.”
All you could do was cry harder.
You felt your knees weaken.
You felt your whole world collapse.
You wished it was someone else holding you instead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack made his way into work right at 7 on the dot.
Usually he was here early, but he couldn’t sleep since you left that morning.
He kept tossing and turning, and every time he closed his eyes all he saw was you.
The way you looked at him like you wanted him to choose you.
He just wanted to see you at work.
He just wanted you to know that he did love you.
And that if you would take him back, he would do it right this time.
“Yeah Robby can you tell Abbot that he’s down a senior resident tonight when he comes in,” Dana said to Robby as Jack made his way to the nursing station.
“Who called out?” Jack asked, setting his bag down and crossing his arms.
“It was Y/n,” she said quietly. “She said her grandfather died this morning when she got home.”
Jack felt the blood drain from his face.
His stomach dropped so fast he thought he might be sick.
Dana continued, her voice thick.
“Poor thing… did you both know she’s been taking care of him for the last couple weeks? She and her cousin were taking turns making sure he was taken care of, but he got really bad off.”
He couldn’t even blink.
When you said you couldn’t come over.
When you didn’t answer.
You weren’t ignoring him.
You were trying to hold your world together.
And he accused you of using him.
Of being the kind of person you never were.
Robby spoke next, his voice softer.
“I hate that for her. Didn’t her grandfather raise her after her parents died?”
“Yeah he did. You should hear her talk about him… he was her whole world.”
The words echoed in his head.
*He was her whole world.*
And Jack realized something sickening.
You were losing your world…
Before Robby could even say another word, Jack was already grabbing his keys.
“You good, brother?” Robby asked, following him.
“No,” Jack said honestly, voice tight. “Not really.”
Robby’s eyes narrowed. “What do you need from me?”
Jack turned his truck on, hands gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing holding him together.
“Can you stay here and try to get up with Shen or Parker to let them know I won’t be coming in tonight?”
“I got you,” he said. “Go get your girl.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Jack made his way to you, he didn’t know what he was going to say.
He didn’t know if you would slam the door in his face.
He didn’t know if you would scream at him.
He didn’t know if you would ever forgive him.
And he didn’t know how he was going to live with himself if you didn’t.
He made it to your house that was just a couple minutes away from the hospital.
You could walk to work if you wanted to, but you’d been caught too many times in the rain, so you drove for the most part.
He didn’t even shut his door gently.
He just ran up the steps and knocked.
When the door opened, you stood there.
Like you’d been crying for hours.
Jack’s chest tightened painfully.
Jack looked like hell too.
His curls were everywhere, his hair a mess, his face drawn. Like he’d been pulling at himself all day trying to undo what he’d done.
“What are you doing here?” you whispered.
Your voice sounded broken.
Jack stepped inside and closed the door with his good foot.
“I’m here,” he said, voice shaking, “because the person that I love needs me more than anything right now.”
Jack didn’t let go of you for a long time.
He just stood there in the middle of your living room, holding you like if he loosened his arms even a little you would disappear. Like you were something he had been given one last chance to keep.
Your sobs were quiet at first, but they grew louder the longer you stayed pressed against him. Like your body finally realized it didn’t have to be strong anymore. Like it could finally fall apart.
Jack’s hand moved up and down your back in slow strokes, his other arm wrapped around you tight.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered again, his voice thick. “God, I’m so sorry.”
Because if you opened your mouth, you knew you would start screaming instead of crying.
And you didn’t have the energy for that.
You barely had the energy to breathe.
Jack leaned down, pressing his lips to the top of your head. It was soft. Careful. Like he was afraid to touch you too much.
Like he didn’t deserve to.
He pulled back just enough to look at you.
Your eyes were red and swollen, your cheeks damp. Your lips were trembling and your face looked like it was holding a pain too heavy for one person to carry.
“Sweet girl…” he whispered, his thumb brushing under your eye, wiping away a tear that wouldn’t stop falling.
You stared at him for a moment.
And it was like you didn’t even know what to feel anymore.
Because just this morning you were leaving his house feeling like you were nothing.
And now he was here, holding you like you were everything.
You shook your head slowly, your voice barely there.
“I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
Jack’s throat tightened.
He swallowed hard, blinking quickly like he was trying to keep it together for you.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” he said. “Not anymore.”
You let out a shaky breath, your hands gripping the front of his shirt like it was the only thing keeping you upright.
“I can’t… I can’t do this,” you whispered. “I can’t do it without him.”
Jack’s eyes filled with tears at that.
“I know,” he said quietly. “I know, baby.”
The words slipped out of him without thinking.
It was the first time he’d ever called you that.
You froze slightly at the name, and Jack felt it. He felt the way your body tensed like you didn’t know if you were allowed to lean into it.
Because he had done that.
He had made you question every ounce of affection you deserved.
Jack let out a shaky breath and stepped back, but only enough to look at you properly.
He didn’t want to crowd you.
He didn’t want to overwhelm you.
He didn’t want to be another thing that hurt.
“I’m gonna make you some water,” he said softly. “Okay? Just… sit down for me.”
You nodded slowly, almost like you were on autopilot.
Jack guided you back to the couch, his hand still on your waist. Still steadying you. Still acting like he belonged there.
Jack walked into your kitchen like he’d been there a hundred times, even though he hadn’t. He opened cabinets until he found a glass, then filled it with water.
Because now that he wasn’t holding you, the guilt came back full force.
It slammed into him like a wave.
He leaned his hands against the counter, staring down at the glass.
She was taking care of him… and I accused her.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
I thought she was using me.
Jack exhaled hard through his nose, swallowing the lump in his throat.
He didn’t deserve to be here.
But he was going to be anyway.
And he was done running from it.
He walked back into the living room and handed you the water.
You took it with trembling fingers.
Jack sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of you, close enough to reach you but not forcing you into anything.
He watched you take a small sip.
Your eyes stared forward, unfocused.
Like you weren’t really here.
Jack’s voice came out low.
“Dana told me what happened.”
You blinked slowly, your gaze shifting to him.
“She said you called out… that your grandpa passed this morning.”
Your breath hitched at the words.
Even hearing it out loud felt wrong.
Like it couldn’t be real.
You shook your head again, tears immediately filling your eyes.
“I walked up to the door and my cousin was standing there,” you whispered. “And I knew. I knew before he even opened his mouth.”
“He raised me,” you said quietly. “After my parents died… he was the only person who never left.”
“He was the only one who stayed.”
Jack’s throat tightened painfully.
And suddenly he understood why you loved the way you did.
Why you held on so tightly.
Why you were so desperate to be chosen.
Because you’d already lost too much.
And he almost made you lose more.
You took a shaky breath, your hands gripping the glass like it might shatter.
“And the last thing I did before I came here…” you whispered, looking down, “was leave your house.”
You didn’t even have to say the rest.
You looked up at him, eyes glassy.
“I left your house thinking I didn’t matter to you.”
He nodded once, like he deserved every word.
“And then I got here and found out he was gone.”
“And I can’t stop thinking about how stupid I was for crying over you when he was dying.”
Jack flinched like you slapped him.
“No,” he said immediately, shaking his head. “Don’t say that.”
You let out a broken laugh, bitter and soaked in pain.
Jack leaned forward, his hands coming up to hold your knees gently, grounding you.
“You are not stupid,” he said firmly. “You’re grieving. And you’ve been grieving for weeks. And you were doing it alone because I didn’t give you a reason to feel safe with me.”
Your eyes snapped to his.
Jack’s voice dropped, full of regret.
The only sound was your breathing and the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Jack stared at you like he was trying to memorize you. Like he was scared you’d disappear again.
Then he spoke again, voice cracking.
“I need to tell you something.”
You didn’t answer, but you didn’t stop him.
“I looked at your phone.”
Your grip tightened around the glass.
Jack saw it and nodded quickly.
“I know,” he whispered. “I know. And you have every right to hate me for that.”
Your lips parted, but no words came out.
Jack’s eyes were wet now.
“I didn’t trust you,” he continued. “And you didn’t deserve that. You’ve never given me a reason not to trust you.”
He leaned back slightly, like he couldn’t stand being that close to you while admitting it.
“I was jealous,” he said. “I was scared. And I didn’t know what to do with it.”
You stared at him, silent tears sliding down your cheeks.
Jack’s voice grew rough.
“So I did the one thing I always do when I’m scared.”
“What?” you whispered.
Jack let out a humorless breath.
Jack had always been like that.
Sharp words. Cold distance. Pretending he didn’t care.
It was easier than being vulnerable.
Jack’s eyes locked on yours.
“And when I said that shit to you this morning… about you sleeping with me for a letter…”
His voice cracked and he looked down, shaking his head.
“I don’t even know what kind of man says something like that to a woman he cares about.”
“I didn’t even ask you what was going on,” Jack whispered. “I didn’t even stop and think that maybe you were dealing with something bigger than me.”
He looked back up, tears finally spilling.
“I made you feel like you were nothing. Like you were some… some girl I could just keep hidden away.”
Jack’s voice broke completely.
“But you were never nothing to me.”
Jack leaned forward again, closer this time.
“I need you to understand that,” he said, voice shaking. “You were never just a hookup. Not to me. Not even from the start.”
You let out a shaky breath, shaking your head.
“Then why did you treat me like one?” you whispered.
The question came out so small.
He pressed his hands to his eyes, breathing hard like he was trying not to fall apart.
“Because I’m a coward,” he admitted.
“Because the minute you walked into my life, I felt something I didn’t want to feel. Something I didn’t think I deserved.”
“And I didn’t know how to handle it.”
You stared at him, your heart pounding.
“I’ve spent my whole life losing people,” he said quietly. “So when I realized I was starting to need you…”
“I tried to make it smaller.”
You looked at him, tears still falling.
Jack shook his head slowly.
He leaned closer until his knees were pressed against yours.
“I love you,” he said softly.
The words hung in the air like something sacred.
Like something that should’ve been said a long time ago.
Jack blinked, tears falling freely now.
“I love you,” he repeated. “And I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. I’m sorry I made you beg in silence for something I was already feeling.”
You stared at him like you couldn’t believe he was saying it.
And part of you didn’t.
Because you had wanted those words for so long that now they almost felt like a cruel joke.
Your voice came out small.
“Don’t say that to me just because my grandpa died.”
Jack’s expression snapped.
“No,” he said firmly. “No, don’t do that.”
He stood up suddenly, pacing a step like he couldn’t sit still.
“I’m not here because I feel guilty,” he said. “I’m here because I’m terrified.”
“I’m terrified because you walked out of my house this morning and I didn’t stop you. And then I found out you lost the most important person in your life—”
“And I realized if you never come back to me, I deserve it.”
You felt your chest ache.
Jack stepped closer again, kneeling in front of you this time, his hands resting gently on your thighs.
“I’m here because I can’t lose you,” he whispered. “Not like that. Not after I finally admitted what you are to me.”
You looked down at him, your eyes filled.
“I don’t know if I can forgive you,” you whispered honestly.
“I know,” he said. “And you don’t have to right now.”
Jack’s thumb brushed over your knee softly.
“But I needed you to know I’m sorry,” he said. “Not the kind of sorry that’s just words.”
“The kind of sorry that means I’m gonna spend every day proving it.”
“I know,” he whispered. “I know.”
“I trusted you. Even when I shouldn’t have.”
Jack closed his eyes, nodding.
“And you were right to,” he said. “And I broke that.”
You took a shaky breath, wiping your cheek with the back of your hand.
“I’m sorry too,” you whispered suddenly.
You let out a bitter laugh through tears.
“I’m sorry for thinking that if I just stayed quiet… if I just kept letting you have me… that you’d eventually choose me.”
“I’m sorry for letting you treat me like that. I’m sorry for not walking away sooner.”
He reached up, taking your hands in his.
“Don’t apologize for loving me,” he whispered. “You never have to apologize for that.”
You looked at him, tears falling again.
“But I should’ve told you,” you whispered. “About my grandpa.”
“No,” he said. “No, baby. That’s not on you. You didn’t tell me because I didn’t make you feel like you could.”
“And I hate myself for that.”
You looked at Jack, and he looked at you like you were something precious he’d almost destroyed.
You whispered, “I can’t lose him… and lose you too.”
“You won’t,” he said immediately. “Not if you’ll let me stay.”
“You’re not gonna disappear?”
Jack shook his head firmly.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised. “Not now. Not ever again.”
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “For being cruel. For being jealous. For not trusting you. For keeping you in the dark like you didn’t deserve the light.”
He leaned his forehead against your knee like he was exhausted.
“And I’m sorry for every time you walked out of my house feeling empty.”
Your sob broke free again.
You leaned forward, dropping your head into his shoulder.
Jack wrapped his arms around you instantly, holding you tight like he’d been waiting his whole life to do it.
You cried into him, gripping him.
And Jack held you through it all.
He kissed the side of your head.
He whispered your name like a prayer.
He didn’t try to fix it.
He didn’t try to make it go away.
And that was the first time in a long time you didn’t feel completely alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ER was buzzing like it always did, but the energy was different.
Word traveled fast in hospitals.
Dana stood near the nurses station with a cup of coffee in her hands, her voice low as she spoke to Lena
“I just can’t believe it,” Dana said. “She was here last shift smiling like everything was fine.”
Lena shook her head slowly.
“She always keeps her shit together. I don’t know how she does it.”
Robby leaned against the counter, rubbing his jaw.
“She’s got nobody down here besides her cousin, right?”
“Pretty much,” Dana answered. “Her grandfather was her person.”
Shen walked by, hearing just enough to pause.
“What happened?” He asked.
Dana looked up, sadness in her eyes.
“Y/n’s grandfather passed away this morning.”
Shen’s face softened instantly.
Parker stepped into the conversation next, confusion on her face.
Dana nodded. “Hospice. She’s been taking care of him for weeks and nobody even knew.”
Parker cursed under her breath.
“Jesus… she’s been working full shifts while dealing with that?”
Lena sighed. “Yeah. And Jack looked like he got hit by a damn train when he found out.”
Robby’s eyes flicked up.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “He left.”
Parker blinked. “Jack Abbot left his shift?”
“He didn’t even argue. Just grabbed his keys.”
Shen’s mouth fell open slightly.
“That man doesn’t leave anything.”
Robby crossed his arms, staring off toward the entrance.
“Well,” he muttered, “he’s leaving now.”
Lena frowned. “Where’d he go?”
Robby’s voice was quiet, but sure.
“To go be the man he should’ve been the whole time.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack stayed with you all day.
He didn’t ask questions you didn’t want to answer.
He didn’t try to fill the silence with pointless words.
Wrapped a blanket around your shoulders when he noticed you shivering.
At some point, your cousin knocked on the door.
When you opened it, his eyes landed on Jack immediately.
The surprise on his face was obvious.
He glanced between the two of you.
“Jack Abbot?” he asked slowly.
Jack stood up, straightening his shoulders.
“Yes,.” Jack said respectfully.
Your cousin’s jaw tightened.
“You the reason she’s been crying all morning?” he asked bluntly.
But Jack didn’t flinch.
“Yes,” he said quietly. “I am.”
Your cousin stared at him, like he was trying to decide whether he wanted to punch him or thank him.
“I said some things this morning that I shouldn’t have,” Jack admitted. “And I hurt her.”
Your cousin’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why are you here?”
Jack’s voice didn’t shake.
“Because I love her,” he said.
Your cousin blinked like he didn’t expect that.
Jack stepped forward slowly.
“And because she shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
Your cousin’s expression softened slightly.
He looked at you, eyes full of pain.
“She’s all he had,” your cousin whispered.
“I know,” he said. “And I’m gonna make sure she’s taken care of now.”
Your cousin stared at Jack for a long moment, then sighed.
“Good,” he muttered. “Because she’s been taking care of everybody else her whole damn life.”
Jack’s throat tightened.
“I know,” he whispered again.
Your cousin stepped forward and pulled you into a hug again.
Then he looked at Jack one more time.
“Don’t break her,” he warned.
Jack’s voice was quiet.
