Without You

72. Piece by Piece

A/N - Wow, I'm not sure what happened, but here I am updating again! And it's only been a little over two weeks! There is yet hope. 😂 I am not sure if this chapter is any good, but at least it's an update. 🙈 Thank you so much to everyone still reading, voting and commenting! It is appreciated more than you could ever know! ❤ -H. x

"B***ards!" Dec growled, staring at his phone balefully, features twisted with a mix of anger and pain, "Bloody b***ards!"

Looking up from her laptop, Ali gave Dec a sympathetic look. "Try not to let it get to you, love," she intoned gently, reaching out and laying a hand on his thigh, "Reading it'll only make it worse."

Dec grimaced, air wrenching out of him in a deep sigh as he reluctantly tossed his phone on the couch beside him, shoving his head into his hands and pushing aggressively through his hair with another broken-sounding breath. He remained like that, head resting resignedly against his wrists, for a few moments before he pushed himself off the couch with the energy of a man possessed.

He started restlessly moving around the room, legs carrying him back and forth as he wandered seemingly aimlessly before diving back over to the couch to grab his phone when it chimed. Making an annoyed sound, he threw it back down after dismissing the notification.

Ali watched him for a few moments as he continued his agitated walkabout in their living room. "Come on, you have to eat something," she pleaded, "You can't go a whole morning on one bite of toast!"

Dec merely shook his head and snatched some papers off the coffee table along with his mug of tea, moodily downing it in one gulp and heading back to the kitchen for a refill. "And that's another thing," Ali nagged, "You are drinking way too much bloody caffeine! It's not a substitute for food and sleep, you know!"

Ignoring her, Dec returned with a brimming cuppa of strong green tea, lips moving silently as he read and re-read the papers in his hand, face a picture of concentration. Ali rolled her eyes and fell silent, realizing Dec was in one of those moods where neither reasoning with him nor nagging would make a blind bit of difference.

His restive journey around their front room continued another half hour or so, during which time he downed a further two cups of tea, finally ending when a reminder pinged on his phone. Throwing it a vexed look, he hastily tucked the papers into his checkered backpack and headed up the stairs to the master bathroom to brush his teeth and take care of business.

Reemerging several minutes later, now with his hair a bit more styled and crisp jeans replacing his lounge pants, Dec grabbed his phone and backpack and toed on his shoes. His movements were jerky and uncoordinated, a sure sign of being overloaded on caffeine – and feeling emotional – and he was still uncharacteristically silent.

Ali stood, snagging his arm as he walked past and pulling him into her for a hug and kiss which he absentmindedly returned. She couldn't help but feel a not-so-small twinge of pain at the complete lack of passion in the kiss they shared on Dec's end, but then again, she understood. Today was going to be extremely hard for him.

"Text me if you need anything, okay? I love you, sweetheart," she leaned in and kissed his cheek, fingers tenderly caressing his slightly stubbly chin before falling to his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Dec's eyes met hers for a split second, the carefully built shields lifting for a moment and showing a glimpse of the tortured man beneath before slamming back down again as a quiet, "Love you too," left his lips and he turned toward the foyer, slinging his backpack onto his back as he went. Ali watched him go, eyes filling with tears of worry and frustration as the door fell shut behind him.