Always You/ A Jordan Knight FanFic (Mature Content 18+)✔️

37

Jordan

Beep. 

My throat ached and my mouth was dry. My body felt heavy, and it was difficult to open my eyes.

Beep.

Inhaling slowly, I gathered my thoughts. Donnie found us. He had his gun aimed at Natalia. I dove to protect her, but the room went dark and I felt weak.

Beep. 

My vision came into focus. I was in a hospital room. I opened my mouth to speak, but I felt the tube. Trying not to gag, I located the nurse call button and pressed it with the little strength I had.

A moment later, a nurse popped in. "Mr. Knight, I'm glad to see you're awake." She walked to the bed and slowly pulled out the tube. "I'm Susan. Is there anything I can get you?" Her hand gripped my wrist as she checked my pulse.

"Water," I mouthed to her.

She smiled and grabbed a pink cup with a straw. "Your throat will be a little sore, but I'm sure we can give you something for that. I'll let the doctor know that you're awake."

"Natalia," I managed to say after the cold water soothed my throat.

"She's right outside the room. I'll call her right in."

I closed my eyes again.

"Jordan!" I opened my eyes as Sadie rushed to my side. "Oh, baby . . ."

A wave of disappointment washed over me. Natalia wasn't with her. "Where's—"

"Caleb's fine. He's home with your parents." Sadie brushed her hand through my hair.

I meant to ask for Natalia.

Sadie pulled out her cell. "I'm going to call home. I know Caleb will be very excited to see you."

"Sadie?" She looked up from her phone and at me. "Donnie? What happened?"

She slid both of her lips between her teeth and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jordan. Your brother ended his own life."

I couldn't remember anything after I pushed Natalia out of the way. "And Natalia?" I managed to ask.

Sadie rubbed the palm of her hand along my cheek. "She's home, but why don't you worry about getting better?"

I dropped the subject.

My parents and Caleb arrived shortly after Sadie called them. All were excited to see me doing so well. I kept waiting for Natalia to arrive. Surely she'd come and say hello. But there was no word from her.

"Mom," Caleb said, and the room grew silent. He was lying on the bed watching television with me.

"Yes?" Sadie pulled her gaze away from her phone.

"I'm hungry."

"The cafeteria is open until eleven," my mother added.

"Come on." Sadie stood. "Let's go grab you something."

Caleb hopped off the bed, and coiled his hands with Sadie's. My mother stood. "I'm going to grab something, too. Do you want anything?"

I shook my head.

As they walked out, Warren came in with some ice chips for me. His head was lowered and he avoided my eyes.

"Warren?" I said when it was only the two of us. "Are you okay?"

He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed. "I'm between a rock and a hard place."

"I'm sorry about Donnie."

"It's not your fault. And just like I told Natalia, it's not her fault, either."

I sat higher on the bed. "Is she okay? Did he hurt her?" This was the first time anyone had said anything to me about her.

Warren dug in his back pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. "She's gone home."

My heart sank.

"She asked me to give you this. I was going to wait until you were home, but I noticed you keep looking at that door waiting for her to arrive. She's not coming, son."

I reached for the crisp white envelope and peeled back the folds. I didn't need to read the letter to know why she left. Maybe in a different lifetime, she said.

But she was wrong.

I would be with her in this lifetime.

~~

Four days later I was discharged.

My parents had returned to Ecuador, Caleb had returned to school, and it was the first time Sadie and I were alone. She'd been sweeter than usual, loving even to both Caleb and myself. She acted surprised when we arrived home and found the garage apartment empty, but I'd been married to her for ten years. I knew when she was lying.

I was in the kitchen eating breakfast when Sadie walked in freshly showered and ready for her day. "I have to run a few errands. Maybe we can pick up Caleb from school and have lunch—"

"Can you sit down?" I interjected. "We need to talk."

Sadie pulled the wooden chair back and sat across from me. Cracking my knuckles, I sighed. "I want a divorce."

"What?" Her eyebrows pinched together.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to keep living like this anymore. I think it would be better if we part ways."

"So you can run after her?"

I wasn't shocked that she knew. I'd assumed as much.

"You'd throw your family away for some whore?"

"Sadie. . ." I kept my voice steady. "For ten years I've been by your side and have given you everything you've ever wanted, but I've never been truly happy. And I won't deny that I love Natalia. I always have. The only reason I didn't go after her was because you were pregnant."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I knew you two were fucking around in college."

"And clearly, you were fucking Austin," I stated matter-of-factly.

"You son of a bitch."

"I'm not stupid, Sadie. But regardless, I made you an honest woman and took care of my family. Caleb will always be my son. I just don't want to be married to you anymore."

She slammed her hands on the table. "If you think for a second I'll sign papers so you can run away with Natalia, you're out of your fucking mind."

"Sadie, I'm trying to make this as easy as possible."

"Fuck you. Lawyer up, because I want full custody of my son." She yanked her purse off the counter and stormed out of the house.

At least I was one step closer to being with Natalia.