Bad Desire: New Beginnings - Fast Forward

Epilogue Part 4 - Juliet and Matt

Juliet and Matt

"Are you sure you're going to be okay with them?" Juliet asked Matt as she rushed around the room trying to get her things together.

She was off to Uni in her usual manner and while she usually left the kids with her parents to babysit, Matt had decided to take them on today. It had taken him a long time to get back into some normal routines, instead of sitting in the gang house and mourning Jay.

It wasn't to say that he no longer did it but the whole thing had been reduced and that was a positive improvement. It was having a much better impact on his wellbeing as Matt had finally weened himself slowly back into family life. Gaining this normality again seemed to be the only thing helping him feel better and Juliet was more than happy to help him along that way.

"Of course I will. I am capable of getting three kids to school Juliet." Matt laughed, as though she was crazy for thinking otherwise.

"And..." She looked expectantly as she waited for him to finish the sentence.

"And pick them up again."

"Perfect." She teased causing Matt to roll his eyes. "What are you doing to do while they're at school?"

Sinking back into the sofa, Matt shrugged his shoulders.

"I have to go and meet the gang." He replied while watching Juliet pull a very dissatisfied expression.

"Really?"

Since Jay had passed away, Matt had avoided the gang on the most part. It seemed as though being around them just connected everything back to Jay and made him miss him more. They were also all going through a tough time and luckily Matt had managed to miss a lot of the mess they had seemed to get themselves into.

It was one of the reasons Juliet didn't feel so comfortable with him involving himself once again. After what happened to Jay alongside how badly the gang was coping, made it all the more terrifying. Things had changed and they were never going to be the same again. That gang was falling apart piece by piece and she didn't want Matt suffering from that.

"Why?" She went onto ask when he didn't say anything.

"Just to see where we stand and what the fuck we are going to do."

"You're not going back for good are you?"

"Jay would have hated this Juliet. He would have hated how fucked up we let this gang get. He gave up his life for us; I've got to help get it back on its feet." Matt stressed as his frustration was already beginning to shine through.

"I think he would want you to be safe."

There was silence among the pair for a moment while they entered a really sensitive and difficult topic. Juliet knew no matter what she said to Matt, it wouldn't make him listen however, she did worry. She didn't want him getting into the same mind set Jay had been because in the end it only ended up getting him killed.

She wished he could see what this gang had done to his best friend and how he getting involved again was the worst decision possible.

"You need to trust me, Juliet." Matt stood to his feet and cupped her face.

Those words would have been a small amount of comfort for most but they sent a chill down Juliet's spine. They were the words Jay had used on a regular basis and no amount of trust had saved his life.

"I do but I don't trust the gang or this life."

"I know." Matt nodded his head. "And neither do I but I can't leave it in this state."

Sighing, Juliet looked to the time on her phone; she was already running late and didn't have much time to argue this.

"I'm so proud of you." He began and there was something about those words that hit such a sensitive spot within her. "How you pulled your life together and finally did something for yourself. It inspired me to do the same but first I need to do this for Jay... I need to help get the gang back on it's feet and then I'll take a step back."

Although it was a decision Juliet had hoped Matt wouldn't make due to his safety, she was glad he had some sense among it. He was ready to take a step back from this life and it had been something she never thought would happen. She finally saw some realisation in his eyes of what was most important now and that was truly positive.

He may be involving himself one last time but he was doing it for the sake of his best friend and Juliet understood that. This would help Matt come to terms with what happened and also help him cope with the death of his best friend as he would finally feel like he was giving back.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"I always am." Matt replied as he pressed his lips to her forehead and his look was reassuring enough that he wasn't playing games anymore. This was his last commitment to the life that destroyed him.

**