Wait For Me

Drowning Sorrows

His face contorted as he finished yet another glass of the dark liquid, the glass clinking with the side as he placed it down. Leaning against the bar he rest his head in his hands as he sighed heavily. It had been the longest week in history and everything seemed to continue stacking up against him.

Since Grace had woken, there had been nothing. She hadn't made any attempt to talk to him, or even acknowledge him in the department. He had assumed that maybe there would be a chance they could salvage some part of their relationship but it seemed that that chance had all been in his head. "Come on, let's get you home."

A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn to the side as he saw Charlie standing there sympathetically. "Come on..." With not much choice other than to go with him, he stood up from the bar stool leaning against him somewhat as he stumbled slowly from the pub.

Grace was improving day by day, each little step something Connie clung onto. She had been hurt when she realised Jacob had disappeared, especially when he hadn't come back to visit them. Had she done something wrong? She played it all over in her mind constantly trying to think of what it was she did to push him away yet again.

Wandering out of the hospital she closed her eyes feeling the drop in temperature. Inhaling deeply she relished in the clear air, somewhere she could stop thinking about all the responsibilities that weighed down on her shoulders at the moment.

It had been a while since she had seen Chris so she had agreed to go to dinner tonight. She'd been reluctant to spend a night away from her daughter but she knew they both needed the space sometimes. Chris had been understanding in her needing to support Grace first and foremost, she counted herself lucky to find someone who understood that she would always come first.

Wandering forwards her eyes picked up to where Charlie carried the weight of someone from the pub. Frowning she instantly recognised his form, even from this distance. Sighing she couldn't help the parts of her that instantly worried about him. Had she caused this? No, no it couldn't have been her. It was his decision to draw back from them again.

As the fresh air hit them, he stood up a little more taking a deep breath. Rubbing his hands over his face he slowly slipped to sit down onto the bench not seeing the other person approaching him. "What's wrong with him? Is he okay?" "He's been drinking, a lot from what I hear..." She clenched her jaw nodding before turning away from Charlie and taking a seat beside him.

"Jacob?" Reaching forwards she placed a warm hand to his thigh. "Con?" She nodded as he lifted his head to look at her, a certain amount of pain behind his eyes that he normally hid so well. "Oh Jacob..." Pushing her hand away he tried to stand before Connie quickly caught hold of him, helping him to sit again. "Enjoying this?" "Shut up Jacob."

When his eyes met hers this time he groaned resting his head to his hands. Turning to look out over the car park she sighed. "How much have you drunk?" "I don't remember, not enough if I can still talk." Rolling her eyes she slipped his phone from his pocket checking the time. Glancing to Jacob, she let her eyes fall back down to the photo on his screen. The image of them stared back at her causing her breath to catch in her throat. Shaking her head she stood up pulling her keys from her bag.

"Get up." "What?" "You heard me, get up." She moved to his side as he stood on shaky legs before wandering to her car with him. "What are you-" "You think I'm letting you go home and drink yourself into oblivion? No chance." After getting him into her car, she ran her hands over her face before getting into the car and driving in the direction of her home. Before they'd even left the car park he was asleep beside her and she couldn't help the small smile that threatened her lips.

After a somewhat eventful time trying to get him inside, Connie fell down to the sofa exhausted and unsure why she had felt the need to help him so much. Remembering Chris, she picked her phone up from the side calling him with another excuse. She was sure he'd give up on her soon, the long list of reasons she couldn't see him growing with each time they were supposed to see each other. But somehow she couldn't help but feel this was more important.

It was a few hours later when Jacob wandered down the familiar stairs to see Connie curled up on the sofa. Her eyes lifted to him as he stood squinting in the doorway. Getting up without a word, she switched the main light off allowing him to open his eyes a little more. "Thanks... I'm guessing I don't want to ask why I've woken up with a banging headache in my exes house."

She smirked slightly despite the feeling that ripped through her at hearing him call her that. "Best not..." Jacob nodded as he slowly sat down on the opposite end of the sofa, Connie quickly getting up and heading off into the kitchen. Returning, she held out a glass of water and tablets to him. "I'm assuming I don't deserve this generosity either-" "You did nothing to me, except get yourself in this state."

Jacob let his head fall backwards against the cushions as Connie sat comfortably beside him, a little closer than she had been before. "How's Grace?" She looked to him to see him watching her, waiting for an answer. She smiled that the first thought his sober mind had was about her daughter. "Better... She's fighting all the odds." "Just like her mother."

She smiled letting her head drop before hearing Jacob groan. "I'm sorry I didn't come back and see you both, I assumed you'd want time and wouldn't want someone hanging about." "I think Grace misses you." Jacob dropped his head this time feeling guilty. "You should come by, sit with her. I think she'd like your company." "If you're okay with that." Connie nodded gently as he glanced to the time.

"I'm going to get off to bed, I have to be in tomorrow morning." "I should get home..." Rolling her eyes she pressed a hand to his arm. "Don't be stupid. You aren't going anywhere at this hour. You can stay in the spare room, it's made up unless you hadn't realised that's where you came from." He smirked as she smiled gently before she switched the lamps off.

As she crossed the landing, Jacob called after her. "Thank you Connie." Turning back, she kept a hand placed to the door watching him. "Don't thank me yet, I want answers about all of this in the morning." She closed her bedroom door but was able to hear the audible sigh come from him before he resigned to his room for the night.

She couldn't help but think that he should be in here with her, but she quickly dispelled the thoughts from her mind as she turned onto her side letting her eyes shut. This could all wait until morning, for now she needed a much needed nights rest after several nights in a hospital chair beside her daughter.