Time will heal - flac fanfic #wattys2018

Goodnight n go, part 30

Jacs pov:
After the incident with Sacha, Ric walked him home and I went back down to Darwin. I was slightly shaken by what I'd seen. Sacha was like a father to me and I felt emotional that he'd even been contemplating to take his own life. I hadn't even realised.
I walked to my office and shut the door abruptly. I locked it and slid down the door, salty tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't believe I'd just talked Sacha out of taking his own life. It felt so surreal, and I felt a wave of guilt that I hadn't noticed.
I heard a familiar knock at my door. Fletch. I unlocked it and opened, standing behind the door so he couldn't see my face until he was inside. I shut the door and turned to him, my face tear stained. He looks at me, a concerned look on his furrowed brow.
"Jac?" He asks, panicking.
I sob, my hands covering my face. I didn't want him to see me so weak.
"Jac what's happened? Are you in pain again? What's going on?"He asks, holding my waist as I continue to sob.
"I-had-to-talk-Sacha-out-of-suicide."I sobbed, my small chest wracking with the heaviness of each large cry.
Fletch looks at me worriedly and holds me tight, pulling me a little closer to his chest.
"This isn't just about Sacha, Jac. This is about everything. Jasmines death, losing time with Emma, the shooting. Everything. You havnt grieved Jasmine properly, Jac."He said softly, stroking my hair. I sobbed harder, remembering Jasmine and everything else.
I wrapped my arms around Fletch for comfort as he rocked me slowly like a crying baby.
**********
It was the end of shift. Fletch and I said goodbye to everyone and walked down the stairs.
As we walked down the stairs, I was utterly silent. I couldn't believe I'd broken down like that in the middle of my shift. Fletch took my hand in his and squeezed it. As we walked out of the hospital, I look up the roof where Sacha was. It was dark now, but the figure stood promptly in my memory.
"Maybe we can watch a film with the kids? Although we have to pick up Emma on our way home." I suggest, looking up at Fletch.
"Why do we have to get Emma?"He asks.
"Johnny rung me and said he's been asked to fly out to Scotland tonight to assist an emergency surgery."i say, seeing the car in the distance.
"Oh. When's his flight?" Fletch asks, unlocking the car door.
I walk round to the passengers side and hop in and buckle my seatbelt.
Fletch smiles and squeezes my thigh, starting the engine.
********
We've picked up Emma and now we're home. Emma, Ella and Theo are next door playing dress up, Mikey is in his room across the hall playing xbox and Evie is on FaceTime to a friend in her room upstairs.
I'm in mine and Fletchs bedroom, my head and whole aching. Fletch is downstairs cooking dinner for the kids.
I lay in bed, my eyes half shut. I shut them fully, pulling the thick duvet to my chin even though I wasn't particularly cold. I hear Fletch come upstairs.
I hear his tell the kids that the dinner is ready and they all go running down the stairs. He doesn't disturb me, he just goes downstairs.
I sit up, my head spinning a little. Then I stand, swaying for a minute and then right myself.
I pull on one of Fletchs shirts and some of my comfortable trousers and slowly make my way downstairs.
As I walk into the kitchen, all the kids look up. Evie and Mikey smile, Theo keeps eating and Emma and Ella get up and hug me. I scoop them up and give them both a kiss on the top of their head and then sit them down. Fletch smiles at me.
I go over and sit on his lap, as he's not eating. He pulls me on, his arms wrapped around my waist to keep me up.
The kids eat and chat amongst themselves, as I nestle into Fletch.
"That's my shirt."Fletch murmurs, his chin resting on my shoulder. I smile cheekily.
"You can have it back later."I smile, laughing slightly.
He kisses my cheek softly and tightens his grip on my waist.
"We're done. Can we go?" Evie says, smirking at me and Fletch.
Fletch and I nod and all the kids run off back upstairs to play.
Fletch let's a hand wander to my thigh.
"Not now, later." I murmur, leaning back just enough so I could kiss his cheek.
He nods and smiles and returns the hand to my waist, rubbing it with his thumb.
"Shall we watch a movie then."He asks.
I nod, getting up, and pull up Fletch by the hand.
"I love you Fletch." I say suddenly, not quite knowing where the words came from. I wasn't really one for spontaneously saying 'I love you' unless there was a reason.
He smiles, knowing this is a rare occurrence for me.
"I love you too, Naylor."he smiles, and kisses my forehead.
I smile softly, looking into his hazel eyes.
I'm not saying he was the answer to all the pain I'd had in my life, but I knew that he was someone who was helping to heal it...