N Has Fallen

XXXIX - Rapacious

XXXIX - Rapacious

Rapacious
ra·pa·cious
\rə-ˈpā-shəs\
adjective

: always wanting more ; greedy ; ravenous

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After that day in his office, Noah now visits his father often in his home and would bond like a true father and son. He'd longed for this and he never knew he'd finally experience it. He knew his father had longed for them to be like that together too. Sitting on the couch, telling each other about their day, or playing outside like what they used to do when he was still a kid.

He finally learned the truth, his father told him everything. Even Helena was devastated when she heard this. To push your loved ones away because you didn't want them to know that you're terminally ill. He knew of his illness when Noah was still 18, he knew he had leukemia and he knew there would be nothing else he could do to heal himself. Pushing Noah and his Mother away seemed like the wisest idea for him. He kept his condition to himself. All those days he'd heave out, his skin paling and his health deteriorating, no one even knew. And Noah remembered how he loathed his father to the point of almost wanting to kill him. He felt guilty, regrets gnawing on him like he was the most useless son. He'd cry to himself every night thinking about his father, thinking about his childhood when he was with him. And Jessica was there. She was always there. She'd console him and he would hug her tight to him, she'd be comforting and telling him his father did it because it's all he knew he could do not to hurt those he loves. But it hurts now. It hurts more. If only he knew, he could've spent his time with his father more. He hated those days where he spent his life hating his father, and now it was over nothing. He almost killed himself because of it. The only good part of it was Jessica. Had he not been there, strolling the city and going into the café and finding her letter, he wouldn't even be here. He wouldn't even know the truth.

With tears in his eyes, he looked at her. They were laying on their bed, Noah hovering above her, his lashes wet and his eyes bloodshot. Softly, he caressed her cheeks and she closed her eyes, savoring his touch.

"You're the only good thing that happened in my life." His voice was a whisper, but his heart it was beating so fast that she could hear it, it wasn't whispering, it was speaking to her, telling her that she was indeed the most beautiful and best part of his life. And she only answered it by softly kissing him.

She cupped his cheeks while kissing his tears away. He never cried this much. It was as if he was already mourning his father. "Noah. Your father is still here. He wouldn't go away. You could spend time with him alright? I know you would. I know you missed your father."

"It's not enough. I'd die begging for his forgiveness but it still wouldn't be enough. I should've been there with him." She could see how hard it was for him to say that.

"I think...that your father could never be mad at you. He forgives you. You're his son and he only did it to save you from pain. And now he realized how wrong he was, he wanted to spend his time with his loved ones. With his son. He regretted pushing you away, you and your mother both, and now you're going to spend time with him." And that was how he found himself in the company of his father everyday. His Mom would come too. And it felt like everything was back to normal again. A nostalgic feeling washed over him. They were like this too before. Happy and contented with his brother by their side and although it still hurts knowing his brother wasn't in the picture anymore, he couldn't help but be happy. His family was okay and he knew his brother was happy now, looking at them, smiling down at them as they too was happy to have each other back.