Can you re-love a cheater?

18

Jackson waited patiently for Irene to return, the anger coursing through his veins like an untamed river, the calmness in his features displaying the clam before the storm. He sipped on his wine casually as she returned within five minutes a beautiful smile dazzling her features as she retook her seat. She looked around. "No dessert?" She questioned. "I don't have the appetite for it." He watched her smile fall as she looked at him, her eyes instantly catching the mood. "Okay. What do you want to do then?" She asked, Jackson standing up, walking to the counter as he paid for the meal leaving Irene utterly confused. She grabbed her phone, thanking the owners with a smile as she followed after him. "Jack!" She called out, running in the death traps strapped to her feet. She saw the look in his eyes, her eye brows scrunched in confusion, his stance was rigid, his jaw set firm and shoulders squared as if preparing for something and if the atmosphere wasn't so tense she would have commented on how hot he looked right now. "Jack...what's wrong?" She trailed off, watching as he whirled around, her eyes widening at the sudden movement that had her trapped up against the wall and him. "Jack?" She questioned. "When were you going to tell me?" He watched as she looked at him confused, a bitter chuckle escaping. "When were you going to tell me you fucking planned to leave Irene." Her eyes widened as he waited for her answer. "Jack what-" "I saw the message. Your tickets have almost been confirmed...so let me ask you irene, when were you going to tell me that you planned to take my son away from me again." Irene's eyes watered as she looked up at him, her heart beating her mind up for hurting the love of her life. She watched as he crossed his arms over his broad chest waiting for a response. "Well?" He questioned. "Jack I-" she moved away from the wall as he grasped her arms tightly. "What Irene!" He shouted at her, as she winced at his tone. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "Your sorry. Wow, the great Irene Bae is finally sorry." Her eyes flashed up to meet his watering ones. "Was this the plan?" He questioned. "Render me helpless. Get the love your heart craved for and then leave like I was never an option to stay?" She shook her head, he knew. He knew her too well. "Jack..." "stop Irene. This is beyond a joke right now. I know I fucked up. I know I destroyed us but what your doing right now is more fucked up. You won't let me go, you won't move on and yet your planning to leave." She took a step forward. "I know Jackson.
It sounds awful, I know I'm in the wrong. But it was a freak decision. I wasn't sure what I wanted, I didn't know how to let go or hold on and with the whole blackmailing situation i booked the tickets to keep jay safe-" "Do not use Jay as a safety net Irene. You booked the tickets for yourself. You booked them because once again you were too scared of opening the doors to your heart and so you thought you know what let's just leave again. We all know how great you are at running away." Her eyes flashed to his. She knew she deserved this, he was hurt and he was hurt because of her but the last thing he said was unnecessary. Like she had a choice in the matter five years ago. Jackson watched her eyes become numb as they cast back up to meet his. "I can understand that your angry Jackson. I won't run away from the responsibility of my actions. Yes I planned to leave but I wasn't sure if I was going to go through with it. However..." she took a threatening step forward. "What you just insinuated about me always running away, well, it's not like I had a choice in the matter five years ago. You left me in the worst situation possible and I'm not about to apologise for the way I chose to repair what you broke." "Oh shove off it irene. We aren't talking about five years ago  we are talking about now, you were trying to leave again. You think I'm going to take that lightly." Irene rubbed her temples. "Okay." She said, placing her bag on her shoulder, holding the strap tightly. She looked at him, "you have a right to be angry. I should have told you and talked to you about my fears but instead I took a freak decision that I thought would best benefit me. I'm sorry." She said, turning away from him. "Irene!" They both heard, the two simultaneously looking to see Suho fast approaching them. "Fancy seeing you here." He said, the two becoming reasonably uncomfortable with the added presence. Irene passed him a small smile. "Are you alone?" She asked. Jackson eyes flaring up as her head lowered. "Yeah I am." Suho responded. Irene looked towards Jackson, who had a hand shoved in his pocket glaring at her like no other. "Would you mind dropping me back to my office?" She asked Suho, Jackson's eyes widened, hurt. Suho looked between them confused. "I need to get my car." She said lowly, as Suho smirked at Jackson who silently seethed. "Irene?" Jackson called out. "Your angry at me Jackson. I think it's best if you have some time away from me. I'll see you at home." She responded not giving him another look, she walked to Suho who neared closer to her as Jackson watched helplessly. He sighed, here she was again making decisions that she thought were the best for them. Alone. He watched her retreating figure an ache in his heart as Suho placed an arm around her waist pulling her to him to avoid a drunk man who approached. He continued to watch as Irene turned back to him only to be met with Jackson's back as he had quickly turned away to avoid her. She sighed as Suho chatted to her, her ears drowning out the sounds as Jackson sighed his own feet leading him away from the scene. Two hearts heavy once again.

Jackson walked down the busy street, he couldn't fault her, she was nothing but clam with his anger, justifying it and supporting it. The complete opposite to what he had done. He had never allowed her to truly be angry, to get over the situation before he put his foot in, yet here she was taking logical steps in the most illogical situation. He sighed, his anger simmering down as he watched the busy streets. He had seen the fear in her eyes. He had seen the reluctance in her eyes and yet he chose to keep a blind eye to that factor adamant to have her back in his life regardless never once really wondering if she had healed. Hell he knew she hadn't. He took a sharp breath looking around at the couples that surrounded him. That could have been them. Yet here they were yet again miles apart. He knew deep down that it was his insecurity that caused him to lash out, the fear of being left again through no fault but his own. His heart couldn't take it. It had grown weak over the years without her love. He couldn't survive without her. He wouldn't. He sat down in his car, his fists slamming into the steering wheel. Their timing always seemed off, just when they were about to give in to each other, just when things had started to go right for them life had other plans, moving them into checkmate and leaving them to destroy each other. He rested his head on the headrest, his eyes closing as he tried to gather an ounce of courage and resilience to keep fighting for her. For Jay. For their family.

Irene had arrived back at the office, waving to Suho with a fake smile plastered to her features which quickly fell when he disappeared from her sights. She sighed opening the car door and slipping into the drivers seat, her head resting against the steering wheel as her tears slipped from her eyes. She hated herself. Why didn't she cancel the tickets? Why did she keep them when she knew she had no intention of leaving? She was in love with him without a doubt, yet here she was messing everything up again. She couldn't fault him anymore. She couldn't blame him for what happened five years ago because she didn't anymore. She had made her peace with everything. She wanted to heal through him. She had tried alone and it hadn't helped, she knew that only he had the power to fix what he broke. That kiss that had happened less than an hour ago played on her mind like a broken record. It was perfect. The moment had been perfect, the need to heal each other through their love was apparent, the softness of his lips as he held her waist firmly was perfect. The way their bodies moulded together like pieces of the same puzzle coming together. They were perfect and yet here they were destroying each other again. She did what she thought was best. And that was running to allow him to cool down. She knew deep down that she had made things worse by leaving with Suho but she couldn't be with him right now; she couldn't bare to see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes. In the eyes of the man who was so desperate to hold onto her, the man who despite taking his child away for five years still loved her, the man who was constantly trying to fix what he broke. She looked down at her phone, realising it had died, she swore looking around for the charger which she seemed to have misplaced, she rummaged through the compartment with no luck, a hand coming to her face as she let out a deep sigh. Why couldn't things go right for once? She switched on the car, driving off in the next second, her eyes peeled in concentration, the radio blaring quietly as background noise the song making her heart hurt more.

Within half and hour, she reached, parking the car and getting out in the next second. She sighed, securing her bag, her eyes meeting Jackson's as they widened. She saw the slight redness to his eyes, her heart clenching and screaming that it was her fault. It wasn't. He was mad at himself. The two silently continued their trek up to their apartment, avoiding each other, the awkwardness suffocating them both. He heard her breath a sigh as the doors to the elevator opened. Their eyes meeting that of their gang, who looked seemingly disturbed and stressed. Irene and Jackson looked at each other in confusion. Wendy walking up to them both. "Why haven't you guys answered your phones." "Dead." They both answered watching as the gang looked at each other a thick layer of tension surrounding them all. Joy sighed standing up to address the parents.

"Jays been taken."

Irene's eyes widened.
Jackson's fists clenched.

TBC

Authors note:
Hey guys hope you enjoy this one. Let me know what your thoughts are about this one, I'd love to hear back from you. Got7 released their album and I'm honestly speechless,it was well executed and honestly some of the best I've seen in kpop, if you haven't checked it out your really missing out, they slated the shit out of it....and the cinematic parallels to psycho my lord my heart can't take it. Anyway.... Lots of love and best wishes to you allllll. Stay safe xx