Unscripted Love • A Tom Hardy fanfic

Chapter 36

"Max? Max?” Tom said, stepping out of the bathroom. Max would usually be waiting, with his tail wagging crazily, to go out for a walk. This morning, however Max was still in his large orthopedic bed, as he was last night before they went to sleep. Tom got down on his knees next to the dog. "Max?”

Fiona was waiting, tentatively, on the bed, unsure what to do. Looking at Max, still as a statue, she knew what must have transpired overnight. 

"Max?" He repeated again, tears flowed like waterfalls. Fiona put a hand on his back to let him know she was there. Tom looked over the black dog, his chest was no longer rising and falling. "Max!"

"Tom," Fiona said softly. She extended a hand to touch Max, looking to Tom for approval. He nodded and Fiona ran her hand along the soft fur. She gave him a little shake, but nothing. He was no longer warm but quite cold to the touch. 

"No, Max," he dropped his head in his hands. 

"It'll be ok," Fiona had no idea what to say, she knew Tom's heart was in a million pieces.

"Can you give me a moment?" He asked, without looking up from his beloved friend. 

"Of course. Do you want me to call your mum?" Fiona asked before stepping out the bedroom door.

"I don't care. Can you just leave us," Tom ordered her.

"Sorry," she whispered and hurried out the door. Standing in the hallway briefly, she debated calling his family but she knew it was better coming from him. She went downstairs and put the kettle on. 

She sat at the table for 15 minutes before a knock at the door. She let Tom's mom and dad in, she assumed he called them himself. Tom came down a few moments later, his phone in his hand. 

"Wow, you don't waste any time, huh, Fi?" He looked disappointed his family was there.

"We just came over to drop off some things," his dad said, eyeing his son over. He was afraid Tom would spiral after losing someone so important to him. "Fiona just told us."

Tom sat at the kitchen table next to the cup of tea she made him, now cold. 

"Can I do anything? Whatever you need," Fiona offered.

"I wish I spent these last few months with him," he said looking from his mom to his dad, ignoring that Fiona spoke at all. "Fucking wasting time and left him alone for months."

"Nice," she said quietly. She understood his pain and the feeling of guilt, but it still hurt. 

"Don't make this about you," he snapped, his voice frigid. 
 
Knowing he was grieving she let his unnecessary tone slide. She was not about to start an argument with him during such a stressful situation. Biting at her lip she turned to grab a glass of water.

"Tom," Chips called to his son. "Don't take your pain out on other people." 

"Yes, sir," he said sarcastically under his breath. 

"Did you call the vet?" Ann interjected at an attempt to stop the two from fighting. "Do you want help getting him there?"

"I called, they said to bring by when I was ready," Tom stood up from the table. He looked in Fiona's direction. "I don't need any help."

Fiona watched as he went back upstairs, not responding to his comment. She was left standing there with his family that she had only just met 2 weeks or so ago.

"I'm going to stay," Ann said to Chips. "You should go though, you know you two end up butting heads."

"Alright," he nodded at her. "Fiona, do you want to go get some coffee?"