Made To Be Broken

Love Undeniable

Silence suddenly settled back over the apartment and Noble sank to his knees, pressing his head against his arms, crying. When he heard movement in the living room, he held his breath again and listened to the low beep of a button being pressed. He erased the message.

Noble made his way back to bed and carefully worked his body under the blankets, every movement inciting some level of pain. His breath wheezed, the sharpest pain being in his ribs and his lower back. Taking care to try and lay in just the right position that caused the least amount of discomfort, Noble stared up at the ceiling. Warm tears slid down his temples, from both physical hurt and emotional. You can't erase him from my life as easily as you erased him from the machine. He isn't going to go away just because you say so. He isn't scared of you.

He closed his eyes and again heard Jonah telling him he almost wished Noble's dad would try to get through him. I love you, Jonah. You're my hero, baby. And no matter what happens...you've already saved me. And it doesn't matter how hard he hits me, or how many times – he can't take that away.

......................

Mason had arrived home barely twenty minutes before the three women had come in. After speaking with Noble, he'd went for a drive. A long drive. This was a hell of a mess and he was caught dead in the center of it. There was no doubt that the perfect place for Noble, was with Jonah. But Rebecca clearly wasn't going to let go that easy. He didn't blame her for being upset or angry for the events taking place, but reality was reality and trying to force what could never be...it only hurt everyone involved. And Mason had spent the last few hours racking his brain trying to think of a way to reason with her, help her accept what is. Noble was having a difficult enough time as it was, he didn't need her pushing him as well.

It had been after eleven at night when he'd finally come home – and found the house empty. Surely they weren't still down at the church. But he hadn't went to check. He wasn't worried about them, they were together wherever they happened to be. And he doubted they wanted his presence anyway. What would this mean for his marriage? He loved Colleen with all his heart, but all of this upheaval with Noble had caused her to choose sides, reveal her truest feelings about Jonah. She had told Mason not to give Noble the idea that it was okay to take the same path as Jonah. That in itself told him that she didn't agree with his choice to simply accept Jonah for who he was. She had never displayed open hostility towards him, and had even shown him some level of family acceptance. But what now? In her eyes Jonah had stolen her daughter's happiness, her future with Noble. Was there now a rift between them that could never be healed? He would not give up his son for anyone.

When the women came into the house, he was still sitting up at the kitchen table, working on a second pot of coffee. He was startled to see Tessa Richman with Rebecca and Colleen. He glanced past them, expecting Alan to walk in behind them. But he didn't show. Mason stood up slowly. "Tessa. When...did you arrive?" Rebecca had surely called them that morning. "Is Alan with you?" Though he showed respect to the man for Noble's sake, there was something about Alan Richman he didn't like, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Perhaps it was the way that Noble seemed constantly on edge around the man, as if he were afraid of making even the smallest wrong move. That didn't scream healthy father/son relationship to Mason.

"Yes." Tessa nodded, and there was a slight stiffness to her tone. Had Rebecca and Colleen filled her in on the stand Mason had taken at the church? "He's staying with Noble tonight. There's some things they need to...work out. Talk about."

That news didn't set well with Mason at all. He'd half expected Noble to be with Jonah tonight. And he couldn't help but feel it would have been in Noble's best interest if he had been. There was no guessing why his parents were here – and it sure as hell wasn't to support him and help him come to terms with who he was.