Everything That Never Was - Marvel's Runaways

viii. don't believe him, believe me

By some miracle, Jules beat Alex back to the house. She was a little relieved, though, to have the alone time to rethink over what her father had told her. His warning still echoed in the back of her mind alongside her broken promise.

However, that relief dissipated as she stepped into the Wilder home and quickly realized she wasn't as alone as she thought.

"Jules!"  Jeffrey Wilder bellowed from the kitchen at her entrance.  It took every once of self control she had not to completely tense at the sight of the massive man.  She had to make it seem like she knew nothing.  And so, that became her mantra: I know nothing.  Her father's warning, though, was quickly creeping up louder in the back of her head.

Jules stepped toward the man who was essentially her adoptive father— though apparently unofficially— letting him engulf her in a hug, something he did every time he saw her.

I know nothing. I saw nothing.

Jeffrey Wilder was a pretty scary dude when he wanted to be. In fact, Jules was pretty sure Alex had told her that he used to be an ex-gang member, but she couldn't confirm that. However, around her he was never anything other than a giant teddy bear: warm, lovable, and sweet. Which was why her father's warning was practically screaming to be heard in the back of her mind.

"What's up?"  He asked as he released her.  "You don't seem like yourself." 

Shit.  I know nothing, she reminded herself.

"I just have a massive headache and my cramps have been bothering me all day," Jules complained, hoping she sounded genuine.  "You know girl stuff."

"Ohh," Jeffrey quickly backed off like he normally did, and Jules felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders.  "Well I have some leftovers from dinner here if you'd like.  I can even warm it up for you—"

"It's okay," Jules quickly interjected. Her father's words, have they made you take any strange medicines, echoed in her mind. It looked like she'd be making her own meals from then on. She bent over abruptly, trying to sell it. "I think I'm just going to go to my room and lay down."

Jeffrey nodded, stepping aside go let her through. "Let me know if you need anything, Jules. I'll get it in a heart beat." Jules nodded in response and raced away to her room.

She still couldn't understand how that man, who had practically raised her, could be partially responsible for sending her father to jail. But she trusted her dad. She had to.

Alex came busting into her room about an hour later.  "You'll never believe what happened at Nico's," he exclaimed, out of breath from his run there.

Then, he took in the sight of the girl who essentially was his step sister— the girl laying on her bed, blankly staring up at the cheap stairs that haphazardly covered her ceiling— and sighed, remembering where she had went that day. 

"It's a story that can wait though," he said, stepping into her room and plopping himself onto the bed next to her.  "Why don't you tell me about your day?"

Together the two laid in silence, staring at the glow in the dark stars as Jules gathered what exactly she was going to tell him.

"His eyes were the same," her voice was calm for how shaky she was feeling.  Jules never could hide her feelings from Alex very well.  "I'm not sure what I expected, but when I looked in his eyes I saw my father.  Not the man who was accused of killing my mom, but the man who coached me at my tee ball games, who would scoop my ice cream and chase me around the halls no matter how many times my mom yelled at us to stop.  I just don't know."

There was another silence.  Alex knew she had so much more to say.  Visiting her dad was a huge deal for her, and he knew that.  He'd be an idiot not to recognize that and the conflicting feelings that came along with that, especially for her.

"He's innocent, Al," she sighed.  "I can't explain how I know, but I just do."  Alex also knew that ever since she was a little girl, Jules had some sort of feeling deep down that her father was innocent, even if she never would came out and say it.  It could be seen in the way she would defend her family ruthlessly and in many of her paintings she drew of them.  That's why, he believed, it took her so long to see her father again.  Alex believed that she felt guilty because she knew that he was innocent and still blamed him. 

He, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.

With another shaky breath, Jules continued.  "And he told me I shouldn't trust your family.  Or anyone's family to be exact.  And I think that lines up if you think about it.  I mean look at what we witnessed.  I just- I guess I don't know what to believe any more."

Alex shifted in the bed, her last statement setting him off a little. Why did a murderer have any say in how anyone, especially Jules, viewed his family? Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, Alex tried to take a more sensitive approach to expressing his thoughts, "Are you sure can you believe him, though, Jules?  He was proven guilty."  Twice to be exact.  And in the vulnerable state she was in, Alex didn't want him to manipulate her.

"He's innocent," she insisted, never taking her eyes off the North Star.  "And you don't have to believe him, just believe me."

Alex didn't reply.  He didn't have to.  He would walk with her to the end of the line.  So, instead is saying anything, he just wrapped his hand in hers and together they stared at the stars.

A/N
This is kind of a filler chapter that I threw together.  I wanted to show the relationship between Jeffrey and Jules, as well as explore Alex and Jules's relationship more.

It's also three in the morning so there's a good chance this chapter is absolute trash.  Hopefully not.

Much love,
K8 (Kate)