*A/N* I've been in such a writing mood recently, so that's why I'm updating heaps, sorry if it's overwhelming.
"Thea don't do this." Jack warned, holding the giggling Fae in his arms.
"Jack, I can't just not tell him that he has a kid." Thea complains, crossing her arms and glaring at Jack.
"Its just that..." Jack stutters trying to find an excuse for her not to go.
"Jack, I don't know why you're against me going. Fae deserves to at least meet her biological Father." She argues, trying to get around the lanky figure in the doorway.
"Yeah but the last times I saw Zack he wasn't in good shape. I'm just hoping he doesn't hurt you." Jack admits, swinging Fae around. Thea thought about telling him off but she knew Jack would never hurt Fae.
"Jack, have you seen how many stitches and bruises I have, I'm not going to get hurt." Thea tells him, showing off her discolored arms.
"Yeah but they never found Avery and what if Zack's drunk. Fae can't live without a Mom or Dad." Jack blabbers on, making Thea smile.
"Jack don't worry, if anything happens to me you can be Fae's Mom." She continues, pushing her way around Jack and out the door. "Also if she get's hungry theirs bottles in the fridge." Thea calls out before disappearing out the door.
Ignoring the pain in her side, Thea got into Jack's car, smiling at the dumb Dora The Explorer key chain he had. She had only gotten out of the hospital today and Jack got worried over nothing. Sighing, Thea tapped her nails against the steering wheel as she thought. It had been ages since she had driven a car, but she still remembered it well. "Am I destined to be a soccer mom." Thea mumbled as she stopped at a red light near a park. The park reminded her of her own park, Persie's park, that it had been along time since she visited. There were so many things Thea had to do now she was back in the real world. Nigel would have missed her and she knew the man would love to meet Fae, since he always wanted his own kids. There was also Aria, Jack had mentioned her meaning that one of them broke it off. Still it wouldn't stop her from seeing her best friend again.
Smiling at Third Eye Blind on the radio, Thea hummed along feeling happy. Everything seemed brighter outside of the farmhouse, she starting enjoying the small things more. Pulling over on a suburban street, Thea checked her phone, well Jack's old phone. It had been buzzing messages from Jack for awhile now and she was getting curious.
Jack;
THEA OML U HAVE TO SEE WHAT I FOUND FAE.
Rolling her eyes, Thea checked all the other messages that Jack send. Most of them consisting on him getting overly excited that she manged to high five him back. There were a few that made her grin, like the tiny cape Jack had found her and he described in great detail. Shoving her phone back into the pockets of a pair of Jack's old jeans that fit her surprisingly well. Thea started driving again, making the mental note to go buy clothes later.
Finally reaching Zack's apartment complex, Thea locked Jack's car. Her stomach was erupting in anxious butterflies and the words to say to Zack didn't seem right. Holding her phone, Thea contemplated texting Jack for a motivation speech. Letting out a huge sigh, Thea started walking towards the apartments. Remembering the address Rian told her, she approached a blue door hesitating to knock.
Biting her lip, Thea tried making herself less nervous but nothing would work. Building up the nerve, she knocked on the door. Remembering how Rian said to keep knocking until Zack opened it, she kept knocking. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She heard a familiar voice groan from the other side of the door. If she wasn't so nervous, Thea would have laughed at what he was saying in a immature manner.
Taking a step back, Thea practicing breathing almost like she was pregnant again. Finally hearing the door click open, Thea stood in awkward eye contact.
"Hey Zack." She greeted awkwardly, brushing the hair out of her face forgetting her arm was still in pain.
"Thea." He spoke back, his voice emotionless. Zack looked different, more ruff than before, his hair messy and he wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Uh, Zack I have to explain some things to you." Thea said, forgetting all the words she had practiced.
"Who is it Zack?" A familiar voiced called out in the background, causing Thea to falter.
"Nobody, Aria." He yelled back, not even caring about Thea who was just standing there.
"Zack, I know you moved on." Thea choked out, before continuing "But I have to tell you about..." Her voice getting cut out as he closed the door on her. "Your daughter." Thea whispered, finishing off her sentence as she stared at the door that Zack shut in her face.
Everyone has a fallout and Thea guessed this was hers and Zack's. Standing on his door step, Thea didn't know how to react. She had waited for over a year to be back in his arms, to show him Fae but he rejected her, sleeping with her best friend. She wanted to bang against the door, to cry and scream but she didn't because Fae deserved better.
Walking to Jack's car Thea felt like crying, she didn't know what she expected. Texting Jack that she would be home in a couple of minutes, Thea got into Jack's car. Grabbing the tissue box from underneath the seat, she wiped her eyes. Thea was grateful Jack had it but she was also slightly concerned about it's use.
Starting the car, Thea was eager to get as far away from Zack as possible. Her phone was ringing, the star wars theme tune echoing through the car. She regretted letting Jack chose his own ringtone, but she knew if she didn't he would have done it himself.
Finally pulling up into Jack's driveway, she saw him waiting on the front step."Thea." He announced, standing up.
Getting out of Jack's car, Thea made no attempt to hide the tears. Running up to her, Jack hugged Thea tightly, not caring that his car door was wide open. "I should have listened to you" Thea sobbed into Jack's chest.
"It's okay, you were doing your best for Fae." Jack reassured her, before continuing. "Thea I took a photo for you." He says, before breaking away from the hug and holding up his phone on it's lock screen.
"Jack did you really take a selfie with my kid dressed as a super hero." Thea laughed, before rubbing away the tears.
"Hell yeah and for once I wasn't the cute one in a picture." Jack remarks shutting his car door.
"Awh, don't worry Fae only bet you by a little." She told him, hugging her chest as she waited for Jack so they could go inside.
"Only by a little? Thea have you not seen those chubby cheeks!" Jack exclaimed.
"Where is Fae anyway?" She piped in, while they were walking through the door.
"She's asleep." He replied, closing the front door behind them.
"Jack! Where is she sleeping? We don't have a crib." Thea fretted, picking up her pace as they walked through the house.
"Well it was a surprise." Jack mumbled, as Thea walked into her room seeing the crib he had gotten from his Mom.
"Thank you so much!" She said, hugging Jack again.
"Anyway Thea, I'm so sorry I need to go do something. Will you be fine on your own?" Jack asked, before peering over the crib to make sure Fae was fine.
"Yeah, I might call Nigel if I remember his number. Also Jack I didn't tell you, Zack shut the door on me." Thea continued.
"Yeah, I guessed as such." Jack admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't tell Thea that actually he was going to visit Zack for that exact reason.
"Oh shit, I forgot I still have your keys." Thea piped in, grabbing them from her back pocket and throwing it at his face.
"Language." Jack threatened, causing Thea to roll her eyes.
"Also where's Julie?" Thea continued, she hadn't seen Julie all day.
"She's been asleep for ages, I have to keep making sure the girl's even alive." Jack tells her, spinning the keys on his fingers.
"Oh okay, I see you later then." Thea told him, before going over to sit beside Fae's crib. She was trying to make up for lost time, the couple of months Donna kept Thea from her.
The drive to Zack's house was pretty easy for Jack, or maybe it was because he felt pissed off. He didn't understand why Zack had been mopping for the last year about Thea just shut the door on her. Zack had a daughter for fuck sake, a daughter he didn't deserve. Badly parking his car in front of Zack's apartment, Jack got out slamming his door. The last time Jack was here, the pair got into a huge fight, Jack having to dodge drunken punches from Zack.
Marching up to Zack's door, Jack banged his fist against the door not stopping. "Zack" He yelled, taking out his anger on the door. He didn't understand why he was so angry, maybe it was because of Fae. "Zack" He yelled again, not caring if the neighbors thought he was insane.
When the door finally opened, Jack saw someone he didn't expect to be here. "Aria?" He asked, looking at his ex girlfriend wearing one of Zack's shirts.
"Jack?" She replied, making him roll his eyes.
"Look I don't have time for you, where the fuck is Zack?" Jack continued, pushing past Aria into Zack's apartment.
"Sounds like our entire relationship." Aria mumbled under her breath, loud enough for Jack to hear.
"Where's Zack?" He repeated, ignoring her stare.
"He's in the shower, he looked upset." She remarks.
"You're kidding me?" Jack snapped, walking down the hall towards the bathroom. Banging on the door, Jack yelled "Zack get your ass out here."
"Can't you just leave him alone, he's felt stressed out since that person was at the door." She continues, making Jack mentally slap himself, of course he hadn't told Aria.
"Yeah because he shut the door on Thea." He told her.
"Well it is her fault that she left." She defended Zack.
"You haven't changed, never listening to the other side of the story." Jack remarked.
"You know what Fuck you Jack." She yelled at him, before turning around and marching off.
"Zack just get out here." Jack begged, his anger fading.
"Jack, what the fuck dude?" Zack asked, opening the door with his towel wrapped around his waist.
"How could you do that?" He continued, his voice becoming quieter, Jack didn't even know why he came.
"Do what?" Zack questioned, his voice softer as he saw the state his friend was in.
"You closed the door on her. Zack, didn't you see the bruises? Didn't you question where she's been?" Jack rambles, leaning his body against the wall.
"She was the one who left." Zack says, annoyed that Jack came all this way just to yell.
"Not on purpose!" Jack yelled back, finding his voice again.
"Yeah but she was still gone a year, Jack I was going to marry her..." Zack says, sighing.
"You know what Thea's right." Jack firmly puts in.
"Right about what?" Zack asks as Jack starts walking away.
Turning around, Jack stares at him for a long amount of time before speaking. "She was right, your daughter doesn't need you."
Then Jack walks away, not listening to the words Zack was shouting. If he didn't care why Thea was even gone a year and showed up on his door step covered in bruises then why should Jack care. Zack had his chance, he could have met Fae but instead he chose to shut the door.