Like A Virgin - Chapter 39 (Jayma Mays/Matthew Morrison)
Title: Like A Virgin
Author: emmaschuester
Pairing/Characters: Jayma Mays/Matthew Morrison
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Harmless fun, no offence intended. Pure work of fiction.
Spoilers: None.
Summary/Author's Notes: New chapter! Hope you enjoy.
He parked his Audi, and walked to the coffee place where they had planned to meet. Actually, where he had told him they would meet, before hanging up.
---------
"...I really don't think you're in the position to tell me what to do, Matthew. Or to even talk to me, for that matter."
"You bet your ass I am. You're making my girlfriend" -he enjoyed saying that word to him, maybe too much- "feel like crap every time you even randomly come across her. I'm not letting you do that anymore."
"I don't think it's a matter of what you allow, buddy."
"I'm so not your buddy. Brentwood, 9am. You'd better show up, take my word for it."
"You think I'm afraid of you or something? I'll see you there."
------------
He entered the small coffee place he used to go to sometimes, because it was quiet and low-key, and sat at a table on the back, his fingers fidgeting nervously.
He was in a very dangerous position, meeting his girlfriend's ex-husband without her knowledge- sure, his intentions were good, but he knew she would have stopped him: still feeling guilty about what had happened in her marriage, she had allowed Adam way too much freedom to treat her like dirt and make her feel like crap. And he couldn't just let this happen.
"I'm here. What is it so important to make me get up at the crack of dawn?" Adam had just walked straight to his table and sat in one of the chairs, wearing a white baseball cap low on his hair, and a rather pissed expression on his face.
"Well good morning to you."
Adam smirked. "Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't know you had invited me over to chat. Good morning, fucker who stole my wife. How are you on this fine day?"
Matt's hand gripped the edge of the table for a moment, as he counted to ten to avoid starting a shouting match, or even worse. "Look, I didn't come here to fight." He took a deep breath as Adam smirked, quite loudly. "And I won't. So if that's what you came here for, we can stop this right here."
He took his silence as a permission to go on. "I just came here to tell you. Face to face. You gotta stop this. Every time you text, or email, you break her. You can't keep doing this."
"I break her?" His voice was low, but it trembled with anger. "I break her? Let's talk about how she broke me. And you. Let's talk about how you've been fucking my wife, shall we?" His hand slammed on the table. "Let's talk, Matthew. About how I came home after a fucking month and a half away to find out my wife was leaving me, out of the blue, and for someone else! For YOU, DAMMIT!!" He jumped up, and his fist hit the table again, and the waitress gave them a funny look.
"Adam. Keep your voice down."
"Why? Are you afraid I might RUIN YOUR REPUTATION?"
Matt's voice was low and cold. "No. I just don't wanna make a scene."
Adam sat down again, fuming. "What do you want, Matthew?"
"I told you what I want. You gotta leave us alone." The choice of his words was not casual. "I will not let you break her again." His hand curled up in a fist, his jaw tightening. "You might hate this, but she made her choice. And you have to accept this."
He stared at Adam as he looked at him with huge, disbelieving eyes. "Accept this? How am I supposed to? I had the perfect life... her. And now... nothing. I've thought of going back to England. Thank God my agent knows better."
"Look, if this can be of any help, none of it was planned. It just happened and-"
"It DOESN'T. Do you really think I care at this point? You both ruined my life. God! Is it that hard to understand?"
"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to hurt you. We just..."
"Yeah but you did. Please spare me the gory details of your happy new life." Of my life.
"And do you think a bitter email is gonna change how you feel? Or that she's gonna read it, and fall for you again? Because if so, dude, you're so out of your mind."
Adam stared at him for a long moment, and Matt wondered whether he was thinking of hitting him. He moved his chair a little back from the table, just in case he had to dodge a blow, but the other just took a long breath, and rested his forehead on the heels of his hands.
"It doesn't change how I feel. Nothing does. Ever. I just... I feel good for half a second, and then awful for two days, because I know how she's gonna react." He lifted his face, and there was more pain than anger there. "But when I saw that picture... a baby? Seriously? I can't even... deal with her having a baby with you. A year ago today I was a happily married man. And now she's carrying your child?"
Matt resisted the instinct to lay a hand on his forearm to comfort him, conscious it might as well lead to a fist on his face. "We're not having a baby." Yet. "It's just stupid rumors, nothing else." He didn't know exactly why, but he was somehow glad to deliver that small piece of news, not for himself, but because he knew it might take some of Adam's misery away, even if just a tiny bit.
Adam looked relieved for a second, then defeated. "But she's ready, isn't she?"
He nodded briefly, feeling self-conscious. As deliriously happy as he was, Matt couldn't help but sympathize a little for the guy. He knew what losing Jayma could mean. He refrained a smirk, thinking they had more in common than he thought.
"She was never ready with me. We talked, and she always... it was too early, or a bad time, or she was too busy. I should have known."
Matt looked at him, silently, watching his slumped shoulders, his face in his hands, the defeated expression on his face. He felt terrible, and yet he knew nothing he could say or do would manage to change things, only time and space could.
"The emails will stop." Adam's voice came muffled from behind his hands. "And texts too. It's not like... they don't do much for me anyway."
"Thanks."
"I'm not doing this for you."
"I know."
Adam looked at him for a moment, and all the anger from before was right there. "Everyone tells me I should move on. My friends have been setting up these blind dates... as if a one-night stand could change anything."
"I'm sorry, Adam."
"No, you're not. You son of a bitch."
Matt's fist curled, but he didn't reply.
"If I hear one word about you being an ass to her..."
"You won't."
"I think I'll go back home for a while. Might make it easier to... move on." He was mostly talking to himself, and Matt remained silent again.
They stood up, and Matt placed some money on the table to cover his order and the tip, while Adam walked out without a word.
As he got out and walked to his car, a voice made him turn around.
"She broke me. And I hate her for that. But if you ever don't treat her right, I'll make it my life mission to kill you. And it's gonna be painful."
"Fair enough."
With another glare, Adam turned and walked to his car, and left, screeching his tires on the asphalt. Matt entered his car, staring at the car fast moving away, and, breathing out, leaned his forehead on the steering wheel, trying to process the events without succeeding.
The sound of an incoming text message woke him from his musings, a few minutes later.
Can't get the feeling of you inside of me out of my head...
He smirked, and straightened up to compose a reply.
Can't get your flavor out of my head...
I miss you. Bored in hair and makeup. When are you coming?
Driving there right now. See you in a bit. xx
He stared at his iPhone screen for a whole minute without focusing it. He was so lucky to have her in his life. Did he tell her enough that he loved her? That she was beautiful? That he'd always, always be there for her, to make her laugh and cuddle her to sleep?
He sped on the accelerator, thinking he might burst if he didn't see her as soon as possible.
-------------------------
"Hey." He wrapped his arms around her as she was walking to her trailer.
"Hey you... how did the scene go?"
"Great. Gwyneth is such a pro."
She giggled. "I should probably be jealous but this crush of yours is adorable, you know?"
"What crush? I've no crushes!" He kissed her nose. "Well. On you I do."
She laughed, taking his hand, and opened the door to her trailer. "Are you busy right now?"
"Not for a little while." His arms closed around her waist and he hid his face in her hair. "Hi."
She smiled, and hugged him tight. "Hi."
They remained like that for a little while, neither breaking contact, until he pulled back and took her hands. "Can we talk for a second?"
She stared at him with a puzzled expression. "...sure. What's up?"
He guided her to the couch - the one where it had all began- and took a deep breath. "You know I had a meeting earlier..."
She nodded.
"Well. I met up with someone you know." He gripped her hand tighter. "Adam."
She stared at him, wide-eyed, her mouth open. "You WHAT? How COULD YOU?? I can't even... MATT!"
"Listen to me, listen to me, please. Pleasepleaseplease." His thumb started running circles on her palm, and he felt himself shrink under her gaze. She was mad. So mad. "Just listen, okay?"
He could see she was restraining from speaking, and with what looked like a huge effort, she nodded curtly.
"After his email, the other day, I was so pissed... he can't keep waltzing in and out of our lives as he pleases. I know we don't talk about it much, but I see how upset you get."
"Matt, he was my husband." Her voice shifted from angry to hurt within seconds, and she saw his jaw tensing, and sighed. "And I think a part of me will always feel guilty for the way I handled things..."
He looked at her with pain in his eyes, and she leaned forward. "I don't mean I'm sorry about what happened, Matt! I could never..." She took his face in her hands, but he still looked down at his lap. "My God, Matthew, the way I love you... I thought it didn't even exist..." Her thumb stroked his chin. "I just... sometimes I wish this could have started on a clean slate, you know? Without having to hurt anyone in the process... you know?"
He nodded, swallowing a lump in his chest. "I know."
"So, what happened? Did you two fight?"
"No. We just... talked. He said emails and texts will stop. And he'll probably spend some time with his folks, in England... to move on."
Her eyes filled with tears. "I never thought I could hurt someone so much."
His hands closed on her waist, and he brought her in his lap. "Hey. It just... happened."
"I know." She smiled at him, a watery smile. "I don't regret the outcome." Leaning closer, she kissed his earlobe. "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie."
"Thanks for being my knight in shining armor."
He chuckled. "Anytime." He moved some hair from her eyes. "He's gonna be okay."
She nodded, amazed at the extents he was willing to go to in order for her to be alright, and kissed him deeply.
His phone buzzed. "Work. Gotta go." He got up and laid a kiss on her hair. "Do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"Remember you're amazing. Always."
________________________________________
...here it is! The infamous confrontation. I have to thank Christy for her insights on this chapter. :)
Hope you enjoyed! As usual, comments are <3.
Author: emmaschuester
Pairing/Characters: Jayma Mays/Matthew Morrison
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Harmless fun, no offence intended. Pure work of fiction.
Spoilers: None.
Summary/Author's Notes: New chapter! Hope you enjoy.
He parked his Audi, and walked to the coffee place where they had planned to meet. Actually, where he had told him they would meet, before hanging up.
---------
"...I really don't think you're in the position to tell me what to do, Matthew. Or to even talk to me, for that matter."
"You bet your ass I am. You're making my girlfriend" -he enjoyed saying that word to him, maybe too much- "feel like crap every time you even randomly come across her. I'm not letting you do that anymore."
"I don't think it's a matter of what you allow, buddy."
"I'm so not your buddy. Brentwood, 9am. You'd better show up, take my word for it."
"You think I'm afraid of you or something? I'll see you there."
------------
He entered the small coffee place he used to go to sometimes, because it was quiet and low-key, and sat at a table on the back, his fingers fidgeting nervously.
He was in a very dangerous position, meeting his girlfriend's ex-husband without her knowledge- sure, his intentions were good, but he knew she would have stopped him: still feeling guilty about what had happened in her marriage, she had allowed Adam way too much freedom to treat her like dirt and make her feel like crap. And he couldn't just let this happen.
"I'm here. What is it so important to make me get up at the crack of dawn?" Adam had just walked straight to his table and sat in one of the chairs, wearing a white baseball cap low on his hair, and a rather pissed expression on his face.
"Well good morning to you."
Adam smirked. "Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't know you had invited me over to chat. Good morning, fucker who stole my wife. How are you on this fine day?"
Matt's hand gripped the edge of the table for a moment, as he counted to ten to avoid starting a shouting match, or even worse. "Look, I didn't come here to fight." He took a deep breath as Adam smirked, quite loudly. "And I won't. So if that's what you came here for, we can stop this right here."
He took his silence as a permission to go on. "I just came here to tell you. Face to face. You gotta stop this. Every time you text, or email, you break her. You can't keep doing this."
"I break her?" His voice was low, but it trembled with anger. "I break her? Let's talk about how she broke me. And you. Let's talk about how you've been fucking my wife, shall we?" His hand slammed on the table. "Let's talk, Matthew. About how I came home after a fucking month and a half away to find out my wife was leaving me, out of the blue, and for someone else! For YOU, DAMMIT!!" He jumped up, and his fist hit the table again, and the waitress gave them a funny look.
"Adam. Keep your voice down."
"Why? Are you afraid I might RUIN YOUR REPUTATION?"
Matt's voice was low and cold. "No. I just don't wanna make a scene."
Adam sat down again, fuming. "What do you want, Matthew?"
"I told you what I want. You gotta leave us alone." The choice of his words was not casual. "I will not let you break her again." His hand curled up in a fist, his jaw tightening. "You might hate this, but she made her choice. And you have to accept this."
He stared at Adam as he looked at him with huge, disbelieving eyes. "Accept this? How am I supposed to? I had the perfect life... her. And now... nothing. I've thought of going back to England. Thank God my agent knows better."
"Look, if this can be of any help, none of it was planned. It just happened and-"
"It DOESN'T. Do you really think I care at this point? You both ruined my life. God! Is it that hard to understand?"
"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to hurt you. We just..."
"Yeah but you did. Please spare me the gory details of your happy new life." Of my life.
"And do you think a bitter email is gonna change how you feel? Or that she's gonna read it, and fall for you again? Because if so, dude, you're so out of your mind."
Adam stared at him for a long moment, and Matt wondered whether he was thinking of hitting him. He moved his chair a little back from the table, just in case he had to dodge a blow, but the other just took a long breath, and rested his forehead on the heels of his hands.
"It doesn't change how I feel. Nothing does. Ever. I just... I feel good for half a second, and then awful for two days, because I know how she's gonna react." He lifted his face, and there was more pain than anger there. "But when I saw that picture... a baby? Seriously? I can't even... deal with her having a baby with you. A year ago today I was a happily married man. And now she's carrying your child?"
Matt resisted the instinct to lay a hand on his forearm to comfort him, conscious it might as well lead to a fist on his face. "We're not having a baby." Yet. "It's just stupid rumors, nothing else." He didn't know exactly why, but he was somehow glad to deliver that small piece of news, not for himself, but because he knew it might take some of Adam's misery away, even if just a tiny bit.
Adam looked relieved for a second, then defeated. "But she's ready, isn't she?"
He nodded briefly, feeling self-conscious. As deliriously happy as he was, Matt couldn't help but sympathize a little for the guy. He knew what losing Jayma could mean. He refrained a smirk, thinking they had more in common than he thought.
"She was never ready with me. We talked, and she always... it was too early, or a bad time, or she was too busy. I should have known."
Matt looked at him, silently, watching his slumped shoulders, his face in his hands, the defeated expression on his face. He felt terrible, and yet he knew nothing he could say or do would manage to change things, only time and space could.
"The emails will stop." Adam's voice came muffled from behind his hands. "And texts too. It's not like... they don't do much for me anyway."
"Thanks."
"I'm not doing this for you."
"I know."
Adam looked at him for a moment, and all the anger from before was right there. "Everyone tells me I should move on. My friends have been setting up these blind dates... as if a one-night stand could change anything."
"I'm sorry, Adam."
"No, you're not. You son of a bitch."
Matt's fist curled, but he didn't reply.
"If I hear one word about you being an ass to her..."
"You won't."
"I think I'll go back home for a while. Might make it easier to... move on." He was mostly talking to himself, and Matt remained silent again.
They stood up, and Matt placed some money on the table to cover his order and the tip, while Adam walked out without a word.
As he got out and walked to his car, a voice made him turn around.
"She broke me. And I hate her for that. But if you ever don't treat her right, I'll make it my life mission to kill you. And it's gonna be painful."
"Fair enough."
With another glare, Adam turned and walked to his car, and left, screeching his tires on the asphalt. Matt entered his car, staring at the car fast moving away, and, breathing out, leaned his forehead on the steering wheel, trying to process the events without succeeding.
The sound of an incoming text message woke him from his musings, a few minutes later.
Can't get the feeling of you inside of me out of my head...
He smirked, and straightened up to compose a reply.
Can't get your flavor out of my head...
I miss you. Bored in hair and makeup. When are you coming?
Driving there right now. See you in a bit. xx
He stared at his iPhone screen for a whole minute without focusing it. He was so lucky to have her in his life. Did he tell her enough that he loved her? That she was beautiful? That he'd always, always be there for her, to make her laugh and cuddle her to sleep?
He sped on the accelerator, thinking he might burst if he didn't see her as soon as possible.
-------------------------
"Hey." He wrapped his arms around her as she was walking to her trailer.
"Hey you... how did the scene go?"
"Great. Gwyneth is such a pro."
She giggled. "I should probably be jealous but this crush of yours is adorable, you know?"
"What crush? I've no crushes!" He kissed her nose. "Well. On you I do."
She laughed, taking his hand, and opened the door to her trailer. "Are you busy right now?"
"Not for a little while." His arms closed around her waist and he hid his face in her hair. "Hi."
She smiled, and hugged him tight. "Hi."
They remained like that for a little while, neither breaking contact, until he pulled back and took her hands. "Can we talk for a second?"
She stared at him with a puzzled expression. "...sure. What's up?"
He guided her to the couch - the one where it had all began- and took a deep breath. "You know I had a meeting earlier..."
She nodded.
"Well. I met up with someone you know." He gripped her hand tighter. "Adam."
She stared at him, wide-eyed, her mouth open. "You WHAT? How COULD YOU?? I can't even... MATT!"
"Listen to me, listen to me, please. Pleasepleaseplease." His thumb started running circles on her palm, and he felt himself shrink under her gaze. She was mad. So mad. "Just listen, okay?"
He could see she was restraining from speaking, and with what looked like a huge effort, she nodded curtly.
"After his email, the other day, I was so pissed... he can't keep waltzing in and out of our lives as he pleases. I know we don't talk about it much, but I see how upset you get."
"Matt, he was my husband." Her voice shifted from angry to hurt within seconds, and she saw his jaw tensing, and sighed. "And I think a part of me will always feel guilty for the way I handled things..."
He looked at her with pain in his eyes, and she leaned forward. "I don't mean I'm sorry about what happened, Matt! I could never..." She took his face in her hands, but he still looked down at his lap. "My God, Matthew, the way I love you... I thought it didn't even exist..." Her thumb stroked his chin. "I just... sometimes I wish this could have started on a clean slate, you know? Without having to hurt anyone in the process... you know?"
He nodded, swallowing a lump in his chest. "I know."
"So, what happened? Did you two fight?"
"No. We just... talked. He said emails and texts will stop. And he'll probably spend some time with his folks, in England... to move on."
Her eyes filled with tears. "I never thought I could hurt someone so much."
His hands closed on her waist, and he brought her in his lap. "Hey. It just... happened."
"I know." She smiled at him, a watery smile. "I don't regret the outcome." Leaning closer, she kissed his earlobe. "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie."
"Thanks for being my knight in shining armor."
He chuckled. "Anytime." He moved some hair from her eyes. "He's gonna be okay."
She nodded, amazed at the extents he was willing to go to in order for her to be alright, and kissed him deeply.
His phone buzzed. "Work. Gotta go." He got up and laid a kiss on her hair. "Do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"Remember you're amazing. Always."
________________________________________
...here it is! The infamous confrontation. I have to thank Christy for her insights on this chapter. :)
Hope you enjoyed! As usual, comments are <3.