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[ooc: So, Jake was used for my nano story. Don't worry, I didn't kill him but the guy was tortured for a good chunk of it, and this fic is supposed to take a few weeks after he's released from the hospital.]
Jake already knows the looks that are being shot in his direction long before he even glances up at his mom and sister as he walks into the kitchen, but he doesn't let them stop him. He just continues walking - or limping, as the case may be - until he's finally seated on one of the stools of the breakfast bar and grins at them. "...I know, I know. Take it easy, but I had to try it."
Neither Angela or Nora look too convinced by the grin, though, and it's Nora the one that shakes her head at her son. "Just because you already started therapy it doesn't mean you can just...do this. You still have to rest."
"I will. I'm just kinda hungry. Is there--" But before he can finish the question, Angela is already setting down an apple in front of him. "...what's this?"
"You said you were hungry, Jakey," she points out, and if Jake didn't know any better he'd swear the way she raises her mug up to take a sip of her coffee is a way for her to hide her smirk. "Mom brought more fruit so you can have plenty of snacks."
Before he can complain, though, the door bell interrupts him and Angela is quick to go answer it while Nora smiles at Jake who's already scowling at the idea of more healthy 'snacks.' Just as he's about to point out that he won't be able to put on any weight back if they keep feeding him healthy food, the sound of footsteps coming to the kitchen make him glance towards the door and suddenly he's very glad he hadn't taken a bite of the apple yet as he sees who's walking just a step behind his sister. "...Mia?"
For only a second Mia seems out of place in a houseful of Leonards, but she's quick to cover it with a polite smile as she greets Nora and finally turns back to Jake. "Hello. I hope you don't mind me dropping by."
"No, it..." Unable to help it, a small frown of confusion grows on Jake's face and since his brain still feels like it's catching up on everything, he tries to think if there might be something wrong. Maybe something happened to Valerie, but that thought is pushed aside when he notices how calm she seems. It just doesn't make sense because, as he stares at his ex-wife, he just can't figure out why she's there, when after Ian, Mia hadn't bothered even visiting him at the hospital more than a couple of times. Even after he had been sent home that time, he always knew she only put up with him because it had been important for her to keep up appearances until he could be back on his feet, but otherwise she wouldn't have bothered. And now she was here? Not to mention how unfit for a visit he feels, with the sweatpants, zip-up hoodie and hair more tousled than he cares to aknowledge.
"We'll leave you two alone," Angela interferes quietly with a polite smile on her own, linking arms with her mother. "We've got to go check on the baby, anyway." Nora doesn't seem very lenient on leaving Jake alone with Mia, but with Angela more or less taking her with her it's kind of hard to argue.
Jake just watches them leave in silence before turning back to Mia, standing slowly. "You can take a seat, you know. You want something to eat? I hear we got fruit growing out of our ears."
For a moment Mia just stays at her spot, almost as if unsure what to do, before stepping closer. "Do you need any help? You look..."
"I'm fine." He knows what he looks like. He knows he looks unstable on his feet, but he still gets a knife from one of the drawers and moves back to sit down at his own pace. Because other than the scars and the unstable movements, Jake refuses to believe he's anything but 'fine.' He refuses to let anyone think so, either. His face expression shows it, how any pain he might be feeling, or anything else haunting him is being pushed aside; all he believes in is that he's fine. Just fine.
"So what's up?" he asks when she doesn't say anything else and just sits across from him. Starting to slice the apple in pieces, he ignores how her eyes seem to trace over the healing cuts that are seen on his face, neck and hands. He knows she can see the rope burn on his wrists, and the still bandaged hand, but he just keeps cutting the apple as if nothing is happening. Master of avoidance? Yes, yes he is. "Sorry for the messy hair, guess I slept longer than usual."
"No, don't worry about it." She pauses for a moment, trying to figure out how to really tell him why she's visiting. It had made so much sense to her before, how after seeing him at the hospital when he had first been brought in she had realized there was still a lot left unresolved between them. Not because she still loves him, but because she once did. Because he had been her husband, and the father of her children. Because she had seen all the blood, and the seizures. She had seen him being shocked when his heart had stopped for a few minutes, and everything she hadn't said to him had hit her at once. Now, though, she just doesn't know why she's even there. "You look better."
A small smile crosses his lips. "Yeah. I'm fine, but convincing Mom and Ang of that is becoming impossible. How was Florida?"
"Too bright for this time of the year, if you ask me." Mia pauses, but just for a moment. "Valerie was very worried about you."
"Yeah. I know." The knowledge makes the apple almost get stuck in his throat for a moment as he eats one of the pieces, but he doesn't let the cover he's putting up fall. "...sorry she hasn't been with you all that much. I keep telling her she doesn't have to stay with me, but she doesn't listen."
Mia smirks. "I wonder where she gets being stubborn from."
"I have no idea. My guess is Angela. Maybe Charlie." A beat. "You guys should've stayed longer. Mickey needed a visit or two."
"My mom took care of that, don't worry. I don't know if Val was very thrilled, but she took her anyway. They send their love, by the way."
It takes everything in his power to not choke laughing, but Jake just smiles for a moment as he gives a nod. He knows well enough that Mia's parents had never been fond of him at all, so the thought that they worried about him is just hilarious. Then again, it might be the fact that he's more cynical since the whole ordeal. "How're they doing?"
"Good. They might come for the holidays." She pauses again, but this time when she speaks her voice lowers. "How are you, Jake? Really?"
"Really? I'm fine." When she just gives him a look, he just gives her a smile that looks almost authentic as he cuts up the apple in a bit more pieces. There's a voice that rings in his head as he looks at her, though, and it gets louder and louder despite his efforts to make it die down.
'Now you're going to be able to understand,' Danielle had taunted him once while she tortured him. 'You'll understand exactly what your family went through, even if they just lived this for eighteen hours. But since you lived it longer, you can say you understand it better, don't you? Do you think that will help them relate to you now?'
She had been right, of course, he suddenly realizes. With Valerie they were both good at avoiding, but with Mia it had never been that easy. Not when she's trying to push forward because she's worried.
Because she can relate, he can almost hear Danielle taunting him again.
"I still don't get why you're here," he says instead when she doesn't seem to change her mind in trying to probe the truth out of him. "You were never all that good at visiting." When she just raises an eyebrow, he mirrors the gesture. "I'm just sayin'."
Mia sighs under her breath. "Right. Well, I'm just worried about you."
"Don't be. I'm fine."
"Yeah, so you say. When are you going to see Julian?"
"Mia."
"Jake, I'm serious. You need to talk to someone."
"I don't need anything." When it dawns on him he snapped, Jake just sighs under his breath as well and sets down the small knife he had been using for the apple. For a second he just stares at it, but if he's taken back to that basement, or if a flashback hits him, he doesn't show it. Not even his hands waver, he just eats another piece of apple and gives Mia a small smile. Yes, he already has therapy sessions scheduled with Julian, but in his mind Jake doesn't see the reason to tell her. "So. Apple?"
Unable to help it, Mia just rolls her eyes and stands. "I should get going. I have to get to work."
"Yeah. Thanks for dropping by."
"No problem." Mia pauses by the doorway and glances back at him. "Take care of yourself, will you?"
Jake just nods, and when she finally hears the front door close, he lets out the small breath he had been holding. His eyes glance over at the apple for a moment, then the knife for a bit longer, and as he clenches the jaw shut he just stabs the core of the apple with it before walking back to the family room.
He's fine. Just fine.
Jake already knows the looks that are being shot in his direction long before he even glances up at his mom and sister as he walks into the kitchen, but he doesn't let them stop him. He just continues walking - or limping, as the case may be - until he's finally seated on one of the stools of the breakfast bar and grins at them. "...I know, I know. Take it easy, but I had to try it."
Neither Angela or Nora look too convinced by the grin, though, and it's Nora the one that shakes her head at her son. "Just because you already started therapy it doesn't mean you can just...do this. You still have to rest."
"I will. I'm just kinda hungry. Is there--" But before he can finish the question, Angela is already setting down an apple in front of him. "...what's this?"
"You said you were hungry, Jakey," she points out, and if Jake didn't know any better he'd swear the way she raises her mug up to take a sip of her coffee is a way for her to hide her smirk. "Mom brought more fruit so you can have plenty of snacks."
Before he can complain, though, the door bell interrupts him and Angela is quick to go answer it while Nora smiles at Jake who's already scowling at the idea of more healthy 'snacks.' Just as he's about to point out that he won't be able to put on any weight back if they keep feeding him healthy food, the sound of footsteps coming to the kitchen make him glance towards the door and suddenly he's very glad he hadn't taken a bite of the apple yet as he sees who's walking just a step behind his sister. "...Mia?"
For only a second Mia seems out of place in a houseful of Leonards, but she's quick to cover it with a polite smile as she greets Nora and finally turns back to Jake. "Hello. I hope you don't mind me dropping by."
"No, it..." Unable to help it, a small frown of confusion grows on Jake's face and since his brain still feels like it's catching up on everything, he tries to think if there might be something wrong. Maybe something happened to Valerie, but that thought is pushed aside when he notices how calm she seems. It just doesn't make sense because, as he stares at his ex-wife, he just can't figure out why she's there, when after Ian, Mia hadn't bothered even visiting him at the hospital more than a couple of times. Even after he had been sent home that time, he always knew she only put up with him because it had been important for her to keep up appearances until he could be back on his feet, but otherwise she wouldn't have bothered. And now she was here? Not to mention how unfit for a visit he feels, with the sweatpants, zip-up hoodie and hair more tousled than he cares to aknowledge.
"We'll leave you two alone," Angela interferes quietly with a polite smile on her own, linking arms with her mother. "We've got to go check on the baby, anyway." Nora doesn't seem very lenient on leaving Jake alone with Mia, but with Angela more or less taking her with her it's kind of hard to argue.
Jake just watches them leave in silence before turning back to Mia, standing slowly. "You can take a seat, you know. You want something to eat? I hear we got fruit growing out of our ears."
For a moment Mia just stays at her spot, almost as if unsure what to do, before stepping closer. "Do you need any help? You look..."
"I'm fine." He knows what he looks like. He knows he looks unstable on his feet, but he still gets a knife from one of the drawers and moves back to sit down at his own pace. Because other than the scars and the unstable movements, Jake refuses to believe he's anything but 'fine.' He refuses to let anyone think so, either. His face expression shows it, how any pain he might be feeling, or anything else haunting him is being pushed aside; all he believes in is that he's fine. Just fine.
"So what's up?" he asks when she doesn't say anything else and just sits across from him. Starting to slice the apple in pieces, he ignores how her eyes seem to trace over the healing cuts that are seen on his face, neck and hands. He knows she can see the rope burn on his wrists, and the still bandaged hand, but he just keeps cutting the apple as if nothing is happening. Master of avoidance? Yes, yes he is. "Sorry for the messy hair, guess I slept longer than usual."
"No, don't worry about it." She pauses for a moment, trying to figure out how to really tell him why she's visiting. It had made so much sense to her before, how after seeing him at the hospital when he had first been brought in she had realized there was still a lot left unresolved between them. Not because she still loves him, but because she once did. Because he had been her husband, and the father of her children. Because she had seen all the blood, and the seizures. She had seen him being shocked when his heart had stopped for a few minutes, and everything she hadn't said to him had hit her at once. Now, though, she just doesn't know why she's even there. "You look better."
A small smile crosses his lips. "Yeah. I'm fine, but convincing Mom and Ang of that is becoming impossible. How was Florida?"
"Too bright for this time of the year, if you ask me." Mia pauses, but just for a moment. "Valerie was very worried about you."
"Yeah. I know." The knowledge makes the apple almost get stuck in his throat for a moment as he eats one of the pieces, but he doesn't let the cover he's putting up fall. "...sorry she hasn't been with you all that much. I keep telling her she doesn't have to stay with me, but she doesn't listen."
Mia smirks. "I wonder where she gets being stubborn from."
"I have no idea. My guess is Angela. Maybe Charlie." A beat. "You guys should've stayed longer. Mickey needed a visit or two."
"My mom took care of that, don't worry. I don't know if Val was very thrilled, but she took her anyway. They send their love, by the way."
It takes everything in his power to not choke laughing, but Jake just smiles for a moment as he gives a nod. He knows well enough that Mia's parents had never been fond of him at all, so the thought that they worried about him is just hilarious. Then again, it might be the fact that he's more cynical since the whole ordeal. "How're they doing?"
"Good. They might come for the holidays." She pauses again, but this time when she speaks her voice lowers. "How are you, Jake? Really?"
"Really? I'm fine." When she just gives him a look, he just gives her a smile that looks almost authentic as he cuts up the apple in a bit more pieces. There's a voice that rings in his head as he looks at her, though, and it gets louder and louder despite his efforts to make it die down.
'Now you're going to be able to understand,' Danielle had taunted him once while she tortured him. 'You'll understand exactly what your family went through, even if they just lived this for eighteen hours. But since you lived it longer, you can say you understand it better, don't you? Do you think that will help them relate to you now?'
She had been right, of course, he suddenly realizes. With Valerie they were both good at avoiding, but with Mia it had never been that easy. Not when she's trying to push forward because she's worried.
Because she can relate, he can almost hear Danielle taunting him again.
"I still don't get why you're here," he says instead when she doesn't seem to change her mind in trying to probe the truth out of him. "You were never all that good at visiting." When she just raises an eyebrow, he mirrors the gesture. "I'm just sayin'."
Mia sighs under her breath. "Right. Well, I'm just worried about you."
"Don't be. I'm fine."
"Yeah, so you say. When are you going to see Julian?"
"Mia."
"Jake, I'm serious. You need to talk to someone."
"I don't need anything." When it dawns on him he snapped, Jake just sighs under his breath as well and sets down the small knife he had been using for the apple. For a second he just stares at it, but if he's taken back to that basement, or if a flashback hits him, he doesn't show it. Not even his hands waver, he just eats another piece of apple and gives Mia a small smile. Yes, he already has therapy sessions scheduled with Julian, but in his mind Jake doesn't see the reason to tell her. "So. Apple?"
Unable to help it, Mia just rolls her eyes and stands. "I should get going. I have to get to work."
"Yeah. Thanks for dropping by."
"No problem." Mia pauses by the doorway and glances back at him. "Take care of yourself, will you?"
Jake just nods, and when she finally hears the front door close, he lets out the small breath he had been holding. His eyes glance over at the apple for a moment, then the knife for a bit longer, and as he clenches the jaw shut he just stabs the core of the apple with it before walking back to the family room.
He's fine. Just fine.