A/N: I'm so sorry about this chapter. >.> Please don't hate me. 

𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓼𝓸 𝓮𝓪𝓼𝔂𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵 𝓘 𝓪𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓮?𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓿𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓾𝓹 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮

Blaire

"So. let me get this straight." Jefferson started. "This guy has been messaging you since New years, and threatening to reveal things about you if you don't do exactly what he says?" He asked.
"Yeah and I'm pretty sure before me, he was doing the same thing to my mom before he killed her."
"Well how do you know its a he?" Jefferson asked.
"I don't really, When they call their voice is super distorted, and I think I've actually seen the person but they were wearing a mask, they didn't have a very femine build? That and in the video my mom left on my camera, the person who grabs her has dude arms." I shrugged.
"Dude arms?" Jefferson smirked.
"Just go with it." I sighed. "Did my mom ever say anything to you about someone bothering her?" I asked.
"No, she didn't. She wouldn't have, thats just how she was and I think she passed that on to you. How many people have you told about this guy?"
"Just Will, and Emma, and now you." I sighed.
"Not even Kass?"
"Are you kidding me? If I told Kass about this she would lose her mind and start trying to track him down."
"Because..you aren't?" Jefferson asked. "What does this guy have on you anyways?"
"Its not just what he has on me, he has things on Emma, and apparently my uncle David too, and the things he has on me...could hurt someone that I love." I said.
"We talking family..or?" Jefferson questioned.
"Or.." I sighed.

"Wow." Jefferson smiled. "Love, is a big word for you. You always told me you were going to be alone, and maybe have a cat or two."
"Well, I do have a cat." I smirked.
"So how does what this guy has on you, hurt the person you love?" Jefferson asked.
"What he has on me, involves the person I love. He is my secret." I said. "If the wrong people were to find out about us, it could ruin his life." I frowned.
"What are you like dating your math teacher or something?" Jefferson chuckled.
"History...actually." I said.
Jefferson kept laughing, until he realized..I wasn't joking.
"Holy shit.. You're serious." Jefferson said and stood up.
"I just told you i'm being potentially stalked by the guy that murdered my mother, and THIS is what gets the holy shit reaction??" I asked.
"I am really glad your Dad is where he is right now, because he would kill that man." Jefferson said.

"I doubt it. I don't even think he would care." I scoffed.
"You don't think so? You remember when you told me about Keith and what he did to you?"
"Yeah?" I shrugged.
"Your Dad asked me why you had been so upset, and I was so mad after hearing what Keith did, I told him."
"You promised me you wouldn't say anything!" I exclaimed. Then I remembered, Keith coming to school with his face all fucked up, and he wouldn't even look at me.
"What did he do?" I asked.
"He followed him home from school, and beat the shit out of him so trust me when I tell you, if he knew about this, the history teacher would be well...history." Jefferson said.
"Well its a good thing he's not going to know." I shrugged. "Even after I graduate when its all out in the open, I don't want him to know. I don't want him to see me, finally happy with my life and snuff it out like he always does." I said.
"Understood." Jefferson said. "As long as he treats you like you deserve to be treated and you are actually happy, I'll leave it alone."
"He does...and I am really happy with him which is why I think its worth risking so much to protect our secret." I said.

"Does he know about this psycho texting you?" Jefferson asked.
"He doesn't yet.. I need to tell him but I don't know how. I don't know how hes going to react." I sighed. "But enough about all of this, we have some serious catching up to do. I didn't even get to say bye to you when I left Oregon."
"You're right. What are your plans for the day?" Jefferson asked.
"Now? This." I shrugged. "I was either going to go home and rest because I didn't get in until like 2:30 this morning or I was going to pick up a shift at O'Malleys."
"Well, theres a vending machine down the hall, I'm going to get some drinks, I brought my old nintendo with me so we can just talk and play Mario like we used to."
"Yes! Lets do that." I said.
"Its in my bag over there on the table, if you wanna set it up. I'll be right back." Jefferson said and left the room to get drinks.

I walked over to his bag, and opened it, the nintendo was on top so I grabbed it, and the cables and set them on the table. There was a small baggie of gummy candies under the controllers, Jefferson should have known better to hide his candy from me. Gummies were my kryptonite. I opened the bag and grabbed a few of them and popped them in my mouth and went to set up the nintendo.

Jefferson returned shortly, and walked over to the table in the room and put the drinks down.
"Hey..Blaire." He said.
"Yeah?" I asked and turned from the tv and looked at him. He was holding up the bag of gummy candy.
"Did you eat some of these?" He asked.
"Yeah. I didn't think you'd mind." I shrugged.
"Mmmhm, and...how many did you eat?" Jefferson asked.
"I don't know like 3 or 4. What brand are those anyways? They taste kinda wonky." I said.
"Oh..boy." Jefferson said and put the bag down and ran his hands over his face.
"I'm sorry I didn't think you'd be mad, I used to steal your candy all the time." I said and walked over to the table.

"No, I'm not mad.. Its just, these aren't normal candy." Jefferson said. "They're edibles..I picked them up from the dispensary before I left Oregon."
I blinked at him.
"You're telling me I just ate your pot gummies??" I asked.
"Yeah..you did." Jefferson said.
"How many is the normal serving??" I asked.
"I usually eat 2." Jefferson said.
"Holy shit." I said. "Whats going to happen?? I'm I going to die?"

Jefferson chuckled.
"No, they're completely safe Blaire. You're not going to die, you're just...not going to be functional for the rest of the day in about 30 minutes. Don't panic."
"Don't panic.. My uncle is the Sheriff!" I exclaimed. "And he's expecting me home for dinner tonight because its taco night and I DON'T MISS TACO NIGHT."
"Well first off, these are totally legal here just like in Oregon even without a medical card and you are 18." Jefferson said.
"Just because they're legal doesn't mean he's not going to have a problem with it."
"Okay, so we will do like we did that one time, you got pissed off at your Dad because he was drinking so you stole his bottle of bourbon and took a few drinks out of it, to see what was so special about it on your way to my house."
"I threw up in your sink and spent the night on your couch."
"And your dad had no idea about any of it. You can stay here and your uncle wont know a thing." Jefferson shrugged.
"Okay." I nodded.
"Just don't panic, These can go either way, you'll either be really chill and kinda silly or you'll overthink yourself into a panic attack. You're safe here I promise."

My phone pinged in my pocket and I looked at it.
"Its Killian, he wants to know if I'm working tonight. What do I say??" I asked.
"Just turn your phone off and leave it alone. You'll thank me later." Jefferson chuckled. "Text him later."
"Ive been through some shit, turning off my phone is going to cause my uncle to freak if he can't reach me. I'll just put it away." I said and put it in my gym bag. I had a specific ringtone for David so I would know if he was calling. It was the Cops theme, which he didn't find nearly as amusing as I did.

—------------------------------------------------------

Jefferson and I played the Nintendo for a good while and chatting like we always used to.
"You good?" Jefferson asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah why?" I asked
"You dropped the controller like 5 minutes ago and you've just been moving your thumbs with nothing in your hands." Jefferson said.
I looked down at my hands and burst into a fit of laughter which made Jefferson start laughing.
"Am I okay?" I asked between giggles.
"You're fine I promise. I wont let anything happen to you."
"You're such a good friend." I smiled. "My jefferson shaped friend."
Jefferson laughed again. "I'll be right back. Stay here." He said and got up and walked to the bathroom.

My phone rang in my gym bag, and it was Davids ringtone. I crawled across the floor to my gym bag and opened it and answered.
"Hey Dave." I smiled and stood up and flopped backwards onto the bed in the room. "What can I do for you?"
"I was just checking in, you said you were going to come home after the gym and its been a few hours." David said.
"Oh! I was going to come home, but one of my friends from Oregon drove all the way here to see me so I've been hanging out with him." I said.
"Oh, That was nice of him, though do his parents know hes here?"
"He graduated like 5 years ago." I laughed.
"Ohhh." David said, but it was that are you making good life choices tone he liked to use.
"Are you still coming home for dinner? Its taco night."
"Of course I am. I don't miss taco night silly." I snickered.
"Are..you okay Blaire you don't sound like yourself." David said.
"I'm good. Great actually. Oh! Hey, can Jefferson come too? He likes tacos..then again who doesn't." I said.
"Sure, thats fine. I'm about to start making them."
"Cool, we will be there soon!" I said. "Bye." I added and hung up.
"We will be where soon??" Jefferson asked.

"David said you could come for dinner." I smiled.
"You realize he's going to kill the both of us right?" Jefferson asked.
"Well yeah, but there will be Tacos." I said, as if Jefferson were stupid.



—----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jefferson drove us to my house after I gave him directions. He parked in the driveway and looked at me.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Hungry. Like..so hungry." I laughed.
Jefferson laughed and shook his head.
"I'm a deadman."
"Come onnn." I said and got out of the car and made my way to the door. Jefferson hurried behind me as I stood on the porch and rang the doorbell.
"Blaire.. Why did you ring the doorbell?" Jefferson asked.
"I have no idea." I giggled and went to open the door but the knob twisted in my hand and the door opened to a very confused David on the other side.
"Well..thats trippy." Jefferson mumbled. I had forgotten to mention that my uncle and my Dad were identical twins.

"Why did you ring the doorbell?" David asked.
"I guess I wanted to let you know I was here." I shrugged.
"You live here." David said.
"That I do." I snickered. Somehow everything...absolutely everything was funnier right now.
David put his hand under my chin and tilted my face up so he could get a better look at my eyes.
"Blaire Jean Nolan, are you high??" He demanded and looked at Jefferson with a glare.
"I can explain." Jefferson said and put his hands up.
"I sure hope you can." David said. "Put your hands down, I'm not going to shoot you."
"Well thats a relief." Jefferson said and lowered his hands back to his sides. "Blaire was going to set up my nintendo that I brought with me. I left the room to get drinks from the vending machine and she found some edibles in my bag and thought they were regular candy. She used to steal my candy all the time back home so she knew I wouldn't mind, she didn't know they were edibles and she ate three of them. They're not going to hurt her I swear, shes just..going to be.. Well that for a bit." Jefferson said and pointed to me, dancing with Wilby behind David. "They're not even illegal here, or Oregon." Jefferson explained.

"I'm aware that they aren't illegal, that doesn't mean I'm happy with it. Blaire is on several medications right now, and I'm just worried about how thats going to interact with them."
"It shouldn't have any problems with her medications, if her meds make her sleepy the worst its going to do is make her even more sleepy. I promise you, I would not have intentionally given her these and if she knew what they were before she ate them she wouldn't have eaten them. It was an honest mistake."

David looked back at me and I gave him a goofy grin. He shook his head and chuckled.
"Alright. Accidents happen, and It sounds like Blaire to mistake edibles for actual candy." David shrugged.
"That girl loves her candy." Jefferson shrugged.
David extended his hand.
"David Nolan." He said. Jefferson put his hand in Davids and shook it.
"Jefferson Hatt." He replied.
David led Jefferson to the dining room, as I followed.
"Oh wow, Blaire wasn't kidding when you said you usually cooked enough to feed a small army." Jefferson said.
"I don't like anyone to go hungry under my roof." David chuckled.

I sat down in my usual spot next to Emma and started loading my plate. Jefferson sat down across from me.
"So Jefferson how did you and Blaire meet?" Mary Margarget asked.
"We met at the gym her Dad worked for, She was like 10 and I was around 16 at that point. I was in her Dads teen class and I worked there off and on through the summer." Jefferson shrugged.
"So..you're quite a bit older than she is." David said.
Jefferson looked around the table.
"Oh..wait do you think?" He started.
"He thinks we are dating." I said. "I can't bring anyone home without them thinking that." I laughed and shook my head.
"Wouldn't be that much of a stretch..at least as far as the age gap goes." Emma whispered to me to where only I could hear it. I almost choked.

"Theres been a misunderstanding." Jefferson said. "I'm not in a romantic relationship with Blaire...thats just-"
"Its gross. Thats what it is." I said and crinkled my nose and shook my head.
"I mean.. I used to watch Blaire when her Dad would have to leave the gym for a couple hours and couldn't take her with him." Jefferson explained. "I understand your concern but its not like that at all. I was actually in a relationship almost the whole time I've known Blaire. I have a daughter of my own."
"Jeffersons just a friend guys, just like Will..and Wendy if she ever decides to talk to me again." I said.
"I'm sorry for the assumption, I've never really seen Blaire so comfortable with anyone like she is with you." David said. "I guess thats what I get for assuming." He chuckled. "So what brings you this way then?"

"I recently visited with her Dad in prison and he told me that the media back home was going to run a story on the case, and it was probably going to make national news and I wanted the information to come from someone she could trust, instead of the tv. And there was something that I needed to give her and its much better done in person." Jefferson said "But I'll wait until tomorrow when she's thinking more clearly." Jefferson chuckled. I looked up at him after spending most of the conversation staring at my upside down reflection in the spoon for the sour cream.
"I'm thinking quite clearly thank you muchly." I said.
"What..is wrong with Blaire?" Mary Margaret asked and raised an eyebrow.
"I'll explain later." David said.
"I don't know, I kinda like Blaire like this." Emma shrugged and smirked.
"She's definitely not as mean as she usually is." Jefferson agreed.
"Right??" Emma said.
"She's also right here." I pouted.
"Shhh..its okay Blaire, just eat your tacos." Emma said.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of the next day had been a blur, until mid afternoon when I had finally come down from the high in the middle of the sunday after church lunch rush at work.
"You good Blaire?" Jacob asked me, as he passed me in the kitchen while I was checking on one of my table's food.
"Yeah, why?" I asked.
"You just weren't really all here this morning. I wasn't sure if it was another new medication and I didn't want to ask in the dining room."
"Something like that." I said with a chuckle.
"Was that an actual laugh?" Jacob asked with mock surprise.
"Don't you have things to do?" I asked. "Like assistant manager stuff? Speaking of, table 3 wants a comp on her childs meal because her devil spawn threw most of her food on the floor instead of eating it." I said.
Jacob put his hands over his face.
"And what did you say?" He asked.
"What makes you think I said anything Jacob?" I asked.
"Out with it Blaire."
"Fine, I said she could always put her child on the floor, and let her eat the food like the animal she was so..she wants to see a manager."
"Blaire!" Jacob groaned.
"What? We are running a business here. I was trying to save us the money." I shrugged.
"You're lucky Thomas finds your attitude with customers amusing." Jacob rolled his eyes and walked out of the kitchen to deal with the customer.
"Thats why you get paid the big bucks Jacob!" I hollered after him and he put his hand behind his back and flipped me off.

"You are going to fuck around and get fired Blaire." Will said.
"Nah, Thomas loves me." I smiled. "Do you have table 6 ready yet? Its that cranky old couple That comes every sunday.." I sighed.
"Its about to come out of the oven love." Will said. "Speaking of Cranky old people. Mr. Jones came in last night and asked if you were working, or if I had heard from you. Seemed kind of worried."
I completely forgot to text him back yesterday.
"Shit.." I sighed and pulled my phone from my back pocket. "Also please don't refer to Killian as old. He's not that much older than us and it makes him sound like a creeper." I said and sent a quick text to Killian.

Me:
So sorry I forgot to text back.. Yesterday was weird. I'm at work right now so I can't really explain. But I can call you later.

I didn't even get time to wait for a reply before Jacob came back into the kitchen.
"Where is the pizza for table 6??" He asked. "They're ready to walk."
"Its only been 15 minutes since they got here!" I grumbled. "I'm about to give them the take and bake special."
"What exactly is that?" Jacob asked.
"She means she's about to give them an uncooked pizza and tell them if they don't want to wait for us to cook it they can take it home and do it themselves." Will shrugged and checked the oven and groaned. "This bloody oven is going out again, its not getting hot enough."
"Perfect!" I grinned and went to go to the dining room to tell my favorite customers the excellent news.
Jacob stopped me.
"I don't think so. I'll handle it." He sighed. "Just what we needed in the middle of a lunch rush. "Will, call Thomas and see if he can come in and look at the oven."
"On it." Will said and walked away to call Thomas

"Blaire, politely, let the rest of your tables know that our oven is down and we can only do fried foods right now."
"You know they are going to be pissed right?" I sighed.
"So then offer them a comp for half off and I'll take care of the rest. But do it politely." He reminded me. "And maybe smile. You can do that right?"
I looked him dead in the eyes and smiled.
"Why is that so terrifying?" Jacob asked and shuddered.
"I think its rather charming actually." Will said and put his arm around my shoulders.
Jacob narrowed his eyes at the two of us.
"The shit Thomas lets you two get away with.." He sighed and ran his hands through his sandy blonde hair.
"Oh no Blaire we've sent poor Jacob straight into a conniption fit." Will said and pouted.
"Nevermind. Lizard and I will handle the dining room. You stay back here and help Will in the kitchen."
"Well then I want Kitchen pay instead of server pay." I said and crossed my arms.
"Yeah nice try. I help with payroll, I know Thomas bumped you to hostess pay AND you can keep your tips However I don't know how you get them with your attitude," Jacob argued.

A frantic Lizard walked into the kitchen.
"Jacob. Stop flirting with Blaire and HELP me or so help me, I will walk out of this place today."
Jacob and I looked at each other with equal looks of disgust.
"Flirting??" We both practically shrieked.
Lizard just gestured wildly towards the dining room.
"Alright! I'm coming." Jacob sighed "Try not to blow anything up." He glared at me.
"Ooo. fire. Pretty." I grinned. Jacob just groaned and walked into the dining room.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


After a while Thomas walked into the kitchen and found me standing 5 feet from the deep fryers throwing Mozzarella sticks in one by one and running away after they landed in the oil.
"Blaire. Why are you in the kitchen? Where is Will??" Thomas asked.
"Jacob told me to stay back here, and Will is on lunch. Please help." I said. Thomas smirked and shook his head.
"Tough little shit like you, and you're afraid of a little hot oil?" Thomas asked and took the bag of mozzarella sticks and put them in the fryer for me.
"Well.. I wasn't.. And then.." I sighed and raised my now bandaged hand from about 30 minutes ago when I stood too close and the hot oil splashed my hand.
"Jesus." Thomas sighed and went to the entrance for the dining room opened the door.
"Jacob!" He shouted and walked back over to me and took my hand and unbandaged it to look at the burn.
"Damn it." He sighed again. Jacob walked back into the kitchen.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Why is my waitress with no kitchen experience." He paused and glanced back at me "No offense."
I raised my hands to signal that no offense was taken.
"Working the kitchen all by herself?!" Thomas demanded.
"She was being rude in the dining room, and people were getting frustrated because the ovens broke and I didn't want her fueling the fire" Jacob defended himself.
"Its Blaire, its just how she is, and the customers keep coming back anyways. Even if they didn't, I'd rather lose a little business then end up with this!" Thomas said and held up my hand that was blistering in spots. "You are God damn lucky its not worse than this!"

I flinched. I'd never seen Thomas angry like this and the way Jacobs face dropped while he was being yelled at reminded me a lot of how I used to feel when my Dad would yell at me. Of course it was a very different situation, and Jacob was kind of in the wrong, but I still felt bad.
"Thomas..I'm fine. Really." I said. "Jacob is new to the assistant manager thing, he was just doing what he thought was best. I'll go to the ER on my lunch and get it looked at."
"Jacob will take you." Thomas said still glaring at Jacob. "Its slow enough now that Lizard and I can handle it until Will gets back and then I can work on the oven. Don't clock out." Thomas said

"Lets go." Jacob sighed and stormed out of the kitchen.
"Let me know what they say, and I'll take care of the bill." Thomas said.
I nodded and followed Jacob out of the kitchen and out of the restaurant. Jacob got in his car and slammed the door and I got in the passengers side and side eyed his knuckles turning white on the steering wheel.
"Look..I didn't mean-"
"Like I said, he lets you get away with a lot of shit." Jacob barked at me. I swallowed hard and slowly buckled my seatbelt.
Jacob sighed.
"I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have left you in the kitchen by yourself and now your hurt and its my fault."
"I think we are all to blame. I was being an asshole, you were just doing what you thought was best for the business. Ive never seen Thomas get that mad..I'm sorry." I said.
"If you think that was bad, you should have seen him while I was in high school." Jacob chuckled. "I was not a pleasant person to be around as a teenager."
"As opposed to..." I paused. Jacob looked at me and I smirked. "Kidding..kind of..so you lived with Thomas..after.."
"After my mother died? Yeah. Thomas was all I had after my mom.." Jacob said.
"Do you remember your mom?" I asked. "I feel like..I just lost mine and I already have trouble remembering the sound of her voice. I call her phone to listen to her voicemail just to hear it." I frowned and glanced down at my hands.
"I don't remember much, I remember the color of her eyes, and her smile..I have home videos when I want to hear her voice. I don't feel like..I really got a chance to know her." Jacob said.
"I'm really sorry." I said.
"Its okay." Jacob said and smiled at me.

"I don't think I really got to know my mother either...both of my parents really. They were so secretive about their pasts, I didn't know my family here even existed until last year. I feel like everything I knew about them was a lie."
"I understand that. Thomas has his secrets too." Jacob said.
"What kind of secrets?" I asked.
"Well..I don't know. Thats the thing about secrets. They're secret." Jacob winked.
"Yeah that was a stupid question." I sighed.

Jacob pulled into the parking lot of the hospital.
"I'm really sorry you burned your hand. I should have come back to check on you after Will went to lunch." Jacob said.
"Its fine, the front was a madhouse. You were busy. I've had a lot worse happen. In fact, last time I was here, it was because someone tried to kill me." I said.
"No shit? In Storybrooke??" Jacob asked.
"Yup." I sighed and pulled the collar of my shirt down a little so he could see the little scar on my neck from when one of Milahs goons cut the side of my neck.
"Jesus." Jacob said. "Why would anyone want to kill you?"
"Its a long story." I shrugged. "Anyways, lets go get my hand looked at and get back to work so Thomas can go back home and take a nap..he needs a nap."
"That he does." Jacob smirked and got out of the car.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once I got my hand checked out and some burn cream to apply to it, Jacob and I returned to work. Thomas got the oven back up and running and seemed to be in a much better mood. I went back to working the dining room with Lizard and Jacob went back and forth between the kitchen and helping us in the dining room if we got busy.

I went to my last break and looked down at my phone. Killian had texted me back hours ago and I didn't even see it.

KJ:
Its fine. Looking forward to hearing from you tonight.

I went to text back and I heard someone yelling in the dining room. I peeked out from the kitchen window and saw an irate customer throw his drink at Lizard. I walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room.
"What the hell is your problem?" I demanded. I noticed then that, the customer seemed to be on some kind of drugs that were making him so angry. Given what side of town we were on and what I had heard about the drug dealers around here, I was not surprised.
"I told her no ice, twice and she couldn't get it right." The customer scoffed.
"So you fucking threw it at her?! You're a grown ass man throwing a temper tantrum over a soda."
"What is going on over here?!" Jacob sighed as he hurried over.
"Who are you?" The man asked.
"I'm the assistant manager. What is the problem?"
"The problem is, your waitress is an idiot, and this one can't keep her mouth shut." He said and pointed at me.
"Oh really?" I said and stepped forward Jacob put his arm out in front of me pushing me back.
"I'm going to have to ask you to leave sir. I won't have you insulting the staff." Jacob said. Usually he was a customer is always right type of guy, and this was the first time I'd ever seen him stick up for Lizard and I.
"Insulting? The guy assaulted Liz!" I shouted. "He threw his drink at her."
Jacob looked at Lizard who was wiping cola off of her face.
"Leave now." He said as he turned back to the customer.
"No. I didn't assault anyone."
"I literally watched you throw your drink at her face!" I said.
The man raised his hand and stepped forward like he was going to slap me.
"Don't you fucking touch her!" Jacob snapped and shoved the man away.

Lizard and I looked at each other in shock. Jacob was never like this. Will hurried out of the kitchen.
"What is going on??" He asked.
"Jacobs about to fuck this guy up and I'm without popcorn." I said.
The customer took a swing at Jacob and hit him right in the eye.
"Or not." I mumbled.
"I'm calling the police." Lizard said and ran over to the work phone behind the bar.
Will ran over to the irate customer and pulled him off of Jacob and pushed him out the door and shut it locking it.
I ran to the kitchen and went to the freezer and grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables and went back out to the dining room.
The man was still outside trying to break his way back in.

Lizard was on the phone with the police, panicking. Will had Jacob sitting in a booth.
"I got this, you help Lizard she's freaking out." I said and sat down across from Jacob and slid the bag of frozen vegetables across the table.
"What a day huh?" I asked.
"No shit." Jacob sighed and put the bag of vegetables over his eye that was already bruising and swelling.
"Can you text Thomas and let him know whats happening?" He asked. "Let him know we are okay."
"Yeah." I said and pulled out my phone and texted Thomas. "I've never seen you..that way." I said.
"What way?" Jacob asked.
"When that guy tried to hit me and you shoved him." I said.
"Did you honestly think I was going to let him hit you Blaire?" Jacob asked.
"Did you honestly think I was going to let him hit me Jacob?" I asked.

The glass window on the door to the entrance suddenly shattered.
"Son of a bitch.." Jacob groaned.
"Don't worry the cops are here now." I sighed and noticed the red and blue flashing lights.
There was a bit of a commotion outside as they arrested the man who was causing all the problems.
"That was fast." Jacob said.
David made his way into the restaurant.
"That would be why." I said and smiled at him.
David approached Jacob and I at the table.
"I thought you were off today." I said.
"I am, but I heard the call come in on the police scanner in my truck while I was on my way to pick up dinner. Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?" He asked.
"Jacob took a good hit to the face, and Lizard got soda thrown at her and the guy got really aggressive and tried to hit me but Jacob shoved him away from me. Then Will threw him outside and he broke the window right before you guys showed up." I said.
"Do you need medical attention?" David asked Jacob.
"Nothing a bag of frozen vegetables won't fix." Jacob said.

Thomas walked in through the kitchen, coming from the back door of the restaurant as we were all giving statements to the deputy that arrived at the same time as David.
"What the hell happens when I leave?" He asked.
"Mayhem." Will responded.
"Chaos." Lizard shrugged.
"Debauchery!" I added.
"And why is it always you three involved??" Thomas asked.
"We're the only three employees ya got mate.." Will said.
"You've got me there Scarlet. Was anyone hurt?"
"Jacob got punched in the face, He's over there talking to the deputy." I said.
"Alright, I'll make sure hes okay. Blaire, if you want to go home now you can, you were supposed to be out of here by 5." Thomas said.
"I can stay and help clean up." I said.
"We've got it. Its family night for you isn't it?" Lizard asked.
"Yeah it is. If you guys are sure, I'll go. I'm done giving statements." I said.
"We're sure. See you Tuesday night." Thomas said.
"Alright. I'll see you then." I said and took off my apron and hung it up by the door.
"You ready?" David asked.
"Yeah, lets go." I said and pulled the door open and we walked out.

I walked to work this morning because it was a nice day and I was exhausted so if anything I was glad David happened to be in the area. I climbed up into his truck. He got in and looked at my bandaged hand.
"What happened there?" He asked.
"Kitchen accident. I got burned." I said. "Its already been checked out at the ER." I said.
"I really need to teach you how to cook." David chuckled.
"I don't think Thomas is ever going to let me back in the kitchen so its fine."
"Well who is going to cook for you when you move out?" David asked.
"Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders, and The Burger King." I smirked. "Speaking of, what are we picking up for dinner?" I asked.
"It was Emmas turn to choose and she picked Hibachi and Sushi." David said. "Don't worry, I ordered you extra fried rice because I know you like to eat it for breakfast the next day."
"You're the best Uncle Dave." I smiled.
"Thats what they tell me." David smiled.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Dinner, I was helping David put away leftovers. My phone pinged on the bar, and I walked over and looked at it. It was a text from Jefferson asking me to come out front.
"Hey, Jeffersons here. He probably wants to say bye before he heads back home. I'll be back inside before you guys set up the board game."
"Okay. Don't eat any random candy you may find." David winked.
"Hah. Hah." I snorted and walked into the living room and out the front door. Jefferson was sitting on the porch swing and I sat down next to him.
"Hey J." I said.
"Hey." Jefferson smiled. "I'm leaving in the morning but I wanted to stop by and see you before then." He said. "Am I interrupting anything?"
"No, it will take them a bit to set up a board game." I chuckled.
"Good." Jefferson said. "I actually have something that I wanted to give you. Now that you're 18 and you're about to start living your own life."
"You got me a sweet new car didn't you?" I smirked.

"No" Jefferson laughed and handed me an envelope. I opened the envelope and pulled out a debit card with my name on it I raised an eyebrow at him.
"A debit card?" I asked.
"Its your bank account. Your mom was worried about you not having options when you got older because your parents didn't have a lot of money. She didn't want you getting stuck in a shitty town working with or for your Dad because you felt like that was all you could do."
"Okay..but my parents still didn't have a lot of money." I said. "Its okay though I got a scholarship to a really good art school."
"Oh I know and I know that she's not here to tell you but I know your mom would be so proud of you and I'm proud of you too kid." Jefferson smiled. "I've always been proud of you and I wanted to make sure you were taken care of."
I looked away from him and wiped a tear out of my eyes.
"What do you mean J?" I asked.
"I'm a trust fund kid. I have more money than I know what to do with. And hell, I've babysat you since you were a toddler you're part of my family and all I have now is you and Grace. So..I've added you to the trust."

"Wait.. what?" I asked and stood up.
"I want to make sure you have what you need whether it be a small house, or an apartment, if something happens to your truck I want you to be able to get it fixed or if you have to get a new car. I want you to be able to pay rent and whatever and not work yourself to death to do it because you have been dealt shit cards your whole life and you need a break." Jefferson said.
"I can't.. I can't accept this Jefferson. This is yours and Grace's money! You have to take care of her." I said.
"Trust me Blaire, there is more than enough in that account. I just ask if you need to spend over a million you call me first."
"....Over a- Was your Dad friggin Batman??"
Jefferson laughed and shook his head.
"Are you sure about this Jefferson?" I asked.
"Yes. I know you are responsible enough to make good choices with it." He said.
"Well shit, I guess that means I can't get strippers and blow for my graduation party." I smirked through fresh tears.
Jefferson stood and wrapped his arms around me pulling me into a tight hug.
"Thank you Jefferson.I promise to only use it for things I need."
"Make sure you slip a few things you want in there too kid, you deserve it." He said.

"I wish you didn't have to go back." I said.
"I Know, I kind of like this place. Very homey. Maybe once I get sole custody of Grace we can move here. I know she'd love to see you again."
"I'd love to see her too." I said and put my forehead against his chest.
"I have to go B." Jefferson said sadly.
"Wait. Stay for a bit and play board games with us." I said. "Just for a little. I barely remember yesterday and I don't feel like I got enough time with you." I frowned.
"I don't want to intrude on family night." Jefferson chuckled.
"Please. You're family. You've always been the big brother I always wanted. You used to come over and eat take out with me and Dad on Thanksgiving." I said and took his hand. "Come on. Just for a little." I smiled and pulled him along into the house.
"Hey, Jefferson is going to stay for a bit and play some board games with us if its okay." I said.
Jefferson awkwardly waved at everyone.
"Of course it is!" Mary-Margaret smiled easing some of Jeffersons nervous tension.
"What are we playing?" I asked.
"Monopoly." Emma said.
"Oooo I call being the banker." I said.
"Too late. I called it." Emma said.
"You were banker last time!" I groaned and sat down on the couch and pushed her shoulder. I looked up at Jefferson who was grinning at me.
"What?" I laughed.
"Its just nice to see you like this." he said.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Happy." He said and sat down on the couch next to me.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Killian

Something just wasn't sitting right with me. Blaire hadn't called me like she said she would after work, but then again she said something about having family night, but also it was well after 10pm and she still hadn't called or even texted and David and Mary-Margaret did not seem like the type to be up into the wee hours of the morning playing a thrilling game of monopoly.

I tried to focus on my own work, I was still writing notes on my students for parent night tomorrow. But my brain kept spinning in other directions. I didn't really talk much about how I truly felt after discovering Milah had been cheating on me, for who knows how many years. But it did affect me more than I wanted it to and somehow, this guy who had been texting Blaire, and now me knew that, that nerve was exposed and dug into it.

My text notification went off and I all too eagerly pushed aside my notes that were on top of my phone and picked it up, hoping it was Blaire. But it wasn't. It was that fucking Unknown number again and now I suddenly realized why she always seemed on edge. I wish she would have told me about this. I reluctantly opened the text message and attached was another photo of Blaire and the man she was with yesterday standing on her front porch. His arms were wrapped around her and forehead was pressed to his chest. It was a rather intimate looking picture.

Another few pictures came through, these ones taken from outside the window, looking into the living room, of Blaire and the family sitting around the coffee table playing a board game. Blaire was smiling and seeming to be having a good time, but that man..was also in the pictures, and he was sitting next to her, in a couple of the pictures she was smiling at him, and he was smiling at her and there was a couple of them with her head resting on his shoulder contentedly. The first thought that should have come to my mind was Blaires safety. This stalker was on her front porch taking pictures of the family through the windows, but I was instead consumed by a jealous rage.

Unknown:
It has to sting, knowing that this will never be you in these pictures. I don't think the Sheriff would take too kindly to you dating his niece. Ever. I would give it up now Jones. Rip the bandaid off before you get hurt..or before she does.

I didn't bother to entertain this prick with a response. I just tossed my phone in my desk and tried to get back to work on finishing these bloody notes. I felt something, I hadn't felt in quite some time and that was the urge to drink. I didn't like to keep alcohol in the house anymore because it made Blaire uncomfortable. I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to think of anything else. I knew I was jumping to conclusions, but without Blaire answering my texts, or calling me like she said she would I couldn't help but think maybe she would want someone she didn't have to keep a secret.
"Fuck it." I said and stood from my office chair. I shoved it into the desk so hard that my notes scattered.
Captain raised his head from his dog bed and whined.
"Its fine boy, I'll be back in a bit." I said and walked out of the office and grabbed my car keys from the kitchen counter.

I made the short drive to the only liquor store in town open this late, and went in. My eyes went to the front counter at the bubbly blonde with pink streaks in her hair. Her name was Roxanne and she always flirted with me every time I came in, and I usually did it back just being playful.
"Killian Jones. I thought you forgot all about me." She grinned.
"Not a chance Roxy, I see you've moved things around in here." I said and looked around a little confused.
"Captain Morgan is on the back wall, and your usual beer is on the next aisle over." She winked.
"Thanks darling." I said and glanced over my shoulder at the way her face lit up.
I walked around the store, checking out new things.
"What the bloody hell is Pumpkin spice rum?" I asked.
"Its for when you're a basic bitch but also a pirate." Roxy said.
"I've got no idea what a basic bitch is love, but I can surely drink like a pirate on occasion." I said and made my selections and carried them up to the counter.

Roxy rang up my selections.
"Want your smokes too?" She asked.
"Sure why not." I hadn't really smoked in a while either. Milah always had me so stressed I made weekly trips over here. Ever since I filed for divorce I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and ever since Blaire had been with me, she seemed to have quit smoking too and now that I thought about it, I really didn't want her to end up starting again too.
"On second thought no, just the rum and beer." I said.
"Okay." Roxy smiled. "Cash check or charge?" She asked.
"Charge." I said and handed her my bank card. She swiped it and handed it back to me with my receipt.
"Soo... word in town seems to be that you are no longer married." She said. Her blue eyes sparkled with hope.
"Word in town would be correct dear." I said and shrugged.
Roxy walked around the counter and hoisted herself up on it.
"So...." She said and bit her lip and played with the zipper on my leather jacket. "You're single then?"
"Its complicated." I said and went to move her hand but she laced her fingers with mine.
"I get off in 15. I can help you un-complicate things." She said.
"To be quite honest Roxanne..I think what you are insinuating would complicate things all the more." I said and pulled my hand away from hers.
"Thats okay. Maybe next time." She winked.
I just chuckled and shook my head.
"Not likely. But I'm sure you'll find someone."
"Got a brother?" Roxy smirked.
"Aye, but you wouldn't like him much, or his wife."
Ariel would tear you to pieces sweetheart.
"You Jones boys are always just out of reach." She sighed. "Anyways have fun with your rum."
"I intend to." I smirked and walked out of the liquor store.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning my phone ringing beside my head woke me up. I groaned and opened my eyes and then instantly shut them as the sunlight coming through the window was damn near blinding.
"Fuck.." I sighed and answered my phone
"What?" I asked.
"Good morning to you too little brother." Liam said.
"Not quite." I said and adjusted myself to a sitting position on the couch and looked around.
"Why aren't you at the school?" Liam asked.
"Because the point of Parents night, is its at night you git." I grumbled.
"You are moody today. And did you forget about the staff meeting that starts in 30 minutes?" Liam asked.
"Apparently." I said and stood up and stretched. Sleeping on the couch was not for me anymore.
"Don't worry I'll be there. Just fashionably late as always." I said. "Just fill me in on all the thrilling details I miss." I sighed.
"Will do." Liam said and hung up.

I took Captain for a quick walk around the block, and then took a shower, and brushed my teeth at least 3 times to get rid of the rum smell on my breath. I dug through my medicine cabinet to find anything to get rid of this skull crushing headache, but couldn't find anything. Thankfully I knew I had some excedrin in my desk for the many of times I had come to work hungover. I didn't bother with coffee, figuring I could make some at work, I just grabbed my notes that I had scattered all over my desk and floor, and my laptop and tried to make some sort of order out of them before putting them all in my laptop bag and throwing it over my shoulder.

I scratched behind Captains ears.
"I'll see you later boy. I have to go get yet another condescending lecture from Liam. I'm sorry you can't come and join all the fun." I said and grabbed my car keys from the counter and left. With any luck, I would have missed Cora droning on about what not to say to the parents, usually directed at me. I was just as harsh with my students' parents as I was with them.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got to the school, and showed up at the tail end of the meeting earning a glare from both Cora and my brother. I made my way to the coffee pot in the teachers lounge and Cora met me half way.
"You're better than this Killian." She said.
"Its the same meeting every year Cora." I sighed and poured some coffee into one of the cheap foam cups we kept in the lounge.
"It may be, but you are still required to show up...preferably not hungover." She said "The only reason you still have a job in my school is because while I know your methods bother the parents, I know they bring good results. You're a good teacher Killian, show a little pride in your job by coming to mandatory meetings on time."
"Got it." I said and sipped at my coffee. Cora rolled her eyes and walked away from me and barely gave me enough time to enjoy my disgusting break room coffee before Liam waltzed his way over.

"Don't worry, she pretty much got the arse chewing done for you today brother." I smirked.
Liam narrowed his eyes and pulled my Ray Bans off my face. I squinted my eyes at the bright fluorescent lights.
"Bloody hell Liam. Give em back."
"Its like you're a bloody teenager again." Liam hissed. "Last I checked you weren't drinking anymore and you were much happier."
"Last time I checked you were a condescending arse. Oh wait you still are." I snarked and started walking out of the lounge desperate to get to my classroom to my excedrin and as expected Liam was hot on my heels.
"Things go bad with Brittany?" Liam asked.
Brittany..who the fuck is Brittany.. Oh! The name you gave Liam when he interrupted your Valentines weekend with Blaire.
"Why would you think that?" I asked.
"When things started to go bad with Milah you started acting this way. Reclusive, drunk all the time." Liam said.
"It was one bloody night Liam!" I groaned. "Parent night has everyone stressed. It always has. I'm entitled to a few beers."
"We both know, it wasn't a few beers that has you this way this morning." Liam said. I rolled my eyes and unlocked my classroom door and went in I tossed my laptop bag on my desk and sat down and dug through my desk drawers for my excedrin. I found it, twisted the bottle open, shook a couple into my hand and popped them in my mouth washing them down with the last of the coffee in my cup.

"It scares me when you are like this Killian." Liam said. "It reminds me of-"
"Don't you dare say it." I snapped.
"I'm going to say it because you need to hear it. It reminds me of our father."
"I am nothing like him!" I barked. "Now, I have work to do. So please leave."
"Fine. I love you Killian, I'm only trying to help."
"By saying I remind you of the man that LEFT us when we were just kids??"
"He was constantly drunk after mum passed and then suddenly he was just gone. Left in the middle of the night. I just want you to think of what it would do to me, and Sebastian if you were to do the same."
"I would never abandon my family Liam. If you think for one second I would just walk out of Sebastian's life like that, then you obviously have never thought very highly of me in the first place."
"I think the WORLD of you Killian!" Liam snapped back. "I bloody raised you on my own because I didn't want us to be separated. We were ALL we had left and I will be damned if I just sit by and watch you make the same decisions he made when life got a little too hard for him!"
"Gods dammit Liam just leave me the fuck alone!" I shouted.

"Is everything okay in here?"
We both looked to the door as Mary-Margaret was peeking in my classroom, almost like she was afraid to come in.
"Everything is fine." Liam said and clenched his jaw and stormed out of the room.
"Killian? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Fine. I just have a lot of work to do to get ready for Parent night." I mumbled and opened my laptop bag and started pulling my work out.
"I will leave you to it." Mary-Margaret said and walked away.

I tried to just focus on my work, but honestly Liams words had cut deep. I hated it when he compared me to our father. Fresh tears welled up in my eyes. I knew Liam was disappointed in me, and he truly was just trying to help and the disappointment in his eyes hurt just like it did when I was just a boy, who wanted to be just like his older brother. A few tears spilled out of my eyes onto my notes below. I shook my head and wiped away the last bit of tears.
Focus Killian. Just. Focus.


—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was afternoon, I had finally finished my notes and was in the library making copies of my classroom rules and expectations, that every student got at the beginning of the year, and most had either thrown it away the first day before giving it to their parents to look over and know what to expect from me, or it was crumpled into a ball at the bottom of their backpack. I knew this for a fact, because I was helping Blaire organize her homework and found it at the bottom of her backpack.My phone started ringing in my back pocket.
Speak of the devil... I was pretty upset with her for never calling me back or texting for that matter, and I was still rattled about my fight with Liam this morning so it probably wasn't a good idea to answer her call but I did. Before I could even say anything she spoke.

"I am so so sorry I never called you back." She said.
"Its fine." I said, probably a little more snippy than it should have been.
"It doesn't sound fine.." She said. "Saturday was just a really weird day, and work yesterday was a mess and when I got home we started family night. David has a no phones policy for family night and when we finished playing I was exhausted." Blaire sighed.
"Right." I said.
"You good?" Blaire asked.
"I said It was fine Blaire."
"You say that, but your tone says other things." Blaire said.
"Its been a long day. I've been at the school all morning setting up for Parent night." I said.
"Need help? I can come help."
"Oh are you free now?" I scoffed.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Blaire asked.
"Nothing. And its not a good idea, the whole staff is here, unless you are looking to get me fired." I said.
"What is your problem Killian?" Blaire asked.
"I don't have a bloody problem!" I snapped.
"Obviously you do. I said I was sorry I didn't text you or call you. Its been a busy weekend."
"Oh I'm aware." I sneered. "Just how long were you planning to keep the fact that you've been followed and harassed by someone you don't even know from me? Especially considering whoever it is fucking knows about us?!" I hissed.
"Shit..is he texting you too now?" Blaire asked.
"Aye. I don't know what the hell you've gotten yourself into, but now I'm involved. So thanks for that."
"Killian, I didn't tell you becaus-"
"I really don't want to hear the excuses." I cut her off.
"Okay, well you're going to hear them. I'm coming over after parent night. We need to talk." Blaire said.
"That we do." I said and hung up on her.

Within record time I got a text notification.

Blaire:

wow....really?!

Me:
Look who learned to text back.

Blaire:
Remind me, when I come see you to bring you tampons and chocolate you're being hella bitchy today.

I grumbled and put my phone back in my pocket. I was already in a bad mood and I hadn't even spoken to any parents and I knew later was going to be a fight with Blaire and I didn't want to make it all the worse.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a long night. As expected a lot of parents were unhappy with their students grade and that was apparently all my fault because I hate teenagers and I have no business teaching. I pinched the bridge of my nose and looked at the next name on my list.
David Nolan...fuck.

The door to the classroom opened and David poked his head in.
"Do you need a minute? That mother was cussing you all down the hallway.." He chuckled.
"Oh I'm sure. No, you can come on in." I said. David walked in and sat down in the chair across from my desk.
"You've never had a bad thing to say about Emma, but I am worried about Blaire." He said and he actually laughed nervously.
You probably should be, but not as far as this goes. I thought.
I just gave him a small smile.
"We'll start with Emma." I said and flipped through my notes until I found her and Blaire and pulled them to the top of the stack.
"As usual, Emma has a high A in my class, I never usually have much trouble out of her, I have had to take her cellphone a couple times this year but other than that, she is always one of the first to speak up when we are discussing chapters from the textbook, She does really well with review questions and her reports are brilliantly written. Testing could use a little work, I think she has a touch of test anxiety but I see that all the time. Her homework grades, and class participation make up for it." I said. It was refreshing to have mostly good things to say about a student after getting most of my trouble students out of the way at the start of the night. At least I wouldn't have to hear Emma complain about being grounded because of what I said, tomorrow afternoon in class.

"Thats excellent. I'm happy she's doing so well." David smiled. "I know what most parents say about you, but I think you do fine."
"I appreciate it Mr. Nolan." I said.
"You can just call me David." He chuckled. I turned Emmas paper into the finished pile, and looked down at Blaires.
"I do hope Blaire hasn't given you too much trouble." David said.
Killian, no matter your feelings, just keep it professional. I thought.
"Blaire.." I started I looked at my notes that were mostly drunken scribbles. I shook my head and put it in the finished pile. "Sorry I must have spilled coffee on my notes for her, but I know what I need to say about Blaire" I said and leaned forward.
"I only really had trouble with Blaire at the beginning of the year. She was very..hostile towards me at first."
"She was with everyone when she first moved here." David explained. "But I think she's doing better."
"She is." I confirmed. "She does have trouble focusing especially as of late. Her grade right now is a low C and I know for a fact that she can do better than that. She's a very smart lass but it appears her mind has been elsewhere this semester."
"I don't want to sound like the parents that always make excuses, but Blaire has been through a lot between last year, and this year. She's on medications for her mental health, that sometimes make it harder for her to focus."
"I understand that." I said. "The only thing that really concerns me as far as Blaire goes, is she isn't one to raise her hand when it comes to discussion, her class participation grade is not where it needs to be...usually the students who struggle with homework assignments, and testing rely on class participation to help their grade unfortunately in Blaires case, she is struggling with homework, testing, and class participation, thats just this semester, She's done really well up until now. If we could just get her focus back where it needs to be, We can get her back up to a high B by end of year."

"I've actually heard this from most of her teachers and I do know that there is something that has been bothering her but she is very hesitant to talk to me about it. I'm not surprised at the fact that she's not participating much in class, once you get past the sass and sarcasm shes actually really quiet and keeps to herself...my brother, her father preferred her to stay that way, easier to control when you don't have anything to say. I'm trying to get her to come out of that mind space."
I felt my jaw clench at the mention of her father. No matter how unhappy I was with Blaire at the moment, I hated how upset she would get when talking about her father. I shook my head and gave David a smirk.
"If I could grade on snarky comments and sarcasm, she'd have an A. But unfortunately I can't. I usually hate the back sass when it comes to my students, but she is very clever about it, and Its actually been very amusing having her in class this year. I'm quite sad that I only got one year with her in my class." I said.
"Well that is good to hear." David said with a smile. "I will talk to her later tonight about her grades, and see if I can figure out what is bothering her." David said.
Probably the psychopath that has been texting her for who knows how long.
"Excellent. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know. I don't want to see any of my students fail, regardless of what the other parents say about me, but I know Blaire hasn't had an easy life and when we first met, I'm sure I didn't make it any easier..." I paused.
And talking to her the way you did on the phone earlier surely didn't help.. Fuck...
"But I think we understand each other a little better now." I said and took a drink from my coffee.

"Maybe you can help...Blaire focuses much better in one on one settings, as far as I can tell the few times she hasn't been too stubborn to let me help her with her math homework. She understands the material better that way, if you have any spare time at all to help her after school that would be great."

I almost choked on my coffee as I swallowed it. My mind flashed to all of the after school activities Blaire and I had. There was no way, she would focus on anything school related if we were alone but I couldn't tell David that.
'Of course. I will talk with her tomorrow afternoon and try to work something out." I smiled.
"Sounds great. Well thank you for your time. I'm glad it was mostly good things. I know having two Nolans in your class is probably a handful, hell it is at home." David chuckled.
"I'lll trade you those two, for my whole freshmen class." I said.
"Yeah, no thanks." David said with a laugh. "Half of the senior class was at my house last Halloween, and I'm still finding surprises around the house.I imagine the freshmen are much worse."
"Much. Much, Worse." I confirmed and nodded. I stood up as David stood up.
"Oh was I your last meeting?" David asked.
"Oh no, far from it. I like to call you the blissful intermission between angry parents, I'll be here until 8:30 at least getting yelled at. I need more coffee if I'm going to survive the rest of the night." I smiled, but honestly felt like that upside down smile that Blaire liked to send me all the time.
David frowned.
"I'm sorry. I don't think you deserve that at all."
"I know I don't. But it is what it is." I shrugged. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."
"Thank you, I hope you do the same after you get out of here." David said.
Oh.. I have my doubts about that, I may have started world war 3 with your boxing champion niece who also happens to watch murder shows to calm down. I'm in danger.
"Thank you." I simply smiled and led him out of my classroom.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After my last meeting, I cleaned up the classroom and gathered my things and locked the door to the classroom. I walked down the hall, to the math room where Liam was still working on tidying up his room.
I stepped in and helped him finish stacking chairs on the desks.
"The parents make more of a mess than the students do.." I mumbled.
"Aye." He said.
I sighed and turned and looked at him.
"I'm sorry." I said. "I had a bad night, and an even worse morning, I hadn't drank in a while that I forgot how miserable it makes me feel...and act for that matter."
"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have made the comment about our father, I know that cuts deep."
"Aye.. it does. Its okay, I..probably needed to hear it."
"What happened that made you drink?" Liam asked.
"That..is a very complicated answer that I..just don't have the energy to discuss right now, but I promise I'm okay. I'm going to pour the rest of the rum down the sink when I get home and I'll save the beers for when you come over to play cards next time."
"Good. As long as you are okay." Liam said.
"I am, right now I'm just exhausted. I'm going to run to O'Malleys and grab something to eat and take it home." I said.
"Sounds good. Bastian asked me to bring him a grilled cheese from Grannys. Ariel's making her chicken alfredo."
"If I wasn't so tired I'd come by, that sounds good." I said. I loved Ariels cooking.
"Don't worry, She's making you some extra for your lunch tomorrow." Liam chucked.
"Bless her. Tell her I said thank you..I'm going to get out of here. Love you brother."
"Love you too." Liam said and hugged me. I hated fighting with him so this was a much better ending compared to how the day started now all I had to do was settle things with Blaire.

I drove to O'Malleys and parked, and got out of my car and walked to the entrance and the first thing I noticed was there was a hole in the glass window on the door like someone had either punched through it or threw something through it. I walked in and went to the bar. The assistant manager Jacob, I think Blaire called him was wiping down the bar.
"What happened to your door?" I asked. He looked up at me, and I noticed he had a black eye.
"We had a crazy customer start a fight with the waitresses, and the cook had to throw him out, and he tried to punch his way back in." Jacob sighed. My heart sank into my stomach, as far as I knew O'Malleys only had two waitresses and Blaire was one of them, and she was working last night.
"Was anyone hurt?" I asked.
Jacob gestured to his face.
"I see that, I meant the girls were they harmed?" I asked. Blaire often referred to this guy as a colossal douchebag so I could careless what happened to him.
"Lizard got a soda thrown at her face, and he tried to hit Blaire, but I stopped him." I said.
Maybe not so much of a colossal douchebag then.
"I'm glad no one was hurt." I said. Jacob just blinked at me.
"Right, so..did you have a call in?" He asked.
"No, I just wanted to order something to go." I couldn't order Blaires normal order because how many people ordered just cheese fries with chili on the side, but I did know she liked the wings here too, she smelled the pizza all day so she never really wanted that anymore.
"Can I get a large order of the boneless wings, half of them BBQ, and the other half....whatever the spiciest sauce you have is" Blaire liked the spicy food. I preferred my tongue to not melt off.
"Sure. Anything else?" Jacob asked.
"A large order of fries and onion rings." I added.
"Any drinks?" He asked.
"I don't think so." I shook my head and handed him my debit card.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got to my apartment and went to unlock the door, but the door was already unlocked. I opened the door, and found Blaire sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, and if looks could kill, I'd drop dead.
"So..I picked up food." I said. Usually, that lightened her mood. Blaire was very snack motivated, but the glare continued. I set the food down on the coffee table next to the bottle of rum.
"I forget to text you or call you for two days and you start drinking again?" She scoffed.
"Theres more to it than that Blaire." I said and pinched the bridge of my nose. I deserved it, I did pick the fight, and she was aimed to finish it.
"I went to O'Malleys to get food. Jacob told me about the angry customer...but he also said you weren't hurt." I frowned and took her bandaged hand in mine. She pulled her hand from mine and stood.
"Thats from a different incident. I burned my hand. Like I told you on the phone, work was crazy yesterday. Forgive me if I forgot to fucking call you back." She snapped.
"It wasn't just that Blaire!" I said getting angry now. "You Never answered my texts even. What were you doing?"

"I told you what I was doing!" Blaire argued. "Do you not believe me?!"
"What you did was give me vague answers, I shouldn't be surprised, I mean fuck you've hid the stalker whos been sending you text messages from me for how long now?" I demanded.
"Since New Years. I didn't want you to get involved so thats why I didn't tell you. But clearly the creep behind it all had different ideas. I never meant for you to get involved in this."
"You should have told me the second it started. I mean he KNOWS about us Blaire!" I shouted.
"I know!" Blaire yelled back. "I'm fucking scared Killian. You could lose your job and it would be my fault."

"Fuck my job Blaire, you could get expelled. Your scholarship would be null and void. EVERYTHING you have worked for would be gone the second this fucker decides he wants to tell someone. I can get a new job. Probably a better one than teaching High School history, The only thing that concerns me is YOU. I've said before if someone were to find out about us, I would protect you to the best of my ability, but I don't think I can if this guy decides to send pictures of us to Mills or anyone on the school board. I wouldn't even have a chance to try." I said.
"I'm sorry okay! I should have told you. Will and Emma are already involved enough. Luckily he isn't texting them yet. I didn't think he would text you!" Blaire said.
"Is there anything else you are hiding from me Blaire?" I asked. "Specifically about this weekend?"
"No, Killian. I'm not. Why don't you believe me?" Blaire asked with tears in her eyes.
I scoffed.
"Because you're not telling the truth. What were you doing?" I pressed.
"Why are you being like this Killian? I have told you what I was doing!"

I growled as I plucked my phone from my back pocket and pulled up the pictures the stalker had sent me.
"Let me be more clear perhaps. Who the fuck were you with?!" I demanded and shoved my phone at her.
She looked down at the pictures and scoffed.
"This is what you are so mad about? YOU are letting this guy fucking win!" She said. "Its what he does, its all about mind games with him. He knows how your marriage ended and he's playing you like a fucking fiddle." Blaire said and tossed my phone back at me.
"Just tell me who the fuck that man is Blaire. Why did you go to the bed and breakfast with him saturday, and WHY is he holding you like that on your porch sunday night? I want the truth, if you're cheating just tell me. We can end this now. If you'd rather have someone you don't have to keep a secret. Fine." I said.

Blaire laughed.
"Did I say something funny?" I asked.
"Actually yes. If you would have let me speak to you on the phone this afternoon instead of being an asshole and hanging up, I would have told you all about Jefferson. He's like an older brother to me. He came here to warn me about the news back home running a story about my fathers involvement in my mothers murder. Its going to go national tonight at 10 and once again I'll be the talk of the town. He wanted me to be prepared and he wanted the news to come from someone I knew and trusted before it was blasted all over the tv." She explained.
"And he couldn't do that over the phone?" I asked. "Why come all the way here?" I asked.

"He wanted to see me. He never got to say goodbye before I left Oregon and he wasn't in the state when I was there for my mothers memorial. He travels a lot for work so he wanted to make sure he could see me before the story aired."
"You said Saturday was weird and thats why you didn't text me back. You have to know how this all sounds Blaire."
"I Know exactly how this sounds, which means the mind games this creep is playing with you are working and I'm not even mad that you don't believe me anymore. I know what Milah did to you. I know it hurt you more than you let on. I would never do what she did to you." Blaire said and put her hand on my cheek and wiped away a tear with her thumb.

"Saturday was weird, Jefferson and I were just catching up. He had a room at the bed and breakfast and I know to you, thats a big red flag, but for me it was totally normal to go with him and I'm sorry that I didn't think of how you would feel about it, It was just so natural for me to go with him to me it didn't matter how it looked that I was going to a room at an Inn with another guy." Blaire said. "I didn't end up going to work that day, like I had planned because while I was setting up Jeffersons nintendo, I found a bag of candy and ate a couple of them. Turns out they were his edibles he gets for his anxiety and depression. I could barely function enough to text you back. I don't even remember most of the day." She said.

"You would." I said and cracked a smirk.
"I would what?" Blaire asked.
"You would mistake edibles for regular candy and as much as you love gummy candy I'm surprised you didn't eat the whole bag." I laughed.
"I would still be sky high today if I did." Blaire smirked.

 
"The photo from sunday was after Jefferson gave me a bank card, with my name on it. Jefferson has known me since I was like 3. He babysat for my dad when My Dad would have to leave me alone at the gym. He didn't have to, He didn't even have to work with my Dad at the gym, Jefferson is a trust fund kid he could have done anything else than get stuck watching a whiny little shit like me because my Dad didn't want to be a parent, but he didn't." Blaire sighed.

 
"As a teenager, I went to Jefferson for everything, My Dad didn't like to listen to my problems but Jefferson did and like he always did when I was in Oregon, Jefferson wanted to make sure I was taken care of now that I'm 18 and about to start my own life. Along with his own daughter Grace, he added me to the trust his Dad left for him... What the stalker wanted you to see in that picture, is completely different than what actually happened and thats what he wanted."

"I'm so sorry Blaire...I don't know why I let him get to me like that." I said.
"Don't be sorry. Since New years, this guy has altered my reality so much that I know for a fact if the roles were reversed, I would feel the same. He's far from done Killian. He is going to try and make a hobby out of tearing us apart. Theres going to be more pictures, and more misleading texts, but we just have to remember who we are, and not let him win.

I leaned in and kissed her. Her hands found their home tangled in my hair as she deepened the kiss.
I pulled away from her lips and placed needy kisses on her neck.
"What about the food you brought?" She giggled. I pulled back and grazed her earlobe with my teeth, smirking at the way she shuddered.
"Is that truly a concern right now?" I whispered.
"Fuck the food." Blaire said and pulled back. She pulled her tee shirt off and shoved me down onto the couch.
"Bloody hell." I said. I didn't have time to say anything else before she was straddling my lap swallowing whatever else I could have said with a heated kiss that was borderline possessive. Maybe I should pick fights with her more often, if this is where we ended up. I held onto her hips as she tried to move them. After the long miserable weekend I had just had, I was perfectly content just to kiss her for a while, no matter how impatient she was. I chuckled at her little growl of frustration.
"Oh no, I plan to take my time with you. Patience is key, lass." I said.
"You're barking up the wrong tree if you want patience Jones." She said and tore open my button up shirt.

The door to my apartment suddenly swung open. Blaire and I both looked wide eyed to the door.
"Uncle Killy! I get to spend the night!" Sebastian yelled as he came barreling into my apartment.
"Sebastian I told you to knock first!" Liam said as he entered looking down at his phone. "I'm so sorry Killian, Ariels father has had a heart attack and We have to go to the hospital, I didn't want to take Seb-" Liam stopped as he looked up from his phone.
"Daddy! Blaire is here too!" Sebastian said "Isn't that great!"
I couldn't recall a single time, when looking into my brothers eyes struck fear in me but there was a first time for everything. Liam looked like he was a ticking time bomb about to explode and there wasn't anything I could even think of to even say to try and calm him down.
Just fucking great...