Jackson-

"You've won, you can have him."  Maggie growls at Julie and my mouth drops in shock.  She's ready to give up without hearing an explanation? How much could she possibly have heard?

Maggie storms passed me and her shoulder catches mine wrenching my body to the side but she doesn't slow, instead, she forcefully makes her way into our bedroom. 

Julie's eyes lock on mine looking for help and my brows pull together with irritation.  I ignore her and follow Maggie into the bathroom.  She begins grabbing random items and throwing them in her arms, cradling them close to her chest.

I watch her in awe, I can't believe she actually thinks she's leaving me.

"Maggie, you don't understand.  Let me just explain." I try to remain calm but the words choke in my throat as I grip her shoulders and pull her close to me.  If I can just calm her down and have her listen to me she'll understand this is all just a silly misunderstanding.

I happened to run into Julie in Seattle and I thought Maggie was hooking up with Nick.  Nothing happened with Julie besides the fact that we had a few drinks and she attempted to make a move but I shut her the fuck down.  Why can't I get these goddamn words out?

"Don't you ever touch me again." Maggie growls and my hands instantly drop from her shoulders.  Her words are vicious, venom even.  She's so disgusted with me that I am dealing with someone entirely different, this isn't the Maggie that I know and love. 

She leaves me standing alone as she exits the room and passes by Julie without even the slightest glance. 

"It's not what you think! It wasn't even a real kiss!" I shout after her as I chase her down in the hallway.

She picks up the pace, clearly heading for the elevator so I grip my towel in my hands and do the same. "Maggie please!" I've let her run away from me before, I'm not letting her go again.

She slips into the elevator and I watch the doors begin to close just as I reach them.  "Maggie, it's not what you think. I promise nothing happened with Julie-"

"Fuck!" I shout then slam my fist into the elevator doors that just cut me off. I stand with my hands on my hips in thought, I could climb thirty floors down taking three steps at a time, but my god how long would that take. I watch the numbers above the elevator signaling what floor it's on and decide to patiently wait for it to come back up.

A mother and her daughter walk towards me, originally heading to the elevator but stop in their tracks when they notice me standing here half-naked waiting for the elevator.  I attempt a smile and wave but the mother shields her daughter's eyes and turns around the moment my hand leaves my towel.

A loud chime signals the arrival of the elevator and I step in before slamming a fist on the lobby button. People pile in from different floors and all initially stare in shock at my outfit.

Bloody hell, why are so many people using the goddamn elevator?

The doors open freeing me from my cage and I waste no time darting through the lobby's doors.

I will not lose her again.

I walk into the parking lot and I'm instantly drenched with rain. Booming thunder rings out through the city and a few seconds later lightning strikes close by, lighting the parking lot enough to watch Maggie get into her car.

I run as quickly as I can in her direction and I'm just about to collide into her car as she's backing out.  My hands slam on her trunk to get her attention and she jumps before slamming on her brakes. 

"Maggie, stop the fucking car." I shout, but I know it was the wrong move as her eyes glower in anger and she puts the car in drive, screeching out of the parking lot.

I stand frozen, clenching my towel and watching her drive away. I run a hand through my soaking hair, completely drenched, barefoot and utterly alone.

I have abandoned my fair share of people, but I've never felt the sting of abandonment myself until Maggie. I never cared enough about the people leaving to be able to even qualify it as abandonment, but this hurts. This is the second time she's run away from me and I'll be damned if I don't get her back.

She kissed me but I pulled away. Why is that so difficult to explain?

"Jack!" I hear Julie yell my name as she jogs towards me in the parking lot.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I growl into the rain closing my eyes and placing my face in the palm of my hand.

Julie catches up to me and tosses a plastic grocery bag in my direction which I narrowly miss catching.

"I never meant for this to happen-" She starts but I begin shouting before she can finish.

"Of course you bloody didn't.  You fucking wreck everything in your path, everything that comes near you turns into fucking dust!" Angry steam rises from my chest and shoulders as the storm continues to drench me.

"I came here to apologize. I'm pregnant, with the first man I've ever loved and for the first time in a long time, I'm happy.  I wanted to clear the air between us and gain some closure, I never meant for this to happen." Her words are almost lost with the drumming sound of rain but I hear them loud and clear.

I'm at a loss for words.  It doesn't matter what she meant to happen, it fucking happened regardless. I stand, clenching my fist holding a fucking grocery bag with the other, glowering in Julie's direction. Closure, she destroyed my life because she wanted fucking closure.

"Congratu-fucking-lations. I hope you and your new man work out, because you just watched my relationship wash down the goddamn drain. There's your fucking closure."

"Get dressed and go get her." Julie says pointing at the plastic bag filled with clothing. "Go on, I won't look."

She turns around and crosses her arms expectantly, waiting for me to get dressed out here in the open, in the middle of a fucking monsoon.  I stand awkward for only a moment until-

"Fuck it."  I say as I throw the clothes over my wet body then Julie turns around and tosses me my keys and cellphone. "Thanks." I pause before jumping in my car. "You really shouldn't be out here in your- condition."

I cringe before nodding goodbye and starting my charger.  I don't bother starting the heater or warming the seats, instead I immediately pull out my cellular and call Bethany.

"What did you do now?" Bethany instantly greets me in an accusatory tone.

"Is Maggie with you?" I ask hurriedly, I don't have time to be playing twenty-one questions with her. 

She starts to speak but the crackling sound of thunder drowns her out and the rain begins to pour harder. 

"Say it again, you cut out." I shout, hoping she can hear me over the storm.

"No, I haven't heard from her.  What did you-" I ignore her mindless questions and turn right heading towards the office.   Would she have contacted Nick?   No, I don't think she would bother him and even so, I don't have his number. 

Her mother?  Unlikely, but I've got no other options.   
"Bethany do you have her mother's number?" I ask hurriedly.

"Yes but-" She begins protesting.

"Send it to me immediately." I cut her off.

"She wouldn't go to her mom regardless of whatever argument you guys are having. I mean, haven't you met her? And if you don't tell me what happened so help me God-"

"She thinks I bloody mugged her off but I didn't.   I didn't kiss Julie! She kissed me, but I told her to fuck off." It feels good to get this off my chest, even if it's to the wrong person.

"Jesus Jack." Bethany simply replies in disgust, unable to formulate a better sentence.

"Would she go to Sam?" I ignore her obvious judgment and inquire further.

"Do you remember how he warned her that she would come right back to him when you mess up again? There's absolutely no way she would go to Sam, she's too proud." I don't have time to celebrate the victory of hearing she wouldn't head straight to Sam again.  I'm panicked with each second she's not around and the storm is growing wild, she shouldn't be driving in this madness.

"I'll call her mother." I rush out the words eager to get a move on.

"You don't want me to do that for you?" Bethany offers.

"No, I want to find her." I need to find her.

"Alright, your funeral." She warns.

I hang up on Bethany without uttering a goodbye and wait for the text with her mum's number.

Where are you going Maggie?

The text comes through rather quickly and I select the number prompting it to automatically dial. It's only two rings before Carol picks up.

"Carol speaking." Her tone is solemn, like usual, acting like a professional voice answering service regardless of the hour.

"Carol, this is Jackson Porter, your daughter's-" I hesitate, "boyfriend." There's a silence on the other end as Carol prepares her answer.

"Oh?" She replies simply and I wonder if she's even worried that I'm calling her, rather than her daughter.

"I haven't heard from Maggie and I was wondering if you had." I try to keep it vague.

"No, I've been trying to reach her all day.  Her father called me out of the blue." She complains.

"William called you? Did he say why?" When we met him this morning he had no idea who she was, called us 'you folks' to be exact.

"Apparently the two of you showed up on his porch this morning. I told her not to-"

"He recognized her?" The shock in my voice is obvious but Carol seems too in tune with her own issues to notice.

"Yes, he said it took him until you yelled her name, whatever that means. Take it for what you will, he didn't care to see her his whole life and then out of the blue he calls me up like he suddenly cares." She growls. "Not that this is any of your business." She corrects herself.

"Lovely to speak with you again Ms. Carpenter but I really must be going." I excuse myself.

"Goodbye." She states simply before hanging up, I'm surprised she didn't ask after the well-being of her daughter at all.

The traffic is obnoxious, stop, start, stop, start, the glowing red lights run on for miles.  I lean my head back into the seat in defeat.  Where would she have gone?  She hates traffic, it makes her nervous so I can't see her sitting in this gridlock. I notice the back road heading south and recognize the shortcut I taught her to use. 

That's it! 

Maybe she took this all the way to the office and she's planning on hiding out there. My mind is set and I take a right, heading down the pitch-black road.  The storm finally lets up briefly and it's slightly easier to see, despite the dim road. 

I drive slower than I usually do, something tells me to be careful on this dark road.  I can't imagine taking this route in this awful weather, especially in her run-down car. I begin to doubt that she even came this way until I see it. The glow of fading tail lights in the distance, but they're upside down.

My heart leaps into my chest as I press down on the pedal urging my car forward.  Her car is flipped over lying on its head and the car is somehow still on. How long has it been here? ten, fifteen, twenty minutes? How long since she left my apartment? 

I throw my car in park and sling the door open, not bothering to power it down or shut the door behind me. 

"Maggie?!" I scream her name repeatedly as I run towards the car as fast as my legs will take me.

My legs carry me forward, closer to the wreck but my body is numb. I know I'm moving because the nightmare just continues getting closer as I float towards the disaster. I approach the car and spot her through the driver's side window, the glass has shattered, the dash caved in, and her body hangs lifeless strapped in by her belt.

It feels as if time has slowed and sounds are muted.  I hear obnoxiously loud screaming and at first, I'm unsure of where it's coming from, it can't possibly be Maggie.  Then I realize I'm the one making these terrifying noises.  Tears stream down my face and waves of sobs rip through my body as I pry open the smashed door.

Panic runs through me as I attempt to wake her but she doesn't flinch or utter a single sound. I'm not even sure if she's breathing, she just continues dangling by her belt. I'm unsure if I should drag her out myself or call for help but I can't leave her like this not even for a split-second.

I grip my arms around her and lift her body against mine.  She's cold and the blood smeared all over her face and body coat my arms and face. I grip the belt and attempt to unlatch it but it's somehow bent in a way that won't dislodge.  The airbag hadn't gone off in this shitty old car, probably causing her belt to pull and the metal to bend. I told her to get a new one but she wouldn't listen and now it might have killed her.

Fuck!

I look around me for anything that might help cut the seat-belt and notice a slice of glass large enough for me to use as a knife.  I yank my shirt off and wrap it around my hand before palming the glass and rubbing it against the strong fabric.

It finally comes loose and I gently pull Maggie from the wreckage, careful not to move her too much.  I carry her lifeless body a yard away from the accident and lye her down gently in the mud then run back to my Charger as fast as my legs will take me. 

I dial 911 with trembling fingers and they answer immediately, without waiting for the operators response I scream our location into the phone. I dart back to Maggie and fall to my knees in the mud.  I attempt to wipe some of the dried blood from her beautiful face and talk to her, coaxing her to come back to me.

"Baby please wake up." I cry, strangled sobs forcing their way out of my mouth.

Please

Please

Please

I've never been a religious man, but as the ambulance pulls up to take her away I've never prayed so hard in my life. I'd give my life for hers, to see her breathe again. I'd walk away from her, let her live her life in peace and be happy about it, as long as I knew she would be okay. 

Please, if you're listening bring her back to me.  I'll do anything.

Sobs rack through me as I watch them lye her on a stretcher and place her in the ambulance. I jump in with them and pray as they attempt miracles, placing masks over her face, checking her pulse, pumping her chest.

"We've got a pulse." One of the EMTs says and the breath is knocked out of me as I stare wide-eyed at her beautiful face, her beautiful fucking breathing face.

But she doesn't open her eyes.

If she's breathing, why won't she open her eyes?