I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 39

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 39

*** Rafe drove away from JJ's house in a panic once he realized that Jessie really was gone and JJ really didn't know where she was.

Rafe couldn't contain his emotions, leaving him no choice but to pull over. Rafe stared out into the space of the dark road in front of him, only lit by the night sky. All the realization hit him at once as his lips quivered and he narrowed his eyes, trying not to let the tears spill out.

He almost hit Jessie. Over a simple conversation that she was totally justified in having. She wanted him off the coke. But she started it right? Rafe thought that argument was childish. He felt nothing but childish after the temper tantrum he threw at both Jessie and JJ. Rafe wondered what was wrong with him, he had been angry before, but he felt a new sense of helplessness... like he was spinning out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Rafe finally let it all out. The sobs were ugly and reckless as he lost control of his breathing. Rafe had nobody there to calm him down, only the voices in his head.

Be a man. Men don't cry. Rafe heard his father's voice. The same words he heard when he was ten years old, and from that point forward. The words be a man plagued him everyday of his life. Those words were enough to make him dry his eyes, wipe his face, and somehow go completely numb inside. Ward always had that affect on Rafe.

Deciding not to let Jessie have any more of this night, Rafe called the only person he knew could fix this, but fix was a strong word, it was more like putting a bandaid over a bullet hole. Rafe didn't care.

"Man, what do you want? It's too late for this sh-"

"I'm coming over." Rafe interrupted Barry, who sounded less than thrilled.

"Man you were just here?!" Barry replied annoyance and disbelief. "Are you already out?!"

"Not yet, but I will be." Rafe responded with numbness that chilled even Barry through the phone. Rafe simply hung up and Barry knew it couldn't be good.

Barry did the only thing he could think to do: call Jessie. Him and Jessie had a very odd relationship, one that was constantly moving and changing, one minute she would be a smoke buddy, the next minute a buyer, and the next a bitch. It all depended on each other's mood, but in a weird way, Barry always felt bad for Jessie. After all, Jessie only started buying for her father, eventually letting it trickle into her life as well, and now Barry had a front row seat at watching the drug trap another man that Jessie cared about.

Barry called Jessie over and over again, to no avail. The fact that she didn't answer really concerned him, his mind began to wonder to the worst possible scenario, especially with Rafe being so... unpredictable at the moment.

Barry blew up Jessie's phone, every passing ring only adding to his worry, until he saw Rafe pull up. At this point Barry was just plain mad, knowing that Rafe must've had something to do with Jessie not answering her phone.

Barry was anxious to meet Rafe right in the middle of the yard, not letting Rafe come to him like he usually does.

"What the hell, country club? Why your girl ain't answering her phone?"

"Shit, I don't know man. Just leave me alone." Rafe mumbled as he put his hand in Barry's face and walked right past him towards the front door of the trailer. Barry couldn't believe the balls Rafe had on him at the moment, clearly not caring about anyone or anything. It was only a preview of the facade he would adopt for the next four years.

"You don't know? Bullshit you don't know Rafe! You know damn well where Jessie is! You better not have sent her into hiding until the bruises heal-"

"I didn't touch her, okay?!" Rafe screamed, not being able to take the mental gymnastics any longer. "And I'm not bullshitting you... I don't know where she is man!" Rafe explained still heated. He finally looked down at the ground then back up at Barry with more sadness behind his faded eyes. "She left."

"What the hell does that mean, she left?" Barry asked, trying to adopt the same demeanor of not caring, even though he clearly did, at least in a "she's my best customer" kinda way.

"She left. Are you slow or something?" Rafe laughed maniacally as he furrowed his brows and walked closer to Barry. Rafe had no regard for his life any more, and at this point he was looking for a fight— another defense mechanism he would become very familiar with over the course of the next few years.

"No I'm not slow you piece of shit!" Barry mouthed back as he shoved Rafe back. "You're just being vague as hell and it doesn't sound very convincing."

"Well I'm not worried about convincing you." Rafe whispered with a twisted smile. He began to look off into the dark distance. "I'm not worried about convincing anyone." He explained with a dark glint in his eye that Barry hadn't seen before. "So you got more coke or not?" He asked, this time a little more in touch with reality.

"Yeah..." Barry trailed off as he was trying to read whatever Rafe was fantasizing about behind those eyes, he was unsuccessful. Barry just walked inside, looking over his shoulder, feeling like Rafe could easily kill him quickly and quietly with the way he was acting.

"Take your shit and leave." Barry snapped as he took the money from Rafe.

"It was good to see ya." Rafe said as he turned and walked away with a smile Barry couldn't see.

Rafe climbed back into his truck and sped off, pulling out his phone to call the only other person on this island he could count on. 

"What the hell, man? Do you have any idea what time it is?" Topper's voice sounded through the other line. 

"Yeah, yeah, man, whatever. Hey, party at my house tomorrow night. My parents will be out of town. Invite anyone. Party of the century man." The line went dead for a couple seconds. 

"Anyone?" 

"Anyone." 

- - - 

Music was blaring. Bodies were taking up almost the entire first floor of the house. If there was one thing about Topper, he knew how to throw a rager. Kooks, tourons, even pogues were at the Cameron's that fateful night. But Rafe said anyone, right? At that point Rafe didn't really care, the more people the better. Every person was just one more distraction for Rafe Cameron to forget about the one person he wanted to see there. To say it didn't work was a lie, it did work, and that's what threw Rafe into four years of sex, money, and drugs. The parties, the drugs, the fights, seemed to be the closest thing to numbing the pain. 

Rafe made his way around to everyone at the party, slapping his friends on the back and saying hi to everyone he could. The smile on his face was bold, but not the same one he used to beam when he had his Jessie around. 

"Dude, you were right. This is the party of the century! I'm pretty sure some girl is topless in the pool right now." Topper laughed as he met Rafe in the kitchen to pour himself another drink.

"I knew it would be, thanks to you." Rafe replied as he squeezed Topper's shoulders. "But hey, the real party's upstairs." Rafe trailed off with a smirk and a raise of his eyebrows. Topper searched Rafe's bloodshot and watery eyes for a semblance of what that meant, and he thought he had a pretty good idea. Up until tonight Rafe was decent at hiding his coke addiction from his friends and family, Jessie really was the only one who ever saw it, and for good reason. 

"Dude... what do you mean?" Topper asked with a hint of worry to his face. He figured Rafe's newly disheveled and reckless state had to be tied to whatever he was referring to upstairs.  

Rafe didn't reply with words, only a swift nod of the head as if to say come with me.

The sound of the party faded into the distance as Topper followed Rafe up the winding wooden staircase, to be met with a new smell, one that replaced the smell of sweaty bodies and alcohol and was replaced with a smell of skunk and other substances. Topper had a feeling he knew where this was going. 

Rafe opened the door to a spare bedroom, smart enough not to let anyone use his room for such activities. After all, his room was a mess anyways, he hadn't cared to clean it ever since Jessie left. He had let himself go in just about every way possible, and his room was no exception. 

Topper was met with a sight to behold, plenty of people doing lines right off the glass table and  enough weed to go around for the rest of the night. 

"Dude," Topper harshly whispered as he pulled Rafe's shoulder so he would face him. Topper looked less than impressed, and Rafe didn't look too fond of the judgement Topper was so clearly giving him either. "Are you insane? W-What you're into hard drugs now? Is that why Jessie left?" Topper snapped with furrowed brows. He had never seen Rafe so wild and careless, the kook king was typically anything but those two things. 

"Don't" Rafe snapped back with a little too much force, he stopped himself from laying a hand on Topper as he withdrew his fist and let his hand hang loosely beside him. "... talk about Jessie, okay? She's gone. And this night isn't about her." Rafe mumbled with a sly smile, trying to play it off like he didn't almost just pummel his best friend over speaking the name of the love of his life. He had successfully managed to dodge those questions and those feelings tonight, and Topper clearly just ruined that streak, making Rafe feel like he definitely needed a line now. 

Considering the newfound mix of emotions Rafe was feeling, he did just that. He went over to the glass table, not bothering to pay anyone considering it was his coke and lined up the white powder just right before taking a quick drag and sniffling soon afterwards. Topper still couldn't believe his eyes, he genuinely thought he was dreaming. 

"Okay, seriously," Topper began as he rubbed his head, "did someone slip something in my drink or did you just do coke right in front of me?" Topper asked. Rafe just stood up from the couch and laughed. 

"Dude, you're not hallucinating. And you need to chill, it's just something to take the edge off." Rafe replied as he patted Topper's shoulders. 

"Why're you doing this Rafe? Why're you throwing your life away? You know that's where this leads, right? You're starting to act like a po-"

"Shut up, man!" Rafe corrected Topper as he gave him a swift and forceful shove. Rafe gritted his teeth as the words left his mouth, clearly fed up with the accusations. 

Rafe already felt his life had been thrown away, and that was long before Jessie ever entered the picture. Rafe got dangerously close to Topper, this time looking him dead in the eyes with his chest moving rapidly and his blown pupils looking strait at Topper's normal ones. 

"The rest of my life is going to be filled with kook dinner parties, kook business deals, and all other kook shit. For just one night, I wanna have a little fun." Rafe said through anger, doing a great job at disguising the hopelessness he had been feeling since Jessie left, the same hopelessness he had when he met her that night at the Island Club, the same hopelessness that Jessie so effortlessly relinquished him from. 

Whether it was through fear or pity, Topper received the message loud and clear, only nodding his head, not daring to peel his eyes away from Rafe for one second for fear of what he could do to him. Rafe noticed one thing in particular about the past 24 hours. Barry and Topper seemed to look at him differently, with a newfound fear-no, respect- for Rafe Cameron. Rafe thought maybe this is what his father was meaning all those years, maybe this level of reverence was what Ward was trying to instill in him, and he just never found it until tonight. Rafe started to relish the way everyone looked at him, like he held all the power in the room, like he was unstoppable, unapproachable, and untouchable. He loved it. 

What started as a night meant to mask the heartache turned into a lifestyle of commanding the room. 

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 35

Rafe immediately pulled his gun at the same moment that he pulled Jessie behind him.

"Jessie..." Rafe whispered with labored breaths with his gun pointed right at his father, who was standing in the living room in front of them. "Grab the gun that is in that vase behind you to the right of the door. Go get Charley, and come right back down here to me." Rafe said sternly, never once taking his eyes off of Ward. Rafe wasn't completely sure he wasn't hallucinating, but he wasn't willing to take any chances. He didn't figure he was considering he could feel his wife trembling and holding onto his arm for dear life behind him. Jessie broke away and did exactly as she was told, finding the hidden Glock 43 conveniently in the large flower vase by the door.

Out of the corner of Rafe's eye he saw Jessie run up the stairs with the gun in her hands to grab their daughter. He didn't dare peel his eyes away from the man standing right in front of him, for fear of Ward taking advantage of even the slightest vulnerable moment. Ward appeared with an empathetic look on his face, the look of a master manipulator.

"Get your hands out of your pockets." Rafe snapped with anger behind his eyes as he kept the gun pointed straight out. Ward slowly pulled his hands out of his perfectly ironed khakis. Rafe noticed that Ward looked particularly cleaned up. Aside from the fact that he was even alive, it was even more shocking to see him as pristine as ever, like death had never touched him. Ward slowly raised his hands up as if to silently surrender to his son.

"Don't say a word." Rafe spat as they sat in silence waiting for Jessie to come down with Charley. As hard as it was to contain himself, Rafe refused to let anything happen with his wife and daughter in the house. After a few more moments of silence and looks that could kill, Rafe finally saw Jessie come down the stairs with Charley, clearly sleepy and disheveled from being jolted awake by her mother. Rafe figured it was a miracle she wasn't crying, she never did like being woken up. Jessie, who now had the gun in the waistband of her shorts and her child on the other hip wrapped in a blanket, stood behind Rafe waiting for further instruction.

"Jessie, I want you to grab the keys to my truck, and I want you to drive to JJ's. Before you ever step outside I want you to have JJ on the phone, and I want him to stay on the phone with you until you get there. Got it?" Rafe explained, still looking at his father with a concentration like none other.

"Got it." Was all Jessie could say. Of course, she wanted Rafe to go with them, but she completely understood that now was not the time to insist. She simply went to the kitchen, grabbed the keys while speed dialing JJ.

"What's up, buttercup?" JJ happily answered the phone, still sounding like they were in the Twinkie.

"I'm coming to the Chat right now. Charley and I are in danger and that's all I can say but Rafe is handling it and he's told me to keep you on the phone while I drive to you." Jessie simple stated as she walked back to the entry way, only to see her husband still with his arm out straight with the gun cocked at Ward.

"We're on our way back to you. Give us five minutes." Jessie heard JJ say with an attitude shift that was hard to go unnoticed. Jessie could've sworn she heard the tires squeal in the background. Still, she walked outside, but not before putting the truck keys in the chest pocket of Rafe's shirt, her only form of a goodbye to him. She assumed Rafe heard JJ, and he was too wrapped up in the sight in front of him to protest.

"You've got five minutes to tell me why you're here. The second my wife and daughter leave, all bets are off." Rafe said in a deathly hushed tone after the door closed behind him.

"Son... I-"

"Don't call me that." Rafe corrected Ward. He knew he couldn't view Ward as anything more than an intruder in his home- and his life- despite the fact that he once took the blame for his own gigantic mistake of murdering Sheriff Peterkin. He knew it would be just like Ward to try and pull the father son card to get Rafe to comply with whatever he was trying to coerce him into. Rafe was done being coerced. He was done feeling like he always had to please his father. That was what led to the second downfall of Rafe Cameron, the first being when Jessie left, of course.

"Rafe... I... came back to help." Ward whispered, with a glint in his eye and shakiness in his hands. Rafe noticed Ward was afraid of him, he liked that... he missed that. There was only a few moments in his life where he felt Ward was truly afraid of him, and right now that's exactly what he needed. "You need my help-"

"I thought you were dead." Rafe said plainly as he struggled to control his breathing, almost feeling as if he was about to cry. No wait, he was about to cry. How could he not? Despite everything, his father, whom he thought he'd never see again, was standing right in front of him. He never got the chance to thank him for taking the blame for his massive mess up. Despite the immense pressure Ward put on him from such a young age, he couldn't help but still feel grateful for what Ward had done for him, but he couldn't forget what Ward did to him with all those years of fighting for his love through various accomplishments. Conflicted was an understatement in that very moment.

"I... I staged my death... Rose and Wheezie's too."

"They're alive?" Rafe asked as he licked his lips and furrowed hushed brows, trying to remain focused and not show any sign of weakness."

"Yes, son."

"Don't call me that!" Rafe corrected, much louder this time as he jolted the gun in his hand, suddenly holding it tighter. Neither one of them realized that was possible. Nonetheless, Ward placed his hands higher as if to show even more surrender to the situation.

"I'm sorry, Rafe, I just..." Ward began as he took a sharp breath in, "I... staged my death and couldn't tell you because I needed to keep this all air tight. I needed you to run the company as if I really was gone, that way there would be no suspicion from the FBI and they would truly lay this thing to rest... for you." Ward whispered with the same sympathetic eyes that neither Rafe nor Sarah believed anymore.

Rafe sniffled and let out a sharp breath he didn't realize he was holding in. He felt old habits start to arise as he instinctually contorted his lips and nose in a way to show he was thinking about his next move- and simply trying to contain his anger.

"Why'd you come back?" Rafe asked through a shaky tone as one single tear rolled down his face. He then bit his tongue as if to tell himself to get it together.

"I was hoping to come back under different circumstances... but I came back because... I heard you were back with Jessie." Ward hushed as he slowly put his hands down, assuming he was now in Rafe's head enough to do so.

Rafe just shook his head in disbelief.

"That's what this is about?" Rafe choked out, now even more upset. "God, Ward, why can you not just let her go? She's the mother-"

"She's using you, Rafe. She always has been." Ward said a little bit louder, showing once again some gained confidence in the exchange.

"Bullshit. You don't know shit about her, or me, or us!" Rafe seethed as he walked closer to Ward with the gun still pointed straight out. It wasn't clear whether his strong arms or his pure adrenaline was keeping it extended for such a long time.

Rafe finally heard the Twinkie drive off into the distance, allowing him to confidently make his move. With that he finally took steps closer to Ward, this time connecting the cold metal straight to his father's chest. Ward didn't flinch, not even in the face. It's almost as if he expected the violence.

"You do realize I have the advantage here?" Rafe slightly chuckled as he flashed a maniacal smile. "To the world, you're dead. I could kill you right now and nobody would suspect a thing. What makes you think I won't?"

"Nothing, Rafe." Ward simply stated. "But I want to give you a proposition." He finished as he lightly pushed Rafe's gun clad hand away from his chest. Rafe surprised himself by obliging, still not backing away and still not letting his finger off the trigger.

"I don't want whatever you're offering. I've got something much better now." Rafe whispered with an oddly content smile on his face as he looked at Ward's chest, imagining where he could so easily put the bullet that would end this conversation. Ward gave a subtle chuckle in agreement.

"Children will do that to you, Rafe." Ward whispered. "But think about your daughter." He said with furrowed brows looking into Rafe's eyes. "You could give her a better life." 

"Your children did nothing for you! You were still the same heartless business man through and through, and you expected the exact same from me... and you won't get it! Not anymore!" Rafe yelled this time, with fire behind his eyes and venom in his voice. Ward still remained motionless at the chastisement.

"Rafe... I want you to continue Cameron enterprises, but I want you to cut me back in to work in Barbados. That's where Rose and Wheezie and I have been staying waiting for things to blow over. It's low key there, and we can start a new life and you don't even have to leave here-"

"Absolutely not. You're not getting one cent from me and my family." Rafe insisted through a clenched jaw as his pointer finger connected with his father's chest.

"Rafe... you don't have a choice. I could come back from the dead and tell Kildare County Sheriff's Department about all that went down on that tarmac, and Sarah and John B could testify. You have to take this deal." Ward simply stated.

"I don't have to take shit."Rafe snapped as he cocked his head with a new found confidence.

"Then your only option is to kill me... right here... right now... because that's the only way you get out of this scotch free with your own business." Ward replied as he slowly began to lift his arms up by his sides as if to say come and get me.

"What happened to not letting me go down for something I did for you?" Rafe asked, now clearly showing confusion and hurt in his words. There was a slight pause.

"That was before you went rogue, Rafe. That was before you decided to run off with Jessie Maybank and mess up your life... again. I tried to stop you from doing that once, and now you're falling back into the same patterns, and I know there's nothing I can do to stop it, so I'm protecting my family from when you crash and burn again." Ward whispered, this time with a tinge of sadness in his voice. It's almost as if he truly believed his son needed saving from this girl yet again.

"Jessie Cameron." Rafe corrected coldly with a straight face as he pulled the gun on Ward once again and took a step back. "Her name is Jessie Cameron."

With that, Rafe pulled the trigger, sending Ward out of this world once and for all with the realization that he had lost his son in more ways than one.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 32

Charley laid on the bed, still trying to wake up, as Jessie and Rafe got ready in the bathroom connected to Rafe's bedroom. Rafe of course was done getting ready before Jessie was, so he decided to help Charley get ready for the day.

Jessie eventually walked outside the bathroom and over to Rafe's desk to put on her usual dainty necklace and island bracelets. As she was doing so, she noticed Rafe went over to his bedside table and opened the drawer to reveal a pistol. He then stuck it behind his back in his waistband. Charley was in the floor playing on the other side of the room, so thankfully, she didn't see the exchange. Jessie, on the other hand, noticed every move.

"You just have a gun laying around in your night stand?!" Jessie whisper-yelled as she came closer to Rafe. Rafe was a little taken back by Jessie's response, he scrunched his brows together, showing confusion.

"I had a gun there four years ago when we were together and you knew about it then? Why do you care about it now?" Rafe asked, genuinely just curious, not trying to seem defensive. Jessie just exhaled and looked over at their daughter. Words were not needed for Rafe to follow what she was communicating.

Rafe slowly nodded and looked back at Jessie with understanding. He took one step further and grabbed Jessie's hands.

"I know that this probably worries you, with it being so easily accessible, but, baby, you know it's for protection." Rafe whispered with sympathy as he looked in Jessie's eyes.

"But do you really have to have it so close to where our daughter is sleeping?" Jessie asked with just as much sympathy. They both were genuinely trying to understand their differences in that moment, which was something neither one of them would have been mature enough to do four years ago. Rafe sighed and looked at the ground.

"Yes, baby. If it's anywhere else and something happens I'm not gonna be able to get to it in time and protect you and Charley." Rafe explained gently, still holding onto Jessie's hands.

"But couldnt you just, like, put a lock on it or something?" Jessie asked once again, still trying to meet Rafe in the middle.

"Jess... you know that's not any better than putting it out of my reach.  Seconds matter and if I-"

"Okay, okay..." Jessie trailed off, getting slightly annoyed. Rafe sighed and brought Jessie closer.

"Just like you taught Charley not to touch hot or fragile things, we will teach her not to go to the bedside table. But even more than that, she wont be staying in here forever. She will have her own space and not many reasons to come in here eventually." Rafe assured as he hugged Jessie tight. Jessie just exhaled and nodded as she laid her head on Rafe's chest. She had to learn to trust him with these things, especially when it came to his daughter.

"I have her best interest at heart too, baby." Rafe whispered as he kissed Jessie's head. Jessie knew he was right, he couldn't live with himself if Charley ever got hurt, but that was the main reason he kept the gun there in the first place. Jessie decided to let it go.

"Besides, you know I've got too many enemies around here to walk around without something." Rafe joked as he pulled away from Jessie.

"That is not funny." Jessie said completely serious. She did not appreciate mob mentality, even though she knew as Rafe's wife she was more than apart of it now. Who was she kidding, she had been apart of mob mentality long before she even met Rafe, and that didn't change when she was in Manhattan. Rafe just giggled.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to my girls, I promise." Rafe said a little more seriously, but still with a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. Jessie simply nodded in agreement and smiled as a silent thank you. With that, they were off to breakfast.

The three of them had arrived to a local breakfast spot right on the bay, overlooking the water. They decided against the Island Club, figuring that was still too much of a hot spot for them to be seen given that every wound was still fresh. Ward, Rose, and Wheezie's untimely death, Rafe's disappearance... and reappearance, Sarah's excommunication, oh, and now Jessie was back... with Rafe's kid. Yeah, too many questions for the young family to answer on their second day back home.

Charley loved her pancakes and bacon, and Jessie did too. Rafe enjoyed his breakfast sandwich.

"We need to get groceries after this, like seriously we have nothing in that house." Jessie laughed as she continued to eat her pancakes.

"Alright, we'll go to the store and grab stuff." Rafe agreed through bites of his sandwich. Rafe suddenly caught a glimpse of a man he knew all too well walking into the restaurant. His eyes went dark and his mouth went straight. Jessie noticed. Before she had the chance to ask or even look around, Rafe butted in.

"We have to go." Rafe said immediately standing up to grab his daughter. However, it was too late.

"Country cluuuub! Man, you back from the dead, aint ya? Where ya been?!" Barry, his drug dealer, well, ex drug dealer, came up to the table. In that moment Rafe made a mental note to make sure Charley was always sitting on his side with him from now on. Before Rafe could even spit out a vile answer, Barry realized who Rafe was with. As he looked over at Jessie his eyes became wide and his jaw dropped.

"Woah! Speaking of coming back from the dead?! How you been, darling? Man, haven't seen you since you were stealing your dad's coke."

"That's enough, Barry." Rafe insisted with a deadly scowl. Barry, of course, didn't listen. In fact, Barry didn't even glance Rafe's way after that remark. Instead he kept his eyes on Jessie.

Jessie didn't waver. It was as if something kicked in when she least expected it.

"I've been doing just fine, Barry." Jessie replied with a totally uninterested smile, clearly for show and a little sarcasm. Her and Barry went way back, further than Rafe and Barry did by a long shot.

"Who's this?!" Barry asked as if his face couldn't show more surprise, it certainly did. "Did you run off with some other man? Is that why you left all those years ago?! Man, I really started to miss you pickin up your dad's weed, I hated dealin with that son of a bitch."

"Barry, seriously cut it out." Rafe demanded, his face and voice growing more intense. That finally caught Barry's attention, and he decided to glance over at Rafe.

"What the hell you defending her for, Rafe? You remember how much you hated the bitch once she left, huh? She got you pussy whipped again?" Barry spat, with his hands becoming comfortable on the high top in front of him.

"You're not gonna talk like that in front of my daughter." Rafe said with even more fierceness as he got up out of his seat to tower over Barry. "And I never said that I hated Jessie." Rafe insisted.

"Daughter?!" Barry said a little too loudly for their liking, followed by uncontrollable laughter. "Wow, man! Your girl comes back from the dead to tell you you got a daughter and now all of a sudden you're mister clean cut business man? I'm not believin this!"

That was enough to set Rafe over the edge. He quickly grabbed Barry by his shirt, his fists becoming white and his jaw becoming clenched.

"Jessie, take her outside."

Barry didn't dare say a word, as big and bad as he thought he was, he didn't think it was smart to play in this moment. He knew what Rafe was capable of.

Jessie didn't protest either, immediately scooping up the toddler and going out to the dock to look at the water.

"Daddy!" Charley whined, wondering where they were going without her new best friend. Rafe pretended not to hear her cry. Jessie simply shushed her and walked speedily out to the dock to try and explain to Charley that they were just going for a walk.

"I don't fight around my daughter. But my daughter's not here anymore. So you got something else you wanna say to me?" Rafe threatened, breathing heavily with rage spilling over.

"Man why you playin house? You think you're better than me now? That bitch is using you and you know it. You better get a paternity test. She was worse than you ever were back then and you know it. She's always been cold-"

Rafe shut Barry up with a swift punch to the mouth, causing a cut on his lip. Barry attempted to fight back as he winded up a right hook but Rafe saw it coming from a mile away and dodged it, quickly coming behind Barry to put his other arm behind his back and slam him on the table in front of him.

"You don't talk about my wife like that." Rafe seethed just loud enough for only Barry to hear him. "I'm not your little bitch anymore. I don't need you. Understand?" Rafe let Barry back up off the table and quickly turned him around to face him.

"What do you mean? You not using anymore?" Barry asked with a sly smile through his bloody lips.

"Do I look coked out to you, bitch? No, I'm stone cold sober." Rafe whispered with a dangerous calmness in his voice and a smile that truly unsettled Barry. "So you're gonna leave me and my family alone. Got it?"

Barry stood there in shock, trying to take in all the information he was just given. Wife? Daughter? Sober? He forgot to respond but Rafe reminded him by bringing his hand to his neck and tightening around it slightly.

"G-g-got it. Got it." Barry choked out and threw his hands in the air.

"Good." Rafe replied as he let off of Barry. "And you ruined my girls' breakfast." He said as he pointed towards the mess behind him. With that, Rafe walked out as he fixed the collar of his shirt. He looked at the hostess.

"Our food's on him." Rafe calmly said as he pointed at Barry, not bothering to slow his stride one bit as he walked out of the restaurant. 

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 30

That night is exactly why this hurt JJ so much. With Jessie still standing between the two men who meant the most to her, JJ finally breathed out and looked at Jessie with tears in his eyes.

"I knew..." JJ sniffled. "I knew... I shouldn't have called you. I remember that night you left like it was yesterday, and I knew what he did to you, and I knew you got away from him because if you ever saw him again you would take him back. I knew I shouldn't have called you, Jess, I knew it!" JJ said now through sobs as he slowly backed away and put his hands in his hair, tugging slightly at the golden locks.

Jessie just looked down at the ground. Deep down she knew it too. She knew the second she made the decision to see Rafe again, all bets would be off. She would always come running back to him. For one simple reason: true love. No matter what Rafe had done to her or anyone else in the past, she saw more potential in him than anyone could ever imagine. She was the only one who understood, and not even she could get JJ to grasp that. Some would call their love toxic, they would call it unconditional.

"Jayj-"

"No, just don't! Okay?! I did this! Now just leave me alone!" JJ cried as he stormed back into the Chateau. Jessie tried following after him but was met by a warm hand to her chest, John B.

"You know he needs time to cool down, Jess." John B simply stated through truly sympathetic eyes. "He'll come around, he just has to see you prove it." John B said looking over at Rafe, who was still standing there feeling even worse by the minute. Rafe finally spoke up.

"I expected it... I deserved it." Rafe exclaimed knowingly. He put Charley down to explore the grass. Everyone stood in silence for what seemed like days, but was really just seconds.

"You've changed." Sarah finally spoke up, coming up from behind the pogues with eyes on Rafe. Rafe just looked at Sarah and nodded through tears. Rafe wanted to say so much more, but he couldn't get the words out. Instead, Sarah and Rafe embraced in a long awaited hug, both of them crying.

"I see it, Rafe. I believe you." Sarah said through sobs as her hands wrapped around her brothers neck. Sarah and Rafe were on their own separate journey to healing. Rafe had to forgive and forget that Sarah was always thought of before him, and Sarah had to forgive the way Rafe treated her because of it.

"Thank you, thank you, Sarah." Rafe simply pleaded through small sobs as well. Sarah and Rafe finally broke away and Sarah turned back to look at Jessie.

"I want to meet my niece." She said through a soft smile. Jessie laughed a little as she took a hold of Charley's hand and brought her over to Sarah, the pogues circling in on the action as well as they looked at the little girl lovingly. The truth is, the pogues all still had their reservations, but they knew they couldn't stop Jessie or Rafe from being with each other. They never have, and they never will.

The pogues all exchanged hellos and loving glances and hugs with Charley one by one. The only one clearly missing was JJ, and his absence was felt, still, everyone pushed on. Everyone eventually moved to the fire pit as the sun set, each with their preferred beverage in hand as they played with Charley, who was loving the attention. Rafe was sitting in a patio chair around the fire, and Jessie was sitting in his lap. Rafe could tell Jessie's mind was elsewhere.

"Go talk to him. Just you and him." Rafe whispered in Jessie's ear as he rubbed her back. Jessie turned to look at Rafe.

"I don't know if he's ready yet."

"He may not be, but at least he'll know that you've tried." Rafe replied as he kissed Jessie's cheek for reassurance and gave her a love tap.

Jessie got up to make her way inside, the crowd went quiet as they realized what she was doing.

"Mama..." Charley began to whine with her arms stretched out. Charley was loving all the new people, but she still wasn't totally comfortable. Jessie looked back and found Charley clinging to her leg and whimpering.

"Stay with daddy, baby, okay? Daddy will take care of you." Jessie reassured her daughter as she patted her back.

"Come here, Charley. Come sit with daddy and we'll make some s'mores." Rafe said with enthusiasm. Jessie could tell the pogues still weren't used to this idea of seeing Rafe in this new light. They didn't think it was bad at all, just very odd. Charley was still hesitant but she obliged, running back to her father. Rafe stood up to meet her half way, picked her up and began to throw her in the air to distract her from her mother going inside. As the fits of giggles began to fade into the distance, Jessie opened the door. She was met with that all too familiar stench: weed. And boy, that was fresh too. Sure enough, she found JJ sitting in the living room. Jessie figured he must've been watching from a distance all night.

"One of cousin Ricky's specials, huh? I know it when I smell it." Jessie joked as she sat on the coffee table in front of the couch JJ was plopped on. JJ just blew a cloud of smoke, only giving Jessie a half glance before looking back at the scene outside, undoubtedly watching Rafe expertly make his daughter a s'more.

"Jayj... I really don't know what to say to make this better." Jessie sighed as she rubbed her hands together.

"There's nothing you can say. I knew this was going to happen." JJ replied, not taking his eyes away from the window.

"Than why'd you call me?" Jessie asked with caution.

"The same reason you said yes."

Jessie just looked down at the floor. They both knew why they did it.

"I missed you." They both said in unison. That was enough for both of them to start tearing up.

"I don't even give a shit about the gold anymore, Jess. It wasn't worth it if it meant you got back together with Rafe, especially not after bringing a child into this world."

"His child, JJ. Rafe deserves-"

"Rafe doesn't deserve shit, Jessie!" JJ interrupted as he finally kicked his feet of the couch to be face to face with his sister. "He needs to earn whatever it is that he wants."

"And he is. You really think I'm stupid enough to give into him all at one time? It's like you forgot who I was, JJ. I left because I knew Rafe couldn't handle it. I didn't even tell Rafe about Charley until I thought he could handle it. And as terrible as it is to say, I had no plans of telling Rafe about Charley when I went to the Bahamas... but he proved me wrong. And I'm hoping he'll prove you wrong too."

JJ just laughed as he looked away and took another drag. "You really think he's changed? You don't know the Rafe that we've known the past four years, Jessie."

"And you don't know the Rafe that I've always known. The Rafe that I know even now is still there." Jessie pleaded.

"You know where we come from, Jess. We don't get happy endings. You need to put the true love bullshit to rest and do what's best for your daughter." JJ spit.

"I don't need a reality check, JJ. I've been living reality for a lot longer than you realize, having to do things the hard way in order to put my daughter first, okay? So you're going to forgive me for wanting to do something for myself for a change." Jessie spit right back, growing annoyed but still trying to see JJ's point of view.

"You're immune to him, Jessie. You don't even realize it." JJ simply stated.

"If I was immune to him would I have left all those years ago?" Jessie asked.

JJ just smirked as he puffed out another cloud of smoke. "You left physically because you knew you could never leave mentally." That was it, Jessie had had it.

"So what if I can never leave him mentally?! He's the love of my life, my husband, the father to my child, and he clearly is trying to be better for us! Gosh, can't you see that?! No, no, you can't see that because you refuse to. Well, you know what? That's fine, because like I've done so many times before, I will take my family and we will go somewhere else and we won't care about who doesn't support us." Jessie wanted to leave right then and there, but she didn't... she couldn't. She secretly begged that JJ would come around in that moment. JJ paused, looking up at Jessie with angry eyes.

"You know who I haven't heard from yet? Rafe. I really would be inclined to know what he has to say to me about this. He needs to prove it to me, not you." JJ demanded with fierce eyes.

"Jessie, go back outside." Rafe butted in with angry eyes and a clinched jaw. He had his hands in a his pockets, a sure sign he was holding back his rage. There's no telling how long Rafe had been there listening but Jessie couldn't afford to care in that moment. She looked back at JJ, silently begging him to hear Rafe out, and with that she made her way to the doorway her husband was standing in. As she stopped at the doorway she gave Rafe a reassuring look, knowing how hard and frustrating this conversation was about to be, but she knew it needed to happen.

Rafe collected his thoughts in the time it took him to walk over to JJ and sit on the coffee table in front of him.

"Want some?" JJ asked seriously as he held the joint out in front of Rafe. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Rafe didn't fall for it.

"Very funny." Rafe simply replied with an annoyed look on his face.

"Hey man, trust me, this isn't funny at all. You really expect me to belive that all of a sudden you're not a lying, stealing, psycho, murdering ass cheat?" JJ questioned with his eyes narrowed. The blunt started looking better and better to Rafe, but he wasn't going back on his promise. Rafe just sighed and looked at the ground as he rubbed his hands together trying to formulate the correct response.

"Look man, I'm not proud of the punches that I've thrown. But all that was someone I no longer know. That was someone who had lost his everything. That was someone who didn't know he had a daughter in this world. Trust me, things have changed now."

Oddly enough, JJ did see something different in Rafe today. He was definitely still calloused and guarded, but he seemed... genuine in his apology.

"Like I said you don't have to forgive me today, tomorrow, or even ever. But it's no secret that I never stopped loving your sister even after she left."

"Oh yeah that's why you threw yourself at more girls, more parties, and more coke right? That's why you slowly slipped into a psychotic rage, forcing you to believe that you had to kill, Peterkin, right?" JJ so painfully reminded Rafe.

"JJ..." Rafe sighed hopelessly as he looked JJ in the eyes. "Don't act like you didn't have your vices to help you cope with Jessie being gone. You and I both had our own ways of numbing the pain, and frankly, they weren't too far off from each other. We both have more in common than you think. We'd both die for her." Rafe explained. JJ never had thought of it that way. Jessie left a gaping hole in both of their hearts in two totally different ways, yet they both felt the weight equally, driving them to places they never thought they'd find themselves. Rafe turned to more drugs, more girls, and trying to satisfy his father, JJ just turned inward to himself, becoming a shell of a person that made it clear to everyone he would never be hurt like that again. After the long pause to think, JJ finally nodded. Rafe didn't know if it was in agreement or not.

"I still don't understand why you've done some of the things that you did... but, I'll respect Jessie enough to not get in the way. But I want to make it very clear I don't trust you yet, but I'll try." JJ whispered with a raspiness indicating he was holding back emotion.

"Thanks, man." Rafe answered genuinely as he patted JJ on the shoulder and stood up.

"This is not for you. This is for Jessie... and Charley." JJ said coldly . Rafe simply nodded and pursed his lips, knowing his statement was totally fair. JJ followed after Rafe as they were about to exit the house.

"Oh and hey, I'm still serious about the gold... you can have the rest of it. I really don't want it anymore." Rafe exclaimed as he turned to look at JJ. JJ just smiled and nodded, that was the first genuine smile Rafe had seen from JJ... probably ever.

JJ was still very unsure about everything, but he decided to put on a brave face so he could finally do what he's been dreaming of.

"Where's my niece?!" JJ screamed as he walked through the yard towards the fire pit with Rafe.

All the pogues whooped and hollered as they saw JJ come towards them with a smile on his face. Rafe knew it was fake, that was between him and JJ though.

Jessie walked toward the two men with a grin as wide as the east is from the west, assuming they had come to some sort of a truce... or at least a stalemate. She had Charley holding onto her hand as she walked over and bent down in front of JJ. JJ followed suit to be eye level with Charley. Rafe was standing over and watching with a smile, definitely feeling like he shouldn't intrude.

"Charley, this is Uncle JJ. He's my brother." Jessie said in a slow tone that her daughter could comprehend. Charley really didn't know the concept of brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc, but she would learn through exchanges just like this.

"Hi, Charley!" JJ said with excitement as he softly waved at his niece. His heart was already filled with so much love and tenderness, he wanted to pick her up and spin her around and squeeze her right then and there, but he knew that wouldn't be getting things started on the right foot.

"Hi!" Charley stated back with curiosity in her big diamond eyes. Charley wasn't afraid, and Rafe loved that about her, but that also terrified him. He knew she would be a trailblazer one day.

"You wanna give Uncle JJ a hug? He would love that!" Jessie gave Charley the option, but made it very clear it wasn't required. Jessie knew Charley wouldn't be opposed though. As expected, Charley waddled over to JJ and flung herself onto his chest with her short arms wrapping around as much of his shoulders as she could. JJ melted, immediately clinging his arms around her and resting his head against hers, which was now in the crook of his neck. JJ started to tear up, and so did Jessie, as they stood there looking at each other, brother and sister, both thinking the same thing.

They made it.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 23

Jessie didn't get much sleep last night, but she knew she would have to get up to make her flight, so she did just that. As she got ready and packed up her stuff she wondered what Rafe was thinking. Would he even say goodbye? Jessie knew better than to get her hopes up on that one. She would just be setting herself up for disappointment.

Jessie texted everyone to let them know that she would be flying home that day. After everyone was updated, she finally made her way out of her room. Although, the fear of impending doom almost kept her from leaving. She felt that Rafe was so mad that night that if she stuck her head out of her door she would see flaming arrows shooting down the hall. Despite the fear, she managed to make her way through the hall and down the long flight of stairs. The stairs felt like it took hours for her to reach the bottom, mainly due to her racing thoughts as she didn't see Rafe waiting for her. She didn't really expect him to be there, and yet it hurt her still.

Jessie stood awkwardly in the entry way, waiting for her cab to arrive. She looked around the beautiful house one last time, wondering if she was making the right decision. Maybe she should stay? After all, she didn't technically have the money yet. When would she be getting that? Is the deal off now that Rafe is pissed? Jessie felt she left too many questions unanswered, but she was suddenly pulled out of her train wreck of thoughts when she heard footsteps.

Rafe stomped in the entry way, two duffel bags in hand and not a trace of a smile or even a glance in his wife's direction. He plopped the heavy bags onto the large entry way table rather carelessly. He clearly seemed annoyed and a little angry. He wiped his nose and cleared his throat as he put his hands on his hips and looked anywhere except for Jessie's eyes.

"200 mil. Cash. Just like you wanted. I've called TSA. They won't have any questions for you when you run those through at the airport." Rafe plainly said. Jessie could tell he wanted to leave the room right after he said that, yet his body didn't seem to move. Rafe felt as if his body was planted right where he stood. Why couldn't he just let go already?

Jessie stood there with shame as she clutched onto her luggage even tighter. She dipped her head down looking at her dirty white converse and then back up at Rafe with guilty eyes.

"Thank you." Was all she could muster. "I-I have something to give you too."

Rafe was confused, what could Jessie possibly have to give him? He watched as Jessie reached in her shorts pocket. She pulled out a beautiful silver ring with a thin band of square diamonds and one large four prong princess cut on the top. Rafe recognized it immediately. It was the ring he gave Jessie a couple weeks after they had gotten married. Where Rafe got it from, Jessie never knew. However, Rafe couldn't forget.

***

"Yeah, come in here I've got something very special." Rafe persuaded a young lady with long blonde hair to come downstairs at a party at Toppers house. Jessie wasn't there of course, she hated kook parties. Rafe took this opportunity to push more product to get more money for himself and Jessie. At least that's what he told himself.

Rafe sat down on the basement couch as he displayed what he had to the potential buyer. The girl seemed oddly flirty with Rafe but he was clearly not interested, despite all the drugs and alcohol in his system, he was very aware that she wasn't his Jessie. He remained professional.

"I don't have any money." The young lady said as she leaned a little closer to Rafe and started rubbing his back. "Think you could spare me? Just this once?" She flirted. Rafe sat there motionless, all of a sudden he noticed the blazing silver rock on her finger.

"That ring looks pretty nice." Rafe smirked. "That should cover it."

The girl scoffed. "As if." She said as she clung to her ring clearly with disgust on her face.

"This is business, sweetheart. Either you want it or you don't." Rafe simply stated with a half smile. He was making too much money off of everyone tonight to care.

After a moment of pause the girl finally made up her mind, slipping the ring off her finger and handing it to Rafe.

"Have as much as you want all night." Rafe replied as he walked off.

"She overpaid." Rafe laughed with Barry as he exited up the stairs.

Rafe was leaving the party as he took the ring out of his pocket, admiring its beauty. As he sat up against his bike he couldn't help but think that Jessie deserved a ring like this. Ah, Jessie! Perfect! Rafe considered trading the ring in to see how much money he would get out of it, but why do that when he could just give it to her tonight? He knew she would love it, as long as she didn't know where he got it from.

With Rafe being so excited to finally put a real ring on Jessie's finger, he drove right over to her house, hoping she would be as excited as he was.

He knocked on Jessie's window like he always did. He really had hopes on spending the night at her house anyways. Jessie appeared shortly after with a smile on her face to let Rafe in.

"Hey!" Rafe said as he planted a kiss on Jessie's lips.

"Hey babe, what's got you so happy?" She asked apprehensively. Rafe just held Jessie in his arms as he looked at her and exhaled.

"I have something for you... it's a present." Rafe said with a childlike innocence.

"Oh yeah?" Jessie played along.

"Yeah... close your eyes." Rafe whispered. Jessie giggled a little, finding it funny and cute that Rafe made a little game out of whatever this was. She fully expected her favorite candy or something, but then she felt Rafe take her left hand and she felt a ring slide on her finger. She knew immediately and instinctively opened her eyes. Jessie looked down and gasped.

"Oh my gosh, Rafe! I-It's beautiful!" Jessie beamed. "H-How did you? Wha-? Did you kill someone for this or?"

Rafe just laughed and held Jessie closer. "Of course not, babe. I promise." Rafe answered as he put his hand over his heart.

"How did you get this?" Jessie couldn't let that question go unanswered. "I mean it's... it's huge!"

"Don't worry about it." Was all Rafe said with a smirk on his face. Jessie's face contorted to a sincere look of concern.

"You really didn't kill someone for this did you?" Jessie asked with a serious tone in her voice.

"No I didn't! I promise baby!" Rafe replied through laughter. Jessie believed him. For the first time in weeks it seemed like Rafe was actually clear headed, not mumbling and not strung out on coke. It felt nice, and Jessie didn't want to ask too many questions. She'd rather just enjoy the moment.

After Jessie stopped gawking at the rock on her left hand, she took Rafe's face in her hands and kissed him gently and yet with so much passion. She pulled away and connected her forehead to his.

"Thank you." Jessie whispered sincerely.

Rafe could tell she was truly grateful, and Jessie could tell that Rafe felt fulfilled by doing this for her.

***

Rafe took the ring from Jessie's hand and just admired it.

"Y-you kept it? After all these years... you kept it?" Rafe asked with his eyes brimming with tears.

Jessie just shrugged. "I'm your wife." She said plainly as if it was obvious. That's not the reason Jessie kept the ring, and she knew that. Deep down, she kept the ring because she felt it was her only connection to Rafe all these years.

Rafe wanted to say so much more, starting with the fact that Jessie needed to stop looking at him like that. He couldn't be upset when she looked like she wanted to cry and fall into his arms. It took everything in him to simply nod and walk out of the room, the ring getting lost in his fist.

And with that, Jessie realized that it really was the end. Rafe really wasn't going to fight for Jessie anymore, and she really wasn't going to fight for him. But the mission was complete right? Jessie thought she should be happy considering that's exactly what she came here for. She swore she wouldn't get involved past that... but here she was.

Jessie sighed and walked out of the house, having the concierge help her with her two new bags. She was then whisked away to the airport.

Rafe watched secretly from a kitchen window as the car drove away, a single tear rolling down his numbed face. He couldn't believe it. After years of dreaming of having Jessie back in his grasp, he blew it. No- she blew it. This was her fault. Rafe wondered if she meant what she said about the money. Was she really not taking any of it? Did she really mean it when she said that it turned into something more?

Rafe still wanted to ask many more questions about his daughter. When's her birthday? What did she look like? Does she know anything about her father? Rafe couldn't handle all the unanswered questions in his head. He shook his head as his lips quivered. He then put his hands on his head and began to hit himself repeatedly out of frustration. He couldn't believe he just let her go like that... and his daughter. That idea was still hard for him to wrap his head around, and yet despite the fact that he'd never even met Charlotte— didn't even know what she looked like— he couldn't help but feel like he was abandoning her by letting her mother slip away.

Rafe couldn't handle his own brain, he knew what he would've done in this situation before Jessie entered back into the picture... but Jessie wasn't here anymore.

Rafe rushed straight to his room and to his bedside table for that coveted bag of white powder. He stared at it for a moment, with tear soaked eyes, contemplating if he really wanted to do this or not. Of course he did. He may have promised himself years ago to quit if he ever had a shot at Jessie again, but that ship has sailed, and Jessie was the captain once again.

Rafe began to form a little white line that he was so familiar with. He did this through sobs as he just stared at the cocaine in front of him. He sat there for what felt like hours, playing with his fingers and letting the tears flow. His hands began to shake as he couldn't handle the urge anymore. Just as he was about to give in, he noticed the ring sitting on his desk. It was still in perfect condition, not a scratch, not even a speck of dust or cloudiness on the ring. Jessie must have put it away somewhere safe where nobody could find it... where she wouldn't remember it. Yet she still managed to know exactly where it was and take it to the Bahamas with her. Rafe wondered why? In his heart, he knew why. Jessie said earlier that it was because she was his wife, but that wouldn't have mattered to Jessie if she didn't still love him. God, she still loved him. He knew it too.

Through tears he hit the desk and stood up and cleared it off with one quick angry sweep. His lamp, his book, his coke, the ring, it all went flying as he cried uncontrollably. He couldn't do this. He couldn't go back to the life he once had. He had done life without Jessie before, and he wouldn't able to survive if he tried to do it again. Rafe knew what he had to do.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 25

Jessie got off the plane, somehow hoping to see Rafe there. She knew it would be impossible. He didn't even know where she lived. She quickly put the thought out of her head.

Jessie hailed a cab and actually felt a new excitement as she thought about seeing her daughter again. It had barely been a week and yet it felt like a lifetime. The texts and calls and pictures from Mama and Tom were great, but nothing compared to being with Charlotte face to face. Jessie couldn't wait to see her.

What felt like hours later and Jessie was finally back at her apartment complex. She figured she better stop at her apartment first and put away her luggage before she grabbed Charlotte. As excited as she was to see her, she knew it'd be easier.

As Jessie turned the key to the ugly wooden door, she couldn't help but wish once again that Rafe would somehow come running down that hall yelling her name. She was beginning to annoy herself with those thoughts, would she ever just let it go? She wasn't so sure this time.

Jessie sighed and shook her head, trying to forget. She turned the key and walked through her door and immediately put her luggage by the door, feeling mentally and physically exhausted. She was about to take the first step to her bedroom upstairs when the sight before her stunned her.

"Rafe?" Jessie whispered with wide eyes and deep confusion. There stood Rafe, clad in a black polo shirt and jeans sitting at her small wooden dining room table playing with the ring she remembered so well. He looked up at her with a calm in his eyes she hadn't seen in years. He looked laser focused, and not out of chaos. He seemed very sober minded. Rafe looked at Jessie dead on with remorse evident in his face. He got up from the table and slowly walked to Jessie, trying to keep himself together. Jessie was doing the same.

"I heard your conversation with JJ the other night. I was going to come talk to you but just ended up listening through the door. It wasn't easy but I found you... it helped that I could legally prove that I was your husband." Rafe chuckled. Jessie couldn't help but return the joke with a slight laugh despite her confusion.

"I already lost you once because I couldn't get my shit together." Rafe hummed as he took Jessie's hands in his and held them gently. "And I swore to myself that if I ever got another chance to be with you... if I ever even saw you again that I would get clean." Rafe sniffled as his lips quivered. Jessie could tell this was hard for Rafe, as his eyes were clearly searching for reassurance. Jessie wiped his tears to show him she was there and she was listening intently... and she believed him.

Rafe looked down to collect his thoughts. "The moment you walked into that house in the Bahamas I didn't touch anymore coke. And even after you left I couldn't bring myself to break that promise. I'll be damned if I let you get away again, Jess." Rafe reiterated through tears.

"I can't lose you again. I love you too much." Rafe finally choked out through sobs. Jessie had tears rolling down her face at this point as well. All she could do was take Rafe's face in her hands with as much tender love and care as she could convey.

"I love you too, Rafe. I never stopped." Jessie replied.

"One of my biggest regrets is that I never got to tell you this before you left but... Jessie, I'm sorry." Rafe said as he played with the skin of his lips. Jessie couldn't control her cries as she brought his face closer to hers.

"I'm sorry too, Rafe."

Rafe and Jessie both stood in each others embrace, sobbing into the other knowing that everything was going to be okay. Rafe finally grabbed Jessie's face and pulled her in for a kiss they had both been longing for, their lips moving in perfect sync. Jessie could feel that this time was different. She couldn't deny her need for Rafe any more. If the last twenty four hours of clear misery wasn't enough, this sure was to convince her she could no longer do this life without Rafe.

Rafe and Jessie stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes to pull themselves together, whispering sweet nothings to each other and holding each other as if they were afraid the other would disappear.

Jessie finally spoke up. "I need to go get Charley." Jessie whispered, never breaking eye contact with Rafe. "I'll get her myself and bring her to you so I have time to explain some things."

Rafe just smiled. "Charley? I've never heard you call her that."

"Yeah, well, that's what she goes by unless she's in trouble." Jessie joked. Rafe loved the sound of his daughter's name, he couldn't have picked a better one if he tried. She was already so precious to him.

"So who was she staying with this whole time?" Rafe asked, inquisitive about who was worthy enough to take care of his daughter. He secretly hoped they were good people that had kept her safe and sound, but he didn't doubt Jessie's ability to find the best sitter possible.

"Some friends of mine, really they're like family. Their names are Maci and Tom but Charley calls them Mimi and PopPop." Jessie said with a smile as she walked towards the door. "I met them through the Manhattan Mayhem. They're kind of like the cofounders of it."

Rafe just looked puzzled. What was a Manhattan Mayhem? It sounded scary.

Jessie sighed and looked down. "I guess you didn't hear that part of the conversation the other night with JJ?"

Rafe just nodded his head no.

"No, as soon as I heard where you lived I just went back to my room to try and figure out how I was going to beat you back to wherever you were staying. Manhattan isn't exactly Kildare." Rafe chuckled with a half smile trying to lighten the mood.

"Right, well, uh, the Manhattan Mayhem is kind of a... biker group that I'm apart of." Jessie said sheepishly, trying to gauge Rafe's reaction. Rafe just stood there with the wheels turning in his head.

"What like a gang?" Rafe asked seriously.

"Yeah... pretty much." Jessie admitted as she lightly threw her hands up in the air with a guilty smile that Rafe couldn't help but love. Jessie began to walk forward towards Rafe.

"They were really the only people that took me in when I got here. They treated me like family from the moment they met me. They gave me a job, babysitting whenever I needed..." Jessie answered with a much more serious tone in her voice. Rafe met Jessie in the middle of the room and grabbed her shoulder assuredly.

"I'm sure they're great. You're a great judge of character." Rafe assured. He really did believe Jessie's words. He knew she wouldn't leave their child with just anyone. And besides, Jessie was right, she had to find family and friends somehow when she moved, and if that was the group she found then so be it. Rafe was happy Jessie got plugged in to a group so supportive.

As Jessie made her way downstairs her smile only grew bigger. She couldn't believe she was about to have a shot at the family she always dreamed of, it almost brought her to tears.

Jessie knocked on the door she remembered so well, only to be met by Mama and Tom opening up the door.

"Well hey, doll!" Mama exclaimed as she pulled Jessie in for a hug with a beaming smile on her face. "We are so glad to see your pretty face!"

"Mommy!" Jessie heard the familiar voice scream as she looked past Mama to see Charley running up with Tom following close behind her. Jessie immediately bent down to graciously accept the bear hug she so desperately needed.

"Hi baby!" Jessie said as her eyes brimmed with tears of joy. That hug was long awaited and not long enough for Jessie. She couldn't wait to snuggle with Charley and hear all about her stay with Mama and Tom. She knew Charley always had the best time and they always spoiled her rotten.

"What is all over that face?!" Jessie joked as she pointed at the chocolate mustache Charley was dawning.

"You know PopPop can never say no to come ice cream." Mama answered with a laugh. Jessie couldn't have cared less. The smile on Charley's face was all the confirmation she needed that she was safe and sound, and that's all that mattered to Jessie.

"Thank you so much for keeping her. I know she had a blast." Jessie replied as she stood up with Charley on her hip.

"It's no problem honey, anytime." Mama smiled as she looked up at Tom, who had made his way behind her. Jessie could tell they both wanted to ask questions.

"So..." Tom started, giving Jessie a knowing look as if he was about to open up a can of worms. "Did you get... everything straightened out?" Tom asked. His face was curious, but Jessie knew they only asked questions because they cared about her. She didn't mind at all.

Jessie just giggled. "Yep, I had to go help my little brother get out of trouble. You know how it goes."

Mama and Tom both nodded their heads and laughed. "Oh yes, baby. Duty calls!" Mama responded with a smile.

With luggage packed and hugs exchanged, Jessie and Charley walked out of the door and back to their apartment upstairs.

"Baby, I need to talk to you about something." Jessie stopped in their hallway and stepped down to look at sweet Charlotte in her eyes. Jessie knew Charlotte wouldn't be able to completely understand, which in a way made this easier in the long run. Jessie appreciated the fact that she wouldn't necessarily have to reteach Charley anything, only helping her learn a new dynamic.

"There's a nice man back at our house, his name is... daddy." Jessie paused as she said that sentence, and then it hit her. He wasn't Rafe to Charlotte, he was her father. Charlotte had no clue what a father even was. But then again, Jessie figured that maybe that was a good thing that she had such limited understanding of such a complex concept. After all, it's not like she would've remembered her father even if he was there from the beginning. "He wants to be your friend just like PopPop. He'll play your favorite games, he'll make your favorite food, and he loves mommy very much, and mommy loves him very much."

Charley just nodded with an unknowing smile on her face. Thats all Jessie could ask for, that Charley understand the basics. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but the three of them would adjust. Ah, the three of them... just the thought of that made Jessie giddy. She had dreamed of the three of them for what felt like forever.

Jessie finally stood back up, put Charlotte on her hip and walked down the hall.

The truth is, as nervous as Jessie was for Charley to meet Rafe, it simply failed in comparison to how nervous Rafe was to meet his daughter. He sat on the couch with his head resting on his fists, leg shaking and an intense look of serious thought all over his face. Rafe swore he could physically feel his heart skipping a beat. What if Charley didn't like him? What if he wasn't a good father? What if Jessie didn't like the way he parented? He felt he had so much to prove and so little time to prepare for it. He was finally pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the doorknob turn. Here we go. Rafe took a deep breath and stood up, immediately clearing his throat and fixing his shirt as if he was meeting his prom date for the first time.

Rafe saw the most beautiful little girl come through that door, with eyes like diamonds and beautiful brown hair. Rafe admired how Charley managed to have a perfect mix of both him and Jessie in her... she truly was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, aside from Jessie of course.

As Jessie began to walk towards Rafe with Charley in tow she realized Rafe was welling up with tears. Rafe was biting his lip, clearly trying not to sob uncontrollably. Rafe really didn't expect this heavy of emotion to overcome him, but the second he found out about his daughter he longed to be with her, and felt like a part of him was missing. He finally found that missing piece. More than that, seeing his beautiful Jessie holding their daughter made him realize his whole world was right in that living room. No more drugs, no more treasure hunting, no more running.

Rafe in his nerves wasn't quite sure what was acceptable. Did he hold his hands out to invite Charlotte in? Did he say something to her? To Jessie? Luckily, Jessie knew just what to do. She set Charley down on the ground and Rafe took the queue. He followed by kneeling down to the same level and looking at Charley with a smile.

Jessie wasn't sure if she should intervene either, but she sure did melt when she saw Rafe's reaction. He was smitten already. Like any three year old, Charley hid behind her mom because of the strange man in their apartment. She wasn't scared, just unsure.

Jessie and Rafe both laughed as they watched Charley cling to her mother's leg and eye Rafe up and down. She was curious, and that was a good thing. 

"Charley, this is the nice man I just told you about... this is daddy." Jessie explained in a soft tone as she walked closer to Rafe. Jessie once again crouched down with Rafe so Charley would feel more comfortable with the both of them. Rafe waved sheepishly with a smile on his face.

"Hi Charley!" Rafe said simply with an innocent little wave.

Charley looked at the both of them sitting there with smiles on their faces. She looked at her mom, then at her dad, then back at her mom as if she was looking for reassurance. Jessie found it kinda funny, as she could see the wheels turning in her head the same way that Rafe's does.

"She's curious like her mother." Rafe joked with a sniffle.

"But cautious like her father." Jessie joked back.

The banter back and forth was enough to convince Charley at least for a moment that Rafe was safe. Charley took a few steps over to Rafe before giving him a gentle hug and laying her head on his chest.

Rafe melted into that hug, as if he had been waiting his whole life to feel that amount of pure love and innocence. This was his daughter, the daughter whom he wanted to protect and love forever. Rafe hugged Charley back with just as much enthusiasm. His arms were so long they could've wrapped around Charley twice, she already loved getting lost in his arms. Rafe wouldn't dare break away, letting Charley stay there as long as she wanted.

Rafe extended an arm to pull Jessie in as well, savoring the moment he had to hold his girls.