Wrecked. (Open)

[Layla Harlow]

Fuck people. Fuck family. Fuck everything! She was so done with them. As if being kicked out of the house wasn't bad enough. She couldn't believe them. She had never hated them so much in her life. And she had never felt more unloved by them until now. How could someone disown their child so easily? How could they not want anything to do with her? Especially in such a time as this? She was getting married and her parents had no intention of making any appearance. She wouldn't be given away by her father. She wouldn't get to watch her mother get teary-eyed by watching her baby girl walk down the aisle. Nothing. They really hated her that much.

She hadn't told Riley. She didn't tell Sophie. She kept it all to herself because that was what Layla did, she internalized things and put on a happy face for those she cared about. The last thing she wanted was for Riley to get angry at her parents and go off on them when she knew it wouldn't change their minds. She didn't want Sophie to know because her parents already ignored her. It wasn't like she made such a big deal out of it. Maybe it was the fact that there had been a time when they actually seemed to love her that made this hurt so bad. She didn't know. She didn't care. She hated them. And they hated her. She was nothing more to them than a leech that had been living in their house because she had to legally.

Layla just needed to get away. She didn't want pity and she didn't want anyone to see the toll that this was taking on her. She was completely wrecked. After she made sure that Kalila and Riley were taken care of, Layla gave each of them a kiss goodbye and headed out to her car to make her trek towards the lake. She didn't care that it was cold, that it was snowing and that she would probably sit out there and freeze to death. She just needed to get away from people.

Parking the car, she got out, wearing clothes that were probably not suitable for this kind of weather, but she didn't seem to care. She put her hands in her hoody and walked down towards the lake. Layla stood there...staring...and the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

[Jack McCarthy]

You know. When Jack started this whole “office” beside the lake he never really thought about the effects of ice and cold of the winter months would have. Sure in the summer it may have seemed like a decent enough idea, but now things were seriously SERIOUSLY colder he was beginning to think that it may not have been the best of choices as he shivered just a little in his arm chair in his large coat.

Even though, it seemed like a stupid idea to sit out here in the freezing sub zero weather, Jack was determined to make his “Office” work even in the winter months. He knew he could make it work! He just knew it! All he needed to do was find some kind of heaters. If he just took a walking tour of the dumpster, he was sure some moron would throw away a perfectly good heater just like they threw away this perfectly good armchair and he’ll be good to go.

Plus the winter did have the advantage of chilling his booze nicely.

Just as he was about to leave for town, to find someway to heat up his office. He found himself gazing at a figure in the distance, Great. Whenever someone always ventured this far by the lack, they always felt the need to ask Jack what he was doing. As if seeing a man in an armchair by the lake was odd.

But then Jack say that familiar hair, he could recognize that hair from anywhere on the planet. He had pretty much burned every wonderful aspect of Layla Harlow to memory. He had spent the last week of his life making sure then her face was burned into his mind
forever more.

Frowning in confusion Jack sat up from his seat to get a better look, wondering what on earth she was doing here? When he got a better view of her face, what he saw shook him to his core

Layla. Crying.

The thought hasn’t even formed completely in his head before Jack realized he was running as far as his legs could carry him towards Layla leaping over all manner of obstacles in his path. He didn’t care what they were to be honest, all that mattered was that he reached the upset Layla as fast as he could. It wasn’t long before Jack found himself standing beside Layla breathing heavily due to how fast he was running. “…Layla?”

[Layla Harlow]

Winter was stupid. Flat out stupid right now. She just wanted to burn all the winter! Okay, that wasn't really going to happen and she didn't hate winter, it was just inconvenient right now because she was pissed off, upset and cold all things that were overall not fun. It was her fault for the cold part, but she had no say in the things that made her upset and pissed off. It was all on her parents. To think, she at one point actually admitted to loving them. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid. They were horrible people with a horrible life and a horrible marriage. They were just pissed off because she was going to be happier than they were. With someone she actually loved. And they were jealous that she was surrounded by people that cared about her unlike them.

She wiped at her face in frustration, but the tears kept coming. She was broken and battered in all of the wrong ways. It was a wonder Riley had been able to even get her to fall in love. She didn't know what it looked like except for Gene and Logan, Lois and Clark, Rachel and Bruce. Her favorite heroes and their counterparts, that was all she had to compare it to. That was the sad part, though she figured Riley had about as much to compare it to as she did.

Layla sighed and found herself trembling from the snow that was soaking through her clothes. It was stupid of her to come out here with the wind whirring around and a lack of warm clothing. She was freezing. And the tears were going to end up freezing to her face at this rate.

Before she was able to just give up and walk back to her car, intent on driving around until she felt better, she nearly got plowed into by a very exhausted-looking Jack. Had he ran here? From where? Layla frantically wiped at her face again to clear it of tear remnants. The last thing she wanted was for Jack to see her crying, especially when comparatively, she had it kind of easy. She was marrying the man she loved...and he was stuck being her best man. "H-hey, Jacky boy. How are you?" She asked shakily, from tears or cold, she didn't know.

[Jack McCarthy]

If Jack wasn’t so frantic in his rush to reach Layla, he may have hesitated in meeting with Layla. Their last meting was quite embarrassing on the part of Jack. She had caught him in a very compromising position, namely drugged up to his eyeballs on gas at the dentist and he had inventively revealed far too much of himself and his feelings, but to what degree he was unsure of, his memory was fuzzy, bu when he snapped back to his senses, he knew enough to smack his head against the wall several times.

When Jack finally saw her face, he was disturbed to see that Layla’s face was covered in tears, she looked a mess, not to mention the fact she had dressed like it was summer when it was snowing, clearly showing that she didn’t care about the conditions outside, all she cared about was leaving whatever predicament she was in.

He wondered what could possibly the matter, maybe one of her family member aren’t showing up for the wedding? Maybe the date has been pushed back or-

Maybe She and Riley broke it off? Isn’t that what you want? Come on Jack, this is your moment Jack. Here’s your change.”

Jack tried to shake that particular thought to the back of his head, as he tried to think what he should do, to be honest he felt kind of awkward he never been in this type of situation before, so he was unclear how he should proceed, how does one be nice?

“Hey Layla” Jack said concern clear on his voice ""what are doing out here? You much be colder then a witches tit here” Jack said as he quickly removed his heavy warm coat and gave it to layla. True he was feeling the cold bite at him the moment he took it off , but if he died of frost that would be no great loss. Layla was ten times more valuable then him. “Here, Listen I have food, shelter, and booze back at my “Office” and In my professional opinion nothing helps a bad mood like getting REALLY drunk. What do you say?

[Layla Harlow]

Jack's way of talking always made Layla feel comfortable. He talked much like she did, crude and impolite as ever, full of snark and sarcasm and interesting combinations of words. Honestly, witch's tit? She'd have to store that one for later because the phrase was just too perfect to go to waste. So she pushed it into the little compartment of random shit that she said. Her face lifted a bit in an attempt to appear normal and as though she was perfectly fine, though she knew she looked like hell.

He placed his jacket around her and she pulled it tight around her, thankful that she had bumped into him rather than a complete stranger. She was comforted by his presence in ways that she never would be around a stranger, though she often tried to give everyone a fair chance. Over all, it was nice just being around Jack because he was one of the people she found that she could really relate to, even if he didn't know all of the messy details that made up her psych. He didn't need to, he understood her without it. "Thanks, Jack. I guess it is a little cold out here," She mumbled and looked up at him.

Chewing on her lip, she listened to his suggestion and though getting drunk would really help, she wasn't sure what would slip if she did get drunk. Not that she really had anything to hide like he did (though what he wanted to keep from her was already out of the box) she still wasn't sure she wanted to get into the sob story about her family. Layla hooked her arm through his and hugged his arm, "Sure, let's go, pal. I could use a good, long drink. Though, I gotta drive so no getting smashed for me."

She looked up at him and smirked, "Besides, wouldn't want you to take advantage of the lack of warmth and my fuck-upedness just to get me to sleep with you." Layla nudged him and smiled genuinely, "But you know that already. So tell me, sweets, what's up with you? How's the tooth and all that jazz?"

[Jack McCarthy]

She was still hurting, quite a lot. That much was clear of all to see, but Jack was encouraged to see her smile even if it was some what forced. It was a step in the right direction at any rate. Even though she could tell that smiling was the last thing she wanted to do. But Jack wasn’t worried she would get Layla to crack a genuine smile even if it killed him.

She was more then glad when Layla took his coat, he couldn’t really understand why anyone in there right ,minds could go out in this cold with little to no cover and not go insane. Jack was no stranger to cold. He was Irish after all, but never like this, Snow and sub-zero degrees. It was he could stand not having the coat. “No problem, just another example of gracious I am”

Jack had no hidden motive or agenda offering Jack a drink. The last thing Jack wanted to do is force an explanation out of Layla before she was ready, clearly whatever it was that caused her such distress, was something she was in mood to relay. At least at this moment. He just some booze was in order to calm her down and maybe numb all that pesky pain. Always worked for Jack.

His body tensed up as Layla snuggled against his arm, grateful for her soft warmth, god damn it! Why is it every time he had the honor of being with Layla hshe found some kind of excuse to physical contact, did she not know how much it messed with his head. Jack really didn’t want theto feel the feelings that he did, God life would be so less stressful and complication if she didn’t feel like he did, and he constantly fought against it, and at times he even convinced himself that it good old fashioned, simple lust, but when ever she hugged him like that….Ahhhh, he got caught again! Damn it Layla!

As he hopped that Layla didn’t see his hesitation he was all to happy to grab her arm and starting to make his way to towards his “Office” “Yeah, you’re horrible mangled body being lead down the aise, will kind of put a downer on your wedding, huh? Come on it’s just down here”


Jack laughed at Layla’s comment trying to blow it off “I don’t think young master Riley would approve, he doesn’t like me enough as it is…I doubt sleeping with you would improve our relationship. He’s just lucky I’m such a gentleman” Internally Jack was freaking out! Oh shit! Was this just Layla being Layla? Or was this a loaded comment about what happened at the dentist? Curse that laughing gas!

Jack coughed a little, meekly before answering “Oh, my life is the same as it’s always been; a never ending carousal of awesomeness and fun. Going a-round and a-round. That dentist was an asshole! I was pretty sure he was going to do butt stuff with me when I was out, and when I pointed out these concerns, quite politely. The guy totally assaulted me, for no reason.

It was then Jack voice seemed to change tone as if he really didn’t know how to approach this situation nor did he ever have any desire to. “Look Layla…” Jack said his voice ripe with false amusement “If I said any thing to you that seemed….strange, I mean…..it was totally the gas talking that stuff totally messes with your head, The first thing a friend of mine did when he got home from the dentist was make out with his sister! And she’s super ugly!” Just as Jack was saying this, his “Office" started to appear right in front of him.

“Here we are! My own personal fortress of awesometude! Let me give you a tour….that’s a super comfy recliner chair, can you believe someone tried to throw it away? That’s a big rock…I call it rocky…that’s a tree….I call it treey, and yeah, that’s pretty much it. Cool right? You just sit down on the chair and I’ll get some booze. Sounds like a plan?