He's Gone • •

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

He couldn’t believe this was happening again. How come, when life started to become better for them both the fates seemed to decide to shatter it in one swift movement? The man had been out of jail for a few years now, but the restraining order and probation had kept him far away from his so-called family and that was enough for Romeo, but now the bastard decided he wanted to play the ‘loving’ father again?! Over Romeo’s dead body! The twenty four year old had taken some of his vacation days from Borders and had called the school to tell them that Ellie wouldn’t be in for a week or so, naming family matters as the cause. They seemed to assume that it was a death of some sort, her teacher’s voice going very soft as she offered condolences.

The rest of the time he spent in the apartment with his sister, trying to stop her from thinking about the darker time of her life or at his mom’s place, reassuring her that nothing would happen to any of them. He didn’t like being violent, but lately it was his nature and Ellie had walked into the kitchen several times and pried his fingers from the fists he didn’t even realise he had made at his sides. When she wasn’t around he’d find himself hitting the wall or a pillow. He was only sixteen when it all happened last, but he wasn’t going to let it get so damn close this time. He hadn’t spoken to Zoe either since their fight. He wanted to make it up with her, but he couldn’t right now; not with all of this riling him up and making him so angry, it would only lead to another fight with her.

When the buzzer went that afternoon and the gruff accent that was identical to Romeo’s came through the intercom, he was ready to ignore him once more like he had done for the last four days when he had tried that, but Ellie’s smaller hand tugged at his own and he looked down to where his sister was staring up at him with wide eyes. “Le’im in. If we ‘ear ‘im out then ‘ee might sod off.” She suggested, her voice strained with the fragility of teenage innocence. He hit the button to unlock the door downstairs and over the intercom they heard it slam shut. “Go t’ y’ room, El. I’ll call y’ if ‘ee’s not a bag’ed.”

[/color] His voice was dark and serious. He wasn’t going to let Ellie see any more violence if he could help it. Once his sister was safely tucked away in the confines of her bedroom, he pulled the front door open and leaned against it, a less than impressed glower on his face at the fifty year old man who soon approached from the elevator. “Y’ can say what y’ve gotta say and then y’ can leg it.”[/color] He kept his arm stretched across the doorframe, refusing to let aging man into the apartment. “Aw, c’mon Romeo, let yer aul man in.” Romeo didn’t budge, or even blink. “None of us need y’ in our lives anymore. We never ‘ave and it’s not like any of us missed y’ when y’ were in the scuffy.”[/color]
“I bet me li’l girl did, where is she?”
“You ain’t seein’ ‘er. You ain’t even got the rights anymore.”[/color] His temper was rising already and his father hadn’t been standing there for more than five minutes. The same rage he felt in his heart flicked in the eyes of the older man and Romeo braced himself for whatever he might throw at him.
“Listen ‘ere, y’ li’l git, y’r mam might think y’re the son she always wanted, but I know what y’ are. Y’re nothin’ more than a lazy arsed bugger ‘oo caused all this trouble t’ start with. What was it? Not gettin’ enough attention, was it?” He grabbed Romeo’s shirt and the slightly taller hero in all of this quickly shoved him backwards.
“None of that even matters anymore. Ellie stays with us no matter what stunt y’ try an’ pull. There’s a bloody court order with our names on makin’ it so. And if y’ wanna try an’ take ‘er, then remember this; I decked y’ when I was sixteen and I can easily duff y’ up again now.”[/color] Romeo threatened, hissing out his final words as he squared up to the man he had lost faith in years ago.

Before either of them could blink, Romeo felt himself being shoved back through the doorframe of his apartment, stumbling over his feet and crashing to the floor. His father stormed into the apartment, angry eyes searching for the signs of the small brunette, but Romeo was on his feet faster than he anticipated. He had expected a fight and wasn’t surprised that this had turned into one. Before the older man could reach the only closed door in the apartment, Romeo had grabbed the back of his jacket and swung him around, not caring when he collided with she shelving unit and the photo frames fell from the polished surface.
During the commotion, he barely heard the twist of the lock to Ellie’s room, the small girl peeking out with terrified and teary eyes. Romeo didn’t pause though; he needed to get their dad out of the apartment and out of their lives for good again.

The punches were exchanged thick and fast, but neither seemed to let up as the hits became harder, Romeo doubling over when he got kneed in the stomach, making way for more assault. Ellie was screaming, begging for it to stop when Romeo finally realised that she was still in the room. It was with a surge of angry adrenaline that he threw his whole body into another punch, his opponent staggering backwards until Romeo could get a good grip on him to tackle him through the front door, taking flailing fists in his ribs and wincing as he swore at the worthless man. With one final shove, he threw his father into the hall, stumbling after him.
“Fuckin’ come ‘ere again and I’ll break y’r bleedin’ legs.”[/color] He hissed through his heavy breathing. “Y’re never gettin’ near our El so long as I’m alive and if y’ even think of goin’ near me mam, I’ll have the bobbies on y’r arse and y’ can spend the rest of y’r life rottin’ in the fuckin’ scuffy!”[/color] He warned, shoving the man again when he tried to tackle him once more.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 1,127
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! Here we go: “bag‘ed” basically a drunken idiot, “scuffy” is prison, “Bobbies” police <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe had felt terrible since their fight. It was the first real one between them and, honestly, she hated every moment of it. The guilt, the words; all of it. She kept replaying the fatal moments in her mind, listening to her harsh accusations and assumptions. It hadn't been fair of her to imply so much when she knew he wasn't like the college guys she went to school with; he was so much better than them, even with the faults that made him who he was. Those were what she loved most about him, and she'd turned them into something horrible with one slip of her tongue. The guilt for it had been eating at her since she'd left his apartment, but she'd only gathered enough courage to text him. He hadn't answered her little "I'm sorry. Meet me for lunch and we can talk?" so she'd given up. If he wanted to speak with her, he would; she just hoped he still wanted to. She'd let him be for another couple days before trying one more text, but it'd gone unanswered, as well. She couldn't function wondering if they'd broken up or if there was still a chance they might return to what they'd had before all the drama had interfered. Zoe wanted to make it up and be his sweet little country mouse again, but that meant they had to talk to each other. Well, there was only one way left for that to happen: she'd have to show up at his apartment.

It took her an entire sleepless night to finally round up enough reason to go visit the Jervis' place. She'd pack up the few things of his that were at her place and go over there, conviently forgetting to bring them up with her. If he wanted them back, she could go get them; otherwise, they could return to their places in her snug home. Zoe didn't want to give up the cozy sweatshirts and other random bits he'd left with her, but she knew she couldn't hold onto them if there was no reason to. If they broke up, she'd have to leave it and move on; she wasn't in New York to find love, after all. She was there to study.

She carried out the plan, arriving at the apartment and taking a deep breath of encouragement before ringing the buzzer. There was no answer, another blow to her confidence, but she didn't give up. Going and retrieving the box from her car, she marched up to his floor, planning on leaving it outside his door and walking off again. She knew he'd know who it was from without any explanation; maybe it'd give him a reason to text her back. Heaving the box with her, she took the elevator up, a determined look on her face. This was it; it'd be his move after this. Zoe was praying that he would make one; she didn't want to lose her Romeo so early on in the story.

Zoe prepared to walk out as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, but the sound of shouting stopped her dead in her tracks. She looked down the hall, blinking in confusion as she saw Romeo's door standing wide open and recognized the accent that could only belong to him and his sister. She stayed frozen as the fight emerged from the doorway and continued in the hall, mere feet in front of her. There was only one other time where she'd seen him this mad; he'd been protecting her. The doors to the elevator beginning to close had her snapping back to reality and rushing out into the fray, dropping the box and glaring between the two men as she shouted, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOIN'?!"

Her eyes darted between the two of them, noting the blood and bruises that only came with violence. But, as she looked past the injuries, she began registering similarities between faces. This stranger looked like an older version of Romeo. The idea was enough to pull her attention away for a moment so she could think, though it only turned towards a terrified Ellie. Her maternal instincts took over after that and she shoved past the men, going towards the teenager and pulling her into her arms to try and calm her down a bit. She may have been angry with the girl's older brother, but, suddenly, none of it mattered anymore.

• • •

WORDS: 781!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Since his dad had reappeared in his life again, reconciling with Zoe hadn’t been his top priority. He had read the text messages and had wanted to reply, but she didn’t know a thing about his past and how Ellie had come into his care and Romeo didn’t want to play some sob story to her about their lives. Plus, Ellie had been recovering well from it all and there were old wounds he didn’t want to re-open. In the end, it had happened anyway and Romeo knew only too well that the nightmares were back for both of them. He had even tried to convince his mam to move in with them too until it was all taken care of, but the woman wouldn’t give in, reminding Romeo exactly of where his own strength had come from through the tough years of his youth.

He had every intention of finding some way to make it all up to her, but he had to put Ellie first; he always had done. Her safety and wellbeing was Romeo’s primary concern and until their dad was away from the family again, it would be all the messy haired man would think about. The whole thing was making him smoke more and he spent more nights worrying than sleeping, but it was part of his job as guardian and he wouldn’t let any harm come to her now, vowing to protect her like he had done back then and specifically on that fatal night that had led to their freedom from his violent rages.

That was why Romeo hadn’t hesitated in fighting back to defend his little sister. He could feel the sting of fresh contusions and the trickling of blood over his skin, but none of that mattered so long as Ellie was safe. He had been in fights before, especially back home on the estate and he knew of the damage a fist could cause with the right force behind it. The fact that his dad was sporting a busted lip and a potential black eye already didn’t hold him back as their fight escalated, with the apartment suffering from the bodies launched into walls and furniture. When it came to family and those he cared about, Romeo would do whatever it took to protect them and right now he wanted the man either making a hasty retreat from the building or out cold on the floor for the police to deal with.

He hadn’t heard the buzzer and the sound of the elevator opening was lost on him too. All Romeo could see right now was red – and not just from the blood dripping into his eye from a gash on his brow bone. The last person he expected to see was Zoe right now, but all it did was make him more defensive. His green eyes flicked to her for just a second before returning to glare at his dad, daring the older man to make a move. It was all Romeo needed to send him crashing down the hall with an almighty blow. As Zoe pushed past him, Romeo went toe to toe with the other man, spitting the blood from his mouth first. Another shove sent him back into the doorframe and a following punch spun his head, but it didn’t stop that instinctive need to protect from rising up again. He jumped back with a punch of his own and kept it up until the older man staggered away down the hall, fighting to stay upright. Romeo was breathing heavily, glaring at him as he backed away again. “Y’ stay the fuck away from this family, d’ya ‘ear me?!”

[/color] He yelled, knowing now that he’d won for the time being and once a phone call had been placed, it would be back to jail for the pathetic excuse of a father. Jervis senior shot one last glare, but stumbled towards the elevator, tripping over the abandoned box that Romeo didn’t even think twice about, just standing guard, making sure that the man did actually leave.

He turned back to the apartment, exhausted now as the pain rocked through his body, the worst being his hands and ribs. Closing the door and his eyes, Romeo took a second to catch his breath before he felt himself being hit by another body; a smaller one, a familiar one with dark hair and bloodshot eyes. Ellie’s arms closed tightly around him and he winced, letting out a gruff cry of pain before gently prising her deathlike grip from him. Romeo kept Ellie close, but slid down to the floor before he threw up from the exertion of the violence. He knew he looked a mess, bruised and bloody beyond reason, but what mattered was that Ellie was safe and his dad hadn’t tried to hurt Zoe too. “Rome, are y’ okay?” He managed a small nod and tucked Ellie into his side and kissed her forehead, whispering promises of safety to her as she slowly calmed down. He reached up to wipe the blood from his face, knowing it was pointless really and then looked across at Zoe. “What are y’ doin’ ‘ere, love?”[/color] Her timing was nowhere near perfect, obviously and right now he needed to get himself cleaned up and put the apartment back in order, once he was certain that Ellie was calm enough again. This whole thing was just like eight years ago all over again, only back then things hadn’t become so violent.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 967
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe didn't have a clue about the story behind the Jervis siblings; she knew something had happened to land them together, but she'd never been told more, and she was too polite to pry. That is, until she walked into the middle of a fight between Romeo and some man that looked strangely like him. The arguement they'd had the other day seemed so trivial now compared to this; she'd almost forgotten all about it as she watched her boyfriend delivering death-blows in order to protect those he loved once again.

She tried to her best to tune out her rising questions and the sounds of punches as she made sure Ellie was okay, releasing her when the girl tore away to go to her brother. Zoe let them have their moment and debated quietly vanishing before things could have a chance to get more awkward, but she couldn't leave when Romeo was so obviously in need of a doctor and Ellie was so shaken up. Even if they were supposed to have been upset with each other, her need to take care of anyone and anything was too strong to ignore; especially since she'd been witness to one of his infamous fights before.

Zoe tried her best to ignore the blood gushing from his face, but the sight of him so banged up had her fingers itching to be helping. She'd heard his pained cry; she knew he wasn't okay, despite his telling that to his sister. Peeling off the t-shirt she had on, she adjusted the tank top underneath before bending down and pressing the cloth to the gash on his head. Using a corner of the shirt, she wiped some of the blood off his cheek. She didn't meet his eyes, but her hands trembled as she worked. Zoe didn't do human injuries and human fights on a daily basis, and treating Romeo made it ten times worse. She didn't want to hurt him anymore than she already had. "The box outside is yours," she said coolly, dabbing at the wound. She shook her head as the red continued to flow, pressing more firmly."Ellie, ya mind gettin' me a bowl'a warm water and some rags? We gotta git your brother cleaned up a'fore this blood gets worse." She inspected the other cuts on his face, doing everything possible so that her eyes would have an excuse not to connect with his. She wanted to say she was sorry, but all of it paled compared to now. Still, there was a block between them that wouldn't go away on its own; she just didn't have a chance to work at breaking it down now.

• • •

WORDS: 503!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

It wasn’t as though Romeo wasn’t used to people questioning the unconventional set up he had with the legal custody of his younger sister. Almost everyone who met them had asked about it at some point or another over the years and the siblings had come to agree that the answer of “It’s just easier” was usually enough information to stop people prying and it was vague enough to prevent any real insight into the past they both tried to pretend never happened. The last thing they needed was the memories and nightmares to resurface, though Romeo knew that now it was too late to fight that; there would be sleepless nights for them both in the upcoming weeks. He didn’t want the pitiful looks or the people trying extra hard to be there for them when they had coped before and were perfectly fine with keeping their secret to themselves.

It wasn’t like Romeo enjoyed fighting, but he had learnt a long time ago that sometimes it was just necessary. Regardless of the state he was in now, he thought it all worth it so long as those who he loved were safe once more. His injuries would heal, the apartment could be fixed and he just hoped that Ellie’s mental state could be too after all of this. He didn’t think about himself; he had been there before, survived it before and his role in her life was too important for him to have a breakdown now.

He flinched and pulled away when Zoe pressed the cloth to his face. The gash above his eye had been caused by the force of a blow knocking him into a table edge when he was doubled over and was probably the worst visible injury on him. It had grown worse after the follow up punches and blows though, the skin splitting open worse. The split lip and busted knuckles were nothing either of the girls hadn’t seen before and the trickle of blood from his nose wasn’t serious either, he could tell. The bruises hadn’t formed yet, but he had no doubt that he’d be black and blue in several places for some time after that altercation. Still, he could survive all of those with a few painkillers every couple of hours and a few days of rest. He knew how to take care of himself. “What box?”

[/color] He asked, wiping the blood from his lip again, clueless to what Zoe was talking about. This wasn’t exactly the state he wanted to be in when they spoke next and he knew that he was hardly in the best position to be making it up to her after their own fight when he was bloody and tired. Ellie nodded silently and hopped to her feet, shuffling through the ruins of their home for the things, despite Romeo trying to hold her back. “I’m fine. It’s nothin’ a shower and some pills can’t cure.”[/color] He said, not wanting a fuss. Slowly, he pushed himself back to his feet, wincing as the pain shot through him again. A deep breath fought off the feeling of nausea and he moved towards his room to change out of his blood stained shirt, but before he reached the door, he needed to sit back down again, the room spinning slightly before his eyes.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 574
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe was fighting off the urge to run and not come back until this was all over. She knew she wasn't supposed to have been witness to any of this because it was all a part of the past that she was clueless about. She should have just stayed home and waited for a text instead of showing up... and then no one would be here to insist that Romeo go to the hospital, which his injuries appeared to need. She may known how to sewn up a cut and clean a wound, but she was no certified doctor, and the last thing she wanted was him getting something infected from lack of proper care.

A strong hand held his face still as he flinched, moving with him as he tried to pull away. She'd seen gashes like this before and knew that you had to keep pressure on it until the bleeding stopped, especially since it was head-wound. Anywhere else would've probably slowed by now, but that couldn't be helped now. Zoe kept her shirt pressed against his skin, not caring if he tried to shove her off; he wasn't fine, and she was here to make sure that, eventually, he would be. "It ain't important now. Jest hold still and keep yer eye closed," she scolded in a gentle tone, tenderly brushing some of the hair off his forehead so it wouldn't get as soaked.

Zoe sighed impatiently as he stood up, tucking herself under his arm as she saw him sway so he at least wouldn't hit the floor. She helped him onto the couch, clicking her tongue. "Sit yer ass down and shuddup, would ya, Romeo? Yer jest gonna hurt yerself more," she said, as she dabbed at his cut again. Taking the supplies from Ellie, she soaked one of the rags and carefully pressed it to his head, using her hand and another rag to clean up some of the other cuts now decorating his face. If this didn't stop gushing soon, they were going to need to get to the hospital, but she didn't want to scare the poor teenager even more. It was obvious she was traumatized, though Zoe wasn't entirely aware from what. She just hoped Romeo wasn't too beaten up for his sister's sake.

• • •

WORDS: 407!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

He was surprised that Zoe was still there after everything that had gone down in the moments before, but then Romeo remembered Ellie. The country girl had fought with him, not his little sister and he doubted anyone would’ve walked away once they caught sight of the small brunette who was clearly in emotional turmoil. Unlike Romeo, Ellie let all of her feelings out, whilst he had grown up bottling most of them inside. That was probably why when he snapped, he didn’t exactly hold anything back. Still, he was thankful she was there for Ellie; he was still riled up and not in the best position to help take his sister’s mind off of everything that had happened and was happening. He knew he ought to call the police too, but he was a little more than exhausted right now and a good Scouser knows never to call the bobbies when too many questions could be asked.

Romeo didn’t want Zoe to be asking too many questions or fussing too much over him. He was pretty sure that it all looked worse than it actually was. He let out a rough sigh and relaxed slightly, closing his eyes only to still the pounding in his temples. “It’s nothin’ t’ get worried over, love.”

[/color] He told her gruffly as he coughed to clear his through, groaning and wincing again as the pain shook his torso. He wished they could’ve been reunited on better terms, maybe when he wasn’t so recently scuffed up from swinging fists and being thrown into furnishings. He wanted them to make up after their own little fight, but suddenly it all seemed so wrong to be thinking about that when his problems had escalated since that questionable afternoon. He didn’t want to talk about what had just happened, but he also didn’t want to reveal to Ellie that he had actually fell out with Zoe right before all of this family drama rolled into their lives once more. The younger Jervis believed that Romeo was just protecting his girlfriend from getting involved, which he was. If this hadn’t had happened then he would’ve text Zoe probably before she had text him.

He didn’t want to sit down, but Zoe didn’t exactly give him much choice in the matter. He kept grimacing as she tended to his facial wounds, sighing as Ellie sat in the space next to him, curling up to Romeo as though she needed to know that he was there. “Seriously, it’s nothin’ I ‘aven’t been through or taken care of before.”[/color] He said softly, revealing a small glimpse of his mysterious past. He hadn’t experienced them all at the same time, but most of these injuries weren’t exactly new to the rough city boy. He carefully rested his arm around Ellie’s shoulders, but the ache just grew and he had to bite his swollen lip to supress the groan. He wanted Ellie to be alright first and then he could worry about himself once he had calmed Zoe down too.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 541
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe didn't want to fight with him right now, but he wasn't giving her much of a choice. It was so obvious he wasn't fine, yet he kept pushing her off and saying there was no reason to fuss. If he didn't want her there, she'd go, and he could deal with all this himself; Ellie, the cuts, the blood, all of it. She'd leave after dropping the box in his doorway, and wouldn't attempt to talk to him again. How could she when he shut her out like this? She'd feel like an idiot texting him again, knowing she wouldn't get an answer, and she didn't want to annoy him. Their fight had been a lot bigger than what she'd thought. If he was going to continue pushing her away, there wasn't a reason for her to stay; not even Ellie was worth that humiliation.

She wanted to stay and help him though, no matter how logical leaving would've been. It was impossible for Zoe to abandon someone so beaten up without even trying to soothe the pain, even if the patient wouldn't admit to being hurt. Every time he moved, she saw the grimace and heard the groans; he wasn't exactly doing a great job at masking any of it. Despite that, she still kept getting the feeling that she should leave. It wasn't like she had any more business here, anyways.

Zoe looked to Ellie instead of Romeo, knowing the girl could take care of him since the country mouse wasn't wanted. "Keep this pressed to his head. If it don't slow down within the next couple minutes, call someone to take ya to the hospital," she said, placing the girl's hand on the bloody shirt and standing up. She kept screaming at herself to stay, but she couldn't; he'd never wanted her this close to his past before, and she couldn't handle being this close to him. Zoe backed away from the pair of them, running a shaking hand through her hair and saying, "Call me if ya need somethin', Ellie. I... I should... I'm..." She looked towards the door, then back to them, the fear crawling through her body. She shouldn't be here; she shouldn't be here. No one wanted her here. Romeo kept blowing her off and Ellie could survive without her comfort -- she had no reason to stay.

Shaking her head, she marched out to the hall and snatched up the box, coming back in and dropping it onto the floor in front of him. Zoe didn't want to do this with Ellie present, but she didn't have much of a choice. Besides, if his sister was there, at least someone would be looking after him. "If ya don't want my help, I'm jest gonna go. No reason to keep fightin' ya when yer only gonna get upset with me," she whispered, brushing a stubborn tear off her cheek as she turned back to the door. "That's yers. All of it. I don't want it back." She cast one longing look over her shoulder, more tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't walk out though; not yet, not until she'd heard his voice at least once more.

• • •

WORDS: 589!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
OUTFIT: BAM!
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo’s problem was that he wasn’t used to people fussing over him. All through his life he had taken care of himself whilst looking after everyone else; his mam during her bipolar episodes, Ellie throughout everything, Zoe when she had been attacked outside Borders on that fateful winter’s evening…He just wasn’t used to the roles being reversed. In fights in the past he had tended to his own injuries without a doctor’s opinion and it had never done him any harm so far, so in his mind he thought it was the exact same scenario now. He was too busy wanting to make sure Ellie was alright and squeeze a phone call in there to his mam to let her know what had happened. He hadn’t sat down to think about the extent of his injuries and let everything just sink in yet.

When it came to pain, he thought he handled it well, which he did under normal circumstances. However a lack of sleep combined with being flung about his apartment like a rag doll at the same time that every muscle in his body was tensed and fighting back did not exactly come under “normal”, even for a guy like him. Romeo had seen his fair share of scraps and tussles and the normal human accidents from nights out and DIY were not uncommon either, but one or two bruises were totally different to what he had just been through. There wasn’t a single part of his body that didn’t ache, but he didn’t want to let Ellie of all people see that. He was the strong, heroic big brother; he wasn’t supposed to fall down.

He remained silent whilst Zoe gave instructions to his sister. The last thing Ellie needed was to worry about him right now after all of this was going on. His eyes fell on the box, the vision in his left blurry from blood and swelling now. Wait, she was just going to leave? He arched over the back of the couch to grab her hand before she could reach the door, the twisted contortion of his body putting him worse pain, but he bit down to hide it until he was able to tolerate it just enough for what he needed to do now. “I said there’s no need t’ fuss over us. I didn’t tell y’ t’ bail.”

[/color] He said, forcing a small smirk through the pain. Yes, they now had double the amount to talk about, but he trusted that she could wait a little longer for his own tale given the circumstances and Romeo’s unpreparedness to have to reveal it to her. Never before did he feel as though he’d have to dig up the skeletons buried in his past and display them for anyone else to see, but how could he pretend there was nothing to tell when she had just seen that fight with her very own pale eyes?

He couldn’t tell her much with Ellie in the room. It was still too raw for the sixteen year old and there was a lot she didn’t understand fully about what had happened in the past given that she was just eight at the time when Romeo had taken the punch to protect her. Since then, he had done his best to shield her from everything and taking her in legally when she was just thirteen had been another choice to protect her. Right now, he was trying to keep her from freaking out and panicking and wide eyes flitting between Romeo and Zoe were not a sign of a calm teenager. Romeo tried to plead with his eyes; he wanted Zoe to stay so that they may eventually talk, but he needed her for Ellie right now too. She knew nothing of their fight and this was not the time to tell her either.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 648
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Despite them being polar opposites in many respects, they had one trait in common: they both hated being fussed over. She was as bad as he was when it came to people attempting to take care of her, but at least she knew when to surrender. Zoe wouldn't continuously shove the help away when she desperately needed it, especially when it was obvious she was hurt. Pills and Band-Aids couldn't fix everything; doctors and nurses could at least attempt to.

If there was one person able to keep her in the apartment, it was Ellie. The girl didn't deserve to be traumatized like this; no one did. Zoe also saw her own sisters mirrored in the teenager's face, and it hit even closer to her heart than Romeo's injuries. He was apparently able to heal himself out of stubborness, but she knew what mental games attacks like these caused. The country mouse still dealt with her own on a daily basis, and she wished Ellie didn't ever have to suffer from it. No Superman could protect her from the memories or nightmares.

Zoe's entire body tensed as his hand grabbed hers, her shoulders going rigid. They had so much to talk about, so much to figure out; she couldn't act like none of it mattered or hadn't happened. Their fight, the one she'd just witnessed, all of the secrets that had to be surrounding the man who Romeo had been punching... she couldn't just shake it off. He knew she was no actress, yet she currently felt like she was on a stage. It may have been to protect the teenager watching their every move, but Zoe couldn't lie to save her life, especially when his eyes were looking at her like that.

She ripped her hand from his and wrapped her arms around herself, making sure she was out of his reach this time. "If I stay, yer goin' to the hospital. No fuss 'bout it, no arguin', and no protestin'," she said, meeting his eyes with her chilling ones. Zoe didn't want to break this wall yet and, until they did, she wasn't going to be the sweet young lady he knew. She had her stormy side, too, and she wasn't going to let it leave until he was safe under a doctor's care and Ellie wasn't so worked up.

• • •

WORDS: 425!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo didn’t want to go to the hospital. He was fairly certain that he would be fine after rest, a hot shower and some pain medication to knock him out for a good eight hours of sleep. In his mind, the damage wasn’t all that bad, but he hadn’t had a chance to look himself over yet as he was more concerned about his little sister and how she was holding up. It wasn’t the fight that he was worried about, but the past that had resurfaced in both of their minds a few nights earlier when their dad had come knocking the first time around. Since then, they had both been fighting to remain in control of their memories, but Romeo knew that Ellie’s nightmares were worse than his. She had been younger and less able to understand everything at the time, whereas Romeo was a teenager and had spent many a day and night fumbling through altercations and fighting his way out of danger before.

His heart sank even more when she tore her hand from his. Maybe she had changed her mind about them after seeing that fight in the hallway. She had appeared to be disgusted by his “city boy” lifestyle, but Romeo couldn’t change any of that; it was who he was. Still, she had never been privy to the darker side of that reality and why Romeo was the man who he was. During their argument, Zoe had screamed at him about his vices and how they weren’t a cure for his problems, but at that point she didn’t know how Romeo had come to be where he was in life. The tall Scouser could’ve turned out a lot worse considering everything he had repressed; smoking and swearing was probably the safest outcome after everything.

“Fine, but they ain’t keepin’ us in there, like.”

[/color] They could clean him up, give him some drugs for the pain and then he was out of there. He wasn’t about to spend a night in hospital when there was still a lot to deal with here at home. He picked the phone up from where it had landed on the floor and punched in the number for his mam, hugging Ellie as close as the pain would allow. “Aye, it’s us. Bastard came ‘round ‘ere again, but I got rid o’ ‘im. Can y’ call the bobbies an’ let ‘em know for us? Yeah, no we’re fine, just gonna ‘ead t’ the ozzy t’ get cleaned up. No. No, nothin’ like ‘at, just some scrapes on me, like.”[/color] He sighed at his mam’s frantic words, but the woman calmed down quick enough, realising her kids needed her right now. Hanging the phone up, Romeo went to place it on the table, but found it upturned. He rested it on the couch and pushed himself to his feet, one hand moving to his side where his ribs were more than just tender. “Let’s gerrit over with.”[/color] He said through gritted teeth, using the rag from Ellie to wipe over his face roughly. He limped to the front door, grabbing his keys and pulling it open for the two girls whilst also using it to support his weight for a moment.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 544
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe was in the dark about so much of what was going on right now. She didn't know why there'd been a fight; she didn't know why the two siblings were so worked up; she didn't know anything about this situation. All she had was that Romeo had taken a good beating and that he needed the hospital, even if he didn't want it. Broken ribs, a gash on his forehead, bruises enough to turn him into a patchwork quilt; the list quickly wracking up was plenty reason to resort to medical attention. Yet, he was still fighting her! She didn't care if the world was crashing down around their feet; he was going to the emergency room one way or another, even if she had to personally drag him them.

The trust issues between the couple were getting worse, but it couldn't really be stopped. How much more didn't she know about him? What else was he hiding from her? Were more deadly skeletons lurking in his closet that she had no clue about? Zoe was biting back the questions as best she could, but it wasn't easy. She had no idea where to even start the interrogation she so badly wanted to subject him to. She didn't even know if she'd get an honest answer from him; he may try and brush it all off and say he was "fine."

One blonde eyebrow rose at his remark, but she said nothing and kept her arms crossed protectively over her chest. She didn't want to deal with his attitude right now; let the doctors get him on some pain meds and she'd try again. Until then, she was going to let him think whatever he wanted. In the end, she'd be the one watching as they chained him to the hospital bed so he couldn't escape. Zoe attempted to tune out the phonecall, using the chance to inspect Ellie for any injuries or scrapes. She seemed a lot better off than her brother physically, and Zoe would talk to her while Romeo was whisked off to be cleaned up. That way, she could have a conversation with the girl without her brother trying to interrupt.

Blue eyes rolled as Romeo grabbed his keys. Zoe walked up to him, easily taking them and producing her own. "I'd sooner trust yer sister with a car than I would you right now. Ya ain't fit ta walk, let alone drive," she said. Her voice held a hint of tenderness in it, but she turned away before she could continue. Zoe was cringing from acting so cruel, but she had no idea what was happening and she hated being in the dark about all of this, and for so long. She was more than a little upset that he'd never told her, or warned her... he'd never trusted her with his biggest secret.

Looking back to the teenager, she mustered a weak smile and looped an arm through the taller girl's."Ellie, ya want shotgun? I'm sure yer brother will be more comfortable in back, anyways," she said, turning her head slightly to give Romeo a tiny glare. Zoe wasn't about to put up with him in the passenger's seat all the way to the hospital; Ellie would at least be somewhat quiet.

• • •

WORDS: 585!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Even if his ribs were broken, Romeo knew that the hospital could do nothing for him. Pressure on them caused more harm than good and after he had drove his friend from work to the hospital after an accident in the back, he had heard constantly about how all they offered was rest and strong pain medication. He figured it would be the same for him after they had looked him over and cleaned his cuts. Mainly, he didn't want Ellie to panic and staying in hospital would give her more than enough of a reason to. He could rest up at home without a stiff hospital bed and nurses bothering him every couple of hours - he was certain his mam, if not Zoe, would be more than keen to take on that role.

He looked down at Zoe and plucked his keys back from her hands. "I was grabbin' 'em so that I could lock the place up."

[/color] He told her, gesturing to the door and the deadbolt that kept them safe. He may have been stubborn about people taking care of him, but he wasn't stupid enough to try and drive when he could barely see out of one of his eyes. He assumed Zoe was a little pissed by everything she had just seen and the lack of explanation for it all, but he hadn't planned on ever telling anyone about this part of his past. Not to protect himself, but to protect Ellie; she didn't want anyone to know and she didn't want the pitying looks that people threw her way. At school there had been trouble from other kids about why she didn't live with her parents, but Romeo had quickly worked to put an end to it with the teacher's help. He didn't want any of that to happen again now and whilst he trusted that Zoe wouldn't spread it around the city, he didn't want to betray his little sister either. Obviously, he'd have to tell the blonde country girl something now, but he wanted to make sure Ellie was around first and he wanted the brunette to understand why he had to tell her. That was if she stuck around for an explanation; the way things were going now, it didn't seem that way.

He didn't miss the glare Zoe shot at him, but he didn't want to fight with anyone else, especially not in front of Ellie, given her state right now. He waited for the two women to exit the apartment and then locked up the apartment, checking it all twice over before limping slowly and cautiously down the hallway to the elevator, one hand still resting gently on his ribs as the metal box lowered them to the ground floor and the exit of the building. Luckily, the home wasn't the fanciest of apartment buildings and he wasn't the first person to walk through it bloody and bruised like this. The residents were a mainly friendly bunch, but they did have their own demons to face from time to time and everyone there understood that the less questions that were asked, the easier it was to move on in life. It was almost as though it was a requirement to have excess baggage in your life in order to live there.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 643
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe may have been a little more than upset with Romeo, but she wouldn't take it out on Ellie; the girl had been through enough today without having to see the usually happy couple screaming at each other. Still, her presence wouldn't stop the country mouse from shooting glares and harsh remarks towards her brother. They had so much to talk about now, it'd take them an entire night just to work through it all, and she wasn't planning on being civil until he'd offered some sort of explanation for this. She'd be there for him, though; he had asked her to stay. They may not have been on good terms, but she couldn't leave him after that.

Her lips pressed into a tight line as she let him take his keys back. She kept her own out, walking with his sister down the hall to the elevator. Let him walk by himself; she'd probably get shoved away if she offered any help. Zoe kept Ellie close, however, a comforting arm through the girl's as she led her towards the little car that belonged to the country mouse. It was by no means an expensive sports model, but it got her from point A to point B and that was all she cared about. She unlocked the doors, opening the back one for Romeo. "I get to do this for once," she joked with a dry smirk, climbing into her own seat and slamming the driver's door shut. Zoe started up the car, pulling out of the lot and into the New York streets.

Traffic wasn't terrible, but the lunch rush was beginning and she hoped she'd be able to avoid some of it. She didn't want Romeo suffering any longer than he had to, though she was sure he'd be feeling each of those punches tomorrow morning or even later on tonight. She didn't know if she'd be around to see any of the after-effects, but she hoped the doctors gave him plenty of meds to dull the pain. She wove through the streets as she editted her own thoughts, trying to keep herself quiet as she focused on driving.

The hospital in sight, Zoe drove into the Emergency Room parking area, finding a spot and cutting the engine. She freed her keys and unlocked the doors, getting out with what little grace she posessed and opening the back door again. "I'll get Ellie some food er somethin' while they're dealin' with ya," she said quietly to Romeo before giving the teenager a warm smile. "Bet ya could use a little girl time, hm?" Zoe would work to take her mind off of the events of the morning and relax her a little before handing her back over to her brother. Hospital cafeteria lunch and sitting in a waiting room may not have been the best remedies, but they were all that were available and she was going to put them to use somehow.

• • •

WORDS: 629!
TAG: Romeo! <3
LOCATION: His Place, New York
OUTFIT: BAM!
LYRICS: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

The drive to the hospital did Romeo no favours whatsoever. He felt every pothole and bump in the road, the lurches sending pain through his whole body, especially his torso and ribs. As the rush of adrenaline wore away, the pain became more real and he had to remain silent, his teeth gritted together, to stop from groaning and exclaiming at each new sharp sensation that ripped through his body. New York streets were never kind in any form, it seemed and this was the worst Romeo had experienced them and his city eyes had seen plenty before now.

He still didn’t want to go to the hospital, but right now he wanted to get there more than anything, just so he could climb out of the car and the bumpy ride would be over. Still, he was more concerned about Ellie than he was himself. She had been so scared these last few days that he didn’t want her to be worried about him or some injuries that would heal within a month or so. He needed to be the big brother he had always been for her, now more than ever and he couldn’t let her think that he had gotten so beaten up because of her.

At the hospital, Romeo forced himself out of the car with a grimace, leaning against the vehicle for support until the pain ebbed just enough for him to move again. Zoe’s car was practical but not comfortable when a six foot one guy with injuries like Romeo’s was crammed into the pack with no room to stretch out. His eyes moved to look across at her and he nodded slowly. “Not sure if she’ll eat much.”

[/color] He warned her gently as he began to walk towards the doors. If they could just give him some drugs to numb the pain then he could take of the rest himself in the comfort of his own apartment, which he needed to get back to in order to tidy it up and sort it all out. Ellie walked meekly behind Romeo, sticking close to both him and Zoe. He only stepped away from her once they were inside, when he moved towards the desk, the nurse there looking up at him with a curious and tired expression. It was probably nothing they hadn’t all seen before, but it was probably more common on a weekend night, rather than a sunny afternoon.

She handed him the paperwork to fill in and Romeo winced as he gripped the pen, the movement of his fingers splitting open the tender wounds of his knuckles from where he had given more than he got. It was in untidy scrawl that he wrote down the required information and slid the clipboard and paper back to the woman. He just wanted this over and done by now. Turning to Ellie as a doctor called his name, Romeo forced a reassuring smile at her and squeezed her hand. “Zoe’ll keep ‘er eye on y’. I’ll only be ‘alf an hour.”[/color] No matter what they had to say, they were not keeping him in the hospital for any longer than was essential.
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• • •

TAGGED! His Juliet <3
WORDS! 563
OUTFIT! Sexy Mofo!
LYRICS! Daddy’s Gone - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3