Chapter: The Glass, The Blood, The Memories
(AUTHOR'S POV)
The morning started like any other.
Sunlight streaming through the windows.
Birds chirping outside.
The house slowly waking up.
Jay was in the kitchen with Keifer.
He was making her soup.
Because that's what husbands do.
Especially when their wives mention feeling a little cold.
Nothing serious.
Just a small chill.
But Keifer—
Keifer treated it like a national emergency.
"Sit down."
"Rest."
"I'll make soup."
Jay laughed.
"It's just a chill."
"It's a SYMPTOM."
"Of what?"
"Of YOU being sick."
"Which is NOT allowed."
She smiled.
Warm.
Fond.
"My protector."
He kissed her head.
"Always."
"Now sit."
She sat at the kitchen island.
Watched him move around.
Opening cabinets.
Gathering ingredients.
Looking completely lost.
"Keifer."
"Yeah?"
"You know how to make soup?"
He paused.
"...How hard can it be?"
She laughed.
"Famous last words."
---
The Accident
Keifer was determined.
Chopping vegetables.
Adding things to a pot.
Stirring.
Tasting.
Frowning.
Repeat.
Jay watched.
Amused.
Entertained.
In love.
He looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"Just enjoying the view."
He blushed.
Slightly.
Adorable.
"Focus on resting."
"I am resting."
"Watching you cook is rest?"
"The best kind."
He shook his head.
But he was smiling.
He turned back to the stove.
Reached for something.
His elbow hit a glass.
On the counter.
It tipped.
Fell.
Shattered.
Loud crash.
Jay jumped up.
"Keifer?!"
He didn't answer.
She ran toward the kitchen doorway.
Then—
She heard it.
A scream.
His scream.
Short.
Sharp.
Painful.
Her heart stopped.
"KEIFER!"
She ran.
---
The Kitchen
She reached the doorway.
And froze.
Keifer was on the floor.
On his back.
Legs tangled.
Looking dazed.
But alive.
Thank God.
Alive.
She stepped forward.
"Keifer—"
His eyes found her.
Then something else.
Behind her.
On the floor.
Glass.
Shards everywhere.
Broken pieces glittering.
Dangerous.
His eyes widened.
"Jay, stop!"
She didn't understand.
"What?"
"Don't move!"
"Why—"
He saw it.
Her next step.
Right toward a large shard.
She hadn't noticed.
Would step on it.
Get hurt.
Bleed.
No.
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Slid across the floor.
Ignored the glass cutting him.
Reached out.
Put his hand down.
Right where she would step.
She stepped.
On his hand.
Her full weight.
His hand against the glass.
He grunted.
Didn't move.
Didn't pull away.
Because if he did—
She would step on it.
She would get hurt.
That wasn't allowed.
Never allowed.
Jay looked down.
Confused.
"Keifer, what—"
Then she saw it.
Blood.
Coming from under his hand.
His hand.
The one she was standing on.
Red.
Spreading.
Pooling.
Her eyes widened.
"KEIFER!"
"YOUR HAND!"
He tried to smile.
"It's okay."
"Just— just step back."
"Carefully."
"Don't step on the glass."
She looked around.
Finally saw it.
Shards everywhere.
Danger everywhere.
And his hand—
Bleeding.
Because of her.
Because he protected her.
Again.
Always.
---
The Flashback
She stepped back.
Carefully.
Away from the glass.
Away from him.
But her eyes stayed on the blood.
On his hand.
Red.
Wet.
Spreading.
Something shifted in her mind.
A door opened.
One she kept locked.
One she never wanted to open.
Memories flooded back.
Not hers.
Her mother's.
From years ago.
Watching.
Helpless.
Her mother's husband.
Drunk.
Angry.
Fists flying.
Blood on the floor.
On her mother's face.
On her mother's body.
Screams.
Cries.
Pleas.
And Jay—
Little Jay—
Watching from the corner.
Unable to help.
Unable to stop it.
Unable to do anything.
The blood.
So much blood.
Her mother's blood.
She blinked.
Keifer was saying something.
"Jay?"
"Jay, look at me."
"Don't look at the blood."
"Look at me."
But she couldn't.
The memories were too loud.
Too strong.
Too real.
Her breathing changed.
Fast.
Shallow.
Panicked.
Her hands started shaking.
Her body trembled.
"No," she whispered.
"No, no, no."
Keifer tried to stand.
Wincing.
Hand bleeding.
"Jay, baby, it's okay."
"It's just a cut."
"I'm okay."
She didn't hear him.
She was somewhere else.
Five years old.
Watching.
Terrified.
Helpless.
The screams started.
Not her mother's.
Hers.
---
The Scream
It started low.
A whimper.
Then grew.
Louder.
Higher.
More desperate.
A scream that came from somewhere deep.
Somewhere wounded.
Somewhere broken.
"NO!"
"NO!"
"STOP!"
"PLEASE STOP!"
Keifer's heart shattered.
"Jay!"
He reached for her.
She backed away.
Arms wrapped around herself.
Rocking.
Screaming.
Tears streaming.
Not seeing him.
Not seeing anything.
Seeing her mother.
Seeing the blood.
Seeing the monster.
"JAY!"
Footsteps.
Running.
Aries appeared first.
Took one look.
Ran to her.
Grabbed her.
Held her tight.
From behind.
Arms around her.
Keeping her from hurting herself.
From running into glass.
From collapsing.
She struggled.
Screamed.
Fought.
He held on.
"Jay, it's me!"
"It's Aries!"
"Your brother!"
"You're safe!"
"You're SAFE!"
She didn't hear.
Didn't stop.
Percy appeared.
Saw Keifer on the floor.
Hand bleeding.
"KEIFER!"
Keifer pointed.
"Glass."
"Everywhere."
"Get— get something—"
Percy ran.
Grabbed a towel.
Tossed it.
Keifer caught it.
Pressed it to his hand.
Winced.
But his eyes stayed on Jay.
On her screams.
On her pain.
On his failure to protect her from this.
Lia ran in next.
Took one look.
Grabbed her phone.
"I'm calling Tita Gemma."
"Tito Rachel."
"Everyone."
Angelo appeared behind her.
Saw the scene.
Saw Jay screaming in Aries' arms.
Saw Keifer on the floor.
Saw the blood.
The glass.
"What happened?!"
Lia shook her head.
"Don't know."
"But she's—"
"She's not here."
"She's somewhere else."
Angelo moved.
Carefully.
Around the glass.
Kneeled beside Keifer.
"Your hand."
Keifer shook his head.
"Don't care."
"Her."
"Help her."
Angelo looked at Jay.
At her screams.
At her tears.
At the terror in her eyes.
"Memories," he said quietly.
"Something triggered memories."
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"Her mother's husband."
"The abuse."
"She saw—"
He couldn't finish.
Angelo nodded.
Understood.
---
The Breaking Point
Jay screamed until her voice broke.
Until it became hoarse.
Until she had nothing left.
But she didn't stop.
Couldn't stop.
The memories kept coming.
Keifer finally stood.
Hand wrapped in a towel.
Blood seeping through.
He walked toward her.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Aries looked at him.
"Keifer—"
"Let me."
"She needs me."
Aries hesitated.
Then nodded.
Moved aside.
Keifer stood in front of Jay.
She was still shaking.
Still crying.
Still screaming softly.
Raw.
Broken.
Lost.
He reached out.
Bloody hand and all.
Cupped her face.
Gentle.
So gentle.
"Jay."
"It's me."
"It's Keifer."
"Your husband."
"Your hubby."
She blinked.
Eyes unfocused.
"Keifer?"
"Yes, baby."
"I'm here."
"I'm right here."
She looked at him.
Really looked.
Saw his face.
His eyes.
His love.
Then—
She saw his hand.
The blood.
Her eyes widened.
"Your hand—"
"It's nothing."
"YOU'RE BLEEDING!"
"It's just a cut."
"BECAUSE OF ME!"
She grabbed his hand.
Tried to look.
He pulled it back.
"Jay, don't—"
"LET ME SEE!"
She reached again.
He grabbed her.
Pulled her close.
Held her tight.
Despite the pain.
Despite the blood.
Despite everything.
"I'm okay."
"I'm right here."
"I'm not going anywhere."
She struggled.
"Your hand—"
"Doesn't matter."
"YES IT DOES!"
"No."
He held her tighter.
"Nothing matters more than you."
"Nothing."
She stopped struggling.
Went limp in his arms.
Still shaking.
Still crying.
But quieter now.
Smaller.
He held her.
Rocked her.
Whispered.
"I'm here."
"I'm safe."
"You're safe."
"We're okay."
She looked up.
Opened her mouth.
Then—
Her eyes rolled back.
Her body went limp.
She collapsed in his arms.
Keifer caught her.
"Jay?!"
"JAY!"
No response.
Unconscious.
Aries stepped forward.
"She fainted."
"Too much."
"Her body shut down."
Keifer held her.
Tight.
Face in her hair.
Shaking.
"She's okay."
"She has to be okay."
Angelo put a hand on his shoulder.
"She will be."
"She's strong."
"She's a Fernandez now."
Keifer looked up.
Eyes wet.
"She's everything."
Angelo nodded.
"We know."
"Now let's get her to the couch."
"And get your hand fixed."
Keifer looked at his hand.
Didn't care.
But he nodded.
Lifted Jay carefully.
Cradled her like she was made of glass.
Walked to the living room.
Laid her on the couch.
Kneeled beside her.
Holding her hand.
Waiting.
---
The Aftermath
Everyone gathered.
Quiet.
Worried.
Tita Gemma arrived.
Took one look.
Went to the kitchen.
Came back with first aid.
Kneeled beside Keifer.
"Your hand."
He didn't move.
"Keifer."
"Your hand."
He looked at her.
"Jay first."
"She's unconscious."
"I need to—"
Tita Gemma grabbed his hand.
Firm.
"Let me help you."
"So you can help her."
He hesitated.
Then nodded.
She cleaned the wound.
Glass pieces.
Deep cuts.
Blood still flowing.
He didn't flinch.
Didn't look away from Jay.
Tito Rachel stood behind.
Watching.
Quiet.
Angelo leaned against the wall.
Arms crossed.
Face serious.
Lia sat on the floor nearby.
Eyes on Jay.
Aries and Percy stood together.
For once—
Not joking.
Not laughing.
Just waiting.
Hoping.
---
The Wait
Minutes passed.
Five.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Jay didn't move.
Keifer didn't move.
Just held her hand.
Whispered to her.
"Come back to me."
"Please come back."
"I need you."
"Wifey."
"Please."
Aries watched.
Heart breaking.
"She'll wake up."
"She always does."
Percy nodded.
"She's strong."
"The strongest."
Lia spoke quietly.
"What happened to her?"
Aries answered.
"Her mother's husband."
"Abuse."
"She saw it."
"Many times."
"And today—"
"The blood triggered it."
Lia's face hardened.
"That monster."
"If I ever meet him—"
Angelo's voice.
"Me first."
Everyone looked at him.
His face was stone.
Cold.
Dangerous.
"No one hurts our family."
"No one."
They believed him.
---
The Awakening
Jay stirred.
Small movement.
Her fingers twitched.
Keifer felt it.
Looked down.
"Jay?"
"Baby?"
Her eyes fluttered.
Opened slowly.
Confused.
Disoriented.
Then—
She saw him.
"Keifer?"
He almost cried.
"I'm here."
"I'm right here."
She tried to sit up.
He helped her.
Gentle.
Careful.
She looked around.
At everyone watching.
At Aries.
Percy.
Lia.
Angelo.
Tita Gemma.
Tito Rachel.
All there.
All worried.
All family.
"What— what happened?"
Keifer touched her face.
"You fainted."
"You saw the blood."
"And—"
He paused.
"Memories?"
She blinked.
Then it came back.
The glass.
The blood.
His hand.
Her mother.
The monster.
She grabbed his hand.
Looked at it.
Wrapped.
Blood seeping.
"Your hand—"
"It's fine."
"YOU'RE BLEEDING!"
"Small cuts."
"BECAUSE OF ME!"
She started shaking again.
He pulled her close.
"No."
"Not because of you."
"FOR you."
"I put my hand there."
"To protect you."
"And I'd do it again."
"A thousand times."
"Every time."
She cried.
Quiet tears.
"Idiot."
He smiled.
Soft.
Warm.
"Your idiot."
She hit his chest.
Weak.
"No power."
He held her.
"Love you, wifey."
She buried her face in his neck.
"Love you too, hubby."
"Don't scare me like that again."
He kissed her head.
"You first."
She laughed.
Small.
Weak.
But real.
"Deal."
---
The Family
Everyone relaxed.
Slightly.
Tita Gemma brought tea.
Lia brought blankets.
Aries and Percy sat nearby.
Quiet.
For once.
Angelo stood behind the couch.
Hand on Keifer's shoulder.
Squeezed.
"Good job."
Keifer looked up.
"She's my wife."
"She's my everything."
"Of course."
Angelo nodded.
"Good answer."
Lia crawled onto the couch.
Beside Jay.
Took her hand.
"You scared us."
Jay smiled.
Weak.
"Sorry."
"Don't be sorry."
"Just—"
"Don't do it again."
Jay laughed.
"Can't promise."
Lia grinned.
"Didn't think so."
Jay looked at Keifer's hand.
Frowned.
"We need to fix that properly."
He shook his head.
"Later."
"NOW."
"Jay—"
"Keifer."
They stared at each other.
She won.
Obviously.
Tita Gemma stepped in.
"I'll do it properly."
"Both of you sit."
They sat.
Together.
Hand in hand.
---
The End
Later that night.
Everyone in the living room.
Talking quietly.
Laughing softly.
Recovering.
Jay leaned against Keifer.
His arm around her.
His hand wrapped.
But healing.
She touched the bandage.
"I'm sorry."
He kissed her head.
"Stop apologizing."
"But—"
"No buts."
"You're here."
"You're safe."
"You're mine."
"That's all that matters."
She looked up.
"I love you."
He smiled.
"I love you too."
"More than anything."
She snuggled closer.
"Forever?"
"Forever."
Aries watched.
Whispered to Percy.
"They're cute."
Percy nodded.
"Disgustingly cute."
"But also—"
"Ours."
Aries smiled.
"Yeah."
"Ours."
The chaos family.
Broken.
Healing.
Loving.
Always together.
---
The End
(For now.)