Broken Hearts and Last Goodbyes (by Jen) - comments

[JosieTash]

EXQUISITE as always, Jen !!!!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED that, especially …..

Dark clouds looming above, the sky grey encroaching, not an inch of blue sky or sunlight present, and yet -- shadows. She feels cold, shivering, skin sensitive as she feels the rough hands rubbing into her body, every hair standing on end as the breath is hot on her neck. She tries to scream, to open her mouth and suck in the fresh air that she knows is there, but can’t. The air is suffocating and closing in, someone with strong, wide arms is squeezing, engulfing her, pushing all the oxygen out of her lungs until she’s gasping for air and her eyes fly open.

The room is dull, the light from outside blocked out by the thick curtains and Ruby can hear her heart pounding inside her chest, her breath rattling as she forces herself to stop. Just stop, and breathe in, hold, exhale.

Breathe in, hold, exhale.

Breathe in, hold, exhale.

Ruby wants to shut the door; close it and pretend she didn’t hear. Because now she knows how they feel; that Ruby is nothing more than an inconvenience. A silly little girl with a problem, and they are grown up and moved on and better off without her.

and Ruby knows what she needs to do. Ruby needs to at least pretend she’s holding it together; she can’t fall apart in front of them. Even if Nicole and Angelo can only see her as the small, pathetic child she was in Summer Bay this move was supposed to be a new start, a fresh break of sorts.

Ruby takes a deep breath, keeps her hands cupped around her mug, steadies herself before she looks up at catches Angelo’s eye. “Thanks for last night.”

“Ruby -” Angelo starts.

“No, I mean -- Thanks for everything, but I’m just going to go,” Ruby says, standing, ignoring the mostly full cup of coffee and cold toast.

“What? No, you don’t have to go,” Nicole says quickly. “Ben’s on a play date with a friend so we can hang out ... talk, if you want?”

“No, it’s fine,” Ruby repeats. “I’m fine. I just -- I need to get out, get on with ... things.” She doesn’t know what yet, just that she can’t stay any longer. Not with Angelo and Nicole looking at her with their forlorned expressions and wondering what mistake she’s going to make next.

She heads for the door before they can object. Angelo is offering to drop her off, Nicole wants her to at least eat something, but Ruby says very quietly, “I’ve got to learn to stand up on my own. I can’t have you chasing me across town making sure I’m okay.”

Nicole and Angelo are clearly confused, then realisation dawns on both their faces. Ruby slips out the front door without a look back.

[Red Ranger 1]

Shame Ruby overheard what she did, hope Nicole and Angelo don't give up on her and someone helps her soon.Looking forward to more!

[Jen]

JarlieFanEver - I don't doubt Nicole and Angelo's good intentions (Angelo did get her out of a particularly horrible situation) - but it's one of those things where Ruby can only be helped if she lets someone in. Maybe she's just waiting for the right someone . Thank you for reading.

JosieTash - I know I've said this before, but I always enjoy seeing which parts you quote. I like seeing whether they match my favourite bits. Thanks, as always.

Red Ranger 1 - Things definitely pick up in the next part. It also includes the scene that inspired me to write this whole thing. Hope you like .

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Whoa at the ending. Not expecting that at all...I am a fan of Casey/Ruby

Update soon xx

[JosieTash]

LOOOOOVED your comment bout seeing if the parts i quoted match your faves !!!!

That was sooooooooooooooooooooo ACE, most especially ......

Ruby gets through Monday by staying in bed, staring at the ceiling, counting backwards from one thousand. When she loses her place she starts over, because when she’s counting she can’t think about anything else. If she loses track it’s because her mind slips, to Casey or Charlie or Brax or Nicole and what they are doing/thinking/saying. But she can’t let herself slip up, so she starts over from the beginning.

Ruby takes the shirt and their fingers touch. This time, Casey slips them silently together. It’s like a muscle-memory, the way they fit -- the way they used to; always -- fingers laced, Casey’s thumb rubbing circles into the back of Ruby’s hand.

It’s the simplest of gestures, something Ruby wouldn’t have thought twice about a week ago, but now she’s been on her own, hit rock bottom, hauled herself out of the hole and it’s like a her skin is being burned. She snatches her hand away, goes to the laundry, tossing the shirt and jacket in the basket and grabbing a towel from the counter.

When Ruby opens her mouth to speak what comes out is a sob. She doesn’t want to hear sorry. She doesn’t want to be told not to cry, because that’s all she’s wanted to do for a week, and she hasn’t allowed herself to feel like this when Casey wasn’t around. She’s tried blocking it out, erasing the memory, the feeling, and nothing has worked. Because it’s not something that you can just ignore. It’s something that’s been lodged in her chest and in every breath she takes, every movement; she’s had to do it with caution, knowing that if she falls apart, there was no one to put her back together.

Because that is what Casey does. He holds her and collects the bits that have broken off and finds a way to make her whole again, and in this moment Ruby allows herself to fall apart.

She cries and doesn’t care that she’s wiping her tears into Casey’s skin, and that she can feel herself physically shaking against his body, which is somehow so warm compared to her own.

Casey is holding her tight, refusing to budge when she strains to get away. He holds her together and presses kisses to the top of her head and waits until she’s just breathing, swallowing hard and blinking up at him. His face is etched with concern and worry, and his eyes are shining too with unshed tears.

Ruby doesn’t know who kisses whom, whether they meet in the middle, but when they do it’s like Ruby actually feels the sun.

Ruby grips on to Casey’s chest, pulling him closer and Casey tilts his head, angling their mouths so they slide together in a practiced rhythm. He sucks at her lip, parts her mouth and slips his tongue in and Ruby balances on her toes, inching herself closer, wanting to melt herself into him, because Casey is the one who makes her whole again, who makes her feel things -- both the good and bad -- and she’s doesn’t want to feel nothing any more.

[RoRo90]

Just read this fic now and wow... that pretty much sums up how good this fic is

I was reading and all I could think was how much of a great writer you are

loved every one of those chapters... you conveys Ruby's emotion so well

So glad Angelo was at the bar

and Even more glad that Casey came after her

Cant wait to read more

[Red Ranger 1]

Nice update.Ooh at the end, not sure if they're in the right frame of mind to be taking that step.Looking forward to seeing what happens.

[Jen]

JarlieFanEver - Yay! I'm glad you're a Casey/Ruby fan. Of all the boys she was with, I think Casey suits her the best. Even to the very end when she kind of lost the plot.

JosieTash - Some of those bold sections are my favourites too .

RoRo90 - Wow. Thank you for reading and saying that. That's really nice of you. I hope you like this next part too.

Red Ranger 1 - Thanks. What can I say? - Ruby can only hold it together for so long. (And given I didn't want to stretch it out over lots of chapters, this is where we end up. Hope that's okay.)

Last part next. I know it's only short, but I only really wanted to write this snapshot. It's not really part of a bigger 'verse or anything. Thank you so much for reading .

[Inactive User]

Great chapter Loved the ending! Aww so cute and well-written! Well done, Jen Thank you soo much for writing a Casey/Ruby fanfiction. Loved it! And yes I am a fan of Casey/Ruby, Xavier/Sasha, Dex/April

[Red Ranger 1]

I found that ending really sweet, it's nice that Casey was able to be there for Ruby in the end and that she was able to see a future with him.Thanks for sharing!