#anyway. everything that happened in the bar is playing on repeat in my head. antonio and rebecca are so hot together. help.

[thegreatdemonzhuyan]

Femme Fatale (2002)

[multi-goodness]

Happy Ending

I meant to get this done last night but I was so exhausted. I wasn’t even sure what direction I wanted to take with this story so  you may notice that lmao. Anyway, enjoy!

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“Sylvie, come to Molly’s and just drink your thoughts away.” Gabby insisted through the phone.

“I don’t feel like coming out tonight, at least not yet. I feel so humiliated. I went through years making sure every guy I went on a date with was single.” Sylvie sighed as she looked down at the carton of ice cream on her lap. She moved the spoon into her mouth and took a bite.

“So, it happened. You get back up, dust yourself off and move on.” Gabby said as she poured a drink for Mouch.

“I know. I’ll try to stop by later, okay?” Sylvie said and hung up the phone, causing Gabby to sigh.

She wanted so badly to stop by and check on Sylvie but knew she couldn’t get Herrmann to handle the bar on his own.

“What’s got you making that face?” Antonio asked as he sat down across from his sister.

“Nothing, just tired.” She lied, knowing Antonio was the last person Sylvie wanted to know about her awful humiliation.

“I hear that.” Antonio said. “Give me a beer.”

Gabby walked away to retrieved him a beer and a few seconds later, she returned placing it down in front of him. “How’s Eva?” She asked.

“She’s good, just busy writing her college essay. She amazes me.” He replied with a smile.

“I’ll have to stop by and spend time with her one of these days.” Gabby said, wanting to ease her way into what she wanted to talk about, or rather who she wanted to talk about.

“She would love that.” Antonio said as he took a sip from the beer.

“Keeping it easy tonight, huh?” Gabby asked, arching her eyebrows at his beer.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Eva’s been--uh, every night when I come home, she’s been waiting for me. I don’t want to come home drunk and she thinks I rather go out and drink than spend time with her.” He explained. Although it was the truth, there was also another reason. A reason he couldn’t admit to himself right now, much less admit it to his sister.

“I have to say though, it makes me feel better knowing that someone is watching out for you.” She confessed.

He shrugged his shoulders once again, letting the silence take over them.

“So, um, how’s the single life treating you?” She asked softly. “I’m sure now that everyone knows you’re available again, they can’t keep their hands off you.” Gabby felt like that was the only way to get his attention.

Antonio gave her a puzzled look. “They?” He repeated. “Who is they?” He shook his head, he knew his sister well enough to know what she meant. “If you want to know if I’m seeing anyone, my answer is no. Could have just asked, you know?”

Gabby shrugged her shoulders. “You might tell me everything but due to the circumstances this time, I’m not sure.”

“Well, you can relax, I’m not dating anyone. I tried with Sylvie, it failed miserably. I don’t want to do that again.” He felt like if it couldn’t work with Sylvie, why else would it work with anyone else?

“You know I just want you to be happy.” Gabby said as she poured herself a shot. “Sylvie’s getting back in the dating world, you should too.” There, she thought, what she was dying to him since he sat down was finally out in the open.

As soon as Antonio heard Sylvie was moving on from him, his jaws clenched. He obviously wasn’t happy with the news but what could he do? She wasn’t his anymore. She was free whatever she wanted, and that meant dating other people. After a few seconds, he unclenched his jaw, visibly relaxing.

“I’m happy for her.” He said, wishing he had a strong drink in front of him now.

“Which is all you can allow yourself to say.” She pointed you. She placed the shot glass down on the bar counter top as she leaned forward. “So, you’ll be okay if she gets serious with this guy? If she falls in love with him?” She questioned accusingly. “I should also mention he’s a doctor.” Gabby knew she was playing an evil game with him, but she was also tiring of seeing Sylvie hurt, she deserved better and knew Antonio could give her better.

Antonio glared at her, his anger and jealous shining through his eyes, but he tried to downplayed it. Because the truth was, his life was still a mess, even so more now that he went back to intelligence and he was dealing with issues with Voight. “If you want me to say I still have feelings for Sylvie, I do and I’m not denying that. But if this doctor can make her happier than I did and put her first, who am I to get in the way of that? She deserves to be happy.”

“Yeah, well, she was happy.” Gabby admitted.

“Was?” He asked. “What does that mean?”

Sometimes Gabby wished she could knock some sense into Antonio, especially when it came to his feelings. He obviously still wanted Sylvie, but because he felt like he had too many baggage, he let Sylvie go.

“We um, stopped at Lakeshore where he worked, and that was when Sylvie found out,” Gabby looked at Antonio to see his reaction, but she continued anyway. Hopefully he wouldn’t track down this doctor himself and kick his ass. At this point, Antonio was bound to do anything. “that he was....married.”

Antonio looked at his sister, his nostril flaring with anger. “Wait, what, married?” It wasn’t a question, but more like a question in disbelief. He knew guys like this existed but could never understand why.

She nodded her head as she finally lifted the shot glass toward her lips and downed it. “She was of course angry, you know first hand that she’s sweet but get on her bad side---”

“And you’ll see a different side of Sylvie that not many people know.” He finished her sentence.

“Yeah, so, anyway I dragged her out of there because we were still on shift. As much as I wanted to kick his ass for her, I knew it wasn’t the time nor the place.”

“When did this happen?” He asked.

“A few days ago.” Gabby sighed. “And now she’s swore off guys. I don’t blame her. Once this happens, you kind of don’t have hope that the next guy you meet will be any different.”

Antonio nodded his head, deep in thought. He wanted Sylvie to be happy so why was he so jealous that some other guy made her happy? It may have not lasted long but it made him jealous that even for one night, her mind wasn’t on him, as selfish as that sounded.

“Look, she’ll probably hate me for telling you because you are her ex-boyfriend, so if you talk to her, don’t let her know you know.”

Antonio broke out of his thoughts and he looked at Gabby. “I won’t. We haven’t talked really since our break up, and I doubt she wants to see me now.”

“I know what you’re thinking and what you’re going through.” Gabby began. “When me and Matt were on a break and he was seeing someone else, I was jealous. I didn’t let it show but I was. It didn’t last long but at least Sylvie didn’t sleep with him.” She said, trying to comfort him.

“Like I said earlier, Sylvie is free to do whatever she wants.” He reminded Gabby.

“She is.” She agreed. “And so are you. But you’re not.” She pointed out. “Why is that?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he stood up. “I told you already. I couldn’t make it work with Sylvie, so I don’t think I can make it work with anyone else.” He said as he reached in his pocket for money.

“That’s an excuse and we both know it.” She looked at Antonio. “As much as you want Sylvie to be happy, I want you to be happy too. And I have never seen you as happy as you were with Sylvie. Not even with Laura you were that happy.”

He placed a few bills on the bar and he shrugged his shoulders. “Some people don’t get happy endings and maybe I’m one of those people. But I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Antonio?” Gabby asked as he walked away just as Matt was walking over to Gabby.

“Everything okay?” He asked Gabby as he sat down where Antonio was sitting minutes prior.

“I sure hope so.” Maybe she pushed it too much with Antonio. Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut, but Gabby wasn’t known for keeping her mouth shut, that was for sure.

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After moping on the sofa for a few hours, Sylvie decided going out would make her feel better. It just had to.

As she putting makeup on her face, the last thing she had to do before she left her apartment, she heard a knock on the door. “Give me a minute!” She called out, knowing whoever it was, couldn’t hear it.

But she refused to answer the door with half makeup on. A few minutes later, she finally finished, not being one to overdo it with makeup anyway.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked over to the door. “I swear Cruz or Otis, if you guys forgot your key again---” She yelled as she opened the door, her eyes surprised to see standing on the other side of the door.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to show up unannounced.” Antonio apologized as he looked at Sylvie.

“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t busy.” Sylvie said, wishing that she could sounded more happy but she was still pretty bummed out, although it had nothing to do with Antonio showing up at her door.

“Were you, um, going out?” He asked. His thoughts went back to what Gabby said and he wondered if she forgave that doctor and agreed to go on a date and hear his side of things. Knowing Sylvie, she didn’t give him much of a chance to explain.

“I was just going to Molly’s.” She admitted. “But I can spare a few minutes. Come in.”

Antonio walked inside and he shut the door behind him.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?”

“I---,” Antonio remembered that he promised Gabby he wouldn’t say anything about what she told him. “I’m not sure. It was a rough day and I guess---I just wanted to see you, see how you were doing.” He admitted.

“You want a drink?” She asked.

He nodded his head. “Sure.” He walked over to her kitchen counter as Sylvie walked over to the refrigerator. “What sucks about breaking up isn’t so much the break up itself but also losing that friendship too.”

“It does.” She took a deep breath as she walked over to Antonio and handed him a beer. 

“Rough day?” He asked, wondering if she’d tell him about the douchebag doctor.

Sylvie nodded her head. “Rough week.” She confessed as she took a swig of her beer. “And it had nothing to do with my job.”

“Anything I can help with?” He asked softly, hoping he wasn’t overstepping.

“No.” She shook her head. “Maybe if you weren’t my ex, you could.”

He nodded his head. “I can understand that.” He walked over closer to her. “But maybe we should get over that awkward point in our break up and start working towards a friendship?” He suggested. “I mean, you are my sister’s partner and friend after all, we’re bound to run into each other....and even know each other’s business.”

“Gabby told you.” She laughed uncomfortably. “I’m gonna kill her, I am so gonna kill her.”

“Don’t. If she did it to gossip then I wouldn’t stop you, but she was concerned for you.” He pointed out.

“I know and I am grateful she’s my friend. But this sort of thing isn’t something you want your ex-boyfriend to know.” She reminded him. “Besides, it puts you in an awkward position. I know it would for me knowing that you are trying to move on.”

“You know I want you to be happy.” He said as he placed his beer down, he didn’t come over here to drink, he came over here to make sure she was okay. Even if Gabby told him she was, he had to see for himself.

“I want you to be happy too..” She said, her voice trailing off.

“But?” He questioned, knowing it sounded like a but in there too.

“But it would also drive me crazy knowing you tried to move on. It would drive me crazy knowing that you were giving your attention to someone else.”

“That’s because you didn’t end it, I did. Well, it felt like a mutual agreement. But you know what I mean.”

Sylvie placed her beer down next to his and she placed her hand on her face. “I just feel so stupid. It was like every time I tried moving on after you, I choose the wrong guys. First I was trying to marry a guy to give him a green card and now this doctor was married.” She sighed as she started pacing back and forth, clearly still upset. “I feel like a fool. Aren’t you supposed to pick up on something like this? Isn’t there something in your brain that says ‘This guy is married, run away.’”

“I don’t think so.” He replied. “Sometimes we want to believe something so badly that we ignore the red flags.”

“I think I’m more upset that this had to happen in front of Gabby, my ex-boyfriend’s sister. She may be my closest friend, but I should have known she would have told you.”

“I think Gabby had more of an agenda than just letting me know.” He pointed out.

“Maybe.” She agreed.

Antonio took a deep breath. “I just came here to see if you’re okay. Not that it’s any of my business but...”

“That’s sweet.” Sylvie said, meaning it. “I’m fine. I think it was just shocking, embarrassing, and just proves that I’m not a good judge of character.”

“Are any of us, really?” He questioned. “Some people can have us fooled and sadly there are a bunch of cheaters out there that are good at lying. Probably because they get so used to it, it’s a way of life for them now.”

“I don’t think that’s it though.” She admitted. “Yeah, he may have been a good lying maybe. But I think I was just trying to move on so badly that I didn’t stop and think of some signs.” Sylvie said as she walked over to the sofa and sat down.

“Or maybe you were using him.”

“I---I wasn’t!” Sylvie said defensively.

Antonio walked over to Sylvie and sat down next to her. “It wasn’t that long ago when we were dating that you told me you learned your lesson about dating guys that you met on ambo calls, did you not?”

“Well, yeah. But I was also in a better state of mind then too.” She pointed out. “I was in a relationship with you.”

“I’m just saying, it seems to me you were either looking at him as a rebound, which is perfectly normal, or you were waiting for something to happen.”

“I can admit, he did seem too good to be true and usually when that happens, I question it. Yet this time I didn’t. I think I was also tired of looking at what could go wrong and think about what could go right.” She looked over at him. “So, you’re saying you didn’t try to move on?”

He shook his head. “No. And now with Eva living with me, I doubt I’d try now.”

“She is?” She asked. “What happened?”

“She was having a tough time living with her mother. And she asked to live with me, which of course she didn’t need to. I love having her there. It can get challenging with my work schedule but it’s nice to come home seeing her there.”

“I bet it is.” Sylvie smiled softly.

“Anyway. I guess I should leave now so you can head over to Molly’s before it’s too late.” He stood up from the sofa and looked at her. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“I am, thank you.” Sylvie promised as she stood up with him. “But um, are you sure you came over here to make sure I was okay?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Make sure you aren’t giving up on guys for good.” He gave her a small smile.

“Did Gabby have to tell you everything?” She asked, frustrated.

“She meant well.”

“I know.” She agreed. “So, are you telling me that you weren’t jealous? Even just a little bit?” She asked softly as she walked behind him to the door.

As they reached the door, he turned around and faced her. “Does it matter?” He asked, searching her eyes.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I know I would be jealous if you were trying to move on from me.”

“Maybe I was jealous but after finding out what he did to you--”

“It makes you feel better?” She interrupted him.

“Better?” He echoed. “No way in hell would it make me feel better knowing that you got hurt. That wasn’t what I was trying to say.”

Sylvie stood there, urging him to continue what he was saying.

“I was going to say after finding out what he did to you, it makes me want to go over to the hospital he works out at and kick his ass in front of everyone, and then tell his wife what kind of person he is.” Antonio said, his anger returning. Since he came to Sylvie’s, he was able to keep his emotions in check but he was starting to lose control again.

“How would you even know where---” Sylvie shook her head. “I don’t even know what I’m saying.”

Antonio smiled, shrugging his shoulders. “So, you’re saying that if the roles were reversed and I went out with someone else, you would get jealous?” He asked, remembering what she said earlier.

“Well, yeah. We never broke up because the feelings weren’t there.” She pointed out. “I’m actually surprised that you aren’t dating anyone.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“Why do you say that?” He asked. “Before you, my last relationship was with Laura and that ended years ago.”

“Just because you don’t want to date anyone doesn’t mean no one is interested. I mean, have you looked at yourself?” At her words, Sylvie’s face began to heat up.

Antonio chuckled and he shrugged his shoulders. He closed the distance between them and whispered in her ear. “I guess that’s because I’m still not over you.”

“Antonio.” Sylvie said breathlessly.

He shook his head. “Not like this, Sylvie. Not like this.” The last thing he wanted to do was even talk about their feelings about each other when she’s still feeling hurt and humiliated.

She nodded her head. “Okay.” She tilted her head to the side as she thought about something. “You were right about something though.”

“Yeah?” He asked, wondering about what.

“I think I keep choosing these asshole guys because they are the opposite of you. And maybe I think that’s a good thing, but it isn’t. Because even through all of your baggage, namely your ex-wife, you’re still the best guy I know. You’re loyal, honest, and would never do anything to purposely hurt me or anyone else. If I’m being totally honest now, I think I needed to go on a date with that guy and find out he was married that way so I know the only guy in the world for me is you.” She admitted, biting down on her bottom lip.

Antonio processed everything she said and he nodded his head. “I understand what you’re saying, I do, and if I’m being honest too, I know you’re the one for me. But I don’t want to rush it this time. I came here tonight to make sure you’re okay. And you are.” He smiled softly. “But you still need time to get over what you went through and I’m giving you space to do that.”

Sylvie frowned. “But---”

“So how about I pick you up tomorrow night and we can discuss everything?” He suggested.

Sylvie grinned. “Sure.”

“Is 8:00 good?” He asked.

“It is.” She agreed.

“We’re going to do things right this time.” He promised as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Be careful going out tonight, okay?”

“I will.”

He opened the door and walked out.