Page 529 of Chaos has a Name
The weight of being the patriarchal figure was burying him in the mire of guilt.
It was time to glue his man back together again with time and love. Oh, and he knew that it was going to take a very long time.
If he could pull it off.
There was no doubt what was going to come with them, was going to be difficult, and Gene felt no joy being the only one here with Ethan.
He was losing his family too.
“It’ll be okay,” Gene admitted, giving him the same promise he did years ago as they came full circle. “We’ll get back to DC. I promise you that.”
Ethan wiped his eyes.
“But it won't be the same. I left once, and my wife took me back after my anger. I don’t know if she’ll take me back after my selfishness. I just told her goodbye, and I swore I’d never walk away from her, and I did. I chose me over them, Gene. At what cost? I don’t know if I can survive this. I don’t know if either choice will keep me whole. I hurt so badly.”
That broke Gene’s heart.
“She’ll never hate you, EJ. Ever.”
He stared up at him with tears streaming down his cheeks, and dropping from his lashes.
“But I hate me.”
Yeah, Gene only hoped and prayed he’d talked Ethan into doing the right thing.
Cars headed out, and they heard them.
So, Gene sat there, holding Ethan against his body, willing strength into him.
“I already miss my kids,” he whispered, sobbing even harder. “Why do I have to be so broken? Why can’t I ever win a battle?” he asked.
Gene was about to answer him, but didn’t get the chance. Instead, they heard the front open, and both looked over.
That’s when Ethan saw something he never expected. Elizabeth was there, and she dropped her bag with her clothes in it.
After she came in, Chris and Callen came in right behind her.
They mimicked what she did.
They dropped their things too.
Unsure what was going to happen, Ethan stood. A little part of him wished they’d force him on that jet, and then, he’d have to accept it.
In that moment, he was so lost.
“I don’t understand.”
Elizabeth stood there.
“Security is heading to the house that Callen bought with the kids. We’re here with you.”
Still, he was confused.
So, Elizabeth explained.
“If you need to be here, EJ, then we’ll stay here. If you need the reservation to heal, then we’ll be here for you and with you. If this is the path you know is right, and I believe that you do know that in your heart, then we walk with you down it. We’re home.”
He knew how much she hated it here.
