Chapter 32

[tempered-rose.livejournal.com]

Title: The Eternal Heartache, Chapter 32 of ???
Characters (this part only): Cesc Fabregas, Bojan Krkic, Pep Guardiola/Raul Gonzalez, OFC, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vicente Rodriguez, Lionel Messi, Jose Mourinho
Rating: PG-13
Words: this chapter is 2,246 ; overall total is 80,147
A/N: This chapter is an update for spartan_muse who I decided needed some love. I hope you like it and as always, thank you very very much for reading it. I love all of you guys <3 :D



Last part here. All previous parts listed here.



The sound of the air-conditioning unit kicking on was the only sound apart from one other that could be heard in the lounge. As the cool air began to move through the duct system into the room, the other sound grew louder and angrier.

Cesc watched Bojan warily as his younger brother kept looking at his hands, despite the fact that Lionel was trying to calm him by quietly talking to him. Vicente looked like he was trying to not be embarrassed at the argument that had occurred as well as not be angry about what had been said. Cesc sighed. He gave Chente credit for not shouting back at Cristiano or Maria.

From outside the room, they could all hear how loud Maria was and how Cristiano was insulting Pep. Cesc had his fists clenched by his side; he wanted to go and defend his uncle. At the same time, he was embarrassed that Pep had to endure such venomous words in the first place. The guilt that was inside him twisted sharply and almost made him sick.

Vicente looked to him and gave him a casual lift of his lips in a half-smile. His eyes were darker than Cesc had ever seen them.

“It’ll be okay Cescito. You’ll see. Your uncle could take him easily.” Vicente said and Cesc nodded once. He understood that Chente was trying to lighten the mood, but the darkness of Cristiano’s violence would never truly go away.


In the hall, Pep had his arms crossed as he stood in the hallway between the front door and the way to the lounge. His eyes burned with fury and his jaw was tense from the suppression of his anger. In front of him, Cristiano leaned on his wall with a sneer on his face. Occasionally he would offer up another jab at him by calling him diseased or other remarks. Pep had grown used to the homophobic sentiments and had long since ignored the sting that came with them. He had not felt the anger burning towards someone from one such remark in a very long time, and Cristiano was now the source of that anger.

Maria was crying in the chair and was trying to plead her case. Pep ignored her incessant sobs by keeping his eyes on Cristiano. He wasn’t going to risk Cristiano moving past him towards the lounge and hurt the boys. If the look in his eye was any indication, Cristiano had the urge to try and do just that.

Raul stood by the front door, half looking out the window and half looking back towards the hallway. As he turned back to look onto the street, he straightened as several guàrdia urbana cars came down the street. Their blue lights flashed in the darkness, splashing color on the otherwise dark façades of neighboring buildings. Raul straightened and moved away from the window, but not before he saw a black town car pull up behind the police cars.

An official sounding knock came on the front door, but Raul was quick to answer the door.

“This way agentes.” Raul opened the door and allowed the two officers inside.

Pep finally looked away, for only a few seconds, at the two agents of the guàrdia urbana and began to quickly summarize the events of the evening once he had been asked to do so. He slid his hands into his pockets and tried to limit how much of Cesc and Bojan’s backstory to share with the authorities.

The agente looked towards Cristiano and Maria before turning to him. “Are you going to leave of your own accord or will we have to take you with us?”

“Just a moment please, señor.”

Pep straightened as the familiar detached voice of his employer and mentor came from just outside the door. The silver haired man stepped into his front hallway and sidestepped gracefully the officer.

“I am Señor Guardiola’s attorney,” he offered for an explanation. “May I speak with him for just a moment please?”

At the nod of the officer, Jose stepped in front of Pep. “This way, please?”

Pep gave Raul a nod before following the man that had been his patron back when he’d been a boy in school. Jose walked into the kitchen and studied it quickly, noting the details and Pep couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed by the mess.

“It is not in my nature to inquire as to my employee’s personal affairs,” Jose started as he turned back to face Pep, “but I think in this case it is to be expected. Tonight I was informed of several things you had omitted from me and you know how much I…detest surprises.”

Pep swallowed and forced his nerves to remain calm. “I apologize sir, I should have—”

Jose stopped him by holding up his hand. “It is no matter now. Interrupting my dinner this evening was the information that one, you had a domestic incident tonight that involved calling guàrdia urbana. And secondly, involved in said incident was your nephews that were staying with you, your sister, and your third nephew. Quite the guest list, Josep.”

Pep swallowed and waited for Jose to speak again. The air of authority he had about him commanded respect and Pep had learned from years of being in his presence to know when to stay silent.

“What else do I need to be aware of tonight, Josep?” The cold, calculating eyes centered on him quickly and Pep took a breath.

“My youngest nephews are staying with me because I had been made aware of the abuse they had suffered while living with my sister and her eldest son. I wish for them to never return to her. It would be a certain return to what they had suffered before.”

“And the reason for your sister’s appearance tonight?”

“She wants money. She says it is to pay for her bills, but I am not so sure of that.”

“She has committed a crime, as has your eldest nephew. They should be arrested, not just removed from your home.”

“She is my sister.” Pep stood up straighter under the scrutiny of his eyes.

“That does not change the fact that she has committed a crime.” Jose replied simply.

No wonder his wife left him, Pep thought to himself and cleared his throat. He was about to further protest any more action from the police, but Jose interrupted him before he could speak.

“You want those boys, don’t you? If you should desire to adopt them legally, it would look very bad upon their mother should she be arrested for abuse. And I suppose this would bring about some sense of justice for the two boys. Isn’t that what you want?” Jose asked coolly and Pep swallowed.

He was very well aware that Jose Mourinho did nothing without expecting something. He wasn’t just Pep’s lawyer, he was the man that had taught him many things about the world. He had given him the chance to succeed and be a far greater person than what he would have been able to had he remained back in the village.

It was with wary acceptance, that Pep nodded his head towards his employer. He wasn’t quite sure what the repercussions of this silent agreement would be, but he was certain that they wouldn’t necessarily be good.

“Then I shall have my attorneys begin drafting the proper documents.” Jose moved towards the door and Pep followed. He promised himself he would get Raul to smack him later for being so passive in his own home.

“Ah, agente, we should like other charges added to the refusal to leave.” Jose spoke coldly, professionally. Pep saw Cristiano narrow his eyes and Maria finally stopped ‘sobbing’. “Charge them with the abuse of her two children.”

One of the officers raised his eyebrow. “Those are some pretty serious charges, señor. Are you sure you can prove them?”

The other officer cleared his throat, proving his seniority, and was quick to cover what the other one had said. “If that is what you wish Señor Mourinho, Señor Guardiola.”

“It is.” Jose spoke quickly, covering any further protest.

One officer turned towards Maria, and the other went for Cristiano. Pep watched as the two were led out, after some provoking. He couldn’t get over the look in Cristiano’s eye. It was a look full of hatred and anger.

Once the two were outside, Jose turned towards Pep. “We will discuss a payment on Monday morning. The documents should be ready by then.”

Pep bowed his head once in submission and Jose turned to leave. Raul waited a moment longer before shutting the door behind him. He turned back to Pep with a raised eyebrow.

“You know, if I were the jealous type, I would be concerned that you are sleeping with him.” Raul spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“What?” Pep blinked in confusion.

Raul shook his head. “Nothing. What did he mean about payment? And I thought you were only asking them to leave?”

Pep watched Raul and saw how he had crossed his arms. He let out a long breath and finally inhaled properly since the argument had started two hours before.

“He’ll just find some trivializing work for me to do. It won’t be anything important,” Pep tried to reassure him but Raul’s frown did not budge. “Besides, isn’t this what we wanted? This way the boys would be ours to have. They would truly be ours Raul.”

Raul nodded slowly. “I grant you that it would be a good thing. I just don’t like the way he says that you owe him something.”

“He treats everyone that way, even his own son. I don’t blame his wife for leaving him; I probably would have too. The only reason why anyone treats him with such authority is because he could do, quite literally, anything he wants. I won’t tell him no. I wouldn’t have a job in this city again if I did.”

Pep turned to go towards the lounge and Raul sighed. He’d heard great tales of Jose Mourinho, but he had never quite realized how much power he wielded. With a heavy sigh, he moved forward after Pep into the lounge.

“Your mother and brother are gone boys.” Pep spoke once he had reached the door.

Cesc and Bojan looked over warily. “Gone?”

“Arrested.” Pep clarified before looking towards Vicente and Lionel. “Boys, may I provide the services of my driver to escort you both home? I’m sorry to say that the night must end early.”

Vicente nodded understandingly and stood up. He turned back to give a look at Cesc. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

Cesc nodded once and said goodbye. Lionel murmured a similar goodbye to Bojan before he left. Both were careful to give Pep a wide margin of space on their way out.

“I’ll go give Andres the instructions…” Raul dismissed himself and followed both boys.

Cesc could hear Raul asking Vicente if he cared for some dessert to take home.

“What were they arrested for?” Bojan asked quietly and Cesc’s attention snapped back to his little brother.

“Failure to leave as well as the abuse of both of you.” Pep spoke as he came further into the room. He sat in the large dark green chair in front of the fireplace and watched both of them for a reaction. “I promise you they will answer for what they have done to you.”

Cesc looked down at his hands. He could remember as a boy when he would wish more than anything that someone would realize what was happening and accuse his brother officially. No one ever had.

“Our mother was charged too? What for? He was the one that did it…” Cesc asked quietly.

“She allowed him to do it. She is his accomplice.” Pep replied softly. “I’m sorry boys. This must be painful.”

Cesc looked up at his uncle. “Painful? Try seventeen years of having people look the other way when they saw you coming, only so that they wouldn’t have to see the latest mark on your face. Everybody knew and no one ever did anything about it.” Pep swallowed but stayed silent. “Now that finally someone believes us, for me at least, it’s something. I’m not sure what exactly, but it is something good I think.”

Bojan nodded and looked up with such innocence that Pep felt the tug of protectiveness for his youngest nephew. “I think it’s good too. At least this way, everyone will know we weren’t lying.”

Pep nodded and let out a long breath. “If I had known earlier…” He looked up with guilt clear on his face. “I swear to you, I would have done something.”

Bojan nodded. “We know.” He forced a smile on his face.

Pep shifted closer to them both. “You both are very good boys. I wish one day I could call you my own sons, if you would permit me the honor.”

It wasn’t an automatic response, but it was only a few close seconds off. Both Cesc and Bojan nodded in reply to his words. As Pep shifted closer to hug them, Cesc couldn’t help but feel that maybe the years of bearing the burden of having to hide something that wasn’t able to be hidden at all would finally be able to be lifted.

It was a possibility that he wished would come true.