Drunk. Miserable. Fucking done. That’s what Joe was after the divorce with Lena. He drunken bastard that would wake up outside of bars. After everything.., Rip dying, Buckley dying, Lena leaving.. he was sure it was karma. God had punished for all the killing— all the pain he had caused.

Joe couldn’t help but pray for death. Leaving a man to balance the world in his hands alone was cruel death with be mercy for him. He would wonder why not strike him down? Why let him suffer like this?

That was until be met her. Joe always went to the same diner getting the same thing over and over again. Cherry pie and coffee. When he met the new waitress he didn’t care much until he noticed she was pregnant. The father had left her alone and it infuriated Joe more than anything. Letting a pregnant woman work alone in some dodgy diner? Over his dead body.

A semblance of responsibility a reason to stay at least half sober. He came by every day got the same thing waiting for her shift to close so he could walk her to her car. He didn’t say much but it was clear she appreciated it. Like clockwork he walks into the diner sitting in the booth that was too small for him.