| “A new day together” by Sep *** Honor and love to Travis. *** Part 1 Search lights, streaming in through her window, blinding, alarming, wake up they're here! Jane sat straight up in bed, breathless and at the ready, only to realize it wasn't search lights, but the brilliance of the morning sun cutting through the sheer curtains. It had been gray and dreary for the past week, and the sun came as a surprise while she laughed off her waking perceptions. Then she heard an unfamiliar sound which brought her even more into reality. John lay beside her, stretched out on his stomach with the sheet draped low across his back. She turned to look at him and couldn't help a smile as thoughts of last night came to her mind. Had they really, finally crossed that line? Yes. They'd made love and it was so incredibly tender and new, so wonderful for the both of them. Now, he slept, and as she watched him she knew he was exhausted from all sides. Physically, he'd done nothing since they'd met but keep on the move here or there, trying to escape… no, she shook her head, not going to think of that now. He'd saved her life on more than one occasion. He'd surprised her to no end, and emotionally, well… she shook her head again and got up from the bed quietly noticing he didn't even move. Good, let him sleep, let him feel safe if only for a while. She slipped a robe on over her nakedness, almost feeling a blush come to her face as she remembered his touches, how they were at once curious and in their own way, demanding. Yeah, demanding maybe , but that was all right. Something subtle had changed within her, the allowance of their passion made her feel as though she'd now give him anything he asked for, and with another smile she confirmed that thought silently as she walked out into the kitchen. As she put on a pot of coffee, her practical nature began to kick in. Nicki was still at her friends, and pending any last minute changes, their weekend trip would be over tomorrow night, so there wasn't any worry about her walking in on anything. Of course, Nicki would probably be thrilled beyond belief if she knew Jane had slept with John at last. Naturally as she poured a cup of steaming black java, her mind wandered to that day on the bridge. How could she ever repay John for what he'd done? And yet, he didn't even see it as heroic. To him, it just was what needed to be done, but, aside from instinct to save another human being, he'd done it for her, no matter what he said. Nicki recovered well, and her fascination with John had increased, only to the point that she asked about Jane's feelings for him, and perhaps pressed a bit more for her sister to give in to what she sensed was already within her. Finally, last night, she had. She could fairly hear Nicki, picture her jaw dropping a little with her classic, "No way!", and then before she could think, probably she'd ask for details, which of course Jane had no plans to reveal. So Nicki was not a factor just now, and John would be going back to Kathleen's house. Or would he? Could he stay there? She put her head into her palm and listened to the quiet of the room, seeking answers from someplace other than her own mind, which seemed to hold none. With one cup of coffee finished, the first thing she did was put in a call to Sam. Though she wasn't expected at the precinct, she knew he'd want to know what she was up to for the day. The big brother in him couldn't help to worry over her, and she appreciated it, even if at times it seemed a bit overdone. He answered on the second ring to his cell. "Yeah, Sam, listen, I'm um, going to just stick around here for the day I think. Yeah, yeah, I know, yes, I think I'm catching a bad cold or something. Okay, yes, you were right. I know. Rest, yes. Uh huh. No that's okay, no, really. Okay, yes, I'll call you tomorrow. Okay, yes Sam, rest. Got it." She hung up with a laugh. That time he'd sounded more like her father! Still, she knew sooner or later, there was business to attend to, and whether either one of them liked it or not, she and John both were going to have to face that fact. Last night, this morning, many times in the last few days and nights she'd just pushed all of it out of her mind. Richard Clayton, the thought of him was enough to make her feel a violence within herself she'd never known, and an anger so very deep that sometimes it scared her. So it was easier to push all such matters away. The clock read nine, and she thought about a shower, but she didn't want to wake John, and too, she thought with a little smile, why not be lazy? Why not take a day and do nothing? That was the only thing on her mind as she sat down on the couch and pulled her robe up around her waist. Her practical side, that little voice inside her said to go get dressed at least, and maybe wake John up since they did have pressing matters to deal with, but then since he'd entered her life, all the voices inside that she'd relied on for years had been turned around and stifled. It was dizzying and wonderful, and even a little scary, okay, a lot scary, she thought, but there wasn't really any turning back now. It would be nice if she and John could just walk away from it all, that was true. Maybe they could find a little place in Hawaii, or Cancun or even… A soft knock on the door brought her out of such girlish fantasies, and in a second the old internal alarm was triggered until she heard a familiar voice. "Jane, it's Sam." Yes, well she should have expected that. Richard's goons probably wouldn't have had the courtesy to knock and politely inquire whether they could enter her home. She made a face at that thought, knowing it was an all too real possibility, but for now it was just Sam, and that was much easier to deal with. She let him in, again pulling her robe tight around her. With her hair loose and slept on, and no makeup, she certainly looked the part of one who was nursing a cold. She put on her best stuffy nosed voice as he walked past her into the kitchen. From a bag he was carrying he pulled out a large Styrofoam container. "Got ya some chicken soup, okay?" He smiled as she nodded and whispered thank you. "Now see, your voice is even going. If you'd listened to me and come home all those times I told you to rest!" He was shaking his head but laughing. He knew her stubborn streak had paid off despite it meaning that most always his brotherly advisements went unheeded. She opened the container of soup, admitting that it did look and smell wonderful. She hadn't eaten last night before John came. Suddenly she thought of him and bit her lip. "Sam, it's great, thanks, but I don't want you to catch anything. Seriously. I feel like a germ factory or something. You should go." "You don't want me to deliver a few germs back downtown, knock a couple people out sick?" He laughed. No, she thought, she'd like him to deliver a few knives into a few backs most deservingly, but that went unsaid. They stood near the door together, and she hoped he would get the hint. "Really." She laughed, sniffing purposely. "I'm fine, I'm just going to have a little bit of that soup, then sleep some more, I think. There's really nothing more.." "Something smells good." She heard, and without looking, she knew. Behind where she stood with Sam, came John, in uncharacteristic bad timing, out of her bedroom. Please let him have clothes on, she prayed, and as she moved around Sam, she breathed a sigh of relief to see that he at least had his pants on. Still, the picture of him there, her calling Sam with the sick plea and just now rushing him off said a thousand words and then some. John looked up as he lifted and smelled the container. He hadn't even been aware that Sam was there, or had he? "Hello, Sam." He said with a smile as if his presence was the most natural thing in the world and Sam should have no reason to find it odd. "What is this?" "John, uh, hey…it's uh…soup…" Sam's eyes went from him to her and back again, and his eyebrows raised a good inch the last time they fell on Jane. She looked up at him as she bit her lip and shifted nervously. What could she say? He took her by the arm and as he opened the door, pulled her half out into the hallway. "Oh my God, Jane, tell me you're not.. that he… you.. " He stammered, and when she answered with the same degree of stuttering and reluctance, he knew all he needed to know. "Aw girl, don't you know how that's going to complicate things for everyone, especially him." His voice was low and just slightly angry but she knew it wasn't really anger, just concern. "You think I haven't considered that Sam? I don’t want to hurt him, but… " She couldn't and wouldn't argue it out here in the hallway of her building half naked while John waited inside. "Sam, listen, I know you care about me. I do. I know you don't want me, or even John to get hurt and more in trouble than we are, but I think … I feel for him…" That was all she could muster, suddenly feeling very tired of defending whatever it was she did feel, to herself, to Sam or to anyone. He put his arms around her and gave her a tender squeeze before letting her go and as he looked to her sincerely, he assured her of his caring. "I don't know about you Jane. He's just got you all turned around. I hope you love him enough that it's worth all the trouble you're in now, and all the mess that's coming." She looked back up to him with soft tears in her eyes. "I do, Sam. I really think I do. And I know he feels so much for me." "Hell I knew that from day one, Jane. Now get on inside and do something before he paints your kitchen with chicken soup." He laughed and then fell to a soft, caring smile. "I'm a call away, you know that, right?" "I've always known that. Thank you." She laughed a little herself and hugged him once more before stepping back through the door and closing it softly.
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Written and Completed 11.24.03 COPYRIGHT @2003 Shannon Peirce All rights reserved. No unauthorized reproduction. 399Comments to: sep@minuo.org |