Lerdo123
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(2/5/04 2:40 pm)
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Full Circle : Chapter 3 [Liason]
A/N: Thanks for the lovely feedback on the previous chapters. It means the world to me. And you can find the previous chapters HERE.
It was as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs; whatever Elizabeth had been about to say died in her throat at the look in Jason’s eyes. Her eyes flickered shut, and she barely resisted the urge to lean her head into his hand. She felt his hand drift from her hair to her cheek in a whisper of a caress so sweet that she nearly sighed with pleasure. If she moved forward just an inch, would he kiss her?
It would be so easy to do it, to let him kiss her, to let him take care of her. That was what Jason did. He took care of people. The thought was like a bucket of ice water being poured over her; she jerked back as if she’d been slapped. Her eyes flew open to meet Jason’s startled gaze.
Jason cleared his throat and looked straight ahead.
Elizabeth buckled her seatbelt and then placed her hand on his forearm. “Thanks for coming to get me, Jason.” She smiled brightly. “I appreciate it.” And she did. But she needed to stand on her own two feet, and letting Jason play superhero wouldn’t be any better than marrying Ric. They were two very different men, but the issue remained the same--she needed to take care of herself and her baby.
He glanced down at her hand, and she quickly removed it. “You’re welcome.” His eyes shot to her bright smile. “But you don’t have to pretend with me.”
Her smile faltered and then vanished. She glanced down at her hands resting in her lap and ran a finger over her bare left ring finger. “I know I don’t,” she replied quietly, thinking of all the times he’d just let her be herself.
Jason pulled away from the curb, and they drove in silence for a while. Elizabeth kept her eyes trained outside the window and watched the lights go by. “Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” she asked.
“I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready,” he replied.
Her lips curled in a small but genuine smile at his words. Some things hadn’t changed.
“In the meantime, where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know. I’m not ready to go back to the apartment yet. I can’t, I don’t want to see Ric. But I don’t know where else to go. Especially in this.” She fingered her lacy wedding dress.
“I could drop you at your grandmother’s.”
She shook her head vehemently and groaned. “No, please. Anything but that.”
“We could go to the penthouse.” Elizabeth turned her head to look at him, but his eyes remained focused on the road. “If you want.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind. I mean--”
This time he glanced at her quickly, and she shut her mouth.
“After all, you’re the one who walked out on me. I never asked you to leave.” His voice was low and strained.
“Jason--”
“So, are you hungry?” he asked.
Her stomach growled then, and though she had little appetite, she knew she should eat. There was more than herself to think about now. “Yeah, a little.” She was grateful for the change of subject.
“We can stop by Kelly’s,” Jason said.
“Oh. I don’t know. I don’t want anyone to see me like this,” she said.
“You can wait in the car. I’ll go in and pick up something,” he said gently.
“Ok. Thanks.”
*****
“What do you want to eat?” Jason asked as they pulled up near Kelly’s. “Hot chocolate and what else?”
“How do you know I want hot chocolate?” she asked, frowning. “Maybe I don’t want any today.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
“Ok fine, hot chocolate with--”
“Extra whipped cream. Yeah, I know.”
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“What else?”
“Hmm... How about a grilled cheese sandwich?”
“Done. I’ll be back in a minute.” He started to slide out of the car, but her voice made him pause.
“Jason, you don’t know everything about me.” There was a petulant note in her voice that nearly made him smile. He stopped himself, though.
“I never said I did.” He shut the car door behind him and jogged across the street to Kelly’s.
The bell on the door jingled as he stepped inside. Courtney looked up from her spot behind the counter.
“Hi, Jason. What can I get you?” She smiled widely and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Hey. I’ll take this to go. One coffee, black, one hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, and two grilled cheese sandwiches.”
“Oh. Ok.” Her smile vanished and she rubbed her forehead. “But you don’t drink hot chocolate.”
“It’s not for me.” He looked at her, careful to keep his expression blank.
He could tell she wasn’t happy. The scowl on her face was a dead giveaway. But when she didn’t say anything else, he set some bills on the counter before turning and walking away. He took a seat at a table and waited for his order.
He hated this, the awkwardness of the whole situation. She had told him she couldn’t handle his life; that was why she’d moved out of the penthouse and into a room above Kelly’s. Yet there she was, smiling at him the way she used to when she served him pot pies and chocolate chip cookies. Give him a gun and he knew how to shoot it, but women, well, they were something else entirely. He didn’t think he’d ever understand them.
Jason’s thoughts turned to Elizabeth then. As honest as their relationship had been, she was now a puzzle to him. She was wearing a wedding dress, but there were no rings on her finger, and she had said she didn’t want to run into Ric. Clearly she hadn’t married him. Why not? He wouldn’t push her for answers, though, or she’d run. That, he definitely didn’t want. She’d called him. She could have called someone else, but she’d called him. He wouldn’t scare her away.
When he’d touched her hair, there was a moment when he’d swear she’d leaned into his touch. But then she’d pulled back from him. He didn’t like the shutters that had closed in her eyes. She never used to do that with him.
The rustle of a paper bag alerted him that his order was ready. He approached the counter and picked up the bag Courtney had set down on the counter.
“Bye, Jason.”
“Bye,” he said and walked away.
“Jason, wait.”
He turned and glanced back over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Nothing,” she replied. “Good night.”
He nodded and left the restaurant.
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