Hey guys! This is my first attempt at this style of writing so please be nice. This fic is totally unrelated to my other stories. My sequel to my first story has been taken off this site by the controllers. It was unfinished, so if you want the ending to "Plane to Paris Boarding: Welcome To Your Future," or just the whole story in general you can Email me at and I will be glad to send it to you.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this! sorry the first part is a little slow, its just setting the scene.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are owned by the writers of W&G. Also, the title song that runs through this story is "You Don't know me" By the late Ray Charles.
You give your hand to me
Then you say hello
I can hardly speak
My heart is beating so
And anyone can tell
You think you know me well
But you don't know me
"Oh Lordy, When is he coming out?" Karen asked from the back seat of the hired car that was parked in front of the apartment block.
"Sorry Karen, you're a little late, he came out as soon as he hit grade school and was told off for changing the doll's outfits and cutting their hair into fashionable bobs." Will replied from the driver's seat with frustration. Damn Jack! What the hell could possibly take someone so long to get ready?
They had been sitting in the car for twenty minutes, the rain outside was pounding and the windows were beginning to fog up from the heat inside the car.
"I say that if he doesn't come out within the next two minutes… I get his bottle of water and muffin." Grace chirped in from the passenger seat.
"Water? Oh Grace you didn't! No…not the…"
She smiled as she lifted up the large, decorated picnic basket from her feet, adding closure to Will's concern.
"I did. I brought the traveling picnic basket."
"Honey, it looks like a float at a gay pride festival"
"I'll have you know Karen, I won a blue ribbon for this baby at the fourth grade craft fair."
"You weren't very popular were you?"
Grace opened her mouth wide, insulted by the comment.
"Thought so" Karen said, smiling as she sat back.
Grace lowered her head and put the picnic basket back. There was a loud knock at Grace's door, causing her to jump in her seat and squeal.
It was Jack, tapping at the locked window, the rain slowly saturating his clothing..
"Open up dammit! Unlock this door!"
"Oh…what was that Jack? You're a Jocks whore?" Will said, with a grin on his face, pretending as if he couldn't hear Jack. Will shook his head. Bitchy little comments back and forth seemed to be the definer and basis of their friendship – but he wouldn't have it any other way, he loved whatever it was thatthey had.
"There seems to be a problem here Will, you see, I am outside the car, and the only reason you guys are going away this weekend is because of me!"
There was actually truth in this, as they were going to stay at the house that Jack had grown up in. Judith, his mother, was selling the place and wanted Jack to come down and pack all of his belongings, but seeing as she had already moved out, Jack didn't want to stay there on his own, and he did need help packing.
"I suppose we will have to let him in wont we?"
Will shook his head at Grace. "I think he should suffer more"
"Yeah, I think we should stuff her bra too"
"Karen, that's not what Will said!"
"Well, honey, that's what I heard and that's all that registers in Karen HQ"
Will unlocked the car doors allowing Jack to enter.
"I'm not getting in the back seat!" Screeched Jack, his hair now plastered to his face. "Will, you promised me that I would get the front seat, and besides! This weekend is about Jack McFarland. I think we need to take a minute of silence to remind ourselves that these next two days are devoted to me"
"Jack, isn't every day devoted to you?" Will said, nudging Grace to move. Reluctantly, she took her picnic basket and jumped in the back seat, next to Karen.
Jack resumed the front seat position, sulking as he slammed the door shut. His teeth chattered as he resented Will for forcing him to stand in the rain for so long. Droplets of water were running from his hair and down past his cheeks and nose in tiny rivers. Will turned up the heater and grabbed a tea towel from Grace's basket and gave it to Jack to dry off his face and hair, before starting the car.
"You deserved that you know." They had been on the road for ten minutes now in practical silence, if Graces snoring isn't counted.
Jack crossed his arms and looked out the window.
"You can't hate me forever Jack, who else's clothes will you borrow? Plus, you finally got a chance to perfect the 'wet' look."
Not really feeling like talking, Jack drew his knees up to his chest and hugged himself. How could Mom be selling the house? Sure he was barely ever there seeing as he didn't live there anymore, but it was a good hideout for when he becomes famous and the media try to storm him. Plus, all his memories were built into that house. Most of the good ones at least.
His body felt like it was constructed of icicles wrapped in his sopping jumper. Why the hell did Will have to be so irritating? Will, Jack thought, Will with his stupid 'I'm the big boss of the car and the whole world' attitude painted across his face. Thanks for the hypothermia, buddy! God! If only Will wasn't such an ass sometimes…if only he would open those stupid big brown eyes and…
"Are we there yet?" Karen piped up from the back, breaking Jack's thoughts
"Well if you look carefully, there's a road sign that says "We only just left the apartment."
"Where? Does that mean we are close? I don't understand road signs, explain them to me Wilma"
"Why don't you do something mean to Grace instead?"
A sneaky smile crossed Karen's face. "What a swell idea!"
"Jack…is something wrong?" Will asked, half looking at his shivering best friend and half focusing on watching Karen through the rear vision mirror draw on the sleeping Grace with a lipstick.
Jack quickly masked his sadness with a false smile.
"I think the children are getting bored sweetie, maybe we should stop for ice-cream?" He said, adopting a wife-like persona.
"Aw, I dunno sugar, we are only five minutes away, and we don't want to hype them up." Will replied as he turned into Jack's street. His face softened with recognition.
"Funny how I haven't been here in so long Jack, but I still remember the way so well."
A teenage Jack bounded through the front door, nearly knocking the coat rack in the entrance over. He sprinted to his room, quickly shutting the door as pure excitement pulsed through his veins. Grinning as he picked up the phone, he eagerly dialed, misjudging the number twice before reaching his intended goal.
"Uh, hello?"
"Oh. My. GOD! Cody!"
"Jack? C'mon, it's two in the morning!"
"Technically its four minutes to two. But that's not the point."
"Then what is the point? And please get to it fast, I have work tomorrow. Wait a minute…are you panting?"
Jack, still standing up, realized that he was pacing the room and abruptly stopped in his tracks. He sat on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs before resuming his conversation.
"Well, Cody my dear…You know the college party that you were going to come with me to but then oh-so-selfishly bailed on because you were oh-so-lazy?"
"Or maybe because I didn't want to be hung over at work?"
"Um, ok, whatever you tell yourself."
"Is there any point to this call, Jack? Or is this like the time you called me because you were scared of the dark and your Mom wasn't home and you thought that Michael Myers was taking a leak in your bathroom?"
Jack couldn't take it anymore. His head was spinning, partially from the alcohol and adrenalin from his excitement, and partially from actually trying to successfully run with the two pumping through his system He stood up and once again began to rapidly pace the room.
"Ok, Cody…Wait for it…are you ready? I have met the man that I am going to spend the rest of my life with!"
A loud, agitated sigh could be heard from the receiving end of the phone. "I knew there was no point to this call! You said the exact same thing about Rob Lowe two days ago."
"I don't think it's gonna work out between me and Rob."
"So how did you meet this guy?"
"Ok, Well, this was actually our second meeting."
"When was the first?" Cody questioned.
"Matt Stokes"
"Oh was that the one where we thought it would be funny to walk around telling everybody that we were members of Duran Duran to pick up?"
Jack smiled. "Yeah, killer line that one, worked like a charm."
"But not on future husband?"
"Nope."
"So what's the catch then?"
Jacks face, much like his spirit dropped as he stopped walking and flopped down onto his bed.
"He has a severe case of Closet-itis. Intense denial seems to be the most prominent symptom."
"Maybe he isn't gay then, Jack, maybe you have misjudged?"
Jack rolled over onto his stomach and started to twirl the spiraled cord of the phone between his fingers.
"Jack McFarland does not misjudge! When I saw him at Matt Stokes' party, I was so convinced that he was gay, that I walked straight up to him and told him."
"And?"
"And he laughed it off, because he was there with his skinny, big haired girlfriend and he had to look cool."
"Girlfriend. Hm I think we have our cure right there. He's a straightie and you're only sixteen."
"Oh yay! The Cure! Shut up and let me finish. So anyway, I went to the party tonight, and you wouldn't guess who our fine hosts were. Yes, you guessed correctly Cody, Mr Straighty McQueer himself and his dorky roommate. So naturally, I take it upon myself to investigate."
"Oh God Jack, you didn't…"
A cheeky smile crossed the young boy's face, revealing the glistening set of braces traversing his white teeth.
"I scan the party ever so discreetly, to make sure no one is watching me and I head over to his stuff. I go through his record collection, since one of the early steps of picking a lady is by her taste in music. Fine choice there. Then I sneak into his closet to further test my theory. Straight men do not have three pairs of acid wash jeans. Straight men do not wear teal. Straight men do not own tight gym wear."
"So what did you do?" Cody asked, now intrigued with his friends' encounter.
"I did what any average teenage boy would do. I gave him my business card."
"Oh, I've run out of mine…we need to get some more."
"Deal. Anyway, when I confronted him, he pretty much freaked out and kicked me out of his room."
"So? Then what is it with this guy? Is he even cute?"
Jack sighed as he rolled onto his back again. He closed his eyes and kicked the white sneakers off his feet.
"Yeah, he's cute. He could afford to have a second look at his wardrobe choice though. Besides the whole 'him kicking me out' thing, I just…I know that…I…You know what? I don't even know what it is about this guy…but he's great to make fun of because he gets really worked up."
"What's his name?"
Jack opened his eyes and hurriedly scanned his partially scattered and intoxicated mind. How could he forget that name? Think dammit, think. Ding Ding Ding! There it is!
"Will…His name is Will."
Lying in my bed,
I hear the clock ticking,
Think of you.
Caught up in circles
Confusion
Is nothing new.
"Open up, I really need to pee! And this damn rain just makes me wanna go even more" Grace squealed, almost jumping up and down, as Jack sneezed before he eagerly fished around in his pocket for the key to the house, in order to avoid the now pounding rain.
Karen looked down at the doormat. "Would you look at this dump? You never told me that you grew up poor, Jackie."
"Well, I can see how a cute, little suburban house can be considered as poor" Will shot back.
Jack finally got the door open after jiggling the key around in the hole for a little while. Grabbing his luggage, he pushed the door, allowing his friends to enter and drop their luggage on the now polished floor boards as Grace sprinted to the bathroom.
Jack's heart sank to his stomach as he assessed his vacant home. All of the cute little ornaments and photos that lined the fireplace were now gone. Most of the furniture had disappeared, and the curtains were drawn. He wasn't really a sentimental kind of guy, but seeing his childhood home like this overwhelmed his with a strange sadness.
Will stood behind Jack, and lightly put his hand on his shoulder. Jack quickly jumped away in fright and began to cough. Will laughed at his friend's reaction, before switching his mood to concern.
"My God! You must be freezing Jack! Take the jumper off, it is soaking! You're going to get really sick if you don't."
"No I won't. It's your fault that it's wet anyway. So I believe that if I do get sick, you will be paying for my doctor's bills, my new 'sick' pyjamas and my highlights to match."
"Jack, just change your jumper, I'll get the fireplace going. It's absolutely freezing in this house. Now I know how Jack Dawson felt on 'Titanic'. The poor bastard got stuck with holding onto a board in the water."
"Never ever compare yourself to Leonardo DiCaprio again, you hear me!" Jack responded dramatically, as he opened his bag and pulled out a new, dry jumper.
Grace returned from the bathroom, and started to switch on all the lights. Karen positioned herself on the kitchen bench as she poured herself her drink of choice: A martini in the kitchen vase.
Jack attempted to peel his wet jumper off with great difficulty, getting the jumper stuck over his head. He twisted around in his new found blackness as he tried to escape from his self–made straight jacket.
Will smirked as he watched the process. "Here, let me help you take it off."
"No way Truman, you just want to see me naked. I'm not falling for that." Came the muffled reply.
"Oh, you caught me Jack, am I really that transparent? Of course that was why I decided to be a good friend and offer to help you take off your jumper. It was all part of my clever strategy to get a piece of your white, scrawny body.
Jack continued to wriggle as Will tried to help him. "I am NOT scrawny! Ah! Don't touch me!"
"Dammit woman! Just stop struggling for one second!"
Jacks confined torso suddenly halted, as Will pulled the jumper back on to Jack in order to start all over again.
"Lift up your arms" He said to Jack, almost as if speaking to a child.
Jack's crystal blue eyes were fixated on Will's face of concentration as his jumper was pulled up from the waist. He smiled briefly to himself and raised his eyebrow, smothering the grin before Will could acknowledge it of course. He actually kind of liked being taken care of.
Will slowly pulled the sopping jumper up above his friend's head and outstretched arms, to reveal a white singlet. His eyes locked with Jacks and he paused briefly before speaking.
"We can't have you getting a cold can we now can we, Jack?"
Jack quickly donned a new, charcoal jumper as Will placed the dripping one in the laundry.
Grace's yell could be heard from the kitchen, where she had been talking to Karen.
"Hey Jack! Your Mom left a letter! Karen was using it as a coaster."
"Hey, I thought it was the polite thing to do!" Karen argued.
The two boys quickly entered the kitchen, as Grace unfolded the note, cleared her throat and began to read it aloud.
"Dear Jackie,
I have left some food in the fridge and pantry for you and your friends for dinner, I'm sure you can cook something up. I'm sorry I couldn't be there but I had to move into my new house, and the damn real estate guy has been annoying me all day. I have left a few boxes of things there still, and I have left your room for you to go through it and see what you need. I am sure you look fabulous as you always do, and I hope you are all well. I'll call you on Monday.
Love, Mom.
PS: Someone called for you the other day…that Cody boy you used to be friends with? I think that he was just checking addresses or something. Nothing important. We just had a nice chat."
Both Will and Jack jolted upright as they heard the name mentioned. It was as if the same bolt of lightning had struck them in unison.
"Cody? There's a name I didn't really think I would hear again…or didn't really want to." Will said, trying to casually cover up his surprise.
"Is that Cody as in Cody Cody?" Grace questioned.
Will nodded "Cody as in the guy who I …"
"Who was my best friend when I was a stupid but pretty kid with a fantastic figure" Jack snapped,slicing throughWill's comment.
Jack nodded. Bastard! Why the hell would he call here? And he chatted to my mother! Who else was this guy planning to take away from Jack? He was fine with pretending that Cody never existed. He was fine with burying him in the garden of the past. Jack once again hid his concern with a broad smile as he grabbed Karen's hands and pulled her off the bench that she was sitting on.
"Come on Kare, let me give you the grand tour of the Chalet de McFarland while Will and Grace try to get the fire going."
"Their fire died a long time ago…But, sure honey, just let me grab another drink…I have the feeling that drinking this and frenching you are the only ways I am going to survive this weekend."
At least someone has a method of survival, Jack silently thought to himself as he showed Karen around his house to try and cheer himself up. You're here Jack, not Cody. You're probably hotter than he is now anyway. He probably has a mullet haircut or something equally as hideous.
"Hey Kare, want that kiss now?" Jack asked.
Karen giggled. "That's my girl!" she said as she briefly locked lips with her poodle.
They then retired to the living room with the other two, who wore expressions of pride as their recently created fire danced and swirled about in its little confined space. Jack joined his friends as they sat on the carpet, where the couch once was. The rain continued to beat solidly yet rhythmically outside their safe little enclosure.
Will crossed his legs and rested his chin into his palms. "What's for dinner?"
"Will, thinking about food only makes you fatter." Came Jacks expected response.
"Who is doing the cooking, even though solid foods don't really sit well with me?" Karen questioned.
"I can cook!" Grace chirped excitedly.
Jack and Karen looked at each other, widening their eyes in fear of Graces suggestion, before stating in unison:
"Will is cooking!"