Ahem.
One thing I want to state before I begin...is that I am amazed by the quality and quantity of the Red Eye fanfiction here. And the devotion of the readers/reviewers. All those 400, 500+ reviews stories here? Go read them. They are that good.
Disclaimer: I can only say I am sorry I didn't pick this movie and obsession up three years ago.
Revenge
She still hadn't moved.
His hand hovered above her cheek, barely skimming the smooth surface. It was such a change...this calm, almost serene atmosphere that had descended in what had been chaos only a short while ago. The memories rose, unbidden, as he stared at her prone form. He could still feel his heart thundering in his chest as it had a few hours earlier.
He thought it would be routine. Simple. He had been through all the training. He had prepared himself the way he always prepared himself: steeling himself mentally, shutting himself off emotionally, quelling all doubts, affirming all actions. Calculating all possible actions and reactions, all outcomes.
He got the call. He knew exactly where to find her.
So it came as quite a surprise when he found himself...nervous. But maybe it was not so unusual, he reasoned with himself in retrospect. After all, nothing with her had ever got quite as he expected, had it? Still, the ends always justified the means, and it was over now. Long overdue, but over. No need to dwell on it any further.
Though...it had been much...messier than he predicted. Complicated.
He stared at her then, her eyes so full of pain and terror, frantically searching his for an answer while silently -- fruitlessly -- begging him to promise her it would be quick and painless. His eyes said nothing. Her hands had alternatively gripped and pushed at his clothes, his face, his hands, anything within reach as she thrashed about, frantic, frenzied.
He allowed the memory to come to a slow finish, and the images flickered and spun and faded before he once again became aware of the weight in him arms. He held her like she was something that would slip through his fingers if he did not focus every bit of concentration on her, and at the same time, trying his best not to touch her at all, for fear she would break or simply vanish into thin air.
Thoughts, old thoughts, took advantage of his distracted state to try to gain leverage in the forefront of his mind. But he caught them and pushed them back down. After all, this was not about the past. This was not about finishing the job, or hatred, or justice. This was not about revenge.
He moved his hand back to wipe the damp, sticky hair from her face. Funny thing, he mused, how you can feel like you've known a face your entire life. This face, which had been so animated, so obviously full of life hours ago. Now, just still. So still...
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and locked onto his. He stood transfixed, icy-blue on green. A moment passed like an eternity, and neither moved. Then she screamed. She screamed and screamed. He willed himself to move, to take action, but his body refused to cooperate.
"Jackson?" The voice cut through the screams, which were rapidly transforming into coughs and whimpers, and at last he was able to jar himself from his stasis. He looked up helplessly at his wife, who was pushing herself upright in her hospital bed.
"Leese..."
He was never one to stumble over his words, and never without something to say when something needed to be said. But seeing as though those were his only two options at present, he opted for the latter, and hoped he could tell the story through a look. He apparently got his point across, because her countenance softened with understanding, though she didn't even try to hide the sliver of mischievous amusement.
"Here".
Oh so carefully, he transferred the small bundle from his arms to outstretched hers, and visibly relaxed as Lisa began to coo and shush the tiny thing until the only noise coming from swathed bundle was soft breathing. He edged closer to peer into the face of his daughter, mostly expecting to see her sound asleep as she had been for the first few hours of her life. But those large, wide eyes surveyed their surroundings as they took in everything for the first time.
"Jackson?"
"..."
"..."
"I don't think she likes me."
"It took me a while."
"Yeah, and see where that got you?"
"Physically exhausted, at my wits end, and slightly bloodied..."
"Mm."
"...twice?"
"At least I didn't do it this time. Scoot over."
"Well, technically..."
She cast him a sidelong glance, which he countered with a swift, firm kiss to her temple. Then he settled himself back, and she rested her head on his shoulder, his hand idling caressing the blanket that enveloped the baby, whose attention was now fully on them. They stayed that way for a long time, and as soon as her parents fell asleep, she lost interest in studying their faces and turned her curious gaze to to the rest of the whole wide world.
-END-
Too cheesy? Too cliche? Too predictable? Oh, well. Sorry if I offended anyone's intelligence. I just couldn't stop. I love JacksonxLisa domestic bliss. If you think this was sweet and sappy and the characters were OOC, you should've seen my first draft. But, luckily for both of us, you never will. XD