Title: The Best Days Of My Life
Author: Within A Dream
Rating:
PG-13
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Chapter 1: A Party As Boring As Shit
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Jack sighed; he really didn't want to be here. He could think of a million
things he would rather be doing right now than sitting here at this Hollywood
party, doing absolutely nothing. Despite the music, no one was dancing;
everyone just mingled and ate the hors d'oeuvres, even though all of the
toothpick skinny super models would probably make themselves throw it back up anyway.
Jack reached in his pocket and grabbed his keys. "This place is ass," he mumbled. He knew he shouldn't leave; it was some unwritten rule that you couldn't leave one of these parties until two in the morning. But drastic times call for drastic measures. This party was as boring as shit, and he swore if he had to sit in that chair for five more minutes he would scream. So Jack did something that no one else would dare; he walked out the front door, but unfortunately, Fabrizio followed him. Jack pretended not to notice his friend following him. He managed to keep about a foot ahead of Fabrizio. When Jack finally got to his car he didn't waist any time; he hopped in and started the engine. But when he heard the passenger door open, he cursed himself for not locking the doors. "Jack, you can't leave," Fabrizio told him, through his thick Italian accent.
"Well now I can't, but if you'd be so kind as to shut the door I'd-"
"Jack, you've only been here an hour."
"And that's an hour too long, if you ask me."
"You know what this will do to your reputation."
"Screw my reputation, Fabri."
"They're starting to talk, Jack."
"They hell with them."
"They're starting to wonder."
"Let them wonder."
"They never see you with women, Jack. You can have practically any woman you want," Fabrizio then paused, "Even I have to admit that it is a little strange that you went to Paris and drew the naked prostitutes when everyone else would have screwed them."
Jack flinched at the harshness of Fabrizio's words. Even Fabrizio was a little shocked at what he had said. "God damn it, Fabrizio, why are you doing this?"
"You're trying to change the subject, Jack. I've seen those models look at you. That Gisele chick was all over you and you didn't even seem to notice; anyone would have killed to be in your shoes."
"I'll know the woman for me when I see her."
"When you see her. You're not getting any younger, Jack."
"I'm freaking twenty-five years old!"
"You'll be twenty-six in September."
"What do you want me to do Fabrizio?"
"Stay."
"Fine. If that'll shut you up, I'll stay."
Fabrizio smiled to himself and then shut the car door. Jack was tempted to drive off, but he knew that he should keep his word. But he did reach over and grab a portfolio that lay on the passenger seat. He opened the car door and reluctantly stepped out. "I'm not going inside. We can sit over there," Jack said, motioning to a garden, which was overlooked by a deck that wrapped around the back of the house.
"That's not exactly what I meant when I-" Fabrizio began, but then Jack gave him a look that told him that he had better shut up or else.
Despite himself Jack was glad that he had stayed. The garden was peaceful, a good place for drawing. As Jack and Fabrizio walked through the garden, they noticed a man sitting on one of the concrete benches. Jack sat down next to him and offered his hand, "Jack Dawson."
"Tommy Ryan," the man said through his Irish accent. Fabrizio had been to Ireland before, and he started chatting to Tommy about his visit, which gave Jack a chance to draw. Jack noticed another person in the garden, a middle-aged man who he recognized as Bert Cartmell, a well-known director. Jack began sketching Bert, and he didn't even notice that Fabrizio and Tommy had stopped talking to watch him at work. "Do you make any money with your drawings?" Tommy asked. Jack looked up from his drawing and was about to answer Tommy when he saw the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. She was leaning over the railing of the deck above him, her red hair falling around her face. She looked like someone in a romantic novel, sad and isolated. Her eyes met Jack's piercing gaze for a split second. She tried not to look back, but couldn't resist. Their eyes met again and this time she didn't look away. But soon she was forced back into reality when a dark-haired man tapped her on the shoulder. Jack watched her as she stormed away.
Jack looked back at Tommy who looked very disapproving. "So you've fallen for Miss Dewitt Bukater have you? Forget it, you'll never get next to the likes of her. Did you see all the men there?" Tommy asked. "They are all in love with her. Of course she's too naïve to think that they want anymore than just a friendship. She's very particular about the men she dates. She's only had a few relationships and they were all serious relationships. Forget about her."
But the thing was, Jack couldn't forget about her. After a few minutes more of sitting with Fabrizio and Tommy, Jack excused himself and climbed the stairs to the deck.
The house was built strangely, and whenever a room stood out from the house, the deck did as well. So needless to say, the deck took many sharp turns and had many hidden places, which weren't visible unless you were looking specifically for them. Jack found one of those nice hidden places, which had a bench, and he lay down on it, resting his head on the back of his hands. His thoughts drifted to the girl he had seen. Despite what Tommy said, Jack felt like he had some strange connection to her. He was sure that none of the other men that had fallen for her had felt the way that he had. Jack hoped that he would see her again, he didn't care if they were just friends, he wanted to get to know her; to make that sad look in her eyes disappear.
But Jack was soon brought back into reality when he heard a woman screaming at the top of her lungs. He got to his feet as fast as he could and started running toward the sound of the screams. Jack took a few sharp turns and that's when he found the source of the screaming. He saw a dark-haired man on top of the redheaded woman that he had seen earlier.
Jack paused for a split-second, staring in disbelief, "Holy shit."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack asked as he shoved the man, who he now recognized from earlier, off of the woman. "Get the hell off her!" The obviously drunk man managed to stumble to his feet and tried to make his escape, but Jack grabbed him and balled up a huge farmer's fist and punched him across his face. Before the man could respond Jack kneed him and the man doubled over in pain. Jack could already see the man's eye turning blue and soon it would be so swollen that the man wouldn't be able to see out of his right eye. The man managed to run up the stairs to another deck that was above the one where they were now. Jack was about to pursue the man further, but when taking one look at the sobbing heap before him, he knew he couldn't leave her.
Jack tried to help her into a standing position, but her body seemed unable to hold itself up. He somehow got her into a sitting position and was going to help her put her dress back on, but the dress was shredded to pieces. Jack knew her bra and underwear wouldn't suffice as clothing so he removed his leather jacket and placed it around her sobbing body. He tried once again to get her into a standing position, and this time succeeded with her leaning most of her weight on him. She tried to take a step but then let out a cry in pain and almost fell to the floor, but Jack somehow caught her in time. Jack then scooped her up in her arms, realizing that the man had done a lot more damage than he had suspected. He carried her back to the bench and placed her down. Jack then sat down himself and put the woman's foot in his lap. Her foot was black and blue and was badly swollen. "Holy shit," Jack mumbled and he gently touched her foot with his thumb and she winced in pain.
It was lucky that Jack had been the one to find her; he had gone to medical school as a back-up job just in case acting hadn't worked out. He at once new her foot was broken, but he didn't know quite what to do. He still had a key to the doctor's office, for he still worked there when he wasn't working on a film. Jack thought that he should tell someone what happened, but he couldn't take her inside with him and he couldn't leave her alone.
Jack looked over at her and she seemed to be sobbing harder. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He rocked her back and forth as he tried to hush her. "Shh," Jack mumbled as he kissed her forehead, "You're safe now. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." She seemed to quiet considerably at this and only the sound that could be heard was that of Jack's soothing voice.
When she seemed to have calmed down Jack looked her in the eye, "Did he-"
"No," the woman said quietly.
"I need to get help."
"No," she begged, "Don't leave me."
"It'll only be for a second-"
"No!" she shouted, the tone of her voice sounding surprisingly harsh for someone who appeared to be so helpless.
Jack paused for a second, "Then we need to get you to my office. I'm a doctor and I can make sure that there is nothing else wrong with you."
"Else?" she repeated.
Jack hesitated, "Your foot is broken."
She just stared in disbelief. "Then we need to go," she said quietly. "But if we're seen by anyone-"
"I'm going to get you to my car without being seen." He then paused and stood up, with her once again in his arms, "Do you trust me?"
"I
trust you."
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Author's Note: So what do you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated!
