Title: The Truth about Us
Author: Mindy
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Tina's property etc.
Spoilers: 'Gentleman's Intermission'.
Pairing: Jack/Liz, Jack/Avery.
Summary: Post-ep. "So why didn't you tell Avery the truth about us?"
-x-
"So why didn't you tell Avery the truth about us?"
Jack turned round, a drink in each hand. "Lemon. You're in my chair."
"I am," Liz replied, lounging back in the chair, hands behind her head. "Watcha gonna do about it?"
"Don't put your feet up there," he muttered, too late because her feet were already crossing themselves on the edge of his desk.
"You didn't answer my question," she noted, an abnormal authority to her tone. "Why didn't you just tell Avery the truth about us?"
"And what truth would that be?" he asked, crossing over to her.
Liz arched a brow. "The real truth, Jack."
"I thought I did that." He held out a glass to her, a small smile on his lips. "Was there something I omitted in respect to…'us'?"
"Oh, come on…" She sat up, plonking her glass on the desktop. "First you feed her some line about being my mentor."
"That's not a line," he interrupted. "I am your mentor, you are my mentee."
"No," she insisted, eyes wide, head shaking. "I never really accepted that position, Jack. I never wanted you as a mentor. As far as I was aware, all the advice and help you gave me, you gave me because I'm your friend and because I trusted you to know what was best for me. And vice versa, by the way. I've doled out plenty of advice to you over the years. So clearly that was not the whole truth about…this." She settled back in his seat, her gaze forthright. "But you didn't say that to your girlfriend. Did you?"
Jack regarded her silently a moment. "No. I didn't."
"No." She nodded once then went on. "But even when that little deflection fell through, instead of just telling her the truth, you make up some crap about a shark and a fish…- what was that, anyway?"
"It was spur of the moment," he told her with a shrug of his shoulders. "And you looked very touched by that metaphor."
"I was," she answered. "For like, two seconds. Until I figured out it was total BS."
His brows shot up. "I beg your pardon?"
She scoffed unrepentantly. "It's bullshit, Jack. It was for her benefit, nothing to do with us. You fed Avery some bullshit line about what we are, just to- I don't know why. I'm asking you why. Are you so terrified of her-"
"I'm not terrified of Avery," he protested quickly.
"Fine. Is it me then? Are you ashamed of me? Is that it? Am I not impressive enough to parade in front of your future wife as your best friend, maybe your only friend?"
"Lemon…" Jack turned away, moving to the ledge behind his desk, leaning his butt against it. "Let's not get completely juvenile here."
She swivelled the chair to face him, one hand slapping the edge of the seat. "No, let's get juvenile. I want to be juvenile for just a minute. Cos I want a real answer. So really-" she shook her head at him, mystified, "what's the deal, Jack?"
Jack let out a breath, eyes momentarily fixed on the carpet. "I suppose the deal is that everything has been a bit strained with Avery of late. She is hardly the easiest woman in the world on the best of days and her pregnancy has made her less so. We got lucky today, Lemon, we caught her in a rare moment of magnanimity which frankly could backfire at any moment."
"I figured," she mumbled, "Even when she's nice, she still scares the pants off me. Figuratively, of course."
Jack shot her a brief look then continued on. "When this originally arose though, things- well…they got a little heated. And I simply didn't think it worth pushing the issue."
"I see. So..." Liz bobbed her head a few times, jaw sticking out, "lemme get this straight, cos I wanna know where I'm at. You were willing to wage a mini-war over your elk tongue wall. But your best friend is not worth sticking up for?"
Jack chuckled awkwardly into his glass. "Lemon, will you stop calling us that like we're in grade school? We are not best friends."
"Oh no?" She sat straighter in his chair, her head tipped to one side in a blatant challenge. "Tell me then, Jack- who else do you talk to on a daily basis about every stupid thing that goes on in your life? Who can you blab to without any censorship at all? Cos I'm not the only one here who does that. Who is it you run to when you need advice or a pep talk or a hug you don't know how to ask for? Who else have you got who's good for that? Who knows all your dirty little secrets, Jack, even if she maybe doesn't want to, who knows all of your hidden fears and insecurities, huh?"
Jack drew in a breath, looking down his nose at her. Then he nodded and murmured, "You, Lemon. The answer to all those questions…is you."
"Damn right," she went on with barely a pause. "Because I've been there for the past five years - five years, Jack - witnessing and listening to and sympathizing with all your various stuff. Not as your mentee, if that's even a word. But as your friend. Your friend, Jack." She paused again, a glimmer of hurt in her eyes. "But that's not what you told Avery, is it?"
"No," he admitted softly. "It isn't."
"You didn't want her to know, did you?" she asked, eyes scanning his face. "You didn't want her knowing that I know you, Jack Donaghy. Inside and out. You didn't want her knowing that you need me. Every bit as much as I need you. And I do, I need you, I admit that. So what? I thought-" she faltered, bowing her head, "I thought…it was a mutual thing."
"It is mutual," he said, jumping in quickly. "Of course it is. Like I said, with the Great White and the-"
"Please-" Liz held up a hand. "Don't- do not go over it again. Once was more than enough, I'm almost certain a second time will make me gag."
"Very well," he murmured, slightly miffed. "But yes, Lemon, I admit that perhaps I wasn't as honest with Avery as I could have been. Perhaps I didn't play this very well."
She looked up at him. "No. Perhaps not."
"Perhaps I was thrown a little off-guard by having to defend this, by having to define…" he gestured between them, "us."
She nodded. "Okay. Perhaps you were."
"But…" Jack moved away from the wall, shifting on his feet a moment. "Perhaps the reason I didn't share with Avery how important you are to me is because of how important you are to me. Perhaps I did downgrade what we have, just a little – unconsciously, mind you – because…I didn't want it to have to change."
Liz was silent a moment, she raised a dubious brow. "That's a pretty weak excuse, Jack."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. And you're deluded if you think Avery's gonna be okay with this forever. Things are gonna change. They're already changing," she cocked her head at him, "-or haven't you noticed?"
Jack just returned her look, silent for once, brows deeply furrowed. His gaze dropped again to his drink.
"But in the meantime," she murmured, pushing herself out of his seat, "here's something I want you to remember. Give me your hand."
Jack lifted his head. "What?"
Liz lent over, grabbing a pen from his desk. "Your hand, Jack, give it to me. I'm going to do something juvenile to it." When he offered up a hand, she took it in both of hers, rolling her eyes at his obvious caution. "Well, that side's too hairy," she muttered at the back of his hand, instead turning it palm up, the pen poised over it. "So this is for you to say to Avery next time she asks. And believe me, she will..."
Liz scribbled. And Jack read:
"Lemon is my friend?"
"Right," she nodded. "Only not like it's a question."
Jack looked straight at her, repeating, "Lemon is my friend."
"Exactly," she replied, taking a breath. "Simple as that. Now gimme the other one." She beckoned for his other hand and told him, when he gave it, "This one is optional, just so's you know. You don't have to say this if you don't want to."
Again, Liz scribbled, head bent. Then Jack read what she'd written on his opposite palm:
"And I won't give her up."
There was a pause. Then:
"Got it?" she asked, eyes locked with his.
Jack nodded once. "Got it." He gave her a half-smile, adding, "I shall never wash these again, I swear."
She smiled back, throwing down the pen. "Well, good." She gave him one last look, murmuring, "Bye, Jack," before she left.
Jack watched Liz go. And later that night, he showed his girlfriend his palms. Both of them.
Then he called his best friend.
END.