Title: Don't Leave Me
Summary: Carly overhears a conversation the duelist had with his friend. Jack wants to leave her to start a new life... She takes Jack on a friendly outing, acting like she knew nothing about the conversation, knowing that it could be her last day with him...
Rating: K+
Author: Anime-Cartoonist2
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any mentioned characters. I only own the plot and the title of the story and that's pretty much it...
A/N: Hey guys! Yes I'm back to bring you guys another Scoopshipping one-shot. Yeyz! I'm sorry if I let you guys down with the lack of Jack and Carly being a couple in my last Scoopshipping fic. But I guarantee that this fic will make up for it!
Things you need to know before you read this fic: This one-shot takes place after my other Scoopshipping fic A Friend. If you haven't read it, it's ok, but you should know that at the start of this fic Jack and Carly are just good friends.
Read, Enjoy, Review!
Carly slowly opened her eyes to a blurred vision. She had to squint in the brightness of the room due to the window which she forgot to pull the shades over.
She closed her eyes and groaned. That was one thing she despised when she opened her eyes in the morning… She opened her eyes again to a blurred vision of the white ceiling in her room.
The dark haired girl sat up in her bed and looked over to her nightstand to find her glasses. She reached out and blindly patted her hand over the surface until she came in contact with her spectacles. She finally picked them up and placed them in front of her eyes. Her vision was now clearer.
Carly yawned as she threw her covers aside and got out of bed.
She was feeling pretty good right now considering she was stuck in the hospital for about a week due to various injuries after her duel with Jack.
Speaking of Jack…
Carly poked her head out of her room to see the former King sitting in her spot at the table talking on his cell phone. He seemed to be too focused on the conversation he was having he hardly realized the reporter.
She decided to stay low and technically eavesdrop on Jack's conversation.
"So you're planning on leaving?"
The caller sounded to be Yusei.
Jack sighed, annoyed. "I already told you…"
"Sorry… My bad…" Yusei apologized on the other line.
"It's alright…" Jack said as he ran his fingers through his blonde hair, trying to relax some. He just realized that he could have answered his friend a little nicer than what he did. That's what you get when you have anger management issues.
'Leave? Jack's going to leave?' Carly thought as panic overshadowed her. 'Where is he going? And why is he leaving? Does it have to deal with me?' The muscles in her body started to tense. Why would Jack leave his best friend?
"So when are you going to leave?"
"I was planning on tomorrow-"
"Does Carly know anything about this?" Yusei cut him off.
Jack stopped to think for a moment. He let out the breath he was going to use to yell at the boy for cutting him off. "No…" He answered quietly as he looked down at the tabletop.
"You do realize that she was the person you fell in love with in the first place, and if you leave her now without saying anything, you'll break her heart…even if you guys are just friends…" Yusei said, brining up a valid point.
"I know…" Jack said as he nonchalantly ran his finger in a random shape on the tabletop. Truth is…he never really thought about that… If he were just to get up and walk out of Carly's life to start his own, he would be letting down the only girl who has ever cared for him in his whole life.
"Listen," He said to Yusei. "I'm gonna have to call you back…"
The duelist ended the call on his cell phone and placed the device on the table and placed his hands over his eyes and sighed. What was he going to do? Did he really want to choose leaving the woman he had fallen in love with and hurting her over starting a life without her in it?
Part of the reason why Jack wanted to start a life without Carly was so that he could find a good paying job and get some money so that he could continue his life with Carly knowing that he wasn't a total failure.
'Jack…' Carly thought as she watched the blonde boy struggle with his choice. 'So you do love me… And yet you want to leave me? I don't…understand…'
She could feel herself start to choke on the tears she wanted to cry. But there was still a chance…a chance for her to set things right with her and the duelist…so he wouldn't have to leave her for whatever reason…
She pulled her self together and took in a deep breath and let it out and made her way out to the kitchen to put on some coffee, acting like she knew nothing of the conversation Jack had just ended.
"Morning Jack," She said mustering a pretty convincing fake smile.
Carly pulled a fake yawn in front of the boy and made her way to the coffee machine. He looked up at her with his striking violet-eyes which were full of confusion and watched her perform her usual morning task.
"Morning Carly…" Jack said and stood up, tucking his cell phone back in his pocket.
"Would you like some coffee?" Carly asked as part of her regular morning routine.
All she got was a partial nod from the duelist before he turned his back to her to go sit on the couch and stare out the window. She knew that when he did that, he was doing some serious thinking. But this time, she knew what he would be thinking about.
'Should I really leave Carly after all the things she has done for me?' Jack thought as he starred down at the bustling people and cars below. 'Maybe I should tell her I'm leaving tomorrow…'
He looked up to see the dark hair girl sitting in the chair that he was just sitting in at the table, she was just opening her laptop and turning it on and was going to check her e-mails. Yeah…he knew her morning routine all too well…
"Um… Carly…?" Jack started as he adjusted his sitting position on the couch.
"What is it Atlus-sama?" Carly asked in her cute tone whenever he would ask of her attention. She had never stopped using honors after his name. She still saw him as being an important person with such a high ranking in society. But that was just Carly…
"I was going to tell you…" Jack let his words trail off. He couldn't face Carly getting upset because of him. A part of him didn't really want to tell the girl that he was leaving on such a short notice.
"Tell me what, Altus-sama?" Carly asked as she looked over at him, her glasses glinted the light that came through the window.
Jack just couldn't bring himself around to saying what he was intending on telling her.
"Don't…put too much creamer in my coffee…" He said plainly and shifted his gaze back out the window.
Carly blinked. "Okay?"
She had a guess that he was going to tell her that he would be leaving first thing in the morning…
After a few minutes of silence, the coffee machine was done brewing the coffee. Carly wasn't that busy checking her mail, so she got up and prepared coffee for the two of them. She did as Jack said and didn't put as much creamer in as he would usually have her put in his coffee.
'I guess Jack wants it on the strong side so he can think things over…' Carly concluded as she set the creamer down on the cabinet.
She stirred his a little before she took it to him.
"Here…" She said as she placed the cup on the coffee table in font of the duelist.
Jack turned around and picked the cup up by the handle.
"Thanks," He said, before taking a sip out of it. It was on the strong side. But he needed it…
Carly didn't really move from her spot. She stood and watched the boy gaze out of the window at the life below.
The blonde turned around to place the cup back on the coffee table only to be caught by the girl's eyes.
"What?" Jack asked the girl in a rude tone. He was really frustrated and confused at the moment, he wasn't minding his manners.
Carly turned on her heal. "Nothing…" She said before she headed back to her computer to check the rest of her e-mails.
Jack sunk back into the cushions as he watched the girl walk back to the table. He turned his focus back to his thoughts again.
-
[11:05AM]
The two friends still sat quietly in the living room and dining room area of the house. They were both busy with their thoughts. Carly broke the silence with an idea for the two of them.
"Want to do something today, Jack?" She asked as the boy looked at her with his violet-eyes, it just sends chills down her spine every time he does that. "Like, maybe, take a walk in the park?" She suggested.
Jack closed his eyes and thought for a second.
"Sure," He said and stood up. "Why not…"
Carly shut her laptop and finished up the last bit of her coffee and stood up to put the cup in the sink.
Jack finished his as he stepped into the kitchen part and put the empty cup in the sink as Carly ran warm water over her hands. She shut off the water as soon as Jack took his hand out of the sink. Carly was in such a rush to get to her room, she hadn't noticed the duelist standing next to her. She turned only to bump into Jack placing her wet hands on his chest by accident.
"Sorry!" Carly apologized as she scurried off to her room to get dressed.
She left behind two wet handprints on Jack's tank top. Thank goodness it was black…
[Five minutes later]
Carly was ready to go on a friendly outing with Jack. Yet this outing could be their last…
"Ready?" She asked the blonde as she picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder.
"I guess…" Jack said. He didn't feel the need to change out of his cloths. His black tank top and jeans would be comfortable as is.
"Hmmm…" Carly said as she thought of something else Jack could wear. She went back to her room and quickly scavenged for it.
"Here it is!" She exclaimed as she came out of the room with it. "Do you mind wearing this?" She asked as she held the jacket she had bought him for his new look when they went out on their first "date" together.
She handed it to the duelist who didn't mind at all putting it on for the reporter.
"Ok, now we're ready!" Carly said with a smile after Jack had put on the jacket and his white shirt on underneath it.
Jack had to admit, the jacket was comfortable to wear. It didn't have massive coattails like his white King jacket. It was pleasant to wear on a nice outgoing with his good friend.
-
It was a sunny and clear day outside. There was a little humidity in the air, but there was a cool breeze that would sweep by every once in awhile.
The two were quiet as they walked down the concrete path side by side.
Carly looked down at her shoes. She knew that this would probably be the last time she'd ever get to walk with Jack like this…
"So…" She said as she looked up and over at the tall blonde boy. "Want some ice cream? I'll buy!" She smiled.
"I guess…" Jack said.
"Stay right here," Carly said as she stopped him. "I'll go get us a scoop." She walked up to the ice cream stand and waited patiently to be served.
Jack sighed as he looked around at his surroundings. He spotted a bench near by. He took a seat and rested his feet as he waited for Carly. He watched the girl from afar…
She really was something. She was happy to help Jack from the beginning and no matter what she did, she always smiled afterwards. He still loved her too…he just couldn't bring himself to a conclusion…
He sighed again as Carly was headed his way with the ice cream.
"I hope you like vanilla," She said as she handed his cone to him. It was a single scoop…no big deal…
"Enough scoops for you?" Jack asked as he saw Carly's ice cream cone. She gave him a sheepish smile as she took a seat next to him.
Hers was a triple scoop, one strawberry, one vanilla, and one chocolate. Why didn't she just get Neapolitan?
"I would say so," Carly said with a smile before she licked the strawberry scoop and giggled like the happy little child she was. "I sure hope I finish this…" She said as she took the quantity size into consideration. "I usually eat this much in over the course of 4 days…"
She looked over at the duelist who was calmly licking his ice cream cone. He hadn't heard one word the girl had said since she handed him his ice cream.
Carly smiled and continued to enjoy her triple scoop…
-
[1:00PM]
It took the two 45 minutes just to leave the park. Jack had managed to finish his ice cream within 15 minutes. Carly, on the other hand, took about 25 minutes to fully devour her triple scoop cone. After that, the two did a little more walking around the park before Carly got hungry. Lunchtime…
For lunch, they settled with Chinese. At the end of their cheep meal, the waitress set two fortune cookies on the table and left the two with a pleasant smile.
The duelist and the reporter chose their cookie and took it. They both opened the small package the cookie was in and broke open the cookie and read their fortune.
Carly's fortune read: 'You will find your happiness in the end.'
Jack's fortune read: 'You are one to think things through when difficult times come. Choose wisely.'
After that meal, Carly tried to convince Jack to go to the amusement park again.
Jack didn't really feel like going on extreme rides, mainly because they were boring to him… All he wanted to do was stay quiet and think…
Carly finally gave up on getting the blonde to go with her to the amusement park, so she decided to go back to the park and feed the duckies the crackers she had gotten at the buffet.
As she fed the ducks, Jack sat in the shade of the nearest tree and watched the dark haired girl feed the skittish birds that swam in the pond.
Carly held out the cracker crumbs in her hand and approach the animals slowly with a smile resting on her lips. After a few times of getting scared off, the ducks found the girl to be of no harm to them but approached her cautiously.
She flattened out her hand and offered the crackers to the birds as they approached her. She giggled softly as the young ducks ate from her hand. Soon, she was crowded by the rest of the ducks.
Jack smiled a true smile. He, too, felt like one of those ducks…
At first he wasn't very fond of Carly, he thought of the girl as being nothing more than a reporter who was always in his way. But after living with her for a few days, he got to know and understand her a little more. After he left her to fight in the signer duels in the Satellite, he found himself thinking about her a lot. Not long after, he was falling in love with her…
'We…have a bond…' Jack thought as he watched the girl get mobbed by the raving ducks. He stood up to go help her. 'I don't think I've ever realized it until now… But I now know that it's a unique and special bond…'
He walked up to the girl who had just been mobbed by hungry ducks and was now seated on the ground. She looked up at him.
"Need a hand?" He asked as he offered his hand to the girl.
Carly gave him a smile and placed her hand into his and got to her feet again.
"Those were some hungry duckies," She said and smiled.
"I saw…" Jack said and smiled lightly at the girl.
Silence fell over the two as they stood side by side watching the ducks swim away with their young ones. Carly looked over at the duelist.
"So…uh… Want some frozen yogurt?" She asked as she took her wallet out of her purse.
"I'm buying this time," Jack said before he took the wallet out of the girl's hand and headed over to the ice cream stand.
A smile crossed Carly's lips as she watched the boy. She didn't mind his attitude at times. She would surely miss him if he left…
If he left…
She took a seat on the nearest bench to wait for the boy.
'Why?' Carly asked herself. 'Why does Jack want to leave? He loves me doesn't he? And yet he wants to risk leaving me alone and hurt…'
"I hope you like raspberry…" Jack said as he approached the girl a minute later with two small containers of frozen yogurt. He handed the reporter the raspberry frozen treat, with a plastic spoon, and took a seat next to her with his blueberry treat.
He spooned out a good amount and put it in his mouth. He looked over at Carly only to see her poking at it with her spoon. She seemed pretty down…usually she would have said "Thank you Atlus-sama!" and then started to eat it. Something was bothering her…
"Hey," Jack said as he gently nudged her with his elbow. "What's the matter? You don't like raspberry?"
Carly shoved the spoon in to the frozen dairy treat. "No… I love raspberry…" She looked up at him, her glasses preventing her true emotions from being seen. "Thank you Atlus-sama…"
She looked back down and took her spoon out of her frozen yogurt and spooned out some of it and enjoyed it. But as usual, she was curious as to what Jack's tasted like, so they did the traditional "I take a bite from yours, you take a bite from mine" trade.
It took the two friends about 25 minutes to enjoy their frozen treats in silence.
"So…" The dark haired girl started as the two sat on the park bench. "What do you want to do now? Do you want to stay here or go home?"
Jack shrugged. He didn't care where he went, either way; he'd still be with Carly. A thought crossed his mind…it would be one he would regret later, but it was worth it…
"Would you…" Jack trailed off feeling himself choke on his own spit. He cleared his throat and continued. "Would you like to…uh…go to the amusement park, par chance?"
"Sure…I mean…if you want to, sure…" Carly said as she looked up at the duelist who stood in front of her.
"I don't mind…" Jack said. He was really lying. He disliked amusement parks no matter what. But if it makes Carly happy, it was well worth the trip…
-
The rest of the afternoon was spent at the amusement park on their friendly outing.
It was about 5:45PM when the two got back to Carly's apartment.
Jack had managed somehow to make it through the rides that Carly had dragged him on to. She took him to every ride, even the ones she really hated to go on. But in the end, it still left the girl nerve wrecked. It would take her awhile to recover…
The two had entered the door to the apartment; both had a smile of self satisfaction.
Carly placed her purse on the counter next to her car keys. She turned to the blonde duelist who was just taking off his shoes next to the door. She approached him.
"Thanks for hanging out with me, Atlus-sama…" She said softly with a hint of shyness in her voice, like times before. She was just itching to give the boy a hug.
Jack looked up at the girl and gave her a smile. "No problem."
"Can I give you a hug?" Carly asked as a blush came to her cheeks.
Jack wasn't that touchy-feely type of guy… He hadn't received enough hugs in his childhood to remember what a true hug really felt like. But he was willing to let the girl, whom he cared for, give him a hug.
A light smile came to the girl's lips as she wrapped her arms around the boy. In return, he wrapped his strong arms around the girl. The friendly hug didn't last more than a minuet.
After that, Carly went to go make dinner for the two of them and Jack went to sit on the couch again and be alone with his thoughts…
-
Dinner was actually pleasing to both of the housemates. A variety of fried shrimp, fish, curry chicken, and egg rolls.
It was now 9:50PM…
The two were getting tired. They had a long, but fun, day together. And it could be their last day together like this…
That thought had stayed in the back of Carly's head all day. The thought of Jack leaving…for a reason unknown to her… But she was sure that whatever it maybe, she could help him with it, or fix it, or just be there for him when he needed someone…
'Maybe I should tell him that I know…' Carly thought as she shut her laptop. 'Then that way…maybe he'll explain to me why he is planning on leaving…'
She stood up from her chair. 'Here goes something…'
"Jack…?" She said softly, not wanting to disrupt him too much from his reading as she approached him.
He looked up at her and set the book down on the coffee table and stood up from the couch, willing to listen to whatever the reporter had to say to him.
Carly bit her bottom lip. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought…
"Why are you leaving me?" She asked him as the sadness overshadowed her. She wanted to get it all out without hesitation.
"What?" Jack asked.
"I…I heard you talking to Yusei this morning… I heard that you were planning on leaving…" Carly said choking on her sadness and tears. Her eyes misted over with tears. "I thought you cared about me…"
"Carly…" Jack said under his breath as he starred at the girl with his violet-eyes.
"Please… Don't leave me…" She said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. She bowed her head. "If you leave me… I'll end up alone…and depressed…I-I'll have to go back to taking pills just to keep me happy…
Jack didn't know what to say…he wasn't expecting this to happen until the following day. But the thought must have tortured her so much to the point where she had to admit to overhearing his conversation…
He did care about her…he loved her…that's why he wanted to be alone with his thoughts so he could think his choice over. He didn't want to hurt her by leaving her…
He sighed as he lowered his eyes to the floor in shame and decided to tell Carly the full story.
"You see Carly…" He began as the girl looked up at him with her sad, tear filled eyes, which were hidden from him by her glasses. "Ever since I lost my fame and glory, I haven't had much of a chance with finding a good job out in the real world… Yes, I admit that it was stupid of me to think that starting a life of my own without you would set things right… All I want to accomplish in this world is to find a good paying job, earn some money, and live happily with you knowing that I'm not a total failure…" He said not lifting his eyes from off the floor.
He looked up at the reporter to see her starring at him. "You understand right?"
"I understand…" Carly said softly as she wiped away her tears with her hand. She hadn't really thought of it that way…
Jack smiled lightly, he was relieved that she wasn't upset with him.
The dark haired girl took off her glasses and set them aside on the coffee table and wiped her eyes. She felt the duelist wrap his arms around her as she took her hands away from her eyes.
"Carly…" Jack whispered as he pulled the girl in to a gentle hug, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Don't cry anymore… I won't leave you…by any means necessary…"
"If it was money you wanted, I would be more than happy to help you as long as you live here with me…" Carly said softly as she pressed her cheek against Jack's chest. She placed her hand on his chest. "You know I'll do anything for you…"
Silence fell over the two as Jack continued to hold the girl in his strong arms.
"Jack…" The reporter said breaking the silence as she pulled away from the boy with tear stained cheeks. "Are we…still friends?"
Jack took both of her hands into his. "We're more than 'just friends'…"
"Jack…" Carly said under her breath.
He brought both of her hands up and planted a soft and gentle kiss on the back of them. This was a perfect time to tell the girl how he felt with her in his life…
"I love you Carly…"
Her breathing had hitched in her throat. She could swear her heart had skipped several beats…
"I-I love you too, Jack…" Carly whispered with a slight stutter as she placed a hand on his cheek. A smile of happiness appeared on her lips as the boy placed his hand on top of hers and planted a gentle kiss on her palm.
She was too distracted by the warm feeling in her heart to realize that they were leaning in towards each other. A moment later Carly felt Jack's warm and soft lips against her own. Her heart gave a leap once their lips contacted with one another's.
Carly closed her aquamarine colored eyes and wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and gave in. In return, Jack wrapped his arms around Carly's waist and pulled her closer to himself.
Jack placed his right hand on Carly's neck a moment later and pulled his lips away from hers and planted kisses on her left cheek, along her jaw, and down her neck.
"Jack…" She said with lack of breath as he continued to kiss her gently on her neck.
He kissed her lips again before he stopped a moment later.
Carly smiled and hugged him, snuggling against his chest.
Jack gently stroked her long, smooth, dark colored hair. "I won't leave you…as long as I live… I promise..."
Carly smiled as she closed her eyes. She felt like all of her dreams had come true…
She was so happy, she could cry again…
-
[10:45PM]
(Phone conversation between Jack and Yusei)
"Sorry to be bothering you at this hour…"
"It's alright; Aki and I were just getting ready for bed anyways…"
Jack chuckled. "I see…"
"Oh whatever…" Yusei said brushing off that comment. "So are you going to leave in the morning?"
"Well, I talked to Carly about it…" Jack trailed off.
"And…?"
"I'm staying…for good…"
-End-
A/N: I would really love to hear what you guys thought about my story. Shippers or not, your comment is welcome! Constructive Criticism is welcome too. I know there might have been some parts in there that were worded incorrectly and such, so if you have an eye for catching that kind of stuff, I would be more than happy to fix it so it flows. =]
~AC2