It had been awkward ever since Jack and Liz broke up.
Neither had talked to each other for over two months; Liz had always made food related excuses or sent Pete up to deal with matters, but Jack hadn't been so brave either he would rely on Jonathan to call Liz or send documents down to her office. It was one particular morning when they both arrived at the elevator at the same time and during that journey, which seemed to be taking longer than usual, Liz pressed the floor number it was nearest to and got out, even though it was only on the 2nd floor. This happened more frequently over the next two weeks.
All the writers, Jenna, Tracy, Kenneth and even Jonathan thought it was getting out of hand and couldn't stand the awkwardness any more but when they did try to get them to meet each other without them knowing as soon as they saw each other they would turn round and walk in the complete opposite direction.
But after working slightly late one night Jack, after having a few too many scotches, decided to get Jonathan to ring Liz and get her to come up because he two had missed her, her smile, her laugh, her voice, her face, her body, her bad jokes and mainly just her.
"Liz?" he could hear Jonathan's voice through the door "yeah, jack wants to see you, now."
On the other end of the phone Liz sat in her small, crowded office, "umm I don't know if I can at the moment I have to-" but before she made her excuse Jonathon interrupted.
"Look Liz, I know it's going to be awkward, but you have to talk to him, no-one can stand the awkwardness any more it's driving us up the wall" his voice was now pleading her "please just come up, I miss mocking you"
"Wow, you know that's the first time I have heard you be nice to me" she laughed "fine I'll come up just let me find a cardigan its cold"
"Oh great another frumpy cardigan of Liz's that's just what we need" he scoffed
"There we go there's the Jonathan I know" and she put the phone down, what had she just agreed to? Why did she do this to herself, she couldn't bear being in the same elevator in silence never mind in the same room talking. She grabbed her oversized, food stained TGS hoodie and walked out of her office checking her appearance in the reflection of frank's office window. She looked a mess her hair had tats in and had lettuce in as well "Nerds!" that's just what she needed. Her clothes had various food stains and smudges of ink because her pen exploded from chewing it too hard. In spite of that she made her way up to 52nd floor, hopefully she didn't have to stay there long her meatball sub was waiting for her.
As the lift opened she walked out, her stomach was doing flips maybe it was because the meatball sub was the third of the day or maybe it was because she was nervous about Jack, sure she missed him she missed his smile, his laugh, his voice, his face, his body, his bad jokes and mainly just him. 'No' she told herself 'it was the sub, never have more than two in a day'
Ignoring Jonathon she walked through the oak doors surprising jack as she entered, "Oh Lemon I didn't see you there" he gestured to the chair beside him "sit down would you like a drink?"
"Oh cut the crap Jack, what do you want?"
"I'll take that as a yes then" he poured a large scotch and handed it to her, Liz snatched it out of his hand and drank it all immediately, "take it easy, okay listen I just wanted to see you; I miss you more than you could imagine, why did we have to break up?"
"What?" she was surprised, she definitely wasn't expecting that and it came across in her tone.
"Well you're the one who wanted to break up but you never explained why, I mean I loved you Liz"
Another surprise, he loved her? Wow certainly what she wasn't expecting, "we both agreed on the break up Jack, can't blame it on me" her voice had lost it surprised tone and she had turned a bit annoyed, why the hell was he blaming the break up on her? I mean sure she brought it up but he agreed. "If you still loved me why didn't you fight, you did for all the other girls you've dated, I watched you, why not for me?" her voice broke at the end of the sentence.
"Lemon, I-" he started but she cut him off
"I'm just going to go there's no point in me being here, I got a job offer by the way; I may as well take it, the only reason I haven't already is because I thought that we could make up. But it's much more than that, we never will it's too complicated" her voice broke once again and a tear formed in her eye, "this is my two weeks' notice, I'll see you around" she turned and walked towards the door as she did her tears fell from her eyes.
"Liz, please don't" he voice pleaded "don't go, what would I do without you?" he crept towards her, where she paused at the door her hand hovering above the handle, "I'm fighting now okay? Don't go please. I love you Elizabeth."
"No, don't say that, those words, look you want to know why I broke up with you?" he voice was demanding and was starting to get angry, he had never seen this side to her and he didn't like it. But before he could respond she had already started talking again. "The reason was, well I never felt good enough. I've seen you with all the models and then there's me who has lettuce in her hair 80% of the time. It was just wrong you deserve someone with your class, look I'm sorry, I did love you but it's complicated so I'll just go okay?"
"Lemon, don't please you were good enough" he responded his voice was low and he wasn't sure if she heard but he carried on anyway, "you have class, and you are better than all of the models"
"LOOK I NEVER WANTED TO FEEL THIS WAY, I MEAN I LOVE YOU BUT I CAN'T BE WITH YOU, YOU MADE ME FEEL PATHETIC EVERYTIME YOU HANDED ME MONEY FOR CLOTHES. I COULDN'T DEAL WITH IT, IT WAS ALL TOO MUCH"
It seemed all of her anger with him came out right there, she could tell she had done enough damage already, "I'm taking the job" and she turned the handle. But right then she could hear his breath, it sounded as if he was crying. Quivering she turned around and jack slipped his hand around her waist.
"Jack, please don't make this harder than it already is"
But it was too late; he gently kissed her cheek and kept kissing her until he reached her mouth, she tried to resist but as soon as their lips met she forgot everything, the arguments and she was once again his. All his. And she liked it although it contradicted everything she had just said.
"Fine, I won't leave" she turned and walked out the door "but we can't happen, not now."
The door shut with a click. She walked towards the elevator and leaned against the wall waiting for the door to open 'ugh elevators can never tell when you want to make an escapes can they?' she mumbled to herself before pressing the down button several more times. When the doors opened she stepped inside and fought against the tears before the doors had closed she saw jack running towards her.
"Lemon, I need to see you tomorrow about Deal Breakers, don't send Pete up I can't stand his rambling. I need you."