SEPARATE WAYS
Author: Cover Girl
Rating PG-13
Disclaimer: GI Joe and Cobra are the property of Hasbro. This story takes place after Sunbow's episode, NOT A GHOST OF A CHANCE. I am also introducing Jinx earlier than she originally appeared in the cartoon. Major Ron Michaels and Major Frank Sullivan are Sunbow's creations. Direct lines from the cartoon are italicized.
Thanks to AmyKay for beta reading for me! She's been incredibly patient working with me off and on for the past six months. Chapter 2 is nearly complete so please stay tuned.
Chapter One
"We'll be fine," Major Frank Sullivan reassured Lady Jaye as she stood with him beside Major Ron Michaels at the back of the ambulance waiting to transport the two pilots to the base hospital. Michaels had broken his leg when the Ghost reconnaissance plane they had been flying made a forced landing on a small, uninhabited island. If it hadn't been for Beach Head, Flint, Lifeline, and Lift Ticket, the two pilots wouldn't have made it back alive.
"Major Sullivan, could you give us a statement for next week's show?" Hector Ramirez of Twenty Questions interrupted them.
"Why sure… Be glad to talk to you," Sullivan replied.
"Well, Ron, looks like you're gonna be here a little while longer," Lady Jaye said with a smile. She placed her hand tenderly on his shoulder. "He shouldn't be that long. I'm sure Hector…"
"Excuse me, Lady Jaye. I've got something to settle with Major Michaels." Flint postured as he approached them.
"Flint?" Lady Jaye asked cautiously, unsure of what was going on. She had been defending her friendship with Ron to Flint off and on since Hawk assigned her to the mission. Flint's stance wasn't reassuring; in fact, it was troubling.
"Major, I'd like a word with you about…"
"Oh, so you're the Flint Lady Jaye's been tellin' me so much about," Ron interrupted Flint with a friendly but weakening voice.
"But…"
"You're one lucky guy. This lady really loves you. Take care of yourself, Lady Jaye," Ron said as Frank returned to his side.
"See you in the skies, Ron." She waved goodbye to them and turned her attention to Flint. "Just what was it you were going to tell him, Flint?"
"Nothing, Lady Jaye. What I thought I saw wasn't what I saw," he replied, draping his arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. Together, they watched Lifeline and one of the other medics load Sullivan and Michaels into the ambulance.
Lifeline looked back at the pair through the windows of the closed doors and inwardly sighed a note of relief. "Thank God, Flint came to his senses." He thought watching Flint pull Lady Jaye around to face him. She had her arms wrapped around Flint's neck when they drove off. That had to be a good sign.
"Are you sure, you're ok?" She gave Flint a quizzical glare. "You seemed intent on talking to Ron about some…"
"It was nothing." He smiled down at her and wondered how he could have jumped to the wrong conclusion.
"But…"
"It's been a long day. Why don't you change and we can grab a bite to eat over at Joe's Place? I missed you." He dropped a light kiss on top of her head and tightened his hold around her.
"I missed you, too, but, I've got to get my report finished. Hawk wants all the details in before Ramirez hits the airwaves." She groaned, rocking her head back so her eyes met his. "Trust me, I'd rather be spending time with you…it shouldn't take me that long."
"How about I grab take out---your pick? We can take it back to my quarters," he suggested, giving her a lopsided grin she couldn't resist.
"Oh, you know how to tempt a girl."
"Whatever my lady wants."
"Well, I'll settle for some burgers from Joe's. It's late and, like I said, it shouldn't take me that long to finish up my report."
"I've got to help the others unload the Tomahawk before I check in at the control center." He nodded over to where Lift Ticket stood in the distance. "Call me when you think you're nearly done and I'll run over to Joe's before I meet you," he murmured in her ear.
"Mmm…I like that."
"I think you'll like a few other things better," he teased. "Go on and call me." He kissed her temple just as Lift Ticket approached them.
"Flint, you gonna lend us a hand or what?" The Tomahawk pilot shouted over to them. Flint and Lady Jaye broke apart.
"I'll see you later," she said, leaning up on tiptoes to kiss him before she ran off.
"Everything ok, Flint?" Lift Ticket questioned him once Lady Jaye was out of sight and they began walking towards the Tomahawk's landing area.
"Yeah."
"I take it I was right. You didn't see what you thought you saw? Nothing happened with Michaels?" Lift Ticket continued with a tone that both admonished Flint for his suspicions and made him feel like a complete idiot for jumping to the wrong conclusions.
Flint heaved a heavy sigh. "I had it all wrong. I saw them together and I…"
"Took the whole jealousy thing too far. Do you have any idea how many men would kill to have a woman like her? She only has eyes for you and everyone but you seems to know that. "
Flint closed his eyes and shook his head before facing Lift Ticket again. "I couldn't help it. I thought…"
"Lady Jaye couldn't…wouldn't do that to you." Lift Ticket cut him off. "Give her some credit. Lord knows she takes you for better or worse with that damn jealous streak of yours." He raised his voice but quickly brought it under control. Flint could tell the Tomahawk pilot was more than annoyed with him. "I honestly don't know how she or any woman could take it and if you keep it up she may just decide she's had enough. No one could blame her there. SHE LOVES YOU and you're gonna push her away," he warned.
"You're right," Flint agreed, surprising Lift Ticket.
"If you love her half as much as she loves you, tell her and don't let her forget it. Lifeline mentioned she was upset earlier."
"He did? Did he say why?" Flint pressed anxiously.
"Only that you were jealous again for nothing. Talk to her, Flint. Trust her."
~~*~~
"Hey, beautiful, ready?" Flint tapped on Lady Jaye's office door. She was sitting at her desk, reading what appeared to be the last few pages of her report. "Alison?"
"Hmm…oh, sorry, Dash," she answered, "just a minute." She finished and shuffled the papers together before slipping them into a folder. When she looked up to the doorway again, Flint was gone. "Huh?" She heard him chuckle softly and felt his hands on her shoulders, gently kneading them, and groaned, "You have no idea how good that feels."
"Ready?" He slid his hands down to the back of her chair, guiding it out for her.
"I'm all yours, let's go…."
~~*~~
"Evenin' Flint, Lady Jaye." Corporal Short was the MP on duty outside the men's barracks. He greeted them with a brisk nod and opened the door for them as they approached. "Lady Jaye, I caught you on Twenty Questions earlier. You looked great on the show."
"Evening, Short, and thanks." Lady Jaye returned as she stepped up to the doorway ahead of Flint carrying the bag from Joe's.
"Are they gonna let you do that show more often, ya think?" Short continued. "It's about time they had someone who gave our side to the news instead of …"
"Thanks, Short," Flint firmly added, reminding him of his presence.
"Ah, Flint. Have a good evening, Lady Jaye." Short remembered his place at the door and stepped away. Lady Jaye sighed and shifted her gaze between Short and Flint.
"Flint, he was just being nice..."
Recalling Lift Ticket's warning, Flint checked himself and softened his expression. "Have a good night, Short. C'mon Lady Jaye, dinner's gettin' cold." He draped his arm loosely, but possessively around her and guided her down the hallway to the stairwell.
"Lady Jaye…Flint," Beach Head greeted them, hardening the sound of Flint's name when he passed them outside Flint's quarters.
"You two get into it, again?" Lady Jaye questioned.
"Nah, you know Beach," he replied with a shrug.
"Yeah, I know him." She laughed. "C'mon, Flint, I'll set the table."
"You just relax. I got it." He opened the door and hit the light for her.
"Ok." She stepped inside the doorway. Looking around she saw his small quarters neat, orderly, and cold. He stayed here when he was on duty so it wasn't as personalized as his apartment in town. Just the basics was all he needed here. He had said time and time again, whenever she wanted she was free to add a little something to make it a little more comfortable, a little more cozy. She walked around the living room area and picked up a picture of them in evening clothes taken aboard the Airtes yacht and smiled to herself. The mission hadn't been a complete loss. They'd managed to foil Cobra's plans for Mr. Airtes, preventing them from gaining control of the Airtes shipping empire. She smiled again recalling the day they spent on the Aegean Sea before returning State side.
"I wish we could have gone back to my apartment or to your place," Flint called out from the kitchenette.
"No can do, you've got duty in the morning and Duke's at my place with Scarlett, remember?" She sighed a note of regret and walked into the kitchenette. Her apartment was cozy. She and Scarlett had both opted to live on base and personalized their suite with pictures of friends and family as well as a menagerie of knick-knacks. They didn't see the need for maintaining two places. "Need some help?" She watched him pull two Yo Joe cola's out of the refrigerator and set them on the table.
"Why don't you see if there's a movie on the TV or something?" He asked over his shoulder while pulling down a couple of plates from the cabinet.
"Sure, how about I pull out a couple a blankets and pillows? We can camp out in the living room," she added, seductively lowering her voice. His response was a devilish, lop-sided grin.
~~*~~
"What time is it?" Lady Jaye groaned, burying her head under her pillow to drown out the music playing from the clock's alarm.
"Quarter to 5, I've got to be in the command center in a few minutes," Flint answered, flipping the alarm off.
Lady Jaye heaved a heavy sigh and drew her head out to look up at him. "So much for pleasant dreams." She pouted and rolled over, raising herself up on her elbow to face him better.
With her hair all mussed up and her heavy eyes, Flint felt a raw urge to crawl back into bed with her but couldn't. Instead he drew a determined breath and sat down beside her. "Allie, honey, I've been wanting to ask you something."
"Mmm…" She sat up, loosely holding a blanket to her.
"I've been thinking," he stammered. "Um, my place is a lot bigger and we've been together for …I was wondering if…would you move in with me?"
"Move in with you? You mean live with you?" She asked, unsure she heard correctly.
"I was just thinking---"
"Yes!" She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I mean…are you sure? This is…"
"Yeah, I'm sure." He grinned back, wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her closer. She could feel his chest shudder a sigh of relief. "I've got a key for you on my dresser. I've never done this before…"
She laughed. "It's ok. I promise I won't redecorate it without you."
"I love you." He cradled her face in his hands.
"I love you, too." She kissed him again and watched him leave. She heard the lock click and fell back against her pillow. Drawing a long, deep breath, she slowly exhaled. She felt a sense of exhilaration and happiness that overwhelmed her to the point that she couldn't contain it. She had to get dressed and tell Scarlett.
~~*~~
"Look at her." Cover Girl groaned and nodded towards Lady Jaye as she slipped into her seat opposite Scarlett in the Mess.
"Somebody didn't come home last night," Scarlett snickered.
"I'm surprised you noticed being as how you were entertaining," Lady Jaye shot back.
"You two and your boyfriends…ugh…" Jinx quipped taking a seat across from Cover Girl. "Now, I know why Flint was in such a good mood this morning. Must have been some night, huh, Jaye," she added in a saucy tone as Lady Jaye took a sip of her juice. Cover Girl and Scarlett both laughed as Lady Jaye began to choke on her drink and Jinx pounded her back.
"Jinx…" Lady Jaye groaned on recovering her breath.
"Well, you should have seen him when he came in the control room this morning. Usually, he's a little grumpy, barking off orders and calling for status checks when he comes in."
"Probably because you and Dialtone are gaming on the main console," Cover Girl said, rolling her eyes.
"That only happened one time, Greaser. Besides we had to listen to Beach Head bitching before he came in about Flint and… OW…" Jinx yelped, feeling the sting of Cover Girl's boot kicking her in the shin to stop.
"Flint and what?" Lady Jaye asked, turning to face Jinx. Cover Girl kicked Jinx again.
"Nothing," Jinx replied, earning a fixed glare from Lady Jaye. "You know how Beach Head likes to gripe about being third."
Lady Jaye breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Well, it looks like he may have something new to bitch about soon."
"What now?" The other three women pressed.
"Nothing much except…" Lady Jaye pulled the key from her pocket and placed it on the table in front of her as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Flint asked me to move in with him off base."
"Oh, my God!" Cover Girl and Jinx replied in unison, drawing a few stares to their table.
"That's wonderful," Scarlett congratulated her with a bright smile. "Now, I won't have to kick you out."
"Gee, thanks, Red." Lady Jaye rolled her eyes as her pager went off. "Hawk's paging me, I've got to run. I guess he's read my report."
The three women watched her leave and waited while a group of Joes walked past them.
"Jinx, are you out of your mind! What were you thinking? Everyone, except her, knows Beach Head was going on and on about Flint's jealousy last night," Cover Girl chastised Jinx while a new group was entering.
"Hey, I caught myself, didn't I?"
"What happened now?" Scarlett huffed.
"Same old stuff. Jaye's nice to some guy and Flint wants to kill him." Jinx snerked.
"Who this time?" Scarlett asked then paused, recalling walking into her suite she shared with Lady Jaye and finding her and Ron talking about a wall paper party. "Ron Michaels?" She looked to Jinx as Cover Girl looked down at the table with her forehead in her hand both unaware that Lady Jaye was walking up on the table.
"Lift Ticket and Lifeline both said Flint was ready to go after Michaels when he was in the chopper coming back because he was messing around with Lady Jaye. Flint thought she was cheating on him…" Cover Girl explained.
"HE WHAT?" Lady Jaye snapped, her eyes full of a mixture of hurt and anger.
"Uh…Lady Jaye, I didn't see you," Cover Girl stammered.
"Obviously, I forgot the key. What did you say Flint did?" Lady Jaye pushed, enunciating each word while she retrieved the key from the table.
"Jaye…Alison, it's Flint. You know he has a jealous streak," Scarlett attempted to reason. Lady Jaye turned sharply on her heel and left the Mess.
"Oh shit, you really did it now, Greaser. She's pissed." Jinx gulped, watching the wake of Lady Jaye storming out of the Mess.