No One Leaves…..."He's Jasper Jax"

Brenda still couldn't believe Jax was standing right there. She wanted to turn around, and walk in the opposite direction. But she wouldn't, and could not do that. She couldn't run from her past, she had to face it head on. She walked up to him.

"Hello, Jax."

"Hello, Brenda."

Brenda couldn't even look at him, and he noticed it right away. "You look good, Brenda."

Brenda's eyes dart up, and away. "You too."

"Thanks, for the flowers."

She looked into his eyes, for the first time in years. "I am really sorry about your daughter."

"Thanks."

*silence* "Well, I have to get back."

Brenda was about to walk off, when Jax grabbed her by the arm. "Is there a way I can reach you?"

Brenda looked down, at his hand on her arm. "For what?"

Jax released it. "I feel like, we should talk."

"I don't. You said everything you had to say eight years ago, and I heard you very loud and clear. And it's been eight years, you've moved on, and so have I."

"I don't think we really have. You are still angry with me. And please don't say you're not...you can hardly look at me."

"Am I supposed to be happy to see you?"

"I'm happy to see you. Glad to see you're doing well."

"Well, I don't feel the same way. I actually never wanted to lay eyes on you again."

"It's been eight years, Brenda."

"In my opinion, that isn't long enough."

"Really?"

"Yes really, Jasper."

"Jasper?"

At that moment Mickal appeared. "Excuse me, Brenda we were looking for you."

"I'm sorry, I got a little sidetracked." She looked up at Jax briefly, then back over at Mickal. "We're done, let's go back inside." Mickal opened the door, and they disappeared inside. They are on their way back to the stage.

Mickal looked over at Brenda. "That looked intense. Who was that?"

"Somebody I use to know."

"Maybe you should get reacquainted, he is gorgeous."

"I'll pass."

"He looks familiar."

"He's Jasper Jax."

"The wealthy businessman, riiight….now I remember. You should be nice to him, he could help this charity a lot. And not just with his donations, but his friends' donations too."

"You can be nice to him, I don't want anything to do with him."

"Why? Did he wrong you?"

"He did more than wrong me, He left me at the altar."

Mickal looked over at her. "What?"

"Let me rephrase that, he didn't leave me, he said no."

"Brenda, that must have been devastating? You never mentioned that."

"Because I was trying to forget it. I don't want to talk about it anymore, ok?"

"Ok, and I won't mention it again."

"Thanks."

They finally reached their destination, and was greeted by other ASEC representatives. The luncheon lasted for another two hours. Jax was still there, but Brenda stayed clear of him. They received quite a few donations. They still had not reached their goal, but they had another event, the auction that night.

Brenda managed to stay busy. She caught Jax looking at her a couple of times. Eventually he left, and then she was able to relax. They wrapped up everything, and headed back to their hotels to rest.

Brenda made it back to the hotel. Lola ran over and showed her some things, Mona had bought for her.

"Their gorgeous sweetheart."

Lola ran over to the mirror, and stared at the necklace, around her neck.

Mona and Brenda looked at her for a moment, and then Mona asked Brenda about the luncheon. Brenda told her all about it, leaving the part out about Jax.

"We have an auction tonight, and then we leave tomorrow. I'm anxious to get back."

"You're anxious to get back? That's a first, especially since we are in Paris. The city of love."

"I'm just not feeling it this time." *knock at the door* Brenda stood up, walked over to the door, and opened it.

"Brenda, I'm sorry I just showed up, but I think we should talk."

Brenda was shocked to see Jax standing in front of her. She quickly stepped out into the hall, and closed the door. "You just can't show up like this. How did you find me? Never mind, I know how you found me. Money talks right?"

"I didn't pay anyone. You did tell me once, this was your favorite hotel in Paris."

"How did you get my room number?"

"It doesn't matter. Look I just would like the opportunity to talk things out."

"Why? There is nothing to talk about."

"We have a lot to talk about."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you. And I have to go. I have things I have to do."

"Brenda we will talk."

"No Jax we won't. Now would you please leave."

"Ok." He looked at her for a moment, and walked to the elevator. She waited until he got on, before opening the door.

Mona walked out of Lola's room. "Who was that?"

"Just ASEC business."

"Are you sure? All the color is gone out of your face."

"I'm fine, just a little tired."

Lola came out of the bedroom. Brenda smiled. "You look so cuuute."

"Mona's taking me out."

"Is she?" Brenda looked over at Mona. "Where are you two going?"

"Site seeing. We are in Paris, and we plan on enjoying it, even if you can't."

Brenda called Lola over, and adjusted her ponytail. "You look so pretty sweetheart."

"Thanks Mamma."

A couple of minutes later, Mona and Lola were gone. Brenda decided to take a nap, before getting ready for the auction. She had a hard time going to sleep. Jax and Lola in the same city, she wanted to leave Paris right then and there. And if it were up to her, Lola would not have left the hotel room. But no one knew that Lola was Brenda's, and she couldn't start acting weird now. She'd be going back to Rome tomorrow, and that would be the end of Jax...

Jax was still in the lobby of the hotel. He had just hung up, from an important phone call. He was on his way out, when he noticed a little girl had dropped her necklace.

"Excuse me, I think you dropped something."

The lady and the little girl stopped, and turned around. Jax handed it to her, and they both said thank you.

"You're welcome."

They smiled and headed out of the door. Jax's eyes followed the little girl. He sighed. He wondered what his own daughter, would have looked like at that age. He missed her so much...

Part 2

The auction was a black tie event. Brenda wore a floor length, black evening gown. Almost everyone who was at the luncheon was there. There was actually even more people at this event, than the first one. There were so many wonderful things, that had been donated. Armed guards were on the scene, because of how expensive some of the things were.

Brenda was auctioning off a date. She actually got talked into it. She didn't really feel comfortable with the whole idea, but if it helped the children, she could sit through dinner.

"Mickal, I will only meet them in a public place. Yes, these are respected people, but respectable people can be crazy too."

Mickal laughed.

There was plenty of drinking, and mingling before the auction. Brenda met some really fascinating, and passionate people. Brenda didn't want to stand on stage and be bided on, so they did a silent auction. The highest bidder would win. The auction went on without a hitch. They raised a lot of money, surpassing all of their expectations. Brenda was talking to Mickal, when one of the other ASEC representatives walked over to them.

"Brenda, you will not believe this."

"What?"

"Someone bid a cool million, to get a date with you."

Mickal yelled. "Oh my God!"

Brenda immediately knew who it was. She looked around the room, but she didn't see him.

Mickal grabbed and hugged her, he could hardly contain his excited. "Brenda! That is wonderful! Do you have any idea, how many children we can help?"

That's when Brenda realized what mattered. Regardless where the money came from, the children was the most important thing. She smiled, and hugged them both...

Brenda walked through the crowd, and she finally spotted Jax, talking to a group of people. She walked over, and stood by him. He looked over, and then excused himself.

"I take it you know, about the bid?"

"Yes. And I was really angry. Have you forgotten, that's the same amount you offered me, to leave Port Charles? Jax you are really insensitive."

"No, I haven't forgotten. That's one of the reasons I decided to donate it to charity."

"Well, at least something good is being done with the money. And I guess now, I have to talk to you."

Jax took a sip of champagne. "No Brenda, you do not. I'm not holding you to a date. Just take the money, and help a lot of children with it."

"We will. Thanks for the donation, on behalf of the kids. Regardless of how I feel about you, and your money, it is still a blessing to those kids."

Jax turned to her. "How long are you going to hate me?"

"Until I take my last breath. You made me feel really small Jax, or don't you get that?"

"I'm sorry, I really am, but you have to take some of the blame too."

"I didn't deserve what you did to me."

"And I didn't deserve what you did to me."

She glared at him. "What did I do to you?"

Jax notices that people are looking over at them, so he grabbed her arm, and they leave, and go into another room. Jax locked the door.

Brenda continues. "What did I ever do to you?"

"You kissed Sonny, or haven't you forgotten?"

"So what? It meant nothing! He thought I died, and there were was some confusion, but we realized we didn't love each other anymore. We loved the people we were with."

"And you needed to kiss, in order to figure that out?"

"It meant nothing!"

"I've heard that before."

"Why did you let me walk down that isle, when you had no intentions of marrying me?"

"I had every intentions of marrying you, because despite everything, I still loved you."

Brenda looked into his eyes. "Well, why didn't you Jax?"

"Because, have you forgotten about, the first time you left me for Sonny?"

"No, and that was a mistake."

"I couldn't take that chance, and have you do it again."

Tears spilled onto her face. "Nobody was suppose to leave."

"I didn't leave, you left when you kissed Sonny. And I regret offering you that money, but I was so angry with you. I wanted to hurt you, like you hurt me."

Brenda wiped her tears away. "Well, you definitely did that."

"Brenda, I didn't take any joy in that. I was so frustrated with the whole situation. I loved you more than anyone, and anything on this planet, but you didn't feel the same way."

"Jax, I loved you too."

"Yes, you might have loved me. But not more than anyone else."

"That's not true."

"It's how I felt."

"Why couldn't you tell me before the wedding?"

"Because I was going to marry you, but all I could think about, was you kissing Sonny. And when the question was asked, I couldn't in good faith say yes."

"But Jax, you knew what I went through with Sonny, and how broken I was. And you would do it too?

"I showed up."

Brenda started clapping. "Well aren't you a gentleman."

"Look, I am sorry you had to go through that again. I really am. But Brenda, you can't honestly blame me for backing out."

Brenda sighed. "I just wish you would have told me before the ceremony."

"And I wish you would have never kissed Sonny." They locked eyes for a moment. Jax continued. "How can we get passed this?"

"I don't know if I want to. We have been out of each other's life for a very long time. If isn't broken, why fix it?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." But it was broken, and it has been, ever since she left Port Charles. *silence* "Are you still modeling?"

Brenda shook her head. "Occasionally."

"Are you dating anyone?"

"Not, seriously."

"No one in the last eight years?"

Brenda laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not dead Jax."

"I can see that."

"And you married Carly, how in the hell, did that happen?"

"People fall in love."

"And apparently out of it too."

He laughed. "The best thing that came out of that unfortunate union, was…Josslyn."

Brenda could see the hurt in his eyes, as soon as he said her name. "I bet she was so precious, and I know you spoiled her too."

Jax smiled. "She was my little precious angel…..and I miss her."

"I am sorry Jax."

"Me too."

Jax sighed. "There is nothing that surpasses the love for your child."

"I know."

Jax looked at her. "You know?"

(Damn it Brenda. Hell, might as well tell him, before he finds out, and wonders why you didn't tell him.) "Yes, I have a child Jax."

"You have a baby?"

"No, she's not a baby, she's seven. She's my adopted daughter."

"What? Wow."

"Well, I always wanted a family. And since I had no luck in the love department, I decided to adopt, and it is the best decision I've ever made."

"How long have you had her?"

"Since she was a baby."

"So you are a mom? Congratulations."

She smiled, but her heart was racing. "Thanks."

"I would love to meet her…sometime."

"Yeah, maybe one day. Well, we should get back."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Jax walked over to the door. At the moment Brenda felt really bad, about lying. She needed to tell him the truth.

"Jax."

He turned. "Yeah."

"I um…think...we should go on that date. You did pay for it." She chickened out.

"We don't have to, I told you that."

"No, we should." (Oh sh*t, Brenda, shut up.)

"Ok, maybe I'll come to Rome."

She smiled. "Ok."

"Brenda, I really hope we can move forward, and become friends."

"Me too." They walked out of the room, but all Brenda could think about, was why in the hell, did she tell Jax it was ok to come to Rome…...