note: merp another update, woohoo!
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Oliver
-chapter 2: The Marriage-
After returning stateside, Beck had made it a hobby- no, actually a career- to stalk Jade's life for the following five months. The black haired woman knew it, because he always showed up in the strangest places. In the park where she and Cat jogged, in her favorite graveyard, even at the scissors museum. Part of her was convinced she was just being paranoid; she'd never known Beck before- maybe he shared many of her interests, and now that he knew who she was, decided to actually talk to her. But another part of her was convinced that the man had gone out of his way to know more about her life and track her down.
It was creepy. Any yet... strangely romantic.
Romantic enough for Jade to accept the thirtieth of Beck's pleas for the two to be in a relationship. Of course, this only increased Beck's appearances in Jade's life and even prompted the man to break into her house to leave her black and red roses. Another creepy-romantic thing. Jade was finding these "cromantic" qualities about Beck strangely endearing.
"Gah," Jade went as she hit her forehead with her palm. "Cat is rubbing off on you!"
"Cat's rubbing off on who?" Cat Valentine, a petite redhaired woman hardly old enough to vote, sat herself in the seat across from Jade. Jade looked over her best friend for a moment, studying her girly outfit and wide, naive eyes. She was the type to get offended easily, and it was practically written all over her. Still, Jade had to be tough with Cat sometimes. She couldn't let the girl go around all innocent; it's just let some punk come along and hurt her.
"You're rubbing off on me," Jade answered, sure to punctuate her sentence with a glare. This didn't sit well with Cat.
"What's that supposed to mean!" The other patrons of the coffe shop glanced over to stare at Cat in silent wonderment.
"Do you have to draw attention to yourself everywhere you go?" Jade hissed. Cat blinked her eyes.
"But you draw attention to yourself all the time."
"That's not an excuse for-" Jade hesitated as the sentence processed in her mind. "I don't draw attention to myself!" Cat raised an eyebrow.
"Really, Jade? Really?" Jade wasn't in the mood for this.
"Anyway. Why'd you call me here?" Cat immediately switched personalities at the question, going from her usually bubbly sel fto a more down-to-earth, somber facade.
"The boss is worried aboutthe fact that Beck keeps hanging around you."
"He's supposed to. He is my boyfriend after all." The word still sounded weird in Jade's mouth. The idea itself was pretty weird actually. It was strange for Jade to think that there was someone else besides Cat who accepted every level of her strangeness and even seemed to enjoy it. Maybe that's why Jade kept Beck around. She wasn't attached or anything, just... happy that he appreciated her when others didn't. Yea, that made sense.
"Right. Don't get me wrong, I like Beck. He's a nice guy and all, Jade, but the AAR's board of defense... well, you know how they get."
"So, what? You guys want me to just cut Beck out of my life? No explanation?" The idea revolted Jade a lot more than she wanted to admit. She'd grown quite used to Beck, and the many times Jade's he had visited her in her graveyard, bringing her small gifts that included an incredibly sharp pair of scissors that she kept by her bedside. She'd actually kind of miss his morning texts and his bright smile, and running his fingers through his fluffy hair in the same possessive fashion that she huggged him... But. Beck was... he was bad news. Men were bad news. Actually, romance in general was just something Jade avoided like the plague. She only dated Beck out of pity, and knew that the AAR had a right to be worried. Jade could become too attached, start slacking on her missions... Still. It irritated her that the AAR didn't trust her with Beck. She would keep him around if she wanted to.
And she kind of did want to. A lot more than she'd care to admit.
"It's actually not that drastic," Cat mused, examining her sparkly painted nails.
"Oh. So what do they want me to do? Background check him?" Cat smiled.
"No, Silly. I already did that for you." And the small woman produced a few sheets of paper from her purse, handing them to Jade.
"Um... why?" Cat blinked her large eyes and tilted her head in a fashion that made her look more like a toddler than a grown woman.
"Well, I just wanted to make sure he wasn't a serial-killer in disguise or anything. I know you could handle yourself just fine, Jadey, but... I still worry sometimes." Aw. Cat's words warmed Jade's heart. Not that she'd show it of course.
"Hm. Find anything interesting."
"Not particularly. But he was engaged once." That stopped her.
"En-gaged?"
"Yes. Nice articulation by the way." Jade ignored Cat's jibe.
"What's her name and social security number?"
"No, Jade, it is not in our jurisdiction to kill people's exes because we're jealous."
"I wasn't going to kill her."..." And I wasn't jealous."
"Please, it's written all over your face!"
"No it's not! I'm just curious what Beck's kind of girl is. You know, to see if you and him would make a good couple once he's good and over me." Cat brightened at that.
"Really?"Jade didn't like how interested Cat sounded. She crossed her arms and let her gaze drop to her black leggings.
"Yea. Sure... but I don't think he goes for desperate girls, sorry."
"Well, good thing I'm not desperate, right, Jade?" Really? Had the insult went right over Cat's head? "I'm just teasing, Jade. I'm not that dumb." Jade wasn't so sure sometimes. "Anyway. The Board of Defense think that he's the one."
"The one for what?" Jade asked.
"The cover you need, duh!"
"What cover?" Had Cat and Jade just switched roles? Jade literally had no idea what was going on. With an exasperated sigh, Cat explained it to her.
"You know, the Operation Normal?" Jade narrowed her eyes.
"You mean the one where they wanted me to get married? I thought we all agreed that'd be a bad idea."
"What? Lots of young people impulsively get married and divorce a few months later. Of course, The Board would be thrilled if you lasted a few years, you know, to keep up the whole normalcy thing. And, I want to see you fake-marry a guy you like, so you're happy." Jade wasn't so sure about this either. If she seemed to like Beck so much, wouldn't a fake marriage where, the two would be all lovey-dovey, only lead to her developing actual genuine feelings for said man? Jade let out a frustrated breath.
"I don't know," she admitted, "it's not like he's proposing to me at this minute. Like I said, we're not that serious-"
"Jade! Fancy seeing you here!" Speak of the devil and he shall come. Jade looked at Cat, who shrugged at her all innocently. Jade knew the little demon had probably asked Beck to show up, and probably was also the one dropping many hints about the girl's whereabouts. Beck made quick work making his way to Jade's table, not even bothering to order anything. "Hello, Miss West. Cat." Cat smiled at Beck.
"Hiya, Beck! It's good to see you. Oh, look at the time, I forgot I have a yoga sesh today. Gotta jet! Bye!" And Cat left. As if her sudden departure wasn't totally obvious. Jade gritted her teeth, unsure if she was more frustrated Cat had just said "sesh" or that she'd stranded her with the very man of their conversation; Beck Oliver.
Beck reached for Jade's coffee- without her permission- and took a sip.
"So how's life?" Beck asked, ignoring the glare Jade gave him.
"You mean since the time you asked me yesterday?" Beck grinned, undettered. "It's been good, thanks for asking. It would've been better if Cat hadn't made it super awkward by leaving us together." Beck looked at Jade curiously.
"What's awkward about us being together?" Jade started to say everything, but upon thinking it over decided not to.
"Well... actually... I don't know. I guess it's just because she thinks we should get married." Jade wasn't sure why she'd brought it up. Maybe she was just curious what Beck thought about it.
"Get married?"
"You know, like a husband and wire."
"Why would we do that?"
"I don't know, that's what I asked her."
"And what'd she say."
"Nothing really. That's when you came in."
"Hm. Interesting," Beck said as he stroked his chin. Beck was so weird. Jade honestly didn't know why she kept him around. He was just so- "What do you think about it?"
"Think about what?"
"Us getting married."
"Well... I don't know. What do you think about it?"
"It'd be weird." Jade wasn't sure she liked how confident Beck was about his answer. "I mean..." Beck quickly spoke up again, noting the irritation and hurt eminating from Jade, "it'd be weird in a good way. Different."
"Different?" Was that hope in Jade's voice? Because surely she didn't actually care if Beck viewed her as wife-material.
...Right?
"I mean... I'm used to dating. I've never been married before." According to his personal record, he had been engaged, though. Jade didn't comment on that however and let Beck continue. "I always thought I'd marry one of those easy girls who always end up being my girlfriend somehow. But the fact that they worship the ground I walk on is kind of... too easy, ya know? Having a woman like you would be a challenge- a good challenge. I'd figure if I tried to seduce you with a hairflip, you'd just laugh at me."
"That's only because seducing people with a hairflip is impossible." Beck raised an eyebrow.
"Is it, Jade?" he asked, "is it?"
"Yes, Spaz, it is."
"Another good thing about us- we produce good banter."
"And who exactly are we bantering for?"
"Well, I don't know. Coffee shop patrons?" Sure enough, there were people in the coffee shop watching Beck and Jade curiously. A little too curiously in Jade's opinion.
"Hey! Find something else to look at before I punch all of you in your throats!" That quickly diverted their attention to other more interesting things, like salt shakers and fingernails.
"Jade. That was rude."
"So?"
"So saying things like that can hurt people's feelings."
"What do I care?"
"Would you like me to threaten you like that?"
"...No."
"Okay. Apologize."
"I'm not gonna-"
"Apologize."
"Beck, I can't, that'd be-"
"Jadelyn Marie West."
"You know my middle name isn't Marie-"
"I want you to apologize." Knowing Beck wouldn't let it go, Jade sighed.
"Hey! Hey, everyone!" Jade was given very weary glances. "I'm... sorry for my rude outburst. It was mean. I apologize." She turned to Beck. "There. Are you happy?"
"Not quite. You have to fulfil one more condition before I forgive you."
"Hm? What's that?" Beck flashed Jade a wicked grin.
"Marry me."
Jade couldn't believe she was doing this. And with a guy like Beck. And she was hardly even twenty two! Jade stared at her refelction, unsure of how she felt, being restrained by the guady white dress and veil. She looked uncomfortable, and a little too pale for the dress's white fabric. Perhaps Beck was having second thoughts. Maybe he wanted to call this whole wedding off the moment he saw her. Maybe he was even regretting dating her in the first-
"Jade?" Cat's red hair was the first thing Jade saw before the short woman bounced into the room, dragging their fellow agent and friend (though the term friend was used loosely for Jade), Robbie, along with her.
"Ew, why'd you bring him?"
"Um, I did do your hair. I have to make sure it stays perfect!" Robbie hissed, fully offended by Jade's statement. Jade rolled her eyes at Robbie and allowed him to fuss over her hair. Meanwhile, Cat studied her best friend.
"You look nervous," Cat mused. "Do you have a mission tonight?"
"No. The AAR felt generous and gave my mission to some other agent."
"Good. What about the honey moon?"
"They gave me that off, too." Cat widened her eyes in surprise. After all, Jade was one of the best agents out there. They wouldn't just let her off the hook like that for some down time unless she seriously needed it. "Of course, they encouraged me to scope out this one undercover weapon's dealer operating in the hotel we'll be staying at..." That sounded more like the AAR Cat was familiar with. "But that's not why I feel ready to puke. I'm kind of scared, Cat."
"The fact that you're admitting it must mean you're terrified," Robbie commented as he readjusted the diamonds laced throughout the elegant hairdo Jade wore. Jade made sure to elbow the glasses wearing man, and grinned at his pained squeak.
"Sorry. you pulled my hair."
"I did not-"
"Jade, we're ready for you," Jade's step mother said, sticking her head into the room. No good luck or anything. Tsh, typical. Jade swallowed her fears and hurried out of her dressing room to meet his groom.
Meanwhile, Beck was panicking.
They'd been playing Here Comes The Bride for the past ten minues, and Jade still hadn't appeared. Maybe this would turn out like his relationship with Tori, and Jade would break off the wedding-
Gah, why did he have to think about that? Now Beck was seriously freaking out. Beside him, his father (and best man) patted his arm knowingly.
Jade wasn't going to show up. She'd stated before she wasn't the marriage type. Now she was going to embarrass him in front of-
"Don't push me, you stupid troll!" The familiar too-loud whisper settled Beck's heart almost instantly, though the sight of his bride sent it back into hysterics.
She was beautiful. Better, she was his. It felt as though the astonishing woman couldn't walk down the ailse fast enough. And once Mr. West had successfully passed his daughter on to Beck, the paster took a great deal of time giving them his blessing. Beck was so frustrated, he nearly missed the 'I do's', something Jade noted. It was their wedding day, though, so he figured that was why she didn't pick a fight with him.
"You may now kiss the bride." Finally. Beck wasted no time snaking his arms around his fianc-wife's waist and planting a firm kiss against her lips. He was quite surprised to feel water on his face so he pulled away to stare at Jade.
"Are you crying?" he asked, but her eyes were surprisingly dry. A smile was on her face as she reached up a hand and touched Beck's cheek.
"No, idiot. You are." What? Beck was crying? He wiped his eyes, to which Jade laughed and quickly kissed him again.
And thus Beck and Jade were happily married, and they were to live happily ever after.
The End.
-ONE AND A HALF YEARS LATER-
Beck and Jade entered their house, both clearly agitated by the visit to the marriage counselor. As usual, Jade was more expressive about it by hurrying up to their bedroom and slamming the door loudly. Beck puffed out his cheeks and made his way to his new bed and plunked down. The damn springs were really starting to drive him up a wall, the way they dug into his skin even though he'd put like ten layers of sheets on them. Beck leaned his head back against the couch, running a hand across his face. He probably would've stayed like that, too, if his phone hadn't rang.
"Hello?"
Beck, we need you."
"Today. Really?" He knew Tori wasn't playing around though and hopped to his feet. "You know my wife's still home, right? It'd make it really hard to sneak out."
"Well, since I'm your partner and you love me, I figure you'd make an exception."
"I don't love you that much."
"Can't your wife hear you? She might get a little suspicious with your conversation?"
"Who, Jade? Nah, she can't hear me. She's upstairs-" Shit, she was in the kitchen now. The woman moved like a ghost. At the moment, she was pretending not to be listening in to Beck's conversation, but he knew she was by how hard she was chopping the chicken with the butcher knife.
Jade was surprisingly good with knives.
"That's good," Tori mused, "so you ready to come in now? We've got a few guys for you to take out."
"Any more information? Like where to go?"
"Yeah, Salty's Bar."
"The one by the strip club?"
"...How do you know where that is."
"Rogue stripper. Had to get her. You don't wanna know."
"Actually... I think I do." Tori sounded disturbed by that possibility, which amused Beck. "Anyway. Hurry over to my place so I can debrief you."
"Right. I'm on my way." Beck hurried upstairs to get changed. It was a good thing Jade had decided to spy on his life and moved down stairs. While she probably now suspected him of cheating on her (it wasn't like she already hadn't) it was easier for him to get prepared without her peaking over his shoulder and questioning him about all the guns he was concealing in his rather unimpressive outfit choice. Or, why he had to remove his wedding ring.
That one was more of a personal reason.
If someone, say the man he was sent to kill and/or capture got away, they might note Beck's ring and search for his wife. And he wasn't allowed to let anyone hurt Jade, no matter how crazy she got sometimes. So after removing his ring and setting it in his underwear drawer, the man jogged down the stairs and to the garage- only to be stopped by Jade.
The meat cleaver was still in her hands. Beck gulped.
"Hi, honey," Beck said, a large fake grin on his face. Jade saw right through it.
"Where are you going... Sweetheart?" The acid in her tone cut through Beck like a kinfe... which she still held. Tightly.
"I, uh... I need to go."
"Go where? To the office?"
"Um... sure?" Beck quickly skirted by Jade and had almost made it to the garage door.
"Let me see your hand, Beck." Damn it, Jade. Beck held up his hand. "You're other hand, Dumb-ass." When Beck raised his other hand, Jade zeroed in on his ring finger which was lacking it's ring. Jade pressed her lips together.
"That's interesting. You're not wearing your wedding ring."
"Jade, I really need to-"
"Was it too tight for you? Or have you just stopped caring about tradition."
"-Go because I have this big thing I need to do..." Jade widened her eyes, looking for all the world ready to brand her buther knife as a weapon to chop Beck up. His fingers twitched to the pitsol strapped to his wasit. Jade surprised him though, not with any form of physical attack. Instead, she looked him dead in the eye and said:
"Do you even love me at all?" The words cut at Beck. They really did. He wanted more than anything to comfort Jade, hold her close and tell her how much she really meant to him. But his phone was vibrating. GUARD was getting impatient. They needed people taken out, and unfortunately, Beck had agreed to do the dirty deed. So instead of doing the right thing, Beck jsut averted his eyes.
"I need to go." And without any other words he left, sure that the pained look that shone in Jade's blue eyes would haunt him throughout the entirety of his mission. Probably a lot longer than that even.
Aw, it ended kind of sad :( This story is a lot more serious than I thought it'd be. I think it'll lighten out though, soon. I mean, this is a marriage suffering problems. There's bound to be moments like this, bear with me ^.^
