Disclaimer: I own the 30 Rock DVD's, but nothing else.

*Thanks so much for the reviews!! They keep me going so please, keep 'em coming! (And yes, I know this is tipping the scale drama wise but, my only fanfic experience is of the soapy variety, sorry it's rubbing off here. There is a method to my madness though, so, I hope ya got it in ya to stick with me. :)

The Truth Comes Out

Ch. 10

For some reason beyond her comprehension, Liz was trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from no matter how hard she tried. The same horrifying moment kept replaying over and over. Like that tape of TGS Tracy forced into the VCR every which way, skewing the film and making Jenna's Muffin Top rehearsal skip and repeat countless times too many.

Only compared to what was going through her head right now, she'd pay to see that all too suggestive spectacle again. Anything but him...

"Geez Liz how many bags of cheez doodles did ya wolf? You're gonna give me a freaking hernia!"

"Dennis wha...what the hell!! PUT ME DOWN!!" She shrieked from midair hoping to attract someone, anyone's attention but to no avail.

"You keep squirming this'll just be even harder...Oh shit...why did it decide to show early today...C'mon will ya let me drop ya already, dummy!"

Dennis cursed in vain as he tried to pry the scared stiff brunette off of him and onto the track in time to carry out his reckless "rescue" mission. But when they both heard the whistle of the subway coming, reality took a backseat to downright panic, and for a few moments that felt like hours, their fear kept them frozen in place. Him panicking his scheme would be blown out of the water by passersby, her terrified for her life that decided right then and there to flash before her eyes.

***************************************************

"New York, third-wave feminist, college-educated, single and pretending to be happy about it, over-scheduled, undersexed, you buy any magazine that says 'healthy body image' on the cover, and every two years you take up knitting for ... a week."
"You gonna guess my weight now?"
"You don't want me to do that."

"I'm not a creative type like you, with your work sneakers and left handedness."

"You have to manage these people, Lemon. It's your show. You have the tools. Now get out there, build the house, add on a pool, and throw yourself in the deep end."
"What if I can't swim?"
"Then I'll do what my father did when I was two. Lure you to the edge of the pool with a puppy and push you in."

"Human contact is important, Lemon. I can tell by your stress level that you have not been touched in any way in quite some time. Not caressed, not massaged, not even groped on the subway."
"Where are you headed with this?"

"Your mood affects the quality of your work, which in turn affects me. I would like to become a resource to you for improving your personal life. Do you agree that you need someone in your life, Lemon?"
"No, I have bigger things to worry about than my personal life."
"I would think that a single woman's biggest worry would be choking to death alone in her apartment."

"So, people do like me?"
"Yes. people like you."
"Do you like me?"
"Of course I like you, Jack."
"You know what I like about you. Those eyes. You have those black shark's eyes you know. Very intense."
"T...Thank you."

"Well, I think that coworkers should have good personal relationships. I know we've had some missteps, but we've put all that behind us, and I'd like us to be... friendly."

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"I thought you said we were friends."
"I said we were friendly."
"Well, I don't like you anymore."
"I don't believe you. Go easy on the pizza."

"Lemon, what tragedy happened in your life that you insist upon punishing yourself with all this... mediocrity?"
"What, 'cause I'm eating a turkey sub?"
"Your turkey sub, your clothes, the fact that a women of your resources and position lives like some boxcar hobo. Or maybe it's the fact that while I'm saying all this, you have a piece of lettuce stuck in your hair. I think it's time that you start enjoying some of the finer things in life. You have a million dollar view, but you refuse to acknowledge that there's a whole word out there. I like to think of myself as a winner, and I like to surround myself with winners. I see potential in you. Let me be your Jack Welch. Let me be your mentor. I want to hold your hand, Lemon."

"Okay. I admit it. Dennis isn't a sandwich I want to eat everyday for the rest of my life. I'm clueless about men. I'm clueless about everything that isn't this show. Maybe you can tell me how to live, because sadly you may be the most stable person I know right now."

"Lemon, today is the first day of the rest of your life. And what is the first thing you need to do?"
"I have to break up with Dennis."
"And why is that?"
"We'll just get more and more tangled up in each other's lives until I just can't even get away and we're just like -- Oh, my God."
"That's right. He's the Rat King. And there's only one way to break up with a rat, you have to cut him off completely."
"I know."
"You have to stuff your heart with steel wool and tin foil. You must be ruthless, you must be absolute. Remember always, you are the exterminator."

"Lemon, I want to thank you, for showing me that I could have a pleasant evening with a woman my own age."
"I'm twelve years younger than you."
"A woman your age then."

"I like you, you have the boldness of a much younger woman."

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Using whatever energy she had she tried her best to say his name, get his attention and get him at her side. She knew she'd never live it down in his eyes or her own but at that moment, she needed Jack Francis Donaghy.

With his charm and condescension and backhanded compliments, and that sly smirk she consistently wanted to smack off his face, even when it made her weak in the knees. She needed his steady, cool, calm demeanor to reassure her things would be okay. That she was safe. She needed him to pull her out of this nightmare, and away from the monster that landed her there, the reason her vitals were spiked despite her supposedly deep sleep.

Something picked up on by the monitors as well as the staff, when a nurse peeked in and ran off in search of Dr. Spaceman. Attracting Jack's attention as his walk broke into a run and he was back at her side. She looked even paler than before and was sweated up, as if she was in the thick of some horrible dream, tearing Jack up inside.

"J...Jack..Jack..."
Liz whispered, muttering fitfully in her sleep, hoping in vain he'd be there but unaware he was, explaining her still too high vitals.

"Lemon, listen it's alright, it's alright. He's gone you understand me? Dennis is gone and I'm here, I'm right here!"

"Not for long I'm afraid. Jack I'm sorry you need to leave immediately."

"Leo she needs me here, I can't just..."

"Jack you need to leave, now! Right now!"

Dr. Spaceman ordered as a nurse tried to escort Jack out but he resisted, leading the doctor and an intern to strongarm him out of the room.

"You're all being ridiculous! She needs me in there!"
"Jack her vitals were through the roof and she was mumbling your name looking terrified. Your presence obviously was upsetting to her."
"Leo for God's sake! I..It wasn't..."

"Whoa what is going on here?"
Pete asked with confusion as he saw the doctors in Liz's room and a frantic looking Jack, leading his eyes to narrow suspiciously before he angrily confronted him half tempted to throw a punch. As far as he knew Liz was in trouble, and the man who'd just been kicked out of her room was the reason for it.

"What the hell did you do to her??"