(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

"I hope he's gonna be okay," said Jake, watching Hardison walk away from the Annex via the video feed in the mirror. "I know El, it must've killed him to have to hurt the guy."

"They say true love conquers all," said Cassandra, close to his side, "but conquering always implies war to me, and there never was a war without casualties. Almost makes me glad that I never... well, long-term relationships are tough for the girl with the brain grape anyway."

She wore a wry smile when she said it, knowing exactly what she was implying with those words. Relationships were bad, she didn't want one, couldn't afford to get into that. It all made good sense and yet, when she looked at Jacob, she wished she never implied such a thing. She wished all of this was easier.

This was the first time they had been alone together since Jake and Parker came back through the mirror. Between dealing with Eliot's waking and Eve's return and all, there really hadn't been an opportunity to talk. Now Jenkins and Ezekiel were debriefing Eliot and Parker, for lack of a better phrase, leaving Jake and Cassie alone since they said goodbye for now to Hardison. If only one of them knew what to say.

"Cassie..." Jake began, immediately struggling. "I, er... I wanted to thank you for everything you did while we were gone. Jenkins said something about you sitting with El, just talking to him, making sure he was okay."

"It was nothing really." Cassie shook her head. "I just did what anyone would do. It probably didn't even make much of a difference," she said, laughing almost nervously as she backed up a step out of his personal space.

"You did what you could. You tried, just like always," said Jake, shrugging his shoulders. "I told you, Cassie, I left you back here because I trusted you to do what needed to be done and you did."

"I'm just so glad you came back," she admitted then, unable to hold it in any longer. "I know we've all been on missions and put ourselves in danger before but... but this was different. Anything could've happened. Somebody else's dream, that not a place you can go rescue someone from if... if the worst happens."

"The worst didn't happen," he reminded her gently. "The best happened. We woke up Eliot, he and Parker are doing good. Plus, we got Eve back and a lead on Flynn. It's all getting straightened out, everything's good."

"Unless you're Hardison," said Cassie, frowning at the thought.

"Yeah, that's not great," Jake admitted, running a hand back through his hair, "but what were El and Parker supposed to do? You can't make yourself love somebody when you don't."

"You also can't make yourself stop caring about someone or being attracted to them so easily either."

There was significance in the way Cassandra said those words, Jacob was sure of it, and yet when he glanced at her and found her looking away, he doubted it again. They had grown so close lately, friends in the truest sense, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was meant to be more. Though he would never admit it, he was almost too afraid to ask.

Eventually, he summoned up the nerve, speaking her name and reaching a hand to her shoulder, the very same moment that she turned to him and said his own name. They smiled, almost laughing at themselves for what they had done.

"Ladies first," he offered, forever the gentleman.

Cassie nodded her agreement, and yet, when she opened her mouth no words came out. Jake never saw her look so unsure of herself, not once.

"Okay then," he said when she glanced away again. "Look, I'm just gonna say this, and if I'm outta line then you just tell me," he said, taking a gentle hold of her by the the upper arms so she pretty much had to look at him. "Cassandra, you know I like you... a lot, and I didn't know what to do about that, or even if I should try and do anything about that, but the fact is, seeing El and Parker, how they just wasted time and let things get this far without ever... they should've grabbed happiness when they had the chance," he said definitely, "but they almost left it too late, and I don't wanna-"

It was as far as he got with his impassioned speech before Cassandra found the right way to respond. At least it must've seemed like the right way to her and Jake sure wasn't arguing as she pushed herself forward and crushed her lips against his own. Her arms were up around his neck, holding him close as she kissed him like her life depended on it. There was no way for Jake to do anything but kiss her back. It was all he wanted to do in any case.

A few moments later, Cassandra pulled away, not that she could go far with Jake's arms now holding her tight. To be honest, she was in no hurry to escape anyway.

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head, "you weren't finished talking."

"Really doesn't matter," Jake promised her, not caring that they had barely caught their breath before moving in to kiss her once more.

"Jake," Cassie said, pulling back again, "you know that I... I care for you so much, but my future, it's very uncertain," she reminded him, looking up into his eyes.

"With this job, all our lives are uncertain, Cass," he told her seriously. "I know that's not what you meant, but whatever time we got here, for whatever reason, can't we just agree not to waste a second of it?"

He wasn't sure what else she was expecting him to say. There was no way in hell Jake was about to agree to forget this ever happened and have Cassie walk away from him. They had gotten this far and after seeing how badly things had gone in Eliot's team because people didn't speak up about their feelings sooner, Jake was not about to let that happen here, he just couldn't.

On Cassie's side, there really wasn't a part of her that didn't want this. She had liked Jake for so long, from the very beginning if she was honest, and now they were both on the same page about their feelings, it would be pretty crazy not to see if they could make it work. She did worry what the future held for her, and how hard it could be on both Jake and herself if the worst should happen too soon with her tumour and everything. Of course, what Jake said was true. In their line of work as Librarians, truly anything could happen. It did seem foolish to waste a moment of the time they could have together.

"Yes," she said eventually. "We could do that. We should, otherwise we're wasting our lives away and I couldn't stand the idea of that."

Jake smiled at her answer and then they both leaned in to another kiss. In the minutes that followed they became so lost in each other that they never even noticed the magic door come to life, or a person stumbling into The Annex.

"Okay then," said Flynn, finally getting the attention of his fellow Librarians who all but leapt apart. "I see there have been some developments," he said, grinning widely.

Cassandra blushed at being caught and even Jacob looked a little embarrassed as he faced Flynn with his own nervous smile.

"Welcome home."

"Though my knowledge of medicine is limited, I can be trusted in all matters related to magic," said Jenkins, replacing one of several instruments that Eliot didn't understand back into its rightful box. "So, please believe me when I assure you, once again, that you are now quite back to normal, Mr Spencer. There really is no trace of magic left in your system."

"That's what I wanted to hear," said Eliot, nodding his head. "This headache was making me wonder."

"Perfectly normal in the circumstances," Flynn declared, appearing almost as if from nowhere. "One rarely has an encounter with a Greek artefact without some aftereffects, am I right, Jenkins?"

"Absolutely so, Mr Carsen," the caretaker agreed, wheeling his trolley of equipment out of the room.

"Flynn Carsen, the Librarian," said Eliot, looking him up and down. "I pictured you taller."

"Well, had I known our Mr Stone had a twin brother, I would've pictured you identical, but you're not, at least, not quite," he said, staring rather too closely at Eliot's face.

"I've killed people for less than what you're doing right now," said Eliot coldly.

"Yeah, but you don't do that anymore," Parker reminded him, rolling her eyes. "Don't let him scare you. He only beats up bad guys now."

"I'm definitely not a bad guy," said Flynn, backing up a step or two, hands raised in a gesture of surrender, just in case. "In fact, with my being tied to the Library and Stone being similarly entwined, that makes us practically family, and therefore, by extension, we would be family too," he said, gesturing vaguely between himself and Eliot.

"Maybe," the hitter agreed, nodding his head. "That doesn't mean we belong here. It was great seeing Jake again, but this place hasn't exactly done much good for me and my people."

"It wasn't all bad," said Parker, moving in a little closer, smiling when Eliot's arm crept up around her shoulders.

"No, not all of it," he agreed, kissing her cheek. "Still, we should probably get out of here. Well, as soon as we say goodbye to Jake."

"Goodbye?" his brother echoed, appearing in the doorway. "You leavin', El?"

"We don't belong here, Jake," Eliot told him what he was sure he already knew. "This was only ever supposed to be a flying visit."

"But you'll stay in touch, right?" asked Cassie hovering at Jake's side. "I mean, you guys just found each other again..."

"We'll be around," Eliot promised.

"That's good." Jake nodded.

As the two brothers hugged it out, their respective girlfriends looked to each other, neither really knowing what to say. Unsurprisingly, it was Cassie who thought of something first.

"So, it was very nice meeting you. I hope you and Eliot are very happy together."

"We will be." Parker nodded. "So long as he doesn't get knocked on the head by anymore magic rocks."

"Trust me, that ain't happenin' again," said Eliot definitely as he and Jake parted from their hug. "You got that thing locked up now, right?"

"Jenkins took care of it," his brother promised. "I think pretty much everything is taken care of for now, 'cept for Prospero."

"Eve and Ezekiel are preparing for a catch-up meeting as we speak," Flynn told them. "I actually came down here to see if our guests wanted to stay any longer. There's always room for the kinds of skills you each have when it comes to these matters."

Eliot looked at Parker who wore a deep frown.

"I like magic better when it's on TV," she admitted. "The shiny things here aren't worth the damage they can do."

"The lady has spoken," said Eliot with a smile as he looked to Flynn, Cassie, and finally Jake. "We have our own jobs to do."

As the rest of Team Library convened in The Annex to discuss their next move in defeating Prospero, Jacob Stone walked Eliot and Parker down to the exit from the hidden place inside the bridge. Parker stepped out into real daylight for the first time in too long, squinting against the light but smiling all the same, as Eliot hovered on the threshold.

"You meant what you said about us keeping in touch?" Jacob checked.

"You ever known me say anything to you that I didn't mean, Jake?" asked Eliot with a look. "C'mere, man," he said then, pulling his twin into one last hug.

"I love you, El," he said softly as they both held on tight.

"Yeah, love you too," he replied, slapping his back. "Now, get back to your team and figure things out. We didn't bring down all those crooked business folks and phony shell companies just so the world could go to hell in some crazy wizard's handbasket," he told Jake with a look.

"We'll figure it out. We always do," he promised his brother.

With a salute-like wave, Eliot finally turned to leave, throwing his arm around Parker's shoulders as she slid hers around his waist.

"I like your brother," she said as they walked along, "but I like you better."

Eliot laughed, he couldn't help himself. "There's something wrong with you," he said, looking at her with nothing but love and affection in his gaze, "but you're my kinda wrong, darlin'."

"That's probably why this will work out," she said, smiling right back at him. "Who needs magic? We have us."