Author's Notes: The song used for this chapter is "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" by Bon Jovi and LeAnn Rimes.
Disclaimer: These characters are property of NBC and their own creators; as is any piece of an episode needed for the chapter. I make no money from this. The song lyrics used are also property of their own creator.
Between The Lines
Part 11: Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
(A "Saving Grace Again, Part 1" WYDS)
After Jack returned from touring with Jennifer Lopez, they never talked about their discussion that night. Leo had admitted to cheating on Grace and everyone was in such shock and anger over that, that they didn't even seem to notice him, or Karen, and their own problems.
Karen had been drinking a lot more than usual lately, but she had no one to pour her heart out too. Even Jack had been preoccupied. It was tonight, after trying to set up Grace on a date that they had even really had time to set down and hang out. Grace wasn't pleased with their choice of dates for her, but Jack suggested they set each other up on dates.
"All right, honey. I'll fix you up." Karen agreed, "What do you like again?"
"Um…men." Jack replied.
Of course. Karen thought to herself, "I know just the gender. Give me more."
"Well…he'd have to be kind, with just an air of mystery about him. Something that'd make my pants go, huh!" Jack lifted his apron while spreading his legs.
"Gotcha." Karen said, "Okay, let's do me now."
"Okay, what do you like?"
"Oh, I don't know, honey. I mean, I'm almost 200 years old." She joked, trying to send Jack the subtle hint that she wasn't really interested in finding anyone, "You know, I just don't have time for all this getting-to-know-ya crap." Hint hint Jack! Her brain screamed. "I just want somebody who gets me. Somebody who's comfortable in my world, and makes me laugh, and occasionally brings me flowers. And... somebody who likes kittens, and the hard-core bondage scene."
Jack and Karen raised their mugs to toast each other.
~~~~**~~~~
What had originally seemed like a good plan turned out to be a small disaster. Karen couldn't believe Jack had thought it a good idea to set her up with her own gardener. And Jack was equally disappointed in the closeted married man Karen tried to push off on him. Jack had pulled Karen aside to the bar to talk with her.
"That's the best you could come up with?" Jack remarked, "I've never been so insulted in my whole life!"
"Yeah, well at least I tried!" Karen came back, "I wore my Doc Martins to the nub trolling gay bars for you! I inhaled so much glitter, my boogers look like disco balls! I couldn't find anyone!"
"I couldn't find anyone for you either! And I wore my bone to the nub trolling all the gay bars in Manhattan. The point is nobody's good enough for you."
"Yeah, well nobody's good enough for you either. And they never will be!"
They both crossed their arms over their chest and turned away from each other. Jack looked over his shoulder to see if Karen was still turned around.
"It almost sounds like you don't want me to find anyone."
"Yeah, well, maybe I don't." Karen turned back around to him, "Come on, let's face it, Jackie. You're the only who's good enough for me." She smiled at him
"Oh, Karen, I feel the same way about you, too. Hey! Why don't we be each other's boyfriend?"
"Jackie, I'd like that. That sounds sweet."
She held her arms out for a hug, and Jack pulled her close to him. She sighed softly. They hadn't touched each other in so long.
"Just one question." Karen said.
"Mmm-hmm?"
"How would I get my rocks off?"
"Well, that's easy. We just have sex on the side. Like married people do."
~~~~**~~~~
It might be hard to be lovers
But it's harder to be friends
Baby, pull down the covers
It's time you let me in
Maybe light a couple candles
I'll just go ahead and lock the door
If you'll just talk to me, baby
Till we ain't strangers anymore
"Sex on the side, Jackie?" Karen smiled coyly, standing in the doorway of Jack's apartment.
Jack had already been in a bed, he sat up, pulling his covers down. Karen giggled when she saw he was wearing his fuzzy blue duck pajamas.
"I think I liked it better when you slept naked."
"It's freezing outside! I'm not doing that!"
"Really?" Karen dropped her purse and shut the door, "Not even for a little bit?" She sauntered over to him, Jack watching her wide-eyed. She sat down on the edge of his bed, and pulled him for a kiss.
Jack pulled away, "Karen! What are you doing? I told you, you can't use me! We're just friends, remember?"
"Jack, do you really mean that? Is that what you want?"
Lay your head on my pillow
I'll sit beside you on the bed
Don't you think it's time we said
Some things we haven't said
It ain't too late to get back to that place
Back to what we thought it was before
Why don't you look at me?
Till we ain't strangers anymore
"I don't know what I want anymore Karen."
"Well I do." She put her hand under Jack's chin and lifted his head up so that he was looking in her eyes, "You. I want you Jack. Plain and simple. Don't you see what I'm doing? I'm sitting in your crummy apartment, in the middle of the night, in one of my best dresses, just so you can rip it off of me before you have me. I could be at my house, in my great big bed with the Egyptian cotton sheets, sipping a Martini and halfway to happy town by my own hand, but I'm not. I'm here, with you. You, Jack. Why do you think I called off my wedding to Finster?"
"Because you realized he didn't really accept you for who you were, even though he said he did." Jack said.
Karen shook her head, "I called it off because I didn't love him. I love you." She kissed him again, "I love you, Jack."
Sometimes it's hard to love me
Sometimes it's hard to love you too
I know it's hard believing
That love can pull us through
It would be so easy
To live your life with one foot out the door
Just hold me, baby
Till we ain't strangers anymore
"So, it's your call. Either you can have me, right here, right now. All of me. Or, you can say we're just friends, and I'll turn around and walk out that door and never mention this again."
It's hard to find forgiveness
When we just turn out the lights
It's hard to say you're sorry
When you can't tell wrong from right
It would be so easy
To spend your whole damn life just keeping score
Jack was quiet for what felt like a long time. He left his eyes cast downward, and finally said something.
"You have to promise, that you're not going to do that to me again. You have to swear."
"I swear, poodle." Karen said.
So let's get down to it, baby
There ain't no need to lie
Tell me who you think you see
When you look into my eyes
Let's put our two hearts back together
And leave the broken pieces on the floor
Make love with me, baby
Till we ain't strangers anymore
Jack put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her into a slow, deep kiss.
"Oh Kare, I'm so glad you're back." He smiled into her lips.
"Me too, honey. Now, Jackie, do me a favor."
"Anything."
"Take off those pajamas! I feel like I'm kissing a 12 year old! That was fine when I was 16, honey, but not now!"
~~~~**~~~~
Out in the hallway, the elevators doors opened, and Will walked out, having just finished a late night date with Vince. It had gone well, he was dying to talk about it. He knew Grace would be asleep by now, so he paused in the hall and looked over at Jack's door. He would be awake.
Will walked over, and started to knock, then stopped when he heard giggling. Does Jack have company?
"Oh yes! Oh yes! Oh god! Yes!"
Will backed away from the door, "Oh, that kind of company."
"Jack!" He heard another voice, but couldn't quite make it out. He pressed his ear back to the door.
Inside, Karen was laughing, "I haven't done anything yet!"
"I know, but it's been so long. I'm just practicing." Jack giggled. Outside he thought he heard his doorknob shift, "Did you hear something?" He asked, sitting up straight.
"Other people live in the building, Jack."
"I know, but…Will was out with Vince. He may be coming back soon."
"Afraid we'll get caught?"
"Aren't you?"
"I have nothing to hide, honey."
Jack smirked, grabbing Karen around the waist and picking her up onto his shoulder before letting her fall onto his pillows.
"Ahh! Jackie!" She squealed.
Outside, Will gasped as he finally could clearly hear the voice of the other person in Jack's apartment. He leaned in closer, and was as still as he could be. He then heard Karen's familiar giggling.
"Mmm, make love to me, Jack. Don't make me wait anymore." It was quiet for a few moments, and then Will heard Jack's voice again.
"I love you, Karen."
"Oh my god." Will whispered.
He turned and scrambled to his own apartment, throwing the door open and running in.