Alexis finally agreed to eat something with the promise that Jackson would explain himself in more detail. When she was finished he told Alexis he had something to show her. He led her down the main hallway to a door that was slightly open. He had spent a lot of time preparing the room for her so he hoped she liked it.
When Alexis entered the room Jackson was casually leaning against the doorway watching her reaction.
"So what do you think?" Jackson was genuinely curious. He had never bought or designed anything for a teen girl before and he really hoped she liked it.
"It's fine" Alexis didn't want to seem to unappreciative towards his efforts but she was still getting used to all of this new information and the new situation she was in. Alexis had been away from Emily for a while and she wanted to make sure she was okay. "Where is Emily going to sleep?"
Just like her mother to care more about other people than herself. "Emily's totally fine. She's in a room down the hall so we could talk."
"I want to see her" Jackson weighed the consequences of allowing this. If he said no he appeared to be the bad guy and if he said yes he risked Emily saying something she shouldn't. Judging by her behavior around him so far though he decided she was too scared to do or say anything stupid.
"Sure" Jackson said with a smile and lead Alexis up the stairs to the bedroom he had put Emily in earlier
He had thought that about allowing the two of them to stay together but decided it could be harmful to his plan. Emily seemed too scared of him and what he might do to her to say anything she shouldn't but he couldn't risk it. He couldn't exactly get rid of her now without Alexis noticing either. Besides, he thought it would be easier to get on Alexis's good side if he allowed her best friend to stay here with her.
Upon entering the less decorated bedroom that Emily was staying in Alexis ran over to Emily and whispered something he was unable to hear. Jackson decided it was most likely nothing. She had been worried about Emily the whole trip so she was probably just asking if she was okay or maybe reassuring Emily that things would be alright.
When Alexis was finished Jackson then removed the handcuffs encircling Emily's wrist upon Alexis' request.
"Lex," he chimed in, using the shortened version of her name in an effort to make things feel normal between the two of them.
Alexis turned back towards him since she had been staring at the room. "Only my parents and my friends are allowed to call me that," she replied coldly, still feeling angry towards him. He was out of her life for 16 years and all of sudden he wanted to act like he was close to her. One conversation doesn't make them best friends.
"Alright, Alexis," he responded, emphasizing her first name, "I know you're probably still mad at me, but I had to do it."
"Gee, you think?" Alexis asked sarcastically, unsure of how kidnapping could ever have a good reason, "So what is your reason behind all of this? You said my mother wouldn't let you near me but surely there had to be another way. I doubt stealing me and my best friend was your only option"
"I told you already. It was the only way I could get close to you," he said, playing the part of the distraught father.
"Then why does Emily have to be here?" she asked him curiously, still unsure of why her best friend had to be involved in this terrible situation.
"We already went over this." Jackson slowed his speech feeling himself becoming annoyed that he was having to repeat himself. "She would have run home and told your mother what she found out and who you were with. Then I would be arrested and you'll never get a chance to know me. Is that what you really want Alexis… after all these years?"
"Well…," she began, but halted, fully aware that what he was doing was technically wrong, but that didn't change the fact that he was her father and she did want to know more about him. "No, I guess not."
"Your mother kept you away from me since you were born. I wanted to be there for you while you were growing up, but she ruined all that."
"You promise you wanted to be there?" She was unsure whether she should believe anything he was telling her. Though she was eager to accept whatever he said because part of her felt better then. It meant he didn't leave because of her, or that he left because he didn't love her. It meant that he didn't abandon her like she grew up thinking. Apparently, it was all her mother's fault that she grew up not knowing him.
"It was your mother that married right after you were born and then led you to believe he was your biological father for all those years."
He knew from his talks with Alexis that Lisa had told her very little about things that had happened in her past.
Maybe she should have, because now he was going to use it to his advantage. She would never find out about any of the terrible things he had done in the past. She was still under the impression that her mother was even lying about the incident that took place when she was three. Her not knowing anything about the past would make it easier for her to believe everything he said. Eventually he'd prove to Alexis that he was the better parent and Lisa had done nothing but lie to her the whole time she was growing up.
Once he had Alexis convinced and he was sure she had no urge to return back home, he'd make sure Lisa knew it. Then he could finally feel like he had succeeded in what he had always wanted to do since the flight. Her own daughter would slowly start to resent her and that would tear Lisa up inside, which is exactly what he wanted
He told Lisa this wasn't over. She'd be sorry that she ever dared to mess up everything in his life.
Jackson commented that it was getting late and everyone should get ready for bed. Alexis had stated that she wished for Emily to stay with her for the night and he agreed knowing that telling her no could have a bad effect on the relationship he was trying to develop with her. He left the door unlocked though so Alexis wouldn't find it weird. She'd have to walk by his bedroom or his study to get to the front door anyways.
He had work he needed to accomplish without having to worry about what they were doing.
Alexis and Emily were about the same size and had shared clothes before, so Alexis dragged Emily down the hallway to the room designed specifically for her and opened the one drawer, searching for pajamas for the two of them.
Emily had quietly thought to herself about trying to leave during the night, but was scared of the consequences if he should be up and catch her. Alexis would figure out a way to get her out like she said. He was bound to do something careless eventually.