For the life of her, Meghan couldn't figure out which was worse: Danny's silence or Don's angry questions. From the time Don and Danny had hoisted her and Jason out of the closet, to the silent ride home, to bidding Jason goodnight at her door while the fathers stood at a silent impasse, to sitting on the couch while Danny explained it all to Lindsay in their bedroom, Meghan was silent. Except for a, "See you tomorrow," to Jason, she hadn't trusted herself with one ounce of sound around her father. She had gone from stark raving mad to a little scared to stark raving mad again.
She tucked her knees up to her chest, wondering how far she could get in a taxicab before her parents noticed she was missing. According the clock above the microwave, they had been in there for twenty minutes. No, wait…twenty-one. She sighed and blew a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, getting mildly bored with the whole thing. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she worked, she always ended up back here, sitting on the couch in her pajama pants and NYPD sweatshirt, waiting for her parents to pass judgment. She vaguely wondered if Jason was getting the same treatment. A faint buzzing on her stomach made her jump, and she reached into the pocket of the hoodie.
How busted are you? Jason's text made her smile and she checked her parents' door before pressing reply on her phone.
The jury's still out on that one.
Jason smirked and thought for a moment before replying. He lay shirtless on his bed in his darkened room, staring at the ceiling. Don hadn't said anything when they had walked in the door of the apartment, while Stella had merely pointed to his door and said, "Go." He could hear them discussing his punishment in the kitchen. Likely his father was downing several beers. It wasn't like Jason and Meghan had gone any farther than what the dads found them doing, but the threat was still there.
He smirked at the ceiling, eager to share his thought with Meghan.
I love how our parents can handle a bomb without batting an eyelash, but finding us in a closet means corporal punishment.
What we did was similar.
Similar. Not the same.
Don't try the loophole theory, Jase. It doesn't work.
Damn. I was close.
Meghan smiled. He was close. They had set off a bomb in the parentals' lives. The look on Danny's face had confirmed that he wasn't ready for post-prom antics. Not to mention's Don's steely grip on Jason's arm as they had left.
The bedroom door opened and Meghan shoved her phone back in her pocket, hugging her knees even closer to her chest as Lindsay stepped out, followed closely by Danny. Lindsay's amber eyes were filled with disappointment and Meghan winced in guilt. Suddenly she felt like she had let everyone down…and Jason had only kissed her!
"They're so screwed for senior prom," Meghan thought as she watched Lindsay sink down onto the couch next to her. Danny remained standing, arms folded across his chest, blue eyes glaring sternly behind glass lenses.
"We were just wondering…what were you thinking when you left school and started walking through the dark streets of New York to go to a police station?" Lindsay's voice was calm, without a trace of the confusion she was feeling.
Meghan bit her lip and stared down at her knees, fighting tears. When she put it like that, Lindsay had a way of making the whole experience sound less magical than it was. Which, Meghan supposed was the job of a mother.
"Answer your mother," Danny barked, making Meghan and Lindsay jump. His voice was thick with anger and Staten Island inheritance.
"We just wanted to get away from the security," Meghan spoke clearly, still glaring at her knees. Danny was taken aback for a moment, unsure how to reply. Lindsay watched him frantically for an answer. It took him a moment, but Danny soon bounced back, taking a step forward as his eyes narrowed. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"
For the first time all night, Meghan's brown eyes rose to meet his, and he was almost frightened by the anger there. "I mean, Dad, that we're tired of you guys always followin' us around. We're not fugitives. And, well, Jason and I were havin' fun until you guys showed."
"So you can't have your idea of fun around us, is that it?" Danny jumped eagerly on Meghan's slip up, getting caught in the moment. She stood quickly, furious at his suggestion. "Do you think that the only time we can have fun is when we're fuckin' one another?"
"Meghan!" Lindsay stood as well, hands on her hips. She was cut off by Danny's hand, thrust in her face. "No, Linds, let her. If she wants to cuss like an adult, she can face adult consequences."
"Adult? You think I'm bein' an adult here?" Meghan scoffed, crossing her arms in a mirror image of her father. "Okay, well, at least one of us is. How 'bout you stop playin' spy and start bein' the grownup again, Dan?"
"Danny-" Lindsay warned as Danny stepped up the coffee table, hands balled into fists. Meghan flinched but didn't step back, her eyes blazing in her face. "I am your father. You will not talk to me in that tone-"
"My father!" Meghan shrieked, throwing up her hands in a bitter laugh. "When the hell have you been that in the last four years, huh? All I've known for those years is Detective Daniel Messer, one of the crime lab's best. How 'bout you quit bein' the cop and start being my dad?"
"I am, Meghan! My job is to keep you safe, and as a father I'm tryin' to do that!"
"No, as a police officer, you're doin' that! As a father, you're ruinin' my life!"
Danny's jaw clenched fiercely, a vein throbbing in his temple as his temper caught up with him. "If I'm ruinin' your life so goddamned much, how do you explain the fact that you were the one that caught up in a Tanglewood fight?"
Neither father nor daughter noticed as Lindsay sank onto the couch, head in her hands. "Oh, my God," she mumbled.
"You did a background check on my friends?" Meghan stood rigid, her hands balled into fists at her sides, like she was getting ready for a big fight.
"No, but I do remember your friend's father. Ryan, right? Yeah, big supporter of Sonny Sassone. If I've told you once, I've told you a million times, Meghan, you do not get caught up in that kind of crowd!"
"I didn't! There was a misunderstanding and Jason and Tommy got caught in the middle of it."
"And you drag Jason into it, how sweet."
"You don't know anythin'! Jason was protectin' me!"
"From what? From what you say, this Tommy guy ain't that bad."
"He's…he's not."
"Yes, Meghan, he is. All Tanglewood Boys are bad news. I can tell you that, your ma can tell you that, and Mac can tell you that. Don't fall into their games, Meghan…"
"I'm not stupid, Dad! I won't fall into their tricks like you!" Meghan's eyes dropped to the floor as she realized the implications of her statement. Lindsay looked up in horror, opening her mouth to reprimand her only child.
"So, my past mistakes make me stupid?" All the fight had gone out of Danny in one swift blow. His voice was quiet and weak. His hands hung to his sides, defeated. Meghan didn't move; she barely dared to breathe. "I made a mistake back then, Meghan. It was stupid and reckless, but without it, I never would have gotten into a good school, gotten a good job, met amazin' friends, or met your mother. I don't even know if you would have been born. So before you go raggin' on my past, remember that it's taken a lot more than one bad blunder to get me where I am today." He strode to the coat rack, grabbed his jacket, threw it on, and flung open the door, slamming it forcefully shut behind him. Meghan jumped but kept her gaze focused on the floor; she couldn't bring herself to look at Lindsay when the older woman stood as well, crossing to the coat rack.
"Go to bed, Meghan. We'll talk about your punishment in the morning." Lindsay's voice was deadly and tears began to prick at Meghan's eyes. She nodded, still fascinated with the hardwood.
It wasn't until the door shut gently behind her mother that Meghan broke down and started crying, sobbing into her hands with all she had.
---
The phone buzzed on her nightstand and Meghan wiped the tears from her eyes to get a good look at the message that popped up on the screen.
Haven't heard from you in a while. How bad was it?
She sniffed and started to type, eyes still blurry from crying.
Bad, Jason. Really bad. Yelling bad.
She only had a minute to wait before his reply came.
How bad yelling?
I called him stupid.
O.
And a bad father.
Yikes.
And a terrible influence and example.
Jesus. All that?
In so many words, yeah.
…
What?
Where is he now?
I don't know. He stormed out and my mom went after him.
So they're gone?
Yup. I doubt they'll come back after the crappy things I said.
I'll be over in five.
No, Jason.
Yes, Meghan. You need me more than I need me right now.
What?
Confucius say, man who make no sense make no cents.
He did not.
Somewhere, I bet he did.
You're full of it.
Thanks.
Welcome. Hey, I had a lot of fun. You know, minus the dads, and the yelling, and Tommy…
Who mentioned Ryan?
My dad. Did you…?
Meghan. I would never break a promise to you. I told him nothing.
Really?
Yes! They tortured me and I still kept quiet. I gave up chocolate cake for you, girl!
You are such a woman.
Then why are you dating me?
I like weird people.
Explains why you look in the mirror so much.
Meghan laughed weakly. He really knew how to cheer people up. You're not funny.
Then why are you smiling?
Meghan looked up in surprise to see Jason standing at her window, waving sheepishly. She got up and crossed to the sill, pressing her fingers against the glass. "Hi," she whispered, amazed at how good his presence made her feel.
"Hi," he mouthed back, and then something more, which she took to mean, "I'm cold, let me in, or I'm gonna freeze!" She giggled and pulled open the window to let him inside.
Jason jumped in quickly, blowing on his hands from the cold. "Jesus, woman, you take forever!"
"I'm sorry." Meghan smiled shyly at him and tilted her head up to look at him. "God, you're tall."
"The better to lean down and kiss you with, my dear," Jason mumbled, his lips already firmly pressed against hers. Meghan rolled her eyes but kissed him back anyway.
They pulled apart breathing heavily and Jason ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "God, I never get tired of that."
"We've been going out for all of one day, Jase."
"But I've wanted to kiss you since we were five, Meg." His gaze was so intense that Meghan wanted to look away, but couldn't. Those green eyes were mesmerizing.
Then he shook his head, and she cocked an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"
"I don't have long. My parents will be checkin' on me soon, and God knows when yours will be back. Meet me tomorrow at the gym."
"Tomorrow's Sunday."
"Good job."
"The gym's closed."
"Nothin' gets past you."
"What're we gonna do at a closed gym, Jason?"
"You'll see. Meet me there right after mass."
"I'll try."
"Meghan…"
"Fine, I promise."
"Good." Jason kissed her again, a little fiercer this time. "I had a great time too," he whispered before slipping back out her window. Meghan watched as he snuck off down the street in the direction of his apartment building. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her and she softly yelled, "Jason!"
He turned, running back to her window with effortless ease, and she was reminded of Tony and Maria from West Side Story. "Did you really give up chocolate cake for me?"
Jason flashed that perfect smile and winked. "No, but for you, I would give up basketball. Goodnight."
Sighing, she closed the window and crawled back into bed, unwilling to let the sadness overtake her again. That Jason Flack was something else.
---
A/N: It's not long, and it may not be perfect, for it was written in a fit of brilliance at 1:30 this morning, but it's something, right?
Now, you know what I want now! Just press the little button next to the box that says "Submit Review" and I'll be a happy woman! Thank you!