Disclaimers: all the usual apply.
Chapter 21
Jessica POV
Jessica paused at the top of the train's steps before accepting Alex's offered hand. With his help she managed to gracefully navigate the three narrow stairs leading from the train to the platform.
Still holding her hand Alex led them a short distance away from the small crowd disembarking the train from London to Aldbourne to where they could see five familiar faces anxiously awaiting their arrival. John had taken the three remaining replacements to London but all four men had travelled back to Aldbourne that afternoon for this specific reason.
Arlene and John did a good job of hiding their nerves and it was only because she knew them as well as she did that she was able to spot the tell-tale signs. Their three newest recruits however did a terrible job of it. Hunt and Parker were shifting their weight fractionally side to side while West's bottom lip seemed to have found a permanent home between his teeth.
She smiled to herself as they neared the group. Everyone had opted to wear their dress uniform without being given an instruction to do so. She recognised it for what it was, their way of showing their respect for their commanding officers, both old and new.
When they stopped in front of the waiting soldiers they snapped to attention, sharply saluting the two returning officers. Alex dropped her hand and in one fluid movement they returned the sharp salute.
"As you were," she said and everyone relaxed.
She looked over to Alex and the late summer sun caught his new captain's bars, nearly blinding her. From the corner of her eye she saw Parker nudge Hunt and there was an audible exhale to her left where John stood.
God, this could have gone so very differently. Badly, she thought, nearly flinching at the possibility.
She winked at her friend and he took the cue. "Well, I'll make this quick. I've been promoted to captain and Jessica has rightfully retained her captaincy. The official line is that I'm the unit CO, however Jessica and I will split this responsibility just like she and Clark had."
For a second a shadow darkened Alex's eyes at the mention of Clark's name, but it vanished before it could leave a lasting imprint. "Any questions?" he asked.
On the train ride back from London they'd gone over all the logistics of their new arrangement, which of course wasn't new to her at all. Alex had been unsure of himself and unwilling to make any real demands lest he step on her toes. She'd quickly called him out on this. As much as she appreciated the gesture and understood that if came from a good place, if they were going to make this work he'd need to move past the way their working relationship had been and embrace how it now was.
"Are we getting any replacements?" John asked.
She turned to look at him and answered. "Yes, we're getting five replacements. They've already been selected for us."
There was a collective groan amongst the group.
"Yes, we know. Not ideal, but we've looked over all their files and on paper they're adequate."
Arlene cleared her throat and all eyes turned to her. "Do they have any combat experience?"
Alex shook his head. "No. They're fresh out of training. Which means we'll be doing a lot of training once they join."
"And when is that, sir?" West asked.
"They're already in England and should arrive in Aldbourne in the next day or two along with the Easy Company replacements. We're going to give clear instructions for them to be billeted with you three."
The three sergeants nodded and she noticed the glint in their eyes. Soon they would no longer be the replacements.
"We expect you three," she said and their heads snapped to her, "to ensure they integrate quickly and efficiently. You will be setting an example of the behaviours and standards we expect."
"Yes, ma'am," the three soldiers chimed.
"Also," she continued, "with the influx of replacements you should expect some inappropriate comments."
Arlene sighed and she felt Alex stiffen next to her as John's handsome face was marred by an ugly scowl. The three sergeants seemed confused however, their eyebrows knitted together in almost perfect mirror images. "About myself and Lieutenant Green," she elaborated for them.
As if a switch had flipped the three men's posture became rigid and she could feel the protectiveness coming off of their strong frames.
Alex held up and hand to stop any outburst before it could start. "What's important is that you don't put yourself in a position where we need to bail you out of trouble or get a replacement because you're confined to a hospital bed or the dock. Clear?"
They nodded a little reluctantly and she sighed. Once again she appreciated the space their anger and protectiveness came from, but she wasn't sure they understood the consequences if something went wrong.
"Listen, I'm going to be very blunt. And this stays between us. Understood?" she asked, fixing the three men with an ice-cold gaze that threatened actual bodily harm if they stepped out of line.
Parker's Adam's apple visibly bobbed as he swallowed hard while Hunt and West nodded, their eyes wider than they'd been seconds before.
"Good. The hard truth you need to accept is that despite everything Arlene and I've done and achieved our continued presence in this unit is contingent on said presence not causing undue conflict amongst the men we work with. Both inside our own unit and the Companies we work with."
"But-," Hunt started, but she silenced him with one finger held up in the air.
"It's the way it is Hunt. No use arguing its merits. Now of course we've earned a certain level of trust and our reputations protect us to a large extent. But if you lot start a massive brawl because some idiot insults our virtue or abilities, or your masculinity simply because you work alongside us, we could be reassigned."
"Now," Alex cut it, "as always, if anything happens come to one of us immediately. We'll deal with it. And we expect you to ensure our new recruits behave in the same manner."
With an arch of one eyebrow Alex asked them if they understood his order and they replied with a, "Yes, sir."
She groaned internally. She'd heard and given that exact speech so many times before she could recite it in her sleep.
One day.
When a few moments of silence passed between the group Alex said, "Right. We have 48-hours left on our passes. You can go back to London, but I suggest getting as much rest as possible. We will be training harder than ever, and sleep won't be easy to come by."
"As for tonight though," she said, the ice melting in her eyes as a mischievous smirk lifted the corners of her lips, "we expect to see everyone at the usual pub. Drinks will be on the two of us."
John clapped his hands, Parker enthusiastically smacked his two friends on the back and Arlene good naturedly rolled her eyes at their antics.
Twisting her neck so she could look at Alex she caught him watching her. She gave him a reassuring smile and wink which seemed to do the trick.
"So," she asked as their group ambled away from the train station, the two captains a few feet behind the rest of the men and Arlene, "are we going to meet your girl tonight?"
Alex's cheeks reddened. "How did you know?"
"You love London, and yet you stayed behind in Aldbourne. Sorry darling, but you're not as mysterious as you think. And I mean that as a compliment by the way. Mystery is overrated."
He gave her a quizzical look but simply replied, "She'll be joining us tonight. Her name's Bell."
"You met her before deploying?"
He smiled dreamily, his eyes taking on a far off look. "Yeah, the day you and Arlene left actually. I was so out of it I literally ran into her. I hated the fact that you had to leave without us, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."
Her heart swelled to absorb pure joy radiating off of her friend. They'd all been through so much and in the process they'd lost more than they could put into words. So to see Alex this in love, an emotion so pure and innocent, brought tears to her eyes.
She sniffed and blinked a few times to clear her vision and push the tears away. After all the crying she'd done the last few days in Nixon's arms she was surprised she had any left to spare.
Maybe happy tears come from a different place?
She linked her arm with his and beamed up at the handsome soldier. "I can't wait to meet her. I'm sure we're all going to love her. And now, we have someone new to tell all your embarrassing stories to!"
His smile faltered. "No, Jess, Please."
She ignored him and continued, "Maybe we'll start with the one where of you ended up running naked through London while being chased by a butcher wielding a cleaver. That's one of my favourites."
Alex groaned. "Oh, God. I'm going to tell her not to come."
"Don't you dare! Besides, now that I know her name I'll just find her by myself. You know me."
He looked down at her, his eyes silently pleading for mercy.
"Fine," she relented, rolling her eyes, "you win."
She felt him relax and he smiled gratefully.
"I'm so happy for you. You know that right?"
His expression grew more serious and he pulled her closer to him. "Yeah, Jess. I know."
She smiled up at her friend. "You're going to be a great CO. Trust me."
"That means a lot coming from a great CO," Alex replied.
Jessica POV
Studying herself in the full length mirror her yes darted to the door when she heard the soft knock.
"Yes?" she asked.
"It's Arlene."
"Come in," she said, turning her attention back to her reflection.
She saw Arlene stop just inside the door and watch her as she studied herself in the mirror, a smirk on her best friend's lips.
"What?" she asked, Arlene's expression only fuelling her own nagging doubt.
"I have literally never seen you look this innocent or harmless. I'm not really sure how to react."
"Oh, haha," she retorted, shooting her a scowl in the mirror.
Turning back to study herself she realised Arlene was probably right. She was wearing a light pink A-line dress that skimmed just below her knees. The dress had a soft V-neck and was pulled in tight around her waist, accentuating her curves while the colour made her look practically angelic.
She'd found the dress hidden in the bottom of her trunk and was pretty sure she'd never seen it before.
Maybe I was drunk when I bought it?
She'd paired the dress with an old pair of nude pumps, a red lip and hair softly curled and pinned back, the blonde ringlets tumbling down her back.
Arlene fell down on here bed, her own yellow and white dress splaying out underneath her in a semi-circle. "I can't believe you still have that dress?"
She spun around, hands in the air. "What, you know this dress?"
Arlene shook her head. "Sometimes you amaze me. It was a gift from that French musician turned sniper. What was his name?"
She clapped her hands, the memory slowing coming back to her. "Oh, yes. Damn, what was his name? He was the good kisser that had the psychotic mistress."
"That's the one. The blonde one."
"Juan!" she exclaimed, inordinately please with herself for remembering her fling's name.
"There you go!"
She smiled at the pleasant memory of a sunny winter's day spent hidden in a freezing attic with each other as the best source of heat.
"See, you do remember him," her friend said, smiling mischievously.
"Let's just say, I now remember why his mistress was so very determined to keep him. Not that I ever had any intention of turning our dalliance into something more permanent."
Arlene simply rolled her eyes and asked, "So, what's wrong with the dress?"
Jessica turned back to the mirror to study her reflection. "I don't know. Is there something wrong with it?"
Arlene snorted and waved her off. "No, you look like a beautiful blonde that's never seen a day's fighting. Young and innocent and harmless."
"Maybe that's it."
"What is?"
"I don't recognise the reflection," she replied, sadness and regret tinging her words.
"Yeah," was all Arlene said in reply.
She shook her head, soft curls bouncing around her face, and stretched her mouth into a smile that almost reached her eyes. "Enough of that. We both look fantastic and we're going to have fun tonight."
Arlene rose from the bed and came to stand beside her. Jessica snaked an arm around her friend's waist and Arlene did the same. The two young women smiled at their reflections and slowly the feeling reached her eyes, wrinkling them in the corners.
"Is Joe going to be there tonight?" she asked.
Arlene's smile tripled in size and wattage. "Yes."
"Oh my gosh, you are so adorable."
Her friend let go of her waist and softly punched her arm.
"Hey!" she exclaimed through the fit of giggles.
Arlene stuck out her tongue causing her to roll her eyes.
God, it feels good to laugh.
"Not that it matters," Arlene added.
"Why? Oh, never mind, stupid question. You two have to be all sneaky about your relationship."
"I believe the word you're looking for is discreet."
"If I were to date a captain we'd have to be discreet. You two are practically a State secret. So, who knows?"
"You," Arlene started to say. She wanted to interject with a wise-ass comment but her friend cut her off with one look. Holding up her hands in surrender she waited for Arlene to continue, certain she already knew the list, but needing to double check.
"As I was saying. There's you and Alex and John. Bill and Luz know."
Jessica had been busy touching up her lipstick, but when Arlene mentioned the last two names her hand stilled and he head swivelled slowly in the brunette's direction.
"They returned early from London. This afternoon actually. We were careless, kissing in Joe's barracks when they walked in."
"And?"
"Oh, they actually cheered. Like full on clapping each other on the back, shouting."
She sighed in relief and turned back to the mirror. With the lipstick paused an inch away from her lips she said, "Can they be trusted to keep the secret? From what I've heard George Luz is the source of most of the gossip."
Arlene dug around in her own clutch and pulled out a tube of depleted pink lipstick. "He is, and they can be. Once they calmed down I explained the situation to them. They were actually quite excited to help us sneak around."
She straightened and tossed her lipstick into her nude clutch. "Helping two lovers sneak around is a nice distraction from the war. Speaking of, I'd like to do my part."
"For the war effort?"
"No, for you and Joe."
Arlene frowned at her reflection in the mirror. "You've done enough. If it wasn't for you, we probably never would have even spoken to one another."
She shrugged. "I don't know that. Some things are meant to be, one way or another. And as I've said before, I get to live vicariously through you in this regard. So, tomorrow this house is going to be empty from 10:00 until 16:00."
"What?"
"Jane and Harry are going into the country to visit friends. They're only set to be back the evening. I've asked Nixon to join me for a picnic and I'll make sure we only get back at 16:00. So, this house is empty and far away from the Easy barracks. Here," she said, holding out a key.
Arlene reached for the key, eyeing it suspiciously.
"That's my spare. Keep it."
"Jess," Arlene started to protests but was cut off when Jessica threw her arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.
"It's one day or freedom Arlene. You deserve it," she whispered into her friend's hair.
She felt Arlene's body relax, followed by a softly spoken, "Thank you."
They eventually let go of one another, both women smoothing out their dresses and hair.
"Shall we?" Jessica asked, holding out her hand to the bedroom door.
With a dramatic flick of her chocolate brown hair Arlene replied, "We shall."
Nixon POV
With most of the soldiers yet to return from London the pub was comparatively empty. All the tables were taken up, but none were overflowing. You were able to move around without having to jab your elbow into someone's side and the barman could make eye contact with each customer before serving their drinks.
He finished his first of many beers and placed the glass down on the stained wooden table. He was only half-listening to Harry and Buck's conversation, his attention continuously pulled to the door every time he spotted movement in its general direction.
Someone nudged his shoulder and he reluctantly looked away from the entrance to find Dick staring at him, the question clear in his eyes.
He swallowed and reached for his glass, realising too late it was already empty so he dropped it down on the table with a heavy thud.
The sound caught Harry and Buck's attention, their conversation halting as both men turned to stare it him.
"Geez Nix," Buck said, "all you gotta do is ask and I'll get the next round."
"Hm? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
"Yeah, we noticed," Harry replied.
He ran one hand through his already messy hair as the other instinctively reached for the empty glass. Stopping himself just in time he flattened his palm on the table and said, "Jessica and Alex went up to London this morning to negotiate their unit's command. I haven't seen anyone from their unit yet."
"Why would they have to negotiate? Obviously Jessica is the CO now," Harry replied, but as soon as he said the words out loud his face changed, taking on sharp edge. "Son of a bitch! They wouldn't. Would they?" he added.
He shrugged and eased back into his chair, suddenly aware of the stiffness in his lower back. "They would Harry. She's a woman, they can't have her in-charge of a team of men, especially an elite unit like theirs."
"So what? They're going to promote someone over her head? We all saw them in France, none of them would want that. She's their CO," Buck said, but Nixon heard the doubt creep into his voice.
Dick leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "That's the best case scenario Buck. That's what Jessica and Alex went to negotiate. The other option is an outsider becomes their CO."
"Has Command met these people? That will never fucking work!" Buck exclaimed.
He just sighed and shrugged. He agreed with Buck, but he knew well enough that it was very possible.
"Well, we're going to find out soon enough," he said, his chair already scraping on the floor.
Alex and John had just walked into the pub, followed by the three sergeants. All five men were wearing their unique dark blue uniform, and in the dim light of the pub it seemed black. His eyes instinctively searched for the golden bars on Alex's shoulders as he held his breath. When he found them his lungs expanded and stretched to their full capacity as a broad smile took over his face.
Nixon walked over to the men, his long legs making quick work of the small space.
"Congratulations Captain," he said, clasping the man's hand and enthusiastically slapping him on the shoulder.
Alex smiled a little sheepishly, but he quickly regained his composure, straightening out to his full height. "Thanks Nix. It all worked out."
The last vestiges of nerves fell away at those words and his eyes searched the space behind the group of men that had now gathered to wish Alex congratulations.
"They stopped to talk outside. Should be in now," Alex answered his question.
He dropped the man's hand and tried to ignore the heat creeping into his cheeks.
To his surprise Alex stepped in closer to him and grabbed his shoulder. "Thank you for having her back."
"Always," he said without thinking.
Alex winked and let go and within a second he was pulled into the first of what would be a long line of handshakes and back slaps.
Nixon stepped aside so he could see the door just as a flash of yellow crossed the threshold like a living ray of sunshine. Arlene Walker dazzled in that yellow dress of hers. It fit in close to her waist and chest and hit her just-just below the knee, showing off her endlessly long legs. Her dark hair was loosely pinned up, but strands were already trying to make their escape. Her emerald eyes wrinkled as she turned to smile at the person behind her.
He dropped his gaze and shook his head. He knew nothing would ever happen with Arlene, despite the fact that his daydreams tried to persuade him otherwise. Not only was she Jessica's closest friend, but he had a suspicion that someone else had already won the brunette's affections.
I'll always have my daydreams.
"Nix, hey," the daydream called.
He cleared his throat and looked up to find Arlene standing within reach, a broad smile brightening her face. "Hey. You look beautiful tonight."
There was no sense in lying.
Arlene blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "Thanks. I wanted to wear something happy. You know, relish it while we can."
"Well, you achieved that. So, I take it everything worked out?"
"Mhm, all's well that ends well. Jess didn't tell me any details but it seems no one was too excited at the prospect of bringing in an outsider. So when she gave them the option of promoting Alex to CO they practically fell over themselves to accept."
"Makes sense. You don't want to mess with a winning recipe."
Arlene hummed her agreement as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder. When she turned back to him her smile was smaller and her dark eyes had a new intensity to them.
"Now, before Jessica gets here. What is going on with Richard and Speirs?"
"W-what?" he stammered, completely caught off guard by the sudden change in subject.
"Listen, Jessica can have any man she wants. You and I both know that."
"I agree."
"Good, because for some reason those two geniuses are both dragging their feet. Now, if they're not really interested they need to make it clear. But if they are, they should hurry the hell up. Because sooner rather than later Jessica is going to get over it and move on. And trust me, when she's truly done, she's done. So?"
He smiled, happy to finally have someone to conspire with.
Actually, why the fuck haven't we talked about this before?
"Nix?" Arlene asked.
"Yeah, sorry. Both of them are definitely interested. I don't know what's going on with Speirs, but Dick, he keeps waiting for the right time."
"Well that's very gallant of him, but he's not going to get a right time, not while there's a war raging. He just needs to ask."
"You realise you're preaching to the choir here, right?"
"I know, but hopefully you can talk some sense into your friend. The man's an incredible soldier, one of the bravest I've ever met, this really shouldn't be that difficult for him."
"What can I say, men are idiots," he said.
"Why are men idiots?" an all too familiar voice asked.
Arlene slowly turned to reveal Jessica standing right behind her, her head tilted to one side as she studied her two friends.
"We just are," he stated.
"Okay," the blonde woman replied, eyes narrowing.
Deciding a change in subject was his best bet he said, "You look amazing Jess. I like this look on you."
"Innocent and harmless?" she asked, widening her oval blue eyes and pouting.
"Well not if you pull a face like that. Then you just look naughty as all hell."
Her lips relaxed into a genuine smile and she shot him a wink. "I'll never be able to fool you Nix. It takes one naughty bugger to know one."
"Yes it does kid," he said, pulling her into a side hug and planting a quick kiss into her hair.
"We're quickly going to greet the few Easy boys that are here. But then, Alex and I are buying everyone a drink. So save us seats," Jessica said before she placed a chaste kiss on his jaw.
He let her go and somewhere in the back of his mind he noticed how familiar it had felt to hold her close. Although on later reflection that didn't surprise him, not after everything they'd shared in her room.
The two women made to leave, Jessica leading the way, but before he could turn Arlene caught his eye. She pointed one elegant finger at him and he nodded in understanding.
No, the timing is never going to be perfect.
Bill POV
"I tell you fellas, these new kids are going to come in here, half trained, half assed and eager to prove themselves. It's a recipe for a fucking turkey shoot. And you know who's going to have to hold their hands? Us," he ended his rant with a satisfied gulp of his beer before dragging the back of his hand over his mouth.
"C'mon Bill," Luz said around the cigarette pressed between his lips, "the kids will be fine. They've gone through basic and jump training."
Joe snorted, nearly chocking on the smoke from his cigarette. "Not with Sobel they didn't. The man was a fucking ass, but you survive him and you can survive anything the Krauts throw at you."
He tilted his glass in Joe's direction and Luz nodded. They'd hated Sobel, and were all glad to be rid of him, but he was damn good at what he did. Training soldiers.
A small crowd gathered near the entrance and he could spot some dark blue uniforms in-between all the green. They were sitting right at the back of the pub, but even from their position he could see the smiling faces and hear the enthusiastic congratulations.
He felt his lips turn up into a lopsided smile. "Seems the good news is out."
His two friends turned in their chairs so they could watch the entrance, both men smiling knowingly. After Arlene had recovered from the shock of seeing the two of them standing in their own barrack's doorway she'd promptly communicated two things. One, what they'd seen was top secret and they would have to take their knowledge of her and Joe's relationship to their graves. After some pouting and good natured teasing they'd both agreed. And two, she'd told them that Alex had been promoted to captain and, more importantly, Jessica had maintained her captaincy.
Luz turned back around and leaned so far back in his chair he ended up balancing on its two back legs. "Sometimes the Army actually uses its brains."
"Yip," Joe said, "miracles do happen."
His eyes caught a streak of light pink emerging from the ocean of green and blue before they drifted up the woman's body until they met Captain King's crystal blue eyes. Bill cleared his throat and ignored the heat rising in his chest to sneak out of his shirt collar just as the captain and Arlene stopped at their table.
Joe's hand twitched as if he was going to reach for Arlene, but instead he wrapped it around his empty beer glass.
"Evening gentlemen," Captain King beamed.
"Ma'am," they greeted her in a broken chorus.
For the first time he wondered what her real age was. He'd always known she was relatively young, but tonight she seemed as if years had fallen away. As if the burden of command and the horrors she'd seen and committed had been temporarily lifted.
"So, I hear we're all in on the same secret?" the blonde captain asked, her eyes shining mischievously.
Luz beamed up at the two women, extremely pleased at being in on the secret. "The secret is safe with us."
"Yeah, and about damn time if you ask me," he added.
"I could not agree more Sergeant. I was starting to lose hope."
Arlene rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Joe ran hand through his slicked back hair and he saw the meaningful look the two lovers shared.
As Jessica reached inside her purse she said, "Well, I believe a round of drinks is in order. Joe, would you mind handling this?"
"Of course ma'am," he replied.
She handed him some money and added, "Arlene, would you mind helping him carry all the drink?"
"Of course not," the brunette answered.
The conversation was so mundane an outsider wouldn't give it a second thought, and he knew that's exactly how the two women wanted it to look.
Practice makes perfect, he thought, once again reminded the women had years of experience in action far more covert that what they'd seen. It had never been confirmed, at least not to them, but everyone had their suspicions and watching them interact and move he was absolutely certain they were right.
For a moment he tracked the young couple's movements as they walked to the bar. If you knew what you were looking at you would see their bodies angling towards one another even though they remained a safe distance apart.
"Right gentlemen," Jessica interrupted his train of thought.
He looked away from the couple, giving the captain his undivided attention.
Satisfied they were both paying attention she leaned forward until her fingertips rested on the table. "It goes without saying that the secret of those two, stays between the three of us."
From one second to the next there was a minuscule shift in the way the woman held herself, her voice taking on a sharp edge that matched the glint in her eyes.
He found himself nodding and from the corner of his eye he could see Luz mirroring his action. Jessica King looked like the picture of innocence tonight, but they both knew better. Not that they would have betrayed Joe or Arlene, but the unspoken threat in the captain's words added to their combined resolve.
Satisfied with their response her face switched back, any hint of what she was capable of gone before you could blink. Flashing them a conspiratorial smile, she said, "Great! Arlene trusts you completely which means so do I. Now, if you ever run into any problems, people being a bit too nosy, let me know. We gotta stick together."
The two men returned her smile, relishing in the sense of mischief.
Speirs POV
Sitting on the wooden bench, his back against the plastered wall, he kept one eye trained on the pub's entrance. He'd already been there for nearly an hour, having arrived with a handful of other Dog Company officers. They'd taken up residence at an empty table along one wall of the pub and he'd ensured he could see the entrance from his seat.
He stubbed out his cigarette and immediately lit another one, flicking his lighter closed with a sharp snap.
The woman next to him laughed, the sound raking over his spine like nails on a chalkboard. He consciously suppressed the urge to scowl at her. He hadn't asked her to be here and not a second went by that a part of his brain didn't wish she would simply leave. But none of that was her fault so he kept his face a study in neutrality.
An arm draped itself across his shoulders and the blonde whispered in his ear, "Why are you so tense baby?"
He slowly turned his head to follow the path of the offending appendage until he found the pretty woman looking at him, concern etched into every fine line on her face.
Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself for the hundredth time that this wasn't her fault, that all blame rested solely with him. Plastering on a fake smile he hoped would alleviate some of her worry he replied, "I'm just waiting for some friends. They were set to receive important news today."
"Oh, I understand. I'm sure everything will be just fine," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Ron groaned internally while returning to his study of the entrance, using the conversation of the two men sitting opposite him as a cover. He felt the woman on his arm relax, her body softly settling into his side even as her arm dropped away from his shoulders.
Fuck. What a fucking mess.
To say that he was angry with himself would be the understatement of a lifetime. He'd thrown himself into a fling months ago in a fit of ego and pride. When they'd left Aldbourne for the staging area he'd avoided making any long term promises to the young woman, but he hadn't broken things off either. Why? He could come up with a million excuses but really there were only two facts that came close to the truth.
One, he, Ronald Speirs, a man hardened soldiers were weary of, had allowed his pride to get the better of him and then he'd been too cowardly to correct the mistake when he had the chance.
And two, he'd hoped his fleeting affection would turn into something deeper so he could regain the control Jessica King had taken from him without even trying.
Goddamn fool.
His eyes darted between the door and the woman sitting by his side as quickly as his emotions fluctuated between anticipation to see Jessica and dread at her arrival.
Rose was pretty by anyone's standards, with ash blonde hair and a pleasingly round face. Her brown doe eyes seemed to constantly hold a smile in their depths, giving her a remarkable air of innocence which she used to her advantage, often getting away with mischief. She was quick with a joke and easy to spend time with. All in all, she was wonderful, which made what he knew he had to do, should have done already, all the more difficult to stomach.
He wanted to groan and slam his head into the table, but instead stubbed out another cigarette and reached for his untouched beer.
Just as he brought the glass to his lips Alex and John entered the pub. Nixon was the first to greet them and the quiet moment he shared with Alex didn't escape his notice. He filed it away for further consideration later, his eyes searching the faces of the gathering crowd as the knot in his stomach grew tighter with each thumping heartbeat.
The lieutenant sitting opposite him pushed out his chair and rose. Smoothing down the invisible creases in his uniform he said, "I'm going to congratulate the new captain. You never know when you need a favour."
His companion at the end of the small table rose as well, adding as he went, "If you want a favour you'll need to ask King. Marsh could be the official CO, but everybody knows who really calls the shots when it counts."
"Can you blame them?" the first man asked with a snort.
The few men left at their table shook their heads, each one slowly rising to follow their friend's lead. All of them were happy to accept Arlene and Jessica on the front, considering them the exception to most rules.
He quickly downed his beer before putting the glass down and standing. As he went he felt two large eyes follow him. Glancing down he said, "Those are the friends I mentioned. I'll be right back."
"Oh, so everything worked out then it seems?"
"Yeah, seems that way."
"I don't know why you were so worried. It sounds like this King fellow had everything under control."
He smirked. "That is the way it always seems."
"Well, don't let me keep you. I see some girls I know at the bar, I'll pop over and say hey while you congratulate your friends."
She gave him a peck on the cheek before shimmying out from behind the table and walking over to the bar. He watched her for a few seconds and groaned out loud when she pointed him out to the two women she was speaking to.
He nodded politely before turning his full attention to the small crowd. As he moved closer, his eyes constantly scanning the faces for Jessica's, he went over his plan. It was simple really. Get Jessica alone and tell her about Rose, making it clear he was going to end things with her tonight. Then take Rose home, faking a sudden illness and let her down softly. There was no point in doing more harm than what was already done.
What could go wrong? Fuck.
He was standing between two soldiers, waiting to speak to Alex, when his eyes found the person they'd been searching for.
Speirs swore his heart stopped beating for a second before hammering back to life with such force it actually hurt. He hadn't seen Jessica in days, and the last time had been from afar on the deck of the troopship. His mind, maybe in an attempt to shield him, had allowed him to forget the physical reaction he had to her. And then, as if to punish him, it flashed Rose's smiling face before him.
His stomach vaulted and he had to clench his jaw to stop himself from being sick. With a blink Rose's face was gone and so was Jessica. He whipped his head around just in time to see her walking towards a table of Easy men, her golden blonde hair cascading in soft curls down her back, bobbing up and down with each step.
"Hey," Harry nudged him, forcing his head to snap back to find the short lieutenant and Alex staring expectantly.
Forcing a thin smile, he extended his hand to Alex who accepted it. The other man's grip was firm to the point of painful, and there was some unspoken warning in the depths of his green eyes.
He stepped in closer to Alex and broadened his smile. "Congratulations Captain."
Alex's lips twitched up at the corners and the pressure on his hand eased up a fraction. "Thank you Speirs."
When their hands disengaged he dropped his to his side so he could flex his fingers without being seen.
His eyes flicked to the left to find Harry watching them, an amused smirk playing at this features. Turning his attention back to Alex he asked, "So you're the new CO?"
"Officially yes, but the team will function as it always has. Jessica and I will share command."
"Hm, that's good."
"It is. Jessica should be CO of course, but she convinced those in-charge this is best for the unit."
"She wants to protect her team."
Alex paused and he felt the man sizing him up. Finally, he replied, "That's what we do. We protect each other."
Harry tried to hide a snicker behind a cough but both men ignored him.
With one nod he excused himself, "Captain."
"Lieutenant," Alex replied, already starting to turn back to his table.
As soon as Speirs turned away from Alex his eyes were scanning the pub again for Jessica. He quickly found her making her way back to her friends. Assessing the rest of the room he tweaked his path so they would run into one another while she was still further away from her friends' prying eyes and ears.
His strides were purposeful and confident, but each one measured, and he knew not a single hint of the anxiety eating at his stomach was visible.
Jessica's eyes danced over the room and a permanent smile brightened her face. When her eyes landed on him she paused, as he'd hoped she would, and turned ever to slightly so they were facing. It was only now that they were less than a foot apart that he truly noticed how vibrant and youthful she looked. Not a trace of the war that almost consumed their every waking moment in one form or another remained. Her eyes, which were usually guarded so as not to give away the emotions underneath, shimmered with a carefree joy that caught him completely off guard.
The knife in his gut twisted further.
"Ron!" she beamed as she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear.
His hands itched to touch her, pull her against his chest and claim her as his own in front of everyone, so he shoved them deep into his pockets. "Jessica, you look beautiful tonight."
The colour in her cheeks deepened and she ran one hand over the soft pink fabric of her dress. "Oh, well, I suppose being cleaned and rested helps. A lot."
He shook his head, feeling his lips start to form a lopsided smile. "You were beautiful in France, even when you looked like you wanted to shoot me."
"That's because I did want to."
They both laughed and the sounds formed a perfect melody to his ear.
"Listen," he started to say and he was sure she could see right through the carefully crafted façade to the nervous man underneath, "can we talk privately?"
She frowned and tilted her head to one side. "Is everything okay?"
"Well-," the words froze in his throat when he felt a small hand grip his bicep as a warm body pressed into his side.
He watched, unable to move or breathe, as Jessica's gaze darted from his face to the hand and up to its owner's face. For a second confusion flashed across Jessica's features, then something akin to hurt, followed, and finally he saw the walls slam back down in front of her eyes. Her posture became absolutely perfect as she drew herself up to her full height, and at the same time a rehearsed smile pulled her lips up.
"Ronald, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Rose asked from where she'd attached herself to his side.
He tried to find the words, but his ability to speak had abandoned him.
Jessica casually waved one hand in the air as she diverted her full attention to the woman at his side. "Oh, he seems to be a bit forgetful of late. My name's Jessica King. Such a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh, King? Are you married to the officer?"
Jessica frowned and pursed her lips.
"The men were talking about a soldier earlier. I assumed he's an officer. Apparently he's quite something judging by the looks they had on their faces." Rose leaned slightly forward and stage whispered, "If I didn't know better, I'd say they're a little scared of him."
Jessica politely laughed, never faltering even when Rose snaked an arm possessively around his waist. "Oh no, I'm not married, but I am very closely related to the captain I suspect they were talking about."
"I see, is that how you two know each other?" Rose's eyes flicked from Jessica's smiling face to his impassive one.
"Something like that. We actually don't know each other very well, we just seem to keep running into each other. Now, I do adore a good love story and you know how terrible men are at telling them, always leaving out the details."
Rose nodded in agreement and with each nod his heart sank further into his stomach. He was watching a train wreck and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"So, how did you two meet? How long have you been together? Spare no detail."
He suppressed the groan climbing up his throat. He knew the story, every detail and no matter how he told it, he was the jackass in every version.
"Oh, it's a great story. We actually met in this very pub."
Jessica's smile never faltered, her attention never wavered from Rose. She was being a professional and he hated seeing it.
"It was on a night in April. This year. A few friends had dragged me out, insisting I join them for a drink. The night ended up being dull and uneventful, so I was just about to go home when all of a sudden this strapping American GI walks in. He was all mysterious and a little bit dangerous. So naturally we all took note."
Jessica's eyes flicked to him, their crystal blue depths completely placid. "Dangerous. I can see that." And just as quickly as they'd turned to him, her eyes were back on Rose, "What happened next?"
"I was standing near the bar," she casually waved her free hand to the spot, "And at first I thought he was going to saunter right past all of us, but then he stopped dead and those deep brown eyes bore right into me."
Jessica arched one eyebrow and a chill crept up his spine. "You stopped him dead in his tracks. How romantic."
Rose giggled. "I like to think so. Long story short, he asked if he could buy me drink. Of course I said yes."
"Of course."
"We spent hours talking and dancing and, well…" Rose blushed and giggled before finishing with, "We've been together ever since."
Jessica pressed one hand to her heart, tilted her head a fraction to one side and said, "Now you see Ron would never have told the story that way. He would have skipped over all the good parts. You must be so relieved to have him back?"
Rose placed a peck on his cheek and then answered, "I am. I was worried sick the entire time. Especially since I never received any letters."
Jessica shook her head. "Speirs, really? Tisk-tisk."
Rose giggled and Jessica winked at her.
"Well, you two make such a surprisingly lovely couple. I need to get back to my friends, but it was really nice meeting you Rose. Very enlightening."
"It was nice to meet you too Jessica. So lovely."
With a flick of her eyes in his direction and a perfectly polite curl of her lips Jessica turned and walked away from them.
"Shall we dance?" Rose asked.
"How about I buy us a drink first," he replied, already steering them back to the bar.
Or five.
Jessica POV
As a young child she'd developed a coping mechanism that had allowed her to maintain control over her emotions, or at the very least hide them. It had been borne out of a need for survival and naively she'd always assumed a time would come when she'd no longer need it. Of course, now she knew better.
It was simple really. As soon as the first wave of uncontrollable emotion threatened to hit, be it fear or pain or joy, she'd imagine an impregnable wall of ice sliding down all around her heart. The emotions would beat against the wall, but they would never reach her.
The moment Rose's hand had appeared on Ron's arm her heart had clenched painfully as her stomach dropped out from under her. She could feel the pain, humiliation and confusion start to overwhelm her, so her instincts kicked in and wall crashed into place. She knew it would have to come down later and when it did the flood gates would open, but by then she'd be alone and far away from the source of the pain.
As she neared her table she saw Arlene watching her intently. Everybody else was drinking and laughing, expect for her best friend. She had a practiced smile on her face, but those dark green eyes were taking in the room like it was filled with enemy soldiers and only had one way out.
Taking the open seat next to Arlene she turned her body towards her friend. "We're in England, not somewhere behind enemy lines. Stop searching for one."
Arlene arched an eyebrow and handed her a glass, half-full with a rich amber liquid. "I'm not searching. I'm keeping track of one."
Taking a sip of liquor she savoured she smooth, wooded taste on her tongue. She didn't have to follow Arlene's gaze, she knew exactly where Ron was and who he was with.
"Who is she?" her friend asked.
She gently placed the glass down on the table before taking a cigarette and lighter from her small purse. "His girl."
Arlene's calculated gaze swivelled from her face to the couple by the bar. She lit her cigarette, giving it three quick puffs to ensure it took before putting her silver lighter away.
"Since?" Arlene asked, her eyes still trained on the couple.
"Since before they'd deployed. April according to her."
Her friend finally tore her eyes away from Ron and Rose and she didn't miss the start of a snarl that curled her lips.
"Here," Jessica said, pushing Arlene's own glass towards her, "tonight is about celebrating."
Arlene's fingers hesitated above the glass, but then she picked it up and tilted its thick rim towards her. Jessica picked up her own glass and gently tapped it against Arlene's. As the crystal clear note rang out the wall slowly started to melt.
Jessica POV
"M'lady, may I have this dance?" Alex asked, nearly folding himself in half as he mock bowed in front of her seat.
After a few hours in her friends' company and a handful of drinks her protective wall had completely fallen away, quickly replaced by a heady buzz which she attributed to both the Scotch Nixon kept feeding her and the friendship that surrounded her.
She dramatically threw her hair back and replied, "Of course good sir."
Taking his outstretched hand she allowed him to pull her up and against his chest. "Where's Bell?" she asked as she tried to steady herself.
Alex's girl had arrived with two friends almost as soon as she'd taking her seat after her run in with Ron. She'd immediately liked the brunette with the easy smile and caring eye, and watching her and Alex interact all night had only made her like the woman more.
"John has her playing darts."
She craned her neck so she could see the dartboard, and sure thing, there was John, Hunt, Bell and her two friends. Turning back to her friend she said, "I see. You would think after all this time he'd be better at speaking to women."
Alex laughed as he lightly placed a hand on her lower back to steer her to the small, impromptu dancefloor. "Bell loves playing matchmaker, she doesn't mind."
The song ended and a mid-tempo one started up, but Alex didn't change his rhythm, instead languidly guiding her between the handful of other couples.
"We really like her Alex. She's great and the two of you are wonderful together."
Alex dipped his head to try and hide the blush, but he couldn't hide the glance he stole of Bell. "Yeah, she's kinda fantastic," he murmured, before turning back to her and adding, "I think she's it."
She pulled her hand from his grasp and through both her arms around his neck. "Oh, Alex. I'm so happy for you."
He buried his face in her hair so she felt his laughter against her skin. After longer than what was probably socially acceptable they let go of each other and continued swaying to the music.
"I'm going to ask her to marry me."
"When?"
"Soon. I've already asked her father's permission and I've got the ring. It's nothing fancy."
"It doesn't have to be fancy darling."
He nodded. "I know. I want to give her the biggest damn ring there is, but I don't want to wait."
"You shouldn't wait. If you're sure then what's the point, right? When are you going to ask her?"
"Tonight."
"Please don't tell me you're going to do it here. Please don't."
"No, not here. I don't think she'd mind, but I know you and Arlene would never let me live it down."
She smiled and nodded. "That is an understatement, but go on."
"Remember I told you we ran into each other. That's how we met."
"I remember."
"Well, when I walk her home later I'm going to take a detour so we can walk past that spot. That's where I'm going to ask her. Right on the spot where everything changed."
She coughed and dropped her head, dashing away the tear that had started to form.
"Jess, are you okay?" Alex asked.
Lifting her face she smiled up at her friend's concerned expression. "That's perfect Alex. So perfect. I'm just so happy for you."
The worry melted away and a smile took its place. "Thanks Jess. That really means a lot, to both of us."
She tilted her head to one side, feeling the frown bring her eyebrows closer together.
"Bell knows our team's a family and she knows I love you and Arlene like sisters. She was worried you two wouldn't like her. Wouldn't approve of the relationship."
"Well, you can assure her we both adore her and we adore the two of you together. How about, I arrange an afternoon tea with her and Arlene? I know training's about to start but we can make time for it."
"Yeah, that would be great! I mean, assuming she says yes."
She slapped his arm. "I don't think that's even up for debate."
They'd been so busy talking neither one had noticed Richard approach them, so when he cleared his throat both their heads snapped in his direction. He looked between the two of them, seeming unsure and a little confused.
"Umm…mind if I cut in?" he asked.
Alex looked to her, but she could already feel him letting go of her hand. She smiled and nodded.
He held her hand out to Richard and said, "Take care of her."
As his strong fingers wrapped around her hand Richard replied, "I'll do my best."
"Alex," she stopped her friend, "I want all the details tomorrow."
He smiled and winked before heading for the dartboard. Her eyes followed him for a moment, until the press of Richard's hand into her lower back, bringing their bodies close together, demanded her full attention.
As her eyes found his face she allowed them to wander over his defined features before they settled on his crystal blue eyes which held a warmth she could never quite explain.
Her lips drifted up into a soft smile even as her mind struggled to focus on anything other than the warmth seeping from his hands through her clothing to caress her skin.
He gently started to move them across the dance floor to the silky slow rhythm of a new song. "I've wanted to ask you to dance for a long time."
"Oh? You and Nix seemed to be chatting up quite the storm."
He smirked mischievously, hinting at the young man beneath the uniform and responsibilities. "I wasn't referring to tonight."
Returning his smirk she decided to play along, so asked, "Mmmm…the New Year's dance?"
"Nope."
His hand left her back as the other guided her into a spin. As he brought their bodies back together she swore she felt the adrenaline shoot from her heart into her fingertips.
Deciding on a different approach she asked, "All the times before that when we were at the same place at the same time when music was playing?"
He chuckled and she could feel his chest vibrate against her. "That's too vague. You have to be specific."
A thought crossed her mind and at first she was going to ignore it, certain it was a stretch, but she decided she didn't have anything to lose so answered, "New York. The night we met."
Richard's grip around her waist tightened, bringing her flush against him. She held his gaze even as the air between them seemed to become hot and thick.
"That's the one," he replied, his voice never faltering.
Deciding it was her turn to give as good as she got she replied, "That's a very long time ago. And you've had a few chances since then."
"I did."
"So why wait so long?"
He bent his head down and whispered, "Is being a fool a good reason?"
Lowering her voice to match his she replied, "It is tonight."
He straightened and the smile on his face was the perfect mixture of relief and cockiness.
"So what changed tonight?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Nothing, but I've had a few days to think and I came to a realisation."
"Which is?"
The colour in his cheeks as he answered matched the heat she felt in hers. "That there's a war going on and we're both in the middle of it. And for Pete's sake how many more chances did I need?"
She threw her head back slightly and laughed as he twirled them around in a tight circle.
When she brought her head back up she found his eyes lingering on the soft skin of her exposed neck.
Feeling emboldened by the hunger she saw deep in those blue eyes of his she asked, "So, where to from here?"
His eyes lazily tracked a path up to hers and he answered without missing a beat, "That picnic you and Nix have planned for tomorrow?"
"Mhm."
"He actually has plans to spend tonight and tomorrow with somebody else."
She pulled her face to feign shock, exclaiming "I feel so rejected!"
He snorted and playfully shook his head. "Hopefully I can help. Would you accompany me on a picnic? There's a spot I want to show you."
Holding his gaze she answered, "It's a date."
"I'll pick you up at 10:00?"
"I'll be ready."
Jessica POV
Walking back to her billet her heels kept pace with her thoughts as she replayed the evening's events. Of course a few of the men, including Richard, had offered to walk her home, but she'd declined all their offers. On the one hand they were all still having a wonderful time, but more importantly she desperately wanted a few moments of silence to herself.
Mentally ticking things off on her fingers she started, Alex was promoted to captain and the unit's safe.
Even thinking about what could have happened tightened her stomach. What a mess that would have been.
That uncomfortable thought had just passed when her encounter with Ron slapped her across the face. God, I'd been such an idiot. What the hell was I thinking?
Try as she might she couldn't simply skip past the frames containing the details of their fateful encounter, her brain simply wouldn't allow her to. She could recall the cold that has washed over her as her walls had gone up, a feeling she'd never thought she'd associate with him.
This would be a lot easier if Rose was ugly, or awful or preferably both. But no, she has to be pretty and seem genuinely nice. Bitch.
She allowed herself a few more strides to dwell on the pretty blonde that had draped herself over Ron before forcing her brain to move on.
Of course she'd had a wonderful time surrounded by her friends, and meeting Bell had been a real treat.
I wonder if he's asked her yet? They did leave before me.
And then there was her dance with Richard. The man always remained stoic and, well, controlled. And considering her more volatile nature those were qualities she both admired and found somehow alluring. But tonight he'd not only been playful and teasing, but there'd been a firmness to him that had drawn her to him.
As the thought about their picnic she skipped and giggled, her body unable to contain her excitement and nerves.
Before she'd left the pub she'd been able to pull Nixon away from his partner. As soon as they were alone his entire expression had changed from relaxed and charming to very smug.
"Stop looking so pleased with yourself," she'd said, playfully narrowing her eyes and poking his broad chest.
"Fuck, I'm just glad the man finally pulled the trigger. I swear I was about to ask you on a date."
She'd glanced at the brunette waiting for him near the door. "Really?"
"Anything for you doll."
She'd rolled her eyes and said, "So, I hear you're going to be spending some quality time with your lady friend tonight and tomorrow."
He'd smiled like the cat that had gotten the cream, answering her question.
"That works well because you can't come home tomorrow until after 16:00."
He'd been taken by surprise by this statement, his bushy eyebrows nearly hitting his hairline before creasing together as he'd asked, "Why? Wait, if it has to do with you and Dick don't tell me."
"So presumptuous and no, it doesn't. I may or may not have told someone else they can have some time alone in the house tomorrow."
"As long as Arlene and Liebgott stay out of my damn room that's fine by me."
Then it had been her turn to look surprised and slightly panicked.
He'd waved her off with a casual flick of his wrist. "Don't worry kid. I overheard you two talking once. I haven't told anyone and don't plan to either. Live and let live, right?"
She'd quickly planted a peck on his cheek and said, "Thanks Nix."
"Anything for you."
She'd have to tell Arlene eventually that Nixon knew, but had decided that tonight was not that night.
She was only a few feet away from her home when she spotted the shadow sitting on the sidewalk. Her hand instinctively reached inside her purse for her knife, and gripping the metal hilt she immediately felt calmer.
Ron's present, her brain reminded her.
When the soldier lifted his head her hand let go of the hilt.
Speak of the devil. Damnit.
Ron rose unsteadily to his feet just as she stopped in front of him. He wasn't directly blocking her path, but try as she might she just couldn't make her feet simply walk past him.
"What do you want Ron?"
Now that she was closer she could see his usually pristine uniform was dishevelled and his dark brown hair stood in all directions. She shuddered to think what, or who, caused that.
"We need to talk," he said bluntly.
"No, we don't and you're drunk."
"I'm not that drunk."
"Well you're obviously not sober and neither am I, so I suggest you leave. Now."
As if sensing either her growing discomfort or the threat in her voice he took a small step back.
Starting to move past him and up the pathway leading to the front door she said, "Get some sleep Ron."
A steel grip latched onto her wrist, bringing her to a halt. She bit down on every instinct she had to break all the bones in his hand. Regardless of his state she didn't believe he'd come here to harm her, not physical at least, and all the emotional damage had already been inflicted.
She took a deep breath, ready to insist he let go of her, but before she could fully form the words he blurted, "We broke up. I ended things with Rose."
She stared at him, mouth agape for longer than acceptable before stammering out, "What?"
He kept his hold on her arm, but didn't close the space between them. Instead he ran his free hand through his hair, making even more of a mess of it and said, "After what happened we had one drink and then I walked her home. And that's when I broke it off."
Her mind flipped through the evening and she realised the last time she'd seen him had been as she'd turned her back on the couple. Snapping back to the here and now she simply replied, "I'm sorry, she seems like a nice girl."
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
"But you've obviously had more than one drink and I still don't know why the hell you're here."
"After I dropped her off I went to another bar. A quieter one. And I'm here…God Jessica, I don't know why the fuck I'm here."
She threw her free hand in the air and allowed the festering anger and hurt which she'd so perfectly suppressed to bubble to the surface. "How, on God's green earth do you expect me to tell you why you are at my door? I'm not a goddamn mind reader Ronald! You keep playing hot and cold all the time and then tonight you suddenly have a girl you've literally never mentioned. Ever!"
"You think I don't know I've made a complete mess of things!"
"What things? There is no thing. Nothing has happened between us!"
Anger flashed over his face and his lips curled back from his teeth. "Then why were you so upset about Rose?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have missed the tantrum that I threw. Because as I recall I was the epitome of fucking polite to your little girlfriend."
"Don't bullshit me Jessica. Yeah, you were polite, but you had that same look in your eyes that you had in France and it wasn't because you were having a great fucking time."
Without thinking she closed the space between them, nearly bringing her body flush against his. The air around them was scorching, heat radiating from both of their bodies. Through gritted teeth she asked, "What do you want?"
His breath was coming in quick gasps and with each inhale she could feel his chest press against hers. The grip he had on her arm had tightened to the point of hurting, but she didn't try to pull away, instead using it to ground her.
"You," he hissed the answer to her question.
"You're too late."
She relished the pain that flitted across his face, but as soon as it was there he'd masked it again.
"Richard. Why?" he spat.
"You really want to know?"
"Let me guess, he doesn't have a girl."
Her lips curled into a vicious smirk. "No, he had the guts to ask."
His jaw worked as if he was chewing on his words, but she'd lost all interest in what he had to say. She took a step back and was about to wrench her arm from his grip when suddenly she was falling forward.
Ron had pulled her back to him, colliding their bodies so forcibly she forgot to breathe. Her free hand started to push against his chest when he brought his lips down onto hers. The kiss was hard, desperate and unyielding, stealing her breath and all her strength.
Her brain screamed at her to stop even as her fingers curled around his jacket, pulling him even closer to her.
Something warm and wet ran down her cheek just before she tasted the salt between their lips. The taste, the feeling of it acted like a lightning bolt to her brain.
With more strength that she thought she had in that moment she pushed them apart. His eyes flew open and his swollen lips started to form a sentence, but when he saw the silent tears streaming down her face it died in this throat.
His hand fell limply from her wrist as guilt wracked his features.
"Jessica, I -,"
She held up one hand to silence him while she angrily wiped at her face with the other. Her cracking voice held far more conviction that she felt when she said, "You made your choice, now I'm making mine. Whatever this was, or wasn't, it's over. I'm done."
Jessica never waited for his reply, as the last word left her lips she turned and left him in the dark, so she didn't see the lone tear that rolled down his face.
XXXXXXX
Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful almost two weeks. I've been off sick for a while, so I started writing this chapter, stopped, and then picked it up again. And before I knew it, it was super long! Anyway, I decided not to break it onto two smaller ones because I actually really enjoyed walking through an entire day in one go.
This chapter has lots of emotional ups and downs, and don't worry...there will be more to come. (Insert evil laugh here)
I've got family staying over for a week so the next one will be a bit late as well.
I love hearing from all my super amazing reviewers and those people that send me a DM! If you keep coming back to the story or added it to your reminders thanks a mill!
Chat soon.