Title: A Chance at happiness 26/?
Author: Christen (purplehaysc@netscape.net)
Disclaimer: these characters belong to once and again except any characters you don't recognize
Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.
Comments: email me all you comments and suggestions. This is my first once and again fan fic so any ideas or comments you have would be great. So please email me with them. J oh people I have been reading the reviews and the very least I can see if first OMG! I am so shocked I have gotten so many reviews and for those of you who were wondering since Jessie I now gay then I might try to play that in but I'm not sure. Oh and I'm bring in something that happened with the gay/straight alliance thing so bare with me.
As they headed home, the car was silence except for Eli's music, which was blaring from the stereo. Even though he was trying to pay attention to road, he could not help but notice that Grace seemed a little uneasy. Something had happened today, this much he knew. She seemed to be off in another world probably somewhere's where that jerk could not touch her. He wanted her to feel like he would protect her from him. She did not trust her enough yet though but he would do everything he could to make her trust him like that.
Jessie was staring out at the window at the houses that the passed. Zoe was sitting between her and Katie but she could still see her if she wanted to. She could still remember what happened that day she stayed home from school. She did not know if given the chance it would happen again or if you wanted to. All she did know is that she preferred not to think about it.
Grace was sitting in the front seat thinking back to last night, she could still remember her dream she had had in Eli's arms. She loved the feeling of feeling that secure. She had not felt that way in a long time. He had been the one thing she could not find in anyone else. She was even starting to trust him. "Because you don't want them to know so in other words you have no right to even try to act like I did anything." Dimitri's words came back to her. Maybe she did not trust him as much as she thought she did. If she had, she would have told him everything that he did to her but she had not and because of that, someone else was probably going to get hurt like she had.
Jake, Rick and Lily were sitting at the table when the kids came in.
"We'll be up in my room!" Jessie yelled as her and Katie ran up the stairs.
"But…" Rick started to say but it was too late.
Zoe came in and saw Jake. "Daddy!" She said, ran, and hugged him.
Grace and Eli walked in. "You do know we need to talk. You can't keep avoiding me." Eli said.
Grace smiled. "You've never seen my skills of avoidance. They're quite good."
He laughed. Then he saw Jake, Lily and Rick.
"Eli, we need to talk to Grace alone for a second." Rick said.
Grace stepped in front of Eli. "No, what ever you have to say to me, Eli can hear too."
"Fine if that's the way you want it." Lily said sitting down.
"What's going on here?" Zoe asked Jake a little worried.
"Zoe, why don't you go to your room, we need to talk to Grace and Eli." Lily said.
"Ok." She said and headed up to her room.
Grace and Eli sat down.
"So what is this about?" Grace asked annoyed.
"We're concerned about you." Lily said.
"Oh really, why is that?" Grace said aggravated.
"Grace, you might want to listen to them." Eli suggested.
Grace looked at him wide-eyed. "You told them?" She got up. "I trusted you and you told them!"
Eli got up and started to walk towards her. "No, I didn't tell them anything. Grace, I promise you, I didn't."
"Grace, Eli didn't tell us anything." Rick said.
"Then why are we having these meeting? And why are you here?" Grace asked again mad.
"Oh excuse me…." Zoe said.
They all turned around and faced her.
"Didn't I tell you to go upstairs?" Lily asked aggravated.
"You did, I just wanted to ask you a question and then I'll leave." She said.
"What is it?" Lily asked.
"Why is Jesse making out with Katie?" She asked very much serious.
"What?" Rick and Eli asked.
Grace just started laughing. "Finally!" She said.
"Are you sure?" Lily asked.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure." Zoe said. "Why is something wrong?"
"I know we have something to eat in this house, I'll find something for us to eat." Katie said walking down the downstairs. Katie was following her. Everyone was staring at her. " Is something wrong?" She asked.
Lily walked forward to Jessie before Rick had a chance. "Jessie, honey why doesn't Katie go home? I think your dad and you need to talk."
"Why? What's going on? Why does Katie have to leave?" She asked Rick concerned.
"Because Zoe saw you two kissing." Grace said.
"You were spying on me!" She said screaming at Zoe. She turned to Grace. "I bet you're happy! This is exactly what you wanted to happen, but you know what I am still better off than you. At least I do not have to sneak off to my own stepbrother's apartment in the middle of night or steal his books, just to spend time with the person I love!" Jess screamed.
"You know what I was happy for you but forget it. You don't deserve it! And you know what you have no right to spy on us again. First two nights ago and now this. You have no clue what's going on! You couldn't possibly! But you know what if putting me down makes you feel better makes you happy! Then be happy!" She screamed and ran up the stairs crying.
Eli looked at Jessie furiously. "She's right. You have no right to say those things to her! You have no clue what's she's been though!" Eli screamed and ran up the stairs after Grace.
"Um… can someone please bring me home?" Katie asked.
Rick turned to face her, he had forgotten she was there. "Lily, Jake can one of you…"
"I'll take her home." Lily said.
"I'm sorry, Jessie." She said passing by her.
"It's ok." She said and hugged her.
She walked off with Lily.
"I'm going to go." Jake said and started to leave.
"I'll call you if anything happens." Rick said.
"Thanks." He said and closed the door.
"Jessie, can we talk?" Rick asked.
"I don't think I have a choice." Jessie said and headed into the living room with him.