Two Worlds Collide

Chapter Two

She walked in to the building, not looking forward to the errand she was having to run. "Hey Chris, you back there?" She hollered into the cubbyhole. She heard some shuffling in the back, then saw him peek around the corner.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Jaime Adams. You came out from under your rock. What a shocker. You know a woman living alone out there like that...why you know, something could happen and no one would know. So when you ever come to you senses let me know" the bitterness dripped from his words.

She was not going to let this bastard ruin her day. He was the town stud or so he thought and was still bitter that she never gave him the time of day. "You know what for just today why don't you try just getting my package and save the high school banter for some other time. That would be great, thanks."

"You always were a sarcastic bitch, that will get you in to trouble one day," She thought he might be done, but even as he was searching for her package, he kept talking to her. Jason had walked in about that time, and she had hoped the door chime would shut him up. " I mean with you family either abandoning you or dying I would say that..." He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Jason beside her.

Jason had heard most of his ramblings and was not impressed at all. He had a feeling his look showed exactly that. He looked at Jaime, whom he had a feeling was ready to run. "So how about that dinner? You done here?"

Chris pounded the package down on the desk. "So you're new in town." It was more of a statement than question. He could tell by the clothes the stranger was wearing that he wasn't local.

"Good guess." Jason half paid him any attention. He picked up the package and asked again. "You ready?"

"Huh? Oh yea...Let's go." Jason opened the door for her and as she was walking out, she turned. Chris was still staring a hole in Jason's back. "Oh by the way, give my regards to your wife." And with that she smiled.

"Bitch."

*******************

Jason hadn't known this woman very long, actually thinking about it; it had been about an hour. But when he saw that pain she was trying desperate to hide, it was all he could do not to go give that guy a piece of his mind.

"So did I mention how personable the towns folk are?" She gave an uneasy chuckle.

He didn't know exactly the details of what just happened in there, so he decided to change the subject. "How exactly do you plan on getting home after we get dinner?"

"Hm... Is our original deal negotiable?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, how about you give me that ride home now, and I will cook you dinner? I have met my quota for social interaction already today."

"Oh I don't know. What kind of man would I be to go home with a complete stranger?" He said mischievously.

Both finally gave into the moment and starting laughing. Whatever they were going to do neither were ready to say goodbye.

*****************

She had him pull into a road about 50 feet from where he had picked her up before. The road was just barely big enough for a car to get through. The trees and vines had completely encased the little trail. It was then that he saw the clearing, with a small one-story brick house. The house was not in good shape, the paint was chipping on the eaves, the roof was weathered and a beat up old car sat off to the left from the house. He pulled up beside the car. Jaime got off the motorcycle and turned to look at Jason.

"I know it's not much to look at, but it's home. Come on in."

Jason followed taking in the scenery. Entering the house he looked around and was surprised that everything seemed very warm and inviting. Most houses he had ever been into in Port Charles were too big and filled with what he considered useless junk. Curiosity was getting the best of Jason.

"So I take it you live alone?"

"Yea, I have for about a year now." He sat down at the kitchen table and watched as she began to gather things to cook. "And you? Where are you headed?"

"Anywhere, I am kind of hoping I know it when I get there."

"So if you don't know where you are going, maybe the better question is what are you running from?"

She saw his face change. Bingo. That is a 'yes'. She wasn't going to get an answer that much was obvious.

After a few minutes passed, "Why were you walking today? You live far enough away you need some kind of way to get to town."

"Yea, well, like many things around here. If I had the know how or the money, for that matter, I would get some things fixed." The tone in her voice spoke volumes, that was a sore spot in her life; there was no reason at this point to elaborate.

"Well, it just so happens that I have no where to be. Let me look at the car and see what I can do." She stopped what she was doing and hung her head, she was a proud person and wasn't use to the offering of help. Jason got up and walked over to her. "Please." Jason lifted her chin with his finger; he wanted to change the look on her face. "If you must know, I don't think I have talked this much in my life. I have enjoyed today. Let me help."

"I...I don't know, I don't want to keep you from getting back on the road."

"Well, isn't that my choice and if I minded I wouldn't have suggested it."

During the whole conversation, she had continued to cook. To be honest it had felt good to have someone here to talk to and she couldn't explain it but she wanted an excuse to see him again anyway. "Okay then."

"If you have a flashlight, I will go look at it now. See what I am dealing with."

"The keys and flashlight are by the front door." Man, this day definatly hadn't been a typical one.

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Jason was heading out the front door. He was normally not the talker, but today he couldn't shut up. This morning he would have bet against anyone that said that night he would be eating dinner in a small town with a woman he just met and talking like a giddy teenager. Maybe he hadn't been as bad as he thought he was.

Jason was concentrating as much as he could on the car, but his mind continued to wander. He had only left Port Charles a few months ago and when he woke up this morning he still had the thoughts drowning him of what he had left behind. He wasn't good at figuring out feelings, but every since he made the split decision to stop for her this morning he had had a smile on his face.

He hadn't planned on staying in one place for very long, at least for a couple more months, but there wasn't one reason he could come up with right now to leave.

******************

An hour had passed; Jason was covered in grease head to toe when she came outside. "Dinner is ready." One look at him and she just started laughing; "did you leave any grease on the car?"

"Oh, that's funny." With one impulsive move, Jason took his hand and put a thick coating of grease right down the middle of her nose. Then he had a laugh of his own.

"Your gonna pay for that!"

"Do I look scared?" He laughed until he saw her headed for the small container of oil he had drained from the car, "You wouldn't."

"Ha, you have only known me one day, so I would say your odds are 50/50," She gave an evil laugh and ran off after him. Jason, not knowing the first thing about the lay of the land, didn't take long to fall flat on his face. Once she caught up with him, she gave a good toss and Jason was completely covered.

Jason grabbed her arm and pulled her to the ground, "You don't think you are getting out of this clean do ya?" They wrestled around on the ground until both had leaves, dirt and oil caked from one end to the other. When they finally stopped they were both out of breath, Jaime's legs were intertwined with Jason's, her head lying across his arm. She lifted up her head to look at him; the air had become very thick around them. What had started as play suddenly took on a different feel.

His face was so tanned, he was looking at her but she avoided his eyes. She was more concerned with his slightly opened mouth. They were both still breathing hard, but for different reasons than before. Then it dawned on her....

"I don't even know your first name."

"Jason." He was relieved when she had finally said something. It did strike him as odd though, all day and he had never said his first name.

The tension between them was getting hard to ignore. As if they both realized it at the same time, they attempted to untangle from each other and dust themselves off, but it was going to take a little more than that for the oil.

"I have a feeling supper is cold." Trying to act as nonchalant as she could. "I have some clothes that I can get you. They were my dad's. How do you feel about flannel?"

"Anything will do at this point; do you mind if I take a shower? What time is it anyway? I need to be getting back to town."

"Uh...yes to the shower," Looking down at her watch. "8:30 is the time and if you just have to come back in the morning to finish, or whatever, to the car, why don't you stay here?"

"I wouldn't want to be any trouble."

"Which kind of trouble are you going to be?"

"I am beginning to wonder the same thing." Damn, this was getting complicated. "About that shower?"

"Follow me."

Jaime got in the house and Jason was close behind, too close as far as she was concerned. She went in the first room off of the living room. He waited at the door; she found him a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt. Once making it to the bathroom, "The towels are on the shelf; everything is pretty easy to find. Leave your clothes outside the door and I will get them cleaned up." She spit out the words as fast as she could.

"Okay. Thanks."

"Supper will be ready when you get out." She practically ran down the hallway.

Jason knew one thing for sure. The shower would be long and very, very cold.