Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!
Warring Hearts, Part 10
It was torture. He sat there at the table, watching her the entire time. It was David and Kellie's engagement party. It was right after dinner and they were having dessert now. And just by luck they were both sitting at the same table. He felt Morgan squeeze his hand under the table reassuringly. Jonathon turned and gave her a wan smile. "Thank you for coming."
"It was no problem. It was nice of you to ask me," Morgan said as she smiled back warmly. Her eyes went across the table to where Leigh was sitting with Ling.
His eyes returned to look over at Leigh. She looked stunning tonight. The Chinese style dress was a brilliant red, a color that she looked good in. It was like a knife twisting in his heart each time she smiled at Ling. He ran a finger under the collar of his charcoal dress shirt, loosening the matching silk tie. He felt Morgan's hand come up and tug it away. He gave her a sheepish smile.
"Don't fidget," she said gently as she laced her fingers with his on top of the table.
Jonathon squeezed her fingers. "Did I tell you that you looked pretty tonight?"
"No, you didn't. But I figured you had other things on your mind," she said softly as she nodded discreetly towards Leigh and Ling. "But it's nice that you noticed." She ran her one hand over the chocolate colored velvet dress that enhanced her creamy complexion and brought out the deep highlights in her brunette hair.
"There wasn't much about you I didn't notice when we were dating," he sighed as he gave her a warmer smile.
"Figures there's nothing much you don't miss about beautiful women," Morgan teased.
"And you'd be right," he replied, laughing a little.
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Leigh's eyes were drawn over towards the sound of his laughter. She had felt his eyes on her for part of the evening. And she would admit that she would look over at him when he wasn't looking. She hadn't really seen much of him since his birthday. She had gone out of her way to give him some time to get used to the idea. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy when she spied his hand intertwined with Morgan's on top of the table. It was something that she couldn't help when she cared as much as she did about him. She was almost startled when she found herself looking back into those cobalt eyes of his. She quickly averted her eyes, turning them back towards Ling. "Are you having a good time?" she asked hastily.
Ling turned and looked at her. He smiled brightly. "Yes, I'm having a wonderful time. But it's because I'm with you," he said honestly as he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her cheek.
She gave a sigh of relief and shot a quick glance over at Jonathon, who was staring at Ling with his eyes slightly narrowed. Even though he had acted like everything was ok between them, even though he seemed to accept Ling as her boyfriend, there were still strong undercurrents of intense jealousy. "That's sweet of you to say," she said, forcing a smile to her lips as she looked back at him.
"And I must say, with the exception of the bride-to-be, you look absolutely beautiful tonight," he said as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
Leigh flushed at his compliment. "It is one of my nicer dresses," she admitted as she smoothed her hand over the heavy red embroidered satin. She had bought the dress while she had been at school at the University of Beijing. It was knee length with two side slits up to her mid-thigh. Her sister had one similar in peacock blue. "And as for the bride to be, no one is going to look more beautiful then her tonight," she said as she looked over at Kellie, who was wearing a royal purple satin skirt with a white fitted sweater.
"But you could give her a run for her money," Ling whispered in her ear. He gave her an engaging smile, before kissing her hand again, then laying it down on the table under his.
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Jonathon didn't know what he wanted to do first, strangle Ling for just being with her, or outright kill him for kissing her and holding her hand. He knew that she had been casting looks at him during the evening too. When she had walked into the room tonight, he didn't even have to look, he felt her presence, and he could smell the faintest trace of jasmine. It made his heart beat faster and his palms itch. Every one of his senses was attuned to her. A rueful smile crossed his lips as she turned and said something to Donavon, who was seated, on her right. She was smiling. And he wanted nothing more to taste that smile.
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David eyed his brother from his table that he was sharing with Kellie. "He's been watching her all evening," he said under his breath.
Kellie arched her brow. "What do you expect from a guy that's obsessed?"
"The same behavior. And Jonathon isn't hiding the fact that he wants her. The looks he's been sending her have been blatantly obvious," he replied as he absently rubbed his hand on her knee.
"I don't know why he just couldn't tell her and put himself out of his misery," she sighed.
"Because when you're the object of so many girls shallow dreams and affections, it tends to make you a little jaded towards any other girl. The only girls that have penetrated that defense he keeps up has been Morgan and Leigh."
"How come you weren't like that then? You were the object of many shallow adoration and affections. And you didn't have any trouble telling me that you loved me."
"I'm a little different then my brother. For one, I didn't let it bother me. I didn't encourage them. Chris and Jonathon encouraged the female population of the Sank Kingdom to chase them. Two, I just didn't have the same type of girls chasing me. Although, any of the girls that chased Chris and Jonathon, would have gladly dated me as well."
"You know that most of the girls that went to Saint Augustines weren't discriminating. They just wanted to date a Maxwell, it didn't matter which" Kellie snorted. "And I would have to say some of those girls were damn lucky."
"Lucky? Why is that?" David asked, puzzled.
"They had you first."
He colored slightly. "That was a while ago Kel."
"It doesn't have to be," she drawled.
"Kellie," he said, with a slightly warning in his tone.
Kellie rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll drop it. But what about your brother?" she asked, gesturing towards Jonathon, who looked like he could cheerfully kill Ling.
"I'll see what I can do now," David said as he stood.
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Jonathon's ears perked up as his brother began to talk. He looked towards David for a moment. He watched as his hand covered Kellie's. A sharp pang of envy went through him. He was happy for his brother, but at the same time, it was grating watching his two brothers with their women and seeing how happy they were. His own sister was even happy with Donavon. He slouched down in his chair a little as his brother led Kellie to the dance floor. He felt Morgan's hand tug on his. "Yes?"
"Would you dance with me?" Morgan asked, knowing that might serve as a distraction to him.
He had to smile at her ruse. He knew that she was trying to draw him away from Leigh and Ling before he did anything stupid. "If the lady wishes," he replied as he stood, smiling at her. He led her out to the middle of the dance floor, before slipping his one hand to her back and the other one, grasping her hand lightly in his. "You're very clever you know?"
She looked up at him. She saw the knowing smile on his lips. She gave him a sheepish smile "I didn't think you would notice."
He shrugged slightly, still smiling at her. "Did you already forget I don't miss much about any woman? Especially when she's trying to distract me."
Morgan sighed. "You always were hard to distract, especially if you were looking at women. But then again, you were never distracted when you dated me."
"You made sure I couldn't ignore you."
"That's true. I had to keep your attention or else you would've fallen prey to the shallow harpies that we went to school with."
"You know you didn't have to do much Morgan. You were a lot more beautiful then any other girl that I knew. And I genuinely liked you. You still are an exceptionally beautiful woman," Jonathon complimented.
"You flatter me," she answered, a laughing smile tugging on her lips.
"It's something that I'm damn good at," he replied, unrepentantly.
"And you flatter yourself as well."
"Another one of my good qualities."
"You are so unbelievably conceited Jonathon."
"Yeah, but you still like me anyway," he teased with a charming smile.
Morgan laughed.
Jonathon chuckled as she laughed at him. Her laughter did always make him feel better. It wasn't Leigh's, but it still felt good to hear Morgan laugh. He tilted his head at her, making a few of his chestnut locks to fall over his forehead. "I think you're succeeding."
"In what?"
"Distracting me from what's going on over at our table."
"You mean Leigh and Ling."
"Bingo. You're not very subtle Morgan. That was your purpose in asking me to dance."
"Yes, it was. But you looked like you were going to do something outrageous and I thought it would be a good idea to get you away from there."
"You were right in doing so. You don't know how many times I've mentally throttled Ling for kissing Leigh every chance he gets."
"You're intent was becoming obvious. You were going to act out what you had been thinking," Morgan stated as she smiled softly.
"I know, I know. Damn Morgan, what would I do without you sometimes?" Jonathon sighed as he bent down and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
"Make an ass of yourself," she teased, grinning up at him.
"Ha, ha, very funny," he snorted.
"I thought so," Morgan smirked.
Jonathon chuckled again at her answer as he continued to dance her about the floor.
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Leigh watched covertly from the table. She was feeling jealous. She hated that feeling. She knew that Jonathon had no romantic feelings for Morgan, but at the same time, she really didn't like how much time the attractive brunette spent with him. She glanced over at Ling, who was talking to Victoria as she held onto Rhys. Chris was out on the dance floor with Alexandra. She sighed and took a sip of her burgundy. She swirled it absently in her glass as she continued to watch Jonathon and Morgan dance.
Ling cast a look at Leigh, out of the corner of his eye as he conversed with Victoria Maxwell. He had noticed that she had been distracted for the entire night. To what was distracting her, he didn't know what. She was slightly edgy and her eyes had flickered towards the source of her irritation constantly, although he was never quick enough to see who or what she was looking at. He adored her. He could plainly say that he loved her. He hadn't said it to her yet, since he wanted to be sure of her feelings. He could see that she was watching the dancers.
Victoria noticed that Ling was looking at Leigh. She shifted Rhys on her lap. "You should ask her to dance," she said casually.
He looked towards the blond, who was smiling slightly. "You think so?"
She nodded her head. "Go on Ling."
Ling smiled at her and turned his attention to his girlfriend. "Leigh, would you like to dance?" he asked as he lightly touched her arm.
Leigh turned her head in his direction. She smiled faintly. "I guess I wouldn't mind."
He smiled broadly and pushed away from the table. He offered her his hand as she rose and escorted her out onto the dance floor. They were playing music that Kellie had chosen. He lightly clasped her hand in his and rested his other hand on the small of her back. He noted that she was beginning to smile again. "You seem happier now," he commented as he turned her about on the floor.
She looked up at him, slightly puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"You've been apprehensive all evening."
Leigh looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's no big deal. What's making you feel like this?"
Her eyes fell on Jonathon and Morgan, who were on the other side of the ballroom, dancing. "Nothing," she said as she returned her eyes to his.
"Something bothering you?" he persisted gently.
"No, I'm all right. I was just thinking of something for a moment. I'm sorry I haven't been that good of company tonight."
"That's all right Leigh," he said as he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "I forgive you."
She gave him an uncertain smile as he lifted his lips away from hers. Her eyes went back to Jonathon and Morgan, and she saw that those cobalt eyes of his were looking directly at her. He looked mad. He looked jealous. "Oh shit."
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Later in the evening…
Jonathon tapped his fingers idly on the table. His eyes were trained on Leigh and Ling, who were on the dance floor once again. He had handed Morgan over to Dominic, who was dancing with her. His eyes followed Leigh's movements around the floor. He had already counted how many times Ling had kissed her and it matched the same number of times he wanted to shoot the guy.
Chris noted his brother's murderous expression as he saw Ling kiss Leigh again. He pushed his chair over next to his brother's. "You know, you keep looking at him like that, you're going to kill him that way alone," he whispered.
Jonathon turned his eyes towards his brother. "Don't you have a wife to look after, not to mention your son?"
"Victoria at the moment is surrounded by a bunch of women, who are gushing over Rhys," Chris snorted in disgust. "All those "matronly" type women."
"You mean rich women, who happen to be the wives of important officials," Jonathon supplied flatly.
"Exactly. People that Zechs and Noin thought should be invited to this party. They'll be invited to the wedding too," Chris answered, shivering slightly at the thought. "It's bad enough I had some of those women at my wedding to Victoria."
"Only because your wife was the daughter of the Foreign Minister and the Security Advisor. You also had to have a grand wedding because even though titles and the name is not used, you were marrying royalty," Jonathon supplied.
"Lucky me," Chris said drolly. "You're going to be the lucky one though."
"Why's that?"
"Because if you marry Leigh, you won't have to have a large elaborate wedding."
Jonathon's eyes shot to Chris's. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly the way I meant it," Chris said, shrugging his shoulders. "And of course it won't happen, with the way you're acting," he added nonchalantly.
Jonathon narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Chris," he growled.
Chris returned his eyes to his brother's. They were glittering dangerously. "If you want her so badly, go over and say something to her. Or better yet, ask her to dance. I'm sure ole' Ling wouldn't mind," he said challengingly.
Jonathon looked over at her again and then back at his brother.
"What? Are you chicken?"
"Go to hell," Jonathon hissed.
"After you," Chris smirked evilly.
Jonathon growled in his throat again. "I'm not a chicken!"
"Then ask her to dance stupid, instead of staring at her the entire night," Chris threw at him. "You were always the one who thought women threw themselves at your feet."
"Are you trying to piss me off?"
"Yes. Is it working?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now go out there, use that Maxwell charm, and ask her to dance or I'll continue to pester you until you do."
"Yeah, keep it up, I just might kill you for the hell of it," Jonathon retorted as he pushed himself away from the table and making his way towards Leigh and Ling.
Chris leaned back in his chair. "The joys of being the big brother. I can piss them all off whenever I want," he sighed, smiling wickedly at the same time.
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Jonathon tapped Ling's shoulder. "Do you mind if I cut in Ling?" His eyes connected with Leigh's.
Leigh was looking at Jonathon with startled eyes. "What's he up to?"
Ling shrugged his shoulders, unaware of what was going on between Leigh and Jonathon. "Of course I wouldn't mind. Do you mind Leigh?" he asked as he looked back at his girlfriend.
Leigh shot her eyes to Ling's. She shook her head.
Ling smiled and placed her hand in Jonathon's. "Take care of my girl for me."
Jonathon gave Ling a slight smirk. "Of course I'll take care of her for you."
Ling nodded his head and left them.
"What are you up to?" she hissed at Jonathon as he slipped his arm around her waist. She felt a tremor rush through her body from the contact.
"Nothing," Jonathon replied innocently as he looked down into her eyes. He smiled at her. "What, I'm not allowed to ask you to dance?"
She flushed a little. "You're allowed, but you couldn't wait until the…"
"Next song, which is starting now, by the way," he said as he pulled her a little closer.
Leigh tried to take a step back. "Don't hold me so close or else Ling will start asking questions!"
"About me? Or just the way I'm holding you?"
"Both," Leigh said softly as she glanced away from his probing cobalt eyes.
Watching every motion
In my foolish lover's game
On this endless ocean
Finally lovers know no shame
The words of the song finally began to penetrate Leigh's brain. She felt the warmth of his hand through the heavy satin of her dress. Her eyes flickered back to his. They were gazing at her with heated intensity. "Stop looking at me like that," she whispered.
"Like what?" he asked as he rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin on the back of her hand, keeping his eyes on hers.
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn around and say
"Like that," she said weakly as she lowered her eyes. The mere brushing of his thumb was making her skin tingle all over.
Jonathon pulled her a little closer until the hem of her dress was brushing against his pant leg. "I still don't know what you mean Leigh."
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
She felt his breath brush against her temple. Her eyes closed involuntarily. Her hand tightened on his shoulder. "Jonathon," she said faintly.
The scent of her perfume was driving him slightly crazy from being this close to her. Hell, his entire body was going haywire from being this close to her. He smiled when he heard her say his name.
Watching I keep waiting
Still anticipating love
Never hesitating
To become the fated ones
Each brush of his body against hers was making her feel warm. Warm color returned her cheeks as she felt his fingers dance lightly on her spine. Her legs were beginning to feel like jello.
Jonathon could feel his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she was melting against him, but there were too many people around. And there was Ling across the room talking to Wufei. He bent his head over hers a little, brushing his lips against her lustrous midnight hair.
Turning and returning
To some secret place to hide
Watching in slow motion
As you turn to me and say (my love)
Leigh felt it. A small smile crossed her lips. Her eyes opened and she lifted them to meet his.
He stared into her eyes. They were gleaming with what she still felt towards him. A shadow fell across them as he maneuvered her out to the connecting atrium. He lifted their entwined hands until her hand was lying on his shoulder and he curved his other hand around her waist. He laced his fingers together at the small of her back. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass him by.
Take my breath away
Leigh felt her breath catch in her throat as she felt his cheek press against hers, his breath tickling her ear. Goosebumps traveled down her neck. Her arms slid around his neck, locking loosely.
Jonathon closed his eyes. It was torture, but at the same time, it was heaven. She was pressed completely against him. And what made it even better, was that they were all alone. No one was in here except for them. He tightened his hold on her, not wanting to let her go.
Through the hourglass I saw you
In time you slipped away
When a mirror crashed I called you
And you turned to hear you say
Their feet were barely moving now. They were almost standing still, just swaying gently to the music that drifted out to them. The feelings between them, unspoken, but always there.
She loved him. She knew that there would be no one else that she loved like him.
He knew there would be no one else like her. He loved her too much to let her go, but still unsure of how to tell her that he loved her all along. Part of him was scared to, but the other part of him was telling him to tell her before she slipped away completely. He lifted his head to look her in the face again.
If only for today, I am unafraid
Leigh returned his steady gaze. "Jonathon," she whispered again.
Jonathon reached up and traced the flawless planes of her face with his fingertips, reveling in the silky quality of her skin. "Shh," he whispered back, his fingers coming to rest against her lips.
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Her breath caught in her throat again at the contact. Her lips felt like they were on fire from the simple touch. She could see deep emotion in his fathomless eyes, but his proximity was too much for her to think clearly and pinpoint the emotion she was reading in his eyes.
He rubbed his finger over her soft red lips. "Leigh."
Watching in slow motion
In this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion
Somewhere there's a love in flames
Her heart slammed against her ribs. "Yes?" she breathed.
"Leigh I…"
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn to me and say
Her heart rate tripled as she waited to hear what he was going to say.
He felt his mouth go a little dry and some of his uncertainties return. But he pushed it down. He had to do it.
Take my breath away
My love, take my breath away
She felt his hand cup her chin as he lowered his mouth closer to hers. She could feel his breath against her lips. "Yes?" she prompted breathlessly.
Jonathon could feel her pulse racing under his fingers as they strummed her neck. She was looking up at him with expectation. "Leigh, I…"
My love
Take my breath away
Her nose touched his. "Is he going to say what I think he's trying to say?"
He took a deeper breath. "This is it. The moment of truth. There is no going back."
My love
Take my breath away
The music gradually began to fade.
"Leigh, I lo…"
"LEIGH! Where are you?"
Leigh jumped, startled. Her eyes went to the open greenhouse doors, which her father was fast approaching by the volume of his voice.
Jonathon jumped as well, his hand falling away from her face. He took a step back. His eyes went to Leigh's.
Her eyes had shot back to his. "What were you going to say?" she rushed.
"LEIGH!"
"I…"
"LEIGH PO!"
"Jonathon!" she pleaded.
His eyes bounced towards the door and back towards her. He could see Wufei's shadow on the tiled floor. The mood was broken and his uncertainty crashed down on him, breaking down the little bit of resistance he had built up to tell her. He shook his head. "I can't do it," he muttered as he swiftly turned on his heel and disappeared into the foliage.
Leigh's mouth fell open wordlessly and a lump rose in her throat as she watched him leave. Her eyes blinked in confusion at his quick departure.
"Leigh, there you are," Wufei said as he came into the greenhouse. "I was looking for you."
She turned and looked at her father. She gave him a thin smile. "You were?"
He nodded his head. "I was wondering where you got to."
"I was out here, thinking," she lied quietly as her eyes went back towards the greenery.
"Anything in particular?"
"No, it was nothing dad. Nothing at all important. I just wanted to get away from the crowd for a moment or too. It was a little warm in there."
"That's understandable. Are you ready to come back in now?" Wufei asked as he placed an arm around her shoulder.
"Yes," Leigh said in a faint voice. She walked out with him, her head turning to look over her shoulder as she left the atrium. Her heart twisted into a knot. "What was he trying to tell me? Was he trying to tell me that he loved me? What was it? My dad just had to interrupt at the wrong moment!"
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Jonathon slammed his hands on the plate glass walls. He was cursing himself virulently in English, German, French, and a little of the Chinese that he picked up off of Leigh. He felt like punching his hand through the glass. He pulled back his hand to do so, when someone else caught it. He turned and saw the solemn face of his older brother. "Go away," he snarled.
Chris had seen his brother dance Leigh into the atrium. He had kept his eyes on it the entire time during the song. He had seen Wufei approaching it, apparently looking for his daughter. He had started to walk quickly over, in hopes of cutting him off, but he wasn't fast enough. A moment or to later, Leigh came out with him, looking over her shoulder, obviously distressed. He had a gut instinct on what had just happened. He could hear Jonathon cursing angrily as soon as he entered the atrium, shutting the doors behind him. He looked at him now. His eyes were black, seething with anger. He raised his hands in supplication. "I didn't come out here to badger."
Jonathon snorted and gave his brother his back.
"I just came out here to save your hand from getting bloodied up and making mom freak out."
"CHRIS…" Jonathon ground out between clenched teeth.
"Okay, okay," sighed Chris as he took a step back. "Just don't take your anger out on the plate glass there. It'll break a lot faster then me, if you decide you want to hit me instead."
"That sounds like an appealing idea," Jonathon snapped as he turned and faced Chris. He swung a fist at him, only to have it blocked. "I thought you said I could hit you."
"I did. I just didn't say I wouldn't protect myself from those sledgehammers you call fists," Chris added as he returned the punch, only to have it blocked as well. "What were you doing out here with Leigh?"
Jonathon narrowed his eyes even more. "None of your damn business." He threw another punch that connected with Chris's jaw.
Chris staggered back a few steps. He absently rubbed the back of his hand across it. He moved it around before giving his brother a look. "Man, you are pissed. That wasn't even one of your harder punches."
"You want harder. Fine," Jonathon gritted out as he took another swing.
Chris dodged it and took the time to slam his fist into his brother's cheekbone, making him stagger back a few paces. "You missed."
Jonathon rubbed his cheek with his hand. "You're not putting a lot of effort into it Chris."
"I'm not trying to beat the shit out of you. Just wear you down a little."
Jonathon said nothing, but his left fist finally connected with Chris's cheek.
It took a minute for Chris to recover from that blow. He shrugged out of his navy jacket, leaving him in the French blue dress shirt and matching silk tie.
Jonathon lowered his fists and shrugged off his charcoal jacket before raising them again. "Come on big brother."
Chris rolled his eyes. He knew this might take awhile.
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David eyes went to the closed doors of the atrium again. He had seen Chris close the doors behind him and he hadn't come out. He looked at his watch again. It had been fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes since Leigh and Wufei had come out of there and twenty five minutes since he saw Jonathon dance Leigh in there. He sighed and looked over at Kellie, who was surrounded by women, gushing over her ring. He mentally cringed and slipped away towards the atrium doors. He let out a breath of relief once he was inside. "Thank God," he said as he rolled his head on the door. He heard the sounds of his brothers. He winced as he heard a flesh slapping sound. He walked forwards through the foliage to the far wall, where he saw Chris and Jonathon. He noted the bruise on Chris's jaw and cheek and the blood trickling from his lip. He looked over at Jonathon, who also had a bruise on his cheek and was bleeding from his nose. "You two look like hell."
Jonathon lowered his fists and looked over at David. "Don't piss me off unless you want the shit kicked out of you too."
David arched a brow and then looked over at Chris. "What happened?"
"I think it was Wufei that happened," Chris replied.
Jonathon growled.
David nodded his head in understanding. "You trying to cool him off?"
"Trying, but the dope still has a lot of fight left in him," Chris said as he wiped the blood from his lip with his thumb.
"Your wife is going to kill you if she sees you like this," David commented as he shrugged off his light charcoal jacket, leaving him in a white dress shirt and a silvery gray silk tie.
"I'll just tell her it was for a good cause," Chris answered.
"Well come on, are you going to talk or do I have to hit you again," Jonathon snapped, his eyes flickering dangerously.
David sighed and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. "I'll take over for awhile Chris," he said as he balled up his fists.
"Makes no difference to me who it is," Jonathon said as he threw a punch at David.
David blocked it, but he could feel the force behind it. He gave Chris a quick glance. "He's really ticked isn't he?"
"More then you know," Chris said as he leaned against the wall to watch.
David sighed and threw a right hook, which connected with Jonathon's jaw. He winced slightly again at the sound. "Kellie's going to kill me if she finds out about this," he muttered under his breath.
"Just tell her the same as I'll tell Vic. It was for a good cause," Chris said again.
"Kellie is the least of your worries right now little brother," Jonathon snapped as his fist connected with David's lip.
David took a few steps back. He wiped his hand across his mouth. A little blood came away with it. "Dammit, you're not kidding," he mumbled as he began throwing more rapid punches.
Fifteen minutes later…
The three of them were leaning against the wall, sitting on the cool tile floor. Each with substantial injuries.
"Kellie is going to have a fit," David muttered as he wiped the blood away from his nose with a tissue he had in his pocket. He had bruise on his cheek, just below his left eye. He was bleeding from his nose and lip.
"Just think of what I'm going t to tell Victoria," Chris replied as he wiped away some of the blood from his split lip. His jaw was swelling and there was a defined bruise on his right cheek.
"You two worry too much," Jonathon said with his eyes closed. He had just wiped blood away from his nose and lip as well. He had two bruises on either cheek under each eye.
"Yeah, this is just enough for mom to get upset," David replied.
"But it served a purpose," Chris said as he sat up a little, "it took some of the fight out of him."
"That's the only thing it accomplished," David said as he stood up slowly. "Now, we have to take care of the mess we made of ourselves in the kitchen with ice."
"Like that'll hide anything," Jonathon snorted as he stood up as well.
"Well it's better then tell someone that you were pissed because Wufei interrupted whatever was going on with you and Leigh, while you were in here earlier," Chris pointed out.
Jonathon growled at the mention of Wufei's name again.
David eyed him warily as they shrugged on their suit jackets. "Better not say his name again Chris. I kind of don't want to be in here all night to be a punching bag for him."
Chris sighed as he started walking towards the doors. He peeked out and made sure that no one would notice them sneaking along the wall to the kitchen. He nodded his head towards his brothers and the three of them slid along the wall and into the crowded kitchen filled with caterers' assistants. He found a bag of ice that was being used to keep the food cold. He doled it out in dishtowels as they sat down at the table. He winced as he pressed it against him. "I hope you feel better now," he mumbled at Jonathon.
"You were the one who offered to be the punching bag," Jonathon said blandly as he pressed the ice on his cheek.
"Better then you slamming your fist threw plate glass," Chris retorted.
"Yeah, then mom would really have a fit," David remarked as he rested the ice against his jaw.
"Where in the hell have you three been?" Duo demanded as he pushed his way into the kitchen.
The three of them flinched in their chairs guiltily; glad that their dad could only see their backs at the moment.
"I had to rescue your wife and your fiancée from those harpies, and your date is wondering where the hell you are," Duo snapped as he walked over to them. His eyes widened when he saw their faces. "What in God's name did you do to each other?"
"We let Jonathon use us as a punching bag rather then have him slam his hand through a plate glass window," Chris replied, wincing again as he spoke.
"Your mother is going to have a fit," Duo muttered as he gave them measured looks. "Victoria and Kellie are going to have your asses for this. And I have no idea what Morgan will do to you. Why did you need a punching bag in the first place?"
Jonathon didn't reply but slunk down in his chair.
"I think it had to something with Wufei and Leigh," David replied, earning a nasty look from Jonathon.
"Wufei interrupted whatever Jonathon and Leigh were doing out in the atrium," Chris said as he pressed the ice on his jaw.
Duo turned his eyes towards his second son. "What were you trying to tell her? I thought you two really broke up this time?"
Jonathon pushed out of his chair and looked out the window behind the table. "It was nothing," he said in a low voice.
"It must have been something to make you mad enough to use your brothers as punching bags?" Duo prodded.
Jonathon whirled around to face his dad. "I was trying to tell Leigh that I lo…oh hell what does it matter," he finished softly.
David and Chris exchanged surprised looks.
Duo tilted his head to one side, obviously confused. "What were you trying to say to her?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," he muttered as he left the kitchen, the door swinging behind him.
Duo looked after him, his brow wrinkled in puzzlement. He looked back at Chris and David. "Did I miss something?"
"Doesn't dad know?" Chris asked David.
"Know what?"
"Jonathon was trying to tell Leigh that he loved her," David said simply.
Duo's mouth fell open slightly.
"Dad, he's never told her," Chris said as he pushed his chair away from the table.
"Is that what's been bothering him since August?" Duo asked, looking to the unmoving door.
"More or less. He loves her, but he scared to death of telling her." David raked his hand through his hair.
"And he knew that he had to tell her, but he tends to screw it up. The one thing he lacks the courage to do, is to admit that he loves her to her face." Chris closed his eyes. "And we've been telling him that since the summer and he hasn't been able to do it."
Duo looked at the tile under his feet. "Another one of my kids with a messed up love life. This year was not the most pleasant one." "I don't know what to say. I know this is something that no one can help him with. He'll have to do this alone. He'll work up the courage." He looked out into the night. "Or else it might be too late for him for good."
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Jonathon sent Morgan over to his mother to tell her that he was leaving and to have dad take her home. She understood that he needed to be alone. She had expressed her disapproval by her expression, but she had said nothing. He snitched a bottle of liquor from the bar and headed out to his truck in the driveway. He drove back to his home and walked out to the edge the yard, overlooking the cliff. He pulled his jacket and tie off, unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt, and untucked it. He sat down on the grass and opened the bottle of rum. He drank a mouthful and swallowed it, ignoring the burning sensation it made as it slid down his throat. His eyes clenched shut as he took another swig from the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his other hand. He could hear the sound of the water hitting the base of the cliff below and see the twinkling lights of the city below. A lone horn sounded as a ship came into the port. "All alone. All alone, just like me," he snorted mirthlessly. "I just can't tell her can you Jonathon? You knew you would screw it up," he muttered at himself. He propped his arms on his knees, his eyes starting sightlessly into the unseasonably cool December night. "I should just give her up. I'll never be able to tell her. This was all a mistake. Falling in love with her was all a mistake," he groaned as his cobalt eyes looked at the clear alcohol in the bottle that dangled in front of his face. He pulled the chain from under the collar of his shirt and looked at the ring in the silvery moonlight. It sparkled brightly. "Can you hear this Leigh, I love you. I always loved you. I'm sorry that I can't tell you the words that you want to hear me say. Forgive me for being the coward that I am," he said as he hung his head down. He didn't cry though. His tears were all gone now. His heart however, ached terribly, making it hard to breathe. "I can't love you completely unless I give you up," he said softly as he fell back on the grass and closed his eyes to the starry sky overhead.
*Song "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin
A/N: I know, I know, I'm really cruel! (Cringes slightly) I promise, it'll get better, just not yet. I have it already planned out so be patient. Hoped you liked it anyway! There will be more coming soon! XOXO!
