Jondy sat silently waiting for Max to return. There was nothing else for
her to do, and she probably couldn't have moved even if she wanted to,
being so frozen in shock. Max had made everything sound so simple: she
loved Zack but she was in love with Krit. Therefore Krit was the one she
should be with. Only it didn't feel that simple; and she still wasn't
really sure if it was true.
But then she thought back to all the times when Krit had surprised her by showing up unexpected, and how happy she was when he did. Maybe there was some truth in what Max had said. Krit was always so understanding that she almost felt guilty about keeping so many secrets from him.
Jondy pulled her legs up against her chest leant her head on her knees, shivering a bit in the sudden chill breeze that had started blowing. She started whimpering, and she sounded so sorry for herself that even a complete stranger would have gone up to her, hugged her and asked her what was wrong. But there was no one there. Jondy wished she was back in San Francisco, if she was she would have been able to just cry on her roommate's shoulder, and he would have just comforted her and not asked questions. Even better, back home she wouldn't have to worry about her feelings towards her brothers, at least not until her next heat, when Zack would without a doubt turn up again.
Even though her heart was slowly coming to terms with what Max had said, her mind was saying there was nothing she could do about it. Her life was way too complicated to start a relationship, and of course that was just assuming that Krit felt the same way she did, and that Zack understood- when it came down to it, Jondy would never do anything without his approval, though you certainly wouldn't get that idea from the way they fought all the time. And besides, getting Krit more involved in her life would just put him in danger, in direct exposure to the risk of getting captured. Jondy had just accepted it: while she lived in San Francisco, or remained working for the same Boss she was in danger. But there was no reason to bring Krit into that.
It suddenly hit her that after Max had finished whatever she was doing, she'd probably want to know about her job. There was no way Jondy could answer that. She stood up and for a moment considered leaving, but a part of her trusted that Max really was helping her, and besides, she wanted to know what her little sister was up to.
So she sat back down and waited. She didn't have to wait long.
About half an hour later Max came back, pulling a very unhappy looking Zack behind her.
"Really Max did you have to bring me all the way out here? I was actually enjoying myself…"
Zack stopped short when he noticed that Jondy was up here too. "Ok guys what's going on?" he said, look at Jondy and then back at Max.
"Don't ask me…" replied Jondy, looking at Max as well.
"Ok here's the deal," said Max, sitting down next to Jondy and pulling Zack down next to her. "It's obvious that Jondy has some problems, and you're one of them."
"I'm a problem?"
"Yes you are."
"Oh I am so out of here," Zack stood up and started walking away.
"Zack come back! I don't want to see Jondy unhappy. Maybe if we can work out some of these issues she won't be."
"Zack." Jondy's voice got his attention, and he turned around. "Stay. Please?"
He could see now that Jondy genuinely wanted to sort out some of her problems. He sighed. This conversation was not going to be easy. "Fine. I'll stay."
"Good! Now I'm pretty sure I understand Jondy's feelings. But you've still got me all confused…how do you see your relationship Zack? If you could call it a relationship."
"God I don't know…"
"Well if you're not going to say anything then I'll just assume that you just use your relationship for sex and that you don't really care about Jondy at all-"
"Max I can't believe you just said that!" Zack turned to look at Jondy. "That's not what you think is it? That I'm just taking advantage of you?"
"Then what is it Zack?" Max didn't give Jondy an opportunity to reply. "Why do you turn up all the time? Why do you make her life your life too?"
Zack didn't answer.
Instead, he looked away and for a while seemed to forget they were there. More like he was trying to remember something he didn't want to.
"It's my duty…" Zack's eyes became hazy and unfocused, his voice low and emotionless. "My first priority goes to my family…" Max and Jondy exchanged troubled glances, and then looked back at Zack. From what they could tell, he was repeating something that had been drilled into him along time ago.
"Zack? What's wrong?" Jondy moved forward and touched his face, trying to break him out of the trance he was in. Zack flinched at her touch, almost like he was expecting her to hurt him. But then suddenly he seemed to snap back to reality and focused on Jondy.
"I promised." Max breathed a sigh of relief- Zack's voice was back to normal.
"You promised?" Asked Jondy, with a half worried, half confused look on her face.
" Don't worry Jondy, I'm always going to take care of you. I promise."
"Oh…" Jondy's memory flashed back to the night Zack had said that.
Zack sat up straighter and took a deep breath before he continued. "You two have always been special to me. We were a team…"
Jondy and Max both nodded, even though they were both highly confused at what Zack was getting at.
"And you were both so alike. But after the escape you both started reacting differently to things." Zack turned to Max. "Like you Max- whenever you're in heat you spend days trying to run away from what you really are." Zack hesitated, then glanced at Jondy. "But Jondy would rather get it over with, then get on with her life. And in some ways she's a lot more reckless then you are Max."
"What are you getting at?" Max asked suspiciously.
"There are things you don't know about Max… But let's just say that lately, Jondy has needed someone to take care of her."
"Or maybe what she really needs is some space to sort out her real feelings."
"And you're telling me to back off!?"
"Pretty much."
"Jondy?" Zack now turned to face Jondy, who until that time had seemed like an observer, not having any part in the conversation.
Jondy suddenly felt very trapped and exposed when the attention of both her siblings turned to her. "Ah, well, maybe I could use a little time to myself…"
"Ok you heard her Zack. Next time she's in heat, don't go anywhere near her."
Zack shrugged. "Ok… I guess I can do that…" For some reason he didn't look too phased at Max's latest instruction. He turned back to Jondy. "But what about Patr-" He was silenced by a quick glare from Jondy; she obviously didn't want him bringing that up in the conversation.
"That situation is under control Zack."
He stared back at her, obviously not totally believing Jondy's words.
This whole scene had begun making Max even more irritated by the fact that she didn't know what they were talking about.
"Alright, this conversation is over, problem solved. Zack, you're not gonna turn up next time she's in heat, and you're generally going to leave her alone. Now, get out of here."
Zack glared at her. "Max I do not appreciate being bossed around by one of my youngest sisters…"
"Oh get over it. You can go back to being the dominant X5 tomorrow."
To both of the girl's surprise, Zack got up and started walking away, without so much of an argument, unless you include him turning around and saying, "Ok Jondy, I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. But the second I find out that you were lying just now, you can expect a fight." And with that he started making his way down the Space Needle.
Jondy stared at the spot where he'd been, and tried to get a grip on what Max had just made her do.
After a few minutes of silence Max couldn't stand it any more. "Ok Jondy would you please just tell me what's going on with you? I know it has something to do with your job…"
Jondy trembled. After what had just happened with Zack, she was not up to discussing anything with Max, let alone her Job. "Please Max, don't ask me about that. It's way too complicated to explain…you wouldn't understand…"
"Why not? Jondy I'm your sister. If you're in trouble, I want to help you."
"And believe me Max, if I was ever in serious trouble you'd be the first person I'd turn to."
Max smiled. "What, you wouldn't go to Zack first?"
Jondy sighed. "No, knowing Zack he'd already know I was in trouble."
"To true…typical Zack…"
"Please Max, I'm begging you, just trust me and let go of this. I promise that I'm not in serious danger."
"Ok…just answer one question…you're not a, you know…prostitute are you?"
"Max! No way!! I would never lower myself to that level!" But even as she said this, Jondy was blushing because she knew the level she was on probably wasn't much higher.
Max looked relieved. "I was just asking…I didn't really think you could sell yourself like that…"
Jondy smiled nervously before replying. "No of course I couldn't. Now let's changed the subject okay? Tell me about how you and Logan met."
Max smiled back and tried to stop worrying about whatever it was Jondy wasn't telling her about. It was time for just some normal sister talk.
* Wow long chapter…Ok guys here's the deal- I'm really lazy. And I need to know if you're still reading this story or whether I should just stop… (Note to self: find more subtle ways to ask for reviews.) *
But then she thought back to all the times when Krit had surprised her by showing up unexpected, and how happy she was when he did. Maybe there was some truth in what Max had said. Krit was always so understanding that she almost felt guilty about keeping so many secrets from him.
Jondy pulled her legs up against her chest leant her head on her knees, shivering a bit in the sudden chill breeze that had started blowing. She started whimpering, and she sounded so sorry for herself that even a complete stranger would have gone up to her, hugged her and asked her what was wrong. But there was no one there. Jondy wished she was back in San Francisco, if she was she would have been able to just cry on her roommate's shoulder, and he would have just comforted her and not asked questions. Even better, back home she wouldn't have to worry about her feelings towards her brothers, at least not until her next heat, when Zack would without a doubt turn up again.
Even though her heart was slowly coming to terms with what Max had said, her mind was saying there was nothing she could do about it. Her life was way too complicated to start a relationship, and of course that was just assuming that Krit felt the same way she did, and that Zack understood- when it came down to it, Jondy would never do anything without his approval, though you certainly wouldn't get that idea from the way they fought all the time. And besides, getting Krit more involved in her life would just put him in danger, in direct exposure to the risk of getting captured. Jondy had just accepted it: while she lived in San Francisco, or remained working for the same Boss she was in danger. But there was no reason to bring Krit into that.
It suddenly hit her that after Max had finished whatever she was doing, she'd probably want to know about her job. There was no way Jondy could answer that. She stood up and for a moment considered leaving, but a part of her trusted that Max really was helping her, and besides, she wanted to know what her little sister was up to.
So she sat back down and waited. She didn't have to wait long.
About half an hour later Max came back, pulling a very unhappy looking Zack behind her.
"Really Max did you have to bring me all the way out here? I was actually enjoying myself…"
Zack stopped short when he noticed that Jondy was up here too. "Ok guys what's going on?" he said, look at Jondy and then back at Max.
"Don't ask me…" replied Jondy, looking at Max as well.
"Ok here's the deal," said Max, sitting down next to Jondy and pulling Zack down next to her. "It's obvious that Jondy has some problems, and you're one of them."
"I'm a problem?"
"Yes you are."
"Oh I am so out of here," Zack stood up and started walking away.
"Zack come back! I don't want to see Jondy unhappy. Maybe if we can work out some of these issues she won't be."
"Zack." Jondy's voice got his attention, and he turned around. "Stay. Please?"
He could see now that Jondy genuinely wanted to sort out some of her problems. He sighed. This conversation was not going to be easy. "Fine. I'll stay."
"Good! Now I'm pretty sure I understand Jondy's feelings. But you've still got me all confused…how do you see your relationship Zack? If you could call it a relationship."
"God I don't know…"
"Well if you're not going to say anything then I'll just assume that you just use your relationship for sex and that you don't really care about Jondy at all-"
"Max I can't believe you just said that!" Zack turned to look at Jondy. "That's not what you think is it? That I'm just taking advantage of you?"
"Then what is it Zack?" Max didn't give Jondy an opportunity to reply. "Why do you turn up all the time? Why do you make her life your life too?"
Zack didn't answer.
Instead, he looked away and for a while seemed to forget they were there. More like he was trying to remember something he didn't want to.
"It's my duty…" Zack's eyes became hazy and unfocused, his voice low and emotionless. "My first priority goes to my family…" Max and Jondy exchanged troubled glances, and then looked back at Zack. From what they could tell, he was repeating something that had been drilled into him along time ago.
"Zack? What's wrong?" Jondy moved forward and touched his face, trying to break him out of the trance he was in. Zack flinched at her touch, almost like he was expecting her to hurt him. But then suddenly he seemed to snap back to reality and focused on Jondy.
"I promised." Max breathed a sigh of relief- Zack's voice was back to normal.
"You promised?" Asked Jondy, with a half worried, half confused look on her face.
" Don't worry Jondy, I'm always going to take care of you. I promise."
"Oh…" Jondy's memory flashed back to the night Zack had said that.
Zack sat up straighter and took a deep breath before he continued. "You two have always been special to me. We were a team…"
Jondy and Max both nodded, even though they were both highly confused at what Zack was getting at.
"And you were both so alike. But after the escape you both started reacting differently to things." Zack turned to Max. "Like you Max- whenever you're in heat you spend days trying to run away from what you really are." Zack hesitated, then glanced at Jondy. "But Jondy would rather get it over with, then get on with her life. And in some ways she's a lot more reckless then you are Max."
"What are you getting at?" Max asked suspiciously.
"There are things you don't know about Max… But let's just say that lately, Jondy has needed someone to take care of her."
"Or maybe what she really needs is some space to sort out her real feelings."
"And you're telling me to back off!?"
"Pretty much."
"Jondy?" Zack now turned to face Jondy, who until that time had seemed like an observer, not having any part in the conversation.
Jondy suddenly felt very trapped and exposed when the attention of both her siblings turned to her. "Ah, well, maybe I could use a little time to myself…"
"Ok you heard her Zack. Next time she's in heat, don't go anywhere near her."
Zack shrugged. "Ok… I guess I can do that…" For some reason he didn't look too phased at Max's latest instruction. He turned back to Jondy. "But what about Patr-" He was silenced by a quick glare from Jondy; she obviously didn't want him bringing that up in the conversation.
"That situation is under control Zack."
He stared back at her, obviously not totally believing Jondy's words.
This whole scene had begun making Max even more irritated by the fact that she didn't know what they were talking about.
"Alright, this conversation is over, problem solved. Zack, you're not gonna turn up next time she's in heat, and you're generally going to leave her alone. Now, get out of here."
Zack glared at her. "Max I do not appreciate being bossed around by one of my youngest sisters…"
"Oh get over it. You can go back to being the dominant X5 tomorrow."
To both of the girl's surprise, Zack got up and started walking away, without so much of an argument, unless you include him turning around and saying, "Ok Jondy, I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. But the second I find out that you were lying just now, you can expect a fight." And with that he started making his way down the Space Needle.
Jondy stared at the spot where he'd been, and tried to get a grip on what Max had just made her do.
After a few minutes of silence Max couldn't stand it any more. "Ok Jondy would you please just tell me what's going on with you? I know it has something to do with your job…"
Jondy trembled. After what had just happened with Zack, she was not up to discussing anything with Max, let alone her Job. "Please Max, don't ask me about that. It's way too complicated to explain…you wouldn't understand…"
"Why not? Jondy I'm your sister. If you're in trouble, I want to help you."
"And believe me Max, if I was ever in serious trouble you'd be the first person I'd turn to."
Max smiled. "What, you wouldn't go to Zack first?"
Jondy sighed. "No, knowing Zack he'd already know I was in trouble."
"To true…typical Zack…"
"Please Max, I'm begging you, just trust me and let go of this. I promise that I'm not in serious danger."
"Ok…just answer one question…you're not a, you know…prostitute are you?"
"Max! No way!! I would never lower myself to that level!" But even as she said this, Jondy was blushing because she knew the level she was on probably wasn't much higher.
Max looked relieved. "I was just asking…I didn't really think you could sell yourself like that…"
Jondy smiled nervously before replying. "No of course I couldn't. Now let's changed the subject okay? Tell me about how you and Logan met."
Max smiled back and tried to stop worrying about whatever it was Jondy wasn't telling her about. It was time for just some normal sister talk.
* Wow long chapter…Ok guys here's the deal- I'm really lazy. And I need to know if you're still reading this story or whether I should just stop… (Note to self: find more subtle ways to ask for reviews.) *