Frank was pacing the floor. It wasn't like his kid sister to be out all night. She was fiesty, he had the 'battle scars' to prove it from when they were growing up together, but she just didn't know this city that well to be out alone. She'd told him she was busy when he called her to see if she wanted to have dinner with him. He'd called her twice to see how her date went and gotten her voicemail both times. The second time he began to pace his own apartment. That wasn't like Sasche to not at least return his calls.
He crossed the room and picked up the phone to dial her apartment again.
--
Jake had insisted on walking her back to her place after dinner. Even when she said she'd grab a taxi, he didn't feel right about it. So, as they walked, Jake and Sascha kept talking freely about anything and everything.
"I can't believe you've never been to a ballet!" Sasche exclaimed as she got off of the elevator on her floor
"And see a bunch of men and women in tights? No thanks. Besides, I don't have the time really."
"It's not just about the tights Jake." She had her keys in hand and stopped, turning to him. "It's about the music, the grace and passion of the dance, it's about the emotion. Don't you ever just feel so much you lose control?"
Jake just looked at her. A few times he had, but it'd been Father Micheal that he'd confided in. The last time was when the nightmares of Sonny and Quito woke him up out of a stone dead sleep. "Here..." he took her keys and unlocked the door for her. He flipped a light on and took a quick look around.
"What are you doing?" Sasche was leaning in the doorframe with an amused grin.
"Making sure you're completely alone in here." He dangled the keys in front of her with a teasing smile. She snatched the keys up playfully and kicked off her shoes by the front door. She was a good inch taller than him even without her shoes on. Funny how he hadn't noticed that before.
The phone ringing broke the awkward silence.
"I should get that..."
"Yeah. Might be important."
The phone kept ringing. Finally she growled and picked it up. "What?"
"Don't be rude Sasche. I was just checking to see if you were alright."
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be? I was only out on a date, like I have been millions of times before." She rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically to Jake.
Jake was beginning to get nervous. "I'll just go," he whispered.
"No," she covered the phone and whispered back. "Give me a minute."
"Sasche, who's talking to you?" Frank was really getting irritated. She was taking his honest reason to call and making him feel guilty.
"My date, big brother. Who else did you think it was? Now, I'm going to hang up and say good night to him. I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow morning at 8." With that she hung up the phone.
"Sasche, wait -" but the line had clicked dead before he could get a word more out. "Dammit girl. You're going to get a spanking one of these days for that." At least she was safe at home and saying good night to her date. If she didn't show up for breakfast, he'd at least know where to start looking for her.
"I'm sorry about that Jake. My brother is a pain in the neck." She smiled and walked him to the door.
"Older brother, hm? And he was asking about your date."
"Yes, but he can suffer until tomorrow when I see him. Good night Jake. I had a really great time." She leaned up against the door and smiled. Her face was beginning to hurt from all the smiling. But it was a good hurt, one she hadn't felt in quite some time.
"I did too Sasha. Thank you." He leaned closer to her, but she put one finger on his lips and shook her head. Instead she put her arms around him and hugged him briefly. That felt just as good as a kiss and Jake found himself not wanting to let her go. She just felt incredibly good pressed up against him.
Sasche detangled herself from him and stepped back. Slowly the door closed as she wiggled her figners 'good night' to Jake. On the other side of the door, Jake kept leaning over to get one last look at her before the door shut competely. He waited until he heard the locks sliding into place before he headed down the hall to the elevator.
God she was beautiful. He'd have to thank Alex for twisting his arm.
****
He crossed the room and picked up the phone to dial her apartment again.
--
Jake had insisted on walking her back to her place after dinner. Even when she said she'd grab a taxi, he didn't feel right about it. So, as they walked, Jake and Sascha kept talking freely about anything and everything.
"I can't believe you've never been to a ballet!" Sasche exclaimed as she got off of the elevator on her floor
"And see a bunch of men and women in tights? No thanks. Besides, I don't have the time really."
"It's not just about the tights Jake." She had her keys in hand and stopped, turning to him. "It's about the music, the grace and passion of the dance, it's about the emotion. Don't you ever just feel so much you lose control?"
Jake just looked at her. A few times he had, but it'd been Father Micheal that he'd confided in. The last time was when the nightmares of Sonny and Quito woke him up out of a stone dead sleep. "Here..." he took her keys and unlocked the door for her. He flipped a light on and took a quick look around.
"What are you doing?" Sasche was leaning in the doorframe with an amused grin.
"Making sure you're completely alone in here." He dangled the keys in front of her with a teasing smile. She snatched the keys up playfully and kicked off her shoes by the front door. She was a good inch taller than him even without her shoes on. Funny how he hadn't noticed that before.
The phone ringing broke the awkward silence.
"I should get that..."
"Yeah. Might be important."
The phone kept ringing. Finally she growled and picked it up. "What?"
"Don't be rude Sasche. I was just checking to see if you were alright."
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be? I was only out on a date, like I have been millions of times before." She rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically to Jake.
Jake was beginning to get nervous. "I'll just go," he whispered.
"No," she covered the phone and whispered back. "Give me a minute."
"Sasche, who's talking to you?" Frank was really getting irritated. She was taking his honest reason to call and making him feel guilty.
"My date, big brother. Who else did you think it was? Now, I'm going to hang up and say good night to him. I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow morning at 8." With that she hung up the phone.
"Sasche, wait -" but the line had clicked dead before he could get a word more out. "Dammit girl. You're going to get a spanking one of these days for that." At least she was safe at home and saying good night to her date. If she didn't show up for breakfast, he'd at least know where to start looking for her.
"I'm sorry about that Jake. My brother is a pain in the neck." She smiled and walked him to the door.
"Older brother, hm? And he was asking about your date."
"Yes, but he can suffer until tomorrow when I see him. Good night Jake. I had a really great time." She leaned up against the door and smiled. Her face was beginning to hurt from all the smiling. But it was a good hurt, one she hadn't felt in quite some time.
"I did too Sasha. Thank you." He leaned closer to her, but she put one finger on his lips and shook her head. Instead she put her arms around him and hugged him briefly. That felt just as good as a kiss and Jake found himself not wanting to let her go. She just felt incredibly good pressed up against him.
Sasche detangled herself from him and stepped back. Slowly the door closed as she wiggled her figners 'good night' to Jake. On the other side of the door, Jake kept leaning over to get one last look at her before the door shut competely. He waited until he heard the locks sliding into place before he headed down the hall to the elevator.
God she was beautiful. He'd have to thank Alex for twisting his arm.
****