~Blood Rose~
After time my house grew quiet and
The sun began to shine
No skeletons in my cupboard
Love and happiness were all mine...
And in my haste I hacked down the door
I'd escaped that living hell
To find my hidden secrets..
Very much alive and well.
(From Annie: Hidden Secrets)
Chapter 22:
Rae began her morning routine as she always did, rolling out of bed, feeding Opacus, and checking her email. When Jax had taken off he'd left a request for her to stay at the townhouse in the guest room so someone would be there, as well as to take care of the cat. She had been in Port Charles at a lot longer than she had intended and had to do away with her obligations in Lanview, at least for now but she doubted she would have been able to be of any use to Lanview if she had been there for her mind wouldn't have consented to stay there.
She had received an email weeks ago from Jax, saying that he had found her, she was all right, and he was staying where she was. Where that happened to be she did not know and she had the feeling she wasn't meant to, nor anyone else. Though she hated not knowing, she did feel perhaps it was best that no one else other than Jax had found Skye, he was there with her, that had to be a good sign. She had convinced Adam and the Quartermaines to call of the search and trust Jax to handle it, that if they found her and all went down upon her it would only do harm.
About once a week she got an email which she passed on from Jax, it was never anything astounding, always just a brief message to let her know everything was ok. She wished he would offer more information, give her details to reassure her, but she rationalized if it was important and he knew about it he would tell her; it was the question of how much Jax really knew, how much Skye would let him know considering how she'd left, that really worried her.
Sighing, she looked through her inbox, snapping to attention when she recognized a certain address. Waiting somewhat impatiently for it to come up, she cursed her laptop for good measure. When at last the message loaded up, she saw the reason for it's delay. There wasn't just a message, but a black and white photo, a sonogram of her grandchild, seven months in her daughter's womb.
Across the country…
Jax stood out on the deck, watching the waves drift in and out from the open sea. He glanced down the deck to the end of the house where lacy window coverings could be seen being pushed in and out of the open window by the light sea breeze. Skye often left her window open at night, letting in the cool air, though had it not been for her body next to his he didn't doubt the night would have been too cool for his tastes.
He had left her sleeping quietly, glad she was getting some restful sleep. In his hand he held the sonogram of his child, his unborn baby laying in wait within the woman he loved. Most men preparing to become a father for the first time would be waiting with joyful anticipation, excitedly picking out names, preparing the nursery, being forced into attending Lamaze classes, but not him. Instead he waited in fear for the life of the child and woman he loved, caught in not knowing what to say or do, unable to dare even bring up the question of names or a nursery.
He didn't know how to approach what had happened the night before, or anything really that had happened since even before Skye had left. He knew some of the blame for whatever was inhibiting her from talking to him was his own fault; after all there were things he had never opened up to her about preferring to leave it in the past. They had grown close quickly, developing a relationship neither had experienced with out ever stopping to put it all into words, to express their feelings attempting to display them with they way they kissed and touched. That approach had been wonderful and amazing but left gaps unabridged over an endless depth that separated them and yet connected them. There was much to Skye he knew now more than ever he didn't know, and he hated himself for that. He should have opened up himself and encouraged her to open up more than she had being aware of his fears of doing so yet not letting it disable their growth into one.
Time was hardly endless, and he had a growing feeling that it was running out. For some reason he couldn't explain he felt if bridges weren't created to cross the chasm between them, the broken seams sealed, he would lose her forever.
Turning away from the gray sea, he headed inside to check on Skye, feeling the sudden need to see her, to make sure she was there.
Antoinette stood silently, frozen in indecision, in front of the door, the door with the rose. She wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there; she had awoken to find that Jax was no longer in her bed and had gotten up to find him. She had only gotten so far as this door, a barrier and a constant reminder of how her like had once been and how it had been shattered.
Slowly she applied pressure to the door and it swung open readily at her touch. Yesterday she had found herself standing in this room unable to move from the center, torn with pain and memories. Yesterday was a long time ago.
Each step was hard, forced, but she didn't allow her own emotions to keep her back from her purpose, her reason for venturing into this haunting room. Closing across the room, she knelt down in front of one of the boxes. Reaching in a delicate hand she pulled out the object she had wanted, and quickly retreated from the room. She shut the door firmly, resting her hand on the painted rose for a moment, then turning away from the door, and found Jax standing before her.
After time my house grew quiet and
The sun began to shine
No skeletons in my cupboard
Love and happiness were all mine...
And in my haste I hacked down the door
I'd escaped that living hell
To find my hidden secrets..
Very much alive and well.
(From Annie: Hidden Secrets)
Chapter 22:
Rae began her morning routine as she always did, rolling out of bed, feeding Opacus, and checking her email. When Jax had taken off he'd left a request for her to stay at the townhouse in the guest room so someone would be there, as well as to take care of the cat. She had been in Port Charles at a lot longer than she had intended and had to do away with her obligations in Lanview, at least for now but she doubted she would have been able to be of any use to Lanview if she had been there for her mind wouldn't have consented to stay there.
She had received an email weeks ago from Jax, saying that he had found her, she was all right, and he was staying where she was. Where that happened to be she did not know and she had the feeling she wasn't meant to, nor anyone else. Though she hated not knowing, she did feel perhaps it was best that no one else other than Jax had found Skye, he was there with her, that had to be a good sign. She had convinced Adam and the Quartermaines to call of the search and trust Jax to handle it, that if they found her and all went down upon her it would only do harm.
About once a week she got an email which she passed on from Jax, it was never anything astounding, always just a brief message to let her know everything was ok. She wished he would offer more information, give her details to reassure her, but she rationalized if it was important and he knew about it he would tell her; it was the question of how much Jax really knew, how much Skye would let him know considering how she'd left, that really worried her.
Sighing, she looked through her inbox, snapping to attention when she recognized a certain address. Waiting somewhat impatiently for it to come up, she cursed her laptop for good measure. When at last the message loaded up, she saw the reason for it's delay. There wasn't just a message, but a black and white photo, a sonogram of her grandchild, seven months in her daughter's womb.
Across the country…
Jax stood out on the deck, watching the waves drift in and out from the open sea. He glanced down the deck to the end of the house where lacy window coverings could be seen being pushed in and out of the open window by the light sea breeze. Skye often left her window open at night, letting in the cool air, though had it not been for her body next to his he didn't doubt the night would have been too cool for his tastes.
He had left her sleeping quietly, glad she was getting some restful sleep. In his hand he held the sonogram of his child, his unborn baby laying in wait within the woman he loved. Most men preparing to become a father for the first time would be waiting with joyful anticipation, excitedly picking out names, preparing the nursery, being forced into attending Lamaze classes, but not him. Instead he waited in fear for the life of the child and woman he loved, caught in not knowing what to say or do, unable to dare even bring up the question of names or a nursery.
He didn't know how to approach what had happened the night before, or anything really that had happened since even before Skye had left. He knew some of the blame for whatever was inhibiting her from talking to him was his own fault; after all there were things he had never opened up to her about preferring to leave it in the past. They had grown close quickly, developing a relationship neither had experienced with out ever stopping to put it all into words, to express their feelings attempting to display them with they way they kissed and touched. That approach had been wonderful and amazing but left gaps unabridged over an endless depth that separated them and yet connected them. There was much to Skye he knew now more than ever he didn't know, and he hated himself for that. He should have opened up himself and encouraged her to open up more than she had being aware of his fears of doing so yet not letting it disable their growth into one.
Time was hardly endless, and he had a growing feeling that it was running out. For some reason he couldn't explain he felt if bridges weren't created to cross the chasm between them, the broken seams sealed, he would lose her forever.
Turning away from the gray sea, he headed inside to check on Skye, feeling the sudden need to see her, to make sure she was there.
Antoinette stood silently, frozen in indecision, in front of the door, the door with the rose. She wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there; she had awoken to find that Jax was no longer in her bed and had gotten up to find him. She had only gotten so far as this door, a barrier and a constant reminder of how her like had once been and how it had been shattered.
Slowly she applied pressure to the door and it swung open readily at her touch. Yesterday she had found herself standing in this room unable to move from the center, torn with pain and memories. Yesterday was a long time ago.
Each step was hard, forced, but she didn't allow her own emotions to keep her back from her purpose, her reason for venturing into this haunting room. Closing across the room, she knelt down in front of one of the boxes. Reaching in a delicate hand she pulled out the object she had wanted, and quickly retreated from the room. She shut the door firmly, resting her hand on the painted rose for a moment, then turning away from the door, and found Jax standing before her.