"Cessation"
Distribution: CD as always. Anyone else please ask.
Summary: Will and Francie's burgeoning relationship takes a pause.
Rating: PG/PG-13 for language
Classification: Drama/Angst/General.
A/N: Thanks to Robin, as always, for the wonderful beta, and not disowning me. I don't know what I'd do without you.
Feedback: Yes.
Email: jch114@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Dude, if I owned Alias, I would share as much information as legally possible without losing my job. Alias and all its elements are the property of ABC, Touchstone Television, JJ Abrams, Bad Robot, and anyone else who gets a paycheck. Alex Cooper is mine.
***
Francine dabbed at her eyes with the torn tissue from her purse. As she leaned on the wall near the door of the apartment to take the weight off of her ankle, she ran her hands through her now wet hair. The storm had sprung up as soon as she left Will's, and it had yet to let off any. Will. A memory of his fallen face appeared in her mind, and fresh tears came to her eyes. Why couldn't he just understand? She covered her mouth to hide the soft sob that shook her shoulders.
"Fran?" Sydney called out as she opened the door.
She coughed and dabbed at her eyes again. "Hey, Syd."
"Fran? You okay?" she asked, opening the door wider and stepping to the side.
She sniffed and smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'm okay. Twisted my ankle a little bit coming up the stairs."
Sydney's eyes widened, and she hurried to help her into the house.
***
"Do you want some tea or something, Francie?" Sydney asked from the kitchen.
Francine pulled the blue blanket around her tighter. Her hair, now dry, was pulled into to two pigtails and her injured ankle was up on the table. "I'm fine."
Sydney came back from the kitchen holding two steaming cups. She handed one to Francine and sat down next to her. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but you look like you could use it."
"Thanks, Syd," she said, taking a sip of her tea. Sydney was right. As the warm liquid flowed down her throat, she felt better. She ached to tell Sydney what happened tonight with Will. She cursed at him silently for taking that away. "You'll never believe who I ran into tonight."
Sydney's eyebrows rose as she took a sip from her own cup. "Who?"
"Alex Cooper," she replied, putting her tea on the end table next to her.
"Alex Cooper? Charlie's cousin? " Sydney asked in shock, placing her cup on the coffee table in front of them. "Where did you see him?"
"One in the same. I ran into him while I was downtown," she said, looking to her friend for a response. She'd always liked Alex. Better than Charlie anyway.
Sydney leaned back on the couch and her lips formed a tiny "o" "So, how is he? Was he here visiting his family? How does he look?"
"He's fine. He was working in Philadelphia, but now he's back at the LA office. We just happened to run into each other. He looks pretty good." She regretted the words as soon at they left her lips. She felt her face grow warm; even though she had been with Will, she had been checking Alex out.
Sydney looked at her again, raising her eyebrow and taking a sip of her tea. "So, are you going to see him again?" A slight smile played on her lips.
Francine reached in her purse and pulled out a business card. She flipped it in her hand a few times and said, "I don't know if I am. He asked me to go with him to some reception for his job, but I think I'm going to call him and cancel."
"Why? It's not like you are seeing anyone right now."
Not anymore. "No, I'm not, Syd. Thanks for pointing that out," she replied, biting her lip.
"Fran, that's not what I meant," Sydney said quickly, placing the cup back on the coffee table
"It's just that ever since Charlie, you haven't been out with anyone. I know you go out with Will and me, but that's not the same. I'd like to see you happy."
I have been happy, Syd. Happier than I've been in a long time, but I just couldn't tell you about it. "I know you do, but I just don't know, Sydney," she said with finality.
"You should go. What could it hurt?"
It could hurt, Will. I don't want to hurt him.
"No one."
"Then go. Call him in the morning, and tell him that you'd love to go. It could be fun."
****
Scrolling through the names in his cell phone's address book, he stopped at Francine's. His finger played against the talk button. I should call her, tell her that I'm a fucking idiot.
He pressed talk and waited. "Hi, you've reached Francine. Please leave a message after the tone, and I'll get back with you as soon as humanly possible. Have a great day!"
He sighed and leaned back on the couch. "Fran, it's Will, but you probably already know that. Look, I'm sorry for acting like such an ass earlier. I miss you already. Call me. Please." He hit the off button. Why can't I tell Sydney about us? It's not like I haven't had the opportunity. Am I still into her?
He shook his head at that thought. He knew that first time that he and Francie had gone out and spent the night together, he was over Sydney. So, why can't I tell her about us?
Standing up, he tossed his cell phone on the couch. I'll wait until tomorrow; I'll go over there to talk to her. Convinced that this was the right solution, he turned off the light next to his couch, and went into his bedroom.
****
"Alex! I'm okay," Francine said, giggling. "You don't have to do that."
"But I do, Francine. I can't have you fending for yourself while Sydney's away." He sat on the couch next to her. "You could injure your ankle more." He handed her a plate. "And I couldn't deal with that."
"Thank you," she said as she took a bite of the eggs. "This is good. You've finally mastered the art of cooking eggs."
He put his hand to his chest and batted his eyes, "Well, I do declare, the great Miss Calfo has complimented me on my cooking."
She tossed a pillow at him. "It's not my fault you almost burned down your kitchen because you couldn't figure out how to boil fish."
He looked at her and winked. "You were distracting me, Francine. You know, with your gushing over James Martin, on that show Angel."
"His name is James Marsters, and he's on Buffy, not Angel," she said with a smile.
"Fine, whatever. You still distracted me."
She threw another pillow at him. "You were easy to distract, Alex. All I had to say was that Faith was on the show, and you were there before I was."
"Well, she was hot, Francine. What could I do?"
"Yeah, what could you do? You could have paid attention to the fish," she said matter-of-factly.
"Ha, ha. Are you done with that?" he asked.
"I am, thanks," she said, handing him her plate and wiping her mouth.
He put the plate on the table next to them and motioned for her to put her ankle on his lap. "When I was in school, they showed us various techniques on stretching and playing through slight sprains. I'm going to work on your ankle. I can't have you limping when I need a dancing partner this week."
"Like I've told you before, Alex. You don't have to do that. I'll be fine," she said trying to move away from him.
He picked up her ankle gently and put it on his lap. "Will you please let me do this? I'm supposed to look after to you, and you are being a difficult patient."
She stuck out her tongue at him and sighed loudly, "Will I ever be rid of you?"
He stretched out his fingers and smiled. "Not if I can help it, now hush."
Feeling her body relax, she sighed as he gently massaged her ankle. Damn, this feels good. Her cheeks grew hot again. She felt embarrassed for thinking that; she was supposed to be upset about what happened with Will last night. Just as he was getting ready to start the second round, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get the door, Francine, you sit still," he said to her as he placed her ankle gently back on the table.
"I'm perfectly capable of getting the door, Alex."
"By the time you get to the door, whoever it is will be gone. I can get it."
She sank back in the couch and sighed loudly. "I feel like I'm ten years old again."
"And if you were, you'd still be a bad patient," he replied chuckling, as he opened the door. He stepped back in surprise. "Hey, Will. What's up?"
