JAKE & ALEX

Sunday Morning—Sun Up

Alex rolled over with an audible groan.  She had been sleeping between Monica and Loralei, but she noticed that both of them were gone.  The sun filtering in through the gigantic window was trying to drill a hole in her head.  She couldn't believe that just a couple of days ago, she had fought Monica for the spot nearest the window.  This morning, she was tempted to take a hammer and shatter it.  Sunlight and hangovers just didn't mix.  She sat up and ran her hand through her ratted hair.  Goddamn.  How many fifths of tequila had they drunk?  Of course, poor Cody had downed no telling how much whiskey.  She struggled out of her sleeping bag and stood up on aching legs.  Ugh.  She needed water.  She felt as if she hadn't drunk any in weeks.  When she saw Monica, she was going to smack her around for making those wickedly strong margaritas.  She prayed for the hangover to pass and swore that she would never drink again as long as she lived.  Of course, she knew that would fly out the window as soon as she felt like a human again.  She put on enough clothes just to cover herself.  If she tried to do anything more complicated than that, she was certain she would have toppled over on her head and gave herself a concussion on top of the hangover.  Nope, can't have that.  There was no noise on the top floor [thank God], and she figured everyone else had adjourned downstairs to grab some breakfast.  Gag.  Just the thought of food made her ill.  She made her way toward the bathroom down the hall, not bothering to knock [if she had, the noise would have split her head into].  As she swung open the door, she heard Loralei gasp aloud.  Alex gasped herself as she saw what Loralei was doing.  Her clumsiness prevailing, Loralei knocked over an empty cardboard box and sent a small white object flying across the room.  She stood back, looking guilty, as if she had been caught smoking a joint or something.  Of course, Alex had seen enough to know the lowdown.

Alex closed the door behind her.  "Oh my God, Loralei.  Are you pregnant?"

Hastily [almost too hastily], Loralei began to collect the items that she had sent off into space.  Without saying a word, she stuffed everything into the box and crammed it down into the small wastebasket near the sink.  When she was finished, she leaned against the counter and smiled a trifle innocently.  "Nope.  False alarm.  I just had a really bad hangover, that's all."

Alex's eyes widened.  "Oh shit, Loralei.  You got sick this morning?"

Loralei rolled her eyes.  "Yes, but damn, I drank lots last night."

She stood back and scrutinized her friend.  "Come on, Loralei.  You're pregnant, aren't you?"

She shrugged.  "The EPT says I am.  I need a doctor to confirm it, but that won't happen until tomorrow if my doctor is in."

"You don't look all that happy."

Loralei sighed a little.  "The idea thrills me, Alex.  It really does, but Rachel isn't even nine months old yet, and here I am, probably knocked up again.  It's too soon, and I'm not sure how Frank's going to take it."

"Don't be silly, Loralei," Alex said [her hangover was totally forgotten].  "He'll be ecstatic.  You should see the way he lights up when he talks about Rachel."

"I know he loves her dearly, but I'm not going to start counting chickens before the eggs hatch.  Before I found out for sure that Rachel was coming, I had a couple of false alarms.  I'm not saying anything until I see the doctor tomorrow."

Alex smiled a little and went to Loralei to give her a reassuring hug.  "Wow, another godchild, too cool."

Loralei pulled away.  "Alex, please don't say anything to anybody.  I don't want anyone to know, I don't want it to get back to Frank until I know for sure.  Okay?"

"Of course, but I think you're worried for nothing.  He is going to flip, but in a good way."

"Just keep your lips zipped, that's all I ask."

*  *  *

After a long hot shower and some serious bathroom time, Alex felt tons better.  She found herself wishing she hadn't walked in on Loralei this morning.  She hated keeping secrets.  She would do it, but this was something that needed to be shared.  However, she would not betray her friend's trust.  In due time, Loralei would tell Donovan.  She found Cody, Monica, and Donovan working together to clean up the living room.  They hadn't really trashed it, but there were empty bottles scattered here and there.  Jesus.  Did we drink all that?  She moved out of sight before the boss recruited her to help.  For some dumb reason, she found herself searching for Jake.  She found him out on the back deck, staring out into the yard and the thicket of trees just beyond it.  They had forgiven each other for the awkward situation with Farron several weeks ago, but their relationship had been strained since then.  She missed hanging out with him.

"How's your head this morning," Alex asked as she settled comfortably into a deck chair beside him.

He laughed ruefully.  "Not too bad.  I didn't drink as much as Cody or Monica, though.  I'm surprised they can move around this morning.  How about you?"

She shrugged.  "I was bad a few hours ago, but I'm okay now."

He leaned forward in his chair and continued to gaze out at the thicket of trees.  "It's quiet out here, peaceful.  I don't see how they stand it."  He shook his head and ran his hands over his face.  "Jesus.  Can you believe Loralei?  She had us playing spin the goddamn bottle.  Incredible."

Alex nodded and laughed.  "I know.  She kind of reminds me of Cody a little.  At times, she's as whack as he is."

"I've noticed," he said.  "And Donovan married her.  I guess his gruff exterior with Cody is all a show."  He sighed and felt the desire to ask a question, but he wasn't sure if Alex would take it the right way.  Fuck it.  "So, when you laid a big one on Farron last night, did it bring back any of the old feelings?"

She rolled her eyes dramatically.  Here it goes again.  "Jake, for God's sake, it didn't mean anything.  What is the deal with you and Farron?  Damn it.  Can't you just let it rest?"

He looked over at her and shook his head.  "Hell no, I can't.  My perception of the situation was a bit different than your take on it.  He's a creep, Alex, I thought you had learned that by now."

Alex sat forward in her own chair so she could see the look on his face.  "For the millionth time, the thing with Farron is over.  I can't believe you're still harping on this.  You know, if I didn't know you as well as I do, I would say you're jealous."

He looked at her in incredulous disbelief.  "Jealous?  What the fuck," he spat, his lips drawn into the oh-so-familiar 'Jake Shaw' snarl.  "You have got to be kidding.  I guess what that jerk said has finally sunk into your brain.  I'm far from being jealous."

"Then what is it, Jake?  What's the problem with Farron after I've stopped dating him?  Give me a reason, and I'll shut up and leave it alone.  What else am I supposed to think?  You seem to be jealous, and I don't know why."

He stood suddenly and gaped down at her.  "Fuck this shit, Alex.  Hearing it from Farron was bad, but coming from you, it feels like a knife twisting in my back."

Angry now, she stood and grabbed his arm.  "Now wait just a damn minute.  You're not walking away until we get this settled once and for all."

He jerked his arm out of her grasp.  "The fuck you say," he grumbled.

"The fuck I do say."

In that moment, Jake's eyes were locked onto hers.  There were two choices laid out before him.  The first, of course, was the easiest.  He could walk back into the house, gather up his shit, and head back to the city.  He didn't need this crap, didn't want it.  His second choice was a bit more risky.  Whatever happened next was up in the air.  He liked taking risks, liked taking the hard way out.  However, this risk was 'riskier' than any he had ever taken.  After all, Alex was trained, and she could kick his ass if she wanted.  Fuck it.  Going with the gusto, he took hold of her arm and jerked her body up against his.  His lips claimed hers almost brutally.  At first, she tried to break away, but he held fast.  Eventually, she gave up the struggle and accepted his kiss, and damn if she didn't kiss him back.  Her hands found the thick tumble of his dark hair and his arms went directly down onto her buttocks, crushing her against him.  Thoughts of throwing her down onto one of the deck chairs and having his way with her quickly entered his mind.  However, another thought was more prevalent.  What are we doing?  It was that thought which made him back away from her [reluctantly, of course].  For a long moment, they stood and stared at each other wonderingly.  What the hell had just happened here?  Before Jake could say one word to her, she slipped away from him and went back inside.  That was…that was weird, he thought.  Yet, another thought entered his mind as well:  weird but nice.

A bit on the flustered side, Alex reentered the house and noticed that the rest of the gang were still clearing out the living room and kitchen, with the exception of Loralei.  She started to stay and help out, but she needed to dish to someone.  She didn't exactly want to say anything to any of the other team members.  She ducked the cleaning crew and went upstairs.  She found Loralei in the bathroom.  Bless her heart.  She was sick again.  How did she think she was going to hide this from her husband?  If he heard her, he would know.

Loralei went over to the bathroom sink and washed her face.  When she turned around, she gazed up at Alex curiously.  "What happened to you?  You're all shell-shocked," she said.

Alex shook her head and smiled a little.  "Nah, I'm fine.  You don't sound fine, though."

"Damn margaritas," she said.  "I won't touch them ever again."

The other woman laughed a little.  "Or at least for seven or eight more months."

"Oh, shut up."  She groaned.  "Why oh why did I do that last night?  I acted drunker than I was, and I didn't quite drink as much as everyone thought, but still.  Stupid, stupid.  Jesus, I wasn't even suspicious until this morning.  I mean, I was late, but nothing else."  She sighed heavily.  "Damn it.  I don't even know if this is a for sure thing, and here I am guilt tripping myself for doing harm to a baby that may or may not exist.  I mean, I'm probably not pregnant, anyway."  Loralei stopped and gazed curiously at Alex.  "Al, what the hell happened?  You knocked me off track, but I can see something is going on."

Alex sighed.  "Okay, fine.  I'll talk.  Something just happened between Jake and I…"

Loralei didn't give her a chance to finish her thought before she smiled.  Her humor seemed a bit forced.  Beneath it all, she was worried and browbeating herself a little.  "Hot damn," she said.  "I knew it.  I sooooooooo knew it."

"Keep your voice down," she spat, horrified.  She didn't want the whole house to know.  "It was just a little kiss, a little touchy-feely.  Nothing more than that."

"Who cares?  It's a start.  Kissing leads to…other things," she said.

"Loralei, you're nuts.  It was weird, kind of nice, but weird."  She had no idea that Jake had had the same thought rushing through his mind. 

"What the hell is going on up here," Donovan asked as he peered into the bathroom.  "I can hear you squealing all the way downstairs."

"Goddamn, Frank," Loralei said.  "Don't you know when to knock?  What if one of us had been doing something that you aren't supposed to see?"  Like doing an EPT.  In the back of her mind, she wondered exactly how much he had heard before he interrupted.

His infernal eyebrow shot up and he fixed her with a perplexed gaze.  "Pardon me," he said, "but the door was cracked open.  I'm taking Farron back to the city, and I thought you would like to know just in case you noticed I was missing."

"Eek," Loralei said with a smile.  "I didn't intend to hurt your feelings, dear heart.  Would you mind swinging by Angie's on your way back?"

He wanted to say more, to delve into what was really going on in here, but that could wait until they were alone.  He grinned at her.  "The feelings are tweaked, but not hurt.  I planned on picking up Rachel anyway.  I could use a nose slap right about now."  He turned away and went back downstairs to retrieve his downtrodden brother.

Once he was out of earshot, Alex turned and looked at Loralei with a smile.  "And you think he wouldn't be ecstatic to know you're going to have another baby.  Jesus, just listen to him."

*  *  *

Sunday Afternoon—Packing Up

Loralei watched in amusement as Alex and Jake literally avoided each other.  Neither of them could look the other in the eye.  In the next few weeks, things between them were going to be interesting.  She wished she could watch as it happened.  She helped the gang load up their gear and pack it away for the trip back.  Cody called shotgun, and Alex was in no shape to argue with him.  Jake was driving them back, and she didn't want to sit beside him in the close confines of the SUV. 

Before Alex climbed into the backseat with Monica, she approached Loralei.  "Go ahead, Loralei, talk to your old man.  Trust me, he's going to be thrilled.  You should have been around the Nest after Rachel was born.  You should have heard him.  I have never seen him so animated."

"Don't, Alex," she begged.  "I don't know, and I won't know until tomorrow.  I just hope I can find a doctor that isn't taking the day off.  Remember what I said.  Keep it totally quiet.  If you don't, I'll tell Jake what you said about his ass."

Alex giggled in spite of herself.  "Okay, I won't say a word."

"I'm warning you, Alex.  Don't test me."

Loralei remained outside as the gang drove off.  She had to admit that the weekend housewarming celebration hadn't turned out half bad.