So, I don't know, you guys. No one is really reading my fic so I was kind of thinking about stopping. I mean, I only write it for you guys to read it. I can dream up this junk in my head anytime. :) So tell me what you think and I'll see if we'll go more into it if anyone is actually reading. Lol.

Ordinary Day

Doctor Reinmar stood straight in the face of Jasper Jax, as if he could alleviate his guilt by providing a well-shaped explanation about why he did what he did for Luis Alcazar.

Jax approached the doctor a bit closer, leaning on his cane heavily, and he looked the man straight in the eye.

"Tell me, doctor," he stated. "Is Brenda Barrett really dying?"

"Are you ready yet?" Jason called up the stairs.

"Almost!" Brenda replied.

"It's not the Nurse's Ball, Brenda; it's just a restaurant," he added.

She appeared, coming down the stairs in a stunning dress with a grin upon her face. "No," she corrected. "It's a night out. That's enough to celebrate."

Jason had watched her descend the stairs but mentally shook himself not to stare. Brenda had always been beautiful; she was a model, after all; but he'd never really noticed. To him, she had always been that spoiled brat that got everything she wanted and juggled Sonny and Jax around to her liking. But by marrying him, he realized she was trying to do the right thing and save both Sonny and Jax. And he respected that.

So maybe somewhere along the lines after they had been married he began to see a bit more humane side of Brenda that he never bothered to see before. That was only a problem because now he wasn't able to simply hate her and distance himself from her. He never expected to actually care a little bit about Brenda, ever. He was still struggling to hold onto how he used to feel about her; it was easier that way than trying to understand this new relationship of being civil to one another.

"Can we go now?" he tried to snap but she smiled back at him in response, not getting into any disagreements: her mood too upbeat at the prospect of really going out and enjoying a night.

"Yes. We can go."

Jason shrugged on his jacket as she headed out and shook his head a little. Her being upbeat was, unfortunately, beginning to take an effect on him. With a sigh, he thought, 'Why couldn't they just stay hating each other?'

"We don't have a reservation," Jason informed her as they approached the front.

"You put us on the list. I'll go get some drinks. What do you want?"

"I don't care," he murmured. His phone rang and he motioned to the two guards, Steven and Bruce as he headed outside to answer it. "Take them with you."

"Okay," she agreed and he was, again, amazed whenever she took his instruction.

Brenda hadn't wanted the guards to come with them initially but she was in too good of a mood to question or argue with Jason about anything so she let him have what he wanted. She hadn't been out in forever; a night when she didn't have to worry about Luis or awkwardly running into Sonny or Jax with their wives. She could finally relax and have an evening to eat good food and enjoy herself.

She approached the bar, the two guards staying on both sides of her, and she ordered herself a drink and a beer for Jason. The restaurant was a very cool new place; half was a side to eat and another was a lounging, nightclub-like scene. Brenda never got tired of living in luxury and this place was definitely nice.

Bruce turned to her and handed her a note suddenly and she gave him a perplexed look.

"What's this?"

He shrugged at first then said, "It's for you."

She glanced down at the folded piece of paper, seeing her name written on the top. She opened it, curiously and read the words quickly.

'Brenda, I love you. I will keep my promise and take you away from here. They can never keep me away. I will never leave you. Love, Luis.'

Brenda stopped breathing. It was his handwriting. She wouldn't have given it half as much credibility but she knew Luis's handwriting. And he had written this note.

Her mind flew. Bruce had never left her side. Neither had Steven. When had they gotten this note? Bruce had had it on him. And the two were on both her sides, surrounding her, as she pretended to still read the note, trying to think of what to do next.

She folded it carefully, remembering both men had guns on them.

The bartender set her drinks on the bar and it made her jump a little. Bruce looked down at her and she put on the best smile she could muster under the panicked pounding of her heart.

She began to reach for the drinks then suddenly whirled around, ducking away and sprinting. She sensed the guards' movement as they reached out for her but her small size was an advantage. The heels she was wearing, however, was not. People began to notice the two large men running after her as she pushed through the crowd, heading for the exit. There were too many people to scream; the chatter and music was too loud. And she was so small in the sea of people.

Brenda barely made it near the entrance when a huge hand clamped down on her arm, yanking her to a stop. Jason came back into the restaurant and saw it all instantly - Steven grabbing Brenda as she struggled to get away. He immediately pulled the 9 millimeter from his holster and aimed at the big guard.

"Let her go!" he ordered. Bruce began to move, reaching for his gun, and Jason pointed at him, unloading a shot into the guard's shoulder. Bruce whipped around, stumbling back. The crowd jumped into action, running away from the scene with a chorus of screams.

Brenda had dug her nails into the arm that was holding her so firmly and bit into it as hard as she could. Steven cried out from the pain as Jason tried to get a clear shot but was afraid of hitting Brenda as they struggled. Steven instantly slammed his open palm against her cheek, drawing her down from the force of the hit. Jason took the opportunity and fired directly into Steven's chest.

The guard released her as he folded over from the shot. Brenda hurried toward the exit as Bruce began to pull the gun from his holder. He raised the gun at the two. Jason's free hand wrapped around Brenda's arm, pulling her close and behind him as his right arm extended and fired in a flash, hitting Bruce dead on in the head.

The restaurant was practically clear and it left a chilled silence, save Brenda's broken gasps. Her head had been buried in Jason's chest after he shielded her and she turned to see the two bodies on the ground.

Before her mind could wrap around everything that was happening, Jason jumped into action, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the club. They found the limo and climbed in safely as he ordered the driver to simply go.

There was a moment as they caught their breaths and Brenda stared at the seat in front of her. Jason began calmly. "What happened?"

She swallowed past the dryness in her mouth then took another deep breath. "They gave me a letter from Luis. I tried to run and they grabbed me."

Jason glared ahead as his mind flew. He pounded the seat after only moments, cursing, "Damnit!"

Brenda glanced at his angry response. "What?"

"They let him go," he muttered. "Bruce and Steven were the ones I left with Alcazar to finish him. He must have bribed them. Marco even suspected something was going on."

"They let him go?" she repeated.

"What did the letter say?"

She paused, seeing it in her mind and knowing the weight and significance of it now. "He said you could never keep him away."

"Yeah, we'll see," he muttered to himself as he dialed his cell phone.

____________________________

Sonny answered the phone with a quick hello.

"Sonny," Jason stated. "Listen, we're leaving."

He paused. "What are you talking about?"

"Me and Brenda; we're leaving town. We're going to go to one of the islands or something."

"What happened?"

"Steven and Bruce. They came after her, on orders from Alcazar."

Sonny's eyes slid shut. There was no getting rid of that bastard Alcazar.

"Where are you now?"

"We're on the way to the airport," Jason replied. "You have to get someone to clean up The Point restaurant. Steven and Bruce are there."

Sonny nodded, understanding what had happened.

"I'll call you when we get where we're going," he finished.

"Yeah, call me."

The phone hung up and he set the receiver down. Carly strolled into the room, curiously.

"Who was that?"

___________________________________

"We're going somewhere?" Brenda repeated, still dazed from the quick events that just occurred.

"We have to get out of here. We don't know how many of Sonny's guards are taking orders from Alcazar. We're going somewhere that no one knows about. We're going to have to get lost for a little while and let Sonny deal with Alcazar."

"I don't want to run away. I don't want to uproot my life because of Luis-" she began.

"Alcazar is done fighting fair," Jason stopped her. "He doesn't care about not hurting you anymore; he'll do anything to get you back."

"Running away isn't the answer-"

"We're being strategic and going into hiding because that's all we have right now. Sonny will find him," he firmly assured her. She stayed silent and he knew she was still shaken over what had happened. They sat in peace for the rest of the ride.

Jason finished informing the pilot of the jet the coordinates of the island they were to go to. Brenda sat on the small sofa, still in her evening dress, but now deflated into the cushions as she waited. She was so afraid when the guard had grabbed her; she had thought back to the last time Luis kidnapped her and she imagined him coming through the front doors of the club again with that satisfied smile on his face. But it wasn't he who had come through the doors; it had been Jason. And she had never been so glad to see him.

He shrugged off his jacket and exhaled as he settled into the sofa. "He's preparing for takeoff now."

She didn't respond and he glanced aside to see her blank expression gazing aimlessly forward. But it wasn't exactly her expression that gained his most immediate attention - there was a large red mark forming upon her cheek from the hit she had taken.

Jason edged closer and turned her face in his hand to see the extent of the damage.

"What?" she asked.

He stood swiftly and she could see tension in him; he was furious about something. He went back in the jet and returned moments later with a bag filled with ice. Sitting next to her, he turned her again to put the ice along her cheek. She hissed at the intense sensation and he instinctually murmured his apologetic, soothing murmurings.

"I know, I'm sorry, but this will help a lot."

"I bet you deal with these kinds of bruises all the time," she remarked and he shrugged with a nod.

"Yeah."

They sat quietly as he held the bag to her face. Her eyes glanced up at him and he met hers.

"Thank you," she murmured, holding his steady gaze. She realized, now, just how deep he was in by becoming her "husband". He had agreed to risk his life and he did it without regret. For her.

He nodded his welcome, trying to stay as distant as possible as he looked away. She was looking into him so deeply and he had never seen that kind of grateful look in her before.

"Hold this there," he instructed, standing suddenly to retreat. "I have to make a call."

Jason headed to the back of the jet again and she slowly slumped into the sofa, holding the ice pack to her face. Maybe this island thing wouldn't be so bad. Tropical weather? Nothing to do except lie on the beach? Hell, she thought. It might even be a little fun...

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