Brazens! You're out there! :D Well, I wanted to make a quick note for any of you who would like to hang out and chat with other Brazens, there is a terrific message board called Fan Forum (www.fanforum.com) and, more specifically, a Soap Opera board where you can discuss any and all soaps and couples, etc. But, of course, the Brazen thread is the best. So if you'd like a place to talk about the couple, that is a great place. :)

Let's move along… And thank you for still reading, you guys. ;)

Cry To Me

"We shouldn't be seen," Jason noted, glancing behind them as he and Brenda entered the small watering hole, the hum of the music filling the room. It was close enough so a twenty minute walk brought them to the hut but far enough so that it didn't bring people close to their house. She was threatening on sneaking out and he knew she could so it was best just to take her.

Sonny said Alcazar had gone underground so it was difficult to calculate exactly what he knew on their whereabouts. But Jason felt relatively safe on the island, knowing only Sonny knew the location.

"What are you talking about," Brenda nearly snorted. "There's, like, five locals here. And that shack is a hundred times worse than your penthouse, if you can believe that. I need to get out of there. There's nothing to do."

"Learn to sew."

"For the last time, no," she threw back and approached the small bar. The man behind the bar looked up at the two and smiled. They were used to foreign people on their island and usually suspected they were staying in such a secluded place for a reason.

"Good evening," he greeted. "What can I get the beautiful lady?"

"I think I'm going to need something hard," she beamed at the prospect of letting loose.

The bartender nodded and went for a bottle.

"Do you think you should be doing that?" Jason said suddenly. "With your illness."

"Pfft. I don't care," she waved as a drink was set before her. She took it and slammed it back swiftly.

"Hey." Jason scolded.

She exhaled as the drink burned down her throat. "Jesus, that's strong."

"No drinking," he immediately set down the rule.

"No, I'm fine. It's the first one that hurts the most," she shook her head to clear it. "And it doesn't effect the disease or anything. I've drank wine and all kinds of other things for the past four years."

"How can you be sure-"

"Alcohol has no effect on me other than the normal one," she remarked and motioned for another from the bartender.

"Well, in any case, I don't need you passed out drunk and I don't know if it's the booze or your illness. It's not like General Hospital is right around the corner, Brenda."

"I promise I'll be fine," she assured him and drank another. She then directed to the bartender, "You better get a beer for my husband. He's kind of tense."

Jason exhaled as he shrugged off his jacket, knowing he was in for a long evening.

***

Brenda watched as a group of men eagerly waited another who tossed a dart at the board, hitting the center. The men who had betted on him erupted in cheer and Brenda laughed after watching their games for the past half hour. She turned to see Jason seated at the table with her and he shook his head with a small smile after being equally entertained by the bets.

"They're making a lot of money; do you play darts?" she asked.

"Not professionally."

Brenda gasped and her arms shot out in a motion to halt everything. "Oh my God. Was that a joke??"

Jason puffed slightly as he peeled the label from the beer bottle and she went on in her giddy, slightly intoxicated state.

"Have the five beers melted the outer layer of ice that surrounds you?!"

"Apparently," he stated, going along with her. He could have fifteen beers and it wouldn't affect him but if he didn't humor her, she would go on about how cold he was and he didn't want to hear that was what she thought of him. She wasn't sloppy drunk yet; she had only gotten a little silly. It was strange, but he actually didn't mind seeing her so happy because she had only been miserable since she had gotten back. He hadn't seen her smile so much in so long. He really didn't want to bring her down.

"Finally," she said, pouring one more drink from the bottle they had brought to their table and settling back into the chair. "I'll remember that. Alcohol plus Jason equals good."

"All right," he murmured.

The radio, which played mostly local music and oldies, began a new song and Brenda sighed. "I love this song."

She bounced up out of her seat suddenly, rounding the table. "You have to dance with me-"

"No. Absolutely not."

"It's slow! You can stand there and sway can't you?" she argued as she grabbed his wrists, tugging at them.

"No."

"Please, Jason. Just this one. I swear I'll never ask you to dance ever again in my entire life." She finished the last sentence and what would normally be a figure of speech about the length of one's life, realistically hit her.

He watched her smile fade after she made a comment about the rest of her life. She was remembering; thinking of her illness; and he could see the sadness starting to seep back.

"Two minutes," he murmured as he stood and she beamed again. She led them to the empty corner that was invariably used for dancing and came close, setting her hands on his arms and her cheek to his chest. He absently let his hands float on her waist and listened to the song which was, unfortunately, becoming hypnotic.

Brenda smiled to herself as the words of the song swam through her happy thoughts.

'When your baby leaves you all alone and nobody calls you on the phone, don't you feel like crying? Don't you feel like crying? Well, here I am, honey, come on. Cry to me.'

Her hands slid up his arms to drape around his shoulders as she let herself ease against his body more. He was so warm and it had been so long since anyone safe had held her. She missed that so much. The feel of someone's body next to hers, especially someone who made her feel secure.

Jason felt her shift when her arms tightened around his neck. The damn song was talking about smelling perfume and while she, obviously, didn't have any, she still smelled good. He had relaxed after a moment and his hands only barely felt the softness of her body. When she sank into him slightly, he cursed himself for enjoying it so much. But it was when her fingers idly touched the back of his neck, edging up through his hair, that he felt a jolt really shoot through his body.

"Brenda," he murmured, pulling away slightly so he was able to part their bodies and look down at her. She met his eyes and froze at the sight of him. He was going to say something about them needing to head back and call it a night, but he was sure that by the way she was looking at him, she saw what he was feeling. Maybe she could see that he wanted to touch the rest of her or press her back against him or taste her. From the gentle shock that was on her face, he knew she saw something.

"We should go back," he managed to get out and turned to get the coats.

Brenda stood alone as he collected their things. Jason looked hot; and she didn't mean hot-good-looking, she meant hot and bothered. His eyes had been dark and his skin was flushed. She had never seen him like that. But she liked it.

With a plan quickly forming in her mind, she grabbed the bottle they had already bought on her way out, following Jason for the long walk home.

***

"Have you ever seen an albino squirrel?" Brenda slurred as she stumbled along behind Jason. He didn't answer. She had taken that bottle when they left and he saw it was practically empty. He would have noticed how much she had gulped down earlier, but he was so concentrated on the path and not looking at her that he hadn't noticed. Now that he thought about it, maybe she would forget everything that happened. Not that anything did happen. It was only a look.

"Jason," she murmured. "Did you know that I love buffalo wings?"

He exhaled as they moved on. She stumbled a little heavily and tumbled to the ground with a laugh. He stopped and bent to help her. She was still laughing when she yanked him down and he plopped to sit.

"Brenda," he sighed at her playing. At least she wasn't a violent drunk.

She was giggling still and she moved on top of him suddenly, her legs straddling him and her arms wrapping around him.

"Brenda, what are you..." he barely murmured moments before she sighed happily and leaned forward to take his lips. He felt the press of her hotly against him and he froze when her mouth seized his.

She kissed him, in her drunken stupor, with enthusiasm but he wasn't responding. Her arms clutched him tighter as she kept on.

Jason could feel her kisses down to his toes and her hot little hands were holding his head, keeping him blissfully still. Her body pushed against his and her lips, burning into his head, was all too much. He surrendered finally and kissed her back.

Brenda felt him break and he was suddenly holding her to him, his arms hauling her as close to his hard body as possible. Instead of her kissing him, her mouth was his all of the sudden as he powerfully tasted inside, making her quiver through her core.

Jason stopped just as suddenly as he had started, his head falling so he did not have to look at her. "Brenda, we have to stop."

"Why?" she sighed, her hands smoothing at the back of his neck.

"You're drunk," he replied, parting himself from her to stand.

"So what?" she laughed as he pulled her to her feet.

"Come on."

He started off and she paused. Well, her experiment sort of worked. She had decided she would test him, just to see if he'd ever reciprocate any action. She had been pouring the booze on the path as they walked along so the effects of the drink she had earlier had nearly disappeared. But she could hide behind the 'drunk' story for anything she did.

The experiment worked in the sense that he had responded - and very well. God, he kissed amazing. But the problem was she still didn't know if he had stopped to protect her because she was drunk or was it for something else? Sonny came to mind more than anything else. If she weren't drunk, would he have stopped still, was what she wondered.

It would all have to be figured out later. He was starting off and she couldn't let her cover slip. She caught up with him, still playing drunk, and looked up at the stars.

"Do you think kittens can get angry?"

...