Chapter 8 - Surprise
Depositing her backpack in her locker, Jack stuck her wireless earphones into her ears, making sure the earclips were securely seated, and clipped the small audio player to her waistband at the small of her back. She turned up the volume so that all she could hear was the music. It helped her to concentrate, and not think about anything else. Her mind had a tendency to try to think about fifty different things at once and she'd found out a long time ago that if she listened to music it calmed the other parts of her mind and allowed her to focus. She wanted to be very focused while she beat the shit out of the equipment tonight, and she didn't want to think about anything.
After doing her initial warm-up of stretches and jump rope, she was still tense. Wrapping white cloth tape around her hands to protect her knuckles, she rolled her head from side to side, stretching, trying to relax her tense muscles. No need to have to take a trip to the med unit for a pulled muscle just because she was pissed at herself for being stupid. She took a deep breath, trying to drop into her measured breathing. Dipping her hands into the chalk, she stepped up to the speed bag.
Despite the breathing, despite the loud music, and despite her desire not to, she found her mind drifting to the uncomfortable subject of Riddick. *You are such an idiot, Jack,* she told herself as she hit the speed bag. *What did you really expect? Something like one of your books?* It was instinct alone that allowed her to keep the rhythm on the speedbag. If she had to answer truthfully she knew she'd say she didn't know what to expect.
If someone asked her what she'd HOPED however, it would have been a different thing altogether. Maybe she'd read too many romance novels, maybe she was just still too much of a dreamer, but her reunion with Riddick this afternoon had not been anything like she'd fantasized about. Well, she thought with a smile, it had started out like some of her fantasies, but if it had ended anything like them she wouldn't be here now, beating the crap out of a poor defenseless speedbag.
Giving the bag one last hit, she shook her hands out, letting the blood flow back into her fingers. She hadn't realized how tightly she'd been clenching her fists. She was more pissed with herself than Riddick, really. He was right. What did they have to talk about? Slipping on the small padded gloves, she moved to the heavy bag. She could feel the familiar burn in her muscles as she hit the bag, felt the sweat rolling down her back. A comfortable ache settled into her body, that was good, it gave her something else to focus on.
As Alejandro was walking from the weight room to the lockers to pick up his stuff, he saw AJ working out on the heavy bag and looked down at his watch. It was later than she usually stayed at the gym. He'd been late because he'd had to work overtime and she hadn't been there so he hadn't expected to see her there tonight. He should have known better than to go up behind her while she was in 'the zone.'
The music filling her ears and her mind concentrating on pounding the bag, she didn't hear Alejandro calling out to her as he crossed the mats. She didn't feel his presence behind her until he tapped her on the shoulder. It was instinct that made her turn, lashing out at him. Jack sucker punched Alejandro with a right hook that sent him sprawling on his ass. He was just glad, as he held his jaw, waiting for the stars to pass, that there were mats to fall on. "Ok, I'll take that as a no for dinner."
Staring down at the now prone figure of Alejandro, Jack's mouth dropped open in shock. She pulled her earphones out of her ears and crouched down next to him, "Oh my God, Alej, I'm so sorry!" She held out her hand, helping him to stand up. "I can't believe I did that. Are you ok?"
Accepting her hand up, he looked at her warily. "You're not going to hit me again, right?"
Jack blushed, taking off her gloves and throwing them to the side. "No, I'm so sorry. I just, well, I was thinking about other stuff. And with my radio on, I didn't hear you."
Rubbing his jaw and making sure it still worked, he nodded his head. "It's ok. I should have known better than to come up behind you like that. I had just thought you might want to go get something to eat when you were done."
Jack sighed heavily, she was tired now, that's what she'd wanted, to tire herself out so she could go home and crash and not think about anything. "I'm sorry, hon. I just want to go home and sleep."
He could see there was something wrong, but she wasn't telling so he couldn't ask. "You want to walk me home then? You can make sure I don't get mugged," he joked. He hoped maybe on the trip home she'd tell him what was wrong.
The station was dark, simulated night. Studies had shown that humans in deep space functioned better when they were given the illusion of normal day and night periods. When Orion station had been built, it had been set to Earth standard day and night. During the daytime there were lights all over the station, simulating a safe form of sunlight. The lighting changed throughout the day, just as it would on earth, dawn to noon to twilight and then darkness. The only trouble with the simulated night was that the only stars were the ones that could be seen through the exterior windows of the space station. Jack sometimes missed the starlight and moonlight that filtered through atmosphere.
The walk home was quiet, neither of them talking much. Since they both lived in the same apartment complex, there was nothing strange about them walking home together, they did it all the time. There was just usually more talking.
Finally they were at Jack's door. She slid her keycard into the slot, waiting for the all clear light, and opened the door. Alejandro stopped her before she could go inside. "You sure you don't want to go out and get something to eat? Maybe go get a drink?"
"No, Alej. I'm just going to shower and climb into bed with a book." *And hopefully I'll get some sleep without thinking about Riddick,* she thought.
"Girl, you need to get out more. I know the look of sexual frustration, believe me. You haven't gone out with a guy since you got here six months ago, except for me and we both know that didn't count." Alejandro smiled at her, showing his rows of even white teeth. "Now, if you want to change that, I'd be more than happy to oblige." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you Alejandro. I appreciate the offer, but believe it or not I don't need a man to be fulfilled." She grinned mischievously at him. "You of all people should know that a real partner isn't actually required."
Alejandro leaned his forearm on the doorframe, still smiling. AJ was probably the only woman on the entire station he wasn't intimidated by. Now if he could do this with other women he'd have it made. "Well, no, but it's a hell of a lot more fun."
"No, baby. I wouldn't do that to you. It wouldn't be fair because I'd be thinking about someone else." She didn't mean to say it, hadn't even really formed the thought in her mind before it fell out of her mouth.
"I'm actually OK with that, chica." Alejandro laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "Well, you know where to find me if you get lonely." He started to go, but looked down into her eyes instead. Studying them. "You know, I've never seen you like this before. You've really got it bad, don't you?"
Jack shook her head, laughing mirthlessly at herself. "Yeah. I do."
"Who is this mystery man anyway?" He reached up and touched his jaw gingerly, "obviously you want to beat the shit out of him, but you've got some other deep stuff going on too." Flicking the end of her nose with is fingertip, he backed out of the doorway and pulled out his own keycard. He knew AJ enough to know she'd tell him if she wanted to, otherwise he might as well forget about ever finding out. The girl knew how to keep a secret, that was for sure. "You know if you want to talk, you can talk to me."
"Thanks, Alej, but this is something I need to work out on my own."
"Well, whoever this guy is. I don't know if I feel sorry for him or envy him."
She watched him walk down the hall to his door before closing her own. If there was anyone on the station she knew would be there for her it was Alejandro. Cassie and Carson were her friends, but Alejandro was her best friend. It hurt her just a little that she couldn't tell him everything, but she couldn't. It wasn't just about her, it concerned Riddick too. Some bonds were stronger than friendship.
Dropping her backpack on the chair beside the door, she toed off her athletic shoes, stripping off her socks and rolling them into a ball as she walked through the small living area toward the short hall that would take her to her bedroom and bathroom. She didn't bother turning on the lights, the dim illumination from the fish tank that separated the kitchenette from the living room lighting the path she would know in her sleep. Engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't see the dark form sitting in the chair across the room, feet propped up on the coffee table.
Sliding her fingers under the hem of the sports tank she was wearing, Jack started to pull it off as she made her way to the bathroom and the shower. She stopped mid stride, frozen in place as a gravelly voice spoke to her from the darkness. "Hello, Jack."
Depositing her backpack in her locker, Jack stuck her wireless earphones into her ears, making sure the earclips were securely seated, and clipped the small audio player to her waistband at the small of her back. She turned up the volume so that all she could hear was the music. It helped her to concentrate, and not think about anything else. Her mind had a tendency to try to think about fifty different things at once and she'd found out a long time ago that if she listened to music it calmed the other parts of her mind and allowed her to focus. She wanted to be very focused while she beat the shit out of the equipment tonight, and she didn't want to think about anything.
After doing her initial warm-up of stretches and jump rope, she was still tense. Wrapping white cloth tape around her hands to protect her knuckles, she rolled her head from side to side, stretching, trying to relax her tense muscles. No need to have to take a trip to the med unit for a pulled muscle just because she was pissed at herself for being stupid. She took a deep breath, trying to drop into her measured breathing. Dipping her hands into the chalk, she stepped up to the speed bag.
Despite the breathing, despite the loud music, and despite her desire not to, she found her mind drifting to the uncomfortable subject of Riddick. *You are such an idiot, Jack,* she told herself as she hit the speed bag. *What did you really expect? Something like one of your books?* It was instinct alone that allowed her to keep the rhythm on the speedbag. If she had to answer truthfully she knew she'd say she didn't know what to expect.
If someone asked her what she'd HOPED however, it would have been a different thing altogether. Maybe she'd read too many romance novels, maybe she was just still too much of a dreamer, but her reunion with Riddick this afternoon had not been anything like she'd fantasized about. Well, she thought with a smile, it had started out like some of her fantasies, but if it had ended anything like them she wouldn't be here now, beating the crap out of a poor defenseless speedbag.
Giving the bag one last hit, she shook her hands out, letting the blood flow back into her fingers. She hadn't realized how tightly she'd been clenching her fists. She was more pissed with herself than Riddick, really. He was right. What did they have to talk about? Slipping on the small padded gloves, she moved to the heavy bag. She could feel the familiar burn in her muscles as she hit the bag, felt the sweat rolling down her back. A comfortable ache settled into her body, that was good, it gave her something else to focus on.
As Alejandro was walking from the weight room to the lockers to pick up his stuff, he saw AJ working out on the heavy bag and looked down at his watch. It was later than she usually stayed at the gym. He'd been late because he'd had to work overtime and she hadn't been there so he hadn't expected to see her there tonight. He should have known better than to go up behind her while she was in 'the zone.'
The music filling her ears and her mind concentrating on pounding the bag, she didn't hear Alejandro calling out to her as he crossed the mats. She didn't feel his presence behind her until he tapped her on the shoulder. It was instinct that made her turn, lashing out at him. Jack sucker punched Alejandro with a right hook that sent him sprawling on his ass. He was just glad, as he held his jaw, waiting for the stars to pass, that there were mats to fall on. "Ok, I'll take that as a no for dinner."
Staring down at the now prone figure of Alejandro, Jack's mouth dropped open in shock. She pulled her earphones out of her ears and crouched down next to him, "Oh my God, Alej, I'm so sorry!" She held out her hand, helping him to stand up. "I can't believe I did that. Are you ok?"
Accepting her hand up, he looked at her warily. "You're not going to hit me again, right?"
Jack blushed, taking off her gloves and throwing them to the side. "No, I'm so sorry. I just, well, I was thinking about other stuff. And with my radio on, I didn't hear you."
Rubbing his jaw and making sure it still worked, he nodded his head. "It's ok. I should have known better than to come up behind you like that. I had just thought you might want to go get something to eat when you were done."
Jack sighed heavily, she was tired now, that's what she'd wanted, to tire herself out so she could go home and crash and not think about anything. "I'm sorry, hon. I just want to go home and sleep."
He could see there was something wrong, but she wasn't telling so he couldn't ask. "You want to walk me home then? You can make sure I don't get mugged," he joked. He hoped maybe on the trip home she'd tell him what was wrong.
The station was dark, simulated night. Studies had shown that humans in deep space functioned better when they were given the illusion of normal day and night periods. When Orion station had been built, it had been set to Earth standard day and night. During the daytime there were lights all over the station, simulating a safe form of sunlight. The lighting changed throughout the day, just as it would on earth, dawn to noon to twilight and then darkness. The only trouble with the simulated night was that the only stars were the ones that could be seen through the exterior windows of the space station. Jack sometimes missed the starlight and moonlight that filtered through atmosphere.
The walk home was quiet, neither of them talking much. Since they both lived in the same apartment complex, there was nothing strange about them walking home together, they did it all the time. There was just usually more talking.
Finally they were at Jack's door. She slid her keycard into the slot, waiting for the all clear light, and opened the door. Alejandro stopped her before she could go inside. "You sure you don't want to go out and get something to eat? Maybe go get a drink?"
"No, Alej. I'm just going to shower and climb into bed with a book." *And hopefully I'll get some sleep without thinking about Riddick,* she thought.
"Girl, you need to get out more. I know the look of sexual frustration, believe me. You haven't gone out with a guy since you got here six months ago, except for me and we both know that didn't count." Alejandro smiled at her, showing his rows of even white teeth. "Now, if you want to change that, I'd be more than happy to oblige." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you Alejandro. I appreciate the offer, but believe it or not I don't need a man to be fulfilled." She grinned mischievously at him. "You of all people should know that a real partner isn't actually required."
Alejandro leaned his forearm on the doorframe, still smiling. AJ was probably the only woman on the entire station he wasn't intimidated by. Now if he could do this with other women he'd have it made. "Well, no, but it's a hell of a lot more fun."
"No, baby. I wouldn't do that to you. It wouldn't be fair because I'd be thinking about someone else." She didn't mean to say it, hadn't even really formed the thought in her mind before it fell out of her mouth.
"I'm actually OK with that, chica." Alejandro laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "Well, you know where to find me if you get lonely." He started to go, but looked down into her eyes instead. Studying them. "You know, I've never seen you like this before. You've really got it bad, don't you?"
Jack shook her head, laughing mirthlessly at herself. "Yeah. I do."
"Who is this mystery man anyway?" He reached up and touched his jaw gingerly, "obviously you want to beat the shit out of him, but you've got some other deep stuff going on too." Flicking the end of her nose with is fingertip, he backed out of the doorway and pulled out his own keycard. He knew AJ enough to know she'd tell him if she wanted to, otherwise he might as well forget about ever finding out. The girl knew how to keep a secret, that was for sure. "You know if you want to talk, you can talk to me."
"Thanks, Alej, but this is something I need to work out on my own."
"Well, whoever this guy is. I don't know if I feel sorry for him or envy him."
She watched him walk down the hall to his door before closing her own. If there was anyone on the station she knew would be there for her it was Alejandro. Cassie and Carson were her friends, but Alejandro was her best friend. It hurt her just a little that she couldn't tell him everything, but she couldn't. It wasn't just about her, it concerned Riddick too. Some bonds were stronger than friendship.
Dropping her backpack on the chair beside the door, she toed off her athletic shoes, stripping off her socks and rolling them into a ball as she walked through the small living area toward the short hall that would take her to her bedroom and bathroom. She didn't bother turning on the lights, the dim illumination from the fish tank that separated the kitchenette from the living room lighting the path she would know in her sleep. Engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't see the dark form sitting in the chair across the room, feet propped up on the coffee table.
Sliding her fingers under the hem of the sports tank she was wearing, Jack started to pull it off as she made her way to the bathroom and the shower. She stopped mid stride, frozen in place as a gravelly voice spoke to her from the darkness. "Hello, Jack."