"Bring me up to speed," the doctor said, snapping the latex glove on.
The EMT started in as Keely was wheeled into an exam room. "White female, approximately twenty-eight years old, no apparent history of seizure. Her co-worker said she just fell over after teaching a class, grabbing her abdomen and crying. She's alert and responsive to stimuli. BP and pulse are normal, no apparent trauma from the fall."
"Thanks, boys." The doctor smiled comfortingly down at Keely. "I'm Dr. Michaels. Can you tell me your name?"
"Keely," she replied weakly, struggling to sit up, then doubling over in pain once more. "Ow, shitballs," she muttered, offering a half-smile to the doctor.
"Lay back," he ordered, pressing her shoulder gently. Reaching for her abdomen, he pressed gently in several spots. "Tell me when I hit where it hurts, Keely."
Keely shifted and gasped in pain as he pressed down on her abdomen. "Everywhere," she said through clenched teeth.
Dr. Michaels nodded. "Okay, you're going to have to help me out here. Be a little more specific. Which side hurts worse?"
"My right," Keely managed, shifting as he pressed to make sure for himself.
Grabbing the clean chart and making a note, he pulled up a stool on wheels and began asking questions. "When was your last menstrual period, Keely?"
"Um..." Keely did a quick mental calculation. "About three, three and a half weeks ago. I'm due any day."
"Last bowel movement?"
Keely thought again. "Um, yesterday, maybe the day before? I'm not sure."
"Have you ever had really bad cramps before or during your period?"
Keely shook her head. "Nothing that a few Midol couldn't handle."
"Okay, Keely, I'm going to send a nurse in to draw some blood. We're going to figure out what's going on. Just lay back and relax." Dr. Michaels smiled reassuringly. "Is there anyone we can call for you?"
Keely bit her lip in thought. "Yeah, can you contact Martina Salinas, at Bookends Publishing?" Keely rattled off the phone number and eased herself back on the pillows, grimacing at the pain.
"No problem, I'll have one of the nurses do that now." Dr. Michaels left, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Soon, a nurse in a crisp white uniform came in, blond hair piled high on her head. "Good afternoon," she chirped. "I hope you don't mind, but I've got to pretend I'm a vampire for a moment. I've come to steal your blood," she laughed softly. "Right arm or left, or do you have a preference?"
"Left, please," Keely replied, smiling slightly at the joke.
Tying off the blood flow in Keely's upper arm, the nurse rubbed the inside of her elbow a couple of times, until she could see the little blue vein. Inserting the needle quickly, she stuck a small vial in the back and watched it fill up. "Well, since I'm going to be here for a little while," she nodded toward the three other vials and variety of cups, "I'm Jennifer. What's your name?"
"Keely O'Reilly. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too, Keely. What a beautiful name," she commented, capping off the full vial and reaching for a new one, clicking it into place. "What're you in for?" she asked, grabbing the file with her free hand and flipping it open.
"Severe abdominal pain, and a bruised tailbone from falling on my ass in the middle of my classroom," Keely replied, turning her head away from the blood removal.
"Ew, bruised tailbones are the *worst*," Jennifer complained. "I broke mine once. You do not even want to know how much it hurts to sit after you break your ass." Changing vials again, she assured Keely, "We're almost done. So your stomach hurts, huh? Have you had unprotected sex?" Jennifer asked bluntly, searching for a pen in her shirt pocket. She had seen on the chart that Dr. Michaels didn't complete the evaluation, and she assumed she was supposed to do so. *After all, they're *doctors*,* she thought with contempt. *We're here to do what they don't feel like doing.*
Keely opened her mouth to immediately say no, but then, with a twinge of horror, remembered her visit to DC a month ago. "Oh, God," she murmured.
"That a yes?" Jennifer asked, pen poised over paper.
Keely covered her face with her hand for a moment, then nodded. "Once, a month ago, with my monogamous partner," she admitted. "There's no way, right? I mean...that can't...it was..."
"It's always a possibility," Jennifer said evenly. "Don't worry, we'll run a pregnancy test, just in case." She capped off the last vial of blood and placed a pink band-aid over the puncture site. Handing Keely a cup, she inclined her head toward the bathroom. "Can you make it over there to give us a sample?"
Keely said nothing for a minute, then nodded. She stood on wobbly feet and took the specimen cup, heading over to the bathroom. She emerged a few minutes later, holding the cup at arm's length and handing it to Jennifer. "All yours."
"Thank you," Jennifer said, screwing the cap on tightly. "We can't give you anything for the pain until we're sure you're not pregnant, but give a holler if it gets intolerable, and I'll see what I can do." She patted Keely's shoulder, heading back out to the nurse's station. "Oh," she added, turning back, "Andrea notified your contact a few minutes ago. She said to tell you she'd be here in an hour, and she's calling someone named AJ. Okay?"
Keely nodded, a nervous pit
doubling the pain in her stomach.
* * *
At the publishing house, Martie searched frantically on Keely's desk for any
sign of a phone number for AJ. While Martie knew of her friend's
relationship, Keely had been less than forthcoming with information other than
the basics. Triumphantly, Martie found an old post-it note with Keely's
handwriting. "AJ work--703-545-3837." Martie picked up
the phone, took a deep breath and dialed.
"Chegwidden," AJ answered immediately.
"AJ Chegwidden?" Martie asked.
"This is he. Can I help you?" he asked, impatient to get back to his interrupted briefing with Mac and Harm.
"Admiral, this is Martie Salinas. I'm a friend of Keely's in Seattle. I've got some news about her."
Spinning his chair to face the wall, AJ lowered his voice. "What's going on?" he asked, immediately concerned.
"Apparently, she collapsed with severe abdominal pain after one of her classes this morning. She's been taken to the University hospital, and I'm heading over there in a few minutes, but I figured you'd want to know."
"Dammit," AJ swore, his chest tightening. "Is she okay? Do they know anything yet?"
"I really have no idea, Admiral. I didn't get to speak to her, just a nurse who called me. They said they're running tests and should know more later on today." Martie paused. "I'm sorry I don't have anything further."
"No,
that's okay. Thank you, Martie. Can you do me a favor?" he
asked, without waiting for a reply. "Tell Keely I'll be on the first
flight out."
Martie smiled despite herself. "Absolutely. Did you need a
ride from the airport? I can get a publishing house representative to
meet you."
"No, thanks, I can get a cab. Thanks again, Martie. Bye." AJ hung up and turned back to his junior officers with a sigh. "I have to leave," he said brusquely, gathering up some papers and stuffing them in a folder. Handing it to Mac, he said, "Mackenzie, you're in charge. I'm not sure when I'll be back. Page me if you need me." He strode toward the door, turning back for a final warning. Pointing to Harm, he said, "Keep him out of trouble, Mac."
Mac's mouth dropped open, but she recovered quickly. "Absolutely, sir. Is everything all right, Admiral?"
"No." AJ strode
out of his office and out to his car.
* * *
Keely shifted again in her bed, drawing her knees up in an effort to stop her pain. She motioned to Jen, who happened to be passing by in the hallway. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"Shoot," the nurse replied, sticking her head into the room.
"Is there any way I can use a phone? I want to make sure my friend Martie got through to my...other friend."
"Sure," Jen replied, opening a cabinet and pulling out an old, avocado-colored phone. "Dial nine and then the number. Anything else?"
"Can you yell at Dr. Michaels to figure out what the hell is wrong with me?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jennifer laughed softly. "I'll kick his butt myself." She shut the door behind her as she left, giving Keely a little privacy.
Keely leaned over and dialed 9, waiting and praying for the dial tone. She said a quick prayer of thanks and dialed AJ's cell phone, praying again that he had it on.
AJ glanced around the airport before realizing it was his pocket that was ringing. "Chegwidden," he said quickly. *Please God let her be okay,* he thought.
"Hey," Keely said weakly, tears filling her eyes at the sound of his voice.
"Oh, god, Keely," he breathed, pressing the phone to his ear as if he could hold her in his arms if he held the phone tight enough. "Are you okay?"
"No," she answered truthfully. "It hurts like a bitch, and they have no idea what's going on. I just, uh...they gave me a possible scenario, and I wanted to talk it over with you."
Sighing softly, AJ braced himself. "What is it?" he asked, covering his other ear to hear her better.
Keely licked her lips and took a deep breath before continuing. "When I was admitted, they asked me some questions, and one of them was if I'd had any unprotected sex lately." She paused. "They drew some blood to do a pregnancy test, AJ."
AJ couldn't breathe. His mind was spinning and all he could hear was air rushing past. When he could finally focus, he shook his head. "Keely, I may not be an expert, but I don't think you're supposed to be in pain when you're pregnant," he said, confused.
Keely smiled in spite of herself. "Well, never being pregnant before, I don't know either. But I think there could be problems if an embryo attached itself in the fallopian tubes, or if I'm miscarrying, there would be pain. I don't know, AJ, there are a deluge of problems that could happen, and I didn't want to make any decisions without you if this is the case."
"I..." AJ tried to think, but all he could do was feel: confused, helpless....terrified. *What if something happens to her?* he thought. *And our ba......baby?* AJ almost laughed mentally. He was almost sixty years old and facing the possibility of fatherhood again. "Keely," he began. His voice was soft and his words were carefully chosen. "Wait until the tests come back. If you're pregnant, then we'll deal with that, okay?"
Tears slipped unbidden down Keely's face. "I'm scared, AJ," she whispered. "I mean, I never considered this in the slightest. And I know that this isn't a certainty...but God, AJ, what if it is? We never talked about it, we certainly never planned for it..." She trailed off, wiping her face. "I just feel so helpless."
"It's okay," AJ assured her. "As long as you're okay, we'll deal with whatever the tests say. And I mean, a baby's not so bad," he admitted. "Sure, I'll be like eighty when it graduates high school," AJ laughed, "but I'm buff. I won't look a day over sixty-five."
Keely laughed. "Just think, if we take it to see the Teletubbies movie, I'll pay one adult, one child, and one senior. Cost effective."
Chuckling, AJ added, "Oh, I wonder if AARP members get discounts on *little* diapers, too?"
Keely laughed loudly, then groaned as her abdomen contracted again. "You gotta watch that, old man," she warned.
"Sorry, kid," he said contritely. "Are they giving you anything for the pain?" AJ asked, worried.
"Not yet. I haven't seen the doctor in a while," she admitted. As she said this, Dr. Michaels rapped lightly on the door and stuck his head in. "Speak of the Devil," Keely said lightly. "AJ, the doctor just came in. When's your flight?"
"It's set to take off in fifteen minutes."
"Okay," Keely replied, looking at Dr. Michaels. "Have you figured out what's going on yet?" she asked quietly.
"Yes," the doctor answered. "You want to keep your...friend on the phone for this? It'll save time."
Keely nodded, speaking back into the phone. "Dr. Michaels is going to brief me now, you want me to pass it on to you?"
"Please," AJ said, ordering the butterflies in his stomach to stop fluttering. He wasn't sure which would be worse at this point: if Keely were pregnant...or if she weren't.
"Well, it's actually quite simple, Keely. First of all, we ran a lot of blood tests, and you're not pregnant. It's also not a blood disorder, which are becoming more common. From the location of the pain, the sudden onset and the lack of a definitive cause, we think it's probably appendicitis. We want to take you upstairs immediately for exploratory surgery."
"Oh, God," Keely replied. "All right." She paused a minute before talking to AJ. "AJ? They think it's appendicitis. They're taking me up to surgery."
"Okay," AJ said helplessly. "I'll be there as soon as I can, honey."
"'Kay. I love you."
"I love you, too. More than anything," he added, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll see you soon."
"Okay," Keely said again, indulging in a few of his breaths before hanging up the phone. She looked at Michaels and nodded. "All right, let's go."
Handing her a consent form, Dr. Michaels paged two orderlies. "I'm leaving you in the competent hands of our surgical resident, Dr. Keller. I'll see you in a few hours, okay?"
Keely signed the forms, sighing. *I get the feeling any hands are more competent than yours, Doctor.* "That's fine. Listen, there's going to be a tall man, bald, late fifties, coming in here in a Navy uniform. He's going to be worried and might throw you around a little. Answer all his questions...and tell him I love him, okay?"
"Absolutely," Dr. Michaels promised. He took the completed forms and disappeared. Two orderlies took his place, wheeling Keely into the elevator and up to the Surgical Floor. Soon, she was in the operating room and under anesthesia.
* * *
Keely eased her eyes open an innumerable amount of hours later, a haze surrounding everything in the post-surgical ICU. She groaned as she moved her head, trying to see where she was and what was going on.
"Hey," AJ said, his fingers wrapped around hers. "Welcome back." His other hand brushed Keely's hair away from her eyes.
Keely cleared her throat, tilting her head towards the sound of his voice. "Hey," she replied raspily. "How long have I been out?" she asked, blinking several times in an attempt to clear her head from all the drugs floating in there.
"In all? About five hours. The surgery took two and a half, and you've been in and out for another two and a half." AJ smiled in relief. "It's good to see you. But you know, if you wanted me to come visit sooner, you should've just said something. No need for all these theatrics, Keel."
Keely smiled, trying to push herself up the into a more comfortable position. "That's right, I do it all for you." She looked around the rest of the ward. "Did Martie go home?"
"No, she went to get us some coffee. You know," AJ added thoughtfully, "she really cares about you a lot. She hasn't left your side since you came out of surgery."
Keely smiled again, albeit groggily. "She's a sweetheart when she needs to be." She squeezed his hand. "Thanks for coming."
"Are you fucking insane?" AJ asked, appalled. "Like I'd be anywhere but here."
"I know," Keely replied. "We just...we've been missing each other lately, not talking as much. I wasn't sure if that was having an effect."
AJ shook his head, squeezing her hand gently. "Never," he admonished. "Not ever."
"That's good to know." Keely attempted to readjust herself more comfortably in her bed, then sighed when it became apparent that wasn't happening any time soon. "What time is it, AJ?"
"Eight o'clock," AJ said, brushing her hair out of her face again.
"That means your body's telling you it's 11," Keely protested. "Go back to my place, get some sleep. I have a feeling that if the doctors have their way with me, I'll be zonked out for the rest of the night."
"Nope," AJ replied, settling back into a chair. "I'm not leaving."
Keely began to protest, but was overtaken by a long, loud yawn. She sighed, closing her eyes. "I'd argue with you if I didn't know you so well, instead of realizing how much of a moot point it is when you talk like that."
AJ smiled, leaning over to kiss Keely's forehead gently. "Good," he murmured. "Get some rest."
Yawning again, Keely nodded. "You, too." As she allowed her drug-induced haze to drift her towards unconsciousness, she whispered, "Love you, old man."
"I love you, too, kid.
Sleep tight." AJ tucked the blankets tightly around Keely, settling
back in his chair, his eyes drifting shut.
* * *
"Oh, AJ, for Christ's sake, I can walk," Keely protested as the orderly waited with the wheelchair, two days later. "I'm not an invalid. I can make it to the elevator and out to your car, which I know is parked illegally in the ambulance bay."
"It's in the parking lot," AJ lied, "and it's hospital policy. Now sit down and shut up, kid."
Keely glared at AJ, but eased herself into the chair just the same. "When I'm at full strength, I'll get you for this," she muttered as they waited for the elevator.
"You can try."
Keely rolled her eyes and smiled contritely at the orderly as she slipped into AJ's rental. She laid her head against the headrest and sighed, waiting for him to join her.
Climbing in beside her, AJ thanked the orderly and drove off, carefully avoiding the incoming ambulances. Heading towards Keely's condo, he kept glancing over to make sure she was all right.
Keely's eyes slid shut and she sighed, exhausted. Smiling, she forced her eyes open and looked at AJ while he watched her. "Well, it looks like it won't take much for you to tire me out this trip," she teased.
"Good, I was kind of exhausted myself," he smiled. "We can both recuperate this time around." He pulled into her driveway, going around and opening her door, helping Keely out.
Keely smiled, linking her arm through his, needing not just his physical support, but emotional as well. As they made it up the walkway, Keely started to put her keys in the lock when the front door sprang open.
Martie's cheerful face appeared and she gingerly hugged Keely. "You poor invalid."
Keely laughed, hugging her roommate. "Thanks."
Martie smiled at AJ, then turned back to Keely. "I'm going with David to visit his parents in Detroit for the long weekend. Are you okay looking after Sadie by yourself?"
Keely's brow furrowed. "I thought you said you weren't going."
Martie shrugged. "Whatever. I left all my contact info on the fridge if you need me, okay?" She hugged Keely again, dragging her suitcase out of the condo. To AJ, she said, "She's a pain in the ass when she's sick. Take care of yourself along with her, hmm?"
Laughing, AJ called after her, "Will do. See you!" Leading Keely into the quiet house, he glanced around with a worried expression. "She's chewing something she's not supposed to," he muttered, referring to the dog. "She's never this quiet. Sadie!" he bellowed.
The golden retriever puppy came galloping into the room, a thread hanging from her mouth.
Keely laughed, easing herself onto her oversized couch, sighing in relief. Sadie joined her, placing her head on Keely's lap, and Keely responded by stroking her soft fur, mumbling niceties to her dog.
AJ sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and watching Keely carefully. The strain of the past couple of days was starting to catch up with him.
Keeping her focus on Sadie, Keely said softly, "You look like hell. Go get some rest. I'll be fine down here on the couch."
"No, I'm okay. Besides, you should be sleeping in a bed, not on a couch. It's better support," AJ added, reaching out to stroke behind Sadie's ears.
Keely stared him straight in the face. "Fine. I'll go upstairs, but only if you come with me."
"Deal."
"Good." Keely rose off the couch and ascended the stairs slowly, relying on AJ to make sure she didn't fall. She slid her shoes off, then crawled carefully onto the bed, waiting for AJ to join her.
Slipping in behind her, AJ lowered his arm over Keely, keeping it raised a little so she could position it where he wouldn't hurt her.
Keely smiled, resting her cheek against his arm. "Well, this certainly wasn't what I had in mind for your visit," she joked, curling her good arm on her pillow and supporting her head.
Kissing the back of her neck, AJ laughed softly. "Really?" he teased. "I think it's perfect."
Keely smiled. "What, you like me helpless?"
"No," AJ protested. "I like you in my arms."
Keely made a content noise in the back of her throat, a combination of an agreement and a chuckle. "Well, I like being held," she agreed, somewhat embarrassed.
"Good, then I can keep doing it?" AJ asked softly, kissing the nape of her neck again.
"I think that can be arranged."
AJ smiled wistfully. "For how long?" he asked softly, stroking her arm slowly.
Keely raised her eyebrows, not having an immediate response. Finally, she asked equally as softly, "How long were you thinking?"
"Fore----for a good long time," AJ stumbled over the words.
Keely smiled, understanding, and even if he couldn't see her. "I'd like that, AJ. A good long time sounds wonderful."
AJ sighed, satisfied. "Good, I'm glad that's settled." He kissed her neck once more for good measure. "As soon as I get back to DC, I'll reserve my commission and put the house on the market."
"Oh, you meant right now a good long time?" Keely turned her head to look at him. "I, uh, well, wow. I wasn't expecting that."
"Why not? I mean...." AJ paused, shaken slightly. "Do you want me to move to Seattle, Keely?"
"Oh, AJ, more than anything," Keely replied quickly. She thought her words over before speaking again. "These past three months, I've fantasized about you coming out here, but when it didn't immediately happen...I guess I just didn't want to get my hopes up any further. Plus, I feel like I'm *making* you come out here, something that doesn't rest well with me."
AJ shook his head slowly. "No one makes me do anything I don't want to, Keely. Need I remind you, I'm an Admiral? I'm used to being in charge...I don't get pushed into things. That said," he laughed, "you are making me do this, in a way. You made me fall for you," he teased, "which is why I want to move."
Keely smiled broadly at him, returning her head to her pillow. "Guilty," she replied, playing with his fingers as they laid on her chest. "So, where do we go from here?"
"Well, I go to the airport," AJ teased.
Keely shook her head. "You know what I mean. I mean, as much as I love you, I don't think I'm ready to get married just yet, or have little feet running around here. I was scared shitless when they ran those tests at the hospital, thinking, 'Oh, God, what if I am? What if I'm not?' We've never talked about anything permanent until now."
"Marriage?" AJ took a deep breath. "Why don't we just start with living together and see what happens?" he suggested. "The thing is, Keely, I don't want to be three thousand miles away the next time you need me. Not being able to be here was killing me."
"I know. And the mere thought of not waking up with you would put me in *such* a mood," she said lightly. "All right. We'll just take it one step at a time, and see where we end up." She yawned, snuggling further against him.
"Good," AJ said. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, making a mental note to call JAG and check on Rabb as soon as Keely fell asleep.
Keely felt him move, and smiled, keeping her eyes closed. "Go and do your work, but I want you to be rested when I wake up, all right?"
AJ moved his mouth a couple of times but nothing came out. Finally, he shook his head, laughing softly. "How do you do that?" he asked rhetorically, slipping out of the bed and taking the cordless into the living room.
Keely yawned again, snuggling further into the pillows. "You always notice the oddest things about the people you love," she replied in a tired whisper, and then let sleep overtake her.
Leaning over, AJ's lips brushed Keely's temple. "I love you," he whispered to his sleeping lover. Moving stealthily towards the bedroom door, he tried not to wake her.
* * *
Keely awoke from her two hour nap, moving to stretch, but remembering quickly not to, since it was still tender around her abdomen. She drew herself up into a sitting position and ran a hand through her hair, making a mental note to get it cut when she was back at full strength. On wobbly feet, she lifted herself off her bed, listening for any clues to gauge where AJ was. She heard either the radio or the television coming from downstairs, and Keely headed out into the hallway towards the staircase.
Clicking
the TV off, AJ slung his bag over his shoulder, taking a peek at his
watch. "Dammit," he murmured. "I'm gonna be
late."
Keely came into the kitchen and saw him with his bag, her brow immediately
furrowing in concern. "AJ? Everything all right?"
"Fine," AJ turned, smiling. "I just have to get going or I'm going to miss my plane."
Keely smiled with him, her heart breaking again. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'll be back in a week. We'll survive," he teased.
Keely chuckled. "I keep forgetting that. I guess it hasn't sunk in yet." She looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. "Lord, AJ, you really are going to miss your plane! Why'd you wait so long?"
"I was watching you sleep," he admitted, picking up his bag from where he'd laid it on the counter. "I'll see you soon, okay?"
Keely nodded, walking slowly over to him. She rose partway on her toes, drawing his head to hers and kissing him, tenderly and thoroughly. "Thanks for everything, AJ."
"Oh, cut it out," AJ chuckled. "I'll see you in a week, kid." Kissing her gently, he was interrupted by the honking of the taxi. "Bye."
Keely followed him to the front
door, watching as he ran to the cab. "A week," she said under
her breath. "Lord almighty." She waved as the cab drove down
her street and returned to the living room.
* * *
Glancing around his office one last time--*No,* AJ corrected himself mentally. *It's Rabb's office now...for a while, at least.* In the wake of his sudden retirement, AJ had appointed Harm as his temporary replacement. Until the SecNav could find a permanent taker for the job, he was the JAG. AJ shuddered at the thought, laughing to himself. "Thank god I'll be three thousand miles away," he laughed aloud.
There was a rap at the door and AJ called, "Enter!"
"Sir?" Harm peered around the door. "The staff has something they'd like to say before you leave."
"I'll be right out," AJ said, turning in a slow circle. He glanced over the office and followed Harm out. Making his way into the bullpen, AJ was overcome by the sight he beheld. The entire office staff, down to the interns from Georgetown Law School, were gathered there. Harriet stood at the front of the group, her eyes wet with tears. Mac had her arm around the younger woman's shoulders, murmuring words of assurance.
As AJ stepped into the room, Mac hollered, "Attention on deck!" though she really needn't have. The air was still, not a sound was audible as everyone snapped to.
Waving his hand, AJ dismissed them. "At ease." He shook his head. "None of this," he reprimanded Harriet with a firm glare. "I'm just going to say goodbye and get going."
"We just got you a little something, Admiral," Harriet said, holding back tears. "Here," she said, stepping forward and thrusting it into his hands.
AJ took the small gift and smiled. "I'll open it on the plane, it'll give me something to look forward to. Thank you all. It's been a pleasure serving with you." He snapped off a salute, and when his crew had returned it, AJ stepped off down the hall quickly, before he could think about what he was leaving behind.
* * *
The door to the house in McLean closed easily behind AJ. Everything was cleared out and shipped off to Seattle; he'd double- and triple-checked every room personally.
As the handle clicked into place, AJ passed the keys to the realtor. "You have my number in Seattle, if there are any problems. Otherwise, I'll expect a check within ten business days." Without waiting for a response, AJ climbed into the cab, watching the Virginia countryside disappear behind him for the last time.
Making his way quickly through the metal detectors and past the kiosks and restaurants in the terminal, AJ found his gate and slumped down in a seat. Immediately reaching for his cell phone, he dialed the number from memory and waited impatiently for an answer.
"This is Keely." Keely balanced her office phone between her shoulder and her ear, trying desperately to find her grade book underneath the pile of papers that had accumulated over her week off.
"Hey, baby," AJ grinned.
Keely laughed, leaning back in her chair and motioning to her TAs to give her five minutes alone. "Well, hi. Where are you?"
"Dulles. Listen, I need to ask you a favor," AJ said, a serious tone coming into his voice briefly.
"Anything."
"Remind me why I'm moving to Seattle."
Keely's brow furrowed in a familiar gesture, her mind rushing to find the right answer. Finally, she smiled. "I just bought a new pair of Wranglers?"
AJ laughed softly. "What do your jeans have to do with anything?"
"Well, I know how much you enjoy my ass, and unfortunately, you can't see that over the phone. By moving to Seattle, it'll be all ass, all the time. We'll call it AssVision."
"AssVision?" AJ repeated loudly, bursting into laughter. He coughed, embarrassed, as he realized people were staring. "Okay, thanks. Now I remember."
Keely laughed with him. She paused a second, then said softly, "Are you okay, AJ?"
"I'm okay," he replied easily. "It's just going to be strange for a while." The speaker crackled as they announced his flight. "I have to go, Keely, they're calling my flight. I'll see you in a few hours."
"All right, AJ. I'll meet you at the airport." She lowered her voice, even though she was alone, for her thankful words were meant for him and him alone. "I love you, old man."
"I love you, too, kid. Bye."
Keely hung up her phone, leaning against the back of her chair. After a moment, she triumphantly held up her grade book and called her TAs back in the room, her gaze fluttering every now and then to the pile of CDs perched on the edge of her desk. She smiled at the top case, Marc Cohen, noticing her favorite song. "Walking In Memphis." She hummed to herself, her thoughts drifting from her assistants to a plane flying the friendly skies.
It wasn't going to be easy, but it sure was going to be fun.
*
* *
Six hours later, AJ stepped off the plane, his eyes searching the terminal.
Keely stood against the wall, watching him search for her, then stepped forward with a luminous smile. She raised her hand in greeting, but said nothing, simply walking towards him, grinning rather uncontrollably.
A grin spread across AJ's face to match Keely's, as he swung her up into his arms and hugged her gently. "I'm home," he murmured.
Keely laughed, hugging him tightly. "Took you long enough," she chided, brushing her lips against his. "Welcome home," she said softly, kissing him again.
Keely finished loading the dishes in the dishwasher later that evening, a warm feeling about her, despite the coldness outside. She turned the machine on, dimming the lights and locking the doors and windows as she and AJ headed upstairs to bed. They entered Keely's bedroom, where AJ's boxes were piled along her south wall. Keely shook her head as she retrieved her pajamas, slipping the flannel over her body. They were really going to have to rethink this "Three's Company On Crack" living arrangement.
She moved into the bathroom, brushing her teeth quickly, then took a deep breath before heading out into her bedroom. As AJ moved for his turn in the bathroom, Keely opened her nightstand drawer and retrieved her glasses and manuscript. Over her week off, she'd been inspired to finish her book, and did. Now came the hardest part--reading it to her inspiration.
With Crest-fresh breath, AJ slipped into bed, glancing curiously at the bundle of pages that Keely held. "What's that?" he asked, half-knowing the answer already.
"My book. Kind of." Keely held up the pages, then settled them on her bent knees. "Would you take a listen?" she asked shyly, placing her glasses on her knees and rolling up the oversized sleeves on her pajama top.
"On one condition," AJ bargained with a smile.
"Oh, Lord," Keely muttered. "All right, what is it?"
Wordlessly, he opened his arms, patting the empty spot next to him.
Keely smiled, scooting over from her perch on the end of the bed into the comfort of his arms. Resting her head on his chest, she began to read. Some of it he'd heard before, but she'd changed a few parts, especially her happy ending.
~~Allison excused herself from the banquet area, lifting her gown's edge and quickly leaving the ballroom. As she stood, chest heaving in anger, in the lobby outside the awards banquet, she cursed herself, Daniel, anyone she could think of. How dare he show up here, mere months after breaking her heart again? He had to have known she'd be here; she *was* acting president of the association, after all.
She felt the air behind her shift, and she turned on her heel, staring into his brown eyes, hers defiant and livid. She'd known he'd follow her, that was how he worked.
How they worked.
"Allison," he began, but she cut him off with a well-manicured nail.
"Save it. I have nothing to say to you."
Daniel chuckled, giving her a blatant once-over. "Your actions would suggest otherwise, Allie."
"Don't ever call me that again, Daniel. You have no right after the shit you've pulled."
"The shit *I've* pulled?" Daniel replied, mouth agape. "You're the one who---"
Allison shook her head, turning away from him. "I'm not getting into this with you. Not here, not now, not *ever*. Enjoy your hard-earned success, Daniel, but just remember, among your awards and acclaim, who got you there." She began to head out into the cool Boston night when his strong hand pulled on her bicep.
"I can't forget, Allison, even if I wanted to," Daniel seethed, pulling her closer in a terrible rendition of an old Bogie/Bacall movie. "You're too much a part of me."
Allison laughed outright, her breath tickling his face. "You're one sanctimonious son of a bitch, you know that?" She shrugged angrily out of his grasp. "Leave me alone, Daniel. Just...leave me alone."
She turned again; if she hadn't, she would have seen his face visibly fall. Instead, she finally left the ballroom, climbing into a cab and ordering it to get her the hell out of there.
She wasn't running from her past, or her problems, she would realize later. She was running from her future. Her chest constricted at that thought, and she cursed herself again for letting him get to her as he did.
She removed her diamond earrings at the hotel that night, regarding herself in the mirror. Her eyes were darker, the few fine lines around her face had multiplied since he'd left six months ago.
She shook her head, unzipping her dress.
She wasn't in love with him, she chastised herself. She wasn't.
As she headed to the bathroom, she saw a shadow cast itself under her door. She reared back in surprise, stepping into the bathroom, waiting.
There was a brief knock, and Allison felt herself, for some inexplicable reason, move toward the door. She held one hand at her back, holding her dress together, as she opened the door.
His face was red with tears, and his voice was hoarse. "I can't lose you again, Allie. And whether it's now, or a year from now, I'm going to keep coming back until you let me in. I fought once for you, and I'll do it again."~~
Keely placed a finger at the edge of the chapter, craning her head to see AJ. "Does it totally suck, or just partially?"
"It's incredible," AJ murmured, transfixed. "Is that the end?"
"I don't know," Keely replied honestly. "I like the lack of finality, but there's so much more to be said." She closed the manuscript and laid it on the nightstand, placing her glasses on top of it. "Depends what Martie and Sam say, too."
"You're right," AJ acknowledged. "But I think it's wonderful so far. What made you change the ending?"
Keely shrugged, returning to her original position, laying her head on his chest. "Every day is a struggle," she said quietly. "Personally, and in our relationships with people. But ultimately, they define us. To have Allison and Daniel walk off into the sunset without having to fight to get there isn't realistic. Hopefully, the outcome will be the same in that they end up together and relatively happy, but for now, I like the angst."
AJ laughed softly, kissing Keely's forehead. "Me, too. I smell a best-seller."
Keely smiled against his chest. "We'll see," she chuckled. "Can't count our chickens before they hatch."
"Who said anything about chickens?" AJ teased. "I'm talking about your book."
Keely groaned. "You're terrible," she admonished. "I might have to rework Daniel's sense of humor - maybe actually *give* him one."
"Oh, don't do that," AJ grinned. "Then he wouldn't be based on me anymore."
"That's the whole point," Keely teased. Yawning, she wrapped her arm around his waist, placing a kiss on his t-shirt. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.
"Me, too," AJ replied. In his mind, he kept seeing their future...and wondering how hard it would be.
She looked up at him, seeing the faraway look in his eyes, her stomach dropping. "You know you can reconsider staying here at any time. You've given up so much for me, and while I'm not expecting peaches and cream in this relationship, not even in the slightest..." she trailed off, sighing. "If you just need to leave, to go back to DC, I'll understand, AJ."
Sighing softly, AJ reached over and lovingly smacked Keely in the side of the head. "I just sold my house, gave up my job and left all my friends. I moved across the country, to share a *room* in a *condo* with you. Doesn't that tell you *anything* about how I feel and where I want to be?"
Keely smiled. "I'm not doubting how you feel about me, AJ, nor am I reconsidering how I feel about you. I'm just saying, if you hate it out here, hate the weather, whatever," she chuckled, "I just want you to be happy in everything." She scooted further up the bed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Speaking of living arrangements, Martie's threatening to put us out in one of your cardboard boxes if we don't figure out who's going where soon."
Ignoring most of her comments, AJ replied succinctly, "Then tomorrow we'll start house-hunting."
Keely shook her head. Damn stubborn man. "Just no white picket fences. Far too clichéd."
"Agreed. We'll find one with a green picket fence."
End
Ch. 6
