I'm sorry, that I didn't get this chapter up by Wednesday like I'd told
some people I would. I'm carrying a full course load at school and am
trying to maintain a 4.0. The whole fic *will* be up by before the season
premiere.
Enjoy. And please review.
************************************************************************
[Continuation of chapter 4.]
"Where is it?"
"What?"
"My d-my journal."
"How would I know?" ~He thinks I took it..~
"Penny, you're the only one who knew where it was... Or that it even existed."
"What would I need to steal 'memoirs of a dork' for? To sell it on the black market? 'Cause you know, I heard there just isn't that big of a demand anymore. "
"Penny, just give it back." ***He moves from around his desk to stand in front of her.***
"I didn't take it."
"Fine."
"I didn't." ~Seriously, dude. you're not that interesting.~
"I said, fine." ***He moves closer.***
"So, mean it." ***She smirks. Was that a flirtatious smile?***
***Dylan walks in holding something in her hands. A somber look on her face.***
***It's a bit ominous how the clouds outside Jake's window have gone gray.***
***Things are not made better by Jake and Penny's positions. He's standing close to her. Within inches. It doesn't help that they're smiling. Brightly. Dylan reacts for a nanosecond. The nanosecond before they even realize she's there.***
***In the frozen second after they do realize, lightning strikes and thunder booms. They all jump ever so slightly. Jake takes the opportunity to move further away from Penny.***
***The somber look could mean anything really. Some people just look like that when it's about to rain.***
"Dylan."
"Were you looking for this?"
***She sets his journal down.***
***Penny reacts.*** "I told you it wasn't me."
"Where'd you find it?" ~She couldn't have taken it.~
***Dylan doesn't say anything. Not with her voice, anyway. Her eyes do speak. Jake looks to Penny.*** "Penn, can you give us a minute?"
"No, Penny, you can stay."
***Penny stands there a bit confused.***
"Um, I'm gonna go."
***Jake and Dylan shout at the same time.***
"Yeah, Penny, go!" No, Penny, stay!"
***She looks at both of them before just walking out.***
***Jake waits a few beats before speaking.***
"You read it."
"Some."
"Which part?"
"You're a good writer, Jake."
"Dylan."
"Was it all fiction or a narrative?"
"It was just a dream."
"There's no such thing."
"Dylan, yes, there is! There has to be."
"Why, Jake? Because-"
"Because I love you, Dylan."
"But you *want* her."
"I don't. Look, whatever you believe about dreams and people's desires..."
"You wanted to win, Jake. You wanted to beat Gavin. You wanted to feel like your moving here was for something. That you weren't wrong."
***He looks at her for a few beats before speaking.***
"That isn't true." ***His expression is dead serious.***
***The thunder seems to get louder. The rain against the side of the building taps steadily.***
"If you'd said that a few seconds sooner, I might have believed you." ***She walks out.***
***He doesn't follow after Dylan, but he does walk out after her.***
"Jake, you okay?"
"Yeah, Penny, I'm fine."
***She nods.***
"I'm going to take a walk, clear my head. Will you hold all of my calls?"
"Yeah."
***He walks away.***
***Close to three hours have passed before he returns.***
***His office door is open. He knows he'd left it closed, yet he still doesn't expect to see anyone there.***
"Jake, what is this?"
~Not again.~ "It's, um... What are you doing in my office?"
"It's late, I'm going home, I was bringing you your messages. What is this? This never happened."
***She looking at his journal.***
"Well... that one did. But not like that. Quite an imagination there, Jake."
"Give it to me."
***She does.***
"Are you going to answer my question?"
"It's a journal. No one's supposed to read it, but me."
"Well, if you keep leaving it out..."
"Dylan took it out of my desk. And *you* didn't have to open it."
"What? She made me curious."
***She looks at him. He decides to talk.***
"It was a dream."
"A dream? Really?"
"Maybe we really don't have any control over what we want. Maybe my subconscious knows something I don't."
"Hgh. I'm gonna go."
"What? What did I say now?"
"Nothing, Jake."
"Penny."
"I don't want to be somebody's subconscious fantasy."
"What does that mean?"
"You're not *that* stupid, Jake."
***She too walks out on him.***
***Before he can walk after her Dylan appears.***
"Dylan. I was-"
"I packed some of my stuff."
"Dylan."
"I think... we rushed into things. We need some time apart."
"What does that mean?"
"It means we need time apart."
"Are we breaking up?"
"I don't know. I know it was a dream. And I know I shouldn't have read it. But I did. And you dream about her. While I'm in the bed next to you, you dream about her."
"It was-"
"I just need to think. So, I'm-I'm gonna take a couple of weeks and just get out of here."
"When are you coming back?"
"I don't know."
"*Are* you coming back?"
"I think so. Yes. I just-need this."
***Her glossy eyes stare at his.***
"I can't help thinking... Maybe it was never me."
"Dylan."
"I'll see you when I get back."
***She walks out quickly.***
***Penny's quick to come back in.***
"I thought you were going home."
"So, how much did Dylan read? All of it?"
"I don't how much she read."
"Did she break up with you?"
"Not exactly. No, she didn't. She just needed time to think."
"Well, don't worry. She didn't read all of it."
"How do you know?"
"Because I did. No woman who'd read all of that would come back to you."
"Not even you?"
***He looks at her.***
***She ignores him. But not before giving him the satisfaction of a small facial reaction.*** ~What did that mean?~ "So, are you going to apologize?"
"For what?"
"For saying I took it."
"I never actually said-"
"I told you it wasn't me."
***He really looks at her for a long moment.***
"Maybe it was."
*************About five days later.**************
***Jake picks up the phone in his office. He'd just dragged himself in moments earlier. He dials Claire.***
"Jake? Do you realize what time it is here?"
"It's only a two hour time difference, Claire."
"Two hours I could have been sleeping. Okay, what is it? What do you want?"
"What?"
"Don't be coy. You're calling me. You must want something. Spit it out."
"Dylan-"
"Stop right there! This is exactly why I left."
"Really?"
"No! Jake, what now? What about the girl?"
"Dylan and I... sort of separated."
"You broke up."
"No. Separated."
"Okay. What's the question?"
"I need advice, Claire."
"That's why I haven't hung up on you. On what, exactly?"
"I had a dream about Penny and Dylan read about it."
"You wrote it down?! Jake, did you learn nothing from me?!"
"Apparently, how to screw up a perfectly good relationship."
"So you want Penny now."
"That's what I need help with. I don't know."
"I can't make that decision for you."
"I tried making up my own mind. Obviously, that didn't work."
"Okay, answer a few questions. Do you love Dylan?"
"Yes."
"Do you love Penny?"
"I might."
"All right. Who's the one that gives you goose bumps?"
"I don't know... Both?"
"Who's the one you dream about?"
"Both?"
"Problem solved. You've got yourself a threesome."
"Claire!"
"You're hopeless, Jake. If you can't answer those questions, you shouldn't be talking to me. You should be talking to a shrink."
"I don't need a shrink."
***She stays silent.***
"Okay, *maybe* I need a shrink."
"If someone came to you with this problem, what advice would you give them?"
"Listen to their heart."
"There you go."
"But my heart doesn't know. My head doesn't even know anymore. I just don't know."
"Well, if your heart and head don't know maybe your di-"
"Claire! Really, you gotta stop."
"What? I'm just saying. Your body knows what it wants."
"Thanks for your help."
***He's about to hang up.***
"Don't over think it. The answer will come to you."
***Jake places the receiver down.***
***Penny walks in.***
"Uh, Jake-"
"Yeah?"
"There's someone here to see you."
"Who is it?"
"Some guy from the station."
"Send him in."
***The man steps into Jake's office. He isn't exactly the friendliest looking man.***
***Jake closes the door.*** "I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you. I know you've called three times- "
"Eight."
"Eight, right. Um... It's been hectic around here lately and-"
***The man shoots him a look and Jake shuts up.***
***Frank walks up behind Penny.***
"Who's that? He looks official. FBI?"
"No."
"CIA?"
"No."
"NSA?"
"No! Frank, he's from the station."
"I don't know about that. Maybe he's just saying that so he doesn't blow his cover."
"Whatever."
***She's a little preoccupied with the fact that this man had come all the way there just to talk to Jake. Was that a good or a bad sign?***
~Well, I did hang up on him a few times.~
"What does he want?"
"It's been two weeks."
"Oh. Oh."
***Frank walks away.***
***The man walks out looking just as serious as he did when he'd gone in.***
***Jake comes out a few seconds later.***
"Jake, what happened?"
***He doesn't say anything.***
"Jake?"
"We've been canceled."
***Thunder booms yet again. Like it had nearly ever day this week. Miami was now officially in storm season.***
Enjoy. And please review.
************************************************************************
[Continuation of chapter 4.]
"Where is it?"
"What?"
"My d-my journal."
"How would I know?" ~He thinks I took it..~
"Penny, you're the only one who knew where it was... Or that it even existed."
"What would I need to steal 'memoirs of a dork' for? To sell it on the black market? 'Cause you know, I heard there just isn't that big of a demand anymore. "
"Penny, just give it back." ***He moves from around his desk to stand in front of her.***
"I didn't take it."
"Fine."
"I didn't." ~Seriously, dude. you're not that interesting.~
"I said, fine." ***He moves closer.***
"So, mean it." ***She smirks. Was that a flirtatious smile?***
***Dylan walks in holding something in her hands. A somber look on her face.***
***It's a bit ominous how the clouds outside Jake's window have gone gray.***
***Things are not made better by Jake and Penny's positions. He's standing close to her. Within inches. It doesn't help that they're smiling. Brightly. Dylan reacts for a nanosecond. The nanosecond before they even realize she's there.***
***In the frozen second after they do realize, lightning strikes and thunder booms. They all jump ever so slightly. Jake takes the opportunity to move further away from Penny.***
***The somber look could mean anything really. Some people just look like that when it's about to rain.***
"Dylan."
"Were you looking for this?"
***She sets his journal down.***
***Penny reacts.*** "I told you it wasn't me."
"Where'd you find it?" ~She couldn't have taken it.~
***Dylan doesn't say anything. Not with her voice, anyway. Her eyes do speak. Jake looks to Penny.*** "Penn, can you give us a minute?"
"No, Penny, you can stay."
***Penny stands there a bit confused.***
"Um, I'm gonna go."
***Jake and Dylan shout at the same time.***
"Yeah, Penny, go!" No, Penny, stay!"
***She looks at both of them before just walking out.***
***Jake waits a few beats before speaking.***
"You read it."
"Some."
"Which part?"
"You're a good writer, Jake."
"Dylan."
"Was it all fiction or a narrative?"
"It was just a dream."
"There's no such thing."
"Dylan, yes, there is! There has to be."
"Why, Jake? Because-"
"Because I love you, Dylan."
"But you *want* her."
"I don't. Look, whatever you believe about dreams and people's desires..."
"You wanted to win, Jake. You wanted to beat Gavin. You wanted to feel like your moving here was for something. That you weren't wrong."
***He looks at her for a few beats before speaking.***
"That isn't true." ***His expression is dead serious.***
***The thunder seems to get louder. The rain against the side of the building taps steadily.***
"If you'd said that a few seconds sooner, I might have believed you." ***She walks out.***
***He doesn't follow after Dylan, but he does walk out after her.***
"Jake, you okay?"
"Yeah, Penny, I'm fine."
***She nods.***
"I'm going to take a walk, clear my head. Will you hold all of my calls?"
"Yeah."
***He walks away.***
***Close to three hours have passed before he returns.***
***His office door is open. He knows he'd left it closed, yet he still doesn't expect to see anyone there.***
"Jake, what is this?"
~Not again.~ "It's, um... What are you doing in my office?"
"It's late, I'm going home, I was bringing you your messages. What is this? This never happened."
***She looking at his journal.***
"Well... that one did. But not like that. Quite an imagination there, Jake."
"Give it to me."
***She does.***
"Are you going to answer my question?"
"It's a journal. No one's supposed to read it, but me."
"Well, if you keep leaving it out..."
"Dylan took it out of my desk. And *you* didn't have to open it."
"What? She made me curious."
***She looks at him. He decides to talk.***
"It was a dream."
"A dream? Really?"
"Maybe we really don't have any control over what we want. Maybe my subconscious knows something I don't."
"Hgh. I'm gonna go."
"What? What did I say now?"
"Nothing, Jake."
"Penny."
"I don't want to be somebody's subconscious fantasy."
"What does that mean?"
"You're not *that* stupid, Jake."
***She too walks out on him.***
***Before he can walk after her Dylan appears.***
"Dylan. I was-"
"I packed some of my stuff."
"Dylan."
"I think... we rushed into things. We need some time apart."
"What does that mean?"
"It means we need time apart."
"Are we breaking up?"
"I don't know. I know it was a dream. And I know I shouldn't have read it. But I did. And you dream about her. While I'm in the bed next to you, you dream about her."
"It was-"
"I just need to think. So, I'm-I'm gonna take a couple of weeks and just get out of here."
"When are you coming back?"
"I don't know."
"*Are* you coming back?"
"I think so. Yes. I just-need this."
***Her glossy eyes stare at his.***
"I can't help thinking... Maybe it was never me."
"Dylan."
"I'll see you when I get back."
***She walks out quickly.***
***Penny's quick to come back in.***
"I thought you were going home."
"So, how much did Dylan read? All of it?"
"I don't how much she read."
"Did she break up with you?"
"Not exactly. No, she didn't. She just needed time to think."
"Well, don't worry. She didn't read all of it."
"How do you know?"
"Because I did. No woman who'd read all of that would come back to you."
"Not even you?"
***He looks at her.***
***She ignores him. But not before giving him the satisfaction of a small facial reaction.*** ~What did that mean?~ "So, are you going to apologize?"
"For what?"
"For saying I took it."
"I never actually said-"
"I told you it wasn't me."
***He really looks at her for a long moment.***
"Maybe it was."
*************About five days later.**************
***Jake picks up the phone in his office. He'd just dragged himself in moments earlier. He dials Claire.***
"Jake? Do you realize what time it is here?"
"It's only a two hour time difference, Claire."
"Two hours I could have been sleeping. Okay, what is it? What do you want?"
"What?"
"Don't be coy. You're calling me. You must want something. Spit it out."
"Dylan-"
"Stop right there! This is exactly why I left."
"Really?"
"No! Jake, what now? What about the girl?"
"Dylan and I... sort of separated."
"You broke up."
"No. Separated."
"Okay. What's the question?"
"I need advice, Claire."
"That's why I haven't hung up on you. On what, exactly?"
"I had a dream about Penny and Dylan read about it."
"You wrote it down?! Jake, did you learn nothing from me?!"
"Apparently, how to screw up a perfectly good relationship."
"So you want Penny now."
"That's what I need help with. I don't know."
"I can't make that decision for you."
"I tried making up my own mind. Obviously, that didn't work."
"Okay, answer a few questions. Do you love Dylan?"
"Yes."
"Do you love Penny?"
"I might."
"All right. Who's the one that gives you goose bumps?"
"I don't know... Both?"
"Who's the one you dream about?"
"Both?"
"Problem solved. You've got yourself a threesome."
"Claire!"
"You're hopeless, Jake. If you can't answer those questions, you shouldn't be talking to me. You should be talking to a shrink."
"I don't need a shrink."
***She stays silent.***
"Okay, *maybe* I need a shrink."
"If someone came to you with this problem, what advice would you give them?"
"Listen to their heart."
"There you go."
"But my heart doesn't know. My head doesn't even know anymore. I just don't know."
"Well, if your heart and head don't know maybe your di-"
"Claire! Really, you gotta stop."
"What? I'm just saying. Your body knows what it wants."
"Thanks for your help."
***He's about to hang up.***
"Don't over think it. The answer will come to you."
***Jake places the receiver down.***
***Penny walks in.***
"Uh, Jake-"
"Yeah?"
"There's someone here to see you."
"Who is it?"
"Some guy from the station."
"Send him in."
***The man steps into Jake's office. He isn't exactly the friendliest looking man.***
***Jake closes the door.*** "I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you. I know you've called three times- "
"Eight."
"Eight, right. Um... It's been hectic around here lately and-"
***The man shoots him a look and Jake shuts up.***
***Frank walks up behind Penny.***
"Who's that? He looks official. FBI?"
"No."
"CIA?"
"No."
"NSA?"
"No! Frank, he's from the station."
"I don't know about that. Maybe he's just saying that so he doesn't blow his cover."
"Whatever."
***She's a little preoccupied with the fact that this man had come all the way there just to talk to Jake. Was that a good or a bad sign?***
~Well, I did hang up on him a few times.~
"What does he want?"
"It's been two weeks."
"Oh. Oh."
***Frank walks away.***
***The man walks out looking just as serious as he did when he'd gone in.***
***Jake comes out a few seconds later.***
"Jake, what happened?"
***He doesn't say anything.***
"Jake?"
"We've been canceled."
***Thunder booms yet again. Like it had nearly ever day this week. Miami was now officially in storm season.***
