Karen awoke with a throbbing pain in her head. She looked around the room, wondering what time it was. The blinds were slightly open, letting the night lights from the city spill into the room casting stripes across the walls, floor and her bed.
She was cold and alone. She felt sick. Her hand moved up to touch the spot on her cheek where he had hit her. Tears welled up in her eyes as memories of last night flashed before her. She was terrified, her own husband had struck her....what else was he capable of doing?
"That bastard" she thought.
She laid back down, her hands clutching the sheets. She wanted to run. Get out of there and away from Stan. In all honesty, she had never been that fond of him, his money was all that kept her there. But now even that was starting to loose its hold on her. They didn't talk, they hardly ever saw each other any more. When they did see each other it was always the same, he just wanted sex. He'd have his way with her, and then leave. There was no passion, no emotion. She hated it. Thats why she immersed herself in alcohol and pills, they numbed the pain. No one really stopped to think about why she grabbed at every chance to intoxicate herself. No one cared to wonder how horrible a girls childhood must of been for her to abandon love for money and an occasional glance at one another.
She wanted more than this. And she knew exactly who she wanted it from. But that always made her more depressed. "Way to go honey.." she thought to herself "..fall for the only guy that will never look at you the way you look at him"
Her eyelids shut, and all she saw where his piercing blue eyes staring back at her.
````
Jack sat alone in his apartment. The glow from the mute tv casting shadows on the walls. He leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.
Ever since Will had suggested that maybe he was falling for Karen his feelings for her had intensified to the point where he sometimes felt as if he would die from wanting her. Wanting her body pressed up against his, her bottom lip caught between his own, her taste, wanting to tangle his fingers in her chocolate brown hair, wanting to hear her voice, caring and sweet only for him. He wanted to be hers, and she his.
God it killed him that she was married. He'd give anything to be in Stans place now. Stan could never appreciate her like he did, never love her as much as he loved her. All he did was ignore her, and then throw money at her to keep her quiet. She deserved so much more than that.
~~
The next morning Jack made his way across the hall and into Wills apartment. Will was standing in the kitchen making breakfast.
""Morning Jack!" Will greeted, cheerily.
"Hey Will.." Jack replied. There was a melancholy in his voice that Will had never heard before.
Hey, whats wrong Jack?" Will asked looking concerned.
"Nothing....I just...I just got myself worked up about Karen and to top it off she hasn't called all morning....she always calls." Jack said plopping himself down in a chair at the table.
Will put some scrambled eggs on a plate and placed it in front of Jack.
"Don't worry about that, she's probably just out shopping and hasn't had a chance to call." Will said reassuringly. Jack pushed the eggs around on his plate with his fork. "But Jack, if you feel this strongly for her maybe you should tell her?"
Jack looked up at Will. "Tell her?..." God could he do that? Sometimes he felt so small in her presence, she was so incredible, so powerful, so intoxicating. Could he really tell her that he, her gay best friend, has fallen in love with her? It scared him to think of her reaction.
"I don't know if I can do that Will" Jack said
"Why not?" Will asked
"Because Will! What if she doesn't feel the same? What if it becomes awkward between us and I loose my best friend and the most incredible woman I've ever met!? I couldn't bare it Will, if I lost her. I don't know what I'd do...I need her. She's all I have." Jack concluded tears welling up in his eyes.
Will leaned over and hugged Jack. "It'll be okay Jack, everything will turn out alright in the end. And if its not alright yet, then its not the end.
"Thanks Will" Jack said with a small smile.
Jack left shortly after, and Grace had woken up and came out to eat.
"Hey Will" Grace said smiling "Morning" he said smiling back.
"Mmm food" she said, pilling breakfast onto her plate and sitting down next to Will at the table.
"So" Will began. "You Will not believe what I have to tell you"
"What? Barneys is having a sale?" Grace said looking hopeful.
"No Grace" Will said rolling his eyes. "What then?" she said getting impatient.
"Okay, brace yourself." Grace grabbed the handle on her chair.
"Jack.....is in love.....with........" Will paused and watched stared at Grace. "WHO!" Grace yelled. Will laughed. "Haha, just wanted to make sure you where really listening"
"Okay, Jack is in love with...a woman." Will finished, waiting for her reaction. "Are you serious?" Grace said laughing. "Yes I'm serious, but wait, it gets better"
"Keep going" she urged.
"You'll never guess who this woman is"
"...is this a famous person..or someone we know?" Grace asked.
"Oh definitely someone we know" Will replied.
"Your mother...? No wait..my mother? I think that ones more believable."
"No you perv!"
"What?" Grace said.
"Okay ready?" "Yeah"
"....Karen"
"GET OUT!" Grace yelled smacking Wills arm. "OWWW PSYCHO!" Will cried, rubbing his arm.
"Oh my GOD, I can't believe this!...well maybe I can a little." "Oh my GOD!" Grace said, shocked.
"I know" Will replied.
"So wait..does Karen know this?" Grace asked
"Not as far as I know" Will said.
````
Back at the penthouse it was now noon, Karen hadn't even left the bed yet. She just lay there, praying that Stan wasn't home waiting for her to come out.
She got up and went into the bathroom. Staring at her reflection in the mirror there was a noticeable bruise on her left cheekbone. She opened up a drawer to her right and pulled out some base make up. Applying it to her face she tried to conceal the bruise. She managed to make it look a little bit better, but there was only so much she could do. You could still tell.
She walked quickly out of the bathroom and into her closet. She pulled out a Louis Vuitton bag and started thrusting clothes, shoes, and anything else she could get her hands on into it. She walked back into the room and grabbed her purse. She was about to walk out the door, but turned and ran back to the bed picking up Jacks bear and putting it in her bag.
She opened her door slowly peeking out. Stan's office door was slightly ajar, and she could hear his voice coming from inside. She froze. "Oh God" she thought "Come on you can do this, your Karen Walker!"
She slowly moved outside of the door, closing it quietly behind her. She slipped past his office and rushed as quietly as possible down the long stair case. There weren't any maids around as she rushed into the foyer and out the front doors.
She got into her limo throwing her bags on the seat next to her.
"To Jacks driver!"
````
Karen stepped out of the elevator and walked up to Jacks door. She hesitated before she knocked, a bit nervous about telling Jack what had happened. When she did knock no one answered. She knocked again, but still no answer.
"He's not home" she sighed.
She reached into her purse pulling out her wallet and reached into one of the pockets pulling out a silver key. She opened the door and walked into Jacks dark apartment. Shutting the door she placed her bags on the floor and walked around checking to see if maybe he was there but sleeping. When she found that he really wasn't there, she went into his bathroom and drew herself a bath.
```````
Ten hours later Jack finally returned home. He was tired and just wanted to burry himself in the covers of his bed and fall asleep. He had left his apartment at noon and went and sat in the park for several hours just watching the people go by. After he went to a bar where he spent the rest of his night. Several men came up to him, striking up conversation. But he couldn't keep himself interested in what they where saying. Especially when a particularly handsome man came up to him, with hazel eyes and chocolate brown hair. All Jack could think of was Karen, her hair, her eyes. God she was everywhere to him. Finally he had given up and gone home.
As he walked through his apartment he failed to notice the bags by his door. He pushed his bedroom door open and was about to get into to bed when he noticed that someone was already there.
He quickly flipped his lights on and a smile spread across his face. Karen was laying there. Her hair spread across his pillow, one arm resting across her stomach. He loved watching her sleep. When they took naps together he often woke up before her and just watched her.
He was about to move to get into bed when he stopped. His eyes ran over her face stopping at the bruise on the side of her cheekbone. Before he could even react he heard a faint beeping. He walked out of the room, following the sound. He stopped in front of Karen's purse and opened it up pulling out the source of the noise. He hit the talk button on her cell phone but didn't say anything.
"Karen?!" Jack heard Stan yell from the other end. "I know its you! You listen to me! I don't know where you are but you better get the hell back here right now, or I swear to God a lot worse will happen to you than what happened last night!!
With that Jack heard the phone click and he lowered it from his ear. He stood there completely shocked at what he just heard. Then the pieces came together in his mind, as he realized that Stan must of caused the mark on her cheek. Anger quickly welled up inside him. "I don't believe this" he thought "That fucking bastard!"
Jack walked back into his room, he thought of waking Karen but knew she was probably extremely upset over this and he thought it was best to let her sleep. He crawled into bed next to her, sliding one hand down the side of her face, he kissed her cheek lightly. He draped one arm protectively over her waist and smiled as she rolled over snuggling up against him.
"I love you" he whispered
She was cold and alone. She felt sick. Her hand moved up to touch the spot on her cheek where he had hit her. Tears welled up in her eyes as memories of last night flashed before her. She was terrified, her own husband had struck her....what else was he capable of doing?
"That bastard" she thought.
She laid back down, her hands clutching the sheets. She wanted to run. Get out of there and away from Stan. In all honesty, she had never been that fond of him, his money was all that kept her there. But now even that was starting to loose its hold on her. They didn't talk, they hardly ever saw each other any more. When they did see each other it was always the same, he just wanted sex. He'd have his way with her, and then leave. There was no passion, no emotion. She hated it. Thats why she immersed herself in alcohol and pills, they numbed the pain. No one really stopped to think about why she grabbed at every chance to intoxicate herself. No one cared to wonder how horrible a girls childhood must of been for her to abandon love for money and an occasional glance at one another.
She wanted more than this. And she knew exactly who she wanted it from. But that always made her more depressed. "Way to go honey.." she thought to herself "..fall for the only guy that will never look at you the way you look at him"
Her eyelids shut, and all she saw where his piercing blue eyes staring back at her.
````
Jack sat alone in his apartment. The glow from the mute tv casting shadows on the walls. He leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.
Ever since Will had suggested that maybe he was falling for Karen his feelings for her had intensified to the point where he sometimes felt as if he would die from wanting her. Wanting her body pressed up against his, her bottom lip caught between his own, her taste, wanting to tangle his fingers in her chocolate brown hair, wanting to hear her voice, caring and sweet only for him. He wanted to be hers, and she his.
God it killed him that she was married. He'd give anything to be in Stans place now. Stan could never appreciate her like he did, never love her as much as he loved her. All he did was ignore her, and then throw money at her to keep her quiet. She deserved so much more than that.
~~
The next morning Jack made his way across the hall and into Wills apartment. Will was standing in the kitchen making breakfast.
""Morning Jack!" Will greeted, cheerily.
"Hey Will.." Jack replied. There was a melancholy in his voice that Will had never heard before.
Hey, whats wrong Jack?" Will asked looking concerned.
"Nothing....I just...I just got myself worked up about Karen and to top it off she hasn't called all morning....she always calls." Jack said plopping himself down in a chair at the table.
Will put some scrambled eggs on a plate and placed it in front of Jack.
"Don't worry about that, she's probably just out shopping and hasn't had a chance to call." Will said reassuringly. Jack pushed the eggs around on his plate with his fork. "But Jack, if you feel this strongly for her maybe you should tell her?"
Jack looked up at Will. "Tell her?..." God could he do that? Sometimes he felt so small in her presence, she was so incredible, so powerful, so intoxicating. Could he really tell her that he, her gay best friend, has fallen in love with her? It scared him to think of her reaction.
"I don't know if I can do that Will" Jack said
"Why not?" Will asked
"Because Will! What if she doesn't feel the same? What if it becomes awkward between us and I loose my best friend and the most incredible woman I've ever met!? I couldn't bare it Will, if I lost her. I don't know what I'd do...I need her. She's all I have." Jack concluded tears welling up in his eyes.
Will leaned over and hugged Jack. "It'll be okay Jack, everything will turn out alright in the end. And if its not alright yet, then its not the end.
"Thanks Will" Jack said with a small smile.
Jack left shortly after, and Grace had woken up and came out to eat.
"Hey Will" Grace said smiling "Morning" he said smiling back.
"Mmm food" she said, pilling breakfast onto her plate and sitting down next to Will at the table.
"So" Will began. "You Will not believe what I have to tell you"
"What? Barneys is having a sale?" Grace said looking hopeful.
"No Grace" Will said rolling his eyes. "What then?" she said getting impatient.
"Okay, brace yourself." Grace grabbed the handle on her chair.
"Jack.....is in love.....with........" Will paused and watched stared at Grace. "WHO!" Grace yelled. Will laughed. "Haha, just wanted to make sure you where really listening"
"Okay, Jack is in love with...a woman." Will finished, waiting for her reaction. "Are you serious?" Grace said laughing. "Yes I'm serious, but wait, it gets better"
"Keep going" she urged.
"You'll never guess who this woman is"
"...is this a famous person..or someone we know?" Grace asked.
"Oh definitely someone we know" Will replied.
"Your mother...? No wait..my mother? I think that ones more believable."
"No you perv!"
"What?" Grace said.
"Okay ready?" "Yeah"
"....Karen"
"GET OUT!" Grace yelled smacking Wills arm. "OWWW PSYCHO!" Will cried, rubbing his arm.
"Oh my GOD, I can't believe this!...well maybe I can a little." "Oh my GOD!" Grace said, shocked.
"I know" Will replied.
"So wait..does Karen know this?" Grace asked
"Not as far as I know" Will said.
````
Back at the penthouse it was now noon, Karen hadn't even left the bed yet. She just lay there, praying that Stan wasn't home waiting for her to come out.
She got up and went into the bathroom. Staring at her reflection in the mirror there was a noticeable bruise on her left cheekbone. She opened up a drawer to her right and pulled out some base make up. Applying it to her face she tried to conceal the bruise. She managed to make it look a little bit better, but there was only so much she could do. You could still tell.
She walked quickly out of the bathroom and into her closet. She pulled out a Louis Vuitton bag and started thrusting clothes, shoes, and anything else she could get her hands on into it. She walked back into the room and grabbed her purse. She was about to walk out the door, but turned and ran back to the bed picking up Jacks bear and putting it in her bag.
She opened her door slowly peeking out. Stan's office door was slightly ajar, and she could hear his voice coming from inside. She froze. "Oh God" she thought "Come on you can do this, your Karen Walker!"
She slowly moved outside of the door, closing it quietly behind her. She slipped past his office and rushed as quietly as possible down the long stair case. There weren't any maids around as she rushed into the foyer and out the front doors.
She got into her limo throwing her bags on the seat next to her.
"To Jacks driver!"
````
Karen stepped out of the elevator and walked up to Jacks door. She hesitated before she knocked, a bit nervous about telling Jack what had happened. When she did knock no one answered. She knocked again, but still no answer.
"He's not home" she sighed.
She reached into her purse pulling out her wallet and reached into one of the pockets pulling out a silver key. She opened the door and walked into Jacks dark apartment. Shutting the door she placed her bags on the floor and walked around checking to see if maybe he was there but sleeping. When she found that he really wasn't there, she went into his bathroom and drew herself a bath.
```````
Ten hours later Jack finally returned home. He was tired and just wanted to burry himself in the covers of his bed and fall asleep. He had left his apartment at noon and went and sat in the park for several hours just watching the people go by. After he went to a bar where he spent the rest of his night. Several men came up to him, striking up conversation. But he couldn't keep himself interested in what they where saying. Especially when a particularly handsome man came up to him, with hazel eyes and chocolate brown hair. All Jack could think of was Karen, her hair, her eyes. God she was everywhere to him. Finally he had given up and gone home.
As he walked through his apartment he failed to notice the bags by his door. He pushed his bedroom door open and was about to get into to bed when he noticed that someone was already there.
He quickly flipped his lights on and a smile spread across his face. Karen was laying there. Her hair spread across his pillow, one arm resting across her stomach. He loved watching her sleep. When they took naps together he often woke up before her and just watched her.
He was about to move to get into bed when he stopped. His eyes ran over her face stopping at the bruise on the side of her cheekbone. Before he could even react he heard a faint beeping. He walked out of the room, following the sound. He stopped in front of Karen's purse and opened it up pulling out the source of the noise. He hit the talk button on her cell phone but didn't say anything.
"Karen?!" Jack heard Stan yell from the other end. "I know its you! You listen to me! I don't know where you are but you better get the hell back here right now, or I swear to God a lot worse will happen to you than what happened last night!!
With that Jack heard the phone click and he lowered it from his ear. He stood there completely shocked at what he just heard. Then the pieces came together in his mind, as he realized that Stan must of caused the mark on her cheek. Anger quickly welled up inside him. "I don't believe this" he thought "That fucking bastard!"
Jack walked back into his room, he thought of waking Karen but knew she was probably extremely upset over this and he thought it was best to let her sleep. He crawled into bed next to her, sliding one hand down the side of her face, he kissed her cheek lightly. He draped one arm protectively over her waist and smiled as she rolled over snuggling up against him.
"I love you" he whispered