Disclaimer: Same as before
Three
Pheonix liked it here. The fountain that she was sitting next to was placed in the center of the park. She and Jesse used to meet there after school. Jesse went to a public school, whereas she went to private academies. They would sit there, talking about their day, discussing homework, parents, the future, what their favorite flavor of ice cream was, the newest movies, anything that came to their minds. When Jesse first started dating, they met there to go over his first date dissecting it piece by piece finding out what he did right and wrong. This place held many memories, laughter, tears, sorrows, and joys. It was fitting that after six years they would be meeting here.
Next to her on the bench, sat a paper bag. Inside there were two sandwiches. One was a roast beef on wheat bread with mustard and pickles, the other was a lemon pepper chicken sandwich with mayo, lettuce, and tomato. Despite the difference in their tastes, the sandwiches were arranged in a certain way. They were both cut in halves. One half of roast beef and a half of chicken were paired together into one sandwich. They had done for as long as she could remember. It got to the point where their parents just made their lunches this way to save time. Pheonix also had two iced teas, both with sugar and one with lemon and one without.
She sipped on hers slowly and sighed. Things were going to awkward even with the best of cover stories. How was she going to tell him? He was a part of Mutant X there was no way he was going to understand. Besides, if she told him now she would have to explain a lot more than she was willing to. He couldn't find out, because if he did all hell would break loose and she would probably lose the only person she had left in the world.
Scanning the park she saw a familiar head of light brown hair. She smiled as Jesse came closer. His smile was a ready one, but a little forced. Something was definitely wrong and she didn't know what it was, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. He sat down on the bench next to her and sighed heavily. She lifted up the brown bag and handed him an ice tea.
"Brought you lunch, I hope you haven't eaten. It's your favorite, roast beef."
"And I assume it's also your favorite, chicken?" He reached into the bag and pulled out one of the sandwiches.
"Of course," Pheonix unwrapped her own sandwich. She took a bite of the roast beef side and chewed slowly. There was silence for a few minutes as they both ate.
"I heard about your father," Jesse said slowly before he took another bite. Pheonix stopped mid-bite and put her sandwich down. She stared at her feet.
"How did you find out?"
"Adam has his sources. Did you know that he and your father used to work together?"
"At Genomex, yeah I did," she took another slow sip of her tea.
"When did you find out, and when were you going to tell me?" He sounded hurt.
"Not that long ago," she couldn't believe that she was lying to him so easily. Some things never seemed to change.
"Were you going to tell me?" Jesse repeated. She couldn't stand the hurt that was emanating from his voice.
"I was waiting for the right time." Silence settled on them again and this time it was a painful one. Jesse almost couldn't bring himself to ask what he wanting to.
"How did it happen and when?" He asked slowly. This time she didn't look down at her feet, but looked straight ahead.
"Three years ago, he committed suicide. Slit his wrists. I found him at home, slumped over the kitchen sink, and there was blood everywhere," Pheonix's voice broke, and her lower lip began to quiver. Jesse put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. She put down her sandwich and wrapped her arms around him. He held her like that for a few minutes and her tears came silently. After a few minutes she pulled away from him.
"I don't think he committed suicide Jesse, I think he was murdered."
"Murdered, but you said it yourself, he cut his wrists," he rubbed her back gently.
"It just doesn't seem like him. He had no reason to kill himself, he was happy and he was finally making some progress with his research. To top it all off the apartment was ransacked. You know dad, he was a neat freak, and he wouldn't have tossed everything everywhere if he were just going to kill himself. Someone was looking for something I just know it."
"Is there anyway I can help?" Jesse asked still rubbing her back.
"I think his death had something to do with Genomex. Maybe if you asked Adam, he might have something or be able to get a hold on some information."
"I'll ask him, I'm sure that he'll try and help any way he can. Maybe . . ."
"Can we talk about something else? I didn't want to get all depressed with you, especially here," she gave him a pleading smile and smiled back.
"Okay, lets talk about old times," he picked up his sandwich and took another bite. They spent the next couple of hours talking; Jesse couldn't help but think she was holding out on something. He thought maybe it was just because he got onto a sore topic so he held his tongue. They parted with promises of calling each other. Jesse promised that he would ask Adam for some help with this and he headed back to Sanctuary. Pheonix made several mental notes before heading, not for home, but back to her lab.
Three
Pheonix liked it here. The fountain that she was sitting next to was placed in the center of the park. She and Jesse used to meet there after school. Jesse went to a public school, whereas she went to private academies. They would sit there, talking about their day, discussing homework, parents, the future, what their favorite flavor of ice cream was, the newest movies, anything that came to their minds. When Jesse first started dating, they met there to go over his first date dissecting it piece by piece finding out what he did right and wrong. This place held many memories, laughter, tears, sorrows, and joys. It was fitting that after six years they would be meeting here.
Next to her on the bench, sat a paper bag. Inside there were two sandwiches. One was a roast beef on wheat bread with mustard and pickles, the other was a lemon pepper chicken sandwich with mayo, lettuce, and tomato. Despite the difference in their tastes, the sandwiches were arranged in a certain way. They were both cut in halves. One half of roast beef and a half of chicken were paired together into one sandwich. They had done for as long as she could remember. It got to the point where their parents just made their lunches this way to save time. Pheonix also had two iced teas, both with sugar and one with lemon and one without.
She sipped on hers slowly and sighed. Things were going to awkward even with the best of cover stories. How was she going to tell him? He was a part of Mutant X there was no way he was going to understand. Besides, if she told him now she would have to explain a lot more than she was willing to. He couldn't find out, because if he did all hell would break loose and she would probably lose the only person she had left in the world.
Scanning the park she saw a familiar head of light brown hair. She smiled as Jesse came closer. His smile was a ready one, but a little forced. Something was definitely wrong and she didn't know what it was, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. He sat down on the bench next to her and sighed heavily. She lifted up the brown bag and handed him an ice tea.
"Brought you lunch, I hope you haven't eaten. It's your favorite, roast beef."
"And I assume it's also your favorite, chicken?" He reached into the bag and pulled out one of the sandwiches.
"Of course," Pheonix unwrapped her own sandwich. She took a bite of the roast beef side and chewed slowly. There was silence for a few minutes as they both ate.
"I heard about your father," Jesse said slowly before he took another bite. Pheonix stopped mid-bite and put her sandwich down. She stared at her feet.
"How did you find out?"
"Adam has his sources. Did you know that he and your father used to work together?"
"At Genomex, yeah I did," she took another slow sip of her tea.
"When did you find out, and when were you going to tell me?" He sounded hurt.
"Not that long ago," she couldn't believe that she was lying to him so easily. Some things never seemed to change.
"Were you going to tell me?" Jesse repeated. She couldn't stand the hurt that was emanating from his voice.
"I was waiting for the right time." Silence settled on them again and this time it was a painful one. Jesse almost couldn't bring himself to ask what he wanting to.
"How did it happen and when?" He asked slowly. This time she didn't look down at her feet, but looked straight ahead.
"Three years ago, he committed suicide. Slit his wrists. I found him at home, slumped over the kitchen sink, and there was blood everywhere," Pheonix's voice broke, and her lower lip began to quiver. Jesse put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. She put down her sandwich and wrapped her arms around him. He held her like that for a few minutes and her tears came silently. After a few minutes she pulled away from him.
"I don't think he committed suicide Jesse, I think he was murdered."
"Murdered, but you said it yourself, he cut his wrists," he rubbed her back gently.
"It just doesn't seem like him. He had no reason to kill himself, he was happy and he was finally making some progress with his research. To top it all off the apartment was ransacked. You know dad, he was a neat freak, and he wouldn't have tossed everything everywhere if he were just going to kill himself. Someone was looking for something I just know it."
"Is there anyway I can help?" Jesse asked still rubbing her back.
"I think his death had something to do with Genomex. Maybe if you asked Adam, he might have something or be able to get a hold on some information."
"I'll ask him, I'm sure that he'll try and help any way he can. Maybe . . ."
"Can we talk about something else? I didn't want to get all depressed with you, especially here," she gave him a pleading smile and smiled back.
"Okay, lets talk about old times," he picked up his sandwich and took another bite. They spent the next couple of hours talking; Jesse couldn't help but think she was holding out on something. He thought maybe it was just because he got onto a sore topic so he held his tongue. They parted with promises of calling each other. Jesse promised that he would ask Adam for some help with this and he headed back to Sanctuary. Pheonix made several mental notes before heading, not for home, but back to her lab.