Chapter 5: A light in the dark
~ Jake's~
" J- Jason. Are you alright? "
" Elizabeth? "
He was so confused. He closed his eyes trying to understand what was happening, his mind was playing games with him. First he thought that girl was Courtney and now this woman looked like Elizabeth. This time he had too much to drink. He opened his eyes again, but she was still there. Could it be true? Could fate had brought her back in to his life when he needed her the most?
" Jason? " He hold his hands between hers while she searched his eyes trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. She couldn't find any trace of the Jason he used to be, way back when.
" Elizabeth? "
" Yes Jason is me. Am here and I want to help you. Why don't we go upstairs, drink a cup of coffee and talk for a bit? Or maybe sleep for a while? " She tried to give him a supporting smile but failed.
" You don't drink coffee. "
" I didn't, but I do now. " She had to smiled at that.
" See, that was a real smile. " His expression was still somber, but at least he was trying.
" Come on big guy. I'll give you a hand. " She stood up and extended her hand to him.
" I- I- you better leave. I don't need your help. " He stood up alone, and stumbled a bit.
" Oh come on! It's been, what? Almost a year since we've seen each other? And three years since we ended whatever it is we had, don't you think this ' it's too dangerous' crap has gotten old. If you want to know dangerous, stick around and maybe I'll tell you where I've been for the past six months." She turned around and walked to the bar. By that time the place was empty. " Can you get me some coffee, strong, black and no sugar."
" Coming right up."
She kept going, but when she didn't heard his footsteps behind her she stopped and looked at him. " Are you coming? Or am I gonna have to make you? "
Jason held her daring gaze, in some kind of staring contest. She was determined to help him, he could see it in her eyes. So he bowed his head and walked to where she was standing. She smiled at herself and when she looked towards Coleman, who was watching the exchange in amazement, she was congratulated with the infamous two thumbs up. But then they heard a crash. Jason was in the floor in the middle of the room. They ran towards him and helped him up.
~ Room 2 at Jake's~
Elizabeth opened the door and moved a side so Coleman could come in with Jason. Once inside Coleman dropped Jason in the bed. As soon as his body hit the mattress, he was asleep. Elizabeth dropped her duffle bag in the chair by the corner and turned at the sound of Jason's loud snore.
" He is going to be out all night. But I don't think you should stay here alone with him. "
" It's ok. I- we were- are friends. "
" Are you sure? "
" Yes. And thanks for your help. I guess we're not gonna need that coffee after all. "
" When he wakes up he's going to need all the help he can get. I'll bring you a small coffee maker I have down stairs, so you can make it in the morning. "
" Here. " She stretched his hand and gave him the money for the room.
" I'll go find that coffee maker. " He left the room and she turned to watch Jason. He was sound asleep. She smiled and took her cell phone out, she marked speed dial and waited for Lucky to answer.
" Hey is me. Yeah am fine... nop, no problem. " She turned and looked at Jason. " I think I'll go out tomorrow and ask around. Ok I'll call you. Bye... bye dad! " She turned off the phone just as the knock in the door came.
She opened to fine Coleman. " Hey. "
" Here you go. Hope this sobers him up. If you need anything I sleep down the hall in room four. "
" Thanks. Goodnight. "
Elizabeth put the coffee maker on the table in the corner, walked to the bureau and took of her leather jacket. She wonder about his own jacket. He wasn't wearing it, maybe he forgot it or something. Then she retrieved her gun from her back and put it next to her jacket in the bureau. He seemed lost, broken. The eyes that were once cold and unfeeling were now fill with sorrow. She sat in the armchair and watched him sleep wondering what has happened to him during the time she was away.
~ * ~ * ~ Morning ~ * ~* ~
Elizabeth turned and the light from the window startled her. She opened her eyes and found him standing by the window.
" Morning. "
He jumped in surprise when he heard her voice.
" Sorry I didn't mean to frightened you. I just..." She didn't know what to say. He used to be so steady and calm. Now he was just a mess. His usually blank and expressionless features where now full of affliction.
" It's ok. "
" How long have you been up? "
" A while."
" Are you feeling better? " She stood up and started to prepare the coffee. Things between them were really awkward. And she didn't know if she could take the tension. Once the coffee was done she set the cups down and filled them with the hot liquid.
" Here. " She gave him one cup and took the other for herself. She sat in the side of the bed while he remained standing. He didn't know what he was going to say to her after so long. He remembered what happened the night before, she had saved him from the beating of a lifetime and then she has said she wanted to help him. He didn't want her to help him, he just wanted to crawl outside and die. When he felt like all his hope was gone and he was finally going to get his wish, here she was. Giving him a chance at a new beginning, a chance he wasn't willing to take. Not yet. Sitting there bringing light to his life after so long.
" Aurgh! This is awful. " She stood up and went to the bathroom. She washed her mouth with water and came out with the empty cup. Jason was looking at her over the rim of his cup biting the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't smile at her face.
" What? Don't like this brand in particular? " He said amused.
" Ja, ja, ja. You can laugh all you want. " She should've been pissed of but listening to him make those remarks at her was like been with him in another time and place. Somewhere none of them have been in a long time.
" I was just saying, last night you said you liked coffee and now... well you almost swore at the taste of the thing. "
" I lied, ok. "
" Why? You know you don't have to do that with me. " She looked at him and saw the truth in his eyes. They weren't quite so cold now.
" I don't even know. "
" You're different. " What in hell overtook him to say that out loud? It just rolled off his mouth. "Am sorry. I didn't mean to... " He didn't know what to say so he shut up.
" It's ok. I am different. It's just that so many things have happened. It's been a while since I've been around, since we've talked. You've changed too. " She saw the coldness coming back, the pain drowning his eyes, the sorrow filling his body. Damn, she had to say that. Now he was back there, wherever there was. Lost inside himself. " You don't have to pretend with me either. I know something is wrong with you, if you don't want to tell me what, you don't have to. But I just wanted you to know that I know and am not going to give up on you. "
" Yeah well, life happens. " He finished his coffee and put the cup on the table. " I guess I should get going. I was just waiting for you to wake up. " He walked to the door, but she stopped him.
" Oh, no you won't. " She grabbed his elbow. " You're staying. Am not done with you. Not by a long shot."
~ Inside a dark room~
A blond woman was passed out on the floor. Helena walks in and smiles when she sees her.
" What my dear? Did you really think I was that easy to deceive? No darling, you're not smart enough to outwit me. Soon Luke will get the message. The only thing left to do is wait as he falls into my trap as he usually does. "
Helena walked out and turned the lights off.
* * * What do you guys think about Liason's first scene? Tell me what you think about the story? Any ideas about what should happen next? Hope you guys are enjoying this, 'cause I am having a great time writing this now that ' the Journey' seems to be coming to an end. * * *
~ Jake's~
" J- Jason. Are you alright? "
" Elizabeth? "
He was so confused. He closed his eyes trying to understand what was happening, his mind was playing games with him. First he thought that girl was Courtney and now this woman looked like Elizabeth. This time he had too much to drink. He opened his eyes again, but she was still there. Could it be true? Could fate had brought her back in to his life when he needed her the most?
" Jason? " He hold his hands between hers while she searched his eyes trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. She couldn't find any trace of the Jason he used to be, way back when.
" Elizabeth? "
" Yes Jason is me. Am here and I want to help you. Why don't we go upstairs, drink a cup of coffee and talk for a bit? Or maybe sleep for a while? " She tried to give him a supporting smile but failed.
" You don't drink coffee. "
" I didn't, but I do now. " She had to smiled at that.
" See, that was a real smile. " His expression was still somber, but at least he was trying.
" Come on big guy. I'll give you a hand. " She stood up and extended her hand to him.
" I- I- you better leave. I don't need your help. " He stood up alone, and stumbled a bit.
" Oh come on! It's been, what? Almost a year since we've seen each other? And three years since we ended whatever it is we had, don't you think this ' it's too dangerous' crap has gotten old. If you want to know dangerous, stick around and maybe I'll tell you where I've been for the past six months." She turned around and walked to the bar. By that time the place was empty. " Can you get me some coffee, strong, black and no sugar."
" Coming right up."
She kept going, but when she didn't heard his footsteps behind her she stopped and looked at him. " Are you coming? Or am I gonna have to make you? "
Jason held her daring gaze, in some kind of staring contest. She was determined to help him, he could see it in her eyes. So he bowed his head and walked to where she was standing. She smiled at herself and when she looked towards Coleman, who was watching the exchange in amazement, she was congratulated with the infamous two thumbs up. But then they heard a crash. Jason was in the floor in the middle of the room. They ran towards him and helped him up.
~ Room 2 at Jake's~
Elizabeth opened the door and moved a side so Coleman could come in with Jason. Once inside Coleman dropped Jason in the bed. As soon as his body hit the mattress, he was asleep. Elizabeth dropped her duffle bag in the chair by the corner and turned at the sound of Jason's loud snore.
" He is going to be out all night. But I don't think you should stay here alone with him. "
" It's ok. I- we were- are friends. "
" Are you sure? "
" Yes. And thanks for your help. I guess we're not gonna need that coffee after all. "
" When he wakes up he's going to need all the help he can get. I'll bring you a small coffee maker I have down stairs, so you can make it in the morning. "
" Here. " She stretched his hand and gave him the money for the room.
" I'll go find that coffee maker. " He left the room and she turned to watch Jason. He was sound asleep. She smiled and took her cell phone out, she marked speed dial and waited for Lucky to answer.
" Hey is me. Yeah am fine... nop, no problem. " She turned and looked at Jason. " I think I'll go out tomorrow and ask around. Ok I'll call you. Bye... bye dad! " She turned off the phone just as the knock in the door came.
She opened to fine Coleman. " Hey. "
" Here you go. Hope this sobers him up. If you need anything I sleep down the hall in room four. "
" Thanks. Goodnight. "
Elizabeth put the coffee maker on the table in the corner, walked to the bureau and took of her leather jacket. She wonder about his own jacket. He wasn't wearing it, maybe he forgot it or something. Then she retrieved her gun from her back and put it next to her jacket in the bureau. He seemed lost, broken. The eyes that were once cold and unfeeling were now fill with sorrow. She sat in the armchair and watched him sleep wondering what has happened to him during the time she was away.
~ * ~ * ~ Morning ~ * ~* ~
Elizabeth turned and the light from the window startled her. She opened her eyes and found him standing by the window.
" Morning. "
He jumped in surprise when he heard her voice.
" Sorry I didn't mean to frightened you. I just..." She didn't know what to say. He used to be so steady and calm. Now he was just a mess. His usually blank and expressionless features where now full of affliction.
" It's ok. "
" How long have you been up? "
" A while."
" Are you feeling better? " She stood up and started to prepare the coffee. Things between them were really awkward. And she didn't know if she could take the tension. Once the coffee was done she set the cups down and filled them with the hot liquid.
" Here. " She gave him one cup and took the other for herself. She sat in the side of the bed while he remained standing. He didn't know what he was going to say to her after so long. He remembered what happened the night before, she had saved him from the beating of a lifetime and then she has said she wanted to help him. He didn't want her to help him, he just wanted to crawl outside and die. When he felt like all his hope was gone and he was finally going to get his wish, here she was. Giving him a chance at a new beginning, a chance he wasn't willing to take. Not yet. Sitting there bringing light to his life after so long.
" Aurgh! This is awful. " She stood up and went to the bathroom. She washed her mouth with water and came out with the empty cup. Jason was looking at her over the rim of his cup biting the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't smile at her face.
" What? Don't like this brand in particular? " He said amused.
" Ja, ja, ja. You can laugh all you want. " She should've been pissed of but listening to him make those remarks at her was like been with him in another time and place. Somewhere none of them have been in a long time.
" I was just saying, last night you said you liked coffee and now... well you almost swore at the taste of the thing. "
" I lied, ok. "
" Why? You know you don't have to do that with me. " She looked at him and saw the truth in his eyes. They weren't quite so cold now.
" I don't even know. "
" You're different. " What in hell overtook him to say that out loud? It just rolled off his mouth. "Am sorry. I didn't mean to... " He didn't know what to say so he shut up.
" It's ok. I am different. It's just that so many things have happened. It's been a while since I've been around, since we've talked. You've changed too. " She saw the coldness coming back, the pain drowning his eyes, the sorrow filling his body. Damn, she had to say that. Now he was back there, wherever there was. Lost inside himself. " You don't have to pretend with me either. I know something is wrong with you, if you don't want to tell me what, you don't have to. But I just wanted you to know that I know and am not going to give up on you. "
" Yeah well, life happens. " He finished his coffee and put the cup on the table. " I guess I should get going. I was just waiting for you to wake up. " He walked to the door, but she stopped him.
" Oh, no you won't. " She grabbed his elbow. " You're staying. Am not done with you. Not by a long shot."
~ Inside a dark room~
A blond woman was passed out on the floor. Helena walks in and smiles when she sees her.
" What my dear? Did you really think I was that easy to deceive? No darling, you're not smart enough to outwit me. Soon Luke will get the message. The only thing left to do is wait as he falls into my trap as he usually does. "
Helena walked out and turned the lights off.
* * * What do you guys think about Liason's first scene? Tell me what you think about the story? Any ideas about what should happen next? Hope you guys are enjoying this, 'cause I am having a great time writing this now that ' the Journey' seems to be coming to an end. * * *