Chapter 6
Legal Disclaimer-The rights don't belong to me, they belong to other people.
Author's note-Lexa alert. I know that I am going to really rile some shippers, but I hope you'll see the why's and how's. I'm having far too much fun with this. Thanks for the reviews that keep me going.
Here's the next installment
The bright sunlight was not the first thing that Jesse Kilmartin had hoped to see. His eyes opened to it, and he felt an urge to run back from it. He pulled the covers over his head and tried to go back to sleep. It wasn't going to happen. He sat up and realized that he was at Shalimar and Brennan's and he was alone.
He also felt like he had a ball of fuzz growing on his tongue. It must have been the beer he had the night before. He laughed, it had been years since he had a hangover.
He got up slowly and tried to pull the blinds down in the room. Getting closer to the window, he knew that brighter light was not the answer. It hurt pretty bad.
He grabbed a shirt and his sunglasses from the top of his suitcase and went downstairs to the smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes. Shalimar was cooking breakfast. Even with the hangover, he could stand the smell of food, so he knew that he would be okay. He walked into the kitchen where Shalimar was working on the bacon and with a smile to his wife, snuck up behind Shalimar.
"That smells wonderful," he said, kissing her on the cheek, "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," Shalimar smiled, "Seems like you got some sleep last night."
"And woke up with a nasty hangover, what did Brennan have for beer last night, something imported?" Jesse moaned, as Emma handed him a glass of orange juice and some aspirin.
"Always," Shal turned and faced him, bacon on a plate, "I assume you still eat like a football team."
"Yeah, still do," he took the plate from her and put it on the table, "And I'll even clean up."
"Thank you," Shalimar sat down to her plate of food and a cup of coffee, "You did sleep last night, right?"
Emma's smile turned into a coy laugh.
"What?" Jesse's headache caused him to miss the point.
"Well, I heard a loud thump," Shalimar admitted, "It's not that I have any problem with..."
"No, no, not that," Emma blushed and looked at Jesse who finally got what Shal was getting at, "Jesse had a nightmare and phased through the bed."
"Thanks," Jesse's look was mock angry yet devilish, "You could have had her thinking..."
"I was thinking that," Shalimar interrupted, "More importantly, you had a nightmare? Jesse, come on, what could have caused that?"
Jesse looked at Shalimar while Emma refused to look at him. He hadn't had a nightmare in years, let alone one where he phased, so the mere thought of one while with the team could have made sense, but he was ready to dismiss it to the stress of hearing that Adam was alive.
"Could be the traumas of yesterday, Shal, nothing to worry about," he continued eating, "Anyway, you wanted us to get on the road today?"
"Yes, I did," Shalimar began, "You have enough time to finish your plate, clean up and we'll get moving, Adam's message wants us to meet him at a diner outside of town, but, he was very specific that we carry clothes with us. Seems like he wants to see us for several days, and as usual..."
"Wouldn't give us any details," Brennan added, walking into the kitchen.
He looked at Jesse.
"What's with the sunglasses? Hangover?" he asked, in mock shock, "You?"
"You forgot how much I love imported beer, bro," Jesse replied, pulling the sunglasses down to reveal his bloodshot eyes, "Now if the jackhammer would stop in my head, I might be worth playing some hoops with you, but since you remembered me and imports, well..."
"I can try to..." Emma offered.
"No, honey, thank you, but I think I need to keep this one to remind me," he smiled at her, "I need to remember how bad this feels."
"The aspirin is helping, right?" Emma asked, putting a hand over his.
"Give it a few more minutes and it should," Jesse said, pushing the glasses back up his nose, "Thanks though."
"I see it didn't affect your appetite," Brennan said, patting Jesse on the shoulder, "You sleep okay?"
"Yeah, I think it's the country air," Jesse continued, "Good sleep and great appetites."
"Sounds like you needed it, bro," Brennan settled into a chair next to him, "All we need now is Lexa and we can get this show on the road."
Jesse stopped eating for a second, looked at Emma, then kept eating. Shalimar noticed the look, gave Brennan a look, then glanced at Emma. Emma shot her a look that simply said, 'I'm not talking'. Shalimar let it slide. Lexa would be here soon enough. Then they would know, or it would be glacier time.
The silence continued while they ate, small talk being mainly about how the school would run while Brennan and Shalimar were away, and Emma talking about her new love of books in the bookstore. Jesse finished his meal and picked up every empty plate, brought them to the sink and washed every single one of them by hand. Brennan offered to help, but Jesse brushed him off, explaining that this was his ritual at home and he preferred it, because it simply helped him start his day. Brennan couldn't argue that and went to get his day started with a workout in the outside dojo.
Emma and Shalimar continued to drink coffee and chat, catching up on the things they used to love to talk about. Guys and fashion.
Jesse finished the dishes, walked over, kissed Emma on the cheek then excused himself heading upstairs for a shower and a change of clothes. He could hear Brennan working out, and while he was curious to what this dojo of his looked like, he knew that he would be better set by simply getting a shower in.
He was in the shower when the doorbell rang. Emma sat drinking her coffee as Shalimar went and got it, and heard the usual joys of greeting an old friend. Lexa Pierce was finally here. Emma slowly got up and walked into the other room, steeling herself for the meeting.
The conversation stopped as she entered the room. She was facing Lexa and Shalimar which gave her a moment to look at this woman who Jesse clearly dreaded seeing again. Lexa Pierce fit Jesse's description of her perfectly. From her dark hair, dark eyes, a killer smile, and a together look that came from years of working out, Emma could see that many of the sentences that he used to describe her were on target. In addition, she carried an air of suspicion around her, one he described as a sincere lack of trust of the human race. She could sense that from the moment that Lexa looked at her.
"Emma, come meet Lexa Pierce," Shalimar said, waving her over, "Lexa this is Emma."
Emma walked over slowly, putting up the wall she used when meeting new people. From what she knew about Lexa from Jesse, she was a nice person, but she felt instantly like she couldn't trust her, due to all the hurt and pain that she caused him.
Lexa gave her a stunned look. Emma had grown used to that look.
"Emma DeLauro?" Lexa asked, the shock not hiding in her voice, "You're alive."
"Last time I checked," she replied, taking the woman's outstretched hand, "You're Lexa Pierce."
Lexa shook her hand quickly then let go, turning back to Shalimar.
"This is a story I know I want to hear," Lexa began, her eyes meeting Shalimar's, "How long have you been back with these guys?"
"Shalimar and Brennan, almost 24 hours, Jesse, 3 years," Emma replied.
"Three years," Lexa stated, then looked at Shalimar, "Well, then, this is an interesting turn of events."
"Indeed," Emma replied, her look to Shalimar extremely blank, "You drive long to get here?"
"Yes," Lexa replied, putting her suitcase down then looking around the house, "How about you?"
"Jesse and I are in D.C.," she answered, watching Lexa's reactions to the house, "It wasn't that long of a drive."
"My god, you and Brennan have done a great job with this place," she said, looking around, "This is amazing."
"We have a room for you upstairs," Shalimar said, taking her suitcase, "I don't think we're going to be staying here, though."
"That's what his message said, huh?" Lexa asked, "When did he want us in contact with him?"
"Just gave me a location and time to contact, Lexa, nothing more," Shalimar replied, "You want a second to sit down."
"Yeah, I would love it," Lexa said, heading for the overstuffed couch on the opposite wall, "Where's Brennan?"
"Dojo out back," Emma replied, settling into one of the chairs in the great room, "He wanted to work out this morning."
"And Jesse?" Lexa asked lightly, "Did he come here with you?"
"Yes, actually he did," Emma replied, "He's taking a shower."
Emma's mood was welcoming yet guarded. Shalimar sensed it, her pack mentality going a tad haywire where Jesse was concerned. She protected him like a cub, but when the cubs were fighting, it was harder and harder to keep the peace. They would have to face whatever it was before they continued to Adam's destination.
Lexa settled in, looking around the room and enjoying the light that the morning brought in.
"So, what was this message of Adam's?" Lexa began, watching both of them for a reaction, "Any code, any message, or just a date and time?"
"Just a meeting place, and a meeting time," Shalimar replied, "He was vague as usual."
Emma smiled. Typical Adam. The details were left for when they were face to face. That was the habit and the condition.
"So, when is this meet?" Lexa continued, "And are we all on this invite list?"
"Tonight and yes, we are all on the invite list," Shalimar answered, "Although Emma's going be a surprise, Adam will welcome her like he did you."
That sent a clear message to Lexa to back off where Emma was concerned. Emma also caught the sentiment behind Shalimar's reply. She needed to back off as well. She took a deep breath and smiled at Shalimar. She got the message. She just didn't know if Lexa did.
"Adam will freak when he sees you," Lexa said plainly, "He did think that you were dead. As did we all."
She didn't get it.
"I'm very much alive, and happy," Emma smiled back at her, a smile that Shalimar realized was not the one she needed to see, "And so is Jesse."
"Lexa?" Brennan interrupted, coming in from the kitchen, "I thought that was you."
Lexa jumped up and turned around to hug him.
"Hey there sexy, still working out I see," she laughed as she hugged him, "Still miss me kicking your butt?"
"I believe I was the one who kicked your butt," Brennan replied, kissing her on the cheek, "Nice to see you all are getting acquainted and catching up. I'm gonna take a shower and we can get going."
"That would be great, I want to be on the road by noon, Brennan," Shalimar said, kissing him on the lips, "Please. And if you can get Jesse to get a move on."
"What, he's taking forever in the shower?" Brennan laughed, "That would be our Jesse."
Jesse was in the shower, with the water hotter than he could stand it, just so he could steel himself to the voices downstairs. He knew he was going to see Lexa again, it was inevitable, but he had no clue on how to handle himself. He had admitted to himself that the day she left, he had lost most of his self-worth, a worth that he was slowly replacing in his marriage to Emma. It was a long rebuild though, and while they had discussed it, Emma was rather upset at how badly Lexa had treated him in leaving. Jesse had never told her the real reason just that it had been very messy. He shut the shower off, toweled off and dressed quickly. He needed this meeting to happen and to happen now.
He walked downstairs, passing Brennan on the stairs. The look his surrogate brother gave him said it all. Good Luck. Brennan was a good read of the situation.
Jesse took a deep breath and turned at the bottom of the stairs. Lexa Pierce looked amazing. Stunning, actually. Her hair was still long, she had pulled it back in a ponytail and was a little thinner than he remembered. At the same time, she still had the beautiful eyes he remembered and the lightning smile.
She looked up at him and lit that smile.
"Hiya Jess," she said, walking toward him, "It's so good to see you."
Jesse smiled back at her. It was good to see her. She reached out to hug him and he put an arm around her, but didn't give her the full hug she was expecting. He kept his eyes on Emma who had her walls up high. She wasn't too happy to be in the room with Lexa without him.
"I see you've met Emma," he said, letting Lexa go and sitting on the couch next to Emma.
"Yes, and I am a bit surprised that you didn't tell any of us," Lexa began, "I mean we all should have known that she was alive."
"Not when you're in the witness protection program, Lexa," Emma replied, "I'm right here, so you can stop talking about me like I'm not."
Jesse had to stifle a laugh. He was thinking the same thing. Lexa stopped and stared.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "You took me off guard. According to everything that I know from Adam's files and the Dominion, you died taking out Mason Eckhart."
"So I have been told," Emma's voice was cold, "But the reality is that I was put in the witness protection program, given a new name, identity and life for turning in the bastard to the authorities. Adam knew this, why he never told you guys, I have no clue. Jesse found me three and a half years ago."
"Found?" Lexa asked.
"I work for the secret service now," Jesse replied.
"Secret Service," Lexa repeated, "Never figured you the government type."
"Never figured you the spy, Lexa, we all have our secrets," Jesse replied, trying to hide the growl in his voice, "You lost the right to know what happened to me when you left."
Lexa glared at him. She hadn't expected his anger. It was hard to know that he was upset at her, his face was completely impassive. The words he used though, said enough to her to know that she had hurt him.
"I did what I had to," she said softly, "I hope you can believe that."
Jesse didn't reply, just squeezed Emma's hand then got up and left the room. He walked into the kitchen and onto the back porch, pulling his sunglasses back on. His emotional state was shattering from a sense of calm to extreme anger and he didn't want to frighten any of them.
"What is that all about?" Shalimar asked, "He's been horribly moody since your name was mentioned, Lex, you might want to tell us what happened."
"I don't think I want to be here when you talk about it, Lexa," Emma said, getting up, "I'm going to go check on Jesse."
Shalimar glared at Emma. It wasn't like her to leave. This was pretty bad.
"Go on, make sure he's okay, will you?" Lexa said softly, "It's about time the story came out."
"Which version?" Emma asked pointedly, "His or yours? Because you managed to hurt him very badly, Lexa. I hope you can see that."
"And what would you know about him, Emma?" Lexa spat, her anger at his attitude beginning to surface, "You only worked with him for two years, I slept with him."
"Plenty," Emma growled, "I'm his wife."