Author's Note: Finally, an update! I'm finally realizing where I want this story to go and it seems to be shaping up nicely, hopefully you all enjoy this chapter. The lyrics are from Here is Gone by the Goo Goo Dolls.
You and I got something but its all and then its nothing to me
And I got my defenses when it comes to your intentions for me...
"Right on time, just like always," Jax said cheerfully, as he stood to greet Courtney. He pulled her close for a kiss, but she turned her head slightly and his lips ended up on her cheek.
"My dad's right over there," she said uncomfortably, slipping out of his arms and waving slightly towards the counter where Mike was watching them, the unmistakable look of displeasure on his face. Briefly, she wondered how Mike would feel later on when she told him she was with Jason again. Would he then reconsider his attitude towards Jax?
"Right," he said. He waved at Mike himself and then pulled out a chair for Courtney. "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice. I wasn't sure if you would make it."
"It wasn't a problem at all," Courtney assured him, taking a sip of water. "Jax, I'm sorry about last night."
Jax waved his hand dismissively. "I kind of enjoyed the fact that you tried to take advantage of me," he said with a grin.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, I'd still like to thank you for telling me to go home." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she realized she couldn't have come up with a worse set-up into what she was going to tell him next if she tried.
"Well I meant what I said Courtney. As much as I want you, I don't want it to happen that way."
She took a deep breath. "Jax, I'm calling off the bet," she said. She was surprised at how easy the words came out of her mouth.
"Again? Come on Courtney, there's only two weeks left." Jax smiled at her mischievously. "Surely you can hang in there that long. And if not, well, I won't hold it against you if I end up winning the bet."
No, I'm calling off the bet. It's not a fair bet anymore."
"Why not? Courtney, I don't understand."
"Last night after I left your place I ended up calling Jason," Courtney explained. "Jax, we're—we've decided to try and work things out."
Jax rolled his eyes. "Again?" He saw that she was serious and his expression changed. "How many times are you going to do this to yourself?"
"It's not like that this time," she argued gently.
"Right," Jax scoffed. "You two spend all your time talking about getting back together and working things out, and then he goes and does something stupid like getting shot at and its over. Courtney, come on. Don't set yourself up again."
She shook her head stubbornly. "We didn't just talk about getting back together," she continued. "We—"she sighed. "It just wouldn't be fair for us to continue with the bet now, so that's why I'm calling it off. I'm sorry."
"You slept with him."
She looked down at her hands. "Yes," she said quietly.
He sat back in his chair. "I thought you were smarter than that," he said finally.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing. I didn't mean anything by it."
Courtney looked up into his smirking eyes and shook her head. "I don't need a lecture, so I'm going to go. I just wanted to tell you that the bet was off." She pushed her chair back and walked out of Kelly's.
"Courtney wait!" She was halfway down the block when Jax caught up with her.
She turned around and sighed. "Jax, please, don't start. I don't need—"her sentence was cut off as Jax pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Caught off-guard, Courtney didn't know how to respond and by the time she realized she should be pulling away she found herself kissing him back. Clinging to him while all the while her head was screaming at her how wrong this was.
He broke off the kiss gently and pushed a stand of hair out of her face. "I could give you the world Courtney," he said sadly. "Morgan's going to hurt you, just like every other time. I can't promise that I'll be there to pick up the broken pieces but I can tell you this. By the way you just kissed me, the bet's not off. Not by a long shot." He gave her one of his trademark grins and walked away, leaving Courtney more confused than ever.
And I was not the answer so forget you'd ever thought it was me...
Jason let himself into the penthouse and looked around. "Sam?" he called, dropping his jacket onto the desk.
Sam appeared at the top of the steps. "Hey, you're back!" she said, making her way down into the living room. "Have you eaten yet? I can make you something if you—"
"I'm not hungry, thanks," he said, cutting her off. He gestured to the newly assembled high chair in the middle of the room. "Did you do this all yourself?" he asked.
"No," Sam admitted. "Max helped me out a little. I think it looks pretty good though."
"Yeah it does."
"So, where were you last night?" Sam asked. "Business?"
He shook his head. "No, nothing like that." He sat down on the couch.
Sam sat down next to him gingerly. "Well Carly was here a little while ago all smiles and asking if I had seen you yet." The look of frustration on his face didn't go unnoticed by her. "So I'm going to guess you've been with Courtney."
Thanks a lot Carly, Jason thought to himself, making a note to have a word with his loud-mouthed best friend soon. He nodded. "I ran into her last night and we started to talk and we're getting back together," he said simply.
"Oh." Sam's hand instinctively moved to her stomach. "Well what does this mean for me and Lila?" she asked.
"I made you a promise Sam. I'm not going to back out of it now. I can't do that to you or Sonny."
"Do you really think Courtney's going to be okay with you raising someone else's child?"
No. "Yes."
Sam raised her eyebrow. "Right. We'll all be the perfect little family huh? Me, Sonny, Lila, you and Courtney?"
"We'll figure things out," Jason said.
"Sure we will," Sam rolled her eyes. "Open your eyes Jase, this is exactly what's going to happen. You and Courtney are going to get back together, you're going to have less and less time for me and the baby, and then Sonny will get to have things his way. Are you sure Sonny and Courtney haven't planned this together?"
"They haven't planned anything." Jason sighed.
"Yeah I'll bet." Sam stood up. "So what? Is Courtney moving in here too?"
"We haven't gotten that far yet," Jason said. "But it's a possibility, yes."
"Perfect. All I need is Little Miss Perfect in here telling me everything I'm doing wrong." Sam began pacing. "Maybe I should just leave. Just take my daughter away from here and let everyone live their lives without me screwing it up."
Jason pressed his hands to his temples. "You're not leaving town," he said tiredly.
"It would be a lot easier for everyone involved if I did," Sam pointed out. "Seriously Jason, no one's going to care if—oh my God." She stopped moving and put her hand on her stomach.
"What, what's wrong?" Jason asked, standing up.
"Nothing," Sam said. "This little girl's just kicking up a storm today, that's all." She smiled and took Jason's hand, placing it on her stomach over hers. "You feel that?"
Jason smiled back. "You're right, she is active today, isn't she?" They stood there for a moment, marveling at the life growing inside of Sam.
Sam sighed, and dropped Jason's hand. "It's too bad you won't be able to share in as many moments of her life as I thought you would."
"What?"
She shrugged. "You'll be busy with Courtney. I'm sure the two of you will try and have your own child eventually." She smiled sadly. "I'll understand if you can't be the father I thought you could to my child." She picked up a book that was lying on the coffee table and headed up the stairs. She stole a glance at Jason over her shoulder, wondering if her guilt trip had had any effect oh him.
Jason sat back down on the couch and closed his eyes. It was going to be hard, he knew that. But it was possible, wasn't it?
He and Courtney would be able to move past all of this and start their life over again, wouldn't they?
There was a knock on the door and he smiled. He would recognize Courtney's knock anywhere. Standing, he walked over to the door and opened it.
"We need to talk," she said softly, standing in the doorway and not looking him in the eye.
And we wake up in the breakdown of the things we never thought we could be...