Part 7:
Ever Love Somebody

January 27,
2000: Morning to Noon

London, England:
A Suite at Claridges

"I think I have everything wrapped up," Simon said with a smile, hanging up the phone. "Did you want to return to Port Charles right away?"

"There's no hurry. Let's wait until morning," V said with a smile. "In fact, why don't we wait a few days? You can show me the rest of London."

"That's a great idea." Simon said with a smile. "I'd absolutely love to." His cell phone rang. "Simon Prentice." He answered.

"What? I thought I made it clear that I was done with that. My debts are paid in full." He said seriously, but there was a long pause and his face showed a concession. "Fine," he sighed. "I will carry out this one, last thing. When?" He asked. "I'll go tomorrow then." The shadow over his faced darkened further, and he sighed again. "Fine, fine, I'll go today. I'll get there as soon as I can." He stated. "Where to? Same place?" He asked. "Okay. Consider it done, but things have changed; now you owe me, and someday, I'm sure I'll expect to be paid back in full." He added pointedly. He sighed after he hung up and turned to V.

"I have to go to Paris. It's a favor to an old friend. He lent me some money a few years back, and he thinks I'm in his debt forever." Simon said with a weary smile, playing light of it. "Are you staying here or going back to Port Charles."

V looked at him curiously for a moment. It had seemed like more than that to her, but she didn't press it any further. "I think I'll stay here. I don't really like flying at night," she said simply. "It's just this thing I have..."

"Okay. Great. We have the suite again tonight anyway. I'd hate to see it go to waste." He said, kissing her. "I'll show you London when I get back. I'll be in tomorrow morning, at the latest." He went to get his coat.

"You have to go right now?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It's kind of urgent. I don't even have time to pack. There's a plane waiting… My friend already anticipated my agreement, apparently," he said, rolling his eyes a little. "I'll be back as soon as humanly possible," he added. "Take care."

"I will. You too." She said softly. They kissed again. "Bye." She called. He nodded and left. "That was strange..." She murmured.

Paris, France;
Suite, The Ritz

Alexis was looking in the mirror, trying to finish pinning back her hair, when Ned came from behind her, snaking his arms around her waist and concentrating his lips on a particularly sensitive spot on her slender neck. "Ned…" She murmured, a little chiding, startled but smiling. She pulled her neck away, and finished pinning her hair up before turning to him. "I thought you had meetings all day again. Don't you have to go?"

"I've got twenty minutes, and I think I can stretch it to at least forty-five," he stated just before kissing her passionately. "And," he murmured, after pulling back slightly, "I was hoping that we'd have time for... a merger... before my meetings."

She closed her eyes as he trailed kisses down her neck. "Another one? I thought we'd just made a very successful one, earlier." She asked with a smile. She pulled away again, sighing. "I can't." She said softly. "I have to meet Jax, remember. I'm never going to be ready in time as it is." She said, sighing as she grabbed her coat. "We have to fly, remember?"

"Right now? He's been flying all night, and we know how well he flies anyway," Ned quipped. "Shouldn't you wait until tomorrow morning?" Ned complained.

"And give someone time to tamper with the plane?" She quipped, teasing him.

"Way to make me feel good about this escapade of yours," he said with a sigh. He touched her cheek tenderly. "Promise me that you'll be careful."

"I will." She promised. She kissed him quickly. "I'll be back so soon, you won't even notice I'm gone."

"Call me the moment you can, once you get off of the island," he said softly, pulling her to him by her hands.

"I'll call," she promised. "I really do have to go, honey." She said softly, starting to pull away; but he pulled her in closer and kissed her deeply.

"I love you," he whispered huskily, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I love you too," she said, pulling back and touching his cheek. "I really will be fine, Ned. By this time tomorrow, I'll probably be back."

The
Brownstone

"Is something on your mind, or are you just trying to wear a whole in the floor over there?" Bobbie asked, looking up at Jerry, who'd been pacing the floor like a man waiting for a death sentence.

"I have nothing against the floor." Jerry said, trying for lightly, but coming out gloomy. He sighed and came over to sit down beside her at the dining room table.

"Oh. Well then, do you want to tell me what it is?" She asked softly, and he looked down for a moment. "You don't have to."

"I shouldn't. Jax will kill me -- or at least deck me -- but I'm going to. I'm sure you won't tell anyone?"

"No, of course not," Bobbie said softly. "What's wrong with Jax? Were you right? Is he upset about Alexis?"

"Yes, but there's a lot more to the story than that," Jerry said with a muted, unhappy chuckle as he shook his head. "It's a hell of a story." He paused. "Apparently, it was all a sham. They went to Las Vegas with Ned and Chloe, who were getting married to save her company. But then Chloe's Aunt Gertrude burst in and said that a wedding in a Vegas Chapel wouldn't do at all for saving Chloe's company. Jax stepped in, saving the day, the way he does, and said he and Alexis were getting married, not Ned and Chloe. And that's how they ended up wed."

"Wow." Bobbie said, shocked. "And you're upset that he lied?"

"Maybe a little," Jerry admitted. "But I understand why he did it. That's not why I'm pacing like a madman." He confided. "I'm worried about him." He hesitated before continuing. "He's in love with her."

"Alexis?" Bobbie asked, and Jerry nodded. "And she... What does she think of that?"

"She doesn't even know, at least he doesn't think so. He won't tell her." Jerry said, sighing. "But apparently, she's happy with Ned Ashton."

"Oh," Bobbie said softly. "Jax loves Alexis, but Alexis loves Ned? And where does Chloe fit in? Didn't she come to the New Year's party with Jax?"

"My guess is that she's a pretty distraction -- though Jax didn't say so in so many words." Jerry answered. "She probably thinks Jax is crazy about her. She didn't strike me as too bright."

"We wouldn't have known it either, if we thought they were just pretending. We didn't know they weren't pretending," Bobbie reminded him. "And you hardly know Chloe." She added. She sighed. "But why are you so worried about Jax. I'm sure he'll be fine. Life's dealt him tougher blows than this."

"Oh, I know that." Jerry said with a nod. "I mean, I thought he was a fool to let her go when he loves her, but I knew he'd be fine." Jerry said simply. "The thing is that she called him and asked for help; and now he's gone off -- chasing mysteries, or rather helping her chase a mystery, a Cassadine mystery." He pauses. "I wouldn't be worried if he wasn't with a woman he loved. Jax has a white knight complex anyway, Bobbie." He explained. "But he'd do anything for Alexis. I just have a feeling that this whole escapade isn't a good idea, just a bad feeling... They're going to be getting in over their heads, into I don't know what, and if anyone's getting hurt, it'll be Jax."

"Are you sure you're not just upset that you weren't invited?" Bobbie teased with a smile, trying to lighten his mood.

"Well, there's that too," he admitted with a crooked, bittersweet smile. "Maybe I am just feeling left out." He said, though he didn't really believe it.

"Maybe you're just a really good big brother who wants his little brother to be happy," Bobbie said softly, touching his shoulder.

"I do want him to be happy. He deserves that." Jerry said softly. He sighed. "I thought he'd found it."

Scorpio-Jones
House

Felicia picked up the phone after half a ring. She and Anna had been waiting on pins and needles for Luke's call ever since he'd left. The phone kept ringing, but it was always Maxie's friend, Georgie's teacher, Bobbie, or someone from the PTO, and Felicia found it hard to concentrate on any of that. It was even harder trying to swear the girls to secrecy. Some strange woman had shown up on their door -- and Felicia couldn't explain it. All she could do, all she had done, was tell them to keep quiet about it.

"Scorpio-Jones residence. Felicia speaking."

"Do you always answer the phone like that?" She heard Luke's voice over the lines and nearly fainted into the chair next to the phone with relief.

"Finally!" She exclaimed. "Where are you?"

"I'm on a layover in London. I should be in Paris in a few hours. I'll be able to run those errands for you then."

"Make sure you explain to Mac how needed he is in Port Charles," she said softly. "Things are a mess here right now."

"Don't worry, Felicia. I'll make sure I'm understood. There's a lot riding on it -- for all of us. Me included, remember?" Luke said seriously. "Just sit tight."

"That's what I'm doing," Felicia said with a sigh. "You know, I think that's always the hardest part."

"I know, darling, but that part will be over soon enough. I'll call you when I know something." He promised. "Now, I've got to go make my connecting flight, so, as they say in Paris, au revoir."

Kelly's
Diner

"What are you still doing here?" Nikolas asked, sitting down beside Elizabeth who was sketching a couple sitting near the jukebox. "I thought your parents were trying to get you anywhere but here."

"They are," Elizabeth said with a sigh. "But, you remember blizzard put off Gram's funeral and the church is booked solid for another three weeks?" She asked, and he nodded. "Well, they tried to take the body with them, but in Gram's will it specifies that she wants to be buried next to my Grandfather, in Port Charles. That means I have three weeks to come up with a plan." She paused. "All I have to do is stall another month and a half and I'll be eighteen." She added, crossing her fingers melodramatically.

"Good luck," he said simply. "Have you seen Emily lately? How's she doing? I heard about her brother."

"She was staying at my house, but she didn't come in last night or the night before. I hope she's at home, but I really can't reach her. All the phones are unplugged because of the reporters." She told Nikolas. "They still haven't quit. Isn't that awful?"

"It's horrible," Nikolas said, sighing. "They're vultures." He added. "I hope Em's doing okay."

Elizabeth studied him for a long moment and deduced that something was up. "Okay. Spill it." She ordered. "What's going on?"

"It's just... Cassadine stuff, that's all," he said with a sigh. "It doesn't really matter."

"Well, it matters to me. It's obviously upsetting you. I can tell by the look in your eyes." She said simply.

"One of the Cassadine Islands, in Greece, Melpomene, is being used for something, and we can't seem to find out what," Stefan said softly. "Uncle seems to be unreachable too. I asked Alexis, and she promised to look into it; but she went on a vacation a few days ago, and I just have this sinking feeling... Maybe I should look into it myself."

"What do you mean yourself? How yourself are you thinking?" Elizabeth asked. "Do you mean like call yourself...or like go yourself."

Quartermaine Mansion,
Emily's Room

The room is empty, but it looks as though a hurricane has torn through it. Rejected clothes are strewn everywhere, books and papers are in heaps on the floor, and the bed is mussed, but not slept in. The closet is open, and somewhat bare, as though it had spewed its contents into the room; only many of its contents do not cover Emily's floor. They're missing, as are the pieces of luggage that sit on the closet floor.

A note, written in her delicate but precise handwriting, is pinned to the frame of her mirror, which is in direct sight of the doorway; but it appears her door hasn't been opened since the mess was made.

"Em?" Reginald, the only one who'd noticed when she'd crept in the door, poked his head in and sighed at the mess. "Or should I say Hurricane Emily," he murmured, looking around. His eyes settle on the note, and he walks towards it and retrieves it from the mirror. He scans it. "Oh, no. Just what we need." He mutters, sighing to himself.

The
Docks

Carly blinked as she stared out at it. It sure was an ugly thing, as well as huge and very gaudy. It wasn't so much that it was an awful piece of machinery; it just didn't look right in the port, and it certainly wasn't used to full capacity. Edward loved it almost as much as AJ did, neither Monica nor Alan cared anymore than Carly had, Chloe didn't really understand it, and the rest of the members of the ELQ board had thought it was a terrible waste of money. It was all for looks, after all, this huge, looming land-sea crane. It looked like a monster.

And, though Carly didn't know it, in a way, for ELQ, it had been. It had pushed them way over-budget in the docks area, where they were already teetering on the edge. It hadn't been a successful project anyway, but it had been mildly profitable. Now, their profit margin was gone, and they could only hope to break even. The final numbers hadn't come in yet. It had only been a few weeks since the docks, which had never been completely closed, were completely opened. AJ and Edward had had their gala, year-2000 event. It had been another thing that was for looks alone. How shallow and superficial it all was, and she wasn't anything better. She was just another fixture in the picture-perfect world of AJ Quartermaine, which was part Edward's teachings and part AJ's own vision.

And, for the first time, she wondered why AJ envisioned his life this way: all show and sparkle and no depth. The Quartermaines might be rich and powerful, but the only thing that had really held their unconvincing facade of respectability was the undying respect of the community for Lila. Besides, no other Quartermaine seem to have the same ideas about life. Anyone could see that Lila and Edward were, and always had been, very much in love. Monica and Alan fought bitterly, but loved each other passionately. Emily was a typical teenage girl, totally enthralled and enamored with Juan Santiago, who was thousands of miles away. Ned had flown off to Europe with Alexis on his arm, though no one understood that, and only Edward had bothered to question it, on the basis of a short vacation in Rome and, of course, that Alexis was a Cassadine amongst other Edward-like grumbling, which only got worse as he worried for AJ. And Carly knew that Chloe was seeing Jasper Jacks, or at least that's what she'd thought at New Year's. Justus seemed to have a normal, respectable yet livable life. And Jason… well, Jason didn't give a damn what anyone thought. So why was AJ so caught up in it? Why did he want life to be the uncomfortable parlor no one could sit in unless there was company, instead of the cozy living room with the roaring fireplace and the fluffy couch? She just didn't understand.

Had he ever wanted true love, true happiness? Was it Michael that changed everything? Was Michael even real to him, or was he just another trapping? Had he been hurt too many times? Was this his way of fighting his alcoholism...living a picture-perfect life? Or had it just been a way to get ELQ, to gain control of something he'd always needed to truly take "his place" in the Quartermaine family, because he'd been laughed out of it before.

Carly suspected that he'd never been pushed out of his place -- though she knew he thought so. He had always had the same place, and he always would. They had loved him. The Quartermaines took getting used to, they had their own dynamic and it wasn't necessarily a good one, but they were real people and they were good people, deep down -- deep, deep, deep, deep down for some of them -- and they knew how to love, in their own way. And all of them, every last one, were praying and waiting and willing him to get well in their own way. And he didn't have any more love or respect now than he'd ever had. He just had a job, one with long hours and tasks, some of which he didn't really know how to do. He hadn't been an awful CEO, but it was obvious that he'd been an unprepared one.

And, thinking, Carly had to wonder if he just didn't see the reality. Maybe the shallow facade was what he truly saw. Maybe all these things he did for show -- he didn't realize that they weren't real. Maybe this was what he thought it was supposed to be like.

Laura's Office,
At General Hospital

"Hello, Laura Webber speaking," Laura answered the phone pleasantly. The name still sounded funny to her ears, and at times she slipped and said "Spencer" but mostly it felt good; it felt like freedom.

"Hello," she heard Stefan's warm voice come through. "How are things in Port Charles? Well, I hope?"

"Stefan!" Laura exclaimed with a smile. "I've been wondering where you were and when I would hear from you. Are you on business?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye or tell you I was going. It was sudden and urgent -- and quite frankly, it was a bit overwhelming. I'm sorry I haven't called." He apologized. "I'm in Paris right now," He added. "I was in Zurich. I have some quick business here, and then I'm coming home."

"You don't have to call," she assured him. "I'm not your keeper. I was just wondering, that's all." She added. "When will you be home?"

"Hopefully, tomorrow, if all goes well," Stefan told her. "Can I see you then? Maybe we can have dinner?"

"I'd love to." Laura said with a smile.

Paris, France:
A small cafe

"Grandfather, I'll be back in Port Charles in a few days. There's important business here. You know that." Ned said wearily into his cell phone. "I can't just leave it."

"You could get it all wrapped up faster if you spent more time on it and less on that Davis, Cassadine, Jacks, whatever-she-is woman," Edward grumbled.

He sighed. "This has nothing to do with Alexis. She left this morning." He added. "And, please, stop about Rome. It was a three-night vacation, and I needed it." Something in his voice seemed to pacify Edward.

"Okay, I'm sorry," the old man said, sounding a bit out of character. "It's just hard here, without you, and with AJ in the state he's in." Edward paused. "It's not just business -- I depend on you, Ned. Lord knows there isn't anyone else to count on in this family." He grumbled.

Ned smiled half-heartedly. "It's nice to know I'm appreciated once and awhile," he said softly, with the slightest hint of wryness evident in his voice. "The business in Paris is almost done. I should be back in Port Charles by the end of the week."

"Good." Edward said softly. "And, Ned...thank you. I know it isn't easy at times, putting up with all of us, especially me."

Ned laughed. "You know, you almost -- almost, but never quite -- had me fooled, old man, but you never quite pulled it off. You've got a heart of gold, underneath it all."

"Shouldn't you be working?" Edward grumbled.

"I'm meeting someone from Le Nord Inc. in a few minutes," Ned said simply. "I'll fill you in on everything when I get home." He assured Edward before hanging up his cell phone and putting it back in the pocket of his suit coat.

He unfolded the paper he'd bought that morning, and was shocked at the headline and the picture he sees. "Robin?" Forgetting his meeting, he stands up from the table and leaves the cafe quickly.

Paris, France,
A boulevard

"I'm sorry about keeping you waiting," Stefan apologized to Simon, who was standing in front of him, looking very annoyed.

"What do you want?"

"Same as always -- funds transferred. Take the money from my Swiss account and transfer it to the other one. Make it look as though I acquired a subsidiary." Stefan instructed him.

"That's simple enough. You could have anyone do that." Simon said, narrowing his eyes. "You could even do it yourself. Why'd you call me?"

"Because I'm sure that you can be trusted, Mr. Prentice," Stefan said pointedly. "You know the penalty for breaking that trust." He added. "And I'm too busy to do it myself."

"Something's off." Simon looked at him suspiciously. "If you're setting me up for something--"

"Don't be so suspicious," Stefan said simply. "Why would I bother to set you up? Just do as I instructed, immediately. The money needs to be cleared by the time the banks close this evening. Do you understand?"

"I'll receive my usual fee?"

"Of course."

"All right, but this is truly the end of all of this. I am no longer in your debt, Mr. Cassadine. In fact, now you owe me." He told Stefan.

Paris, WSB
Headquarters

"This isn't your jurisdiction, Agent Jones," Charles Du Noir said simply. "You're needed elsewhere, and, besides, you know the code on personal cases." He said, but Frisco wouldn't budge. "How were you even contacted?"

"Everyone knows Robin Scorpio has been missing, and there was a notice put out on Faison as well. The Paris bureau can't handle it alone. He's obviously not in Paris." Frisco pointed out. "And I'm not leaving until you tell me what you know," Frisco Jones said firmly, his eyes flashing, setting his jaw. "I mean everything, not the sugar-coated, press-ready version, which by the way you're gonna need -- did you see the front page?"

"Yes, Agent Jones, I've seen it," Charles said wearily. "And if you want any information -- even the sugar-coated, press-ready version, as you so put it - you're going to be getting it from just that source, not from me."

"You won't get anything out of him. Believe me. When he says, it's not your job, he means it."

Frisco turned around to see Mac Scorpio standing in the doorway, and the two men look at each other for a long, tense moment. Shortly, though, Frisco nodded at Mac sympathetically. "I'm sorry about all this. You must be...overwhelmed."

"That's an understatement," Mac commented sarcastically. He sighed. "I'll tell you what I know. Sean Donely filled me in." He said softly. "I think he told me pretty much everything."

"Sean Donely did what?" Charles asked, outraged.

"He's above your head, and you know it," Frisco said pointedly to Charles, sounding annoyed. He turned to Mac. "What did he say? Are there any leads?"

"Well, for starters, the Cassadines are involved."

French
Airfield

Did you ever love somebody,
So much that the earth moved?
Did you ever love somebody,
Even though it hurt to?


Jax sighed and glanced at his watch. She was late, but he'd almost expected that, knowing that Ned was probably trying to talk her out of this right now. Quite frankly, not only didn't Jax blame him for trying to convince her not to go, he also agreed that it wasn't a good idea; but he also knew Alexis. She wasn't backing away from this, and, if she was going, she wasn't going alone. He was going to make sure nothing happened to her. And, selfishly, a part of him was almost glad she had to do this because she'd called on him to help her.

This was his place in her life. Ned got to love her, and be loved by her. But he, coming into 2nd place, a place he knew infinitely well, he got to be her partner, against the Cassadines, in marriage, in solving this mystery, and in whatever else would come up later; and something would always come up. That's what he was. Good old, dependable Jax, who stood on the sideline and swooped in when he was needed.

He sighed, knowing that he was a fool. Thousands of questions came up in his mind. Wouldn't it be better just to keep his distance? Hadn't he learned anything before?

"Sorry I'm late," Alexis apologized, hurrying up to him. "I got lost." She sighed. She paused. "Truthfully, I didn't leave till an hour ago anyway." She added. "Ned's worried, and..." She explained simply. She paused, smiling ironically. "It was his idea for me to call you, you know. He didn't want me going alone."

Jax nearly laughed at the irony. It was the least expected thing, yet he somehow felt he should have expected it. "No, I wouldn't have guessed that, not after last time."

"I suppose it was unexpected, but he thought it was better than me going to that island alone." Alexis said softly. "I think he was right." She said, flashing him a soft smile that dazzled Jax to the very core. She adjusted the strap of the small overnight bag on her shoulder. "Are we ready?"

He sighed inwardly. Yeah, sure, he'd learned something... He'd learned that love wasn't water in a faucet. There was no turning it on or off.

Did you ever love somebody,
Nothing else your heart could do?
Did you ever love somebody,
Who never knew?


"Um, yeah... we're good to go, I think. I watched them refuel it myself, and checked it over twice... Everything should go smooth."

"Great. Then let's fly---preferably without crashing this time." She said with a wider, teasing smile.

"We're not going over the Sahara this time," he said, grinning back. He grabbed her bag from her and they made their way onto the plane.

Did you ever lay your head down,
On the shoulder of a good friend,
And then have to look away somehow,
Had to hide the way you felt for them?


Alexis buckled her seatbelt and tapped lightly on her armrest as she watched Jax preparing the controls.

"You can relax, you know," he said, looking up and noticing her fiddling. He stared at her for a moment before smiling reassuringly. "I never crash planes, just helicopters. You'll be all right."

"I know that," Alexis said with half a smile. "I'm just anxious. I want to know what's going on."

"We will soon enough. Melpomene here we come -- who names an island Melpomene anyway. Seems to me like they're asking for trouble, naming it after the muse of tragedy." He added. "Did anyone live there?"

"It was mainly a guest island," Alexis explained, talking over the whirring and rumbling of the plane as it took off.

After they were in the air, he turned his attention back to her, "A guest island? Guests weren't allowed on the same islands as Cassadines?"

"Well, they were, but..." She paused. "I don't know. That's just what we always called it." She explained. "It's actually a very nice island, despite its name," she added simply. She looked at him, realizing that he'd recognized the name. "Most people don't know much about Greek muses."

"It's a secret passion of mine," he quipped with a grin. "Actually, that has a grain of truth," he admitted. "I have this book...of myths. Some kids have fairytales... I had a collection of myths with a torn cover and a few missing pages that Jerry found in a dumpster, when we were poor. I've had it forever. It's usually in the drawer next to my bed. And I...always bring it with me when I go on a trip." He paused, reaching into the bag next to his seat and held up the tattered mass. "See?" He said, smiling a little embarrassed.

"Wow... I never knew that." Alexis said softly, smiling. It was sweet to think that he had something so sacred. "Can I...?" She reached for it.

"Oh, sure." He said, letting her take it. She put her glasses on and flipped through it for a moment. He looked out at the air, then back at her, looking away again when she glanced up.

"You really used to read these when you were a kid?

"Yeah. Well, Jerry used to read to me at first. He taught me how to read, you know. He taught me a lot of things, things I'd never think he'd know," Jax said thoughtfully. "He's surprising."

"All of you Jackses are," Alexis said with sparkling eyes and a soft smile.

"Hey," Jax said with a smile. "What's up with the "you" part? First of all, our papers haven't gone through yet. And second of all, don't you know that once you're a Jacks, you're always a Jacks. You can't escape my family. Wherever you go whether it's Siberia, Antarctica, or one of Pluto's moons, we will find you. My mother will still send you those little recipes and drop in on you at six o'clock in the morning to take you for a hike. My father will give you unwanted advice and tell you the longest, most boring stories. Jerry will pester you forever. And I..." He smiled. "Well, I'll just feel eternally apologetic for subjecting you to it all."


Have you ever prayed the day would come,
When you'd hear them say they feel it too?
Did you ever love someone,
Who never knew

"I love your family." Alexis said honestly. "I was -- no, I am -- proud to be part of it." She said softly.

"Well, good. Because, like I said, there's no escape." Jax said with a soft smile. "Now, do you have a map of this island?"

"Oh, yeah," Alexis nodded. She pulled it out. "Right here. I've already got a route planned. It should be simple." She said, hopefully.

"That'd be a first," Jax quipped with a smile. "Anything having to do with the Cassadines... simple?"

"You know what? You're right." Alexis admitted. "Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe there really is a first time for everything." She paused. "Jax?" She said softly. "Thanks again, for coming along."

"Thanks aren't necessary," Jax said simply. "I'm glad you asked. You shouldn't be going alone, and, besides, I'm always up for an adventure -- that's another Jacks trait." He said with a smile.

Did you ever love somebody,
So much that the earth moved?
Did you ever love somebody,
Even though it hurt to?
Did you ever love somebody,
Nothing else your heart could do?
Did you ever love somebody,
Like I love you?
Like I love you?

(("Did You Ever Love Somebody?" By Jessica Simpson. Off of The Dawson's Creek Soundtrack.))