Title: Keep It Together (2/?)
Author: Morgan
Feedback: Please, Please, Please floatingwhitefeathery... or IM
me J4687S AOL Instant Messenger
Disclaimer: Most of these characters aren't mine and I'm just
borrowing them for a while.
Summary: I'm not good at the whole summary thing...something's up
with Jessie but she won't tell anyone what it is?
Author's Note: This is my first ever fan fic. So, I apologize in
advance if it totally sucks. But I would really love some feedback as
to whether or not you guys want me to continue this story. thanks
Author's Note #2 - okay, so here's part 2...i'll write more soon
because I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going with it it just may
take a little bit to get there...=)

---------------

Katie watched Jess run away, and she saw Grace run after her.

This only confirmed what Katie had been thinking -- there was
definitely something Jessie wasn't telling her. As Katie finished
stretching with the team she looked around to see if Grace had come
back yet. When she didn't see her, Katie knew something was wrong.
-----

"OK" Grace said as she started the car "Where to?"

"I dunno" Jessie mumbled

"How about Booklovers? We can get some free coffee off of Aunt
Judy. " Grace finally decided

"OK" Jessie replied, obviously still lost her in own thoughts
------

Grace and Jessie walked in to find Judy sitting behind the cash
register reading a book.

"Hey" Grace and Jessie chorused as made their way towards her

Judy looked up and replied happily "hey girls!"

Judy smiled at them and asked "What can I do for you two?"

"Can we just get a couple of nonfat white chocolate mochas?" Grace
asked knowing this was one of Jessie's favorite drinks.

"Sure thing" Judy replied as she left the two alone. She was usually
pretty good at sensing when people wanted to be left alone.

"OK" Grace said "Spill."

Jessie sighed and thought to herself for a long time before answering.

"I don't know where to start" She said simply

"How about telling me what just happened back on the soccer field?"
Grace helped

"Ok" Jessie said as she described the events that had just taken
place.

Grace looked at her sympathetically "Jess, you've been miserable
since you and Katie broke up"

Jessie started to interrupt, but Grace kept going.

"So, why isn't this great news that she misses you? I mean it's
obvious she's been miserable, too. She barely says anything in class,
she's been absent more than ever, and whenever I say hi to her, it
looks like it's too painful for her to even talk to me."

Jessie couldn't take hearing all of this about Katie. Her heart was
already broken.

"Grace, Katie and I are over. It's just better" Jessie unconvincingly

"Why?" demanded Grace "I mean you have a great relationship with
someone who you trust and love, and you suddenly end it -- without
even an actual reason! "

"Because..." Jessie started, but she was interrupted by Judy.

"Two non fat white chocolate mochas -- on the house" Judy said with a
smile

"Thanks, Aunt Judy" Grace said

"Does your mother know where the two of you are?" Judy wondered of
Grace and Jessie

"No" Grace replied "But we won't be too long. Mom's probably not even
home"

"OK" Judy conceded noticing how quiet Jessie had been. " Just let me
know if you guys need anything else"

Jessie hadn't heard Judy. She'd let her mind wander off again 'C'mon
Jessie, Follow me...'

"Jessie?!" Grace asked sharply.

"What?" Jessie looked up "Oh, sorry, I must've spaced" Jessie
answered not being able to shake off the weird feeling she was having.

"Are you going to be ok?" Grace asked her with a little worry in her
voice

Jessie didn't feel like talking anymore.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm sorry I've gotten worked up" She smiled at
Grace "It's really no big deal - more Days of Our Lives drama...but
Judy's probably right - we should head home"

"Right" Grace said deciding not to press her any further

-----------

Not much later Grace and Jessie walked in the house to find Rick and
Lily wondering where they were.

"Where were you?" Rick demanded of them "Jessie's already 30 minutes
late for her appointment"

"Sorry" Grace replied "We just got some coffee at Aunt Judy's and we
must have lost track of time"

"Yeah, Dad" Jessie said "I'm sorry, but I can make up the appointment
another day"

"You're exactly right" Rick said calming down a bit "I scheduled
another one for tomorrow"

"But Grace has soccer practice tomorrow" Jessie said

"Well, you can just wait at school until she's finished and then
she'll take you" Rick decided

"Great" Jessie mumbled sarcastically as she took off for her room in
the attic.

Jessie found herself in a familiar position -- lying on her bed
staring at the ceiling of attic.
She was so confused and pissed off, and that made her even more mad.
I'm over this she though to herself I'm not a drama queen She
stayed on her bed for a while just lost in thought. Just as she was
about to call Josh somone knocked on her door.

"Can I come in?" Eli called.

"Yeah" Jessie answered surprised to hear it was her brother. What's
he doing here? she thought to herself

Eli walked up the stairs and took a seat on the bed next to Jessie.
It looked to Jessie like she wasn't the only with a few things on her
mind.

"What's up?" Jessie asked him

"That's what I was going to ask you. Something's been going on with
you, and even though my better judgment tells me to stay out of it ---
I can't." Eli answered

"Like you would notice anything -- you've been avoiding us" Jessie
replied a little more bitterly than she had intended.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around a lot Jess, but I'm not avoiding
you" Eli added "And don't change the subject -- I think i know it is,
too" He finished

"You do?" Jessie asked him incredulously Did he know? Was he mad?
she though anxiously to herself.

"Look, Jess, I thought you'd come to me and tell me about you and
Katie when you were ready. But what can I say -- I'm not officially
too impatient. So, what happened? You've been in a horrible mood for
over a month now" Eli finally finished.

Jessie was stunned to hear her brother's such accurate observations.
She felt kind of guilty for making him feel bad for not being around.

"Gee, you sure do seem observant for someone who's not around" Jessie
said trying a feeble attempt to joke.

"Look, E," she said kind of mocking him "I'm glad you don't seem
upset, I can't tell you how much that means to me, but there's
nothing to be upset about anymore. There's nothing going on with
Katie and me anymore.

Before Eli could interrupt and ask why Jess continued "I don't really
feel like talking about it - it's been a long day already and it's
not even dinner. I'm over my quota for drama on the day" She said
kiddingly.

Eli backed off. He knew her well enough by now to know when she was
serious. Besides, now that he had told Jessie he knew, she could
always come to him when she needed it.

"Ok" Eli started "Just know I'm here even if it doesn't seem like it.
If you ever need someone to talk to - or need me to beat someone
up..."

Eli added slowly "you really should talk to someone though, Jess"

Jessie appreciated his big brother shtick and replied "You know,
Grace has actually been really great though all of this...who would
have though we'd have become close?"

"Yeah, seriously, I thought you guys might kill each other.......but
she's pretty cool.." he said staring as his feet hanging of the bed.

Suddenly something click with Jessie. How could she have been so
stupid?! She'd been so caught up in not thinking about Katie that
she'd forgotten to think of Eli.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Jessie said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah" Eli said vaguely.

"Oh, E, why didn't you just tell me you've been avoiding the house
because of Grace?" She demanded.

"What? Hey!" Eli replied surprised.

"You know that observant thing must a Sammler genetic trait" Jessie
smiled at him and then added "Ok, your drama quota isn't up for the
day, and actually I think it'd be a nice change to hear about your
love life problems rather than mine."

Eli looked hesitantly at his suddenly wise sister.

"Ok, you're right" he said "But I'm trusting you"

"Likewise" Jessie said

"Things between me and Grace are just complicated. I thought when we
kissed a while ago that it was no big deal, but I can't forget it. I
finally realized how much I like her, and well...I guess she was able
to forget it. Now when I'm ever I'm around her I mumble something
about band practice and leave." Eli finally finished

Eli looked at his sister to see what reaction to this news was, and
decided to go on.

"The thing is, I started liking her before lily and dad got married.
I mean I didn't think they'd actually get together. And now that we
live in the same house....and man, I bet dad and lily would be
thrilled if we got together" He said sarcastically

"So what?" Jessie demanded of him "What does it matter? If you guys
like each other - that's enough. I'd, uh, only draw the line at blood
relations" she said throwing a pillow at him.

"Ha Ha" Eli said "I know, but I guess I'm just not sure what to do
next exactly"

Jessie thought for a second. She was a little surprised by Eli's
admission and wondered what Grace's thoughts were on this situation.

"Why don't you just start slowly?" Jessie asked him

Eli looked at her curiously

Jessie finished "Try staying in the same room with her for more than
10 seconds."

Eli kind of laughed "You know something Jess? We're real winners at
this whole relationship thing"

"Yeah, we --" Jessie started to reply as Rick yelled upstairs

"Jessie! Dinner!"

"Well, here's your chance to start slowly" Jessie said as they
started down the stairs.

TBC...?