Hey there!

This will be the last installment for a while - life is about to get busy for a while, and I won't have the chance to sit at a computer. Thanks to those who let me know you've read what I write - I appreciate the reviews! Sun Walker- thanks for the comments at YTDAW. They made my day - it's nice to know people are reading my old stories! (I've always wondered if that happens, or if people just read what's up on the first page of ffnet and then never look back!)

As always, thanks to Diane for the beta-ing. Changes have been made since she saw this last, so any errors are my fault, not hers.

And now...when we last met, Jack, Terry and the team discussed the case. Afterwards, Jack dropped the bombshell news that Janice had moved in with himNow Terry and Jack are on their way to Jack's place...

Too Good To Be True
By: Mariel

Chapter 15

As soon as they were in the car and on their way to Jack's place, Terry leaned back in his seat and asked casually, "So - what's the story on Janice moving in with you? Is there something you need to tell me?"

The nonchalant tone didn't fool Jack. He refrained from comment, however, and replied in a mild tone, "No, nothing that I can think of." Tossing a look his friend's way, he took pity and added, "But if you need to know, she's staying in the girls' room."

Feeling a relief he wouldn't have admitted, Terry grunted. "What made her decide to leave the hotel? She want to keep an eye on you?"

"No," Jack lied. Deciding to give him the 'official' version of why she'd moved in, he said, "Her editor got concerned about the expense of a hotel when she told him she wouldn't be finished here until about Christmas. When he started getting 'testy', as she put it, she decided to look for cheaper accommodation as a peace offering." He shrugged. "You can't get cheaper than Hotel Malone."

"Sounds like a good setup for both of you. You could use the company. She probably likes having someone around, too. Plus, I'll bet she dusts more often than you do."

Jack grunted. "Except for this morning, I haven't been home since she moved in. And Janice doesn't do dust any more than she cooks. She did offer to have someone come in once a week in lieu of paying rent, though. I agreed."

Terry grinned. "So your place will be spotless when we get there! Good boy."

"Don't get too excited. I can't even remember if she found someone or not. I didn't pay much attention to anything this morning - I was in too much of a hurry to get back to work." Slowing the car down for a red light, he said, "Having someone living there has been nice, though. And it came in handy, too," he admitted. "She kept me in clean clothes for the past few weeks, kept me updated on phone messages, brought in my mail, and tried, occasionally, to remind me that there was an outside world."

"Sort of like a wife without the fringe benefits," Terry commented.

His comment was greeted with silence, then Jack warned in a quiet voice, "Don't go there, Terry. We've all been friends too long for that."

Terry nodded. His voice sober, he said, "Sorry. I always envied you that kind of friendship. I don't understand it, though."

Jack grimaced. "Now you're fishing. Janice told you her side of the story a long time ago - she told me she did. Now you want mine, to see if they check out, is that it?"

Terry grinned. "That would be telling."

Jack was blunt. "We've slept together. Years ago. Before I even met you. We discovered that that isn't what we're about. We're friends. We both need what we are to each other without the sex. I can't explain it." He hesitated, then admitted, "There's a sexual component to our friendship, I suppose - maybe there always is, in male/female friendships. But we decided it was better for us without it. It certainly makes things less complicated." Knowing it needed to be said, he added, "I would like to see her finally happy, though. She hasn't had much luck in the men department."

When it was obvious Jack wasn't going to add more to what he'd already said, Terry asked, "Change topic?"

"Change topic," Jack agreed.

There was a long moment's silence, then Terry looked over at Jack and drawled, "Well, they certainly make a cute couple."

Jack groaned inwardly. With Terry, it was always out of the frying pan and into the fire. Knowing exactly the couple he was referring to, he made his response quick and to the point.

"Don't start."

Terry chuckled, and confidently ignored the warning. "Well, they do. Young, successful, good looking...what's wrong with that? They're like Ken and Barbie! It's a match made in heaven, isn't it?"

Jack responded with silence.

Unfazed, Terry said, "She doesn't seem all that enamoured, though. And he didn't look all that happy today, either."

Jack sighed heavily. "Terry, you sat at a table with them for a few hours and talked about missing people and murdered women. Even with your peculiar powers of observation and intuition, that's not enough time to evaluate their relationship - especially since they were at work and hardly likely to express their undying love for one another in front of everyone. No one is supposed to know, remember?"

Terry raised an eyebrow. "No one was supposed to know about you and Samantha, either, but it took me, oh, what...five minutes to figure it out?"

"Maybe she and Martin are better at keeping their personal lives private."

"You think so?"

"I hope so."

"Why? So you don't have to see it?"

Exasperated, Jack asked, "Terry, do we really have to talk about this?"

His tall tormenter nodded. "I think so."

"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

Terry smiled. "I've heard it rumoured, yes, but I'm happy to say it hasn't slowed me down. Besides," he said, shifting so he could look more directly at the man driving, "I don't get the feeling there's been any real closure on your relationship with Samantha." In fact, it had seemed to hover in the air between them like a huge pterodactyl, unacknowledged but unmistakable, creating a huge shadow over everything they said to one another, every gesture they made.

"There was closure," Jack assured him. "She helped me pack my office when I thought I was leaving. I apologised for hurting her. We said goodbye."

Terry's eyes brightened. "She helped you pack, eh? She's been seeing Dr. Harris, then. She always recommends that. Good for Samantha for following through on the 'steps towards getting over it'." He made finger quotes as he said the words.

Jack frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Lisa always recommends helping the person you don't want to see leave pack up. It's supposed to give both parties closure, and bring acceptance of the relationship's end." He waved a casual hand in the air. "It's a text book solution."

Jack grunted. Obviously, he hadn't read the book. "Lovely. So I guess you're happy now?"

Terry shook his head. "Nope. She helped you pack, but you didn't leave. That kinda ruins the whole gesture. It's kinda like closing the door but it not latching and the wind blowing it back open."

Jack winced. "Spare me the bad analogies. And although I didn't leave, she did. She's with Martin now and apparently very happy, thank you very much. Now leave it be."

"No can do," Terry answered blithely. "You think she's happy? That's not what I saw. Maybe you can explain why you think it's working so well. Help me understand."

"If I do, will you leave me alone?" It was a faint hope, but a hope nonetheless.

"Maybe."

Jack sighed again. Sometimes Terry liked talking far too much. "Look - they suit each other - the age is right, they're both attractive, active people, both career orientated, honest, dedicated and hard working. Sam's had a hard time of it, on and off, all her life. Martin gives her stability and the attention she deserves. I think he really cares for her - I told you that before - he's had a crush on her right from day one."

"Did she notice him from day one?"

Jack shook his head, glad to be talking about someone else, even if it was Martin. "Not at first, I don't think. I think she saw him as kind of a younger brother, or something. She seemed to think he was gauche and amusing." He made an impatient gesture with one hand. "What difference does it make? They're making it work, and that's a good thing for both of them."

Though Terry privately wasn't so sure they were either 'making it work' or good for one another, he merely observed, "But not so good for you."

Jack shot him a look to kill. "My God, you sound like-" He stopped abruptly, then exclaimed, "Janice put you up to this, didn't she?"

"Maybe," Terry admitted. "We're worried about you. She was afraid if she tried to push the matter, you would think she was prying."

"And I'm supposed to think you're not?"

Terry grinned. "I think that was her plan."

"Maybe you ought to have thought the plan through a little better."

Jack didn't bother to ask when they'd had the time to dissect his life.Gritting his teeth, he smoothly pulled into a parking place near his home. Turning off the engine of the car, he said, "Look, things are as they are. The whole affair was a mistake from the get go. That much is obvious. It was wrong, plain and simple. Now she's with someone who cares for her and who can look out for her. Yeah, I'm not quite over her, but I will be, given time." He put his hand on the door handle. "That's my bit of honesty for the evening. I don't want to hear any more about this tonight. We're adults and this is real life. We get through it - without talking it to death! God, if we don't stop having these conversations, I swear we're going to start growing breasts and craving chocolate."

Terry grinned at Jack's discomfort. "We'd make damned ugly women," he opined. "Sort of like the Odd Couple, gone bad." Understanding Jack had reached his limit, though, he said, "So you don't want to talk about this any more, huh? As long as you know there's still an issue here, I guess I can live with that."

"Good to hear it," Jack retorted.

That said, he got out the car and slammed the door shut.

Terry sat a moment, thinking. Jack had said he hadn't gotten over Samantha. What he didn't seem to realise was that Samantha hadn't gotten over him, either - and that Martin was getting impatient. He sighed, wondering when a good time to point that out would be. Getting out of the car and locking the door before closing it, he watched Jack's retreating back.

Now obviously wasn't.

-XXX-

Jack opened the door of his home and shrugged off the suit coat that had felt comfortable to wear for the first time in weeks. The last heat wave of summer was over and temperatures had finally dropped to something more seasonable.

Turning, he opened his mouth to let Janice know he was home and had brought company. Instead of speaking, he stopped and stared. Moving to let Terry enter into the hallway, his eyes remained fixed on his livingroom.

"Hey, this is nice," Terry said as he stepped past Jack and moved further into the room. "I was kinda wondering how you were living. You're not doing so bad for yourself. Maybe your true calling is in interior design," he commented.

At that moment, Janice emerged from the kitchen. Smiling, she walked towards the two men. "I wondered when you'd come creeping home," she said to Jack. After kissing his cheek in greeting, she passed him one of the glasses of wine she held. Smiling up at Terry, she proffered him the glass she held in her other hand. Stretching up on her toes, she kissed his cheek, too. "I was at the window and saw you two walking down the street. I figured I'd give you the 'domestic bliss' welcome. How are you, Terry?"

"I'm fine, Janice. How are you?"

She grinned. "Better now that I've got company - though I hope you two don't hope to be fed; I haven't had time to stock the ice box since I got back."

"You've had time to do a few other things," Jack said, finally regaining his voice. "We need to talk to about that." Looking around, he couldn't believe the transformation. This morning, he'd seen she'd done a few things, but had been too distracted by getting to work to really take it in. Now, with new table lamps glowing softly and flowers in not one, but two vases, the full effect of her efforts showed to perfection. And how had he not noticed the California blinds!

Janice shrugged. "I hung up a few of your pictures and bought a couple of lamps. The throw pillows were on sale in this wonderful little shop I found in D.C., and the candle holders were on the same table, so it seemed silly not to buy them, too." Following his gaze towards the windows, she indicated them with a wave of her hand and explained, "Since you weren't here to consult with about fabrics and colour, I settled on those for the windows. I had them put in last week. If you don't like them, we'll think of something else." Seeing his expression, she widened her eyes and said, "I have to repay you somehow for letting me stay here."

"I thought we agreed that the cleaning woman was enough."

With the two men following her towards the sitting area, she sat down at one end of the sofa and tucked one leg beneath her comfortably. Leaning over to pick up her wine glass from the coffee table, she said, "No, you agreed that it was enough. I never did. I don't mind giving my editor a break, but I'm not going to give him a free ride!" She paused and tried to look repentant. "I'm sorry that you weren't here to discuss things with," she apologised.

"Right. As though you didn't see me almost every day, except when you were in D.C.," Jack grumbled. He knew he was defeated before even starting the war. And she knew damned well he wasn't going to undo a single thing she'd done. Looking around, he had to admit he liked what he saw. She'd managed to make it look comfortable and lived in and had still kept it plain and simple, the way he liked things.

"I kept forgetting to mention it," she said, smiling and taking a sip of her wine. "My memory isn't what it was." Placing her drink down, she untucked her leg and sat forward onto the edge of her seat. Looking at him expectantly, and in a voice that said she meant business, she said, "There is one thing we have to discuss immediately, though, before I forget it, too." Taking a deep breath, she launched into her explanation. Speakign quickly, she said, "I'm going to need you and your team in a couple weeks, on the evening of October 17th, I believe. There's a big charity gala taking place - a dinner dance sort of thing. To go, you either have to 'buy' a table for eight, or be invited by someone who has already bought a table.I didn't know anyone who could invite me, so I bought a table. My editor is paying for it. It'll be a nice tax deduction for the paper. I was told at first they were sold out, but I dropped a few names and bullied them into admiting they could let me have one table. Thank God, because this is the only way I'll have of meeting a couple of the people I want to talk to. It's a formal event, so a tux or long dress will be required, but I'm told it's absolutely fun to attend. Your people won't mind going, will they? I don't know eight other people in New York right now, and I know there's a chance some of you will be busy, but I'm hoping not, because this would really be doing me an incredible favour if you could all help me out on this one. It would be awful to have to sit at that table all by myself."

Trying to assimilate the rush of words, Jack just looked at her while she paused to catch her breath. His first thought was that sitting at the table alone would serve her right. His second was that when Janice talked fast and furious, she was up to something. Instantly on guard, he said cautiously, "Janice, I just got home. Slow down. Let me get this straight. You've made arrangements for not only me but my entire team to attend some high society charity dinner-"

"-And dance -" she interjected.

"And dance," he added obediently, "without consulting us first? I don't own a tux, and I don't go to those sorts of functions. Except for Martin, I doubt any of us do."

"I know you don't, but it'll be fun, like playing dressup. You can rent a tux. I'll take care of that. And I'll be there to make it bearable, right? We'll have a great time. They're playing big band music. That's why I chose this particular event. You know how we enjoy dancing to that. Please," she said, putting on her best pleading look, "just this once."

Jack looked over at Terry.

Terry raised his hands in mock surrender. "Don't look at me, I'll be back in Los Angeles by then. This is your problem, not mine. You just need to excuse me while I take a moment to conjure up a mental image of you dressed in a tux and dancing to big band music." He looked at Janice and chuckled. "You gotta take pictures!"

Knowing he was defeated again, Jack bit his tongue and gave Terry a look meant to sear his soul.

Souless, Terry grinned back.

Jack caved. "In order to avoid more harassment, I'll say yes for myself, but I can't say yes for the others. You'll have to ask them yourself."

"They'll simply love the idea," she said happily.

And God help them if they don't, Terry thought with amusement. They'd all just have to learn to adjust. Looking at Jack, his grin broadened. This was going to work like a charm. Winking at Janice, he asked, "So, if that matter's settled, tell me what you were up to in D.C."

Quickly returning his wink, Janice smiled and turned her attention to the man sitting on the sofa beside her. "I had a marvelous time, thank you, though some people are so bloody minded about schedules and things I thought I'd go mad..."

A couple hours later, Jack rose and said his goodnights. He was reluctant to leave, knowing he would likely become the topic of conversation once they thought he was safely out of sight. Falling asleep in the room with them would only delay the inevitable, though. Like it or not, he knew they were determined to dissect his life. He sighed in resignation. He was going to have to put up with it until they got it out of their systems.

"Terry, you can take my car back to the hotel, if you want, and pick me up on the way in tomorrow morning. I'm going to bed."

His two friends wished him a good sleep and turned happily back to their conversation.

-XXX-

The next morning, Jack was up early but not so early as Janice. Seeing him as he emerged from his bedroom, she smiled at him as she walked towards her room. "The coffee's ready. Do you still eat next to nothing in the morning? I've got English muffins, but not much else."

Jack nodded. "English muffins are fine, as long as I have coffee to wash them down with."

Entering the kitchen, he saw three mugs placed on the table. He stopped, surprised. Not sure what he felt about what he was thinking, he paused a moment more. Knowing the answer before the question left his lips, he called over his shoulder, "Terry coming for breakfast?"

Janice's voice trailed back to him from the bathroom, where she was putting on the day's earrings. "Yes. He should be here soon. He said last night to have coffee ready by 7:00. I think he's slowly figuring out that's about the limit of my culinary skill."

Feeling an element of relief that his initial suspicions hadn't been correct, Jack smiled. There was something brewing besides the coffee, but he was glad it wasn't brewing too quickly. Terry had gone through a very bad time when his marriage ended, and had been skittish about anything close to a relationship since. It pleased him to think that something might develop between his two best friends. Almost as much as it scared him. He knew better than to comment, however. For all their propensity for delving into his personal life, their lives were tender enough that he needed to stay back and merely observe for the time being. If it was meant to be, it would be, he thought. He'd need to talk to Janice about her latest thoughts on Chad, or Charles, or whatever his name was, though.

Hearing the doorbell ring, he made no move to get it. He heard Janice moving quickly through the livingroom to answer it.

Jack's smile broadened.

End
Chapter 15.