Lisa looked into the mirror in the bathroom attached to her room and gingerly rubbed concealer over the slow, raw bruise climbing up her face.

"Ah...eh..ow," she winced. Tears threatend to spill from her eyes but she held them back and bit her lip. When she was done applying mascara, eye shadow, and lipstick (she figured if she was going to put makeup on at all she might as well go the whole nine yards) she pulled her hair up into a half-up style with a clip. It fell wavy, the curls exhausted and frazzled. Lisa let out a disgruntled noise of defeat and left the room.

Lisa stepped downstairs and saw Jackson in the kitchen chopping something. He looked up and surveyed her carefully, his eyes lingering on hers. She shifted uncomfortably and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Looks good," he acknowledged, dumping whatever he'd chopped into a boiling pot. Lisa didn't say anything.

"Well, um...I made spaghetti."

Lisa looked up and almost meekly replied, "I'm a vegetarian."

He nodded. "I know. It's a meatless sauce."

Lisa nodded coldly. "You want help?"

He laughed sharply. "I know what you're thinking, that there's knives in here. Well, don't worry they're all plastic. No, I don't need help."

Lisa glared curtly at him. He wiped his hands with a dishtowel just as the doorbell rang. Jackson took Lisa's arm and led her to the doorway.

"Now, remember, Leese," he grinned at her. "Smile like you mean it."

Harry and Betty entered the house and Lisa graciously took their coats. Within minutes they were seated at the table.

They engaged in pleasant small talk; Lisa wasn't really sure what it was about as she drifted into an unfriendly stupor. Jackson noticed once and began to shoot her menacing looks, urging her to speak more. Lisa still didn't do anything, but a tight squeeze on her wrist caused her to sit up straighter.

"So, where did you two kids meet?" Harry asked energetically, sipping his wine.

"In an airport," Lisa answered him before she could respond. She threw Jackson a simper. "Before a flight."

Betty drew in a long, exaggerated breath. "Oh, my dear, that's so romantic!"

"Mmmm...depends on how you look at it," Lisa replied. Jackson glared at her. Once he caught Harry staring at him and he quickly changed it into a loving smile. He caressed her cheek and Lisa clenched her jaw, staring fiercely at his crystalline blue eyes.

"Aw, you two are just the cutest!" Betty squealed. Lisa jerked her head away and went back to staring at her plate.

Lisa felt helpless. Nothing she could do would make a difference. Suddenly something Harry said made her jump.

"So, do you two plan to have kids?"

As innocent as it was, the thought sent Lisa's mind reeling. She breathed in a few shaky breaths and the images seemed to blur in front of her.

"Harry, that was rude!" Betty scornfully slapped him on the arm. Jackson threw a sidelong glance at Lisa.

"Uh..um..." she choked out. Then she jerked her head up. "I need to get some air." She abruptly pushed back her chair and retreated into the kitchen. Lisa leaved heavily onto the countertop and tears came in shallow breaths.

Jackson entered and Lisa saw something completely different in his eyes...sympathy, maybe?

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, softly taking her shoulders. She looked away "What's up?"

"Stay away from me," Lisa jerked her arm away.

"Listen, Leese, I realize this acting isn't easy-"

"You're damn right it's not!" she cried angrily. "I don't want to play your wife anymore, Jack!"

He paused. "There's...an easy way out of it."

"Yeah?" she shot at him, her hair flying into her face. He was such a moron. "What's that?"

He breathlessly took her hands. She stared with an irritated glow into his face until finally the words poured from his mouth.

"Marry me."