Lisa's heart stopped beating. Her mouth grew dry and it was so quiet she could hear the clattering of fork against plate in the kitchen.
"Marry me, Leese," he whispered again. Lisa jerked away and did the only thing she could think of. She ran. She ran outside where the only solace she could find was the snowy balcony. She collapsed on it and cried.
How could this be? Finally someone who loved her, but it was a terrorist, someone who'd hurt her so much in the past.
The cool winter air was speckled with snow and Lisa, in her thin dress, shivered. She pulled her knees to her chest, letting her head fall onto her legs. Her tears froze on her face and the darkness of the early night engulfed her body and soul.
How could he possibly think she'd marry him? He beat her up, nearly killed her and her loved ones, not to mention hundreds of others.
And why, she wondered, did he even have feelings for her? She certainly didn't think a pen jabbed into one's throat was equivalent to a Valentine.
Suddenly a hand on her back caused her to jump.
"Lisa, I'm sorry, but..." Jackson crouched down next to her. "I love you and I know you must feel something for me or you wouldn't be out here crying"
Lisa's head snapped up. "All I feel for you, Jack, is the greatest feeling of hatred ever imaginable"
Jackson's face fell considerably, but he pretended to be unmoved. "Well, Leese, I'm not going to force you to be with me, but I'll guarantee you that you wont find anyone else who'll treat you better"
Lisa rolled her eyes. "Because being thrown down a flight of stairs is such a great way to be treated"
Jackson shrugged. "You started it"
"We're not four, Jack," Lisa snapped, standing up and reentering the house, slamming the sliding glass doors in his face.
The elderly couple left an hour later and Lisa didn't speak to Jackson at all, just left lines of tension on her face.
As she soundlessly headed upstairs Jackson caught her arm.
"Is this how it's going to be now, Lisa?" he asked angrily. Lisa yanked her arm way but he slammed her against the wall.
"Let go of me," she ordered through her teeth. "Just forget it happened, all right? Let's just go back to living this fucked up routine of hostage and kidnapper"
He thought. "Fine."
Lisa awoke the next morning, a childlike anticipation in her chest. She sighed and wracked her brain for the answer as to why. Then she remembered.
It was Christmas Eve.
Lisa pulled herself out of bed and downstairs. Her heart sagged and she willed herself not to cry. She missed her father desperately, so badly it left
an aching pain in her chest.
Jackson was yet again in the kitchen flipping pancakes.
"Hey, Leese," he greeted cheerfully, obviously trying to put on a facade of not caring about the previous night's events. She gave a noise of acknowledgement
and sat down.
"Why the long face?" he questioned. She threw him a pointed look and he thought. "Ohhh. Seriously, Leese, I think Santa will know that he needs to come
here instead of Miami." He chuckled a little at his joke. Lisa glared at him.
"No, dumbass, it's just kinda hard being away from my father especially at this time of the year," she snapped. "You should know what it's like to be away from
family." She tapped her chin, pretending to sarcastically realize something. "Oh wait, you don't, you killed them off"
Instantly Jackson was on her, sending her chair flying as he slammed her against the wall.
"Don't you ever," he slapped her across the face. "Say that again"
"I'm not scared of you, Jack," Lisa remarked, spitting at him. He slapped her hard again across the face. Her head lolled to the side involuntarily and she felt her
consciousness drifting.
Jackson noticed this and half-carried, half-dragged her upstairs to her room, where he handcuffed her wrists. Lisa felt too groggy to care or wonder why.
"Stay here, I've errands to do," was all he abruptly said before leaving the room, locking the door behind him. Lisa, confused, just let herself drift to sleep.
Her head was shadowed by the darking thunderclous overhead. Her brown curls hung in her pale face and her outfit, a medley of a black skirt, black blouse, and
heels, was perfectly pressed.
For some reason, Lisa felt sad. She felt a hand in hers and by instinct knew it was a child's. She wondered who the father was and looked up.
She was in a graveyard. Alone with the child. Lisa felt hot tears stinging her eyes and wondered why she was crying, looking at the tombstone in front of her.
Jackson Rippner, beloved father, caring husband, it read.
Lisa gasped and stumbled back, finally catching a glimpse of the child's face.
Blue eyes, with a depth to them that no one could possibly imagine. Jack Rippner's eyes.
Lisa awoke with a jolt, breathing hard. What the hell was that all about? She was...in mourning, oddly enough over Jackson's apparent death. And they were... married?
Lisa shuddered. No. Don't think about it, it simply was something created by an overactive mind.
She realized that the cuffs were gone. She rubbed her sore wrists and stumbled out of bed.
Lisa padded out of the room, feeling uneasy. Where was he? Where had he gone?
She heard music and, feeling as if she had de ja vu, followed it to another bedroom down the hall. The door was slightly ajar, so Lisa cracked it open.
Jackson sat on the floor across from Melanie, his back to the door and a guitar in his lap. Lisa's first instinct was to run to Melanie, since she was back now, much to Lisa's delight,
but then she thought of a different idea. She held a finger to his lips to tell Mel not to alert Jackson to Lisa's presence. Lisa leaned against the doorframe, listening to the song he was playing.
Tribute. A song she'd known quite well, about a beast who was going to eat two brothers' souls if they didn't play the best song in the world. Jackson approached the snorting
part and Lisa tried to hold in her laughter as he mimicked it perfectly for Mel. Mel giggled, obviously warming up to him.
Jackson strummed along with the chords. This sure was odd, Lisa thought. Was she dreaming again? She pinched herself. Ouch. Nope.
The song finally finished and Lisa clapped after the last chord had cleared the air.
Jackson stood up awkwardly, a slow red coming up his cheeks.
"I-uh-she was bored," he said defensively. Lisa laughed and scooped Mel up. She looked at Jackson, now serious.
"You brought her back," she whispered, clutching the child tightly. Jackson nodded.
"I figured I might as well, seeing how you were all worked up over this Christmas bullshit. I guess it would give her father a little more leverage if she were with you," he shrugged, but then
sneered at her. "Plus, I figured you'd learned your lesson." Lisa was astonished at how fast his moods could switch. She glared at him.
He kept the gaze and looked at Mel. "Well, hate to break it to you, Leese, but now we've got some business to attend to."