Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Rating in Prologue.

A.N- Another new chapter. I was rereading the story and I was unhappy with how rushed the Jack/Liz romance was, so I decided to add some more depth to it. I also added some more Rizzo time, because he's a pivotal character. Also, because I love him! That's all for now, enjoy!

Part Nine: Drawn In Deeper

"So I hear you give a pretty decent massage." Rizzo commented the day after they returned from Norway.

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm not too bad, if I say so myself. Why, you need one?"

The two of them were in Rizzo's room, just hanging out.

"Not as much as I did in Norway." Rizzo told her. "But if you're offeringÖ"

"Sure." Elizabeth said with a smile. She moved to sit behind Rizzo and started to massage his shoulders.

"I really appreciate this." He told her, after a moment.

"No problem." She said with a smile.

Just then, the door opened. "Hey Rizzo, what'só" Jack began, then stopped when he stopped Elizabeth. He shot her a mock-pout. "Hey, what's this, now you're giving massages to just anybody? I thought I was special."

Elizabeth grinned. "Don't worry, O.C, you're still my first choice."

"Hey!" Rizzo protested, pretending to be offended. "What am I, chopped liver?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I can't win this one, can I?"

"Nope." The guys said in unison.

"However, if you're giving those out, I want one." Jack told her, as he settled himself on the bed next to Rizzo.

"Hey, you already got one!" Rizzo protested. "This is my turn."

"He's right." Elizabeth told Jack with a smile. "I gave you one the other night."

"But only for a few minutes." He complained. "I want another one."

"Tough." Elizabeth said with a smile, as she continued to massage Rizzo's shoulders. After a second, she dropped her hands. "All done."

"Aww! So soon?" Rizzo pouted.

"Yep." Elizabeth said with a grin. "Besides, I should get going."

"I'll walk you out." Jack offered.

"You don't have to." Elizabeth protested, remembering the last time she let Jack walk her to her car.

"No, I don't." He agreed. "But I want to. Besides, if you don't let me, I'm going to take it personally. After all, you decided to leave as soon as I got here."

"Well, okay then." Elizabeth said with a laugh. "I guess I have to let you walk me out then, don't I?"

Jack just grinned. "Yes you do."

"Bye, Rizzo." Elizabeth said, standing up.

"See you tomorrow." Rizzo said with a smile as Elizabeth and Jack exited the room.

"Does your Dad mind that you spend so much time here?" Jack asked casually.

"Yes and no." Elizabeth answered. "On one hand, I'm doing what he told me to do: getting to know you guys. But on the other, I'm his daughter and he's not crazy about me hanging out with a bunch of guys."

"You said something about promising your father you wouldn't get involved with any of us, what was that?" Jack asked, reminding her of the night he had kissed her.

Elizabeth bit her lip, she had been trying to put that night, and the feel of Jack's lips against hers, out of her mind.

"Dad thinks it would be distracting." Elizabeth told him. "So, I'm not allowed to date any of his players. He doesn't want any distractions or complications and those kind of things tend to get messy."

"You sound like your talking from experience?" Jack asked lightly.

"I am." She told him.

"Mac?" He asked immediately.

"Yeah." Elizabeth told him. "But that's ancient history. Still, I learnt my lesson."

Jack was quiet for a minute. "You know, just because something happened once, doesn't mean that it would turn out the same way if it happened a second time."

"But, I couldn't take it if it did." Elizabeth said quietly, thinking of the horrible months after Robbie. Of the wounds that still hadn't healed.

They had exited the building by then and were walking towards her car. Jack stopped suddenly and grabbed her hand and pulled her so that she was facing him.

Elizabeth stopped and looked into his eyes, they were intense and thoughtful. Before she could fully process what was happening, Jack had leaned down and was kissing her.

This time, she kissed him back, unable to stop herself. After a minute, the kiss ended and they pulled apart.

"What was that?" She asked him quietly.

Jack grinned. "Apparently Mac is more of an idiot than I thought if you had to ask."

She smiled slightly. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"You're a beautiful girl, Liz." Jack told her quietly. "Can you blame me for wanting to kiss you?"

"It wouldn't work." She told him softly.

"How will you know until you try?" He asked her.

"My father would kill you." She warned.

Jack shot her his trademark-cocky grin. "I'll take the chance, I betcha it would be worth it."

If only she could be so certain...

"I should go." She said, not really answering him.

"Okay." He agreed, obviously knowing that it wasn't the time to push it. "But, I'm not going to give up, Liz."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'll remember that." They walked the rest of the way to her car and silence.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Jack told her before she got in and drove away.

She drove home, thinking all the time about Jack and that kiss. She couldn't go there, she knew that. But the problem was that she wanted to go there. She knew all the reasons why it was a bad idea, but some part of her brain wasn't listening.

She was drawn to Jack O'Callahan in a way that surprised her. After all, it had been three years since she had been drawn to anyone other than Robbie. Part of her was glad that she was finally drawn to another guy, but she just wondered why it had to be this guy?

Elizabeth shook her head, fate had a sense of humour, that was for sure.
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