Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Twenty-One: Revelations

Elizabeth stood outside the bar, taking in the cold air with a sigh of relief. For some reason, it was welcome, it helped jolt her back to reality.

She couldn't stand being inside that room for a minute longer. Still, even out here in the cold, away from the noise and people, the sight of Robbie and the redhead came back to her.

Elizabeth didn't know why she was letting it bother her. Robbie was free to date other people, just like she was. She didn't have any hold on him, didn't really want to.

Well, part of her did, the part of her that was that eighteen year-old girl falling in love for the first time. But the rest of her knew that that ship had sailed and that it wasn't coming back. She didn't even really want it too, she had moved on and she was happy.

Yet, the image of Robbie and that girl wouldn't go away. It was strange, this wasn't the first time she had seen Robbie with some girl. He was a good-looking guy and unattached, so the girls often flocked to him and he flirted with them.

Elizabeth knew that he never took it seriously, as far as she knew, it had been months since he'd dated the same girl more than once or twice. Still, she had seen him flirt with lots of girls these last few months, it would have been strange if she hadn't, given how often she went out with the team.

Yet, tonight was the first time it had really bothered her. Deep down, she knew why. Because the girl tonight was a redhead, just like the girl-

"Liz!"

Elizabeth was jolted out of her thoughts by someone calling her name. She turned to see Jack coming toward her.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked her.

"I just needed some air." She said simply, knowing that she couldn't go into the real reason. He wouldn't understand and it would only cause problems.

Jackraised an eyebrow. "Well, you certainly got it, you don't even have your coat."

She blushed, realizing that he was right. She was standing outside in the snow in her thin, short-sleeved pink top.

"I didn't even notice." She admitted, shivering as she did so.

"Here." Jack said, taking his coat off and slipping it around her shoulders.

She fit her arms into it and gathered it around her gratefully. "Thank you."

He grinned. "No problem, can't have my girl catching pneumonia, now can I?"

Elizabeth smiled up at him. "No, I guess not."

Jack grinned again, the he reached for her and she went to him willingly. He leaned down and kissed her and she kissed him back feverently, for once totally unconcerned with the idea of being caught.

Being in Jack's arms made her forget her earlier thoughts. She felt so warm and safe, like nothing could hurt her.

"Liz, are you out here?"

The voice brought Elizabeth back to Earth. She and Jack pulled apart to see Kathleen and Mark standing there, watching them.

It was Kathleen who had spoken and she was standing there, grinning at them. Mark, on the other hand, looked stunned.

"You two?" He asked after a moment.

"Yeah, us two." Jack answered, keeping his arms wrapped around Elizabeth. "

I never would have guessed." HMark said slowly, the shock still evident. "In fact, I would have sworn..." He looked at Jack and trailed off.

Elizabeth knew what he had been about to say, that he would have sworn that she had something going on with Robbie, not Jack. "

We've been trying to keep our relationship secret, so my dad doesn't find out." She explained softly. "He'd totally lose it if he knew. He's given me a hard time about making sure I don't date any of his players."

"Yet, you are anyway." Mark said flatly.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I didn't intend for this to happen, it just did."

"Yet, you keep sneaking around." Mark accused, he looked at Jack. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Of course it does." Jack answered. "It bothers me a lot, but I understand Liz's reasons for wanting as few as people to know."

"We aren't doing that great a job at keeping this quiet, though." Elizabeth said with a slight laugh. "You're the second person in the last week to catch us together."

"Who else knows?" Mark asked in surprise.

"Rizzo." Jack told him. "He walked in on us."

Mark raised an eyebrow and then turned to Kathleen. "I assume you knew too?"

"Of course." She answered, idly running her fingers through her short black hair.

Mark was quiet for a moment then looked at Jack and Elizabeth. "I hope you two know what you're doing."

"So do I." Elizabeth told him wryly. "So do I."

Mark nodded and then looked at Kathleen. "I'm going back inside, you coming?" She nodded and the two of them turned and walked back inside the bar, leaving Jack and Elizabeth alone.

"That was interesting." Jack commented, running his hand through his hair.

"Yeah, we're not that great at the secret part of this whole secret relationship thing, are we?" She asked wryly.

"I guess not." He agreed. "I'm sorry about that, Liz."

"It's not your fault." She told him. "If anything, it's more my fault than yours. I should have know that Kat would come look for me and that she'd drag Mark along with her. Besides, at least it was Mark, I'm pretty sure he'll keep quiet."

Jack nodded.

They were both silent for a moment.

"We should get back inside." Jack said finally.

"You can." Elizabeth told him. "I think I'm going to head home."

She didn't want to go back inside and see Robbie and that girl or have to put up with the knowing looks Mark was sure to bestow on her and Jack. It was just too much.

"Can you tell Kathleen that I decided to take off and that I'll call her in the morning?" She asked him. She felt a little bad, since she was the one to invite Kathleen along, but she knew her friend wouldn't mind.

Jack nodded. "Sure. I'll walk you to your car."

"Okay." Elizabeth agreed and the two of them walked the short distance to where she was parked.

Once they reached it, Jack stopped and leaned down to kiss her briefly. "Goodnight."

"Night." She told him, getting in her car.

As she drove out of the parking lot, a thousand emotions were running through her. It had been quite the night, one that she was glad to see end.

It had not been her best night. Not by a long shot.
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