"…Just what's…"


"Wake up!" Michael shouted as he shook Jessica roughly by the shoulders. Suddenly, she turned on her side as she coughed hysterically. Her lungs ached from coughing and her head was pounding with images of her lying in an open casket; she felt like hell and all she wanted to do was role over and die.

"Why am I not dead?" she asked harshly after she got over her coughing fit. He gazed down at her with questions in his eyes, they went unspoken though as he answered hers.

"I came back earlier then I was expected, caught Bradley by surprise, I had to revive you," her breath caught in her throat and he gave a low chuckle that made her glare at him. "Don't worry, I don't do mouth to mouth, left that to one of my associates,"

"That's so much better?" she asked quirking an eyebrow at him.

"I figured that you would think so," his grin widened and he leaned down closer to her as if he was sharing a secret with a close friend. "If I were to introduce you, I'm sure that you wouldn't find it wrong."

Jesse wanted nothing more then to ask him what he meant by that, but, something else came to the forefront of her mind and she felt compelled to ask the million dollar question. "What did you do to Bradley?" Michael dropped his jaw as if he were shocked and thought that she wouldn't ask that question.

"Lets just say that… he won't be able to do his job for quit a while," a devious grin slowly played across his lips and he stood to his feet.

Jessica Seabreeze Ripner knew what this meant; as much as Michael tried to hide she knew that he had most likely killed the young man. 'Why do you even care, Jessica?' she thought to herself. 'You should be rejoicing for having that guy out of your life for good, stop being paranoid.' She had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't realize that Michael had been talking to her for the past five minutes.

"Ripner, did you hear anything that I just said?" her head snapped up and she propped herself up on her elbows.

"I'm sorry, seeing as I've been kidnapped and nearly killed, I happen to be a little slow to listen to the man who made my life a living… nightmare." She snapped and was given an open palmed slap to the face causing the head ache that had earlier only threatened to take over, now do so.

"You never learn do you?"

"Apparently not,"

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut, just like your stupid mother." He shouted pacing in front of her.

"Will you stop mentioning my mother already? I swear it's like you're in love with he-!" she stopped in mid thought before thinking over her last statement. "You're not in love with my mother are you?"

Michael's face twisted in to a look of disgust and he stopped right in front of her looking down at her as if she had just slapped him across the face. "Why would you even ask such a stupid question?"

"Well, I noticed that you didn't answer it," she said having fun ticking him off.

"I just did!"

"Answering a question with a question is not answering!"

"Where's the logic in that?" she now stood to her feet so that she could argue full force.

"If you answer with a question, you are trying to divert the subject."

"That's not always correct," he chuckled.

"Generally," she shrugged, "If you answer with a question, it's leading the person's attention away from the subject so that they could answer your question."

"But answering with a question, simply shows that they have other interests then just your question,"

"But it's trying to get them to pay attention to your interests and not theirs." This gained a deep, rough, chuckle from Michael and he ran a hand through his hair.

"You are a piece of work, Ripner."

F/B

Taking a deep breath, Lisa leaned back in her chair and awaited the sound of Jackson's car pulling into the driveway. She didn't have to wait as long as she thought, Jackson walked into the house slamming the door behind him.

" Jackson, honey, what's wrong?" she asked as he stomped into the office she was sitting in.

"I don't know how you do it, Lisa!" he shouted.

"Do what, Jackson?"

"Deal with… people! I don't know how you do it, Lisa, but I just can't do it!"

"Some people just aren't made to deal with more then one person," she assured him. " Jackson, what did you do?"

"My boss, I killed him," he said as if it was something he did everyday. Lisa's face paled visibly and Jackson's tone softened, "Don't worry, Leese, no one is going to come after us, they already had someone waiting to become the new boss." His tone told Lisa all she needed to know, or so she thought.

" Jackson, tell me you're not going to be head manager."

"No," he said with a loud sigh, "But the guy who was supposed to take over after this one retired is only four at the moment."

"He's four years old and you're going to place him as head manager?" she shouted.

"Do you think the council is really that stupid?" he chuckled, "No, they are having someone take over for him until he comes of age."

" Jackson, promise me that when the babies come you won't endanger them," she said looking into his eyes. He seemed to go dead for a moment before he looked away from her, " Jackson?"

"I can't promise anything, Leese, but I can certainly try," his voice was very soft and quiet.

" Jackson," Lisa began sternly, "The very first time that something happens to my children I'm packing a bag and leaving with both of them."

F/B

Lisa was wrenched from her thoughts by the sound of the door opening and her father walking in.

"Dad, I thought you would never come!" she said as he embraced her. A tear of joy ran silently down her cheek and caused a small dark spot on her hospital gown. "Dad? Have you seen Jessica lately?"

"No, not since last night," he said worried. Sitting down in the chair next to the bed, "Didn't she come and visit you today?"

She shook her head, "No, I haven't seen her since yesterday, even then she didn't speak to me. She stayed for almost five minutes then bolted," without taking her eyes off of her father she continued. " Jackson," she cleared her throat, "Jackson, he, he sold her, Dad, to get the cure for me he sold, Jessica to his boss." She broke down in sobs as Joe once again took her up in his arms and stroked her hair.

"Lisa, it's Jackson, he always has a plan. He'll get her back," Joe said trying to reassure her.

"Even if he does I just don't think I can forgive him for what he did," she said wiping viscously at her tears.

"Lisa, Jackson never goes into anything without a plan, he'll bring her back."

"I don't think I could even look at him after what he's done, Dad I don't think I could still be married to him even after he brings back Jessica."

"Lisa," her father said, "You love Jackson."

"No, I don't think I do."


Okey, so this one was planting seeds for the sequal, Please Review. Does anyone know who did the song this is named after?