Title: Can't Keep Running
Summary: It's been five years since the strike, seven since she learned Jack's true history and nine since she said goodbye to Rip -- what's in store next for Stress & Jack? Marriage? A Family? Or the return of the one she fears above all others?
Disclaimer: As I've said countless times before, and I'm sure I'll say it countless times again, I, sadly, do not own any of the newsies. They are © 1992- to Disney, as hard as I try to get them for myself. I do, however, own Jessa/Stress, Luke/Rip, Caitlin/Spindle and Tyler/Danger. Any other character is property of the author I've borrowed them from.
Soul Mates Series: This is the fourth installment in Stress & Jack: Soul Mates Series. It is preceded by Cuts Like a Knife (I), Secrets Behind the Lies (II) and One Year Anniversary (III), in case you would like to read the earlier chapters in their lives.
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Chapter Four
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When Ava arrived at Doctor Morgan's and indicated that the unconscious woman that had been brought in was her friend, the receptionist told her to take a seat. She remained in that chair, nervous and impatient, for close to a half an hour before she heard talking come from the small room just outside the waiting area. Jess must be awake.
The rumblings of a hushed conversation lasted for another three-quarters of an hour. Ava only knew how much time has passed by annoying the receptionist until the middle-aged woman threatened to make her wait outside.
After the threat, Ava waited quietly from that point on. She didn't have too much longer to wait. After a moment of quiet, Jess emerged from the room, the elderly doctor following close behind.
She thanked the doctor dazedly and gave the receptionist the address to where they should send his bill after they entered the waiting room. Ava stood from the chair and rushed forward to Jess's side. She was relieved to see that Jess was all in one piece. Neither the doctor, nor his receptionist, had given her any information on Jess's condition. Besides the swath of gauze that covered one side of her head, she appeared to be fine.
Jess reached for Ava's hand but kept her eyes on Doctor Morgan. "I really want to thank you again, Doctor. I don't know what to say."
"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Jacobs. I will see you for a check-up in another week," he answered and smiled benignly at the young woman. She was taking the news better than expected.
She nodded and waved to the receptionist. "Bye," she added before turning to Ava. "Thanks for coming," she whispered and followed Ava's lead outside of the doctor's office.
"Of course, I came for you, Jess," she answered, squeezing her hand tightly. "And, now that you're out of there, you want to tell me why you were brought in there in the first place?"
Jess paled. She knew exactly why she was there; she hadn't forgotten from the moment she awoke. The two women walked in silence, Ava awaiting an answer that Jess didn't really want to give. After they had walked a few blocks away from the office, walking in the opposition direction of the Chronicle building, Jess noted, she finally spoke. "I… I fell."
Ava sighed. Come on Jess, you can do better than that. "Yes, I know that. Dave told me that he and Cassandra found you on the ground. Now," Ava stopped and met her friend's green eyes, "do you want to tell me why you fell?"
Another few blocks passed by before Jess found in her to speak again. "It's him, Ava…"
Ava was confused. "Him, who? Jack?"
"No." Jess kept her face straight ahead trying not to meet Ava's gaze. "Rip. He's back."
It was Ava's turn to fall silent. If she was expecting any answer, it sure wasn't that. Rip. Ava knew the stories; this could not be good. "Are you sure? How do you know?"
"There was a murder last night – a man called Harrison. I… I knew him… back when I was in Queens. He was a friend of Rip's," Jess whispered. She thought she had gotten past all this. She was grown, wasn't she? "I think Rip did it, Ava. I think he's back."
Ava kept her mouth closed for a second, debating on whether or not she wanted to comment on Jess' fears. She had known Jess for five years and if there was one thing about her she knew: she was always fearful that her prior lover would return to New York. She figured that this was an opportune moment to mention something that had been her mind for awhile. It might also help get her mind off of Rip. "I think you might have a bigger problem than that right now, Jess. I mean, you don't know for sure that Rip's back in town, right? This could be some sort of coincidence and all. For all you know, this Harrison fella is someone else entirely." When her friend remained silent, Ava continued. "I think that you've got to handle David first."
Jess paused. "Come again?" This was quite a turn from the current conversation.
Ava sighed again. She and Rae were just discussing this last week. His actions had begun not too soon after Grace had left him. And, while it may not be obvious to her that David still had feelings for her, anyone else with eyes could see how he felt. The women believed that Jess would have to deal with that sooner or later. Ava personally thought it would be better if she did it sooner. "David. As in Jacobs."
"I know Dave's last name, Ava." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What kind of fool did Ava take her for? "What I'm trying to figure out is why I've got to 'handle' him."
"You know he was the one who brought you to the doctor's, right?"
She nodded. "It explains why Doctor Morgan kept calling me 'Mrs. Jacobs' and telling me that my husband was a nervous fella. I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise – and, besides, I didn't want to explain that I was unmarried, anyway." She paused at the corner and smiled at one of the newsboys. Had she really grown up so much since then?
Ava lifted her own hand in acknowledgment before hurrying Jess along to the apartments. She didn't think it would be a smart idea to let Jess return to the Chronicle building right away. She figured bed rest is just what she needed following the days' events. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to continue questioning her along the way.
Once the pair had resumed walking Ava continued their conversation. "Jess, I saw David after he brought you to the doctor's. He was practically beating down your front door in frustration. He told me that he kept going back and forth between your apartment and the office trying to find Jack. I went down to Doctor Morgan's to wait with you while he continued to hunt down Jack but it was real easy to see how rattled he was."
She shrugged, not really listening to Ava any more. She had other things on her mind. She was finding it difficult to focus on just one. "So? I'd be rattled too if I found him passed out on the office floor, blood gushing out of his head." She reached behind her head and let her fingers find the rough fabric of the bandage the doctor put there to protect her wound. It must have been some sight, she thought to herself imagining herself sprawled out on the floor. It was at least comforting to know that it was Ava, and not Jack, waiting for her at Doctor Morgan's because no one had been able to find Jack to tell him.
Her mind lingered on Jack for a moment before it was wiped clean. She shivered and her stomach began to turn. The familiar sensation that she was being watched was upon her again. Without trying to agitate the faint throbbing of her head that had accompanied her fall, she turned to look behind her. The Manhattan streets were as crowded as ever; it was impossible to make out any face that was staring in her general direction. She shivered again.
Ava placed her arm around Jess, assuming that she was either upset at the topic of conversation or was just cold. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it all up. I mean, you just got hurt – and that murder you mentioned… Just forget it. We'll talk about it later."
Jess started to shake her head, her shoulder-length curls swaying as she did, but stopped almost directly after. It made the throbbing almost unbearable. This is not what I need right now… "Ya know what, Ava? That ain't important anyway. I don't think that Dave is gonna want to have anything to do with me now."
"Why? Because of Rip? I don't rea—"
Jess paused, a saddened look coming to her green eyes, as she broke loose of Ava's slight embrace. She approached the entrance to the apartment building. "No, Ava," she interrupted and she sounded angry and bitter, "because I'm going to have a baby."
