Once is Enough

"You think staring at it will make it ring?"

Jacob looked up, blinking hard to switch the focus of his eyes through his contacts, the change of perspective from the cell phone in his hands to the speaker a little too quick for the old pair. Gwen stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. She was surprisingly comfortable around him, even after the trunk incident. She had a certain strength in her that reminded him of Liz. That drive that could put everything else aside and adapt. Jacob could respect that. In fact, he hadn't expected to like these two quite as much as he did. It was a dangerous addition to an already precarious situation, but he found himself wanting to make sure they came out of it okay.

"You never know," he answered with a shrug.

"How many messages have left her?"

"Her?" Jacob asked innocently and Gwen rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the frame and moving towards him.

"The One," she answered. "Oh come on. Did you think you could hide that? Asher said you're good, but no one is that good. You're still in love with her."

Jacob felt the smile perk his lips without permission.

"So what's mystery girl's name?"

He paused, watching her carefully, the smile less real now. He didn't really know them. Letting them on too close was dangerous. Not just for him, but for Liz too. The closer he got in to Karakurt, the more scrutiny he would come under. Matt Buckley was inconspicuous, but Jacob Phelps' name was all over the place thanks to his former mentor and Tom Keen... Tom Keen would make an instant connection to Elizabeth Keen and Karakurt would see him coming a mile away.

Gwen shrugged. "You don't have to say if you don't want to. I just thought you might want to talk about it."

Jacob's smile faltered. "Sometimes it's easier not to," he said softly.

"You think she's gone for good?"

"I hope not."

"Well how did you two leave it?"

"With a lot of questions. She's..." He swallowed hard and his mask almost faltered. "It's really complicated."

Gwen grinned at him. "I get the impression nothing is simple with you, Matt. That's why Asher likes you."

Jacob smirked.

"The thing is," she said as she took the seat opposite of him and caught his gaze intentionally, "I know my fiancé. He moves in and out of people's lives. He makes friends easily, but I've never seen them do what you've done for him and you've known him, what? A week?"

"What's the question, Gwen?"

"What's in it for you?"

"Why does there have to be something in it for me?"

Gwen smiled, but it wasn't real. "You're a survivor, Matt. This could get you killed."

"Asher's a good guy. He deserves better than what he fell into."

"True, and that's why I'm still with him. But I know him. You barely do."

"So I can't want to help the guy?"

"I just don't think that's your only goal."

Jacob shifted and leaned forward. "I'm not entirely sure what you're accusing me of."

Gwen's smile turned a little more real. "I'm not accusing you, Matt. I have an excellent BS meter. You meant it when you told me you wouldn't hurt him. I just would rather the two of us be on the same page, you know? No more surprises like the trunk."

That pulled a chuckle from him. "Didn't seem to scare you too bad. You haven't run me off yet." Jacob sat back slowly, studying her. "What would you be willing to do to help Asher?"

"Anything," she said without even a beat of hesitation.

Jacob felt his lips turn upward. He believed her.

"Just like you would for her," Gwen said with a very pointed look before she hopped off the chair, turning to leave the room. "That's what you do when you love them, isn't it? Anything."

"Guess it is."

"No more surprises," she called, waving at him over her shoulder as she left.

Jacob chucked to himself. Asher had found himself a rare one. The women did have one hell of a BS meter and it seemed she had somehow pieced together that this was for Liz. He didn't know how, outside of the fact that it sounded like she would have been willing to do the same if she were in his place. That just made him more determined that the two of them come out on the other end safe in all of this.

Jacob stood, running a hand through his dark hair. He would use them to get to Karakurt, that was the same, but it would also free them to live their lives without the Russians breathing down their necks. They were good people and they deserved a chance. When that had become a factor in his planning, he wasn't sure. Maybe Liz had changed him more than he had realized. He shook his head and smiled to himself. Gwen had said it. Falling in love once was enough, and, for him, it had changed everything.