Chapter Eleven

The sun lit up the small hotel room, waking Lisa up. She almost forgot where she was, then it all came rushing back, each detail clearer then it had been before. Adam had escaped...leaving Rupert shot on his floor...then I went with Jack...wait...JACK!

Scanning the room, she saw no sign of Jackson. His bed was made, there was no sign of him in the restroom. A sudden feeling of betrayl hit Lisa hard, tearing a hole in her heart. He wouldn't just leave, would he? Then to her relief, Jackson opened up the door, carrying a plastic plate with food on it.

He smilled at her, seeing the look in her eyes."After all this, you think I would just leave you, Leese?"Jackson knew he had not yet won all of her trust, but he wished that she would trust him a little more then she did.

"No."She replied back, it coming out sounding a little unsure. Jackson cocked his head to the side, then sighed. He walked over and sat down at Lisa's feet, holding out the plate of food.

Lisa was never a 'breakfast person', but the smell of the food made her stomach growl. She hadn't had anything really to eat for a few days, except for the couple bites of food she had the day before. Taking the plate from Jackson's hand, she nodded at him."Thank you."She gratefully told him, sounding a little shy.

Stuffing a bagel in her mouth, Lisa glanced over at Jackson, who was watching her. It made her a little uneasy, but at the time, hunger took over and all she wanted to do was eat.

"When was the last time you had a decent meal? Or, had eaten more than a couple of bites?"Jackson calmly asked, but there was still mock threaded into his questions. Lisa was dangerously skinny, and had become a little weaker since the Red Eye flight. And Jackson had noticed.

She put down her bagel, swallowing the last of what was in her mouth. He brushed away a stray hair that had fallen in his face, waiting for her to clear her throat.

"I-I...well-"She began, but looked down at her lap when she could not remember the last decent meal she had eaten. Or at least a meal she had eaten more than a few bites. She was a little angered that Jackson had brought this subject up. She was a big girl, and could take care of herself.

"Lisa, you can't do this to yourself."He put his hand under her chin, lifting her face up to his."Look at you."

"I am fine."She deffended, all though she did not believe what she said anymore than Jackson did.

"Don't lie to me."Jackson released her chin, then got up off the bed, heading over to the window. He saw her start to put her plate down and walk over to him."Eat..you need to eat."He ordered, glancing over at the plate with his eyes.

"Jack-"Lisa continued to press on, ignoring his demands.

"Would you rather have me shove it down your throat?"Jackson had no trace of sarcasim in his voice what so ever. He turned from the window, and slowly steped towards Lisa, making her take a few more steps backwards. She still feared Jackson, and had good reason. Jackson had one hell of a temper. She had found this out the hard way.

"No. I am perfectly capable of eating my own damn food."She snapped at him, leaning against the table the TV was displayed on. Jackson found it amussing, and painful at the same time, that Lisa coward in his presence. And especially whenever he got close to her. Wanting to mess wit her a little more, he pressed the palms of his hands on the wall behind her, trapping her between him and the table. His stare never leaving her green eyes. "Then show me."Jackson flatly said, sounding like a father giving orders to a child. And in a way, Jackson had the same power, and Lisa had to obey. She couldnt burry her feelings for him. As much as she wanted to rebel against his camands, she found she couldn't. His calm voice, made it almost impossible to ignore. And not wanting to find out what Jackson would do if she continued to refuse, Lisa ducked under his arms and moved back to where she had set down the plate of food.

Taking a seat across from her on the other bed, Jackson watched Lisa. Him always watching her was begining to annoy Lisa.

"How do you expect me to eat, when you are watching me the whole time?"She snapped, refusing to touch anything with him staring. He laughed a little, then layed down on the bed, propping himself up on his classped hands behind his head. Lisa shot one last glare at him, then finished the plate of food. Tossing the plate in the waste basket, she walked into the restroom to fix her appearance.

Make up was crusted to her face, and her auburn curls, was now a nest of tangles. After wetting a white cloth, she swiped away at her face, erasing the black mascara and eyeshadow. Since she had absolutley nothing with her, Lisa had to use her fingers to comb through her hair, taming the mess as best she could. She joined Jackson, sitting next to his spread out body.

"Why...would it not be safe at your house?"The question had been trying to surface ever since Jackson had told her to call the Lux Atlantic. And it felt good for Lisa to finally get it out of her mind.

He sat up, bringing himself up to Lisa's height."You can never be too carefull in my line of work."His smile sent shivers down her spine, and she guessed that he felt her quiver, because he took her into his arms, and ran his hand up down her back. Which didn't help, instead it just made her skin tingle more at his soft touch.

"Are we going back? I need my things."Lisa rested her chin on his shoulder, trying to relax, but the thought of leaving her identification behind crept up to the front of her thoughts.

"Right now...your things are the least of your problems."He leaned back, to see Lisa's face. Lisa didn't press the matter. And she turned her head to the side, avoiding Jackson's searing gaze on her.

"That picture...the one at my house."Jackson caught Lisa's attention, and she was now starring at him."That was the last picture that was taken of that family."

"What?"She asked, wanting him to explain more to her.

"They were killed a week after it was taken, in a crash."He continued, his voice seemed calm, but she could hear something more hidden away in his words.

"Oh...i'm so sorry."She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It's ok. Just thought I would let you know what got me tangled up in this mess of a job."He said, looking away and out the window.

"How? I'm not sure I get what you are saying."Lisa hated how he would just give you one simple sentence and wouldn't elaborate on it.

"Someone planned the crash. It was an assination."He sarted to say, opening his mouth to clarify, he shut it as the sound of glass breaking filled the room. Jackson held Lisa, sheilding her from shards of glass that flew through the room. She put her arms above her head, letting out a small scream. Smoke filled the air, and Jackson saw a figure in the clouded room. Getting up of the bed, he pulled out his gun, shooting at the shape. He knew it was his company, there was no doubt about that.

Frozen, Lisa stared at the broken window, not knowing what else to do. She then felt an arm on hers as she was ripped off the bed and dragged towards the door by Jackson.

"Leese! You are gonna have to walk on your own!"He shouted at her, trying to hold her small body up from collapsing onto the hotel floor. She broke out of her trance, and began to run down the hotel hallways with Jackson. The sound of gun shots, and screaming people, was almost oo much for her ears to handle.

Two more men jumped around the corner, firing at Jackson at Lisa. Again Lisa ducked, and Jackson sheilded her, shooting back at the men. After several shots, both men lay dead on the floor. People were screaming, and running for their lives. Making it difficult for Jackson to get Lisa to the stairwell. They had to dodge bodies and an occasional bullet fired their way. The screaming citizens made it easy to see who was a hitman and who wasn't.

He reached the entrance of the stairs, and ripped the door open, following in after Lisa. Darting down the cement stairs, several steps at a time, they heard gun shots hit the metal raillings just behind them, forcing them to descend the stairs faster. Lisa felt Jackson's hand on her back, helping her move quickeer, and she struggled to not fall. Then pain shot through her side, sending her to the cement floor. She tried to get up, but couldn't. Jackson almost tripped over her, not expecting her to suddenly collapse, then he saw blood soak her shirt, the stain growing larger.

"Shit! Lisa!"Jackson screamed, taking her by the waist carefully, then throwing her over his shoulder. He practically leapt down the last few stairs. Finally reaching the bottom.

Running across the loby, he was met by more of his former associates. One by one, he took each out, still clinging onto Lisa. In the parking lot he ducked between cars, avoiding each bullet. Tossing Lisa in the passengers side of his BMW, he closed the door, letting out several more rounds from his gun at the assasins surrounding them, before getting into the drivers side. Peeling out of the Lux Atlantic parking lot, he put a hand on Lisa's wound trying to help stop the bleeding.

Lisa couldn't focus, and she struggled to stay awake, fearing if she closed her eyes now, she might never wake up. She could hear Jackson telling her to stay with him. At every sharp turn they took, every bump in the road they hit, sent even more pain through Lisa's side.

Jackson was trying to escape from the taillng cars behind them, while trying to keep Lisa concious. "No, Leese. Keep your eyes open!"He pleaded."Look at me! Keep your eyes focused on me!"

She fought back the diziness threating to plunge her into the darkness, and tried to concentrate on Jackson's blue eyes. The worry in them were clear, and for a moment, she thought she could see them tear up. Jackson...I love you... She thought, placing her hand on his, which held the side of her.

"Jack..."She wanted to tell him, he had to know. For too long, Lisa had tried to bottle her feelings towards Jackson. And right now, all that mattered was that he knew.

"Sssh. Don't talk."He started to say, hearing his voice full of fear would have frightened her any other time. But now, it only made him sound human.

"I love you."She whispered, it hurt to talk. But those three words, needed to be said, needed to be let out.

Jackson looked over at her, then back at the road, almost slamming the car into a van. He was speechless, and didn't know what to say. His heart ached, the one thing he cared about, the one thing he loved, was dying. Fading away from him.

"Lisa, don't say that. You're going to be just fine."Jackson's voicce was shaky, and Lisa had never heard him sound so weak.

"I love you, Jack."She repeated, the words flowed smoothly from her mouth and into the enclosed space around them. He was still speeding past traffic, but he had lost the few vehicles that had been pursuing after them. Jackson saw Lisa begin to close her eyes, and she leaned back in her seat.

"No! Wake up, Leese! You can't do this to me!"He cried out, taking her face in his one hand, trying to wake her."No Lisa! I love you!"

Lisa's world started to go black, and she heard the frantic voice of Jackson. She fought harder, trying not to fall into sleep. Jackson's words were true, and she wished she could treasure them longer. I love you...

He had to swirve to the side again to avoid hitting another oncoming car."We're almost there, Leese. Come on, stay with me! Damnit!"He demanded, hoping that she would not give in just yet. He could see the hospital in the distance, and he pushed the car faster.

Everything raced through Lisa's mind, never stopping. Tears filled her eyes, and ran down her cheeks. All the horrible memories of the Red Eye danced around in her head, taunting her. But mixed in with the bad memories, were ones Lisa never wanted to forget.

The time she had been saved by a mysterious man, from most likely another rape, and later found out it had been Jackson who saved her, then she remembered the first time she layed eyes on Jackson at the airport. His beatiful smile, and laughs when they had a drink at the Tex Mex at the airport just before they boarded the Red Eye. She remembered finding out Jackson was a killer, and the dangerous look in his eyes. The way he had threatened her father, and the way he had strangled her in the airport restroom. She could still picture the look on his face when he saw her scar. She swore it was concern, but it had passed quickly. Then when she stabbed him in the throat with a pen. When she ran through the airport terminol, she remembered thinking that all she cared about was saving Keefe, and her father. Remembering she ran for her life at her fathers house when Jackson chased after her with a knife. And the way he threw her down the stairs, and the shot that she had fired, pierced through Jackson. When she thought he was gone, out of her life forever, he returned for her. At the time, she wondered why he hadn't killed her, but now she knew. Jackson Rippner...really did love her. And she loved him.

There it is...chapter eleven. A little short. Hope it was alright. I will try to get chapter twelve up soon. Review!