8:00 PM

Sunday, December 24, 2006

The smirks that Lisa and Jackson shared as they meandered down the corridor to the elevator were soon met with the noncommittal scowls that Rachel and Alex shot at each other.

Jackson blinked at his friend, his eyes asking the question what? Alex glowered and shook his head. Shifting his gaze to Rachel, he saw her eyes glossy with retracted tears and a patchy flush working its way up her face. She's been crying. What could they possibly have fought about now?

He glanced down at Lisa, only to find her already moving off to talk to Rachel. He rolled his eyes and grinned. They're like magnets, they have to do everything together. Including riding in elevators.

Alex punched the down button with surprising vindictiveness, even for him. Lisa stared at him, reaching for Rachel, who stood between the two. Alex jerked her away from Lisa's grasping fingertips, hugging the girl tightly to his side. She struggled against him.

"Let. Me. Go." She hissed.

Alex sneered quietly at her. "You made a deal, Rachel. Don't forget that. Nothing's changed."

"Alex," Lisa snapped, staring at him. He bristled at her scolding. Like a little boy being chastised by his big sister, Jackson noticed, trying to pull in a laugh. He snorted. Everybody glared at him. He shrugged apologetically.

Rachel spun from Alex's grasp, landing against Lisa's shoulder. Lisa took an assertive but comforting hand on her arm.

The elevator doors open, and the four bustled in. Jackson was curious as hell as to what was occurring between Rachel and Alex.

Alex muttered to Rachel, and she yelled at him, "God, Alex, get over yourself already!"

"Like I haven't heard that before." The green eyes rolled again. Jackson pressed his face against the elevator wall, desperate to not burst into hysterics. They sound way too much like an old married couple. God. I definitely need to get out more.

Lisa slapped his neck, seeing through his scheme. He pecked her on the cheek, and she blushed, but slapped him again. He smirked.

They landed in the office and Jackson led the other three to his BMW. Lisa motioned to sit with Rachel in the back, but Jackson and Alex would have none of that. Jackson took Lisa's arm and ushered her into the front. She sighed weightily, something which Alex duly noted.

"She's my girlfriend, Lisa," he snapped. "Not your daughter or new best friend or whatever you might want to consider her."

Jackson's fingertips froze on the steering wheel as he pulled from the driveway, uneager to let a fight brew that could ruin the evening. He flipped on the stereo. "So, guys, where to? Alex and I usually go to--"

"Excuse me, Alex, but I'm sure that, especially at the given time, she'd much rather sit with me anyway. You've changed, and I have a feeling you're not gonna go back to my baby brother," she took a deep breath. "And does Rachel consider herself your girlfriend, or your captive? Cause it has to work both ways."

"I've changed, Leese?" Alex growled as Jackson pulled onto the main road. His fingers fumbled for the dial, and now Alex and Lisa were practically screaming over the music. "That says a lot, coming from a woman who basically just let her brother disappear."

"What are you talking about?"

Alex scowled. "Did you and our parents even bother looking for me, or was it, 'good riddance, he was a creep anyway'?"

"How dare you," Lisa breathed. "We searched for you for nineteen months, Alex. Nineteen long, agonizing months. By then it was less painful to give you up as dead. And I never called you a creep."

"You may not have said it, but I know that you sure as hell thought it," he yelled. "All those years, I was never cool enough for you. I was the freak who had no friends, remember? The reject."

Lisa paused, and Jackson glanced tensely at her.

Alex interrupted the lack of words and snapped at Jackson, "Jesus, Jackson, can you turn that fucking thing down?"

It went off.

Lisa spoke in a whisper. "I was that horrible?"

Alex licked his lips, his eyes downcast. "Yeah. Yeah, Leese. You were."

"I'm sorry."

"All I ask, Lisa, is that you leave me and Rachel alone. I may be your brother, but our situation is really none of your business. Or you, Jackson. It used to be, as my boss, but she's not part of the job anymore. It's over. This is just about us now, so leave it. I'm an adult, which you may or may not have noticed. I can make my own decisions, and so can Rachel. She made a decision and what's past is past. Understand?"

They all nodded and grumbled commitments, except for Rachel, who was still astonishingly quiet.

The car bumped along the straight main street as Jackson cleared his throat and spoke up. "Cheer up, guys. So where to?"

"McDonalds," Alex said. Every set of eyes—except Rachel, again—swiveled to him. He held up his palms and smiled weakly. "I was joking. You could cut the air with a knife, guys."

They relaxed. "What about Minchellei's?" Jackson offered. "Alex and I go there a lot. It's a nice place."

They all agreed and arrived in minutes. Jackson cut the engine and cleanly pocketed the keys. He escorted Lisa inside and they walked ahead of Alex and Rachel.

Xx

Alex stepped from the car and ran around to the other side to open Rachel's door. She looked up at him. He offered his hand.

"Rachel?" he murmured. "Please?"

What surprised him most was that she took it.