DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters.

Chapter Six

When Brenda emerged from the kitchen Jason was alone sitting on the couch drinking his beer. Without asking, Brenda opened the front door and motioned Brady over.

"Will you start taking all these down to the car? I'm on a deadline," she said quietly letting him into the penthouse.

Jason looked over at the two of them when Brady walked in.

"Why was he taking to you?" Jason asked.

"Who?" Brady asked.

"Johnny Zacchara. Why was he talking to you?" Jason stood up and walked over to them. Brenda planted herself right in front of Jason and he stopped just short of having to touch her.

"I don't know," Brady shrugged.

"What'd he say to you?"

"Nothing really. Just something about bodyguards aren't good anymore." Jason stared at him before stepping away from Brenda.

Brady picked up a couple boxes and walked out of the penthouse.

"Max, help him with all these boxes," Jason said to his own guard.

"Sure Jason," he said picking up a couple of his own and following Brady out.

Brenda was about to say something when her phone rang. She picked up her jacket and reached into the pocket, fully aware that Jason's eyes were on her. She hesitated when she saw the number but then picked up knowing it was probably better if she did. But to Jason's surprise she immediately began speaking in quick uninterrupted French.

He crossed his arms over his chest and she spoke quickly into the phone. She tried to keep her voice down but whatever she was discussing upset her and her voice rose and cracked. He didn't know French but it sounded like the conversation ended abruptly with Brenda getting hung up on because suddenly she closed her phone. She kept her back to him.

"What's wrong?" Brady asked when he walked back in to see Brenda standing all alone and Jason just watching her. Brady walked over and turned her around. "What happened?"

She mumbled something which Jason couldn't understand. Probably in French again. Maybe he should have sent her some place where they only spoke English.

"Okay. Let's go," Brady said taking her hand and pulling her towards the door.

"You're not going anywhere," Jason said blocking Brenda's path.

"Just send the rest of my stuff to the Metro Court," she said without looking at him and before he could stop her slipped out of the penthouse and into the elevator.

Jason had no idea what to think. Brenda was always up for a fight and the only time he'd seen her that helpless was when she thought she was dying or after one of the plane crashes. She was completely not herself, which made her think that more was going on than she was letting on.

---

Brenda slammed the bedroom door when she got into the suite. Brady chose to hang outside and read a car magazine instead of get involved in the fight she was about to have with herself. He didn't hear much noise, which was surprising because last time she got that phone call she trashed the house.

Within fifteen minutes she opened the door and stuck her head out.

"We're leaving," she stated. He followed her inside as she grabbed the envelope off the counter and stuffed it into her bag.

"Where are we going?"

"I said I would be in New York City tomorrow. I don't want to fly. I'd rather leave now." Brenda put a couple more things into a bag and turned to look at him. "Now."

He nodded and picked up his own unpacked bag and together they walked out of the room and into the elevator.

"Did you tell the front desk that I would be in an out over the next few weeks?"

"Yes," Brady told her.

The elevator opened at the lobby and they stepped out. He kept a hand on her lower back guiding her through the crowd, hoping they didn't get stopped. The valet pulled up the car and opened the door for Brenda who looked at him before opening her own door, the front passenger door.

"Thanks but no thanks," she said before sliding into the car and closing the door just as Jax walked out of the hotel.

Brady tipped the valet and got into the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking lot.