Chapter V

Sherry

"Wow." Jeff stared at Sherry with shock. She looked stunning, but that was an understatement. She looked breathtaking.

"Hey," she whispered shyly, suddenly wishing she hadn't dressed up like this. Sherry wasn't wearing anything too extravagant, but she was wearing a very tight pair of black skinny jeans and a black tank top. It caught his gaze immediately because as petite and small as she was she had a nice muscle tone. He couldn't help but notice how the shirt rode up a bit every time she breathed, exposing a small hint of her belly's flesh.

"You look great."

"You do too," Sherry smiled a bit shyly. Her eyes lingered on him for a few seconds. Jeff had very dark eyes, almost black, his hair was dark too and today it fell in his face a little bit. He wore a tight black T-shirt and he had his jacket slung over his arm. Jeff was a tall handsome man with a sharp jaw and a sly smile that made her shiver.

"May I come inside?" He chuckled at her, she blinked.

"Of course, I'm sorry," she laughed and led him inside. Upon entry he spotted the cats, they were staring at him lazily from the couch, he raised a brow as one of them, the orange one, narrowed its eyes and turned its face away, the black one meowed in his direction. "Don't mind them, they've completely ignored everything I got for them. Instead, they would rather hang out on the back of my freakin' couch."

"Cats have a mind of their own." He shook his head with a smile and looked around, noticing for the first time just how dark her apartment was, and the smell wafting through the entire was amazing. "Wow, this is beautiful Sherry."

"Really? I was thinking to lighten it up."

"No – this is nice, its comfy, its got a cozy feel to it- homey."

"Oh really, Homey?" She laughed at her own wordplay and he grinned at her as she pulled out two plates.

"You're a dork, Sherry Birkin."

She laughed loudly as he set his jacket down politely on a couch and walked over to her with a box in his hand that she noticed for the first time. "You're really going ot make brownies?"

"I am very serious," he smiled down at her as she shrugged with a happy grin and told him where everything was. He complimented her on the lasagna as he watched her serve herself and then him.

Sherry smiled at the compliment and led him to the table so that they could eat, she hadn't enjoyed herself so immensely on a date in a very long time.

Jake

"Buddy, you've had way too many, I think it's time for you to stop. Maybe get a taxi home, you ain't driving are ya'?" The bartender asked Jake with a wary brown eye.

"I'm fine," he told him with a strong frown.

"You don't look fine."

"That's because I'm pissed off. Now get me another."

The bartender sighed and did as he was told, serving Jake Muller his tenth beer. Jake stalked off with his beer into the very dark corner of the bar. There were not a lot of people here tonight, for that he was grateful.

"You don't look too good, he's right." A females voice came from his right. Jake looked and glared at the blonde with a bob-cut. Her eyes were green and highlighted black.

"Mind your own business lady." He shot at her and watched the baseball game with disinterest.

"Well, maybe I don't want to," she said quietly and moved closer to him, he felt her knee against his and he sighed heavily. This night was no good. All he wanted was to be on his own but it seemed that would be impossible.

"Lady, I know what-

"My name is not Lady." Her voice was sly and too close to his ear.

"I really don't give a fuck," he spit at her, shooting her a death glare, she smirked. Apparantly she enjoyed it.

"Did someone break your heart?"

"Oh my god," he groaned, clutching his head. "Can you please leave me alone," maybe if he was nice she'd leave?

"Is that what you really want on a night like tonight? To be left alone?" Her hand daringly touched his thigh, she rubbed the inside of his leg lightly. "I'll be honest, I really don't give a fuck about why it is that you're out here drinking yourself into a coma. I just really want someone to fuck." She said it in a low and husky tone into his ear.

Jake didn't know what happened next but suddenly her mouth was on his ear and he was still sitting their clutching his skull. Her breath was skating along his neck, raising bumps.

"There are people like you and I who don't have to know one each other's names… I don't really care about your name and I know you don't care about mine. What you want is to forget why you came here in the first place, I can give you that."

Jake turned his face and she smiled softly at him, almost caringly.

"Come on, don't you want to have a little fun on this drunken night?"

Jake turned in his chair and glared at the woman. "Let me tell you something, you dirty fuckin' whore," he hissed, "the man whose crazy enough to fuck you is probably going to get some venereal disease. Get the fuck away from me or I'll slap you so fucking fast it'll make your head spin."

The woman stared at him with shock, his eyes seemed to be darkening, or were they getting orange?

She stood up sharply and stormed out of the bar embarrassed. Jake stared after her, feeling a bit guilty… but he just downed his glass and kept thinking of how much he wished he could kick Jeff in the face.

Sherry

"You know what's interesting?" Jeff told Sherry as she poured herself another glass of wine, she was slurring her speech a bit already, he didn't know what to make of it. "When I first saw you I knew I had to talk to you. You came in dressed so modestly, such a difference from the other women at HQ."

"I looked like a nerd." Sherry laughed ridiculously. "When I first saw you, I thought – he looks intimidating."

"Why is that?" Jeff asked leaning forward onto the table.

"Because look at you," she motioned, his arms were rippling with muscle, he was huge, but he was definitely fit, "you're tall, dark, and handsome."

"You're too much," he laughed at her and stood to check the brownies. Sherry waited patiently and giggled her to herself and no one else for no reason at all.

"I think you've had a little too much wine," he told her, "you're going to get drunk."

"I think I'm already there."

"Lightweight," he commented with a chuckle, "where is the rag to take out the pan? This oven is on 250 degrees..." Sherry laughed and stood up. She stumbled over to the oven and reached in with her bare hand. "Sherry! Your hand!" He jumped forward and took her hand away from the pan before she could touch it. She stared at him shocked as he held her wrist protectively in one of his hands.

"I wouldn't… get hurt," she mumbled up at Jeff, "I heal. It'd only hurt for a few seconds…"

"I don't care," he shook his head and let go of her wrist, "I don't want you to get hurt for even a few seconds."

She stared at him with shock and then adoration. He seemed a bit bothered by her ease of getting hurt. He found the rag and pulled out the brownies and started cutting into them. "I'm sorry." She whispered and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from the back. He was very tall compared to her, but then again so was everyone.

Jeff sighed, his heart was still beating very hard. When he turned around and held her tightly she could feel it against her ear. "It's fine," he kissed the top of her head, "do you want them in a few minutes?"

"Yeah, I don't like them cold."

Sherry led him to the living room where her cats wrestled and boxed. They moved away as Jeff and Sherry approached. Sherry pulled Jeff down to the couch, he sat there watching her with a smile as she ranted.

"You know, I never realized until now how odd it is that I can just… heal. I forget that not everyone is as used to it as I am." Her face turned sad suddenly and she stared off into space. "I forget about it because I'm usually around people who know and accept it. I forget that its not normal until I remember that I was tested on."

"I'm sorry," Jeff said softly, "if I've made you feel uncomfortable forgive me."

"No, its not you. You're right, I mean – I shouldn't just do things like that. I was just talking about not becoming dependent on this the other day and there I was – willing to burn my hand just because I could."

Jeff watched her as she leaned into the couch, "I think you simply forget because you've been so involved with it since a young age."

Sherry nodded, but she knew that that wasn't it at all.

"Sherry, pelase don't cry," Jeff pleaded as he watched eyes slowly growing redder. She smiled and rubbed at her eyes, "I do not want you to feel sad, we can change the topic if you'd like," he took her hands in his and managed to lock her gaze with his.

"I know, it's just, stupid, I'm so stupid," she sniffled and tried to keep the burning in her eyes under control. Sherry grinned through the brimming tears, his face became blurry.

"I know what you're doing, you're trying to make me think its not a big deal by smiling," he told her with a sad voice and stroked the brimming tear away, "I want you to be honest with me, but I don't want you to feel forced."

"I'm just being dumb," she whispered with a grin and a laugh, she was trying really hard now. Jeff pulled her closer and she knew what was coming. She sensed it in his hands. They were locked at either side of her face, she could see his intention in his eyes, he was silently asking her permission. She leaned forward silently and he met her the rest of the way.

Jake

'I know how you're operatin', only come around when you know that I need it, cut out my heart and you leave me bleeding, but you're the only one that brings out the demon. Like pills you make me righteous, like I can rise above it all. Like pills you leave me lifeless, shaken in a bathroom stall.' Jake glared at his music player as the song played. He felt uncomfortable with the lyrics, he felt as if though She was singing it to him.

He hated to admit that he was feeling guilty, but ignorantly he kept scrolling for songs. This one would not do… as he searched the song continued, 'Why you wanna' do this, don't want to see you in my phone, leave me alone.'

"Fuck this." Jake hissed at the song Operate. He changed it to the next song on the album and to his horror it was just as mocking as the first.

'Told you I was hurt, bleeding on the inside, I told you I was lost in the middle of my life. There's times I stayed alive for you, there's times I would've died for you, there's times it didn't matter at all.'

"Oh come on," he growled angrily and turned it off altogether. Now the fucking stereo system is picking sides.

Jake wanted to go over there, he really did, but he couldn't help but feel that there was technically nothing to discuss. He didn't leave her with a fight, just silence. She was with her fucking boy-toy anyway. He shouldn't be showing up so unannounced. He wondered if they were kissing… would she tell Jeff that she had sex with Jake? No, he doubted it, she was much too shy for that.

Jake climbed in the shower and couldn't help but start thinking about Sherry. She hadn't been too shy when they were together, quite the opposite ,except he had to coax her into saying what it was that she wanted out loud. It was the biggest turn on.

Jake needed to see her again, he would call her tomorrow.

Sherry

"Sherry, Sherry, slow down," Jeff chuckled in her ear as she struggled with his shirt. "I don't think we should do this," he groaned as he kissed her soft neck, "as much as I want to. You're intoxicated, it wouldn't be right."

Sherry sighed, it was true. She was just feeling the wine. She ran her fingers through his hair once more and nodded, she loved his scent, and it was so fresh and calming. "Okay, I understand."

He disengaged her legs from around his waist with a sense of regret. He loved the feeling of her sculpted legs around him. The petite blonde lifted herself off of him and watched him trying to fix the collar of his T-Shirt with trembling fingers.

"Let me help you, Jeff." She laughed and fixed the collar around his neck. He licked his lips and combed his hair back with his fingers, he looked so sexy. His hair was falling down over his eyes and his full mouth was slightly reddened and swollen. His collarbone was slightly exposed to her.

"That was…"

"Yeah…" she answered breathlessly. He was staring at her with glistening eyes, he wanted her, it was so obvious, and she wanted him, that was easier to read.

"What does this mean?" Jeff asked quietly, "I don't want to get mixed signals, are we you my girlfriend?"

She looked at him with sad eyes, "I'm sorry but no, I don't know if I am ready for that step yet." She bit her lip, "there's a lot of stuff going on in my personal life, and I just don't know if doing that would be the best thing."

"Things like Jake?" He asked her. Her eyes flashed to him, "he is obviously very protective of you, that's why I ask." That was a lie, she just didn't know it. Jeff sensed that Jake Muller liked Sherry. He didn't know if Sherry knew, he imagined she did. Jeff knew that even if Sherry liked Muller it didn't mean that Jeff himself would stop trying with her - she obviously like him too, that meant he had a chance.

She trembled and stilled her hands between her thighs, "yeah."

"That's fine," he smiled and brushed his hair from his face, "I understand." He looked at his watch, it was almost 1. "I need to get going Sherry, I'm so sorry. This was great, and the food was amazing. I guess you can keep the brownies."

Sherry gave him a saddened look; she hadn't realized the time went by so fast. "Okay, well I'll see you next time then." She led him to the door and hugged him tightly then grinned at him, "I'll do my best to keep from kissing you like that again, I promise."

"Don't try too hard," he whispered and pecked her on the mouth. Sherry stood there shocked and then leaned into it but he put a slight pressure on her chin, again he left her breathless. He smirked down at her, "Slow…"

She nodded and bit her bottom lip, blushing with fervor and waving goodbye.

Sherry closed the door and turned around with a sigh and let out a squeal of delight. She didn't know it but Jeff heard it as he was leaving her apartment, it left him with a smirk implanted on his face.

Sherry went to her bedroom and threw herself onto the bed. She couldn't wait until the next time she saw Jeff.

Okay so I live in NJ right near NYC and hurricane freakin' Sandy is brewing. There might a power outage and so I just wanted to give you guys a little something quickly - I may not be able to update because the power might go out. To any other east-coasters please BE SAFE AND BE PREPARED.

I'll see you guys when the hurricane passes :) Be safe, please review for me so that when I come back I have SOMETHING to look forward to. Forgive the typos i just wanted to get it up fast.

Bye!