Sorry it's been so long, enjoy x

In the morning Jess was sitting on the floor with Harry on her lap in the main room at Escala, and the little boy was reading the book slowly but aloud to her, and Jess was encouraging him gently.

Christian and Ana were both dressed for work and drinking coffee nearby at the breakfast bad, and Ana glanced over

"What are you doing today Jess?"

"Gail said she'll look after Harry whilst I can run some errands. I need to get some extra things before I go away, I don't think my Seattle clothes are going to cut it for summer in India, so I'm picking a few things up and I'll see Louisa as well"

"Louisa?"

"From school, the girl with the long black hair"

"Oh. Her dad's an investment banker?"

"Uhuh"

"Fair enough, make sure you're safe"

"Yes, yes, calm down Christian. I'll be like two hours tops. I'm meant to be seeing Elliot as well, but it might have to wait until tomorrow, I'll see what time I'm back here later"

Jess had been allowed out into the City without security for once in what felt like forever. Whilst she quite liked Taylor, Ryan and Sawyer, Jess really enjoyed her freedom more, and really didn't want any of them hanging around awkwardly as she went shopping for underwear.

Taylor would have refused to even enter the store with her and mutter something about waiting outside, Ryan would have made jokes and laughed the entire time, and Luke Sawyer would have simply found the most unattractive and most covering item he could find and refuse to let her buy anything else.

Louisa wasn't going to be able to make her way into the City anymore as she had family plans, and Jess had briefly considered texting Caleb to see where he was, but decided it was best to wait until later, unsure of where exactly they stood with each other, and she didn't want Gail to feel obliged to look after Harry the entire day.

It was raining as usual in Seattle and Jess wasn't much in the mood to buy herself warm summer clothes for herself and Harry for India all the whilst she was being soaked with rain between shops. After buying a skirt and two new bras for herself and a pair of shoes for Harry, Jess was bored.

She'd decided to head to the Seattle Art Museum t take a look around instead. Since developing an interest in photography she had also begun to appreciate art a little more, and when she was with Harry it was impossible to go around a gallery.

The last time Jess had gone to the S.A.M had been a long time ago, and it was as she was thinking about who had last taken her there that Jess heard an all to familiar voice call her name across one of the large rooms

"Jess?"

She turned and it wasn't the five or six people mingling around looking at the exhibition that she was interested in.

Alex Gill smiled broadly "Jess? Bloody hell look at you!"

She smiled, closing the gap between them and they hugged quickly, Jess realising that the last time they saw each other had been when he'd announced he had a research position at Harvard for a few months, leaving her in Seattle.

Their relationship had been… strained… Jess had turned eighteen whilst it had been developing, and Alex had only been in his mid twenties, though it was hardly ideal.

Alex had been hired by Christian to tutor Jess to get her education level back up to the level it should have been for her age. Nothing further had happened than a few illicit, stolen kisses, though one or two had very nearly gone much further.

It hadn't been just a silly little fling, but it hadn't had enough time to develop into anything more serious, and it had sort of been left awkwardly hanging where it had finished.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you here"

She laughed "I could say the same about you"

"I've literally come back to the City for a week to see my nephew for his birthday. He's a baby but apparently it's a big deal. I literally only flew in this morning, but I know someone who's showing in this exhibition so I came straight here. Look, if you don't have anywhere to be, do you want to go and sit for a drink somewhere?"

"Sure"

There was an almost electric feeling between them as Alex handed her a coffee, their fingers brushing against each other quickly before he sat down on the seat opposite "So, this is a bit like fate isn't it, seeing you here?"

"I guess it was. How are things in Harvard?"

"Good, but nearly over, I'll be back here soon"

"You're coming back to Seattle?"

"Something about the terrible Washington weather I can't get away from I guess. I've got family back here though, and you know… various other reasons"

They both blushed a little and Alex coughed "Er, anyway, how is your son doing?"

"He's good, he's growing up fast"

They spoke for a little while longer, though they didn't focus on anything too personal or anything too deep, and it was nice and easy, both of them laughing and comfortable.

After a while they both got up to get another drink and Jess caught Alex looking at her intently "What? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking – I'm glad you haven't changed since I last saw you"

She smirked "You can't improve on perfection Alex"

Alex smiled a little, tucked a strand of hair behind Jess' ear and leant in for a kiss.

Let me know what you want to see happen and what you thought x