Night has fallen and somehow she has been talked into hanging out at the local bar with a bunch of Jason's friends. Okay. So maybe she wasn't talked into it, but it was close enough. The simple mention of it being a celebration for the "she" and Sam had no other choice but to go. Do the math. Jason plus the "she" plus alcohol equals bad news for Sam.
So there she was, getting ready for a night out that she really didn't want to be a part of. Her baby bump has formed and starting to grow bigger - making most of her outfits a little tighter than she likes them to be. She was almost certain that she'd be the only pregnant woman there - not making this night out any more appealing.
"Ten minutes." Jason says through the door - much like he always does - only this time it makes her a little annoyed.
"Coming." she calls back, taking a deep breath as she stares at herself in the mirror. "Because I'm so anxious to see you all googly eyed over her."
Jason waits for her downstairs, doing his usual routine in getting ready for a night out. He wasn't sure about going out, but Elizabeth convinced him - like always - and had him saying yes before he could even catch his breath to think it over.
"Ready?" Jason asks when Sam stands at the top of the stairs.
"Yeah." Sam smiles slightly, walking down the stairs to slip her arms into her jacket with Jason's help. "Are you going to drink?"
"If you're worried about me driving, don't be." Jason says, opening the door for her. "I don't get drunk."
Sam wanted to ask what he meant by that but thought better of it. Walking out of the penthouse, she presses the down button while Jason locks the door. Soon enough they were out of the building and on their way to the bar. From the moment she came to town, Jake's has been the last place she's ever wanted to be yet that's exactly where she's going. She could tell that Jason was surprised she agreed to go - obviously expecting her to decline.
"Coming!" Elizabeth calls out, rushing to get her purse in order.
She had gotten home later than she wanted to - her mind totally wrapped up in her work for most of the day. When she finally got her purse into a decent arrangement, Elizabeth pulls open the door and a bright smile automatically graces her face. She couldn't help it when it came to him.
"Francis!" Elizabeth exclaims, throwing her arms around him. "I didn't know you were back in town."
"Not that long ago." Francis concedes, taking a step back to look at her. "Beautiful as always."
"Thanks." Elizabeth couldn't believe he was really back. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too." Francis assures, holding out his arm to her. "Shall we?"
"Of course." Elizabeth links arms with him and follows him to his car. "How did you hear about tonight if you just got here?"
"I called Johnny and he told me you were back." Francis says simply, opening her door for her. "For someone that doesn't talk a lot, Johnny had a lot to say."
"I bet." Elizabeth chuckles, waiting for him to close her door and get into the driver's seat. "Did he tell you that I'm staying in town?"
"No...he forgot to mention that." Francis looks at her curiously. "Is this because..."
"Would you believe me if I said no?" Elizabeth asks hopeful.
"No."
"Then...yes." Elizabeth sighs, buckling up. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Like you even have to ask." Francis leans over, kissing her temple before starting up the car and taking off. "This should go without saying, but I'm here if you need to talk."
"I know." Elizabeth smiles, glad that he was finally in the same place as her. "Believe me...I know."
Arriving at the bar, Sam glances around the establishment. It didn't look as bad as she had imagined it would be, but it was close enough. There aren't many people there, she recognizes the guards almost immediately - having seen them around on more than one occasion. The "she" was obviously not there and Sam could only hope she backed out of coming. Of course the universe wasn't on her side and just as the door closed behind Jason, it opened up to produce a man with the "she".
"Sam, I'm glad you could make it." Elizabeth smiles, noticing that Francis wasn't particularly thrilled to see the brunette. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks." Sam says skeptically, eyeing the man with her. "You look nice."
"Lets get to the others, shall we." Elizabeth ignores the word nice and walks over to the rest of the group with Francis.
"Nice, huh?" Francis whispers curiously.
"Don't start." Elizabeth says simply, walking over to hug Robin. "Starting without us?"
"Never." Robin hands her a shot. "You got here just in time."
With everyone in attendance and seated in a big circle, the drinking begins, club soda for Sam of course. The more alcohol that gets into everyone, the louder the laughing became and the funnier the jokes become. Whenever they were all together, you're bound to learn a lot of things you really didn't want to, but can't believe you didn't know. Sam couldn't believe it, but she was actually having fun.
"Sam, do you like coconut?" Robin says after her tenth shot, chasing it with a bottle of beer.
"Kind of, why?" Sam looks at her curiously.
"Seriously?" Jason looks at her with an arched eyebrow. "You're really going there."
"Oh yeah...I'm definitely going there." Robin laughs at Jason's expression. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Can someone tell me what's wrong with coconut?" Sam says aloud when Robin doesn't continue.
"Jason hates coconut." Elizabeth supplies, smiling slightly at the memory. "The first and last time he ever ate something with coconut in it...suffice to say it wasn't pretty."
"Oh really?" Jason looks at her teasingly. "At least its not as bad as giving you dried plums. I had to throw that shirt away."
"Wow...are we really going there?" Elizabeth challenges. "Because I know a lot more embarrassing stuff than you do. Like...Independence Day of '99."
"You wouldn't." Jason eyes her intently.
"Oh, I so would." Elizabeth counters, licking, slamming, sucking. "I'm buzzed enough to let all out."
"Okay kids, enough bickering." Johnny says, filling up everyone's shot glass. "More drinking, less reminiscing."
Sam watches as the "she" downs her shot before excusing herself. She doesn't fail to notice the look exchanged between her and Jason before she walks through the back doorway. Moments after, she isn't sure if anyone else notices, but Jason rises from his seat - walking through the same doorway. She wants to stand up, but Robin starts talking to her and she doesn't want to be rude.
"What're you doing up here?" Jason asks, standing in the doorway of his old apartment. "Another trip down memory lane?"
"Something like that." Elizabeth admits, sitting down on the bed. "Why did you follow me?"
"Same reason, I guess." Jason closes the door, leaning against it. "I haven't been here in years and still its the same as I left it."
"Jake's not exactly big on redecorating." Elizabeth points out. "Plus, I doubt she has rented this place out since you moved out."
"You just might be right about that." Jason chuckles, not putting it past Jake to leave it vacant for him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Elizabeth looks at him, patiently waiting for him to get his thoughts together, the alcohol not helping either of them as far as concentration goes.
"Are you going to be busy on the fourth?"
"You mean Independence Day?" Elizabeth stands up, looking at him curiously.
"Yeah."
"Not that I know of." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Why?"
"Sam's going out of town in a couple days to spend it with her brother." Jason explains, pushing away from the door. "If you're not busy, we can hangout like we used to."
"Sure." Elizabeth shrugs, walking up to him. "As long as it doesn't end the way it used to. Your fiancée wouldn't like it."
"Right." Jason shakes his head. "Of course."
"Come on." Elizabeth links arms with him. "We should get back downstairs."
"Yeah." Jason opens the door, walking out once she does. "I guess we should."
Walking back downstairs, Elizabeth walks away from Jason at the doorway, sitting back down with Francis and accepting the shot glass he was holding out to her. Jason walks over to Sam and sits down beside her, accepting the bottle of beer from Johnny. The rest of the night went by smoothly - that was, of course, after Elizabeth stopped trying to play nice with Sam.
"I'm calling it a night." Elizabeth says as she stands up. "Unlike the rest of you, I have to work in the morning."
"Not if you don't want to." Johnny counters, waving a shot glass in front of her. "Come on, live a little."
"Tempting, but no." Elizabeth laughs softly. "Francis, you driving me home?"
"I was just waiting on you." Francis says, helping her into her jacket. "See you all later."
Jason watches her walk out of the bar with Francis before downing the shot that Johnny had been waving around. It was hard enough to hangout with Elizabeth and not want to kiss her senseless, but now Francis is back and it was going to be hard to get any alone time with her. Mostly because Elizabeth looks up to Francis and finds any excuse to hangout with him. Downing another shot, Jason wanted to shoot himself for sounding so pathetic - even if its only in his head.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.
-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-