Chapters 1 & 2
(Set up: Port Charles. Time:a long while after Brenda's death. I'll go
for two years plus some months. Warning to all hopeful J&B fans,
Brenda in my story is dead-don't expect her to come back from the dead;
it's not happening. Jax is well, Jax. He's wheeling, dealing,
raiding, and dating-nothing serious. Keesha has been gone all of this
time-though she has visited from time to time-she never moved back.
Soony and Hannah-married. Jason and Carly-married. AJ, lost custody
of Michael to Jason and Carly. He's drinking, it is well hidden right
now. However, that's not why Keesha's back in PC now. Why is she
back....)
Edward placed his hand on Keesha's shoulder. "Do you want to be alone?"
She took a deep breath and stared at the tombstone, nodding. "I'll be in the car."
"I can make it back myself." she mumbled. "Thank you for letting me
stay at your hotel."
Edward shook his head. Ever the polite one. "I hope it's permanent.
We could use people like you here in PC. To keep us in bad doers in
line."
"I don't have a job," she mumbled as she continued staring at the
letters. Justus Ward. May 1963-January 2000. She didn't have
anything. Absolutely nothing. No father, no mother, no Justus, no
AJ....nothing.
"We can talk about that later. Are you sure you don't want me to wait."
"Please...."
Edward nodded and turned to leave. He looked back at Keesha and
watched as she knelt down in front of the tombstone and cried.
Keesha wiped her face and stood, heading for Brenda's final resting
place. She remembered the funeral, in much more detail than she remembered the other three she had gone to these past couple of years.
She remembered thinking that it wasn't fair. That Brenda was supposed
to be safe and happy now that she wasn't with Sonny, that the only
reason Keesha was supposed to come back to Port Charles for Brenda was
for her wedding to Jax.
Keesha rested the roses on the ground.
Jax. She knew him, but it was so hard to watch him at Brenda's
funeral, being polite to everyone, realizing the indescriable grief he
was trying to hide. Watching him got to her...
She stood once more and went to Lily's final resting place. Tragic.
And completely pointless. Justus and Lily both made their own choices,
she realized that. But she couldn't help but hate Sonny Corinthos-as
far as she was concerned, it was his fault that their lives ended too
soon.
Much too soon.
Jax watched as Sonny led his wife, Hannah, to the stairs of the docks. Sonny turned and whispered something and Jax debated just getting up
and leaving now. He looked up at the sky as the snow began to fall.
"Jax." Sonny said after watching Hannah until she was out of sight.
"Corinthos."
"How's it going."
"It was going well." Jax loosened his tie as he sat down on the bench.
Brenda had wasted so much *time* with this man...no matter how hard he
tried, whenever he saw Sonny that was all he could think about-Brenda's
wasted years.
Lily's wasted life...
Both men looked up at the sound of heels descending the stairs.
Keesha froze.
"Keesha." Sonny said with a smile. "Will you be staying in town this
time?"
Jax shook his head and stood. Sonny had some nerve...
Keesha continued to glare at Sonny as she realized her grandmother was
wrong-some people really didn't deserve to share the same air as others. Without a word she turned and went back upstairs.
"Sick doesn't even begin to describe you." Jax stated angrily.
He barely knew Justus, what he knew, he didn't like. He didn't know
Keesha at all. But still, her pain and anger got to him...She looked
so alone.
Would Corinthos' reign of terror ever end?
Sonny grinned. "Don't get your shiny suit of armor all dirty for
nothing good boy. I was just making conversation."
Jax took a deep breath, fighting the urge to beat the crap out of
Sonny. It was an urge that was getting harder and harder to control.
He watched as Sonny went up the stairs.
Jax turned and looked back out into the water.
Jax paid his bill and stood. He had better get home before....at that
moment, the lights went dead. The patrons mumbled and looked around.
Keesha looked up from checking her messages from the front desk of the hotel as the power went dead.
"We are working on regaining power!" A clerk yelled. "However it
could be a long while! The snow storm has obviously affected our
system!...Okay, I have just been informed that roads are closed right
now!"
Jax groaned and started for the front desk.
Keesha realized she'd have to walk up 20 flights of stairs to get to
her hotel room. She leaned against the counter.
"Yes....I need a room."
"There are no rooms Mr. Jacks." the clerk said as she lit the candle
on the desk.
"After all the money I've spent in this hotel, all the years I lived
here, and you're telling me that..."
"There are no rooms. We're sorry. I can get you blankets and pillows
and such, you can stay alone in the hotel employees' lounge."
"Do you want to stay with me?"
Jax turned at Keesha's question. "What?"
"It's 20 flights up, I suppose I don't have heat or anything, but I
have a fireplace. You're welcome to stay. " She took the rest of her
messages from the counter and looked at him.
Jax sighed. Every year there was a blizzard or something. You'd think
he'd learn to stay home when it snowed. "If you don't mind."
Keesha managed a smile. "Ready?"
"Lead the way."
Jax shivered. Lord it was cold. He sat up. That would explain it,
the fire was out. He got up slowly, careful not to wake Keesha who was
sleeping on the sofa bed in the living room with him. He threw more
paper into the fireplace, fumbling around for the matches..."Bingo."
he said to himself as he lit the match, tossing it. He rubbed his arms
as he stood, trying to knock the chill from his body. He glanced out
the window. It was still snowing. Hard.
Jax stretched and looked over.
Keesha was fast asleep, her hair falling softly onto the pillow, the
light from the fire flickering on her face. She looked absolutely
beautiful. Much more so than those model women he had been
seeing...There was something else about her....
She yanked the cover up and turned, laying on her stomach. He walked
over to her-she had insisisted on giving him the bigger blanket,
telling him that since he was almost a foot taller than her, he would
need it. Jax pulled the covers up over her gently, his hand brushing
against the skin of her shoulders. He frowned...her body was so cold.
This wouldn't do.
Jax took his blanket from the floor and leaned over...
Keesha sat up in bed with a breath and Jax jumped back.
"You scared me!"
"I'm sorry."
"What's that?"
"Blanket."
"And what are you going to use?"
"I used to sleep in cars."
"You're not in a car now...here." She moved over. "We can share."
Jax stared at her.
"Come on." Keesha patted the space next to her. "Before you catch
your..." death. She stopped speaking and looked into the fire. "Come
on," she finished softly.
Jax got into the bed slowly. "Thank you."
"No problem." Keesha laid back down in the sofa bed, pulling the
covers over them both.
Jax watched as Keesha shivered. She was still so cold. Slowly, he
moved closer. After a second of debating, he wrapped his arm around
her waist, pulling her towards him.
Keesha sighed...she wasn't cold anymore. She shifted and turned over,
resting her head.
Jax looked down as Keesha placed her head on his chest, draping her arm over his body. He looked into the fire and back at her, pushing her
hair back from her face. As his mind continued to race with the idea
he knew she would never ever go for.
Jax wrapped his arms around her tightly and closed his eyes as he
realized he felt warmer.
Guess that body heat stuff he read was true.
He wondered what they looked like-if they looked as comfortable
together, as he felt right now. Because if they did, Sonny wouldn't
know what hit him...
But Keesha Ward would never ever...
Wait a minute. He was Jax. And he had an idea, an idea that needed to
be implemented. And he needed her help to do this. Therefore he would
get it.
He always got what he wanted.
And he wanted Sonny gone NOW. And he needed Keesha to do this.
He would get it.
Decision made, his mind rested and soon he joined her in sleep.
Shani
