Chapter 15
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"Excuse me..." Marcus Taggert turned off his pager, looking to see who
was trying to contact him. "I have to take this, hopefully it won't
take too long." he got up from the sofa and walked over to the phone.
Jax watched as V turned, looking to see who Marcus was calling.
"Yes...can it wait Elizabeth?..."
V sighed deeply and turned her attention back to Jax and Keesha. "So,
Keesha, what do you do?"
"Do?" Keesha smiled. "Lately many things, I haven't found my niche
yet....honey I'm trying to concentrate." she added to Jax.
"It's not my fault you're so easily distracted." he grinned as he
continued playing with her fingers.
"Anyway..." she yanked her hand away teasingly and Jax laughed, resting
his head on her shoulder for a moment. Keesha ran her fingers through
the back of his hair and he closed his eyes. "I'm going to graduate
school for the Spring semester next month at PCU...."
"I'm sorry, I have to leave." Marcus stated as he hung up the phone.
"Why?" V asked cheerfully; Jax focused his attention on his friend.
"I have a lead I have to check on." Marcus kissed V quickly on the
lips. "I love you." he mouthed and then glanced at Jax and Keesha.
"Again, congratulations. I'm sorry that I have to go."
"No problem." Jax answered, still looking at V. "Maybe next time."
"Oh, probably not. Marcus just has to save everybody."
Keesha looked at V. She couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Jax,
however, had no problems telling. V was miserable.
Marcus left, without another word and Keesha looked back at Jax. "You
know what, I have a meeting early tomorrow morning anyway, I think I'm
going to leave as well....why don't you stay a little longer?...do a
little more catching up." she stood, Jax following.
"I'll walk you to the car..."
" *Jax*."
" *V*." Jax teased back. "I'll be right back." Jax walked Keesha
out. "Thank you." he said as he held the car door open for her.
"Sure thing."
Jax closed the door, watching her pull off. He waited until she was
out of sight and then headed back upstairs to V's and Marcus' apartment.
"Okay Venus...spill it." Jax closed the door.
"Spill what?" V continued clearing the dishes. "Marc is such an
excellent cook, don't you think?"
"He's great. Now that that's out of the way..."
"Elizabeth Webber." V sighed and sat down.
"What about her?"
"Marcus has, basically, watched out for her, ever since...before Lucky
died. But especially after. And I think..."
"Think what?"
"It's stupid. She's not even 19."
"Think what?" Jax repeated as he walked over to V.
"I think that Liz likes him...*likes* him likes him. I can't put my
finger on it, but she calls all the time, and he's always running off
to save her from...anything....everything. It's just a gut feeling I
have."
"Your gut feelings rarely let you down V." Jax admitted. "Did you talk
to him?"
"Yes. But he says he feels responsible for her. Everytime something
bad happened in her life, the police failed to do something, in his
opinion. So he feels responsible. That's one of the reasons I love
him so much...he's heavy handed sometimes, but he always has the best
intentions Jax. He always wants to do what's right...even if his
methods get him into trouble. But Liz is starting to rub me the wrong
way."
"Do you trust him?"
"Yes...but..."
"But?"
"She needs him...he likes that. I don't need him, not like that
anyway. Dara needed him, he liked that..."
"They broke up. And he's not with Elizabeth, he's with you. I think
that says a lot for what he likes and what he doesn't."
V nodded.
"You know what we *can* do..."
" *We*?"
"Okay, me..." Jax smiled. "I can do a follow up, on whatever Marcus is
working on for Liz. Will that make you feel better?"
"No...okay, yes." V grinned. "But only if I can help."
"Of course. Wouldn't have it any other way. Now, Ned perhaps..."
"No, Jax...we aren't discussing L&B or Ned...." V took some plates
into the kitchen and Jax followed. "Hold on..." she grabbed the phone.
"Hello?"
"V, I'm coming home really late."
"Why?"
"Lucky...Lucky Spencer...he's been found. Alive."
"Lucky's alive?!"
Jax turned and stared at V as she spoke into the phone.
"Yes. He doesn't remember much of what's happened this past couple of
years. But he's here, right where Liz thought he would be. She said
she had a feeling, her hunch was correct." Marcus looked at Elizabeth
and Lucky hugging each other tightly. They barely let go since they
found each other.
"Where'd you find him?"
"He was wandering the park. Disoriented. Elizabeth never goes there
by herself, she needed for me to come with her."
Keesha heard the front door open and close. She hopped out of bed and
ran down the stairs. "Are you okay?"
"Keesha..." Jax turned from the mantle. "What are you doing still up?"
"I heard about Lucky, it's on the news."
"I can't imagine how Luke and Laura must feel. It has to be the
greatest feeling in the world." Jax started towards the stairs. "Why
do you ask if I'm okay."
"Because..."
"Because of Brenda?" Jax finished for her. Keesha turned, watching as
he went up the stairs. After a second of debating, she followed him.
Keesha leaned up against the doorway, staring at Jax as he reclined on
his bed. "It took me by surprise to say the least. Like when
Katherine came back...and Miranda....you know, I sense a pattern here.
Miranda...Brenda..."
"Jax, don't make light of this."
Jax sat up in the bed and looked at Keesha. "When Brenda...when..when
Brenda died, I went looking for her. No one knows this, not even
Jerry..."
"Okay." Keesha promised to stay quiet.
"All of the money I had away in my Swiss bank account, I used it to
look for Brenda. See, the US government couldn't touch it...they
couldn't touch what they didn't know abut. So all the time before I
was arrested, and much of the time after, I spent the rest of my money,
looking for Brenda. Because I thought, Miranda came back, and
Katherine...we all saw Katherine, but she came back. So I was going to
look for Brenda until I couldn't look anymore, until I had absolute
proof one way or another. Brenda's gone. I *know* that. She's
gone...are *you* okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Things are much better for me, but I still have my days." Jax looked
down at the ground.
"I know."
"But, the days...the days when I really think about Brenda...they're
actually *good* days. I have good memories...that's how I know that
things are so much better. It's not so much as an...ache, you know. I
miss her, but missing her doesn't hurt like it used to. I just miss
her."
Keesha nodded,wishing she had some words, but finding she had none.
"Thanks for listening to me."
"I wish I could do more."
"Listening is everything I could ask for. It helps to talk about it."
Jax glanced over at Keesha again. "It helps to have you here."
Keesha walked over to him. Breaking her own rule, she bent down and
hugged Jax tightly. "You can talk to me whenver you want."
"Thank you." Jax returned her hug. After a moment he let go. "I'll
let you get some sleep. Keesha?"
"Yes."
"It means a lot that you waited for me."
Keesha shrugged. "You'd do the same I bet. I'll see you tomorrow."
she left, closing the door behind her.
Keesha went into her closet, looking for her clothes.
"Great." she mumbled. She forgot to get them from Jax's room last
night. She walked down the hall to his bedroom, knocking gently. She
waited a moment...no answer. He probably was gone anyway.
Keesha opened the door slowly. She stopped, staring at Jax as he
slept. "Adorebale." she thought with a smile before venturing forth.
She eased open the closet, pulling out her pants suit. She started
out, but at the door, she turned, looking at him again. Walking over,
she pulled the cover up slightly. "Thank you..." Jax mumbled in his
sleep.
Once again she smiled. "You're welcome." she whispered, bending down
and placing a kiss on his cheek. She stood straight, forcing herself
to leave.
Shani]]>
