V. ran her finger along the edge of her glass listening to the small squeaky noise it made, as she tried to calm her nerves. Why was she so nervous? She was not meeting Jax for a date, in fact she had business to discuss with him about AJ’s murder. Some questions about one of the ELQ contracts, and a few others, something was nagging at her about the case. She rubbed her shoulder with her free hand, and continued to nervously run her finger of the edge of the glass.

A shadow loomed slowly over her, causing her shoulders to hunch, though she could tell it was only him. "I am sorry I am late." He finally said, sitting down. "You look frazzled? Are you in a hurry? I am so sorry I was late…JK and were playing soccer with his friends and…"

"Jax it is okay. Dad time is a good excuse even if it wasn’t." V said, smiling, her stomach flipping in circles, why was this happening? She was over him, he should not be making her so nervous anymore. "I know this is supposed to be catch up, but I need to ask you some questions."

Jax ran his hands through his hair, and snapped his fingers to catch a waitress. "Two menus please, a cognac for me, and wine?"

"Ginger Ale please?"

Jax nodded. "Ginger Ale." He leaned towards her and smiled. "What is it officer?"

V smiled brightly in spite of herself. "The ELQ contracts, most of the board was against what AJ wanted to do, not only you, correct?"

"Yes, he was making bad business judgements left and right."

"So Ned, Edward, Jason, Sonny, all the above, were against AJ."

"Everyone but Katherine Bell. I couldn’t figure that one out."

"Katherine Bell?" V said, startled. "Hmm, no one else has mentioned her, she just managed to gain a sizable amount of stock, from Monica and Alan Quartermaine’s impromptu sale of theirs." She continued writing in a notebook. "She was in agreement with AJ?"

"Yes, which I couldn’t quite figure out. Ned couldn’t either."

V nodded. Her mind wondering. "Okay, I better stop with the job now. I think that covers what I need to know, for now. How is your kid?"

"You would know better than me these days. I hate the custody arrangement, Lexie and I have, but it gives us both time with JK. He doesn’t seem bothered, only I know he misses Lexie too much, when he is with me."

"And vice versa when he is here. You should move back here, Jax."

Jax looked up. "I don’t know…"

V nodded. "Is because you and her aren’t together?"

"Lots of things, and Mom and Dad, I like being near them, and they won’t leave Alaska."

V nodded.

"How is Garcia?" Jax asked his blue eyes gleaming. "Alexis, told me, you two aren’t really that serious."

V shook her head. Alexis and her silly plan, to distract Jax from trying to woo her back. "Alexis is wrong. Alex and I are moving slow, but we very much together."

Jax pursed his lips and nodded. "He better treat you right." He said, looking her over. "You look great, being a member of law enforcement agrees with you, Venus."

V felt dizzy as his voice spoke her name, she felt a blush come to her cheeks. "oh this won’t do at all." She thought, standing up. "Well, you know what, I forgot. Alex wanted to make me dinner!" She nearly shouted with worry, as she knocked over her empty glass, just as the waitress was about to put down her fresh glass of soda.

Jax stood up and reached across the table and took her hand. "Venus, just breath. We just need to get reacquainted and then we can just hang out again. Call each other for late night movie chats? Unless you don’t feel our time as friends has passed?"

"NO." V shouted, she blushed redder and sat down. "No." She said softly. "Well something’s don’t change, I get loud and klutzy when nervous." She laughed.

Jax joined her and sat back down himself. "So you do still want our friendship."

"I’d like to find it again, and redefine it, yes." V whispered.

Jax smiled widely. "Good, because I could use an honest and true friend like you V, and I hope to one to you as well."

Chapter 7