| Disclaimer: I don�t own these characters, I don�t pretend to know all the ins and outs of Law & Order � I�ve just started watching it & I�m picking it up as I go. But the story & ideas are mine� please don�t sue! I W a n t L o v e A Jack/Nora story by Rhonda* "So you're with her, and not with me, I hope she's sweet, and so pretty. I hear she cooks delightfully, a little angel beside you. So you're with her, and not with me, oh how lucky one man can be. I hear your house is smart and clean, oh how lovely with your homecoming queen. Oh how lovely it must be - When you see her sweet smile baby, don't think of me. When she lays in your warm arms, don't think of me." Part nineteen � Don�t think of me Friday 9th November Jack smiled to himself as he watched Lolita fussing over the puppy that was jumping at her feet. Laura had bought it her a few days ago, now that they were settling here it seemed only fair to give her something that she�d always wanted. "Hi." A familiar voice whispered next to his ear before kissing his cheek. "Hi yourself." Mary slipped onto the bench next to him and took his hand. "Guess she likes the puppy." She laughed. Jack looked sideways at her; he�d only known her a few weeks but she was just what he needed; young, fresh, fun and beautiful � lovely long black hair and dark eyes � not the faintest resemblance to Nora, perfect. Perhaps he�d thrown himself into this relationship too quickly but he didn�t care, she made him smile and at the moment it was all that seemed to matter. He�d met her here in the park, she was a nanny to two young boys, and had started chatting to him. It seemed natural enough when he�d asked her out for a drink and then out to dinner, and before he knew it she�d taken him back to her flat and into her bed. It was easy to pretend he was perfectly happy when he was with her, that it didn�t matter he�d walked out on the only thing that had ever really meant anything to him � meant something more to him than his work did. So now he�d returned to what he knew best, working from dusk till dawn and sleeping with a fun girl who made him remember what it was like to be young again. "I was thinking, maybe we could try that expensive restaurant tonight, you know on the edge of the park." "No, not that one." He had visions of Nora eating chocolate souffl�. "Why not, what�s wrong with it?" "I�ve heard it�s not too good that�s all." "Ok, so how about I cook for you." "You cook?" "You�re surprised by that � I�m a nanny I have to cook." "No, it�s just, I�ve kind of got used to cooking." "Did your ex not cook?" Jack leant forward on his knees and she copied his posture. "You think I�ve not noticed, I�ve dated enough guys to know when one is just out of a relationship." "I�m sorry." "Don�t be, it doesn�t put me off you. What�s her name?" "Do you know the DA?" "No � really?" He nodded. "Nora Lewin � wow, that�s really tough, sleeping with your boss. Bet it�s been awkward at work." "That�s putting it lightly." He sat back up again. "But it�s time to move on." "Why did you break up?" "We just, had a difference of opinion." He stood up, he knew she had a right to know but the truth was he didn�t really want to discuss it with her, not now. "Lita, come on honey time to go home." He held out his hand and she ran towards him the puppy chasing. "Are we going home now?" She asked. "We are." "To Auntie Nora�s?" "No, we�ve talked about that remember." He fastened her coat while Mary watched. "I liked staying there." "I know sweetie, I�m sorry. Come on, we�ll get ice creams on the way back � if you promise not to tell your mum." "I promise." She smiled grabbing Mary�s hand and jumping up between them. How easy it was for children to forget, he wished it was that easy for him. * * * * * Saturday 10th November Nora couldn�t believe it was Saturday and where was she � at work, collecting the files she�d forgotten the day before. She stepped out of the elevator and pulled her scarf off shaking the rain from it and made her way towards her office. She supposed it was nice to be here when nobody else was, quite relaxing in a way. She unlocked her office door and heard laughter from across the hallway, strange for someone to be here on a Saturday. She spun round as Jack�s office door opened and a young girl came out holding two coffee mugs. "Oh hi, I�m Mary." She smiled holding her hand out. "A friend of Jack�s." Nora shook herself from the shock and took the girl�s hand shaking it. "Nice to meet you, Nora." "Yeah I know." "Can you believe Jack had some work to do, so I�m keeping him company." Nora smiled and nodded her head. "I just had some things to collect." She offered trying to be polite. "Who are you talking to?" Jack smiled as he emerged from his office. "Oh Nora, morning." He suddenly felt ashamed. "Morning." "How are you feeling?" "Much better thank you, surprising what well earned rest can do. Anyhow I have to get on, nice to meet you." "You too." Nora went into her office and shut the door firmly behind her. She peeped through the blinds and watched as they got coffee from the machine. "She seems nice." Mary said, Jack said nothing. Nora wondered if he�d told Mary about what happened between them. She had the urge to throw something at a wall, how the hell could he move on so easily when she was still devastated? She sat down at her desk and opened the top drawer taking out a leather box. Inside was a gold watch she�d been saving for Jack�s birthday, she�d bought it over two months ago on impulse and even had it inscribed � what was she going to do with it now? No point dwelling on these things, she wiped her eyes and found the things she�d left behind then left as quickly as she�d arrived, she really didn�t fell like being in the same building as them, not right now. * * * * * When her bell rang Nora really didn�t feel like answering, she was wearing old jogging bottoms and a T-shirt and up to her eyes in cleaning fluid. She reluctantly opened the door and was surprised to see Lennie standing there. "Hi gorgeous." He smiled kissing her cheek. "Ooh you smell good." She laughed. "I�m cleaning � come in." He followed her into the lounge and she took his coat, as he sat down he noted some of Jack�s books still roughly stacked on the shelves, next to her neat tidy ones. "Coffee?" "That would be lovely." "Is something wrong?" She asked as she filled two mugs. "This isn�t really work stuff, I needed to talk to you � about Jack." "Ah." She sat down across from him. "He mentioned you saw him today, bumped into Mary." "Very pretty girl." "But not you." "Well then probably just what he needs." She sipped her coffee. "You and I both know that isn�t true." "Do we?" "He still loves you, believe me I�ve known him long enough to read the signs. This girl is just a diversion � a phase." "A phase! I guess he told you what happened." "He did, but they�re your problems I have no right to pass judgement on what you � or he � did. I�ve made enough mistakes of my own to know relationships aren�t easy." "Why is he with her Lennie, so soon after we� as if he doesn�t care." "It�s the way he deals with it, I know it sucks but he�s always been the same. You deal with it." "I�m not sure I can." "How are you, I mean really. He told me about the hospital visit, don�t worry your secrets safe." "I�m� coping I think is what they say. I suppose it would have happened whether Jack had left or not, it�s not his fault I work too hard." "He feels guilty though." "He shouldn�t, at least not about that. It just feels as if we�re in some kind of parallel universe, I�m stuck feeling like my world�s collapsing and he just dates someone new." "Don�t fool yourself he�s not hurting, he is, just in a different way that�s all." "The ridiculous thing is neither of us has to, if he�d just talked to me, he�s so damn stubborn." "I know � spent too much time with me! How about I take you out for dinner. That is if you can tear yourself away from the cleaning." She smiled. "I�d like that very much, haven�t been out in a while." "Well you may have �temporarily� broken up with Jack but hey I�m still your friend." "Temporarily?" "I have an image of you two growing old together � call me a hopeful romantic." "Well let�s hope you�re right. I�ll go get changed." * * * * * Part 18 Stories Part 20 |