| 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! [email protected] I W a n t L o v e A Jack/Nora story by Rhonda* "I'd like to watch you sleep at night, to hear you breathe by my side. And although sleep leaves me behind, there's nowhere I'd rather be. And now our bed is oh so cold, my hands feel empty no one to hold. I can sleep what side I want it's not the same with you gone. Oh if you'd come home, I'll let you know that - All you want is right here in this room, all you want. And all you need, is sitting here with you, all you want." Part Twenty � Right here in this room Thursday 15th November Jack watched the hailstone slamming against his office window and felt a rush of melancholy for about the fiftieth time that day. It wasn�t exactly how he�d pictured his birthday being this year. Nora was really into celebrations and months ago she quizzed him on possible gifts and how he�d like to celebrate the event. Of course she was up for a big party but he�d politely declined; wisely now as it turned out, how awkward would it have been to explain to the guests that they�d split up. What a ridiculous term � split up. He got up from his seat and leant against the window watching the people down below trying to shelter from the storm. So here he was again, same old � same old, another woman, another case, another lousy birthday. He turned round at the sound of the door opening. "Hi." Nora smiled cautiously entering and shutting the door behind her. "You�re looking very smart." She noted he was wearing one of the ties she�d bought him. "Birthday meal tonight." "Ah, with Mary?" He dug his hands in his pocket and nodded. "Sorry you met her like that, suppose I should have told you." "It doesn�t matter, that�s not why I�m here." "Oh, it�s about today in court right, I didn�t mean for it to go that far." "I know, I know, you got aggravated and he played on it." "He�s an arrogant bastard." "True, but no excuse. Just tone it down." "Alright, point made." She leant on the back of a chair. "That wasn�t why I came either." "Really." "I have something for you� this is a little awkward." She took a small box from her pocket. "It�s for your birthday, I bought it months ago, it seemed a waste to just� well you know." She mumbled. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Nora, you don�t have to, there�s no need." "Please just open it." She handed it over and he eagerly tore the paper off and ran his hand over the leather case before opening it. "Wow, I can�t accept this." He stared down at the gold watch, it was probably the best watch he�d ever had, and it looked expensive. "Do you like it? I wasn�t sure what to get and well you�re always complaining your watch stops." "It seems strange taking this now we�re�" "Still friends right. Besides what was I gonna do, leave it in a drawer to collect dust. I wanted you to have it � whatever happened, this year has been� has meant so very much to me." She smiled to cover her embarrassment. "Thank you, I promise to take good care of it." She stood up and straightened her jacket. "I should go, have a nice evening." "I�ll try � you too." She opened the door. "Oh, I forgot to say it, Happy Birthday." She grinned and left. He turned the watch over in his hand and read the inscription, �love always�, god he missed her. * * * * * Nora was lying on the sofa wrapped in her most comfortable blanket. She�d poured herself a glass of her favourite wine, had limited herself to only a few chocolates for indulgence and had selected a wonderful relaxing CD to listen to. To all intents and purposes she should have felt good, but quite simply it wasn�t escapism she was seeking merely a distraction. The idea that Jack was out celebrating his birthday with someone other than her hurt like hell, more than she could imagine it would. They�d been apart for weeks now, he no longer had a claim over her and she didn�t over him. But still there was something there, beyond the awkwardness and over politeness at work, there was still that spark, that energy they�d always shared. She could still sense it, especially when she�d gone to see him today with his gift. He had no idea how many hours she�d devoted to pouring over whether or not to give it to him, she couldn�t really give it to anybody else � not with the inscription as it was. She stretched her legs as the music stopped and the disk swapped over. She closed her eyes and was beginning to drift off to sleep when she heard an insistent banging on the door. She stumbled up pulling the blanket around her to cover her nightclothes, stopped the music and turned the lights to full, making her way to the door. * * * * * Jack had mourned his way through the meal, he knew Mary was upset by his miserable behaviour but he couldn�t help it. He�d worn the watch and it was a mistake because every single time he�d looked at he could feel her hand on his skin or smell her perfume, and it was sickening to him to look across and not see her. What the hell was he doing, messing around with this lovely young girl, making her think she stood a chance of this working out when really he was killing time until he felt better about being alone again. They�d taken a cab home and she�d asked him to come up but he�d declined, explaining that birthday�s were never his best past time. But still he�d got out of the cab at her apartment and paid and kissed her cheek and started walking. Birthdays were always the time for reflection and this one was no different, he couldn�t keep beating himself up like this he knew. He had to make a decision about Mary, stay and see if it worked out or break it off now, cut his ties and be a bachelor again. Somehow he found himself outside Nora�s apartment, his home, it was just after one in the morning but he could see a faint light in her window. How or why he�d come here he didn�t know, and as much as he tried to rationalize away what he was doing he knew there was only one reason he was taking the lift up and banging on her door. He leant against the doorframe while she fiddled with the lock, and when she finally eased it open all he could do was stare. She was shocked to see him that was certain, her hair was dishellved, she was wrapped up in the old blanket she loved so much, and he remembered it always smelt of her. He didn�t say anything and neither did she, she just watched him as he entered the apartment and shut the door after him locking it. She saw the watch on his wrist and suddenly felt a little lost in all this, he was moving closer to her and everything was getting blurred. He needed to touch her, to feel that comfort and warmth again, and find some solace in her arms. And she let him, as he ran his fingers over her face and down her arm, knocking the blanket off. He bent and kissed her shoulder and she closed her eyes, he was back, those feelings were still there. Somehow he managed to move her back against the wall and was holding her body tight against his; she licked her lips ready for his kiss. And nothing had changed, he still tasted good and it felt so easy to let him kiss her and feel her body. And lift her up and carry her into the bedroom and make love to her like nothing had changed and this was just the end of his birthday evening. And afterward when she lay breathless beneath him, he kissed the base of her neck and she heard him whisper �I love you�, it was the first thing either of them had said, and suddenly everything was right again. Part 19 Stories Part 21 |