| 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* I want love, but it's impossible A man like me, so irresponsible A man like me is dead in places Other men feel liberated I can't love, shot full of holes Don't feel nothing, I just feel cold Don't feel nothing, just old scars Toughening up around my heart But I want love, just a different kind I want love, won't break me down Won't brick me up, won't fence me in I want a love, that don't mean a thing That's the love I want, I want love I want love on my own terms After everything I've ever learned Me, I carry too much baggage Oh man I've seen so much traffic But I want love, just a different kind I want love, won't break me down Won't brick me up, won't fence me in I want a love, that don't mean a thing That's the love I want, I want love So bring it on, I've been bruised Don't give me love that's clean and smooth, I'm ready for the rougher stuff No sweet romance, I've had enough Part twenty-three � Aunt Nora Saturday 22nd December The young girl grabbed the door before it could close and raced upstairs her long blonde hair swinging down her back. She searched for the keys in her bag and let herself into the apartment. It was 10.30 a.m. and it was still dark in there. She gently eased the door shut and took her coat off; it wasn�t like her aunt to sleep in. She decided to make coffee and toast before waking her. She was making her way through the living room when she heard a scream from the bedroom, her first instinct was to run in but then she made out her aunt�s voice whispering and then a male one responding and she giggled. Who would have thought her aunt Nora would spend Saturdays in bed with strange men? She discreetly picked her bag and coat up and let herself out again. * * * * * It was lunchtime before Nora woke again, she glanced over at the clock and smiled to herself, it had been so long since she�d slept soundly the whole night through let alone slept in until lunch. She could feel Jack�s arm draping over her waist and his breathing against her neck; it felt so good to have him back. She had to keep stopping herself from dissolving in tears like some emotional teenager. She closed her eyes again, her head felt slightly heavy and her body ached from the night before. She felt Jack move and in a second his lips were placing delicate kisses on her shoulder and his hand was squeezing her stomach. "Morning." She smiled trying to twist round to him but he held her tighter against his body and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Hi, how are you feeling?" She stretched her body. "Pretty damn good." "Me too." She turned her head and watched as his smile spread. "In fact I think I may find it hard to stop smiling." She laughed and succeeded in turning herself over so she could kiss his smile. "So, fancy some breakfast?" "More?" He laughed and leaned down to kiss her chest. She giggled and pulled his head back up. "Behave, you must be getting just a little tired now. Besides we have to get up and go fetch your things." "It won�t take long, I left most of my stuff here." "I know, it�s in Lita�s room. I didn�t know what to do with it." "Then there�s no need to rush, we may aswell spoil ourselves, it is almost Christmas afterall." She relented and let him turn her over and start kissing her again. His mouth was moving down over her stomach and his hands were easily spreading her thighs apart when Nora froze as she heard the doorbell ringing. "Ignore it." Jack moaned coming back up to kiss her face. "I can�t." She held his arms still and smiled at him "I�ll get rid of whoever it is." He let her roll out from underneath him and watched as she pulled a dressing gown and hurried to answer the door. Nora glanced quickly in the mirror and did her best to straighten her hair before opening the door. "Emily!" "Hi Aunt Nora � did I wake you?" The young girl grinned. "No, I was, I mean�" Emily laughed. "It doesn�t matter, I came by earlier and let myself in but you were otherwise engaged." She smiled giving Nora a second to take it in. "I�m sorry, I should have rung." "That�s ok, you�re welcome anytime you know that, it�s why I gave you the key. Come in." She held the door open. "Did Mom not ring you?" "What about?" She took Emily�s coat and hung it up. "Aunt Louisa said it would be ok for me to get a lift down with you." Nora stopped and stared at her blankly. "What day is it?" "Saturday." Emily smiled. "I forgot, I completely forgot. We leave today don�t we." "We do, otherwise we�ll miss the pre-Christmas celebrations." "Oh god I better get Jack up." "It�s Jack! I thought you�d finished." "We had." Jack said passing through the living room. "Coffee?" he smiled. "Please." Emily replied sitting down, noting he looked slightly more comfortable with this than Nora. "So, is he coming?" "I don�t know, I haven�t thought about it � we only got back together last night." "Ah, kinda a Christmas get together is it?!" She laughed. "Emily, this is so embarrassing." "I�ll say, my aunt�s got some hot guy to party the New Year with and I�m still single." Nora sat down next to her. "How are you anyway?" "Pretty good, exams went alright I think." "Good I�m glad. Haven�t seen you in a while." "I know I�m sorry, I sometimes forget you�re only a cab ride away." "And I�ll even shout you a fancy meal every now and then seeing as you�re a struggling student." Jack came back in with coffee and placed the tray on the table sitting down in his chair to watch them and Nora leant forward to pour. "So Jack how are you?" Emily smiled. "Better, much better now." He grinned taking his coffee from Nora. "And you�re looking good." "Thank you." She sipped her coffee and Jack once again had to remind himself that she wasn�t Nora�s daughter, they looked so alike. The same eyes and hair colour, she was just slightly taller than Nora and she didn�t yet have that confident air about her that Nora did. "So are you coming with us Jack?" "Where?" "Sorry, I haven�t had time to tell you yet, I�m supposed to leave for my sister�s today." "Ah, the family Christmas." "Will you come?" "I can�t today � I have to spend some time with Lita, before she goes to her Grans." "When do they get back?" "Not until after New Year." He saw the disappointment on her Nora�s face. "But I can get a train tomorrow afternoon or something. As long as nobody will mind." "Of course nobody will mind." Emily said. "They�re dying to meet you, she�s never brought anybody with her, something my stepmother takes great pleasure in." "Emily." Nora scowled. "Well it�s true, at least this year you can shut her up on that." She stood up putting her mug down. "How about I let you two get dressed and I�ll go get fresh sandwiches from that deli across the road." "That would be lovely, but I pay." Nora followed Emily to the door and gave her some money before coming back into Jack. She slipped down onto his knee. "I�m sorry, I forgot. So much for spoiling ourselves." "I don�t mind, I get to meet your family at last." "I suppose. There not perfect though." "Which family is?" He smiled and took her hand. "I have to go see Mary today and try and explain." He rubbed her fingers in that nervous way he had. "What will you say?" "Not sure yet, I�ll probably come off badly whatever I say. This wasn�t really what I expected. Not after the last real conversation we had." She shook her head remembering. "You have no idea how much I regret what I said, I just felt so angry with you and I wanted to hurt you." "I kinda guessed that." "But it�s all over now right�" "Right, I missed you so very much." He kissed her. She placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back. "Don�t start that again or we�ll never get anywhere today." He rested his forehead against her chest and closed his eyes. "You have no idea how much I just want to collapse in that bed with you and not emerge until Christmas is over." She smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Not your favorite time of the year?" "It usually consists of loneliness and drink." "Well not this year, we�re very big on Christmas in my family." He looked up laughing. "I would never have guessed!" "Stop it � you�re going to enjoy it even if I have to force you too. Now come on, we better get dressed." She stood up and dragged Jack from his seat. * * * * * Sunday 23rd December � evening Jack felt like he had been travelling for days instead of a few hours. He paid the cab driver and simply stood in the rain watching him drive away before beginning the long walk up the drive towards the house he hoped belonged to Nora�s sister. He stood a distance away admiring the simple wreath hanging on the door and the few lights placed around the porch. The past few days were beginning to become a blur, less than a week ago he�d imagined another Christmas spent alone or at the very most perhaps a meal with Mary. And now, he�d ended his relationship with Mary, he�d played Santa Claus for Lita for most of the day and then he�d hurriedly raced around stores buying gifts for Nora. He was back in Nora�s life, he was going to spend the holidays with her family and for the first time in years he felt a little apprehension as he stood poised ready to ring the bell. He glanced at his watch and realised it was after eleven, he could make out a faint light in the window but no real movement. He decided to gently knock at the door and hoped somebody would hear. He fiddled with his coat and took his hood down as a light came on the porch and he looked up to see a beaming Nora unlocking the door. She rushed out and he dropped his bags to welcome her into his arms. She quickly kissed his mouth and hugged him. "You took too long to get here." "Sorry, kinda had to rush round." He returned her strong hug. "Glad you missed me though." She laughed and lifted her head from his shoulder. "You�re soaking, how long have you been out here?" He ran his hand over her hair. "Not too long, I was thinking." "Let�s go in, I�ll make us some tea." She helped carry his bags in and took his coat and hung it up in the hallway. Jack looked around impressed by the d�cor, it wasn�t anything overly fancy or expensive, or even sophisticated like Nora�s apartment, it was just, well homely. There was even that wonderful smell of home cooking. He followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table watching as she fussed making tea for him and babbling on. He leant forward resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. "Where is everybody else?" He asked. She sat down across from him handing him a mug. "The boys are in bed, I�m babysitter." She smiled. "And George has taken Louisa out to some office party, Emily is out with friends, and Peter hasn�t arrived yet." "He�s your brother right." "Yes." She put her mug down and took his hand. "And his wife is?" "Charlotte." She groaned. "I take it you don�t approve." "Well it�s not that, it�s just she�s so�" She struggled to find something appropriate to say then realised it was Jack and it didn�t really matter. "She�s horrid!" She smiled. "I can�t understand why Peter married her, I mean I can see the attraction but couldn�t he have just slept with her. But still she�s family so we struggle on and be polite." "I�ll remember that." He took a drink of his tea. "So anything else I should know before I meet them? You know like who hates me." "Hmm, well nobody hates you but I�d say Louisa is a little apprehensive about us getting back together, because you�re so nasty and keep breaking my heart." She smiled. "Only joking, they�re gonna love you, and besides I�m just happy I don�t have to sit through another one of Charlotte�s dreadful speeches. �Still alone are we Nora time�s ticking on�." Jack laughed. "Did you not tell her that you don�t like relationships you just have men around for sex." "Perhaps I should. I usually just sit quiet though and drink my Irish cream like a good girl." "Very unlike you." He finished his tea and pushed his mug across to her. "You want more?" He shook his head. "Hungry?" "No, not really. Aren�t you going to show me around?" "Sure. I�ll show you our room then you can leave your bags." "We get to share a bedroom?" He stood up. "Of course, we are over 21." She smiled and came closer to him running her hands up his chest. "Besides you really think I can go two weeks without you touching me, we have just spent months apart." "We can�t make love here." "Why ever not?" She kissed him. "Because your family is here, children." "You think parents never have sex again in their entire married life." "Of course they do woman, after the kids have left home or gone out for the evening." He smiled. "Well everyone is out for the evening and the kids are fast asleep, so�" "So?" "I think I should show you our room, lets get your bags." She took his hand and led him upstairs. * * * * * Monday 24th December � Christmas Eve By the time Jack and Nora had showered and dressed and came down to breakfast the kitchen was full, Peter and Charlotte had arrived and Jack felt like he was on display as he was introduced. Josh and Jake giggled as they climbed about on the floor playing. George was trying to eat his breakfast and Louisa was standing by the window quietly drinking her tea. Jack found himself surrounded by the two young boys as he sat down at the kitchen table. Nora took him a glass of orange juice and toast then returned to leaning on the side watching him amused as he struggled to cope with the attention. "Do you think he�ll fit in?" Louisa whispered to her. "I hope so." "Looks like somebody is already jealous." She said nudging her and indicating Charlotte. "What time did you get here Jack?" Charlotte asked sitting down next to him and pouring coffee for them both. "Must have been eleven right?" He looked up at Nora and she nodded as she sipped her coffee. "And I got the guided tour." He smiled as Josh thrust a coloring book at him. "They had sex." Jake blurted out. Nora dropped her mug and froze staring at the floor; George burst out laughing and Peter soon followed suit. Louisa was perfect as usual and quickly scooped Jake up from the floor. "Now I think its time you two got dressed isn�t it. I think it may even snow later and you don�t want to miss that." She chased them both upstairs before returning to the kitchen. Charlotte had gone out into the garden and Peter had returned to his paper. She doubted George had even noticed and she bent down to help Nora clean up. "Are you alright?" She asked drying the floor. "Very embarassed. Can I go home now?" "Don�t worry about it." "I�m so sorry, I thought they were asleep." "Hey, they probably just heard it on t.v. or one of their friends said something at school. Its nothing serious, I�ll talk to them later, anyhow at least we know your relationship is healthy." She smiled and touched her arm. "Thank you. I think I�ll take Jack for a walk before I die." "Ok, well George and I are taking the boys out to try and tire them out for tonight, so they don�t get listening at doors." She smiled and stood up. "Oh god, I�m never going to live it down." She shook her head not daring to look across at Jack who was happily chatting away to Peter. "You will, look nobody cares." Nora glanced round the kitchen. "I notice Charlotte has disappeared." "She�s just jealous. Now go take him out and have fun." She kissed Nora�s cheek; she had to admit it this man made her look good, she was praying that this time it would last. * * * * * Part 22 Stories Part 24 |