| Early Morning Richard was of a similar stature to Jack, though his hair was lighter and he was a little heavier. Not fat but definitely bordering on content, married, well-kept middle-aged man. But then they weren�t married; Jack sometimes seemed to forget that. Not a fact to be overlooked though in light of the other nights dancing. He turned over in bed and watched the red numbers flashing on the clock. Time to get up again, funnily enough he didn�t mind at the moment, it was a pleasure to go and have a morning coffee and chat with Nora. They weren�t life changing conversations just ordinary run of the mill nonsense. But it eased him into the day, perfectly. He closed his eyes, the dancing � the feel of her body pressed up against his. Her hands linked round his neck, her scent and the smile when he spun her round. Some nonsense music about love shacks and a hundred employees making fools of themselves, but it didn�t matter, nothing mattered but her hand in his. God what was he some kind of romantic schmuck? Mid-morning �Jack!� Nora shouted as he passed her open door. �My office now.� He calmly went in, smiling contentedly. �I think you should close the door.� Jack did as he was asked then took the seat across from Nora. She was fidgeting, chewing her bottom lip and rubbing her hands together. �What can I do for you gorgeous?� �Don�t come that with me, have you not seen this?� She threw a newspaper across the desk at him. He unfolded it and scanned the headline. �My nights of passion with top DA.� �Granted this is some sleazy paper but the others have picked up on it Jack, it may not be front page news but it�s enough to leave a mark.� Jack opened the paper to find pictures of himself leaving some bar with the girl he�d spent the night with weeks ago. �I�ve been set up.� �What?� �It was one night, not several and I�d never met her before, how the hell could they have got this picture?� �And that�s supposed to make me feel better, you go out and meet young girls and spend the night with them. She�s 23 for gods sake Jack, 23.� �I didn�t realise.� �You mean you didn�t care, just picked her up and fucked her. Typical Jack McCoy thinks only of himself and his own gratification.� �Hey that�s not fair, you have no right to pass judgement on my personal life.� �Don�t I?� �You�re my boss not my judge and jury.� �And for a split second I thought we were more than co-workers. Well as your boss I�m very disappointed, ashamed, what will people think I�m running here?� �So it all reflects on you right, not me. Well Miss. High and mighty if we�re going to judge how about you caring more about your public persona than the law, living with a guy you don�t even really like. How�s that for passing judgement.� Nora was stunned for a moment but soon recovered. She turned away from his and folded her arms. �You�re right � this shouldn�t be personal, perhaps that�s why we never�why colleagues find it too hard to be friends. So as your boss I�m telling you this has to stop, fair enough go out and enjoy your personal life Jack but not at the cost of shaming Hogan Place.� �And you have no intention of listening to my arguments right, that this is a set up, that I�ve been conned.� He was beginning to get that feeling of hopelessness, that nobody would believe him, a feeling he hadn�t encountered since childhood. He attempted to swallow the lump in his throat and was still shocked when she turned back to face him. �You have no proof Jack, you admit you slept with this girl?� �Yes.� �And when you � did, you had no idea that she was faking it so to speak.� Was she doing this deliberately? �No, none what so ever.� �Then what exactly has she done to you, other than go to the papers to make some cash with a sleazy tell-tale story and a few well positioned photographs?� He shook his head and closed his eyes; suddenly the swell of her heady perfume was within his head, pulsing, spinning, and denying him of breath. He had to leave the room, get away from her, recover and adjust his armour before they battled again. �You should go, it�s getting late and I have some damage control to take care of.� Jack looked down at his wrist for the time but his watch was still missing. �Jack, don�t you have work to do, court to get to? Go, I need some space.� Jack stood up and watched as she replaced her glasses and picked the phone receiver up. �I�m sorry.� He whispered, but she didn�t respond or even look up at him, so he left and retreated to his office. The clock said 10.30 and yet he was sure he�d been in there hours, suffering, almost being tortured, by his guilt for what he�d done, embarrassment and most of all by the unnerving need for him to have Nora�s forgiveness, hell just to have her. Nora on the other hand was healing wounds of a different kind. She held her breath as she waited for the receptionist to connect her and tried to banish Jack McCoy out of her mind. �Richard, hi,� She adopted her softest tone. �I wanted to say sorry, for the argument last night and leaving so abruptly this morning. It was my fault, let me take you out for lunch as an apology�� Perhaps they were both feeling guilty for one reason or another. Review Home |
| Disclaimer: Cos Nora's cute and Jack is sexy and they just HAVE to get it together - ok writers!! |
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