Section 8 8.00 a.m. Jack waited by the elevator, pretending to get coffee, avoiding eye contact with the few others who were already hard at work. Waiting, biding his time, chewing his bottom lip and just about going crazy. She finally strode off the elevator, straight past him, still wet with rain, a long black coat, a scarf trailing behind her and a pile of files under her arm. He tried to catch her arm but she was just out of reach so he ran to catch up. �Nora, we need to talk.� �Not here.� She snapped defensively. �My office in a few minutes.� She left him standing frozen and continued into her office. Once the door was closed she leant against it and caught her breath � what a weekend. It was the first time she hadn�t wanted to come into work, her mind just wasn�t there and she knew she�d be of no use today. Jack nervously tapped his fingers on his desk as he watched the seconds tick by on the clock. A few minutes, a few goddamn minutes like he was nobody, like nothing had happened � calm Jack, calm don�t go and blow it already. Three minutes up, he removed his jacket; it was raining out but warm in here, and crept out of his office. It wasn�t that he was doing anything strange or different from the routine, he always visited her first thing on a Monday morning. But somehow he felt like everyone was watching him and waiting for him to screw it up and the ensuing argument to erupt. He knocked on the door politely then entered. She was searching through a book for something, notes spread across her desk, her wet coat still on and her scarf on the floor by the door. He bent and picked it up. �I�m a little busy Jack.� She said without looking up. �You never called � the entire weekend and you never called. You promised me, you shut me out, are you with him because if you were just with me for the quick fix then tell me�� He babbled on, unthinking and she watched as he reached the end of his tirade, struggled with his breathing and sat down on her couch. He fiddled with the scarf in his hands, sheer and transparent with the rain. �I�ve been going crazy�I don�t know how to handle this I�ve never felt so.� �Helpless.� She said and he nodded. She put the book face down on her desk and moved to her, kneeling down and taking his hands. �Jack when I tell you I love you I mean it. I wouldn�t have risked so much for a quick fix as you put it. But this isn�t easy for me; I�ve just endured the weekend from hell. I get home and Richard announces his son and daughter-in-law are coming over we�re going for lunch with them. I had to sit there for hours on end acting like life was perfect when all the time I was formulating a way to break up with the guy. I felt so terrible.� �But you told him?� �Yes, Saturday night, we were up till almost three in the morning arguing. Then he walked out. He came back yesterday afternoon and asked me if it was because of you � I couldn�t say no.� �I�m sorry, I didn�t think, I didn�t realise, I was just thinking of me.� �I told you it wouldn�t be easy.� �Where is he now?� �My apartment, he has nowhere to stay Jack he has to look for somewhere to live before I throw him out onto the streets. And don�t look so jealous, aren�t relationships based on trust. I�m sorry I didn�t call but this has hardly been easy for me. I care for the man and I�ve hurt him, deeply. I can�t just abandon him.� �You�re too nice for your own good.� He smiled weakly. �I want to be with you.� �What do you mean?� �To see you, to go out with you, not to hide it away like some sordid affair.� �I know, we will I prom�� She smiled and he leant forward and kissed her forehead. �Tonight, let�s go out tonight.� He whispered. �I can�t, it�s my niece�s birthday next week and I still haven�t gotten her a present. Late night shopping I�m afraid.� She climbed to her feet. �Can I come?� �You wanna come shopping with me � are you feeling ok?� �Yes, we can get something to eat later � please, I�ve missed you.� �It�s been two days.� �I�ve missed you.� She smiled gratefully and removed her coat. �Alright, yes you can come along, but Jack we have to establish some ground rules.� �Let me guess, no sex during office hours.� He laughed and stretched out his long legs. �No sex!!! God no kissing, no flirting, no innuendo.� �But that�s all the fun bits out of my day gone.� �Now that�s the Jack McCoy I know � get out of here I�ll see you later.� He jumped up smiling and went to her sliding his arm round her waist and bringing his mouth to her cheek. �Jack�� She warned. �Ok I�m gone.� 8.00 p.m. They were huddled together under Nora�s umbrella, sheltered against the rain and hurrying along the bust city streets. Jack reached down for Nora�s hand and squeezed it tightly. �Let�s go for coffee.� He attempted to pull her into a coffee house, but she shook her head and turned to face him. On her tiptoes she kissed him, warm and comforting against the rain. �Let�s go some place private instead.� Running through the streets like giddy teenagers, with Jack dragging her behind him, his trousers soaked with the rain, one hand laden with all the shopping she had done. They made love just inside his door, in amongst the bags and still smelling of rain and it was the happiest Jack could ever remember being. �Do you think we should move?� She asked tangling her fingers with his. �Hmm, why should we?� She lifted up his arm so she could see his watch. �Because it�s getting late, and I�m hungry.� She sat up and looked down at him. �Shall we order something in?� �Pizza seems a safe bet.� �Then we�ll have that.� She pulled on his coat still faintly damp against her naked arms but it felt good. �Stay the night.� He sounded nervous. �I can�t, work tomorrow and I can�t turn up in these clothes.� �Then leave early � don�t make excuses.� �No Jack � please don�t spoil this, I�ll leave late, we�ve had a wonderful evening.� She reached down and pulled his hand up to kiss it. �Call for Pizza whilst I take a shower.� �Yes sir.� Midnight Asleep in her arms on the couch Jack had found what he�d been looking for. And Nora � well Nora was just grateful to be there. All those years studying the man, laughing at his jokes and having polite conversations with his overbearing wife. And now, now she was the one who was his lover, perhaps more than that, she was his friend. And she trusted him and she believed in him and that was her definition of love. A love to last. It was time for her to leave, the rain had long since stopped, her clothes had dried and she should go, but the truth was she really didn�t want to. The thought of returning to the outside world, to the mayhem of the public and the pain of her apartment � dear Richard. Hating her and loving her at the same time and the guilt she felt every time she looked at him. Maybe if she hadn�t pursued this with Jack if she tried harder with him, would it have lasted? But no she wasn�t pursuing with Jack she was simply swept along by him, time and time again. Love had no reason or rhyme, she couldn�t control it she couldn�t fence it in or define parameters any longer it was just happening. And as terrible as she felt about it she wanted Richard out of her life completely so she could enjoy this, live it � wasn�t that what life was for? A sense of complete clarity enveloped her each and every time Jack touched her, that this was what life was for. She smiled down at him and laughed at her own melodramatic behaviour. She�d never been one for sweet and sickly romance but at the moment all those things were defining her. She loosened herself from his grip and got up and began to dress. �You�re leaving?� He mumbled. �I�m sorry it�s getting late.� He opened his eyes, her beautiful kind face. �I want this every evening.� She smiled, dipped her head and kissed him full on the mouth. �See you at work.� �I�ll see you out.� �No stay there, rest. Thank you for helping me shop.� �I enjoyed it.� �Good.� She let go of his hand and put her coat on. �Night.� �Sleep well Nora.� �You too.� 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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