Disclaimer: don�t own characters but still playing Jack gripped the steering wheel as he leant forward resting his forehead against the leather. The insistent pounding in his temples was becoming unbearable, and despite the fact it was still snowing outside, beads of sweat were nestled on his skin. He had to pull himself together; this wasn�t going to help the situation at all. Death was never something he liked to see close up, he dealt with it day in day out at work but somehow that had become part of his normality. This, this was far too real, far too raw, especially for a Friday night. Why on earth he�d agreed to accompany Serena to this thing anyway he had no idea, it was hardly his cup of tea. Some loud over the top gathering of the most obnoxious young minded people he�d ever encountered, and that was quite a feat regarding his profession. He dug into his pocket for his mobile, no messages, no missed calls. He searched through the phonebook and dialled the selected number. No answer, only a few bleeps then the answer machine picked up. �Hi, just calling to let you know I�ll be late in, if you�re there. Hell of a night�� He mused for a second. �Well fill you in later. Just thought I�d report in. Over and out.� She�d hate that he knew, formality and sarcasm in one swift call. He was about to get out the car again and go in search of Serena when the car door opened and she got in next to him, shivering and red faced from the cold. �How you doing?� �I�ve had better evenings.� �Did you know the girl?� �Barely, only by reputation.� �She had one?� �Not like you think,� She paused as she removed her hat and scarf. �She was always a little quiet, withdrawn, most suspected she was on drugs.� �Hell of a place to confirm their suspicions.� �Jack!� She admonished. �Sorry.� She shook her head. �No, I�m sorry, for bringing you here in the first place. I thought it might be fun not only useful.� �You weren�t to know this would happen, want me to drive?� He started up the engine. �Thanks, still a bit shaky, lord knows how you must feel finding her like that.� She turned her head to regard him. �I�m fine, seen some things over the years, just need a stiff drink and a warm bed.� �Well drive to your apartment and I�ll manage the rest of the way.� She glanced out the window to the crowds of young students still gathered in the snow outside the dormitories. Some were still being interviewed, others crying, others complaining about being stuck out in the cold. It was lucky she had Jack with her, she�d been doing this job three years now but some things she was still unprepared for. �No, I�ll drive you home and walk the rest of the way. Wanna make sure you get home okay.� �But it�s freezing out, and too far to your place. �I�m not going to my place.� �Ah, I see.� She smiled to herself, folding the gloves on her lap. �Don�t start that.� �Start what? I�m just glad it�s going well.� �Perfectly well so don�t force me to jinx it by talking about it.� He didn�t take his eyes from the road but she could make out his grin. �Besides my love life should be no concern of yours ADA Southerlyn.� She laughed now. �Oh it isn�t�� �I should hope not.� His fake reprimand was far too shallow to be taken seriously. �Thanks Jack.� She smiled; he could lighten the most stoic of situations. �No problem.� * * * He pulled the car up against the kerb, it felt odd driving again, he gotten so used to the bike and its fluidity and speed. �Well there you go.� He said taking the keys from the ignition and handing them over to Serena. �And next time you invite me out I�ll think twice about accepting.� The look on her face told him she wasn�t sharing in the light-hearted mood anymore. �What, what�s wrong?� �I know it sounds silly, but I really don�t want to be alone.� She glanced over at his shocked expression. �No Jack, I didn�t mean that you fool.� He raised his eyebrows. �And my brain had just gone into overdrive.� �I mean I feel odd, I�ve seen corpses before Jack but tonight was different.� �Because you knew the person.� �Yes, not well, but I knew her nevertheless, it�s more� personal.� He reached over for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. �I know. So what would you like me to do?� �I think I might go to my Mother�s for the night.� �Alright, then I�ll take you there.� �It�s almost 1 a.m. as it is Jack, you�ve wasted your entire Friday already.� �Serena really I don�t mind, you�re in no state to drive. Go get your stuff and we�ll go.� �This is way beyond the call of duty Jack.� She smiled throwing the keys back at him and quickly getting out of the car. He watched her disappear inside the immense building in front of him and reached for his phone. Again the answer machine. �Hi, I don�t know if you�re there or not, or even if you�re listening to these messages. But I�m gonna be even later than I thought, you might aswell go to bed, I�ll see you tomorrow�� He ended the call abruptly when Serena returned to the car. �That was quick.� �Toothbrush, all you need.� �I�ll remember that � ok directions then.� * * * Jack drummed his fingers on the dashboard annoyed, 1:30 in the morning and they were still queuing to get out of the city. But then they were backed up with the snow and it was a Friday night afterall. �Makes you think doesn�t it.� He turned his face to watch his young companion. �How fragile life is, how quickly it ends.� Jack smiled sympathetically. �At least you�ve worked that out now, took me several years to get that one. In fact there are times you might think I�m still struggling with it.� He took a breath and put the car into first as the traffic began to move again. �You just gotta learn to appreciate the here and now, especially at your age when you�ve got so much to look forward to. You�re an intelligent beautiful young lady with her entire life ahead, just don�t look too far � enjoy the now.� �I�ve never known you hand advice out so openly.� �Well, it�s been a strange old evening. And I�m not always the workaholic you take me for.� �I know, you can be quite relaxed when you get in the mood.� She teased. �Hey!� �I�m joking, you are very laid back out of court Jack � which is why I�m enjoying working with you.� �As I am you.� She smiled warmly at the compliment, and turned her attention back to the window and the traffic negotiating its way around the snow. It meant a lot to her to have Jack�s trust, she knew she was working with one of the best; she just had to believe she was worthy of the role. Her next words weren�t thought about just came from her involuntary, so much so that she feared she may have overstepped a boundary with it. �You miss having Nora at work don�t you?� Jack�s head swung round at the comment, his eyes displaying his shock at the question. �Oh I�m sorry Jack, it�s none of my business.� �No, no it�s fine. Just thought I�d done my best to hide it.� He smiled. �Yes I do miss having her there, she�s a good friend, one of the few truly decent people you will find too.� Serena found a joy in his obvious affection for the lady they both had enjoyed working with. �Well, we�ll have to arrange a meal soon so we can catch up. You could bring your new �friend� along.� She said suggestively. Jack smiled in return. �Yeah, we�ll do that.� �Why do you think she did it Jack?� Forty-five minutes into the journey and this comes up he thought wryly. �Who?� �The girl at the party, I can�t ever imagine being so alone to need to kill myself.� �You think its suicide then?� �You don�t?� Jack shook his head non-committal. �I don�t know, could be accidental overdose, could be a dodgy batch she took. Who knows until toxicology comes back.� �A loss whichever way you look at it.� Jack laughed. �You ever thought of going into ethics?� �What? Why?� �You just remind me of someone.� �Who?� �Nobody, it doesn�t matter. Ring the officer in charge now if you like, I�m sure he�ll still be working then you can find out what�s happening, if anything. I took his number, it�s in my coat pocket � Reynolds I think his name was.� �Thanks Jack.� Serena found the number out and searched for her cell phone in her bag. �Oh can you believe it, no signal.� �Try mine.� �No, none there neither. Must be a problem somewhere.� �Typical.� Jack rubbed at his head frustrated. �You ok?� �Headache, been coming on all evening.� �You want me to drive for a while?� �Is it much further?� �No, another fifteen minutes if that.� �Then I�ll be fine. Besides I gotta drive back anyhow. Pretty trusting giving me your car for the weekend.� �Well you are doing me a favour, I hate to drive in the ice.� �I used to, came off my bike once on it, hell of a mess it made too.� �Oh god, did you break anything.� �No.� �Then what was a mess?� �The bike, completely wrecked it.� �Damn Jack I thought you meant you were injured.� Jack laughed. �Only the odd scrape. I survived. Now left or right?� * * * Having left Serena creeping into her parent�s house with reassurances that he wouldn�t damage her car Jack had set off home alone. The silence of his own companionship was actually quite a relief now; it gave him time to mull the events of the evening over. He�d found the party stifling and uneasy so had ventured outside for some air, wandering around the grounds he�d come across a young girl, barely 23 he assumed and so very pale and thin. Covered in her own vomit and unnaturally lay out beneath the bushes, the familiar sight of an overdose. He�d dialled 911 immediately then sat in a state of shock for what seemed an eternity, until he pulled himself together and ventured back inside to inform the organisers. Quickly Jack pulled the car up on the side of the road, jumping out and throwing up, then wiping his mouth with the tissue in his pocket. �Damn it,� he cursed kicking the snow piled up on the grassy bank. He leant against the door of the car and closed his eyes, letting the frozen air wash over him, cooling his pounding head. The entire night had been like something from a nightmare, like being in hell for the night. He needed some relief, he needed comfort. He reached into the car to retrieve his phone again, the signal was back, he was getting close to home now anyway but he�d just try one last time. The annoying ring went on and on, she wasn�t going to pick up now. �God damn it I just want to talk to you�� The machine clicked on and he stuttered trying to find the right words. �I just, I wish you were there, I really need to talk to you now, I need you�� He took a deep breath and swallowed closing his eyes. �So much I want to say to you, this isn�t right though, I�ll, I�ll tell you later.� He chewed his nail for a second meditating on his words, and then shook his head. �Bloody idiot, as if that made sense, probably asleep anyway.� He threw his phone onto the passenger seat before climbing back into the car and starting the engine up again, and he would have to fill the gas up soon or he wouldn�t be getting home anytime soon. One thing after another, somebody sure didn�t want him to get any sleep tonight he mused dryly. * * * Finally! Lord finally he pulled into the familiar street, slowed the car and turned up into the drive reserved for residents. Stumbling from the car he made his way across to the brownstone, searched for his keys and fumbled with the lock. It was too late to negotiate doors, locks, walking on ice and trying to be quiet. He let himself into the dark room, comforted instantly by the familiarity of his surroundings. In the darkness he kicked off his shoes and poured himself a scotch, standing by the large window and taking in the vastness of the scene he proceeded to drain it in a few easy gulps. Somehow all the snow and ice looked much prettier from up here than it did when he was navigating his way across it on the way home. He noticed a small red light flashing across the other side of the room and went to the answer machine. Three messages, all his no doubt. He allowed himself an ironic smile as he clicked the erase button and dropped his glass down onto the coffee table. He did his best to be silent as he moved straight through the bedroom to the bathroom just off from it. Closing the door behind him and removing his sweater, shirt and jeans he stared at himself in the mirror, god he looked rough. He turned on the cold water and splashed his face then ran his wet hands through his hair, he really needed a shower but he was certain his legs wouldn�t hold out much longer. Jack turned off the light and then waited a few seconds for his eyes to readjust to the darkness before opening the bathroom door and going into the bedroom. He could see her sleeping figure in bed, been there for hours no doubt, for a second he thought of Serena and hoped she was getting some rest. He lifted the sheets and climbed in next to her, the warmth of her body was intoxicating. Immediately he moved up behind her, slipping an arm around her waist and resting it against her stomach, bringing her body close up against his. She murmured in her sleep and he closed his eyes and dropped his head to her neck, taking in the sweet scent there. �Jack, what time is it?� �Late, gone 3.� He whispered, placing kisses on her collarbone and hugging her close to him. �Where have you been?� �You don�t want to know.� She twisted onto her side to regard him, raising a hand to lift his chin up. �Jack?� �I�ll fill you in tomorrow, I�m glad to be home though, let�s just say that.� He kissed her again, his eyes closed, his body sinking down next to hers and his head finding a resting place against her chest. �I�ve missed you.� �It�s only been one night.� She smiled, rubbing her hand down across his back as he settled. �A long night� too long.� �Well, it�s over now.� She closed her eyes as he stilled in her arms, he�d be asleep in a matter of seconds. She knew him too well now, they�d been sharing these evenings for the past five months and she had his sleep patterns down. �I love you Nora.� �I know you do Jack.� |
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| T h e S u r f a c e part one |
| by Ms. E |