Part 2: Reconciliation
By Jenny Jo ([email protected])
Summary: The gang�s all back for the Christmas vacation, but things are not all ducky. Jack wants to get back to where he was with Tobey and Jen, but they�re not so sure�
Spoilers: A lot of season 5 (the eps. so far)
Still December 21, 2001
Jen stands outside the door of the McPhee house, confused about everything. She must�ve been sleeping for 3 hours, but Tobey was nowhere to be found in his house. She�s a bit panicky, although she�s sure he�s fine. He probably just decided to run some errands that took longer than he expected. Or something.
She puts the key in the door, turns it, along with the knob, and enters the house. The first thing she hears when she enters? Tobey laughing. �Okay, and I thought I was confused before,� she thinks to herself.
�What?� she hears him ask someone. �I think it�s funny when Rayburn does Old Man Periwinkle. It�s funny, isn�t it, Grams?�
�Hilarious,� she replies, and Jen can tell that she�s smiling, but not laughing.
And then Jen hears a voice she was hoping she would not have to hear while she was so�confused. �Yeah, okay, it�s funny. But, God, Tobey, you�re laughing like it�s the funniest thing you�ve ever heard.�
�Shut up, Jack. I�ll kick your ass,� Tobey says, jokingly.
�Yeah, you wish.�
�Okay, I�ve had enough of this,� Jen thinks, and starts heading to the living room, where the boys and Grams are still watching the Match Game marathon. �Hey, Tobey, I met your sister. She�s awesome,� Jen tries to hold in her frustration, and not let on that she was actually worried about Tobey, while the other three turn to face her, startled. �Yeah, we talked about you for a few hours while we were waiting for you to get home.�
A big look of remorse spreads over Tobey�s face. �Oh my God, Jen, I�m so sorry. I completely forgot that you were at my house.�
�Nice. So, while I was waking up, confused and worried about where the hell you were, you were sitting here watching Let�s Make A Deal with Cheech and Chong over there. That�s great.�
�Match Game,� Tobey corrects her.
�What?�
�Um,� he looks to Jack and Grams for help, but they say nothing. �It�s Match Game, not Let�s Make A Deal.�
Jen forces a smile, not amused. �Whatever. Can I please talk to you over here for a couple of minutes?� She asks and points to the kitchen.
He looks at the other two for help again, but again he gets nothing. �Sure,� he says, gets up, and heads to the kitchen. He feels bad because he sees the look of worry on her face. When they get to the kitchen, he speaks first. �Jen, I am so sorry. We were watching the show, and got kind of caught up in it, and I just forgot that you were at my house. I�m sorry,� he says again.
He waits for some sort of reaction, but she just stares at him blankly. Finally, she smiles and tells Tobey, �it�s alright. Just never do it again.�
�Done.�
Then her look becomes more serious. �So, you and Jack seem to be having fun together again. I thought we decided that he was the enemy? What happened?�
�All I�m going to say is that you should talk to him. Just put whatever bitterness you have towards him away for five minutes, and listen to him.� He notices the uncertainty on her face. �Just, trust me, okay?�
�Okay.�
The two head back into the living room where Jack and Grams sit, their eyes plastered to the T.V. �What is so special about this show?� Jen wonders.
�Well, I better go home. I think I have some explaining to do to my sister,� Tobey said, mock worry on his face. �So, I guess I�ll see you around. Bye Jen,� he goes up and hugs her, and does the same with Grams. �Bye Jack,� he sticks his hand out and Jack takes it, and they shake hands. �See ya.�
With that, Tobey heads out the door, and Jack asks Jen, �so, is he coming to the party?�
�Oh, I completely forget,� Jen panicked. �I�ll go ask him.�
Jack stands up quickly, and says to Jen, �no, let me go. Please.� Jen gives her the �okay� look, and he heads out to go ask.
�Tobey, wait!� he calls, stopping Tobey as he�s getting into his car. On Tobey�s curious look, �on the 23rd the Leery�s are going to have their annual Christmas party that actually only got resurrected last year. Anyway, so Jen and, um, Jen was wondering it you�d like to come. It�s been okayed with Dawson, and we�d all love it if you came. So?�
�So�you weren�t wondering if I wanted to come?� Jack gave him his �Tobey!� look, and Tobey accepted the invitation. �Sure, I�d love to come. Is there any way that you could come and pick me up? My sister has to use the car on that day for a job interview, or something.�
Jack wants to spend as much time with Tobey as he can, ��course I�ll give you a ride. The party starts at 7:30, but I have to be there at 6:30 to help decorate. You want to come help us with that?�
�Definitely.�
Pleased, Jack says, �great, so I�ll pick you up around 6:00. I�ll see you then, okay?�
�Alright.� Unconsciously, Tobey holds his arms out, inviting Jack to give him a hug. He obliges, and they stay like that for an overly long amount of time, and it feels great. It feels right.
After what seems to be forever and a day, Tobey finally pulls away. �Bye,� he says quickly, and gets in his car.
�Bye,� Jack says to Tobey, who has already left. And then he heads inside.
Back inside the house, Jack decides it�s time to do what he should�ve done a very, very long time ago. He has to at least try to make things at least half-right with Jen again. He needs her more than he�d ever admit.
He goes into the living room and sees Jen sitting with Grams, watching Match Game. �Jen, do you think we could go to my room and talk for a couple of minutes?� Jack asks, very tentatively. �I just really need to talk to you,� he lets out a big breath.
�Gee, I don�t know, Jack. I�m kind of enjoying watching this show with Grams, here,� Jen replies sarcastically. But when Jack gives her a less than amused glare, she agrees. �Alright. Grams, I�ll be back in a minute; tell me if I miss anything interesting.� The she walks over to Jack, and he ushers her to lead them to his room.
They reach Jack�s room, and go inside. Jack sits down on his bed, and pats the spot next to him, wanting Jen to sit there. But, she instead grabs the chair at his desk and sits in it. Jack realizes that this is going to be tougher than he originally thought.
�So?� Jen asks, a little emotional.
�Jen, I�m sorry. I�m very, very sorry for being such an ass to you these past couple of months. I know that I hurt you, and you will probably never forgive me for what I said to you that one day. And there is probably nothing that I can say that will make you forget it, and I�ve accepted that. But, what I haven�t accepted, and never will, is the fact that we�re not friends anymore. I can�t deal with that. You mean so much to me; you have been like my second sister. The sister that�s here whenever I need her. You have always been here for me, and I just wish I could say the same thing about myself being there for you, but I can�t. I have been so self absorbed since college started. I�ve turned into the kind of person that I�ve always hated. The kind of person that can hurt the most important person in their life. Jen,� he looks up at the ceiling, trying not to show Jen how much he�s hurting. �God, I lied to Tobey, but I can�t lie to you.�
That really caught Jen�s attention, and also caught her off guard. �Lied to Tobey about what?�
�About�� he starts, but has to stop really quickly to keep from crying.
Jen�s anger turns to concern suddenly, as she gets off her chair and moves to the bed. She runs her fingers through his hair, and encourages him to go on. �Jackers, it�s okay. Tell me what�s wrong.�
�It�s about Tim.�
�Your brother?� Jen�s a little confused.
�Yeah, him, and Andie, and Mr. Leery,� he�s still trying hard not to cry, and it�s pretty much working, but he has tears welling up in his eyes. �I was doing fine for a while, then Mitch died, and that just sort of triggered all these feelings I�ve been having.� He notices Jen looking at him, and can tell she has no idea what he�s talking about. �When Mitch died, it sort of reminded me that, at any given time, the people who mean the most to me could be gone. I mean, you could get into a car accident tomorrow and the next time I�d see you, you�d be lying in a casket in a funeral home. But, then I realized that you�re here now, and that�s what�s important. You know, every moment counts, and that�s what I realized. I can�t push my friends away, because I need them; I need you.�
�Come here,� Jen sees, and she engulfs Jack in a big hug. �Why didn�t you say something sooner?�
Jack has to think about this for a second, but finally, simply replies, �Because, I�m an idiot.� He hears her chuckle a little bit, and pulls away, looks at her face, and asks, �Is that my girl?�
�Shut up.�
�Hey, Jen, uh, how did you get home?�
Jen smiles a little bit, and replies, �well��
To be continued...