Steal Your Heart 403-409

The next morning was breezy and cool when Brenda woke up, still amazed that she was now in her very own house. And what a house. Yet another dream that Jax had made come true for her, she thought with an amazed shake of her head. What had she ever done to deserve him in her life? She noticed that she was alone in the bedroom and she smelled coffee percolating so she knew that Jax was downstairs in that humongous kitchen. Brenda went to the closet and saw that all her clothes were there. She grabbed and outfit and went to take a shower.

Twenty minutes later she was bouncing down the elegant spiral staircase wearing a short, fashionably patterned blue and white sundress with double spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in the back and white ankle-tie flats on her feet. She found Jax at the oval shaped eat-in counter which was situated in the midst of the vast kitchen. Brenda’ heart skipped a little at the sight of him. First of all he looked simply wonderful. Second of all he was reading the paper, which had been a daily ritual for Jax before the memory loss incident. His blonde hair looked very golden this morning and it was still damp from the shower he must have taken earlier. He wore a blue and beige striped Jos J Oliver sweater-top with a zippered front, khaki colored casual pants and his black leather combat-style boots. His head was bent as he sat with one ankle crossed over his knee, one elbow leaning on the table as he read the morning newspaper.

He smelled her before he saw her – the coconut and honey scent of her shampoo wafting into the kitchen.

He looked up from his paper, eyes of a deep blue hue this morning gazing at her.

She waved at him from the entry way as she stood by the arc leaning against the wall.

He smiled and waved back at her. "Not coming in?" he asked her.

Brenda shrugged. "Might be dangerous," she responded.

"For whom?"

"For you."

He was grinning now. "How come?"

"I’m feeling the need to . . . cook, Jax," she confessed.

The grin vanished and was replaced by a look of agony. "*F-f-food* you mean?"

She laughed and walked over to him. "First things first," she said. "Good-morning." She kissed his lips softly and the kiss was lingering and oh so nice.

"Well it was before you mentioned the C word," he said unhappily.

"Jax, get that look of despair off of your face right now!" she ordered him, trying to hide her smile of mirth. "I’m in my very own house and I would like to cook in my very own kitchen for my very own husband. Is that so wrong? I mean, how hard could it be?"

"Have you ever done this before?" he asked, not recalling.

"Well . . .uhh . . . .Oh Jax where’s your spirit of adventure?" said walking over to the huge refrigerator and opening it up to peruse the items in there with a furrowed brow. She looked so cute and determined. He didn’t have the heart to tell her he had ordered a gourmet breakfast for them which would be there in about half an hour.

"Alright then. Go for it, Betty Crocker," he encouraged her as he went back to reading the paper, which was difficult as he was constantly distracted by her nearness and her constant murmuring to herself as she took out ingredients for God only knew what.

"Okay I think I’m re-ady," she sang as she piled her ingredients on the vast mauve tiled counter space.

Jax got up and stood behind her gazing at the things she had taken out. Eggs, frozen steak, onions, bananas, peanut butter, mayonnaise, flour, tortilla shells, wheat bread, butter, canned pineapple chunks, powdered sugar, a box of grapenuts, crushed Oreo bits and a bunch of limes. He shook his head in horror and walked over to the cordless phone which hung on the wall and removed it taking it with him as he sat back down. "I think we ought to have this near us . . just in case," he decided.

"Just in case what?"

"In case we’re too sick to make it to the jeep and need to call for help," he said.

She laughed.

"You think I’m kidding?" he asked.

"You *better* be kidding," she told him as she proceeded to take out far too many mixing bowls and frying pans and spoons. "Okay, now I need a little cooking music," she decided as she reached over to the fancy built in intercom type radios that were in every room and tuned into a radio station. The song playing was Babyface’s "Every Time I Close my Eyes."

"Oooh! It’s the song," Brenda smiled prettily and turned to look at Jax.

It’s been a long long time coming

But I, I know that it’s been worth the wait

It feels like springtime in winter

It feels like Christmas in June

It feels like heaven has opened up it’s gates for me and you

"The song?" he repeated, not understanding.

"Wasn’t this the same song that was playing when we were dancing on the beach that night in Tahiti?" she asked him.

"I think so," Jax agreed.

"And wasn’t it the same song that was playing in the limo when we left the hospital yesterday?" she asked him.

He nodded realizing that it was. "Yeah . . ."

"And now here it is again," Brenda said.

And every time I close my eyes I thank the Lord that I’ve got you

And you’ve got me too

And every time I think of it I pinch myself cause I don’t believe it’s true

That someone like you loves me too

"And the significance of that is . . . ?" Jax asked her.

"Well isn't it obvious? I think this is *our* song, Jax."

"Our song?"

"Well yeah. I mean, we *have* to have one."

He laughed softly. "We do?"

"Of course, silly. And this is it."

I think that you’re truly something

And you’re, you’re every bit of a dream come true

With you it never rains, oh and it’s no wonder

The sun always shines when I’m near you

It’s just a blessing that I have found somebody like you

"Okay," he agreed. "So what, do I have to buy it for you now? I don’t understand this strange American ritual."

Brenda laughed and walked over to him. "Yes, you do have to buy it for me. We have to have a copy of the CD in the house at all times. This is *our* song, sweetheart. We have to dance to it on our birthdays and on Valentines day and on every single one of our Anniversaries."

"And at our wedding?" Jax asked her.

Brenda looked at him, surprised. "Our . . .wedding? you mean you still want to . . ."

"Did you think I would just forget about it because we were interrupted by lunatics?"

Brenda laughed happily and threw her amrs around him hugging him for a long moment.

And every time I close my eyes I thank the Lord that I’ve got you

And you’ve got me too

And every time I think of it I pinch myself cause I don’t believe it’s true

That someone like you loves me too

To think of all the nights I cried myself to sleep

You really ought to know how much you mean to me

It’s only right – that you be in my life

Right here with me, oh

baby, baby

And every time I close my eyes I thank the Lord that I’ve got you

And you’ve got me too

And every time I think of it I pinch myself cause I don’t believe it’s true

That someone like you loves me too

"You still want to marry me, don’t you?" he asked her.

"Jax, I would marry you again and again and again. And *again!"

"Well let’s hope that won’t be necessary."

"Well you don’t have any dead wives about to be resurrected, do you?" she asked.

"Nope. Any dead husbands rattling around in your closets?"

"Nuh- uh."

"Then I think we’re safe."

"Me too. We’re still going to have a quiet, private ceremony right? I mean we already did the splashy, 1000 guests, spare nothing version. It was amazing, but it was like and *event* you know?" she laughed, "the social gather of the year -- and I don’t think we should try to duplicate that."

"We’ll do whatever you want," Jax said throwing the ball completely in her court.

"That’s why I love ya, Cause you know who’s the boss," she said kissing him and then trying to return to her culinary chaos but he grabbed her waist and kissed her again, slowly and delciously, before letting her go. "Oh, and in answer to your question, Yes we do have to dance to *our* song at our wedding," she added as she dumped some flower into a bowl.

Jax nodded. "So what are your plans for the day, sweetie?" he asked her, glancing briefly at his watch.

"Well I wanted to go get Scrooge from Lois and Ned. That dog must miss us like crazy Jax. And then of course, we need to go furniture shopping. That’s going to take up the whole day you know. I mean look how many rooms we have to furnish," she said pouring some milk over the flour.

Jax brushed his finger beneath his chin and let out an inaudible sigh. "How upset would you be if I were to tell you that I have to go out of town tonight?" he asked her.

Brenda spun around. "What?! Jax you can’t!"

"Brenda, I’m sorry but . . ."

"No! Come on, Jax. Why?"

"I have to go to Washington."

"Why?"

"I have to talk to my friend, remember him? Agent Mulder?"

"Why?!"

"We need to talk to one of the members of that Ghost Squad Miranda was a part of. Remember I told you all about that?"

"Yes, Jax I remember," Brenda said. "I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with *you*. These people are in jail right? The FBI or CIA or WSB or whatever will take care of them now, right? Why do you have to go?"

"I’ll be back first thing in the morning," he promised her.

"I don’t want you to go!" she said throwing down the spoon and about to leave the kitchen. Jax sprung out of his chair and lunged after her, catching her around the waist.

"Hey, hey, hey. Come on, Brenda. Don’t do this. Don’t be mad at me."

"Jax, I don’t understand how *you* can do this. I *just* got back to you. I mean, we've only been together *one* day! The way I’m feeling I don’t want to even cross the *street* without you much less fly off to Washington! How . . . can you leave me?"

"Sweeite, I don’t *want* to," he assured her. "Believe me, Brenda, I don’t want to leave you for a minute. But I just need to do this. It’s *really* extremely important. Otherwise nothing could make me leave you today. But I need to do this, Brenda. Please just let me."

"Why?" she asked for the fourth time. "What could be so important? Why can’t your friend Mulder handle this himself? I really don’t understand what you’re saying here."

He sighed and tilted her angry chin up so that her eyes met his. "You’re going to make me tell you, aren’t you?" he murmured unhappily.

"Tell me what?’ she asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Who I’m going to see and why," Jax responded.

Brenda bit her lip. "Oh Jax," she moaned, ‘is this going to be bad? I just . . I want us to have our normal life back," she said leaning her head into his chest where his fingers sifted through her silky hair soothingly.

"That’s what I want too. That’s why I need to know the truth, Brenda. I’m doing this for you."

"The truth about what?" she asked him, hoping she had the strength to take whatever he was about to spring on her.

"Do you know Ryan Chamberlain?’ Jax asked her.

"Sure, he was Kevin’s brother. He died in . . "

"He isn’t dead," Jax interrupted her. "I know this because I saw him. Miranda had two superiors in her little ghoul squad, Brenda. Ryan Chamberlain was one of them, his code name was the Engineer. He’s been arrested and the CIA is holding him right now."

Brenda’s eyes were wide. "Kevin’s brother? I don’t believe this! My God! Does Kevin know about this?"

Jax shook his head.

"Well . . this is shocking and everything Jax, but what does it have to do with us?" Brenda asked him.

"I’m the one who caught Ryan, Brenda. He was at General Hospital. Before they took him away, he told me something . . .ah . . . ." Jax shook his head.

"What? What did he say?"

"I want you to know that I have no idea if there’s any validity to what he said. He’s insane, you know . . "

"Jax just tell me, you’re making me crazy now," Brenda begged him.

"Okay," Jax sighed. "I was accusing him of trying to harm you because he was the one who tried to take the antidote from Nikolas in the hospital. But he denied the thigns I said. He told me that he would never hurt you Brenda, because he says that you are his sister."

Brenda stared at Jax. "His . . . .sister?"

"That’s what he told me."

"And you believed him?" she laughed.

Jax shrugged. "At first, no I did not. But Brenda, there are ways to prove these things and I think we need to do that so we can put it to rest. Ryan is asking to see me and I’m flying out to Washington tonight to grant his request. I think he’s going to offer me proof."

Brenda looked stunned, realizing that Jax was very serious. "Proof? What? How? Oh my God I can’t even believe this . . .I . . .can't even . . .*begin* to beleive this . . ."

"I don’t know what proof he has, if any, and I don’t even know if we should believe it. But I’m going to find out. I have to know, Brenda. And so do you – *especially* you. This is all about you."

"But if he’s my brother then one of my parents isn’t really my parent . .right? And that means that my whole life has been a total *lie* then, Jax . ." she said hugging herself. " My whole life . . ."

"We don’t know if any of this is true," he reminded her, "which his exactly why I didn’t even want to tell you any of this until I found out something more concrete. This is all just speculation and the ramblings of a madman right now."

"But you believe him," Brenda said softly. "I can tell that you believe him, Jax." She paced the kitchen. "Oh my God, what if this is true?"

"Would it be so bad?" Jax asked trying to stay positive. "Kevin would be your brother too. And you like him, don’t you?"

"But my whole life would have been a lie," Brenda repeated. "My whole life, Jax -- what does that mean? I mean, who the hell am I then?!" she asked. " And all the hell my father put me through – how much he totally *hated* me . . ." she recalled as she felt the threat of tears. "What if he wasn’t even my real father at all? What if I never had to go through the childhood from hell?" she asked looking up at Jax with eyes shining with tears ready to drop.

"I’ll find out," Jax swore to her. "I will find out everything, Brenda -- The truth or lies -- everything. And then I’ll come back to you and whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together. Okay?" he said, holding her in his arms. "You shouldn’t be getting upset about this because we don’t even *know* anything yet," he said.

"Wasted energy, right?" she murmured into his collar.

"Exactly," he agreed, kissing the top of her shiny hair. "Let’s just wait until we get the facts, okay? Can we do that? Can we just step back from the edge of hysteria and try to see this through calmly and rationally?"

Brenda sighed deeply and then pulled away from Jax and nodded. "We can do that," she said bravely.

"That’s my girl," he murmured, kissing her cheek.

"So, when are you leaving?" she asked him as she went back to her cooking, trying, with great difficulty, not to think about the bombshell Jax had just dropped on her.

"I’m taking the jet at 7 o’clock," he told her. "I wanted us to be able to spend most of the day together."

"I want to go with you," she told him.

"No," he said firmly. "No, Brenda. That’s final."

"Well I’m not going to stay in this huge empty house all by myself," she said dumping the pineapple into her questionable mixture of ingredients. "I mean, I *love* this house, but it’s huge, Jax. I’ll go out of my mind without you here."

He nodded. "I thought you might, but Lois is right across the street. I thought you could spend the night at the Quartermaine’s and then I’ll come and get you in the morning."

Brenda shook her head. "No. I have my *own* house now, I don’t want to sleep in somebody else’s house."

Jax sighed. She was so argumentative sometimes, although he had to admit it was one of the things he loved the most about her. "Alright then. Maybe someone can stay here with you then?"

"Kieren?" she suggested.

"No!" Jax said so quickly that Brenda had to smile. "I was thinking maybe Robin – or my parents if you can tolerate Dad’s showtunes in the shower. They’re still in town."

"I vote for me going to Washington with you," she said.

"That is not on the ballot."

She sighed. He obviously was not budging. "Then I vote for your parents," she said. "But we’ll have to furnish this place, Jax. At least partially."

"Fine. You finish creating your unholy mess so we can throw it out. Breakfast should be here in about 20 minutes and after we eat we can go furniture shopping. Sound like a plan, partner?"

"Yeah. Sounds like a plan," she said smiling, feeling some of her worries and confusion about possibly being a Collins and having a whole new part of her life revealed to her fading as her feelings for Jax once again took front and center stage. "And that crack about my unholy mess was *really* not necessary," she added, washing her hands in the sink and flinging the excess water at him.

"Well you know that’s exactly what it’s going to be," he said with a grin. "Not fit for man nor beast. Speaking of beast. Do you want me to go get Scrooge while you finish this inhuman experimentation in the culinary arts?"

Brenda spun around to face him. "Does Edward know that we live here now?" she asked.

Jax shook his head.

Brenda laughed. "Oh my Gooodddd! He is going to totally *freak* out, Jax."

"He doesn’t like me, huh?" Jax guessed with a grin so cute that Brenda was momentarily mesmerized. Sometimes he could just make her feel like a teenager with a huge crush on the cutest boy in school.

"Ahhh . . .not much, " she said. "You’ve been corporate raiding circles around him ever since I met you and he hates you! You are his nemesis, Jax. The thorn in his side. What does he call you again? Oh yeah, the Piranha! He’s going to have an attack when he finds out we live right across the street," she said, still laughing.

"Well I’d better go tell him," Jax said rubbing his hands together with glee and heading for the front door with a mischievous look in his eye.

"Hey. Be gently, honey," Brenda said.

"Ha," Jax murmured with a devious smile as he gave her a kiss and left the house as Brenda continued to pour bizarre combinations into her catastrophic mixture.

Jax walked across the street and jogged up to the front door of the Quartermaine mansion and rang the bell.

Reginald answered the door. "Oh, hey there Mr. Jacks. How’re you doing? Say, is Brenda okay? We heard about what happened to her from Monica. . ."

"She’s fine now, thank you. I’m sorry . . .what’s you name again?" This obviously could not be Edward since this person didn’t seem to dislike him at all, Jax realized.

Reginald looked offended. "Reginald. I’m *Reginald.*"

"Reginald. Right. I’m here to get Brenda’s puppy," Jax revealed.

"Oh sure. We love that mutt. He’s with Mrs. Quartermaine upstairs. Come in, have a seat and I’ll go get him."

Reginald went upstairs leaving Jax alone to walk about the house. He ventures out to the garden where Edward was reading the financial section of the paper.

"Excuse me," Jax said.

Edward looked up and the glower on his face made Jax grin.

"Ahh . . *you* must be Edward," he said.

"Blast! Who the hell let this blasted Piranha into my home!" Edward bellowed.

"The butler did it," Jax said in his best Sherlock Holmes imitation.

"The butler, the butler -- well he’s fired! Damned fool, that Reginald!" Edward said getting up and looking so agitated that Jax had to laugh. "I don’t know what you’re doing here, you unscrupulous young cutthroat, probably trying to spy on me no doubt you corporat pirate! Well I won't have it! Just get out!"

"Take it easy old man, you’re not as young as you used to be, you know."

"Of all the impertinent! arrogant! . ."Edward stuttered furiously.

"Arrogant? Me?" Jax asked innocently.

"Oh you crooked, manipulating, piranha form the depth of corporate hell! Get out of here before I throw you out! And yes I may be old but I can still toss you out on your keester!" Edward thundered, turning red.

"Well I can’t bloody well leave without my dog, now can I?" Jax asked reasonably.

"Yes, yes, fine, take that miserable beast with you and then just LEAVE!" Edward said waving his hand dismissivley.

"Are you always so inhospitable towards your new neighbors?" Jax asked him.

Edward’s eyes flew open. "What?! What did you say?!" he asked in horror.

At that moment Reginald wheeled Lila out onto the patio. She had Scrooge in her lap.

"Why hello there, Jax. Oh my but you look so tan and handsome. Were you away, dear?"

"Yes, my wife and I were on our honeymoon in the South Pacific. How are you Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Oh lovely dear. I will miss this sweet puppy though. Now I’ll have no one to talk to but the old pit bull behind you," she said arching an eyebrow in Edward’s direction.

"Confound it everybody stop talking!" Edward commanded. "Now *you*" he said pointing to Jax. "You said something very disturbing just a moment ago. Something of horrific proportions, something that made the hackels rise on my neck -- something about *neighbors*?" Edward said looking ready to bust.

"Oh yes. I should like to inform you and your lovely wife that as of yesterday Brenda and I have moved in across the street at the old Carringotn place. Right . . across the street. Just . . .across the street," Jax said smiling at Edward.

Edward saw a myriad of dimples and blue eyes and then he saw red! "I am cursed!" the old man howled. "I am cursed, Lila! I am cursed!"

"He’s very happy," Lila translated, patting Jax's hand.

"Oh, just kill me now, kill me *now!* Edward moaned loudly ,clutching his heart. "Oh! I feel faint! I think . . OH! Agony! Agony! That does it! Jax, you and Brenda have got to move! You are detrimental to my . . my . . .sanity not to mention my health!" Edward said. "If you don’t move I will sue you!"

Jax gazed at him. "Sue me? For what?"

"Pain and suffering!" Edward yelled.

"Oh do pipe down, dear," Lila said.

"I will not pipe down! This, this, this, this . . . *man* has got to go! No piranhas allowed! Didn’t you read the signs?!" Edward ranted and then he dramatically clutched at his heart again and fell to the floor. The patio fell silent as Lila, Reginald, Jax and Scrooge all looked at him curiously.

"Oh dear, and we just swept the floor too," Lila said with a shake of her head.

"And waxed it," Reginald sighed.

Jax looked at them and then at Edward. "Ahh . . .shouldn’t somebody *do* something?" Jax asked.

"Why, dear? If he’s dead I’m a very wealthy woman. And I won’t have to hear his snoring any longer."

Edward cursed and sat up. "Forget about this piranha being the death of me, my wretched family will beat him to it!" Edward snapped as he got up, brushed himself off. Then he looked at Jax. "May I ask you something?" he asked.

"Sure," Jax said.

"Why in the name of God did you have to move across the street from me!!!!!" Edward exploded.

Jax stroked his chin as he thought about that. "Murphy’s law," he decided, patting Edward on the back and then he scooped up the puppy, bid them farewell and left with Reginald showing him out.

"By God just kill me now!!!!" Edward wailed melodramatially once more as he once again dropped to the ground as the theme from the movie "Misery" swelled in the background . . .

Jen

IRFC