Fairy Tale 269-274
by: Belle
Hi everyone! Okay, well I wasn't planning on posting today b/c I haven't had a lot of time to write, but - everyone seemed so disheartened about J&B being seperated, that I couldn't leave you on the lurch for too long. So - here's the next installment, it's reeally short so there should be more tomorrow! Hope it brightens your day a little since GH has been so disappointing. As always - I love hearing from you, so if you can - drop me a note with suggestions, ideas, comments - anything. :-)
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The first thing Jax noticed when he walked into the penthouse later than evening was how empty it seemed. Shutting the door behind him, he walked over to his desk and checked his messages. Brenda's voice filled the room and Jax turned his head hopefully for a moment, and then frowned when he realized it was just the answering machine. Sitting down on the couch, he put his head in his hands and sighed. After leaving Brenda at the pier, he'd headed to Kelly's and gotten the necklace from Juliet. Then he'd promptly thrown both necklaces in the water. He'd tried to take a walk, but he felt so grief-stricken that all he wanted to do was lie down and try to get some sleep. Getting off the couch, he turned off the lights in the den and headed up to the bedroom. It was a big mistake. Everything he saw reminded him of her and the wonderful times they'd had in the penthouse and especially the bedroom. The pillows, sheets, comforter - everything smelled like her skin and perfume. Jax sighed and took his shirt off, sitting on the bed. Why had he let Troy do this? he wondered. It was ridiculous. And there was no way he was going to spend the rest of his life with that horrible woman Gretchen Montgomery. Yes - she could have his last name, she could have all his money and possessions as far as he was concerned. He would find Brenda somehow, someday...
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"Oh my god...." Brenda whispered to herself as she looked at the small figure almost identical to the one she'd found on the beach in Austrailia almost 10 years ago. "Jax was the boy on the beach?" she could hardly believe it, but it was true. Of course! She'd always known their was something oddly familiar about his blue eyes. Why hadn't she realized it earlier? She thought back to the day in the Bahamas when they'd talked about love and how they had both mentioned meeting people on a beach when they were in their early teens. It only they'd realized they were talking about each other! She also remembered telling Lois a little more than a week ago about the statue and how she'd never felt as connected to anyone as she did to that boy until she met Jax. "Oh Jax...." she murmered, closing her eyes and smiling. "You've always been my prince - my soulmate, my love..." It was amazing to her how connected and close to him she felt only moments after he'd left her. Tears were running down her cheeks, and this time they weren't tears of sadness - suddenly she knew without a doubt thhat she and Jax would be together. It was fate - destiny.
"Hey sweetheart." a deep voice whispered in her ear, as two strong arms wrapped around her shoulders. Brenda jumped back in surprise.
"Sonny!" she nearly screamed. Her heart was pounding and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself. He had interrupted her daydreams and honestly, she'd completely forgotten that he was even coming to meet her. Holding one hand over her heart and quickly wiping her eyes with the other, she turned around to face him.
"You startled me...."
"Daydreaming of our future together?" he asked smiling at her and lightly touching her face.
"More like daydreaming of a future without you..." Brenda thought to herself. She smiled weakly. Sonny took her smile as a yes and leaned forward to kiss her, but Brenda backed away, and he looked at her confused. "Uhhh...Sonny - I may be here with a bag to leave, bbut this isn't what it looks like." she tried to explain.
"What?" Sonny said shaking his head in confusion. "Sweetheart - what are you talking about?"
Brenda looked down at her feet, searching for the right way to do this. "well.....it's, I..." she took a deep breath and looked him directly in the face. "Okay - I'll just say it. I'm in love with Jax, Sonny - and he's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."
Sonny's mouth dropped open in surprise. That was just about the last thing he'd expected her to say. "What?" he said increduously. "No you're not. You're lying. You've always been in love with me. I'm the only man you'll ever love! I know that!"
Brenda was amazed by how calm and in control she felt the second she told Sonny the truth. Shaking her head, she smiled slightly. "I'm sorry Sonny - but you're wrong. Yes - I used to loove you. In many ways, I still do and I always will *love* you - but I'm not *in love* with you anymore." her face lit up and she smiled serenely. "I've never loved you the way I love Jax..." she giggled. "I didn't think it was possible for love to be
so simple and pure. It's just magical." she hugged herself and smiled. Then she noticed Sonny looking at her sadly and she sighed. "I'm sorry."
Sonny's mouth twitched with mixed emotion and Brenda could see the confusion in his dark eyes. "Don't be." he said softly, shaking his head. He bit his lip trying to keep from crying. "Oh Brenda....." he murmured, touching her face and hair. "I do love you, but I guess our time together is over." he smiled slightly. "You know - as much as I hate to admit it, there must be something good about Jax if he won your heart."
Brenda started crying. She felt so grateful that Sonny wasn't fighting her. "You know -" she grinned. "I think this is the first time we've given each other peace." she took his hand and kissed it. "Go to Lily Sonny. She loves you, and although you don't know it yet - I think you love her. Maybe not the way you love me, but in a much healthier, realistic and livable way. She gives you peace, security and happiness."
Sonny kissed her on the cheek. "Be happy Brenda, and be safe."
Brenda picked up her bag and smiled at him. "If you ever need me....." she said, hugging him.
"I know." Sonny smiled. "I'll always be there for you. Just a phone call away."
Brenda smiled, kissed him tenderly on the lips and walked up the steps towards the PC Hotel. It was time for her to go find Jax and set him straight.
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Meanwhile, Jax was pacing around the bedroom in the penthouse, trying to relax. He walked over to the stereo and shuffled through the CDs he and Brenda had recentely bought together. He found the song "the Way You Look Tonight" and put it on.
Some day when I'm awfully low
When the world is cold
I will feel a glow
Just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight
He smiled involuntarily as he listened to the words and remembered dancing with Brenda at Katya's and the wedding. He sits down at his desk, and looks at the picture of Brenda. It's from their trip to Colorado and she's smiling and blowing him a kiss. He touches his fingers to his lips and the touches the picture, sighing to himself.
Oh but you're lovely
With your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft
There is nothing for me but to love you
Just the way you look tonight
With each word
Your tenderness grows
Tearing my fears apart
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart
Brenda is racing up the street towards the PC Hotel carrying the black duffel bag over her shoulder. In her hand she's clenching the tiny figure and smiling. She gets to the main doors and flashes a grin at the doorman before running into the elevator and pushing the button for the penthouse.
You're so lovely
Never, ever change
Keep that breathless charm
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight
Jax is lying on the bed in the completely dark room, hugging her pillow. His eyes are closed and he also has her picture over his heart. He hears a knocking on the door, but he doesn't stir. "Go away." he shouts. When no one answers, he closes his eyes again and snuggles further into the pillow and comforter, trying to feel close to Brenda. There is a knock again, and then silence. Jax just lies there. He is suddenly stirred when he hears someone walking up the stairs toward the bedroom. The door opens, and through the darkness, Brenda appears. Jax shakes his head, blinking his eyes. "Man - I'm going crazy..." he whispers to himself. "Now I'm seeing visions of her." closing his eyes again, he lies back down, taking deep breaths.
You're so lovely
Never, ever change
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight
Just the way you look tonight
"Jax..." Brenda says quietly, thinking that maybe he's asleep. At the sound of her voice, he shoots up, trembling.
"Brenda?" he whispers hopefully - praying that this isn't a dream and his angel has really returned. He leans over and turns on the light next to the bed, and then he sees her - standing in the doorway, her beautiful face glistening with tears, and her cheeks flushed from running. He opens his mouth to speak, but she beats him to it.
"It was you." she whispers, her eyes glistening with tears. "It was you all the time." Jax furrows his brow in confusion, but Brenda simply smiles, dropping her bag on the floor and running over to the bed. She kneeled on the floor beside him and held out the tiny figure he had given her. "Oh Jax - don't you see? It was you and me - all along...." Brenda takes a deep breath when she realizes that she isn't explaining herself very well.
"Bren....what are you talking about?" Jax asked quietly, both hope, confusion and delicious happiness at seeing her againing flooding through his body and clouding his thoughts.
"That day on the beach - 10 years ago....you rescued a 12 year old girl from some angry men who were after her father. You took her through a secret tunnel out to the beach, and before you left you kissed her hand." she smiled, laughing with happiness. "She knew the moment she looked into your eyes that her life would never be the same - and it hasn't been. As you ran back into the tunnel - you dropped this." she opened her otther hand to reveal the other figure - aged with time, but still exactly thhe way Jax remembered it. "It was me Jax..." she whispered, looking into his eyes and smiling. "I was the twelve year old on the beach that day..."
"That girl?" Jax repeated increduously. "That girl was you." his eyes searched hers' wondrously. Reaching down, he touched her face softly with his hand. Brenda nodded, tears running down her cheeks.
Silently, she stood up and sat across from him on the bed. "Jax...." she began. "I don't care what you say about loving this Gretchen woman....that may be the way you feel now, but no matter what you say or do or claim - I know with every piece of my heart, soul and mind that you and are meant to be together. And I will wait...." she looked up at him, and reached over, caressing his face gently, "I will wait for forever, my darling, sweet, Prince Charming..." she looked down at her hands for a second, and then glanced back up at him, love burning in her dark eyes. "That girl on the beach knew the moment she saw you that she loved you..." she trailed off, feeling suddenly uncertain.
Jax had been speechless until this moment, feeling too much to trust himself to say anything. Swallowing, he looked her intently in the eyes. "What are you saying Bren?"
he could feel his entire body trembling as he waited her response.
Brenda took his hands in hers and held them against her chest over her heart. "I am saying Jasper Jonathan Jacks....that I love you - with everything that I am." tears ran down her cheeks and she smiled. "You are my heart, my soul, my everything." biting her lip, she finally looked up at him. "Please Jax...please tell me that someday I can have a piece of your heart.."
The look in her eyes took Jax's breath away. Suddenly he didn't care about Troy or Gretchen. Their threats didn't matter. As long as he had Brenda they'd get through it all. Brenda...she was all that mattered...loving her and being with her was all he needed to survive. Laughing with happiness and joy and freedom, Jax took her hands and raised them to his lips kissing them tenderly. "Someday, huh?" he murmered, "Well then what are we going to do about today and tomorrow and ten years ago? Oh Brenda....my beautiful, tenacious, rule-breaking, independent, amazingly lovable Brenda....don't you see? You *are* my heart, my love...my everything."
Brenda's mouth parted slightly and she looked at him overjoyed. Looking soulfully into her eyes. Jax whispered, "I love you Brenda Barrett."
"You love me?" Brenda repeated quietly. "*YOU* love *ME*?"
Jax laughed at how surprised she was. "God help me - but yes I do." he teased.
"YEAH!!!!!" Brenda screamed, jumping up and down on the bed in circles around him. "Oh Jax!" she cried, grinning and doing her little Brenda dance. "We're going to be so happy."
Jax reached up and pulled her down onto his lap. Laughing he smoothed her hair out of her face, and wrapped his arms around her, looking into her eyes he smiled. "Is that a promise?" he teased.
"That's a vow." Brenda replied, caressing his face. "You know....." she said flirtatiously as she kissed both his cheeks and then ran her hands down his chest. "Last night I was *very* lonely." she grinned suggestively up at him as she kissed his bare chest.
Tremors of desire ran through Jax, and he shook his head laughing. "you are insatiable Ms. Barrett."
"I know." Brenda grinned up at him, love and happiness dancing with deep desire burning in her dark eyes. "But you love me anyway."
Jax laughed, and took both her hands off his chest, pushing her down on the bed, and kissing her passionately on the lips for what seemed like eternity. Breaking away he grinned at her. "You're right - I do." And as he watched her face and eyes light up with happiness, he realized that there would be plenty of time for explanations and schemes later. Tonight was theirs - and he was certainly going to make the most of it.
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To Be Continued...
PREVIEW OF NEXT INSTALLMENT: Jax tells Brenda everything about Troy and Gretchen, together they decide to go to Europe to help prove Juliet's innocence and get Troy in jail...Jax calls Gretchen and says he's going on business, J&B get Juliet and Kieron and the four of them go on the run...