Subj: Steal Your Heart (1)
Date: 96-07-21 23:21:23 EDT
From: BallerinaJ
Jasper Jacks walked into his penthouse to find his answering machine playing as someone was leaving him a message. He recognized the voice as his friend Julia Barrett. She was inviting him to a party and chastising him for being out of the country for so long.
"So I hope to see you there, darling. It's at the Quartermaine mansion at 7:30. Yes that's right, I did say Quartermaine. Don't worry about old Edward. He'll be upset to see you there at first, of course," she laughed "but once he realizes you're with me, he'll behave himself. You must promise that you won't give him cardiac arrest though. His wife would have my head. Oh Jax, I really hope that you're back from Athens by now. I miss you terribly, darling! All of us do. Did you know that Thao is engaged? Isn't that simply insane?! It happened only yesterday. She's an absolute witch, Jax! We have to talk him out of this," she laughed some more. "Anyway, give me a tingle alright? I hope to hear from you soon. Ta."
Jax gazed at the phone as the machine began to reset itself. He put his bags down and sat down on the edge of his desk, checking the message counter to see that he had 33 messages. Good God. Gone only four days and there were 33 messages. His life was sheer madness sometimes, he thought with a smile. He didn't much mind the madness, though. In fact, he thrived on it, as he did all of life's little challenges.
He took off his jacket and loosened his tie, running his tanned fingers through his deep honey blonde hair as he contemplated going to this party at the Quartermaine's. Edward Quartermaine would not be happy to see him, just as Julia had mentioned. But that thought in itself sort of made Jax want to go to the party all the more. To see old Edward's face. Sharp, legendary old Edward Quartermaine who had been bested in a business deal by Jax and his twin brother Jerry. Poor Edward had not taken it well and had publicly declared the fact that he now despised the entire Jacks family loudly to all in the kingdom who would hear his rant. Jax and Jerry took the fact that they were now so despised by Edward as the highest of compliments, which only served to further infuriate the old man.
"Yes, I do think I'm in the mood for a big Quartermaine shindig," Jax murmured with a smile as he picked up the phone to dial Julia back.
The Quartermaine Mansion was located on a sprawling piece of lush land in an exclusive wealthy neighborhood of Port Charles. Black, wrought iron gates with gold latches impressively surrounded the land and its lovely gardens and water fountains. This evening the driveway and the street was filled with expensive cars and limousines as guest after guest arrived at the Quartermaine mansion.
Jax and Julia arrived at 8:15, she looking lovely in a black silk gown and he looking drop dead gorgeous in a white tuxedo. Arm in arm they walked up to the front door where they were greeted by their hostess, Lila Quartermaine. She smiled a bit at the sight of Jax.
"Well, well. This is quite a surprise. How lovely to see you Jasper," she said graciously as she extended her hand to him in greeting.
Jax kissed the back of her hand. "As it is to see you, Mrs. Q. You're looking radiant." Her smile deepened. Even at her age, compliments from such an attractive and thoroughly charming rascal as this made her feel a bit giddy.
"Well I hope you're not here to give my husband a stroke, young man," she teased him.
"Perish the thought," Jax assured her with a killer smile that won her
completely over.
"Lila, Jax and I are only here to add our good wishes to Ned and Lois on this happy occasion. I promise you I'll make sure that my date behaves himself," Julia promised, giving Lila a kiss on the cheek.
"You two just have a good time," Lila said to them as she prepared to meet more arriving guests.
As Jax and Julia went into the main hall that led to the ballroom there was a commotion of sorts that could be heard out in the garden.
Steal Your Heart (2)
Jax's brow furrowed slightly. "What's that?" he asked.
Julia shrugged. "I don't know. Let's be nosy."
As they headed for the garden they ran into their friends Augustin Dumont and Thao Cassadine who followed them in the direction of the raised female voices.
"What a wonderful way to start out a party, eh? With a good old cat fight!" Thao said with a devilish grin as he gave Jax a welcome back pat on the back. "The one in the blue dress looks like Lily Corinthos, the daughter of that mob king in Puerto Rico" Augustin mentioned as they watched the two dark haired women who were arguing by the lit water fountain in the rose garden. "And who's the other one with the big mouth? A Quartermaine relation?" Jax asked.
A look of irritation popped into Julia's gray eyes. "Not exactly. The "other one" is my sister."
Jax's eyes, a stunning shade of aquamarine, widened in surprise. "Your
*sister*?"
Julia, looking very displeased, nodded. "Yes. My half-sister, Brenda. She's a terrible brat. You'd swear she was fifteen by the way she conducts herself."
Jax looked over at Brenda curiously, but she had her back to him and he could not make out her features beyond her dark hair, petite frame and gorgeous figure. But her voice sure was loud enough.
"Why is it that I've never met her? I never even knew you *had* a sister." Jax mentioned to Julia, surprised that she had never spoken of her younger sibling.
"*Half*-sister, Jax. And the reason you never met her is because we are not close and we definitely do *not* run in the same circles. God! I hope she doesn't do something to totally embarrass me tonight!" Julia complained, clearly becoming increasingly annoyed by the second.
Brenda Barrett and Lily Corinthos, oblivious to the fact that they had a gathering audience, continued to engage in a nasty little verbal sparring match.
"Brenda, Sonny and I are not idiots, okay? We know why you're here. The only reason you came here tonight is to try and get in our faces like you always do!" Lily accused.
"Look, Lily, the world doesn't revolve around you and Sonny, alright? I came here because . . because. . .because my friend Lois is expecting a baby and I'm thrilled for her and Ned."
"Oh yeah right! And that's why you're wearing a dress that shows off everything you've got! You're just trying to throw yourself at Sonny, Brenda. Admit it."
"I have every right to be here," Brenda insisted. "In fact, I have more of a right than *you* do to be here! You don't even know the Quartermaine's. If Sonny wasn't friends with Lois you wouldn't even *be* here! And by the way, that dress looks horrible on you! Blue is *not* your color!"
Lily shook her heard, a disgusted look on her face. "What are you, twelve years old Brenda? You know what? I'm not even going to stand here arguing with you because I have more class than that. Besides my husband is probably looking for me."
"Hmm. If he's looking for anybody it's probably *me*," Brenda retorted.
"Sonny loves me Lily. Why can't you just accept that and let him go? You don't want a man who doesn't really love you, do you? Sonny and I were meant to be together. He'll never be happy with you. You can't stop destiny."
Lilly's eyes blazed her building fury. "Destiny?! Ha! Brenda, I really
think it's time for you to grow up and get out of your ridiculous fantasy world! Sonny and I are married. He chose me, Brenda. *Me*. It's over between you two, so get over your obsession for *my* husband and just get a life of your own. We'll all be better off when you learn to let go!" Lily snapped as she threw back her dark brown hair and stormed away from Brenda just as a dark haired man of medium-height approached them. Undoubtedly this was Sonny, Jax surmised. He had the mobster look. Handsome, cool, detached, not very tall, lean body, slicked back black hair, brooding dark eyes and an air of danger about him. There was also a gold ring with some kind of insignia that he wore on the ring finger of his right hand.
Steal Your Heart (3)
Casting Brenda a brief glance, Sonny took his wife's hand and led her back into the party leaving Brenda alone by the water fountain looking foolish. She spun around to go inside and found Julia and her friends standing there gazing at her. Brenda looked like she wanted to sink into the rich black earth of the Quartermaine garden but she stuck out her chin proudly and approached them.
"Hi Julia," she said trying to ignore the glare of pure irritation that her half-sister shot at her.
"Making a spectacle out of yourself once again I see, Brenda," was Julia's response. "My God, what is that you're wearing! You look like a street walker."
Brenda seemed to flinch slightly, but she held her own.
"What's wrong with it? It happens to be a Forrester original, Julia. Lucy leant it to me . . ."
"Lucy Coe? Oh that's just great, Brenda. Do you see what type of outfits *that* woman parades around in? She never leaves much to the imagination. And you're taking fashion advice from her? Look at you! Exposed midriffs at a Quartermaine function it's just not acceptable Brenda! You really are just totally hopeless, aren't you?"
Jax's eyes roamed over Brenda. "I think it looks great," Jax interrupted seeing that Brenda's bravado was beginning to slip in the face of her sister's caustic disapproval.
Brenda looked up at him gratefully and for a moment she was frozen. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Tanned with dark, golden blonde air, amazing green-blue eyes, the body of a well trained athlete, a gorgeous face, a sexy voice with a slight Australian accent. He was totally arresting. It figured that he was Julia's boyfriend.
"Hi, I'm Jax. And you must be Julia's little sister, Brenda," Jax introduced himself as he extended his hand to her.
Brenda shook it, trying very hard not to be rude and stare at him. But *not* staring was nearly impossible.
"Jax? That's a cool name. It's umm. . .very nice to meet you and," she smiled gratefully, "thank you for liking my dress. Even if you were just saying that."
"Oh, be assured that my friend Jasper Jacks is a man who tells it like it is, Brenda. Besides, I like it too. You look very beautiful. Very sexy," Thao chimed in as she kissed her check in greeting.
Brenda smiled. "Thank you, Thao. Hi Augustin. Hey Thao, I heard that you got engaged, is that true?"
"Very true. Her name is Katarina, the most beautiful woman on earth. Although your sister thinks she's a bitch."
Augustin and Jax both laughed softly.
"So where is this fiancee of yours?" Brenda asked.
"Well she's on a modeling assignment in Paris at the moment."
Jax turned to Thao. "Oh, she's a model, is she?"
"Yes," Thao acknowledged. "And so is Brenda."
Jax turned back to Brenda. "Really?
Brenda smiled. "Yeah. I'm the face of Deception." She framed her face and grinned as Julia looked on clearly annoyed by the inroads her sister was making with her jet setter friends, most especially Jax.
"Deception," Jax nodded. "Old man Quartermaine owns that company, doesn't he?"
"Mmm Hmm," Brenda verified.
"Jax is the owner of Jax Cosmetics, Brenda," Augustin revealed to her. "Among many other companies. He's one of the richest men in the entire world."
Brenda's brown eyes widened, impressed. "Jax cosmetics?! Wait a minute, you're that Jax? My God, they're huge! You're huge! Your family is richer than the Quartermaines!"
Jax just smiled at her and she noticed his tiny dimples, much smaller than her own and very sexy, in her opinion. Julia sure could attract the most amazing men! But then Julia was a glamorous, sophisticated, social butterfly. She could get a man like Jax. Brenda wouldn't even bother trying men like Jax were so far out of her reach anyway. Besides, Jax was Julia's type, not Brenda's. Sonny Corinthos was Brenda's type and the love of her life. Jax's looks were god-like and he was very sweet and friendly and fatally charming, but Brenda only had eyes for one man. Sonny.
Steal Your Heart (4)
Yet despite that conviction in her head, her eyes kept roaming to Jax.
"Brenda, my friends and I are going to mingle. Why don't you stay with Lois and just stop making scenes with Lily? Otherwise, just leave," Julia suggested as she took Jax's arm and led him back into the party. Augustin followed but Thao lagged behind a bit, glancing over at Brenda.
"Come on, Brenda," he said taking her hand.
Brenda shook her head. "No, it's okay. I think I'm just going to do exactly what Julia said and stick with Lois for the rest of the night. But thanks, Thao."
Thao nodded and then went back inside to join the others.
A moody Brenda went inside also and made a bee-line for Lois who was by the buffet table chatting with Ned's Aunt Monica and Uncle Alan. When Lois spotted her friend, she broke away from her relatives to join her.
"Hey Bren, where've ya been?" Lois asked in her heavy Brooklyn accent that had at first been a source of much embarrassment for the stodgy Quartermaine's until Ned had laid down the law to them that this was the woman he loved, accent and all, and they would just have to get over it.
"I was in the garden having a fight with Lily."
"Oh Bren!" Lois groaned. "You have to stop this chasing Sonny around. It's getting so old, girlfriend. He's married now."
"Yeah but he doesn't love her Lois. I know he still loves me."
Lois gave Brenda a sideways glance. "Ya know, I'm really starting to get worried about you. You're sounding a teeny bit obsessive . . .
"No I'm not!" Brenda insisted.
Lois sighed. "Bren, when are you just gonna put Sonny in the past where he belongs and move forward with your life? I mean, let's face it Brenda, Sonny is bad news anyway. I mean, he's my friend and I like him, but his lifestyle leaves a lot to be desired, if ya know what I mean. Ned is really annoyed that I even let Sonny come here tonight," She murmured with a knowing raise of her dark eyebrows.
Brenda shook her head, "I don't care about his lifestyle or any of that. I just want to be with him. I love him so much and I'm not gonna just give up, Lois. You know me better than that. I have to find a way to make him admit how he feels about me. . . to make him come back to me."
They both gazed over at Sonny who had his arm around Lily and was laughing at an off color joke Luke Spencer was telling. Spying Brenda staring at them, Lily leaned in and gave Sonny a kiss as Brenda boiled over with jealousy. Turning away in anger, Brenda bumped right into Jax who had a couple of glasses of champagne in his hands.
"Hey, take it easy there, I'm not the enemy," Jax teased her.
Brenda grinned. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Did I spill any on you?" she asked, inspecting his white tuxedo.
"No, I'm fine. Here, would you like one?" he asked, offering her a glass of champagne.
Brenda took it and thanked him as Lois watched them interact with interest.
"You know I'm surprised my sister let you out of her sight," Brenda
mentioned, once again trying not to stare at him so much. God, but he was gorgeous.
"Well Julia doesn't own me," Jax informed her.
Steal Your Heart (5)
Brenda looked somewhat embarrassed. "Oh . . I know . . I didn't mean it that way. It's just that usually most of her boyfriends . . .
"I'm not her boyfriend," Jax cleared up immediately. "Julia and I are friends, just like Thao and I are friends and Augustin and I are friends."
He looked at Brenda and smiled, a smile that momentarily stopped her breathing. "And of course you and I can be friends too . . if you'd like that."
Brenda got her breath back and managed a smile. "Sure, I'd like that.
You're really cool, Jax."
"So are you, Brenda," he responded as they clinked champagne glasses and both laughed.
As Brenda sipped her champagne she noticed Sonny staring over at her and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the definite look of jealousy in his dark eyes! Sonny was jealous? Of Jax? Brenda grinned wildly.
Jax, looking at her wasn't quite sure where her sudden happiness was coming from.
"Thinking happy thoughts are we?"
She laughed.
"You're funny! I really like you. You know what? I think that you and I are going to become the best of friends, Jasper Jacks," she said smiling up at him flirtatiously. Jax picked up on the flirting right away and he thought it was cute. He thought she was cute.
"Trying to make someone jealous?" he asked, not missing a beat.
Brenda looked stunned at his easy read on her but then all she could do was laugh. She certainly couldn't deny it.
"Well actually yes I am and look, it seems to be working," she responded, prompting Jax to turn around and catch Sonny Corinthos' unfriendly and decidedly envious gaze.
"Yes, so it seems," Jax agreed.
"His name is Sonny," Brenda explained. "His wife is the one you saw me fighting with out in the rose garden."
Jax gave her a look of admonition. "His wife? Oh, Brenda, my new found friend, don't tell me that you're a little home wrecker?"
"No, Jax I'm not. You see, Sonny and I are madly in love, right? We had our ups and down and we broke up a couple of times. I did some dumb things to drive him away, but we had made up, you know? He told me that he still loved me and then boom he goes and marries Lily!" Brenda huffed.
"I don't understand why you would want a man back who dumped you to marry someone else," Jax told her frankly.
"You don't understand, Jax. Sonny and I were meant to be."
"Meant to be," Jax repeated. "Sounds like a bad fairytale."
Brenda hit his arm. "I can't explain it, alright? Anyway, Lily is just this obstacle that's in our way now, that's all. But I know he can't love her. Not the way he loves me."
"He loved her enough to marry her, Brenda."
"But that's just it. I don't think love had anything to do with that marriage, Jax. I don't think he married her for love."
"Then why did he?"
Brenda bit her lip. "I don't know. But that's what I want to find out."
"Maybe it's best if you just leave it alone," Jax suggested.
"I don't want to leave it alone!"
Jax rose a dark blonde eyebrow and looked at her. "You're a stubborn one, I see."
"I just don't believe in giving up on the things that mean the most to me," Brenda told him.
Jax nodded. "I can respect that. I feel the same way."
Brenda smiled at him. "So you never give up?"
Jax smiled back at her. "Never."
"I guess that's why you're a gazillionaire at only . . . she hesitated, "how old *are* you anyway?"
"26" he responded.
"Wow, " she said looking duly impressed. "You must be a genius to have gotten so far at your age."
"Well I don't think Einstein has to worry about me knocking him out of the record books. Would you like to get something to eat?"
"Sure," Brenda said and then she looked around. "Ummm . . . oh, we can sit over there next to AJ and Keesha. There's some empty seats. Come on."
"I was thinking that we could take our food out back by the water fountain. Don't you think it would make your friend Sonny more jealous to see us out there together? In the moonlight? Underneath the stars? All alone?" He gave her a playful smile.
Steal Your heart (6)
Brenda grinned in amazement. "Are you saying that you want to help me make Sonny jealous?"
Jax shrugged. "Well I have some free time."
Brenda impulsively hugged him. "Jax, you are so cool!" she giggled, shaking her head in amazement. "I have never met anybody like you before. This is going to be so great! It's going to work like a charm, I just know it! Come on, let's go!" and then she grabbed his hand and led him to where the plates were so they could get their food as a smoldering Sonny looked on as did a bewildered Julia.
"What is he doing hanging around with my sister?" Julia demanded staring at Thao and Augustin for answers.
"Oh, he's just trying to be nice to her after the way you embarrassed her out there in the garden before, Julia. Just let it be. He's having some fun." Augustin said.
"Yes. He's just Jax being Jax. He'll join us when he's ready," Thao added as he and Augustin went into the parlor to observe the games of chance that were going on in there. Not wanting to run around after the ever elusive Jax who seemed oblivious or unconcerned with his hold on her heart, Julia followed Thao and Augustin into the parlor telling herself that Jax would tire of the childish Brenda within minutes and re-join them.
Out in the rose garden, Jax and Brenda sat on the edge of the water fountain with their food and champagne. Brenda noticed that Jax's plate was piled high with fruits and vegetables.
She giggled a little. "So . . .do zillionaires always eat so healthy?" she asked nodding at his plate.
"Well, this one does," he confessed, smiling at her. "Every morning I have a banana health shake and then go out and run five miles at 7 a.m. and then come back home and work out in my gym for an hour and then I eat a gigantic bowl of granola and yogurt with sliced bananas . . ."
Jax laughed as Brenda made a face. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"Yogurt?!" she asked sticking out her tongue.
"And what, may I ask, is wrong with yogurt? It's very nutritious."
"Yeah. Translation . . . it tastes terrible!" she laughed.
"I'll bet I could get you to eat yogurt," he said gazing at her steadily.
"Ha. I think not." She responded easily.
"You should think again. I usually get what I want," he responded softly and with a confidence that she found incredibly attractive.
Looking at him she easily got lost in the incredible depths of his aquamarine eyes and felt a strange sensation within her. Dismissing it, she slowly looked away form him.
"You know something . . .I bet you *could* get me to eat yogurt," she decided.
"We'll have to put it to the test sometime," he challenged her.
"You're on," she said taking one of his carrot's and munching on it. "So I guess eating healthy all the time and working out like a fiend is how you keep that amazing body, huh?"
Jax looked at himself. "Oh, do you think it's amazing? That's very kind of you."
Brenda smiled at him. "Can I tell you something and you promise you won't laugh?"
Jax looked at her seriously. "I would never laugh at anything you had to say."
Brenda somehow truly believed that he meant that. She could not believe she had just met him tonight. She felt like they had been friends forever.
"Okay," she continued, crossing her legs. "When I first saw you out here in the garden with my sister. . . I took one look at you and the first thing that came to my mind was," she smiled, "Adonis. You totally remind me of him."
Jax blushed a little which stunned Brenda. She was sure he must be used to such compliments by now.
"Thank you. You're very sweet," he said softly.
"I don't believe you're blushing!" she exclaimed, which made him blush some more. "Alright, so tell me, how do you know Julia?" she asked next.
"I met her while I was in Greece staying with Thao. Your sister was conducting some business with him and I got in on it and we became friends. I've known Julia for about three years now."
"I bet she never told you about me, huh?"
"No, she didn't. Not until tonight."
Steal Your Heart (7)
Brenda blinked her eyes. "So do you like her?"
"Of course I like her," Jax responded.
"I'll bet she likes you too. A lot."
"You think so?"
"Well she'd be crazy not to." Brenda looked up at him and they held each other's gaze. Then Brenda's eyes wandered off as she noticed Sonny up on the balcony looking down at them.
"Don't look now but we have an audience," Brenda said very quietly to Jax.
"Would that be one Mr. Sonny Corinthos?"
"Yes," Brenda said smiling excitedly. "Come on, let's give him something worth looking at!"
Jax rose his eyebrows suggestively. "And just exactly what did you have in mind?"
"I don't know. . . .hey, how about a nice, close dance?" Brenda suggested.
The music from inside the mansion was easily floating outside into the garden. It was a sweet, romantic Mariah Carey ballad "When I Saw You" "How about it, Jax? Will you dance with me and make Sonny burn up with envy?"
Jax got to his feet and held out his hand to her. "Well that was the plan."
Giggling, Brenda placed her hand in his and rose to her feet as he slipped her into his arms and easily swayed back and forth with her to the lovely tune as the moonlight shone down upon them in the garden and the romantic strains of the song wafted in the air . . .
SOFT HEAVENLY EYES, GAZED INTO ME
TRANSCENDING SPACE AND TIME
AND I WAS RENDERED STILL
THERE WERE NO WORDS FOR ME TO FIND AT ALL
AS I STOOD THERE BESIDE MYSELF
I COULD SEE YOU AND NO ONE ELSE
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I COULD NOT BREATHE
I FELL SO DEEP
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I'D NEVER BE, I'D NEVER BE THE SAME
ONCE IN A LIFETIME, LOVE RUSHES IN
CHANGING YOU WITH THE TIDE
AND DAWN'S RIBBON OF LIGHT
BURSTS THROUGH THE DARK
WAKENING YOU INSIDE
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL UNTRUE
UNTIL THERE ALL AT ONCE I KNEW
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I COULD NOT BREATHE
I FELL SO DEEP
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I'D NEVER BE, I'D NEVER BE THE SAME
WITH NO BEGINNING AND
WITHOUT AN END
YOU ARE THE ONE FOR ME
IT'S EVIDENT
AND YOUR EYES TOLD ME SO
YOUR EYES LET ME KNOW
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I COULD NOT BREATHE
I FELL SO DEEP
WHEN I SAW YOU, WHEN I SAW YOU
I'D NEVER BE, I'D NEVER BE THE SAME
Steal Your Heart (8)
They danced in slow, sexy circles in the rose garden as the moonlight shifted from a milky white glow to more of a shimmering blue as the night deepened and the skies turned a midnight blue.
Brenda began to feel somewhat disoriented as she felt herself very drawn to Jax. Physically she leaned her body closer into his body, her head resting against his shoulder. It was all very surreal. Like they were the only two people in the world.
Brenda shook herself out of this spell she was falling under and tried to casually look up to where Sonny was. She saw that he was indeed still there. Looking ,staring, so jealous!
"Jax!!! Look! He's looking right at us! No . . I mean, *don't* look," she said, catching his turning head. "I don't want him to know that *we* know he's there. Hold me closer," she said urgently.
"Closer? Any closer and I think we'll be one person, Brenda."
The implication of his words made her feel warm all over and she giggled.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I just want him to be insane with jealousy."
"You want him to think we're lovers? Is that it?" Jax asked gazing down at her.
Brenda looked up at him trying not to get lost in the nearly magical effect of this particular gaze of his. "Well . . .you know, it wouldn't hurt, right?"
Jax shrugged. "Alright then."
Without warning, he cradled Brenda's face in his hands and brought his lips down onto hers engaging her in a kiss that took her by complete surprise, and also took her breath away. She had never been kissed like this before. Her kisses with Sonny were always intensely passionate and demanding and always had a sense of desperation about them. But this kiss was so different. It was gentle and tender and sweet and yet extremely passionate. The combination was dizzying. She felt as if she were in some kind of dream world.
When Jax pulled away and gazed down at her, Brenda knew that to him she must look like some dazed fool. For that was exactly how she felt. Dazed and excited and sucker-punched and ready to swoon. She didn't know how to react to a kiss like that. Then all at once she frowned, angry with herself. This was ridiculous! They were only putting on an act, after all, damn it! That kiss was just a kiss. Nothing special. Nothing at all. And yet, her lips were tingling delightfully and there was a longing within her that hadn't been there before he kissed her.
Brenda quickly searched for Sonny and saw him angrily turn on his heel and walk off the balcony.
Steal Your Heart (9)
"Yes!! Did you see that?" she asked excitedly, jumping up and down and laughing. "He was so mad and jealous! Oh Jax, we did it! That kiss was great!" She exclaimed, hugging him and seeming strangely out of breath.
Jax looked at her. "Great because it made him jealous . . ?"
Brenda slipped out of his embrace abruptly and sat back down by the fountain.
"Umm. . yeah. What else would I have meant?"
"What else indeed," Jax responded giving her an enigmatic smile. "You know, in certain countries in the middle east that kind of a kiss would have made us man and wife."
Brenda laughed and looked up at the moon. "You're really funny!"
"But it's true."
"Really? Well then it's a good thing we're in the good old USA, isn't it?"
Jax smiled and nodded his agreement. "So do you think your ex-boyfriend is asking his bride for a divorce as we speak?"
"I wish I knew," Brenda breathed as she ate some Zucchini from Jax's plate.
"Maybe I should go look for him? What do you think?"
"I think that would be a very bad idea. If you want him to buy this act you need to play your part and remain unavailable to him. Make him come to you." Brenda nodded. "You're right." She took a piece of sliced mango from his plate as Jax watched her, amused at how she refused to eat her own food but was only too happy to share his. "So did you just come here with Julia or do you know Ned and Lois?" Brenda asked.
"I know Ned," Jax told her. "The Quartermaines in general are not too fond of me, but Ned and I, despite our differences, have respect for one another. Actually I like him. But I'd never tell him that."
Brenda smiled. "Well don't worry, your secret's safe with me. So how come the Q's don't like you? Did you do something to them?"
"Oh it's business related. I'm sure it would bore you to hear the details. Why don't you tell me about you and Sonny? Is it true that he's a hood?"
Brenda shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Everybody's got to make a
living."
Jax looked at her. "That's a very diplomatic, not to mention evasive answer."
"What he does for a living doesn't bother me, Jax," she said a bit defensively.
"I think it should. Your association with him could get you hurt, or even killed. Don't you realize that?"
"So what? None of that matters," Brenda insisted a glazed look popping into her eyes. "As long as Sonny and I are together I can take whatever comes my way?
"Built up an immunity to bullets, have you?"
"Jax, That isn't funny."
"No, it isn't, which is my point exactly," he agreed.
Brenda sighed. "I just need to be with him. That's all that matters."
Jax looked at her in a concerned sort of wonder. Was this beautiful woman out of her mind? Was this what she really thought love was all about? Pain and obsession and these ridiculous games?
As he watched her, he saw her eyes were focused somewhere behind him. He turned to find Sonny Corinthos and his wife Lily leaving the party.
"They're leaving," Brenda murmured looking a bit deflated.
"I can see that," Jax responded.
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"So what do you think? Is that bad or good?" Brenda asked uncertainly, staring after Sonny.
"Well," Jax stroked his chin, "obviously you got to him. He can't take seeing you with me so he's decided to cut out. I'd say your goal was achieved."
Brenda smiled hopefully. "Yeah? So you think he's thinking about me right now?"
Jax looked at her, returning her smile with a very sexy one of his own. "I think he'll be thinking about you all night."
Brenda looked up at him. "Really?!"
Jax nodded. "Yeah. Well look, Brenda. I really need to get back to your sister and the guys. This has been fun though. And I hope you get whatever it is that you really want."
Brenda handed him his half eaten plate of food. "Thanks, Jax. Oh, and I'm sorry for eating practically everything on your plate! I don't know why I did that. I just feel really comfortable around you for some reason."
Jax just smiled at her. "You're silly," he said tapping her beneath the chin fondly. "I like that."
She giggled.
"I'll, see ya," he said as he went back inside.
"I'll, see ya," he said as he went back inside.
"Yeah, see ya," she murmured giving him a little wave as she gazed after him just as Lois walked out into the garden.
"Well , well, well. What is going on here, Bren?" Lois asked sitting down by the water fountain and smiling knowingly.
Brenda looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you look all flushed and excited. So what were you and Mr. Rich and Beautiful doing out here all alone for the past 30 minutes?" Lois wondered with a very curious look in her eye.
Brenda shrugged. "We were just, you know, talking."
Lois is unconvinced. "*Talking?*"
"And we danced a little."
Lois grinned. "Oh yeah? What else!"
Brenda laughed. "And I ate all of his food and . . .
"*And*?!"
"And he kissed me," she said softly.
"He kissed you?! You mean like a cute little peck on the check, right? Or maybe he kissed the back of your hand or somethin' like that, right?"
"Nooooooooo. I mean like a long, sensuous lip lock -- and it was pretty darn good, I gotta tell you," Brenda laughed as her body flushed and shivered at the memory of it.
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Lois blinked. "Okay, okay. Back up here!"
"But you know what the *best* part was, Lois?" Brenda continued, determined to minimize the effect of Jax's kiss. "Sonny saw the *whole* thing!! He was *so* jealous! God, you should have seen his face!" Brenda laughed, doing a little dance
Lois shook her head. "So you mean to tell me you came out here with Jax just to make Sonny jealous?"
Brenda nodded proudly. "Yeah! Pretty cool idea, huh?"
"Not cool, Brenda. What is *with* you, girlfriend? You can't use Jax like that. That's not right."
"Lois, it's okay. Really. Jax was totally cool with it. In fact, it was
his idea."
Lois looked stunned. "It was?"
"Uh-huh. He is so cool, Lois!" Brenda said, getting excited again. "It was like a game to him, you know? He didn't mind at all. He thought it was funny and we had a really good time." Brenda smiled as she realized that she really *did* have a good time with Jax. A very good time. Too good a time, in fact.
Lois shrugged, not getting it. "Well . .. Ned did say Jax was a player. I guess games are his thing. This is just too weird though. I mean what's in it for him?"
Brenda sighed happily. "I think he just wanted to help me, you know?
Anyway, I like him a lot. And I plan to ask him to keep playing this game with me until Sonny sees the light and admits that she still wants me."
"Brenda, Jax may have impulsively felt like playing this game with you
tonight, but he's a really, *really* busy guy, ya know? He's a corporate raider. He's not gonna have time to pretend to be crazy about you just for Sonny's benefit."
Brenda walked over to the entrance of the house and glanced over at the
parlor where she could see Jax and Augustin talking about something while Julia, clung to Jax possessively while watching Thao playing cards.
"Well, I'll never know unless I ask, right? All he can do is turn me down. And you know me, I can be *very* persuasive" She turned back to Lois. "Hey can you do me a favor and ask get Ned to tell you where Jax is staying?"
"He bought the penthouse in the Nexus Building," Lois disclosed.
Brenda clapped her hands. "Great! Thanks."
"Brenda, what about Julia?"
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not moving in on her territory or anything. Jax told me that they're just friends, that's all."
"Hmm. Does *Julia* know that?" Lois murmured looking at how enamored of Jax Julia obviously was.
Brenda looked at Lois and shrugged. "What can I tell you? Jax says they're just friends. He was very clear about that. I honestly don't think he's interested in her."
Lois looked searchingly at Brenda. "Look, I know I'm probably wasting my breath," Lois continued, "but I think this whole thing is a big mistake."
"Oh Lois, please don't bring me down now. It'll be fine. In fact, it'll be great! I've never felt more optimistic about me and Sonny than I do right at this very moment. And it's all thanks to Jax! I thank *God* that man came into my life now! Do you realize that because of him all of my dreams are going to come true? Finally?!! Oh, hey, there's Robin and Jason, let's go say hi!" Brenda said cheerily as she linked arms with a still concerned Lois and walked back into the house.
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At 1:45am Jax heard a knock on his door. He was in front of his lap-top at his desk going over the stock quotes. He looked up at the miniature
grandfather clock on the mantle and saw the time. Who was bugging him at nearly 2 in the morning?
The person knocked again.
Jax got up and answered the door and was very surprised to see Julia's
sister Brenda standing there on the other side.
"Jax! Oh thank God you're still up. Hey, nice jammies. Silk?" she asked as she ran her fingers along the sleeve of his dark blue silk pajama top, trying to avoid the fact that the top was unbuttoned, exposing his perfect chest.
"What are you doing here?" Jax asked her, a slighlty confused, slightlly
bemused look in his eyes.
"Ummm . . .I was on my way home, right? And wouldn't you know it? I got
a flat. I came into the lobby of this building to use the phone to call
triple A, right? And then I saw that your name was listed on the buzzers so I figured since you lived here and we're friends and everything," she looked at him suddenly "We are friends, right?"
Jax nodded.
Brenda grinned. "Good! Well I thought that maybe, since you and I are
friends, I'd just take a chance and see if you were up and you could either help me fix my flat or give me a ride home."
"You're all wet," Jax noticed, looking her up and down which made her shiver in a strangely pleasant way.
"Well it's raining outside, Einstein," she smiled.
"How, may I ask, did you get up here without being announced? The
concierge, Jeff, is a pitbull when it comes to letting people in here."
"Oh, you mean the skinny guy with the glasses and the huge blue eyes? Well, actually he recognized me from my Deception Ads and he was sort of impressed I guess. Plus I umm told him a little white lie to get up here without buzzing you."
"What kind of a lie?"
"I told him I was your . . . . girlfriend."
Jax just looked at her.
"Okay, now before you get really mad and throw me out, let me just explain that the *only* reason I did that was because I thought maybe you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you up. I figured if I got up here and knocked and there was no answer then I would just leave, no harm done, right?"
Jax looked at her and she wasn't sure what he was thinking. His silence was enigmatic. But then to her great relief, he smiled.
"I like your style, Brenda Barrett."
She smiled. "You do?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "You're very resilient. You remind me of me. Here.. "
he walked into the bathroom and handed her a fluffy blue towel.
"Thank you." She took the towel and began to towel off her hair and face.
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Jax suddenly noticed that she was not wearing that sexy little white dress that she had on at the party. She was now dressed in black jeans and an oversized cobalt blue sweater.
"You said you were on your way home from the Quartermaine's?" he asked
sitting down on the expensive black leather couch.
"Mmm Hmmm. And then it started pouring," Brenda responded sitting down next to him.
"And yet I notice that you're not wearing the clothes that you wore to the party."
Brenda just looked at him with an "Oops, I'm busted," look on her face.
Jax leaned back on the couch, folding his hands in his lap and looking
disturbingly attractive.
"So why don't you tell me why you're *really* here?" he asked her.
"Jax, please don't be mad at me," she begged him.
"That remains to be seen. Tell my why you're here, Brenda."
"I'm here because I need you," she responded.
"You need me? For what?" he asked looking rather perplexed.
"I need you to continue helping me with Sonny."
She could tell by the look on his face that he was not all that receptive to the idea.
"Oh Jax, pleeeeeeeeeease!" she begged, grabbing hold of his arm and giving him her best puppy dog eyes.
"I didn't say no."
"But you didn't say yes. And you look like you're leaning towards no."
"I'm not leaning towards anything. I'm just thinking about it," he told her. He got up and walked into the kitchen. Brenda draped the towel around her neck and followed him.
"What? You think better in the kitchen?" she asked sitting down at the
elegant white marble kitchen table.
He smiled. "I just thought maybe you'd like some hot tea or something."
"Oh. That would be great, thanks." She smiled and then began tapping her fingernails along the table top. "So, not meaning to pressure you or anything, Jax, but will you help me get Sonny back?"
Jax turned around and looked at her. "I'm curious. Do you really have a flat tire?"
She wanted to kill him for changing the subject.
"Actually yes."
"How did that happen?"
She looked a bit sheepish but she did not lie. "I flattened it myself. With um. . . .a crowbar that I keep in the trunk."
Jax looked like he was trying not to laugh. "And you did that why? Just in case I would have actually went downstairs to help you with it?"
"Right."
Jax ran a finger along his lips thoughtfully, which to Brenda, was a very provocative motion. She was annoyed to find that she could not take her eyes from his mouth. "Well," he said, "since you went to all that trouble, I hardly see how I could turn you down."
Brenda jumped up from the table in excitement. "Yes!!!!"
"But I'm afraid I'll have to," he added watching her deflate and slump back into the chair.
"Why?" she asked, pouting prettily.
"I don't exactly have the time for this little game, Brenda."
"That's not true, Jax.
He rose his eyebrows challengingly. "Oh, it isn't? Do you know something about my schedule that I don't know?"
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"I know that you have to have a social life. You have to go *out*, right? You have to have breakfast, dinner and lunch. You have to go out dancing or to the beach or to the movies every once in a while. . .stuff like that. And I know you must go to tons of those society parties and fund raisers. All you have to do is take me with you. Just be seen around with me and try to go places that Sonny and Lily would go. Come on, Jax, I promise I won't infringe upon your work time. I know how busy you are. I really do."
"If you know that, then why don't you get somebody else to help you in this little scheme?"
"Because I don't just want somebody. I want you, Jax."
Something in the way she said that intrigued him.
"Sonny went nuts when he saw us together," she explained. "I don't think I could get that kind of reaction out of him with just anybody. It has to be you, Jax. So . . .will you do it? Will you help me?"
"Brenda . . ."
"Please? Pretty please? Jax, I'm not going to let you say no," she finally warned him.
He looked amused by her determination. "What exactly is in this for me?" Jax asked her.
Brenda shrugged. "Me."
Jax squinted a little. "You?"
"Yes. You will have my undying gratitude and friendship forever and ever. And hey, I can show you the insiders Port Charles. You'll know every body and every part of this town by the time I'm done. Will that be of any help to you?" Brenda asked hopefully. "Maybe it'll help you with business? Or. . . HEY! Maybe I can help you mend fences with the Q's? They're *really* good friends of mine, you know. Even Edward. I'm closer to them than Julia is."
Jax looked interested. "Are you?"
Brenda smiled, delighted that she finally had him on the hook. "I sure am!"
Jax looked at her. "And how about Lucy Coe. Are you close to her?"
"Oh yeah!" Brenda exclaimed. "She's my boss and we're like this," she said putting her two fingers together. "So . . . do we have a deal?"
Jax grinned and nodded. "Sure, why not. You're a blast to be around anyway," he confessed.
Brenda leapt from the table ecstatically and jumped into his arms causing him to laugh at her exuberance.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said.
"No problem. However, Ms. Barrett, I think we need to set down some ground rules before we jump into this little arrangement." He deposited her into the chair, turned around and fixed her a cup of tea and then sat down opposite her, placing the hot liquid in front of her.
"Ground rules?" Brenda repeated looking questioningly at him as she thanked him for the tea.
"Just so there are no misunderstandings between us," Jax clarified.
"Okay, well what kind of ground rules?"
"Number one, we'll discuss everything with each other beforehand."
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Brenda smiled agreeably. "Okay. What else?"
"We'll be totally honest and upfront with one another throughout the duration of this," Jax said.
"Honest and upfront, got it," Brenda said giving him a mock salute.
"Anything else?"
"You play your part and I'll play mine," Jax said softly, looking at her.
She smiled. "Absolutely! You'll act like you adore me and I'll act like I adore you right back and the result will be Sonny Corinthos running straight back into my arms where he belongs." she said, her smile growing brighter.
Jax nodded. "So are the ground rules acceptable to you then?"
"Yes," Brenda responded, sipping her tea.
"Then we have a deal," he told her, smiling at her and extending his hand.
Laughing happily, Brenda took his hand and shook it. "Deal!"
They sat there just staring at each other for a moment, hands touching. It was a fascinating moment in time. There was a sexual tension that neither could deny feeling, but neither wanted to address it either. Then Jax got up from the table, as he slowly let her hand slip out of his.
He checked his watch. "Well, I'll go get dressed so I can take you home." he said.
Brenda looked up at him. "Thanks. And thanks for agreeing to help me, Jax. You have *no* idea how much this means to me."
"Don't thank me until you've gotten what you wanted," Jax suggested.
Brenda shrugged. "I know that I *will* get what I want, Jax. With you on my team, I think failure is not an option anymore," she told him with a
confident smile.
Jax just looked at her. Slowly he smiled back at her. The smile made her
heart beat faster. "I'll be right back," he said as he headed towards his bedroom to change.
When he was gone, Brenda let out a deep, bewildered breath and stared down at her tea. "What's goin' *on* with me?!" she demanded of herself. "I can't let myself get distracted by Jax like this. I've gotta stay focused on the goal. Focus, Brenda. Sonny. Always Sonny. Nothing else. Just Sonny. Sonny is what you want . . what you've always wanted. Sonny loves you. There's no life without him. . ." she murmured the mantra to herself.
She shut her eyes and took herself back to her time in Puerto Rico with
Sonny immersing herself in the memory of their smoldering kisses on the
beach. She smiled to herself but then all of a sudden she was jolted as the memory of Sonny began to somehow, inexplicably segue into the memory of Jax kissing her in the Quartermaine Rose Garden. A kiss like she'd never experienced before in her life . . . .
Startled by where her thoughts were headed her eyes flew open and she saw Jax standing before her dressed in black jeans, stylish black leather combat boots and a teal colored casual shirt that brought out his eyes beautifully and also did plenty of justice to his muscular frame. She felt her breath catch in her throat. She was finally broken out of her strangely seductive mood by the sound of his car keys jingling in his hand.
"Ready to go?" he asked her, running his fingers through his blonde hair.
She swallowed, glad he couldn't read her thoughts.
"Ahh. . .Yep." she said shaking her head as if to shake him out of her
thoughts. "Let's go," she said with a quick smile as she got up from the
table, draped the towel on the back of the chair and followed him out into the hallway. As they waited for the elevator Brenda could not help but think that this little game she was getting into with Jax might be more than she had ever bargained for. . . .
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Brenda sat at the bar at Luke's Club dressed like a million bucks in a deep blue velvet dress with a very flattering, plunging neckline and a skirt portion that stopped just above the knees. Sonny and Lily were seated at a corner table and Sonny had a pretty good view of her. He wondered what she was doing at Luke's dressed like that and all by herself. Soon, however, he saw that she wasn't by herself at all when Jax walked into the club, looking like two million bucks, and went up to the bar where Brenda sat.
"Well, if it isn't my beautiful little partner in crime," Jax greeted her, kissing her hand fondly.
Smiling up at him, Brenda kissed the corner of his mouth, perilously close to his lips. Their eyes met, then Brenda quickly averted hers.
"Hi, Jax" she said. "Listen, I know we were supposed to go to the Penthouse Grille but I think we should stay here instead."
Jax looked at her, puzzled. "Why?" he asked.
Brenda nodded her head in the direction of Sonny and Lily's table. Jax
glanced over and saw her reason for wanting to stay.
"Oh, I see. Our victims are here," he said.
Brenda rolled her eyes. "Jax, come on. Please stop making it sound like
we're doing such a horrible thing."
"Breaking up a marriage isn't a horrible thing?"
"Not in this case because this marriage was never meant to be."
"There you go with that meant to be line again. Exactly what does that
*mean,* Brenda?"
"I'll wax philosophical on you later, okay? Right now lets get a table near them, and do our thing." she said eagerly.
"Okay," Jax acquiesced with an easy-going nod.
She slipped her hand in his and Mike Corbin led them over to a table that was two tables away from Sonny and Lily. Jax stood behind Brenda and pulled out her chair for her. As she was about to sit down, Jax pulled the chair away a bit so that Brenda fell into his arms.
"I'm going to kill you, Jasper!!!" she said, a little embarrassed since
everyone was now looking at them. She didn't realize that people were
staring much more due to the fact that Jax and Brenda made an absolutely
stunning couple than the fact that she had almost fallen to the floor. She tried to act annoyed by Jax's little prank, but he was laughing and his soft laughter was so addictive. Brenda could not resist joining him.
"I'll kill *you* if you call me Jasper again," Jax warned her as he slid his arm around her waist and lowered her into the chair. His touch was nearly too much for Brenda who desperately wished he would take his hands off of her right now because, for some unknown reason, she always felt at a loss for control when he was this familiar with her. Her breathing was becoming somewhat erratic as she tried to calm her continuously foolish, shcool-girl-like reactions to Jax's proximity.
"You okay?" he asked noticing her accelerated breathing.
"Yep, I'm fine. I'm fine," Brenda assured him trying to instantaneously
quell the rush she was feeling.
Sonny watched the playful/sexy interaction between Brenda and Jax and his jaw grew rigid with tension, something that was not lost on an unamused Lily.
Sitting opposite Jax, Brenda leaned across the table, smiling at him and
crossing her legs.
"Mmmmm. So what should we get for dinner, Jax *darling*?" she asked,
laughing a little as she said the endearment loudly so that Sonny would hear her.
"I don't know, Brenda *sweetie.* What do you feel like?" Jax played along.
Brenda's eyes danced with laughter. "Hmm. Let's see. What do I *feel*
like" she mused. Then she did a drum roll on the table top with her
fingertips. "You know what? I feel like. . ." Brenda she said making a
joke.
Jax looked at her, giving her that gaze that always threw her heart for a loop.
"Brenda," he said, saying her name in a way that sent chills up and down her spine. "That's an excellent choice. As a matter of fact," he gave her a very sexy gaze, I think I want that too."
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He brushed her lips with his fingertips and Brenda smiles, fighting to
contain the shiver of delight that shot thorugh her. Sonny glared at them, clearly uncomfortable with their easy flirtatious manner with one another.
Brenda taking note of Sonny's reaction laughed, rolled her napkin up into a ball and threw it at Jax.
"You are *really* good at this flirting thing," she said to him gazing at him from beneath her thick, dark lashes. A little too good, she added under her breath.
The waiter came over to take their order. After she had ordered her dinner, Brenda gazed over at Sonny's table and saw him staring dead at her, his eyes leaping with jealous anger. He was alone at this table, Lily having gone to the ladies room.
As Brenda watched Sonny, Julia (who was with Mac), watched Jax. Julia was completely baffled as to why Jax and Brenda had become so inseparable overnight. She was not only baffled, but also angry and very jealous. Jax and Brenda just did not make sense!
She watched in growing agitation as Brenda turned away from Sonny and gave her full attention back to a smiling Jax.
"Hey, there's your sister. Let's go say hi to her," Jax said, starting to rise from his chair as he caught sight of Julia, who waved at him. Brenda got up quickly, went over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders to make him sit back down.
"No, let's not," she said.
"Why not? What's the matter?" Jax asked.
"I just. . ." she smiled, "I want your full attention."
Jax blinked slowly. "I see," he said.
Their eyes locked in a flirtatious gaze.
At that moment Ned and Lois happened by.
"Hey! Bren, hi! And hi to you too, Jax," Lois said giving him a smile and hugging Brenda. No matter what Brenda said about her and Jax and this game they were playing to get Sonny jealous, Lois could tell that something big was brewing between the two of them.
"Hello Lois, Ned," Jax greeted them.
"So . . .you two have certainly been spending a lot of *time* together
lately," Ned observed as he sat down in the chair that Brenda had vacated. Lois stood next to Brenda trying to keep from grinning.
"Yeah, we have," Brenda said with an easy shrug. "Jax is my hang-out
buddy," she turned to look at Jax. "Right, honey?" she asked, moving closer to him and placing her arm around his shoulder.
Jax placed his hands on her waist and gently pulled her down onto his lap while Ned did the exact same thing with Lois. The simultaneous reaction of the men seating their women, caused Lois and Brenda to burst out laughing.
"Talk about synchronization!" Brenda quipped, still laughing.
"Yeah, Nedly. It looks like you and Jax are more alike than either one of ya wants to admit," Lois teased both men.
"Are you nuts?" Ned dismissed with a wave of his hands.
"That's ridiculous," Jax added with a roll of his eyes.
Lois and Brenda laughed again.
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