Left On The Cutting Room Floor - Episode #16 "Never Let You Go"

by Tyra


Hi Angels! Here's the episode that Janece requested. Hope it's what you were looking for. It was what I wanted to see.

I would like to especially thank Laura Williams for suggesting the song that I've used in this episode. She suggested it for my other series "Replay" but I thought it would fit in perfectly here. Thanks for thinking of me Laura and sending me the perfect song for Jax and Brenda! J&B Forever, even though it will soon be only in our hearts and minds

 

Left On The Cutting Room Floor - Episode #16

 (Jax and Brenda are sitting together at Café Matise during Mac and Felicia's wedding reception. Brenda whispers in Jax's ear, he smiles slyly and they make their excuses to Mac and Felicia about Brenda feeling lightheaded again .. .. .. B I G .. .. .. G A P .. .. .. I N .. .. .. S T O R Y .. .. .. .. .. Brenda is sitting at her breakfast table the next morning, looking little queasy as Jax comes in the front door.)

 

Tuesday - July 28th - Jax and Brenda

~ Never Let You Go Again ~

To Listen to Real Audio of 'Never Let You Go Again' - Click Here

 

The pathway was dark, deserted and ominous. The only sounds were made by the evening breeze tossing the fallen cherry blossom petals across the walkway. The dry brittle petals made a slight tapping noise, as they bounced off the windows of the cottage. It sounded like pixies trying to find their way into this haven at the edge of the forest. Inside, the cottage was drenched in darkness, with the exception of a lone light that pulsed a tiny red glow from the answering machine into the room. Suddenly a beam from a headlight filled the room with a blinding flash of light before dimming again to darkness. The sound of tires crushing gravel, followed by doors slamming , then the sound of only one pair of feet running towards the door. The door opened in with a rush of cool night air, and the laughing couple entered the room.

Jax was holding Brenda in his arms as she reached for the light switch by the door. The room came alive with a warm glow as Jax carried her to the couch and sat down, holding her captive on his lap.

Brenda moved her arms from around his neck as her hands moved to loosen his tie. "Jax, you really should stop carrying me over the threshold. If you keep doing that, it won't have the same meaning after our wedding."

Jax linked his hands behind her waist as he leaned back into the pillows on the couch. "That brings up a good question? Have you decided on our wedding date yet? Didn't seeing Mac and Felecia at their reception looking so happy and in love give you an itch to get our plans rolling? Now what were you saying about a candlelight wedding?"

Brenda had now removed his tie and tossed it on the back of the couch and proceeded to slowly unbutton his shirt. "Well I was thinking that I tried two big splashy weddings that were disastrous. Our practice wedding on the Isabella, was so romantic and beautiful. But wasn't perfect because our friends and family weren't there to share it with us. I was thinking something in between would be perfect. Just close friends and relatives surrounding us. Something small and intimate. I can picture it now! It will be a warm, peaceful night, nothing but candles leading me directly to you!" She had unbutton all that she could reach by this point and her hands were gently examining the smooth contours of his chest.

Jax was trying mightily to concentrate on what Brenda was explaining to him, but her hands were sending his mind to future plans of his own. Immediate future plans! "What ever you want sweetie, is fine with me." he whispered as he leaned in for a kiss.

Brenda placed her palms flat against Jax's chest and leaned back just out of his reach. She giggled sweetly, "Wait Jax! You asked my what I wanted, don't agree with me just to get me to shut up."

Jax stopped trying to kiss her and feigned total interest in what Brenda had to say.

"As I was saying I want to walk up an aisle lined with candles to symbolize approaching the light. Because you're my light Jax. You taught me so much. You supported me and guided me in everything that has brought me to this point in my life. You taught me to love myself, to trust myself, to believe in myself. You never made my choices for me, or told me what to do, you just illuminated my options and let me make my own choices. You were like a beacon of light Jax, leading me out of the darkness and into the warmth of the sun. I'm not sure I would have made it out from under those dark clouds that weighed me down, without your love and support." Having finished her thoughts, Brenda's hands returned to examining every inch of Jax's uncovered chest. She fingered the edges of his unbuttoned shirt, gripped and pull it up to uncover more of his wonderfully smooth, tanned, muscled chest.

But now it was Jax's turn to stop. He reached up and forced her hands to pause. He was quite touched by Brenda's declaration and he needed to make a confession of his own. "Brenda, you are what you made of yourself. You're the most determined person I've ever met. You've gotten here with little assistance from me. I'm just grateful that you knew we were meant to be, and fought for us with such strength, confidence and charming relentlessness, that I could help but love you with every bit of my heart and soul. I was afraid of being hurt again Brenda. That fear was so strong that I almost turned my back on this second chance at happiness. I was the one in total darkness and it took this tiny force of nature, this one woman dynamo, to show me the way back to the light."

They looked at each other lovingly and longingly and joined together in a kiss not of passion or desire, but one of appreciation and wonder of discovering that their most perfect match, was each other. Brenda suddenly jumped up and bounced about in excitement before him.

"Jax, I forgot to tell you the most wonderful thing! You know how we decided to get married in November on my mother's birthday right?"

Jax looked at her in amusement. How did she switch from vixen to excitedly little girl in the space of a few seconds. She never ceased to amaze him. She was about 100 different people wrapped up in one fabulous perfect package. He placed his elbow on the back of the couch and rested his head on his hand, and answered, "Yes, I remember. But what's suddenly so exciting about that date?"

"Well, I was talking to Agustine on the phone yesterday and he's going to be available to sing at our wedding! It's perfect timing! He will have just finished his fall concert tour and not yet started his holiday commitments. Can you imagine having "The Great Agustine" at our wedding Jax!"

Jax looked at her indulgently, "Not if you follow through with your threats to make him sing "Feelings" or "Muskrat Love!"

Brenda laughed, "Agustine knew months ago that I was only kidding about that! But I did enjoy seeing his face turn all colors of purple after he lost his wager against me!"

Jax pulled Brenda back down on his lap and wrapped one arm around her waist. With the other, he pushed her loose cover-up off one shoulder and began to nibble a path towards the pulse that beat where her neck and shoulders met. He mumbled, "He should have know better than to wager such high stakes with a cheating card shark."

Brenda giggled and tried to move herself out of Jax's sensuous embrace. "Wait just a little longer Jax, I haven't told you the best part yet!"

Jax released her, leaned back and sighed. He was regretting asking her to discuss the wedding plans right now. He had an early morning meeting and he wanted to spend what little of the evening that was left, doing something a little less cerebral, and a lot more physical. But he had started this conversation and he was going to be a good sport about this. He moved Brenda off his lap to the cushion beside him to remove himself from temptation, then said, "OK, you have my full attention. What's the best part?"

"The best part is that Agustine is dating the most fabulous woman now! They met during his summer tour. Agustine sounds quite smitten. She's in the music business as well, she's a composer. A very talented one according to Agustine! Her name is Laura Williams! I wonder if she's seeking representation of a record label. I bet I could find that out the next time I talk to them. You know that now that I've bought back L&B I should start looking -- --"

"Brenda! You've strayed off the subject. I know you're excited about taking over L&B again, but we're talking about our wedding right now! I want to hear every detail of your plans for L&B, but not tonight. In case you haven't figured this out yet, I'm trying to get you to bed so we can make mad passionate love! So what is this wonderful news you have been trying to tell me about in such a torturously slow fashion?"

She smiled lovingly at Jax and rubbed his cheek with her hand before moving on and playing with a lock of his hair, "Oh, I'm sorry Jax. It's just that I'm so excited! And you know that when something gets me excited, my mind just blasts from subject to subject and -- -- --"

"Brenda !!!!" Jax pleaded.

Brenda paused to compose her thoughts, then finally relayed her news, "Apparently, Thao and Agustine had told her many stories about us, and she has written a song about us! It's fabulous Jax! I want to use it instead of the normal processional and recessional that everyone else uses for their wedding ceremony. This song is SO perfect Jax. He Fed-Exed a tape to me this morning! It's Laura's voice on the demo tape, so you're going to have to imagine how it will sound when Agustine sings it. It will be so fabulous with his resonant baritone! Do you want to hear it?"

Jax's mind screamed NO, NO lets go to bed, but he said, "Of course I do! Put it on and lets listen to it. But I'm sure if you love it, so will I."

Brenda was practically vibrating with excitement as she rose from the couch and rushed to her stereo and rewound the tape. "Jax, stand by the fireplace. I'm going to run up the stairs and make an entrance to this music. She depressed play and started to run up her stairs, but almost immediately ran back down. She grabbed the edge of her lace tablecloth and pulled hard.

Jax's mouth dropped open as the lace cloth was yanked from beneath 3 candles. When she was done Brenda was holding the cloth and the candles remained standing on the table! He looked at his wife-to-be in utter amazement.

She noticed his expression and laughed as she ran up the stairs and hit the dimmer switch on the lights, "Old boarding school trick Jax."

So there he stood in front of her fireplace as he waited for the tape to start. Brenda could be so sentimental some times. Another side of her, he adored. He hoped this was a short song, he wanted to listen, quickly agree, and get to bed. He turned and looked up the stairs as the song finally began to play .. .. ..

Dreamed of you in my solitude

I told myself way back when

That if my prayers

Could get me there

I'd never let you go again

Jax's breath caught in his throat as Brenda descended the stairs. She had removed her sweater and was just wearing that tiny strapless knit dress with the delicate lace tablecloth adoring her head and streaming down her back. The tiny filigree pattern cast a lacy pattern on her shoulders, back and face by the moonlight that now shimmered in through the windows. The lace cloth hung to the floor forming an elegant train behind her. One corner balanced in front of her face formed a triangular veil that was sexily mysterious. Only Brenda could make a tablecloth look like haute couture! No wonder she was a top model.

Darlin' I had lost you once

Thought my world had come to an end

Now in my hands

A second chance

I'll never let you go again

Brenda paused at the landing by her front door, her hands held in front of her tiny waist as if she were holding bouquet. This song really was perfect. This Laura Williams had taken the most precious part of their lives and had set it to music. Brenda draped in lace from head to foot looked like a Spanish Princess! If he wasn't in love with her already, he would have fallen for her in that instant.

Now and forever more

You can come to me

Baby, run to me

And I'll take you into my arms

I'll never let you go again

She walked slowly down the last two steps and continued at a measured pace, to his side. Her eyes were so large and luminescent, he felt as if he were under her spell. He couldn't remove his eyes from hers. If she affected him this much in just a tablecloth, what would happen to him on his wedding day, when she was in the full regalia of a bride? He just stared down at his bride-to-be wondering how he had been so lucky to get this second chance with her.

Now and forever more

You can come to me

Baby, run to me

And I'll take you into my arms

I'll never let you go again

Brenda looked up at Jax, equally spellbound. He was so handsome and strong. The moonlight streamed though the windows making his hair dance with light, as if a halo ringed his head. He truly was her angel, her savior. She thanked God everyday, that he had given her this second chance.

In my hands

A second chance

I'll never let you go again

As the last notes faded away, they both stood staring at one another, each one not wanting to break the mood of the song. Brenda was the first to speak. She whispered, "So what do you think Jax? Do you like it?"

He looked down at her and pondered what to say. The song was so perfect that any words he used to describe his feeling, would pale in comparison to what the song had already said. He silently reached up and place his hands on either side of her pseudo veil. He slowly lifted it up and over her head and leaned down until his lips were just a fraction from hers, and whispered, " I DO."

Brenda felt the veil drop and the cloth slide slowly down her back as Jax's lips finally merged with hers. She felt her heart jump as she heard his whispered response. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think as those two little words passed his lips. The two most beautiful words in the English language! She couldn't believe that he had chosen those words, and had spoken them with such heartfelt feeling. She felt a little lightheaded and dizzy as Jax swept her off her feet and into his arms and took her up the stairs two at a time. They had discussed their wedding plans enough for the evening, they could finish the rest tomorrow. They were now done with the wedding rehearsal, it was now time to practice their honeymoon evening. And they would practice. Again and again and again if necessary until they get it right.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Song Credits Album - "Where Your Road Leads" Song - "Never Let You Go Again" performed my Trisha Yearwood