Replay by Tyra

"JAXXXXXX! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

As Brenda and Robin ran into the parking structure they saw Jason standing there stunned. He was about three feet behind AJ's car which had smashed head first into a cement support post. Jax's head was still inside the sportscar with his body splayed across the hood.

Brenda screamed out and hid her head in Robin's shoulder as she began to sob uncontrollably. Her body began to shiver, she felt light headed as she staggered and collapsed. Robin only had the strength to soften her fall to the ground as she muttered, "This can't be how it ends! There's so much I needed to tell him. I never had the chance.. .. .." Robin watched Brenda's eyes roll back as her body went slack.

Jerry and Jagger ran to Robin as they witnessed Brenda's collapse. Jason who by this time had run up to car, was attempting to pry the driver's door open! As Julia caught up with the group huddled over Brenda, Jax screamed out to Jerry.

"Jerry! Get over here! The doors are stuck and the car's leaking gas. We got to get him out of there and I can't get a good grip on his shoulders with that damned air bag in the way. Get up here and help me!"

Jerry and Jagger ran to join Jax as Robin and Julia tried to revive Brenda.

Jerry joined Jax on the glass covered hood, pulling out his pocket knife to cut away the air bag, "Hold on Jax! Get your hands out of the way while I cut this thing out!"

As Jerry worked at cutting away the bag, a thin finger of flame began to flicker near the tail pipe of the car. Once the deflated bag was cut away, Jax and Jerry finally extricated him from behind the wheel, and handed him across the hood to Jagger and Jason. They dragged him away from the wreckage as the flames spread, building in intensity as it engulfed the trunk of the car, quickly working it's way forward.

Jerry slid off the hood and shouted to Jax, "Hurry Jax! It's gonna blow!" The two men quickly ran in the same direction as Jason and Jagger as the car exploded filling the parking structure with smoke and the acrid smell of burnt rubber and leather. The heat and light was so intense that everyone turned away protecting their eyes from the carnage before them.

As the heat subsided, Robin and Julia were now in hysterics, what had happened to the men! Then as the smoke cleared, they saw Jagger and Jason spraying the car with a fire extinguishers. Lois and the lobby clerk ran up to join the group.

"Brenda! What's going on? Did you pull her from that car? What was she doing in AJ's car?"

Robin placed her hand on Lois' trembling arm to calm her, "She just fainted Lois. She thought Jax was hurt, but it was AJ who crashed his car. The guys got him out before the whole thing blew. I think everyone's OK though. Did anyone inside hear the explosion?"

"I don't think so. Eddie's band is in the middle of their set. I just happened to be in the lobby when we heard the explosion. I doubt if they could hear anything with the Ballroom being in the back of the hotel. Is AJ hurt? Do we need to get the Q's out here?"

Just then Jerry and Jax appeared with a still inebriated AJ propped up between them. They were laughing as they approached, "Not a scratch on him! I guess he was so pickled that he didn't tense during impact. The only thing that will be bothering him in the morning is the headache from his hangover."

Jax's mood suddenly changed as he saw Brenda lying on the ground unconscious. He left Jerry holding AJ as he ran to Brenda. "Was she hurt in the blast? Did something hit her?"

It was now Robin's turn to calm Jax down as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's fine Jax, she just fainted. She saw you lying on the hood of the car and must have thought you went through the windshield during impact. She said something about needing to tell you something, before she fainted."

Jax's face transformed to pure delight at the realization that Brenda was well, and that her last thoughts had been of him before she fainted. As he sat down leaning against one of the support beams, he gently picked Brenda up, resting her head on his lap. He smoothed her fallen hair back away from her face as he leaned down and whispered to his lady love. Even unconscious, she was breathtaking! Jax tried to keep emotions in check, not wanting to take Brenda's fainting for more than it was worth. Maybe her reaction would have been the same at seeing anyone lying on the hood of a car?

Her lashes fluttered slightly as his fingers gently stroke her cheek in a comforting rhythm as he sweetly whispered in her ear. "Brenda, it's all right. I'm fine. Please open your eyes, our evening has just begun."

He blew a small puff of air on her forehead moving the hair about. Brenda softly moaned mournfully as her eyes finally opened. As her eyes focused and she saw Jax leaning over her smiling, playing with her hair. Her dull eyes sprung to life, glistening with tears of happiness as she sat up hugging him tightly to her. He was amazed at the strength in her grip around his neck. A hug had never felt better. He could still feel her body shuddering against him and he rocked her slowly back and forth whispering endearments.

Brenda couldn't get close enough to Jax. If there had been a way for her to crawl inside him and nestle near his heart she would have. Jax was alive! He was alive! She couldn't stop her body from shaking from her reactionary sobs. As she finally released him from the prison of her arms, her hands frantically felt around his body, checking for blood, cuts, gashes, hangnails!

"Jax! You don't have a scratch! Who? What? Why? How?"

He smiled down at her affectionately, "Are you attempting to interview me for your school paper or are you asking me the state of my health?"

"Jax, that's not funny! You were lying on top of the hood of that -- -- my God, it blew up!" She again frantically checks his body for injuries. Jax stills the motion of her hands before it caused an embarrassing situation while everyone was still standing in a circle around them.

"Brenda I'm fine. Everyone is fine. I was trying to pull AJ out of the car when you approached. I wasn't in the car when AJ ran it into the column. I couldn't get here in time to stop him, but I managed to stop Jason from getting in there with him. The air bag saved his life! Lucky for Jason he didn't get in himself, the vehicle was not equipment with a passenger side air bag. He most likely would have been thrown out on impact." Brenda and Jax both looked up at Jason who was receiving an equally painful hug from Robin.

As Jax assisted Brenda to her feet she asked, "How's AJ? Was he hurt?"

Jason answered before Jax responded, "He's fine Brenda, not a scratch. Jagger and the desk clerk took him into the hotel to check him into a room to sleep it off. Please keep this quiet for grandmother's sake. I don't want to ruin this evening for her. I mean, no one's injured, the benefit hasn't been interrupted by all this commotion. Can we all just go back inside and act like nothing happened? We can deal with the fallout of AJ's drunken binge tomorrow. Tonight is for grandmother."

Everyone nodded in agreement and headed back in to the ballroom. Brenda held Jax back as he began to follow the crowd. "Jax wait."

Jax paused and looked down at Brenda's pensive expression and a line of worry furrowed his brow. She was about to tell him not to take her fainting to heart. He could feel the kiss off coming. "Yes sweetie?" He unconsciously held his breath praying she wasn't going to tell him what he was dreading.

"Jax, I just wanted to tell you that when I saw you lying on the hood of AJ's car, I thought I would die. It was worse than seeing you lying on the floor of the Guggenheim, because the guard was there to tell me you were alive. I thought you were dead Jax! You were just lying there and I thought.. .. .. that .. .. .. you had be thrown through the windshield. You head was still inside the car, and I didn't see you moving and I thought .. .. .. his face!" She reached up and ran a trembling hand across his cheek and twined her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer towards her.

Jax was drawn into the soft warm watery dark brown eyes gazing up at him. He smiled down sardonically and teased, "What about my face? Did you think I would be horribly disfigured? Too ugly to look at?"

Brenda's eyes widen with hurt. "No, that's not it Jax. I thought .. .. .. I'll never see his face smiling at me again, never see his eyes blaze with the joy of living, never see his adorable nose crinkle the way it does when he makes fun of me. I thought I had lost everything in the split second it took for you to crash through the windshield." Her tears were now flowing freely down her face as she continued. "Jax, I don't know how I feel anymore! I thought I had figured it out. If I distanced myself from you, I couldn't be hurt by you again. But when I thought I'd lost you .. .. .. it hurt more than thinking you had left me on Kronos. I don't know what to do! I'm afraid to love you, to let you back into my life, to trust you wholly with my heart. But I don't think I'm ready to walk away from us yet, to let us go. Is that awful of me Jax? Telling you I can't live without you and yet not trusting you enough to let you love me?"

Jax felt his heart burst as he heard her words entreating him to understand her dilemma. She still loved him too much to let him go! He still had a chance with her and this disaster had made her realize that there was still something between them! He reached up and removed her hair clip. The hair that had not yet fallen out of the top knot, fell free in waves framing her face. He ran his hands through her hair to push it away from her face. He rested his hands on either side of her worried sad little face as his mouth spread into a grin so broad, he thought it would break. "I don't find it awful at all. I wasn't expecting you to love me in one fell swoop. I was prepared to fight for your love to my last dying breath. I can't tell you how ecstatic it makes me, to know that you're part way there. I don't need you to profess your love to me now. Just knowing that there's still a chance for me is all the promise I need right now." He slowly lowered his face towards hers, looking for any sign asking him to stop. Not seeing a refusal he lightly placed his lips on hers, feeling her soft sigh as he deepened the kiss. A sound caught in the back of his throat as her tongue parried with his, joining him in a game as old as time.

Jax's heart leapt as he felt Brenda's hands lower to play with the buttons on his shirt. His hands had moved behind her, resting in its natural place at the very base of her back. He couldn't resist pulling her more tightly towards him, making his excited state known. She pulled away in surprise before a throaty laugh escaped past her lips and she pulled him back into the welcoming warmth of her mouth.

"Ahemmmm!!!"

Jax and Brenda parted quickly at the sound of the sharp loud voice.

Lois was standing there looking all rosy cheeked with embarrassment at interrupting them. Her eyes looked skyward as if she was afraid to look directly at them as she spoke. Jax knowing the reason for her embarrassment pulled Brenda in front of him overlapping his arms over hers to keep her warm while he rested his chin on her head. The two of them were overcome with a case of teenaged giggles as Jax asked, "Yes Lois?"

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you both. It's just that the SPECIAL GUEST is here and Eddie needs to make the introduction soon. The SPECIAL GUEST is only here for the one song, and it would be rude to ask him to wait considering he's waving his normal appearance fee. Don't YOU think Jax?"

Brenda gently swaying back and forth in Jax's arms giggled, "What does that have to do with us? We don't need to be there to see this SPECIAL GUEST perform. I've already done my part for the benefit, I don't need to go back to the party. Besides Jax and I have some more things to discuss tonight. We were just about to go up to Julia's suite to finish our discussion, weren't we Jax?"

Jax's eyes darted to Lois in a panic trying to stall as he searched for something to say.

"Bren! Where are your manners? He's appearing in L&B's behalf tonight. How rude would it be for the B in L&B not to show up for his performance, or be there to thank him for his generosity?"

Jax felt Brenda's body slump as she sighed, "Lois is right Jax. I really should be there. Would it be all right, it we go back for the SPECIAL GUESTS' performance? I know that we still have a lot of issues to discuss and this situation between us needs to be more clearly defined, but it's really important that I be there for this."

Jax nodded his head amicably trying hard not to smile too brightly, "I totally agree. Sometimes business concerns have to come first. Besides we have the rest of our lives to discuss us!"

"Jax! Let's just make it through tonight and we'll take each day as it comes. All right?"

"Sounds like a plan. Let's get going before your GUEST leaves in a snit, shall we."

-- -- -- -- -- --

Lois ran backstage as Jax and Brenda seated themselves back at their table. Jason shook his hand as he sat, thanking him for helping save AJ.

"I've already thanked everyone else here, I didn't want to miss thanking you too. I told you're parents how AJ would have been blown to bits if not for the two of you."

Lady Jane brushed Jax and Jerry's faces with her hands, "Can't say I relish the thought of losing the both of you over a drunk driver, but you wouldn't be my boys if you didn't take the risk, rather than let someone perish without trying. I love you both."

John raised his glass in a toast. "Let's drink to a better year to come. A year free of misunderstanding, prosperity and love."

"Cheers!" Everyone repeated before drinking to the new year.

Brenda and Julia shared a warm glance as they witnessed what a real family must be like. Brenda felt a warmth run down her body that had nothing to do with the champagne. She felt so at home and wanted in this family called 'Jacks'!

Ned tapped on the mic to draw everyone's attention in the room. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know the proceeds from tonight's benefit will be going to the new Quartermaine Home for Battered Woman. No one here performing tonight is accepting a fee, except for one Special Guest. He is a superstar who has agreed to perform here tonight for triple his normal fee!" The crowd dims to a hushed silence, amazed that any celebrity would be so bold to require that high a fee to perform at a benefit! Ned continues, "A fee which he will turn over to the shelter in it's entirety." The gasp and applause fills the room as Garth Brooks walks out on stage removing his hat as he bows to the crowd.

"Thank you. I just want to apologize for not bringing my band, but we weren't planning to work this New Year's Eve. I decided at the last minute to appear here tonight, because this is such a worthy cause. Plus my lovely wife Sandy said I could." As everyone laughed, he continued, "No seriously, this is a wonderful cause that Sandy and I completely support. As you know I had a song that dealt with abuse of this kind. I feel strongly that we all should do whatever it takes to make it easier for women to leave their tragic situations. The Quartermaine Home for Battered Woman will give them a chance to escape, without worry of food or a roof over their heads to keep them, and in some cases their children, safe. The home will also provide education and training so these women can go on, with the ability to support themselves and someday lead full, happy lives." Another round of applause rolls through the room.

"I'll get off my soapbox now and sing the song that I've been asked to perform tonight. It's one that I sing only to my wife Sandy, because she's the only one who's ever made me feel this way. So if the gentleman who has donated my exorbitant fee tonight wishes to take his lady up here on stage for a spotlight dance, I'll just be sitting here on the edge of this stage singing for Sandy, so the stage is yours." He makes his way to the edge of the stage and sits by the footlights as Sandy places her hand on his knee. "Oh and I want to thank Eddie Maine and the Idle Rich for playing and singing backup for me tonight, otherwise you'd be listing to the most expensive acappella performance of all time."

As Garth begins a slow romantic song, looking only into Sandy's eyes, the room darkens to nothing but a single spot on Garth, and a solo spot that slowly circled the room.

To Listen Real Audio of 'Shameless' - Click Here

And I'm standing here for all the world to see
Oh baby, that's what's left of me
Don't have very far to fall

You know now I'm not a man who's ever been
Insecure about the world I've been living in
I don't break easy, I have my pride
But if you need to be satisfied

All the women in the room looked around hoping that the song was meant for them. Young and old alike all had this look of joyous anticipation on their faces, just waiting for their loved one to hold out their hand to them. Brenda leaned over to whisper to Jax, almost giddy with excitement, "Garth Brooks is here tonight! He's my favorite country singer! Who do you suppose he's singing this song for? This is so romantic, and so exciting." Jax merely nodded and hugged her more tightly towards him.

And I'm changing, swore I'd never compromise
Oh, but you convinced me otherwise
I'll do anything you please

You see in all my life I've never found
What I couldn't resist, what I couldn't turn down
I could walk away from anyone I ever knew
But I can't walk away from you


I have never let anything have this much control over me
I work too hard to call my life my own
And I've made myself a world and it's worked so perfectly
But it's your world now, I can't refuse
I've never had so much to lose

As the instrumental portion of the song played the spotlight continues to slowly circle the room. Brenda whispers, "I'm getting all tingly Jax. This is so amazing! Why hasn't he made himself know?" When Jax doesn't respond she turns to ask him again but the chair is empty! He is standing behind her chair with arm extended towards her! Brenda is shocked beyond movement, so Jax pulls her to her feet, taking her up on stage, and led her into a slow romantic spotlight dance. The glow in her eyes as she looked unbelieving at Jax, filled him with such joy. The money had been well spent and this song explained to her exactly how she made him feel. She had to understand after tonight, how much he cared for her, cherished her. He could feel Brenda's heart pounding as he held her tight, spinning with her about the stage. Her hand was poised over her trembling lips in complete joyous shock. He was enthralled by her tear filled glistening eyes. It was like watching the stars dance in the skies above on a clear moonless night.

I'm shameless, I don't have the power now
I don't want it anyhow
So I got to let it go

Oh, I'm shameless, shameless as a man can be
You make a total fool of me
I just wanted to you to know

Oh, I'm shameless, I just wanted you to know
Oh, I'm shameless, Oh, I'm down on my knees...shameless

As the last notes faded and the room went dark, Jax dipped Brenda taking the opportunity to steal a kiss. Under the cover of darkness she only heard his voice simply stating, "I love you Brenda."

Before she could respond the bright spotlight illuminated them on stage and the room exploded with applause. Garth walked over and shook Jax's hand. "He must really love you miss." Garth then slaps him on the back, "Or he's crazy!" As Brenda and Jax laugh, Garth kisses Brenda's hand and shakes Jax's again before clarifying, "Just kidding, He's really crazy in love with you is all. Good luck in the New Year folks." He then walked to the back of the stage to speak with Ned. Lois comes rushing on stage as she realizes that her Eddie is occupied with Garth.

"All right folks! This is it! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!"

Brenda and Jax returned to their table as the room is raining with confetti and balloons. The noise makers and champagne corks exploding engulfed them. She accepted a shower of congratulations from everyone at their table before she realized they thought that Jax had proposed!

"Calm down everyone! We're not engaged, we've just agreed not to part just yet. We still have things that need to be worked out, but the outlook is promising." Despite her cautionary words everyone at the table could see plain as day that Brenda was completely in love with Jax and he with her. When were they going to finish with their game and end the torture for everyone?

Lois winked broadly at everyone at the table, "Yeah Right, girlfriend. You keep telling yourselves that, but just remember why you almost missed your own special song here tonight! If I told everyone what I witnessed out there in the parking lot a few minutes ago, they would all need to run for the showers in the health club here to cool off!"

Brenda clamps her hand over Lois' mouth as everyone at their table was convulsing in laughter at their expense. "Lo!"

Brenda's distress and Jax's embarrassment at everyone's good natured teasing was interrupted as Ned ran up to the table. "Lois! You won't believe what just happened!" He picked her in a crushing kiss as he spun her around before setting her down.

Lois was laughing as she gently rubbed her lipstick off his lips with her thumb, "Eddie! What's going on? You're practically foaming at the mouth!"

"Garth Brooks wants the Idle Rich to be his opening act for his Winter tour! He loves us! He said the band that he had signed, just split up and he wants me! I mean, he wants us! Do you know his track record for making stars out of his opening acts? Trisha Yearwood got her start opening for Garth! My God, this is such a huge break! I can't believe it!"

Jason cleared his throat before speaking, "Ned? I don't want to be a wet blanket here, but what about ELQ? A tour with Garth Brooks has to be pretty extensive. How are you going to do both?"

Ned's eyes were sparkling with excitement! "That's the beauty of it Jason. It's always slow this time of year, the tour will end in late March. So I'll just take a leave of absence until then. Grandfather should be able to manage things until I return. Jakarta doesn't gear up until April anyway and I will be back in the ELQ saddle by then. Besides, AJ has been whining to grandfather that I don't give him enough responsibility. This will be his chance to prove to grandfather that I'm wrong, that he isn't a useless drunk!"

Ned frowns at the expressions he sees on everyone's face around the table, "What did I say? It's not as if everyone doesn't know AJ drinks excessively!"

"Excuse us for a moment folks." Lois said as she pulled Ned away to tell him what had happened outside.

The table quiets to silence as they watch Ned and Lois depart. Brenda was the first to speak, "Happy New Year's everyone. Jax and I are going to leave a little early tonight. As I said we still have some important issues to discuss."

As the women all stood to bid them Happy New Year and to give Brenda advice to give Jax another chance, John and Jerry exchange a knowing look between them.

John moved over to the chair next to Jerry and whispered, "We can check off Step 1 of our plan Jerry, the brains of ELQ will be out of the picture for the next three months. That was brilliant on your part to get Garth to offer him a job!"

Jerry grinned as he responded, "Wish I could take credit for that dad, but I didn't plan this. I just asked Garth to appear in Jax's behalf. Who knew that Ned was talented? I guess the adage is true that good things come to those who do good deeds for others!"

Father and son reached for their glasses and toasted before downing the rest of their champagne. They couldn't contain their joy at their good fortune as Julia sat herself on the other side of Jerry. After kissing him lightly on his neck she whispered, "What are you too looking so sly about? Did you earn a quick million tonight?"

He felt his heart jump at the feel of her lips against the pulse in his neck. He returned the favor and was rewarded with the sounds of her soft moans against his ear. "Something like that Jules, but enough about business. How about us celebrating the New Year? What do you say we go out to the docks and watch the fireworks from Jax's yacht"

"Jax sailed his yacht to Port Charles?"

"No it's in dry dock being serviced right now, but it's sitting out by the docks. So we won't be able to sail it, but I'm sure we can come up with something to keep ourselves occupied." At seeing her eyes light up with excitement, he reached for an unopened bottle of champagne and bid their good nights to his parents.

As Julia pauses to speak briefly to Lady Jane, John pulled Jerry aside, "Don't let your libido distract you Jerry. I need your full attention to this operation."

"Don't worry dad, with the old man and the drunk running the show, we have nothing to worry about." With that parting comment and a lascivious wink, he and Julia exited the ballroom. As Jerry rambled in his lewd fashion about the night ahead of them, Julia's mind was on other matters. She had seen the looks that had passed between father and son. She wondered what was going on and how Ned's leave of absence would impact ELQ? She knew how the Jacks did business, and the Q's could lose their company from complacency in their solvency. Even though she was now seeing Jerry and not Ned, she didn't agree with the Jacks' renown business practices. Besides if anyone was going to absorb ELQ it would be Barrett Industries!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Song Credits Album - "Ropin The Wind" Song - "Shameless" performed by Garth Brooks

~ to be continued ~