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Chapter 43 - A Gesture

Jack left the loft, and he had not intended on returning that day. He had had enough excitement to last him one day, and it was becoming more and more apparent to him that the more time he spent with Jennifer, the less that was likely to change, so he decided to just stay away for the rest of the day. But that resolve did not take him far, and that decision was quickly aborted as Jack found himself in a new and precarious predicament.

Jennifer had told him that she had not been grocery shopping and Jack had adamantly refused her suggestion that she go this afternoon. He knew she still wasn't feeling completely right, and even though his toe still throbbed now and again, he figured that he should just make a stop for her and pick up a few things to tie her over.

So, without conscious thought but rather compulsion to guide him, Jack found himself wandering the aisles of the grocery store, trying to figure out what type of items she might have need for. It was alternately frustrating and challenging.

Midway along, Jack realized what he had been missing all these times. He rarely set foot in a grocery store; Sheldon usually took care of such trivials. But Jack began to appreciate the challenge involved. So many items to choose from, some on sale. Jack picked up a few staple items: bread, milk, eggs, fruit. But from there, he was unsure what else. He stopped in the aisle with all the boxes of cereal and his head began to swim. How was one supposed to choose from so many? He looked with disgust at some of the boxes. Pure sugar. Then he reached for something that looked as if it was much healthier. He became so engrossed in reading the box label that he didn't see the figure approaching.

With a devilish smirk, Steve rammed his cart into Jack's, and Jack looked up with a start, about to protest. Instead, he recovered by grabbing for the eggs, and he lifted the lid to check that they were all right.

"Jackson, now what are you doing in a place like this, dude?" Steve questioned.

Jack gulped and returned the eggs to their rightful place. Refusing an answer, he turned the question back around and said, "I was about to ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?" Jack's eyes pierced Steve's and he struggled to breathe normally.

Steve still had that mocking grin on his face and he answered. "I'm picking up some stuff for Kayla. She's not getting around very well these days." Jack thought about Kayla, pregnant and uncomfortable at home, and his heart gave a lurch, as it always seemed to do when he thought about her. Steve watched him, unsure what Jack was thinking, but he broke the tension with another joke. "Besides, what do you think---the grocery fairy comes and delivers all this stuff?"

"Apparently not, I am realizing," Jack said, honestly, trying desperately to lighten things between them a bit.

Steve studied him a moment, the smile dimming slightly. "Billy Jack, you didn't answer me. What are you doing here?"

"Me?" Jack answered. "Oh nothing really."

"Just hanging out for a bit?" Steve questioned, seeing into his brother's soul far more than Jack would have liked to admit. "You here to pick up chicks?"

"Me?" Jack asked again, outraged. "Certainly not."

"Oh. Then you already have a chick."

Jack did not like the direction in which this was headed, but he feared that the more he tried to hide it, the further Steve would pursue it, so he sighed and opted for a dose of honesty. "Actually, I'm just picking up a few things for Jennifer." He watched Steve's smile light back up with understanding, and he quickly interjected. "She's been sick and she hasn't been able to get out to shop, so I just figured I'd pick her up a few things. That's all." He hoped it sounded convincing enough.

"Yep. A chick." Steve was sounding smug, and Jack felt the unfamiliar feeling of sweat just under the surface. Why did Steve always manage to make him feel that way?

But Steve was not commenting further. He just moved back into action and let his eye roam over the cereal display. Reaching for a box, he carelessly tossed it into Jack's cart. "Here you go," he suggested, after the fact. "It's perfect. She'll love 'em." Jack looked down, and glaring up at him from the cart was a box of Apple Jacks. He looked up and caught Steve's mocking grin, once again firmly in place, and Jack had no choice but to let out an uneasy smile.

Jack reached into the cart, plucked out the offending item and replaced it on the shelf above. "Very funny," he remarked.

"Naw, man," Steve countered. "You wanna know what's funny? Can you imagine Jo's face if she saw us here like this?"

Steve's sense of humor was somehow contagious, and as uncomfortable as he felt, Jack let a smile escape at the shared thought. Their mother would probably die on the spot if she saw them there like this, he knew. Steve reached out and picked another box of cereal and let it fall into his own cart. Jack studied it: Sugar Smacks.

"Kayla eats that stuff?" he asked, before he could help himself.

Steve shook his head. "Nope. She hates the stuff. These are my babies." Jack looked skeptical, and Steve grinned. "Billy Jack, don't tell me you've never had this stuff." Jack shook his head, befuddled, and Steve went on. "Aww, you're messin' with me. This is great." Jack studied his brother a moment, trying to determine if he was serious or not.

Seeing Jack's dubious look, Steve jumped into action. He grabbed for the box, and to Jack's horror, began to pull back the box top and open the inner bag. Giving the box a little shake, Steve looked across at Jack and said, "gimme your hand."

Jack was struck mute. His blank expression must have penetrated to Steve, because the older brother reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, and Jack was too stunned to resist. The next thing Jack knew, Steve was pouring pieces of cereal into his empty palm, and he stood there, unable to move or react.

"Go ahead," Steve instructed. "Try 'em."

Jack didn't know what to do, but moved as though by a force beyond himself, he slowly brought his hand to his mouth and gulped the cereal. He nodded, almost painfully, and swallowed them, without even really tasting them.

Steve grinned his approval and said, "what did I tell you? Great, huh?"

Jack nodded again, trying to find his voice, but Steve somehow knew where his thoughts were and he reassured him. "Oh, don't get yourself in a tizzy over it…I'm gonna buy the box, you know." And Jack nodded again, unable to speak a word.

For the rest of his time, Jack felt himself being led about by Steve, and he couldn't wait until he was safely at the checkout counter, almost ready to pay and get out of this uncomfortable situation. But it wasn't that easy. Steve went ahead, unloading and reloading his cart, and paying. And then he waited while Jack did the same. They exited the store together, and Jack had no idea what he should say as they came to the point where they were to part ways, finally.

It didn't matter. Steve had the words, instead. He smiled, but some of the familiar cockiness was absent, and the look he gave Jack seemed to be one of pride. "You know, Jack," he said, and Jack was surprised to hear him use his name, rather than one of his oft-used nicknames. He looked at Steve in question, and his older brother completed the thought. "It was a nice gesture. Now get those groceries back to Jennifer…pronto…" And he was gone.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer gets an unexpected visitor.

Chapter 45 - A Misunderstanding

Jack juggled the groceries all the way up into the elevator, and as he rode it up to Jennifer's floor, he wondered if she'd be surprised to see him with them. Steve had even admitted that it was a nice gesture, and he hoped she would be pleased, both with the gesture and with the items he had selected for her. He imagined her face as it would look when he came through the door. Her eyes would light up and a smile would spread across her face, and then she would say to him, "Jack. No one has ever done something so nice for me before…" He had to wipe the silly grin off his own face now. Of course, she wouldn't really say that, but it was still a pleasant imagining.

Gathering his wits about him with one large breath, Jack felt the elevator door slide open, and to his astonishment, he saw before him the very last thing he would have expected to see. In the doorway to the loft, Jennifer stood, lost in a kiss and embrace with Emilio. He even heard her words as she told Emilio she would miss him.

Jack felt his heart sink right back down to the bottom floor, and he stood there, not knowing what to say or do. They didn't notice him for an instant, but then Jennifer did see him, and she pulled back from Emilio quickly, with a look of guilt. Or at least that's what Jack figured it must be.

Emilio was the only one who didn't seem surprised or shocked. He sized up Jack with a slow glance up and down and then said, in a mocking voice. "Devie. Whaddya doin' here?"

The absolute last thing Jack was prepared for was verbal maneuvers with the likes of Emilio Ramirez. Quite often in the past, Jack had enjoyed their sparring, because he so far outclassed his opponent that there was virtually no chance of him not being on the winning side. But now, with his heart in his shoes, Jack couldn't seem to be able to formulate even one clever comeback. He returned Emilio's stare, and then he broke away from it and forced himself to look at Jennifer.

Jennifer felt her heart go in a hundred scattered directions as she met Jack's glance. She wanted to say something to him, to explain what the embrace was about. She sensed from his reserved expression that he had misunderstood it completely, and she wanted desperately to make him understand it. But how could she do that with Emilio standing right there? Instead, Jennifer gave voice to the question that was uppermost in her mind. "Jack, what are you doing back here?"

He looked at her as if she were speaking another language. Jack's heart was like a sponge that had been wrung dry, and he felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness sweep over him. How had he managed to be so stupid, he wondered, briefly. What had ever made him think that there could ever be something between him and Jennifer? It was obvious that she had feelings for Emilio and he for her.

Jack made a decision in that moment-the only decision he knew how to make. He crawled back into his persona non grata and said in a voice of derision, "oh, don't let me interrupt you kids. I'm just making a delivery." And he swept past a baffled Emilio and a worried Jennifer and into the room, where he carefully set the grocery bags on the counter and turned back to where they were in the doorway, still frozen.

Jennifer wished that Emilio would leave now, but he seemed to be in no great hurry, and she was immensely frustrated, wondering how she was going to get out of this dilemma. For his part, Jack was determined to put up a front, and he studied them as though he enjoyed what he was seeing. In a voice laced with false bravado, he said, "you know, I never really noticed it before, but you two make a great looking couple."

Emilio, clueless as always, simply smiled, beaming at the perceived compliment. Jennifer, on the other hand, looked horrified. She shook her head, ever so slightly at Jack, imploring him with her eyes, but Jack would not acknowledge it. He went right on. "Yes, indeed," he declared, forcefully. "A great couple."

"Jack," she said, desperately, unable to say more.

He looked at her as though she were not even there, and he said in a dull, flat voice, "oh, I brought by some grocery items for you." He sounded as though it were nothing special, and Jennifer wanted to let him know how much it meant to her, but first she had to get rid of Emilio.

She turned back to him and said, "Emilio, you had better be on your way. You said you haven't seen your family yet, and I'm sure they must be anxious to spend some time with you."

"Uh, yeah," Emilio agreed, and Jennifer nearly pushed him over to the elevator and on his way. Only when she was certain that he was gone, did she rush back into the loft, where Jack was silently putting the refrigerated items away for her. There was a firm line set around his mouth, and he didn't speak as she came quietly to him.

"Jack," she said softly, and he turned blank eyes on her. She looked from the grocery bags to his face, and she melted. "I can't believe you did this."

"It was nothing," he assured her, avoiding her eyes and putting the rest of the groceries away.

"It was too something," she contradicted. "It was wonderful of you." She wanted to make him understand, but she didn't know what to say or do. She didn't know how to reach him again, and she was afraid.

Jack put the last can in the cabinet, and he crumpled up the grocery bag into a wad and threw it into the trash can. "Well, you're welcome," he said, matter-of-factly, as he advanced toward the door.

Jennifer was frantic. She couldn't let him leave, not thinking what he must surely be thinking. She hurtled herself into place in the doorway, blocking him from leaving. "Jack," she said, in desperation. "Wait. Don't go."

He looked at her as though she were a child to be pitied, and Jennifer felt fear grip her heart again. When he spoke, it was in those same, dull tones. "There's no reason to stay," he said, gently, but with certainty. "The groceries are put away, and you need your rest."

"You don't understand," she babbled, not realizing how she sounded. "It's not what you think."

Jack felt his heart coming apart, but he would not let her see that, and instead, he said, "Miss Horton. It doesn't matter what I think. The point is, you have everything you need right here, and it's time for me to be on my way."

Jennifer tried one last move, in her complete desperation. She reached out to pull him into a hug, but Jack took her arms as they reached for him, and he tenderly put her aside. Then, he stepped around her, as she stood frozen in her place, completely at a loss to know what to do to stop this, and he said one word that struck complete terror in her heart.

"Goodbye."

...to be continued...

Next time: Jack and Jennifer head back to work where they will face each other, but not necessarily their feelings.

Chapter 47 - The Repercussions

After Jennifer's outburst, Jack was left to pick up the pieces, literally and figuratively. He gathered together the papers that had been swept off in every direction, and he set about, with renewed determination, to get himself back on track. He just didn't realize how difficult that would be.

Jennifer made a supreme effort to maintain her distance, and as the next few hours rolled along, Jack began to breathe a bit easier, that he would not have to deal with her right now. Now was all he could worry about, though. Later was quite another story.

The moment Jennifer had left his office and returned to her desk, she had swallowed her anger and heartache and had decided to throw herself into her work. She might not be able to get through to Jack right now, but on a professional level, she was certain she could make a statement to him. She would show him that she was a professional, and not just a puppet he could toss aside.

Vern, unaware for the moment of what was going on, had come in and out of Jack's office several times. One of his trips by Jennifer's desk, he had dropped an assignment for her. Jennifer now held it in her hand, looking at it disgustedly. Apparently it wasn't enough that Jack was going to demean and insult her personally, but now it had moved over to the professional realm. Jennifer had not been asked to do such a blatant fluff assignment in she didn't know how long. And this one was too much. It seemed that Jack wanted her to report on the Tree Preservation Society and their efforts to plant more trees down by the riverfront. Jennifer could not hide the scowl on her face as she skimmed the page again. Then, with a hearty sigh, she picked up the phone and made a call.

A short time later, Jennifer was on her way out of the building to meet with the source for her interview. Frankly, she was just as glad to be able to get away from the office for a while. Jack had not emerged from his inner sanctum, and she was becoming increasingly frustrated.

Once he was sure that Jennifer was safely out of the office, Jack did make an appearance. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that she had gone off to cover the story without further complaint or eruption. As long as she was not there, Jack could breeze past her place, without consciously thinking of what had gone on between them.

* * * * *

Down at the riverfront, Jennifer met up with the source for her article, a thin, bespeckled middle-aged woman who was wearing sneakers and an old sweatshirt and who was so excited about her cause that she spit little flecks in Jennifer's direction as she waxed poetic about the importance of trees. Jennifer, professional as always, fixed a smile on her face and hid the wrinkle of disgust that her nose was trying to form. She wrote furiously into her notepad, and when she had what she needed, she thanked the woman with a genuine smile and moved off again. But she was still aggravated, and she stopped and sat at one of the benches, thinking again about the events of the past few days.

They had gotten so close, she thought, with frustration. She had thought that Jack had finally made it over his many rough spots and had gotten to a point where they could move forward together, but apparently that had changed in the span of an embrace---hers and Emilio's.

Jennifer was lost in contemplation. Why was it so difficult for Jack to admit his feelings to her, she wondered to herself. But if she was honest with herself, she knew the answer to that all-important question. Jack had been so bitterly hurt, so many times in his life. It was the reason why he couldn't reach out to people. He had to hold himself back, because the prospect of being hurt again was just too terrifying a possibility. And Jennifer knew that until she could get to a point where he could trust her completely, all her advances would be for nothing. Jack would keep pushing her away. The question she had to resolve for herself was, how many times would she let him do that?

Her mind shifted again, and Jennifer began to see before her the memories she and Jack had built together. She remembered the way he had looked at her and spoken to her the first time she came into his office, peddling her journalistic wares. She could see him standing before her, holding her as she cried her heart out over losing Baby Hannah. She thought about how he had gone out on a limb to help Isabella, and the way he had been inching closer and closer to tentative reconciliation with his mother and sister and brother. Then she smiled as other memories took their turn in her mind. She thought about how Jack had tended to her after the accident the night of the hospital benefit. She remembered their lunch at Wings, when each had been set up by Jo, but neither realized at first. And she thought about their Monopoly game and the subsequent bath fiasco. Jennifer chuckled softly, and suddenly her feelings of anger and frustration were being replaced by something gentle and peaceful.

A sigh wafted over the pier and toward the water, as Jennifer came to a new realization. Jack was going to go on hurting her, and she was probably going to let him do it. She didn't believe for one moment that they would not end up together somewhere along the way. It might take time and additional heartache, but he was going to belong to her, heart and soul. And she steeled herself for the rough moments that she knew would still be ahead of them. She could be strong, because in the end, he was worth it. They were worth it.

She clucked her tongue in irritation now. He was not going to make things at all easy for her, but she was going to have to deal with that certainty. Jennifer hopped up off the bench and moved with determination in the direction of the Spectator office.

* * * * *

Jack looked at his watch, nervously. Jennifer had been out for a while, and if he put off leaving for lunch, he might run into her at any moment. With hesitation, he opened the office door and peered out. There was no sign of her, and Jack breathed in for renewed strength and strode from the office, determined to make it out the door before he could run into her.

As the elevator door closed behind him, Jennifer came around the bend, narrowly missing running into him. She returned to her desk, where she stole a glance at the office, but there was no sign of Jack there. She sighed again, and she sat down, flipping on the monitor, and gathering up her notes. In moments, her fingers were flying over the keyboard as the story of a tree came to life. Jennifer paused to reread her opening paragraph, and although the subject matter caused her to roll her eyes with disgust, she was rather satisfied with her presentation of the story. Jennifer gave it her all, and in rather short order, she had before her a piece of work that she could at least be satisfied with.

She hit the print key and waited. The story transferred from the computer to paper, and when it was in her hand, she gave it one final read. Certain that she had given it her best shot, she headed for Jack's office. Pausing to renew her determination at the doorway, she knocked and waited. There was no answer, so she opened the door and went in.

There was a little ache in her heart as she crossed that room, missing Jack. She set her article on the desk, and she was about to leave, when something compelled her to stop and turn back to the desk. She walked around the side and sat down in Jack's chair, wanting him desperately. She breathed in the smell of the leather chair, mixed with his cologne, and she had to tell herself to breathe again.

After a moment, she knew she was not going to get anywhere, and she made herself get up to leave. A pen rolled off the desk and onto the floor, and as she bent to retrieve it, her attention was diverted by a piece of white paper wedged under the desk. She stooped to pick it up, and as she read it, her eyes widened.

That paper belonged on Jack's desk, but it remained in Jennifer's hand. And as she exited the office, it went with her. Jennifer had the beginnings of a thought in her mind, and she needed to consider it.


...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer makes her decision, and Jack is unaware and coming unglued.

Chapter 49 - A Plan

Jennifer had the makings of an idea in her, but she needed a plan. This was quite an assignment, and she needed to figure out every possible angle, if this was going to work. In fact, she could not afford to not have it work. There was too much at stake here.

Jack had to see her for who she really was. Jennifer was afraid that he had gotten some sort of glorified impression of her. He was seeing her as a fragile, innocent child, not a fellow reporter, toughened to life's beatings.

It was close enough to the end of a workday that Jennifer could be on her way and not arouse any suspicions, so she quietly packed up her things and shut down her computer for the evening. Then, when she was sure she could handle it, she quietly and unobtrusively left the office.

It was only when she had arrived back at the loft that Jennifer allowed herself to take out that paper and read it again. When she did, her breath whooshed out. This was quite a story. According to the notes and sources that had been listed, something big was going down in Salem, and Jennifer was going to have to find a way to get herself right into the middle of it.

Thoughts tumbled throughout her mind, as they took shape within her. After a bit, she felt that she knew what it was she was going to need, and she left the loft, bound for the store where she would need to pick up 'just a few things.'

* * * * *

Jack did not feel any better about the missing paper than he did when he first discovered its disappearance, but Vern had managed to calm him some. Vern, unknown to many other than Jack, had a photographic memory, something which served him well in his line of work, and once they had decided that the paper was nowhere to be seen, Vern had told Jack that he'd get right to trying to redo it. Jack wasn't sure he would be able to remember it all, but Vern waved an impatient hand and assured him that it was not a big problem.

And sure enough, within a relatively short amount of time, Vern came strolling back into Jack's office, proudly holding out a paper that Jack proceeded to snatch from him and peruse with interest.

"Not bad," he finally said, as he neared the end. "I think you've gotten the high points here." Then he looked up with interest again. "How do you do that, anyway?"

Vern shrugged and mumbled something unintelligible, as he turned and marched from the room. Jack looked the paper over one more time, and then he sighed into the empty room.

It certainly would have been a good piece. He had to admit that much to himself. It was almost a shame that he had decided to pull the plug on it. It certainly wasn't like Jack Deveraux to knowingly kill a good story, but this one hit a little too close to home. Jack studied the details before him with interest. His source had reported to him that Salem was being swept with a new crime---a baby selling ring. If the source was correct, someone was 'buying' babies off of poor, unwed mothers, with the purpose of selling them to the highest bidders. And, the fear was out, that if the market should dry up for voluntary unwed mothers, the brains behind the outfit were prepared to take drastic measures to 'acquire' a baby in another way.

Jack had seriously considered the merits of the piece before cutting it loose. He had not been able to come up with anyone on his staff that he felt could do justice to the story, let alone be put in such a potentially dangerous situation. And Jack might have considered following it for himself, but were it not for the residual feelings he still had lingering over his own abandonment by his birth mother. But there was another reason why Jack couldn't bear to consider this story, too. Everytime he thought about some young mother being separated from her baby, he saw before him Jennifer's face, as they had taken Baby Hannah from her arms. She had no idea how much that destroyed him to see. Jennifer had been wrapped up in her own grief, and she never even realized how much he had been hurting, both for her and with her.

Jennifer. There she was again. Jack sighed in frustration. When would he ever be able to get through a day, a moment, without having her in his mind? He wished he could just throw himself back into his work and not even think about her, but she was like an oasis in a desert of drear, and he couldn't seem to keep his mind far off of her. Jack sighed and crossed the room, opening a file cabinet and filing this story under the proper category. When and if he should change his mind about its status, it would be there, waiting.

* * * * *

Jennifer breathlessly let herself back into the loft, dropping her bags and heaving a sigh. The first phase of her plan had gone off without a hitch. She needed to look the part in order to play the part, and in the bags, she would find everything she would need in order to fulfill that. Now that Jennifer had her mind and attention on this new pursuit, she wasn't even thinking about Jack that much. This was too important, and she would not allow any thoughts that would detract her from what it was she felt she had to do.

She went through the motions of preparing a quick dinner, and then Jennifer found that impatience was getting the better of her, so when she had cleared everything up again, she decided there was no time like the present, and she prepared to initiate Phase Two of the plan. She grabbed the bags she had left at the base of the spiral stairs, and she hustled herself upstairs. When she emerged again, several minutes later, it would have been difficult for even her grandparents to recognize her. She stopped at the mirror and studied herself a moment, and then with a wry smile, she left the loft and headed out.

* * * * *

Jack had left work for the day, and he was driving home, lost in his thoughts. When he came to, he realized with disgust that he had been heading toward Jennifer's place. It was a force of habit, he knew, but he was aggravated with himself, nonetheless. Jack wasn't at all sure how exactly he was going to get Jennifer out of his mind, but he knew that he had to do it, somehow. With a sigh, he turned down her street, and when he got to where the building was, he pulled over in an open space on the street and parked for a moment. Looking up in the direction of her window, he swallowed another sigh, and sat, lost in contemplations for the moment.

Jack knew, deep in the hidden recesses of his heart, that there was nothing between Jennifer and Emilio other than a friendship, but he also believed that it would be better for Jennifer to consider the merits of a relationship with Emilio. Jack didn't really want to see them together, but he needed a diversion to get Jennifer in another direction than pursuing him. In the brief time since he had seen them together, Jack had convinced himself, once again, that he would never be able to offer Jennifer anything good and meaningful and that she would be far better off with anyone other than him. That realization pained him to admit, but he truly believed that she was better off without him. Of course, that didn't make it hurt any less, and as he sat there, staring forlornly at her window, he felt the ache of his heart beating.

So intent was Jack in his musings, that he almost didn't see the figure across the street. Then, his eyes suddenly lit on her, and he sighed. A young woman, very pregnant and dressed poorly, waddled along the sidewalk, looking scared and pathetic. Jack's initial reaction was to wrinkle his nose in disgust, but on second look, there was something sad about her, and his sympathy came to the surface. It reminded him of that article, and Jack was glad, again, that he had let it go, for such were the reminders that would bring him back again to those unhappy memories. And Jack didn't need anything more to make him unhappy today. He was doing a good enough job of that on his own.

With a snort of impatience, he started the car again and pulled from the spot. He was going home, he told himself. And from there, he was going to sit down and figure out exactly how he was going to exorcise Jennifer Horton from his heart and soul, once and for all. He just needed a plan as to how that could be accomplished.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer is engrossed in her mission, and Jack is reduced to fantasizing about a life with her.

Chapter 51 - The Routine

Author's Note: I think I can safely say that I've made it past the roughest spot of my writer's block with this story, and I have quite a few more to post in the days ahead. Special thanks to JackFan who gave me some pushes in the right di-rection...ha ha...Just a preview: we have Jennifer headed into danger, a few heroes, and a rescue. We will also see our first glimpse of a major character who has not made way into this story yet, and some emotional moments for Jack. And, btw, I would like to say that this is pretty much my first venture into any sort of 'action' story...I'm really a romance writer at heart, so feel free to share your input, but go easy on me!



Another day and another dollar, at The Spectator. Jack arrived first, eager to put a new day into being. Jennifer arrived several moments later, having narrowly avoided running into him downstairs by stopping to chat with the receptionist at the main desk downstairs.

Jennifer had done much soul-searching the night before, and she had decided to thrust Jack and his unwanted attention out of her mind. She certainly had enough to keep her busy at work, and she was going to do just that. Jack Deveraux may have hurt her personally, but she was not going to let him hurt her professionally, as well.

Jack was in his office, rereading Jennifer's piece on the Tree Preservation Society. It was, surprisingly, quite good. Not that Jack expected anything less than top quality from her. He knew her to be an excellent writer. It was more that he understood the caliber of the story, and even if it was less than front-page material, he could understand that she had given it her all, nonetheless. He may have decided that they had no future together in a personal way, but Jack was fiercely proud of the journalist Jennifer was becoming. He could see in her something that she hadn't even recognized in herself quite yet. He knew that she was the top of the crop of young journalistic hopefuls, and he was glad that she was cutting her teeth at The Spectator.

Getting settled at her desk, Jennifer flipped on the computer and waited as it warmed up. She had some papers to go through, in the meantime, and she recognized one of them, at least, as her assignment for the day. She read it, and a scowl formed on her face. Another fluff piece. She sighed heavily, her eyes on Jack's door, knowing he was inside there. She was so frustrated she wanted to throw something at him and his door. Jennifer fixed a firm line on her mouth and stood up, sailing across the room and into his office.

"Miss Horton," he exclaimed, as she barreled through the doorway. "Don't you ever knock?"

Jennifer refused to say anything, but she crossed the room to where he was sitting at his desk, and defiantly, she extended her small fist and knocked loudly on the top of his desk.

Jack blinked and looked from the hand to the face. Forcing his heart to be unaffected, he said, "that's better. Yes?"

"Jack," she said, with frustration in her voice. "What is this?" She held out the piece of paper in front of her, waving it in the air for emphasis.

"This?" Jack asked, with exaggeration raising his eyebrows. "It's a piece of paper. Tell me, do the questions get harder after this?"

Jennifer was NOT in the mood to deal with this side of Jack, and she huffed her frustration at him. "Read it," she demanded, and he took the paper and let his eyes run over it, although he knew perfectly what was on it and why she was behaving this way. Underneath his cool exterior, Jack admired her determination and tenacity. He always had. He allowed his eyes to peruse all the way to the bottom of the page, and then he held the paper back out to her.

"Looks to be all there," he said, simply.

"Jack," Jennifer huffed again. "You can't be serious. You can't expect me to do these kinds of stories. I can do so much more, if you'll just give me a chance." She was pleading, and for an instant, Jack almost felt sorry for her.

"Now what's wrong with this story?" he questioned, his voice thick with condescension. "It's a perfectly good story."

"Perfectly good?" Jennifer voice went up, with a squeak. "Jack, it's ridiculous. Pets Who Look Like Their Owners? And a contest for these people? Jack, really…"

"Hey, it's news," he said, sounding unaffected by her complaints. "Some people like to read this kind of stuff."

"Stuff?" she asked, loudly. "You mean 'fluff,' don't you Jack?" Jennifer's eyes were flashing again and she was voicing her frustration.

"Well," he said, sounding as though he wanted to be accommodating. "Call it what you want to, but some people do read it."

"Some people are idiots," Jennifer muttered, as she took the paper back and looked at it again.

"Miss Horton," Jack said, again. "Our job is not to judge the reading or thinking skills of our readers. Our job is to provide them with an assortment of stories from which they can choose their own reading material."

"Well thank you, Professor," she answered snarkily, and Jack had to hide a smile at her tone of voice. "Is Journalism 101 convened for the day?"

He didn't answer, and she didn't expect him to. Jennifer clutched the paper in her clenched hands, and she whirled about to exit the office. Jack watched her go, although he tried not to. He couldn't seem to help himself. When she was there, his eyes were on her, unless, by some great effort, he could pull them away. He just had to make sure that she didn't see him watching her.

Jennifer sat back down at her computer, in a huff. She grabbed the mouse and began to throw herself into this ridiculous story, so angry with Jack that she had trouble focusing on the monitor before her. Fingers began to fly as she viciously typed in her questions and idea for where to go with the inane story. Pets who looked like their owners? Jennifer thought she would show Jack. She would write this one as if it were a Pulitzer hopeful, just as she'd done with the other.

In relative time, Jennifer had an idea in which direction she would tackle it, and she set out to do her research. By mid-afternoon she was back in her place, putting the pieces together, a wicked smile set firmly on her face. Jack noticed her the few times he came in and out of his office, but she ignored him, with gargantuan effort. Finally, when she felt that she had a copy worthy, she printed it and trod back into Jack's office. He was engrossed in paperwork, and she had to clear her throat to get his attention.

Jack looked up, managing to hide what was in his heart. He appeared to be just a boss, conversing with his employee, and he said, "well?"

"Done," she said, shortly. She was so cool that he wondered what was on her mind. As he reached for the copy, their fingers touched for a moment, and Jack felt that familiar electricity go through him. Jennifer felt it too, but she wisely chose not to say anything about it. Instead, Jack focused on the paper before him, beginning to read it, his true feelings disguised by the smirk that was appearing on his face.

Jennifer couldn't bear that look of smugness on him, and she turned to leave. As she reached the door, Jack's words found her. "In a bit of a hurry, are we?"

"Yes, we are," she responded, turning to face him. "Because, you see, 'we' would like to be anywhere right now, besides here." And Jennifer stormed back to her place, leaving Jack with a look that was somewhere between humor and pain. He couldn't address her outburst, he couldn't forget it. Jack thought he would just have to accept it. This was how it was going to be from now on. Just another day at the office. And he felt a certain coldness grip him, as he returned what little attention he had back to her article.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jack goes one step too far with his ridiculous story assignments, but just as Jennifer is at the end of her rope, he makes her an offer she cannot refuse.

Chapter - 53 - A Nibble

Jennifer's thoughts were on the new assignment Jack had given her, and even though it was a Friday night and she should have been out having a good time with friends, Jennifer was so committed to her craft, that as she ate dinner, she sat with a notepad before her and jotted down ideas that she could consider for her new column. Jennifer glowed all over, just thinking about it.

It wasn't until after dinner that she set down the notes and something caught her attention from across the room. It was the jacket of her disguise, the one she had been using all week.

Jennifer was torn; what should she do? Jack had given her this new assignment, and she was grateful. Part of her wondered if she might not need to worry about the other story she had been secretly pursuing. But the journalist in her thought differently, the more she contemplated it. This was a story, and a good one. She had already gotten things off the ground, and she wasn't sure she was willing to abandon it all right now.

Finally, after much soul-searching, Jennifer made a decision. She was going to put on her disguise and go down to the pier again tonight. In fact, she gave herself a deadline, much as a journalist would do. She would go down there today and tomorrow, and if nothing happened, she would drop the story and let it go. Then again, she had to address the fact that maybe something would happen. There was no way of knowing, so she just decided to give it a whirl.

In her usual fashion, once she was in complete incognito, Jennifer shuffled out of the building and down to the riverfront area. She had been doing it all week, but as she hopped the bus yet again, she had trouble keeping the wrinkled nose of disgust off her face. This was the seediest part of Salem, and she knew she was in some degree of peril just putting herself there alone. But she couldn't think about that, because if she did, she might abandon everything she had worked so hard to achieve this far.

Once at the pier, she took up her usual spot, sitting on the bench, looking out over the water. She tried to make herself appear sad and pathetic, and she must have been doing a good job, because after about forty-five minutes, she got the first sign that her presence was being felt.

Another pregnant woman, young and sad, walked in her direction, and Jennifer forced herself to give the woman a sad smile. As the stranger came nearer, she paused, and then she asked, in a lost voice, if she could sit down beside her.

Jennifer patted the bench beside her and moved down a bit. This woman sat heavily next to her, and they were silent for a moment. Then Jennifer found her courage and spoke out loud. "My name is Janet," she lied to the woman.

"I'm Beverly," the woman said, holding out her hand to shake Jennifer's hand warmly. Except that her hands were cold and she seemed to be shivering. Jennifer's heart went out to the woman, and she glanced down at her stomach with interest.

Jennifer rubbed her imaginary stomach and then looked across at the woman. "You, too, huh?" she asked, leaving an opening, should the woman take it.

With a nod, Beverly said, "yes. I'm six months along. What about you?"

Jennifer had had all this planned out well in advance, should anyone ask her questions, so it was without hesitation that she said, "oh much less time than that for me. I'm already thirty-three weeks along by now."

Beverly nodded, with understanding in her eyes. "You are down here by yourself," she noted. "Me, too." Then she said something that made Jennifer's heart drop. "It's just the two of us," she said, rubbing her stomach sadly. "My boyfriend left me when he found out, and my parents threw me out of the house. I'm just staying with a friend for now…" her voice trailed off, and Jennifer was tempted to jump up and reveal herself and do what she could to help this poor woman.

Jennifer's heart was in the right place, but her head held on fast, and she remained in her deception. "I know how it is," she said, softly, spinning the lie further. "I'm not married, either, and the father is nowhere to be found. I have no family, so it's just going to be the two of us."

Beverly perked up a bit at that news. "I'm sorry for you, Janet," she said, sincerely. "But it's wonderful to talk to someone who truly understands…" They chatted on for a while, and Jennifer wanted to cry for imagining what this poor, lonely woman was going through. Time passed, and then Jennifer realized, with a start, how late it was getting, and she let out an honest gasp.

"I didn't realize how late it's getting," she said, apologetically. She got to her feet, unsteadily, and sighed, pretending to arch her back and relieve the cramping.

"Janet," Beverly said, quickly. "It's been great to talk to you. I-I come down here a lot, to sit and think. Maybe I'll see you again?" Her voice held a hopeful note, and Jennifer allowed a smile.

Jennifer was determined that whether or not she followed this story, she would come back, if for no other reason that to be a friend to someone who so desperately needed someone to talk to. "I come down here a lot, too," she confided. "I will come back, and we will talk some more." Beverly nodded, seeming to perk up, and Jennifer smiled gently at her. Then she excused herself and shuffled back off in the direction of home.

Jennifer was observant, but this encounter had touched her heart, and in the process, her mind was less than sharp. As she moved away, she missed the eyes that watched her, hidden, from behind the pier. Those eyes watched her with increasing interest, and the owner of the eyes knew it was time to report back to those in charge. This one was ripe for the picking.

All the way home, Jennifer thought about that poor woman and her baby. It nearly broke her heart to imagine what it must be like to be scared and lonely and pregnant, with no one who cared to turn to. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she thought more about what she was doing.

Rubbing her swollen belly, Jennifer sat on the bus as tears of empathy oozed from her eyes. She wondered, too, what it was like to have new life growing within her. It was something she hoped would happen for her someday, far from now. But she knew that to be a mother must be a wonderful thing.

Jennifer was lost in thought, as she imagined it. A golden-haired child called out to her, and she opened her arms and scooped her daughter up for a hug. Giggling, the little girl said, "I love you Mommy. I love you Daddy." And Jennifer looked over the golden head to the man who entered her imaginary room behind the child. Not surprisingly, it was Jack she saw there, smiling and coming over to kiss the mother of his child.

She was hardly aware that she had sighed aloud, and she was so caught up that she nearly missed her bus stop, but as Jennifer waddled off the bus and down the sidewalk, she missed the eyes of a stranger, watching her with interest, from his seat on the bus. The bus pulled away, and the man glanced out the window, noting the building she was headed toward. Jennifer had no way of knowing it yet, but she had gone fishing that day, and she had just received her first nibble of a catch.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer continues to get in over her head.

Chapter 55 - The Rest of the Story

Jennifer could not sleep that night, for the combination of fear, excitement and dread that was accumulating inside of her. How she wished she could have talked to Jack about all this. In the past, no matter how bad things got between them on a personal basis, he was always her boss, and he was always someone she could go to when she needed advice or help with a story. But this was so different. Not only could she not talk to Jack about any of this, she could never let him know what she had done. He would be furious if he found out that she had stolen a story to pursue. He might even fire her. She shuddered at that thought. There were times, especially in the last few weeks, when she had deliciously debated quitting her job, but she knew that the work and the man were well under her skin by now. She could not leave The Spectator any more than she could leave the man who ran it. And now, because of that, she was hopelessly confused.

She had to talk to someone. Should she confide in Vern? No. Vern would be sure to spill the beans to Jack. There was no one she could turn to. She had set these wheels in motion, and she would have to see them through. On that disturbing thought, Jennifer finally fell into an exhausted and restless sleep.

* * * * *

Monday morning dawned dismal and gloomy, with a forecast for rain and fog all day long. It didn't help Jennifer to wake up to the darkness, feeling almost as though she were suffering from a hangover. She forced herself up and dressed, and she went through all the motions that would take her to work that morning.

She arrived at the office only moments before Jack did, so as he rounded the corner, she was yawning and turning on her computer. Their eyes met, and Jack looked away quickly again, disappearing into his office. Jennifer never knew what to expect with him. Would he smile and joke with her, or would he ignore her, as he was doing now? She was suddenly weary of it all.

Vern, on the other hand, greeted her in his usual way. She was grateful that she could always count on Vern's constancy, at least.

The moment Jennifer alternately anticipated and dreaded arrived, and Vern passed her by, telling her that Jack wanted to see her in his office. Jennifer hid the hurt in her eyes. She knew that wasn't precisely true. She was sure that Jack did not want to see her at all. But her boss needed to talk to her, and she picked up her piece and mustered her courage to go into his office.

Jack sat at his desk, as usual, engrossed in what was before him. He barely looked up as Jennifer came in, but she boldly crossed the room and extended her hand, in it the notes for the piece she was working on.

Reaching for the paper, he still managed to avoid her eyes, and Jennifer was tired and somewhat disgusted by the whole business between them. Jack, however, seemed to be ignoring it all, as he took the paper and sat back in his chair, reading it, with interest.

Actually, it looked to be promising. He had known he was making the right move in extending the offer to Jennifer. She had excellent instincts and had gone straight to the heart of Salem by suggesting to kick off the column with an in-depth look at Salem's premier hospital.

Jennifer would ordinarily be jumping out of her skin with anticipation over what Jack would have to say, but today she was oddly subdued. Jack wondered, briefly, what had come over her. Where was the feisty young reporter who had marched in there on Friday, prepared to tell him off? This Jennifer was practically another person. She was quiet and reserved, and she seemed tired or upset.

"Miss Horton?" he questioned, looking up from her paper. "Is everything all right today?"

Jennifer couldn't hold back her sigh of discontent. She simply said, "I'm fine, thank you, Mr. Deveraux." Jack gave a slight start at her words. While it was not uncommon for him to address her so formally, rarely did she return the practice with him. Something was wrong, and he wanted to know what it was.

"What's going on?" His words were so gentle, so filled with concern, that Jennifer had to blink to keep from crying. How could he push her aside with such reckless abandon one moment, and then act this way in the next? She couldn't understand him.

Jennifer chose to ignore his query, and she plowed ahead, in crisp, business-like tones. "What about the outline for the story?" she wanted to know.

Jack had the faintest crease of a frown between his brows. There was definitely something going on, and instinct told him he didn't like it. Jennifer was being so evasive; what was she up to, he wondered. But he gave her the answer she was seeking, anyway. "The outline? I'd say you are on the right track."

She wanted to know more, but she didn't want to, either. So Jennifer reached for the outline, holding out her hand in a gesture of near defiance. He made no move to return her paper, and although her hand shook some, she remained firm. Finally, he handed the paper back to her, along with some offhand remarks. "Remember," he said, "you need to find the right angle for this thing. We want what's behind the scenes of University Hospital, not a straight history of the place."

"I know what you want," she said, wearily, and he was surprised again. Jack wondered, briefly, if she was sick again, but her coloring looked fine. "If that will be all," she said, and then, without waiting for an answer, she turned and strode from the room, leaving Jack with a gaping mouth as he watched her close the door.

'Something is going on,' he told himself. He just didn't know if it was something that he should be concerned about. And then Jack wondered if it wasn't something else. Perhaps she had finally taken his hint and had made steps to put the idea of the two of them out of her mind completely. That thought, while following in perfect accordance with his plans, was utterly dismal, and Jack found himself swallowing, painfully.

Back at her desk, Jennifer fought her feelings. There was no way that Jack could know what was upsetting her. She could never tell him, and she prayed he'd only find out after she had her story. Jennifer would spend the rest of the day going through the motions of putting together her piece on the hospital, but there was something else occupying the forefront of her mind.

Jennifer had an appointment to keep down at the pier that afternoon. Beverly had given her a time and place to meet, and Jennifer knew in her heart that things were going to take off from there. Her reporter instinct told her that she had made the right contact and that today she was going to find something that would put her in the right direction to crack open the baby story.

She covered over the feeling of dread that was making its way back into her mind, and she reminded herself that this was going to prove to be the story of the year. She had come so far already, and she could not turn back now. She had to go ahead with the plan and discover the rest of the story, for her own sake as well as for Jack's.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer tells a little white lie, and when Jack catches it, he's really worried now!

Chapter 57 - The Right Place

Jack mustered up all the courage he would need to do this, and he got out of his car and forced himself to go to Jennifer's loft. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to her, but he knew that he needed to confront her about what was going on. It never once occurred to Jack that she would not be home by now.

He waited after knocking, but there was no answer. He called her name, knocking again, but there was still silence. Jack sighed, heavily, and he made a quick decision. Reaching into his pocket, he extracted his keys and found the key to her loft, opening the door, and peering in. There was no sign of her.

"You should not be doing this," he told himself, out loud. "This is wrong."

Jack moved about the room, looking for something, anything that might give him a clue to where she was and what she was doing. As each moment went by, he was increasingly convinced that she was in some sort of trouble.

After several moments of searching, Jack found what he was looking for, although it didn't make him feel any better having seen it. There, on the counter, was a piece of paper with Jennifer's writing all over it. A name, Beverly, leapt out at him, and then the scattered words and phrases that made no sense. Something about the riverfront and a pregnant woman. Why did that ring a warning bell in Jack's mind? The rest of the words made no real sense to him, but he took the paper and thrust it into his pocket anyway. He knew he had no business doing that, but something compelled him to do it anyway.

But Jack was not content with that. He continued his sweep of the place, looking for more clues. The next one was found in her bedroom. Jack felt funny about being in there, but he believed it was something he had to do right now. Jack did a once-over of the room, and then he went to her dresser and began to go through the drawers. As he opened a drawer that was holding her underwear, Jack stopped, his heart skipping a beat. This was absolutely wrong, and he knew it. But that was not going to stop him. He rifled through her things, wishing there was another way to get the information he needed. But then, as he was about to abandon that pursuit, he found the next clue. It was a receipt, shoved into the back of the drawer, and as he looked at it, he struggled to make sense of it. The place and the items listed did not seem to be anything Jennifer would be interested in, and he was sure this was something important.

Jack kept the receipt, too, for now. He went back downstairs, and on a whim, he hit the play button for her answering machine that was flashing. The first two messages were unimportant, but the third sent him reeling, as he fought to avoid the conclusion that was presenting itself to him. It was someone from the hospital, and she was asking Jennifer how much longer she was going to need the pregnancy empathy belly and when she might be returning it. Now warning alarms began to ring more clearly in Jack's mind, but he still didn't have it all put together yet.

Sighing, he sat on her sofa, trying to put it all together. There had to be something more. Something that would bring it into stunning clarity for him, but he didn't know what it was he was still looking for. It was as if there was still a missing piece that would allow everything to fall into place, but he just couldn't get a handle on it.

"Jennifer," he spoke into the quiet room. "What are you up to?"

It still wasn't there, and Jack had no choice but to give up for the moment and move on. He left her place, locking up behind him, and he reviewed every piece of information as he made his way back down to the car. Then, as he sat in the driver's seat and mused a moment longer, he looked across the street, and something clicked. That pregnant woman. He had seen her twice now. And even the first time, there had been something so familiar about her. Jack's heart tripped a beat of alarm. No. It couldn't be. She wouldn't. But this was Jennifer he was talking about. The image of that woman, and the receipt he now held in his pocket, they seemed somehow linked.

Jack's mind already knew the answer that his heart didn't want to acknowledge. But he had to know it, wholly and completely, and he bolted out of the car, flying across the street, dodging a car in the process. He flew back up to the loft, his fingers shaking nervously as he fumbled for the keys again. Once in the loft, he didn't even bother to shut the door. Jack ran to the one place he had not looked before. He went to her desk, and as he rummaged through the papers that were left lying there, his heart sank as he found the final piece of the puzzle. There, before his stunned eyes, sat the very paper he had searched his office to find just days before. She had taken it, and if Jack hadn't been so scared, he would have been angry beyond belief with her. His heart nearly stopped, as his mind raced with the ideas of what she was doing. He knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what was going on. Jennifer was in deep trouble.

* * * * *

Back at the pier, Jennifer looked helplessly at Beverly, who flashed sympathetic eyes at her. She was trying to make her feel better, Jennifer realized, but this was more than she had expected to find tonight. The man before them had asked them both about giving up their babies, and Jennifer knew what was going on. She had finally done it. She was smack in the middle of the biggest story of the year.

The man asked again, as if he thought the answer might be different, but Jennifer gave the same response. "I have thought about it," she insisted. "I can't keep my baby. I have no way to take care of it."

"You're making the right decision," the man said, in that same cold, unemotional tone that Jennifer found chilling. "I know someone who can help you both out."

Beverly reached for Jennifer's hand and gave it a squeeze, and Jennifer forced herself to return that gesture with a small smile. The man ignored the exchange and told them in a low tone that they were to follow him. That was the last thing Jennifer wanted to do, and she tried to put on the brakes. "Listen," she said, trying to sound more brave than she felt. "Can't this wait? It's getting late. Maybe we could meet again tomorrow?"

The man gave her a look of disgust and said, "you wanna do this or not?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah," she lied, rather convincingly. "I'm just tired, that's all." The man was unconcerned, and Jennifer looked at Beverly, who smiled at her again.

"Janet," she said, softly. "I know how hard this is for the both of us, but we are absolutely doing the right thing."

Jennifer nodded, unable to speak. She wished to heaven that she knew what to do next. She just knew that she needed to keep her eyes and ears open, through all this. And she and Beverly followed the man as he began to move.

All the while she was holding tight to Beverly's hand, Jennifer was thinking about Jack. She wished now that she would have risked his wrath and confessed what she was up to. But Jennifer still held out hope in her heart that she could emerge from this situation, unscathed, and with a story that would make Jack proud.

They were being led to an area where there were any number of abandoned warehouses, Jennifer realized, and she kept her mind alert on the landmarks and sights around her. She might need to find her way back again, she realized.

The man led the two of them into one of the warehouses, and as they made their way past rows of boxes and clutter, Jennifer was shocked to see someone there, as if he'd been waiting for them. He looked the two women over and spoke as if he already knew them both. "I hear that you might be interested in giving up your babies," he said, in a low and scratchy voice. "You have come to the right place."

...to be continued...

Next time: Jack is on Jennifer's trail, as she unravels more to the mystery and gets deeper into trouble!

Chapter 59 - The Fear

Jack lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, but sleep would not come. He was too worried about Jennifer to relax enough to sleep. He had no idea how deeply she had gotten herself into this thing, but every time he considered it, his heart began to thump in dread all over again. Jack had to convince himself that she was safe at the moment, because the alternative was too horrifying for him to conceive.

He tried to make himself believe that she had come home again, even though he could not be sure. In fact, he couldn't be sure of anything. Maybe she was just fine. He had tried to call, but she wasn't picking up her phone, that's all. Tomorrow morning, they would both arrive at the office, and things would be just as they had been before.

Jack's stomach was a knot of fear. One question kept plaguing him, over and over. Why had she done this? What would have possessed her to do such a thing? She had taken that paper, and then, apparently, she had moved ahead to break the story, all on her own. Even if Jack had decided to follow the story, he never would have allowed one of his staff to move on it without backup. And never in a thousand years would he have considered putting Jennifer on the story. The reason he pulled the plug was because of the danger involved. He'd have never sent her into something like that.

The images and imaginings twisted in his mind. He could see her in that guise, playing the part of a lonely, poor, pregnant girl. Where had she gone and what had she found? As he lay there not sleeping, he could only hope and pray that she was safe tonight. Tomorrow morning, he would find out if she had come home during the night, and then he'd move ahead from there.

Still he wondered about why she had done this, but the events of the week past began to parade through his mind. He remembered her hurt and disappointment every time he had handed her one of those articles to do, and now Jack felt sick inside. She took the story to prove something to him. She took it to show him what she was made of. He had practically challenged her into it, he realized with sick dread.

His breath caught, snagged by the darkness of the room. He had done everything that week to push her away again, and it must have been working. He remembered her expression, her attitude, the last time she set foot in his office. He had known then that something was wrong. She had been in trouble, and she couldn't even turn to him. That thought made Jack feel more horrible than before. He had pushed her so far away, she couldn't even turn to him for help.

Jack knew in his heart that he was partially responsible for this awful mess, and he was determined to do what it would take to make sure that Jennifer was safe again. He just had to figure out how to get her out of trouble, without creating additional trouble. He lay awake even longer, as the earliest of ideas began to take root in his overactive mind. And when Jack was fairly sure that he knew what he had to do, he finally relaxed enough to catch a few minutes of sleep. But it was a long and restless night…

* * * * *

Down by the riverfront, somewhere far in the recesses of an abandoned warehouse, Jennifer was 'escorted' to a room that provided a makeshift bed and a few supplies. She was 'instructed' to get settled for the night, and not knowing what more to do, she pretended to make herself as comfortable as possible. At least the night would give her the opportunity to think of what to do next. She figured she wouldn't be 'examined' until the so-called doctor arrived the next day, so for now, Jennifer's safety lay in her being able to keep those with her in the dark about her 'condition.'

The bed was lumpy and dirty, and Jennifer shuddered as she lowered herself down onto it. The room had no windows, and her only escape was through the door they had locked behind her. In the corner, there was what appeared to be a closet, but on closer inspection, she had discovered that it was a tiny, dingy bathroom.

Jennifer had been so scared up until this point that she hadn't known what to do. Now, she was additionally frustrated, and tears came to the surface. Why hadn't she been more careful? She realized that it was her own stupid pride that had gotten her into this mess. She wished she had just left the paper alone and never decided to do this story. At this point, if she ever got out of this situation, she didn't even know if she wanted to do the story anymore. All her thoughts and attention were focused on survival, and she lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, wishing she were home, wishing for Jack's strong arms around her, protecting her from the worst of life. A tear broke free and rolled down her cheek, and Jennifer sniffled.

"Jack," she whispered into the dark and frightening room. "I'm so sorry."

* * * * *

It didn't really matter that Jack had fallen asleep, because the nightmares were far worse than the sleeplessness. In his dream, he heard Jennifer calling out to him, pleading with him to help her. Jack woke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, his heart pounding with fear. He had to find her. She needed him. No longer was Jack focused on the games between them, or whether or not they belonged together. For the moment, his only concern was seeing to her safety.

Jack tried to still his breathing, and he let his eyes close again. But every time he did, he could see her small frightened face, her large, terrified eyes. He got up and began to pace the room, willing the morning to arrive.

Somewhere before dawn, he dozed again, sitting up in the chair where he had plunked himself. This new dream was much more detailed, and Jack, even in his sleep, knew enough to take in those details and look for clues. He was down at the riverfront, searching the old warehouses. He felt certain that one of them would hold her. When he woke this time, the sun was beginning to peek into the room, and he leapt up to begin the day.

Jack had a big house, but he had an even bigger stash of undercover items . He did just what he had done times before when he was undercover on a story. Jack went to the place in his house where he had all sorts of costumes and disguises, all ready and waiting for their next adventure with him. Not many people knew about his secret stash, but Sheldon knew and Vern knew. In fact, Vern had been privy to some of Jack's more outlandish getups, and he had teased the younger man that it was like some twisted episode of Batman, with Jack having a secret, hidden life that the outside world was unaware of.

Jack rifled frantically through the things, finally finding what he thought he could use. There was a faded flannel shirt, which would give him the look of a poor, blue-collar worker. And the ripped jeans only added to that effect. Jack put on a pair of glasses and a hairpiece, adding a mustache to the final effort.

He allowed only a moment to survey himself in the mirror. He certainly didn't look like Jack Deveraux, and in that moment, Jack Deveraux ceased to exist, temporarily.

Ordinarily, the adventures Jack wound up on were filled with a certain amount of fun and excitement. He would usually enjoy getting fixed up like this and playing the part. But as for now, Jack's heart was filled with dread and a fear unlike any he thought he had ever experienced. What if he was too late? That was the most awful fear of all, and it was so overwhelming that he had to thrust it from his conscious mind. He couldn't be too late. He couldn't. It was not possible that he could lose her, now or ever. And Jack fought his fear with every ounce of courage he possessed, as he packed the last few supplies he would need into his pockets and moved through the house.

...to be continued...

Next time: Jennifer is now officially a.w.o.l. from work, and she worries that Jack won't even notice she's gone. Jack is still on her trail, but who has 'ratted him out' and who is on Jack's trail?