A little help

*Continuing to look up at Carson Jess takes in his warmth and comfort. Carson's words giving her a hope. This was the start of the healing. Maybe nothing grand would come of it but for now Jess new they both needed this. For now, this was right.*

"For a little while I did, but than with some help I remembered."

*As the night draws on Jess and Carson talk, nothing to deep on this night but getting to know each other a little more...the soft voice echoing through Mom and Pop's as the emptyness welcoming the two new people who had found each other. The laughter every once and a while being obsorbed till finally in the wee hours of the morning the voices die, and the eyes close without warning offering good dreams for tonight.*

Night comes, and than goes morning coming at last. The colors shooting through the sky waking those for the day.

*Katie eyes slowly open as the rays of light enter through the curtins. Blinking it takes her only a moment to remember where she is. Feeling a lump behind her Katie lifts her head and turns it giving a smile at the snoring Domino next to her. Than turning her head the other way Katie just watches Scott sleep for a long moment. Leting out a sigh her mind movies as she shifts through her thoughts and feelings in no hurry to wake Scott. He looked so at peace and for some reason Katie felt a wave of lonlyness and a cold chill. Like a hard change was in the wind.*

*Jess lets out a little noise signaling she was waking as she felt Carson's hand to her face and the sound of his voice tighting her squeeze around him for a moment. Releasing her grip and sitting up Jess moves her neck side to side trying to get the kink out.*

"Sorry I feel alseep on you. I guess I was just to comfortable to move."

*Leaning over Jess gives Carson a quick kiss and than slids out of the booth giving a streach.*

" I guess I better let you go so you can work and not get into trouble. A shower is sounding pretty good right about now too. I'll stop by a little but later though if you want."

*For a moment Herb stands at the swing doors that lead out in the dinning room looknig out. Startled at first to see Carson out there with his friend but than a smile forms on his face as he can see the small spark in Carson's eyes and the smile that had been absent from the girls face for a while. Not even one thought of something inmoral cross Herb's mind. Decieding to leave them be for now he heads into the kitchena dn turns the fryers and grill on to warm up as he starts his prep knowing Mable would be on her way in shortly.*

Morning light

Carson strokes Jess’ arm as she leans into him. It felt good to have someone with him again…there wasn’t a deep relationship between him and Jess…but neither were they flippant like he and Velvet had been. No…it felt good to be cared about again…and to be able to offer care in return. He had missed being someone’s shelter…being needed…knowing that someone could find comfort in him.

He lowers his eyes to see Jess’ as she looks up at him, his faint smile remaining. “I’m glad too,” he replies quietly. “For a while there I thought you’d forgotten how to shine.”

He leans his head back and closes his eyes, quiet for several minutes, just thinking. He hadn’t planned on any relationships…especially this soon after everything had happened. But it didn’t seem hard with Jess. She needed someone…and in a way, he needed someone too. Though so very different, both needed a chance to pick themselves up and start over. Perhaps each had a different path to follow – but for now, starting out together wasn’t an unpleasant thought.

Carson gives Jess a little squeeze. “Then I guess we let time take its course while we pretend we’re the ones in control.”

After another few moments, he shifts his weight again, finding his position uncomfortable. Bringing his legs back under the table, he sits Jess up for a moment as he sits back straighter against the wall, bringing one leg up behind her, and stretching out on their booth. In the end, he’s stretched out with Jess between his legs, her head back on his chest.

“So…you like strawberry milkshakes and you like to play cards. You realize that is the extent of my knowledge…”


Scott cracks an eye open just enough to see the late time the digital clock on his DVD player is showing, then glances to his side where Katie still lay. Her steady breathing indicated she’d fallen asleep just as he had. Domino still lay curled up behind her too, also dead to the world.

Instead of waking anyone up, Scott just settles his head back down in the couch. Knowing this might be the last night like this, he was willing to let it last as long as he could.


Bret’s hand runs through Charlotte’s hair as the movie’s music plays, the credits rolling. He was comfortable…too comfortable to want to get up…too comfortable to tell Charlotte to go home.

Reaching for the remote, he keeps a firm hand on Charlotte to let her know she doesn’t have to move, and he shuts the tv off. The living room grows dark and quiet and Bret’s eyes drift shut.


...Carson opens his eyes and scans the room. I takes him a minute to realize where he was…he was still in the booth at Mom and Pop’s. He didn’t even know what time he’d fallen asleep. He and Jess had stayed up so late talking that time simply hadn’t mattered anymore. He couldn’t recall everything that had been said…most of it was just small talk… but both had felt so comfortable that neither had wanted to move or leave.

Now the morning light was starting to come through the windows, signaling the arrival of a new day. A sound from the back alerts Carson to someone coming in through the back entrance. Herb.

He gently runs a finger down the side of Jess’ face, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Hey,” he prompts quietly. “Sleepyhead…I gotta get to work.”

Shadows Beauty

*As Carson withdraws from the kiss Jess stairs back. Scaning his face, searching the eyes that had captavated her. Seeing a bit of Carson's old spark in his eyes again makes Jess herself grin and her eyes sparkle for a moment showing the lost smile, and color they once had.

Giving a small shutter as a chill runs up her spine Jess closes her eyes feeling Carson's fingers run up her arm, neck and over her lips. His touch was rough but had a certin softness to her that gave her comfort.

Giving a small kiss to Carson's finger as it pass over her lips Jess rests her head on his chest as his arms wrap around her. Softly she replys.*

"I'm not disapointed. I like the real Carson."

*Wrapping her own arms around Carson the one behind his back and the other draped over him Jess just sits completely comfortable. Something about Carson made Jess feel ok, and didn't make her feel bad about herself. Maybe it was that Carson accepted her knowing the past and everything that happend.

Staying silent for a moment longer Jess just takes in the moment, the comfrote and the feeling that made her smile. This feeling was new, but she liked it. For once she felt real...worth more than a lowlife.

After several more moments Jess finally moves her head just a little looking up at Carson still resting her head on his chest she was able to see his face. Finally in a soft voice Jess asks.*

"So what do we do now? Anything. Something. So long as we don't so nothing. If we screw it up, we can start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late. I'm glad I took the risk to let you see my shadows beauty."

Spark

Carson glances up at Jess as she pulls away and slips out of the booth. He’d almost think she was leaving, had her hand not stayed in his.

As she moves around to his side of the table, he slides over just a little, shifting his position to face her more.

His eyes meet hers again… no words need to be spoken. The acceptance in his gaze signals that he’ll allow the return, and he does. His palm turns against hers to lace his fingers in between her own as his other hand wraps around her waist, bringing her close.

Carson lets the exchange linger, in no hurry to end as he feels Jess’ own passion colliding with his own.

Slowly sliding back further to the wall, Carson leans back resting in the corner. Gently withdrawing from the kiss, he eyes Jess, a spark of the old boldness flashing in his stare, the confident air drifting over him as just the very corner of his mouth starts to upturn.

Letting go of her hand, he runs his fingers up her arm and neck to her face, his thumb gliding over her lips. Taking a deep breath, he settles back, lifting his feet to rest them on the opposite booth under the table.

He turns Jess slightly and pulls her close so her head is resting against his chest, his arm wrapped around her. “I guess you found the real Carson Banks,” he whispers softly.

Closer

*Feeling Carson's hand run through her hair and his other locking fingers with her own the feeling of acceptance washes over her.

Carson's kiss was like the taste of honey, the sweet taste that you couldn't get enough of. Jess had been so scared and nervous to even think of being close to anyone alse but Carson was different, feeling him so close to her she wasn't scared. She felt comfortable with him and confadent he wouldn't hurt her.

Jess hand stays lock with Carson's as she pulls away for a moment. Still holding his hand Jess slips out of her booth and comes around to the other side, sliding in with Carson.

Smiling again Jess reachs out turning Carson a little to face her and wrapping her free arm around him drawing him slightly closer to her. As she starts to lean in again she bites her bottom lip and searchs Carson's eyes for a moment before returning to continue the kiss. Keeping her arm on his back she gently rubs is and her other hand interlocked with his own leting the passion, the bliss, the pure sweetness continue.*

Logic

Carson can feel his pulse rate pick up as Jess brings her hand to his face. He doesn’t move, just letting the moment slip by like the second hand on a clock slowing down against the law of time.

Her words tantalize his ears and pull at his heart, daring him to open up…defying his will to stand firm against his retaliation of letting anyone close again.

His eyes roam between hers as they near, their gaze almost drawing him in to a state where nothing else around them seems to matter anymore.

As Jess presses her lips to his, then returns again, his eyes close, every fiber in his being pointing at the red flags in the back of his mind. And for several seconds, he doesn’t move, just allowing Jess to come…allowing her to kiss him.

But his actions don’t listen to his logic anymore. Drawn in too far by Jess’ action to resist, one hand reaches up to cradle her face, his rough palm almost becoming soft against her velvet-like skin.

Slowly he begins to return the kiss, gently, then more firmly, cocking his head as his fingers make their way to her hair. His other hand slides up to hers that’s against his face, taking it in his own to lock her fingers in his, feeling her slight tremble, his own pulse racing.

Beholder

*Jess can't help the smile that spreads across her face slowly. A smile that her face had lacked for a long while, as she felt a confidence she hadn't ever before. A strange feeling churns in her stomach and unexpected but good feeling.

As if time stops Jess only see Carson as everything alse around her fades away. And Jess almost feels her actions are not her own as she takes a chance with a quivering hand.*

"So we both have something alse in common than, but even the dreamless shadows confined to a darkness of there own mind have beauty in them."

*Jess brings a hand to the side of Carson's face as her thumb runs across his cheekbone as her finger still trembles slightly.*

"And disappointment is sometimes a risk the beholder is willing to take, but let them make that decision, don't make it for them."

*Jess voice almost drops off into a whisper, a soft tone that drifts through the air.*

"Who is the real Carson Banks? I'd like to take that risk and get to know him."

*Jess leans forward as her pulse starts to race. Her breathing quacking slightly, as her lips press to Carson's for a moment only to withdraw and than return in the other direction once again for more.*

Risks

Carson stares at Jess as she studies his eyes, his own studying right back. What was her angle… Why did she see those things…and were they real?

He blinks and drops his gaze, contemplating for a moment. Finally he straightens up so he’s facing forward in his seat, swinging his feet back down on the floor. Leaning his elbows on the table, he stares down into his own milkshake, still finding it too thick to suck through his straw.

“The one who can read my eyes can read my soul. And the one who reads my soul risks seeing who I really am.”

Letting his gaze drift back up, he realizes he’s only inches from Jess’s own eyes and he swallows hard, his voice’s tone lowering. “And those seeing who I really am risk disappointment. For I’m but a dreamless shadow of who they believed me to be.”