Room 406, Tuesday evening

[izzyalienqueen]

Isabel's in her room reading Crown Diamond and enjoying the idea of not having anything to do for the next few days.

The door's open and she's completely interruptable.

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Would I do that?" Jack's expression had passed innocent and was verging on the saintly as he kissed the top of her head.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"All that and more I'm sure," Isabel chuckled. "Rememmber your innocent act doesn't work on me."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Well, maybe," he conceded, abandoning the attempt at looking innocent in favour of smirking at Isabel. "But not where anybody could catch me. Which means the couches are off limits for anything...truly relaxing."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Good," she grinned. "I'll be able to nap in peace then if I get the job I want."

Idly, Isabel started to draw pictures on his chest. "Did Sam tell you I talked to her?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"If you wake up with a Jack snuggled next to you, no kicking him off the couch."

Jack watched her hand for a minute before answering. "She did. Thank you for talking to her."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Never," Isabel promised. "You're my second favorite teddy bear."

"I was glad to help. It did help right?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack grumbled a bit about being second favourite, then grinned.

"I think so? I'm not sure. I'm not sure there was anything wrong in the first place." Jack lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "But thank you. She wouldn't tell me what you said, in case you were wondering."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Sorry, you just don't have magic hair," Isabel said, completly unapologetically.

"Maybe there wasn't. But we talked and I explained a few things. It was good." She laughed softly. "I think it means if she walked in and found us like this, she wouldn't immediately kill me."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Hmmph." Jack tipped his head forward and shook it, indicating that he could have magic hair, if he wanted.

"That's reassuring. But even if you're wrong, I'm pretty sure she'd assume I'd lured you into whatever she thought we were doing, so I'd bear the brunt of her wrath." Jack thought for a minute, unconsciously rubbing one hand up and down Isabel's arm. "And if Greg walked in and found us like this?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel giggled and pushed his hair back. "Sorry, it's just not the same."

"Nobody lures me anywhere," she said firmly. Growing thoughtful, Isabel shrugged. "I don't know. We've never really talked about it, how we are." She looked down over their entwined bodies. "He knows you're very important to me though."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack's arms tightened minimally as he said, "And I think Sam - and Cedric - know how important you are to me, but she was still...unhappy," and that was an understatement of monumental proportions, "until I - and then you - tried to explain it."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I understand why she was unhappy," Isabel said quietly, kissing his jaw. "It had less to do with this, and a lot more to do with timing."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," he replied, just as quietly.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Trust me," Isabel said quietly. "I'd never lie to you about something like this."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

I do. And I know." Jack slowly smiled and tugged gently on her hair. "So...what would you lie to me about?" he asked teasingly.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I already have," she said with a sad smile. "When I called from LA. I let you think it was all sun and fun because I didn't want you to worry."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack frowned at her. "Honestly? I don't see that as lying. Misdirection, yes, but not lying. Besides, I can relate, remember?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"True," she nodded. "Well, you know all my deepest darkest secrets. So really, I have no need to ever lie to you. How's that for an answer?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Kind of scary, actually." But he laughed as he said it. "And kind of nice."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Scary how so?" she asked, curious.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"It just kind of amazes me that anyone would voluntarily trust me with their deep, dark secrets." Jack didn't know how to explain what he meant, not without getting into things he'd rather not share, so he settled for adding, "But like I said, it's nice."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Why?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Why is it nice?" he asked, laughing. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because I get to do this?" And he rolled towards Isabel so he could put both arms around her and snuggle her tight.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel rested against him for several minutes, content. She debated not pushing it, but it was Jack and she was curious. "That's not what I meant and you know it. Why are you amazed that I trust you?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack sighed and pulled away, just enough so he could see her face. "Because deep, dark secrets, especially ones like yours, are a temptation. People who know them, can use them." There might have been the slightest hint of disapproval in his voice when he said, "But you just blithely spilled your entire life story to me, with no idea if it was safe or not."