Room 406, late morning til evening.

[izzyalienqueen]

After the Perk, Isabel returned to her room, made a few handwavey phone calls and then tried to pack. If you can call randomly taking things in and out of drawers packing. Annie sat on the bed watching her, seeming to sense something was going on.

The door was cracked open.

[ooc: If you think you would have gotten a phone call, you did. I'm around but occasionally slowish due to RL through about 7 tonight.]

Comments

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel looked up from where she'd been contemplating her leather pants. To pack or not to pack? But they were armor of a sort and would go great with the jacket Parker had just given her, so she folded them carefully and stuffed them in her bag. "Hey," she said quietly.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Good choice," he said, pointing to the leather pants. "They're universally sexy." He grinned, and it felt a bit off, but it didn't matter. He wasn't going to make this harder than it had to be. "Add something low cut and slinky, and it won't matter where you end up, you'll fit in just fine."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Really? Because my luck Antar is going to have two suns to go with its two moons and it'll be too damn hot for leather." Isabel forced a smile, but it was obviously false. "Hell, maybe we'll just all go naked."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Naked?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as he walked inside, stopping just shy of touching her. "If there's going to be nakedness, maybe I should go with you." Jack trailed one finger down her hair, eyes focusing on it as he wrapped it loosely around his finger. "It's my area of expertise."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"As much as I'd love the company, you've got places of your own to be," Isabel replied, trying hard not to lean into him. "I don't think the Time Agency would appreciate you disappearing on them."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know." Not that he'd let that stop him if going was even remotely close to an option. "I know," he repeated, smile slipping for a minute as he wrapped his arm around Isabel's shoulders and pulled her against him.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel buried her face in his shoulder and tried not to lose control, but she couldn't stop herself from shaking just a little.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Shh, it's okay, Izzy." He stroked her back and whispered soothing silliness in her ear while he held her. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was the one who was supposed to leave while Isabel stayed here, safe and happy. "It's okay."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know. I know," she said, holding on tightly. "Just give me a minute okay?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He nodded and laid his cheek against her hair, hands shaped to fit her back, and held her. A minute would be good.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

It quite possibly was more then a minute, but Isabel wasn't going to think about it too much. Not when this was more then likely the last time she'd ever see Jack. I'm scared, she thought, but couldn't bring herself to say the words.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

She didn't have to say it; he could feel it in the muscles tense under his hand. "It's not too late. You don't have to go. We could hide you." The words escaped before he could stop them, and now they were out there, they couldn't be recalled.

So much for making this easier.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I wish. But there's nothing to hide from," Isabel said, pulling away reluctantly. "Max told me I could stay. That I didn't have to go. But I can't let him go alone."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He sighed as he felt her pull away and let go, stepping away and shoving his hands behind his back. "I know. You wouldn't be you if you could," he said, smiling again, though he didn't feel it. "You're way too stubborn to stay."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel turned away, distracting herself with lining things up precisely on her desk. "Too stubborn or too stupid. I'm not sure which."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack walked up behind her, reaching around to tap the ruler to a precise right angle with the desk's edge. "Not stupid. Never stupid. And not stubborn," he corrected himself. "Honourable. Loving. Perfectly Isabel."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You're biased," she said, staring down at the desktop.

"So in your travels through time in space? If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Nostrils flaring, his hands balled into fists, and he dug down for the control that usually came as easily as breathing and right now he could barely find. "I will."

One deep breath; and he relaxed, smiled as he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "I've only flirted with one of your brothers, after all. It's only fair to give the other one a chance."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel smiled but it was anything but bright. "I'm not responsible if he hits you. Michael's a bit more reactive then Max is." She reached up and grasped his hand, squeezing it tightly.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He flinched as her nails dug into his skin, quickly covered it with a grin. "I'm good at ducking. I think I'll take my chances," he said, laughing softly. He folded her hand between both of his, stroking the skin, tracing her knuckles, trying to ease some of her tension. "If he's as cute as you and Max, I don't see how I could resist him."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Then you're going to have to fight Maria for him. But then again," she said as her smile faltered. "She won't be there so you should be safe. And if not? I'll protect you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know you will." He tugged gently on her hand, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're going to have your hands full, though. I take a lot of looking out for."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Then you're going to have to fight Maria for him. But then again," she said as her smile faltered. "She won't be there so you should be safe. And if not? I'll protect you."

"I guess I should finish packing." Slowly she stepped back, unable to meet his eyes.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, you'd better. Going naked would probably be frowned on." And he had to leave, now, or his control was going to slip completely. Studying her, fixing a picture of her in his mind, he stepped forward, cradling her face in his hands, and smoothed his thumb along her jawline. "I'm never going to forget you."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

She tipped her head to the side, trapping his hand. "Me neither," she whispered.