Room 406, evening

[izzyalienqueen]

It had been a very quiet Sunday for Isabel. After being up half the night, she finally fell into a deep sleep after the sun rose. After a visit to the gym, she returned to find a voicemail waiting for her. Shaking her head, she hoped Alec was doing okay.

At some point she was going to have to go out and spend some time in the common rooms, Isabel realized. But for now it's easier to stay in her room and read and think. Settling down on her bed, she started reading through her notes for Revolutions.

The door was open.

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack nodded and reached for her hand, drawing it up to his chest. "I really did have another reason for visiting," he said, and settled his other hand over the spot on her shoulder.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Closing her eyes and looking down, Isabel nodded. "I figured. I just was having too much fun to bring it up. Sometimes, like then, I can almost forget it's there."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"That's a very good thing," he said, squeezing her shoulder. "Let's do what we can to make it disappear. Where's the device?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, hopefully soon. I don't feel like answering questions when the warmer weather gets here." She reached under her bed, pulled out the small bag she'd put the device in the last time they used it and gave it to Jack. Unbuttoning her shirt, Isabel turned her back to him and pushed it and her bra strap off her shoulder.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He brushed his fingers across it, studying it. It had faded, the lines not so clear as they'd been. "No one needs to know but us." The device felt warm in his hands as he flicked it on, and he tipped his head to rest against Isabel's as he moved it over the tattoo.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

She expected the sting, but it still made her hiss the tiniest little bit.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack kept the device moving in slow arcs. "It's definitely fading," he told her, hoping to distract her from the sting. "It looks more like a blur than any sort of script."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know," Isabel nodded. "I've looked." And willed it to be gone faster. "Thank you for doing this."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Not a problem, Isabel. Besides," he grinned and swirled his finger across her skin, below and around the mark, voice light and teasing, needing to make her smile, "I get to see extra bits of you naked. So I should be thanking you."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You've seen more of me when I'm in my bikini," she replied, shaking her head. "Time's almost up."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know. I was only teasing." He shook his head, then glanced at his watch. "Yeah, just another little bit...there." He flicked it off, gently pushing her bra strap and sweater back up. "And we're a little bit closer to it being gone."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel leaned back against him. "Too bad everything else won't go away as easily."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack set the device down and slipped his arms around her waist, settling her against his chest. "I don't think there's a nifty little gadget that can speed up everything else." He paused, considered, then added, "Unless you want your memories wiped, which I don't recommend."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"There's a few I wouldn't mind losing," she said quietly. Kivar's face once she agreed. The look on Max's face the first time he heard the rumors about the marriage after they'd gotten her out. "But I guess you can't pick and choose?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"No, it's an all or nothing deal. You wouldn't want to, anyway, Isabel," he said quietly. "Having a big hole in your mind isn't much fun. And you never know when what yyou're missing will come back and bite you on the ass."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And you'd know wouldn't you?" Isabel asked, turning to rest her her cheek against his chest. "It's just hard."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know, Izzy. I know." He tucked her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger. "Sam said you just have to give it time."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm trying. And during the day I can almost pull it off," she admitted.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Still not sleeping?" he asked, looking down at her, worried but not wanting to make it worse.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel shrugged, "I am. Sort of. Just not well. But it's been so long since I slept well I've forgotten what it's like."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He frowned, making a decision. "All right. We can fix that, at least for tonight. Go put your pyjamas on," he said, opening his arms and giving her a gentle nudge. "And we'll go to bed."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You don't have somewhere better to be?" she asked, getting to her feet and rummaging in a drawer for pajamas. "A thingie to visit?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"No," he said, almost sadly as he remembered Sam. "No thingies. Not tonight." He pulled himself off the bed and slipped off his shirt, glancing over at her. "Isabel, there is nowhere better to be. If you need me, this is where I belong."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel studied him, wondering what was going on. "I won't tell you to go." She slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know you won't," he said to the closed door and sat on the bed to pull off his socks. He was going to have to start keeping clothes in Isabel's room if this kept up, but for now, he'd sleep in jeans.

Jack pulled back the covers, waiting for Isabel to come back so he could lie between her and the door, and sighed as he realised that was something he'd learned from Sam.