And Then I Saw Her Face

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

The shock of seeing none other than Robert Snow in his barracks had long since worn off. As soon as Jack knew it was possible to escape, he tore through the entrance to the concrete prison and raced to find his mother. His eyes searched the faces of the women and finally found his mother with her kind green eyes, searching for him too. “Mom!!” he yelled at the top of his voice. Her eyes found his and she immediately ran too him. They embraced and began to run. She was older, though, and she had a hard time keeping up. With the gunfire and the chaos, Jack wanted to get her out of there as soon as possible. He took her on his back and ran as fast as he could. There were cars waiting, to his surprise, and people piled into the car with him, strangers whom he’d never met before. It didn’t matter, as long as his mother was with him. The driver dropped them at his house and he rushed her inside, calling his sister immediately. She was in tears because she was so happy to hear from him and their mother. When he asked her to come get their mother, she happily agreed and said she was leaving Portland that second.

The next few hours passed in a daze. They were free…but it almost felt like they were stuck in a dream. While his mother cleaned off and changed, he sat on the soft couch in his jumpsuit just staring at a blank television. Could this be real? The first person he wanted to see was Rebecca. But would she want to see him? Even after all this time, she might still be mad at him. His mother walked out of his room, looking much better, and he realized that it must be real. He got up from the couch and put his arms around her, met by her own tight embrace. They both fell into tears and sank to the couch. They were alive and free. For fifteen minutes they continued to hold each other and comfort themselves. At last, Jack got up to clean off and change from the jumpsuit. He had an urge to burn it, but it would serve as a reminder of what he survived. It would remind him that it wasn’t a dream. He was reminded of how glad he was that he told Rebecca how he felt about her before he was taken away.

When his sister arrived, she caught both of them in a huge hug, squeezing them like she would never let them go. Her and her mother shared kisses, tears and caresses. Once they had calmed his sister clung to him desperately and he relished the fact that he could do this again. He had lived to see his sister again and he squeezed her tight to let her know how happy he was. “Okay, let’s get out of here quickly.” Andy and their mother headed for the door, but Jack stayed where he was. They turned to look at him curiously. “Jack, come on. We don’t have a lot of time before they come looking for people.” He gave a weary smile. “I know, but I can’t leave. I’m a cop, Andy; I can’t abandon the city. I want to make sure they don’t put us away again.” His sister stared at him with wide-eyed disbelief. “Who cares about that? If they catch you, they might kill you!” He shook his head, his weary smile still on his face. “I have to take care of something first. I’ll come out to Portland by the end of the week, I promise.” His mother and sister were both giving in to tears. “No, you have to come now! You can’t just put it off!” Andy’s pleading touched him, but he couldn’t leave. Not yet.

At long last his mother and sister left, his sister promising to be careful. Jack packed a bag of stuff, clothes and toiletries and things, then he headed straight to his car. He knew he couldn’t stay in his apartment; that would be the first place to look for him. If Rebecca wouldn’t let him stay with her, then he would go to Portland. He just needed to see her. During the drive, he was focused on one thing—the face that got him through his worst days in the camps. The drive seemed like forever even though it was only fifteen minutes. He came to the small apartment complex in Trail Oaks, grabbing his duffle and slinging it over his shoulder before he headed inside. Jack was practically floating, his brain moving faster than his body as he rushed to Rebecca’s apartment. Once there, he pounded relentlessly on the door. “Rebecca! Rebecca, open up, please!” The sound of the lock turning ceased his hand and when she opened it at last, he was staring into a face that made him feel weak with relief. That was all he needed to make him feel at ease, seeing Rebecca standing in front of him. He wanted to gather her up in his arms, hold her tightly to him and never let her go, but instead he just gave that same weary smile. “Hey…” he breathed. It was all he could manage.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Things were left strange and awkward with Jack, but the worst part was he disappeared before they could really work out what happened. She knew their fight had been mostly because they had both been drinking, and parts of the evening were sort of a blur to her, but she knew one thing was true; Jack liked her. Not like a friend, but liked her and wanted to get to know her. She wasn't exactly interested in making those sorts of friends, especially with a coworker, but she couldn't help but feel flattered. The days following were rough, though. Jack wasn't at work and all Rebecca could think was that he'd been quarantined for whatever that disease was. When she told Maxi what happened, it was Maxi who enlightened her about the truth.

Jack was in a concentration camp for being a Therian.

It was surreal and she couldn't help but worry. Even though things had ended weird, she still enjoyed Jack and there was a part of her that crushed on him a little. She squelched it because of her own fears, but it was there lying low and dormant. She felt even worse knowing that the last time she'd seen him she ha dread him the riot act. He'd kissed her unsolicited in his kitchen and she had lumped him in with a bunch of cocky, arrogant cops but Jack wasn't like that. Maxi explained how the Therian's were more wild with the full moon and that was probably why Jack was hitting on her more than he normally would, but it was her last thought of him. That whole evening had sort of been a shit show and that wasn't how she wanted to remember Jack. She didn't want to remember him as kissing her and she didn't want to remember how she had laid into him for being a complete asshole. All he'd done was act on his urges, and she hadn't exactly given him a reason to not kiss her. Or maybe she had, either way Rebecca didn't like the way things had been left and she didn't like that she had no idea where he was or if he was coming back ever.

The days passed and Rebecca did her best not to think about Jack or the rest of the squad that was missing. It seemed there were plenty of people who had apparently been Therian's or Avisaille's since a third of the force was gone. The though sickened her but she had no idea what she could possibly do about it. What they were doing at those camps was wrong, but who would she tell? The police chief? There was a chance that they knew and the information was probably confidential. They would want to know how she knew and she wasn't about to out Maxi.

The longer he was away, the more Rebecca learned to block it out. She tried not to harp on it, but she did go to Maxi for updates now and then. Yes, she missed Jack and Brett and some of her other colleagues, but she wasn't going to let it control her life. Rebecca didn't like to get too attached to people, but as much as she tried to fight it she did find herself thinking of Jack often and wondering about him. What would have happened between them if he hadn't been taken?

It seemed they were planning some sort of rebellion but Rebecca had to work during the rebellion and wasn't able to go. she waited patiently by her phone for a call from Maxi to get updates on what was going on, but as the day passed she didn't hear anything. Finally evening fell and she called Maxi's phone which had been turned off. At this point she was beginning to get worried, but what could she do? Go to Maxi's house? Her phone was off, she probably wasn't home. In fact she was sure she was over at her jerky boyfriends house. She could always go there and check..

Before Rebecca had a chance to make any real decisions there was a sudden pounding on her door. “Rebecca! Rebecca, open up, please!” She knew that voice! Bewildered she moved to the door, knowing it was Jack and unlatched the chain and the lock, pulling the door open. She stared at him as he stood outside her door, surprised to see him. A rush of weird emotions surged forward but she willed them back, not making a move. “Hey…” he breathed and Rebecca felt a lump form in her throat. It was good to see him.. His hair was shaggier and he looked thinner, but just as handsome as ever.

"Hey.." She greeted back and then cleared her throat, moving aside to let him in. "Come in.." She breathed watching as he stepped over the threshold of her apartment and noticing his bag. Was he planning to stay? She bit her lip and watched him come in, realizing her apartment was sort of messy. She didn't have a lot of stuff, but some clothes and cups and plates were strewn about on random surfaces. It wasn't exactly company ready. She rushed to try and clear some of the plates, afraid to hug him or do anything close to emotional. "Sorry it's so messy.." She said nervously placing the dirty dishes on the counter and moving to grab a discarded sweatshirt. She stopped and looked at him, her eyes momentarily getting lost in his dark brown ones. "It's good to see you, Jack.." She finally said, biting her lower lip as she stared at him, completely unsure what to do with herself now that he was back and was standing there in her apartment!

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Hey…” Rebecca was just as surprised to see Jack as he expected her to be. Even so, she moved aside for him to come in. “Come in…” He did so quickly, still paranoid about being caught even though he wasn’t in his jumpsuit anymore. Jack never wanted to be in that jumpsuit again. Once inside, he took a look around to check out her home. It wasn’t much, but it was a home. It smelled so much like Rebecca…He was instantly comforted just being here in her home, being close enough to touch her and see her. He was so glad to be out of the camps, he didn’t even see the mess of her apartment. There were plates and clothes spread around but it just added to the overall home-like quality of her apartment. Apparently the mess bothered her, though and she scrambled to pick it up. “Sorry it’s so messy…” He couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head. “This isn’t messy,” he assured. He’d seen messy; he’d just escaped from it. Messy was minimally washed bathrooms and showers and mess halls and barracks. Messy was wearing the same jumpsuit every day, only rotating out socks and underwear. This wasn’t messy. Still she moved to shuffle around plates and pick up a discarded sweatshirt before she looked up at him, staring at him for a long moment. He held her gaze kindly.

“It’s good to see you, Jack…” So what had happened between them was forgiven. He didn’t know why the words touched him so much, but they did. His heart swelled and he dropped his bag on the floor, moving toward her. He gathered her up in his arms and just hugged her tight. Even though he was forgiven, he wouldn’t try kissing her again—he wasn’t that dumb. No, he was perfectly fine just hugging her and knowing she was real and not just another figment of his imagination. Though he had feelings for her and he wanted to be able to express those feelings, Rebecca was also a friend. If he had run into any friend like this again, he would have hugged them too. He was just so glad to be free. “You have no idea how good it is to see you…” His words were soft and genuine and for a long moment he continued to hold her, his chin rested against her much lower shoulder. He had dreamt about this every night, thought about it every day…she couldn’t possibly understand how elated he was to just have her close again.

Finally he released her, giving her an awkward lopsided smile. “Sorry if I uh…overstepped my boundaries. I just got excited to see you.” Scratching the back of his head, he looked back at the bag he’d abandoned on the floor. His eyes turned back to hers, giving her an unsure look. “We escaped the camps. I’m afraid they’ll come looking for me, so I can’t stay in my apartment, but I want to be here in the city to tell my family when it’s safe to come back. Could I…could I maybe crash with you? I know that’s asking a lot considering where we left off, but…well I don’t know where else to go.” He rubbed his hand over his beard as he struggled with what else to say. “I’ll understand if you would rather I didn’t stay…” And he meant that. While it would be greatly appreciated if she would let him stay with her so he could send honest reports back to Portland on the state of the city, he had violated Rebecca’s trust. If she wasn’t comfortable with him staying there, then he wouldn’t hold it against her in the slightest.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca watched Jack as he dropped his bag and came to her, scooping her into a hug. She stood there awkwardly for a moment before sighing and letting her arms run around him. He'd been through a lot and they were still friends. She would have hugged Maxi if she'd been through something like what Jack had, and it wouldn't have been a big deal. Then again Maxi had never tried to forcibly kiss her.

He held her tight and she tried to meet his pressure with her own, his chin hard on her shoulder. “You have no idea how good it is to see you…” His words were genuinely spoken, his voice soft and her heart throbbed a little. What was it about her that made him so interested? Why had he missed her? Rebecca constantly took every precaution not to stand out to anyone other than giving good performance at work. What had caught Jack's attention? She didn't know what to say to that so she continued to hug him, her hand rubbing his back gently.

Finally he pulled away and she noted the awkward smile on his face. She met it with her own and then looked away, biting her bottom lip. Rebecca was good at many things, but playing cool was certainly not one of her talents. “Sorry if I uh…overstepped my boundaries. I just got excited to see you.” he said scratching the back of his head, and Rebecca thought despite his size that he looked like such a boy doing that. He looked to his discarded bag and her eyes followed his. What was with the bag? “We escaped the camps. I’m afraid they’ll come looking for me, so I can’t stay in my apartment, but I want to be here in the city to tell my family when it’s safe to come back. Could I…could I maybe crash with you?" She gulped, her facial expression not giving anything away. Jack stay? Would it be like when she stayed with him? Her eyes moved to her couch as he continued to speak. "I know that’s asking a lot considering where we left off, but…well I don’t know where else to go. I’ll understand if you would rather I didn’t stay…”

Rebecca bit her bottom lip and then looked at her couch again, obviously hesitating a little. Finally she shook it off. She couldn't say no to him. How could she? "Yeah.." She finally said pushing a forced smile on her face. "Yeah of course you could!" She tried to play it off like she didn't have to think about it. Jack wouldn't try what he did again, would he? Then there was the issue of him shifting every night. The thought made her uncomfortable, especially knowing he would wake up naked and there was a good chance she might catch him in the nude. The thought didn't bother her as much as she wanted it to, though. She could only imagine the incredible body hidden beneath those clothes. Jack was muscular and she knew he probably had washboard abs and the sexy V sliding into his pants. She was certain he had an incredible ass too and his dick.... she suddenly blushed dark red realizing she was looking at his chest and thinking about what he'd look like naked.

"Stay as long as you need." She said a little softer, looking away and suddenly moving away from him to the couch. She cleared the blanket that had been on there and moved the book that was sitting on the coffee table away. "Just, uhh.. just make yourself at home." She offered a little nervously bringing the stuff into her bedroom and moving to her closet to find some fresh sheets and a pillow for him. She stood in there for a long moment just trying to collect herself. Rebecca was terrified at the prospect of having him there. Seeing Jack so much and in such an intimate setting, knowing he liked her and knowing she could probably like him too made her more than uneasy. But she couldn't turn him away because she was afraid of what might happen! She could keep a level head if she really tried, she decided. She would just need to watch how much alcohol she consumed.

Rebecca finally came back out and offered a small sort of smile to Jack but for the most part avoiding eye contact. "Are you hungry?" She asked, placing the clean sheets on the edge of the couch, knowing it was still way too early for bed. He was still human, after all. "Thirsty? I have some beer. Not a ton in the way of food.." She explained. "Uh.. I could call in for something? Chinese or... that Mexican place delivers now." She bit her lip and finally looked at him, really looking at him, not knowing what to say or really do. Just being near him again brought on such strange feelings. She'd thought of that kiss from time to time and seeing him there now she wondered why she had pushed him away. The man was gorgeous, and he was sweet.. but that had been part of the problem. She didn't know how sweet he really was, but the more she'd thought of it all the more she knew he really wasn't the dog she had made him out to be. Not mentally. Physically on the other hand he was very much a dog, but that was a whole other issue. "O-or Indian? I haven't had korma in ages.." She choked, her voice squeaking a little, giving away her mild anxiety at playing host to him. No one but Maxi had ever been in her apartment.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack could see Rebecca was hesitating by the way she bit her bottom lip. Didn’t she know how much her biting her lip made him want to kiss her? Finally she looked back at him and gave a half-hearted smile. “Yeah…Yeah of course you could!” Even if her enthusiasm was faked, he gave a genuine lopsided grin in return. He would get to stay with Rebecca and maybe actually patch things up. Though he still remembered how she had kissed him back, if only a little, he knew he would have to settle for repairing their friendship. He didn’t have a lot of friends that he hung out with, and Rebecca was one of those few. That was more important than trying to get into her pants. He grabbed his bag again to get it out of the doorway and came back to her, noticing she was blushing pretty deeply. Was she remembering their kiss and how uncomfortable it made her? Or was she remembering their kiss and how much she liked it? He tried desperately not to let it peak his interest as much as it did. “Stay as long as you need.” The way her voice softened led him to think that maybe she leaned more towards liking the kiss…No! No, he wouldn’t think like that. They were friends and he wasn’t going to screw it up again. When she cleared her throat and moved away, he cleared his and moved closer to the couch, setting his bag on the floor. “Just, uhh…just make yourself at home.” He nodded, trying not to act as awkward as he felt in her tiny home.

She scurried off to another room, he assumed her bedroom, and from the shuffling he could tell she was trying to get things back in order. Honestly, it could have looked like a hoarder’s home and he would have been much more at ease than he ever was in the camps. Looking around at the comfortable little home, the few things she had all made him feel calmer. He was suddenly exhausted, his whole body aching from head to toe after weeks of hard labor, stress and not enough food. When he heard Rebecca walking back, he looked at her and smiled again. She had no idea how glad he was to see her. How many times had he thought of her in the past six weeks? Now she was real and finally here with him. All he needed was her to be close to be happy. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? I have some beer. Not a ton in the way of food…Uh…I could call in for something? Chinese or…that Mexican place delivers now.” Food sounded great, but when their eyes met again…he stopped thinking about food. She was chewing her lip again and it made that familiar squirm in his stomach that he was trying to ignore grow stronger. How beautiful could one person be? She was so willowy and lean and her hair looked so soft…and she had the prettiest pale blue eyes…Staring at each other, it was hard for him not to go over and kiss her again. He couldn’t, though; the electric fence from the camps had followed him and it was there in the living room, barring him from that kind of contact with Rebecca. It left him longing, howling mournfully at the moon in his mind.

“O-or Indian? I haven’t had korma in ages…” Her voice was nervous and Jack felt he was the cause of her anxiety. The last thing he wanted was for her to be nervous around him. With a small smirk he said, “You’ve been nice enough to let me stay with you. I don’t think I need to screw it up by blowing up your bathroom.” He chuckled lightly at his own off-color joke, trying to introduce that light-hearted banter they’d had before he went into the camp. “But Chinese sounds great. Hell, Chinese and pizza would be fantastic. I’m starving.” He walked towards her kitchen, smiling a little mischievously as he passed her. “And I’ll just get some water.” If he had any kind of alcohol right now with how empty his stomach was, it was going to go straight to his head and no doubt get him much drunker than it should. The last thing he needed was to be drunk around Rebecca again. His ploy of walking into the kitchen, however, was to show that she didn’t need to be a perfect hostess. He just wanted her to be comfortable while he got a glass of water. Then he stopped, staring at the cabinets. His smugness was gone. “Uh…where do you keep your cups?” he asked, feeling a little foolish as he looked back at Rebecca. He probably should have known the answer before he walked into the kitchen.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca grinned at his comment about blowing her bathroom up. Indian would definitely give them some gas and she wasn't interested in letting go that much in front of Jack. She didn't even do that in front of Maxi that much. Rebecca didn't mind being one of the guys, and preferred to be looked at like she was one of them, but that didn't mean she was keen on being as vulgar as one. Drink them under the table? Any time, but let one impressive fart rip through her like a tornado? No thanks.

When he suggested Chinese and pizza she smiled and decided that his safe return, even if it was too her apartment, was worth celebrating. She went to a small table in the room that had a drawer and opened it, scooping out the takeout menu's she kept in there. Rebecca didn't mind Jack poking around her kitchen, really. In fact she was almost relieved he had taken the "make yourself at home" thing seriously. There was nothing more annoying than having to play host to someone who was planning to stay for an extended period. She didn't want to know every time they went to the bathroom or wanted a snack. She would rather they just do what they needed so she wouldn't have to be worried about it.

“Uh…where do you keep your cups?” he asked and she looked up at him from her spot by the table. That's right, he had never been in her place before. He'd dropped her off plenty, but he had never come inside. Rebecca moved into the kitchen and opened the cabinet that held the glasses, mugs and a variety of plastic cups. Rebecca had never really tried to make her home very adult. She didn't have matching silverware or plates or cups. Most of her stuff was second hand because she was simply used to it and didn't care enough to get brand new. Sure, she would love an ikea home with Martha Stewart flair and matching everything, but she didn't have the time or patience to obtain that. Besides, it would give her something to put on her registry if she ever got married, which she wasn't sure was likely at this stage in life. She was getting up there in age and she still hadn't really met someone. Well, there was Jack.. Jack liked her, but Rebecca was far too anxious to be in any sort of relationship, especially with a coworker. Was he even still a coworker?

"Cups and stuff are in here." She said and then opened the cabinet next to it where the plates and bowls were, all different styles and sizes. "Stuff to eat off of. Snacks are in that one and non perishables are over there. Uhh.. silverware is that draw and cooking utensils are in there. Pots and pans and stuff like that are down in those two cabinets and aluminum foil and baggies are in that drawer. Cleaners are under the sink, but I don't expect you to clean or anything. Baking stuff is in the little guy over the fridge." She pointed all the cabinets out figuring if there was something he needed he would be able to find it now. She pulled her cell out and dialed the pizza place as she handed Jack the Chinese menu. "Pick out what you want." She said in a soft voice as the person on the other side picked up. "Yes.. Uhh, an order of buffalo wings. Yes. Uhh... yeah. And a large meat lovers. Yeah. Yep. Cash. Okay, thanks." She hung up and gave a sort of shy smile. "I'm a regular there." She said softly and nodded at the menu. "What do you want from there? We could share stuff. Their orange beefs good, I think I'm going to get that. And an eggroll.." She smiled a little more genuinely. "I'm going to get fat with you here." She teased.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack paid close attention as Rebecca pointed out where everything was in her kitchen. He was sure he would have found it eventually, but it was nice of her to point it out so he wouldn’t have to go looking. Sure, he didn’t think he’d be doing a lot of cooking, but maybe he would do something nice for her. Make her breakfast or something…He liked the thought of doing that for her. It was the least he could do when she was letting him crash on her couch. While he was pondering this, she fished out a Chinese menu. “Pick out what you want.” He gave her a lopsided smile and nodded while she went off to order pizza. Everything on the Chinese menu looked good. All he’d wanted over the last several weeks was some actually tasty food. All of the food served in the mess hall was tasteless and questionable. Fast food meat wasn’t much better by way of knowing where it came from, but at least it had more flavor. Rebecca made their order and hung up just as he decided what he wanted, making him look back up at her. “I’m a regular there.” He chuckled and pushed the menu back toward her. There was a little bit of excitement at all of the food he was about to have available to him.

“What do you want from there? We could share stuff. Their orange beef’s good, I think I’m going to get that. And an eggroll.” The smile that came to her face was far more genuine than the other smiles she’d given him so far in this visit. “I’m going to get fat with you here.” He chuckled. “Good. You’re too skinny anyway.” To follow up with his tease, he pinched her side, earning him a punch in the arm that made him laugh. It felt good to laugh again. Interacting with Rebecca this way felt good too. He was still grinning as he turned to reach for a cup. “Better get more than one eggroll or we’ll be fighting for it. Oh, and Mongolian beef.” He smiled over his shoulder at her before he turned to the sink to fill his glass. When he drank the cold water it tasted so clean even though it was just from the tap. There were so many creature comforts that he had missed in six weeks, and water that didn’t have a metallic aftertaste was one of them.

He moved past Rebecca and back into the living room, sinking down onto the couch with a sigh. It was so soft and comfortable, better than the measly pallets they gave them at the camps, all of which were quickly filled by other animals, leaving many to sleep on the floor each night. His head leaned against the back of the couch and he closed his eyes, his long arms stretching along the back of the couch and down one arm of the couch. “I may never move again, Rebecca.” One eye opened to look at her with a playful smile as she made her way to the couch beside him. “I’ll just become part of your couch. Don’t mind me.” When she was sitting beside him, he looked over at her, admiring her for the fiftieth time since he’d stepped through the door today. She’d never looked more beautiful to him, though he wouldn’t dare express that thought. “How’s work been since…since I’ve been gone?” He didn’t want to reference the camps, though he knew she would ask about it. It was just biding time until she asked, really. Jack was more than satisfied to avoid it for as long as possible, though.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“Good. You’re too skinny anyway.” He pinched at her side and she punched his arm, glowering in his direction, though she wasn't really mad at him. She wasn't too keen on him touching her that way, but at the same time she didn't exactly mind it either. She mentally took his order and called the number on the menu to put the order in. She ordered an extra few eggrolls and some wonton soup, deciding that even if they didn't eat it tonight, they could over the next day or so and she had every intention of taking tomorrow off to get some groceries. If Jack was going to be crashing then she needed to have things in the house for him, and though he wasn't her responsibility, she did want to make him comfortable for some strange reason.

Once the order was in she moved to the living room and folded her arms, looking down at Jack sprawled out on the couch. He looked genuinely comfortable. She was able to really see the difference in him now; how much leaner he was and worn out. Like he'd been camping for far too long. “I may never move again, Rebecca.” He said peaking an eye open at her. She smiled slightly at him and then sat down on the edge of the couch near him, but not directly beside him, leaving a space there between them. “I’ll just become part of your couch. Don’t mind me.” She offered a small smile. "Well, I hope not. I like my couch better when a man isn't permanently attached to it. Comfier that way." She teased gently.

“How’s work been since…since I’ve been gone?” Rebecca tried not to give away how she felt about the matter. Work was still work, but it was more chaotic. "Busy." She offered softly with a shrug, looking away from him. "I got a new partner, that guy Rick? He's alright." She didn't have any beef with Rick but he wasn't Brett or Jack, both of which had gone missing. "They don't really talk about the disappearances much, but we get calls every damn day with people filing missing persons reports and trying to check up on them. People's friends and neighbors have gone missing and they want to know if it was because of the disease and if they're quarantined.. It's just been sort of a mess. No more animal sightings, obviously, but a lot of weird rumors and no one knew what to believe. I bet tomorrow is going to be nuts, but I'm going to call out. We need food and I don't want to just leave you here by yourself yet. Actually, I should call the captain tonight and let him know I'm vomiting and not to expect me tomorrow." She offered a brief, weak smile. "Don't even try and change my mind, either." She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. "A bunch of cops went missing. It's just been tense." She offered, peaking back at Jack. "Maxi kept me informed. She has a friend whose boyfriend was working in the infirmary there or something and he gave her updates."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Busy.” Jack nodded at Rebecca’s simple answer, letting his thoughts wander to how the precinct must be now that probably a good number of cops had gone missing. There were a lot of men and women he’d been locked up who he had worked beside for years and never known they were Therians. He’d even seen through the fence a few Avisailles he worked with. “I got a new partner, that guy Rick? He’s alright.” From what Jack could remember, Rick was something of a hothead, but he supposed that kind of personality would go well with Rebecca cool, even demeanor. Yes, Jack knew she was a hothead too, but only when provoked. Rebecca told him about the government keeping the disappearances under wraps and the flood of missing persons’ reports that had been coming in since the Therians and the Avisailles were shipped off to the camps. It sounded like a mess and he was surprised no one had revealed their existence and the cover up of the disease. I mean, it was obvious the protestors knew who and what they were, but why didn’t the whole city know if the protestors knew? “I bet tomorrow is going to be nuts, but I’m going to call out. We need food and I don’t want to just leave you here by yourself yet. Actually, I should call the captain tonight and let him know I’m vomiting and not to expect me tomorrow. Don’t even try to change my mind, either.” Jack returned Rebecca’s smile, amused by her excuse. But why couldn’t she trust him to be alone in her house? She was so paranoid it was almost ridiculous, but it was an endearing quality. He was about to tease her for lying to the captain, but he stopped himself when she looked away from.

“A bunch of cops went missing. It’s just been tense.” His brow furrowed as he looked forward too. How could the city have done this to them? They locked up their own employees, the people who kept them safe, all because of their bigotry. “Maxi kept me informed. She has a friend whose boyfriend was working in the infirmary there or something and he gave her updates.” Even the mention of the infirmary made him tense and there was an anger bubbling in his stomach as he glared into space. “I’m surprised Maxi is friends with anyone who worked in that infirmary.” Maxi was such a nice person, he couldn’t imagine her fraternizing with the monsters who worked in that God forsaken place. He knew not everyone in the infirmary was bad, but his experience there didn’t allow much forgiveness for those who participated in any way to what they were doing there. He realized he’d fallen silent with a brooding look on his face and he glanced at Rebecca before he sighed, shifting on the couch uncomfortably. Would she find out sooner or later what had happened there?

“They did experiments on us in the infirmary.” His voice was low, almost a growl as he stared intently at his knee. “I know not all of the doctors participated, but I think if I ever ran into a doctor who worked there…well, someone would have to hold me back. They wanted to know how much like our animal counterparts we were. They tested it in all sorts of ways, and not everyone was forced to, but I was one of the lucky few who got selected to be experimented on. I heard they were as mild as physical ability tests to as harsh as starvation and exposure to illnesses. What they did to me…I suppose it was somewhere in between, probably closer to the mild end…” The shame and violation filled him again and he clammed up. He didn’t want to remember how he’d felt and he certainly didn’t want Rebecca to know how helpless he’d been. Maybe it was silly to be ashamed, but he was a big, tough guy; how was he supposed to admit to feeling violated and used? He didn’t even know what they’d done with his semen…His eyes looked to her again before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m glad to be out of that place.”

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“I’m surprised Maxi is friends with anyone who worked in that infirmary.” Jack growled, glaring at nothing in particular. Rebecca furrowed her brows and looked at Jack. It was almost an insult to her friend. Maxi was a good judge of character and Rebecca knew that if Maxi was friends with someone it was because they were a good person. Then again she was dating that Witt guy. Maybe her judgement in character had deteriorated some over the years.

Rebecca watched Jack as he brooded, wondering why he had gotten silent. What happened in the infirmary? Was he in there? Had he gotten sick at the camp? Were they cruel to the people there? She opened her mouth to ask him to elaborate on what he meant, but he looked up and sighed and her mouth closed into a thin line, her eyes concerned as her brows furrowed. “They did experiments on us in the infirmary.” His voice was low, almost a growl as he stared intently at his knee. What did he mean by experiments? “I know not all of the doctors participated, but I think if I ever ran into a doctor who worked there…well, someone would have to hold me back." Rebecca suddenly felt sick, but she was curious about what he was saying. He explained why they tested them, to see if they were similar to the animal they shifted into. She didn't say anything, but silently she understood why they would want to know. Jack should have expected such treatment, but when he went into further detail her stomach twisted.

"I heard they were as mild as physical ability tests to as harsh as starvation and exposure to illnesses. What they did to me…I suppose it was somewhere in between, probably closer to the mild end…” She waited with bated breath for him to continue, but he left her hanging. What did they do to Jack? More than a physical but less than introducing him to diseases? What laid between those two? The spectrum was huge and she was deeply curious, but afraid to ask. He grew silent again and she wondered if he would surprise her with an answer to her unspoken question, but when he opened his mouth again she was disappointed.

“I’m glad to be out of that place.” He said with a sigh, sweeping his hand through his dark mane of thick, black hair. He didn't want to talk about it and her shoulders slumped slightly as she wore a frown. What had they done to this hulking man? Rebecca didn't want to press, though. He'd been through enough and if he wanted to divulge more details he would, but for now it seemed she would have to live with what information he gave her. "Me too." She offered softly, looking away from him and to her coffee table, just wanting something else to stare at.

She was quiet for a moment before looking back to Jack. "You know, they've violated all of your rights as citizens of the united states. Despite what species you are, you are humanoid and you were born here, which makes you an American citizen, and being born on earth I would imagine would constitute as you being an earthling." She snorted and rolled her eyes, "This is such a weirdo conversation.." She grumbled, never thinking she would refer to someone as an earthling. It just sounded so scifi, but then again this situation was practically out of a science fiction novel. Guardians from other realms? The world would go nuts when word got out. "The protests have been kept pretty under wraps. I feel like they're trying really hard to cover this all up, but now that everyone is out we could make it all public! It won't just go away, but it also means there will probably be a lot of segregation." She snorted and rolled her eyes, "Maybe they'll back off the homos for a while and preach about you guys being an abomination instead. Always got to hate somebody, right?" She teased bitterly. Her eyes moved back to Jack and she reached out, patting his knee. "Either way you're safe here for now, but if I get in trouble for harboring you, I'm kicking your ass."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Me too.” Rebecca’s soft statement drew Jack’s eyes once more and he watched her look away from him. She didn’t know how much he not only appreciated her help, but her expressing happiness at his escape. It made him want to hug her again, though he would refrain from doing so. The last thing he needed to do right now was make her angry. He just watched her, admiring her silently before she turned those blue eyes back to him. “You know, they’ve violated all of your rights as citizens of the United States. Despite what species you are, you are humanoid and you were born here, which makes you an American citizen, and being born on earth I would imagine would constitute you as an earthling.” When she snorted, he couldn’t help but give a lopsided grin and an amused smile. Yeah, he was an earthling. “This is such a weirdo conversation…” He laughed. “Yeah, I can’t say I’ve ever really thought about whether I was an earthling or not. I just always assumed I was.” “The protests have been kept pretty under wraps. I feel like they’re trying really hard to cover this all up, but now that everyone is out we could make it all public! It won’t just go away, but it also means there will probably be a lot of segregation. Maybe they’ll back off the homos for a while and preach about you guys being an abomination instead. Always got to hate somebody, right?” It wasn’t meant to be a hurtful comment, but it did kind of sting. Being called an abomination hurt even if a complete stranger called you that. Maybe he could sympathize more with homosexuals now…

Her hand reached out and touched his knee, which made his heart stop for a minute as he looked from her hand to her face. For a second he had to fight to keep his cool. “Either way you’re safe here for now, but if I get into trouble for harboring you, I’m kicking your ass.” He forgot about the hand on his knee for a moment and snorted, nodding. “If you get caught, I’ll kick my own ass. But by all means, take your shot too.” Still smiling at her, his hand came over and squeezed her small shoulder lightly. “Thanks for taking the chance. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the help.” Knowing he was probably making her uncomfortable, he removed his hand and leaned forward for his water, taking a long drag from his glass before he set it back down. He really felt like he was dehydrated from his time in the camps and the more water he drank, the better. It also gave him a distraction from the heat he still felt on his knee from Rebecca’s hand.

When he sat back again, he looked down at his knees before he spoke. “I’m really sorry for where we left off, Rebecca. I never meant to upset you. I won’t push myself on you like that again, I promise.” He looked over at her almost bashfully, just chancing a look at her expression. He didn’t really want to bring it up, but it had to be said. Of course he’d told her he was sorry the night it happened, but it needed to be said now while he was sober, thinking clearly, and free. Who knew if they would catch him again…He didn’t want to risk being carted off without clearing the air with Rebecca. Not again.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

She smiled a little when he told her he would happily let her kick his ass if she got in trouble for having him there. “Thanks for taking the chance. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the help.” His hand was on her shoulder and she felt the warmth of it seeping through her shirt and down into her stomach. It was such a mixed feeling' wanting it and not wanting it at the same time. Rebecca was just too guarded to let him in still. The kiss still swirled around in her mind and she looked away and nodded. "I know. You'll just owe me one." She teased gently trying not to think too much about him touching her or what happened the last time he'd really touched her.

Rebecca wondered if Jack felt her discomfort, because he removed his hand and she looked back at him, reaching a hand up to push her hair behind her ears, using the hand that had been awkwardly on his knee. “I’m really sorry for where we left off, Rebecca. I never meant to upset you. I won’t push myself on you like that again, I promise.” Yep, he definitely knew she had been thinking about it. She smiled a little nervously and shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It's in the past.." It was far from out of her mind, though. Why couldn't she let go? What would be so wrong about hooking up with Jack? He wasn't a colleague anymore, was he? Maybe he was. Rebecca didn't know and she didn't like thinking about it. Suddenly her phone rang and she was glad to be saved by the bell!

Rebecca grabbed her phone from her pocket and looked down at it. "It's Maxi, hang on a sec." She stood up, putting the phone to her ear. "Hey, Max." She greeted, moving to the kitchen area for a little privacy. "Oh, hi.. wait, what? What happened? Is she okay?" Rebecca was pacing, her face going pale. "Oh my God.. She is? Good.. where? She did? Of course! Yes, I'm on my way, tell I'll be there in like a half hour! Thanks. Alright... thank you so much. Bye." Rebecca turned to Jack, biting her lip as she came back in the room a little more frantic now. "Maxi was shot." She said, seeing the look on his face. "She's stable now, expected to make a full recovery, but I have to go see her." Rebecca grabbed her wallet and opened it up, pulling a couple twenties out and pushing them at Jack. "That should cover the food. Just.. I have to go see her. I'm sorry, I promise I'll be back soon!" She insisted as she rushed around getting her coat on and grabbing her keys and gloves. "Leave me an eggroll!" She shouted before disappearing through the door.

---

Maxi was going to be okay. She was definitely a little worse for wear but Rebecca was confident that her best friend would be okay. She spent a long time at the hospital with her friend, talking about the protests and Jack and August and everything else that happened to come up. She made the trek home feeling relieved and sad, a fresh look on the whole Jack situation. Noticing the time, she knew he would be a wolf when she got back, which freaked her out a little, but she tried not to let it get to her. Just knowing he was there, in any form, freaked her out enough as it was.

When she came inside the lights were mostly off aside from a lamp in the living room. The TV was on but there was no sign of Jack. She walked over and then noticed the shaggy dog on her couch, fast asleep. It amazed her more than frightened her, knowing it was Jack laying there so peacefully. After today he must have been exhausted. The pizza box was still on the coffee table along with a bottle of water and a beer. Quietly she picked up after him and grabbed a cold slice of pizza before sliding the box into the fridge and grabbing the eggroll that he'd left for her. Taking a bottle of water she made her way to her bedroom, shutting the lamp as she went, deciding she could hang in her room and let sleeping dogs lie.

---

Rebecca was glad she had called off for the day. There was nothing like taking a random day off during the week. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock; it was almost nine. There was a good smell wafting through the crack at the bottom of her door and she got up, moving to go see what it was. Wearing a black cami and a pair of plaid pajama pants, Rebecca made her way from her bedroom to see what the heck was cooking that smelled so good. She would have been more than happy with a little microwaved pizza.

"Morning. Sleep okay?" She greeted, coming into the kitchen and being met with one chiseled chest. Rebecca gulped, gawking at Jack's incredible body for a second before furrowing her brows and blushing, looking at his face briefly before looking away. "Work out much?" She teased as she grabbed the milk from the fridge and went to get a glass from the cabinet, peaking over his shoulder. "What're you making?"

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Don’t worry about it. It’s in the past…” Even though Jack could see Rebecca was nervous about the topic coming up, he gave a wide, lopsided smile at her forgiveness. As long as she was the one saying it was in the past, he felt okay letting it slide out of his mind with a note never to do that again. He was going to thank her, but the sound of her phone ringing made him jump and momentarily forget what he was saying. “It’s Maxi, hang on a sec.” Jack felt a little silly for jumping, but it had been a while since he’d heard a phone ring. As Rebecca walked away, he watched her with vague interest. What was Maxi calling about? Did she know about the escape already? “Oh, hi…wait, what? What happened? Is she okay?” Jack’s brow furrowed as he turned to look at Rebecca. It didn’t sound good…and from the way Rebecca paled suddenly, it didn’t look good either. Normally he would be on his feet, making his way over to her to comfort her, but Jack was trying to keep a bit of distance so she wouldn’t kick him out. “Oh my God…She is? Good…where? She did? Of course! Yes, I’m on the way, tell her I’ll be there in like a half hour! Thanks. Alright…thank you so much. Bye.” His brow was still low when she finally looked over at him, her eyes somewhat frantic. “Maxi was shot.” It was his turn to go pale. “What?” he choked, frozen in that moment. Was she…? “She’s stable now, expected to make a full recovery, but I have to go see her.” He got to his feet finally, relieved the sweet little redhead was going to be okay. Nodding, he watched as Rebecca took some money out of her wallet. “Do what you have to do, I understand.” He fumbled to collect the money from her. “That should cover the food, just…I have to go see her. I’m sorry, I promise I’ll be back soon!” Still dazed, he watched her rush out the door. “Leave me an eggroll!” A small smile crossed his face as the door shut behind Rebecca, but it didn’t last long. How on earth was Maxi shot? Was it Witt? No; the man was a dick, but he wouldn’t harm Maxi, not when he’d gone to such lengths to save her before. Was it…was it the protests? He would have to as Rebecca when she got home.

__________________________________________________

Jack ate until he literally felt like he was going to burst. It was the best greasy goodness he’d ever eaten and it left him practically comatose on the couch. He’d watched TV while he ate, but it wasn’t long after that he found himself drifting in and out of sleep. It was amazing he even woke up at nightfall, his body aware he was about to shift. Quickly he stripped and then changed into a wolf, hopping right back up on the couch and falling back to sleep. He’d never felt so exhausted in his life. When Rebecca came home, he didn’t stir, just continued to sleep right through her picking up quietly and turning off the light. The most he did was adjust his position and let out a huffing breath before settling down again. If he had dreams, he was in too deep a sleep to remember them in the morning.

_________________________________________________

When Jack woke, he was more refreshed than he had been in what felt like ages. It was hours later than he was allowed to sleep in the camps. When he looked at the coffee table, he could tell Rebecca had picked up after him. A small smile came to his face before he realized he was butt naked in Rebecca’s living room. He quickly pulled on clean underwear and a pair of sweats from his bag and then relaxed a little as it didn’t sound like his hostess was awake yet. It was a good opportunity to do something nice for her in exchange for his free board. What could be better than a fresh homemade breakfast? He went into Rebecca’s fridge to see what she had available to work with…and didn’t find much. But he did find some eggs, green and red peppers, some bacon and some bread. It was definitely enough to work with. After a little digging, he found the pans too and started off cooking the bacon until it was perfectly crispy. While it cooked, he chopped up the peppers so he could toss them in with the eggs. The bacon grease still in the pan, he scrambled the eggs and the peppers in and the smell was making his stomach growl. Jack was surprisingly adept in the kitchen and found that he rather enjoyed cooking, especially when it was for other people. He’d never cooked for Rebecca before and he was looking forward to her reaction.

He didn’t hear Rebecca’s door open, but he heard her shuffling footsteps moving into the kitchen. His eyes found her and a smile came to his face at how cute she looked having just woken up. “Morning. Sleep okay?” He ran a hand through his hair, wondering if it was messy at all. Funny, he hadn’t thought of it until Rebecca came into the room. “Yeah, I slept great actually.” His brow lowered curiously when he found she was watching him, but not his face. He looked down, thinking there was something on him, but when he looked back up she was blushing slightly a looking away. “Work out much?” A shy grin came to his face as he gave a soft chuckle. He was trying hard not to flush too, considering she’d just been checking him out. Nope, he was not going to let that be justification to flirt or anything like that. As she got the milk out of the fridge though, he did check her out discreetly. How was it that girls always managed to look so cute in pajamas? With just a cami on her torso, it was really clear how lean she actually was. He’d seen her skinny legs, but just the cami on made it more obvious to him. He looked away and back at his pan before she could turn back to him.

Rebecca made her way over, toward him, obviously getting something out of the cabinet, but she was looking over his shoulder too. “What’re you making?” As if he was guarding some secret recipe, Jack moved so his back was blocking her view again, giving her a suspicious look over his shoulder. “None of your business. You’re not getting any anyway.” The look she gave him made him laugh and he moved out of the way so she could clearly see what he was doing. At the moment, he was fluffing the peppers and eggs in the plate while they sizzled and cooked. “I call them fiesta eggs. And yes, I know the name is cheesy, but I started making these a long time ago when it was okay to be cheesy. We’re having these, bacon and toast. Speaking of…where’s the toaster?” His eyes were searching and finally landed on it just past Rebecca. He stepped closer to her and reached around her to pull the toaster closer, but in doing so got very close to Rebecca. Giving an almost bashful, crooked smile by way of apology, he tried not to let her closeness affect him. Why did he always have to think about kissing her? As soon as he’d invaded her space, he was out of it and popping bread slices in the toaster. “How’d you sleep?” he asked, moving back to push the eggs around some more while his kind eyes looked at her.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca was a little startled that Jack blocked her view and raised her brows. When he turned and gave her a suspicious look, she offered one in return, narrowing her eyes a little. “None of your business. You’re not getting any anyway.” It was hard not to smile and though she was giving him a sour look, it was apparent she wasn't serious about it. "Who said I wanted any?" She half snarled back at him, surprised at how warm she felt towards him as he played with her. The whole scene seemed more natural than she thought it should, like he somehow belonged there and there was a part of Rebecca that really enjoyed having him there at that moment. Plus the muscles were a huge bonus.

“I call them fiesta eggs. And yes, I know the name is cheesy, but I started making these a long time ago when it was okay to be cheesy. We’re having these, bacon and toast. Speaking of…where’s the toaster?” She smirked at him and his dorky breakfast food name, but her stomach gave a rumble in anticipation of the feast he was creating. That bacon was totally going to become BLT minus the L and the T, but this was way better. She opened her mouth to tell him where the toaster was but he spotted and reached for it before she got the chance.

Rebecca was far too aware at how close Jack had gotten to her, but where as normally she would have scooted away she stood where she was. She couldn't deny his appeal at the moment. Maybe it was a moment of insanity given the fact she had woken up and he was cooking and Maxi was alive and well, and Jack was safe.. but she felt drawn to him and hated it. Normally she was far better at fighting these weird urges, but this morning felt different somehow. It all felt so...domestic.

His smile was bashful and apologetic, but she met his look with more confident eyes. She wasn't bothered by his brush, in fact the look he gave her made her feel braver somehow, as though he were intimidated by her. She held a lot of authority and she could call the shots since he was staying there at her home and didn't want to screw it up. It wasn't like her to want to abuse power, being a fair woman usually, but something inside her itched a little. “How’d you sleep?” he asked, watching her with warm, dark eyes. Despite his size, he was a very gentle man, unless he was pushing himself onto you. "Surprisingly well." She offered, not sounding nearly as confident as she felt. "I had a nice time with Maxi, and it was comforting having a police wolf sleeping in my living room. Anyone who tried to break in would have a real shit time with you out there." She complimented, scooting onto the counter near the toaster, watching Jack work as sipping her milk. She openly watched him work, her eyes glossing over every single ripple. Normally the big muscle thing didn't do it for her, but he was flawless. "Plus I wake up to a fresh breakfast being cooked by a half naked man in my apartment. As a woman I feel like this is supposed to be some sort of fantasy or something. I guess it's not so bad.." She teased, smirking a little. "Maybe I'll let you stick around for a while." She teased, sipping her milk and giving him a little smirk.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Surprisingly well.” Jack nodded, glad to hear Rebecca hadn’t had trouble sleeping with Maxi being shot and having a wolf asleep on her couch. “I had a nice time with Maxi, and it was nice having a police wolf sleeping in my living room. Anyone who tried to break in would have a real shit time with you out there.” He gave her a bashful grin, pleased and a little surprised that she found his presence comforting. That’s what he’d been trying to get her to see him as since they’d met. He was glad that little incident before the camps hadn’t deterred him too terribly. It took a long moment for him to realize that she was watching him. His eyes shifted to look at her leaned against the counter, drinking milk and watching him. If he didn’t know better, he would think she was checking him out. Jack was thrown off by it, feeling nervous and unsure of how to react. Normally he would be flattered and gladly accept her lingering stare, and he really was intrigued, but because of what happened in his apartment almost two months ago, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions about anything. Instead, he just looked back at the eggs and watched them cook while he stirred them around. It was hard to pretend he didn’t notice, though. “Plus I wake up to a fresh breakfast being cooked by a half naked man in my apartment. As a woman I feel this is supposed to be some sort of fantasy or something. I guess it’s not so bad…” He looked back at her as the grin spread across his face, this time more confident than before, but he was still confused and uncertain. It definitely sounded to him like she was flirting. How was he supposed to respond?

“Maybe I’ll let you stick around for a while.” He snorted and he stepped closer to her once more, reaching past her for the toast that had just popped with an amused smirk. “I feel like I’m being objectified.” Being an object to Rebecca might not be so bad depending on what he was associated with. As part of a fantasy? No, it wasn’t so bad. He looked her over too, though not quite as long as she had done. His eyes only wandered a moment, but in that moment he let a small spark of desire light in his stomach. The moment was fleeting and the spark wasn’t strong enough to encourage him to do anything, but it was enough to give just a little more confidence around Rebecca again. He stepped back to the eggs once he’d placed the toast on his plate and then reloaded the toaster. Still smirking at her, he echoed her in saying, “I guess it’s not so bad.” The eggs were almost done and he scooted them around a little bit more to make sure they were fully cooked. Deciding they were, he scooped half of them onto Rebecca’s plate and then placed the other half on his. He got himself a glass of milk too and as soon as Rebecca’s toast popped, he placed it steaming on her plate and then placed a fork on top. “For you, Mistress.” The title was strictly teasing, obvious by his wide grin and he was amused by her reaction. It all felt so good, making breakfast for her and teasing her…He swallowed hard as he realized he wanted to get used to doing this with her. No, she didn’t want that, so he couldn’t dare want it either.

He followed her to the kitchen table with his own milk and hot plate, though he’d purposely given her the freshest portion of the food. She deserved it for taking him in as a stray. He shoveled some of his eggs onto his toast, making an egg sandwich with them, but he ate the excess eggs first. His eyes watched her for her reaction to the food, though, hoping she would like it. Once she’d taken a bite, he smiled a little at her. “What d’you think?” he asked before taking another bite of his eggs.