One Step Closer

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

It had been months since Jack was in a coma and no one could have guessed he had ever been in one. He worked his usual long hours, spent time at the gym as often as he could and regularly ran with his girlfriend almost every other morning. Rebecca spent a lot of time with him these days and was at the very least successful at hiding her discomfort with people knowing their relationship. As far as Jack could tell, only Faye knew about their romantic relationship. Even with how much time they spent together, no one had approached either of them about interoffice dating. Faye never even hinted at it. As Jack had suspected, even if their coworkers knew about them, they wouldn’t care. Lately, however, he’d been wondering if he should at least fess up to Hagan if only to protect the interests of the department. If Rebecca and Jack were put on a case together and one of them had to protect the other, Jack couldn’t be sure he’d be able to keep calm enough not to seriously hurt someone who threatened his girlfriend. That could be a liability for the department. It would be even more complicated if Rebecca said yes to the proposal he was plotting…

Even though Rebecca still hadn’t returned the sentiments Jack had shared after his coma, not a day went by that he wasn’t reminded by how much he loved her. She was finally getting comfortable with him and being more affectionate. The highlight of his day was seeing her in the evening and being able to talk, laugh, hold her. Some of his best nights involved watching TV with her and having her body rest back against his, relaxing in his arms. He wanted to come home to that every night. When she mentioned her lease would be up for renewal soon, it got him thinking that this might be the perfect opportunity. His lease was up soon too. But would Rebecca want to live with him? That would take some finessing…

He was afraid she had started to suspect his intentions with how she was growing a little reticent lately. She would get lost in thought easily and just generally seemed distracted. It made his stomach clench to think she was trying to think of a way to let him down easy. The more he observed her strange behavior, the less he believed it had anything to do with him, but he couldn’t help being paranoid. It was making him feel crazy, all this internal back and forth, and he decided tonight would be as good a time as any to ask the question. He would ease it with some home cooking. It was Friday at the end of a very long week and Jack decided making chicken parmesan would be a good way to wind down. He added some wine to the sauce before turning to cut up more vegetables for the sauce and the side salad he was making. His eyes followed Rebecca as she padded into the kitchen and went straight for the stove. She leaned over and was sniffing the sauce with interest before her hand took hold of the wooden spoon he had used just a minute ago to stir it. “Swiper, no swiping.” The playful warning was emphasized by his finger pointing threateningly at her. He knew she was going to ignore him and he watched as she began to lift the spoon out of the sauce. “I’m warning you. Don’t mess with the chef.”

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

When Jack and Maxi had slipped into comas, it had been a wake-up call for Rebecca. She had no one other than those two. Max was the closest thing to family she had ever had, and though she had always thought she was okay with being alone, actually being alone, for the first time, was hard. She cared for them both so deeply, more than she cared to admit, even to herself. If she'd lost Maxi or Jack... Rebecca didn't like to think about what would have happened if she'd lost either soul. It was hard losing her family once, but to lose her family twice would break her in a way that she wasn't sure she could mend from. Fortunately they both came to and were as healthy as ever. The investigation was ongoing, but magic was suspected so it was kept under wraps for the most part. The motive was yet to be determined, but neither Jack or Becky had been allowed on the case. Either way the thought of losing those two, the only two people in the world who would miss her if she were gone, got her thinking. She was adopted. That meant she had a real family out there somewhere. Sure, they were probably in Latvia and it was likely a one in a million shot that she would track any of them down, but she started her investigation. Of course she didn't tell Jack any of that. It wasn't really his business and she didn't want him asking questions. Besides, it would likely lead to a dead end anyway.

It didn't. Rebecca had sent emails to people at the agency, which was surprisingly still open, regarding her adoption and they had sent her some very interesting information. First it was information regarding her adoption. Her parents had come to visit and had stayed in the country for a few weeks during the process. Rebecca herself didn't remember this, but there were pictures she remembered seeing of her parents trips to visit her. She even had one picture from that time of her wearing red shoes that they had bought for her. It was her parents sitting on either side of her three year old self, long dark hair flowing over her shoulders, a ragged dress clinging to her small frame and these very shiny, red Mary Jane style shoes on her feet. It was one of her favorite pictures. She wished she knew what happened to the rest.

The second correspondence came that morning when she inquired about her family. A lot of the information about her family was kept private, like names and so on. But she learned some interesting facts about her life, things she never could have known. She had been surrendered at fourteen months. Her father had died in the military approximately four months before then, her mother during childbirth with her second child, a girl, who had been surrendered at the same time as Rebecca. The information provided gave nothing of her birth sisters details. No name, or if she'd been adopted or anything, just that she existed. Rebecca had a real sister out there somewhere in the world. It weighed heavy on her heart, and she immediately inquired about her sisters details. Would they give it to her? Would she need to sign releases? Go to Latvia to get the information? Would they give it willingly? Either way, she was more than a little distracted as she came into the kitchen.

The smell of tomato sauce hit her immediately, as if she had just realized food was being prepared though the entire house smelled of it. She moved to the pot and peaked in to look at the sauce, grabbing a spoon so she could give it a taste. “Swiper, no swiping.” Rebecca turned to look at Jack, an exasperated sort of look on her face. He could be such an idiot sometimes. She brought the spoon up to her lips anyway, giving him a daring sort of look. “I’m warning you. Don’t mess with the chef.” She cocked a brow. "Or else what?" She asked, slipping her lips around the edge of the spoon to taste, giving him an I dare you to do something sort of look, her body already tensing for the fight. "Just turn around and keep chopping, you didn't see anything here, popo." She teased, leaning against the counter, still at the ready in case he pounced, the information about her sister still running rampant in her mind. If she could just get a name, she could run a background check on her.. she could find her.. She could have a real sister!

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Or else what?” Jack watched Rebecca bring the spoon to her lips. Oh, she was going to get it. Or was she? She looked really tense and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to mess with her at the moment. “Just turn around and keep chopping, you didn’t see anything here, popo.” Jack grinned as Rebecca replaced the spoon in the pot and leaned back against the counter. Maybe he read her wrong. “Or else what?” he asked playfully, shooting her own question back at her. “I gave you a warning and you ignored it. You had your chance, but now I have to punish you. That’s the rules, baby.” Rebecca rolled her eyes, perhaps a little irritated by his persistence. There was only one way to solve that—make her laugh. He quickly lunged for her, knowing she would dodge him and trying to anticipate her movements. She was smaller and quicker than him, though, and she slipped right past him. Thankfully he had excellent reflexes and reached out to snatch her wrist before she got away. He pulled her into him and pinched her sides with both hands, letting his fingers tickle relentlessly at her sides and stomach. One hand even went up to her neck and tickled her there, making her laugh and cry out at the same time, shouting for him to stop.

The laughing must have only been a reflex because her elbow found its way into his gut before long—and it landed hard. He let out a muffled grunt and stumbled back, finally releasing Rebecca. She turned and glared at him, cursing at him. Yep, he should have gone with his first instinct and left her alone. His big hand resting on his abs, grunting in pain as he gave Rebecca an unhappy frown while she fumed. She didn’t have to hit him so hard…When she had finally calmed down a little, still bristling from head to toe, he pointed at his gut. “You know, that’s domestic abuse.” Without warning, she reached out and punched his arm, making him bite back a smile even though it did hurt a little. She wasn’t being gentle this evening. “You’re only making your case worse, Taylor. I’m going to have to go to therapy if you keep this up.” It didn’t seem to faze her, but she didn’t hit him again. He put a hand over his heart. “Every time you hit me, Becks, you hurt me here.” He patted his chest and thought finally he’d amused her. With a small smile, he turned back to the vegetables and started cutting again.

Looking over his shoulder, he could see Rebecca still sulking. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” She gave him a curious look and he knew he was right in assuming there was something she wasn’t telling him. He dumped half of the vegetables into the salad bowl and half into the sauce, stirring it before moving on to cut up some mushrooms. “You’ve been distracted the last couple days. What’s wrong?”

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“Or else what?” Her eyes narrowed slightly. Did he really need to ask such an idiotic question? She knew he was taunting her, rephrasing her own threat to him, but that didn't make it funny. Not to her anyway. “I gave you a warning and you ignored it. You had your chance, but now I have to punish you. That’s the rules, baby.” Rebecca rolled her eyes but readied herself for his attack, knowing it was coming. She didn't mind a little playfulness now and then as long as Jack didn't go overboard, which was a chronic problem in their relationship. She didn't like to be manhandled, even playfully, but Jack was a big brother and was used to physically tormenting his sisters. Rough housing was always a bad thing when she was a kid.

As predicted Jack lunged, but being trained as a police officer, Rebecca was easily able to dodge him. She slipped past him, but unfortunately for her Jack was trained as well and his arm shot out and circled her wrist, stopping her from actually getting away. "Jack!" She scolded as he pulled her back in, her small body wriggling against his grasp but to no avail. His hands came to her sides and stomach, those expert fingers tickling in a way that forced laughter to come from her mouth. It tickled, dammit! There were few things in life Rebecca hated more than being tickle attacked and Jack knew that. Though outwardly she was laughing so hard she was nearly brought to tears, inside she was fuming. "Stoppit!" She managed between breaths, trying desperately to free herself from his strong hold, but no matter which was she moved he was able to hold her in place, forcing her to suffer at his hands. "I swear.. to GOD! Jack. STOP!" She whined, finally getting an elbow into his stomach.

Jack's muffled grunt and the way his arms freed her was answer enough to how hard she'd gotten him. She felt zero remorse for any pain she caused him, turning to face him and glaring angrily. "Godammit, Jack. You know I hate that! You're such an asshole." She chastised, her skin still crawling from the way he'd manhandled her. He frowned at her and she frowned right back, crossing her arms over her chest tightly, her bottom lip pouting slightly as it wont to do. “You know, that’s domestic abuse.” She glared hard out him, huffing as her arm came out, landing a punch in his arm. It wasn't a very hard punch, just enough for him to know he'd gone and pissed her off. "Shut up, Jack." She grumbled at him. “You’re only making your case worse, Taylor. I’m going to have to go to therapy if you keep this up.” She tilted her head to the side and offered an incredulous look before rolling her eyes. “Every time you hit me, Becks, you hurt me here.” He patted his chest over his heart. All she could do was shake her head, turning away as he had but this time going to the fridge to pull out a beer. Jack could be one of the most irritating men she'd ever met, but she found she craved that sort of irritation to some degree. She liked having someone to lean on, someone to count on and Jack seemed pretty intent on making it work despite her quirks. Like hating being ticked for instance.

Rebecca popped the beer top open, her mind wandering again to the email. Would she get a fast reply? Would she get a reply at all? If she did would it have the information she needed? “So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Her eyes widened slightly and she looked at Jack curiously. Was he hinting that he knew? How could he know? Had she left the emails open for him to view? Maybe she'd left her email logged in on his computer and he peeked! "What?" She asked as if she had no idea what he was referring to. “You’ve been distracted the last couple days. What’s wrong?” She tore her eyes away from the back of his head, needing to think of a good lie and not able to do so with the possibility of him turning to see the dishonesty in her eyes. "Nothing." She said, trying to sound innocent. "I've just been tired." She lied, playing with a twist tie that had been left on the counter. "What about you, huh?" She glowered at him slightly. "You're putting quite a bit of effort into dinner there, buddy. You trying to butter me up? Got some bad news? Maybe you've got something going on." She accused pursing her lips. Whatever it took to get the attention of herself and onto Jack instead was a good thing.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Nothing. I’ve just been tired.” It was a good thing Rebecca couldn’t see Jack roll his eyes. She probably would have gotten more irritated than she already was. He knew that wasn’t the truth. It was fishy that she was hiding something from him, but he knew better than to push her. Instead he would quietly cajole her until she finally fessed up to whatever it was she was keeping a secret. “What about you, huh?” Jack looked over his shoulder curiously, grabbing the mushrooms so he could toss them in the sauce and the salad. The look on her face told him how suspicious she was. “You’re putting quite a bit of effort into dinner there, buddy. You trying to butter me up? Got some bad news? Maybe you’ve got something going on.” So she was onto him. He smirked and stirred the pot of sauce before turning around to face her. “Do you really think I would stoop so low as to try and butter you up with food?” he teased, knowing that was exactly what he was doing. Her answer confirmed that she was well aware he would stoop to that level and he sighed, reaching out to grab her hips gently. “If I wanted to butter you up, I’d just do this.” Without missing a beat, he leaned in and kissed her before she could wriggle away. Her lips were reluctant at first, resisting the caress of his, but she caved eventually. He loved the way it felt when she gentled towards him, the way her lips loosened against his mouth and kissed him back. One hand slipped to her jaw, holding her there while he kissed her more deeply but still with a patient pace. The kiss was making him hungry for more than just food…

He pulled away from her lips, knowing the food would get neglected if he kissed her much longer. His chocolate eyes opened in time to see her mouth follow his just for a heartbeat. It made him smirk and he was tempted to kiss her again. “How about you set the table?” he suggested softly in his deep voice, watching as she opened her sea-colored eyes. Seeing the slight embarrassment on her face that she had given into him made it hard for him not to grin in triumph. Rebecca was one tough cookie but she could crumble for him. It felt pretty good to have that privilege. She was sulky when she went to retrieve the dishes for dinner and he had to hide his smile. It took another fifteen minutes to finish cooking the food and plating it up, but it was worth it. The smell wafting from the garlic bread, the parmesan chicken and the sauce filled the apartment and it looked so good sitting on top of all that pasta. Jack had to admit, he was good at this cooking thing. He poured two glasses of red wine and brought them to the table. Rebecca was already pawing at the bread. “Someone’s hungry.” His tease was followed by a smile before he sat down and grabbed some bread for himself.

The meal was as good as it looked. It was nice to taste the fruits of his labor. Rebecca seemed to be enjoying it too and he was relieved to see her ease up a little. “Did you notice the captain brought that little O’Brien girl in again the other day? It was just for a few minutes but she was following him around like a duckling. Who knew he was so good with kids? You think him and that Erin O’Brien lady are dating?” It was office gossip, but one he was legitimately interested in. It just seemed so strange that Calvin Hagan would have a girlfriend and actually enjoying hanging out with her kid. Plus it was a good topic to veer away from the inevitable explanation of the meal for a short time. Enough to let Rebecca’s irritation with him cool some more.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“Do you really think I would stoop so low as to try and butter you up with food?” He was smirking, and his tone was almost mocking. They both knew he would. He brow went up and her lips pursed slightly. "Yes." She grumbled practically under her breath. Jack grabbed for her and she felt that familiar tingle in her stomach, the one that told her he was about to do something she liked but truly hated at the same time. His hands grasped her hips lightly and he tugged her closely, Rebecca's face desperately trying to keep the disapproving grimace intact. “If I wanted to butter you up, I’d just do this.” He kissed her, as she expected, and her body naturally tensed up, refusing the gentle show of affection. It was hard to let go, even after all this time with Jack. Finally she caved, her body loosening as her mouth moved against his, embarrassed at how easy it was for him to make her come to her knees for him. Jack's lips grew hungrier and she couldn't deny him, even though a proud part of her wanted to. She liked when he was like this, liked how in control of a situation he could be, even if she denied it completely. There was comfort in that, foreign as that was to Rebecca.

Jack pulled away before she was ready and her face moved with his, her body desperate to grasp onto the affection she didn't know she craved so desperately. “How about you set the table?” Her cheeks flushed slightly and she gave a huffy sort of look at him before rolling her eyes and setting forth to do the task he asked. She hated how easily he could get to her, and hated more that smug look on his face when he knew he'd won. Deep down it didn't really bother her. She loved that someone wanted her in this way, that he would fight her obnoxious exterior because he found something sweeter within. What, exactly, Rebecca wasn't completely sure of, but she decided a long time ago she didn't care all that much. Jack adored her, and that was good enough.

Jack finished cooking and poured some wine. Rebecca was sitting at the table, her mind wandering to the email she'd received. Part of her wanted to run and check her email now, but she knew it was way too soon for a reply. She felt antsy waiting. What was her sister like? Had she known her? She had no recollection of her at all, but that made sense considering she didn't have hardly any memory of her life before she came to the US. She was absently picking at the bread when Jack set the glasses down. “Someone’s hungry.” She looked up at him, almost surprised to see him there her mind was so wrapped in thought. She gave a little shrug and put the bread down, deciding she had no smart remark to make about his comment. She tried to push her news behind, serving herself some of the supper that Jack just prepared for them.

Looks and personality aside, Jack was nice to have around because he could cook, and truth be told he had a nice place. He kept everything relatively clean, especially for a guy, and the place was nicely decorated. He seemed to have it together and it was strange to her that he would still be single when they had met. He seemed like one of those catches. “Did you notice the captain brought that little O’Brien girl in again the other day? It was just for a few minutes but she was following him around like a duckling. Who knew he was so good with kids? You think him and that Erin O’Brien lady are dating?” Since when did he care about office gossip? She looked at Jack, not sure what her opinion on the matter was. "I don't know." She said with a shrug, looking at him a little funny as she popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. "What do you care if he is? Since when do you give a shit about the captains love life?" She watched him a little unsure, swallowing her food and reaching for her glass of wine. She sighed and looked around as she sipped, trying to figure out what to talk about. "What're you doing for Christmas?" She asked suddenly out of the blue, not having thought of it much beforehand. She hadn't spent Christmas with anyone in ages, even though Maxi usually invited her. Part of her wondered if Jack would want her to tag along. Part of her wondered if she even really wanted to..

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

The confused look Rebecca shot him made Jack’s eyebrows rise. Was it that surprising that he was following office gossip? She gave a shrug, popping another piece of chicken in her mouth. “I don’t know. What do you care if he is? Since when do you give a shit about the captain’s love life?” Jack gave a brief, exaggerated frown at the way she answered as if he didn’t understand why she snapped. “Since its existence came to light. Can you blame me for being curious?” Hagan was a mystery even after a couple years since he’d first arrived from Boston. Little was known about him by most of the police department and it struck a natural curiosity in Jack. All he knew was that the captain came from a big family Irish Catholic family in Boston and he was a die hard New England sports fan, particularly when it came to the Red Sox. They had talked baseball a few times and Hagan mentioned in passing a couple times how expensive it was to get all his nieces and nephews as well as his sister and a brother to a game at Fenway, but somehow they’d managed it. That was how he gained what little information he could on Cal Hagan. Apparently Rebecca wasn’t nearly as curious—not that it surprised him. Rebecca was much more “live and let live” than he was, preferring to mind her own business and keep her nose to the grindstone. In the spirit of this, she took it upon herself to change the subject—again, no surprise.

“What’re you doing for Christmas?” That question did manage to surprise him and his brown eyes widened slightly before he shrugged. “I thought I was spending it with you. Unless you already set up a date with some other guy.” The look she gave made him grin. She clarified her question by inquiring about whether he was going to see his family. “I usually go to my mom’s for dinner with my sisters and brother-in-law. It’s an early dinner, around four or so. We eat, exchange gifts, eat some more, and play games. It’s a good time.” He took a bite of chicken, studying Rebecca’s face as she soaked it in. It was hard to read her expression. She looked hesitant and curious at once and he knew she must have been thinking about not having her family around to celebrate with. “You’ve been invited this year too. Mom says she won’t accept no for an answer. She is determined to put at least a pound on you.” He smiled wide and warm, echoing his mother’s words. “She says you’re as skinny as a rail. I tried to tell her you actually eat a lot, but it took some convincing.” A piece of bread hit his cheek and he chuckled, grinning from ear to ear at his girlfriend. “She and Andy are the same way—they eat and eat and it melts right off. At least you all have nothing to worry about.” Another piece of bread bounced off his sharp nose followed by Rebecca chiding him which made him laugh. It was so amusing to get a rise out of Rebecca. He could tell she wasn’t really upset and he took a moment to eat some spaghetti.

Once he’d washed down his food with a sip of wine, he looked at Rebecca again, curious. “I won’t embarrass you by making you open my presents to you at my mom’s. We can do that Christmas morning. So what do you say? Want to come to my mom’s for a Roccograndi Christmas?” It was easy to see her hesitation and Jack could understand it. If he’d lost his entire family, he probably wouldn’t want to spend his holidays with a different one either. But he didn’t like the thought of leaving her alone to go have dinner at his mom’s house. Hell, if she said she didn’t want to go, he’d probably stay and have dinner with Rebecca instead of going to his mom’s. He hoped she would agree, though. Looking down at his food, he stabbed a piece of chicken before twirling his fork and gathering up some pasta. “I’m sure there are quite a few embarrassing childhood pictures my mom and sisters would love to share with you.” At least the offer of pictures that would make Jack blush would sweeten the pot. He waited patiently for her decision.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“I thought I was spending it with you." He looked almost surprised that she would ask. Why would he look at her like that? They hadn't made any official plans or anything! "Unless you already set up a date with some other guy.” She rolled her eyes and all but scoffed at his remark. He was playing with her, but that didn't mean she liked it. She wasn't a fan of jokes. “I usually go to my mom’s for dinner with my sisters and brother-in-law. It’s an early dinner, around four or so. We eat, exchange gifts, eat some more, and play games. It’s a good time.” So he wanted her to tag along to family functions now. They must be getting serious.. She studied him for a second, absorbing the information, before looking down at her supper. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad.. The games part would. She already knew that if Jack didn't insist she participate, his sisters would. That didn't sit well with her. “You’ve been invited this year too. Mom says she won’t accept no for an answer." Her eyes widened a bit. This was news to her. Why hadn't he brought it up yet? Clearly it had come up in conversation with his mother! "She is determined to put at least a pound on you. She says you’re as skinny as a rail. I tried to tell her you actually eat a lot, but it took some convincing.” That was too far. They talked about her eating habits?! In a sudden act of annoyance Rebecca chucked the chunk of bread she was holding, watching it bounce off his cheek. How could he? “She and Andy are the same way—they eat and eat and it melts right off. At least you all have nothing to worry about.” Rebecca picked up the rest of her roll and threw it at Jack's face. "You'd do well to stop talking about my eating habits with anyone." She warned, glowering at him. She wasn't really that mad, but she wanted him to know she was serious. She didn't like him talking about her to anyone, even his family.

“I won’t embarrass you by making you open my presents to you at my mom’s. We can do that Christmas morning." Presents! He had presents for her? She hadn't even thought about getting gifts. She never traded gifts. The most she did was send a card to Maxi, and even that wasn't every year, just when she thought to do it. Gift giving wasn't a normal part of Christmas for her, and hadn't been for nearly two decades. What the hell was she going to get Jack? Did she need to buy stuff for his sisters and mom too? A knot grew in her stomach. "So what do you say? Want to come to my mom’s for a Roccograndi Christmas?” She knew she had to say something, but the truth was she had no idea how to feel about the situation. Maxi had invited her for Christmas before but she always declined. It was easy when you lived on the other side of the country. She'd even had a boyfriend in the past offer, but she shot him down almost immediately. But things were different with Jack. Rebecca needed Jack in a way she didn't need anyone else. Losing him would devastate her, and though she would never outwardly admit it, she couldn't very well lie to herself and think that him leaving her wouldn't affect her deeply. “I’m sure there are quite a few embarrassing childhood pictures my mom and sisters would love to share with you.” She knew he was trying to sweeten the deal and she sighed. "Let me think about it." It was the best she could offer for the moment, but the fact that she hadn't shot him down completely showed that she was at least trying to be accommodating. Jack would understand.. Her eyes moved to meet his. "Christmas is a weird time for me. But.. I'll think about it. I'm not saying yes! But I'm not saying no either, okay?" Her eyes pleaded gently for him to let it go. Thinking about Christmas plans on top of this whole sister thing was too much.

Rebecca went back into her mind, thinking again about her new news. Should she tell Jack? Part of her wanted to, but part of her screamed not to, not until it was official. She fidgeted in her seat before looking back at her boyfriend again shyly. "What's it like having a sister?" She asked bashfully, her cheeks flushed lightly. "I mean.. I had my brother when I was a kid, but we were kids. We fought.. not always. Sam was a good kid. He was rambunctious, but.." She swallowed remembering the dream he'd had during his coma. He'd described Sam exactly. Had he really met her brother? She knew it sounded stupid and illogical. She'd gone over it repeatedly in her mind. No way he'd actually met Sam. Sam was dead, and had been for a very long time. "Like.. as an adult." She swallowed hard. It wasn't like her to reach out, and she could always use the excuse she was curious because of Christmas, which didn't make sense, but if she argued it enough he would accept it. She always won. Or at least she in her mind that was the case.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Let me think about it.” The way Rebecca sighed the answer mildly disappointed Jack, but he let all insistence go. He would give her time. No doubt it couldn’t have been easy for her around the holidays. He nodded his head, giving a pleasant smile of agreement. “Christmas is a weird time for me. But…I’ll think about it. I’m not saying yes! But I’m not saying no either, okay?” He smiled wider and put his hands up as a show of peace. “Okay! Take your time.” When she quieted, she went back into her thoughts. He took another bite of food, but watched his girlfriend curiously. What was she thinking about? What could be going through that pretty little head of hers that she would be so lost in her own thoughts? Maybe she was thinking about how much she would miss her own family if she joined his for Christmas. It was understandable, really. Every year since he’d lost his father, even now, felt strangely empty around the holidays. He had his mother and his sisters to spend the time with and he loved having that from the bottom of his heart, but the loss of his father left something missing from every holiday. He couldn’t imagine how empty the holidays had been for Rebecca. These thoughts were stewing in his mind when Rebecca’s eyes met his again. There was a strange shy and nervous look there, like she was arguing with herself over asking a question. His eyebrows rose in silent coaxing for her to speak her mind.

“What’s it like having a sister?” The question caught him completely off guard and he tilted his head to the side as his brow furrowed. A sister? Rebecca’s cheeks flushed as he voice faltered and Jack had to hold back his amused smile, finding the look on her face incredibly endearing. “I mean…I had my brother when I was a kid, but we were kids. We fought…not always. Sam was a good kid. He was rambunctious, but…” A strange sense of familiarity always stirred now when Rebecca mentioned her brother. It may have been nothing more than a dream, but Jack genuinely felt as though he had known Sam Taylor. As Rebecca described him now, it warmed his heart to think of the nervous husband-to-be he’d met during his coma. It was such a strange feeling to feel so close to a dead boy. “Like…as an adult.” Jack’s brow furrowed more to show he was confused by her line of questioning, yet he didn’t hesitate to answer it. “Well…I can’t say whether it’s like having a brother or not, but I assume it’s similar. And it’s definitely different now than it was when we were kids…” He trailed off, considering the question more before giving a real answer. “Having a sister as an adult is a lot like having a best friend you’ve known your whole life. There’s nobody in the world who could understand me more than my little sisters. They went through everything I went through, remember a lot of what I remember but maybe they can fill me in on some of the things they noticed that I never did. With my sisters around, I’ll always have someone to protect and care about. I’ll always have someone who loves me and who I love in return. I’ll never be alone because we all share blood and it’s the tie that will bind us forever. It’s a comfort to know I’ll never be alone.” He looked at Rebecca, suddenly worried that maybe his words had hurt her. She’d asked the question, but he hadn’t intended for his loving words to sting. Rebecca didn’t have those ties and he regretted gloating that he did. One look at her face showed she was perturbed by his words, but maybe not as much as he originally thought. That was curious in and of itself.

“Of course, I’m hoping you’ll stick around for a while too for a while to stave that whole loneliness thing.” He smiled for her, hoping to get some hint of humor out of her, but he could tell she was too distracted by her own thoughts. “It’s not always sunshine and rainbows to have a sister, either. They feel that because they’re blood, they should know you better than anyone, and then they feel entitled to know everything that’s going on in your life. No one else’s blood is closer to my own, so my sisters always feel like I should tell them more than even my own mom.” He shrugged. “Andy is more insistent than Izzy, but they both are constantly asking me for the dirt about my life. And they always know when I’m holding out on them.” He rolled his eyes dramatically with a smile. They were both aware of what he was planning to ask Rebecca tonight, for instance, and he knew tomorrow his phone would be blowing up before he even had a chance to truly let Rebecca’s answer sink in. Thinking on that, he grinned a little mischievously at Rebecca, wanting to tease her just a little about her question. “Are you planning to adopt my sisters as your own now? I’m sure they’d much rather have a big sister than their oaf of a big brother.” His smile grew, showing Rebecca that he was only trying to get a rise out of her. He didn’t even really expect an answer. But then he thought of another possibility for the reason behind her question and his brow furrowed, his smile falling some. “Or are you thinking of Maxi’s sister coming back? Did something happen?” Something had to have happened if she was concerned about that after all this time since the other McManus girl had come back into the picture. He didn’t want to pry too much, but he couldn’t help being concerned about Rebecca. She was his girlfriend, after all.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

She knew he was confused as to why she was asking, but she tried to play it cool, picking at her bread as he came up with his answer as if it weren't such a big deal to have asked such an out of character question. “Well…I can’t say whether it’s like having a brother or not, but I assume it’s similar. And it’s definitely different now than it was when we were kids…” Was that it? Her sea colored eyes met his in a silent question. Was he going to just stop there? “Having a sister as an adult is a lot like having a best friend you’ve known your whole life. There’s nobody in the world who could understand me more than my little sisters. They went through everything I went through, remember a lot of what I remember but maybe they can fill me in on some of the things they noticed that I never did." Her heart sank a little. It wouldn't be like that with her sister. They would have needed to have something more in common than their gene pool to really get along. Siblings shared more than genetics, they shared everything! To an extent, anyway. "With my sisters around, I’ll always have someone to protect and care about. I’ll always have someone who loves me and who I love in return. I’ll never be alone because we all share blood and it’s the tie that will bind us forever. It’s a comfort to know I’ll never be alone.” Rebecca suddenly felt her stomach twist. She would never have someone like that in her life. Maxi and Jack, the only two people who really cared for her, could walk out of her life in a moment if they wanted, and by the way Jack spoke Rebecca knew that he wasn't sure they would be together forever. Her eyes melted to her plate, her fork absently poking at the food as her face hardened slightly. “Of course, I’m hoping you’ll stick around for a while to stave that whole loneliness thing.” He must have caught on to her confused feelings about what he'd said and how it had irked her. Her eyes rose though her head stayed tipped down toward her supper. A while? As in not forever? Did she want to be with Jack forever? This wasn't what she wanted to deal with now. These weren't the feelings she wanted pushed on her at the moment, not with this sister thing going on.

“It’s not always sunshine and rainbows to have a sister, either. They feel that because they’re blood, they should know you better than anyone, and then they feel entitled to know everything that’s going on in your life. No one else’s blood is closer to my own, so my sisters always feel like I should tell them more than even my own mom. Andy is more insistent than Izzy, but they both are constantly asking me for the dirt about my life. And they always know when I’m holding out on them.” This sister business actually sounded like more trouble than it was worth. Is this what it would be like for her? Rebecca had no idea. She was starting to wonder if it was a good idea even to try and find her. Then again it could all be for naught. The adoption agency hadn't even gotten back to her, and she wasn't sure if they even would. And if they did, there was no guarantee that her sister would be easy to find. “Are you planning to adopt my sisters as your own now? I’m sure they’d much rather have a big sister than their oaf of a big brother.” Rebecca's eyes widened as she looked up at him completely, realizing that he was kidding a moment too late. Her lips pursed as her confusion slipped into mild annoyance. “Or are you thinking of Maxi’s sister coming back? Did something happen?” Rebecca's brows knit gently and she shook her head, reaching for her wine. "No, no.. everything with Maureen's fine." She explained sipping her wine. "And I'm not adopting anyone. Your sisters are your problem, buddy. I don't want any of that." She placed the glass down and sighed very gently through her nose. Suddenly her phone vibrated.

Rebecca pulled her phone out, something she didn't always do at dinner, and saw she had a new email. Her heart hammered as she pulled her inbox open, realizing she was holding her breath. When she saw the email her shoulders slumped. Another scammy credit card offer. Rebecca sighed and slipped her phone back in her pocket, looking up to a curious Jack. She glowered at his questioning face and then rolled her eyes. "Fine. You'd probably find out eventually anyway. I've been in touch with the adoption agency." She confessed, looking back down at her dinner instead of the penetrating chocolate eyes of her lover. "The one my parents got me from. Anyway it turns out I have a birth sister." She licked her lips and looked up at Jack anxiously. "But don't you go and celebrate that or anything, I have no idea where she is or who she is or if I could even find her. They haven't coughed up her information yet and I don't know if they will. So.. I'm not getting my hopes up or anything." But deep down that was exactly what she was doing. She hoped for some family.. some connection to a life that could have been hers. "It's not a big deal, though. Okay?"

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Rebecca shook her head at Jack’s inquiry regarding Maxi’s sister. “No, no…everything with Maureen’s fine. And I’m not adopting anyone. Your sisters are your problem, buddy. I don’t want any of that.” Jack laughed before forking more food into his mouth. He slowed in his chewing when he saw the way Rebecca jumped at her phone, though. She never really checked her phone at dinner…It was like she was anxiously expecting something and it made Jack very curious. What would get his girlfriend so worked up? Her shoulders slumped dramatically and her whole face fell. Apparently it wasn’t what she had been hoping it was. When their eyes met again, Jack raised his eyebrows in innocent inquiry. There was something fishy going on here…The look Rebecca shot him told Jack that she was irritated with his curiosity, but also appeared to be giving into it. He knew she would explain herself as he watched her roll her eyes and he stayed at her with patient expectation. “Fine. You’d probably find out eventually anyway. I’ve been in touch with the adoption agency.” Wait, what? His eyes widened significantly. What adoption agency? A children’s adoption agency? Was Rebecca…was she trying to become a mom? The thought seemed absolutely ridiculous and frightening at the same time. Why wouldn’t she discuss that with him?! “The one my parents got me from.” He almost let out a heavy sigh of relief. So she wasn’t looking to adopt a kid. He could laugh at himself for the thought. It wasn’t that Rebecca wouldn’t be a good mom, but he was planning to stick around for a very long time and wasn’t quite ready to be father or stepfather to a child. “Anyway it turns out I have a birth sister.” Just like that, his eyes were wide again. A sister? Rebecca had a sister floating around out there too? He immediately wondered if they were anything alike. Was Rebecca trying to get in touch with her? It explained all of her distance in recent weeks and while it relieved him to know it wasn’t his fault she had been so distant, it also concerned him. What was Rebecca going to do with this information?

“But don’t you go and celebrate that or anything. I have no idea where she is or who she is or if I could even find her. They haven’t coughed up her information yet and I don’t know if they will. So…I’m not getting my hopes up or anything.” Jack gave her a suspicious look when Rebecca wasn’t looking. Of course she was getting her hopes up. Who wouldn’t when faced with her situation? She’d lost all of her family, but had just discovered she had more somewhere underneath the stars. “It’s not a big deal, though. Okay?” Jack gave a lopsided smile and leaned towards her more. “How is that not a big deal, Becks? You have family somewhere out there—blood family. After what you’ve been through…it’s perfectly normal for you to be excited about it.” There was a look on Rebecca’s face that was almost pleading with him not to feed into her emotions anymore than she was doing on her own. He nodded and covered one of her pale hands with one large hand of his own. “Okay. I won’t get too excited. But that’s great news, Becks. Do you think the adoption agency will tell you how to find her?” Rebecca expressed her doubts and he nodded slowly, considering the reasons she gave. It’s true that the adoption agency had every right to withhold information about her sister if that was her sister’s family’s wishes. He hoped they hadn’t elected to keep her sister’s information a secret. It would be wonderful if Rebecca could finally have some family of her own, even if it was just one sister. Wouldn’t it be something if she lived close by, close enough for Rebecca to visit…It was a small world, after all.

“Well, if they do give you her information, are you going to go looking for her?” That was another problem for Rebecca. She seemed very skeptical about the whole thing and Jack could tell she was also terrified at the prospect. But just from the way she was waiting so anxiously for an e-mail from the adoption agency, he could tell she really did want have the option. “What’s the worst that could happen, Becks? She tells you she doesn’t want to know you? At least there would be finality in that instead of constantly going back and forth about whether you reach out to her or not.” Again, she expressed her doubts, getting frustrated and beginning to shut him out. That was the last thing he wanted when he still had a question to ask her. “Okay, I’ll let it go for now. You know if you want to talk about it, you can come to me.” He took a sip of his wine before looking at her pretty pinched face again. “So I guess this whole sister thing is why you’ve been so distracted lately. I was afraid it had something to do with me. Like you were prepping yourself to break up with me.” His eyes came to hers, a haughtily amused look on his face. “Silly, right? I mean, I’m a total catch.” He gave an exaggerated shrug and an almost Fonzy-esque face that said, “Come on, you can’t deny it.” When he grinned in earnest, he hoped he’d at least made her smile to get off the topic that was weighing heaviest on her mind.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Jack was getting that goofy happy smile he got when he thought something sounded better than Rebecca portrayed it to be. “How is that not a big deal, Becks? You have family somewhere out there—blood family. After what you’ve been through…it’s perfectly normal for you to be excited about it.” Her eyes begged for him not to go there. She knew what she'd been through. She knew she should be stoked, and there was a part of her that was, but there was a bigger part that had been let down so much that she couldn't muster the type of excitement warranted for a situation like this. Jack took her hand, still happier than she was, but relenting. “Okay. I won’t get too excited. But that’s great news, Becks. Do you think the adoption agency will tell you how to find her?” She shook her head and them shrugged. "I doubt they'll give me what I need to know to find her, but I really only need a few good key words to find her, then I can look at work I guess." She explained which seemed like a good enough answer for Jack. “Well, if they do give you her information, are you going to go looking for her?” Jack asked the magic question. She knew he would want her to, and part of her wanted to. Hell, she knew she would go looking for her, but whether she actually talked to her or not was another story completely. She had far too many reservations about being in touch with the girl. She would want to know all about Rebecca and she wasn't sure she was comfortable indulging the other girl with her life story. Who gets orphaned twice? Maxi sort of had, and Rebecca had found a lot of solace in that growing up. It was what brought them together. But this sister might not understand.

"I don't know." She sighed, picking at the bread though she wasn't eating it anymore. "I don't know if I want to open that window, yah know? Things are sort of fine the way they are." “What’s the worst that could happen, Becks? She tells you she doesn’t want to know you? At least there would be finality in that instead of constantly going back and forth about whether you reach out to her or not.”She hated when Jack was right. Rebecca pursed her lips. "Well maybe I don't want that sort of rejection from the only living relative I have. Maybe she doesn't want to meet me. Maybe she's a huge pain in the ass or.. I don't know, a bitch or something!" She huffed, knowing she sounded silly. “Okay, I’ll let it go for now. You know if you want to talk about it, you can come to me.” She calmed slightly and pouted slightly at the table. She knew that.. she never took him up on it, but she definitely knew that.

“So I guess this whole sister thing is why you’ve been so distracted lately. I was afraid it had something to do with me. Like you were prepping yourself to break up with me.” She cocked a brow up at him. Did he think she wasn't interested in him anymore? His face seemed almost playful and she wasn't sure if he was teasing or being serious. “Silly, right? I mean, I’m a total catch.” She frowned as he grinned, not liking that he would think that. Why would he make light of a serious topic? Why didn't she have that ability? "If I wanted to break up with you I'd just do it. I don't need to prep for that." They both knew it was mostly a lie. With most confrontations Rebecca probably wouldn't need to prep, but things were different with Jack and always had been. "Besides, even if I did dump you I probably wouldn't be able to get rid of you. You're like a parasite." She teased, the corner of her lip popping up slightly in a partial smile as she tossed a little piece of bread at him. "Alright, enough of this serious crap. What do you want to do tonight? And I don't want to talk about sister stuff, so you know. Or Christmas with your family.. want to watch a movie or something? There's a half bottle of wine we need to finish."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Rebecca frowned at Jack and he wondered if his teasing about them breaking up had angered her. Had it really gone through his mind? Yes. Did he take it seriously? No. "If I wanted to break up with you I'd just do it. I don't need to prep for that." Jack slapped a playful hand to his chest like he was hurt, but he wasn’t really. He knew Rebecca well enough to know that she would need to prep in any confrontation with him. That was plain enough by the way she avoided most confrontations with him like the plague until she’d had time to think it over. "Besides, even if I did dump you I probably wouldn't be able to get rid of you. You're like a parasite." The corner of her lip popped up and he grinned wide. “But a really dreamy one.” She threw bread at him and he laughed before finishing his plate. "Alright, enough of this serious crap. What do you want to do tonight? And I don't want to talk about sister stuff, so you know. Or Christmas with your family…want to watch a movie or something? There's a half bottle of wine we need to finish." He cleared his throat, knowing he should ask her the question that was burning a hole in his gut. It would be better to ask it now while they were still piecing out serious topics than bring down the mood later. He finished his glass of wine before speaking. “I’d love to watch a movie, but I’m afraid I still have some serious stuff to talk about.” The way Rebecca’s face fell almost made him smile. “Come on, don’t look like that. It’s not as horrible as you’re imagining. But you might as well pour yourself some more wine.” She did and he took the opportunity to rev himself up. He could do this. She wouldn’t freak out…as long as he led her into it.

Jack leaned back in his seat a little and gave her a small smile. “So I’ll admit, the food was meant to butter you up.” He shrugged before leaning forward again, resting his clasped hands on the table. Being closer to her would be better, right? His eyes came to hers again, warm and perhaps a little anxious. “This whole coma thing got me thinking like it did you. I was the one who ate the chocolate, but I was bringing that home to share with you. What if you had eaten it before I did? Then you would be in the hospital bed, not me. And to be honest, I don’t know how I would have handled that. I would have sat by your side every day afraid that I’d have to face living without you. Since the day I met you I’ve wanted to be closer to you. What if I got so far and then just lost everything? I don’t think you know how much that thought absolutely terrifies me.” He swallowed hard, seeing how nervous Rebecca looked. “I would have so many regrets if I lost you today. And I don’t want to regret anything. On the flip side, in my coma, what I saw…I had a hundred regrets there too. But one thing I didn’t regret was building a life with you.” Rebecca looked at Jack with sheer terror and he actually had to fight back a laugh. “This isn’t a marriage proposal, Becks, so breathe.” He smiled at the relief she tried to hide. “But it did get me thinking about living with you. We already see each other pretty much every day, but we could get a place big enough to give some space if we need it. Then I could make you real food every day and you wouldn’t have to eat frozen meals or get takeout as much.” He gave another smile, but knew it was a lot for her to process. There was no expectation of a smile from her.

“You don’t have to give me an answer now. I know you need time to think about it and I completely understand. But will you consider moving in with me?” It took a minute, but when Rebecca finally said she would think about it, Jack smiled. That was enough for him. He got to his feet, but remained leaned over the table so he could plant a kiss on her cheek before nuzzling his nose into her hair near her ear. “Thank you, baby.” His voice was low, soft, his lips brushing over her ear as he spoke. She turned her face toward his, perhaps with some hesitation, and Jack took the opportunity to kiss her lips this time. His hands supported his weight by gripping the back of her chair and resting on the table as he stayed leaning over her and expressing his love for her in his kiss. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers briefly, simply relieved he’d gotten his question off his chest. With a sigh, he kissed her forehead and then grabbed her plate. “You want to pick out a movie while I clean up?” he asked, smiling before movie away and grabbing his own plate. At least he could busy himself while he calmed his nerves.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Jack cleared his throat and Rebecca immediately cocked a brow. There was something else.. something more. “I’d love to watch a movie, but I’m afraid I still have some serious stuff to talk about.” Her shoulders slumped and the look on her face said it all. What else did he need to talk about? “Come on, don’t look like that. It’s not as horrible as you’re imagining. But you might as well pour yourself some more wine.” Rebecca sighed and did exactly as he suggested. She would probably need it if he said she would need it. The man who had managed to wriggle his way into her heart leaned back and sighed, her dark blue-green eyes piercing his in anticipation. “So I’ll admit, the food was meant to butter you up.” She snorted and narrowed her eyes in an I knew it look. “This whole coma thing got me thinking like it did you. I was the one who ate the chocolate, but I was bringing that home to share with you. What if you had eaten it before I did? Then you would be in the hospital bed, not me." She had never considered that and it got her thinking. What would her dream have been like? "And to be honest, I don’t know how I would have handled that. I would have sat by your side every day afraid that I’d have to face living without you. Since the day I met you I’ve wanted to be closer to you. What if I got so far and then just lost everything? I don’t think you know how much that thought absolutely terrifies me.” Her cheeks flushed at his kind confession. She still didn't understand what it was about her that he liked so much. Then his words really sank in. What was he getting at? “I would have so many regrets if I lost you today. And I don’t want to regret anything. On the flip side, in my coma, what I saw…I had a hundred regrets there too. But one thing I didn’t regret was building a life with you.” Marriage! Panic struck her and her eyes widened. He wouldn't! Would he? No.. no, no, no! He couldn't propose, was he out of his mind? Of course he was! “This isn’t a marriage proposal, Becks, so breathe.” Relief washed through her like a tsunami and she physically relaxed though she tried not to show it. She wasn't sure what she would do if he dared ask her to marry him now. “But it did get me thinking about living with you. We already see each other pretty much every day, but we could get a place big enough to give some space if we need it. Then I could make you real food every day and you wouldn’t have to eat frozen meals or get takeout as much.” Again it wasn't what she expected but the proposition didn't sound nearly as bad as she thought it might. But live with Jack? Give up her independence? She looked down at his chest, clearly lost in thought. “You don’t have to give me an answer now. I know you need time to think about it and I completely understand. But will you consider moving in with me?” She looked back in his eyes, feeling almost dazed. After a moment she nodded. "Yeah.. I'll think about it." She said softly, clearing her throat after and chewing on the inside of her bottom lip. Jack got up and leaned over, pressing his lips to her cheek before nuzzling his nose into her hair. “Thank you, baby.” His voice sent chills down her spine and she turned her face toward him a little, almost affectionately, and he took the opportunity to kiss her lips. It was one of those stomach fluttering kisses that he was so amazing at. He pulled away too soon, leaving Rebecca dazed again, strangely hungry for more. “You want to pick out a movie while I clean up?” She pushed a smile on her face and nodded as he cleared the plates, the smile fading when his back was turned. What was it about Jack that got her this way? Rebecca chugged the rest of the wine in her glass, grabbed the bottle and got up from the table.

Rebecca moved to Jack's couch, sitting down and pulling her knees up to her chest. She held the bottle of wine close, sipping from it and staring at the television which was off. What would it be like to live with someone? She hadn't lived with someone since she was in college and that didn't work out as well as she'd wanted it to. She had never gotten along with anyone she roomed with, but Jack would be different. They practically lived together already, but when they got in a fight she had her own place to go back to. If they moved in together that would disappear. She needed her independence! She thought suddenly about the loss she felt when he was in a coma. She had been terrified he wouldn't wake. She would be all alone again, which at one time might have been no big deal, but now? Losing Jack seemed scary. She'd swore she would try harder if he woke. She'd made the promise to herself over and over that she would try harder, that Jack deserved that bit of effort considering how much bullshit he put up with. But giving up her own place? It would be nice having someone there to help with the chores she always neglected.. but would he have expectations? There were too many pros and cons!

The sink turned off and Jack was heading towards her. Rebecca grabbed the remote and turned it on, pulling up Netflix. She looked over at him from the corner of her eye, taking a sip of the wine before resting it between her legs. "It has to have at least two bedrooms." She said suddenly, looking at her knees instead of Jack. "And if I tell you to leave me alone, you have to. And you can't get on me about chores and finances are splut fifty fifty down the middle. I don't need you taking care of me." She turned her head towards him, looking him in the eye. "And your family doesn't get to know I said yes until after Christmas. I don't want them asking me a million questions about decorating or something equally mindless." She insisted, clearly agreeing to both living with him and doing Christmas with his family. "If you can adhere to those, then.. we can move in together."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack calmed his nerves as he cleared the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. If Rebecca turned him down, he would accept it. There was always next year, right? Yeah, he’d be disappointed at first, but at least he would have asked. Rebecca would respect him for it and he knew she wouldn’t make her decision rashly. And if she said yes, he would be ready to make compromises. He was used to that anyway, growing up with two little sisters and having dated Rebecca for over a year. It would be a change, but one he felt confident he could handle. By the time he turned off the water and started the dishwasher, Jack felt reassured. Rebecca would give him her answer in a few days and he would do his best not to push the issue. It was a big deal and Rebecca wasn’t likely to forget to give him an answer. He walked back into the living room and found her just starting up Netflix, the bottle of wine rested between her knees. She was thinking it over and it made him smile to know she was. He took a seat next to her and leaned back, his arm instinctively coming around the back of the couch behind her. Rebecca only gave him a sidelong look that made his brow furrow.

"It has to have at least two bedrooms." The statement confused Jack for half a second before it really hit him what she was saying. His eyes widened and he froze, watching her stare down at her knees. "And if I tell you to leave me alone, you have to. And you can't get on me about chores and finances are split fifty-fifty down the middle. I don't need you taking care of me." He uncurled his arm from the back of the couch and leaned forward so he would be able to get a better look at her face. The nervous glance she gave him told him how serious she was about this. She was agreeing to this… "And your family doesn't get to know I said yes until after Christmas. I don't want them asking me a million questions about decorating or something equally mindless." His smile spread slow but wide across his face, making a vague mental note of these things though he was a little focused on the excitement of living with Rebecca. And she was coming to Christmas. She wanted to be in his life and he couldn’t have been happier. "If you can adhere to those, then…we can move in together." Jack reached out and took Rebecca’s hand in his, forcing her sea-green eyes to look at the happy smile on his face. “Really? You mean it?” When she assured him she did, he grinned wider. “Then I promise I’ll stick to your rules. Nobody knows until after Christmas, I’ll leave you alone if you tell me to, fifty-fifty finances and at least two bedrooms. Anything else?” The question at the end was more of a tease and Rebecca’s response made him chuckle gently. He leaned towards her more. “Are you going to make me sign a contract?” he asked playfully and again her response made him grin. He sealed the deal with a sweet, loving kiss on her lips. His hand came up and cupped her jaw before he pulled away slightly and nuzzled her nose with his. “Thank you for taking this step with me.” He opened his eyes to hers and held her gaze with a warm, loving smile. His thumb slipped across her cheekbone affectionately as he simply admired her for a long moment. “You make me really happy, Becks.” With that he leaned in and gave her another sweet kiss, his lips lingering above hers before he kissed her again more passionately.

His hand cupping her face slipped into the dark, rolling waves of her hair, pulling her gently more towards him to kiss her deeper. Rebecca didn’t resist him and so Jack let his tongue slip between her lips to dance along hers. He hadn’t meant to get so lost in kissing her, but once again he was falling down the rabbit hole. Would he ever get tired of her lips? No…even if they lived together and did this every night, he couldn’t imagine ever being tired of kissing Rebecca. His free hand reached out and curled around the neck of the wine bottle still clutched between Rebecca’s pale hands. He gently pried it away from her and broke their kiss long enough to take a swig of wine before smiling handsomely back at her and leaning close again. “You know, that dinner was a lot of calories. I know a way we can burn them off.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a goofy, suggestive manner that he hoped would make her laugh. “Unless you really wanted to watch a movie. Then we can make-out through the whole movie like teenagers.” His grin widened, obviously teasing her but still giving her the reigns on their evening. It wasn’t his style to call all the shots.