Some Old School Liason shout outs in this chapter! <img src=" border="0">
Don't kill me at the end! :P



Chapter 10
Jason stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom getting ready for his date with Elizabeth tonight. He had showered since he was coming home from work and wanted to get the grease and grim off of him. He shaved and ran some mousse through his hair to get his pikes to stand up just right. He stopped to look himself in the mirror and wondered what he was doing. It's been a while that he got himself all pampered for a date and even longer since he was this excited about going out with someone new. Elizabeth was like a breath of fresh air in his life. For once in his life he didn't mind talking on the phone for hours or watching romantic comedies if he had too and bonus was that he could actually watch sports with her. He was becoming more impressed with her everyday as she shared her childhood with him, her love of the arts, how she stood up to her grandmother to come to SU and how she liked helping people like chauffeuring Robin to their place. She had to be a saint to do that for Robin he thought. He was enjoying getting to know her and the overall ease they had with each other. He thought that it could just be because it was new and Elizabeth hasn't let her true self show yet. But for some reason he didn't think that was it when it came to Elizabeth. She seemed like a girl that "What you see is what you get." He could tell she wore her heart on her sleeves, most hopeless romantics did, which was the opposite of him. He kept most of his feelings bottled up, only sharing when he absolutely had too. A trait he developed at an early age when his father would yell at him whenever he cried, which led to his mother yelling at his father and then his mother and father fighting. His father even hit her on occasion. To this day Jason hated people yelling at him, when the yelling started he would automatically shut down and retreat. "What am I doing? I have no business trying to start anything with her" Jason said out loud to himself in the mirror. He leaned over the sink with his arms resting on the counter and his head down.
"Starting what with who?" Patrick said entering into his bathroom.
"None of your business. Don't you ever knock?"
"No" Patrick said walking further into the bathroom sitting on the counter. "You going out tonight, on a school night?"
"Yes dad. Don't worry I'll be home by curfew, I do have a 8am class tomorrow." Jason said putting his comb down and walking out of the bathroom with Patrick on his heel.
"So you going out with Elizabeth?"
"None of your business Patrick. Since when do you ask me who I'm going out with?"
Since you started seeing Robin's friend. Look I like Robin alright and we could be possibly heading somewhere and I don't want you ruining that messing around with Elizabeth." Jason stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the steps.
"What does being friends with Elizabeth have to do with you and Robin?" He said turning around to face Patrick.
"Because Robin and Elizabeth are friends and when you hurt Elizabeth, Robin is going to hate me because I'm your best friend and let this happen. You know how chicks have to stick together. Sisterhood and all that jazz."
"You're insane. First of all the Elizabeth and I are just friends alright. We are just friends who have some things in common and enjoy each others company, that's not a crime and second of all whatever happens or doesn't happen isn't yours or Robin's business. So if you are done I need to go before I'm late, Dad." Jason said grabbing his jacket and leaving the townhouse. "Where does he get off, telling me who I can and can't be friends with" Jason said out loud to himself. Patrick's words were bouncing all inside his head. He turned the radio up loud to drown him out. But it was too late and had put him in a bad mood. Not the way he wanted to be when he got to Elizabeth's. Being the perceptive person she was she noticed that Jason was a bit agitated as they drove down to the $1 movie theater. One of Jason's favorite movies that had come out this past fall was showing there and he wanted to see it again. He had barely said three words to her as they drove to the theater and Elizabeth was starting to feel like she had did or said something wrong.
"Jason is everything alright." She said not looking at him afraid that he was upset with her even though she couldn't imagine why.
"Yeah, why do ask?"
"You just seem a little agitated and on edge. If you didn't want to go out you could have called I would have understood."
Jason felt like an ass here he was thinking about himself and his conversation with Patrick and he had her feeling like she did something wrong. He let out a sigh.
"Have you ever had a fight with someone because they were going to do something stupid and you had the nerve to say so?"
"Have you met my friend Robin? And then it gets worse because they are still going to do the stupid thing and on top of that they are mad at you" She said chuckling.
He laughed at that also.
"So what is Patrick doing?"
"Actually he felt the need to call me out tonight."
"Call you out on what?"
"Well apparently Patrick has it in his head that being friends with you was something I shouldn't do."
Elizabeth sat stunned. She thought Patrick liked her well enough.
"Why would he say something like that?" she said trying not to get mad.
"Patrick thinks the world revolves around him and that being friends with you will somehow affect his thing with Robin. Something about sisterhood and jazz."
"Sisterhood and jazz? Patrick is tripping. So he thinks you are going to hurt me, why would he think that?"
"I don't know. I told him to mind his own business and that we were just friends." He said glancing over at her in the passenger seat. Elizabeth had her head down looking at her hands, and when she felt him looking at her she looked up at him put on the fakest smile on her face.
"Yeah we're just friends."
She said nothing for the rest of the ride and was silent as they stood in line to get their ticket and got their seat. Jason couldn't stand the silence anymore but he wasn't about to say anything. He didn't want to give her hope that this was going to be more than just friendship.
'Elizabeth stop tripping. At least he wants to be friends. That's better than nothing.' She thought to herself as she sat in the theater. She thought about why she was so hurt that Jason said that they were just friends. She didn't realize that in her head she was building the relationship in her head. She wasn't really mad him. It wasn't his fault that she wanted to be more than friends with Jason. As she sat there she tried to get her emotions in check.
"Do you want some popcorn?" Elizabeth said finally breaking the silence.
"You want popcorn? I can get it for you." He said starting to stand from his seat.
"No. Let me. You paid for the movie at least let me pay for popcorn." Jason didn't have the heart to tell her that he hated popcorn since he felt he has ruined the night enough. He would just have to pick the stuff out of his teeth when he got home.
Stupid Patrick just had to open his mouth and he was even stupider for telling Elizabeth and now the night is ruined and he can't even enjoy his favorite movie because he made Elizabeth sad. He had to find a way to salvage this night even if it killed him. He looked back and saw Elizabeth coming down the aisle with popcorn and drink in hand. He took the drink and put it in the cup holder between them. She pushed the popcorn in front of him and he took a handful and motioned to her that it was enough. She took it back and just started to mindlessly eat out of the tub. He couldn't stand it anymore.
"How about we blow this joint and let me take you somewhere."
"Jason the movie just started. I thought you wanted to see it."
"Well I changed my mind there's someplace I want to show you." He got up and stretched a hand out to her waiting or her to take it. She thought about it for a minute.
"Can I bring my popcorn?"
He smiled down at her. "Sure." They heard people shushing them and Elizabeth jumped up with her tub of popcorn and took Jason's hand and walked out of the theater. When they got to the car she stopped. "Wait, are you sure you don't mind popcorn in your car?"
"Elizabeth Webber get in the car now."
"Yes sir." She said saluting him. When she got in and fastened her seatbelt she asked him where they were going.
"Just this place I found one day when I first got to town and got lost."
"I forget that you've been here a while. I always assume that everyone got here when I did."
"Well yeah, I should be graduating this semester but I'm not. I am what they call a super senior. I have another before I graduate I did way too much partying my first year."
"Oh good." She said before she could stop herself.
"So glad my mediocrity makes you happy." He said laughing letting her know he was just kidding.
"I meant that it was good that you were going to be another year. I would miss you if you left at the end of this term." She said trying not to blush.
"I would miss you too." He said slowing down the car. "We're here." He announced.
"And where exactly are we?" she said opening the car door to step outside.
"I'm not really sure. Like I said I was driving around one night and got lost and came up on this scene. I thought it was very pretty and I know you are an artist so I thought you could appreciate this. Elizabeth looked around the place, it was an open field that had a large pond in the middle with a fountain spewing water. The trees that lined the sides had clear Christmas lights on it and it looked like a little cabin was off in the distance to the left of the fountain. Looked like someone was home because lights were on the there was smoke coming out of the chimney.
"You think this is private property. We might be trespassing?" Elizabeth said has she walked closer to the pond. She looked out and saw how snow blanketed the whole field. Even in the dark it seemed to glow.
"I think the pond is owned by the city and perhaps that cabin is just where the park rangers set up shop." Jason said walking behind her listening how the snow was crunching under their feet.
"The fountain must keep the pond from freezing over. Too bad, I would love to ice skate on it."
"You skate?"
"Yes ever since I could walk. I haven't done it much lately though. Why did you bring me here Jason?" she asked turning around to face him. Jason shrugged his shoulder and scratched behind his ear, a nervous tick he picked up from his dad Alan.
"Like I said I thought you would appreciate this as an artist. When I saw first came upon this place I thought it looked like one of those pictures you see on Christmas albums. Just thought you would appreciate it. We can go if you want." He said thinking that his plan didn't work.
She turned around and looked out across the field again, then up at the sky.
"The stars seem really bright tonight." He looked up at the sky to see what she was looking at. "You wouldn't think that there was a place in the city that wasn't polluted with city lights. It's beautiful." She said looking at him and then she smiled. He looked down smiling at her. He wanted to tell her that she was beautiful but kept it to himself.
"Come on let me walk you down to the pond. Maybe we might find some crazy ducks." He told her. She looped her arm around his and he lead her down to the pond.
"Don't geese fly south for the winter?"
"Well that's why they are crazy Lizzie Bear."
"Oh no, you didn't go there." Then she stopped and looked at him with a look of surprise. "Oh my god I completely forgot that you were supposed to share an embarrassing nickname with me." She said getting excited. Jason groaned.
"I was hoping you forgot."
"I did, until you called me Lizzie Bear."
He kept on leading them to the pond and they stood at the edge just looking at the water. "Well, I'm waiting."
"You are not going to let this go are you?" He said smiling at her.
"Nope I kept up my end of the bargain and now it's your turn now spill Morgan."
"Alright fine. Remember I told you it was just me and my mom growing up will because she used to work all the time. Well the kids at school found out and used to call me latch-key Morgan then it morphed into just "latchie" as in Lassie since I used to always have to run home after school since I wasn't allowed to play. So the kids used to all stand around taunting me with "Run Latchee run!" Jason said trying to keep a straight face. Elizabeth was horrified.
"Oh my goodness Jason that must have been so awful. Kids can be so cruel" She said looking at him. But then she noticed a smirk he was trying to hide. "You just made all that up didn't you? You are such a brat."
He let out a laugh. "You should have seen your face Elizabeth. You were so appalled on my behalf. I almost feel bad."
"You should feel bad I was going to ask for their names and go and find every one of them and beat them up for you."
"My hero" He said pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed him in.
"You smell like snow."
"Snow doesn't smell" he answered back.
"Yes it does."
They stood like that for a few minutes then he finally let her go. He noticed her shivering.
"Why didn't you tell me you were cold? Come on let's get out of here." He said grabbing her hand and doing a slow jog back to the car where he started the heater and headed back to her place.
"I had a good time tonight Jason. Thanks for showing me nowhere." She said pulling him into another hug as they stood in the threshold of her door. He held her again for a few moments then slowly back away from her. He just stood there with what looked like a questioning eye. He seemed like he was trying to make a decision. But just like that the look was gone and he was telling her to go inside before she freezes and he would call her when he got home to let her know he was safe, and with that he was in his car and driving off.
"What a weird boy?" Elizabeth said out loud to herself not knowing that Lainey was sitting in the living room.
"Who's weird?" Lainey said causing Elizabeth to jump 5 feet off the ground.
"God Lainey you scared me."
"Sorry. So how was the date with Jason?"
"It wasn't a date, we were just hanging out. Can't a boy and girl just go out without all these labels attached to it? We are just friends. We don't call it a date when we go to the movies or hang out at the mall do we?"
"Whoa, someone is on edge. What did Jason do?"
"What makes you think he did anything?"
"Because you're getting pissy with me for just asking a simple question. Sorry didn't mean to pry won't happen again" Lainey said grabbing the magazine she was reading and walking off into her room.
"Wait. Stop I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you" Elizabeth said flopping herself back down on the couch. "You asked me what did Jason do, will it's not what he did it's what he didn't do."
Lainey raised an eyebrow at her and began to walk back towards the couch where Elizabeth was sitting. "What didn't he do?"
"We've been out twice already and we seemed to be hitting it off but each time at the end of the night I swear he's going to kiss me but then he just gives me a hug and says goodnight and leaves. It's all so confusing. But then tonight he said that we were just friends. And that kind of hurt me because I don't want to be just friends. But then he takes me to this wonderful place and says stuff like he would miss me if he wasn't around. I feel like I'm getting mixed signals from him. I don't know what to do."
"Elizabeth just ask him."
"You want me to ask Jason why won't he kiss me? Are you insane?" Elizabeth said rising off the couch and walking towards her room. She wanted to be undressed in her jammies and in bed by the time Jason called.
"Think about it Elizabeth. The only way you are going to know what's going on in his head is to ask him."
"I'll think about it." Was all she said before going into her bedroom. She changed into her flannel pajamas, washed the make-up off her face and was snuggled under her down comforter by the time Jason called.
"You're home."
"I'm home. You snuggled under your covers?"
"I am."
"Good."
"Jason I have 2 questions for you and I need complete honesty."
"Okay, I'll try my best."
"First question, what is the childhood name you refuse to share with me?" She heard him chuckle.
"Fine. Jasey Waysey. I was 12 when my mother finally stopped calling me that but it was too late my little sister pick up the banner and carried on with it. But I have threatened every Barbie doll would lose their hair if she ever called me that in public."
She was in tears of laughter.
"Alright what's your second question?" There was a pause.
"How come you haven't kissed me yet?" It was Elizabeth's turn to hear a pause.
"Elizabeth…I'm kind of, sort of seeing someone."

Edited 2 times by gemblue89 12/02/09 9:13 PM.