Topic: Easy Sunday

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:12 EST
It had been a while since Jaz had done an evening gig, but to her surprise, the Blue Lounge had filled up fast in the hour before she and Jack were due to go on. Mostly with the people they'd been sharing open mic nights with over the past months, people who came faithfully to every afternoon and easy listening gig she and Jack had done in the last year - people they knew and trusted to be honest and appreciative with them. Somewhere in the crowd were Tommy and Lena, as well, but as promised, they'd found somewhere to sit where Jack couldn't see them, just in case their presence stamped on his confidence a little.

It wasn't so much that Tommy and Lena's presence might stamp on his confidence, but that their presence would make him nervous. It was hard enough performing in front of a bunch of strangers, but to perform in front of people he knew had proved even harder, for some reason. He wasn't sure why, but it was likely the fear of making a fool of himself in front of people he had to face every day. Strangers were likely to forgive and forget, but friends and family never forgot a thing.

Thankfully, Jack wasn't hyperventilating before every performance or making himself sick anymore, but he always got a case of nerves just before they went on just the same. "Are you sure I'm ready for this?" he asked Jasmin, doubting his own abilities.

She smiled, adjusting the strap of her guitar. "I'm absolutely sure," she promised him, glad the microphones weren't on yet. "And if it gets too much, we have a plan to make it easier. You can do this, Jack, I promise you. You're gonna be fantastic, like you always are." She leaned up to kiss him affectionately, careful to keep their guitars from bumping against one another.

"I thought it would get easier, but it doesn't," he said with a small frown. "Did you know George Harrison threw up right before the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan?" he asked, chattering nervously to try and calm his own nerves. He'd seen that particular performance live on television back in 1964, though he didn't look a day over twenty-five. His father hadn't been too fond of the Beatles, and Jack had been forced to hide his records under his mattress, like some boy hid porn magazines. Until his father found them anyway.

"No throwing up," Jasmin told him fondly, stroking her thumb over his cheek. "It's just like any other gig we've done. The only difference is that you're the lead on the vocals for a few songs, that's all." She glanced at the clock on the wall, flicking her gaze back to him. "You ready?"

"Guess I'm gonna have to be," he replied, taking a deep breath. "Just, um ....Promise me you won't leave me hanging if I screw up," he said with that uncertain, worried frown of his. He had this; he just didn't know he had this.

"I never would," she promised him. "Two mics, remember" I can always take over the lead line if you need me to." She pressed a kiss to his cheek once again, gentle and supportive, and turned away, flicking her mic on to introduce themselves to their startlingly attentive audience.

As always, Jack let Jasmin take the lead, introducing them to the audience, though most of them seemed like regulars tonight. That was a comfort, at least. He knew Tommy and Lena were out there somewhere, but thankfully, they weren't where he could see them.

The set they'd drawn together was filled with the songs they excelled at - gentle, easy-listening tunes that no one really needed to listen to, in order to enjoy them. They'd practiced and polished until the performance couldn't get any smoother, their guitars as harmonious as their mingled voices. Every song was greeted with a warm round of applause; there were even a couple of shy requests made between songs.

Some of the people in the audience were obviously there for them, while for others, they were only a pleasant sort of background noise while they went about the business of drinking and chatting with friends. Jack had chosen a few songs with Jasmin in mind, while others were picked just because he loved playing them. There was one song though that was picked because it held meaning for Tommy and Lena and it required Jack to give the song a rare introduction.

"The next song is dedicated to some friends of ours without whom we wouldn't be here. Or at least, I wouldn't be here. You know who you are. We love you." Jack turned his attention to his guitar, fingers deftly moving over the fretboard, while he sang in a soft, mellow voice the words to Wildflower. It was a song he and Tommy had sung to Lena on the beach before the night before they'd left California, and as far as Jack was concerned, the song belonged to her.

As the gentle melody rose, Jaz spied her cousin and Tommy, curled up in the shadows on one of the couches along the far wall. Her eyes met Lena's as she joined her voice to Jack's, offering up the harmony they had sweated blood over to wring every last beautiful note from a song that said more about Helena King than most people ever considered might be true. And Lena, for all her growing confidence, cuddled tighter in under Tommy's arm, trying her best to hide the sudden wetness in her eyes, deeply touched by the fact that their friends even remembered that song, much less had chosen to make it a part of their set.

Thankfully, Jack didn't spy their friends in the audience or he might have teared up, too, and had trouble finishing the song. Tommy smiled, touched by the gesture, and touching a kiss to Lena's temple as their friends sung a tribute to the woman he loved. They'd come a long way in the last year and a half or so, from being almost bankrupt on a beach in California to being married with children on the way. He couldn't help but smile, not only happy for himself and for Lena, but for the two friends who were making their own dreams come true up there on the makeshift stage.

It was quite the turnaround, and a wonderful one, at that. Wildflower got the loudest round of applause of the evening thus far, the perfect end to the first half of their set. Jasmin drew back from the mic to offer her own applause, incredibly proud of Jack for making it through that first hour. They had fifteen minutes for him to calm down again before they took to the mics for the second time, but she had every confidence that the second half would be even better.

Jack knew that song had been played to death on the radio back in his own time, but here in Rhy'Din in 2015, it was as if it was new all over again with a new generation of young people to discover and appreciate it. Jack exhaled a sigh of relief as the first set came to an end. With any luck, the second half would go even better than the first. As much as he loved playing, it was being so much in the limelight that made him nervous. "That went better than I thought," he told Jasmin as he drew the guitar strap over his head.

"You're doing brilliantly," she promised him, setting her own guitar securely on one of the stands at the back of the stage. "Seriously, baby, everyone's enjoying it. I'm so proud of you." She smiled, reaching up to kiss him affectionately. "C'mon, let's get a drink before we run out of time."

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:13 EST
He smiled back at her, relieved it was going so well and happy she was proud of him. "Thanks, but I couldn't do it without you. There's so Sonny without Cher," he reminded her, though he had learned the duo had broken up many years ago, much to his disappointment. He set his own guitar aside with hers so they could take a short break before they finished up for the night. "I'd offer to buy you a beer, but I'm pretty sure beer's off limits for a awhile."

"About a year, yeah," she sighed exaggeratedly, chuckling as she curled her arm around his back. "I guess I'll just have to make do with my very own personal non-alcoholic high instead."

As she grinned up at him, a familiar voice interrupted. "Hey, lovebugs." Lena poked Jack in the stomach, just because she could. "Mr. Sexy Voice who tried to tell me he couldn't sing, my *ss!"

Before Jack could ask what kind of high Jasmin was referring to - because he was a little slow whenever it came to such comments - he was being accosted by his best friend's wife. "Someone's been holding out on us," Tommy teased from behind Lena.

Predictably, Jack flushed at the compliment, even as he drew an arm around Jasmin. "Just because you're tone deaf, doesn't mean I am," he teased back.

"Here." Lena held up two glasses in her hands - one beer, one soda - offering them to the musicians with a grin. It was just as well they had gotten the drinks before the interval came around; the bar was packed with people ordering drinks now.

Jaz chuckled gratefully, glancing between the two men as they teased each other. "How is it sounding?" she asked Tommy and Lena, not quite able to put her performer's hat down until the gig was completely done.

"Groovy," Tommy replied with a grin. Both men had quickly adapted to their modern surroundings, but every now and then, one or the other slipped. "You're getting better. Have you two ever thought about writing your own songs?" Tommy inquired, careful to shield Lena from any jostling from the crowd.

Taking the soda from Lena, Jaz shook her head. "Every time I've tried writing in the past, it's come out terrible," she admitted with a low chuckle. "We haven't tried writing anything together, though."

Jack took a long swallow from his beer to wet his dry throat, arching a brow at Tommy's suggestion. It had never occurred to him to try writing a song before. "I'm willing to give it a try, if you are," he said.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Tommy reminded him, knowing Jack needed all the encouragement he could get.

"Or you could ask Kaylee," Lena suggested, tucking herself back under Tommy's arm comfortably. Thankfully, the movement of people back and forth wasn't too jostly yet, but the lounge seemed to be filling up more as the evening went on. "I heard she was getting back into writing."

Jaz raised her brows, genuinely interested in this. She looked up at Jack. "Kaylee's one of our cousins," she explained. "She nearly had a music career on Earth a couple of years ago, but ....well, whatever happened, she has an amazing ear for music. Maybe we should invite her over sometime and see if she could write something for us."

Jack nodded, having to raise his voice a little over the rumbling of the crowd. "I'd like that, if you don't think she'd mind," he told her.

"You two should think about recording something," Tommy added. "The only people who get to hear you play are the ones who come to the bar."

"Really?" Surprisingly, it seemed as though Jaz was the reluctant one when it came to the thought of recording something. It was an area she'd never even glanced at, despite having been a musician for several years.

Lena rolled her eyes. "Really!" she insisted laughingly. "Besides, if you sell well, you'll be able to cut down on how much you have to perform live and be able to concentrate on your kids."

The truth was they didn't have to perform live at all. They had more than enough money just from the allowance they received from Granger Conglomerate to support themselves, not to mention the profits shared with Tommy and Lena from the shop. Though Jack didn't feel he was half as deserving as the other two, the truth was he worked just as hard, if not harder to keep the place going. The reason they performed live was because they both loved to play so much they wanted to share that love their love of music with others. "We'll think about it," Jack replied, not making any commitment. It was something he and Jaz would have to discuss, but the idea definitely had its merits. Whether they could be successful at it was another matter.

Lena smiled, understanding the cagey response better than Jack might have thought. It was a little like her painting - she didn't have to do it, but she loved it so much, it would be a shame not to express herself on canvas, even if the only person who saw it was Tommy. "Well, I'm sure Kaylee would love to hear you play," she said warmly. "She loves music, especially when the people making it are so obviously in love with it themselves."

"I'd like to meet her sometime," Jack admitted, not only because she was a fellow musician, but because she was part of Jasmin's family. As shy as he was, he was getting to know them slowly. He missed having Dru around, but understood that she had more important things to do now than make time for him. She'd been his first friend in Rhy'Din and possibly his first fan.

"Maybe we should invite them over for dinner sometime," Tommy suggested, who was far more outgoing than Jack.

"Maybe one couple at a time," Lena suggested to her husband, a look in her eye promising that she would explain why it was necessary to be a little on eggshells with Kaylee without needing a word to be said aloud. "Besides, we were gonna invite Dru and Josh next, remember?"

Jasmin chuckled as the conversation turned to the Kings' social life, hugging Jack warmly. Everyone seemed full of suggestions tonight; it was a little bit overwhelming.

"That's what I meant!" Tommy exclaimed, laughing as his wife misunderstood his suggestion. From what he understood of Dru's life, it was likely they'd have to schedule social events around her and Josh, rather than around them. "Aren't they finishing up at the theater? Maybe they could stop by before they leave for Tirisano so we can tell them the good news," he suggested further, though he wasn't sure Lena or Jasmin was ready to share that just yet.

"They're here for a few months now," Lena nodded with a grin. "We can pounce them with the news next time they wander across the beach to look at that building site of theirs." Unlike them, Dru and Josh were going for sturdy construction that was going to last centuries - it was taking forever to sink the foundations for the home the young couple were hoping for. "Or we could hide them somewhere, and spring them on these two at their next gig."

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:14 EST
Tommy grinned at his companions. "I love the way your mind works," he told his wife, pulling her close to reward her with a smooch.

Jack rolled his eyes at their smooching and took another swig of his beer. "The way things are going, it will take years before they get that house built," he remarked. He was fond of Dru and didn't mind sharing the beach with her and Josh, but he wasn't so sure about anyone else. He didn't want King's Cove to become the vacation destination for all of Rhy'Din, after all. The seclusion was in part what made the place so special.

Jasmin chuckled, resting her cheek against Jack's shoulder. She knew how he felt about the beach, and Humphrey, thankfully, understood how everyone who had chosen to live at King's Cove felt about it. No one else would be granted planning permission to build there. "They seem happy enough," she smiled up at him. "And they have the time and resources to make it absolutely perfect, so why shouldn't they' It isn't like they haven't borrowed our spare room on occasion."

"If they keep going the way they're going, she's gonna be the next one to get pregnant," Jack remarked under his breath, almost unaware he'd said that out loud.

"Two minutes," someone warned from behind the bar, so that Jack and Jasmin didn't loose track of time.

"That's our cue, Midge," Tommy said with a grin, his arm thrown casually around her shoulders. "Knock 'em dead, kids!"

Jack winced at Tommy's choice of words. "I wish he wouldn't put it like that."

"Awesome, thanks!" Jaz waved to the 'tender who had warned them of the time with a grin, utterly failing to notice the man who seemed to think she was waving at him. "Okay, hunky dunky, time to show them what you're made of," she told Jack, shooing Tommy and Lena away from the stage teasingly. "One more hour, and you can relax properly, I promise."

"Is this what they mean by tough love?" Jack asked, only a little more relaxed now that the first set was over. At least, the beer had helped a little. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed the man in the crowd who seemed to have more than a passing interest in his wife.

"Nope, this is star quality," she chuckled, kissing his cheek as they stepped back up onto the stage. She set her glass down, raising her guitar up to check the tuning before settling it comfortably. "Your Song, or Feelin' Groovy?" she asked him, giving him the choice of opening numbers.

He followed her onto the stage, mirroring her movement to re-sling the guitar over his shoulder and checking to make sure it was in tune. "I'm feeling pretty groovy tonight. What about you?" he asked, flashing a warm smile in answer to her question.

"Well, there's no way you could ever move too fast, baby," she teased him, drawing her pick out of her pocket. "Ready?" She strummed her strings, sending a ripple of renewed interest through the people gathered throughout the lounge in front of them.

Tommy would have replied that he was born ready, but Jack wasn't Tommy. There was a time when Jack had thought that was a bad thing, but not anymore. Jasmin loved him for who he was, and he could only be himself. "As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, waiting a moment for the crowd to settle before strumming the guitar that intro'd the song. It was a happy song to start off the second set, and a song that was perfectly made for dual guitars and harmony.

The lounge was definitely packed with people by the time they ended that second set, most of them warmly approving of the gentle music that was being performed to them. Those who were disruptive were easily dealt with by friends, taken to the other bar or even outside, leaving the lounge quiet with the babble of voices beneath Jack and Jasmin's performance. Not bad at all for a first gig as an even duo.

They started the second set with Simon and Garfunkel, before sliding into a little Guess Who with "These Eyes" and The Hollies' "Air That I Breathe", all adapted by Jack for acoustic guitar.

"Making love with you Has left me peaceful, warm, and tired What more could I ask There's nothing left to be desired Peace came upon me and it leaves me weak So sleep, silent angel, go to sleep."

Upon reaching the chorus, Jack and Jasmin's voices blending perfectly in unison.

"Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe And to love you All I need is the air that I breathe Yes to love you All I need is the air that I breathe."

It wasn't the easiest song to convert from electric to acoustic, but somehow they'd managed it, turning the song into something sweet and melodic.

That was part of their appeal, their ability to take songs most people wouldn't consider as translatable and to adapt them for acoustic. There was something very appealing in the way those songs took on a whole new meaning when the music was pared down to something far simpler; lyrics could hold their own, in a way that didn't seem possible with the fuller sound. It was always gratifying to recognize that their audience took that on board, leaving Jasmin grinning happily at the end of several of their choices. She always insisted they ended on something upbeat, however.

The second set flew by in no time, much to the audience's chagrin, but there was an old saying in show biz that Jack had taken to heart, and that was to always leave them wanting more. You never gave an audience everything in one night, or there was no reason for them to come see you again. The last song of the night was one of Jack's choosing and one that held special meaning for him. He didn't bother to dedicate it to her, though he clearly sang it for her, even though her eyes were hazel, not brown.

"Hey, where did we go Days when the rains came " Down in the hollow Playing a new game, Laughing and a-running, hey, hey, Skipping and a-jumping In the misty morning fog with Our, our hearts a-thumping And you, my brown-eyed girl, You, my brown-eyed girl."

Smiling tenderly over at Jack as their audience applauded them, Jaz blew him a kiss before speaking into the mic. "Okay, folks, that's us done for the night," she told the audience, laughing at the playful call for more from a core of die-hard open mic goers they knew pretty well. "They'll be making the last call in a few minutes, so be good and don't cause trouble, okay' G'night!" She flicked off the microphone, turned off the amplifier, and relaxed, offering Jack a grin. "See" You survived!"

He did the same, exhaling yet another sigh of relief that they'd gotten through another performance without him having a nervous breakdown. "Does it get easier?" he asked, though it seemed it did. He wasn't as nervous as he used to be, but he didn't think he'd ever feel comfortable in front of a crowd of people either. He unslung his guitar and very carefully went about putting it back in the case.

"Well, maybe not easier to do, but easier to handle," she assured him, determined not to lie. Crouched beside him as she put her own guitar away, she gently nudged his arm. "I'm proud of you, you know," she told him affectionately. "Not only did you sing, you actually spoke into the microphone as well. That's a big step."

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:15 EST
"Small steps, I guess," he replied, smiling over at her as she nudged his arm. "I've gotta go to the bathroom. Will you be okay' I'll be right back." He'd drained an entire beer, after all, and hadn't been to the bathroom since they'd arrived.

She chuckled gently. "I'll be fine," she promised him cheerfully. "Go widdle." She wriggled her fingers at him in a teasing shooing motion, straightening up to set their guitars aside and finish putting away the mics and stands.

He furrowed his brows at her as she started straightening up. "Jaz, I'll do that when I get back. Go relax with Lena and Tommy," he told her, not forgetting about the baby she was carrying around inside her. He had hardly let her lift a finger since finding out she was pregnant, and he wasn't about to start now.

She turned to look at him, amusement written all over her face. "Jack, I love you, but you need to ease up on this," she told him fondly. "I won't be carrying the amps. All I'm doing is collapsing stands and putting mics in boxes. I promise."

He sighed, frowning at her, but not wanting to argue. "Promise you won't do more than that?" he pressed further. He wasn't going to be able to stand there much longer or his bladder was going to burst; he was just going to have to trust her.

"I promise," she nodded, reaching up to tweak the end of his nose. "And you know Tommy'll stop me if I try doing anything he doesn't think you'd approve of." That much was true, at least - if Tommy wouldn't let Lena do it, it was highly doubtful he'd let Jaz do it, either.

He batted at her hand as she tweaked his nose, giving her a look that told her he was serious. "Okay, but it can wait til I get back. I won't be long," he told her, leaning close to give her a quick kiss before he was pushing his way through the crowd toward the men's room. Tommy and Lena could just be spied weaving their way toward them, but it was taking longer than expected with all the people in the way.

She rolled her eyes at his back, smiling after him with fond affection. It didn't stop her from doing exactly what she'd said she was going to do, pausing when one of the patrons of the bar came up onto the stage to talk to her. "Y'know, you're really good," he told her, slurring a little, but not so much as to concern her. "Wanna come home with me" I could show you my saxophone."

Judging by the way he then threw a grin to his friends, Jaz could guess what he meant by that. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll be going home with my husband," she told him politely, half-turning to close up the case that held the mics.

A rough hand on her arm pulled her back. "You don't turn your back on me, bitch," was breathed into her face. "I asked you nice, now I'm asking not so nice, you got it?"

Scowling, Jaz tugged on her arm in his grasp. "And you'll get the same answer," she informed the drunk irritably. "I'm going home with my husband, not some overblown pisshead with more money than sense." In retrospect, that hadn't been a wise thing to say. She had a split second to realize that, before his other hand connected with the side of her head, knocking her off her feet.

A shout went up from the crowd in the general direction of Tommy and Lena, who were trying to fight their way through the crowd to rescue Jasmin, but before they could get there, Jack had returned from the bathroom, just like he said, just in time to see some drunken moron knocking his wife to the floor. "What the hell ..." Jack muttered, as he pushed his way through the crowd to the stage.

"The hell do you think you're doing?" he said, his voice dripping with rare anger as he reached Jasmin's side and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay, baby?" he asked her gently, all too aware that the moron was still standing there watching.

"Bitch talked back to me," the drunken man scowled, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the aforementioned husband was the one who was helping Jasmin up onto her feet in the first place. "Asked her real nice, she got hissy and started lying to me. Bitch like that needs teaching a lesson."

Aware of a faint throb in her temple where she'd been hit, Jaz shook her head gently in answer to Jack's query. "I'm fine," she promised him. "He just won't take no for an answer."

Jack was far more concerned about Jasmin than about some drunken idiot. He tried to ignore the guy in hopes he'd go away, focusing all his attention on Jasmin, making sure she hadn't been seriously hurt. He slid a protective arm around around her as he slowly turned back to face the man. "That's my wife you're talking about. I suggest you apologize and leave before I have you thrown out," he warned the man. Though Jack was a peaceful man, he was not about to let anyone hurt his wife and get away with it.

Tommy and Lena weren't far from the stage and they had a bouncer in tow, but the crowd seemed to have noticed that some drama was about to take place and seemed eager to witness what was about to go down.

"Oh, yeah' And who are you, the little bitch's *ss-licker?" Clearly too far gone to notice danger when he saw it, their antagonizer scowled at both of them, his expression growing venomous as he noted the arm Jack laid about Jasmin. "What, does she spread her legs for everyone she works with, then?" He guffawed, thinking he'd made an hilarious joke. "Guess I really should show her my sax, then - bet she screams like a tuning fork when she's pretending not to like it!"

That was about all Jack could take. He normally abhorred violence, but even he had his limits. His face flushed with anger, blue eyes flashing with rage, he calmly let go of Jasmin and pushed her behind her before cocking an arm and throwing his fist full force at the drunken man's face. If there was one thing his brothers had inadvertently taught him growing up, it was how to throw a punch.

Despite never having seen Jack angry, Jaz could guess what was coming as she found herself pushed gently behind him. "No, Jack - don't -" She winced as his punch landed, sweet and true, and hard enough to send their unwelcome companion stumbling backward. His foot missed the edge of the stage, and he went down - tellingly, none of his friends moved to help him up. Jaz curled her hand about Jack's arm. "Baby ....it's not worth it," she murmured to him.

Jack stepped forward, jaw clenched in anger, prepared to go at the guy again if he didn't back down, but from the looks of things, that one punch was all that had been necessary. He hoped he hadn't hurt him too badly, though Jack thought he'd probably gotten off lightly.

"Holy sh*t!" Tommy exclaimed as he and Lena finally made their way through the crowd. "Did you see that' Jack took him down with one punch. One punch!"

Jack frowned, not particularly proud of what he'd done. He lowered his arm at Jasmin's urging, still shielding her with his body in case the guy got back up. "Sorry, but he deserved it."

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:16 EST
"Throw him out," Lena told the bouncer they'd brought with them with a deep frown, pointing at the groaning drunk in disgust before she lurched up onto the stage. "Are you okay?"

Jaz nodded, more shaken than hurt, though she was likely to have a reddened mark on her temple for a few hours after that lucky thump. "We're fine," she assured her cousin, not loosening her grip on Jack's arm. "Hazard of the job."

Now that the bouncer had arrived to take care of the trash, Jack turned to take a closer look at Jasmin and make sure she was all right. "You sure you're okay?" he asked, touching the spot on her temple that looked like it was going to bruise. "You need to put some ice on that. Here, sit down," he told her, leading her toward one of the stools that had been set up on stage. "Can somebody get me some ice?" he asked, to anyone within earshot.

"Whoa, Jackie," Tommy was still hovering, a huge grin on his face. "You pack a decent punch there, buddy. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Honestly, baby, I'm fine," Jasmin promised Jack as he eased her down onto a seat, touched by his concern but more concerned about the state of his knuckles, if she was honest. "It's just a bruise, he didn't even hit me that hard. What about your hand?"

Behind Jack, Lena poked Tommy in the ribs, rolling her eyes at his enthusiasm over something that was clearly going to bother their friend for a while now.

"That's what happens when you've got two older brothers," Jack explained mildly, hinting a little at a past he rarely if ever talked about.

"That was awesome!" Tommy praised his friend, clearly impressed, clapping him on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Jack." Tommy felt Lena poke him in the ribs and he turned a puzzled look to her. "What?"

Lena eyed Tommy, half-amused, half-exasperated..."You, me, packing up the rest of the stuff and putting it in Jaz's car," she told him, giving him a tug away from the other couple as Jack ministered to Jasmin.

Tommy was about to protest or at least to ask what it was that he'd said wrong when he was bodily dragged away from the other couple. If he said anything, it was said out of earshot of the other two.

Someone passed Jack a makeshift icepack made up of a towel wrapped about some crushed ice and he very gently touched it against Jasmin's temple. "I'm fine," he replied, more concerned about her than himself. "I don't know why some guys are such jerks," he said. Jerk was putting it mildly; he was pretty sure Tommy would have chosen a stronger word to describe the guy.

Wincing just a little at the cold pack against her temple, Jaz held Jack's gaze. "Some guys are jerks because they feel like they have to compensate for being complete failures in every aspect of their lives," she told him, gently catching his hand to take a look for herself. "Thank you, by the way. No one's ever defended my honor before."

Seeing the wince on Jasmin's face, Jack was careful with the ice pack, touching it gently to the sore spot on her forehead. He frowned as she caught his hand, more concerned about her than himself. It wasn't broken, though it might bruise later. It was a small price to pay to defend Jasmin's honor. He shrugged, as if it was nothing. "He deserved it. Maybe he'll think twice next time." Though Jack doubted it. The guy was so drunk, he probably wouldn't even remember it. He remembered something one of his brothers told him years ago, about why his mother left, but he said nothing of it.

Her fingers gently traced over his knuckles, raising his hand to her lips to kiss the threatening bruises better. "You should put ice on this," she told him softly, raising her eyes to his once again. "Baby ....I really am fine. We're both fine." Her fingertips grazed her stomach tellingly as she smiled. "Thanks to you. I won't let it happen again."

"I'll ice it when we get home," Jack promised, watching as she touched a kiss to his knuckles. "Is the baby all right?" he asked quietly, frowning with worry when he noticed her fingers grazing her stomach. It wasn't just about Jasmin; it was about their unborn child, too.

"I'm sure the baby's fine," she promised him, knowing enough to understand that if the shock or the fall had caused any damage, she would be in pain right now. "I just wanna go home, Jack. I'm sorry tonight ended badly."

"It's okay," he reassured her, smiling faintly and touching a kiss to her lips. "It was a good night. I just want to make sure you're okay. That's all." No, he wasn't going to embarrass her by picking her up and carrying her outside, but he likely wouldn't let her lift a finger the rest of the night.

Just as well Lena had recruited Tommy into loading up the car with her, although quite how she had managed to abscond with Jasmin's keys bore considering for a moment. Between them, the other couple had taken all the equipment out to Jaz's grumbling Lovebug, returning as last orders was called across the bar.

Jasmin smiled as Jack kissed her, easing herself up onto her feet as she took the ice pack from his grasp to lay it over his knuckles, insinuating herself into the circle of his arms as she did so. "I'm so proud of you," she told him again. "You were amazing tonight."

He smiled and blushed a little at her praise, though he knew he was only as good as his partner. "Not as amazing as you," he replied, pulling the ice pack from his hand so that he could take her in his arms. It was late, and the place was getting quiet, nearly ready to close up. He touched a kiss to the tip of her nose, wanting nothing more in that moment than to go home and hold her close in the privacy of their own room. "You don't mind if we just go home?" he asked, knowing Tommy and Lena might want to stop for a bite to eat on the way home.

Wrapped up close, Jaz shook her head, smiling faintly. She was more shaken by that little encounter than she was willing to admit; all she wanted was to be at home, with Jack, where she knew she was safe and loved, and no one was going to make assumptions about her based on her looks. "I just want to be with you tonight," she admitted softly, curling into his arms. "I'm sorry. I wanted tonight to be a celebration for you."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault, and we're not gonna let one jerk ruin our whole night," he said matter-of-factly. "Come on, baby. Let's go home," he told her quietly, brushing a kiss against her cheek and smiling reassuringly. "Every day we're together is reason to celebrate, Jaz."

She hugged him, lingering there for a long moment before letting him go again. "Damn straight it is," she agreed, making an effort to be her usual robust self, if only for his peace of mind. "Let's go home and have a bath."

Lena caught the end of that as she and Tommy wandered back into the bar. "Want us to grab takeout on our way back?" she asked, looping her own arm around her husband's back. "We can drop it off in your kitchen and leave you alone, if you want."

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:17 EST
"If you're sure you don't mind," Jack said, in reply to Lena's offer. "It's been a long night." He wasn't too proud to accept their help if they wanted to offer it. After all, they were the closest thing they had to family and they would have done the same for them if the tables had been turned. He knew Tommy and Lena were likely as concerned about Jasmin as he was.

"Course not!" Tommy replied with a warm smile. "We don't mind, do we, Midge?" he asked, snaking an arm around her shoulder to pull her close.

"No, we don't mind at all," Lena agreed with Tommy, deliberately keeping her smile bright as she eyed her cousin for a moment. "Hell, if you're really lucky, we'll go eat somewhere that does really good food and actually bring you back food just for you and not leftovers."

Jaz couldn't help laughing a little at that mild threat and tease, leaning into Jack as she did so. "Just no sending Luna up to get us when you drop it off," she warned. "Or I'll tell Milo to sleep with both of you tonight."

Jack could have easily whipped something up for the two of them in the kitchen, but he had a feeling Lena and Tommy needed to do something to feel helpful, so who was he to argue" "So long as it's not Chinese!" he told them with a laugh. In Jack's opinion, there was nothing more disgusting than cold or reheated Chinese.

"No Chinese," Tommy echoed, snapping off a salute in Jack's direction. "Got it, Captain!"

Jack laughed, his mood lightening. "We've got the most awesome friends in the world, don't we, Jaz?"

"They're definitely up there with the best," Jaz agreed, smiling as Lena reached out to hug her. "Have fun, okay' No getting moody and worrying, I've got this hunky dunky husband to take care of me."

Lena smiled gently, reaching up to kiss Jack's cheek. "Just you take care of him, too. No making the man do all the work, woman; you're pregnant, not an invalid!"

Jack laughed again as he overheard Jaz, flushing just a little at the compliment. "I don't know why she keeps calling me that!" he said, genuinely clueless, flushing further as Lena's kissed his cheek.

"It's because you're such a hunk!" Tommy interjected with a mischievous grin.

"Thanks," Jack told them both again, laughing a little at Tommy's remark. It seemed the dark cloud that had threatened to ruin their evening has passed by, thanks to Tommy and Lena.

"So, by that logic ....why does she call you Bum Fluff, moonbeam?" Lena asked Tommy innocently, batting her lashes up at her husband as she giggled, glad to see the dip in mood was so easily set aside. It might come back later, but with a little distance, she knew Jasmin and Jack would be able to address what had happened without damage being done.

"'Cause I'm a bum?" Tommy ventured a guess, though he wasn't too sure. He thought it had something to do with the blond fluff that had once passed for a beard on his chin, but he wasn't too sure.

Jack laughed at the three of them and started toward the door, with Jasmin tucked under his arm. "Come on, before they kick us out."

"A fluffy bum?" Lena snickered impishly, patting Tommy's rear end as she drew him into step with the others. "I hadn't noticed, but maybe she's been inspecting it with a magnifying glass while you're sleeping."

Jaz rolled her eyes, looking back over her shoulder at Lena teasingly. "What, like you used to do to Jon's upper lip when he was starting to grow a mustache?"

"I don't have any fluff on my bum!" Tommy replied, looking a little insulted. "My bum is as smooth as a baby's. You wanna see?" he asked with a smirk at Jaz. He wasn't afraid to flash a little skin now and then just to prove a point. Jasmin hadn't been there the night they'd gone skinny-dipping in the ocean. If she had, she might have been either shocked or proud of Jack's behavior, despite the fact that the only reason he'd done it was because he was high. "Did you keep track of every hair?" Tommy teased his wife regarding her brother.

"You keep your bum in your pants, Fluff," Jaz laughed, shaking her head. "The only *ss I want to have up close is this one." Her hand took a warm grasp on Jack's rear end as Lena snorted with laughter at Tommy's tease.

"Nah, I wanted proof he wasn't growing one," she told him. "He caught me once, and that's when he ended up with a lock on his door. Apparently, you don't let your little sister crawl into bed with you when you're thirteen."

"He was probably too busy dreaming about girls who weren't his sister," Tommy pointed out helpfully. "Or his cousin," he added, for Jasmin's benefit. He didn't really know what it was like to have a sister, but he remembered that at thirteen, he was just starting to dream about girls.

Jack smirked, both at the conversation and the grab at his rear. He tossed a wave to the bartender before pushing out into the crisp, cool night.

Lena smirked to herself, carefully keeping what she knew about Jon's forays into his sexuality when he was a young man to herself. She'd never share what she knew, especially now he didn't remember it himself anyway. "I don't want to talk about my big brother's wet dreams," she complained laughingly, tucking closer to Tommy as they stepped out onto the pavement. "We should decide where we're stopping for food."

"Where you're stopping for food," Jack pointed out. "We've had enough excitement for one night. I'm taking Jasmin home." He came to a halt outside the bar, both their cars a short walk from there. "Don't worry about us. I can toss something together in the kitchen if we get hungry. You two have fun."

Lena hesitated, understanding that Jack and Jaz wanted the evening alone, but still wanting to do something to be helpful. "Okay," she offered thoughtfully. "How's this" Nudge Milo into our house, we'll take care of him tonight. You get a night without a demanding doggie wanting snuggles when you're busy." She winked at them cheerfully as Jaz snorted with laughter.

"Great idea!" Tommy said, pulling Lena close to reward her with a kiss. That way, they could still stop off for something to eat and not have to worry about bringing something back that might get cold before Jack and Jasmin had a chance to enjoy it.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked with that worried frown of his again.

"Of course we're sure!" Tommy replied. "Luna adores him. They'll be fine."

"That's a really good idea," Jaz agreed quietly, squeezing her arm about Jack's waist. As much as she loved Milo, the thought of having a night with only Jack in the bed with her was too good to pass up. "You guys have fun, okay?"

Lena winked at her, glad they could do something, at the very least. "Same goes for you," she told the other couple playfully.

"See you tomorrow!" Jack told the other couple, not letting go of Jasmin to offer any hugs. After all, Lena had already kissed his cheek, and Tommy wasn't a hugger. It wasn't like they wouldn't be seeing each other for a while when they lived right next door.

Jasmin Granger

Date: 2015-04-21 08:17 EST
"Be good. We'll see you in the morning!" Tommy said, flashing a wink at the two of them. He had something up his sleeve, but he wasn't saying what it was.

As Tommy led a slightly suspicious looking Lena away, Jasmin chuckled, rolling her eyes. "I swear, they're nearly as bad as we are," she laughed fondly, rubbing her cheek against Jack's shoulder. "A whole night just to ourselves ....sounds like fun."

"They're worse than we are," Jack said with a smirk, as they started toward her Beetle, her head against his shoulder. "We'll have to return the favor sometime," he said, though he hoped it would be under different circumstances. If it hadn't been for the jerk in the bar, they'd likely be stopped for a bite to eat with Tommy and Lena. "It was nice having them there tonight," he said, smiling to himself. Not because they were getting a night to themselves out of it, but because it was nice to see some familiar and friendly faces in the crowd, even if it did make him more nervous than usual.

"We will," she promised him affectionately, relaxing a little more now it was just them in the quiet of the night, getting closer to privacy with every step. "I invited them along," she admitted with a smile. "I knew you wouldn't, and I wanted them to see how well you've been doing. I wanted to show you off."

"I hope I didn't disappoint them," Jack replied with that worried look of his he got on his face when he was taking things far too seriously. Before he even got the words out of his mouth, he knew he was wrong. It was hard to disappoint two people as cheery about life as Tommy and Lena. Jack paused beside her little car to turn to her with that same serious look on his face. "We were good up there tonight, weren't we, Jaz?"

"I think the only way you could disappoint them would be if you left forever," his wife told him with a smile. "And, you know, since I'm tying you to the bed later, that's just not gonna happen." She rose up to kiss the tip of his nose, her expression sobering as he asked his question. "It was a good gig," she nodded. "No serious muck ups, no memory problems, you didn't lose the lead line at all. It's one of the best I've done, baby."

He was looking just a little confused, and it wasn't the beer. He heard everything she said, but seemed to only focus on one word. "Leave?" he echoed. "Why would I leave?" There was nothing back home for him anymore now that Tommy and Lena were here, and he had Jasmin now and Milo and they were going to have a baby. There was no chance of his leaving; he was right where he wanted to be.

"You wouldn't, that's the point," Jasmin pointed out to him, cradling his face between her hands as she smiled up at him. "So you're never going to disappoint them, baby. One less thing for you to worry about." She kissed him tenderly, needing him not to fixate on something that didn't matter. Not tonight.

Her kiss had the desired effect, wiping all the worry and doubts from his mind and leaving him with only Jasmin on his mind. "Let's go home," he told her quietly as his lips parted hers. Home is where the heart is, or so they say. His heart was with Jasmin, and wherever Jasmin was, he was home.