Author's Note: This is just a little lovely one-shot that came to my mind immediately after finishing 'Red Eye Reconciliation'. I hated to leave our favourite couple… and just as the fun might begin. Hence this peek into their private world of what happened later... And hey, it's the sequel to my sequel… which makes this the third part in a trilogy! ;D

Disclaimer: I don't own Jackson or Lisa. If I owned Jackson, don't you think I'd have better things to do than to hang here, writing fics?

Feedback: Oh, you'd make me so happy!I know that Jackson is OOC, but I wanted him to change, and otherwise this whole story would have been impossible. I still hope I managed to keep his 'voice', as well as Lisa's…

Have a good read. Love, Nic. Now, this baby has been betad! Enjoy the improved version!

-

Red Eye Release or What Happened In The Kitchen

Lisa was positively starving. She was tired to death and slightly hung over. A whole night of wrangling on Jackson's patio had taken its toll, mentally as well as physically. Still, she felt revived and new. She'd been battling with him for as long as they'd known each other, and now they stood, peacefully all of a sudden, next to each other in his little kitchen, spreading butter on toast like they'd never done anything but.

Wonders never cease.

She watched his hands as he handled the bread. She liked his hands; they'd been on her mind since very early on. They were pale and lean, yet strong. Just like him.

Following his forearms up to his elbows, she noted several thin, white, well-healed scars. She hadn't seen them before, but of course she'd had her mind on other things most of the time when she'd seen him naked before… Wonder what he did… or, no… I don't think I want to know.

When her gaze rose even further, she realized his hands had stopped moving. With a slight intake of breath, her eyes met his cerulean gaze.

"Lisa…" His voice was thick and raspy.

She swallowed. "Yes."

"Are you hungry?"

Hungry how?

"Mmm…"

He took his sandwich, lifted it from the counter and brought it to her mouth. Her eyes darted between his hand and his gaze, then she parted her lips and let him feed her. Jackson bit his lower lip as he watched her chew the bread.

"That taste OK?"

She laughed with her mouth full. "Yesh," she tried to articulate, and squeezed her lips shut to avoid spilling any content and making a very - unsexy - mess…

The thought of sex… and this man… suddenly made her heart flutter in an almost unhealthy manner. She swallowed too much too quickly and stared at him. Jackson had a very naughty look as he slowly closed in on her. Lisa blinked as he lifted a hand and brushed an invisible crumb off her chin, then his hand lingered. The blood whooshed in her ears as he held her chin and pulled her towards him.

"Still hungry?" he rasped.

"No… Eh, mmm…"

He laughed softly and kissed her.

-

-

He had forgotten how small she was. Jackson was not a very tall man, but he knew he could be as imposing as he needed when he had to. That was different times, though. She was not a woman he'd ever wanted to threaten – even if he had done exactly that more than once. He didn't want to think of that, but still the thought haunted him. But he wasn't that man anymore…

…so he kept telling himself, anyway.

Looking into those deep green eyes, he only wanted to make her happy. He wanted her to feel secure and safe. He just wasn't sure how to do that.

Could you be happy with me? Or would I destroy you?

With his heart pounding, he lowered his lips to meet hers. Savoring her taste; something he'd never forgotten, he let his fingers slide into her auburn tresses and held her fragile neck as he deepened the kiss. The uneasy thought that he could snap her in two at this very moment came to him and scared him into holding her more carefully, relishing the feel of her body in his arms.

I am never letting you go, Leese. I hope you knew what you were doing when you came here.

You set the ball rollin' and you're NOT leaving me now…

-

-

His presence completely engulfed her, swallowed her up.

Filled her void.

But she didn't want to think of that now. The past was the past and should remain buried. Now was now, and she didn't think she could ever go back.

Or wanted to.

"What do you want?" he whispered, breaking the kiss.

Lisa smiled wickedly. "I believe I need some more… food…"

She squealed and laughed as he suddenly gripped her shoulders and began backing her up against the kitchen counter.

"Anything I can do… to satisfy your… hunger?"

Flustered, she breathed heavier as he pressed his whole body against hers. His hips ground against hers and her breasts were squeezed against his hard chest. Looking into his amazing blue eyes, Lisa wanted only one thing, and knew deep in her heart that she'd wanted the same thing since she first met him.

You can sate me…

…and make me whole again.

I need you.

Pressing herself against him, she responded to his touch. Biting her lower lip, she countered, "What have you got to offer?"

Jackson grabbed her thighs and in one swift move, he lifted her up on the counter in front of him. He let his hands roam her behind, squeezing and grabbing as he leaned in and smelled her neck. His nose against her throat tickled the fine hairs on her skin pleasantly, and when she felt his lips plant soft kisses along her neckline, she shivered with delight.

His hands moved further until they reached bare skin under her blouse. Goosebumps erupted along the way as he caressed her back with his strong hands.

Lisa had been with physically more well-built men than Jackson. Dean for instance, had been tall and muscular. Still, something about Jackson's intense presence in everything he did made him own any room he entered. That ability had worked well when he had been threatening her, and it had meant everything to break down her barrier towards him.

Now he simply didn't give her any breathing space. His eyes, his voice, his warm strong hands… those lips… Lisa leaned her head back to give him better access to her throat and was surprised when he stopped kissing her.

With a teasing smile on his lips, he suddenly yanked her shirt up past her chest and over her head, tossing it to the tiled floor.

Lisa gasped and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Still shy?" he half whispered.

She shook her head. "It's just not fair that you still have your shirt on."

He gave her a meaningful gaze and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and off, tossing it onto the same heap on the floor. "Better score?"

"Better."

She studied his torso. She had a better view of it in the bright morning light than she'd had back in her bedroom. "You've healed up well, I see."

"Like what you see?"

"No." She frowned and shook her head. "I think it looks horrible, to be honest."

She yelped when he abruptly pressed her back against the wall, gripping her hands tightly. "What did you just say?" He sounded serious, and she wasn't sure whether he was joking or if he really was angry.

She swallowed hard, but pursued. "I... I don't think your scars are beautiful to look at. They don't mean anything good to me. I'd have preferred you without them."

He frowned and his eyes narrowed. "I thought you were only pulling my leg, but you do have a point… Thing is; I don't think we'd be here today if it hadn't been for them. We'd either never have seen each other again… or you'd have been… dead…"

Lisa tried to break free, but he wouldn't let her go. "By your hands, that is," she sneered.

"By my hands," he acknowledged, cocking his head, regarding her.

It didn't feel right. This wasn't going well. "Let me go, please, Jackson."

"No, I won't. I told you that already."

"What? Are you just going to tie me up here and never let me out of the house?" She was starting to worry that she had misjudged him severely.

Lisa flinched when he laughed. "God. No. But I'm never gonna let you run off, thinking things about me, about us, that aren't correct. If you decide to leave, you should do it because you've had all facts on hand and made an informed decision."

She trembled slightly. He was still tightly pressed against her lower body, and she couldn't help feeling intimidated by that. "And what are the facts, Jack?"

He blinked once, but didn't comment on her use of his nickname. "The facts are that I'm never going to lay a violent hand on you again. That was a part of the job, and has nothing to do with my… our personal life. The facts are that I did intend to kill you…" He swallowed once. "Let's be honest about that. But it won't happen again."

Lisa looked him straight in the eyes and tried to gauge what he was feeling, what he meant by saying all of this. She found him hard to read, though, from time to time… and this was certainly one of those times.

"What if I become a part of your job again?"

He pulled her closer but didn't let go of her hands, instead he brought them with his own to her back where he held them, and her, in a tight embrace. "That won't happen," he whispered into her ear.

"And how can you be sure?"

"'Cause I'm no longer in the business…"

"I… I don't believe you."

"I know." Was it hurt she saw deep down in his gaze before he looked out of the kitchen window? She was still held in a tight grip, surrounded by his arms, with his body wedged between her legs. Somehow, though, even if the subject had been awkward, she felt completely safe with Jackson, and her body was practically screaming for more of his closeness.

"Jackson…"

"Mm."

She tried to catch his eyes, but his gaze seemed unseeing, locked somewhere in the distance. "I want to be here. I came of my own free will. I don't plan to leave anytime soon… Unless…"

His head snapped in her direction and she was taken aback by the intensity of the blue fire he directed at her. "Unless what?"

Lisa licked her lips and tried to regain her mental balance. "Unless you keep freaking me out by acting like we're not equals. Like I'm still your hostage… I can't… I wouldn't accept that." Biting her lower lip, she waited with a trembling heart for his response.

Jackson let go of her arms and pulled his fingers through his hair, taking a step back. His head was spinning, both from the topic, and her closeness. "You're right. I still have fucking trust issues…"

She laid a small hand on his arm, calming him somewhat. "I know you do. Makes two of us …"

He rubbed his eyes and laid his arms around her again. "Leese," he half whispered thickly. "Where do we go from here?"

-

-

It should be impossible, really. They were a perfect match that wasn't meant to be. And still… here they were. Jackson had the sanity to be grateful for the twisted turns of fate.

Lisa shrugged and shook her head.

Jackson pursued. "I always had every answer. Never let anything get in my way… Now I don't know shit, to be honest."

"Maybe we should get to know each other? That would be a good start?"

She sounded serious, but when he met her gaze he saw the slightest hint of wickedness in it and the corner of his mouth lifted into a grin.

Maybe we should, Lisa…

-

-

Jackson began approaching her again in a predatory way that took her breath away. She felt like she would've been in danger if this had happened under any other circumstances. If they'd been in the wild, she'd have been an antelope and he would've been the lion – and she'd have been dead in moments. If it'd been one year earlier… she'd have fled faster than a blink of an eye.

She didn't die, though… and she didn't flee. Instead she crooked her fingers inside the lining of his pants and pulled him closer until he was tightly pressed against her lower stomach. His warm, smooth skin against her own filled her with want.

For him.

She let her fingers wander, gliding gently over his sides to his back, where she traced the outlines of his muscles.

His hands cupped her buttocks through the fabric of her pants and kneaded her flesh, sending hot streaks of need rippling through her body. When he started to undo her zipper, she didn't object: instead, she squirmed a little, helping him yank the trousers off her, over her thighs and calves, and off her ankles with her shoes, onto the growing heap of clothes on the floor.

Lisa moaned softly when he kissed her lower neck, descending past the scar on her right side, where he lingered briefly, before continuing to the place where her pale flesh disappeared into her bra. The two day old stubble on his cheeks rasped delicately as he buried his face between her breasts, and Lisa lifted her hands from his shoulders to the back of his neck and pressed him even closer.

He mumbled something into her chest, and she thought she heard 'I love you', but she wasn't sure. Nevertheless, her heart skipped a beat as he began unclasping her bra behind her back and slowly pulled it off her, releasing white breasts with pointed dark nipples that had obviously been enjoying the attention and wanted more.

Jackson looked at her with a teasing smile and licked the corner of his mouth. He raised his eyebrows as if in a question.

Lisa shook her head.

"What?" he asked.

"I still don't think it's fair."

He laughed and took her hands, which had fallen to her sides, bringing them to the fly of his jeans, mischievously gauging her response.

Lisa wasn't one to back away from a challenge, and started unbuttoning his pants, one button after another until they were all done, her deep green eyes intent on his blue the whole time. When she started to push the jeans down past his hips, revealing tight black cotton boxers, she couldn't help but feel a deep tremble at the obvious sight of his arousal.

She knew what she wanted, and what HE wanted; but it was the depth of that feeling inside of her and how the same need shone in his eyes that made her heart leap.

When his pants dropped to his ankles, he kicked them off. "Better?"

She bit the inside of her cheek and smiled. "Much better."

Jackson grabbed hold of her hips and ground himself against the apex of her thighs, creating an insane turmoil of heat in her abdomen. She heard him gasp before he lowered his mouth onto hers and captured her lips in a deep, demanding kiss that revealed all the longing they had stored up for so long.

Their hands explored each other bodies; all the square inches of skin that they had missed. Deft fingers lingered on scars and defined muscles, on soft flesh and round swellings.

Lisa had forgotten long since that she had been tired and cold. All she could feel now was a deep need for Jackson and for some kind of release, a resolution. She explored his high cheekbones, his full lips, let her fingers slide inside his mouth where they got lightly bitten by his even row of teeth, then she brushed her thumb over his eyelashes and entwined her fingers in his thick brown hair.

Jackson patiently let her roam his face and body. She knew there'd be retaliation, and she could barely wait.

-

-

Lisa's attention and curiosity amused him somewhat, but it also pleased him. Her fingers left delicate, almost painful traces on his flushed skin, putting fuel on the fire, and if he didn't get a release soon he'd burn up.

He grabbed her hand, squeezing it a little as he removed it from his hair. "I think we've had enough of that now…" He felt her vibrate in his embrace, and when he started pulling at her pale pink cotton panties, her cheeks turned even more flustered as she kept her gaze locked with his. He pulled until the fabric was on its way off her thighs, then he gave them one last tug and they glided along her legs and down onto the floor.

A stark naked Lisa, sitting in his kitchen on a beautiful Monday morning at the end of July as the heat of the dawning day began to shape wavering patters in the air over the Pacific outside, was an unreal experience.

Almost sacred.

Not for him.

She looked slightly uneasy; her cheeks had turned pink, and she tried to clamp her legs together, but was hindered by his hips, which were still placed right in the way, giving his roaming eyes free access to her most private parts. His blue eyes darkened at the thought; someone else had been there. Someone had destroyed her, ravaged her body, only taken without giving. It was like theft, robbery, fraud… rape. It was rape.

God, if she gives me the chance, I'll spend my life making her forget that ever happened!

Jackson stepped in closer until he covered her mound with his own body, he fit perfectly, and the ache in his belly and thighs and in his very core grew stronger until his head was spinning with sincere arousal and need for this woman.

He captured her mouth again, and Lisa leaned her head back to give him better access. His hands slid up along the skin of her back until he cradled her neck, where he held her.

-

-

She felt vulnerable, and still it was perfect.

He made it perfect.

Jackson had set her whole body on fire with his touch, and his closeness, and now he didn't move. They were tightly pressed against each other, the kiss intense, and yet they didn't move a muscle.

When she let her fingers softly touch his back until she reached the band of his boxers, she felt him gasp. She started tugging, and his hands left her neck to assist.

The last obstacle had fallen, and she could feel his nakedness press against hers in a painfully delightful way. Lisa's head was spinning. She had been longing for him for so long, and now she was here. There were still so many insecurities in their relationship, but at this very moment there was no doubt about what they both wanted.

When Jackson ever so carefully positioned himself, Lisa wriggled slightly until they met halfway. He went so slowly, so careful that she wanted to scream for him to complete the movement. To fill her.

And finally he did.

Gasping, she clung to him as they moved as one, their bodies slick with perspiration, gripping, moving, kissing, moving.

-

-

Suddenly, she stopped.

Jackson went still and lifted his head to look at her. She had a tear in the corner off her eye. Fuck!

"What's wrong?" He had never before heard such concern in his own voice.

"Nothing… it's… it's… good." She swallowed and her lower lip trembled barely perceptibly.

"You don't look like you mean that, Leese…"

"No, no… it's just… It's too good. I feel…" She took a deep shaky breath and let it back out again before she continued. "You're not going to throw me out when we're done? You're not going to turn on me again, are you? This isn't just another twisted turn in some plan to get revenge?"

Jackson went limp. His whole body felt wobbly. God, how I hurt you, Leese. I can never tell you enough how sorry I am. How sorry I was even the minute I said those words and left you.

He cradled her cheeks in his palms and turned her head until he was looking into her beautiful eyes.

"Lisa. That. Will. Never. Happen. Again."

She nodded and kept her eyes intent on his, as if willing him to be telling the truth.

He sighed, and then he abruptly scooped up her naked form from the counter, her legs still around his waist, and carried her like that out of the kitchen, out into the hallway, up the stairs to the second floor and into his bedroom. Carefully, he laid her down on his bed, placed himself next to her and embraced her whole body with his, wanting to cover every beautiful, pale, soft square inch of her skin with his.

"Lisa. I love you."

-

-

He covered them up under a white sheet. That was all that was needed. The heat in the room was steadily rising, and, now that she was lying down, she felt her head spin from exhaustion. She could sleep like this.

'I love you', he'd said. Lisa couldn't believe her ears. Of course that would be the normal cause for all his actions during this last year. But was anything with Jackson normal? Lisa decided that she would think about that some other time.

I love you, too.

-

-

As the morning turned into early day, Lisa and Jackson fell asleep, tightly pressed against each other, cherishing the frail moments of peace, happily unaware of whatever lay ahead of them.

For now, they were content.

And what else can anyone demand?

THE END