Chapter 21

Lex left after a couple of days, apparently heading back to the mall from what anyone could make out. He never had been too clear about where he had been, why he was there or what he was up to, and Lex was usually up to something! With Lex gone, life in Liberty returned to its usual sedate pace. Jetta would let Jack watch Hope while she was working; Ebony would watch Jack, playing with his new-found daughter; Skye would watch Slade, longingly; Slade and Ruby would often be locked in private conversations about who knows what; and Aeryn would watch over Jack and tell him off whenever she saw him do anything too "strenuous", or, as Jack put it, whenever she saw him having fun!

"Honestly, Aeryn, I feel fine!" Jack cried, having been told that he really shouldn't be throwing his daughter up in the air like that. "I'm okay!"

"No, you're not!" Aeryn chided. "You really should rest more. You are still weak from the fever, whether you feel it or not!"

"Jack, perhaps you should listen to her," Ebony offered, putting a hand on his arm. "You need to rest more. Aeryn knows her stuff!"

"I know, but I just want to spend as much time with my daughter as I can. I-Is that such a crime?"

"Carry on like this and you won't be able to spend any time with her!" Aeryn said, sharply. "You'll end up stuck in that bed again."

Jack sighed and handed Hope over to Aeryn, then stormed off to his room. Ebony made to follow him, but Aeryn stopped her and handed her the child.

"No, you stay here," Aeryn ordered her. "I want to talk to him alone, then I want to make sure he lies down and rests!"

Ebony's jaw tightened. She wasn't used to being ordered around, but with her new wardrobe came her new, less feisty image and she strove to keep it. It wasn't easy. As she walked over to the jukebox, Hope on her hip, Ebony cast her mind back over the past couple of days. They hadn't been easy!

"He finally wakes up and I never get to spend any time with him," she told the little girl, who looked up at her with her big, dark eyes. "Any time he's let out of his room, he spends with you. I know, I know: I shouldn't complain. I should be supportive. Stand back and let him get to know you and spend time with you and so on. But I miss him. He's right there and I miss him. Now doesn't that sound silly?"

Hope giggled and clapped her chubby little hands as they reached the jukebox.

"Now, little one, what shall we have?"

Hope's hands reached out to hit the buttons randomly. One of them hit home and activated the machine. As the jukebox whirred into life, Ebony laughed.

"Just over a year old and getting to grips with machines already? Oh, help! Not another one! You're gonna end up just like your dad, aren't you?"

"That's kinda what I was hoping," Jetta called from behind Ebony and Hope.

Ebony turned round, biting her tongue. It was easier when she reminded herself that she was holding Jack's very young and easily upset daughter in her arms. Behind Ebony, the jukebox began playing whatever track Hope had managed to hit. It wasn't a tune Ebony recognised.

"I take it you've come to get your daughter?"

"Well, I came to see if Jack was okay with her or if he wanted me to take over for a while, but I see that's already taken care of. I know you see me as the enemy, Ebony, but there's really no need. I'm not going to try and take Jack away from you."

The lyrics of the track began playing.

I needed the shelter
Of somebody's arms.
There you were.

"I knew from the first time we met that he'd never love me," Jetta said. "Not like I love him. He was there when I needed him. That's all."

I needed someone
To understand my ups and downs.
There you were.

"That's all? Honey, if that was all, why am I standing here holding his daughter, who also happens to be your daughter?"

"Things got a little out of hand. He wasn't really thinking straight and I took advantage of that. I loved him. I still do love him. Always will. But he'll never love me. At least this way, I have Hope."

With sweet love and devotion.

Jetta took her daughter out of Ebony's arms and headed out of the room.

Deeply touching my emotion.

Ebony sighed and sat down heavily against the jukebox. Maybe Jetta didn't have any intention of stealing Jack, that wouldn't stop him wanting to be with his daughter.

I wanna stop (stop)
And tell you thank you (and tell you thank you)

She cast her mind back to the first night they had spent together before Aeryn let Jack out of his room. The had sat in each others arms for hours, watching the fire die down, just happy in each other's company.

I wanna stop (stop)
And just say thank you (and tell you thank you)

Ebony sighed and smiled at the memory. Jack wasn't the type to rush into things. He couldn't have been thinking straight back then, with Jetta. Jetta's story had to be true. It would just be nice to hear it from Jack.

How sweet it is (how sweet it is)
(to be loved by you, to be loved by you)

Ebony sat up, recognising the song for the first time as the one Jack had spoken of ages ago in the lobby of that apartment back in the city. She settled back to listen to the words, closing her eyes and letting the memories wash over her.

I'm loved by you and it's so sweet (how sweet it is)
So sweet (to be loved by you, to be loved by you)

Close my eyes and I
And I wonder
Where I'd be without you in my life.
Everything, everything was just a bore
All the things that I did
Seems I've done them before.

Ebony opened her eyes as she felt someone sit down in front of her. It was Jack. He was sitting so close to her that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

But you brighten up all my days

"I thought Aeryn wanted to make sure you got some rest?" Ebony asked, smiling.

With a love so sweet in so many ways.

"I promised her I wouldn't do anything too energetic and she let me off with a caution," Jack grinned. "I thought we could spend some time together."

I gotta stop (stop)
And just say thank you (and tell you thank you)

"Oh really?" Ebony grinned back. "Doing what exactly?"

I wanna stop (stop)
Oh, and tell you that I love you (and tell you thank you)

"Um, just off the top of my head now," Jack replied, wrinkling his brow and pretending to concentrate. "This?"

He leant forward and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was soft and gentle. Ebony felt a shiver run up and down her spine.

(How sweet it is) How sweet it is
(To be loved by you) To be loved by you
(To be loved by you) To be loved by you

It so sweet (How sweet it is)
Yes it is (To be loved by you, to be loved by you)

As they pulled apart, Ebony's eyes flickered open again and met Jack's. This time, as Jack drew her closer to him, the kiss grew deeper.

You're better to me
Than I've been to myself.
For me there is you
And nobody else.

(How sweet it is)
(To be loved by you) To be loved by you
(To be loved by you) To be loved by you
(How sweet it is) It's so sweet
(To be loved by you) To be loved by you
(To be loved by you)

Oh it's so sweet, so sweet, so sweet
(To be loved by you, to be loved by you)

(How sweet it is) To be loved by you.

As the song ended, the pair remained locked in each other's arms, Ebony's cheek resting on Jack's shoulder, her eyes closed as she savoured every moment of his company.

~Fini~