Disclaimer: Do I have to? ::looks at Jackson who glares back dangerously:: Oh, OK, obviously. I don't own Red Eye…

Author's Note: Sadly… this is the last chapter… I'll ever write… NO! Just kidding. ::looks ashamed for the BAD sense of humour:: …but it IS the last chapter of this story.

Jackson does things… Lisa responds… Nah, I'll leave it for you to find out.

Have a good read. Let me know what you thought of it, and take care ya'll until next time.

Hugs, Nic.

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Chapter 5 What If I Don't

She tried to pry his fingers away, but he gripped her wrists and slammed them down on the floor above her head. He held them in one of his hands as he flipped open the second last button. The blouse was already half open, showing pale skin, a white bra and the scar. Squirming in his grip, she stilled as he spoke.

"Make the call," Jackson whispered.

Lisa shook her head mutely and Jackson ripped open the last button, exposing her chest to the air. She cringed and refused to look at him. Whatever he had in mind, she'd fight him to the last drop. She would never… ever… Not again. Right now he had her pinned, but sooner or later he'd have to shift position. At least if he was going to…

Don't…

Her throat ached with held back tears and her eyes burned; she hadn't felt so naked… so vulnerable since… for a very long time. Lisa jolted when she felt his hand on her skin; unexpectedly soft fingertips touching her right collar bone before gliding over to her marred chest. He stroked the scar with his thumb, like he had once in the airplane. Back… forth… back… almost sensual, challengingly…

Jackson… just… don't…

Her eyes darted up to meet with his, hoping to find some compassion. He had showed her that once, and she had thrown it away; despising him at the time for showing weakness towards her. Now she desperately needed it. Show it again, please. Now would be a good time. But she met a gaze that looked unreadable at best, painfully beautiful, and a lot colder than she'd have hoped for.

"The call," he whispered.

Lisa only looked away. Gathered strength. She had a feeling she'd need it.

She inhaled sharply as his hand moved further down. It hesitated slightly at the edge of her bra before it slid inside and cupped her breast, squeezing it lightly, the movement leaving burning traces on her chest.

Lisa wriggled underneath him, mutely trying to get away, but his thighs on each side of her hips, and the hand holding her arms stretched, efficiently restricted her movements. She breathed too hard, impulses from the skin on her breast shot like daggers through her body and screamed for attention.

He had a warm hand… and he wasn't hurting her… but it was …intrusive.

It was hers to give…

Not his to take.

Get off. Get off. Get OFF!!!!!

Her chest heaved erratically from fear and anger, and she was starting to detach herself from what was going on when she unexpectedly sensed a change of the mood in the room.

A change in Jackson.

Looking back up, afraid of the cruelty she would see, she opened her mouth in surprise. His gaze had softened and when their eyes met, he slowly pulled back his hand, leaving a cold feeling of emptiness on her skin.

He shook his head and placed a palm on the floor right next to her head, looming over her, looking her straight in the eyes. "What am I going to do with you? Huh? You'll never make the fucking call, will you?"

"N… never," Lisa acknowledged, stumbling on the words, surprised by how thick her voice suddenly sounded. She cleared her throat and shook her head, meeting his glacial gaze.

Jackson let go of her wrists. His grip had been so tight that her hands felt numb and cold from the strangled circulation. Now they tingled and ached when the blood rushed back. He rose to his knees and got off her. Lisa immediately pulled her blouse tight around her chest. Hiding her shame, her blushing skin… the scar…

She felt his eyes on her as she covered herself and shuffled back, up against the wall, hugging her legs. She looked up at him as he snorted and shook his head.

"I couldn't," he said flatly. He turned over and leaned his back against the wall next to her. "Fuck," he hissed, more to himself than to her.

"You couldn't what?" Her teeth wanted to shatter from the tension, but she clenched them, forcing herself to stay calm. She knew so damn well what she wanted him to say, but she was afraid it would be something entirely else.

"Ha." He laughed shortly and glanced at her, his gaze darting between her face and the chest she so carefully hid behind her knees before he returned to stare at the wall opposite them. "Force myself on you... I tried fucking twice… figured it'd tame you…But…It just doesn't work."

Lisa sighed quietly with immense relief, feeling like she exhaled for the first time in several minutes. "Then you're not as bad as you think."

He snorted again and his gaze darkened into a thunderous cloud as he tightened his jaw. "Believe me, I am."

Lisa shook her head. "No… I don't really believe that… That's not what I have seen."

His voice was sharp as the edge of his knife when he spoke, leaving no room for interpretation of what he said. "What you have seen, Lisa, are a few hours of my life… The things I've done… The life I've led… Things I'm gonna do…" He exhaled loudly and started over. "I failed this fucking mission because my heart wasn't in it. I had to go against what I thought was right… And it WAS a lousy plan; to pull it through like that."

Lisa's lips twitched into a half smile as she cocked her head. "I told you."

"…on an airplane," he sighed, more to himself. "If it had been up to me I'd have gotten you in Joe's house… much more efficient as a threat; having him tied up right in front of you, a knife to his throat… Would you have dared to be so much fucking trouble then?"

Lisa froze, and her breathing hitched. Jackson heard it and glanced maliciously at her, cocking his head as he nailed her with his gaze. "Still think I'm a good person?"

She didn't move, and she barely breathed. Her eyes focused intensely on a piece of the kitchen door frame in front of them that needed painting, trying to grasp some piece of reality. How come they were sitting here, discussing his plot against her as if they talked about this every day?

"I… still don't know… why you don't… why you didn't…"

"Don't what?" he asked sharply.

"Ehm… don't kill me…" He voice faltered and she bit her lip and frowned, unable to look at him. She really didn't believe she would suddenly give him the idea to kill her just because she mentioned it, but still it felt insanely stupid to ask him straight out.

He sighed barely noticeably. "Well… you're not going to make the phone call… and I've lost my appetite for just plain retaliation. It's just dumb. It's rarely worth it. Like a wise man once said; if you're going for revenge, then you gotta dig two graves…"

Frowning, she looked questioningly at him, but he didn't meet her gaze. Why the two graves? "Oh," she said weakly and went back to stare at the opposite wall. I thought you… liked me…a little… and maybe that's why…

Lisa almost jumped out of her skin when she suddenly felt warm fingertips at her cheek. Her eyes darted to meet his, and as she did, he pulled back his hand. She thought she saw an emotion flicker through his gaze, but then it vanished as quickly as if it had never existed.

Tenderness?

"I'll have to disappear."

Oh…

She nodded and bit her lower lip, feeling a brief sting of...

What?

"If they'll do what you said… then yes, that sounds like a good thing to do," she agreed.

"There ain't no such thing as 'good', Leese," he said in a dark voice.

Lisa wanted to tell him it was going to be OK. But she had no idea if it would. It probably wouldn't… She wanted to thank him… but she wasn't sure for what.

For letting me go? For my life…?

For waking me and showing me my strength?

Because he had done just that; this time she'd never given in but had fought him from start – and no one had gotten hurt. She'd done what she knew was right even if it could have ended in disaster.

The knowledge filled her with pride.

And still she felt sad.

Throwing the bloodied towel on the counter, Jackson started to get up and Lisa too stirred, trying to push her aching body up from the floor, groaning from the effort. She flinched when he stretched his hand towards her. Hesitantly, she took it and with the help of his strong arm, she almost flew up.

She knew he wouldn't come back, and for that she should feel eternally grateful. Still it felt like treason. He just couldn't leave her alone… with THIS. With the scars, the hurt, the memories, that soft spot inside that he had touched. She didn't have anyone else to share it with… and when he was gone… she'd be alone again.

"I knew you'd come…you know…" The words blurted out before she'd even thought them over.

He flinched and looked sharply at her. "Well… didn't take an Einstein to figure that out."

"I mean… I… anticipated it… I mean…" She looked down as her tongue suddenly grew in her mouth, her cheeks flushed from the words that had popped out of her mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, frowning.

Don't make me… You know too…

Lisa swallowed nervously. Why did she get out on this mine field now, just when he was about to leave?

To leave her alone…

Don't you want him to? Of course you do!

"No… nothing. Forget it. It's nothing." She pressed her lips together and looked out the window. It was dark; had been for a couple of hours. She could see the distant lights from an airplane descending on its way to Miami International. Suddenly, she realised she was looking at the reflection of Jackson, and that he had stepped closer.

Lisa swirled around, afraid of what he'd do.

What he might still do.

Jackson loomed over her, his presence engulfing her like it had all from start. She looked up into his unbelievable pools of blue. 'Honest' had been the first word that had come into her mind as she'd seen him a week ago. Before she knew… Before all of this happened. Before he'd revealed his true purpose with approaching her.

For a few fleeting moments he'd made her feel all woman again. Made her forget her previous trauma, made her enjoy herself in the presence of a man… Relaxing with a handsome charming stranger… reading more into a meeting than there was…

Travels did that to people.

She blinked when he lifted his hand and placed a finger gently under her chin, tilting her head back, her face meeting his. Her heart pounded loud and quick as he lowered his head and let his lips brush over hers.

Then he abruptly let go and straightened himself.

Lisa swayed as she stood on her own again, her heart trying to hammer its way out of her chest. Her mind went blank, desperate to block out any attempts to interpret the action. It was just something that…

-happened…

He regarded her for a moment, and then he licked his lips, his blue eyes making her shudder. "I should have done it at Joe's place."

"N…" Lisa wetted her lips with the tip of her tongue and started over, slowly shaking her head. "No, you shouldn't."

Jackson looked mildly startled and then his face split into a grin, his eyes warming just a bit.

"You've been quite a challenge…"

He absentmindedly winced as he rubbed his head where she had hit him, and where the blood had begun to dry in his hair.

'You've been quite a challenge…' With an aching heart, Lisa followed his back with her gaze as he turned and walked out of the kitchen..

So have you.

She heard him by the door, then it went quiet. Lisa still hadn't moved. Is he gone? When she heard the soft rustle of feet against the carpet, she sighed shakily with an unexpected feeling of anticipation.

Not quite yet…

Jackson showed up again in the door to the kitchen. He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest. Lisa didn't move. They stared at each other for a moment, and then he cleared his throat and scratched a little at the bandage below his Adam's apple. "Do me a favour, Lisa; lock your door when I leave. Never, ever let a stranger into your apartment again. OK? Take a little better care of yourself. Not everybody is…"

He never finished the sentence.

You…I know…

Lisa nodded wide-eyed, unable to speak, swallowing too hard for her sore throat, and Jackson disappeared again. This time she heard the front door open and quietly close.

When she heard the discreet click, she began moving her numb aching body, her mind almost blank. She imagined she could still feel the warmth of his hand on the door knob as she made sure that the door was securely closed and locked.

She leaned her forehead against the door. Maybe it was just wishful thinking; but it still felt like he was on the other side of that door.

Hiding.

Waiting.

Plotting.

Good luck, Jackson, with whatever you need to do.

Then she hooked the safety chain into place.

-

THE END