"Have you seen V today?", he asked urgently.
Ned stood up and walked up to Jax. "Yeah, she was here earlier, saying her good-byes."
Alexis stood up behind Ned. "I'm really gonna miss her", she said quietly.
Ned put an arm around her, softly, comforting her. "Me too", he said in an equally quiet tone.
Jax sighed. "Do you know if she left already? I have some things I have to say to her."
"I think she might've left already, I mean she was here over an hour ago", Alexis said.
Simon walked through the door with the folders in his hand. Jax urgently stepped towards him.
"Is V with you?" Simon shook his head slowly. "No, she asked me to drop off these papers here. She said she had to go to visit one last place, before we left."
"Where", Jax asked.
"She was in a rush, so she could make our flight back in time. She only said she was going to the place where everything changed for her."
Jax thought for a second and then remembered. "Look, I'll see you guys later. I have something I have to take care of." And with that Jax was out the door.
"Hello officer", he said quietly, smiling.
"Good evening, Mr. Jacks. I hope you decided to put off any of your drug smuggling activities off until tomorrow," she said teasingly, equally quiet, smiling.
They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. The emotions of that first meeting and the last two years washing over them. V walked over to a railing on the side of the road as Jax joined her. They both sighed.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Simon told me". V looked at him curiously.
"But how would he know I was here, I-"
"He told me you went to the place where everything changed for you", he interrupted. "I knew he meant you came here." Instinctually following V's train of thought. "Because the night I met you on this road changed my life also, I just didn't know it at the time", he quietly concluded looking into V's eyes.
They stared at each other and then looked away.
"Remember how we use to get on each others nerve when we first me?"
Jax nodded.
"You really infuriated me!" She laughed.
"I know", Jax replied with a devilish grin.
"Hey you infuriated me also!"
"I know", she replied, with an equally devilish grin. They both smiled.
"I loved getting you all riled up!", he said, eyes shining brightly. You were very animated."
"So were you", she finished.
"I miss those times. I realized today…that last couple of days, that I haven't been the best friend to you and I regret that."
"No regrets, Jax. You were the best friend you could have possibly been."
"You are too understanding, anybody else wouldn't tolerate all you've put up with from me."
"I'm your friend. I understand, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt sometimes, but I understand."
"You understand too much", he sighed.
V sighed. "Must we do this now? If you'd like I can call you and give you an ear full about your shortcomings in the friendship department", she said half-serious.
"You can do whatever you like as long as you call. I don't want to lose touch with you…ever."
"You won't", she hesitated, not really sounding at all convincing. She just wasn't sure of that. They barely saw each other now, how would it be once she left.
"Remember when we were on the dock after running into Cassadine?"
"Yes".
"I said there was no one like you and that I was lucky to have you. I didn't realize how lucky until I heard you were going away with Simon."
"You know, some of the best times in my life, were with you…thank you."
"For what?"
"For the laughs, arguments, adventures, and most importantly for the friendship."
"I should be thanking you. I don't know where I would be if you weren't in my life."
They were both trying to hold it together now. He was going to miss her...the sight of her, her smile, her enthusiasm for him. He didn't know anyone who lit up a room with a smile the way she did. She was special and he doubted strongly he'd ever meet someone like V again. Sitting there he remembered every moment they spent together.
She was wondering what he was thinking as he sat there silently. She was going to miss him. Two years she thought. Had they really gone by that quickly. It seemed like just yesterday she was pulling him and his damn attitude over. When he turned around that day on his motorcycle, she thought she'd never see him again after that night. Two years…two years. She kept repeating that in her head. "Where does the time go", she thought. Sitting there she could remember every moment they spent together.
V cleared her throat. "Um, I have to get going. Simon's waiting for me." She stood up.
"Okay. Tell him I said to take care of you."
V smiled. "I can take care of myself."
"I know, but if he breaks your heart he'll have to deal with me."
"Not before he deals with me", she answered quickly. They both laughed. "I have to go."
"Okay, I'll see y-…I'll talk to you soon", he corrected himself.
"Okay." V starts to walk away.
~ Say Goodnight not Good-bye
You will never leave my heart behind
Like the path of a star
I'll be anywhere you are
~
She was walking away when Jax grabbed her hand. She turned around to follow Jax's line of vision and there it was… sweeping across the sky through the stars, flashing brightly, for them… just for them. Both stood there, holding hands, amazed. Time almost stood still as they stood there, digesting what just happened.
~ In the spark that lies beneath the coal
In the secret place inside your soul
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye ~
"Can you believe it" she asked in amazement.
Jax slowly shook his head. "Yes and no." "It's like we came full circle".
"I know." Jax replied.
"Well this settles it, we are stuck with each other for life", he said. He tried to appear humorous with that, but his eyes were serious and sad.
"I don't thing we ever really needed it", she said, seriously.
~ Don't you fear when you dream
Waking up is never what it seems
Like a jewel buried deep
Like a promise meant to keep ~
They look at each other as V's eyes start to well up with unshed tears and before long Jax's eyes also well up. He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly as they both let go and cry.
"I love you, Venus", Jax whispered into her hair.
"I love you, too", she replied barely getting the words out between sobs. "I'm gonna miss you so much."
He released her from his embrace. "Don't do that", he said, placing his hands on the side of her face, looking directly in her eyes. "This is not good-bye, okay?", he said. She nodded in unison with him.
~ You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
I'll be right by your side
Say goodnight not good-bye ~
"This is see you later. This is… until next time."
She looked directly into his eyes, talking in his same tone of voice. "Until next time."
They smile at each other. He takes his hands off her and face and she places both of hers on the side of his face. She looks into his eyes and gives him the softest and sweetest kiss on the lips. She opens her eyes to look into his. They are still closed. A tear falls from his eyes, even with his lids close. She slowly wipes it. After she's wiped the tear she runs her finger slowly down his cheek, watching him, studying him. It was almost like she was memorizing every small feature in his face. Jax's eyes remained closed.
"Until next time" she says again after he's opened his eyes. She takes her hands from his face and looks down briefly before starting to walk away.
~ You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye ~
They slowly walk away from each other as V heads for her car and Jax heads to his motorcycle. They both stop and turn around to look at each other, neither wanting to be the first to drive away. It is literally hurting her, but V makes the first move and gets into her car. She sits in her car and stares out the window for a couple of minutes, breathing in the air around her, breathing in…him.
Jax gets on his motorcycle, getting ready to put on his helmet. As he watches her car intently almost willing her to step out the car and decide to stay. She hadn't driven off yet, she could still change her mind, he thought. Then he heard her engine and almost jumped, his heart racing. She was really leaving. She shuts her eyes for a second, putting the car in drive. Her future…Simon was waiting for her. And with that she drove off into the night.
The End