Issues (30 Rock Jack/Liz)
Title: Issues
Author: alternaterocker
Fandom: 30 Rock
Pairing: Jack/Liz
Rating: PG
Spoilers: “Jack-tor”
Word Count: 1261
Summary: Jack needs to sort out his feelings after waking Liz up at three o'clock in the morning.
Authors Note: My first attempt at a 30 Rock fic. I'm a relatively new fan to the show since I only just bought seasons 1 and 2 but am addicted to it!
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, Tina Fey is the awesome person who does :)
***
“Jack, it's half past three. I'm tired.” She ran a hand across her face to try and give it some colour so that it would hopefully make her look more awake.
“I know, I am sorry Lemon but you're the only person who can help me.”
“Really? Jack Donaghy needs my-”
“Don't gloat. It seems man-ish.” She glared at him but her expression softened when he saw that he was in real trouble with his thoughts.
“Okay come out with it.”
She resisted the urge to burst out laughing as he told her to be like what she was with her writers and lay down on the floor. After he had exhausted himself, and her, with his reason for calling her out, she gave the best advice that she could by the simple technique of insulting him then got ready to leave as he blurted out,
“If you were any other woman on Earth I would be turned on right now.”
Liz looked at him, confused about why he had just said that and what he had meant by it. As she stood up and left the studio Jack stayed on his back, lifted his hands up and covered his face with them. The truth was that he really was turned on. Yet she still wasn't any other woman: she weighed more than any other woman he had came into close contact with, she had lettuce in her hair most of the time, she ate rubbish fast food constantly and on top of all that she was Lemon. Granted, he had had sex with a huge proportion of his female employees but Liz Lemon was something different and he was now trying to straighten out his feelings towards her, without any luck.
She looked down at him again, her brain still majorly muddled up from what he had said, and stood up walked away. She couldn't stop herself from twisting her head back round every couple of seconds to see what Jack was doing.
When he couldn't see Liz any more he started to worry about the repercussions of his mini-breakdown, “This stays between us Lemon!...Lemon?...Lemon?!” He breathed in a deep sigh. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He shouldn't be feeling like this with her. But he was. God, he was in love with his Lemon. This was a code red violation of his old beliefs.
The next afternoon when he heard Lemon walk unannounced into his office he wasn't angry that she had found him watching the tape of his acting or that she had grown used to not waiting for an answer to her request to enter his personal room. He looked her up and down. How had he managed to fall in love with this woman? It wasn't that she wasn't unattractive although if he was seen to be dating her she would be immediately made a laughing stock of in the press for her un-model-like looks; he didn't want his friend/confidante to have to put up with abuse from the press because she didn't deserve it. Not even her outspoken views or ability to recite all the original Star Wars films should give journalists the right to make fun of Elizabeth Lemon. Oh dear, it had got worse, he was now referring to her by her full name. He wanted to hit his head of a wall or table like she had done on numerous occasions.
He should never have took over this company!
When he had watched her leave the office he had a suspicion that she would end up trying to catch him in the act of laughing at his own footage so left his thumb hovering above the play button. He watched as her face popped back round the door and he smirked at the childish writer,
“Don't be cute, Lemon. You're too old for that.” No because she was far more than cute to him now.
All these feelings were too sudden for his liking, no one should have to put up with these emotions for someone this quickly after meeting them. If anything it should be years until he even found Lemon kind of nice looking but at this moment, in his lonely office, he found her unbelievably gorgeous.
A couple of days later Jack and Liz were talking in his office about his performance since he was slightly insecure after some scathing reviews from TV critics. They were standing in the middle of the room, Liz had her hands on her waistline while Jack stood there with his hands in his pockets like a schoolboy who was embarrassed by the praise he was receiving. Liz was trying to encourage him by saying he was very natural in his role, she didn't want to be negative although what she was saying was more or less all lies. But then Jack seemed to want to argue with her so she made up her mind to tell him the truth.
“You practise walking Jack! You're 'acting career' was never going to end up being life changing because you're the only person I have ever met that can not act one little sketch! Geez, I know I have my issues but at least I don't flaunt them so much!”
“Well there is one issue I have that I don't flaunt!”
“What's that then?” She had barely finished the sentence by the time Jack had crashed his lips down on to hers. When she realised what was happening it was too late, she was already responding to the kiss. As she felt his hands rest on her hips was when she regained her senses and pushed against his chest.
“What was that?!”
“I thought that much was obvious Lemon. It was a kiss. I know you haven't had any good, if any, contact with men for quite a while and I think I've begun to fall for you.”
“Fallen for me?”
“Yes Lemon. I, Jack Francis Donaghey, have fallen - unintentionally by all means - deeply in love with you.”
Liz stood in front of him with a vacant look on her face. She was waiting for either the punchline or some random TV cameras to appear in her face from one of those prank shows that she denied ever watching but was actually obsessed with them.
“For God's sake Lemon I am not joking! I love you.” It was beginning to feel normal saying those words out loud to her which was making him feel a little uncomfortable.
“Okay so I maybe, just possibly, very highly, think I love you too.” She placed her hands on either side of his face and brought their mouths back together.
It surprisingly didn't feel too icky like Liz had thought it would - not that she had ever fantasized about this moment or anything - and Jack was in his element. He was shocked that Lemon felt anything towards him and she was actually a really good kisser. He could only hope that it wasn't just their anger that was making them this passionate with each other. As they broke apart this time Jack noticed that Liz wasn't frowning any more, she was smiling. He loved her cheeky grin so kissed it again. So it wasn't just the anger that had made them like this, they were just as in love with kissing while they were smiling too. That certainly made their future look a bit more hopeful.
The End.