FIC: Five Times Joyce Cheated on Hank Before the Divorce (1/5)
TITLE: Five Times Joyce Cheated on Hank Before the Divorce
SUMMARY: It was supposed to be a simple antiques show. She was not supposed to run into her old college roommate's ex-husband.
SPOILER WARNING:
For Buffy: Set Pre-Season One
For Stargate: After the movie and roughly before/during Season One
RATING: FR15 at the moment, but further chapters may be FR21 (and will be marked accordingly)
"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend." - I do not own any of the characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Angel the Series, they belong to Fox, the WB/UPN, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Stargate: SG1 belong to Gekko Film Corp, MGM, the Sci-fi Channel, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
Thanks to kaylashay81 for the prompt idea and for this kick ass animated icon - you rock!!!
Reviews are happily welcome!
******
Five Times Joyce Cheated on Hank Before the Divorce
1. Jack O’Neill
******
1996
Joyce had all but run from L.A. when the antiques auction was announced. Things with Hank were coming to a head. Buffy was out of control. And things were spiraling downhill too quickly. She was trying to keep it together, trying to be a good mother and a good wife, but she was growing increasingly tired of fighting with everything.
The first day of the auction had been a success. Joyce had managed to acquire the majority of the pieces that she wanted for her gallery. The new items would bring in quite a few customers and help spread word of her gallery. She only hoped that she would do nearly as well tomorrow with the items she had brought along to sell.
And so she hadn’t hesitated when a few of her female acquaintances at the auction had invited her out to grab a few drinks at a local bar. Joyce was headed back from the bathroom with a few of the women when she happened to glance over at the bar and recognized a familiar profile. The sight stopped her dead in her tracks. Lisa and Kerry ended up slamming into her, forcing her to step forward to keep her balance.
“What is going on Joyce?” Lisa asked her.
Joyce blinked and realized she’d been staring. A blush crept over her features as she turned to apologize. “I’m sorry, I…I just saw a familiar face at the bar. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back,” Joyce apologized and left the two women standing in the aisle.
Joyce made her way through the occupied tables and crowd of people to get to the bar. She kept her eye on Jack’s familiar profile the whole time. She hadn’t seen his face fully but she could almost guarantee it was him. A small smile graced her face when he turned to speak with the bartender and she was rewarded with the recognizable face of one Jack O’Neill.
“Is this seat taken?” Joyce asked as she came to a halt just behind the empty bar stool.
Jack turned to the voice with a bland look on his face. Joyce offered him a smile, hoping that he still recognized her.
“Actually,” Jack started to get rid of her, but froze when he fully took her in. He did a classic double take, and had the grace to blush as he realized he was staring. “Joyce?” he couldn’t hide the shock in his voice.
“Hey Jack,” Joyce softly greeted him.
“Sheesh I have no manners,” he muttered and slid off of his stool. He pulled her into a quick hug before giving him an open honest smile. “It’s been awhile,” he softly stated as they took one another in.
“Yeah, it has,” Joyce replied. Neither of them wanted to voice a reminder of the last time they’d seen one another. Charlie’s funeral had been tough on everyone. The divorce that followed and Sara’s stay with Joyce and Hank had put an almost permanent strain on Joyce’s friendship with Jack.
Joyce certainly hadn’t expected to find Jack in a bar in Colorado Springs. But now that she had she wouldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Come on, have a seat,” Jack urged and motioned to the bar.
“Let me go grab my coat. I’m here with a couple colleagues,” Joyce explained with a wave at the table of women openly staring at them.
“Where’s Hank?”
“Back in L.A. He doesn’t come with me for my art collection trips,” Joyce explained and smiled.
“You know we can catch up…” he trailed off, giving Joyce an out if she wanted one.
“No. I haven’t seen you in awhile Jack. I’ll spend tomorrow night with them. They’ll survive,” she quickly decided and graced him with an honest smile.
“Okay. What’re you drinking? I’ll get you started.”
“You still drinking Guinness?” Joyce asked and Jack nodded. “Well then I’ll have what you’re having,” she finished and headed off to her group.
******
When Joyce thought about it later she would admit, at least to herself, that the evening had certainly not gone as planned. The deviation had started with seeing Jack and had progressed rapidly from there, in large part to the excessive amount of alcohol they had both consumed. Most importantly Joyce never had any intention of having a one night stand with Jack, but it'd happened because she was alone and naked in Jack’s bed. And she had tinglings in all the right places, places Hank hadn’t bothered with in too long. She almost wished she’d woken up when Jack had just to see his reaction. She shot a quick glance at the clock and was relieved to see that she still had a few hours before the auction started.
The aroma of coffee and fried eggs caught her nose and her stomach rumbled. She sat up, pushing the sheet off her nude form and looked around for her clothes. She noticed the tee-shirt and sweatpants laid out on the end of the bed for her. A relieved smile crossed her face as she stepped toward them.
Jack was cooking breakfast when she finally emerged from the bedroom. He looked up and offered her a small smile.
“Coffee?” Joyce asked and slid onto a barstool at the kitchen island. Jack’s gaze swept over her body and she was suddenly very aware of the thin white shirt she was wearing, especially when her nipples hardened in the cool kitchen. She’d rather not think it could’ve been because of Jack.
“Of course,” he replied and poured a cup. “I only have milk, no cream,” he apologized.
Joyce shrugged and reached for the cup. “As long as you have sugar I’ll make due just this once,” she answered with a smile.
He handed her the milk carton and sugar container and went back to finishing breakfast. In silence he dished out two platefuls of eggs, sausage, hash browns, and an order of white toast.
“This looks delicious,” Joyce couldn’t help but comment as he slid her one of the plates and sat down with his own across from her.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve needed to cook for two,” Jack idly commented and shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
Joyce didn’t know what to say so she said nothing and continued to eat her breakfast. The food was good, not as good as Jack’s barbeque, but good nonetheless.
“Do you have a dishwasher?” Joyce asked as she rose to her feet.
“Sit down,” Jack cut her off and reached for her plate. “I’ll take care of them later. Do you want another cup of coffee?”
“Another cup would be great, Jack.”
“Okay,” he acknowledged her as he dumped the plates in the sink and returned with the coffee pot. He poured them another fresh cup of coffee, returned the pot, and took his seat.
Joyce busied herself with adding milk and sugar to her coffee. It was a small reprieve from the awkward conversation she just knew was coming.
“How much longer are you in town, Joyce?” Jack finally broke the silence.
“My flight leaves tomorrow morning,” she answered and looked up at him.
“Would you have time for an early breakfast?” he asked as he looked up at her over his coffee mug.
Joyce let out a small sigh and smiled. “Are you cooking again or taking me out to eat?”
“I figure I can buy you breakfast tomorrow,” he answered with a return smile.
“I’ll have to be early. My flight leaves at nine a.m.”
“Not a problem,” he answered.
They sat there for a few more minutes, both quietly sipping their coffee, taking in the other’s company, neither quite sure what to say or more importantly not to say. Jack was the first to break the silence, which didn’t surprise Joyce. He rose from his seat at the island and caught her eye. Joyce paused with her coffee mug halfway to her lips.
“I’d like to take a shower Joyce,” Jack quietly stated while he kept eye contact.
Carefully Joyce lowered the coffee mug back down to the safety of the island. She studied him intently as the seconds ticked by. Finally she made her decision and rose to her feet. “Okay Jack,” Joyce quietly but firmly replied. She let him guide her down the hall and back to his bedroom.
******
The weekend definitely had not gone as planned but Joyce didn’t have a single regret about anything that had transpired during her brief stay in Colorado. She only wished that she could have stayed longer, hidden herself away from the life she was returning to in L.A. Back to the role of the naïve, devoted wife that didn’t know her husband was having an affair with the secretary. Back to playing the role of the perfect mother with the perfect daughter, nevermind the fact that Buffy was slipping to new levels of crazy each day. In Colorado, there was no role for her to play, she had just been Joyce. But as Joyce sat in the plane on its way back to L.A. she realized she’d been playing a role with Jack. She’d allowed herself to have an affair with her college roommate’s ex-husband. It would destroy Sara if she was ever to find out.
Joyce knew, without ever asking, that Jack would never speak of the intimate events that had happened that weekend. She knew that he would never ruin the marriage she had with Hank, or more importantly the close friendship she still had with Sara. Because despite the weekend, both Joyce and Jack knew that there was nothing more than friendship between them. Two lonely, wounded souls who had taken comfort in one another.
The weekend had given Joyce the strength she needed to finally confront Hank about his affair and end the marriage. And Jack had reminded Joyce that there was so much more out in the world then she currently had.
********
Next
SUMMARY: It was supposed to be a simple antiques show. She was not supposed to run into her old college roommate's ex-husband.
SPOILER WARNING:
For Buffy: Set Pre-Season One
For Stargate: After the movie and roughly before/during Season One
RATING: FR15 at the moment, but further chapters may be FR21 (and will be marked accordingly)
"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend." - I do not own any of the characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Angel the Series, they belong to Fox, the WB/UPN, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Stargate: SG1 belong to Gekko Film Corp, MGM, the Sci-fi Channel, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
Thanks to kaylashay81 for the prompt idea and for this kick ass animated icon - you rock!!!
Reviews are happily welcome!
******
Five Times Joyce Cheated on Hank Before the Divorce
1. Jack O’Neill
******
1996
Joyce had all but run from L.A. when the antiques auction was announced. Things with Hank were coming to a head. Buffy was out of control. And things were spiraling downhill too quickly. She was trying to keep it together, trying to be a good mother and a good wife, but she was growing increasingly tired of fighting with everything.
The first day of the auction had been a success. Joyce had managed to acquire the majority of the pieces that she wanted for her gallery. The new items would bring in quite a few customers and help spread word of her gallery. She only hoped that she would do nearly as well tomorrow with the items she had brought along to sell.
And so she hadn’t hesitated when a few of her female acquaintances at the auction had invited her out to grab a few drinks at a local bar. Joyce was headed back from the bathroom with a few of the women when she happened to glance over at the bar and recognized a familiar profile. The sight stopped her dead in her tracks. Lisa and Kerry ended up slamming into her, forcing her to step forward to keep her balance.
“What is going on Joyce?” Lisa asked her.
Joyce blinked and realized she’d been staring. A blush crept over her features as she turned to apologize. “I’m sorry, I…I just saw a familiar face at the bar. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back,” Joyce apologized and left the two women standing in the aisle.
Joyce made her way through the occupied tables and crowd of people to get to the bar. She kept her eye on Jack’s familiar profile the whole time. She hadn’t seen his face fully but she could almost guarantee it was him. A small smile graced her face when he turned to speak with the bartender and she was rewarded with the recognizable face of one Jack O’Neill.
“Is this seat taken?” Joyce asked as she came to a halt just behind the empty bar stool.
Jack turned to the voice with a bland look on his face. Joyce offered him a smile, hoping that he still recognized her.
“Actually,” Jack started to get rid of her, but froze when he fully took her in. He did a classic double take, and had the grace to blush as he realized he was staring. “Joyce?” he couldn’t hide the shock in his voice.
“Hey Jack,” Joyce softly greeted him.
“Sheesh I have no manners,” he muttered and slid off of his stool. He pulled her into a quick hug before giving him an open honest smile. “It’s been awhile,” he softly stated as they took one another in.
“Yeah, it has,” Joyce replied. Neither of them wanted to voice a reminder of the last time they’d seen one another. Charlie’s funeral had been tough on everyone. The divorce that followed and Sara’s stay with Joyce and Hank had put an almost permanent strain on Joyce’s friendship with Jack.
Joyce certainly hadn’t expected to find Jack in a bar in Colorado Springs. But now that she had she wouldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Come on, have a seat,” Jack urged and motioned to the bar.
“Let me go grab my coat. I’m here with a couple colleagues,” Joyce explained with a wave at the table of women openly staring at them.
“Where’s Hank?”
“Back in L.A. He doesn’t come with me for my art collection trips,” Joyce explained and smiled.
“You know we can catch up…” he trailed off, giving Joyce an out if she wanted one.
“No. I haven’t seen you in awhile Jack. I’ll spend tomorrow night with them. They’ll survive,” she quickly decided and graced him with an honest smile.
“Okay. What’re you drinking? I’ll get you started.”
“You still drinking Guinness?” Joyce asked and Jack nodded. “Well then I’ll have what you’re having,” she finished and headed off to her group.
******
When Joyce thought about it later she would admit, at least to herself, that the evening had certainly not gone as planned. The deviation had started with seeing Jack and had progressed rapidly from there, in large part to the excessive amount of alcohol they had both consumed. Most importantly Joyce never had any intention of having a one night stand with Jack, but it'd happened because she was alone and naked in Jack’s bed. And she had tinglings in all the right places, places Hank hadn’t bothered with in too long. She almost wished she’d woken up when Jack had just to see his reaction. She shot a quick glance at the clock and was relieved to see that she still had a few hours before the auction started.
The aroma of coffee and fried eggs caught her nose and her stomach rumbled. She sat up, pushing the sheet off her nude form and looked around for her clothes. She noticed the tee-shirt and sweatpants laid out on the end of the bed for her. A relieved smile crossed her face as she stepped toward them.
Jack was cooking breakfast when she finally emerged from the bedroom. He looked up and offered her a small smile.
“Coffee?” Joyce asked and slid onto a barstool at the kitchen island. Jack’s gaze swept over her body and she was suddenly very aware of the thin white shirt she was wearing, especially when her nipples hardened in the cool kitchen. She’d rather not think it could’ve been because of Jack.
“Of course,” he replied and poured a cup. “I only have milk, no cream,” he apologized.
Joyce shrugged and reached for the cup. “As long as you have sugar I’ll make due just this once,” she answered with a smile.
He handed her the milk carton and sugar container and went back to finishing breakfast. In silence he dished out two platefuls of eggs, sausage, hash browns, and an order of white toast.
“This looks delicious,” Joyce couldn’t help but comment as he slid her one of the plates and sat down with his own across from her.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve needed to cook for two,” Jack idly commented and shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
Joyce didn’t know what to say so she said nothing and continued to eat her breakfast. The food was good, not as good as Jack’s barbeque, but good nonetheless.
“Do you have a dishwasher?” Joyce asked as she rose to her feet.
“Sit down,” Jack cut her off and reached for her plate. “I’ll take care of them later. Do you want another cup of coffee?”
“Another cup would be great, Jack.”
“Okay,” he acknowledged her as he dumped the plates in the sink and returned with the coffee pot. He poured them another fresh cup of coffee, returned the pot, and took his seat.
Joyce busied herself with adding milk and sugar to her coffee. It was a small reprieve from the awkward conversation she just knew was coming.
“How much longer are you in town, Joyce?” Jack finally broke the silence.
“My flight leaves tomorrow morning,” she answered and looked up at him.
“Would you have time for an early breakfast?” he asked as he looked up at her over his coffee mug.
Joyce let out a small sigh and smiled. “Are you cooking again or taking me out to eat?”
“I figure I can buy you breakfast tomorrow,” he answered with a return smile.
“I’ll have to be early. My flight leaves at nine a.m.”
“Not a problem,” he answered.
They sat there for a few more minutes, both quietly sipping their coffee, taking in the other’s company, neither quite sure what to say or more importantly not to say. Jack was the first to break the silence, which didn’t surprise Joyce. He rose from his seat at the island and caught her eye. Joyce paused with her coffee mug halfway to her lips.
“I’d like to take a shower Joyce,” Jack quietly stated while he kept eye contact.
Carefully Joyce lowered the coffee mug back down to the safety of the island. She studied him intently as the seconds ticked by. Finally she made her decision and rose to her feet. “Okay Jack,” Joyce quietly but firmly replied. She let him guide her down the hall and back to his bedroom.
******
The weekend definitely had not gone as planned but Joyce didn’t have a single regret about anything that had transpired during her brief stay in Colorado. She only wished that she could have stayed longer, hidden herself away from the life she was returning to in L.A. Back to the role of the naïve, devoted wife that didn’t know her husband was having an affair with the secretary. Back to playing the role of the perfect mother with the perfect daughter, nevermind the fact that Buffy was slipping to new levels of crazy each day. In Colorado, there was no role for her to play, she had just been Joyce. But as Joyce sat in the plane on its way back to L.A. she realized she’d been playing a role with Jack. She’d allowed herself to have an affair with her college roommate’s ex-husband. It would destroy Sara if she was ever to find out.
Joyce knew, without ever asking, that Jack would never speak of the intimate events that had happened that weekend. She knew that he would never ruin the marriage she had with Hank, or more importantly the close friendship she still had with Sara. Because despite the weekend, both Joyce and Jack knew that there was nothing more than friendship between them. Two lonely, wounded souls who had taken comfort in one another.
The weekend had given Joyce the strength she needed to finally confront Hank about his affair and end the marriage. And Jack had reminded Joyce that there was so much more out in the world then she currently had.
********
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