[Fanfiction] She Needs You, by callieach
Title: She Needs You
Author: callieach
Fandom: Bones
Character(s)/Pairing: Jack, OC (talk of Angela/Jack)
Rating: PG
Words: 758
Disclaimer: Even though this show is abandoned and unloved, by The Powers That Be, it's still not mine.
Authors Notes: For
lastficstanding[Round 1, Challenge 2]
Summary: "Don’t bother telling her you still have feelings, she’ll know. The important part is letting her know you’re there, in whatever way she needs you.” An AU spin on post-'Aliens in a Spaceship' life.
“It’s like that time,” he says, “that I fell in love and got my heart broken.” And then he pauses. “Exactly like that time.”
“Doesn’t it feel the same every time?”
“No, because I should’ve learned. It should’ve occurred to me that she could never love me. No, that’s a lie. I’m pretty sure she does love me, she just won’t. The first time it happened, I was young and naïve, now…”
“Now you should’ve known better?”
He glares at his companion. “You couldn’t try to be a little sympathetic?”
She shrugs, turns her head to hide a grin. The blustery day outside the coffee shop isn‘t quite as interesting to watch as him, but she‘s got to show a little respect. “It’s not in my nature.”
“No wonder you don’t have a boyfriend,” he jokes.
“Because it has nothing to do with my sexual orientation.” It’s her signature move, the deadpan line about her being a lesbian. It’s unnerving to a lot of people, but even after all this time, it still makes him chuckle.
“Since when does that count for anything?”
“Since I couldn’t care less about boys,” she says, laughing with him. “Except for you, of course. Gotta have my best friend.”
His laugh dies away and he’s left staring at the coffee mug in his hand. He gives it a swirl. He either ignores or doesn’t notice the concerned look on his friend’s face, the way her eyebrows furrow and her lips meet in a thin line when she looks at him.
“Is this really all because she won’t date you? You were in better shape after Sara dumped you, and I had to watch you in traffic that week. If there’s something more, tell me. It’s what I’m here for.”
“Her best friend died.” He puts the mug down on the table harder than he means to, hands shaking. Now she‘s hit the delicate spot, now she won‘t be able to get her say in until he‘s said all he wants to and more. “Her best friend was kidnapped and buried alive and we couldn’t save her in time.”
“Oh-”
He ignores her exclamation and continues. “And now when Angela bothers showing up for work, she’s - it breaks my heart to look at her. And because she turned me down, I can’t even be her friend anymore, I can’t even give her a hug and tell her we’ll find the bastard that did this. She’s given her two-weeks notice and told our boss she’s planning on leaving the city. I don’t know how to say goodbye after what’s happened.”
She takes a moment to stare at the dregs at the bottom of her teacup while he looks at her and wonders what her opinion’s going to be. “I thought she gave you the ‘we’re just friends, Jack’ speech.”
“She did.”
“Then why can’t you hug her?”
He starts and stops a few times, misplaced vowels floating in the space between them. He finally settles on: “Our kiss wasn’t something you could follow up with a hug. It was just too…. charged to ever let us be platonic.”
“Maybe her views on you have changed. Maybe because her best friend died and she’s leaving, it’s okay for you to hug her and remind her that you’re there. Or, maybe, and I hope this for your sake, you’ll hug her and tell her you’re sorry and that you’ll miss her and you’ll realize you’ll get over her.”
“You know, a half-decent friend would say they hoped she changed her mind and took back her friends line.”
“I never claimed to be any good. But I am said to be painfully realistic on egos.” Her grin fades as she reaches out to put a hand on his arm. “Do you want my advice, Jack?”
“As long as it’s not ‘Put on your big boy boxers and deal with it’ again.”
“Hey, that only once and you were moping unnecessarily.”
He grins a little, though it doesn‘t change the emotion in his eyes, and nods at her to continue.
“Next time you see her, give her a hug. Whether it’s at work or you call her out for dinner or you drop by to make sure she’s okay, hug her. Don’t bother telling her you still have feelings, she’ll know. The important part is letting her know you’re there, in whatever way she needs you.”
“So just -” He rotates his mug, looking at it intensely. “- hug her?”
She nods. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
Author: callieach
Fandom: Bones
Character(s)/Pairing: Jack, OC (talk of Angela/Jack)
Rating: PG
Words: 758
Disclaimer: Even though this show is abandoned and unloved, by The Powers That Be, it's still not mine.
Authors Notes: For
lastficstanding[Round 1, Challenge 2]
Summary: "Don’t bother telling her you still have feelings, she’ll know. The important part is letting her know you’re there, in whatever way she needs you.” An AU spin on post-'Aliens in a Spaceship' life.
“It’s like that time,” he says, “that I fell in love and got my heart broken.” And then he pauses. “Exactly like that time.”
“Doesn’t it feel the same every time?”
“No, because I should’ve learned. It should’ve occurred to me that she could never love me. No, that’s a lie. I’m pretty sure she does love me, she just won’t. The first time it happened, I was young and naïve, now…”
“Now you should’ve known better?”
He glares at his companion. “You couldn’t try to be a little sympathetic?”
She shrugs, turns her head to hide a grin. The blustery day outside the coffee shop isn‘t quite as interesting to watch as him, but she‘s got to show a little respect. “It’s not in my nature.”
“No wonder you don’t have a boyfriend,” he jokes.
“Because it has nothing to do with my sexual orientation.” It’s her signature move, the deadpan line about her being a lesbian. It’s unnerving to a lot of people, but even after all this time, it still makes him chuckle.
“Since when does that count for anything?”
“Since I couldn’t care less about boys,” she says, laughing with him. “Except for you, of course. Gotta have my best friend.”
His laugh dies away and he’s left staring at the coffee mug in his hand. He gives it a swirl. He either ignores or doesn’t notice the concerned look on his friend’s face, the way her eyebrows furrow and her lips meet in a thin line when she looks at him.
“Is this really all because she won’t date you? You were in better shape after Sara dumped you, and I had to watch you in traffic that week. If there’s something more, tell me. It’s what I’m here for.”
“Her best friend died.” He puts the mug down on the table harder than he means to, hands shaking. Now she‘s hit the delicate spot, now she won‘t be able to get her say in until he‘s said all he wants to and more. “Her best friend was kidnapped and buried alive and we couldn’t save her in time.”
“Oh-”
He ignores her exclamation and continues. “And now when Angela bothers showing up for work, she’s - it breaks my heart to look at her. And because she turned me down, I can’t even be her friend anymore, I can’t even give her a hug and tell her we’ll find the bastard that did this. She’s given her two-weeks notice and told our boss she’s planning on leaving the city. I don’t know how to say goodbye after what’s happened.”
She takes a moment to stare at the dregs at the bottom of her teacup while he looks at her and wonders what her opinion’s going to be. “I thought she gave you the ‘we’re just friends, Jack’ speech.”
“She did.”
“Then why can’t you hug her?”
He starts and stops a few times, misplaced vowels floating in the space between them. He finally settles on: “Our kiss wasn’t something you could follow up with a hug. It was just too…. charged to ever let us be platonic.”
“Maybe her views on you have changed. Maybe because her best friend died and she’s leaving, it’s okay for you to hug her and remind her that you’re there. Or, maybe, and I hope this for your sake, you’ll hug her and tell her you’re sorry and that you’ll miss her and you’ll realize you’ll get over her.”
“You know, a half-decent friend would say they hoped she changed her mind and took back her friends line.”
“I never claimed to be any good. But I am said to be painfully realistic on egos.” Her grin fades as she reaches out to put a hand on his arm. “Do you want my advice, Jack?”
“As long as it’s not ‘Put on your big boy boxers and deal with it’ again.”
“Hey, that only once and you were moping unnecessarily.”
He grins a little, though it doesn‘t change the emotion in his eyes, and nods at her to continue.
“Next time you see her, give her a hug. Whether it’s at work or you call her out for dinner or you drop by to make sure she’s okay, hug her. Don’t bother telling her you still have feelings, she’ll know. The important part is letting her know you’re there, in whatever way she needs you.”
“So just -” He rotates his mug, looking at it intensely. “- hug her?”
She nods. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”