[ fic: 30 Rock - 1/1 ]
Title: The Space Between
Written For: thoughtsicles
Prompt: Jack/Liz - "I love you. Don't make me say it twice."
Word Count: 2253
Rating: PG
Pairing: Jack/Liz, Liz/other
Summary: "She wasn’t entirely sure why she turned up at his door that day. She had been on her way home from dinner when she had found herself wandering towards his place instead of her own."
i.
“You seem happy, Lemon.”
Liz remembered the look on Jack’s face that day clearly. He had looked curious and amused at the same time, she guessed it wasn’t often she smiled so much at work.
“This is my year, Jack…I swear, summer was great, the show is going to be great…this time nothing can screw it up,” she had smiled at him from her laptop, where she had been attempting to write her first sketch of the season and had been failing miserably.
But that wasn’t going to get her down.
“So who is he?” he asked.
She had never been sure how he had the ability to so clearly read her in every single way. It was as though she couldn’t keep anything from him, not even a day after she had met the guy.
“A lawyer,” she replied. “A defense attorney to be exact…”
Jack paused and smiled slightly. “You met someone who isn’t an NBC employee or a ‘Beeper King’? I’m impressed, Lemon.”
Liz pulled a face. “I meet people outside of work that aren’t Dennis…”
Jack lifted his eyebrows in disbelief before turning around and walking out of her office. She never did find out why he had been there in the first place.
ii.
The first time any of her friends met Ben was at the TGS Christmas party. She hadn’t been sure whether she should invite him at first, but Jack had encouraged her, and here she was - for the first year since she had started TGS - with a date at their Christmas party.
Jenna had been the first to introduce herself, drunk, as always, and Liz had ducked away to the bar while they were talking. If she was going to spend time here with her crazy staff and her new guy she had to have some alcohol in her system…
Or a lot of alcohol in her system.
“Is that him?”
She looked to her right, she hadn’t even noticed Jack sneaking up on her.
“No, that’s Tracy,” she replied sarcastically, smiling at the bartender as he handed her a Cosmopolitan.
Jack chose to ignore her brushing aside of his question. “So when do I get to meet him? You know I have to personally approve all your lovers, Lemon.”
“Don’t use that word, I don’t like that word,” she screwed up her face and took another long sip of alcohol.
“Would you prefer I call him your boyfriend like we’re back in junior high?”
Liz frowned slightly. “I didn’t date in junior high…”
In fact she couldn’t remember even speaking to anyone in junior high. Things had changed slightly. Just slightly.
It was then that Jack had left the bar and headed in Ben’s direction. Liz winced and finished her drink, slamming the glass back on the counter and pointing at it.
“Refill?” she asked.
The moment she knew the bartender understood she took after Jack, but by then the two of them were already in conversation about baseball or something…
She wasn’t even sure why she cared if Jack and Ben spoke, but somehow it unnerved her. She opened her mouth to join in the conversation but she realised at that moment she wasn’t needed. Jack was always capable of invading her relationships, he didn’t need her help, and Ben didn’t seem to mind.
Looking back towards the bar she noticed her drink was full again.
She stood for a few more seconds listening to Jack and Ben talking about sports before heading back to the bar. She could deal with them after a few more drinks…
iii.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she turned up at his door that day. She had been on her way home from dinner when she had found herself wandering towards his place instead of her own. They weren’t even really in the same direction.
It should’ve been the happiest day of her life, but something was bugging her, she had to speak to him.
She knocked on the door three times before he answered, and when he did he was wearing a bathrobe, his wet hair sticking out in all directions. For a moment it put her off, she wasn’t used to this side of Jack. The normal, ordinary side, the one she could imagine lounging around watching television in his living room.
In fact she didn’t think she had ever seen him in anything other than a suit or a tux.
“Lemon, what are you doing here? I was just about to go to bed…” he looked confused.
It took her a few moments to remember where she was and why she was there.
“Blerg, is it that late? It doesn‘t matter, I’ll leave…” she turned to go and he grabbed her shoulder.
“I don’t mind some late night company, Lemon. I have a bottle of Shiraz I’m yet to open, would you care to join me in drinking it?”
She nodded and entered the room quietly, taking a seat without removing her jacket or letting go of her bag. The room was silent as Jack walked to the cupboard and brought out the wine and two glasses. She stood up again before got there.
“Jack, I’m getting married.”
The look on his face had almost killed her in that moment. She had wanted something, a smile, a ’congratulations Lemon, you finally got your life together’, but he just stood there in silence, a bottle of wine in one hand and the two glasses held in his other.
“Oh,” he said, eventually. “Is it that defense attorney from Oklahoma?”
“Ben…Jack, his name is Ben, and yes.”
“I like him,” Jack said, quickly, almost too quickly.
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them one of the most awkward Liz had ever endured (and she had endured some awkward silences in her time), before she forced a smile.
“Well, just wanted to let you know, I guess I better be off then, got to be at work bright and early tomorrow…” she could hear how fake the cheeriness in her voice was and she wondered why she felt like crying instead of leaping with joy.
She was supposed to be happy, and Jack was supposed to be happy for her. She turned and headed for the door, wanting an escape as quick as possible.
“Congratulations, Lemon…” Jack said quietly as she pulled the front door open.
She turned to face him, standing there, underdressed and looking so alone and she felt as though someone had punched her in the stomach.
“Thanks,” she replied before slamming the door shut behind her.
It was only a few moments before the tears she had been fighting so hard against made their first appearance.
What was wrong with her?
iv.
She decided that maybe it was just the initial shock that had made her unhappy, because two weeks later at her engagement party she was much happier. Everyone was there, and everyone was happy for her, and it was such an unusual experience for her.
Even Frank had turned up without anything profane written on his hat, a simple ‘congrats’ in place of his normal tasteless jokes.
It wasn’t until halfway through the night that she noticed something was missing.
Jack Donaghy was nowhere to be seen.
She escaped from her mother and a conversation about what sort of towels she was going to need when she had children and searched out the one person in the room she knew would know Jack’s location.
“Jonathan,” she grabbed his arm, maybe a little too hard.
“Ow!” he creased his forehead and turned to face her. “You can’t grab me like that, I’m delicate.”
“Sorry…” she replied, letting go. “Jonathan, where’s Jack?”
Jonathan paused for a moment, and that was answer enough.
“He’s not coming is he?”
Jonathan shook his head and nodded towards the table covered in presents. “He made me bring something for you though…it’s the red one with the gold ribbon.”
She muttered a quick thanks before heading straight for the present table, picking up the small box with an equally small card attached. She opened the card first.
Lemon,
I saw this and it reminded me of you. Sorry I couldn’t be there tonight, important work meeting and all.
Love Jack.
She stood for a moment, frozen, staring at the last two words. Work meeting her ass…Jack never scheduled work meetings for Saturday evening, he enjoyed his weekends more than anyone else she knew.
Finally putting the card aside she opened the present. Inside she found a bracelet. It was simple but beautiful and after a few moments she noticed it wasn’t silver, it was white gold.
Suddenly she felt empty, like something was missing completely from the night.
“Liz…”
She turned to find Ben standing there, a wide smile on his face.
“Your friend Jenna wanted to make a speech? I believe she’s searching for a microphone right now…”
“Nerds!” Liz muttered under her breath. “Where is she?”
“Over near the stage…” Ben pointed her out.
Liz spotted Jenna attempting to drunkenly climb onto the stage, slowly tangling herself in a microphone cord as she did so.
“Blerg…I’ll be back…” Liz slipped the card into her pocket and the bracelet over her wrist as she made her way towards the stage.
It fit perfectly.
v.
When he turned up at her door, drunk, she was on her way out to meet Ben for dinner.
“Jack?” she asked, surprised to find him standing in front of her door when she opened it.
“I was going to knock…” he said, pressing a hand against the door frame to prevent himself from falling over. “I just thought I’d have another drink first…”
He swayed slightly to one side and she grabbed him, not that she was particularly strong, but she could at least help balance him.
“I think you should come inside…” she opened the door fully and led him to her sofa, where he sat down and stared blankly ahead.
She went back to close the door and was surprised at his silence.
“Jack, what’s wrong? Why are you here?” Liz walked back over to him and sat down on her coffee table so she could face him.
He shifted his eyes to look up at her and it too a moment before he had focused them properly.
“I love you. Don’t make me say it twice…” his voice was soft and quiet and she could barely hear him.
But she knew what he had said, she didn't need to ask him to say it again.
“Jack…you’re drunk…I should just call you a cab and you can go home and sleep it off.”
“I have a car waiting outside,” he replied. “I just thought I’d come and tell you that, considering you are the reason why I am drunk in the first place.”
She sat there in silence for a few moments, staring at her boss, before picking up her phone and dialing her fiancé, she didn’t really feel like a romantic dinner anymore.
“Ben? I can’t make it tonight…can we reschedule?”
After she hung up to Ben she helped Jack back to his car and as she watched it drive off she felt that sudden emptiness again and she finally understood what was missing from her life…
vi.
The day after she was supposed to marry Ben, Jack turned up at her door, a Star Wars DVD in one hand and a pizza box in the other. He was wearing jeans and a polo shirt and she had to stop for a moment to double check it was Jack.
“I thought you could use some cheering up…” he stated, handing her the pizza and the DVD. “I wasn’t sure which Star Wars movie you liked best, but the guy at the video store suggested that one…”
She glanced down at the cover of The Empire Strikes Back and smiled slightly.
“You chose well,” she replied.
It was two weeks since her and Ben had called off the wedding, ten days since they had told anyone and a week since she had taken off the engagement ring and given it back to him. She wasn’t entirely sure why she had called it off, he was the best guy she had ever been with and on paper she couldn’t think of anyone better suited to her.
But there had been something missing.
“I’m glad,” Jack replied, walking past her into her apartment. “Because I don’t think I’ve seen any Star Wars film in twenty years and I really wasn’t sure…”
“You know, I own them all…” Liz started.
“I know,” he replied, turning to face her. “And I also know you have the pizza place on speed dial and that it’s number two, before your mother.”
“Actually it‘s number one…” Liz smiled for the first time in two weeks. “So are we going to watch this movie?”
“Today is your day, Lemon, we’ll do whatever you want,” Jack took a spot on her sofa as she put the DVD in the player.
She pressed play and took a spot on the sofa next to Jack, not hesitating to open the pizza box and take a slice, but noticing Jack refrained.
And in that moment she realised that this was better. That nothing was missing from this scene and that at right at that moment she was perfectly happy.
Maybe it hadn’t been her time to get married, but it would happen, eventually.
It would happen.
Written For: thoughtsicles
Prompt: Jack/Liz - "I love you. Don't make me say it twice."
Word Count: 2253
Rating: PG
Pairing: Jack/Liz, Liz/other
Summary: "She wasn’t entirely sure why she turned up at his door that day. She had been on her way home from dinner when she had found herself wandering towards his place instead of her own."
i.
“You seem happy, Lemon.”
Liz remembered the look on Jack’s face that day clearly. He had looked curious and amused at the same time, she guessed it wasn’t often she smiled so much at work.
“This is my year, Jack…I swear, summer was great, the show is going to be great…this time nothing can screw it up,” she had smiled at him from her laptop, where she had been attempting to write her first sketch of the season and had been failing miserably.
But that wasn’t going to get her down.
“So who is he?” he asked.
She had never been sure how he had the ability to so clearly read her in every single way. It was as though she couldn’t keep anything from him, not even a day after she had met the guy.
“A lawyer,” she replied. “A defense attorney to be exact…”
Jack paused and smiled slightly. “You met someone who isn’t an NBC employee or a ‘Beeper King’? I’m impressed, Lemon.”
Liz pulled a face. “I meet people outside of work that aren’t Dennis…”
Jack lifted his eyebrows in disbelief before turning around and walking out of her office. She never did find out why he had been there in the first place.
ii.
The first time any of her friends met Ben was at the TGS Christmas party. She hadn’t been sure whether she should invite him at first, but Jack had encouraged her, and here she was - for the first year since she had started TGS - with a date at their Christmas party.
Jenna had been the first to introduce herself, drunk, as always, and Liz had ducked away to the bar while they were talking. If she was going to spend time here with her crazy staff and her new guy she had to have some alcohol in her system…
Or a lot of alcohol in her system.
“Is that him?”
She looked to her right, she hadn’t even noticed Jack sneaking up on her.
“No, that’s Tracy,” she replied sarcastically, smiling at the bartender as he handed her a Cosmopolitan.
Jack chose to ignore her brushing aside of his question. “So when do I get to meet him? You know I have to personally approve all your lovers, Lemon.”
“Don’t use that word, I don’t like that word,” she screwed up her face and took another long sip of alcohol.
“Would you prefer I call him your boyfriend like we’re back in junior high?”
Liz frowned slightly. “I didn’t date in junior high…”
In fact she couldn’t remember even speaking to anyone in junior high. Things had changed slightly. Just slightly.
It was then that Jack had left the bar and headed in Ben’s direction. Liz winced and finished her drink, slamming the glass back on the counter and pointing at it.
“Refill?” she asked.
The moment she knew the bartender understood she took after Jack, but by then the two of them were already in conversation about baseball or something…
She wasn’t even sure why she cared if Jack and Ben spoke, but somehow it unnerved her. She opened her mouth to join in the conversation but she realised at that moment she wasn’t needed. Jack was always capable of invading her relationships, he didn’t need her help, and Ben didn’t seem to mind.
Looking back towards the bar she noticed her drink was full again.
She stood for a few more seconds listening to Jack and Ben talking about sports before heading back to the bar. She could deal with them after a few more drinks…
iii.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she turned up at his door that day. She had been on her way home from dinner when she had found herself wandering towards his place instead of her own. They weren’t even really in the same direction.
It should’ve been the happiest day of her life, but something was bugging her, she had to speak to him.
She knocked on the door three times before he answered, and when he did he was wearing a bathrobe, his wet hair sticking out in all directions. For a moment it put her off, she wasn’t used to this side of Jack. The normal, ordinary side, the one she could imagine lounging around watching television in his living room.
In fact she didn’t think she had ever seen him in anything other than a suit or a tux.
“Lemon, what are you doing here? I was just about to go to bed…” he looked confused.
It took her a few moments to remember where she was and why she was there.
“Blerg, is it that late? It doesn‘t matter, I’ll leave…” she turned to go and he grabbed her shoulder.
“I don’t mind some late night company, Lemon. I have a bottle of Shiraz I’m yet to open, would you care to join me in drinking it?”
She nodded and entered the room quietly, taking a seat without removing her jacket or letting go of her bag. The room was silent as Jack walked to the cupboard and brought out the wine and two glasses. She stood up again before got there.
“Jack, I’m getting married.”
The look on his face had almost killed her in that moment. She had wanted something, a smile, a ’congratulations Lemon, you finally got your life together’, but he just stood there in silence, a bottle of wine in one hand and the two glasses held in his other.
“Oh,” he said, eventually. “Is it that defense attorney from Oklahoma?”
“Ben…Jack, his name is Ben, and yes.”
“I like him,” Jack said, quickly, almost too quickly.
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them one of the most awkward Liz had ever endured (and she had endured some awkward silences in her time), before she forced a smile.
“Well, just wanted to let you know, I guess I better be off then, got to be at work bright and early tomorrow…” she could hear how fake the cheeriness in her voice was and she wondered why she felt like crying instead of leaping with joy.
She was supposed to be happy, and Jack was supposed to be happy for her. She turned and headed for the door, wanting an escape as quick as possible.
“Congratulations, Lemon…” Jack said quietly as she pulled the front door open.
She turned to face him, standing there, underdressed and looking so alone and she felt as though someone had punched her in the stomach.
“Thanks,” she replied before slamming the door shut behind her.
It was only a few moments before the tears she had been fighting so hard against made their first appearance.
What was wrong with her?
iv.
She decided that maybe it was just the initial shock that had made her unhappy, because two weeks later at her engagement party she was much happier. Everyone was there, and everyone was happy for her, and it was such an unusual experience for her.
Even Frank had turned up without anything profane written on his hat, a simple ‘congrats’ in place of his normal tasteless jokes.
It wasn’t until halfway through the night that she noticed something was missing.
Jack Donaghy was nowhere to be seen.
She escaped from her mother and a conversation about what sort of towels she was going to need when she had children and searched out the one person in the room she knew would know Jack’s location.
“Jonathan,” she grabbed his arm, maybe a little too hard.
“Ow!” he creased his forehead and turned to face her. “You can’t grab me like that, I’m delicate.”
“Sorry…” she replied, letting go. “Jonathan, where’s Jack?”
Jonathan paused for a moment, and that was answer enough.
“He’s not coming is he?”
Jonathan shook his head and nodded towards the table covered in presents. “He made me bring something for you though…it’s the red one with the gold ribbon.”
She muttered a quick thanks before heading straight for the present table, picking up the small box with an equally small card attached. She opened the card first.
Lemon,
I saw this and it reminded me of you. Sorry I couldn’t be there tonight, important work meeting and all.
Love Jack.
She stood for a moment, frozen, staring at the last two words. Work meeting her ass…Jack never scheduled work meetings for Saturday evening, he enjoyed his weekends more than anyone else she knew.
Finally putting the card aside she opened the present. Inside she found a bracelet. It was simple but beautiful and after a few moments she noticed it wasn’t silver, it was white gold.
Suddenly she felt empty, like something was missing completely from the night.
“Liz…”
She turned to find Ben standing there, a wide smile on his face.
“Your friend Jenna wanted to make a speech? I believe she’s searching for a microphone right now…”
“Nerds!” Liz muttered under her breath. “Where is she?”
“Over near the stage…” Ben pointed her out.
Liz spotted Jenna attempting to drunkenly climb onto the stage, slowly tangling herself in a microphone cord as she did so.
“Blerg…I’ll be back…” Liz slipped the card into her pocket and the bracelet over her wrist as she made her way towards the stage.
It fit perfectly.
v.
When he turned up at her door, drunk, she was on her way out to meet Ben for dinner.
“Jack?” she asked, surprised to find him standing in front of her door when she opened it.
“I was going to knock…” he said, pressing a hand against the door frame to prevent himself from falling over. “I just thought I’d have another drink first…”
He swayed slightly to one side and she grabbed him, not that she was particularly strong, but she could at least help balance him.
“I think you should come inside…” she opened the door fully and led him to her sofa, where he sat down and stared blankly ahead.
She went back to close the door and was surprised at his silence.
“Jack, what’s wrong? Why are you here?” Liz walked back over to him and sat down on her coffee table so she could face him.
He shifted his eyes to look up at her and it too a moment before he had focused them properly.
“I love you. Don’t make me say it twice…” his voice was soft and quiet and she could barely hear him.
But she knew what he had said, she didn't need to ask him to say it again.
“Jack…you’re drunk…I should just call you a cab and you can go home and sleep it off.”
“I have a car waiting outside,” he replied. “I just thought I’d come and tell you that, considering you are the reason why I am drunk in the first place.”
She sat there in silence for a few moments, staring at her boss, before picking up her phone and dialing her fiancé, she didn’t really feel like a romantic dinner anymore.
“Ben? I can’t make it tonight…can we reschedule?”
After she hung up to Ben she helped Jack back to his car and as she watched it drive off she felt that sudden emptiness again and she finally understood what was missing from her life…
vi.
The day after she was supposed to marry Ben, Jack turned up at her door, a Star Wars DVD in one hand and a pizza box in the other. He was wearing jeans and a polo shirt and she had to stop for a moment to double check it was Jack.
“I thought you could use some cheering up…” he stated, handing her the pizza and the DVD. “I wasn’t sure which Star Wars movie you liked best, but the guy at the video store suggested that one…”
She glanced down at the cover of The Empire Strikes Back and smiled slightly.
“You chose well,” she replied.
It was two weeks since her and Ben had called off the wedding, ten days since they had told anyone and a week since she had taken off the engagement ring and given it back to him. She wasn’t entirely sure why she had called it off, he was the best guy she had ever been with and on paper she couldn’t think of anyone better suited to her.
But there had been something missing.
“I’m glad,” Jack replied, walking past her into her apartment. “Because I don’t think I’ve seen any Star Wars film in twenty years and I really wasn’t sure…”
“You know, I own them all…” Liz started.
“I know,” he replied, turning to face her. “And I also know you have the pizza place on speed dial and that it’s number two, before your mother.”
“Actually it‘s number one…” Liz smiled for the first time in two weeks. “So are we going to watch this movie?”
“Today is your day, Lemon, we’ll do whatever you want,” Jack took a spot on her sofa as she put the DVD in the player.
She pressed play and took a spot on the sofa next to Jack, not hesitating to open the pizza box and take a slice, but noticing Jack refrained.
And in that moment she realised that this was better. That nothing was missing from this scene and that at right at that moment she was perfectly happy.
Maybe it hadn’t been her time to get married, but it would happen, eventually.
It would happen.