[Fanfiction] Crash into you {Lost}
TITLE: Crash into you
SERIES: Family Portrait - Part 01/25
FANDOM: Lost
AUTHOR: nicis_anatomy
CHARACTER: Juliet Carlson/Jack Shephard
GENRE: het, romance
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 2,322
SUMMARY: Jack is having a bad day and when someone bumped into him on his way to class he didn't expect any improvement, but he turns out to be wrong. Written for prompt "Love at first sight" for schmoop_bingo and prompt #005 "Sun" for 100_tales.
WARNING: English still isn't my native language (although I wish) and the story is not beta'd. General spoiler for season 6.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters. I just borrow them from time to time to have some fun with them.
This is a series of oneshot that can stand alone. But they work better as a multipart-story.
~*~*~*~*
Jack Shephard was on his way to class. As always these days, his nose was stuck deep in the crinkled note that contained his schedule, while he was trying to find the right room. The class schedule for this first year at college was so complicated and confusing that he was afraid to get lost before the first week was over.
For this timetable alone you needed to have an IQ beyond reachable, and it didn’t really help to reinforce the self-confidence he had already lost on his first day, when he had first set food on this campus overwhelmed by its size and already scared by the beginning of this new life. He was no longer a schoolboy and this wasn’t High School anymore. It was like tabula rasa; everything was set to zero, and whatever happened before didn’t really count anymore. For a boy with a low self-esteem as he had this was like being pushed off a cliff without a parachute or the safety of a backup plan. There was no going back, and he'd either success or lose. But Jack was eager enough to fight his way through college as he'd done in High School. He just couldn’t fail or give up; not for himself and especially not for his father. He had to hang in there and hope for the best - whatever the cost or whatever difficulties life on college could provide. Like a class schedule you could get lost over, for example ...
When he was finally sure he’d reached the right building for his Anatomy class, Jack let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t that late at all and with some luck he might even get a seat in one of the front rows.
Maybe today could become his lucky day after all …
Earlier, when he’d woken up it hadn’t really seemed as if today would be a day to remember (at least, not in a good way), and after a quick shower and a hasty shave he wasn’t even sure if he should get to class at all. The dark circles under his eyes and the band aid on his chin trying to cover the scratch from where he’d cut himself shaving wasn’t really something that qualified his appearance for a visit in the outside world, but he had some classes today he really couldn’t miss; for example, the Anatomy class he was now trying to find.
Five minutes ... He had five more minutes left to find the correct room in a building that, suddenly, seemed as huge as California.
Jack sighed as he headed for the front door. Maybe luck would keep being on his side today and he would make it in time. He just had to have faith (not a strength of his).
A few seconds later this hope was shattered into a few thousand pieces, when he came to an abrupt halt as something - no, someone - soft and warm and wearing a perfume that was so intoxication that it should be a crime to only use it bumped into him. He gasped for air when an elbow hit his stomach hard and for a moment he felt like he was just hit by a bus. But, somehow, Jack managed to keep his balance and he instinctively reached out to steady the girl in front of him, not caring about the stacks of papers and textbooks they both had dropped on the impact. A second later they were surrounded by a white paper lake, but neither of them cared. Jack only had eyes for the young blonde woman in his arms who was smiling shyly at him. Her face was red from blushing and she was mumbling words to apologize, but Jack didn’t hear (or understood) a single one of them. He was too fascinated by her blue eyes that reminded him of a blue sea, deep and clear, and yet mysterious and dangerous; and by her smile that did some funny things to his stomach, and in the end it was him whose words were only some nervous stumbling that embarrassed him even more than these shaving cuts on his chin.
“I … I’m sorry. I should …” He managed to say, but she immediately hushed him by shaking her head.
Fascinated, he watched the blonde of her curls transformed into a bright gold as the sunlight found its way through the clouds that were hanging deep in the sky. In that very moment he felt as if some force had successfully fought the dark, rainy day bringing new, shiny colors to this world. Jack’s mood lightened instantly and he could feel his heart pounding heavily against his chest a few beats faster than it would be healthy for him.
But he didn’t care. He wouldn’t have even cared, if he’d suddenly died of a heart attack. Dying with the image of a perfect angel in front of his eyes, must be the best way ever to die, should he get the chance to decide how he wanted to die. At the same time he felt panic rising inside of him No, he didn’t want to die; not yet, not right away, not after he’d just met … what (who) exactly?
Suddenly, Jack was confused and he had trouble deciding if this was really happening or if this was just a dream he could wake up from any minute. This was too good to be true. This couldn’t be real life, could it?
Jack blinked a few times, but his blonde angel didn’t vanish. Quite the contrary happened. The girl moved closer to him, invading his personal space, and Jack didn’t even try to back away. It was as if he was paralyzed and he knew he would been glued to this very spot, even if he’d tried to move.
Helpless, he watched her tilted her head a little.
“Are you all right?” she asked watching him carefully.
Jack managed to shake his head slightly, but that didn’t turn out to be very convincing, and when she continued, asking if she’d hurt him, her voice sounded even more concerned than before.
Jack cursed himself for his behavior. He had no explanation why he was so nervous that he couldn’t even form proper words - other than that she was doing this to him and that she was the one to blame.
But that wouldn’t have been fair, would it?
“I’m … I’m fine,” he finally managed to say. “Don’t worry. I’m okay. I didn’t see you and … I’m sorry.”
She let out a sigh of relief, and then shook her head again.
“Don’t be,” she said. “I should be the one apologizing. I was the one bumping into you.” She laughed nervously as her hands (obviously shaking) moved through her hair, combing it backwards and uncovering more of her beautiful face and her flawless skin. Jack swallowed hard and tried to focus on something else to distract him. Only that there wasn’t really anything he could find for the necessary distraction - except for her voice, and that wasn’t doing a good job at all.
“I have no idea how this could happen, “ she said. “Normally, I don’t …”
“Normally, you don’t try to kill other guys by running over him?” Or maybe it was … He had no idea where this came from, but once the words had left his mouth, Jack felt relieved and brave (for whatever reason). He grinned, but she just looked at him, stunned.
“I … didn’t try to kill you. Really … I was just trying to find my classroom. I’m new and this is my first week here. I missed the bus this morning, because my sister Rachel took forever in the bathroom and Tom … Tom Sawyer - that’s our cat - was mad at me, because I forgot to feed him last night, when I was busy trying to work through my schedule and … and … I don’t even know, why I am telling you this.” Noticing the amused look in his eyes, she fell silent and for a moment she looked at him as if she was ready to try to kill him a second time.
Jack had no idea where his nervousness had gone to, but he knew what had caused it to vanish.
She was doing this to him. She was the reason, why he felt free from any burden he’d carried around with him only minutes ago. Realizing she was as lost on this campus as he was and, at the same time, as nervous around him as he was around her, made things a lot easier; at least, for him.
He grinned and then bent down to pick up their papers and books before they were scattered all over campus.
After a second, she joined him on the ground and for a while they worked silently collecting their stuff, both deep in thoughts about what had just happened, and it wasn’t until they both reached for the last piece of paper that he broke the comfortable silence that surrounded them.
“I got it,” he said, handing her the paper. He put his hand under her elbow, helping her up, and even when they were both back on their feed he didn’t let go of her arm, afraid she would leave and he would never see her again.
She couldn’t leave; not before he had asked her out. If only he knew how to do this, without being dumped before he’d even formed the question.
“So … your sister Rachel and your cat Sawyer … are responsible for … this?” he asked, smirking. “I guess I need to sue them then, in case I start suffering from some late complications?” He had meant to be joking, but the shock in her eyes told him it didn’t really work.
He swallowed hard, trying to find another way to ask for her number, but all he managed to do was letting out a desperate sigh. Flirting had never been one of his strong points and he felt a bit clumsy - especially, now that he’d so obviously upset her.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to … I was just kidding. I’m fine. Really.” He carefully squeezed her arm and smiled. “I just wanted … I just …”
“You just wanted to get my number?” She interrupted him coolly, and now he was the one looking shocked and surprised by her sudden mood change as he let go of her arm and made a step backwards, while she just fixed him with these damn blue eyes.
She kept him in suspense for another minute, and then she burst into laughter.
For a moment, he just looked at her, before he joined her contagious laughter. He wasn’t upset, but really impressed by the way she’d played him without even so much as blinking.
“Are you always that shy?” she asked. Her laughter had turned into a quiet giggling and he wished time would stop right now, allowing him to stay in this moment forever. She was too cute for words; maybe a bit mean, but cute.
“You don’t have to be, you know,” she explained. “I promise I won’t try to kill you again. And since I’m not a vampire or something I don’t bite either.”
“Yeah … that’s what they always say and before you know it you have a shiny bite mark on your neck…,” Jack mumbled, but he was grinning again.
“Do you like to get coffee sometime?” he asked. “I mean … I … I …” This time she hushed him by placing her index finger on his lips and he obeyed immediately.
Her touch sent tiny electric shocks through his whole body and he had a hard time not to stumble making a even bigger fool of himself as he'd already done.
“I would love to,” she said. “But I have to go to class first. I think I’m already late and … do you know where Room 108 is, by any chance?”
Jack shook his head. “No. Not really. But why don’t we find out … together? Are you also in Radzinsky’s Anatomy class?” She nodded and they both entered the building, while Jack thought about his chances to get to know this girl better. If they were sharing this class, maybe they shared others too and if he didn't mess up they could end up being lab partner or study partner … Or she had one of these protective boyfriends who wouldn't allow her to have guy friends. One way or another, he would find out sooner or later.
It didn’t take long to find the right room (much to their both delights, Radzinsky hadn't arrived yet), and as they both walking to the back of the class to the only two free chairs left (much to Jack’s delight both in the same row), Jack suddenly remembered something.
“I don’t even know your name,” he said.
Turning her head she gave him one of her smiles, and Jack decided that she had to stop doing this or he would end up dead after all. She needed a license for this smile - and for her eyes, too. One day he would tell her this, but for now her smile, once again, managed to push aside every shade of gray, brightening the dull ambiance of the class room instantly.
And Jack would never dare to complain about that improvement.
“I’m Juliet,” she said, offering her hand to him.
“I’m Jack.” He smiled and allowed himself a moment, before he let go of her hand. He placed his books on his chair and hurried to pull out the other one for her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jack,” she whispered, and then she did it again; she smiled and Jack knew that there was nothing in this world that could change this day into something other than the luckiest day of his life.
- tbc -
SERIES: Family Portrait - Part 01/25
FANDOM: Lost
AUTHOR: nicis_anatomy
CHARACTER: Juliet Carlson/Jack Shephard
GENRE: het, romance
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 2,322
SUMMARY: Jack is having a bad day and when someone bumped into him on his way to class he didn't expect any improvement, but he turns out to be wrong. Written for prompt "Love at first sight" for schmoop_bingo and prompt #005 "Sun" for 100_tales.
WARNING: English still isn't my native language (although I wish) and the story is not beta'd. General spoiler for season 6.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters. I just borrow them from time to time to have some fun with them.
This is a series of oneshot that can stand alone. But they work better as a multipart-story.
~*~*~*~*
Jack Shephard was on his way to class. As always these days, his nose was stuck deep in the crinkled note that contained his schedule, while he was trying to find the right room. The class schedule for this first year at college was so complicated and confusing that he was afraid to get lost before the first week was over.
For this timetable alone you needed to have an IQ beyond reachable, and it didn’t really help to reinforce the self-confidence he had already lost on his first day, when he had first set food on this campus overwhelmed by its size and already scared by the beginning of this new life. He was no longer a schoolboy and this wasn’t High School anymore. It was like tabula rasa; everything was set to zero, and whatever happened before didn’t really count anymore. For a boy with a low self-esteem as he had this was like being pushed off a cliff without a parachute or the safety of a backup plan. There was no going back, and he'd either success or lose. But Jack was eager enough to fight his way through college as he'd done in High School. He just couldn’t fail or give up; not for himself and especially not for his father. He had to hang in there and hope for the best - whatever the cost or whatever difficulties life on college could provide. Like a class schedule you could get lost over, for example ...
When he was finally sure he’d reached the right building for his Anatomy class, Jack let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t that late at all and with some luck he might even get a seat in one of the front rows.
Maybe today could become his lucky day after all …
Earlier, when he’d woken up it hadn’t really seemed as if today would be a day to remember (at least, not in a good way), and after a quick shower and a hasty shave he wasn’t even sure if he should get to class at all. The dark circles under his eyes and the band aid on his chin trying to cover the scratch from where he’d cut himself shaving wasn’t really something that qualified his appearance for a visit in the outside world, but he had some classes today he really couldn’t miss; for example, the Anatomy class he was now trying to find.
Five minutes ... He had five more minutes left to find the correct room in a building that, suddenly, seemed as huge as California.
Jack sighed as he headed for the front door. Maybe luck would keep being on his side today and he would make it in time. He just had to have faith (not a strength of his).
A few seconds later this hope was shattered into a few thousand pieces, when he came to an abrupt halt as something - no, someone - soft and warm and wearing a perfume that was so intoxication that it should be a crime to only use it bumped into him. He gasped for air when an elbow hit his stomach hard and for a moment he felt like he was just hit by a bus. But, somehow, Jack managed to keep his balance and he instinctively reached out to steady the girl in front of him, not caring about the stacks of papers and textbooks they both had dropped on the impact. A second later they were surrounded by a white paper lake, but neither of them cared. Jack only had eyes for the young blonde woman in his arms who was smiling shyly at him. Her face was red from blushing and she was mumbling words to apologize, but Jack didn’t hear (or understood) a single one of them. He was too fascinated by her blue eyes that reminded him of a blue sea, deep and clear, and yet mysterious and dangerous; and by her smile that did some funny things to his stomach, and in the end it was him whose words were only some nervous stumbling that embarrassed him even more than these shaving cuts on his chin.
“I … I’m sorry. I should …” He managed to say, but she immediately hushed him by shaking her head.
Fascinated, he watched the blonde of her curls transformed into a bright gold as the sunlight found its way through the clouds that were hanging deep in the sky. In that very moment he felt as if some force had successfully fought the dark, rainy day bringing new, shiny colors to this world. Jack’s mood lightened instantly and he could feel his heart pounding heavily against his chest a few beats faster than it would be healthy for him.
But he didn’t care. He wouldn’t have even cared, if he’d suddenly died of a heart attack. Dying with the image of a perfect angel in front of his eyes, must be the best way ever to die, should he get the chance to decide how he wanted to die. At the same time he felt panic rising inside of him No, he didn’t want to die; not yet, not right away, not after he’d just met … what (who) exactly?
Suddenly, Jack was confused and he had trouble deciding if this was really happening or if this was just a dream he could wake up from any minute. This was too good to be true. This couldn’t be real life, could it?
Jack blinked a few times, but his blonde angel didn’t vanish. Quite the contrary happened. The girl moved closer to him, invading his personal space, and Jack didn’t even try to back away. It was as if he was paralyzed and he knew he would been glued to this very spot, even if he’d tried to move.
Helpless, he watched her tilted her head a little.
“Are you all right?” she asked watching him carefully.
Jack managed to shake his head slightly, but that didn’t turn out to be very convincing, and when she continued, asking if she’d hurt him, her voice sounded even more concerned than before.
Jack cursed himself for his behavior. He had no explanation why he was so nervous that he couldn’t even form proper words - other than that she was doing this to him and that she was the one to blame.
But that wouldn’t have been fair, would it?
“I’m … I’m fine,” he finally managed to say. “Don’t worry. I’m okay. I didn’t see you and … I’m sorry.”
She let out a sigh of relief, and then shook her head again.
“Don’t be,” she said. “I should be the one apologizing. I was the one bumping into you.” She laughed nervously as her hands (obviously shaking) moved through her hair, combing it backwards and uncovering more of her beautiful face and her flawless skin. Jack swallowed hard and tried to focus on something else to distract him. Only that there wasn’t really anything he could find for the necessary distraction - except for her voice, and that wasn’t doing a good job at all.
“I have no idea how this could happen, “ she said. “Normally, I don’t …”
“Normally, you don’t try to kill other guys by running over him?” Or maybe it was … He had no idea where this came from, but once the words had left his mouth, Jack felt relieved and brave (for whatever reason). He grinned, but she just looked at him, stunned.
“I … didn’t try to kill you. Really … I was just trying to find my classroom. I’m new and this is my first week here. I missed the bus this morning, because my sister Rachel took forever in the bathroom and Tom … Tom Sawyer - that’s our cat - was mad at me, because I forgot to feed him last night, when I was busy trying to work through my schedule and … and … I don’t even know, why I am telling you this.” Noticing the amused look in his eyes, she fell silent and for a moment she looked at him as if she was ready to try to kill him a second time.
Jack had no idea where his nervousness had gone to, but he knew what had caused it to vanish.
She was doing this to him. She was the reason, why he felt free from any burden he’d carried around with him only minutes ago. Realizing she was as lost on this campus as he was and, at the same time, as nervous around him as he was around her, made things a lot easier; at least, for him.
He grinned and then bent down to pick up their papers and books before they were scattered all over campus.
After a second, she joined him on the ground and for a while they worked silently collecting their stuff, both deep in thoughts about what had just happened, and it wasn’t until they both reached for the last piece of paper that he broke the comfortable silence that surrounded them.
“I got it,” he said, handing her the paper. He put his hand under her elbow, helping her up, and even when they were both back on their feed he didn’t let go of her arm, afraid she would leave and he would never see her again.
She couldn’t leave; not before he had asked her out. If only he knew how to do this, without being dumped before he’d even formed the question.
“So … your sister Rachel and your cat Sawyer … are responsible for … this?” he asked, smirking. “I guess I need to sue them then, in case I start suffering from some late complications?” He had meant to be joking, but the shock in her eyes told him it didn’t really work.
He swallowed hard, trying to find another way to ask for her number, but all he managed to do was letting out a desperate sigh. Flirting had never been one of his strong points and he felt a bit clumsy - especially, now that he’d so obviously upset her.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to … I was just kidding. I’m fine. Really.” He carefully squeezed her arm and smiled. “I just wanted … I just …”
“You just wanted to get my number?” She interrupted him coolly, and now he was the one looking shocked and surprised by her sudden mood change as he let go of her arm and made a step backwards, while she just fixed him with these damn blue eyes.
She kept him in suspense for another minute, and then she burst into laughter.
For a moment, he just looked at her, before he joined her contagious laughter. He wasn’t upset, but really impressed by the way she’d played him without even so much as blinking.
“Are you always that shy?” she asked. Her laughter had turned into a quiet giggling and he wished time would stop right now, allowing him to stay in this moment forever. She was too cute for words; maybe a bit mean, but cute.
“You don’t have to be, you know,” she explained. “I promise I won’t try to kill you again. And since I’m not a vampire or something I don’t bite either.”
“Yeah … that’s what they always say and before you know it you have a shiny bite mark on your neck…,” Jack mumbled, but he was grinning again.
“Do you like to get coffee sometime?” he asked. “I mean … I … I …” This time she hushed him by placing her index finger on his lips and he obeyed immediately.
Her touch sent tiny electric shocks through his whole body and he had a hard time not to stumble making a even bigger fool of himself as he'd already done.
“I would love to,” she said. “But I have to go to class first. I think I’m already late and … do you know where Room 108 is, by any chance?”
Jack shook his head. “No. Not really. But why don’t we find out … together? Are you also in Radzinsky’s Anatomy class?” She nodded and they both entered the building, while Jack thought about his chances to get to know this girl better. If they were sharing this class, maybe they shared others too and if he didn't mess up they could end up being lab partner or study partner … Or she had one of these protective boyfriends who wouldn't allow her to have guy friends. One way or another, he would find out sooner or later.
It didn’t take long to find the right room (much to their both delights, Radzinsky hadn't arrived yet), and as they both walking to the back of the class to the only two free chairs left (much to Jack’s delight both in the same row), Jack suddenly remembered something.
“I don’t even know your name,” he said.
Turning her head she gave him one of her smiles, and Jack decided that she had to stop doing this or he would end up dead after all. She needed a license for this smile - and for her eyes, too. One day he would tell her this, but for now her smile, once again, managed to push aside every shade of gray, brightening the dull ambiance of the class room instantly.
And Jack would never dare to complain about that improvement.
“I’m Juliet,” she said, offering her hand to him.
“I’m Jack.” He smiled and allowed himself a moment, before he let go of her hand. He placed his books on his chair and hurried to pull out the other one for her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jack,” she whispered, and then she did it again; she smiled and Jack knew that there was nothing in this world that could change this day into something other than the luckiest day of his life.
- tbc -