Ficlet: Swiftly Fly the Years (GH, Lana/Jake)
Title: Swiftly Fly the Years
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 53 - Sunset
Pairing/Character(s): Lana/Jake
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Jake's not mine, Lana is.
Word Count: 864
Spoilers/Warnings: Part of the Lana!AU.
Summary: “I love the way the sun looks as it sets over the water.”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Lana stepped out onto the terrace off Wyndemere’s ballroom.
She pulled her cell phone out of her clutch, and frowned at the lack of messages. She thought David was going to call her tonight. With a sigh, she walked over to the low stone wall and leaned against it, looking out over the cliffs and harbor.
Inside, the ballroom was filled with people celebrating Molly and Cameron’s engagement and return from Greece. Soft music flowed out the open French doors, and Lana could hear the sound of people laughing and talking.
When she heard footsteps approaching from behind her, she tensed slightly. She’d know that sound anywhere.
It came as no surprise as the footsteps came closer, and she felt, rather than saw, Jake lean against the wall next to her.
The silence between them hung for a long moment.
Finally, Jake spoke. “Nice night.”
Lana nodded. “It is.”
“I don’t ever think I’ve seen my brother so happy,” Jake offered. “It’s nice to see.”
“Molly had the biggest grin on her face the entire night,” Lana remembered. She shot Jake a sidelong glance. “They’re good together.”
“They are,” he agreed. “So why aren’t you in there celebrating with them?”
She shrugged. “I just needed some air. Besides, there are so many people in there that I’m sure they don’t even miss me.”
“I did,” he murmured softly.
Her head snapped towards him. “What?”
“Nothing,” he stammered, stepping backwards and stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I was just thinking outloud.”
“Sure you were,” Lana muttered. She looked back out over the water. “I love the way the sun looks as it sets over the water.”
“You always did,” Jake said, settling back against the wall next to her. “I remember when we were kids, in the summers, how you always wanted to go down to the harbor at night, to catch fireflies and watch the sunset.”
“You remember that?” Lana asked with surprise, shooting another look at Jake.
“Of course I do. There’s not much of my childhood that doesn’t involve you, you know.”
“True,” she admitted. “So what are you up to this summer? Interning at Cassadine Industries?”
He shook his head. “Nikolas offered to get me one, but I turned him down.”
She frowned. “Why? I thought you really liked the one you had last summer.”
“I did, but I wanted to try something different.” Jake shrugged. “I’m actually going to be working at ELQ this summer, thanks to your mom, I think.”
Lana looked confused. “How did my mom get you an internship at ELQ?”
“Well, my mom talked to your mom, and Robin talked to Ned Ashton for me. He arranged for me to work in the R&D department for the summer.”
“That should be good,” she said encouragingly. She sighed. “I’m going to be stuck volunteering at the hospital all summer, I think.”
“I thought you liked volunteering? I mean, won’t it look good on your med school applications?”
She nodded. “It will, but I just want to do something different for once, you know? I know I want to be a doctor, I’ve known that forever…”
“Except for when you wanted to be a prima ballerina,” Jake interjected.
“…but just once it would be nice to just have some fun, do something unexpected. I don’t know. I’m sure I’m not making any sense.” She smiled. “And I didn’t actually want to be a prima ballerina, you know.”
“Yes, you did,” Jake corrected. “If you didn’t, why did you audition for Julliard?”
Lana’s jaw dropped. “I never told you that!” she spluttered. “How did you find out?”
He shrugged. “I have my ways.”
Lana’s eyes narrowed. “Molly has a big mouth, and tells your brother everything.”
“I’ll never tell.”
“That’s alright,” Lana said dismissively. “I know I’m right. Why didn’t you ever say something?”
“You didn’t want me to know, or you would have told me. So I respected that.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Lana snorted.
“Hey!” Jake said, affronted. “I’ve always respected your feelings.”
Lana laughed, patting Jake on the shoulder. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“I will, because it’s true.” Jake smiled at Lana, and reached out to tuck a stray hair back behind her ear.
Lana froze, and looked up at Jake with panic in her eyes.
Immediately he dropped his hand, and shoved his hands back in his pockets once more. “So… how’s your boyfriend?”
“He’s fine,” Lana said stiffly. “He’s interning at his mother’s law firm in Chicago for the summer.”
“That’s nice,” Jake nodded. “So you guys have been together for what, six months now?”
“More like eight.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Do we have to talk about this?”
“No.” He nodded towards the ballroom. “You want to go in and dance?”
“Maybe later,” Lana hedged. “I need to make a phone call.”
“Sure, well, I’ll just head back inside and give you some privacy then.” He smiled briefly, and headed inside.
Lana watched him walk away, and then dug her cell phone out of her purse once more. She flipped it open and quickly dialed David’s number.
While it rang, she looked back out over the water.
The sun had set.
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 53 - Sunset
Pairing/Character(s): Lana/Jake
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Jake's not mine, Lana is.
Word Count: 864
Spoilers/Warnings: Part of the Lana!AU.
Summary: “I love the way the sun looks as it sets over the water.”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Lana stepped out onto the terrace off Wyndemere’s ballroom.
She pulled her cell phone out of her clutch, and frowned at the lack of messages. She thought David was going to call her tonight. With a sigh, she walked over to the low stone wall and leaned against it, looking out over the cliffs and harbor.
Inside, the ballroom was filled with people celebrating Molly and Cameron’s engagement and return from Greece. Soft music flowed out the open French doors, and Lana could hear the sound of people laughing and talking.
When she heard footsteps approaching from behind her, she tensed slightly. She’d know that sound anywhere.
It came as no surprise as the footsteps came closer, and she felt, rather than saw, Jake lean against the wall next to her.
The silence between them hung for a long moment.
Finally, Jake spoke. “Nice night.”
Lana nodded. “It is.”
“I don’t ever think I’ve seen my brother so happy,” Jake offered. “It’s nice to see.”
“Molly had the biggest grin on her face the entire night,” Lana remembered. She shot Jake a sidelong glance. “They’re good together.”
“They are,” he agreed. “So why aren’t you in there celebrating with them?”
She shrugged. “I just needed some air. Besides, there are so many people in there that I’m sure they don’t even miss me.”
“I did,” he murmured softly.
Her head snapped towards him. “What?”
“Nothing,” he stammered, stepping backwards and stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I was just thinking outloud.”
“Sure you were,” Lana muttered. She looked back out over the water. “I love the way the sun looks as it sets over the water.”
“You always did,” Jake said, settling back against the wall next to her. “I remember when we were kids, in the summers, how you always wanted to go down to the harbor at night, to catch fireflies and watch the sunset.”
“You remember that?” Lana asked with surprise, shooting another look at Jake.
“Of course I do. There’s not much of my childhood that doesn’t involve you, you know.”
“True,” she admitted. “So what are you up to this summer? Interning at Cassadine Industries?”
He shook his head. “Nikolas offered to get me one, but I turned him down.”
She frowned. “Why? I thought you really liked the one you had last summer.”
“I did, but I wanted to try something different.” Jake shrugged. “I’m actually going to be working at ELQ this summer, thanks to your mom, I think.”
Lana looked confused. “How did my mom get you an internship at ELQ?”
“Well, my mom talked to your mom, and Robin talked to Ned Ashton for me. He arranged for me to work in the R&D department for the summer.”
“That should be good,” she said encouragingly. She sighed. “I’m going to be stuck volunteering at the hospital all summer, I think.”
“I thought you liked volunteering? I mean, won’t it look good on your med school applications?”
She nodded. “It will, but I just want to do something different for once, you know? I know I want to be a doctor, I’ve known that forever…”
“Except for when you wanted to be a prima ballerina,” Jake interjected.
“…but just once it would be nice to just have some fun, do something unexpected. I don’t know. I’m sure I’m not making any sense.” She smiled. “And I didn’t actually want to be a prima ballerina, you know.”
“Yes, you did,” Jake corrected. “If you didn’t, why did you audition for Julliard?”
Lana’s jaw dropped. “I never told you that!” she spluttered. “How did you find out?”
He shrugged. “I have my ways.”
Lana’s eyes narrowed. “Molly has a big mouth, and tells your brother everything.”
“I’ll never tell.”
“That’s alright,” Lana said dismissively. “I know I’m right. Why didn’t you ever say something?”
“You didn’t want me to know, or you would have told me. So I respected that.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Lana snorted.
“Hey!” Jake said, affronted. “I’ve always respected your feelings.”
Lana laughed, patting Jake on the shoulder. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“I will, because it’s true.” Jake smiled at Lana, and reached out to tuck a stray hair back behind her ear.
Lana froze, and looked up at Jake with panic in her eyes.
Immediately he dropped his hand, and shoved his hands back in his pockets once more. “So… how’s your boyfriend?”
“He’s fine,” Lana said stiffly. “He’s interning at his mother’s law firm in Chicago for the summer.”
“That’s nice,” Jake nodded. “So you guys have been together for what, six months now?”
“More like eight.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Do we have to talk about this?”
“No.” He nodded towards the ballroom. “You want to go in and dance?”
“Maybe later,” Lana hedged. “I need to make a phone call.”
“Sure, well, I’ll just head back inside and give you some privacy then.” He smiled briefly, and headed inside.
Lana watched him walk away, and then dug her cell phone out of her purse once more. She flipped it open and quickly dialed David’s number.
While it rang, she looked back out over the water.
The sun had set.