"To Depths Unknown"-13&14

by Leslie

"To Depths Unknown"

Chapter 13

Kendall sensed that this was a phone call he'd rather take in private, so she mouthed to Jax that they'd be downstairs, picked up Jensen and quietly closed the door behind them.

Jax was really in no mood to talk with Brenda right now. For the first time in a long time, his every thought had not been consumed by her. He had actually found himself, at the end of some days, realizing he hadn't even thought of her at all! Climbing into what was once their bed alone every night always managed to force him to think of Brenda, whether he wanted to or not!

But, for the last few days, he'd come to bed with an unidentifiable excitement -- the kind you feel when you think you might be on the verge of something, but you're not quite sure what! You don't know whether to fear it, and run from it screaming, or to welcome it, and embrace it with open arms.

Jax had decided to embrace it, and hearing Brenda's voice could potentially be a pebble in his path. But he wasn't going to let her be the deterrent that she could be.

He tried to remain friendly, yet cool, so as not to tip her off that anything was going on. If she knew he had the chicken pox, she would insist on taking care of him day and night! He knew that Brenda, determined to win back his love, would use his weakened state to her advantage. I taught her more than I should have! Jax had found himself thinking on more than one occasion!

"So, who was that? New help?" Brenda said condescendingly.

"No, not quite!" Jax had to laugh at the irony of that statement. If Brenda only knew how much "help" Kendall had been to him! "She's a guest of mine, staying in the other penthouse." Jax explained.

"Oh." Brenda was disappointed that she wasn't given more of an explanation than that, but she had agreed to give Jax some space, so for now, her questions would have to go unanswered.

"So, what can I do for you?" Jax asked, trying to move things along.

Brenda wanted nothing more than to simply chat, catch up, remind him of her presence, and see if they could maybe have dinner together. Jax said he wouldn't be able to for a few weeks, and he would give her a call when things slowed down a little at J & J Jacks.

Brenda wasn't buying it, but accepted his raincheck and let him go.

Jax knew that Brenda was suspicious, but there was nothing he could do. He felt awful and, honestly, cared more about getting some relief than he did about hurting Brenda's fragile feelings.

"Kendall? You still here?" Jax's powerful voice was easily heard downstairs.

"Be right there!"

Kendall entered the room, "You called?" she said playfully.

"So, what now?" he asked, getting down to "business"!

Kendall sighed, "Well, that depends on how you feel. Are you itching at all? Feverish? What?"

"Not itching. Just feel like my skin is on fire! No big deal!" Jax shrugged casually.

Kendall laughed at his sarcastic wit. "Hmmm. My first recommendation is that you take off anything that isn't absolutely necessary. Those clothes are agitating the blisters."

"Sure . . . blame it on the blisters." He was finding devilish pleasure in teasing her. "You've only seen a little, you know, it gets much worse!" Jax offered up a disclaimer! He knew he looked like a pre-pubescent teenager with rampant acne!" He began to unbutton his shirt.

Kendall tried to focus on Jensen playing in the floor - feeling, again, like she should leave the room!

"Is there anything you can do for this?" Jax sounded so helpless.

Kendall turned her face back towards him, and did her best to keep her composure. She clenched her teeth. She pursed her lips. She tried to think of anything but the sight in front of her! But, the temptation was too strong!

"Bwaahaahaa," she roared with laughter!

This was not the reaction Jax was accustomed to!

Kendall put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughs and hide her obvious amusement with his predictament. "Jax, I'm sorry! I can't help it!"

"Yeah, right! Real funny! I bet you wouldn't look so great with these things all over you either," he said looking down at himself and giving sweeping hand gestures to exaggerate his point. "Here I am -- afflicted and in pain -- an you're laughing hysterically! Real compassionate!"

"Oh, Jax! I'm sorry!" Kendall tried to get serious, but trying to stop laughing only made her laugh more. She giggled, "Really, I am!"

Jensen, not knowing what to make of her mother, began to smile and giggle -- not wanting to miss out on any of the fun!

That only caused Kendall to lose it even more!

Jax looked from one Madisson to the other, trying to look serious, but seriously failing! He made a squinched up face and asked Jensen, "What are you laughing at?"

Jensen squealed with delight at this new game!

Jax couldn't reign in his smile. It wasn't hard to see why Kendall was so devoted to this little girl - her smile could melt the hardest of hearts!

He spoke up, "So, am I to just sit here the rest of the day on display for your amusement, or are you going to help me?"

Kendall took a deep breath and composed herself. "I'm going to help you -- just keep your pants on!" And Kendall got so tickled at herself that she lost it all over again!

"Some help you are!" Jax chided.

"You're an easy target! You look like an overgrown little boy!" Kendall admitted. "I'm sorry! I'm trying! *ahem* Seriously, let me go and get some things from the penthouse and I'll be back. Are you hungry?"

Jax suggested Kendall get Jensen fed and down for her afternoon nap, then come back after that. He was tired and thought he could sleep for a couple of hours.

Kendall said that would work better for her, got him some water, then left.

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"To Depths Unknown"

Chapter 14

Jax was able to sleep off some of that discomfort with what proved to be a very restful sleep.

Kendall and Jensen had lunch. Then they read a few stories and Jensen went down for a nap.

Kendall gathered her "medical supplies" and headed back to Jax's, taking with her a tray of orange juice, fruit and bread.

She climbed the stairs to his room. It's awfully quiet, she thought. He must still be sleeping! I'll just sit this outside his room and come back later.

She lowered the tray carefully -- so as not to make any noise and disturb him.

As she was about to place it on the floor, a set of bare feet came into her line of vision. She looked up slowly, beholding a pair of red speckled legs, hurriedly moving on past the pair of blue silk boxers, to Jax's face, looking about as bad as he felt.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I have been. Just woke up."

"I brought you some juice and a little something to eat," she said softly.

"I'm not hungry, but I'll take the juice. Jensen asleep?"

"Out like a light! She's so tired! She's slept through most of her illness. She's just like me! Whenever I don't feel well, I just sleep it off."

"Kind of like a bad hangover?" Jax grinned.

"Something like that."

"What's this?" Jax asked as he picked up a white contraption resembling a walkie talkie.

"That's Jensen's monitor. It lets me hear what's going on in her room. This way, I can hear her if she wakes up."

Jax had never seen one before. He put it to his ear. "I don't hear anything," he said looking at Kendall.

"Here," she said as she turned up the volume a little. "Listen now."

Jax held the monitor close to his face and could hear Jensen's breaths, deep and even. "What an invention!" he marveled. "Can she hear you?"

"No - just works one way!"

Jax listened again. He thought back to the night before, and remembered Kendall's peaceful face as she slumbered next to him on the sofa bed.

"I brought a few things that should help you feel better."

"Finally! You're the worst 'nurse' I've ever had! First you expose me to this horrid disease, then you make fun of your patient, then -- you go on an extended lunch break while I lay here parched and in agony!" he teased.

"Is that so?" Kendall said smartly. "Well, I'm here now, and that's all that matters," her voice dripped with sweetness. "I've got something that will fix you right up!"

"Good. I've suffered long enough. What do I need to do?"

"You just sit down on the bed and drink your juice and try to eat something, while I put some calamine lotion on your back. It will help dry those blisters up. I'll do your back and let you do the rest."

"Oh -- come on! What kind of 'nurse' are you -- making me take care of myself???"

"The kind that knows you would take full advantage of the situation!!"

"Who me?" Jax said innocently.

"Just turn around and let me get started," Kendall ordered.

"Yes, 'Nurse Ratchett'".

"Funny! Should I schedule your lobotomy for tomorrow morning, or are afternoons better for you?"

Jax loved her sense of humor. He had matched wits with the best of them, but had found a worthy opponent in Kendall.

Kendall went to work coating Jax's blister-stricken back with calamine. He was so firm and so muscular, that she got a little lost in thought and seemed to be massaging him more than applying medicine.

"Hey! Watch it! That's tender!" Jax blurted out.

"Sorry." Kendall blushed, thankful Jax couldn't read her mind.

"Easy!" Jax reminded.

"Ok, ok! I said I was sorry!"

"That's better." Jax said, relaxing and fully enjoying the feel of her small, soft hands on his aching back.

"All done!" Kendall quickly jumped up and washed her hands. When she returned, she handed the bottle to Jax and instructed, "You need to do your chest next. Squirt the lotion directly onto your chest -- it will coat better that way."

"Okay." And Jax leaned back a little and squeezed the bottle. When he did, a huge glob of bright pink calamine lotion plopped out and began to ooze down his chest slowly.

Jax was startled, obviously expecting to see something quite different from what he was seeing. "What is this??" he demanded.

"Paybacks are hell!" Kendall reminded him, with a Cheshire grin.

Jax lunged at her from his bed. He was up and on his feet quicker than Kendall had expected. She tried to get away, but Jax caught her by the arm. "They sure are -- aren't they?" he threatened.

She broke free from his grip and took off, and as she neared the door, she heard Jax moan. She stopped and turned to look at him. He was bent over, his face displaying total agony.

"Oh, no! You shouldn't have jumped up like that! Come on -- let's get you back to bed."

And, as she reached him to take his arm and help him back to bed, he suddenly grabbed her, stood upright -- laughing all the while -- and pulled her forcefully to him.

Jax looked into her big blue, surprised eyes, gave his best Cheshire grin and said, "Gotcha!"

Jax pulled her closer, tighter to him. Then he began to move slowly against her, first from left to right, then up and down, generously coating her with a dose of her own sweet pink revenge.

Being entrapped in his strong arms and against his taut body was less a revenge to Kendall than he would've hoped. She didn't struggle to get free. He didn't relax his hold.

For a moment, they stood there, relishing a closeness that neither of them had experienced in longer than they'd care to remember.

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