by Kira
SCENE: Alaska, John & Jane Jacks are in their office, Jane seated at her
computer. John straightens, as he has been reading the screen over her
shoulder. "I guess that explains it, doesn't it?" he inquired sarcastically.
Jane sighed, touching the keyboard,
"Should I reply to his email?"
"Oh, by all means, Jane. Tell our son that we are pleased to learn that
he has acquired a wife for the sole purpose of wreaking revenge on the
Quartermaines. Give him our regards, and wishes for his future
happiness." John did not bother to hide his sarcasm, "Oh, wait....I
forgot. Happiness is hardly his motive, is it?"
"Oh John." Jane sighed sadly, "What can he be thinking?"
"I'll tell you, Jane!" John burst out, "He's NOT thinking at all. His mind
& heart are so full of revenge he can only think of one thing bringing
the Quartermaine's to their knees for their part in ruining his marriage."
"He's in so much pain." Jane observed with heartfelt compassion, "All
he can think of is that he's lost Brenda.....he's lost Miranda....and there's
no future for him. So it doesn't matter who is his wife. Jax is determined
never to love again."
"Who is this girl?" John asked loudly, waving a hand in frustration, "He
barely knows her!! Is she to be the mother of his children? To live with
him for the rest of his life? My God, Jane he's gone round the bend!"
She inhaled deeply,
"Perhaps all is not lost. Perhaps he'll come to his senses before he
marries her."
"Our son?!" John shouted, "Not bloody likely! No, mark my words,
Jane....he is set upon this! He WILL marry her! And make himself
bloody miserable in the process!"
"What can she be like, John?" Jane pondered, staring at the screen
thoughtfully, "I mean, we're hardly thinking about the other side here.
This Victoria might be a very nice young woman --"
"She's a QUARTERMAINE!" John spat out viciously, "What else needs to
be said?"
Jane gave her husband a long look, "Now, John.....don't go working
yourself up into a lather. You know what your doctor says...."
"Oh BLAST my doctor!" John shouted again, one hand raising in fury,
"Our son is intent on ruining his life, and you think I'm going to remain
calm and collected?!"
"I can't really see that we have any other option." Jane pointed out
reasonably.
"We can talk some sense into the damn boy!" John growled.
"We'll have our chance, John. Jax has invited us to meet him
and....Victoria... when they return to Port Charles."
"A Quartermaine!" John spat again, "I can't believe it!" He slammed out
of the room angrily, leaving his wife alone. Jane touched the screen
softly.
"Victoria Jacks." Jane mulled the words quietly, "I wonder who you are." SCENE: Nightime, Innisfara, the Drawing room. Victoria is curled up in
front of the fire, reading a book. Jax enters, tugging at his tie.
Victoria looked up as he walked across to pour himself a glass of brandy. "Hi." she greeted softly, closing the book but keeping the place with her
finger.
"Hi." he returned, sipping the drink gratefully. He slid the tie free &
unbuttoned the top of his shirt before coming to seat himself in a wing
chair.
"Have you eaten already?" she asked, searching about for something to
say.
"Yes. I had a dinner meeting." Jax dismissed, "Did you get your blood
tests today?"
Victoria giggled, "Barely. The doctor seems to have a knack for passing
out at the sight of blood."
Jax gave her a dry smile, "No kidding?"
"No kidding." Victoria confirmed, "So, needless to say, I pretty much
ended up taking my own blood sample. It was either that or having the
ambulance pick up the doctor."
"The minister will arrive tomorrow at 5." he leaned back in the chair,
stretching his longs legs outward.
"No chance of talking you out of this, is there?" Victoria asked, only half-
joking. His look was withering,
"I've taken the liberty of having a gown sent over for you."
"Oh? And have you ordered bridesmaids as well?" she teased with a
raised brow.
Jax was annoyed,
"You seem awfully cheerful about this all of a sudden!" he snapped.
Victoria shrugged,
"I can hardly continue to protest, can I? You've told me how futile that
is. So I'm trying a stab at accepting my fate. Do you object?"
"Certainly not." Jax sat forward, agitated; "It's a reasonable course of
action."
"I thought so." Victoria agreed jauntily.
He gave her a suspicious frown,
"You do understand the consequences of your not keeping this bargain,
don't you?"
"Oh, perfectly." Victoria assured him.
"Good." he retorted. In one athletic movement, he rolled to his feet,
towering over her. "I would be very unhappy to discover you were
designing some futile attempt at waylaying this marriage."
Victoria laughed,
"I would so hate to disappoint you, too." she observed wryly.
Jax frowned at her in renewed annoyance,
"I'm glad you've found humor in the situation."
Now Victoria's own temper came to the forefront. Tossing her book
aside, she stood up also - facing him fully.
"Humor?" she inquired angrily, "No, Mr. Jacks I'm afraid that is one
commodity I find distinctly LACKING in this fiasco you've engineered.
Disbelief, concern, the absolute conviction that you are NUTS beyond
redemption .... now THOSE I've found in abundance! However, the
barrel of laughs part has thus far escaped me."
Jax stopped dead, reluctantly impressed by her spirit.
"I see." he said, a bit taken aback.
"No, you don't see at all. You have tunnel vision - and the only thing
you see is your own twisted goals! I'm a means to an end, and that's it.
But I've got a News Flash for you, Mr. Jasper Jacks .... I am a human
being. I'm not a chess piece you can move around your little board
without any concern for how I'm feeling or what you've done. We all
pay the piper, Mr. Jacks. And you are no exception."
His face darkened, suddenly becoming ominous,
"I know all about paying the piper, Victoria." he enunciated coldly, "I've
paid him again and again for every bit of happiness I've ever
experienced. And you know something I've learned, Victoria? He's a
merciless debtor. He demands more than payment. He demands
blood."
She was stunned. Watching the raw pain revealed on his features
temporarily robbed her of her powers of speech.
Turning, Jax walked to the door. He paused briefly, swinging around slowly,
" Don't preach to me, Victoria. It's a wasted effort. There's nothing you can say to change
my course of action. If you think you can appeal to my immortal soul,
then I have a News Flash for YOU. I don't have one." His short bark of
laughter turned her blood cold. SCENE: The Wedding. Victoria is seated at the dressing table in her
room, it is early evening. She is wearing a beautifully cut white satin
gown, her hair long & free flowing curls. She drops the brush onto the
table, leaning forward to look at her own reflection. "It's your wedding day." she whispered to her image. As she studied the
pale complexion, tears suddenly welled in her eyes, "How different I
thought this day would be. I thought that I be so filled with happiness...
A bride." She laughed shortly, touching her gown with numbed fingers. A knock on the door brought her around,
"Yes?" she called.
"They are waiting for you, Ms. Victoria." the scottish housekeeper called
out.
Victoria nodded, looking back at the mirror.
"I'll be there in a minute." she called back. Picking up a sparkling ivory
comb with three white baby roses, she pulled back one side of her hair.
With an unsteady hand, she applied lipstick to her mouth, pursing it a
few times before leaning forward to repeat in wonderment,
"Victoria Jacks."
The housekeeper rapped on the door again, and Victoria jerked into
action, picking up the white bouquet from the bed & hurrying to the
door. SCENE: Innisfara. The Drawing Room is filled with candlelight and
flowers. Jax is wearing a deep black tux, standing near the waiting
minister. Standing in the doorway, Victoria is outlined briefly as she
stands.....looking beautiful and afraid in her brides attire. Jax reaches a hand towards her briefly, and Victoria walks across the
room bravely. The staff of the Scottish estate is gathered as witnesses.
Victoria takes Jax's hand, turning towards the minister as he repeats the
vows that unite them as man & wife. They are brief and to the point.
Finally, he intones in his Highland brogue, "Do ye, Jasper Jacks, take thee, Victoria Quartermaine, to be ye'r
lawfully wedded wife....to have & to hold, from this day forward, in
sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Victoria's eyes raised to his, capturing his steady gaze.
"I do." he affirmed in his deep voice.
"And do ye, Victoria Quartermaine, take thee, Jasper Jacks, to be ye'r
lawfully wedded husband....to have & to hold, from this day forward, in
sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Victoria's breath caught in her throat. She swallowed, willing it to return.
Jax's hand tightened painfully on hers, silently urging her response.
"I...do." she finally managed.
"Please take the ring and place it on Victoria's finger and repeat after
me..." The minister instructed.
Victoria barely heard the words spoken, her eyes fixed on the
shimmering gold band that symbolized her lifelong commitment to this
stranger. Her fingers fumbled as she slid the ring on his hand in her turn,
and she repeated the ministers words without ever comprehending their
meaning.
"Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. Mr.
Jacks, you may kiss your bride."
Victoria felt his breath on her lips only seconds before his mouth closed
warmly over her own. It was a brief, perfunctory kiss. The small
gathering burst out in applause, and came forward to bestow their
wishes. SCENE: Innisfara, The Drawing Room, Victoria is sipping champagne as
Jax closes the door behind the last of the departing assembly. Walking
over to her, he refills her glass from the magnum on the side table. "That wasn't so bad." he comments, watching her features closely.
Victoria makes no comment, downing the champagne heartily. The
movement catches the reflection of her wedding band, and she extends
her hand, looking over it wonderingly.
"We're married." she says softly, speaking the words aloud unknowingly.
Jax grinned,
"Yes." he agreed, obligingly refilling her glass.
"I've never been married before." Victoria tells him, her blue eyes wide
and reflecting some fear.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be a natural." he joked.
Victoria swallowed down the champagne, not waiting for him to refill it,
but taking the bottle and doing so herself. Walking towards the fireplace,
her train catches on the chair and she swishes it forward in agitation.
"I always imagined this day a great deal differently." she announced,
pouring and drinking liberally.
"No doubt." Jax agreed.
"I mean, you know how one is when one is coming of that age. My
girlfriends and I, we would sit about and plan our weddings....how grand
they would be, and what wondrous husbands we would have." Victoria
continued, barely paying attention to him, "Meg always had royalty at
the wedding.... a grand affair, with tons and tons of bridesmaids in tulle
and a full orchestra playing Chopin." Victoria refilled her glass again,
sitting on the edge of the chair, lost in thought, "I never wanted that,
though. It didn't matter to me. To me, what was important was the
groom. I wanted HIM to be royalty."
She slid a quick look at Jax and laughed softly, "Oh, not really royalty,
you know. I mean, a real PRINCE.....my prince."
"Hmm....well, maybe you'll have better luck next time." he observed
dryly.
Victoria shot him a murderous look.
"Thanks." she drawled back acidly.
"Well, it's no use getting morose over it. It's done." Jax pointed out,
"You're rather stuck with what you've got."
Victoria poured herself more champagne,
"I don't even know you." she complained, drinking deeply, "What's
worse....I don't even like you."
Jax burst out laughing,
"Well, let's be honest by all means."
She was too drawn up in her own misery to take notice of this comment.
"It's astounding. That's what it is..." she shook her head, "One week ago
I was at living at Foxworth. Elizabeth Diane was gaining profit. All was
right with the world. And I had never even heard of Mr. J. Jacks from
Alaska."
"I think you should go easy on that stuff. It's got a helluva kick." Jax
commented mildly.
Victoria ignored him, refilling her glass.
"Life is full of nasty little surprises, isn't it?" she inquired broadly.
Jax rolled his eyes.
"To Life! To Mrs. Victoria Jacks....!" she toasted grandly, a catch in her
throat.
Jax walked forward, taking the glass from her hands firmly.
"Okay, I think you've had enough."
Victoria protested, then quickly swigged directly from the bottle and
walked away from him.
"Why couldn't I have been a boy?" she asked loudly, well on her way to
being thoroughly foxed, "Huh? I ask you! It certainly would have made
my father a lot happier. A Quartermaine heir and a spare!" Her laughter
rang unhappily in the room.
Jax followed her, expertly snapping the bottle from her hand and
smoothly pulling her into his arms to dance.
"It isn't as bad as all that." he assured her, his breath stirring the curls
beneath his chin.
Victoria snorted,
"So you say!!"
He hid a grin,
"I'm not that awful, you know." he stated, allowing her to look up at him.
"Yes, you are." she disagreed, petulant.
"Okay." he tucked her back into his arms, and they swayed for several
minutes before she finally stopped him, both hands on his chest.
"Jax?" she asked softly.
"What?" he stopped, looking down at her upturned face intently.
"What if we fall in love?" she asks suddenly, taking care to pronounce the
words clearly through her hazy semi-drunken state.
Jax is astonished. He stares at her, shaking his head in immediate
denial.
"Oh!" Victoria quickly hastens to explain, "I don't mean with each
other....but what if we fall in love with OTHER people?"
Jax's eyes narrowed,
"There's absolutely no chance of that happening with me, Victoria." he
tells her concisely.
"But how can you be sure?" she whines, her hands curling into his chest.
"I'm quite sure." he assured her.
"You can't be." Victoria scoffed, pushing away from him. One hand
removed the flowers from her hair, tossing them aside without a care as
she wandered unsteadily towards the open champagne bottle, "No one
can know something like that!"
"Victoria, hear me." he commanded. She turned around, the
champagne bottle stopped at her lips.
"That part of my life died six months ago. I can't --" he stopped himself,
amending his words, " I won't love anyone, ever." his tone brooked no
argument.
Victoria quickly sipped from the bottle, her gaze captured by his earnest
expression.
"You mean that, don't you?" she whispered, awed by this discovery.
Jax nodded slowly.
"I mean that." he repeated somberly.
Victoria shrugged, deciding to put that matter aside.
"What if I fall in love?" she asked without guile, taking yet another swig
from the almost empty champagne bottle.
He shrugged,
"You made a commitment."
"Oh, that solves everything." she drawled sarcastically.
Finishing the bottle, Victoria tossed the empty magnum over her
shoulder, toddling unsteadily towards the lined champagne bottles on the
sideboard with determined intent. Jax moved swiftly, effectively blocking
her path.
"I think it's time we went to bed." he suggested darkly.
Victoria pushed at his hands, swaying a little,
"Bed?! Pfft! The party's just started!"
She attempted to maneuver around him, but he quickly blocked her
movements,
"I think the party is over for you, Mrs. Jacks." he observed wryly. When
she moved to protest further, he effectively stemmed any further
outbursts by swiftly bending to throw her across his shoulder.
Her shriek pierced the air.
"Put me down NOW!" she hollered.
"Not a chance." he chuckled, striding towards the staircase.
SCENE: The Master Suite. Innisfara. It has been decked out with
candles, and a lovely lace nightgown has been laid out on the turned
down bed. A fire crackled in the fireplace, and candles fill the room. Jax
strides in, depositing his flailing bride on the bed in one move. "You JERK!" she splutters, coming immediately to her feet, and then
swaying dizzily for a minute, "Whoa."
Jax reached out to steady her. Picking up the nightgown with his free
hand, he pressed it into his arms,
"Put this on." he instructed, jerking his head towards the bathroom.
Victoria looked mutinous. Jax raised a brow determinedly. Finally, after
coming to the conclusion that this was a battle of wills she could not win,
she grabbed the nightgown and teetered towards the bathroom. Jax watched the door close before beginning to undo his tux. A few
minutes later he heard thumping and swearing from the direction of the
bathroom. Finally, the door wrenched open and Victoria stood there,
clutching her half-undone bridal gown.
"This thing is stuck." she tells him in irritation.
Jax smiled, coming around to undo the fastenings at the back. The silk
fell away suddenly, falling to the floor in a silken puddle and revealing
the skimpy lace teddy she wore beneath. Stepping out of the gown, she
left it where it fell with charming unconcern. She was wearing one shoe,
and her sexily revealing outfit caught his attention. Spinning around, she
captured his regard unexpectedly.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded in tipsy outrage,
her hands on her hips.
Jax had to hide a smile,
"What way is that?" he rose one brow inquiringly.
"Hmpfh!" Victoria bent to kick off her last remaining shoe.
"Aren't you putting on your nightgown?" Jax asked.
Victoria waved a hand,
"It's impossible. I don't know who picked it out. There's more buttons
than a straight jacket."
"I see." he grinned.
Sliding the jacket from his arms, he tossed it on a nearby chair and swiftly
unfastened his shirt. Tugging the tails from the waistband, he became
aware of Victoria's stare.
"What are you doing?" she finally demanded.
"I would have thought that was obvious." he said vaguely.
"I mean, what are you doing in my bedroom?" she clarified.
"You mean our bedroom, don't you, Mrs. Jacks?" he assessed clearly.
Victoria subsided, cognizance hitting her with unexpected force.
Heat suffused her face, and she turned away from him. The swift
knowledge that this was her wedding night, and the man undressing her
husband, filled her being swiftly. He was a stranger, this husband of hers,
and yet tonight she would make love with him and learn his body as
intimately as one could.
Behind her, she heard the rustle of his clothing as he dispensed of his
shirt. Bare-chested, he walked up behind her, standing close enough for
her to feel the smooth skin against her back.
"Victoria." he addressed her softly, his voice a rumble deep in his chest.
She trembled in reaction.
His hands slid along her arms, turning her slowly to face him.
Her eyes were wide and unwavering blue in the firelight. With one
thumb, Jax traced her cheek down to her lips, tugging the softness until
her mouth opened.
Without speaking another word, he lowered his head to kiss her.
It was a light, undemanding touch, just brushing across her skin like a
whisper. His mouth was coaxing, devastating. Within minutes her
mouth opened beneath his. Reaching down, Jax picked her up into his
arms, carrying her to the waiting expanse of bed and lowering her gently
onto the mattress. His body followed hers, his mouth fastening onto her
willing lips. The heat burned swiftly now, uncontrolled, and the
gentleness disappeared beneath sudden need. SCENE: Morning. Innisfara. The Master bedroom.
Victoria is sleeping amidst the twisted covers, but Jax is fully awake,
standing at the open french doors, dressed only in a deep blue dressing
gown. His eyes are tumultuous as he stares out across the horizon.
Troubled by his angry thoughts, he spins around, his gaze running to the
abandoned form on the bed. Walking towards the side, he looks down
at his wife, tangled and lovely in the morning light. He reaches out
involuntarily, touching her cheek, and then his hand curls into a fist -
withdrawing coldly. His eyes glint like ice.
Turning, he walks deliberately towards the bathroom. SCENE: Innisfara. Dining Room. Victoria comes in, hesitant. Jax is reading the paper & drinking coffee.
He throws her a quick, unfriendly look. "Good morning." she ventures at last.
"Morning." he greets dismissively, straightening the paper, "Coffee is on
the sideboard."
"Thanks." Victoria clears her throat, trying to assimilate the cold manner.
"If you want breakfast, Duncan will be here at 9."
"I don't eat breakfast." Victoria said, pulling out the chair to his side.
Jax returned to reading the paper.
Victoria forces herself to swallow the liquid. She fights valiantly to
assume the same unconcerned air as he has adopted.
"Interesting?" she asks, tipping the cup towards his newspaper.
"That depends." was his non-commital reply.
"On what?" she pressed, refusing to back down.
"On what you find interesting." he rejoined without emphasis.
As the minutes ticked by and he continued to ignore her, Victoria grew
angrier. At last, reaching over, she pushed the paper down into a
crumpled mass.
"Let me introduce myself." she stated acerbicly, "I'm Victoria .... Jacks."
He was not amused.
"I'm well aware of who you are." he insisted, straightening the paper with
a snap.
Victoria stood.
"Good. I would hate to have to remind you every morning."
Without waiting for him to reply, she walked from the room.
~*~