To Be The Best 4&5

by: Stacie

August 7, 2000

Jax walked into the PH and threw his keys on the table. He looked at the clock and ran up the stairs to change. Today he was taking Shelby to Luke's for dinner, he didn't know why but for some reason she really wanted to go. Something about maybe running into her friend. Jax could tell from spending the last few days with her that she was nervous about seeing this friend of hers again. For how easy it was to talk to each other, and how much they had shared, it seemed funny to him that she hadn't ever mentioned who this friend of hers was. Oh well, he thought. He smiled and shook his head, he really liked her. At first Jax thought for sure that he was going to fall in love with the adorable woman, but now he was sure they were just going to be great friends, and nothing more. He glanced at the clock on the stand by the bed, and smiled at the picture of Brenda there, then ran out the door.

Shelby and Jax walked into Luke's and she looked around nervously. Jax reached over and grabbed her hand and smiled at her when she glanced up at him. She smiled back, and suddenly relaxed, he had a way of making her feel calm. They were walking to their seats when Shelby jerked to a stop. She was staring very intently at someone, Jax looked around to see who and stopped short when he saw that Sonny Corinthos (who came back to town a few months after Brenda's death) was starring back. Jax glanced at Shelby when Sonny started to smile and noticed that she was grinning to. Then, before Jax knew what as happening, Shelby flew across the room right into Sonny's waiting arms. Jax just stood there in shock.

Sonny picked Shelby up and twirled her around and set her down. He put his hand gently to her face and smiled very tenderly at her, "I missed you."

Shelby grinned up at him, "I missed you, too. I was a little nervous that you would be upset with me being here, I'm glad your okay with it." Sonny just gave her a look, and she giggled. "I won't get into any trouble I promise." Shelby took his hand and dragged him over to where Jax was standing. "Jax, I would like you to meet my..." She glanced up at Sonny, and Jax thought it looked like they were communicating without saying anything, and then she looked back to him, "My very good friend Sonny Corinthos...Sonny, Jax." The two men just glared at each other, until Jax said softly, "We've met."

Shelby, who was oblivious to the tension between the two because she was so happy, grinned and said, "Great." Then lead them both to a table and sat down. "I am glad my two favorite guys in PC already know each other." Sonny raised his eyebrows at this and then pulled out a chair and sat down. Jax starred down at the two for a moment and then also pulled over a chair and joined them.

It was a very hard evening for both men. Shelby just chattered away about how the last few years of her schooling had gone, and how she was in the process of applying for a nursing position at GH. Jax let out a silent sigh of relief when they were finally on their way out the door. After giving Sonny a kiss on the cheek and promising to call him tomorrow, Jax took hold of Shelby's hand practically dragging her out of there.

After dropping Shelby off, and promising to call her later, he walked into his PH and poured himself a drink. He couldn't figure out how Shelby knew Sonny, or what they really were to each other. He thought carefully back on the evening. He could tell that Sonny cared deeply for her, but he just didn't look at her the same way the he had looked at Brenda, with so much lust and desire. Maybe they had been involved a long time ago, but were just good friends now. Shelby acted like she had know Sonny her entire life, during dinner he felt like he was intruding on a reunion of two best friends. Jax let out another long sigh and decided to forget about it for tonight. He walked up the stairs to bed.

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I have so many ideas running through my head, I just have to decided what way I want this to go. I promise this is very much a J&B fanfic, it will get there....eventually. Thanks for all your input, any and all ideas and suggestions are always appreciated. Thanks!

Stacie

Part 5

November 15, 2000

She step in the room and both men looked up at her. She was a small petit woman. Shoulder length straight dusty blonde hair, and calm green eyes that seemed to reveal nothing. The man behind the desk stood and walked around to her, took her by the elbow, and lead her over to the second man, talking to her as they walked, "Roni, thanks so much for getting here on such short notice." She gave him a curt nod to reply and he went on, "This is Jerry Jacks. Jerry this is Roni Farrell." The two shook hands in greeting and both sat down in the two chairs in front of the desk. The other man walked behind the desk taking his original seat, he picked up two large files on the desk and looked up at the two seated across from him, "This is a very hush hush case. Which is why I couldn't tell you anything about it before you arrived. There are certain circumstances that could make this a difficult case, especially for you Jerry, but I have every faith in both of your abilities." He handed each of them one of the files and leaned back in his chair to continue. "I want you to read the file and then I will answer any questions and fill you in on the rest of the situation."

The room was silent as Roni and Jerry both opened their files. Roni skimmed the first page and the calmly closed the file and laid it down on the desk. She stood and shook her head before she spoke, "I'm sorry Jeff, but I can't help you with this one. I am already committed to another project, I should have just mentioned that over the phone. But, I admit my curiosity was at it's peak with the way you lead me on with this." Jeff stood and looked at Roni pleadingly "Come on Roni, you put off other cases all the time for me. You know that I wouldn't have asked you here if this wasn't my last resort. I need you on this." Roni looked calmly into his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't." She turned and walked over to the large window that was across the room and looked out it with her arms wrapped protectively around herself.

Jerry took this all in with a shake of his head. He had never heard of an agent turn down a case, especially from the head of the bureau. Jeff Hendricks was not only the head of the WSB, but he was also very demanding and hard on his agents, you just didn't say no to this guy and walk away. Jerry had seen Hendricks blow is fuse to many un co-operating agents, most of whom no longer worked for the bureau. He sat back and waited for the fireworks. Jerry's jaw almost dropped open when Hendricks walked over to the woman and placed his hand on her shoulder. Both eyebrows shot up and he leaned forward in his seat very interested in what would happen now.

Jeff Hendricks owed a lot to this courageous woman standing in front of his window. He felt he knew her better than anyone elce, and that wasn't saying very much because she was still a mystery to him. She was very closed off and didn't let anyone get too close, but he had know her long enough to read more into what she let others see. He knew that she was upset for some reason, and that the file that he had shown her had something to do with it. He had seen the flash of surprise in her eyes before they returned to the cold, in control gaze that he knew so well. As he placed his hand on her shoulder he caught her eyes in the reflection of the mirror. She looked at him and whispered, "Please don't ask me to do this. You know that I would do anything for you, but you don't understand what your asking me to do." She seemed determined not to help him. Jeff knew once she made up her mind it was next to impossible to change it. He glanced at her face and decided to try his luck, he also had a feeling that she wanted to help him and just needed him to convince her. If she was dead set against this she would have been out the door by now. He started slowly, trying to make her understand why he needed her, and only her to help him. "Roni, you have to know that I would never make you do anything that you felt you couldn't do, but I need you for this. I have tried every other option. Jerry is my best agent, you are the best period. Together you can fix this, ya know save the world." He ran his fingers through his hair, "Hell, peoples lives are at stake here." Her head, that had been bowed, snapped up at this. "You need to decided Ron. Is this concern, or problem, or whatever the hell is it. Is it something you can get over and go in and do this job, or are you going to let it be the first thing that has ever kept you from helping me. I quite firmly believe that if you don't help, quite a few residents of Port Charles will unnecessarily die before Jerry, alone, can stop it." Hendricks looked in her eyes, the eyes that showed him nothing, and walked over to his desk to wait for her decision.

The room was silent for several long minuets. Then Roni turned and walked over to the desk. She picked up the file and then began to list her requirements, "I get complete and total control. What I, or Jerry, says goes. I don't want another agent in the area, hell city for that matter, If I see one I'm out of there. Their cases go on hold until mine is over if there is a catastrophe I will handle it. I want to be fully equipt, and I want a direct line right to you for my contact. I will call you and you only with my needs, wants, problems, or just to chit chat, understood?" Hendricks nodded as if he expected this and she continued. "I will read this file tonight, brief Jerry on anything elec you want me to know. We will take three days to prep, and you can use that get Port Charles cleared out." She tossed a piece of paper on the table and looked at Jerry for the first time since she had shook his hand. "Be there, tomorrow at 8:00 a.m." And with that she turned and walked out the door.

Neither of the men moved for several seconds. Hendricks looked up at Jerry and smiled at the expression on his face. Jerry shook his head and leaned back in his chair and asked "What the hell was that?" Hendricks laughed and replied, "That Mr. Jacks was The Falcon." Hendricks laughed again at Jerry's shocked expression. Jerry sat stunned and then stuttered, "F-F-Falcon?" Hendricks nodded rather please that he could be the one to unnerve this always in control agent "The one and only." He picked up the paper she had dropped on the desk and handed it to Jerry, "You better be on time."

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Chapter 5

November 15, 2000

She step in the room and both men looked up at her. She was a small petit woman. Shoulder length straight dusty blonde hair, and calm green eyes that seemed to reveal nothing. The man behind the desk stood and walked around to her, took her by the elbow, and lead her over to the second man, talking to her as they walked, "Roni, thanks so much for getting here on such short notice." She gave him a curt nod to reply and he went on, "This is Jerry Jacks. Jerry this is Roni Farrell." The two shook hands in greeting and both sat down in the two chairs in front of the desk. The other man walked behind the desk taking his original seat, he picked up two large files on the desk and looked up at the two seated across from him, "This is a very hush hush case. Which is why I couldn't tell you anything about it before you arrived. There are certain circumstances that could make this a difficult case, especially for you Jerry, but I have every faith in both of your abilities." He handed each of them one of the files and leaned back in his chair to continue. "I want you to read the file and then I will answer any questions and fill you in on the rest of the situation."

The room was silent as Roni and Jerry both opened their files. Roni skimmed the first page and the calmly closed the file and laid it down on the desk. She stood and shook her head before she spoke, "I'm sorry Jeff, but I can't help you with this one. I am already committed to another project, I should have just mentioned that over the phone. But, I admit my curiosity was at it's peak with the way you lead me on with this." Jeff stood and looked at Roni pleadingly "Come on Roni, you put off other cases all the time for me. You know that I wouldn't have asked you here if this wasn't my last resort. I need you on this." Roni looked calmly into his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't." She turned and walked over to the large window that was across the room and looked out it with her arms wrapped protectively around herself.

Jerry took this all in with a shake of his head. He had never heard of an agent turn down a case, especially from the head of the bureau. Jeff Hendricks was not only the head of the WSB, but he was also very demanding and hard on his agents, you just didn't say no to this guy and walk away. Jerry had seen Hendricks blow is fuse to many un co-operating agents, most of whom no longer worked for the bureau. He sat back and waited for the fireworks. Jerry's jaw almost dropped open when Hendricks walked over to the woman and placed his hand on her shoulder. Both eyebrows shot up and he leaned forward in his seat very interested in what would happen now.

Jeff Hendricks owed a lot to this courageous woman standing in front of his window. He felt he knew her better than anyone elce, and that wasn't saying very much because she was still a mystery to him. She was very closed off and didn't let anyone get too close, but he had know her long enough to read more into what she let others see. He knew that she was upset for some reason, and that the file that he had shown her had something to do with it. He had seen the flash of surprise in her eyes before they returned to the cold, in control gaze that he knew so well. As he placed his hand on her shoulder he caught her eyes in the reflection of the mirror. She looked at him and whispered, "Please don't ask me to do this. You know that I would do anything for you, but you don't understand what your asking me to do." She seemed determined not to help him. Jeff knew once she made up her mind it was next to impossible to change it. He glanced at her face and decided to try his luck, he also had a feeling that she wanted to help him and just needed him to convince her. If she was dead set against this she would have been out the door by now. He started slowly, trying to make her understand why he needed her, and only her to help him. "Roni, you have to know that I would never make you do anything that you felt you couldn't do, but I need you for this. I have tried every other option. Jerry is my best agent, you are the best period. Together you can fix this, ya know save the world." He ran his fingers through his hair, "Hell, peoples lives are at stake here." Her head, that had been bowed, snapped up at this. "You need to decided Ron. Is this concern, or problem, or whatever the hell is it. Is it something you can get over and go in and do this job, or are you going to let it be the first thing that has ever kept you from helping me. I quite firmly believe that if you don't help, quite a few residents of Port Charles will unnecessarily die before Jerry, alone, can stop it." Hendricks looked in her eyes, the eyes that showed him nothing, and walked over to his desk to wait for her decision.

The room was silent for several long minuets. Then Roni turned and walked over to the desk. She picked up the file and then began to list her requirements, "I get complete and total control. What I, or Jerry, says goes. I don't want another agent in the area, hell city for that matter, If I see one I'm out of there. Their cases go on hold until mine is over if there is a catastrophe I will handle it. I want to be fully equipt, and I want a direct line right to you for my contact. I will call you and you only with my needs, wants, problems, or just to chit chat, understood?" Hendricks nodded as if he expected this and she continued. "I will read this file tonight, brief Jerry on anything elec you want me to know. We will take three days to prep, and you can use that get Port Charles cleared out." She tossed a piece of paper on the table and looked at Jerry for the first time since she had shook his hand. "Be there, tomorrow at 8:00 a.m." And with that she turned and walked out the door.

Neither of the men moved for several seconds. Hendricks looked up at Jerry and smiled at the expression on his face. Jerry shook his head and leaned back in his chair and asked "What the hell was that?" Hendricks laughed and replied, "That Mr. Jacks was The Falcon." Hendricks laughed again at Jerry's shocked expression. Jerry sat stunned and then stuttered, "F-F-Falcon?" Hendricks nodded rather please that he could be the one to unnerve this always in control agent "The one and only." He picked up the paper she had dropped on the desk and handed it to Jerry, "You better be on time."
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