West Richland Tavern.

[feistyphoenix]

"Looks like we don't have to go anywhere after all," Tess turned around and addressed Jack.

"I'm going to change but i'll be back down in a minute Alexa, thanks for dinner," she smiled and turned back to Jack,"you can start without me if you want. I'll only be a minute."

She continued up the stairs but by the time she got to the top her legs were screaming in pain. She winced and took a deep breath and tried to deal with it as she hobbled the rest of the way down to her room.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa smiled and set everything up at the bar. She smiled at DJ and blew him a playful kiss. She poured a glass of wine for Jack and Tess, smiling.

 

[FireyIce]

Jack could tell she was in some pain as he watched her going up the stairs. "How about I help you out," he said as he walked up behind her and picked her up. He took her to her room and gently set her down. "Are you sure you're ok?" he asked with a concern look on his face.

 

[raiguy]

DJ shook his head, laughing. He finished packing up, before making his way over to the bar. He pulled out some Evan Williams, and then a few things he'd need, before making his own version of a whiskey sour. He sat down, looked at Alexa, and winked playfully at her.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa chuckled and winked back before mixing up a Sex on the Beach for her, humming quietly.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Tess gasped in surprise as Jack easily lifted her up and carried her. He was stronger than he seemed at first.

"Thanks," she said softly after he set her down,"I just need to get off my feet. "

She walked gingerly to her closet and put away her shoes before grabbing yoga pants, a tank top, and a light blue t shirt. She headed into the bathroom slowly to change, it probably didn't matter since Jack had seen her naked but she didn't want him to think she was deliberately teasing him.

She emerged a couple of minutes later and put her work clothes on the bed. She slid on flip flops and tried to walk as normally as she could. Going downstairs would be fine, coming back up would be difficult later. She almost just wanted to stay in her room but she couldn't keep avoiding DJ and Alexa. Besides, Alexa was at least trying to make a peace offering.

"I'm ready I guess," she told Jack as she walked a little gingerly down the hall and started taking the stairs one at a time.

 

[raiguy]

DJ greeted Tess and the cop with a smile, sipping on his drink. He smiled again, before looking around. "We should serve freshly made drinks more often. Something about real fruit juice beats mixtures every time, or at least that's what I think," he said, a slight chuckle escaping him.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa rolled her eyes and gave Tess and Jack forks. "Anyone else want some?" she asked pleasantly.

 

[FireyIce]

Jack didn't take any offense to her not changing in front of him. He waited until she finished getting dressed and came back into her room. He could tell that she was still in some pain as she was walking. "Allow me," he said as he picked her back up and carried her down the stairs. "I'd hate for you to lose your balance and fall," he stated as he carried her over to the bar and helped her in her seat before he sat down.

Jack looked at the food and wine as he took a seat next to Tess. "Thank you for cooking, Alexa," Jack said. "It smells wonderful."

 

[celestialdragon]

"Wait until you taste it," Alexa said with a wink. "I got the urge to cook after work, and when the urge strikes, I do it."

 

[feistyphoenix]

"Thank you Jack, again,"she settled into the bar chair and stared at the plate of food, it was probably twice the amount she could eat by herself.

She sighed softly and took a bite, it was really good. Almost as good as her dad's.

"This is great," she said quietly while smiling, "thanks for cooking."

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa smiled back. "You're welcome, Tess," she said, just as quietly. "Please, eat all you can. Maybe we could sell it tomorrow, if Hannah will allow it?"

 

[FireyIce]

Jack started to eat his food, taking his time and savoring it. He could tell there was some tension between Tess and Alexa but decided not to ask about it. "So where did you get this recipe from, Alexa?" Jack inquired between bites. "If you don't mind me asking."

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa blushed a little. "My daddy's recipe," she confessed, smiling. "Daddy was the one who taught me how to cook, and this recipe was his. Never wrote any of them down, though. All up in here." She tapped her head and grinned.

 

[FireyIce]

"Well I could see a lot of people enjoying this food if it was served," Jack responded.

Jack looked over at Tess. "How do your legs feel?" he asked. He took a sip of his wine as he waited for her response.

 

[feistyphoenix]

"They're okay," she said, her voice held no emotion.

Everything was tense, she could tell Alexa was waiting for her to say something but she really wasn't in the mood. If she or DJ wanted to talk it might not end well.

 

[raiguy]

DJ chuckled at how tense everything was. He knew there would be a confrontation, but he was finally to the point where he didn't care when the talking would happen. The alcohol was definitely helping him relax, but he knew that it was up to Tess to start this, as she was the one who seemed to have the biggest problem.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa could tell Tess wasn't in the mood to talk, and that she was in pain. Reaching into a small bag she kept near in the bar, she withdrew a bottle full of naproxen and passed it to her. "It's stronger than ibuprofen, and it'll help with other things," she said softly. Her voice held a tone of understanding, patience, and apology. If Tess wanted to talk to her, she will when she's ready.

 

[FireyIce]

Jack finished his food as they continued talking. "Hopefully they stay that way. I have a good friend that can take a look at them if you ever want to," he offered.

"Thank you again very much for cooking, Alexa," he stated as he pushed his plate back a little bit and finished his wine.

 

[raiguy]

DJ looked at the cop, before moving behind the bar. "Would you like another glass, or anything else?" he asked, before looking around to see if anyone would like a drink. He poured himself a glass of water, downing it quickly, before fixing another one, sipping on it slowly, as he waited to see if he needed to fix anything else.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa smiled at Jack. "You're welcome, Jack," she said fixing herself a combination of cinnamon whiskey and scotch and sipping on that. "Would you like more?" she asked.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Jack finished his food as they continued talking. "Hopefully they stay that way. I have a good friend that can take a look at them if you ever want to," he offered.

"Thank you again very much for cooking, Alexa," he stated as he pushed his plate back a little bit and finished his wine.

"I just might take you up on that," she raised her eyebrows and nodded.

She finished what she felt like eating and then leaned back and put one arm across the back of Jack's chair, relaxing. She decided to just let everything be, she had perfectly legitimate reasons for being more than a little irritated. They could either suffer her silent treatment or talk about it, the tension didn't bother her.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa began to clean up, humming softly. She knew that the tension didn't bother Tess, and it was actually relaxing, and she felt better about the silent treatment and such. Tess will talk when she's ready, and, she wasn't about to push that.

 

[raiguy]

DJ turned to Tess, before sighing and rolling his shoulders. "You're pissed off at us, and until you talk to us about it so we can discuss everything, it's going to be tense at work. Now, we can either handle it like adults and address it, or be pissy with each other like we all were today. Your choice. You have the issue, so we need to hear what you have to say. If you don't want to talk right now, that's fine. Don't treat us like we are beneath you though, and make us stew and wait on you," he said, tired of dancing a two step all night because of this tension.

 

[FireyIce]

Jack waved his hand as DJ and Alexa offered him something to drink. "I'm good, thanks," he said. "Did you want me to leave so you three can talk about whatever it is you need to talk about?" he asked Tess. The last thing he wanted to be was intrusive since they were closed.