be my rock, jack/bea <3

the past week had been beyond hectic. pulling doubles, extra coursework, and even a very confusing conversation with james. leslie was physically and mentally drained. in a time like this there was really only one person she wanted to see, the one boy that could make her smile no matter what. jack bing. thanks to quick phone call and perfect timing he had promised to meet her at starbucks. leslie adored jack. no matter what mood she was in he had his own quirky way of getting her to let it out, or making her feel better without even trying. ordering a white chocolate frappe the small blonde decided to sit by the window her eyes wandering along with the people out on the streets of new york. her small hand wrapped firmly around the cup the warmth coursing through her slowly. a small smile played her lips as she leaned forward closing her eyes to inhale the delicious aroma. the smile only grew bigger as jack came into view. leslie practically jumped up from the table taking the boy by complete surprise. "thank you thank you thank you." she exclaimed, "i know i gave you like no notice but i could really use a pick me up jack, thank you." leslie wrapped her arms around his waist burring her head into his shoulder. the sense of calm was almost immediate and that was just one of the many things she loved about jack.

since before jack was even really aware of the beauty of the female form, he had had the biggest crush on leslie buffay. he knew he shouldn't and everything but she was always so cool and so easy to talk to and be himself around and so fun. and she was the epitome of a goddess at the very least in jack's mind and he had made no plans at all to change that decision. in fact, since anna and him had broken up, he had been hanging out with leslie more, he knew it was silly. she was twenty two and on the verge of her entire life and he was just finishing high school, she would never look at him like that but a boy could still hold out some hope. one day the four and a half year age difference wouldn't even be a big deal. if he was thirty five and she was thirty nine, it was like nothing. so as much as jack had been committed to his girlfriends in the past and more than likely would be for the rest of his life, leslie buffay was the living breathing version of his princess leia. he wasn't sure if she was aware of it, course she had been when they were younger and he had had no skill whatsoever but he had worked hard at maturing and becoming a friend for her, hoping that doing so would allow him access to become more than a friend but who knew? it did however mean, that regardless of what he had going on or what was planned or who he had to let down, he would be there for leslie always. and that was why he was almost skipping along to starbucks, she had called him and wanted to see him, it was getting to the confidant stage and that mattered to him, she mattered to him hugely. and he loved the way she jumped up and got so excited to see her, not missing a beat as his arms instantly surrounded her small frame and enjoyed the hug, he loved the scent of her shampoo but he never mentioned it or actively tried to smell it, he had come too far to fall back now. "let me go grab an americano and i'll be right back." almost having to pull himself away as he released her and got in line to order his drink before returning to the table with a muffin for them to share also and taking the seat opposite. "so i am assuming there has been a dramatic turn of events in your life and this is why you require my wise beyond my years wisdom?" he said with a goofy grin, trying to pull off a posh accent which just made it sound all the more hilarious.

leslie could feel the warmth of his body she she squeezed him. he was only seventeen but towered over her slightly so her head rested on his chest, hearing his heart beat. slowly she dropped her arms to her side, pushing her bottom lip out. "fine but hurry back" she teased as she turned to sit back down at the table. lesie watched him, taking a small straw out of the tray on the table. she stirred her coffee slowly. jack was the guy that had always been there for her, not matter what it was she was able to talk to him about everything. he had known about james, she even confided in him about the terrible ending. part of her felt awful for not telling him about the check that lead to their demise, but that was something she has always wanted to keep to herself. a sigh escaped her lips as she picked up her coffee taking a careful sip. leslie forced a smile to her lips as jack took the seat in front of her. "dramatic yes." she informed him sticking her tongue out playfully, "but i require your beyond years wisdom in almost everything i do, you should know this." she teased taking another sip of her coffee. "so i talked to james." the smile disappeared from her lips as she stared down at her coffee, slowly bringing up her gaze to watch jacks reaction. leslie took in a deep breathe trying to figure out what to say next. "we had a pretty decent conversation actually, but i don't really know whats going to happen now." she began closing her eyes, "the point is i told him exactly what happened and i don't think he took it well. i never even told you what really happened and i'm sorry for that jack."

jack was there for leslie for everything, no matter how weird or uncomfortable it sometimes made things for him. he was pretty sure she had no idea that his crush was still in full blown, you are a goddess mode. somehow dating anna had helped with this, when they had been together, it helped leslie take him seriously and treat him less like a kid. but it wasn't just that, the pair of them saw things the same way and leslie was a triplet which was as powerful as jack being a twin so she never questioned him on things when it came to forgiving erica or standing up for his sister because she got it, she understood that bond and that was so important to him. he loved spending time with her, he loved being around her and he was happy to shift his whole world to allow him to do so, proof of which was everything he moved around to meet her today. he wasn't sure if anyone else knew of his crush, he had a feeling erica knew but his twin knew better than to question him, he got embarrassed easily and nervous easily and it had taken him a long time to overcome it and feel comfortable around the beautiful blonde across from him in the first place. "oh?" he heard himself question in a curious tone, one that fitted a friendly tone with interest, or at least he hoped it did and that the jealousy he felt for the male in his friend's life who looked like he could be on billboards and acted like a complete ass - at least in jack's obviously biased opinion he did. "okay." he wasn't sure he followed, and he was still wishing to pout like a child, not wanting stupid james back in her life. "well it's okay if you don't want to tell me. i'm your friend." he said reaching across the table and placing his hand over hers. "i don't have to know everything to still be your friend, but if i did or didn't, i'd still be your friend." he sounded like an idiot from a movie. "what is it that has you worried right now les?" trying to sound confident and more like an adult and like what she needed.

les rolled her eyes bringing the warm cup up to her lips. " it was more of like i didn't know how to tell you." she explained placing the cup back on the table. leslie stared at jack for a moment, taking in her words. jack had been her best friend for years now. they were like two peas in a pod. he was the guy she could confide all her secrets to, and she was the girl he could ask advice out of. in the begining their relatioship had been rocky, with jack having a slight crush on her, but he grew into himself and eventually outgrew the school boy crush. "well lets just says jame's dad didn't like me much, and wound up offering me a small fortune to leave james, but before you get any ideas i never cashed the check." the words were out of her mouth before she could even figure out a better way to put it all together. at this point leslie felt as if she'd practically lied to everyone, or at least hide the truth. she took another sip of her coffee, "that's what i had to tell james today, i don't really know what changed my mind. i just.. i just couldn't hide the truth anymore." leslie reached over for a napkin, tearing it into small pieces in her lap. "it amazes me." a small smile formed on her lips as the memory of the park replayed in her mind. "it amazes me that ater everything i told him, everything i showed him he still wanted me." les took in a deep breath looking up at jack, "do you think that makes me crazy?" she asked closing her eyes for a moment. "i'm just nervous, he said he was going to fix it jack. but in orer to do that he has to stand up to his dad, and trust me his dad is terrfying..."

jack wanted to focus on being a good friend, he knew that was what leslie needed but sometimes it was hard and he found himself tensing as he realised this was all about james. good looking, loaded, smartass james. james who would never and could never understand leslie the way jack did. of course, by this stage he was more than used to the friend thing. him and anna had sort of been a fluke, they just were the same people and liked the same things, from watching his parents, he knew that relationships weren't supposed to be exactly like that. there had to be passion as well as comfort, him and anna had never had that, there had never been a honeymoon phase or even a tear as they split. and as much as jack knew that leslie appreciated his friendship and cared about, she still saw him like a little kid, like baby brother, not in the way that would ever make her consider that jack could make her weak at the knees. under his breath, he cursed archer because as hilarious as jack found one of his best friends, he also knew that archer kind would never be in this position, he would take ownership, he would be a man and he would charm his way into leslie's pants - why couldn't he do that? "wow, that's...uh big." he said, wanting desperately to mention how more than likely james would become his father because more boys did but felt that now was not the time and also he couldn't actually bear to hurt leslie either. and she seemed like telling him this was a big thing and he was also a little upset she hadn't told him sooner, it wouldn't have changed how he thought or felt about her. "no. you're not crazy. at least not bad crazy, you've always been good crazy but that's one of the things i love about you." he told her honestly, forcing himself into the best friend role even though he was getting so sick of this eternal friend zone. "james is a big boy, i'm sure he can handle himself, and if he can't then he'll come over in tears and give up his fortune or something awfully romantic to be with you and you'll get some sort of happy ending that way?" jack hoped his tone didn't sound as bitter as it did in his head as he told her this.

wow.. that's uh big leslie nodded knowing it was a lot to take in. her eyes searched hi s looking for any sign of what could be going on in his head. she examined jack carefully, taking in his features. he had a strong jawline, a little stubble that made him mature past his years, and the prettiest eyes she had ever seen. not that she would say any of that to jack. he was attractive, any girl would be stupid not to see it and to this day leslie though jack's ex was ridiculous for leaving. sometimes les had to catch herself, she asked herself what if one to many times. what if she hadn't met james? what if jack had been older? what if she hadn't met jack? leslie had probably spent far to much time laying on her bed thinking of all the what if's in her life, and truthfully it was exhausting. les couldn't help but laugh slightly, "aww only one of the things?" she teased attempting to bring herself back to reality, "you know i always though crazy was an unattractive trait." leslie bit down on her bottom lip playfully acting as if she was giving this some real thought, "you know i think i could love my kind of crazy to after thinking about it." leslie took a sip of her coffee sticking her tongue out at jack. leslie pursed her lips together as jack continued to speak. her eyes landed in her lap giving the thought playing in her head. what if james did give up everything for her? what if she did ruin his life in the end just as his dad said? leslie shook the thought out of her head forcing herself to look up at jack. "i'm sure he can handle it, but you and i both know i wouldn't let him give up anything for little old me." she forced a mile to her lips trying to regain the playful mood of the conversation, "that's just far to much jackie you should know me better then that."

jack wasn't really sure what to say, he felt like that when it came to leslie sometimes and it was harder now that anna was no longer part of his life, it didn't give him anything to focus on or think about. tonight when he lay in his bed praying for sleep, he'd be imagining leslie's lips and how exactly it would feel to kiss her. part of him almost wished he could just once and for it to not be that good, for something to be missing, just enough for him to get over this insane fascination he had with the amazingly cool, crazy and beautiful girl sitting across from him who was so clearly out of his league and could not be less than interested in him. "trust me, you're kind of crazy is the best kind of crazy and the addictive kind." he couldn't help but throw compliments at her, it came naturally and she had to expect it and at least these could be shaded by the fact that he was her friend in some way. chuckling as she stuck her tongue out while his mind reminded him that was just another thing he loved about her, her epic cuteness. jack envied james and he knew that was his issue with the conversation right now, he wished that he could get leslie to see him that way or to think of him that way and sooner or later he was going to have to face facts and realise it wasn't going to happen and if she was happy wasn't that enough? he did want her to be happy, more than anything, even if it wasn't with him, she deserved to be happy and they were friends before anything else and friends wanted good things for each other. "just because you wouldn't like it or allow it, doesn't mean he won't do it." jack advised, personally he thought if the guy cared about her as much as he should it would be a natural instinct. "i know i'd do it for you, in a heartbeat." he said softly, his eyes concentrated on his coffee as he took a drink and then looked up at her with a goofy smile, covering his feelings, "if i felt about you how we are assuming james' feels." that covered him - didn't it? he hoped so.