It's Just Our Fate

(Jackson’s POV)
The week had passed faster than I had expected. I was in L.A. for another hit, well it was more like what we in the business liked to call a “Double Header”. All I knew was that the two guys were white and they made a bad deal. I already took out one of them and was waiting for the other outside of his hotel. He was taking a damn long time, the target had walked in with a young girl, had to be at least a senior in high school. Who knew if they would actually come out or if I would have to pull an all nighter and figure out a way up to their room. I sat in my car in the parking lot, watching the doors to see if the target would ever come back out.

After awhile of just sitting there, my phone then began to vibrate.

I picked it up swiftly from the passenger’s seat as I kept my eyes towards the doors of the hotel. “Reed.”, I said blankly. At first there was no answer and then the sound came in all at once, “Hey hun!” I smiled a bit but then it vanished as I tried to focus, “Baby, I’m a bit busy right now can you call me in a few minutes.” I could hear her make her fake whimper as the target came out through the doors with his mistress in hand. “Baby I need to go.” I said suddenly. “But Ja-“

I hung up the phone before she could finish as I put the car into drive. The target, girl, and two bodyguards got into a limo and were already ahead of me. I swiftly drove out of there, following them close behind.

Lily would kill me, she hated when I did that, and she never bought my, “Oh honey the connection got to me.” Suddenly we got stopped at a red light, I quickly turned to get into the lane beside them and slowed down at the light. I could see movement beyond the tinted windows.

Once it turned green and the limo zoomed off, I quickly floored it, pulling out my rifle as I did. The window went down and I shot into the limo as it began to swerve. I could hear the girl scream and then saw the target fall to his side. He got hit twice from what it looked, at least the glimpse I saw from the broken glass.

I floored it all the way, escaping away from them all and the police cars that I began to hear. I turned from one street to the other until I slowed down, pulling into another Hotel.

I pulled the car into the hotel garage, parked it, rolled up my window, and got out of the car with my gun. I put the gun in the back of my jeans as always and made sure I had my phone just in case Lily decided to call again.

I walked around and went inside of the hotel, it was very fancy, something that Lily would like more than I would. Her and Rudy had pretty much the same tastes, and Rudy refused to let his highest assassins sleep in a motel.

“Room under Trumont.”, I said to the woman. She smiled at me and clicked her nails against the keys, “Oh, yes, here we are. Room 411 for a Mr. Trumont.” She handed the keys over to me, batting her eyelashes. I took the keys half-smiling to her and headed to the elevator.

I clicked on the 5th floor with the indication of “Rooms 400-425” next to it and waited as it began to ascend. I let out a breath, trying to think of ways to calm down Lily. The door dinged and I got out of it, heading down the hall, to my room.

She was going to be angry, I could feel it already but why would she call all of a sudden? I opened the door and walked in shutting and locking it behind me. I stripped off my jacket, tossing it on the desk and sat on the bed, pulling out my phone. I checked the time, it was 2:30 p.m.

Usually at this time Lily was still teaching at the school, how would she find a way to call? I mean… I guess she could call whenever, but usually it was only for important things.
I sighed, swallowing my pride and dialed her number in. She picked up after the first ring, “Jackson Reed.” She hissed lowly. I laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, “Baby, I’m sorry, I was in a meeting.” She exhaled angrily, “Sure… look I can’t talk now, I’m in a class.” I sighed, “Lily… Come on, now.”

I could hear a few students giggling and began to hear her calm down, laughing a little herself, “I just wanted to know when your plane was coming in, so I could pick you up, so we could just head out.”

I scratched my head for a moment, “Go where?” Lily hissed a bit, trying to keep her voice down, “The dinner with my father.. Today’s Wednesday, remember? You promised?” I smacked myself in the face, totally forgetting the whole thing.

“Oh Baby… Dammit, I’m so sorry.”, I said, “I won’t make it, I had to extend my stay, can we do it tomorrow?” I could hear the anger in her voice begin to rise, “No we can’t do it tomorrow, Jackson! My father leaves to New York for the next 2 months, starting tomorrow!”

I put a hand over my eyes trying to think of a way to fix things. I had to extend my stay with this assignment since the second target had vanished on me. It never occurred to me that it would overlap with the dinner, and my plan didn’t come until early tomorrow morning.

“Lily, I’m sorry… I can’t get there though. We can plan something else though and when I get back, I’ll take you wherever you want to go. I promise.” I said. She let out a long irritated sigh, “Just forget it Jackson.” And with that she hung up.

I slowly shut the phone, dropping it beside me on the bed, I was going to be in for it when I finally did return. I rubbed my eyes hard and let out an angry sigh. This meant a lot to her and I knew that, but I had to get these targets. There was no way I would be able to easily say, “But honey I had to kill these guys or else they would kill me, that’s why I’m late.”
I tried to relax and put myself into a deep slumber.
(End of POV)

Lily sat on the sofa, one knee up as she rested her coffee mug on top of it, slowly moving it in her hands as they cupped the sides. Max was asleep in the back in her art room, leaving the apartment silent, only the calming music of Mozart playing softly. Lily brought the mug to her lips, sipping it slowly as the door opened up.
Jackson came through, a duffle bag strap over his shoulder and suitcase in the other hand. He swiftly set the bags down, shutting the door slowly, and made his way to her.

Lily pulled her knee closer to her, mug still on top of it balancing carefully. Jackson slowly took off his leather jacket, letting it fall on the side of one of the sofa chairs as he slid down next to her on the couch. “No, ‘Welcome home’, or cookies?” He said jokingly.

Lily got up quickly, putting the mug down a little to roughly on the coffee table and stormed off to the back. “Ah, Lily, com’on!” Jackson shouted. Lily walked into the bedroom going straight to the closet pulling out a green suitcase. Jackson stayed in the door frame watching her as he rubbed his face, “Lil what are you doing?” he said exhausted.

“Leaving.” She said as she grabbed a bundle of clothes, forcing them into her suitcase. He put his forearms on either side of the door frame, leaning in slightly, “Babe, I was just joking. You know, ‘Hehe’ or ‘Haha’?” She pulled a sweater over her tank top, pausing to glare at him and then went into the bathroom. “Everything is a joke to you!” she hollered.

Jackson let his head hang and slowly brought it back up, sighing, “This is about the dinner, isn’t it?” Lily came back out and tossed her toiletries into the suitcase, furious, “No, it’s about you never being here! I’m always waiting on you, always!” She stormed back to the closet, picking up a few shoes, “And you’ve stood me up countless of times, but my father! My father, Jackson!”

Jackson walked towards her, rubbing the back of his head, “I know, I’m sorry.” He said reaching out to her. She pushed him away roughly, “No, you don’t just get to say ‘Sorry’ and have everything return back to normal.” Lily shook her head angrily, going back over to the suitcase, “I can’t stay here with you, I just can’t.”

Jackson grabbed a hold of her arms, pulling her close to him, “I know I’ve messed up, alright? I’ve given you plenty of reasons to leave me, just..” His face contorted as he swallowed hard, staring into her green eyes, “Just stick around for me… I’ll do better.”
Lily’s eyes began to line with tears, “I’m always sticking around… It’s you that isn’t.” She moved away from his grip as she shut the suitcase. They both stood there for a moment, listening as Mozart’s crescendo decided to hit. Jackson rubbed his chin hard, “So what? We’re done? Just like that?” Lily held the handle of the suitcase, “I need time to think Jackson. I can’t do any thinking here.”

She picked up the suitcase, wiping her eyes with her free hand, “I’ll be at Claire’s.” Lily slowly moved passed him, her footsteps light against the floors.

“No..” Jackson whispered to himself. He turned quickly, running towards the living room and turning to the front door as she began to open it. He slammed it shut as she turned to look at him, her hand still on the door knob, “Jackson..” she sighed. He trapped her between his arms as his hands pressed against the door to keep it closed, “No, Lily, it can’t just be like this. You’ve known how I work, you know I have to travel, I missed a dinner dammit. I can make it up to you, just don’t go.”

She shook her head up, her grip getting tighter around the door knob, “No, Jackson,” she said looking up at him, “I’ve told you how much I wanted to spend more time here, with me, to get to know my father. To just build on something between us but frankly… I don’t fit into your schedule.” Jackson shook his head, his jaw tightening as he listened to her, “Lily..” he whispered.

She looked away from him as she leaned her head into the door for a brief moment, “I just don’t fit..” Jackson moved closer to her, his body brushing against hers as he turned her face to his, “You are everything, you’ve been here already. You’ve always fit.” She shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek, “Here, in this place, sure but here,” she said putting a hand to his chest, “I don’t…”

He let his hands fall from her as he backed away slightly, “Li-“ he started to say. She put a hand up stopping him and opened the door, stepping out, “I need a few days… I’m not saying I’m through with you, cause I know that’s a lie..” she said as she looked away from him, “I just… I need a few days.” And with that she shut the door.

Jackson stared at the door, waiting for her to open it back up and wrap her arms around him. Say she didn’t have the strength to even leave a minute. Say she forgave him…She loved him.

He stayed like that, standing in front of the door, for another fifteen minutes. After that he threw a tantrum, throwing plates and flipping the coffee table. How he wanted to just tell her everything let her in, let her in on everything about him, just how he was. He made his way to the bedroom, Max barking about as he heard the commotion, and was about to shatter the mirror when he saw something.

In the highest left hand corner was a photo of them, one of the very first they had ever taken. They were in New York, bundled up in their jackets, Jackson’s arms wrapped around her as Lily’s arm outstretched with the camera. They were both laughing, a million people around them in times square. He pulled the picture from it’s spot and walked to the bed, falling onto it as he stared at the photo.

It was a good memory, a funny memory; so many people around on such a cold day and all Lily talked about was getting a picture at times square. He smiled slightly at the memory, how cold they both were, how just briefly she had almost fallen from a patch of ice.

He put an arm behind his head as he looked up at the photo, his smile slowly fading. He’d taken her up there, and that was great, but he was on an assignment. It was the closet Lily had ever been to such a thing. He had just got done killing a woman for trying to deal behind her boss’s back, it was just hours before he picked up Lily. He put the photo beside him as he forced his eyes shut.

He wanted to wake up in the morning, still in that damn hotel, getting ready to make it back home. And redo everything he had in this dream he was hoping he was living in.

Just one more time, one more redo.
Just one.