"Where are we? What the hell is going on? The dust has only just began to form. Crop circles in the carpet. Sinking, feeling."- Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap

Episode : Episode 8 "Hide and Seek" to listen on the theme song please click here.
Written By: Kelly Zollo

Scene 1: 1421 Firestone Cir., West Lake, NY

Cade hasn't given him any information about whether Vanessa and Brian have or haven't take a step forwards or backwards-it is the only thing going through Jacob Donovan''s mind, as he stares up at the Harvell's front door. It is New Year's and he can hear the music from Sharon's party ringing out in the winter air, as he sits in his car hands on the steering wheel. He has been sitting outside for the last twenty minutes turning the car on and off to keep heat coming in, as he debates about going up to the front door to just talk to Vanessa himself. Stopping himself every time he reaches for the door handle to remind himself that it is New Year's and that he should be at his own families party or that she will slam the door in his face for good measure.

Taking a sigh he lowers his head, turning off the car and getting out of the car, bundling his wool coat to keep warm. He trudges through the snow and up the walk towards the house, hoping he is at least invited in. He reaches his bare finger out to ring the bell and remembers why he wears gloves in January in upstate New York, as his finger shakes from the cold against the plastic. He can hear laughing in the hallway, as the door comes open and he comes face to face with Vanessa unsure of what to say as he stares at her from the doorway shifting his feet. He can tell that she is a bit shocked to see him, as she bites her bottom lip that or she is just pissed at him and wants to slam the door in his face, holding his breath before she speaks.

"Come on in, get out of the cold."

Vanessa had been in the middle of reminiscing with her family and introducing Brian to her father when she heard the doorbell, wanting to feel productive as she let everyone know that she would get it. She instantly regrets that decision, starring at Jacob Donovan in her doorway looking at her with sad eyes, worse eyes that know how to get under her skin and guilt trip her into listening to him. She nearly closes the door in his face only to stop and remember that it is New Year's, remembering that for as long as she can remember Jake has always been welcome as extended family. Her judgment wins out and she has already invited him in watching him knock the snow off of his boots before stepping onto the hardwood floors.

He kicks his boots against the concrete on the steps before stepping into the foyer, hands at his sides as he looks at her again.

"You look great," he finally offers glancing up and down at her.

She nods her head at him, the statement instantly kicking in guilt that she isn't sure she is supposed to be feeling at the moment. She and Brian have already crossed the line between friendship and an actual relationship. She doesn't regret it, she wants to move on with her life with someone that she can trust and depend on, someone that is going to be there for her; yet she can't shake the guilt. She opens her mouth to let him know that now, really isn't the best time to only be cut off as he begins to speak again.

"I was hoping we could talk about what happened at the party about everything, the accident, us. I shouldn't have just jumped at you it wasn't the time or the place, I was upset about the book and about what it is doing to my family,' Jake offers, pausing for a bit, the music filtering in as well as Garrett's voice from the living room. 'I'm glad your dad is home my mom told me. I meant to come by a few weeks ago, but Christmas happened and we went to go see my grandparents. How's he doing?"

She is certain that her heart melts a bit as he asks about her dad, someone that she knows that he has always cared about, "He's doing good, he's glad to be home, we're all just adjusting to it."

He doesn't know what to offer her other than a nod before looking back at the ground, taking a breath before looking back up at her. Hoping that she isn't going to shove him backwards towards the door, hoping that there is still something that can be salvaged between them. She doesn't even want to think about the day Hannah died today, not when she is supposed to be ringing in the New Year. She also doesn't want to talk about her feelings for Hannah's older, charming brother that she thought she loved years ago.

"Can we go somewhere and talk?"

"Now is really not a good time," Vanessa begins only to stop as Brian makes his way into the foyer.

Jake doesn't know what to think, as he watches Brian McAllister wrap his arm around Vanessa's waist before looking back at her. He knows that he shouldn't feel angry at her, she's not even really his anymore but part of him can't help it. The other part wants to finish wailing on Brian in the Harvell's foyer as a follow up to punching Brian in the face a few weeks back, if anything it would make him feel better. Vanessa doesn't really know what to do, or why she is racking her brain for an explanation about what is going on with her and Brian, nor does she get a chance before Brian speaks.

"Everything all right? We were all just waiting for you to get back. I was about to tell everyone about mother coming up to meet you in a few weeks," Brian says, hoping that Jake at least picks up on the meaning behind his words without him having to explain it.

Jake pauses for a moment, a small smile at the joke that is now on him about everything going on between them, about his foolishness in thinking that there was anything left or that could be left between himself and Vanessa. He offers them one final glance before tossing his hand up at her before stalking to the door, opening it and slamming it behind him on the way out. Not bothering to look back and catch the slight tears in Vanessa's eyes at his retreat.

Scene 2: San Diego, CA

Callie and Tyler have been chasing a ghost for the last few weeks, as they finally pull into the driveway of the two story home in California on New Year's Eve. If anything running around the country tracking Ethan Leavitt had been thrilling for Callie at least. She has gotten to know how deeply Hannah's death effected Tyler and how important it is to him to actually find something in her case. She had doubts before, but now she like him is even more convinced that there is something more going on, something bigger and she doesn't like where things are pointing either. Evidence and what they have discovered is pointing right back to West Lake, to the district attorney's office and his father; the strangest twist in all of it according to her.

She has known Alan Donovan for years, she had seen first hand how devastated he was when Hannah died and the thought that he could be behind something more sinister doesn't sit well with her. If Alan knew something more about the accident, that meant that he had let her sister rot inside of a prison cell for years knowing the truth knowing something that he had chosen to lie about. She gets out of the car with Tyler and she follows him up to the door, waiting for a few seconds as he offers her a small smile and then rings the doorbell hoping for the best. The man that answers she is certain is Ethan Leavitt, she has memorized his picture over the last few weeks. Her hope up like Tyler's is for answers about everything that they have uncovered.

"Ethan Leavitt?" Tyler asks, the man looks at him for a moment before nodding.

"I'm Tyler Donovan, this is Callie Morris. We're sorry to intrude on you in the middle of New Years but we were wondering if we could talk to you about the case involving my sister Hannah?"

Ethan takes a look around the front porch looking to see if anyone else is with them before dropping his head and nodding holding the door open for them. Tyler thanks him and follows him inside the house to the man's office. He has a family a wife, two girls from what he can tell and a few friends over enjoying some food in the kitchen and laughing and he feels terrible for intruding. Once inside the office, Ethan goes to the file cabinet to shuffle through some paperwork before turning back to them, his face grim as he hands Tyler the file.

"I figured someone would track me down asking about it. You're her brother, you look like your father. I was young at the time, fairly new on the force Grace was pregnant with our second child. Richard told me to alter the documents, he had found out that I had some outstanding gambling debts. He was going to take it to the chief, it was never supposed to get so out of hand, by the time trial came I was certain that he had paid off the jury as well,' Ethan says, knowing it is a poor excuse before he looks at Callie. 'You're Vanessa's sister."

Tyler has been flipping through the paperwork over the accident hoping to not find anything implicating a cover up involving the car accident and his sister, his hopes are dashed as he reads the official document. The brake lines had been cut, seat belt's tampered with, the blood alcohol level in Vanessa's blood work also tampered with showing traces of Ecstasy in her blood stream. It doesn't end there as he goes over the findings on his sister, high levels of Ecstasy along with alcohol, verifying that everything was sent to Richard to final review, also a note about the camera being turned over to his father. Something more happened the night his sister died he is sure about it now, did Vanessa really drink? If she did why were the test altered to show that she had been over the limit? Was it to cover up the drugs?

The realization makes Tyler pause for a moment looking at Callie, as he hands her the file for her to look at seeing her face blanch in color at the implications of the file, wondering why his father would want to cover it up. He loved Hannah, but if Vanessa wasn't truly at fault he could see no reason why his father would conspire with Richard Weston to hide the fact let alone put Vanessa behind bars. Given how close his sister was to Vanessa and Cade, how close Vanessa had been to his brother, to him it made no sense and part of him still couldn't believe it. He looked up at Ethan when he spoke, as Callie handed the file back to him.

"It never sat right with me that Richard wanted to ignore the pieces of the case that I thought were missing. The camera inside the car, the tampering of your sister's car, the drugs. I did what I was told to do to save my job, after the trial Grace and I moved out here. I kept the files just in case someone came asking, Richard had wanted them shredded but I couldn't bring myself to do it.' Ethan says, pausing as his wife called to him from the house. 'I hope it helps."

Tyler nodded his head, as Ethan went to the door to hold it open for them to leave, walking them up to the front door and opening it. He heard his wife call again and let her know that he would just be a few more moments.

"I'm sorry for how out of hand it got. I hope it helps you two piece together what really happened that night. To give everyone some peace. My wife is calling again, goodnight." Ethan says, shaking Tyler's hand before closing the door behind him as he goes back inside the house.

Scene 3: 671 Hillcrest St., West Lake, NY

Kate Porter looks out the window of her mother's house, in the middle of the annual New Year's Eve party that she holds for the hospital staff, nursing her glass of wine and watching the snow fall outside. She and Cade, haven't spoken in weeks and she is sure now that it is over for them and surprisingly she doesn't really seem that broken up about it, she knew it was coming and has for a while. She's not Hannah for him, more so she can't keep dealing with his secrets or worse his disappearing act that he likes to pull when he is feeling the need for space, she can't do back and forth. She watches the light dance on the snow a hint of warm glitter in the reflection, a reminder of happier times in her life when it was her and her friends on New Year's Eve, drinking and partying.

She doesn't party anymore and she hasn't for years, having Vanessa slam through glass and Hannah drown in the lake enough to jolt her to her senses that drugs, drinking and partying had consequences. More so the guilt that she feels for the reason that Vanessa and Hannah were in the car in the first place creeps up on her, wondering if Liz knew the truth at the rehearsal dinner. Her thoughts have been drifting to Austin and Liz over the last few weeks, even if she knows that she isn't supposed to be thinking about her ex as much as she is, he is getting married in a few weeks. She pauses for a moment to break out of her thoughts to take a sip of her wine and glance up when her brother places a hand on her shoulder with a faint smile.

"You look a million miles away," Shane states, as he joins his sister at the window.

Shane Porter has not returned Paige's calls over the last few weeks, he hasn't seen or spoken to her since witnessing her wrapped up in some strangers arms, he is just ready to be done with it now. He has been for moths, a realization he came to after processing the kiss in his mind a few hours later with a fine bottle of whiskey in his apartment, Paige was never going to stick with him. Paige didn't commit, it wasn't in her nature she had warned him about it early on, he probably should have just listened to her and kept it causal with just sex. If he had he wouldn't be where he was now, hurt and angry, feeling like an idiot for actually wanting more with her.

He didn't have other plans for New Year's, Tyler was out of town with Callie chasing ghosts with the accident that had killed his sister, Hannah. So that left him to attend his mother's annual party. He is now glad that he has come, meeting a few people from work he probably wouldn't have met in between his odd shifts, it is also keeping his mind off everything that has happened with Paige. He spotted his sister from across the room, a far away look in her eyes as she looked out the window, curious as to where Cade was he hadn't seen him all night. He grabbed a glass of wine and then made his way to her placing a hand on her shoulder and offering her the best smile that he could to raise her spirits.

"I was just thinking, back on happier times. Where's Paige?" Kate asks, quietly concerned.

Shane offers her a shrug before turning to look out the window with her, "We're taking sometime apart for a bit. We want different things. Cade?"

Kate nods her head slowly at her brother for a bit, sad to hear about the state of his relationship. She had hoped that Page would change her mind when they began dating.

"Cade is spending New Year's with his family. I'm sorry about you and Paige, I know that you really wanted something good to happen from it," Kate offers, touching Shane's shoulder gently for a moment.

"We're quite the sad pair, aren't we? Sitting her watching snow fall contemplating the downfall of our love lives," Shane asks hoping to add a hint of humor or reflection into the situation.

Kate knows that she is contemplating many things at the moment, her relationship with Cade being one of them the rest really being about the accident and Austin's pending marriage. She's not sad about her and Cade, she really can't be he has always been up front with her about caring for her, she is more concerned with her questioning herself with how she feels about Austin. How she feels about Liz's secret  that she is keeping from Austin and wondering if she should tell, wondering if it is even her place to say anything.

"It's not that bad, we get to ring in the New Year with each other and mom. I can't really complain about that Shane," Kate says, focusing back on the window.

Shane follows her lead as he looks out the window at the falling snow hoping that it is indeed, a better time for them as a way bring in the new year into their lives.

Scene 4: 1962 Parkview Ln., West Lake, NY

Alan Donovan and Karen Donovan have thrown their New Year's Eve party for the last twenty years, except for the last three years, at their estate most of West Lake is in attendance as well as the staff at the publishing company. However, it is the first party in a few years that none of their children are in attendance at, the first party in which Sharon and Garrett are not in attendance. Karen is across the room, showing some sort of light to herself in months according to her husband. He was shocked that she had even wanted to throw a party let alone invite most of the town, they haven't had a party in a few years mainly due to the accident and not wanting visitors. She even invited James and Bridgette, who are across the room with Austin and Elizabeth. Jacob has disappeared from the party, Tyler has been out of contact with him for weeks something that is currently concerning him.

Bridgette turns around to look at him for a moment, her eyes filled with a slight longing and a sadness that he has seen for many years, something that he has tried on more than one occasion to fix. He thanks the staff waiter who comes by to ask him if he would like a refill of his brandy, pausing for a moment contemplating about going over to say hello to Bridgette and James, stopping short when Richard Weston makes his way towards him from Jessica. He can tell by the look on his face that something is wrong, something that he is sure that he doesn't want any part of. His suspicions are confirmed as Richard politely asks Karen if they can talk in private, assuring her that they will not be long. He assures his wife the same before heading with Richard into the study.

"We have a problem, they found Leavitt. A contact of mine called to let me know this morning that they tracked down the address. The state attorney is ready to start looking through my files,' Richard says, getting straight to the point.

Richard has known that this day was coming for a while, the day that someone would look further into Vanessa's trial and Hannah's death, discovering something bigger he just didn't think it would be so soon. He had thought that she wouldn't get parole, that they would have more time to cover their tracks better to protect themselves, to protect those that they cared about. Instead the heat is on his back because she is out earlier than expected, Alan's son got a little to nosey about his sister's accident and he doesn't have all the answers for his boss. The media scrutiny due to the book release that Brian McAllister is releasing is not helping the matter any, if anything it is making it worse.

His daughter and Marla are both after him to pull some sort of strings to get Vanessa back out of their lives, unfortunately he is not a magician on the matter and until she breaks her parole there is nothing that he can do. According to the state of New York, Vanessa Harvell has paid for her crime by doing part of her entire sentence and based on a few letters of recommendation was deemed ready to head back to society. He runs a hand over his face as he heads to the wet bar, watching Alan digest the information about Tyler finding Ethan Leavitt, pouring himself a brandy. Taking a drink before glancing out the window as the snow begins to fall, reflecting on how deep of a whole he and Alan are now in due to some stupidity a few years ago.

"I told him to stop looking into it,' Alan says, taking seat behind his desk, running his hands over his face.

Richard turns around and looks at him, "Apparently Tyler had other plans, I don't think it helped that Callie has been helping him or encouraging him."

Alan is silent for a moment again, taking sigh before rising from his chair to look out the window.

"I'll talk to him again hopefully I can talk to some sense into him do you think Leavitt kept anything?"

Richard ponders the question for a bit before looking at him, "I wouldn't put it past him. I got him out of town to keep quiet, doesn't mean he is going to stay that way."

Alan doesn't know how it came to this the lies piling up to the point where he isn't even sure that he knows the difference between what really happened that night and a lie that Richard has spun. Richard had promised years ago that it would stay under wraps, that the truth about what happened that night would stay buried, years later he realizes he has made a grave error in keeping it hidden. Guilt had snuck up on him, with his involvement of the case leading him to write the letter to the parole board, something he is certain will only now do more harm than good now that Vanessa is out. He is still waiting with Richard and the others with bated breath for her to remember what happened, exposing them all for their past crimes and he would rather that not happen at all.

"I'll talk to Bridgette about getting James to drop the book release from Brian McAllister. It might get the heat off for a bit, give Tyler time to calm down and stop looking. Give us all some time,' Alan finally offers, already feeling the walls closing in on them.

He can hear Karen's voice in the hallway and knows he has to get back to the party, that if he and Richard spend anymore time together inside the office people will begin to talk and gossip. Given his wife's mood over the last few weeks, he doesn't want to change that or to pressure it more than he has to and he would rather her party go off without a scene or worse her hitting the bottle again. Richard nods his head at the suggestion, hoping he can keep his boss at bay for a few more weeks until he figures out a new game plan to save himself and the rest of them. Tyler is smart, he knows that now, if running him off the road didn't stop him he is certain that stopping the book from coming out will do notheing either, for now he is content to let Alan think he has the upper hand.

Setting the glass down at the bar Richard casts one final glance at Alan, smiling at Karen as he exists the office.

Scene 5: 1421 Firestone Cir., West Lake, NY

Cade Harvell had watched the scene unfold between his sister, Brian and Jacob from the doorway of the living room, unable to move forward and tell Vanessa everything that he has been able to confirm about Brian. He hasn't seen his sister this happy in years, he hasn't seen her this settled in years and he knows that his has to do with her relationship with Brain over the last two years. He isn't even sure if a few small inconsistencies are enough to write Brian off or get his back up over, even if Jacob had stormed into his office demanding something be done about the situation. He offers his sister, a slight touch on her shoulder as she walks by hoping to let her know despite his absence over the last few weeks he is still there for her, how could he not be they are twins. He contemplates going out the door to chase Jacob down, to explain that now is just not the time for him to be popping around and confusing his already confused sister.

Instead he glances back inside the living room as Brian makes the announcement that his mother is going to be making a trip to West Lake to meet Vanessa and her family; part of his story that he can confirm is not a lie, he does have a mother. He watches as, his stepmother Sharon holds up a hand as the house phone rings and Callie's voice comes over the speakerphone wishing them all a happy New Year and letting them know she will be home tomorrow from California. His father casts a glance over at his stepmother and for once he thinks that they are getting back to normal, that his stepmother has forgiven him for keeping the secret. He looks up when his aunt comes over and hands him a glass of champagne, to ring in the celebration in style.

"Your mom would be proud of you Cade, for what you did with your father,' Langston offers her nephew.

Langston has always been welcome at the Harvell's party even when Garrett was gone Sharon always extended the invitation to include her, making sure that she was involved with her niece and nephew and by extension now, Callie. She knows that Sharon will never replace Leann to her it's simply isn't possible Leann was her sister, but since Sharon took over the role of mother for her sister's children they have gotten close. She knows that deep down Leann would have wanted her son to help his father, to help Garrett get the help he needed when he broke down after Vanessa was sentenced to prison. Deep down it was the only thing that she knew would make Cade lie to Sharon and Callie about where Garrett was, he had done it to protect the family.

Over the years she has seen her nephew transform into the young man that she knew that Leann would have been proud of diligent, hard working, protective of his family and loving despite losing Hannah. Greg, is due at the party a bit later in the evening and for now she is enjoying the alone time between herself, Cade and Vanessa, since her nieces' release she has got to see a great deal of growth. She is still trying to figure out where her niece is standing with being released, trying to decide if she approves of Brian for her niece, the scene with Jacob Donovan not helping her choose. Leann would have approved of Jacob for her daughter, she isn't quite so sure that her sister would approve of Brian, an outsider to West Lake and their community.

"I'm not sure about proud Aunt Langston. He was in a bad place, I just wanted to do something to help him."

Langston thinks over the statement, pausing to look around the room for Kate Porter, "Is Kate going to stop by later? I haven't seen her in a while."

"She's spending New Year's at her mothers,' Cade offers.

Langston remains silent at the statement, she knew that her nephew took Hannah's death hard all of them had, to her however that doesn't negate that he and Kate have spent the last two years growing together. They look good to each other, they make each other smile, she hasn't seen him like this in years and she knows that it is due to Kate-even if he doesn't want to admit it. She thanks one of the waiters that Sharon has hired, as they pass her handing her and Cade a glass of champagne before she casts a glance back in the living room at her niece with Brian. Cade follows her gaze in time to see his sister show a wide grin, something that he really hasn't seen in years before taking a drink of the amber liquid from the glass.

"I know your mother would have loved Kate, loved to see you as happy as you have been with Kate. Don't lose that Cade, it is a quality that men of your standing rarely hold,' Langston offers, before waling away to join the rest of the family in the living room.

Cade stands there for a bit mulling over his aunt's words, realizing that he needs to stat focusing back on the present with Kate and not the past with Hannah, to become the man that his mother would have wanted him to be. He isn't sure if he will be good at it or not as everyone counts down, but he knows that he has to try, when they all reach Happy New Year he takes another drink of his champagne and he meets Sharon's eyes from across the room. Seeing the silent forgiveness in his stepmother's eyes for lying to her, for the first time in months he can breath easy.

Scene 6: 1962 Parkview Ln., West Lake, NY

Jessica Robbins has been waiting with a bated breath for Jacob to return or at least show up to his families party, she has been mingling with the required guests and of course keeping an eye on her father and Alan Donovan. Her father will make things better he always has, ever since she had threatened to expose some of his secrets years ago and they began their father and daughter relationship. He is good at cleaning up her messes, or making problems disappear even though he has yet to get Jacob to make a move towards a more solid foundation for them. He'll come around she is sure of it, he'll see Vanessa for who she truly is the woman that killed his sister, she also has it on good authority that Brian and Vanessa have sealed the deal.

She has been in contact with Ryan Davison on and off for years, they met years ago while she was in California discovered that they had a mutual dislike for absent parents and assigned boarding schools.  If anything finding out that his precious Vanessa is sleeping with the man out to gain a few bucks off of his dead sister, should set Jacob in the right direction, if that doesn't work she has a few more tricks up her sleeve. She wants to be loved and accepted by someone, someone that she has been with for years and she wants Jacob to feel the same way about her. Right now, Vanessa is more of an annoyance opposed to anything when it comes to that goal in her life, a chapter that she is intent on closing no matter the casualties that come with it. She sees Jacob finally enter the party, his face sullen and a smile spreads on her face, as she makes her way over to him.

"You all right?" Jessica asks, her tone sincere masking the glee that she is feeling placing a hand on his chest to stop him from entering the party.

Jacob doesn't know why he was so upset about finding out about Brian and Vanessa but he had been, enough to drive around for the last hour stopping by to his sister's watery grave to ask for advice. Not really getting an answer out of the water, just a slight breeze as he let her know how sorry he was for abandoning Vanessa in the first place, how much of a disappointment that he feels like he has been. He had stayed there for half an hour, finally pulling himself together to show up at his parent's party, sitting in the driveway for a bit before getting out of the car. He choose to walk around the back of the estate, hoping to sneak in the back door, say hello to his mother and then leave his plan is thrown off, as Jessica corners him in the library room.

He can hear the glasses outside the room, as she moves in on him placing her hand against his chest, he is certain that he looks like a mess and she can tell, inching her body closer to his to hug him. His hands automatically embrace her out of habit, out of years of leaning on her, on seeking comfort from her to escape the guilt that has over ridden his life, he pulls back a few seconds later to look at her. She is beautiful any man would want her company, would appreciate her company but he doesn't love her, he cares about her but he doesn't love her, she has simply been a replacement. He shakes the thoughts from his head for a bit, facing the reality of the situation at what he learned from earlier in the evening, Vanessa has moved on.

"It's been a long night. I was going to stop in and say hi to my mom and then head out,' Jake offers, looking at her hoping that will be the end of the discussion.

Jessica can tell the he knows, his face is crestfallen like someone has run over his puppy in the middle of the road, she knows that she should feel horrible but she can't bring herself to feel sorry about it, instead she is elated. She has been waiting for this moment for years, the moment that he would be vulnerable enough to just let go and now it is before her, staring her up and down using his mother as an out. She sits her champagne glass down on the side table, reaching her hands out again to the back of his neck to move close to him, in an attempt to comfort him. She expects him to struggle against her touch, expects him to tell her that they are no longer an item he made that perfectly clear, instead he just stands there and she realizes she has him exactly where she wants him, in her clutches.

"I'm sorry,' Jessica offers, placing her lips gently against his neck.

Jake knows that he shouldn't be standing there in the library, tangled up with her it will do them no good, they will go back to friends after it is done, but he can't help it tracing his hands up her sides. He should be walking past her and into his mother's party, being firm with her that he doesn't want her to get the wrong idea about them or what is going on between them. Instead he is back in familiar territory, walking her gently backwards to the end table and out of view of the crowd, he knows that his sister would be rolling around in her grave at his stupidity. He pauses for a moment, as he lifts her onto the table thinking over his decision to indulge himself with someone that he doesn't want to lead on, eventually giving in as the thought of Vanessa with Brian filters into his head.

He can hear the countdown begin, as he presses his mouth to hears to ease the screaming in his brain that this is wrong, that he is going to regret it later and his hands work slowly to bring the fabric of her dress around her waist. He can feel that she wants this just as much as he does, even if they are kidding themselves that it is going to last or lead somewhere as her hands work on his belt. Stopping momentarily as she pulls back to look at him as she lowers the zipper on his slacks, stopping him from kissing her again as she speaks.

"Do you want to talk about it? We can talk if you want, we don't have to do this."

Jessica has her answer in a shake of his head, before his lips are back on hers and his hand is sliding up her thigh, inwardly she grins she can give him something that Vanessa can't for the first time in years, comfort form his demons and his broken heart.

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