Friends with Benefits - Chapter 9 - Part 2
Friday - July 31st - 5 p.m.
"The day of reckoning has come," Pauline chirps pleasantly as she messes in Jim's hair. They're in the kitchen at the table. Pauline's makeup kits and hair bags are spread across the surface of the table.
Eleanora has left to purchase some heels for Jim, because apparently that's the one thing that's slipped their mind.
Bones is sitting across the table in a tailor-made navy-blue suit with Jim's PADD in his hand. His face is cleanly shaved, and his hair is neatly combed and parted. He looks so crisp and immaculate in his suit that Jim is having a hard time not staring.
Bones is fucking hot.
Jim crams a handful of popcorn in her mouth as she sits quietly and stares.
"Are you nervous?" Pauline asks as she begins to add short extensions to Jim's hair.
"Not really," Jim says after a swallow, and she means that. She actually can't wait to get this ordeal over with so she can put it behind her and focus on the future.
Bones aims her PADD at her and says, "Smile."
"Why? I'm not even fully dressed yet." Jim frowns heavily, just to be difficult.
Bones snorts as he watches her facial expression from off the screen of the device. "Just smile."
"No. Why do you keep taking pictures of me?"
"Because," Bones simply says and that's not even an answer. "Now smile like you just won a lifetime supply of chocolate."
Jim snickers but she can't help but to smile at his ridiculousness.
Bones snaps the picture and nods.
"Let me see," Jim demands and eyes the photo when Bones turns her PADD towards her.
"You got so close. The shot is like, all up in my face." Jim gestures in a circular motion around her face. "Erase it."
"No. Give it time and you'll be fond of it too," Bones says as he pulls the PADD out of her reach.
"I can always go on later and erase it."
"Sure, but I've already forwarded it to myself so it wouldn't do much good."
"You're annoying," Jim mutters and shoves more popcorn in her mouth. "Pauline, tell him how annoying he is."
Pauline just chuckles as she begins to straighten Jim's hair. "You two are so adorable, it's unreal."
"I'm the adorable one," Bones says seriously. "She gets to be adorable by association."
"Oh, shut up," Jim laughs and throws a handful of popcorn at him. "Cause if you're the adorable one, that means I get to be the sexy one."
"No, no," Pauline interrupts. "You two are adorable. I'm the sexy one."
Jim laughs so hard she almost falls out of the chair and burns her ear against the flatiron.
Eleanora chooses this moment to stroll in with a crème-colored shoebox. She sets the box in Bones's laps as she approaches Jim to eye her makeup. "That's lovely, Pauline. Thank you," she praises.
Pauline grins with a wink and finishes up the last of Jim's hair before patting her on the shoulder. "Alright, you're all set. Go get dressed and we can get out of here."
Jim nods and motions for Bones to follow. Which he does. Once they're in the privacy of her room, she starts stripping down to her underwear. She takes a moment to look down and consider her thickening waistline. It's not overtly obvious if you don't know what your looking for or if Jim isn't standing at the right angle, but it's there all the same.
If Jim were being openly honest, she'd say she's a bit eager to see how she'll look with her belly firm and rounded with the baby.
Their baby.
Their daughter.
Bones is watching her from where he's sitting on the edge of the bed. His expression is almost soft and sentimental.
"What?" Jim says as she unhooks her uncomfortable bra and trades it for a strapless one which also so happens to be a bigger cup size. "What?"
"Nothin'. I just think we're thinkin' the same thing," Bones supposes quietly and he glances down at her stomach.
Jim smiles slightly and says, "Hand me my dress."
Bones sets her shoes off to the side as he stands and wanders into her closet to retrieve her gown.
Jim grazes the manicured nails of her right hand against her lower stomach as Bones reappears with her gown. She takes it from him and steps into it. She presses the front of it to her chest and says, "Can you zip me up?"
Bones nods and makes his way behind her.
Jim bites her bottom lip as she waits. Her eyebrows furrow curiously as they stand in silence. She can feel the warmth of his body as he presses closer and brushes her hair gently off to the side and over her left shoulder. Her eyes fall close as he presses his nose into the crook of her neck, and she shivers quietly when his fingers slowly slide down the bare skin of her back, between her shoulder blades, all the way down to the base of her spine to the cold metal of her zipper.
Bones brushes his bottom lip against the flushed curve of her ear as her pulls the zipper up.
Jim's breath hitches and she shudders as heat blossoms against her cheeks and unfolds between her thighs. Her hands twitch against her hips as he tangles his fingers with hers and pulls her back until there's no space left between them. She lets him grip her jaw and turn her head so that he can sweep her into a biting kiss that speaks volumes to his desire and his possessiveness.
Bones slips his tongue between her lips and rumbles appreciatively at the slight whimper she gives in response as she sucks on his tongue while reaching up to cup the back of his head to deepen the kiss.
Jim feels her blood sing as her heart thuds at a jackrabbiting pace. Something pleasant and sweet, like warm honey, coils around her bones when he kisses her like he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon, like he knows in the very depths of himself that she's meant for him, like everything else can wait. Her knees shake and he keeps her steady by pressing his large hand against her lower stomach to where he must know the baby is.
Bones kisses the corner of her mouth and begins to stamp a wet trail down to the curve of her shoulder where he stays.
Jim opens her eyes and breathes shakily as her body spasms with aching arousal. She presses her thighs together and tries not to think about how perfect Bones would feel if her were inside of her. She swallows dryly and exhales as Bones continues to graze his lips back and forth against her shoulder. She says, "What are you thinking about?"
"Takin' you to bed and messin' up your makeup," Bones rumbles huskily as he rubs his fingers against her lower stomach.
Jim smiles and shakes her head. "Eleanora and Pauline would kill you," she warns weakly because the idea is getting more and more appealing with each passing second.
Bones just huffs and lifts his head to kiss her temple before he pulls away completely.
Jim feels almost robbed at the loss but she doesn't stop him. She walks to the bed and sits on the edge so she can put on her silver pumps. She tucks her hair behind her hair when it falls into her eyes.
Bones is watching her as he leans against her dresser with his arms crossed. He says, "You ready?"
Jim looks up at him before she straightens. "You mean Florence's plan?" she asks because she knows. "Yeah. I'm ready."
"You don't have to do it if-" Bones struggles to find the right words. "Just, we can figure somethin' else out."
Jim shakes her head as she stands. "No, it has to be like this. It'll work," she promises as she cups her hands over his shoulders. "Besides, I'm ready to put it all behind me and have one less thing to worry about."
Bones has an indecipherable look in his eyes. She can't really tell what he's thinking and that bothers her at times because she can usually read it off of him. He says, "I hope one day you can tell me what he had over you, Jim. What made him force your hand. I'd like to know, if you give me a chance to."
Jim sighs roughly and squeezes his shoulders. "Maybe," she says quietly. "Maybe one day but not today."
"Not today," Bones agrees.
Knock, knock.
"You decent, Jamie? I need to talk to you, if you can spare a moment," Eleanora says from the other side of the door.
Jim drops her hands and says, "Yeah. Yeah, come in. It's fine."
Eleanora enters with a small black suede box in her hand and she sweeps her eyes between them before she gives Bones a look. "Len, if you don't mind," she murmurs with good humor.
Bones frowns but he doesn't protest. "I'll get the car started so we can leave," he says and exits the room.
Jim gives Eleanora her full attention. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"
Eleanora just smiles and reaches forward to place the small black suede box in her hand.
Jim frowns curiously and opens it, stilling in surprise by the gorgeous ring inside. "Eleanora," she breathes in amazement. "Are you proposing to me?"
Eleanora laughs shortly before she says, "It's a family heirloom. Passed down from mother to daughter for generations. I thought it was rightly so for such an occasion."
Jim stares at her speechless for a few moments before she chokes out, "But why are you giving it to me?"
Eleanora doesn't look confused or angry-just patiently happy and humorously fond of Jim. "Oh, James," she says sweetly and its enough to make Jim blush. "You daft girl. I'm givin' it to you because you're like a daughter to me. I'm tryin' to tell you I love you. And that no matter what, I will always love you and be here for you for whatever you need."
Jim eyes begin to warm before she can even help it and she can't say a thing.
"Now don't start cryin' on me. You'll ruin that lovely makeup Pauline has worked so hard on," Eleanora lightly scolds, even though her own eyes are a little misty. She reaches forward and pulls the ring free, sliding it onto Jim's left hand onto the finger between her pointer finger and her ring finger. "You take good care of it now. And you give it to the little angel you're about to have when she's old enough so she can do the same. So the tradition can continue."
Jim nods and tries to desperately to blink away her tears. When the ring is set right, she throws her arms around Eleanora and hugs her so tightly as if in fear she'll disappear forever. "Thank you. I never had-" She chokes on her words and tries to gather herself. "Just thank you."
"You are welcome, Jamie. You're family," Eleanora promises and hugs her back just as tightly. "No matter if your with my son or not. You're family."
Jim shudders and nods before she pulls away. "Oh, but, what about Joanna?" she says as she remembers. "Shouldn't she have it? I mean-"
"Don't you worry about that," Eleanora says. "Joanna's got plenty comin' to her. She's not gonna be shorted over one old ring." She adds a wink here.
Jim smiles and nods.
"Let's get goin'," Eleanora says and steers Jim out the room, down the steps and out of the house to Bones's car.
Jim climbs into the passenger seat and makes sure she gathers the hem of her ball gown so it wont be caught when she closes the door.
Pauline is the last to arrive and after she's buckled in, Bones drives towards town.
They arrive at Town Square Park around six o'clock and it looks to be quite a turnout. There's a red carpet rolled out and everything, and it leads up to the massive canvas stretched above a temporary dance floor. It reminds Jim of some kind of celebrity wedding reception.
"They make a big deal of it," Eleanora explains. "It is sort of a grand affair and the tickets are costly, which is why they have so much media coverage. This is all for the folks at home who couldn't make it out."
Bones pulls up to the valet post and hands over his keys to one of them before he makes his way to Jim's side and steers her to the starting point of the red carpet.
"More pictures. Yay," Jim mutters and grins when Bones chuckles.
A female coordinator approaches them with a clipboard and a headset. "Okay, you must be James Kirk. And you're her escort," she says before making a note of it. "Alright, you're going to walk through, but stop exactly four times so they can get some good pictures of you. The last picture is one you'll take by yourself. Okay? Good. Go."
Jim puts on her best winning smile as she takes Bones's arm in hand and they start a moderate stroll down the red carpet. The flashing camera lights are a bite blinding and disorientating. When they make it to the end, Bones steps off the carpet so that Jim can take the last picture by herself.
Jim slides off to the side and joins Bones just as Zonta arrives with Chadwick. She and Bones walk to the backstage area where Pauline and Eleanora are and wait until they're called for the dance. In the meantime, Jim sends Bones on quick food runs to the concession table located on the other side of the stage. She's still stuffing her face when it's time to gather on the dance floor for the Hudson Hill Waltz.
Pauline puts some red lipstick on Jim before Bones spirits her away to the dance floor.
Jocelyn stands on the small stage with a growing stomach and a mic in hand, "Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to this year's Ms. Hudson Hill Debutant Ball. These three ladies have shown and proved many capabilities and we are happy to welcome them warmly as they perform one of Hudson Hill's proudest standing traditions. The Hudson Hill Waltz."
Everyone begins to clap as the three couples take their positions.
Jim stands across from Bones with a slight smile as he returns it with a small grin.
Jocelyn gestures to the band and they begin to play.
Jim dips gracefully as she locks eyes with Bones.
Bones returns it with a slight bow.
Jim moves in and Bones keeps his gaze focused on her as he settles one hand on the small of her back while she cups her hand over his shoulder. She clasps their right hands together and takes a deep breath, waiting for the musical cue that would signal the start of the waltz.
When it comes Jim leads Bones rhythmically around and around in triple time as they progress around the dance floor. It's almost unfair how easy it is to forget there are dozens of eyes watching them. In fact, she could really care less because the way Bones is looking at her is making her heart lurch pleasantly like a cricket in a cage.
It's like floating almost-she feels so light on her feet.
But that's just it, isn't it? Because with Bones she always feels so thoughtlessly comfortable in her own skin.
I wish you were mine, Jim thinks and grows a little sad. I wish I was right for you but I'm not and you deserve better.
Bones frowns slightly because he must read it on her face and she tries to hide it before he can ask questions.
The waltz ends and the band plays the last chord just as the crowd applauds.
Jim feels flustered as she startled into awareness and she smiles shakily at their audience. She exits the floor and moves to the backstage area while the judges showcase a virtual slideshow of the competition from the beginning to end.
Bones grabs her elbow gently and he looks like he wants to say something but Jim shakes her head firmly. He clamps his mouth shut with a slight scowl but he nods.
"Good looking out there!" a voice says from the immediate left and when they turn to see who it is they discover it's Florence.
Jim blinks rapidly because she barely recognizes her with her normally red hair dyed to a white-blonde and cut into an almost pixie style. She's got all of her piercings out and she barely looks like the same person. "Florence, what's all this?" she says making a sweeping gesture to her face.
"Just thought it was time for a change. And besides, you're leaving soon, and so I thought maybe it was time for me to move on too. Start fresh and new somewhere," Florence says with a strange twinkle in her grey eyes. "But I thought I'd watch you take down Mayor Treadway before I fly the coop."
"You're not leaving tonight," Jim denies.
Florence grins a little sadly and gives a weak shrug.
"Florence," Jim says and feels a bubble of anger growing in her belly. "You're not leaving tonight are you?"
"Not without saying goodbye, Blue, you know that," Florence says gently.
Jim becomes rightly livid and the silence that blankets them is a tense one.
Bones clears his throat and tucks his hands away in the pockets of his pants. "I'm gonna go find Pauline and my mom in the crowd," he says and retreats.
"Where are you going?" Jim asks as she puts her hands on her hips and flexes her fingers.
"Gotta tie up some loose ends, you know. Completely," Florence supposes. "Don't you worry about it, Blue. I'll find you when I can."
Jim wants to be mad, she wants to protest, but she can't because she understands. She understands more than she can say. "Please try and at least let me know you're alive once in a while so I don't worry."
"You got it, sunshine," Florence promises with a genuine grin.
The female coordinator appears in a flurry, attaching a small mic to the dip of Jim's cleavage on her gown, saying, "Five minutes to stage time. You'll be last," and she's off in a rush again.
Florence walks up to Jim and grabs her hands. "Hey, remember what we talked about. Mayor Treadway's out in that crowd and you gotta get him so steaming mad that he'll want to confront you as you step foot off that stage. I'll do the rest, yeah?"
Jim nods and accepts the hug Florence gives her.
Florence pulls back and kisses her on the cheek. "Work your magic," she says quietly, squeezing her hands one final time before she disappears from sight.
Jim sighs and wrings her hands as she walks over to the stage steps where Zonta and Allison are lined up.
Zonta ignores her completely (no surprise there) but Allison greets her warmly. Zonta goes onto the stage first and the audience welcomes her warmly. She gives a little speech and exits.
Allison goes next and does as Zonta did. The end of her speech is met with applause and she exits the stage.
It's Jim's turn and she carefully glides across the stage where Reverend Nolan is waiting. He smiles and waits for the audience to cease their applause so that he can say, "Ms. Kirk, as this is the final portion of the competition, we like to give the young ladies an opportunity to state their case about why they think they deserve to win. We do this by asking one very simple question-what is your greatest aspiration in life?"
Jim smiles pristinely and says, "My greatest aspiration in life? Well, I suppose, would be-to be happy."
The audience coos and applauds agreeably.
Reverend Nolan chuckles and nods, "Maybe you should elaborate on that."
"Of course," Jim says easily. "You see I've always had trouble finding a place to call home where I can be comfortable and feel safe. A place where the people are warm and welcoming and greet you as if you were an old friend. A place where I can build a life for myself. Unfortunately, that's not Hudson Hill."
There are whispers and murmurs of confusion that ring clear throughout the audience.
"I'm sorry, let me clarify. Hudson Hill is a wonderful place full of wonderful people. It's just a shame it's being ran by a shameless tyrant. Now, I'm sure you all adore Mayor Treadway but the fact of the matter is that ever since I came here, I've been hounded endlessly with unwanted advances from both him and his son. I don't feel safe and I certainly don't feel comfortable. I am glad, however, to have met Eleanora McCoy. She's one of the greatest things to have ever happened to me. She's fully restored my faith in mothers everywhere. She's wonderful. Just like Zonta. Just like Allison. They're the ones that deserve to win. Zonta is innovative and she's creative and she's such a hardworker. I've no doubt that given a decade she'll have her own name brand and a firm empire in the fashion world. I'll pray that even happens because she deserves so much to have it and then some. And Allison, who people like to taunt and tease, is a musical genius. She has the rare ability of perfect pitch. She could play any instrument and teach at any school in the world. All she needs is the chance to go to the college of her choice and pursue this career. I only joined this competition because I wanted to open up my own bar in Miami and live off those earnings.
"I wanted that because people like Mayor Treadway were just dragging me down by throwing my less than squeaky clean past in my face. And I'm sorry I don't want to marry your son or that you urged him to blackmail me into doing it but I don't plan on marrying some spoiled brat for your political gain." Jim doesn't even flinch when the audience gasps in surprise. "So when I said that I wanted to be happy, I meant that I plan on doing something more useful with my life besides handing out booze to flashy clientele. I plan on enlisting in Starfleet, like my dad did. I want to make a difference universally. I want everyone to feel as safe as I want to feel. I want to pave the way for my own children, including the one I'm currently carrying now."
The audience gasps again and there is a chaos of voices and exclamations.
Jim just smiles and says, "Thank you." She glides off the stage with a little smirk and makes her way to the back area. She's not even surprised when Mayor Treadway storms up to her.
"You meddlesome whore," Mayor Treadway hisses. "What gives you the right to make such claims in front of all those people who are partially my family and colleagues?"
"I'm sorry," Jim says sweetly. "Did you not like my little speech? It was from the heart."
"You ain't got no heart," Mayor Treadway snaps. "And you're gonna wish you hadn't done that by the time I'm through with you. You're gonna wish you had acted like a good little bitch and married my son."
"What else can you do to me besides blackmail?" Jim says and laughs coldly.
"I've far worse things I could do than blackmail," Mayor Treadway claims. "You think that little miscarriage my daughter had was an accident? Ha. I spared her a lifetime of disappointment. Nothin' ever good comes from that backwater family of her no good husband. Don't think I won't do the same to you and that bastard child you're carryin' now."
The female coordinator rushes over to them in a flurry with wide eyes and a horrified face. "Mayor Treadway-"
"Now you listen to me you worthless orphaned piece of shit," Mayor Treadway snaps, ignoring the woman. "Whatever game you think you're playin', you're gonna lose. You think I ain't ever went toe to toe with somebody who tried to tarnish my good name? Well let me tell you, it never ended soundly for them and it damn well won't for you. This whole town is full of idiots who do and say what I tell them at the drop of a dime. They ain't gonna believe you because they ain't got the brains for it. Hell, you think I became mayor just out of a whim? Those idiots you tryin' to bad mouth me to are the very ones that put me in office."
"Mayor Treadway!" the female coordinator hisses again, appalled.
"What? Goddamnit!" Mayor Treadway snarls.
The female coordinator glares at him and says, "Her mic is still on. Everything you just said was heard. By everyone."
Mayor Treadway pales immensely and he wobbles on his feet, looking ready to faint.
Jim just smirks as she watches Florence give her a thumbs up from where she's standing by the sound system.
Sheriff Kevin McCoy strolls over with two other deputies. He says, "Mayor Treadway, you're under arrest for attempted extortion and unlawful murder." He nods to the deputies and they move forward to cuff a spluttering Mayor Treadway as they read him his rights.
Jim smiles smugly as she crosses her arms and watches them tote him off to a police vehicle. She turns to Sherriff McCoy and says, "Thanks."
"What for? You did most of the work," Sherriff McCoy quips and nods with a wink before he follows after his deputies.
Jim turns in time to see reporters and cameramen flocking up to him and the police car holding Mayor Treadway for what will probably be the juiciest expose that Hudson Hill's ever had. She doesn't flinch when Eleanora and Pauline flock to her with a series of questions. She only deters them by promising that she'll give them the full story once they're home. She moves to find Florence but Zonta and Allison are already there.
"Oh my God," Allison says with wide eyes. "Who knew, right? Who knew?"
"Obviously she did. That was the point of this whole thing," Zonta says and she shakes her head with a contrite expression. "And I am so sorry. If I'd known, I would never have let Chadwick be my escort." She takes a moment to consider something. "Actually this explains why he paid me thirty grand just to do it."
"Really?" Jim says, surprised. "Okay, this is going to sound crazy, but that's kinda unfair. I mean I was supposed to be his bride. He didn't offer me thirty grand."
"Oh, Jim," Zonta says and shakes her head before encasing her in a hug. "The baby," she whispers. "Is it his?"
"Chadwick? God no," Jim shudders in horror before pulling away. "But I don't think you'll like the answer."
"Doesn't matter. Really. As long as he's happy, I can't be mad. Things happen for a reason. One door opens and another blah, blah, blah," Zonta reasons. "Sorry I was such a dick to you because you were a dick to me."
"Well I'm sorry your sorry and that either one of us have to be sorry," Jim replies and grins.
"Okay, I'm totally lost," Allison says with a genuine frown.
Zonta and Jim just laugh and pull her into a hug.
"You think they'll still announce the winner?" Zonta says.
Jim pulls back and shrugs. "Don't know. I think this whole thing may have outshined it. Sorry. I'll still keep my fingers crossed for the both of you."
"You deserved to win," Allison protests.
Zonta says nothing.
Allison shoves at her. "Zonta!"
"What? I still want to win. Sorry, Jim. You and I are cool and everythin' but I want what I want," Zonta explains.
"It's fine. I understand," Jim assures. She looks around. "Look, I have to look for Florence. I'll see you guys later."
Zonta and Allison wave before they scuttle off to find their families and friends.
Jim tries to track Florence for ten minutes, but to no avail.
Bones finds her by food table. "Hey," he says.
Jim smiles. "Hey."
Bones tucks his hands in pockets and says, "That was quite a show you put on."
"Yeah. But it got the job done, wouldn't you say?" Jim counters and shakes her eyebrows suggestively.
Bones chuckles and shrugs. "Suppose it did. Doesn't make me not want to go and break his goddamn nose for how he was talkin' to you any less, but here's to hopin' he gets put away for a very long time. At least for his safety."
Jim laughs and almost chokes on a piece of broccoli coated in cheese and ranch. "Look at you. All overprotective and chivalrous. Who knew?" she teases.
Bones scowls. "You realize I'm bein' serious," he says.
"Yes, and I appreciate it," Jim promises in a soothing tone. "But try and forget about him. Focus completely on the fact that we get to carry on with our lives. Okay?" She grabs his hand and presses it to her stomach. "Just the four us."
Bones huffs but he calms down enough to kiss her stupid for a solid three minutes.
Jim eventually shoves him away with a playful grin. "Stop giving me your cooties," she fusses as she goes back to ransacking the finger foods on the buffet table.
Bones's hand grazes her lower stomach as he says, "You've got a good deal of my cooties, I think."
"Maybe," Jim says with a little laugh. "But those cooties I don't mind."
Bones hums thoughtfully, but there's no missing the happy glimmer in his hazel eyes. "Before I forget," he says. "Florence wanted me to tell you she said 'good luck'."
Jim stiffens minutely before she forces herself to relax.
Bones notices anyway. "She was saying goodbye, wasn't she?"
Jim doesn't say anything but she shrugs one shoulder before popping another broccoli in her mouth.
"Okay," Bones says. He sighs and rubs her back. "Okay."
Jim allows herself to be sad for that moment-just for him to see. She lets his touch comfort her before she locks it all away and chucks the key in the ever growing pile of emotions she doesn't allow herself to dwell on.
Part 3