| Sonata Movement 6: Coda "Born to Run" (reprise) |
| Coda: the end of the piece Reprise: repeating an earlier theme |
| By the time they made it back to the house, the sun was getting low in the sky. Both were tired and a bit sore from the unaccustomed exertion, and that hot tub was looking pretty good. They traded their clothes for the robes and headed out onto the deck. The evening air was getting a bit chill, especially as they set the robes aside. �Boy, am I glad you remembered to turn the heat on before we left this morning!� Lennie grinned as he settled into the warm water. �Well, once in a while I get something right.� �Most of the time, Jack, most of the time. Nobody�s perfect, after all.� Jack just snuggled in under Lennie�s arm. After a little while, Lennie spoke up again. �You�re awfully quiet. You OK?� Jack reached out to run his fingers along the gold chain around Lennie�s neck. �I�ve been thinking about what you said this afternoon. Lennie, I want you to understand why I panicked yesterday.� Lennie nodded, letting him continue. �I really was enjoying what you were doing. I wanted it to happen � and not just because you do. But . . . Lennie, how many young punks have we threatened with jail time over the years, hinting how miserable they�ll be as some bigger punk�s �girlfriend.� We use this as a threat all the time. Prison rape. I think part of me believes it.� Lennie ran his fingers through the thick hair. �Jack, it�s only rape if you don�t want it. It�s not just that act. Everything you ever did before could have been rape if your partner said no.� Jack sighed. �It�s funny how you can understand something intellectually, but your heart just refuses to go along with it.� �Oh, yeah, I know that one. But I think maybe there�s something else, too? Like maybe you�re still not entirely comfortable about wanting it?� Jack looked away; Lennie just knew him too well. �Thought so. Jack, understand this. If it never happens, that�s fine. I�ll admit, I�m curious, I�d like to try a lot of different things, now that I realize that there are more options than I ever dreamed of. We�ll find something we both like. And maybe someday your subconscious will finally let go of this. Until then, don�t sweat it. OK?� Jack nodded. �Good. Listen, I�ve got an idea. If we get a fairly early start tomorrow, we should be home by early afternoon. We can spend some time on the computer; there are lots of web sites that might help you get a grip on this. And maybe even give us some new ideas of things to try that you�re not afraid of.� Jack looked at him in a state of utter confusion. �OK, that�s the second time you�ve mentioned the internet. Who are you and what have you done with Lennie Briscoe?� Lennie laughed. �Still me, Jack. Just had a little help on this one.� �Who?� He couldn�t imagine Lennie�s partner Ed being comfortable enough with the subject to do this. �Abbie.� Jack�s eyebrows tried to climb off his forehead. �Basic computer training or subject specific?� he asked, not sure if he wanted to know. �Let�s just say that Miss Carmichael has never even pretended to be an innocent, and leave it at that, shall we?� Lennie grinned, picturing Jack�s discomfort on Tuesday when he went back into the office. He had to press just a little further. �Apparently, women aren�t as uptight about discussing this stuff as we are. Abbie has decided I�m just one of the girls now.� Jack closed his eyes and slid below the water, running away from the entire concept. When he resurfaced, Lennie was still laughing. �Come here, you.� He settled back under Lennie�s arm just in time to see the sun setting in a blaze of color over the lake below. �Oh, wow.� As the first stars started appearing above, they got out of the hot tub and dashed back into the warmth of the house. Jack fixed a nice dinner, then they gathered all their things for the return trip tomorrow. They finished their final evening there once again curled up in front of the fireplace, content to just relax together. Tomorrow they would ride home, then Tuesday it would be back to work. �That�s the worst part about vacations, Jack. Going back to work.� �Well, technically it�s not part of the vacation itself. So it can�t really be the worst part.� �Sure it can. It�s not really a vacation if you don�t have something less appealing to go back to.� �So?� �So why am I arguing semantics with a lawyer, of all people!� Lennie grabbed one of the throw pillows from the couch and let it earn it�s name, then Jack retaliated, and before they knew it they were rolling around on the fur throw, laughing themselves silly. When he finally caught his breath, Jack reached out to caress Lennie�s face. �Thank you. For everything.� They headed home the next day, stopping at the real estate office to hand in the key, then heading back along Route 30 toward the NY Thruway. Just as they merged onto the highway, the CD clicked around to the beginning again and the powerful strains of �Born to Run� burst forth. Again Jack sang along: Lennie let me in I wanna be your friend I want to guard your dreams and visions Just wrap your legs round these velvet rims And strap your hands across my engines . . . Will you walk with me out on the wire `cause baby I�m just a scared and lonely rider But I gotta find out how it feels I want to know if love is wild, man I want to know if love is real This time Lennie answered. �It is, Jack. It is.� Jack revved the engine and they roared down the highway together. Continue on to "Hitting Bottom" Send me some Feedback Back to Story Index Disclaimer: These characters belong to Dick Wolf and NBC. I'm just borrowing them for fun, not profit. |
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