Chapter 7

     "What did you do..." Kolas growled. Alex felt the color drain out of his face, out of his whole body. He couldn't find the words to talk, or the will. Kolas' eyes burned into Alex showing him a side of hell that one could never even dream up.

     "Kolas, let him go, NOW!" Jocelynn's voice commanded, as she walked up behind Kolas. Looking into her eyes, Alex saw her apology and her fury at Kolas, as he felt himself being put back on the ground. Kolas turned from Alex and stood towering over Jocelynn.

     "What did he do?!" Kolas said sternly, looking her eye to eye. He didn't trust Alex, he had an effect over Joce that was dangerous. And he would protect her, like he had before.

     Jocelynn lifted her head and glared back, "Alex did nothing--"

     "Bullshit - you had an attack--"

     "Do not interupt me damnit! Alex didn't do anything. He helped me! My attack was brought on from soemthing else, not him. So don't you dare start acting on my behalf just because you have an itch, it that clear? I said... IS THAT CLEAR!" Joce snapped. Alex stood there looking at what was in front of him. He had seen Joce's anger before but never her temper completly unleashed. And now he knew why, she had extreme self disipline, he could she her fists clench tightly, her chest rise heavily and slowly. As if the slower she breathed the more control she mastered. Kolas stood there, obviously feeling the anger in her words and knowing that he had crossed a line with Joce.

     Taking a step back Kolas lowered his head, "I am sorry. I am just concerned for you Joce. If anything happened to you or Drogyn..."  He trailed off quietly.

     "I know, but Kolas, you need to talk to me before you jump to conclusions. I will discuss this with you later anyhow. But first, why don't you go up to the house and check on Drogyn, I know he would love to spend time with his uncle." Joce said, her voice softening. Kolas nodded and left the pool house without another word. Jocelynn brought her eyes up to Alex's, "I am sorry about that." She whispered quietly.

     Alex walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her, "Sweetheart, don't worry." He said softly holding her tightly as their bodys swayed slightly side to side, "Are you okay?"

     She nodded slowly as she pulled away from him slightly, "I know that I said we would figure things out once I came back. But I need a lil more time Alex, there are still things that I need to make sure are taken care of." She said softly, there was a slight twinge of uncertainty in her voice that touched Alex's soul. He looked down at her, cupping the side of her face with his right hand, running his thumb along her check bone as he raised her face to look at his own.

     "Does it have anything to do with Joe and his phone call?" He asked her, when she nodded he pulled her back into his arms, running his hands along her back, holding her to him tightly. Never wanting to let her go. "Take your time, I understand."

     "Are you sure?"

     "Yea, I've waited the past 2 weeks, and you're still coming on tour with us. I'm not going anywhere." He told her, kissing her on the nose as he took a step back to look at her once more. He let out a soft chuckle as he watched her nose scrunch.

     "I really hate that." She said with a mild scowl.

     "I know, that's why I do it." He joked then he suddenly felt the mood in the room shift. Looking down at her, he couldn't help himself as he placed his right hand behind her neck and his left on her back, pulling her to him as he placed his lips on hers. Feeling all of the tension, the stress, the fears and sadness slip and fade from both of them as their kiss deepened. Alex closed his eyes and still saw her vividly in his mind, his heart flipped within his chest as he wrapped his fingers tightly in her hair.

     Jocelynn's mind felt a soft haze flooding it as she clung to him, afraid that if she let go, she would drowned. She ran her arm down his side as she felt him tilt her backwards. His lips trailed light kisses along her jaw to her throat as her head tilted back. Her eyes opened slightly and she stared up at the ceiling. An amussing thought popped into her head, when they were good they were great, when they were bad, they were awful and it destroyed them. It was nice to be good for once with him.

     As he pulled her back up to look into her eyes, a playful glimmer shone in his own, "Why don't you go hop into the shower, Joce." He suggested.

     Joce tilted her head to the side, her right eyebrow raised, "You, McLean are an awful tease."

     "True, but you enjoy it as much as I." He chuckled as he grabed her hand in his and raised them above their heads and spun her around to face away from him. "Go hop into the shower, Joce. I am going to make a few phone calls." He told her as he lightly smacked her bottom, sending her out of the bedroom.

     There was something about the way she felt in his arms that made Alex want to join her in the shower. Wrap his arms back around her, bury himself deep inside her and never ever leave.  But there was something darker and chilling nawing inside him that made him want to find out exactly why Kolas was here, and why Jocelynn failed to mention why. He grabbed his beanie cap and headed outside. Standing in the backyard of Howie and Gina's home he took out his pack of smokes and a lighter and lite one up. He watched the back door of the house as it opened and Drogyn ran outside laughing excitedly as Kolas chased after him. Alex watched the two play together in the grass when Drogyn tried to tackle the larger man, who willingly fell to the ground. Something inside Alex, told him to never trust Kolas where Jocelynn was concerned.

     A small reminder of their past history together, now made Alex suspect. Why hadn't she told him Kolas was coming? And more importantly, what was it that she needed to discuss with Kolas later on that was so important that it was putting off his own relationship with Jocelynn. Suddenly, Alex started to question everything.

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     Gina stood in the kitchen, looking out the window at Alex watching Kolas and Drogyn play together. Her sister's voice echoed in her ears.

     'That's the things, he's not'

     Joe wasn't Drogyn's father?! Then why did Jocelynn marry him, and endure those 3 years of abuse? Why didn't she take Drogyn and run and just have the paternity test done to begin with. Those were stupid questions, Gina knew that. Jocelynn didn't want her son not to have a father. Joce herself, didn't know who her father was, and it was a secret that their mother planned to take to the grave. Knowing Joce, she probably thought that she was making the right choice, marrying and having a family. But now was the bigger question. Who was her nephew's father, and did he even know he had a son?

     Gina looked down at the ring on her finger, suddenly realizing how lucky she was to have Howie in her life. He was a source of constant support, love and patientice. Hopefully, some of that rubbed off on Alex, because if not, she would hate to see her younger sister's heart get broken. She took in a soft sigh, she decided not to pressure Jocelynn into talking about last night. If Joce was ready to talk she would come to her in time. From behind her the phone rang and she quickly grabbed the cordless phone from off the island in the kitchen.

     "Hello? Oh, yes, of course. 1 o'clock would be wonderful. We will see you there." She spoke into the phone and a smile formed on to her lips. Placing the phone back on the charger she headed for the backyard to the pool house and walked right past Alex while saying hi. She knew exactly what would cheer Jocelynn up. Nothing like cake testing, like chocolate, cake was a delicious way to forget one's troubles.