Story #100 1/2: "Someone Like You"

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine
Spoilers: None
Pairing: Jack/Liz, Jack/Other
Summary: "I'm happy for you. I really am."
Title is based on Adele's song.
Warning: SUPER ANGSTY. This is why I have gone months without writing! I've been saving this for a long time now :D I hope you guys like it. By the way, you might want to have a box of Kleenex, just in case. Usually when I make an angst story, they don't have that feeling to it. I hope that my writer's block has completely cured and I want to make you guys cry (in a good way) :D ENJOY!
Btw, you know what I like in this story? I like how it goes back and forth between the two characters with the lyrics. Hee. I'm just that good. Please listen to the song and find the lyrics BEFORE you read this story. Thanks :D

--

She wasn't there when he got married.
TGS was long gone, and so was their friendship. So when Liz received a wedding invitation, she threw it in the trash.

--

A few weeks later, she received a phone call from someone she hadn't seen or heard from in two years.

"Hello?" she answered.
"Liz?" a familiar voice asked.
Liz gulped. Was this actually him calling?
"Yes, this is she. Who may I ask is calling?" she answered, even though she knew exactly who this was.
Jack chuckled.
"Lemon, don't make this harder than it needs to be. We're still friends."
When he said that, Liz automatically remembered the moment when he broke up with her.
("You wanted to see me?" she asked.
Jack told Liz to sit. For the past few days, their relationship had been everything but romantic. It was filled with fights and suspicions that both knew were true.
"It has come to my attention that we have not been agreeing with each other for quite some time now."
Liz nodded. As much as she knew what he was going to say, she didn't want it to be over. Deep down, she still had feelings for him that made her stomach turn upside-down, but her mind didn't feel the same.
"You want to end our relationship, right?" Liz asked, voice cracking when she said 'relationship'.
Jack sighed and nodded.
Liz closed her eyes and thought for a minute.
He slowly stood up from his seat and leaned in to kiss her one last time.
The kiss was bittersweet. It tasted of longing and love, but it also tasted of anger and sadness.
When they finally pulled away, Liz took off her engagement ring and wiped her tears away.
"Lemon, you must remember that sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes--"
"It hurts instead. Yeah, Jack. You told me."
"Lemon, I still love you."
"I know you do, Jack. Because I still love you, too. But we both know this isn't going to work. I'm sorry."
She hugged him one last time and whispered, "Goodbye," and left.
Jack shed a tear for her that night.
That was the end of TGS and Liz Lemon in his life.
"She'll find someone better," Jack said to himself.

The next day, Jack sent out an e-mail to everyone that the wedding would not be happening.
"Jackie-kins, are you serious?" Colleen asked over the phone.
"Yes, mother."
Ever since Colleen found out they were engaged, she helped Liz out in everything. But since that was over, she went into a dark mood.

When Liz got home that night, she tried her best to ignore Jack. She still stayed at his place because Jack said she could stay there until she found a new place.

She ended up staying at a hotel.

Jack came home from work, hoping to find Lemon in her room. Instead, he was greeted by a note.
"Jack, thank you for letting me stay at your place. Thank you for everything. Thank you for making me feel loved and giving me things that were just beautiful. Our relationship was wonderful. I'm glad that Colleen likes me. I've taken some of my things out and stayed at a hotel tonight. Take all my other things and give them to Jenna. She's gonna need it. In the three years I've been with you, I got to know another type of Jack. A softer, lovable, kinder, and understanding Jack. I hope you find the right girl for you. Tell Liddy Mommy said goodbye. Give her to Avery. It's the best decision. If you ever need anything, just call. I hope you understand that this is a hard time for me, too. I loved you, Jack. I really did. To be honest, I still do. But ever since our fights, I love you...just as a brother."
"You were the one. You were the one who got away," Jack told the letter.
He kept Liz's clothes and gave Liddy to Avery. He visited her once every month, but Liddy didn't feel that Avery was her mother. She did spend her first three years of living with Liz.
"Daddy?" Liddy asked.
"Yes, pumpkin?"
"Is Mommy ever gonna come home?" she asked shyly.
Even though Liz was not her birth mother, Jack swore she sounded like Liz there.
He took a deep breath and sighed.
"Someday," he said with real hope.)
"Lemon, are you crying?"
Liz snapped back to reality and realized she was still on the phone with him.
"No, I'm not crying."
There was a long pause.
"Lillian and I have gotten married."
"Oh," she chuckled with fake enthusiasm "How wonderful. Who's Lillian again?"
"Lillian is the yoga instructor I met during my summer vacation trip to Rome."
Liz remembered that Rome was where they were supposed to get married, but she set that aside.
She cleared her throat.
"Um, how old is she?"
"She's twenty-seven."
Liz took a breath and was about to say something, but no words came out.
"Are you still there?" he asked her.
"I'm here."
"What's the matter, Lemon? Why are you acting so shy? It's not usual for you to be so quiet."
"I'm fine, hon--Jack. I'm fine, Jack."
Damn that word vomit.
"Let's meet up. How's your place at seven sound?"
"I'm not so sure that--"
"Lizzy, it's going to be fun."
"Fine. Your plan sounds great."
There was an even longer pause.
"Jack, I want to tell you something," Liz said.
"I'm listening."
"So, remember when we--"
"Jack! I'm home!" someone from Jack's line said.
"Lizzie, I'm sorry. Lily's home. I'll talk to you tomorrow night, alright?"
"I'm not so sure about that idea."
"No worries, it'll be--"
By that time, Liz had already hung up, but never forgot that he called her "Lizzy." It's been two years since she last heard that come out of his mouth.

--

The next morning, Liz woke up and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a bowl, some cereal and milk. She sat down on the table and ate silently. Her apartment felt cold, alone. The only noise she could hear were the sounds of people laughing and cars honking down below. After two years, she was still trying to get accustomed to her apartment. She was still used to her old apartment--correction, Jack's apartment, the Lemon-Donaghy residence--and sometimes went in the wrong room.
After she ate her breakfast, she got dressed and prepared for the evening to come.

--

That night, Jack was deciding what to wear. Should he go with the tux or the polo shirt? Liz has seen him with both. Since he was just going to her house, he decided to go with the polo shirt.
"Where are you going?" Lillian asked.
"At a friend's."
Lillian rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, dude. I'll be at Nate's party. It's gonna be SICK!"
Jack was about to say something, but he sighed instead as he walked out the door. He drove his own car to Liz's place. When he got to the outside of her building, he checked his phone to see if he had any missed calls. None.
Lillian was probably going to be intoxicated by the end of the evening, so he decided to make these few hours last. It was Elizabeth Lemon after all.
He took the elevator to her floor and knocked on her door.
No response.
He knocked again.
No response either.
He then just decided to call Liz. Her picture was from such a long time ago. Liz was holding Liddy and they were both smiling. It was his favorite picture of her.
"Hello?"
"Lemon, where are you? You said seven."
"Oh, CRAP! Jack, can you go back to your car and wait there for at least five minutes? I knew I was forgetting something."
Jack chuckled.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm like, almost there! Hang on. I went shopping today. I'll call you when you can come in."
"Alright. See you soon, Lemon."
Those words made Liz's heart beat faster than usual. Huh, she thought. Maybe it was just the speed she was running. She went into her apartment, put on her dress as fast as she could, set up the table and called Jack.
Five minutes later, someone knocked on the door.
"It's open!" she yelled.
Someone ran to Liz.
"Jack, why are you on my--" Liz gasped. "Liddy Colleen Elizabeth Donaghy! Is that you?!"
"MOMMY!!!" Liddy yelled.
Liz picked her up and hugged her.
"Oh, Mommy missed you so much! How's it like living with Avery?"
"Avery's nice, Mommy. But, you'll always be a better mommy to me," Liddy said, smiling.
Liz tried really hard to fight back her tears. Then, she saw Jack slowly coming in and taking his coat off.
"She really wanted to see you," he said, chuckling.
"Hey there. It's been too long."
Liz smiled and hugged him.
Jack kissed her on the cheek.
She blushed, but disregarded it.
"You look nice," he told her.
"Oh, thanks. You look..."
"Old?" he suggested.
Liz chuckled.
"No. You seem...homey. Like, you're laid-back now."
"Mommy, can I sleep here?" Liddy asked.
Liz turned to look at Jack as he nodded.
"I'll give you Avery's address and her number. She lives about fifteen minutes away from you."
"So, I can?"
Jack nodded.
"Yes, pumpkin. You can spend the night here at mommy's house."
"Yay! Well, I'm tired now. Mommy, Daddy, can you both tuck me in?"
"Oh, I'm not so sure--"
"Lighten up, Jack. She just wants us to tuck her in."
Jack walked Liz to Liddy's room and put his hand on the small of her back. Liz gasped at this physical contact.
"Bedtime story!" Liddy said.
"Alright, pumpkin. Which story do you want to hear?" Liz asked.
"I want to hear the story of how Daddy asked you to marry him!"
Liz chuckled.
"Oh, wow. That goes back a long way."
"We can't remember it, honey. It was a long time ago. Maybe next time, okay?"
Liddy nodded.
Jack and Liz started to stand up, but Liddy stopped them.
"Wait!"
They turned around.
"Yes, pumpkin?" they said simultaneously.
"Don't parents kiss each other goodnight?"
Liz's heart jumped.
Jack just stared at her, acting like nothing was wrong.
"Please, for me?" asked Liddy, with her cute begging face.
Before Liz could answer, Jack put one hand on Liz's chin as he leaned in.
Liz closed her eyes and leaned in as well.
When they kissed, it felt too familiar. Like, they did it yesterday. The kiss was a loving kiss, not passionate. It felt like he was sending a message to her. But it was cut short by Liddy going "ew" when it got a little too long.
Liz pulled away first. They were both red-faced and trying to catch their breath.
"Goodnight, Liddy," Liz said before she turned off the lights and shut the door.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked her as they ate dinner.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's pretty quiet. You wanna order pizza and watch TV?"
Jack smiled and nodded.
"Just like old times," he said.
When the pizza arrived, Liz sat down on the couch and Jack copied.
"Alright! Half pepperoni, half cheese. Turn on the TV, Jack."
Jack turned on the TV, but instead of finding Star Wars playing, something else was.
"What's this video?" Liz asked.
"It's--" Jack paused. "It's our fake wedding video. The one Jenna took when we were rehearsing."
"Really? I don't remember putting that in there. I'll take it out."
Jack stopped her.
"No, no. I wanna see this."
Thirty minutes and half a pizza box later, Jack had his arm over Liz and they were laughing together.
"You have some pizza stain on your face," Liz told him as she looked up.
"Where?"
"Don't worry, I got it."
She grabbed a napkin and rubbed the pizza stain off.
"There. Done," she said, smiling.
Jack chuckled.
"What's so funny?" she asked him.
"Nothing, Lemon."
Liz smiled at him again, before she put her head on his shoulder.
"Okay," she said, before falling asleep.
It was really something though. Jack hadn't been this happy in years. He'd really missed Liz in his life. There really was no one that could replace her. She was the one. The only one.
Jack slowly stood up and laid a blanket over Liz.
He really liked this. One family under one roof. Brings back memories. He thought he could never get this back. But something about this night gave him hope.
He grabbed a piece of paper and began to write.
"Dear Lillian..."

END.