Irish Blood

OOC - so this isn't exactly what I planned to happen. It was supposed to be a fun party after all the stresses recently for everyone. :(

Oh, also: Profanity warning.

<snip>
“You alright son?” Asked Plisk, as he passed him. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”
“Yeh. Fine.” Solvay grunted.
He wasn’t, though. He’d just seen Jade laughing, in Jamie’s arms.
</snip>

"Hey, that song was great. Cass would've loved it." Jade teased as she found Jamie. Jamie blushed under the mask. "Do you think... Alex, just now... Do you think that was for me?" She hesitated to say.

"Yeah I..." He was interupted as someone pushed past behind Jade propelling her forwards. As she began to topple, Jamie reached out and caught her, it was almost like they were hugging. Jade burst out laughing as did Jamie.

"Thanks." She giggled. Beginning to disentangle herself from Jamie.

"No problem, hey, is that Alex? You should go get him." Jamie said, gesturing at the retreating form of Solvay.

<snip>
“Well, uh… That was quite somethin’” she said, apparently shyly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
He shoved an unceremonious cocktail sausage in his mouth, purposely talking with his mouth full. “Yeah, bit of a laugh" he shrugged....

<Alex's Post>

“Just leave me alone Jade, okay?”

And he strode off, up the darkened, deserted promenade, leaving the glowing bustle of activity, and a small exquisitely dressed woman, behind him.
</snip>

"Alex What...?" Jade stepped forward to chase after him. Confused as to what would change his mind so completely. His song had been so heartfelt, what had caused him to act like this? You can't switch it off just like that unless it was all some cruel joke.

"You just don't give up do you?" He spun around with a cold look on his face. Like someone had frozen his features into a permenant scowl.

"No." She said quietly, not wanting to give up on him like everyone one else did.

"Look. Whatever game you are playing I don't give a crap. Just fuck off and leave me alone you decietful little bitch." He spat, the ache in his heart causing him to lash out at the thing causing it so much pain. She just stood there, as tears began to fall.

"I don't understand...." She sobbed quietly.

"Man, you really don't stop do you? D'you think I was born yesterday? Really? Give up. Go home and leave me alone." He turned on his heal and stormed off into the darkened promenade.

"Alex?" Jade whispered as he walked away. She sank to the floor, feeling numb inside. After about ten minutes, the large doors oepned up and Evelina crept out.

"Come on back Jade. He's not worth it." Ah, the age old phrase used to comfort the person in obvious love distress.

"But he is." Jade protested. "At least... He let me think that he was. Was it all an act do you think? Was he just leading me on to see how stupid I was?"

"No, it's not like that at all I'm sure." Evelina guided Jade back inside and sat her down at the bar. In theory safe since the Doctor was known for not drinking that much.

"Then I scared him off? The song was too much wasn't it? I can't help that..." She protested, trying to find reason in his actions.

"We can sort it all out later. Now isn't the time to dwell on it." Evelina said gently, pushing a glass of something brown and whiskey like to Jade. "Drink something, it'll make you feel better." Ah, the second, and most dangerous phrase uttered by those comforting the distressed. Jade lapsed into numb silence, wondering if she could have done or said anything differently. Brooding over the glass for a good long time as song after song washed over her numbed mind. After a while Evelina left to go check that Jaxx wasn't getting in trouble.

"What you got that's Irish and stronger than this?" Jade mumbled into the bar as the last drop of whiskey disapeared from the glass Evelina had procured. The barkeep gave her a strange look.

"You sure? Looks to me like tonight isn't a good night to drink for you." Even so he was getting out a glass and put ice in it.

"Yeah, everyone says it numbs the ache and makes you forget your troubles." Jade sighed, the splintered pain that was her heart in pieces causing her to ache inside.

"Poitin*. Homebrewed." Said the barkeep, pouring a glass for Jade. She knew it well, her Father had made some one year. It was evil stuff, her Father had drunk it and gone blind for a week. One of the reasons she didn't drink much.

"Today is an exception." She lifted the glass "Cheers" She humorlessly said and downed the drink in one. The foul drink was easilly 70% ABV, and had a nice paint stripper edge to it. It is said that you can't out drink the Irish. That they have the consitution of an iron dwarf who drinks whiskey like it was water. This may be true for some, however for the pixie sized Doctor it didn't take long to get completely hammered. After the first three the barkeep had just keft Jade with the bottle. The miricle of open bar nights.

"Why? Why d'he lead me on like that? Why'd he trick me?" Jade moaned slurredly.

"You can't fool the scanners. It part of the magic of Whiskermas. He meant what he sang. You should go talk to him." The barkeep offered, passing up the bar to serve another customer.

"Yrright. Ishud go give 'im a peeece of my mind." She grabbed the bottle and stumbled to the door.

*****

"Cass was right." Jade said aloud to the empty halls. "Shud nevr of given 'im his access back. Lousy no good drunk." She grumbled, weaving up the deck plating. "Cass was right, he is no good. I shud've listended." She took a huge swig as she stopped outside the door to his quarters. She hammered on the door. Beating on the metal loud enough to wake the dead.

"Fuck off." He yelled, not caring who it was.

"Solvay open up you drunken dick." Jade hollared, banging on the door and leaning far too much on it.

"I said leave me alone bitch." He grumped through the closed metal.

"HOLLY! Space corps drrective nine one one, stubsection b. This man is a danger to himself and as acting chief medical officer I demand you open it!" Jade barked at the wall.

"Don't you fucking dare Holly." Alex growled at the AI. "I don't want her in here."

"Sorry dude. She can envoke that and I have to do it. It's one of the rules." Holly shrugged as the door swooshed open. Jade tumbled in, her support gone.

"Useless no good AI."

"Yu're the usless one!" She slurred, swaying as she stood. Waving the bottle at him.

"Why are you here?" Alex asked, resigned.

"Y're wrong." Jade said, a torrent of emotion behind the words. Alex remained quiet. "I'spose that song was for the last piece of ass you tried to fuck? Molly? Y'get good boot knocking with her?!" The venom poured out over Alex, drink fueled misunderstanding and hurt coming out in an angry tirade. "I sang my soul out up there in front of everyone. I risked ruining everything knowing that you didn't even want to be friends! An all you do is brush me asside like yesterdays fucking garbage! You are a DOG Solvay. A fucking dog sniffing at anything to get your fucking leg over. Is it that I didn't put out so you could shag me? Or was it that I admited..."

Jade tumbled sideways, her train of thought derailing as she rebalanced and swigged again.

"You have no right to come in here and say that." Alex said, looking wounded. He attempted to guide the drunkard out of his room. Ever the gentleman, even with his pride in tatters of his own making.

"Don't touch me you fucking prick." She flailed at his arms and lurched out of his reach. An overly large gesture causing her to propel herself sideways. It is worth mentioning at this point that Jade's normal inhibitions were rather low and her moral compass decided that swearing was most apt for the situation.

"You're one to talk. What does Jamie think about your wandering hands?" Alex snapped, fed up with her stupid little game.

"Whas he gotta do with anything? S'that it? You fucking jealous?! Not allow dfriends? s'that it? You sad lonely tosser. Or s'it that you thought it'd be funny to break my heart and shit on the remains by saiying it was all 'just a laugh'!?"

"I..." He attempted to get a word in edgewise.

"SHUT UP I'M TALKING!" She screamed "Was it all just a laugh to you!? Is that it? A funny game to string the girl along, make her care and want to help you then break her heart? This whole wounded soldier thing was probably a lie wasn't it? I'll bet that Jake is still alive and would be laughing with you if he was here!"

"It's..." He tried then shut up and she glared daggers at him.

"That's it isn't it?! Why you wouldn't talk about him?! It was all an act! A heartless act to get me to... To make me..."

"Jade..." He began, but was silenced as she waved the bottle angrilly in his face.

"I was falling in love with you damnit." The anger suddenly deflated like a balloon. All the venom spent. He shoulders slumped over and she heaved a heavy sigh. "I loved you... And you... you..." A small angry spark fired in the nerves down her arm angering the muscles and tendons there.

She reached out and slapped him full force across the cheek. An angry hand print began to appear, neat and defined. She choaked back a sob, not wanting him to see her crumble completely and ran out down the corridor.

<Tag>

OOC - I guess you other guys can still enjoy the party, but Jade will now be crying her poor little heart out in her quarters. Oh, and she'll have an epic hangover tomorrow... :s

* Pronounced potcheen. Seriously Google it. It's nasty evil stuff that can actually kill you.