The next few weeks were very trying for the Knights. Jon kept Jordan surrounded by crossword puzzles, his keyboard, books and anything else that would keep him from hurting himself. He was very irritable, but Jon always managed to keep him from yelling.
One Monday Maurice finally called them in, and Jordan demanded to be let loose. He told Jon in no uncertain terms that he would not be staying home. Jon just grinned, not really sure he wanted to deny Jordan that chance, even if he felt it was too soon for him to go anywhere.
Tuesday they arrived and met Donnie, Danny, and, eventually, Joe. Inside, they found Sam by her keyboards, and JJ arguing heatedly with Maurice. She stood with her back to the room, and hadn't heard them come in.
"A bass doesn't go that low," she said, trying to keep calm. "I have to play that line up an octave."
"It's got to be down there," he insisted.
"Transpose the whole thing a note or two higher," she snapped, losing her patience. She didn't notice the guys ranged around the room, enjoying the argument.
"They can't sing that high," Maurice retorted, looking very pleased.
"Oh, yes, they can. Put the bass on the lower octave, the two baritones either on the third or the fifth, or one on each, and the two tenors should be able to..." she paused, her anger drained away. "Yeah. They should be able to hit the higher octave." Maurice looked at her, then bent over the music, making notes.
"Fine," he said, his voice muffled. "We won't do that one today, then." He stood up. "Jordan, how are you feeling?"
"Okay. The bullet wound ain't inhibiting my fingers at all," Jordan replied as JJ spun and stared in disbelief, then blushed furiously. Jon didn't know who she blushed at, but he couldn't help hoping it was at him. "I'm not singing too well, though," he added.
The days passed into weeks, and Jordan slowly recovered. At first, they had to quit early, but soon he had no problems. He was singing, then dancing, but both at the same time he could not do. Also impossible was his falsetto.
Before long, they finished the choreography and just rehearsed. Maurice began to ask one or the other of the young men to remain home, to see what would happen if one got hurt. He knew it would be necessary; something always happened.
A friendship had developed between Jon and JJ, and both wished it to be more, but they were both much too shy. Jordan could see the symptoms in Jon and finally got sick of the whole thing.
"Jonathan, you like her. Why don't you just...kiss her, or somethin'?" he demanded one evening as Jon drove them home.
"Right," Jon responded sarcastically. "She may not even feel the same way, and I don't wanna be embarrassed this whole tour."
Jordan sighed. He was right, much as he hated to admit it. So the next day, he pulled Sam aside.
"Sam, Jon is going insane, and taking me with him. I need some help," he said.
"Okay, what's up?" she asked.
"Keep an eye on JJ, see if she has any feelings for my dumb brother," he muttered. Sam laughed.
"I think I can do that to save your sanity."
She didn't ask JJ immediately, though she told Danny, and a couple days later Jon stayed home. They were taking a break, because Jordan still needed one, when JJ walked over to Sam.
"I think it doesn't go as well without Jon," she said absently. "I'm not sure why, though." She set her bass against Sam's keyboards and went to get a drink.
"DannyDannyDannyDanny!" Sam yelled, racing across the stage towards him as soon as JJ was out of sight and hearing. He could see she would not slow down before going off the edge of the stage, so he caught her, swung her around in half a circle, and set her on her feet.
"What?" he asked, laughing.
"JJ says - and I think she's very prejudiced - that the rehearsal doesn't go as well without Jon," she grinned. "I think that'll give Jordan enough to tell Jon she likes him."
"Good. I'll tell him, you go back over there so she doesn't get suspicious." Danny kissed her and sent her off to her keyboards.
"Suspicious of what?" Sam teased as she walked back.
Danny sat next to Jordan on the edge of the stage. "Sam thinks there's a definite interest here," he told the younger Knight. "She says JJ thinks we don't do as well without Jon."
"Okay. Now if I could just find a way to tell him," Jordan mused.
Danny laughed. "Just tell him. He needs a good slap in the face anyway." Jordan grinned.
On the way home that night, Sam glanced at her roommate. She concentrated on the road so completely that Sam thought she might get her to talk about Jon, which she hadn't done at all. In fact, she hadn't talked about any of the others, which was really odd, for JJ. Sam decided to chance it.
"JJ, what do you think about Jon?" she asked.
"Quite a bit," JJ answered absently, swerving to miss a cat.
"Oh, really?" Sam pounced. "Like what?"
JJ blushed and looked at her friend. "Why?" she asked guiltily.
"Because you haven't said a word about any of the guys, and you are the ultimate in guy watching. All of them are very good looking. You can't tell me you didn't notice him."
"Notice him?" she asked with a slight laugh. "He's a very handsome guy, and he's a sweetheart. I don't think I could do what he's done for Jordan for any of my brothers or sisters. But why would he be interested in me? I'm probably one of the plainest girls he's ever met, which is saying a lot."
"So you aren't as pretty as you think you'd like to be," Sam said. "But that isn't all he looks for in a girl. Just watch him for a while. You might be surprised."
So over the next few days, JJ watched Jon. It wasn't hard to do; she suddenly realized how often he was around her when he really had no reason to be. She lost count of the times she caught him watching her, but she always looked away first, usually with a slight blush. She had always found his conversation enjoyable, and soon they were behaving like old friends. Finally, after about two weeks, he kissed her before she went home. Sam had to drive and did so with a huge grin on her face. Jordan congratulated Danny and Sam on a job well done.
Go on to Next Chapter | Grounds for Vengeance
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