Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the smell that wafted into Hannah’s nose immediately comforted her as she closed her eyes briefly. Pausing before she approached the hostess stand, his eyes flashed into her brain. 

“Hannah?!” a familiar voice greeted her. 

Hannah grinned, meeting the smile in her direction.

“Toni! Hi!”

“Wow...Long time..Where ya been?”

Hannah blushed “Uh. San Diego. I’m writing out there now.”

“Writing? Oh wow you did it, honey!” The petite, older blonde beamed, looking just behind her “You alone tonight?”

Hannah’s heart jolted in her chest. “Um, yeah...Just me.” She thought it best to keep her answer short. She didn’t feel like making this weekend more awkward than it needed to be. 

Toni studied her, deciding to leave it alone. “Alright. Follow me. Got a new girl on tonight, but I trained her, so you’ll be fine.” she winked at Hannah. 

“Fine by me,” Hannah smiled. “As long as you have that cabernet…”

“A few cases since you haven’t been here to drink it all…” Toni teased as she set a menu down.

“Gina will be right over, love..I’ll get you a glass in the meantime.

Hannah laughed. “Thanks, Toni...Good to see you again.”

**

JC blinked as he stared at the same notes for about the tenth time. The page had gone blurry and he wasn’t even sure he could read his own handwriting anymore. He had the entire melody and hook of this song written in his head, but getting it down on paper to make a decent track was proving to be a much bigger challenge. 

Rubbing the bridge of his nose and yawning, he decided to call it a wrap on the day. He couldn’t remember the last thing he had eaten. Maybe some food would help clear his mind. 

Scanning his kitchen mentally, he realized his options were nonexistent. 

“Shit…” he muttered to himself. He had been so focused over the last week that he had forgotten to consider groceries.

Looking down, he also realized he had been wearing the same clothes for two days. Maybe he needed some fresh air for once.

Making a face at himself, he made his way to the master bathroom. Peeling off his dirty clothes, he climbed into the shower, the hot water immediately soothing his stiff muscles. Leaning into the cascade, he turned and ran a hand through his hair as he let it run over his head and down his shoulders. He already felt so much more relaxed. Letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, he took his time to enjoy the shower and washing off the last two days - the last few weeks, really.

He had found his groove musically again, but truthfully it had been off and on for months.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, he dried off and stepped out of the shower into a now steamy bathroom. He cleared his view in the mirror, staring at the scruffy face in front of him. 

Grabbing the side of his chin, he turned to the side. It was almost a beard. He contemplated leaving it like that. No one to impress, right? One last look at himself, he reluctantly pulled out his shaving supplies and cleaned himself up. There was never any telling who would see him once he left his house, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with bad paparazzi pictures. 

He managed to get himself dressed- a simple button down and jeans, and took a breath as he walked down the drive to his jeep. Before he realized it, he found himself pulling into a tiny valet lot, one he had been to many times before. He paused as he walked to the entrance.

What was he doing here? His brain had made a quick decision after deciding he needed to eat. 

He didn’t even remember considering anywhere else. Still, this might not have been the smartest move. 

Swallowing his nerves as he pushed open the door, the familiar bustle and low lighting welcomed him immediately. A lazy and soft smile found the corners of his mouth as Hannah crossed his mind. 

“Well look what the cat dragged in!” Toni chirped as she walked back to the hostess stand. 

“Hey Toni,” JC grinned by way of greeting. 

“Hey handsome!” she squeezed his arm. “Gotta make sure its really you…”

JC chuckled “Been busy…”

“Uh huh...Hiding in that studio, no doubt…” she smiled.

JC bit his lip “Something like that…”

Toni smiled. “Table for ...one?” she asked carefully.

JC nodded “Flying solo tonight.”

Toni’s eyes were dancing. She wasn’t quite sure what was going on, or why he had arrived separately, but it was none of her business. Still, she was definitely intrigued and would definitely be enjoying whatever decided to happen.

“Right this way, hun. New girl tonight...She’ll take good care of you, though. Merlot or Cabernet tonight?”

JC smiled “You’re the best. I’ll do the merlot. Thanks, Toni…”

“You got it, kid…”

She walked him carefully to a back table, glancing around the room as they made their way.

Out of the corner of her eye, she looked over Hannah, her head buried in the menu.

Smiling to herself, she winked at JC as she set his menu down. “Gina will be right over.”

**

Jc sighed as he lifted his wine glass to his mouth. He had been here one other time alone in the last 6 months, and this time felt no less weird. He was hungry, though, and this place was a little off the grid. He could relax here.

Casually glancing around the room, he thought he was losing it. Was that her?

It couldn't be. Why would she be here? In LA...in this restaurant?

"You need more sleep, dude..." he whispered to himself.

Lifting her eyes to Toni, who had just walked over to her, she smiled as they talked, and JC's eyes widened. Definitely her. He knew that smile. 

Should he go say hi? 

"Can I get you something to start?" Gina’s voice broke his focus.

"Uhh...I need a few more minutes..." he began.

"No problem. I'll be back." She smiled. 

"Actually, uh...Can you...Send a whiskey ginger to...that table over there."

The waitress looked in the direction he was pointing and smiled. "Brown hair...purple top?" 

Jc nodded "Yeah..."

He was met with a sly smile. "Sure thing..."

**

Gina made her way over to Hannah, fresh drink in hand, and smiled as she set it in front of her and cleared her throat “Um. Here ya go…”

“Oh...I didn’t order this…” Hannah politely corrected the waitress. 

“Oh, um...Gentleman a few tables over sent it.” She was about two shades redder than Hannah remembered her being when she had arrived. As she gestured toward the table, Hannah understood why. Shy smile on his face, he gave her a half wave.

Hannah smirked, turning back to Gina “Is it a whiskey ginger?”

The waitress nodded. “Yep. Top shelf,” she winked. 

“Thank you…” she smiled. 

“If you want to move tables, um, it’s not a problem,” the waitress suggested.

“Oh, um...No that’s fine I...I’ll go say hi in a second.”

She turned back to where JC was sitting “Are you sure? Cuz…”

Hannah blushed, chuckling a little before taking a long sip of the drink. She looked over, and JC was still looking back. “Um. Sure. Yeah...I’ll...just head over…”

Gina nodded, clearly delighted. “I’ll let the kitchen know and have a place setting sent over.”

Hannah made her way over to him, drink in one hand and bag in the other, sighing as she sat.

“Hi…”

He smiled at her “Hi…”

Hannah held up her drink “Thank you…”

JC nodded. “You’re welcome.”

She studied him, his expression cautious. “Are you alone or…?”

He smirked “Yeah...Took the night off…”

“Jace…”

“Sorry.” he cleared his throat,  “What are you doing in LA, Annie…?”

Hannah smiled, looking down “Uh...Wedding planning with Jade...She said Yes to the Dress…” she spoke in a cheesy tone.

JC offered a half smile “Ah. How was that?”

Hannah chuckled slightly “It was fine. She’s really very calm about the whole thing, surprisingly…”

JC nodded “They doing the whole big...party or whatever?”

“Uh...Yeah...Um...Can we actually not talk about-” Hannah answered.

“Oh! Uh. Yeah..Of course. Sorry…” JC looked down. 

Hannah softened a little as the color drained from his face. “It’s ok...”

There was an awkward silence as JC smiled back at her and  bit his lip “Is it ok to say you look good, Hannah?”

Hannah laughed a little “Sure…”

JC took a breath “Have you ordered yet...Can’t decide what I want.”

Hannah smiled “Besides the calamari?”

He grinned at her “Yeah...Well...Of course…”

Hannah pulled her menu up, studying the specials page as she spoke “You’re gonna get the chicken…”

JC smiled. “How do you know?”

She smirked “...You always get the chicken.  Every time. You act like you’re not...then you do.”

He stared at her, eyes amused and daring “Ya know what? I’m getting steak…” He closed his menu, tossing it gently back down onto the table.

A giggle escaped Hannah “I’m calling US weekly. This is a big deal…”

They finished dinner, two drinks in, and Gina came around with two smaller menus. “Are we thinking about something sweet?” she charmed.

JC swallowed while Hannah took another sip of her drink. Dessert had been their thing. They had always reasoned that if they shared, it wasn’t as bad. Maybe she shouldn’t have tempted fate by coming to a place that belonged to their past. 

“Uh. Ya know what. I think we’re good. We’ll just take-” JC started.

“Picklebacks…” Hannah blurted out.

“WHAT?” both JC and the waitress stared at her at the same time. 

“Two pickleback shots...Please…”

JC cocked his head as he looked at her, confusion clouding his face. 

“Um. Sure.” Gina smiled politely, clearing the dessert menus before she walked away.

“Whiskey…” he shook his head. 

Hannah smiled and shrugged. “Why not…”

“PICKLEBACKS, though?”

“Gotta meet Jade again tomorrow. Need the pickle juice…” she winked.

JC chuckled. “You haven’t changed, have you?”

She laughed “In 6 months?! Would take a lot longer than that...”

Their shots arrived a few minutes later, Hannah holding hers up “Ready?”

JC smirked “No…”

“Shhh” Hannah teased “Bottoms up.” 

JC chuckled as he shook his head and downed the whiskey, then the chaser of pickle juice. “Oh GOD that never gets better…” he winced, coughing a bit. 

Hannah laughed “You’ll be fine.”

JC smiled, watching her cheeks go slightly pink like they always did when she drank  “Why’d you come here tonight, Hannah? Of all the places in LA?”

Hannah sighed “...It’s...comfortable…”

A smile spread across JC’s face “Comfortable?”

Hannah’s blush spread “Um...Yeah, I mean. I was hungry...I know where it is…”

JC nodded “...You have good memories here…”

Hannah smiled “Yeah...I do…”

JC bit his lip. “Do we need another pickleback?”

Hannah giggled quietly “I think so…”

**

After three pickle shots a piece, Hannah and JC made their way out of the restaurant, the world blurrier as they went to say goodbye. 

Hannah stared at him, glazed over eyes pulling him into focus as he studied her through slightly clouded vision. 

He stepped forward, one hand smoothing down her hair. “I miss you, Hannah…”

Hannah’s mouth instinctively twisted into a hazy smile as she nodded. “I miss you, too…”

His lips closed over hers with a breathy sigh, pulling back slightly as his eyes smiled. “Annie...You taste like a deli…”

She giggled against him. “Shut up…”

“Okay…” he muttered, moving back to her mouth. His hands found her hair, pulling her face closer to his. She mirrored his movement, sliding her hands over his face to the back of his head.

She took in his breath, accented by whiskey, hot on her skin. 

“Are you-” he started to ask.

“Coming over?” she finished.

An empty chuckle, he grinned “I was gonna say ok to get home, but…”

“Yeah…” she bit her lip as her hands moved down around his waist.

“Annie, you can’t drive…” he shook his head softly at her.

She smirked. “Neither can you…”

“Share a car?”

“The valet…” Hannah glanced back at the lot. 

JC smiled, letting go of her to walk to the valet stand. Hannah watched as he had a quick conversation with the attendant, one they both knew, and pulled out his wallet. She giggled.

This was a new one for him. He had never been one to flash his money around. 

He HAD always been one to make sure she was safe, though…

Walking back over, he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. “Taken care of. We can get them tomorrow.”

**

Hannah and JC tumbled out of their cab, arms around each other as they made their way into JC’s front gate. 

‘“Annie...I think you’re drunk... “ he teased as he turned to grab both her hands, pulling her toward the frosted glass entrance. 

Hannah giggled, her eyes flirty as she followed him “I think YOU’RE drunk…”

JC grinned as he moved to lace his hand in hers, walking alongside her.

“Whose idea were picklebacks?”

Hannah smiled “I’m not even sorry…”

“Mmmm...No need to be…” JC pulled her into him as they reached the door. 

Hannah giggled as he leaned down to kiss her, her tongue searching for and finding his easily.

His hands found her ass while hers moved up his sides, pushing his shirt up slightly. As his lips moved down to her collarbone, her hands moved around to his back. Pushing her shirt aside a little, he kissed the skin just above her breast, moving his hands to cup them.

“Mmmm Jace…” she purred.

“I can stop,” he paused, his voice a growled whisper.

Hannah shook her head “No...don’t…”

He grinned, hands sliding under her shirt to unhook her bra. Hannah giggled, pushing him away briefly to pull off her shirt and slide her bra to the ground, 

“Better?” she arched her brow at him.

JC bit his lip, nodding as his mouth moved to her chest. “Mmm...Yeah, mama..” he mumbled against her sin.

Hannah giggled, pushing him away gently. She shook her head slowly as she stared at him. “One of us has too many clothes on…”

He chuckled, eyes smoldering as he ripped his shirt over his head

. 

“Now we’re even,” he charmed.

Hannah smiled, bringing her hand to his head to bring it back down to her breast. Her hands moved to the fly of his jeans as he lost himself against her. 

She felt a rush of air as he reacted, moving away from her enough to speak “Should we go inside?”

Hannah shrugged, smirking as she felt a bolt of excitement, “Why…”

He grinned lazily at her, guiding her gently to press himself into her against the frosted glass. Hannah giggled as a branch from a nearby plant grazed her shoulder, pushing it out of her way.

They stepped out of their clothes easily, feeling the late night breeze on their skin. Staring at her hair softly blowing, JC brushed it out of her face as he found her lips again. Lifting her suddenly, Hannah let out an excited gasp, wrapping her legs around him. She felt a slight give on the door as he pushed her against it, pressing herself against him. With her hands around his back, he found his way into her, wasting no time. His motion was not gentle, and her response not subtle.

“FUCK...JACE...UGH…” she called out appreciatively.

“ANN-IE...AHH” he answered her tone.

Their silhouettes casting a shadow against the door, they moved together. Skin on skin, their rhythm was passionate, hungry.

JC felt her fingers dig deeper into his skin, her body clenching slowly as she began to lose control. His own senses started to spin as he reached his own finish. JC began to slow a bit as he gave in, feeling himself release at the same time she did. 

His breathing was heavy and thick as he gripped her for support, her back sliding down as she found her breath again. She opened her eyes to smile at him, bright but melting him with her gaze. “I should go…” she bit her lip.

JC smiled back at her, a quick lick of his bottom lip before his voice came out as a low whisper. 

“It’s late, Hannah...Not letting you risk it…”

Warm in his arms, Hannah nodded. “Okay…”

A soft grin on his face, JC hoisted her up more securely as she wrapped her arms around his neck, head on his shoulder. He made his way into the house, clothes left behind as he carried her into the master bedroom. Sitting down with her still in his arms, he noticed her silence.

“Annie? ...Annie?” 

Glancing to his shoulder, he heard her soft breath, fast asleep. Smiling to himself, he carefully pulled her off, tucking her under the comforter before crawling in bed next to her.

“Goodnight, Hannah…” he breathed before drifting off himself.

***

Hannah smiled as a familiar smell of coffee woke her up. Her eyes opened to focus on her surroundings, suddenly hyper aware her clothes were missing. 

“Hey…” she heard from behind her on the bed “Nightstand…Almond milk and honey”

She turned to face him first, a half smile on her face “Jace…”

He shook his head. “Coffee first.”

He knew they needed to talk. He also knew this was something Hannah was not capable of without caffeine. 

She pulled the comforter up around herself, grabbing the mug. Looking down at herself, she bit her lip “Um...Where are are my clothes?”

JC smirked “In the washer…”

Hannah stared at him “What?”

He smiled “Uh...Well they spent the night outside, so…” He got up quietly, picking up a small pile from the top of his dresser and walking back over. “Here…” he handed them to her. 

She grabbed a pair of joggers from him and a t-shirt- one she immediately recognized. An LA Dodgers logo was screenprinted  across the front. Hannah couldn’t help but smile. 

“You left that here, so…”

Hannah nodded. “Thank you.” She ran her hand across the clothes and eyed JC. “Um...Can you…”

“Hannah…” he chuckled “Really?”

She sighed. “Right.” Smirking, she swung her legs out of bed, back to hin, as she pulled on the joggers and quickly pulled the t-shirt over her head. Laying back against the headboard, he looked at her. “So good morning…”

“Good morning,” she sighed. 

Scooting closer to her, he reached for her hair, Hannah stopping his hand “JC…”

“Hannah...There’s a leaf in your hair…” he grinned, moving his fingers to remove it as she relented. 

Hannah’s giggle became a laugh. “Stupid plant…”

JC matched her laughter, both of them eventually stopping to look at each other. 

Without a word, their lips found each other; gently, tenderly.  Pulling away, Hannah’s brow furrowed as she whispered. “Jace…”

JC sighed “I know…”

“Last night was...wow…”

“...But it doesn’t mean anything…” JC’s eyes were deep, resigned. 

Hannah nodded. “San Diego’s going really well. I can’t just-”

“Annie…” he grabbed her hands “I’m happy for you. Really. I’m proud of you.”

She smiled, her eyes light as she moved to lay on his chest, letting out a breath “Why is this so hard?”

“It doesn’t have to be…” he whispered, playing with her hair. “I don’t want it to be. When do you have to meet Jade?”

Hannah stared at the ceiling “at 2…”

JC smiled, looking at her “...Then we have some time to just enjoy this.”

Looking back up at him, her eyes matched his as she embraced the moment  “Okay…”