Hannah sat quietly at the kitchen table, watching him as he finished the coffee. She was very aware of her appearance suddenly. She had woken up before him, careful to remove as much of her smeared makeup as she could. He had never really seen her with no makeup on. Not that it mattered. She had on yesterday’s clothes. Well, yesterday’s sweater, anyway. He had offered her sweatpants. They were too big on her, but they were comfortable. 

He smiled as he carried over two cups of coffee. His hair was a mess and the thick black frames of his glasses hid any signs of sleep on his face. 

“Um...Milk or…?” he asked, setting her cup down. 

She nodded “Whatever you have...and sugar?”

He turned back to the fridge, pulling out a carton of soy milk “Does this work?”

She giggled. “Yeah...That works...Kind of a hippy, Jace?”

He smirked and shrugged “Healthy or whatever…” he teased.

“Thank you,” she smiled, taking the carton from him. His eyes lingered on her. “What…” she asked carefully. 

“Nothing,” he smiled, taking in her face with nothing on it. She looked amazing, relaxed.

Hannah was taking in morning JC, as well. He ran a hand through his hair and sat down across from her, sipping from his own cup. 

“So...What are you writing about, Hannah?”

She smiled. “Straight to the point, huh?”

“You said coffee, so…” he raised his cup to her. 

She nodded. “Fair. Um…” she sighed “I don’t know yet...I mean I know what I WANT to write about. I’m just...stuck…”

“What do you want to write about?” he asked her, genuinely interested.

She chuckled “It’s weird…”

“Try me…”

“Well...Being single. A single woman in a world that...expects certain things of you. Needing a man, looking for a husband, being scared to be alone...What if...there are women who aren’t…” She took a sip of her coffee. 

JC’s eyes were dancing. “Like you?”

Hannah blushed and bit her lip “I mean...Kinda?”

JC shook his head. “You should own that, Hannah...It’s...refreshing.”

“Refreshing?” she laughed before returning to her coffee.

“Yes. You know who you are. You have goals that are just for you. You’re comfortable in your own skin.”

“God. I sound like a Meg Ryan movie…”

JC laughed, his eyes crinkling above his cup. “Meg Ryan’s kinda hott…”

She laughed back “You don’t think it’s...cliche?”

JC shrugged “Not if you don’t write it that way…”

Hannah studied him for a second. “How do you know if a song is...good or not?” she asked him.

His face warmed, every feature smiling “I don’t. I guess I just kind of ...Go with whatever comes out. They don’t all become real songs.”

Hannah smiled “Yeah...Yeah, that makes sense. The one you sang the other day...I liked it.”

“Yeah?” he grinned.

She nodded “Yeah. “

His eyes narrowed playfully. “You gonna say that about everything I let you hear? Flattery will get you nowhere, mama…”

Hannah smirked “Nope. Don’t really like ‘Everything You Want.’”

He almost choked on his coffee “You’ve...heard the album?”

She giggled  “Edited our review. One of my first assignments, actually…”

He sat back in his chair, highly amused “Is that right?” 

Hannah nodded.

“Why would you have to listen to the album to edit a column, Hannah?”

She shrugged, staring at him playfully. “Curiosity. I am a thorough journalist. I do my research.”

He smiled “Hmm...It would appear so…” His face twisted into a thought, pausing before he continued “I think it’s only fair I read some of your stuff, Hannah…”

She gulped her coffee down. “Oh, do you?”

He bit his lip “I do...I’ve shown you mine, so…show me yours…”

She blushed “I think I’ve shown you plenty, Mr. Chasez.”

“I wanna see more, Miss Martin…” he teased.

She shook her head. He was disarming. Sitting in his sweatpants, having morning coffee and chatting. She could get used to this. She didn’t want to, but she could. No rules. Maybe she should just enjoy herself. Not think about it so much. He was putting no pressure on her, and she had no plans to expect anything from him, either. Comfortable. She was comfortable. For the first time in awhile.

“That can be arranged, I guess.” she replied.

JC smiled. She was coy. Sure of herself. He soaked in the bits of her she allowed him to see. Every time he saw her another piece of the puzzle revealed itself. He was enjoying every minute of it. It was easy. She was fun. 

“Busy week ahead?”

She shifted to sit up a little more. “As always. Never a dull moment. Plus, it looks like I gotta edit some stuff for a blue-eyed reader,” she winked.

He smiled “Friday night…”

“What about it?” Hannah replied casually.

“Let me take you out…” he looked at her. 

Hannah froze. A date? Was he asking her out on an actual date? This definitely broke the rules. 

JC softened, taking her hand “Not like that, Hannah. Couple drinks. Maybe some dancing? Late night junk food?”

“Kinda sounds ‘like that,’ ” JC…” she pointed out.

He shrugged “Doesn’t have to be. I just wanna hang out with you, Hannah. Actually hang out.”

“Can you...do that?” she asked cautiously.

JC laughed, catching her meaning “I mean I’m not Justin…” 

Hannah couldn’t help but laugh. She sighed, her heartbeat pounding in her head. She was going to take the chance. “Okay…” 

JC smiled “Dive bar. How’s that? No pressure.”

Hannah relaxed a little “Sounds perfect.”

“I’ll call you with the details this week…”

Hannah took a deep breath. What was she doing?

***

Hannah had arrived at the bar early. She was nervous. Really nervous. She hated it. Nervous Hannah made mistakes. Nervous Hannah was girlier than she ever wanted anyone to see.

She had insisted they meet there.  

She reasoned that a pre-game drink might be a good idea to calm herself down. She had opted for a well fitted pair of bootcut jeans and her favorite V-neck top. It was a simple cut with a subtle colorful pattern. She was going for “laid back, but put together.” Hoop earrings, as usual. They were her comfort piece. Her hair was pulled back, eliminating the temptation to play with it. 

She sipped her whiskey ginger slowly from a stool at the bar, turning around from time to time to see if JC had arrived. 

She noticed the slightly older man next to her, casting her looks every few minutes, but did her best to ignore him, a polite smile as she waited. She was no stranger to dealing with men at bars, especially in Los Angeles

Her phone buzzed from her bag, and she smiled as she read his text.

“There in 5. So sorry! Traffic was a little crazy…”

The man next to her got a little closer, and she set her drink back down to make an obvious gesture of looking toward the bar entrance. As if on cue, She saw JC walk through the door.

Damn, he looked good. How did jeans and a button down work THAT well on a man? His hair was lightly styled, and his face looked just shaved enough to make an impression. 

Hannah smiled and got up to greet him. She felt a slight wave of dizziness as she made a quick mental note to order some water, chalking it up to her nerves.

“Hey…” She felt her knees buckle a bit and looked up to his concerned face.

“Uhhh...hey….You good?”

“Yeah I...Whoa...That was weird…” She shook her head quickly. 

“How long have you been here?” he smirked, wondering how many drinks she had in her.

“Not that…” she paused as her eyes started to glaze over.

“Hannah…” his eyes got wide. 

“Jace...I don’t feel good…” She let herself grip his arms as she struggled to stand.

“WHOA...Whoa…” he tightened his grip as his hands went to her waist to hold her up.

She looked up to stare at him in confusion just before he felt her go limp in his arms.

“Hannah...HANNAH...Shit...SHIT…” 

**

Hannah blinked her eyes open, a fog coming into focus as she tried to get her bearings. 

Gripping the side of a bed, she tried to identify her location. White walls, hushed voices, beeping machines. Her eyes wandered, and landed on a familiar face. Her head was pounding as recognition came to her slowly. His head was propped against the wall, eyes closed,  where he sat in an unforgiving chair. 

“...Jace?” she spoke, surprised by how tired her voice sounded. “JACE?”

He stirred, arms gripping the chair as he startled awake. His eyes peeled open, becoming wide when he saw her. “HANNAH..” He got up, meeting her at the side of the bed.

“Where am I...What happened…” Her breathing was quickened.

JC let out a breath “You’re in the emergency room… Looks like…” he winced “It looks like someone slipped you a roofie…”

Hannah’s eyes went wide “What?! WHEN? ...How…” Her confusion was evident as JC continued.

“At the bar last night...I should have gotten there sooner...Hannah I’m SO sorry…”

Hannah shook her head, making a face when it made her head feel worse, “No..No it’s not...Oww...Not your fault.”

“Just take it easy, ok? I’m gonna go find a doctor so we can get you out of here…”

“Jace…” she spoke softly.

“Yeah?”

“...What the hell are you wearing…?” Hannah was staring at the pale pink baseball hat on his head, an unfamiliar logo on the front. 

JC smiled slowly. “Uhhh...One of the nurses thought I might want some privacy…Had it in her locker, I guess…”

Hannah’s mouth twisted into a smile “THAT’S supposed to make you blend in?”

JC chuckled “It was a nice gesture…”

After a couple more tests and a final check, Hannah and JC sat as her discharge papers were being prepared. 

“You stayed the whole time?” She looked to JC.

He smiled “Of course. Wanted to make sure you were ok…”

Hannah smiled back “It’s a hospital, JC...They would have taken care of me…”

JC smirked “Not my style to bail on people, Annie…”

She blushed “Thank you…”

“You’re welcome.”

Hannah studied him, his eyes bluer than usual. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she stared at him.

“...Like what…” he bluffed, his mouth stuck in a lazy smile

She squinted at him, a warning, “JC Chasez, you look like you like me…”

“...What if I do…?”

She sighed and shook her head as much as she could, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth “That’s not what we agreed on…”

He grinned “Then why are you giving me the same look…?”

“You...didn’t have to stay...That’s all…”

“Hannah...I…”

“JC...don’t…”

He sighed “I was scared last night, ok? You collapsed on me. I didn’t know what was gonna happen...I was...worried.”

“You worry about me now?” she smirked.

“Hannah...Relax a little, please…”

Hannah sighed “...I like you too, Jace…”

His brow raised “Oh yeah? So there’s two of us breaking the rules?”

She started to laugh, the pain in her head stopping her. “Too tired for jokes, Jace…” 

He smiled, leaning in to kiss her softly. “Then let’s get you home, ok?”

She smiled weakly, ready for a nap “Okay…”

***

JC stirred awake at the sound of a light knock on the door. “Come in,” his voice started to wake up.

Jade opened the door slowly. “Hey,” she smiled as she whispered “How is she?”

JC smiled as he looked over at Hannah next to him, under the covers. “I think she’s gonna be out awhile. Doctor said rest, plenty of water, and a good meal when she wakes up.”

Jade sighed “Yeah. Makes sense. I’m glad you were there.”

“Me too…”

Jade watched him as he looked over at her. “You’re good for her, ya know?”

JC’s head snapped up “What…?”

Jade smiled “She’s happier around you. Relaxed.”

JC’s eyes softened “Yeah, uh...I think I am, too…”

Jade shook her head and kind of giggled “She’s...stubborn. Always has been. She likes you more than she’ll say.”

JC looked down, a smile finding his lips “We uh...We have that in common.”

As they talked, Hannah twisted in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, just long enough to notice JC. “Hey,” he whispered. 

“Hmm…” Hannah mumbled, smiling as she scooted closer to him, and drifted back off. 

“I’m gonna order us all some food...You want some coffee?” Jade spoke quietly as she smiled.

JC returned her smile “Yeah, ok...Jade...Thanks…”

Jade winked at him as she closed the door.