Love & Serenity

Chapter 12

Jax had stood back for a moment as he watched Lillian struggle to get up. When he noticed she was in pain he'd asked if she was alright which had been the wrong thing to do as she hadn't known anyone was around and he'd spooked her. He quickly made his way to her and was down in the sand with her.

"Are you ok?"

"Jax." She said, her heart in her mouth, "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. What happened?"
Jax's gaze roamed her face, searching, to see if she was in pain.

"I, uh, I slipped on my way here a few hours ago."
Lillian's hand went to her leg as she tried to ease the pain by gently rubbing her swollen ankle and Jax's gaze followed.

"A few hours ago?" He looked at her. "You've been trying to get up since a few hours ago?"

"No. I fell asleep. I was just heading back but my leg isn't..." She stopped herself.

"Isn't what?" Jax looked at her waiting for her to complete her sentence.

"Nothing." She said quickly and brushed off his hand from her leg. "I need to get back."

Lillian struggled to get back up again and when Jax saw she was getting nowhere, he helped her up. Jax supported her up with both hands beneath her elbow and hers on his triceps.

"Thank you," Lillian said as she tried to get her footing, wanting to step away from him as fast as she could.

There was something about the way the sunset hit his eyes that made it all the more hypnotising to look into.

Oh, Lillian. Get it together.
Lillian stepped away from him and stumbled on her good foot.

"Whoa, careful," Jax said, holding her upright again. "I don't think you can stand on your own, let alone walk."

"I'll be fine." She said with a small smile even though her leg was hurting so bad.

Jax studied her face as he did quite too often. It made her nervous having his eyes bearing into hers so intensely.

Lillian widened her smile while looking at him but Jax could see right through it.

"Why don't we head to my place and get your leg checked out, ..."

"No, it's fine really."

"...it's just over there. Closer than yours. I could drive you to your place afterwards."

Lillian could see the place he'd gestured to just a distance away, definitely closer than hers. She looked back up at him.
"I don't want to bother."

"You're not. I'm offering." Jax said. "I can't let you make the walk back up that rocky path all on your own with that leg."

Lillian took a moment to make her decision.
"Alright."

Jax's smile was small and she nearly missed it.

"Lean on me." He said as they started walking towards his place.

"Thank you." Lillian's face scrunched up without her meaning to.

"I could carry you."

"No!" Lillian snapped her face to his in a panic. "This is fine."

"It would only worsen your leg."

"As you said, your place is closer." She looked away from him and focused on increasing her strides so he wouldn't bring it up again.

Halfway to his place, Jax chuckled at her cute facial expression. She was in pain but yet she was so determined to walk on her own and faster than her leg was letting her so he wouldn't bring up 'carrying her'.