" Justus! What are you doing here?"

" I thought surprising you. But, I guess that the surprise is on me. What's he doing here. Wait. I saw what he was doing here."

" Justus, you don't understand."

" Understand, what, Dara? We stopped seeing each other but a few days, and you're jumping his bones already?"

" Watch your mouth, Justus."

" Or, what, Jax. What are you going to do?"

" Make sure that you clean up your act."

" Oh, so you're her protector now? When did this happen, Dara? What did you have to do to get him to want to protect you this quick. Or do I need to ask what you gave up?"

Dara slaps Justus." You bastard. Don't you EVEN think that you'll disrespect me that way...in FRONT of my family? I don't think so."

" I'm not the one climbing all over a man I barely know in front of my family."

" I know Jax well enough."

" Well, that's obvious. So, you think that the Wonder from Down Under has something for you? You and Simone, more alike than I thought. Well, I've been down that road, and don't intend to do it again. Goodbye. I won't make the mistake of caring anymore." Justus turns to leave and is walking away, when he turns. " Here." He throws the earring box at her. " Thanks for nothing."

There is a group surrounding them that had stopped everything to hear the commotion. Dara is in shock at what happened. She walks, then begins to run away from the tent. Jax chases after her.

" Dara, please. Wait."

Jax get up to Dara. He can see the tears in her eyes. Gently, he takes a handkerchief and wipes them away.

" What's the matter with me? All I seem to do is cry around you."

" Not true. You've been around me enough times that you haven't cried. That scene was pretty disastrous. But, definitely not worth your tears."

Dara laughs. " Not worth it, heh? It was miserable."

" That it was. But, you held your ground. I enjoyed the slap, I must say."

" I enjoyed it too. He had it coming. "

" Yes. I like a woman with fire. I didn't realize how much I had missed it, until you popped him one."

" So, you like physically abusive women?"

" Now, I didn't say that. I like a woman who's willing to stand up for herself. Wow!"

" What?"

" Until that sentence, I can't believe that I fell for someone like Brender. She was so....needy. Brrruggh."

" Jax...about the kiss..."

" What about it?"

" If you didn't mean it..."

" Why in the bloody hell would you think that I didn't mean it? I meant it, Dara. It was the most natural thing that I've done in months that gave me pure joy. Being in your arms."

" The feeling was mutual. I haven't felt that good in ages."

" Would it be forward of me to try again."

" It would only be forward IF you didn't try."

Jax takes Dara's face in his hands and kisses her deeply. They stay there for a few moments and then return to the party and dance until the wee hours of the morning, when the band leaves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dara and Jax are checking the car to see if they have everything. They both go and say their goodbyes to all. While, Jax is talking to Dr. Jensen, Dara and her mother exchange words.

" Well, last night certainly was interesting, Dara. I am assuming that the gentleman, was Justus Ward?"

" Your assumptions are correct."

" I didn't hear everything, but I did hear something that pleased me."

" And that was?"

" Mr. Jacks defending you. And you defending yourself. I was proud of how you handled, yourself, Dara." She kisses Dara. " Do have a safe trip back." She walks away. Dara stares at her Grandmother who was nearby.

" Just take your Mama's compliments and run with them."

Dara goes over to her Grandmother and kisses her. "I'm sorry I ruined your party."

" Ruined it? Child, please. I've seen worse. Now, if they'd had a fistfight, we might be talking. You take care. " She kisses Dara and whispers, " I like Mr. Jacks."

" So do I, Grandmama. So do I."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sasha is in her hospital room reading when...

" Hello, Boss."

" Mai! When did you get in?"

" About an hour ago. I went to the Port Charles Hotel and freshened up. So, how are you?"

" The doctors say that I will be doing fine. And getting out soon. Soon enough to go to that meeting about Telestar in London."

" Are you sure that you're up for it?"

" Absolutely. I have no intentions of missing those negotiations. That company is important to me. And I won't lose it. So, did you bring the information about Sonny Corinthos?"

" Yes. The files are all complete and ready for you. I didn't bring them here..."

" Because they would not be secure. Ever the attentive Mai."

" How are things with your family?"

" Interesting. And getting more complicated by the day."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justus is in his office when Edward arrives.

" Justus. You have to go to London."

" Why?"

" For the Telestar negotiations. That company would be a coup for ELQ."

" Ned handled all the business for Telestar. It's his baby. Why not send him?"

" Ned had to leave an hour ago for Caracas, Venezuela. Things are out of hand down there. You're it, Justus. Bone up on the deal and be ready to go tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dara and Jax are on the Jacks Jet doing some serious kissing.

" Wait a minute, Jax."

" For what, Dara?"

" Don't you think that this is going a bit fast?"

" Faster than what?"

" I just don't want to rush things."

" OK, Dara. We'll take things in your speed. Your way." The phone rings. " Yes, Eric. I see. Thank you." Jax hangs up the phone.

" Trouble?"

" Maybe. A fax from Jerry is coming in." Jax takes the fax and reads it.
" Dara, how would you like to go to London?"