Keep Your Eyes On Me

- 11 -

"I remember how annoyed you looked," she heard Jake say.

'That's because I was,' she said. No, she didn't say. Why weren't her words coming out? She couldn't open her eyes either. How much sedation did they give her? That's the last thing she could remember. Anything right before that was a blur. She remembered falling and then being stuck with a needle in her neck.

"Looking back, knowing he was basically your uncle makes that annoyance make more sense," his voice was slightly hazy. But she understood it as she slowly faded back into her drug-induced sleep.

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"Do you mind if I steal Lieutenant Mitchell from you," Admiral Kazansky asked the man in front of her.

Her eyes surely mentally dug the old man a grave. Even if he had just beaten his cancer, she would not give him a pass of cock blocking her. Well, she supposed she could give him a little bit of a pass.

"I suppose that's up to Elizabeth, sir," Jake said, looking over at her, unsure how to handle the situation.

"The pleasure would be mine, Admiral Kazansky," Elizabeth said.

A smile found her lips as she took her uncle's hand. The song changed to a more upbeat one that was still good for a slower, more traditional dance. Her eyes watched as Jake awkwardly walked away, headed over to Javy and his date. Her eyes met her uncle's icy blues.

"That was so uncool," Elizabeth grumbled.

"Now you sound like you're 15 again," Tom laughed as she glared lightly. "Oh come on. I'm your uncle, I gotta step in when your father can't," he said with a soft laugh. Elizabeth frowned. "Oh Lizzy, you need to make up with him. You can't be upset forever."

"Yes, I can. And I will."

"One day, you two will be happy with one another again."

She doubted it.

The two danced some more before his wife came over to steal him away from her, leaving her without a dance partner. Elizabeth looked at the time before looking around. Natasha and Bradley were having the time of their lives by the dessert table, both extremely tipsy. She smiled at the two before sighing, deciding that she had enough socialization for the evening. She walked to the door of the party, brushing past the doorman before clicking the button to go down to the lobby of the building they were in.

"So you know Admiral Kazansky," said Lieutenant Jackson, causing her to groan, not even hiding her annoyance.

"You don't really take a hint, do you?"

"Well I know you were lying. A married couple would have wedding bands on."

"That's not always true. Now if you excuse me," Liz huffed as the elevator doors opened.

She stepped inside and pressed the '1' button, then the 'close door' button, only for the persistent male to walk in anyways.

"Yeah? Then why are you leaving separately?"

"You know, for a Navy SEAL, you sure don't know how to be a gentleman at all," she spat.

She glared at the man as the door began to close. Jake slipped through just at the last moment.

"Damn, sunshine. Gotta give a man some warning before you bolt off," Jake said, making a grin form on Elizabeth's face.

Why was he such a knight in shining armor? Jake completely ignored the man in the elevator as he easily leaned down cupping Elizabeth's face and kissed her deeply. She hesitated for a moment, not expecting him to kiss her, before she melted into it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, basically moaning against his lips. She could feel a grin forming in their kiss.