Unrequited || N.C (#2) ONGOING

7

"Morning!" I said as Neal and I went down the stairs to have breakfast, last night I slept all the way through the night. It was good in the long run but only slightly worrying that I could sleep through the jet lag. Unlike Neal I didn't bother getting changed as it was only my family, but I put on a black cardigan so I wouldn't freeze to death.

"Morning!" I heard a chorus of voices say, before I got through the kitchen door Ian ran out and stopped me, looking worried, then looking up at Neal.

"Ian what's matter?" I questioned, looking worried. Ian looked at me almost as if he was trying to hide something not him as well. "Ian tell me please, I really hate it when people hide things from me." As I said that I'm sure I felt Neal stiffen his body behind me, I take it that the hint worked.

"It's just we've got a surprise for you." Ian whispered, looking and me and then back at Neal. "just don't freak out okay?"

"Okay" I said smiling, what was the big deal?

"You promise?" he questioned holding out his little finger like we had always done, I had never broke one promise and we lived by that between us. Probably what made us so sane as brother and sister.

"Promise." I nodded my head and Ian stepped out of the way and at first I didn't see anything different, toast laid out along with cereal, orange juice. Mum and dad sat in their usual places, Ian sitting down next to...

No.

"Jacob?!" I almost shouted, a massive grin appearing on my face and an ever bigger one on his face. He grinned as he walked to me and I ran to him hugging him that almost swept him off his feet. "Where have you been?" I said with still the same high pitched excited tone. He hadn't changed one bit, his brown eyes still reminded me of chocolate ice -cream, his smile still had a boyish charm but his short brown hair had now been slightly shaved at the sides and his hair had now had a kink of curl in it that made him look more mature, even though the Jacob I knew would be running around the house and demanding a nerf war, it had happened when we were 5 and then again when we were 17.

"I've missed you too Lil" He smiled as I pulled away from the hug, I looked down at his clothes and suddenly noticed, he was wearing black jeans, converse (as usual), blue plaid shirt but instead of his signature jacket that I'm sure he never washed was a bomber jacket that on the front read NYPD. Jacob smiled as he noticed me looking at his jacket and I tackled him with a hug once again.

"You finally did it!" I squealed, Jacob had been waiting months for this, he was the only one I played cops and robbers with, the only one who would take me seriously about being an FBI agent, and the only one who never left my side when my relationships had failed. Needless to say he was my best friend, but we hadn't talked since I left as we decided that we would miss each other more if we kept being best friends.

"I know, so it means I'll be coming to your side of town now" he said laughing as I couldn't contain my grin. "Hey, man" Jacob said looking over me and now to Neal bringing his hand out for a handshake and Neal took smiling "Jake Peralta, nice to meet you, so I guess you're the famous Neal that Ian can't stop talking about." he joked and winked, which made everyone erupt into laughter.

"I guess so." Neal said bringing his hand to hold my waist and bring me closer. "It's nice to meet you"

****

"Your boyfriend is nice." Jake said as we walked in the garden before finally finding a bench to sit on, I bunched up my cardigan to make me warmer. We had decided to have a catch up after breakfast so I got changed into something warmer, jeans, top and my fluffy cardigan. Neal understood and said he didn't want to impose on us to getting to know each other again as he sat with Ian in the living room.

"Yeah, really nice" I smiled thinking of Neal, one memory came to mind, when I missed home and he ordered chinese and we watched Gavin and Stacey like me and Ian used to do.

"You seem really happy, I'm glad" he smiled, bringing his arm over me to rest on my shoulder as he pulled me in closer and scratched my hair with his knuckle like he used to do.

"hey! will you quit it!"I laughed as I escaped his grasp, I missed this. Being with Jacob, its how it used to be we'd always get on the bus to school together and be in the same classes. We'd help each other out and always believe in each other no matter what. "I'm so proud of you by the way" I said as Jake smiled.

"Thanks, I just thought to send an application in and see what happened and the best did." he smiled, looking down at the frost covered grass before looking at me "I really missed you when you went away Lil" he said with a sad twine to his voice. "I know it was my idea that we shouldn't keep in contract but I regret it now completely." he said and i smiled and leaned into him for a hug.

"It's all worked out now anyway, don't worry- I'll make sure that we'll see each other much more now" I smiled as Jake smiled back. "There's that boyish grin" I teased, "so how many girls have you been charming with that one?" I questioned, it was no doubt that Jacob was a ladies man and every year he seemed to have a girlfriend, a different one every year and would always dump them for stupid reasons 'I didn't like their hair' 'they were weird' 'she was too needy'

"Actually, no girlfriend this year"

I gasped in shock horror that was meant to be a joke but might as well have been serious. "What? Are you telling me the famous Jacob Peralta hasn't got a date for christmas?" I laughed and he laughed in an over the top way.

"ha ha very funny" he rolled his eyes, "but yeah I've decided, no girlfriends for a while, especially since I'm moving away soon."

"Smart." I nodded "What have you done with Jake peralta and where have you hidden him?" I laughed as Jake rolled his eyes and playfully punched my arm. Somehow it felt right and somehow for once I didn't have Neal or Kate on my mind.

Hey guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter how are we enjoying the new book? Hope you like Jake being in it now I've binged Brooklyn 99 so many times it felt wrong to not have him involved somehow, anyway have a great day it's weird writing this in the blazing sun when it's meant to be Christmas in my story😂 leave a comment and a vote as that would make my day.
Lots of love,
Lily x