12 The Lights

"Lane, maybe you could go a little higher?" Lucy asked politely as she watched her friend teetering on a ladder to hang the marathon banner. Lane wasn't even close to reaching the destination.

"You know this doesn't seem to be helping the process." Lane commented slightly sarcastic. "This is just a thought, but, you know," she got down from the ladder breathlessly, "Maybe the taller person should hang the banner." she gestured the corner of the banner to her. Lucy sighed and set her paper down quickly before hurrying over to her and the ladder.

"Sorry Lane. You're my only helper seeing as Dean bailed earlier." Lucy apologized, "Which is a shame because Bigfoot would've been useful right about now." she said as climbed the ladder.

Lane nodded, "To cut some time, I'm going to go decorate Ms. Patty's studio okay?" she informed before leaving. Lucy nodded and waved her off before focusing back on the banner.

She stood on her toes trying to reach the spot where the corner was supposed to hang. "There." she said satisfied as she finally reached it. The celebration was short lived when she stood back down on the balls of her feet and lost her footing. Half expecting to hit the floor; she braced for impact. It was okay, Taylor would pay for her medical expenses, she would insist it.

But she didn't find that she landed on the floor. No. She landed in the arms of a quite nicely cushioned person. She opened her eyes, not realizing she had them closed, and looked at her savior.

"So is that gonna be one of your dance moves?" Jess smirked. Lucy looked up at him still astonished that he was here in time. "Cause if you are," he set her down carefully on her feet, "I wouldn't use it until the very end."

Lucy chuckled, her breath leaving her chest, "How did you know I was here?" she asked. "I'm a mind reader." he played. Lucy rolled her eyes, "Well, thank you." she looked up at the banner, "I don't understand why I couldn't get more people to volunteer." she said more to herself. She remembered Taylor being able to get tons of people to help organize. Why didn't anyone come for this one? Maybe she didn't push people as hard to volunteer like Taylor would.

"So, how does this whole thing work?" he picked up some streamers that Lane had set up in a basket for them to string around the room. "Do we just T.P. the place with this stuff?"

Lucy took it from him, "No." she looked at him as he took another roll from the basket and unwrapped it. "They're supposed to be patterned about the place." she used her hands to speak; gesturing to all the ceiling. She took her sketchbook and went back to him; showing him, "And there are going to be the podiums at the front here. And instead of getting chairs, we'll just pull out the bleachers for people to sit at." she explained.

"Jeez, you thought of all of this just today?" he asked.

She shrugged and smiled, "Well yeah. The dance is tomorrow." she rubbed her arm. Jess noticed and looked at her, "How can I help?"

Lucy looked at him surprised, "Really?" she smiled excitedly. "Direct me quick, before I change my mind." he told her. She squealed in delight before going over and giving him a string of lights, "These have to be strung around the pillars over there." she pointed.

"Got it." he nodded and headed up. She watched him walk away with a small smile on his face. Dispersing from her thoughts she quickly went over to her destination. She was about to put her earbuds in when she heard Jess yell from the other side of the gym.

"Play it aloud." he called.

She turned and looked at him, "What?

"Play the music out loud. I don't want to be the only one stuck in awkward silence. It's bad work environment." he said as he did one round of stringing the lights. Lucy bit her lip before nodding. She took the cup holding the rubber bands and emptied it. She put her phone in and unplugged the earbuds to play her music.

"Aloha ka manini.. me ka pôpolo.."

Jess cocked a brow up in question at her choice in music but just let her do her own thing. He continued stringing the lights and finished by grabbing the tape and taping the end up.

He saw that Lucy wasn't done with her pillar. He smirked; getting an idea. He grabbed another lasso of lights and started rapping it around the same pillar she was. Lucy frowned; stopping and looking at him, "What are you doing."

"Stringing the lights." he said innocently as he continued; tangling her up in the process. "Very funny, Jess." she said trying to stay amused, "Now can we get back to work?" she asked; slipping out from under his string, only for her to get entangled by his second round of him wrapping it over. She held back a laugh, "Jess," she smiled, "Jess, we have to work."

"We are working." he smiled and finished by taping up the light and looking back at his masterpiece. Lucy stood there trapped by the lights. "Can you undo this now?" she sighed.

Jess smiled before walking up to her closer, "Say please?" he played around. "Jess." she whined and looked at him, "If I don't finish these decorations by tonight, then Taylor's gonna kill me." she said.

"Taylor won't kill you." he chuckled moving closer to her.

"Taylor was issuing a mandate on the population control of all deers in his garden. He'll most definitely kill me for this." she said. Jess was now almost touching her nose with his. She looked at him awkwardly. "Jess."

"These lights are pretty." he said; still looking at her. She could hear her music had changed to Roxette.

"I know there's something in the wake of your smile.

I get a notion from the look in your eyes."

She looked at Jess unsurely "Yeah..they are pretty." she answered. Jess looked down at her lips before leaning in a kissing her.

"Listen to your heart! When he's calling for you.

Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do."

Lucy stood there frozen; the kiss only lasting a few moments before he pulled back. He looked down awkwardly and cleared his throat; flustered himself.

"I don't know where you're going. And I don't know why, but listen to your heart."

"Let's get you out." he said before untaping the end of the lights and unstringing them.

"Before...you tell him goodbye..."