Native
Son Native
Son 
Author's Note: Native Son has nothing to do with Richard Wright's amazing novel. This story is a sequel to Fortune's Daughter. Just a brief explanation. The first couple of chapters deal with the characters, Jaycee and Ben, who appear in the end of Fortune's Daughter. Jaycee is Jensen's descendant or her reincarnation while Ben is Buck's descendant or reincarnation, whichever you happen to believe in. As for the rest of the characters, if they have a similar name or the same initials, they are supposed to be the character as they are in the Young Riders.
Minneapolis, 2003
"Jaycee coming over tonight?" Ian asked with a yawn, stretching his arms upward as he prepared to make his exit to his room. Jaycee got off of work after midnight and he knew she would be here soon. Even though Ben and Jaycee never made him feel like a third wheel, he still felt like one.
Ben grinned. "Yep." He glanced at the clock on the VCR. "Any minute now."
"Damn, Ben," Ian muttered. "Why don't you just ask the girl to marry you?" Jaycee was here almost every night and the few nights she wasn't, Ben was over at her place.
"I did," Ben said softly. He had asked Jaycee to marry him at least a hundred times. Even though they had only known each other three months, it felt like a lifetime, in the good sense. He understood her, or at least as well as any man can understand a woman. And she understood him. It was like they were connected in some weird way.
"And?" Ian asked expectantly.
"She said no. She doesn't want to spoil things," Ben said. "Whatever that means."
It was then the door opened and Jaycee came in. "Hi," she called out. She flung herself happily onto Ben, who was lounging on the couch.
"Well this is my cue to say goodnight," Ian said, rising to his feet.
"'Night," Ben and Jaycee chorused.
When Ian shut the door of his room, Ben wrapped his arms around Jaycee.
Ian found Jaycee making coffee early the next morning in the kitchen.
"Want some?" Jaycee offered, holding the fresh brewed pot up.
"Nah," Ian answered. "You done with the shower?"
Jaycee shook her head. "No, I haven't even got in yet. I overslept." She held a coffee mug between her hands, sipping from it. She needed the caffeine and sugar badly.
Ian studied her for a moment. She looked utterly exhausted. And why wouldn't she? She wasn't in school this summer. But she was working two jobs to earn enough for tuition. It was ridiculous. Ben was still clerking for Hunter and Associates, making decent money. The law firm had also offered Ben a job when he graduated next year, so he was set. He could help Jaycee out. Plus she could save a lot of money just living with him.
"Mind if I ask you something?" Ian said carefully.
"No."
"Why won't you marry Ben?"
"I don't want to mess up what we have," Jaycee replied. "Right now it works. But..." she let her voice trail off. But what? Ben loved her, she knew that. But she couldn't ruin his life. And she had a long history of destroying good things. There was no way she would ever let Ben ruin his life for her. She loved him too much for that. But she also knew if she told Ben, he wouldn't understand. Therefore, she couldn't tell Ian. He would go straight to Ben.
"I know this is your decision," Ian said. "But if this is about me-"
"You?" Jaycee interrupted, looking at Ian in surprise.
"I can move out or you and Ben could find your own place," Ian told her. "Jason would probably room with me." Jason Hillock had just broken up with his live-in girlfriend, Rosie and was looking for a place to stay.
Jaycee smiled at him. "No, it's not that. I doubt Ben and I could afford this place without you. You are the only one of us who doesn't have tuition to pay."
Ian returned her smile. "He loves you."
"I know," Jaycee replied.
Ian squeezed her arm. "Mind if I shower before you?" He rubbed his bald pate meaningfully. And Jaycee laughed in understanding. With her long hair, she would probably be in there twice as long as he was.
Ian grinned at her as he hurried to the bathroom and Jaycee put the mug down on the counter and went to the bedroom. She began laying out clothes and packing up some of her things while she waited for Ian to finish. She hated oversleeping, just made the morning so much more chaotic, but lately she had so much trouble dragging herself out of bed.
Twenty minutes later, Ben walked into his apartment after his five-mile run, a routine he had maintained since his college days when he was on the track team. He went to the sink and filled a glass of water, taking a long sip. He wiped the sweat from his brow.
He glanced around the apartment. Ian's bag was gone, so he knew his friend had already left for the day, but he noted with a smile, that Jaycee's was still there. He had been afraid he had missed her. Ella Cain was downstairs in the lobby. She and her husband, Seth, were trying to get a couch up the stairs, so Ben had helped them, thus delaying his return.
Ben drained the water from the glass and went to the bathroom, stripping off his t-shirt as he stepped in. He stopped upon seeing Jaycee there, wearing one of his shirts. He leered at her, causing her cheeks to flush. He loved the fact that he could make her blush like a schoolgirl.
"Stop that," Jaycee chided him.
"Stop what?" Ben asked, moving closer to her.
"I'm gonna be late," Jaycee said softly.
Ben frowned. "Did you oversleep again?"
"Yeah," Jaycee admitted glumly.
Ben took her hands. "Just move in with me. You know it will be easier. You only work a couple of blocks away from here. Not to mention cheaper."
"Don't start this again," Jaycee pleaded. "Not now."
Ben's frown deepened with her words. But he didn't push the subject. They would discuss it tonight. He took a deep breath. "Alright, but if you keep looking so raggedy I am gonna have to do something about it."
"Oh yeah?" Jaycee smiled. "Like what?"
"I won't keep you up nights anymore," Ben said his voice filled with suggestion. Yeah right. The minute he saw her, he practically attacked her. Another reason for her to live with him. Maybe having her around all the time would let him regain some of his sanity, but he doubted it. Every time he saw her, every time he touched her, it wasn't enough, it would never be enough. He always wanted more of her.
"No?" Jaycee asked, feigning surprise. She crossed her arms and grasped the shirt she wore by the edges, pulling it over her head. "You won't? Really?" She tossed the shirt, which hit Ben in the face and stepped into the tub, turning the water on.
"Really," Ben replied. He willed his feet to stay where they were and not join Jaycee in the shower.
Jaycee pulled the knob which caused the water to sprinkle from the shower head, then picked up a bar of soap. "Can you just help me reach my back then?"
"Dammit Jaycee,"
Ben muttered. He kicked off his shoes and socks and hurried into the tub. "You
don't play fair."