After their night of lovemaking, it was nearly noon before Jax and Brenda got out of bed. Since she had packed in such a hurry, Brenda had forgotten to pack anything to sleep in, so she was wearing one of Jax's shirts when Anton brought their breakfast to the cabin. They lingered for a long time over their coffee before getting dressed and going up on deck. They had only been on deck a short time when Anton came out to tell Jax he had a business call. After he was gone Brenda realized that she missed him, even though he was just in the cabin talking on the phone. Suddenly she got an idea and walked over to the table to get the cordless phone. She quickly dialed a number and waited for an answer. When the answering machine picked up, she hung up. Feeling disappointed and a little lonely, Brenda poured herself another glass of orange juice and walked over to kneel on the bench against the railing to watch the waves.

Jax quickly finished his call and came back out on deck. He was surprised to see Brenda staring off into the distance. As soon as he saw her he got the feeling that something was bothering her. He walked quietly up behind her and bent close to her ear, "A Rolls for your thoughts. No wait make that a Bentley!" he said with a chuckle. He was relieved to see her smile when she turned to face him.

"You mean that, too, don't you?" she laughed.

"Of course. Seriously though, what's up?" Jax asked as he sat down next to her.

Brenda let out a long sigh. "I was just thinking that we're married but no one knows about it. Not even Lois!" She looked over at Jax and was surprised to see him smiling at her.

"That's easy to remedy. Call her up!" Jax said as he reached for the phone.

"I already tried. I got the machine."

"Did you leave a message?"

"No, this is something that requires personal contact," she said as she sat back on the bench next to him.

Jax suddenly reached over to take her shoulders in his hands and turn her to face him. "Tell you what. When we get back to Port Charles, we'll rent the biggest place in town and get married again. What do you say?"

Brenda's face lit up with a huge smile. "Are you serious, Jax? You'd really do that for me?"

With a smile, Jax reached up and cupped the side of her face. "Brenda, you can have the biggest, splashiest wedding Port Charles has ever seen."

Tears started to form in Brenda's eyes as she looked into his eyes and saw that he meant what he said. "You'd really do that for me? You'd go through all of that just for me?" The tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Jax reached over and wiped them away with his thumbs before he answered her. "Brenda, I love you. I'd marry you again and again and again," he said with a smile. When he saw the shock on her face when he had said he loved her, he couldn't help smiling. "You're silly, you know that? Did you really think I'd marry someone I didn't love?"

Brenda didn't know what to say. She just stared at him. She had not expected to hear that he loved her. He had never said anything before about love. When he saw the confusion and uncertainty on her face, Jax reached out and wrapped his arms around her without saying a word. As soon as he did, she did the same thing and snuggled close against him. She quickly realized that sitting here like this with him, knowing that he loved her gave her a sense of security that she had never felt before. She sighed softly and wrapped her arms more snugly around his waist.

They sat holding each other, staring out at the sea for a long time. It wasn't until they heard Anton softly clear his throat that they looked away. "Excuse me, sir. There is another call for you. I tried to tell them that you could not be disturbed, but they said it was urgent."

Jax looked over the top of Brenda's head. "Thank you, Anton. I'll be right there." Anton bowed slightly and left them alone again. After letting out a long sigh, Jax loosened his hold on Brenda so she could sit back slightly away from him. As she looked up at him, he smiled slightly and cupped the side of her face with his hand. "I'm sorry about all of the interruptions, luv. I thought I had everything taken care of before we left Port Charles."

Brenda smiled back at him and put her finger up to his lips. "Don't apologize, Jax. I understand - really. You go take your call. I'll wait here for you." She reached up to gently caress the side of his face before leaning close for a kiss.

Jax gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He smiled at her as he gave her another kiss before getting up and walking back inside.

After he was gone, Brenda walked over to the railing to stare out at the waves. A few minutes later she heard someone behind her. When she turned around she was surprised to see Anton. "Anton, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Mrs. Jacks - anything." Anton could see that something was bothering Jax's new bride. "How can I help?"

Brenda leaned back against the railing and thought for a moment before asking her question: "Jax told me that you have known him since he was a boy." She saw Anton smile and nod his head. "Then you know him pretty well, don't you?"

"I like to think I do, Mrs. Jacks. He was about twelve when his father hired me. Why?" Anton asked as he saw that Brenda was trying to figure out how to ask what seemed to be a difficult question.

"I was just wondering if you ever knew of him saying something he didn't mean to get what he wanted." She suddenly felt guilty for questioning Jax's sincerity. "Never mind; that was a dumb question."

Anton could see that she really wanted an answer to her question. He just could not imagine what had provoked it. "Please, I'll be glad to answer your question. If you are referring to a business matter, Mr. Jacks has been known to stretch things to the breaking point if necessary." He smiled as if he was remembering something before continuing, "However, if you are referring to a personal situation, I can honestly tell you he has never said anything he didn't mean, regardless of the consequences to himself." He could see a slight smile come to Brenda's face, which made him glad he had answered her question. "Does that help?"

Brenda's smile got bigger as she nodded her head slightly. "Yes, it does - very much. Thank you, Anton." As he turned to leave she spoke up again, "Do you know if Jax is still on the phone?"

"I believe he was just finishing his call when I came out. You can probably find him in the salon." He smiled as Brenda walked quickly past him to find Jax. As he stood staring after her for several moments, he realized that his initial opinion had been right. Jax had done well in choosing his wife.

When Brenda got to the salon she stopped in the doorway to just watch Jax. Anton had been right; he was no longer on the phone, but he did seem deeply involved in what he was reading. After standing in the doorway for several minutes, she walked over to him and sat down in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she did. "Hello, you," she said with a smile before kissing him.

Jax couldn't help but laugh when she dropped into his lap. He returned her kiss and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. When Brenda pulled back from the kiss she rested her forehead against his for a moment before sitting back to look at him with a smile. "Hello, wife," Jax said with a smile to match hers.

"What can I do for you?" she asked as she gently caressed the side of his face.

He looked into her eyes for a minute before answering her. "Come to Alaska with me and meet my family!" Jax said calmly as he tightened his arms around her. He was surprised when he felt her tense up and begin fidgeting. She looked away from him and tried to get up from his lap but he wouldn't let her go. "Brenda?" he asked.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Jax? I mean… My guess is that they don't know anything about me, right? What if they don't like me?" Brenda asked nervously.

Jax smiled as he snuggled his face against her for a moment before looking up at her. "Well, if they don't, I'll disown the whole bloody lot of them!" When he saw the shocked expression on her face he reached up to turn her face back toward his. "Brenda, that's not going to happen! They are going to adore you, just like I do." He smiled as he looked up at her expectantly, waiting for her answer.

Brenda sat silently, looking in his eyes for a long time. Finally a slight smile came to her face as she began to caress the side of his face. "After all you've done for me, how can I say 'no'? Yes, I'll go to Alaska with you."

Jax reached up to take her hand from his cheek and hold it up to his lips for a kiss. The smile disappeared as he held her hand against his cheek as he looked up at her. "Brenda, I don't want you to go because you think you owe me for something. You don't owe me anything. Anything I've done for you, I've done because I wanted to."

"That's not why I want to go, Jax. I want to go because I want to meet your family," she said with a smile that lit up her eyes. "After all, they are my family now, too, aren't they?"

The smile returned to Jax's face as he reached up to pull her face down to his. "Yes, they are, luv," he said softly, as he kissed her several times. When the kisses ended, Brenda rested her forehead against his as she softly caressed his cheek. "Can we leave tomorrow?" he asked softly.

Brenda sat back quickly and looked at him. "Tomorrow! I can't go tomorrow, Jax! You know I didn't bring hardly anything to wear, and what I did bring isn't appropriate to meet your parents! Can't we wait to go until after we go back to Port Charles so I can get something to wear?" She looked at Jax with a pleading look in her eyes, hoping he would agree.

Jax sat looking at her for what Brenda thought was an eternity before answering. "How about if we compromise? We leave tomorrow morning, but we make a stop in New York so you can pick up a few things you think are 'appropriate', then we'll go see my family." He arched his eyebrow and smiled at her. "What do you say?"

With a big smile, Brenda wrapped her arms around his neck. "I say YES!" she declared before kissing him several times. With her arms still around his neck, she leaned back to look into his eyes. "How come you always seem to have the right answer?" she asked seriously.

Jax leaned forward to give her a quick kiss before answering. "I don't think I always have the right answers, Brenda," he said with a smile and a wink. "But… if you want to think so, I won't try to stop you!" He laughed as she suddenly started tickling him. It only took a moment for him to start tickling her back. All the tickling quickly led to passionate kisses. They soon headed back to the cabin to spend the rest of the afternoon making love.

Later, they enjoyed watching the sunset together before having a romantic candlelit dinner on the stern deck, where just two nights before they had been married. After finishing dinner, they sat together in one of the deck chairs, sipping champagne. Brenda sat between Jax's legs, leaning back against his chest, while he had one hand wrapped tightly around her waist and held his glass in the other. They sat silently like this for a long time. Finally, Jax set his glass and Brenda's on a nearby table. He then wrapped both arms around her waist and bent down to kiss her several times on the side of her neck. "Are you happy, luv?" he asked softly as he snuggled his face against the side of her neck.

Brenda sighed softly as she closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly to give him better access to her neck. She couldn't help smiling as he softly nipped at her neck. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair as he kissed and licked his way down the side of her neck. "I don't think happy even comes close to describing how I feel, Jax," Brenda said with a smile as she put her arms on his and pulled them more tightly around her. "Thank you."

Jax smiled against the side of her neck. "You're welcome," he said softly before resting his chin on her shoulder. "I have to thank you, too, you know," he said.

Brenda shifted forward a little so she could turn sideways to look at him. "Thank me? For what?" she asked as she tried to turn further around, but he wouldn't loosen his arms, so she had to look at him as best she could from where she sat.

"You really don't know, do you?" Jax asked with a smile. When she shook her head gently, he loosened his arms a little to allow her to turn further around. "Brenda, you have brought more joy and happiness into my life in the past few months than I ever knew was possible." He reached to caress the side of her face. "I didn't think I could ever enjoy life as much as I am right now and that's because of you." He was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "What's this?" he asked, wiping the tears away as they started to roll down her cheeks.

"No one has ever said anything like that to me before, Jax." Brenda leaned forward to kiss him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They both became lost in their kisses as she turned completely around so that she was lying on top of him. As their kisses became more intimate, they began to surrender to their desires. As Jax gently slid his hands up under her top to caress her breasts, Brenda suddenly pulled back from him. "Wait, Jax!" she said as she put both hands on his chest as if to hold him away.

Surprised by what was happening, Jax looked deep into Brenda's eyes as he took his hands from her breasts and wrapped them around to rest on her back. "What's wrong, luv? Don't you want…"

Before Jax could finish Brenda reached up to put her finger on his lips and leaned down to kiss him. "Sssh… Of course I want to, Jax - just not here. Take me back to the cabin, please! I want to make love to you." She leaned forward to kiss him several times, wrapping her arms back around his neck before pulling back from the kisses. "I want to make love to you all night!" she said breathlessly, as she started kissing him again and slid her way up his body until she was able to straddle his hips with her legs.

Without breaking their kiss, Jax moved his hands down to her bottom to pull her tightly against him as he got up from the chair. Still kissing her passionately, he carried Brenda down to their cabin, kicking the door closed behind them as he walked over to the bed. He finally pulled back from the kiss to look into her eyes as he stood next to the bed, holding her tightly against him. Her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist and her arms were around his neck.

As they continued to look into each other's eyes, Brenda reached forward to softly rub the backs of her fingers across his cheek. "Make love to me, Jax," she said passionately, as she rested her forehead against his and wrapped her arms back around his neck.

Jax smiled as he moved his head to kiss her quickly, before resting one knee on the bed and bending forward to lay her down. He looked down at her for a moment until she reached her arms invitingly up to him. He didn't keep her waiting long as he lay down on top of her. They began to slowly remove each other's clothes, kissing with growing intensity as their passion began to take over. The lovemaking that followed lasted well into the night, until they had totally satisfied each other and finally fell asleep wrapped lovingly around each other.

10:15 A.M.

Brenda could not help feeling a little sad as she walked down the gangway to the dock. As she and Jax started up the dock, she stopped to look back at the yacht, where her life had been so totally changed just a short time ago. It wasn't until she felt Jax gently squeeze her hand that she turned back to look at him. When she saw the concerned look in his eyes, she smiled and wrapped her arm around his waist with a reassuring squeeze as they walked the rest of the way to the waiting car.

It was a short ride to the private airport where the J&J Jacks plane was once again waiting for them. Since the only luggage they had was Brenda's one bag and an overnight bag that Jax had brought, they got through customs very quickly. The fact that it was a private airport meant there was no delay in taking off. After experiencing a little turbulence just after takeoff, they were soon flying smoothly. It was a long flight to New Your City, taking a large part of the day - even allowing for time changes. When they landed at the corporate terminal at JFK airport, it only took a few minutes to get through customs. As they came out into the lounge, Brenda was surprised to see Edward waiting for them. He tipped his hat as he reached for their bags and then led them to the waiting limo.

As they drove downtown Brenda snuggled close to Jax and softly ran her hand across his chest a few times before taking one of his hands in both of hers. She looked up at him as she asked, "When did you have the time to arrange all of this? We just decided to do this yesterday afternoon!"

Jax just smiled at her. "You forget, Mrs. Jacks, you're married to a very 'organized' man." He chuckled when she lightly slapped his chest. "Okay, okay! I confess! I asked Anton to make the arrangements! He arranged everything to do with our travel plans, and I asked him to call my assistant Addie to make the arrangements for here in New York."

Before Brenda had a chance to ask what he meant about the arrangements in New York, they pulled up in front of the Plaza Hotel and stopped. When the doorman opened the door, Brenda looked at Jax who nodded toward the open door, indicating that she should get out. As the doorman helped Brenda out of the car, Edward got out to open the other door for Jax and to get their bags from the trunk. He handed the bags to the waiting bellman, tipped his hat slightly to them, got back in the car and drove off, leaving Jax and a slightly confused Brenda standing in the doorway.

It only took a few minutes for them to be escorted to a penthouse suite. As soon as the bellman was gone Brenda dropped her purse on the end of the couch and walked over to stand by the balcony doors, staring out at the skyline. "What's going on, Jax?" Brenda asked as he came up behind her. He got the very distinct feeling that his surprise had somehow upset her.

Jax loosely wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned back against him. "I'm not trying to be mysterious, luv. There are no big surprises waiting behind the doors. It's just that I knew we would be exhausted if we tried to fly to Alaska after picking up your clothes today, so I asked Addie to arrange for us to use this suite. It belongs to my family's company, and I use it whenever I'm in New York." He tightened his arms around her a little as he bent down to whisper in her ear. "I also know that you're nervous about meeting my family. I figured we could do some shopping and then get a good night's rest before flying up to my parents' place. That way you'd hopefully be more relaxed. Does that sound okay to you?"

Brenda closed her eyes and smiled as she pulled his arms more tightly around her and rested her head back against his chest. "It sounds better than okay, Jax. Thank you." She reached for one of his hands and brought it up to her lips. After lightly kissing his palm, she put his hand against her cheek and held it there. Slowly she let his hand down and turned within the circle of his arms to face him. When she looked up at him she could see he was concerned about her. She smiled for a second before getting serious again. "Jax, you have done so much for me since the first day we met. You helped Lois and I save L&B from Edward, you took care of me after my accident, and even let me fly your plane. You actually taught me not only that it was okay to have fun again, but also how to do it!"

Jax smiled as he listened without interrupting. He could tell these were things that she needed to say to him. He just locked his fingers together behind her waist and waited for her to finish. He didn't have to wait long.

After moving her hands to rest them on his chest, she took a deep breath before continuing, "That night we made love for the first time, you showed me that it was okay to open my heart to someone. That's why I accepted your proposal. I realized that night that I could trust you - really trust you! So when you took me to the yacht, I didn't have any doubts. I knew it was the right thing."

She looked up at him as she smiled for the first time. "What I'm trying to say is that I want to do something to show you how much I appreciate all that you've done for me." She got a glint in her eye as she played with the buttons of his shirt. "Especially the last couple of days."

"Brenda…" Jax started to say something but then thought for a moment. "You ARE doing something for me. You're coming with me to meet my family, even though I know you're terrified." Jax reached up to cup the side of her face and smiled. "Listen to me, Brenda; I have not done anything for you that I didn't want or enjoy doing. I enjoyed it just as much as you did - sometimes maybe more!" They both chuckled at that remark before Jax continued, "Do you have any idea how much it means to me that you are willing to do this for me?" As Brenda started to say something, Jax held up his hand. "Speaking of that, we'd better get going if we're going to do some shopping this afternoon."

Realizing that Jax was not going to let her thank him, Brenda smiled. "Okay, I guess this can wait until later," she said softly as she rested her forehead on his chest for a moment. "Let's go," she said as she lifted her head to look up at him. She patted her hands on his chest before pulling out of his embrace to pick up her purse from the couch. She reached out her hand to him. Jax smiled at her as he took her hand in his and headed them toward the door.

They spent the next two hours visiting the stores of several of the most popular designers in New York City. The last stop they made was at a luggage shop to get her a couple of suitcases to carry her new clothes. Edward brought them back to the hotel just after six o'clock. The doorman helped unload their purchases and a bellman brought out a cart to carry the garment bags and luggage up to the suite.

When they got off the elevator at the penthouse, it was Jax's turn to be surprised. As soon as the doors opened, the bellman walked to the service entrance of the suite and returned almost immediately after emptying the cart. He got back on the elevator even before Jax and Brenda had opened the door. Once he was gone Jax looked at Brenda with a confused expression but she just shrugged. When he opened the door he only took a few steps into the room before he was stunned by what he saw. The only light in the room came from dozens of lighted thick, white candles spread around on all of the furniture.

Totally confused, Jax looked over at Brenda, who was smiling broadly. "Surprise!" she declared. She took Jax's hand and led him over to the couch, where she gently pushed him down. She set her purse on the desk as she walked over to the dining area table and poured two glasses of champagne. She picked up the glasses and walked back over to Jax, who had not taken his eyes off her since they had walked into the suite. She handed him one glass as she sat down on the edge of the coffee table in front of him. Holding her glass up to his, she proposed a toast: "To my husband, who always does things for me and never wants anything in return." She tapped her glass lightly against his. "Tonight is my way of saying thank you. So sit back and let me do this for you!" She took a sip of wine as she smiled again and leaned forward to kiss him softly on the lips.

When the kiss ended Jax shook his head as he smiled at her. He took a sip of wine before leaning forward for another kiss. When the kiss ended he leaned back on the couch and crossed his legs. "You'll get no argument from me, luv. I'm all yours." He chuckled when he saw the expression on her face. "Tell me though, when did you arrange all of this?"

Brenda smiled, "It was easy actually. When I was in one of the fitting rooms this afternoon I called room service and told them what I wanted." She extended her arm and swept it around the room. "They did a pretty good job, don't you think?" Jax smiled and nodded at her before leaning in to give her another kiss.

After enjoying a leisurely dinner, they spent much of the night making love. Eventually they fell asleep totally satisfied, wrapped tightly around each other. Brenda had fallen asleep with her head on Jax's chest, her ear resting above his heart so that she was lulled to sleep by the sound of his heart beating.

They woke early the next morning. After a quick shower and breakfast, they finished packing Brenda's new clothes in the suitcases, as well as the two small bags they had brought from the yacht. It had taken Brenda a long time to decide on what to wear for the trip. She finally decided on beige silk pants and matching shirt. She finished off the outfit with a navy blazer and navy shoes. After looking at herself in the full-length mirror she turned to Jax with a look of desperation. "Jax, this is all wrong!" she said as she started to take off her jacket.

Jax grabbed the lapels of the jacket and pulled it back on her. He held onto them as he smiled at her. "Brenda - stop! You look perfect!" When he saw her start to protest, he put his finger to her lips. "Listen to me: you are worrying far too much about this. It doesn't matter what you wear; my parents are going to adore you just like I do." He reached up to caress her cheek. "It's not what you're wearing that is going to impress them, Brenda; it's the person you are inside that is going to win them over." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Okay?" he asked softly as he rested his forehead against hers.

Brenda smiled weakly as she looked up at him without moving away. "Okay," she said softly. Pulling back from him she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Let's go before I lose my nerve," she said with a little more sincere smile, as she adjusted her jacket one last time and looked quickly around the room to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything.

Jax smiled at her as he nodded his agreement. "Let's go." He reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze before letting it go to close up the luggage. He carried the bags into the living room, as Brenda picked up the overnight bags they had brought with them from the yacht. When she got to the living room, she saw Jax just hanging up the phone. As soon as he saw her he came over to take the bags and put them with the others. He came back and wrapped his arm around here shoulders. "That was the front desk. They're sending someone up for the luggage."

"Good. I think I'm going to need both of your arms around me just to get to the car," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested the side of her head against his chest. She eventually looked up at him. "They're going to like me, right, Jax?" she asked nervously.

Before Jax had a chance to answer, there was a knock at the door. He just smiled reassuringly and gave her a squeeze before going to open the door. The bellman came in with a cart to take their luggage down to the car. After he left Jax stood by the open door and held out his hand to her. She smiled again weakly, picked up her purse from the desk and walked over to take his hand. Jax squeezed it gently before ushering her out the door to the elevator. When the elevator doors opened again in the lobby, Brenda took a deep breath and let it out quickly before getting off. They walked through the lobby and got into the waiting limo. As Edward closed the door behind them, Brenda snuggled close to Jax. They stayed like this all the way to the airport, never saying a word.

When they reached the terminal, Edward handed the luggage over to the steward from the plane, who stowed it as they boarded. A few minutes later they were in the air headed to Alaska. The closer they got to their destination the more nervous Brenda got. Several times she got up to pace up and down the length of the plane. When the steward served their lunch she couldn't eat it. She picked at her food but couldn't bring herself to eat anything.

Jax couldn't stand seeing her so upset. He put his fork down and took her hand. "Talk to me, Brenda. Why are you so scared of meeting my family?" Brenda tried to pull away but he held tight. "Please tell me." Jax reached up to run his fingers gently on her cheek.

Brenda sighed and looked into Jax eyes. "Jax, I've told you a little about what my life was like when I was growing up. I have no idea how to get your family to like me!" She shook her head. "Who am I kidding? I don't even have the slightest idea what a family is!" When she saw Jax wanted to say something, Brenda continued, "Look at my example, Jax. My family could hardly be called normal. My mother died when I was four, my father hated me from the day I was born until the day he died, and my sister considers me a problem that needs to be contained!" As tears started to run down her cheeks, she reached up quickly to wipe them away.

For the first time since he had met her Jax didn't know what to say. He had no idea how bad things had been for her growing up, so now he had no idea how to help her. He sat looking at her for a minute before silently opening his arms to her. As soon as he did, Brenda moved into them, sitting close by his side and wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Listen to me, Brenda," he said, as he gently stroked her hair. "My family isn't going to judge you. They aren't that kind of people." He gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You don't have to do anything to impress them; just be yourself. If you are, I can guarantee you that they'll love you." Jax smiled as he sat back from her and held her face in both of his hands. After looking at her for a moment, he smiled slightly before leaning forward to kiss her. When he pulled back to look at her, he was relieved to see that she was no longer terrified. She even tried to smile weakly, which made him chuckle. "Want to try eating something now?" he asked with a wink.

"I don't think so," she said, as she put her hands on top of his. When she saw the concern for her in Jax's eyes, she smiled more securely. "I'm okay now, Jax - really! I understand what you said, and I believe you. It's just that I'm still a little nervous. " She paused for a moment. "Is that silly?" she asked.

"Of course not, Brenda. You can feel anything you want." Jax brought his hands down from her face and took hold of both of hers. He looked at their joined hands. "I just want you to remember one thing: it doesn't matter what anyone thinks - not my family or yours or anyone - as long as we stand by each other, we can face anything. Right?" he asked as he looked into her eyes.

Brenda smiled again as she looked into his eyes. "Right," she said softly.

Just then the pilot's voice came over the intercom: "Mr. Jacks, we're on final approach. You and Mrs. Jacks should have your seatbelts fastened from this point on." As the pilot was talking, the steward came in and quickly cleared away their lunch things. A few minutes later the plane taxied up to the gate. As soon as the plane came to a stop, the steward opened the door at the same time that the ground crew locked the stairs in place. The steward quickly descended the stairs as Jax and Brenda got organized.

After one last look around the cabin to make sure they had not forgotten anything, Jax and Brenda headed out the door and down the stairs. When they got to the bottom, Brenda was surprised to see the steward closing the trunk of a nearby car. He quickly approached them. "Everything is secure in the boot, sir," he said politely, as he handed Jax the keys. He nodded slightly to Jax and then Brenda before heading quickly back up the stairs to the plane.

With his hand at the small of her back, Jax propelled Brenda toward the car. When they got to the passenger door, Jax opened it for her. She paused for a moment to take a deep breath and let it out slowly as she looked up into his eyes. When she saw his unconditional support for her in them, she smiled and gently stroked the side of his face before getting into the car. Jax closed the door after her and walked behind the car to get in on the driver's side. He looked over at Brenda and gave her one more reassuring smile before starting the car and slowly heading for the road.

He glanced over at Brenda several times as they drove through the countryside. Each time he did, he saw the same thing: Brenda staring straight ahead, never saying anything or even looking at the scenery. He could tell by the way that she was fidgeting that she was getting more and more nervous. He was glad when he turned into the access road for the family compound. He wasn't sure how much longer Brenda would last.

It only took another minute before they pulled to a stop in front of a modest log house. After turning off the engine, Jax took off his seatbelt and turned to face Brenda. "Ready?" he asked as he put his hand on her arm.

Brenda turned to face him. "No, but I'll go anyway," she said with a weak smile, as she rested her hand on his and squeezed it. "Let's go before I lose my nerve," she said so softly Jax had hardly heard her.

Jax's smile broadened, as he nodded to her and squeezed her hand, before opening his door and walking quickly around to open Brenda's door. He held out his hand to help her out before going back to the trunk to get their luggage. Brenda immediately grabbed the overnight bags, as Jax pulled out the suitcases. She followed him up the short walk to the front porch. They set the bags down to the side of the door before looking at each other, both of them taking a deep breath and letting it out quickly.

As Jax knocked on the door with his right hand, he took her hand in his left and interlaced their fingers. When no one answered his first knock, Jax knocked again a little harder. This time they could hear someone coming. Without Jax realizing she was doing it, Brenda stepped behind him, never letting go of his hand in the process. Just when he was about to turn to say something to her, the door opened and all he had time to do was squeeze her hand quickly before letting it go.

"Hello, Mum!" Jax said, as he bent down to hug the woman who had opened the door. He pulled back from the hug but continued to hold her arms.

"Jax! It's about time you showed up!" his mother said with a big smile. "Come in, come," she said as she stepped aside to let him in. It wasn't until Jax stepped inside that she noticed Brenda. "Hello! My, aren't you a pretty little thing. Please, come in!" she said as she looked Brenda over very closely.

As soon as they were inside, Brenda immediately wrapped her arm around Jax's waist. When he wrapped his around her he could feel her trembling again, which caused him to pull her a little closer. When she looked up at him nervously, he smiled reassuringly at her before looking back at his mother. When he did, he realized that she had been watching them very closely ever since they had walked into the room.

"Now tell me, young man, just where have you been all this time? This is something that your brother would do, not you!" She chuckled softly for a moment before she continued: "I have to admit though, your father and I have our own theories about what you have been doing."

"What exactly did you guys come up with?" Jax asked as he squeezed Brenda again, trying to let her know that she was going to be okay.

"Well, your father figured you'd been kidnapped by terrorists, but I thought that was something your brother would do. I figured you were probably putting together some giant merger." As she spoke she kept glancing at Brenda, watching as she tightened her hold on her son.

Jax chuckled as he pulled Brenda even closer to him. "Well, you're close. I've been laying the groundwork for the most important merger in my life." He paused for a moment, looked down at Brenda and then back at his mother. "Okay, here goes: Lady Jane Jacks, I'd like you to meet the newest member of the Jacks family, my wife - Brenda Barrett-Jacks!" He and Brenda looked expectantly at Jane, trying to judge her reaction to their news.

She stood staring at both of them for what seemed an eternity. Suddenly a broad smile crossed her face and she burst out laughing. "You had me going for a second there, Jax! I believed you up until the end!"

"I'm afraid I don't understand…" Brenda said softly before looking up at Jax, her confusion obvious in her eyes. It only got worse when she saw the same confusion in his eyes as well. Suddenly feeling like her knees were about to give out, she wrapped her other arm around the front of him. Jax could feel her trembling increase, which bothered him. This was definitely not going the way either of them had expected.

"Mum, this is not a joke! Brenda and I were married on the Isabella!" Jax said, trying to convince his mother he was telling her the truth. He could feel Brenda's trembling increase even more as they watched his mother's reaction.

"Give it up, Jax! The joke's a bust! I know you'd never get married without your family!" Jane continued to smile broadly as she looked at them. "Pa! Pa! Come down here! Jax has a 'surprise' for us!"

Before Jax could say anything else, they heard a door open and a man suddenly appeared at the railing above. Brenda looked up at him. He was tall, like Jax, but thinner. His hair was medium-brown with streaks of gray, as was his beard. She could tell as soon as she saw his eyes that he was Jax's father. It was something about his smile though that made her relax just a little.

"Jax, my boy! It's about time you showed up!" he declared as he started down the stairs. As soon as he got close enough he wrapped his arms around Jax in a tight bearhug. When he pulled back from the hug, he looked over at Brenda, then back to Jax. "What's this your mother was saying about a surprise?" he asked as he looked quickly at Jane and then back to Jax.

Jax took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "Okay, let's try this again. Mum, Dad, this is my WIFE Brenda Barrett-Jacks!"

Both of Jax's parents stared at Brenda. By the look on her face, Jax could tell that his mother had finally realized that he was not joking - he had actually married this young woman. Brenda began to tremble again as they continued to stare at her.

Suddenly a huge grin spread across his father's face. "Your wife, Brenda Barrett-Jacks," he said calmly as he stepped forward to wrap his arms tightly around her for a second before reaching down behind her knees and shoulders to lift her in his arms and spin her around, laughing loudly as he did. As soon as he lifted her, Brenda wrapped her arms around his neck, a huge smile on her face as well. Jax laughed himself as he watched his father and his wife. It wasn't until he looked over at his mother that his smile quickly faded. It was obvious she was upset by their marriage. Jax immediately became concerned about how she would treat Brenda now that she realized that they had gotten married without the family.

"John, put the girl down! You'll get her dizzy!" Jane said as she glanced quickly at Jax before directing her full attention back to Brenda. "Are you all right, dear?" she asked as John finally set her back on her feet.

"I'm fine," Brenda said, slightly out of breath from laughing. She was still smiling when she looked over at Jax as he came to stand beside her. She was surprised to see the concern in his eyes, as he seemed to be watching his mother very closely. As she looked over at Jane, she couldn't see any reason for his concern.

"I'm sure you are my, dear," Jane said with a slight edge to her voice that immediately caused both Jax and John to look at her.

"Yes, well… I'm sure you two must have brought some luggage. Why don't I help you bring it in?" John slapped Jax lightly on the back of his shoulder. He shot Jane a look of disapproval as he walked past her to open the door.

Jax gave Brenda a quick squeeze before letting her go to help his father. He also gave his mother a warning look as he walked past. Since there were only a couple bags, it only took a minute for Jax and John to bring the luggage in from the porch.

Just as he was setting the luggage down inside the door, John could see Jane about to say something to Brenda - something he had a feeling was not going to be friendly. "Come on, Brenda. Let me show you to your room. I'm sure after that long flight you would like to freshen up." He picked up the suitcases as he waited for Brenda.

Brenda looked over at Jax, who smiled at her and nodded his agreement. "I'd really like that - thanks," Brenda smiled, running her hand gently across Jax's chest as she walked past him. She picked up her overnight bag as she walked over to join John.

With a broad smile on his face, John looked behind her at Jax. "You can carry your own bag!" he said to Jax with a snicker, turning to smile at Brenda as she walked closer to him. He held out his arm in front of him to let Brenda know that he wanted her to go a step or two ahead of him. "Now, my dear, I want you to tell me all about yourself," he said with a sincere smile.

Returning his smile and feeling herself relax a little, Brenda looked up at him. "Okay, where would you like me to start?" she asked as she chuckled softly. They went up the stair and then down the hall to a room at the far end, talking and laughing quietly as they went.

When they were alone, Jax walked over to his mother. "What's wrong, Mum?" he asked, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Nothing… I said she was a pretty 'little' thing, didn't I? A bit skinny if you ask me though. She'd never survive a winter up here," she said without looking at Jax. "Doesn't she eat?" Jane asked sarcastically.

Jax chuckled softly, "She's a lot tougher than she looks, Mum. She's a model; she's supposed to be thin. Besides, she eats a lot more than you'd think she does."

Jane finally turned around to look at him. "Then are you sure that she doesn't have one of those eating disorders they always talk about on TV? I've read that a lot of models…"

The smile quickly left Jax's face. "She doesn't have an eating disorder, mum!" He looked closely at his mother. "What is it? You're not usually like this with my friends. You were great when I brought Lois here a few months ago."

A spark of anger shot through Jane's eyes. "She's not one of your friends though, is she, Jax? She's your wife!" She walked away from him, shaking her head. "I just don't understand how you could do this, Jax!" She looked up into her son's eyes. "It's not that I wanted to wear a fancy dress and entertain a bunch of people - you know that! I just never thought you could do this - marry someone without your family being there! Why? How could you marry someone we've never met? We don't know anything about her or her family! How did she get you to marry her?"

Jax could feel himself getting angry. He could not understand his mother's attitude, especially toward Brenda. She seemed to be blaming Brenda for his decision. He walked away from her and stood by the fireplace, looking into the cold hearth. "She didn't get me to marry her, Mum - just the opposite." He spun around to look at his mother, the extent of his anger obvious in his eyes. "You want to hear something really funny? She didn't want to come here. She was terrified that you and dad wouldn't accept her and she didn't want to be responsible for any problems between us." He looked coldly at his mother as he continued: "You want to know what it took to convince her to come? I told her that my family would welcome her with open arms because she was my wife! I told her that she didn't have to worry about impressing you because you didn't judge people by appearances! Funny, huh?"

"Jax, why don't you go see if Brenda needs any help getting settled? I think she's a little overwhelmed by your room," John called down from the top of the stairs. It was obvious he had heard everything that had been said between mother and son. When Jax looked up at him, he smiled when he saw the support for him and Brenda in his father's eyes. "Go on, son. Give her a hand settling in. I'll call you two when dinner is ready."

Jax looked angrily at his mother. "Sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Dad." Jax glared at his mother one last time as he walked past her to pick up his bag and head up the stairs. When he got to the top, he stopped in front of his father. He gave his father's arm a quick squeeze of appreciation before looking back at his mother. It wasn't until he heard his father's voice again that he looked back.

"Go on, son. I'll talk to your mother," his father said softly, as he gave Jax's arm a reassuring squeeze.

Jax looked back down one more time before looking back to his dad. "Don't bother, Dad. It's obvious bringing Brenda here was a bad idea. I'll tell Brenda we're leaving now!" Jane looked up at them with tears forming in her eyes. This was not what she wanted.

"Jax, don't do that. At least stay tonight. Brenda's exhausted from that long flight. Why don't the two of you get a good night's sleep, and then if you still feel the same, you can leave in the morning?" John glanced down at Jane for a second before looking back at Jax. "Don't say anything to Brenda about your mother…"

"I can't do that, Dad. She has a right to know that she was partly right. She was afraid she wouldn't be wanted here but I want her to know that it isn't just her that isn't wanted - WE aren't wanted here!" Before John could say anything, Jax continued, "You are right about Brenda though. She is exhausted." He glanced down at his mother and saw that she had turned away from them. "Don't plan on us for dinner. We'll go into town to eat. I don't want Brenda to have to deal with anyone's attitude," he said coldly before turning his attention back to his father.

Before John could say anything else Jax walked away down the hall, leaving his parents standing at opposite ends of the stairs, silently looking at each other. John slowly walked down the stairs, stopping on the last step to face his wife. He slowly shook his head as she walked closer. "You've really done it this time, Lady. I haven't seen the boy like this in a very long time." He sighed as he walked past her to stand by the fireplace.

"Don't worry, John. He'll be fine. I promise you that by the time they get back from dinner that he'll have forgotten all about this." She walked over to stand next to her husband. "You know as well as I do that he'd never side with an outsider against the family." Jane was started by the look that came into John's eyes. "What's wrong?"

John slowly let out the breath he seemed to have been holding as he shook his head. "That's just what he's doing, Lady. She IS family - HIS FAMILY!" As Jane started to walk away, he grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him. "Face it, Lady: he loves her; it's written all over his face whenever he looks at her. What you did - what you said, questioning her intentions - stirred up a lot of things for him. Now he's got his defenses up because of you."

Jane started to pace nervously as she realized he was right. "Oh, God, you're right! He does love her. I saw it in his eyes when he watched her go up the stairs with you." She walked back to John and put her hand on his arm. "I still don't trust her, but how can I make things right with him?" She looked into her husband's eyes, trying to find an answer. "Maybe if I'm nice to her - if I can win her confidence - he'll forgive me."

"You aren't going to get the chance, Jane. He's not going to let you anywhere near her. Didn't you hear him say he was taking her into town for dinner so she wouldn't have to deal with your attitude? He'll know right away that you're putting on an act and that will only drive him further away!"

Startled by the obvious disapproval of her actions in John's voice, Jane started pacing again. "We can't let him leave like this, John - not feeling the way he does! He'll shut us out again!" She stopped in front of the fireplace and turned to look at him. "I've got it. Why don't you talk to him again? He seems to be willing to listen to you."

"He's willing to listen to me because he knows I am willing to accept Brenda simply based on the fact that he loves her. I don't know what I can say to him that will convince him that you feel the same way." He looked over at Jane, and suddenly saw the wheels in her mind spinning in overdrive. He could tell she was trying to come up with a plan to smooth over the damage she had done. "What are you thinking, Jane? I can see the wheels spinning in your mind."

A satisfied smile crossed her face. "I'm not thinking anything, dear. I just realized what I have to do to resolve this - that's all." Jane nodded toward the stairs. "Why don't you go ahead and talk to him?"

Before John had a chance to ask what she wanted him to talk to Jax about, they were both surprised by the sound of Jax's voice. "Talk to me about what?" John and Jane both looked up to see Jax and Brenda standing at the top of the stairs.

"It's nothing that can't wait, son. Why don't you and Brenda go have a nice dinner? I'll call ahead for you." John came over to wait for them at the foot of the stairs. When they reached the bottom step, he leaned over to kiss Brenda on the cheek before gently squeezing Jax's arm. He nodded toward the door. "Go on, you two. Enjoy your evening."

Jax wrapped his arm more securely around Brenda as he glanced over at his mother for a moment before looking back at his dad. "Thanks, Dad. I'd appreciate that." As he opened the door, he turned back to look coldly at his mother. "Don't wait up for us; we'll be back late. I want to show Brenda around town before we leave." He put his hand on the small of her back to let Brenda know that he wanted to leave.

"Good night," Brenda said softly before going out the door. Even though Jax had not yet said anything, it was obvious that something was wrong between him and his parents. When they got to the car, Brenda stopped and turned to face Jax. "Okay, they can't hear us now. What was going on in there? You couldn't have been any colder to your mother if she was your mortal enemy." She looked past him for a moment to see Jane standing in the window, watching them. "They don't like me, do they?" she asked as she looked sadly up at him.

Jax smiled slightly as he ran his hands up and down her arms to try to reassure her. "That's not exactly true; my dad loves you."

"What about your mom?" Brenda rested her hands on his chest. "I want the truth, Jax," she said as she looked up into his eyes.

"Always, luv, I promise." He took a moment to figure out what to say and how to say it. "I honestly don't think it has anything to do with you. I think she's just upset that I decided to marry you on the Isabella without anyone being there from the family." He could tell Brenda wasn't sure how to deal with what he was telling her, so he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. "Come on, let's go to dinner. We can deal with all of this in the morning. Okay?" he asked as he arched his eyebrow at her and smiled.

Unable to resist him when he looked at her like that, she smiled as she nodded her agreement. She leaned up to kiss him quickly on the lips "Sounds like a good idea to me." She smiled at him again before stepping aside so he could open the car door. When she did, she glanced back at the house, and when she saw Jane still watching them she couldn't help but shudder slightly and quickly turn her attention back to her husband.

After helping Brenda into the car, Jax walked around to the driver's side. Before getting in he looked over the top of the car at the house. He was not surprised to see his mother watching them through the window. When she saw him look at her Jane smiled and waved to him. He stared at her without making any effort to acknowledge her wave. He simply stared at her for a moment longer before getting into the car and driving quickly away. This left Jane shaken. She had not expected his coldness, especially after watching his loving, gentle attention to his wife.

As he had predicted, Jax and Brenda did not return to the house until nearly midnight. After enjoying a wonderfully romantic dinner at the best restaurant in town, courtesy of his father, Jax had taken Brenda on a tour of all the high points of the town, ending up at the town makeout spot where they took full advantage of the privacy there. Brenda had started to doze off in the car on the ride back to the house. As he drove home, Jax frequently glanced over at her. He loved to watch her sleep. She always looked so happy. As he pulled up to the house he also realized that they couldn't leave until this situation with his mother was resolved. It wasn't fair to Brenda to leave it hanging like this!

After turning off the engine, Jax reached over to wake Brenda. He gently kissed the tip of her nose but she didn't wake. He then leaned over again, this time kissing her softly on the lips. This time she started to stir in her seat as she slowly opened her eyes. "What a wonderful way to wake up from a beautiful dream," she said sleepily as she reached up to caress his cheek. "Are we home?" she asked as she sat up a little more and looked around.

"We're back at my parents' house," Jax said with a touch of sadness in his voice. "We should go inside so you can get some rest. We've got a rough day ahead of us tomorrow."

Now fully awake, Brenda looked Jax in the face as she continued to caress his cheek. "Don't be angry at your mom, Jax. She's just hurt that we didn't include her in the biggest day of your life. I can understand that."

Jax put his hand on top of hers to stop its movement. The serious expression on his face made Brenda suddenly very nervous. "I know that's what I told you, Brenda, but I've got a feeling there is more to it." Smiling again slightly, he looked directly into her eyes. "I just want you to know that whatever happens tomorrow, I'm right beside you. You don't have to face her alone, nor do you have to defend what we did. Getting married on the Isabella was the right thing for us, and that's all that matters." He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. "Come on, let's go in," he said as he gave her another quick kiss before pulling back. Jax got out of the car and walked quickly around to open her door. As they headed up the front walk, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she snuggled close against his side. When they got to the door, Jax opened it and let her walk in ahead of him. She waited at the foot of the stairs while he locked up the door and then held out her hand to him in invitation. He covered the distance between them in one stride as he took her hand in his and let her lead him up the stairs and down the hall to their room.

As soon as she heard the door to their room close, Jane stepped out of her hiding place in the shadows. She was grateful that they had come home. After what John had said earlier, she hadn't been sure that they would. She was relieved that they had not spotted her waiting for them. She walked over to the window and looked out at the full moon. This plan she had developed while they were gone had to work. If she was going to salvage her relationship with Jax, she felt she needed to show him how wrong Brenda was for him. As she stared out into the night, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, finally turning away from the window and walking up the stairs to go to bed.

8:45 A.M.

Brenda came out of their bathroom, trying to button the back of her top. When she couldn't reach the last two buttons, she called out, "Jax help! I can't reach any farther!" She walked over to Jax and turned her back to him. "Please!" she begged as she stood fidgeting in front of him.

Jax couldn't resist chuckling as he watched her. He reached forward to quickly do up the offending buttons. He then rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned down slightly. "Calm down, luv. There's nothing for you to be nervous about. I told you last night that we're in this together."

Brenda reached up and put her hands on his as she gently leaned back against him. "I know that, Jax. I just can't shake this feeling that something is going to happen today - that's all."

Jax rested his chin on the top of her head for a moment before leaning over to whisper in her ear, "Just remember that whatever happens today, I love you." He then kissed the side of her neck before standing back up and squeezing her shoulders quickly. "Come on, let's go," he said softly.

After taking a deep breath and letting it out quickly, Brenda shuddered once before turning around to face him. She looked up at him with a nervous smile. "Okay, I'm ready."

Jax and Brenda walked out the door and down the hall. When they got to the top of the stairs, they stopped for a minute and looked down at Jane and John, sitting on the couch drinking their coffee. Jax reached for Brenda's hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. When she looked up at him he smiled, which helped her relax a little.

"Good morning, you two," John said. "Come, join us." As soon as Jax and Brenda came down the stairs and walked toward the couch, John stood up and kissed Brenda's cheek. "Good morning, luv," he said with a smile before looking over at Jax and giving him a quick nod.

"I hope you slept well, my dear. I know how difficult it can be to sleep in a strange bed," Jane said sweetly as she looked at Brenda over the top of her coffee cup.

Brenda blushed slightly as she smiled and looked up at Jax, who chose that moment to wrap his arm around her. "Actually I slept very well." Her blush deepened as she looked down at her feet. "As long as I can feel Jax next to me, I can sleep anywhere and it feels like home." She rested her cheek against Jax's chest as she wrapped her arm around his waist.

Jane glanced over at John and was surprised to see him gently nodding his head with a broad smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes. It was suddenly obvious to her that if she was going to show Jax the mistake he had made by marrying Brenda, she was going to have to do it alone. John had obviously fallen under Brenda's spell. "Well, shall we have some breakfast?" Jane asked as she got up from the couch and smiled directly at Jax before leading them into the kitchen.

After finishing breakfast, Jax and Brenda left the table while John and Jane were still finishing their coffee. They went into the library so that Jax could check his e-mail. As Jax worked at the computer, Brenda took out her compact to touch up her lipstick and check her hair. When Jax finished he came up to her, delighted to see the first real smile come to her face when he did. "All done?" she asked.

"Yep, nothing much happening right now. All the deals I had pending are moving along as expected," he said as he returned her smile. He then held out his hand to her. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Brenda took his hand as he ushered her in front of him, so he could tickle her as they walked back into the living room. Brenda slapped playfully at his hands, finally pulling them away from her sides as they got into the room. After sitting down in the big leather chair by the fireplace, she pulled out her mirror again. "This lipstick is too much, isn't it?" she asked as she looked at Jax.

With a chuckle Jax sat down on the table in front of her and lifted her chin with the side of his finger. He then took both of her hands in his and smiled. "For a moose maybe, but not for you." He looked toward the kitchen doorway for a second than back at her with a chuckle. "You better be careful, you know. My father's all ready in love with you!" He was relieved when he saw a slight smile return to her lips. "That's better," he said as he smiled back at her.

They sat staring at each other, whispering and playfully tickling each other until John and Jane came into the room. Seeing them acting so comfortably with each other had different effects on each of them. John was delighted to see his son so happy. Jane was more concerned than ever about Brenda's influence on him.

"We were thinking of suggesting a walk, but then I realized that we don't have any boots small enough to fit Brenda - except maybe that pair of Jerry's from when he was about eight," Jane said as she smiled at Brenda.

"But then the damn fool went and had them bronzed for some reason," John said with a shrug as he started to laugh.

"Anyway, we decided that we should play the family game instead," Jane declared almost triumphantly.

"Sounds great, " Brenda said. "I love games!"

When Jax realized what his mother was talking about, he jumped up to face her. "Oh, no! Absolutely not!" he declared emphatically, which startled Brenda. "I'm not going to have my bride go running off into the wilderness!"

Jane was delighted. She had barely started to put things into motion, and Jax was already questioning his wife's abilities. "Come on, Jax. Don't be a spoilsport. Let the girl prove herself!"

As Jax started to say something Brenda spoke up. "I'd love to play," she declared. She was surprised to see the disapproving looks on both John and Jax's faces.

Jax took her arm and pulled her over to the couch to sit down, as both of his parents went into the library to find the game. "Brenda, I don't think this is a very good idea."

"Why not?" Brenda asked.

"Well, the Jacks family game is pretty cut-throat. My parents created it as a way of keeping Jerry and me in line whenever we'd get a big head over some business deal." He looked at her closely as he continued: "My mother is the current champion. I can't even remember the last time she lost!"

"So what are you trying to tell me, Jax? You don't think I can hold my own against her?" She arched her eyebrow as she continued, "You forget that I'm Harlan Barrett's daughter and Julia Barrett's sister! I've been around cut-throat business dealings my whole life!" Brenda smiled confidently. She was still smiling at Jax and holding his hands as she saw John and Jane come back into the room. She tilted her head toward them. "Too late. Here they come."

Jax looked up just as his parents came over to them. It only took a minute for John to set up the game board. He opened the box of game pieces, and Jax immediately grabbed his favorite, a dogsled. Jane took the racehorse, and John, the oil well. They all then turned to look at what Brenda would choose. When she didn't immediately reach into the box, it was John who spoke up. "Come on, luv, pick one," he said.

"It doesn't really matter to me. I'll play with whatever's left."

"Oh, I'm afraid you won't last long in this family with that attitude, dear," Jane said, with a bit of a smirk on her face. "We'll eat you alive!" Both John and Jax laughed out loud at that remark.

"She's right, luv," Jax said with a chuckle as he pushed the box closer to her.

"Well, if you put it that way, I'll take the yacht!" she said as she took it out of the box and then looked over at Jax with a knowing smile. "After all, it's been good luck for me so far…" She chuckled as she saw the pink creep across Jax's cheeks.

Grabbing the yacht from her hand and setting it on the board, Jax gave her a quick glance. "Yeah, well… Oh by the way, did I tell you that Brenda won Kronos back for us at cards?"

"Really? That's wonderful!" John said proudly. He looked over at Jane. "Did you hear that, Lady? Looks like we're going to have to get a new board made with Kronos back on it!" When he looked over at Brenda, his pride in her was obvious.

"Yes, well, congratulations, dear. I'm sure Jax appreciated your help in getting it back," Jane said with a touch of sarcasm that everyone, including Brenda, was quick to notice.

Jax threw down the game pieces he was playing with and turned to face his mother as he started to get up. "That's it! We're out of here!" He was surprised to feel Brenda's hand on his leg. When he saw the look on her face he sat back down. "Brenda, you don't have to put up with this. I told you that we would leave if this happened again." He looked over at his mother with a coldness in his eyes that she had never seen before. He looked back at Brenda and took the side of her face in his hand. "You married me on that yacht - not my family! If they don't accept you, then they don't accept me!" He turned to glare at his mother again. "Just to let you know, Lady Jane, I had nothing to do with Brenda winning Kronos back. She is the one who beat Thao at shimmy, not me!"

Brenda reached over to turn his face back to her. Looking him right in the eyes, she smiled at him. "We're not leaving, Jax - not like this." She turned to quickly look at Jane, before looking back at Jax. "I can do this, Jax - I want to do this!" She gave him a wink. "Besides, you seem to have forgotten what I told you yesterday." She reached over and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger.

Unable to keep from smiling any longer, Jax took her hand and kissed her palm. "You're right, I did forget," he said with a chuckle. "You guys are in big trouble now," he said, as he looked first at his father then his mother. "You have no idea who you are playing against." He smiled as he kissed her palm one more time before letting it go and picking up the pieces he had dropped.

John was delighted by what he had just seen. Not only was Jax protective of his wife, but Brenda had stood her ground and convinced him to stay. For some reason he was sure that Jax was right about the game they were about to play. He had a distinct feeling that they may have underestimated their new daughter-in-law.

Jane was rattled by what Jax had said about Brenda. She suddenly had a feeling that playing the Jacks family game was not going to have the results she was planning. Something about what Jax had said about not knowing who they were playing against suddenly made her nervous. When she saw the determination in Brenda's eyes, she began to wonder if she had made a mistake.

"Okay, if we're going to play, let's get started," Jax said with a smile as he looked at Brenda. "I'm suddenly looking forward to this game."

After a quick explanation of the rules, they began to play. After getting off to a shaky start, Brenda quickly took control of the game. When she had bankrupted Jax, John thought that he had let her win to build her confidence, but when he also fell victim to her skill, he began to understand what Jax had meant. When the game was over, he was going to have to remember to ask Jax exactly what he had meant about who Brenda was.

For the next several hours it was a back-and-forth game between Brenda and Jane. Finally it was obvious to everyone that Jane's next move would determine a winner. When she reached in and drew a three, they all held their breath to see where she would land. Everyone was startled by Jane's scream when she realized that she had landed on a heavily developed piece of property that Brenda owned.

"Okay, Jane, buy or be bought!" Brenda declared gleefully as everyone looked at Jane for her response.

"Let's see… that is three - no, six hundred million…" she said as she looked sheepishly at Brenda. "I seem to have a bit of a cash flow problem at the moment. Would you consider Menlo Park Microchips instead?" she asked.

"It's worth about $850 million - on paper, that is!" John said with a quizzical look at Brenda.

"... Or are you the type that hangs on to your acquisitions?" Jane asked as she watched Brenda closely.

Brenda was silent for a moment, taping her finger on her chin as if she was thinking before looking at Jane. "Let's see, I'm retail and real estate. What would I do with a microchip company? Besides, you'll just steal my employees, start a new company and undercut me in the market. So, no, Jane, I don't think so!"

John and Jax both applauded loudly when they realized that Brenda had just beaten Jane at her own game. Jax wrapped his arms around Brenda and pulled her closer to him before kissing her on the top of her head. When Brenda pulled back from his embrace and looked up at him, she could see how proud he was of her - almost as proud as she was of herself. When she looked over at John, she could see not only his pride in her accomplishment but also his absolute acceptance and approval of her, which meant more to her than winning the game.

When she looked over at Jane, she was surprised to see a similar expression on her face. Since she had expected something very different, when Jane extended her hand to her it took Brenda a moment to respond and take it in hers.

"Congratulations, my dear, you played an excellent game." With a smile she leaned over closer to Brenda without letting go of her hand. "Next time it's girls against boys; then we'll show them!" she declared, which caused everyone to laugh.

"Now that we've got this silliness behind us, on to more important matters," John said as he sat up straight with a suddenly serious expression on his face. Clearing his throat as everyone looked at him, he looked directly at Jax and Brenda. "Where are you two planning to live? You're welcome to stay in one of the houses here on the property if you wish - or you could build a new one…"

Feeling Brenda tense up next to him, Jax looked over at her as he placed a hand on her knee. She smiled meekly at him in appreciation before Jax turned back to his father. "Actually, dad, we haven't talked about that yet." He looked back at Brenda with a smile as he continued, "Everything happened so quickly that we haven't figured out a lot of things yet."

Brenda reached over to put her hand on Jax's knee. "Actually, Port Charles is my home," she said. She was surprised at the curious expression on Jax's face. "I've never really thought about living anywhere else."

As Jane watched them she could tell that this was something they needed to talk about in private. "John, Brenda's success at the game has given me an idea." She looked at her husband with a look he knew well. "How many shopping malls do we own?" she asked.

Knowing that Jane was trying to give Jax and Brenda some privacy, John smiled as he sat back in his chair as if thinking. "To tell you the truth, Lady, I don't know. Why don't we check the ledger?" He winked at Jane as he got up from his chair and held out his hand. Without saying anything to Jax or Brenda, the two of them went into the library, closing the door behind them.

When they were alone Jax and Brenda looked at each other and burst out laughing. Jax wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You've won her over, you know," he said with a chuckle.

Brenda rested her head against his shoulder. "I like your parents - both of them," she said softly. She pulled back from him and rested her hand on his knee. "Your father had a point, Jax: we need to decide where we're going to live."

Jax took her hand in his. "Are you really sure you want to live in Port Charles?" He looked down at their joined hands for a moment before looking back at her. "After all, there are some pretty bad memories there."

Smiling at him, Brenda reached up to caress his cheek. "I also have some pretty wonderful ones there. Remember, I met you in Port Charles. You proposed to me there, and, most importantly, we made love for the first time there." She leaned over and kissed him. "Listen to me, Jax, I know that I was miserable a lot of the time, especially when it came to Sonny, but since I've known you I've been happy, truly happy, there - maybe for the first time in my life." She leaned her forehead against his for a moment before continuing, "I like our life in Port Charles, and I really believe that it will only get better the longer we live there. But if you'd rather get away from the past and start fresh somewhere else, I'll go wherever you want."

This time it was Jax who leaned forward to kiss her. "When you explain your reasons like that, how can I disagree?" He smiled broadly as he caressed her cheek. "Port Charles it is then." Brenda smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him close for a long time. Jax finally pulled back to look at her. "You want to go home, don't you?" he asked as he looked into her eyes.

"Only if you do," she said as she reached up to brush a stray lock of hair off his forehead. "If you want we can stay here…"

Jax took both of her hands in his, "No, let's go home," he said softly before leaning forward to give her a quick kiss. "Come on, we'd better tell mum and dad." He smiled at her again. "I'll call the airport and have them get the plane ready." After leaning forward for another quick kiss, he got up and extended his hand to her. "Let's go tell my folks; we've got some packing to do." Brenda smiled as she nodded her agreement and took his extended hand.

John and Jane were not surprised at their decision to leave. John volunteered to make the travel arrangements for them while they were packing so that they could get home at a reasonable hour. They went upstairs to pack, coming back down about a half-hour later.

After piling the luggage by the door, Jax and Brenda walked over to where John and Jane were waiting. John gave Brenda a big hug and kissed the top of her head. "In case I didn't say this earlier, welcome to the family, Brenda Jacks," he said as he hugged her again. He looked over the top of Brenda's head, as he smiled at Jax and Jane.

When John finally released her, Brenda wiped away the tears that were flowing freely down her cheeks before turning around to Jax and Jane. Jane came up to her and took one of her hands. "I want to apologize to you. I have been pretty awful to you since you and Jax told us about your marriage. I thought that you were an airheaded golddigger who got her clutches into my son." When she saw Jax start to say something, she held up her hand. "When you walked over all of us at our own game, I realized that I had misjudged you. You are a very intelligent young woman, with a level head on your shoulders." She chuckled softly as she felt tears forming in her eyes. She turned Brenda's hand over and placed the yacht game piece on her palm and folded her fingers up around it. "We're retiring this as a tribute to the day we welcomed our beautiful, new daughter-in-law to our family."

The tears that had been forming in Brenda's eyes as Jane was speaking started spilling down her cheeks. She slowly wrapped her arms around Jane and held her tight as they both cried. John and Jax had wrapped an arm around each other as they watched the most important person in each of their lives forge the newest link in their family chain.

John glanced over at the clock on the wall before nodding to Jax. When he looked over at the clock, he walked over to Brenda and put his hands on her shoulders. "It's time to go, luv," he said softly.

Brenda pulled back from Jane and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She smiled as she once again took Jane's hand. "Come see us in Port Charles. We'll roll out the red carpet for you."

"You can count on it, dear," Jane said as she smiled and wiped away her own tears.

Jax gently squeezed Brenda's shoulders, and when she looked up at him, he smiled and nodded toward the door. "Right, okay, let's go," Brenda said as she gave Jane one more hug. She then wrapped her arm around Jax's waist and walked toward the door with him.

John opened the door for them, as Jax picked up the suitcases and his overnight bags and Brenda picked up her purse, as well as her bag, with her left hand, while carefully holding the little yacht in her right. As they walked out the door, they each kissed John and Jane one more time before walking down the steps and across the walk to their waiting car.

After loading the luggage in the trunk Jax opened the door for Brenda. Still holding the yacht to keep it safe, Brenda looked back toward the house to wave goodbye one last time before getting into the car. After walking around to the driver's side, Jax looked back at his parents over the roof of the car. He smiled and waived quickly before getting in and starting the car. They quickly drove away, leaving his parents standing on the porch waiving until they were out of sight.

As they drove away, Brenda settled further into her seat as she gently stroked her finger across the hull of the little yacht. She smiled slightly as she realized she was holding the symbol of their future in her hands. A future, she decided, she could not wait to get started on.