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jrob64 · 2 years

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Seismic Waves (an additional chapter for “Faultline”)

Yes, my friends, I’ve added to the “Faultline” story in honor of my friend @motherkatereloyshipper‘s birthday and because she’s going through a rough time right now. She is quite a fan of Frozen Jewel, which she refers to as ‘Atlas Snogged’, so this story was written for her.

Special thanks to @hookedmom for making the story better, as always.

Story summary: An additional chapter for “Faultline” which elaborates on how Liam and Elsa met.

Rating: G

Words: 1836

Links to all 3 chapters of “Faultline” on Tumblr:

Tremors The Big One Aftershocks

Links to “Faultline”: ffn and Ao3

Links to “Seismic Waves”: ffn and Ao3

*********

“Hold the lift!” Liam called out, rushing across the newly repaired lobby of the building where he worked. It had just recently passed all the required inspections to reopen, which were necessary because of the damage sustained from the earthquake. He sped up as he saw the doors of the elevator beginning to close. What he didn’t see was the blonde woman off to his right who was trying to juggle her laptop case, purse and a large latte.

He collided with her solidly, automatically reaching out to grasp her arms to help her keep her balance. Her purse dropped to the floor, while her hand tightened around her drink, popping the lid off. Some of the liquid spilled out, splashing down the front of her fuschia sheath dress, and he heard her gasp loudly.

“I’m so sor-...” he began, his voice cutting off when he lifted his eyes and beheld the vision in front of him.

A sigh that turned into a quiet laugh emerged from the beautiful woman, whose arms he still gripped firmly. “Are you alright, Lass?” he asked.

She looked down at herself, then back up at him, a mixture of frustration and mirth dancing in her eyes. “I’m fine. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about my dress.”

His dark blue eyes fastened onto her green ones, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Please, um, forgive me for my…my clumsiness,” he said, stumbling over his words. He removed his right hand from her and pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocket, awkwardly dabbing at the mess with it.

She lightly circled his wrist with her fingers, halting his movements. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got a sweater in my office that will probably cover most of the stain.This isn’t the first time I’ve spilled something on myself.”

After she released her grip, Liam continued to distractedly rub at one of the spots, his fascinated gaze locked on her face. A knowing grin bloomed on her lips, as her eyes glanced down at her chest. When he peeled his own eyes away to follow her line of sight, he realized his hand was resting on the top of her left breast. He quickly jerked it away, his face flooding with color.

“Uh…perhaps not, but I’m the one who caused this spill,” he managed to say, as he stuffed his handkerchief back into his pocket.

Her smile faded a bit and she sighed again. “It hasn’t been a great morning and this was just another thing to add to it. Please don’t think I’m a crazy person because I laughed about this earlier. I just figured it was better to laugh than cry.”

“I’m very sorry to add to an already bad day. Please allow me to, um, pay to get your dress cleaned.”

“That won’t be necessary. I have a friend who has a knack for removing stains. I’ll just take it to her.” She watched him nod, before continuing, “I really should get to my office now.”

Another few seconds passed before Liam realized his left hand was still wrapped around her right bicep, and he reluctantly released it. “Are you sure I can’t compensate you in some way, Lass?”

Her eyes twinkled. “Maybe you can buy me a latte sometime?”

She bent down and picked up her purse, slung the strap of her laptop bag over her shoulder, and stepped away to punch the button for the elevator. When it arrived, she entered and turned around, smiling at the sight of him still standing in the same spot, with a dumbstruck look on his face.

*********

“Did anything exciting happen at work today, Liam?” Emma asked, passing him the bowl of mashed potatoes.

“Oh, uh, well…this morning I, um…”

Killian’s eyes shot up to look at his brother, unused to hearing him stammer over his words. “You didn’t lose your job on the second day you reported to the office, did you brother?”

“Of course not, you tosser. Everything is great!”

“Then what happened this morning?” Emma asked.

Liam looked uncomfortable, and took an inordinate amount of time chewing and swallowing his food, while his face grew steadily more red. Killian and Emma exchanged amused looks as they waited.

“Well, you see, there was this girl…”

“Was there, indeed?” Killian smirked. “Well, I like this tale already.”

Liam glared at his brother. “Anyway, I was trying to catch the lift and…”

“Lift?” Emma questioned.

“You Americans call it an elevator, Love,” Killian explained.

Liam cleared his throat before continuing. “I was in a hurry and wasn’t paying close attention, and ran smack into this girl. She was carrying a latte and almost half of it spilled down the front of her lovely dress. I felt terrible.”

“Oh no! How did she react?” Emma asked, reaching over to pat his hand sympathetically.

“She, uh…she laughed.”

“Laughed?” Killian asked, eyebrows shooting up to his hairline.

“Aye. She said she was already having a bad day and she thought it better to laugh than cry. I offered to pay to have the dress cleaned, but she refused. Said she has a friend who would do it for her.”

“Did you get her name?” Emma inquired.

Liam studied his fork as he dragged it through his potatoes. “No, I didn’t.”

“Did you give her yours?” Killian questioned. Slouching down in his chair, Liam confessed that he hadn’t, before Killian continued, “What did she look like?”

Liam’s face took on a faraway, dreamy look. “She was…quite beautiful. Shoulder length blonde hair, green eyes, gorgeous smile…”

“Seems we Jones boys have a type,” Killian commented, winking at Emma. She giggled and bumped her knee against his under the table. “You should ask her out, Liam.”

“How the bloody hell am I supposed to do that? I don’t even know her name,” Liam moaned.

“Does she work in your building?” Emma asked.

Liam straightened in his seat and looked thoughtful. “She did say she was going to her office before she got on the lift.”

“Well, there you go,” Emma encouraged. “All you have to do is track her down.”

“The building is twenty-seven stories high,” Liam frowned. “How am I supposed to search for her in a place like that when I don’t even know her name?”

“Guess you’ll just have to run into her again,” Killian snickered.

“Hopefully not literally, the next time,” Liam grinned.

*********

He didn’t get the opportunity to talk to the mystery woman again for the rest of the week, or the first two days of the following week. On two separate occasions, he thought he caught a glimpse of her, but couldn’t work up the nerve to approach her. After the first two days, Killian and Emma didn’t need to ask him if he’d seen her, because his demeanor upon entering their shared apartment told them all they needed to know.

On Wednesday morning, he was sitting in the lobby, finalizing some notes on his computer before heading upstairs to a meeting, when a pair of powder blue pumps moved into his line of vision. His eyes scanned up the shapely legs to take in a plum colored pencil skirt, light blue and plum patterned sleeveless blouse, and the face of an angel.

“It is you,” she said. “I thought I recognized you sitting over here, and since I don’t have a drink with me this morning, I didn’t think it would do any harm to come over and say good morning.”

He scrambled to his feet, furiously rubbing at the back of his neck, which was a brilliant shade of red. “I, um…I apologize again…”

She laid a hand on his forearm. “I was teasing. My friend got the stain out, so no harm done.”

Liam breathed out a relieved sigh, and patted the hand which was still touching his arm. “I’m very happy to hear that, Lass.”

“Elsa.”

“Pardon me?”

“My name is Elsa Arendelle. And you are…?”

“Liam. Liam Jones. I’m glad I got a chance to see you again, Elsa.” He savored the feel of her name on his tongue, thinking how the beautiful name was very fitting for the person to whom it belonged.

“Likewise, Liam. Well, I had better be going. I always like to be a little early.”

She was beginning to turn around when Liam finally found his voice. “Wait!” She looked back and he moved to stand in front of her. “I’d like to know more about you, if you don’t mind.”

“Like what?” she asked, quirking a brow at him.

“Well, for starters, where is your office located?”

“On the twelfth floor. What about yours?”

“Sixteenth. My brother and I moved here from England and I started this job a few months ago, but I had to work remotely until they reopened the building last week.”

“I’ve been at my job for a little over seven months. It’s challenging and I love it.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a digital architect. And you?”

“Civil engineer. Do you live in San Francisco?”

“No, several miles south of here in San Bruno. I share an apartment with my sister, Anna.”

He collected his computer off of the chair and began walking with her to the bank of elevators. “I live with my brother Killian and his girlfriend Emma in Millbrae. We met her when I interviewed for this job, the day the earthquake hit.”

“That was certainly a day to remember. I was working here when the first one hit, and was fortunate enough to find an Uber driver who took me home as soon as I got out of the building.”

“We had a tough time, but managed to survive with Emma’s help. In the middle of all the chaos, my brother fell in love with her.”

“That’s very sweet,” Elsa said with a genuine smile. “Did you know Millbrae is only about three miles away from San Bruno?”

“I did not. I’m still trying to become familiar with this area.”

“That’s quite understandable.”

By this time, they had joined the group of people waiting for an elevator. The doors soon opened on one and they entered, Liam pushing the buttons for floors twelve and sixteen.

They didn’t speak to each other as the car ascended, stopping twice to let people off before it reached Elsa’s floor.

“Well, this is me,” she said, giving Liam a smile as the doors slid open. “Have a good day, Liam.”

“You as well,” he returned, watching her step out.

The doors were beginning to close, when he suddenly shoved his arm between them and once again shouted, “Wait!” earning him several disgruntled looks from the other occupants.

He pushed his way out, meeting Elsa, who was looking at him expectantly.

Working up all his courage, he straightened his broad shoulders and looked into her jade eyes. “Would you like to meet me in the lobby after work today to get that latte, Elsa?”

She beamed at him. “I would love to, Liam.”

*********

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#atlas snogged #frozen jewel #an additional chapter for Faultline #jrob64 #for motherkatereloyshipper #liam jones #elsa #killian jones #emma swan #faultline

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