Monte Carlo: A J&J fanfic!

[JanetTripper98]

Hey guys, the names Nellie! I'm an avid Three's Company fan and decided I would give writing a fic a whirl! I was really nervous when I decided to post this, so, please go easy on me!

Monte Carlo, Paris

Jackson Gabriel Tripper stood proudly in his five-star french cuisine restaurant, Jack's Bistro, one of the 6 bistro's he owned worldwide. Three were located the US, in of course his hometown Santa Monica, one in Manhatten, New York, and the final one in the U.S, in San Francisco. The other three, were found in, Rome, Britain, and of course, Paris.

It was busy for so late in the afternoon, the customers flooding in by the dozen. Orders in French came from the kitchen Jack stood not too far away from, monitering the outcome of the grand opening of his sixth establishment.

It looked like almost any other French restaurant did, except unlike the red velvet decor, he'd chosen a deep pine green instead, the dark mahogany of the oak wood walls giving it a clever taste. Large two, to four, to six seater tables filled the dining area, each one covered with fine egyptain cotton table cloths. And the thing that Jack liked most, was that green was Janet's, his roomate 4 years ago, favorite color.

Ah, Janet. She'd been on his mind ever since the day they'd parted from apartment 201 back in Santa Monica. He'd left with a broken heart, that he'd tried to mend with Vicki as a distraction from the woman he'd truly fell head-over-heals,as people said, for. He still got the butterflies everytime he thought of her pretty face. Her dark eyes, large and eloquent with emotion. Her dark hair accenting her natural porcelain skin. And her smile. Those thin lips that curved upward into the brightest smile he'd ever seen.

But that light she brought into his life was gone now. And Jack knew he'd never see it again. The last time he'd heard from Janet, she and Phillip had just moved to Ceattle. To anyone Janet may have sounded happy when she told of her big news, but Jack knew better. She wasn't like the old Janet he'd lived with for 8 years.

The light and cheery tone to her voice had dissappeared he'd noticed, and when she talked to him, even though over the wire, he knew the look that adorned her face. It was one of confusion, regret, loss,and to Jack's dismay,sadness.

"Jack!" came female voice from across the room.

"Papa!" came a lighter, and cheerier tone.

He turned and a small redheaded girl in pigtais ran over to him, jumping into his arms and enveloping him in a bear hug.

"Hey Stella!"

"Papa! Terri peint mes ongles et m'achète une nouvelle robe pour le spectacle ce soir!"

"Elle l'a fait?Hein?Tu as l'air beau!" Jack cooed happily to his daughter. "Merci Terri. You didn't have to go to all that trouble! She has too many dresses as it is!"

"Ah, de'accord Jack! I couldn't resist! She looked so cute in that dress I had to buy it for her! And anyway,she sings tonight!"

"Well, thanks again Terr!Hey, why don't you stick around? I called Larry, and he said he was gonna bring a friend?"

Terri smiles brightly in that moment, a hand on her hip, and a curious sparkle in her eyes. A smirk plays at her lips, and she can't help but shake her head slightly.

"What?" Jack asks tilting his head, itching his full beard.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just curious as to who he's gonna bring is all?" Truth be told Terri Aldin Dallas knew who Larry was having come to the restaurant. When they were visiting Paris on vacation, they'd spotted her, working in an arcade floral shop called Adelaide's Arcade. She was absolutely thrilled to see the both of them, and agreed to take a little trip to this great bistro in Monte Carlo.

"Terri? I get a feeling that you know whose coming tonight? Am I right?"

"No!" she said a little too quickly,"why would I know who that Larry is bringing along?"

"Uh,"his eyes make a half cirlce around him looking at Stella, his daughter perched in his arms to Terri standing before him again. "You're his wife?" he shakes his head and chuckles airily.

"That means nothing!" she says stamping her foot, and huffing.

Jack rolls his eyes walking back into his kitchen, Terri noticing and following suit...

As I said in the beginning, this is my first fic! And I'm very nervous about it! Please tell me what you think! Suggestions? Critisizm? Leave it!

~Nellie

[sunshinefizzy]

It's good so far. Keep going!

[luvzjohn101]

Yes keep going, because I enjoy reading Jack and Janet fanfics!

[JanetTripper98]

Chapter Two: Pleasure of Love

Larry still hadn't told her where they were going, all he said was she was going to love it. With Larry "The Ex-Sleaze" Dallas, you were better off with a psychopath. Now that he was married, he wasn't such a player, because he had Terri to keep him in line.

"Come on Larry, can't you at least give me a hint?"

"Well, you eat there," he said simply smiling brightly.

"Let me take a second to count how many places you can eat at Lar," she said dryly. "Can I have another hint?"

"Well, it's French."

"Duh, we're in France?!" she said exasperated.

"That's all I'm gonna say. Look, we're here!"

"Bistro a la France?" Janet gasped. "Lawerence Thomas Dallas this place looks expensive..."

"What? You couldn't afford it?"

"I meant you."

Larry rolled his eyes, getting out of his car and opening her door. The two linked arms as they entered the restaurant. The place was filled with many people, tourists and residents abound. Janet was in complete awe of the whole place, the decour was absolutely beautiful, and there was even live music in the front of the lovely building.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Madames ae Missour's, Je vous donne, I give you, Stella Belle!"

Janet watches as a pretty little girl in a sapphire dress skipped on stage, reaching above her to take the microphone. She was no older than six or seven, but she seemed a natural. Her blue eyes as bright as her dress sparkled, and she had freckles adorning her lovely face, her curly sandy blonde hair falling to her shoulders.

"Merci tellement de chacun pour venir ce soir ! Je sais les fins de semaine peuvent être trépidantes, mais je l'espère, une petite musique relâchera vous ! Frapper garçons!"
'Thanks so much everyone for coming tonight! I know week ends can be hectic, but hopefully, a little music will relax you! Hit it boys!'

The band began to play Plasir D'amour, and Janet couldn't believe the voice the small girl had. And she thought she sang well!

"Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment.
Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie.

J'ai tout quitté pour l'ingrate Sylvie.
Elle me quitte et prend un autre aimant.

Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment.
Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie.

«Tant que cette eau coulera doucement
Vers ce ruisseau qui borde la prairie,
Je t'aimerai» me répétait Sylvie.
L'eau coule encore. Elle a changé pourtant.

Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment.
Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie."
--

The joys of love last but a moment.
The grief of love lasts a lifetime.

I've given up everything for the ungrateful Sylvia.
She is leaving me and taking another lover.

The joys of love last but a moment.
The grief of love lasts a lifetime.

"As long as that water flows gently
Towards that brook at the edge of the meadow,
I'll love you," Sylvia repeated to me.
The water still flows. She has changed though.

The joys of love last but a moment.
The grief of love lasts a lifetime.

--
As a host seated them the girl finished her song and the crowd went wild, appluading and whistling, and hollering her name. Janet couldn't help but clap as well. Even though the song was in French, Janet understood every word. Being in France and all, she caught on very quickly with help from her friend Tanya, her assistant. Next to Swedish and Italian, French was her third language.

She and Larry ordered their drinks, white wine, and a smile graced Janet's face as Terri bounded over to the table.

"Terri! It's been ages!"

"A little over a month but it feels like years!" Janet stood and hugged Terri before they both sat down.

"Who was that amazing little girl? She has such a phenominal voice?"

"That's Stella. The owner's daughter, who happened in his younger years, to love singing too.That was actually, before he became a chef." Terri nodded proudly.

"Oh, so you know the owner?" Janet questioned.

"Boy, do I?" Terri chuckled.

Larry acknowledged the waitor as he came back. "Uhm, let's get three of you world famous Steak frites, some of those,pommes duchesse , and for dessert,some of your Éclair's. Merci."

The waitor smiled, and retreated to the kitchen.

"Larry's still working on his French. But he's getting better. See, yesterday he wanted me to itch his back. So, he asked, but I told him to ask in French. But instead of saying 'please itch my back...'"

"I said 'please pick my nose.'" The girls erupted in giggles.

Janet scanned the crowd again, and watched as Stella, who seemed very popular as she conversed with a few customers, made her way toward a tall well built man back by the kitchen. He had sandy blonde hair just like hers, but it wasn't curly, instead it was shaggy yet, it looked nice. He had a full goti, and a muscular frame. And his eyes, were as blue as the ocean.

The girl jumped into his arms, and he twirled her around,a broad smile on his face. They seemed a happy family. From far away though, she didn't notice it was Jack.

"Earth to Janet?"

"Huhm?" Janet snapped her head back to Terri. "Whatchya say Ter?"

"I said, I think the owner is coming this way." She pointed to the man and his daughter.He was.

_____

She looked so familiar to him, her hair the same color, her stature, her height, and...her large almond eyes... 'It couldn't be Janet?!Naw, my mind is playing tricks on me. Get real Jack! She's back in Ceattle!'

But as he neared her, butterflies filled his stomach, for it was Janet that he'd seen.

She starred at him dumbstruck, and he on the other hand felt an incredulous smile rising on his lips. "Long time no see..."

"Yeah. Hi."

"Hi. How've you been?" He set Stella down, the girl starring quizically at the woman.

"Papa? Votre ami?"

"Wi, moucherie, mon ami. Tre vieil,mais toujours agréable,ami."
'Yes sweetheart, my friend. Very old, but still great, friend.'

"Fin. Fine." Janet found herself speaking French, going with the flow of the place. "Et tua? And you?"

"Wi, bien. Good. Il s'agit de ma fille, this is my daughter, Stella Belle Tripper."

Janet looked down at the girl and smiled sweetly. She was an exact replica of him, though his freckles had long faded.

"Enchantée, uhm, Stella." She shook the girls hand. Stella smiled a tootless grin.

"So, how do you like the place?"

"It's wonderful!" She found herself talking easily to him, and yet she felt so nervous on the inside.This was Jack, and she hadn't seen him in six years. It was as if their conversation was rehearsed, a transcript. But with hardly any emotion. Janet didn't know what to feel.

And neither did Jack. He was so stunned that she was actually here, and that he was talking to her, looking at her pretty face. And sparks flew. That light missing from his life was lit again. And it was because of her pretty face.

He asked to speak to her alone in his office. To catch up, he said. But Janet knew better. Jack wanted to talk. To talk about why she'd left him.

And as she circles his large office, running her fingers along the picture frames on his desk she stops,and picks up a picture....of her....