Beautiful Disaster [[Writer & AshlinnRose]]

[ShatteredSoul]

”Remember me? I hope you do. But just to be sure, I’d like to make it so that you never forget me.” In the darkness, it was clear that a malicious smirk had pulled across the male’s shadowed features, and without any further warning, he lunged…

The hour had just turned past midnight as the DJ turned up the music to pump out a new dance beat. For a Friday night, the up-scale night club’s dance floor was oddly lacking in participants and customers alike. The clear glass bar was relatively populated though, with only a few seats left open for new customers to take up, and that was good enough.
“Jai?”

A young man dressed in a simple white oxford shirt and black slacks had approached a woman leaning upon one elbow against the back half of the bar counter. Long golden blonde hair, streaked with bouts of soft brown highlights had created a curtain over her face, shielding her ocean-blue, almond shaped eyes. A black, airy halter-top adorned the upper half of her body, draping down just below the hips of dark, slim fitting jeans. The sudden voice that had hit her ears caused her to physically lurch, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she was immediately ripped from the thoughts, or rather, memories that had been playing over her mind, and she whipped around to face the man who had approached her, black pumps clicking softly against the tiled floor.

“Pratt! Hi. What’s up?” Her words left her mouth in a breath of shock at first, and immediately she relaxed once she realized that it was simply a man she worked with who had interrupted her. His eyebrows furrowed gently as he cocked his curiously.

“You alright?”

“Yup.” She didn’t miss a beat. “What’s up?”

He didn’t seem very convinced, but he let it go for the time being. “New guy at ten o’clock over there.” His thumb jutted in the direction of one corner of the bar. “I’m heading off, so the counter’s all yours. Someone else will be on soon to cover my shift though. Have fun alright?”

She nodded, her eyes shifting in the direction he’d pointed for a split second before returning to him. “Yeah, sure, no problem. Have a good night alright? Drive safe. I can manage here just fine, so don’t worry about it.”
Pratt grinned, offering her a wink and playful salute as he leaned to grab a jacket from below the counter, then turned and headed out without another word.
Jai watched him leave, waiting until he disappeared out the club’s front doors before she heaved a long, heavy sigh. The night will be over before you know it, she told herself as her gaze swept over the bar counter, making a note of the customers that had already been served and which ones were going to need to be tended to for refills, and then to the new-comer at the far end. He sat with his arms folded over the counter, head down, showing only his mussed black hair, about an inch or two in length she guessed. He was wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt, and what else he had on was out of sight. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but something about the way he was slouching and had his head down just didn’t seem… right. As if he didn’t belong there and he knew it. But more than that, what made her tuck her lower lip between her teeth, was the fact that something about this man sent icy chills crawling up Jai’s spine.

She shook her head to try to dismiss her thoughts, her right hand lifting to tuck her hair back from the side of her face and over the back of her shoulder as she straightened and started for the end of the bar, black, strappy pumps clicking softly against the tile floor. “Hey there,” her voice spoke out just loud enough over the music for the man to hear. “Welcome to Gold-Wing, my name’s Jai. Can I get you started off with anything?” Straight and to the point. Any other day she may have been more animated with her approach, but she was exhausted and far from in a mood to try and be flirtatiously cute.

The man’s head lifted slowly, eyes about as dark as granite lifting to meet hers, and Jai felt the air hitch in her lungs, her heart nearly stopping. “Yeah actually,” his voice was low, deep, gruff. “You can start me off with a bourbon on the rocks.”

Jai stood frozen in her place, unaware of the fact that she had pressed her palm down atop the bar-counter to keep herself balanced on her feet. Her eyes were glued to his, unable to look away no matter how desperately she needed to, and it was as if everything in her world had suddenly slammed on the breaks and shattered out of existence. It’s not… It can’t be… There’s no way… Breathe…

“S-sure.” Her voice betrayed her composure, stuttering over the first consonant of her acknowledgement to his order, and with a grinding effort, she turned her back to him and strode to the back counter, where a tasteful display of all of their liquors was. Slow, trembling hands removed a short, fat glass from a shelf below the counter and set it down next to the ice box, her breathing shallow and forced. With minimal effort, she dumped a scoop of ice into the glass, it clinking against the hard, cold barrier as it landed and filled it halfway. Thoughts raged through her mind, making it near impossible for her to consciously focus on her work, and so her subconscious had kicked in and allowed her left hand to lift a bottle of their richest bourbon, her right shifting to unscrew the cap when suddenly she felt nothing but air. The bottle had slid from her trembling fingers, and conveniently, or rather, inconveniently, the song that had been playing ended just as the bottle crashed and shattered against the floor.

All eyes were on her, she could feel it, and it unnerved her even further than she already had been. Her emotions doubled, overwhelming every ounce of her senses to a point where she was just on the brink of numbness, and her gaze fell blankly to the floor beneath her feet as he hands moved to grasp the edge of the counter. Never, never once, had she ever had trouble here at the club, her sanctuary, and never once had she broken a single thing here, not a glass nor bottle of beer or plate of food, nothing. She’d also never been so tired and anxious during a shift. Man, of all the days for a hundred firsts to pile up, today was just… well, no. There was no day that she ever would have welcomed a hundred firsts, especially if the vast majority of them were negative.

Fuck…

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash cursed under her breath as she hurried towards the door of the club, having parked her bike back in the alley beside the large building. She hated it when she was running late like this, as it meant that whomever was on shift that night would end up having to run the bar alone for a bit and she didn't like leaving anyone alone to do that. The bar area of the club that she worked at was far too big for just one person to handle it comfortably, especially on the nights when the club was packed to the point of bursting. She prayed silently that this wasn't one of those nights where it was packed that full, as she wasn't sure what exactly she would do if it was and she had just left someone on their own for who knows how long. She was aware that Pratt had been working that night, as he had shot a message her way to get her into the bar, but that meant that he was probably already long gone.

She slid out of her coat as she reached the door, gripping her bag in one hand as she pulled open the door. Her outfit always fit the scene of the club and she was one of the bartenders that flaunted her body in order to get more tips. That particular evening she had dressed in a tight corset that was accented with hints of red, tight black pants, and thigh-high lace up heeled boots. However, she managed to walk into the room just as the music was cut off and the sound of a bottle smashing could be heard.

"Well hell..." she muttered, slipping back behind the bar and setting her stuff down on a table that couldn't be reached by anyone at the bar.

"Hey... Come on... Let's get this cleaned up..." she murmured softly as she came up behind Jai, very gently taking the girl's wrist and leading her away from the mess carefully, wanting to avoid her slipping or getting injured by the shards of glass.

She looked up towards the DJ and signaled him to start the music again, always having been the type of person to have a very commanding personality. Her deep, lapis-lazuli blue eyes were piercing as she flashed a threatening look at those still staring at the poor girl who had had nothing more than a little accident, something that everyone in the club had to have had at least once in there time there.

"Hey... It's okay.. Everyone makes mistakes..." she murmured softly as she sat the poor, trembling girl down on a stool.

She lightly rested her hand against Jai's cheek, offering her a small smile before turning and grabbing the broom. She made quick work of sweeping up the glass shards and getting them into the trash. She then grabbed a rag and wiped up all of the spilled bourbon, knowing that she needed to make sure that everyone was doing alright from the crash. She threw the rag back into the sink before making her rounds around the bar to make sure everyone was good.

She finally reached the man at the end of the bar and arched an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, were you the man who ordered that bourbon? I'll get you one right away, sir."

Her words practically slid out of her as she spoke, her musical voice practically trained in the work of being the perfect bartender and ensuring that everyone was well taken care of and happy with whatever it was they had ordered, even if they ended up not liking what it was that they got.

Her hips swung a bit as she moved back to the glass, dumping the half melted ice and refilling it before grabbing a fresh bottle of bourbon. She poured the drink expertly before putting the bottle back and making her way back to him.

"Here you are, sir. I am so sorry about that," she murmured with a pretty little smile before she flounced away again, her hips swinging easily and visibly due to the heels that she wore.

She was naturally around five feet and eight inches, or so, but with the stiletto heels, she was a good five to six inches taller.

"Are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost..." she muttered when she finally made her way back to Jai, crouching down some in front of the girl.

She gently reached up to grasp the poor girl's jaw, tilting her face up some to look her over. She looked deep into her eyes for a moment before releasing her and grasping her hands, wanting to make sure that she didn't have any injuries from the bottle, as it was possible that it had already been cracked and that was why she had dropped it.

"You are shaking like a leaf, hun... Can I get you anything to help you?" she asked after a moment, true concern showing in her expression as she looked up at the poor girl.

Ash's voice carried a hint of a French accent, revealing that she had not always lived in the city that she now lived. She was around twenty five years of age, which was probably why she was so concerned about Jai, as she just knew that the girl was younger than her. She wanted to make sure that the poor thing was alright, though she knew that now was not the time to try and figure out why exactly she had panicked or dropped the bottle. She had already decided that she would take the pay cut for the other girl, as that had been an expensive bottle and she knew that her tips would make up the difference.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

"P-p-please..." Her raw, choked voice all but gurgled. "S-s-st-op..." An agonized gurgle left her lips, drowned by the sound of an annoyed, guttural male growl, as she stumbled back a step, her knees buckling when a blunt knife dug deep into her abdomen.
“I said shut the fuck up.” The male voice growled; the heat of his breath sliding down her ear canal as his lips just barely touched the side of her face...
"You'll never forget."

The pupils in Jai's eyes had shrunken to the sizes of pinpricks, every muscle in her body tense and clenched as her parted lips starved for air. The memories playing over and over again in her mind's eye had blinded her from seeing when Ash arrived to start her shift and slipped behind the bar counter.

The gentle words that she spoke fell upon deaf ears, and numbly, Jai moved her feet to follow in the direction that Ash led her. With a lacking of grace, she sank onto the stool that her co-worker pulled out, her arms sliding across her lap to allow her fingers to wring together, grasping desperately for some hold on reality rather than nightmare.

A haze had settled over her normally enriching blue hues, and it could easily appeared as if the very life had left her body, her skin pale and cool, and form visibly trembling still as she slumped in her seat. Betraying curiosity had her gaze flicking every so often to glance in the direction of the man seated all alone at the far corner of the bar, sheets of ice settling over her blood stream each time she did. This wasn't real... it couldn't possibly have been... She was dreaming... imagining things...

"You look like you've seen a ghost..."

Ash's words floated past the barrier of her mind, penetrating deep into her subconscious and dragging Jai back into reality. She jerked with a sharp gasp of air when the woman's hand cupped her jaw, and suddenly her gaze sank deep into the recesses of her friend's. "Ash..." She breathed, clearing her throat to try and remove the lump that had formed.

A flood of comfort washed over her knowing that someone else was around to help things get cleared up and run smoothly, especially that that someone was Ash, a friend and someone she had worked with for a decent amount of time. Tears, unbidden, began to sting in her eyes as she looked away, realization finally hitting her full-force and adding a new level of shame and embarrassment to her already overwhelmed emotions. "Shit... The bourbon... and the customers... Damn-it, Melanie is gonna kill me."

Melanie was the woman that owned the place and kept it running smoothly and efficiently. A tall, slender woman with straight black hair,clear green eyes, and tanned skin signature of her Native descent, it was undeniable that she was a pure beauty, but her looks were equally accompanied by smarts. She was a highly respected member of a gang called the Eagles, which the club was publicly endorsed by, and a close friend of Jai’s, who was also a member of the same gang. They had known each other since just about the day Jai had been born, as their families had been close, and it was because of their tight bond that Jai was one of the people managing the bar.

"And that guy..." Jai shuddered as a chill oozed down her spine, her teeth pinching down against her lower lip as she felt her stomach perform an uncomfortable flip-flop and twist. She swallowed hard, a shallow breath sliding in through her nose as she pushed herself up from her seat. "I think I'm gonna be sick..."

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash slowly rose up from the crouch that she had been in as Jai slid from the seat and she lightly gripped the girl by her elbow, not wanting her to fall over. She glanced over towards the guy that was sitting there, not entirely sure why he had Jai so panicked, but she knew that something had to be done. She had already taken care of the mess and she needed to make sure that Jai knew not to speak up about it, as she wanted to take the fall for the girl to avoid her getting in far more trouble than she deserved, as she really didn't deserve getting into any trouble with how shaken up she appeared to be.

"Jai... No worries, love. I've got it all sorted out and I'll tell Melanie that I did it on accident. You don't worry about a thing," she muttered with a small smile as she helped to support the girl that she had come to care about quite a bit, as she knew that she could turn to her for help.

She kept a light grip on Jai's elbow until she was sure that she wouldn't end up toppling over from her trembling, which still hadn't seemed to stop. She ground her teeth together lightly, thoroughly upset that someone could instill such a reaction in her friend, as she was incredibly protective of the younger girl. She wasn't sure why, but she had always seen Jai as someone who was incredibly strong, yet still someone who needed to be looked after every once and a while.

"If you need to go to the bathroom, go for it. I've got it all covered here..." she muttered softly, leaning close so that the words were whispered into Jai's ear, as she didn't want to draw attention to the fact that she would be leaving the safety of being behind the bar.

She was especially worried about the other girl due to the fact that she was so petrified by the man at the other end of the bar. She wondered if he was someone from her past or something that might end up causing harm to her, which Ash would not allow at any time. She quickly glanced towards the bouncer, deciding right then that it might be time for the guy to leave. She was thoroughly upset herself that someone could get to Jai like this and she wanted to get him out of there as soon as possibly, if for nothing else than to allow the other girl to have some piece of mind and clarity to finish up the shift.

"Tell me if you want him out of here and I'll get him out for you," she suddenly added in Jai's ear, not even risking a glance towards the man this time.

She was almost certain that she knew what Jai's answer would be, but she wanted to hear the other girl actually say it before she took any actions that could end badly for her. She was already taking the fall for the bottle and, while she would always do anything for her friend, she didn't want to cause enough problems in one night that might result in her managing to lose her job or the bar-tending position that she had worked so hard to achieve. She had previously worked as a dancer in the club, something that she really hated as it meant that anybody that walked into the club could pretty much put his hands all over her. She had finally decided that enough was enough and began practicing to be a bartender.

That was probably around the time that her and Jai had grown close, as she had asked the younger girl to help her out a bit with her drink pouring and mixing and things like that. She hoped that with her coaching, she would be able to get out of the shitty job that she had and move onto something that was better and a little safer. Finally, after a lot of hard work, she managed to get promoted and there was no way that she wanted to risk it. However, she did have a bit of merit in the club because of how hard she worked, so she hoped that she could pull a few strings to get some shady guy out of the place without getting into too much trouble.

She shook her head a bit and pulled herself out of her thoughts, her raven black hair shifting on her shoulders some as she finally returned her attention to Jai. She started to tune out the sounds of the club as she focused in on her friend, waiting for her response. She knew that she needed to go attend to the customers at the bar, but her first priority was to make sure that the younger girl didn't pass out or throw up.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Tendrils of hair bounced lightly against her shoulders as Jai shook her head in response to Ash's gentle offer of assistance, and she swallowed her as her eyes slid closed. This is Gold Wing, she stated firmly in her mind. This is the goo in freeze-tag, where no one can touch me and I am unarguably safe. And Ash is here and Mel is downstairs running the fight club and there's bouncers and security everywhere, and almost everyone here is associated with the Eagles.

The Eagles. The under-classed, mob-like version of the gang that held a strong presence in the city they resided in. But unlike most gangs or known mobs, the Eagles were highly respected members of society by both the law and citizens alike. Not out of fear, and not out of under-handed wads of cash, but by the fact that the Eagles were a sanction of nothing but heart-filled individuals. They were a family of misfits, outcasts, and down-trodden alike, all working together to help keep the city a bearable place, and offer those in need a place that they knew they belonged, and arms of protection and true, unconditional love.

Given her history, Jai was all around the baby of the Eagles, the one person that every single member always kept an extra eye on and viewed as over-protectively as an older brother would. She was innocent, charismatic, caring, and despite the strong, guarded front that she put out, she was incredibly vulnerable. And right then, at that very moment in the club, it was obvious as to just how vulnerable she could truly be.

Jai's gaze shot to Ash's, her eyes wide and expression drawn. "No." She all but squeaked. "No, really. I'm fine. I mean I'm not but I am just..." She was digging herself into a grave, mentally wanting to kick herself in the teeth as she took a deep breath and tried again. "I don't want to stir up any more commotion than I already have. Honest. It's fine. He isn't bothering anyone so you don't have to get him kicked out."

"Get who kicked out?"

Jai lurched, her balance shifting from her body's instinctual reaction, and she quickly placed herself against her friend to keep from falling over. She recognized the woman's voice that had suddenly sounded from behind them like a stain of red paint on a brand new white blouse.

"Mel... Hi..." Her words left her mouth slowly, laced with surprise and distinct discomfort.

Mel was unfazed, clear green eyes looking back and forth between each of the women. "Rob came downstairs a few minutes ago and told me that something was going on and I needed to get up here as soon as I could. Does one of you mind filling me in?"

"Oh... Hey, Mel. Sorry, nothing really happened. I was being a clutz and accidentally dropped one of the bottles and I think Jai might need to go home. She seems rather exhausted," Ash muttered easily, instantly taking the blame and covering for Jai.

"Hey!" Jai straightened, shooting Ash a hard look before her gaze went back to Mel's. "That's not true and I'm not going to sit back and let her cover for me." Mel quirked a brow, her arms crossing over her chest as Jai took in a slow, deep breath. "A new guy came in to the bar after Pratt left and..."

"And what?"

Jai swallowed hard. She'd never exactly gotten the chance to talk to Ash on a more personal basis aside from casual conversation throughout shifts and breaks, and now, though it wasn't the best way to do so, she really didn't have much choice. "And he reminded me of him."

"Wait, wait, wait. Who's him?" Ash asked, obviously annoyed that she had been left out of something. "And I think that I should be able to cover for you whenever I feel like it. Obviously something happened because you were trembling like hell!" she suddenly snapped, unable to hold back the fact that she was confused and upset by the whole situation.

Jai bit her lip, and Melanie shifted on her feet uncomfortably as he face fell. Her gaze switched to Ash, and she heaved a slow, steady sigh as she moved her arms to lift her hands. "Alright. Let's everybody just calm down, shall we?" Her brows rose as she spoke, her voice easy and cool. "First and foremost, he, is--"

"He killed my father, right in front of me, when I was eight, and came back for me four years ago. Only he didn't succeed in killing me, so he settled instead." Jai's voice was soft, distant, as she interrupted Mel, her gaze fixated on the tile beneath their feet.

"Settled for what?" Ash finally asked, though she moved towards Jai and lightly slid her arms around the girl, holding her tightly as she did so. "And why have I never heard about this? I can't keep you safe if I don't know anything..." she added after a moment, but she was immensly calmer than she had been before.

"He raped her." Melanie spoke flatly, her voice just slightly tinged with acidic loathing. "And when that didn't satisfy him, he stabbed her six times then dumped her in the river on the other side of town, figuring if she didn't bleed to death, then she'd drown at the very least." She edged a step closer, her arm extending to allow her fingers to give Jai's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Little did he know that our little Jai here is one hell of a fighter."

Jai cringed, her stomach churning all over again as Mel's explanation brought unbidden images across her vision. "I was going to tell you..." She murmured, subconsciously leaning into her friend's embrace. "I was just waiting for the right time..."

"Stop. It's okay." Ash murmured suddenly, lightly pressing her lips against Jai's temple. "Let me take her home... If you really need me, I'll come back. But this place is deserted," she added as her attention shifted to Mel again, her gaze back to that piercing look that meant she wouldn't take no for an answer, particularly when Jai was concerned.

Melanie nodded silently, her gaze shifting between the two with empathy and concern. "I think we're gonna close up early tonight anyway." She stated. "The fights are already over and the guys are cleaning up downstairs. I can handle closing and cleaning up the bar, no problem. But first thing's first. Which one is it Jai?"

Jai's eyes had closed the moment she felt Ash's soft kiss upon her temple, forcing herself to relax as much as she possibly could. But Mel's question caused her eyes to slide back open slowly, and her heart thrummed once more as she took a deep breath. It hadn't been said out-right, but the tone in her voice made it clear enough that what she was really saying was that if Jai didn't speak up now, then there was no telling if it really was the man or not, and no one would be able to do a thing. So, with much reluctance, she pointed around Ash's side toward the back corner of the bar. "The guy by himself in the corner." She murmured.

Mel's brows furrowed as she chanced a look in the direction, her head tilting. "What guy? There's no one there."

Jai blinked, immediately pulling herself from her friend's arms to turn and face fully the bar. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, and her throat closed slowly, as if it was being crushed by an anchor crank. There was no one there. The stool had been pushed in neatly, the glass gone from the counter, and the only sign that anyone had occupied that side of the bar at all was the small stack of bills that lay on the counter-top.

"He..." Her throat constricted on her words, the world in her eyes starting to shift in colors and slowly rotate. "He was right... It was him... It couldn't have..." The swirling had picked up full-speed, darkness creeping in along the edges of her vision as she struggled to remember which way was up and how exactly to breathe, and before she could even get a grasp on what exactly was going on, the slate was cleared, her vision went blank, and her limbs gave out.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash lunged forward almost as soon as she saw Jai start to go down. She easily slipped her arms around the girl's small frame, holding her up for a moment before slowly sinking down to the ground with her. She gently placed Jai's head in her lap as she knelt there, running her fingers through the younger girl's pretty blonde hair. She knew now that she had two choices, either wait for Jai to wake up so that they could take the bike, or find Jai's car keys and drive her home that way. She was nervous about doing the second, as it meant that she would have to trust Mel to lock her bike up and keep it safe, but she also knew that that would be the best choice as it would get Jai out of there a lot faster and without any trouble. She finally tilted her head up, locking her piercing gaze onto Mel.

"If I take her car, do I have your word that my bike will be guarded and safe?" she asked as she looked up at the woman that was her boss.

In that instant, though, Ash wouldn't have cared if Mel had been the president of the United States. All she cared about right then was getting Jai home and safe, but that meant that she had to make sure everything was taken care of first. The fierceness in her gaze made it particularly clear that she meant business right then and it was incredibly obvious that she was extremely protective of the younger girl. She had never know about Jai's past, but suddenly she was even more protective as she never wanted the other girl to be injured again.

"I promise you, there was a man there. I gave him his drink myself after the bottle was dropped," she stated, still watching Mel. She made certain to not mention exactly who had dropped the bottle, as she didn't want to start that argument up all over again.

"He had dark hair, pale eyes, and a mole on the right side of his chin. I don't know if that means anything to you, but that's what he looked like," she added after a moment's pause, hoping that a description of the man would give Mel the incentive she needed to keep Jai safe.

Ash finally returned her gaze to the girl in her arms, her expression visibly relaxing and becoming much more gentle as she looked down at her. It was very apparent in that moment that she was incredibly fond of Jai, perhaps even in a way that was more than just friends. However, she would never actually admit to having feelings for her, as that would put a lot of pressure on both of them and she didn't want Jai to have to deal with the repercussions of that. She was very much the type of person to not want to make anyone suffer for things that she herself did, though that took somewhat of an extreme with Jai, as was apparent with her trying to take the blame for the bottle incident.

She soon let out a sigh and slid her arms beneath the younger and lighter girl and lifted her up wedding-style. She turned towards Mel, relatively easily supporting Jai's weight as she stared at the much older woman, her gaze hardening once more until it almost looked like the night sky. In all honesty, when she got like this, it was almost like one could see storm cloud roiling in her eyes. It was so striking that it really did look like the night sky just before a storm, when all hell would certainly break loose.

"Do I have your word about my bike? Because I want her home and I will not leave her side," she finally stated, making sure that it was very apparent that Jai would be protected with her.

There was absolutely no way that Ash would leave her friend's house throughout the entire night, as she didn't want to leave her alone. Luckily, she knew that she still had a few things left over there from when they had first started spending more time together and had been at either one house or the other for weeks on end. She also wanted to get Jai out of the club as fast as possible. She knew that it was relatively safe there, but until the doors were actually locked, there was always the chance that someone could get in. She was particularly worried about the idea of someone getting in that might have the intention to harm Jai, as that man very well might have had the intention of doing.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

"Jaime!" Mel lurched at the same time Ash did, though Ash had gotten to her first, and worry etched its way into her expression vividly. Slowly, she lowered herself to lean closer to Ash, clear green hues flicking back forth from Jai's unconscious form to Ash's gaze, and she nodded quickly. "She keeps her keys in her pocket, always." She stated. "And yes, yes yes yes don't worry about your bike. Did you just meet me this morning silly? I'll have Jesse go around and move it to the garage out back. Lock, key, key-code, and the best security system on the market."

She leaned back on her ankles, palms pressing against her knees as she glanced across the dance floor and made eye contact with one of the security personnel, a tall, slender man with cropped black hair and a lean, ropy frame. As if reading her thoughts, the man stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against and ducked behind the DJ booth, both he and the DJ disappearing from sight.

"I believe it," she said calmly, her attention returning to Ash. "I didn't doubt either of you for a second, but in situations like this I have to keep my head ahead of the game and make sure no one gets too rialled up.The description helps though, incredibly. I'll let the staff know to keep an eye out and if someone sees him snooping around here, well," her voice lowered, a hint of malice tinting into her tone. "There will be hell to pay."

In sync with Ash's movements, Melanie rose to her feet, edging a step closer as she let her arms wait against her sides. "I'm holding you to that, trusting you. Get her home safe and keep an eye out. And for the sake of safety and peace of mind, both of you are taking tomorrow off. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Now go."

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash let out a soft sigh and nodded at Mel's demands of them taking the day off, knowing that it was better than to argue with her. Sure, she absolutely needed the money that the job gave her, but she figured that Mel would be kind enough to give them both pay for the day, since they weren't just slacking out of the job. She silently cursed herself for thinking that Mel wouldn't take care of her bike, especially since she was leaving it in order to bring Jai home and back to safety. She knew that she needed to stop thinking of Mel as someone that she couldn't really trust, especially since Mel's concern for Jai was probably about as large as her own concern for the girl that was very likely her best friend.

She easily shifted Jai's weight and reached into her own back pocket and pulled out the key to her bike, suddenly glad that she had a spare on her normal key chain, as she had just remembered that she needed to get a few things out of her bike before they left. She handed the key over to Mel so that they could move her bike before she reached into Jai's pocket to grab her car keys from her. She gently set Jai down on the small bench that they had back behind the bar, seeing as it was really the only clean surface back there.

"I need to go grab a few things from my bike and there is no way in hell I am leaving her in the car while I do that. I'm leaving her in here where she is safe. I will be right back and if I am not back in ten minutes tops, send the brigade after me," she murmured easily before disappearing out the side door of the club.

She quickly moved to the bike, unlocking the side bag that she had installed on it and pulling out her emergency overnight bag that she always kept in there. She also made sure that her helmet was stored properly before locking everything up again and heading back into the club. She made it back in in what was probably record time, as she had really rushed to get everything done. She really didn't want to leave Jai all alone, even if it was in the safety of the club where Mel could watch over her. She came back in in a rush of cool night air and grabbed up the rest of her stuff. She soon moved back to Jai and scooped her back up into her arms.

"Alright, We're heading out now. I will call you as soon as we reach her apartment and if you don't hear from me within the hour, you can panic," Ash muttered as she turned to Mel one final time on her way out of the club.

She was still carrying Jai in her arms, holding tightly onto the girl to ensure that she didn't fall. She also kept a wary eye on the darkened city around her, wanting to make sure that no harm came to the girl that she had been entrusted with, though it wasn't like she had a hard time being so overly protective of her best friend. She practically ran for Jai's car once they were outside, glad that she was a master at running in her high heels. She quickly unlocked the doors and slid Jai into the passenger seat, buckling her in before tossing her own things into the backseat. She then moved around and slid into the driver seat, locking the car up as soon as she was safely inside.

As soon as she started the car and began driving away from the club without a problem, she let out a breath that she didn't even know she had been holding. She began checking on Jai every few minutes as she drove, wanting to make sure that she was able to calm her down again as soon as she awoke. She had a fear that Jai would panic upon waking, as she would no longer be in the club and she would instead be in a car that was being driven by someone else. She prayed, to whatever might listen, that the younger girl would realize that it was her own car and that Ash was driving, as that was the only way that she would stay calm enough to get all the way back to her apartment in once piece.

She drove as quickly as she possibly could, even blowing a few lights due to her paranoia. She was absolutely terrified of the possibility that the guy was following them back to Jai's house, as it was unlikely that she would be able to protect her if they were attacked there. Sure, it might be possible at her own apartment, as she had quite a few blades hanging on her walls, but she knew that Jai wasn't like that and that there would be few to no feasible weapons in the house. She continued glancing over at Jai as she drove, her entire body tense with adrenaline and anxiety.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

The wee morning hours were beginning to dawn and the sky was beginning to ignite with the first few lazy rays of sunlight creeping over the horizon. It wasn’t enough to remove the eerie, shadowy darkness of a back alley buried deep at the edge of the city, just blocks away from the bank of the river that divided the suburbs from the slums. And it certainly wasn’t late enough that anyone within a decent radius would have been awake or even lurking around the area to hear the struggle that was going on out of sight.

“Please…” A raw, choked voice all but gurgled. It belonged to a young woman. She was about average height, perhaps an inch or two shorter, with a slender, lithe, yet toned form, oceanic blue eyes, and shoulder length golden blonde hair, highlighted with light brown streaks to help bring out the color in her eyes and the olive tan of her pale skin. Now though, dark, crimson liquid stained her hair, oozing into it from a deep laceration that spread from the edge of her scalp and down to just below her left brow in a slight arch. The fitted, black hater top she wore was ripped, torn, and clung to her skin with the moisture it was soaked with, though the color of the fabric would have made it difficult for any onlooker to clearly identify it as her blood. The jeans she had been wearing were torn at one seam and dangling from her right ankle and the skin that was revealed on her legs was heavy bruised and spattered with blood, a thick stream pouring from a gash on her upper right thigh, making it nearly impossible for her to remain standing. “Stop…”

An agonized gurgle left her lips, drowned by the sound of an annoyed, guttural male growl, as she stumbled back a step, her knees buckling, when a blunt knife dug deep into her abdomen, the sixth jab she’d taken in the unknown amount of time she had been trapped in that alley by her attacker. “I said shut the fuck up.” The male voice growled; the heat of his breath sliding down her ear canal as he lips just barely touched the side of her face. Her mind shut down all but completely, leaving nothing but the instinct to do whatever it took to survive, and even if she could have come up with something to say back, her body had lost all ability to allow her to find her voice or move her lips, much less breathe.

The knife slid out of her stomach slowly, and the sound in itself was enough to make her vision swirl, never mind the damage it had caused and the already devastating amount of blood she’d lost to begin with. And when her attacker took a step back, she collapsed to her knees, desperately fighting the threads of darkness that were beginning to cloud in along the edges of her vision. She couldn’t pass out now, for if she did then there was absolutely no chance in hell that she was going to survive, and regardless of how traumatizing and horrific the night had been, she had no desire to go down now.
In the matter of seconds, feeling like years, that had passed by as she tried to regain her breath, her assailant had snatched her by the wrists and began duct-taping her arms together behind her back. Desperately as she wanted to fight him off, to try and prevent it, she knew that she needed to save her strength until a moment when she absolutely needed it, a moment when she would see an opportunity to get help or make a dash for it. What she wasn’t expecting though, was for him to move and place a strip of tape over her mouth. With no way to even attempt to scream for help, and barely any ability at all to fight, there was nothing she could have done to get away when he lifted her up by the waist and roughly slung her over his shoulder, her stomach crashing against his shoulder blade and the bone pressing agonizingly into the slices on her body. Reflexes made her cry out against the tape over her mouth, and the pathetic whimper that left her throat caused her attacker to laugh sadistically as he trudged down the alley at a hastened pace.

Before she could even register what was happening, he had arrived at the edge of the river bank where a small boat dock had been built, and leaned down to dump her on the edge of the walkway. Her eyes slid closed as she forced in a deep breath through her nose, trying to prepare herself for whatever was going to happen, but the attempt was futile, because nothing could ever have prepared her for the indescribable agony that seared over every nerve in her body when the heel of his boot drove into a laceration in her back forcefully, sending her toppling into the icy water below.

Time passed like a cloudy dream then, her conscious fully submitting to the drive of her adrenaline and will to live, and somehow she found herself working every ounce of strength she could possibly muster to drag herself up the bank of the opposite side of the river. Her vision faded in and out in bouts of blackness, like a video camera being paused and resumed every ten minutes in a shaky action scene of a movie. She had no idea how on earth she’d managed to get herself to the street in the middle of what seemed like a small neighborhood, or where she even was, but what she did know was that her energy was on its last ounces, and out of instinct she pushed herself the few steps it took to get the steps of the front porch of one house before her legs gave out completely and she collapsed. Bleeding heavily, soaked to the bone and ice cold, she struggled to keep her eyes open as she tried to think of a way, any way at all to make a noise enough to get someone, anyone to know that she was there, to help, but nothing that she could think of was within her ability or strength to even attempt.

Please… don’t let me die out here… not like this…

The soft, whimpered groan that left Jaime's mouth was stifled, pained, and sharp, as the girl's eyes flew open. "Help!" She squeaked on impulse, her lower quivering. Slowly, her brain registered a dull feeling of slight vibration against a firm, cool, yet comfortable surface, and hazy blue hues squinted to observe her surroundings.

A car. She was in a car, a moving one at that, slouched and strapped into the passenger seat. It was leather, that much was clear, and the interior was dark, clean, and somewhat expensive looking. Strangely, it felt familiar, and a slow, aching paranoia started to bubble up in her gut.

"W-where are we going?" She groaned softly, leaning her head against the window of the door. A dull throbbing had started to occur at the base of her skull in the back of her head, and she knew better than to allow herself to fully freak out right then and there, much as she wanted to. But freaking out could easily have caused an accident, or worse, and she definitely wasn't willing to have to face that.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash looked over at her in surprise as she spoke once more and she let out yet another breath that she had been unaware that she had been holding as she saw Jai coming to once more. She couldn't help but smile a bit and she reached over the short distance to take the other girls hand firmly in hers, squeezing it reassuringly and immensely glad that there had been no panicked attempts at escaping from the car. She soon returned her attention to the road, wanting to make sure that she wasn't about to kill them both by crashing the car before she spoke.

"We're going back to your apartment... I am so glad that you woke up..." she murmured softly, glancing towards Jai through the corner of her eye.

She hoped that the sound of her voice, as well as the feel of her hand, would be enough for Jai to realize who she was with and that she was perfectly and completely safe right then. She began slowing the car down as they reached the apartment complex that Jai had made her home and she pulled into the spot that she knew was her best friend's. She quickly killed the ignition and pulled the keys free, but instead of climbing from the car, she instead turned towards Jai and searched the poor girl's face, knowing that she had to have been going through hell while she had been unconscious for so long.

"Jai... I promise you... You are completely safe with me and I won't let a thing happen to you. No one will harm you while I am around," she murmured softly as she sat there, turned slightly towards her.

However, she was still incredibly tense and anxious and she really wanted to get out of the car and into the relative safety of the apartment. She forced herself to remain still though, not sure if Jai would be ready to move yet or if she would even be able to move yet. She knew that the poor girl had been through hell that night and she wanted to try and make things as easy as she possibly could for her. She also really wanted Jai to make sure that she knew she was safe and loved, instead of alone and in immense amounts of danger as she figured she was feeling right then.

She slowly leaned across the distance that was between them in the relatively compact car and lightly pressed her lips to the other girl's cheek. She wanted nothing more than to get her inside, cleaned up, and feeling safe once more. She couldn't believe how rattled she had been from the sight of the guy at the club. However, she knew from experience around the younger girl, that it took a lot to spook her. That meant that the guy who had been there probably had been the man who had attacked her in the past. She let out a quiet sigh, though she didn't allow her head to hang as she wanted to. Instead, she kept her eyes open and locked her sharp gaze on the outside world, ensuring that no one was trying to sneak up to the car.

"Shall we get in and cleaned up? I, for one, am absolutely starving," she murmured, offering Jai a small smile and hoping that her light attempt at humor would be enough to get a small smile out of the other girl. She wanted nothing more than to see her happy and smiling again.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Warm, soft fingers slid through her own, pressing against her hand in a firm, yet comforting grip. Jai tilted her head from against the window to peer over at the person in the driver's seat, the tenseness in her body decreasing ten-fold as she immediately recognized her friend. Very few people in the world were close enough to her that could feel that relieved by, and fewer still that she wouldn't have pulled an immediate hissy-fit over the fact that someone else was behind the wheel of one of her few pride and joys. Incredibly grateful she was that her mind had began to clear, and the racing of her pulse had subsided at last. Of their own accord, her fingers closed around Ash's hand, squeezing loosely as she heaved a slow sigh and nodded her acknowledgement of what Ash had said. From the corner of her eye, she easily recognized the front entryway to the housing complex's parking lot, a welcome sight if she ever had one for sure, and she sat up just a little bit more as Ash navigated into a parking spot and cut the engine.

The sound of the engine cooling was all that was heard for a brief moment as Jai glanced sideways, her eyes meeting Ash's unexpectedly. Her gaze softened, the frantic look having melted away, and she regarded her friend's words slowly. "I know, Ash," she murmured. "I know. I trust you. Thank you." It's when you're not around though... that empty feeling I get in your absence... Slight color rose in her cheeks when she felt her friend's smooth, soft lips upon her cheek, and immediately it was as if her world made just a hint of sense. Her lips twitched just slightly, and when Ash spoke again, she remained quiet, pensive, her eyes down-cast. "Actually..." She said softly, her right hand slowly finding its way to the handle of the door as ocean blue hues shyly lifted to meet lapis-lazuli. "I," her lip quivered, tongue hesitating briefly. She hated being vulnerable, and even more so she hated making herself vulnerable, especially at times like this, when even a drop of a pin would surely have her in a full on panic attack. But, she wasn't stupid, and knew well enough when to swallow her pride and speak up about what it was she needed. "I really just want to be held for a little while..." The volume of her voice dropped, and her hand pulled the door-handle with an audible click, arm immediately extending to push it open slowly as the cool night air floated across her skin.

She was a balloon, filled with copious amounts of helium, and no amount of gravity was going to keep her grounded without something of a particular weight and hold to keep her secured to the grounds of reality; something like Ash. Jaime may not have ever spoken it out directly to the woman, or acted a particular way to make it obvious, but she was smitten, if only slightly. Upon first meeting the woman, Jai had reacted as any warm, kind-hearted person would, especially given that she was one of the Eagles, and the idea of not only helping her, but getting to show someone all the tricks and secrets she had learned over the years behind the bar was just too tempting to turn away from. But what she hadn't expected was the bond that had formed between them, or they way that somehow, miraculously, Ash had managed to discreetly penetrate through every barrier, front, and wall that Jaime had ever put up, and she'd gotten the rare opportunity to have a glimpse at the innocent, vulnerable, and shy young woman that Jai could often times have been at the core of her heart. And now, now in this moment, where everything that she had come to know felt like it was crumbling around her ankles and the world was going to disappear beneath her feet, there wasn't a single person she was more thankful to have that would keep her grounded than the woman that sat beside her in the driver's seat. If only she had known though, how Jai really felt deep within her heart. Things could turn ugly, of course they could; it could get awkward and uncomfortable and weird, or potentially even destroy every fiber of the close bond they had created, or, if Jaime was lucky, it could have sparked something new and entirely welcome into her life. Something affectionate and appreciative and loving; someone to call hers and who would equally have claim over herself, who would love and respect her and make the world have just one right, good thing in it that was enough to make everything else fade into the background. If only...

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash smiled some and nodded at Jai's request, knowing that she herself wanted that more than any other thing they could have done upon getting into the apartment building. She had never revealed her feelings towards the younger girl, but she thought that perhaps that evening would be the time for her to finally reveal her feelings and see where it got her, though she was still worried that she would be turned down, as she didn't know which way Jai swung.

"Anything you want, sweetie..." she murmured softly as she herself slid out of the car.

She reached into the back and grabbed her own things before she moved around to the side that Jai was getting out on. She smiled a bit and locked up the car as soon as the other girl was out. She slowly slid her arm around her waist and pulled her close as they walked up towards the house. Due to the fact that she had been the one driving, she had the apartment keys in her hand, so she was leading the way just a bit. She was hurrying the way along a bit, though, as she was still filled with paranoia that someone had followed them back to the apartment. She unlocked the door as soon as they made it up the stairs and allowed Jai in before her before she turned and locked up every single one of the locks that were on the door. She let out a soft breath as she moved to set her purse, bag, and jacket down by the coffee table. She then made her way towards the couch and dropped onto it with a heavy sigh before she turned her attention back up towards Jai, offering the girl a small smile.

"Come join me?" she asked softly before she held her arms up towards the girl. She wanted nothing more right then than to have Jai curled up in her arms and feeling safe, as she was entirely certain that she could keep the younger girl as safe as she needed to be for that evening. She tilted her head to the side a bit as she waited, suddenly glad that she had more or less neglected to turn the lights on. Due to the fact that the apartment was mostly dark, she was able to allow her eyes to take in the sight of the younger girl's entire body, pretty impressed by what she saw. However, even though the lights were off, she very quickly returned her gaze to Jai's face, really not wanting to be caught in the action of checking her out.

She quickly chided herself for thinking that, though, as she knew that she really shouldn't be checking out the girl that she had grown so close to in the time that they had known each other. She didn't want to "count her chickens before they hatched," as the saying goes. She had absolutely no idea if there would ever be a chance for the two of them to really be together, so she knew that she really shouldn't be getting her hopes up about things like that. She had always had feelings towards Jai, but neither of them had acted towards the other in a romantic sort of way. However, she had also always wanted a romantic relationship with the girl that was younger than her, yet still amazingly mature and simply perfect in every way possible.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

A soft sigh of relief left the young woman's lips as she reached across her chest with her right arm and unfastened the seatbelt with an audible click. Her limbs felt heavy, exhausted, a result of a severe lack of sleep from the previous night and the stress that over-powered her small frame within a matter of mere minutes, and she slowly pushed her legs out to plant her feet on the pavement, hands reaching up to gently grasp the frame of the car as she pulled herself up and to her feet.

In the lamplight over the parking lot, she looked up to see Ash waiting for her with a patient smile, and her own lips seemed to curve upwards out of reflex, or maybe it was just that the smile Ash had on was impossible to resist from returning. Turning slightly, Jaime grasped the frame of the door and gave it a firm push, allowing it to move and close firmly but without slamming it. A cool breeze blew across the lot as she turned back toward her friend and started walking with slow, calculated steps. The air kissed her exposed skin and sent goosebumps up her arms, a shiver rolling up her spine, and a sudden warmth radiated against her lower back, hip, and left side as she felt herself gently pulled into Ash's warm, comforting body. She had to mentally remind herself not let her eyes fall closed in the flood of relief and comfort that her friend brought about, especially when she head a jingling sound and saw that Ash had taken care of getting out the keys to the front door of her apartment and handled leading them inside the main entrance to the building.

It was nearing the end of August, and thus the end of the summer season in the run-down city of Flora in which they resided, so the nights were starting to get cooler while the days were as warm and humid as ever, but the maintenance guys that managed the central air systems hadn't changed the settings of the building yet, so the moment that they walked through the front door, they were met with icy cold air. Any other night Jai would have been fine with it, indifferent, but she'd felt as if the warmth and life in her body had completely vanished from existence the moment she had seen that guy's eyes and heard his voice. The memory caused her to shudder, and subconsciously she pressed closer to Ash as they started up the stairs and towards the third floor where her apartment was.

It wasn't overly fancy or expensive, but it was tasteful and comfortable. The color scheme consisted of soft browns and baby blues, those being two of her favorite colors. The living room furniture was leather and anything with wood grain was cherry-wood. In her bedroom, she had a full sized oak dresser with matching vanity and bed-frame, and the bed itself was queen sized with a tempurpedic memory foam mattress, extra soft. The kitchen had been something she'd had no control over the design of or time to redesign, but the granite counter-tops and beech-wood cabinets with stainless steel appliances was nice enough that she couldn't complain, especially not with the island bar counter roomy enough to seat up to five people on stools.

The light fragrance of honey and vanilla that floated into her nose when Ash let her inside caused her nerves to all but turn to jell-o with the amount of calm it brought out in her. Oh to be home, where she knew that she was safe and no one could get to her that wasn't expressly invited. Home, the one place she knew she could be entirely herself, with no fronts and no barriers and no walls, and not a single person to ruin that for her. Home... where she was often alone, and incredibly lonely, secretly longing for the company of a single person that had some mystical way of making a bad day turn around with nothing more than a simple smile.

Leaning down in the darkness, Jaime unfastened the straps of her pumps and slid them off, allowing her bare feet to sink into the soft white carpet on the floor beneath her as she heard Ash fastening the locks on the door and making her way into the living area. The darkness didn't allow her to see very much, especially not with the late hour that it was, but she knew the layout of her apartment like the lines of her palms, and there was just enough light entering through the window of the sliding glass door in the back of the room, that led to a small balcony overlooking the city, for her to make out the shadow of her friend sitting down on her couch.

Any other time, she'd have shrugged out of her work clothes and been clad in none but her underwear and bra by the time she got to the couch, but with Ash there she knew better, and given the night and day she'd had, having clothes on or off wasn't really going to affect her ability to relax. So instead, she quietly padded across the carpet, unable to really think of anything to say, and paused in front of her friend as she glanced down at her with a soft sigh. Her eyes slid closed as she leaned to lay her left palm on Ash's knee, giving herself a bit of guidance as she turned and sank down onto the cushion beside her, drawing her knees up toward her chest and tucking her legs in next to herself before she leaned over and pressed her cheek into Ash's shoulder, allowing her arms to rest against the woman's lap. "Thank you..." She murmured quietly, her voice wrought with emotion. "I don't think there's anyone I could need more right now... And my mind is just going a mile a minute and I just want everything to stop... just for a minute... just so I can have this..."

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash smiled as she watched Jai visibly relax upon entering her apartment, though that smile grew when she felt the other girl lean into her some on the couch. She gently looped her arms around her best friend, hugging her close to her and leaning her head against the top of Jai's, lightly planting a kiss on the crown of her head. She couldn't believe how amazing it was to hold her close like this, though it wasn't like she had never had her this close before. However, now, for some reason it seemed like everything had changed between them. For the first time, it felt like there were no secrets between them and like there might actually be a chance between them.

"I promise you, you are safe with me... I would die before I let someone harm you..." she murmured softly as she held Jai close to her, almost like she was physically unable to release her.

A thought suddenly came over her that maybe, just maybe, now might be the right time to make a move on her best friend. She didn't want to take advantage of the younger girl, though that certainly wasn't what she had in mind or why she would be doing it. She really just wanted to prove to the poor girl that she wasn't alone anymore and that she would never have to be alone, as she seemed incredibly alone and Ash wanted to change that. She knew that it was in her power to change Jai's loneliness, but she wasn't sure how well her actions would be received by the girl who was so obviously falling apart at the seams right then.

She sat there like that for a long time, just thinking about the possibilities of what she could do right then. Her mind was whirring with thoughts and she could barely make ear nor tail of them and she was worried that she would end up with a brain overload. She continued sitting there with her head resting atop Jai's, trying to draw strength from the younger girl to do what she was so wanting to do right then, but she was still terrified by it. It wasn't the kind of fear that Jai probably felt towards seeing the guy who had caused her so much pain in her past. Instead, it was the kind of fear that existed when you were afraid of the unknown future that you could have or not have with a person that you cared about so greatly.

Finally, she decided that she should make a move, as she knew that she would regret it if she didn't do it in that moment. She slowly slid one hand under Jai's chin and tilted the girl's face up towards her, looking deep into her pretty eyes. She bit her lip for a moment, taking a brief pause to judge her words right before she finally spoke.

"I'm going to regret it if I don't do this..." she muttered softly before she leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to Jai's, letting her eyes flutter closed as she did so.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

The flood of warming comfort that coursed through Jaime's veins once Ash engulfed her in her arms was a force to contend with, bringing out a soft, hummed sigh of content as the girl's muscles and nerves unwound. Being able to relax like that, to feel genuinely safe and comforted, was something that had been long overdo, and it allowed her mind to slowly trail away from the racing, nauseating thoughts and memories that it had been stuck on like a scratched CD in a player. Instead, her thoughts relaxed, and started to focus solely on moment that she was in, and the person that she was sharing it with, the warm arms so tightly and protectively, yet soothingly wrapped around her form, the soft pressure against the top of her head from Ash's cheek, and the edge of her own cheek against her friend's shoulder.

Her words landed on Jai's ears with slow recognition, the comfortable silence too distracting to fully focus on any sounds at all. But even though what she had said was comforting and assuring, Jai allowed her eyes to slide open as she looked up at Ash from the corners of her vision. "I think you and I both know that that wouldn't do any good," she said in a soft, whispered voice, pausing for a moment. "I wouldn't ever want anyone to die for my sake, and you especially... I care too much about you..."

She fell quiet again, unsure of anything further she could possibly say without over-stepping her bounds or potentially ruining the moment that they were in, the moment that she so desperately needed and far too unwilling to let end prematurely. Instead, she let her gaze land unfocused on Ash's body, idly observing the corset that so beautifully accented and flattered her slender, curvy form. She'd never much been one to wear such tight-fitting and accentuating clothing herself, most likely a subconscious fear and discomfort of being oggled as result of what had happened those years in the past. The years that, no matter how much they increased, still felt as raw and recent as though it had all happened just the day before. She'd gone through trauma counseling, sure, and plenty of psychological and physical sessions and therapies, but it simply had never stuck. The way that she had seen it then, was that there was no way anyone could truly comfort her or help her to simply 'forget it and move on' without having been in a situation even remotely similar to hers, so that they had a common ground to give sustainable advice from. But Ash... Jai didn't know everything about Ash, or her past, not that she necessarily needed to, because the fact of the matter was that being in her presence alone was all it took for Jaime to feel at ease and genuinely comfortable.

Her slow, calmed thoughts escaped her when she suddenly felt Ash's arms shift, and her soft, smooth hand cupped beneath her chin, causing Jai's eyes to lift with curiosity. Her heart skipped a beat and the air hitched in her lungs from the look in Ash's eyes, and a feeling similar to gravity started to grow within her. Even in the lacking light, she could easily make out the deep, rich blue of her friend's eyes, though the emotion that shone in them was indecipherable. It was clear that she was contemplating something, sure, but there was something else in her gaze... something... Oh.

Jaime's own eyes fell closed near instantly, an airy, fluttering sensation filling her chest when Ash's lips pressed to her own. Soft, supple, warm, tender, and somehow, curiously fulfilling. Near instantly, that soft, simple gesture had caused a strong stirring within her, a feeling of completeness, of being whole, as if somewhere deep inside she had been missing a vital part of herself and simply hadn't realized it until now. At first, all she could do was simply accept Ash's kiss, too stunned and pleased to react, but after a brief moment, a matter of seconds that felt like hours, Jaime found herself raising her left hand to softly lay her palm against Ash's cheek, and pressed her lips back against hers.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash had never expected Jai to actually respond to her advances in such a positive way. If she were honest with herself, she actually expected the girl to push her away and say that it wasn't the best time for something like that. That fact that she was suddenly being kissed back by the girl, or rather woman, that she had had feelings for since meeting was more amazing than she ever really could have imagined. She let out a happy sound as she shifted the way she was sitting some and slid her arms down around Jai's waist to pull her slightly closer to her, though she never broke the magnificent kiss.

She was caught short though by the feeling of Jaime's hand on her cheek. She couldn't believe how amazing that one simple action had made her feel. It had made her feel wanted, loved, and possibly even a bit needed. A slow smile spread across her features as she finally broke the kiss, but she didn't pull far from the girl that she wanted as her own. She slowly let her eyes flutter back open to look down into the lighter blue eyes that she had grown to be so very, very fond of.

"I have wanted to do that since the very moment that I met you..." she whispered softly as she looked down into those pretty eyes. However, due to how close she still was, her lips brushed lightly across Jai's as she spoke.

She slowly slid one hand from Jaime's lower back and reached up to brush a few strands of her hair away from her face, loving everything that she saw in the girl before her. She couldn't believe that it had taken her upwards of the past year to get to the point where she felt like she could actually do the things that she wanted with Jai without being pushed away. She had always been absolutely terrified of the possibility of being pushed away from the girl that she cared so much about and possibly even was beginning to develop feelings for.

She slowly moved on the couch so that she could lift Jai up and pull her into her lap somewhat, still holding onto her tightly. However, she managed to hold her in her lap in such a way that they still had rather easy access to each other's lips. She began to move her hand in slow circles on the girl's lower back. She soon slipped her hand beneath Jai's shirt and began to repeat the same motion on her bare skin, suddenly loving just how smooth her skin actually was. There was a small part of her that was really wanting to see if there were scars from Jai's incident in the past, as she wanted nothing more than to kiss them and pretend that that would make them go away. However, she was afraid to ask about them as she was worried that it would take the girl right back into the place of fear that she had only just escaped from.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Jai reluctantly allowed her eyes to crack open when she felt the absence on her lips, crystal-like hues misted over. She found herself smiling softly back at Ash as their eyes met, and it seemed as if in that one, single, brief moment, her life had fallen completely into place. As if for the first time ever, there was something much more to look forward to, and the place that she called home was suddenly more complete, fulfilled even. It was like a tidal wave of electrical, gravitational pull, and she found herself subconsciously praying that the moment would never end, that they could just go on like that forever.

Welcome, pleasing chills wiggled down her spine when Ash spoke, and she felt those soft, supple lips fluttering against her own, though the words that she had spoken brought forth a wider smile from the blonde. Relief coursed over her in hearing her friend's confession, and she smiled just a tiny bit more as she nodded her head slightly, slowly. "That's funny..." She said slowly, softly. "Because... I have felt the same exact way too, from the moment we met..."

The soft gesture of Ash's hand tucking her hair back caused her smile to soften some, and her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly. It was welcome, tender, comforting, and the feeling of utter affection that she took from it was something so incredible that Jai thought for sure she'd forgotten how to breathe in that split second. And when she felt Ash's arms engulf her with a gently pull, she willingly shifted, allowing her legs to stretch out along the cool leather of the couch cushions as she found herself more comfortably settled against Ash's lap and within her arms. Childlike as it may have been, Jai had always taken immeasurable comfort in being held like that, and the fact that she hadn't even asked or hinted to it, that her friend had seemingly read her mind, was thrilling in itself.

Tilting her forehead against the other woman's, Jai allowed her arms to lift and rest lightly against Ash's chest, palms pressing against the tops of her shoulders smoothly. The exposed skin that she felt was warm, smooth, soft, and she idly pondered if the woman used any types of lotion or special body-washes to keep it that way. Her thoughts gave way though, eyes sliding closed in complete relaxation when she felt the woman softly rubbing her back, the comforting notion entirely welcome. Any ounce of lingering tension that had been in her body completely evaporated, and her own fingers traced soft, idle patterns against the tops of Ash's shoulders. That was, until a barrier was slipped past, and warm fingers touched upon the bare skin of her back.

Shivers ran up her spine, and Jai's lips parted just enough for her to pull in a slow, quiet breath, the feeling foreign, but entirely welcome and incredibly tender. Out of instinctual reflex, she pressed a little closer to her friend, enough to allow her lips to once again connect with Ash's, and she lingered there with slight pressure. Until her mind woke up, and eyes widened just slightly as she broke away and sat up slightly. She was fully aware, despite the fact that she had no way of actually seeing it, that were some ridged, rough stripes of skin upon her back. Permanent reminders of what she had been through, and mars upon her otherwise relatively flawless skin that she was immeasurably self-conscious about. There were four on her front, and two on her back that she was aware of, but she wasn't sure if there were more back there, and she was terrified that if Ash managed to find them, feel them, it would either freak out or disgust the woman. That was something she knew for a fact she wouldn't be able to handle.

"You don't want to do that..." She murmured as she diverted her gaze, tucking her lower lip between her teeth gently.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash continued to hold Jai close to her, though she slowed her hand when the younger girl tensed and almost pulled away from her. She was actually a bit worried about her and now she wanted to do everything in her power to prove that nothing in the world could push her away from Jai now that she had her. She was beginning to think of the girl as her girl and no one could take that from her.

"I really do, Jai... Let me see them... I promise, nothing will make you lose me..." she murmured softly as she used her other hand to grasp Jai's chin lightly and turn her back towards her so that she could look up into her eyes.

She slowly resumed rubbing her hand in circles against the younger girl's back, though the circles were beginning to get larger as she searched for the scars. She smiled slightly when her hand finally found the skin that felt different, but she wasn't turned away by it or disgusted or anything. Instead, she was immensely proud of her girl for having been through so much and yet still being able to function in a normal situation. She slowly pulled Jai forward once more and brushed her lips across the other girls, unable to keep herself from touching her or caressing her skin. She was in a stage of wonder towards the girl that was in her lap, as she had never before imagined that things would go so well between them.

"I care about you a lot, Jai... And having a few scars on your body won't ever change how I feel," she muttered softly as she pulled back from the light kiss, turning her attention back to looking deep into the eyes of the girl.

She wanted to see every inch of the girl that she was so incredibly fond of. However, while she really wanted to make sure that she took enough time with the girl so that she didn't scare her off. While she knew that she would never go running, she was unsure of whether or not she would accidentally manage to do something that would send Jai running from her. Her mind was whirring with all of the possibilities that the future could hold for them, but all of those daydreams were a bit tainted by a shadow of doubt that she carried. She was terrified that she would be left alone after she put all of her feelings out on the line, though she hoped that Jai would be different from the people that had hurt her in the past.

Ash knew that her past was unknown to pretty much everyone around her, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still plagued by the memory of it. She began to wonder if perhaps Jai was just as plagued by her past as she was by her own. She quickly shook the thoughts form her mind and refocused all of her attention on the beautiful girl that was sitting before her.

"Will you trust me?" she finally asked, her voice soft as she spoke, wanting to entire Jai into really trusting her.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

There was nothing in the world at all that she possibly could have hated more, in that moment, than her sudden and incredible lack of confidence. Never had she allowed herself to be vulnerable, or weak, or scared, or anything really indicative of what she was truly going through, and now... Now... Well. This was different, a lot different really, because this was Ash, someone who had managed to slip through every single defense wall and barrier with minimal effort, if any at all. And now, she found herself looking deep into those incredible, dark blue eyes, and her will-power was sinking to its knees, as was her subconscious.

Ash had spoken, gently and reassuringly, with utmost care and affection, and her words absorbed slowly, being heavily considered and contemplated. Her lips parted just slightly as Jai prepared to attempt to respond, and at the same time Ash's exploring fingers traced over one of the scars on her back. Her vision went black, eyelids fluttering closed as a shiver made its way up and down her spine, having never had anyone, even herself, pay such careful and affectionate attention toward her scars in her life, and suddenly her lips found occupation, sealing off her ability to both think and respond.

It was a soft kiss, light, gentle, and it ended far faster than Jai would have imagined, because it had felt like there was a burning desire behind the action, like there was something that the other woman was holding back from her, and Jai found herself frowning just slightly as opened her eyes once more and allowed her head to tilt to the right. Ash had one hand on her back, and way her fingers continued to caress and trace over her skin had Jai biting back on small noise of content, swallowing hard instead as she searched the woman's gaze in the dark room.

Trust... The word repeated into her mind in a soft whisper, and Jaime tucked her lower lip between her teeth for what had to have been the tenth time that night, heavy contemplation going on in her mind for what felt like centuries, but was only about a minute or so as she thought in complete silence.
Trust.
A soft sigh left her lips, and slowly, Jaime nodded in reply as she leaned back and removed her left hand from Ash's shoulder, reaching her arm out to find a lamp on a small table that sat beside the arm of the couch. Her fingers slid over the cool metal base of the object until finding the switch and giving it a firm 'click'. Light flooded over the area they were occupying, the sudden brightness causing Jai to squeeze her eyes shut. "Holysh-" She breathed as she removed her other hand from Ash's shoulder and ducked her head. A slow, deep breath entered her lungs through her lips, and Jai reached up behind her neck to tug one of the straps of the halter she was wearing, allowing it to untie and slip from her skin, the top pooling at her hips. A strapless, black, push-up bra was all that was left covering her upper body, though it was clear in the newly shed light that it didn't shield any of the laceration scars that marred her skin. One was just below her rib-cage on the right side, another near her diaphragm, one on the lower, left-half of her toned, slim abdomen, and a final just below the base of her left breast. It was that one in particular she was most sensitive about, and with her gaze diverted from Ash's, she found herself observing it with a shiver. "He missed..." She found herself admitting softly as she slowly looked up to meet Ash's eyes over the lids of her own. "My heart... by a quarter inch."

 

[AshlinnRose]

She grunted a bit as the light was suddenly turned on and she blinked her eyes closed, squeezing them tightly to try and get her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness in the room. When she opened her eyes, she found that Jai had actually slid out of her halter shirt. Ash couldn't help but allow her eyes to slide over the girl's lovely form, barely even noticing the scars until she looked a second time. She slowly reached forward and slid the halter up off of her girl's hips and over her head, setting it aside on the couch some. She allowed her eyes to slide smoothly over Jaime's pretty skin, this time taking in all of the scars and only loving her more. She suddenly decided her next action and knew that it could very well terrify the girl, but she wanted to do it no matter what happened.

"I am so very happy that he missed..." she murmured softly as she slid her hands along Jai's back.

Her next action was incredibly swift, as she didn't want to give Jai much time to react or recoil. She slid her hands up and unhooked the black bra that the girl wore and slid it off of her. However, as soon as she did so, she slid her arms around the younger girl's waist and kept her from pulling away from her, as she was absolutely terrified that that was what would happen when she made her next action, something that she was a bit nervous about herself. She was worried that what she was about to do would end up pushing Jai away forever, but she hoped that the girl would realize that she was only trying to prove a point about how she would still care for her no matter what.

"I still think you are beautiful..." she whispered softly, meeting Jai's eyes as she spoke. She then leaned in and pressed her lips to the scar that was just below her breast, gently kissing the puckered flesh. She actually didn't really see the scars as flaws of Jai's beautiful body. Instead, she saw them as accents to her beauty and a reminder of what the girl had been through. She had always held the belief that scars existed to remind everyone who bore them that the past is real and something to be learned from.

She moved her hands down to rest on Jai's hips as she held her there, though she was now holding her less tightly, giving her a chance to escape if that was what she really wanted. Eventually, she pulled back from kissing the scar beneath her girl's breast and moved to kiss the other ones that were scattered along the front of her body. She wanted to make sure that Jai realized that she was in love with the scars that accented her body, as they were a part of her and Ash truly loved every single aspect of the girl that she was holding close to her.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

The air in the room felt cool against her skin, just enough to allow slight goosebumps to rise up along Jai's forearms as she found herself compliantly lifting her arms to allow Ash to eliminate the halter she had conservatively decided to wear to work that evening. Admittedly though, she wasn't entirely convinced as to whether the goosebumps were from the cold, or from the natural reaction that her body had in response to Ash's soft touches. Her eyes idly gazed over Ash's own body as she felt the woman's hands run up her spine, and she silently took the moment to admire the corset that she wore and how beautifully it accented her body, framing her thin, hourglass form like a masterpiece that only the ones that had made her could have held claim to. For a moment, she considered commenting on her thoughts, that was, until her thoughts abruptly disappeared and the breath caught in her lungs.

Immediately, Jaime's eyes widened when she felt the confining material on her chest release and disappear completely. The pressure from the under-wires was removed, and her soft, full breasts were left completely exposed, and before she could even fully register what it was exactly that had just happened, she felt Ash's arms tighten around her waist. Heat formed in her cheeks as the skin colored into a shy, soft pink, and her mouth fell open in pure shock before she found herself staring into Ash's eyes. The words she spoke allowed the breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding to leave her lungs, and Jai found herself smiling just slightly in the rush of relief that she received. Though, the air only lasted in her lungs for a brief moment, because when Ash followed up her statement...

A shudder dragged across Jai's back from the base of her spine straight up into her shoulder blades, and it was impossible to keep her eyes open. More impossible was it to hold back the soft noise that left her throat as she swallowed hard. What Ash had done was completely unexpected, and far from anything she had ever experienced in her life; it was... comforting, compelling, affectionate and caring, loving and romantic even, and it sent such an array of emotions over Jai that she couldn't make sense of up nor down. She had to mentally command herself to breathe, and when she did, the air entered her lungs shakily.

Her arms seemed to move of their own accord slowly, hands finding the sides of the woman's arms and gently curling around the lean muscle that she felt beneath the surface of the woman's skin, and she willed her eyes open to gaze down curiously. A tiny, soft smile formed at the corner's of her lips as she looked upon Ash's beautiful face, and for once she truly did feel loved and beautiful. "Thank you..." She whispered quietly as she allowed herself to relax some, the shock having temporarily subsided. And then Ash pulled away and surprised her once again. Only this time... this time it was worse.

Jai bit down hard on her lower lip as a sharp intake of air entered her lungs, her eyes sliding closed like hundred pound butterfly wings. She was particularly unique in the tightly kept secret that she held that, unlike most people, who's weakening points usually were their neck or their ears, or most anything conventional really, her's was and always had been her stomach. And now, by some chance of either good or bad luck, she wasn't able to decipher which, Ash's lips were against the skin of her stomach and she was struggling not to turn into a pool of liquid above her, and try as she did, Jaime couldn't hold back on the whimper that slipped from her throat as her fingers tightened on Ash's arms.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash was only urged on by Jai's noises and she pressed her lips slightly firmer to the skin along the other girl's abdomen. She absolutely loved that way that her girl tensed up from the sensations of having that area of her body kissed so relentlessly. She smiled a bit when she felt the girl's hands tighten on her arms and she was suddenly wanting to do oh so much more with this girl that she had been into since the first time that she had ever met here. There had even been a small part of her, upon meeting Jai, that had wanted to throw her onto the bed and claim her as her own right then and there. However, she was extremely glad that she had refrained from that, as now they had so much closer of a relationship as they began exploring new possibilities between them.

She soon decided that she couldn't get the angle that she wanted with Jai by the way that they were position. She slid her arms tightly around the other girl's waist and moved to lay her back on the couch. She then moved herself to kneel over the girl that she was so fond of. She leaned in to passionately press her lips against Jai's before she began trailing her kisses away from her lips. She kissed along her jawline, down her neck, and across her collarbones before pausing. However, she soon moved again and kissed down the other girl's breasts, lightly suckling at her nipples before she moved on. She paid particular attention to her scars once more as she finally made her way down to kiss, nip, and suck at Jaime's abdomen.

She moved her hands to the button of the pants that the girl wore, gently unbuttoning them and sliding them down some that she she could trail her kisses down to scatter along her hips. She suddenly wanted nothing more than to claim and be claimed by this beautiful girl that she had come to know as an amazing friend. However, now she was beginning to think of her as more of a lover and yet, she still absolutely loved her.

She finally pulled back a bit and leaned up to look down at Jai, taking in the sight of her half-naked form on the couch and loving absolutely everything that she saw. She slowly ran her fingers through her girl's hair, not thinking that words were really all that necessary between them right in that moment, as the actions that they took were likely enough to show just how much they cared for one another.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Dead. Giveaway. Shit...

Breathing was impossible, truly it was, because somehow, Ash had managed to locate and exploit her weakest, most vulnerable point within a matter of minutes, a feat that no one Jai had ever been involved with had managed to pick up on. She silently cursed herself for lacking in enough self control to have kept herself grounded, but the fact of the matter was that gravity had slipped away the moment that Ash had kissed her, and now, well now gravity didn't exist at all. The world turned upside down in a fraction of a minute when Ash took it upon herself to change the positions, and the next Jaime knew, she was staring dizzily at the ceiling, fighting to remain calm.

Their mouths met, and it was incredibly clear that all sweetness and patience was slipping far from their grasps, leaving the air around them feeling ten degrees hotter. Her elbows pressed into the soft leather of the cushion beneath her as she lifted her arms up and curled her fingers around the back of Ash's neck, aiming to hold onto the moment for as long as possible. It became evident relatively quick, however, that Ash had no intention of keeping up with the charade of a simple, yet complicated lip-lock, being as she had deviated away before Jai could even blink. Somehow, she found herself missing the sensation against her lips, and that too quickly escaped the further and further that the woman moved away.

The brief pause in time had Jai holding her breath, fingers sliding down the back of Ash's neck to press softly against her shoulder-blades, and when the metaphoric 'play' button was hit, Jai was left struggling for air. Her eyes fell closed and her head lolled to the side, cheek pressing against the cold material of the cushion as she used everything in her power to remain silent, steely. She managed quite successfully too, for a moment, until Ash continued on. Then, oh, then she took a shaky breath, the air in her lungs shortened and raspy as she felt her throat constrict. "Ash..." The sound left her lips in a pitched, airy voice, betraying every ounce of attempted composure that Jai had been fighting to maintain, and a shudder crawled through her when she suddenly felt the material of her low-rising jeans being wiggled lower. Oh no, no, no, no no no.... yes... No matter how hard she bit down on her bottom lip, or held her breath, there was no preventing the moan that she let out, and she forced her eyes to slide open and fixate hazily on Ash, her breathing heavier.

Their eyes met, and Jaime managed to lay still for only a brief number of seconds as Ash combed her fingers through her hair, before she pushed herself to sit up, nails digging softly into the skin on the back's of the woman's shoulders as she pulled her in closer. With no hesitation, and a fire having ignited between them, Jai sealed her mouth over Ash's greedily, firmly, a near desperate maneuver on her part, and she lingered for just a moment before she began to move her lips, the tip of her tongue touching softly against the other woman's bottom lip, begging passage.

 

[AshlinnRose]

Ash was quickly caught off guard by the sudden and oh so intense kiss that Jai had given her and she almost instantly responded to it. She slid her arms around the girl's torso and pulled her close to her once more, unable to get enough of this girl. As soon as Jai's tongue lightly probed her lower lip, Ash parted her lips for her and was on the girl once more. She let her own tongue slip free from her mouth to dance with Jai's as she held the girl close, but she very much wanted to get them out of their restricting clothing so that they could be close and skin to skin. Almost as soon as the thought entered her mind, she knew that she just had to get out of her corset and show Jai just what it was that she was getting herself into.

She pulled back abruptly, still sitting atop the girl and she lowered her body down to lightly grind her hips against Jai's. She smiled some and winked at the girl as she pulled loose the laces in the front of her corset. She loosened it to the point that it was almost falling off of her, but there was a strange part of her that wanted her girl to be the one to pull it completely off of her. She tilted her head to the side some as she looked down at Jai, allowing her pretty black hair to fall to the side.

"Care to help me out with this?" she asked softly with a bit of a wink.

Unlike Jai, though, she was unafraid of what the other girl might find beneath her corset. She knew that she had some scars of her own from the life that she had led back in her home country, though that had been years ago. Her mind was suddenly drawn back to the time when she had just turned seventeen and was still in France. That was the year that her life had fallen apart and she had been forced to leave her precious country. Sure, there were a lot of events that led up to the final event that had forced her to leave France for good. However, that event was something that was incredibly influential on how she currently lived her life. She knew that as soon as her corset fell free, Jai would see three scars on her abdomen right near her hip that were from bullet wounds.

She shook the memories from her mind as she returned her attention to what was happening to her right then and she couldn't help but smile as she looked down at the gorgeous girl that was sitting beneath her. She couldn't keep the enticing ideas of taking her into the bedroom from her mind. There was a part of her that really just wanted to dominate the girl that she had come to care about so much and probably even love. She pushed the thoughts back into the dark recesses of her mind, though, as she wasn't sure if those ideas would sit all to well with the seemingly innocent girl beneath her.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Ugh. If they were going to keep cutting their kisses abruptly short, Jai was going to go insane, she was sure of it. Granted, every break that occurred allowed for the both of them to breathe, and it wasn't like they were cut short due to a lack of interest, but still. Ash was taller than her by a good three or four inches, and the few times that had occurred where Jai had worn more comfortable shoes against Ash's stilettos, the distance between the two had magnified by twice that. But Jai was under-weight by three pounds, and she wasn't sure just how much Ash weighed, not that the woman was heavy by any means, or that she looked bad, hell, she looked incredible, but there was no denying the fact that she was smaller than the other woman, and thus at a disadvantage to find herself pinned beneath her. And when Ash pressed against her, rotating her hips in that sultry, teasing way, she felt heat build in her stomach and desire pooling between her legs, a breathy sound leaving her lips.

Crystalline blue hues remained fixated on the deep blues of her partner, her breathing have increased in pace as a tiny smile pulled at her lips. With a nod, Jai pushed herself to sit up as best as she could, moving her arms so that she could curl her fingers around each edge of the opening, and slowly she pull the opening apart, her gaze deviating from Ash's so that she could watch the slow reveal with a tiny little smile. When she did finally finish removing the article from the woman though, she thoughtlessly gave it a little toss, aiming to discard it somewhere near their feet at the opposite end of her couch. She couldn't help herself from smiling just a little wider as she gazed at the woman's exposed torso, hands gently exploring the plane of her smooth, warm skin, and she pushed against her just enough to make the woman sit up so that Jai could enjoy the full view.

Slowly, she observed starting from Ash's neck and slowly making her way down with both eyes and hands, and her smile slowly dissipated when she saw the scars near her friend's waist, fingers hesitating just above the pinked, swollen skin, and her gaze studied the marks slowly. She wasn't stupid, or unfamiliar with such marks, because as the saying went, 'shit happened', and being in a gang that had rivals made her no stranger to that fact. With a frown, Jai swallowed lightly, her gaze lifting slowly to search the depths of Ash's. "I guess we both have things we can't forget..." She murmured softly, emotion clear in her voice.