ɪ’ʟʟ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍɪʀʀᴏʀ | ᴊ.ᴛ

vanijeanne is like the funniest ship ever actually. the best i can even describe what i mean is the scenario that jeanne is waiting for vanitas to come outside to join her for dinner and she goes back in and sees him with a mud mask and cucumbers on his eyes and also mozart is playing in the room he’s just like “i’m sorry for making you wait but you know i can’t rush perfection, mon cheri”

they’ll watch soap operas together and vanitas is straight up bawling the whole time but jeanne simply can’t move past the fact that the main girl is a dumb slut who had all of this coming and checked out ten mins ago 

Hi may I please make a request? Neglectful Batfam (especially Dick, I don't know if the others would say it) always tell reader something along the line of "I'm sorry, you understand right?" after yet another forgotten promise of family time etc. Reader, genuinely yearning for the Batfam's affection, feels hurt but always tries to understand and makes excuses for them. It's only their best friend, a fellow civilian, who insists over and over again that reader deserves better, that no matter how well-intentioned the Batfam still does neglect reader, etc. One day the two have a huge fight over this and reader's best friend storms off only to be kidnapped by a rogue. Reader gets kidnapped too, but to their horror discovers finds that the rogue *also* has the Batfam and tells reader to choose: Their best friend or their family? While the Batfam takes it for granted that reader would choose them, while reader's best friend despairs that especially after their fight there's no way reader would've... Surprising even their own self, reader turns towards Batfam to say, genuinely apologetic, "I'm sorry, you understand right?"

Bonus the aftermath when the Batfam has successfully freed themselves and goes to confront reader, who's still *genuinely* happy about it but more preoccupied making up with their best friend uwu

Family dinner was scheduled for 7 PM.

You arrived at 6:55 with homemade cookies, wearing the sweater Damian said he liked. The manor was dark. Empty. Again.

A text came through at 7:48.

Dick: “Sorry, patrol ran long. Rain check? You understand, right?”

You sat at the dinner table alone, the cookies cooling beside your untouched plate. You did understand. You always did.

Bruce had work. Jason had intel. Tim passed out at his desk. Cass was chasing a lead. And Dick—your big brother figure, your once-upon-a-time constant—was off somewhere saving strangers with a grin while forgetting you.

They didn’t mean to hurt you. They were heroes. Protecting the city.

You understood… right?

Your best friend didn’t.

“You keep letting them walk all over you,” they snapped one night, pacing your bedroom. “You act like it’s okay just because they say sorry. It’s not.”

“They’re trying,” you defended, voice small.

“No. You’re trying. You’re always the one reaching out. Always the one forgiving. And they just assume you’ll wait around like some backup plan. You deserve better, [Y/N]. You deserve someone who puts you first.”

The words stung. Worse than anything the Batfam ever forgot.

And so you yelled. Defensive. Hurt. “They’re my family!”

“And I’m not?!”

The silence was louder than the shouting.

Your best friend’s face crumbled, lips trembling with words they refused to say. They grabbed their coat and left.

They didn’t even slam the door.

You hadn’t spoken since the fight.

And then they went missing.

Reported last seen two nights ago, no signs of struggle—just gone.

Panic cracked your chest open. You reached out to the Batfam for help. They said they were working on it. That you should rest. That they were close.

You didn’t rest.

Then you went missing.

Black bag over your head. Cold cement under your knees. And when the bag was pulled off—

You weren’t alone.

The rogue—a madman with a grudge against Gotham’s capes—had caged you, your best friend, and the entire Batfam. Their gear had been stripped, the cells lined with suppression tech. They were helpless.

And the rogue? Smiling like a devil.

“One choice,” he said. “Your best friend or your family. One lives. The other dies. You have sixty seconds.”

Your best friend’s face paled.

“Don’t choose me,” they whispered. “You don’t have to—I’m sorry for what I said. I love you, I just… I wanted you to see how much you’re worth.”

The Batfam said nothing at first.

Then Dick muttered, “C’mon, kid… you know who your real family is.”

Tim nodded solemnly. “We raised you.”

Jason, gruff: “You’re one of us.”

Bruce said your name like it was a command.

They all assumed.

Of course you’d choose them.

You turned toward them—quiet, trembling.

And then you smiled, sad and soft.

“I’m sorry,” you said, voice breaking. “You understand, right?”

They froze.

Your eyes were already on your best friend, who looked like they'd just been punched in the heart.

“You’re choosing me?”

“I’m saving you,” you whispered. “I’m sorry we fought. I’m sorry I made you feel second. You never were.”

Tears slipped down their cheeks. They reached for you through the bars. “I thought you hated me.”

“I don’t think I could if I tried.”

The rogue cackled. “What a twist!”

He didn’t get to finish the show. Because a moment later, Bat-tech sparked. Cass had pretended to be unconscious long enough to hack the suppressors. Bruce broke the cell doors. Jason tackled the rogue to the ground with a crunch.

Everyone got out alive.

But something shifted.

The aftermath

The Batfam came to see you the next day—bloody, bandaged, guilty.

Dick sat beside you, quiet for once.

“I didn’t realize how much we’ve been… neglecting you,” he admitted. “I guess I assumed you'd always be there.”

“I always was,” you said, no bitterness in your tone. “Even when you weren’t.”

He flinched.

Bruce looked at you. “You made the right choice.”

“I know,” you said, smiling as your best friend walked into the room with warm soup and a shy wave.

You lit up. "You're here!"

They blinked. “Of course. I owed you soup.”

You reached for their hand and held it like an anchor.

The Batfam watched from the corner, speechless, as you giggled softly with your best friend—glowing in a way you hadn’t around them for a long time.

You weren’t angry.

You were just finally choosing you.

And someone who had never once needed to say “you understand, right?”—because they did.

can I be 🦌 anon?

was wondering if you had any thoughts for a jackie's sister! reader x any character really that you think would fit, prob shauna honestly...

especially if she was a younger sister (like 16)

- 🦌

a/n: welcome, 🦌 anon! i think we all need fluff in these trying times until the 4th episode comes out 😔 so like…what about some precrash!shauna and taylor!reader thoughts? rlly missing the girls when they were happy and not traumatized :(( sorry if it seems short!! (sfw)

thinking about being jackie’s younger sister who still babies you (even though you two are like a year apart -__-) but it's all in good affection as she always wanted a little sister! she's definitely the kind of older sister who adores you with her whole heart and just oh so supportive ☹️ always looking out for you and just dragging you along to everything and anywhere (despite your wishes on just wanting to stay home). specially if you're on the timid side/the exact opposite of the jackie taylor — you two do share the same qualities that don't go unnoticed by people.

even on jackie's outings with shauna, you're tagging along too that it's one of the reasons why shauna has developed a soft spot on you and you it amplifies your crush on her, thinking she's so cool and pretty. you obvs don't tell jackie because that's her best friend ofc.

you two sharing the same interests 😞 like perhaps both of you having a passion for literature or photography — shauna who always pitches your ideas for her writing :(( you also trying to impress shauna more by liking her music taste (i see all those alt rocks bands in her room) listening to every track and trying to use it as topic to talk about.

oh, oh! sleepovers would be a constant thing. jackie who ends up being on the phone with jeff midway into the night, leaving you and shauna alone painting each other's nails while watching a movie and just softly giggling and smiling to each other.

you think she doesn't notice how you start fumbling over your words a bit whenever she's so close yet she does. she smiles to herself but doesn't comment anything but rather writes it down on her journal when she reflects on her day.

feel like shauna's way of dropping hints of liking you in return is by staring with her big, brown eyes. you always feel her soft gaze on yours during in class or either during practice. even sharing her writing and she has the biggest smile when your compliment on her pieces.

maybe shauna admitting to you that she isn't genuinely interested in soccer, she loves jackie and the team though! but soccer wasn't in her heart in the first place.

and whether if you're interested in soccer or not, shauna would take the time to practice with you just to have you around :))

jackie who has her suspicions of something going on between you two but brushes it off instantly 😭

housewife jackie with a butch reader thoughts?

loves dressing up for you... ive said this in probably every housewife jackie thought but it's true!! even if it's just her grabbing your shirt to put on for a lazy afternoon, she loves watching your eyes light up in recognition and when you compliment how good she looks ^^ likes the simple act of dressing up for a date. likes how you guys end up matching sometimes even when it wasn't planned. loves helping you get dressed, she's always got a gummy smile on her face as she buttons your shirt or ties your tie or smooths out your jacket that she steals at the end of the night.

jackie who loves when you get in touch with your feminine side in your own way :( you help her get in touch with her masculine side and it's just a great bonding experience 😊

she's a.....i dont even know what texter. not a double texter, not a triple texter, but a hundred texter. literally sends you so many texts throughout the day of random things like what she's doing or how much she misses you or selfies of her hand with new rings on it cause she's shopping 😁 you love it. it can get annoying when ur at work and keep getting out ur phone every 5 seconds because she's such a fast responder (only for you), but she makes you smile so much.

running your hands through jackie's hair as you give her a hot bath, taking care of her after she took care of you. gently scrubbing her body and massaging her legs because she was on her feet all day (so were you, but this is your girl! she deserves it more.

shy!butch!reader who appreciates when jackie talks for them in public :) always walking into shops first so you're not the center of attention, always being the one to ask questions to the clerk, always holding your hand and gently telling you to lead the way, or even leading it for you. butch with anxiety who always needs to talk with jackie before a phone call, going over what to say, and jackie who reassures you that it's gonna be fine, and even offers to write down prompts or something in case you forget what to say :(

possessive!jackie and butch who's awkward with affection :) she's always tugging you closer in public. she's the femme who hugs you from behind and places kisses on your ear in checkout lanes... she loves how you tense up and flush when she grabs your hand, loves how you can barely make eye contact with her when she's close to your face and kisses you, loves how you're so awkward when trying to show her how much you love her but you can't get the words out because she's so pretty and you just don't know what to say. it's worse in public because she thinks everyone wants you... she needs your eyes on HERS, and will use her finger to move your chin so you're facing her instead of left (ur just nervous 😭). she's always playin' footsie under tables and reaching across said table to rub your arm as you guys eat together. i think her favorite thing is when she verbally gets possessive and says some shit that makes you snort or choke on your food/drink.

boyfriend!jackie thoughts

a/n: here's boyf jackie!! (sfw + nsfw under the cut / mdni)

dating jackie when he’s still a year in his transition so he’s still very new to it all. 

he honestly had some doubts that you would eventually get tired of him but you have proved him wrong. that you’d love and support him no matter what and he’s truly grateful for it!

jackie who’s truly a dork, you catch onto references he would casually say without realizing it from movies that you’ve watched together. 

smoking with him at parties, kissing the buds together while staring into each other’s eyes because he’s just that mesmerized. or maybe if you’re not into smoking, he’d probably tease you ⏤ blowing a plume of smoke at your face while laughing until he starts apologizing.

jackie who shows up with flowers for every date or occasion. anywhere you guys go, he can’t help in holding your hand or having an arm linked around yours. 

jackie still holding onto the heart necklace he got for his birthday, he’s grown attached to it so he’d either keep it or perhaps give it to you as a sort of way of you having a part of him, knowing that ‘his heart is safe’. 

he’s honestly a quality-time kind of partner who likes spending his time with you, either alone or with friends but then again, just with you. either it be hanging out after games, eating at a local diner, or going out to a movie. 

jackie who likes shopping with you, especially when you help him pick out clothes that he’ll like and feel comfortable in. “how about this shirt?” “eh, brown isn’t really my color.” 

when it comes to shots now, jackie hates needles and he struggled a bit in doing them himself but when you come along, you truly make him feel more comfortable and can easily distract him from worrying when you help him. likes it when you place those band-aids that have designs on them (stars, sesame street, or any other show related design from the 90’s). 

he LOVES it when you call him your “pretty boy” or “handsome”, such a huge sap for praise and affection really that you got him smiling. jackie who’s a big cuddler, you could be busy with something like homework and he’d pout, trying to coax you to get onto the bed and take a break just so he could kiss you and nuzzle his head against your neck.

nsfw under the cut. mdni⤵

jackie who’s still a bit nervous about sex but is an absolute freak, though he’s still shy in sharing about his wants despite you knowing he’s a certified pillow prince, no doubt. you don’t mind indulging him in being on the receiving end. 

sweet talking and kissing him will get him so horny, has his hands on you in an instant as he grinds on your lap, tdick painfully hard in his boxers. he really digs the foreplay until he starts whining and begs for you to just fuck him.

jackie who bucks his hips and whines the moment you latch your mouth on his throbbing tdick. you can't help but grin at the sight when you look up and his eyes are all teary and his face is red from how good your mouth feels on him, especially how you work your way in fingering his entrance (after teasing him for a while) and he’s already begging for you to make him cum. “please, please, please-”

jackie who likes being stretched out, he can't live without feeling your cock/strap or fingers inside him ⏤ even if you overstimulate him to the point of tears. but of course, you always shower him with lots of kisses and praises during aftercare because he took it like the good boy he is. 

jackie who loves aftercare because pillow talk is involved and he just likes having those small, sweet moments after getting pounded, always getting so sleepy and clingy afterwards. taking baths together with those scented candles that remind you both of warm pastries and honey. 

now imagine this, daring jackie to top you one night and he takes it up since he’s curious. unsure on how to use a strap and really does ask for reassurance if he’s fucking you good, he needs to know! he’ll start off sloppy but you actually like it and keep on spurring him on with praises which delves into him rutting against you with a newfound desperation (service top jackie too).

Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land

Being submerged in a new way of living can be, figuratively, a very stressful time for a sixteen-year-old. New school. New city. New friends. 

And a new family, which can be a very fragile subject to handle.

Especially when you are forced to pretend to be someone who is no longer alive; all while looking for your missing twin, learning to keep your uncontrolled powers a secret, and discovering how not to lose your own identity with a body that is very much not your own.

(Y/N) Maximoff did not sign up for family drama. (Y/N) Wayne did not sign up to die young.

Both of them seem to become Death’s favorite tragedy.

Can Maximoff not lose herself in a place designed to see her crash and burn at the stake? Will she be able to find a place to belong? Learn to own up to her situation and even get some peace for the girl that is no longer amongst the living? Get some proper answers in a city full of mystery and secrets?

Thankfully, most of the questions have a positive outcome.

Can she escape from the haunting shadows of a family of obsessive bats?

That may be a lot harder to respond to, as expected.

Masterlist:

Reader's Moodboard

Chapter 1: I Could Be The Eye Of The Storm

Chapter 2: I Am Not My Body, Not My Mind, Or My Brain

Chapter 3: Not My Thoughts And Feelings, I Am Not My DNA

Chapter 4: Don’t You Find It Strange? The Only Thing We Share Is One Last Name

Chapter 5: Get Along With The Voices Inside Of My Head (TBA)

Playlists:

Fic's Playlist

Maximoff's Playlist

Wayne's Playlist

Asks: (Open)

Tag List: (Open)

 @bat1212 @kneelforloki @1abi @galaxypurplerose @yhin-gg @cxcilla @momentomoribitch @stargirl404 @initial-ari @welpthisisboring @icefox8155 @bunniotomia @alittlelostmoonchild @devotedlyshamelessdetective @shycreatorreview @nirvanaxx1942 @soulsire @ryuushou @rinkydinkythinky @lithiumval @ithoughtthinks @reeyy0-2 @cssammyyarts @lordbugs @ilovecoffe0

What Once Was

Plot Summary: After Jackie left you for Jeff in your teen years, you’ve done all you could to avoid running into her. You decide to go to your high school’s 25 year reunion once you hear that Jackie wasn’t going to attend. How were you to know she’d show up anyway.

1996

Jackie had been acting strange for the last few days. In fact, it felt like she had been pulling away from you since graduation. You’d gotten to the point where you had to call her friends to see if she was acting as odd with them as she was with you. Though none of them had an answer for you, she was acting the same with everybody else. Only things with you were different.

Earlier in the day, you had called Shauna, telling her that you were going to go talk to Jackie and finally see what was wrong. You had given her time to come to you and explain the reason for how she was acting, but she wouldn’t budge. And the longer it went on, the quieter Jackie became. It almost seemed like she was avoiding you, but she wouldn’t do that to her girlfriend. You were positive that you just needed to assure her that you would both do fine with long distance. 

You drove over to the Taylor’s house and found an unfamiliar truck parked where you usually do. Walking up to the house, you could hear the sounds of voices through the open windows. You knock on the front door, expecting Jackie or either of her parents to open it up. You were certainly not expecting the door to open and have you face-to-face with Jeff Sadecki.

He groaned, speaking as he retreated further into your girlfriend's house. “Jackie, can you not have your friends come visit when we’re on a date?” Pfff, a date? Jackie’s parents are probably trying to set them up again. That poor, delusional asshole, you thought. Jackie bounced cheerfully to the door until she saw you standing there. Her face quickly changed, and she hurriedly pushed you outside, closing the door behind you both.

You always thought Jackie’s parents suspected you and her, but you never thought they’d go this far. "Wow, your parents have hit a new low. I mean, setting you up on a date with Jeff Sadecki? Jesus.” You laughed for a second, until you realized Jackie wasn’t laughing with you. Actually, she had the most sympathetic look on her face that she’s ever directed at you. Immediate concern filled your body. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Y/n. My parents didn’t set this up; I did.” Your face dropped instantly. “Jax, what? What’re you talking about?” She tried to hold your hands when she explained herself to you, but you immediately shook yourself out of her grasp. “Y/n… I can’t do this. I can’t be that way. It’s not natural.” You didn’t believe the words that she was saying. Two weeks ago, she was happily in love with you, telling you and every one of her teammates as much. And now, this? 

“Jackie, woah, where is this coming from? You felt your throat start to close up. Jackie was slowly trying to move you further from the door, afraid that her parents or Jeff would hear you.

“Please don’t make this more difficult for me than it already is. I don’t want to hurt you; I just can't be like that with you anymore.” She was trying not to make her words sound as harsh as they were, and she was failing horrendously at it. The more she spoke, the more you teared up. Seeing that seemed to send her into even more of a panic as she continued talking. “I don’t like women. I’m meant to be with someone like Jeff. It just makes sense.” She tried to rationalize.

She was about to say more when you heard Jeff’s voice call from inside. “Babe! Get back in here; you’re gonna miss the highlights of my game!” She tried not to look too unhappy before she returned her gaze to you. You could see her face falter when she looked at you, standing on her doorstep crying because of what she did. Whatever sliver of her that felt bad for her actions was swiftly hidden away as she opened her front door once again. She looked at you with a stoic face and sad eyes when she said her last words to you. “Goodbye Y/n.”

Tears cascaded down your cheeks on the drive home. It felt like you were living in a fucking nightmare. It certainly didn’t feel real. Some part of you couldn’t blame her, you had known the pressure her parents put on her. She always seemed like she carried the world on her shoulders, but those were expectations she put on herself. Upon getting home, you immediately ran upstairs and fell into your bed.

You were only home for a few minutes when you got a call on your landline. You wanted to ignore it, but a part of you hoped that it was Jackie calling to tell you it was all a bad joke and she was sorry. You quickly answered. “Hello? Jackie?” Your tone was hopeful, bordering on desperate. “Uh, no?” A different voice fills your ears.

“Oh hi, Shauna.” You couldn't hide the disappointment that laced through your voice when you realized that Jackie wasn’t going to call. “I was just calling to see if you were home already, but I didn’t expect you to be home this soon. What happened at Jackie’s—” The mention of Jackie's name made you breakdown. “Shauna,… she left me.” The other end of the line went quiet before Shauna recovered from her surprise. “She what? No. She wouldn't.” Her voice sounded distant, and she sounded as confused as you felt. “She did. She dumped me for Jeff fucking Sadecki.” 

The fact that anyone would view Jeff as an upgrade was comical to Shauna, but she had to stifle her laugh when she heard you speak again. “Is it really that big of an issue for her to love me?” All the emotion was drained from your voice. It made Shauna uncomfortable to hear you like that. “Hold on, I’m coming over.”

Shauna made it to your house in record time. You both just sat in her car as you explained everything through sniffles. For a while, she was waiting for Jackie to pop out and say it was a prank, but no such relief came. She brought no words of comfort for you, Shauna was never good at pep talks. In fact, she would say that the only thing she was good at was brooding. However, she never left you to handle your sadness alone.

If it weren’t for Shauna showing up for you that summer, you weren’t sure how you would have fared. She had become your rock and did everything with you. You were close enough while you were dating her best friend, but this just felt different. There was not a thing you’d do that she wasn’t asking to accompany you with. Good thing too; she would always spot when Jackie and Jeff were nearby before you could see the pair. 

She’d saved you a lot of grief for the rest of the summer before you finally got peace when Jackie left for college. No more worrying about bumping into her at your favorite Deli that she’d loved. No possibility of running into her while she was on a date with Jeff. It was a start for everything to become easier for you. A couple weeks had passed, and you were finally feeling okay. You had even begun to forget the reason for your new-found friendship with Shauna.

It was at a coffee shop, about a week before Shauna was to leave for Brown, that it happened. You sat together on the patio of the café, laughing at something that Mari had told her earlier. Shauna’s mother had gotten her a brand new flip phone to go away to college with. She left it on the table after showcasing it to you. All of a sudden, the little thing lights up and rings. You look down and see her name plainly displayed on the screen. Everything came back to you then. You were reminded of the girl who made all of this happen. Shauna looked at the phone, saw the name that flashed on the tiny screen, and excused herself. She was not nearly far enough that you couldn’t hear her whisper yelling at Jackie. Discussing Jackie’s latest argument with Jeff and deflecting every time Jackie asked who Shauna was with, that she had to whisper. 

Beyond the reminder of Jackie that day, you had the daunting realization that you couldn’t continue your friendship with Shauna. It was wrong of you to take away and monopolize the time of your ex-girlfriend's best friend. Moreover, realizing you’d have to coexist alongside Jackie still being in Shauna’s life and possibly encountering her in one way or another was enough to make your decision final. After Shauna went to University, you’d stop talking to her.

When Shauna left, she had given you her mailbox number and the number of her new phone, so you could call and write to her often. She left with a smile and yelled at you to promise that you’d call before the end of her first week at Brown. You just smiled at her as her mother drove her away, waving goodbye to her until the old station wagon disappeared from view. 

2021

The years drifted by quickly as you tried to forget all about Jackie Taylor and the rest of your old friends in Wiskayok. You were glad to have gone to a college far enough from your hometown, it made it easier to stay there and disappear from everyone. You had tried dating afterwards, but everything seemed so dull in comparison. The feeling of having her love you was something indescribable. To have a random person fill the place that you always thought would belong to Jackie just didn’t feel right. You told yourself you enjoyed the solitude. Convinced yourself that it was your own choice rather than a decision made without your blessings.

You were intent on keeping it that way too, trying not to remember any people from home. But that’s when you got the call. “Hey Y/n, it's Misty, Misty Quigley from high school.” You’re not sure you ever gave Misty your number, so you wonder how she has it now. "Yeah, hi Misty, I remember. How’ve you been?” You say unenthused; you didn’t actually care to know. “Doing good; I’m an attendant at a nursing home. So I’m living the dream! But… I’d be doing better if you came to the reunion this year.” 

The words were like a punch to the face. “Misty no—” She’s quick to cut you off. “Come on, Y/n, nobody has seen or heard from you in years; some people probably think you’re dead at this point.” She was practically begging over the phone. “And I am fine to keep it that way, happy even.” You attempt to shut it down again. “Y/n…please. The girls miss you.” That tugged on your heart a little. “Misty, really, I can’t—” She cuts you off yet again with her best argument all evening. “Jackie won’t be there.”

You were well aware that Jackie never misses the opportunity to go to the reunions, and thus you avoided going at all costs. It’s only when Misty sighs and tells you that Jackie cannot attend this year because of some furniture convention in Philadelphia that Jeff was dragging her to that you begrudgingly agreed to go. You hadn’t kept up with your old friends and teammates, just to avoid ever running into Jackie. You rationalized that it’d be nice to see them again with no fear of running into her. And this opportunity probably won’t come again for another 25 years, so you figured you might as well. So you reply to the Facebook invitation that you’ll be attending and prepared yourself.

The day of the reunion approached faster and faster until you found yourself sitting in your car in the parking lot of your old high school, fidgeting with your dress shirt. Practically doing all that you could to stall actually going inside. The whole place reminded you of Jackie. It made you nearly sick to your stomach. All the hurt caused by her leaving you, which despite it all, was still fresh in your mind. The longer you sat, the more anxious you became. Finally, looking down at your phone and seeing the time prompted you to reach for the door handle and get out. 

Walking through the doors of Wiskayok High, you had expected it to look different, to have been updated at all in the 25 years since your graduation. But no, it's still the same ratty old hallway in the same broken-down school that you remembered. It brought a slight sense of comfort, knowing that you could likely still navigate your way through the entire high school campus without issue.

Approaching the big, blue and yellow decorated doors, the only thing that separated you from people you hadn’t seen in 20+ years, you felt nauseous. You had to keep telling yourself that Jackie wasn’t here to keep your anxiety at bay. So, with a deep breath, you pushed open the large metal doors. It was decorated as well as a high school gym could be, you supposed. A lot of lights strung up with blue and yellow balloons set on each table. 

Right as you enter, you see Misty standing by the photographer and his props. The sound of the closing door can barely be heard over the music playing throughout the gymnasium; however, she could still sense it and turn to see you. The sight brings a large smile to her face as she runs over to lead you to the table with all the other girls. 

As you approach a large round table, you could start to make out the familiar faces of your old friends. Their conversation dies down when Natalie notices you, getting up to greet you. “Holy shit…when Misty told us you were coming, we all just thought she was full of it.” You laugh nervously. You still feel tense from being around people you used to know so well but now felt like strangers. “Well, here I am.” 

You turn around. “Tai, congratulations on the campaign.” Taissa smiles at you before speaking. “Thank you, Y/n… You look great.” She says it so genuinely. You'd guess that when people haven't seen you in years, they can only assume the worst.

Before you could respond, you’re wrapped in a hug by Shauna, much unlike the moody teen you once knew. “Hey Shipman.” You said as you wrapped your arms around her. You embrace her for a moment before she pulls away and punches you in the arm. Now that’s more like the Shauna Shipman you knew. “You stopped responding to me! Don’t ever do that again; I’ve missed seeing you. I really thought that I would never hear from you again.” 

As you gently hold the spot where Shauna laid into your arm, you try to explain yourself. "Shauna, come on, you know I couldn’t keep in touch after everything with...” You gestured to an empty space next to Shauna that, when you were younger, would always be filled by Jackie. Her demeanor changed, and the others went quiet around you as well. 

“You know it never sat right with me, what she did.” She defends. “I know, but she needed you. I wasn’t going to get in the way of that.” She looks at you with sad brown eyes. “You still needed me too.” You shrug. “I wasn’t going to ask you to choose me over your best friend.” Shauna opens her mouth to respond before Taissa grabs you by the shoulders and guides you to sit in one of the chairs. “You guys can talk later; we need to hear about what’s been going on in the past 20 years.”

The tension melted away quickly, and you felt as if you'd picked up right where you left off with them. Everyone tells you about what they’ve been up to. You’re most surprised that Shauna has a daughter now. She hit you again when you told her that she never struck you as the nurturing type. It felt so light and perfect, you knew something had to go wrong.

The metal doors have been opening and closing all night, with people going in and out of the gym. So, of course, you paid it no mind when the metal clicked open and shut once more. You were far too intrigued to hear about Natalie’s latest rehab stint to notice the approaching figure until it was too late.

“Hi guys!” A cheery voice breaks through the crowd. You felt like a deer caught in headlights. You didn’t need to look at her to know who it was. You were frozen, all you could hear were some nervous greetings from around the table. By the tense tone in the girls' voices, it seemed they wanted to be swallowed by the ground just as much as you did. 

You watched her gaze flit to every person before landing on you. “Hi Y/n.” Her smile shone as brightly as you remember it. If you hadn’t known her like you did, you would’ve assumed she was being fake with you. “Hey Jackie.” Your voice low as you tried to avoid her eyes and take a sip of your drink. Shauna laid her hand on your arm and squeezed reassuringly; the action was not lost on Jackie. You watched her eyes focus on the action, her face hiding a barely contained scowl now. She was about to speak again when Misty spoke up.

You thank every higher power in the sky, as it made Jackie face Misty instead of you. Her green eyes felt like they were burning into your skin the longer she stared. “You said you weren’t coming. The convention?” Misty looked like she felt guilty for putting you in this position. You would’ve thought it was a trap, but you knew Jackie. "Oh, didn’t you get my email? Last week, Jeff decided that he wanted to go alone. So I emailed you, saying that I would be attending after all.” 

Jackie was never great at lying. It may not have been obvious to the others, but to you and Shauna, you could read Jackie like a book. You turned to Shauna with a suspicious look, and her face mirrored your own. Misty gave her a confused look. “You didn’t email me.” Jackie feigned surprise. "Oh, silly me, I must’ve written it up but never sent it.” She turned to the table with a ‘what can you do’ expression and a shrug as she moved to sit down. She took the open chair directly across from you. God, it’d be hard to avoid eye contact with her now.

"So, Y/n I haven't heard from you in ages; are you married?” Jackie never had tact when she wanted something, but the sheer audacity to ask stunned you. Everyone else seemed to have the same sentiment as you because the girls all avoided eye contact. Shauna tried to scold Jackie, but that only encouraged her to persist further with you. To cease the girls bickering, you gave her an answer. “Uh, no, Jackie. I’m not.” She tried to push a small smile from her face when she responded. “Oh, really? That’s too bad.” 

At that, Taissa pushed herself from the table, stating that she was going to go get a plate of something to eat. Natalie and Misty both followed her, seeming to find the encounter too awkward to bear. “So, why aren’t you on Facebook?” Jackie continued to pry. 

“I am; I just have a few people blocked.” You didn’t leave anything up for interpretation with your tone. Shauna laughed beside you. She seemed to have read the hint immediately, while Jackie was still catching up. You knew, however, exactly when she figured it out because she instantly pouted. The slight against her did nothing to dissuade her efforts, though. She was as persistent as ever; you could give her that much.

"So, to be clear, you’re not dating anyone? Right?” That was the last straw. You got up from the table, stating that you were going to find the food Tai was referring to. As you left the table, you could hear Shauna chastise Jackie quietly. You couldn’t make out much, but you did hear the distinct sound of Jackie complaining before you were out of earshot. “What Shauna? It’s not like I could check on her Facebook.”

You stayed by the buffet table for a few minutes, making idle chatter with whoever recognized you. Anything to avoid being stuck with Jackie at the table. However, it didn't take long for her to grow bored and go searching for you. She appeared out of nowhere; it almost startled you. It was as if one second you were alone, and the next she was beside you, already opening her mouth to yap.

“Crazy bumping into you. Now that I have you here, you never answered that question back there.” You rolled your eyes and did your best to ignore her. "Oh, come on, Y/n. You never come to these; I just wanna catch up!” You had about had it. Turning to face her completely, you drop the niceties.

“Cut the shit Jackie, you and I both know you’re lying. Why are you really here?” Jackie stands there a little stunned; you’d never snapped like that at her while you were dating. "I, uh… well, I saw that you responded to the Facebook invite and that you were coming. And I just wanted to see you and maybe talk to you.” You don’t have the energy for her right now. “There’s nothing to talk about, Jackie. I don’t want explanations or apologies. Just leave me alone.” You turned and walked back to the table where Shauna was seated alone. 

You sighed as you sat down next to her, with your head in your hands. Shauna leaned over and rubbed your back. She was doing her best to give you some semblance of comfort. She knew this was a lot for you; she didn’t have to say it. It was painfully obvious and awkward enough to send your other three friends running to interact with literally anyone else. When you brought your head back up, you could see Jackie staring at the two of you. She looked so insecure as she stood right where you left her. Shifting uncomfortably on her feet, she looked like a kicked puppy. You laid your head in your hands again and groaned. 

“I don’t know what to do, Shauna; she won’t stop with me.” Your voice came out muffled from your hands. You could hear Shauna sigh next to you, and her hand dropped from your back. "Yeah, she was never great with the word ‘no'.” She laughed. You huffed out a small laugh as well. 

You heard a click of heels on the gym floor coming at you and looked up. You saw Jackie marching over to the table with renewed vigor. She stood directly at your side and placed her hands on her hips when she addressed you. “Y/n I really think we should talk about what happened.” She said it in the exact tone that she would always do when you were teenagers. The same tone that got you to straighten up and do exactly what she said. 

You were getting so frustrated with her. You’d just wanted a moment of peace away from her, and she couldn’t seem to respect that. Fuck it. You stood, turned to Shauna, and offered her your hand. “You wanna dance?” A look of surprise crossed her face, but upon seeing your expression of determination, she smiled and delicately placed her hand in yours. “I’d love to.” She rose from her seat, and you led her to the dance floor, leaving Jackie with a look of utter shock as you brushed past her.

You enjoyed your time with Shauna, laughing together as you moved around the dance floor. Every now and then, when you spun her, you’d get a look behind her at the table. The table where you’d see Jackie sitting alone, miserably gazing at you and her best friend dancing. Jackie was downing her drinks quickly. She’d kept pouring herself more drinks from the punch bowl to drown her sorrows. The punch bowl that sat in the middle of the table, the one that Natalie had definitely spiked earlier in the night. You tried to not let the image of Jackie sitting sad and alone because of your actions burn itself into your brain.

“I know what you’re doing.” Shauna’s voice made you shift your gaze away from Jackie. “Huh?” You attempted to play dumb. She rolled her eyes. “If you’re trying to get a reaction out of her, you’re doing a good job.” You straightened up, and Shauna gave you a look like she knew she’d nailed exactly what you were up to. “I think that Jackie brought this onto herself.” You deflected. Shauna shrugged before smirking at you. "Oh, she definitely did.” She leaned in closer and whispered in your ear. “But next time, let me know, and I can help you drive her up a wall.” You can’t fight the grin that took over your face. You spun her again as you spoke. "Well, she always did seem to get a little jealous when it came to us, Shippy.”

An hour had passed while you continued to dance with Shauna until a brash voice broke you both apart. “Sorry to interrupt you, lovebirds.” You and Shauna turned to Nat, with a visibly drunk Jackie being dragged behind her. “‘Lovebirds?’” Jackie questioned with a pout. “Jesus.” You muttered as they got closer. 

Nat all but tossed Jackie into Shauna, and Jackie instantly melted into the form of her best friend. “She’s a mess. She needs to go home.” Jackie attempted to mumble something in protest, but it was muffled with her face in Shauna's shoulder. Natalie looked at Shauna expectantly. "Oh, I didn’t drive here; Callie dropped me off. And she hasn’t answered any of my texts, so I think she’s asleep.” Then both Shauna and Nat looked to you.

"Oh, come on.” You immediately protested. “I’m sorry, Y/n. You drove here and you barely had anything to drink; it’s the safest option.” Shauna being against you for this argument felt like a small betrayal to you. Shauna was right, and you didn't necessarily want anything bad to happen to anyone on their ride home. But that didn't mean you should have to be the one to take her home. “No, you know how I feel about her.” Jackie lifted her head and body from Shauna to complain. “Hey, I’m right here.” Natalie halfheartedly pushed her back into Shauna, and Jackie fell right back into her place on Shauna.

“No Shauna.” You tried to say it in a tone that left no room for debate, but of course Shauna persisted. “Y/n please? I’ll even go too. You’d actually be doing me a favor since I need a ride.” You were about to object further; tell her ‘no way’ when you looked at Jackie. She hadn’t stopped staring since she was brought over. Her eyes were so sad, and her leaning up against Shauna like she had no legs of her own made her look utterly helpless. You couldn’t fight the soft spot you still had for her, and when you looked at Shauna, it just solidified it more. You knew you weren’t going to be on the winning side of this argument. “Fine… FINE. I’ll do it.” Shauna, who you’re sure would’ve reached out and squeezed your hand if it hadn’t been holding Jackie’s form upright, mouthed a thank you. 

You gathered your things and led Shauna, who was still supporting her best friend, to your car. As soon as you went to unlock the back door for Shauna to slide Jackie into, Jackie found enough drunken athleticism to slide over to the passenger's side door. You looked warily at Shauna, who halfheartedly tried to bring Jackie to the backseat. As soon as Jackie started whining about how she didn’t want to sit in the back, Shauna conceded and got into your back seat instead. You rolled your eyes. You really didn’t want to be stuck up front with Jackie, but it seemed you had no choice. You took a deep breath before getting into your seat and pulling out of the parking spot.

The ride was quiet; for the most part, you and Shauna occasionally spoke and reminisced about things you did together that last summer before college. You almost forgot about Jackie sitting silently in the passenger's seat, or you would have if she wasn’t staring at you and Shauna as you spoke fondly about times that didn’t include her. You were about to turn to head towards Jackie’s house when Shauna spoke up.

“Y/n, I hate to do this to you, but is there any way you can drop me off first?” You gave her a look in the rear view mirror that said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Shauna looked at you sympathetically. You knew she didn’t want to do this to you on purpose. “I know, I’m sorry. I just need to make sure Callie’s alright; I haven’t left her alone this long since before her dad left.” You roll your eyes but adjust to head towards Shauna’s house. 

When you pulled up to Shauna’s house, you could see there was a light on upstairs. Shauna sighs and mutters something under her breath about Callie being up at this hour and not texting her back. She scooted over and wrapped her arms around Jackie from behind the seat. "Night, Jax, see you soon.” She then got out and walked over to your door, then waited outside it for a moment with an expectant look on her face. “Aren’t you going to walk me to the door?” You smiled at the sentiment and got out, leaving the car door open, before you walked Shauna up to her porch. She enveloped you in a hug before you could utter a word of farewell. 

She pulled back before speaking. “You are not allowed to not talk to me for more than a week, ever again. You hear me?” You laughed. “I’m serious, Y/n.” Shauna continued. “I promise I'll keep in touch, Shauna.” You said, genuinely. “You better.” She leaves you with a lingering kiss on your cheek before heading inside. When you turned to walk back to your car, you saw that Jackie watched the entire interaction. She had such a sad look on her face when you walked back, you felt like you were caught doing something that you weren't supposed to.

After you got back into the car, there was only a beat of silence before Jackie spoke up. “So you’re not, like… in love with Shauna now, right?” There was a hesitance in her voice; all her insecurity was laced into that one question. “What? Jackie, that's—” You tried, but she cut you off. “Cause I hope she likes my sloppy seconds.” She had rolled down the window to scream the sentiment out towards Shauna’s house, as if Shauna would hear her behind the closed door. You hastily pulled her back in, scrambling a little. You were very aware of how much noise Jackie was making at such a late hour; however, Jackie wasn’t while she was in her drunken state. “Jesus Jackie, shhhh. What’s wrong with you?” Jackie sat back in the passenger's seat with a pout and folded her arms. “I just don’t appreciate the way she’s been acting with you.” 

“You don’t get to feel any way about how anyone acts with me. You lost that right a long time ago. Now let’s just go home, please.” Jackie lays her head back against the headrest and closes her eyes as she protests. “Noooooo.” How did you used to put up with her whining daily? This was exhausting. "No, seriously, Jackie. We have to go; it’s late, and I want to go to bed.” She continued drunkenly complaining. “I don’t wannaaaa.” You were desperate to not be alone with her anymore, so you tried to say something that would make her relent.

“Jackie, please, you have to go home. Jeff will be worried about you.” She shook her head against the window, practically falling asleep in your passenger's seat. You sighed. Of course, she was being stubborn with you. Twenty-five years of not talking, and she still acted the same. “What do you mean? Yes, he will.” You wouldn’t know; you don’t know how Jeff is, but it hurt more the longer that you stayed around Jackie, and you just needed to get away from her. She only laughed humorlessly at your comment as she slumped further into the seat. “Nuh-uh… Me and Jeff aren’t together anymore.” 

The confession hit you like a ton of bricks, so much so that it left you speechless for a moment. “What? Are you serious?” She nodded, her eyes still closed. “Mhmm.” You had a million things that you wanted to ask—how, why—but the only thing that left your mouth was, “Do the others know?” 

Only at this did her eyes slowly open, and she just stared vacantly down the dark street. “Nope.” Popping the ‘p’ when she said it. “Why?” She still refused to make eye contact with you when she answered. “The girls would just yell at me… Tell me that I hurt you for nothing. And I did; I know that. I don't have to have them tell me that I ruined the only good thing I’ve ever had when I left you.” You sat in silence for a beat, looking down at the steering wheel, as you tried desperately to process all that she said. 

You turned back to face her when she continued speaking, finding her already looking at you for the first time during the whole conversation. “I’m sorry, by the way. For what I did. I really wish I was a better person for you; you deserved it.” Her eyes were illuminated by the glow of the street lights, showing that she was tearing up.

A younger version of yourself would have hopped over the center console to hug her the second you saw her anywhere close to crying. The most that the current you could muster was to break the intense eye contact and utter a half-hearted "Yeah, well… we can’t change the past.” There was a pause in conversation; the air was tense now that Jackie had aired out all her dirty laundry. Her voice was low as she resumed speaking. “I wish I wasn’t afraid of what would’ve happened with us. Maybe I’d be happy now. We probably would’ve had a good life.” You put the car in drive, as you replied. “Yeah, maybe.”

You drive to Jackie’s childhood home, having memorized its path from every corner of Wiskayok. You wanted to ask so much more, but debated whether it would upset her. Jackie, who seemed almost sober now, is slumped against the passenger door, looking out the window. She spoke, but you were too lost in thought to hear it. “I’m sorry, what was that?” She sighed. “I said, I know you. You obviously want to ask something. Go ahead; it won’t make me sad.” Her bluntness caught you by surprise, but then again, what about her didn’t nowadays? 

“Well, how long has it been?” You don’t need to say what the question was pertaining to for Jackie to know what you meant. It’s a bittersweet feeling to know that, despite everything, she could still read you and know what you were thinking so well. She took a deep breath before she answered. “Almost a year now. It's why I wasn’t going to come this year; I couldn't face anyone. Not when I haven’t worked up the courage to tell them.” You nodded along as you continued driving. “Was there a reason?” She hesitated and turned to face you before she answered.

“Yeah, I just never could get over you. I still haven't, and I don’t think I ever will.” She said it so candidly that you were hoping you didn’t hear her correctly. You wanted to ignore the mixed feelings bubbling into your stomach, because now all of what she said the whole night was more than just high school nostalgia. More than simple ‘What if’ scenarios, and more than hints for you to read into. That was an admission, and you were so upset that that realization happened this late in her life. Now she had you thinking that you actually could have been happy together this whole time. You were so caught up that you almost flew past Jackie’s house.

You don’t say anything as you break and put the car in park. You kept looking at the steering wheel while Jackie tried desperately to meet your eyes, silently pleading for you to say something. All that you could think was that it was all for nothing. You were mostly afraid it was still the alcohol talking. You didn't want to get your hopes up for something that was only going to be true for as long as the booze was in her system.

“I think you should leave.” Jackie’s face dropped at your reaction, and almost immediately tears started to roll down her cheeks. “What? Y/n, no.” You still avoided her eyes. “Please, this isn't a conversation I want to have after you’ve been drinking. It’s best that you go inside.” At that, she braced herself in your car. “I’ve sobered up; please, can we talk about this?” She begged.

“Jackie, you have to get out of the car.” It took the last shred of your will to try to turn her away one more time. Jackie’s voice was hoarse as she yelled back at you. "No, I can’t. I can’t leave because if I get out, then I’ll never see you again, and it’s all my fault.” She was beyond being consoled by words. She was sobbing so much, you felt awful for upsetting her. Up until that point, you were doing your best not to get sucked in, but how could you deny her? 

“Okay, okay.” You relented. You got out of the car, and for a moment, Jackie had a look of panic on her face, seeming ready to chase after you if you left her. You got to the passenger’s door, and as soon as you opened the door, Jackie grabbed onto you and held you in a hug. You mustered up the calmest voice that you could when you spoke next. “I’m sorry.” She sobbed into your shoulder, mumbling, “Please don’t leave.” over and over.

“Please, can you stay tonight? Can we just go inside and pretend that I didn’t mess it all up?” She sniffled into your shirt. You nodded, slowly rubbing her back while you tried to soothe her. When you were younger, you’d dreamt about this scenario and getting to tell Jackie ‘no.’ But that didn’t happen. Truth be told, you don’t think it took more than a second of thought. "Yeah, we can do that, Jax.”

Once she had calmed down, you gradually began to let her go while whispering gently for her to go inside. She grabs your hand as she guides you through a house that was once so familiar to you. Jackie had moved and changed some things around, but it still looked relatively the same.

She pulled you toward her old childhood bedroom. Something about it felt so different. But not much was changed aside from her replacing the pink carpeting with a gray color. It felt almost like a betrayal to change something that was once so sacred to you both. An escape from her parents, a place where you could kiss her safely. It all felt foreign, even if it was the same room you had snuck into countless times just to fall asleep together. Jackie had always hated sleeping alone. You guessed that never changed based on the situation you found yourself in now.

Your musings were interrupted by Jackie tapping your arm. You turned and found Jackie with an embarrassed look on her face. She faced away and showed that she was struggling to fully unzip her dress from the evening. You rolled your eyes as she held her hair up with one hand, assuring it wouldn’t be in the way. Gently holding her shoulder with one hand, you slowly pulled the zipper down with the other. As her dress was being undone, more and more of her back was being exposed to you. It was intimate; she knew it. She could still read you like the back of her hand, so she knew exactly what she was doing.

Once the dress was fully unzipped, your hand slowly dropped from her shoulder, softly tracing Jackie’s skin in its descent. She turned and looked right into your eyes. She didn’t break eye contact with you when she reached up and looped her arms around your neck. As if it were second nature, you placed your hands on her waist. “I’ve really missed you.” She spoke in a whispered tone, as if there were any other people around to hear you. The only time her eyes left yours was to glance at your lips. Her intentions were obvious, and you were never that strong-willed when it came to denying Jackie something that she wanted.

You found yourself leaning in before you could give it a second thought. The urge to fall right back into place with Jackie was too difficult to deny. Jackie notices the action and moves to meet you in the middle. Once you were only an inch from each other's lips, you felt Jackie pull you the rest of the way into her. Her lips pressed roughly against yours, trying to convey every emotion she still felt for you.

Her hands move from your neck to thread into your hair. The grip you had on her waist tightened, and you brought her body closer to you. Jackie let out a small moan at the contact. After years of not hearing it, the noise sounded heavenly. It only spurred you on further. You backed her up against the nearest wall, and Jackie made a small sound when she hit it. Her dress was slipping further and further down her body as you kept going. The noises Jackie was making, the way she'd occasionally ground her hips into you, searching for friction. You knew where this was heading, and as lovely as that idea was, you knew you needed to stop. Everything in you wanted to continue, but you knew you had to separate to avoid taking it further too quickly. You pulled away, leaving a few chaste kisses on her lips to avoid seeing her pout.

When you both pulled apart, she was panting heavily. Once Jackie caught her breath, her face broke out into the largest smile. She always used to smile like that after kissing you when you were younger. You had to admit that it made you happy to see that you still had that effect on her. Jackie disappeared into her bathroom to get into her pajamas. It was at this point that you became painfully aware that you were still in your clothes from the reunion. You tried to adjust your clothing to be able to sleep in it.

Jackie came out of the bathroom while you were attempting to make your clothes as comfortable as possible. “Hold on!” She disappeared from the room with a smile on her face. You could hear her footsteps retreat, some fumbling sounds from the hallway, and her footsteps returning. She came back with a box in her hands. After she placed it on the floor and opened it up, you could see that it was full of your old clothes.

“You kept all these?” You said in astonishment as you sifted through all the clothes she stole from you years ago. She suddenly seemed bashful, watching you go through your old sports apparel and flannels. “I—uh, yeah, it’s always good to have some extra clothes lying around.” After finding a shirt and sweats that you found suitable for the night, you looked at Jackie. She nervously fiddled with her fingers before she continued speaking. “They actually still smelled like you for a long time after... everything. And it was nice, you know, to have some reminders of you still here. But just so you know, this is just a loan. I want those clothes back.” You smiled at her, getting up to give her a hug before you went to change. 

After you got into your old clothes that still miraculously fit very well, you crawled into her bed. Jackie hit the lights and walked over to the other side of the bed. You felt all the nostalgia hit you as you laid down on the soft sheets while Jackie climbed in as well. Her sheets and pillows smelled like her; it's comforting but brings a pit to your stomach at the same time. Laying in bed next to the love of your life for the first time in twenty-five years will do that to you, you guessed.

You laid flat on your back as Jackie curled into your side. She maneuvered your arm to hold her, effectively trapping herself against you. You both lay in the quiet of the dark room; the only light in the room was shining in from the streetlight outside. Jackie gingerly played with your fingers as you both sat in fulfilled silence. After a few minutes, Jackie turned her head to face to lay on your chest and held your torso. 

She was barely awake when she whispered to you. “Promise me that you’ll still be here when I wake up.” Her voice was muffled from her face being pressed against your chest. She said it so delicately, pleading with you. You were so caught up in the fondness of the moment that you took a beat to answer. After not immediately receiving an answer, Jackie opened her eyes and looked up at you. The sleepy expression on her face was wiped away, and you could see just how scared she was of never seeing you again. You'd do anything to never see her afraid like that again.

“I promise.” She took you in once more before leaning in and gently kissing you. It was innocent and lazy, kissing you just because she missed doing it. As if she were making up for lost time. Your heart thumped with an unearned feeling of domesticity. 

It only took a moment for Jackie to detach from you. She rolled to face away from you but scooched herself back to be flush against you. You took the hint and wrapped your arm around her waist. You could feel the grin that Jackie had on her face without even seeing it. She then placed her hand over yours and laced her fingers in between yours. No more than a minute or two later, Jackie fully relaxed into you. Her breathing slowly evened out as she fell asleep, still keeping a tight grip on you. 

Tomorrow, you’d plague yourself with the questions of what this meant for you and Jackie going forward. As for tonight, you just missed the feeling of holding her while you slept, and you’re not prepared to continue on without experiencing it every night. The rhythmic sound of her breathing and the smell of her conditioner brought a comfort to you that you had long forgotten. 

i just wanted... trophy wife jackie who is the best wife and housewife ever and you love spending your money on her and she loves getting all dressed up for you, she even buys new lingerie and waits for you to get home from work 😵‍💫😪

TROPHY WIFE JACKIE!!!!!!!!! jackie dressing up to go to the fuckin' liquor store with you... she wants you to show her off. and you do! shoving your hand in her back pocket and squeezing her ass while waiting in line, jackie looking at you like you're the only thing that matters (you are). jackie who gets jealous of the cashier who you're buddies with and that always gives you free cookies.. she starts kissing your neck and mumbling for you to hurry up and pay so she can take you home (her ass is NOT driving.)

always buying her the prettiest jewelry and helping her put it on, getting distracted by the freckles on her face when you put on new earrings for her or accidentally kissing her neck for 5 minutes when putting on her new necklace.

jackie cooks for you and expects kisses in return!!! especially while she cooks. she'll whine that she can't keep stirring unless you kiss her >.> you're her taste tester too. she's so proud of herself when you groan and mention how good of a cook she is. she loves serving you too... thinking of coming home from work as she's finishing the dinner, forcing you to go sit down before you can even get out of your work clothes. jackie who sets the plate down in front of you, leaning down over your shoulder and kissing your neck while helping you out of your jacket 😵‍💫

jackie who dresses up in her sunday best when visiting you at work just to tease you. she def brings you lunch sometimes too. wears those new clothes you bought her and has her hands behind her back as she asks you if you like them. jackie leaving the new lipstick/lipgloss you bought her alllll over your neck and shirt collar for the rest of your shift :-)

giving her some cash to buy what she wants and she decides that she wants to thank you for being the best partner ever and gets some lingerie she thinks you'd like. which also makes me think of jackie sending you lingerie pics.... but if she had the patience to wait until you got home, oh my god she'd be so excited at your stunned reaction. tossing the pillow she's been humping at your feet and pouting for you to come and touch her. jackie who flips you over and cocks her head to the side when you try to top, saying that she's in charge tonight. love the idea of her drooling and panting for you to let her cum by the end of night though 🤩

okay, but... jackie taylor with reader! princess treatment? reader just loves sitting on her lap while wearing a cute short skirt and pretty ass, having jackie's arms around her, giving her a kiss with lip gloss when she wins a game, looking at her with big eyes and a cute pout ... just princess treatment?

i really love your work!

god….jackie taylor princess treatment, save me!! save me jackie taylor princess treatment!!

jackie taylor lives to spoil you.

she’s got an arm slung around your waist at all times, fingers resting just beneath the hem of your shirt to have a feel of your skin. she never lets you walk on the outside of the sidewalk, she opens doors for you without a second thought, and if you so much as shiver, she's already draping her varsity jacket over your shoulders, murmuring, “can't have my girl getting cold, can i?”

it’s fair to say that she is obsessed with you. and jackie doesn't even try to hide it.

it’s obvious to everyone around in the way she pulls you into her lap the second you're close enough, her arms wrapping around your waist like she owns you. she doesn't care where you are (on the bleachers after practice, at a party, even in the middle of the cafeteria if there's space) you're sitting on her, not next to her.

“you're so clingy,” you tease one afternoon, even as you settle comfortably against her, your skirt riding up just a little when you shift in her lap.

jackie’s hands squeeze your hips. “and?”

“nothing,” you say. “i like it!”

if she's not actively pulling you into her lap, she's tucking loose strands of hair behind your ear, playing with your fingers, kissing your temple just because she can. jackie even carries your bag after school, waits for you after class, and lets you steal her clothes even though she knows you only wear them so people will see.

and after a big game? there is no stopping her: even sweaty, breathless, and radiating victory, all jackie wants is you.

the second she sees you waiting for her near the sidelines, she beams, racing right over, gripping your waist, pulling you in.

jackie barely has time to catch her breath before you cup her face, press a sticky-sweet, glossy kiss to her lips, and pull back just enough to admire your work. a perfect pink layer left behind, her lips glittering with it.

"you taste like strawberries," she murmurs, pressing another kiss to the corner of your mouth.

you flush, curling further into her as the other yellowjackets begin to catch up. jackie just grins, keeping you right where you belong: wrapped up in her arms, pressed against her like she never wants to let go. (which, truthfully, she doesn’t…)

— nsfw below the cut. mdni.

okay but now i‘m thinking…jackie finger fucking you in her lap…? because, if you think about it, that also counts as princess treatment, right…?

maybe you’ve convinced her to let you do her make up or something:

at first, you’re confused as to why she would agree to this at all: jackie is definitely better at doing makeup than you, and hates when somebody messes with her face like that.

it only really dawns upon you when you’re already sitting on her lap: here you are, in the shortest little skirt, looking all cute and focused, bottom lip caught between your teeth as you reach for a brush.

no wonder jackie actually wanted this.

no wonder she’s got no sense of self control now.

her hands drift to your thighs, fingertips teasing along the hem of your skirt. just barely at first, featherlight touches that make you squirm but don't fully distract you as you reach for a brush.

but she doesn't stop there. she squeezes your thighs, her fingers pressing into soft flesh as she watches you try to ignore her.

“jackie,” you warn, not yet looking down.

jackie hums, all innocent. “hmm?”

“you’re distracting me,” you murmur, dipping the brush into the powder, trying to refocus. but, god, it’s hard when she trails her fingers up until she’s squeezing your ass.

“am i?”

you turn her chin slightly to apply the blush. “yes”

jackie, completely unbothered, presses a lingering kiss to your wrist, then the inside of it, then your palm. before you can react, she’s already leaning up, catching your lips in a kiss as well.

you sigh against her mouth, your hands sliding into her hair as the brush clatters to the floor.

as easy as that, and all your resolve is gone, replaced by arousal when jackie reaches between your legs. when she catches your eyes, tilts her head, and waits for the breathless nod before pushing your panties to the side, moaning as if she could feel actual pleasure from the way her fingers slide through your wetness.

it’s not long after that, that you find yourself propped up above jackie, most of your weight resting on your knees, one hand on the headboard, as she pounds her fingers into you. you don’t even have to do anything at all, she’s doing the work for you, wetness gushing down her arm.

“just like that,” jackie praises as the hem of your skirt bounces with each thrust. her free hand lingers on your lower back, supporting you in your current position and her face is covered in your lipgloss, chin and jaw glistening with it over a thin layer of sweat.

“come on,” she encourages, leaning back on her elbows to get a better look at you, her fingers stilling inside of your throbbing cunt.

it is up to you to take pleasure from her now.

later, you will be embarrassed by how fast you switch to riding her fingers…

Jackie Taylor -- "Our Destiny" (Part 2)

Jackie Taylor x Male reader/oc

Summary: What happens when a plane crashes in the middle of the Canadian Wilderness full of teenagers? How something as traumatic as that can affect the people and and how they find comfort in each other.

Words: 7.270

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Masterlist

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Your POV

I wake up disoriented, feeling the cold invade my body and a great pain going throughout my body as if I had slept on the floor. I grunt in pain, shifting in place and trying to get into a better position.

I move my hand around without opening my eyes, trying to find the blanket and cover myself again, as I feel like I'm freezing.

Not finding the blanket anywhere, I open my eyes with some difficulty due to fatigue and the bright light. So I close my eyes again and curl up into a ball to warm up. Once my body starts to warm up, I feel sleep invade my mind once again and I fall asleep.

When I wake up again, it´s to the feeling of hands caressing my back and moving along my right side.

Jackie: Good morning.- she whispers against my ear lovingly, leaving a kiss on the spot and tracing the healed scars with her fingers.

Y/n: Good morning.- I murmur without opening my eyes and enjoying the caresses on my side, stomach and back.

Jackie: You're freezing.- she murmurs against my shoulder, pressing her body against my back and molding herself to mine completely.

Y/n: Yeah, well, it turns out someone loves to hog the duvet and blankets at night, and then there's no way to cover myself with them in the morning.- I reproach her, amused, feeling her bite my shoulder in response. -Ouch, savage.- I complain, trying to separate myself from her, but she clings to my back like a koala.

Jackie: Now I'm a savage? So when I bite you while we're fucking, then I'm not a savage anymore or what? - she asks me amused with a certain lust in her voice.

Y/n: On both occasions you are a savage.- I assure her, turning around and facing her. -But at no time have I said that I don't like it.- I tell her with a smile, moving my eyebrows suggestively.

Jackie: Idiot.- She laughs, hitting my shoulder and I hug her around the waist to hold her flush against my body.

Y/n: If I'm an idiot, then what are you when you married one? - I ask her amused, hiding my face in her neck and starting to leave small, affectionate kisses.

Jackie: I don't know and I don't want to think about it.- she answers me caressing my back and leaving a kiss on my head. -But we have to get up, you have to make breakfast and I have to wake up the gremlins.- she reminds me starting to caress my hair.

Y/n: Yeah, if you think I'm going to get out of bed and let you go if you keep caressing my head, you have it difficult.- I assure her, snuggling up against the warmth of her neck and closing my eyes.

Jackie: Come on, the kids have to go to school and we have to go to work.- she tells me leaving another kiss on my head and trying to get away from me.

Y/n: Noooo.- I complain, keeping my grip on her waist and pulling her towards me, while she keeps trying to escape from my grip. -5 more minutes.- I beg, fighting with her so she doesn't get up.

Jackie: I let you sleep 5 more minutes earlier.- she says pinching my hand and causing me to let her go. -I did it, i´m free!- she celebrates standing at the foot of the bed with her arms in the air.

I just frown, giving her a dirty look and crossing my arms as I watch her celebrate. The way her whole face lights up with happiness, how her natural waves bounce in her now dark brown hair and how her eyes squint at the smile on her face.

Even at 42, there are times when I look at her and see the same 17-year-old Jax running around the soccer field with a smile on her face.

The accident 25 years ago may have been the worst experience we have ever been through, but that doesn't take away the fact that the experience brought me closer to the person I love most in this world, and with whom I have formed a truly happy family.

A family based on love, affection, honesty, quality time and parental presence. Not like the families we grew up in, where love and the lack of parents was bought with objects, and where criticism filled the whole house constantly.

We have created a family and a home that we both should have had when we were children and in which to grow free. A home where our children live happily and we feel complete by being together.

Jackie: Move and stop looking at me like that.- she tells me throwing a pillow at my face and leaving the room.

I can only smile in response, getting out of bed and walking to my closet to get ready for the day.

Once dressed and shaved, I begin preparing the pancakes with chocolate chips and blueberries, along with the bowl of fruit and orange juice. While the coffee is brewing, I head out of the house to the mailbox and pick up today's mail.

I leave the mail on the kitchen island, grab my cup of coffee from the machine and start preparing my wife's just the way she likes it.

I place the breakfast plates in their usual places on the island and begin checking my email while I wait for the rush of footsteps down the stairs that every morning brings.

I'm looking through the bank letters, advertisements, and an envelope from the high school about the 25th anniversary reunion, when an envelope with no return address catches my eye. I open it while taking a sip of coffee and see that it's a postcard.

The postcard shows a mountain range, with a lake in the middle of a forest and snowy mountains in the background. On the right side, at the bottom, you can clearly see a message: Wish you were here! and when I turn it over, I choke on my coffee at the sight of the symbol.

The damn symbol that was everywhere in the woods, in the cabin, and everywhere you looked closely.

I react quickly when I hear the stampede downstairs, folding the postcard and stuffing it into the pocket of my black suit pants.

Tomas: Good morning dad.- he greets me jumping on me with a smile just like his mother's.

Y/n: Good morning gremlin, how did you sleep? - I asked him leaving a loud kiss on his forehead and sitting him on his stool.

Tomas: Very well, I dreamed that a dragon appeared and burned down the school. - he tells me with excitement and with his eyes wide open with the imagination of an 8-year-old child.

Alice: And his homework is doing sums and coloring.- she growls, sitting on her stool and starting to eat her breakfast.

Jackie: As if you were doing your homework. - she reproaches our 15-year-old teenage daughter with amusement.

Emma: I like school. - the middle child of the family shrugs her shoulders with a big smile.

Y/n: That's my princess.- I support her with a smile and high five her.

Tomas: I like school too, because I can play with my friends and learn cool things.- he tells us happily with his mouth full.

Jackie: You don´t talk with a full mouth, honey.- she corrects him with a smile, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leaving a kiss on the top of his head.

Alice: You'll tell me if you still like going to class when you go to high school.- she says to her 12 year old sister with an amused smile.

Y/n: Don't be mean to your sister and don't try to scare her.- I shake my head at my oldest daughter, drinking my coffee and trying to hide the smile on my face at the faces of the 2 youngest.

Tomas: I´m not going to like high school?- he asks us all, a little scared.

Jackie: Don't pay attention to your sister, it's just that the boy she likes doesn't pay attention to her and that's why she has such a sour mood. - she reassures him with a wink, earning a laugh from him and a complaint from the teenager.

Y/n: What boy? - I ask my daughter, confused and serious, when I have processed my wife's words.

Alice: None.- she growls in response, biting the piece of fruit somewhat aggressively.

Jackie: Don´t deny it, there's a boy in her math class that she likes and he doesn't pay attention to her.- my wife tells me with a huge smile. - His name is Axel? I don't know, but apparently he's in the debate club and he's a basketball player.- she says with a voice full of emotion.

Sometimes I forget how much my wife loves and enjoys other people's gossip. But she especially likes it when it's about our teenage daughter. It's like she goes back to that age again.

Alice: Alex mom and no, I don't like him. - she corrects her mother with a serious gesture.

Y/n: You better, because you're not going to have a boyfriend until you're 30, and that's me being nice.- I shook my head seriously.

Jackie: Aren't you being a little bit exaggerated? - she asks me, standing next to me and hugging my waist with one of her arms.

Y/n: No, my children will not know what a broken heart is until they are emancipated.- I deny seriously, making my teenage daughter and my wife laugh at me. -Now we are all finishing up because you guys have to go to class.- I hurry them a little and start to collect their plates.

Jackie: And remember that today I will pick you all up after school. - she reminds our children when they go up to brush their teeth and get their backpacks.

Within ten minutes, I've kissed Jax goodbye and am driving off with my three kids in it. My first stop is the high school where Alice has class and debate club, and then I have to drop Emma and Tomas off at their school.

Jackie´s POV

I turn off the car once I'm parked in the driveway and can't help but frown at the presence of a woman on my porch. I stare at her for a few seconds, before turning my gaze to the back seats and seeing my two youngest children laughing.

Jackie: Go inside with your siblings and do your homework.- I order my teenage daughter.

Alice: Why? What's wrong? - she asks me confused, taking off her belt and picking up her bag from between her legs.

Jackie: I don't know, but I don't know who that woman and considering that it´s the anniversary of the accident, I don't want to take any risks. - I explain sincerely and she nods in understanding.

Alice: Okay.- she nods and gets out of the car as I do and helps me get her youngest siblings out of the back. -Come on kids, the sooner we finish our homework the sooner we can play in the garden.- she tells them excitedly and they run towards the door.

I walk quickly to the porch, opening the door for my children and closing it once they are inside. I look at the woman who is leaning against the porch railing in total comfort, observing her closely and crossing my arms in defense.

Jackie: Who are you and what are you doing in my house? - I asked the stranger directly and without wanting to prolong the subject.

Jessica: My name is Jessica Roberts, I work as a journalist for the Star-Ledger and I wanted to talk to you and your husband about a juicy deal.- she answers me with a fake smile.

Jackie: How the hell did you get our address? - I asked aggressively, taking a couple of steps towards her and trying to maintain my composure.

Jessica: I have my sources.- she answers, still smiling. -I just want to talk about the proposal I want to offer you.- she repeats, moving away from the railing.

Jackie: What proposal? - I asked wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible and get her out of my property as soon as possible.

Jessica: I'd rather wait for Y/n to talk about the proposal.- she tells me without ever stopping her smile and that makes me want to slap it away.

Jackie: And I'm telling you to tell me now.- I demand, raising an eyebrow. -Because if you don't get off my property in the next 5 minutes, I'll call the police for trespassing and i can assure you that you will spend the night in a cell.- I assure her with an evil smile.

Jessica: Star-Ledger wants to make a deal to publish a book about what happened 25 years ago. - she answers, removing the smile from her face and with a more serious tone.

Jackie: Everyone knows what happened 25 years ago, it came out in the press conference that was held and it is not a secret. - I remember her tensing my jaw and trying to remain calm.

Jessica: Yes, but is that what really happened? - she asks now, crossing her arms. -Because we both know there's more to it than what was said. - she clarifies with a certain knowing tone, as if she knew something about what really happened.

Jackie: What really happened? - I asked sarcastically. -What happened was that one of the happiest moments of our lives turned into a hell in which many people lost their lives. Either because of the accident or because of the bad conditions in which we lived for 19 months. That's what really happened, and I'm going to ask you to get off my property right now.- I say with my arms at my sides and standing up as much as possible to look taller.

Jessica: You could earn more than seven figures just by telling your story, the reality of what happened and not letting other people benefit from your misfortune. - she insists with some desperation.

Jackie: Do you know how much my husband and I make in a year?- I ask her with a smirk. -Your offer is only 15% of our earnings, so if you really are a journalist and you think that is a juicy offer, I think you should do a better job.- I say walking towards the front door. -So get the hell out of my house right now and never come back again.- I end the conversation and enter the house, closing the door behind me.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and get my hands to stop shaking from the adrenaline.

Once I've calmed down, I walk to my office on the first floor and leave my briefcase on the table. I take my cell phone out of my jacket pocket, texting my husband and asking him to come home as soon as possible.

With the message sent, I walk to the living room where my children are doing their homework and sit down among the little ones on the floor.

We didn't spend much time on their homework, as they didn't have much to do and it didn't have much difficulty with the grade they are both in. So once they had their middle of the evening snack, the four of us went out to the back garden and played soccer for a while.

When I hear the garden gate open, I see Y/n still dressed in his black suit pants and a dark green shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

I stare at him in rapture for a few moments, appreciating the way his clothes hug his body in the perfect places and how the colors of the clothes make his skin tone and eyes pop even more.

Jackie: Keep playing, dad and I are going to start preparing dinner.- I say to the three of them, leaving a kiss on the top of Tomas head and walking towards where my husband is.

When I reach where he is, I hug him by the shoulders and stand on my tiptoes to give him a welcome kiss. A kiss that lasts longer than I was planning, as he hugs me by the waist and holds me close to his body so I can't move away.

Y/n: Is everything okay? - he asks me in a low voice when we separate from the kiss and I can see his worried expression.

Jackie: Let's go to the kitchen so we can talk while we prepare dinner.- I ask him, leaving another kiss on his lips and grabbing his hand to pull him along.

Y/n: But is everything okay? Are the kids okay? Are you...- he starts asking non stop and I interrupt him with a look.

Jackie: Wait until we get to the kitchen and then I'll tell you.- I order him without stopping walking and pulling him with me.

Once in the kitchen, I take out the ingredients for the pasta and place them on the counter. I take a couple of deep breaths, trying to gather my thoughts and think of the best way to tell him what happened.

I can feel his curious and somewhat worried gaze on me, making me more nervous than I already am.

Jackie: Stop looking at me, I can't focus.- I beg, a little frustrated at not knowing how to start the conversation.

Y/n: What are you thinking for dinner? - he asks me, leaving a kiss on my head and checking the ingredients.

Jackie: I was thinking of making carbonara and some roasted vegetables to go with it. - I explain to him and he immediately starts taking out the things we needs to cook it.

Y/n: I'll start with the pasta and you with the vegetables? - he asks me and I nod in response.

We both start cooking in complete silence, moving around the kitchen in total synchrony and naturalness. After a few minutes of cooking, I feel more relaxed and while I am chopping the carrots I decide to start the conversation.

Jackie: When I got home with the kids, there was a woman on the porch waiting for me, and it turned out she was a journalist.- I begin to tell him, listening to the sound of the frying pan stop. -She wanted to talk to both of us and offer to write a book.- I explain with a grimace.

Y/n: A book? - he asks confused and I hear the sound of the frying pan again.

Jackie: A book in which we tell what really happened 25 years ago. - I answer, swallowing hard and listening a frustrated sigh behind me.

Y/n: I can't believe it.- he denies with her voice full of annoyance. -Every year it's the same, there's always someone lurking around trying to dig into what happened. Why can't they leave the past behind and let us live in peace.- he complains with anger and I sigh tired with the situation.

Every year some journalist or news article appears questioning the version that was published when we were rescued. Every year it is the same, hundreds of conspiracies and stories about what really happened come to light again. Some of them are very close to the truth that we all, absolutely all of us agree to deny and hide at all costs.

Jackie: I know, but like you said, it's nothing out of the ordinary and as soon as they appear, they disappear. But I had to tell you because this time I didn't feel the same way, she was more insistent and it seemed like she actually knew something. - I tell him with some uncertainty, not knowing very well if the journalist was bluffing or if she really knew something.

Y/n: Maybe this time it will be different.- he comments with a sigh, leaving the kitchen and leaving me confused rooted in my place.

Jackie: Where are you going? - I ask without understanding why he is leaving and where he is going.

I look confused at the hallway where my husband has disappeared, trying to process what just happened and why he left. I try to think of something, but my husband comes back into the kitchen and leaves something in front of me.

I look at what he has placed in front of me, seeing that it is a postcard with a beautiful landscape on it and a simple phrase.

Jackie: What is this? - I asked confused, looking between the postcard and my husband.

Y/n: Turn it around.- he orders me in a soft but somewhat heavy tone.

I do as I'm told and as soon as I see what's on the back, I drop the postcard immediately like it burns. I take a few steps back, hearing my heart racing in my ears and feeling my mouth go dry.

Jackie: Like... I don't... I don't... - I try to say something, but it's like my mind and mouth have lost all communication.

Y/n: It arrived this morning.- I listen to what he says and look at him in astonishment. -I haven't told you anything because I thought it would be a joke and that I shouldn't give it any importance. But the presence of that journalist makes me doubt if it's a coincidence or something premeditated.- he explains to me with some insecurity, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for a few seconds.

Jackie: So what... what are we supposed to do? - I asked with a little difficulty, trying to keep my focus on the conversation and not on the symbol on the postcard.

Y/n: I don't know.- he denies, defeated, resting both hands on the kitchen island. -Maybe our best option is to ignore it for the moment and wait to see if something else happens.- he says with a doubtful tone that makes it more of a question than a statement.

Jackie: So we ignore it all? - I ask to make sure.

Y/n: Yes.- he nods, letting out a long sigh. -Unless you think there's something else we can or should do?- he asks me with some curiosity.

Jackie: No.- I deny through my teeth, feeling the tremble in my lower lip and an annoying itch in my eyes.

Y/n: Hey, everything's going to be okay.- he assures me, running towards me and wrapping me in his arms. -Nothing bad is going to happen.- he tries to reassure me, placing my head on his chest and gently stroking my hair.

Jackie: What if something bad happens? - I ask with a broken voice, with my hands on his back and my fists clenched around his shirt.

Y/n: As long as I'm around, nothing bad will happen to you or the kids. I promise.- he whispers with conviction against the top of my head, continuing to comfort me and letting me cry against his chest.

We spend a while wrapped in each other's arms, until I feel like I'm no longer crying and that I feel a little calmer.

Once I move away from his chest a little, he immediately grabs my face and gently wipes away all traces of tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. I just stare into his gorgeous green eyes, which are filled with worry and something more intense.

Y/n: Do you want a glass of wine? - he asks me with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood and cheer me up a little.

Jackie: More like the whole bottle.- I reply with a pout, causing him to laugh, and in the end I join him.

Y/n: A bottle of wine is coming to the most impressive woman in the world!- he exclaims with humor, leaving a kiss on my forehead and walking towards the wine rack. -Red, white, rose, sparkling?- he asks, moving his fingers between the bottles.

Jackie: White.- I respond amused, watching how he moves and feeling more relaxed with his movements.

Once we have a meal in hand and a lighter mood, we go back to preparing dinner. I just hope that Y/n is right and that doing nothing is the most appropriate thing for this situation.

I just hope it's a coincidence and there's nothing premeditated or organized behind this.

I look up from the color palette, when I hear the doorbell ring and I frown looking towards where the front door is. Somewhat doubtful, I sit on the stool and think about who could be knocking on the door.

But I don't have anyone I know in mind or any reason why someone would knock on my door on a Sunday morning.

The doorbell rings again, so with a sigh I get up from the stool and walk calmly to the door. I open the door and the polite smile on my face immediately disappears.

Jackie: What the hell are you doing here? - I ask through clenched teeth, looking behind the people and making sure there's no one else around.

Taissa: We need to talk to you and since you're not answering the phone, we've been forced to come. - she answers, crossing her arms and walking past me to enter my house.

Jackie: No, no, no.- I deny trying to grab Tai and prevent the others from entering the house behind her. -You can't come in.- I growl annoyed.

Natalie: This concerns you too.- she assures me, looking at the photos on the walls. -Where's Y/n?- she asks, turning around and looking at me.

Jackie: Out.- I answer simply, frustrated with the presence of the three women and closing the door.

Taissa: When will he come back? - she asks me a little worried.

Jackie: I don't know.- I answer, passing by the three of them and walking back to the kitchen.

Taissa: And could you call him to ask him to come as soon as possible? - she asks me walking behind me.

Jackie: No.- I answer as if it were obvious.

Natalie: What do you mean no? - she asks with a hint of aggression in her voice. -We have to tell you something important, something related to that and it's urgent.- she assures me, referring to our accident.

Jackie: That's in the past and right now my husband is busy with our present and future. So no, I'm not going to call him and ask him to come over immediately. - I explain with finality, knowing that I'm not going to call him and force him to leave our son's soccer game.

Shauna: You're still just as selfish. - she tells me evilly, speaking for the first time since I've seen her and causing me to clench my jaw in anger.

Jackie: You, you're the one calling me selfish? - I asked in a sarcastic and somewhat poisonous tone. -The one person who, after fucking my ex-boyfriend and getting pregnant by him while she was still with me, made ME look like the bad guy. - I reproached her, still upset and hurt by what she did to me.

Shauna: And yet after all this time everything still revolves around YOU.- she reproaches me with pure venom in her voice.

Jackie: You're in my house, you've entered uninvited and you're demanding things from me when I haven't seen you in over 20 years.- I remind to two of three. -But I'm the selfish one for refusing to do something, when you two haven't even asked me how I am or explained the reason why you've invaded my home.- I comment, pointing at the three of them with obvious frustration.

Shauna: Because you've blocked us from everywhere and this is the only solution we've found. - She gestures around her with both arms. - So don't blame us for being here, when this could have been avoided with a phone call and that's it. - She spits in my face through her teeth.

Jackie: And you're surprised that I blocked you? - I asked her surprised. - You're surprised that after almost freezing to death because of you, I didn't want to know anything about you and I made sure of that? - I asked her with some sarcasm and disbelief at her attitude.

Shauna: It wasn't my fault! - she exclaims in denial. -I didn't force you to leave, I didn't put a knife to your neck to get you to leave the cabin and you know that perfectly well.- she claims pointing at me with her finger.

Jackie: You may not have held a knife to my neck, but at no point did you make me feel welcome or safe to continue being in that cabin that night.- I assure her through gritted teeth. -And the only, the ONLY reason I'm alive today, is because Y/n went outside with me that night, who put me in the meat shed when it started to get too cold and who made sure I didn't freeze to death that night. So yes Shauna, I hold you mostly responsible for my near death.- I remind her with venom and some pain at the memory of that night.

Neither of them says anything for a few seconds, filling the kitchen with a tension that could be cut with a knife, which gives me time to start gathering my things from the island and processing their presence in my house.

Natalie: What is that? - she asks me curiously, approaching the island and looking at the different sketches, colors and textures spread out in it.

Jakcie: A work project.- I reply vaguely, placing everything in a pile and putting it into a big folder.

Natalie: What project are you working on? - she asks again with curiosity, pulling out a stool and sitting on it.

Jackie: In the inside of a two-story and 500 square meter house, decorated with natural colors and metallic objects.- I explain with a small, happy smile at her interest.

The truth is that in all these years since we were rescued, both Y/n and I cut off ties with all the other survivors. The only people we kept in touch with were Nat and Lottie.

After all, Lottie is Y/n's twin sister so it's only natural that we maintained our relationship with her, especially given how overprotective my husband has always been of her. On the other hand, he and Nat have always been very good friends, so we continued to keep in touch with her after being rescued and returning to our daily lives.

It's been a while since we last saw them, but seeing Nat in front of me and giving me a slight smile makes me happy. Since the moment we were rescued, she was one of all of us who had it the worst at adapting and is constantly in rehab.

Taissa: Do you work? - she asks me, surprised by the information I just gave.

Jackie: Why do you seem so surprised? - I ask her, both offended and amused by her reaction.

Taissa: I don't know. - She denies with a grimace. - I always imagined you marrying someone rich and being a rich housewife. - She explains, shrugging her shoulders.

Jackie: Well, you got the first part right, because I married someone rich.- I remind her with an amused smile. -But I went to college for a reason, right? Besides, it's something I love and they pay very, very well depending on the client.- I explain, shrugging my shoulders.

Natalie: And are you going to offer us something to drink or? - she asks, moving her hands in circles.

Jackie: Do you want something to drink? - I asked them politely, offering a fake smile to the dark haired one.

Taissa: A coffee with milk would be nice, thanks.- she thanks me sitting on the other stool.

Natalie: You know what I want.- She gives me an amused look and I shake my head at the ridiculousness of it.

Shauna: Something strong.- she answers sitting on the last stool on the island to Nat's left.

I quickly start making the coffee and while it's pouring into the cup, I grab the bottle of tequila from the cabinet on top of the fridge and place it in front of Nat. I grab three shot glasses and Tai's coffee, placing them on the island.

The brunette opens the bottle and begins to fill the glasses with the yellowish liquor. We each take a glass and drink the contents in one gulp.

Jackie: Okay, what's so urgent? - I ask them once the sting of the tequila in my throat calms down a bit.

Taissa: This.- she answers me taking her phone out of her pocket and sliding it towards me along the island.

Jackie: What the hell is this? - I ask, somewhat disturbed and scared when she saw the message.

Natalie: Blackmail.- she answers me as if it were obvious. -Haven't you received the message?- she asks me confused.

Jackie: No, neither Y/n nor I have received it.- I immediately deny. - Yes, we received a postcard a week ago and a journalist showed up that same day offering a deal to tell what really happened. But apart from that, nothing.- I tell them with all the honesty possible.

Shauna: It wouldn't be a Jessica Roberts, would it? - she asks me with her eyes wide open.

Jackie: Yes.- I nod immediately with my eyes open. -Did she go to your place too?- I ask trying to connect the dots.

Shauna: Yes, she came to me a little over a week ago, offering to write a book and receive a sum of more than seven figures to tell what really happened in that forest. - she confirms, pressing her lips together in a continuous line.

Natalie: None of this makes sense.- she denies, massaging her temple and pouring herself another shot. -The postcard was only received by Misty, Tai, Y/n, you and I. While the blackmail message was received by Taissa and me. So why send the postcard to some and the message to others?- she leaves her doubt hanging in the air and I agree with her.

As Tai was about to say something, we hear the front door open and a couple of quick footsteps.

Y/n: Jax we're home! - I hear him shout from the entrance and I can hear the fun in his voice.

Tomas: Mommy, mommy, mommyyyyy! - he shouts, running through the house and entering the kitchen with his dirty uniform and a huge smile on his face. -We won! - he exclaims completely happy, running towards me and jumping into my arms.

Jackie: Really? - I asked, exaggerating my reaction and smiling at the happiness on her face.

Tomas: Yes.- he nods enthusiastically. -I scored a goal.- he tells me enthusiastically.

Jackie: Wow that amazing.- I say with my eyes wide open and a hugh smile.

Emma: Auntie Nat? - she asks from the kitchen entrance with her eyes wide open.

Natalie: Isn´t that the blonde dwarf. - She smiles, getting up from the stool and opening her arms. - How you've grown. - She growls against my daughter's blonde hair when she hugs her.

Shauna: Auntie Nat? - she asks completely confused, exchanging glances between the black haired adult and the blonde girl in her arms. -Since when do you have children? - she asks, looking at my son in my arms.

Jackie: Since when do I have to give you any explanations? - I answer sharply. - Why don't you go out with your sister to the garden and play for a while? Okay? - I ask my son, giving him a kiss on the forehead and putting him down on the ground.

Tomas: Okay.- He nods happily, holding out his hand to his sister and running with her to the garden, once they both join hands.

Jackie: Plus, I'm surprised my mom didn't tell you about it at one of your lunches.- I commented ironically, crossing my arms.

Shauna: She didn´t.- she shakes her head with a strange expression on her face.

Y/n: Jax, you're not going to believe the funniest moment of the game you missed.- he comments between laughs entering the kitchen. -What's going on here? Nat? When did you get out of rehab?- he asks, wiping his smile away when he sees the three people in our kitchen.

Natalie: It's been almost two weeks.- she answers, shrugging her shoulders without giving it any importance.

Y/n: And didn't you think to let us know or come visit? - he asks her, crossing his arms.

Natalie: Yeah, well, let's just say I haven't had much time between Travis' death, the postcard, Misty being crazy and now the damn blackmail. - she tells us with some frustration and I can only open my eyes in surprise at the information, and I can see that my husband has a similar reaction to mine.

Y/n: Travis is dead? - he asks in shock. - Wait, postcard? Did they send you that damn postcard with the symbol too? - he asks again, approaching the group.

Taissa: They also sent it to Misty and me.- the curly haired girl answers. -But we're not here for the postcard, we're here for a more important reason that affects us all.- she explains seriously, picking up her cell phone from the island and showing him the blackmail message to my husband.

Y/n: What the hell is this? - he asks angrily after reading the message.

Shauna: We're being blackmailed by someone who came back with us or who has been told something from one of us. - she replies, taking another shot.

Y/n: Have you been the only one who received it? - she asks the future senator and returns the phone to her.

Taissa: The two of us.- she answers pointing at the short black haired one and herself.

Y/n: Okay.- he nods with a frown. -But they haven't sent us that message.- he says with some doubt looking at me and I shake my head in confirmation.

Natalie: It seems so.- she nods, agreeing with him.

Y/n: So why are you all here?- he asks confused. -Don't get me wrong, it's good to see you again and all that, at least some of you. But I don't understand why you're here.- he comments seriously, walking towards me and giving me a short kiss.

Taissa: We didn't know that you hadn't received the message. - she explains, letting out a sigh and taking a sip of her coffee.

Jackie: Well, you already know that we didn´t and to be honest, I don't want to get involved in whatever you're doing and have our children be affected in any way. - I deny, adopting a defensive posture.

Natalie: And we understand, but we need your help.- she asks us, biting her lip and letting out a sigh.

Y/n: What do you need? - she asks directly.

Shauna: Money would be nice, if you have it.- she answers with her lips in a straight line.

I immediately throw a dirty look at the one who was my best friend, letting out a mocking sound at her audacity and I feel the words bubbling in my throat.

Y/n: Okay.- nods and disappears through the archway into the main floor hallway.

Taissa: Where is he going? - she asks me, just as confused as I am.

I just shrug my shoulders, not knowing why he left without saying anything and not knowing where he was going. Nat refills the glasses with tequila and I bring mine over to him to refill.

Jackie: And how did it go this time in rehab? - I ask the short haired one with interest.

I rest my elbows on the island, leaning against them and giving my friend my full attention. Since we were rescued, Nat was the one who had the hardest time adjusting back to our life before the accident.

So since we got back, she's been going to rehab and has got herself arrested a couple of times.

Natalie: Fine.- she answers with a grimace. -I haven't taken any drugs yet and I'm not lacking in desire with everything that's going on.- she admits, taking the shot.

Taissa: You better, because I can't pay for your rehab visits anymore. - she comments with a certain humor, taking another sip of her coffee.

Y/n: Here you go.- he says returning to the kitchen and leaving a wad of bills on the island.

Shauna: You have 50,000 grand at home? - she asks surprised seeing the money.

Y/n: I have more than that stored at home.- he admits shrugging his shoulders and I look at him surprised.

Jackie: Why do you have so much money at home? - I asked, stunned by the money and thinking about where he could have that money.

Y/n: For emergencies - he respond simply raising his shoulders downplaying it.

Shauna: Is that really 50 grand?- she asks again and my husband nods. -Well, it's a bit disappointing compared to the standard of heist movies.- she says with a smirk on her lips.

Y/n: It's 50 grand in 100 dollar bills.- he answers as if it were obvious. -How crazy would I be to have that much money in our house in small bills, they would take up a lot more space.- simply explains as if that amount of money wasn't much and placing a hand on my lower back.

Taissa: We already know who will pay for your next rehab.- she says to the short-haired girl somewhat funny.

Natalie: Thank you for your faith in me, Tai.- she reproaches her, rolling her eyes.

Jackie: Do you need anything else? - I ask them with some impatience, wanting this conversation to end so they can leave.

Taissa: No, thanks for this.- she says holding the wad of bills in her hand. -We will let you know if we manage to catch the blackmailer so we can return your money.- she tells us and I nod in agreement with her words.

Natalie: Well, let's go. - She gets up from the stool and takes a few steps back.

Y/n: You're not leaving.- he points at her with his finger. -You're staying for dinner and spending time with your goddaughter.- he says seriously and with an evil smile.

Natalie: Really? - she asks, grumbling like a child.

Y/n: What do you think? - he asks back with his arms crossed and raising an eyebrow.

Shauna: Well, then the two of us are... we're going to go.- she says, pointing towards the archway towards the hallway with her thumb and with a slight tremor in her voice.

Jackie: Can you help them out and while I bathe Tommy?- I ask the only man in the kitchen.

Y/n: Sure.- he nods with a smile, leaving another kiss on my lips and walking with the other two women towards the exit of the house.

Jackie: And you play with your goddaughter for a while, she missed you.- she ordered the brunette with a big smile.

Natalie: Yes, captain.- she mocks with a military salute and walking with me to the garden.

I watch my children for a few seconds, listening to their laughter as they chase each other and feeling a warm feeling all over my body at their happiness.

The unexpected visit and the conversation with the girls made me remember the worst moments of my life. But they also made me realize how lucky I was, because thanks to that accident I found my soulmate and I managed to start a family with him.

A happy family, with its bad times and its good times. With dysfunctional aunts and absent grandparents. But a family like neither of us had growing up with.

We have managed to form a family based on love and the different forms of affection that our parents omitted during our growing up.

In addition, I am now the happiest I have ever been in my entire life, without having to pretend and I feel complete with the presence of my loved ones.

For that very reason, I curse that horrible day when we got on that damm plane, but I bless the moment when I set my gaze on Y/n in the middle of all that madness. 

Because thanks to him, I am alive today at this moment and I can be watching our children run around in our home. It was all part of our destiny.

THE END