#I wanted to add more Martina and SQ but this was already so long

[sophieswundergarten]

Things I think about Jackson and Jillson

After they get away from Curtain, I definitely agree that they would live with SQ and Martina in Stonetown.

Jillson gets a job at a bookstore, and she learns that she just loves reading. There weren't a lot of books at the Institute, but SQ's apartment is right next to a bookstore that the Benedict humans frequent, so he's friends with the staff and vouches for Jillson.

Her favourite thing to read is poetry, and she spends all her breaks reading through whatever she can get her hands on. The owners are really nice, and let her borrow whatever books she wants since she's so incredibly careful with them. A couple of times she even tried writing her own poetry, but she keeps it a little secret journal and doesn't let anyone see it. (Except SQ one time and he said it was really good but she felt horribly self-conscious and they never spoke of it again)

Jackson starts working at a pet store, through a similar relationship SQ has with the owners. At first, he is extremely hesitant and only does menial work like restocking and sweeping. But one day one of the puppies escapes and Jackson happens to be nearby. It runs right at him, and even though it scares him a little he catches it, and when the person in charge gets over there, the puppy is totally calm.

They put him in for a trial period, and after a couple days he gets over his fear and does great. He's much happier working with the animals, and he gets to be one of the head dog trainers. All of the critters love him, and he gets a pet snake at some point, since they can't have dogs in the apartment building. (It's a little corn snake and he names him Jason and he loves him)

One day Mr. Benedict and some of the others come to the bookstore, and Jillson freaks out. She hasn't spoken to them since Curtain, and they'd begged SQ not to tell the Benedicts about them staying with him, so she isn't sure how to react. She isn't even paying attention initially, because she's reading, but when they all come up to the cash register she looks up and freezes. In the end, she just does her job without making eye contact or speaking if she can help it.

Mr. B and the kids try to make her comfortable, though Constance almost asks point-blank what she's doing there, but Reynie shushes her. Jillson comes home that day utterly mortified and locks herself in the bathroom to hyperventilate over the situation. Jackson eventually gets her to come out, and they talk through it.

Jillson feels like they probably hate her, and while she knows better now, neither of them were especially kind to the kids while they were at the Institute. Jackson also regrets his decisions, but right then he's more concerned about Jillson, who has decided she's going to quit her job and never leave the apartment again.

However, once Jackson's mostly got her calmed down, there's a knock at the door. The bookstore owners had been talking about how much help Jillson was, and how excited she got when they let her borrow books, so the kids wanted to bring some of their own for her to look at.

SQ lets them in, and of course J&J are terribly nervous, and Jackson tries to cover it by acting super polite and distracting them from Jillson, who has gotten very quiet, but Sticky and Constance go over and start talking to her about her favourite poets, and once SQ tells them that Jackson is working at the pet shop Reynie and Kate have a lot of questions for him about that.

So the two of them relax, and Mr. Benedict invites them over for dinner, and though they're reluctant, SQ and Martina do a lot of cajoling (Since they're way more comfortable with the Benedicts at this point), and they all go. At the end of the night, both them have apologised to each person at least twice, and they thank Mr. Benedict profusely for being so kind to them.

He, of course, is very gracious and tells them they're welcome any time.

A few days later, the two of them show up with (Slightly burnt) cookies and a full apology speech. It takes them a while to understand that they don't have to work for forgiveness, but Martina and SQ help, and they all end up happier for it