#aisley & jesse

[aisleyxshaw]

[TEXT to Jesse - @angstfactory ]

Make sure you keep iron on you at all times.

[angstfactory]

I'm sorry.

Jesse's jaw clenched, and he hung his head forward again to stare back at the ground than her. As ridiculous as it was, the simple apology did actually soothe some of that ire and discontent. It reminded him, too, that she was just as much a person as he was. Any old person with thoughts and feelings and a moral compass (regardless whatever way it spun).

This helped to alleviate some of that anxiety inside. It was easier, to view her as a person than a witch. A witch came off more threatening. A witch wasn't anything he knew about. Maybe if he did, Jesse could figure some of this stuff out and chill. But right now, he wasn't ready for all of that and he needed to get away, even if only for a chance to clear his head.

Jesse exhaled, looking back up at her. "Yeah," he said, quietly, "so am I." There wasn't anything else to talk about, though. Right then, she wasn't someone he could be around. Jesse figured he probably wasn't her most favorite person either, at the moment. So he turned and kept on.

Sorry would have to do for now.

When he turned to face her, Aisley could admit to herself that she’d been surprised. Somehow, she almost expected him to ignore her. It would have been well within his rights to keep walking and avoid anything to do with Aisley and her world. She felt grateful that he hadn’t; thankful that he’d turned back, but . . .

Now what?

How did she make it right?

Nothing she could say or do would take away from those terrible moments when she lost control of her magic, and nothing would erase his memories of the demon. How did she explain the reality of Raven’s Peak, with its covens and packs and vampires? What comfort or support could she offer as the truth of the Peak forced itself to be seen?

Jesse Cowen was human. He was so very human, and she’d often wondered if that had given him a certain protection against the odd happenings of the Peak. Somehow he’d never blinked as far as she’d seen, and she’d thought he’d understood the dangerous world he’d been living in so blithely, but some of his words and actions at the bar during the festival made her question her assumptions. Finally, she decided she would offer the only thing she could – a simple apology. Then she would have to see what he did next. Would he attack? Walk away? Question her? Accept it? She didn’t know, but she had to make the offer.

Her hands carefully folded in front of her, Aisley met his gaze head on. “I’m sorry.”

[aisleyxshaw]

Location: Deadman Acres For: Jesse @angstfactory

Pain.

Burning pain.

Aisley jolted up in bed, gasping for breath as she fought for the air it would take to scream. Claws seemed to be raking through her body and tearing out her roots. Acid ate at her veins, burned at her throat. Everything ached as if she’d tumbled and dashed against the rocks near the lighthouse. She could feel the dampness on her cheeks as a few tears spilled over and trickled down, but she ignored it for the moment to try and pinpoint the source of the pain. Clearly it wasn’t her. Alone in her bed, the shields of her home still strong and steady against any invasion, she bore no wounds, no marks. So, what had she picked up? It still shuddered along her magic, and if she’d been standing when it hit, she’d have fallen to her knees from the sheer force of it.

Her magic. It had drifted out, beyond her usual control while she slept, and she’d picked up something . . . something beyond her walls.

Outside, then . . . something in the natural world around her had been forcefully and brutally attacked. What could possibly have happened? Throwing back the covers, Aisley jumped out of bed to pull on whatever clothes came to hand. She shoved her feet into a pair of shoes and hurried to the front door, pausing only long enough to open her shields with care. Whatever evil had happened outside would not be permitted into her home.

She barely had time to close her shields again behind her . . . before she spotted the damage done to her garden. Horror struck her as she stared at the dreadful mess left by some kind of vehicle. Her herbs had been crushed or pulled up by the roots somehow.

What could have done this kind of . . . ?

Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes traced the line of damage, following the mess and tracks left by whatever had caused the damage to the junkyard just up the road. Steps stumbling at first, but then getting stronger as she followed the tracks, Aisley could feel the disbelief and anger beginning to swirl together. Surely he wouldn’t have actually done it? Okay, so they didn’t exactly see eye to eye, but to do this??

The dirt and tracks led to a small, junky four-wheeler half-hidden behind the silver travel trailer he called home. Pain, sorrow, disbelief, and anger all burned at her eyes, and she blinked in a vain attempt to clear the tears from her eyes, she stormed up to the trailer and banged on the door. “Cowen! Come out here and explain yourself!”

[aisleyxshaw]

☺

Does irritating Jesse Cowen @angstfactory count? Honestly, he's annoying enough some days that it actually is enough to make me smile. Or a picnic out in the woods with a good book and a light breeze.

[aisleyxshaw]

For: Micah - @a-small-drop-in-a-big-pond Location: Deadman Acres

Aisley walked through the open countryside, her eyes sharp as they scanned the bits of fog clinging to the trees and hedges. Something about that fog had her magic humming and skittering over her nerves. Something about it came from somewhere beyond the natural world even though it worked in harmony with nature.

She’d sent a text to Jesse, still feeling a little niggle of guilt over his injuries, and not wanting her neighbor caught unawares by something beyond mortal ken yet again. It might not be anything dangerous, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry at this point.

Barking interrupted her musing, and she looked up to see a familiar St. Bernard heading her way.

“Hello there, Kevin,” she chuckled, holding out her hand. She could feel her magic trace over him as it checked him. Animals seemed to enjoy the feel of her magic, and Kevin was no different. He gave her his best doggie grin and shook himself before walking a few steps away and then coming back to her. She waited, watching, and sure enough, he did it several times. “Want me to walk you home, hmm?”

He barked at her.

“All right, I know when I’m being called,��� she laughed. “Come along then, let’s get you back to your daddy before he comes looking.”

They ambled along together in a companionable silence, her still pondering and worrying over the recent events in town while Kevin wandered away and then came back as things caught his attention. Eventually she began to recognize Micah Boudreaux’s property. “Well, Kevin, you’re almost home,” she noted. “Should I guess where he’s at or are you going to show me?”

He headed towards the house, so she shrugged and followed along. If she didn't find Micah at home, she had a book in her pocket and could read on the porch until he arrived. "Kevin, stay in sight, won't you? Not much point in me bringing you home if you're going to run off again."

[angstfactory]

"Sounds like a good friend." The way Bianca lit up about her friend and gushed over Mollie so genuinely, brought a small smile to Jesse's lips. It made him like the older woman even more. She so obviously cared about the people in her life, and well... Jesse felt that wasn't as common as folks wanted to believe.

"Trust me," the man said, taking a deep breath as he rubbed a hand over his stubbled chin, "I'm tryin'." Jesse had been at this for so long already though, and as the days wore into weeks, months, then years... It didn't get any easier to keep positive about any of it. "When I first came in, I asked around," as he always did when he got to a new place. "N' recently, my buddy Kai.. think he was tryin' to help me, too. But.." Now, some further embarrassment and a sense of uncomfortableness went through him, as he shifted weight and cleared his throat. This confession, it felt silly to make and who knew what Bianca would think of it? The man wasn't even aware she was a witch, either. That was a bad habit of Jesse's, actually-- it was too easy for him to pretend everyone else was just human and average like himself. "I dunno, I wasn't too comfortable with the idea," he admitted. "Just.. there's some special people in town n' I dunno how to take any of it anymore," he went on, referring to the supernatural. "Like, I know my sister ran off with one of 'em n' my neighbor.." Here, he gestured the way towards Aisley's home. "She caused all of this," now the male looked pointedly at the evidence of all the vines and overgrown vegetation that had taken over his junkyard after she blew up at him-- literally. "N' I ran into her at the festival that night, too.. which, wasn't fun.. N' now I've got a few more bumps n' bruises over me for it.. I know it wasn't her fault," he mumbled these words as he didn't look at Bianca, "but it ain't less scary to know there's folks out here that can just.. do whatever they gonna do to me n' I can't do nothin' about it." Jesse shrugged. "At this point, I dunno if I shouldn't just mind my own business.. the further I get involved with people, the more dangerous this all gets, it seems."

Jesse finally did look back at her. "Yeah, makes sense," he agreed, able to relate to something like that. Just about anyone could, he'd wager. Hell, the other day he had gone off on several of his friends. Kara had gotten the worst of it, actually, and Jesse still felt terrible for the things he'd said. Now, here he was, with her sister right in front of him and she was being so damned nice... Was Bianca even aware of what happened with Kara? Or her brother? Suddenly, Raven's Peak felt a bit smaller than usual. "I don't think anyone that knows you would ever think you'd have a mean bone in your body," he told the woman. Shit, he wasn't about to tell on himself on either of those fronts right now. He was already lucky not to get his ass handed to him over the gnome. "Says a lot that you're out here feelin' as bad as you do, too," he pointed out. "You're a nice lady, Bianca. Maybe it ain't my place to say so but ah, I think you need'a go a lil' easier on yourself."

"Oh she's great! Literally one of the nicest people you could ever meet." Bianca quickly said, always quick to compliment her friends and loved ones. "She did, she knew I would love him. It was a few years ago? I really don't remember, it feels like he's been in our family forever though."

"I'm sure she is. You just have to keep a positive attitude. Have you tried asking anyone here for help? There's a lot of people in town that are good at finding other people." She never had to use those particular skill sets herself but she knew people who did.

Bianca could barely look at him in the eye when she admitted that she was possessed. It was hard for her, still hard for her, and she hated showing just how shook up she was about all of it. "Yeah very much so. I've been trying to apologize to people and I know they get it but that doesn't mean I forgive myself for all of it." Which that was one of the biggest problems, wasn't it? Bianca was beating herself up more than anyone else could have.

[aisleyxshaw]

For: Liam - @vampireliamhernandez Location: Deadman Acres

Seeing movement at Jesse’s place didn’t usually get Aisley’s attention.  He often had customers or friends over, but lately he’d seemed to be trying to just get away from the place.  She grimaced at that little pinch of guilt.  Hopefully she could finish balancing the scales soon, and they could get back to their usual irritating sarcasm.

Granted, she’d prefer to find some kind of détente, a way for them to get along, but if he needed to have some kind of antagonism going on, then so be it.

Still, she knew he wasn’t home right now, and she figured she could go see if it was a friend wanting to check on him.  If it was, she’d send them to town.  If it turned out to be a customer, then she’d advise them on better hours.

Walking over in that direction, her steps faltered and stopped when she spotted the man who’d come to visit Jesse.  Liam Hernandez.

Oh, good goddess, why?

Okay, sure, she would have faced him again sooner or later, but now?

This is when she might wish she couldn’t remember the night of the festival like some of the survivors. It would be a lot better than remembering the demon using her body to initiate one hell of a kiss.

Aisley wouldn’t have admitted to anyone how long it had been since she’d been in a relationship, and she wasn’t the type for one-night stands.  But the demon who’d taken over her body during the festival had absolutely no qualms about playing games and seeing if it could seduce him. They’d been interrupted before it had been able to go beyond a couple of kisses, but . . .

Damn, the man could kiss.

She needed a vacation. Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, Aisley walked over to greet him.  “Liam,” she called out, hoping she wasn’t blushing. “Jesse’s not home.”

[angstfactory]

FOR: OPEN

Since the weekend of the festival, Jesse was on the fast track out of there. The man already put the junkyard and its plot up for sale with a realty company in town-- he didn't care when it got sold, or for how much, they were given free reign to do whatever deal they felt was appropriate at this point. Just call him when the papers needed to get signed.

Packing wasn't an issue. He'd never unpacked, even a year out from when he first stepped foot in this godforsaken place. The guy already kept everything he owned -- which wasn't much -- in a couple of duffle bags and those were in the shitty travel trailer, which would obviously be coming with him.

No, his problem was the truck. Aisley's burst of magic a couple weeks ago had sent vines and weeds all throughout the junky property. Which included his truck, the one thing he relied on. At first, Jesse hadn't been too concerned about it. He figured-- bummer, but hey, he had time to figure out its issues and get it fixed, there was no rush. He might as well fix up the mint green 1960s truck while he was at it, like he'd always planned to, and make a real decent piece out of it. Then fucking demons came around and everything changed. Now, he was in a rush. Now, he wanted to go. And the truck's engine looked to be completely shot to hell.

"Fuckin'.. stupid.. shit.." Each curse was punctuated with a vicious yank-- he'd been working to remove the vegetation under the hood for a good half hour already, and it just seemed never-ending. As he grabbed one section that actually had roses growing out of it and tugged on it, thorns pierced through his grip painfully.

"FUCK!" Jesse screamed at the truck, at the vines, the thorny rose bush. It didn't matter that his hands bled, his back hurt, or that he hadn't gotten a restful night since. The man's frustrations and fear flared up into this emotional moment that saw him grab the nearby tire iron and viciously start beating any part of the truck that got in his way. He didn't care if that was counter-productive. He just need to break something.

[aisleyxshaw]

Still shaky and vulnerable after her release from the hospital, Aisley tried to get her shopping done as fast as she could. She wanted to get home, away from the crowds of locals and tourists present to celebrate the summer festival. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been released until late afternoon, so she’d be stuck until after sunset. She would never escape the chaos.

A shiver ran through Aisley, and she paused, her eyes going wide as she made a slow turn to try and pinpoint what set off her senses. Something cold and dark and . . . unnatural seemed to be circling around town. Then came a flicker at the corner of her eye and she spun but found nothing there.

Then she felt a soft touch on her arm – soft, cold, and . . . oily. She went to pull away but suddenly found herself enveloped in smoke, the very touch a burning cold that poured into her, drowning any scream she might have made. Although she tried to fight it, block it, her shields and control had been damaged by the magical explosion at Jesse’s place. The damage – not having enough time to heal as yet – made her vulnerable to the unnatural creature flooding her mind.

No!

The creature inside her stretched, reveling in the feel of skin, bone, and muscle as it moved. “Such a lovely, lovely form,” her voice murmured. Aisley shoved at it, but only seemed to nudge it, and its laugh had a cold note of amusement. “Well, little toy, aren’t you the strong one? I can’t put you to sleep and you can’t force me out. Though . . .” It held up her hand and smiled as little sparks of green flickered over her fingers. “A green witch, and such a deep connection to nature. You should be able to fight me, little toy. What weakened you so?”

She felt it starting to comb through her memories, and panic gave her enough strength to push it away, feeling her eyes change, before slamming the door shut. No, you won’t use my mind against me! Or against them!

Again that cold laugh. “Oh, little toy. You should have gone to sleep, but I suppose it will be amusing to let you watch.” Her hands lifted again, and it used them to feel her skin – running her own hands along her arms and shoulders, down over her breasts to her waist and hips before another long stretch. “I believe we need another outfit, little toy, but then we’ll go see what fun we can find, hmm? You might actually regain enough strength to fight me before sunrise, and I want to enjoy myself first.” It gave a soft, wicked laugh. “Who knows, little toy, perhaps you might like it?”

Her insistent Never! simply got a mocking laugh even though she could feel her eyes change again.

It took advantage of the screaming and the fear to simply steal the dress of its choice and stripped down in the alley to change clothes. Aisley would have blushed if she’d still been in control. The demon didn’t care. “Much more comfortable,” it decided with an approving nod. While the dress wouldn’t have been Aisley’s first choice, the demon certainly seemed to approve of the fluidity and sense of movement. Plus, the draped elements gave it a sculptural and elegant look. “See, little toy, this is the kind of thing you should be wearing. You certainly have the figure and height for it.” With a slanted neckline, single shoulder, ruched detailing, and asymmetrical hemline, it showed off more skin than Aisley preferred – at least in town.

“Now, let’s go find some chaos, shall we, little toy?”

It didn’t take long to find a place to its liking, and Aisley could only bite back a mental groan as she realized where they were headed. She tried again to shake it loose, to break free, only to be slapped back.

“Not until I’ve had a little fun!”

The snarl hurt, and Aisley could only curl in and continue to nurture the small fire of her magic against a chance to break free when the demon within got distracted from keeping her locked away. If she watched for her moments, the fighting kept causing her eyes to change and that would hopefully give warning to whoever the demon might be playing with.

Strolling into Jukebox Junction, the creature using her body as its current costume smiled at the chaos breaking loose around them. It sidestepped a set of fighting patrons and wandered behind the bar to grab a bottle. “Whiskey,” it smiled. “Excellent idea.” Pulling itself up on the bar, it stretched out her bare legs and crossed them at the ankle. Then it took off the lid and took a long pull from the bottle before deciding to watch the show as people fought and broke anything they could lift.

Someone came running in and Aisley could only watch as the demon turned towards them with a beguiling smile. “Hello, love, come to watch the show?” it asked, leaning back against the wall.

[angstfactory]

"Well lemme tell you something, k?" Jesse said this as he shuffled in closer to her, his face looming in close to hers as his eyes went a bit wider and turned serious. "All that you just said? Lies," he claimed again, mimicking with his hands as if a bomb exploded, "'cause, you remember that thing which happened, mm? Mmmmm? Where ya damn near blew me up!? Twice!" His finger came up to point at her, nearly poking the tip of it. "Granted, that second time.. that wasn't really you you, but like.. still! I've seen some uncivilizedishness."

The male leaned his hip in against the table, to keep himself upright and the ground from meeting his face again. "Human is.. human. I dunno.. just.. someone like me," he muttered, gesturing at himself and looking miserable. "Average.. no powers.. no crazy strength.. no shape-shifting.. not undead." If there was anything else to humanness, Jesse wasn't sure.

"Not uh," his mouth parted and brows sank together in a pathetic look. "I can handle my liquor," the bold claim was made as he leaned to the other side and had to course correct himself before he lost balance entirely. Did Jesse drink too much? Perhaps. But never this much. The last time he got like this, he ended up getting hitched to that poor girl Ria and they were still dealing with the ramifications of it. "C'mon, Ais," he said, reaching to hold her hands and swing their arms back and forth, "one more? You owe me after tryin'a kill me a couple times."

This time, Aisley did roll her eyes at him. “Number one, we don’t go throwing our power around willy-nilly. It’s wasteful and rude. Number two, we are actually civilized beings, not wild animals.” Her brow flicked up. “Define average?” she challenged before giving a soft laugh. “For that matter, define human?”

She held herself steady, allowing him to find his balance, though she did lean back a bit as his breath hit her. “Goddess bless, Jesse, you are drunk as a skunk,” she corrected, trying to correct his lean. “And one more drink will probably cause you to pass out entirely.” She shook her head and did her best to steer him towards a seat. “I recommend avoiding cigarettes until you dry out or you’ll set the place on fire again. It wouldn't do you any good either."

[aisleyxshaw]

The demon wrenched control back and Aisley felt herself locked behind a glass wall as it rose to its feet and turned to face the now yelling man. He stood there, furious and challenging . . . and, unless she missed her guess on the shadows in his eyes, more than a little scared. But despite that fear, he stood there taunting the demon. She wanted to sigh, weep, and scream all at the same time.

Did Jesse Cowen not possess a single drop of self-preservation in his entire body?

Why would the stubborn man not just run?

“Between you and the little witch, I’m very irritated,” it finally sighed. “One night of chaos, blood, death, and destruction . . . is that too much to ask? First, I’ve got the witch fighting me at every step and now I have you being so very . . . human.” The word drawled out of her mouth with all the scorn the demon could instill. She felt one of her eyebrows flick up. “You and the witch have too much in common, annoying human, and I’m not in the mood to deal with both you.”

If she had the physical capability right this moment, she’d have scoffed. What, in the name of all that was holy and good, did she have in common with Jesse?

“So very stubborn,” it continued, “and yet so very determined to save people. The little witch has been trying to save people from me all night, and even now she’s fighting me to give you a chance to run. You’re trying to taunt me, trap me, and save the witch.” It shook her head. “All I wanted to do was play a game or two.” Aisley felt her smile turn wicked. “They could have been such enjoyable games.”

The images that ran through the demon’s mind also flashed through hers, and Aisley felt sick.

“Instead, I’m stuck with you two trying to save each other.” It yawned. “So very stupidly noble . . . and so very, very boring.”

“Still, I guess I can get one more bit of fun out of you,” it decided after another moment. “The green witch isn’t exactly what I’d call the most powerful I’ve seen in this depressing little town, but she’s got a few talents. And right this moment, they’re all mine to play with.” Amusement all but glittered in the demon’s smile as it held up one of her hands. “All of that lovely flammable liquid around you,” it chuckled, “and even the weakest of witches can light a fire.” Her lips curved in a taunting smile.

“Tell me, human, how prettily can you scream?”

It snapped her fingers, and fire sparked at both ends of the bar.

He'd almost forgotten... Wasn't he supposed to be protected right now? That one fucking guy-- Luka, whatever-- had gone on and on about how important it was to draw pictures on each other and the floor, and throw salt all over the place. Jesse rolled onto his side gingerly, still struggling to catch his breath from the fall and get over the gnarly feel of liquid soaking into his clothes and all the uncomfortable debris underneath him. He yanked the cuff of his jacket sleeve back, seeing that the symbol Luka had markered onto his skin had become smudged.

"Figures," Jesse's head dropped back, ready to just give up right then and there. What the hell did any of it matter, anyway? He could disappear entirely and it wouldn't make any difference. There were like what, three, maybe four, people in this town that would even notice in the first place and they would get over it quickly, too. Avery, Willow, Kai, Liam-- they were all thick-skinned, tough people, and they all had others that would step in place. They would be fine. They were fine before him, they'd be fine after him.

Jerky movements in his peripheral brought on his attention, only to find that Aisley seemed to be fighting with herself -- physically. Pulling at her own hair, doing that wordless scream she'd done just before she damn near blew him up the other week.

Her distraction was enough to have Jesse stop feeling sorry for himself and know that, if he didn't do something, then this was all going to end badly. For the both of them. Things felt way more serious than when he first came upon the woman and now, his mind felt like it was going a mile a minute. Gotta do something.. Gotta.. As Jesse looked around himself wildly, trying to come up with anything as quickly as he could until he spotted -- oh, holy shit, yes! -- salt. It was the salt they used for some of the drinks, like margaritas.

He flinched when Aisley started screaming. Jesse army crawled through wet and dangerous material across the floor, disappearing further behind the counter. He picked up the shaker, an ear open to whatever was going on with the woman as he tried to think back to what Luka had hastily shown him. Christ.. he wasn't sure.. was this right? The guy claimed it was a trap of some kind but.. it was just salt. Salt and some weird symbol he wasn't even sure the meaning of. And somehow, she was supposed to get in it. Then she couldn't leave it? Right? Hell if he knew if any of that was real, but at this point, Jesse would have thrown teddy bears if he had to.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he made a couple last minute hasty corrections to the trap made from salt. That looked similar to what Luka had done earlier, but who knew if it was right or not. Only way to know was to get her over there and see. He carefully arranged some debris over the area, covering the view of it as much as possible so it didn't look so open and obvious there was a salted symbol on the ground. Jesse then used the bar to pull himself back to his feet, clothes and glass sticking to his person all over the place.

"Hey," Jesse grunted, resting in against the bar counter as he glared over at Aisley. "You gotta try a lot harder to get rid of me," the man spat, taunting the demon and hoping she come behind the bar and step foot in it. "Is that all you got, huh?" He struggled to keep himself on two feet. "I thought demons were supposed to be all big n' bad things.. but you're fuckin' pussies," Jesse backed up from the trap on the floor. "Can't even take out a measly human like me... fuckin' pathetic.. Why don't you just go straight back to hell where you belong, huh? Before I really fuck you up!"

Ah shit. He hoped this worked. Because the man had no backup plan other than the broken baseball bat he picked back up-- not that it'd be useful here. Inside, he was terrified. He didn't want to die for this damn woman.

[angstfactory]

There was a small person, completely missed by him, until they were all face-to-face, that's how bad this fog played tricks. But even then, Jesse's eyes were locked on the mother, wide and upset. Because this had to be some kind of trick... Aisley had said something about fairies coming out in this crap..

Her hair was a bit different, but it was her. Just older, more mature. Right on down to the voice.

If this was some trick, why would there be changes? Wouldn't they pull her from memory somehow? An exact copy of young Talia, same as the day she left? None of it made any sense.

Fuck.

Jesse, too, looked down at the child hugging onto her legs. Barely comprehending the short exchange past the word 'mama' that got mumbled a couple of times-- he hadn't even noticed her name yet, honestly. The blood was all rushing straight to his head, where things pounded heavily and made the world spin a bit.

Jesse, it's really me.

He dropped like a sack of potatoes. Jesse hit the concrete, ungracefully. Was the man normally a fainter? No, not at all. But this was an extreme circumstance that came after other extremes, each one slowly building in on itself until this crescendo of a moment. It was like his body wasn't able to handle another shock and just shut itself off to reboot.

It had been a wonderful busy day at the ice cream parlor, and Talia almost buzzed with the excitement of it. She’d begun to build up a loyal clientele, people she knew by name and knew about some of their family and history. It seemed like she had begun to really set down some roots, making a place for her and Jessi to build a real home.

Now, she fought to lock up the parlor so she could run by the store before coming home to handle the evening chores. It would be a lot better if she’d gotten close enough to someone to have a babysitter for her daughter, but she still didn’t have that much trust in anyone as yet. Oh, she didn’t mind some folks being around Jessi. Especially Amelia and James - and she hoped to add more. But to leave Jessi alone with someone? She was still working up to that.

“Okay, sweetheart,” Talia smiled down at Jessi. “We’re just running in and out, right? It’s almost bedtime, and we’ve got plans tomorrow.”

“The library!” Jessi cheered.

“That’s right,” she laughed. “The library.”

With that agreement, they turned away from the parlor and headed down the street. If they had a little luck on their side, they would be back in less than thirty minutes. She almost laughed as she glanced down at her daughter. Maybe if she had a little luck . . .

Hey, lady, you dropped this.

That voice.

Talia’s heart almost stopped at that voice, and she hesitated to turn around. It terrified her – as if by turning around, it would prove to be a mirage, a false hope after all the dead ends. But she had to look. She had too . . . what if it was Jesse? Could it be? Keeping hold of her little girl’s hand, Talia turned a little slow, her breath caught in her throat as a small prayer ran through her mind.

And there he stood.

“Jesse.”

At that, her little girl looked up; Talia could feel it without looking. Then Jessi leaned against her legs, and she released her hand to wrap and arm around her daughter’s shoulders as she could only stare for a long moment.

At her little brother.

Her long-lost little brother.

Standing in front of her as if he’d materialized out of the fog.

Talia swayed a bit, not certain if she could keep her balance, but then his face darkened with defensive disbelief, and his words came out with that familiar grit and determination. She blinked back the sudden tears that suddenly filled her eyes. But even as she opened her mouth to say something . . . anything . . . Her daughter beat her to it.

“Fuck.”

The word came out, clear and high in Jessi’s little voice, dragging Talia out of her fog. “Jessica Lynn Cowen,” she scolded, pausing to clear her throat. “Language, young lady.”

“But Mama,” Jessi began.

“No, no ‘but Mama’.” She shook her head. “You know not to repeat that kind of language. Now, be Mama’s good girl and hand me my pocketbook?” As Jessi bent down to pick it up, Talia turned her attention back to her brother.

With the spell broken, she could see the pain there. Talia’s free hand came up as if to reach out, but she froze in the same moment. Would he accept her touch? She’d vanished on him in the middle of the night. Did he think she’d abandoned him? God, but she hoped he remembered her better than that. Her lips trembling, she blinked back the renewed glaze of tears and tried to speak. It required her to clear her throat a time or two.

“Jesse . . . I . . .” She took a deep breath. “Jesse, it’s really me.”

[aisleyxshaw]

When he turned to face her, Aisley could admit to herself that she’d been surprised. Somehow, she almost expected him to ignore her. It would have been well within his rights to keep walking and avoid anything to do with Aisley and her world. She felt grateful that he hadn’t; thankful that he’d turned back, but . . .

Now what?

How did she make it right?

Nothing she could say or do would take away from those terrible moments when she lost control of her magic, and nothing would erase his memories of the demon. How did she explain the reality of Raven’s Peak, with its covens and packs and vampires? What comfort or support could she offer as the truth of the Peak forced itself to be seen?

Jesse Cowen was human. He was so very human, and she’d often wondered if that had given him a certain protection against the odd happenings of the Peak. Somehow he’d never blinked as far as she’d seen, and she’d thought he’d understood the dangerous world he’d been living in so blithely, but some of his words and actions at the bar during the festival made her question her assumptions. Finally, she decided she would offer the only thing she could – a simple apology. Then she would have to see what he did next. Would he attack? Walk away? Question her? Accept it? She didn’t know, but she had to make the offer.

Her hands carefully folded in front of her, Aisley met his gaze head on. “I’m sorry.”

He was ready to be done with this place. Honestly, it was long overdue. Raven's Peak had been the longest time he stayed somewhere since beginning his search for Talia. Jesse couldn't recount how many cities and towns he passed through, maybe three or four months at a time over the last fifteen years or so.. Ravens was meant to be the same, too. And yet, somehow, the guy had dropped an anchor and started forming connections.. Attachments, even.

He should have never done that. He should have kept looking, not sitting there, waiting. Like Talia would just stroll through the damn door one day.

Lately, though, Jesse struggled to have the same hope and faith he would be able to find her. The demons had allowed those bad thoughts, the ones buried deep down that he tried to ignore and pretend didn't exist, to come straight up to the surface. They made him wonder if he had been wasting his time all these years, looking for someone already gone. And that wasn't anything the man ever wanted to let himself entertain before. No way in hell! But now? The guilt wore on him, because it was like he somehow let it all happen. If she was gone... It was because he should have looked harder.

Jesse, wait. Please.

Jesse sighed as he paused, hanging his head forward briefly as he considered just flat out ignoring the witch. He ought to. It was better for the both of him that he did, because they couldn't seem to get along. Before, their feuding had been so much more innocent and childish. Now, not so much. In spite of his better judgmental -- cause when did he ever really follow that??? -- Jesse turned around to face her. He stayed where he was, though. A good, safe distance away but close enough they were able to hear each other. "Yeah?" The question came out warily, more than antagonistic.

[angstfactory]

He was ready to be done with this place. Honestly, it was long overdue. Raven's Peak had been the longest time he stayed somewhere since beginning his search for Talia. Jesse couldn't recount how many cities and towns he passed through, maybe three or four months at a time over the last fifteen years or so.. Ravens was meant to be the same, too. And yet, somehow, the guy had dropped an anchor and started forming connections.. Attachments, even.

He should have never done that. He should have kept looking, not sitting there, waiting. Like Talia would just stroll through the damn door one day.

Lately, though, Jesse struggled to have the same hope and faith he would be able to find her. The demons had allowed those bad thoughts, the ones buried deep down that he tried to ignore and pretend didn't exist, to come straight up to the surface. They made him wonder if he had been wasting his time all these years, looking for someone already gone. And that wasn't anything the man ever wanted to let himself entertain before. No way in hell! But now? The guilt wore on him, because it was like he somehow let it all happen. If she was gone... It was because he should have looked harder.

Jesse, wait. Please.

Jesse sighed as he paused, hanging his head forward briefly as he considered just flat out ignoring the witch. He ought to. It was better for the both of him that he did, because they couldn't seem to get along. Before, their feuding had been so much more innocent and childish. Now, not so much. In spite of his better judgmental -- cause when did he ever really follow that??? -- Jesse turned around to face her. He stayed where he was, though. A good, safe distance away but close enough they were able to hear each other. "Yeah?" The question came out warily, more than antagonistic.

For a long moment, Aisley simply remained still, watching him with both physical and magical sight. Every living being connected to nature in some way – they took, transformed, and returned energy to the very interconnected web of life. Reading the connections could tell her a great deal about people, thus the reason she preferred meeting people outdoors, in nature. It gave her extra insights . . . sometimes. People like Jessie always seemed contrary to the world, and yet they fit into the cycle of nature as well. However, their connection to chaos could throw her off.

Not to mention give her a headache.

She felt a great temptation to go back to her work, trying to put things back to rights, regardless of his input. It would need to be done, whether either of them liked it or not. However, he’d also been thrown into a world that he could barely comprehend. And he didn’t have much of an ability to fight it.

And he was hurt.

That came across to her magical sight like a neon light cutting through the darkness.

Sighing, she rose and followed him, her bare feet not making much noise on the grass. Even when she reached the property line, she didn’t worry about it too much. Her attention had been focused on the larger plants and vines, so enough greenery remained to cushion the scrapyard.

Her only question . . . what the hell could she say?

But she had to try. Whether or not he answered . . . well, that would be up to him.

“Jesse, wait. Please."

[aisleyxshaw]

For a long moment, Aisley simply remained still, watching him with both physical and magical sight. Every living being connected to nature in some way – they took, transformed, and returned energy to the very interconnected web of life. Reading the connections could tell her a great deal about people, thus the reason she preferred meeting people outdoors, in nature. It gave her extra insights . . . sometimes. People like Jessie always seemed contrary to the world, and yet they fit into the cycle of nature as well. However, their connection to chaos could throw her off.

Not to mention give her a headache.

She felt a great temptation to go back to her work, trying to put things back to rights, regardless of his input. It would need to be done, whether either of them liked it or not. However, he’d also been thrown into a world that he could barely comprehend. And he didn’t have much of an ability to fight it.

And he was hurt.

That came across to her magical sight like a neon light cutting through the darkness.

Sighing, she rose and followed him, her bare feet not making much noise on the grass. Even when she reached the property line, she didn’t worry about it too much. Her attention had been focused on the larger plants and vines, so enough greenery remained to cushion the scrapyard.

Her only question . . . what the hell could she say?

But she had to try. Whether or not he answered . . . well, that would be up to him.

“Jesse, wait. Please."

"Hmm, nothing, you heard me," Jesse spoke up louder again, as that heavy frown across his features persisted. "I don't need your help," the male told her again regardless, firmly. "I don't want it. You've already fuckin' done enough."

Now, Jesse wasn't an idiot. It wasn't entirely fair to lay blame on Aisley for much of what's happened. Especially not when she wasn't in her right mind for at least half of it. But that didn't matter to him. What was her excuse the weeks before that, then? When she damn near blew him apart? She could have, if she'd wanted to. He had little doubt in that. And that was the problem.

"Do me a favor, and just leave me alone, alright? You'll have the whole fuckin' property to take over n' do whatever the hell you want with here, soon enough. You got what you wanted -- I'll be outta your hair n' you'll get another fuckin' neighbor to menace." Jesse gave her a mocking two-fingered salute, as he stalked back towards his trailer, doing his best to hide a faint limp caused from being flung into a whole mirrored shelf wall of liquor and subsequent explosion that damn near took out a corner of Jukebox Junction. His whole body was still store and bruised up, especially the small of his back where he'd only barely recovered from a creature attack not three months prior to all this bullshit. And losing his shit to beat the crap out of his truck didn't exactly help these injuries any.

None of that mattered, though. He'd heal over, in time. All he cared about, was getting out of Raven's Peak and away from these people that could squash him like a bug.

[angstfactory]

"Hmm, nothing, you heard me," Jesse spoke up louder again, as that heavy frown across his features persisted. "I don't need your help," the male told her again regardless, firmly. "I don't want it. You've already fuckin' done enough."

Now, Jesse wasn't an idiot. It wasn't entirely fair to lay blame on Aisley for much of what's happened. Especially not when she wasn't in her right mind for at least half of it. But that didn't matter to him. What was her excuse the weeks before that, then? When she damn near blew him apart? She could have, if she'd wanted to. He had little doubt in that. And that was the problem.

"Do me a favor, and just leave me alone, alright? You'll have the whole fuckin' property to take over n' do whatever the hell you want with here, soon enough. You got what you wanted -- I'll be outta your hair n' you'll get another fuckin' neighbor to menace." Jesse gave her a mocking two-fingered salute, as he stalked back towards his trailer, doing his best to hide a faint limp caused from being flung into a whole mirrored shelf wall of liquor and subsequent explosion that damn near took out a corner of Jukebox Junction. His whole body was still store and bruised up, especially the small of his back where he'd only barely recovered from a creature attack not three months prior to all this bullshit. And losing his shit to beat the crap out of his truck didn't exactly help these injuries any.

None of that mattered, though. He'd heal over, in time. All he cared about, was getting out of Raven's Peak and away from these people that could squash him like a bug.

Did she hear something?

It was difficult to hear over the grumbling of the plants she pulled back to their rightful spot. They’d created dissonance in the natural song and didn’t exactly feel happy about being pulled back into their rightful place in the music. If she compared nature to a great symphony, then the out of control growth at the salvage yard sounded like a marching band – and one that wasn’t in harmony with itself, let alone the music of the world around it.

KNOCK IT OFF!

Okay, that time she definitely heard something, and honestly, she felt a great temptation to ignore Jesse’s shout. If it had only been anger, she might have kept on going, trusting in her protections to keep him out of trouble. It didn’t hurt that he’d proven to have a strong moral core in there under all the abrasive surfaces. She didn’t fear he would hurt her and could have kept going. His chaos had its own place in the circle of life, and she would have to figure out how to deal with it and him.

However, she couldn’t ignore the fear in his voice. She’d been the one to lose control of her magic, which no doubt led to that very terror.

In response to that fear, to the need to settle it, she began to pull herself back from the music, drawing her magic out of the earth. No doubt she had a hint of a green glow around her hands and winding up her arm like vines, but that was beyond her control. It took several long minutes before she blinked open hazy eyes to look in his direction. “Hmm?” she hummed, trying to focus. “Jesse?”