Title: An Addict for Dramatics
By: Autumn's Wonderchild AKA SoulessTears AKA Sara AKA me!
Genre: Romance/Drama
Summary: umm… Jesse finds love, that's all really… oh, and some dramatic things happen. Go figure.
Written: approx 27th April 2007 (Original written 3rd July 2005)
Disclaimer: All the character names belong to Viacom with the exception of Leila-Jane who is purely my own. This is a TOTAL re-vamp of my first ever fic, 'Catapults, Confusion and Car wrecks.' I wrote the original when I was 13, and now being 15 (or almost) and because of some of the reviews I received spurring me on, I decided to try and make it better. Hopefully I've succeeded, if not you have my permission to shoot me.
Prologue
Knock, Knock
There was a sound at the door. 'Who could this be?' Mark wondered as he crossed to open it. It was nine o'clock at night and pouring with rain outside. He opened the door and saw a girl standing there under a red umbrella and carrying several bags. Her short brown hair loose and framed her oval shaped face perfectly. She smiled at him with sea-foam eyes, thickly outlined in black eyeliner and mascara. She smiled showing even white teeth beneath glossy pink lips.
"Hey Dad, long time no see huh?' She laughed, here eyes glittering with joy.
"Lei" Mark said, also laughing, he yanked the girl inside and hugged her fiercely.
"Yeah Dad, me… Surprised?" she asked, her freckled face beaming.
"You could say that." Mark replied, grabbing her bags and levering them inside. He grinned slightly upon noticing that her biggest suitcase (a black one of worn and beaten leather,) was almost unrecognizable as it was coated in stickers proclaiming her travels. India, Scotland, France, Germany, you name it; it was more than likely she'd been there.
See Lei, (her real name being Leila-Jane,) was an up-and-coming young star on the west end. For the past five years she had lived in England and studied at the prestigious RADA. Shortly after graduating she'd been offered a part in the London West end version of rent, as Mimi. Many more jobs came and she took them, in between making time for her second love; Travel. All of this had left very little time for visiting family, and for some reason helped develop a very British, upper class accent. But now she was back; back for good as well, Mark secretly hoped.
He led the girl into the bright light of the lounge and she blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the glow of the ceiling lamp. The added light let Mark glance at his daughter properly for the first time. Pale skin covered in orange freckles, gone were the John Lennon style glasses and neon pink braces. Her long hair was now a shade of reddy-brown, and shortened from waist length to falling just below her shoulders in soft waves. She wore an old, faded band t-shirt proclaiming 'Gary Numan: live at Blues Alley!' matched with worn jeans that were peppered with holes and a pair of scuffed, checkered Vans. Classic LJ.
"Steve!" she squealed, leaping on her elder brother where he sat on the armchair and hugging him so hard the life was damn near squeezed out of him.
"LJ, you know I love you," Steve said, going red, "but breathing is being kind of an issue here." He said, with a wink at his dad.
"Oops, sorry. Forget my own strength," she laughed, before turning and embracing Amanda; though not as strongly.
"Hey Mandy" Leila said to her long time friend. "Hey freckles," Amanda said, reverting to LJ long time nickname.
Jesse meanwhile had been forgotten in the entire hubbub and had quietly made himself scarce on the pretence of grabbing the newcomer a chair from the dining room. On his return however, he found her sitting in Steve's vacated chair whilst he perched on the armrest, and Mark took the opportunity to grasp his arm and steer him towards the centre of the room again.
"This is Dr. Jesse Travis, my new resident at the hospital," Mark said indicating Jesse, who shook Leila's hand, "Jess, this is my daughter Leila-Jane."
"Hi, Leila-Jane," Jesse said, looking into her gorgeous eyes and wondering if he would ever be able to speak again.
"Heya," she said brightly back, "Please, can you call me LJ though. Leila-Jane's so long winded. I like things short and snappy, so it really doesn't suit me." she continued nervously. "Oops, sorry I'm babbling again. I do this when I get meet new people. Wouldn't think I was an actress would you? Heh sorry, I'll shut up now.' She said without pausing for breath and blushed, hiding behind her hair as the group laughed.
"So Lei, what made you show up?"
"Well dad, it's a long story. Work finished in New Zealand and my friend Nicole just lost her parents. Made me feel really guilty for practically ignoring you guys for so long." she said blushing again and looking contrite. Jesse decided red suited her.
"But I'm back for good. That is… well… if you'll have me?" she said timidly.
"Honey, I wouldn't have it any other way," Mark grinned and wrapped his arms around his youngest child, glad to just have her back home.
Where she belonged.
TBC