A/N: Hullo! Glad you have decided to read this little fluff-ball I wrote. I hope you enjoy! If ya do, be sure to leave me a comment telling me all 'bout it. :)

Big Lightning Bugs

BAABOOM!

"Ah!" cried Jade as she bolted upright in bed. She scanned the room in agitation, but found nothing wrong. Everything was where it was supposed to be, strewn messily around her room. She rubbed her sleep-filled eyes with the back of her hand and glanced groggily over at her alarm clock. It read 1:24 A.M. Confused, Jade again looked around for anything that might have woke her up.

BAAABOOOM!

A flash of lightning, followed by a deafening crack of thunder, shook the shop to its very foundations, sending Jade scurrying under her thick comforter. She lay there for a moment, terrified. The sound of heavy rainfall filtered through her blanket, and she guessed that it was going to be raining for a long time. She lay still under her blanket, paralyzed by fear.

"Jade?" called a voice. Jade jumped and yelped involuntarily. She timidly pulled down her covers just enough for her gold-brown eyes to peer at her door. In the darkness, a human-shaped blob of black filled her doorway.

Jackie.

Jade let out a small sigh of relief as her uncle walked into her room. He moved over to her bed and crouched down next to her. Although Jade could not see his face in the dark, she knew he was gazing in her general direction with concern. She could even picture his face; brows knitted, dark eyes sparkling, mouth turned down in a frown.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, "I heard you shout." His familiar voice was comforting.

"Uh…yeah," Jade replied, trying to sound casual, "storm just woke me. That's all."

She heard Jackie sigh.

"Ok, if you're all right." He said, beginning to stand. Jade impulsively reached out and grabbed some part of him she could reach. She ended up gripping his arm.

"You don't... have to leave," she said, hating the small tremor of fear in her voice, "If you don't want to."

Jackie paused, then he eased back down into a crouch. Jade felt inwardly relieved, but she didn't dare say so. Lightning flashed again and the wind howled outside. Jade flinched and tightened her grip on Jackie's arm.

"It's okay to be afraid Jade." He said suddenly, quietly. Jade huffed indignantly.

"Tch, who said I was afraid?"

She could practically hear Jackie smile and it bothered her, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. Jackie stood up.

"Come with me," he said suddenly, "Bring your blanket."

He held her hand gently as he led her out of her room and started down the hallway toward the attic.

They passed Torhu's room and then Uncle's room, from which a wheezing snore erupted every few seconds. Jackie's steps shuffled quietly, confident. He walked up the stairs into the attic.

"Where are we going?" whispered Jade curiously. Jackie didn't answer. He just walked through the attic and stepped up to the short staircase the led out onto the roof. He sat down cross-legged and settled Jade next to him on the steps. She looked up at him as he reached out and pushed the door open.

Jade gasped and pulled her blanket tightly around her. She was amazed at the fury of the storm outside.

Brilliant streaks of lightning forked out across the night sky. Thunder followed after the flashes of light, its booming roar carried by a blustery gale. Rain came down in torrents, soaking the roof. Luckily, the wind wasn't coming at the door, so the pair were spared from being drenched. Jade felt as if she were utterly exposed.

But then Jackie put an arm around her shoulders. The storm suddenly lost bite as Jade laid her head against his side. She smelled wet cement and the detergent of Jackie's shirt.

"When I was young," Jackie said suddenly, "I was afraid of storms too." He didn't talk very loud, but his words vibrated through his body. Jade felt his voice as much as she heard him. She looked up at him, unbelieving.

"You?" she asked. His features were briefly illuminated, enough to see the faint smile playing on his lips.

"Yep." He replied, "But one day Unlce took me outside during a storm. He told me stories, about how lightning was actually giant lightning bugs," he paused in reflection, "That is one of my fondest memories."

Jade stared out into the storm for a moment, the cool breeze ruffling her hair.

"What about the thunder?" Jade asked, surprising herself with a smile. The whole conversation was rather childish, but she found she was enjoying it.

Jackie laughed quietly and ran a hand over her hair.

"He told me that thunder was a giant child trying to catch the lightning bugs. The thunder was the clap of the child's hands when he missed."

He clapped his own hands together for example and Jade laughed out loud. She snuggled down deeper into her covers. The pair fell silent, watching as the rain grew lighter. Jade's eyes grew heavy and she sleepily looked up at Jackie, his figure outlined every few seconds in a brilliant flash of lightning.

"You know, Uncle Jackie, I'm really glad I got to come and spend the summer with you and Uncle and Torhu. It's been...really...fun..."

Jade's words faded away as she drifted off to sleep. Jackie smiled and looked out the door.

Memories played in his mind, filling him with a warm nostalgic feeling that settled comfortably in his core. He looked down at Jade. She was so different from himself: brash, bold, stubborn. She could be difficult to handle. He'd found that out the hard way over the summers. However, he couldn't deny that although she could be a handful, she was also brave, loyal, resourceful, and imaginative. Many situations he had found himself in would have ended badly had it not been for Jade. Granted, he probably wouldn't have been in those situations in the first place if it weren't for Jade, but...

"I'm glad too." He said quietly.

Jackie watched the storm for a long time before he laid his head back against the wall, letting his heavy eyelids fall gently closed as he too fell off to sleep.