A/N: Hi, everyone. This is my first dive into the JCA fandom. As much as I enjoy the show, I have to admit that this story departs from the show's lighthearted nature. Hopefully I've done the characters justice all the same, but I'll let you be the judge. And as always, thank you for reading!

The First Step

Chapter 1: Adjustments

Nearly two months had passed since Tohru's retirement from the criminal life. Two months since Shendu was defeated, and two months since Jade Chan remained in Hong Kong with her parents. Things had quieted since then. Demons and magic talismans were no longer part of his life, and for that he was extremely grateful. He was also grateful—actually indebted—to the man who had pulled strings to keep him out of prison, Captain Augustus Black.

Tohru remembered the day he walked into Uncle's Rare Finds and handed himself into custody. He had joked about joining Section Thirteen, the national security agency under Black's command, but that was merely to lighten the mood. Even if his assistance prevented the apocalypse, he himself had helped initiate it. That combined with the numerous crimes he had committed while working for the Dark Hand, even before Valmont found that accursed statue, dismantled any lingering hopes for his own happily-ever-after. But Captain Black took pity on Tohru, and in return for helping him and the Chans, he offered Tohru a favor of his own.

Now, instead of doing time, possibly for life, Tohru was under temporary probation, monitored by Section Thirteen until he was deemed no longer a threat to society. Every day tending the shop and serving tea to Jackie Chan's uncle (who apparently went by "Uncle" no matter whom he was talking to) reminded him how lucky he was and how different things might have been if not for the kindness of his former enemies. Adapting would take time, of course. Whenever Jackie Chan was visiting Uncle's store, usually bringing a newly discovered artifact, he treated Tohru kindly and attempted at small talk, despite his obvious discomfort. Jackie and his Uncle were incredibly forgiving, more so than he even deserved. Tohru hoped a day would come when Chan would not hesitate to call him a friend.

Since beginning his work at Uncle's Rare Finds, Tohru had discovered a simple pleasure in productivity. It was something he was just now beginning to understand, a rewarding feeling that came regardless of money or possessions—something that he never felt while working for Valmont. Having his labor appreciated offered purpose and direction, things he had lost long ago and was now struggling to regain. It was comforting to know that his skills and abilities, mundane though they might be in his current employment, were helping people, not hurting people, and for that reason alone, for the first time in years, Tohru now took pride in his work.

Tohru had been dusting when Jackie walked through the open doorway carrying a golden urn. Today marked Jackie's return from another of his usual archaeological expeditions, this one a week-long trip to Jordan. They greeted one another, Uncle sparing no expense with his banter, and Tohru accepted the urn and placed it on a shelf.

No matter the strengthening relationship between himself and the Chans, there was still something, or rather someone, missing. In the few months of her stay, Jade Chan had obviously managed to worm her way into her relatives' hearts, but without her presence, the shop was almost unbearably quiet. Tohru never knew Jade very well, having only seen her assisting Jackie when- and wherever they fought for the talismans, but even he missed the rambunctious preteen, the girl with seemingly limitless energy and a knack for finding trouble.

Jackie's thoughts as well were clearly on the young girl's absence, and he had begun to say something when Uncle interrupted, pulling a letter from his vest. Apparently, Jade's parents had written to inform Jackie of his niece's progress back home, and to thank them for being such a great influence.

"One more thing," a voice called. "They're so pleased, they want me to hang here for another year!" All eyes looked to the shop door where one Jade Chan stood, her luggage beside her and an exuberant smile on her face. "Jackie!" She ran and tackled her uncle in a hug.

Jackie embraced the young girl, and when Uncle approached, he quickly got pulled into the hug as well. "I've missed you guys so much! Jackie, isn't this great? It'll be just like old times. We'll hang out, go on super cool adventures, fight bad guys, and—Tohru?" she asked in surprise, finally noticing him in the background. "What are you doing here?" Her question came steeped in suspicion and hostility. Even in front of her elders and reinstated guardians, the girl made no effort, conscious or otherwise, to conceal her displeasure at his presence.

"Jade, manners," Jackie scolded. "Tohru is our guest now. He no longer works for The Dark Hand."

Jade took a moment to absorb and process this new information, and once she did, she donned a guilty smile and laughed with embarrassment. "Heh heh, whoops. Sorry, Tohru."

"Welcome back, Jade," he responded with a wave. Jade then turned to Jackie, begging him to take her to Section Thirteen so they could surprise Captain Black. The martial-arts expert relented, and almost as quickly as Jade had arrived, she and her uncle were out the door.

With the reunion over, Tohru promptly returned to work. Uncle asked him to make a fresh batch of tea before organizing the bookshelf, and Tohru complied, his thoughts on the girl who had just returned from Hong Kong. Neither Uncle nor Jackie seemed to notice the charade that was her smile, but Tohru had seen it clearly. He saw it in her when she looked at him. He heard it in the urgency of her voice when asking to leave.

Jade Chan wanted nothing to do with him.

Tohru considered the possibility that he had misinterpreted her behavior that day, but any and all doubts were laid to rest over the next week.

Upon her return, Jade was quickly moved back into her quarters at Section Thirteen. School registration came next and was handled with just as much urgency, lest the creative and trouble-making girl have too much free time on her hands. By the end of the week she was enrolled and attending the same middle school as she'd been before she left. But things were far from back to normal.

Officially, Jade Chan was staying in her own room at the agency's base of operations. On weekday afternoons, however, she rode the school bus to the stop nearest to Uncle's Rare Finds and waited in the shop until Jackie or Captain Black could bring her there. Her departure schedule, always before evening struck and the shop closed, varied only slightly, leaving her there for two and a half hours each day. And despite this, Tohru would see her for only a few, brief instances. If he was dusting shelves and cabinets on the main floor, she would be upstairs. If he were sweeping the balcony, she would be in the kitchen. No matter where he was or what he was doing, she would make sure to place as much distance between him and herself as physically possible.

On the occasions where Uncle asked for Jade's assistance—"Jade, come make Uncle some tea," or "Jade, Uncle needs your eyes to read parchments"—the request garnered no attention if the chore would place her in proximity of Tohru. Sometimes she exempted herself with homework as an excuse, dashing away before Uncle could object, but if he had called her from a different room, she opted to ignore him entirely.

"Jackie! Your niece has become veeery rude," Uncle said one day when Jackie came by to deliver some antiques. It had only been two weeks since Jade's return. "Uncle asks her to help, and she never does. She does not listen to her elders." Which wasn't completely true. Jade did what Uncle asked whenever Tohru was elsewhere in the shop, but that was a minority of the time.

"Believe me," replied Jackie. "Listening is not one of her talents."

Having heard stories about Jade from Jackie and Captain Black, Tohru had learned of Jade's selective hearing. She never listened to Jackie half the time because so often he would tell her to stay out of trouble, to do homework rather than tag along and hunt talismans. But according to them, Jade was normally polite enough to help her caregivers if asked. Apparently, neither Uncle nor Jackie knew why that had changed. Tohru did.

"Uncle does not need excuses. Jade is becoming ill-mannered and rebellious. One more thing. If she does not shape up, Uncle will send her back to parents in Hong Kong."

"I understand, Uncle. I will talk to her."

Unnoticed by the Chans, there was a fleck of movement by the balcony wall when the conversation ended. Two minutes later, Jackie found Jade working on homework in his old training room, and then they were on their way to Section Thirteen. Only Tohru saw the glare she sent his way as they left the shop.