May this fanfiction be a successful year-long project for all of my cousins.
Especially for him.
Present day.
Her purple eyes had forever lost their fiery glow, preferring to smother their flames of passion underneath a foggy film of regret and loneliness.
Or, perhaps, Jazz was likely wrong; the glazed look in Samantha's eyes was simply second nature to her now. Surely to be a reminder to the whole family that some hearts were never meant to be mended. And in some unfair goodness, it was like a neon-flashing sign to all the strangers sitting next to the broken woman at the bar that she was unexplored territory which they dare not be bothered to touch. One look from her shattered gaze as she took a swig from her Bud Light sent every single drunkard turning back to the hussy on his other side.
It had been months since Jazz and Samantha last communicated. In fact, close to a year since they had spoken in person. Now, as the redhead stood a few feet from the doors of the bar and let her fair eyes lock onto the leer of her brother's best friend, the pit of her stomach tightened. They stared in stock silence, neither one angry, neither one sad. Just empty.
Sam was the first one to look away. Reaching into her pocket, she slapped down a ten dollar bill onto the counter and stumbled off of her stool. Nobody noticed her. She didn't care, keeping the face of a rebel as she started to head towards the doors of the Hit and Run midnight bar.
Without waiting for her, Jazz turned back towards the exit and wandered outside, into the night air that she could've sworn was reaching below zero. She should have dressed a bit warmer.
It was always moments like these that the twenty nine year old felt most nostalgic. They all used to have someone to cuddle with in the wintertime. Lately there was so much on everyone's mind, all the time, and now seeing Samantha at her worst… It was going to be a rough week.
Her arms wrapped tightly around her upper body and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the hollow feelings of remorse. Perhaps she hadn't healed as much as she thought, since the accident. It seemed Jazz was beginning to realize that about herself more and more often.
Jazz then heard the wooden door swing open, and whether it was presumptuousness or common sense that told her it was Sam, she did not turn around to look. The doors shut and the quiet air made Jazz shift her weight, as she stared over at a random car parked yards away.
It was a full moon tonight. A cold winter, and yet many people were out and about. There would be the first snow in the next day or two. Even late tonight, maybe… Danny loved the snow.
"How's the family?" Sam asked in a voice that was slightly slurred.
If Jazz didn't know Samantha better she'd think the question was one hundred percent insincere.
The older woman looked over at the goth. Hopefully she wouldn't notice the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes. Emotion was swirling into her mind and beginning to tear her down, though she fought it with great willpower. Thankfully Sam seemed too intoxicated to notice.
Jazz simply gave her best fake smile and worked up the nerve to reply, "They've been traveling a lot. Mom's been craving the mountains."
As Sam gave a curt nod and tossed her gaze to the concrete below, Jazz's lips trembled.
"I miss seeing you around, you know," she confided, almost accusatorily. She narrowed her aqua eyes, unafraid of the conversation getting tense. "You're the last piece of the real Danny that we have. My mom worries about you."
A flash of pain hurdled through Sam's entire expression. Clenching her fists, the ebony-haired woman took an indifferent pose and gave Jazz a wary and cold look. It was clear now that she had no desire to speak about the past - or the future, for that matter. Jazz felt a bitter disappointment punch her right in the abdomen. One tear silently began to trickle down her left cheek and she quickly wiped it away.
"Tell your parents I love them. But I'm not that piece they're looking for - I'm just a dead drunk now, worthless."
With a bitter and apologetic smile, she turned away and walked out of the street light, into the shadows of the concrete jungle. Jazz let her go, peering at her darkened shape as it grew smaller and smaller.
Maybe she should have called her back and tried to reason with her. Maybe she should be trying to comfort her.
On the other hand, they had all been trying to do that for months. Even good old Tucker had given up his last hope when she stopped answering his calls last spring.
So Jazz let her walk away, pushing away all feelings of guilt. Closing her eyes with a sour sigh, she turned her back to the shadows.
You were once a strong person, Sam. You knew who you were and where you were going.
Now you're a coward.
Can Danny see you now?
Author's Note: All chapters have been pre-written and will be uploaded throughout the next several days. Enjoy!