Author's Note: Hey everyone! I came up with this idea, and it wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to write it.
Basically, this will be a series of connected oneshots about Jerome and Mara after they've graduated. From Mara helping Jerome get back on his feet, to their realization that they just might think about each other as more than friends... :) Anyways, hope you like it!
By the way, I have changed the name of Suspicions and Shenanigans, my other Jerome/Mara story, to Warm Hearted Shenanigans, and it will be updated soon!

. . .

Chapter 1:

New Beginnings

Mara stared out of the window of the dormitory she shared with Patricia all of those years and sighed. Rain was pouring down and pattering against the roof, making Mara slightly sleepy. She smiled to herself and took a deep breath, packing the last of her things.

She was missing the house already, even though she hadn't even left yet. She had spent a big chunk of her life at the house and had made great friends. The halls of the house were filled with unforgettable memories that she would cherish for the rest of her life. It was going to be hard leaving it all behind.

Mara wouldn't be able to see her friends on a daily basis anymore, she wouldn't be able to stay up all night and vent her feelings with Patricia. She wouldn't be able to have movie marathons with Amber and Nina on the weekends. Mara wouldn't be able to laugh at Alfie and Jerome's practical jokes anymore, or even be able to study with Fabian and Mick. She was sure going to miss the small things that made the house home.

She zipped her suitcase shut, set it down on the ground next to a duffel bag, and attempted to look a graduating with a positive deposition. Well, it would be... a new beginning for her. She'd be able to further her studies in different fields of science, keep in touch with all of the friends she had made, and finally put her dream of being a Marine Biologist in action. Mara could even meet up with the gang regularly and hang out. So, things wouldn't be that bad.

Grinning, she grabbed her second suit case and stuffed the last of her clothes in it. When seeing it wouldn't close, she pressed the top of her suitcase down and attempted to zip the zipper shut. She did it repeatedly without any actual progress, when she heard a voice come from the open doorway.

"Need help?"

Mara whipped around to face a smiling Patricia, who was standing at the doorway with her arms cross and a quizzical look on her face.

Mara smiled widely. "Maybe a little," she responded, laughing.

Patricia unfolded her arms and walked in. She strolled over to Mara's bed and pressed down the suitcase as hard as she could.

"It... won't... shut," Patricia said in frustration, using both hands to press down on the suitcase as Mara attempted to close the zipper.

After trying to close the bag in vain for a while, Patricia deciding to do the only thing she could think of: Sit on the suitcase.

As she sat down on top if it, zipping the bag became easier and easier for Mara until, finally, it shut completely.

Patricia rolled off of the bag and sighed. "Phew! Done!" she exclaimed in relief.

Mara laughed, smiling as she put the second bag next to all of her others. She looked around the empty room, feeling like a piece of her heart was now empty. She sat down on Patricia's bare bed with a sigh and swung her feet back and forth, staring at the carpet.

"It's kind of sad, isn't it?" Patricia said, sitting up. "After all of these years... we're all just leaving."

Mara gave her a sad smile. "Yeah... it's kind of depressing, seeing the room so empty," she said, staring at the walls where her and Patricia's posters once hung.

"Alright, well, we better get going," Patricia said, getting up. "The ceremony is going to start soon."

"Okay, I'm coming," Mara said, getting up and leaving her bags next to the door, so they would be taken to the car that was taking her home. She took one last look at the room and sighed, sad to be leaving all of her memories behind, but happy to be taking one step into her adult life.

"Mara!" Patricia called, already down the stairs. "Come on!"

With one last smile, Mara ran after Patricia, enjoying the last few hours she'd have in the house.

. . .

The graduation ceremony was long and traditional. The part that nearly brought a tear to Mara's eye was when each student of their class got up to make a small speech about the time they had spent at the school and the things they would miss.

Nina said she would miss all of the great people she had meet and had come to love. Amber said she would miss all the great times she had had at the house. Mara laughed when Alfie said he would miss Trudy's cooking and when Mick said he would miss coming to his dormitory to fresh laundry.

When it was Mara's turn, she honestly didn't know what to say. There were so many different things to choose from... too many things she would miss. So she decided to talk about the thing she's probably miss the most: the way their dormitories had become home, and how they became used to the familiar faces they saw at breakfast every morning.

Once it was done, Mara went back to the house one last time to wish everyone goodbye and promise to keep in contact. They would all be living in the same general area of London, so that wouldn't be too hard.

As people's cars began to arrive and final goodbyes were exchanged, the residents of Anubis House began to slowly dwindle away, until only Mara and Jerome were left.

She sat on the steps of the house, waiting for her car to arrive. She tapped her foot impatiently, and hugged her knees to her chest.

"And then there were two."

Mara turned to her left to see that Jerome had decided to sit next to her on the cold, stone steps.

"I'm really going to miss this place," Mara said with a sigh, setting her head down on her knees.

"Yeah..." Jerome replied vacantly, staring off at the horizon. "Where are you headed, now that school is over?"

Mara smiled and sat up straight again as she responded, "My parents bought me a small flat in London so that I can study at the Biology Center and get a head start on my carrer." She smiled, suddenly excited. She looked over at Jerome, then noticed he didn't have any bags with him. "What about you, Jerome?" she questioned, "Where are you going?"

Jerome shrugged. "Oh... well, I think I'm staying here... maybe I'll get a part time job at the school or something," he said, his expression blank.

"Why?" Mara questioned, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I have no place to go," he said, almost sounding hurt.

Mara cringed as she remembered the conversations she had once had with Jerome about his parents.

"They left me here... to rot." she remembered him saying. "And I guess that's what I did."

"Oh," Mara said, feeling stupid for going near such a delicate subject.

"Don't worry about it," Jerome said with a small grin, catching the uncomfortable tone in her voice. "I'll be fine."

They awkwardly sat in silence for a while, as Mara twiddled her thumbs and stared at the ground, avoiding Jerome's keen gaze at all costs. She really wished there was something she could do to help him... so he wouldn't have to live at the school for the rest of his life. Mara wished she could help him get out of there and let Jerome enjoy life outside of those stony walls.

A noise interrupted her train of thought. A car was driving up, ready to take Mara home. She sighed as the chauffeur pulled up to the gravel driveway and parked, and then got up from where she sat.

"Here, let me help you," Jerome said, getting up too. He grabbed her two suitcases and gave her a small smile as he walked them to the trunk of the car. Mara didn't argue, but merely grabbed her duffel bag and put it in the back of the cab.

"Thanks," she said as Jerome closed the trunk and turned to her.

"No problem," he said, then added, "well, I guess this is goodbye."

Mara smiled and wrapped her arms around him, swallowing him in a hug. Jerome hugged back tightly, smiling into Mara's hair.

"Bye, Jerome," she said, sighing heavily.

Once they broke apart, he waved in goodbye and walked back towards the house with a small grin upon his lips. Mara waved back and got ready to get in the car, when suddenly an idea came to her.

"Jerome, wait!" she shouted after his retreating figure, running up to him quickly.

Jerome turned around and stared at her questioningly. "What is it, Mara?"

Mara took a deep breath and let her explanation pour out of her mouth. "Why don't you come with me?"

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Wait, what do you-"

"Come with me to London. Do yourself a favor, and get out of this school," she said with a laugh, then added, "Get out there and live your life! What do you say?" Mara gave him a pleading look as he pondered the idea of finally leaving the school.

"Where would I live, though?" he asked, seeing faults in Mara's plan.

"We'll work all of that out later!" she said, waving that off with a shrug and ignoring the cab driver's honk. "Please Jerome," she said, taking hold of his hand in a begging manner, making Jerome's eyes widen a bit. "Let me help you get out of here and see the world... let me help you live outside of this school. If you don't, you'll be stuck here forever."

Jerome thought this over. Maybe it would be good to get some help from Mara... until he could support himself, at least. The last thing he wanted to do was stay at the house longer. He had already been there for nearly thirteen years. It was time for him to leave.

He smiled as he replied, "Let me go get my things."

Mara grinned widely and hugged him tightly when he responded, then released him so he could go get his things. "Go! Go!" she said impatiently as the cab driver honked once more.

Mara smiled as he ran inside, heaving a deep sigh. Part of her had no idea why she had decided to take Jerome with her so suddenly. Maybe because everyone deserves a second chance in life, including Jerome... no matter how annoying he could be sometimes. Living arrangements wouldn't be too hard... she did have that small flat in London. He could always stay there until he was on his own. But she didn't want him staying at that school for the rest of his life. Jerome had much more potential than that.

After he came back down the steps of the house with his things, they put them in the trunk and climbed into the cab. Starring out of the window as they pulled into the road and drove off, Mara smiled to herself.

"Are you sure about this, Mara?" he asked, secretly excited about getting to finally leave. "What if we can't find a place for me to stay, or-"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. "And no negative talk! I'll make sure we find you a place to stay."

Jerome grinned and grasped Mara's hand to squeeze it tightly. "Have I ever told you that you're amazing, Mara Jaffray?"

"I've been told," Mara replied simply, smiling as she squeezed his hand back tenderly.

. . .