"I got those jetpack blues, just like Judy, the kind that makes June feel like September, I'll be the last one that you'll ever remember," JPG sang to herself as she sat alone inside the little Starbucks on the block. Chair tipped back against the window, she was resting her feet on the table and staring out at the rain with an empty and unhappy expression. A few baristas shot her angry looks, but none of them bothered to demand that JPG get her feet off the table. Perhaps it was a good thing, though, because JPG didn't even notice them, too busy staring out in the rain and singing to herself, thinking about all that had led her here today. The baristas weren't even shadows in the back of JPG's mind. All she could see was Riley.
JPG and Riley had been dating for nearly a year now but, as perfect as it had been so far, enough problems managed to surface in their relationship that things were getting kind of rocky. Their most recent argument had been over... well, that was funny, JPG couldn't even remember anymore. She couldn't remember what she and Riley had been fighting over that had sent JPG running from the house and to the Starbucks. All she remembered was the hurt, the pain, the anger, the defensiveness, the sadness, the guilt. JPG could remember the feelings, but not what had brought her to those feelings in the first place. Had it been their most recent argument that sent JPG running? Or an accumulation of other past problems? Or just a shift in their relationship? Or maybe they just weren't meant to be and this was life's way of showing them?
There were a lot of possibilities to explain why JPG and Riley's relationship was so rocky right now, but JPG was tired of trying to figure out which one was right. All she wanted was to find that peace of mind she used to have about Riley, but nothing would bring her that peace. Being around Riley made her agitated and frustrated while being away from Riley did the exact same thing. When the fighting went silent, the ringing in JPG's ears got violent, so even when she wasn't anywhere near Riley, Riley was still at her side, arguing with her and making her feel bad. And JPG was doing the exact same thing to-
"JPG?" a voice interrupted JPG's meditation. It wasn't a barista. It was JPG's best friend, Alison.
"Hey," JPG grunted despondently, not bothering to turn around and greet her old friend properly.
"I hear you and Riley got into another fight?" Alison asked gently, not bothered by JPG's rudeness because she understood where it came from.
"What else is new?" JPG gave a harsh laugh, so uncharacteristic of the happy and excited giggles she usually had.
"I don't know," Alison replied. "Why don't you tell me?" and then before JPG could stop her, Alison had sat down in the chair right beside JPG and began to coax her into talking. Although JPG felt a bit annoyed by Alison trying to get her to talk about this when she was barely even ready to think about it, JPG also found herself glad that Alison was there, willing to lend an ear. Without even meaning to, JPG suddenly began to confess to Alison. Her inhibitions faded like the rainy mist outside and she began to tell her oldest friend about all of her relationship drama.
After about 30 minutes, JPG had gotten the first wave of her angst, anxiety and anger out and Alison only continued to sit there and listen, absorbing it all and saying nothing. Alison had always been a good listener. She was ready, willing, intelligent and thoughtful. When she listened, she listened. And that was part of the reason JPG hadn't minded telling her about her issues with Riley. Had Alison been anyone else, JPG might not have spoken at all. Other people couldn't be counted on to really listen with a nonjudgmental and nonconfrontational ear. Even the most well-meant listeners often tried to get JPG to fix her life instead of allowing her to just talk it out. Alison never did that. Instead, she only listened...
But even though Alison wasn't one to offer up solutions to every problem, she still would guide JPG in certain directions.
"I have no doubt that this relationship has been stressful," she began. "After all, Riley's had quite a traumatic life and I have no doubt that it makes her a bit hard to love sometimes, but even so, please don't be so quick to dismiss her."
"I'm not dismissing her," JPG growled, sensing that Alison was about to take Riley's side in the-
"I know," Alison interrupted. "I see how hard you work, trying to fix and grow your relationship," despite herself, JPG blinked in surprise. Ok. She hadn't expected Alison to say that. But that was what made Alison so good a listener! She didn't take sides. She saw the beauty in both.
"I'm not telling you 'don't dismiss her' because I think you are, I'm telling you that to encourage you to keep going just the way you are now. I'm encouraging you because I can see it's wearing you down and you need someone to help you back on your feet so you can help Riley do the same," Alison continued gently. "When I say 'don't dismiss her' I mean, keep fighting for her. I know you are, and I'm just asking you to keep it up. After all, she's fighting for you too," then Alison turned her head a little and JPG followed Alison's line of sight...
She was in a long white dress that day, waiting for JPG in the downpour outside. Although JPG could not hear her, she could see her lips move and she knew she was singing "baby, come home," in a melody of tears while the rhythm of the rain kept time. As JPG continued to stare out that window, past Alison, Riley only stared right back at her, mouthing to her,
"Baby, come home. Baby, come home..." and in harmony with Riley's melody of tears came all of JPG's memories of her.
"I remember," JPG whispered to herself. Alison said nothing, not asking what JPG meant by this. Instead, she only held her tongue and continued to watch JPG watching Riley, waiting to see where this would go.
JPG didn't even notice Alison's staring. Instead, all she saw was Riley. Not the Riley standing outside in the rain, singing and crying to her, but the Riley of her memory. She could see the white dress, the gold hair, the young and innocent face, the enchanted laugh, the dancing and singing, the clapping and playing. It overlapped with the girl waiting for her in the downpour outside. This Riley was not that Riley...
At last, Alison spoke. It was a rhetorical question, not asked for an answer, but asked so that JPG might stop and think for a moment.
"Did you ever love her? Do you know? Or did you never want to be alone?" while Riley was still outside, singing.
"Baby, come home. Baby, come home..."
JPG finally began to mouth back a reply, though she was speaking more to her memory of the Riley she had fallen in love with and not the Riley waiting for her in the downpour outside right at that moment.
"I've got those jetpack blues. Fight off the light tonight and just stay with me. Honey, don't you leave. Don't you remember how we used to split a drink? It never mattered what it was, I think our hands were just that close..." she smiled at the memory, but then the past Riley faded back into the present Riley and JPG frowned a little. "The sweetness never lasted, no..." but that was when Alison chimed in again.
"She's in a long white dress tonight, waiting for you in the downpour outside. She's singing 'Baby, come home' in a melody of tears while the rhythm of the rain keeps time..." and JPG remembered. She remembered all the other times she and Riley had fought, and then made up. She remembered all the other times one or both of them had gone running away from each other only to come back and beg the other to do so as well. JPG remembered all the other times Riley had begged her to come home, and JPG remembered all the times she had begged Riley the same thing. Every single time, every single fight, though the heartache was always fierce, they both always came back together again in the end.
JPG stood up from the table and Alison smiled. JPG left the café to approach Riley and Riley smiled. Standing alone together in the rain while Alison politely remained facing away from the couple, JPG and Riley both apologized, their voices harmonizing with each other's and the melody of tears while the rhythm of the rain kept time. Then, after the apologies came the forgiveness, like sun after rain, and JPG smiled.
AN: Another randomly inspired fic, this time based off the Fall Out Boy song "Jet Pack Blues". And yes, I originally only thought about it in connection to JPG because of how similar their names are. But then, after listening to the song, I got inspired to write a fic where JPG and Riley have been fighting and it is Alison who helps them get back together (because let's be real, Alison is totally a wingman and 'marriage counselor'. I can see her helping Riley and JPG by acting as a mediator, easily).
And JPG would be a FOB fan. Fight me on this.
Also, this is a modern AU where they all survived EtN and now live in present day (hence the Starbucks).
Bird of Scarlet, you somewhat inspired me here by writing that Alison would be very protective of the JPG/Riley ship. She may not have been protective, per se, but she was still trying to help keep that ship afloat. So thanks again for your inspiration.