Chapter 2 Georgia on my mind
Janie finished up the blueberry pancakes Ashley made for her "birthday" quickly and hurried to get dressed. She wondered when her real birthday was and how old she was. Ashley had guessed 18 or 19 and Janie was pretty sure that seemed right but she had no idea. When she arrived in Orange County FL. Ashley a petite blond girl with sparkly blue eyes and an amazing heart had found her.
She said Janie was sitting outside of a bus terminal crying and seemed so lost. She couldn't remember how she got there or who she was. It was the worst feeling in the world not remembering. Without Ashley she wasn't sure she would have survived. But Ashely saw a kindred spirit in the lost girl that she quickly dubbed her "little Jane Doe" and insisted that she came stay with her and her cousin Andrew a tall blond boy with soft hazel eyes. He seemed familiar to Janie somehow like maybe she once knew someone like him. She took to him quickly but only as a friend. From the start Janie felt like her heart already belonged to someone.
For weeks Andrew and Ashely tried to help the poor girl find who she was. Andrew was a rookie police officer and had access to several records but they could not find a missing girl that fit her description reported anywhere in Florida. But Andrew didn't give up he searched several state records and police databases even abused his privileges a bit to help her. But to no avail. He deduced she may have left home on her own and was either already 18 or close enough that her disappearance didn't cause a huge stir. This set the girl into a long depression. She hardly ate or left her room for almost a full month. She wasn't sure she could go on never knowing who she was.
Then she had the dream of him. She hadn't had any dreams since she got there until that night. She felt like all hope was lost and she just wanted to give up. She cried for hours that night until she finally fell asleep and was jolted awake by the most wonderful dream.. it had to be real. She was a ball or a very formal dance of some kind. She had her hair curled back and had a beautiful blue dress on.
She was waiting on top of the stairs. She remembered feeling nervous and then she locked her eyes on the most amazing blue eyes she could even imagine. She felt her nerves ease as she glided down the stairs to him. Her memory cut out then and she woke up but she suddenly felt the same ease come over her. She had the strangest feeling that she could hear him somewhere telling her he was looking for her and he was going to find her. That's when Janie knew she could never give up. She would find herself somehow. She realized she had the strength to keep going.
Ashely was happy for her and took it as a good sign that Janie was getting her memory back. But she was slightly worried that it may have just been a dream. Janie refused to believe that. It had to be real. It just had to.
Janie brushed her long brown hair straight and gazed into her reflection as thoughts of this past year saddened her. A whole year and still she was so lost... But last night gave her new hope. Janie smiled slightly as last nights dreams entered her mind again.
She remembered more of him from that night. She remembered dancing with him. At first they weren't touching but it didn't really matter their eyes were so locked on each other the rest of the room disappeared. Janie couldn't even remember the scenery around her all she remembered was his eyes gazing at her his mouth slightly upturned into a smile. His dark hair glistening in the sun bringing out the impossible blueness of his eyes. She could feel an amazing feeling take over her as she remembered the dance.. and when the dance changed and he took her into his arms with a swiftness and confidence that over took all her senses. He seemed to pull her even closer and his eyes never left hers not for one second. She could feel herself smiling. Janie was still smiling as she sat on the bed and memorized this new precious memory.
"He loves me" She said to herself "I know he does. A man doesn't look at a woman like that unless he loves her. Is he my boyfriend? He must be. The way he made me feel during that dance. I know I love him. I have to find him"
Janie groaned as she realized what a daunting task that was turning out to be. She didn't really know how she was supposed to search for a guy on nothing but appearances short of going out and looking for him. So that's what she decided to do. Ashely got Janie a job at the diner she worked at. But whatever Janie didn't pay for rent she had been saving up. The only way she was ever going to find herself was by going out and looking for it.
"It's time" Janie decided heading down the stairs to break the news to her friends.
Damon stopped at the bar Bree had once worked at early in the morning before leaving Georgia. He figured he'd stay clear of those that would want him dead by showing up during the day.
"Well back again are ya?" the day bartender Frank smiled getting Damon a bourbon.
"Yeah.. you know the pattern." Damon said taking the full shot in one sip.
"So no sign of her yet?" Frank asked sadly. He really felt for this poor man. Every few months he would stop back here on his search hoping the girl would have found this place. Apparently it had some meaning to them and Damon was hoping she would come back here. Frank worried that maybe the girl didn't want to be found but knew better then to voice his opinion to the young man.
"No" he grunted. "Nothing.. I feel like Ive been everywhere. Maybe it's time to start retracing my steps. I may have been close and missed her all together for all I know"
"Well good luck Son" Frank said handing him another bourbon before going to help another customer.
Damon's phone rang.
"Hey Jeremy" Damon answered right away.
"Any sign of Elena yet" Jeremy asked immediately.
"Don't you think if I found her I would have called you?" Damon snapped annoyance and frustration
taking root of him.
"I know.. it just always seems to be the first thing to ask" Jeremy said sheepishly. "Look Damon why don't you let me help you search. Stefan even trusts me not to be locked in the cellar anymore. Bonnie.. not so much but... come on you know you can cover more ground with me."
"No Jeremy I don't want you helping me.. your just getting used to your new lifestyle. Your not ready to traveling among humans yet" Damon said quietly.
"I suppose" Jeremy sighed in frustration he hated feeling so helpless and he hated the way he left things with his sister.
"I do think you should leave Mystic Falls soon though.. people will start to notice your not aging and at an age where you would normally be aging rapidly" Damon continued in his hushed tone.
"I agree.. I'm just worried about Jenna you know. Let's not forget our back story. That Stefan was once on drugs and can help me with my addiction if I stay with him. If and when I leave Jenna will assume the worst. If it's not bad enough that she thinks Elena ran off she's going to break when I go too" Jeremy sighed trying to access the switch to turn these feeling off so he could just go. But it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be before he made this decision.
"Then don't just run away" Damon snapped sounding annoyed."Compel the school to give you an early college program far away or something"
"That's a good idea!" Jeremy exclaimed. "I really do want to get out of here. Your mopey brother is driving me insane."
Damon chuckled "Just make sure you don't actually go to college. You can't.."
"Yeah I know I know I cant handle that yet. Your sounding like Stefan"
"If you value your undead life you will never say that to me again kid" Damon growled into the phone and snapped it shut. Every time he starts to like that damn kid he makes some wisecrack comment that pisses him off. Damon shook his head.
He hoped Elena would be happy that he had taken care of Jeremy as much as he could during his change. Finding Elena proved a bit more important and he probably didn't focus as much time on him as he should have. When Katherine escaped and Damon had to leave he trusted Stefan and Ric to help Jeremy and they did. But Jeremy still called often for advice and Damon surprisely found himself not minding assisting the kid.
He motioned for Frank to bring him another Bourbon as he pulled out his map and studied it trying to decide where to go next.
"Hey guys" Janie said softly entering the kitchen.
"Hey Janie. You look sad.. you okay?' Andrew asked looking concerned.
"Yeah.. I'm okay. I'm sad because I'm leaving" She said. "I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me. But I am never going to find myself sitting around here."
"Or him?" Andrew asked softly knowing she really wanted to go look for him. But that did mean finding herself after all. He just wanted her to be happy.
"But Janie you cant go by yourself" Ashley said "You could get lost.. honey you don't even know where to start looking"
"I know" She sighed her brown eyes determined nonetheless. "But maybe I just drive to a couple of places ask around. We've done that here in Florida but what about some of the surrounding states? Like Andrew said you found me at a bus terminal so I must live close to here"
"Well" Andrew pulled out a map "That's not a bad idea actually, Georgia is close enough and so is..
"What did you say" Janie said sitting up straighter
"Georgia" Andrew said his eyes widening "Are you remembering something?"
"Maybe it's your home!" Ashley exclaimed "But you don't have a southern accent.."
"Well I don't remember anything but I feel a pull to it." Janie smiled slightly "I'm going there"
"Well your not going alone" Ashley said firmly "I 've been to Georgia quite a few times. I'm going with you"
"I would but.. my job" Andrew said sheepishly.
"Andrew I would never want you to risk your job. Ashley what about your job? I can't
let you give it up to come with me" Janie said shaking her head.
"Janie.. I work at a diner. Big deal. I have money in savings. I'm coming with you." Ashely crossed her arms in her I'm not backing down stance. Janie smiled at how this tiny little girl had been her rock for these months.
"Why?" Janie asked suddenly "Your afraid I wont find him aren't you?"
Ashely shrugged her eyes shifting to the floor "I really really hope you do and if you do I want to be there to see you so happy. If not.. then I need to be there to help you get through it. Janie you have become my best friend over this year."
Janie pushed back tears "Thank you. I really could use your support. I think of you as my best friend too. I couldn't have made it through this year without your help"
"Enough of the sappy!" Ashely drawled hugging her friend tight.
"Georgia here we come" Ashely said excitably and Janie felt a real sense of excitement and hope for the first time she could remember.
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