Author's Note: This chapter takes place during the events of 4x03. I was very interested in the scene where Jennifer learns of Duke's Trouble. Thanks again for the reviews, it really makes me want to keep going!
Jennifer woke up in a bed that was starting to become a little more familiar to her. She felt at home in Audrey's apartment, the place had a nice feel to it. Seeing all of Audrey's things, she really started to think that she and Audrey would get along.
As she was getting ready, she thought about Duke. Jennifer liked seeing him, but she didn't want to think too much about the little butterflies that started dancing in her stomach when he walked into room. She knew he was carrying a torch for Audrey, and that just seemed like a good way to get hurt. She decided to go downstairs to the Gull and see what was happening, maybe wrangle some waffles.
Duke was overseeing the morning staff in the Gull when Jennifer walked in. She was such a perky force of nature, he couldn't help but smile when she was around. Not for the first time, he wondered what kind of person it made him to involve her in all the craziness and drama of Haven.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" he asked her when she walked over to him at the bar.
Jennifer smiled, "I was hoping you'd ask that, or just randomly have a plate of waffles around here that needed someone to eat them."
"I am known for my waffles," he said. "The secret is in the syrup." He motioned for her to go sit at a table. "One plate of ownerless waffles coming right up!"
Jennifer smiled and moved over to a table where she could see into the kitchen some. She was also able to look out over the water a little. She liked it here. The sunlight was over the water and it seemed so peaceful. A couple of minutes later, Duke walked over carrying two plates and a carafe of syrup.
"Madam's order," he said as he set the plate down in front of her. He sat down across from her, and they mostly ate in silence, each not too sure what to say.
When she was finished, Jennifer looked up at Duke to see that he was looking out of the window. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I was just thinking of Audrey," he explained. "I am worried that she is out there somewhere and can't find her way home," he paused. "Or that she doesn't know that this is home."
Jennifer's heart went out to him in his concern. "You and Nathan are doing everything you can to find her. And maybe now that I have stopped taking my meds, I will remember something else."
Duke smiled at her, and was distracted by a ringing phone, his cell phone that he had left on the bar. He grabbed their plates, and ran over to answer it.
Jennifer looked around to see what she could do. She got restless easily and she liked to keep in motion.
Duke hung up with Nathan after a few moments. He understood Nathan's need to push for more information, but he wanted to make sure they weren't pushing Jennifer too hard. He figured it may take more than a day or two for her meds to really be out of her system anyway. He was watching her roll silverware with one of his waitresses, and she was smiling and engaged in conversation. Even though she was doing something mundane and repetitive, she was happy. Duke went back to work behind the bar, and resolved to talk to her more about the barn in a few minutes.
Jennifer finished up with the silverware and had an idea to squeeze some oranges for juice to thank Duke for the great breakfast. He came over to her, watching her work the juicer. He sat down.
"Did you hear anything about where Audrey might end up?" he asked, almost apologetically. "Did Howard say anything?"
"I don't remember that man, Howard, saying anything about where Audrey was going next," she said. "I do remember you though, desperately calling her name like you never wanted to lose her." She waited to see what he would say in response.
Duke looked at her intently, not really wanting to think about it all that much. He nodded. "She was, ahh, special to me," he admitted.
"Was?" Jennifer asked. "Do you think she's dead?"
"I don't want her to be," Duke replied. Jennifer handed him some orange juice.
They continued to talk for a few moments, Duke telling her that Audrey wouldn't mind that she was staying in her apartment. During the conversation, Jennifer couldn't help but notice that Duke seemed different. It was as if each passing hour that Audrey wasn't found, he accepted more and more that she wouldn't be. It wasn't like giving up hope, he seemed determined to find her, but the frantic Duke she had met in the hospital wasn't really there anymore. He was much calmer and measured, thinking.
Duke appreciated the orange juice, almost as much as he appreciated the conversation. It felt good to talk to Jennifer about Audrey. He couldn't talk to Nathan like this, Nathan would never stand to hear anything that might sound like doubt of Audrey's return. He was also concerned about Jennifer. He felt like she should be having some side effects of stopping a medication that she was taking this long. Maybe it could be chalked up to more Haven/Trouble weirdness, but he wasn't sure. He felt like there was a bond between them, but he couldn't explain it and didn't have time to explore it.
When Duke asked her why she wasn't sleeping, Jennifer winced. She didn't want to tell him that his brother was keeping her up all night, he had enough to deal with. They were having a nice moment, just the two of them, and she didn't want to mess it up with negativity. When Duke pushed a little, she relented and told him everything. She had a feeling that she would never be able to keep much of anything from him.
Duke was frustrated at Wade still being around. He needed him to leave so he could stop worrying about him getting caught up in the Troubles. He didn't have time to worry about Vince either.
Just then, Jennifer cut herself on the knife she was using to cut up the oranges. She jumped when the citrus got in the wound, and a drop of blood ran down the side of her fingertip. All that Duke could see was the crimson blood, and the threat it held. He leapt backwards, putting as much room in between him and the Troubled blood.
Jennifer noticed the look on Duke's face, and his rigid body language. She thought it was strange, that this guy who had dove into an imploding, supernatural barn was afraid of a little cut.
She can't know, Duke thought to himself. The last thing he wanted was for Jennifer to know about his Trouble. He didn't think he could bare it if this trusting, sunshine of a person was afraid of him. He made up some lame excuse about hating to see a lady in distress, and he got out of there as quick as he could. He went into the back to find Jennifer a bandage, but he didn't come out right away. He had to get a hold of himself, he didn't want her to suspect anything. The lure of the blood was strong, but fortunately, his horror at the feeling was stronger. He went back out front, and handed Jennifer the bandage, from an angle where he couldn't see the cut.
Jennifer thought he was acting weird, but didn't say anything. She motioned out towards the deck. "Wade's here."
Duke sighed and went to mix his brother up a bloody Mary, Wade's drink of choice when hung over. He smiled an apologetic smile at Jennifer and took the drink out to the porch.
Jennifer watched Duke and his brother for a few minutes. She could see how they were ill at ease with each other. Wade seemed like a puppy lately. Eager to please, but easily wounded. Jennifer decided to go up to the apartment for a little while and give them some privacy. She decided to lie on the couch for a little, she was so tired. She was thinking about her conversation with Duke and how nice breakfast had been when she drifted off.
Duke was done talking to Wade, literally and figuratively. He had done everything short of telling him straight out to get out of town. He excused himself from the conversation, making excuses of work to do inside.
He had been watering down the liquor for a few minutes, among some other odds and ends when Jennifer walked in, with a horrified look on her face. Duke was immediately on guard. Jennifer told him she had been woken up by sounds and voices in her head, and she was obviously distraught.
Jennifer didn't understand what was going on. If the barn was destroyed, why was she hearing things again? She needed Duke to tell her what was going on, she needed his reassurance that she wasn't crazy, especially since her pills were in the water under the porch.
Duke didn't have any answers for her, but he really wanted to have some. He wanted to make her feel better, he wanted to be right that she was just Troubled. He had been so sure, but what if he was wrong? "We need to talk to Nathan."
Jennifer agreed. "Do you think he'll know what is going on?"
"I don't know," Duke admitted. "But I feel like we'll have a better chance of figuring it out between the three of us." Duke grabbed his phone and called. He disconnected after a few moments and put it in his pocket. "Voicemail," he explained. He grabbed his keys and put his hand on her arm, partially to reassure her, and partially to guide her out to the car.
They were surprised when they walked into the police station and it was empty. Duke decided they could wait in Nathan's office, after all he had left him several messages on the way to the station.
Jennifer was close to panicking. She couldn't believe she was hearing things again. She couldn't live like that anymore. She knew Duke didn't have the answers, but she kept hoping he would come up with some explanation.
"Look, it's going to be okay," Duke tried to reassure her.
"It's not okay, Duke," Jennifer disagreed. "I threw away my meds and now I am hearing things again. If the barn was destroyed, then where is it coming from?"
Duke looked into her eyes and spoke as softly and calmly as he could. "I don't know." He wished there was something else he could say. He was surprised at the thought that came into his head to walk over to her and wrap her in his arms. He wanted to make it better, he wanted to see the smile return to her face. He didn't. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry."
"Maybe I was never connected to your friend Audrey at all," she shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Maybe I am just crazy."
Duke had nothing to say to that. Before he could come with something, they heard a noise from outside in the main area. They ran out to see an officer was dead and bloody on the floor. Duke was terrified at the amount of blood in front of him, but he instinctively put himself in between Jennifer and the danger. He didn't consider it coming at them from above, and then the unthinkable happened. He absorbed blood in front of her. No! his mind screamed. I will not hurt her!
Jennifer didn't understand what she was seeing. Duke changed, his body language was more of a predator than protector. His beautiful dark eyes changed in front of her to silver. He yelled at her to get away, and she only hesitated for a second.
He didn't want the truth to come out this way. He saw the way Jennifer was looking at him. Jordan had called him an 'evil sponge' and he had seen the trepidation in Jennifer's eyes. The one thing he never wanted was for her to be afraid of him.
Jennifer couldn't help but be slightly distracted from the danger in front of them. Why would Duke hide his Trouble from me? she wondered. Doesn't he trust me? She watched the others try to deal with the giant, horror movie, murderous puddle of blood that was cornering them.
Duke realized that there was only one way to save everyone, redeem himself in Jennifer's eyes. He didn't know if it would kill him, or what it would do to him, but he knew they were out of options. He was scared as he reached forward into the puddle. He felt it moving up over his skin, and he felt the power start to course through his veins. I have to control it, it can't control me he thought. The feeling was intense and the next thing he knew he was sitting on the floor, with a vague recollection of choking Dwight. The euphoria had never been so strong, it was moments like this that made him understand why his father kept killing, and it made him more determined than ever to be different.
Jennifer could only watch the scene in front of her unfold. It was surreal and confusing. Since she had known him, admittedly for a short time, Duke had been nothing but gentle with her. When he just about fell onto the floor, she ran to him. She knew with a certainty that he wouldn't hurt her.
She watched Duke try to catch his breath. "Now I know why you bolted when I cut my finger," she paused as Duke looked up at her. "You didn't trust me enough to tell me?"
Duke had to decide in a split second how much he was going to say. He wanted to tell her everything. He decided right there that he wanted her to know him, to know the truth. "My thing with troubled blood, it's hook..." he trailed off, out of breath.
"You look like you're in so much pain," she said worriedly.
Duke shook his head as he looked away from her. "It doesn't hurt," he explained. "It feels amazing. Like heroin amazing, At least that's what people tell me."
Jennifer was surprised. She thought he was afraid of the pain.
"I saw what this thing did to my father," he confessed. "My grandfather, whatever family I had, it's ripping it apart."
Later that night, Jennifer had a lot to think about. She had been back in the apartment thinking about how strong Duke was, when she heard William and Audrey's voices in her head. She had rushed down to the bar to tell Duke. They had called Nathan, and they had talked for a while upstairs about what she had heard. She was glad to bring some hope back to the two of them, a new angle on their search.
They had left, and she couldn't sleep, even though she was exhausted. She kept seeing the fear in Duke's eyes as they turned silver. She understood now that the fear was for her safety and for himself. He was so afraid of succumbing to the pull of the blood, the feeling of euphoria. She understood what it was like to not feel in control.
She climbed into bed, hoping that if she rested her body, then her mind may follow suit. She drifted off a few minutes later, thinking that if Duke were here with her, she was positive she could safely pass into dreamland.
Duke hadn't gone home. He was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. Most of the lights were off in the Gull, it was late. He had made sure that Wade wouldn't be disturbing Jennifer's sleep tonight. Duke stared off over the water, marveling at the lights twinkling off on the distant shore. Even though he couldn't count how many times he had seen them, the water and the stillness of the scene calmed him. He thought back to Jennifer's reaction to his Trouble. She didn't seem afraid of him, just afraid for him. She didn't know what a monster he was capable of becoming if he didn't keep it under iron control.
He also wondered at his reactions to Jennifer today. He felt slightly guilty that for a large part of the day he was more concerned with Jennifer than Audrey. Not that much time had passed for him, and he still loved Audrey, but he was also a realist. He didn't think that she was coming home the same way she left. Even if she did, he was pretty sure that Nathan was her true love, as much as it irked him to admit.
Maybe karma had handed him another choice. He would never stop looking for Audrey, but he really was starting to feel like Jennifer was his responsibility, and he liked being around her.
Duke noticed that the light in the apartment above had gone out. Hopefully, she could get some rest tonight. He knew he should be getting back to his boat and to his own bed, but for some reason, a late night beer and some Discovery Channel didn't seem to be a great choice. Maybe he'd just hang out here a little longer, make sure everything and everyone was ok. He stared off at the lights again, and felt at peace for the first time that day.