I don't own Yu-gi-oh GX or the few lines I used from Charmed
Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea
Jo smiled as she stared down at the man sleeping next to her, and slowly started tracing her finger around his eyes and nose. He looked so calm when he was sleeping, so calm and tranquil that Jo couldn't help but feel completely relaxed when she looked at him. It had been the first time she had felt relaxed since her mother had died, the first time she had been able to breathe without her heart hurting. It took Jo a minute to realize that the reason she felt so calm was that she was with someone she loved, and who unbelievable loved her back. It was strange being in love and being loved back, it was like suddenly all the pain she had felt in the past had disappeared. Her smiled deepened as she saw Zane's teal eyes open, and stare back into her green ones.
"Morning sea salt," Zane whispered as he slowly reached up and pulled Jo down into a deep kiss. It was so nice having Jo in his arms, having someone to protect and call his own. Who would have guessed that Atticus, that stupid surfer who was always pairing people up, had actual succeed in his goal of bring a couple together, a sure sign of the apocalypse. Zane could only shutter at the thought of what would happen once Atticus found out that he and Jo were together now.
"Sea salt? What kind of pet name is that?" Jo asked as she pulled out of the kiss and headed to the kitchen, leaving Zane with a slight frown on his face.
"Well, calling you sweetheart or darling doesn't seem to fit."
"Yeah, but sea salt? Where in the world did you come up with that?" Jo asked as she turned and started to make coffee.
"Well, I love the sea and salt just seems to describe you," Zane said as he came up behind Jo and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Jo smiled as she leaned back into Zane's arms. "So now that we are together, how does that change things?" Jo asked as she and Zane just stood together slowly swaying back and forth enjoying the moment.
"Well, I suppose I have to pay for your coffee and meals when we go out now, and we can go out to the movies and stuff," Zane stated as he slowly released Jo and leaned against the counter as he watched Jo make coffee.
"Buy me dinner and stuff, mmm. Well I guess that means I have to give you hugs and kiss when you win duels and take me out to the movies then," Jo teased as she smirked a little half smile at Zane and handed him a mug of coffee.
"I'm thinking that's how the whole relationship thing works," Zane nodded as he took a sip of the coffee.
"and the underground duels?" Jo asked as she too took a sip of her coffee and stared at Zane. She had lost interest in the underground duels, now that she made peace with her mother's death, and had no intension of ever going back to that dark world again.
"I have no desirer to go back to that world again," Zane said as he continued to sip his coffee. It was true that he had no desirer to go back to the underground, the only reason he had was because he had felt alone. Now that he had Jo, he didn't feel alone anymore. However, he wasn't quite ready to go back to his friends yet. He still wasn't sure how to face them, or even how to rejoin the group. He wasn't even sure he wanted to rejoin the group. A part of him felt as though he should just move on with his life and not try to go back to his old friends. However, another part of him felt that he needed to fix things between them.
"Well, I guess the only question left now is how we tell Atticus that he actual fixed up a couple, without releasing a cupid monster upon the world," Jo smiled as she reached up and kissed Zane again.
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Biggest fan, biggest fan, biggest fan, the words kept playing over and over in Syrus's mind. Was Jo right, is that really how Zane's thinks of me. I never meant to come off that way; I just wanted to get close to him. Worry lines crept onto Syrus's face as he thought about what Jo had said to him. He had been thinking about it all night, and just couldn't seem to think of anything else. His friends didn't really know what to say either, and had decided to leave him alone to deal with his thoughts until he was ready to talk. Syrus stared down at his eggs, the whole gang was having breakfast in the café again, and decided to finally speak for the first time since last night.
"Atticus do you think what Jo said was true? Do I really come off as more of a fan than a brother?"
Atticus looked up at Syrus, noticed his sad eyes, and thought about what he was going to say. Zane had always been weird about fans. Unlike Atticus who loved being in the center of a crowed, Zane had always liked being a loner. He absolutely hated people, like Missy, who treaded him like some kind of Greek god. It some respects it was odd that two completely different people had become best friends, but then again in a way they kind of balanced each other. Atticus smiled as he remembered how it had taken a while for Zane to open up to him back when they first became friends.
"Syrus, I think you need to make it clear to Zane that the only reason Duel Monsters was such a big deal between the two of you was because you wanted to get close to him. Explain to him how worried you were about how the death of your dad affected your relationship." Atticus suggested, as he looked right into Syrus's eyes. "See the thing with Zane is that you have to be up front with him about your feelings. He can be unsympathetic at times without realizing just how much it hurts others, but if you share with him how you're feeling, he can be pretty great. He helped me a lot when I was dealing with Nightshroud issues."
"But how I'm I supposes to do that now that he has become Hell Kaiser," Syrus screamed out as tears came to his eyes. "I really doubt he'll be in the mood to talk with me!"
"Hey Sy, calm down a minute," Alexis said as she tried to soothe her friend. "Just wait and see what happens between the two of you during tonight's duel. I'm sure you'll be able to get through to him this time."
"Take my word for it Syrus," Chazz added on to what Alexis was saying, "when it comes to having horrible older brothers that don't care about you I know what I'm talking about. Zane may not be brother of the year and he may be kind of mean at times, but he does care about you. He wouldn't have come to get you in the underground if he didn't."
"Thanks guys," Syrus sighed as he brightened up a little. He was still a little unsure about how to approach his older brother, but tonight before or after the duel, he was going to have a talk with Zane. He had to admit that although their meeting in the underground hadn't been the best, it did sound like Zane stilled carried about him. Maybe just maybe, Atticus stupid plan would work and he would have his brother back. "I just hope everything goes alright."
"Of course everything will go alright, and tonight Sy and I are going to win," Jaden said with his usually cheery attitude. The rest of the group just looked on and smiled at Jaden's optimism.
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"Come on where is it," Zane said out loud to himself as he continued to go though the boxes in his closet. His mom had sent over a bunch of boxes after he had moved out, and until now, he hadn't had a reason to go though them. After he and Jo finished breakfast, he had cooked just to be on the safe side, Zane had decided to head home so he could take a shower and change his clothes. After finishing his shower, he had changed into simple midnight blue slacks and a matching blue top, and right now, he was currently looking for another trench coat. On the walk back from Jo's place, he had ended up throwing his Hell Kaiser trench coat in the trash can; he really couldn't stand to look at it anymore. Now if only he could find another one, in these stupid boxes. Why oh why did mom send over some many boxes, Zane thought as he ripped open another one, I don't remember having this much stuff. Hey what a minute, what is this? This isn't my stuff.
Zane stared down at the open box in front of him. Unlike the other boxes, which had been filled with clothes and a few other items he had left at home included the stuffed bumblebee his grandfather had given him, this boxes was filled with a bunch of letters and photographs. The letters were all stacked on top of each other and tied together with a light pink ribbon. Zane also noticed that the letters seemed to have a flowery aroma to them, as thought some girl had spread perfume on them before sending them off to her boyfriend. Curiosity getting the better of him, Zane opened the letters and saw that they were from his mother to his father and vice versa. A stabbing pain ran though Zane as he thought of his father and recognized his handwriting, but he couldn't help but read through the letters.
Zane laughed a little as he read his parents corny, lovey dovey letters that they had written to each other in their younger years and early part of their marriage. They had gotten together right at the end of high school, and had kept in touch through letters, phone calls, and the occasional visit while they had attended different collages. It had been a rather surprising couple, the student body president and caption of the cheerleaders hooking up with a guy that seemed to be afraid of his own shadow. In a way each of the Truesdale brothers seemed to identify more with one of their parents, Zane more with their mother and Syrus more with their father. Right after collage graduation, they had a simple, small wedding, and had planed to keep up the long distance relationship for another year or so, as they had each been offered jobs in different cities. However, the result of a one-night visit had changed that.
Zane read over the first letter his father had written to his mother after he found out she was pregnant with him.
To my dearest Karin,
I was walking in the park earlier today, thinking about you and the baby that is on the way. It scares me to think that a new little life is coming into the world and depending on me to take care of it. I have never been the bravest of guys, and I still cannot believe that you agreed to go out with me, let alone marry me, and now we're having a baby. When I think about you and everything that you have done for me, I cannot help but think that I'm the luckiest person in the world. I still remember the first time I saw you walking in the hall, back in high school. You were the prettiest girl I had ever seen in my life, and I couldn't help but think that I would never have a chance of being with you. Now I can look back and say that you have become my best friend, my partner in life, and the future mother of my child.
I know you were worried about what would happen with our careers and how we would make this work since we didn't plan on having children this early, but we are a family and I promise to take care of you. I have decided that I'm going to give up my job here and find a new one where you live. I know your career means a lot to, so if it's okay with you I'll stay home and take care of the baby. I still can't believe that I'm going to be a father, I've never wanted anything more.
When our baby is born I promise, that he or she will be loved and cherished above everything else in our lives. The next generation is about to be born into our family, our legacy. I pledge to you here and now that I will be with this child, always. Apart but never separate, free but never alone. This baby is one of us and because of that, we will bless him or her with all the goodness and kindness that we are.
With all my love,
Perry Truesdale
"Apart but never separate, free but never alone," Zane whispered out loud, as he reread that part of the letter. It was a strange concept to think about, being alone without ever really being alone. Zane had always liked being alone, it gave him time to think and with all the stupid fans he had that just wanted to use him, it kept him safe. But at the same time Zane knew that no matter what, he always had the love of his family and his true friends. He had forgotten that when he went to the underground and became Hell Kaiser. His friends hadn't meant to forget him, he realized that now, and they still cared about him. It was time to make a mends with his old friends.
"Thanks dad," Zane said as he continued to search through the old box. He found a lot of old pictures. Some of his parents when they were his age, a few old wedding pictures, and a couple of pictures were of his mom when she was clearly pregnant with him. Some of the more recent photographs showed Zane's parents playing with him when he was a baby. There were many photos were Zane had some sort of food smeared all over his face and clothes, and a couple where Zane had no clothes on at all (those pictures had to be buried Zane decided). As Zane got to the end of the pile of pictures, he noticed that a few of them were of when his mother was pregnant with Syrus and the very last one was of all of them together at the hospital the night Syrus was born, right before his father died; the only picture with them all together that existed.
Zane stared down at the picture in his hand and was a little surprised that he didn't start to cry, but he was tired of being sad about his father's death. He would always be troubled and distraught over the loses of his father, but it was time to move on and remember the good times not the bad. His father would what him to be happy, and now that he had Jo, and his old friends back he would try to fulfill his father's wish.
Zane was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a frantic nock on the door. Putting the pictures and letter back into the boxes, Zane quickly stood up and went to answer the door. A smile quickly appeared on Zane's face as he realized that it was Jo at the door, but when he saw the state, she was in, his smile quickly faded. Her checks were stained red with tears, her breathing was ragged, and she looked completely panicked.
"Zane," Jo shouted as she rushed into Zane's arms and buried her face into his chest.
Zane just stood there and held tightly. This was a little different, from the last times he had held her. Last night and in the elevator, she had been upset and distressed, but right now, it seemed as though she was falling apart.
"Jo what's going on, what's wrong?"
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Jo stared into the mirror as she finished applying some light pink eye shadow. It was like she was staring into the eyes of a stranger; well not really a stranger, more like a long lost friend. The face that gazed back at her was one she hadn't seen in a long time. Gone was the complete black outfit and heavy dark makeup, and left was the face of a normal, average teenage girl with a taste for darker colored clothing. Jo couldn't give up everything she had learned in the underground in a day, so, instead of all black clothing, she had settled for dark wash jeans and a black t-shirt that was sprinkled with different colored hearts. She had also decided to go with lighter colored makeup, but had kept her black nail polish. The smile, however, was what made her reflection truly different. Jo had forgotten just how much she loved her smile, and now that she had it back, she didn't ever what to lose it again.
Jo thoughts about her new or old appearance depending on how you looked at it, were cut off, however, when there was a knock at the door. Thinking that Zane, who had only left about 20 minutes ago, might have forgotten something, Jo quickly went to answer the door. When she opened the door, however, she was surprised to see a middle-aged man with dark hair dressed in a navy uniform.
"Jo Tannin? Daughter of Alana Tannin?" The man asked. He spoke rather quickly as though he was nervous about something, and seemed to have a tense look about him. He kept twisting a piece of paper in his hands.
"Yes," Jo answered as she closed the door so she was standing half way in half way out, "how can I help you." She did not sense anything bad about this man, but her mother had always taught her to be cautious when it came to unknown men at the door. This man also seemed to know a lot about her, and since she didn't know anything about him, so she was on her guard.
"Hello, I'm Jack Maaka," Jack said as he handed Jo the piece of paper he had been twisting, "I use to be an old friend of your mother's before she passed."
Jo looked down at the piece of paper, which turned out to be a photograph. It was a very old, long forgotten snapshot of her mother and Jack holding hands at some sort of school picnic. A half smile formed on Jo's face as she looked down at her mother's smiling face. It had been a long time since Jo had seen her mother's face, it had been too painful, but after all these years, it was nice to see it again.
"Just old friend," Jo asked with sly smile as she looked up into Jack's brown eyes, "seem more like you were her old boyfriend."
"Actual that's what I wanted to talk about, if I could come in?" Jack asked and seemed to become even more nervous about something.
"Yeah, sure, come on in," Jo decided as she stepped back and opened the door allowing Jack to come inside. This man seemed to be genuine and he had known her mother, so Jo decided that it was safe to let him come into her apartment.
"If I had known Alana had a daughter I would have come right after she died," Jack said he took a seat on the couch as Jo sat in the chair across form it. "You where young when she died, so where did you grow up?"
"I went from foster home to foster home until I turned eighteen," Jo explained as she continued to stare at the man in front of her. She couldn't explain it, but she felt she had some sort of connection with this man.
"Eighteen, so you would have been born in late February, early March?" Jack asked as he tried avoiding Jo's eyes, seeming to grow tenser by the second.
"February 29th, so actually I only have a birthday every four years," Jo said with a slight laugh."
Jack seemed to laugh right along with Jo, until both stopped and an awkward silence fell upon the room.
"Listen Mr. Maaka, as much as I enjoy playing twenty questions with you, is there any particular reason you came here?"
"Yes actual, there is. See about eighteen years and nine months ago your mother and I had one last night together. We were only a little older than you are, and were headed down different paths. I was going to the Navy, she was going to be a firefighter, so it was kind of our way of saying goodbye. I never really thought much about it, until I saw you on T.V. the other night. You look exactly my mother, and the timing lines up so I think there is a good chance, actual I'm almost sure, that I'm your father." Jack had said all of this very fast and had avoided Jo's eyes while he was saying it.
"What?" Jo said as sat there somewhat stunned. She had heard what Jack had said, and he did have a point about the timing lining up. She also remembered that her mother had said something about her father being in the Navy when she had asked about him back when she was really young. Now that she got a good look at Jack, she could see some facial resemblance; they also had the same color hair. Even though she had no proof she couldn't help but feel that what Jack said was true, that he really was her father.
"We can take a DNA test to check, but see the thing is I have to move to New York for work, I can't get out of it. I'm flying there tonight and I was hoping you would go with me. If the test comes back negative, I will pay for you to come back, but I know that you are my daughter and I would like to get to know you," Jack said as her looked right into her eyes.
"How dare you," Jo spat as she rose to her feet in anger. "You just waltz in here after eighteen years and suddenly announce that you're my long lost father and expect me to just give up my life and fly to New York with you! I have a life here, and someone who cares about me. So you know what you just needed to get out of here, because this is just happening all too fast. For all you know, you might not even be my father!"
"I am your father, Jo," Jake said as he too rose to his feet and headed for the door. "The plane leaves at 6:00pm, I have a ticket for you, I really hope you change your mind," he uttered before he closed the door to leave Jo alone with her thoughts.
Jo just stared at the door that Jake had just left through; she had no idea what to do or even what to feel. It was all just happening to fast. Her heart was pounding so much that it hurt, and her breathing started to became ragged as tears started to run down her cheeks. She had always wanted to know who her dad was, and had dreamed of meeting him, but this was not the way the dream was suppose to go. How could she give up her whole life here, and move to New York? What about her friends? Okay she had no friends, but what about the tournament? What about Zane? She and Zane had just started their relationship; she couldn't leave now.
Jo needed to escape, she needed to run, and she needed to run to someone that cared about her. Grabbing her purse and quickly locking the door, she took off down the street headed to the one she loved. The one she knew could make her feel better.
Time seemed to stand still as Jo ran down the street. All the people she passed seemed to be faceless, and the usual sounds that can be heard in a noisy city seemed to be absent. The only thing that Jo cared about was getting to Zane. She needed to see him again, she needed to be in his arms, and she needed to feel safe again. As Jo came up to Zane's door, she started pounding on the door desperate to get inside. It seemed to take forever for the doorknob to start turning, but once it did, Jo started to breathe again. There he was, there was her Zane, with the biggest smile on his face. Although his smile faded as soon as he saw the state, she was in. Jo had to admit she couldn't have looked her best right now. Her breathing was uneven and rough, her cheeks had to be red from crying.
"Zane," Jo cried as she ran into Zane's arms and buried her head into his chest.
"Jo what's going on, what's wrong?" Zane asked as he pulled her into the embrace trying to erase all her pain.
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Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter and I sorry it took me so long to write. The story I'm sorry to say is coming to a close, only one or two more chapters to go, but I hope you enjoyed reading it. I would like to thank Anime 300 and DaydreamerMagby for their reviews; I did edit the angry, anger thing in chapter 10. Please, everyone leave a review and tell me what you think of this chapter and what you would like to see at the end of this story. Thanks for reading.
P.S. I also have started watching this really cool anime called Karin. (Some of the names I chose for this chapter came from this show.) It's about a girl vampire, but instead of drinking blood she makes blood, it's so funny. The opening is a little smutty, but the show isn't so don't get scared (I usually just fast-forward through the opening). It's not to popular yet, so if you're interested you can watch the complete series at veoh video network, a site a lot like youtube.