Chapter 12

They arrived sometime later that night in Austin and Jasina showed Mark the guest room, which was plain with just a bed while she went to go whip them something up quick to eat. Arielle was in the bathroom taking a shower as Jasina searched her fridge, tapping her chin in thought, still not believing she had Mark and Arielle in her apartment.

If someone had told him ten days ago that he would be talking to his ex-wife, much less staying at her place, he would have laughed their ass to hell and back. As it was, Mark was actually here. He sat down on the bed, raking a hand through his hair, working out the braid he had bound it in that morning. As tempted as he had been to exercise his rights of denying Jasina access to Arielle, he couldn't do that to his daughter, not when she was so damn happy. That and it seemed like Jasina had gotten her life under control. Not that that excused her for walking out on him and their infant, but...He sighed, hanging his head.

She decided to just make some hot dogs and hamburgers, something simple and quick, knowing Arielle was starving and Mark had to be as well. Trish had taken her car to her place and Jasina had driven with Mark and Arielle in his huge truck. She didn't have a lot, but her little car wouldn't have held it all. When the food was done, Jasina took a deep breath and walked to the guest room, knocking on it.

"Food's done." She quietly called through it, knowing he would hear her, and walked into her bedroom to change into black pajama pants with a matching tank top.

"Did I hear somebody mention food?" Arielle asked, walking out of the bathroom in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, brushing her hair.

"You sure you're not a boy, darlin'?" He asked, stepping out into the hallway.

"Uhh yeah? "

"Just wondering."

"It's on the table, help yourselves!" Jasina called through the door and looked up when the door opened, staring back at Mark while she finished clipping her toenails. "The plates are in the cupboard along with the cups. I'm afraid all I have is water and milk for the time being." She smiled apologetically at him before turning back to her task, not in the mood for food at the moment.

"You need to come eat." He said gravely, wondering if she was living off that measly slice of pizza from the previous night and admitted to himself he wouldn't be surprised when she shook her head. "Hey Arie, make your momma a plate, she'll be out in a minute!"

"Okay!"

He winked at Jasina before walking out.

Jasina smiled back at him and set her clippers down after doing her final toe, walking out, and seen her plate had indeed already been made. "Thank you sweetheart." She murmured, kissing the top of her head before sitting down, seeing they had hamburgers while she had a hot dog.

Mark remembered how much she loathed burgers, would he never stop surprising her? Probably not. The three ate in silence, Jasina actually eating three hot dogs, hungrier than she thought. Her life was complete, with her daughter and Mark, though she knew she didn't stand a chance at rekindling what they once had. That was her fault, but Jasina wasn't going to let that get her down.

"So is Trish really gonna put you in a penthouse? That is so cool. We live on a ranch, but you probably knew that didn't you? You lived there before I was born, right? Well, dad's added on, a lot! We even got a pool, it's outside, but it's underground, maybe you-"

Mark watched his daughter talk without breathing, was that even possible? "Arie, do you ever take a breath?" He asked curiously.

She inhaled deeply before rattling off again.

Jasina raised an eyebrow, nodding, glad Mark had done something with the huge land, smiling the whole time. "That's wonderful." She said when Arielle took a breath to take another bite, standing up as she cleared her and Mark's dishes, walking over to the sink to rinse them off. She decided she would let Mark do the parenting part with putting Arielle to bed. Drying her hands off, Jasina turned around and bumped right into Mark, stumbling back. "Sorry, I didn't see you there." Her kitchen was fairly small when his huge form was in it as Jasina stepped around him, clearing the rest of the table off.

"How can you NOT see me? I'm broader than your damn doors woman." He grumbled, though it was with good humor. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"I keep telling him to wear bells or something."

"I'm a guy, guys don't wear bells."

"Gary does."

Mark arched an eyebrow.

"He does, he attaches them with safety pins to the bottom of his boxers and-"

"HOW do you KNOW this?"

Jasina didn't even want to know who Gary was as she shook her head, finishing cleaning up, deciding the dishes could wait until after they were in bed. She wasn't sleeping tonight. She would pack while they slept as she walked into the living room, looking around. Her walls were blank, no pictures, for obvious reasons. She had a TV with a stand, couch and a coffee table. Jasina walked over and pulled some boxes out of her closet that she saved over the years of moving, folding them up, and began placing her things in them. It didn't take anymore than three at the most. How sad was that?

"Bed." Mark grumbled, deciding he was going to be having that gun talk with Gary a year sooner then expected. "I'll be there to tuck you in, gimme a minute."

"Dad, I think your face is going to explode, it's this awesome shade of red."

"Bed. Now."

"How bout I just hug you now and we'll call it a night? Twelve's a bit old to be tucked into bed."

"And a bit young to see a guy's boxers!"

"You wear boxers!"

"You don't see me flashin' them though!"

"Mark..." Jasina sighed as she shook her head, knowing he was being an overprotective father. It was rather adorable. She smiled and hugged Arielle, kissing the top of her head. "Good night sweetheart." She murmured, watching as Arielle scampered into her room, knowing Mark would take up the entire bed of the guest room.

If she kept this up, Jasina would be done packing by morning hopefully. She wouldn't get any sleep, but...she really didn't need any. If she did get tired, she would take the couch as she kept packing.

Mark cleared his throat awkwardly, watching her pack what little belongings she had. "Need any help?" Which sounded stupid even to him, but he felt the need to offer. He wasn't looking forward to a night on that bed. His feet were going to hang off, he might need the floor.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you anyway." She seen how awkward he was and she was as well. Especially after writing him that goodbye letter. She never thought she'd see him again, though because of their daughter's scheme to run away and come see her, Jasina had managed to get her second chance. "You can sleep with Arielle in my room, Mark." She said softly, standing up, and dusted herself off. "It's a king, a lot bigger than the guest room. I'll take the couch. Go to bed, you look exhausted." She then walked into the kitchen to do the dishes.

"I'm not putting you out of your own bed, Jasi." Mark said firmly, following her into the kitchen, ducking his head so he wouldn't hit the low hanging light. "I feel like a kid in a playhouse." He grumbled, arching an eyebrow when she began to silently laugh at him. "Quiet." He snapped jokingly. "Go to bed, we got all day tomorrow to get you out of here."

"Nope, I'm just as stubborn as you, Mark." She replied as she looked at him over her shoulder briefly, not having been called Jasi in a long time, before going back to doing the dishes. He gave her goose bumps just being around him. Hell, Jasina forgot what sex was, she hadn't had it since she left Mark. Though he'd never believe her and she wasn't going to tell him. "I'm not going to bed anytime soon so go ahead and sleep. I promise I'll get a few hours of sleep, but I want to get the majority of the packing done tonight." That and she didn't feel right having him packing her things, it was kind enough of him to help her move. She could do all the hard labor.

"If you say so, but I'm sleeping in the guest room." Mark shrugged, watching her for a moment, remembering a time it had been her in his kitchen in their house, pregnant, bare foot and in the kitchen. It made him half smile. "Good night, Jasi." He yawned, walking out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the guest room, closing the door behind him, staring at the bed. "Hmm."

"Good night Mark." She quietly whispered, finishing up the dishes before beginning to pack them.

It took her nearly five hours to pack up everything, including her DVD player and whatnot. She had nothing in the guest room except that bed and some clothes in the closet. By the time five o'clock rolled around, Jasina was exhausted and laid down on the couch, pulling the cover that was on it over her, closing her eyes as the sleep engulfed her body. She knew in a few hours she would be getting up and moving from Austin back to her true home Houston, Texas.

Mark had managed to fall asleep on the floor, having contemplated the twin sized bed for awhile before determining that it must be meant as a pillow because it was tiny. Hell, he'd put Arielle into a queen sized bed when she had outgrown her toddler bed, just so he wouldn't have to worry about breaking anything when he sat down with her at night for her bedtime story.

The following day was busy to the say the least. Running on three hours of sleep, Jasina needed a lot of coffee. Arielle was chipper as a spring chicken and Mark looked like he hadn't slept well. Sighing, Jasina made them all a quick breakfast, pancakes with eggs and bacon before getting started. It took six hours for them to load everything, though Jasina left the twin bed behind. She didn't need it, more worried about her bed. She would get another one when she got to Houston, knowing Trish was probably giving her a really good job. She put her resignation into the newspaper before heading on the road with Mark and Arielle. Halfway there, Jasina had managed to fall asleep, her head resting against the window, her hair pulled up in a ponytail with black cotton shorts, white tennis shoes and a black tank top. Arielle was laying on her, also sleeping.

Mark turned on the radio, keeping it low so it didn't wake the girls. Though he doubted anything could wake Jasina right now, she was even snoring lightly, he found that amusing and grinned. When she was pregnant she had sounded like a foghorn and he had recorded it just to play back for her when she kept denying it. He turned the volume up just a little.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and looked down, smiling down at her daughter. Arielle. She ran her fingers through her hair, not to the point of waking her up, just a light caress before staring out the window again, the lyrics to the song 'Wish You'd Stay' by Brad Paisley flowing through her mind. Tears swelled in her eyes as she closed them, blinking them away, feeling her daughter snuggle against her and couldn't believe what she had given up all those years ago. She wish she'd of stayed too, for not only Arielle, but Mark as well.

He was aware she'd woken up, having caught the gesture with Arielle out of the corner of his eye and cleared his throat, quickly changing the station.

They arrived in Houston a little after six o'clock as Jasina stepped out of the truck, looking up at her new penthouse Trish had already set up for her, and inhaled the air. Home. Houston. She seen her daughter walking up to her and winked, knowing this wouldn't be hard getting her stuff moved in. She wasn't surprised when Trish and Steve showed up so while the men did the heavy lifting, the three girls talked and caught up. It was around ten o'clock when Mark had the bed put together and all of her furniture inside, which wasn't a lot.

"I appreciate all of your help, Mark, truly." She wanted to hug him, but instead extended her hand, a warm smile on her face.

"Don't mention it." He murmured, taking her hand in his, squeezing instead of shaking, letting go abruptly and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking around the place and whistled. "She doesn't spare any expense, does she?"

"No, I don't." Trish said, walking into the bedroom and frowning. "I think we need to get you some furniture, more of it. Since Mark is apparently so handy."

"Mark has done enough, Trish, and I don't see the need for it." Jasina was a simple woman, shrugging her shoulders. The place was huge though, had two bedrooms with a huge living room, dining room, kitchen and a balcony, which Jasina immediately fell in love with. "I'll fill it up somehow." She said as Arielle hugged her around the waist. "Now don't forget, this weekend I'm taking you shopping for new jeans." She seen Mark sigh a breath of relief and chuckled softly, knowing he didn't care for shopping.

"Thank god..."

"Why? Shouldn't you be thanking mom?"

Trish had to go into the bathroom to pee she was laughing so hard, not wanting to wet herself.

"What'd I say?"

Jasina shook her head, laughing quietly, and kissed the top of Arielle's head. "You just let me know if there's anything else I can do, Mark." She said, meaning that, wanting to be a full time mother and not one of those that Arielle only saw on the weekends. "You too sweetheart. Though it better be within reason and your father has to give approval too." She laughed when Arielle groaned, mentioning something about two against one, shaking her head. "That's what parents do with their children." Jasina smirked when Arielle stuck her tongue out and tapped her nose gently.