For feels, listen to "Sleep Well My Angel" by We Are the Fallen


"Geez, girl, how about slowing down on the candy?" Linda advised. For once, Morgan was actually at Linda's house instead of lying to her parents about it, and she had let her father drive, given what happened last time. This would help their cover, and yes, it would help the Tans save money. After the weekend with Jack for Valentine's Day, Morgan did a lot of thinking about her and Jack, and her and Linda. They were teenagers and she had learned enough from Aubrey that when boys interfered with friendships, it could be horrible for them. She told Jack what she was feeling, shortly after getting back home, and he had listened to her expressions of fear of her friendship with Linda. She considered the Bennetts her friends, but Linda was her only friend in Harrisburg. She had given up on Brianne long ago. She didn't want to lose Linda, and so Morgan was devoted to spending more time with Linda. The weekend after Easter found Morgan at her friend's house again, pacing around the room while her beloved fictional characters stared down from their placements against the hues of coral orange. While she walked back and forth nervously, Morgan nibbled on a block of chocolate, stopping once in a while to glance at the beautiful calligraphy painted onto a hanging scroll, a fan, or those canvas bubbles Linda had hanging on her walls. Linda did not like to discuss her culture much at school because she had always been nervous about what people thought of her since she had been met with so many harsh words regarding her ethnicity. Truth was, though, Linda was proud of where her parents came from and when she found something that was written or decorated with Chinese symbols or writing, she liked to collect it if she could afford it. Morgan admired the artistic strokes of the written language and wondered if she would ever be able to do that. Her art had given her a steady hand.

Another glance out the window, which was still blotchy with snow despite it being April now, reminded her of how Jack would soon leave as well. He had caused it to snow the day before Easter, and had been called away after Easter to receive a talking to by Bunny. Just the other day, Jack had visited her again, but things were tense between them. The two of them both had Jack's soon departure lingering on their minds and had wondered what would that mean for them? Neither one of them wanted to say anything. They had just wanted to enjoy each other's company as much as possible.

"We should not have stopped at that convenience store on Monday," Linda groaned. She leapt up from her bedspread of golden roses mingled in with green leaves and swiped away the chocolate in Morgan's hand. "Okay, stop it."

"Give me my chocolate!"

"No," Linda said. "I know the reason you're nibbling on this. You gnaw on candy when you're nervous, and you've been doing it since you got here."

"I just have a craving."

"No," Linda scoffed, a black brow raising above her knowing glare. "You think I haven't noticed? The snow is melting. That means Jack has stopped with his antics, and he can't stick around. He's leaving soon."

"Monday..." Morgan moaned. "He's coming by tomorrow night to say goodbye."

"What did you two decide when you talked about it?"

"We didn't," Morgan confessed in a sighed. Linda dropped her arms and her beautifully lined eyelids patted together in a flabbergasted expression.

"You haven't talked about it?!" Linda's voice went up an octave with her declaration of her shock.

"We're scared to."

"Communication is essential in any relationship!" Linda said. "You need to be honest about everything."

"I know, Linda, please don't give me this talk..." Morgan moaned. Linda passed over the candy bar, but Morgan set it down. "I'm going to miss him so much."

"It's only til your birthday right?" Linda said. "That's not that long, considering. And long distance relationships are more and more common these days."

"But last summer... Pitch invaded my life. And nearly ruined what I had with Jack. I think that's what he's most terrified of."

"Hey now," Linda said. "Last summer, you did not have me. And Jack approves of me. You're smart, Morgan, and even if something does happen like that again, I'll put up my dukes."

"Dukes? That's something Peter says!" she cackled wildly.

"Morgan, you need to get out your feelings about the situation with Jack before he leaves. When he comes over on Monday, don't just hug and say goodbye. Get out your feelings."

"But it's... so hard," she moaned. "He'll be worrying about me the whole time when he's down there, and I would worry about him worrying about me, and then it would become a vicious cycle..."

"He'll worry more if you never say anything." Morgan flung herself onto Linda's, being consoled by the pillows.

"Just so you know... the thing about you being a dumb Asian isn't true at all..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This was to be the last night together until the fall. Morgan had spent hours going through her closet, deciding to throw on something that Linda had called "really hot" on her. Then, she figured that would make Jack way too passionate and long to stay, so she changed into the frumpiest outfit. Not wanting for that to be the last thing he saw Morgan in, she changed back into the clothes she originally had been in – a grey striped shirt with half sleeves, a dark brown snug fitting vest, and skinny Capri jeans. Nothing to impress Jack, or revolt him, but maybe it wouldn't be too much of an emotional goodbye.

The possibility of that outcome had gone out the window the moment Jack had come in. he barely stepped inside and she was hanging on his neck, his staff nicking her clothes and send an icy wave of frost on its collar to tickle the nap of her neck. Her lips aimed for his face so poorly in her fit of grieving passion, she kissed every part of his face but his lips. Jack stepped back and gripped her face so she would remain still. When he was able to finally look into her face, he spied tears beginning to pool along the curve of her lashes. Black was smeared around her eyes, where the mascara ran. He sighed with reluctance, and then wiped away the black moisture. She followed him to her bed and he took her waist, pulled her towards him.

"You know I am going to come back for you, right?" Jack said. She nodded as obedient as a child. His hands glided between her folded ones. "I now it's going to hurt, being so far apart... but I am coming back. I promise."

"I know, Jack," she sniffled. "You never break your promises, I've learned that. I'm afraid of what's going to happen in the meantime. Last year, Pitch-"

"Was there because you were lonely and terrified," Jack completely. He brushed his knuckles against her face. "Summer means no school. It means time with friends, time outside, time at the pool. Do that. Enjoy your time with Linda. All the times you spent with me, you can now make it up to her. You're girls, go shopping."

"Linda will enjoy that more than I will," Morgan groaned.

"Okay, then window shop at museums where period clothing is on display," Jack teased. "Go see movies."

"It would be okay with Joseph Fiennes was in it," Morgan giggled. He smirked with amusement.

"Okay, in my absence, I guess if he turned up on your doorstep, you can make out with him, but that's all!"

"Yes! I knew I loved you for a reason!"

"Spend your time having fun, doing things you can't do with me. Be out in public." He emphasized the last part. "You can enjoy being with Linda or your family in public without the fear that someone will think you're talking to someone else."

"And... what if I..." she heavily gasped breaths as she searched for the words she had forbidden herself to say. "What if I stop believing in you?" Jack looked at the carpet, reflecting on what she was saying. There was that thought again, of her growing up and losing the childishness that kept her faith in him. He pushed himself up, still clutching her hands, and inserted his lips into the perfect notch of hers, the kiss forming perfectly under his pressure. She completed the perfection by turning her head so their hunger for each other was quickly being fed, but would never completely be filled. When Jack had pulled away from her after several minutes of fiery need, she stumbled backward, dizzy from her neglect of breathing. He steadied her, but laughed at her clumsiness.

"You should remember to breathe."

"It's hard to when your mouth is crushing into mine violently," she told him.

"Do you think you could stop believing in that?" he asked. "Could you stop believing the way your face burns against my cool touch?" He examined his hand, remembering how he had felt her temperature rise in the middle of their kiss. "Could you stop believing in the way you felt lightheaded from taking your fill of me?"

"No," Morgan responded quickly. "But that's not... what's really going to keep me believing." She grabbed his hand and placed it below her collarbone. She snorted at the feel of his tendons tighten from awkward embarrassment as she pressed his hand into her chest. "I'm not asking you to grope me." Jack relaxed under the tapping beneath her bones, growing more rapid so it felt like it was banging harder into his hand. "Just you touching me sends it into a frenzy. It's the feeling of the way an organ that you can't even see reacts to something no one else can see. This is the proof of your existence. But I'm still... worried." He pressed her body against him, his arms locking the two of them together.

"Morgan Kenter, I know fear has had its time with you," he whispered in her ears. "And it knows you intimately. But I have had time with you longer, and I have known you more intimately than it ever could. You do not give up. And you won't this time. I know this world is a cruel place, and … fear may return to you. But even in your heart I will defend you." He snatched the small book off the table he had given her for Valentine's Day. "History tells you that people will keep on having faith in each other, over so many years, despite the struggles they go through. These people, their love stories, made them strong and they believed in each other so strongly because they loved each other so strongly. Do you believe that I believe in you?"

"More than I believe in history." Jack laughed at her response.

"From a historian, that's probably the most romantic thing ever spoken." Morgan grinned before kissing him again. She rested her head against his chest while his fingers fondled the ends of her hair. "No matter what you say though, this still sucks."

"Oh, I never said it wasn't going to," he told her. "But I know I'll have someone who believes in me waiting for my return."

"Why are you so wonderful?" she whispered to him through sudden weeping.

"It's only because I've been shown what it is to be wonderful," he answered.

"Stop it!" she demanded, lightly pounding an enclosed hand against the icy wall that was his chest. "You're making this harder." She jumped up and pressed her face into his again, pinning him to her bed. She used her hands to steady herself so she was hovering over him, tilting her face so she could lose herself in their lips' embrace. Her mouth slipped down, past his chin and she pushed into his neck. Jack winced at the pressure, feeling her teeth scrape against his frosted skin. His fingernails were clawing into her back, still clutching her tightly. He fought against the growl of victorious desire that was rearing its way through him. He wanted this, he wanted her so badly – but this was not the time for it.

"Morgan, stop. Stop," he pleaded.

"Why?" she wept.

"Because this isn't you. This isn't right. This is too early. The reasoning isn't... stop." He shoved his hands into her shoulders and held her a good distance from him.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked.

"A little, but it was more of a good hurt..." he mumbled. "No, that's not why... I don't want the last time I make out with you to be because of tears and sadness. Please Morgan. If I kiss you like this now, I may never leave."

"Then don't."

"I have to. Would you be happy with a summer where it's always cold."

"Well, I wouldn't mind, but Linda might complain about not being able to see shirtless men."

"And so would you," he teased and pecked her lips. She moved away so he could stand, and he walked to the window. She joined up, staring up the thin slice of silver that illuminated the roads with blue. Jack placed a hand on the back of her neck, his thumb massaging her in a circular motion. "The Man in the Moon will listen you, if you need to talk. And you have Linda. When I come back, I intend to hear about all the fun you had." His smile was almost enough to mask the terrified longing. He pulled open the window and sat on the ledge, ready to jump into the heavy wind that was tearing through the city. He had previously asked the wind to move at faster speeds tonight, making it harder for him to go back to the house. "You're going to be okay. I know it. I believe in you. Have fun this summer."

"I promise, Jack!" she cried out. "I will keep believing in you! I will never stop believing in you!" His fingers were now slipping out of her hands.

"I know," he muttered. As the wind continued to pick up, an impatient cry from the force that it was time to go, he brushed his cheek to hers and so his cold lips touched her ear.

"I promise to forever believe in you, Morgan." His fingers slipped away from her hands, caught her in one last kiss, and then the wind carried him off. Through the throbbing of the splitting in her heart, Morgan managed a curve of a grin on her just kissed lips. Jack was mischievous. He destroyed and broke many things in his search for fun and excitement. He even broke Morgan's heart when things happened he could not help; such as now, when her heart shattered under his departure. But when Jack made a promise, it was forever protected from destruction by belief and love. That was was when Morgan knew the distance would not be so distant at all.


I had a bad night, so I am sorry if this isn't... as great as I wanted it to be. I'm getting piles of homework as the semester draws to a close and I am stressed with this and this new job and I move next months and it's been forever since I've talked to my fiancee because of how stressed I am (he lives in England, so there's the time difference too and it's hard to talk to him and still be a dedicated student and work) My creativity was just... not working today. Anyway, do you want a couple fun chapters with Adventures of Morgan and Linda during the summer to help with some of the sadness I've been laying on you? Here's hoping I get to talk to you guys soon. Nightie night. Rosie out.