In the gray of the new day with all alcohol and weed gone from his system, Jack was hyper aware of everything that had happened, his emotions running rampant silently inside him as he followed Tiffany downstairs.

He thought of when he carried her to her room and put her in bed, realizing her bedroom window was the one he'd seen the night of the Halloween party, the tea lights twinkling above him softly. He made sure she was deep asleep before looking around, his eyes scanning for anything that might speak of the past…

It was one of the coolest bedrooms he'd seen, the open space and silks she draped over lamps to cast different light, the teal and turquoise curtains and tapestries on the walls, one pulled back to reveal her closet, which was to the right of the steps that led down to the bedroom door, sunken in and filled with every kind of clothing from dance leotards to evening gowns…tons of shoes and shoeboxes, and he recognized the names and brands from the ads in Time Square and advertisements, all expensive and outside his realm of possibility.

He stepped carefully as his eyes searched, but nothing stood out to him. His heart beat hard and fast, wanting so badly to find something...

Then he slowed down and forgot his search...his eyes lingered on the dance trophies and awards above her desk, noting the dates and how young she was...he paused on the framed photographs which, he realized, were all around the room; on her desk, the dressers, the nightstand, everywhere.

He wasn't surprised that there weren't any of her family, not by the way she kept them secret and separate from her life here...but her friends smiled and laughed next to her in photos from Paris, Greece, London. They'd been everywhere together...photos of Honey and Jade in striking dance poses, Kiki and Tiffany smiling in a field of tulips somewhere in Europe...

There were tons of her and Jazzi, laughing and posing with trophies at competitions, on airplanes, on each other's shoulders on a beach at sunset.

Jack studied Jazzi's face, seeing the love that shone there clearly for Tiffany. He remembered what Tiffany had said, that Jazzi had been there since before she was born…

He sighed. Maybe Jazzi wasn't awake yet. He pushed it from his mind as he looked away from the photos on her dresser.

She loved the ocean, that much was obvious. With the sound machine and soft blue hues scattered around her room, the seashells on her dressers around the picture frames, art pieces painted by hand of whales and sea turtles, he sensed her longing for it... He saw mail on her desk from ocean conservatories in California and Australia, and he wondered if she donated to them. There were even photographs of her underwater somewhere tropical, long diver's fins elongating her legs and her hair floating around her like a mermaid, her strong angelic body effortlessly perfect in the blue.

He looked over to her on the bed, her face relaxed and free of pain as she slept.

What a life she had. And she was somehow drawn to him, someone who couldn't offer such adventures but dreamt about them all the time, seeing mountains and oceans and clear skies, going West…

He spotted a photo next to her bed, the girls on horses next to each other, Jade in a worn black cowboy hat.

Of the hundreds of blankets and pillows scattered around her bed, he was drawn to the balcony alcove and sat with a huff against the wall, raindrops beginning to form and run down the window panes. He drew his knees up to his chest and rested his arms on them, feeling like he was on a firescape again, waiting for something to happen.

He hated to admit to himself that he felt more lost now than he had before, before they'd found her in this life. What was he doing? What future could they have together? He had nothing to offer, while she…

He rubbed his hand over his face irritably, looking out the window to the city across the river.

What if she woke up? Would all of this come crashing down? Would she blame him?

Would she still be her?

He watched the raindrops fall down the glass for what felt like hours before he was lulled to sleep by her sound machine, waves of colors washing over him...

He dreamed about her, laughing with him, pulling his hand along as she led him down sidewalks lined with neon lights. But hands pulled at her, eyes raked over her and wanted her for their own. It was too fresh, too close to the life she'd once had. But shapes began to change - her face thinned and rounded back and forth, her eyes went from cold as an icy sea to warm and glinting like sunlight streaming through teal waters, a fierce anger that he once resented changed into a laugh he craved to hear...then she came into focus on a beach, seeing her bright smile, one he'd never known until this life…

He felt stuck between two times, two women.

And now, as he followed her to the kitchen, he smirked at the way she flitted down the steps, her movements light and sure as she lifted onto her toes and crossed the floor around the corner to the living room, carefree and eager to see what the day held.

The dark clouds were brightening slowly outside the windows, rain still falling softly. He saw their friends still sprawled and passed out; Racetrack and Kiki and Honey and Mush asleep on the couches while Spot and Jade were spooning comfortably on the floor with mounds of pillows.

Thunder rolled in the distance as Tiffany leaned over to pluck one of Honey's curls, smiling devilishly at Jack over her shoulder as her friend stirred next to Mush.

Jack huffed a sigh again as he tried to push away the heaviness of his thoughts that left him feeling empty and drained. So much had happened last night, and even this morning...He tried to focus on the elation he felt through his weariness as he leaned on the island, watching her open cabinets and the fridge. He forced himself to keep his gaze away from her silk sleep shorts...

"Coffee?" she asked sweetly, looking over her shoulder again with a cute grin.

"Sure," he agreed huskily. He ran his fingers through his hair and leaned on his elbows. "The smell will wake 'em for sure."

She grinned as she poured grounds into a filter, a red coffee maker on the counter. She turned on the cabinet running lights and the marble counters glinted in the dimness of the kitchen. She pulled a hair tie from her wrist and pulled up her long hair, twisting it into a bun she'd done a million times.

"Alexa, play Sunday Morning radio," she said softly. "Volume at forty percent."

La Vie En Rose began to play and her feet lifted automatically, her body turning slowly and gracefully as she fetched mugs, Louis Armstrong's trumpet lifting the gray spirits of the day. Jack was in sleepy mesmerization as he watched her; even relaxed and dancing for fun she was hypnotizing, her relaxed arms still holding true to her training, her feet never tangling.

And he was right - as soon as the coffee began to drip, Honey came wandering in, grinning sleepily.

"An' just where have you two been?" she asked sneakily as she took Tiffany for a fast spin, both giggling.

"Spent all night wondering what kinds of marker mustaches to give you suckers," Jack said as he saw Mush enter the kitchen, his big mouth yawning. "How'd ya sleep, Mush?"

Mush smiled big as he saw Honey, and he rushed up behind her to nuzzle into her neck. She squealed with delight and they laughed.

"Like a dream, Jack," Mush said after he kissed Honey's cheek.

"'ey, keep it down," Spot grumbled as he pulled up his suspenders, going to Jack's side. "Some of us are still asleep."

Jade came up behind Spot, her long red hair brushing over his shoulder. "Then we better wake ya up."

A blender cut on and a soft groan came from the group, Tiffany smiling from the counter as she blended eggs and bananas together. "How 'bout pancakes?"

Spot winced, "think I like Jade's way better."

They laughed while Tiffany and Honey moved around the kitchen making pancakes and cutting up fruit, sipping coffee and laughing with Jade, whispering to each other.

"Yo, where have you been?" Mush asked in a low excited voice as he bit into a strawberry and leaned against Jack.

"Ditched us like an old shoe," Spot teased, his eyes keen on Jack's. "Finally enjoy yourselves and stop worryin'?"

"Almost," Jack said low, glancing over and unintentionally meeting Tiffany's eyes. "Let's just say it was a bit of both."

"Ain't it always?" Racetrack said from Spot's elbow, making them jump. They laughed and Spot punched Race's elbow. Kiki flipped Race's hat as she went to get coffee. "Let's all just gang up on Racetrack in the mornin'," he grumbled playfully.

"When don't we?" Spot asked as he held up his cup for Tiffany to refill from the coffee pot. She gave him a wink and Spot smiled bigger, tilting his head to her.

They gathered around the island like they had for tacos last night and ate banana pancakes with fruit and bacon, drank 4 pots of coffee, and laughed as they teased each other.

"You were so scared, don't lie," Mush said as he drained a glass of OJ.

"Was not, the acting sucked," Racetrack argued.

Kiki laughed, "you hated the old woman!"

"The nun was the scariest out of all of 'em," Spot shivered. "I hate horror nuns."

"You guys passed the hell out," Jack chuckled into his coffee mug.

They laughed and the guys moved into the living room to help the girls clean up while Jack stayed with Tiffany to clean up the kitchen…

She was elbow deep in the sink, bubbles rising with the water, when he brought the last of the plates and put them in the sink. He saw her eyeing him and he moved behind her to snake his arms through hers, putting his hands into the water. She laughed as his fingers slipped into hers, taking a plate from her hands.

She seemed so small against him, his head almost clearing hers. He leaned down and kissed her neck and she leaned back into him, her eyes looking up at him with a playful gleam.

He was amazed at how easy it all felt, how comfortable they were becoming with each other.

He was drying dishes when Kiki came back from showering, wearing a robe and her long hair damp around her shoulders, her eyes worried as she went to Tiffany's side at the fridge.

"You ok?" she asked earnestly. "I saw the pill bottles on the bathroom floor -"

"Yes, I'm fine," Tiffany said with a sigh, smiling gently. "I had an episode but Jack took care of me." Her eyes slid to him and he gave her a grin, setting the last plate on the counter.

"If you took your meds like you're supposed to, you wouldn't need anyone to take care of you."

They looked up at the new voice, looking behind them to see Jazzi entering the house from the back, a duffle bag on her shoulder. Thunder rolled again, and Jack felt Tiffany stiffen next to him.

"Good morning to you too," Tiffany said cooly with a short laugh.

Jazzi wore black leggings and a hoodie, a stark difference from the white gown she'd worn last night, her hair up in a messy bun. Her striking face was fierce as she watched Tiffany, her eyes ignoring Jack entirely.

"Have fun with your little slumber party?" Jazzi said bitterly. "You should've been at the arena two hours ago."

"And you should've been home hours ago," Tiffany said pointedly. "You've been staying there later and later -"

"I told you I was Black Jack dealing," Jazzi answered as she strolled to the fridge, indifferent. "You know how late these pricks play."

Tiffany turned back to the sink to let the water drain. Jack could tell by the set in her shoulders that she was holding herself in check, her hands slightly shaky. Jack saw something else too under the anger in her eyes that was much like the fear he'd felt for her last night when Cage called.

It felt like Jazzi had sucked the air from the kitchen, and the others in the living room had fallen quiet too. Kiki slipped away. Jack was rigid, paying attention to the change Jazzi brought with her; he had the feeling she was hiding something, and his suspicion returned.

Jazzi's cold brown eyes scanned the fridge's contents. "You know you have to take your migraine and blood sugar meds with the antidepressants for them to work -"

Tiffany slammed a spatula in her hand down on a plate, the sound echoing through the house as her hand broke the edge of the dish. Her hand shook like the rest of her body, and Jack lifted it gently to remove the plate and broken pieces.

"Give us a minute?" she asked him in a low voice.

He saw tears swimming in her eyes, angry and upset. She wouldn't look at him. He gave a nod and followed Kiki into the living room, listening as he dropped the broken plate into the trash.

He heard Tiffany's cold voice, "How about everyone stops sharing my business?"

Jack turned the corner and saw the guys at the couches folding blankets and putting pillows back, their eyes landing on him as they listened too.

But the girls were huddled behind the couch, their faces worried and a little peeved. Kiki was whispering to them about the pill bottles when Jack approached Honey, her hazel eyes dark as she heard Jazzi's hard voice -

"How about you start taking care of yourself? You heard the doctors - "

"I am taking care of myself," Tiffany's voice was controlled and low. "I hate the way those drugs make me feel, and I am more than capable of deciding for myself-"

"Yeah, it's way smarter to drink and smoke your depression away."

"It's not depression, Jazzi, it's mourning."

"With everything going on, you'd rather risk more recitals and performances?" Jazzi asked incredulously. "Do you even know how many eyes are on you right now? Artists and producers are watching your every move, not to mention work - "

"Fuck work," Tiffany spat back.

There was a dark pause and Honey glanced up at Jack, her eyes reading his steadily, cautioning him somehow.

"Ever since her mother died they've been at each other's throats more," she murmured. "They've always been strong personalities, always clashing in some way. But now they're both taking their grief out on each other." Her eyes saddened, Mush leaning over the couch to hear her, and Spot stood at Jack's elbow, his brow furrowed.

Honey hesitated for a moment. "Jazzi... has been at work more. Longer hours, sneaking off to the VIP lounge...we don't know what she's been doing. None of us like it, even if it is to get information..."

"Information on what?" Mush asked.

Honey gave him a guarded calculating look.

Spot glanced at Jack and they all stopped when Jazzi spoke again, her voice harsh and cold.

"Your mother -"

"Is dead," Tiffany finished coldly, the room completely still as the word hung over them. "That doesn't give you the right to take her place."

"Get to campus," Jazzi shot back, her steps echoing as she moved across the kitchen. "You need to get in some practice before work."

"I don't work on Sundays, Jazzi," Tiffany fired angrily, following Jazzi to the open space between the kitchen and the living room.

Jack turned and saw Jazzi staring Tiffany down like an older sister would, Tiffany looking at her in disbelief.

"You do now," Jazzi said coldly before turning her back on Tiffany. She strode past them in the living room without a glance, stomped up stairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her.

For the first time Jack heard Tiffany's feet as she stomped across the kitchen floor to the back patio, the door slamming behind her too.

Jack looked back to Honey, who was looking at him imploringly.

"Think it's time to split, fellas," Jack murmured darkly, trying to fight the anger rising inside him. "'s ok," he said, reading the despair in Honey's eyes. "Tell her we left?"

"I will," Honey sighed. "I wish things were simpler…"

"But sometimes they ain't," Mush said gently, taking her by the arms and kissing her cheek. "Hit me up later, angel."

Honey's hand stroked Mush's chest before she turned to go after Tiffany. Jack looked up and saw the guys staring at him, drained and tired.

"C'mon," he said, tilting his head over his shoulder towards the front door. "Let's go get some shut eye before Medda's."