Jessica Jones walked into the bar, that was close to her apartment building. She walked inside, while feeling lost and angry. She sat down and looked at the bartender, while saying, "Get me a drink. I'm going to needing a lot of drinks, tonight."
The bartender replied, "My shift ends in twelve minutes. Unless one of your superpowers is being the world's fastest drunk, you're out of luck."
Jessica said, "Then just get me a twelve-pack of whatever crap you got in the freezer."
The bartender replied, "Okay then."
Trish Walker, Jessica's adopted sister, ran into the bar. Jessica looked at her and said, "Hi, Trish. What's going on?"
Trish knew about Jessica's drinking problem. Trish wanted to help her, even though Jessica insisted that Trish stay out of her. Trish said, "I'm walking you home."
Jessica asked, "Walking me home? Do you think I'm a dog or a cat?"
Trish answered, "If animals broke into this car, even they would dress less than you."
Jessica sarcastically replied, "I'm glad you have such a high opinion, of me."
Trish replied, "This isn't a joke. It's not like you just have one or two drinks, a week. You probably get drunk, every day."
The bartender put a twelve-pack on the table. He looked at Jessica and said, "For the record, I don't think you have a problem. I think you're a cool customer and I hope you come by, whenever you feel like it."
Jessica replied, "You're just being a softie, because I get this place a lot of business."
The bartender said, "That's the harsh truth, but from what I've heard, you always make people admit the harsh truth."
Jessica opened one of the bottles and started drinking it. Trish tried to take the bottle away, but Jessica wouldn't let her. Jessica said, "It's better, to have the harsh truth come out, rather than live a life, that's full of delusions and dreams."
Trish replied, "Jessica, dreams are what motivate people, to do amazing things."
Jessica responded, "Dreams are for people, who don't want to wakeup, because when they open their eyes, they dislike their surroundings."
Trish replied, "Sometimes, you need a little fantasy. In fact, it makes you appreciate the real world."
The bartender responded, "You're not actually going to have a whole discussion, about the meaning of life? My shift's almost over."
Jessica paid the bartender and said, "I'm out of here."
Jessica walked outside, but Trish followed her. Trish said, "You claim dreams are pointless, but you're living under a delusion."
Jessica had a confused look on her face, while asking, "What are you talking about?"
Trish answered, "Getting drunk makes your brain go nuts. It gives you bad dreams, delusions, and mind games. You've developed this obsessive drinking-problem, so you can ignore the real world."
Jessica replied, "If you'll excuse me, I need to get some rest."
Trish responded, "Believe me, you need rest. However, you need to stop drinking and start talking to me and when I say talk, I don't mean all these sassy comebacks. We need a real, serious conversation."
Jessica replied, "If you go to sleep, you might start having a dream, where we have that conversation."
Jessica Jones started walking into her apartment building. She kept almost falling to the ground and her posture was poor, due to her drinking too much. She had been loaded with guilt, regret, fear, and anger. She thought drinking could make those problems go away, but it didn't. It made things worse.
Malcolm Ducasse, Jessica's sidekick and one of her neighbors, saw that Jessica was about to pass-out. He helped her stand up, so she wouldn't fall.
Jessica wasn't usually the type of person, who gave people compliments. However, she felt gratitude was warranted, in that moment. She said, "Thank you."
Malcolm looked concerned, while asking, "What's going on?"
Jessica answered, "The usual problems."
Malcolm shook his head and replied, "I know something else is going on. If you were just dealing with the usual problems, your posture would be normal. Instead, you were half-asleep. Frankly, in your current state, I don't even know, if you'll be able to walk into your apartment and lay down."
Jessica responded, "I'm fine."
Malcolm replied, "You're not fine. You're in terrible condition."
Jessica sarcastically said, "How generous. I'm not the only one, who's in poor condition. You're wearing a shirt, that has nine food stains."
Malcolm asked, "How did you figure that out?"
Jessica answered, "I'm a private investigator. Since I was able to figure that out, that proves I'm in okay condition."
Malcolm replied, "You need to get some sleep and tomorrow morning, you need to stop going to bars."
Jessica responded, "I'll consider rehab, if you consider wearing clean shirts."
Malcolm replied, "If you gave me more work, I could buy better shirts."
Jessica responded, "If you were a more careful eater, your shirts wouldn't like crap."
Jessica went into her apartment. She got on her couch and started resting her eyes. A moment later, she saw her enemy, Kilgrave, inside of her apartment. Jessica felt baffled, about how Kilgrave could be there, because she had gotten rid of him. She angrily asked, "What's going on?"
Kilgrave said, "Wow, talk about a lackluster greeting. I'm come here, to pay my favorite girl a visit, and I don't even get a hello."
Jessica asked, "How could you be here? You're dead."
Kilgrave replied, "Considering how worn-out you are, I'm the one, who looks more alive. Speaking of life, how is yours going?"
Jessica responded, "Okay, until your sudden visit."
Kilgrave had a smug smile on his face, while replying, "I understand, my dear. When I'm not around, things are okay, at best. When I am around, that's when the magic can begin."
Jessica tried to punch Kilgrave, but she felt nothing, while punching him. She looked confused, while asking, "What's going on?"
Kilgrave jokingly answered, "I'm a ghost." He put on one of Jessica's bedsheets and said, "I'm rather good-looking, for a ghost. You know, even a crossover, between Scooby-Doo and the Ghostbusters, could stop the likes of me."
Jessica frowned and said, "So, you're a ghost?"
Kilgrave replied, "Of course not. Ghosts aren't real. You're dreaming."
Jessica asked, "Why would my dream be talking to me? Am I actually having a conversation or is this all in my head?"
Kilgrave said, "Hard to tell. Your brain's a drunken mess."
Jessica tried to choke Kilgrave, but since he was just a part of Jessica's dream, she couldn't do anything. Jessica said, "If you were real, I'd punch your daylights out."
Kilgrave replied, "The day? The lights? You're never around, during the day and things are never bright, when you're around. You're so dark and gloomy."
Jessica gave Kilgrave a disapproving look and responded, "You're the reason, why I lead such a depressing life."
Kilgrave replied, "I'm gone, so you can't keep giving me your blame. Blame was the only gift, that you were always willing to give me."
Jessica responded, "I was willing to give you other gifts, but they all involved acts of violence."
Kilgrave sarcastically replied, "You're such a sweetheart."
Jessica was trying to piece together, what was really going on. If Kilgrave was gone and she was just in a dream, who was she talking to? After thinking it over, Jessica realized that her dream's physical-manifestation of Kilgrave was actually the thoughts she had been burying, deep inside of her head. Jessica looked at Kilgrave and said, "You're just my thoughts, aren't you? You're the thoughts I ignore and since Kilgrave was the person I try to forget, you represent everything I hate, for better or worse."
Kilgrave clapped and replied, "Well done, private investigator. Now, are you ready to stop ignoring your true feelings and thoughts?"
Jessica said, "That depends."
Kilgrave sighed and asked, "What does that depend on?"
Jessica answered, "If you can tell me anything of value."
Kilgrave replied, "Even though I have the appearance, of that dastardly enemy of yours, everything I'm saying comes from your own mind."
Jessica responded, "If you have knowledge, that'll help me, start sharing."
Kilgrave replied, "Let me take you somewhere special."
A moment later, Jessica was standing on a darkly-lit street. There were several people, in nearby homes and stories, but all of them were avoiding any eye-contact. Jessica looked at Kilgrave and asked, "What's going on?"
Kilgrave answered, "Everybody's ignoring you. Can't say I blame them. You're a real pain in the neck."
Jessica said, "If you have my thoughts, that means I think I'm a pain."
Kilgrave replied, "That's for sure."
Jessica tried to figure out the meaning, behind the darkly-lit, lonely street. She paused and said, "This is to represent how lonely I am, isn't it?" KIlgrave nodded. Jessica folded her arms and said, "You're wrong, which means I'm wrong. I have Trish and Malcolm."
Kilgrave replied, "Deep down, you're afraid you'll lose them."
Jessica asked, "Why would I think that? They've always supported me."
Kilgrave responded, "But you know you don't deserve them. They have the supportive nature, kindness, morality, and self-respect, that you lack."
Jessica replied, "You're one to talk."
Kilgrave impatiently groaned and responded, "I'm not the real Kilgrave. I'm an imaginary representation, of your inner thoughts. You're crazy."
Jessica replied, "You're right."
Kilgrave responded, "Wow, complimenting your inner thoughts. Your ego is strong, even in your sleep."
Jessica replied, "My inner thoughts are rather sassy."
Kilgrave responded, "Yeah, you're a real brat."
Jessica looked down and noticed she had been transported to a restaurant. She looked at Kilgrave and asked, "Where am I?"
Kilgrave answered, "This is your date. You don't have a boyfriend, so this is a solo date. You're still heartbroken, over losing Nicolas Cage."
Jessica rolled her eyes and said, "Luke Cage, not Nicolas Cage."
Kilgrave put his hand over his face and replied, "That was a pretty dumb mistake, on my part."
Jessica said, "If you're my inner thoughts, that means I called myself dumb."
Kilgrave replied, "You got that right."
Jessica said, "If I'm so dumb, I won't be able to find out the things, that I need to do with my life."
Kilgrave replied, "If you'd stop making yourself dumb, by having alcohol suck away your common sense, you could start making rational decisions."
Jessica asked, "Like what?"
Kilgrave answered, "You could start respecting Trish and Malcolm. You can let them know, that you care about them and that you value their input. Maybe the three of you can go somewhere and get some non-alcoholic drinks."
Jessica thought about it and replied, "That doesn't sound so bad."
Kilgrave responded, "Then stop being bloody lazy and start living your life."
Jessica said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I appreciate the advice, Kilgrave."
Kilgrave sighed and replied, "I'm not Kilgrave. I'm just the embodiment, of your inner thoughts." Jessica opened her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief, about Kilgrave just being in her dream.
Jessica exited her apartment and knocked on Malcolm's door. Malcolm opened the door and asked, "What's going on?"
Jessica replied, "I want you to go somewhere, with me. I'd appreciate it, if you come along. Will you?"
Malcolm had an amused look on his face, while responding, "Hold on. When you want me to go somewhere, you just make me go, without asking if I want to."
Jessica replied, "Yes, but I want to handle things, in a different way, starting now."
Malcolm responded, "That's cool with me."
Jessica took Malcolm, to a nearby clothes store, so they could do some shirt shopping. Jessica asked Malcolm, to find some shirts he liked. After finding some, Malcom showed them to Jessica and said, "These are my favorites, from what I looked at."
Jessica grabbed the shirts and replied, "I'll go buy the shirts, for you. Consider this a tip, for all your impressive work."
Malcolm responded, "Wow, I appreciate that."
Jessica said, "I have an assignment, that I need to take care of. Care to come along?"
Malcom answered, "Sure."
A few hours later, Trish walked into her home and saw that the living room's walls had painted. She looked around and saw Jessica and Malcolm, who were the painters. Trish had a confused look on her face, while asking, "What's going on?"
Jessica said, "Malcolm and I painted your living room. You can pay Malcolm, but don't pay me. This time, it's on the house."
Trish replied, "This is quite the generous act, Jess."
Jessica responded, "I can't believe I'm admitting this, but you were right, when it comes to dreams being important. Living in a fantasy land is a risky investment, but if you use your imagination, once in a while, it can make a very positive difference." She hugged Trish and said, "Thank you."
Trish replied, "You're welcome, but I can't believe you're saying this."
Jessica shook her head and responded, "This is real life and for once, I'm glad I'm awake." Jessica looked out the window and smiled, while looking at the brightly-lit reality known as real life.
