I am so sorry that an update on this story has taken so long, I will explain in further A/N below.
This chapter has been completely written by Me, Nonny, but Everyone's Favorite Reble Scum will be involved in further chapters.
This story does not have a beta-reader (I'm embarassed to send it to my beta), so please forgive my errors.
Chapter Ten
Jazz was laying on her stomach when she woke the next morning. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes were the two rings laying on the night stand. She took a gasp of air then clawed her way off the bed and looked around frantically.
She looked at Sam who was snoring with her head tilted back almost of the edge of the end of the bed, her feet were on the pillow. Jazz laughed a little then looked around warily.
She grabbed the rings then walked around the room. There was no sign of him even though she thought she could smell the very faint fragrance of his cologne. She frowned as she sat down at her dressing table and slid the rings onto her finger. She tilted them so the three stone diamonds glittered in the light. She figured she could probably sell them and fund the rest of her way through college, but as she took the rings off her finger and pressed them to her lips, the tears fell, she knew she'd keep them.
"Jazz?" Sam asked sleepily. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Jazz said as she quickly shoved the rings into her jewelry box. "I'm good. Did you sleep well?"
"Not really," Sam answered. "I don't know if I should tell you or not but…"
"Vlad was here," Jazz said. "I know."
"I don't know why," Sam started. "He talked to me a little bit then left."
Jazz turned to look at Sam. "He talked to you? What did he say?"
Sam's expression clouded. "He was just playing mind games. But I think he's given up on you."
Jazz's eyes widened. "Why do you say that?" Sam shrugged her shoulders and Jazz stared at her in frustration. She wanted to grill Sam and find out every word Vlad said. A knock on the door made both girl's jump. Danny walked into the room looking tired and drained.
"Hey Sam," he said as he smiled warmly. Sam smiled back. "Can I talk to Jazz alone a minute?"
"Sure," Sam said then stood. Danny took her hand and stopped her as she walked by. "Thanks Sammy," he said softly.
"Anytime," she replied. He let Sam go then turned to Jazz.
"So," Jazz said not looking at her brother. "What did Clockwork say?"
"He can't help," Danny answered. "But he did show me some things."
"Some things?" Jazz asked as she fiddled with a brush. She had no hair to brush. She frowned and put the brush down and looked at her brother.
"Yeah," Danny said as he sat down on the edge of Jazz's bed and fidgeted. "Like about St. Tropez and Costa Rica…"
Jazz turned a bright shade of pink. "What did he show you?"
Danny had the grace to blush as well as he looked away from his sister's penetrating glare. "Not everything," he said. "But enough."
"I see," Jazz said stiffly as she turned and looked at herself in the mirror.
"You seemed like you were really happy," Danny started. "I mean. I know it was because you were drugged…"
"I was happy," Jazz said softly. "The drug just made me believe things that weren't true. That didn't mean I wasn't happy. As strange as it sounds, the only traumatic part of the experience was when the drug wore off and I realized the truth."
Danny nodded his head as he looked at his shoes. "You don't want to go back do you?" he asked then held his breath.
Jazz closed her eyes for a short moment then looked at the jewelry box where she put the rings. She wondered why he hadn't taken her home…no not home, back to Wisconsin with him. Did he give up? Was he going to let her go? How did she feel about that?
"I want to go back to school," Jazz finally answered. "I want to get my degree and move on with my life."
"Okay," Danny said as he relaxed. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure you do just that." Jazz nodded her head and held back her tears and wondered if she was going crazy simply because she missed Vlad. She told herself it was Stockholm Syndrome, nothing more than sympathizing with her captor.
"Thank you," Jazz said. Danny stood then walked over and hugged his sister.
"I'm glad you're back," he told her. "I missed you."
"Thank you," Jazz said as the tears spilled from her eyes. She couldn't say she missed Danny because she hadn't remembered he existed while she was gone.
"If you need to talk," Danny offered. "I'm here. I feel like maybe I went through things with you, so I understand."
Jazz smiled and wondered how much Clockwork had shown her brother, certainly not everything. She watched her Danny as he moved around her room and suspected that he knew much more than she wanted him to know. She burned with shame and embarrassment.
"Then you'll understand," Jazz started. "That I'll be okay. I mean it's going to take some time to get back to normal. I feel like I've lost a big chunk of my life, but I'll get back on my feet."
"Mom and Dad want to go after him," Danny warned her. "They're fully prepared to end his pitiful existence."
Jazz grasped at Danny. "No," she said urgently. "You have to talk them out of it. Please."
"Why?" Danny asked as he watched the frantic look on his sister's face.
"Because," Jazz sputtered. "Its not worth them going to prison for murder. They'd never get away with it."
Danny's eyes glittered green in anger. "Trust me Jazz," he told her softly. "They would get away with it."
Jazz was on the edge of panic. She looked at her brother frightfully then closed her eyes tight. "Promise me." She said urgently. "Promise me. Promise me that you'll keep them from something like that…that you won't do it either. Please Danny. Please."
Danny watched Jazz thoughtfully for a moment. He took a deep breath. "As long as he leaves you alone. I can promise you we'll leave him alone."
"Starting right now?" Jazz said worriedly.
Danny gave her a questioning look. "Okay," he said. "Starting right now." Jazz relaxed visibly.
"Thanks," she said then smiled shakily. Danny gave her a questioning look, but didn't push his sister any further. He felt so bad for her.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Sam was leaning against the wall, waiting for Danny to emerge from Jazz's room. She chewed on her fingernail nervously then smiled as she caught site of Tucker sticking his head out of Danny's room. She waved at him as she caught his eye.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he edged his way toward her. "Eavesdropping?"
"No," Sam whispered. "I'm waiting for Danny."
"He just got back like an hour ago," Tucker informed her. "He hasn't been to sleep yet. Looks terrible. Did you see him?"
"Well duh," Sam said then stood up straight as the door to Jazz's room opened. Danny stepped out and closed the door behind him. He looked at his friends in surprise.
"How is she?" Tucker asked as they followed Danny into his room.
"I don't know," Danny answered as he threw himself on his bed and covered his eyes with his arm. "Everything is just too messed up right now to tell. We have to give her some time. Our biggest worry is what Vlad's going to do next. When is he going to try to take her back."
Sam took a deep breath and looked at Tucker. "He's already been here."
Danny sat up and looked at Sam. He was already dizzy from exhaustion, so her revelation made him feel very ill.
"He didn't take her though," Sam told Danny quickly.
"Well that's obvious," Tucker said.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Danny asked as he looked angrily at Sam. She gave him an annoyed look.
"I'm telling you now," she said angrily
Danny sighed heavily and looked for a moment like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "What did he say?"
"That he wasn't going to take her," Sam said. She paused knowing she couldn't tell Danny the rest of Vlad's hatred filled conversation with her. "He said that Jazz would need our support in the coming weeks."
"That doesn't sound too good," Tucker said worriedly.
"But at least he didn't take her," Danny said then took a deep breath. "At least we can be grateful for that."
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jack and Maddie Fenton had spent a great deal of time talking about how they were going to deal with what happened to Jazz. They decided that they couldn't just let what Vlad did to their daughter go unpunished.
Both parents spent the following few days talking to Jazz. She seemed to be better, to be settling down and talking more normally than when she first came home, though she did refuse to talk about Vlad and what had happened while she was with him. They allowed Danny and his friends to console their daughter while they planned.
It was decided that Maddie would take the Specter Speeder and confront Vlad alone. Jack had reasoned that it would be safer and better if they both went. If they both confronted the creep. Of course Jack wanted nothing more that to pound in Vlad's face, he felt very betrayed by his college buddy and his eyes were just opening to the wretched character of the man he called, Vladdy.
"We don't want to destroy him Jack," Maddie said softly to her husband. "We simply want to make him understand the consequences of his actions, and that if he comes near our family again, he will live a life of regret."
"So you want to threaten him," Jack asked with one eyebrow raised.
"Among other things," Maddie replied as she smiled grimly and checked the weapons on her haz-mat suit. "It's better that I go anyway, you need to stay here and cover for me. I don't want the kids to know what we're doing. They'll only worry."
"All right Maddie my love," Jack said as he put his arm around his wife. "But if you end up having to kick his butt…"
Maddie laughed, "I'll be sure that more than a few of them have your name on them Jack. I love you."
"I love you too Maddie," Jack said as his wife climbed into the speeder. "Be careful."
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Vlad was surprised to say the least when he opened the door and found Maddie Fenton on the step glaring at him.
"Why Maddy," he said softly. "It's so good to see you. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"Cut the crap Vlad," Maddie growled. "You know why I'm here. I'm not going to play games with you. I'm going to cut straight to the chase. Leave my children alone. Stay away from Jazz "
"Maddie. Maddie. Maddie." Vlad said as he opened the door further and stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "Please come in. Talk with me. Perhaps we can come to an understanding about this situation."
"An understanding?" Maddie almost shrieked. "I don't think you are understanding Vlad. You have no option. You stay away from my daughter or else."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Vlad said as he clenched his jaw. Maddie pushed past him and into his house. She walked into the nearest room with a chair and sat down and glared at Vlad.
"Why not?" Maddie asked as she sat and glared at the man.
Vlad sat down in the chair across from Maddie and gave her a long considering look. "You want the truth?"
"Of course," Maddie said coldly. "Are you capable of giving me the truth?"
Vlad frowned at Maddie. He wished she'd remove the goggles from her face so he could read her expressions better. "When have I ever really lied to you Maddie?"
"Just answer the question Vlad."
Vlad leaned back in his chair considering for a moment how difficult it was to make an admission such as this to Maddie of all people. His discomfort was three fold. On one hand he had always been obsessed with this woman, he thought he loved her at one time. On another hand, he was talking to Jasmine's mother and the fact that he needed to try and treat her kindly was not lost to him. If he had a third hand, in it, he freely admitted to himself that he shouldn't feel as he did for Jasmine.
"I love her," Vlad finally said then winced at the look of anger and horror on Maddie's face.
"You love her?" Maddie asked in out rage. She almost stood, but then forced herself to stay seated. "Do you expect me to believe that Vlad? That you love her?"
"Yes," Vlad answered.
Maddie shook her head in disbelief. "I don't even believe you're capable of such an emotion Vlad. I really don't. You forget how well I know you and your tricks and your games. I think the only person you can ever truly love is yourself."
"I loved you once," Vlad said admitting to himself that he was truly free of loving Maddie. It was something he knew for awhile, but he took a moment to examine the realization fully, it was truly amazing. What had he seen in her? "I was well and truly enamored of you, but you never loved me back did you?"
"Of course not Vlad," Maddie replied. "How could I? You never allowed anyone close enough to love you. All you've ever tried to do was control people."
"Yes well," Vlad said as he sat back. "But now I see how inferior you are to your daughter. I was attracted to your strength, your beauty and your brains, but you have wasted it all with a man named Jack. You've given up your dreams and your desires and picked up his as your own."
"That has been my choice," Maddie defended. "I have never regretted changing my life direction to sync with Jack's. Ever. I am happy. Jack has made me something you could never have done Vlad, he's given me free choice to be who I want and followed my dreams, it just so happens that my dreams are his dreams. So don't you dare look down your nose at me and try to tell me that I am weak or that I have given up anything."
Vlad laughed and shook his head. "Jasmine on the other hand, has a unquenchable fire in her soul. There is no changing her, no ruling her. No telling her what to do. She challenges me, she fights me."
"And so she should you creep!" Maddie yelled feeling sickened at the way Vlad was speaking about Jazz. "You brain washed her. You made her believe she loved you." Maddie leaned forward. "But she didn't Vlad."
Vlad closed his eyes for a moment. "You don't know that for sure Maddie."
Maddie shook her head. "How could she love you Vlad? Think about it for a minute. You're twenty-five years older than she is! What can you give her?"
Vlad gestured around him. "I can give her everything. Anything her heart desires."
"And what of your youth?" Maddie asked. "Can you give her that?"
"It doesn't matter," Vlad answered. "I can give her my heart and devotion. I can give her the best life has to offer."
Maddie growled in disgust. "She deserves better Vlad. She deserves so much better than that. She deserves to find love and happiness with someone who is just discovering the joys of life. She deserves to struggle a little and find her way and live joyously. You can't give her those things."
"But what are those things in the face of love? They are just the decorations don't you think?" Vlad asked.
Maddie sighed. "You're forgetting that she doesn't love you Vlad. You can't make someone love you. If you do it's just an illusion, it's not real. Jazz deserves better than that."
"I can't give her up Maddie," Vlad said almost desperately. "All I need is the chance to win her love…to prove that…"
"Stop!" Maddie screamed as she put her hands to her ears. "Stop stop stop! You do not get a chance with her Vlad. Even if you did you forfeited that chance when you kidnapped and brain washed her!"
"That doesn't stop how I feel and that won't stop me from winning her back Maddie."
"Oh I can stop you," Maddie said her voice shaking with righteous anger. "I can stop you quiet easily, but I'm giving you one chance Vlad. Leave Jazz alone."
"I can't" Vlad replied.
Maddie stood then delivered the blow that cut Vlad's argument short. "You can't give her children Vlad. You can't give her respect. You can give her money and things, but there is so much more that money can't buy which you are completely incapable of giving her. I love Jazz. I want better for her."
Vlad looked away from Maddie for the first time since she first appeared at his door. He sighed heavily and listened to Maddie's final words as she prepared to leave.
"I didn't come here to negotiate with you Vlad," She yelled as she ripped off her goggles and speared him with the rage in her violet-blue eyes, causing his breath to catch with the fire of her hatred for him. "I came her to warn you. If I find out that you have so much as spoken to Jazz on the telephone. Jack and I will be down your throats with everything we've got and we will make you regret the day you were born!"
Vlad followed her out of the room, then out of the house. She turned on him one last time. "Jazz deserves better Vlad. So much better. Leave her alone. If you really love her like you say, prove it to me. Let her go!"
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jazz spent the next month being watched closely by her family. She was seldomly left alone . Her parents coddled and cuddled her and she spent a lot of time in the lab talking to her father, it was the only place she felt even vaguely at peace, but part of the reasoning was because he was the only person who would discuss Vlad freely with her. Regaling her with their college exploits most of the time, but she still found it comforting.
If she wanted to go out she went with Danny, sometimes Sam and occasionally Tucker. The only time she had to herself was at night, when she missed Vlad and questioned her sanity the most. It was in those moments when she had to resist the urge to call him, just to hear his voice.
Strangely, Jazz was with Tucker when the biggest surprise hit, in the form of annulment papers from Vlad. They were delivered by courier and Jazz sat on the couch and cried near hysterical tears as she looked them over.
Tucker interpreted the tears as relief, as he gathered everything she'd dropped on the floor. He was certainly relieved that Vlad wasn't going to fight to keep Jazz, and obviously he was going to do the right thing. Then again Tucker always tended to take things at face value.
The hand written note in the package instructed in Vlad's sharp script for Jazz to sign and have notarize the marked pages and send them back to him and he'd have them filed post haste. The note also informed her to be expecting another courier in a few days and was signed cordially, Vlad. Jazz cast a quick look at Tucker as she folded the note up and put it in her pocket.
"Do you want me to find you a notary?" Tucker asked. "Get this over with quick?"
"Yes," Jazz said with determination as she pulled herself together and straightened the papers. "Let's do it now. Let's get everything back to Vlad as quickly as possible so I can be free again.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Another few days later brought boxes of clothing and jewelry, all gifts Vlad had given her during, as his letter put it, her brief tenure with him. He wrote that he had no use for these articles and he was sure that she could use them, even if it was to give them to charity, it was all her choice.
Jazz immediately hid many of the pieces of jewelry away from the eyes of her family. For some reason she felt it was too intimate to share with them the gifts Vlad had given her which she'd treasured the most, because they had special meaning behind them. A few of the clothes she kept, the rest she donated to charity.
A week after that a representative of Vlad's attorney arrived and informed Jazz that she was now eligible to collect a trust which had been set up in her name. The letter Vlad sent this time read that it was deserved payment for the disruption he had caused in her life.
A week after that she received a letter from the Dean at Wisconsin State University in Madison telling her that they had been informed of her situation and she was expected for the spring semester. She could pick up just like she never left. She was also informed that her tuition and all expenses were paid for as long as she wished to attend the WSU, Madison.
"It's like he's trying to put her life back together," Sam remarked to Danny as they sat on the couch together after Jazz had read the letter from Vlad and fled upstairs.
"I can't help but wonder what he's up to," Danny said as he looked up at the stairs. "He told me this was war. He told me he'd never let her go."
"Maybe he had a change of heart," Sam wondered out loud.
"How can someone who doesn't have a heart, have a change of heart?" Danny asked as he looked at Sam.
"I don't know," Sam answered. "I think he really cared for Jazz and…"
"I think so too, but he's just too sick and twisted and.." Danny stopped talking as Jazz went running down the stairs.
"I need to get out of the house," Jazz said breathlessly then shook her head as Danny and Sam stood.
"No," she said as she held up her hands to stop them. "I need to be alone. I'm sick of being followed all the time. Everything is fine. There's nothing to worry about. Please just let me have some space."
"Okay," Danny said then watched worriedly as his sister ran from the house.
Sam took his hand and shook her head as though she knew what he was thinking. "Just let her go," Sam said. Danny sighed and sat back down.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Vlad was sitting in his lab trying to work. He was busy extracting, or trying to extract tissue containing DNA from one of Jasmine's strands of hair. It was frustrating work. The strand he was currently working on, he decided, had deteriorated too much. He sought another from the jar beside him then slid it under the microscope.
The problem was he needed a little conversation to work. He needed an assistant. Vlad paused a moment then walked across the lab and cued up Maddie program 4.1. He frowned as the holographic image stood before him, waiting for a command.
Vlad looked at the hologram of Maddie thoughtfully. He could appreciate her form, but Maddie was not who he needed. He sucked in a thoughtful breath then sat down at his computer and began to reprogram the program. He watched as the form of Maddie changed, became slimmer, more lithe and slightly taller. His fingers flew as he typed in the information and the transformation from Maddie 4.1 to Jasmine1.0 was complete, at least cosmetically.
His biggest problem was Jazz's voice. He didn't have any recordings of her, so he couldn't program the hologram to speak like her. As for her personality. It was fairly easy to program a little bit of Maddie and be satisfied with his work, but he knew Jazz so much better than he had ever known Maddie. He could recall the little nuances of her personality. Her wry sense of humor, her tendency to talk about statistics and worry about his health. The way she teased. The way she smelled…He sighed knowing he couldn't program her laugh or even get her smile right.
Vlad was on the verge of throwing the keyboard across the room when he stopped himself. He re-cued up Maddie 4.1 and then walked back over to his work, trying to extract DNA.
"Is there anything I can help you with Darling?" The hologram of Maddie asked sweetly. Vlad growled in irritation then looked up and blasted the device which projected the hologram and Maddie disappeared. Vlad sighed and looked through the microscope and did his best to focus on his new plan, and in so doing break the hold Jazz had on him. Damn her.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jazz sat in the park and fidgeted as she played with the cuff of her pants. She had needed to be alone, but now she just felt worse. She sat against a tree and closed her eyes, feeling unsettled and upset.
Sitting in the park reminded her of when Vlad first approached her in the park at college. She closed her eyes and sighed. She had all her memories and most of her sanity back, though she really wished she could forget, but not for the reasons her family thought.
She missed him. She knew it was wrong but, she missed him so much it made her cry at night. Danny thought it was because she was scared or upset or mad, but it was because she ached to see Vlad, and remembered all the tender and sweet loving moments they'd spent together. He had been remarkably good to her and some of the memories made her heart ache.
It took all her will power not to call him. She told herself it was just the affects of the drug, maybe they hadn't worn off completely, but deep down inside she knew the truth, some part of her loved him as weird as that was. It made her feel terrible. Jazz couldn't help but remember the man she had come to know…and love. She was filled with a great amount of self loathing for that. She told herself the feelings would pass, but sadly as time went on, she only missed him more.
Jazz wondered what Vlad himself would say about her feelings, would he even believe her? Would he be happy? If Danny knew he would have insisted she was still crazy. He said Vlad deserved nothing, but of course Danny didn't know the things Jazz knew and had spent the time with him she had. How could he understand?
Jazz gritted her teeth in determination then grabbed her cell phone. She looked around, hoping Danny wasn't spying then flipped the phone open and dialed.
She held her breath as the phone rang. She closed her eyes. He wasn't going to answer, then suddenly his voice was on the other end of the line saying hello and so many feelings rushed through Jazz she almost started crying.
"Vlad," she said softly. She heard him pause, almost gasp on the other end of the line and she closed her eyes as she pressed the phone as close to her face as she could.
"Jasmine?" he asked his voice filled with emotion he apparently couldn't disguise or she was sure he would.
"Vlad," She said again, her heart felt like it was about to claw it's way out of her chest.
"What do you want?" he asked almost coldly. Jazz didn't know how to respond. It would be so wrong of her to say, "You. You! Come rescue me!"
"I need to talk to you," She answered then swallowed hard.
"Called to taunt me my darling?" He asked smoothly.
"No," Jazz said. "I need to see you." It was true, she needed to see him. Maybe if she saw him again, she'd be able to sort her heart out.
Vlad sighed. "You know what will happen if I make any attempt to come near you? I might be powerful in my ghost form, but I don't think I could fight off your parents and your brother all at once, especially in the rage they are feeling."
"I have a plan," Jazz said quickly, afraid he wouldn't listen to her. "Will you help me? I need to see you. Please."
"Is this a trick?" Vlad asked skeptically.
"No," Jazz answered. "I need to see you Vlad. Please." Vlad seemed to be considering his answer. Jazz closed her eyes and imagined the stern look on his face. She smiled slightly.
"What's your plan Jasmine?" he asked in obvious resignation.
"Send someone to occupy Danny. Skulker or Technus or anyone. I don't care. That way I can get into my car and meet you without being followed. Please Vlad."
"When?" he asked quickly.
"Tonight?" she responded.
"All right," he said quickly. They specified a little restaurant fifteen miles out of Amity Park, that way Jazz didn't have to drive far and could be home safe and sound before Danny suspected anything.
"Thank you," Jazz told him softly.
"You're welcome My precious," Vlad said then paused. "I'm sorry Jasmine. I mean you're welcome." Jazz smiled sadly then hung up the phone.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jazz almost laughed at how the plan went off without a hitch. She had just come out of the bathroom. Her make up perfect. Her still shorn, but growing hair covered with a beautiful scarf and Danny in the living room waiting to grill her. Things should have been the other way around between them. She had always been the one picking at Danny's brain, but everything had changed now and Danny never seemed to let up on her.
"You look nice," Danny commented as he looked up as his sister.
"Thanks," Jazz said as she sat down. "I just felt like making an effort" She smiled then looked at the clock. At four fifteen on the dot, Danny's ghost sense went off.
"You stay here!" he ordered Jazz. She nodded her head and watched as he flew away. She waited two minutes then grabbed her keys and ran to her car. She was off…to meet with Vlad.
He was already waiting when she pulled into the lot. He was leaning against his black car, watching her. Jazz parked, ripped off the seatbelt, flung open the door, then leaped out into Vlad's arms. He was shocked to say the least.
"Jasmine?" He asked as he stood still, afraid to move. He looked around as if he expected someone to jump out and attack him. Jazz hugged him tighter. He frowned as he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away.
"Are you all right?" he asked as he searched her face.
Jazz nodded her head. He smoothed his hand down her arm and sighed. "Should we go in?" He gestured to the restaurant.
"No," Jazz said. "I-I need to talk to you first. I need…" She looked up at him and wiped a tear from her eye. "I miss you." She said. "I know I shouldn't. I know I can't go back to being your wife Vlad. I know…but…"
"I understand," Vlad said as relented against his better judgment and put his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting embrace. "You're confused and worried. I understand." Jazz sighed as she placed her head against his chest. She relaxed, Vlad didn't.
"Can we sit in you're car?" she asked as she looked at the long limousine with the tinted windows. "I don't want our conversation over heard. I'll feel safer in there."
Vlad smiled as he opened the door for her and watched her climb in. "Strangely enough," he said. "I don't." Jazz laughed a little. She sat and looked at him for a minute he looked back worriedly.
"What did you need?" he finally asked, tired of waiting for her to talk. Jazz bit her lip then and contemplated her next move.
"I wanted to thank you," Jazz finally said as she looked down at her hands. "For arraigning the whole college thing." Vlad said nothing. He continued to look into Jazz's eyes, making her fell small and nervous.
"The thing is. I'm going to be in Madison and you'll be in Madison and…"
"No," Vlad said forcefully.
Jazz looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean no. You don't even know what I'm going to ask!"
"The answer," Vlad said stiffly. "No matter what it may be is no."
Jazz rolled her eyes. "I just want to be able to come see you once in awhile," she said softly. "I miss you."
"You'll get over it," Vlad replied flatly.
Jazz growled in frustration. "What happened to, "I'll never let you go Jasmine?" or "You will come back to me." What happened?"
Vlad stared at the girl before him blankly. He was trying hard to break the spell she had over him. Maddie had been right. She deserved better and she made him too vulnerable. The longer he was away from her the more in control of himself he was. He may have put her under a spell, but she had done something to him he couldn't allow. Even if she truly loved him, it was too much. Vlad felt he had to break ties. It was better to move on to more shallow pursuits, like his newest project, which if successful proved to be rewarding. He was better off chasing things which didn't make him feel.
"I lied," he said as he looked into her eyes and did his best to control his response as tears spilled down Jazz's face.
"You knew I was a liar didn't you?" Vlad asked silkily. "Nothing of our time together was real Jasmine. None of it was true. I was using you. You served your purpose. I am finished with you."
Jazz put her face in her hands and began to sob. "I've thought I was going crazy," she said. "I was going crazy."
"You'll be fine child," Vlad told her coldly. "Go back to college. Resume your life." The heartbroken look Jazz gave him pierced him to the core. He shivered slightly and in so doing betrayed himself. Jazz narrowed her eyes.
"Yes you are a liar," she said angrily. "You're lying to me right now! Why?"
"It doesn't matter. I think this meeting is over." Vlad answered gently then closed his eyes as Jazz reached forward and touched his face. He took her hand and moved away from her.
"You still love me?" Jazz asked hopefully.
"The point is moot," Vlad said. "I came here. I talked to you. We're finished."
"Just like that?" Jazz asked angrily.
"Just like that." Vlad answered coolly.
"What about that first night after I left. When you talked to Sam?" Jazz asked.
Vlad sighed heavily. "I had planned to manipulate the situation to get you back, but as I told you. I had a change of heart. Not only that I do believe your family would have my hide"
Jazz growled something under her breath, interrupting Vlad he paused then half smiled as she yelled, "I think you're scared. Not of them because I know you could protect yourself. I think you're scared of your feelings!"
"Let's not sit here and discuss feelings Jasmine," he said. "I'm giving you a chance now to leave. Be free. Live your life. Do as you please. I suggest you take it."
Jazz looked down at her hands. "I'm afraid I'll never be free again," she said. "I need your help. You owe me Vlad."
Vlad sighed in defeat. "Fine. You can come see me. When you are back in Madison. But, do not expect a friendly reception Jasmine." He gave her an angry glare and she nodded.
"Thank you Vlad," she told him then moved forward to kissed his cheek. He tried to move away, to prevent the brush of her lips on his skin, but he miscalculated and her lips met his own and he was lost. "Damn her", his heart cried as he pulled her into his arms, feeling her sigh and relax.
Vlad pulled away and looked into the blue-green depths which held him in a state of wretched enchantment. She blinked slowly and sleepily and he kissed her again, savoring the feel and taste of her, deciding that this was going to be the last time, so he should take his time and commit it to memory.
Jazz didn't know what hit her. One moment she was in his arms being kissed senseless and the next she was standing in the parking lot watching his car drive away. Her head was spinning and she felt disoriented. At least, she told herself that she could move on now. She wiped her eyes tiredly as she sat in her car then put her head on the steering wheel and cried what she decided to call, tears of relief. She could hate him now. Right?
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A/N: I'm sorry it has take so long to update this story. The readers who have been with me for awhile, know that, for the most part, I am typically a consistant and frequent updater. I've been waiting on Everyone's Favorite Rebel scum, and she's been a little preoccupied lately. I think you'll like what we have planned for you in the future, though I cannot give you a time range for the next chapter's apperance.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and expressed their love for this story, your continued patronage is what keeps this story going so, reviews are sincerely appreciated.