"...When it comes to relationships..."
The words in bold are flash backs.
The words that are slanted are diary entries.
Jesse sat next to the hospital bed holding her mother's hand as she gazed down at the sleeping form. Oh how she wished that she could talk to her mother! She was growing into a young lady with neither a mother nor a father to help her.
I watched you cry, from the window last night.
I watched as you poured your heart out in the rain.
I remember wondering the thoughts that were going through your mind-
Jesse was interrupted by the door opening and she looked up. "I'm sorry, I heard singing, I thought that maybe she woke up," said the scrawny red-head from the door way.
"No, it's not a problem," she said. Then to her surprise he came in, and sat down by the opposite side of the bed.
"What were you singing?"
"It was one of Dads favorite songs, 'I watched you' he sang it to my mother on their wedding day. I'm Jesse by the way. Jessica Ripner," she said extending her hand across the bed he, shook it firmly.
"Ah! A Ripper Girl!"
"Please don't," she said crinkling her nose.
"Sorry, if it makes you feel any better my names Rodney Copperbottom." Jackson watched the 'delightful' little scene from his dark corner in the room. He squinted his eyes trying to get a good look at him; he could have sworn that he had seen him before. And Jackson wasn't really one to forget a face.
"That wasn't very nice of your parents," Jesse said laughing and Jackson found himself smiling.
"Nah, that's what I said, before I killed them," Jesse cocked her head and mirrored the look that Lisa had given him when he had guessed her drink.
"You still with me, Jesse?" he asked snapping her out of a trance she had fallen into.
"Sorry about that, I live in my own little world."
"I see, let me guess, to escape the day-to-day life." He said with a sly smirk.
"Nah, to avoid the normal people; normal people worry me," she said giving him a toothy grin. He winked at her and her eyes darted to the floor as if she was shy, 'Just like your mother, Jesse, just like you mother.'
"She your mother?" he asked gesturing towards Lisa.
"Yeah, she's been in a coma since I was born. We don't think she's gonna make it," she said gazing at her mother's face.
"I'm sorry to hear it, but it was nice meeting you," he said standing. Jesse stood to and pulled her shirt down so that her stomach wouldn't show as she walked over to him to shake his hand again. She stretched out her hand and he shook it firmly once again.
Jessica.
I swear as I sat in that hospital room I could feel his presence in the room! It was like he was sitting there watching me, waiting to see what I would do. I find it comforting, the fact that I feel him near. Sometimes at night I could swear to you that I could hear his voice trying to comfort me in my sleep. My grandpa keeps telling me that I should lay off the hot chocolate. But what if he truly was in my bedroom? Who am I kidding? My Dad hasn't cared since 'Jack' came back. His little excuse for being a sadist. But maybe it's not just an excuse there's something that shifts in his eyes, I don't know and honestly I don't think I want to know. If Jackson wants to come back then he'll come back, but until then I won't have to deal with Jack.
F/B
"Dad is that you?" Jessica said as she walked down the stairs. She could hear voices coming from the kitchen, one sounded like her father, the other sounded like a gruff, raspy version of her father's voice.
"You should have just let that kid have his way with her, make her quite and isolated just like her mother after the parking lot." Came the raspy gruff voice as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"No, I shouldn't have!" he father's voice shouted as she peeked around the corner. She saw that it was only him pacing talking to himself. "It would have torn her apart!"
"Well, then, maybe you should do something useful with her and hand her over to the boss like they wanted when ya screwed this up!" Jesse became very confused; her father was talking to himself with two separate voices. But that's not what scared her; it was the look in his eyes when he used the raspy voice.
"No! I won't hand her over to Simon to be messed with and turned into some manager!"
"Daddy?" she asked weakly as she came around the corner. He smirked and looked at her, "J-Jack?" he grinned and took a step towards her. Then seeing the terror in her eyes he reached out a hand, "I'm not gonna hurt you."
She took a step back not trusting him. That hit a nerve; he quickly grabbed her by the neck and threw her into the nearest wall. Jesse tried to sit up as she gasped for air. She looked up in confusion wanting to ask him why he had done it. But when she looked up her father was gone.
F/B
Jesse sat at the fountain as her mind spun with memories. She did dearly miss her father, but she didn't miss Jack. Her mind began to swim as she contemplated what her female-driven-fact-based logic was telling her. 'If you never see your father again it would be too soon.'
She shook her head and stood up from the fountain; normally she found it calm and peaceful. But today it just seemed to be giving her a head ache. She remembered Rodney's words from earlier, 'That's what I said, before I killed them,' her father had told her all about how her parents met. She knew that he had used the same words with her mother when she met him at the bar.
She was lost in deep thought when she ran into a tall figure, "Oh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed the man nodded and tried to hide his face under his hat. She continued to walk past him when she caught a flash of crystal blue from under the cap. She froze in her steps for a moment before turning around. "Hey!" she called as he walked off, she gave chase.
"Hey! Hey, you!" she called as she chased after him out of the park. She followed him for what seemed like a few miles down the street until finally he turned the corner into an ally.
"Hey!" she called again as she turned the corner, but the ally was empty. Snapping her fingers and giving the ground a good stamp she turned around to go home.
"Hey, did you miss me kiddo?" standing in front of her, after four years of waiting, was her father. Jackson Ripner.
I hope you all liked it! Please review, it only takes a second and I really like the feedback.
