Just a sweet little chapter here...it is about to start getting crazy here soon...XD Everyone needs a little down time! But thank you again for reading...I couldn't have gotten this far without all you lovely readers and reviewers. I treasure you all 3
They pulled up to the house as Heath chuckled, "Good luck with my parents letting her stay." He whispered to Jackson as Clair climb out of the car.
"Wow…it is so normal looking." She said looking up at the white house.
"Yeah…most…or well some monster houses are normal looking."
"That is slightly upsetting I was hoping for some fire house." Teasing Jackson as he laughed uneasily.
"This is my aunt's and uncle's house…"
She rolled her eyes, "Duh, I thought we were dropping your cousin off and heading to your place?"
"Well…funny story about my house." He said as she gave him a surprised look.
"Oh please tell me your mother is still alive!" She rushed out watching Jackson.
"Yeah she is still alive!" He said in surprise as she took a relaxing breath, "Good…so why can't we head over there?"
"Because she is…sort of…in a mental hospital."
"Wait…what?" She almost yelled out as Jackson chuckled softly.
"She is fine…just broke down…she has the same thing as me just hers…is well…a little bit more…of an illness."
"Makes sense I guess." She said thinking about his mother.
"I take it we are staying at your uncles tonight?" She asked heading up to the door.
"I have nowhere else to go." Jackson said as she smiled.
"I always wanted to meet your monster side of the family." She said walking into the house.
Jackson found his aunt and uncle in the kitchen talking as Heath was chuckling in the corner watching it all. He asked Clair to wait as he walked in. "Hey…can I have a friend stay over tonight?" He asked not looking at his uncle.
"Who is it?" He asked watching Jackson with a slight smile on his face.
Jackson blushed a little, "her name is Clair…"
"Her?" His aunt said giggling, "well we do have a couch that makes a wonderful bed for her."
"And she will sleep on the couch right Jackson?" His uncle said trying not to smile.
"Of course I will sleep on the couch…but who needs sleep when Holt stays up on night." She said walking into the kitchen as his aunt and uncle just looked at her.
"She is a human? Awe how sweet!" His aunt blurted out making Jackson blush more as she walked over to Clair.
"Wow…female elementals are super pretty…Jackson why didn't you tell me that?" Clair said in awe as his aunt giggled.
"Since when are you into females?" Jackson asked as Clair punched him into the shoulder.
"I am not! You ass, it is more like…never mind." Clair looked away blushing a little as Jackson was confused.
"She is my aunt…so I do not understand."
"Oh shut up! You know for a smart person you are really dumb sometimes."
Heath laughed making them look at him. "We were all thinking it, but she said it!"
"See I am liking your cousin even more…" Clair said as Jackson groaned.
"Great…"
"Why thank you for calling me pretty," His aunt said hugging Clair, "You are more than welcome to stay for the night."
"Oh thank you!" Clair said walking into the kitchen more asking Heath for a drink.
"The refrigerator is right there get it yourself." He said a little rudely as Clair laughed.
"Not my house…but it is yours."
"Its Jackson's too!" Heath complained back as Jackson pulled out two cokes handing one to Clair.
"This is going to be an interesting night if you two fight all night. I might just let Holt out…at least music would drown out your voices." He said opening his coke as his aunt and uncle laughed a little.
"No they won't be fighting all night, right Heath?" His uncle threatened as Heath sunk in his seat.
"Right…"
"Whoops didn't mean to get you in trouble Heath." Clair joked pushing Heath a little.
"Sure you didn't." He gets up to leave but before he does he whispers in her ear, "This isn't over."
She giggled, "No need to threaten me with a good time…I mean I did just meet you!"
Heath rolled his eyes, "How did you and Jackson ever become friends! You act like Holt."
"She does not!" Jackson said choking on his coke making Clair pat him on the back.
"Sure…she doesn't." He said leaving.
"Don't make it sound like such a bad thing." She giggled at Jackson as he groaned a little placing his head on the island in the middle of the kitchen. His aunt and uncle just laughed a little seeing were Heath got that from, but unlike their son they kept their thoughts to their selves. "The door stays open Jackson," His uncle said walking up to his room as his wife stayed back a little waiting for him to get out of ear shot, "But if you didn't want too." She winked leaving the room leaving a giggling Clair and red faced Jackson as he hid his head with his arms.
"So you have the coolest aunt and uncle," She told him drinking her coke sitting across from where Jackson was still standing, "I mean you might make it the rest of the night without dying of embarrassment."
"I think I am already dead." He said into the table.
"That's fine…at least you can't yell at me for going through your room and finding keepsakes. You know to remember you by." He looked up to see her running up the stairs.
"Wait! No…Clair!" He yelled rushing after her. She was already in his room staring at all the small to large paintings Holt has been drawing over the past month.
"Oh my…someone has been busy. You or Holt?" She asked touching the one of his mother and father.
"Holt…I am more of using a notebook for my crazy." He said pulling out his yellow notebook showing it to her. "And no you can't look through it." He stated as he saw the look in her eyes.
She pouted a little, "Your aunt and uncle let him just paint on the walls?"
"It really wasn't their choice…he just kind of did it one day…no one stopped him so." He waves his hands around the room showing them all off, "I hated the white walls anyway so I am not complaining as long as no penises get drawn."
She giggled before moving over to his bed as he rearranged a few things on his dresser and vanity. Pulling out another notebook he looked at it for a second before tucking it away in Holt's clothes drawer before turning back to Clair.
"How have you been…we weren't really able to talk much?"
"It's been a little bit of hell with a splash of more hell." She answered laying down, "I just don't get why my mother hates me so much."
"Because she has always hated you?" He asked sitting down by her feet.
She sighed, "She didn't hate me…okay maybe a little, I mean she isn't my real mother…so I never really listened to her."
Jackson just watched her as she continued, "But it got worst after everything that went down. She started to get violent with me, but I fought back naturally." Jackson chuckled as she punched her hand, "she blamed everything on me…so she tried to make me more like her…but finding out she couldn't she dragged me here." She shrugged, "I didn't care much."
"And here is in New Salem? Do you know why? It is a little bit of a strange place for a monster hater to want to change a monster lover." Jackson asked as Clair shrugged again.
"I have no idea…" She sat up looking at Jackson in the eyes, "But I am glad she moved me here."
Jackson swallowed a little, "I am too…but…I mean…you…I am…well."
"Dude…stop," She said giggling, "You talk too much," She said kissing him. Jackson was a little stunned when she pulled away she just smiled at him. Her green eyes shined just like he remembered…they haven't lost the sparkle…even after everything she been through. He forgot how much he missed her company…how she would push him a little out of his shy shell…how she…Jackson stopped thinking and pulled her into a kiss surprising her this time.
Someone cleared their throat from the door way. "So much for telling you to keep the door open," His uncle teased from the door frame, making them jump apart and Jackson turn away blushing.
"I got a phone call from someone looking for Clair?" He asked raising an eyebrow at both of them.
"I didn't give anyone this number." Jackson said looking at Clair who looked just as lost.
"I haven't been home…and I haven't texted anyone."
His uncle holds the phone out to her as she slowly gets up and leaves the room to talk. His uncle walks in and sits on the bed, "If anything happens." He hands something to Jackson, "play it safe okay? I can't stop anything, but please." Jackson looked at what his uncle gave him and shifted uncomfortably.
"Um…sure...okay." Jackson replied as he uncle laughed, "But who is she really? Heath told us when he walked in she was an old friend?"
Jackson shifted again but for a different reason. He didn't want to tell his uncle that this girl's father killed his twin. Heath's reaction was bad enough. He really didn't want to see his normally cool uncle lose it. Even worst try to keep Jackson from her, he doubted he would…but there were always those possibilities.
"I met her three years ago at school…I don't know how we really became friends we just did. It was like insta-friendship." He said chuckling remembering how she described it one day.
"Is she the daughter of the man that killed your father?" He asked a little harshly making Jackson sink away, "I take that as a yes…but she seems okay, but I will be careful Jackson. If something like that happened once…"
"It won't happen again!" He said interrupting his uncle, "It wasn't her fault…and the reason her father found out is already been used…he overheard us talking about my father and my small amount of fire abilities."
"And her mother?"
"She hates her…so she will hate me no matter what; I doubt I will be seeing her again anytime soon."
"Just be careful…" he said placing a hand on his shoulder, "I would hate to lose a son."
Clair walked back in a little pale with tears in her eyes. "Sorry Jackson…it was my mother…"
Jackson got up and rushed over to her, "What happened?" He asked leading her over to his bed as his uncle got up and moved to the door.
"She knows…one of Chad's friends told her…she remembers you."
"I have a feeling she doesn't remember the good times either?" He asked trying to lighten the mood as she leaned into his shoulder. "Hey it's okay…nothing is going to happen this time. I am untouchable." He joked with her as she cringed a little making a disbelieving sound, "Just cuz you have friends and family here doesn't mean you are untouchable…"
"Normies here are used to monsters so I am pretty sure they will fight against her if she tries anything." He said running his hand through her hair.
"We will have to watch our backs though Jackson," His uncle said placing his hand on her back, "no one is going to get hurt again."
She looked at him with tear filled eyes, "I am sorry for everything-"
"No need to be sorry…if Jackson can find it in his heart to forgive you then we can too." He smiled warmly at her before nodding to Jackson as he took his leave. She went back to hiding her face in his shoulder. Jackson just hugged her as he played with her hair, "Do you want to go to sleep?" He asked as she nodded sadly.
He slowly got up and went to his dresser pulling out an old shirt and shorts handing them to her, "You can use my bathroom." She smiled sadly wiping the tears away as she went in. She looked into the broken mirror…she noticed a few blood stains on the glass, "Jackson why are all your mirrors gone or broken?"
"Holt doesn't like mirrors sometimes," He answered.
"Why doesn't he like mirrors?" She asked walking back out finding Jackson shirtless. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "I am not really sure why…he just breaks them when he gets mad…I have the scars on my knuckles to prove that."
"And what about the ones on your arm?" She asked moving back up to him, "and the one right here." She placed her hand over the one from his chest to his waist.
"I don't know where that one came from," he said looking down at her hand, "I am pretty sure Holt did it since I don't remember it… but I do I remember how it felt when I woke up." He shivered as Clair hugged him.
"And the ones…" She ran her hand down his arm.
"Those were all me…but no need to worry about them now." He said pulling out of her hug, "I am fine…plus Heath and my uncle would go mental if they see me start again."
"I thought you stoped? Three years ago?"
"That was…"
"Before he died…right." She turned away sadly holding herself as she headed back into his bathroom to change.
Jackson sighed debating if this was a good idea…being with Clair. She was everything he ever wanted. But he remembered feeling this way with Frankie. She was funny, sweet, and always smiling. But with Clair…she was upbeat and wild. Always coming up with some type of fun plan that could either go very well or get them arrested, even with all of that wildness she had a quite side she never let anyone see but him. She would sit and listen to him ramble on about science and of random things as she tried to remember them just because she found it interesting. How she loved psychology and how the mind works…Jackson chuckled a little to himself…she couldn't have found a better subject to study when it comes the workings of the brain.
He heard the shower turn on; looking at the door to the bathroom he chuckled. That's fine…but she will have to use his shampoo and body wash or Holt's either way…there was nothing girly in there for her. He went to his desk and pulled out his and Holt's journal, thinking of what to write. He decided to start with the beginning knowing Holt really wouldn't read it. As he was finishing up the bathroom door opened, Clair stood there in his shirt that was hanging loosely on her buttoned up and his sweatpants he never wore anymore. "Whatcha doing?" She asked moving over to the desk.
"Just writing in my journal Holt and I keep…it helps with the missing pieces of the day or night we didn't get to enjoy."
She read a little of what Jackson wrote, "Does it help keep you sane I take it?"
"Eh…not really, but it is better to know what he did. Even if he lies a little."
She giggled, "I best be getting down stairs before your uncle comes back."
"I don't think he will, but that's fine…I will see you in the morning."
"Night Jackson…" She said kissing him on the cheek.
As she made it to the door Jackson stopped her, "Do you still want to be a psychologist?"
She thought about it for a minute, "I was thinking more therapist…since that seemed easier to get into…and people will always need one."
"Doctor Clair Steller." Jackson said smiling, "I like the sound of it."
She giggled, "I have always liked the sound of Doctor Jekyll better," She winked at him before leaving.
Why does she do that? Jackson thought feeling the blush on his face…she was talking about him being a scientist. Right? Jackson put his head in his hands. Why was she so hard to figure out? Giving up on trying to figure out the episodes of the day he put on a fresh shirt then turned on the radio leaving a little note for Holt explaining that Clair was trying to sleep down stairs and to try to be quit.
Holt chuckled evilly at the note. She was trying to sleep? Doubtful. More like she was waiting for Jackson to make the first move! Holt placed on his headphones before sneaking down stairs. Reaching the living room he saw her laying there. "Hey Clair?" He whispered placing his hand over her mouth as she jumped. Releasing her she smacked his arm, "What the hell?"
"I was bored…and well you are down here lookin' lonely." He said grinning, "Let's go back into my room."
She raised an eyebrow, "What are you playing at?"
He pouted pulling off her blankets making her try and grab them, "Come on Clair! The night is still young!" He whispered to her.
"Yeah for you!" She complained as he laughed a little. She gave up trying to take the covers from him. She turned around trying to ignore him as he jumped on her trying to push her off the couch. She growled at him trying to push him off as well as trying to stay on the couch, "Holt I swear to god I will hurt you!"
He laughed, "Come on, we can talk more in my room and you can hurt me there!"
She gave up and fell on the floor with Holt landing on top of her, "Fine, fine just get off me you dope."
"Dope? Really sweetheart? That's the best insult you got?" Holt said grinning at her as he got off her.
"You are such an ass sometimes you know?"
"And you just met me today!" He said chuckling as she mumbled something following him to his room.
Clair fell onto Holt's bed…she didn't even get to close her eyes before Holt's came down to bug her. She wondered if he was always this way. She heard him moving around as she snuggled up in his bed breathing in the scent of Jackson. How he was still here, but really isn't. She felt eyes on her, but she tried to ignore them. "I know you ain't asleep yet."
"Go away." She mumbled out earning a chuckle as she still tried to sleep.
She felt him get into bed next to her. What was he doing? She turned over to see Jackson laying there yawning. He opened his eyes to see Clair's green eyes staring at him. He jumped a little seeing the light still on. "Oh okay then…I guess I am sleeping tonight." He said about to get out of bed and Clair pulled him close snuggling up to his chest.
"Yeah…and he made me come up here…I think it was for me to snuggle with you."
"Well isn't he sweet." Jackson said sarcastically, "I think you know what his real reason for making you come up here."
She giggled, "I know but snuggling works for me."
Jackson sighed as she laid on his chest listening to his heart beat. "You know I am still in my day clothes."
"That's fine," She said in a sleep filled voice.
Laughing a little, "Not for me it isn't, can you let me at least get into more comfy pants or take my shirt off?" He asked.
"Take em off," she said with her eyes closed.
Seeing no other way he maneuvered his pants and shirt off trying his best not to move her, leaving him in only his boxers as she snuggled even closer.
"Now can I sleep without anyone bugging me?" She asked as Jackson chuckled a little, "Sorry Holt doesn't understand boundaries." As he reached over to turn off his lamp making her grumble at him.
"I noticed…" She whispered laying there for second before something popped in her head, "If we are dating and Holt and I aren't…should I be worried about another girl?"
Jackson slowly opened his eyes, he was thinking on how to answer her, "We talked about this…basically what we agreed on is when one of us has a girl friend…the other doesn't get one…so only one of us can date."
"What happens if you get into a serious relationship with someone?" She asked turning so she can see his face in the moonlight.
"We didn't think that far through…I honestly never thought I would get a girlfriend after Frankie…so I figured I would be keeping a list for all of Holt's."
"So…" She started thinking it over, "You and I are dating…and Holt won't go looking for a girlfriend, right?"
"That is what I am hoping."
"Now what about his other….well urges?" She asked giggling as Jackson shook his head, "I really don't want to talk about that."
"Well it is a good question!" She claimed.
"It is…but that is just awkward thinking about him…and someone I don't even know… yeah…it's my body too."
"I am going to take it as long as the person you are dating isn't jealous of him flirting with other girls."
"Yes because I won't be there to stop him." Jackson said chuckling.
"I will baby sit him for you…so he doesn't try picking up some hooker or something."
Jackson groaned, "thank you I guess…but this conversation is still very awkward."
"Fine then we will talk about your sex life!" She poked his side making him squirm away from her blushing.
"What sex life?" He said looking anywhere but the girl on his chest.
"Awe you are to adorable!" She teased as he blushed even deeper.
"Can I put a vote in to move away from this conversation?" He asked still not looking at Clair who yawned.
"Fine if you want too…sleep sounds very nice, but we will continue it another day." She mumbled laying her head back to listen to his heart beat.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he played with her hair. Smiling to himself as he wouldn't doubt she would question him about everything later on. Soon he heard her soft snore…chuckling a little he closed his eyes…for the first time in two weeks he will have a normal sleep. Life couldn't get much better.
Next morning:
Jackson grumbled as his alarm went off, reaching over he turned it off…feeling someone move beside he remembered who was lying next to him. But there was something blocking him from stretching out his legs.
"Good morning cuz," Heath said making Clair and Jackson jump up to see his cousin smiling evilly at him, "Oooo….someone is going to be in trouble!" He teased as Jackson blushed.
"It isn't want it looks like!" He tried to defend his self as he heard laughter from the door way.
"Sure it isn't." His uncle said, "Heath get off his bed…you guys need to get ready for school. And you Jackson…I thought you said she was going to be sleeping on the couch?" He said smiling at his nephew. Jackson blushed even more as Heath gave his cousin one more evil look before following his father out of the room.
"So much for a no one noticing…" Clair said laughing as Jackson got out of bed to get dressed.
"I blame Holt," he mumbled out as she giggled get up as well.
"Well he did come down and get me."
"No need to remind me," he said brushing out his hair.
She closed the door getting changed as he watched her from his vanity mirror, "so um…What time do you need to be at school?"
"Is that a good view from that broken mirror?" She asked winking at him as he blushed at being caught. Fully dressed she walked up behind him and kissed his cheek, "and we should leave soon so we are both on time."
"I don't know what you are talking about," He stammered out making her roll her eyes.
"A guy is a guy no matter how sweet; at least you tried to hide it." She teased as he looked away from her as she watched him in the mirror. Kissing him again she turned to go down stairs…Jackson watched her walk away in the mirror. He groaned knowing he will have to face his aunt and uncle sooner or later so he grabbed his shirt off the floor and heading down.