Metamorphosis

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A/N:

Chapter 26 (Bury the Hatchet)

Jason steeled himself before approaching Ross's table. He took a fleeting glimpse at Trina, watching as Jenny led her to her table. The lump in his throat swelled so as to cut off his breathing, and he clenched his hands to keep them from shaking as he kept walking.

It felt as though he were having an out of body experience. He had to glance down just to make sure his legs were moving. Even his heart seemed to cease its relentless beating. "God…" He looked once more at Trina and steadied his breath.

"For her sake, I hope you're treating her well. She deserves a good man." Ross's words struck him hard, causing him to look back with a start. Ross was still peering out the window, his fingers continued to tap the table and his wrinkled brow looked to tighten as he turned his head.

"She needs to be happy, you understand?" Ross leaned his body forward and clasped his hands together in front of him. "She can't be hurt again, she can't have another heartache, she can't be broken again. I don't know if she can be fixed this time."

"Is that what you wanted?" Jason tried not to sneer, despite the anger stewing within him. His eyes narrowed and his lips spread away into an open scowl. "For you to tell me not to hurt her? I could never hurt her, not like you. Not like some of the men she's come across."

Jason turned a chair with the back facing forward and sat down, leaning his chest against the back and folding his forearms over the top. "Then there's you. Thank god they stopped you." Ross turned his head down and his shoulders fell.

"Yes. I agree. I wanted you to know, the way Jenny talks about how she's seen the two of you acting-and even now…the way Trina is with you? She's happy, she cares about you. You've got a remarkable woman who has been through hell, so she's a little rough around the edges but that's what makes her who she is. She's a unique spirit, and I'm the last guy to tear her apart. So, whether or not she is happy again? Well while that may be up to her, it's up to you to make sure you're not the next guy to cause some sort of irreversible damage."

"I'm not going to be that person." He looked over to Trina and his heart skipped as a light, fluttering sensation filled his stomach. His features softened and his lips opened to release a gentle breath of air. "I could never do that to her…"

He watched as Trina spoke with Jenny. The girl turned to look and smiled when her eyes made contact with his. He smiled back and his head tilted a bit to the side.

"You're in love with her." Jason's eyes slid towards Ross and he waited with baited breath as the man looked to the girls. "Good. That means you will treat her well, be the person she deserves to have in her life. That's what I wanted to see."

"Come again?" His eyebrow rose and he pushed himself back, curling his fingers around the top bar of the chair. "You were sizing me up?"

Ross closed his eyes and his shoulders rose. "Not so much that as I wanted to see what kind of person you were." Jason cleared his throat and his eyes dropped to the table. "I wanted to make sure you weren't another Marcus, another Mitchel, or worse yet…another me. I wanted to see the emotion you felt towards her, to make sure you weren't some fool toying with her."

"I know how it sounds." Ross folded his arms and leaned back. His eyes were filled with pain and regret, so much that Jason couldn't help but to feel pity for him; a startling realization for him. Ross bounced his right hand out, speaking with a scoff in his tone. "The guy that almost raped her in a drug-infused rage making sure you're not going to hurt her."

"Hate to say it, but I kind of respect the balls it takes to do that." Ross chuckled and shook his head with a sigh. "You regret what you did to her? So you come to make sure I'm not a bad guy. I almost respect you for it, but it doesn't change what you did, it doesn't change that I learned about you at the same time I learned you were dating my ex…I won't disrespect Jenny to you, but the things I went through with that woman pale in comparison to what I would naturally fear you doing to her."

"You're right for that, but I'm not that person anymore." Jason took a deep, calming breath and the muscles in his arms loosened up. "I can tell you that I've changed, and I can tell you all sorts of stuff, but it would probably be meaningless. What you need to know is that I will not harm her in the way you won't harm Trina."

"Let's get it straight, I'm not receiving your 'permission', am I?"

"God no, you don't need it. I'm satisfied, though." Jason hummed at the thought. He felt an odd sensation coursing through him, whether it was relief or pride he wasn't certain. "Part of this is also because I need to let go of this."

Jason leaned to the right and furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" He knew the answer, but Ross's feeling of guilt still left him flabbergasted.

"You know how Jenny was? When she told me she was upset that I seemed like I was avoiding her…I was." Ross moved his right hand over his left and his eyes lingered on Jenny. "I could never get past what I did-almost did to Trina. Jenny's helping me past that, but I could never move past it. I stopped the drugs, but every night I remembered what I was like because of that. Being with another woman, I saw Trina's face. I need to know that I didn't ruin her life, I need to be the person Jenny needs."

Jason lowered his shoulders and closed his eyes. "Trina's fine." He let out a heavy breath of air. "She struggles from time to time with some of the things that happened to her in the past, but we're working through that. She's moving on. She will be fine, she will be happy, I'm sure of it. She's strong, she wouldn't let you or any of the men before you destroy her."

"Good." Ross started to smile and he unfolded his hands. "I hope she does."

"Don't count yourself out, either." He glanced at the window and shrugged. "Don't think we don't see the change. You kicked the habit, you feel the remorse, you work at a place to help others struggling with drugs to recover. If you care for Jenny, then you should be there for her."

"I do." Ross swept his hand through his hair and smiled. "She tells me I need to look at the 'good'. I don't know what good there is, but she does say that that moment was a wakeup call. A wakeup call that got me off the drugs and working at a place where eventually I met her."

"It also made Trina go back into martial arts, so…"

"Now she has you in her life. I would take back what I did if I could, but Jenny is right, I don't regret where it's led us all. Treat her right, Jason, and don't be like me."

He coughed suddenly and his eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?" Ross's eyes rolled.

"By that I mean, Jenny told me how she was with you when the two of you actually dated. She told me about your father." His hands tensed and he pressed his lips tight against each other. "Don't let your past hurt keep you from loving someone, from caring about someone. You have a remarkable woman, don't be afraid to let yourself care for her, to get close to her."

"I wouldn't."

"Have you told her how you've felt?" Jason started to state the obvious, but had to pause when Ross clarified. "You clearly love her, or you're in love with her. Have you told her you love her?"

"No, I-I want to. I just…" His eyes darted over to Trina's table and he studied the girl for a moment. "I was waiting for the right time."

"Never a time like the present." Ross crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Especially when you're at a summer camp designed to end in a few months. You care for her, want her to believe it's more than a summer fling, then you make sure she knows you want to be with her."

"They haven't killed each other yet," Trina said while eyeing Jason and Ross. She was relieved that the two were being civil, but more relieved that nothing terrible happened yet. "I still don't like this. Seeing Ross once was bad enough, now I have to see the guy again and let him talk to Jason? Don't take this the wrong way, Jenny, but if I thought you were crazy before…"

She swayed to the right and ran her hands along her arms, trying to warm the chill that ran along her body. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Jenny said, "I wanted to talk. About you and Jason."

"What now?"

"Just that I want to know that the two of you are happy." Trina stared at her with increasing suspicion, but let her continue to speak. "I don't know if Jason told you anything about what our relationship was like when we dated."

"No." She wasn't sure she wanted to hear about it either. "If it's something he can tell me on his own-"

"It is and I'll let him tell you. I mean, we never had sex or anything like that, it's just that I know I hurt him in the past." An exhale fell from Trina's lips and her shoulders rose up. "He already has trust issues, issues he got from his dad."

"His dad I know about."

"Well then you should be aware that I made things worse."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Jenny turned her head and a faint smile appeared on her face. "Because I see the way he looks at you. I would have killed for him to look at me that way." Her heart skipped a note and a redness spread across her cheeks. "He's not usually good with his emotions, and sometimes he needs a little nudge."

"Are you sure you're not talking about me? I'm the one not good with emotions and trust."

"Well, maybe the two of you can be the person the other needs. I really am sorry for the hell I caused before."

"I get it." She raised her hand up and turned partially to watch over Jason and Ross. "I don't really want to talk about it anymore." Her stomach was in knots and her heart trembled with fear. "I can't stand them talking. I just…I don't want anything to happen. Why did I agree to this? It's not comfortable."

"I wanted you to know I wasn't going to be a problem, and Ross wanted to see for himself the kind of man Jason was." She jolted back and shot a glance at Jenny. "He wanted to make sure Jason was a good man, that he wasn't going to hurt you, he needed to know that he didn't destroy your life."

"Please. He didn't." Jenny started to smile, but Trina averted her gaze. Her arms folded over her stomach and she bit down on her lip. She hated admitting it, but if it wasn't for Ross, she might not have gone back into martial arts. "I hate what he did to me, but I've been doing my best to move on from him. This doesn't help much, I want to forget him."

"And you can. I just…this is the last time."

"Good." She wiped away at the moisture in her eyes and shook her head. "I'm here at this camp because I went back into martial arts. What Ross did drove me to making that choice."

"I see."

"Jason will probably move on, I'm moving on. You and Ross don't need to dwell anymore, if forgiveness is what you're asking for." She stood up and was excited to see Jason standing as well. A smile ran across her face and she watched him turn towards her. "Live your lives. I'll…live mine."

"If it suits you and him, you will never see us again. This may be the last time I come to these summer camps, and I do intend to be with Ross in the future."

"Okay. As long as you two are fine, then that's fine, just…" Jason's eyes met hers and her words trailed off as the area around her started to rise in temperature. "Be careful."

Jason started his approach, and the world near and behind him blurred. She extended her arms and a smile stretched out onto her face. Jason's powerful arms slipped around her waist and pulled her close to his chest, holding her as though clinging to a lifeline.

She moved her arms around him, and buried her face into his chest. "Let's get away from here," he whispered. His lips caressed the top of her head, soothing the throbbing sensation within.

"Gladly."

Thoughts?