THIS NOT A NEW CHAPTER! I am rewriting this story and my newest chapters are the ones with "updated" in the title. So if you have email notifications on, you will probably get redirected to this chapter. But when I post a rewriten chapter, I will delete the old chapter and replace it with the "updated" one. The only reason that I choose to leave up these old chapters, is so that I can quickly re-read them to make my rewrites simpler to do, so I can see what material to add and change.

Don't read this chapter yet, as I have not finished the rewrites to catch up to this chapter. Make sure to just read the chapters that have (updated) next to the title.

You may think that this is the latest chapter because it is last in the order, but the updated chapters are the new ones.

I can tell by the analytics of the numbers of readers that you guys always go to this chapter, and don't read my newest chapter every time that I publish a rewriten chapter.


A/N: Daisy's POV chapter. Sex scene. Sorry for the three year long delay in publishing this chapter. This chapter is when the action/adventure portion of the story begins.

Chapter 17: {I Love You}


/

(Daisy Reminiscing In Her Dream)

It was about a month after Jason, Daisy, and the others had managed to escape and make it back home to America.

And, Daisy and Jason's relationship was stuck in an awkward state of limbo.

Both of them were having trouble saying the exact words; "I love you" to one another.

"You can just lay your bags in the corner of the living room. Just until you have time to organize all of your stuff." Daisy instructed Jason.

He sat his suitcases and his bags down in the corner of the room.

Jason bent his knees and knelt down to lay his luggage down on the floor.

And he stayed crouched down for a few more seconds even after his things had all been laid down.

"Are you alright Jason?" She asked.

Jason remained still and silent, as if he didn't hear her at all.

She knelt down beside Jason.

Daisy's right hand smoothly rubbed across his back. In a comforting way.

"I want you to talk to me. Whenever something is bothering you, I want you know that I'm here for you." Her tone was gentle.

Still, Jason didn't speak to her.

So Daisy put more effort in trying to comfort Jason.

Daisy's right arm gently curled around his neck as Daisy pulled him in closer to her face. She then pulled Jason in close enough that she was able to press her cheek onto the left side of his face.

Hoping that the gesture would get him comfortable enough to open up to her.

I'm here for you.

"Thank you." Jason said.

You want to say more. I know you do.

Say… "I Love You"

But he didn't. Something was holding him back from saying those three simple, but meaningful words.

Does he feel like it is wrong to love me? Because of how things ended with Liza?

Because I was his brother's girlfriend?

It had been difficult for Daisy and the others to readjust and reintegrate back into their normal lives. Which is to be expected. The things that they'd experienced on those islands, weren't things that anybody could just shrug off and forget about.

Horrible things. Things that a bunch of friends in their 20's from southern California couldn't have ever imagined that they would have seen in their lives.

The fingers and palm of Jason's right hand gently covered Daisy's left cheek. He then tenderly stroked her skin.

In response to his caressing, Daisy rubbed her right cheek upwards and downwards across Jason's beard.

"It means a lot to me that you are allowing me to stay here… with you. It means more than you could possibly imagine." Jason said.

Daisy didn't give him a response. She simply nuzzled at his cheek some more. Eventually resting her head on top of his shoulder.

"It will be tough for you to come back from your dark place. But I am sure that you will." Daisy said optimistically.

But Jason didn't share her optimism. "It's not so bad for me during the day, and when I'm awake. However, It's difficult for me to sleep. Every night I have nightmares about all that happened over there."

"Please… I want you to talk to me about your nightmares. I feel concerned about your wellbeing." She told him.

"I don't want to burden you with all the details. Can we just not talk about it?" Jason pleaded.

"Well…" Daisy began. She then obnoxiously and childishly pulled Jason down to the floor. "I'm not going to give you a choice."

Daisy giggled.

They both were laying down flat on top of the carpeted floor. Before he could sit himself back up, Daisy laid her head on top of Jason's chest.

Thump-thump… thump-thump.

The sound of Jason's heart beat was amplified in Daisy's right ear.

You're not a monster. You still have a heart.

A good heart.

"What are you doing Daisy?" Jason sounded confused. Like he didn't comprehend Daisy's attempt to force Jason to open up.

Daisy scoffed. "Well… I'm not moving until you promise me that you'll open up to me."

Jason gave Daisy a sigh of reluctance.

"It isn't just the nightmares that are bugging me. But I'm fearful of people learning the truth about what happened to all of us on those islands." Jason confessed.

"They won't." Daisy was quick to reassure him.

When Jason and the others escaped the Rook Islands, they all stayed in a hotel. Daisy had paid for all their hotel rooms. Where everyone spent only three days.

The first day that they arrived in the hotel, Jason got everyone together in the hotel lobby.

He didn't want the world to know what he did on the Rook Islands. All the murder and mayhem. Jason explained to everyone that all the things that he'd done were surely illegal. And if the world knew his story, then everyone would look at him differently.

And the last thing that he needed was the media chasing him down for the rest of his life. And Daisy was sure that in his fragile mental state, that would have pushed him over the edge.

But that wasn't all that he said.

It was clearly impossible to hide the fact that Grant had been killed, as it would be obvious when they came back to Santa Monica and he wouldn't be accompanying them.

So, Jason had imagined up the story that they'd all tell.


(Back In Time. Hotel Lobby) (Flashback)

Jason had said-

"We all have to stick to the same story. We say that we got captured by the pirates. Which is the truth. But… but… well… we will tell the story of Grant being the one to escape. And after he escaped, he rescued all of us.

Jason paused.

"But h-he… he… was killed. Killed by a pirate as we were all escaping. We say that he was the hero. Grant deserves to have that kind of a legacy."

Jason had to stop talking for the moment. His eyes welled up with tears and he wasn't fit enough to speak.

The others spoke out in disagreement. Riley and Liza being the most vocal among them.

Daisy was the only one who voiced agreement with Jason.

Amidst the squabbling, no one person could be heard clearly.

Jason silenced them when he spoke up.

"Listen to me goddammit!"

Jason had been forceful and harsh with his words.

"I almost died countless times saving you all. The least you can fucking do is agree to go along with my story. You all owe me!"

Everyone was wide-eyed and startled at Jason's shrewdness.

But in the end, everyone promised him.

Probably very reluctantly.


(Flashback Over)

"We all promised you Jason. I won't break my promise to you. And I doubt that the others will either." Daisy said.

"You're probably right." He told her.

Daisy smiled.

Jason then wrestled his left arm free from under Daisy's body and halfway wrapped it along Daisy's back.

"You win Daisy." He sighed. "I promise I'll talk to you."

"I would like that." She responded

"Can I sleep with you?" He blurted out.

Does he mean?

"Uh… um… do you mean-" Daisy started.

Jason cut in. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean like that. I meant like whenever you'd let me sleep next to you and hold onto you in your tent. You know? Just being close to you helped me through those tough times. I didn't intend to make you uncomfortable with those words."

"I would like that." Daisy responded simply.

He responded. "Thanks. You should know… that I think of you as my best friend."

"Me too." She responded.

"That's because we understand each other. We think the same and have some kind of weird connection." He responded.

"And I hope that eventually we can hold onto each other in the night, as more than just best friends." She expressed to him.

"Huh? What do mean?" Jason said stupidly.

Laughing, Daisy answered. "You know what I mean, you big dummy."

"But… don't we have to be a couple first? I mean, we'd need to be boyfriend and girlfriend before we could refer to ourselves like that." Jason asked and said in confused tone.

"Duh… Jason." Daisy responded sarcastically. "You really catch on quick."

Jason responded with playful retaliation, he tickled Daisy's right side with his left hand.

"Stop that!" Daisy giggled.

She tried to squeeze his fingers with her left arm. But he was clearly stronger than her, as his fingers were able to overpower her attempt at stopping him.

He tickled her for a few seconds longer. Daisy squirmed and giggled the whole time.

Jason stopped tickling her. "Sorry to do that to you. But I only did it so that I could hear you laugh. Your laughter is really pleasant for me to hear."

They talked for a little bit longer as they laid on the floor.

Jason had told Daisy that he was still trying to find a place of employment. He'd dropped out of college shortly after he returned home from the Rook Islands.

But Jason wasn't a freeloader. He'd told Daisy that he would help her with her house's rent and bills.

He lives in the same house as me and sleeps in the same bed as me.

He's seen me naked before.

We've even had sex.

Albeit, under less than idle circumstances, but still sex.

All the characteristics of a boyfriend.

But he's not technically my boyfriend.

Not yet anyway.

Both Jason and Daisy had attended the same university.

Unlike Jason, Daisy didn't give up on pursuing her ambition to become a nurse. So, she had chosen to take a break from college for the time being.

Maybe for a few semesters. Or maybe a few years. Experiences of tragedy and death had been too much for her to handle all at the same time.

But she'd not given up on getting an education.

But soon Jason stood up and walked off to pass out cold asleep on top of Daisy's bed.

Daisy didn't follow him to bed right away. She wasn't sleepy just yet.

So, she watched the television, had a bowl of cereal, then turned out the lights and went to bed.

It was two hours later when Daisy walked into her bedroom.

Jason must have been incredibly sleepy. He hadn't even bothered changing clothes or getting under the covers. He'd taken his shoes off and had just laid down face first on top of the bed.

Why were you so tired Jason?

Daisy removed her day clothes and put on a white t-shirt and a pair of flannel pajama pants. She didn't get completely naked as she switched clothes, as she still had her underwear on.

But she didn't care if Jason saw her in a nearly naked state. It wasn't like he'd never seen her nude anyway.

Once she had finished changing clothes, Daisy turned off the lights and crawled into bed next to Jason.

Apparently he was a heavy sleeper, because Jason didn't so much as move or make a sound as Daisy tucked herself in under the covers.

She laid there in bed, still awake for a minute or two. When she'd gotten in bed , Daisy had laid on her side so that her back was facing Jason. But there was something that she wanted to say to him.

Only, she didn't have the confidence to say it to him while he was awake.

She rolled over and faced Jason.

"I love you." She whispered.

And then fell asleep.

However, Daisy was woken up at some point in the night, when Jason had rolled over close to her and put his arm around her skinny waist.

Daisy never knew if he'd done that intentionally because he had woken up in the middle of the night and just wanted to hold her. Or, if he had unknowingly wrapped his arm around her while he was still asleep but just barely conscious enough that he tossed and turned until he found a warm body to cuddle up close with.

Whatever the reason was, didn't matter to her. She liked having Jason hold onto her while she laid in bed.

And that's how it was for the first two weeks after Jason had moved in with her.

Just awkwardly sleeping together in the same bed.

Holding onto each other as they slept.

Each night and every night, they slept with their backs turned to each other.

But always cuddling up together.

With either Jason wrapping his arm around the skinny waist of the blonde haired beauty laying next to him, or Daisy would curl her skinny arm around her dead boyfriend's younger brother.

It was awkward for Daisy whenever Jason's penis would get erect in the middle of the night and push up against her butt. Involuntary and unintentional as it was, Jason's hard-on would always appear while he was deep asleep.

Annoyance from his protruding penis would occasionally wake Daisy up.

But she never mentioned this to him any of the mornings after it had happened.

And each and every night, they'd fall asleep together in the same bed.

Not as lovers, but as friends.

Best friends. Just like they'd been for a year now… just best friends.

Ever since the two of them had met each other they had become best friends.

But they had something more between the two of them.

Love.

Only, they hadn't be able to be in love because of Daisy dating Grant and Jason dating Liza.

If only they'd met each other first. That way it wouldn't have felt so wrong to love each other.

They way that they held each other in bed, would have given the impression that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

Daisy wanted Jason take their relationship further. But something was holding him back from saying, "I love you".

Two weeks had passed, and Jason hadn't even so much as kissed Daisy on her lips.

So, Daisy tried to tempt and provoke him into becoming passionate with her.

One day, Daisy was brushing her hair in front of the mirror in the early morning as she was getting ready for work. She had just gotten out of the shower. Her hair was delicate and would revert back to its natural state if she didn't work on it immediately.

Daisy heard Jason rustling under the sheets and groaning sleepily.

With a sly grin, Daisy looked at Jason through the mirror.

"Good morning prince charming. You're up earlier than usual." Daisy casually continued to brush her hair.

She fixed her gaze at the mirror to see Jason's face.

Jason stumbled over his words. "Oh… I'm-uh sorry. I didn't know that you were… I didn't-"

"Didn't know that I wasn't wearing any clothes?" She finished for him.

It's okay to look at me Jason.

I want you to do more than just look.

It's not like this is the first time you've seen me naked.

"Don't let me disturb you. I am sorry." Jason turned his head away from staring at Daisy's naked skin, and laid it back down onto his pillow.

His awkwardness was all too amusing to her.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked.

Daisy switched from brushing the right side of her head, to her hair on the left side.

She resumed. "This isn't the first time that you've seen me naked. Actually, this is the third time that I have been nude in front of you. So, it's ridiculous for me to be modest in front of you. There's nothing left for me to try and hide from you."

"Well… when you put it that way…" Jason started saying. But didn't bother finishing.

He tilted his head towards Daisy and started staring at her bare skin.

Now I got you.

You are finally coming out of your shell.

"You look really pretty." He said.

"How kind of you to say." Daisy was close to having her finished. She eased up on the brushing. "I just got done showering."

Daisy sat the brush down on top of the dresser.

A black elastic hairband laid on top of the dresser as well. Daisy leaned forward to pick it up.

"Wait." Jason caught her attention.

Daisy froze in place. Wondering at what Jason was up to.

The sound of light footsteps across the carpeted floor let her know that Jason was approaching her.

Warm fingers glided through Daisy's fine blonde hair. Both of Jason's hands descended down both sides of her head.

After his fingers effortlessly passed through her hair, they started the process over again.

Again, and again. Down her hair, and back to the top to do it again. His fingers stroked her hair for about a minute.

"You know what? I like your hair down this way. Without a ponytail." His fingers pleasantly coursed down her hair. "I think that it's more beautiful that way."

Daisy closed her eyes and hummed. "Really? You think?"

"I do." He stopped stroking her hair. "When your hair is down like it is now, I'm able to run my fingers through it." Jason then gripped Daisy's head with his pinky fingers, resting on top of her ears.

"You've put forward quite the persuasive argument. And I am inclined to agree to your rationale." She said in a ridiculous tone.

"And your choice of clothing makes your hair look even more beautiful." He told her as his chin rested on top of her head.

Daisy couldn't help but laugh. "What clothes? I'm not wearing anything."

"I know." Jason said.

Warm lips planted a kiss on the very top of Daisy's head.

"Hey… Jason?" Daisy had to ask him something important.

He leaned up against her as his arms wrapped across her slender shoulders and chest. His black tattoos on his left arm caught Daisy's eye as they reflected in the mirror.

"Um-hmm?" Now up real close to Daisy, Jason laid his chin on Daisy's left shoulder.

She felt his scratchy beard tickle her skin. Resulting in goosebumps springing up all over Daisy's body.

"Do you… want… to be my boyfriend?" Asked Daisy awkwardly.

No answer.

"Look…" She then put things into the proper context. "You're my best friend. And I have feelings for you. And I know that you have them for me too. We've kissed several times. And… well… I mean look…"

She continued. "I'm literally standing in front of you, completely nude."

Daisy stretched out her arms in a wide fashion, presenting her naked body to Jason. Showing him that she couldn't possibly have anything left to hide from his eyes.

"No need for us to take things slow. Let's be boyfriend and girlfriend starting right now." She expressed. "We're well past the point of the friend-zone."

"Okay, okay Daisy." He raised up both hands. "I hear you. I do."

Daisy let her arms relax and fall to her hips. And she then put both hands to her hips and bent her elbows.

Daisy blinked her eyes. And when she opened them, Jason's face was just inches away from her own.

That's funny.

That expression; "in the blink of an eye", is exactly what just happened.

"Jas-" was all she managed to get out before Jason pressed his lips on hers.

Finally.

He's kissing me.

And I love it.

Daisy chose to close her eyes. Relying on fate to determine what events would unfold.

Jason's fingertips gave a tickling but pleasant sensation on her skin as they slowly ridded down her sides.

His fingers continued down her skinny body until they held onto her ass.

Jason stopped kissing her and then said. "Yes… I'd like to be your boyfriend. And you my girlfriend. Just as long as you will still be my best friend."

"Of course. Forever and always. Just love me… love me forever." Daisy said passionately as she slowly opened her eyes.

"You have my promise." He said.

You said you'd promise to love me…

But you didn't say… "I Love You."

"Can I go back to kissing you?" He asked.

"Yes." Daisy said.

And the lovebirds continued kissing.

As they kissed, Jason's fingers began to squeeze and caress Daisy's slender ass cheeks.

Moaning emerged from both Jason and Daisy. Echoing inside each other's mouths.

Daisy responded with an eager moan as she hoped to be having sex soon.

Daisy reached her own hands around Jason's lower back, and then to his own buttocks. He wasn't wearing a shirt. Only his boxers.

I want you now.

In an effort to reflect his passionate fondling of her body, Daisy pulled her hands back from his backside. She caressed his chest with her left hand, and fondled his cock with the other hand.

Her hand reached under his boxer's elastic waistband. The back of her hand ruffled against his pubic hair.

Up and down, Daisy stroked his penis, waiting for it to get hard.

But something must have been distracting him, because he wouldn't get a complete erection.

It's not wrong to want me, Jason.

Nothing is holding us back anymore.

His warm bare chest was covered in several deep scars.

Daisy stopped kissing Jason and pulled back her face to speak. "Tell me how you got each and every one of these scars."

I want to know everything about you.

All your secrets. All your pains and sufferings.

Her left index finger traced over one of his scars. And then over another, and another.

So many scars.

You've been hurt one too many times.

A thousand-yard stare on Jason's face gave Daisy chills in her spine.

His motionless expression didn't just affect his face, but he'd even stopped moving his hands and fingers altogether. Resembling a stone statue.

"Hey… Jason?" She took her hand away from his chest scars and his manhood, to grab a hold of his arms as they were still gripping her rear end.

"Oh… I'm… I…" Jason stuttered.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me right now. I apologize for asking." Daisy said sincerely.

Daisy's took her soft hands and massaged him up and down his arms, trying to relax him.

"Daisy, it's not that." He managed to speak normally. "What made me hesitate was that I couldn't answer you. The truth is that I simply can't remember how I got my scars. Any of them."

Jason let go of Daisy's ass, thus causing Daisy to release her grip. His fingers traced over his mangled torso as he felt the outlines of many of his scars. As he felt his scars, he stared into Daisy's eyes.

"I didn't ever stop to take account of how many scars I actually have. This is the first time that I'm really noticing them all." Jason expressed, the whole time running his hands across his body.

Jason stepped to the side of Daisy. She turned her body around to follow him with her eyes.

He stood up straight and faced his reflection in the mirror.

Daisy didn't know what to say as Jason stared at himself in the mirror.

"Huh… I really do look a lot different." Jason spoke as if he was making a casual observation.

Daisy was stunned at his lack of emotion in his tone.

Instinctively, Daisy stepped behind him and poked her arms underneath his. Wrapping her arms around his chest in a hug. Her right ear heard the beating of his sad heart as she pressed it against his back.

She was expecting him to be needing someone to hold him. She expecting him to be feeling sadness.

But he didn't sniffle, didn't cry, didn't show any signs of being sad in the least.

"Thinking back now, I'm having trouble remembering anything that happened back there. Only certain things I can remember. I remember Grant dying. I remember when I first found you. Killing Vaas I can remember. But I do not completely recall killing Hoyt. But the last thing that I have a memory of is being given a knife to kill Liza with. And I remember refusing Citra and her ending up with a machete thrust right through her chest." Jason said.

"Really? That's all you can remember?" Daisy was shocked and surprised.

"It's strange… those weeks that I spent over there, they're like a blur to me. Only fragments of memories." He said.

"Do you remember when you saved my life? When you got those mushrooms?" She asked.

"Yes." He paused. "I can remember how mortified I felt. Losing you would have caused me to completely loose it. When I saw you wake up after being bedridden, I wanted to run right over to you and kiss up on the lips. But I restrained myself. Because It wouldn't have been right."

"I understand… Grant had just died." Daisy managed to not cry as she thought of Grant, remembering the last time that she saw him alive. "I still miss him you know? Not a day goes by that I don't think about him."

Jason started crying and choking on his words. "I should have died back on those islands, with Grant. I did so many awful things. Even though the memories that I have of killing pirates and mercenaries are only fragments, they still appear in my dreams."

Jason inhaled deeply to regain his composure. "I do remember this one pirate that I'd killed." He ceased his crying. "Only he wasn't an ordinary pirate, he was just a kid. Probably not even eighteen yet."

What Jason had just confessed to Daisy, had horrified her. She didn't believe that Jason was a monster, but the thought of him killing a teenager was enough for her to second guess Jason's morality.

"Sometimes, I can see his crying face in my dreams." Jason said.

Daisy heard his heart-beats thump faster and faster.

"I know that you've heard me ramble in my sleep. It happens almost every night. Either it's a nightmare about that kid that I'd killed, or about Vaas, but they are most often about you, Daisy." He surprised Daisy with that last bit.

"About me?" Daisy asked. "What is it that happens to me in your dreams?"

"Nothing good." He said with an emotionless tone. "And it's always my fault, because I can't ever end up saving you."

"Tell me more." Daisy said.

Suddenly, Daisy remembered that she was supposed to be getting ready for work.

No worries.

I will just call in sick today. The doctor will understand why I won't be going in.

He knows that my boyfriend Grant, died two months ago, and I've never taken the time to grieve.

Jason sighed. "Even though they are only dreams, they still feel so realistic. Sometimes I have dreams where you've been kidnapped by Vaas, or by that one pirate, Jay, who held us hostage on that ship."

"What exactly happens to me after I've been kidnapped?" Daisy asked, trying to pry even deeper into his mind.

"I go out looking for you. But whenever I finally find you… you have either already been murdered, or I will find you on your knees as Vaas holds a knife to your throat. I always run as fast as I possibly can, but Vaas always slits your throat whenever I'm just a few steps away from reaching you." He said.

Jason stopped speaking, then stopped breathing. Only for a few seconds though. But those few seconds were creepily silent.

He continued. "Maybe my dreams are trying to tell me something. Like when I'm unable to save you. Maybe it means that I'm no good for you, like I'll only be your beast of burden. Us being together might not be the best option for you. And for a number of reasons."

"Hey!" Daisy didn't intend to shout, but let her emotions get the best of her.

She grabbed Jason's shoulders and spun him around so that she could glare at him.

"Stop talking like that." Daisy commanded. "I want you in my life. I want you to be part of my life. And I'm more than willing to help you through this rough time that you're having. You're not anything that I can't handle."

"You'll tolerate me? Even after I wake you up every night by shouting in my sleep? That's not going to be easy for you to deal with." Jason spoke with a gloomy tone.

Daisy scoffed.

Jason added. "I do want you too Daisy. But being with me will only make things harder for you. And not solely because of my PTSD, but because of the way that people will look at us whenever they see us in public."

"I don't care what people say about us." Daisy responded.

Jason said. "Well… I don't care what people think about me, but you… I don't want people talking and creating rumors about you. They might say that you've always been cheating with Grant' brother behind his back. Or, that it's not right for you to be dating your dead boyfriend's brother."

Jason put his right hand up to Daisy's left cheek, tenderly brushing it with his thumb.

"I care too much about you." He said.

Daisy rolled her eyes and sighed. "Jason… we've both been through worse. Having people that we know talk about us behind our backs doesn't seem so bad."

Jason continued stroking her cheek. "Well, when you put it that way…" he lowered his hand to her left shoulder. "Yeah… you're right. We have been through worse. The idea of social anxiety is ridiculous in comparison."

Daisy giggled when Jason pulled her into his arms, hugging her with his left arm while stroking her hair with his opposite hand.

Her skinny arms wrapped around Jason's waist. His broad body stand in stark contrast to her skinny figure as they held each other.

She actually closed her eyes while Jason held her in his strong arms. Feeling safe and comfortable enough to fall asleep right then and there.

"You're making so comfortable that I might fall asleep in your arms. If I do, promise that you'll catch me before I fall down." Daisy said quietly.

"I promise to hold you tight." He replied.

Then he asked. "Daisy, aren't you supposed to being going into work today?"

"Yes…" Daisy said the word slowly. "But, I'm going to spend this day with you. I can just call in sick."

"In that case… what would you like to do today? I bet you'd like to go swimming at the beach. If there's one thing that you love, it's swimming." Jason sounded unusually giddy and enthusiastic.

"Ehh… no… I don't really feel up to swimming today. Let's do something here, inside." She suggested.

"What do you want to do?" She asked Jason.

"I don't really know. It's been so long since I've spent a normal day with one of my girlfriends. And I don't know what a normal day is anymore." Jason said.

She laughed. "And exactly how many girlfriends have you had before me?"

"Just four." He answered. "Two from high school and one from college, and then Liza."

Jason's left hand sensually squeezed Daisy's right ass cheek. Somewhat rough, but also somehow gentle at the same time. A strange contrast.

Then he said. "But you are my favorite girlfriend."

After he said that, Daisy pulled her head back from Jason's chest to stare into his eyes.

"Wow, really?" Daisy feigned surprise jokingly. "We have only been boyfriend and girlfriend for a grand total of five minutes, and I'm already your favorite girlfriend?"

"Five minutes was all that it took." Jason said. That response was cheesy, but sweet.

Clumsily, Jason's fingers on his right hand transitioned away from Daisy's free flowing hair, and glided across her smooth and warm skin to fiddle with her left nipple.

His thumb and fingertips teased her stiff nipple.

"My question won't be subtle… but… can I have sex with you? I mean, is that okay with you? If we have sex?" So awkwardly was the way that Jason asked.

Wow.

That was…

Weird.

She simply starred at him, wide eyed.

"We can have sex the right way. Not like the last time." He said.

Those words brought up bad memories. She playfully covered his mouth with her right hand.

Smiling and laughing, Daisy spoke to him. "Let's not talk about that."

Jason's attempt at words came across as inaudible mumbling due to Daisy's hand over his mouth.

"What was that?" She pulled her hand away from his mouth, figuring that she'd joked and teased him enough for one day.

"Okay… I won't." Jason promised.

"Now… let's just…" Daisy spoke in a sexy tone as she ran her right index finger down his chest.

"Let's just… relax." Her finger slid down his torso, past his belly button, and then her hand was down inside his boxers.

"I am relaxed… when I'm with you." Jason said right before he lowered his head.

Warm lips kissed the left side of Daisy's skinny neck.

Daisy moaned softly.

Make love to me.

I love you.

And I don't care what the rest of the world thinks of us.

The passionate way that Jason was kissing her neck was enough to get Daisy's pussy slightly wet.

"I've thought about this for over a year now. Just the two of us." Jason whispered in her left ear.

"Me too." She said to him.

Jason still had his left hand on Daisy's right ass cheek, fondling it.

As If he'd read her mind exactly, the tip of Jason's right index finger tickled Daisy's clitoris. Getting her excited and even more wet.

"Mmm… you sure know what you're doing." Daisy moaned slowly.

"Just tell me if I'm not doing something the way that you like." Jason requested.

Jason's dick was so warm in her slender hand.

"Okay… I will…" Daisy exhaled deeply.

The two of them stood there for about a minute just exploring each others bodies with their hands. Using their hands to pleasure one another.

"Kiss me." Daisy instructed softly.

Jason, still kissing her neck, raised his head up so that he could kiss her on the lips. But as he lifted his head, he ran his warm tongue upwards from the top of Daisy's shoulder, licking her skin the whole way up her neck. Soon his slippery tongue was sliding up Daisy's chin and then her left cheek.

Their wet lips came into contact with each other.

Daisy moaned. She couldn't have ever imagined that Jason was this passionate.

Romantically kissing, fondling, massaging, and touching her partner's body while they did the same in return to her body. That's making love, and not just fucking.

I wonder if Jason acted this way with Liza.

Did he always run his hands over her body right before they fucked?

Regardless of how he and Liza had sex, I like him this way.

Showing his romantic side.

Loving me and my body, and not just wanting a quickie with me so that he can get a quick cum in and then avoid me.

No… that's not Jason.

He wants to love me.

After minutes of sensual touching, the two walked towards the bed. Jason then laid Daisy down on her back.

At the foot of the bed, Daisy laid her lower back on top of the bed. While she partially arched her upper body up with her elbows.

She tilted her head down to see Jason taking off his boxers. He dropped them onto the floor.

His erection stuck straight out in Daisy's direction.

"I want us to be together forever." Jason told her.

"Me too… me too…" Daisy said to the man she loved.

"I promise you that I'll not hide anything from you. And I'll treat you as good as I possibly can. Once I get my head straight, maybe we will have a normal relationship." He continued speaking.

"Okay Jason… that's all nice to hear. But let's talk later." Daisy appreciated all that Jason was saying to her. And she did want to listen to all that he had to tell her.

But not right now.

Jason crawled up onto the bed with her. Ready to assume his position on top of her, Jason maneuvered and adjusted his body until he was in a posture that would be comfortable for both of them.

She couldn't remove her eyes from his erection.

Jason held his manhood in his right hand, ready to insert in into Daisy's pussy.

"Oh, Wait." Jason froze in place. "Should I be wearing a condom? I don't want to get you pregnant. I don't know why I didn't consider this earlier."

"Don't worry about that. It's not going to happen. I'm on birth control. And I assume that you don't have anything that I can catch." She responded.

"No… I am clean." He confirmed.

"Then… continue." She said.

Daisy then witnessed a miniscule glimmer of happiness in Jason's eyes as he stared at her. A nice change from his almost constant crestfallen and maudlin composure that he'd had for over two months now.

"You're so perfect Daisy." Jason whispered into her left ear.

As he eased his hard dick into Daisy's pussy lips and kissed her on the mouth, Daisy began to feel optimistic about her future with Jason.

Her eyes closed as they kissed. Jason was thrusting back and forth.

She wasn't naive. Of course Jason wasn't perfect. Nor had he fully recovered, physically or mentally.

But the time that she spent with him…

Just felt right.

Like nothing else in the world mattered so long as Jason was kissing her, holding her in his arms, sat next to her on the living room couch as they watched television, or cuddling her as she slept.

It was pure love.

But their first "real" attempt at having sex was cut short.

Jason said in a sudden outburst. "Fuck! I'm sorry."

Jason slowed his thrusting as he moaned. His body shivered.

Immediately, she knew that he had just ejaculated inside of her pussy. And it had only been about thirty seconds since he'd penetrated her.

He's cumming already?

Jason gave her a blank stare. He still had his penis inside of her, but had ceased thrusting.

"It's alright Jason, nothing to get embarrassed about." She said. Hoping that somehow her words would ease his embarrassment.

He looked up at her eyes for a brief moment. But then turned his head away, clearly embarrassed.

He pulled his penis out of Daisy's pussy.

Jason then turned and sat down on the end of the bed, to the left of Daisy. He placed his hands on top of his thighs as he repeatedly stroked his thighs up and down. As if he was trying to relax himself.

I can tell that he is embarrassed, maybe even mad at himself.

Jason has too many problems with his life as it is.

There's no reason for me to worsen things by badgering him about prematurely ejaculating.

He said awkwardly. "That won't happen again."

Daisy looked at him with understandable sympathy.

She responded with. "I'm going to clean myself off in the bathroom."

Daisy got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom that connected to her bedroom.

As she walked away Jason squeaked out. "I'm sorry."

Daisy acted like she didn't hear him.

When she was done, she walked back to Jason. He was still sitting upright with his hands on his thighs.

"Hey there." She said. Walking up to him and nudging her right knee up against his left knee.

It was obvious that Jason's mood had changed in the brief time that she'd been gone.

"You doing okay? Something on your mind?" Daisy looked down at him, hoping that he'd look up. But he kept his gaze down to the floor.

Jason responded. "I'm just feeling weird. My mind is jumping back and forth between thoughts."

"Talk to me. Come lay down on the bed with me." She said.

No words.

They both crawled backwards on the bed. Sitting up side by side with their backs against the wooden bedframe. With Jason to Daisy's right and Daisy to Jason's left.

Daisy exhaled slowly through her nose.

Now totally relaxed, she was going to start talking to Jason, but decided to stay silent.

Jason leaned in close to Daisy's right ear and whispered. "Let's do something fun today."

Daisy didn't respond yet. She felt like he had just a bit more to say.

And then he continued speaking.

"Considering that we both don't have any plans for today, I thought that maybe we could do something together. Something that we'd both enjoy. We could watch a movie, or I could help you with your garden outside." He told her.

Wow… It's been far too long since I've seen Jason in such good spirits.

"Or if you want to just stay in bed all day, I would be fine with that too." He said. "It's whatever you want to do. If you're happy, then that would be enough for me."

"You're a sweetheart. I will think… I meant, we will think of something to do today." She responded to him.

"Have you considered doing anything fun with me today yet?" Jason crawled up close to Daisy's idle right arm. Laying on his left side, facing Daisy.

"What if we did several different things today? That way we will can figure out things that we both like doing." Daisy rolled over onto her right side and looked into Jason's eyes.

That's when Daisy's left index finger began feeling the scars on her lover's torso. A grizzled and battered exterior that featured a good heart underneath.

Below your scar ridden skin is still the Jason that I fell in love with.

I wish that none of this had ever happened to all of us.

We shouldn't have gone skydiving over those islands.

If we wouldn't have, then Grant would still be alive.

But it's pointless to dwell on the "could haves" and "would haves", because the past is set in stone.

And we can't change it.

"I've always liked you Daisy." He said to her.

She didn't stop feeling his scars as he continued speaking. She didn't speak up either. Daisy just let him talk on uninterrupted.

"More than just liking. Not just as friends." He continued.

Then, Jason said. "I… I…"

She knew what he was trying to say.

So, she finished for him. "You love me?"

It was too awkward for Daisy look him in the eyes just yet.

"Yes… I do." Jason said after a long moment of silence.

"But I'm… I don't know why… but I just can't say that word out loud." He told her.

"The word… love?" She asked.

"Yes." Jason said glumly.

Daisy didn't get him. "Why can't you say it out loud?"

"I want to." He said. "And I do."

"You do what?" Daisy asked. But it was obvious. "You do love me? Is that what you are saying?"

"Yes." Jason answered again.

Jason gave her a long explanation. "You are the girl of my dreams, and I've always had this unexplainable attraction to you. When we first met, something about you was so appealing to me. That's why I always wanted to hang out with you. Anytime that I could manage to spend with you, was worth it. I didn't know what I was feeling in the beginning of our friendship. But I just assumed that it was just a feeling of platonic fondness for you. It took a few months, but soon I realized that what I was feeling for you wasn't just platonic."

Daisy lifted her hand to Jason's cheek. "You've just described exactly what I'd been feeling for you."

"I've always thought of you as my best friend. " She told him.

She continued. "I had feelings for you too. But those feelings are stronger now."

Daisy was downplaying what her true feelings had actually been for Jason.

She was in love with Jason even as she was dating his older brother. Grant was in love with her. And she had been in love with him too. But after she'd met Jason, the focus of her love had shifted towards him.

But it wasn't as simple as breaking up with Grant and beginning a relationship with Jason.

Daisy had already been Dating Grant for a year. How could she just end that relationship out of the blue and just start another with her ex-boyfriend's brother?

Jason had been in the same boat. He'd been dating Liza for about a year as well. And how could he have ditched Liza to start dating his brother's girlfriend?

Daisy decided to change the subject. "Hey… what if today, we went out for a walk out on the beach?"

"If that's what you want to do." He answered.

"Well then… what is it that you want to do?" She asked.

"I want to do…" he paused "whatever you want to do."

"Good answer" Daisy smirked and giggled.

You may think of yourself as only a damaged shell of a man.

But I still see the guy who is my best friend.

Rolling off of Jason, Daisy stood up. "Grab your clothes and come with me to take a shower."

"You already showered before I woke up." He said.

"Yes but you haven't showered yet. Plus I could use another." She said to him.

She walked over to his side of the bed and pulled him up by yanking on his wrist.

The combination bathtub-shower provided just enough room for two people to simultaneously shower together.

As the hot water impacted Daisy's head, Jason had his arms wrapped around her skinny torso. His head laid upon her shoulder.

That was a good day.


/

(Dream over)

Daisy woke up.

It was still night. Though the moon must have shifted in the sky as its light was no longer illuminating the inside of the cave through the entrance.

Jason still had his arms wrapped around her, but very loosely.

Without much effort, she wiggled out from Jason's grasp and got to her feet.

It was to dark to see his face clearly.

Why do I still want you even after what you did?

You said that you didn't need to rape me on that ship. I should have known better this whole time.

A man with the ability to single handedly kill scores of pirates, there's no way that you didn't have an escape plan.

How stupid am I?

You were so close to being the hero that I knew you could be. But you just had to make that one evil mistake.

Daisy clenched her fists and shook her head in disgust.

She whispered. "I wish you'd never have told me the truth."

The way those pirates watched her and Jason have intercourse while they hooted and hollered like perverted demons, was something that still makes her skin crawl.

Seeing her way through the dark cave assisted only by dim light from the outside shining in, she walked until she was outside.

Leaning up against the side of the cliff which the cave entrance was next to, Daisy almost came close to shedding tears.

She crossed her arms.

The ambient sounds of the jungle were accompanied by the crashing sound of the ocean waves hitting the hard grey rock of the cliff below her.

A sudden feeling of being watched came over Daisy.

Her sixth sense went into overdrive.

"This island doesn't get many visitors." Said a man's voice.

Daisy twisted her head to the left to see a dimly lit figure at the top of the incline that led to the cave.

Daisy noticed the accent of this man. An accent that was simultaneously unrecognizable and familiar to her.

"Strange to see a foreigner here." He added

What a strange accent.

That's not a local accent.

"Oh, uh… h-hello." She said, trying to not sound like she'd been taken off guard.

She added. "Yeah, I read about these islands and saw some lovely pictures of them on the internet. Always wanted to travel to a tropical paradise. Not many jungles where I come from."

Daisy smiled and spoke in a casual manner.

I can't be too careful out here.

"Uh-huh yes, it's true. The eyes usually only see the beauty of the new place the fist time they gaze upon it. But the second glance usually reveals the hidden secrets of that same place." The man with the odd accent remarked.

There was an awkward pause.

But then Daisy asked . "I'm sorry, but was something that I can help you with?"

"Well…" the man started walking down the incline, "that depends."

The figure walking towards her caused her to stop leaning against the rocky wall and stand to attention.

"Depends on what?" Daisy asked.

"Depends on how much Jason loves you." The mystery man said.

Something twisted inside Daisy's stomach. Terror gripped her spine.

I think that I know him.

God…

I do remember him.

What was his name?

Thinking quickly, Daisy responded with. "Who's Jason?"

The man had gotten within ten feet of her. He then stopped.

But to her horror surprise, the man hadn't come alone.

At the top of the incline stood three menacing male figures. And even in the dim night, Daisy could make out the outline of a long gun in the hands of one of the men.

The mystery man chuckled. "I know who you are, so there's no point in trying to play the fool."

Daisy was to terrified to answer with a cleverly thought out response.

"Ah yes, yes, yes… you're Jason's blonde friend, and if you can remember me, then you know that I'm not any friend of Jason. No, not after he killed the only woman that I've ever loved." The man said with a tinge of anger in his voice.

As the man resumed his advance towards Daisy, the three men started their march down the slope to meet up with the mystery man.

Their his goons.

I have to get back to Jason and warn him. Maybe we can fight them off.

Daisy started walking backwards and keeping the mystery man at a distance slightly longer than arms length.

She could sense that they had nothing but sinister intentions for herself and Jason.

Despite her being disgusted and furious with Jason after recent events, she realized that she didn't have the physical prowess to fight off these thugs and that Jason was her only protector in this situation.

Before it was too late, Daisy turned her head to the cave.

"Jason!" She shouted with as loud of a voice that she could muster as she screamed into the cave's opening.

Daisy turned and sprinted towards the cave.

"Jas-." Daisy was unable to finish shouting his name before a strong hand grabbed her face, covering her mouth.

She could feel the hard skin and rough calluses of the man's right palm as it firmly clutching her head.

That's when the man's left arm hooked around Daisy's waist. His arm restraining her arms above the elbows.

As he squeezed her, all she could do was to flail her hand wildly.

The mystery man grunted and lifted Daisy off her feet.

His henchmen had made their way down the path and looked ready to act on whatever commands the mystery man gave them.

With Daisy still struggling, the man turned around to face his goons.

"Take this bitch back with us." The man said.

He handed the squirming Daisy over to one of his men. The man that took Daisy was a giant of a man.

The giant had the strength of ten men. He threw Daisy over his right shoulder while keeping a vise grip on her legs.

When the giant turned around Daisy frantically looked back at the cave hoping to see Jason running out to come to her rescue.

And she was relieved when she saw Jason come out from the underground.

"Daisy!" Jason shouted.

Before he could reach her, the mystery man stopped Jason by punching him square in the face with a left hook.

He must not have been paying attention to the man since he was to focused on Daisy.

She watched as Jason got to his feet extraordinarily fast.

Stop them Jason.

Kill them if you have to.

"Let her go!" Jason commanded

Jason then grabbed the mystery man's neck with both hands and slammed his head against the rocky cliff. This was enough to temporarily stun the mystery man.

The man groaned as he slumped down.

Watch out for his goons Jason.

The other two unoccupied thugs came rushing to their leader's aid.

"Stop this!" Jason charged forward at the two men. "I'll fucking kill you all!"

A loud bang rang out.

Echoes of the gunshot bounced off the cliff wall.

Oh god…

No.

Daisy watched as Jason fell to his knees. His right hand was being used to support the weight of his body.

But she could see his left hand holding the right side of his lower abdomen.

My god…

He's been shot.

The two goons stood parallel with each other in front of Jason. But the man closest to the cliff had a rifle in his hand.

Daisy didn't know much about firearms, but she could recognize the iconic design of an Kalashnikov AK-47 type rifle.

"Jason! Please! Get up!" Daisy shouted as the giant continued up the pathway.

She heard Jason grunt and moan from the likely pain he was experiencing from the hot metal object that had just pierced his body.

Astonishing, Jason began to get himself up of the ground. He managed to stand.

"Don't move boy!" The rifle armed thug warned.

"Fuck… you." Jason's voice was raspy. He was obviously in extreme pain.

Before Jason could try anything, the mystery man hit the back of Jason's head with the barrel of a large handgun. The impact of hard steel made a resounding "thwack."

Jason was knocked to the ground.

He had a gun on him all along.

This is when the two men started relentless beating Jason to a bloody pulp. The unarmed thug kicked Jason while the other thug bludgeoned him with the butt of his rifle.

Daisy was terrified to her core. The same terror that she'd felt the day that those pirates had kidnapped her and brought her back to their ship along with Jason.

They're going to kill him.

The giant carrying her reached the top.

"Alright… that's enough for now. He's not going to die just yet." The mystery man said.

The two goons ceased their beating of Jason.

Jason coughed and wheezed.

"Hit him again. Just once more." The mystery man said. He then stepped over Jason's incapacitated body. He walked between the two goons.

The goon with the rifle hit Jason square in the right side of his head.

"Let's go. He's not following us." The mystery man announced.

Daisy watched helplessly as they walked back up the way they came.

She lifted her head to meet the eyes of the mystery man.

"Is… is… is he…" Daisy tried to ask but choked on her words.

The mystery man cupped Daisy's chin with his left hand. Firmly holding her head in place to ensure that she would see his face.

"No young lady. I didn't come here to kill Jason." He said.

He let go of her chin.

"Come on. We need to leave before he gets back up." The mystery man said.

Daisy was too afraid to cry.

The gang of men made their way to a worn out jeep without a roof. They giant lifted Daisy off his shoulder and slammed her down in the back of the truck.

The man walked up to the side of the jeep. "We're going to tie up your feet and hands. And I know you're not going to resist. Because if you do, I'll cut off one of your fingers. One finger gets cut off each time you try and get free. And if I run out of fingers, I'll start cutting off your toes. And once I run out of toes… well… I'll just have to get creative."

Daisy didn't respond.

Sitting up in the back of the jeep, Daisy remained helpless as the giant tied a coarse rope around her feet and then one around her wrists.

He'll be okay.

He will come and save me.

Jason won't stop until I'm safe.

I just have to wait.

With her bindings fastened, the gang of men hopped into the jeep. The giant stayed in the back right beside Daisy.

The engine started and the jeep drove on. The from the former property of the doctor Earnhardt fading out of sight as they got onto the main road.

No one in the vehicle said a word. But several minutes into the little road trip, the mystery man finally spoke up.

"You are pretty. So was the other woman that Citra had tied up. Yes, she got the wrong woman. Jason should have held the knife to your throat." He said.

"Jason ruined everything that day. He could have been the warrior that Citra wanted. But instead he chose to continue living his American life." The mystery man scoffed.

Dawn was approaching as the sun's light began to become visible, sending away the night sky.

"But this time… Jason won't be given the opportunity to choose. Because this whole thing only ends one way." He continued.

"And what way is that?" Daisy asked.

The mystery man didn't answer.

He just laughed.


/

(To Be Continued)

A/N: I'm relieved to finally have this next installment published. Now the real adventure begins. There will be John Wick inspired action to come. So you'll just have to wait for the rewrites to be finished.