Author's Note: Hey y'all! Welcome to Tattoo. This was originally supposed to be like a one-time songfic post. But as time progressed, it blossomed into something much more. And I'm not going to hold you, when I first posted this, there weren't alot of Jake/Trix fics - and even now, 10 years later, there is still isn't a lot of them out here, which is sad.

So here I am. And also, if you're an old-time reader of Tattoo, the original chapter was made 10 years ago, and I decided that this chapter needed some refinements. Let me know if this chapter meets your expectations.

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

Warning: Light Jake/Rose fluff (don't attack me *sweatdrops to Jake/Trix fans*), humor, suspense

Tattoo

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Chapter 2: Heart and Mind

In life there are going to be some things that make it hard to smile. Through all the rain and pain you got to keep your sense of humor and smile for me now. Remember that.

- Tupac Shakur

The sound of her alarm blaring through her bedroom barely registered in Trixie Carter's sleep-deprived mind. She groaned, slapping at her nightstand until her fingers found the snooze button. Five more minutes. Just five.

Except, of course, she didn't have five more minutes. School wasn't about to wait for her just because she'd spent half the night wandering the city and the other half drowning in overthinking—mostly about Jake and Spud. Lately, she had found herself wondering how they were doing, not just in the present, but in the years they had spent apart. She knew the surface-level stuff—Jake was still the American Dragon, Spud was still Spud, but what about the things that mattered? Had Spud changed more than he let on? Was Jake really as happy as he seemed with Rose? And more importantly—why did she even care so much?

They were the ones who distanced from her.

Not the other way around.

With a deep sigh, she forced herself upright, rubbing her eyes as the remnants of fatigue clung to her limbs. The glow of the early morning sun peeked through her blinds, warm and golden, signaling that spring had officially arrived. The air smelled fresher, carrying the subtle scent of blooming flowers from the streets below. A faint warmth kissed her skin, replacing the biting cold that had dominated the past few months. She could already hear birds outside, their chirping a reminder that the school year was winding down. Just a few more weeks, and summer would be here. Not that it made things any easier—if anything, the impending end of the year only reminded her how much had changed, and how little of it felt within her control.

She showered quickly, letting the warm water briefly soothe her tired muscles before stepping out and wrapping herself in a towel. Moving to the mirror, she ran a hand through her curls, noticing how much longer they had gotten. They now reached past her shoulders, fuller and bouncier than before. A small, fleeting smile tugged at her lips—she had always wanted long, flowing curls, though she still wished they would grow even more. Maybe one day. For now, she pulled them into a loose ponytail, letting a few curls frame her face.

Rummaging through her closet, she settled on a fitted crop top and high-waisted jeans, slipping into her sneakers before grabbing her hoodie off the chair. A quick glance at the clock told her she was cutting it close, but she just shrugged. Not that she particularly cared.

As she trudged out of her apartment, she pulled her hoodie tighter around her, shielding herself from the morning chill. The streets were already buzzing, people rushing off to their own responsibilities. Normally, the routine comforted her, but today, it only felt suffocating.

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A few streets away, Jake Long was having the kind of morning only he could have—smooth, confident, and undeniably self-assured. He stretched, admiring his reflection in the mirror as he ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Still got it," he muttered to himself with a smirk before throwing on a clean hoodie over his signature red tee. With practiced ease, he flipped up his collar slightly, making sure his look had just the right balance of effortless and cool.

Snatching up his backpack, he did a quick check in the mirror, tilting his head slightly. "Lookin' fresh. Of course, when do I not?"

Satisfied, he slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way downstairs, where the scent of eggs and toast wafted through the air. As he stepped into the kitchen, his dad, John, barely looked up from his morning newspaper while his mom, Susan, was flipping pancakes at the stove. His little sister, Haley, sat at the counter, already dressed and scrolling through her phone like the overachiever she was.

"Mornin', fam," Jake greeted, grabbing a piece of toast from the plate on the table.

"Morning, dear!" Susan called over her shoulder.

"Try not to cause trouble today, Jake," John added dryly, turning a page in his newspaper.

"Yeah, yeah, you say that like I ever cause trouble," Jake replied with a smirk, biting into his toast.

Haley snorted. "You are trouble."

Jake raised an eyebrow at her. "Aww, little sis, did you miss me that much? Don't worry, I'll be home later to bless you with my presence."

Haley, now twelve and every bit the overachieving middle schooler, didn't even look up from her phone. "Oh please, like I got time to miss a walking disaster. Unlike you, I actually have responsibilities."

Jake smirked, leaning on the counter beside her. "Yeah? Like what? Perfecting your evil genius routine? Planning world domination?"

Haley finally glanced up, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. "If I was planning world domination, you'd be the first person I'd eliminate."

Jake put a hand to his chest, gasping dramatically. "Wow. The betrayal. After all I've done for you."

Haley rolled her eyes, flipping a page on her notebook. "You mean all the times you've embarrassed me in public? Yeah, thanks for that."

"Ugh, spare me," Haley muttered, rolling her eyes.

Jake grinned, tossing his toast from one hand to the other before scarfing it down. He pulled out his phone, swiping through his notifications as he made his way toward the door. Just before he could text Rose, another contact caught his eye.

Trixie.

His finger hovered over the name for a moment, hesitation creeping in. He hadn't texted her in years—hadn't reached out, hadn't even tried to reconnect. And yet, there she was, still in his phone, a reminder of a friendship that had once been effortless.

With a sharp exhale, he locked his phone and shoved it into his pocket. He had other things to focus on today.

The real highlight of his morning, though, was waiting outside his building.

Rose.

The blonde smiled when she saw him, leaning against the railing in her usual effortless way. "Morning, Jake."

Jake grinned, walking up to her. "Hey, beautiful."

She laughed softly, falling into step beside him as they started toward school. Jake barely noticed anything else around them—his focus was on Rose Tyler, on the way the morning sun made her blonde hair shimmer like spun gold, the way her blue eyes caught the light just right. She was perfect, effortlessly so, like something out of a dream. And she was his.

Their hands brushed before Jake finally took hers, intertwining their fingers with ease. It was natural, easy—like second nature. Their relationship had settled into something stable, something comfortable, something that made sense. At least, that's what he told himself. That's what he wanted to believe.

That it was perfect.

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Meanwhile, the morning had already been testing her patience, but this? This was the final straw. As Trixie rounded the corner, still groggy and lost in her own thoughts, she nearly collided with a scene she wasn't prepared for.

"Oh, hell no."

She stopped in her tracks, jaw tightening as she took in the picture-perfect scene in front of her. Jake and Rose, completely wrapped up in their own world, oblivious to anything outside of their bubble. The way he looked at her, the soft smile on his face—it was too much.

And, apparently, she wasn't the only one who thought so.

Wow. That's painful to watch.

Trixie stiffened. The voice wasn't her own, yet it echoed inside her mind like a whisper curling around her thoughts. Her heart pounded as she instinctively whipped her head around, scanning her surroundings. The city was busy as always—people rushed past her, lost in their own morning routines. No one was paying her any attention.

I mean, damn, girl. Look at him. All smitten and whatnot. Ain't that just the sweetest little gut punch?

What the hell, Trixie thought, her pulse quickening. Was someone following her? Was she losing it?

Damn, girl, relax. You're making a scene, the voice purred, almost amused.

Trixie swallowed hard, shaking her head as she picked up her pace. Nope. She was not about to have a mental breakdown in the middle of the sidewalk.

Oh, c'mon, don't ignore me now. You act like you haven't been waiting to hear my voice, the mysterious voice teased.

Trixie grit her teeth. "I don't even know who the hell you are," she muttered under her breath, hoping no one noticed her talking to herself.

Aw, don't worry. You will soon enough, a mysterious subconscious whispered, her tone dripping with amusement. I've been here all along, Trix. Guess you just weren't listening.

A chill ran down Trixie's spine, and for the first time that morning, her irritation at Jake and Rose took a backseat to something else entirely—fear.

Inner. That's my name, by the way. Since you're clearly struggling with introductions, the voice purred.

Trixie's entire body tensed. "Oh, so now you're just out here giving yourself names?" she muttered under her breath, still frantically scanning the street.

Please, I've always had a name. You're just finally paying attention. You should feel honored, really.

Trixie exhaled sharply. "Honored? More like freaked the hell out. What are you, some kind of ghost? A demon? Am I cursed?"

Inner laughed, a rich, velvety sound that sent a chill down Trixie's spine. Oh, babe, you wound me. No, I'm not a demon, and you're not cursed. If anything, you're finally waking up.

Trixie's hands balled into fists. "Waking up to what, exactly?"

To who you really are.

Trixie clenched her jaw, willing the voice away, but Inner wasn't going anywhere.

You could say something, y'know. Let him know how you really feel. Or, Inner sighed dramatically, you could take the coward's route and turn the other way. Which, let's be real, you're already thinking about doing.

Trixie exhaled sharply through her nose. Nope. Not today. She had enough on her plate without dealing with whatever this was. Maybe it was just the exhaustion—yeah, that had to be it. She hadn't been sleeping well, and she'd read somewhere that sleep deprivation could cause hallucinations. That explained the voice. She was just tired. Overworked. Stressed.

Oh, sweetheart, you can try to rationalize it all you want, Inner cooed, but I'm very much real. And you and I? We're going to have so much fun together.

Trixie's jaw clenched. "Nope. Not real. Just my brain short-circuiting. And you? You're just a figment of my imagination, a very annoying, very nosy figment."

Ouch, Inner teased, mockingly. Way to hurt a girl's feelings. But sure, go ahead, keep lying to yourself. You're real good at that. Kind of like how you're pretending that seeing Jakey all wrapped up in Rose doesn't bother you.

Trixie visibly flinched, her feet picking up pace. "I don't care," she muttered.

Liar, Inner sing-song'ed. It's okay, really. You can hate me all you want, but at least I'm honest with you. Unlike some people…

Trixie groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She needed out of this situation. She needed quiet. Jake was getting closer, and the last thing she needed was for him to catch her arguing with herself like a lunatic.

Without another thought, she pivoted sharply, ducking into a side street to take the longer way to school. She'd rather be late than deal with whatever this was turning into.

She pivoted on her heel, taking a different route to school without a second glance. She wasn't about to be part of some rom-com where she played the pathetic third wheel. Nope. She had better things to do.

Trixie took the longer path toward school, her mind swirling with irritation. The sidewalks were less crowded on this route, giving her time to breathe. But that also meant she had too much time to think.

Inner, of course, took full advantage.

You really thought avoiding them would make you feel better? Hate to break it to ya, sweetheart, but you're still thinking about it.

Trixie gritted her teeth. "I swear to God, if you don't shut up—"

Or what? You gonna banish me? Block me out? Oh, wait—you can't. You and me, we're kinda stuck together.

Trixie scowled, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Worst. Roommate. Ever."

Inner snickered. Oh, please. If I was your roommate, I'd at least be fun. You, on the other hand? You just keep running.

Trixie's fingers twitched. She didn't want to acknowledge it, but Inner had a point. Avoiding Jake and Rose didn't change anything. It just prolonged the inevitable.

Wait, why was she giving this annoying voice props? She still didn't know who this bitch was.

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As she disappeared down the alternate path, a pair of eyes watched her from a distance.

"She's adapting faster than expected," they murmured to themselves. A cloaked figure stood atop a nearby rooftop, arms folded as they observed Trixie's movements with careful precision. A faint smirk curled at their lips as they murmured to themselves, "Phase one… complete."

Then, just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished, melting into the city's shadows like they had never been there at all.

Phase one was complete.

But phase two?

That was only just beginning.

Author's Note: Can you take a guess of what she'll be as a magical creature? We'll maybe find out on the next chapter. Until next time.