Thread: To Finish the Job {{Soul +&+ The PG}}

For years, Jaime had been waiting for this moment the time when Bloody Tony finally brought his horrific face back around to stare into her eyes once more, and for the last time. She had been convinced that hed known about her miraculous survival, her near impossible swim across the water and back to shore, the way shed somehow managed to drag herself a long enough distance to wind up on the doorstep of her closest family friends. Shed been convinced that hed known they found her limp and near lifeless body on their front porch in a heap of blood and grit, about the paramedics rushing her to hospital, her long and agonizing four month recovery for just the physical wounds, never mind the permanent mental scarring. All those years, shed thought he knew, and shed done her absolute best to keep her head down, make her presence as little known as possible, make it that much harder for him to find her. All those years, and it was suddenly clear by the look of misery that reflected back in his eyes that he hadnt known of her survival, until now. The environment of the bar blurred and faded, and the thing she knew it was flooded with dark, murky, icy water, trapping her far beneath the surface, and she was immediately struggling for air. Her lungs felt near to bursting with the need for oxygen, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing seemed to come, nothing seemed to sequester the need. Pain started to throb in the back of her head, and a thick smog seemed to eclipse itself around her, deeming her body entirely useless, engulfing her form in tight, strong arms. It growled into her ear, something deep and unclear, giving her form a couple of sturdy shakes. She struggled against it, unintelligible sounds of denial and resistance escaping her lips as her eyes stung with unshed salty tears. The surface was there, just outside of her reach, and Jai was desperately prying at it, silently pleading for reality to come back into existence and save her from the sudden nightmare. Much as she wanted and needed it though, the nightmare had now officially become reality, and with Bloody Tony now knowing of her existence and place of work, it was only a matter of time before he figured everything else out too. In the midst of Jaimes haze, one of the floor workers at the bar had taken it upon themselves to rush into the back to fetch the owner, Melanie Carmichael . The woman was only two years older than Jai, attractive, and smart. She stood at a comfortable five feet seven inches, with a slender frame and proportionate features, bright blue eyes and flowing, wavy sienna hair. She had a smile to kill for and the looks to die for, but, just like Jaime, it was well known that she was very much a hands-off young woman. Indeed, Mel and her parents had been close family friends of the Marks since before either woman was ever born, and as such, Mel and Jai had nearly been raised together, forming a friendship strong enough to question whether or not they were actually related it was Mel who had found Jaime on the front stoop of her familys home all those years ago, and the two were nearly inseparable ever since, especially when Jais mom passed. That evening, Mel had been busying herself with paperwork and a glass of wine in her office at the back of the club, lounging in a pair of skin-hugging jeans and a flowing brown halter top, her heels kicked off to the side somewhere beneath her desk and her legs sprawled out in front of her beneath the desktop. Having someone abruptly crashing into her office and barking off disjointed details about what had happened up front at the bar was enough to cause the woman to immediately rush from her seat and push past the person in her doorway to get up there, a surge of panic settling into her veins strongly enough that she hardly even noticed the fact shed forgotten to put shoes back on. Rounding the corner of the bar, Mel quickly took in the sight behind the counter and the worrying patrons on the other side, her dearest friend being held supportively in the arms of a young police officer she was remotely familiar with. Brandon! She called to him, scurrying around to the swinging door that led behind the counter. What happened? Whats going on? Is she okay? With quick and careful strides, making sure not to accidentally wind up with a bit of glass wedged into her bare foot, Mel leaned towards the pair, her hands fluttering upwards to curve around Jaimes cheeks. Hey, Jaime, her voice was raised slightly, tone firm. Babe look at me, talk to me. It was then that some semblance of life seemed to return to Jais form, and her eyes blinked, the fog dissipating and water rushing out from beneath her feet. She dragged in a sharp gasp of air, near choking on it as the bonds of reality quickly started to settle back in. T-T-Tony Her voice was small, meek, stammering in sync with how hard she was shaking. H-h-hes h-here Mels eyes widened a bit then, and she immediately rounded her attention around the bar, seeing none but familiar faces, before her attention returned to Jai and then up to meet Brandons eyes. I think we need some fresh air, hmm? Come on, well go out around to the back lot theres some patio chairs out there so she can sit. Her words were quick and solid, clear, unfaltering, and orderly enough to get the point across, while still holding a semblance of politeness. Without a moments hesitation, Mel stepped out from behind the bar, wasting no time at all in leading the two from the front of the club and around through the back hallways, down a corridor, and outside through a set of heavy double doors. The air was cool and crisp, refreshing even to Mel after cooping herself up in a stuffy office for so long, though it was chilled enough to bring goosebumps to the womans arms as well. She waited until Brandon had helped Jai settle down into one of the chairs just outside the door, her gaze watching his every movement with fixation, reflecting strong protectiveness and care, and with a brief hesitation, she knelt down in front of her friend, meeting the girls eyes. Jai? Honey talk to me, please. Youve got us all very worried here. What happened? Tell me everything, you can do it. Though the fog and water had cleared, Jai was still in a bit of a haze, losing track of time and motion as the world around her shifted and changed, and a sudden cold air was licking at her skin, causing her to drawn in on herself with a hard shiver. Stricken hues met those of Mels, and then Brandons, then back to Mel, and she swallowed hard, trying to regain her bearings. I-I was getting someone a drink, a-and he was there watching he knows he knows now hes going to find me Mel, hes going to kill me. Hes gonna come after me, its all over, its over. What do I do? What do I do Mel, what do I do? He found me he was here What started out as a slow recount of the events that had just occurred, quickly turned into a rapid conjunction of panicked phrases, and Jais eyes were wild with terror and pain. It broke Mels heart to see her like that, hear how shaken shed become, and worry settled into her slowly and deeply, engraining itself into her bloodstream. Were going to send you home, Melanie said slowly, softly, after a brief moment of thought. Right Brandon? Her gaze lifted to meet the mans. Hes going to take you home and stay with you to make sure youre safe and help you. Ill run the bar for the night and get Pratt to cover your shift tomorrow night too. And dont you worry about it one single fraction of a second or even attempt to say otherwise. I want to make sure youre okay above all else, and I know that right now is a really tough time for you. Id rather you be at home and know that someone upstanding is helping to take care of you and protect you. Right Brandon? Her attention flickered to Brandon then, a look in her eyes that dared him to say otherwise. Jai swallowed hard, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth for a long moment of silence before she finally nodded her head the slightest bit, and her own eyes lifted to look into Brandons, her gaze similar to that of a lost and broken puppy. You will? Youre sure thats alright? Yes, Mel cut in before he would have a chance, her attention going back to Jai. Yes he will and its no problem at all. In fact hes going to take you right now. I gotta head back inside though babe Ill call you first thing tomorrow to check in. With that, Mel leaned to kiss Jais cheek quickly, her gaze then lifting to meet Brandons one final time before she hurried back inside, leaving the pair alone. Silence hung in the air for a long moment then, and Jai swallowed, sliding her arms over and around her chest to feebly seek warmth, her gaze having deflected to stare off at a place on the pavement between them. I wont say it around her, she murmured quietly, her voice trembling, choked with emotion. And I dont know why Im saying it to you now, but Im scared, Brandon Im scared to be alone