A Homecoming

Mikki had always marveled at how completely and utterly different the well kept streets surrounding the Institute were compared to the garbage filled areas that passed for streets at the place that she had called home. Walking out the wooden doors of the ancient church that hid the Nephilim's sanctuary, Mikki and Jasper had been greeted by a blazing sun, shining out from a nearly cloudless sky. Despite the sun's efforts, the wind coming off the Hudson kept a biting chill swirling around and through the forest of buildings, deeming Mikki's jacket very necessary. Looking over at her companion, Mikki noted the slight smile that graced his chiseled features. He was enjoying the weather; and here she was, leading him to a place where not only did sunshine and blue skies not exist, but people who hoped for these things usually ended up dead in a ditch. There was no room for hopes and dreams in the slums.
As predicted, the minute the pair turned the corner on Saint Nicholas Avenue to Beak Street, shadows took the place of the sunshine, the wind blew the icy chill more viciously, and the people wandering the streets dropped off noticeably. Turning once more to gauge his reaction, Mikki noticed the smile was gone from Jasper's face, an unreadable expression there instead. They'd kept up a steady conversation from the minute they'd left the Institute. She'd been surprised when Jasper agreed so eagerly to come with her, and became even more so when she found that talking with him came almost naturally. They talked of the normal things like bands and favorite movies. And then the abnormal things, like killing strategies and how best to track a Dakah demon on a rainy day. The more they talked, the more Mikki came to know that they had a lot of the same interests, something that she really wouldn't have guessed. Talking with Jasper strangely made her feel more human.
But, all that stopped with the revelation of what exactly her 'home sweet home' entailed. Both eyed the muck and grime that covered almost every surface they passed, and the sleeping bodies that dotted the openings of allies and the barley sheltered over hangings on porches. Most would have been embarrassed to admit this as their childhood play ground, but not Mikki. These visions of poverty, of the lowest of the low had been her strength, her reason for fighting. Count the number of defenseless humans scraping to survive, double it, and you'd have the number of predators lurking, at the very moment, in the shadows, waiting to reap the benefits of an easy lunch. A little girl, probably about 7 and clothed in a raggedy, dirty excuse for a dress, dashed across the street after a small, orange ball. Her fear filled eyes stared up at Jasper and Mikki, the ball having stopped at their feet. Picking up the ball very slowly, Mikki reached her arm out to the little girl, a small smile on her face. Surprisingly, the child answered her with a blindingly beautiful one of her own, shyly accepting the offering before running back to her door step. That, right there, is why I fight. For the innocents.
"Probably the last place you expected me to take you, right?" Mikki said, breaking the silence that had hung since they'd stepped into the shadows. "Any other person wouldn't get to see any of this, at least not with me. But....you opened up to me.....so it's my turn." Turning to the shabbiest shack that they'd passed yet, she put her hand on the door knob in an almost loving gesture. "This is where I grew up, behind this door. My mother still lives here....she's not what you'd expect. She had the Sight like me, but her visions and my father leaving her drove her to drugs....they broke her completely....I've been taking care of her, but she'll never be normal again....She's still my mother, though....and I'd like you to meet her."
She didn't wait for him to reply, knowing that the longer she waited the closer she'd come to blowing the whole thing off. So, Mikki quickly turned the knob.....and walked into a nightmare from her past.
Shards of glass littered the dirt caked floor, outdated newspapers shredded across all surfaces like a gray snow. The sparse furniture had been shredded, the stuffing thrown across all surfaces. Mikki's heart was in her throat, her face gone a pale, deathly color. Yet, her hand never went to the knife she always kept, strapped to her side. To an outsider, the trashed house looked like the outcome of a burglary or some other home invasion. To Mikki, the reason for the mess was all to clear. Momentarily forgetting Jasper, Mikki raced to her mother's room. The room matched the same chaotic trash heap as the living room, the bed a mess of sheets, an awful smell almost making her gag. There was only one other room to look, the kitchen. Stirring up a cloud of rubbish, she sprinted back to the living room, making a left turn into the kitchen. A low gasp of dismay escaped from her mouth in reaction to what she'd found.
Amidst the pile of broken plates and rotten food, Mona Downs sat, a soiled dressing gown covering her skeletal form, rocking back and forth, a crazed laugh emitting from her mouth as she cradled an open bag of white powder. Her eyes had already taken on a glassy, bright coloration, blind to the sight of her daughter kneeling before her, reaching out a hand. Mikki had no idea how her mother had gotten the drug, but she desperately needed to get it away from her. Snatching the baggy swiftly from her mother's hands, Mikki had to ignore the urge to cover her ears, her mother immediately reacting to the emptiness in her wrinkled hands with a piercing shriek. Stuffing the baggy in a side pocket, Mikki tried to comfort her mother, but let her hand fall uselessly to her side when Mona cringed away, racking sobs replacing her screaming.
The sound of glass being crushed under a shoe brought Mikki swinging around. There Jasper stood, an unsure expression on his face, his hands out and open in the universal signal for wanting to help. But, all Mikki saw was an intruder to the life that she'd become used to dealing with alone.
"Jasper, please wait outside," Mikki said, her words uneven. Still, he stood there. Looking at him, seeing his eyes flick to her mother, Mikki thought, for the smallest of moments, that she saw pity in his gaze. And that's all it took.
"GET OUT!" She didn't wait to see him go. Her mother had started sobbing even more erratically; Mikki's yelling had upset her even further. Her mother's eyes had finally found her, but Mikki had long ago stopped kidding with herself that recognition lay in that gaze.
"Mom, it’s going to be okay. I love you. You know that. We'll fix this." Mikki forced a smile, her voice stressed into a forced calm. The sobs quieted slightly, the tense stretch of her mother's arms around her legs relaxing just a bit. Relaxing a little bit herself, Mikki felt the familiar, intense sorrow, the burden of a daughter having to be the mother, her hands wanting to tear and tear and tear at anything and everything.
"It's okay....I'll fix this."

Warmth. It was a feeling most people felt on a daily basis just by walking out their front door. To Jasper though, the meaning was different. Sure the warmth he felt as he and Mikki walked out of the doors of the institute was brought on by the rays of the sun. However the warmth that brought him even more happiness, was inside him as the smile danced on Mikki's face as they walked and chatted. He had to admit, for such polar opposites on most occasions, the pair had and odd amount of similarities. Music, foods, even their ways of tracking demons and other downworlders. Their talking had distracted Jasper to the point that he hadn't realized how far they'd walked. As the turned onto Beak Street Jasper felt the shadows creep closer. The sudden change in scenery immediately put Jasper on alert. He knew he wasn't supposed to fight anything, and if Godric even knew he was handling weapons he'd kill him, but who's to say he has to find out about the knife I have hidden in the sleeve of my good arm? he thought as he eyed the surroundings. He saw the run down buildings, the trash that littered the street, and even a few homeless scattered about the street.
A little girl's ball had found it's way to their feet. As Mikki reached down and handed it to the girl Jasper couldn't help but smile. Even Mikki the warrior princess had a soft side. When the little girl took her ball and ran off Mikki spoke. All Jasper could do as Mikki spoke was nod. Truth be told he hadn't been aware of what the nature of their walk entailed, he'd just been glad he was invited. Now the fact that it was Mikki opening up to him, he was touched.
Following Mikki in Jasper had concern. As soon as they'd entered the building she'd gone very tense. First Jasper thought the place had been robbed, until Mikki seemed to be more focused on something else, or rather someone else. Her mom he thought quickly as Mikki sped off to what he guessed was her bedroom. Not needing an explaination, Jasper's instincts took over. A quick flick of the wrist and the knife sheathed to his good arm was in his hand as he moved to search the other room of the house. Opening the door Jasper was surprised. The room seemed completely neat. Aside from some dust collecting on the floor, and holes in a section of the wall that he figured was Mikki's doing with some sort of blade. Realizing there was no danger he sheathed the knife and headed back into the living room. No less then a second passed before he heard a shriek from the kitchen. Crossing the room in a few strides, glass crunching under his boots as he did, Jasper reached the kitchen doorway. What he saw next brought dread and sorrow to the boy. His face was pained as he watched Mikki embrace her mother, who was not in good shape. Jasper went to take a step forward but stopped mid step. For once he was unsure of what to do. No battle to plan for. No enemy to defeat. Just a girl he cared deeply for in pain, and he could do nothing to help.
So lost in thought he barely heard Mikki ask him to leave. He was so fixated on trying to find a way to make things better when her message came through clear. "GET OUT!" Not wanting to cause any problems Jasper turned and headed for the door.
Once outside Jasper could feel the night creeping it's way over the city before looking up to see the darkend sky. The temperature had dropped considerably, there was even less people on the street before. But that was just the mundane world. As he stood outside the door he could hear the beings of his world starting to come alive as night crept closer. He knew the vampires would be out in full swing soon, at least those that were left of the clan after him and Oliver had made their surprise visit to the hotel. Off in the distance he heard the cry of one of the werewolf pack. Damn, I forgot the full moon was tonight. he thought, while scolding himself. However none of this seemed to bother him. His mind was on Mikki. He wasn't going to let anything near her or her mother for that matter. Looking up at the sky as he stood waiting for Mikki, Jasper watched as the sun disappeared behind the horizion.

Pressing her clenched fists to her eyes one last time, Mikki physically shook her head, clearing it momentarily of the cloud of sorrow that had threatened to completely unhinge her. It would surely come back, all the more powerful. But she'd save all the screaming, punching, and possibly even crying for later. Now, her mother needed her.
"Come on, Mom. That's it, just a little farther," Mikki spoke softly, her words like a chant, willing the strange relaxation that had settled over her mother to stay. With her mother's shrieks still echoing in her ears, her eyes stayed locked on the mature woman's strangely placid face, as they both made their slow way to the room Mikki had called her own whilst living in the shack. Mona's own room wasn't even an option, with most of the furniture either broken or ripped to the extent of uselessness. Mikki's room was as neat as the day she'd packed up her few belongings to head to the Institute. Save for the fist-sized holes in the thin plaster, the room was flawless, the bed neatly made and all. It was on this bed that Mikki carefully guided her mother to.
"Just lay down, okay, Mom?" Mikki pleaded, afraid to use too much force on her mother's frail frame. But, instead of complying, Mona stayed rigid as a board, her eyes locked on her daughter's with a clarity that took Mikki's breath away. Her mother looked almost...normal. Staring at her up close this way, Mikki could clearly see the strain that insanity had wrought on her mother's once beautiful face. The youthful skin of years past had dried and wrinkled, the stress of going through depression having multiplied the creases past the norm. Her cheekbones stuck out drastically, the thin flesh covering them drooping. But, it was the eyes that had Mikki's attention. Blue and shining, she'd never noticed how alike they were to her own until this very moment. With her focus on her mother's face, Mikki almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a slight touch on a lock of her hair that had fallen forward. Mona's thin fingers held the piece of hair, cradling it gently in her shrunken palm. And, before her daughter's startled gaze, she smiled. A small, barely there smile, but one all the same. Before Mikki could do anything but gap, wide mouthed, her mother settled herself down on the small bed, her back to her daughter, ending the moment abruptly. The almost inaudible sound of her mother's usual mutterings to herself signaled the old swing of things.
Standing back up from the position she'd held, kneeling before the bed, Mikki touched her cheek lightly, knowing the wetness she'd find. God, she hated crying. She could have cursed her mother for that one small moment, a moment that, for the briefest period, had brought about hope in her daughter. But, the insane mutterings were proof that nothing had changed. Just a painfully brief exchange most likely brought about the drug. Oh, God! The drug! It's still in her system. Quickly brushing away the stray tear, Mikki slid the cheap cell phone she always carried in her back pocket and punched the 9 followed by two 1s. The voice of the woman who picked up listened as Mikki explained the situation. The woman stated that an ambulance was already on its way, after receiving the address. Flicking the phone shut, Mikki glanced over at her mother one last time. The slow rising and falling of her small body revealed that she'd blessedly fallen asleep. A small sigh escaped Mikki's lips as she reluctantly exited first the room and then the house completely.
The temperature had dropped even lower since she'd last been outside, the sun now just a glow from behind an old warehouse. Tugging her leather jacket even tighter around her, Mikki looked to the figure only a few feet away, his form casting a long shadow behind him. In the rush and intensity of the situation, she'd almost forgotten that she hadn't come alone. With the realization came a flashback of her yelling at Jasper. Cringing slightly, she wished hopelessly that she could make him forget that had ever happened. She wished she could make him forget the whole visit. But, she was no Nephilim, if they even had that power. He'd probably always remember.
"Hey," Mikki's voice, usually strong and steady, came out cracked and unsure as she walked the short distance to stand next to Jasper. Her eyes, like his, were locked on the full moon. It was so bright tonight, shining with such an intensity. Almost unbidden came the picture of how bright her mother's eyes had been......so alive. The pressure behind Mikki's eyes grew rapidly, giving her little warning. She was going to cry, she knew it. But, what did that matter now? She'd let Jasper see everything. Crying was nothing.
"I want to apologize for how I yelled at you in there...I...just...everything was happening..happening too fast," Mikki felt the break coming, the pressure becoming almost ridiculous. The words were on her lips. The words of surrender.
"I can't take this anymore," she ground out. "It's too hard."
Finally, one sorrow and shame filled tear fell, so slow, drawing a wet trail across her cheek.

Time around him seemed to almost stand still as Jasper gazed at the moon. It was as if the only movement in the city was far off in the distance of the howls from the wolves and the random shreiks of cackling vampires as the set out in search of prey. Yet to Jasper none of this seemed to matter. He stood still as a statue as the wind whiped around him. It wasn't until he heard the door of Mikki's house open and close that he moved. Looking at Mikki as she walked up to him he could see the pain written on her face. Things must not have gone well. "I want to apologize for how I yelled at you in there...I...just...everything was happening..happening too fast. I can't take this anymore.....it's to hard." At this Jasper turned his body so he was facing her directly. "Mikki I didn't come here to step all over your life. If anyone knows what it's like to not share things about their family it's me." Jasper paused as he saw the tear falling down Mikki's face. In a slow, soft motion he wiped the tear away with his thumb and stared at her with with the utmost compassion. "That doesn't mean you have to deal with it on your own." After another few seconds of just staring into her gorgeous blue eyes he spoke again, "Even if you don't want to share everything about yourself, just know, I'll always be here for you." With that said, Jasper leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

"Mikki I didn't come here to step all over your life. If anyone knows what it's like to not share things about their family it's me," Jasper said in reply to her barely intelligible apology, cutting through a little bit of the haze of sorrow that had so suddenly descended upon her.
It had been so goddamn cold, coming out of the hovel and going to stand by his side. The layer of leather that covered her upper half was no match for the phantom chill. Mikki knew, almost unconsciously, that no amount of layers would ever keep the cold out. Not when it originated from within.
But, then Jasper had spoken. His breath was visible, puffing out in the icy air with each word said. They immediately sent a shiver rushing across her skin, goose flesh popping up underneath the jacket. It was a different type of shiver, though. It was like that time she'd come rushing into the hovel, eight maybe ten years earlier, her face pink from the cold outside. Her mother had walked over, the grace in her movements telling the 7 year old Mikki that her mother was having one of her 'good moments'. Mona Downs carried in her hands a fuzzy, blue blanket, warm from the old, wood-burning stove in the kitchen. Her mother had smiled at her, no reprimands for playing in the cold, only the blanket and a smile. She carefully wrapped it around her daughter, enveloping her in a rare hug. Mikki remembered the small jolt that the sudden warmth had sent through her. It was such a sweet feeling. Cold chased away by the heat.
The memory caused another shiver, this one not as powerful, but still energized enough to bring her into a clearer focus on the present day 'warm blanket' and what he was saying. Except, he wasn't anymore. Jasper's eyes, that had once been trained on the warehouse in front of them, were now staring down at her. Mikki had meant to turn away, his gaze the last thing she wanted in this moment of weakness. But, the warmth was there again in his stormy eyes. And in his touch, as he lightly trailed a finger across her cheek, catching the dreaded tear. In that one motion, he wiped it clean like it had never happened.
"That doesn't mean you have to deal with it on your own," Jasper spoke again, words that the warmth now allowed her to understand. He wants to help. The thought was an attractive one, she contemplated as they both lapsed into a moment of silence, his eyes still working to thaw the icy case around her. It was attractive, but impossible. No one had ever offered to help her, and, in no way, did she hate them for it. How could she when, in their shoes, she'd do the very same thing.
"Even if you don't want to share everything about yourself, just know, I'll always be here for you." These last words finally broke the chilly seal that had kept her silent this whole time. With her lips now free to move and her tongue loosed to speak, Mikki drew a breath in to back the 'thanks, but no thanks' that had to be said, when she suddenly found her lips other wise employed.
It was like the world had suddenly started rocketing around its axis, sprinting through the seasons, to finally settle on a sweltering summer. Every fiber of her being was on fire, a warmth far more intense than anything she'd ever felt. Extremely hot, but not unpleasant in anyway. His words, his touch on her cheek, both were nothing compared to his lips on hers. In a matter of seconds his kiss had completely melted away the dulling cloud from before, leaving her as aware as she'd ever been. Mikki's arms now lay charged at her side, and, instead of using them in the familiar ways of violence, she lifted them to circle around his neck, bringing her closer. Her hands lay in the place where the collar of his shirt ended, but before his hairline, the skin there soft to her touch. Her lips answered his eagerly, though untrained in what they were doing. It didn't matter, really. Jasper led so surely that, for once in her life, Mikki was glad to follow. Her thoughts were once again cloaked with dullness, but, this time, the sensation was more like a dream rather than a nightmare. A dream that she never wanted to wake up from.
Crack!
The sound of shattering glass acted like a cold, pail of water on her dreaming mind. Breaking the kiss off, Mikki staggered back from Jasper's arms, her head flicking around to the source of the noise. A dark form, a full block or two down from where they were, reached a hand into the window of the car he'd just cracked and popped the lock. Nothing important really. Just your run of the mill car jacking. The crook would be off in a matter of seconds, there was no way she'd make it to him in time. Anyways, she had more pressing things to deal with.
Looking back to the person she'd just shared a very heated kiss with, Mikki once again felt the warmth of his gaze, only a fraction of the heat she'd just experienced. She could already feel a blush coming on, something she rarely ever did. Rare. That word could about sum up all her actions for that day. She rarely opened up to people like she had to Jasper, she rarely cried, rarely felt her sorrow so deeply. And I sure as hell rarely make out with a person in the middle of a crap infested street. It was like she'd become a different person in the last ten minutes, the type who kissed people like they were intending to eat their face. And, then there was what Jasper had said. His offer of help. That subject was far easier to deal with than the kiss, so she decided to lead with that.
"Okay, let's take a time out here," Mikki said, her breathing still slightly faster from the kiss and the shock of realizing how much she'd gotten into it. "Before all this.....stuff, you mentioned that you wanted to help? Excuse my question, but if you possessed any ounce of sanity, you'd have sprinted away from here the moment I showed you all this. People have baggage, Jasper. But, I've got a goddamn cargo ship on that. Believe me when I say, you don't want any part of it."

Japser had been lost in the moment until the sound of the shattering glass. His hand that had been cupped around Mikki's face shot to the knife in his sleeve as he went from being caring a gentle, to protective and lethal, but when he looked down the road and saw it was just a mundane carjacking he quickly relaxed. Looking back at Mikki who breathing more quickly than usual Jasper couldn't help but smirk a bit before she spoke. "Okay, let's take a time out here..." Jasper waited patiently for Mikki to catch her breath before she started speaking again. "Before all this.....stuff, you mentioned that you wanted to help? Excuse my question, but if you possessed any ounce of sanity, you'd have sprinted away from here the moment I showed you all this. People have baggage, Jasper. But, I've got a goddamn cargo ship on that. Believe me when I say, you don't want any part of it."
At this Jasper was a little stunned. He'd thought that his message had gotten through but obviously Mikki was going to be stubborn. Shaking his head a bit with a soft smile on his face Jasper looked Mikki directly in her electric blue eyes as he spoke, "Mikki. With all that said, do you see me moving? I'm not going anywhere. Numerous times I've said I'm going to be here for you and I mean that." He spoke softly but firmly as he watched Mikki's mouth quirk at the sides. Almost like she was about to laugh at him for being serious. After staying silent for a moment Jasper's smile returned to his face as he turned to Mikki and held out his good hand, "You can't scare me off that easily Miss Downs. After all I am Nephilim."

With her speech said and done, Mikki watched his face, ready for the hints of regret for staying with her, the uncomfortable expression that would proceed his admission that, yes, she did have too much in her past to deal with. She told herself she was ready, but deep down she knew it’d hurt like hell. It was her own damn fault really. Mikki had seen it all coming, from the moment she'd felt sorry for making that joke about Jasper's parents. She deserved the pain.
The first expression she was able to decipher on his face was one of surprise. Mikki had been pretty bold with her words, cutting all the flowery crap to get straight to the point. Any second now, he'd frown, maybe scuff a shoe, then look back up at her and, as smoothly as possible, retract his offer of help. It was what a normal person would do. Too bad I already pegged him as a completely off his rocker
Never breaking eye contact with Mikki, Jasper shook his head back and forth, as if he couldn't believe how she was acting, a small smile on his face. A friggin smile? Really? He could have yelled, run away, or fallen over suddenly dead; any of the above would have been more expected than a smile.
"Mikki. With all that said, do you see me moving? I'm not going anywhere. Numerous times I've said I'm going to be here for you and I mean that." Infused with a surprising strength, Jasper's words emboldened his earlier statement, with the same, gentle town that a helpful teacher might use on a student who didn't exactly get the equation put before them.
So, Jasper was honest to God wanting to help her? Mikki had analyzed enough people to have all the slight movements one made when lying committed to heart. And Jasper definitely wasn’t faking. With eyes so intensely locked on hers, practically begging her to see his inner truth, Mikki wondered why she hadn't seen it before. It was just all so ridiculous! He barely knew her. Their first meeting was of her literally jumping him in the street, every intention set on killing him. The irony of the memory contrasted with where they stood now made the corners of her mouth twitch, willing her to smile and just accept his offer. She'd flown solo for so long, the burden always growing. She sure as hell deserved some reprieve. Why not take it?
"You can't scare me off that easily Miss Downs. After all I am Nephilim," Jasper added, the smile growing, his good hand now reaching out to her. Deep down, Mikki knew that if she took his hand, she'd be accepting his offer, crossing a line that she'd created years and years ago, a promise to go it alone because no one else would understand. Sure, the lone wolf strategy had fit back when she was a kid, roaming the streets, the wound of being brought into such a world so young still newly inflicted. But, she was different now. Maybe it was time for a different battle strategy.
"You might be a Nephilim, my friend, but the craziest goddamn Nephilim I've ever seen," Mikki finally answered, her smile an unspoken acceptance, her hesitant taking of his hand an even better one.
In the distance, Mikki could just make out the shrill siren of the ambulance she had called for. She definitely hadn't planned on being still there when help arrived, too many questions would need to be answered. The EMT's would make sure Mona Downs got to the hospital. Mikki would have to get Genny to pull some of her strings to get the usual questions waved. Same old routine. But, looking down at her hand clasped in Jasper's, Mikki guessed things had just gotten a hell of a lot more different.
"The ambulance will get my mother safely to the hospital, and I know someone who'll take over from there," Mikki said, throwing one last glance over her shoulder to the hovel, before turning back to Jasper.
“Come on, loony. I'm sure they've noticed that you've escaped from the crazy house by now."

(Sorry for the delay, I've had to babysit the most needy kids all week)