Author's Note: TRIGGER WARNING: May not be appropriate for survivors of Domestic Abuse.
Song Credit: Genesis, Ruelle
Disclaimer: This Chapter contains some mature language and sexual themes. This story is rated mature so discretion is advised.
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Addy sat before Brooke, waiting for the hammer to fall, unable to continue to ignore the problem that was staring her right in the face. She wasn't stupid, she knew something was wrong with her. She wasn't clueless about the changes in her personality or the holes in her soul that seemed to only widen with time rather then close over like she had hoped they would. Facing that though, admitting to her weakness was...well it seemed insurmountable. She wasn't the girl this kind of thing happened to, she was strong, a survivor, so how had she come to this? It hadn't started this way, he hadn't started this way. At least she didn't think so.
She had technically known Darren longer then she had known Jax, but only by a few weeks. The tall blonde was the perfectly nerdy type and had immediately taken a liking to her when she first got to town. He had been at the port of call when she and Brooke had stepped off the barge, finally completing their 3 year journey to the mystical city of Vulpus. Where buildings were built on foundations rather than soil, and the roads were paved instead of existing as just sets of rutted tracks.
The outerland's of the colony on Miri were a different world to the main shipping port, a place where destitute poverty and hunger was the sole motivation behind all kinds of dastardly behavior. Including the dumping of children on to widowed grandmothers who weren't capable of caring for an 8 year old girl, or the forcing out of children on to the streets to fend for themselves at the age of 15. Brooke's mother at least had the excuse of trying to provide for her 4 other children, Addy's grandmother just couldn't bear to look at the reminder of her daughter's bad behavior anymore.
So the fettered pair had looked for work, the goal always to make it to Vulpus, the mecca, the economic heartbeat of Miri. Where two starry eyed and starving girls could maybe, just maybe, not only finally eat their fill but have room to dream of better things. It had been naive of course, nothing is ever that simple or painless. A lesson they learned on the rivers, porting one resource or another from one place to the other. Surrounded by men who didn't view them as children.
They had quickly learned to sleep in shifts, and practiced the skills another woman, experienced and long on the deck, taught them with the slender, long blades they had procured. It had been enough, and not all the men were inappropriate so each had plenty of perfectly mutual experiences by the time they had finally made it to their long awaited home. Stepping onto pavement for the first time, and bidding farewell to their final Captain.
They were forced through the customs line, with nearly nothing in their bags, but still went through the requisite inspections. Not wanting to bring in some outerlands spore that would inadvertently bring about some environmental disaster of some sort. It was here that a charming young man, with deep blue eyes eased them into the city, giving them recommendations. Including, since Addy was so interested in finding a position on either a shuttle or on one of the orbiting space stations, Cal's Por since it was frequented by the sailors, officers and staff of the active off-world shipping industry. An interest that had been set aside when the requisite experience and qualifications turned out to be unattainable.
He had been right, the women were immediately immersed in the new culture, fascinated by the way the people of space held themselves, so differently than everyone else. Like their spines knew what it was to not work so hard to keep them upright and had grown lazy. It was what had drawn her to Jax, he stood straight with muscled compensation unlike his fellows. Square of shoulder and a confident cock to his head, but he isn't who she saw initially.
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The Navigator
RomanceJax had meant it when he promised Addy she would never see him again. He was a man of his word, but when a power that is out of this world sent him home he became determined to make things right. Their love had burned hot, consuming all of her, but...
