Forever and Always

~7~

Hey guys!!! Meant to post this last night.....but I fell asleep.....Sorry? But it's an extra long one! So I hope you enjoy!!!

"A masquerade ball? Really?"

Jessie sat quietly in middle Christen and Tobin as the entire US team sat in Elliot's childhood home discussing the Project Future Stars Gala. The invitation had only been sent out recently which had caused them all to fly out to LA to attend.

What they didn't expect was for the gala to be a masquerade.

"Think Ellie had a hand in this?" Emily asks the team causing Kelley to scoff.

"Of course she did. This is her backup plan instead she runs into us at the gala". She throws the invitation on the table. "We could walk right past her without knowing".

"Why is she trying so hard to avoid us?" Kristie mumbles.

Mal just scoffs loudly gaining everyone's attention. "Isn't it obvious?" Mal says rhetorically, "she's still pissed at us".

While she didn't look in her direction, Jessie knew that comment was aimed towards her. And everyone knew it. She would be lying if she said that didn't sting. Rose grabbed Mal's hand, "Jordyn said that she saw Ellie in Paris, how can we be sure she's going to be at the gala?"

Tobin shakes her head, "No. She's definitely coming. Even after everything that's happened, she would never let Willow down. She wouldn't let any of those kids down".

Alex looked at Jessie, "What do you think Jessie? You've been very quiet".

Jessie stops looking at a hanging photo of Elliot and Jessie back in their UCLA days and turns to face the team. "She'll come. If Willow asked her to come, she'll come" Jessie says finally. "As for the fact the gala is going to be a masquerade....Honestly? I don't care" she shrugs.

Jessie looks determinedly around the room before finally stopping on Mal and by extension Rose, "I know it was my fault that Elliot left and you don't know how sorry I am every day for that. But after spending nearly a year looking for her, I'm not going to let something as small as a masquerade stop me from finding her. I'll speak to everyone at that gala if I have to".

Jessie stood up from the couch, "If that's what I have to do then so be it". And with one final look she walked out and headed upstairs to the bedroom. Jessie quietly closed before moving over to the bed.

She bit her lip as she slowly slipped her hand into her pocket to pull out a chain. The same chain Elliot left behind that fateful day. The chain itself held no real significance really. It was what was attached to the chain that mattered.

The small silver promise ring

The matching one that sat on her own chain upon Jessie's neck. Ever since Elliot had left it behind with a small note, Jessie had been carrying it in her pocket hoping that one day she'll be able to return the chain to her. But as she took the ring in between her thumb and forefinger, when her eyes gazed upon the small inscription on the ring, she couldn't prevent the sob breaking from her lip.

In the solace of their bedroom away from prying eyes, Jessie just cried unable to hold it back anymore.

When Willow told her that Elliot had promised to come to the gala, Jessie had foolishly gotten hope in seeing Elliot again. She thought this gala would be her chance to find her and apologize. To try and fix everything from before.

But she should have known she's shouldn't of gotten her hopes up.

Their story had been riddled with misfortune. Why should that change now? She should have predicted this. It was too easy. Of course the gala was going to be a masquerade making it near impossible to find Elliot. It had always seemed like the universe had something against them and maybe it was.