ROSES AND FLAMES - Five Hargreeves

46. a long 6 years.

She stared at herself in the mirror, trying to get rid of her anxieties as she heard frank ocean play in the bathroom, sighing, putting her Santa back on. There was a time where Josie Parker-Hargreeves loved the holidays; but that was when she was married and felt like she had a happy ending.

Until her life went to shit.

She wasn't proud of having this life, coming home to watch Gilmore girls or The office, alone in a house that was always a little too big for her.

These last six years wasn't what she pictured when Reginald Hargreeves fixed the timeline, or when Josie resurrected from the dead. Her time in the Hargreeves family wasn't done, but she sure felt done with them.

Coming out of the bathroom, Josie grabbed her checklist from her assistant, wondering how long she was standing there and waiting for her. "Everything is in check?" Josie asked, the two walking into the lounge, noticing the dancers doing a good job.

"It was a good idea to have the buffet, the men stay more for that than the women." Her assistant, Luna explained, Josie smiling with achievement, walking over to see. "Hello boys, fancy some more bacon?" She asked them, the men smiling at them.

"Thanks J." They said, Josie pouring some more for them, knowing some of them haven't gone home, serving breakfast. "No problem boys."

Sure, being the manager of temptation, wasn't what she planned to be working out, praising the women who were all sorts of different people here.

A few were doctors that needed extra money, nail techs, and those who needed a job above minimum wage. Josie didn't know how the old manager let her run this joint, a physical 17 year old, but mentally in her 30's.

She was the secret weapon to success, financially and physically, doing quite well in the area. "Sugar needs more ice." Johnny the bartender yelled, trying to get Josie's attention.

Nodding and heading to the back, Luna followed as the two held the buckets, walking past a lot of men, pouring buckets of ice into the bartenders sections, refilling the whip cream bottles for the limited Christmas drinks.

"What time is graces birthday?" Josie asked, the two girls heading to the park. "3, you told me to tell you when it's 1, it's now 1." Luna told her, adjusting her glasses on her face.

"Alright, let me tell the girls in the back and Margot will be taking over in the meantime." Josie said, taking the back door, smiling at all the lovely faces that looked at her.

"Hi ladies, I'm heading out, but I'll be back for the evening. Remember. We do lap dances but no private rooms, no matter how much they try to tip. We respect each other— especially those with a wedding ring okay!" Josie encouraged.

"Have fun at the birthday, doll." Said Quinn, blowing Josie a kiss. "Oh I'll try." Josie said in a mocking tone, turning and getting scared by Luna. "Do you need a shot?" She asked, holding a shot glass.

"Why?" Josie asked, Luna tilting her head. "Because your ex boyfriend will be there." She explained, Josie's stomach hurting a little. Ex-husband didn't sound believable, because on paper, they were not married, they couldn't with the age.

In their minds they were married for 3 and a half years,  but with five fighting the chaos in his mind, he needed to be busy, sitting at home and enjoying life wasn't enough for him. It started out as lying, until Josie stalked him, joining the fucking C. I. A, not being home at all, beginning to question if they wanted to be together anymore or not.

They didn't.

Deep down Josie will always love five, but he loved the chaos more, fighting for something, not including their relationship. Josie gave up, knowing she couldn't fix him back in the apocalypses, and she couldn't fix him now, growing apart.