𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter One Hundred Thirteen ~

"Jake, dear! You remember Dusk?" Jean stood up to hug him. But Jake could only muster a small greeting, quickly shifting his gaze away from the brown blonde. You sick fuck, how dare you come here and think you can act like nothing happened? She continued to glare as Jake socialized with his parents, telling his dad about some short stories from his previous shift. Both Jean and Gene commended and thanked him for bringing Dusk in, claiming they were having a great time, albeit Dusk was getting pretty antsy. "We were just telling her about the Cleanse, and how she's our newest key," Jean explained.

"Newest key, huh? So, that means we can call off the search for Jennifer?" Jake asked. "We'll still have to keep tabs on her, but she's not our main concern anymore," Gene answered. "I hate to cut this reunion short, but I need to talk to Jake," Dusk interrupted. Jake made eye contact with her. But quickly looked away once he caught a glimpse of the smoldering rage growing in her eyes. "Well, whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of us, sweetheart," Jean smiled. "No, I need to speak to him. Alone," Dusk insisted.

The couple looked at each other a bit wary, looking back to their son who tried to tell them he'd be fine. "Alright, if you must. But don't be too long! We've still got a lot to discuss about The Cleanse," Jean stated. "Yes, the Cleanse!" Dusk smiled sheepishly as she stood up. As she and Jake walked past a few tables, Dusk tightly grabbed his wrist leading him towards the bathrooms. Slamming the women's door open, Dusk threw him inside and locked the door so no one else could get in.

"Listen Dusk, I know you're upset-" But Jake's pleas for mercy were met with a harsh backhanded slap across the face. "What the hell, Jake?!" She growled. "How could you do this to me? A bottle over the head? You could've killed me!" Jake flinched, backing away until his back hit the cold tiled wall and he slid onto the ground. "I... I didn't want to do it!" Jake protested. "Oh really? Because it seemed pretty intentional to me!" Dusk scoffed. "Let me guess, this was all part of your mama and papa's grand plan? Kidnap me and perform their weird little brainwashing?"

"I had to! They told me to; I didn't have a choice!" He nodded. "There's always a choice, Jake! You could've said no! You could've walked away!" The young man said nothing, the guilt and the thought of possibly ending her life for the sake of serving his insane parents was starting to eat away at him. This woman was the only person in his small and isolated bubble who understood him, who trusted him, and now he had scattered it to the winds.

"I'm sorry... really really sorry," He pleaded, hoping for some small semblance of forgiveness. "I don't understand. I thought we were friends," Dusk shook her head in disgust. "We are, well I wanted us to be. But my parents, you don't understand what they're like," Jake's voice grew quiet. "I know exactly what they're like. Complete lunatics with a doomsday complex! You're a grown man, Jake. You have to think for yourself, instead of them!" Dusk bit. "I don't have a choice," He repeated, the words sounding hollow and rehearsed. "I don't have anyone else, Dusk. No one but them,"

The phoenix's rage faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of some small semblance of attempted understanding. He looked so lost, so utterly dependent on this group, unable to properly communicate his wants, his desires. "What about Jaime?" She inquired, remembering the mention of her during Jean and Gene's daydream. Maybe she could be the one person to break through to him. "Doesn't she mean something to you?"

Jake's face twisted in a painful grimace. "Jaime's no help," he muttered, his voice cracked with emotion. "She's dead," The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. "Dead? How?" Dusk inquired, trying to keep her composure. "It doesn't matter, none of it matters anymore," The brown blonde took a deep breath, even if Jake's traumatic past was true, and his sister truly did suffer such a horrific fate, she couldn't let him, nor the rest of the Keepers distract her.