Catch and Release

Then Again

Jesse noticed her. Her mind kicked into high gear. "Athena, take LJ and go to the car. Stay there."

Concern flooded Athena's face. "Wh-why?"

"Just do it. I'll be back."

Athena guided her son to Jesse's car. She watched as Jesse headed to the back alley of the store.
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"Chase! What the hell are you doing?"

"Jesse, babe. I just want to talk. You've been ignoring me. I miss you."

"There is nothing to miss. I don't want you. I told you that."

Chase's mind blocked out every word that slipped from Jesse's lips. She watched as Jesse spoke, remembering the way those same lips caressed her body. Before Jesse could react, Chase pounced on her, pinning her to the wall.

'This is my woman.' Chase thought.

Her assault soon ended when she felt a tight grip on her head. Chase moved to meet her attacker and was met with a solid fist. Through her blurred vision she noticed that the woman was Athena. For as tiny as she was Athena was fast. She pulled back ready for another punch that was blocked by the blond.

Jesse stood watching as the two women went at it. Most would be happy to watch two women, Jesse couldn't believe it. She watched as Athena held her own against the crazed woman. Finally getting herself together, she called the police. She then moved to separate two. As she got her grip on Chase, she pinned the woman on the ground.

"Get off me!" Chase yelled.

Jesse looked around as the crowd that formed began to look at the three women. She tightened her grip on Chase, determined not to let her get away. She locked eyes with Athena. "You ok?" She asked.

Athena silently looked at her. Her breath was ragged as she contemplated her next few words. "I can't do this." She stated with a sigh.

"Told you she was nothing." Chase said with disdain.

"Will you shut up!" Jesse said, looking into the eyes of the woman she loved with all that she is. "What do you mean?"

"I can't re-live my teens anymore. I'm tired Jesse. Between my brother and this crazy bitch," she tilted her head to the woman beneath Jesse, "I'm Sorry."

Jesse walked as the Greek woman made her way through the crowd. "Athena!" She yelled, until the police sirens began to drown out her voice. As the crowd departed, she noticed Athena was gone but the car was still there. "Officer Stevens!"

"Take her in. She attacked an officer." Jesse said, her voice emotionless.

She looked on as her fellow officers took Chase in. There was the woman that ruined her once before. She had lost it all. Jesse hung her head and headed to her car. As she settled in the driver seat, she noticed LJ's booster seat. From there her mind lost control. Tears ran down her face.
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Jesse was out of it. Nicole sat beside her friend. "You can go find her. I mean, how far could she have gone. LJ is probably wondering where you are."

"She said she was tired. She doesn't want me." Jesse said sadly. "She'll never want me again."

"You don't know that. Now get up and go look for her and your son." Nicole said as she pulled her friend up.

"Where do I even look?"

"She's your girlfriend, how would I know?"

Jesse thought back to the times when she would find Athena in the library after they fought. No matter how small, Athena would argue. A few well place cussing here and there, but she never stayed long enough for Jesse to respond.

"I think I might know. Where's the closest library? Like walking distance from the mall?"

"I think Central. Why? Is that where she is?" Nicole as, watching her friend search for her keys.

"Maybe." Jesse said as she headed out the door.
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Athena sat in the large arm chair. Her eyes glazed over the pages of Milton's Paradise Lost. How ironic that the book she read conveyed her feelings. Her paradise lost. As if she were the cause of man's fall from Eden.

She had no idea what would happen now. She didn't want to go to her home. She didn't want to go to Jesse's either. A chuckle leaves her lips as she thinks of how Jesse didn't even follow her. "Family my ass." She said aloud.

"You are my family and I love you." Athena paused in her reading. "I will always love you. When you hate me, I'll love you. When you yell at me, I'll love you. I told you no matter what, I will always love you."

Athena fought the smile that wanted to crack the stone that was her face. "I don't want to talk to you."

Jesse smiled as she looked at the woman. "You always did this when you were in college. You'd get mad, cuss me out, in Greek I might add. Then, you'd leave me in your dorm room to wait the twenty minutes it took you to get to the library.

I always knew when to the history section. Actually, I went there first. Then, I figured LJ wouldn't go for anything "boring"" Jesse's last word mocked the boy.

"I'm not a little girl anymore."

"No, but you have become a beautiful woman. Strong, independent, sexy, and smart. You're my woman." Jesse said sternly.

"Big J!?" The tiny boy said with excitement.

"Hey, little man. Come here." The boy's tiny legs pushed him as Jesse crouched down to be engulfed by his tiny arms.

"Mommy said I wouldn't see you no more."

Jesse looked over to Athena. "Well Mommy is a silly woman. I love you and I'll never leave."

"Promise?" Came the tiny reply.

"Pinky promise." Jesse said as she held out her pinky. "Why don't you go get some books, so we can read them when we get home."

"Ok, Momma!" LJ said.

Before he could be corrected by Athena, he was off. Jesse turned to Athena, who still refused to look at her. Jesse moved to stand in front of the chair the smaller woman occupied.

"May I sit?"

"No."

"Thena, baby, there's only two ways this can go. If you use that big brain of yours, you'd remember that I'm strong. Really strong. So, I'll ask again, May I sit?"

"I said-"

Before Athena could even say no, Jesse lifted the woman and moved her into her lap. Jesse wrapped her arms around her waist. "You love me?" She asked Athena.

"Maybe." Athena said with a hint of a smile.

"Maybe? So you run off, take our son-"

"Our son?"

"Yes our son. You took him and ran. I love you two too much to let either of you go. So yes he's our son."

"Fine."

Jesse gave her a kiss that promised everything and more. "Good. Now let's go home."
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Hi...mmmm....sorry it took so long. I know you guys probably hate me but see what had happened was...well who cares, I updated. I know this seems like the end but I still have a good...three chapters left. Hope you guys aren't too mad.

Much love,
-M