Jane |UTA|

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The plane ride seemed longer that before. Jane could feel every swerve and turn of the aircraft as she returned home. Plus, there were the added memories layered onto the trauma, bittersweet moments that felt sour upon the tongue. And with those moments came the fresh goodbyes against new lips.

"Do you really have to go. I thought you still had months left" Yui questioned with a saddening pout painting her chubby features.

"I do, there's just an emergency back home" Jane lied, giving a reassuring smile before she looked over her friend's shoulder to see the quiet ghost-of-a-girl standing behind her.

"I'm not leaving until I get a goodbye from you" Jane reminded her to have reluctantly hug her body.

"I am going to miss you Jane" she spoke in a soft voice.

"Me too, I hope this doesn't mean we still can't be friend",

"Of course not Jane... You are our best friend. We could never forget you".

In all honesty, it was strange for Jane to hear such words from the stoic girl. She wasn't exactly one to open her self confidently let alone completely. Therefore, as she flew away from the beautiful land of Japan, Jane placed her hand flat against the cold glass. She could just picture him against the darkness of her closed lids. Then suddenly, there was blood and a laughing Uta which horrified her to the bone. At the scene in an instant she forced her eyes open with laboured breaths and a uncontrollable heart beat.

"Are you alright" a woman asked in concern before placing a hand upon Jane's exposed arm.

She couldn't explain it exactly, but disgust rippled through her at the innocent gesture, making her shake the kind woman away until a scowl adorned her once calm features. She felt sick to her stomach in that moment, unable to forget how he ripped that man to shreds, like picking wings from a defenceless insect.

Life was definitely not the same after Japan. And never could she return to what she once knew, the normalcy of being human.

⦿

As soon as Jane saw her dad, there was no hesitation before she ran into his arms, dropping her bags in the process. Once she'd been trapped in his embrace, she absorbed the warmth which she had missed so dearly. When amongst the familial company, she forgot the silver briefcase sitting in the corner of her vision. Jane knew full well what it was... A Quinque. A ghouls Kagune which had been harvested from its cold flesh.

Jane had never seen Uta's Kagune...

"So what made you return?" Her dad asked as they pulled away, forcing Jane's thoughts back.

"Just... Didn't expect the homesickness to be so bad" Jane smiled.

"Well, that's nothing movies and pizza can't fix" and with a soft smile -which caused wrinkles to cease against his leather skin- Kyle wrapped an arm around his daughter and headed home (Obviously retrieving their belongings before they did so).

The drive home was anything but awkward. Past the motorway and odd roads, they sang old 2010 songs until they reached the country lanes. Each one was a sharp turn and a steep hill up until they reached a gated off house. It was still as spacious as Jane had remembered. Yet, it felt odd, like it was too big for what she was normally used to. She assumed it was due to the small apartment. But, it didn't feel like those two things connected at all.

Instead, unbeknownst to Jane, it was the fear that compacted her thoughts of him that made everything feel greater than what it was originally was. The teenage girl was being crushed under the weight of her memories. However, she could do nothing to ease the pain on her back.

While she was underwater, Jane heard the muffled crunch of the gravel beneath the tires and the low music. Everything felt too different from what she wasn't supposed to be used to. Yet, she was there anyway.

Jane was ready to leave the car once they pulled up. She was excited to see her mum after all and hold her close. But, as she went to open the door, she jolted back with no escape to the house. Again and again she attempted to free herself from the sudden stifling atmosphere.

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me what happened" her father announced causing ripples of fear to dance across her flesh.

"There's nothing to tell, I just wanted to come home" she deflected,

"I don't believe that, you went to boarding school for half a year. Do you truly expect me to believe that?".

Then with a deep breath, Jane took her shaking hand from the silver handle and slowly turned to her father. Once she had taken a deep breath she said:

"You can believe what you want... I won't tell you",

"You know I can protect you, I didn't become part of the CCG for nothing. Your protection is my one priority",

"And this is not a ghoul operation!-" She screamed amongst her lying words. "- I just... I need time to get to normal",

"And how long will that take?...",

"As long as it needs".