Crystal Clear Part 2: Familiar Faces (Jasper x Reader)

Chapter 16: Full House

“Are you who I think you are?” you asked, your voice tinged with anger.
“Well now, that depends, doesn't it, on who you think I am.”
“I think you're the one who tried to kill us.”
“I am.”
“You DID kill me.”
“Yes.”
“Repeatedly!”
“Indeed.”
“You were shattered and bubbled!”
“So they tell me.”
“Why aren't you still?”
“Well I don't know, do I? Best I can figure, it had something to do with being stored with a chunk of you when…” she waved her hand around, indicating your new form, “that happened.”
“That's another thing, that's my leg!”
“No it isn't.”
“Yes it is! Look, it's still wearing one of my shoes.”
“No it isn't.”
“Yes it is, just look at it!”
“If it's your leg, how come you already have two?”
“Because I lost that one before I grew these ones!”
“So what, you were just hopping around with one leg?”
“No, they gave me a robotic one!”
“Do you still have it?”
“I took it off, but yes!”
“Well then, you have three legs already. You won’t be needing this one, then.”
“That isn’t the point!”
“Yes it is.”
“No it isn’t!”
“Is too!”
“No it’s not! This isn’t even a real argument, you’re just contradicting whatever I say.
“Am not.”
“You are too! At this point you’re just ripping off a Monty Python sketch!”
“No I’m… actually, I’ll stop now. I’d rather go toe-to-toe with you and Jasper again than deal with the BBC’s lawyers.”
“Right,” you said, calming yourself, “so who exactly are you, and what's happening? Why aren't we fighting?”
“Lady Amelia Taylor, at your service. Yes, the title is legitimate, and no, I am not to be confused with Amelia Taylor VI, the MI6 agent. She's my great great great granddaughter.”
“Well I already know you're lying, that's impossible. You would have had to have had a child, which would mean you wouldn't be here!”
“Ah, well, if you want to get technical about it, I'm her great great great grandFATHER. As to what's happening, although I enjoyed the little deadly games we used to play together, those times are over now. While I enjoyed it, it was never about my own amusement. I was… working for someone. Someone we had a deal with. And now I've got what I want. I'm ready to move on.”
“Wait… yes, I had a dream about you! You never meant for me to stay dead, you were trying to force me to return to my gem form. And the one you were working for - he promised to make you whole in exchange.”
“Precisely. But look what's happened - you've gone and regenerated all by yourself, and I've reformed anyway. Everybody's satisfied.”
“What happened to the other three?”
“Ah. Well, without the benefit of this lovely leg of yours, they didn't have anything to extrapolate from, the result being… less-than-coherent forms. I keep them in here,” she explained, pulling a carpet bag seemingly out of thin air. When she saw your doubtful expression, she added, “The inside’s larger.” You winced visibly. It seemed like no one could get such a simple line right. “Careful though,” she said, opening the bag. “They have a tendency to bite.” Three glowing figures emerged, poking out what were probably meant to be their heads. They resembled a gem in mid-regeneration, their luminous forms shifting and warping but seemingly unable to consolidate. You saw their three gemstones were intact, but nothing else was discernible of their features. When they saw you, they snarled. “Tsk tsk, now now, we have to be nice to our gracious host!” She shoved the mutant shapes back into the bag and closed it. “It seems their minds fared even more poorly than their bodies.”
“Okay, well that was weird. Not sure how any of this works, but I'm not going to question it. So, Lady… how is it I address you? Is it Lady Taylor or Lady Amelia?”
“Oh, neither. What use is formality among friends? Call me Amy, everyone does.”
“Interesting definition of friends, but okay. So Amy, where are you going now?”
“Oh… well, this is embarrassing, but…” she took off her broad-brimmed feathery hat and looked to you with sincerity in her expression. “I haven't anywhere to go. I used to get by on Earth because I had connections… they're all dead by now. I'm on my own. Do you know what that's like?” Her voice was ringed with fear.
“I have some idea,” you conceded, nodding.
“Even after all that's passed between us, you wouldn't want that for me, would you? Can't I stay with you, at least until I'm back on my feet? Well, my foot and your former foot. I promise I'll be ever so well behaved, and supposing I'm not, there are four of you and only one of me. I'd never stand a chance.”
You sighed and stroked your chin, considering.
“What about the deal you had? Part of it was that you're supposed to take me to him.”
“Oh. Right. Yes. I can see where that might make you… uneasy, to say the least… but why would I do that? I wouldn't find any great pleasure in it, and I've already received what I was promised, no thanks to him.”
“I feel that you're probably being honest about that. Look, Amy… normally, I'd give you a chance. I'd be fine taking that risk. But Jasper and I are going to have two small babies within a year's time, and I can't put them in danger.”
“You wouldn't be! I could be just like their dear auntie. I'd care for them when you were away, I'd defend your home against intruders, I could even teach the little ones everything they need to know, how to sing the alphabet, how to count by twos, how to get blood out of carpet, how to tie their shoelaces…”
“Wait, back up one?”
“How to tie their shoelaces?” Her smirk fell and she sighed. “I'm sorry. That really was just a little joke. I never would harm yours or any children. This stabby persona of mine… this isn't who I really am.”
“Okay then, who are you really?”
“I'm not sure.” A single tear formed in her eye. “Do you remember what it was like, living after you were shattered?” You shook your head. “Good,” she sniffed. “Better that you don't. When it first happens, it seems almost like nothing happened. You can tell that it did, but you don't feel dead. Everyone talks about shattering like it's the same thing as death, but I was very much alive. But then it starts to set in. You've lost a limb, you know what it feels like. It feels like it still hurts, like it's still there, even though it's long gone. That's how it is. It's like every part of your body is missing, but you can still feel it, you know it's there somewhere. You have all of the pieces but no way to put them together, and that's the most maddening thing in the world. Imagine if you were floating underwater, only an inch below the surface, able to see it, able to feel how near it is, but never being able to reach it, never able to breathe. Drowning forever and never dying. When all you want, the only thing you want, is to be whole, to not be drowning in every second for the rest of eternity, and you can't have that, it… it isn't fair. It makes you angry at everything and everyone that would allow you to have to live like that. Who wouldn't become insane like that? What wouldn't anyone do? Even when I could conjure up enough random body parts to hijack organic bodies, it did nothing to alleviate my suffering. It didn't feel like having my body back. It just felt like controlling a puppet using hands which couldn't feel.” By now she was kneeling on the floor, choking on every few breaths and turning loose a flood of tears. “Some humans believe in Heaven. I don't know about that. All I know is that I've already been to Hell. I know, I seemed to be enjoying tormenting you and boasting about the things I'd done, but what choice did I have? When the pain… of just existing… is that terrible, all you can do is convince yourself that you're actually loving every minute, including every desperate depraved act. You think I really looked back fondly on shattering you? It wasn't even deliberate. We were big, you were small, we ran over you, that was it. I didn't know then what I'd put you through… but when we met again, how could I look back on that moment and sincerely laugh? Every moment I wanted to scream, but I couldn't find my mouth. Every moment I wanted to reach out to you, but I didn't have any hands. But I'll be honest: the times in between? I absolutely enjoyed killing you. Because it made me imagine being in your position. It made me wish that I could be a human like you, so that I could die.” She sighed and dried her tears. “If I could have known all that I know now, I never could have shattered you, never could have rested knowing the true meaning of what I'd done. I never even could have joined that war in the first place. I know what I've done, and it's a long list, but can you believe me when I say I'm done now? I wouldn't, I can't, ever make anyone live like that. Not again. No more.”
Although part of you was concerned you were going to be stabbed when you let your guard down, you knelt and hugged her, letting her cry into your shoulder.
“I believe you,” you whispered. You patted her on the back. “You can stay.” You felt hot tears in your own eyes. “I'm so sorry. I didn't know. All this time, and it never once occurred to me that you needed help more than I could imagine. I wish I'd done something. I wish you could have been restored sooner.”
She half-laughed and half-cried.
“Ah jeez, for the love of the stars, PLEASE don't start pitying me!”
You laughed softly, breaking from the hug.
“How did it happen, anyway?”
“Oh, that's actually kind of a funny story. I was actually minding my own business, just going to see a play while I was here in America. But I guess there was a mixup and I stole the seat the president was supposed to be in. I would've moved if someone told me, I swear, but I guess it really got people angry. A fellow called Phone Booth or something stupid like that was so furious about my taking the wrong seat that he sneaked up and, honest to goodness, put a bullet right there!”
She turned so you could see her gem was on the back of her head, her hair up in a messy bun to leave it unobstructed.
“You're kidding me. You mean you're the one who saved Abraham Lincoln?!”
A chill ran down your spine. You knew fully well the details of how John Wilkes Booth's assassination plot had failed, but for a moment, only an instant, you thought you remembered it differently, that it hadn't failed. You shook off the feeling and dismissed it.
“If you say so. If you like that story, I have plenty more where that came from.”
“I'm sure we'd all like to hear one. C'mon.” You helped her up as you stood. “That whole speech you have about being shattered - were you just making that up so I'd let you live here?”
“Well, I'm certainly satisfied that it worked to that effect,” she said cheerfully. Her expression and tone became serious. “But no.”
“I hope you won’t take offence if we keep you on… probation, let’s call it… for a little while. Just to be sure we aren’t going to have more problems.”
“Of course, completely fair. I wouldn’t trust me, either. Frankly, perhaps you shouldn’t.”
“Well, we’ll see, won’t we? Why don’t you come on down and meet everyone?”
“I’d like that very much.” She took your hand. “And thank you… for giving me a chance… umm… what do you call yourself these days?”
“(Y/N).”
“Hmm. Dumb name. I liked your last one better.”
“Hey, watch it! I can kick you out of here so fast you won’t know what hit you, and I won’t know what hit me when you sneak back in and kill me in my sleep.” You said this with a straight face, but after a few moments you couldn’t hide a smile and you both shared a laugh.
Descending from the attic, you first casually introduced Amy as “an old friend from the days of the Gem War” to Stier and Sapphire, which was easy enough since she was a total stranger to them. Their reactions seemed pleasant enough, and she managed to avoid being overly sarcastic. Then came the matter of reintroducing her to Jasper.
You were halfway downstairs when Jasper realised she was hearing two sets of footfalls. She lifted her head and froze when she saw who you were with. Sensing her alarm, Pinky jumped up on the couch beside her.
“Oh!” Amy exclaimed. “I see you still have that dog of yours! Oh, and Pinky’s here too!”
Jasper jumped up and growled.
“You! I don't know how you did this, but let (Y/N) go and then get out of my sight, and maybe you won't be shattered all over again!”
“Jasper, calm yourself! I’m not a hostage. Now please, sit down, and we can talk about this calmly.” You turned to Amy. “And you, you be nice to Jasper!” You continued downstairs and the three of you sat in a rough circle. You explained to Jasper about what Amy had told you, about why she had acted the way she had.
“I know I don’t deserve it, and I realise in hindsight that opening with an insult probably wasn’t a good idea, but I want to stay here with your… unique family. I want a chance to change. To not be the monster for once. I want to try to be good. And… I don't really have anywhere else to go. It's been so long I don't have anything left. Everyone I knew, all the places I used to frequent, they're all gone now. I want to be able to be part of something again, perhaps even part of a family,” Amy said, seeming to ponder the prospect.
“Fine,” Jasper sighed. “Until you start making trouble for yourself, you're an indefinite houseguest. I don't think it's a good idea, but I trust (Y/N)'s judgement. Let's just get one thing clear; you aren't part of the family.”
“Tsk, oh, you wound me, Jasper! Although…” She looked Jasper over. “Maybe it's for the best I'm not swimming in that gene pool.”
“Ha ha. We're all laughing.”
“Ah, brilliant!”
“And let's get another thing straight. You aren’t part of the team, either. I don’t trust you, and until you prove that I can, I don’t want to risk us being associated with you if you cause trouble.”
“Hold on now,” you interjected, “I’m not sure that’s fair. You didn’t have the best reputation when we met, but I never tried to distance myself from you.”
“Yeah? Well at least I never tried to kill you!” Jasper protested.
“Threatening to kill me was literally the first thing you did.”
“Well at least I never tried to kill me!” She groaned and shook her head. “Yes I did…” She turned to Amy. “Fine. You’re part of the team, but I’ll be watching you like a hawk!”
“Oh… now that I think about it, that’s too bad, actually. Now I have to play by the rules. At least I could’ve argued there was a loophole if I wasn’t part of - what do you call this silly little group of yours?”
“Facet Zero,” you replied, “which apparently also means something significant on Homeworld, but I have no idea what.”
“Rings a bell. So is there anything more we need to sort out?”
“No,” Jasper stated, not making eye contact.
“Amy, if you'd like to head upstairs, I'll be up in a few minutes so I can help you get set up in your room.” Once she had gone, you turned to Jasper. “Are you upset with me?”
“No,” she sighed, her brow softening. “I know you're just trying to do the kind thing. I'm just not convinced she's going to change so easily, and I don’t know why you think otherwise.”
“I know, but the idea of kicking her out seemed too cruel, and at least this way we can keep an eye on her instead of hoping the world can handle her. And I choose to believe that she has changed, and that she can. Look at us. You have quite a record, and I did something so terrible I'm not even letting myself remember. But look where we both are now. Look at the people we've become. If there's hope for us, there's definitely hope for her. And who knows, maybe this is a deception. And I'm sure we'll eventually find out one way or the other. When that day comes, I'd much rather learn that I was one person who believed a lie than that she was telling the truth and no one believed her.”
“I can understand that. I'll try to be more patient with her, but I'm going to stay vigilant. I won't forgive myself if I fail to protect our family. I love you (Y/N),” she said, pulling you into a hug.
“I love you too, Jasper. Hey, maybe later we can go out and do something - just the two of us. Give you some time away from her.”
“I'd like that.”