There were people in the ring, mopping up the blood and whatever other fluids were spilt on the floor. It wasn't that effective, just spreading pink everywhere as it dried and stained the ground.

The thought of touching a place like that was enough to disgust her.

Jessie thought about it for a moment before speaking.

"I'll do it on one condition. I can't get severely injured like that last guy. I have a child to take care of now, alone. I can't be stupidly reckless. I don't mind learning, but..."

Jessie sighed, rubbing her face tiredly.

"I need someone on my level to fight against. Okay? Will you allow that, even if it's to evaluate my skills?"

She couldn't just break herself into pieces and leave Kai to fend for himself. She could rely on the gang, but they were busy enough as it is, with Caspian sending members out to gather intel and hunting down people himself.

THEO BECKETT

☉

Jessie was a bit surprised by Theo's apology. In her eyes, it wasn't a big deal. Not until now, that is.

"You're a busy man. You don't have the ability to overlook every single grunt, right? Don't apologize," she insisted, feeling a bit awkward as she glanced away.

Though, she had to admit that she agreed with him. Jessie needed to have some sort of competency in battle. She just wasn't sure how to go about it.

And his suggestion took her by surprise yet again.

"Do you think that's a good idea? I've never brawled or fought like this before..." she said warily, eyeing the ring that was smeared with blood.

THEO BECKETT

☉

Typically, Jessie wouldn't allow someone like jayden cross to speak to her like that. Talk over her with power and refuse to let her answer.

However, she had to remind herself where she was right now. She wasn't in her gang's territory. She was on Rocket soil. Here, those who had power ranked over everyone else.

However, she made her displeasure known with a tch, glaring at him as the others were given a chance to speak up.

And then she was called to the front, with one of the other boys in the line. Jessie stepped up, baring a stony gaze at both Jayden and the kid.

jayden cross

☉

She wasn't sure what she expected her father to say. She blinked, a couple of tears dripping down before she lifted a hand to wipe them away.

But hearing him say that... it was probably more than she deserved.

Jessie looked at Gabriel, sniffing as she finished smearing her face with tears.

"What do I do? I don't know what to do anymore..."

GABRIEL BLACK

☉

He gave her nothing. Jessie felt her body grow more tense, rigid with rage.

But she didn't yell at him. She stared at him, a defenseless woman, at a man who wouldn't answer her questions.

Her gaze flicked to the CHIMECHO, stopped from whatever it was planning by its master.

"Wait!"

Jessie grabbed his arm, holding on with a tight grip as she stepped forward. She was desperate now.

"Please. If you know anything, something... I'm begging you, please tell me. I don't even know who you are. But I need help. Please, it's not just for me..."

For Kai.

@calhoun

☉

Jessie shook her head, silently answering his question as she watched the remainder of the fight.

The snapping sound of the man's arm breaking was loud, and his arm bent back in a terrible angle. She closed her eyes, turning her head away from the scene as she heard him cry out, followed by the bell signaling the end of the match.

"I joined on the word that someone I knew from my childhood was in it. Administration del Mar. But I never received any formal training. I've just been a pretty face to look at," she answered, looking back at Theo finally.

"I joined to rebel against my father. I suppose I never anticipated wanting or needing to be trained. But now..." it was different.

THEO BECKETT

☉

Jessie was staring forward, watching the brawl on display. She wasn't aware that someone had approached her, taking a spot near her, until he spoke.

She blinked, snapping out of her daze before meeting the gaze of THEO BECKETT.

"I've never been one to fight. My job's to entertain, but not like this, Mr. Beckett," she said, looking back at the fight.

One of the men had the other pinned, his foot holding the other's skull to the ground as he leaned over and tugged his opponent's arm behind his back. She could see the weaker of the two cry out in pain, tapping on the ground as his arm threatened to snap.

"I'm not at their level. Even if I wanted to fight, I don't know how."

THEO BECKETT

☉

Jessie, who was typically kind and welcoming, only spared the girl a glance out of her peripheral. Her face remained unchanged, her mouth a straight line as she kept silent.

There was no time for friends.

Jayden said it again. Manner. Each syllable reminded her of her loss, grief brandishing its claws and squeezing her heart. It threatened to break it, rip it to shreds.

She wanted to snap and make Jayden stop it. Stop reminding her of her loss and weakness. However, she knew her place, even if she had been apart of Rocket for over a year.

"My husband. My child. The inability to protect," she said, though her words were soft.

Jessie's gaze fell, staring past Jayden's shoulder as she held back her emotions.

jayden cross

☉

His words, although they seemed to be meant in good nature and friendly, drove deep into her chest. It was as though he was rubbing salt into her wounds by reminding her that Niko was dead.

Jessie tried not to let her anger and grief show on her face, but her jaw was tight as she looked at him.

"What else do you know?"

It was almost an accusation, but it was also a genuine question. Her gut screamed that there was something about this man that was off. How he seemed to know these details about her more than her own family.

She never painted GABRIEL BLACK as one to gossip either.

"No. I'd rather stay here for the moment. Who are you?"

@calhoun

☉

A few tears trickled down her cheeks as her father allowed her to enter the house. It was a strange feeling, being back there.

She knew where everything was. Or mostly everything. But it felt foreign at the same time.

Jessie led the way to the common room, sitting down on a plush couch and adjusting Kai so he could sleep soundly. Raising a hand, she wiped the tears from her face, sniffing before speaking.

"This is Kai. He's your grandson. We adopted him... he was abandoned behind a bar in Verdanturf."

She didn't look up from her baby as she finally revealed why she was here.

"Niko's dead. He was... he was murdered right in front of me," she said, her voice broken and hoarse.

"W-we think it was another gang... but..."

She couldn't finish, crushed by grief as she broke in front of her father.

GABRIEL BLACK

☉

Jessica blinked. The warning bells were sounding in her head. How did this man know her? He claimed to know her father but...

It just didn't seem to add up to her. She never remembered meeting someone like @calhoun in her life. Unless she was too occupied with every other shit show going on that she couldn't remember.

"I don't..."

And then he said it. His name. Her name, now, but it made her heart stop.

"How do you know..."

Her guard was up, as she looked at him with a wary gaze.

@calhoun

☉

Jessica Manner wasn't really sure how she had managed to get home. Did someone send her there? She wondered if caspian evergreen had showed up in the midst of the chaos and ordered to send her away.

All she remembered was holding onto NIKO MANNER's body, begging for him to stay. She remembered hearing the sound of the weapon, breaking into his body and bringing him down.

His wedding ring burned into her hand like hot metal as she sat, numbly, on the couch of their shared home. Hot tears burned her eyes as her throat closed, sobs threatening to break through her as she thought...

"He won't come through that door. He won't see Kai again. He won't kiss me again."

Jessie screamed, hearing Kai wailing in the background as she announced her grief to no one. Her baby had no idea that his father was gone. Sobbing, crying, she picked him up to comfort him, even though she had no ounce of comfort to give.

Then there was a knock at the door.

When it opened, Jessie looked to see her. nina larson.

"Nina..."

nina larson

☉