Letters From No One Never Arrive

Jack just shrugged at Chase's musings regarding the fact that Jack really had no one to send anything to. chase had always had weird delusions about Jack being someone people cared about. She mistook familiarity with popularity. Everyone n Hogwarts might have known Jack, but that was a lot different from a majority of them liking her. Honestly... she had maybe two people who enjoyed her at Hogwarts. And only a handful who didn't want her dead.

Chase was trying to be strong. Jack wondered where she got that dumb idea from, feigning strength; probably from herself. Jack felt blood in her mouth and realized she was biting her tongue to keep from saying 'I told you so.' It seemed that every time she had earned the right to say those words, fate and circumstance made it impossible for her to say them.

The owl flew away and Jack said, "It takes a lot of tension to scare that particular owl off. Usually she's gentle, let's stuff happen." She was letting Chase know she knew she wasn't okay. It didn't seem like it was enough though. Jack cleared her throat. "Hey... If it makes you feel better, I kinda get it. I don't get why everyone here thinks Elijah's God's gift... You know I think he's a prat, even if he does sort of get along with everyone, me included... I... I see how everyone thinks he's worthless,'cause I personally share that view but I could see what you saw too.. The possibility of it all not being completely true. I didn't think it was true, but I could see what you saw in him... That hope, that maybe he was really different. It's not your fault. And I...That really sucks, Chase."

Chase stared hard at where the owl had been, hearing Jack say something about how it was hard to scare that particular owl off. She hadn't met to pet so hard, but there it was.. the owl had gotten annoyed. Krum's entire family probably hated her now, but something was stirring in the back of her mind, she knew that Jack was talking about how she understood, and it wasn't her fault. Chase looked up at Jack, and stared. There were tears in her eyes, but they weren't falling, in fact none had fallen yet, she had taken everything so numbly.

"I thought he was better.. he had seemed so different.." She said softly, her eyes searching for Jack's keeping hold of them as she spoke. "He really had changed Jack.. he had... There hadn't been any new rumors for so long.. nothing exciting, it was all so.. so happy. And then, I found a bunch of his stuff in a bag downstairs.. so I took it up.. and he was with a girl.." Chase said softly, her eyes breaking contact from Jack's.

"So I got my stuff.. he was running behind me, telling me it wasn't what it looked like.. but I knew it was.. I knew he wasn't changed..I'm a fool.. for thinking that someone like me could change him.. for thinking I could make a difference.." she said softly shaking her head. "So I gathered up Katherine... and on a whim.. I got his two kids too.. Fauve and Thierry... got their stuff together, and we left... we just.. left..." She said and realized her hands were shaking. Chase shoved them into her pockets, and leaned against the wall, trying not to cry, taking deep breaths.

"I drove for hours.. stopping after a time to get us some food.. and I met Calvin in a park in London.. and then we moved in... He convinced me to go back to school.. finish out my year... so here I am... pretending everything is fine.. Elijah is just off at home, while I'm graduating.. he's off taking care of the kids.. while I'm here being the little housewife, getting a good education.." She choked on a sob and slid down the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. "I"m a fool.. and you were right.. you don't have to pretend otherwise.. you told me.. and I didn't believe you.." She said staring ahead, tears gathering, but still, none had yet to fall.

Jack stayed silent, choosing instead to listen to Chase's tale. She noticed something about her story that stuck in the back of her head... How Chase thought she could change Elijah, and how she had for awhile. If Elijah had truly changed, then he was not all bad, experience told her so. And she was getting eerie feeling of de ja vu here... but she was not sure that was what Chase needed to hear...

It didn't matter now. Her mind was on one track and she had to share.

"Chase," she said, in a slow, tentative voice. "It's never to late to change someone. Not if they have it in them. If they have it in them, what you want them to be, it's possible.It just... it sucks. It's not something you should try if you personally want to be happy. They'll get better, and then get worse than ever, but then they get better than ever, and then even worse, and so on...

"Maybe you sorta get what I felt now... That need to change someone." She paused. She did not need to bring up who she meant. She knew Chase knew. "I mwan it's different. You loved Elijah and had a relationship, but you know what I mean. It's not impossible. But I think you need to focus on yourself and... and on the kids.Elijah's going to have to change for himself. You just wanted to make him better. You're not a fool. You just... You c-care too much."

Jack had never discussed her emotions concerning how she felt about changing Vito so openly, so extensively. And that's how she knew what Chase was going through. Though it was a bit different. Elijah fooled around. Vito murdered people.

Chase looked up at Jack, as though it had suddenly hit her on why it was all so familiar. This was what Jack had been doing. This is why she had stuck by Vito's side. Chase had tried to stick by Elijah's side.. and Elijah's side won out.. pushing Chase in the dust and leaving.. Vito? Well of course he had done a lot worse things... some of them concerning Chase's family, and Elijah hadn't touched Jack's family, but still.. it was there. Jack had wanted to help Vito.. and Chase had wanted to help Elijah, and because the two girls couldn't recognize that in the beginning, they had split apart to help separate people.

Chase stared at Jack for a long moment and then frowned. "We are alike.." She said suddenly, her eyes searching for Jack's again. "We thought we were so different... opposite people... doing things the other had no idea why they would do that... and yet... we both did the same thing.. We BOTH care to much... of course your much stronger then me... You hold it in.. but.. I should have been there for you.." She said standing up suddenly.

"I'm a fool.. don't pretend otherwise.. but.. Jack.. I'm sorry, I need you to know that.. if I had known what I know now.. felt what I feel now... I would never have made you make that choice.. never have left you.. I"m so sorry, and I don't think you could ever forgive me for doing that to you.. I wish I could make it up somehow.." she said staring at Jack.

"I'm sorry I shouted at you... and.. I didn't understand.. but.." Chase shook her head and then moved forward and hugged Jack hard. "I miss you Jackles... can we be friends again?" She asked, after letting her go, and wiping the tears from her eyes.

Jack thought it over. In almost every single way, Chase and Jack were polar opposites. that's why, when circumstances had driven a wedge between them,it had seemed best to let it be. But now circumstances had made them similar, both victims of the same situation. They would forever know that the summer party should not have happened, and they would have no choice but to forgive each other. And maybe Chase would not hate Jack if she continued to try and help Vito...

It seemed that they were friends again.

Jack grinned at Chase's words. "Yeah, I think that might be okay. I warn you, I'm a pretty crappy friend, I'm insane, and apparently I'm brainwashed, but if you're up for it that'd be really nice."

Chase felt a smile cross her face. A friend.. someone to trust.. someone to talk to. It was Jack, Jack was back. They may never be the three of them again, but Jack, and her, they were similar, and they had each other. If something happened... they could help each other out! Anyone hurt Chase, Jack could beat them up, anyone bother Jack, Chase could talk them out of ever wanting to hurt another person ever again.

Or annoy them to no end that they leave.

But to have a friend.. A real, true, actual friend. Chase felt her smile widen. It was like the clouds had broken apart and was showing the sun. But there was still a storm on the horizon. She could see the clouds tumbling over one another in their haste to cover the light, but for now, Chase would relax in this small bit of warmth. This happy thought that could compel her to know that she wasn't alone anymore, and she could do this.. they could do this..

"You know baby's aren't that bad." She said with a small grin. "They smell really good.. except when they poop.. but even then, it's not that bad.." She said with a smile. "And they look so wise.. Katherine can look at you and see into your soul I swear!" She said with a laugh. "And you'll love Fauve.. she's rather bouncy, but she knows how to get back at whoever messes with her." She said grinning. "You'll have to come over and visit one weekend... you really will." She said smiling at Jack, feeling so much better then she had when she had gone up there.

Jack slowly nodded, thinking about what that would be like, visiting Chase and Calvin, a house full of kids... A baby that would either cry or piss when she picked it up, kids who she would probably end up wrestling with or something... Calvin, who would inevitably become the victim of one of her pranks, chase chasing after all of them...

Sounded normal to Jack.

Jack slowly nodded."Definitely. I think that'd be really nice... And what, with Easter holidays approaching
... I'd really like that, I think."

(Sorry, not much time)