Her ears perked at the sudden sound of a motor running in her drive way. Jade clapped her hands together to get off some of the flour. She looked around at her former kitchen. Jade had done so much baking that it actually looked like a mini bakery. The sound rolled to a stop as sge let out a long sigh. It was early yet in the night, still she was tired from her baking. Baking was one of the only things that calmed her.
Jade made her way through the living room towards the door to check out whoever was in her driveway at this hour. She took off her apron and tossed it on a chair. A soft but quick knock was heard as she went to for the knob. What timing. She opened the door, adjusting her black tank top.

"Hello?" Jade asked before she saw the person, the door in half swing.

She looked up into the man's eyes, though his shaggy brown hair nearly covered them. A slow smile formed on Jade's lips.

"Shaggy! I wouldn't have ever guess it was you! How are you?" she said in a hurried voice, excited to see him.
She led him into the living room and sat him on the big comfy couch. Jade noticed his expression.

"Shaggy, I knew this wouldn't be good. You never have time to see me and when you do, something is going down in Bon Temps and Shiverport. So let's not wasn't any time and get to the bad news," she sighed and reached over to the counter of sweets. Jade picked up a plate and held it out, "Apple turn-over? Oh, and want anything to drink?"

Jade got up and went to the fridge to get Mark a Badsider.

"Didn't I teach you not to talk with your mouth full?" She looked over her shoulder at him when she heard his mouth-full speak.

Jade frowned then smiled as she handed him the beer, following his gaze. She saw right through him trying to play cool at the sight of Brian's picture. She smirked. Jade would tell him about it later. She sat down and let him look at the photos a moment. Her eyes met his as he looked back to her. From the smile the smile on his face she could tell which picture he saw last.

"Yea, I still have that one. I remember it so fondly. It was one of the last times we were actually all happy together," She shifted uneasily with a half smile on her face, "before things changed."

"They're letting him go?!" Jade shouted as she jumped up, "You have to be kidding me!"

She huffed and let out a stream of curses that would've made any sailor proud. How could the queen let him go? She was betting they went easy on him because he had helped the queen out so many times before. He was one of the keys to keeping the Earth Supes aline in the U.S. Vamps, Weres, Lycans, Witches, Warlocks - you name it, he fought 'em. Of course she went easy on him.

Jade sat back down only to get Mark looking into her eyes again, trying to find something. Hurt, Pain, Betrayal. It came over her in a insane rush. What he was looking for, he found it. She looked away from him in another huff and swiped up Mark's badsider right from his own hands. She downed it and with a loud *clank!* she set the empty bottle on the coffee table next to her.

Realizing what she had done, she stood.
"I'm.. sorry about your beer... I'll get you another..." she mumbled as she moved towards the fridge again.

"They wiped his memories clean of something he did to me?!" Jade flipped around to look at Mark, eyes swirling crimson as she shoved the beer into his hands.

She slammed the fridge door, tearing the top off her own Badsider. Jade downed it and tossed the empty bottle over her shoulder as she stormed into the living room.

"I cannot believe this! First they release him early cuz the queen as a soft spot for him, oh but come to find out - he got his brain wiped!" Jade sputtered out all at once.

She ran her hands over her face, giving a exhausted sigh. She hoped this would be the last of Shaggy's bad news, because she didn't think this could get any worse.

"You'd think they'd erase mine too..." She mumbled to herself as she craddled her face in her hands.

Jade sighed... almost for too long. She didn't need to breathe, but out of habbit she sucked in a harsh gasp of air.

"It's unfair... how I have to be nice to him," she sighed again before sipping her badsider.

Jade looked into his blue-green eyes. They were too young and naive for his usual rough, cold attitude. But they fit when they were alone. He wasn't cold then. Truely like brother and sister. Him showing his real self only behind closed doors to her. Jade always said that they were meant to be family, no matter what.

But something had changed in his eyes, ever so slightly. They looked slightly aged. Maybe Eric's leave and taking care of Fangsta all alone was wearing down on him after all.
This time she was searching his eyes.

They sat in silence a long while, both minds racing... or maybe not trying to think at all. She finally broke the quiet... the tense quiet.
"So... what's the good news?"

"Oh! You're going to come and visit me? Yea, that really makes up for everything," she laughed lightly, "I guess I could use you around more."

She saw his line of sight turn to the photos again. Jade smiled then pointed out a picture of her and Icer covered in cake.
"That was taken on Icer's birthday. Oh it was great. She let me plan it all. I couldn't really stay long, even though I wanted to. It was still when Casidy called me back to Bon Temps alot. But oh was planning it fun. We had PePe the Mech. bull and Rosie, God rest her soul, made the best cake ever. It was a huge blue cake with a huge blue dragon on it just like Icer," she smiled remembering it, "Then there was the Bri-nata. I got a pinata that looked like Brian. I wish I coulda stayed to beat the crap outta him... I mean... the pinata."

She pointed out another one, one where a hobo was groping her, "I have no words for that one."

Jade pointed to a picture of her, Brian, and Jen all covered in food, "Ah, the all out food fight. It was fun and I ended up tazing Jen somehow. Why, I don't know. And I found out that Bri and Jen use my muffins for something much more."
She shuddered at the thought.

She pointed to a picture of a candid one of Jade with her mouth gaped open around Brian, Miles, Rosie, and other men.
Jade laughed before she even started, "Now this was funny. I never thought of pie the same way after that," Jade gave him a knowing look, "Creme pie. Need I say more?"

She pointed to another with her standing on the bartop of the inn, fighting off toy army men with Jewell and Stephen - only Jade had a nice big flame thrower, "Yes... that's exactly what it looks like."

The rest she didn't really explain, most just spoke for themselves. Like her being chased by walking GingerBread cookies with Tara or the picture of Chris in a Viking Helmet acting all god like. ...Or the crazed Kerri glomping her.

She smiled that copyrighted smile as the memories flooded her, happy memories.

Then both began laughing at the same photo - Brian in a corset and matching skirt holding a bag of muffins.

Jade stood, taking the picture off the wall - carefully looking at it before seating herself beside Mark.
"Yes, this is the picture I promised to tell you about. As you probably already noticed, yes, that is my corset and skirt. The day before I dared him for a bag of muffins to shave and everything and wear my corsets and stuff. See what people go through for my muffins!" she paused laughing, "You should have been there! Casidy, Jen, and I were in stitches!"

She nodded, standing with him. Jade blinked at the hug and blinked again at the kiss to the cheek. What had came over him? She stared at him a long while before she could move again.

Jade swiftly set the photo back in place then motioned him towards the door.
"Please be safe, Shaggy. Don't do anything you'll regret later. Tell Pam and Bill I said hey. And if anyone can get in touch with Casidy, tell them to tell her I love her and miss her and I hope she can come visit me soon," she opened the door and hugged him, "Please don't forget to come back to visit."

He only nodded and out the door he was. She leaned on the door frame as he slipped into that black Jag of his. He started the engine and began to pull out of the driveway. As soon as the car was about to meet the street, the car vanished. Gone. Out of her driveway, out of RhyDin. He was safely in Shiverport. She sighed now that the sound of the purr of the engine was gone.

Jade slipped into the villa, shutting the door behind herself. She mulled over her thoughts in her head a moment. Jade decided that with the last good hour left in the night that she should start putting the baked goods into baskets.

After she was finished, she slipped out of her dirty clothes and slipped into her night clothes and bed.
She lay awake a good while. Jade couldn't sleep. Then her cell phone started to ring. She tiredly swiped it up and flipped it open.

"Sis, I'm going to help you with those sweets tomorroe. Don't worry. I got home. No time for small talk. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'm about to pass out. So, Good morning and sweet dreams, sis. Bye," Mark's mumbling tired voice said before there was a soft *click*.

Even though she didn't get to say anything back, she felt better. She set the phone back on the nightstand and quickly drifted off.