Topic: Rebirth

Jade Ravenlock

Date: 2010-02-21 06:12 EST
It was a cool, rainy April night in RhyDin. Two people were stationed on the porch of the inn, one on the swing and the other seated on the railing of the porch itself - watching the rain. The two were casually talking, like old friends would.

But tonight was anything but ordinary, as simple as it may have seemed. It was the night that destined Jade Rogue and Dakota Steele together. They had both just gotten out of relationships. They didn't want long term, but they didn't want to be alone either. He was working up the nerves to ask of her a date, but he just couldn't muster it yet.

Casual talk came from the two. Now, they were talking of all things - the weather.

"I jus' love the rain," Jade's bright green hues gazed out into the stormy night as she snugged her little black hoodie to curvy form.

A leg absently kicked at the floor to make the swing move just a tad, "I always have too, I reckon... But is there a reason for you likin' it so well? Ya know, most girls don't like gettin' their hair wet." Dakota gave her a bright smile, as well as a laugh.

"Well, I always thought, somehow, that the rain could wash you clean an' make you innocent again. Make you new...," she lowered her head, eyes far off from the porch, "But isn't that silly? Everyone knows you can't be reborn, right?" Jade looked over and tilted her head at him, almost willing for an answer.

"But everyone deserves a second chance, Jade. Even you an' me," he looked to her, honestly in his voice. What he held in his chocolatey eyes was more important. They held hope.

Jade Ravenlock

Date: 2010-02-21 06:30 EST
A year and ten months after that fateful porch meeting...


It was blue. Murky. Still. Floating. Wandering. Searching. No feeling. No faith. No emotion. Numb. Lost.

Days. Weeks. Months. Years. There was no sense of time in this blue-grey world that Jade had been brought to. The place were all vampires go after their final, true death. She had dreamed about this place when she had walked as a living corpse. Jade had never imagined it to be such a cold place. She felt nothing. She was nothing. Nothing but a speck of a soul left.

She'd seen faces as she passed by... or maybe while they passed her. They all seemed familiar, yet they all were so vague. Just hallow distant memories. That's all she had now, those distant memories. She couldn't remember anything specific. This and that. Bits and pieces. She couldn't put the pieces together. Jade didn't have enough will. Just the numbness around her.

Slow but steadily there was a ripple in the blue world. Faint at best. Her floating stilled. A tiny thump made way into her chest. Her chest? Jade's lost and wandering soul found home in her body once more. An alive body. A human body - not fit for the blue world any longer. The thumping grew stronger, evening out.

A small stream of light filtered in from the top of the blue world and a hand dipped in, much like into water. The hand and soon the whole arm lowered itself further - towards her. She stared a long moment as her mind began to stirr - not sure what to make of it. Was it real or dream? Another distant memory? But her arm found movement, actual movement - no matter how stiff and slow it might have been.

Jade reached up, fingertips dancing along the flesh of the arm she sought after. It was real. The hand snapped around her wrist in one quick action and started to pull her upwards. Out of the blue-grey world. It was strong. Manly. It was male. As she reached the top, another one of the strong, safe hands went into the world, only to go to her bare side and pull her out. The very movement was tender, yet swift. Harsh yet gentle. Hasty. And she was free.

Claira Ann Rogue

Date: 2010-02-21 07:39 EST
It was the middle of the night and her big jade hues popped open. Something had jolted her awake. Something she hadn't felt in three months.
Claira was feeling her mother's existence in the world once more.

She sat straight up in bed, still dazed and hazy from being awoken from her slumber so suddenly. She shook her long curly locks, trying to shake the sleep from her. Claira looked around the room her Auntie Rhy and Uncle Dean had dubbed her's while she had stayed with them, all while her daddy was sick and her mommy was away.

They had let her paint the room and decorate it just how she wanted to. That made her happy, but really she missed home. She wanted to go home. She missed her mommy and daddy, and she didn't understand why she couldn't see daddy while he was sick. He called her everyday and said he'd be better real soon... but she felt so alone. She couldn't cry because mommy said she had to be a big girl when she was away. So Claira didn't.

Rhy and Dean were real nice to her, and after a while they let her watch more than just cartoons all the time. It was even nice having people to play with and a baby to watch over like a big sister all the time. But She was still empty inside. Like there was a piece of her gone. All the while she didn't act the same either. Nine year olds shouldn't walk around depressed half the time, but she just didn't feel right. She thought maybe that this was the sickness daddy was going through. Then she got sadder thinking about why she couldn't be with him if they had the same sickness.

Claira rubbed her eyes and pulled the ponytail holder from off her little wrist, then pulled her wildly curly raven locks up into a ponytail. Keeping a ponytail holder on her wrist was a habit she picked up from her Auntie Rhy. Slowly, she flipped the covers off herself, she slid off of the bed.

In her Strawberry Shortcake footie PJ's, she shuffled to her little vanity. A yawn escaped her tiny crimson lips. She looked into the mirror as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Her heart began to thump rapidly as she saw what was looking back at her. It was her mother's face! Claira shook her head again, blinked, and looked again. An eerily sweet smile faded as she looked. Claira was left to stare into her own jade hues, that were the same as her mother's.

She leaned and set her hands on the mirror, "Momma, are you back?" A tug pulled at her heart and warmth that hadn't been there in months filled her. Claira felt alive again. Whole again.

Absent tears trailed down her cheek as she whispered to herself, "She's back!"

Quickly, the child shimming out of her PJ's, and into the clothes she had pulled off before bedtime. She slipped into some shoes and too deep breathes. Claira sighed, she was going to break some rules.

But she hopped onto her bed, and opened the window above it. Claira snagged her teddy bear, and crawled out of the window. The chilly wind bit at her bare arms, but she paid no mind. She was driven now. She climbed off the roof, and onto the trampoline below. There was a big bounce, but she recovered.

She slid passed the gates, knowing she'd show up on the video cameras around the house. But Claira cared not now, for she was going to see her mother again!

Passed the gates, there were only streets to go through. It was a long walk, but something was pulling her forward and putting her in the right direction.

Claira set off in the a run faster than any before.

Jade Ravenlock

Date: 2010-02-21 07:56 EST
She was cradled against those arms before something soft wrapped around her nude form. Everything was loud. She couldn't make out anything but the droning null. Her vision was swimming with colors, vibrant colors. Nothing like she had ever seen before. But it was all blurry, out of focus. Jade was aware of her light movement and something wet tapping against her cheek every so often. Time was standing still again.

Then she felt her lungs tightening, burning for air. Her face must to have been blue by now, no wonder she was being shaken. She had nearly forgotten that she had to breathe now. Gingerly, her mouth opened and she sucked in a long breath. As a human.

With that first breath, something wonderous happened. Her fuzzy senses came back to her. Her vision stopped swimming and focused, on his beautiful face. The loud ringing in her ears stopped and she could pick up on the things being said. It was him shouting her name. And a woman's gasps. Her hearing wasn't as acute as it used to be, but the sounds were just as amazing. It was him shaking her, and the wetness on her face was from the tears streaking down his cheeks. And she exhaled.

"Oh God! Jade? Jade! Can ya hear me? Listen to me! I got you, baby. Don't leave me again! Breathe!"

Dakota's voice was all she needed to hear to know that she was alive. Or in heaven.

"Da... kota?" Jade's light voice came out in rasps. Her throat was dry.

There was another female gasp as Dakota began to give a mix between a half laugh and a choked out sob. He lowered his head onto her blanket covered chest, "Don't ever leave me again... Don't. Don't."

"I won't, Dakota.... I promise I won't," her raspy voice came out again as a stiff hand went up to bury itself in his hair. It was shaggier, longer than she remembered. How long was she gone?

"Oh.... oh thank God, J!" The voice was merely squeeked out from the tight throat. Trying not to cry. It was so like her...

Weakly, Jade's head turned to see Rhy. As beautiful and lanking as her best friend could be. "Hello, dear heart," the rasps became more noticeable, hurting her throat.

"Hey, Jade," this time a few tears did break free as she looked down to her, "I'll go... get you some water, okay? You hold tight, okay?"

"Okay."

With Jade's short answer, Rhy turned and walked out of Jade and Dakota's bedroom. She was home. Their home. It seemed Rhy walked out for more than one reason. To give them some privacy. As Rhy walked out, Dakota lifted his head. His hands went to the sides of her face, looking into her bright green eyes. There was a long moment, his deep chocolatey hues scanning every feature of her face... taking her in - scared he might lose her again.

"Jade..." his voice came out in but only a whisper, "If I ever go through something like that again, I swear I'll..." His whisper trailed off.

Her lips twitched into a smile, "You'll what? Hurt me?" A laugh, air clawing out of her throat at best, slipped from her. Before he could protest or frett, her dry voice came out again, "We did this for me. For you. Us. And our family. I'd do it again in a heart beat."

That crooked smile spread across his tear soaked face, "I love you, Mrs. Jade Steele."

"And I love you, Mister Dakota Steele."

And with that, they had their first kiss - human kiss. Cheeks flushed, lips warm, body shivering under the blanket. She was human. Purely human. They were now whole, body and soul.