Jason stood up, but remained eye-level with Addilyn. He gently placed his hands on the side of her head, making her look into his eyes as her mind bombarded him with memories he couldn't even begin to unravel, "Addi... Addi... Addi..." he soothed, wiping away her tears with his thumbs, even as they were replaced a second later, "I would never leave you. I was tricking Jolon - I had to get close to him in order to get rid of his advisors. I trusted that you would get rid of Jolon, and if the advisors remained, then their reign would only continue." Jason furrowed his brow, grabbing a tight hold onto a memory that flew past, and analyzing it, "Addilyn, you are not a monster. Even if you are one, then I'm right alongside you. We've both caused pain in our past lives, I now see, but that is not the now. That is not what is happening now. Your mind hasn't been your own, I think, nor your soul and body. You cannot be blamed for someone else's spite."
A fierce headache was starting to form, and Jason couldn't tell where reality started and ended, and if the words he could hear were in his mind or being spoken. He closed his eyes, but didn't try to block the memories - Addilyn memories, but he was there too - from coming, "I'm sorry, Addilyn. I should have figured out a way to tell you of my plans, so you would know that I would never leave you. And Lilith, because I can see that is you as well, I am sorry for leaving in the past. For being the way I was. I think that I'm sorry for things I did in every life," Jason dropped his hands, "Because I have been the center of a cycle of pain for... for... for longer than I'm able to tell."

Addilyn tried so, so hard to not look Jason in his perfect eyes. The eyes that had saved her so many times in this life. The eyes of the person she would always love, no matter how many times he killed her or she killed him or they fought each other. These eyes were ingraved in her memories, had been there for so long that she couldn't even imagine a life without him. But she had had lives without him, lives where she was engulfed in anger and rage and power. A power that she had no right to hold. A power that she did not deserve.

Not that it mattered, for now Jason was forcing her to look at him. To recognize that he was there, right in front of her. Right where she wanted him to be even if he had betrayed her, because in this life, she wanted him more than anything, or anyone else. Yet her brain was forcing her to look to the logical side, what if he was lying? What if Jolon had cast a spell on him before she'd killed him? What if this wasn't her Jason?

And if he was? How was she supposed to tell him that she was scared of what she might do to him? Even with her memories regained, these newfound powers were still well beyond her control. She didn't want to hurt him, but what if he was Jolon's now?

It was Kit who ended those thoughts, with the two being reunited, their bond had strengthened, and now he could help her as a familiar was meant to. Using their strong connection, he gently put his own memories into Addilyn's mind. Showing her that Jason had saved Kit, reunited him with Addilyn, and fought for her, just as he'd said he had. The doubt immediately began to drift away but that did not stop Addilyn's tears, which were both due to the pain she was in and because of her overwhelming memories that she was beginning to realize Jason could probably see. After a moment of pulling herself together, she slammed down the doors of her mind, she didn't want to hurt Jason anymore than she'd already had.

After a short eternity, Addilyn spoke again, sniffling as she spoke. "Y-you're an asshole, you know that right? Don't ever, ever, do that again. I-I, I'm sorry for being so horrible. I am, I truly am. I don't even know who I am anymore Jason. And I don't want to drag you into that, not anymore than you already are Jason. I just want you to be happy. Even if you literally scared the shit out of me by leaving with Jolon." A slight tinge of humor entered her voice when she called Jason an asshole, but it was all heartfelt, and she gently picked up Jason's hand with her good arm and intertwined their fingers. She didn't know if he'd leave or stay, or if he would never want to see her again. But she just wanted to hold his hand for a moment, to remember that even if she was Lilith, she was Addilyn too.

Addilyn, who had ran away from home to save her mom. Who ended up in New York of all places, and was found on one fateful walk home by a boy who she'd been scared would hurt her. But he hadn't. He had helped her, befriended her, and eventually loved her. And she loved him too.

She was Addilyn, the leader of the fiercest gang in New York, who had found her love again abd clung to him for dear life and had never wanted to let go.

She was a girl with a name practically written in blood, and she'd done horrible things.

But she was Addilyn, Addilyn who loved with all her heart. Who cared for her friends because they were her only real family other than Destan. She would do anything for them.

And most importantly.

She was Jason's Addilyn.

Jason grinned at Addilyn as she spoke, filled with the weight of so many lifetimes, and ages older than the young man should ever look. Yet, Jason was beginning to realize how many years his soul had been around. He never even thought of human spirits as something that could reincarnate, and yet.... he could tell that his and Addilyn's history went far beyond just this lifetime. Much... much father.

Now was not the time to get lost in the past. What mattered now what the Present - what was in front of him, and staring at his right in the face.

Addilyn.

"There's my Addilyn," Jason said fondly, but with a purposeful look in his eyes, "Calling me out on my shit and keeping me in line. I don't know where I'd be without you, so please.. know that I'd never leave you. I am happy - when I am with you."

Jason gently kissed their intertwined hands, his eyes never leaving Addilyn's face.
Ice had never been so warm.

"You are the love of my life.

My light, my guide... my everything.

I know that... you are afraid. Of the past.

But this isn't the Past. This is the Present, and at this moment - the moment right here - we can choose our Future. We don't have a dark cloud over our heads anymore.

For once, we have control over our lives... and Addilyn?

I want to spend mine with you.

Because... because that is a choice that I can make without fear, without worry.... without anything but love and hope in my heart.

I believe in us. ...

And I never stopped believing in us."
Jason felt his eyes growing wet, but again, he did nothing to hide them. His voice was deep and husky as he laid his heart bare for Addilyn to see... trying to show... to show that he wasn't afraid for their future. He'd face it head on, as long as they were able to hold onto one another and charge together.

"And now... Now I am asking for you to believe with me, Addilyn."

Got me all emotional ugh.)

~

~

A soft, melting smile drifted onto Addilyn's face as Jason joked. It was nice, to see him joke even if everything around them was falling apart. Then again, at this moment the world could be ending and all she'd want would be to curl up in bed beside Jason and sleep until the earth exploded. That was probably not the best line of thoughts, but Addilyn was in no mood to control her thoughts, she doubted she could even if she wanted to with the way her mind was scattered.

Despite her straying thoughts, Addilyn's eyes never left Jason's, and soon the heart monitor was speeding up again as her eyes welled with a fresh wave of tears. The smile on her face never left, but the corners of her lips twitched as new tears slid down her cheeks. Jason always knew what to say to get to Addilyn, he always did. "You jerk," she muttered softly, trying to rub the tears off her dirty face with her good shoulder. Somehow, this stupid, big oaf in front of her, was the love of her life, many lives actual. This big jerk who'd pissed her off countless times but she'd always come crawling back to him, because their love hed strong in the midst of all the chaos.

It was Jason who'd kept her sane when her mother was not. It was Jason who was in her dreams when she ran the gang, comforting her and giving her advice even if he wasn't actually there. It was Jason who'd always been there, no matter what, and she clung to that bond throughout the entire time she'd known him. She'd never stopped believing in their love because if she doubted for even a moment, he proved her wrong.

"Jason you are so stupid. I never stopped believing. Just like you. Jason I love you, so so much." Addilyn's pale green eyes watered with unshed tears as she stared deep into Jason's eyes. Opening her mind's doors a crack, just a teeny, tiny crack, so he could understand the things that she could not convey with her words. Her undying love for him, the hope he gave her when all else felt lost. The bond between the two that had connected the two from the first life they'd met. A bond that wasn't visible, and sometimes resulted in hate rather than love. But it was still a bond, an unbreakable one, that tied their two souls together. Even if Addilyn was the only one who ever knew about it.

Addilyn leaned forwards, resting her forehead on Jason's chest, the heart monitor's beeping slowing as she calmed. "I love you."

Jason felt warm emotions wash over him, and he was comforted with ideas that only meant more without being voiced. He felt, deep within his heart, that at last... they were safe. No more running for their lives, near death experiences, crime.... just... love.

"Then," he said softly, giving her hand a light squeeze, "We are in agreement. I love you too, Addilyn." As Addilyn rested on him, he kissed the top of her head, "Is there room for me in that bed? I think I could take about a forty-year nap. I'm exhausted."

-

ts?

Addilyn sniffed softly, her tears slowly stopping as she listened to Jason's steady heartbeat. Everything began to fade away, and it was just him and her, together again, as one. She couldn't describe it, but it was a feeling of fulfillment, like she'd done what she'd been born to do. It was over now, whatever came next, they'd go through together.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure there is." Addilyn pulled away and scooted over, wincing in pain at her injuries. But soon she was laying back down, Kit curled up at the bottom of the bed. And all was right again.

~
~
Yes, I'm thinking we ts to Addilyn's dad coming and telling Jason +whoever else that they are free and got money and stuff.)

oki!

also, rip Michael. that s gonna be rough to tell alex hahahHAHAHAH

and that sounds good! how much longer should that be? (days, hours...?)

Oh

...

I am literally so sorry I already forgot about how he did the die. Um. Oops. R.I.P bro.

And he's gonna come in like... six-ish hours. Not days, he works fast. He wants Addilyn out of Mexico ASAP.))

ts to then?

Yuppers, this is the ONE thing I actually know how to reply to right now.))

~
~
It had been a few hours of Addilyn and Jason sleeping when Kaitlyn felt someone enter the hotel. She'd stayed in the room with the two, not because she wanted to, but because Addilyn was still not in a very stable condition. And no matter how awkward it was to her, she had to stay as she was the only certified doctor on hand.
When Kaitlyn felt Lance enter her barrier so easily, she scowled. After internally debating, she quietly slid out of the room. Despite her caution, Kit woke up. The familiar stretching before staring at the door, waiting for Kaitlyn to return. When she did, she was frowning and Kit figured that whatever had transpired between the two witches hadn't went well. He'd probably threatened to kill her if she didn't help him. that happened a lot in witch society. Regardless, Kaitlyn made her way over to the bed, gently prodding Jason but ignoring Addilyn's unconscious form.

"Jason, please don't like, freak out and try to kill me for waking you up, but someone's here to see you. And I'd really appreciate if you'd just talk to him to get him out of my hair." Kaitlyn was mildly concerned for her safety, as she doubted a man that literally spent his entire life on edge would sleep without a weapon nearby.