Chapter 18 - Jake

Blue eyes pierced through the brown eyes of the woman before her before moving towards the man standing behind said woman. The man's anguish felt eyes did not leave his wife until his name was softly spoken. “Jake,” she breathed as she leaned heavily on the door frame.

Seeing how weak she seemed, Jake immediately went to her. Trixie only stepped to the side as to not be in the way as Jake picked the collapsing woman into his arms and carried her towards the couch. As he did, Trixie noticed the blood dripping from the side of her abdomen. Jake then carefully placed her onto the couch. He scanned her body slowly, before slightly lifting her shirt and revealing the three claw marks that had been placed upon her.

Jake rose his head and found his wife, her expression blank as she regarded him as well. She sighed before walking over to the corner of room to place Jerry in the corner where his toys were set up on the floor. She made her way over to the couch and took her place next Jake. Trixie reached out and swept blonde locks out of the way as her cool hand made contact with a warm forehead.

She then looked at the gashes that pooled with a rich red liquid. “She needs a hospital,” she told him.

“That's where they would expect to find her,” he informed her.

“I can't do much, but clean her up, Jakey,” she told him firmly. “If she develops a fever-”

“Just tell me what you need.” He stood as he waited for her instructions.

“Grab that large mixing bowl we have in the kitchen. Fill it with warm water,” she began. “Then go to the hall closet and grab me a wash cloth and several bath towels.” Her eyes went back to the woman's lesions. “And don't forget to bring me the first-aid kit from our bedroom. I didn't have time to replace all the materials from the last time I used it, but it should be enough to wrap this wound up.”

A few minutes later, Trixie had the other woman sit up as best she could. She cringed and hissed as the antiseptics Trixie had applied still stung. Trixie then began to wrap the bandages around her with the help of Jake. “Will she be okay?” he asked her.

“Don't worry, her blood lost isn't as bad as it could have been. Rose will be fine,” Trixie said her head down as she concentrated on the task before her.

“Jesus, Long, you really haven't told her anything, have you?” Trixie looked up curiously at the statement. A hand was then held before her. It was unblemished. “I'm not Rose,” she spoke. “My name is Daisy. Rose is my twin sister.”

Trixie looked to Jake, who nodded, indicating it was true, before Trixie clipped the bandages turned to the table to place the items she had not used back into the first aid kit. “In that case, it's very nice to meet you, Daisy,” she said flatly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Long,” Daisy smiled before turning her attention towards Jake. “I have news of Rose.” Trixie frowned. “Well, not yet anyway, but I'm meeting with someone tonight here in New York. I don't really trust him, which is why I wanted to see you. I want you there with me in case things don't pan out.”

“Yes, I understand,” Jake rose from the floor, “but what about the dragons who attacked you?” concerned lined his words as he spoke. Trixie scoffed to herself as she stood and made her way down the hall.

Daisy lifted her and to wave the thought away. “They only attached me because they thought I was Rose. It doesn't matter.”

“Yes, it does,” Jake needed to make clear. “You coming to my home could put my family in danger.”

Daisy sat up a little straighter, her hand finding her side as she looked at Jake a bit surprised. “So you rather I had bleed to death?”

“No, of course not. But what if you had been followed? We can't stay here.”

“I am not my sister!” Daisy argued. “I don't bounce back as quickly as she does.” She slowly took a deep breath. “Look, I just need to rest before we meet our contact.”

“Fine.” Jake stood. “But not here.” Daisy went to speak, but before she could, crying reached her ears.

She turned to see the small child in the corner, who seemed to be having a fit for no reason at all. Jake walked around the couch to pick up the crying boy, who immediately began to smile as Jake held him. “He's a beautiful boy,” Daisy spoke as he looked over Jerry suspiciously. Jake had mentioned him before to her, but never said anything about not actually being his biological father.

“Thank you.” Jake smiled as he kissed Jerry's head. “He can be a handful sometimes, but I love him more than anything,” he admitted softly. “I don't know what I would do with him and Trixie.”

“Then tell me,” Daisy began. “If your wife and child mean so much to you, why did you agree to help me find my sister?” she couldn't help but ask. “I mean, if I were in your wife's shoes, I think I would have some issues with you chasing after someone you once loved.”

Jake's brow creased at the question, his attention once again going back to Daisy as Jerry played happily with his shirt. “Well, you aren't my wife,” he stated almost angrily, not impressed with her observation. “And whatever issues I have within my home, aren't your business.”

Daisy's eyes grew a bit wide before returning to their normal size, apparently she had hit a nerve. “You're home?” she cocked an eyebrow curiously. “You forget where you are, Long. Don't forget whose family owns this building and who is living here rent free.”

“What are you getting at?” he asked.

She stared at him for a moment. “Exactly what it sounds like.”

Just then Trixie entered back into the living room, feeling a little self-conscious with the Rose look-alike only feet away. “Um, will you be staying for dinner?” she asked politely.

“Actually,” Daisy held her side firmly as she stood up slowly, pain clearly reading on her features. “We should probably head out.”

“We?” Trixie looked from Daisy to Jake, who did not look at her, and then back to Daisy.

“Yes,” the blonde confirmed. “We're meeting someone around the way in Flatbush.” She made her way to the front door as Jake walked over to Trixie.

“I'll be back later tonight. I don't know when, so don't wait up,” he told her, half expecting her to argue with him, so he was taken by surprise by her next words.

“Okay,” she began. “Your dinner will be in the microwave when come back.” She then held out her arms for her son. “Come on, Mr. Man, daddy has important things to do,” she spoke softly.

Jake went to pass Jerry over, but something tugged at him. He looked down to see that Jerry's fist was tightly holding the fabric of his shirt. Jake looked upon the child's face, which looked more expressive than he had ever seen it look before. If Jake didn't know better, he would have thought that Jerry understood the words spoken and didn't want Jake to leave.

Jerry began to whine as Jake was finally able to release the grip that held him. With Jerry now in her hold, Trixie walked Jake over to the open door, as Daisy had already stepped out into the hall and began to make her way towards the elevator. “Nothing I say will stop you from walking out this door, will it?” Trixie asked.

Jake blinked and then only stared at her as she pretended his gaze wasn't on her. “No,” he told her honestly.

“Then good luck.” She finally met his eyes. “I really hope you find what you're looking for.” Trixie's eyes closed as Jake did something he hadn't done in a long time. He kissed her forehead. “Tell Daisy to check on her bandages often,” were her last words to him before she closed the door behind him.

When it was closed, she walked over and sat on the couch and sat there silently for several moments. Jerry cooed as he watched his mother bring her free hand up and cover her face. He felt her body begin to shake, almost violently as she tried, but failed miserably, to hold back her cries. Then finally, she stop trying, and cried loudly as she held her son closer. Jerry leaned his head against her, his arms around her as he stayed silent, allowing his mother to find the little comfort that he tried to provided. Even at such a tender age, he knew the reasoning behind all these tears all too well. . . daddy had made mommy cry again.

Finally, when she had no more tears to shed, she reached for the phone beside her. “Hello, Gregory?”



Jake lingered in the shadows, behind a large cylinder support beam, hidden from site, inside of an office building parking garage. Daisy leaned on the supporter as well, but on the other side where the light was abundant. Jake looked at his watch. “We've been here for over an hour,” he whispered to Daisy. “He's not coming. We should just cut our loses,” he suggested.

“Ten more minutes,” Daisy asked of him, her tone almost desperate. “Just ten more minutes, please.”

“Fine,” he agreed. “But if in ten minutes no one-” he stopped abruptly.

Daisy slightly turned her head towards him, still not able to see him from where she stood. “What is it?” she asked him softly.

Jake tilted his head upward and sniffed the air. “Goblins,” he replied.

“Ms. Hunter, I presume,” came a voice from across the garage as he made his away towards the blonde woman.

“Yes, I am Hunter,” Daisy stated as she made her way towards the goblin, covered from head to toe as not be discovered by any other human. “Do you have what you have promised me?” she asked.

The goblin reached into his coat and pulled out a large yellow envelope. “I have it all,” he told her. “And you?” he snatched the envelope away as Daisy reached out for it.

She narrowed her eyes angrily with the gesture. “Of course I do.” She then reached into her back pocket and pulled out what looked, from Jake's point a view, a bundle of credit cards. “Untraceable,” she added before each made their trade.

“Good luck to you, Hunter,” the goblin bid before starting to walk away.

“To you as well,” she wished before he disappeared as quickly as he arrived.

A moment later, Jake appeared from his hiding place to find Daisy opening the her package. “What was that all about?” Jake asked, curious about her last statement to the goblin.

“Nothing to concern yourself about,” she ignored the question as she pulled something out of the package. Jake watched as she slowly brought her hand to her mouth as her usually stern expression grew soft.

Jake then looked over her shoulder and found an image of someone who looked exactly like Daisy. “Is that. . .” he could bring himself to finish the question.

“Yes.” Daisy nodded. “It's Rose.” She then flipped through the remaining pictures. “Here,” she passed the pictures to Jake when she was finished and reached back into the package inside were two passports and a piece of paper folded into threes. She opened it up and read it. When she was done, she turned to Jake, who was fondly still long at the pictures of Rose. “Go home and pack, Long,” she instructed. “We leave for Australia tonight.”

Jake's head snapped up. “Australia? That's clear across the world.”

“Well, that's were we'll find Rose,” she informed him.

“And how long would we be gone?” he asked.

“As long as it takes to find her,” was her answer.

Jake shook his head. “I don't know if I can leave Trixie and Jerry for that long,” he expressed his concerns.

“Alright, I understand,” she nodded as she began to hold her side. “You have a family to see to, but Rose is mine. So with or without you, Jake, I'm leaving tonight.”

Jake lowered his head. She was right before, she wasn't Rose, there was no way she would survive traveling alone, not when her face was so familiar in the magically world. And then there was were his own selfish reasons. He had searched this long for Rose and now he was on the verge of finding her. He couldn't let his opportunity slip through his fingers. “Fine,” he agreed. “I'll come with you.”

Daisy smiled at him, truly grateful. “Thank you.” She then pulled out her cell phone. “I'm calling my pilot. Meet me at JFK in two hours, okay?” Jake nodded before she walked away.

Jake then pulled out his own cell phone and called Trixie. He told her he and Daisy had a lead on Rose and that they were heading out that very night. He asked her to pack a suitcase for him so save some time. She agreed.



“Trixie?” Jake called out when he arrived, but then cringed, realizing it was past Jerry's bedtime. He hoped he hadn't woken him up as he made his way down the hall towards the bedroom as he noticed it was kind of quiet. “Trix?” he spoke.

“I'm here, Jake,” she replied as he finally entered the room to find her simply sitting on the bed facing him.

On the bed, behind her, sat two suitcases. “I thought I said I only needed one?” he asked, positive he had told her that over the phone, yet she knew how he always managed to over pack when he had to do it himself.

“I did only pack you one.” She turned slightly and placed her hand on one of the suitcases. “This one is your. I put about two weeks of clothes in here for you,” she told.

Jake was confused. “Then what's with the other one?” he asked.

Trixie sighed, before looking up at Jake. “That one's mine.”

Jake shook his head as he thought he realized what was going on. “You're not coming with me, Trix,” he made clear.

“I didn't plan on to,” she corrected him.

“Then why. . .”

Trixie then said the last words any married man wanted to hear from his wife. “Jakey, I want a divorce.”

“Say what? You're not serious.” He made his way over to her and she stood. “That's not what I want.”

“I know, but it's what I want,” she said.

“Alright,” Jake said slowly as he took Trixie by the arms and guided her back to the bed to sit down. “Let's slow down a bit and talk about this.”

Trixie scoffed. “Now, you want to talk? After you've done nothing but ignore me and push me to the side? Now?”

“Trix.” Jake got down on one knee in front of her, his hands still on her arms. “Okay, I know I'm not perfect, I admit that, but we have gone through too much to let this fall apart.”

Trixie shook her head, taking Jake's hands off of her as she did so. “I don't want to hear it. We have become no more than a broken record. We tried, we did, but we just have to realize this was a bad idea from the start. A marriage can't work without love,” she explained. “You don't love me and I don't-” she stopped, realizing long ago her feelings for Jake. “And I don't want cry over you anymore.” She lowered her head shielding her eyes from him as they bled tears. “So just give me my divorce, please,” she begged.

“No, I refuse to let you go,” Jake told her.

Trixie wiped away her tears, her eyes sad, but angry as she looked into husband's. “You can't have your cake and eat it too, Jake. What are going to do when you find Rose?” she asked, causing Jake's head to slightly jerk back. He hadn't thought of that, of what would happen when he finally found her. “Do you honestly think you, me, Jerry, and Rose are going to be one big happy family? Well it doesn't work like that! I will not be your fool!” She then stood, grabbing her suitcase. “I've been it long enough.”

“You? My fool?” Jake stood as well, his tone darker than before. “If anyone has been anyone's fool, I have been yours!” Jake yelled. “My grandfather doesn't even speak to me anymore! My father refuses to look me in the eye! He still doesn't even acknowledge Jerry and how can I blame him? Everyone knows he not mine, but I go on pretending I don't see it!”

Trixie swiftly turned towards him. “Don't you dare put that one me, Jake Long. You are the one who went telling everyone he was yours after I told you not too. You are the one who wanted this marriage and then talked me into it,” she set the record straight. “This isn't what I wanted and you know it! You just didn't want-” she cut herself off knowing she was about to go too far.

“Finish it,” Jake demanded in a low voice. “What didn't I want?”

“You just didn't want to be alone,” she told him softly. “Before I got pregnant with Jerry, you knew of my plans of going to Kingsborough and then transferring out to California. You were okay with it then, because you still had Spud, but then when he left,” she placed a hand on her chest, “I'm what you got stuck with.”

“That's not it,” he told her. “I don't feel stuck with you,” he tried to explain. “Don't you know how big a part of my life you are? Do you think I could have gotten through half the shoot I got myself into without you?”

“You would have been fine, you're the American Dragon,” she told him.

“That doesn't mean I'm invincible,” he admitted. “I need you, Trix.”

“I know how that feels,” she told him. “Now let me show you another feeling.” She picked up her suitcase, causing Jake to look at her curiously. “This is how it feels, when the person you need, choses not to care.” Jake found he could only watch as Trixie walked pass him and though the next worlds out of her mouth were words he had heard many times before, they had no greater meaning then they did now, “. . . Goodbye, Jake.”

To Be Continued. . .

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