Just take my hand - J.C.

They had been here for some weeks now. The hardest thing had been to find a place to stay. They couldn't use their names or their full names at least without destroying time. The good thing about this was, she could push Ramsay out of her head.The bad thing was they still had to find their way back. They have had a disagreement with Mikayla, and Jasmine knew it wasn't the plan to push them through time.This was a time for itself, before people stared at their phones walking down the street. People actually read the newspaper. They had found this shitty apartment, if it wasn't for Jasmine actually going around to fashion events around the globe with her mother and aunt - she would never have known where to go. She walked along with Jamie to the park and sat down on a bench.
"Okay, so one problem first.. we are never going to get to Gaia. And even if we did, no one would believe us -and it would mess up everything," she sighed and looked out. Everyone looked so happy walking around. She took her cardigan off, it was to warm sitting in the sun.  "I guess we will just have to get the best of it, and wait for Mikayla to find us," she breathed out and returned her eyes to Jamie. She knew she had been trying to push him slowly away. She was officially not on speaking terms with Amary, Karm and Vanya. Jasmine breathed out and looked away from him.
"We need money.. maybe we can enter a contest?" She suggested. Jasmine knew that there could be a lot of money in winning a song contest or even dance - any talent really.

Outfit
Accent: Aussie.

It had been a few weeks already. Admittedly, Jamie had been freaked out at first. If it wasn’t for Jasmine, he might not have been able to stay on his feet. He knew that she had done some things that had hurt his friend. But right now, she was all he had, and he was trying to forget what had happened. It worked most of the time, but once in a while he would look at her and see her doing all those terrible things, and in that moment, he just feels so much despair for her. Then she looks at him, or she smiles or does something else that reminds him she might not be so bad, and that feeling disappears. They were coming less and less by now. Jamie sat down with her and looked out on the passing people. He always wanted to travel, but this what not exactly what he had in mind.
”Yeah, you’re right.” He was a little sad about that. What if they never got back? Would that mean he could never see his parents again? They were alive right now, and he was stuck here, with no way to get back to them. They might not even know each other yet. He wasn’t even a thought yet, his friends weren’t born. It was so weird to be in another time. He leaned against the back of the bench and listened to her talk. ”If she finds us. Let’s face it. There’s no guarantee she will even look for us.” He might be a little pessimistic, but he didn’t want to go and wait for something that might never happen. ”Maybe we should go and see if we can find a contest to enter. We’re both pretty talented, so we might have good shot at whatever is thrown at us,” he added with a grin and leaned forward. ”It beats getting a job, that’s for sure.”

Her parents knew each other in this time, but they weren't together yet. Coming in and wave a flag that she was their daughter - would just make its own hell fire. Jasmine shook her head, she had listened to way to many of her aunts peptalks about life. It kept her spirit just a little more alive, so she took it in by the hopes of it would help her in the long run.
"I'm not even sure it would be so bad," she admitted and shook her head. "I mean it sucks being away from everyone.. and still, I feel like I can finally breath again," she closed her eyes at a nice little breeze past them. She laughed a little by his comment about getting a job. Jasmine had never had to think about that, calling her a spoiled princess like that. She had a job ish, because Abigal had needed new models for her clothing line - but a job where she had to be a barista or what so ever - she had never imagined. As a princess you never really thought about such things, of course her father had kept her more grounded. Having Micah and Kyle around with Felicity and Abigal around - life could be busy. Life was busy.
"Come on, lets have a look," she smiled at him and grabbed his hand to pull him with her. They only had each other right now, no one else knew them - which was scary enough. But Jasmine took it much more calm, because no one knew her. No one had an aks over her head.  As they came to this big poster, she looked at it. Finding something they could compete in. She barely noticed that in all this, her fingers had entangled themselves with Jamies.
"Such an attractive young couple," an elder lady said behind them. Jasmine looked around them realizing the lady was talking about her and Jamie.
"Oh.. no.. we.. we are just friends," she said looking weirdly at Jamie with a nervous smile.
".. That is a shame," the lady replied and walked away.

Jamie knew a little about feeling like you couldn’t breathe. He felt it often. ”Yeah, I get that,” he said and took in a deep breath. He didn’t feel so crushed by his own expectations or compulsive thoughts. It was like a vacation for his mind, and he actually kind of enjoyed it. Jamie had worked a little during one summer, but it was only because his father had tried to teach him about hard work, and he had to make his own money for the things he wanted to buy. He was not royalty like many of his friends, so he needed to work at some time. He stood up when she took his hand and they worked down the street to try and find a contest of some sort. He didn’t really notice their fingers entangling.
He didn’t look back at the elderly woman before Jasmine responded to her. He thought it was kind of cute. It was innocent, nothing more than a woman making a mistake. ”Does that mean I’m friend-zoned?” He asked her with a smile. There was a shy quality over it. ”I saw a wall with flyers further down. Maybe there’s something there.” He lead her further down the street to where he had noticed the board. Before the internet really broke through, that was apparently how you found guitar tutors or offered babysitting. He let go of her hand to search through the colorful papers. ”There we go,” he said and pulled off the flyer so she could see. ”Talent-show, cash prize of 1000 dollars. Should have us running for a little while.”

She giggled by his comment on being friend-zoned.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings?" She asked in a teasing matter and gave him a bright smile before giving him a lovely little shoulder push. Jasmine giggled at little to herself and looked the way he talked about. She gave him a nod till they could go. He let go of her hand, and it was like it was in that minute she realized they had been holding hands. Jasmine crossed her arms and looked at the flyer he took of. She read all the details about the talent-show, also everything that was written with very small font, just to be sure they actually was going to get the money if they won. Her mother always said it was important to know precisely what you were getting into.
"Let's go sign up then.. but what are we going to do? We have like four days to plan something good," she breathed out. They would have to either write a song, make a cover of an old classic - there was a lot of things to do. "We could do Grease?" She suggested.
"Like you have the most incredible singing voice Jai, would be shame not to show it off," she gave him at cute little half smirk as she tilted her head to the side. "ohohohhh - You are the one I want," she softly sang to lure him into the idea. Jasmine was a sucker for musicals and everyone knew that.

”I’m fine,” he said and pretended to dry away his tears. ”Totally fine,” he added and smiled at her. He let her read everything. He had just read the headline. He looked around them in the meanwhile. It was still so weird to be back in time and in another country. He watched her again when she talked. ”Yes, let’s go.” He said, although he was already getting a little nervous. He was not a natural performer. It took more of him to take a stage and make it his. ”I don’t know,” he said hesitantly. He liked singing, but this was in front of people. He smiled when she just suddenly began singing. He shook his head a few times before he grabbed her hand and swung her around. ”The one that I want,” he sang and made her swirl into his arms. Their faces were close together when he whispered: ”We need chorography too.” He let go of her and looked around, a little nervous people had seen their little dance moves. ”Let’s go sign up and then go back to rehearse.” He wanted to be completely sure they were good enough, that he knew his part perfectly. Otherwise he might mess up on the stage. He didn’t want him to cause them the money, but the pressure was not something he needed to put on himself. But he always did anyway.

- Time jump –

After signing up, they went back to their hotel room with some food. He was not nearly as nervous as he had been before. But it was still there. ”I’m scared,” he admitted after they had finished eating. ”I’m not a performer,” he admitted.

"Well I know," she added before she sang. As he grabbed her hand and swung her around she smiled so bright. It was first as he swirled her into his arms and their faces were close, that her heart skipped a few beats. She looked into his eyes, and breathed out as he let go of her.
"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.

------

Jasmine sat on the floor in the sitting room eating. This hotel wasn't five stars or anything else she was used to. But they were in this together. Jasmine looked up when he admitted he was scared. Fear was a feeling she knew better than any other emotion at this point. It wasn't the same, but she still knew what it was like having to preform a role that was out of the comfort zone.
"No one is born a performer Jai," she said with a varm smile. Jasmine had been growing up in a different spotlight - and her mum was very business minded where her father was more grounded. The best of both worlds really. ""We will practice and we'll get it. And you have me. I'll never let you down. So don't beat yourself up before we even get started. My father has this trick, its sounds really silly - but it works," she added and sat down next to him.
"Close your eyes.. and take a deep breath in. Focus on the things you have in your life that fills you up with joy and happiness. - Now you focus on the imagine of what you want. See it and feel it," she sat closely to him as she said these things, her voice almost hypnotic.  Jasmine smiled at him as he opened his eyes again.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine," she said before giving his cheek a kiss. Jasmine got up and took the dishes - they after all needed to be done. Reggie would laugh his ass of if he saw her do the dishes.

There were many bad things about being caught here in this time. For Jamie, the worst thing was getting blood. He couldn’t just go to the kitchen and cook something up like he could back home. He needed to get it other ways, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t want to be violent to get it, at least. He had begun to visit local hospitals and steal some from there, but it wasn’t ideal. He looked at Jasmine, when she talked. ”Maybe not,” he took in a deep breath and sat up on the floor he had previously been laying on. Since they were only able to get a room with one bed, he hadn’t been sleeping. He didn’t need it like she did, so he could go for a while without sleep. Forever actually, if he needed to. But he had some other things that became harder for him to control without his sleep. He looked around the room. He needed everything to stand exactly right. He stood up and walked around the room, moved a lamp on the night table, so it was exactly in the middle. He moved a picture on the wall, so it hung straight. His OCD was getting out of hand. He stopped himself from acting on the thoughts in his head. He needed to stop. It felt worse if he acted out on the thoughts, so he just kept them inside for det most part.

He sat back down next to her. He did as she said. He saw his family, his friends. They were the main part for his happiness, but that happiness seemed to disappear, as he began to feel like he might never see them again. He opened his eyes again and looked at her, as she kissed his cheek. He looked at her when she went to do the dishes. ”I need blood,” he said a little lowered, but not so she couldn’t hear it. He could feel the insatiable hunger grow inside him.

She didn't feel like Jamie did. She did not feel the void as brutally. Because while she was here without any Ramsay to make her do as he wanted. No one to make her tell her friends off. She had made Mariella cry, that never happened and it broke her heart. By that thought she was washing up a knife and cut her palm up. Jasmine hissed at the pain and in shock she let go of the knife so it felt to the ground.
"Bloody hell," mumbled she and looked at the cut. Jasmine moved her fingers a little, it wasn't a deep cut. Lucky her. "It's fine, just a minor cut," her mother was a vampire so she knew he could smell the blood. Jasmine picked up the knife and put it back in the sink to wash the blood of it. But her hand was sore.
"I'm just clumsy you know," she turned around to already seeing him there. "Oh you scared me," she laughed a little at herself for getting a scare.
"Are you okay?"

That smell. God, he hated the smell. He hated that he craved it so badly. All he could focus on was her. The smell of the blood, the sound of the heartbeat. He watched her like a tiger about to jump a gazelle. He tried to fight it. He tried to stop himself from going over there. He just needed to go out of the door, and then he would be able to resist it. But the door seemed so far away, and she was right there. Just one movement, and he would be right there. He couldn’t stop himself. He moved to her, quickly and silently. She turned around and was clearly scared by him. This was the worst, because he really didn’t feel like he could control himself. He looked at her with a wildness in his eyes. He usually seemed pretty collected, but that was because he could get blood daily, now it was different. He picked up her hand. He let a finger run across her wound. He licked the blood of his finger. It tasted terrible, but he felt like he would die if he didn’t drink it. The vampiric traits appeared on his face, as he dug his teeth into her hand. He was naturally stronger than her, so she would most likely not be able to get away. As he got some of the blood, he forced himself away from her. He felt so disgusting. He couldn’t even bare to look at her. ”I-I’m so sorry.” He moved away from her and to the bed. He sat down with his back turned to her. He wiped away the blood, her blood, from his face. He looked down at his hand and rubbed them to get the blood to disappear. He couldn’t do this anymore. He couldn’t handle being such a threat for her. He should probably leave and stay far away from people. That was what monsters had to do to keep their conscious clean.

She knew that look. Not on him. But she had seen it in Lavenders eyes the first few times she had met her. Seen it Ramsays eyes when he tortured people for the linking of power. Jasmine felt her heart skip a beat shortly as his ringer ran across the wound. The vampire traits on his face, should make her feel scared. She should yell for help, trying to fight back. But she didn't. There wasn't much fight left in her. She gasped as his teeth ripped through her palm and she felt the blood getting sucked out of her veins - but as she breathed out, she felt for a second like this was the answer to her problems. But she snapped out of it, because it wasn't Jamie who should live with that. It felt like ages to her before he pulled himself off her. Jasmine breathed out and looked after him as he went to the bed. Turning his back on her in what was most likely guilt. Jasmine washed her hand, and went to a kit and put a band Aid on. She breathed out and walked to him. She sat down on her knees in front of him, with the other hand she took one of his.
"Hey," she kissed the back of his hand. "I don't blame you. I should have thought about your hunger in this matter. Don't beat yourself up," she added with a little smile. "I'm fine" she whispered, it was partly true.

Jamie had always lived with this. With a hunger for something truly awful. Luckily his mother had taught him how to deal with it, so he didn’t have to go through this, taking it forcefully. He was grateful for it. But it didn’t help him now. Now he needed a way to control it. He kept his eyes fastened to the floor, even as she sat down in front of him. He nearly pulled away when she took his hand, but he had to be able to touch her, even if he was hungry. He had to learn to control it. He finally looked at her, when she kissed his hand. He needed to hear it, but he didn’t want her to blame herself either. ”How about we say it was both our fault? We have to share everything now, right?” He moved from the bed and down on the floor with her. ”We just need to make sure we always have blood with us.” He looked down on her injured hand. ”I can heal it, if you want.” His blood was healing after all. Jamie was usually not an impulsive person, but this side of him, the predator in him, it sometimes acted differently that he would normally. And right now, the predator was fully emerged after getting blood. He leaned forward and let his lips lock with her for no more than 10 seconds, before he pulled away, realizing what he had just done. He swallowed and looked away from her again. ”I should probably go get some blood,”

"I can agree with that," she smiled when he said if they could share the blame. But sharing everything now made her heart skip a sudden beat. Everything was a big word. He sat down on the floor with her. Jasmine had always liked sitting on the floor. She gave him a nod.
"No its okay," she smiled at him. "I heal a little faster than your usual banshees anyways," she added and gave him a little blink. She didn't take her eyes off him. He leaned towards her, letting his lips lock onto hers and completely took her by surprise.  As he pulled away she folded her lips softly and swallowed. She listened to his words, but grabbed his chin and kissed him once more. Just needing to feel happiness in her darkened soul. He seemed to have a good effect on her, make her letting go from the darkness Ramsay had planted in her like a seed. It surprised her how soft his lips felt, how they seemed to be made for hers.

Jamie smiled gently when she agreed. He felt better now that he knew, she didn’t hate him for what he had done. He felt regret of the kiss right after it happened. He felt like he was betraying Theo, even though they weren’t together anymore. He just felt like he violated some sort of friendship code. He was just about to stand up when she grabbed his chin and kissed him again. At first came the guilt again, then he was overwhelmed by a feeling of content. He needed to let himself feel good, and this made him feel good. He put a hand on her thigh and the other on her neck. The kiss went on, and then it felt like she melted through his fingers. He stopped the kiss and looked at her. She just melted, turn into a liquid below him. ”Jas. Jasmine,” he said with clear fear in his voice and eyes. He shook his head, and she turned back to normal. He rubbed his eyes. ”Banshee blood,” he said in a lowered tone. It was messing with his head. ”Seems like I’m going to be delusional,” he said and sighed.

She hadn't felt like that for a while, just the feeling of feeling good. And that kiss made her feel good. She wanted to feel good. That was all she wanted for so long, but he pulled away with a panic and then she realized how stupid she was not to think of that. Of course banshee blood was posion to every living creature in one way or another.
"Hey its okay, I'm right here, I'm okay," she put a hand on his cheek. He shook his head and seemed to snap out of it for a second. Jasmine sighed and got up, "don't worry babe I'll fix this," she said quickly not thinking about her words. All she was thinking about was the idea she had. She sat down on the bed and closed her eyes, and focused. Not many had any clue about her abilities. She knew what she needed to do, she just had to be good enough to do it. It was about one single thing. One bird flying from the tree, shitting on a mans shoulder so he almost hit a kid in the head with his newspaper. And the rest, she didn't know that. All she knew is that creating an event that would end up with people walking in the hall to next to their rooms. Jasmine opened her eyes a few minutes after, a knock on the door made her sit up and walk. The couple had trouble with their keycard. And she came to realize one of them might have healing blood. So as she talked to them, she mentioned her sick friend in her room and she had been right. The man hurried to go to his kitchen to fill up a glass of blood - saying she needed to trust him, that it would heal. Jasmine thanked them and returned to Jamie. She closed the door behind him.
"Look I'm coming with gifts," she smiled and gave him the glass.

Jamie hadn’t planned it. He was usual not the impulsive kind, but he had not been able to stop himself. He had thrown caution to the wind and acted on desire instead of logic. She was partly the reason he snapped out of it. He looked into the floor when she walked away. Yet his gaze fell to her when she called him babe. He smiled, before looking at the ground again. He put his hands around his head to shield himself from the effect of her blood. She came back with a glass. He took it and drank the blood quickly. He could feel it change his state of only moments after he had swallowed it. He leaned against the bed and took in a deep breath. ”You’re the best,” he said and looked at her, [i]babe” he added a little teasingly. Actually it was just because he wanted to know if it had been a casual thing, or if it meant something more. He stood up and walked to her. ”Thank you,” she took her hands in his and stroked them with his thumb. ”Do you want to rehearse?” He let go of one hand and swung her around, so she ended up close to his body with his arm around her. He giggled breathless as their faces were close together. He let go of her and took a step away. He wanted to kiss her again, but was he betraying his friend by doing this? He wasn’t here, but that shouldn’t matter, should it?

She looked at him as he took har hands, and asked for a rehearsal. But before she got the chance to actually say yes, he swung her around. A soft laughter left her, till she ended up close to him. She him taking her breath away just by standing there close to him. Was she even allowed to be happy? Feeling this joy in her chest? Jamie took a step back, making her able to breathe again. Jasmine felt it a little overwhelming, but in a good way. She wanted happiness, she wanted to be able to just laugh and feel good about herself again. And being here, helped with that - and she longed to feel his on hers again. Just to be close to him seemed make her life somehow whole again. Was she selfish for wanting this? Jasmine stepped closer to him without even thinking it. Her heart skipped a few beats, but how could she not like Jamie - there was nothing not to like. She put her free hand on his cheek and caressed it softly. Jasmine leaned in and pressed her lips softly against his. Millions of butterflies seemed to escape her chest and made her body only crave more.

Jamie enjoyed hearing her laugh. Lately, he hadn’t heard her laugh much. But still, he moved away. She was a temptation he wasn’t sure he should pursue. He watched her from afar but let his gaze dart to the floor. He had to put his friendship first. But then she came closer, and he felt a strange reaction to her. His heart didn’t beat, but it would have if, he just knew. She moved her hand to his cheek. His gaze met hers as she put her lips to his. How what he supposed to resist, when he could constantly taste her lips. He moved his hands to her back and pulled her close. He just wanted to feel her close. He didn’t want to stop, God he didn’t want to stop, but his heart and head was in conflict. He ended the kiss but kept himself close to her. ”I shouldn’t do this to Theo,” he whispered. ”I like you Jasmine, but I can’t betray him.” He tried so much to be a good friend, but how could he when all he could think about was her lips? ”I’m sorry,” he said and released himself from her. He needed to keep a distance.

He pulled her closer, and for a second it felt like the world around them froze. They were for seconds all that mattered. For a second. He ended the kiss, but she craved more. She couldn't remember when she last had hungered for another persons touch, it almost felt like she had been starving for so long. His reason for ending the kiss made sense, and she should have thought about it - but she didn't - it was selfish of her. She looked into his eyes and swallowed as he said he liked her. The look in her eyes showed shortly a surprise. She was still surprised she hadn't manged to push everyone away just yet.
"Don't be sorry - you don't have any reason to be sorry," she replied and slightly wrapped her arms around herself as he let go of her. Her eyes couldn't move themselves away from Jamie for more than two seconds at the time, so that fight she quickly gave up on.
"But for what it matters.. I like you too," she admitted and felt her heart skip a beat admitting her feelings. Temptation was a dangerous thing, it was even harder when you tried to fight it - and somehow it just grew.

Jamie felt selfish. He may act a little self-absorbed at times, but when it really counted, he wanted to be there for his friends. He had to put his own desires aside to focus on Theo’s. He tried desperately to not look at her, but he could her. He could hear her body react to everything. He even heard how her eyelashes brushed against her cheek when she blinked. It was impossible for him to not focus on her. He barely heard her words, because he was so in tune with her. He heard her heart skip a beat and he finally looked at her again. He wasn’t sure he could fight it, fight how much he just wanted to feel her close. She was all he had, and he felt cold without her closer. Closer than normal. He bit his lower lip, his gaze locked on her. He was trying to decide what to do. ”I’m allowed to be selfish once in a while,” he walked to her. He moved his hand towards her cheek, but it just hovered in the air for a while. If he touched her, he wasn’t going to be able to stop again. He had to decide right now. His gaze fell to her eyes. ”I’m selfish,” he said and his hand fall to her cheek, stroking it gently. He led his hand down to her shoulder, down her arm. ”Let me in,” he whispered, referring to how she was embracing herself. If she let her arms fall down her side, his hand would find hers.

She breathed out by his words. Growing up, she had always listened to her parents telling stories about love - mostly her father was somehow a hopeless romantic. And then you had the other Mikaelsons. Abigal was a romantic by heart, so was Jordan and Gabriella. Even Reginald had that trait. And so had Jasmine. Her blue eyes followed his movements, and she took a deep breath in as his hand reached for her cheek. It was first as he finally touched her skin, that she seemed to allow herself to actually breathe again. When she had her arms wrapped around her, she knew she could keep herself save. If she first let him in completely, she would forever be vulnerable to his whole being. It was a risk. But living was a risk. Who knew how long they would have till they would find a way back? Once life got back to normal, she would go back to her reality - and she was sure Ramsay wouldn't her enjoy this either. Something was clearly stuck on her mind. But she had also been so distant from the group lately, he surely had heard about her and Mariellas fight as well.
".. but what If letting you in is going to get you hurt?" She asked as she bit her lower lip shortly. "I want to let you in.. I do.. I really.. really do," she admitted and unwrapped her arms slowly, and grabbed his hand.  "Don't let me push you away."