My blood approves

It was obvious that we were supposed to hash things out and come up with some kind of resolution, but I didn’t know how too. It wasn’t until I was yelling at Jack that I even knew it hurt me that he’d ever wanted me to be with Peter. That had been something I had been trying to overcome ever since Ezra had claimed that Jack had fallen in love with me. Because if he truly loved me, then why would he ever want me to be with his brother? No matter what Mae thought or what my blood said.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes with you,” Jack admitted quietly. “But I need a chance to rectify them. If you give me time, I swear I can make it up to you.”

He looked at me, his wounded blue eyes pleading with me to stay with him.

The horrible truth of it was that I wanted nothing more than to be with him, but would it really be worth it? I’d have to give up my brother, and I’d still be trapped in something painful and inexorable with his brother. We couldn’t actually be together, no matter what decision I made.

“If you give me time, I know that between Ezra, Peter, and I, we can find a solution to this.” He took a step towards me, trying to decide whether or not to touch me, before finally deciding against it. “I promise you. There is a way for it to work.”

“That doesn’t answer everything,” I reminded him. In fact, that didn’t really answer anything. It was just a vague promise to solve something someday, but it was still a hard offer to resist.

“Milo’s your brother, and he’s a bright kid. He’s not gonna need you forever,” he pointed out gently. “In a few more years, when he starts dating and going to college, he’s not even gonna wanna be around you. It’s just for right now that he needs you.”

“That’s probably true.” I was about to argue that it didn’t change anything, but then I understood what he was getting at. “I’m still really young. I could stay with Milo for another three or four years, and it wouldn’t change anything. Not with me turning. It would change everything for him, but I could still turn, and I’d still be younger than you are.”

“And we don’t have to move for another three years or so,” Jack nodded in agreement. “Until then, you could continue living with him, being around him, and Ezra and I could try to figure out what we’re gonna do about all of this.”

“Would that be okay?” I asked, feeling oddly paranoid.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He shrugged, and he had calmed enough where he could grin at the idea. “It’s just a couple years. It means nothing to us.”

“You don’t care what I say as long as I agree to be with you,” I smiled at him.

“That’s probably true,” he admitted.

“What if I decided not change? And I got all and old wrinkly? Would you still want to be around me then?”

“How wrinkly are we talking about?” Jack teased. I tried to swat him playfully, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. His arms were strong and reassuring around me, and he rested his hand on my cheek, gently forcing me to look into his eyes. His skin was warming up, but he tried not to notice.

“This will work out. Somehow.”

“I know.” It was hard not believe when he looked at me like that, but just the same, I managed to find a way not to.

After talking it all over with Mae and Ezra, they both agreed with my decision. Time was, for the most part, inconsequential to them, and Mae was definitely for me having more time to consider everything. They also agreed that for both mine and Jack’s sake, it would probably be better if I stayed at home until we got things straightened out in the whole Peter arena. Mae had apparently filled Ezra in on the kiss, and he admonished us for such risky behavior. He went to explain to us that Peter was a much stronger vampire than Jack, and therefore, a rather large threat to both of us.

Regretfully, I packed my things to head back home. Saying goodbye to all the little treasures of their house was terrible, but I knew that I’d be back again.

Probably tomorrow afternoon. After all, Jack couldn’t stay away from me for very long, and I was glad for it.

When I walked in the door with the massive duffle bag slung over my shoulder, Milo was sitting at the computer. As soon as he saw me, his entire face lit up and he rushed over to me, throwing his arms tightly around me and almost knocking me over.

“You’re back!” he squealed.

“Sure am.” I pried him off, smiling at his exuberance. “Do you think Mom’ll mind?”

“I don’t know why she would!” Milo looked like he was going to explode.

He had truly believed that I wasn’t coming back, and for awhile, so had I. “She’s at work right now, but I’m sure she won’t care.”

“I hope not.” I knew I had some penance to do with her, and I wasn’t looking forward to that. Or getting up for school the next morning, especially since I had spent the last few nights on a vampire sleeping schedule, which was quite contrary to a school one.

“Why did you come back?” Milo asked curiously.