Random Ideas V.3

Jamie narrowed his eyes at Daphne, trying to keep his cool. "You are so-" he was about to continue, but Blake cut him off. "Shut up, Jamie!" he yelled before he grabbed Daphne's arm, and he looked into her eyes. "Daphne, I'm not going to yell at you, unlike someone," he said, and he glared at Jamie for a moment before he turned to Daphne. "Jamie, stay in here. If anyone asks about Daphne, tell them I am talking to her," he said, and he calmly took her outside, setting down on a bench. "Sit down and tell me everything. I've learned that spilling out what's on your mind helps the best. You can even hit me a bit of you want," he said. He knew that he was still a bit immature, but Apollo had taught him to be serious. He learned everything from Apollo and Willow.

Jamie got up when he was finished with his plate, and he looked at Maya. "Be safe," he said, and he kissed her cheek before grabbing his plate. He walked over to Willow, and he examined the work she was doing. Of course, his house was messy, but he knew enough about cleaning up. He started to wash some of the dishes. He tried to ignore the feeling of Apollo's eyes continually staring at him.

Daphne stumbled slightly after him and hesitantly took a seat beside him. Dropping her head into her hands, she let out a long sigh. She didn't know what to say, or how to form her thoughts into a question. The pinpricks of tears crept into her eyes, and she had to force them back. "Why did no one tell me?" she whispered finally, not looking up. She just stared into the darkness behind her eyelids. She wouldn't be able to meet his eyes without bursting into tears.

Maya rolled her eyes as she pulled her hair back, out of her face. "I will be," she assured him as she stepped outside the house. She soon reached the stables and gently ran her fingers along her horses mane. "Hey there, buddy. Haven't seen you in a while," she cooed quietly before she climbed over to saddle him up. Willow was working with the dishes when Jamie came over to help. "You don't have to help," she murmured as she stole a glance in his direction.

Blake took a deep breath as he listened to her. He moved some hair out of her face, and he stayed quiet for a moment. "We just wanted you to be happy, but I am afraid we waited too long, and I apologize. I should have said something before, but I wasn't the man I am today. You know, after we gave you to Maria, I wasn't very happy. I always dreamed of braiding my little girl's hair and everything. I started to braid Elaine's hair. I did it so much so almost broke my arm," he said, laughing a bit at the memory. "But seeing Maria and Spencer so happy to have a child, it sort of made things a little bit okay in the moment. The only time I ever saw Maria cry was when she held you for the first time," he said quietly.

Jamie smiled at Willow, and he shook his head. "I don't mind at all. I should help you. Besides, I have nothing else to do," he said, and he smiled a bit. "Where is Maya's room? After this I'll go get her bag and hang everything up for her," he said, and he thought for a moment wondering how Gabriel was doing. He looked different with his new haircut. Jamie was still trying to get used to the feeling of his hair curled above his slightly mutilated ear. He never told Maya, but that was why his hair was so long in the first place.

As he spoke, Daphne said nothing; she took in his words, but she wasn't sure how to respond. She felt her whole life was a lie, and no one had felt the need to tell her the truth. Rubbing her eyes raw, she finally stole a glance over at Blake. A sad smile rested on her lips. "I just wish...someone would have told me sooner or not at all," she whispered. She hated feeling this way, like no one cared and that everyone was untrustworthy. After a moment or so, she tugged her hair free from its ponytail, her long, wavy locks falling down her back. Slowly, she turned so she was facing away from Blake and offered the ponytail. "For the record, I don't usually wear my hair in braids, but I'm willing to make an exception," she whispered as she glanced back at him.

Willow threw a glance over at Apollo before she arched a brow. "Are you sure about that. I am sure you will have plenty to do when he gets a hold of you," she murmured, her voice dropping to a whisper as she spoke to him. Once she finished up washing the dishes, she began to dry them effortlessly. She didn't speak for a moment or two. Eventually, she muttered, "So, you are a veteran?" Her eyes momentarily shifted over to him before continuing on with the dishes.

Blake listened to her, and he took in a deep breath. He knew a little bit about how she felt, but it was reversed. His father was never in the picture, and his mother made sure he knew that and hated his father almost as much as she did. Yet he always wished that he thought his father had died rather than leaving his mother. He got a little worried as she turned away from him, but his face turned into a bright smile when he saw she offered him the band. He took it, and he carefully started to braid her hair. It was beautiful and soft, just like her mother's. "Elaine would always laugh about how odd it was that I could braid. A tattoo artist isn't really someone who you would think to be able to do such things," he said.

Jamie helped her dry the dishes, and he looked around all the drawers to see where everything went. He smiled a bit as he found the place for all the silverware, and he put them up. He paused for a moment when he heard ask the question. He managed a small smile for her. "Yes ma'am, I am," he said. He couldn't see it, but Apollo seemed a bit impressed by the new information. "At least you're not totally indecent," he muttered.

Daphne traced her fingers over the wood of the bench, her thoughts shifting effortlessly. She wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation. She wanted to love them, and for them to love her, though she wasn't sure if that would happen. Clasping her hands together in front of her, she remained quiet as he braided her hair. A small smile adorned her lips at his words. "Yeah...it does seem kind of odd," she whispered quietly, staring ahead into the blue sky. For a few moments, she just played pretend as she used to do as a kid. She pretended that this was her life; she wanted the few precious moments before reality took in and took control of her life all over again.

Arching her brows thoughtfully, Willow carefully placed the plates in the cabinet and pulled the plug out of the sink. "Good to hear. You all saved the country," she murmured with a half smile. Who knew what the world would be like if America hadn't stepped in. Things would be utter chaos, she was sure. In same ways, it was quite a relief that the war had ended. Peace was the best part.

Blake braided her hair a little bit more. The part he loved the most about braids was the difference in colors of each stand of hair and the contrast they had. "Tell me about Maya. I know that family isn't the only problem you have," he said as he continued to wrap pieces of hair together in an intricate way. He didn't understand why she never braided her hair. It was beautiful! He almost didn't want her hair to end. Braiding gave his mind something to work on in a stressful time.

Jamie smiled a little bit, and he glanced at the ground, shaking his head. "No ma'am. I didn't save anyone. I just signed up and served," he said, but he knew that was a lie. He didn't want to tell people the story. It reminded him of the terrible times, and he sounded vain. He hadn't even told Gabriel or Maya yet, but he had been awarded the Metal of Honor. He knew that Gabriel would go around and let people know. The Purple Heart was enough for people to know about.

Daphne's eyes drifted closed as he mentioned Maya; she bit down on her bottom lip and let out a long sigh. "She's going through a lot, and I know I sound selfish, but so am I. When I need her most, she goes off the deepend, and then she won't let me help her. She rarely talks to me, and when she does...it just doesn't feel the same," she whispered. Her gaze drifted to her hands; one was still sore from the punching. How she would explain that to Maria...she had no clue.

Nudging the cabinet door closed with a soft tap, Willow shook her head and glanced in his direction. "Don't say that. You did. All of them did," she whispered, crossing her arms lightly over her chest. She had heard the horror stories, and some suffered greatly for the war. PTSD was a common issue that had been going around after the war; so far, Jamie seemed pretty levelheaded and at ease. That was nothing short of a miracle.

Blake nodded as he listened to her, and he bit his lip as he listened to her. He soon finished the braid, and he tied it off. He looked down at his daughter, kissing her head. "Maybe you need to take the time to get better yourself. Let Jamie help Maya. He's feeling rather remorseful for everything he has done, and he's started to get better with his problems, so maybe he can get to her. Right now you just need to sit back and get better. Don't worry about someone else until you are okay. You can't help them if you are hurt."

Jamie nodded, and he offered her a small smile, but his eyes widened as a thought came to his mind. He needed to get his medicine before he had a panic attack. "I'll be right back," he said, and he rushed out to the car, grabbing all of their bags. Once he came inside, he set his down, and he fished in it for the pills. "What is that?" Apollo asked, not looking too happy. Jamie offered the man a small smile, hoping that he wouldn't think the worst. "Prescribed pills for my PTSD," he said. He had to admit, he got off lucky compared to most guys.

It didn't occur to her until then that she had been crying, which was a big deal for her and embarrassing frankly. Wiping her eyes, Daphne let out a rather shaky breath. She wished that she hadn't dropped her lighter in the hallway. She could go for a cigarette at this moment. She could go for a lot of things at this moment truthfully. "What if I can't get better?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. She slowly turned to face him once more, her fingers delicately trailing over the braid. "I would much rather focus on someone else's problems than my own," she continued, shaking her head as she did so. Her issues were just too much to handle. The wounds were still fresh, and she would crumble if she were to revisit the memories or tried to help herself. Without her addictions, she would suffer emotionally.

As Jamie rushed off, Willow furrowed her brows in confusion. Though, she didn't question it, and it seemed that they got their answer when he returned. She wasn't one to meddle, so she merely folded the rag and flopped it onto the oven handle. Then, she tugged off her apron. "Well it was good talking with you, Jamie," she murmured, nodding in his direction before she stepped over to Apollo and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Don't work him too hard, all right?"

Blake looked down at her, and he faced her so she was looking at him. He cupped her face in his hands, and he looked into her eyes. He could feel the tears prickling his eyes, but he did nothing to stop them rolling down his face. She needed it know that it was okay to cry. "Daphne Dakota Dameron, the first step to getting better is facing your problems, and I know for a fact that you can do it because I will be right here the entire time. As your father, I can promise you that I will never leave you behind. I will never treat you like I did when you were born. I don't care what you have done or what people will say. I will gladly announce that you are my daughter because I love you."

Apollo smirked a bit, and he looked over at his wife. "I'll try not to," he said with the devilish look on his face, but Willow knew well he was only joking. Poor Jamie, on the other hand, was scared out of his wits. He followed Apollo to the barn, and Apollo pulled out a heavy metal device. It had a hook near the ground. "This is a plow. What you do is you hook this end to our donkey, and you makes lines in the ground with the sickle-like part for seeds to go in," he said. The job would be simple enough for Jamie.

Surprise flickered in her eyes when he noticed that he too was crying. She blinked her eyes, attempting to contain her tears to the best of her ability. She let out a few shaky breaths during his speech; a small smile creased on her lips, and she wound her arms around him in a hug. "I just don't know what to do," she whispered quietly. She wasn't sure how to do it, and she definitely couldn't do it alone. Truth was, she acted tough and put on a cool front but she was honestly afraid. Deep down, she was scared of what she would fine when she did face her issues. Things weren't simple, and for a while, they just wouldn't be.

Willow rolled her eyes at the comment and pressed one last fleeting kiss on his cheek. "Be back by lunch!" she called after them before she proceeded to get to cleaning the rest of the house. There was much to do and much to clean. She glanced out the window, watching the two work before shaking her head and proceeding.

Blake managed the smallest of smiles for her. She was more like him than he thought. For the longest time, he tried to be the toughest, but he couldn't hold in his emotions all the time like he wanted to. "That's why you have me. We can work through all of this together," he said quietly, and he pulled her into a tight hug. Without her, he wasn't sure what he would do. She was able to teach him things without even realizing it. "The first step to all of this is seeing if you really want to make up with Maria and Spencer, and are you still going to live with them?" he asked.

Apollo showed Jamie how to work the plow. He didn't expect it to be so heavy, but it was so much heavier than he could imagine. And people weren't kidding when they said someone was as stubborn as a donkey. It wouldn't move half the time! He also didn't anticipate how hot the south would be. He got hot quickly, but he couldn't end his job. He wasn't sure how long it took, but it might have been past lunch when he made his way back to the house.

Surprisingly enough, the fact that he was there to support her comforted her enough. For so long, she didn't have anyone there to catch her when she fell. "Yeah, I guess so," she whispered finally, offering him a weak smile. Resting her head against his shoulder, she let out a long sigh. She rubbed the tears and mascara from her cheeks. As he continued, she bit the inside of her cheek. She wasn't sure what to make of that one. "What do you think I should do?" she whispered; the uncertainty coursed through her. She wanted to make the right decision. But the problem was...what was the right decision.

While the two worked outside, Willow worked inside. She made the house completely spotless, and by the time it was lunchtime, she had gotten to work on fried chicken and peas and cornbread. As Jamie stepped into the room, she offered him a small smile. "Hey, hope you two worked up an appetite. Have either of you seen Maya," she asked, furrowing her brows in confusion. She hadn't made it back yet.

Blake could tell that she was finally understanding everything. She could start to become better, and once she was better, everyone else could be better. As she asked what she should do, he took her hand. "All of us are at fault for not telling you, so I believe that if you feel you can forgive me, you can forgive them too. I cannot help you much on where you need to live," he said. That would be her own decision. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, and he smiled a bit. "I'm just proud of you. I heard what happened. Tell me, did you give that cheerleader a bloody nose?"

Jamie smiled as he smelled the scent of fried chicken. It was homemade too! It was better than anything he had even had in New York. "I sure have, ma'am. It smells amazing," he said with a bright smile. When he heard her again, he shook his head. "Not yet. I am guessing she is just taking in everything. She was more homesick than she let on," he told her. He really did hope that she was okay.

The thoughts mulled through her head, and she pursed her lips. Uncertainty held on to her like a vice. She rubbed her temples and let out a long sigh. "I guess," she whispered after a moment. Though, she wasn't sure how long it would take for her to trust them all again. She felt like she had been cheated and lied to. She had no clue why Maya would want to be her. On the exterior, she might seem perfect, but she was far from perfect, and she would always be far from perfect. As he continued, she rose her brows and lifted her gaze to his. "You are proud that I attacked someone?" she asked, the astonishment evident in her words. "But yeah, I think so. I wouldn't be surprised if she has to get a nose job."

Willow nodded, her ponytail swaying as she bobbed her head. "Thank you. You know, lunch is the most important meal of the day, not breakfast?" she commented as she worked with the chicken. Wiping her hands off on her apron, she glanced out the window. Maya still hadn't returned, and she was worried. She usually loved to help her cook. "Maybe so. It must be completely different up there."

Blake looked down at his daughter, kissing her head. "Just try your best to understand everything. You don't have to trust them right now, but eventually you need to," he said. He wondered how she even managed to trust him a little. Maybe it was because he swore his trust to her. When she seemed baffled that he was proud, he smirked even more. "Well, when someone disses you the Dameron family name, I would sock 'em right in the jaw. Personally, I would have done much worse," he said. He chuckled as he remembered what he did when he was in high school. This one guy told me I would end up just like my dad, dead in a ditch by twenty-seven. It's safe to say no one talked bad about me," he said.

Jamie looked at all of the food, but he paused for a moment, seeing the uneasiness of Willos. "Let me go and look for her. Just tell me what path she usually takes. I'm sure she in on her way back anyway," he mentioned. He hated to think that something may be wrong, but the way that Willow was going about things. Something wasn't right. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to pull away all the negative thoughts he had about the situation.

Blinking her eyes a couple of times to clear them, Daphne managed a small smile as she listened quietly. "It might be a while," she mumbled more to herself than to him. It was hard to forgive someone for a secret as big as that one. She would never admit it, but it definitely hurt her more than she was ever willing to admit. Ever since she had found out, her life seemed to spin out of control. She didn't know who to trust and who not to trust. She didn't even know if she could trust herself. Though, a small smile returned to her face, making a light dimple pop up one cheek. "I just got angry and...she made evil comments...and...I just lost it," she mumbled, shaking her head. The braid flopped over to one shoulder.

Placing the top over the pot, Willow pulled back the curtains to get a better view of outside. She expected Maya to ride up at any given moment, but she had yet to return. Finally, her gaze shifted to Jamie, and she nodded to the dirt path. "It is a straight shot into the woods. It usually doesn't take that long to walk the path," she informed him hesitantly, brushing a hand through her hair worriedly. "Are you sure you want to go down there. It is easy to get lost."

Blake nodded as he listened to her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and he took her hand. "Now, why exactly did you start all of this? Was it to get revenge on Maria and Spencer? Or was it so they would notice you?" he asked. He didn't want to make her mad or anything. He just wanted to find out her motives. Most reasons for actions were much deeper than the face value that is told. He always did want to work in crime, but since he didn't have the cleanest criminal record, that didn't work out. Besides, he also loved getting tattoos. "Do you think your mom would kill me if I gave you a tattoo?" he asked.

Jamie looked at Willow with a soft smile, and he hugged her. "I'm sure. Don't worry," he said before he walked out of the house. He followed her directions into the woods, and he looked around. "Maya!" he called out for every moment or two. He didn't realize how right Willow was. He was sure he was already lost. "Maya!" he called out once more, trying to find her or her horse.

Staring at the grassy land before her, Daphne took her bottom lip in between her teeth. She shook her head and let out a long sigh. "I didn't do it for them...per se," she whispered finally, her eyes gliding up to meet his. "I did it so that I could forget...just for a little while. Cigarettes calm me. Alcohol makes me happy. Partying makes me forget and have fun...just for a short while," she explained, shaking her head. A few wisps of hair fell across her eyes and over her forehead. As he continued, she rose her brows at him. "Which one?" she inquired with a half smile, shaking her head lightly.

A small sigh slipped from her lips as she watched Jamie walk right out the door. She only hoped that he would come back with her daughter. The woods obscured most of the sun, creating a ominous shade; there wasn't much lead way to provide. After a few moments, a dark maned horse rushed past, sattled and seeming quite spooked.

Blake listened carefully, taking in every word that she spoke. He hoped that maybe she would understand that she cannot go on with just temporary. "The things I love most about making up with people is that it lasts forever. Oh my god, I sound like Willow," he muttered after he realized what he had just said. He had been spending too much time with her. He ran a hand through his hair, and he smiled a bit as he heard her. "I personally think that wrist tattoos are best for first ones. I think they would suit you, too. I came up with this design the other day. Around the entire wrist is sort of like a thin wire, and walking on the wire is the silhouette of a cat."

Jamie had been wandering the forest, looking around for Maay as much as he could. His eyes widened when he saw the horse. "This can't be good," he muttered, and he started to run in the direction the horse came from, not bothering to grab it. "Maya!" he screamed, hoping that she would be able to hear him. He ran as quickly as he could, not caring about the thorns that were scraping his exposed legs.

Brushing the few loose strands of hair back, Daphne really took his words into consideration, even though he made the joking comment afterwards. Though, just because she might forgive...doesn't mean that she would ever forget, or even trust them completely. Ever again. As he continued on about the wrist tattoo, she opened her mouth to make a comment, but another voice cut in the middle. "You know, Blake, if you are going to mention me, at least make sure I'm not around," Willow commented, a dainty smile on her lips. Though, the hidden worry shined in her eyes. For her family and for her daughter. "Maria asked me to pick you up, since I was already coming for Maya anyway. Apparently she had a panic attack? The nurse wouldn't go into depth," she stated, shaking her head.

Maya was wedged in the bushes; she had been thrown off her horse, because it have a momentary lapse of judgement and got spooked. Meaning, it saw a snake and hightailed it out of there. She was clutching her leg, which wasn't in pain, but utterly numb. That alone frightened her more than the pain would. She could only guess that she had broken something. Upon hearing her name, she perked up, brushing a hand clumped with dirt and scratches embodying it. "Jamie!" she managed to call out in response.

Blake was ready to listen to what Daphne had to say, but he looked up when he heard another voice. He smiled a bit, and he stood from his stop. "Sorry, Wills, but you are just too much of sunshine and rainbows for me," he mentioned jokingly before she went on with what she was going to say. He sighed a bit when he heard her, and he pulled her into a hug. I could guess why. Do you think she will be okay?" he asked, looking back down at Daphne. He could bet how Jamie was feeling, though. He could tell he was distressed when he come, but he probably became worse the more he spoke.

Jamie looked around, becoming more and more worried by the moment. When he heard Maya, his eyes widened, and he rushed to the source of the noise. "Maya!" he called once more before he reached her. He knelt down beside her, and he bit his lip nervously. "What happened? We need to get you to a hospital or something," he said, and he carefully picked her up. He could tell what was hurt. "Is there one nearby?" he asked in a worried tone.

"I don't know about that. I haven't been very 'sunshine and rainbows' as of late," Willow murmured in response as she returned the hug. She hadn't realized how much she had needed it. Over the last few weeks, a great deal of traumatic events had occurred. She, truthfully, needed all the comforting that she could get. As she pulled away, she clasped her hands together and let out a long sigh. "I hope so. I knew it was too soon to bring her back to school. I knew she couldn't handle it just yet," she whispered more to herself. There she goes again....blaming herself.

"Midnight...he...he," Maya began, pausing to catch her breath. She didn't dare move a muscle; if she did, she could guess that she would erupt in pain. "He is scared of snakes, and usually he doesn't rear back as much. But...he threw me off," she whispered when she was able to speak. At his question, she shook her head; wisps of grimy hair fell across her vision, obscuring it. "No. Most people around here come to my mom for help. She knows a lot about medicine and fixing up most wounds. They tried to recruit her as a nurse during the war."

Blake looked down at Willow, and he managed a small smile. He knew how she was feeling, and he knew that even Apollo couldn't seem to make her happier. He just wished that she was okay. Over the years she had grown to be like a sister to him. He took a wrist, and he looked at her tattoo, smiling. "It's fading. You and Pollo should came have them redone. Make them look new and fresh," he said, hoping to somehow make her happy. He glanced down at Daphne, and he thought for a moment. "You know, all of use need some time off. How about us, you and Apollo, Daphne, Maya, and Jamie all go camping," he said.

Jamie looked into her eyes before he rushed as quickly as he could to get her to the house. "If she can't help you, I'll drive you to a hospital. I just need for you to be okay," he said, and he kissed her head softly. He soon came into the house, looking around for somewhere to lay her carefully. Apollo, who had just came in to the house, narrowed his eyes at Jamie. "What did you do to her?" he asked, but Jamie ignored him, finding a couch and laying her down carefully.