After All This Time

Chapter 33

Jasmine opened the hotel room and gasped seeing North sitting on the floor across from her room. "North," She whispered in shock.

"Baby," He said hoarsely as he stood and leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry, Jasmine."

"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"I know I said I would leave the group, but I can't seem to be away from you," He admitted. "And I was worried that you would try to run again."

"There's no point," She shook her head. "I tried and you broke into my room."

"Sorry," He said sadly. "We just needed to see that you were okay."

"Sure whatever," She rolled her eyes. "What do you want, North Taylor?"

"A lot of things that I can't have or deserve," He admitted softly. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest so he sighed, "I wanted to apologize."

"Okay," She shrugged.

"You forgive me?" He asked in disbelief.

"Did I say that?" She scoffed. "I just said okay."

"Is there anything I can say or do to show you how sorry I am?"

"Oh I know you said you are sorry, North, I just have to yet to determine if you truly mean it or if it's just because your brother and family are pissed at you and you are trying to make it up to them."

"I can understand that," He nodded. "I really will you know if you want me to." She looked at him confused so he clarified, "I'll walk away if you need me to."

"I don't need anything from you," She said through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant," He shook his head and sighed, "I just keep fucking up," He groaned.

"Ain't that the fucking truth," she whispered.

"Tell me Jasmine Baby, tell me what I can do to show you how sorry I am?" He pleaded. "Please."

"How about leave me alone!" she shouted. "Have you even once stopped and thought about how I am feeling? Have you?" He froze even though he saw the other doors open she didn't seem to notice. "No you haven't, you haven't given me a chance to process any and everything! You reject me and then disappear off the face of the earth and then once I finally move on and have my own life where things are going okay I find out there is a sadistic serial killer after and on top of that you and your brother pop back up in my life like it's no big deal. I have two major life crisis happening at once and all you can think about is yourself." She poked him in the chest, "I have to go on the run for my fucking life and you make it all about you and try to weasel yourself into my life without even asking me. Even though I fucking hate your goddamn guts and want to beat the living shit out of you to show you just a fucking sliver of the pain you caused me I still worry about your fucking life and try to get you out of my life to save your fucking dumbass guts but would you taking a fucking hint even AFTER you find out my life is in danger you don't fucking leave. I even tell you and your brother to your fucking face to leave me the hell alone and you don't fucking listen. You never fucking listen!" She hit him and he just stood there letting her, "I told you repeatedly to leave me alone and you didn't listen! I told you I didn't want to accept my vampire and yet your forced me to! I was ready to die and you took that chance away from me! You took away my choices and are now forcing me to live a life I DON'T want to have. You didn't want to have a beloved and I learned to accept it. Now I don't want them and yet you and your family made that decision for me without asking what I wanted! I have to live this life I DON'T WANT BECAUSE YET AGAIN YOU MADE IT ALL ABOUT YOU! GODDAMN I FUCKING HATE YOU NORTH! I HATE YOU AND YOUR BROTHER AND YOUR WHOLE GODAMN FAMILY! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" She continued to punch and hit him as she sobbed, "YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LET ME DIE LIKE I WANTED! I DON'T WANT THIS!"

"I'm sorry Baby," He repeated over and over as he let her take all her anger and hurt out on him. "I'm so sorry." He just held her as her hits slowed and she just sobbed. Even once she sobbed herself to sleep he continued to hold her as the rest of the team helped him stand and carry her back into her room. He placed her in her bed and covered her up after removing her shoes. He wrote her a note, placed it by the bed then they left the room.