13 Floors in Every Direction

Chapter 8

Location: Jade and Lance's apartment in downtown New York City
Jade shakes his head violently not daring to make any kind of eye contact with her. She doesn't push him to talk she just looks out the window onto the city.

"Remember when all anyone ever wanted to do was come to Ellis Island and start over on life? Remember that, all those years ago? Do you remember being younger and hearing about the American Revolution? You said they had no chance of winning, you said if America does get their independence that you would never want to move over here."

"I didn't, Berlin was my home and had been for centuries I didn't want to leave," Jade says between sobs as he tries to calm down.

"But,"

"But the wars started and I was going to fight for my country and to protect it, then the American soldiers came and just made a mess of everything. Then Berlin went through their revolution and the wall and everything and I just stayed here. I didn't do anything." Jade's voice drifts off as he is remembering all of these things. For no real reason, Jade starts scratching his right wrist.

"Jade stop it," he doesn't react. "Jade I said stop," again no reaction. "Jade you're going to hurt yourself," still he has no response and continues. "Jade, don't do that, you'll hurt yourself," Misty grabs his left hand holding it tight.

"I'm sorry," Jade looks at her disappointed then down at the floor. Misty sees the rate his cheat and stomach are moving and she can tell two different things. One, Jade is just as hot as he was in the wars, and two, he was about to cry.

"Don't be sorry ok, you don't have anything to be sorry for. I think your tired and need rest why don't you go back with Lance and go to sleep, I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning." Jade shakes his head. "Why not?"

"Because Lance will be mad at me," his voice is barely above a whisper.

"I don't think he will, what makes you say that?" Misty is shocked that Jade thinks Lance would be mad at him.

"I dunno he just will be." Jade is on the verge of tears and he doesn't know why.

"No he isn't now come on I'll take you back to your room." Misty gets up and pulls Jade up. She walks him back to the master room and makes sure he goes in before heading back to bed herself.

"Lance," his voice is shaking which startles Lance. Lance quickly gets out of bed and goes to Jade.

"Hey what's wrong baby?" Lance gently guides him to the bed, having him sit down and sitting down next to him. Jade explains everything about what he and Misty did and about what he felt. It really opened Lance's eyes to that Jade may not be a human but he still has the emotional needs as one. Up to this point, Lance had never thought about what his partner needed from him.
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"Lance wake up, it snowed again," Jade whispers over his shoulder. Lance roles over so see Jade standing at one of the big windows in their bedroom looking out.

"Do you like the look of the snow in the city?" Lance asks joining Jade at the window gingerly wrapping his arms around Jade's waist.

"The look yes, the reality of it all, no. Come on we should probably go out there."

"Goodmorning Misty," Lance says as they walk into the kitchen and over to the coffee pot.

"Morning Lance, Jade, Matt." She smiles.

"Matt, Misty do you want coffee?" Lance asks.

"Yes please," Matt jumps at the opportunity.

"Oh no, I'm ok but thank you." She watches Lance make coffee. Jade puts two more mugs out on the counter and fills them with some sort of dark liquid. Lance takes one and Matt's coffee and puts them in front of the two.

Matt grabs one of the cups taking a drink, "This doesn't  taste like coffee."

"Probably because it's not!"