Back Home (Closed for Ohia_Lehua)

[raiguy]

Michael Jordan
Age: 28
Physical Description: The military kept his 6'5" frame packed solidly with muscle. The close cropped brown hair was offset by his vibrant green eyes. The stubble from a few days of not shaving was marred only by the seam of a scar running from the corner of his left eye down to his jaw.

Michael Jordan stepped off the C-130, realizing that after he walked down the loading ramp, he would finally have downtime. He loved his job, but he was happy when he was switched to a team closer to his hometown. He missed his sister Kayla and the rest of his family. He smiled as he thought back over the past ten years of his life.

It had started when he was seventeen. He was a decent student, usually getting B's in his classes. He was on the track, wrestling, and baseball teams, and was pretty good at wrestling and baseball. He wasn't overly popular, just staying with a close group of friends. Unfortunately, that had been his downfall.

He hadn't realized it at the time, but his friends were heavily into drugs. As it turned out, two of the guys got caught with a sizable amount of cocaine. Michael was pinned as an accomplice, but never formally arrested or tried. He knew he was innocent, but his parents angrily tossed him out. He was able to graduate high school early thanks to his summer classes. The only thing he could think of was the military, since his parents adamantly refused to pay for his college now that he was in league with "them".

After getting his parents to sign off on his enlistment forms, he quickly went to Navy basic training. It was eight weeks of sheer hell. He thought he had been in good shape, but that quickly changed. After going through naval basic, he was approached by an officer asking if he would like to apply for BUD/S. Not knowing what it was, he nodded, feeling like it was the right thing to do. He was immediately packed up and shipped off to Great Lakes, Illinois. From there, another 9 weeks of absolute hell followed. Mike had always been a natural swimmer, but this put his skills to shame.

He was able to make it through BUD/S, and a year after joining the military, graduated and became a Navy SEAL. From there, he was added to a SEAL team, moving to train with them. It was another eight months before he was ready for active duty. For the next eight years he was deployed almost seven months a year. Twice he was called in for special assignments with other teams, and gladly accepted each time. He had been asked if he wanted to move back to Great Lakes or Coronado to train incoming recruits, but quickly declined, never having the patience for dealing with green recruits. He decided to join one of the lesser active teams, this one only being active for three to six months a year. It also gave him the chance to go home, and hopefully make amends.

As Mike got off the tarmac,he thought about his family. His sister was the only one who truly believed he was innocent in the whole drug shake up. His parents had backed off and finally relented about his involvement, but still never fully trusted him like they used to. They were more than happy to see him, and had let him know shortly after he left that the reason for his leaving would remain a secret so as not to bring shame to the family. Even though he loved his parents, he knew they were too much into their social status. He shook his head as he hailed a taxi. He told them where he had parked his old car in a storage garage, and arrived there quickly. He hadn't told his family he was coming home, so he hadn't expected to see anyone.

He smiled as he unlocked the garage and smiled at his pride and joy. It was a '66 Chevy Camaro. He had bought it as a pile of scrap and turned it into a brand new vehicle. It was the one thing he had spent his money on, and he was proud of how it turned out. He made a quick inspection, then climbed in and turned the key, hearing the engine roar to life, then settle down into a deep purr. He smiled and pulled onto the street, heading towards home.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

Jasmine Harr
24
5' 5" 120 lbs. Honey blond hair in soft waves. Her hair used to be brown and fall in unruly curls. Hazel gold eyes.

When Jaz woke up this morning she knew there was something different about the day. The sun was shining and Kahr, her blackmouth cur, was still deep asleep in bed but no matter how normal it all looked she just wasn't feeling this day.

At 24 Jaz was still bouncing from job to job. When she graduated from high school she joined up the the police and while she never became one, helped them train their K-9 unit. That lasted for a few years before she moved on to the firefighters. It was the same start, with their K-9 search and rescue unit and for a long while she was happy with that, putting in the time and effort to become part of their search and rescue team. That too didn't last but a few years before she grew bored with it. Now she was taking a step back from it all and was bartending at the Firehouse just to fill her time. Today made four months, too soon to be tired of it but something wasn't right about knowing she had to go in tonight.

Her parents were of course outraged at her lackluster career field and they had no problems telling Jasmine so. It of course bothered Jaz that her parents disapproved of her life path but she couldn't imagine being in an office all day. Her Mother was the town judge and her Father, an intelligence analysts. Jaz would have thought that they would have been happy with the jobs she had chosen but they seemed to disagree with everything she picked out. She had graduated on the honor roll and wanted her to do something that was, in the words of her mother "More brainy and less butchy".

It was perfect timing that Jaz's phone went off and put an end to what she knew would end up being a dissection of her life and the choices she had made in them.

"Little Miss Jasmine!" The voice cooed over the phone. "You wouldn't happen to know what day it is." Kayla sang over the phone line.

"Wednesday?" Jaz answered hesitantly wondering what she was walking into. Kayla was her best friend from the moment of their first steps together. They were more like sisters then friends and with the exception of Kayla's brother Jaz considered everyone in Kayla's family part of her family.

"Wednesday the what?" She prodded gently.

"The tenth?" Jaz had just woken up and was using that as her reason as to why it wasn't clicking.

"Really Jaz?" Kayla asked giving up her sweet song like voice as she gave up hinting at what she was getting at. "It's your birthday goof." She laughed as Jaz groaned.

"Is that why I woke up this morning hating the day?" She muttered as if her words were a curse. The last birthday that Jaz had truly enjoyed had been her ninth. It was the last birthday that her Grandpa had been there for, he had died the next day. It was just another little thing that she blamed on herself. Plus the family fights over a cake filled with candles were never fun either. "Please tell me that you love me so much and you'll let this day go on as if my birthday didn't exist." She begged clutching her hands together as she got up out of bed and started to make coffee.

"Are you kidding!" Kayla roared with laughter. "I have something big planned for you!"

"Kayla-" Jaz whined.

"I love you Jaz, remember that!" Kayla was smiling, Jaz could hear it over the phone and knowing that her birthday gave her best friend such pleasure made today feel a tiny bit better.

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'll come pick you up after for lunch. I took half the day off. Oh and wear something nice." And with that the line went dead.

"Something nice?" Jaz asked Kahr as she lazily slide off the bed and yawned. "I'm really starting to think she hates my cargo pants and tank tops." Jaz smiled knowing full well that Kayla hated her single note style.

The morning was filled with coffee and shopping. Jaz hated shopping but she knew if Kayla told her to wear something nice and she tried to get away with "nice" bell bottom jeans and a button up shirt she would get that look and have to hear about it all night. Jaz loved Kayla but it was hard for her to be as girly-girly as her best friend. So here she was at the mall buying a brand new outfit for later today and walking out with a brand new one on.

Jaz was out of her comfort box in a pair of heel boots, leggings and a belted tunic dress but it was on sale and the woman who was helping her all but forced Jaz to try it on and once she did she had to admit that she kind of liked it and had ended up walking out in the outfit. Walking in the tall heels required a certain amount of concentration but Jaz was pretty sure she was managing to pull it off without looking like a baby giraffe.

Being one of the few times that Kahr wasn't with Jaz when she returned to her arctic edition jeep wrangler she decided to make the best of it. When Kahr was a puppy he had stolen Mrs. Logan's oven mits and wouldn't give them back, growling at her when she tired. Since then she's wanted nothing to do with Kahr and it's one of the few places in town that she can't go to with him. The problem with that was Mrs. Logan was the best baker in town and make the best baked goodies and Jaz was going to have herself a few cookie and whatever else caught her eye.

 

[raiguy]

Mike pulled up to the familial home, even though it hadn't been home to him in over a decade. He pulled into the garage and idled the engine, trying to figure out if he was doing the right thing or not. He wanted to be home, but didn't know if he was ready for the drama that came with it. He missed his baby sister, but not his overbearing parents.

He had been the "golden boy". They doted and fawned all over him. If he wanted to play select baseball, he did. If he wanted to stay out late, he did. He could get away with anything, and then the drug fiasco happened. Even though he had been innocent, his parents never trusted him, and from then on showed their disdain.

He turned the camaro off and grabbed his bag, pulling the brand new key off the keychain he had. He hadn't used it in years, and the key showed, with minimal use. He let himself in, knowing his parents wouldn't be home for a while. they worked late most weeknights. His dad was a rent-a-cop, and his mom worked in a biochem lab somewhere downtown. He figured that was why they were so hard on him. One dealt with the law, while the other dealt with the drugs. Oh well, that was life.

Mike made his way to his old room, happy to see nothing had changed. There were boxes from where things had been packed up, but the walls with his posters, his desk, and his bed were exactly as he left them. Even the row of external harddrives was still mounted to the wall. He smiled and pulled his laptop out, then plugged it in to charge. He tossed his bag on his bed, grabbing a pair of shorts and a shirt. One thing the military taught him was how to go commando. Nothing felt worse than a crotch full of sand because your boxer-briefs couldn't be emptied.

After a quick shower, he went downstairs and let himself back out. He decided to go to a little strip mall about twenty minutes from the house, remembering a bakery that used to be there. He had been friends with the owner, a Mrs. Logan, if he remembered correctly. That had been his old study spot, and he was hoping it was still there. She always made the best chocolate chip cookies.

He smiled as he turned the big block over in his camaro, then smiled as he remembered the good times studying with the friendly customers. He also remembered his little sister and her friends constantly bothering him while he was there, asking him for rides in his cool car. He shook his head and then took off, taking his time on the drive, reveling in the memories.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

"I'll be one moment!" Answered Mrs Logan's voice from the back at the sound of the bells that hung form the door jingle.

"Take as long as you need." Jaz replied in no hurry. There was a lot out and it was going to take forever to pick one or two things.

"Jasmine!" At the sound of the young woman's voice Mrs Logan stopped what she was doing and was planning on shooing the girl and her foul dog out.

"Wait Mrs Logan, Kahr isn't here!" Jasmine panicked seeing the look on the old woman's face. "It's just me and I promise to behave."

Mrs Logan didn't look like she believed the trouble making 'child' but where there was no dog she relaxed a little and figured she would give the girl a chance since she was smart enough to leave the dog at home. "What are you all dressed up for? I don't think I've seen you in a dress since you were this big." Mrs Logan held her hand out at waist high.

"Kayla told me to dress nice." Jaz smiled, a little embarrassed at having someone point out that she wasn't dressed in what she normally wore.

A puzzled look came across Mrs Logan's face and then surprise. "Happy birthday!"

Jaz cringed. No matter how old Mrs Logan was her mind was just as sharp as it was twenty years ago. "Thank you."

"What would you like today? An oatmeal cookie?" Mrs Logan offered knowing they were Jaz's favorite.

"Yes please. And an apple almond tart. Oh and a cannoli and a pecan whiskey bar." Blushed Jaz at the amount of sweets she was getting. In her mind she had to make the most of this moment, she didn't know when the next time Mrs Logan would let her in the store would be. "And a glass of milk." She added with a smile.

"Do you want it all warmed or boxed?" Mrs Logan knew exactly what Jaz was doing and a part of her felt bad that the girl felt she had to pile up.

"Everything up the cookie boxed please." She couldn't wait to get home, start a fire just to have the smell and crackling of wood fill the house and eat the rest of her goodies. And as much as she loved Kahr there wasn't a chance he was even getting a crumb. Jaz thought paying Mrs Logan.

"I'll bring it to you, a batch should just be coming out of the oven. Have a seat, sweetie."

Jaz was happy to do as she was told and took a seat by the window so she would watch the town and the people drive and walk by. It was funny, even with all the years that have passed the town still felt the same and sitting here looking out made Jaz feel like a kid again. There was even the dull echo of Mike's camaro off in the distance.

Two minutes later Mrs Logan had a glass of milk and a freshly baked warm cookie. "If you promise the leave the dog in the car or outside you wouldn't be turned away."

It was the best news she had heard in months. "I love you Mrs Logan! And look at how hung this cookie is!" It was easily the size of her palm and she could see raisins and brown sugar clumps mixed in the batter. "Wow." And the smile on Jaz's face was like a child at Christmas.

"Don't eat it too fact and drink all your milk." Mrs Logan said more of a habit then anything.

"I will, don't worry." Jaz sighed after taking her first big smell of the cookie. She missed this place and the warm happy memories that came with it. And with a childish smile Jaz took her first BIG bite and sat back enjoying every chew.

 

[raiguy]

Mike drove up to the little bakery and parked his car next to a pretty rugged looking jeep. He shook his head. "Teenagers," he said, muttering under his breath. It wasn't that he was annoyed. He just didn't want to hear about how bad their lives were when they were driving an off-road vehicle that guzzled gas the like the humvees that he was transported in.

As Mike opened the door, the smell of fresh baked bread and cookies greeted him. He couldn't help but smile. He always loved that smell. It was a greeting, a welcome home of sorts. He knew he would be welcomed here no matter what, and he was excited to be back here.

"Is there a Mrs. Logan present?" he asked quietly, ignoring the other customer who was eating a cookie. The woman turned and looked at him, then went back to eating her treat.

"I'll be right out," a voice answered from the back of the shop. A few minutes later Mrs. Logan appeared, looking a little older than Mike remembered. Hey, it had been ten years and she hadn't changed too much, so it was ok that she got just a bit older.

"Well I'll be. Who's this big muscular jarhead standing here?" Mrs. Logan asked, a smile on her face.

"I'm hurt. Apparently you don't remember my afternoon study snack, nor do you keep my place open for me!" Mike said with mock disappointment. He smiled as Mrs. Logan walked out from behind the counter.

"How the hell are you, boy?" she asked as he hugged her back, happy to have one of the few people who cared about him after the whole drug incident happened. She was the only person who allowed him back to their shop while he tried to finish high school as quickly as possible.

"I'm good, Momma B," Mike answered, using the name she told him to call her after that whole episode happened.

Mrs. Logan, or Betty, smiled at the old nickname then laughed. "Well Michael, what can I get you? It doesn't look like you do too much studying anymore," she said, noticing the combat boots and pistol at his hip. He had gotten into the habit of carrying a sidearm due to his training, and ended up getting a permit to carry it.

"Sorry," he said, looking down at his weapon. "I can take it out and put it back in my car," he said, making a move to walk out.

"Boy, you spent the last ten years learning how to use it. Sit down at that counter so we can catch up," she said.

"Well hold on, I gotta go get something now. I figured that you'd be surprised to see me, so I brought you back a little something from a few of the places I went to in Europe. You always told me how you wished you could travel, so I got you a few things. Let me go get them," Mike said as he walked back to the car to get the small box of gifts for Momma B.

He smiled as he checked the box. He knew she would love the recipe book he brought back from Brussels, as well as the other little nicknacks he had for her. He stopped to make sure his weapon was safe. It was an old habit of his he started doing while in civilian clothes, and it never really went away. Satisfied, he went back in, only to almost lose the box from the woman leaving.

"Sorry," Mike said, blushing.

He walked back into the store and handed Momma B her souvenirs. "These are all for you. I just wanted to stop by and give these to you before I have to head out. I need to run a few errands before tomorrow. I just wanted to say hi and let you know that I'd be here to stay now," he said, hugging her and kissing her cheek before walking to the door and waving as he left to get into his car.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

Jaz ignored the newcomer as someone just passing thru. At first glance he didn't look like more then your average military guy. True they didn't get many of those in town but Jaz knew one when she saw one and right now all she wanted to see was her cookie. At her second bite the cookie was just as good but Mrs Logan's reaction to the man distracted her from the chewy goodness. It was obvious that she knew him and knew him well. That changed everything. This military passer by must in fact be a townie. Curious Jaz listened and tried to place his voice or hear a name.

Mamma B? There were even few people that called Mrs Logan that. In hopes Jaz's heart picked up. Michael! Oh-My-God! Jaz could feel the flutter in her stomach and the clenching of her lungs cutting off her air supply. Was that, could it be?

Jaz tried to be smooth about it as she looked over at Michael, hoping that it was her Michael. Okay he was never her Michael but she had loved him since the fifth grade and liked to pretend that he was. Talk about memory lane. Jaz rolled her eyes feeling like that busy haired child who caused so much trouble for Michael. As her best friend's brother he was WAY off limits but that didn't stop Jaz from liking him and apparently still liking him.

It wasn't that she liked him liked him, it was just that Mike was her first crush/love and she never had the chance to tell him how she felt or get over him. It was just a case of him leaving and her not seeing him. She went over in her mind to explain the rush of feelings she had going on. "Oh and I'm sitting at his table! He even looked at me once and talked to me" Jaz squealed in her mind almost swooning and falling from her chair. "OMG does he look good!" Jaz looked him over from head to toe out of the corner of her eye. As a million questions ran thru her mind it became clear that she had to go before she did something stupid. When Mike left she saw it as the perfect moment to left before she was discovered.

Jaz made an extra effort to get out of her seat gracefully and picked up her box and swayed her hips as she left. Sure she wanted to leave before Mike realized who she was but if he spotted her before she wanted to look her best when he did. "By Mrs Logan." She waved over her shoulder walking out of the store.

"Sorry."

The pre-teen inside her giggled like the school girl that she was hearing Mike talk to her and then blush! Jaz the adult handled it differently. "No problem." She bushed off winking at Mike as she left, lingering at the door as if fixing her heel long enough to hear that Mike was here to stay.

Jaz felt like dancing as she got into her jeep, pausing to drool over Mike's camero and drove away. This was the best birthday ever!

It wasn't until she was home that it began to bother Jaz. Why didn't he recognize her? Shouldn't he have remembered her? Jaz was there at least five nights a week. Was she that insignificant that he couldn't place her after YEARS of following him in being in his life? It was hard for Jaz to be as pumped about Mike being home when he didn't even remember her. "I really was just a little squirrel to him." She sighed letting her bags of new clothes fall to the floor. It was a school yard nickname given to Jaz because of her bushy brown curls, like a squirrel's tail and her buck front teeth. Luckily Jasmine grew into her teeth and after puberty her hair calmed down and fell in manageable waves. Still sensitive about her hair Jaz colored it a honey blonde and called it good.

"Oh get over it! Besides, you don't like him! You were just lost in the memories of Mrs Logan's and that's what it was! He wasn't yours before he left, he isn't going to be yours now that he's back. " Jaz told her reflection with a confident nod of her head. But the more she looked at the mirror the more she noticed the change ten years had done to her. She was taller, skinnier, slightly tanner. Her teeth were no longer buck like and her skin was clear and flawless. Jasmine looked nothing like the 14 year old Mike left behind. She was a new woman and why couldn't he be hers if she wanted him?

"That's right." She told her mirrored image. "Why can't he be mine if I wanted him? I'm not the kid he left behind and if he can't see the younger me in this time and age then couldn't I, shouldn't I use that to my advantage?" Jaz asked a smile of seduction turning her lips. "We'll see how Michael likes me now." Jaz nodded blowing a kiss at the mirror.

 

[raiguy]

Mike shook his head as he drove back home. He felt like he knew the girl, but figured it couldn't be the little squirrel that his sister always had over. He knew ten years could bring on a lot of change, but not enough to change that rambunctious little girl into the stunning woman he saw. He tried not to dwell on it as he got home. He steeled himself as he walked into the door.

The first thing he noticed was his bag on the floor in the hallway. "Well, they haven't forgiven me, or so it seems," he muttered under his breath.

"What the fuck are you doing home?" his dad asked, staggering a bit. Since when had his dad been a drunk?

"I got home today and figured I'd come say hi. I left my duffel in my room while I showered," Mike said, his tone calm. He was used to dealing with shit like this. The older operators still looked at him as the rookie, but he just shook his head at it and kept on learning.

"Get the fuck out. You aren't welcome, you drug dealing prick," his dad slurred again.

"Who are you talking to like that, Dan?" Mike's mother said, appearing around the corner. As soon as she saw her son, her skin turned pale. "Michael?" she asked quietly.

"Hi mom," Mike whispered, not sure how to act.

"Oh honey, it's so good to see you," she said, wiping tears away immediately.

"The fuck it is! That little bastard cost me my job!" his dad yelled.

"Dan, shut up. your boy is home, and you know he didn't make you lose your job. You lost it, so quit being a jackass and say hi to your son," his mom said sternly. She walked up and hugged him before whispering, "I'm sorry for what we did."

"It's ok mom. It helped me become a better man. You did what you had to do," Mike whispered back.

"Nope, that little fucker isn't staying here. He wants to be a dopehead and jarhead, he can get the fuck out of my house," Dan said, brooking no argument.

"Fine dad. I'll leave. It's nice to see you too," Mike said, then looked at his mom sadly, shaking his head as he saw her start to say something.

Mike picked up his duffel and the case he brought with him as he walked out to his camaro. He put the case in the back seat and his duffel in the trunk before calling his sister. He had heard she didn't live at home.

"Hey baby sis, you available to see your big bro?" Mike asked as his sister answered.

"MIKE!!! Of course, come on over!" his sister Kayla said, nearly screaming into the phone.

"I need a place to stay, is that ok? Dad threw me out before I even got there, and I haven't had time to look at the housing market here," he said.

"Of course. Come on over," Kayla said, giving her address.

Mike smiled and headed over, happy to hear that she was still his biggest supporter.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

Jaz got a text message from Kayla about having to call off the lunching but promising a dinner. The reason being was that her brother was home. Of course Jasmine already knew that but she had no plans on letting Kayla know that she had seen him at the bakery. If she played her cards the right way then it would be some time before she had to meet up with the two siblings together and she would be able to show Mike how well she had grown without him knowing who she really was.

'That's okay. I didn't think I would be able to get away scots free no matter who came into town. Make dinner an all girls event and I'll wear a dress.' Jaz sent the text to her best friend hoping that she would take the deal. Quicker then she could even finish that thought her phone buzzed.

'DEAL! We'll go to that new club in the next town after dinner. I heard it's the place to be.'

Jaz couldn't imagine doing something less like her but she could see the love in Kayla's effort. She had been trying to get Jaz to date for months and this was part of her 'Have you met Jaz' plan. Still it was going to be a girl only dinner and if Mike did happen to walk into the same club they were in then it would be easy enough to distract Kayla with a hot guy and keep the three of us from grouping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day Jaz was dolled up in a black one shoulder dress that fell above the knee and wasn't tight but hugged close enough to show off her curves. On the rack Jaz wouldn't have even touched it but the sales woman that had been helping her pick out clothes had slipped it into her try on pile and once Jaz had tried it on she couldn't deny that it was hot. She was of course going to say that she was bullied into buying it if she was asked but as Jaz looked at herself in the mirror she knew Kayla would approve. More so because she had on heels, makeup and had her hair down. It was as far from her normal as she got and she kind of liked it.

Her phone rang and Jaz answered it hearing music and Kayla's voice. "Hey I'm a street away."

"I'm on my way out the door." Jaz smiled imagining the reaction when Kayla saw her.

"Who's waiting by the steps?" Kayla asked voice puzzled. "OH-MY-!!!"

"That would be me baby!" Jaz laughed striking a pose as she hung up the phone.

"What the?!?! Where is Jaz?!?!" Kayla choked mouth hanging open. "Shut up!" Once it sunk in that this was indeed her best friend Jasmine Harr Kayla's face lit up. "Oh, we are going to own tonight."

"We better because these clothes weren't cheap." Jaz complained getting into the car.

"Yeah but look at yourself!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner was the normal group of friends talking and laughing over their meal. They talked about boys, laughed over funny stories but all of them were shocked to near death to see Jaz dressed up 'like a girl'. And of course Kayla made a production out of the birthday song as the cake came out candles and all.

"Make a wish!"

Jaz smiled and closed her eyes saying her wind in her head as she blew out the candles. Her wish might of sounded childish but she wished for Mike to like her and that she could play this out for a while. It was technically two wishes but she had never made a wish as she blew out her candles so she figured she had some wishes due to be used.

"Who's coming to the club?" Kayla asked when all the plates were cleared. Everyone but Sara said they would be going meaning there would be five of us. "Come on then." Kayla said excitedly as she hooked her arm around Jaz.

The club was fairly large and the parking lot was 3/4s of the way full at 8:46. Jaza got out of the car and looked around for the camero. Part of her wanted Mike to be there and the other part hoped that he would show up. After all it was a club and did he really do that kind of stuff? Jaz tried to remember but they had been too young to go to clubs.

When they got inside Jaz realized just how much this wasn't her cup of tea. The music was loud and not really her type and there were people EVERYWHERE!

"Isn't this great!" Beth shouted over the music heading for an empty booth in the back with Diana in tow.

"Yeah and look at all the hot guys." Kayla elbowed Jaz nodding towards the guys at the bar. "Go say hi."

Jaz shook her head no and smiled. "I'll wait for them to come to me." She told her friend knowing it was just an excuse not to talk to them.

For as hard as Jaz tried she couldn't get into the club scene and about two hours in stepped out to get some fresh air. Next year they were going camping for her birthday. She decided leaning against a tree in the parking lot. It was lighted but the parking lot was cast in shadows from the cars, trees and surrounding buildings. Still it was a lot more quite and there wasn't some creepy guy feeling up ass and trying to buy her a drink.

 

[raiguy]

Mike pulled his gun case out of his car and his duffel back, then walked up the steps to his sister's apartment. He smiled as she flung the door open, rushing to him and jumping at him. He dropped his duffel back and caught her.

"Damn, Liz, you almost knocked me over," he said, using his sister's first name. She didn't go by Elizabeth due to it being her mother's and grandmother's name. Instead she went by Kayla.

"Well, maybe if you talked to me more often, I wouldn't have to make up for all this lost time of me getting to beat up on you. I actually think I hurt myself jumping into you. You are solid now!" Kayla said. She only let her older brother call her Liz, or anything involving the name Elizabeth. It was part of their unspoken bond. They were closer than anyone else in their family, and this was just one small part.

"Well, you know, the military does that!" Mike said, picking his duffel up and crouching down. He knew his sister well enough to know what she wanted. She hopped onto his back immediately, as he headed towards the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lunch was a pretty relaxed affair. The siblings ordered pizza and sat around, talking. She found out he was a Navy SEAL, and that he had moved here to be closer to his family. She shook her head at that. When she tried to delve deeper, she saw Mike shut down. She realized there were things he wouldn't, or couldn't talk about.

"Well, Mic, it's good to see you home!" Kayla said, using her nickname for him.

"It's good to be home. Unfortunately dad doesn't feel the same way," Mike said sourly.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking and catching up, finding out more about each other that had changed in the past 10 years. He could see Kayla getting antsy.

"You got a hot date, or something, kiddo?" he asked, teasing her.

"No, but it's Jazz's birthday today, and we're going out. I need to start getting ready," Kayla said, standing up and hugging and kissing her brother on the cheek.

Mike made himself scarce by heading to his room and checking his gun out. Normally he wasn't allowed to bring it, but he had specifically requested to take it with him to his new team, and it had been granted. He made sure everything was in working order, and hadn't been messed up while on the flight. He heard Kayla going out, and realized that it was later than he thought.

Mike went down to the bathroom after closing and locking his gun case. He looked himself over in the mirror, then decided he was going to go out. He hadn't had a drink and gone dancing in too long. He knew just the place, a town over. If it was still around, it would still be a great place to go and have fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike rolled the sleeves of his button-up shirt up, and then adjusted his dogtags. His camaro was idling in the parking lot at his sister's apartment before he headed towards the club.

It didn't take him long to get to the club. Mike parked in the back, by the treeline. He got out and locked his car, activating the alarm. He flashed his driver's license and military ID to the bouncer, seeing dogtags around his neck. He was let in without a wait. He smiled and went to the bar, getting a beer. After scanning the crowd, he saw his little sister Kayla and her group of friends. He saw her dancing with a guy, and even though it upset him, knew she was a big girl and could take care of herself. Plus, he'd be there if she brought him home.

Mike moved out onto the dance floor. He immediately was laid upon by two women, whom he brushed aside. He ended up dancing with a woman right by Kayla. He looked at her and smiled. She looked at him, shocked at first, then motioned for him to follow her, leaving her dance partner. They made there way to the back of the club, away from the noise.

"What are you doing here, Mic?" she asked.

"I figured I'd have a little fun before reporting in tomorrow," Mike said, shrugging.

"Ok, just watch it. Jazz is here. In case you didn't know, she's always had it for you, and hard. Your my brother, but I think this one time, I can let it slide. Just don't fuck it up. She wants you, and badly. It's up to you if you want to go for it," Kayla said, grudgingly.

Mike nodded, not showing his surprise, or happiness at the news. He had always harbored a small crush for Jazz. He had picked on her a little bit more, like a normal guy his age did when flirting. At the time, he thought he was being funny. Looking back, he hoped he hadn't hurt Jazz by it.

"I'll let her make the move if she wants it. I don't want to force her or anything," Mike said. He looked at Kayla and hugged her, before she pointed outside. Mike understood and started to head for his car. He figured that if Jazz was here, she knew that he was here, and could find his car if she wanted to talk. Or she would at least see him walk out of the club.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

Jaz leaned against the tree for some time just looking up at the stars before she started to feel lonely and a bad sport for walking out of the club in the middle of her birthday celebrations. All her friends were inside and Jaz kicked at rocks as she walked around the building to the back entrance, missing Mike as he walked out the front.

"Hey." Jaz found Kayla and was taken back by the look that her friend gave her.

"What are you doing back in here?" Kayla frowned.

"Such love Kay." Chuckled Jaz with a snake of her head.

"Where did you go?" Beth questioned handing Jaz something pink in a martini glass.

"Outside to get some fresh air."

"Oh." Smiled Beth clinking her glass to Jaz's with a wink.

Unsure of what this was but trusting in the fact that her friend wouldn't give her something nasty, Jaz sipped the drink. It was surprisingly good and tasted almost like a cosmo but with a variation that she couldn't figure out. Jaz finished it in two gulps and ordered herself another but before the next one could get here Diana gave her another drink, this one completely different in a collins glass. It was nearly colorless but sweet with a bite of caffeine. Jaz knew what this was, a starburst and one of her favorites.

With her second drink empty and a third in hand Jaz's outlook on this clubbing thing changed. The music didn't seem so loud, the people less annoying as they grabbed and clutched at you on the dance floor. She was having a good time and smiled at Kayla, pulling her out of her seat and on to the dance floor.

"Come dance with me!" Jaz giggled twirling around and moving to the music.

 

[raiguy]

Kayla saw Jaz stroll back into the bar, and then get handed her favorite drinks. She quickly texted Mike.

"Jaz is back in. Did you talk to her?" she asked.

"No. I didn't even see her." he replied.

"Ok, well, you should come back in, because shit is about to go down," Kayla said.

Mike shook his head and then made his way back in. He saw Kayla being pulled out onto the dance floor by Jaz. Kayla shot him a look, but he just shrugged. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to handle a girl who was drunk. He wouldn't take advantage of her, but he didn't want something to start and for her to not remember. He just shrugged again and made his way to the bar, ordering a beer.

Kayla quickly found him.

"Big brother, I love you to death, but you are stupid sometimes. Go dance with her, before she gets drunk!" she said, taking the beer from his hand, and pushing him.

Mike sighed and let her push him, until he was right next to Jaz. He smiled and looked down at her, then nearly groaned aloud as a slow song started playing. He smiled and held up his hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked softly, so only Jaz could hear.

 

[Ohia_Lehua]

Jaz whipped around ready to tell that creeper that kept hitting on her where he could shove it when she saw Mike. "What- Um- I mean?" Jaz fumbled unsure of how to handle his sudden appearance. "You're not the scumbag that has been feeling up my ass all night long." Jaz tried to cover over her stutters. All the plans she had for getting him to like her so she could ignore him in return went out the window. Of all the songs that the club could play when Mike showed up why did it have to be a slow one?

"I guess." Jaz smiled placing her hand in his.

When he was a kid Jaz had imagined what it would be like to dance with Mike. Of course it had always been imagined around school dances like prom and sometimes their wedding. But she was an adult now and still she wouldn't have thought that she would be dancing with Mike at a club. Jaz blamed the alcohol, the love stricken pre-teen was getting out of control and was becoming harder and harder to keep calm and she could feel her cheeks flame with color when Mike stepped closer.

"Weren't you at that bakery store earlier today?" Jaz was trying to play it cool unaware that Mike knew or remember who she was or that his sister was pushing him at her. Her whole like Kayla had said that she would break up anyone who tried to go out with her brother and if they were her friend she would never speak to them again. At first Jaz hadn't believed her but after seeing it happen time after time she had kept her feeling about Mike to herself and would have never guessed that Kayla was supporting this. "Do you go there often?"

 

[raiguy]

"We were both at the bakery today. It seems you still aren't fully welcome due to your dog," Mike smiled, showing that his sister kept him in the loop. He hadn't been completely gone, but had not gotten to experience everything first-hand. He regretted missing out on things, but knew that this chance would never if he had stayed.

Mike took her hand and held her close, closer than he normally would. He saw Kayla giving him the nod, and slowly pulled Jaz in closer. He looked down and realized that he was holding her as close to him as he could. He smiled and sighed softly, swaying to the music.

"I don't come here often, but I needed a drink, and didn't want to deal with the old crowd," Mike said softly. The music continued to play, one slow song moving to the next. Mike saw Kayla walking away from the DJ, smiling. She held up three fingers. Mike guessed the next three songs would be for them. He looked down at Jaz and tilted her head up.

"We have three songs. Your best friend and my sister are really pulling for this," Mike said, and then on an impulse, leaned down and kissed her softly. The move took him completely by surprise, but he didn't pull away from the kiss either.