Jasmine yawned, still not fully awake, Orion having driven her home early in the morning, and receiving a not-too-happy look from Akane. She apologized, interrupted when a knock came.

Jasmine:  "Got it."

She mumbled, walking over and opening the door.

Jasmine: "H'lo?"

    The word fumbled out of her mouth, not quite fully formulated. She ached already from the lack of the man whose company she’d enjoyed for almost forty-eight hours straight. Becky was there, still looking tired, but all-the-same smiled.

Becky: "Did ah come atta bad tahme?"

Jasmine shook her head gently at the ridiculous presumption.

Jasmine: "No . . . It's fine, Becky . . . What's up?"

Becky: "Ah was on mah way 't town 't settle 'th mortgage we've bin mean'n 't pay off. Ah thought ah'd drop bah briefly 'an tell ya 'th police 'aven't uncovered Sunnay yet, but they think she could beh close 't 'round 'ere. Ah would've called but there was a 'lil accident this morn'n involve'n a trough 'an a stubborn horse."

She held up her busted red cellphone with a chuckle. Akane saw her and slowly walked towards them. Jasmine nodded with a sigh.

Jasmine: "Well that's something, I guess. I just . . . Wish there was more we could do. Can we get you anything while you're here?"

Becky: "Well, ah could use a drink 'a watah. Left mah bottle at 'ome. Ahm so scatterbrained at tahmes!"

She laughed wearily as she stepped in with Jasmine. Akane walked up.

Akane: "Hello Becky."

Becky: "Oh, h-h'lo Akane."

Jasmine rolled her eyes, weary.

Jasmine: "I'll get right on that . . ."

She walked out to the kitchen, getting a glass of filtered water, filling a reusable bottle to the rim.

Akane: "Becky, t-there's something I-I have been meaning to ask you."

Jasmine had left the door open a little, able to hear them.

Becky: "'An may ah ask whut it is?"

Akane: "W-would you . . . would you allow me the honor to treat you t-to a dinner?"

Becky: "A- . . . oh. W-well shucks ah- . . . yes. Of course, ah'd beh d'lighted!"

Jasmine sighed, taking the glass and the bottle, walking back over and handing them to Becky.

Jasmine: "Have a nice time."

She said plainly before heading upstairs, closing the door to her bedroom. Becky winced.

Becky: "A-ah didn't mean 't-."

Akane: "It is fine. Jasmine is . . . stressed."

Becky: "Heh, ah know 'ow tha' goes."

She chuckled.

Akane: "Where would you like to go?"

Becky: "Ah know this nice Chinese Resteraunt ah go 't when ahm in town."

Akane: "Then meet me there this evening at seven."

Becky: "It's a date! G'bye!

    She headed out, and Akane sighed. He was sure . . . he was so certain she was his wife.The blue-haired woman grinned, having witnessed everything.

Ariel: "Becky and Akane, sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-."

Akane whirled around and glared from behind his sunglasses. Ariel shrugged, unaffected.

Ariel: "What?"

She asked innocently, crossing her arms.

Ariel: "I know things, too, Sir Snoops-A-Lot."

He sputtered, face going light red.

Akane: "I-I . . . It is none of your business Miss Celine!"

Ariel: "Whatever you say, Kissy-Face."

She added tauntingly before walking casually to Jasmine’s room. Today was a working day. Jasmine was needed on set, despite how she felt with the absence of Orion. Akane kept sputtering until his charge came downstairs. She raised an eyebrow at him before shaking her head.

Jasmine: "Hey Hon, it's time to go to the set. We need to do a bit of work today. Well, I need to work on set, you and Ariel get to do . . . Whatever it is you do . . . Look out for psychos or whatever."

He cleared his throat.

Akane: "Of c-course."

He agreed as they walked out, Ariel still snickering.

~~~

    The set was rather dull this afternoon, at least by Jasmine’s standards. They were reaching the end of things. Doing some less demanding scenes. No stunts or exciting bits. Just rehearsal ‘till it hurt and then scene shooting. All talk. No action.

Jasmine: “How drab . . .”

    She muttered. This sort of thing just wasn’t as enthralling anymore. She couldn’t get her mind off Orion. She glanced at Akane, quickly looking away in case eye contact had been made. She couldn’t be quite sure with those cursed sunglasses, and she didn’t want to take chances. She just wanted Orion . . . Akane was dear to her, all the years of working close together had ensured that, but the way he’d changed so drastically still bothered some part of her.

    With a sigh, Jasmine sought out Daniel, quickly informing him that she’d be going to her trailer, exhausted even though not much had happened during the day. It was almost as if the lack of activity itself had caused her exhaustion. Little did she know she’d have a visitor coming to her quite soon. One who she had a strong attraction to. Yet was not her recently found bonded.

~~~

    Thomas drove through town, searching for the building he knew fairly well from his visits. He’d only visited on special occasions, but if this wasn’t special . . . He wasn’t sure he knew what was. He had to see her. He had to let her know. It was critical. He was certain it was. He couldn’t just feel this strongly about something like this and have it be meaningless, could he?

    No. He was certain that wasn’t the case here. Jasmine was too critical, too special. She made his heart pound, or, whatever that structure was in his chest. He wasn’t too sure what to call it really, but the color of it’s pulsing light fell somewhere around a faded blue, like a pair of washed-out jeans.

    He pulled into the parking lot and got out of his car, striding towards the building with purpose, asking anyone who would listen about where he could find her, ‘The Star Jasmine Brookes’ . . . He just had to know before he lost his resolution to talk to her and tell her everything he thought, everything he felt. Finally, he pinpointed Angela, and she set him in the right direction, helping him past the guards, mentioning off-handedly that she was beginning to think Jasmine was avoiding her, but both shrugged it off.

    He opened the door, blinking when he saw her sitting there, playing with some silver band on her finger when she looked up at him.

Jasmine: “Tommy?”

She asked questioningly, completely void of any clue as to why he was showing up. Her spark skipped a beat.

Jasmine “Is there a legal issue?”

    She asked, searching his face for any clue as she stood up.

Jasmine: “Is someone threatening to go to the tabloids? What’s going on?”

    His breathing was a bit heavy from his rush, and his anxiety to confront her about how he felt about the situation . . . about . . . them . . . even though they’d hardly spoken.

Thomas: “Jasmine . . .”

    He took her hands in his gently, and her eyebrows creased at the gesture, thoroughly confused at to what was going on in his mind. No one had done anything remotely similar to this but Orion . . . and just like that her thoughts were back on the black-haired man who was doing who-knew-what? She thought he’d mentioned training, or a match or something today, but she’d been too absorbed in his eyes to pay much attention to his words.

Thomas: “I have wanted to talk to you for quite a while, Jasmine . . . May we sit . . . ?”

    She nodded, sitting on the couch with her longtime lawyer completely oblivious to where her thoughts were. Had he know, he likely would’ve left before speaking his thoughts. He took  deep breath.

Thomas: “Now, I know you and I don’t exactly know each other all that well, Jasmine . . . But I feel a very strong connection between us . . . And if we could ever have the chance, I would love to take you to dinner . . . Would you please give me a shot? I know it’s unprofessional, and trust me, that is the only reason I have not dared to ask you sooner. I just . . . can’t stand being away from you. I’ve tried and I’ve failed. Would you please do that for me? Just give me a chance and I’ll try not to screw it up.”

    Jasmine blinked, looking up from his hands to his incredibly blue eyes, and the bags underneath. Obviously he hadn’t been sleeping well lately. If at all. He looked frazzled, though he’d definitely tried to cover it up. He’d tried so very, very hard . . . All just to look like less of a mess when he confronted her? She wanted to deny having an attraction to him. That was why she’d avoided him a fair amount whenever he’d come to visit.

    She didn’t quite understand her own reasoning for it some days. He was a handsome man. Quite kind, though obviously strong. He would make any woman happy. She’d avoided him. And yet here he was, confessing that he wanted to be with her, looking like he may have very well lost sleep over those kinds of thoughts.

Jasmine: “Thomas, I don’t know what to say . . .”

    That much was true. She was taken aback by all this, and if he’d come around just a week and a half earlier . . . She may have very well wound up in the same kind of situation she was now in with Orion. His chest tightened, eyes saddening.

Thomas: “Just say yes . . .”

    She looked down, sighing  gently. She wanted to. She really did. At least, part of her did. A part of her that felt ancient and lost.

Jasmine: “Tommy, I would love to but . . .”

    His spark sank in his own chest.

Thomas: “But . . . ?”

    He asked gently, and she slowly looked back up.

Jasmine: “But I’m seeing some else at the moment . . . And I can’t cheat on him . . .”

    His spark stung at the declaration, even if she hadn’t meant to hurt him in the least. Something in her eyes assured him that the effect hadn’t been desired in the least.

Thomas: “I’m . . . Sorry to bother you, Jasmine . . .”

    He sighed, trying to think of where to go next. He still held her hands in his. He now savored every second of that touch because now he didn’t know when he would feel it again, if he would at all.

Thomas: “Would the lucky man mind if I asked you for one thing . . . ?”

    He asked cautiously, not quite daring to look her in the eye just yet.

Jasmine: “What do you need of me, Tommy . . . ?”

    She asked, voice soft as she could make it. His blue eyes drifted up to hers again, pleading, though he had yet to speak.

Thomas: “Would you kiss me just once before I go?”

    Jasmine blinked, rubbing the back of her neck, weighing the consequences. She wasn’t sure how exactly Orion would respond to the request, especially if she filled it, but part of her most definitely wanted to kiss Thomas. Part of her wanted to kiss him, hold him and never let him go. The louder part wanted to do that with Orion instead.

    Obviously, her kissing Thomas wouldn’t make Orion happy. That smaller part of her told her not to care. Told her she should just do it because who knew when she would get the opportunity again? She watched him carefully, the wavering of his eyes as she pondered the question and very personal request.

Jasmine: “Tommy . . . ?”

    His spark pulsed faster in his chest.

Thomas: “Yes, Jasmine . . . ?”

    She pulled against the collar of his shirt, arm wrapping around his neck as she pressed her lips to his a gently passionate kiss. Orion had to understand . . . that not only was that small voice telling her she had to kiss him because she loved him . . . but another part of her larger self told her she didn’t know when she’d see Thomas again, and how much would change by then.

    It was just one kiss, right?

    His body pressed to hers ever-so-slightly, both letting the liplock linger for a few moments before it was broken. Jasmine’s green eyes locked into Tommy’s blue ones for a short while, the silence filling the air around them.

Thomas: “Thank you, Jasmine . . .”

    He kissed her again for a short moment before he stood and left, waving at her gently as he went. A fairly large portion of her was sad to see him go. Partly because a section of her was certain that she loved him, or had loved him at some point in time, and another because the image of him leaving just made her want to call him back. Not to be romantically involved with him further, but to protect him.

And she had no idea why.