*STARDUST / VEINS !

  gemma, despite knowing her brother's plan to make breakfast, has already started on the task herself. when he reenters the apartment, she throws a quick grin at him over her shoulder. " morning. yeah, i slept great. thanks ... for letting me take your room. " there's a momentary pause as gemma sets some bacon in the frying pan. " what about you? couch wasn't too uncomfortable, i hope. " as she speaks, she angles herself enough to be able to catch his reaction, curious as to what he'll say. after all, one trip to the kitchen in the middle of the night had been proof enough to gemma that her brother had not slept on the couch at all ... but would he lie about it?

jake doesn't allow himself to mull it over for long , a shoulder quickly rising and falling. ' katertot let me crash with her ... ' he explains , his voice even as he throws a glance in kaitlyn's direction before beginning to help with the pancakes. ' thanks , by the way. can't remember if said that or not ... '

  " something to keep in mind for tomorrow ... you know, if the power is still out then. " god, she really hopes the power will be restored before then, though at least daytime has the potential to make the air feel a bit less frigid ... jess turns her head to look at him, a faint smile of gratitude making itself known. " thanks. " her voice is quiet as her gaze roams over his features, finally lifting to meet his eyes. after a moment, jess lets out a breath of a laugh, eyebrows lifting gently as she looks down. " seriously ... i might just start bringing my own from now on. "

' fuck , I hope not ... ' he lightly grumbles under his breath , the thought of being stuck in this powerless lodge for another few hours already makes him ansty --- more than that ?? mike's afraid he might crawl out of his skin. the lack of cell service had never bothered him , especially when pretty much everyone he'd really want to talk to is trapped up here with him but it's the waiting that kills him. this feeling of being in limbo , trapped ... knowing that he can't leave makes the urge that much stronger. mike's fingertips tap against his thigh as he tries to push the thought away. ' don't mention it. ' it's a standard enough mike reply to someone thanking him , but there is an unspoken sentiment weaved within the words ; emily would be pissed ... and mike can't force himself to care in times like these ( mike often can't force himself to care ) but trying to keep her appeased is in all of their best interests , considering the forced close proximity for god knows how long ... blowing out a breath , his head tips back against the loveseat. ' wish we knew how long this fucking storm is supposed to last ... especially since it came out of goddamn nowhere ... '

  his response brings a smile to brooke's face. knowing that jake is happy is more than enough to make her happy, even if outside circumstances are starting to look bleak again. " i'm sorry it took me so long, " she murmurs after a moment, angling her head up a little bit to look at him. it shouldn't have taken jake nearly dying for her to tell her dad about them, but she'd really believed it was the right move at the time. her hand finds his arm, fingertips drawing light patterns across his skin. brooke closes her eyes, a contented sigh drawn from her lips by the movement of his hand along her back. " how's your foot? " she asks, breaking the comfortable silence that had descended.

' better late than never ... ' jake assures , taking advantage of the angle of her head to press a kiss against her forehead. his own eyes close as well , lulled by the light motions of her fingertips against his skin before brooke's question draws a thoughtful hum from his lips. ' don't even feel it. ' no doubt because the pain medications he'd been given at the hospital are still working to dull that particular pain for him. ' better question ; how are you ?? '

  jess takes a moment to contemplate mike's question, lips turned down thoughtfully. " maybe, " she answers at last, shrugging her shoulder. it's probably something that's physically possible, but would it be worth all of the effort? " but then we'd have to get a pot of water and hold it over the fire for who knows how long while trying not to wake everyone up and ... " her nose scrunches as she gives her head a little shake. " it was a nice thought, though, " she adds brightly, offering up a smile. maybe if the power is still out in the morning, it'll be something to reconsider. fortunately, mike's got an alternative idea for providing warmth at the moment, one that admittedly surprises her more than she's willing to admit. " yeah, a bit, " jess replies quietly, grateful for the dim lighting of the room somewhat hiding the color that springs to her cheeks. she shoots a cursory glance in emily's direction, though. " are you sure ... " jess lets the question die on her tongue as she turns her gaze back to him, unsure of how she'd planned on ending that inquiry anyways.

' definitely a lot more work than throwing a mug in the microwave ... ' mike agrees , though , it might be something they have to seriously consider if the storm continues and the power remains out ... but if this stretches on for much longer , food is going to be an even bigger issue ... ' I don't wanna watch you freeze ... ' he points out , giving her a gentle squeeze. and he'd do it for anyone in this room , at least that's what he tells himself in the moment. ' the washingtons need to invest in some more blankets ... ' mike grumbles playfully under his breath.

  jess laughs softly once more, her eyebrows rising and falling in a fluid motion. of course emily isn't going to share her blankets with anyone, not even her boyfriend. not for the first time, jess has to wonder what it is that keeps mike in that relationship, but she knows better than to question it aloud. she smiles faintly as he waves off her apology, although she does at least have the good sense to lift her head up again. jess focuses her gaze on the fireplace for a few comfortable moments before the peace is broken by the strong shiver that makes its way up her spine and through her limbs. " god, i would kill for some hot chocolate right about now, " she laments, sinking a little further into the cushion in an attempt to cover herself more with the blanket he's so graciously sharing with her.

mike's gaze holds steady as he watches jess raise her head , and even though they're not actually touching , he feels that shiver just as much as he sees it ... ' think we could heat up some water using the fireplace ?? ' he asks , brow arching. mike knows he's seen the hot chocolate packets somewhere in the kitchen , though , without a way to heat the liquid that they'd be pouring it into , those aren't really worth shit ... it wouldn't be a quick process , not by any means necessary , but it's an avenue he's willing to try and pursue if it'll help ... there is an easier option --- one that would undoubtably piss emily off if she woke up and spotted them ... but with a precursory glance at the cocoon of blankets ( and around the rest of the room ) he can officially confirm that his girlfriend ( and the rest of his friends ) are still asleep. so the casual slide of his arm from the back of the couch to jess' shoulders is done in one fluid motion , an attempt to share some of his body heat with his friend who so obviously needs it ... ' that any better ?? '

  she knows she shouldn't take note of it, let alone read into it, but it's impossible to ignore the way his gaze shifts to her mouth. jess's heart skips a beat in her chest, her own eyes dipping to his lips. it's just in the nick of time that jess's gaze snaps back up to catch his at the right moment. " yeah, well tell that to mother nature, " she quips softly, pressing her lips together as she glances away. " or the electric company. whichever's easier. " there's an amused smile on her face, one that falters infinitesimally at mike's remark. just another thing to add to the pile of things she should not read into. " i'll be sure to give him a hard time about it tomorrow. " not that matt (or anyone, really) owes her his attention, but anything to contribute to the conversation ... " must be nice, " jess remarks dryly, her attention shifting towards emily. " think she'll actually share any of those blankets with you? " emily may be her best friend, but even jess doesn't understand why she always seems to get her way over everyone else, and at the expense of everyone else. " tell me about it ... i might actually take some painkillers ahead of time to avoid the headache. " it'd almost be funny if it weren't so painfully accurate. an exasperated sigh pushes past her lips as she leans her head back against the couch, making accidental contact with his arm. " oh, sorry ... "

‘ i’ll make sure to write a strongly worded letter … ’ to mother nature or the electric company ?? mike leaves it open to interpretation … then he gives her a nod that seems to say ; good , you should —- just before a snort tears from him as jess poses her question. ‘ fuck no , ’ mike answers immediately, not needing to mull his answer over in the slightest. emily wasn’t exactly known for sharing even under the best of circumstances , and after making it abundantly clear that she couldn’t stand being cold , mike knows better than to push the issue. mike’s thoughts quickly skitter away from Emily, however, as jess’ head comes into contact with his arm. Her apology is immediate and completely unnecessary, his head moving in a nonchalant shake. ‘ you’re fine , jess … ’

  her gaze wanders over to him once or twice, the temptation to relocate and join him in front of the fireplace making itself known. but one additional glance in the direction of emily's sleeping (toasty) form quashes that thought. jess pulls her coat a little more tightly around her frame, gnashing her teeth together to keep them from chattering as she tries to locate her phone — anything for something to do. she's so focused on her search that mike's approach doesn't really register in her brain until he's settled beside her. there's a smile of gratitude on jess's face as the warmth of the blanket slowly starts to put a bit more feeling into her legs. " what, you don't think blue is my color? " jess shoots back, raising an eyebrow. but the teasing tone is short-lived, followed up by a quiet laugh that falls between them in a puff of air. " i am so not cut out for the cold. " as if to further accent her point, jess pulls the sleeves of her jacket down over her hands, her attention shifting briefly towards matt once mike introduces him to the conversation at hand. " matt preferred sleep to my company, apparently, " she jokes and shrugs a shoulder, all the while trying to ignore the little thrill that comes with knowing that mike had clearly taken note of their earlier interactions.

his mouth opens , obviously set on a reply before his lips quirk and a huff escapes him before closing once more. mike's gaze lowers , lingers where it shouldn't --- out of concern , he tells himself because the alternative is ... brown hues flick back upwards to meet her own. ' it's a great color , just don't think it's supposed to apply to your lips ... ' without much thought , mike's arm moves to lightly rest against the back of the couch , not quite touching jess' shoulders , and yet it's tantalizingly close ... ' his loss. ' it's meant as a casual little joke , but he's not entirely sure if it comes off that way or not. ' obviously , em felt similarly ... ' though , it does come as a relief considering the nonstop bitching his girlfriend had been doing before she'd succumbed to unconsciousness. ' if the power doesn't come back on soon , we're never gonna hear the goddamn end of it ... '

  she hums her acknowledgement of the truth behind his words; right now, kaitlyn is feeling dread, but she imagines there are some couples who feel hopeful in this situation. her gaze shifts to her phone, the temptation to check the timer rearing its head. fortunately, mike's question gives her something else to focus on — even if it is a bit of a tougher question to answer. " i don't know, " kaitlyn answers after a long moment. " never really thought about it, to be honest. i didn't think anyone would actually be crazy enough to marry me. " there's a wry smile on her lips as her fingers gently glide along his arm. " i wouldn't know the first thing about being a mom, " kaitlyn adds, her tone holding a little more uncertainty than before. " what about you? " though she inclines her head a little towards him, kaitlyn doesn't put in the extra effort to turn and meet his gaze; sometimes these talks are a little easier without eye contact. " do you want kids? "

' me either , ' mike answers honestly , a shoulder raising in a shrug. before kaitlyn , he hadn't even been sure he was the marrying type , though , if emily had had her way he's sure she would've tried to lock him down into that commitment whether he'd wanted to or not ( likely the main reason why he'd avoided the thought of both marriage and kids ) mike takes a minute to press a quick kiss against the side of her head while he mulls over the question she's thrown right back at him. ' fuck , I don't know ... ' if she wasn't presently seated on his lap , his legs would undoubtably be bouncing erratically. ' I don't really feel like I'm dad material , y'know ?? I --- ' a harsh exhale escapes , and mike can't help but feel like he's saying everything wrong ... ' I didn't know what the fuck I wanted before I met you , and now ... I mean , I'm all in , kaitlyn ... kids or no kids ... '

  she may not say anything about it in the moment, but having mike there to support her in any capacity makes this whole ordeal much more tolerable. kaitlyn can't say that it takes away any of the very real fear and dread she's currently feeling, but it helps. she watches as he sinks onto the couch again, not particularly surprised when he pulls her onto his lap. kaitlyn reclines against him, her arms resting atop his. " probably, " she answers, carefully pulling her phone out of her pocket. there's no way in hell she's going to be able to properly estimate when five minutes are up. in fact, these next five minutes will probably be some of the longest in her life thus far. setting a timer, kaitlyn sets her phone aside, screen down so the temptation to watch the clock isn't there. " do you think everyone feels like this waiting for these things? "

mike watches as she sets the phone aside , a slow exhale escaping his mouth as he tips his head back for a moment. fear is like a vice grip on his heart as he tightens his hold on her and closes his eyes. ' I dunno ... guess it kind of depends on the circumstances ... ' he can imagine that for people that want kids , the anxiety is still there , just a different flavor ... whereas they're hoping for a negative , others would hope for that little pink plus sign to show up instead. and then , a thought suddenly occurs to him ; they've never really discussed the topic of children ... at all ... ' do you ... do you want kids ?? '

  she notes the smile on jake's face, and it isn't long until it's mirrored on her own. some part of her had wondered if it was the cowardly way to go, not giving her dad a chance to respond, but what did it really matter? it's not like anything he had to say would change brooke's mind about jake. " i learned from the best, " she responds, laughing softly as he readjusts their positioning on the couch. she dips her head to press a light kiss to his neck. " he's probably still seething about it, " brooke adds, an exaggeratedly dreamy quality to her tone.

jake's grin widens as she credits him , his hand raising to brush lightly against her hair. even the light kiss she presses against his neck is enough to make his breath hitch slightly. ' good , ' he murmurs vindictively , going back and forth on whether he wants to repay her in kind for that neck kiss or keep things more PG ... finding a middle ground , jake slips his hand beneath her shirt and lightly rubs against her back.

  brooke takes in a deep, slow breath, the air leaving her lungs in a contented sigh. as happy as she'd been to lay with jake at the hospital, she has to admit that getting to cuddle with him in the comfort and privacy of his home is a major improvement. her fingertips tread gently along the fabric of his shirt as they sit in comfortable silence; it's only when jake speaks again that brooke straightens up to look at him. " well, he definitely wasn't happy about me staying here, " she replies with a roll of her eyes. " but as far as me and you? " her features scrunch in a show of sheepishness. " i ... might have hung up on him before he could reply. "

he can't help it ; a wickedly pleased smile spreads across his features at that. now that brooke's dad is aware of their relationship , now that they have nothing to hide , jake couldn't care less about gaining the approval of someone who had nearly gotten him killed ... ' brooke maddox , you little rebel ... ' he teases , though , the admiration in his voice is undeniably genuine. locking his arm more securely around her waist , jake twists slightly and lays back against the couch , pulling her along with him.

  " me too. " her features soften as she looks at him, her fingers running lightly through his hair. for another moment or two, brooke's content with just sitting there with him, reminding herself that he's alive and healing and with her. " i missed you, " she murmurs, removing her arm from around his neck to rest her head comfortably against his shoulder. " when we were fighting, " she adds, as if more clarification is really necessary.

her fingers in his hair runs a shiver down his spine , and jake is sorely tempted to return the favor … press his lips against that hollow just below her ear and —- she shifts , three words falling from her mouth that are different than the three he’d been tempted to say just moments before but not by much … his cheek comes to rest against her hair , the arm around her waist tightening to draw her in that much closer. ‘ I missed you , too … ’ crazy how the moment she’d left him behind in the pool the missing her had started … jake doesn’t think he’s ever missed someone the way he misses brooke. then , even though the last thing he wants to do is talk about her dad ( that’s not true , the last thing he wants to do is talk about what his kidnapping meant for them in the long run ) the question slips from his lips regardless ; ‘ so did your dad totally freak ?? ’

  it's not an invitation jake has to issue twice. brooke smiles and, with a playful shake of her head, eagerly moves to join him on the couch. she settles herself carefully on his lap, an arm slung gently around his shoulders. " how about you just let me know when you need something? " she suggests, head slightly tilted as her gaze roams over his features. " you might start to get tired of me asking all the time otherwise. "

his arms automatically circle around her waist as she settles , his gaze fixed as she tilts her head. ' deal , ' jake murmurs , one hand freeing itself up to brush a strand of hair back behind her ear. those three little words form on his tongue once more and he bites them back in favor of pressing a lingering kiss against her cheek. ' definitely gonna need to eat eventually , but right now ?? I'm good with this ... '