Marie
*It'd been a couple of years. Now, it all felt so surreal. The sun shined bright, the leaves rustled in the wind, and the land was blooming with lush green and vibrant flowers as spring rolled around.* 

*His train of thought of thought all but deadened as he stepped onto the path to the door. Even though he'd never been here, a familiarity seemed to linger around the cozy cottage. It had a certain touch he recognized.* 

*Jackson had gotten rid of all his possessions that wouldn't fit into the leather bag slung over his shoulder in order to make the journey from Coalwood to here. He walked many miles, worked odd jobs, hopped trains, fought, lived a life he hadn't known before, all to end up right here. He looked rough, but he was still healthy. Still the same boy, Despite life as a vagabond. Nothing some proper care couldn't take care of. Just a bit taller now.* 

*The air seemed to stand still as he froze on the doormat. He took in one last long breath before he gave a few gentle knocks on the door.* 

*After that, he couldn't help but smile, and dropped the subtly.* 

"JAAAAaaade~!" *Jackson hollered out in that singsong way, like how they'd call for each other while playing hide n' seek all those years ago.* 

*Jackson could hardly stand still now, and was all but dancin' in anticipation.*
Charity
Jade hadn't seen Jackson since she left home, that was the only thing she missed about home. Jackson, they hadn't been separated since he was a baby. They spent every day and night together, Jackson was the best little brother anyone could've wanted. It felt so wrong to leave him behind. She swore to him and herself that come hell or high water she was going to bring him to Briar Ridge. 

Little did she know, he had beaten her to it. She was making herself dinner when she heard the knocking on the door. Odd, she didn't remember inviting anyone over. Yet she heard a familiar voice taunting her, just like when they were kids. Jackson sings out her name while waiting to be found. No... It couldn't be. She was just imagining things because of all of the stress. Yet she found herself opening the door and coming face to face with a man. No! That man was her little brother, Jade went through a moment of shock before happiness erupted, and she quickly pulled Jackson into her, boy he was taller than her now but nothing would ever stop her from being his big sister. "You're here!" She could nearly cry she was so happy. She pulled back to get a good look at him. She held her hands on his forearms 

"Oh Jackie, you need some meat on your bones!" She teased, nothing a little love and care couldn't fix. She pulled him into another hug, the pot on the wood stove completely boiling over and making a hiss for attention but the only thing that had her attention right now was her beloved baby brother. He was safe and he was home with her. She could protect him, take care of him. "Please tell me you are staying for good." She muttered not pulling away from a hug. After the months she had, this was the perfect pick me up. Her little brother was home.
Marie
"Oh goodness I missed you." *Jackson murmured into the hug, finally feeling like he could breathe again, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, like light had finally broken through the clouds. There wasn't enough words to describe the relief he felt knowing his sister was safe and doing alright out here. This place already felt like home just knowing she was here for him.* 

"I'm just traveling light." *Jackson would quip back with a little grin, before being tugged back into the hug, which he'd happily return to. Giving big sis a well deserved squeeze.* 

"I'm not leaving anytime soon, I can promise you that much." *Jackson swore, as giving a gentle rock and sway into the hug, almost making a happy little dance out of it.* 

"I should kick you for leaving me like that." *Sure it hurt a little, but Jackson just teased, before his nose caught wind of something satisfactory. Then his eyes locked in on it.* 

"Seems your soup is happy to see me too, it can hardly contain itself."
Charity
Jade was holding her baby brother, Jackson Grant, tightly and didn't let him go even when he tried to pull away. She was overjoyed to finally be reunited with him. Jade had promised herself that she would come back for him once she had a stable home to bring him to. While Briar Ridge was not necessarily stable with werewolves running around, she wanted to sort herself out first. Arthur had already left, so she didn't need to worry about that craziness in his life anymore. 

"You're traveling light! You look like you haven't eaten anything!" She scolded, but was happy to hear that he wouldn't be leaving. "Well, that's good to hear because you have a bedroom waiting for you," She said. Jade felt terrible about leaving her little brother behind, but assured him that things would be better now and they would never have to be separated again. She knew she needed to sit him down and talk about the werewolves, and how he was not to get involved with the cage at the Davis ruins. On full moons, he would have to stay inside the safe houses because those werewolves were angry and ruthless. If any of them grazed so much as a hair on Jackson's head, they would regret it. 

Jade was pulled out of her thoughts by Jackson's comment and she laughed. Things already felt so much better now that he was home. They had a home, and it would be a happy one filled with laughter. 

"It's been hard cooking for myself! A lot of food goes uneaten, so I hope you still have an appetite," She said, as she started to get their bowls down.
Marie
"Fasting actually has it's fair share of health benefits you know." *Jackson would swat off her scolding with a bit of playful banter. Though of course his 'fasting' wasn't always his choice. But he was relieved to hear word of a proper bed. A good nights sleep on a real bed was something that had been scarce to him for quite some time. His prayers were finally getting answered. He could already feel himself being swaddled with warmth.* "Thank goodness. You're really a savior, you know that?" 

*With that he gave his big sis a kiss on the cheek and set his bag down in a seat at the end of the table, trying to orient himself and help set the table all at once.* "Oh I doubt that'll be an issue much longer." *He responded to the comment about uneaten meals. He might be just a little thing, but he could still eat a horse right about now.* 

"This is a pretty little spot you've got here Jade. Seems like you're doing well for yourself. Briar Ridge huh? How'd you hear of this slice of heaven?" *He'd ponder out loud, pulling out a seat at the table for the both of them.*
Charity
Jade couldn't quite believe it, Jackson had come home. Well maybe not the home they had grown up in but he was back in her care. She set the bowl in front of Jackson along with a glass of lemonade. She couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair as she hovered over him. He was still just as precious as he was when he was six. "Well, I heard it from one of Mama's friends. This is where they got their shine from... So, I came here with what little money I had and well now we're here..." She mused "Everyone is real nice here but I do have to warn you about its... Quirks," She said for lack of a better term. 

"Now Jackson, I know what I am gonna say is gonna sound like some sort of scary story but it ain't no story. You hear me?" She felt nervous to tell Jackson, would she be able to protect him? Of course, she would. She vowed to herself that it wouldn't happen, not with the boys at school, not with her father, and certainly no damn werewolves. "The full moons... They make some crazy things happen... Some... Wolves come out of the woods and they are violent, there are some of us in a cage, but there are safe houses, now you ought to stick with a safe house. They ain't come here but that doesn't mean they won't" 

"I'll start leaving Daddy's gun with you." Jade knew this would be a lot to take in but it was better to just go right ahead and rip the bandaid off.
Marie
*Jackson all but purred feeling the familiar sensation of Jade playing in his hair. He'd happily graze at his soup and sip at his lemonade, he was just about in heaven, happy as could be having a proper warm meal and his big sister to keep him company.* 

*Now, he just needed a good wash.* 

*Hearing Jade's tone shift, Jackson turned their way and looked up to her with those eager little eyes like they'd done time and time again.* 

*There was disbelief for a moment. A face that read 'You're shitting me right?'*

*But, He tried to have faith in her words, he could see her worry. He swallowed his doubts, and took a deep breath.* 

"If any sort of wolves come 'round, I'll be damned if I let you out of my sight again. You better keep that gun tucked closed, for both of our sakes. I'm gonna be sticking to you like glue." *Jackson spoke.* 

*He appreciated the advice, but he wouldn't be found hiding away. He'd go out fighting by his sister's side. He'd reach out to grab his sister's hand and gently coddle it with his own.*

"Come full moon, we'll get through it together, alright?"
Charity
Jade was happy to have her little brother back, yet she felt dread. She had doomed them both with this town. She had to protect him, he was her baby brother. She couldn't leave him to defend himself, not again. Not when she fought hard to make this place a safe haven that they both could have. Yet she distracted herself by playing in his hair. "We will stay together then but don't you dare go taking hits for me either." She looked at him, a certain gaze she had when she was actually serious and a little intimidating. Though Jackson may be too old for that gaze to work on him now. 

"Well... I suppose now that I got the news out of the way, I better put some water on the wood stove so you can get cleaned up. You'll feel better after, I'm sure" She laughed trying to change the subject as she started to put another pot on the stove but there was one thing she had to admit before doing that. "I should tell you... I am a terrible shot, so maybe you better hold the gun, you'll never believe me but I actually had better luck pouring hot coffee on one of those beasts than an actual gun." 

She debated telling him about everything, other than the wolves. She had the library, Arthur, the town, the speakeasy. "I think you'll like it here... It's an odd little town, and you can even help me down at the library if you want!"
Marie
*Jackson froze a moment, seeing that familiar glare. That 'don't test me you little shit' glare he got from Jade plenty of times before they had their regular little scraps and bouts of sibling squabbles, pulling hair, biting, all kinds of barbarism. (Though they always seemed to hug it out by the end of the night). Were they still capable or that sort of thing? He didn't want to find out quite yet, so he disengaged. Backing down to his soup and spooning up another bite.* 

"Let's just meet in the middle, and not get bit at all? That sounds fair." *A bit of wishful thinking Jackson bargained, before listening intently to his sister speak of her experience's and tales from the battlefront. Earning a little chuckle.* "Whatever works best, but in case of emergencies I say we make sure to always have a hot pot of Joe on standby then." 

*He grabbed up the bowl and pulled it up to his lips, tilted it back and drank the rest of his soup. Then he hopped up, cleaned his little area, tucked his chair in, and went right to washing his dishes.* 

"Here's hoping. People seem kind enough so far. I've got a good feeling about it." *He answered before leaning against the counter, turning to face his sister.* 

"I don't see why not, until I've got something else lined up. I'll help whenever I can to help. I hope to keep myself good and busy. Eventually... I'd sort of like to open a little shop of my own. But I've got a bit of work to do before that's ready to go."