InsaneJournal

Characters: Jaime (Narrative)
When: Sometime after New Years (6 weeks post-rescue)
Location: Her house
Warnings/Rating: None
Summary: Jaime reflects on her new life here
Status: Narrative

Jaime gazed at the simple golden band encircling her finger. They’d been in Point Placid for just over a month and a half, and she was starting to think that maybe it really was over. For the first couple of weeks, she’d been ridiculously clingy, and while she knew that level of cling was ridiculous, she hadn’t cared. It felt too much like China for her to really relax. She needed to know where Ray was at all times, and it was better if she could see him. He’d tolerated it, and she appreciated that. It had started to wear off, very slowly. Enough that he could go out on his own to make his own wedding preparations without her texting every two minutes to confirm his presence. It was every fifteen minutes, and then eventually dwindled to every hour, if he was out for longer than that. They’d married on Christmas Eve, and the wedding party had been a Christmas party as well. Those that could afford it by then had showered those who couldn’t yet with gifts, and they’d taken care to ensure Prim and Marvel had enough money to keep them supported for a little while. But deep down, Jaime knew the wedding and Christmas party was more than a celebration of the holiday and the occasion -- it was the start of truly hoping the train was gone. It had been nearly a month since the rescue, and as Christmas bled into the New Year, she was able to really hope it was really done. She knew there’d never be a guarantee she wouldn’t be taken by something -- maybe not a train next time, but something -- but that chapter, at least, seemed closed. They had jobs. They were married officially. She’d even changed her name -- Jaime Elizabeth Leon -- and that wasn’t so bad either. She was still pretty sure there wouldn’t ever be kids in the picture, but she was all right with it if he was. A glance to the clock showed her that Ray still had another hour left on his shift. Usually they were partnered together, but he was filling in for someone who’d taken a day off. And that was all right, too. Stretching out on their bed, Jaime closed her eyes as a truly contented smile slipped across her lips, and the worry-lines that she’d thought were permanently etched in her brow softened and faded a little. In time, she was sure she’d stop worrying so often … but she wasn’t quite there yet. Some scars took a long time to heal, and the train had inflicted plenty of wounds on all of them. Some deeper than others. In the end though … it had worked out for the small band that had been there when the train had stopped for good. And that was something.