Slow heart, dark wait, down love, black canvas revolve within, you understand Who: Calista, Jadyn, Quentin, and Kevin (NPC) Where: Quentin’s apartment When: Afternoon
Cecil was gone, back with Michael. She hadn’t told him about the vampire attack or her suicide attempt, keeping their exchange quiet and short. Cecil looked so happy to see his daddy, talking about their time spent on the full moon and his birthday and Missy and how wonderful everything was. If only Jadyn felt the same way. She had given Cecil a big hug and kiss goodbye before watching the two drive off. She should have gone back home and relaxed, but instead she stayed at the diner for quite some time, contemplating what to do next. Without her baby, she felt useless. She refused to run crying to Missy, not wanting to scare off the blonde. Then it hit her - Quentin. No, their last exchange was not a pleasant one and could have destroyed their relationship. Then again, Jadyn had no one else. No one who would take her back after a stunt like that. He was the only one who would understand.
Thankfully she still had his address from earlier and drove on over to the apartment, skittishly walking up the stairs to his door. She hesitated for a good five minutes, pacing back and forth while mumbling to herself, pulling at her hair all the while. Anxious didn’t even begin to describe how she felt. Eventually, she took in a deep breath and knocked at the door.
Calista never heard the knock, curled up on top of Quentin on his couch wearing just a pair of panties with a blanket draped over them. She stirred lightly, purring as she nuzzled into her boyfriend and kissed at his jaw. It was nice to finally be back with him and... well, catch up, for a lack of better words. She had no issues spending the rest of the day lounging around with him. Maybe order out for food and fool around with art stuff again. And then there was another knock that interrupted her thoughts, causing her to lift her head up a bit. “Did you hear something?”
Hearing that little purr Calista made, followed by the soft kisses she left along his face, Quentin James was a happy man. Granted, there were things he should be worried about - Renee being in his town, Jadyn not really talking to him - but right now, there was nothing else but him and his girlfriend. He turned his head to kiss her soft, no plans on his mind other than what they were doing right now. Maybe Quentin would even remember to order them some Chinese at some point in the evening. “Hmmm?” he asked, running his fingers over Calista’s hair. Then, he heard it too, a knocking on his apartment door. I’m going to kill Renee if she walks in on me right now. “Someone’s at the door,” he said, kissing the top of Calista’s head. “I should see who it is.”
Turning her to the inside of the couch, Quentin tucked the blanket around Calista and sat up. Summoning his pants to him, he tugged them on and headed over to the door. “Who’s there?”
Aha, someone was at the door. That would explain it. Calista just gave Quentin a light smile before snuggling into the couch. “Mmmm, pillow.” It seemed like the psychic had her priorities straightened out for the time being. Hopefully it wasn’t anyone important, because she wanted Quentin to come back so she could steal his warmth.
Meanwhile, Jadyn waited anxiously at the door, shaking in her skin while she waited for a reply. It wasn’t until he heard Quentin’s voice that she perked up. So he was there. Her body froze with fear for a second, unsure with how he’d react to her presence... but she had no where else to go. Tears began to form in her eyes as she replayed all the events of the past week in her head. She just wanted someone to be there for her and not judge her, yet she managed to scare everyone away. Then after swallowing hard, she spoke up, albeit with little to no strength. “...Quentin? It’s me... Jade.” She sniffled, trying hard to maintain her composure. Easier said than done.
There were a lot of people Quentin wouldn’t answer the door for right now. His sister, for one. Even though Renee was technically staying here and had a key and all, they had yet to work out what to do when his girlfriend was over. Somehow, he didn’t think having an almost-naked Calista on his couch was the way they should meet for the first time. With Jadyn, however? It was a completely different story. Their last exchange had been less than pleasant, to say the least. But the fact that she’d come to see him, not the other way around, it meant something. Quentin sighed, rubbing at his eyes. Hopefully Jadyn would understand that he wasn’t alone right now... right?
“Hold on.” It took him a second to unlock the door, looking over his shoulder at Calista. “We’re gonna have some company.” And he hoped to god Jadyn was doing a little better now than the last time he saw her, holding his breath as he opened the door.
Being told that ‘we’re gonna have some company’ never really registered as ‘put some damn clothes on’ to Calista. It just meant... there would be people over. There was no mention of clothes here! So all Calista did was nod and snuggle into the couch some more. “Just come back when you’re done,” her words semi-coherent as she spoke into the pillow.
The second the door opened, Jadyn spun on her heels to face Quentin, her eyes red with dark circles looming under them. Her hair was normally a mess, but not like this. With the amount she was tugging on it every other second, it was evident that she was on the verge of a breakdown. “Cecil’s back with Michael,” she murmured with a trembling lip. “I... I didn’t know where to go. I couldn’t go home. I didn’t know what I’d do to myself...” Her eyes went down, running over her arms, remembering the blade that had slit that flesh. She knew she had to live, but she couldn’t find the strength to do just that. And as she looked back up to Quentin, she barely saw the figure of someone else on the couch in the distance. Now she felt even worse that she intruded on him, cowering a bit. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be bothering you.”
There was nothing that Quentin wanted more than to snuggle with his girlfriend and waste the day away. However, this was Jadyn, and he had said that she was welcome to stop by whenever. He knew Calista didn’t think about such things as modesty, this was true, so hopefully Jadyn would forgive them for any potential awkwardness. Even if she’d called him beforehand, it was likely that he wasn’t going to answer the phone, caught up as he’d been in Calista.
And if he was being honest? Jadyn looked like shit. He didn’t know if there was anything he could do to help her, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. “Come in, it’s all right.” Okay, so, he was waiting until Jadyn was better until he was telling her Renee was in town, because that was one fight he was not about to blow open at the moment. “Calista’s here, we just weren’t expecting anyone else, that’s all.” As evidenced by the fact that Quentin wasn’t wearing anything but a pair of jeans. Oops. Bonus, Jadyn would finally get to meet his girlfriend, even if the circumstances were somewhat unconventional.
Calista perked her head up slightly while watching the dark-haired woman come in. She didn’t have the slightest idea who she was... then again, even if Quentin told her, she would have certainly forgotten by now. But she did notice her shaking and sniffling, something Calista was no stranger to. Obvious signs of depression. Even though she didn’t know this woman, she admired her strength for actually going to someone. Sitting up, Calista wrapped the blanket around herself and waved to Jadyn. “Hi.”
“Oh, you’re...” Jadyn couldn’t even finish her sentence, still trembling as she walked into the room. Looked like she definitely interrupted something, but the two of them didn’t seem to mind, especially Calista. Good to see that she and Quentin rekindled their romance. At least he had something good going for him. Then Jadyn faked a smile and waved back. “Hey there. I’m Jadyn. Quentin told me a lot about you.” Sniffling, she was unable to hold back the tears anymore. “Be good to him. I know he’s a jerk at times, but he’s a sweetheart.” Just like how he’s taking me in right now.
Well, at least Calista didn’t seem to mind the interruption, and that made Quentin feel a little better. He’d still have let Jadyn in anyway, but still, it made things easier. And hearing Jadyn talk about him like that? A hint of color came to his face, and he ran a hand over his hair to try and hide it. Of course, what she said was true, and probably more honest than whatever Renee would have to say to Calista, whenever those two ran into each other. “I’ve known Jadyn since... fuck, I don’t know anymore. A decade? Something like that. She’s like a sister to me.” He reached over to rub Jadyn’s back a little. “You want something to drink? Think I still have a beer or two in the fridge.”
“Fuck, just break out the whole six pack,” Jadyn spewed out as she plopped down on the floor. Awesome, ask the alcoholic if she wanted a drink. Anything to drown her worries away at this point. She did smile a bit upon being called a sister. Had she been better, she would have cracked some joke about how she committed incest with Kevin or something and have his demon babies. But right now, she was in no state of mind to do anything happy.
“Are you ok?” Calista ask, obviously still out in left field as to what exactly was going on.
To that, Jadyn just shook her head. “I’m never ok. Fucking hell, nothing’s ever going to get better.” And there she snapped, curling up into a ball and crying into her hands.
Hell, Quentin was a bachelor. He had beer and not much else in his fridge, and Renee hadn’t stocked it with anything she wanted yet. (Of course, he might eat her food just to piss his sister off, but that was neither here nor there. There was probably good reason why the two of them shouldn’t be living under the same roof.) “I’ve got two bottles, both of them are yours,” he said, reaching over to grab them, turning in time to see Jadyn curl up and start to cry.
He glanced up at Calista, eyes asking for her to be understanding, then went to sit down on the floor next to Jadyn. Reaching out, he laid a hand on her shoulder, unsure of how much comfort Jadyn would let him give her. “Jadyn shares joint custody of her kid,” Quentin explained softly. “She dropped him off with his dad today.” He paused, “You know Michael will take care of Cecil, Jade. He’ll be okay and then he’ll be back with you before you know it.” Beyond that, they’d all had a rough year, all things considered. Cecil would come back, but Kevin never would.
“No he’s not!” Jadyn lashed out. “He’s the one who wants me locked up in some psych ward, because he thinks I can’t take care of myself, let alone my god damn son.” And the second she said those words, Calista felt herself freeze and slowly slink back into the couch. It was obvious, even to Calista, that this woman had her own set of mental issues. Hell, Calista still struggled with severe depression to this day and she clearly remembered her time spent in the ward. How anyone could get healthier in that situation was beyond her and her heart bled greatly for Jadyn. She just had to hold back from crying over flashbacks of her own experiences.
“Why does everything have to fall apart?” Jadyn looked over to Quentin, tears streaming down her face. “It’s too much to ask for happiness these days. I just wish...” She paused and shook her head. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Well, fuck. Things were just getting worse and worse. It wasn’t that Quentin didn’t know that Jadyn had issues, because he did. It was only because he lived so close now that he could see it first hand. This was not the way he wanted Jadyn and Calista to meet each other, but what could he do? He wasn’t Kevin. Kevin always knew how to calm Jadyn down, that was why they were so good for each other. “Jade,” he said, “I believe in you. Okay? I’ve seen you with him. Cecil, I mean. I see how he loves you. And I know shit’s fucked up right now, okay? It’ll get better. It has to.”
Kevin, I wish I could ask you for help right now.
Unbeknownst to Quentin or Jadyn, something stirred inside the apartment. There was a spirit here, all right, bound to a tiny model ship with a broken mast that sat on Quentin’s bookshelf. Whether he knew that his brother needed him, or he could tell his ex was in the apartment, for whatever the reason, there was a ghost standing off in the corner of the room, watching them.
The ghost of Kevin James.
It was hard for Jadyn to believe that things would get better, seeing they had been bad since day one. Her father dying at sea, her mother constantly abusing her, being thrown out of school, going to the hospital for a suicide attempt. The list went on and on, the top of it including the death of her true love. “I just wish Kevin was here. I wish it was his kid. I wish he never left me. He was the only one who made me feel better.”
‘He’s dead. If you die, you’ll be with him.’
“No.. I can’t.” Her words were in response to the voices she heard in her head, rubbing her eyes to rid herself of the tears.
And as Jadyn spoke, Calista sat there, everything going over her head. She was busy noticing that Quentin’s friend had returned, the one who fled from her the first time she came over. The ship was glowing again, something only a medium could detect, and thus Calista’s eyes went back and forth between the item and the ghost. She didn’t dare to speak up while Quentin and Jadyn conversed, instead opting to gesture to the spirit to come on over, patting the empty spot next to her on the couch.
Quentin’s jaw clenched, and the bottles of beer he’d brought over for her started to rattle. What else could he do, besides this? He wasn’t Kevin, and he never would be. It didn’t help that even so much as thinking about his brother caused his powers to activate again, and he reached out to hold the bottles in place so they wouldn’t break. “Me too,” he said softly. “And he should be. Should be his kid too, you always knew what I thought about that.” He’d never seen Kevin happier than when he’d been with Jadyn. His parents ruined everything, as far as that was concerned.
Meanwhile, the ghost looked on, confused, but he still knew what they were talking about, and who was in the room. Kevin might not realize what was going on and why he was here, but he was, there was no denying that. He looked over at the girl wrapped up in the blanket - Quentin’s girlfriend, who knew his baby brother could do that? - and blinked. “You can see me,” Kevin said, shaking his head. “They’re talking about me, you know.”
Calista hadn’t really been listening properly to the conversation going, except that Jadyn wanted someone back. It was confusing and going too fast for the medium to comprehend. Her eyes went over to the two on the floor and then back to the ghost, nodding her head in response. She had been seeing ghosts since she was little and that wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. “It’s ok,” she reassured him. “You don’t have anything to be afraid about.” The poor guy looked confused and lost and the least she could do was comfort him. No one could hurt him except Calista and she had no intentions of doing that. Though with three psychics present, a medium being one of them, it was only going to make his presence even stronger in the room.
“What?” Jadyn looked up to eye Calista, confused at to why the dark-haired girl said that. Was she talking to Jadyn? No, her eyes were drifting off to the side. Damn, Quentin wasn’t joking when he said she was a space cadet. Jadyn’s words didn’t register to Calista and instead she looked over to Quentin.
“Your friend’s back.”
Quentin looked up when he heard Calista start talking, and he knew, in an instant, that she wasn’t talking to him or Jadyn. He’d only seen his girlfriend interact with a ghost once before, and funny enough, it had happened in his apartment. It had been a while since he thought about that, seeing as he couldn’t see any signs of said ghost himself. Spinning objects and that sort of thing were a result of his telekinesis, not from a ghost. At least, that was what he told himself, anyway. “The ghost?” he asked, blinking.
Confused, Kevin didn’t know whether to go to Jadyn or the new girl first. “I’m not afraid,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on.” His heart broke watching Jadyn like that, and it didn’t really occur to him yet that he didn’t have a physical body to speak of and therefore couldn’t really hold her the way he might like to. “Why is Jadyn crying?”
Nodding to Quentin, Calista looked back to the ghost. “I’m not sure... Jadyn?” The water elemental looked on over to the medium. “He wants to know why you’re crying.”
Now this was a bit too much for Jadyn to wrap her head around at the moment. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in ghosts, but why the hell was this suddenly important? She couldn’t feel the typical chill a ghost would bring in a room, being relatively chilly herself, and thus had to rely on the medium to know what was going on. “Why? Why shouldn’t I be crying?! My life is a fucking wreck and each day passes by and nothing gets better! I just want to go away so no one has to worry about me.” She sobbed hard, clinging onto Quentin for support. “I just want to be with him again.”
Calista had no idea who “him” was, but she hoped that answered the ghost’s question, looking back to him to see what he’d do next.
He wants to know why you’re crying. The only person - ghost - Quentin could think of who might know Jadyn was Kevin. But Kevin was dead, and he had a whole bunch of people more worthy of haunting than him. Maybe he was here because Jadyn was? But no, Calista had seen him before this, weeks ago, so that couldn’t be the case. He drew Jadyn into him, letting the elemental cry into his bare shoulder, rocking her a little back and forth. “I worry because I care,” he told her again. “And I know - I miss him too. If I could bring Kevin back I would, but I can’t. He was the best of all of us.” It was the first time he’d mentioned his brother around Calista, but now? Quentin didn’t see how he had a choice, and a few stray pens started to float around him, his telekinesis activated by the shift in his emotions.
“Quent,” Kevin said, the childhood nickname no one used in Scarlet Oak, “I’m right here.” His baby brother was taking care of his Jadyn. At least they still had each other. Kevin was glad for that, even if he couldn’t be there to fix everything like he always had. “Jadyn, please...” He rubbed at his eyes, glancing over at Calista again. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought you into this, I didn’t realize my brother knew anyone who might be able to see me...”
The medium was slowly starting to piece things together, especially the second Quentin spoke a name and the ghost responded immediately. And then Kevin went off and outright confirmed it - he was Quentin’s brother. She couldn’t remember if Quentin ever mentioned having a brother or if he died or whatever, but now wasn’t the time to ask. Though she wasn’t worried about Kevin being a burden to her. “No,” she shook her head. “I do this for a living. It’s ok.” Slipping off the couch, Calista wrapped the blanket around herself and knelt before her boyfriend. “Quentin?” She tucked some hair behind her ear. “He says he’s right here.”
Quentin glanced up at Calista, knowing she wouldn’t lie to him about something like this. Someone, who didn’t even know his brother, said Kevin was here. There was no longer any hope of stopping the objects from moving now, because his emotions were now spiraling out of control. “My brother,” he paused for a second, “my older brother, Kevin. He died in April. He shouldn’t be here. If anything he should be back home or some shit.” There was no reason for Kevin to follow Quentin to Michigan. They hadn’t been all that close while Kevin was alive, and both of them knew it. And, of course, there was the fact that Quentin had seen Kevin’s death beforehand - did the ghost of his brother know that too?
“But he’s here,” Calista insisted, eyes traveling to the model ship that was on display. “That, over there. You can’t see it, but it’s glowing. It’s a mark that means a spirit is bound to it. It must be how he came here.” Besides, it seemed fitting to have his brother’s ghost around. Perhaps he turned into a spirit guide and could guide his kid brother. Then again, she had no idea how he died, so maybe it was simply that he wasn’t ready to die.”Do you want me to-”
“He’s here?” Jadyn suddenly interjected, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her tears had suddenly stopped, though her body continued to shake. “Please tell me you’re not fucking with me.” It wasn’t that Jadyn didn’t believe in ghosts - hell, she read up enough on them and mediums back in Salem to write her own book on them - but the fact that Kevin, her Kevin, was present just made her wish she could touch him, be wrapped up in his arms. She knew that couldn’t happen, though if he was here, then he could see she was in distress. Her brown eyes flicked around the room, damning the fact she was a water elemental and could barely tell when it was cold. “Kevin? Can you here me?” Jadyn knew that with three psychics present, he could try and materialize. Oh, what she’d give to see his face, hear his voice... if only for a few seconds.
All of the color drained out of Quentin’s face. “Kevin made that,” he said. “Built it. It’s supposed to be in a little glass bottle.” But it broke, within a day of it being in Quentin’s possession. You didn’t give a telekinetic whose powers were activated by his emotions a piece of glass belonging to his dead brother. “He left it to me in his will.” The two beer bottles rattled in front of him, but he didn’t reach out to stop them. Everything was going to move, no matter what he did. “Calista’s a medium,” he told Jadyn. “If she says he’s here, then he’s here.”
Kevin took a few steps forward, coming to kneel next to Jadyn. He didn’t know how he could materialize; he didn’t know much about ghosts until he became one. His memories weren’t the greatest, considering that he only remembered bits and pieces of the storm and the subsequent boat wreck, not how he got here. “I can hear you, Jade,” he whispered, reaching out for her hair. “I always told you I’d still be here for you. It’s just not how I expected it to be.”
A medium. Now that made sense. The color in Jadyn’s face also drained to a ghostly white, rather ironic considering the situation. The moment Kevin reached out to her, she could feel that coldness brush over one side of her head. She knew what that was. Ghost always had a chilly presence about them and she couldn’t ignore it. She shivered, closing her eyes while continuing to weep. “...Kevin.”
“He says he can hear you and that he always said he’d still be here for you,” Calista informed Jadyn, looking back and forth between Jadyn and Kevin. She wasn’t sure what their connection was, but it was obviously a strong one. Perhaps lovers at one point. She knew how painful that was, seeing it all the time over the years of her work. Then her eyes looked back to Quentin, noticing his reaction as well, then reached out to intertwine her hand into his, giving it a tight squeeze. She also knew this was hard for him. It didn’t matter if he never told her about this or not. She’s always stay by his side.
“I just want to be with you,” Jadyn continued, unable to stop crying. “That’s all I ever wanted. God, I’d kill myself just so I could be with you. I miss you so much.” She paused, chocking on her words before speaking through her sobs. “I love you. Still do. No one else can have my heart but you. I just want you back. I just want to hear your voice. I just want to see you, even if it’s a split second and never again.”
Everything was starting to shake now - the bottles, the markers scattered throughout the apartment, the paints stacked and waiting by his easel, everything. Sometimes it sucked to be a telekinetic and while Quentin could normally shut down his powers, his emotional state made that all but impossible. His dead brother was here. Watching out for him or not, Kevin was here and Calista could see him. He didn’t want to know what else Kevin knew, if the Painting had been out while Kevin could see it. The guilt from that was enough to crush him if he let it, even if it hadn’t been Quentin’s fault. It felt like it was his fault and that never left him. His hand tightened in Calista’s, letting go of Jadyn a little so he could lean against Calista, trying to will himself calm.
Kevin couldn’t leave Jadyn’s side. He hadn’t realized where his brother was staying, exactly, only that it wasn’t Maine. He hadn’t realized his love could be so close to him. He shifted so he was sitting next to her, one arm looped around her much like Quentin’s had been, so she could have curled up into him if he had a physical body to speak of. “Don’t you dare kill yourself,” he whispered to her. “I don’t want that. What happened to me was an accident, but we can’t change the past, Jade. I know - now I know more about what I should have done. What I regretted.”
He leaned in, as if to nuzzle against her cheek. “I’m always here. I love you, Jadyn. I always did, and I never stopped.” Never. He didn’t know if he could materialize, but he did want it bad enough. Just to prove to Jadyn that he really was here next to her. His eyes flicked to Calista’s, then back to Jadyn. “I’ll find a way to prove it to you.”
Calista actually took note of the shaking objects. Oblivious as she was, this was something that couldn’t go ignored. She pulled Quentin into a tight embrace, stroking his back while kissing his forehead sweetly. Then she looked on over to Jadyn and Kevin, watching the water elemental cry more as she felt that twinge of coldness that had brushed against her cheek. Calista couldn’t imagine how it felt for either of them. She knew she wouldn’t be able to part from Quentin if she died and knowing he couldn’t see her would make it worse. At least if he was a ghost, she could still see him.
“...he... he doesn’t want you to kill yourself,” Calista piped up, finding it difficult to repeat the words. She could completely relate with Jadyn when it came to suicide and at least Jadyn had someone who genuinely loved her when the thoughts went through her mind. Back in high school, Calista didn’t have that luxury. “And that you two can’t change the past and that he regrets what he didn’t do.” She paused, swallowing hard, then took in a shaky breath. “He loves you, always has, always will.”
Hearing that made Jadyn curl up into a ball, unable to take it anymore. “Kevin... I need to see you. Please... just once. I’ll never hurt myself again. Please.”
To that, Calista blinked and looked back over to Kevin. It took her a moment to speak again, but when she did, there was hope in her words, “You can do it, Kevin. Materialize, that is. I can help you, too. You have psychics present in this room and that alone amplifies the ability to do it.... Just... focus on this room, your surroundings, where you are, who is around you, what the texture of the ground is. It’s hard I know, but...” Calista pulled away from Quentin and sat in front of Kevin. “... I can help.” And with that, she closed her eyes and placed her hands on the floor by Kevin, focusing on her powers to help assisting him. It would exhaust her, but it was worth it to see Jadyn happy for even a second.
Quentin let himself be held, letting go of Jadyn completely so he could wrap his arms around Calista for a second. He didn’t want to seem weak, but right now, he wasn’t capable of doing this himself. The only reason why he’d been able to pretend, at least in front of his friends, that Kevin’s death didn’t bother him was because he’d moved so far away and therefore Jadyn was the only one who knew his brother to begin with. Though he drew a few deep breaths, he couldn’t get the telekinesis under control, and eventually he just stopped trying. It was like being a child all over again, not knowing what was going on, and knowing he was powerless to stop it.
He did, however, look up when Calista said she could help Kevin materialize. His eyes went wide - was his brother that strong of a ghost? Did the fact that they were all psychics help, in that respect?
Blinking once, Kevin nodded. For Jadyn, he’d try. He could feel a strength coming from Calista and he focused what energy he could, trying to tap into that. He didn’t know if it was working, seeing as he didn’t feel his body changing at all, no tingle to tell him he was becoming real or not. There was an energy though, and he clung to that, willing his body into existence. A James was nothing but a family full of stubborn sons of bitches, that was for sure, and Kevin was no exception.
And he knew it worked when Quentin’s jaw dropped. “Holy shit, Kevin.”
Kevin gave his brother a smile. “Hey, Quent.” And then he looked around at the spinning objects. “Can’t you do anything to stop that?” And, just as quickly, all of his attention was back to Jadyn. “Hey, you.”
Calista didn’t need her eyes opened to know it was working. She could feel the raw, icy energy flow around the room. Any ordinary person wouldn’t be able to pinpoint it, but a medium could. And hearing Quentin’s voice just cemented that notion. Even Jadyn lifted her head up upon hearing Quentin, eyes widening as she realized Kevin was now in front of her. Not completely out of flesh and bone, but with a more spiritual haze around him. Slowly she uncurled from her ball, lips ajar while she remained speechless. Her breaths shook with each inhale as she brought a hand up to try and touch him, only to quickly draw back when she realized that yes, he was a ghost. “...Kevin.” Her words were quiet, but she knew he could hear them. Jadyn just stared at him, not knowing what to say. All she knew was that she didn’t want to look away for even a second.
Jadyn didn’t need to say anything, Kevin knew. If he had an actual body he would have already been holding her, but as it was, he just kneeled, holding a hand out to her in hopes that she would might actually be able to take it. “I told you I was here,” he whispered softly, as if there was no one else in the room but him and Jadyn. As if objects weren’t spinning and he was only visible thanks to the aid of the medium sitting next to him. “I’m sorry I can’t follow you out of here - she’s right, I’m bound somehow.” Kevin didn’t remember how or why that happened, only that it did. His memories of the storm were the last details he could really, truly recall. “But this - this isn’t the answer. What happened to me was an accident. I was cocky. I thought I could sail out the storm. I didn’t have you with me to stop it.”
Meanwhile, though he couldn’t control his telekinesis, Quentin did reach out for Calista. He didn’t know what she was doing to make Kevin visible to the rest of them, but she was, and he was grateful for it. He leaned down to press a kiss - albeit a shaky one - to her shoulder, eyes staying on the ghost.
The tears never stopped for Jadyn. She just looked at Kevin and listened to every word he said. She loved that cocky side of him. She needed a guy like that in her life. Too bad his parents didn’t think he needed a girl like her in his. And Jadyn knew damn well she could have calmed the anger swelling in the ocean waves. She could have persuaded Water to leave them be, that Kevin didn’t deserve any harm, and he’d still be alive. Though Kevin didn’t want her to feel like it was her fault and she had to muster up every bit of courage she had left to remind herself of just that. “I just want to be with you. I miss you each and every day. I keep thinking about how things could have been, if you had run away with me that night. We would have been happy, Kevin, you know that. Cecil would have been your child.” She paused only to choke on her words, letting more tears sting her eyes and stain her cheeks. “I love you, Kevin. I’ll never stop loving you. I might find someone to fill the void, but they will never be you. Never. I don’t care if you tell me to move on or not. No one is you. That is all I want. And I...” She began trembling again, curling up before him while she wailed. “I’ll never have you.”
Calista was oblivious to everything that was going on, focusing on simply keeping Kevin materialized. It wasn’t until Quentin pressed his mouth into her shoulder, the one patch of skin that the blanket didn’t cover. Calista was never easy to scare and it wasn’t that the kiss frightened her, but it was enough to make her gasp. She knew how painful this was for Quentin and part of her felt like she was doing the wrong thing for making this all happen. There would be tears either way... That was the life of a medium and Calista learned to become numb and void of emotion because of it. She brought her gaze up to Quentin’s, shaking as she did her best to hold on, not wanting to break her focus. Though she lifted a hand up from the cold floor, cupping Quentin’s face as a token of sympathy. She’d be there for him, just like he had always been there for her. Sadly, it was hard to do that while materializing a ghost at the same time.
Even though he was a ghost, and therefore incapable of tears or touch or any of the other physical things the living took for granted, the look on Kevin’s face was enough. He knew he was wrong when he left Jadyn. At the time, he’d been concerned with his parents and what they’d think, with the knowledge that his father was expecting him to inherit the marina, and they never approved of Jadyn. Kevin could be cocky, but he wasn’t like his little brother. He was still bound to his responsibilities, much like he was bound to the model ship now. “I was wrong,” he whispered. “I know that. I always knew that and I’ll never be able to make it up to you. But you need to know this, Jade - Quent’s right. I never stopped loving you. And no matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you. Even if you can’t always see me.”
This was hard for Quentin to listen to, it really was. At least, with Jadyn here, Kevin was focused on her and not on him, or the painting that was hiding in Quentin’s closet. Right now was not the time to bring up the fact that he was a clairvoyant and was starting to see things he didn’t want to know beforehand - or how he felt responsible for Kevin’s death, even though there wasn’t any way he could have stopped it. He leaned his face into Calista’s hand, closing his eyes for a second. Calista wasn’t doing anything wrong in helping Kevin materialize. Jadyn needed to see him. Quentin needed to see him. And he’d explain everything once they got a few moments alone.
Those words were painful and shot right through Jadyn. Yes, she was thankful to know her heart belonged to Kevin, but it wasn’t the same. She would go home tonight and be greeted with an empty bed. With no Kevin. No one would ever replace him. The only way Jadyn could ease her sorrow was if she joined him. But he wouldn’t let her. Not now. She didn’t say anything to Kevin, except bringing a hand up, reaching out to his chest and pushed right through him. The cold never bothered her and right now it was soothing. Feeling that cold energy circulate around her hand almost felt like touching his chest and listening to his heart beat. It was enough to soothe her. Enough to calm some of those tears and steady her breaths. “I love you.”
Calista was used to this. Used to helping people reconnect with their lost lovers and finally saying their goodbyes or whatever. She had done this for ten years. Ten years. There was no reason for her to feel overwhelmed by the situation and feel her own tears slowly swell up in her hazel eyes. Part of her didn’t understand what was going on - the whole Quentin having a dead brother thing - but the other part couldn’t help but feel bad. She didn’t want to make Quentin cry. She knew this was difficult for all ends, but this was the first time it ever got to her. Perhaps it was due to the fact she was helping her boyfriend out and seeing him in tears just made her want to curl up in a corner and cry herself. No, you need to be strong for Quentin. Her eyes focused on his, subtly showing that she was just a broken over this as he was. He would do the same for you. “...I can’t hold on much longer,” Calista informed quietly with a light gasp, eyes flicking to Kevin with a hint of sympathy. She wished she could make this permanent. If she could, she would have done that with every dead ghost who longed for their lover. Sadly, death didn’t work like that.
Kevin could feel it too, before Calista said anything. Whatever she was doing to help make him visible, it was temporary, and he didn’t know enough about what he was in order to prolong this himself. It wasn’t like he’d been a ghost forever, after all, he just knew that he was bound to the ship in Quentin’s apartment and that was about it. He moved his hands as if to bring hers to his lips to kiss them, cold fingers looping around her wrist. “I love you too,” he whispered. “Always will.” He glanced over at Calista for half a second. “I know. It’s all right.” And with that, Kevin’s ghost flickered out completely.
Seeing Kevin disappear - and how broken Jadyn was - about broke whatever strength Quentin had left. He wasn’t the kind of guy to cry in front of other people, and had only really done so a handful of times since Kevin’s death, but he still wiped at his eyes and tried to catch his breath. He’d never doubted Calista’s powers before, but to see them in action was something else entirely, and especially when it was his brother. He’d explain everything to her if she wanted to know, and hopefully she wouldn’t be upset that he hadn’t mentioned it. He didn’t talk about Kevin often and it wasn’t like he’d expect his brother’s ghost to follow him to Michigan, after all. The objects hadn’t stopped moving, and wouldn’t do so for a while, not until Quentin got himself under control. “Jade, you okay?” he asked after a few long seconds. Then, to Calista, he murmured in her ear, “It’s all right, I’m fine. Are you?”
If only Jadyn could fade away with Kevin... She let out a few more tears as he vanished out of sight, savoring that icy kiss of his. It wasn’t the real thing, but she could see his actions and the icy air was undeniable. Once he was gone, Jadyn sat there for a moment, taking in everything that just happened. No, she wasn’t ok. Far from it, actually. She didn’t reply to Quentin, just curled up in a ball sniffling. After the silence washed over her, she rose to her feet and gathered whatever belongings she had. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be wasting your time,” Jadyn commented while rubbing her tears away. “I should get get going.” As much as she wanted to stay, knowing that Kevin was here watching was a bit nerve wracking. All she wanted to do now was curl up in a ball and cry. Preferably at home. So she nodded in Quentin’s direction and briskly made her way on out, quietly closing the door behind her.
As for Calista, she wasn’t sure if she was ok or not. Sure, she had done this before, but never for a boyfriend. This was far more emotional that all the other times she helped out with ghosts and loved ones. Calista could genuinely say that she felt moved by this whole scenario that just took place. All the other times she was just blank. Not now. But she couldn’t uncork her bottle of emotions here. Not when Quentin was bawling his eyes out. Looking over to Kevin, barely seeing him linger about, she just nodded to him with a soft smile before bringing her attention back to her boyfriend. She pulled him in closer, smoothing a hand over his head in hopes to calm him down. And after the silence made its way past them, she closed her eyes with a slight frown. “... I’m sorry.”
Looking up, Quentin blinked at Jadyn. He knew this was tough - hell, look at him right now, a bigger train wreck than he’d been the moment his mother told him his brother was dead - but that didn’t mean she had to leave. But still, the elemental got up and left and there wasn’t much else he could do. He’d call her later, when they’d both calmed down a little, when he had his emotions and his psychic powers under control. He shifted so he was resting his head into Calista’s shoulder, drawing a few deep breaths, letting her hold him for now. “Don’t be,” he murmured. “You didn’t do anything wrong. If anything else, I had to know... had to know it was Kevin.” He paused. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him before. My brother, I mean. He died in April and I just - yeah. That’s a big part of why I left Maine.”
Calista didn’t know about this brother, didn’t know this was why he left Maine. Shit, she didn’t even know where Maine was. Though before he could keep going on, Calista brought a finger up to his lips as an indicator that he didn’t need to talk. It was ok. She wasn’t going to ever judge him and she definitely was not going to pry any information out of him. Not now, not ever. Her hazel eyes locked onto him, a rather nurturing look swirling about them while she stroked his head. She still felt sorry - that wasn’t going to change - but they didn’t need to let this ruin the rest of the day. She didn’t want to see Quentin cry or the objects fly around his apartment. So Calista leaned in to kiss his forehead while whispering, “It’s ok.”
Seeing his brother again, knowing that he was the ghost in his apartment? Yeah, Quentin wasn’t going to take that well. At all. He didn’t know how he was going to tell Renee what was going on, either, how to even start that conversation with his very-not-open-about-supernaturals sister. Right now, he was going to do his best not to think about it, and just focus on Calista in front of him. She probably didn’t realize it, but to see this side of him was extremely rare. He tilted his head up to kiss her, hands still shaking as he did so. It was what it was, at this point. It might never be okay, but at least he wasn’t going through this alone. That was more important to him at this point.