10/8 Instance: Piercing The Veil

[tears~fall~like~glass]

Timelined a few days after [fic]Echoes.


Jessica: Jess ran a hand through her hair and pulled her coat tighter around herself. She walked towards the garage and peered inside, "Hello...?" She really hoped he was here.

Scott: "Hello?" Scott called back, poking his head through the open back door. He squinted against the light. "We're open, just give me a second." He put away the portable air machine which he'd been filling his motorcycle's new tires with and wound his way past a couple cars to the main work area. "Jess! Hey. Did you need a quick fix with your car?"

Jessica: She shook her head, "No, I... I walked here..." she chewed her lip, glancing around, "I'm sorry... this probably is a bad time..."

Scott: "Are you alright?" He put an arm around her shoulders and led her into the office and one of the waiting chairs. "Here, sit down, let me get you some coffee." He went to get her a mug and filled it with coffee. He returned and handed it to her. "What's wrong?"

Jessica: "I... had a bit of a bad night... well a few actually..." She wrapped her hands around the mug, "I just... wanted someone to talk to..."

Scott: Scott pulled a chair over and straddled it. "I'm sorry, want to talk about it?"

Jessica: "You're supposed to be working... I can come back later... I probably should have waited til later but I didn't know what to do with myself... I called in sick to work..." she sipped the coffee.

Scott: "My dad's out for today, but I'm not that busy. Everyone's car here seems to be relatively new, so aside from air and alignments, we haven't been busy. I can afford a break. Talk."

Jessica: She nodded, staring down at the coffee in her lap and taking a deep breath. "I keep... having this dream.... and I don't know if it's a dream or not..."

Scott: "Shoot." Scott leaned over the back of the chair.

Jessica: She got up, setting the coffee cup on her chair and taking off her coat, draping it over the back of the chair before picking up the coffee and sitting down again. "I... have a scar... It's... well it's not small.... and I don't remember how I got it... they told me but now... now I'm not sure..."

Scott: "They told you? Your parents?"

Jessica: She nodded, "Yeah... they said when I was little I fell through a window... I supposed I didn't remember because of being so young..."

Scott: "Oh yeah? That sounds...odd - how did you fall?"

Jessica: "I don't know... I didn't ask.... probably tri- no no, that's not the point." She shook her head, "I don't think that's right..."

Scott: "Ok, what's wrong about it?"

Jessica: "I think... I think I didn't fall... I think I was older..." she held out her cup to him, "Hold this..."

Scott: He took it, and watched her, puzzled.

Jessica: She lifted the left side of her shirt up to show him the scar, "Does this look like it could be caused by a window? Or by a car accident...?"

Scott: "Hmmm." Scott put the mug down and scooted closer. He gently traced the thin white line. "It was expertly stitched, I can tell you that." He poked at the skin around it, pressing harder to feel the ribs underneath. "I can feel lots of scar tissue under there, and I can definitely feel the bonier bits where it was remodeled." He moved his hand, feeling for the edges of the damage-area.

Scott: "It's more extensive than a fall through a window, unless it was the second story or something." He dropped his hand, frowning. "Um, wow, sorry to go all Doogie on you...like I know anything about bones..."

Jessica: "No, see... that's... that's what I'm talking about..." She took took his hand and gave it a squeeze, "Not a fall that I don't remember... but a car accident that... I think I do..."

Scott: "You remember a car accident that didn't happen?" He shivered suddenly. He thought of the small scars on his body that seemed rather oddly placed, though he couldn't remember doing anything to get them. One was in the middle of his back, and there was one a bit low on his abdomen. He squirmed. "Tell me," he said.

Jessica: She shook her head, looking away, "I don't... It's not... pleasant...."

Scott: Reaching out, he took her hand and squeezed it. "It's alright, sometimes it helps to talk about things."

Jessica: She nodded, looking down at his hand holding hers. "I remember sitting in a car next to a man... he was driving... and I... I was reading a map... badly..." She heaved a sigh, "I messed up with the directions and he turned around.... and then there was a truck... I could see it through his window..." She cut herself off and put her face in her hands, visibly flinching at the memory.

Scott: "It's okay, Jess." He stood and pulled her into a hug. He stroked her hair a bit.

Jessica: Jess leaned into the hug, sliding her arms around his waist. The gesture was comforting... why hadn't her mother done that? She tightened her hold on him a little. "Th-there's more..."

Scott: "More?"

Jessica: She sniffed and nodded, "I don't know if it's real or not... but... God, I hope it isn't.... But I remember pain... I remember what that felt like so how can it not be real?"

Scott: "I don't know." He gave her a squeeze.

Jessica: "I woke up..." she elaborated, "In an operating theatre... everyone was.... horrified... and screaming... and it hurt..."

Scott: "Sounds terrifying."

Jessica: "It was...." she turned her face into his chest. "It was so... so real..."

Scott: "I'm so sorry."

Jessica: "No... I'm sorry.... I don't even know why I'm telling you this... I just... needed to talk to someone and I don't really know anyone else.... I'm sorry..."

Scott: "It's all right, I don't mind."

Jessica: "Are you sure?" She looked up at him, "I don't want to... to presume anything...."

Scott: "No, it's totally fine," he said, hesitating before giving her a kiss.

Jessica: She sucked in a breath in surprise but, tentatively, returned the kiss.

Scott: Scott smiled a bit, and pulled her closer.

Jessica: She smiled back after breaking off the kiss and blushed, "Well... okay then...."

Scott: "Sorry! That was a bit uh..." He let go of her and stepped back. "Sorry."

Jessica: "No, it's fine... really..." she got up and moved back towards him, "That was unexpected but... nice..."

Scott: Scott grinned. "Shall we try again?"

Jessica: Jess smiled, nodding and pressing herself close to him, "I'd like that..."