Tension's Like a Fire

Jazz was happy that everyone was now back to speaking with their parents. The concept spread through their apartment like wildfire and she couldn’t have been more excited.

Zack had been gone more and more over the past few days and everyone noticed. He was spending tons of time with Jenny. He hadn’t told them of her gift either. She was like his little secret.

They got closer and closer. Now not even bothering to start off sitting on opposite sides of the couch when sitting down to watch movies or just plain old TV. Matter-of-fact they would just sit in each other’s arms now. Not always feeling the need for useless conversation just comfortable in each other’s embrace.

Zack had no idea how this relationship blossomed so fast but he wasn’t going to question it.

The guys, sans Zack a lot now, were still trying to discretely -so they wouldn‘t freak out Jazz- think of a way to stop Stefan.

They wanted to know what they could do against him. He’d have all their powers and powers they were sure would be great counters.

How do you fight that?

They just knew they couldn’t let him get Jazz.

Sally and Jack were seated across from each other it was three nights after she and Alex called their parents and Jack held her to comfort her through her finding out her brother had passed.

He had been in nothing more than a towel, holding her fresh to his chest and he didn’t make one dirty comment. He didn’t have one thought that would have ruined the genuine feelings of the moment.

Through the days that went by both of their feelings for each other had managed to grow even more. They had both thought it impossible before but now they knew that they had no clue how much they could love.

Everyone else had gone off to bed and there they sat at the dining room table avoiding each other’s gaze pretending to be distracted by something else. Sally had her face buried in a book although was too distracted by Jack presence to really read. Jack was strumming on his guitar but could stick to one song for long because he kept stealing tiny glances at her beautiful face and forgetting where he was.

He gave up first standing up carrying his guitar by the neck. “I think I’m going to head to bed.” He announced to her because he felt it would have been awkward to just walk out without saying something.

She stood up too closing the book not even thinking to look at the page, it was pointless.

They both walked vaguely in the same general direction seeing as the couch and his room were both in the same direction.

They’d both gotten to the couch and they both stopped and turned to each other.

“Jack.”

“Sally.”

They both started at the same time.

“Oh sorry you go.” They both spoke simultaneously again.

They both couldn’t help but laugh at that point. How did they ever really have a conversation?

They subconsciously started moving toward each other.

“Well, Jack...” She started.

“Can, I go first?” He interrupted.

They both stopped and chuckled realizing at this rate neither of them were ever going to say what they wanted to.

“Go ahead.” She said softly.

He spoke looking at the floor between them which was somehow becoming less and less visible as they seemed drawn to each other as if by some sort of magnetism. “Umm... You see...” Maybe he should have let her go first.

He looked back to her eyes and finally knew what he should do.

When his eyes met hers, she finally knew what she had to do.

They both launched their hands to the sides of each other’s faces and pulled each other to a hard kiss.

Years of longing brought to a head all in one kiss. Never had either of them felt so relieved in their lives. It could be compared -vulgarly- to when you’ve had to pee for hours and you finally find your way to the bathroom. Only this was much, much bigger. This wasn’t something that had only been weighing on their bladders but on their hearts.

They both smiled into the kiss as they pulled away keeping their foreheads touching -which required lots of bending on Jack’s part- so they wouldn’t lose the feeling of each other.

They felt grateful that Amelia was such a heavy sleeper too as they stood there.

Once they finally could muster up words again they had another of their special moments.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” They both spoke.

They laughed again at their never ending serendipitous speaking.

“Then don’t stop.” They both spoke again, this time they actually hoped it would happen.

They pulled each other back.

Sally’s hands slid off his face back through his hair and crossed behind his head.

His hands found their way down to her hips and he then decided he didn’t want to lean so much any more so he caught the backs of her legs and pulled her up so she was wrapped around his waist.

She just clung tighter to him needing this new closeness with him that she’d wished for.

He began walking toward his room and somehow navigated his way there without opening his eyes once.

He kicked the door open and did the same to close it but he wouldn’t let go of her to lock it. They just hoped no one would walk in.

About the same time Jack and Sally “settled” into his room Zack woke up feeling like something wasn’t quiet right.

This was like an average person’s gut feeling not an extension of his powers but he knew he had to get up and check it out.

He hurried out of their apartment in his blue basketball shorts he slept in and walked over to Jenny’s and knocked not thinking twice about the time.

He honestly knocked harder than he should have but he was worried a little dent in the oak door didn’t mean shit to him.

Jenny looked through her peephole -which she never did but tonight was different- and when her eyes landed on Zack she inwardly sighed in relief and opened it instantly thinking of her disheveled appearance as much as he had.

“Are you okay?” He asked instantly as he saw her. Then as he looked at her a little longer and he noticed clothes that had been thrown on hurriedly and her gloves missing again he knew she wasn’t. “Let me in.”

She stepped out of his way and closed the door and put the deadbolt on right as he walked through.

“What’s wrong?” He asked turning back to her. His gazed showed his worry.

She couldn’t stop her erratic movement and calm herself down enough to really hide her panic.

“I’m trying to get away.” She answered as she started running her hands though her long messy hair.

He stepped closer to her and put his hand on her arm knowing it was only her hands that her power worked through. “Getting away from what Jen?”

“The power thief.” She said simply as her gaze finally met his. “Sometimes when I dream I remember things from what my hands see that didn’t come through clearly at first and I saw him through you. Well not him but the talk of him. You get what I mean.” She was terrified and rambling at the end.

He could see the fear in her eyes and it made him want to break Stephan into itty-bitty pieces.

“Jenny, baby,” he said soothingly, “Don’t worry. Me and the guys will take care of you. He won’t come near you I promise.”

She looked at him harshly now. “How can you promise that? He’ll get your powers too and how would you defend me against your power?”

Zack had no real answer for that. “He’s leery to deal with me and the guys because of our powers with us you’ll be as safe as you can be I promise.”

She looked at him and saw his confidence in his eyes and decided to trust him. She flung her arms around him and held him close -not touching him with her hands though- and a few stray tears fell to his shirt. “I’m scared Zack.” She sobbed into his chest.

“Don’t be.” He said softly as he ran his hands through her sleep tangled locks.

She looked up at him and smiled through her final stray tears. “Thank you Zack.” She said before leaning up to give him a soft meaningful kiss on the lips.