All you have to do is shout it out.

Roxanne had gotten up from her position on the ground after the laughing fit had ended, saying she was going to bed from exhaustion. Jakob stood too, hand wrapped lightly around her wrist. “Roxanne…I don’t want that to make us awkward between us…I….”

She turned around and looked at him, indifference on her face. “Well, despite the fact that you saved my life, know that I could burn you to a crisp, saw me roast a ghost, and well you just kissed me…the situation couldn’t be more awkward.” She hesitated, taping her finger to her lip. “But…I guess we’ll have to look past that, won’t we?” she smiled softly.

They continued to look at each other, when the ground exploded off on the right of his yard. The force beneath it sent Roxanne flying into the brick wall of the house and Jakob off spiraling near a tree. Her head smacked against it with a little knock and made birds fly around her. it was nothing she couldn’t handle though, and brushed it off and stood.

The dust and debris was clearing, to reveal one solid and whole complex. James. Her eyes flamed, fire taking over the iris and core. He just couldn’t get enough, could he? Without hesitation, he moved to Jakob, fury in his eyes. Her own eyes widened, and Roxanne sent a fire ball whirling to his back. Since he was in a human form; skin, muscle and all, it landed and burned for a few seconds before it was doused by water. James slowly turned around.

“Don’t touch him.” She said in a growl of a breath.

He smiled sickly and continued his walk. Furrowing her eyebrows, Roxanne ran at him, hands clasping around his waist to tackle and drag him down. He had landed on top of her, and she pushed him off. Out of anger, he whirled around and punched her in the nose a loud and bold crack resounding through the air. Roxanne felt nothing at first, but searing pain and a tear in her skin told her something else had happened. He had re broken her nose. She cried out, holding her nose only to feel something sticking through. He had pushed the bone through her skin. Tears pecked her eyes despite her trying to be strong. She couldn’t lay there and take the hit. She needed to protect Jakob. Removing her hands she morphed into the form she had almost forgotten about; the coldness nipping at her bare skin. James was leering over Jakob, despite Roxanne’s warning. She hated being ignored. It angered her.

“I said, don’t touch him.” It was spoken in a low and threatening tone.

James smiled again. “What are you going to do about it baby?”

“One, don’t call her baby. Two; I’m going to do this.”

The two of them turned to see four others; Lily, Arabella, Dulcie and Valykrie. Lily had spoken and cast her hands on the ground beneath James and roots from the tree crawled around to hold him in place.

“How’d you guys know where I was?”

“We got Aurora. Pinned her back in a cage where her power is well….it won’t be helping her out anytime soon.” Valykrie said, rubbing her hand on her shirt like she had them polished.

James was trying to fight, but they touched on the ground and circled around him. “Jamesy Wamsey,” Roxanne said, petting his hair, studying him. “You shouldn’t play with fire…you’ll just end up getting burned.”

He was looking at her, a side smirk on his lips. “What can I say? I love the chase.” He spat at her.

“Roxanne, get your nose looked at,” Dulcie said, softly touching her arm.

Roxanne looked at her, “What are you going to do with him?”

“We’re going to take him back. Back to Utopia and lock him up good.”

She looked between each of them, meeting their eyes. This was over. It was truly over. James would be gone, locked up again and she could go back to her normal life. Her wounds would heal, and everything would go back to normal. She’d be working shifts at her bar normally again, dealing with drunken patrons and such. It was what she could get back to again. Her normal life. “Alright…go on.” She waved her hand, “Wait.” She turned back to James and planted a nice fist on his nose a sickening crack erupting. “That’s for my nose.”
Valykrie hid a laugh and they disappeared to Utopia. Turning back to Jakob Roxanne kneeled beside him. “Are you okay?”

His eyes glued in on her nose; which surprisingly didn’t hurt as much as she had expected it to. “I’m fine…but, you don’t seem like it.”

She shrugged standing and holding her hand out to help him up. “I’ve experienced worse.”

“You still need to see a doctor.”

“Well, you’re a doctor. Can’t you do it?”

His hands wavered over her nose, worry on his face. “Yes…I suppose but, it’ll be painful.”

“Again….I’ve experienced worse.”

“Roxanne, can I ask you an honest question?”

She blinked, turning to him once again, looking him up and down. “Of course Jakob.”

“Uhm, I know you’re probably not looking for one right now or even interested but…I have to tell you something.”

Roxanne froze. “What?”

“Ever since I rescued you, I’ve….I’ve developed feelings for you. And…I realized that rescuing you, and staying with you through this has made me do a lot of thinking. I’m not saying we have to do anything right now, but…maybe one day...” he trailed off.

“Jakob, what are you talking about?”

“Maybe we could, I don’t know, become a couple?”

She stood, unwavering. Had he really just suggested what she thought? It had thrown her off guard and their eyes met. “Jakob….I barely even know you. And the last time I got into a relationship with someone I didn’t even know, he tried to kill me…but I’ve also learned that life is extremely short. And you never know when you’re going to die. All you can do is wait to die. Wait to live. And…there isn’t enough time in the world to be cautious and wait for someone else to sweep you off your feet….so…I would love to be your girlfriend.”

His face lit up in a delicate smile, and he held out his hand to her, and she slipped into it. “Come on, let’s get that nose fixed.”