39 Chapter 35: Care to Join me...

In the dimly lit apartment, after her emotional outburst, Jessica lay on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Grim, moving quietly around the room, began to tidy the mess Jessica had made.

At first, Jessica paid no mind, lost in her thoughts. But then she noticed Grim's efforts, her one eye, half-covered by hair, observing him in silence.

Before she could speak, Grim addressed her, his voice devoid of sentiment but not devoid of understanding.

"I can't say I know how you feel. I've never lost a child or someone important. But when I looked into your daughter's eyes, I saw longing and regret. You can't change the past, but you're still here, Jessica. And if there's something after this life, I bet your son isn't looking at you from below, but from above."

Jessica's expression softened, a hint of vulnerability peeking through her hardened exterior.

SLAP!!!

Grim, without hesitation, approached her and delivered a firm slap. Jessica looked up, stunned and then angry, but Grim held her gaze.

He grabbed her shirt ripping it more than it already was but he didn't let go and brought her close to his face.

"The man you hated is gone. Now it's time to focus on what's still here, in the present."

Jessica glared at him...but then lowered her head, whispering a subdued "Let go."

"..."

Grim released her, and she fell back onto the sofa...she then asked him to sit at the end of the sofa.

As Grim took a seat, Jessica, in an unexpected gesture of intimacy, rested her head in his lap, grumbling about the sting from the slap but unable to hide a small smile.

"It hurts," she muttered.

"I know," Grim replied.

"Do you think the regret will ever fade?" Jessica asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But you can try to make amends. For Danielle. For Luke. For yourself."

"Think they could ever forgive me?" she asked, her voice laden with doubt.

"It's up to them. But I think you've got a chance," Grim said, his voice steady.

Silence fell between them once more, the room filled only with the soft sounds of the city night. Jessica looked up at Grim. "Tell me about the stars," she requested softly.

Grim paused, then began to speak about the science and origins of stars, his voice low and soothing.

As he spoke, Jessica's breathing slowed, her body relaxing as she drifted into sleep. In her subconscious, she envisioned a happy memory – her family on the beach, smiling in a family photo.

A tear escaped her eye as she muttered an apology before succumbing to sleep.

Grim stopped talking, realizing she had fallen asleep. He decided to let her rest, knowing she needed it. As he looked out at the night sky, the stars barely visible, a sense of calm enveloped him.

His gaze shifted back to Jessica, and an unbidden memory surfaced. He recalled a similar moment with Valeria, a time when she had spoken to him about the stars.

Without realizing it, he gently stroked Jessica's hair aside like Valeria had him, humming a tune he didn't consciously remember.

Shah!!!

As Grim's eyes began to close, he thought he saw a silhouette, perhaps a child, in the corner of the room.

But when he blinked, it was gone, leaving him to wonder if it was just a trick of his tired mind.

Finally, Grim allowed himself to drift off to sleep. In the quiet of the apartment, Skia emerged from the shadows, silently draping a blanket over the two.

With a final glance at his sleeping master, he retreated into the darkness.

...

(The next morning...)

Grim's eyes fluttered open, dispelling the surreal dream of a field of flowers he had.

Instead, he found himself back in the reality of Jessica's apartment, with her still resting on his lap. However, Jessica was now awake, her fingers gently tracing the scars on his face.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," she said playfully. "...So, if you're immortal and can regenerate, how come you have these scars?"

Grim explained that the scars were remnants from the creature that killed him and the explosion that had ended his life.

"I don't know why these specific scars remained. I had others, but they healed. These just... stayed."

Jessica nodded, then got up and surveyed the mess in the apartment. "I'm going to take a shower. Could you start cleaning up a bit? I'll join you once I'm done."

Grim agreed, and as Jessica walked towards the bathroom, she paused. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "For everything yesterday... for staying with me all night."

Grim nodded and replied." It's nothing you should thank me for."

"..."

Jessica finally turned her head and stared at Grim for a good 20 seconds before asking out of the blue.

"Would you care to join me..." She asked with a bit of tentativeness.

"..."

"I appreciate the offer but I think I'll take one after you, I'll get started on the cleaning,"

Grim replied not really thinking much about whether he wanted to shower with Jessica or not. Plus the shower wasn't that big, so it would be pretty cramped in there if they did do it together.

Maybe she was just trying to save on her water bill.

"I see...suit yourself." Jessica wasn't disheartened by the rejection and entered the bathroom by herself, leaving Grim to start tidying the apartment.

...

By the time Jessica emerged, hair still damp, the room was moderately clean, although the broken walls and furniture still remained from the previous night's turmoil.

Jessica suggested grabbing breakfast at a local burger joint before diving back into the case.

Grim was happy to oblige, but first, Jessica pointed out he needed a shower as well.

After his shower, Grim realized he had forgotten a towel.

He walked out, not bothered by his lack of attire, only to be met with an embarrassed Jessica who quickly threw a towel his way.

'Fuck, the kid is not a grower...that's for sure.' Jessica thought with a slight blush on her cheeks.

The moment was unexpectedly comical and a light-hearted start to their day.

....

Once dressed, Grim and Jessica enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the burger joint, their conversation lighter and more relaxed than before.

It was a much-needed break from the heaviness of their recent interactions.

After breakfast, they found themselves near an incense shop. The aroma of various scents wafted through the air as they approached.

Inside, the shop was a treasure trove of incense, candles, and other mystical items.

"What are we looking for?" Grim asked, curious about this new stop on their journey.

"The Botanical Gardens is owned by a man named Richard Owen, he a multimillionaire icon that's obsessed with Green, meditation and all that crap...I told you before that there wasn't a connection with any of the victims." Jessica paused before the two made their way across the street.

"But there was...exactly one month before every murder, the victims bought some special incense from this shop...and this shop just so happened to be owned by Richard Owen's, the same person that owns the botanical gardens that you tracked that scent to."

"Coincidence...I think not."

Grim finally made an 'oh' face. " So you think this Richard Owen could be the murderer."

"No... though my gut is telling me that he's connected." She said before the two entered the shop.

But before Grim could reply, Jessica suddenly had a hold of his arm and hugged it with both arms.

She had a sing-song smile on her face while acting all lovey-dovey...

"..."

'Who are you?? What happened to the real Jessica??'

Why was she suddenly acting so differently?