You're such a good boy, Spencer

Disclaimer: [Mild depiction of a traumatic experience]

"So cute!" Jade cheered As she saw the Sistagram post of Yuuya and Agu, it was the first post she saw the next day after Christmas day.

"I know right?! it's all thanks to one man...Yuuya was so happy, he fainted!" Garrick said chuckling.

"Was he not expecting Agu to propose or something? They've been together since highschool!"

"Kinda, I mean Yuuya's parents have it against Agu simply...for being a guy!

So he was hesitant for a while about whether Their relationship was gonna be okay with Yuuya's parents constant disapproval, and the pressure was getting bigger."

"So what got Agu to finally Propose?"

"Ned, he had something to do with it... the ring was a gift from him."

"Holy shit! That's the one man you mentioned! I can't believe those two got engaged because of Mom! I should've known he was planning something!

Next time it'll be my turn to do it, I'll make someone get engaged!" She added with a determinate face, "Hehe, Jasper helped Yurei propose, didn't he?...you must be jealous." Garrick said smiling.

"Yeah, I'd like to experience happiness through another person like that!" Jade replied smiling as well.

Suddenly, she took a deep breath and released it slowly, her smile faded away with the air.

"Something's on your mind?" Garrick asked her.

"Everyone is either getting married, pregnant or finding their Mates...even my own twin." She responded before taking a sip of her coffee.

"How does that make you feel?"

"Pretty Awful...funny right? I'm surrounded by loving people but I feel lonely, Maybe she was right after all, that stupid Mall."

"It's normal to feel that way Jade."

"Yeah, you're one to talk...you bagged my Mom homie!"

Garrick chuckled at her statement, "After finding someone like your mom...those lonely feelings started fading away, so I know what's like to be in your shoes Jade, I've been there before."

"Sometimes I wonder, if I held onto any of my past relationships, maybe things would have gone serious." Jade said.

"Right, you said you had fallen couple of times." He replied.

"I did, but it always turns tragic...I never became anyone's lover eventually."

"Why? how tragic? "

Staring at her coffee, "Rick, remember that time when you asked me why I eat like my life depends on it?"

"Yeah, I do...Your response was 'Trauma'." he Replied.

"Yep I starved one time, wanna hear that story?" She asked.

Shrugging, "Although I don't get what's this had to do with The falling in love subject but, if you want to talk about it, I'm all ears...I know talking to someone helps a little." he replied.

Taking another deep breath then releasing it, "One time, I went out with some friends to celebrate my birthday.

It was so long ago...with my family we usually always celebrate birthdays at home, but because there was this guy I really liked, and I wanted to confess to him even if we're probably never gonna get together.

So my mom made an exception and he gave me permission, so I took my crush and his friends on a road trip since it's was his type of thing." Jade explained.

"Something bad happened obviously..." he said, she nodded "Yeah, it was just around the time I started healing from what happened to Jasper with that serial killer case." Jade said taking sip of her coffee, "We were just a couple of Teens with my dog 'Spencer' riding with us, driving and enjoying our lives when a car came crashing our way." she added.

Although his eyes went a little wide, and his mind was filled with questions, "..." Garrick waited silently for her to continue so she did,"It was so late at night, super Dark with no one else on the road but the car that hit us.

We were driving in a mountain road, so thanks to the collusion, our car ended-up falling off the road, and flipped all the way to the bottom." she said.

"Were you the only survivor?" Garrick asked, "No, my crush and I Made it barely, but everyone else were already gone...two other guys and one girl, his friends.

I'll never forget how their bodies were all mangled and bent at some insane Angles, even if they were to survive, it wouldn't be for long.

That fucking day...it was long ago but I remember it like yesterday." she responded frowning at the memory.

"You and This crush of yours, you guys must've sustained quite the damage too." Garrick said, "Yeah, well my crush had it worse...Although he survived, he ended-up in a wheelchair after the accident and had to be cared for the rest of his life.

Anyways back to the story, since there was no witnesses and the person who hit us seemingly survived up there, but they also ran away and didn't tell anyone, so nobody knew what happened to us and we didn't get help until we literally lost hope." she responded.

"You guys got stuck there with three dead bodies?! for Days?!" Garrick asked, he could hear his own heart beating so loud.

"It felt like more than that...We fell into a blind spot somehow, just us and some bushy long trees, We were completely unnoticeable unless you search really really hard.

It was almost as if we fell into a different world, or that we didn't exist!...we were seriously unlucky.

The bigger half of the group were dead, and my crush couldn't move on his own with his busted body, I had to do everything for the both of us.

I had my own serious injuries too, I was in PAIN but it was nothing compared to him...shit was so messed-up, but with the little resources we had, I did whatever I could to keep us alive until help arrived.

And As crazy as it sounds, we bled and starved for days before anyone came to save us."

"Girl, you're serious? all by yourself? not to make fun of you, but I seriously have mad respect to you Jade.

And...What about Ned and the others, didn't anyone notice you were gone?" Garrick asked.

Nodding, "They did right away, but they struggled to know what happened and where to find us...it was the seventies after all.

But despite all the struggles, if it wasn't for the efforts of my mom and my friends families, we were gonna die!

They started doing everything they can in their powers, to track us down...but Our rescue came in the shape of pure luck, when mom ran into the person who crashed into us." Jade replied.

"Doesn't Ned possess abilities that could've been helpful here?"

"Well he did use his 'looking-into-the-past' ability, but I have to emphasize on the fact that His powers are tricky.

Mom can't use them however he likes.

For example, he couldn't use his ability to travel through time, he didn't know whether I was alive or dead and because of that he couldn't use his full potential, because if you try to revive a person, someone else has to die." Jade explained.

"It must've been a seriously scary experience, for you and the whole family." Garrick said, "It was, It changed me.

I remember that one time afterwards...I had a nightmare that reminded me of that accident, and to cope with it...I ate almost everything edible in our kitchen while crying, until I got sick and hospitalized." Jade spoke in a sad tone.

"Do you by any chance, blame yourself...for the accident?" Garrick asked.

"I did some things at that time worth hating myself for...I mean I lived, but at what coast?" she replied taking her last sip.

"Like what?" he asked, "I was the one driving first of all...but I was the one who walked out of it alive, and on both feet.

Second, I did something I will never forgive myself for, even when I had no other choice but to do it." she responded.

"I'm sorry to bring your past trauma Jade, I guess I can see how tragic this love story is now."

"It's okay Rickie, I brought it up first... the one who got really traumatized the most was Mom.

He said that Since our family wasn't supposed to survive from the beginning, death was just trying to claim us one by one...we kept getting into life and death situations left and right.

Jasper ended-up being a survivor of a serial killer, I survived a deadly car crash...and those two cases were not the last.

That's why I get away with just about everything...mom says it's my puppy eyes that's making him go easy on me.

but I know, it's the fear of loosing me at any given moment, that's causing him to be so gentle."

Remembering something, "Wait a minute Jade, you said you had your dog with you, 'Spencer' what happened to him? did he die?" Garrick asked worried.

"Yeah he died too...That dog was my biggest regret at that time, since I couldn't save him nor bury him properly.

Spencer, He was such a good dog, he helped us even when he was dead." Jade responded, she got-up and walked away to pour herself another coffee.

"What happened to that dog?" Garrick asked himself while watching Jade, he could tell she wanted to cry but she held back.

Then he realized, when he remembered her past words.

'But with the little resources we had, I did whatever I could to keep us alive until help arrived.'

...Meanwhile...

"So?"

"Your health is surprisingly...in a good state, also you've gained some healthy weight so! that's a good sign too."

"See Neddie! you had no reason to worry, and who would not gain weight when Thorn's cooking is absolutely to die for!" Muriel replied with a big smile.

"Whatever." Ned said rolling his eyes, "You still need to be careful." he added.

"About that weight, Those 'barrier candies' that Socorro makes in order to protect my body while I fight, caused me to get too hungry.

You know I recharge my mana mostly by eating, so I have been eating a lot more ever since I started eating those 'barrier candies' to train." Muriel said frowning, he didn't gain a noticeable amount of weight but his cheeks got a little bit chubbier.

"Right, Socorro said you went back to training on martial arts." Ned said a little unhappy.

"Yes, I know you do not like it Neddie."

"No shit Sherlock!"

"Neddie please... I cannot help it! I wanted to keep training to keep my body in shape...But I suppose with those candies, it backfired." Muriel said a little nervous, "Is it me or are you feeling insecure?" Ned asked.

"I may have not put on a noticeable weight yet, but I am afraid...I will not be as attractive especially to Thorn, if I put on more and more weight as my pregnancy progresses." Muriel said voicing his concerns.

"I understand...I've been there before, but Muriel you have to realize, first of all dear... you're an absolute Beauty Queen with or without them chubby cheeks.

Second, Thorn is whopped for your ass, I bet he don't give a fuck what size you'll be by the end of this.

Three, worrying about things like this is absolutely normal, but don't let it be too normal that it would stop you from seeing the bright side." Ned replied.

"What should I do?" Muriel asked, "How about, talk with Thorn?" Ned answered.

"Alright." Muriel said, Ned could tell he had something else to ask but Muriel held back.

"Spill it, you have another question?"

Immediately, "When we will get our past lives memories?" Muriel asked, "I came with a theory...it may happen after you give birth." Ned said.

"Oh My!" Muriel replied Surprised.