jackie taylor x f reader where jackie survived their time in the wilderness but just barely.
so it's the 25 ish years later and jackie and r are married and have been since they were young.
it's very au here ok😭 but basically the surviving people canon to the show all kept in contact instead of basically never speaking (even lottie cause hey girl😛). they're friends and all, EXCEPT FOR JACKIE☝️🙂↕️
so we saw how it was with jackie in the wilderness up until she died, but maybe somehow someway with the power of imagination she survived that night😱 but even after that near death it was terribly awkward and horrible and the girls would make these snide comments and all (sorry queens love them but drama😞) and idk how man but they still get into cannibalism let's just ignore and skip over the how with jackie being alive☝️
but queen jackie was like nope nuh uh yk and idk maybe she still did partly wanna go especially with how it was with everyone and shauna starting to show more and all.
so when they get out, they all kinda stay in touch see each other when they can etc but jackie takes off as soon as she can and doesn't tell them anything. she leaves meets r bam they fall in love get married young and start a good life together.
r has a good job that pays extremely well, but also to where she doesn't have to always be away from her family and can spend a lot of time with them. jackies an elementary school art teacher (thanks alottiegoingon for that beautiful hc that's one of my favorites lol). they both run a small local Cafe they started together on the side kinda like a family business now.
they also have kids☝️🙂↕️ callies a teen so let's give them teens too :p (Margaret whos 15, piper who's 14, brookes 13, kayden who's 12, kenzies 10) and they're a very loving family!
(big family supremacy✊️ (middle of 9 here so I may or may not be biased😗✌️))
and then one cozy winter day they're at the Cafe and it's a super cozy Cafe and BAM guess who walks in mhm I'm sure u guessed it but all the other yellowjackets (plus jeff for drama😱 and if u wanna add anyone else go ahead ofc ur story:p)☝️and when they see jackie it's just like omg yk with wtf all this kinda stuff.
(what were they doing there...? uh idk maybe they were going on a group vacation and stopped in that area to rest a few days or something and misty heard of this amazing cafe🥳)
now reader may not have met the other yellowjackets, but she's heard everything from her jackie. (yes...everything...) and she don't really care about all that cannibal willy nilly she just care about the w a y they disrespected her wife✋️🙄
they're not gonna refuse service or anything but r is definitely standing besides jackie no matter how she feels or acts. she's not too thrilled yk. like there's a reason jackie never stayed in contact. and she never planned on seeing them again which she was happy with after so many years.
then maybe they spend a few days in town and kinda see and try to talk to jackie when they can.
(also hc that jackie wears contacts sometimes but sometimes she's wearing her cutey glasses and she definitely dresses like the fun art teacher (bc she is😛))
(wait I'm gonna come back with that photo of ella alottiegoingon used for her jackie art teacher fic bc that's kinda how I see her lol)
(also...I'm 100% gonna imagine all of them as their teen selves😔 bc even tho there's some amazing hc of adult jackie, none are actually canon so imma be picturing ella and I feel like picturing the others as the casted adult timeline would be kinda funky in my head😖)
THANK YOU SO MUCH DUDE IK THIS IS A LOT BUT MY MIND CANT STOP THJNKING ABIUT IT😔😭
blood's thicker than water
a/n: hi oh my god i actually love this sosososososo much so really THANK YOU because this was so much fun to write (can u tell i love domesticity) i made all the kids girls btw,, sorry not sorry omg also SO SORRY this took foreverrrrrrrrrrrr but at least its out now (again so so so sorry)
you open the front door to the home you bought years ago with your wife (something you'll never get tired of saying) to the sound of chatter coming from the living room.
you kick off your shoes and walk into the family room to see a sigh that makes you smile.
jackie's sitting by the dining table completely ignoring the stack of papers she has to grade and instead paying attention to whatever drawing kayden's sketching, giving feedback every now and then.
beside them is piper who's doing homework and furiously erasing at her paper while margaret keeps shushing brooke and kenzie on the couch as she watches tv.
so everything is as perusual.
you decide to not announce your presence and instead head straight to your and jackie's room to shower and change into some comfortable pajamas.
your day at work was... stressful to say in the least and right now a warm shower would do wonders for you.
and a bit of silence. but only a bit, since as much as you love some solitude every now and then, nothing beats your own family.
humming in the shower you draw a little heart on the fogged up glass and write in your and jackie's initials in it, smiling goofily at the sight of it. you go to add an arrow through it when the sound of the bathroom door slam has you yelp.
"fuck!" you squeak, and narrow your eyes through the foggy glass, rubbing a bit to see who it is.
your expression softens when you see it's just jackie.
"babe?" you call out, reaching out for the body wash. you lather it on yourself as you wait for jackie to respond.
"hey, you didn't come to the family room?" you hear the question in her voice and you're quick to assure her.
"wanted to shower before anything else." you say.
you hear jackie hum and you go back to your shower when she leaves the room. when you finish up and exit the shower you see some of your favorite pajamas set on the counter and you smile, knowing jackie had already warmed them up in the dryer prior to you coming home.
you walk into the family room after getting changed and you're immediately greeted by kayden.
"mom! look at this!" she calls you over before you can say anything and you chuckle, walking over and admiring her art.
she's drawn a realistic sketch of jackie's hand, the one with her ring on it and your smile softens as you admire the ring.
you look up, "this is incredible." you say and kayden smiles big before dropping her things and going over to the couch.
"she was perfecting it while she waited for you to come home." you hear jackie from behind you say. you turn around and see her smirk as she leans against your chair.
"oh yeah?" you ask, leaning your arm to reach for jackie's waist.
"she's really talented." jackie says, a smile on her face as she looks over at kayden on the couch who's arguing with kenzie.
"you two have that in common." you say and jackie looks over to you with a playful shake of the head.
"shame it can't be the three of us." she says and your left with your mouth wide open as she walks away to the kitchen laughing.
"hey! i can cook!" you protest as you get up and follow her, jackie shaking her head as she opens the fridge.
"and yet you can't even draw a circle."
you stammer, "of course i can draw a circle!"
jackie turns her head, her eyebrow raised, "without any extra lines butting out?"
you hear laughter behind you and you turn around to see all of your other kids at the dining table, watching your exhange with jackie.
"guys! back me up here!" you say, walking over to them and you rest your palms on margaret's shoulder. she leans her head against your chest and you start giving her a shoulder massage.
"sorry mom, but mama's right!" piper says, eyes focused on the food jackie's bringing out.
you scoff and shake your head playfully, looking down at margaret.
"you're my only hope right now." you say, looking deep into her eyes and when she starts to slowly smile you gasp, walking backwards.
"wow. my own family against me." you say, looking down and hiding a smile when you hear more laughter.
"hey! come back!" you hear margaret whine and you stop hiding your smile, returning to finish her shoulder massage.
"we're not against you! it's not your fault you're unable to draw shapes." jackie says after plating everyone's food. you faux glare at her as she comes up beside you.
"right." you say, dragging it out.
"okay, come on, eat some dinner you grump." she says and you sit down beside margaret.
as dinner finishes you usher jackie to the couch so you can take care of all the dishes. the kids all go to their respective rooms to get ready for bed (or go on their phones, as both you and jackie suspect).
when you finish you sigh and plop down onto the couch next to jackie.
"i missed you today." you say pouting as jackie scrolls through movies.
she looks down at you briefly and kisses your cheek, snuggling up closer to you.
"i miss you too. constantly." she says and you blush. you playfully punch her in the shoulder.
"okay well i missed you more." you say.
she looks down at you and laughs incredulously.
"is it a competition?" she asks through narrowed eyes.
you smile, getting up and getting some chocolate from the pantry before returning, giving her some.
"no, i just wanted to emphasize how big your impact is on me." you say as you take a bite of chocolate.
jackie doesn't respond and you look up at her a bit curiously. when you see red tinted eyes you worry.
"jax? sweetheart?" you say softly, slowly wrapping your arm around her.
"i saw them. today. or." she stops and you wait patiently. "i thought i saw them. or maybe it was a tourist group?"
you understand immediately.
when you first met jackie, she was a shell of who is she today. she was bitter, scared, anxious, the list going on and on.
slowly you got used to her when you both worked the same old shitty take-out job and she got used to you.
you both started becoming friends and hanging out outside of work. that's not to say she wasn't the same guarded person, she was just more soft.
after four years of friendship and six months of you crushing on her, the day you graduated college you confessed to her.
okay she didn't run away, she rejected you and you guys stayed friends, but emotionally it was like she left.
it scared you and more than you liking her, you wanted her in your life, as a friend or more didn't matter.
so you confronted her a month later.
she ended up opening up to you and more or less spilled her anxieties and fears of being in a relationship which led to her spilling about her time in the wilderness.
it wasn't that she didn't like you, it was that she was scared to, and that broke your heart.
and now, years later, you're married with kids together and you couldn't have wanted anything more.
(and yes, you knew about some of the things that went on out there, but you were assured that jackie didn't partake in any of the... activities. you could tell she was being honest from the emotion in her voice and eyes, not that it would've changed your opinion on her, something that she knew and deeply appreciated.)
"okay, maybe it was a tourist group, it wouldn't be so uncommon, right?" you say, holding her close to you and she nods silently. "hey, want me to listen or do you want me to distract you?"
you hold her closer to you and choose one of the scariest movies you know on the tv, hiding a smile as you hear jackie gasp.
the next morning you wake up extra early to make breakfast for everyone, looking to surprise them in bed.
jackie's always been a heavy sleeper, so it's no surprise when she doesn't even twinge as you get out from under the covers.
you decide to make some pancakes with orange juice and a few strawberries on the side, something simple but sweet.
you finish them up quickly and distribute them into each of the kids' rooms as quickly as you can before making your way into your shared room with jackie.
you nudge the door open with your shoulder and pad over to her jackie's side of the bed, placing the breakfast tray on her side table.
"jax? honey? wake up, i made you breakfast." you whisper as you tuck some stray hairs away from her face. it takes a few more gentle nudges for her to open her eyes and when she does it takes a lot out of you to not audibly coo.
"hm?" she rasps out and blinks before slightly sitting up against the headboard. she looks at you with a small smile before looking to the side and 'aww'ing as she sees the breakfast spread, looking back at you quickly with a bigger smile than before. "this is so sweet, you didn't have to."
you smile, sitting on the bed.
"of course i did. i have to treat my wife well enough so she doesn't leave me." you joke and jackie snorts, taking a sip of her coffee (you didn't make any for the kids for obvious reasons.)
"yeah, you're right." she eyes you playfully before you lift the tray and put it over her blanket covered legs. "but seriously, i love you." she says softly and you take her hand and kiss the back of it.
"eat up, i have to do the dishes and then we are going straight to the cafe!" you say as you get up and smile when you hear jackie's whine, wanting you to come back to bed with her.
"white mocha? what's the name for the order?" you ask as you write on the cup.
you almost drop it when you hear the name that comes out.
you look up wide-eyed and 'shauna' opens her mouth again.
"do you need me to spell it? s-h-a-"
"um, no that's okay, uh, $4.75." you sputter, watching as she hands you her card and you go blank-faced as you try and determine if it's really jackie's shauna.
"here you go. i'll call your name up when the order's ready." you say quickly and shauna gives you a tight smile before walking back to her group.
you pay close attention to the group she's with and scrutinize every one of them... coming to the conclusion that yes, it is jackie's old... group of friends.
if you could even call them that, you muse bitterly.
you watch as shauna talks in hushed tones to who you assume to be misty, seemingly arguing about something.
besides them are a few others, you don't have the patience or care to figure out who exactly they are, but since they're obviously a part of the group.
you whip around at the sound of the door leading to the back opening, your eyes widening in panic as you see a ladder coming out.
you immediately know it's jackie who is finally getting around to hang some of the paintings her kids at school have painted, because of course today, or now, of all times is when she's decided to do it.
(she's been putting it off for weeks.)
you rush to block her way, not wanting her to see shauna and the rest of the company.
"jax! hey, honey, why don't you put this down, hm?" you say hurriedly, looking back to make sure the group hasn't noticed, and luckily it seems they're preoccupied with the argument between shauna and misty.
"what?" jackie's repsonse is a bit muffled but you take the ladder out of her hands and lean it against the wall, pulling jackie with you to the back.
you look back and make eye contact with an employee and they get the message that you'll be in the back for your break.
"what's going on?" jackie huffs amusedly but her face drops in concern when she sees your face.
you purse your lips before jackie's hands reach out to cup your face.
"hey. you can tell me." she says softly, stroking your face and you sigh.
"i don't know how to tell you..." you trail off but the encouraging look on jackie spurs you on.
at the mention of her name, jackie's hands drop from your face, her own turning into a frown you'd like nothing more than to kiss away.
"what?" she asks so quietly it breaks your heart.
you pull her to you and she buries her head into your chest as you hold her.
"i think they're here." you finish quietly and just hold jackie as she goes silent in your arms.
after a bit she steps back and her face is perfectly blank. but you know better.
"jax?" you ask softly and she sighs, rubbing her face.
"well i guess i couldn't expect to be hiding away from them forever."
"you're not hiding. you're moving on, setting boundaries. it's different."
she looks at you tiredly.
"i love you. you know that?" she asks and you nod immediately. of course you know that. jackie has more love in her heart than she knows to handle, you know that pretty well by now.
"i'm still going to hang those paintings up."
you open your mouth to protest, but she cuts you off.
"you can't protect me from everything you know, as much as you want to," she says, a soft smile on her face.
she chuckles and pecks your cheek.
you sigh, walking to the front with her and picking up the ladder for her. she gives you a fond look and picks up the canvases, walking towards the empty walls.
you follow behind her and it isn't lost on you how you're basically her guard dog.
as soon as you set down the ladder you hear a crash. both you and jackie turn to see shauna with her mouth open and coffee spilled on the floor.
you shuffle closer to jackie, putting a hand on the small of her back.
shauna takes a step forward, her voice trembling as she says, "jackie?"
jackie doesn't flinch, doesn't cry, doesn't even freeze. she just clears her throat, calling to amanda, one of your employees for some cleaning supplies.
the rest of the group who was with shauna look at jackie with almost twin expressions of surprise.
shauna takes another step, coming close to the both you and jackie. you glare at her, but she doesn't take her eyes off of her.
you can feel the tremble in jackie so you step closer and wrap an arm around her waist.
your action finally draws shauna's attention to you as her eyes track the movement before finally landing on you.
you clear your throat giving jackie time to recoup.
"shauna. what are... what are you doing here," she pauses, looking past her and to the group, "what are you all doing here?"
shauna doesn't respond, pausing, taking jackie fully in.
someone else cuts in, "we're on a trip. vacation, misty heard about some cafe, and well..."
jackie nods stiffly and you rub her back comfortingly.
"great." she says and turns around, picking up a canvas. you take the action as a cue to hold the ladder steady as she hooks the canvas to the nail on the wall.
"jackie?" shauna calls once more and jackie freezes before stepping down from the ladder and facing her.
"what?" she says, eyes narrowing. you watch beside her, mouth closed but your face still holding the same glare.
you're beyond relieved the kids stayed home. you're not sure how different things would have gone had they been here.
"can we... can we talk. please?" shauna asks, no, pleads.
you look at jackie and she looks back at you, your eyes showing her unwavering support for whatever she decision she'll make.
she takes a breath and looks at shauna.
"fine. but not now. i can't-- another day."
"yeah, yeah of course, um," she looks at you and jackie speaks up.
"this is my wife." you see the smile on jackie's face as she says it and you can't help but smile too.
"wife?" shauna asks shocked and you glare at her again.
"yes." jackie says resolutely, almost daring her to say something.
shauna clears her throat.
"would tomorrow work? at noon?" she asks and jackie reluctantly nods.
"no." jackie cuts her off. shauna looks stunned and you put a hand to your mouth to cover the smirk that grows on your face. "come to the cafe. noon. i'll be there."
shauna nods and then turns around and walks out the cafe, the group following her not long after.
when they leave jackie all but collapses onto you. you hold her and rub her back.
"home?" you ask and she nods into your chest.
"you don't have to do this alone you know." you say, watching as jackie rifles through the clothes in the closet.
"i know that. but i want to. i need to." she says, moving to the hoodies hanging.
you walk in and lean against a drawer, your arms crossed and brows furrowed.
"i just don't want you to feel alone. suffocated." you say softly as jackie finally finds what she's been looking for: the very first hoodie she stole from you.
she looks at you and softens, coming to you and cupping your cheek.
"and i love you so, so, so much for that. but trust me, i need this."
you nod because jackie's right. it's better that she does do this alone. it doesn't make you any less comfortable with it though.
"if you need an escape just text and i'll be there asap." you finally say, sighing as you melt into her, your arms wrapping around her waist.
"of course." she says, staying in your arms before eventually stepping out of them.
"i love you." you say and she smiles.
"i love you." she kisses you long and slow and you sigh as she walks out of the closet.
you're beyond worried but above all you trust jackie.
"piper! can you set the table?" you call from the kitchen. you check the time on the clock again and bite your lip.
it's almost eight and jackie's still not back yet. she had texted you earlier saying it had gone relatively well and that she'd be home close to dinner.
"'kay!" you hear back and you stir the soup you've made.
when the door opens it's nine and you've just finished tucking in kenzie.
you practically run over to where jackie is and immediately take her coat and hang it on the hook for her.
she looks tired but nothing more than that so you release a breath you've been holding.
"hey." you say and she smiles.
you follow her to your shared room and she collapses on the bed.
"you okay?" you ask and she nods, her face still buried in the comforter. you sit on the bed and rub her back until she rolls over on her side.
"it went... better than expected."
"i mean..." she bites her lip, "i haven't forgiven them. her. but... it's better than, y'know. before."
you nod again, and she sighs.
"sub tomorrow?" you ask and jackie nods. "come on, i'll help you take off your makeup."
"you're too good to me." she says and you scoff.
"as if." you say and help her up.
you learn that shauna and the rest of the old yellowjackets are visiting for a few weeks.
jackie's agreed to do small meet-ups with them throughout the week, wanting to bridge some of the gap between them and you support her fully.
after the third time she tells you how she's finally told them a little bit about her life, like how you guys opened the cafe, how she's married to you, and most surprisingly, the kids.
"you told them?" you ask, your eyebrows raised.
"yeah. i mean, it was eventually going to come up, right? you're okay with it?" she asks and you nod.
"of course it is jax. i'm just surprised."
she nods, clearly thinking about something. you let her ponder as you trace the freckles on her shoulder.
"would you," she starts in a small voice, "come? the next time?"
"you're sure?" you ask and she nods.
"i want you to. i want you there."
you nod definitively. "if you want me there, i'll be there."
so you come with her the next time, albeit more guarded than jackie.
"so you're the infamous wife?" you shake hands with nat, you learn her name is.
"yeah. problem?" you ask with a raised brow and she snorts.
"of course jackie would get with a guard dog of a partner. makes sense."
you open your mouth to say something but nat smirks. "i'm playing. nice to meet you."
you nod slowly. "likewise."
other than that it goes fine. they ask about you and you answer honestly but don't omit much.
shauna stares most of the time.
you're not sure if it's a normal thing but she does. jackie doesn't seem perturbed by it though, so you let it go.
"when can we meet the kids?"
your eyes dart over to misty and then to jackie. jackie purses her lips.
"maybe another time." she says, obviously wanting to change the subject but misty pushes.
"oh come on, please jackie?"
taissa interjects, "misty."
misty looks over, "it doesn't have to be at your home! it could be at your cafe!"
you sigh, looking at jackie and she huffs.
"fine. but under one condition."
everyone pays close attention.
"you're not revealing how we know each other. to them, you're just the people i went to high school with. nothing more, nothing less."
everyone takes it in and you rub jackie's shoulder, immensely proud of her.
"deal." misty says earnestly.
"kenz, margaret, come on." you say, checking the time on your phone with grimace. you're late.
they hurry down the steps and you chuckle as you notice their mismatched socks.
"okay, everyone ready? mama's old high school classmates are in town!"
this catches brooke's attention, her looking up from her book.
"really?" she asks curiously and you nod, opening the door for everyone.
once you've made sure everyone's buckled up you start the car and make it to the face in no time.
"everyone, please be on your best behavior. kayden, i'm looking at you." you tease and she protests as you laugh.
as soon as you open the doors to the cafe you see jackie and the rest of the old yellowjackets' eyes on yours and the kids.
"come on guys," you say as you walk over to jackie, pulling out some of the chairs out for the kids.
before you can get one for yourself jackie pulls you down onto her lap. you 'oomph' as you steady yourself with the table, glaring at jackie teasingly.
she smirks and you can't help but feel comforted by how much more comfortable she feels.
"so, these are the taylors'?" nat asks and you nod.
jackie introduces them and you can't help but stare at her adoringly as she talks about the kids with such affection in her eyes.
van leans in close and whispers, "is your mom a good cook?"
"nat!" jackie groans and you chuckle, lacing your hand with hers.
all in all it goes okay, which exceeded your expectations. you fully expected misty to do something unhinged which would lead you to take the kids home and maybe even change your address, but it didn't.
misty was strangely behaved and mellowed out, which you can't help but deduct that nat probably had something to do with. even lottie, who had been mostly quiet had been really good with the kids.
when it's time for the yellowjackets to go back you're not surprised to see jackie seem a little sad.
"jax?" you ask, coming into your room and finding her on the bed staring up at the ceiling.
"hm?" she hums, looking at you.
"you okay? how are you feeling?"
she looks at you and smiles.
"sometimes i think you know me better than myself."
"kind of my job, right?" you ask, falling onto the bed beside her.
she sighs, rolling over and you do the same you're both face to face.
"is it weird that i feel like i'm going to miss them?" she asks and you hum thoughtfully.
"no." you say and she looks at you a bit surprised. "maybe i'm not one hundred percent on board, but you've missed them. maybe not consciously but i could tell." you say softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "seeing them has made you happy in a way you haven't been in a long time. and it's not a bad thing."
she takes in your words before nodding slowly.
"if you want to, then get their numbers. meet up every now and then. i can't say for sure that they've changed fully, but they do seem different from how you used to describe them."
"yeah?" she says silently.
you nod. "yeah. i'll support you either way."
she sniffles and you pull her in.
"and i love you." it's muffled but you just pull her closer into your neck, enjoying the peace until you hear the door open and feel weight on the bed.
"come over here kayden. and you too guys! i know you're out there!" you call out and the door opens again to reveal the rest of your kids smiling guiltily.
jackie peeks out and her eyes are a tiny bit red but no tears on her face as she smiles and gestures for the kids to join you all on the bed.
as they pile on you can't help but think that if the yellowjackets do end up betraying jackie again you'll be in her corner this time.
