Hours had passed since Lilith last saw Jackson. She was trying to give him space but every moment that went by a feeling of dread kept growing inside her. She calls her brother and asks him to come to Forgotten Hollow. She wants nothing more than to look for Jackson herself but feels if he sees her, it'll only make things worse. Caleb and Jackson have become more acquainted over the past few months. It'd probably be better if Caleb finds him.
By the time Caleb reaches Forgotten Hollow, which thankfully doesn't take him long, he walks into his sister on the verge of a panic attack, something he hadn't seen since she was human and their father had threatened to sell her favorite horse due to her poor grades in school.
"Jackson and I got into a huge fight. I need you to find him!" Lilith yells. The feeling of dread had only grown into a feeling telling her that something is very wrong. "He left during daylight hours and I don't think he took an umbrella with him. He was hungry and heartbroken..."
Caleb grasps his sister's arms "I will find him. Stay here in case he comes back."
Caleb searches for over two hours and finally comes to the conclusion that he had to look one more place. A place he doesn't like going.
Straud's estate. He searches the main grounds and finds nothing before venturing into the part of the grounds he hadn't stepped foot on in decades- the graveyard. He may hate that part of the estate more than the main house. The graveyard holds the grave of his maker, Helena DiMera also known as Miss Hell. He had visited her grave once and that was enough for him. Caleb is almost ready to go knock on the Count's front door when he spots something on the ground. A chill shoots up his spine, something he wasn't aware he could still feel as he draws closer.
Caleb doesn't have to check Jackson to know he's gone. His skin, the parts that aren't covered in charcoal black, is that sickeningly pale grey hue that he's only seen once in his long life - on his maker when she met her demise. Caleb looks around, confused. Why would Jackson be out here? Why would he let himself burn?
Caleb shakes his head, he isn't sure how to tell his sister. When Helena expired, he felt mostly relief. There was only a small part of him that mourned her. Lilith would be a different story. Caleb carefully gathers up Jackson and carries him back towards the home Caleb shared with his sister and family for so many years.
Lilith's reaction is what Caleb expected and seeing his sister like this breaks Caleb's heart.
"I have you." Caleb whispers, holding his sister as she cries.
Lilith not only feels an overwhelming sense of loss but also feels guilt. If she hadn't been out seeing Vladislaus - if she didn't have feelings for him, Jackson wouldn't have left. He wouldn't be gone.
Olivia Lewis is visiting the park in Willow Creek when Lilith Vatore approaches her. She doesn't want to see this so called woman. Her last encounter with the vampire flashing through her mind. Lilith still has Jackson's body. Olivia doesn't want to let go either but not allowing him a proper burial is wrong.
"What do you want?" Olivia asks coldy, crossing her arms. She's trying hard not to explode. She has to remember that Lilith is a vampire and while they are in a very public place, it could still be dangerous to her.
Lilith expected this kind of reception from Olivia but it still gets to her. "I had a medium contact Jackson's spirit." There's a gasp from the woman in front of her. Before Olivia has a chance to say anything, Lilith continues. "I've believed all this time that Jackson was murdered." Lilith goes on to give Olivia details from the seance, except the message from Jackson to Olivia.
There's silence as the two females stare at each other. "I'm going to release his body to the funeral home in Ravenwood so they can bury him." Lilith says very quietly. It was a hard decision for her but she finally feels it's time. Bella has gathered everything she can from his remains. Holding onto his body is just hurting Lilith now.
Olivia is near tears, her mind reeling from everything Lilith has said. Jackson was killed. He was hunting someone in the process. So much information. She's upset she couldn't be there to see him one last time.
"Jackson had a message for you." Lilith says, feeling a bit angry again. She has to move past it, for her sake. "He said tell Livvie I love her. She deserves to know that."
Olivia tries to cradle her broken heart through her chest. She's speechless. She feels the room float away as she's lost in this news.
Lilith leaves, figuring Olivia needs time to process and honestly, she doesn't want to be there. She did what Jackson asked of her. She doesn't doubt that Olivia loves Jackson and a part of her respects the woman for standing up to her. Fighting for what's right for Jackson, even in death. But Lilith loved him in her own way too and it hurts too much to stay.
Olivia manages find a seat absentmindedly as she buries her head in her hands, bawling. While it makes her happy to hear that Jackson loves her, it also hurts like hell. If he had lived.....he was going to call her later. They had a chance.
They had a chance. And it's gone. Forever.
No amount of daydreaming and wishes can bring him back.
The night has come, the full moon in Forgotten Hollow. Lilith gathers with Jillian and Dakota on the Straud estate grounds where Caleb found Jackson’s body.
Dakota had insisted on being there. Jillian didn’t fight him. She feels better with him there. Safer. She notes all the inhabitants of the mansion are oddly missing. She figures Lilith had something to do with that. Less distractions.
After Jillian draws her seance circle and handles one of Jackson’s belongings, she kneels and begins the ceremony. Lilith stands there, if her heart still beat, it would be jumping wildly in her chest. There’s a small flash. A soft gasp.
Dakota pulls Jillian to her feet and out of the way as Lilith moves to what’s left of the only vampire she’s ever turned.
“Jackson?” She questions. She can feel it’s him. The spirit settles towards the ground and nods.
“I’m so sorry.” Lilith sobs. “Not only for whatever happened to you but for the last time we spoke to each other.”
Jackson’s spirit doesn’t show emotion but raises his hands. “Nothing that has been done can be changed. Only the future and the now can be changed for all of you. But not for me.”
Lilith tries to pull herself together because he’s right.
“Do you know who killed you?” Lilith asks point blank.
Jackson’s spirit looks at Jillian briefly before looking back at Lilith. He shakes his head. “No. I will tell you what I remember.”
Jillian wraps her arms around herself next to Dakota, something in her gut telling her she isn’t going to like what she’s about to hear.
“After our fight, I left in a hurry. I forgot to grab an umbrella. It was sunny that day. I hunted in the shadows, wanting blood. I was hungry and angry.” The spirit recalls.
“Then I saw her. Smelled her. The woman behind you. The one who called me here.” Jackson’s spirit tells them. Dakota wraps a protective arm around Jillian. “She sensed someone following her but before I could do anything, I was stopped. I couldn’t move.”
“She kept moving while I couldn’t. I felt myself begin to burn but I couldn’t make a sound. I was frozen. Trapped. The pain was excruciating and then there was nothing.”
Dakota and Jillian share a look while Lilith trembles. Something she hasn’t done since she was human. Her heart breaks that Jackson went through that.
“I’ve answered your questions. I need you to do something for me, Lilith.” Jackson’s spirit tells her. Lilith slowly nods. “Tell Livvie I love her. She deserves to know that.” His tone falters slightly. It’s the only emotion shown from him during the entire encounter. His regret. Not being with Olivia when he had a chance to be.
Lilith feels like she’s been punched in the stomach but nods. She will honor Jackson’s request, even if it makes her feel sick. A part of her had wanted to hear those words from him. Another part says she doesn’t deserve to.
Jackson’s spirit fades, feeling there’s nothing left to say.
Meanwhile, across town, Jackson has returned home from work and finds Lilith doing yoga in their room. He feels his stomach clench and his mouth water. It's a mixture of seeing his maker and not having any plasma fruit since yesterday afternoon. He knows he needs to stop and eat but this is more important to him.
"Have you been seeing Straud again?" Jackson asks her, instantly Lilith seems defensive but he's still holding out hope that it isn't true.
"Why do you think that?" Lilith asks him. She's been careful and wonders why he's suddenly asking her this.
"Why aren't you simply answering my question?" Jackson counters. The longer he talks to Lilith, the more he's getting the feeling that Olivia is right.
"I've seen him twice. Around town. " Lilith responds. It's the truth. "I haven't slept with him." Also true. Though their first meeting in months wasn't exactly innocent but she didn't plan running into him that night.
"You know how I feel about you seeing him after you cheated on me with him." Jackson tells her, he can feel his temper starting to flare. His feelings about Lilith being around Count Straud had been made clear when he agreed to give their relationship another chance.
"Jackson, I can't help it if I bump into him around town." Lilith comments, she's starting to feel guilty and despite her feelings toward Vlad, she also cares very deeply for Jackson. One could call it a kind of love. "But, I did go to his grounds the other night."
Jackson feels like someone has slapped him. He has to steady himself and control his increasing anger. "Why?"
"I wanted to see him. I know it's messed up but just like I made you a vampire and we have a pull towards each other. He made me a vampire and I feel the same pull towards him." Lilith tries to explain it not only to Jackson but herself. Her brother has it's easy in a way, his maker expired years ago. She envies Caleb in this moment.
Jackson counts to ten in his head before slowly touching Lilith's cheek. "Do you have feelings for him? Feelings beyond the bond between a maker and their offspring?"
It's the million dollar question, something Lilith has been asking herself for years and denying just as long. Her head and heart swim in a sea of turbulent waves as the answer comes to her. "Yes."
Jackson feels himself drowning in those waves and releases her from his touch. "We're done."
"You can't be serious?!" Lilith yells, trying to block him from leaving. She feels panic welling up in her chest at the idea of Jackson leaving her.
"I am! I'm not going to stay with someone who has feelings for someone else. We tried, we failed. I'm done." Jackson states, he has to get away from her. He has to eat but he doesn't want plasma fruit right now, he wants blood.
Lilith goes to stop him again and sees a look in his eyes that almost scares her. It's one of not only rage and heartbreak but of hunger.
'Let.Me. GO." Jackson snaps at her before brushing past her and using his vampire speed to race down the stairs and into the living room. He bolts for the front door, forgetting he needs to take an umbrella with him like he normally does - it's actually sunny in Forgotten Hollow today.
Romantic Life: Dated Olivia Kim Lewis in college. Romantic partner Lilith Vatore.
Children: None
Parents: Unknown - deceased
Other Family: None
Interesting Tidbits: Jackson was never meant to be an actual character but he and Lilith couldn't stay away from each other (they kept sneaking off to have woohoo) thus he inserted himself and became Lilith's first and only (so far) vampire offspring.
Despite being a vampire, graveyards still freaked Jackson out. He had been scared of them since childhood. That's why Lilith literally had to drag him into the graveyard in Willow Creek to help dig up "Liberty Lee's grave."
Jackson developed an unlikely close friendship with human Frances Lurch.
Jackson dated Olivia Kim Lewis for two years in college and a year after college. Before that they were friends. The relationship ended due to the couple being pulled in different directions by their respective careers but they always remained fond of each other, recently rekindling their friendship and almost something more before Jackson's demise.
Jackson forgave Lilith once for cheating on him with Vladislaus Straud, could he gave forgiven her again? Most likely not.
Love Day is officially commencing for the people of the world. In Henford-on-Bagley, Caleb and Vera Vatore are celebrating at home with their daughter and pets.
The couple play a game of Who's Up? - The Woohoo version. Valentine's Day is a mixed bag for Vera. Two years ago she was hiding out at the Vatore Mansion because someone was stalking her, which eventually led to her being kidnapped. Last year she was pregnant with Este and she had Caleb had a lovely night out together. She's focusing on making good memories for the day instead of letting that horrible time in her life follow her forever.
Caleb is happy to spend the night at home with his bride and their family. Not that he doesn't love taking his wife out on the town, but he much prefers evenings like these.
❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧
In Moonwood Mill, Lily Zhu is still planning her two wedding ceremonies. One is being held in Moonwood Mill soon, the other will be held during the spring in Sulani. She's hoping that will make all of her family happy and avoid any conflicts between werewolves and vampires.
The boy she's looked at like the closest thing she'll ever have to her own child is now very much a young adult. Jacob is excited for his adoptive father to finally marry Lily. In his opinion, it should have happened years ago. He's been trying to help Lily plan the wedding for Moonwood Mill as much as he can. His adoptive sister on the other hand, she's already made it clear she isn't coming.
Once Jacob leaves to go to his job, Lily and Kristopher spend their time reminiscing about old times.
They both have admitted they felt a connection even back then but like fools, they fought it. Kristopher had been so focused on becoming the best pack leader he could be. Lily had felt Kristopher deserved to have a mate that was a werewolf by birth, not by being turned. Years had gotten away from them but not anymore.
❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧
Lilith Vatore spends Love Day with her boyfriend Jackson. They went to the vampire nightclub before taking a stroll around Forgotten Hollow. Jackson manages to surprise his maker, which is hard to do, by asking her to dance in the falling snow with him. There's an actual smile on Lilith's face as Jackson twirls her around in the snow.
It's a cold Winter's day in Forgotten Hollow, though Jackson Kumar can no longer feel the cold. It's one of the things he doesn't miss about being human.
"You're one hundred percent sure on your decision, Lurch? Because you know Annalise is going to ask you that." Jackson assures his mortal friend. They had been discussing the pros and cons of vampirism vs being human for months. Deep down Jackson kind of wished he would of had someone to talk about it before his decision. He doesn't regret his choice - mostly. Ever since Livvie had shown back up in his life, he had been having some thoughts of what if he had remained human but things can't be changed.
"I'm positively sure, Jackson." Lurch says with determination. He had done his research for months and thought about it long and hard, as Annalise had asked him to way back in November.
"You know I'll help you anyway I can afterwards." Jackson offers. He's thankful for the surprising friendship he's found with Lurch. It's nice having someone else to talk to besides Lilith, as much he loves her - there's things she doesn't understand due to being born so long ago - in his opinion.
Lurch nods his head with a small smile, now he just has to tells Annalise his choice and he knows it's going to still be a battle getting her to accept it. He has to wait until tomorrow because Annalise will be working all night. The wait will feel like forever to him but soon he hopes to find out what forever actually feels like.
Olivia had agreed to meet up with Jackson at Fluff's Cottage and Cafe in Newcrest. It's a bit out of her way but that's where Jackson wants to meet.
She almost jumps out of her skin when she feels someone place their hand on her upper arm. She had been zoning out while staring out the window. The snow had melted completely here, unlike in Brindleton Bay and the grass even looks like it wants to green up.
"Sorry." Jackson says with a chuckle.
"It's okay." Olivia says with a small smile as they head to a nearby table. The ex-lovers turned friends start to discuss anything other than what they talked about the other night. They stay on the subjects of their careers, movies, books and shared memories between them.
Even though Olivia had warned Jackson about Lilith hanging out with the Count vampire again, she hadn't told him about catching them with their hands all over each other. Jackson needed to see it for himself and she didn't need to be in the area when he does. The other night was a stupid move on her part, it would have been obvious she had led Jackson right to them. She wants so badly for him to know the truth but she needs to be more careful.
Jackson for his part has taken what Olivia told him seriously, given what has happened between Lilith and Vladislaus Straud in the past. He appreciates her warning him. He plans to talk to Lilith about it but not mention who or what sparked his suspicions because he doesn't want Olivia to get hurt. Up until his talk with her, he had fully believed Lilith had left her maker behind. She had a spell cast on the Vatore estate grounds to stop him from even stepping foot on them. She had seemed fully committed to their relationship. He has to the truth.
Soon it's time to part, Jackson has to get back to work and Olivia has to head home. He surprises them both by pulling her close in an embrace that Olivia feels isn't purely platonic or maybe she just hopes it isn't.
"Thank you for always looking out for me, Livvie." Jackson whispers. He gives her a very gentle squeeze, careful not to hurt her. Olivia had always looked out for him, ever since he had met her years ago. "I'm always going to care about you....remember that."
Olivia nods her head, feeling a few tears sting at her eyes. "Same here."
"I'll call you later." Jackson says before releasing her.
