The first thing Dakota saw when he arrived home yesterday was his son.
It hits him how fast Slade really is growing. Sometimes Dakota thinks it may be time to cut back on some of his work hours. Between him, Joey and Jillian, they do well financially. He doesn’t want to miss everything in his son’s life. He wants to be the kind of Dad for Slade that he never had growing up.
Today however, Jillian surprises Dakota by sitting down with him to talk about Jackson following her. It had been a few weeks since Jillina contacted Jackson’s spirit on Lilith’s behalf. Jillian hadn’t been ready to talk about it but the more she thinks about it the more it bugs her. Not only was she in danger but who stopped Jackson? It’s the million dollar question. She feels she knows but a certain warlock has disconnected his phone and she can’t get in touch with him without stepping foot back in Forgotten Hollow – something she really doesn’t want to do.
“I didn’t really know he was following me. I mean, I felt like something was but….I should have been more aware. It’s freaking Forgotten Hollow.” Jillian begins “But who stopped him? A good samaritan? Had to be someone with powers. He said he couldn’t move. But some vampires have powers….”
“That’s true.” Dakota agrees, though he has a feeling in his gut who it was. The question is why? He’s going back and forth between two options.
“I had no idea anything happened. I just tried to leave as quick as possible once I felt something was off.” She continues, briefly thinking about that day and why she was there to begin with.
“I think it was James.” Dakota flat out says. He looks at his girlfriend’s face and figures she thinks the same thing. “Maybe he wants to use it was a way to cash in a favor later on down the line since he was trying to be all buddy buddy with me months ago? But that don’t totally make sense because he isn’t claiming credit.”
“Well. Lilith is out for blood, so to speak.” Jillian says quietly.
Dakota pauses and nods. “I don’t know, James doesn’t strike me as a guy who is afraid of much.”
Jillian can’t argue there, she agrees with him. Silence stretches as the couple think on theories.
Dakota looks at his girlfriend, a main theory burning in his chest. One he really doesn’t want to voice out loud. He has a suspicion James has feelings for Jillian. That’s the only thing he could think of that would motivate someone like James to save someone and not come forward about it.
Jillian stares at Dakota, watching the wheels turn in his head. She wishes she could just confront James and find out the truth. There’s a small flicker of a thought in her head. Given James’ past behavior with her. His words that he doesn’t seem to mean to say at times…maybe James cares…and that thought scares her.
It's a dreary morning in Brindleton Bay as Slade Laws reaches a milestone.
Holding himself up for the first time. Annabelle Lee watches from her spot on the couch proudly, like another mama. She's grown quite attached to the little one.
Jillian is also proud of her son and gives him cuddles and kisses to celebrate but even baby cuddles can't get rid of the feeling dread in her chest. She has to talk to Dakota today. She slept most of the day she came home, then he put in a really long day of work yesterday. No. Today has to be the day. No more putting it off.
Dakota approaches his girlfriend after Joey takes Slade to lay him down for his nap. He knows something happened, he can sense it. Plus she came home hungover. While that is a little worrisome in itself given her Dad's history, he has a feeling that isn't the whole story.
"You know how I went out with Rashidah and her friend the other night?" Jillian starts. Dakota nods his head. "James ended up being at the club."
Dakota remains silent. It's public club. It happens. He realizes that.
"I had too much to drink and I was dancing with the girls. Then they were dancing with guys. It's kinda blurry. But James came on the dance floor." Jillian pauses. Things are still a bit fuzzy for her but she remembers certain things. Some things she wishes she doesn't remember. They're complicating things. "He...put his hands on my hips. I pulled away. Tried to leave. We got into an argument.
It's like a bomb goes off inside of Dakota. He tries not to explode like he did years ago but he clenches his fists. Jillian puts space between them. He follows.
"What else?" Dakota demands, he can tell there's more.
"He carried me to his car and took me to my parent's house. I don't remember the last part, I passed out. Andrew said James handed me over without a word and left." Jillian is agitated. At herself and at James. She knows Dakota is livid and that upsets her. But they said they would be honest with each other and she is trying to live up to that vow.
Dakota is seething. While he logically understands Jillian couldn't drive herself. There are taxis and James touched his girlfriend! Dakota makes himself count to ten and breathe. She's told him what happened. It's not like Jillian kissed James.
Dakota turns Jillian to face him, shockingly gentle. "I'll admit. I'm mad. But not at you."
Jillian relaxes slightly though she still feels guilty for some reason. Maybe because she remembers that she enjoyed James touching her.
"I'd like to strangle James. He has no right to touch a taken woman. Not to mention he's married himself." Dakota goes on, not seeing his girlfriend's struggle. Though Jillian herself is wondering why James behaved the way he did.
"I appreciate you being honest with me." Dakota says softly, touching Jillian's cheek. His rage at a simmer now.
Jillian leans into Dakota's touch, taking comfort from it. She had honestly expected this conversation to go much worse given Dakota's temper but he's worked hard to deal with it.
Her eyes drift close and she just breathes. A hazy image of James popping into her head. Her heart clenches. This is not good.
It's a beautiful spring day in Brindleton Bay. Jillian is busy keeping busy so her mind doesn't wander too much.
Dakota had recently decided to buy a cauldron so he can try his hand at potions again. Jillian decided it was time to expand her skill set, investing in a apothecary table. Oddly, their cat, Annabelle Lee, sticks close to the table while Jillian dives into testing things out.
Jillian can't stay outside all the time though. She has a son to help raise. A boyfriend who is off today.
The couple sit quietly. Awkwardly. Jillian has been pretty quite since the other night when she contacted Jackson's spirit on Lilith's behalf. The one positive is that Lilith insisted on paying Jillian for her services. The money feels tainted but at least Slade's college fund has a sizeable amount in it now.
"You want to go to Fluff's cottage? They usually have new books there and that hot apple cider you like." Dakota asks her. He's doing his best to follow Vera's advice. To let Jillian talk to him when she's ready.
Jillian sighs. She's angry. Not at Dakota but at what happened in Forgotten Hollow and she knows Dakota is just trying to spend time with her. Like couples are supposed to do but she just isn't in the mood. "I don't want to go out."
Dakota hangs his head and nods. Even though their days off together are rare, he feels it may be best that he just leaves her alone for now.
"I'm going to go check Slade then probably go work on some potions." Dakota says quietly, rising from his seat. He's trying not to take this all personal. He just really wants to help her because he loves her and seeing her like this is difficult for him.
Jillian watches him head to the doorway, frowning. It's not his fault. At all. "Dakota..."
She puts on the best smile she can manage so she isn't scowling at him. "I know you just want to help me and I love you for it. I just don't know how to talk about it yet."
Dakota's features soften and he gives her a smile as their cat watches the scene like a worried parent. "I'm here for you. Just know that. I love you."
On impulse, she pulls out her cell phone, dialing James' number. He knows something. She knows it with everything in her.
"I'm sorry. The number you've called is no longer in service."
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.
In a rare occurrence lately, Jillian and Dakota get to go out for a evening walk. It's unseasonably warm for later winter in Brindleton Bay and Joey volunteered to watch Slade for the couple so they could go for a walk down by the beach.
Dakota had already told Jillian he was going to stop in on Vera last night, before he even did it. Jillian knows she owes it to him to tell him about her visit to Forgotten Hollow to see James.
"I know you don't like it but he did save Slade and I. I hadn't gotten to thank him. I don't have his phone number and I hadn't seen him since that night." Jillian explains, she felt she owed the warlock a thank you. If James hadn't gotten her to the hospital when he did...she may not be breathing right now, same with Slade.
While Dakota is happy to hear Jillian does not have James' phone number, he still doesn't like the idea of her going to see him. "I know he saved you both and I thanked him for it at the hospital." Granted it somehow turned into a lecture from James on how Dakota treated Jillian that night.
That was the first Jillian was hearing of that but she wasn't surprised that Dakota thanked James. "It's kind of creepy that vampire died that day though."
"That's part of the reason you need to stay away from that place. Forgotten Hollow needs to stay forgotten. It's filled with vampires and magical beings that want to hide and I'm not just talking about James. That's where that witch, Ciara, hid Vera. That town just has a bad vibe to it. I can't fully explain it." Dakota tells her, maybe it's because he's a warlock and he can pick up on the auro it gives off, he isn't sure or maybe all the bad memories he has there is tainting how he feels about the place.
"I'll do my best to stay away from Forgotten Hollow." Jillian tells him and she actually means it. She can't promise she'll never step foot there again, she doesn't know what the future holds despite being able to use a crystal ball - which she hasn't done since she left Strangerville, she's starting to miss it.
It's a good talk for the couple who end their walk with a passionate kiss on the beach. Dakota just wishes Jillian would promise to stay away from James.
