Simple Things (Jackson)

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Life was a mess and complicated. It had hardly changed during the last couple of years. The only silver lining was the fact that it had gone downhill so fast that a fresh start was in place. Kiara tried to leave most things behind her, living life day by day, but it wasn't always that simple. Despite the pain Jackson had caused her, it was difficult to completely cut the ties. The fact that his adorable son managed to compensate some for the broken heart probably worked in the man's advantage. If one were to ask the blonde if she would still spend time with him if it weren't for Gabriel, no answer would be provided. It was something Ki didn't want to think about, simply because neither possible reply would please her.

A trip to the petting zoo had been planned today. Part of her gift to Gabriel for his birthday - belated, but still. It was where the girl was heading now. She could have asked Jackson to drive her there, but it quite possibly could have been awkward since the plan was for her and Gabriel to have fun that day - his daddy not included. And so she had lied about being dropped off: instead she took the bus. Of course Ki made sure to be there before they arrived. Once they did, the young woman stepped over to the car and opened up the backdoor where Gabe was strapped in the carseat.

"Hey sweetie," she smiled at the toddler while gently unstrapping him before taking the child out. Kiara managed to do so before Jackson made it to the other side of the car, quite probably to inform her about all the stuff that could be found in the small bag that was standing behind the passenger seat. "Animals!" Gabriel chirped as he was sitting on the blonde's arm, pointing at the entrance board which pictured some farm animals.

With a chuckle, the girl nodded before allowing her gaze to fall on Jackson. "Thank you for bringing him here. Did you have an hour in mind of when you want to pick him up again?"

[Jackson Haynes]

Life never seemed to go the way Jackson had planned. His plans had changed so many times over the course of the last couple years, he was still recovering from the backlash of it all. He had fallen in love twice over, first with Kia, then Gabe, and suddenly all of his priorities changed. It was something altogether amazing to be a dad, and he knew out of all the paths his life could've gone, this was the best and most surprising one that could've happened. Gabe was completely in his custody now, and was his only true son despite what his ex said about her other child.

A lot of shit had been thrown Jackson's way when Everett found out who he was and that he was still trying to connect with Kia. He was content with being friends with her, and had learned over the last few months back in Pilot Ridge how to hide his true feelings for her. He had hurt her; she thought it could happen again. He didn't need Everett or the other Gabriel breathing down his neck and telling him this. But if Kia wanted to spend time with his son and inadvertently, him, then that was her choice. And everyone else could lay off.

And so, it would seem that Gabe wasn't the only one smiling when Kia approached the car in the parking lot. It made him happy to see those two together, and Gabe's babbling was beginning to shape into chatter. The life behind those gates was calling to Gabe, and he wouldn't sit still for long in Kia's arms. Jackson pushed his sunglasses onto his head, tired eyes averted as he plucked Gabe's bag out of the back seat, relinquishing it to Kia.

"An hour or two if you can handle it," came Jackson's replying, crossing his arms as he leaned against the car. He had nowhere else to be, so until they were past the gates, he would see them off. "Have fun! Be nice to Kia," he said, kissing Gabe's forehead. You would never guess his little guy was shy the way he was acting now, practically exploding out of Kia's arms. And then Gabe spoke two little words that were bound to throw everybody off for the day.

"Daddy come?"

[Deleted]

Gabriel formed a nice distraction from the complexity that was her life. The child was still so carefree and happy; it fed her own emotions. When he bounced around in her arms, she came to realize just how big he had gotten though. His strenght had increased and his enthusiasm even more so. He definitely had insight in the situation at hand, knowing just what to expect. Gabe no longer was that clueless toddler who needed a while to realize just how fun a certain situation was. Animals were no longer a 'meaningless' concept.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle that." Kiara chuckled while shifting him onto her other arm before a hand securely settled on his lower back again. Her mouth opened to muse a 'bye, daddy' but Gabe was faster and clearly wasn't on the same page as the blonde. A look of being caught of guard appeared on delicate features as blue eyes drifted to Jackson. "Maybe daddy has other plans," she finally spoke as her gaze continued to linger on the man's. It kind of wasn't fair to reply in his stead though. And Ki didn't want him to think he was unwelcome. This was why she continued soon after.

"But he can come if he wants. We still have to buy tickets..." Optics briefly flickered to the child before settling on Jackson again. "Do you want to join us?" The question intensified Gabriel's bouncing and both his hands were soon reaching for his dad, leaning towards him in Kiara's arms. This wasn't what the blonde had planned on and it could quite probably create an awkward atmosphere, but she wanted the child to have a fun day, and if that included Jackson, so be it.

Of course it wasn't long before the tot was wiggling about on his daddy's arm. It was Ki's cue to go and make sure they could enter. So, with the change of plans, she purchased three tickets. When she turned around, facing the man again, a soft smile curled her lips. "I'm sorry if this unplanned change interfered with more thrilling plans. I hope you don't feel obligated..." In the meanwhile she entered the petting zoo.

[Jackson Haynes]

Jackson practically winced as Gabe uttered his little question, and his heart almost broke when Kiara suggested he might have other plans. But he schooled his expression and was suddenly very glad to be wearing sunglasses that covered the majority of his facial features. Instead, he smiled at Gabe and touched his nose, making the child giggle. "Aren't you tired of daddy yet?"

Glancing at Kia, Jackson waited a couple moments before replying, wanting to make sure that she meant what she said before accepting the invitation. "I'd love to join you guys," he admitted, smiling slightly as the little man squealed with glee. Gabe was too excited to notice the tense atmosphere, but at least everyone agreed on one thing - today was about Gabe. While Kiara went to get the tickets, Jackson put a hat on Gabe's little head and sunglasses on his face. The bag Kia had was filled with all kinds of other goodies, for children and adults.

"It's not an imposition," Jackson confirmed, setting Gabe down, holding one of his hands while Gabe reached out for Kia's. "Should be fun! I bet they have cows and everything," he said in that exagerated voice adults reserved for kids. Gabe laughed and made mooing sounds as he half walked, half dragged his adults towards the zoo. "Cows? Lots!"

Jackson glanced over at Kiara and mouthed the words, 'thank you' as they strolled into the zoo. "How much do I owe you for the tickets?" He asked, spotting the first of the many animals kept in pens.

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Kiara's hand instinctively reached out to meet Gabe's. It protectively wrapped around his, cherishing the feeling of little fingers upon her own. Memories of when she tried to teach him how to walk flooded back, and in turn a loving smile appeared on the blonde's lips. Blue optics had been resting on the little fella, observing the undeniable happiness that graced his face, making her momentarily oblivious to Jackson looking her way. It required a few seconds before she realized this. Once she did, his mouthed 'thank you' received a soft curl of her mouth - a wordless way to say it was alright.

"The tickets are on me," Ki decided before a chuckle could be heard. Gabriel's sudden rise in excitement amused her. He was starting to pull their hands, wanting to point out to one of the animals, but too set on dragging them along. "Bambi!!!" His voice giving away his eagerness to approach the deer. "Maybe you can cook me something afterwards." The blonde threw in inbetween, casting a brief glance at the man before focusing on the toddler again. She tried to speak with a teasing tone, but it possibly came out as an actual request - in case he wanted to do something in return for the tickets.

The whole situation with older Gabe had gotten her confused. Kiara didn't know what path to take. At this point, however, it was Jackson who added some joy to her life, and so she wasn't too oppossed to spending time with him. She needed that little bit of happiness, even if only for a moment. Affection worked miracles, she guessed.

Starting to grow aware it might have been a weird thing to stay though, Ki shot her attention to the child again. "Do you want to go in where the goats and bambi are?" His eager nodding joined a loud 'yes!' before Gabriel let go of his daddy's hand. He dragged Kiara along, mainly because she had been the one to ask. When they started to enter the pen, however, he seemed to realize Jackson was missing. "Come! Come, daddy!" Gabe shouted, before pushing forward when the blonde opened the second safety fence.

[Jackson Haynes]

Jackson gave a quick nod. Once Kiara made up her mind, it was foolish to continue arguing. "You'll just have to accept some animal crackers later," he said as a joke, at the same time she suggested he cook dinner. He laughed and shrugged. "Maybe both?" His eyes trailed after where Gabe was pointing at the deer he so desperately wanted to approach. "Come. Come on! Deer!" Gabe was saying, obviously not interested in the conversation the adults were having.

Jackson had come back to try and be with Kiara again, but he had apparently burnt that bridge to the ground when he left without a word, assuming it was in her best interest and never really asking her what she wanted. Now all that seemed too little too late and he was grateful to see her at all these days. Yes he could've left for another city, but part of him was a hopeless romantic and maybe something would bring them back together again. But if not, Gabe was happy here, and he was happy with a steady paycheque. And her brother didn't seem to hate him enough to threaten him in any substantial way, which was always a good thing.

If Gabe hadn't been asking for him, he wondered how long he would've stood there in reverie. "I'm here," he said, following after them quickly, slipping into step with Gabe as they crossed the threshold. Gabe's eyes went wide with wonder at all the different animals he could see and touch, but he seemed drawn to the goats the most. They were bleeting and looking around with wide eyes, and Gabe immediately put a small hand on one of the goat's noses. It was a good thing the goat didn't mind.

Noticing a dispenser, Jackson went ahead and fed a few quarters into the machine, handfuls of animal kibble falling out. "Here Gabe, give me your hands," he instructed, pouring some into Gabe's hands, and then showing him how to keep his hands flat so the animals could eat without taking fingers. Gabe laughed as the goat he selected to feed licked his hands clean, and then licked his face. "Silly goat," Gabe said, petting the length of the goat's back now that some trust had been established. Jackson laughed too, never missing a beat as he offered some of the kibble to Kiara.

[Deleted]

'Maybe both' sounded like a good agreement. It earned the man a nod and a gentle smile. Of course it was not something to ponder on for a long time, given Gabriel made sure to keep all the focus on himself, even when it was all subconscious. Nevertheless, Kiara kept a close eye on the toddler, especially when he began to feed the goats. She would have told him to be careful, but she didn't want to inflict ungrounded fear on the child. A warning like that could indicate it was a dangerous situation. Instead, when Jackson offered some of the kibble, the blonde moved over to Gabe. "Do you want to help me feed the goats? You're so good at that." It visibly lit up the child's features even more, if possible - clearly proud of his 'skills'.

Helping seemed to consist out of taking the kibble from Kiara's hands and feeding it to whichever goat was standing nearby. When the last bit of food was taken from the blonde, the child decided to run over to one of the animals further away - possibly assuming it hadn't eaten yet. The rest of the goats, or at least the ones not distracted by other kids, flocked behind the tot. A smile curled the woman's lips as she rose to stand up straight, wiping hands on her jeans to get rid of the tiny bits of kibble that remained on her skin. "Where did the time of pushing him around in a stroller go..." She breathed out, pure nostalgic as blue eyes drifted to the man beside her.

Where did the time go in general? To deny that there was still some kind of attraction was a lie. After her gaze lingered for a second or two, she looked over at Gabriel once more. Ki could tell that if they didn't call him over, they might be stuck between the goats the rest of the day. She was in no rush though, hence the reason she moved to sit on a nearby bench for now, observing Gabriel as he seemed to have the time of his life.

"So... how have you been?" Kiara asked while momentarily focusing on Jackson. In the meanwhile she made sure to secure the bag on her lap, knowing the goats might try and nibble at it if they smelled the food within.

[Jackson Haynes]

Jackson didn't mind putting himself on the line if there was something to be gained from it. In his opinion, there was - Kiara. If she would let him. Similar thoughts of where the time had gone drifted into Jackson's mind as he watched his son, yes sometimes thinking that still surprised him. He had a son, and he was growing up so quickly. He smiled as he crossed his arms in front of him, keeping an every watchful eye as several goats chased after Gabe, searching for more food. Jackson wondered if Gabe's power one day would have to do with animals, but really the goats probably weren't giving something like an omen.

Catching Kia looking at him, Jackson quickly looked back to Gabe, a look of intense focus coming over his features. It was hard not to feel good - she was looking at him. Jackson smiled to himself before rubbing at his eyes, wondering how tired he looked right now. Setting his self consciousness aside, Jackson focused on Gabe until Kiara started talking to him.

"You really want to know?" Jackson asked, not about to answer if Kia was just looking for something to fill the time. He still loved her, wished she knew, wished he wouldn't seem creepy for thinking it. He sighed and sat beside her, trying not to slump. He hadn't had the time to create some sort of social life since returning and most of his old friends thought he was an idiot for leaving Pilot Ridge in the first place. He had to admit he agreed. If it wasn't for Gabe, he didn't want to know where he'd be right now.

Jackson rubbed at his eyes again, not realizing that he was having an allergic reaction to being around so many animals in such a small space. It wasn't that the place wasn't clean, he just didn't realize he had allergies to begin with. "I'm..." He stopped rubbing at his eyes. "I think I need to go to the hospital."

[Deleted]

Kiara wasn't sure what kind of question that was. Why would she not want to know for real? "Of course..." An eyebrow arched while visibly wondering what made him think otherwise. Based on their history together, surely he should know her better than this. She genuinely cared, even when her lacking trust in men had partially been caused by him. "You always tell me how Gabe is and how he has been doing, but I want to know about you too. I... don't think that's abnormal, right?" With uncertainty lingering in her gaze, it drifted away and ahead to the toddler. Jackson was making her feel self-conscious - perhaps she did still care about his opinion.

For a moment the blonde was convinced a reply was about to follow, but instead unpleasant and unplanned words reached her ears. It made her head immediatly snap in his direction again. "What? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Concern was evident as her right hand settled on his right knee when her body turned more towards him. She didn't want to make a scene while surrounded by other parents and children, so making contact was her way of keeping the worries and slight panic under control.

Nevertheless, within the same seconds, blue optics skimmed the space for the child. "Gabe. Gabe sweetie." When he looked over, her free hand motioned for him to move closer. The moment he did, her focus settled on Jackson again. "We'll go to the hospital, okay? If you give me the car keys, I'll drive." While it did interfere with their trip to the petting zoo, it was the least of her concerns. In case Gabriel were to express sadness, it might change, but for now she prioritized his daddy's health.

So when the kid reached them, the young woman got up, picked him up and positioned him on her arm. Even if Jackson were to object, she would ignore it. "Daddy is feeling a bit sick. And that might get the animals get sick. So we should go home and come back when daddy is feeling better, okay? We can get ice cream instead?"

[Jackson Haynes]

Jackson smiled broadly as she continued to ask about how he was doing. And he would've loved to answer her with all kinds of details (she was the only one who could really get him to talk more than a couple sentences), but his eyes were killing him. And blinking rapidly wasn't helping at all. And he was kicking himself because that might've been the way to break the ice between them, because every topic except Gabe seemed unsafe. But fate seemed to have different ideas.

"I don't know... but my vision is blurry." And though he felt her hand on his knee, he didn't think much of it at the time, though he would later. "I know I'm not molting, and this isn't normal." He rubbed at his eyes again hoping to clear them, only making things worse. Panic settled into him as he realized he couldn't drive anywhere. And how was he supposed to take care of Gabe?

And like an answer to prayer, he also remembered Kia was right there. "Okay, yeah of course." At least someone had their head on straight. After fumbling for them, the car keys were securely in Kiara's grasp. Jackson made to stand, wobbled slightly, and nearly used a goat for a balance before he realized it was a goat and quickly took his hand away. Well this was going to be interesting...

"Bye bye!" He heard Gabe saying, followed by a giggle. Apparently this was going to be a new adventure, and Gabe was very pleased to get ice cream. Maybe he didn't realize there was more here than just goats? Oh well, not something they needed to discuss right now. He trailed after Kiara and Gabe (at least that's who he hoped was the blurred shapes he was following) out of the petting zoo.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled quickly, feeling like he was the one who needed taking care of, not his son. He sat and waited quite helplessly in the passenger seat as Kia got Gabe ready and settled into the driver's seat. His vision was getting worse, and it hurt to breathe. Gabe was singing a made up song about ice cream from his spot in the back seat, quite content and unconcerned.

"I owe you one," he said, feeling awkward again. This wasn't the day he had had in mind, and he was sure Kiara was thinking the same thing. Probably the last thing she wanted to do was drive her ex to the hospital because he was going blind. But he was glad she was there, because had he gone home by himself, there was no telling who would've helped him or how he would've even asked for help. It could've been the animals, could be something else entirely.

[Deleted]

Kiara might have her head on straight, but panic was slowly starting to spread within. With Gabriel balanced on her arm and her other hand supporting his back, she was unable to reach for Jackson's hand. In turn the blonde looked behind her multiple times, just to make sure the man was still following. Not having a chance to guide him through the crowd made her feel awful and concerned - it was a relief when they finally reached the car.

"Whatever you are apologizing for, you shouldn't." The young woman told him while safely strapping the toddler in his seat. To some it might have been clear that she was rushing, but Gabe didn't seem to notice. Once seated as well, Ki looked over at Jackson. "Don't worry about it," she decided while leaning over to fasten his seatbelt. It might have been the last thing on his mind, but to her it remained a priority. Then she started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot.

"You would do the same for me." It wasn't transformed into a question because Kiara was certain of this statement. Deep down she was capable of acknowledging that Jackson would do practically anything for her. It just wasn't something she wanted to admit out loud; it complicated everything even more. In addition, the girl cared more than she would let on. Or, well, maybe she wasn't that successful at it right now. Her concern was rather obvious.

After a minute or ten, the blonde parked at the hospital. First she helped Jackson out of the vehicle before plucking Gabriel from the backseat. Unlike before, she positioned him differently - stable enough with his short arms wrapped around her neck, allowing the girl to take Jackson's hand into her own. "Almost there," she told him.

Of course Kiara had no freaking clue what was going on. So when they entered and an emergency nurse stepped over to start the anamnesis, she barely had any idea on what to tell her. All the college student could provide was that Jackson could barely see and that his breathing was getting difficult - something she could hear. And that it started at the petting zoo. She figured more questions might be asked soon, but for now they were led into a seperate room and told that a doctor would see them soon.

Jackson was told to take a seat on the side of the bed (or he could lay down if he pleased, though it might affect his breathing even more). After he did, Ki safely put Gabe between his daddy and the pillow at the head of the bed. Then she moved to stand in front of Jackson, kind of afraid he might collapse or something. Pessimism was not a trait that defined the girl, but right now she couldn't help but experience fear.

Hands settled on his knees, almost as if that would stabilize him. "You better make it through," she attempted to joke. "You still owe me dinner." Sadness was evident in her voice though. Luckily Gabe was too young and too occupied by laying down against the pillow to notice.

[Jackson Haynes]

"I ruined the plan," Jackson said, explaining his apology. Maybe it was kind of stupid, it wasn't like he asked for this to happen. But still, it felt like it was his fault some how. "It's kinda hard not to worry about this," Jackson said, oblivious to the fact that Kiara was already feeling panicked.

"Of course." Jackson said without hesitation. There was no limit as to what he would do for her. Even if that meant looking like a jackass and leaving without explanation because he truly believed he was giving her a better deal that way. How could anyone love or even like someone like him? She was too good for him on so many levels. But he hoped she would still be in his life in the future, no matter what that looked like.

Jackson followed Kiara quite blindly into the hospital. The nurses began fussing over him and he didn't feel like he was worth such attention. There had to be someone with a broken leg around here that needed more help than he did. After being lead into a separate room, Jackson did his best to relax on the bed and focus solely on Gabe. He felt Kia touch his knee and he smiled. "Challenge accepted," he said as a knock came to the door.

The doctor entered, and after the initial questioning, the situation had been established as well as the fact that Jackson is a meta human who experienced reptilian bodymorphosis. She didn't seem disturbed by this and checked his eyes and pulse.

"When was the last time you molted?"

"Five months ago," Jackson answered steadily. For anyone who knew him well, this information wouldn't be a surprise. He felt self conscious about it and avoided it as much as possible until his body protested and it happened anyway. The doctor however, looked very concerned.

"You need to molt more frequently. It seems to me your systems are shutting down." A panicked expression crossed Jackson's face as the doctor continued. "Molting is like a renewal for you. Think of it like washing your face. If you don't, everything gets clogged and isn't in tip top shape." She stood up again as she double checked his charts once more, glancing briefly over at Kiara, and then Gabe.

"This won't be hard to remedy. You simply need to go through the molting process. At least once every other month." She smiled then. "Your family will be happier for it, and so will you." She left then to get a sample prescription of medicine that would clear his vision well enough for him to function at home.

Jackson stared at the ceiling, unable to think of anything to say. Had he literally been killing himself by preventing what to his body was natural? And here he thought he was being a responsible adult. Molting took two or three days, sometimes more if he put it off. So at this rate, he'd need a week. No one could watch Gabe for that long.

[Deleted]

Jackson should know that Kiara did not care about any plans. And he should also know that her attempt to reassure him to not worry was a way to calm herself. If the man didn't believe those words, how was she supossed to? Either way, the quick appearance of a doctor set her somewhat as easy. She moved aside, no longer standing right in front of him, but more to his left. It allowed her to keep the hand settled on his knee.

When the doctor began to ask about the molting, it did bring a deep frown to her face. And when his systems shutting down were being mentioned, Jackson should be able to feel the grip on his knee tighten. She did offer Gabriel a bit of a tense smile. Nevertheless, it proved to be enough to keep the little one at ease.

"Thank you, doctor." Kiara spoke to the woman as she excused herself to get Jackson some medication and to write extra prescriptions. When the medic was out of the room, blue eyes drifted back to Jackson. She wanted to shout at him for having let it get this far. For having put his own health and life at risk... but she couldn't. Of course the man didn't do this on purpose. He had Gabriel's best interest in mind. Besides, it had never gotten to this point - he had never tested what a lack of molting would cause.

With a small sigh, Kiara reclaimed the spot in front of him, allowing her other hand to settle on his second knee. "I can watch Gabe." A tiny hint of uncertainty colored her voice, but only because Kiara wasn't sure how Jackson would react to that. "I can keep an eye on him. At your place if you want. While you molt. You can lock your bedroom door like you used to do if you wish..." Like the good old times. The latter part wasn't spoken out loud though. It still tasted bitter.

The issue might not have been put into words, but Kiara knew better than to pretend she didn't know what kept him busy. "I can be there for him... and you, if you let me."