Let It Go

She palmed the front of her lavender tunic with the deep cut V neck and nodded at her reflection in the mirror. Sighing heavily, she shook her head and removed the tunic, grabbing a green one instead. Lavender was the color of his eyes...green was better. Green was like nature, like her James. She smiled and fixed it just right. Paired with her skinny jeans and calf length boots, she was ready. She began to sing as she strolled to the couch in her home.

"These boots are made for walkin', and that's just what they'll do. One-a these days these boots are gonna walk...alll...over...you." She grinned and grabbed the box, turning for the door. She was ready. It was time to put the past where it belonged. It was the only way she could fully move forward.

She pulled up to his estate and rolled her eyes when she was stopped. They searched her car and she waited for clearance. Once they recognized her, she was allowed through. She really hoped Vincent answered so she could just give him the box and leave. But part of her wanted to confront Quinn about his intentions with Brianna. She was young and foolish, same as she was before.

No, that would imply she didn't love him. And damn him, she did. She fell madly in love with him, and part of her still loved him and always would...but she was made out as the bad guy and that was not okay. Anger rolled through her and she threw the car in park. Turning the engine off, she grabbed the box from beside her and made her way to the door, head high, back straight, confident. She could do this. She rang the door bell and waited.

As he watched the camera, he grinned. He had almost expected this, but he wondered if she had spoken to Compton...he hit the intercom.

"Let her in. Show her into the common rooms. We will meet her there."

She was let in by a guard who looked familiar, but she couldn't place him. When Vincent hadn't answered, she wondered where he was and if he was still recuperating. It ticked her off that she was being shown in like some foreign guest. How had things changed so drastically? Oh, right, SHE screwed it all up. Least that's what everyone thought. "You can wait here." He said before he turned to leave.

"Sure, I'll wait. Don't mind me, I'm no one important." She cursed under her breath and thought about leaving the box there and just calling it a night. No, she would not give him the satisfaction. She told herself she would remain calm and not let her emotions claim her.

The laughing in the adjoining room struck her as familiar. Oh yes, Arabella...probably a slumber party for his princess. She scoffed...at a time he called her princess. STOP IT! She screamed inside her head as she closed her eyes and muttered under her breath.

Quinn rolled his eyes.

"Come on in, Jessica. Mathew should have brought you all the way. He is a new addition, courtesy of your Maker and is still learning the ropes."

He turned and smiled at something in the main room, then turned back to her.

"How can I help you, Jessica? I must say I was surprised when they said you were at the gates."

She heard his voice and turned around to see him approaching her with a smirk on his face. Watching as he smiled at the laughing in the other room, she rolled her own eyes quickly. "Yeah, surprise surprise. I went through some things and I decided to return this to you. It's some of your things I had in my possession."

She walked closer to him and extended her arms out with the box, pressing it to his chest. She let go and didn't care if he had grabbed it or not. She turned to leave and heard an all too familiar voice say something.

Brianna.

She felt like she had saw red and turned around to face him. "She's...here?"

He caught the box, setting it aside.

"She's...here?"

"Of course she is, Jessica. Didn't William tell you? He asked us if she could move in with us. Arabella is her private tutor and with all that is going on at the estate, he asked if I would mind. I had no issue with it..and before you go on a rant, HE introduced Brianna and I in his office. He knows we have met, and in fact her moving in here was HIS idea."

He watched as she processed the information, then looked over and called over the TV.

"Brianna, your sister's here. Did you want to say hello?"

He smirked as she waved from the couch, not even getting up, then returned to a whispered conversation with Arabella. He turned back to Jessica, looking in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if he did not tell you, but I had assumed he would have, or I would have done so myself. Before you get any ideas, she and I are friends and nothing more. We actually sat down and had a long talk about that."

He flashed her a smile.

"It is good to see you again though. William said you were out of town on 'his business' and that he'd let you know I asked about you. Just because things didn't work out, Jessica, does not mean I stop caring. You and I just didn't work. We both know how hard we fought to make it work, but it just was not meant to be. You have your vampire now, and from what I can tell he makes you happy. I am happy for you both, Jessica. You have someone to stand beside you, and I have my family."

He smiled, looking over at Arabella then turned back to Jessica.

"Vincent and Vivian should be back this evening. I know he would love to see you again. They just needed to get away for a bit of alone time."

He chuckled softly.

"I'll be glad to have him back though. With them gone, this family does not seem complete."

She let his words sink in. Bill...allowed her to move in. TO MOVE IN!!?! She fought wars with Bill just to be near Quinn and he's just handing her over...oh wait, friends. Bill didn't know. Made perfect sense now, but she could tell she had missed a lot by her mini vacation. Instead of yelling at him like she wanted, she inhaled slowly and let him keep talking. The echoed voices of Brianna was angering her more, seeing him smile like that...his words...

"Can we step outside? I--think--I need some air." She blew out a breath and turned from him, opening the door and stepping onto the large veranda that surrounded his house. She did not know if he would follow her but she did not want to speak to him in front of them and she needed a moment.

"Of course..."

He followed her outside, waving the guards off that started to walk closer.

"I know you think something is going on with Brianna and I, but I was not kidding when I said we were friends. Your Maker chose Arabella to teach her since he is too busy right now and Arabella was available. The move here is temporary and she will be staying with Arabella and her donor, not with me. I am in a separate section of the house. Now that we have a bit more privacy, feel free to let loose. I'll wait to respond until you finish."

He pushed the door closed and stepped back to give her room.

She felt like a loaded gun, so much she had said but hadn't said. Of course anything she did say he would have a clever rebuttal for, she knew him. With her back to him, she closed her eyes and pictured James before her. Heard him speaking in her ear to calm her. He spoke and she listened.

"...Now that we have a bit more privacy, feel free to let loose. I'll wait to respond until you finish."

She turned around after a good two minutes and laughed. She actually laughed and shrugged her shoulders. Raising her arms and dropping them to her sides, she shook her head. "You know Quinn, I don't even know where to begin. I mean first, I come back to find you have a progeny....and then I try to figure things out because damn me and my heart for still loving you. I hated you for leaving me, I HATED that you left me there. I HATED that I couldn't help you. And then things really went to shit. Yeah, I fucked around. I fucked up. There, I said it. Since everyone knows I "cheated" and I'm the bad guy..."

She shook her head and looked away from him for a moment. "I saved your life...or helped or tried, whatever." She looked back at him. "Then I never saw you again. I figured that was my hint that I just wasn't what you wanted or needed. I accepted that and tried to move forward. Then I find out you and Brianna are "friends"." She scoffed and shook her head. "Come on Quinn, be straight with me. Tell me you haven't kissed her. Tell me you haven't told her she's beautiful. Tell me you haven't told her ALL the things you used to tell me? But I get it! You think I'm jealous." She laughed again and stepped closer. "Hell, maybe I am. Maybe I'm still so confused on how something so good ended so damn bad!" She met his eyes, searching for answers as if they lay there.

"I'm sorry I fucked it all up. I made mistakes, but I will not take the blame for ruining what we had. Far as I'm concerned...it was a team effort." She spat out before turning away from him to cool down. She had unloaded everything...she felt slightly better.

He waited and listened to everything she had to say before speaking, then he took a breath and spoke softly.

"Jessica, yes I was upset by your relationship with James. I am not going to deny it, but you are right, I left. I was afraid I would lose control again and do something unforgivable. By the time I came back, so much had changed. You had your James. Arabella had come into my life. I don't blame you in the least for your hate. What I did was pretty messed up, but what I was afraid I would do if I lost control would have been far worse."

He paused to take a breath.

"As for Brianna and I, I will be straight as you ask. The first time we met was at Merlotte's. She was sitting alone and I was trying to kill some time to give Arabella and Cassia some private time. She and I talked there in the bar and went for a walk. We went for a swim in the lake and talked some more. I found her interesting, and I will not deny it. At the time, I did not even know anything about her or who she was related to. All I knew was her name."

"What I said before about she and I being friends, that is the truth. Will it always be so? I don't know. The next time I saw her was after your talk with her and she just about broke my back, then we started talking and settled things out. I told her about our past, and a lot of what had happened. We have only seen each other three times before tonight in Bill's office, all brief encounters, and I am in no hurry to change that. As for jealousy, I do not see that you would have a reason."

He paused to let that sink in, then spoke again...

"You didn't 'fuck it all up'. Things were evident and we even saw them but we tried to force it to work. The truth is that neither of us was ready. You were still hurting over Jason and Hoyt, and I was still hurt over Kiara. The pain we both felt seemed like a connection and I think that is why we tried to make it work so hard. I'm just sorry it caused you so much pain. I earned my own pain, but you didn't deserve half of what you had to face. and for that I am sorry. I am just glad you have your James now. He makes you smile. I've seen it. A look goes into your eyes that never came from me, and your whole body relaxes. If he can do that just by you thinking of him...now that is love. If anyone should be jealous, it should be me, but I am not. I am happy for you."

He fell silent, waiting to see if she wanted to say more.

She kept her back to him and listened as he spoke. She was actually shocked by a lot of what he said. Things she had never heard him say or admit. It was...shocking. She closed her eyes when he admitted he kissed her and admitted to having interest in her. It made her think how ironic it was that they met at Merlotte's. They hadn't really met at Merlotte's the first time, but when it all started that was where it was. It was...special. Well, it was. Now it was just a distant memory.

"You didn't 'fuck it all up'. Things were evident and we even saw them but we tried to force it to work. The truth is that neither of us was ready."

She turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked down for a moment and knew he was right. She was still ultimately broken inside from Jason dismissing her like he had.

"You were still hurting over Jason and Hoyt, and I was still hurt over Kiara. The pain we both felt seemed like a connection and I think that is why we tried to make it work so hard. I'm just sorry it caused you so much pain. I earned my own pain, but you didn't deserve half of what you had to face. and for that I am sorry."

She looked up at him, her mouth slightly dropped by hearing him apologize for her pain. A simple sorry would never be enough to fix it all, but hearing him said it helped. They both had been through a lot and maybe it was time for them to find their happily ever after.

"I am just glad you have your James now. He makes you smile. I've seen it. A look goes into your eyes that never came from me, and your whole body relaxes."

She smiled and thought more of James. Quinn was right, she would always calm down when thinking of Quinn but never like this. It was so much deeper, so much more. She felt it now, she realized it was more. Looking back up at him from her thoughts she nodded.

"If he can do that just by you thinking of him...now that is love. If anyone should be jealous, it should be me, but I am not. I am happy for you."

"Oh Quinn...I--I don't know what to say. I mean, everything that happened is the past and we should just let it go and push past it. I guess this was what I needed to hear all along. I needed you to acknowledge you leaving, but I understand why you did it. Not that it makes it easier or better, but...it helps." She sighed and looked down at her feet before looking back up at him. "I guess I feel foolish and I feel like an ass for hurting Brianna. But really, you have to know I really had the best intentions. I thought you were using her, I wasn't sure I could trust you and I didn't want her to get hurt. I know how that felt...but she said some things..." She shook her head and smiled. "Well, you know how I can get."

He flashed her an impish grin...

"Well...you ARE a redhead..."

"In all seriousness though, William asked if she could stay with us for her protection while he is away on business. Arabella has been hired to act as her tutor and teacher. The fact of my presence is peripheral at best. I will be setting her up a debt account for the funds William set aside for her, but beyond that, I will not really need to be involved too much."

He thought for a moment and smiled.

"Since you are already here, why not go into the stockroom and select a few bottles to take back for you and James to share. You remember where the rooms are, right? Mathew can escort you, to make up for his mistake earlier. You must come by again sometime soon and visit with Vincent. He has his little 'personal' assistant now, and I must say he is more alive than I've seen him in years."

He laughed as he thought about the two of them chasing each other around Vincent's quarters.

"With William heading to Texas, and Kiara at his side, the Mansion will be all yours, I guess. Lots of rooms to spend time in together."

She laughed and looked down, feeling like things had finally been...dealt with and set aside. It was nice and she felt like so much had been lifted from her. "I was supposed to teach her things...but I guess I had so much crap going on I neglected her. I'm a shitty vampire sister." She sighed and looked down. "I regretted not being there more for Eden...and now I'm doing it all over again."

She looked up when he offered blood and gave a small impish grin. "I remember where a lot of things are, but as for blood...I guess I can take a few. I haven't really been that hungry lately..." She recalled how sated her hunger was since James had been around and fed from her. She was calmer, he calmed her and relaxed her a lot. Quinn's blood would always have affect on her, but his blood was potent. "Thank you for your kindness, blood supply is low though. With all the Hep V crap that vamp camp started things are just haywire."

She beamed and nodded. "I'd love to see Vincent. I've missed him and I'm so glad he's okay. And he has a friend?" She wiggled her brows. "Go Vinny!" She giggled. He spoke again and his words were out of left field. So far out...she nearly felt her eyes pop out her sockets.

"Did you...did you say Kiara? With Bill? Leaving? Wait..you know? Wait...wait...what?" She was confused and the last she saw that bitch she was zombified and spewing vile words that she rather not think about. "I can't...are you saying...she's normal?"

"I don't know about normal, but she is not attacking everything in sight."

He walked back inside, pulling a small silver case from his desk and handed it to her.

"These vials are from one of my labs. They contain a detecting agent for HepV. If you are unsure about a blood source, fill a glass, drop in a vial. If it turns black, the blood is infected. 90 seconds after testing the solution solidifies and sinks to the bottom, so there is no wasted blood if it is safe to drink. I already gave your maker some of these."

He pressed the buzzer, bringing Mathew back into the room.

"Take Miss Hamby to the storage supply rooms. She will be selecting a few bottles to take with her when she leaves. Escort her there, carry the bottles for her, and see her safely back to her car."

Without warning, Quinn kissed her cheek and smiled.

"It was good to see you again. I am glad this visit helped you."

She was shocked to hear she was...better? What had Bill done to her? Had he changed her? She followed him inside and into his office. Listening to him explain about the testing vials, she nodded and blew out a breath. That would come in very handy for donors and any other blood they would receive. It was never enough to be safe. "Thank you. I think these could come in quite handy." She looked to see Matthew entering and then looked back at Quinn.

He stepped closer to place a kiss on her cheek and she smiled. Before he could leave, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. At first hesitant and a little awkward, she relaxed against him and hugged him. "Quinn, I can't thank you enough. I will never forget what we had and what we shared. It was really great while it lasted, and although it ended...our friendship doesn't have to." She pulled back and looked up. "I want nothing more than to see you happy....but if you hurt my vampire sister...I'll hurt you. Got it?" She giggled and playfully hit his arm. Giving him a wink, she followed Matthew to the storage room. Blood would be nice, she hadn't really had much blood lately. Alone time soon with James....oh the possibilities.

She felt SO much better because finally...she was able to let it go.