isn't it great how Anna and Jeremy look like Kate and Jack?
c'mon people, look at them.
i mean seriously???
let's use our imaginations :-)
-
"What the hell just happened?" I yell, glancing behind me in fear of the possibility that someone could be right on our tail.
"We just got away with that! I've never felt such a thrill!" Henley screams, jumping up and down.
"We didn't get away with it just yet," Daniel says impatiently, leading us down the fire escape. "So a little less talking and a lot more running!"
We all rush down the fire escape and I pick up my pace as I hear footsteps chasing after us. I don't think Dylan Rhodes escaped the giant mass of people piling on top of him just yet, so I assume Alma Dray is chasing after us. She follows our every movement: down the stairs, through the parking lot, through an ally—there really is no stopping this woman.
Daniel eventually makes it behind a couple of us and ends up running in a different direction. "Split up! Go, go!" he yells, waving for us to follow our own path and we do so.
"Jack!" I yell, noticing how he begins to slow down. I grab his hand and pull. "Come on, hurry up!"
"Where are we supposed to go now?" Jack asks, obviously not aware of how to lead as the Horsemen never really gave him an opportunity to before.
"I'm going to blend in with the crowd. You change into your costume!" I order, running away from him and into the Mardi Gras parade.
There are people all around me—yelling, throwing beads at my head, clapping. It is very chaotic, being shoved around by drunk people who even attempt to touch me in strange places. I begin to feel stuffy, running out of air to breathe, but I still continue to run. I feel lightheaded and spot an empty ally to hide in. I breathe in and out, trying to calm myself down. My blood pumps rapidly and I clear my head in attempt to lower it.
"Move it, move it!" I hear behind me. I freeze as I hear a bunch of shuffling feet run past me. "Wait... three of you come with me," says a voice, causing me to quickly run towards a dumpster and crouch behind it. I begin to panic even more than before as this isn't part of the plan. I'm not supposed to take on four FBI agents all by myself. I'm not even sure if I can.
Their footsteps are slow and steady, me trying my best to hide in the shadows so that they hopefully don't see me. However, when I see an agent next to me quickly point his gun towards me, I know that plan has failed. Instead of giving up, I decide to see how far I can make it before one of these guys has me handcuffed.
I kick the gun out of the agent's hand, kicking him in the stomach afterwards by surprise. I get up and see the other three running after me. I punch the first one in the face and grab the second one's hands. I cross them together and turn him around as if I were hugging him from behind. The first guy, still affected from the blow to his face, kicks in our direction without being aware of the second agent in the way.
Finally, Agent Fuller tries to get in on some of the action. He runs to me and I quickly let go of the second agent's hand and grab onto Fuller's tie. I pull him and wrap his tie around the second guy's neck. Just as the first agent prepares himself to start swinging, I push the two agents into him as they fall to the floor. During this whole outbreak, the very first agent that I kicked in the stomach is still lying on the floor in pain. Guess I accidently kicked him in the groin. Oh, well. He'll live.
I quickly run away while they're all helpless on the floor, struggling to get up. I don't miss Agent Fuller when he yells behind me, "STOP THAT GIRL!"
I run farther into the parade that caused my anxiety levels to skyrocket in the first place. I wish I was undetectable in this crowd, but those agents really want me behind bars. They've memorized every inch on my face from the lining of my small eyes to the scars on my face due to acne problems as a teenager. I feel my heart beat quicken as someone bumps into me and grabs ahold of my arms. Before I can shove them away, I look at them and feel myself relax.
"Jack?" I yell over the crowd, noticing how he now wears a police officer costume.
"Run, run, run! He's after us!" Jack yells, leading me through the endless sea of drunks. We get bumped and pushed, some people not being smart enough to move out of a running person's way. "Excuse me! Aye, move, move, move. Excuse me!
We continue to swivel around the crowd and I look back to see Agent Rhodes standing on top of a cop car. People throw beaded necklaces at him while he holds a device in his hands, turning himself to search all around. Jack and I make a quick turn in hopes of finally being home free until I realize my turn is too quick and my right ankle does a thing that shoots pain right through it.
"OW! Jack!" I yell, falling to the ground. My ankle hurts like crazy and no matter how much I try, I can't stand up by myself. Stupid heels. Stupid Jack for being right.
I feel embarrassed by how right Jack was about my poor choice in getaway shoes. Instead of reprimanding me, he runs back to me and says, "Aye aye, come on, I got you." He bends down and picks me up bridal style, not even needing to gloat about how I should've listened to him. "It's all right, we're almost there."
I put all my faith in Jack and hold tight around his neck, lying my head on his shoulder. Even though my ankle hurts like hell and we're currently running away from the feds, I don't want this moment to be over. I don't want to fall asleep in my comfortable bed or be almost there, away from the people trying to tear us down. I just want to be right here in Jack's arms where I feel the most safe and protected.
When we make it back to the apartment complex, Jack carries me up the stairs without arguing. In fact, he carries me all the way to the bed and lays me down. The other Horsemen have yet to make it back, so he covers me with a soft blanket and runs his hands through my messy hair.
"Does it hurt a lot?" he asks, fully concerned about my ankle that has undoubtedly swollen up.
"It hurt a lot before," I say, slowly taking off my heels. "Now there's a minus five percent of pain."
"Here, let me get you some ice." Jack walks out of the room and comes back a few minutes later with a makeshift ice pack. He walks over and places it on my throbbing ankle, smiling sheepishly. "It's the best I could do."
I smile at the ice stuffed in a ziplock bag wrapped in paper towel. "Thanks. It's perfect. I can't believe what we just did. It was such a rush."
"I know." Jack nods. "Never in my life would I have thought I would have to do something like that. I just hope it's all worth it."
"Oh, it definitely is. I mean, I took out 4 agents all by myself."
"And that's why you're my girlfriend," Jack says with a smirk. "You're so badass."
My cheeks begin to blush, admiring the feeling I get whenever Jack compliments me. "Lay down with me," I whisper, tugging his warm hand. He complies, carefully setting himself down by my side. I wrap my arms around his neck, enjoying our quiet moment together.
"You're so pretty," he whispers, gazing at me in my entirety. I know that when he says it, it's more than just my physical features. He means it in a more intimate way, reaching inside the depths of my inner being to compliment the person that I am. I am not my body or my name—I am my soul that Jack's own has fallen in love with and vice versa.
With Jack, I know it's different than all the other times I've spent with other people. Guys have only dated me in the past because I'm a pretty face, never really caring to take the time to get to know who I really am. None of those guys even cared enough to let me show them a cool card trick or something.
But the way Jack looks at me let's me know he's being serious. It's like a feeling inside me telling me he's the one.
"It was my parents," I blurt out, playing with his baby hairs.
He looks at me strangely. "What?"
"Tonight's intermission. My parents were trying to get ahold of me because they just found out about the Five Horsemen. That's why I was kind of upset."
Jack considers what I've told him, recalling all that I've said before about my parents. "What did they say?"
answer me, kate.
what are you doing?
why do you need to rob a bank?
this is why we didn't want you involved with those kind of people.
"Nothing important," I say, shaking my head. "It just really took me back a couple of years when my parents would resent me for doing something they didn't approve of. I haven't heard from them for about a year and suddenly getting hit with their concern, it just made me feel weird. But regardless of that, I still love them. I still care about them, which is why when this is all over, I want you to meet them."
Jack grows wide eyed, his face falling and losing its color. He doesn't say anything and for a second I assume I've said the wrong thing. "Jack, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing," he assures me. "Don't worry about it."
"Jack, don't lie to me. Tell me what's the matter."
He sighs, grabbing my hand delicately as he rubs small circles on it with his thumb. "You've told me about your parents before, which I appreciate because I know you don't like talking about them that much. But from what I've heard, I just feel like your parents aren't going to like me. They're probably going to want you to break up with me and all that crap."
The image of my dad's message pops into my head. "Why the hell would you think that?"
"Because, Kate, you come from a rich family. All your life you had an easy way out with everything. You can get any rich guy you want and that automatically has your parent's approval, unlike me who's just a guy trying to get by."
I sigh, pulling his head to look me in the eyes. "Don't you ever think that I will leave you for some snobby jerk with money. My parents weren't always rich, and though they may have been corrupt by money, I know they won't judge a person that way. Even if they did, I wouldn't listen to them. I don't care if you have to steal people's wallets and watches in order to get by because no matter what you do, it won't affect the way I feel about you. You make me feel like...like a 5 year old who has just discovered magic for the first time."
Jack smiles at my reference and nods at my words. The way I have to stretch the truth for him breaks my heart. Of course I've told him about my parents. I've told him how much they adore their wealth and because of it, my younger self was neglected. I didn't tell him their honest feelings about magicians and how much they hated the fact that I was wasting my time with such foolishness. They won't care if Jack has to steal in order to get by. They'll care if he flips cards and pulls rabbits out of hats because of it.
this is why we didn't want you involved with those kind of people.
"Thank you," Jack says, instantly making me feel guilty. "I feel better about it now."
I nod my head, looking anywhere but his eyes. "I want to tell everyone, though. Not just them."
"What do you mean?"
"Our lives are already complicated enough because of the Eye and what we're doing for these people that we don't even know actually exist. I don't want to be a secret anymore. I'm tired of it. I know you know that I love you a lot and though I've said it before, I'll say it again. I love you, Jack. I want everyone to know how much I love you because you've changed my life for the better. When I mean everyone, I really do mean everyone: starting with the Horsemen."
Jack smiles, smitten with what I've confessed to him. He nods his head, kissing my forehead softly. "Okay. Yeah, I'm down for that. I don't want us to be a secret anymore."
By this time, we're both uncontrollably giddy as Jack leans in to kiss me. We've done it plenty times before, but every time it feels like the first. I know I love him and I'm aware of how risky all of this is. It doesn't matter to me.
"Well, this is a surprise," Daniel says, entering the room. I quickly pull away, wiping my mouth as we both sit up. "Oh no, I don't mean to intrude. By all means, continue."
"Well, looks like you got what you wanted," Jack whispers to me, noticing how the three other Horsemen have now joined us.
"Oh my God, Kate! What happened to your ankle?" Henley asks, concern washing over her.
"I think I may have twisted it. It's fine though, I'll pull through."
"Ah, well, maybe Jack can kiss it for you. Make it feel better," Merritt says. I can practically feel the blood rushing to my face. "By the way, I was totally not expecting that. The amount of times I've peeped into your heads and all I could see was lovey dovey feelings for each other that weren't at all acted upon."
"We've been watching you for a year," I say to Merritt, rolling my eyes. "We know how to push our thoughts in a different direction when you're around."
"Well done," he says, tipping his hat to me.
"How long has this been going on?" Daniel curiously asks.
"5 months," I say.
"Almost 6," Jack adds, smiling at me.
"Alright, well, just as long as you don't eat each other's faces off in front of me, I'm fine with this," Merritt says.
"Oh, leave them alone," Henley says, winking at me. "I think they are absolutely adorable."
"I'm glad you guys know now," I say, smiling. "We kept it a secret because we thought you guys would think we'd become distracted or risk some of the plans. Since it's almost over, there's really no point in hiding anymore."
"Kate," Danny says, crossing his arms. "I know it's difficult for you to understand, but no one cares. We have more important things to worry about than your love life."
Instead of glaring at Daniel, I laugh and shake my head. "Well, no more secrecy. We can all be honest with each other in these last few days we have together. Everything will turn out alright."
"Oh no," Daniel says all of a sudden.
"What?"
"Um. Nothing. You know, it's not really important. What is important is that you and Jack are finally together, out in the open with no secrecy whatsoever. I think you should share the bed tonight, you know? Because love is all about cuddling."
My face twists. "Danny, are you high? I know we're in New Orleans and it's Mardi Gras and everything, but have a little self control. Especially considering the situation we're in."
"No. Not intoxicated at all. Well, I'm gonna call it a day. Goodnight, everyone."
With that, he leaves the room and leaves me with confusion. Whatever Danny is worked up about, it doesn't matter. Now my closest friends know about Jack and I and nothing can ever separate us.