[chapter twenty-nine]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-)
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~Jasmine's POV~
"Duuuuuuuude." I laugh as I feel Jimmie grab my waist, spinning me around. "I need your help."
"Again?" I tease, looking around the ruin of Jimmie's house. People began drifting away about an hour ago, but a number of stragglers were still falling where they lay or trying to find a ride home. "What now?"
"Can you get Jeff home?" He asks gently. "All my spare beds and couches seem to be taken up. And he sure as hell can't drive."
I sigh slightly. "Where is he?"
"Front porch." Jimmie says quietly. "You're my hero."
"I better be." I say, kissing his cheek. "Thanks for the party. I'll stop by tomorrow sometime to see what structural damage your house sustained." I wink as he squeezes my hand, handing me Jeff's keys before turning to kick a path to his own bed.
I step out the front door and see a slumped over Jeff Gordon on the steps. Good thing he's not a big guy, or I'd never be able to move him by myself. "Jeff?" I say, laying a hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me, his eyes trying to focus on mine. "You okay to walk?"
He nods and stands, unsteadily. "I think so. Just not very fast."
I hide a smile as I take his arm to steady him. "How many did you have?"
"Twenty-eight … million." He says, grinning like a little boy.
"Where's your car?" I ask, scanning the street for it, before finding it. Blocked in by three other cars that are clearly not moving. "Shit. Never mind."
"Where are you taking me?" Jeff asks I as abruptly change paths and head for my own front door.
"To a bed for you to pass out in." I say, kicking open our front door and stepping inside, pulling Jeff in after me.
"Yours?" He asks softly, hopefully.
"No." I throw back, walking towards our one spare bedroom. "Your own."
"Damn." He mutters behind me and I can't help but shake my head. I flick on the overhead light to the bedroom and yank the covers down on the bed as Jeff pushes his shoes off like a little boy who's too lazy to untie the laces. "Thanks, Jasmine."
"You're welcome. Why don't you go to sleep? You'll feel better."
"I feel fine." He argues, crawling under the sheets. "I feel dandy."
"You just used dandy in a sentence. Clearly, you are not fine." I say, turning off the light and turning to go.
"Jasmine?" His voice calls out in the dark. "Baby?"
"What?"
"Stay."
"No."
"Stay."
"NO."
"Please?"
His tiny voice sounds so lost and alone, I feel my hardcore bitch routine wearing down. Damn him.
I walk back across the room and sit on the edge of the bed, pushing a stray lock of hair off his forehead and stroking his hair gently, the shining of the moon through the window the only light in the room. "Go to sleep, Jeff."
"I like it when you call me Jeff." He says, snuggling down and closing his eyes.
I plant a gentle kiss on his forehead and get up to walk out of the room quietly, careful not to disturb him as he falls asleep moments later.
I like it when you call me Baby.